Europcar Branches Into Electric Cars

As Bob Maclachlan moves into fleet director position, he announces plans to expand into hybrid and electric cars.

Bob Maclachlan has been promoted from Europcar’s head of procurement to fleet director as the company seeks to ensure it stays relevant. As he prepares to transition into his new role, Maclachlan has announced plans to invest in hybrid and electric vehicles for people across the UK to hire.

In this new position, Maclachlan will manage the franchise’s fleet of cars, ensuring it meets the demands of its customers, including businesses and those who want to hire cars for private use. He will be responsible for devising a strategy that enables franchisees to decipher when they need to purchase new cars, what these will be, and when to sell ones that are no longer suitable for the job. Branching out into hybrid and electric cars is just one of the ways that he plans to promote innovation and relevance through the fleet.

He said his goal was to, “ensure that Europcar continues to offer a wide choice of vehicles, with the flexibility that travellers need”.

Hybrid and electric cars are an obvious choice for Europcar as it seeks new ways to satisfy its customers. More than 146,000 plug-in cars were registered in the UK by April 2018, which has jumped up from approximately 3,500 in April 2013. By offering these alternatives to traditional fuel models, Europcar can help customers looking for a more fuel-efficient and eco-friendly option.

He continues, “as well as investing in hybrid and electric vehicles, I will be focusing on the streamlining the end of rental process to provide a better customer experience”.

Maclachlan has not yet explained how he aims to streamline the process, but speeding it up and ensuring there are no delays in getting the car ready for the next customer are sure to be his priorities.

Europcar UK Group managing director, Gary Smith, said of the appointment, “Bob has extensive expertise of the fleet market, with five years at Europcar and a successful career at Vauxhall before that. This background makes him the ideal person to take the lead for the fleet team”.

A global franchise, Europcar operates from 3,835 locations around the world.