Electric car insurance and incident management firm Novo is doubling its EV courtesy fleet on the back of rising demand for electric car cover.  

Novo’s EV courtesy car fleet includes premium marque electric cars, such as the Tesla Model Y, Mercedes-Benz EQA and EQB

It’s already added a further 40 premium marque electric cars – including the Tesla Model Y, Mercedes-Benz EQA and EQB, as well as Audi e-tron GT – ensuring that drivers can remain in an electric vehicle when their own car is off the road.   

This is just the first phase of a strategic expansion plan which will see Novo’s EV fleet double in size over the next 12 months.   

Demand for EV insurance continues to rise sharply as drivers migrate to EVs. Novo recorded a 262% increase in EV insurance enquiries from Q1 2021 to Q1 2022, with policy conversions increasing by 189% in the same period.  

Market data from the SMMT substantiates this demand for electric cars; its latest stats show fully electric cars accounted for 12.4% of new car registrations in May or one in eight new cars joining the roads.  

Novo said that having a premium EV and hybrid courtesy car fleet is fundamental to the high-calibre customised service that it provides its policy holders, and the wider support it gives to other EV insurers, repairers and fleet services.   

It promises a ‘like-for-like’ EV replacement courtesy car if a policyholder’s electric vehicle is involved in an incident, giving clients reassurance that they won’t have to revert back to an ICE vehicle, or wait for an EV if their car is off the road. 

And with the average repair time being in excess of 45 days, Novo’s like-for-like pledge is especially important to company car drivers, who can face potential BiK charges of over £500 per month and additional fuel costs if they have to use a fossil-fuelled courtesy vehicle. Such a move can also jeopardise a company reputation when trying to promote an ‘eco-friendly’ image.   

The EV fleet is integral to Novo’s Incident Management service, which is focused on offering a comprehensive high-end solution to manage the entire claims process and includes a concierge claims manager as a single point of contact.   

James Allenby, founder and director of Novo, emphasised: “We are ahead of the curve with our EV fleet and our specialist service offering, and it is why we are committed to continual fleet investment to cater for this rapid growth in demand. Novo is not about blending in with the industry, we aim to stand out through a very niche, highly customised and personal service.”