Increasing clean vehicle use in private company fleets

Basic Information

Mobility solution ID

12.13

Timeline

- complete

Thematic areas


Clean & energy-efficient vehicles
  • Electric vehicles
  • Cleaner vehicles
  • Fuelling Infrastructure
  • Cleaner fleets
  • Cleaner fuels

Summary

Information campaigns, test vehicles and investment grants all contributed to increasing the market penetration of clean vehicles in Stockholm.

Implementing sustainable mobility

In Stockholm, efforts to promote cleaner vehicles initially focused on the municipal fleet. This was a strategic decision: the city used its own purchasing power to develop a market for cleaner fuels and for the associated infrastructure. Once ethanol and biogas fuelling stations had been established and the second generation of clean vehicles became available, it was time to target private companies.

The objective of the measure was therefore to influence private companies to choose clean vehicles rather than conventional vehicles fuelled by petrol or diesel. The measure was part of Stockholm’s mission to decrease emissions to air from the transport sector in the city.

Progress

Project activities included a combination of public relations and sales promotion. Since the aim was to raise awareness of clean vehicles among companies and among the public, the media were invited to all related events and journalists were supplied with research results and frequent press releases.

As part of the measure:

  • A comprehensive study was carried out in order to develop a company register (one list of 250 selected companies and an extended list of 1,300 companies). This identified companies with large fleets, which could then be targeted to receive information and invitations to vehicle trials and events.
  • Information materials such as newsletters, fact sheets and a national website were developed and disseminated. This package included information on different fuels and vehicles, the location of fuelling stations, as well as financial and environmental calculations.
  • A one-week scheme was organised to lend clean vehicles to companies for trial use. This activity was carried out together with vehicle retailers in order to create direct contacts between sellers and potential customers. Each company that tested a vehicle had to complete a questionnaire.
  • In cooperation with the vehicle industry and fuel distributors, a large PR campaign took place during the summer and autumn of 2003. Five press releases were sent to newspapers and magazines, posters were displayed on large billboards throughout the city over two weeks, and two seminars were held in conjunction with a vehicle exhibition.
  • A purchase subsidy was promoted as part of the PR campaign. Companies that received subsidies were part of the Clean Vehicle Network established in another TRENDSETTER measure.
  • Invitations were received to speak at seminars, and direct contacts were created with companies as a result of increased interest in clean vehicles in companies.
  • Clean vehicle sales and the share of renewable fuel sold in the region were evaluated.

Outcomes

By the end of 2005:

  • the number of clean vehicles in Stockholm had increased by 2,438 vehicles;
  • total energy consumption decreased from 128 to 116 TJ/year as a result of using clean rather than conventional vehicles and the share of renewable energy consumption increased steadily during the project period;
  • emissions of fossil carbon dioxide decreased from 186 g/vkm to 87 g/vkm based on 68 percent alternative fuel and 32 percent petrol; and
  • awareness of the benefits of clean vehicles and fuels was raised and the topic was given greater coverage by the media.

By 2010, the share of clean vehicles in the Stockholm region had risen to approximately 11.5 percent of the total vehicle fleet, and clean vehicles represented over 40 percent of new vehicle sales.

Resources

.eu web awards
covenantofmayors.eu
eltis
EPOMM
European Mobility Week
managenergy
Smart Cities Marketplace
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