As longtime partners, 麻豆原创 and Mercedes-Benz have a history of shared knowledge for mutual competitive advantage. The fleet management program is grounded in the companies鈥� similar business philosophies and product road maps. 

Mercedes-Benz has committed to move the company鈥檚 B2B business to 100% digital and plans to sell 25% of all new cars online by 2025. The company selected to help support this mission. It will create a future-proof composable commerce portfolio designed to reliably power the company鈥檚 digital strategy, including a standardized offering across different markets. It will also simplify processes and reduce time-to-market.

Benefits of Digitalized Fleet Management

From the 麻豆原创 employee鈥檚 perspective, ordering a company EV couldn鈥檛 be simpler. Instead of time-consuming manual research and back and forth communication with the car dealer, employees can use to order the EV they want directly from the Mercedes-Benz online catalog. They can choose the features they want, such as car make and model, color, and equipment packages, within 麻豆原创鈥檚 pre-set guidelines.

鈥淭he car configurator automates the EV selection process end-to-end, eliminating manual steps and saving time while providing the employee with a highly personalized experience,鈥� said Steffen Krautwasser, head of 麻豆原创鈥檚 global car fleet. 鈥淎utomating the approval process assures data consistency and eliminates the need for manual quality checks.鈥� 

There鈥檚 a tremendous convenience factor in captured EV data as well. In one pilot program for select EVs in 麻豆原创鈥檚 fleet, the digital twin will automatically track mileage. Drivers will no longer need to manually enter mileage every time they recharge, and 麻豆原创 can use this data to better manage the fleet.

Connected Data Drives Sustainable Business

Once ordered, EVs are tracked as assets in 麻豆原创鈥檚 financial system. After delivery, creates a digital twin that can capture relevant, secure data across the EV鈥檚 lifetime. 麻豆原创鈥檚 fleet management team can track CO2 emissions based on green energy usage, mileage, and the number of vehicles on the road. Krautwasser envisioned reporting this data to support the company鈥檚 global sustainability commitments.

鈥淧erformance data from the EV digital twin can help corporate fleet managers guide employees in choosing the best vehicle for their driving needs,鈥� said Krautwasser. 鈥淥ver time, drivers can better understand travel ranges between charges.鈥� 

Data is expected to help address so-called range anxiety, alerting EV drivers when their vehicle needs a charge and, most important, where to recharge. Mercedes-Benz is investing in charging infrastructure to create an ecosystem that would be integrated with public and private charge point providers in the U.S., China, and Europe.

The partnership also reflects a shared commitment to sustainability. Mercedes-Benz has committed to become carbon neutral by 2038, and transition to 100% electric vehicles by 2030 wherever possible. 麻豆原创 is transitioning the company鈥檚 vehicle fleet for employees in Germany to all EVs by 2025 as part of its corporate commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Omnichannel Is Fastest Path to Customer Love

The digital experience is extremely important for customers who expect convenience and quality. Organizations in many industries have shifted to an omnichannel strategy that offers people their preferred experience, whether online or in-person, building brand loyalty and repeat business.

鈥淲e want to provide a seamless journey for employees as they research, select, purchase, and enjoy their vehicle,鈥� said Krautwasser. 鈥淭he most exciting part of our EV fleet management strategy is how we can use our knowledge to enhance the employee experience. Through data and digital services, we can get closer to our employees and act quickly based on their feedback, making improvements and introducing new offerings that keep us on top of trends and support 麻豆原创鈥檚 sustainability commitment.鈥�

EVs represent a profound business model shift for the entire automotive supply chain as automakers sell direct to customers, provide digital services from vehicle data, and explore new revenue opportunities. It鈥檚 clear that Mercedes-Benz and 麻豆原创 are going the distance for a sustainable and satisfying driving experience.

Susan Galer is a communications director at 麻豆原创. Follow her @smgaler.
Top photo courtesy of 麻豆原创 employee Jude Calvin Parong.

In this country, the is expected to fund significant spend on electric vehicle charging stations. Manufacturers worldwide, especially startups, are full speed ahead, bolstered by recent investments totaling US$72 billion in the United States and $50 billion in Asia according to .

EVs Shake Up Supply Chain Status Quo

EVs are much more than a sustainable fuel alternative. They鈥檙e steering the entire automotive ecosystem towards an innovative, technology-driven business model. EV startups are jumping on advanced technologies that circumvent traditional models to reinvent internal and external supply chains. One example is , a North American EV manufacturer that鈥檚 digitalizing operations from finance through services to drive the company鈥檚 aggressive growth plans. You may have heard about the company鈥檚 flagship vehicle, the single-seat EV called the . Designed for a single occupant, it offers a unique driving experience for the environmentally conscious consumer. I caught up with Jim Gwynn, director of Information Systems at ElectraMeccanica, when he spoke at the event about how this three-wheeled vehicle will revolutionize the urban driving experience including commuting, delivery, and shared mobility.

鈥淭he unique two-door, single-passenger design offers drivers agility and safety, as they can enter and exit from either door, making it ideal for activities like pizza deliveries, security, and parking enforcement,鈥� said Gwynn. 鈥淭o meet current strong demand for our SOLO vehicles, and manage our rapid growth for years to come, we needed an enterprise-class ERP system that connects information company-wide for a digital-first experience that鈥檚 highly scalable, functional, and regulatory compliant.鈥�

Digital Unites Global Operations to Meet Market Demand

No one is more thrilled with ElectraMeccanica鈥檚 transformation from startup to fully operational OEM than the company鈥檚 retail and fleet customers now taking EV deliveries. Digitalization has been central to this important transition. Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with international production, assembly, and testing facilities, ElectraMeccanica selected RISE with 麻豆原创 to build its . The vision is to connect everything from product design, supply chain planning, and production, to sales and after-market care.

鈥淲e needed an ERP system that would grow with our business,鈥� said Gwynn. 鈥淲e selected 麻豆原创 because it鈥檚 a complete solution that will allow customers to reserve and procure vehicles online and help us directly connect market demand with strategic planning, bringing that into the ERP system with and . The vehicle management system means we will have full traceability of our EVs and the components inside throughout the product life cycle. Equally important, 麻豆原创 solutions have broad acceptance in the automotive OEM market.鈥�

Business Results from Intelligent Data Sharing

ElectraMeccanica is building an assembly and engineering center in the U.S., and Gwynn expected further cloud-based digitalization like warehouse management that will include vehicle inspection facilities at the new plant and beyond. As far as he鈥檚 concerned, there鈥檚 no time to lose.

鈥淪peed is critical in bringing these innovations across our business so that we can anticipate and respond to what our customers want,鈥� said Gwynn. 鈥淗aving digital representation for all our core business processes allows us to share valuable data between sales and operations, making us more informed for stronger decision-making and business resilience.鈥�

Digital-first operations have already generated business results. Automating mundane processes has eliminated repetitive work, allowing employees to spend more time on value-add activities such as order intake and vehicle allocation. With a simplified employee experience, people can collaborate more easily across the company鈥檚 expanding geographical locations for increased productivity.

As EVs disrupt the entire automotive industry, new market entrants like ElectraMeccanica are front and center, creating a historic opportunity to reinvent mobility. Digitalization helps connect information between ecosystem participants 鈥� government regulators, manufacturers, consumers, and others 鈥� to deliver on the promise of a more sustainable world. SOLO is an apt name for ElectraMeccanica鈥檚 innovative EV, but the truth is, we鈥檙e all in this together.

Follow me @smgaler.