Drivalia Pursues Strong Growth in Ireland Market
With a starting focus on operational leasing and fleet management, the company will review opportunities to include subscription products, car sharing, and a shorter-term rental business.

(L to R): Giacomo Carelli, Group CEO of Crédit Agricole Auto Bank Group and Group Chairman of Drivalia; David Wilkinson, CEO of Drivalia Ireland; and Paolo Manfreddi, Group CEO of Drivalia.
Photo: Drivalia
Drivalia, a short and medium-term car rental, car sharing, and mobility company, revealed plans this week to expand its fleet in Ireland by 40% to more than 15,000 vehicles by 2026.
The company, owned by CA Auto Bank Group, will establish a subsidiary, Drivalia Lease Ireland, based in Dublin and led by CEO David Wilkinson. Drivalia has been operating in Ireland since August after it acquired ALD Automotive's operations there.
Drivalia Lease Ireland's offerings will at first focus on operational leasing and fleet management and consolidating its business volumes, which places it as a leader in the Irish market. With backing from CA Auto Bank, Drivalia plans to further strengthen its market position and pursue ambitious growth.
In line with the Group’s European strategy, Drivalia Lease Ireland is also considering subscription products, car sharing, and a shorter-term rental business.
“Our goal is to democratize green mobility, making it accessible to the general public," said Giacomo Carelli, CEO of CA Auto Bank and Chairman of Drivalia, in a news release. "We plan that by 2030, 80% of the new vehicles in our total fleet will be green.”
Drivalia CEO Paolo Manfreddi added, "Our goal is to become one of the leading players in the new mobility sector, with a strong focus on new energy vehicles. To achieve this, we are investing to strengthen our fleet in Europe, which is set to expand to 300,000 vehicles by 2026, with over half of them consisting of electric and PHEV models. Furthermore, our electric infrastructure is projected to encompass 3,500 proprietary charging stations by the same year."
Wilkinson said, "The launch of Drivalia’s solutions in Ireland represents an important step in our pan-European growth strategy. Being part of a banking group with the scale of Crédit Agricole, one of the 10 largest banks in the world, will ensure we can continue to meet future customer needs."
More Rental Operations
Stop Losing Money On Rental Tolls
Regardless of your rental fleet size and structure, fleet managers, executives, and owners can gain valuable insights into an often-overlooked area of fleet operations.
Read More →
Rethink The Future To Avert A Race To The Bottom
Rental car operators heard a sobering industry message and a stern challenge at the close of the International Car Rental Show.
Read More →
DriveItAway, Free2move Plan Shared Fleet Program for Independent Rental Fleet Operators
Vehicles would be placed with participating rental operations to support car renter demand and provide additional fleet capacity.
Read More →
Stellantis Recalls 1.3 Million Jeep Vehicles Worldwide Over Fire Risk
Stellantis is recalling more than 1.3 million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator models worldwide over a fire risk linked to power steering pump wiring.
Read More →
Green Motion And U-Save Open Rental Operations In Guatemala
The brands will open their first rental car outlets in the country at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City.
Read More →
U.S. Business Travel Drives $623 Billion+ in Economic Impact as Spending Reaches $538 Billion
The data also underscores the industry’s strong multiplier effect across the U.S. economy, revealing that each dollar invested in business travel in 2024 generated $1.16 in GDP.
Read More →
Rental Fleet Sales Skating Just Above 2025 Levels
The U.S. economy's continued growth and positive business investment are creating a favorable environment for fleet vehicle demand.
Read More →Grow Your Rental Business Beyond Cars
Rental fleet operations are facing numerous evolving challenges and opportunities from AI technology to rate and revenue management, to customer service and business growth.
Read More →
Using AI to Create Clarity, Not Conflict, in Rental Car Damage
Rental companies still need people, policy, judgment, and thoughtful implementation, with operators remaining in control of the customer experience.
Read More →
Get Ready To Roll: No Stopping Self-Driving Rental Cars
The autonomous mobility technology revolution will move at its own pace, but sooner rather than later.
Read More →
