Volkswagen details zero-emission car-sharing service
BY JUSTIN HILLIARD | 6th Jul 2018
VOLKSWAGEN Group Australia (VGA) has expressed interest in offering the zero-emission car-sharing service, We, that is being launched overseas from next year by its parent company.
Speaking to GoAuto, VGA general manager of communications Paul Pottinger revealed that the local arm is keen on We, although its plans will be dependent on exactly when Volkswagen’s ID family of electric vehicles (EVs) is introduced.
“Yes, absolutely. Of course, it’s all contingent on having a concrete chronology for the rollout of the ID cars,” he said.
“It’s an entirely viable form of personal mobility, and it’s something which our brands will be at the forefront of.”
As previously reported, VGA is expected to launch models based on the ID hatchback, ID Buzz people-mover, ID Crozz SUV and ID Vizzion sedan concepts over the next five or so years.
However, it it not clear whether existing Volkswagen EVs, such as the e-Golf small car sold in Germany, are set to form part of We’s fleet, or if it will exclusively consist of ID models.
Zero-emission car-sharing is one of the several vehicle-on-demand services that We is set to first offer customers in Germany next year, while its rollout to major cities in Europe, North America and Asia will commence from as early as 2020.
These vehicle-on-demand services can also extend to so-called micro-mobility solutions, such as the recently revealed ID Cityskater and ID Streetmate electric scooters designed for urban centres.
Furthermore, they will complement the mobility solutions offered by MOIA, a division of Volkswagen AG that already provides ride-sharing and -pooling, among other services.
According to Volkswagen Passenger Cars board member for sales, marketing and aftersales Juergen Stackmann, there is still plenty of opportunity in the car-sharing concept.
“We are convinced that the car-sharing market still has potential,” he said. “That is why we are entering this market with a holistic single-source concept covering all mobility needs from the short journey that takes just a few minutes to the long vacation trip.
“Our vehicle-on-demand fleets will consist entirely of electric cars and will therefore provide zero-emission, sustainable mobility. That is an intelligent way to relieve the strain on urban areas.”
Urban Mobility International (UMI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG that was established this year with a team of about 30 employees, will be responsible for managing the vehicle-on-demand services provided by We.
UMI chief executive officer Philip Reth promised that We will meet the high expectations of its users, particularly from an environmental perspective.
“Our customers expect an environmentally friendly fleet that takes them to their destination quickly and at a fair price – and that is exactly the experience we will be delivering,” he said.
