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Category: energy transition

towards decarbonation of our mobility

mobilize
Posted on by teqsup
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towards decarbonation of our mobility

The first solar-powered plane trip around the world? You can thank him for that. When Bertrand Piccard isn’t advising the Pope, global leaders, or economic giants, he’s busy with another grand pursuit: namely, the reconciliation of economics with ecology.

  • design
  • electric vehicle
  • energy transition

As the aviation world undergoes a major existential crisis, Bertrand Piccard, aeronaut, psychiatrist, and president of the Solar Impulse Foundation, is busy holding interviews and roundtable discussions around the possible futures for an industry that’s being forced to reinvent itself. “Let’s not give in to dogmatism or the temptation of naming a scapegoat. If there’s one industry that can rise to the challenge of its own transformation, it’s the aeronautics industry,” he and world aerobatics champion Catherine Manoury wrote in an op-ed for French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche. But it’s not just the future of the aerial industry that Piccard concerns himself with. Lately, he’s got a new interest: the democratisation of hydrogen cars.

bertrand piccard
Bertrand Piccard, Swiss aeronaut and founder of the Solar Impulse Foundation

Profitable solutions that protect the planet

Dozens of business leaders and top-tier investors have already made their case to European authorities for the necessity of a recovery plan focused on a digital-powered, green transition. “Delivering Europe’s long-term ambition to become the first climate neutral continent by 2050 requires an extensive set of urgent measures to scale up action. From a business and investor perspective, clarity on the net zero transition pathway and timetables for each sector, as well as policy that enables substantial investments in carbon neutral solutions is essential. This in turn would provide us with the confidence needed to invest decisively at the necessary pace and scale to reduce emissions, create decent green jobs, drive innovation, and accelerate the rebuilding of a resilient zero carbon economy,” reads the letter signed by the European directors of companies like Microsoft, Unilever, and even IKEA. Among the signatories listed is a certain Bertrand Piccard—and for good reason: he’s been working hard on coming up with solutions and funding for such a green recovery plan. His foundation, Solar Impulse, is dedicated to presenting decision-makers with profitable solutions that help protect the environment. Today, the foundation boasts a selection of 1,200 solutions, plus 400 bearing an official ‘Solar Impulse Efficient Solution’ label. The selected solutions include sustainable technologies within the domains of air pollution, industrial manufacturing processes, water, agricultural production, and last but not least: mobility.

Carbon-free mobility: and if it was time for hydrogen cars?

When asked about the future of transport, Piccard responds: “Hydrogen-powered mobility is not a solution for the future, it’s a solution for right now. Electrification is the best option for carbon-free transport under 300km. Beyond that distance however, hydrogen is the fuel to use. In California, in Japan, and in France, hydrogen fuel stations are under construction. In Germany, the first hydrogen trains were introduced, replacing diesel trains. Cars, trucks and buses that run on hydrogen are already on our roads, and NASA researchers are exploring the possibility of powering an aircraft with nothing but hydrogen.”

To prove hydrogen’s potential for use in transport, this Swiss aeronaut certainly gives it his all: November 2019, Piccard broke the world record for the distance travelled by a car on a single tank of hydrogen. “Another important advantage of this technology is that hydrogen can make friends where batteries are making enemies,” he says.

pompe à hydrogène mobilize
Hydrogen pump

The French government has certainly gotten the message. They’ve agreed to invest more than €7 billion of their €100 billion recovery plan in hydrogen energy between now and 2030. “We saw a first wave of electrification with electric batteries. To achieve greater vehicle autonomy of between 500 and 700km, with a record charging time of five minutes, we’ll need another form of electric energy powered by hydrogen,” explained Pierre-Etienne Franc, global director of hydrogen energy activity at Air Liquide, France’s biggest hydrogen produce, speaking to French newspaper Le Figaro.

As Piccard says: “For 20 or 30 years, everyone’s been talking about hydrogen mobility, but no one is actually doing it. Because all this time, anyone who’s tried has found themselves faced with people saying, ‘It’s impossible!’ But ‘impossible’ doesn’t exist in reality—it’s just in our minds, in our beliefs, and in our existing paradigms.” From here on out, thanks to significant investments from Europe, it seems hydrogen is finally being taken seriously, moving out of its adolescent phase and being invited to sit at the table with the adults.

 

Sarah Sabsibo, L’ADN journalist

L’ADN is the media on innovation that every day analyses the best concepts of the new economy on the web and in magazine format.

 

Copyrights: Renault Group

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understanding energy transition

“Energy transition” is one of the main elements of the ecological transition, which advocates a more sustainable economic, social and environmental model.

shared mobility needs to be structured collaboratively

mobilité collaborative mobilize
Posted on by Sébastien Besançon
TOP PLAYER

shared mobility needs to be structured collaboratively

For most, the term ‘shared mobility’ immediately brings to mind the practice of car-sharing but in reality, its scope and ambitions are much larger. From questions of inclusion, to the reduction of greenhouse gases, to rethinking the way we innovate, in this interview, future mobility and open innovation expert Judit Batayé explains how shared mobility will help build better transport in the future.

  • connectivity
  • design
  • energy transition
  • shared mobility

In light of social distancing measures introduced during the pandemic, the idea of sharing seems to have taken a backseat for now. What consequences has the pandemic had on shared mobility and carpooling?

As a member of the board of directors for Som Mobilitat (a vehicle-sharing cooperative based in Catalonia), I got to experience this crisis from the inside. We’d experienced tremendous growth over the last two years, and overnight, everything collapsed with the lockdown. Between March and May, we experienced a brutal 85% drop in reservations.

This period also taught us a lot. We of course increased health and safety measures by putting gel and masks in every shared vehicle, and by airing out each one between uses—but what this crisis also provided was a lesson in community solidarity. Very quickly, we made vehicles including the Renault ZOE available to health professionals so that they could travel to and from the hospital more easily.

We also gained important insight into general public feeling. Though lockdown was a difficult time, we noticed that the public nevertheless seemed to appreciate having a city that was less crowded and less polluted, as much in terms of sound and visual pollution as in terms of CO2 emissions.

This kind of clean city is something shared mobility can help make possible. We’re contributing to it with low-emission vehicles and optimised trips. We think this experience should motivate local councils to adopt shared mobility policies in the future.

judith bataye
Judit Batayé, future mobility expert

We tend to think of shared mobility in terms of connecting people — but could we say that the future of shared mobility depends more on successful data-sharing than on sharing between people?

Absolutely. Creating efficient shared transport is largely a question of how to handle data in order to make trips as fluid as possible. The goal is to arrive at a real MaaS (Mobility as a Service) model in which you can easily share information, book vehicles, or even calculate the best way to get from point A to point B (in terms of travel time or environmental impact), using a mix of public transport, private transport, and the other complementary services available. This is not a new model: it was invented in 2006 by a Finnish man named Sampo Hietanen, who describes it as “the Netflix of mobility.” But putting it in place can be complex sometimes due to the data-sharing that’s required to develop these kinds of services. I’d nevertheless say that there are many projects being developed that indicate things are going in the right direction.

Creating efficient shared transport is largely a question of how to handle data.

If I had to highlight one in particular, it would be the test project Renfe as a Service (RaaS), an A-Z mobility experience that allows you to access all Renfe services (Spain’s national railway company) alongside third-party services within a single app. By making multiple mobility services available, you make the user journey more efficient to and from train stations. By sharing data, we can create a truly integrated system that makes passenger mobility truly fluid. I think we have to move towards this model of data integration.

Your consulting firm Six-Ter champions the idea of a sharing economy that fosters inclusion using the principles of a social solidarity economy. Could you give us some examples of how shared mobility contributes to inclusion?

I think that the idea of inclusion underpins the sharing economy philosophy. Once again, there are many projects I could cite, but I’m a particular fan of what Taxistop is doing in Belgium by making social solidarity initiatives an integral part of their objectives, whether in terms of housing or mobility. I could also cite Mobicoop, a company that’s bringing transport services to the populations and places that need the most.

And in a larger sense, I think that technological advances like self-driving vehicles will also help contribute to greater inclusion. I still remember my 72-year-old mother’s reaction upon discovering Waymo and its self-driving car service. She was extremely enthusiastic about the possibilities a service like that could offer her.

By reducing the number of vehicles per person in service, the very nature of the sharing economy can help us reduce our environmental impact. What else is the shared mobility sector doing to take this even further?

To have real environmental impact, shared mobility needs to be structured collaboratively, and involve all key players: cities, infrastructure, manufacturing… but also all the different sectors that are linked to mobility: delivery services, ports… Everything is interconnected. Shared mobility is a collective pursuit—and each link in the chain has to work towards sustainability. If, for example, infrastructure makers decide not to get involved, manufacturers won’t have enough reason to develop electric-powered services.

To have real environmental impact, shared mobility needs to be structured collaboratively.

Returning to the example of delivery services, in Barcelona, the growing number of “Amazon-type” deliveries taking place is creating real congestion issues. So logistical solutions like building more pickup points can help reduce traffic and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Logistical optimisations like these are also a part of shared mobility.

It’s clear that working together is essential, and that such efforts will require a kind of collective coordination — if only to avoid ‘silo-thinking’ in which everyone works alone on their own solution. How do we encourage this?

I very much believe in mobility hubs. For me, they’re the best way to encourage open innovation that truly involves all parties. There are already several exciting projects like this underway—for example Railgroup, the most innovative cluster in my opinion, which is a perfect example of how to apply the principles of open innovation. In Europe, I could cite EIT Urban Mobility, which is made up of 40 members (cities, public transport providers, universities…) that work together to envision the future of mobility. Here in Barcelona, industrial actors come together at Cámara de Comerç de Barcelona to invent future mobility systems. And the Barcelona Global consortium — a group of the most important companies in the region who are working to promote a new model of mobility that’s more sustainable, safe, efficient, and inclusive. In their manifesto, they presented policy leaders with 15 concrete mobility solutions, from parking projects, to the use of big data, to an overhaul of public transport. So, I think that the future of mobility will have to be shared.

Not only in the sense of sharing between the final users, but in the sense of sharing the design and ideation process, too.

About Judit Batayé

  • Over 20 years of experience working on innovation projects in the mobility sector
  • Director of Six-Ter, a consulting firm focused on social innovation and sustainable mobility.
  • Member of OuiShare, advising on themes related to the future of sustainable mobility
  • Co-founder of COVIDWarriors, a non-profit organisation working to accelerate social, technological, and health-related projects that address the current crisis

 

Interview by Jérémy Lopes, L’ADN journalist

L’ADN is the media on innovation that every day analyses the best concepts of the new economy on the web and in magazine format.

 

Copyrights: Kaspars Upmanis via Unsplash, DR

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where do we stand on shared mobility?

urban mobility adapts to the changes in ways of using and the demands of the ecological transition

everything you need to know about shared car

The swelling popularity of electric mobility and carsharing brings the two trends ever closer, pioneering an entirely new way of getting around. Let’s take a closer look at the early stages of this double-pronged revolution.

Zity by Mobilize, a model of carsharing in Europe

Since its launch nearly five years ago, Zity, a 100% electric self-service car-sharing service, has been demonstrating how this new form of mobility helps to ease traffic congestion and facilitate travel in cities.

speeding up the development of sustainable mobility through behaviour sciences

sciences comportementales
Posted on by Sébastien Besançon
REBOOT

speeding up the development of sustainable mobility through behaviour sciences

When choosing our methods of transport, we’re anything but rational. That’s the thinking behind the work of Professor Jinhua Zhao, an Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researcher who believes behavioural science can help cities create and develop more sustainable mobility systems.

  • connectivity
  • design
  • energy transition

REBOOT 1: developing new forms of mobility with the help of behavioural science

According to the French Environment and Energy Management Agency, transport is the number-one source of greenhouse gas emissions in France. This places urgent pressure on decision-makers and leaders in the mobility sector to propose alternative solutions and create a more sustainable transport network. What if behavioural science was the key to making the change? From French research campus Paris-Saclay to MIT, more and more researchers are asking this question…

“The main part of my own thinking is the recognition that transportation systems are half physical infrastructure, and half human beings,” says Jinhua Zhao, director of MIT’s JTL Urban Mobility Lab. And yet, over the last decades, transport decision-makers have mostly focused on pursuing technological advances and diversifying urban transport services, without giving much consideration to how passengers actually behave. Transport providers tend to assume that passengers are strictly rational when it comes to their daily commutes, and so the majority of transport systems are built on the idea that people base their travel decisions on journey time and cost.

And yet, this normative approach has had little effect on changing user behaviors. “It seems necessary to take behavioural science, and particularly social psychology, into greater account in order to create solutions that will lead to a lasting change in transport decisions,” wrote Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz in 2019. “People make decisions in all sorts of different ways,” says Professor Zhao in an MIT article entitled What moves people? “The notion that people wake up and calculate the utility of taking the car versus taking the bus — or walking, or cycling — and find the one that maximises their utility doesn’t speak to reality.”

REBOOT 2: encourage citizens to change their behaviour

Given all this, precisely what data should transport providers be focusing on to help them develop more sustainable mobility systems? After 20 years of teaching and research at MIT in particular, Zhao’s work now revolves around three main themes: the emotional aspects of transport, how these apply to mobility design, and how mobility relates to public policy. It’s an innovative approach that has helped him better understand, among other things, the success of multimodal travelcards, the impact of off-peak prices on crowding, the consequences of the sense of pride felt by many car owners, and even how discriminatory attitudes around race and class may affect people’s preferences around ride-sharing.

Used strategically, this data could provide multiple opportunities to anticipate, and thus modify user behaviour. “Each of the different disciplines within the social sciences can help us understand behaviour, identify and anticipate blocks, and shape the transition to more sustainable forms of mobility. Nevertheless, for them to be most effective, they need to be combined,” writes Anaïs Rocci, a specialist in the evolution of mobility practices, for a conference organised by Paris-Saclay entitled “New forms of mobility through the lens of the social sciences”.

REBOOT 3: inspiring future public policies on mobility

Faced with certain value systems still deeply-rooted in society — for example, car ownership as a status symbol — will, or should, local authorities be able to use this data to create more transparent, inclusive, and sustainable mobility systems? “We are at the dawn of the most profound changes in transportation: an unprecedented combination of new technologies, such as autonomy, electrification, computation and AI, and new objectives, including decarbonization, public health, economic vibrancy, data security and privacy, and social justice,” says Jinhua Zhao. He continues: “The timeframe for these changes — decarbonization in particular — is short in a system with massive amounts of fixed, long-life assets and entrenched behavior and culture.” Naturally, he jumped at the chance to enact transport policy reforms within MIT — including offering fully-subsidised public transport for employees, and making changes to campus parking fees. As a result, single-occupant car use has fallen, and employees report increased overall satisfaction. Could this be the future of transport policy for the rest of us?

 

Sarah Sabsibo, L’ADN journalist

L’ADN is the media on innovation that every day analyses the best concepts of the new economy on the web and in magazine format.

 

Copyrights: Ishan, Tom Chen

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THE NEW CONNECTED CHARGING POINT: MOBILIZE POWERBOX

As a specialist in services that promote ever more carbon-free mobility, Mobilize is innovating, thanks to cutting-edge technological partners, to offer a charging point for electric vehicles with the highest level of connectivity: the Mobilize PowerBox.

from space conquest to electric flying

mobilité aérienne
Posted on by Sébastien Besançon
REBOOT

from space conquest to electric flying

A few years from now, electric-powered aerial cars may begin zipping through the air. Anita Sengupta, a leading figure in spatial engineering and alumnus of both NASA and Hyperloop, is working on how to democratise them. But there are lots of challenges to overcome before aerial mobility becomes a reality…

  • connectivity
  • design
  • electric vehicle
  • energy transition

A new kind of road map for the mobility sector has been published across the Atlantic. The World Economic Forum and the city of Los Angeles laid out seven principles for ethical urban air mobility. Is this the last step before we’ll be able to get around cities… through the air? In any case, interest in the aerial transport sector is building: transport builders and manufacturers are seeking out more partnerships and increased funding, working to improve technology, and are well on their way to turning the sky into a new space for clean, quiet transport.

CHALLENGE 1: democratising urban air mobility

After 20 years spent developing the technology that’s allowed us to explore Mars, asteroids, and deep space and earning a PhD in ion research from NASA, Anita Sengupta worked at Virgin Hyperloop as Vice President of Engineering Systems. Her impressive career path paved the way for the creation of Airspace Experience Technologies, which she co-founded. Based in Detroit, A.K.A. The Motor City, and historic capital of the American automobile industry, this startup is working to design the future of aerial mobility.

According to the Roland Berger consulting group, this sector will be worth 80 billion dollars per year by 2050: “To start with, we think aerial services will be quite highly-priced and exclusive, but in the longer term as operating costs evolve, it will be more like today’s premium public transport services, such as taxis,” says Manfred Hader, director of Roland Berger’s aerospace and defense practice. These taxis are exactly what Sengupta is working on. This certified rocket scientist promises we’ll have on-demand flying cars that will get you to your destination five times faster for the same price as an Uber ride—and in just a few years from now.

CHALLENGE 2: solving the economic equation of the car of the future

Safer, cleaner, and quieter than helicopters, these flying vehicles would also be capable of carrying more passengers. The result, according to British consulting firm Ayming, is that more than 100 companies are currently working on the development of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts. These include Sengupta’s company, which joined forces with global aircraft manufacturer Spirit Aerosystems to develop Mobi-One, a quiet, eco-friendly aerial transport vehicle that will be able to carry up to five people at a time.

Their goal is to mass-produce vehicles and minimise costs before Mobi-One arrives on the market. The first challenge aerial vehicle makers will face is how to commercialise these futuristic mobility services. Flying is expensive: Japanese company SkyDrive is planning to sell its two-seater VOLT, scheduled to arrive in 2023, at anywhere from $300,000 to $500,000. German startup Volocopter offers 15-minute rides for $354. And then there’s the question of energy storage. Specialists say that achieving the level of battery autonomy necessary to run vehicles like these will require us to develop new, higher-cycle lithium-ion batteries. Both engineers and cities are also concerned about security: how do you avoid collisions and traffic jams in the air? According to an article featuring Sengupta in the Financial Times, “They would not be crowded with air taxis zooming along in proximity… aerial taxis would need to be properly spaced for safety… with ‘an airspace bubble’ around them in case of emergency. Take-off times would be regulated, possibly by an air traffic control system that would have human overseers as long as safety considerations required it, before eventually becoming autonomous.”

anita sengupta
Anita Sengupta, spatial engineering specialist

CHALLENGE 3: registering the aerial car in the regulations

Further challenges exist in this space race around safety certification and infrastructure. What kinds of standard regulations should apply to eVTOLs? Where will they take off and land in large cities full of skyscrapers? And that’s all to say nothing of what the public’s enthusiasm will be for transport like this. “Generally speaking, the use of urban airspace means there will be less pollution and a more pleasant environment for pedestrians,” predicts Sengupta. It’s a strong argument that could help convince everyday citizens to climb aboard an aerial electric taxi in the future, from an engineer who likes to regularly remind people that “the sky is not the limit—only the beginning.”

 

Sarah Sabsibo, L’ADN journalist

L’ADN is the media on innovation that every day analyses the best concepts of the new economy on the web and in magazine format.

 

Copyright: Lloyd Horgan, iflyasx.com

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understanding energy transition

transition energetique
Posted on by Sébastien Besançon
LEVEL UP

understanding energy transition

“Energy transition” is one of the main elements of the ecological transition, which advocates a more sustainable economic, social and environmental model. Everyone’s talking about it, and what’s more, it’s happening right now. So what’s behind this concept, what are the stakes involved and what impact is it having on mobility?

  • electric vehicle
  • energy storage
  • energy transition

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the energy transition at the heart of the ecological transition

Energy transition is the name given to the change in energy generation methods and energy consumption. It’s about a shift towards a more frugal system based on decarbonized energy sources that are renewable, clean and safe. This applies to almost all human activities: heating, lighting, transportation, industry, etc. It’s about cutting the use of fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal) – non-renewable, greenhouse-gas-producing energy sources – in favor of renewable energy sources that are considered inexhaustible such as the sun (solar power), wind (wind power), water (hydraulic power), heat from underground (geothermal power), tide movement (tidal power) and organic matter (biomass).

This energy transition revolves around two main tenets: generating energy in ways that release less carbon dioxide (CO2) and cutting overall energy consumption, in particular by improving efficiency. The aim is therefore to do better, with less. This gradual shift from one energy model to another is the reason we talk about a “transition”.

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major challenges for the energy transition

combatting global warming

Three quarters of greenhouse gas emissions are due to energy combustion. This includes the transport of goods and people, including aviation (26%), industrial production of electricity, heat and other fuels (24%), and the energy used by households, businesses and institutions (14%) or by companies to produce or build (11%), according to Eurostat. The combustion of coal, oil and gas to produce this energy releases carbon in the form of CO2, which is responsible for more than 80% of the greenhouse effect. Global warming is the consequence. Abandoning fossil fuels in favour of decarbonised energies would automatically contribute to limiting emissions, particularly of CO2, and thus fight against global warming.Safeguarding the population and public health

Global warming causes an imbalance in atmospheric ecosystems that, among other things, leads to a rise in extreme weather phenomena (storms, heatwaves, floods, droughts) which pose a direct threat to the population and threaten key human activities like farming.

It’s also worth noting that the greenhouse gases that cause global warming are not the only emissions released by the burning of fossil fuels. They also release fine particles and other polluting emissions that affect air quality. By working to reduce them, energy transition therefore also improves public health.

 

reducing overall consumption

Energy transition also involves consuming less by living a more considered lifestyle and reducing waste.

It’s about avoiding using energy unnecessarily and optimizing systems so that they need less energy to produce the same yield. In the building, renovation, construction and automotive industries, strict norms and changes to heating systems can help cut yearly heating bills by 90%. This is what’s called energy efficiency. In the future, the development of smart grids and data from smart cities will facilitate the implementation of ambitious and appropriate energy efficiency policies.

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the energy transition underway

The energy transition is not just a vision for the future, it is an ongoing process. The NGO WWF has identified in a summary “15 signals” that show its progress around the world, such as the growing share of renewable energies in new electricity production facilities. And forecasts by the International Energy Agency show that renewables are expected to account for a third of electricity generation by 2025, ahead of coal. The progression of energy transition can also be measured in terms of the number of jobs that it creates. The International Labour Organization predicts that the green economy will create 24 million jobs worldwide by 2030. In the energy sector, this will notably go hand-in-hand with changing the energy mix, promoting the use of electric vehicles and improving the energy efficiency of buildings.

★ ★ ★ ★
the electric vehicle, accelerating the development of green electricity consumption

Modes of transportation, especially those run on fuel, are a significant source of energy expenditure and emissions. Again, the “less and better” tenet applies. The transportation sector alone accounts for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union. This is less than energy production, but more than agriculture and industrial processes.

 

electric mobility in the energy transition

The European Parliament points out that the road transport sector accounts for around one fifth of EU emissions, with private cars accounting for around 60% of these sectoral emissions.

Energy transition and electric vehicle development therefore seem to be closely linked if you look at the CO2 emissions released throughout the electric vehicle’s entire life cycle. Right from the start, the electric vehicle doesn’t release CO2 when being driven*. The origin of the electricity that it needs to run also plays an essential role in this positive impact. The more it comes from renewable sources, the more electric vehicles will turn out to be a smart choice. The European Environment Agency states that, using electricity solely from renewable energy sources, an electric vehicle releases four times less CO2 across its whole life cycle than a combustion-powered vehicle. What’s more, according to the FNH (foundation for nature and mankind), based on the average energy mix in France, an electric car already has a carbon balance that’s two to three times better than that of a combustion-engine car.

In parallel, electric vehicle technologies promote the incorporation of renewable energy sources into the electric mix. By helping energy supply and demand to coincide, smart charging and two-way charging (vehicle to grid) contribute to regulate and stabilize the network to make low-carbon, more affordable electricity available to everyone. Stationary energy battery storage systems using repurposed batteries from electric vehicles complete the picture by plugging gaps in the supply of renewable energy.

What remains is to reduce the impact of manufacturing; essential when it comes to developing the electric vehicle market. In particular, this concerns the extraction of raw materials, production method efficiency, battery evolutions and the development of recycling.

 

innovative mobility systems used as part of energy transition

The European Union has set itself the goal of reaching a 90% reduction in transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. To get there, we’ll need to change our behavior too. Starting, notably with the transportation of people, by reducing mobility needs through promoting remote working for company employees, or even by designing cities that are more centralized and suited to “active” modes of transportation (walking, cycling) and public transportation. Shared mobility is another development angle. Services like carpooling and car sharing on a self-serve basis are in particular aimed at reducing traffic volume and optimizing the utilization rate of cars, especially in city centers. In the future, connected and self-driving electric vehicles will bring cities efficient solutions for improved traffic flow, freeing up some of the space taken up by cars and improving city-dwellers’ quality of life.

Energy transition is therefore accompanied by a change in energy policy but also by a change in our behaviour and lifestyles. It is a challenge, a vector of innovation and a source of opportunities. Mobilize, the new Renault Group brand, has understood this. By covering the entire ecosystem of electric and intelligent mobility, the solutions proposed by Mobilize voluntarily follow a path towards carbon neutrality.

 

*Neither atmospheric emissions of CO2 nor pollutants while driving (excluding wear parts).

 

Copyrights: inakiantonana, Mlenny, CarlFourie, LEMAL Jean-Brice, PLANIMONTEUR

car share – a key part of collaborative consumption

covoiturage consommation mobilize
Posted on by Sébastien Besançon
REBOOT

car share – a key part of collaborative consumption

Born alongside the digital revolution, collaborative consumption is the implementation of an economic idea that advocates an end to the ownership of certain goods in favor of better, collective use. This model plays a particularly important role in automobile mobility in the form of carpooling.

  • energy transition
  • shared mobility
  • transport on demand

REBOOT 1: responsible consumption is on the rise

The advent of new technologies has given rise to a real revolution. Society is shifting away from a vertical model (from manufacturer to consumer) towards more horizontal consumer patterns based on sharing and swapping between private individuals: collaborative consumption whereby owning goods is not as important as being able to use it. The idea that it can be used by multiple users is at the heart of this revolution.

In this functionality-oriented economy, the use of goods and especially of services is shared, either for free or in return for payment. Key assets in the conventional model such as houses or cars are now less and less subject to exclusive ownership, as they are being rented out to multiple users or swapped on a long-or short-term basis via dedicated platforms. The most successful examples of this type of collaborative consumption, to date, are Airbnb, Carpoolworld and Blablacar.

Besides its social advantages (sharing with those in need) and financial benefits for private individuals, collaborative consumption also helps address environmental concerns. Four passengers in a single car have a much smaller carbon footprint than they would if they were each driving their own vehicle. And consuming in a collaborative way contributes to sustainable development by giving certain items a second life via secondhand sale outlets like eBay, Back Market, etc.

REBOOT 2: the collaborative economy gets organised

In relation to the conventional consumption model, the collaborative economy is developing in two ways. First, it replicates what already exists, such as taking a taxi, renting an apartment or hiring a car. Then it adds on services that are missing from the generic options.

The most obvious examples of these add-ons are mobile apps, reviews of the services used and – perhaps most importantly – more attractive prices than those found on the conventional market.

The second way is to set up a brand new service like carpooling, which allows private individuals to arrange their own mobility among themselves, doing away with the restrictions of conventional transport.

REBOOT 3: numerous and diverse ‘collaborative’ consumers

So who are the consumers in this collaborative economy? To identify them, we have to consider the two main consumption habits of this population, i.e. the reason why they choose to consume in a collaborative way (to own or use goods collectively) and the context in which they do so: for individual or collective purposes.

Where these two approaches meet, we can identify four broad groups of collaborative consumers: Co-Owners, Co-Users, Single-Owners and Single-Users.

Co-owners are looking to consume in a more responsible way. Keen on group purchasing, they are for the most part found on platforms in the food and drink sector.

As for Co-Users, they are incentivized by the economic dimension of collaborative consumption. But while they are drawn to the financial aspect, the idea of consumption that is more respectful and which promotes social cohesion also has its appeal. This is why many of them can be found on carpooling websites.

Single-Owners seek as much to make savings as they do to avoid wastefulness. Therefore they tend to use giveaway and secondhand sale sites.

Lastly, Single-Users appreciate the social dimension and knowledge-sharing of collaborative consumption, generally on item rental and skills exchange sites.

REBOOT 4: ecological carpooling as an example of collaborative car consumption

Sometimes confused with car sharing, carpooling involves a more social dimension, as it connects a driver with passengers wanting to make the same trip. It is therefore also about meeting new people and sharing a moment together on the journey. And since carpooling has to work logistically for both the passengers and driver, it is generally arranged in advance, leaving little room for unplanned elements. This makes it perfect for regular daily trips, as well as more significant vacations. It remains the solution favored by consumers looking for a solution that makes sense financially, socially and logically, especially for long journeys.

The step in the shift towards collaborative consumption in the automotive sector, carpooling owes its success to its financial advantages. But its benefit to the environment is also notable.

 

Copyrights : LPETTET, pixelfit

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Zity by Mobilize, a model of carsharing in Europe

Since its launch nearly five years ago, Zity, a 100% electric self-service car-sharing service, has been demonstrating how this new form of mobility helps to ease traffic congestion and facilitate travel in cities.

everything you need to know about shared car

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ecomobility reinvents travel

ecomobilités trajets mobilize
Posted on by Sébastien Besançon
TIPS & TRICKS

ecomobility reinvents travel

Ecomobility touches on all mobility issues and lifestyles in this era of transition to clean energy. But how does it fit into the daily lives of those who live in cities and rural areas? And how can we make it ecomobility a reality so that everyone can make it their own? Here are some recipes to try.

  • connectivity
  • electric vehicle
  • energy transition
  • shared mobility
  • transport on demand

Recipe #1: understanding ecomobility with a pinch of imagination

The principle of ecomobility involves initiatives and infrastructures that make sustainable mobility possible, whether in cities, suburbs or rural areas. Just imagine public services, shops, schools, close to each other and easily accessible while, in the streets, tramways, car-sharing electric vehicles, gyropods and bicycles on bike paths would circulate. New mobility habits are gradually emerging along these lines.

All these vehicles could, for example, run on a road that absorbs 10-20% of the sun’s rays. The road surface could then carry this energy to the neighboring buildings to heat water. On the sidewalks, greenery would reclaim its rightful place and bring shade to temper the blazing sun during heatwaves. The roads would be used by soft mobility modes of transport as part of a sustainable development strategy. Ecomobility, to make it happen, you must first dream it a little!

Recipe #2: mixing ecomobility and electromobility over a low flame

Although the two notions are not equivalent, the solutions provided by ecomobility include those provided by electromobility. They range from car-sharing, to bicycles, to gyropods and all other sustainable means of locomotion. Ecomobility also addresses the issue of infrastructure that facilitates travel. It covers both the use of clean vehicles and everything that makes them work: electrical terminals, renewable sources of electricity, roadway design, etc.

Recipe #3: combine the three main ingredients of ecomobility

The present and future of ecomobility consist of three main pillars:

multimodality and intermodality

For ecomobility to be achievable, a diverse array of available modes of public transport is essential. No matter where they are, everyone should have access, at any time of the day or night, to one or more modes of transport adapted to his or her needs, i.e. to a multimodal offer. Intermodality, meanwhile, is about being able to use different modes of transport across a single zone or journey. These two complementary concepts serve as a basis for improving sustainable mobility options. Cities, as densely populated areas by definition, are logically the best positioned and act as laboratories for new forms of mobility.

shared clean vehicles

Multimodality and intermodality rely primarily on clean vehicles, that is, electric or electrified, and/or shared vehicles. These uses are made possible – and above all simplified to the extreme – by the omnipresence of connectivity. Free-floating, for example, offers an advantage in car-sharing: the vehicle can be left and picked up almost anywhere.

Mobilize, the Renault Group brand that sees mobility as more than just owning a vehicle, is positioning itself on these new forms of mobility. Its free-floating car-sharing service Zity by Mobilize, for example, is 100% electric and particularly well suited to city centres. And its Mobilize Share car rental and sharing solution meets a wide range of travel needs, as close as possible to inhabitants, and more often than not outside the major conurbations. 

new technologies

These days, ecomobility is also becoming a reality through mobile applications that connect humans to vehicles at the click of a button. And everything that has been imagined in science fiction literature could well become reality!

For example, Mobilize relies on a technological platform to offer mobility packages tailored to each user’s needs. They include the use of a vehicle and a set of associated services.  Mobilize Duo is not just an electric micro-vehicle for city traffic, Mobilize Bento is not just an electric mini-utility for delivering goods and services in urban areas … Each one is a connected interface between the user and the infrastructure, which opens up a thousand and one possibilities in terms of services to make mobility more fluid, optimise its cost and reduce its impact on the environment. 

Recipe n°4: invite the actors of the energy transition to share the table

Ultimately, everyone is an actor in ecomobility solutions. But to achieve this, public policies need to be followed up. According to a study by the Arcadis Group, Hong Kong is the most sustainable place in the world in terms of mobility, thanks in particular to its particularly efficient metro. In Europe, Vienna, Austria, is the model with a pedestrianised city centre and public transport that is mostly electric.

Car manufacturers are obviously in the forefront of designing electric and conected vehicle solutions that meet the challenges of ecomobility and sustainable mobility. So are all the companies that are innovating for clean individual or public transport. New brands are emerging that are rethinking the design of mobility beyond the car itself, to take into account all the points of contact between the user and his or her mobility.

Ecomobility therefore includes all the transport possibilities of each individual, each company, each community, to achieve another form of mobility, sustainable and soft. And this through innovations, public and private initiatives, and joint reflection between the various stakeholders.

 

Copyright : LeoPatrizi, Tramino, Elektronik-Zeit

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smart charging, the perfect partner for the electric car!

recharge intelligente mobilize
Posted on by Sébastien Besançon
TIPS & TRICKS

smart charging, the perfect partner for the electric car!

Plug in your electric car and let it handle the rest of the process from there, thanks to smart charging. Mobilize, the Renault Group brand dedicated to new mobility and vehicle-related services, provides users with technologies that modulate recharging according to information sent in real time by the electrical network. What’s the point? To limit costs, favour low-carbon energies and promote the general balance of the electricity network.

  • connectivity
  • electric vehicle
  • energy transition

advantage n#1: Save money by scheduling your charging

The connectivity of Renault electric vehicles means that home charging can be started or stopped according to the tariffs applied by the electricity supplier or the availability of electricity on the network. Thus the driver need not worry about studying the potential changes in the rate over time to start charging: he simply plugs in his car and sets the desired end-of-charge time and charge level. Everything then happens out of sight and mind.

advantage n#2: Benefit from green electricity from your own electric car charging station

The benefits of smart charging are real at the individual level, but they also extend to the collective. For example, the car will activate charging when the network operators indicate a surplus of production, in particular when the sun hits the photovoltaic panels or the wind blows on the windmills. Conversely, it will interrupt charging when demand exceeds supply to avoid exacerbating the deficit, for example when everyone turns on their household appliances at the same time and renewable energy sources are less productive.

At the grid level, smart charging increases the share of green electricity in the energy mix because it encourages the use of energy sources that have the merit of being renewable and low-carbon, but the defect of being intermittent. As there is no need for a storage phase, smart charging makes full use of this electricity as soon as it is produced

Advantage n#3: Being rewarded for flexibility

Saving money is good, but making money is better! An application like Mobilize Smart Charge knows how to trigger or interrupt charging to maintain a balance, in real time, between the production and consumption of energy over the grid.

 

The driver plugs in his vehicle when he gets home, and programs his departure time with its associated charge level in the Mobilize Smart Charge app, easily and one time only. From there, the application takes over, recharging the vehicle based on the availability of electricity on the grid, while ensuring the desired level of operating range is reached.

 

In the Netherlands, France and Belgium, where the Mobilize Smart Charge application is available, drivers of Renault E-TECH electric models (Megane, ZOE, Twingo, and soon Kangoo) are paid for their contribution to the electrical grid’s balance. In other words, the flexibility they allow for when charging is rewarded. In some cases, the amount earned can reach the equivalent of a full recharge per month, and that’s just the beginning.

 

The next step? That would be bi-directional charging, which will allow an electric car to return part of the electricity stored in its battery to the grid. Whereas the current smart charging helps to absorb production peaks, reversibility of charging will help to not only relieve the grid during consumption peaks, but also to store renewable electricity produced locally to promote self-consumption. By acting as a temporary energy reserve, the electric car will become a real link in the electricity network.

advantage n#4: Operating in an ecosystem conducive to intelligent mobility and charging

As the European pioneer in the field of electric cars, Renault Group, through its Mobilize brand, has brought the main players of the energy world together to create conditions favourable to the democratisation of these technologies. Electricity suppliers, distribution or transportation networks, local communities, public authorities: all the stakeholders must be involved to meet the challenges of green mobility.

Several pilot programmes have demonstrated this strong commitment throughout Europe. Need an example? In Utrecht, in the Netherlands, a set of solar panels installed on the roofs of buildings supplies the energy for a fleet of 150 ZOEs made available to residents.

These full-scale tests are being conducted to measure the uses and refine the operation of the algorithms that will draw or inject energy into the grid as needed. Such technological advances will benefit as many people as possible in the future.

 

Copyrights: Renault Communication

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Zity by Mobilize, a 100% electric car share

zity europe
Posted on by Sébastien Besançon
CHECK POINT

Zity by Mobilize, a 100% electric car share

Zity by Mobilize is an electric car-sharing service with no terminals or stations. It is a mobility solution that helps to reduce traffic congestion and encourages the use of more environmentally-friendly car share.

  • connectivity
  • electric vehicle
  • energy transition
  • shared mobility

Check 1: meeting the needs of major cities

Launched in 2017, Zity (renamed Zity by Mobilize in 2021) is a car-sharing service operating in 3 major European cities: Madrid and Milan. 

For major cities, such a service meets the travel needs of their residents with a solution that is accessible, environmentally friendly and complementary to existing transport services. 

To use the Zity by Mobilize service, all you have to do is download the free, dedicated application onto a smartphone to locate, reserve, open, lock and return a Dacia Spring, as well as pay for your journey. This ultra-flexible service is available without subscription. This ease of use is designed to encourage a shift from ownership to sharing, i.e. getting a vehicle when you really need it. 

https://www.mobilize.com/app/uploads/2022/10/50_zity_lifestyle__0098.jpg

Check 2: more restrictions on city centre access

In terms of new mobility in the centres of large cities, Madrid is a pioneer. With four operators in place by 2017, Madrid’s car-sharing offer is among the most advanced in Europe. It was a development pushed along by city policies like the “Madrid Central” plan adopted at the end of 2018, which encourages the use of public transport or lower-impact options, such as bicycles. By offering a 100% electric carsharing service, Zity by Mobilize gives the ability to drive in the heart of Madrid and in low-emission zones. 

https://www.mobilize.com/app/uploads/2022/10/50_zity_lifestyle__0098.jpg

Check 3: electric car sharing service, a trend in Europe

Electric carsharing is a means of relieving congestion in city centres, all while meeting the need to improve the quality of life in urban areas. 

As part of the Renault Group, a pioneer in electric vehicles in Europe, Mobilize sees mobility as a set of services designed around the vehicle and is involved in developing electric car-sharing services. 

Nearly 1,200 Dacia Spring are available for car sharing via Zity by Mobilize in Madrid and Milan. 

 

Copyrights: Renault Communication, iStock 

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car share – a key part of collaborative consumption

Born alongside the digital revolution, collaborative consumption is the implementation of an economic idea that advocates an end to the ownership of certain goods in favor of better, collective use. This model plays a particularly important role in automobile mobility in the form of carpooling.

a new car-free generation?

Posted on by teqsup
OPEN WORLD

a new car-free generation?

(podcast in French)
  • energy transition
  • shared mobility
  • transport on demand

 

The younger generation wants to live without a car and yet, they don’t want to sit still. So how can the automotive sector meet their expectations? Is the variety of mobility smartphone app sufficient to cover their needs? What will the future of mobility look like?

Isabelle Rio Lopes, Senior Director at Kantar France and Jean-Christophe Labarre, Innovation & Partnerships Strategy at Mobilize, take you on an exploration of the evolution of mobility, as seen by the younger generations.

Intervention of Isabelle Rio-Lopes, Senior Director at Kantar:

IN LIGHT OF YOUR STUDIES, DO YOU THINK THAT THERE WILL EVER BE A GENERATION WITHOUT CARS?

Today, if we look at the youngest generation, those under 25, the so-called Generation Z, it’s true that they are probably the first truly multimodal generation, i.e. one that uses all the different possible modes. These young people easily switch from car to bus, to bicycle, to carpooling or to other sharing services, whether bicycles, scooters, etc. This multimodality is facilitated by their intensive use of mobility applications. To give you a figure, they use mobility applications twice as much as generation X for example, who are their elders.
However, this does not mean that this generation rejects cars completely. In fact, a car remains for them an aspirational object and a step towards adulthood. Our studies show that for 28% of these young people, owning a car remains an important step in their lives. This is only five points less than generation Y, for example, where 33% say so.
That said, there are two major changes in the new generation’s relationship with cars and to mobility in the broadest sense, which will have a profound impact on the future of mobility.

What do you think these changes are?

First of all, the car of the future will have to be green. In 2021, 73% of youth tell us that their next car will be an all-electric vehicle. That’s seven points more than two years ago. So seven points more than before the pandemic. We can see the impact the pandemic had on this perception, this urgency, this need to really move towards a car of the future that is less polluting.

The second point that seems important to me is that these young people are open to all modes of transport, and, at the same time, they want to have an experience of mobility as fluid as possible. In short, they want to be able to choose for each trip, in each situation, the mode of transport that will be the most adapted to meet their current needs in any given context.

To answer your initial question, I think that today we can talk about a new generation that is truly multimodal, open to innovative and diverse mobility alternatives, but for which the car will always retain a central place.

What are the expectations of the younger generation today when it comes to mobility offers?

Today’s youth is pragmatic and above all they are looking to meet their mobility needs in a practical way and within their budget. This question of budget, this budgetary tension, is indeed crucial and is strongly present. Then, they will naturally turn – and this is a very important point for them – to less polluting and more inclusive modes of transport. We are thinking more specifically of public transport or shared services. But it’s true that today, these are modes that suffer from a poorer user experience than others – an issue that has been amplified by Covid.

Beyond these practical, financial, and responsible points, young people are also looking for modernity, for innovative solutions and they want to make their travel experiences agile, fun, lively and pleasant. Eventually, it is on these aspects that individual modes such as cycling, driving or even walking – which has increased significantly with the pandemic – are ways of getting around that provide the greatest pleasure. We measure this in our studies, through the experience of journeys, the declared experience of journeys.

Overall, when we ask this younger generation about the mobility solution they expect for the future, their demand is clearly for greener and gentler mobility, for more interconnection between modes. For a truly multimodal experience that will be seamless. We are not talking about a single solution, but about a multiplicity of solutions that will interconnect with each other.

Are these expectations different depending on where one lives?

Yes, you raise a very important point here. In fact, mobility behaviors vary greatly depending on where you live. This is the most decisive dimension for understanding mobility needs and expectations. In the end, it is a dimension that is going to be more important than the generational effect we just mentioned.

Indeed, mobility behaviors are strongly dependent on the mobility offers available. From this point of view, there are big differences depending on density and territories. In France, for example, in 2020, while the average rate of car ownership is 86% at the national level, it is only 28% in the center of Paris – what is called Paris intramuros – where, after all, many other alternatives are available. Whereas in rural areas, it reaches 96%.

I would say that we have here a key lesson, one that we observe in all our mobility studies: if the challenges of mobility are global – including researching a more sustainable mobility, accessible to all, with less congestion in the big cities in particular – if these challenges are global, the solutions are always local.

Is there a study that shows specificities between cities?

Yes, indeed, we have carried out a study called Mobility Futures: we looked at 31 major cities in the world, on all continents. This enabled us to identify six types of cities in which two key dimensions explain mobility behaviors and attitudes. The first, as we mentioned earlier, is the size of the city, the density of its population, but also its organization, its history, what built it.

The second dimension is really the way in which cities manage mobility. From this point of view, the role of local authorities is crucial to help the development of new offers, and therefore the development of more multimodal behaviors. To give you an example: in Europe, cities like Paris, Madrid or Milan belong to the group of cities that are still dependent on the car.

Why still dependent on the car? Because these are cities that have developed a strong policy to reduce car access to the city center and to develop new services accessible to all. But these are cities which, in the overall urban area, still have a fairly high modal share of the car; over 40 or 50% for each of these cities, whereas, for example, in Paris intramuros, the modal share of the car is around 16%, in Milan or Madrid, it is around 27%.

In fact, these are cities that will gradually reduce the share of the car even further thanks to regulations and the development of new offers and infrastructures. Eventually, the inhabitants of these cities will be able to benefit from new options and adapt the solutions they use daily to meet their various mobility needs. And in this context, public transport has a central role.

CAN WE SAY TODAY THAT THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS ARE LOOKING FOR NEW EXPERIENCES?

As we mentioned earlier, Generation Z was born with digital technology. Using mobility apps and social networks as part of their travels is something quite natural for them. So is, for example, the use of digital payment. At the same time, this is a generation that expects innovative solutions that will be positive for the environment. But they want to keep the pleasure of the journey and for them, pleasure is still of primary importance. Ultimately, this generation is not responsible for the past and does not want to feel guilty about it. Therefore, it also expects from the authorities and public actors innovative mobility solutions that will also allow them to travel in a pleasant and environmentally friendly way.

From this point of view, the notion of mobility experience is key because it represents a real challenge for public authorities and mobility actors. It is a question of offering a travel experience that allows young people to meet both their budgetary constraints and their commitment to the environment, while at the same time making the most of their journey. In other words, to turn this journey into a moment of life. These young people are open and at the same time are waiting for new services and innovative offers that would be relevant to meet their expectations while respecting their values.

If you were to draw a portrait of a young person living in a large European city in 10 years, what would you say about their mobility habits?

In the end, we identified five key levers that will have a strong impact on the evolution of mobility in large European cities in 10 years: the development of home-based work, the improvement of cycling infrastructures, the advent of zero-emission mobility, the implementation of mobility hubs at the entrance of cities and the evolution of the value of time that we have just talked about.
Well, in this context, I think that within 10 years, a young person living in a large European city will indeed fully experience this multimodality. They will have the right mindset, easy access to different modes of transport, and the agility to choose the best mode for each travel occasion.

You may ask, “In this context, what will be the place of the car? Well, they will still aspire to the car for its comfort and convenience, especially for young families. But this car will certainly be different from today. An electric car, maybe one day, an autonomous car, shared, and it will be used only for very specific occasions.

Jean-Christophe Labarre, Director of Mobilize’s Mobility Services Strategy:

FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF MOBILIZE, IS IT IMPORTANT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION?

Clearly, because this is a generation that is completely digital, that uses its smartphone, that does everything with its smartphone. If we are not able to adapt to this new mode of consumption, we are missing out on history. We want to be able to reach this public with a strict level of requirements, which is very strong, totally digitalized: the least possible constraints, the most possible freedom and solutions that meet their needs.

These solutions can be around a car or not, which is why we also have the ambition to work with the right partners. Last year, for example, we announced the creation of a Mobility 360 coalition with prestigious partners such as RATP, BlaBlaCar, Uber and Mobilize, and other ecosystems that revolve around other subjects.

All this is to break down the complexity, so that the consumer – whether in his personal or professional life – has the simplest and most interesting answers to the question of how to consume his mobility. When we talk about a generation that is said to be completely digital, it is really the simplicity of use and flexibility that we are trying to implement.

WITH THE LAUNCH OF MOBILIZE, RENAULT GROUP ENTERS THE SERVICE ERA. WHAT TRIGGERED IT?

Renault Group, throughout the years, throughout the decades, has constantly had the ability to reinvent itself. When you look at the different products the group has created over the years, you could have buses, you could have trucks, you could have cars, etc., but always with a single desire: what are the products, what are the vehicles, that meet the needs?

Today, the mobility landscape has been completely turned upside down: digitalization, the fact that everyone uses their smartphone, immediate consumption, and the desire to have tailor-made products, etc. So we can have things that meet the needs of our customers. So we can have things that revolve around cars. It’s a good thing. We know how to make these, we have been a car maker for a very long time, but we also wanted to see how to approach this new phase, this new chapter. And that’s what led to the creation of Mobilize.

Mobilize is about a year old now, it was created in January 2021 with the will, since its creation, to respond to three issues: reducing the carbon footprint and participating in the environmental transformation. And the will to answer the issue of residual value when we buy a vehicle. That’s good news for Mobilize, because we don’t sell vehicles, we sell usage, and that’s a big differentiator. That is to say that all the adapted vehicles that we can have – I will talk about it later – Duo for micro-mobility, Bento for micro-delivery or things around the cab with Limo, all these cars will never be sold.

We sell usage, we sell service, and we also want to open up to the ecosystems that will allow us to work on these issues. These subjects may concern other mobility players, whether they are public or private, such as transport companies, RATP, Uber, BlaBlaCar and others. It’s really the desire to see how we can combine the historical DNA of the Renault Group – which is to manufacture cars – with the manufacturing of cars with specific uses, and how we can contribute to providing solutions for you.

For example, Marion, your way of consuming mobility is perhaps different from mine. You may want to take the bike or the metro more if you live in Paris. I might want to take a scooter or a BlaBlaCar. In fact, we don’t want to force people to consume mobility in a dogmatic way, but we must adapt by having the most accessible offer possible. Accessible from a pricing point of view, accessible also from a geographical point of view. And we want to do that too, not just by ourselves, but with the best partners.

NOUS VOYONS EXPLOSER DE NOMBREUX MOYENS DE TRANSPORT. COMMENT AIDER LES JEUNES URBAINS À INTÉGRER CES NOUVELLES DYNAMIQUES ?

I think that a key element in this transformation of the way we consume our mobility, whether it is in a professional or personal context, is to work well together at the level of companies, mobility actors and at the level of regulators, organizations that regulate this sector. That is very important, that we are in a co-construction scheme.

But not co-construction where we knock on the doors of cities and territories and tell them: “Here’s what we have on the shelf”. It’s real co-construction, where we discuss with these cities and territories to understand their needs first. Cities do not necessarily have the same needs and Mobilize has a global footprint – which I had not mentioned before. In other words, the way we consume mobility in Rio de Janeiro is totally different from the way we consume mobility in Paris, London or New York. Our aim is to provide very local solutions, in fact very personalized to the needs of a region, and to respond to the problems and frictions that may arise.

And once again, the co-construction dimension can only be achieved by understanding expectations: your expectations as an individual, expectations in terms of transportation for employees and companies, and how these fit into the landscape of public and private offers.

What possibilities can Mobilize offer to this generation that no longer wants to buy a car?

Today, if you look at our offers, we have car sharing offers. If you look at Paris, Madrid and soon Lyon, we have Zity. We also have short-term rental and car-sharing solutions in stations: this is the Mobilize Share brand. We have also harmonized the brands with the launch of Mobilize.

We also wanted to expand our range of solutions. Last year, we acquired a Spanish startup, one of the best in the market when it comes to subscription, a bit like Netflix for cars, it’s multi-brand. That is to say, you go to bipicar.fr, or bipicar.es, it doesn’t matter, if you want to have a car for one month, for three months… in fact, you have the car for the duration that corresponds to your needs. Then if you want to have a smaller or larger car, that’s also possible. These are typically totally flexible solutions.
Behind this, what is very important, is that we really want to address as many people as possible. Renault is a popular car manufacturer, in the best sense of the word. At Mobilize, we also want to have this popular, generalist dimension. To address as many people as possible, not just niche markets. To really see how we can, with other partners, address your needs with a dimension of accessibility on both points, to have the right offer in the right place and above all for this offer to be really competitive.

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