Fleet electrification gains momentum in Romania: 24% of companies already operate at least one electrified passenger car technology (HEV, PHEV or BEV)

Arval Romania, part of the BNP Paribas Group and a major player in full-service leasing and mobility solutions, today presents the findings of the 2026 Fleet and Mobility Barometer conducted annually by the Arval Mobility Observatory.

The 2026 edition highlights cautious optimism among Romanian companies regarding fleet dynamics: one in four companies expects fleet growth over the next three years, while 65% anticipate maintaining fleet size at current levels.

Nearly half (49%) of Romanian companies participating in the study intend to introduce or expand operational leasing for fleet financing, up from 42% in 2024. At the same time, fleet electrification and adaptation to restrictive internal combustion engine (ICE) policies are identified as the main fleet-related challenges, each cited by 41% of respondents.

The Romanian findings are based on more than 300 interviews with fleet decision-makers and form part of a global study conducted across 33 countries, involving 10,157 interviews. The 2026 edition points to a decisive shift: companies are moving from ambition to implementation, reshaping their electrification, total cost of ownership (TCO) and mobility strategies with a stronger operational focus.

Operational leasing accelerates, driven by SMEs

The study shows that 49% of Romanian companies plan to introduce or expand operational leasing within the next three years — 7 percentage points higher than in 2024 and 13 points above the European average of 36%.

Growth is particularly driven by small (54%) and medium-sized companies (48%), surpassing large organizations (37%) and reversing the traditional pattern in which large corporations typically led adoption and SMEs followed.

“The SME segment has clearly evolved, that is one of the key takeaways of this year’s edition. Five years ago, conversations with SMEs started with the fundamentals of operational leasing. Today, they begin with specific requirements: upgrade flexibility, digital reimbursement and 36–48 month contracts. SMEs are catching up with corporations, but doing so with a level of operational clarity we were neither seeing in the data nor in practice just three years ago,” said Roxana Lupescu, Managing Director of Arval Romania.

Fleet electrification: one in four companies already operates electrified vehicles (BEV, PHEV, HEV)

Electrification continues to play an important role in fleet strategies, reflecting both environmental ambitions and long-term planning.

This year’s Barometer confirms that more than half of surveyed companies have adopted or are considering electrification policies: 24% already operate electrified vehicle technologies, while another 38% plan to introduce them within the next three years, signaling that the transition is becoming increasingly tangible.

“The figures point to a genuine appetite for electrification: 38% of companies plan to introduce electrified technologies by 2029, in addition to the 24% already operating them. The gap versus the European average of 57% is not driven by corporate reluctance but by infrastructure, with 80% identifying charging availability as the main obstacle. Companies’ ambitions are moving faster than the system’s ability to support them, and without accelerated development of public and workplace charging infrastructure, the gap between plans and actual fleet deployment will deepen,” said Roxana Lupescu, Managing Director of Arval Romania.

As adoption accelerates, practical barriers weigh more heavily in fleet decisions. Limited charging infrastructure remains the primary obstacle, cited by 80% of companies for passenger vehicles and 74% for light commercial vehicles (LCVs).

Despite these challenges, companies are taking a more structured approach to charging strategies, recognizing them as a critical enabler of fleet electrification. Nearly all respondents have already implemented or plan to implement dedicated charging policies. Around 81% already operate or are preparing workplace charging capabilities, 68% rely on or plan to use public charging networks, while 23% currently provide home charging options, reflecting a multi-layered response to infrastructure limitations.

Employee mobility accelerates and diversifies

Beyond vehicles and charging infrastructure, the Barometer highlights a broader transformation in employee mobility.

In 2026, companies are not only expanding the number of mobility solutions available to employees but increasingly positioning mobility as a central pillar of HR and sustainability strategies. A total of 86% of organizations have already implemented or plan to introduce at least one mobility solution, a level broadly consistent with 2025.

Motivations are becoming clearer: 44% cite CSR considerations as a driver, while 42% reference HR-related objectives such as talent attraction, employee wellbeing and support for hybrid work models.

“One of the most important shifts reflected in this year’s data concerns the nature of conversations around fleets. In the past, decisions regarding fleets and employee mobility were typically made by finance directors and fleet managers. Today, HR and sustainability teams are also at the table, while 57% of Romanian companies already have a mobility policy in place. Mobility strategy has evolved into a tool for retention, ESG reporting and employer positioning, rather than simply a cost line,” explained Cezar Iordache, Head of Arval Consulting and Arval Mobility Observatory Romania.

Among the fastest-growing solutions are reimbursement schemes for personal vehicle usage and public transport, mobility budgets, and short- and medium-term rental solutions. This diversification confirms that employee mobility is increasingly seen as a strategic asset, helping companies balance operational needs, environmental commitments and workforce expectations.

A sector entering a new phase

Compared with 2025, when electrification ambitions accelerated and many organizations set bold targets, the 2026 Barometer reflects a more execution-oriented stage.

Operational performance is becoming a key differentiator, regulatory frameworks continue to evolve and shape decisions, and alternative mobility solutions are increasingly becoming standard practice across most surveyed markets.

*This is a press release.