Surprisingly enough, the number of business kilometers traveled with electric cars appears to be highest outside the Randstad.
Employees from Drenthe in particular are taking the lead: no less than 28% of them drive to work electrically, according to recent research by mobility provider Shuttel. In contrast, the number of electric kilometers in the Randstad lags behind, with South Holland as a striking straggler, where only 2% of employees opt for an electric car. Shuttel, which offers mobility solutions for 250.000 employees of 125 large companies, sees a clear difference between the transport choices of employees in rural and urban areas.
Bart Horstman, mobility specialist at Shuttel, explains that the availability of public transport and the travel distances play a major role in this. In provinces such as Drenthe, the options for public transport are considerably more limited: the distance to stops and stations is often greater and the connections are less frequent. Moreover, these connections are mainly focused on rush hour, which means that employees can hardly rely on public transport in the evenings and during the weekend. Horstman notes that this often forces employees to opt for a car. “The car is often the most practical and reliable option for employees outside the Randstad,” says Horstman. “A cancelled bus or a delayed train can lead to enormous delays in rural areas, because alternative connections are often lacking. Electric cars offer an attractive solution because they combine sustainability with ease of use.”
charging station density
The research also shows that there are differences in the choice for electric driving within the Randstad. It is notable, for example, that although South Holland is more charging stations than North Holland, the so-called 'charging station density' is lower due to the higher population density. In South Holland, more people have to use a limited number of public charging stations, which can lead to so-called 'charging stress'. Horstman explains: “Nobody wants to be confronted with the risk of an empty battery without the possibility of charging. For many employees in South Holland, sharing public charging stations is an obstacle. This can be discouraging, especially for residents of apartment complexes with limited charging facilities.”
Although it is not unexpected that the car plays an important role in sparsely populated provinces, it is still surprising that a large number of employees there choose to drive electric. In Drenthe, more than a quarter of employees already drive to work in an electric car, a trend that will only increase according to Horstman. National figures from Statistics Netherlands also support this growing preference: in just one year, from 2021 to 2022, the number of business kilometers driven electrically increased by 14,3%.
The rise of sustainable mobility policies contributes to this change, says Horstman. Employers are increasingly encouraged to monitor and reduce CO2 emissions, which encourages them to electrify their fleet. “Large companies in particular are choosing to make their leasing offering fully electric. When employers promote sustainable mobility, we see that employees, especially those who live further away from work, are more likely to opt for an electric car.”
research
This Shuttel study is based on data from 45.537 employees from all over the Netherlands, working at 1.384 companies. The data comes from a broader population of 250.000 employees that Shuttel serves, which provides a representative picture of Dutch travel behavior. The data, collected between January 1 and October 17, 2024, provides insight into the mobility choices of employees who have been employed by the same employer for more than a year and use the Shuttel mobility card.
Shuttel, a collaboration between Pon and Volkswagen Financial Services, has been offering mobility services for companies that strive for a future-proof mobility policy for over ten years. Their approach focuses on sustainability, efficiency and convenience, making Shuttel a popular choice for companies that want to optimize the mobility behavior of their employees. Customers such as FrieslandCampina, Deloitte and Decathlon use Shuttel's mobility card to offer employees flexible travel options, from electric cars to public transport.
Horstman emphasizes that insights from studies like this are valuable for both employers and employees. “It is essential to have insight into the travel behavior of employees, so that employers can respond to their mobility needs and adjust their policies accordingly. With a well-informed policy, companies can not only become more sustainable, but also reduce their administrative burden and costs.” Shuttel helps companies improve their mobility policy by regularly conducting such analyses and providing targeted advice.
