CASA

The ‘Darmstadt Vehicle’ (DaVe) is a new type of all-weather vehicle designed for commuters. It was conceived as a fast and comfortable alternative to the car, with the aim of relieving pressure on local public transport and contributing to the mobility transition.

The key insight, both then and now, is this: local public transport is severely overburdened; alternative options are needed that take the strain off the roads whilst also being environmentally friendly.

DaVe is designed to conserve resources, is durable and easy to repair, has low emissions and is largely recyclable. It thus makes an important contribution to sustainable development. The vehicle was developed in collaboration with Ca Go Bike, a cargo bike specialist based in Koblenz. Through co-creation processes involving practitioners in the field, the aim is to bring about a long-term change in the region’s mobility culture.

DaVe was developed between 2022 and 2023 as a sub-project of the ‘System Innovation for Sustainable Development’ (s:ne) project, as part of the federal-state ‘Innovative University’ initiative under the Excellence Initiative for Universities of Applied Sciences (HAWs). The aim of the project is to research and develop sustainable consumption and production patterns, using innovative forms of local mobility as a case study. This was demonstrated using a mobility concept for commuters in the greater Darmstadt area.