In the eyes of the government, greening corporate fleets is a priority. The goal is for companies to convert more to electric cars. With the idea that these vehicles will come, in finesupply the second-hand market. Which constitutes an imperative to enable the democratization of electric cars. The executive is counting on the debates on the budget in Parliament to move forward on this point. On October 19, Jean-Luc Fugit, Renaissance deputy for Rhône, tabled an amendment to this effect. Problem: this is now causing an outcry from short-term rental companies.
President of the Shared Mobility branch of Mobilians, which represents this sector, Guirec Grand-Clément announced this Tuesday his “astonishment” and its “strong concern”.
“This system would be totally counterproductive for our sector,” he chokes. This text would not at all achieve the government's objectives which are to sell more electric vehicles, improve public finances, and generate affordable used electric cars. »
“We are not masters of demand”
The text provides that companies which have more than 100 private cars gradually renew their fleet with vehicles “low emissions”. It sets increasingly high thresholds until 2030. Companies that are not on track will be fined. These start at 2,000 euros per missing vehicle, and go up.
Many short-term rental companies, 90% of VSEs and SMEs representing around 32,000 jobs in France, are affected by this text. Guirec Grand-Clément, also director of Enterprise Mobility France, a major player in the sector, considers that it could move on if these provisions, and the financial sanctions that result from them, were applied.
According to him, the sector is faced with “a glass ceiling” when it comes to electric car purchases. These vehicles “are not praised enough”he argues. Unlike companies which can allocate certain types of vehicles to their employees, short-term rental companies, continues Guirec Grand-Clément, do not have this possibility.
“It is the customers who decide to rent an economical vehicle, an SUV, a minivan, an electric vehicle or a thermal vehicle,” he insists. We are not in control of the demand. »
“The amendment needs to be improved”
The president of the Shared Mobility branch of Mobilians also discusses various problems linked to electric vehicles. He cites in particular the purchase price, much higher than the thermal equivalents, or the fact that these vehicles are sources “higher operational costs” because“they cannot be re-let immediately”. Ultimately, this amendment could force the sector “to slow down your purchases” in order to reduce the amount of sanctions, he warns. Guirec Grand-Clément quantifies this impact “100,000 fewer vehicles, which would generate a contraction of the automobile market of 2.4 billion euros”.
The sector is all the more disconcerted as work on the greening of corporate fleets is underway at the National Assembly. A “flash mission” is already intended to enlighten the government on the measures to be taken to promote the transition to electricity, taking into account the particularities of all stakeholders. Asked about the concerns of short-term rental companies, the Ministry of Industry indicates that Jean-Luc Fugit's text has the merit of initiating the debate. “The amendment must be improved by the exchanges of deputies with the ecosystem”we are told.
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