Mercedes: "More journeys than thought are possible with a purely electric drive".

Frank Kemmerer, Head of Fleet Management at Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars, spoke about the opportunities and effects of e-mobility for fleets and commercial customers in an interview with the trade journal bfp Fuhrpark & Management.

This year sees the launch of the EQE, the first all-electric Mercedes in the traditional business saloon segment. "With the EQE, we can reach customers for whom we did not have a suitable product in our portfolio before," says Kemmerer, who reports of customers "who have completely converted their fleets to electric vehicles". Thanks to the steadily increasing ranges of new models in recent years, electric cars fit more and more driving profiles, also in the fleet sector.

And the fast-charging times are also "shortening with each new generation"; in addition, "nationwide access to the charging infrastructure including the billing of charging processes" makes the switch to e-mobility easier, according to Kemmerer: "Thus, the use of electric cars in everyday life is becoming more and more comfortable for drivers. Real restrictions, as they might have been some time ago, are therefore no longer seen today".

Even field workers on long-distance assignments can often switch to electric cars "without hesitation", finds the head of fleet management at Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars: "This is because they can take advantage of intelligent route planning that includes charging processes in their daily routine, for example at the fast-charging station or perhaps at the customer's premises," says Kemmerer. E-cars are also a "viable option for frequent drivers" thanks to some technical assistants in the vehicle. The navigation system with Electric Intelligence, for example, plans "dynamically and based on numerous factors the fastest and most comfortable route, including charging stops".

For companies that are still hesitant and unsure, Kemmerer recommends the Mercedes app "EQ Ready", which can be used to check whether "a purely electric vehicle or a hybrid model is practical for the individual driving profile". According to Kemmerer, analyses have shown "that more journeys than thought are possible with a purely electric drive".