RAC and Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions partner on consumer leasing service

The RAC has joined forces with Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions in a bid to make driving an electric vehicle (EV) more affordable, with the launch of a new consumer leasing service.

The move is in response to RAC research which identified high upfront costs as the biggest barrier to greater take-up, with more than three-quarters (78%) of drivers believing the prices of pure electric cars are still too expensive.

RAC director of EVs Sarah Winward-Kotecha said: “Using the RAC’s manufacturer relationships, combined with Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions’ expertise and buying power, we’re able to offer some of the most competitive leasing deals available. Some of these are extremely compelling, so much so that a customer can lease a brand-new EV from as little as £227.99 a month. All customers need to do is find the best insurance for them.

“On top of this drivers also have the savings on fuel from driving electric which can amount to several thousands of pounds over the course of a three-year lease. And, the fact there’s no car tax to pay on EVs means there’s also a further saving of nearly £500 compared to a new petrol car.”

Customers can choose both the length of their leasing agreement and how much the initial rental payment is – usually the equivalent of one, three, six or 12 months’ rental payments. The prices shown are based on a three-year agreement – 10,000 miles per year – with an initial payment of six months’ rental followed by 35 monthly payments.

Car: make and model	Rental: 6 months + 35 monthly payments – 10k miles, non-maintained, inc VAT
Nissan Leaf Hatchback 110kw N-Connecta 40kWh 5dr Auto	£227.99
Vauxhall Corsa-e 100kW SRi Nav Premium 50kWh 5dr Auto (7.4kwch)	£227.99
Hyundai Kona Electric Hatchback 100Kw Premium 39kWh 5dr Auto	£299.99
Hyundai Kona Electric Hatchback 150kW Premium 64kWh 5dr Auto	£311.99
Peugeot e-2008 Electric Estate 100kw GT Premium 50kwh 5dr Auto	£347.99
Mercedes EQA AMG Line	£558.00
Mercedes-Benz EQC AMG Line	£647.99
Mercedes EQC AMG Line Premium	£707.99

Drivers using the new RAC leasing site can also select a service and maintenance plan, and the leasing deals include breakdown cover as standard which means drivers can use the RAC’s van-fitted EV Boost emergency charging system should they run out of charge on a journey or encounter an out-of-order charge point.

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Jon Lawes, managing director at Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, said: “We’ve worked closely with RAC to create a site that allows drivers to find their perfect car easily by browsing a range of competitive offers with flexible initial rental, term and mileage options. It was clear to us that they were the natural choice to work with to help make the switch to electric a reality for drivers, particularly as they’ve pioneered breakdown solutions which give drivers complete peace of mind when it comes driving an electric car.”

For more information, visit www.rac.co.uk/electric-cars/leasing