NEWS

Introduction from Peter Grøftehauge

Another season arrives and in Europe the used car market finally seems to be settling down according to our latest Indicata Market Watch report, but regional trends do persist.

Northern Europe benefits from a healthier turnover and renewed consumer confidence, while Southern markets still struggle with affordability. There is a fast rotation for young petrol and hybrid vehicles, and slower movement for older diesels and electrics.

Our Indicata data continues to provide the automotive industry with valuable insights to help asset owners make more strategic remarketing decisions. That’s the case with UK dealer group Dales Central Motors which has reduced its used car stocking days from 51 to 40 days with the help of Indicata.

We feature comments from the general sales manager who shares the local and national benefits of Indicata supporting its pricing to improve its competitiveness in a busy used car market. And sometimes that means increasing forecourt prices not just reducing them.

The Danish market is the biggest for Autorola and the business continues to grow and provide highly professional and innovative services to its customers. We have interviewed Thomas Friis Perdersen Denmark who discusses how Autorola Denmark is coping so well with the growth in new and used BEV sales and how it has set new de-fleet standards for zero emission cars.

One of the last exhibitions that we have attended in 2025 was Leaseeurope. It hosts Future Group each year which encourages young professionals to develop new ideas for the EMEA leasing industry. Job Boons who works for Autorola Netherlands represented Autorola in this year’s program having been chosen from 400 people in 40 countries. He shares with us about the new idea his team presented to the Leaseeurope board.

And another month and another award for Autorola Group. I was excited to collect PwC’s Theme Award “Competitive Edge” for the Funen region of Denmark. We were praised by the judges for developing solutions that create real value – in a global market defined by intense competition. We look forward to attending the national finals in November.

It is great to finish with good news. We hope you enjoy our newsletter.

Best regards 

Peter

www.linkedin.com/petergroeftehauge

Denmark is one of the European countries that have adopted BEVs the fastest, with only Norway ahead of it. Currently two thirds of new cars being registered are fully electric which means they are well on their way to meet the Government target of having one million zero emission cars on the road by 2030.

There is talk that this target could be met as soon as 2028, which has been helped by a number of different Government funded incentives:

• BEVs pay only 40% of the standard progressive registration tax until 2026.
• A tax deduction of 165,000DKK is applied to private cars, which can result in little to no registration tax for many purchases.
• Employees who receive a company EV can get a 15,000 DKK deduction from their tax base between 2023 and 2027.
• A tax exemption is available for the value of electricity paid for by the employer to charge private EVs at the workplace from 2023 to 2027.

The growth in the popularity of new BEVs over the past three to four years in turn is accelerating the number of BEVs coming back into the Danish market.

Danish dealers are importing used BEVs
“Around 50% of used cars coming back into the market are electric and that figure rises to 85% when taking into account cars aged between one and two years of age. Demand is so strong dealers are importing used BEVs to satisfy the demand of their retail customers,” explained Thomas.

“Over the last few years Denmark has seen a strong import/export movement with dealers using our platform to import a number of cars, particularly BEVs, to meet the needs of drivers. Our MarketPlace whole online auction platform has built a good reputation with Danish dealers and plays a big part in the cross-border exchange of used cars around Europe. Danish dealers also export cars to other European countries in large numbers.

Managing the entire import process
“We manage everything from the import paperwork to the vehicle logistics on behalf of the vendor and buyer. Our job is to make the whole process of importing and exporting used cars 100% compliant with individual country’s import/export legislation,” said Thomas.

Autorola Denmark works with many of the country’s top 10 leasing companies and has led the way with launching its own website around onboarding and de-fleeting BEVs. It was set up to help company car and retail drivers improve their knowledge of BEVs and forms part of Autorola’s commitment to setting its own standards in de-fleeting electric cars.

“We have developed the website to answer all the questions which private and company leasing drivers have. The more they understand their car and its technology the more they will enjoy it and get the best out of it. The same goes when it comes to hand the car back to the leasing provider, especially for the many private leasing drivers that we deal with.

Supporting customers in the electrification journey
“BEVs are here to stay, and we have been very proactive in supporting our customers and their drivers in all aspects of the electrification journey. That includes putting our own staff through comprehensive BEV training across our nationwide de-fleet centre network,” he added.

Denmark is one of the few countries in the Autorola Group who run weekly C2B auctions as well as daily B2B car and van auctions on behalf of leasing companies and banks. Autorola’s de-fleet network now sits at 12 sites currently, which includes a new site that was bought and developed in the east of Denmark, in Køge around 40 km south-west of Copenhagen. It has space to store 2,000 cars and it also operates a site in west Denmark.

‘Go to’ platform for pricing data
“A number of Denmark’s dealer groups use the Indicata used car pricing platform to optimise their used car businesses. It has become the ‘go to’ data platform for dealers for pricing data, while our fleet customers are using it to value their vehicle asset portfolios.

“We have recently launched our RV forecasting tool which is helping fleets to navigate the minefield of future residual values. Our forecasts are based on historical residual data with a unique macro-economic overlay which provides clarity to the trends and assumptions behind the data,” explained Thomas.

In Denmark Autorola Solutions’ Fleet Monitor asset management and workflow platform is well established with +70 live fleet customers. Many are bespoked to meet the specific needs of the dealer group, fleet or leasing operator and users like it because it gives a bird’s eye view of the status of every vehicle on its fleet from its initial factory order to being de-fleeted.

Nationwide network of de-fleet centres
“We are helping more of our Fleet Monitor customers manage certain aspects of their fleet. For instance, we form part of customer de-fleet letters where the asset owner encourages drivers to contact us to collect and inspect the car on their behalf. That’s the benefit of having 12 de-fleet and vehicle storage centres as we can provide leasing operators with national coverage,” explained Thomas.

“After inspection we can calculate end of hire damages for re-charging to customers and then we can upload the vehicle to our MarketPlace platform for sale either as part of an open leasing sale or as a dedicated branded sale. It makes our end of lease process management seamless for fleets,” he added.

Leaseurope’s Future Group has been empowering emerging talent, generating ideas, and tackling leasing industry themes since 2013.

It brings together young leasing professionals to develop innovative ideas and solutions for the leasing and automotive rental industry in partnership with Invigors EMEA.

The program aims to foster innovation, develop future leaders, and provide a platform for these young talents to present their concepts to senior industry members at Leaseurope’s Annual Convention which Autorola attended in Cascais, Portugal.

Autorola represented in 2025 Future Group
This year one of the 15 chosen from 400 people from 40 countries was our very own Job Boons, Business Development Manager of Autorola Group Netherlands.

He spent six months with four other professionals to develop a new idea for the industry that would address topics such as sustainability, the transition economy, and AI integration.

Job and his team developed a Digital Factory concept which is an AI asset valuation tool for machinery and industrial assets.

Using AI to calculate asset values
Similar to Indicata’s Portfolio Valuation service it aims to support large asset leasing and rental fleets and banks with current used values as well calculating asset values at the end of their individual contracts.

“The process was very exciting, and I was part of a fantastic team that worked very well together to develop our Digital Factory concept. It was great to be able to share it with a packed Leaseeurope conference that was attended by senior leaders from across the EMEA leasing industry,” explained Job.

Helping future proof customer needs
“Sadly, we didn’t win but I appreciated the opportunity to meet with other professionals from across the European leasing industry and look at how we can help future proof their customers’ needs,” he added.

The winning concept was entitled Transitional Asset Finance (TAF): Powering the Electric Vehicle Revolution for SMEs. The TAF platform is designed to connect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to electric transitional assets, helping businesses make informed decisions about their electric vehicle fleet transitions.

The third concept from this year’s Future Group involved developing an AI solution for second-life asset financing.

The UK-based Dales Central Motors dealer group has reduced its used car stocking days by 11 days thanks to onboarding Indicata’s used car pricing and insights platform.

Utilising Indicata data has helped reduce stocking days from 51 days to 40 days since the dealer group onboarded the platform 24 months ago.

Dales runs seven different franchises and a multi brand van centre from two sites in Cornwall, in the south-west of England and typically stocks 300-400 used vehicles at any one time across the group.

Helping set competitive prices
The family business which was set up in 1959 sells one in every three or four used cars sold in the county of Cornwall and uses Indicata to help set competitive pricing on forecourt cars as well as supporting its dealers with part exchange prices.

Danny Fox, Dales group sales manager manages the group’s used car stock strategy which focusses on stock turn not just individual car profitability. He undertakes weekly group stock reviews which are supported by an external monthly meeting with Indicata’s customer success managers to review the status of every used car in detail.

“Our pricing matrix is focused on stock turn as if we get that right used car profitability will follow. Indicata has helped us reduce our stocking days by 11 days which is a great result,” said Fox.

Identifying used cars in high demand
“Indicata helps us identify the cars that are in high demand and in low supply in Cornwall so we know we can be very bullish on pricing those cars. It gives us an umbrella view of every car and its individual status including pricing and imagery, so we give each car the best possible chance of selling quickly.

“With the current UK used market short of stock our weekly pricing review often encourages us to increase prices on certain models rather than reduce them which we wouldn’t have the confidence to do without Indicata’s data,” he added.

Indicata powers weekly pricing reviews
Twelve sales managers and business managers including Danny have access to Indicata. Group stock is reviewed and priced weekly while each brand specialist is given the power to finetune pricing on individual cars based on their specific franchise knowledge.

The Dales team is very proactive and in new registration plate months like March and September will identify the part exchange stock coming in from new car sales and price them ready for sale online before they have arrived on site.

Online stock visibility is very important for Dales as currently around 10% of sales come from buyers outside of Cornwall and Indicata plays its part in supporting this activity.

Indicata provides a national sweep of used car stock
“Indicata gives us a national sweep of the used stock in the total market. This nationwide overview of prices enables us to gauge where a car sits from a local and national perspective. We sell around 10% of our used stock nationally and particularly higher value SEAT Cupras where buyers will travel to buy a car with a specific spec and colour,” explained Fox.

Dales has embraced EVs over the past few years as the average Cornish driver typically makes multiple smaller journeys which fits in well with optimising an electric car. The £10-15,000 retail price bracket for EVs is very buoyant and Dales will often buy 10-15 Renault Zoes or similar to meet this local demand.

“EV prices have been on a rollercoaster over the past couple of years and we have been able to rely on Indicata prices as they are generated in real time. The market has often moved weekly, and we can be confident that we are making decisions based on the very latest data,” said Fox.

The European used vehicle market no longer fluctuates wildly — it adjusts. October confirms a stabilisation that now looks less like a pause and more like a transition to a mature, segmented market. Prices have settled after three years of volatility, and while regional gaps persist, the market has found its rhythm.

Stock structures are stabilising, but not evenly. Northern Europe benefits from a healthier turnover and renewed consumer confidence, while Southern markets still struggle with affordability. Market Day’s Supply (MDS) indicators show that the market has entered an efficiency phase: fast rotation for young petrol and hybrid vehicles, and slower movement for older diesels and electrics.

Diesel holds firm while electrics question their future
Diesel is no longer dominant, yet it refuses to disappear. In high-mileage markets, it remains a rational choice, holding values better than expected. Meanwhile, the electric segment faces a trust challenge: high prices, uncertain battery performance, and lower consumer readiness keep rotation times long. What was once a speculative boom has become a slow market correction — a necessary one.

LCVs reflect the true limits of Europe’s transition
The light commercial vehicle segment is an unspoken mirror of Europe’s industrial reality. Demand for diesel vans remains steady, reflecting how professional users prioritise autonomy and reliability over incentives. Electrified LCVs, despite government backing, face slow adoption: high costs, limited range, and insufficient charging networks. Yet, as fleet renewal accelerates and Euro 7 regulations loom, this segment could become the next battleground for pragmatic innovation.

Adaptation becomes the new growth strategy
Credit remains tight, and household confidence modest. Yet dealers and remarketers are learning to thrive in this new normal: precise sourcing, competitive pricing, and flexible financing models have replaced the growth-at-all-costs logic. The used market has matured — it is now Europe’s true mirror of demand realism.

Europe’s used vehicle market no longer waits for recovery; it evolves through adaptation. If the new car market is the laboratory of policy ambition, the used market has become the barometer of its consequences. The coming months will assess how well this newfound maturity can endure shifting politics, tighter regulation, and the slow but certain electrification of mobility.

To download the latest Indicata Market Watch used car insights report for 16 European countries and Brazil in nine separate languages go to: https://indicata.co.uk/market-watch/

Autorola has just won PwC’s Theme Award “Competitive Edge” for the Funen region of Denmark and our group CEO Peter Grøftehauge will represent the region in the national finals alongside Benny Graff Mortensen from IFAD TS A/S.

This year’s theme highlights the competitive strength of owner-led businesses and celebrates those who successfully seize new growth opportunities and strengthen their company’s position in a changing market.



Solutions that create value
Autorola Group has spent years combining data, technology, and deep industry insight to develop solutions that create real value – in a global market defined by intense competition.

This recognition means something special, backed up by strong motivation from the jury. They  said: “With a unique industry understanding and strong dedication, Peter has been innovative and dared to invest in digitalisation early on, giving the company a significant competitive advantage.

Willpower, commercial insight and hard work
“Peter has strong willpower, commercial insight, and believes in hard work – all of which have been crucial to the company’s international success.

They added: “As an owner-leader, Peter has helped build an attractive workplace and has brought talent from around the world to Denmark.”

We are all looking forward to the national finals on November 13th in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Read the story in full courtesy of PwC here:

https://www.pwc.dk/