Fiat Professional joins Stellantis line-up Next generation vans under discussion

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Fiat Professional joins Stellantis line-up

Fiat Professional has dropped the Renault-built Talento van and people-carrier from its LCV range, in favour of its parent company’s midweight van, already seen as the Vauxhall Vivaro, Citroën Dispatch, Peugeot Expert and one step removed, as a Toyota Proace. The company is resurrecting the Scudo name for the van, along with Ulysse for the passenger model.

Both models will be offered with a choice of internal combustion engines, or with battery electric power. The van will be available in three body lengths, as a panel van, Combi and a platform cab for conversion. People carrying versions will be offered in six to nine seat configurations.

Orders for the Fiat Professional Scudo will open by the end of the year and the electric versions of the van are expected to be in demand.

Over the next three years Stellantis aims to roll out a full range of electric LCVs to all regions, including offering hydrogen electric vans in some countries. By 2030, low-emission vehicles are expected to make up more than 70% of sales in Europe, and at least 40% of sales in the US market.

FORS aims to cut idling

FORS (Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme) has produced a free to download FORS Professional Anti-Idling and Congestion-Cutting toolkit for member companies. The toolkit includes a driver guide, posters and a toolbox talk to help operators minimise idling and cut congestion.

Idling engines can create more emissions than a van running at 30mph, so the use of new technologies like stop/start and good driver behaviour are key to reducing levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in congested city driving.

“We are always looking to give FORS members the guidance and support they need to get the most from their fleet,” said John Hix, FORS director.

Gold standard

Ford’s Transit Custom has received a Gold award from Euro NCAP in recognition of its advanced driver assistance technologies. This results from an enhanced safety specification, including standardising the Seat Belt Reminder earlier this year. Further enhancements coming in 2022, include a Digital Rear-View Mirror, to offer twice the field of view of a conventional rear-view mirror. For more on Custom driver assistance, see our Long Term Test on pg 34.

Next generation vans under discussion

Logistics UK will hold a new, free to attend conference called Next Generation Van in Coventry on November 9, 2021. Sponsored by the organisation’s Van Excellence Gold partners, the conference aims to bring together industry leaders, innovative thinkers, manufacturers and operators, to discuss the future of vans as the UK transitions to a zero-emission economy.

“The UK is hurtling towards its new zero emission future,” said Denise Beedell, policy manager at Logistics UK.

“Van operators must be provided with the insight they need to decarbonise their operations effectively and understand the steps they must take to meet the challenges that lie ahead.”

Conference sessions

Sessions will include advice on effective maintenance of alternatively fuelled fleets, measures operators can put in place now to future-proof their operations and guidance on how to grow and attract talent in a time of critical labour shortages.

AP Engineers and Plant, a maintenance and emergency breakdown service for the construction, demolition and recycling industries, has added a distinctive Mercedes-Benz Sprinter to its fleet. The L2H2 van, powered by a 163hp engine, joins a growing fleet that already includes two Sprinters and a Citan van.

Ford Fleet Management

Flexible solutions built on wealth of knowledge

Ford Fleet Management is a partnership born out of proven strengths. Ford has been the UK commercial vehicle market leader for the past 55 years. It has unrivalled insight as to how its fleet customers choose and use their vehicles. ALD Automotive has a long history of providing innovative funding and fleet management products to fleets across the globe.

Ford Fleet Management brings together these two companies to leverage these strengths, to support fleet operators with an integrated fleet management system, tailored to specific customer needs.

Ford Fleet Management will offer both commercial vehicles and passenger cars, no matter the brand, delivering a one-stop-shop for leasing and fleet management services. FFM has established relationships with other manufacturers, to offer an impartial vehicle solution based on the customer’s bespoke requirement.

Aimed at fleet decision makers, not the end user of the vehicles, FFM is an invaluable tool for procurement, HR and finance managers as well as dedicated fleet managers.

Boosting uptime for improved performance

FFM’s approach to uptime utilises connected vehicle data and real time vehicle health alerts, to maximise uptime across the fleet and minimise unexpected costs. FFM will manage the fleet’s uptime on your behalf, using a suite of digital and real time tools.

Connected vehicle data

As connected vehicle data becomes more available, many of our customers have shared feedback that too much data is becoming an issue with fleets. By having too much data, they are finding it more difficult to make key fleet decisions. FFM will provide customers with not only connected vehicle data, but will manage all of this data on behalf of customers, to ensure all actions are followed up where necessary.

FFM’s bespoke offering allows customers to dictate how the data and subsequent actions are followed up, with bespoke SLA and communication processes. We ensure customers, drivers, depot, fleet and regional managers, are all updated in line with the customer’s preferred communication method and channel.

FFM dedicated uptime team

The dedicated FFM Uptime team is located at the Ford Technical Centre in Dunton (Ford UK Headquarters) where they enjoy a unique working relationship with the Ford Liive centre, with a mutual objective of keeping fleet vehicles on the road.

For more information on Ford Liive, please see video: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=DwW13Xf7oik&t=11s

Flexible leasing

Flexible Leasing is Ford Fleet Management’s solution designed for all fleet sizes and complexities. It’s a simple to use, cost-effective and fully adaptable rental solution. It provides access to a wide range of high-quality vehicles - most available within 72 hours - with the ability to return them whenever you want, with no early termination fees*. It sits neatly in the gap between daily hire and contract hire. You have the flexibility to end the contract at just 48 hours’ notice without any termination charges. The deal is more cost effective than a daily rental, yet you have no long-term commitments. This is a great alternative to the ‘pool vehicle’ which spends its time languishing in the car park. Instead, you have the choice from over 1,500 vehicles. All of them are younger than 12 months old – indeed, most are under three months old. They are delivered in ‘as new’, fully inspected showroom condition. Fully inclusive rates mean you only have to pay for fuel, insurance and any lubricant top-

Boosting uptime for improved performance

ups needed. And, if you like the vehicle, you can move it to a full contract hire. Our goal is to make your life easier. *Delivery and collection costs apply for vehicles returned within three months.

Choose a vehicle category with a full-service package and benefit from:

Contract from 1-24 months

No delivery costs or collection fees on agreements over 90 days Includes road fund license, maintenance and roadside assistance

Over 1,500 as-new vehicles to choose from

Access our most popular vehicle groups at industry-leading competitive rates Contract termination with just 48 hours’ notice

No mileage surcharges within the equivalent maximum of 30,000 miles per year and not exceeding stipulated defleet mileage.

Out of hours and mobile servicing and repairs

The option to choose Mobile Servicing means we can take the technical expertise directly to customers. We can do our job, while they get on with theirs. Out-of-hours Servicing means we can work around the customer's schedule. The customer can choose to plan for servicing to be carried out at a strategic location, at their convenience.

We can include ancillary equipment servicing and inspections as part of our approach to maintenance, to reduce the number of overall servicing visits an LCV requires to remain compliant, as part of our overall objective to reduce the fleet's downtime.

Around 80% of FFM's flexible leasing fleet are LCVs

In reviewing the flexible leasing proposition, FFM has identified and taken a conscious decision to move away from traditional cars and standard vans, to a more specialist and varied approach.

This consists of a range of vehicles from the Ford Ranger to Transits including: dropsides, welfare vehicles, chassis cabs, traffic management vehicles, tippers, cherry pickers (Rangers & Transits), refrigerated units, caged tipper conversions and arboretum tipper conversions. E-transits are also on order for those customers wanting to try before they commit to EV.

FFM believes this specialised fleet of LCVs is more aligned to the vehicles customers would need and are also known to be difficult to source over recent years.

As these assets are all owned by FFM, these vehicles can be utilised by customers to ensure like-for-like replacement vehicles are an option.

Example of customer scenarios that might need flexible leasing:

• Short term contracts • Growth / business expansion • Supporting lengthy lead times • Temporary staff • Seasonal Peaks in business • Project work • Try before you commit.

For more information on Ford Fleet Management please visit our website: www.fordfleetmanagement.co.uk

To learn more about our expert team: www.ford.co.uk/commercial-vehicles/ fleet/ford-fleet-management/meet-theteam#sales

We have also produced a short video overview of who we are and what we do that you can view here: www.youtube. com/watch?v=u8quPFa9aDg

For general queries contact us directly Visit: www.fordfleetmanagement.co.uk or contact us viaEmail:information@ fordfleetmanagement.co.uk orphone:0370 325 0023.