Director of FleetPartners, Dennis Kelly, recently took us through the leasing market and its changing trends for 2021.
“We are proactively engaged with most of our corporate customer base in helping them reduce their carbon footprint. The reduction of CO2 emissions through vehicle fleets has been recognised to be one of the quickest ways to get to their targets,” Dennis says, “and there is a positive reaction to our encouragement of transitioning to lower emission fleets.
“What we are driving now is to move ute-heavy fleets towards a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) or hybrid solution, wherever it is practical to do so. Until a full battery electric vehicle (BEV) option becomes available, corporates are seeing the PHEV/hybrid vehicles as a really good interim step.
“We have recognised there are five key areas of consideration for a business to transition its fleet to sustainable vehicles. And of course, reducing your fleet numbers is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint – this could also be through moving individually assigned vehicles to shared pool vehicles,” explains Dennis.
“A business needs to start with its carbon strategy, then look at what vehicles are fit for purpose and selecting the right models. Then its onto charging solutions for the workplace or their employees’ homes, and getting their drivers engaged in the vehicles.
“We see stock shortages currently across most vehicle make and models (electric and non) and expect that to continue for the next 18 months.
“Our EzyDrive product allows businesses to lease our ex-lease vehicles (generally premium three or four-year-old vehicles, NZ new) on shorter terms. We also have stock of BEVs becoming available through EzyDrive with generally low mileage.”   
FleetPartners has had EzyDrive in its product portfolio for over 12 years, and it’s been a well proven lease option for FleetPartners customers, particularly those who need to scale up their fleet quickly or need shorter term options.
There is stock available for immediate delivery, so for those who can’t wait for a fresh-off-the-boat vehicle – EzyDrive is the solution.
There are also Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) advantages with EzyDrive. FBT costs are based on a vehicle’s current market value, so the costs of fringe benefit tax are much lower than a brand-new vehicle.
EzyDrive vehicles range from passenger, ute, SUVs and vans and comes with a Fully Maintained Operating Lease so most servicing and maintenance costs are included.
Shorter term leases start from 12 months, so it’s also great for businesses who want to trial leasing. See vehicles available at the fleetpartners.co.nz/ezydrive website.
“There is ongoing change in the fleet industry with supply constraints on one side and then positive support from the Government through the Clean Car Discount scheme on the other,” says Dennis.
“We are seeing that businesses, both large and small, are more active in making considered decisions on their vehicle choice to achieve a reduction in their carbon footprint.”