Garage d'Essertines Bovay SA

What Garage d'Essertines Bovay SA does

Garage d'Essertines Bovay SA, now operating as Bovay SA, is a privately held Swiss company founded in 1968 and headquartered in Essertines-sur-Yverdon, Vaud. The company historically ran a Volkswagen-authorized garage and agency but has transitioned out of those activities, transferring agency operations to Garages Lanthemann under a continuity partnership that retains the same team and customer relationships.

Bovay SA now operates a focused, asset-light vehicle business consisting of three core lines: rental of Volkswagen California camper vans and utility/commercial vehicles to individuals and businesses, vehicle sales through a showroom, and the curated Old Timer collection showcasing iconic classic Volkswagen models (Combi, Coccinelle/Beetle, Pick-up, Fridolin). The company is privately held under a Swiss S.A. structure with no disclosed investors, funding, or institutional ownership, and is contact-represented by Frédéric Bovay.

The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the company's website (bovaysa.ch) and direct email contact, with all operations confined to a single Swiss location and serving the domestic market only. There is no proprietary technology stack, no app, no disclosed integrations, and no public pricing — rates and vehicle prices require direct inquiry. The active revenue base, given 7 employees and a narrow product surface, is almost certainly sub-CHF 1M, and the recent divestiture of the garage/agency arm has narrowed the business further rather than expanded it.

Name

Garage d'Essertines Bovay SA

Legal name

Bovay SA

Website

https://garagebovaysa.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bovay SA is a small Swiss firm in Essertines-sur-Yverdon that rents Volkswagen California camper vans and utility vehicles to individuals and businesses, sells vehicles, and showcases a curated Old Timer collection of classic Volkswagen models.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vehicle Rental Services

NAICS

Passenger Car Rental (532111)

SIC

Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510)

akta.pro primary industry

Campervan Rentals (Class B / Converted Vans) (THADAIAA)

Keywords

• Camper van rental
• Utility vehicle rental
• Classic car collection
• Automotive rental services
• Volkswagen vehicle leasing

Headquarters

HQ city

Essertines-sur-Yverdon

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Rental: Rental of Volkswagen California camper vans and utility vehicles to both individuals and businesses, with rental terms documented in general conditions of rental.
2. Vehicle Sales: Sale of vehicles, including the Old Timer collection featuring classic Volkswagen models such as Combi, Coccinelle (Beetle), Pick-up, and Fridolin.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Garage d'Essertines Bovay SA rents Volkswagen California camper vans and utility vehicles, serving both individuals for leisure travel and businesses for commercial fleet needs. The company also curates and showcases an Old Timer collection of classic Volkswagen models (Combi, Coccinelle, Pick-up, Fridolin), supplementing rentals with classic vehicle sales and brand heritage displays. The firm previously operated as a Volkswagen garage/agency, which has since been taken over by Garages Lanthemann.

Product overview

Bovay SA operates as a vehicle rental and sales company specializing in Volkswagen vehicles. The company offers three interconnected core services: rental of Volkswagen California camper vans and utility vehicles for individuals and businesses, plus a curated Old Timer collection of classic Volkswagen vehicles. While the traditional garage and agency activities have concluded, the company continues to serve customers through vehicle rentals and maintains its legacy collection of iconic Volkswagen classics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Location de Volkswagen California

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Garages LanthemanncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGarages Lanthemann has taken over the agency operations previously run by Bovay SA. They ensure continuity of service with the same team and dynamic, maintaining close relationships with customers. This partnership allows a seamless transition for existing customers who will receive ongoing support for their vehicles through Lanthemann's network.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Touring Club Suisse (TCS): Largest Swiss mobility association, providing breakdown service, car leasing, and rental partnerships across Switzerland. Comparable as a Swiss mobility services incumbent whose customer base overlaps with Bovay's, though with a services rather than rental-first model.
• Emil Frey Group: Major Swiss automotive dealer and importer group with broad coverage of brands including VW. Comparable as a Swiss VW-aligned automotive operator with service and sales capabilities, but with much larger scale and no campervan rental focus.
• Europcar Switzerland: Established Swiss car and van rental brand serving individuals and businesses with a wide fleet. Comparable as a short-term Swiss rental incumbent, but without the VW heritage niche or classic collection differentiation.
• Sixt Switzerland: Major Swiss arm of pan-European car rental group Sixt, offering a broad fleet including vans and premium vehicles. Comparable on short-term rental model and target customers (both B2C and B2B) in Switzerland, but a much broader portfolio without VW-California specialization.
• AMAG Group: Largest Swiss automotive group and the official VW importer/dealer network, operating retail, service, and fleet/rental services. Comparable given Bovay's deep VW specialization and Swiss base, but AMAG operates across all brands at vastly greater scale.
• Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (rent-a-van): Official VW commercial vehicle brand in Switzerland including rent-a-van and California camper offers. Compares directly as the OEM-aligned rental option for the same vehicles (VW California, utility vans) that Bovay rents, competing for the same customer base at OEM scale.

Regional players

• Garages Lanthemann: Swiss regional garage/VW service operator that formally took over Bovay's agency/garage activities. Highly comparable in market, geography, and VW focus, and is a direct channel partner now maintaining service continuity for Bovay's existing customers.

Direct peers

• McRent: One of Europe's largest motorhome and campervan rental operators with multi-country fleet. Comparable on core product (campervan/motorhome rentals), customer segment (leisure travelers), and short-term recurring rental model.
• roadsurfer: European campervan rental company offering VW-based rental fleets across multiple countries. Directly comparable to Bovay on product (camper van rental), customer (leisure road-trippers), and revenue model (short-term vehicle rental), though at significantly larger scale.

Emerging players

• Yescapa: Peer-to-peer campervan rental platform active across Switzerland and wider Europe. Comparable product category (campervan rental) and customer base, but uses an asset-light marketplace model rather than owning fleet directly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/garage-d-essertines-bovay-sa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Garage d'Essertines Bovay SA