04 July 2016

Looking further ahead than end of quarter targets or even beyond the implications of the Brexit vote, one issue that keeps coming up in the automotive world is the shift from car ownership to the concept of mobility.

To keep it ultra-simple, we’re talking about the move to consumers buying into a monthly transport package that is adaptable to their needs on the day. Rather than just having one car on the driveway, different types of transport could be melded depending on the need. EV plus train for the commute, estate car for holiday, sports car for a wedding. You get the picture.

This week Mercedes, or rather parent firm Daimler AG, took the mobility idea a bit more seriously. In fact the OEM took it €1.1 billion more seriously. That payment bought Athlon Car Lease International, a leasing and fleet management company that looks after 340,000 vehicles. The deal brings it together with the 85,000 that Daimler Fleet Management already runs.

The move is interesting because it follows the recent sale of a large proportion of its retail infrastructure to Lei Shing Hong, and highlights the shift in focus from ownership to mobility.

And if you were in any doubt, the purchase statement even cites mobility as one of the key reasons for the deal. The question for retailers in future is how to fit into this mobility world. 

Tristan Young

Editorial director

Auto Retail Network

Tags: Athlon Car Lease International, auto retailer, car ownership, Daimler AG, Lei Shing Hong, Mercedes Benz, mobility