Deloitte survey: Clear majority for more electric cars - Employers should actively support e-mobility

More than two-thirds of people in Switzerland want to reduce CO2 emissions. And over half pay attention to whether their mode of transport is environmentally friendly. In a survey by Deloitte, almost three-quarters of respondents are hoping for technological progress to combat climate change – and they see electric cars playing a major part. People want to take action themselves, but they also believe that employers have a duty to support the use of public transport, e-cars and bicycles, and that companies should bring environmentally friendly products to market. An improved infrastructure for charging electric vehicles will play an important role in achieving climate change targets.

In a representative survey conducted by the auditing and consulting company Deloitte at the beginning of May 2021 among 1,501 people living in Switzerland, a clear majority (70%) of respondents wants to reduce CO2 emissions and mobility will play an important role in this. 57 per cent would like to see more electric cars and 63 per cent a reduction in private motorised transport - for example through more working-from-home or car sharing. 68 per cent are in favour of shifting heavy goods traffic from road to rail.

Innovation as a driver for CO2 reduction
More than half (53%) of the respondents are in favour of compensation measures, but referendum on the CO2 law showed that practical implementation will be difficult. Therefore, it is not surprising that a much higher proportion (71%) is in favour of increased innovation and technological progress to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. "After the rejection of the CO2 law, the existing challenges will not disappear," says Reto Savoia, CEO of Deloitte Switzerland. "But the No to the CO2 Act was not a No to climate protection, as our survey shows. Switzerland must continue to do everything in its power to lead the way in climate protection. With our world-leading universities and many companies who are successful in environmental technology, Switzerland is in a leading position to ensure effective climate protection. We have a real opportunity here to position ourselves even better in the global market in the longer term," says Reto Savoia.

Employers should encourage e-mobility
For Switzerland to achieve the reduction in emissions set out in the Paris Climate Agreement, it needs (among other things) more sustainable mobility options. According to the survey, employers are also expected to play a part: 76 per cent of respondents want companies to provide travel cards to their employees. 59 per cent want employers to promote e-mobility, for example by offering electric cars as company cars. 56 per cent want them to support cycling financially. "Our survey has shown that a large majority of the population also wants employers to actively support CO2 reduction," says Rolf Brügger, Director Government & Public Services at Deloitte Switzerland. "Promoting e-mobility as broadly as possible makes sense. The state can help with targeted framework conditions for quickly improving the infrastructure for charging electric cars. Specific incentives for companies that support efforts by their employees to reduce CO2 emissions would also be effective, as would measures that make e-mobility accessible to more people in the population."

About the Study
The sustainable decarbonisation study looks at Switzerland's current challenges and opportunities for sustainable decarbonisation in the area of mobility. It is based on a survey and interviews with experts from companies, science and administration.
The online survey was conducted from 3 - 6 May 2021. The questionnaire was answered by 1,501 people living in Switzerland. Half of the respondents were men and half were women. The age structure ranged from 15 to 67 years. 35 percent came from cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants, 30 percent from other urban areas and 35 percent from rural regions.
In addition, personal interviews were conducted in June 2021 with experts from AMAG Innovation & Venture LAB, the Office for Mobility of the Canton of Zurich, ETH Zurich, mobility.ch, the TCS Mobility Academy and the DETEC General Secretariat.