Test for the start-up "CleverShuttle" in Saxony: After about 1.5 years, CleverShuttle will cease operations in Dresden in June 2020. In Leipzig, the company has already been operating since 2016 and has also been profitable since last year. What challenges do the providers of emission-free taxi rides face? Are there any special features in the federal state of Saxony? In an interview with CEO and founder Bruno Ginnuth, you can learn more about how to charge dozens of electric taxis at the same time and what distinguishes ridepooling from car sharing.
Table of contents
- CleverShuttle: The app that enables sustainable travel from A to B
- How it works in Leipzig, Düsseldorf and Kiel
- Is CleverShuttle also worthwhile for SMEs?
- How does CleverShuttle organise the complex requirements for loading management?
- Conclusion and video interview: Save costs and almost always comfortable on the road
CLEVERSHUTTLE: THE APP THAT ENABLES SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL FROM A TO B
The mobility revolution, sustainability, electromobility - more and more companies are looking for business models that reconcile the conservation of resources and the need for an "ecological conscience" with sales and profits. CleverShuttle is a start-up in the mobility sector: almost 3.5 million guests (as of January 2020) have already used the ridepooling provider. The service is currently available in three German cities.
The idea: Instead of driving each guest individually, passengers with similar routes are taken along. With a small diversions and a slightly longer journey time, the fares per head can thus be almost halved compared to a taxi ride. Thanks to electric and hydrogen vehicles, the company has saved almost 2,800 tonnes of CO2 since it was founded (as of January 2020). You can find the video interview with Managing Director Bruno Ginnuth of the wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn at the end of the article.
THIS IS HOW IT WORKS IN LEIPZIG, DÜSSELDORF AND KIEL
What exactly does "ridepooling" mean? Ridepooling means that carpools are created between passengers via an app and an algorithm. In Leipzig, a vehicle can be booked very simply by smartphone. The app tells passengers in advance what the price will be, where the driver is currently located and when he or she will arrive at the pick-up point. Payment is then uncomplicated via Paypal, credit card or, if desired, cash. It can also be useful to buy a credit, which gives you up to 25 per cent extra.
CleverShuttle also has tangible advantages over other providers such as Uber or Free Now (formerly Mytaxi). CEO Ginnuth explains: "Unlike other service providers, we are guaranteed to be fully electric and locally emission-free. We only use trained drivers and make the best possible use of our vehicles to save resources." According to its own statements, CleverShuttle is the greenest driving service in the world.
IS CLEVERSHUTTLE ALSO WORTHWHILE FOR SMES?
It is not only the prices and thus the low costs that make CleverShuttle an attractive offer for professional journeys within the city. "Small and medium-sized companies should also think comprehensively about mobility services today," the founder explains in the interview. In addition to car sharing, Clevershuttle's offer - so-called ridepooling - is also an attractive proposition, because "no company should care if an employee gets from A to B without emissions." In addition, the founder recommends purchasing one's own electric vehicles. In addition to battery-electric vehicles, the company also uses hydrogen-powered cars.
Leipzig is of central importance to the company and is the location that has been served by CleverShuttle for the longest time. In February 2020, the first CleverShuttle store opened in Leipzig's main railway station. Due to the increasingly generous operating hours in Leipzig, the service can now be used almost 24/7. In August 2020, the CleverShuttle drivers also welcomed their millionth passenger in the Saxon city. Electric "London Cabs" have also been on the road in the trade fair and media city for several months:
HOW DOES CLEVERSHUTTLE ORGANISE THE COMPLEX REQUIREMENTS OF CHARGING MANAGEMENT?
Anyone who has ever dealt with electric cars and charging times will sooner or later come across the question of how CleverShuttle charges 64 vehicles in Leipzig, for example, so that no expensive waiting times occur. This is where the heart of the software developers and mathematicians behind the start-up lies: an intelligent algorithm collects all important information in real time, such as the charge status of the vehicles, the shift and break times of the drivers as well as the expected charging time, and reconciles them. This means that the vehicle is never stationary unless it is supposed to be - the supposed disadvantages of electric mobility are therefore obsolete here. For the charging infrastructure, CleverShuttle either builds its own charging stations or uses existing structures and experience.
CONCLUSION AND VIDEO INTERVIEW: SAVE COSTS AND ALMOST ALWAYS COMFORTABLE ON THE ROAD
If you want to be guaranteed electric and emission-free in Leipzig, take CleverShuttle.
Do you already know our comprehensive white paper? Here you will find a lot of information if you are planning to add e-cars to your fleet. Do you have any questions about CleverShuttle or a completely different
