11. BOLLORE – Autolib’

Problem

How to validate and promote, on a large scale, the exceptional qualities of a Lithium metal polymer battery (no memory effect, 2000 cycles possible, no fire hazards)?  

 

Solution

Renting electric cars on short and long term has been considered, but the lack of infrastructures, the natural distrust of new things, however nice they may seem, make success dependent on long term. The tender for car sharing launched by the Parisian council has appeared as an opportunity not to miss: the scaled proposed, Paris and its suburbs, is ideal for this demonstration.

 

Results

After a year (official launch on the 5th of December 2011):

–          1.750 vehicles were in circulation, 3.000 foreseen at the end of the two years

–          46.000 subscriptions have managed 500.000 rentals – 3.000 recharging stations over 47 communities, including Paris (an nonsubscriber car recharge their own vehicle at the stations)

–          A very high expressed satisfaction rate, validated by loyalty, thus a crushing rate of subscriptions a year

–          Zero vehicle technical failures

–          Centralized feedback enabling a large scale feedback, as judged necessary to remove all doubts concerning Lithium metal polymer technologies

–          An already very noticeable change of the image of eventual big customers of this technology

–          5.000.000km driven by the fleet in one year

 

Key points

What classic rental rendered random has been perfectly made by selling the usage, which is to say functional service economics.

This model offers such freedom, based on a contract of results, that the potential customer does not take great risk in trying it; word of mouth does the rest. While the customer has the choice between buying goods per day or a year subscription, the last if completely dominant.

Thus, when the product is good and well placed, the customer chooses loyalty and the medium long term solution.

Contrary to an expressed worry numerous times, attachment to property is not at all an obstacle to developing the sale of usage. This case study, like others contributes to show that.

 

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