Europcar launches Flex Model Choice to provide BIK certainty

Europcar Mobility Group UK has developed Flex Model Choice to give businesses the flexibility of rental with the vehicle model certainty of leasing.

Specific makes and models from Europcar’s electrified range, which includes battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), can be booked for rental for a minimum of three months and up to 12 months at a fixed monthly rate.

This, says Europcar, will enable employers to accurately allocate vehicles and forecast benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax expenses.

Tom Middleditch (pictured), head of electric mobility at Europcar, says that 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,” he added.

“The challenge for fleet managers is what to commit to and when.”

Europcar’s 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. 

Middleditch continued: “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 three 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.”

Flex Model Choice vehicles are usually available within five working days and nationwide delivery and collection is available for all models.

A replacement vehicle is provided when the chosen car is off the road, and on-going maintenance and road fund licence 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,” said 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; and Peugeot E-3008 BEV.