Research by the Europcar Mobility Group has shown that company sustainability agendas are influencing the way 70% of fleet decision-makers acquire and operate their fleet. The group also found that fleets expect petrol and diesel to account for less than half (48%) of their fleet in a year’s time.
The information, gathered as part of Europcar’s ‘Fit for Purpose: Fleet management in a post-Covid world’ whitepaper, shows that hybrid and electric vehicles are expected to make up 36% of the fleet in the next twelve months, compared with the 28% today.
Europcar’s whitepaper also focused on the challenges faced by fleet decision-makers during the Covid-19 pandemic, with 75% of fleets being shown to have needed to review their acquisition policy in response to the pandemic. However, it was also found that one-in-three did not have the flexibility to change fleet size at short notice.
The research also discovered 62% of fleets had to extend existing lease contracts due to supply issues, and 52% planned to increase their fleet size in the next 12 months.
Speaking about the adaptation’s fleets have been required to make, Ron Santiago, managing director of Europcar Mobility Group UK, said: “For organisations that rely on their vehicles for their business to grow, they will need to ensure that they have an added layer of flexibility.”
The uncertainty caused by the pandemic has led to a change in how businesses who are reliant on vehicles need to operate. Rather than purchasing vehicles outright or being tied into leasing agreements which leave little room for alteration, organisations need to be able to adapt quickly.
Santiago continued, stating “Businesses that are agile and able to take advantage of new opportunities as they come along will be the ones that thrive in this new reality.”
He also highlighted that “Long-term rental can be a valuable addition to a fleet’s toolkit – offering low-emission, technologically up-to-date vehicles that contribute to the green agenda, as well as being a cost-effective way of managing and potential grey fleet issues.”
The report also suggested that fleets expect 29% of company car drivers to opt for a cash allowance, and to choose to drive their own car when they are required to drive for business, suggesting that as the increased ability to work effectively from home continues, there ability to be flexible when it comes to business operations is more important than ever.
