Two experts on the future of transportation: “Sustainability and mobility belong together”

class = “sc-cffd1e67-0 iQNQmc”>

There are many different aspects of mobility. What does mobility mean to you personally?
Wendy Penaloza: For me this means: freedom to move. I believe we have the right to move. This is an inherent human right. So when we talk about mobility, for me it means people’s natural freedom of movement. These days I associate this with sustainable mobility. Because for me mobility and sustainability are interconnected.
Raphael Hörler: For me, mobility represents not only freedom but also prosperity. Many countries do not have the infrastructure and mobility options we have. But now is the time for us to think more about sustainable mobility.

What about people for whom mobility and sustainability do not necessarily go together? Do they need to rethink?
Penaloza: This largely depends on how these people define sustainability. The term sustainability can evoke negative emotions. And after all, you can’t change what you don’t understand. It is therefore important to know what sustainability means and what impact it has on our lives. I’m sure no one would want to take a different path if they knew all the facts on the subject.

What is the biggest misconception about sustainability?
Penaloza: That he would have to give up his previous life for her. But you don’t have to be a hermit to live sustainably (laughs).

To evaluate the situation: Where are we today on the path to a green future?
: We have done a lot of research on efficiency (saving materials and energy) and behavior change. We discovered that mobility habits are very deep-rooted and difficult to change. We can motivate people to become sustainable, but the necessary change is still too slow. In my view, we need more attractive combinations of top-down and bottom-up measures to truly achieve the transition to net zero by 2050. Concretely, this means: In addition to regulations, we also need more attractive alternatives and innovations.

Penaloza: We need more cooperation and more incentives. And not just in the form of CO₂-Penalty fees or taxes. We are talking about comprehensive cooperation. We need to create platforms where people can have greater access to resources, infrastructure and products. The usability of the offer and the availability of information are central to a sustainable future. So it is the combination of different things that will move us forward.

You are talking about lack of information. In a country like Switzerland, people are generally quite well informed.
Penaloza: Certainly, Switzerland is a country with a strong intellectual and tech-savvy population. However, I think many people are overwhelmed when it comes to e-mobility, for example. As an industry, we know that the infrastructure in Switzerland is good. We know that an electric car pays for itself in the long run. But for many people, including those in Switzerland, the effect was a surrender to complexity. Information is key to getting people interested in sustainable mobility.
: This is where negative framing often comes into play: If you look for mistakes, you will find them. Switzerland has a very good charging infrastructure. But it is better to compare yourself with the countries of Scandinavia, where the situation is even better.

Where should we apply leverage to move forward?
Penaloza: The problem is that we consider all these elements separately. But governments, the private sector and consumers are in the same boat. Everyone must come together and make a collective effort to make a difference: whether in the form of initiatives, net zero projects or financing programmes. If we really want to move forward, acting together is most important.

Can you give an example where things are not going well right now?
Penaloza: Take electric cars. If you buy an electric car, you need to have a place to charge it. Learn how government subsidies work, what infrastructure is available, what vouchers you need to use, etc. You must understand. Many are overwhelmed by this. Some people think that they can only use an electric car if they have a charging station at home. However, if you are using a gasoline engine, you do not have a gas station in your garage. Sustainable mobility should be simple, clear and useful.
: It is actually important to facilitate the use of alternatives. We have had traditional cars for over a hundred years. We got used to these. To be successful, any new alternative must be easy to use. It works best when people can try something. When you have experience and you see: Oh, okay, it works. People should have a choice. However, this choice should not be too much for him.

Has Astara had similar experiences with its car subscription offer?
Penaloza: In fact, you always need to break the habit first. We all have predefined notions of sustainable mobility: too difficult, too complex. Once someone has this concept, they look for information that will confirm it. This is human. Therefore, you should give up these behavioral habits.

And how do you do that thing?
Penaloza: With personal experiences. We learned that you can try and make such an offer accessible through a subscription model. You don’t need to sign anything for three years, you just have to be able to test it. Anyone who experiences how easy, flexible and useful all this is will quickly lose their negative image.
: Car sharing and subscription models are appropriate extensions to the concept of electric car ownership. In a scientific research, we found that people who have experience in car sharing are more willing to buy electric cars. I find this interesting.

Vehicle subscriptions, sharing models, e-mobility; Which is the most sustainable model?
Penaloza: There is no universal solution. That’s why Astara positions itself as a full-spectrum mobility company. From planning and developing better ways to navigate to providing information. We ask our customers this question: What are your needs today? We then provide various offers for this. The way you get around is a personal choice. It’s up to each individual to find the most sustainable way to exercise. We offer our support to this decision.

Source: Blick