MEC electric carsharing: NN's new commitment to sustainability
Currently, the majority of urban landscapes incorporate into their streets an almost inseparable multitude of cars, motorcycles, buses, vans, and an endless array of motorized vehicles that, despite their functionality, pose a high environmental cost for the city that is difficult to offset. Reclaiming the urban space that has been appropriated by motorized vehicles is not an easy task, but we can make it feasible by committing to sustainable mobility.
Aware of this, for years NN Parkings has been offering services and eco-friendly solutions that range from carsharing options to electric vehicle charging stations, waterless dry cleaning systems, or exclusive areas for bicycles. All of them are designed to improve the environmental quality in Barcelona and the urban surroundings.
In 2019, with the intention of promoting the implementation of electric mobility in Barcelona, Núñez i Navarro established a network of charging stations for electric vehicles in its rotating parking lots. An initiative that now moves forward again with the incorporation of Barcelona's first 100% electric carsharing service that will allow offering a new sustainable option to users.
Currently, 4 of the most central NN Parkings in the city include 5 electric vehicles available for citizens and companies wishing to rent a car by the hour. The service is managed by MEC electric carsharing, a pioneer in the implementation of flexible electric carsharing with sustainable vehicles in Barcelona.
We spoke with Francesc Costa, Managing Director of MEC electric carsharing: “At MEC, we work to generalize the use of electric vehicles, promoting sustainable mobility and generating improvements for society. Sustainability in travel is essential to reduce CO₂ and NOx emissions in the atmosphere. That's why our vehicles are 100% electric, in order to make travel ecological and environmentally responsible, that is our differentiating value”.
The company MEC electric carsharing finds its origin in Vilafranca del Penedés with the "Wine Road",, an enotourism proposal with high historical and cultural value, which allows wine lovers to discover the ancient path that connected the vineyards of Penedès with the beaches of Garraf. This Wine Road, designed for motor vehicle travel, is the first route that can be done with electric mobility thanks to the fleet of cars that MEC electric carsharing makes available to users. As Costa states: “In the center of Vilafranca del Penedés we have 2 bases with 6 cars available for individuals, companies, and institutions. Additionally, we have a base with 2 cars in Sant Sadurní. The goal is for any visitor to have the opportunity to take this tour with an electric vehicle that can be picked up at the start of the route”.
MEC electric carsharing is also specialized in corporate carsharing, with the management of digitalized fleets for companies and institutions, featuring connected and shared electric cars. And it has a total of 20 cars in this segment.
This is a business model that they are now exporting to Barcelona with the help of Núñez i Navarro: “The idea is to offer the citizens of Barcelona a 100% ecological and sustainable carsharing option that currently does not exist in the city”.
The NN Parkings where users can find MEC electric carsharing vehicles are, initially, NN Parking Còrsega, 344, which will have 2 spaces for MEC electric carsharing vehicles; NN Parking València, 243 (1 car); NN Parking La Rotonda BCN (1 car) and NN Parking Urgell, 234 (1 car). All of them are strategically located in the center of Barcelona, close to the main business, commercial, and tourist areas of the city: "We have chosen Núñez i Navarro parkings for their excellent locations within the Barcelona area and for the target of their clients, both professional and business, as well as private, all of which are very much in line with the user profile we expect to attract. Additionally, all the parkings are open 24 hours to make the experience simpler, and include surveillance service for added security. Our cars, besides being non-polluting, are all new, comfortable, and cozy. We aim to keep them in perfect condition for our clients, so the environment in which they are found is essential for us", explains the director manager of MEC electric carsharing.
And it is undeniable. The concern for sustainability and the demand for carsharing services are growing in parallel in Barcelona. The proof is that these types of services are increasingly proliferating: “So far, annual increases have fluctuated between 10-15%. Surely the demand would grow more if the free float model were adopted, as in Madrid, where cars are parked on the street without base stations. But it is not a model we want, are interested in, or even endorse. We believe that cars should be parked in their garages, and that street space is for pedestrians or for driving, but not for having parked cars. Moreover, it encourages unnecessary travel. Fortunately, it is a model that Barcelona does not want to apply at the moment, and it does so very sensibly. We are committed to the base station model, and we add a differential value which is the exclusive use of electric vehicles, something that no other company in the city offers today.
Regarding the benefits that the flexible rental of electric vehicles will bring to Barcelona, Francesc Costa is clear that “it will bring benefits to the people and the city. The first and most important is the absence of pollution. Secondly, every shared car removes other cars, so there are fewer vehicles on the street. There is also a much lower consumption of materials in terms of the environment, less material per car is used for construction, amortization. And for the user who seldom uses the car, it represents a saving, which can easily range between 3000 and 4000€ a year”.
And he adds: “Out of 100% of users, 35% claim they would buy an electric car. It's much more convenient, less polluting, quieter. The problem is that it's more expensive. The user sees the price as a barrier, and secondly, the charging points. Regarding this issue, our cars have a range of 250-280km, which gives quite a bit of leeway. And if one wishes to make a longer journey, recharging is necessary. We are currently working to implement a charging area within our website so that users can leave knowing they can recharge peacefully if needed. A service that will be included in the rental price.”
Electric vehicle rentals can be made through the APP managed by MEC electric carsharing, which allows users to quickly and easily reserve one of the fleet cars by searching for the nearest base and time slot, and to make the payment once the service is completed.
Regarding the price, Costa assures that “the cost is more economical for the user compared to other carsharing models since the user knows the exact amount to be paid from the beginning. An amount that corresponds to a fixed hourly rate, with no surprises. Moreover, there are hourly packages that offer an advantage”.
The electric carsharing service managed by MEC electric carsharing is now operational, available to users interested in optimizing their city travel in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.
** Given the current health crisis caused by COVID-19, the company MEC electric carsharing will carry out daily disinfection with ozone machines for each of its vehicles, and will provide each car with hygiene kits, to ensure safe travel for its users.
