German companies rely on bicycle leasing: the new trend for employees!

German companies rely on bicycle leasing: the new trend for employees!

German companies are increasingly relying on bicycle leasing and bike sharing to offer their employees environmentally friendly mobility alternatives. According to current reports, 14% of the fleet managers surveyed in Germany have such offers in their portfolio T Online determines. In an international comparison, Germany leads the ranking, followed by Switzerland, the USA and Portugal, each with 8% bike sharing.

On average, the use of these offers worldwide is just 4% for leasing and 5% for sharing. This shows that although Germany is higher than average, general acceptance among employees still has room for improvement. Nevertheless, a representative survey of 8,061 fleet decision-makers shows that 15% of companies want to introduce bike leasing in the next three years and 20% are planning bike sharing.

Attractive tax benefits

A key incentive for companies are the tax breaks that make bicycle leasing in Germany attractive. Employees choose a bicycle or e-bike that is provided by the employer through a leasing provider. The leasing rate is deducted from the gross salary via salary conversion, which not only reduces wage tax but also social security contributions Fairgueten explained.

Private use of the bikes is only taxed at the 0.25% rule, which can lead to significant savings. Employees can therefore save up to 40% compared to purchasing directly, depending on tax class and gross salary.

Diverse options for employees

After the leasing contract expires, employees have various options: They can buy the bike at a reduced residual value, extend the contract or return the bike and lease a new model. A wide range of models is available to employees, ranging from traditional bicycles to modern e-bikes.

If you compare the figures within Europe, it becomes clear that in the Netherlands, which is considered a cycling nation, only 4% of employees use bike leasing and 3% use bike sharing. This is mainly due to the widespread use of personal bicycles and better infrastructure.

The increasing popularity of bicycle leasing and bike sharing in Germany shows that companies are increasingly recognizing the advantages of sustainable mobility for their employees and are acting accordingly.