Winning Fleet Manufacturer of the year in the 2020 Business Car Awards is an accolade that recognises a great deal of hard work by the fleet team at Mercedes-Benz.

Work began in 2019 to restructure the team, including introducing a fleet customer hub to deal with enquiries, and to make outbound calls and appointments for strategic account managers.

The aftersales area was boosted by new products and programmes. True fleet share of sales increased in 2019, and the company was first to market with RDE2-compliant diesels, with the technology making its debut on the A-Class. A year after its debut, in 2019, Mercedes-Benz had 212 RDE2-compliant diesel derivatives across 14 ranges, 12 months in advance of the emissions stage becoming mandatory.

As well as success in being Fleet Manufacturer of the Year, two new models introduced in 2020 also won their categories.

The Best Plug-in Hybrid Car, the A 250 e, was introduced at a critical time for the corporate sector, as plug-in vehicles became significantly more attractive from a tax perspective in April 2020.

The A 250 e was developed with a longer-range battery than many other plug-in hybrids, able to reach 44 miles of EV range on a charge, according to WLTP data, while the ability to exceed 40 miles is rewarded with a BIK tax band of 6% for 2020/21.

The GLB, the Best Premium Large SUV,  is a seven-seat SUV, but uses the brand’s compact vehicle architecture, providing an extremely practical option for drivers with families or needing extra versatility, with more affordable running costs than traditional large seven-seaters.

But the work continues into 2021 and beyond. Over the next couple of years Mercedes-Benz will be launching a number of new fully electric models including the EQA, EQS, EQE and EQB.

The brand will further enhance its fleet programmes with an aim to bring even more improvements to the customer experience. This will involve the continued digitalisation of its fleet operations.

Its Direct Sales Programme (DSP) fully underpins the Fleet Retailer network, and it now has a mature and sustainable fleet model, while the retailer network continues to invest in Mercedes-Benz’s fleet operations.

While 2020 has been a year like no other, in 2021 Mercedes-Benz will be well placed to continue to provide customers with the best possible experience and support. Plus, there’s a raft of exciting new products coming with growth in the EQ Portfolio, including EQ Power Plug-in Hybrids.

Tom Brennan, head of fleet, said: “Winning Business Car‘s Fleet Manufacturer of the Year is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team.

“We’ve introduced a number of additional measures this year to ensure we continue to provide our customers with the best possible experience.

“The future is very much electric, and the Mercedes-Benz range now includes 18 EQ Power Plug-in Hybrid and three EQ all-electric models; it’s great Business Car has named the A 250 e as its best hybrid.

“Additionally, we’re delighted our SUV newcomer – the GLB – was recognised as best large SUV. The GLB is available now with a wide range of RDE2-compliant petrol and diesel engines.”