Corporate mobility in Germany is caught between persistence and change. This is shown by the current BBM Mobility Survey 2025, which the Federal Association for Corporate Mobility presented at the National Conference for Corporate Mobility in Heidelberg. The survey of almost 3,000 employees from various industries and company sizes reveals: The passenger car remains the dominant means of transport on German work routes - but at the same time, a clear trend towards more multimodality and sustainable forms of mobility is emerging. The study in detail.
Around 70 percent of the surveyed employees use the car regularly for the commute and business trips. Thus, the car remains by far the most important means of transport in commuter traffic. But the figures differ strongly by place of residence: While in rural regions 87 percent rely on the car, in large cities 39 percent use public transport - a significant increase compared to the previous year.
Marc Odinius, Managing Director of the market research company Dataforce, which conducted the study, describes the bicycle and public transport as the winners of the year. Especially the e-bike boom drives bicycle usage, while at the same time more employees switch between different means of transport depending on the situation. This multimodality is increasing: 43 percent of respondents now use several means of transport for their work routes.
The average distance between place of residence and workplace has decreased from 23 kilometers in 2024 to 20 kilometers. For the one-way trip, commuters need 29 minutes on average. Over 80 percent of employees live at most 30 kilometers away from the workplace, a quarter even less than five kilometers.
The home office plays a central role here: 77 percent of respondents use the opportunity for mobile work if it is available. On average, they work from home two days a week. Interesting is the connection between commute and home office usage: The longer the commute, the more frequently the option of mobile work is claimed. At the same time, the share of those who work exclusively from home has decreased from eight to five percent - an indication that companies are again relying more on presence.
Also noticeable is the time factor in the choice of transport means: Those who commute by public transport need on average around ten minutes longer than car drivers - a major reason why the switch is difficult for many.
In electrification, a remarkable pattern emerges: The share of battery-electric vehicles lies constantly between six and eight percent regardless of the place of residence, which points to a homogeneous electrification of fleet structures. Especially in the company car sector, electric vehicles are increasing disproportionately strongly.
"Fleets are pioneers in e-mobility in Germany," emphasizes Odinius. While only a few percent of private cars on work routes are electric, battery-electric vehicles increasingly dominate business trips. 71 percent of professional trips are covered by car, and here the greatest dynamic in the switch to electric drives is shown.
The study reveals striking differences between age groups. Surprisingly: Especially young employees between 18 and 30 years attach high relevance to the company car. 44 percent of Generation Z consider the company car important - more than in all other age groups. With increasing age, this value drops significantly.
"Gen Z, contrary to many opinions, wants to continue driving cars," notes Odinius. At the same time, the younger generations show a high openness to modern, flexible vehicle concepts and sustainable alternatives. They increasingly prefer financial subsidies over their own company car.
The expectation regarding mobility offers from the employer is shifting significantly. While the job ticket is classified as highly relevant by 50 percent of employees, the classic company car loses importance as an employer argument. "The desire to drive a company car has decreased in employer choice," states Odinius. Nevertheless, the company car remains firmly anchored in everyday life - it is just seen less frequently as a career building block.
Also regarding alternative mobility offers, a lot has happened in companies. The study shows:
However, many of these benefits are not yet fully utilized. At the same time, employees increasingly wish for flexible mobility budgets as a modern alternative to the classic company car.
About a quarter of employees plan to design their own mobility behavior more sustainably in the future. The focus is on the increased use of bicycles and e-bikes as well as the switch to battery-electric vehicles and public transport. Almost every second person surveyed wants to use the bicycle or e-bike more frequently in the future.
But the actual switch takes place only hesitantly. As main reasons, the respondents name:
Even in large cities, many respondents rate the existing offers as insufficient. For cyclists, secure paths and parking spaces come first. For motorized means of transport, employees primarily wish for better public charging infrastructure, subsidies for the Deutschlandticket, and flexible mobility budgets.
"Many employees wish for alternatives, but lack of infrastructure and a bit of convenience keep them with the car," explains BBM Managing Director Axel Schäfer. The choice of mobility is strongly influenced by factors such as location of residence, company size, and the possibility of using home office.
Mobility offers are increasingly developing into a decision criterion when choosing an employer. Companies that offer sustainable solutions can position themselves positively and increase their attractiveness as employers.
"Many companies are aware of their pioneering role and work intensively on suitable solutions for their individual situation," says Schäfer. The association calls on employers to no longer view mobility purely as a cost or comfort factor, but as a strategic variable with influence on sustainability, cost structure, and employee retention.
At the same time, Schäfer appeals to politics to specifically improve framework conditions and infrastructure. Only with better connection through public transport, expanded cycle paths, and comprehensive charging infrastructure can the change to sustainable mobility succeed.
The BBM Mobility Survey 2025 paints a differentiated picture of corporate mobility in Germany. The car remains important but loses its absolute dominance. Bicycles - especially e-bikes - gain relevance, public transport is rebuilding trust. Electromobility establishes itself first in fleets, and flexible working models change commuting behavior sustainably.
However, the change takes place slower than hoped for by many. The willingness for more sustainable mobility exists, but the actual switch stalls due to missing infrastructure and cultural routines. For companies, this results in a double task: They must create incentives to promote sustainable mobility in everyday life, and at the same time, they need political support so that these offers also function practically.
Mobility management is no longer a fringe topic. Those who think corporate mobility strategically and integrate sustainable alternatives not only increase the employer's attractiveness but also make an important contribution to the transport transition. But the study also shows: Until willingness becomes broad movement, much remains to be done - on the part of companies, but also politics.
