Arval has just taken delivery of a BMW ActiveE fully electric four-seat sports coupe. Based on the BMW 1 Series, it is one of the vehicles used during the 2012 London Olympic Games and will form part of Arval’s own company vehicle fleet throughout 2013.

With the ActiveE available to Arval for at least the next six months, employees will benefit from first hand access providing them with clear insight into the future technology coming from BMW.

Through this they can build knowledge and experience which can be shared with customers.

Arval will also be showcasing the car at events and giving customers the opportunity to drive it; some of which will never have driven an electric vehicle before.

Produced as part of a small production run, the ActiveE is being used as part of BMW Group’s field trials for long term electric mobility.

According to BMW, the vehicle is capable of reaching 0-62 in 9 seconds and a top speed of 90mph. Its everyday range extends to 100 miles and insight gained will be used in the development of the BMW i3 which is scheduled for late 2013.

The Arval Consultancy team has trialled a range of new vehicle technologies in recent months to ensure that their knowledge remains at the forefront of the industry and reflects the latest models moving into the market.

The benefit to Arval customers is the expert feedback and advice that Arval can provide tailored to their specific fleet requirements.

David Bushnell, fleet consultant at Arval, said: “Having driven the ActiveE it’s a really refined electric car.

“We are regularly asked about new technologies by our customers so it’s crucial to have access to these vehicles so that we can make customers aware of the benefits and practicalities involved and can also take an educated view on how it could be successfully incorporated into their fleet.”

Stephen Chater, corporate operations manager at BMW UK, said: “The BMW ActiveE provides the perfect opportunity for people to learn more about electro-mobility and take a closer look at the future of BMW’s alternatively fuelled vehicles, with BMW i due to launch later this year.

“We are delighted that Arval is proactively promoting new vehicle technologies not just to their customers, but also to a future generation.”

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