Taking your Gym / Health and Fitness Club electric with the new Renault 5 EV

The new Renault 5 EV Our Latest Lease Offer for Taking your Gym / Health and Fitness Club electric

The push towards all-electric driving is being pushed, and pulled, by a number of factors. Some we will discuss below, like the tax advantages, fuel savings, vehicle performance and ethical / green rationale. There are other aspects like clean air zones, tax penalties and the ZEV Mandate which are influencing what products are being offered to the UK’s personal and business customers.

It has been the ZEV Mandate which has been somewhat topical in the news on an almost daily basis, with manufacturers, dealerships, local authorities and economic / automotive figures who have provided an array of opinion. As at 2025, the expectation is that manufacturers will have to ensure 28% of what they sell is zero-emission.

Every year, this will increase, at a seismic rate, with 33% in 2026, 52% in 2028 and 80% by 2030. The next 5 years, are in theory, expected to see a massively different approach to the vehicles being sold / leased. The arguments for and against these changes are coming fast and furious, with some protagonists suggesting that 100% by 2030 (the original target) should be the true target. However, there are others kicking back on this, with the recent publication from Transport and Energy discussing a potential change of policy.

As per the article, there are brands like Nissan suggesting that the rapid move towards electrification in the UK will happen at the expense of investment and job security. While the stats suggest that our zero-emission vehicle registrations are tracking in-keeping with the ZEV Mandate provisions, some manufacturers are purporting that their ambitions may fall short of the Government’s.

Indeed, failing to meet the expectations of the Government may lead to financial penalties, the result being that manufacturers may re-think what infrastructure investment continues on UK soil. The move into pure electric vehicles does need an element of a “stick” mentality to ensure that manufacturers do achieve the necessary aims. But of course they do need support to help ensure this is the case. We cannot do it at the cost of jobs and investment.

However, we do not foresee businesses like gymnasiums and leisure clubs, who operate limited companies, slowing down their transition away from petrol / diesel and moving into BEV solutions. Where the UK Government have been so positive, is with their tax treatment of a zero-emission vehicle.

In the UK, if your company is profitable, then you will pay Corporation Tax on these profits . For this current tax year, any company with profits below £19,000 will pay 19% tax with this increasing to a 25% threshold for the main rate companies.

The health and leisure industry is a big part of the UK’s economy, with many clubs, gyms, martial arts centres and cross fit / hyrox centres, enjoying growth and financial success. But the reality is, that with these profits and success, is an obligation to pay your taxes. For directors and shareholders, this does necessitate making sage and prudent decisions.

With an EV lease, the benefit is that you can offset the initial rental and any monthly rentals against this tax. Added to this, is the ability to add maintenance, so that the cost of all servicing, maintenance, tyres and breakdown recovery is included.

With more risk averse customers engaging with electrification, this is both a practical as well as financially astute decision to make. Plus, for those VAT-registered businesses, there is an ability to reclaim around 50% of the VAT on the finance element and 100% of the VAT on the maintenance aspect.

If you are looking to purchase - cash, hire purchase or contract purchase - then a big advantage is that 100% of the vehicle’s value (including any interest) can be offset against tax in year 1. For any gyms looking to enhance their premises for visiting clients, it is worth considering the installation of charge points.

Not only do these receive a Government grant, the chargepoints are wholly tax deductible under full expensing / capital allowance rules. Furthermore in 2025, electricity is not considered as fuel, so any charging is essentially free of tax to the individual and tax deductible to the business. The net result is free fuel for the driver!

Where the director, or employee, of the health club really benefits is with their personal income tax exposure. When you utilise a company car, this is not a free benefit in your position as an employee. While the company pays for the car, the maintenance and the insurance (and maybe the fuel) there is a corresponding tax consequence for the employee. In the UK, we have a tax regime focused very much on emissions.

The more polluting a vehicle is, the higher the Benefit in Kind (BiK) is. The more expensive petrol / diesel vehicle options now incur a sizeable tax consequence. As an EV emits 0g/km, this only incurs 3% BiK, which translates to exceptionally cheap tax bills. Even more affluent business owners and entrepreneurs will see the amazing financial benefits. With the UK Government committed to this for the long-term, a business can enjoy this for the years to come.

Introducing the new Renault 5 EV electric car lease offering

Amazing options like the new Renault 5 EV will be high on the agenda. This “hot-hatch” has taken the UK’s BEV market by storm and is aiming to not only become a top-seller but to win an array of awards … already awarded the “car of the year” in 2025 the R5VOLUTION is poised to do much more. 

Customers can head to Renault  and choose between 3 essential options including:

• Evolution - from £22,995 this will include 18” black alloys, 10” openR media screen, air conditioning, handsfree key card, LED lights, heat pump, wireless smartphone replication, 11kW AC charging and V2L Bidirectional charging ready, vehicle sound, cruise control, rear parking sensors, emergency brake assist and heat pump; 

•  Techno - from £24,995 this will add 10” digital driver display, Google built-in, adaptive cruise control, shark antenna, rear-view camera, central armrest, electric mirrors, V2L adaptor an “5” charging indicator on the bonnet; and

• Iconic Five - from £26,995 this adds 18” chrono alloys, heated steering wheel, driver lumbar adjustment, active driver assist, blind spot warning and heated front seats.

But how does the new electric Renault R5 perform? 

•  52 kWh 150ps - (this has a usable battery of 52 kWh which offers 110 kW (148hp), top speeds of 93 mph and 0-62 times of 8.0 seconds. Real-world ranges suggest a combined 165 miles in colder weather with warmer temperatures to allow for 230 miles (on a full charge) - combined overall at 200 miles. The 11kW AC allows for 0-100% charging times of 5 hour and 45 minutes with the 100 kW DC enabling 10-80% in 33 minutes. It has a 156 mpg equivalent, 326L cargo volume and offers towing capacities of 500kg (Braked and Unbraked). There is a heat pump on this EV. This model has Bidirectional Charging with the V2L (via an exterior 3.7kW outlet), V2H and V2G all confirmed.

For more information on the best Renault 5 EV hatch lease deals, just head to our designated Renault section.