“The clean mobility of tomorrow is electric” Cédric Christmann, Primeo Energie

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The challenge: entering a new high potential industry to increase electrification and business synergies

Primeo Energie has been a leading utility provider for many years in the Basel region and had an excellent relationship with their business partner BLT (Basel Transportation Agency). As they shared the same mission they wanted to collaborate and co-create something that would be relevant and valuable for their customers.

They didn’t know where to start, so they asked Thomas Eglin, Primeo Project Innovation Lead to think of something. This is when Thomas recalled his Master’s thesis on the topic, “how energy suppliers could use electric mobility to grow their business.” In his research, he’d already explored the benefits that a shared mobility service, powered by a utility provider, could represent. Except now, he could make it happen.

And thus, Pick-e-bike was born. The team quickly decided that to succeed they needed a partner to support them with a fully, comprehensive software solution, as well as strategic expertise that helped them ramp up their service—and fast.

The solution: create a joint venture and use  an external technology solution and strategic expertise to launch  

They reached out to everyone they knew in the field of micromobility: vehicles manufacturers, experts, software solutions, IoT, etc. And after researching and assessing all the solutions, they decided to go for ElectricFeel as explained by Thomas, “ElectricFeel covered all our needs in terms of software. They offered a complete fleet management solution, plus an operational management app and a suitable mobile app. Moreover, ElectricFeel offers more than software – it's been a strategic partner to help us launch and scale.”

They also partnered with key local actors (Basel Transport Operator, and Basel Cantonal Bank) providing ElectricFeel technology and strategic venture-building expertise. ElectricFeel planned every step of the project with them. They provided the fully customized rider app, fleet management software, and launch support to enable them to launch the service in less than 3 months.

The results: the emergence of a leading, national shared mobility alliance powered by Primeo Energie and the creation of a complete e-mobility solution for its people

In a couple of months, Pick-e-bike conquered local markets with its newly created service. They managed to create a successful new venture in the field of shared mobility, electrifying a big part of the local commuting activity with only renewable energy created in the region; not to  mention, making the electro-mobility options more holistic by going beyond EV-charging services. 

Pick-e-Bike now has a fleet of over 700 e-bikes with 21,000 riders signed up. It has provided more than 700,000 km of emissions-free travel. But beyond its immediate success, all of the project’s partners are committed to working toward a long-term goal of eliminating cars and reducing pollution in the region by using electric renewable energy.

As explained by Thomas, “It has never been this easy for energy and utility companies to become shared mobility service providers. Moreover, it's fully aligned with the mission and purpose of these companies. With a partner like ElectricFeel, their software, their expertise, it's become super easy to operate. They’re a strong partner that will fully support you and help you innovate. .”

More than a mobility success, Primeo became a role model for the entire energy industry. They succeeded at creating a virtuous circle that transitioned thousands of commuters to electricity-based transport modes. They also managed to acquire additional visibility and brand positioning in front of customers they couldn’t reach before. Ultimately, helping them to reach people in the city center and lowering the cost of acquisition.

Now on top of electrifying a new sector, they brought electric mobility to the daily lives of their clients. By showing thousands of people that electric mobility is not only sustainable, but fun, efficient, and accessible, they’ve inspired significant behavior change. As explained by Thomas “Our goal is not only to provide a mobility service. We also want to change people's mindset by removing limiting beliefs towards electric vehicles and incentivizing them to use them regularly.”