imec encourages employees to choose an EV for their company car with the support of Alphabet.
On the occasion of Mobility Week earlier in September, Alphabet made several MINI Electric cars available to imec’s employees for a few weeks. The Leuven-based research and innovation hub wanted to introduce employees to electric driving and encourage them to choose an EV for their next company car or private car. This opportunity and the additional information provided by Alphabet are now paying off: “Honestly? I’m really sad to be returning the keys to the test car,” one employee said.
Thanks to this initiative, imec’s employees were able to test out electric driving for themselves in September and experience what the advantages can be compared with their current driving behaviour and habits. In addition, they were also treated to an informative digital presentation about the cost of EVs, with practical information and testimonials. The idea was to inspire them to choose an electric company car or private car in the near future.
Clear information and testing make all the difference
The webinar about electric driving earlier this year revealed that while drivers do consider switching to an EV, they still have a whole lot of practical questions. That is why Alphabet offered imec - with whom it entered into an exclusive partnership for the entire fleet in 2018 - this opportunity. The combination of driving an EV for several days and a digital info session, which was attended by no fewer than 46 imec employees, ensured that imec’s employees can make informed choices about their next company car.
By letting people experience electric driving and providing sufficient information, a number of frequently heard concerns such as range anxiety can be addressed. For example, Alphabet explained in its presentation that four out of five drivers only drive a maximum of 50 km every day. Moreover, 70% of EV charging is done by owners at home, 20% at work and a mere 10% en route.
“A nice driving experience, an adequate range and environmentally-friendly too”
Alphabet asked imec’s employees to share their first impressions of EVs - and they were unanimously positive.
K.M.: “Driving an electric car is a fantastic experience. I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to get one for weekly trips and normal commuting. What’s more, these cars offer a completely different experience than traditional cars. They’re much more high-tech. My next car will be an electric vehicle again. Battery technology will undoubtedly provide an even better experience in the future.”
P.J.: “The longest distance that I cover with my EV is my daily commute, which is approximately 70 km. This is perfectly within the car’s range. All the more so because I can charge it at work during the day. Electric driving is also very pleasant. The car responds immediately and is much quieter. I would definitely recommend an EV. The prices have also dropped sharply, there are sufficient tax benefits, and there is already a wide choice. Finally, for me personally, I find the environmental aspect very important: I’m really motivated to go green by driving an electric car to reduce the use of fossil fuels for our transportation.”
S.T.: “If you don’t drive more than 200 km a day on average and can install a charging station at home, then I’d always choose an electric car. What’s more, it’s great fun to drive! I mainly use my car for short distances, but if I have to go to Eindhoven for example, I always find a charging station on-site. I charge my EV at home three quarters of the time, and 20% of the time at work.”
imec is the world’s leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technology. imec is a trusted partner of companies, start-ups and universities, bringing together more than 4,000 top scientists from almost 100 countries. imec has its headquarters in Leuven and R&D groups spread across a number of Flemish universities, in the Netherlands, Taiwan and the USA, and offices in China, India and Japan.