Growth of car sharing in Rhineland-Palatinate: a new mobility approach

Growth of car sharing in Rhineland-Palatinate: a new mobility approach

car sharing is becoming an exciting alternative to your own car, not only in urban regions, but also in smaller cities and rural areas. Providers in the region offer a variety of vehicle species that are suitable for different needs, from small cars and the van. However, this development is not a sure -fire success - various offers and shops require adjustments to respond to the specific needs of the communities.

As Dominik Böckling from the Energy Agency in Mainz explains, there are not only commercial providers, but also municipal utilities and cooperative organizations that join the car sharing business. The great demand is clearly shown: An estimated there is a car sharing offer in almost 60 municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate. The broad use shows that interest in this flexible form of mobility is growing continuously.

growth in the cities

In the larger cities of Rhineland-Palatinate, commercial providers such as "Book’n’Drive" are active and have made significant progress in cities such as Mainz and Koblenz. The provider reports on a positive trend and a widened offer that should continue to grow in the future. In Koblenz, an expansion to 42 parking spaces at 20 locations will be planned in Koblenz by 2025, while 200 vehicles will be available in Mainz. 100 of them are placed in private parking spaces and 100 in public space.

The importance of car sharing for sustainable mobility also emphasizes the Mainz traffic director Janina Steinkrüger (Greens). The managing director of Mainz Mobility, Florian Wiesemann, emphasizes that car sharing is in many cases an enrichment for local public transport, since the users of both systems often overlap.

Another provider in Mainz is the Urstrom Citizens' Engine cooperative, which also uses the advantages of car sharing and promises further parking spaces. This trend clearly shows that car sharing not only offers a social necessity, but also a business potential.

funding from the state institutions

To promote the local offer, there is a pilot site for alternative drives at the energy agency. This area networked different municipalities with each other and helps you to obtain valuable information, for example from the Federal Association of Carsharing. The promotion of electric vehicles in car sharing fleets is a central concern. It is promising that around 17 to 18 percent of car sharing vehicles were electrical at the beginning of this year, while the proportion of electric vehicles in the entire car fleet was only about three percent.

The potential of car sharing is also recognized in rural areas. In Neuwied, for example, the municipal utilities rely on a development of car sharing, although the project is considered economically challenging. The spokesman for the Stadtwerke, Gerd Neuwirth, admits that this form of mobility is not necessarily profitable, but is considered part of the energy transition.

Elsewhere, such as in Ingelheim or the Bodenheim community, Carsharing has already gained a foothold. Models are used there to combine the needs of public administration and the citizens.

in Trier, “Stadtmobil Trier” has been working successfully with the city for ten years. With a fleet that grew from five to 33 vehicles, the users were able to cover over 800,000 kilometers and saved about 24 tons of CO2.

In the Rhein-Hunsrück district, the “Elektro-Dorfauto” project was launched, which received particularly good feedback and prompted numerous users to also buy electric cars. These initiatives show that car sharing is much more than just a practical offer - it can also serve as an impetus for a sustainable mobility turnaround.

long -term chances of success

The challenges and opportunities that car sharing offers must be carefully weighed. Böckling warns that a failed project can do much more damage than benefits and could hinder progress in the area of car sharing for a long time. With the focus on the specific needs of each community and the increasing number of users, Carsharing could find a permanent place in the Rhineland-Palatinate mobility landscape.

The development of car sharing in Germany is influenced by various factors, including political decisions and social changes. In recent years, the federal government has taken measures to promote public transport and sustainable mobility solutions such as car sharing. This goes hand in hand with the goals of climate and energy policy, which aims to significantly reduce CO2 emissions by 2030. According to an examination of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure , car sharing models contribute to reducing individual transport and increasing the use of public transport.

In addition, social trends such as urbanization and the increasing skepticism of auto seat in urban areas have an impact on the demand for car sharing. More and more young adults and urban residents see car sharing a practical and sustainable alternative to their own vehicle, especially at a time when access to environmentally friendly transport options is required.

Economic effects of car sharing

economically, it can be seen that car sharing in municipalities can generate income and save costs. A study by the Kfw-Bankengruppe has shown that car sharing can reduce the vehicle stock in cities, which in turn relieves a lack of parking space and reduces infrastructure costs. Car sharing users often refrain from buying their own car, which leads to savings at acquisition costs and maintenance.

An important economic impact is the positive influence on the regional economy. Car sharing can support local providers, for example by using electric vehicles that come from regional manufacturers. In Rhineland-Palatinate, many municipalities see car sharing as part of their strategy to create future-oriented job opportunities in the mobility industry.

Current statistics for the use of car sharing

Current statistics show the increase in car sharing use in Germany. According to numbers of the Federal Association Carsharing , the number of users of car sharing services has increased by more than 30 percent in recent years. Above average growth can be observed in urban regions, especially in urban regions. This is funded by the introduction of new technologies, such as mobile apps for booking and payment.

A survey of the Statista Research Department from 2023 showed that over 58 percent of respondents are willing to use car sharing as a regular mobility option. This illustrates the growing acceptance among the population and represents a clear trend towards sustainable mobility.