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The start point for the best source of fleet information |
On the up
The difference in volumes for Mitsubishi is astounding. In 2012 the company registered 11,402 vehicles, last year it was 14,971, and in 2014 Bradley predicts a total of around 25,000, which would mean the 10,000 Outlanders he's forecasting would be virtually entirely incremental. They would also make the UK the biggest market in the world for PHEV.
"It's an enormous turnaround and a big change for our dealers as well," he says. He predicts that around 400 new jobs will be created by the growth, most of which are at dealer level, although the firm has added two new people to its fleet sales department, both recruited from Vauxhall and with experience of dealing with larger fleet customers, taking the department to five. "We're moving to cope with the demand from business drivers for the PHEV. It's opening doors," he says.
Half of the Outlander PHEVs registered will, by the end of the year, be to business car drivers, which is a fairly new area for the firm.
"We've never been big in the fleet market. We've sold a few [pick-up] L200s, and certainly not in the company car market often dominated by premium German brands," says Bradley.
The company has also launched a company car driver charter for its dealers and set up training in how to manage company car user-chooser business.
"There's a lack of experience in our dealerships in how to handle those customers because they have never come to us before," explains Bradley. "It's not difficult. They are 90% the same as retail but they may want a different test drive because the way they use the car is different."
Bradley continues: "We are taking a huge number of customers from German premium brands and they have an experience of what dealer services are like and we need to make sure our service is better than that." He admits that the firm doesn't have "big glass showrooms and black leather sofas", but can focus on customer service, such as making sure the car is ready as promised, and a more personal interaction.
"We like to think of ourselves as the friendly local retailer, not offering the choice you get in big retailers but giving outstanding service and product tailored to what you want," he declares.
"We have to make sure that company car drivers used to a certain experience get the best of what we can offer."
With corporate business, larger fleets are a particular weak spot, he says, whether managed in-house or through contract hire companies, with Mitsubishi needing to explain the car and get it on policy lists.
"Some 30% of the fleet market is that kind and one we've never had a relationship with before, and that's the big opportunity," says Bradley. "We've got a good relationship with contract hire companies and Government departments - it's big companies with their own fleet policies we're specifically working on now."
Bradley predicts that there's "no reason" to think another 10,000 units isn't possible in 2015.
"The technology can work for a huge number of people and they're not all in the market this year. The benefits of PHEV, especially with the petrol engine, are widening versus internal combustion engine cars," he says. "It's not a one-off flash in the pan - it's now established as an important part of our range. In the same way as some people want a diesel or petrol, or a manual or auto, some people want a PHEV.
"There's almost no one that drives a car that couldn't have an Outlander - it's five seats, big, comfortable, quick, and has a high seating position for good visibility," he concludes. "It's a slightly bold claim but I think it's changed the industry - it's difficult for anyone to launch a car like this with a price premium because the question will be 'why do you do that? Mitsubishi doesn't'."
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