A Renewable Electric Car Pool
På svenska. The renewable electric car pool, SK100, was an initiative where Skellefteå Kraft aimed to make it possible for everyone in Skellefteå to drive renewable by sharing our own electric pool cars with the public.
A fun idea with an important message: electrification of vehicles is part of the solution to the climate challenge.
“We know that everyone needs to contribute if we are to transform Sweden into a country powered by renewable energy. That’s why it’s also obvious to encourage reusing and sharing our resources,” says Catarina Hägglund, Head of Communication and Sustainability at Skellefteå Kraft.
A renewable initiative
The concept of the renewable electric car pool, SK100, was based on Skellefteå Kraft renting out its electric cars to the public after working hours.
The idea behind the project was to increase the low utilization rate of the cars the company already had. In this way, the car pool could help ensure that no new cars were purchased, which would burden the environment.
Instead, SK100 could be available when there was a temporary need for an extra car. Perhaps when you helped a friend move or wanted to take a trip to the beach. But SK100 was also an opportunity for those who didn’t need to own a car full-time, but perhaps just for grocery shopping or driving to practices occasionally.
A convenient solution that simultaneously made the user part of the green transition.
Inspire more to do the same
The hope with the project was to show that sharing is possible—and that it’s not that complicated. This, in turn, could perhaps inspire more companies to follow suit and share their electric cars with citizens, not just in Skellefteå.
It’s better that these cars can be used by more people and that we together contribute to a renewable transition. Because just as this planet is ours, the tools to save it should also belong to everyone.
The electric car pool SK100 demonstrated that there is great potential in vehicles that remain idle for much of the day. We are incredibly proud to have, together with the public in Skellefteå, both residents and visitors, conducted a project that has provided so many lessons to carry forward into future circular initiatives.
• A reduction in emissions that are hazardous to the environment and health. Pool cars are usually much newer and cleaner than average cars. A pool probably initially replaces old cars with even worse than average emissions.
• Road safety. Since pool cars are usually much newer and thereby safer than average cars, road safety is improved. However, the greatest benefit for road safety is probably that car pool members drive fewer kilometres overall.
• One pool car can replace several private cars, such as second cars.
• Because existing vehicles are used to a greater extent, car pools help to reduce usage of resources.
• Because one pool car can replace a number of private cars, less space is needed for parking. This is an important argument in urban areas, where space is an expensive and limited resource.
• Car pools contribute to equality by giving more people the opportunity to use a car when needed, because the high fixed costs of a car are divided between several members.
