Leasys, a subsidiary of FCA Bank, a 50/50 joint venture between Crédit Agricole Group and Stellantis, has announced its acquisition of ER Capital Ltd, which trades as Easirent in the UK, as part of its move to create an ecosystem of mobility products and services across Europe by adding short-term rental options to its existing long-term rental offer.
Leasys currently has operations in 12 European countries focused on the long-term rental and integrated mobility sector. It also provides short and medium-term car rental services in Italy, France, Spain and now the UK, through its own subsidiaries, as well as in the rest of Europe through Stellantis’ dealer network.
The company plans to have a total fleet of 400,000 vehicles, up from 350,000 at present, and to open an additional 400 Leasys Mobility Stores by the end of 2021, bringing the total to and over 1,000 throughout Europe. The Leasys Mobility Stores provide a full range of mobility services and an extensive network of EV charging stations to support the electrification of Stellantis’ new vehicles.
Under the deal, Leasys has bought 100% of the shares in ER Capital Ltd, a specialist in the short-term rental and mobility sector in the UK, and the company which launched CityCar247, a product offering a completely digitised customer journey and contact free rental.
With the acquisition and the upcoming rebranding of Easirent and its more than 20 stores, Leasys says it aims to consolidate its presence in the UK rental market and to expand its range of innovative products.
“The signing of this agreement continues to strengthen our role as 360-degree mobility leader in the UK and mainland Europe” commented Giacomo Carelli (pictured above), CEO of FCA Bank. and chairman of Leasys. “Easirent delivers excellence in short-term rental and will enable us, through Leasys, to play an even more important role as a global and integrated player in the new mobility arena – especially addressed to hybrid and electric vehicles, thanks to the impressive automotive range of Stellantis – expanding the fleet and the innovative services for our customer base”.
Paul Hanley, managing director of ER Capital Ltd, said: “The Easirent team and I are looking forward to our new relationship with Leasys. Being part of the Stellantis family gives us access to multiple brands, supplying fleet to our current and planned branches across the UK. This is an exciting chapter in our business, which we’re all thrilled to be a part of” commented
