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LeasePlan does not recommend plug-in hybrid cars to customers. The large Dutch renter explains that consumption (and costs) are not what they seem …
LeasePlan advises against: “Don’t trust the apparent costs”
LeasePlan is not an environmental association. It is a long-term rental giant with beyond 1.9 million cars in circulation in 30 countries, including Italy. He knows the purchase and management costs of cars well, beyond the official price lists and homologation data. He is a member of EV100 , a global group of companies (including Enel) unite in pursuing the transition to CO2-free transport by 2030. And a few weeks ago he wrote an open letter to Dutch customers in which, no ifs and buts, he takes a stand against plug-in hybrids.
The letter was found from the site Cleantechinca, who translated and published it on his site. Assuming that this type of engine is experiencing some success: “More and more corporate leasing managers are opting for a plug-in hybrid. It is not surprising, because there is more and more choice. And, because the estimated fuel costs are so low, the monthly rental price of a plug-in hybrid fits more easily into the leasing budget. At first sight they are very attractive… ”.
– Read also / LeasePlan Car Cost Index: Italy and Norway electric paradises
“Consumption two or three times higher than estimated”
Yeah, but reality isn’t what it appears, according to LeasePlan, that immediately warns against trusting appearances and official data: “The real fuel costs of plug-in hybrids are on average two to three times higher than previously estimated. Let’s take, for example, la Mitsubishi Outlander, which has a fuel consumption of 2 liters per 100 km. From the analysis of the fuel card supplier Travel Card and from the tests carried out by TNO ( Dutch National Laboratory for Applied Scientific Research ), a consumption of 7.21 liters per 100 km. That’s 260% more! Oops… “.
The Dutch company points out that those who lease a car or long-term rental car generally don’t travel short distances. And he can’t always recharge when he parks the car: “Charging takes discipline...looking for a recharge and then taking a walk is not what most leased drivers choose. The result is: more km with non-ecological fuel and higher costs “.
“Either choose electric, or a traditional car might as well be”
The experience of LeasePlan, derived from fuel cards, also teaches that a large number of drivers of leased plug-in hybrids do not charge at all. It always runs on petrol. And at that point, the battery makes plug-in hybrids unnecessarily heavier petrol or diesel models. So: more fuel and more emissions to cover the same distance. Hence the conclusion of LeasePlan: “Our advice to employers: leave the plug-in hybrids! Go for fully electric cars to make your fleet more sustainable. Your organization not ready for electric? Do you have any doubts? Contact us: our fleet is already fully electric and we are happy to help you with our experiences! Not convinced? From now on, just opt for petrol or plugless hybrid cars. You will have better control over costs and emissions “. In short, Leaseplan does not recommend and its message is clear: either you take the plunge and choose the electric or you stay on a traditional car, hybrid or not. The plug-in hybrid, according to the Dutch company, is a compromise that does not benefit either the pockets or the environment.
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