Toyota introduced the Kinto brand to Europe in January 2020 in order to provide users with a wide range of mobility related services across the region. Now, the project is evolving into a fully fledged business with the launch of Kinto Europe – a joint venture between Toyota Motor Europe and Toyota Financial Services that will begin operations in April 2021 from its base in Cologne, Germany.
Toyota believes that the opportunities for innovative mobility services are greater than ever, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted many people to reconsider their lifestyle priorities. Demand for smart, flexible mobility is expected to continue to grow, as emphasis shifts from ownership to on-demand usership.
Kinto Europe will be ideally placed to meet these requirements, with services such as car subscriptions, car sharing, car pooling and multi-modal solutions tailored to suit businesses, organisations, cities and private individuals.
Kinto Europe: building our own roadmap
“We cannot simply follow a defined approach like our competitors or any other mobility player in the market,” commented Tom Fux, CEO of Kinto Europe. “Instead, we will find our own way, one that utilises our unique advantages and differentiates us in the mobility space.
“There is no defined roadmap for what we are proposing. We have to build our own strategy drawing on our particular business strengths and capabilities. Kinto is not a single service or product, bound by one location. It is genuinely diverse. So we are building a one-stop shop for mobility services, aiming to become the mobility provider of choice for all types of customers.”
Kinto Europe and the role of Toyota retailers
Toyota’s European retailer network will continue to play a crucial role. Our ambition is to extend our partnership with retailers to transform them into mobility service providers. Kinto Europe will enable them to go beyond their traditional sales and maintenance role to offer new mobility services that give customers on-demand access to vehicles from their existing premises.
What else will Kinto Europe offer?
Kinto One: An all-inclusive leasing service that has so far been launched in seven European markets, with more to follow in 2021. It is now an established mid-size player in fleet management, with a fleet of more than 100,000 vehicles.
Kinto Share: This provides a wide range of car-sharing services, from corporate to public and residential customers. Currently operating in Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Spain and Sweden, these services will be introduced in additional markets and also be launched through the retailer network.
Kinto Flex: This is a short-term, flexible vehicle subscription service, allowing Kinto customers to enjoy the full range of Toyota vehicles. It enhances the freedom of car ownership by offering access to various car types throughout the year, with all services and necessary maintenance included.
Kinto Join: This is a new corporate car-pooling solution for employees to create their own private transportation network, launched in Norway and Italy and soon to be delivered in the UK.
Kinto Go: A multi-modal aggregator which coordinates journey planning, public transport ticketing, parking, taxi services and events. It is already achieving good results in Italy and plans are underway for its expansion in the short term.
