ALD Automotive customers have had the opportunity to test drive the latest electric and hybrid vehicles, available on the local market, during an event dedicated specifically to them. The event took place at the Titi Aur Academy and the partners included Automobile Bavaria, Badsi, Mercedes-Benz Romania, Renault, Toyota, Lexus, Tiriac Auto, Volkswagen, TMC Electric Mobility and the very host of the event, the Titi Aur Academy.
ALD Automotive wanted to give its customers the opportunity to test the latest electric and hybrid technologies by way of this type of events dedicated to innovation and environmentally friendly vehicles so that, in the future, companies might reduce their carbon footprint in terms of their fleet use. The company also promotes defensive and eco driving, whose effects include users’ safety and lower costs in managing the car fleets.
“By means of this event, which has already reached its second edition, we wish to encourage our customers to choose electric and hybrid models for their fleets, as part of their CSR strategy and also as a way to reduce costs in the medium and long term. Only 495 electric and hybrid vehicles were sold last year in Romania*, while, across Europe, 97,687 such vehicles were registered by the end of 2015**. It is obvious that we need the authorities to get involved in supporting the private sector initiatives in the field; otherwise, the progress will be a slow one. Aid schemes or other tax facilities are needed for the purchase of environmentally friendly vehicles, the same as the acceleration in the development of the charging station infrastructure. With this event, we wanted to show that the new mobility solutions are accessible and the lack of charging stations it is not a blocking point for those who are using the car only in the city. All the studies show that the drivers prefer to charge their vehicles at the office or at home, not at the public charging stations. We will continue our efforts in this sense and we will constantly encourage our customers to choose the environmentally friendly vehicles, by giving them customized solutions for the daily activity”, according to Catalin Olteanu, the Commercial Manager of ALD Automotive.
The participants had 17 electric and hybrid models available for testing: Mercedes-Benz GLE 500e, Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine, BMW i3, BMW i8, Toyota Auris Hybrid, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus RX Hybrid, Lexus IS Hybrid, Renault ZOE, Renault Twizy, Nissan Leaf, Ford Vignale, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, VW Passat GTE, VW Golf GTE, VW e-Golf and VW e-up. The models G5 and G6 offered by TMC Electric Mobility ensured the electric vehicles charging. The guests enjoyed a demonstration of the defensive and eco driving classes, as well as other interesting activities, such as test driving on the most modern circuit in Romania at the Titi Aur Academy, but also beyond the circuit. Furthermore, they could test during the workshops prepared for them the front impact and car turnover simulators, as well as the two-wheel car provided by the Titi Aur Defensive Driving School.
Corporate Social Responsibility is very important for ALD Automotive, since the company promotes the greening of the car fleet and alternative means of transportation. As a result of the demand for these types of vehicles, in 2015, ALD Automotive delivered the first electric fleet in operational leasing to a top customer in Romania.
ALD Automotive strives daily to improve its customers’ fleets, the safety of the drivers and to limit the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The company provides advice to all customers so that their car policies might have the more reduced impact on the environment. Moreover, when advising its customers in terms of the selection of fleet, ALD Automotive recommends ‘rightsizing’ rather than ‘downsizing’ so that the customers might choose the car models from the same desired class, but with lower CO2 emissions. Another initiative is the defensive and eco driving classes offered to customers, in partnership with the Titi Aur Academy.
With more than 16 years’ experience in defensive driving, Titi Aur is one of the most well-known trainers in this field and he has trained more than 25,000 people with his team of 12 instructors. The Titi Aur Academy was founded in 2007 and the team members are either current or former pilots and co-pilots, experienced in rally championships.
For more information, the sites of our partners are: www.titiaur.ro; www.automobilebavaria.ro; www.badsi.ro; www.mercedes-benz.ro; www.renault.ro; www.toyota.ro; www.lexus.ro; www.tiriacauto.ro; www.volkswagen.ro; www.volvocars.ro; www.e-mobility.ro.
*APIA
** http://www.fleeteurope.com/news/france-number-one-ev-registrations