Europcar has added a further 195 IVECO Daily vehicles to its rental fleet, the order comprising 150 vans and 45 Pantech-bodied cab/chassis light trucks.
The order follows on from an initial acquisition of IVECO Daily vans made in 2017, while a further 241 units are still on order, and due to enter the rapidly expanding fleet in the first half of next year.
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Car-licence friendly
The IVECO Daily 35S van has a generous 12-cubic-metre load volume and can be driven on a passenger car licence, its 2.3-litre, 136hp/350Nm Euro 6 turbo-diesel mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The cab/chassis IVECO Daily 45C, meanwhile, is also car-licence friendly, and equipped with a larger 3.0-litre Euro 6 turbo-diesel producing 180hp/430Nm.
Importantly, both models come with a full suite of safety features, including four SRS Airbags, Advanced Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, front and rear disc brakes with ABS and ‘ESP 9’, IVECO’s advanced electronic stability program.
Safety the key
According to Europcar Commercial Director, Jonathan Dexter, offering rental customers access to a fleet with superior safety was extremely important for the business.
“The Daily range provides an impressive overall safety package and fits well with our brand’s position in the market as a company that operates a modern, safe and reliable fleet,” he said.
“We’re also mindful that many of our customers are not full-time drivers of commercial vehicles, so providing them with vans and light trucks that are easy-to-use, while still having a large payload is important.
“Certainly, the customer feedback on the Dailys continues to be very positive nationally – customers enjoy the functionality of the vehicles as well as their sleek European design, it’s a strong point of difference for us compared to other rental fleets.
“The Daily is also a standout performer when it comes to emission performance, and again this aligns well with our corporate sustainability goals.”
Booming demand
Europcar’s recent Daily purchases are due to both an increased demand for commercial vehicle rentals as well as the company’s fleet rejuvenation program, which sees the company rotate its commercial vehicle fleet every 36 months on average.
Mr Dexter also said the IVECO Daily was attractive for its modest maintenance costs, with the vehicles’ oil change intervals pegged at 50,000km.
“We’re enjoying growing our relationship with IVECO and looking at expansion opportunities between our companies for the future,” he said.