Peugeot launches flexible mobility service
A bigger van when you need it? Or perhaps a car?
DO YOU sometimes need extra capacity? A bigger van every now and again? Or would you like something a bit more exciting to drive than your faithful van for a weekend break?
A new service from Peugeot might be a simple solution to these needs. Mu by Peugeot is a cross between a car club and a daily rental service.
Mu is being piloted at two Peugeot dealers – in Chiswick, west London, and Bristol – and if all goes well, it’ll be rolled out across the country next year. It’s already running in Paris and several other French cities, and by the end of 2012, Peugeot hopes to have 200 cities across Europe in the Mu scheme.
It’s available to everyone – you don’t have to be a Peugeot customer. All you do is sign up, and you can pre-book from a range of Peugeot vehicles by the week, weekend, day or half-day. A range of cars and vans is available, and you can book scooters or bicycles – Peugeot makes them too – as well as the new iOn electric car.
Vehicles have to be pre-booked, but this can be done online at www.mu.peugeot.co.uk. A points system is being used – which suggests Peugeot wants to turn Mu by Peugeot into a loyalty scheme in the future, with points awarded for using dealer servicing facilities, or even as an incentive to buy Peugeot vehicles. The scheme could be linked in to wider existing loyalty programmes, such as Nectar, in the future, said Peugeot UK managing director Jon Goodman.
He said Mu prices were cheaper for short-term rental than equivalent car club or traditional daily rental services. “A Peugeot 207 costs £35 per day, compared to an average £50 for a VW Golf from a car club,” Mr Goodman said.
One pound is worth five Mu points – so 250 points (£50) will rent you a Boxer for the day. A half-day hire costs £35, which could be useful if you run a smaller van but occasionally need to carry a larger load than usual. A week-long Boxer rental is £300 – though you’ll probably be better off with daily rental companies for more than a couple of days.
Where the service might be attractive is to the van user who has to run a car as well, for weekend use. It might be cheaper to book individual cars via Mu by Peugeot – so you can match the car to your requirements. For a weekend break for two, you could book an RCZ coupe for £140, for example.
Goodman said it was possible that Mu might be offered to corporate and fleet customers as well. “There are potential tie-ins with companies we already deal with,” he said.
