Chinese cars for business rental: offers, support and spare parts

Chinese car brands are no longer a showroom curiosity: in a few years they have gone from a handful of listings to one of the most dynamic parts of the Italian market, and now they are aiming decisively at company fleets and at long-term rental. For a company or a sole trader the question is no longer "whether" to consider them, but "how" to assess them: who rents them, who repairs them, how long a part takes to arrive.

In this analysis we set out the offers, support networks and parts logistics of the main Chinese brands, through the eyes of someone who has to choose a company car.

A market that has multiplied

From 2022 to today the number of car brands present in Italy has gone from fewer than 50 to almost 80, and a good part of the new entries come from China. The strategies differ: some offer only electric, some have widened the range to hybrid, and some focus on petrol engines and aggressive pricing. The approach to the business world also varies a great deal from brand to brand.

Who rents what: the partners of the Chinese brands

The most useful thing for a fleet manager is to understand which rental company each manufacturer works with, because services, claims handling and the quality of the relationship all depend on that.

• BYD: long-term rental with the BYD Renting formula developed together with Arval; for purchase and leasing it relies on CA Auto Bank and Santander Consumer Bank. It manages large customers with a small team of key accounts and has contacts for SME rental at the dealerships.
• MG Motor: the MG Rent offer built with Ayvens and available in the brand's stores; large customers are handled directly by the Italian fleet division.
• Omoda & Jaecoo (Chery group): works with the main rental companies and has a captive *white label* offer with Ayvens.
• Leapmotor: makes use of the Stellantis group network and offers rental through its own Fleet&Business structure or through Leasys.
• Great Wall Motor: relies on the BNP Paribas group, with Arval for rental and Findomestic for leasing, and leaves a lot to the local dealership.
• Geely and Zeekr: offer rental through the main operators, with a product dedicated to fleets currently being defined.
• EMC (Intergea group): imports brands such as Hongqi and offers long-term with ItalRent and short-term with Drivalia.

What this means for you: the same Chinese car can come with different monthly fees and services depending on the rental company. Comparing several quotes with the same duration, mileage and cover is the only way to see where the real advantage lies.

Support: how many workshops and where

For a company car, downtime is a real cost. Here is the picture of the support network, in brief:

• BYD declares over 110 workshops, built with major Italian distribution groups, and expects to pass 140 in the coming months.
• MG Motor has more than 140 service points, though distributed unevenly towards the North.
• Omoda & Jaecoo has an in-house network of around 94 workshops, with the aim of rising to 106.
• Leapmotor can count on over 120 authorised workshops thanks to Stellantis.
• Great Wall currently has 33 workshops linked to showrooms and aims for around 100 by the end of 2027.
• Geely and Zeekr will go from 55 to 70 dealerships with a workshop.

RentalZone's advice: before signing, check where the nearest authorised workshop is to your company's sites and those of your staff. In the South and on the islands the networks are generally less dense.

Parts: the real test

It is the most widespread concern among those considering a Chinese brand. The manufacturers have invested in warehouses on Italian soil, with lead times that are now competitive:

• BYD: warehouse in Varese managed with a logistics partner, delivery in 24 hours in the Centre-North and 48 hours in the South and on the islands; parts from the Dutch hub take a few working days more.
• Omoda & Jaecoo: warehouse in the province of Milan with coverage close to 95% of components and delivery in 24-48 hours.
• MG Motor: warehouse in Tortona, parts at the workshop in 24-36 hours.
• Great Wall: also a warehouse in Tortona, with a few parts still arriving from the Netherlands.
• Geely and Zeekr: hub in the province of Varese, delivery in 24-72 hours.
• EMC: most parts available from stock, but for a minority the wait can reach two to three weeks.

Vehicle downtime is also a useful indicator: for routine maintenance we are generally talking about a few hours or a day, while for major repairs or warranty work the times can rise to several days.

What to ask before choosing a Chinese car for rental

• Who the rental company is and what services the monthly fee includes (maintenance, kasko, replacement vehicle).
• Replacement vehicle: is it included and from which day of downtime?
• Reference workshop: how many kilometres from your sites?
• Parts lead times for battery, bodywork and electronic components.
• Residual value and return: with young brands, rental protects you from the risk of depreciation, because at the end of the contract you hand the car back.
• Type of fuel: electric, hybrid or petrol depending on mileage and whether you can charge at the company.

Why rental is the right way in

With new brands on the market the main risk for a buyer is the used value: nobody knows for certain what a newly arrived model will be worth in four years. Long-term rental shifts this risk to the rental company and leaves you with a predictable monthly cost. It is the most prudent way to try a new technology in your fleet, perhaps starting with just a few vehicles.

Frequently asked questions

Can Chinese cars also be rented long-term as a company?

Yes. The main brands have agreements with large rental companies and offers dedicated to SMEs, sole traders and fleets.

Is assistance guaranteed throughout Italy?

The networks are growing quickly, but coverage is not uniform: it is worth checking the nearest authorised workshop before signing.

How long do you wait for a spare part?

For parts available in Italian warehouses, usually one to three days. For components arriving from European hubs or China, times can be longer.

Is it better to rent or buy a Chinese car?

For a company, rental limits the risk linked to the residual value of young brands. For tax matters, it is always useful to speak to your accountant.

Conclusion

Chinese brands are quickly building everything they need to win over Italian fleets: rental partners, workshops and spare parts warehouses. The differences between one manufacturer and another remain significant, however. With RentalZone you can compare offers, set duration and mileage in the configurator and let the RentalZone consultants. Request a quoteguide you: we compare several rental companies for your fleet.