Toyota launches European mobility brand Kinto

Toyota has announced the launch of Kinto, a new brand dedicated to offering mobility services to users across Europe. 

Toyota is aiming to increase the mobility services it provides, in addition to traditional private and fleet vehicle sales, working with a strategy built on four pillars:

• Using a distinct, dedicated brand to appeal to new categories of mobility users, from individuals to corporate clients and cities
• Increasing its share of the full-service leasing (FSL) market, which provides multi-brand, all-in-one vehicle and services offers to corporate and individual customers
• Using the power of data and vehicle connectivity to develop and launch services such as car-sharing, car-pooling and subscription services where viable
• Preparing to integrate future advances in automated driving to market-test automated mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) transport, for example using the e-Palette concept currently under global development.

“Kinto is part of our strategy to grow our total European business,” said Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe. “In markets where it can be viable and sustainable, adding mobility services to our traditional business model will allow us to respond to new customer needs and meet the emerging mobility requirements of cities and regions.”

In 2018, Toyota began building the foundations necessary to prepare its European organisation for the integration of new mobility services into its existing business of making and selling cars. Toyota established two entities, a fleet management company (Toyota Fleet Mobility, based in Cologne, Germany), and a digital platform company (Toyota Connected Europe, based in London, UK).

Matthew Harrison, Executive Vice President Toyota and Lexus Sales, said: “Our new mobility brand Kinto signals that the company is more than ever determined to meet the evolving mobility needs of the customer. Toyota and Lexus are well-established automotive brands, built around reliable, quality cars. With Kinto, our ambition is to create an equally strong brand for mobility services – a brand that consistently delivers exceptional customer experiences, whether moving close to home or travelling in other markets. Kinto epitomises Toyota’s ambition to deliver Ever-better Mobility for All.”

Kinto-branded services will be deployed by market, according to the viability and sustainability of the business case. The initial services to be introduced in some European markets include:

• Kinto One: full-service leasing that provides ease of ownership by combining vehicle, service and insurance in a single monthly payment
• Kinto Share: a car-sharing service which uses a large line-up of hybrid vehicles, available via a self-service concept, without running costs. Toyota’s existing car-sharing service, Yuko, which operates in several European cities (Dublin, Venice, Copenhagen and Madrid), will be re-branded under Kinto
• Kinto Join: car-pooling which connects people who want to share their daily commute, benefiting both employees and businesses that want to reduce their carbon footprint
• Kinto Flex: subscription-based car leasing, offering greater flexibility and a premium experience.

Other services are being evaluated, such as ride-hailing and a multi-modal app.

https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/94731/toyota-launches-european-mobility-brand-kinto/