More than half (53%) of UK fleets say their leasing provider has helped persuade them to switch to electric vehicles (EVs), according to new research.

The 2026 Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer reveals that 13% of businesses report their supplier has had a “significant” influence on their decision-making, while 40% describe the impact as “moderate”. In contrast, 30% state the leasing company’s role was “low,” and 12% report “no influence”.

John Peters, head of Arval Mobility Observatory in the UK, noted that the transition away from petrol and diesel is a major step, making the active role of leasing companies unsurprising.

“Over the last few years, companies such as ours and many others across the leasing sector have provided support, information and practical solutions that have transformed the company car sector to the point where an EV is today the default choice.”

The electrification journey tends to begin with promoting the advantages to fleets in terms of taxation benefits and fuel costs, progressing through exercises examining whole life costs and potential choice lists, he said.

“Over the last few years there has been much misinformation circulating about EVs and our role has been to, present a real-world picture to businesses that enable them to make informed decisions.

“We work to make the switch to electrification as easy and simple as possible, using a range of tools from intensive, customer-specific consultancy through to general purpose information guides and driving days.

“Given the speed and widespread nature of EV adoption, we’ve become expert in supporting these transitions and for fleets who are yet to electrify, especially commercial and business need vehicles, can offer a very high degree of expertise to make the process pain-free.”

The 2026 Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer shows that UK results for this question are comparable to European and global findings.

“One of the noticeable aspects of this year’s report data covering electrification is that fleet experiences seem to be similar everywhere. Businesses across the world are responding to EV adoption in a similar fashion.”

To what extent has your leasing provider influenced your switch to electric power?