Better visuals delivered a 95 percent jump in calculator engagement, reflecting how buyers assess electric vehicles long before seeing one in person. Martijn Versteegen, CEO and co-Founder and IMAGIN.studio, considers the role of novated lease calculators in the Australian electric vehicle market.
AUSTRALIA’S REAL EV SHOWROOM
Novated leasing plays a central role in how Australians buy electric vehicles (EVs). Almost half of all EV purchases are now made under lease arrangements, according to the National Automotive Leasing and Salary Packaging Association.
Because these purchase decisions happen inside a finance calculator rather than a dealership, digital presentation has become the first place customers judge a vehicle’s quality, especially for newer brands – namely those coming from China.
For eligible vehicles, the fringe benefits tax exemption makes this pathway significantly cheaper than buying outright. A recent analysis estimated that leasing a Tesla Model Y could save roughly AUD$10,000 over four years, depending on salary and usage.
These calculations understandably determine which models are further considered. This change is putting new pressure on how EVs are presented online.
BUYERS LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS
Novated leasing puts the financial calculation at the centre of the process. Salary packaging, family-based treatment, and running costs are all worked out on a calculator page. If that page feels disconnected from the vehicle, buyers either hesitate or abandon the process.
Clear, accurate imagery helps keep people engaged long enough to understand the numbers. Studio images, interior detail, and 360-degree views help the vehicle feel tangible, even when the customer has never seen it in person.
Lifestyle photography goes even further. A/B testing shows how IMAGIN.studio’s lifestyle imagery converts 15 percent better than studio shots because it helps people picture how they would use the car in day-to-day life.
When the calculator becomes the main decision point, these visuals play the key role the forecourt once played.
DIGITAL CLARITY TO BUILD CONFIDENCE
Many of the fastest growing EV brands in Australia are new to the market; customers are still learning who they are and what their vehicles are like. Without brand familiarity or a physical inspection, customers rely entirely on what they can see online.
Visual consistency matters more in this context. Buyers want to compare seat materials, cabin layout, infotainment systems, and trim levels without doubt about accuracy. When one model is shown clearly and another is not, this creates uncertainty. When every model is presented with the same level of clarity, comparisons feel fair and customers progress more easily.
This is especially important given the varied access to the novated scheme which differs between employers. Some workplaces offer it; others cannot afford to. Buyers who can access the benefit often move quickly, so any missing information becomes a barrier.
THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Most new EVs are promoted well before they land in Australia. However, photography often happens too late and shipping timelines change.
Customers, meanwhile, act as soon as they see tax benefits or employer programmes that favour EVs. If visuals are missing or inconsistent during this window, visual confirmation is lacking and interest fades.
Novated Lease Australia (NLA) encountered this problem as they expanded. Manufacturer images arrived at different times or lacked consistency, leaving gaps in model pages and calculators. By consolidating studio shots, 360s, and lifestyle images from a single, always-updated source, they could publish new models the moment specifications were confirmed.
After improving image consistency across calculators, model pages, and campaigns, NLA recorded a 95 percent uplift in overall performance, including longer session times and stronger calculator completion rates.
THE CALCULATION THAT DECIDES THE CAR
More Australians are choosing EVs through novated leasing because it offers clear financial advantages. But this buying path also moves the decision away from showrooms and into calculators.
Retailers and leasing providers who treat the calculator and model page as their main showroom give customers the confidence they need to progress, especially with newer EV brands entering the market.
For many buyers, the calculator is no longer a secondary tool; it is where the decision happens and the vehicle must prove itself.
This article was contributed by a guest author and published by the editorial team at APAC Outlook, part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
Outlook Publishing features leadership insights, industry perspectives, and company stories from organisations shaping sectors including manufacturing, mining, construction, healthcare, supply chains, food production, and sustainability.
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