Although electric vehicles in German craft trades were already highly popular, according to mobility provider MHC Mobility, attitudes toward the new propulsion are divided. The result is the conclusion from a representative survey on the status of the industry in switching to e-mobility, which the European company recently conducted among German craft businesses.
High affinity for E-Mobility
Accordingly, 42 percent already used E-vehicles, and a further 28 percent planned the switch or were actively considering the purchase. 29 percent stated they had no interest in switching, and the remainder of under one percent made no comment on the topic. "But despite this remarkable share of 70 percent E-mobility affinity, the study reveals significant structural impediments that slow the broad electrification of the industry," reports the subsidiary of the financial services provider Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC, which operates in seven European countries.
Rainer Thies, Managing Director of MHC Mobility Germany, says:
“The figures show a remarkable development. On the one hand, the craft trades are clearly more open to E-mobility than is commonly believed – on the other hand, the implementation is hampered by very concrete structural hurdles. This is less a technology problem than a structural one.”
Several Hurdles
This follows from the in-depth analysis of the survey: for the question of which hurdles prevented the craft businesses from switching, 40.4 percent cited charging and parking problems in connection with modern mobility as the most significant barrier. The next largest obstacle at 38.1 percent were the high acquisition costs, and a little more than one-fifth (22 percent) could not find suitable vehicle models. 17.4 percent
pointed to a lack of flexible contract models as the reason for their hesitation, and 10.7 percent felt insecure on this question due to insufficient advice. No problems or an “openness to E-vehicles” were cited by 23.7 percent of respondents.
Critical Point: Charging Infrastructure
According to Thies, the essential obstacles to the breakthrough of e-mobility are charging and parking problems, which are decisive for a smooth craft operation. Clients' demands for "environmentally friendly" practices could simply not be implemented due to the lack of charging infrastructure:
“Many craft businesses are under increasing pressure for sustainability from their clients. Public tenders, but also private builders, increasingly demand environmentally friendly journeys to the construction site. At the same time, the businesses calculate very carefully—a e-delivery van that cannot be reliably charged is simply not practical.”
Although there is, in principle, a "high willingness" to purchase electric vehicles, many businesses would hesitate purely for this reason, and not due to a distrust in the technology, Thies concludes:
“It is not hostility to technology, but pragmatism. The craftspeople need reliable, affordable solutions – not compromises.” Laut MHC Mobility werde das Thema Nachhaltigkeit dabei zunehmend zum wichtigen Geschäftsfaktor. Consulting is Underestimated The advisory gap related to the topic is evidenced by the fact that 11 percent of respondents felt inadequately advised and insecure in choosing vehicles and planning the infrastructure indispensable for a operation. For many, the shift to a completely different technology with uncertain charging infrastructure, on which the operation ultimately depends, simply represents too large a hurdle to commit. This concerns especially smaller businesses, which are simply overwhelmed by
the variety of options and the "long-term commitments of traditional leasing contracts." Theis lays the finger on the wound: “Here it is often underestimated how complex the switch really is. It’s not just about the vehicle itself, but about charging planning, route optimization, backup strategies for emergencies. A two-person operation cannot afford a wrong decision over 36 months. If the E-vehicle doesn’t work, it is existentially threatening.” Uncertainty leads to delaying the switch despite the general willingness, the company headquartered in Lower Saxony concludes. Many businesses are indeed ready for immediate switching if they only had "the necessary security." A solution is seen in more flexibility. Thies: “The results indicate that flexible usage models could accelerate the breakthrough. 17 percent of respondents cite the lack of flexible contract models as an obstacle. We see strong interest in test phases and shorter commitments.” And thus many companies would like to test the matter thoroughly before making a firm commitment to the mobility form. "That is understandable – after all they often invest in their existential basis," says Thies. From Standard to Individuality The mobility company, which besides car subscriptions also offers a variety of mobility solutions such as leasing, fleet management and end-to-end decarbonization solutions with charging infrastructure for businesses, has extended its offering in a targeted way to meet this demand by adding flexible contract terms and test options. The report summarizes: “These findings reflect a fundamental shift in mobility demand: away from standardized solutions toward individually adaptable concepts that are oriented to the reality of the respective operation.” Yet the basic willingness apparently does not
yet create suitable framework conditions. Here, according to MHC Mobility, the market’s not-at-all optimal alignment with the needs of the trades becomes apparent. Nevertheless, Thies assumes that electrified craft fleets will eventually prevail — albeit rather gradually and “evolutionarily,” not abruptly revolutionary: Thies says: “The transformation will proceed step by step, driven by improved technology, falling costs and increasing customer pressure. Whoever sets the right course today and offers realistic, flexible solutions will accompany an entire industry through this transformation.” MHC Mobility is, as a subsidiary of financial services provider Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC, currently represented in nine European countries according to the company. The German headquarters of the company, which offers mobility solutions with manufacturer-independent passenger cars and light commercial vehicles with both internal combustion and electric propulsion, is located in Bockel, Lower Saxony. Additional branches can be found in Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Poland, among others. Local as well as cross-border mobility solutions are offered, tailored to business customers by personal account managers. To the concept of the mobility provider, which traces its origins back to car long-term rental in 1959, belongs the accompaniment of the entire process of fleet design and management. The company, with a European workforce of over 700, has a fleet size of over 12,000 vehicles across Germany, Europe-wide it is over 140,000, and the total fleet of Mitsubishi HC Capital Group comprises 600,000 vehicles worldwide. In Germany, in addition to the headquarters, eight more MHC Mobility Centers have been established. In 2023, a dedicated department specifically for e-mobility was created to emphasize the "targeted orientation
