Tesla Motors and Athlon Car Lease announce electric vehicle leasing program in Europe

ALMERE, Netherlands - Tesla Motors and Athlon Car Lease have reached agreement to establish a lease program for the Tesla Roadster and the Roadster Sport in Europe. Aimed at making electric vehicles more easily available and affordable for companies, the program will help advance e-mobility in six of the top EU vehicle markets. The companies intend to expand their relationship to include the Tesla Model S to prepare for its European introduction in late 2012.

Electric carmaker Tesla Motors and international car leasing and mobility solutions provider Athlon Car Lease have pioneered a cost-effective leasing program to advance the adoption of e-mobility.

The program allows companies to lease the Tesla Roadster in some of the most populous European countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. The leasing program covers Tesla’s current models, the Tesla Roadster and Roadster Sport. The companies intend to extend this agreement to include the Tesla Model S sedan, which is expected to be delivered to European customers starting in late 2012.

Based in California’s Silicon Valley, Tesla remains the only automaker currently selling a highway-capable electric vehicle in serial production with a range greater than 300 km. Tesla has already delivered over 1,650 Roadsters in over 30 countries worldwide.

Tesla’s founding goal is to produce more affordable electric vehicles for mainstream, mass-market consumers worldwide. The premium Tesla Roadster supercar is the company’s first production vehicle. The award-winning and critically acclaimed Roadster accelerates faster than sports cars costing twice as much, and its 340-kms range doubles that of planned EVs from other automakers.

Tesla is developing its second car, the Model S electric sedan. The Model S is a premium electric sedan that seats five adults with two optional rear-facing child seats, with unprecedented cargo room for a car of its size. The Model S will be produced in the Tesla Factory in Fremont, California.

“It’s a pleasure to find such a forward-thinking partner in Athlon Car Lease – a company that shares Tesla’s vision of no compromises between energy-efficiency and driving pleasure,” said George Blankenship, Tesla’s Vice President of Sales and Ownership Experience. “Athlon Car Lease is a valuable partner on our path of social responsibility and environmental sustainability.”

Indeed, Tesla’s mission fits very well with the frontrunner position Athlon Car Lease has taken in recent years in the domain of sustainable mobility. In line with the view of its parent companies De Lage Landen and Rabobank, Athlon Car Lease has placed high value on clean technology and sustainability, which is also strongly embedded in its vision.

In its aim to move from car leasing towards becoming a sustainable mobility provider, Athlon Car Lease has already initiated the program CHARGED in 2008, which allows its customers to lease electric vehicles. “Through the collaboration with Tesla we are now able to offer our customers a one-stop-shop in electric mobility. Being aware of the changing mobility needs of our customers, we are continuously trying to extend our CSR and innovation networks throughout the industry. We are therefore very proud to have won Tesla Motors as a partner for Athlon Car Lease to bring EV solutions closer to our customers”, adds Athlon Car Lease’s president Hans Blink.

As a further measure of the companies’ collaboration, Rabobank and De Lage Landen have placed reservations for several Model S sedans, which will be used as personal transportation for board members.
About Tesla

Tesla’s goal is to accelerate the world’s transition to electric mobility with a full range of increasingly affordable electric cars. Palo Alto, California-based Tesla designs and manufactures EVs and EV powertrain components. Tesla has delivered more than 1,650 Roadsters, the world’s first electric sports car, to customers world-wide. Model S, the first premium sedan to be built from the ground up as an electric vehicle, goes on the market in mid-2012 in North America.
About Athlon Car Lease International

Athlon Car Lease is an international provider of operational car leasing and mobility solutions, active in nine European countries: The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg, Spain, Poland, Italy and Portugal. Focusing on all business and non-profit organizations, Athlon Car Lease offers mobility solutions, both for professional and/or secondary-benefit purposes. Athlon Car Lease has a total portfolio of approximately 225,000 active contracts.

Athlon Car Lease is part of De Lage Landen, a global provider of high-quality asset-based financing products which is 100 % owned by Rabobank.