Mobile but energy-efficient: What are the challenges?

No sector in Switzerland emits more greenhouse gases than transportation. The reason: 90% of the energy required comes from fossil fuel sources abroad. If Switzerland wants to achieve its net-zero target for transportation, cars, buses, and trucks will have to run on renewable energy instead of gasoline or diesel in the future.

How can this transition be achieved? What are the biggest challenges, especially given disruptions to supply chains such as those in the Strait of Hormuz, for example? Ahead of the Swiss Mobility Forum in Bern on September 15, Fabian Etter, co-president of Swisscleantech, shares his insights in an interview.

Energeiaplus: Just over one in three newly registered cars in the first half of 2026 was electric. Electric trucks and light commercial vehicles are also seeing growth. What is your assessment of this trend?

Fabian Etter is Co-President of Swisscleantech.

Fabian Etter: The growth of electric mobility across all vehicle categories is undoubtedly encouraging. After all, the electrification of road traffic is a key solution—and one that is widely available today—for reducing emissions. Studies by Empa and the Paul Scherrer Institute paint a clear picture: When manufacturing, operation, and end-of-life disposal are taken into account over the entire life cycle, battery-electric cars in Switzerland produce significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions than comparable vehicles with internal combustion engines.

At the same time, we must acknowledge that Switzerland is not living up to its potential. In a European comparison of new registrations, we have slipped from a top-five ranking to 13th place. This shows that other countries have pursued the electrification of transportation more consistently and reliably. Norway has promoted electric cars comprehensively and with a long-term perspective from the very beginning, but Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands are also, as is well known, significantly further ahead than we are.

You say that, compared to Norway for example, Switzerland is lagging behind. Why do you think that is?

Switzerland has so far failed to create the right framework conditions for electric mobility. Above all, a well-developed charging infrastructure is crucial. Anyone considering an electric car must be able to charge it reliably at home.

This is especially crucial in Switzerland: Many people live in rental housing or condominiums. They depend on having suitable charging infrastructure available at their parking space. If this is lacking, the decision to buy an electric car is often ruled out from the start. However, with the “Right to Charge” motion launched by GLP President Jürg Grossen and supported by Parliament—a cause we at swisscleantech have also championed—progress is finally being made on this front.

Added to this is a regulatory patchwork when it comes to motor vehicle taxes: 26 cantons, 26 different sets of rules—with widely varying incentives for electric mobility. And with the planned e-tax set to take effect in 2031, the next roadblock is already looming—even before the market has really gained momentum.

When it comes to new registrations of electric trucks, however, Switzerland is a leader. What lessons from this success can be applied to passenger transport?

The example of electric trucks shows very clearly: when the framework conditions are right, the market moves. Switzerland is a European leader in this area. One important reason is the exemption from the LSVA, which often amounts to a mid-five-figure sum per year for diesel trucks. This exemption makes electric trucks economically attractive over their useful life. We see this among many of our members in the logistics industry, who are strongly committed to electrification.

The lesson for passenger transportation is clear: price signals work. Passenger cars also need reliable framework conditions that facilitate the transition rather than hinder it. This is especially true since internal combustion engines still do not fully bear the external costs caused by CO2 emissions.

Despite the conflicting political signals, I remain optimistic: Development in the electric vehicle sector is progressing rapidly, the range of models is expanding, costs are falling, and the charging infrastructure is improving.

About half of all newly registered vehicles in Switzerland belong to corporate fleets. Should we drive electrification more through company cars than through incentives for private purchases?

We need both, but yes, corporate fleets are a key lever. About half of all new cars in Switzerland are registered to companies. Company fleets are therefore a key lever for electrification. Companies typically replace their vehicles more quickly than private individuals and place greater emphasis on life-cycle costs. Furthermore, vehicles purchased or leased as company cars today will later enter the private market as used cars.

Many of our 700 swisscleantech members across all industries are leading the way in electrifying their vehicle fleets because this step makes financial sense, and they want to achieve ambitious climate goals and reduce dependencies. However, the overall picture for corporate fleets remains mixed. While many companies are leading the way, a lack of charging options and misguided tax incentives are simultaneously slowing down the transition. That is why we need reliable charging infrastructure at workplaces and homes, targeted investment incentives for charging stations, and a tax treatment that does not disadvantage electric commercial vehicles compared to internal combustion engine vehicles.

Swiss Mobility Forum 2026

The national conference on energy-efficient, sustainable mobility in businesses will take place on September 15 in Bern. It is aimed at representatives from the business community, politics, and the public sector.

Federal Councilor Albert Rösti will outline the prospects for the development of mobility in Switzerland at the event.

The event is organized by EnergieSchweiz, the Swiss Federal Office of Energy’s program for energy efficiency, in collaboration with the Canton of Bern and other partners.

Further information is available here: Swiss Mobility Forum 2026 – Rethinking Mobility

Register here: Swiss Mobility Forum – BERNEXPO/Cube, Bern

Speaking of commutes: My son works in the industrial zone in a town outside Bern. It takes him 20 minutes by car from Bern, but over an hour by public transit. What sustainable solutions are available in such cases? What questions does this raise?

Examples likethisshow that we’ll still need cars in the future, especially in rural areas or for shift work. The federal government’s transportation outlook rightly doesn’t assume a car-free future.

Nevertheless, we have not yet fully tapped the potential of public transit: We need better public transit connections and alternatives such as Park+Ride, carpooling, shuttle services, and good options for the last mile. SBB, for example, offers solutions for multimodal mobility (combining multiple modes of transportation). The goal must be to improve the modal split without ignoring the reality of such commutes. For these distances, an e-bike is often a viable solution.

How can companies encourage their employees to make their commutes more sustainable?

In addition to the measures already mentioned—such as those related to infrastructure—there are other ways to make employee mobility more sustainable. The startup 42hacks, for example, has developed a tool for companies that allows employees to use their smartphones to access company public transit passes, last-mile services, bike-sharing options, company parking spaces, and electric vehicle charging stations. Companies that offer this tool can thus see, on the one hand, how they can make mobility more sustainable and, on the other hand, whether their strategy is helping to reduce CO2 emissions. Similar offerings are also available from companies such as Urban Connect and Mobalt.

EnergieSchweiz supports various projects in the mobility sector. In our online magazine , energeiaplus.com, we’ve highlighted how three different companies are promoting sustainable mobility. Are these isolated cases?

No, these are not isolated cases. Many companies in the swisscleantech community are also making progress toward decarbonization.

Siemens, Swisscom, IKEA, APG, Coca-Cola, and HBC are systematically electrifying their fleets. V-ZUG is also leading the way: with a comprehensive mobility concept, an internally set_{CO2 price} for the company’s_{CO2 emissions}, a mobility budget, electric trucks, and its own climate fund. These examples show that sustainable mobility is increasingly becoming an integral part of long-term corporate strategies at many companies.

In your view, which approaches (besides electrification) are the most promising for shifting commercial transportation toward more sustainable alternatives?

We are skeptical about the widespread use of synthetic fuels as further alternatives in road transport. In terms of cost, they will hardly be able to compete with electric vehicles, and availability will also remain a limiting factor. Consequently, such applications will be found less in general road traffic and more in air travel or in certain niche markets where consumers are willing to pay a premium.

Disrupted supply chains and the geopolitical situation highlight how dependence on oil and gas poses a problem. Will this give a boost to decarbonization in the mobility sector?

Switzerland currently imports over 70 percent of its energy—primarily in the form of oil, natural gas, and nuclear fuel.

Geopolitical upheavals are making many people realize that fossil fuels are not only a climate problem but also a supply and security risk. Climate-friendly mobility therefore means greater resilience in uncertain times.

There is, in fact, a great need for action: In 2024, transportation accounted for around 38 percent of Switzerland’s energy consumption; approximately 90 percent of the energy demand in the transportation sector continues to come from imported fossil fuels. The faster we transition to efficient, renewable propulsion systems, the more resilient our mobility system will become.

You are the co-president of a business association. In your view, what political framework conditions are missing in the transportation sector?

What’s most important to us right now is that we make faster progress on electrification. After all, transportation continues to account for a large portion of climate and environmental costs, which are currently borne only to a very limited extent by those responsible for them. This market failure should be addressed through the right policy framework. This is also why we find the Federal Council’s considerations regarding the introduction of an emissions trading system for mobility interesting.

It is crucial that the price reflects the costs of the damage in order to achieve the desired incentive effect. In the upcoming revision of_{the CO2 Act} for the period beginning in 2030, we will generally advocate for greater cost transparency in road traffic.

Furthermore, the transition also makes sense in order to reduce the aforementioned dependence on fossil fuels. We therefore believe it is wrong to use a new road tax on electric cars to discourage the switch to this type of propulsion. We should give e-mobility the time it needs and not further slow down the market ramp-up. At the same time, it is clear that electric vehicles must also make a fair contribution to infrastructure in the long term. This also applies to electric trucks.

Where will Switzerland stand in terms of mobility in 2035 if everything goes well—and where will it stand if we continue as we are today?

At swisscleantech, we are consistently working to ensure that Switzerland achieves its 2050 net-zero target—which has been clearly endorsed by the public—and demonstrates how this will make the country more resilient and competitive, which can also inspire other countries. The corresponding Climate and Innovation Act calls for a 57 percent reduction in transportation emissions by 2040 compared to 1990 levels.

Therefore, it’s clear: by 2040, transportation must be significantly more electrified, organized more efficiently, and much more closely integrated with the energy system—bidirectional charging, for example, will play a key role. We will all benefit from electrification: less noise, lower operating costs, synergies with our own production of renewable electricity, lower grid costs, and the use of batteries for storage.

Our swisscleantech members impressively demonstrate everything that is already possible today. That is why “business as usual” is simply not a conceivable scenario.

Interview: Brigitte Mader, Communications, Swiss Federal Office of Energy
Image: Patrick Federi