Thrifty’s FlexiFleet rental service has grown 50% during the coronavirus pandemic, reflecting a rising trend among consumers and corporates for flexible mobility.

The FlexiFleet service enables drivers to rent a vehicle from one month upwards and swap after six months into a brand-new vehicle

The service enables private drivers and businesses to rent a fully maintained vehicle from one month upwards and then swap into a brand-new vehicle after six months; all with a fully refundable deposit rather than an upfront commitment.

It provides a range of vehicles to choose from, extending from a Ford Fiesta to a Transit Van, a fully electric BMW i3 to a BMW M5, and a multi-seat people mover to a Range Rover;

Martin Wilson, managing director of Thrifty Car & Van Rental, said FlexiFleet is proving increasingly suitable in the current climate, providing mobility for drivers still having to work at the office or make site visits without the need for public transport and while staying compliant in a fully maintained vehicle

He added: “This pay-on-use flexibility provides employee mobility without the lock-in required by a traditional contract hire or lease. The benefit to business in pure and complete flexibility cannot be overstated.”

Thrifty Car & Van Rental executive chairman Roger Hancock said FlexiFleet is just one way that Thrifty is looking to meet fleets’ ever-changing needs in challenging conditions.

“We are all some way from discovering what ‘new normal’ really looks like but we have put ourselves in a robust and extremely sustainable place to meet the inevitable challenges ahead,” he said.

“We’ve certainly felt the pain, but as our focus here in the UK has been and remains the domestic corporate market and the flexi-fleet sector rather than inbound, airport-based business, the restrictions have lessened the impact on our bottom line.”

Hancock added that Thrifty is now planning for future opportunities.

“We are currently developing our charging infrastructure to reflect the growth in electric vehicle demand and have also recently launched our new logistics technology to allow driver tracking and increase the operational efficiencies for our customers,” he outlined.