How to build the mobility of tomorrow

Although no one can really be sure what the mobility of the future will look like, it is already clear today: To meet the pandemic-related changes in the mobility needs of companies and to be able to achieve the climate goals of the Paris Agreement, the mobility of the future must become more efficient, more networked and more flexible. This is also the outcome of the CEO panel discussion I attended on the Fleet Europe Summit 2021 on November 10th in Brussels. As a mobility service provider, we play a special role in this, as we can use our know-how to create the important interface between consumer needs and efficient mobility in a future-oriented way.?

#Expertise in consumer demands

As the pandemic receded and mobility returned, many of our clients adopted a new attitude towards (business) travel. They now weigh up very carefully what their mobility should look like. This attitude, together with the increasing need for more safety, more comfort and, above all, more environmental friendliness is driving the development of existing forms of mobility and new systems - from electric vehicles to shared mobility. A good indicator of this shift in consumer sentiment and the accompanying change in consumer demand is the sales of electric vehicles, the electrification of our mobility.?In Europe, according to Bloomberg and their "Electric Vehicle Outlook 2020", electric vehicles will account for 72% of all car sales by 2030. Of course, this development is also due to the European CO2 regulations, but it is also an expression of an increasing environmental awareness among consumers. In addition, company cars are not only driven twice as often as private vehicles on average, they also account for over 60% of vehicles sold in Europe. There is enormous potential in the electrification of fleets and Alphabet, as a mobility service provider, has a special role to play in the decarbonisation of mobility. ?

One example of the combination of sustainability and economic efficiency is our holistic eMobility solution AlphaElectric, which enables efficient electrification for companies, authorities and institutions. With the power of our expertise, our solutions are creating the transition to eMobility as easy as possible for our customers, paving the way for a decarbonised next-gen mobility. We are experts in balancing demand and costs for our customers: The key here is a solution tailored to individual needs. To this end, we bring all our expertise to bear in consulting, ranging from CO2 consulting to customised eCar policies, in order to make mobility as flexible, economical and sustainable as possible – efficiency is the magic word.

#Expertise in digital transformation

There is also immense potential in the digital transformation of fleets - this is true in terms of further efficiency improvements, but especially for the development of new, more flexible and convenient mobility offers that do not necessarily require the use of one's own vehicle. In the future, transportation & mobility will be more diverse, more advanced and more networked. To act as a driver of innovation in this development and to really exploit the potential that lies in digitalisation, two things are needed: technological expertise and innovative creativity. Both, technological expertise and innovative creativity have always been essential components of Alphabet's DNA.

A good example of a both digital and a multi-networked mobility service of the future is the topic of "Mobility-as-a-Service", or MaaS for short. In a nutshell: MaaS is a concept that combines all available mobility services tailored to individual customer needs in a single digital application. The user can thus very conveniently select the particular transport mode for his way from A to B, as he needs it at the given moment. According to the BMW Group Mobility & Energy Services study, more than three quarters (77%) of fleet managers or decision-makers see MaaS solutions as relevant or very relevant for their own company. A half of them (51%) are also considering introducing corresponding services within the next 2-5 years. Fleet managers are already starting to rethink mobility and are increasingly becoming more and more mobility managers.?

With AlphaFlex, we have already launched a pioneering solution in some markets that combines the main forms of mobility, such as public transport, cycling or taxi services, into one mobility budget. With this intermodal mobility option, AlphaFlex offers users optimum flexibility and cost control. Keyword costs: With the number of mobility solutions offered, the processes become more complex and thus the administrative costs increase significantly. The key to optimised cost and data transparency is the use of a digital software solution in fleet management. It significantly minimises the administrative effort, improves the utilisation of the fleet and thus effectively reduces costs. A good example of this is Alphabet's own self-service app AlphaGuide, which allows company car drivers to take action themselves, from service appointments to damage reports - so there are no limits to the further increase in efficiency through the digital transformation of administrative processes in fleet management.

#Expertise in reducing complexity

While the many new mobility offerings mean more flexible options for users, they create increasing complexity for fleet managers.?In addition, regulatory requirements from the state, companies' own sustainability goals and the changing needs of employees lead to an increasing need for guidance in decision-making. We thus not only use our expertise to develop new mobility offers, but also apply all our know-how to navigate our clients through the diverse possibilities of modern fleet management in an advisory role. Whether it's advice on CO2 reduction or compensation, on the right eCar policy or on the many possibilities of government subsidies - we at Alphabet accompany our customers with a wide range of consulting services on their individual "Road to Sustainability".

#Expertise in rethinking mobility

As a mobility service provider that puts the needs of its customers at the centre of its efforts, we have set ourselves a future goal: Rethinking mobility solutions. As the panel discussion in Brussels clearly illustrated, this is the only way we can offer sustainable and forward-looking solutions for the ever-changing needs of our customers and provide optimum flexibility in mobility.

We will use all our creativity and expertise to make our motto come true for our customers: Your mobility. Made easy.