Drivalia Lease France, NEWAV and Handynamic launch Abiliz, the first leasing offer for people with disabilities
● The objective of the three partner companies is to create the first leasing offer accessible to people with reduced mobility: Abiliz.● Initially active in France, this initiative could be extended to other European countries in the future.● This partnership is part of the Crédit Agricole Group’s societal project, which aims to strengthen social inclusion.
Improving access to mobility for people with disabilities through dedicated solutions is the goal of Drivalia Lease France, a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole Auto Bank specializing in long-term leasing, having signed a strategic partnership with NEWAV, which offers leasing solutions for people with disabilities, and Handynamic, one of the leading French companies specializing in the development and distribution of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV).
The agreement between the three companies aims to make mobility more inclusive thanks to Abiliz, the first leasing offer dedicated to wheelchair users. The aim is to guarantee everyone the same opportunities to access a vehicle, even if it is fitted out, in line with the Crédit Agricole Group’s strategy, which puts social responsibility and attention to the interests of society at the center.
The partnership was signed in the presence of Charlotte de Vilmorin and Pierre Folliot, co-founders of NEWAV, Antoine Delbecque, Chairman and CEO of Handynamic, as well as Richard Bouligny, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Personal Finance & Mobility, Giacomo Carelli, Chief Executive Officer of Auto Bank and Chairman of Drivalia, and Etienne Royol, Chief Executive Officer of Auto Bank France and Chairman of Drivalia France.
Thanks to the agreement, Drivalia Lease France and NEWAV are able to offer complete leasing and long-term rental solutions for vehicles specially adapted to the needs of people with disabilities. This initiative will first be active in France, before being extended to other European countries in the future.
People with reduced mobility need a car the most. For people in wheelchairs, the car is very often the only possible means of transport due to the lack of accessibility of public transport. However, vehicles adapted to people with disabilities are much more expensive because of the major modifications required. This partnership is a crucial step towards making retrofitted cars financially accessible. Thanks to Abiliz, people in wheelchairs and their loved ones will finally be able to access leasing offers like everyone else!
At Drivalia Lease France, we are delighted to have created this important partnership with NEWAV and Handynamic to offer mobility solutions accessible to all. This collaboration is in line with the Crédit Agricole Group’s Societal project, which aims to promote cohesion and social inclusion. By leveraging each partner’s strengths, we aim to make these specially adapted vehicles available to a wider audience, improving the quality of life for many people.
About DrivaliaDrivalia, the rental, leasing and mobility company of the group – Auto Bank, offers a complete range of mobility solutions, from electric car sharing to innovative car subscriptions, including rental covering all durations. Drivalia takes care of 360° mobility, offering innovative mobility formulas that combine flexibility, digital use, on-demand approach and sustainable development. In June 2019, the company inaugurated the Mobility Stores, physical points of sale where customers can access all the mobility services provided by the company. With the launch of the first fully electrified Mobility Store at Turin Caselle Airport in 2020, followed by many others, Drivalia has become a reference operator for sustainable mobility: it now has more than 1,600 charging stations installed in all the stores and has the largest private electrified network in Italy. In 2024, the electrification project will continue in the European countries where Drivalia operates. For more information:www.ca-autobank.com www.drivalia.com Contact : Emilie Zagozda / Angélique Raffalli – drivalia@wellcom.fr 01 46 34 60 60
About NEWAVNEWAV, New Electric Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle, a company that designs and distributes vehicles accessible to people with reduced mobility, develops innovative solutions for green AND inclusive mobility. NEWAV was founded by a team of entrepreneurs working to improve the mobility of wheelchair users and their families: Pierre Folliot (co-founder of Handynamic), Charlotte de Vilmorin (founder of Wheeliz), Alexandre Paing and Florian Mas. The management team is supported by several recognized co-investors such as Francis Napez (co-founder of BlaBlaCar, Hectar…), Alban Denoyel (co-founder of Sketchfab) and François Bouy (LMC, Le Souffle du Nord…). Nowadays, the majority of private car acquisitions are done in the form of leasing (long-term leasing or with an option to purchase). But unfairly, this type of financial offer is not accessible to people with disabilities! At NEWAV, we are convinced that accessibility also means affordability. That’s why we co-created Abiliz. NEWAV also designs, in partnership with a major car manufacturer, the most inclusive vehicle in the world, a real accessible electric car, thought from the start WITH and FOR people with reduced mobility!… For more information:www.newav.euwww.abiliz.euContact: Charlotte De Vilmorin charlotte@newav.eu
About HandynamicHandynamic, a company specializing in the development, rental and sale of accessible vehicles for people with disabilities, has restored mobility to tens of thousands of people with disabilities since its creation. Founded near Lille in 2006 by Pierre Folliot, Sylvain Mas and Cédric Dugauquier, Handynamic now employs 88 people, 18% of whom are disabled, and has 5 branches in France near Lille, Lyon, Lourdes, Rennes and Strasbourg. Gradually becoming a reference player in France in the field of vehicles adapted for the Transport of Persons with Reduced Mobility (TPMR), the partners of Handynamic have commissioned their founder Pierre Folliot to take up a new major challenge: to develop new electrical solutions, even more inclusive and accessible to all! For more information:www.handynamic.frwww.voiture-et-handicap.frContact: Mélanie Bonte mbonte@handynamic.fr