MaaS practice Test – Can Car-Sharing prevail over traditional Car-Ownership?

MaaS (Mobility-as-a-Service) has become increasingly popular in recent years. Especially in Europe’s major cities, MaaS vehicles are more and more visible on public roads. MaaS includes, among others, cab services (e.g. via apps), Peer2Peer car-sharing, and B2C car sharing. In this impulse, we would like to give you insights into when B2C car sharing might be attractive and therefore we have conducted a practice test.

Practice Test

For our car-sharing test, we went to the beach and into the city on a Sunday. This took us from Amsterdam to The Hague and back.  With various providers, it is possible to start the booking in one city and end it in another. This was also the case in our test.

10.50h: When opening the app, a message appears that the next available car is a five-minute walk away.
10.55h: Arrival at the car, which can be opened directly via the same app. It is visible in the app that the range will be sufficient for the intended trip. We can depart directly.
12.05h: 67 km ahead in Scheveningen, the car can be parked directly near the beach. The rate is calculated per minute so that highway trips are more attractive than inner-city trips. The expectation for the consumer is that, if possible, he or she will plug the car into a charging station after the trip. If this has not been done, an additional charge for transportation costs will be applied if the remaining range is less than 15 km.
16.30h: After a walk on the beach and through the city, the return trip is scheduled for 16.30h. There are several cars available in the city center of The Hague. Going back to the beach or re-parking is not necessary, we can just pick another car and we are on our way again. 
17.20h: 62 km ahead the car is parked in front of the door at home and the booking is finished again. The keys remain unused in the glove compartment and the sign-out is also done again via app. Billing is done by credit card, which is connected to the personal account.

The total cost for the day is €24.80 for the outward journey and €22.05 for the return. In return, you drive a modern electric car at no extra cost. The advantages are clear, the degree of flexibility is very high and the trip is comfortable and practical. Savings are made especially on parking, as this is already included in the rate and would have cost almost €20.00 (5h*€3.90) alternatively.

IMPACT FOR OEMS AND RETAIL

How can OEMs and retailers respond to this trend? Several OEMs are already investing in car-sharing and offering the service themselves. This is a development that fits in with the direct business in automotive sales and the mobility needs of today’s consumers, which consist of a new type of mobility mix.

The practical test was so-called “free-floating” car-sharing. However, car-sharing can also operate through “stations,” where dealers can play a role. The dealer can add value as a touchpoint to the customer by being able to respond to the customer’s wishes when providing consultation.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO GUIDING YOU THROUGH AUTOMOTIVE RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES LIKE CAR-SHARING AND BEYOND

Panoff Consulting has a strong insight into the market developments and potentials of the automotive retail business. We have been dealing with automotive retail processes for many years and have gained insights on how to adapt your strategy and optimize processes so that your customers are delighted by a smooth and enjoyable mobility experience. Contact us and we will show you how we can put our methods and competencies to work for you to be prepared for the change in mobility.