Abstract
Whilst a growing number of agencies have begun to define individual electric vehicles as the key to sustainable transportation, others propose to use electric vehicles as a complement to public transport for intermodal and/or multimodal use (Canzler and Knie 2009; Beckmann 2010). However, little is known about the views of potential electric transport users. Who should offer such an integrated mobility product? Which integrated products should be offered? Which target groups should be addressed? What are their mobility needs? How do the peculiarities of electric vehicles (range, cost) match the transportation needs of users? This chapter reveals insights into these aspects by presenting four integrated mobility products to potential users in five focus groups. Five different product concepts were developed: pay-as-you-go electric bike (pedelec) rental for highly urbanised areas; e-carsharing for urbanised areas ‘berlin mobil’; ‘last mile’ shuttle service, including free rides with e-cars for less densely urbanised areas; e-car-leasing including free local transit and a contingent of free long distance rail journeys; and pay-as-you-go car-rental (for further information see Scherf and Wolter 2011; see also Beckmann 2010). Earlier research identified four homogeneous user groups among users of integrated mobility products (Maertins et al. 2004a): pragmatic public transit users (Canzler and Knie 2009); eco-friendly cycle and public transport users (Beckmann 2010); pragmatic multi-modal users and fun-oriented car users (Maertins et al. 2004b, Maertins 2006). Members of each of these groups were recruited for a two and a half hour focus group to discuss different aspects of the five above-mentioned mobility products: price models; business models; compatibility in every day use; and trust in potential operators (transportation; energy). Additionally, a group of car-sharing clients was invited to delve deeper into usage problems, since carsharing users are already experienced with the system of instant access.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Carsharing is an organized form of jointly using one or more cars. The precondition is a membership of a cooperative or club or a contract with a carsharing-provider. In contrast with car rental it is planned for a longer period and a vehicle could be rented for a shorter time. The vehicles belong to the provider, who is responsible for the condition of the cars and receives payment from the users. If there is a written arrangement between neighbours about using a car together, it is carsharing in a wider sense, too (Öko-Institut 2004; Baum and Pesch 1994).
- 2.
There are two types of vehicles used in this project: firstly, electric vehicles which have an electric motor only, a range between 100 and 150 km, and a charging time between 4 and 8 h; and secondly, plug-in-hybrid (in the following called ‘hybrid’) vehicles, which have both an electric and combustion motor. The range is about 25 km if driven electrical only and like cars with combustion motor if driven with combustion motor. Charging time is about 1.5 h.
- 3.
To analyse user needs it is necessary to distinguish private from institutional customers. This study will focus on private customers.
References
Baum H, Pesch S (1994) Untersuchung der Eignung von Car-Sharing im Hinblick auf Reduzierung von Stadtverkehrsproblemen. Köln
Beckmann K (2010) Elektromobilität. Hoffnungsträger oder überschätzte Chance des Stadtverkehrs? Difu-Bericht. Retrieved from http://www.difu.de/publikationen/difu-berichte-22010/elektromobilitaet.html. Accessed 29 July 2011
Bühler F, Neumann I, Cocron P, Franke T, Krems JF (2011a) Usage patterns of electric vehicles: a reliable indicator of acceptance? Findings from a German field study. Retrieved from http://www.tu-chemnitz.de/hsw/psychologie/professuren/allpsy1/pdf/Buehler%20et%20al.,%202011.pdf. Accessed 11 Dec 2011
Bühler F, Neumann I, Cocron P, Franke T, Krems JF (2011b) Enhancing sustainability of electric vehicles: a field study approach to understanding user acceptance and behaviour. Retrieved from http://www.tu-chemnitz.de/hsw/psychologie/professuren/allpsy1/pdf/Franke%20et%20al.,%202011.pdf. Accessed 11 Dec 2011
Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie (BmWi), Bundesministerium für Verkehr Bau und Stadtentwicklung (BMVBS), Bundesministerium für Umwelt Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit (BMU), Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BmBF) (2011) Regierungsprogramm Elektromobilität. Berlin
Canzler W, Knie A (2009) Grüne Wege aus der Autokrise. Vom Autobauer zum Mobilitätsdienstleister. Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung. Retrieved from http://www.boell.de/downloads/wirtschaftsoziales/Autokrise_Endf.pdf. Accessed 29 July 2011
Canzler W, Hunsicker F, Karl A, Knie A, König U, Lange G, Martins C, Ruhrort L (2007) DB mobility: Beschreibung und Positionierung eines multimodalen Verkehrsdienstleisters. InnoZ-Baustein Nr. 1, herausgegeben vom Innovationszentrum für Mobilität und gesellschaftlichen Wandel (InnoZ) GmbH, Berlin
Canzler W, Knie A (2011) Einfach Aufladen. Neue Beweglichkeit durch Elektromobilität. München
Die Bundesregierung (2009) Nationaler Entwicklungsplan Elektromobilität der Bundesregierung. Retrieved from http://www.now-gmbh.de/uploads/media/Nationaler_Entwicklungsplan_Elektromobilit_07.pdf. Accessed 29 July 2011
Dütschke E et al (2012) Roadmap zur Kundenakzeptanz Elektromobilität. Technologie-Roadmapping am Fraunhofer ISI: Konzepte—Methoden—Praxisbeispiele Nr.3. Karlsruhe
Frost and Sullivan (2010) Carsharing: a sustainable and innovative personal transport solution. Retrieved from http://www.frost.com/prod/servlet/market-insight-top.pag?Src=RSS&docid=190795176. Accessed 29 July 2011
Hacker F et al (2009) Environmental impacts and impact on the electricity market of a large scale introduction of electric cars in Europe. Critical review of literature. European topic centre on air and climate change (ETC/ACC). Retrieved from http://air-climate.eionet.europa.eu/docs/ETCACC_TP_2009_4_electromobility.pdf. Accessed 29 July 2011
Harms S (2003) Besitzen oder Teilen. Sozialwissenschaftliche Analyse des Carsharing. Zürich
Hasse S (2011) Customer needs and acceptance of electric vehicles as part of integrated transport concepts. Presentation at the final conference of the socio-economic research of the “Model region electric mobility Bremen/Oldenburg”, 18th and 19th August 2011, Jacobs University in Bremen
Hoffmann C (2010) Erfolgsfaktoren umweltgerechter Mobilitätsdienstleistungen: Einflussfaktoren auf Kundenbindung am Beispiel DB Carsharing und Call a Bike. Dissertation an der Universität Osnabrück < urn:nbn:de:gbv:700-201011046672>
Hoffmann C, Stolberg A (2005) INTERMODI—Wirkungsbilanz Carsharing: Kundensegmentierung auf der Basis von Mobilitätsorientierungen und soziodemografischen Merkmalen. Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin. Retrieved from http://www.wzb.eu/gwd/mobi/projects/closed/projects_closed.de.htm. Accessed 29 July 2011
Hunecke M, Haustein S (2007) Einstellungsbasierte Mobilitätstypen: Eine integrierte Anwendung von multivariaten und inhaltsanalytischen Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung zur Identifikation von Zielgruppen für eine nachhaltige Mobilität. Umweltpsychologie 11(2):38–68
Hunecke M, Wulfhorst G (2000) Raumstruktur und Lebensstil—wie entsteht Verkehr? Internationales Verkehrswesen 52:556–561
Maertins C (2006) Die Intermodalen Dienste der Bahn: Mehr Mobilität und weniger Verkehr? Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin. Retrieved from http://bibliothek.wzb.eu/pdf/2006/iii06-101.pdf. Accessed 29 July 2011
Maertins C, Hoffmann C, Knie A (2004a) Automobil mit der Bahn. Bilanz zur Markteinführung von Call a Bike und DB Carsharing. Internationales Verkehrswesen 56:38–40
Maertins C, Knie A, Hoffmann C (2004b) Die automobile Bahn. Erfahrungen und Potentiale von Auto- und Fahrradbausteinen bei der Deutsche Bahn AG. In: Zanger C, Habscheid S, Gaus H (eds) Bleibt das Auto mobil? Mobilität und Automobil im interdisziplinären Diskurs. Frankfurt am Main, Peter Lang
Mitchell WJ, Borroni-Bird CE, Burns LD (2010) Reinventing the automobile. personal urban mobility for the 21st century. Cambridge, MA
Öko-Institut (2004) Bestandsaufnahme und Möglichkeiten der Weiterentwicklung von Car-Sharing. Retrieved from http://www.oeko.de/oekodoc/247/2004-032-de.pdf. Accessed 29 July 2011
Scherf C, Wolter F (2011) Multimodales Mobilitätsmanagement. Internationales Verkehrswesen 63:53–57
Solberg P (2009) Adieu ÖNVP—Car2go-Projekt in Ulm. Süddeutsche Zeitung. Retrieved from http://www.sueddeutsche.de/auto/cargo-projekt-in-ulm-adieu-oepnv-1.452002. Accessed July 29 2011
Sperling D, Gordon D (2009) Two billion cars. Driving toward sustainability. Oxford University Press, New York
Stolberg A, Hoffmann C (2005) INTERMODI—Wirkungsbilanz Call a Bike: Kundensegmentierung auf der Basis von Mobilitätsorientierungen und soziodemografischen Merkmalen. Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin. Retrieved from http://www.wzb.eu/gwd/mobi/projects/closed/projects_closed.de.htm. Accessed 29 July 2011
TÜV Rheinland (2010) Ergebnisse der repräsentativen Befragung zur Akzeptanz von Elektroautos. Retrieved from http://www.tuv.com/media/presse_2/pressemeldungen/Ergebnisse_Umfrage_E-Mobilitt.pdf. Accessed 29 July 2011
Wolter F (2010) BeMobility—Berlin elektroMobil: The Future of Urban Transport. Retrieved from http://bemobility.de/site/bemobility/zubehoer__assets/de/dateianhaenge/bemobility__englisch.pdf. Accessed 29 July 2011
Wolter F, Faltus E (2011) BeMobility Berlin elektroMobil: Multimodal und elektrisch unterwegs. Retrieved from http://www.innoz.de/fileadmin/INNOZ/pdf/Brosch%C3%BCren/BeMobility_Apr_2012.pdf. Accessed 28 Mar 2012
Wolter F, Hasse S, Heinicke B (2011) Intelligent vernetzen. Internationales Verkehrswesen 63:16–19
Zimmer G et al (2011) OPTUM: Optimierung der Umweltentlastungspotenziale von Elektrofahrzeugen. Retrieved from http://www.pt-elektromobilitaet.de/projekte/begleitforschung/optum-1/copy_of_5BMUFKZ16EM0031_OPTUM.pdf. Accessed 30 Feb 2012
Acknowledgments
This study was funded by the German Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS—Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Bau und Stadtentwicklung), whose support made this research possible.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hoffmann, C., Hinkeldein, D., Graff, A., Kramer, S. (2014). What Do Potential Users Think About Electric Mobility?. In: Hülsmann, M., Fornahl, D. (eds) Evolutionary Paths Towards the Mobility Patterns of the Future. Lecture Notes in Mobility. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-37558-3_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-37558-3_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-37557-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-37558-3
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)