Like fast fashion and eating meat every day (or at least not admitting to), gas-guzzling cars are becoming distinctly uncool. People are trading in their 4-wheel drive luxury SUVs - known as ‘Chelsea tractors’ in London - for a Tesla. 90s style is back but you’re unlikely to see a celebrity driving a Submarine-esque Hummer without being trashed by their environmentally-conscious TikTok followers.
We’re seeing the rise of the electric vehicle (EV) and what better way to test-drive one of these clean, green, money-saving machines than on a business trip?
Worldwide demand for EVs could grow sixfold from 2021 to 2024 with unit sales increasing from 6.5 million to 40 million, according to McKinsey research.
“Motivated by traveler preference and the call for greater visibility into carbon emissions for global businesses, sustainability and green travel options are moving into the spotlight when it comes to all aspects of the travel selection process,” according to the CWT GBTA Global Business Travel Forecast 2023.
“Charging infrastructure varies hugely across countries and regions and range-anxiety is a very real barrier when it comes to renting an EV. Corporate travel managers are teaming up with companies like CWT to help combat this by signposting local and online resources, providing maps and real time information on where (and how) to charge an electric vehicle.”
Here are 3 reasons to hire an electric or hybrid vehicle:
- Sustainable - Global climate change initiatives - like the EU’s ban on combustion engine cars from 2035 - are playing a part in helping to solve the infrastructure gaps when it comes to speeding up adoption, charging times and increasing charging points, making it much easier for business travelers to do their bit when hiring a car with no tailpipe emissions.
- Wallet-friendly - Driving an EV will lower your fuel costs by up to 80% compared to a petrol equivalent. Good news in an environment of inflationary pressures and rising fuel costs expected to increase the average car hire by 7.3% globally in 2022 and a further 6.8% in 2023.
- Convenient - Drive in low emission zones – perfect for travel across major cities like London. You can also take advantage of free parking in some cities, many of which have charging stations and EV-dedicated parking bays.
Find out more about future trends in ground transportation in the CWT GBTA Global Business Travel Forecast 2023
