Lender Banca Comercială Română (BCR), part of the Austrian Erste Group, will use an EV modular truck to offer banking services in Romania's rural and small urban communities.

The initiative, dubbed a "100% electric mobile bank," adds to the bank's first mobile unit, which went into use in October 2022. 

It is part of BCR's financial inclusion program for local communities. The program is carried out in partnership with Vodafone Romania, Omniasig Vienna Insurance Group, BCR Asigurări de Viață VIG, and, starting this year, healthcare provider Medlife.

The new mobile unit is organized inside a modular truck, with a usable space of 60 square meters, which is equipped with the facilities of a modern bank branch: offices, digital services, multifunctional equipment, and all the necessary functionalities. The mobile unit has a range of 400 kilometers and can operate independently of any power source for approximately three hours.

Since the program began in October 2022, the first BCR mobile unit has traveled over 11,000 km, visiting 26 localities and delivering financial education workshops for 3,500 participants.

In 2025, the bank aims to build on this effort by using both BCR mobile units to reach as many communities as possible. It plans to visit at least 24 rural and small urban communities, offering financial solutions and access to financial and entrepreneurial education.

The modular truck has a financial-banking expert and one specialized in telecommunications and technology. In some communities, there will also be specialists in medical services, the lender said.

At the banking office within the mobile unit, all daily banking operations can be purchased digitally through BCR's service George, but also with assistance from BCR experts, for both individuals and companies. These range from the opening of current accounts, debit cards, deposits and savings accounts to credit cards and overdrafts and consumer and mortgage loans, insurance, and pensions.  

"The success of the financial and technological inclusion pilot program, with which we reached 26 rural and small urban communities, confirmed a great need and desire for financial and digital education throughout the country. Now, the launch of the first electric mobile bank and the simultaneous launch of the two BCR mobile units allows us to expand our effort to be present in as many local communities as possible," Dana Dima, Vice President of Retail & Private Banking BCR, said.

(Photo: screenshot from BCR presentation video)

simona@romania-insider.com