AN evolving company car market means leasing brokers are now an integral part of the fleet sector, according to Adam Wood, Renault UK Managing Director (pictured left).
Speaking to Broker News at the Commercial Vehicle Show where Renault launched three new vans, Wood said: “Ultimately brokers are a part of the core fleet market. We know they’re becoming incredibly sophisticated and a growing part of that market.
“We’re open to all sectors of the market, but we do so in a way which we think is in collaboration with our retailer network.
“We have terms in place for the variety of contract hire and leasing companies, but our share of certain providers is bigger than others. For example, we have Select Lease by Mobilize within the group with whom we have a direct relationship.”
Renault Group’s Mobilize Financial Services owns Select Lease by Mobilize, and trades under the Mobilize Lease&Co branding, which offers funding to more than 20 independent lease brokers. At the same time, Mobilize Financial Services also owns just over a third of Select Car Leasing, the multi-brand leasing broker, which it bought in 2023.
New brand for brokers to sell
Brokers are likely to gain another brand under the Renault UK umbrella in the coming months, according to Wood.
A year ago Renault Group hinted it would bring the small last-mile electric delivery vehicles, called Bento and Duo, to the UK under the Mobilize vehicle brand (not to be confused with the Mobilize Financial Services) in 2025.
Duo is a quadricycle, and Bento is the utility version. Designed for urban use, they are also a response to mobility problems in regions with limited public transport services.
Wood said the UK was still considering an introduction for Mobilize.
“Duo and Bento are being deployed in Europe right now. The UK launch timings are still to be confirmed. There’s a progressive rollout across markets.
“We’re very much monitoring the speed of demand and the evolution of the product planning roadmap before bringing them to the UK. But it’s true that they are operational in France right now.”
Wood added a final decision on when the vehicles will come to the UK is still a few months away.
“I believe there is a market for micromobility. We’ve seen the growth of e-scooters.
“I do think there’s definite potential for vehicles like Duo and Bento. But at the moment, it’s very much a progressive rollout by market. And we’re monitoring the level of demand at the same time.”
New range of vans for commercial vehicle push
Wood is also aiming to grow Renault’s EV sales with the three new vans unveiled at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show: the Trafic, the Goelette and the Estafette.
All three are developed from a new platform that Renault describes as a ‘software defined vehicle’.
The platform has been engineered by a joint venture called Flexis which is part owned by Renault Group, Volvo and transport company CMA CGM.
The trio of LCVs are part of Renault’s aim to be selling a mix of 70% electric vans by 2030.
Thoughts on the ZEV Mandate relaxation
Commenting on the latest ZEV Mandate changes, Wood said: “We welcome the flexibilities. I think they show pragmatism and they show good collaboration with the industry. I think from our perspective, though, the trajectory remains unchanged.”
He was also happy the plug-in van grant had been extended until April 2026.
“Clear purchase incentives that encourage customers to see electric vans make financial sense are welcome. Because it’s all about giving a signal of confidence to customers that electric is the future. We’ve seen the mix growing .
“We know our electric LCV mix has grown from 5% to 8%. But I think anything which breeds confidence is a good thing. And therefore, I’d go further to say I think communication is an important part of adoption.
“The more that we can own the narrative and dispel myths in simple terms for customers, the more I think we’re going to give confidence to people to go electric. And I give an example: people aren’t yet fully aware we have LCVs which can do up to 285 miles WLTP, that can rapid charge and are absolutely suitable for a wide variety of needs. If we own that narrative, we’re going to give people some confidence.”
Wood said the third area that needs to improve so that car and van buyers have confidence is the UK charging infrastructure.
“What we want to see is a continued acceleration in the role of the UK charging infrastructure that keeps pace with the speed of electrification we’re targeting. Because I think by doing that, with communication, with more and more products being built to market, and with the right infrastructure, we have all the ingredients.”
Renault product power
Renault has made a strong return to form in the UK with a flurry of new models over the past two years with a host of new models building on this momentum.
Over the past couple of years Renault has notably added the new all-electric Megane, reinvented the Scenic for the electric era and significantly updated the Clio as well as replacing the Kadjar with the Austral.
Now the French brand has a new hit on its hands with the Renault 5, an all-electric supermini that’s so in demand there’s almost no discounting in retailers.
The 5 will be followed later this year by the SUV-esq Renault 4 which is based on the same platform but offers more room inside.
Sticking with the formula of retro-looks and a modern EV powertrain, Renault has also recently confirmed the UK will receive the next generation Twingo in right-hand drive. An exact arrival date has yet to be set for the £17,000 city car, however it goes on sale in mainland Europe next year.
With the introduction of so many in-demand electric cars, Renault represents a huge opportunity for leasing brokers across all segments of the market including fleet, retail and salary sacrifice – especially if Select Lease by Mobilize continues to support the product with strong RVs.
Broker News Newsletter 14 January 2026
Catch up on the latest leasing broker news in the 16 December 2025 Broker News newsletter
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Tristan Young is an award winning journalist with more than 25 years’ experience reporting on the automotive industry focussing predominantly on fleet and retail. As a self-confessed petrol-head, Tristan has a weakness for car classifieds. When he’s not writing about the automotive industry, he can usually be found outdoors with a small pack of border collies.
