The objective was to examine customer behaviour and acceptance levels in respect of the issue of electromobility. To this end, the use of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure was tested in customer and everyday operation. The vehicles and infrastructure were monitored throughout the trial.

Daimler put more than 200 electric cars on the roads in Berlin and Hamburg. At the Daimler factory in Hambach, in addition to the conventional vehicles, the electrically powered version of the smart fortwo was built, while in the Rastatt factory the A-Class E-CELL was produced.

Based on focus groups, interviews, technical data and observations, it was possible to draw conclusions about customers and vehicles. In order to ensure that the data was saved and processed, it was relayed wirelessly to a database. An ongoing analysis of the data in respect to the load being put on components and customers’ patterns of use, was then instigated.

Various scenarios representing the potential »electromobility worlds« of 2030 in Berlin and Hamburg were developed and described in expert workshops.

In the after sales area, the probable failure rates of vehicle and drive system components forecast in advance for both models were verified. The amount of work involved in the event of repairs was also assessed.

Funding Code
03KP507