Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Will Withington, executive vice president of global operations at Enterprise Mobility. A new survey by Enterprise Mobility says 4 in 10 Americans would consider driving a fully electric vehicle in the future. But will that future happen the next time you rent a car? The car rental industry has tapped the brakes when it comes to EV adoption, so I asked Will Withington, executive vice president of global operations at Enterprise Mobility, for his perspective.
Here's our interview: Were you surprised by the 40 percent figure, considering some of the recent issues with EVs? These results reflect the trend we’re seeing across our branches — many people are excited about EVs and recognize the tremendous potential of the technology. But they still have questions on important topics like cost, charging infrastructure and access to the technology. So what's the holdup on EV adoption? When we started our EV work, we had a lot of ideas about what we could do to help the customer.
But ultimately, we’ve learned that our customers need to set the pace. It all goes back to our belief that the best path to electrification is one that maintains a long-term perspective and puts our customer at the center of the transition. Our focus is on pairing the right vehicle with the right customer by understanding every person’s unique travel journey, preferences and concerns.
You've said that EVs have tremendous potential for car rental companies. Can you elaborate? We recognize that EVs play a role in advancing sustainable mobility. We want customers to know that we hear their questions and hesitations about EVs, and our number one focus is providing an exceptional experience.
It sounds as if you're speaking from personal experience. Do you drive an EV? I’ve been driving an EV for a few years and am on my third model. It has really helped me better understand the consumer perspective.
We’ve offered many of our employees the chance to drive an EV to work every day to experience the technology firsthand, while also helping us understand the overall customer experience related to charging, range and our own operational needs. Your survey said the primary motivating factors for driving an EV are fuel cost savings and a positive environmental impact. I write about sustainability a lot, so I'm wondering if helping the environment is a powerful motivator to get someone to switch to an EV.
What are your experiences at Enterprise Mobility? More than a third of our U.S. survey respondents cited the positive environmental impact as a major motivating factor.
With zero tailpipe emissions, EVs can reduce an individual’s carbon footprint. Does that attitude extend to businesses? Yes, we’re also seeing a lot of businesses embrace sustainable vehicle strategies. For example, our affiliate Enterprise Fleet Management has partnered with a variety of clients — from local governments to household brands like Domino’s — to integrate EVs into their fleet.
Your survey also noted that nearly 7 in 10 Americans believe the U.S. does not currently have the proper infrastructure in place to support widespread EV adoption.
That explains some of our range anxiety. What do you think it will take to fix that? EV infrastructure varies greatly across the U.S.
, and the reality is that the current charging solutions in most regions don’t meet the needs of drivers. Above all, people are looking for availability, efficiency, reliability and convenience. We also know customer satisfaction is closely tied to the charging experience while on route or at destinations.
That includes where customers charge, how they charge, when they charge and the ease of their charging experience. In fact, only about 20 percent of our daily rental business is short distance — the majority covers more than 90 miles, which would require a renter to charge their EV during their journey. Can you do anything to address that? We're establishing relationships and collaborating with electric utilities to better understand future power needs.
And we’re working closely with charging infrastructure companies to better support our operations for near- and long-term EV growth. We're also active in advocacy groups that allow us to champion a more sustainable mobility future to address issues like charging deserts and to keep equity top of mind. I think it's safe to say Enterprise Mobility has taken a conservative approach to adding EVs to its fleet.
Can you talk about how you came to that decision? When will you start adding more EVs, if ever? Do you see Enterprise Mobility having an all-electric fleet at some point? Everything we do starts with the simple philosophy established by our founder – “listen to your employees and customers first, and everything else will follow.” We manage our electrification strategy in the same way. We’re confident in our strategy because it is grounded in the needs of our customers and allows us to evolve with the broader market.
Demand for EVs varies by market and customer needs/type, and we are confident our EV fleet size is in line with current demand. We'll continue to thoughtfully increase our EV fleet to align with our customers' needs. Is there a country where they are doing EVs right, and which may serve as a model for the U.
S. car rental market? All markets are at different points in the adoption curve. Country by country, there really is no “one-size-fits-all” model.
The best approach is one that is tailored for the region’s needs and preferences. Within our business, we have some great programs in the U.K.
where our customers have been able to test and learn the technology. Currently, more than 7 percent of the Car Club fleet in the U.K.
is made up of electric vehicles, with more consistently being added. This offers consumers a great opportunity to experience the technology for themselves. We also have a range of plug-in electric vans available as well as for longer-term flexible rental.
Who should consider renting an EV? And who shouldn’t? Our focus is on pairing the right vehicle with the right customer by understanding every person’s unique travel journey, preferences and concerns. For example, if a renter has expressed interest in eventually purchasing an EV, a rental experience could act as an extended test drive, allowing them to try the tech before they buy it. There are areas across the country – such as in parts of California – that have more robust and advanced infrastructure, which will more likely lead to a positive customer experience.
So you're not going to rent an EV to someone just for the sake of renting an EV? No. If we know a renter is setting off on a rural road trip where there will be limited charging options, a traditional internal combustion engine vehicle is going to be a better fit. It always comes back to the customer and the experience we’re trying to create for them.
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