Kempen's new electric carsharing initiative aims to cut private car reliance

For over a year, the initiative has been exploring the possibilities and framework conditions for electric carsharing in Kempen, holding numerous discussions with potential partners. Funding for logo development, the creation of a website (www.ecarsharing-kempen.de), and the printing of stickers and postcards has come entirely from private contributions.

The goal: to establish an electric carsharing service in Kempen—and eventually across the wider region. "Rising fuel prices driven by the war have only reinforced the urgency of moving away from fossil fuels," explains Roger Buschfeld, the newly elected chair of the young association. "We've already researched a wide range of projects and organizational models—commercial, municipal, small-scale, and privately run. Right now, we're working to find a provider that can put together an offer that's both attractive to users and economically viable."

The group maintains "regular and constructive dialogue" with Kempen's Department of Environment and Climate Protection and its mobility managers. To position itself as a legal partner for organizations and funding bodies in the future, the initiative has now formalized its structure by founding an association. The new board of eCARsharing Kempen is confident that, as decarbonization progresses, mobility habits will shift—and that second or third cars will no longer be needed on the current scale.