Sogo has reported record growth for December as the company marks its first anniversary.

Karl Howkins, managing director, Sogo

Established to bring ultra-flexible car and van leasing for fleets, the mobility specialist signed 1,200 new contracts last month, with electric vehicles accounting for 30% of orders.

Karl Howkins, managing director, said growth was being driven by two main factors.

“Firstly, companies are seeking greater flexibility in managing their mobility requirements as the pandemic continues to provide challenges. Secondly, our model allows them to test a range of EV product to understand its suitability for different scenarios.”

Electric vehicles have been a core focus since the business was founded a year ago and Sogo saw the number of EVs on fleet grow to 40% throughout 2021, with an average lease term of six months.

Commercial vehicles also provided a strong growth area – they accounted for 43% of orders in December, supported by demand from last-mile logistics firms and the construction sector.

Sogo has also launched a range of initiatives in its first year. These include a salary sacrifice scheme that offers access to a wide range of vehicles on monthly terms, and an equity release scheme that helps drivers stuck in long-term leases and finance agreements move to a more flexible model.

It’s also teamed up with BP its Target Neutral programme, enabling it to offer a carbon-neutral fleet across petrol, diesel and EVs.

Karl Howkins concluded: “We are pleased with the progress we’ve made in our first year. Our approach is built around the needs of the customer, and we are leading the transition to net-zero. There is no doubt the beneficial tax environment is helping to push record numbers into EVs, and certainly the positive impact on salary sacrifice schemes is notable. We will continue to innovate to help companies meet their mobility needs efficiently.”