Pehr Oscarson, President and CEO of MEKO, shares his experience on mobility. I was young, with a thin wallet, and needed to cross the US. Luckily, there was a free car-sharing service – though it did lead to arguments in the middle of the prairie. Today, however, there are many more refined transportations offers available. But are we satisfied with them? What do we think about the developments around electric cars and smart technology? You have the answer in front of you: The Mobility Barometer 2024 – the largest survey of our mobility habits in the Nordics.
The free service was ingenious. A car company in the US needed to move cars from A to B. To avoid paying drivers, they used people like me, who drove voluntarily. In this case, I was not the only one wanting to go. Some other Swedes that I met nearby also wanted to travel to California. A sort of carpooling service, in other words.
One of the others took the wheel, and the journey started off well enough. But the car was old, and the fuel gauge swung back and forth as we rocked along, making it hard to see how much gas we had. I suggested that we should probably refuel to avoid running out of gas in the middle of the prairie. “No, just relax,” the driver explained with a crooked smile.
Soon, he also started zigzagging over the road reflectors, making a rumbling sound. “Great fun!” he thought. In the middle of one rumble, there was a bang, and the car started to sputter.
There we were, stuck, with a flat tire and out of gas. Two long days later, we finally arrived in California, parted ways and never saw each other again.
I realized two things: I had just completed the most awkward road trip of my life, and even though the free service was ingenious and got me where I needed to go, the experience also played a significant role. We had the same goal in that car, but we had, to say the least, different preferences for how the journey should go.
Today, there is a plethora of mobility services. It has become an integral part of our modern society. The overarching goal is the same – to get us from one place to another in a purposeful way.
But how we perceive details, and the overall experience is often crucial in determining exactly which solution we choose. This is also evident in this year’s edition of the Mobility Barometer, conducted by MEKO for the third year in a row.
The results are intriguing. An economic downturn and rising interest rates have, for example, dampened interest in electric cars. Many even believe they are “only for the rich.”
MEKO aims to be the most comprehensive partner for everyone who drives, repairs, and maintains vehicles in Northern Europe. Part of this involves driving the transition towards more long-term sustainable mobility, where we, for example, develop offers that reduce carbon footprints.
This involves meeting the service needs of traditional and electric cars as accessibly as possible, working to reuse spare parts in new ways, or launching new services for a more modern car life. To achieve this accurately, we want to know what and how the public thinks. This not only gives us valuable insights but also moves us forward as a company.
As a young traveler in the USA, I also moved forward. I eventually reached California – with new insights. Just as I realized the importance of the journey’s experience, successful companies acknowledge that understanding detailed preferences is crucial over time.
To get there, one must find out the essential facts.
Enjoy your reading of the Mobility Barometer 2024.
Pehr Oscarson,
President and CEO, MEKO
The share of vehicles owned by companies and organizations is steadily increasing— and is expected to grow significantly across Europe in the coming years. MEKO has, for several years, developed a growing business focused on so-called fleet customers and is now scaling up efforts to meet the rising demand.
Joakim Wickholm has built his career on extensive experience in corporate groups and a passion for using IT as a driving force for business development. He thrives in change-driven environments and with colleagues from all parts of the world. ”We aim high, move fast, and continuously evolve—there’s never a dull moment”, he says.
With a strong focus on commercial vehicle workshops – MEKO’s most important customer group today – the company is now launching a dedicated division to accelerate growth in a market full of potential. MEKO is taking a major step into the commercial vehicle sector with the launch of a powerful new division. The initiative is led by Nils Hollmann, who brings over 15 years of industry experience.“We’re now increasing our pace in a fragmented market, but one that is also full of opportunity – both for MEKO and everyone who owns, operates, repairs or maintain commercial vehicles,” says Hollmann.