Green Fleet 79

ROAD TEST FIAT 500X

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

www.greenfleet.net

EVENT REVIEW

GREENFLEET AWARDS

Environmental-fleet pioneers recognised at this year’s ceremony

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

ELECTRIC DRIVING IN WINTER How will freezing conditions affect your plug-in vehicle?

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

DEBUNKING HYDROGEN MYTHS The safety and viability of hydrogen discussed

ROAD TEST: NEW CITROËN C1 AIRSCAPE FEEL VTi 68

LA AUTO SHOW

ISSUE 79

D NLOA DOW NEW THE EET APP NFL GREE code e QR h t n a Sc

renault.co.uk

100% electric reNAUlt zoe

100% electric renault zoe Dynamique intens No fuel bills. No road tax. No congestion charges. No brainer.

• Best in class range* • Less than 2p per mile fuel cost** • Zero CO2 emissions whilst driving

• Rapid charge in just 30 minutes • R-Link controlled 7" touchscreen navigation • Z.E. interactive: remote battery charging and remote climate control from your smartphone

Renault Business Quality Commitments • Like for like vehicle replacement • Pro+ specialist fleet network • Free collection and delivery T&Cs apply. For full list of commitments visit renault.co.uk/business for details

Visit renault.co.uk/business or call the renault Business team on 0800 040 7344

Model shown is ZOE Dynamique Intens with optional metallic i.d. paint. CO2 while driving: 0. MPG: N/A

*Actual consumption and range may vary: Renault ZOE can travel up to 130 miles on a single charge, based on the new European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Renault also publish real life ranges of 63 miles (winter) to 94 miles (temperate conditions), reflecting range variations from driving style, road conditions, heating and other external factors. **Equivalent to 2p per mile based on (i) overnight electricity costs (British Gas Clear & Simple Economy 7 unit rates for a customer paying by direct debit as at 31 October 2014, assuming 7 hours of charging at the night rate and 1 hour on the day rate), and (ii) a range of up to 126 miles per full charge (based on 95% efficiency and 17˝ wheels). 26p per day standing charge applies.

www.greenfleet.net

EVENT REVIEW

GREENFLEET AWARDS

Environmental-fleet pioneers recognised at this year’s ceremony

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

ELECTRIC DRIVING IN WINTER How will freezing conditions affect your plug-in vehicle?

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

DEBUNKING HYDROGEN MYTHS The safety and viability of hydrogen discussed

ROAD TEST: NEW CITROËN C1 AIRSCAPE FEEL VTi 68

LA AUTO SHOW

ISSUE 79

LOAD DOWNNEW THE ET APP NFLE GREE code the QR Scan

COMMENT

ROAD TEST FIAT 500X

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Raise a glass to the GreenFleet winners This year’s GreenFleet Awards, which took place in October at the Heritage Motor Centre Museum for the first time, are testament to the effort and dedication that organisations and manufacturers put into lowering the carbon footprint of their fleets and vehicles.

The 2014 award for Outstanding Achievement went to a tri-party collaboration between Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Solutions, British Gas and Nissan for its electric van trial. The nationwide trial of 28 vans – the UK’s largest electric commercial vehicle evaluation to the date, resulted in British Gas taking an order of 100 Nissan e-NV200s. The trial project took years of planning and research, bespoke manufacturing, intensive trails, and the results will help shape the future of sustainable fleet management for years to come.

Find out more and who else scooped an award on pages 25 to 49.

With winter upon us, if you have an electric vehicle, or are considering buying one, you may wonder how the coming months will affect the vehicle’s performance, as it’s well-known that cold temperatures reduce a battery’s range.

Michael Boxwell, author of The Electric Car Guide explores some common concerns, such as how freezing conditions affect range and charging times, and how EVs handle in snow and ice. Read the feature on page 15.

Angela Pisanu, editor

P ONLINE P IN PRINT P MOBILE P FACE-TO-FACE If you would like to receive 10 issues of GreenFleet magazine for £200 a year, please contact Public Sector Information Limited, 226 High Road, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 GreenFleet® would like to thank the following organisations for their support:

PUBLISHED BY PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION LIMITED

226 High Rd, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 Fax: 020 8532 0066 Web: www.psi-media.co.uk EDITOR Angela Pisanu EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Arthur Walsh EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Danny Wright PRODUCTION EDITOR Richard Gooding PRODUCTION CONTROL Jacqueline Lawford, Jo Golding WEB PRODUCTION Reiss Malone PUBLISHER Martin Freedman ACCOUNT MANAGER Kylie Glover ADMINISTRATION Victoria Leftwich, Vickie Hopkins REPRODUCTION & PRINT Argent Media

Printed on recycled paper

© 2014 Public Sector Information Limited. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any other means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial content the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. ISSN 1471-3713

Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS

Contents GreenFleet 79 08 News

50 LA Auto Show review

15 Electric vehicles

52 Road test: Fiat 500X

19 Alternative fuels

54 Road test: Volkswagen Caddy BlueMotion

European Court Justice puts pressure on UK diesel emissions; Manchester charging on the increase; higher BIK rate needed, OECD says; first EV route planner launched Winter is here, but what does that mean for the electric vehicle owner?

Michael Boxwell, author of the Electric Car Guide, answers some key concerns regarding the range performance of electric vehicles

15

Concerns still exist over the feasibility and safety of hydrogen as a transport fuel. Henri Winand examines the myths around hydrogen energy and fuel cell electric vehicles

25 2014 GreenFleet Awards

This year’s GreenFleet Awards once again focused a spotlight on the fleet operators, suppliers and manufacturers that are putting great efforts into minimising the environmental impact of their fleets

The big news at the 2014 LA Auto Show was hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, with concept and production cars among the debutants. GreenFleet picks its favourites Fiat has added another model to its ever-popular 500 brand – the 500X – a five-door compact crossover that stays true to its iconic Italian roots. Angela Pisanu reports from Fiat’s proving ground in Balocco, Italy

The latest addition to Volkswagen’s Caddy nameplate has low emissions and a host of environmentally-friendly features to focus it on economy

56 Road test: Citroën C1 Airscape Feel VTi 68

A new version of Citroën’s C1 has arrived with bold styling, personalisation options and updated tech. Richard Gooding tests the small car hoping to make a big splash

19

50

25

54

GreenFleet magazine

www.greenfleet.net Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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The new C-Class Estate.

Practically engineered.

Only 109 g /km* CO2.

A Daimler Brand

The numbers work.

Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg (litres per100km) for the new C-Class range: urban 40.4 (7.0) –72.4 (3.9), comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. *Model featured is a new C 220 BlueTec Sport Estate at £33,620 on-the-road with Please contact your local Retailer for availability. Prices correct at time of print 12/14.

extra urban 61.4(4.6)–83.1(3.4), combined 51.4(5.5)–78.5(3.6). CO emissions 133–94 g/km.

Official EU-regulated test data are provided for 2 optional metallic paint at £645 (on-the-road price includes VAT, delivery, 12 months’ Road Fund Licence, number plates, first registration fee and fuel). Some combinations of features/options may not be available.

NEWS

News in brief Tesla store opens in Birmingham

Tesla has opened its fourth UK store and third service centre in Birmingham, which includes a four‑bay service area and a purpose built delivery bay. The electric car manufacturer also announced plans for stores in Manchester, Bristol, Newcastle and Edinburgh.

The company has revealed plans to augment its charge point provision, adding to the nine currently in place.

“We are working on additional London locations with new sites to be announced shortly,” said Georg Ell, Tesla’s country director for the UK and Ireland. “Our plan for routes around the UK is also under way and we now have four locations outside of the capital.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/p8jzskg

Manchester charging on the increase Greater Manchester has seen a near twelvefold increase in demand for electric vehicle charging points since they were first installed last year, with 974 public charge sessions in September 2014 compared to 82 in September 2013 – the first complete month that charging stations were operating. Transport for Greater Manchester has overseen the installation of 300 charging points, including some rapid chargers, under the £2.1 million Greater Manchester Electric Vehicle (GMEV) scheme.

TfGM Transport Strategy Director Dave Newton said: “Electric vehicles help to improve air quality and reduce noise pollution and therefore create a better environment for residents and visitors to the region, so it is excellent news that there has been such a positive initial take up.

“We will continue to work with government and industry to consolidate the charge point infrastructure and encourage vehicle owners – both fleet and individual – to take advantage of the environmental and financial benefits that hybrid and all-electric vehicles bring.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/p3pokjz

8

EMISSION TARGETS

European Court of Justice puts pressure on UK diesel emissions The European Court of Justice has ruled that the UK government must work to reduce pollution from diesel vehicles. This follows revelations that levels of nitrogen dioxide, which is mostly produced by diesel engines, are illegally high in British cities.

As a result, ministers may be forced to order a retrofit of anti-pollution measures on buses and lorries, ban the use of diesel cars in cities, and install diesel cars with emission-recording technology.

Alan Andrews, ClientEarth lawyer, said: “This ruling is a big victory for the millions of people who want to live healthy lives in the UK’s towns and cities.

This will force the government to finally take this issue seriously and come up with an urgent plan to rid our towns and cities of cancer-causing diesel fumes.

“The government has done next to nothing to try to achieve the target of cleaning up the pollution by 2015. The UK Supreme Court will now set a standard that the government must achieve – and that will mean the government driving down diesel emissions.”

A Defra spokesperson said: “Air quality has improved significantly in recent years and average roadside concentrations of NO2 levels have fallen 15 per cent since 2010. We have built on this by committing £2 billion since 2011 to increase the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles, green transport initiatives and supporting local authorities to take action.

“The government is fully committed to ensuring compliance with EU air quality standards and we are revising our plans to reflect recent action so we can be compliant as soon as possible. This is a common challenge across Europe with 17 member states exceeding limits.

“This judgment confirms where limit values are exceeded, plans must be developed which ensure compliance in the shortest possible time – this has always been the government’s position.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/m9klwc6

FUEL ECONOMY

Report looks at real-world MPG The EU-wide lobbying group Transport & Environment has published its 2014 Mind the Gap report looking at how real‑world fuel consumption by motorists compares with miles-per-gallon efficiency claims made by vehicle manufacturers.

The organisation says that car companies routinely exaggerate the efficiency of their models, claiming that the report’s findings “highlights the abuses by carmakers of the current tests and the failure of EU regulators to close loopholes. Half of the official fuel efficiency gains made since EU laws were adopted in 2008 are hot air.”

T&E says that the gap between real-world consumption and manufacturers’ claims has widened from eight per cent in 2001 to 31 per cent in 2013 for private motorists.

While the WLTP, a “more realistic and robust global test” is scheduled to be introduced in 2017, some EU countries have not

DEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT | www.greenfleet.net

confirmed they will comply at this date due to “pressure from carmakers that want to be able to keep exploiting the loopholes in the current test rules until at least 2022.”

T&E clean vehicles manager Greg Archer said: “The gap between real-world fuel economy and distorted official test results has become a chasm. The current test has been utterly discredited by carmakers manipulating official test results. Unless Europe introduces the news global test in 2017 as planned, carmakers will continue to cheat laws designed to improve fuel efficiency and emissions reductions. The cost will be borne by drivers who will pay an additional €5,600 for fuel over the lifetime of the car compared to the official test result.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/m8srpcw

NEWS

News in brief NOISE REDUCTION

Car production slows in October

DHL launches low-noise truck Logistics company DHL has launched a new truck which they claim is up to 50 per cent quieter than standard diesel vehicles, making it suited for use in towns and cities. The truck, which is powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), was launched at the Quiet Cities summit on noise reduction in urban freight delivery.

Noise reduction is achieved by including a spark ignition ‘Otto Cycle’ engine, and the use of CNG and Bio-Gas to power the vehicle means it has a low carbon footprint, producing 68 per cent Particulate Matter (PM) and 39 per cent less Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) than a standard Euro 6 diesel vehicle.

Safety features include a low entry, high visibility cab which lowers the line and field of vision, glass panels on

the nearside door to extend driver sight, and a 360 degree camera with in‑cab display and hard drive recording.

Claire Perry, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Transport, said: “As cities and town centres become more populous, commercial transport companies face the difficult task of making journeys safer, cleaner and quieter. The new concept vehicle from DHL is a positive step in the right direction to addressing this issue and I encourage industry-wide adoption of the latest technology to ensure the highest standards of road safety.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/n8wd4xm

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

Bristol ‘Bio-Bus’ powered by human waste A bus powered entirely by human waste and food leftovers has taken to the road in a first for the UK. The 40-seater Bio-Bus runs on gas generated from sewage and food waste at Bristol sewage treatment works – a plant run by Wessex Water subsidiary GENeco. It has a range of up to 300km on a full tank of gas, which takes the annual waste of about five people to produce.

The bus is operated by Bath Bus Company on its A4 service from Bath to Bristol Airport via South Bristol. It produces less emissions than a traditional diesel engine, which engineers behind the project believe will help improve urban air quality and provide a sustainable way of fuelling public transport in the future.

Collin Field, engineering director, at Bath Bus Company, said: “The timing of this initiative could not be more appropriate as we approach 2015, when the City of Bristol itself becomes European Green Capital.

“With so much attention being directed

towards improving air quality generally, the public reaction to the appearance of this bus on a service between a World Heritage City and an airport will further focus on the potential for this particular fuel.”

As well as installing a gas refuelling plant for the bus, GENeco became the first company in the UK to start feeding gas generated from food waste and sewage into the national gas network this week, following the construction of a state-of-the-art gas plant.

The Bristol sewage treatment works uses a process known as anaerobic digestion to treat around 75 million cubic metres of sewage waste and 35,000 tonnes of food waste a year, generating 17 million cubic metres of biomethane in the process – enough gas to meet power needs of 8,300 homes.

READ MORE

Figures for October show that UK car manufacturing fell by 6.7 per cent to 150,060 units, meaning that year-on-year production has taken a slight dip (0.3 per cent) from 2013 levels. Commentators have pointed to global economic uncertainty as a contributing factor, but remain optimistic amid indications that production will reach record levels within the next few years.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “The UK’s car manufacturing industry is still in a strong position in spite of the growing uncertainty surrounding the global economy. Billions of pounds have been invested into UK facilities in the past two years, with several new models starting production this year and more in the pipeline. There is still demand for UK-built products given their reputation for quality, design and engineering excellence.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/nnjxmno

Highways Agency explores wireless charging potential The Highways Agency held a workshop in November where stakeholders’ input was sought to help shape a project on dynamic wireless charging, which enables electric vehicles to receive their charge from road cables while driving. The organisation has commissioned a study to determine how feasible this project is and how wireless power transfer could operate on the strategic road network.

The Agency is holding talks with stakeholders including government representatives, road user groups, vehicle manufacturing associations, local authorities and energy suppliers. The supposed benefits of dynamic charging include extended range and smaller batteries.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/pej2e3p

tinyurl.com/k99s3ps Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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ACHIEVE MORE TOGETHER. Fleet management for better team and business performance WEBFLEET® is the easiest way to be informed about your vehicles. With WEBFLEET your drivers and office staff work closer together and everyone makes smarter decisions. That’s the key to happy customers, great governance and the ability to keep moving towards your business goals.

Call 020 7255 9774 or E-mail business.uk@tomtom.com to request a free demonstration from Europe’s leading fleet management and vehicle tracking provider.

www.tomtom.com/telematics

NEWS

TAX

Higher BIK rate needed, OECD says The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published new research suggesting that countries should tax company cars and diesels more heavily in order to bring down pollution rates and ease traffic congestion. Most OECD member countries only impose taxes on 50 per cent of the benefit to employees from company cars, and critics say that this makes contributes to a culture where employees use these vehicles more than is strictly necessary – in many countries, up to three times as much as people operating private cars.

The OECD study claims that under-taxing these vehicles creates an average annual subsidy of £1,260 per company car, ranging from £45 in Canada to £2,178 in Belgium.

UK drivers were found to receive an average subsidy of £880 each year. The total cost across 27 OECD countries plus South Africa is estimated at

£21 billion in lost tax revenue.

Furthermore, under‑taxing carries additional costs in terms of climate change, local air pollution, congestion and road accidents, estimated at £91 billion. This is made worse by the fact that 33 of 34 OECD countries tax diesel at lower rates than petrol, as diesel contains approximately 18 per cent more carbon for litre than petrol.

Simon Upton, OECD Environment Director, said: “The cost of driving a car today does not properly reflect the impact on the environment and to society. Taxing diesel fuel and company cars correctly would help to fix this.

“Governments should stop offering financial incentives to drive cars and to run them on fuels with a heavy environmental footprint.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/nynbrb6

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

UN report on biofuel use The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) says in a new report that biofuels now contribute to one per cent of energy use worldwide. ‘The State of the Biofuels Market: Regulatory, Trade and Development Perspectives’ is an updated look at the growth of the biofuels market, an area UNCTAD first reported on in 2006.

The report states: “While in 2006 the biofuel market was only starting to become truly international, by 2013 bioethanol

and biodiesel have already become established commodities traded daily in all continents.”

UNCTAD calls for international strategies to prevent a technological gap between land-intensive first generation technologies and newer biofuels that require a lot of investment. The report concludes: “Biofuels will continue to provide different types of opportunities to different countries.”

READ MORE

LowCVP’s Andy Eastlake Ultra Low Emission Zones in the spotlight This month I was fortunate enough to be invited to participate in Michelin’s Challenge Bibendum event held in Chengdu in central China.

Created more than 15 years ago, and since held twelve times on five continents, Challenge Bibendum’s aim is to build international commitment to sustainable mobility.

Chengdu, believe it or not, has a population bigger than that of Greater London. Whilst the pollution challenge there is not yet as acute as in Beijing, the city certainly demonstrated how important the issue of ultra-low emission mobility is for the rapidly growing mega cities of the future.

The event brought together political, industry, scientific, and media representatives to discuss how to speed-up the transition to sustainable mobility. In the words of Michelin’s Senior Vice-President Patrick Oliva, “Innovation in mobility is at the heart of growth and urban well-being.”

One of the key workshops I participated in, looked at Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ). Much international interest is, of course, now focused on the latest plans and proposals for London’s ULEZ which is seen to be at the leading edge in this area of policy.

There’s no doubt that leading in a policy area can be very challenging and we may not get everything absolutely right first time. One of the key learning points, though, for me coming out from the international debate, was how the consultative and collaborative approach which has been adopted here in the UK can deliver both better technical and environmental solutions and ensure more robust implementation.

With TfL consulting on the ULEZ right now, I would urge you to make your views known. I’d also suggest you take the opportunity to engage through the LowCVP in the many other areas of discussion around low carbon mobility; through this very British approach it’s clear we have the ability to be amongst the World’s leaders in delivering sustainable mobility and seizing real advantage for local companies and for the UK as a whole.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.lowcvp.org.uk and follow LowCVP on Twitter: @theLowCVP and @aeastlake

tinyurl.com/lwb536o Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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business.peugeot.co.uk /308sw

CLASS-LEADING CO2 CLASS-LEADING BOOT SPACE

NEW PEUGEOT 308 SW

1.6 BlueHDi 120 FAP 6-speed manual stop start

CO2 MPG Boot space

from 85g/km up to 88 up to 1775 litres

SENSATIONS EXTENDED You CAN have it all. The lowest CO2 for this kind of car – and no road tax to pay. The biggest boot in the market, with one-touch folding seats and a flat boot floor. Excellent driving dynamics due to a strong, light chassis.

And inside a sleek, technologically-advanced interior including the Peugeot i-Cockpit with 9.7" touchscreen+.

The 308 SW is your new business leader. Find out more by visiting business.peugeot.co.uk/308sw or calling 02476 884 644 for more information.

Official Fuel Consumption in mpg (l/100km) and CO 2 emissions (g/km) for the 308 SW range are: Urban 43.5 (6.5) – 78.5 (3.6), Extra Urban 64.2 (4.4) – 94.2 (3), Combined 54.3 (5.2) – 88.3 (3.2) and CO2 119-85.

MPG figures are achieved under official EU test conditions, intended as a guide for comparative purposes only, and may not reflect actual on-the-road driving conditions. Model shown is a 308 SW Feline with 18" Saphir alloy wheels. +9.7" touchscreen and satellite navigation available on Active level and above.

NEW PEUGEOT 308 SW

NEWS

News in brief Audi A1 more fuel efficient The German carmaker Audi has made newer versions of its A1 model more fuel efficient, achieving fuel economy of as much as 80.7 miles per gallon. The new iterations run on a 1.6 TDI engine that emits as little as 92g/km CO2, down from the 99g/km emitted by 2010 models.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Survey finds majority favour conventional cars over electrics A PricewaterhouseCoopers survey of 500 drivers indicates that only one in a hundred would consider buying an electric car when in the market for a new vehicle, and only 13 per cent would consider a hybrid vehicle.

The PwC survey suggests that consumers believe the burden of CO2 reduction lies with carmakers rather than with their own purchasing decisions.

Phil Harrold, partner in the automotive practice at PwC, said: “Customers expect manufacturers to shoulder the burden of ensuring their next car has minimal impact on the environment, but they remain less likely to opt for hybrids or electric cars themselves.

“The demands and preferences of the drivers clearly highlight the dilemma faced by car manufacturers. Customers are conservative when it comes to their

choice of car, yet expect innovation from manufacturers to help protect the climate.

The challenge facing manufacturers is to change the primary concern in buyers’ minds from cost to conservation.”

However, there have been more encouraging signs in recent months. As GreenFleet reported back in November, uptake of electric vehicles continues to grow month on month, with almost a third of all government-issued ultra low emission vehicle (ULEV) grants given out in the third financial quarter of this year. Over 5,000 grants were issued between July and September, representing an increase of more than 50 per cent from the previous quarter.

READ MORE

tinyurl.com/nemtdje

First EV route planner launched The new e.go Journey Planner tool has been launched in Belfast, which is said to be the world’s first e-car journey planning tool.

The tool is being piloted in Ireland and will enable users to receive suggested routes that consider electric-vehicle charging facilities, as well as information on the cost of the journey, CO2 emissions and savings.

The tool was launched by South West College and Action Renewables at the BATTERIE project closing conference held at Titanic Belfast. The BATTERIE European regional development-funded project has been established to improve the co-operation and links between various transport services across Europe, and to promote the application of smart technologies and usage of alternative fuels.

tinyurl.com/ohxqqtc

Electric vehicles for London’s Royal Parks

CARBON REDUCTION

Hermes zero emission operations praised by Major of London A Hermes initiative to slash emissions from its courier vehicles in central London has been welcomed by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. Using a 44-strong fleet of 100 per cent electric, zero emission vehicles, Hermes, the consumer delivery specialist, expects to save 146 tonnes of carbon a year, as well as reducing congestion in the capital.

Working in partnership with Gnewt Cargo, London’s electric vehicle parcel delivery operator, Hermes aims to make carbon emission and NOx savings of 100 per cent for ‘last mile delivery’ within the city. This represents the biggest commitment yet by a UK carrier to cut emissions in the city.

The initiative compliments the Mayor’s

READ MORE

proposal to introduce an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in central London from 2020.

Boris Johnson, said: “Hermes is setting a fantastic example for London’s logistics companies, all of whom have their part to play in helping to improve London’s air quality. It is an urgent challenge, which affects the health and wellbeing of all Londoners. Under the world’s most ambitious and comprehensive set of measures, we have already taken thousands of the most polluting buses and taxis off the streets, and are planning the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London from 2020. By doing their bit, Hermes too is helping to create cleaner, greener, more breathable air for every Londoner.”

The Royal Parks, the governing body that oversees the management of eight major London parks, has incorporated two Nissan Leaf electric vehicles into its fleet in a move that is intended to reflect a commitment to the environment. Royal Parks leased the vehicles from Alphabet on five-year contracts after a tendering process was coordinated by the Crown Commercial Service.

Dave Jordan, assistant park manager, said: “Electric cars are ideal for us.

They’re quiet and of course they don’t emit any fumes. The Leafs are based in Hyde Park and St James Park, where they are charged overnight. Their range is easily enough to cover journeys to and from the farthest parks we manage, Richmond and Greenwich.”

Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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DRIVING THE FUTURE

At Lex Autolease, we do more than just help you choose the most efficient vehicles. We can help structure your policy, manage your mileage and enable your drivers to use their vehicles more efficiently.

Our aim is lower emissions and costs for you – which is good for the environment and your business.

0845 769 7381 marketing@lexautolease.co.uk lexautolease.co.uk/thegreen

ELECTRIC VEHICLES Written by Michael Boxwell

What winter means for electric vehicles For the electric vehicle owner, winter brings with it extra uncertainty. What will my range be like?

How will my car handle in snow and ice? Can I keep my heater on and still get home?

Michael Boxwell, author of the Electric Car Guide, answers some key questions I’ve driven electric cars since 2006 and worked with various manufacturers on electric vehicle developments since 2010.

One of the most common questions I am asked is how the cars perform in the winter.

Thankfully, driving an electric car in winter is not as worrying as you might think. Whilst the overall range of the car is reduced, the smooth electric motor makes driving an electric car easier and often safer. Additionally, most electric cars have a pre-heat function that ensure you remain warm and snug from the moment you get behind the wheel.

Of course, winter driving can be hazardous in any vehicle. All the usual driving tips for conventional cars are important to observe: plan your journey, check the weather conditions before you leave, make sure you carry de-icer and a windscreen scraper. Take your time when driving and expect hazards around every corner. Winter tyres are a worthwhile investment, whatever vehicle you are driving, offering increased grip and improved tyre wear in cold conditions.

Driving in snow and ice An electric car is often at an advantage when driving in snow and ice. With no gears and an ultra-smooth motor, you are far less likely to slip and slide when accelerating.

The narrow eco tyres on many electric cars can also help, aiding grip on packed snow.

The power characteristics of an electric motor mean that it is very easy to pull away and minimise wheel spin with an electric car. Simply release the handbrake and gently touch the accelerator and the smooth power delivery will usually allow the car to pull away with minimal fuss.

Electric car owners can use regenerative braking – where the motor progressively slows the car and uses the motion of the wheels to recharge the batteries – to provide far smoother and safer braking. The method for slowing a car using regenerative braking does vary between models. On the BMW i3 or Mitsubishi i-MiEV, for example, simply taking your foot off the accelerator will activate the

When s batteriethe , are coldf time it to amoun harge them c takes toes. Overnight increas ing can take charg tra hour an ex wo or t

regenerative braking, gently slowing the car down to walking pace before you apply the brakes to bring the car to a halt. On the Nissan LEAF, gently touching the brake pedal activates the regenerative braking.

Because the motor is used for both accelerating and braking, the overall balance of the car remains more consistent. This is a significant benefit when driving on ice or slow. Regenerative braking reduces the chance of skidding or sliding and minimises the risk of losing control of the car. Overall braking distances are similar to other cars braking gently in slippery conditions.

How is the range affected?

When the temperature plummets, so does the range on most electric cars. Not only is there an increased use of in-car heating and lighting, the batteries themselves do not perform as well. Owners report that in sub-zero temperatures, range can drop by around 30-40 per cent compared to the optimum range in summer.

Independent real world tests that I carried out for the 2015 edition of The Electric Car Guide using a Nissan LEAF and a Mitsubishi i-MiEV bear this out. I carried out a series of driving tests on fixed routes during the winter of 2012-2013 and repeating them E Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Style with sophistication.

ALL-NEW FORD MONDEO Ford Dynamic LED Headlights

Sleek curves, bold lines and an elegant interior — the All-New Mondeo is quite a head-turner.

But it isn’t just the looks that are refined: the technology you’ll find inside is equally sophisticated.

Take the rear seatbelts with built-in airbags that give your passengers unprecedented protection.

Or the dynamic LED headlights that adjust their lighting pattern to help improve all-round visibility.

Smart on the inside, smart on the outside — that never goes out of style.

Now available as a Hybrid Electric delivering over 100mpg on urban cycle. For more information please contact our Business Centre on 0345 723 2323.

P11D

BIK

CO 2

MPG

£20,795 - £26,995

14% - 31%

174 - 94g/km

38.7 - 78.5

COMBINED

Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Ford Mondeo range: urban 27.4-100.9 (5.7-2.8), extra urban 47.9-85.6 (5.9-3.3), combined 38.7-78.5 (7.3-3.6). Official CO2 emissions 174-94g/km.

The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results (EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008), are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience.

Vehicle shown is the Ford Mondeo Titanium with Titanium X Pack and optional 19́​́alloy wheels and optional panoramic roof.

You don’t have to make the choice between range and keeping warm.

Most electric cars have a useful feature called pre-heating that allows you to heat up the interior whilst the car is still plugged in  during the summer of 2013. There were individual tests for city centre, extra-urban, cross country and motorway driving.

I measured an average range of 86.75 miles (139.92km) when driving the Nissan LEAF in an average ambient temperature of 21°c.

In an average temperature of -7°c, the range dropped to 67.02 miles (108km) without using cabin heating and to 53.29 miles (85.96km) with the heating switched on.

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV provided an average range of 78.25 miles (126.21km) in the summer with an average ambient temperature of 22°c.

About the author Michael Boxwell is the author of The Electric Car Guide; 2015 Edition, which is to be published by Greenstream on 1 December 2014.

Michael is a former managing director of a leading electric car supplier, long time electric car enthusiast and internationally bestselling author of The Solar Electricity Handbook (Greenstream Publishing, 2014).

Michael is a regular guest speaker in the media on environmental and motoring issues, has a forthcoming regular show with BBC radio and is the former co-host of the Transport Evolved show and has also provided support for electric car features on well-known motoring show Top Gear.

In an average temperature of -8°c, the range dropped to 53.39 miles (86.11km) without using cabin heating and to 42.88 miles (69.16km) with heating.

Whilst this is a significant drop in range, the remaining range is still far higher than a typical daily driving distance. With the average car journey of 6½ miles in the UK and the average distance travelled throughout the day of 22 miles, an electric car still fulfils its role even in the depths of winter.

Staying warm Thankfully, the days of wearing a thick coat and gloves to stay warm in a G-Wiz in the depths of winter are long gone. Modern day electric cars have powerful electric cabin heaters that can heat the interior quickly, even in the coldest conditions.

However, that comes at a cost: after the power used by the motor, the cabin heater is the biggest drain on the batteries.

Thankfully, you don’t have to make the choice between range and keeping warm.

Most electric cars have a useful feature called pre-heating that allows you to heat up the interior whilst the car is still plugged in. Depending on which car you have, you can switch on pre-heat either by pressing a remote button on your key fob or more commonly by running an app on your mobile phone. When you get to your car the screen is defrosted, the interior is warm and you’re ready to head on your way in comfort, using far less of your charge to maintain the temperature within the cabin.

Charging times When batteries are cold, the amount of time it takes to charge them increases. Overnight charging can take an extra hour or two to fully charge up the batteries, whilst rapid

The only book of its kind currently on the market, The Electric Car Guide has been significantly updated for 2015.

Issues covered by this book include the practical implications of owning and driving electric cars; the purchasing and running costs involved; detailed descriptions of the various car models available; and a guide to buying used electric cars. It also explores the environmental implications and includes some unique ‘real world’ fuel economy figures compared with those for cars with combustion engines.

With a foreword by electric car enthusiast, comic actor and presenter Robert Llewellyn, and interactive links to the author’s website, the book is an indispensable guide to anyone interested in owning an electric car.

Buy the book on Amazon at tinyurl.com/m8g4sss

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

About The Electric Car Guide

charging at a motorway service station may take up to forty-five minutes instead of thirty.

Combined with the shorter range and the opportunity for pre-heating the car on their return, many electric car owners take every opportunity to plug their cars in during the winter months, both at home and using public charging points. For typical day-to-day driving, opportunity charging has a mostly psychological benefit for owners, but at least they know the car is available to use whenever they need it.

When it gets really cold During vehicle development testing, I’ve driven electric cars in temperatures as low as -18°c, but many owners have used them in far lower temperatures than that.

Somewhat surprisingly, Norway is one of the biggest markets for electric cars, with the Nissan LEAF, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Tesla Model S and BMW i3 regularly featuring in the top ten best selling cars list each month.

Research carried out in 2010 by one car manufacturer identified that Norwegian electric car owners tend to plug their cars in at every opportunity and use the pre-heat function to keep their cars warm. They are more likely to store their cars in a garage overnight to minimise the impact of the severe cold temperatures, but otherwise use their cars and travel a similar daily distance to drivers in the United Kingdom.

All in all, if an electric car is a practical proposition for you during the summer months, it is also a practical proposition during the winter. The power characteristics of an electric motor, combined with regenerative braking can make driving in adverse weather conditions safer and easier than a conventional car, whilst the pre-heat function ensures your comfort behind the wheel. L Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Infiniti Q50

FOLLOW THAT INSTINCT

You feel the pull the moment you see its curves. But when you get behind the wheel, instinct really takes over.

Driving you to experience the 170 PS direct injection turbo-charged Diesel or the 211 PS 2.0l turbo-charged Petrol engine. Forcing you to feel the visceral pleasure of world-first Direct Adaptive Steering. It’s time to follow your heart and give in to your instinct.

Book your test drive now at infiniti-instinct.co.uk

Official fuel economy figures for the Infiniti Q50 range in mpg (l/100 km): urban 29.4 to 50.4 (9.6 to 5.6), extra urban 53.3 to 76.3 (5.3 to 3.7), combined 41.5 to 64.2 (6.8 to 4.4). CO2 emission: 159 to 114 g/km.

Official EU Test Figures. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ.

Government funding for infrastructure, consumer subsidies, falling production costs and the release of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles all indicate a viable future for hydrogen as an alternative fuel. But concerns still exist over its feasibility and safety. Henri Winand examines the myths around hydrogen energy and fuel-cell electric vehicles

Commitment to hydrogen Despite recent developments, however, a number of myths around the use, power efficiency and cost of fuel cells still exist.

With leading OEMs such as Toyota, Honda and Hyundai all recently announcing their intentions to make their FCEVs available to the consumer market, it would be foolish to assume the OEMs have not done their homework. They are showing huge commitment to a hydrogen fuelled future.

In August 2014, Hyundai’s ix35 fuel cell model was driven a record distance for a hydrogen-powered production car on a single tank, covering 435 miles across three Scandinavian countries.

Toyota recently unveiled the production version of its fuel cell electric vehicle at the Los Angeles auto show, the ‘Mirai’ which means ‘future’ in Japanese. It can travel 300 miles (483 km) on a tank of hydrogen gas and refuel in five minutes.

It will be available in the UK and US next year.

Air Liquide has confirmed plans to build a network of hydrogen filling stations in the US in collaboration with Toyota Motor Sales USA. Honda also publicised its latest hydrogen‑powered car, the FCEV Concept, which promises a 135bhp and a 435 mile range.

FCEVs represent opportunity to offer motoring consumers a zero tailpipe emissions yet practical solution. It’s time to debunk a number of myths.

This renewable production capacity is increasingly important to ensure the existing power grid can accept more renewable sources. Of course, this also has the merit of producing so-called “green hydrogen”.

Moreover, fuel cell vehicles have zero CO2 and particulate tailpipe emissions.

According to a report by the Californian Fuel Cell Partnership, cars running on hydrogen derived from natural gas emit 55 to 65 per cent less carbon than gasoline-powered ones, because of their higher efficiencies. Because Myth 1: Hydrogen energy is not fuel cells are much more efficient than internal all that energy efficient combustion engines (ICEs), whether produced While hydrogen is the most abundant element from natural gas or renewable energy, on in the Universe, here on earth, it typically a so called ‘well-to-wheel’ basis, hydrogen needs to be extracted from water or organic used in FCEVs is notably more efficient compounds. This is not particularly different than natural gas burnt in ICEs. It also goes from the diesel and gasoline used without saying FCEVs don’t spew in combustion engines which carcinogens or smog-forming n e g o r are produced from refining particulates and compounds d y H id p and cleaning crude oil (a which negatively affect air a r a s ha 8 process which actually quality and consequently .

3 ( ity heavily involves the public health in cities. diffusiv ter than s use of hydrogen). a f times ral gas), While hydrogen is Myth 2: Hydrogen natu eleased, currently extracted gas is dangerous nr e from natural gas and is to store and use h o t w n i o s kly c i u already a multi-billion Arguably one of the q s it dilute ‑flammable dollar global industry most common concerns used in a wide range of raised when discussing a non ntration industrial applications, it is the use of hydrogen is once c also produced via renewable that, as a flammable gas, it sources such as solar, wind or can be easily ignited and as such biogas without the need to use fossil fuels. far too hazardous to be stored either in refuelling stations or within a pressure tank.

Yet, hydrogen is no more dangerous than other flammable fuels or the batteries used in electric cars. In fact, vehicles with pressure gas storage tanks are nothing E

Written by Henri Winand, ceo, Intelligent Energy

This year has significant growth for the fuel cell market, particularly in countries such as the US, UK, Germany, France and Japan. Public-private investment initiatives, government funding for infrastructure and consumer subsidies, falling production costs and, perhaps most notably, a commitment to future OEM launches of production fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) all indicate a clear road to adoption. Last year’s UK H2 Mobility report supports this conclusion, outlining that FCEVs represent an attractive and sustainable long-term business proposition, capable of delivering important environmental and economic benefits to the UK.

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

Debunking hydrogen myths

The UK Government has announced £11m in investment to establish an initial network of up to 15 hydrogen refuelling stations by the end of 2015

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Toyota Mirai

 new. With millions of on-the-road miles driven over the last few years, an existing global multi-billion industry transporting and making hydrogen for many decades, the automotive industry seems to be more than sufficiently convinced that hydrogen can be stored safely, with Toyota very recently having received approval from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to self-inspect and manufacture hydrogen tanks for FCEVs. To reinforce the safety aspect of using hydrogen storage tanks, Toyota reported that it had even fired bullets at its carbon-fibre fuel tanks, which failed to do any more than bounce off or leave small dents. In fact, hydrogen has a rapid diffusivity (3.8 times faster than natural gas), which means when released, it dilutes quickly into a non-flammable concentration.

Considering this, one might even consider it a safer alternative to the gasoline we use today, which when spilt creates an easily ignitable hazard for an extended period and, unlike hydrogen which has a low emissivity (you can put your hand next to a hydrogen flame without being burnt), when ignited sets secondary fires as the heat generated by gasoline is high.

Myth 3: FCEVs and their supporting infrastructure are too expensive to build The cost of building fuel cell vehicles has dropped dramatically of late. Recent advances

in fuel cell manufacturing and catalyst performance have led to a dramatic decrease in the cost of fuel cell production. In a recent interview with digital publication Quartz, Gil Castillo, senior group manager of advanced vehicles for Hyundai in California, said costs have dropped 70 per cent since the company began working on fuel cells in the late 1990s.

So much so, Hyundai has announced it is leasing its hydrogen SUV for $499 a month, with fuel thrown in for free.

Manufacturers are working tirelessly to bring down the cost of FCEVs even further; this will decrease as they scale production for mass market. This isn’t a matter of developing new, bleeding edge technologies, there is nothing new to invent here, just volume manufacturing and product engineering like any other products.

In fact, Toyota recently mentioned that it has been able to streamline its FCEV manufacturing process, by gaining Japanese government approval to build and inspect hydrogen tanks, which is expected to help reduce the enabling costs of installing fuel cells into electric vehicles.

Once you consider this alongside government funding initiatives and subsidies from California to Japan, and across Europe, the case for inexpensive fuel cells and the requisite infrastructure becomes even stronger. On 1 May 2014, the California Energy Commission announced that it will invest $46.6 million to accelerate the development of publicly accessible hydrogen refueling stations in California in order to promote a consumer market for zero-emission fuel cell vehicles.

Furthermore, the Obama administration has launched the USA’s hydrogen strategy nationwide through the launch H2USA – a new public-private partnership focused on advancing hydrogen infrastructure to support more transportation energy options for U.S. consumers, including fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

Likewise, on 9 October 2014, the UK Government announced £11 million in investment to establish an initial network of up to 15 hydrogen refuelling stations by the end of 2015, and will include £2 million of funding for public sector hydrogen vehicles.

Infrastructure investments are not unique to the US. According to ITS-Davis researchers, regional investment of US$100-$200 million to support 100 stations for about 50,000 FCEVs would be enough to make hydrogen cost-competitive with gasoline on a cost‑per-mile basis. This level of investment is already poised to happen in at least three places: California, Germany and Japan.

Myth 4: It will be difficult and time intensive to refuel There’s no need for consumers to change their typical refuelling behaviour to fill

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

The cost of building fuel cell vehicles has dropped dramatically of late. Recent advances in fuel cell manufacturing and catalyst performance have led to a dramatic decrease in the cost of fuel cell production up their FCEV with hydrogen – a similar ‘nozzle‑to‑car’ method is employed and standards already exist which is somewhat different to other alternative fuel vehicles. The FCEVS manufactured by Toyota, Hyundai and Honda already allow an ‘at-pump’ refuel that will take just a few minutes to fill, compared to the extended periods (including overnight) required to recharge battery-only vehicles.

Most importantly, drivers aren’t required refill again for several hundred miles. Hydrogen fuel cell technology is already being trialled with buses in a number of cities including London and can also be scaled to meet the demands of long-haul trucks and other big vehicles.

Myth 5: FCEVs don’t have enough energy for long journeys FCEVs offer zero tailpipe emission motoring without compromising on performance and range. The capacity to carry more energy on-board FCEVs compared to battery powered cars means fuel cell vehicles have the superior range. Performance has also improved over time. An FCEV with an on‑board hydrogen gas tank can now achieve a range competitive with conventional and hybrid vehicles.

When put to the test in the real-world on California roads, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers demonstrated that a fuel cell-powered Toyota Highlander SUV can travel over 400 miles and achieve a fuel economy of 69 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe).

In fact, the hydrogen cars entering the market today have triple the range of most battery electric cars and can be refuelled in several minutes (rather than recharged in hours).

What’s more, this is only the beginning.

With the advancement of fuel cell technology, it’s clear to see that the case for adoption of FCEVs will continue to grow. This will also be driven by ever tightening global policies on carbon emissions. Industry partners from OEMs, to governments and fuel cell technology providers need to continue to work together to seize this opportunity and deliver a highly scalable and viable tailpipe, emissions-free energy alternative for the mass market.

We’re excited about the opportunity that fuel cell technology offers to the automotive industry, and we look forward to welcoming further market advancements and examples of real‑world commercial use that will come to market in the next 12 to 18 months. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.intelligent-energy.com

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THE NEW JAGUAR XE. FROM 99G/KM OF C02 AND UP TO 75 MPG

Official fuel consumption for the Jaguar XE range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 24.4-64.2 (11.6-4.4); Extra Urban 46.3-83.1 (6.1-3.4); Combined 34.9-75.0 (8.1-3.8). CO2 Emissions 194-99 (g/km). Official EU Test Figures. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ.

THE SPORTS SALOON REDEFINED. The new Jaguar XE features our lightweight, all-new aluminium architecture and F-TYPE-inspired design and technology. With class-leading emissions from as low as 99g/km of CO 2 and up to 75 mpg, the new Jaguar XE is the most efficient car we’ve ever built.

It’s due to arrive in 2015. For more information and to be among the first to experience the new Jaguar XE, register at jaguar.co.uk/XE or contact the Jaguar Business Centre on 0845 600 2214.

Thank you from Alphabet.

We’re delighted to have been awarded “Leasing Company of the Year 2014” at the recent GreenFleet awards.

We would like to thank GreenFleet for recognising us for “making the biggest strides towards environmental considerations in our leasing policies”.

This award reaffirms our commitment to delivering the industry shaping products and services you’ve come to expect from us including AlphaCity our Corporate CarSharing scheme and AlphaElectric our 360 ⁰ consultancy service.

Find out more:

Tel: 0870 50 50 100 Email: alphabet@alphabet.co.uk www.alphabet.co.uk

Raise a glass to the 2014 GreenFleet Award winners The green-minded fleet community gathered at the Heritage Motor Centre Museum in Warwickshire, on the 30 October to find out who would scoop a GreenFleet Award, the industry’s most coveted awards for environmental fleet management and low-carbon motoring. Here is a look at the winners

This year’s GreenFleet Awards once again shone a spotlight on the fleet operators, suppliers and manufacturers that are putting great efforts into minimising the environmental impact of their fleets and vehicles. The awards were sponsored

by Jaguar, who this year released its most fuel-efficient model ever – the XE. With the UK potentially receiving fines for failing to reach air pollution targets, the need to curb vehicle emissions is becoming ever more pressing. And year-on-year, organisations who operate fleets, as well as the motoring industry and fleet suppliers are putting great effort into reducing the impact of their transport operations and vehicle production. The GreenFleet Awards continues to recognise such dedication.

This year’s event was hosted by Quentin Willson, a renowned motoring journalist and longstanding spokesperson for drivers’ rights and a champion of greener fuels.

Quentin is a regular face on BBC Breakfast and ITV’s Good Morning Britain appears on scores of TV and radio shows including

GREENFLEET AWARDS

Sponsored by

14 The 20 eet l GreenF ds Awar one a ain sh once agtlight on g coupled with improved spo nimisin al levels of support, i m e s t tho alongside the arrival of ronmenir electric i v n e e cars and a radical e th h t of t c approach to ‘mobility’, a p im the brand has the biggest fleets

Radio 4’s The Today Programme, writes motoring column for the Sunday Mirror and Classic Cars Magazine and is the author of 10 best‑selling motoring books. He won Motoring Writer of the Year in 2004.

Fleet manufacturer This year, BMW scooped the title of Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year, which was Sponsored by Rockingham. Award judges said: “The German marque is the brand that all other vehicle manufacturers operating in the fleet sector must aspire to beat.

Initially through its ConnectedDrive and EfficientDynamics technologies, which are now commonplace across its vehicle range, BMW has defined the next generation of models in the revolutionary i3 and i8 electric cars. With fuel-sipping, low emission models to fit virtually every company car choice list, including the new 2 and 4 Series, X4 and X5, amongst the lowest whole life costs

green halo in the market.”

BMW’s electric i3 has made a splash in the green motoring industry since its launch in late 2013. It was designed and built from the ground up as an electric vehicle following extensive trials into the real‑world usage of electric vehicles.

The i3 is engineered using 100 per cent renewable energy; the plant at Moses Lake utilises hydroelectric power and the BMW i assembly in Leipzig uses energy from wind turbines. As a whole, the production uses 50 per cent less energy and 70 per cent less water compared to normal automotive production processes.

The BMW i3 has a focus on using sustainable, recycled and lightweight materials designed to offset the weight of the battery and to help achieve maximum range. E Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Judith Eadie

Automotive Leasing’s Electric Vehicle Champion.

Spreading the EV love.

We’re Automotive Leasing, and as the public sector specialist division of LeasePlan, we’ve seen lots of vehicle trends in the last 50 years.

This one is really exciting.

We’re seeing a million possibilities to make a real difference and enjoy all the benefits that come with a sustainable fleet strategy.

Download our ebook The New Green www.easiertoleaseplan.co.uk

The C1 helped Citroën scoop the City Car Manufaturer of the Yea award

changes in low-emission technology. The category is for the manufacturer of the best plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), sponsored by EDF Energy. Mitsubishi won the award for its PHEV Outlander, which is the world’s first plug-in hybrid 4x4 SUV. Historically, 4x4 vehicles have had the reputation of being gas-guzzlers. But Mitsubishi’s plug-in hybrid electric version of its Outlander is a remarkably clean car. It can do 32.5 miles in pure electric mode and it also has a 2.0-litre petrol engine, giving the car a claimed 512 miles. The theory is that, for most people’s daily commutes, which average 25 miles (according

The ishi Mitsub PHEV er Outland inaugural e won th leet Award GreenFg-in Hybrid for Plu ic Vehicle Electr cturer of Manufa Year the

GREENFLEET AWARDS

 The king of small cars & LCVs Citroën celebrated double success this year, taking home City Car Manufacturer of the Year, sponsored by Green Motion, and LCV Manufacturer of the Year, sponsored by Kumho Tyres. Citroën has a range of 51 cars that are sub-100g/km, and with the launch of its new super-mini, the C1, the marque has no less than 19 model variants in that bracket, with diesel engines emitting as little as 84g/km of CO2 per kilometre.

The new Citroën C1 is the latest generation of the popular city car that has sold more than 780,000 examples worldwide since launch in 2005. With a cheerful personality, attractive styling and impressive efficiency, the new Citroën C1 is available as both three and five-door versions, as a hatchback and as a new open-top body style, named Airscape (see page 56 for a road test of the Citroën C1 Feel Airscape VTi 68).

For its commercial vehicles, this year Citroën released its new Relay panel van with fuel economy improvements of up to 15 per cent while CO2 emissions have also been reduced thanks to efficient HDi and e-HDi 130 diesel engines, Stop & Start, energy recapture and intelligent alternator management.

What’s more, it has class‑leading payloads and load space practicality.

Fuel economy and CO2 emissions have also been improved on the Berlingo to 56.5mpg (previously 55.4mpg) and CO2 emissions reduced to 131g/km from 133g/km for the HDi 75 powered Berlingo vans. Similarly, the Berlingo LX e-HDi 90 manual micro‑hybrid sees its CO2 emissions reduced to 120g/km from 125g/km and its combined cycle fuel consumption figure improve to 61.4mpg (previously 58.9mpg). The Berlingo also has a pure electric variant which can do 106 miles and a top speed of 68.75mph.

Citroën’s LCV range also includes the popular Nemo and Dispatch.

to data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders), the electric power will be sufficient and you won’t need to fill up at the pumps. But for long distance trips, the petrol engine will get you there. The quoted fuel economy figure is a staggering 148mpg.

What is interesting is that you can also charge the car up using the petrol engine, which powers a generator, if you needed electric power and couldn’t get to an external source. Another clever feature is that you can save the power on the battery if, for example, you had a stretch of motorway to do before reaching a town.

Generally for hybrid technology, you have to pay a premium over the diesel/petrol option. But the Outlander PHEV is the same price as the diesel version – £28,249 after the government grant. What’s more, there are no compromises due to the size of the battery, in that you still get five seats and have the same boot space, something that other hybrids can’t always claim.

EV manufacturer of the year The award for Electric Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year, sponsored by EDF Energy, went to Volkswagen.

Volkswagen has been testing electric and hybrid powertrains for some years but it’s only now that the results of these testing programmes are being seen. The company has made a memorable entrance in to this market, launching two new pure EV models, E

Plug-in hybrid EVs This year, GreenFleet added a new category to its awards, to cater for the

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PHEV Manufacturer of the Year

STEAM ENGINE

THE WHEEL 3500 BC

1712 NAVIGATIONAL CLOCK

ELECTRICITY 1752

1740

ALUMINIUM 1825

ENVIRONMENTALISM JET ENGINE 1930

WE HAVEN’T JUST MADE HISTORY.

WE’VE MADE A 4WD THAT’S GREENER THAN A CONVENTIONAL SMALL CAR. With the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, we haven’t just made a car – we’ve created a vehicle that really is a friend of the earth. The fusion of electric and petrol technology can deliver a staggering 148 mpg1 and creates a fraction of the CO2 emissions of even a conventional small car - just 44g/km. As a result you’ll pay no road tax or Congestion Charge. Business users will only pay 5% Benefit in Kind rather than the 25%+ that most business users pay2. If your commute is less than 30 miles your petrol consumption will be minimal too. That’s because, in full electric mode, the Outlander PHEV has a range of 32 miles. Its combined petrol and electric range is an incredible 510 miles3. Plus its battery can be charged in a few hours via a domestic plug socket or a low-cost4 home Charge Point5. We’ve made history – you just need to make time for a test drive.

We call this Intelligent Motion.

Make time for a test drive | Search: Outlander PHEV Visit: mitsubishi-cars.co.uk to find your nearest dealer

1960’s

THE WORLD’S FIRST 4WD PLUG-IN HYBRID SUV FROM £28,249 - £34,999 Including £5,000 Government Plug-in Car Grant6

1. Official EU MPG test figure shown as a guide for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. 2. 5% BIK compared to average rate of 25%+. 3. 32 mile EV range achieved with full battery charge. 510 miles achieved with combined full battery and petrol tank. Actual range may vary depending on driving style and road conditions. 4. Low-cost British Gas plug-in vehicle charging package available – ask your dealer for more information. Offer ends 31st March 2015. 5. Domestic plug charge: 5 hours, 16 Amp home charge point: 3.5 hours, 80% rapid charge: 30mins. 6. Prices shown include VAT (at 20%), exclude VED and First Registration Fee. Metallic paint extra. Model shown is an Outlander PHEV GX4h at £33,399 including metallic paint. Prices correct at time of going to print. For more information about the Government Plug-in Car Grant please visit www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants.

Outlander PHEV range fuel consumption in mpg (ltrs/100km): Full Battery Charge: no fuel used, Depleted Battery Charge: 48mpg (5.9), Weighted Average: 148mpg (1.9), CO2 Emissions: 44 g/km.

iPad

ISO/IEC 27001

AWARDS2014

FLEET MANAGEMENT - WINNER

BUREAU VERITAS Certification

GREENFLEET AWARDS

 the e-Golf and e-Up. As they are both based on a standard production car, a driver new to electric car technology would feel at home The e-Up is powered by a small AC electric motor which produces 80bhp/60kW and 155lb ft/210Nm of torque. The motor drives the front wheels via a single-speed gearbox.

For the e-Up, charging time is nine hours from flat, but with an optional and free British Gas wallbox and 3.6kW supply, this time drops to six hours. All e-Ups come with a DC fast-charging circuit as standard. Using the Combined Charging System (CCS), a flat battery can be recharged to 80 per cent in 30 minutes at levels of 40kW from a DC supply.

The e-Up comes with a 3-year 60,000-mile warranty, with the e-components guaranteed for five years, while the battery has an 8-year, 99,360-mile warranty. There are no leasing costs. The e-Up’s official driving range on the NEDC cycle is 93 miles.

Volkswagen e-Golf takes the contemporary Mk 7 version of the German hatch as a starting point and adds an 85kW / 113bhp AC electric motor driven by a single‑speed gearbox. A 264-cell, 318kg lithium-ion battery is integrated into the Golf’s floor. Rated at 323 volts and 24.2kWh, it can be fully charged in 13 hours on a 2.3kW UK home electricity supply, while using a 3.6kW wallbox takes this down to eight hours.

As with the e-Up Volkswagen has added the European combined charging system (CCS) to the e-Golf for rapid charging of the battery to 80 per cent capacity in 30 minutes.

Official range is 118 miles, depending on ambient conditions and driving style, and an optional £825 heat pump adds up to 20 per cent more range in colder climates.

HGV manufacturer of the year DAF Trucks scooped this year’s HGV Manufacturer of the Year award. Its new range of trucks have been designed for maximum efficiency, reliability and the highest driver comfort. At the heart of the new LF, CF and XF models is a range of Euro 6 compliant engines using a combination of state of the art technologies including selective catalytic reduction, exhaust gas recirculation and a diesel particulate filter to meet the latest Euro standard which

Volkswagen was awarded the prize for EV Manufacturer of the Year

cuts emissions of NOX by 95 per cent and Particulates by 97 per cent from Euro 1 levels.

And improved aerodynamics not only cut drag, but help keep windows and doors clear.

What’s more, DAF Trucks have Innovative Driver Performance Assistant to help

2014, a new smart vehicle replacement tool was added to FleetWave, which is designed to help fleets adopt flexible life cycles. It tracks individual vehicle age and mileage as well as additional attributes such as fuel usage, maintenance spend, CO2

MITIE, the facilities, property and energy management provider was presented with the Driver Training Initiative Award, sponsored by AA DriveTech drivers get the best out of their driving, as well as telematics which is integrated within its repair and maintenance packages to help pre-empt problems.

Innovation Chevin Fleet Solutions won the Award for IT Innovation, sponsored by Alphabet. The company’s web based fleet management software FleetWave now allows operators to view and measure their carbon footprint and the corrective action they take through detailed reporting tools.

The software manages green initiatives with new and continuously improved features such as the Environment Impact Report, Fuel Analysis, Driver Training, Pool Car Share Function and the Smart Vehicle Replacement tool. In September The latest Euro 6-compliant engines and technologies helped DAF Trucks take the GreenFleet Award for HGV Manufacturer of the Year

emissions, breakdowns and depreciation.

An assessment is regularly made that compares these factors to targets set for each vehicle type, creating a suggested replacement date for each car or van.

Investing in drivers MITIE, the facilities, property and energy management provider, was presented with the Driver Training Initiative Award, sponsored by AA Drivetech. MITIE operates a fleet of almost 7,500 vehicles and is responsible for training some 15,000 drivers. An online ‘driver induction’ provides an overview of MITIE’s driving policies and processes, and establishes a risk rating which ascertains the level of training required. All drivers identified as medium or high risk receive Driver Awareness Training which takes place in MITIE’s own fully mobile driving simulator.

The simulator facility can train up to 800 drivers per year in small groups with training typically lasting one hour per person.

Drivers undertake a ‘free drive’ allowing familiarisation with the simulator followed by completion of a selection of exercises including emergency stops in different weather conditions and a multi hazard scenario acting as a pre-training benchmark. The simulator records, measures and shares results of all driving activities. The trainer, using powerful computing and remote telemetry, takes the driver through a series of short scenarios discussing simple but useful driving tips.

Drivers complete a ‘distracted drive’ returning incoming text messages. The simulator replays the effects and in most instances the outcome can be quite alarming. Environmental E Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Become a corporate partner By choosing Green Motion as your Vehicle Rental partner your company now has the real choice to make an immediate and positive impact in the reduction of carbon emissions.

Green Motion’s fleet is unique as it boasts a wide range of vehicles all featuring low CO2 technologies including hybrid, electric and particular filtered diesel and, as a result, each time your company requires to hire a vehicle you have the peace of mind that by working with Green Motion you are actively reducing

your company’s carbon footprint and, in turn, helping to contribute to the reduction and the effects of global climate change.

Hiring with Green Motion also does not represent a compromise to your company. As well as an excellent range of vehicles from manufacturers including Volkswagen, BMW, Citroen, Honda, Toyota and Lexus you will also enjoy all the normal benefits and services associated to a national rental company.

Green Motion Car and Van Hire offers its customers - both leisure and business the opportunity to enjoy great value vehicle rental, while helping to reduce the impact of global CO2 emissions associated with road travel.

Our environmentally friendly fleet of cars Green Motion is committed to ensuring that its customers have the choice to hire vehicles boasting the latest in low CO2 technologies, whilst benefiting from excellent fuel economy.

Corporate Vehicle Rental Accounts with Green Motion Many responsible and forward thinking companies and organisations are pro-actively searching for ways to reduce their impact on the environment. Many areas are being addressed, such as the use of green energy and recycling initiatives, however until now, there has been little or no choice in reducing carbon emissions relating to the rental or leasing of cars and vans. With our environmentally friendly fleet of cars, Green Motion is committed to ensuring that its customers have the choice to hire vehicles boasting the latest in low CO2 technologies, whilst benefiting from excellent fuel economy.

UK Reservations: 0333 888 4000 Worldwide: 0044 (0) 2071864000 info@greenmotion.co.uk www.greenmotion.co.uk

GREENFLEET AWARDS

 driving is also taught as MITIE believes that a save driver is an environmental driver.

Zero-emission journeys The award for Private Hire/Taxi Company of the Year, sponsored by Catalina Software, went to eConnect Cars. Launched in January this year, the firm offers passengers zero emission journeys with its fully‑electric chauffeur driven service.

Account clients are given details of CO2 savings made instead of a TX4 black cab, which can then be added to their own reporting. eConnect Cars also has a ‘GoldPower’ tariff which means that for every kilowatt hour used by a GoldPowered car, an equivalent amount of energy is then produced by a

British n Gas woctor Se was presented to Private the Year GreenMotion. Since f o Fleet rge) a l its launch in 2007, o t m (mediu d by Jaguar, the Green Motion brand is now present re sponso ting in 100 in 15 countries inves ll-electric throughout the globe. a Continued investment Nissan V200s in the latest green N e

renewable energy plant somewhere else. eConnect cars buys enough GoldPower to match the electricity used by its cars. All drivers are put through the Energy Saving Trust’s EV training to make sure they are able to answer passengers’ questions about EVs confidently as well as maximising the full performance potential of the vehicles. The company plans to share best practice, replicating the model in cities other than London.

Renting the green way The award for Rental Company of the Year

vehicle technology, including hybrid, range extender and full electric, Green Motion has seen their CO2 average across the entire fleet drop to just 99g/km.

What’s more, the Green Heart Fee initiative supports environmental causes including the re-forestation and protection within the rainforest of Costa Rica and the E Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Private Sector Fleet Manager of the Year was on by Philippa Maher of Environmental Essentials

The University of Birmingham took the Public Sector Fleet Award in the small to medium category

The Public Sector Fleet Award in the medium to large category went to Islington Council

MW630 Russian Dolls landscape advert�v2.indd 2

Award-winning consultancy Leasing Company of the Year, sponsored by the Green Journey (The Fuel Card Group) was awarded to Alphabet. The company’s solutions are developed in close cooperation with customers and include the AlphaElectric consultancy service for fleets wanting to incorporate electric vehicles. It also builds on this with its innovative Corporate CarSharing options AlphaCity, to help companies build a lower CO2-emitting fleet.

This holistic approach makes sure electric technology is built into a package not only designed to keep costs and emissions down, but also to be practical on a day-to-day basis.

Delivery specialist Gnewt Cargo brought in Alphabet to double its electric vehicle fleet size.

Alphabet worked with Renault to fast-track 55 Renault Kangoo electric vans under its AlphaElectric scheme, and they were delivered within the space of a month.

More recently, Alphabet supplied the Royal Parks in London with 19 plug-in electric Nissan Leafs for the company to manage its 5,000 acres of historic parkland in a more environmentally-friendly manner.

Private sector fleets The award for Private Sector Fleet of the Year (small to medium), sponsored by Route Monkey, was awarded to business services group Commercial Group. The company drives over a million miles a year, but still manages to continuously reduce its carbon emissions. The company has switched from petrol to diesel, invested in both electric and hydrogen vehicles, and installed four quick chargers for visitors to charge their EVs while on site.

Commercial launched its carbon reduction programme in 2007 with an initial target to reduce company emissions by 75 per cent by 2010.

This ambitious target was achieved in fleet operations in 2009 by eliminating unnecessary journeys, optimising fuel consumption, and using renewable fuels. In addition to the largest concentration of fast charge points for electric cars in the Borough, powered by Commercial’s warehouse mounted solar array, Commercial installed the first real-time blending system for sustainable biodiesel and operates one of the largest hydrogen powered van fleets in the world to reduce carbon emissions.

Since that time, Commercial has continued to grow as a business and so there has been a continued requirement E

GREENFLEET AWARDS

 introduction of childrens’ activity packs which focus on eco-friendly education.

The Public et Fle Sector mall to (s Award sponsored ), mediumutomotive

by A went tof , g n i s a o Le versity the Uniingham Birm

14/11/2014 11:38

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GREENFLEET AWARDS

The Heritage Motor Centre Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire was home to the 2014 GreenFleet Awards

 to assess fleet operations to ensure that the footprint is minimised.

A commitment to an electric fleet British Gas scooped the award for Private Sector Fleet of the Year (medium to large), sponsored by Jaguar. British Gas has made a public commitment to have ten per cent of its 13,000 commercial fleet using electric vehicles by 2017. The company runs one of the largest fleets in the UK, and it wanted to take to lead to demonstrate how these vehicles can be successfully integrated into a busy and diverse fleet. British Gas expects that using electric vehicles will reduce its carbon emissions by 3,277 tonnes, or 7.3 per cent.

In October 2013 British Gas, in partnership with Nissan and Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions set out on one of the UK’s largest commercial trials of electric vehicle technology. Using the Nissan e-NV200 fully electric van, 28 boiler engineers converted from their diesel Volkswagen Caddy to the low carbon vehicle for six months. The trial, which took place over winter to see what the limitations of electric driving would be, was such a success that the company has now invested in 100 Nissan e-NV200 electric vans.

Private sector fleet manager The award for Private Sector Fleet Manager of the Year, sponsored by RecoAuto, went to Philippa Maher of Environmental Essentials.

Philippa combines her fleet manager’s role with being the company’s HR Manager as well. This year has seen the company’s fleet double in size, with the introduction of new hybrids, while average CO2 levels have fallen from 142g/km to just 108g/km.

What’s more, she has also overseen the adoption of driver training, telematics and fuel cards.

Philippa also had to deal with the fact that insurance premiums had risen more than 200 per cent thanks to third party injury claims, mainly front-end bumps in slow moving traffic. She devised an action plan which delivered a 100 per cent reduction in this type of accident.

This included an online grey fleet management process, training for all company car drivers, implementing an incident management system, and identifying who the top 10 aggressive drivers and top 10 best drivers are.

The e Heritag Motor eum Mus Centre aydon, in G e played kshir Warwicto the 2014 host leet GreenF ds Awar

Public sector fleets The Public Sector Fleet Award in the small to medium category, which was sponsored by E Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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GREENFLEET AWARDS

About Quentin Willson

Quentin Willson is one of Britain’s best-known motoring authorities.

In the ‘90s he spearheaded the campaign to bring new car prices in line with the rest of Europe, saving UK consumers £3 billion and over the last two years has torpedoed 12 pence worth of government fuel duty rises with his FairFuel campaign – now the UK’s most successful public protest petition. His efforts have saved the UK economy another £8 billion in needless fuel duty costs.

Quentin is a regular face on BBC Breakfast and ITV’s Good Morning Britain, appears on scores of TV and radio shows including Radio 4’s The oday Programme, writes motoring columns for the Sunday Mirror and Classic Cars Magazine and is the author of 10 best-selling motoring books. He won Motoring Writer of the Year in 2004 and is a BAFTA film judge.

The leet Islington plans further GreenF re the a investments. Grey fleet s d r Awa y’s most miles have been reduced r where possible by using indust prizes for hybrid and electric pool d e t t e e v fle co l a t cars, and the use of an n e m informal league efficient environ ement and driving table has bred manag reen a healthy competition g in some departments. g motorin What’s more, Chris Rutherford

 Automotive Leasing, went to the University of Birmingham. The university has 98 in‑house vehicles, and also manages more than 2,000 external hires for staff as well. Its first EV was introduced six years ago, and now 15 per cent of its entire fleet is pure EV or hydrogen fuel-cell.

What’s more, the university installed eight EV charging points and one of the UK’s only hydrogen refuelling stations.

September 2014 saw the university lease a Nissan e-NV200 as a postal vehicle delivering mail across the historic Edgbaston campus.

The Public Sector Fleet of the Year Award (medium to large category), sponsored by Airmax Remote, went to Islington Council.

The council has had to bring its fleet, workshop and direct labour services back in-house, as it embarked on a multi-million pound fleet revamp. It operates the largest public sector fleet of hybrid commercial vehicles in the UK, coupled with 115 new Transit Custom vans fitted with eco packs, speed limiters and acceleration control.

The pool of 17 electric vehicles continues to grow and with a large amount of cars and small vans to replace in the coming year,

of Islington Council took home the Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year title, which was sponsored by Mitsubishi Motors. Chris is no stranger to revamping the organisations fleet, and is always looking to embrace the latest innovative technology as they strive to reduce carbon emissions. Having to do all of this with a fleet that is made up of bikes, cars, vans, tippers and refuse trucks is no mean feat.

EV champions With so much good work going on by individuals championing the electric vehicle (EV) cause, this year’s GreenFleet Awards added a new category, EV Champion, and this year, three winners were recognised.

These were Judith Eadie from Automotive Leasing, Matt Trevaskis from Ecodrive, and Kate Armitage from Route Monkey (formerly EDF Energy). E Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Industry innovation The GreenFleet Award for Industry Innovation this year went to Nissan for its e-NV200 electric van. Launched in the summer, the van shares several key components with the best-selling electric vehicle, the Nissan Leaf, including its electric motor, front suspension and parts of its interior. But some 30 per cent of its components are completely new, such as a re-engineered chassis, interior revision, a new battery pack and a higher capacity regenerative braking system. The vehicle is available as a small panel van or a Combi version with a back row of seats.

It has a claimed range of 106 miles and can be recharged in eight hours using a domestic 16-amp single‑phase 3.3kW charger. If the optional 6.6kW/32‑amp charger is fitted, it takes four hours. Alternatively, a dedicated CHAdeMO DC 50kW quick charger can recharge the battery to 80 per cent capacity in 30 minutes. The panel van version offers the same load practicality as a conventional small van.

Outstanding achievement The 2014 award for Outstanding Achievement, sponsored by Jaguar, went to a tri-party collaboration between Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Solutions, British Gas and Nissan for its electric van trial. In October 2013, the three organisations set out on one of the UK’s largest commercial trials of electric vehicle technology. Using the Nissan e-NV200 fully electric van, 28 service and repair (boiler) engineers in Scotland (Glasgow), North East England and West London converted from their diesel Volkswagen Caddy to the low carbon vehicle for six months.

The trial looked to test a large number of vans across different locations, patch size, and inevitably in harder weather conditions. It also allowed British Gas to test the vans during its E

GREENFLEET AWARDS

 Judith Eadie of Automotive Leasing is now known as ‘Miss EV’ north of the border in Scotland and has won numerous awards in her own organisation.

Kate Armitage has made the less glamorous side of EVs – recharging infrastructure – more interesting at EDF Energy and has now moved on to the route optimisation side of things at Route Monkey.

Matt Trevaskis of Ecodrive, meanwhile is a guy that, quite simply, knows all there is to know about EVs.

Nissan was given the 2014 GreenFleet Industry Innovation Award for its work with developing the all-electric e-NV200 van

The 2014 GreenFleet Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Jaguar, was presented to a tri-party collaboration between Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, British Gas, and Nissan for its electric van trial

Quentin Willson (far left) and GreenFleet Sales & Marketing Manager Colin Boyton (far right) with EV Champions (centre left to right) Kate Armitage of EDF Energy, Matt Trevaskis of Ecodrive and Judith Eadie of Automotive Leasing

Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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We’re proud to be voted as the Electric Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year.

With the e-up! and e-Golf offering 0g/km emissions*, sustainable motoring is at the heart of Volkswagen. Which is why we’re particularly pleased to win this GreenFleet award.

For more information on our electric range, including details of the £5,000 Government plug-in grant towards purchase or to request a test drive, contact the Fleet Business Centre on 0800 38 989 38 or visit www.volkswagen.co.uk/fleet Another way to Think Blue.

* While in motion. Standard EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Official fuel consumption figures for the e-up! and e-Golf in mpg: n/a.

 busiest time of the year, in fact, the company attended 200,000 more breakdowns in the winter of 2013/14 compared to 2012/13.

These conditions meant it could robustly test if electric technology could be used by engineers with no impact on their working day, and to see if the total cost of ownership is comparable to a conventional vehicle.

A team from both Hitachi and Nissan supported the engineers during the trial, and looked at a variety of elements including installing a fast charger at the engineers home, looking at billing solutions to pay the engineers for the electric used, understanding how to train the engineer to recognise the dangers of high voltage electricity and also how to maximise the range of the van using good driving practices, which differ highly to responsible and ‘green’ driving in a conventional vehicle.

Fleetmaster PLC and Gateshead college provided bespoke training to the drivers, which looked at charging the van, how to use eco modes and regenerative braking, and the technical features of the van.

The vans completed in excess of 60,000 miles between them up until April 2014.

Towards the end of the trial, all 28 engineers were invited to complete a feedback survey of the vehicles, and overwhelmingly the feedback was very positive. Engineers commented on the many user friendly features of the vans such as ‘automatic’ gearboxes (fixed drive, no gears) heated seats and steering wheels (in an effort to reduce the amount of cabin heating needed) and the same turning circle as a London taxi, making them incredibly manoeuvrable.

The trial provided a huge amount of data for the fleet team to analyse, with the two main focus areas being the operational performance of the vans, and the resulting total cost of E

The / Hitachi s/ a British G EV trial Nissan tested robustly chnology te electric as useful and w cost for isons compar

Driver Training Initiative sponsored by AA DriveTech Winner: MITIE

IT Innovation sponsored by Alphabet Winner: Chevin Fleet Solutions Private Hire/Taxi Company of the Year sponsored by Catalina Software Ltd Winner: eConnect Cars

Rental Company of the Year Winner: Green Motion

Leasing Company of the Year sponsored by The Green Journey (The Fuel Card Group) Winner: Alphabet

LGV Manufacturer of the Year Winner: DAF

City Car Manufacturer of the Year sponsored by Green Motion Winner: Citroën (C1)

Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year sponsored by Rockingham Winner: BMW

LCV Manufacturer of the Year sponsored by Kumho Tyre (UK) Ltd Winner: Citroën

PHEV Manufacturer of the Year sponsored by EDF Energy Winner: Mitsubishi (Outlander PHEV)

Electric Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year sponsored by EDF Energy Winner: Volkswagen (e-Up and e-Golf)

Industry Innovation Winner: Nissan (e-NV200) Private Sector Fleet of the Year (Small – Medium) sponsored by Route Monkey Winner: Commercial Group

Private Sector Fleet of the Year (Medium – Large) sponsored

by Jaguar Winner: British Gas

Private Sector Fleet Manager of the Year sponsored by RecoAuto Winner: Philippa Maher, Environmental Essentials

Public Sector Fleet of the Year (Small – Medium) sponsored by Automotive Leasing Winner: University of Birmingham

Public Sector Fleet of the Year (Medium – Large) sponsored by Airmax Remote Ltd Winner: Islington Council

Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year sponsored by Mitsubishi Motors Winner: Chris Rutherford, Islington Council

GREENFLEET AWARDS

2014 GreenFleet Award winners

EV Champions Judith Eadie, Automotive Leasing Matt Trevaskis, Ecodrive Kate Armitage, Route Monkey (formerly EDF Energy) Outstanding Achievement Award sponsored by Jaguar Winner: Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Solutions, British Gas and Nissan – electric van trial

Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Fiat Professional with

 ownership figure. This information allowed British Gas to decide the vans are suitable for everyday use, and how much the vans would cost the business to purchase, run maintain and sell onwards during its operational life.

The team also compared this with the normal TCO figure of the fleet today. The trial was considered such a success that the team has made an initial order of 50 vans, with another 50 expected later in 2014. Ten trial vehicles are still in use today with engineers throughout the country, and a further five have been used as demo’s at engineer

GREENFLEET AWARDS

events so they can try the new technology.

The environmental impacts of electric vehicle technology speaks for itself. Zero tailpipe emissions. Even if the power for the vehicles came from fossil fuel power stations, they would still be far less CO2 intensive per mile than a comparative diesel powered vehicle.

In major cities (with London being a big target) particulates are a major consideration with electric vehicles emitting none. With the average British Gas van emitting 3.75 tonnes CO2 per year the 10 that have been on fleet have saved 37.5 tonnes of CO2 Overall British Gas during this trial has saved approximately 70.5 tonnes. By mid‑2015 British Gas will be saving 375 tonnes of CO2 per year with 100 electric vans.

Regarding cost savings, the electric vehicles represent a saving over their diesel counterparts, as long as they drive at least 10,000 miles a year, to pass the break even point. In London the cost savings could be as high as 20 per cent + with everywhere else representing about a six-ten per cent saving over diesel.

The nationwide trial resulted in British Gas taking an order of 100 Nissan eNV200s.

The trial project took years of planning and research, bespoke manufacturing, intensive trails, and the results will help shape the future of sustainable fleet management for years to come. L FURTHER INFORMATION events.greenfleet.net/awards

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Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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LEAD THE CHARGE. INTRODUCING THE ELECTRIC BMW i3.

Some people follow. Others like to lead. If that’s you, you might be interested in the electric BMW i3, seamlessly designed to combine the benefits of an electric car with ultimate driving pleasure. Your BMW Account Manager will be able to discuss the advantages of introducing electric vehicles into your fleet, along with the benefits of BMW i.

To find out more or to arrange a demonstrator*, contact your BMW Account Manager on 08081 280035, or visit www.bmw.co.uk/i

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Official fuel economy figures for the BMW i3: mpg N/A, CO2 emissions 0 g/km, nominal power output (electric motor) 75/102 kW/hp at 4,800 rpm; peak power output (electric motor) 125/170 kW/hp, total average energy consumption per 62 miles/100 km (combined cycle) 12.9 kWh. Total range: 118 miles (combined cycle). Customer orientated range: up to 100 miles. Official fuel economy figures for the BMW i3 with Range Extender: 470.8 mpg, CO2 emissions 13 g/km, total average energy consumption per 62 miles/100 km (weighted combined cycle) 11.5 kWh. Range without use of range extender: 106 miles (weighted combined cycle). Customer orientated total range: up to 186 miles. Customer orientated range without use of Range Extender: up to 93 miles. Figures may vary depending on different factors, including but not limited to individual driving style, climatic conditions, route characteristics and preconditioning. *Demonstrator subject to applicant status and availability.

LA AUTO SHOW

Audi A7 Sportback h-tron

The alternative motor show The big news at the 2014 LA Auto Show was hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, with concept and production cars among the debutants Spread over six halls at the Los Angeles Convention Center from 21-30 November, the motor industry was recently focused on the LA Auto Show. Here’s what caught GreenFleet’s eye HYDROGEN-POWERED VEHICLES Audi A7 Sportback h-tron The Audi A7 Sportback h-tron was just one of a handful of hydrogen models in LA. The German company’s first hydrogen-powered production vehicle, the A7 Sportback h-tron takes the five-door A7 ‘coupé’ body and mates it to a fuel cell-powered electric drive, in combination with a hybrid battery and an additional rear-mounted electric motor.

The headline figures make for interesting reading. The Audi A7 Sportback h-tron covers 310 miles on one tank of fuel, and emits nothing more than a few drops of water. 227bhp (170kW) of power is available, while hydrogen consumption is said to be the equivalent of 76.4mpg on the combined cycle.

50

The exhaust system is made of weight‑saving plastic, while the fuel cell is made from 300 individual cells which form a stack. Hydrogen is broken down into protons and electrons.

The protons migrate through a polymer membrane to a cathode, where they react with oxygen to form water vapour. Outside the stack, the electrons supply the electrical power.

The A7 Sportback h-tron is also a plug-in hybrid. An 8.8kWh lithium‑ion battery can be recharged from the power socket by a lead. It stores energy recovered from braking as well as supplying power for times of full-load boosting. On battery power alone, the A7 Sportback h-tron covers 31 miles and a full recharge takes between two (industrial power socket/360V) and four hours (domestic power socket at 230V).

Two 85kW, 191lb ft (270Nm) electric motors drive all four wheels, enabling the h-tron to live up to Audi’s fabled ‘quattro’ name. Power electronics in the front and rear convert the direct current from the fuel cell and battery into alternating current for the electric motors to drive the front and rear axles separately.

DEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT | www.greenfleet.net

With 398lb ft (540Nm) of torque, the h-tron dispatches the 0-62mph benchmark in 7.9 seconds, marking the arrival of the performance fuel cell car. Audi says that it is in a position to launch the production version of the h-tron as soon as ‘the market and infrastructure’ are ready.

Honda FCV Concept Japanese company Honda revealed a new fuel cell concept in LA, with the announcement of the FCV at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

An all-new production model based on the concept is scheduled to go on sale in Japan at the end of March 2016 with the US and Europe following thereafter. A successor to the production FCX Clarity, Honda states that the FCV Concept will be the world’s first fuel cell car with the entire powertrain, including the downsized fuel-cell stack, installed under the bonnet of car with a traditional packaging layout. The hydrogen is stored in a 70MPa high-pressure storage tank that provides a cruising range of more than 434 miles (700km).

Toyota Mirai The Toyota Mirai is the production version of the FCV concept car. Meaning ‘future’ in

of the Mirai’s electricity generation has been improved by using 3D fine mesh flow channels which ensure uniform generation on the cell surfaces.

A compact, high‑efficiency, high‑capacity converter has been developed to boost the power generated in the Mirai’s TFCS to 650 volts. The increase in voltage has made it possible to reduce the size of the electric motor and the number of fuel cells, giving higher performance with reduced costs.

The hydrogen fuel tanks meanwhile have a three‑layer structure made of carbonfibre‑reinforced plastic and store hydrogen at 70MPa/700bar.

The Mirai will be launched in Japan during December 2014, with first deliveries in the UK and selected European markets in September 2015.

LA AUTO SHOW

tion gen Volkswa rtWagen HyMo o p S lf o G

Fiat 500 X

CONVENTIONALLYENGINED CARS Fiat 500X Fresh from its European launch, the Fiat 500X crossover had a starring role on the Italian company’s stand. Taking styling cues from the Fiat 500 city car, the 500X offers more space and go‑anywhere capability with its four‑wheel drive system. Power is provided by a 2.4-litre 180bhp ‘Tigershark’ Multiair engine, while Fiat says that the car has ‘Euro‑tuned’ suspension and a nine‑speed transmission. A dynamic control selector lets the driver choose between ’Auto’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Traction Plus’ modes.

E See page 52 for Fiat 500X first drive

en Hydrog cars l fuel-cel news ig were b ngeles in Los Acept and n with co uction prod ng the o cars am stars show

Japanese, the Mirai is a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. It uses hydrogen to generate electric power, which, Toyota says, delivers better environmental performance. The Mirai uses the Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS), which marries fuel cell and hybrid technologies. It includes Toyota’s new, proprietary fuel cell stack and high-pressure hydrogen tanks. The TFCS is reportedly more energy efficient than internal combustion engines and emits no CO2 or pollutants. Maximum power output is 153bhp (114kW), while the efficiency

Volkswagen Golf and Passat HyMotion With its feet already firmly in the electric and PHEV markets, Volkswagen announced its intention to enter the hydrogen-powered vehicle segment in Los Angeles. Revealing the Golf SportWagen (Estate) and Passat HyMotion models, it stated that the latter is undergoing field trial tests in California. Like the Audi A6 Sportback h-tron, a fuel cell stack and carbonfibre hydrogen tanks are coupled with a plug-in lithium-ion battery and electric motor, adapted from the all-electric e-Golf model.

Total system power is 134bhp (100kW) with the Golf SportWagen HyMotion reaching 62mph from rest in 10.0 seconds. In a similar fashion to other fuel cell models, the hydrogen is stored at a pressure of 700 bar (10,150psi) and the HyMotion models can be refuelled in around three minutes. Volkswagen quotes a driving range of 310 miles (500km).

Mazda CX-3 Mazda’s all-new crossover SUV is the fifth model in the company’s line-up of new‑generation vehicles to feature the company’s SKYACTIV technology along with KODO – Soul of Motion design. A choice of three engines will be available in Europe: two petrol SKYACTIV-G 2.0-litres and a new SKYACTIV-D 1.5-litre clean diesel.

Six-speed SKYACTIV-Drive automatic and SKYACTIV-MT manual transmissions will be offered in either in front-wheel drive or with Mazda’s new all-wheel drive system.

Mazda’s i-ACTIVSENSE advanced active and passive safety technologies are fitted to the CX-3 and include millimetre wave radar.

Mazda promises ‘remarkably low’ emissions for the CX-3 which will be launched in Japan in spring 2015, with other markets to follow.  FURTHER INFORMATION laautoshow.com

Mazda CX-3 Toyota Mirai Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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FIRST DRIVE Written by Angela Pisanu

52

The 500 crosses over Fiat has added another model to its ever-popular 500 brand – the 500X – a five-door compact crossover that stays true to its iconic Italian roots. Angela Pisanu reports from Fiat’s proving ground in Balocco, Italy The iconic Fiat 500 brand, which is best known as a city car with cute looks and pint-sized proportions, has grown in recent years to include the 500C and 500L models. And now the 500X has been added to the family, which is Fiat’s five-door compact crossover to rival the likes of the Nissan Juke and Mini Countryman. Purists will hopefully breath a sigh of relief as the 500X is recognisable as a Fiat 500, sharing the same distinctive looks as the 1957 Fiat 500, with its rounded lights and classic logo sat in the middle of its chrome-plated ‘moustache’. From the side it is nicely rounded and close to the classic 500 shape, albeit longer to accommodate the extra doors. It captures the looks and spirit of the Fiat 500 better than the 500L, which was the brand’s first five-door model.

The 500X comes in two or four-wheel drive configurations and has two distinct styles: the first version, available in Pop, Pop Star and Lounge trim levels, has smoother front and rear bumpers for a more stylish urban

look, while the four-wheel drive versions come in Cross or Cross Plus, which are more rugged-looking to suit off-road pursuits.

The Cross/Cross Plus model also sits higher off the ground (697mm), to accommodate the revised suspension settings and tyres.

There are a range of diesel and petrol engines available in the UK. Fleets I imagine will opt for the 1.6 MultiJet II which has CO2 emissions of 109g/km and just fits within VED tax band B. Unless they require the all-wheel drive configuration, in which case the 2.0 MultiJet II would be the choice. This model does 51.4mpg and has 144g/km CO2.

Four-wheel fun I took the 2.0-litre four‑wheel drive 500X for a ride on the off-road route in Fiat’s proving ground in Balocco. This involved a variety of steep hills, rocks, deep pools and other obstacles to test the four‑wheel drive capability to its

limits. With the ‘traction’ function set on the ‘mood selector’, which speeds up the transmission of torque to the rear axle, the 500X gripped to hair-raising inclines and drops on slippery, muddy and rocky surfaces with confidence. It performed just as well as any SUV on the market.

The 2.0-litre all-wheel drive model is the first Fiat to have a nine-speed automatic gearbox, which allows for faster acceleration and more fluid gear-shifting.

The gearbox’s wide opening, in terms of ratios, ensures that the engine is always working within the optimum speed range, maximising driving pleasure and efficiency.

I also drove the 1.4 Turbo MultiAir II petrol on the open roads surrounding Turin. It was a smooth ride, handled well despite the chaos of the city roads, and had light yet precise steering. The stop-start system kicked in and off without hesitation.

The ‘mood selector’ has three different modes to choose from – auto, sport, and all weather – depending on driving style required or road conditions. ‘Auto’ is for everyday driving, ‘sport’ gives a more powerful driving response, and ‘all weather’ maximises performance on slippery or uneven surfaces.

The cabin is decked out in high-quality materials, and is one of the nicest looking Fiat interiors I’ve seen. The boot has a 350-litre luggage compartment which can be extended to accommodate different loads using the Fold&Tumble rear seats and the fold‑flat front passenger seat. A removable load platform which is reversible and height adjustable is also available.

Fleets can opt-litre 1.6 for the t II diesel MultiJe hich emits w model of CO2 and m 109g/k ithin VED w fits dB tax ban

Keeping safe Safety-wise, the vehicles has a lane assist departure warning system and a lane change assistance system to get around blind spots.

It can be fitted with the new ParkView rear reversing camera and an assisted braking system. What’s more, it has six airbags, front headlights with the daytime running lights function and cornering fog lights, as well as electronic stability control.

The Fiat 500X has a touch screen infotainment system which can be integrated with your smartphone so you can use your usual apps. You can also get real-time news updates from Reuters and the latest traffic, safety camera and weather information from the TomTom Live service. The Uconnect Radio Nav 5” device offers TomTom 2.5D navigation, while the 6.5” Uconnect Radio Nav features satellite navigation with 3D maps, progressive route guidance and voice command for entering addresses.

The price list starts quite low, at £14,595 – but ends high, at £25,845 for a top‑of‑the‑range 2.0-litre MultiJet II 140bhp with all-wheel drive. But Fiat has a good quality product here, and the fashionable badge to match, which the Italian company hopes will justify the price.

The introduction of five-door Fiat 500s has opened up the brand to the fleet market, as it has more space and practicality. But for those that are not keen on the 500L, the 500X is an attractive car that retains its 500 quirkiness and iconic style. It is well built and finished on the inside with good quality materials.

The all-wheel drive adds to its practicality, should the driver need to go off-road. L

FIRST DRIVE

2.0-litre four-wheel drive Fiat 500X has 140bhp, emits 144g/km of CO2 and can achieve 51.4mpg

Fiat 500X will take on the Mini Countryman and Nissan Juke in the compact crossover market

Fiat 500X’s interior is instantly recogniable as a 500

High-quality fittings permeate through the 500X cabin

Fiat 500X 1.6 MultiJet 120bhp MT FWD ENGINE:

1,598cc, four-cylinder diesel

CO2:

109g/km

MPG (combined): VED:

68.9 Band B, £0 first year, £20 thereafter

BIK:

17%

PRICE (OTR):

£19,095 (including VAT)

Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

53

ROAD TEST

No excess baggage

Written by Richard Gooding

The latest addition to Volkswagen’s Caddy nameplate has low emissions and a host of environmentally-friendly features to focus it on economy. Richard Gooding tests the new small commercial entry to the BlueMotion family While most drivers would have heard of Volkswagen’s popular model ranges such as the Polo, Golf, and Passat, few may know of the Caddy. The company’s successful and smallest commercial vehicle, the Caddy first appeared in 1982 as a Mk 1 Golf-based pick-up.

Through Polo and Škoda Felicia-based iterations, VW has arrived at today’s version. The latest development is the Caddy BlueMotion. The cleanest, most environmentally-friendly version yet of VW’s small van emits 119g/km of CO2 and has numerous systems to sip less fuel. The Caddy range in general has also just been named as the Association of Car Fleet Operators’ ‘Small Van of the Year’.

Understated elegance Sharing some mechanical components with the Mk 5 Golf and its MPV sister the Touran, the Caddy’s square style bears a passing resemblance to the latter. But its bluff corners and rounded corners convey an understated elegance. The £375 Honey Orange metallic paint finish on J8 VWW made it stand out from the small van crowd even more, but was very much a Marmite opinion‑maker.

The Caddy BlueMotion gets colour-coded side rubbing strips as standard – the front fog lights, body‑coloured bumpers and wing mirrors on our test van are all extra‑cost options.

The Caddy BlueMotion is only available in the smallest 3.2cm3 ‘C20’ body.

A longer-wheelbase version Caddy Maxi and double-row seat Caddy Maxi Kombi are also available, capable of carrying 4.2 and 4.1m3 repsectively.

While these have low emissions to start with, buyers can add the BlueMotion Technology package – start/stop, Hill Hold Assist and energy recuperation systems, as well as cruise control – to any Caddy or Caddy Maxi for a £405 (ex-VAT) supplement.

The previous and greenest Caddy emitted 134g/km of CO2, so this new standalone BlueMotion model cuts emissions by a not inconsiderable 15g/km.

gearing means the driver rarely uses fifth gear in an urban environment.

To make the Caddy BlueMotion the cleanest weapon in VW’s small panel van range, it boasts stop/start and brake energy recuperation systems, in addition to cruise control. Hill Hold Assist is also standard and aids pulling away on slopes as reduced revs are used, therefore saving yet more fuel.

The Caddy BlueMotion is also lower by 27mm thanks to its reduced ride height and is fitted with 15-inch steel wheels with full covers and 195/65 R15 low rolling resistance tyres for further economy savings. Volkswagen claims 61.4mpg on the combined cycle fuel economy test (6mpg more than the next frugal Caddy with BlueMotion Technology) – our ‘real-world’ average over 328 miles was 52.5.

Volkswagen states that the Caddy BlueMotion can eke 800 miles out of a 60-litre tank of diesel – our non-laboratory driving patterns indicate that 600 miles is certainly achievable. As with all GreenFleet van road tests, the duration of the Caddy’s time with us was spent with it unladen.

The Caddy BlueMotion handles as you would expect a Volkswagen to; safe, predictable and tidily. It’s all very comfortable and car‑like, not a surprise given the passenger car parts-sharing at work.

The t cleanes t of ye version all van VW’s sm/km of CO2 Car-like interior 19g It’s a similar story for emits 1 as numerous the interior. Although h and tems to obviously not quite sys up to the soft-plastics sip standard of Volkswagen’s make it el passenger cars, the Caddy less fu

Cleanest weapon Powered by a 100bhp 1.6-litre TDI engine, the Caddy BlueMotion develops 184lb ft of torque between 1,500-2,000rpm. It’s more than enough to propel the Caddy around town, but the narrow power band and tall

54

BlueMotion’s cabin is a solid and comfortable place to be. The seating arrangement is car-like too, with two seats separated by a central console tunnel – both the Citroën Berlingo and Ford Transit Connect offer three cab seats. Storage is adequate with door bins and a full-width roof shelf, but the lack of a glovebox lid means leaving valuables on show is all too easy.

Entertainment is via a radio/CD system with aux-in socket (Bluetooth is a £275 option), while our test van came with a £300 leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, allowing access to the trip computer functions and radio system.

A manual air-conditioning system is standard, along with a full-height, solid lower section/plastic upper mesh bulkhead. While the plastic upper mesh affords good visibility to the rear, it can make for a noisier cab, as

DEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT | www.greenfleet.net

Full-height plastic bulkhead makes for a safer cab

loadspace road noise is transmitted into the van interior.

For one so small, the Caddy BlueMotion can carry up to 3.2m3 of cargo and loads up to 1781mm long. Six load lashing rings are fitted as standard and a nearside passenger sliding door with a 701mm opening makes getting to loads easy. Asymmetric rear doors with heated rear windows and a 576mm floor height further aid loading and unloading. A Caddy BlueMotion takes one Euro pallet when loaded in lengthways through the rear doors.

A three-year, 100,000-mile warranty is standard and a whole host of servicing packages are available. Servicing intervals are every 18,000 miles or 2 years.

A popular choice It may be based on mechanical components which are no longer cutting edge, but the Caddy BlueMotion shows what is achievable with a few well-selected environmentally‑minded tweaks. Impressive economy, a capable cargo area and smart looks are just three reasons why Volkswagen’s small van remains a popular choice for fleet users. L

ROAD TEST

The’C20’ Volkswagen Caddy can carry 3.2m3 of cargo

Interior is typical Volkswagen: ergonomic, functional and hard-wearing

Volkswagen Caddy BlueMotion 1.6 TDI GROSS PAYLOAD:

554kg

LOAD VOLUME:

3.2m3

ENGINE:

1,598cc, four-cylinder diesel

CO2:

119g/km

MPG (combined): VED:

PRICE (ex-VAT):

61.4

£225

£15,195 (£17,600 as tested)

Tweaks aimed at being kinder to the environment earn the Caddy ‘BlueMotion’ badging

Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

55

ROAD TEST Written by Richard Gooding

The Vauxhall Vivaro has been thoroughly revised for the 2015 model year and in Start/Stop ecoFLEX trim emits 155g/km of CO2

Citroën scooped the 2014 GreenFleet Award for City Car Manufacturer of the Year – the C1 range is priced between £8,245 and £12,085

One is the magic number Few market segments are as fiercely competitive as that of the city car. A new version of Citroën’s C1 has arrived with bold styling, myriad personalisation options and updated tech. Winner of the 2014 GreenFleet City Car Manfacturer of the Year Award, Richard Gooding tests the new small car hoping to make a big splash Citroën has a history of quirkiness. Its more distant past is littered with ingenuity and innovation and while in more recent years it has produced less idiosyncratic vehicles, there are signs of an unconventionality renaissance. The recently-launched C4 Cactus brings outlandish style to the C-segment and now the C1 brings sensibility and fun to the city car market. Of course, Citroën has been here before – the first-generation C1 first hit the road in 2005, as part of the ‘B-Zero’ joint‑venture with Peugeot and Toyota. Even with many shared body panels, interior parts and engines, the C1, Peugeot 107 and Toyota Aygo were a success, even if the baby Citroën was a little small‑hatch derivative.

56

Daring style The second-generation PSA Peugeot Citroën‑Toyota triumvirate was first revealed at the Geneva motor show earlier this year.

The Japanese Aygo still takes on exterior style elements of its own, but the PSA Citroën C1 and Peugeot 108 still share many exterior body panels. This time however, Citroën has imbued a much more daring style to its city car challenger.

And its all the better for that. Taking inspiration from the latest C4 Picasso, the front of the new C1 features two-part split headlights with LED daytime running lights. It may be an acquired taste for some, but it’s bold and visually challenging. The rear is more conventional, with ‘3D’ rear lamp clusters and, as before, an all‑glass tailgate.

DEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT | www.greenfleet.net

The city car market is as much about style as it is affordability. The C1 scores here. Our test car featured the ‘Airscape’ roof package, which is a fantastic electrically-retractable full-length canvas sunroof. A similar idea to a Fiat 500 Cabriolet, Airscape models benefit from more personalisation options – the roof is available in two colours, the body five – and the Sunrise Red roof on KT14 ATU immediately made the car stand out.

Add in the 15-inch ‘Planet’ alloy wheels, roof‑coloured wing mirrors, rear spoiler and glass black front grille, and the C1 certainly makes an impact.

The interior features many stylish touches, too. The instrument panel features a large central speedometer with a digital display in the middle. The rev counter is mounted to the left-hand side and is a series of vertical lines which rise the higher the revs go – it’s all a bit KITT from Knight Rider. To the right of the speedo is a gear shift indicator, while a seven‑inch intuitive-to-use ‘Touch Drive Interface’ infotainment system sits atop the centre console. A DAB digital radio/MP3 audio system with four speakers and USB/Bluetooth connectivity is standard and can be controlled by steering wheel-mounted buttons.

Playful environment While the interior quality is down on rivals such as the Volkswagen Up, it is a much more playful environment in which to spend

ROAD TEST

All versions of the new Citroën C1 are sub-100g/km

Citroën C1 Airscape Feel VTi 68 ENGINE:

998cc, three-cylinder petrol

CO2:

95g/km

MPG (combined): VED: BIK: PRICE (OTR):

68.9 Band A, £0 12%

£10,745 (including VAT, £11,830 as tested)

time. The centre console surround can be specified with a Sunrise Red finish, while the seats, carpet mats and exterior B-pillars feature a Sunrise Red ‘Light Zebra’ pattern – a style which is akin to a Paul Smith item of clothing. Standard equipment includes a height‑adjustable driver’s seat, air conditioning, ABS, electric front windows, and hinged rear windows on five-door models. Optional kit – bought in a series of packs – features some high-tech additions including automatic headlights, automatic air-conditioning, keyless entry and start, a reversing camera, and a speed limiter.

Personalisation is now the name of the game in the city car market and the C1 offers plenty of scope for fashion-concious buyers.

Petrol-only engines As before, there is a choice of both three- and five-door models. Engine options are limited to petrol only, with a choice of two three‑cylinder units. A 68bhp 998cc engine powers the cleanest models – with CO2 emissions as low as 88g/km – while a 1199cc version with 82bhp is an option on the range-topping Flair variants. Our test car was an Airscape Feel VTi 68, featuring the folding sunroof and emissions of 95g/km. Economy is pegged at an official figure of 68.9mpg, and while we rarely achieved that, 52.3 still isn’t to be sniffed at.

A Stop & Start system helps keep that CO2

Although interior parts are shared with Peugeot’s 108 and Toyota’s Aygo, C1’s cabin is fresh and fun

figure on the low side, and the gear shift indicator encourages economic driving.

Lightness plays a part in both achieving a good set of figures and affording Citroën’s baby car a decent enough turn of speed.

Weighing only 855kg, the C1 scoots along pleasingly, the VTi 68’s 70.4lb ft (95.5Nm) of torque developed at 4,800rpm. Peak power arrives at 6,000rpm. The three-cylinder engine is buzzy and willing at lower revs, but runs out of puff towards the higher ranges.

But, it rarely feels underpowered and as with most three-cylinder units, the engine makes an endearing thrummy noise. Not intrusive, this just serves to add more character to the car.

Drive is through a positive‑feeling five-speed manual gearbox. The power steering is light, but it’s not overly so – you get a sense of where the front of the C1 is, and its agility encourages a fun driving style.

As it’s not a sporty car, the ride errs more on the comfort side, which is no bad thing considering the C1 will spend most of its time nipping through the urban landscape with its uneven road surfaces. It can be a little bouncy at times, though.

Citroën has sold 780,000 first-generation C1s since its introduction nine years ago and this latest version will undoubtedly continue that success story.

The latest model is loaded with character, has personalisation options which should appeal to both young and young at heart drivers, and with every version under the magic 100g/km CO2 cap, should not be too taxing to run.

The C1 Fun with a Citroën with capital ‘F’ d Talking of tax, BIK is is loade and with a usefully low 12 per r e t charac rsion under cent for company car e v y drivers. Citroën provides r O e 2 ev /km C e a 3-year/60,000-mile g 0 0 1 b the warranty as standard, uld not o h s , p and service intervals are ca g n i every 10,000 miles. too tax n If we were ordering a new to ru C1, we would specify that large 800mm x 760mm Airscape sunroof package – it may add £850 to the standard price of the car, but it adds even more fun to proceedings. And that’s what the new C1 is – fun with a capital ‘F’.

With this car, the C4 Picasso MPV and the new C4 Cactus crossover hatchback, it would appear that Citroën is bringing quirkiness back, but with an added dash of the sensible. Salut! L

Volume 79 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

57

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Alphabet 24 Automotive Leasing 26 BMW 48, 49 Catalina Software 35 Chevin Fleet Solutions 30 Citroen UK 36, 38 Conrad Anderson 47 DAF Trucks 40 Fiat Professional 46 Fiat 4 Ford 16 Green Motion Car & Van Rental 32 Hitachi Capital 34 Infiniti 18 Jaguar Land Rover 22, 23 Lex Autolease 14 Mercedes 6, 7 Mitsubishi 28, 29 Nissan 42, 43 Peugeot 12 Renault UK IFC Rockingham Motor Speedway 20 TomTom Telematics Sales BV 10 Toyota IBC Vauxhall OBC VW 44

DEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT | www.greenfleet.net

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*

Official EU-regulated test data are provided for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. † = 2014-15 tax year. General Motors UK Limited, trading as Vauxhall Motors, does not offer tax advice and recommends that all Company Car Drivers consult their own accountant with regards to their particular tax position. ** = Excludes fuel and lubricants; congestion charges; parking and speeding fines and the £250 insurance excess (if applicable). 3 Day Test Drive vehicles are subject to availability and terms and conditions apply. Please refer to www.3daytestdrive.co.uk for full terms and conditions. Drivers must be 25 years or older and is available for Mainland UK only. All figures quoted correct at time of publication (October 2014).