When Peugeot launched the e-Partner in July, my first thought while driving the long wheel base small electric van was, “why aren’t more fleets with utes buying vans like this?”.
Small vans can carry similar loads, offer weather protection without the extra expense of a canopy, and provide more driver comfort with car like handling. And now with Peugeot offering the e-Partner as an electric option, fleets can transition to zero emission vehicles sooner rather than waiting for a EV ute.
At the launch I spoke to Kate Gillis, Managing Director at Peugeot Australia, to find out about the push into electric vehicles, and where the fleet market fits into their long term plans.
What else Peugeot had in the pipeline to help fleets accelerate the transition to electric light commercial vehicles?
I can share that we’ll have the e-Expert in 2024. So that’s going to allow us to build out the whole electrification in LCVs. Our e-Partner, and then we’ll have our e-Expert sometime in 2024.
In Europe, Peugeot is a major player in the fleet, how important is fleet to Peugeot in the Australian market?
So fleet is very important for us because it allows us to play in not only a consumer space, but it allows us then to play that business space. So allowing us to partner properly with small and medium sized businesses, and with larger fleet management companies, as well.
And what we find is, if we have success in one product, that allows us to tell the story of our other products as well. So be it that we’re in fleet for LCV, then it could open up an opportunity for SUV, or for indeed for small passengers as well. So, you know, it just allows us to have a really good conversation on a broader sense with a number of different types of organisations.
Where does the AutoNexus business fit into the fleet offer?
AutoNexus is part of our business, so they’re our logistic fulfilment service and they also have good fleet conversion business there as well. So what we’d love to be a part of, and what we do provide is really good solutions for fleet customers such as racking and fitouts. So we can provide this one stop shop solution for customers in the B2B space.
So it’s very important for us, and with Dan Hawkins coming on board as Fleet and Corporate Manager, we really want to start to progress this offer and get some success in.
With several PHEVs in the range, have you seen an increase in enquiry levels since the introduction of the FBT Exemption?
I can’t really comment on any sort of policy related demand, but what we do see is that people are absolutely interested in electrification.
So we may have a customer who’s looking at an ICE variant, and they’re also looking at PHEV, which is a great thing about Peugeot in terms of choice. Then determining which one is better for them in terms of their usage and lifestyle.
I think what we’re seeing generally across the across the market, is a broadening interest around anything electric, the PHEV, and from an E perspective, so it’s generating interest in itself.
Are there any more electric models coming that would be suitable for novated leasing?
The e-208 will be launching in 2024. But the next E model that we have is the e-2008, which is a small SUV. So we should see that coming to market in the next couple of months. We’ve already opened up our register your interest, so that’s really good. And we’ve got some really good interest and our dealers are also getting some great inquiry for test drive when that vehicle comes in.
So again, being able to compare it to its ICE cousin, and to see them which one is going to be best suited for their lifestyle
But we’ve got e-Partner now. Then there will be the e-2008, a small SUV and then into 2024 we’ll have the new e- 208. Then by the e-Expert sometime in 2024.
