Stadtwerke Gießen is injecting momentum into the e-car market with its E-Revolution product family. The first customer recently received the keys to her new Smart EQ fortwo.
For the energy revolution to succeed, a transport revolution is urgently needed. All experts agree on this. Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG) has developed the E-Revolution product family to drive forward electromobility in the region. They are already celebrating their first successes shortly after the market launch: a few days ago, Laura Fröhlich took delivery of the first Smart EQ fortwo from SWG. She had entered her name on the list of interested parties early on and was lucky in the draw. In the coming weeks, SWG will regularly select further e-Smart drivers at random. In addition, the company will always inform all interested parties on the list when another draw is due to take place.
As envisaged in the e-revolution, Laura Fröhlich is renting her smart city car from SWG for the next 48 months. She will pay 99.90 euros per month including registration and insurance. SWG is making this exceptionally favourable price possible thanks to a clever idea: behind every vehicle delivered is an advertising partner from the region - in this case, the company Rechtenbach-Buttron GmbH from Hungen, a master plumbing, heating and ventilation company. "The companies use the large doors of the Smarts as mobile advertising space," explains Ulli Boos, Head of Marketing at SWG and responsible for the e-revolution. "We use the income generated in this way to finance the low monthly instalments."
Many positive effects for the region
This concept has a threefold positive effect: the favourable conditions encourage many people in and around Giessen to switch to an e-car. As the offer is initially limited to the region, they then set a good example and probably convince others of the vehicles' suitability for everyday use. The companies advertising on the Smarts impressively demonstrate their commitment to clean mobility. Apart from this, the level of awareness of these companies is likely to increase, which will benefit the regional economy and keep the added value here. "We have received a lot of encouragement in recent months after we launched the e-revolution - both from interested parties and potential advertising partners. That's why I'm sure that we're on the right track with our idea and are meeting a real need," said Matthias Funk, Chief Technical Officer of SWG, at the handover of the vehicle keys.
Kim Buttron, Managing Director at Rechtenbach-Buttron GmbH, takes a similar view: "It's simply time to act. And the concept of helping the new technology onto the market with the help of advertising partners immediately convinced me."
Laura Fröhlich finally saw e-mobility as an opportunity to initiate her own personal transport revolution. "Until I heard about the e-revolution, e-cars simply weren't an affordable alternative for me. But with the current conditions, I didn't hesitate for a second."
Useful additions
The e-revolution offers much more than a compact electric car at an unrivalled price. "Right from the start, we thought about what other components could be useful for e-car drivers," recalls Ulli Boos. The result of these considerations: In addition to the e-car module, the e-box, e-roof and e-storage modules are also available. Behind these modules is the entire technical infrastructure that makes e-mobility even more interesting: wallboxes for charging in the garage at home, photovoltaic systems for producing your own green electricity and batteries to store it for the vehicle. Like the car itself, these modules can also be paid for in convenient monthly instalments. A wallbox with 3.7 kilowatts of power, for example, is available from just 39.90 euros. However, SWG cannot offer fixed flat rates for the e-roof and e-storage system. "Because too many factors play a role here - such as the roof orientation, the roof pitch, the available roof area, but also the consumption behaviour and the mileage - we look at each case individually. This is the only way we can find a truly economical solution," says Ulli Boos, explaining the approach. Of course, all modules are also available individually.
Further information, for example on prices and technical details or for potential advertising partners: www.erevolution.de