ELECTRIC MOBILITY IN GERMANY: UNDERSTANDING PIONEERS AND MARKET NICHES IN COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC

Abstract

Innovations theories focusing on socio-technical regimes assume niches to be an initial point for social changes and innovations’ development becoming a mass market. This paper uses the niches approach and analyzes electric mobility in commercial transport in Germany. The central question is: Which niches are (not) addressed (yet)? Challenges are to identify current niches in commercial sector which are addressed by electric mobility and to determine further potentials for the niches identified. For this purpose two surveys have been evaluated and compared in the paper: one addressing the pioneers of battery electric vehicles (BEV) and one addressing owners of vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICEV) (evaluation limited to commercial users). One central finding of the analysis is that extreme and cost-inefficient use profiles are overrepresented among BEV pioneers as compared to all commercial vehicle owners. It is reflected in their purchase motivation: current pioneers are primarily motivated by environmental and image aspects than of rational economic reasons. Further, the analysis shows a great potential for the niches to expand. But this potential is not activated by current vehicle concepts. This paper provides results giving specific information about niche potentials and which motivating aspect could target them. To expand niches future research activities and policy measures should focus on demand-targeted measures and experiments towards a demand-targeted variety of car-concepts. Of special relevance for niche expansion are public or public related branches. Within innovation theories a demand by state organisations and authorities is an important initial demand for radical innovations.