Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturer Farizon has teamed up with Europcar Mobility Group UK to provide a vehicle replacement service for UK customers.

Running alongside Farizon’s existing roadside assistance agreement with the AA, this partnership introduces a fleet of Farizon SV vans to keep customers mobile if their own vans are off the road for repairs.

Europcar will initially hold a fleet of 10 Farizon SV L1H1 models at key locations around the UK, enabling the swift delivery of vans when needed. With over 70% of its network equipped with electric vehicle charging, vehicles will be provided with at least an 80% charge at the start of a loan.

The partnership capitalises on Europcar’s strong electric vehicle experience and is underpinned by its Delivery & Collection service.

Farizon already offers drivers four years’ free roadside assistance from the AA. In the event that a customer’s SV or V7E van cannot be repaired at the roadside, a replacement Farizon SV will be provided within two days of the incident.

The vehicle replacement service will run for the length of the customer’s warranty, with a four-year/120,000-mile warranty included with the SV, and a five-year/120,000-mile warranty with the V7E.

Andrew Grigor, head of aftersales at Farizon Auto UK, said: “While our vans are built for business, we’ve set out to ensure our aftersales offering provides the service our fleet and retail customers expect. With a track record of exceptional reliability, comprehensive AA roadside assistance, and next-day parts supply via DHL, it’s unlikely our customers’ vans will ever be off the road for long. This latest partnership with Europcar will provide further confidence to current and future customers, as more convert to electric vans.

“With its commitment to electric mobility, as well as its strong reputation in the insurance and roadside assistance replacement vehicle sector, we identified Europcar as the best partner to help us deliver a vehicle replacement service.”

The Europcar Delivery & Collection service is central to the support it provides in the roadside assistance sector, removing the need for customers to go to a branch at the beginning and end of a loan.

Tom Middleditch, sustainability spokesperson at Europcar, commented: “Demonstrating our clear commitment to achieving net zero tailpipe emissions, Europcar is excited to be supporting new entrants to the market such as Farizon. By ringfencing a Farizon SV fleet, businesses that have made the move to electric with Farizon will have the peace of mind that a replacement vehicle will be delivered to the driver wherever they are in the country.

“Being without their vehicle can be a very stressful time for any driver, but when it impacts on their ability to carry out their job, the pressure is even greater. Having rapid access to a replacement is invaluable for the overall customer experience, getting drivers back to work as quickly as possible and with very little downtime. And we believe this is critical to building confidence in the wider electric mobility ecosystem as well as creating a positive brand experience that will help Farizon keep customer satisfaction high.”