Mercia launches short-term EV subscription service

Mercia Fleet Management hopes that its new electric vehicle (EV) subscription service will encourage more customers to make the transition to electric.

Subscribe Electric is designed to give corporate customers a taste of going electric at affordable prices while meeting short-term vehicle needs. Mercia FM, the fleet management division of EV salary sacrifice specialist Fleet Evolution, believes that current short-term hire costs for EVs are prohibitive, which is making potential customers shy away from making the transition to electric power.

Subscribe Electric will enable the hire of EVs over typically a three to 12-month period at what are described as very cost-effective rates compared to those offered by conventional daily rental companies.

This will, for example enable new starters at a company to choose an EV as their business vehicle while on their typical three or six-month probationary periods.

Once they come through that period, they can be then switched to a conventional three-year lease contract, often provided via salary sacrifice, but have several months’ valuable experience of driving a current electric car behind them.

Mercia FM believes that Subscribe Electric cars will also be ideal for situations in which a company may need to take on extra staff to satisfy the requirements of a new business win or a seasonal increase to an existing contract.

Rather than commit to longer term contract hire leases or more expensive daily rental vehicles, Subscribe Electric gives corporate customers the flexibility to mix and match their vehicle requirements, while at the same time meeting environmental commitments and helping reach corporate sustainability targets.

They could also play a key role in helping a conventional fleet transition to electric by providing drivers who are nervous about making the switch the opportunity to try a short-term electric car for themselves.