What does that mean specifically? 

Vehicles are linked with job descriptions in Switzerland, and not with personal preferences. The business units define their requirements, taking account of boot capacity, ground clearance, maximum trailer weight, four-wheel drive or specific commercial vehicle features. If a model fulfils these requirements, it qualifies for the next tendering round. Of course, there are also vehicles that offer more ex-works that what is necessary. However, this doesn’t matter in terms of our procurement. The only thing that counts is whether the vehicle fulfils the criteria set out in the list of requirements.

How many vehicles do you have in the fleet at present? 

There are currently around 2,200 vehicles in the Swisscom (CH) fleet: about 850 commercial vehicles and 1,350 passenger cars. There are roughly another 1,800 vehicles when Italy is taken into account, including some 300 executive models.  

How do fleets differ across markets? 

There are no longer any classic management vehicles in Switzerland. The vehicles are fully standardised here and are assigned according to job description and business needs. This means that employees cannot simply say that they want to drive a particular model. Rather, they are assigned a vehicle that matches their job description and their work. The corresponding requirements are defined in advance together with the relevant departments. Procurement is then handled centrally by Swisscom Mobility.

Our fleet policy in Italy is somewhat different. Company cars are more a benefit or a reward there. Employees can choose from a predefined list according to their management level. Options include the Volkswagen Tiguan and Golf Estate, CUPRA models as well as various Audi product lines.

Which Volkswagen Group models will be rolled out soon? 

As far as Swisscom in Switzerland is concerned, there will be more than 850 Škoda Enyaq 85 models and some 130 Volkswagen ID.3 Neo models, while the vehicle mix in Italy will largely comprise the Tiguan (385), Golf Estate (120) and ID. Polo (17) from Volkswagen as well as isolated CUPRA, Audi and Škoda models (either PHEV or BEV).

What relevance does the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) have for the fleet strategy?

As a pure reporting obligation, the CSRD will not immediately alter the fleet strategy. However, its impact will grow as soon as it becomes part of a broader commitment to sustainability. It is therefore not a downstream reporting requirement for us, rather a key decision-making factor in how we organise the fleet.

Where does the Swisscom Group stand on electrifying the fleet? 

Our Swiss passenger car fleet has been fully electric for roughly two years now. However, in terms of commercial vehicles, we are only getting started. Only a very small proportion of our roughly 900 units are electric at present. But we are aiming for zero local emission driving for the entire fleet in Switzerland by 2030. This means that the last combustion engine model will need to be removed from stock by the end of 2029 at the latest.

What is the biggest challenge you are facing here? 

Not only do the vehicles need to be fully electric, but also fulfil practical requirements. Decisive factors include payload, range, features, usage profile and charging infrastructure. Meanwhile, delivery times are also a consideration. With a lead time of nine to twelve months, the target of 2030 is quickly approaching for Switzerland. We therefore need to plan and order well in advance.

Does this timeframe also apply to Italy? 

The Swisscom Group in Italy has set 2035 as a target date for electrification. However, this transformation still depends heavily on the infrastructure, market conditions and suitable vehicle models. With many Italian usage profiles, features such as range, duration of use and vehicle availability are more closely interrelated. In cases where all-electric solutions are still not practical, plug-in hybrids can therefore temporarily serve as a bridging technology. 

What has been your experience to date with all-electric vehicles? 

Absolutely positive. Of course, that’s not to say there were no reservations before the changeover. However, the situation has changed since the vehicles have been on the road. Our electric fleet is well and even very well received by employees. When it comes to economic efficiency, too, the vehicles are impressive. Despite higher acquisition costs, they are at least competitive over the total lease term.

How is charging regulated organisationally? 

There are Group-wide standards that apply to the charging infrastructure, which each country adapts to its own particular circumstances. As a general rule, we provide our employees with financial support for installing a private charging facility. However, restrictions still apply when charging abroad.  

What role does home charging play? 

A very important one. We provide up to 3,000 Swiss francs (approximately 3,200 euros, depending on the exchange rate) for employees with their own company car to support them in installing a private charging option. Electricity is usually much cheaper at home than at public charging stations. Our investment therefore pays for itself after around eighteen months.

What does Swisscom do if employees cannot charge at home? 

We differentiate between private, commuting and business use. Vehicles that are used solely for business purposes ideally charge overnight at our premises. In the case of privately used vehicles, on the other hand, charging is included in the vehicle package. Special rules apply to commuting. If employees cannot either charge at home or use the charging time productively, they can record this as working time under some circumstances. Our telematics data shows, however, that the vehicles often travel much shorter distances in everyday life than employees assume. This puts many supposed range and charging problems into perspective.

How does fleet electrification impact the incidence of loss? 

Our experience shows a clear impact. We compared a fleet of combustion engine cars over two years with an electric fleet over two years. The result: The incidence of loss fell by roughly 60 per cent. In my view, this is largely down to the modern assist systems and the wide array of sensors in the vehicles. However, individual incidents of damage remain costly because, for example, bumpers with integrated sensors incur high repair costs. That said, there’s no doubt for me: We consistently order each vehicle with all assist systems that support drivers and come under the category of ADAS, in other words Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

What are you expecting from the new partnership with Volkswagen AG? 

I’m really looking forward to the first 100 days and to the first six months. As with any new partnership, there may be some bumps along the road, but that’s to be expected. I’m also looking forward to the collaboration, especially since electrification of commercial vehicles in Switzerland by 2030 is a highly complex task. With strong partners by our side, challenges like these are much more fun than trying to resolve every issue with multiple individual contacts.