Cars File Road Cash for cars? No, thank you.

Cash for cars? No, thank you.

25/9/2017

As from 2018, Belgian employees who benefit from the use of a company car would be able to exchange their cars for a mobility budget. By this so called “cash for car” principle, the government is hoping to do something about the growing number of company cars and to convince people to change to other means of transport.

But how eager are Belgian employees to trade in their beloved company car? Profacts did an investigation among 1.080 people (49 % men, 51 % women). 11 % of the respondents benefit from the use of a company car.

Belgians love their company car

Only 7 % of the respondents benefitting the use of a company car would exchange his company car for extra cash. Almost half of the surveyed employees indicate that they definitely would not trade in their beloved cars for a mobility budget.

Women are more neutral towards the “cash for car” principle: 27 % of the surveyed women are unwilling to trade in their company cars against 51 % of the male respondents.

The older the respondent, the more reluctant he is to exchange his car for a mobility budget: 37 % of the respondents younger than 35 against 56 % of the respondents older than 50 are holding on to their cars.

Why do employees prefer their cars rather than cash?

The two main reasons why people are reluctant to trade in their cars:

  • Company cars bring along some interesting advantages such as maintenance, fuel, damage insurance and roadside assistance.
  • The lack of a viable alternative to a company car, such as well-developed public transport.