Cooperative

Raoul Stöckle does not want to radically change Mobility, but to grow it deliberately and carefully. At the meeting in Zurich, the future Chairman of the Board of Directors explains how he intends to prepare the cooperative for tomorrow’s challenges – and why even the colour red calls for discussion at Mobility.

Raoul Stöckle still remembers the call for tenders from Mobility – or rather one phrase in particular: «We were explicitly looking for someone with ‹expertise in transformation›,» explains the 51-year-old, as we meet for our conversation in a café on Europaallee in Zurich. Expertise in transformation. Some may be reading this term here for the first time, but not Raoul Stöckle. «Seasoned strategist, serial entrepreneur and transformation sherpa» is how he describes himself on his LinkedIn profile. «My job is to help companies navigate change,» says Raoul, who has been a member of the Mobility Cooperative since its inception, has been on the Board of Directors since 2023 and will take over as its Chairman in May. As the founder of Bond Mobility, the pioneer in station-free e-bike sharing, or as the former chairman of the board of directors at Sharely, a rental platform for all kinds of items, Raoul also knows the precept: share more, get more.

Raoul Stöckle knows from his own experience that successful companies in particular often find it difficult to question their own processes. However, this is essential for long-term success. «For example, the technical possibilities available today are quite different from those of ten years ago – and the needs of our customers are also constantly changing. Fortunately, Mobility has recognised this.» At the same time, Raoul is also aware of the proud history of the car-sharing pioneer. Thanks to the outstanding work of the past few years, the company now has the opportunity to continue its transformation from a position of strength.

Experiments? Yes, but with caution

Those who fear that the new Chairman of the Board of Directors wants to turn over every stone and initiate a radical change can rest assured. Raoul does not want to interfere in the operational business – that is not his job. «However, I would like to challenge my colleagues with conscious impulses.» The starting position for the future Chairman is an exciting one: «On the one hand, there is the established business model that needs to be preserved. But on the other, continuous self-renewal is important.» Raoul Stöckle would like to see the cooperative focusing more on its core business in the future. «Mobility has recently launched a lot of cool projects and learned a lot in the process.» As examples, he cites the discontinued i&any ridepooling service and the V2X Suisse project. There should continue to be room for innovation and experimentation in the future, but: «We want to experiment carefully and also learn from others.»

Electrification is more challenging than expected

So how does Raoul Stöckle plan to develop Mobility’s core business? His aim is to take car sharing into the next era and he believes there is still plenty of room for improvement. «We want to make our processes leaner, invest in digitalisation, become more agile – and, above all, achieve even broader coverage.» Another major topic is the change in engine types. However, Raoul warns against pushing electrification through «at any cost». «Instead, we should proceed with caution here as well.» In fact, at stations that have both electric and petrol cars, the vehicles using conventional fuel often have higher user numbers. Raoul concludes that many people still have uncertainties regarding electric mobility. «They are worried that there might be problems with the range.» It does not matter that these fears are unfounded. «They are a clear indicator that we need to do better to inform and educate our customers.» The effort required to electrify our fleet should also not be underestimated, the entrepreneur cautions. «We have had to learn that this process takes longer and is more expensive than we had originally hoped.» The question of whether a Mobility car is electric or fuelled by petrol is important, but not essential in the near future, says Raoul Stöckle. «It is much more important that people use car sharing in the first place.» Because no matter whether it is electric, petrol or diesel, on average, every Mobility car on the road in Switzerland replaces more than 18 privately owned vehicles.

Even the mobility red is to be discussed

What Raoul particularly appreciates about his mandate is the active dialogue with the delegates throughout Switzerland. The topics range from questions such as «Do we need child seats in cars?» to electrification and colour. You read that right: even the Mobility red needs to be discussed! And the answer to this question is not that simple. «The colour has a high recognition value,» says Raoul. Such a high level of visibility could not be achieved with traditional marketing measures, he says. Raoul also adds that, on the other hand, many customers are not so keen to attract attention when driving out and about. «What is more, red cars are usually more expensive to buy and sell – and body damage is also more expensive to fix.» This example shows that the answers are not always as clear-cut as the questions initially suggest. And that is why it sometimes takes a little longer for an innovation to be implemented. Raoul Stöckle compares it to Switzerland’s federalism: «Sometimes our cooperative model may be a little sluggish, but in the long term it is very successful and widely supported.»