Swiss car-sharing provider Mobility operates a fleet of some 3,000 vehicles, many stationed at Switzerland’s ubiquitous train stations to provide last-mile transportation. The company’s first foray into electrification was a bit too early—it began offering EVs in 2011, but later took most of them out of service.
Now the value proposition for EVs has improved, and Mobility has announced plans to make all its cars electric and emission-free by 2030. To provide charging for its new fleet, Mobility will deploy “hundreds” of charging stations around Switzerland. The company plans to set up at least 300 charging stations by 2023.
“We want as many charging stations as possible, as quickly as possible,” said Mobility CEO Roland Lötscher. “The future belongs to e-mobility—and we want to lead the way.”
Mobility does not own its parking spaces, but rents them, so it will offer a deal to its site owners: they provide the grid connection, and Mobility will install its own charging solution. “I think most site owners will recognize the signs of the times and take advantage of our offer,” says Herr Lötscher.
Mobility will collaborate with three Swiss firms for the project: Juice Technology of Cham will supply AC charging stations; EVTEC of Kriens will supply DC charging stations; and Helion, located in Zurich, will build and service the charging sites.
The chargers will source 100% of their electricity from renewable sources. Access to the GOFAST public charging network, which includes around 60 stations in Switzerland, will be provided with every Mobility electric car.
For now, the charger-equipped parking spaces will be for the exclusive use of Mobility customers. For the longer term, the company is considering how it might make its charging stations available to the public, too. “In the end, it is an organizational question that is not easy to solve for us,” a Mobility spokesperson told Charged. “Mobility cars can be returned at any time before the booking expires, and must then be guaranteed to find a free parking space. But we will work on it.”
Source: Mobility