What’s your driving force when choosing new vehicles to add to your fleet? For many it is price and we understand that but there are many other factors to consider before you make a decision.
Our team is on hand to help you to navigate through the various options but here we lay out some key considerations:
How many people does the vehicle need to carry?
This shouldn’t be answered with a ‘worst case scenario’ figure. For example if your team ‘carpool’ to the annual conference this isn’t the number you should think of.
Consider the space needed 90% of the time
TIP: Don’t over specify vehicles on the ‘just in case’ basis.
What loads will the car or van have to carry on a regular basis?
As above, consider the load that will be carried 90% of the time.
This consideration is more relevant for vans of course where you’ll be considering weight and length of loads and access needs.
If you have the need for a larger van once a year, consider a daily rental rather than specifying a much larger vehicle at the time of leasing.
Additional features
Whilst your drivers will want some ‘gadgets’ avoid highly personalised options as these will be difficult to pass on if the original driver leaves the company, for example.
A car that is fit for purpose and safe is the main consideration.
Specific features for vans should be considered carefully. For example is racking needed? Our team can discuss various options with you.
Engine size
Historically there has been a relationship between engine size and power and performance but many modern vehicles use things like turbo chargers and electric motors to provide much more power than might be expected from a ‘small’ engine. Do your research here so you don’t discount a 1.4l engine on face value.
Where will the vehicle be driven?
This is a really important consideration. Will the vehicle be on the motorway daily, or is it to be used in town, on country roads even? Generally speaking, diesel vehicles are better suited to motorway and ‘A’ road journeys, but hybrid (petrol/electric) vehicles are better suited to the stop-start driving needed in towns and villages.
How long are your average journeys?
Once again we’re back to considering the need that is 90% of the time.
If most journeys are short, then a petrol engine is often going to be more cost effective and diesels pay for themselves when being used on long motorway routes.
Think about emissions
It is important to consider the fuel efficiency of the vehicle and its environmental performance.
For company cars, most of the taxation is based on CO2 emissions and, as such, selecting vehicles with high CO2 emissions will be very expensive for the company and create a high tax burden for the employee.
Aim for lowest emissions practical. This will save the employee and employer money as well as provide environmental benefits. Also consider fuel type and fuel economy. Fuel is typically 25% – 33% of the running cost of a vehicle and hence selecting fuel efficient vehicles is very important.
If all of the above sounds a bit daunting, don’t worry our highly experienced team is on hand to help you with your decision making – get in touch today.