THE Kinto joint venture between Toyota Motor Europe (TME) and Toyota Financial Services (TFS) has announced it will expand the brand offerings across Europe.
Kinto Europe will be based in Cologne, Germany. It will commence operations in April 2021, managing a growing range of Kinto mobility services and products across the region.
Toyota says that demand for innovative and flexible mobility services will continue to grow, even though the current novel coronavirus has significantly changed to course of consumer and business choices. The company remains convinced the change from ownership to on-demand usership will continue.
Tom Fux, CEO Kinto Europe, said:
We cannot simply follow a defined approach like our competitors or any other mobility player in the market. Instead, we will find our own way, one that utilises our unique advantages and differentiates us in the mobility space.
There is no defined roadmap for what we are proposing, we have to build our own strategy drawing on our particular business strengths and capabilities. Kinto is not a single service or product, bound by one location, it is genuinely diverse, so we are building a one-stop shop for mobility services, aiming to become the mobility provider of choice for all types of customers.
Car Retailers To Become Mobility Service Providers
Toyota’s European retailer network will continue to play a crucial role, says Fux. Toyota plans to extend its partnership with its retailers to transform them into Mobility Service Providers, building on the strength of its long-established business relationships. Toyota says that Kinto will enable them to go beyond their traditional sales and maintenance role to offer new mobility services that give customers access to the vehicles they want, exactly when and for how long they require, from their existing premises or other locations to suit customer demand.
The Diversified Kinto Portfolio For Europe
The Kinto brand was introduced to Europe in January 2020 when Toyota bought leasing and fleet management provider Inchcape Fleet Solutions. Since then, the range of Kinto services has been continually expanded. These now include:
Kinto One
An all-inclusive leasing service that has been launched in seven European markets; more are to follow. Toyota says it’s now an established mid-size fleet management company with a fleet in excess of 100,000 vehicles.
Kinto Share
A car sharing service open to corporate to public and residential customers. Currently operates in Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Spain and Sweden. A Kinto Share service is also being designed for launch through the retailer network.
Kinto Flex
Short-term, flexible vehicle subscription. Kinto customers have access to the full range of Toyota and Lexus vehicles, with access to various car types throughout the year.
Kinto Join
A new corporate car pooling offering for employees to create their own private transportation network. Launched in Norway and Italy, it will soon be in the UK.
Kinto Go
A multi-modal aggregator which coordinates journey planning, public transport ticketing, parking, taxi services and events. Currently active in Italy.
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