Mahindra GenZe, a subsidiary of the Indian conglomerate Mahindra, is attempting to break into the North American consumer market with the introduction of an electric scooter for urban college students. Our qualitative consumer research found that transportation decisions are primarily driven by students’ sense of freedom. In order for GenZe to grow its customer base, the brand must find ways to prove that their scooters offer opportunities for freedom not found in other modes of transportation.
Critical next steps include approaching Universities and their administrations and forming relationships to contract premium parking areas, installing charging stations on campus, and potentially offering them sustainable solutions for their vehicle congestion or future population plans.
Going forward GenZe must focus on the value they are providing their customers. What they are offering is transportation—this is the need that they can fulfill. This is their core value and all the gadgetry and industrial capabilities would not only be inoperable but would hold no value on their own. Additionally a focus on this value would allow them to be unconstrained from technological barriers and widen their scope of possibilities.
To initiate these recommendations, GenZe should trial the University of Berkley campus. We recommend this specific campus to prototype because a scooter culture already exists within the campus and the community and the University as an administration is currently seeking sustainable transportation options for its increasing student population. Furthermore we have validated our recommendations through extensive stakeholder interviews and campus intercepts.
