Ford To Offer Vehicle Lease Program For Groups Of 3-6 People

We’ve told you numerous times dealers are seeing an uptick in the popularity of leases recently. We’ve also reported about the growing role of car sharing in the so-called sharing economy. One major automaker is going to combine the two.

Ford has announced a new leasing initiative that allows consumers to lease vehicles in groups of three or six. The pilot program is debuting at three dealerships in Austin, Texas: Covert Ford, Leif Johnson Ford and Maxwell Ford. The leases available under this initiative last 24 months. Ford is thinking multiple drivers in a household or neighbors sharing a truck are potential users of this program.

David McClelland, Ford Credit executive vice president, marketing and sales said in a statement, “People already are sharing everything – from books to homes. We’re seeing the potential for a shift from a single consumer paying for a single vehicle to several people sharing costs and benefits. Ford Credit Link makes Ford vehicles more readily available to people who may not want or need their own vehicle but have mobility requirements that must be met.”

One question you may have is why Ford chose Austin, Texas as their pilot city. In a press release, McClelland explained the city choice saying. “It has effective public transportation, and consumers who use various mobility options but may not need a full vehicle lease to meet their transportation needs, this combination makes Austin a good place to test Ford Credit Link.”

Not surprisingly Ford appears to have an app ready to help with the group-leasing pilot. Using their smartphone, the individuals on the lease are able to, “reserve drive time, check vehicle status, keep up with maintenance, communicate with each other, view their account, and make payments though a vehicle plug-in device and app.”

Do you think this leasing program will catch on? Will consumers want to join together on a leasing program? Can you see yourself selling group leases at some point at your dealership?