FLEET MANAGEMENT: LEASING


Customers are also looking for short-


term leases, to provide interim


“


vehicles until their new vans arrive


problems, Covid-enforced factory clo- sures and rapidly rising steel costs are all causing headaches for van builders. “There is a known, global, semi-con-


ductor component shortage that faces the whole industry,” said Handyside. “We (Stellantis) have parts supply management and make huge efforts in supply chain and engineering, to manage this day by day. We also man- age this carefully with our customers, based on their needs, rather than im- pose a solution like longer rentals, or extensions. “We are excited at now having an opportunity at the other end of the market too, with Free2Move Rent, where we can now offer short-term solutions for customers.”


We’re working closely with many of our


customers on electric LCV adoption


“


Responding to a recent SMMT report, that suggests at least 2.3m EV charging points will be required by 2030, LeasePlan UK man- aging director Alphonso Martinez is calling on local authorities to play their part in sup- porting the charging network. “Local authorities (LAs) play such a vi- tal role in the roll-out of a convenient and comprehensive EV charging network. They have a unique insight into the rhythms and behaviours of their local population and are well placed to tailor the infrastructure to meet these requirements,” said Martinez. “There are several signifi cant gaps that


24 VANUSER • JULY 2021


“Customers are looking for a fl exi- ble solution. We have seen demand for our short-term and mid-term rental LCV product increase. This is helping to manage availability, while the sem- iconductor issue remains a considera- tion for a new vehicle order,” said Hyne.


Electric fleet


All of this is happening at a time of global change in the light commercial vehicle market. With a UK ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vans set to come into force in 2030, for many operators that is just two or three ve- hicle replacement cycles. This in turn is leading a growing number of busi- nesses to look at the rapidly expand- ing range of electric vehicle options.


“The demand is defi nitely grow-


ing, both in terms of enquiries from existing customers and also from new sectors, where previously EVs have appealed more to public sector organisations, who are environmen- tally-minded or have requirements for vehicles with limited mileage range,” said Handyside.


“More and more people are realis- ing that an EV van can actually meet their needs and many small business- es don’t actually cover large mileages anyway, so the improved EV ranges are suffi cient.”


“The electric van fl eet is growing and the demand for products is increas- ing. We expect the uptake to be signifi - cant, as more new models come to mar- ket in the coming years,” added Hyne. “We’re working closely with many of our customers on electric LCV adop- tion and have seen much more engage- ment on this subject this year, as evi- denced by the level of interest in our recently-published electric LCV re- al-world testing report.


“There is demand right across the


board. Right now, we’re increasingly seeing larger vehicles becoming a need for delivery companies, to support de- mand developed during the pandemic. Electric vehicles that have the abili- ty to tow a signifi cant load and to sup- port a complex conversion, will defi - nitely be of interest to customers. This increased interest will be met, as new products come to market.” “As customers have an increasing


need for fl exible LCV solutions, we are increasingly investing in our short and mid-term rental vehicle fl eet. Electric LCVs are available for customers who wish to try out the technology, before they make a long-term commitment to an electric van,” said Hyne.


LeasePlan calls for local authorities to power up


need to be fi lled in order to serve the wider community, many of which will fall to the LA. For example, in inner-city areas where peo- ple are more likely to live in terraced hous- ing or apartments without access to drive- ways, on-street charging becomes necessary.


Gatekeeper


“Ownership of residential streets normally falls to the LA, as with municipal car parks, therefore in most cases they are the gatekeep- er to new public infrastructure. Government funding, such as the On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme is available to LAs and


it’s crucial that they take advantage of this. “Of course, LA projects are just one part of the puzzle. Government must hold up its end of the deal, by continuing its support, through incentives such as plug-in grants and subsidies. Withdrawal of this vital fund- ing would only serve to undermine its mes- saging around decarbonisation and build back green post-pandemic. “With effective and readily available con- sultancy resource from the government, LAs can manage the roll-out with greater confi - dence and support private companies and the public to do their part.”


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