Romania: Autonom receives €15 million EIB backing to increase electric and hybrid car fleet

• The first EIB support for green business transport in Romania and the first EIB financing for the Autonom Group
• This initiative will enable Romania’s largest mobility service provider to acquire 895 electric and hybrid vehicles
• The investment will cut emissions, reduce pollution and noise from business vehicles
• Low carbon vehicle leasing will help business users to save money and reduce carbon emissions

The new cooperation between the European Investment Bank and Autonom will enable a greater use of electric and low-carbon vehicles by businesses across Romania. The €15 million financing formally announced in Bucharest today will help accelerate the transition to the greater use of low emission vehicles in Romania and help businesses to reduce carbon emissions.

The European Investment Bank’s first ever financing for the vehicle leasing and car hire company, Autonom, will allow companies to use electric and hybrid vehicles that are currently in limited supply for long-term business use.

“Today marks a milestone in the green transition of Autonom and the green transition of transport in Romania. The first cooperation with the European Investment Bank will enable €15 million of visionary new investment in green business transport that will cut carbon emissions and reduce pollution across our country.” said Marius Stefan CEO & co-Founder of Autonom

“Transport represents almost a quarter of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions and is the main cause of air pollution in cities. The new EUR 15 million European Investment Bank financing to Autonom will enable 895 of green vehicles to be used for business transport across Romania and this new cooperation shows how climate action can be an integral part of business investment.” said Christian Kettel Thomsen, European Investment Bank Vice President.

New green transport investment to transform business transport

The EIB’s first financing of green business transport in Romania will enable Autonom to acquire 895 low-emission vehicles, expected to be 705 electric and 190 hybrid vehicles.

Autonom is also considering installing solar panels and electric charging stations in selected offices throughout the country to use green energy to power the vehicles.

Autonom is the largest mobility network in Romania and provides its clients with various transportation and car rental solutions through over 46 agencies present in over 33 cities in Romania and Hungary.

Building on EIB support for priority investment across Romania

Last year the European Investment Bank Group provided €907 million for new investments across Romania.

Over the last 31 years, the EIB Group has provided more than €18 billion for public and private sector investments across Romania.