French premium brand DS Automobiles has launched a new on-demand car rental service.
Called DS+, customers will be able to rent a second car when required, such as visiting friends or family, or going away on holiday, negating the need to have a second car in a household.
The service is open to new customers and existing DS owners – the latter get exclusive discounts.
Jules Tilstone, UK managing director, DS Automobiles, said: ‘It’s no secret that mobility needs are rapidly changing and with DS+, we are anticipating and meeting these new demands.
‘Our customers can buy the DS they want and access a second DS vehicle when they need it – making it the ideal service to use when needing an extra vehicle for holidays or for multi-car households who no longer need an additional car all of the time.
‘We’re excited to be launching the premium service in the UK and look forward to sharing our growing model line-up with both new and existing customers in the coming months.’
The service’s roll-out comes as a survey commissioned by DS reveals a change in people’s ownership and travelling in habits in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Introducing DS +, the innovative offer from DS giving you access to a 2nd DS vehicle on demand. Discover more: https://t.co/W3BO1ymt8W #OwnershipReinvented pic.twitter.com/EDCEtwOGAo
— DS UK (@DS_UK_Official) March 26, 2021
The survey found 36 per cent of multi-car households are considering reducing the number of vehicles they own after the pandemic changed the way people travel, with 23 per cent believing they no longer have a need for multiple cars.
The study of 2,000 UK households found that even before the pandemic, 29 per cent would not use their second vehicle for two or three weeks at a time.
Furthermore, the switch to home working means people are using their cars less, with 27 per cent of respondents saying they expect to continue working from home for three to five days per week once things return to normal.
In DS’s research, 43 per cent of respondents said they would be more likely to buy an electric vehicle if they had easy access to a second vehicle that could be used for longer trips.
Tilstone recently appeared on Car Dealer Live where he discussed despite a trend to online car sales and services, DS still recognises the importance of having a dealer network.
He told viewers – in the interview which you can watch at the top of this story – the French brand intends to open 13 new dealerships in the next 18 months.
