As the electric vehicle landscape evolves, fleet managers are having to juggle business and driver needs with the advancing technology and performance of new models coming onto the market. Making commitments to electric vehicles for several years doesn’t make sense. In response, Europcar Mobility Group UK has developed Flex Model Choice.
Flex Model Choice gives businesses the flexibility of rental with the vehicle model certainty of leasing. Specific makes and models from Europcar’s comprehensive BEV and PHEV fleet can be booked for rental for a minimum of 3 months and up to 12 months at a fixed monthly rate, enabling employers to accurately allocate vehicles and forecast Benefit-in-Kind tax expenses.
As Tom Middleditch, Head of Electric Mobility at Europcar explained, Flex Model Choice gives fleet managers a level of flexibility, as well as cost certainty, that is critical as electric mobility evolves. “The pace of change in electric vehicle technology is impressive; every new model that comes out brings better battery life and charging performance as well as a host of other driver benefits. The challenge for fleet managers is what to commit to – and when.
“Flex Model Choice gives businesses access to the latest BEV and PHEV models, without the long-term commitments and early exit penalties of leasing. Renting also means they will have access to the latest electric vehicle technology, rather than being stuck with a model for 3 or more years that is quickly surpassed. And, crucially, by being able to book the specific make and model, it is ideal for salary sacrifice schemes where the BiK needs to be forecast accurately.”
Europcar’s expert sales team will work with each business customer to identify the makes and models that suit their use cases, including the length of time they expect to need the vehicles.
The long wait times typical of leasing are also eliminated with Flex Model Choice – vehicles are usually available within just 5 working days, anywhere in the UK. Plus, it takes out the hassle of vehicle ownership. Nationwide delivery and collection are available for all models. A replacement vehicle is provided when the chosen car is off the road, and ongoing maintenance and Road Fund License are included.
“We know that more and more businesses want to make sustainable mobility choices, but they have to balance doing the right thing with cost,” added Tom Middleditch. “We have therefore priced Flex Model Choice competitively to make it a good fit for a wide variety of business use cases.”
Vehicles currently available with Flex Model Choice include:
- Ford Kuga PHEV
- BYD Seal U PHEV
- Jeep Avenger BEV
- Hyundai Kona BEV
- Ford Explorer BEV
- BMW iX2 BEV
- Peugeot E-3008 BEV
