This is one of the findings of a study carried out by Arval, which highlights the growing interest among Italians in micromobility as an alternative to the car and public transport.
One in two Italians says they are interested in the e-bike as a form of daily mobility, particularly in urban areas. The current public health emergency, the need to maintain social distancing and the resurgence of Covid-19 infections is calling into question the travel habits and processes of both companies and individuals. Micromobility, with electric scooters and e-bikes in sharp ascent, is increasingly becoming an alternative to the private car and public transport. This is confirmed by the findings of a study carried out by Arval, a company within the BNP Paribas group specialising in long-term car rental. The study, commissioned from the measurement and analytics firm Nielsen, also reveals that growing environmental awareness, economic convenience and reliability (not always, unfortunately, in that order…) are the top three characteristics that Italians expect from the mobility of the future.
The study commissioned by Arval, entitled Lo scenario italiano della mobilità urbana: uno sguardo al futuro, was conducted on a sample of 1,500 people representative of the Italian population by gender, age and geographical area, with the aim of analysing the modes of transport people use, their reasons for using them and their expectations for the future. Although it is clear that the car remains the preferred mode of transport, micromobility — with pedal-assisted bicycles leading the way — is winning growing support, especially in large cities, where numerous sharing mobility services are also available. Reliability, convenience and greater independence in getting around are among the most important factors considered when choosing a mode of transport, alongside the freedom to decide one's own travel times (57 per cent of respondents) and practicality (43 per cent).
Above all, however, the survey has highlighted the growing interest in the electric bicycle which, according to the findings, tops the wish list of Italians, helped in part by the incentives introduced by the Government some months ago specifically to encourage new forms of mobility (as well as to support the economy). The e-bike has been identified as the ideal tool for home-to-work commutes which, again according to the study, in 75 per cent of cases do not exceed a distance of 15 kilometres. Environmental factors, agility and the absence of physical effort also play a role in the choice of transport, while the lack of dedicated routes, cost and the risk of theft represent the main barriers to purchase.
In short, one only needs to look at our cities to see that bicycles — whether privately owned or increasingly available through sharing schemes — and electric scooters are transforming urban mobility. It is a transformation to which Arval is responding by offering, for the first time, a long-term rental formula for electric bicycles. How does it work? In exchange for a fixed monthly fee (from €87), it will be possible to rent an e-bike for a period of 12 or 24 months. The service, initially reserved for employees of companies that already have rental arrangements with Arval, also includes maintenance, theft and damage insurance cover, tyre replacement and the provision of a helmet. "We feel it is our ethical duty to make a positive impact on society, in protection of the environment, the territory in which we operate and the people who live in it," commented Alessia Pedersini, marketing, communications and CSR director of Arval Italia, on the sidelines of the launch conference.