Mob-ion: a virtuous and competitive model, it’s possible!

Mob-ion, a French manufacturer of electric scooters certified "Origine France Garantie", offers a sustainable, connected mobility solution at an unbeatable price. Winner of the Eco-design Prize of the Sustainable Industry Trophies 2024, Mob-ion in total contrast to the industrial strategy of planned obsolescence, promotes the notion of circular "planned sustainability". In this, we must understand eco-design or the desire to design products that respect the environment and the principles of sustainable development, a constant search for renewable, reusable and recyclable materials... with the aim of reliability, repairability and remanufacturing of components and parts. While most business models still rely on increasing production volumes - which creates additional challenges in already saturated markets - Mob-ion favors resource optimization applied to mobility, while offering a product for use at a very attractive price... and it works! Meet Christian BRUERE, President of Mob-ion, who gives us the keys to this success!

Mob-ion electric scooters: a strategic choice to revitalize rural areas

It is in Guise, in the Aisne, that Mob-ion has chosen to set up shop, in a former 24,000 m² factory to produce its electric scooters. Since 2023, nearly 400 two-wheelers have left the workshops and this number could be multiplied by 10 when demand requires it. Indeed, even if the electric vehicle markets in the world are not all evolving in the same direction, their sales continue to increase, as confirmed by the Electric Vehicle Outlook 2024 BloombergNEF report "Buses and two and three-wheelers are already reaching very high levels of electrification". There is no doubt that electric scooters are therefore on the rise and Christian BRUERE, a seasoned entrepreneur, knows that he made the right choice by opting for this alternative mode of transport as the core of production. Christian BRUERE is, in fact, not new to innovative projects. Co-founder of Allo resto, which became Just Eat, this business leader immediately saw the challenges of alternative transport, particularly those of electric two-wheelers. While his initial scooter offering was aimed at professionals in urban catering, he is now targeting the rural sector and the general public. Several partnerships, particularly with local missions, are currently underway, with the aim of promoting the mobility of young workers. "According to a recent study, in large urban centres, young people have access to hundreds of schools within 30 km of their homes, while in some parts of the country, particularly in rural areas, it is a desert! I am therefore convinced that there is something to be done to promote the economic revitalisation of these abandoned sectors, while proposing a project that is part of the circular economy cycle," the entrepreneur tells us.

An eco-friendly model that doesn't sacrifice performance

To remain competitive, most manufacturers use various assembly techniques, crimping, the use of glues and resins in order to reduce production costs and speed up the production process. At Mob-ion, the objective has been to minimize the total cost of ownership, also known as TCO (Total Cost of Ownership). The goal? To achieve the lowest possible level, as Christian BRUERE explains: “This led us to develop an innovative accounting model that we call the law of components. Rather than depreciating a product as a whole, we now depreciate each component individually. Given that these have very different lifespans, it would be illogical to apply the same depreciation to all of these elements. The lifespan ratios between these components can indeed vary considerably, sometimes by 100 to 1,000 times.” This is why we have developed what we call “circular planned sustainability”, an approach that better reflects the differences in durability between components and allows for more precise management of their depreciation. This does not only meet ecological performance criteria; it also improves our income statement and financial statement. Our business model, based on circularity, is therefore distinguished by its competitiveness. It also guarantees the recovery of end-of-life products, avoiding their being sent to landfill, and allows us to efficiently manage their recovery. Our products are therefore offered at prices 30% lower than those of our competitors. Currently, Mob-ion offers the most competitive rates in Europe, with scooters available for long-term rental over 24 months from €49.80 per month, all taxes included, including maintenance.

Mob-ion electric two-wheelers: an investment for the future

While Mob-ion's project and ambition are commendable, it still needs to convince investors, particularly to support the purchase of components. This is a real challenge for Christian BRUERE: "Our products stand out for their quality, attractive price and respect for the environment, in line with current trends. However, financiers still need to be convinced. We have several orders in progress, thanks in particular to partnerships with France Travail and the confidence of the State. It is crucial that investors recognize that electric two-wheelers are not a fad, but the future. Growth has been continuous for several years, and sales forecasts confirm this sustainable trend in the "clean" vehicle market. We are able to demonstrate an 87.2% reduction in impact compared to our thermal competitors and to create jobs thanks to our manufacturing process, which does not require highly specialized skills. Our economic model therefore proves our sustainability. We meet all the profitability criteria and have reached an advanced stage in our development. We have also found solutions to reindustrialize our territory by reusing the equipment initially intended for our plant, which demonstrates our capacity for innovation and sustainability. It is now crucial that impact investors, who seek to generate a measurable positive influence on social and environmental levels while pursuing a financial return, fully commit. Our company is, in fact, perfectly in line with all the criteria required by these organizations.