Mercia Fleet Management has introduced a new electric vehicle subscription service, designed to help corporate customers go electric at affordable prices while meeting short-term vehicle needs.

Andrew Leech, founder and MD at Fleet Evolution and head of the Mercia Fleet Management division

The fleet management business, part of EV salary sacrifice specialist Fleet Evolution, says current short-term hire costs for EVs are prohibitive, blocking potential customers from going electric.

Subscribe Electric tackles this, providing EVs for short- to-medium term hire – typically three to 12 months – at “very cost-effective rates compared to those offered by conventional daily rental companies”, according to the firm.

Available across most makes or models on the market, it’s particularly suitable for new starters, on typical three- or six-month probationary periods. The scheme means they can access the latest generation of EVs while they are still working through their probation period before switching to conventional contract hire or salary sacrifice deals.

It’s also aimed at new short-term or seasonal contract wins, where a business may need to take on extra staff to satisfy the requirements of a new business win or as a seasonal increase to an existing contract.

Subscribe Electric enables corporate customers to meet such needs, rather than committing to longer-term contract hire leases or more expensive daily rental vehicles. The scheme gives the flexibility to mix and match vehicle requirements, while at the same time meeting environmental commitments and helping reach corporate sustainability targets.

Andrew Leech, head of Mercia Fleet Management and owner and founder of Fleet Evolution, said that hiring a typical Tesla Model 3 from a conventional daily hire company could cost in the region of £2,000 per month – a level that might deter many prospective corporate customers.

“We can provide the same Tesla for less than half that price per month, making short-term EVs highly attractive from a cost point of view and helping businesses meet their corporate sustainability targets at the same time

“Subscribe Electric cars come fully expensed, including all servicing, breakdown, tyres and insurance costs, and requiring only the addition of electricity as and when required.”

Subscribe Electric cars could also play a key role in the fleet transition electric by enabling apprehensive drivers to try an electric car on a short-term basis.

Leech explained: “We also feel that this service will be ideal for corporates who want to onboard existing employees to EVs as part of a general fleet policy, but find that drivers are reticent to make the switch from their conventional ICE models in one go.”

“By taking a Subscribe Electric car for a three-month period, the driver can familiarise themselves with the electric driving experience, including charging, range management and other factors associated with running EVs.

“That may the persuade them that making the transition to full electric is not as daunting or intimidating as they might have imagined,” he said.