08 April 2026

The end of company car ownership: why Swiss executives are switching to subscription

For fifty years, the company car has followed the same pattern in Switzerland. The company buys or leases a vehicle for its director. Three years later, it is replaced. In the meantime, the company ties up tens of thousands of francs and has to manage depreciation, insurance, maintenance and tax matters.

This model is beginning to crumble. Not because it’s a passing fad, but for purely economic reasons.

Across Europe, and particularly in Switzerland, business leaders, senior executives and entrepreneurs are beginning to replace long-term car ownership with car subscriptions. Not all of them, not yet. But the trend is clear, and the figures that back it up are unambiguous.

Here is what recent studies say, and why change is accelerating right now.

The European car subscription market is booming

Let’s start with the order of magnitude. According to a study published in January 2026 by Astute Analytica, the European car subscription market was valued at $3.91 billion in 2025, with a forecast of $35.95 billion by 2035 – representing a compound annual growth rate of 24.84 per cent.

Another study, published by ResearchAndMarkets in October 2025, confirms this trend, with annual growth of 22.9 per cent forecast up to 2032. Germany dominates the European market with a 21.9 per cent share in 2024, followed by the United Kingdom (17.9 per cent) and France, which is accelerating to 23.8 per cent annual growth.

By way of comparison, the traditional European car market is growing, at best, by 2 to 3 per cent a year. The subscription market is growing ten times faster.

Even more telling: the B2B segment – that is, companies that take out car subscription schemes for their executives and staff – is expected to grow by 26.85 per cent annually between 2025 and 2033, reaching $4.17 billion (Astute Analytica study, December 2025).

It is not private individuals who are driving growth. It is businesses.

Why businesses are making the switch: three key factors

The reports identify three main drivers behind this shift. None of them is insignificant.

First driver: the end of capital tie-up.

In a high-interest-rate environment such as that of 2024–2026, tying up CHF 80,000 or CHF 150,000 in a company car becomes a questionable choice for a finance director. The Astute Analytica study from December 2025 states in no uncertain terms that “CFOs favour subscription models to keep vehicle assets and liabilities off the balance sheet”, and that the “zero down payment” nature of subscriptions has become critical for preserving available cash flow, particularly for start-ups and SMEs.

Put simply: a subscription leaves the bank credit line free for what really matters in a business – working capital, operational investment and recruitment.

Second lever: eliminating residual value risk.

A traditional three-year purchase or lease exposes the company to the vehicle’s depreciation. For a premium model, this depreciation can amount to 30–40 per cent of the initial value. A subscription model transfers this risk entirely to the provider. Astute Analytica’s B2B 2025 study states that “buyers are actively transferring the volatile risk of residual value to subscription providers, thereby avoiding sudden write-downs on the balance sheet”.

For a business, this factor alone often justifies the transition.

Third driver: genuine flexibility.

Three years is a long time. A business’s needs change. A manager may change. A strategy may be realigned. A 36-month lease requires a level of predictability that few SMEs have today. A subscription scheme allows you to adjust the term, model and mileage according to your actual needs.

The Swiss case: a particularly favourable environment

Switzerland is almost the ideal candidate for this transition.

Firstly, the running costs of a car are high there. According to Carvolution, Switzerland’s leading car subscription provider, maintaining a private car costs an average of CHF 730 per month in Switzerland – a figure that makes the cost of an all-inclusive subscription directly comparable to that of car ownership.

Furthermore, the culture of company cars remains strong amongst senior executives. According to a study by PME.ch published in 2025 on the salaries of Swiss executives, two-thirds of members of senior management have a company car, compared with one in five managers in other tiers. The car remains a status symbol, but the way it is financed is changing.

Finally, the Swiss tax system has evolved in a way that no longer particularly favours car ownership. Since 1 January 2022, the tax on the private use of a company car has risen from 0.8 per cent to 0.9 per cent per month of the purchase price excluding VAT (amendment to Federal Ordinance RS 642.118.1). For a vehicle costing CHF 100,000, this represents CHF 10,800 of annual taxable income for the beneficiary – a tax burden that makes alternative arrangements more attractive.

The groundwork has been laid. The key players are on board.

Carvolution and the evidence in the figures

Carvolution, the Swiss leader in car subscription services, founded in 2018 in Bannwil (BE), is a prime example of this demand. The company recorded growth of over 210 per cent in the year following the pandemic and raised 50 million Swiss francs from La Mobilière to finance the expansion of its fleet. The insurance company’s investment is no coincidence: it recognises the structural demand that is being confirmed year after year.

Carvolution operates in the mainstream segment (compact cars, estate cars, mid-range SUVs). Nuvero operates in a different segment – luxury and sports car subscriptions – featuring Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, BMW M and Audi RS. But the underlying logic is the same: why own something when you can enjoy it by paying only for the time you actually use it?

What this means in practical terms for a Swiss executive

Let’s look at this decision from the perspective of a Geneva-based business executive who is considering a Porsche 911 or an Audi RS 6 as a company car.

Standard option: purchase or 36-month lease:

Tied-up capital or long-term bank commitments
Risk of a write-down borne entirely by the company
A 3-year commitment to a single model
A flat-rate tax of 0.9 per cent per month on the purchase price
In-house administrative management (insurance, maintenance, registration)

Nuvero subscription option – all-inclusive monthly payment:

No capital tied up
No risk of a price reduction (covered by Nuvero)
Flexible contract (from 6 months)
All-inclusive: insurance, servicing, road tax, breakdown cover
Option to change vehicles during the year

For a consultancy firm, a law firm, an SME in the Lake Geneva region, or a sole trader, the figures often favour a subscription, particularly in the premium segments where the absolute discount is most significant.

A transition, not a revolution

Let’s be honest: the majority of Swiss executives still own their company cars in the traditional way. The complete transition will take ten years, not just one. But the direction is clear, the studies all point in the same direction, and the first companies to position themselves as service providers will capture the lion’s share of the value created.

At Nuvero, we believe that this shift will be particularly pronounced in the premium and luxury segments, because that is precisely where the financial benefits of a subscription are most evident. Owning a Ferrari for three years is not a financial decision; it is an emotional one. For those who want to experience a Ferrari without the financial burden, a subscription is now a credible alternative.

And well-organised.