Fleet Van February 2014

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FleetVan b e s t p r a c t i c e f o r b r i ta i n ' s l i g h t va n o p e r at o r s

february 2014 ÂŁ5 where sold

best of the van industry

We applaud the Fleet Van Award winners in coverage of our annual gala event spotlight: iveco

Putting its faith in 'green' CNG over electric

insight: new vans in 2014

Key players will generate a market uplift this year

fta comment: parking fines

Tackling the cost and administrative burden of PCNs

on test: van reviews

A sporty Ford and an update on our Vauxhall Combo

Contact us Fleet News, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA. Email – fleetnews@bauermedia.co.uk

CONTENTS

If you or someone you know is aged between 16 and 24 and is interested in work experience opportunities at Bauer Media go to www.gothinkbig.com Editorial Editor-in-chief Stephen Briers 01733 468024 stephen.briers@bauermedia.co.uk Deputy editor Simon Harris 01733 468308 simon.harris@bauermedia.co.uk Associate editor Trevor Gehlcken Contributors John Challen, Mark Cartwright, John Charles, Chris Lowndes (photographs), Ben Rooth Production Head of publishing Luke Neal Associate editor (production) Andrew Ryan Production editor Finbarr O’Reilly Designer Charlotte Boon Advertising Commercial director Sarah Crown 01733 366466 B2B commercial manager Sheryl Graham 01733 366467 Account managers Wendy Cowell 01733 366472 Laura Holloway 01733 366469 Lucy Herbert (maternity leave) Lisa Turner 01733 366471 Stuart Wakeling 01733 366470 Marcus Woods 01733 366468 Head of project management Leanne Patterson 01733 468332 Project managers Angela Price 01733 468338 Kerry Unwin 01733 468327 Telesales/recruitment b2brecruitment@bauermedia.co.uk 01733 468275/01733 468328

4

Fleet Van is published 10 times a year by Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, registered address 1 Lincoln Court, Lincoln Road, Peterborough, PE1 2RF. Registered number 01176085.

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Printing: Headley Brothers Ltd, Kent

Key new models – including the Ford Transit and Vauxhall Vivaro – will hit the UK market in 2014.

6 I Van sales analysis

The UK’s van market saw registrations rise by 13.1%, reflecting the country’s improving economy.

8 I News digest

We highlight the important news from the last month in the van sector.

17

12 I Benchmarking: parking fines

PCNs can be both expensive and time consuming.

Here’s how to mitigate their impact on your fleet.

17 I Fleet Van Awards

Celebrating the best of the fleet industry at our annual awards.

34 I Insight: Iveco

Running an electric van makes ‘no business sense at present’, says product director Martin Flach.

34

37 I Remarketing

2014 will see a continuation of 2013’s buoyant trends, says an industry insider.

38 I Insight: funding

Changing the way vans are funded can lead to significant savings.

Events Event director Chris Lester Event manager Sandra Evitt 01733 468123 Event organiser Kate Howard 01733 468146 Events co-ordinator Nicola Baxter 01733 468289 Publishing Managing director Tim Lucas 01733 468340 Group marketing manager Bev Mason 01733 468295 Office manager Vicky Meadows 01733 468319 Group managing director Rob Munro-Hall Chief executive officer Paul Keenan

4 I New launches

40 I Ford Fiesta Sport Van

Sporty bodykit and alloy wheels make this small van an eye-catching choice.

38

41 I Mercedes-Benz Citan Compact Low payload detracts from appeal of otherwise practical and desirable van.

42 I Vauxhall Combo

Impressive road manners and economy get long-term test off to a positive start.

43 I Running costs: city vans

Spotlight on all the important data you need when considering your next van.

41

NEXT ISSUE - MARCH

New Ford Transit

Our verdict from behind the wheel

Industry insight

Construction fleets come under the spotlight

Insight: fuel efficient tyres

We outline the benefits vs the costs of eco rubber

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 3

NE W L AUNCHE S

New van launches set to boost registrations in 2014 NEED TO KNOW n SMMT expects strong growth in 2014 n Some of the biggest players to introduce new models n New models will offer greater space and efficiency compared with current vans

T

he van market is likely to get a boost from the introduction of key new models, most of which will be larger and more efficient than the vans they replace.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 2014 will witness a second consecutive year of strong growth in the van market.

There were 271,013 new vans registered in 2013 – an increase of 13.1% over 2012.

Speaking of prospects for 2014, SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said key new models are expected to drive further growth (see 2013 sales analysis, page 6), with the introduction of a number of high-volume models.

FORD TRANSIT COURIER

The Transit Courier is based on the Fiesta platform with a body designed to compete with compact cube vans such as the Fiat Fiorino, Peugeot Bipper and Citroën Nemo.

It has a standard full steel bulkhead and a load length of 1.62m, although other bulkhead options can be specified as well as a folding front passenger seat, which can extend load length up to 2.59m. Both these measurements are class leading.

With a generous load volume and maximum payload capacity of 660kg, the Transit Courier can accommodate a wide variety of cargo and equipment, including a standard Euro pallet.

The Transit Courier will be available with diesel and petrol engines that target bestin-class fuel economy and offer stop-start on all units. Customers can choose between the Dagenham-built 1.5-litre 75hp and 1.6-litre 95hp TDCi diesel engines, and the 1.0-litre 100hp Ecoboost petrol engine.

4 February 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

FORD TRANSIT

Perhaps the most important of the new vans in 2014 is the replacement for larger derivatives of the Ford Transit.

The Ford van range is evolving to four different vehicles carrying the Transit badge.

Two were launched in 2013 – the Transit Connect and the Transit Custom. While the Transit Connect was a direct replacement for the original model, the Transit Custom redefines the Transit panel van with lighter carrying capacity, replacing versions with up to three tonnes carrying capacity.

The new Transit will sit at the top of this range, replacing the heavier versions and promises reduced maintenance and repair costs, improved durability, increased cargo volumes, and ‘smart load space’ features, as well as best-in-class fuel efficiency with the extended choice of Transit Econetic models.

The Transit Econetic models deliver best-inclass CO2 emissions from 169g/km (with 62mph fixed speed limiter), equivalent to combined fuel economy from 44.1mpg.

REN AULT TR A FIC

Sister van to the Vauxhall Vivaro, Renault has released a CGI rendering of how the new Trafic will look, with both this and the new Vivaro expected to be revealed in the metal over the coming weeks.

Information on the van is limited so far, with a few tantalising lines from the manufacturer on what we can expect, such as “boosted by revised styling, new technologies and a range of new engines that benefit from Renault’s expertise in the world of Formula 1 racing”.

Compared to the Econetic version of the outgoing Transit, fuel consumption has been reduced by 6%.

Powered by a 125hp 2.2-litre TDCi, equipped with stop-start and Ford’s Acceleration Control feature, the Transit Econetic range now extends to six different van models with gross vehicle weight of up to 3.5 tonnes.

The standard Transit powertrain features a choice of three power ratings (100hp, 125hp, 155hp) and a six-speed manual transmission; customers also have the option of 125hp and 155hp HDT6 engines which meet the Euro 6 emission standards.

Available in front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions, the new Transit also offers extended two-year/ 30,000-mile service intervals, with the time required for scheduled maintenance over 90,000 miles cut from 5.4 to 4.2 hours over the outgoing model.

Read our drive of the new Ford Transit in next month’s Fleet Van

VAUXHALL VIVARO

Pictures of the new Vivaro are expected to be published soon, but all we have so far is a sketch, which reveals a sharper-looking van that does without the characteristic curved ‘jumbo’ cab roof of its predecessor.

It will arrive in the summer, by which time the

previous Vivaro will have been on sale for almost 13 years.

We can expect improved efficiency from new engines as well as more user-friendly features in the cab.

Vivaros will be built at Vauxhall’s Luton plant.

EDITOR’S COLUMN Simon Harris, deputy editor, Fleet Van

PEUGEOT BOXER

CITROËN REL AY

The Peugeot Boxer is in line for a refresh, with a few detail changes to the styling from the current model (pictured) and measures to improve efficiency. The Boxer had a strong year for sales in 2013 and the chassis cab remains a favourite of a number of vehicle converters.

Like the Peugeot Boxer, Citroën’s largest van will gain a makeover this spring. Cosmetic changes are likely to be minor compared to the current model (pictured), with a greater focus on efficiency. The Relay remains the only van in its sector with standard Trafficmaster Smartnav.

FIAT DUCATO

MERCEDES-BENZ VITO

Fiat is the lead partner in this large panel van trio with Citroën and Peugeot, and the Ducato (current model pictured) has built a strong following over the years, and a growing number of fleets appreciating the support of the Fiat Professional network. The Ducato will undergo the same revisions as the Citroën Relay and Peugeot Boxer.

Likely to be seen in public for the first time in the autumn, the new Vito will share its platform with the Mercedes-Benz V-Class (pictured), which was unveiled in January. We can expect an all-new cabin with better quality materials, new convenience and safety technology, improved engines and better carrying capacity.

The van industry will be hoping 2014 will continue where 2013 left off with signs of a return to growth. The new van market was 13% up on 2012, and it’s expected to grow further in 2014.

We also ended the year rewarding the highest achievers in the van industry with our annual Fleet Van Awards, recognising the best fleet managers, industry suppliers and van manufacturers. We have big plans to improve the event this year, with an awards dinner to follow the annual Fleet Van Summit in September.

“There are still barriers preventing fleets choosing electric vans” Despite the optimism for 2014, we think the market for electric vans will continue to find it hard to establish itself. This issue contains a report from Iveco, which has failed to sell a single Daily Electric after four years on the market.

For large panel vans in particular, there are still many barriers that prevent fleets from choosing them, despite up to £8,000 of the front-end cost and an improving charging network.

We hope the Government will review the current subsidy set-up and accelerate the growth in infrastructure. n You might have noticed a few differences with this issue of Fleet Van. We’ve given it a facelift with a host of improvements. We hope you find the style and quality has improved, but it remains the essential reading it always has been. We value your feedback.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 5

S A L E S F IGURE S

Registrations rise 13.1% Improving economy reflected in 2013 van market as Ford continues to lead sales

I

By Trevor Gehlcken f van sales are a barometer for the general state of the country’s economy, then last year’s figures are a sure sign that Britain is emerging from the doldrums.

In 2013, sales of LCVs up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight rose by 13.1% and rocketed by 32.5% in December.

Some manufacturers saw astonishing leaps in their fortunes while others such as Renault and Peugeot recorded a fall in sales.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, told Fleet Van: “Van owners and operators responded positively to the wider economic recovery, finishing the year more than 13% up on 2012.

“We expect the forthcoming launches of several new LCVs to deliver further growth in this important sector.”

The biggest rise among the mainstream fleet manufacturers was at Fiat Professional, which saw sales going up by 70.2%, while Citroën sales rose by 25.1% and MercedesBenz by 21.9%.

Having overtaken Vauxhall to take the number two slot last year, Volkswagen saw a rise of 19.28%.

The only two mainstream manufacturers to lose sales were Peugeot (down 0.2%) and Renault (down 11.8%).

Sebastiano Fedrigo, director ar Fiat Professional UK, said: “We are extremely proud of the achievement. We have responded to the fierce competition in the market by listening to our customers and offering more derivatives, more technologies, improved efficiency, lower running costs and unbeatable customer service.”

Scott Michael, head of commercial vehicles and business centre programme at Citroën, told Fleet Van: ““The Berlingo

“We expect the launches of several new LCVs to deliver further growth” Mike Hawes, chief executive, SMMT

271,073 Total UK registrations of LCVS in 2013

and Dispatch ranges performed particularly strongly, with both recording 30%-plus increases.

“The company’s LCV sales success also benefited from its expanded Business Centre network, which is providing exceptional sales growth with small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This, combined with uplifts in our sales to large corporate users and the contract hire and leasing industry, has resulted in our best sales volume since 2007.”

Ford still tops the charts, as it has for the past 47 years, and sales were up in 2013 by 9.1%. The manufacturer is in the middle of a two-year plan to replace its entire LCV range and, with a brand new Transit due for launch in April, hopes are high for an even better 2014.

Andy Barratt, sales director at Ford of Britain, said: “The aftersales experience provided by the UK’s largest dealer network together with the huge investment into Ford’s UK commercial vehicle range has helped to deliver the best CV sales figures in four years. Significantly, the increasing strength of that business reflects in a growth in retail demand and a reduction of rental share.”

Combined Transit and Transit Custom sales increased by more than 11% year-on-year, from 52,441 in 2012 to 58,446 in 2013. Transit Custom sold 10,939 in its first full year on sale. Ford Ranger sales increased by more than 50% from 2,818 to 4,310, while Fiesta Van sales increased by almost 20% from 3,172 in 2012 to 3,792 in 2013 to maintain segment leadership with more than 58% share.

At Volkswagen, Alex Smith, director of commercial vehicles, said: “This strong performance is testament to the hard work of everyone involved in the brand and they deserve a huge thank you.”

REGISTRATIONS OF NEW COMMERCIAL VEHICLES < 3.5T IN THE UNITED KINGDOM Marque Ford Volkswagen Vauxhall Mercedes-Benz Citroën Peugeot Renault Fiat Nissan Toyota Land Rover Mitsubishi Isuzu Iveco Mini Great Wall Renault Trucks Hyundai Isuzu Trucks Ssangyong Mitsubishi Fuso MIA Other imports Total light CV

2013 68,054 36,925 29,736 25,667 22,989 21,230 12,978 12,019 10,619 8,063 6,644 5,927 4,112 3,275 694 667 411 240 213 168 148 3 291 271,073

% share 25.11 13.62 10.97 9.47 8.48 7.83 4.79 4.43 3.92 2.97 2.45 2.19 1.52 1.21 0.26 0.25 0.15 0.09 0.08 0.06 0.05 0.00 0.11

6 February 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

2012 62,372 30,956 26,524 21,055 18,379 21,272 14,710 7,060 10,136 7,747 5,917 4,853 2,762 3,593 86 476 476 379 248 58 155 0 427 239,641

% share 26.03 12.92 11.07 8.79 7.67 8.88 6.14 2.95 4.23 3.23 2.47 2.03 1.15 1.50 0.04 0.20 0.20 0.16 0.10 0.02 0.06 0.00 0.18

% change 9.11 19.28 12.11 21.90 25.08 -0.20 -11.77 70.24 4.77 4.08 12.29 22.13 48.88 -8.85 706.98 40.13 -13.66 -36.68 -14.11 189.66 -4.52 0.000 -31.85 13.12

Dec 2013 4,744 2,472 2,902 2,722 1,212 1,262 2,061 745 588 441 491 484 408 195 62 48 46 5 23 8 10 0.00 20 20,949

% share 22.65 11.80 13.85 12.99 5.79 6.02 9.84 3.56 2.81 2.11 2.34 2.31 1.95 0.93 0.30 0.23 0.22 0.02 0.11 0.04 0.05 0 0.10

Dec 2012 3,187 2,494 1,867 1,854 1,101 1,470 934 369 564 469 376 261 282 358 62 28 58 7 18 16 11 0.00 19 15,805

% share 20.16 15.78 11.81 11.73 6.97 9.30 5.91 2.33 3.57 2.97 2.38 1.65 1.78 2.27 0.39 0.18 0.37 0.04 0.11 0.10 0.07 0.00 0.12

% change 48.85 -0.88 55.44 46.82 10.08 -14.15 120.66 101.90 4.26 -5.97 30.59 85.44 44.68 -45.53 0.00 71.43 -20.69 -28.57 27.78 -50.00 -9.09 0.00 5.26 32.55

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NE W S DIGE S T

Sign Language secures Autoglass van livery deal Vehicle graphics and wrapping specialist Sign Language has won one of the largest fleet contracts in its history following the decision of Autoglass to switch suppliers.

Sign Language initially supplied livery for 15 new Renault Master vans that have joined Autoglass Specials, the division which caters for the needs of the coach, bus and train industry.

A further 55 livery kits were supplied for new vehicles that joined the Autoglass fleet in the final weeks of 2013. Additionally, Sign Language anticipates supplying around 750 kits for new vehicles expected to be introduced to the fleet in 2014.

The Autoglass fleet numbers 1,700 vans and is 90% Ford comprising Transit 260 and 280 models, Transit Custom 290 and 290 Hi-roof, Fiesta Vans with the new short wheel base Transit Custom 270 to be added in January 2014 as a replacement for Transit Connect 230 models.

Autoglass’s 1,700-strong fleet is 90% Ford

DVLA warning over driving licence renewal reminders Motorists are being warned that text messages or emails regarding a licence which is due for renewal have not been sent by the DVLA. The DVLA does not send reminders by these methods and these services are in no way affiliated with the DVLA. Motorists may be charged more for using these services.

Record demand sees van prices increase Van values increased by 5.5% during 2013, despite a significant rise in their age, according to market analysis from Manheim.

While the average LCV value at auction rose from £4,179 in December 2012 to £4,405 last month, the average age of vans under the hammer increased from 60 months to 63 during the year.

8 February 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

ALD appoints new LCV operations manager ALD Automotive has appointed former Nissan national LCV sales manager Matt Dale as its new LCV operations manager. He has nearly 30 years’ experience within the automotive industry with a background in sales and operations. He is a fullyqualified mechanic and CPC holder.

Matt Dale, ALD’s new LCV operations manager

Van Excellence is on the road again The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has announced the return of the Van Excellence conferences in 2014, on Tuesday April 8, in Elstree, London, and Thursday, April 10, in Manchester.

Following the success of last year’s Van Excellence conferences, when VOSA informed attendees that the authority would be undertaking a programme of targeted enforcement checks on vans in all the major towns and cities throughout Great Britain, and quoted the fact that an average 75% were subject to overloading prohibition, one of the key sessions of the 2014 events will focus on load security and overloading.

Mark Cartwright, FTA head of vans and logistic buyer relations, said: “VOSA has made it clear that it has identified non-compliant van operators and that it will be making targeted stops.

“We know that keeping vans within legal weight limits can be a challenge for many operators ,particularly those using vans as mobile toolboxes. It is vitally important that we focus load security and overloading at the Van Excellence conferences to ensure best practice is identified for all.”

“VOSA has made it clear that it has identified noncompliant van operators and that it will be making targeted stops” Mark Cartwright, FTA head of vans and logistic buyer relations

BT Fleet wins Post Office fleet management deal BT Fleet has won the contract to manage the 470-strong Post Office ‘cash-in-transit’ fleet, which handles cash deliveries and provides mobile post offices in remote parts of the country.

The five-year sole supplier agreement was awarded to the fleet management company after an 18-month tender process.

The Post Office decided it was the provider best suited to meet the company’s key business objective of maximising vehicle availability, reducing costs and ensuring complete compliance.

In addition, it recognised BT Fleet’s experience of managing similar fleets involved in the transportation of cash and high value goods, such as G4S. Dave Bowen, managing director of BT Fleet, said: “The agreement highlights its confidence in our ability to deliver a comprehensive, managed fleet solution.”

W W W.F L EE T NE W S.C O.UK / VA N S

45%

of men ‘have nodded off’ at the wheel Male drivers are being urged to get plenty of sleep and take regular breaks, as research from Brake and Direct Line reveals that 45% admit ‘head-nodding’ at the wheel – meaning they have been asleep briefly.

Brake and Direct Line’s survey also reveals that one in three (31%) drivers overall admit ‘head-nodding’ at the wheel – nearly half (45%) of male drivers and one in five (22%) female drivers.

One in 14 drivers overall (7%) admit actually ‘falling asleep’ at the wheel – 14% of male drivers and 2% of female drivers – and almost half (49%) of drivers admit driving after less than five hours’ sleep – not nearly enough for safe driving. Again, this is more common among men (55%) than women (45%).

Challenger Lighting ‘Work schedules’ switches to Proace blamed by 37% of Lighting design and installation specialist Chalspeeding drivers lenger Lighting Services has added the new Toyota Proace van to its fleet.

The Gosport-based business has chosen Toyota for the first time, with an initial eight Proace vans going into service with its installation and maintenance teams across the south of England.

Around a dozen more are set to be ordered in the next 12 months; all are being acquired with support from Toyota Financial Services.

Challenger Lighting Services’s vehicles are the long-wheelbase/standard height (L2/H1) Proace, powered by a 126hp 2.0-litre diesel engine. Fitted with full corporate livery and specialised racking, the vans can accommodate a 1.2-tonne payload and return official combined cycle fuel economy of 44.1mpg.

Challenger Lighting has ordered eight Proace vans

A survey of motorists in Britain, France, Germany and Spain conducted by Mix Telematics has revealed that 63% of all drivers admit to speeding while driving for work, with more than a third (34%) admitting they speed every week.

When asked why they do it, the most common responses were keeping up with traffic flow (53%) and pressure to meet schedules (37%).

Vauxhall is Britain’s number one van maker for 12th year running Vauxhall built more than 44,000 vans in the UK last year, making it Britain’s number one van maker for the 12th year running, according to figures released by the SMMT. Building more than three times that of its nearest competitor, Vauxhall manufactured 44,657 Vivaro vans at its Luton plant. UK Vivaro sales, up 34% year-on-year to 18,180, helped drive production.

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fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 9

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BENCHM A RK ING BY T HE F TA - PA RK ING F INE S

Mitigate the impact of parking fines on your business Driver education is first step towards reducing costs

By Mark Cartwright, head of LCVs, Freight Transport Association few years ago, FTA ran a campaign proudly stating that ‘If you’ve got it, it came on a truck’ – a message just as valid now as it was then.

But there has been an undeniable shift in distribution patterns with vans taking an everincreasing role in the day-to-day activity of UK plc.

Just take a look at a typical street. There will almost certainly be a smattering of tradesmen’s vans both from the big players such as Balfour Beatty to the local builder; there’ll be supermarket delivery vans, parcel vans etc – all the lifeblood of our daily existence.

We are totally dependent on vans to deliver the lifestyle we are so accustomed to.

And yet, not only do ‘we’ not recognise this, ‘we’ sometimes seem to go out of our way to stymie this activity in the areas where it is needed most.

The increased use of the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) as a blunt tool to manage city centre access, especially in London, remains a bone of contention for many operators who often see it as an unavoidable tax on their operation.

We took the opportunity for this month’s article to canvas the views of FTA van operators on this topic.

“Our tickets tend to be issued while unloading equipment at a music venue which has inadequate parking or loading facilities,” said Chris Palmer, of Transam Trucking. “The production teams count it as an unavoidable cost.”

A compliance manager at a London local authority who asked to remain anonymous lamented that “even our own authority seems to be targeting anything with wheels on, including our own vehicles which are often involved with the support of vulnerable members of our society. It all seems to be about income generation and taking no prisoners”.

Well over one-third (42%) of our respondents say they often or frequently incur PCNs with the great majority being issued in London. Camden, Westminster, The City and Tower Hamlets were identified as particular hot spots.

And, as intimated earlier, it’s that workhorse of distribution, the van,that picks up the most attention.

It can be a costly exercise too.

Andy Blythe, national logistics manager, Alliance Healthcare, said: “We’re running a big van fleet and the nature of our business means we’re moving high-value goods in urban areas against tight timescales. PCNs are an increasingly significant operational cost each year taking into account our admin time, etc.”

A

12 February 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

What can be done to mitigate the impact of PCNs? The obvious answer is to avoid picking them up in the first place. It’s not always easy, but there does seem a common theme among operators to ensure their drivers are well aware of their role. “We make sure all our staff are aware of kerb markings and encourage then to be vigilant for street-mounted cameras,” said Andrew Ingram, transport manager at TG Lynes.

And what if PCNs are still incurred?

Prompt payment to avoid the increased charges and a robust attitude to appeals are the key.

“We have built a good relationship with the councils,” said Rory Morgan, logistics general manager at Iron Mountain.

“We appeal only against those PCNs that we know we can win and also provide the information to support.

Rarely 8.3% Occasionally 20% Very rarely 18.3%

How often do you receive PCNs? Frequently 18.3% Never 11.7%

Often 23.3%

Which vehicles in your fleet are most likely to incur PCNs?

Trucks 24%

Vans 55%

Cars 21%

0 “This in turns assists in building that relationship with the council as it knows we are not wasting its time.

“Our specialist has also spent time visiting the councils and talking through procedures. If you do decide to do this in-house, you must have a robust procedure that provides evidence of delivery/collection. Prompt payment is also a must where you can’t appeal to avoid increased costs.”

Evidence is important. “I have issued all my staff with camera phones and get them to photograph the vehicle, road and markings whenever they get a ticket for parking and get them to make a note of road conditions plus any other factor that would prevent them parking properly,” said Ingram.

“Also, in London, if the parking attendant is in a vehicle, I ask our driver to get a photo of where the attendant has parked their vehicle in order to issue a ticket. This has been key in overturning a lot of penalties.”

Dealing with PCNs is an extra administrative burden to businesses, adding real cost and demands to their operation.

It’s against this background that the FTA launched its PCN management service last year – a service gaining more and more business in helping clients deal with this burden.

Its trained advisors take care of the entire admin trail from the receipt of the PCN through to the payment and, if required, appeal. Clients report significant cost savings and reduction in admin resources.

To sum up, FTA isn’t against the use of PCNs to manage traffic flows in major cities.

What is needed is a recognition that PCNs shouldn’t be used as a cash cow for the authorities and should be applied in a responsible manner.

Natalie Chapman, head of policy for London, FTA, said:

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“Parking restrictions play an important role in keeping our towns moving. However, we need to get some common sense back into the debate” Natalie Chapman, head of policy for London, FTA

42%

of respondents to FTA survey ‘often’ or ‘frequently’ incur PCNs

55%

of vehicles which receive PCNs are vans, according to an FTA survey

“Parking restrictions and enforcement play an important role in keeping our towns and cities moving. However, we need to get some common sense back into the debate. This should not be a money-making exercise for local authorities, yet businesses are being hit for millions of pounds every year while carrying out essential delivery and servicing activity.”

Operators need to take sensible steps to reduce the number of PCNs incurred, including the briefing of drivers and taking the time to build a relationship with the issuing authorities, and to ensure they are handling any PCNs occurred in an efficient manner to minimise financial impact. n For more on FTA’s Van Excellence scheme or the PCN management service, email info@vanexcellence.co.uk

For industry best practice guides on how to improve efficiencies and make key savings, visit fleetnews.co.uk/vans/van-best-practice-guides/

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 13

NO JOB TOO BIG

MOVANO CORE CONVERSIONS Whatever your trade demands, no job is too big for the Vauxhall Movano. With tipper, dropside and Luton models available, the Movano is big on choice. And because every Movano comes with a full 3 year/100,000 mile warranty, whichever model you choose, it will be fit for purpose.

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES The Wheels of Business 3 Years Warranty up to 100,000 miles. The warranty will expire when the vehicle has reached either 3 years or when the mileage limit has been exceeded, whichever occurs first. The warranty The warranty excludes wear and tear and serviceable items, and the vehicle has to be serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s servicing schedule. Terms and conditions apply. Available at

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For more information call 0845 740 0777 or visit www.vauxhall.co.uk/vans includes Vauxhall’s standard Customer Care Commitment of a one-year unlimited mileage manufacturer’s warranty and a second and third year manufacturer’s warranty with 100,000 mile limitation. participating Retailers only. Warranty only available on vehicles sourced from General Motors UK Limited. Full details available from your Vauxhall Commercial Retailer.

We’ve been leading the fleet industry for over 25 years having built a reputation for our expertise, insight and integrity.

But there were some common practices which we were never entirely comfortable with, which led us to develop a fresh perspective on how best we could support your business.

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The best in the business take a bow at the Awards

T

he highest achievers in the UK van industry took a bow in front of their peers at the 2013 Fleet Van Awards in December. Van manufacturers, suppliers to the commercial vehicle industry and fleets gathered in London to hear our verdict on who are the best in the business.

Our judging panel with expertise in the various fields that touch the light commercial vehicle industry spent long hours analysing all of the contender companies, organisations and vehicles vying for honours in their respective sectors.

In an industry where professionalism is more important than ever, the quality of entries was exceptionally high and made the judging process an arduous task.

Nevertheless it is always a fascinating exercise for those involved, discussing how those entered have reached their positions.

Vehicles are also more capable than ever of doing their assigned jobs, with ever higher levels of safety and better fuel economy.

And both fleets and suppliers to the industry align themselves to the highest standards of operation.

It is a privilege for Fleet Van to highlight and reward these achievements that set the standards others in the industry should aspire to.

Fleet Van awards were presented at Altitude 360, at Millbank Tower, London

MEE T T HE JUDGE S

CATEGORY JUDGES Fleet managers John Maslen Stephen Briers Mark Cartwright Suppliers Darren Bell Dale Eynon Phil Cane

Stephen Briers, editor-in-chief, Fleet News

Simon Harris, deputy editor, Fleet News

Trevor Gehlcken, associate editor, Fleet Van

John Maslen, brand director, Sewells

George Alexander, editor, Glassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide to CVs

Mark Cartwright, head of LCVs, FTA

Manufacturers Trevor Gehicken Simon Harris George Alexander Alastair Houston Ken Brown Steve Crawshaw Gary Banister

Darren Bell, head of fleet management, G4S Cash Solutions

Alastair Houston, regional director, Northgate Vehicle Hire

Dale Eynon, head of fleet operations, Environment Agency

Ken Brown, editor, Red Book LCVs & motorhomes, CAP

Gary Banister, senior manager commercial vehicle consulting, Lex Autolease

Phil Cane, delivery operations manager, Sainsburyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Steve Crawshaw, commercial vehicle fleet consultant LeasePlan

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 19

CITY VAN OF THE YEAR

W INNER: Fiat Fiorino

H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D Ford Fiesta Van

FINALISTS

Citroën Nemo Fiat Fiorino Ford Fiesta Van Peugeot Bipper Vauxhall Corsavan

Simon Hubbard (left), sales manager, Fiat Professional, receives the award from Mike MacDougall, head of sales, Hitachi Capital

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S Vans are Fiat’s passion, especially the smaller models where it offers excellent back-up support and a strong warranty. The overall package offered by the Fiorino is outstanding. It has huge driver appeal, strong residuals and good payload. Fiat has listened to what fleets need from this size of van and it has delivered.

SMALL VAN OF THE YEAR

W INNER: Citroën Berlingo H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D Fiat Doblo Cargo Nissan NV200 Volkswagen Caddy

Scott Michael (right), head of commercial vehicles and Business Centre programme, Citroën, receives the award from Harvey Stead, sales director, FMG

FINALISTS

Citroën Berlingo Fiat Doblo Cargo Mercedes-Benz Citan Nissan NV200 Peugeot Partner Renault Kangoo Vauxhall Combo Volkswagen Caddy

20 February 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S A highly-competitive shortlist but new eco models, an electric vehicle derivative and Trafficmaster as standard swing it in the Berlingo’s favour. It also has low cost of ownership, good driver appeal, strong network support and a decent payload. It’s a very likeable van.

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MEDIUM VAN OF THE YEAR

W INNER: Ford Transit Custom

Phil Hollins (left), director fleet operations, Ford, receives the award from Mike MacDougall, head of sales, Hitachi Capital

H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D Volkswagen Transporter

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S FINALISTS

Ford Transit Custom Mercedes-Benz Vito Volkswagen Transporter

The new Transit Custom is packed with innovation and technology, and all of it is useful to fleets.

It has excellent build quality, ESC as standard, outstanding fuel economy and strong residuals.

Ford has listened to fleets’ needs and responded with a new benchmark in this category.

LARGE VAN OF THE YEAR

W INNER: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Andrew Lawson (right), national fleet sales manager, MercedesBenz UK, receives the award from Harvey Stead, sales director, FMG

H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D Fiat Ducato Iveco Daily

FINALISTS

Fiat Ducato Ford Transit Iveco Daily Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Volkswagen Crafter

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S The Sprinter is packed with the latest technology that will appeal to safety-conscious fleets. It tops the table for residual values and also for driver appeal. Backed by Mercedes’s excellent dealer network with 24/7 response and roadside fixes, the Sprinter remains the one to beat.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 21

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PICK-UP OF THE YEAR

W INNER: Ford Ranger

H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D Isuzu D-Max Mitsubishi L200

FINALISTS Ford Ranger Isuzu D-Max Mitsubishi L200 Toyota Hilux

Dave Petts (left), Transit product manager, Ford, accepts the award from Mike MacDougall, head of sales, Hitachi Capital

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S Since winning this category a year ago, the Ranger has gone from strength-to-strength. It appeals to drivers but, more importantly, the financial argument is compelling for fleets. Strong residual values, a full range of single and double-cab models and solid support from dealers: Ford has taken a practical 4x4 as far as you can go for a fleet vehicle.

CHASSIS CAB OF THE YEAR

W INNER:

Vauxhall Movano

H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D Peugeot Boxer

FINALISTS

Ford Transit Iveco Daily Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Peugeot Boxer Vauxhall Movano

22 February 2014 leetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

Steve Bryant (right), brand manager commercial vehicles, Vauxhall, receives the award from Harvey Stead, sales director, FMG

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S The Movano is the perfect base vehicle for a body conversion for a wide choice of applications, especially for specialist uses. Vauxhall’s appetite to invest in R&D makes all the difference – it’s a ‘can-do’ attitude that has resulted in a vehicle chassis which delivers a for all types of fleets.

Discover how apetito achieves 99% fleet availability “

I have worked with many fleet companies in my working life and Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Solutions are the best and have the most committed people that I have dealt with.

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apetito delivers a wide range of delicious and nutritionally balanced meals to thousands of elderly clients in their homes throughout the UK. To ensure apetito deliver this critical service to vulnerable members of our society, they selected Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Solutions to be their fleet partner to fund, design, build, maintain and manage their entire fleet of innovative Chefmobil vans.

Discover how Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Solutions help more companies deliver their promise to their customers, visit www.hccvs.co.uk/services or call 01225 777710.

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GREEN VAN MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR

W INNER:

Fiat Professional Francesco Russiello (right), marketing product manager, Fiat Professional, accepts the award from Mike MacDougall, head of sales, Hitachi Capital

H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D Ford

FINALISTS Citroën Fiat Ford Mercedes-Benz Nissan Peugeot Renault

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S Fiat has focused on the practical application of technology to ensure its vehicles minimise the use of fossil fuels. From its efficient Multijet engines to the Blue & Me telematics technology which manages driver behaviour, Fiat is equipping fleets with the tools to set their own agenda on the environment.

FLEET VAN MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR

W INNER: Ford

H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D Fiat

FINALISTS Fiat Ford Mercedes-Benz Volkswagen

24 February 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

Phil Hollins (right), director fleet operations, Ford, receives the award from Harvey Stead, sales director, FMG

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S Consistency, innovation and an excellent product line-up tips the scale in Ford’s favour. The product sells itself with excellent residual values and driver appeal. And with its muchimproved dealer network, Ford is best-placed to serve the needs of fleets. It is also the first to identify any shortcomings in its service and seeks to address any issues promptly.

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FLEET VAN OF THE YEAR

W INNER: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

FINALISTS

Fiat Fiorino Citroën Berlingo Ford Transit Custom Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Ford Ranger

Andrew Lawson (left), national fleet sales manager, Mercedes-Benz UK, accepts the award from Mike MacDougall, head of sales, Hitachi Capital

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S The Sprinter was already a 10 out of 10 van; now Mercedes-Benz has made it even better!

A host of technological innovations to boost safety are ahead of their time, while the first Euro 6 compliant engines, excellent network back-up and good availability of new models combine to provide a compelling package for fleets.

TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

W INNER: Bott

Ben Rotheray (right), product marketing manager, Bott, accepts the award from Harvey Stead, sales director, FMG

FINALISTS

Bott Epyx In-car Cleverness Smart Witness

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S The Bott SmartVan solution offers the potential for fleets to improve their utilisation through reconfiguration and increases flexibility for vehicle options. It can be self-fitted without expertise which, together with its low cost base, makes it ideal for short-term rentals. This is a quick solution to ensure fleets are carrying loads more safely.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 25

BEST NEW PRODUCT OR SERVICE

W INNER: GreenRoad for its Smartphone Edition

FINALISTS

Derwent Management Systems for its SMR Burn Rate GreenRoad for its Smartphone Edition Kwik-Fit for the launch of Kwik-Fit Plus

Chris Deakin (left), senior sales manager, GreenRoad, accepts the award from Mike MacDougall, head of sales, Hitachi Capital

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S This is a simple solution to implement that provides good return on investment for safety and costs. It is also a good option for smaller fleets that haven’t the means to invest in expensive telematics solutions. It is a credible alternative.

VAN RENTAL COMPANY OF THE YEAR

W INNER: Europcar

Stuart Russell, specialist vehicle director, Europcar, accepts the award from Tracey Perry, national key account manager, Fiat Professional

H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D SHB

FINALISTS Europcar SHB Thrifty

26 February 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S Europcar displayed the highest level of innovation while its excellent services and initiatives are moving the van rental sector forward. The company has a good understanding of customers’ needs and identifies solutions that are effective – it’s customer-led innovation.

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VAN LEASING AND FLEET MANAGEMENT COMPANY OF THE YEAR

W INNER: BT Fleet

H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D GE Capital

FINALISTS BT Fleet GE Capital Hitachi Capital LeasePlan Lex Autolease Zenith

Dave Bowen, managing director, BT Fleet, accepts the award from Tracey Perry, national key account manager, Fiat Professional

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S BT Fleet has been through a transformation and now offers a more diversified value-added proposition for its customers. It has a wide range of products and services and is an early adopter of new technology. With outstanding customer service as well as impressive growth with new customers, BT Fleet is one step ahead of its competitors.

VAN FLEET OF THE YEAR – TRANSPORT/ LOGISTICS

W INNER: Tube Lines

Philip Constable (right), general manager stations and specialist services, receives the award from Harvey Stead, sales director, FMG

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S FINALISTS

The Clancy Group Tube Lines

A robust platform of key fleet management skills are helping keep costs, emissions and accidents down at Tube Lines. Expert advice is provided to departments when ordering vans to ensure the best model is chosen for the job, rather than just relying on a particular manager’s preference. With a London-focused fleet, initiatives have been developed to cater for the unique challenges the fleet faces, including driver training programmes that are specific to the capital.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 27

Advertisement feature

City van of the year: Fiat Fiorino Green Van Manufacturer of the Year WINNER

Manufacturer’s comments For the second consecutive year, the FIAT Fiorino was named City Van of the Year in the 2013 Fleet Van Awards, with FIAT Professional winning the Green Van Manufacturer of the Year award thanks to its innovative fuel-saving technologies. FIAT Professional was also highly commended in the overall Van Manufacturer of the Year category thanks to the strength and breadth of its range and its willingness to listen and responding to customer requirements.

For more information call 08433 830614, visit www.Àatprofessional.co.uk or email contactÀatprofessional@uk-central.com

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VAN FLEET OF THE YEAR UTILITIES

W INNER: E.On

Lorna McAtear (left), commercial vehicle manager, E.On, accepts the award from Tracey Perry, national key account manager, Fiat Professional

H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D Severn Trent National Grid

FINALISTS

E.On National Grid Severn Trent Wessex Water The Clancy Group

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S Innovation, professionalism and loads of enthusiasm continue to drive change at the E.On fleet. Among great initiatives introduced in the past year are an online quotation system that streamlines the complex commercial vehicle ordering process, and video handovers designed to improve safety. Led by Lorna McAtear, this is a great example of a proactively-managed fleet that never rests on its laurels, with constant improvements designed to keep company transport cost effective and fit for purpose.

VAN SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

W INNER: BT Fleet

Dave Bowen, managing director, BT Fleet, receives the award from Tracey Perry, national key account manager, Fiat Professional

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S FINALISTS ATS BT Fleet Europcar Selsia

BT Fleet stands head and shoulders above all the other entries in this year’s Fleet Van Awards. It has introduced a vast array of new initiatives, it has clear understanding of what its customers want and it is constantly ahead of the game when it comes to innovation and service. It delivers impressive results for its customers – and it does all of this without outsourcing any capabilities.

The judges were impressed with BT Fleet’s open submission which answered all of their questions. The depth and diversity of the core product offering is market leading and it has the very clear endorsement from its customer base with excellent testimonials and retention rate.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 29

VAN FLEET OF THE YEAR – PUBLIC SECTOR

W INNER: NHS Blood & Transplant

H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D Wakefield and District Housing

FINALISTS

Gateshead Council NHS Blood and Transplant Wakefield and District Housing Yorkshire Ambulance Service

Geoff Cotter, general manager transport, NHS Blood & Transplant, accepts the award from Tracey Perry, national key account manager, Fiat Professional

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S NHS Blood & Transplant stands out as a template for best practice in the public sector, but fleets in the private sector could also learn a lot from this excellently-run operation. Attention to detail is paramount and every aspect of the fleet is closely monitored and managed to benefit the NHS, taxpayers and patients. The fleet has particularly focused on tackling downtime and has an enviable 99% reliability rate, 95% vehicle availability and 98% first-time MOT pass rate. At the same time, at-fault accidents have almost been driven out of existence, while fuel efficiency is on the rise thanks to new initiatives. All this could only be achieved by a fleet that has great processes and strong management, with a clear commitment to achieving its aims.

VAN FLEET OF THE YEAR – BUSINESS SERVICES

W INNER: The AA

Sarah Dopson (left), head of group fleet, The AA, accepts the award from Tracey Perry, national key account manager, Fiat Professional

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D Iron Mountain

FINALISTS The AA Iron Mountain

30 February 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

A complex fleet with 19 business areas to serve requires expert management and this is the case at The AA. Close partnerships with outsourced services and a steady stream of initiatives have produced millions of pounds in savings in the past few years. Fuel costs have been a particular area of success, where, in addition to the benefits of telematics technology, area managers have been issued fuel economy targets to ensure all managers are focused on driver performance. Also, the fleet recognises the importance of listening to driver feedback and holds regular forums to obtain their expert assessment on key issues related to vehicle operations.

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VAN FLEET OF THE YEAR – WHOLESALE/ RETAIL/FOOD

W INNER: Sainsbury’s Online

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S PICTURED: Phil Cane (right), delivery operations manager, Sainsbury’s Online, receives the award from Harvey Stead, sales director, FMG

The first aim of the Sainsburys’ home delivery fleet team is to simplify its operation where possible to support drivers in being the ‘face of the business’. Dynamic routing systems are used to optimise delivery plans, while extensive driver training is reducing the number of slots missed due to crashes. Driver feedback feeds into a system of management processes which are committed to best practice and maintaining a safe and cost-effective fleet. The fleet recently achieved accreditation to the Van Excellence scheme, becoming the first supermarket to do to.

SAFE VAN FLEET OF THE YEAR

W INNER:

The Clancy Group H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D BT Fleet Iron Mountain

FINALISTS

BT Fleet E.On Iron Mountain Morrison Utility NHS Blood and Transplant The Clancy Group Wakefield and District Housing

Ian Housley (left), group governance and compliance manager and Bernie Stack (right), plant hire director, Clancy Group, receive the award from Mike MacDougall, head of sales, Hitachi Capital

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S With van fleets already focused heavily on risk management and reducing accidents, a fleet had to have made exceptional progress to stand out in this category. Clancy did just that for its 1,000vehicle van fleet, achieving an own-fault accident rate of 0.000007 per mile. The extensive use of risk management programmes ranges from risk management to driver training, magazines and behavioural training. New recruits are assessed for driving competency during their induction, while some schemes have been extended to include external sub-contractors. There is clear evidence of a long-term commitment to keeping accidents down that has been shared throughout the business with a high-profile campaign that is clearly paying dividends.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 31

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GREEN VAN FLEET OF THE YEAR

W INNER: Yorkshire Ambulance Service

Richard Smith, fleet engineering manager, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, accepts the award from Tracey Perry, national key account manager, Fiat Professional

H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S

University of Birmingham

Yorkshire Ambulance has focused on the critical role played by drivers in helping to reduce emissions, particularly on a long-term basis. Its extensive use of eco driver training is combined with a determination to share best practice and ideas with other services to find the best way to achieve results. Its work with Leeds University has led to the development of a lightweight ambulance conversion with an aerodynamic light bar, which increased average fuel economy from 18mpg to 26mpg. With vehicles travelling 25 million miles a year, the carbon savings will be substantial.

FINALISTS

Environment Agency University of Birmingham Yorkshire Ambulance Service

VAN FLEET MANAGER OF THE YEAR

W INNER:

Michael Jackson, Scottish Ambulance Service

Michael Jackson (right), general manager fleet, Scottish Ambulance Service, accepts the award from Mike MacDougall, head of sales, Hitachi Capital

J UDGE S’ C OMMEN T S FINALISTS

Larry Bannon, NHS Blood and Transplant Michael Jackson, Scottish Ambulance Service Sarah Dopson, The AA Rick Young, Wakefield and District Housing

Michael Jackson has decades of experience in fleet management but he has constantly invested in learning and development to improve his fleet skills. With a string of successful initiatives behind him at Scottish Ambulance Service, his expertise has been recognised through his secondment to carry out a major cradle-to-grave review of the 12,000-strong NHS Scotland fleet – including the 1,450 vehicles operated by the Scottish Ambulance Service. Jackson’s review aims to identify the potential synergies that can be gained from greater collaboration of fleet management across the NHS Scotland fleets, and how any benefits can be fully realised.

32 February 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

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Lightfoot® is totally different from standard telematics products. It is self-managing, it doesn’t just report on issues, it actually resolves them in real-time with the driver. Lightfoot® has helped Autoglass® become a cleaner, leaner and greener fleet.”

Sean Goodfellow, Autoglass® Programme Efficiency Manager R

It’s not what you drive, it’s how you drive

IN SIGH T - I V EC O

Running an electric van ‘makes no sense at present’ More Government help is needed, says Iveco’s Martin Flach

I

By Trevor Gehlcken veco has questioned whether large electric panel vans will ever be viable in the UK, after admitting it has yet to sell a Daily Electric after four years on the market.

The Italian commercial vehicle manufacturer has invested millions in bringing alternativelyfuelled vehicles to market in the past 10 years after governments across the EU urged manufacturers to embrace cleaner fuels.

But while countries such as Italy and Germany offer generous discounts for fleets running green-fuelled vans, the UK Government is lagging far behind and needs to do more, according to Iveco.

“As things stand at present there is no way it makes business sense to run a Daily Electric van,” says Martin Flach, Iveco product director.

“An electric model will cost around £50,000 more than a diesel one and, if you count up the fuel savings and not paying the London Congestion Charge, it would take eight years of average fleet mileage to get your money back.

“After eight years the batteries are likely to need replacing at a cost of around £10,000, so you are back to square one.”

Flach and his team have been talking to local councils and utilities for the past four years trying to persuade them to take on the Daily Electric but to no avail.

He says: “It is not as though they are buying electric vehicles from anyone else – they just aren’t buying them at all.

“One of the problems is that when Modec went out of business, some fleets got their fingers burned and they say ‘never again’ to us. But Modec was a small firm and we are a major global manufacturer.

“There is no way we are going to stop selling electric vehicles and there is no way we are going out of business, so fleet buyers can rest assured when buying vans from us.”

Leaving aside the problem of restricted mileage, Flach feels that pricing is the main drawback of the Daily Electric and he believes that the Government should offer more cashback deals. He says: “At present they offer £8,000 across the board, which is a sizeable sum if you are buying a £17,000 Renault Kangoo ZE, but on a £65,000 vehicle it just isn’t enough and the Government should introduce a sliding scale depending on the price of the van.”

Another problem for Iveco is that its smallest van weighs in at 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight, which means that when the electric components are added on, it tips the van over that weight, meaning that an O-licence and tachograph is needed to operate it. Also, people who passed their driving tests after 1995 won’t be able to drive them without a further driving test.

Flach says: “In Italy and Germany this is taken into account.

0

number of Iveco Daily Electric vans sold in the past four years

25

number of CNG filling stations in the UK by the end of the year

The Daily Electric is exempt from the London Congestion Charge

34 February 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

For more industry profiles, visit: www.fleetnews.co.uk/ vans/case-studies/

The vans end up weighing 3.8 tonnes but the governments there still class them as 3.5 tonners. The UK Government should do the same.”

As for the cleanliness of electric vans, Flach revealed data that will be no surprise to those who have investigated the use of these vehicles. He said that while in France 90% of electricity comes from nuclear sources, 60% of electricity in the UK comes from coal-fired power stations, so although the Daily has zero tailpipe emissions, it does have a carbon footprint when the way the electricity is generated is taken into account.

He says: “I have estimated that while a Daily diesel emits 200g/km of CO2, the Electric version in the UK, counting the pollution from actually making the electricity, emits 180g/km. That’s not exactly pollution-free motoring is it?”

However, the carbon cost of drilling for oil, refining and transporting would add further CO2 emissions from well to wheel of a diesel vehicle.

So what should fleets which want to embrace a greener transport agenda do? Flach believes that compressed natural gas (CNG) is a better alternative – and Daily is offered with a CNG powerplant too.

ABOVE: Martin Flach believes CNG is a better green alternative than electric vehicles

“The Tesco.com fleet has been running 71 CNG Dailys for the past two years with no problems” Martin Flach, product director, Iveco

Not only is there no worry about how far the vehicle can travel, but the engines can run on gas which is reclaimed from rubbish tips and suchlike, so is more sustainable than mining it from deep underground.

Until now, CNG has been available only from onsite facilities, but now several pumps are being installed at motorway services. By the end of the year, around 25 such sites will be in operation – although a tiny fraction of the public charging points for electric vehicles.

Flach said: “The Tesco.com fleet has been running 71 CNG Dailys for the past two years with no problems and we believe that this is a true green fuel alternative. We work with companies such as Gasrec and British Oxygen to supply firms with pumps on-site and we reckon that any fleet with at least 20 CNG vans can make a go of it.”

As for LPG, Flach says Iveco has never invested in the technology. He says: “When the Iveco bosses first sat down and talked about producing alternatively-fuelled vehicles they didn’t even consider LPG as it is not technically a green fuel. It does have reduced tailpipe emissions and can be cheaper to run, but it is not a green fuel as it is made as a by-product of petrol production.”

Hybrid technology is also an area manufacturers are developing, with several car makers producing new models.

Iveco showed a concept hybrid Daily at the Hannover Commercial Vehicle show two years ago, driven by an electric motor but with a small diesel engine on board purely to charge the battery up.

But Flach said: “Although this is an exciting development we are not going to see this van going on sale at any time soon. As things stand, CNG is the green way forward.”

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 35

Advertisement feature

January 2014 posts highest figure on record so far

A

verage values for commercial vehicles continue to rise in 2014, as January posted the highest figure on record, according to BCA’s latest figures.

Demand for LCVs was strong throughout the month, with a number of record sales around the BCA network as professional buyers competed for stock.

BCA’s general manager – commercial vehicles, Duncan Ward, commented: “Average values for all light commercial vehicles increased marginally in January 2014 to £5,322 – a rise of £11 compared to December – as buyers competed strongly for stock. January’s average value was the highest since Pulse began reporting in 2005 and was the sixth month in a row that average values across all light commercial vehicles exceeded £5,000.

“Corporate vans from the fleet and lease operators fell back in value compared to December to £6,454 (down by £215, 3.2%), largely as a result of the changing model mix as volumes rose significantly. However, values were up by £1,071 (19.8%) year on year, underlining the ongoing growth in average values in the light commercial sector.”

Ward added: “Long term trend data from BCA suggests that values for the average used LCV reaching the wholesale sector may continue to rise in the months ahead, despite vans being older and higher mileage. Average van prices are up 45.5% compared to five years ago in the depths of the recession, despite being nearly a year older and having covered 9,000 more miles.

“While this is good news for sellers, from

Well-prepared and presented vans are attracting the buyers the buyers’ perspective the outlook for 2014 is that supply issues could actually worsen.

There was a significant drop in new van sales between 2008 and 2009 and with the average van being sold at just under five years old, this will be reflected in the volume of used vans reaching the wholesale markets in 2014. This ‘supply gap’ means the used light commercial vehicle sector may be short of stock for some time to come.”

Across the board Ward said: “Demand has been right across the board, from older higher mileage vans through to younger ex-fleet, lease and rental vehicles, while the few sub one-year-old light commercials on offer can make exceptional values.

LCVs – average used values 2013-2014

£6,000

£5,000

£4,000

Jan

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sept

Aug

July

June

May

Apl

Mar

Feb

Jan

£3,000

“The end result has been record-breaking average values for fleet/lease and dealer P/X vehicles. As always, good condition is the key and vans with a nice specification and in an attractive retail colour are very desirable.

“Similarly any vehicle with body-build configuration such as tippers, dropsides or lutons with tail-lifts, will generate a lot of interest from buyers, not just in the UK but further afield.”

Ward commented: “While this sounds like great news for corporate vendors, this situation must be approached rationally and sellers must continue to deliver on all the basics.

“The usual rules still apply and damage management, stock selection, pre-sale preparation, appraisal and sensible valuation remain as important as they ever were. The simple rule of thumb is that a well-prepared and presented van will make more money than a similar vehicle in poor, dirty or damaged condition.

“While demand remains strong for light commercials, the market is still subject to the usual seasonal peaks and troughs and fluctuations may occur if there is an oversupply of a particular model, for example. Sellers should stay in touch with the market trends and work closely with their remarketing supplier to stay ahead of the game.”

Europe’s No.1 vehicle remarketing company Log on to bca.co.uk or call 0844 875 3480

REM A RK E T ING

Road ahead for van values leads to buoyant 2014 Remarketing expert predicts this year will be continue the trends seen in 2013

A

By John Challen s it continued its recovery, post recession, the van sector enjoyed a relatively fruitful 2013. And the market is set to continue in this vein, according to James Davis, head of commercial vehicles at Manheim.

“Older and [higher-mileage vehicles] were the story of the year,” he says. “However, it is likely this has peaked, as fleet replacements are starting to kick in and availability of funding is no longer such an issue.

“Retail activity varied geographically according to the feedback we’ve had from our dealer customers, while seasonality was clearly back in the market; most evidently during Easter, summer and Christmas.”

Davis says it was a strong year for vendors due to the lack of de-fleet volume, “specifically threeto five-year-old corporate fleet product”, and is adamant that “vendors who move to the market will be rewarded with buyer loyalty”.

Growth in the online sector will continue, although he says physical auctions are continuing to perform well.

“Over the past 12 months the average age of vans bought online has increased by eight months, with mileages creeping up by only 4,000 miles,” he says.

“As a direct result, average selling prices online have fallen, year-on-year, by £463.

“But we’ve seen the total opposite in the halls, as average selling prices have increased over the past 12 months by £814, despite age and mileage broadly remaining flat. This shows that online buyers are having to cherry pick the lowest mileage, older vans available to satisfy demand.”

There is, then, clearly a need to maximise residual values of fleet vehicles, and Davis offers some advice on how best to achieve this.

“It is important that vehicles are exposed to the largest potential buyer base, through physical auction centres and also online buying platforms, which can attract bids from both the UK and international buyers,” he adds.

“Stock should be allocated to the right channels dependent on profile and condition, not simply a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

“Condition reports should be detailed and easily accessible, with plenty of relevant photography.”

“The key factor driving the market is the supply of good retail quality stock and this means there is plenty of competition for the best examples” Duncan Ward, general manager commercial vehicles, BCA

Davis also suggests that investing in professional valets is worthwhile, to ensure the stock is well-presented.

Despite the average age of vans at auction being older, and having higher mileages, long-term trend data from BCA suggests that, in 2014, used LCV values will continue in the same direction.

BCA reported a continual rise in average values throughout 2013 and, over five years, average prices are up 42.9%.

“Average values for used LCVs have been substantially higher this year, despite anecdotal reports suggesting that van retailers have been relatively quiet,” says Duncan Ward, general manager commercial vehicles, BCA. “However, the key factor driving the market is the supply of good retail quality stock – or rather the lack of it – and this means there is plenty of competition for the best examples reaching the market.

“Demand has been right across the board, from older higher-mileage vans through to younger ex-fleet and lease vehicles, while the few lateplate light commercials on offer can make exceptional values.”

But Ward’s words come with a warning for vendors. “From the buyers’ perspective, the outlook for 2014 is that supply issues could actually worsen,” he says.

“There was a significant drop in new van sales between 2008 and 2009 and with the average van being sold at just under five years old, this will be reflected in the volume of used vans reaching the wholesale markets in 2014. This ‘supply gap’ means the used light commercial vehicle sector may be short of stock for some time to come.”

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 37

IN SIGH T - F UNDING

SWITCHING FUNDING METHODS Changing the way you fund your vans can lead to significant savings, as these two companies show. Ben Rooth reports.

SWITCHING FROM OUTRIGHT PURCHASE TO CONTRACT HIRE HYDRAQUIP GROUP Duncan MacBain, managing director

Over the past six months, Duncan MacBain has started funding his company’s vehicles through contract hire with Ogilvie Fleet instead of purchasing them outright.

“I wanted a fleet of more reliable vans that would appeal to new and existing employees while also presenting the right image to our customers,” he says.

“We’re also saving on large upfront capital outlays on purchasing the vehicles outright at a time when we’re expanding rapidly.

“We currently operate a fleet of 70 vans and it’s projected that we’ll be operating 100 vans within 18 months – all of them hired.”

MacBain founded Hydraquip Group in 1989 and today the multi-million pound business consists of two independent companies – Hyrdaquip Hose and Hydraulics as well as the Hydraquip Braided Hose Division.

All the group’s vans possess fully-equipped workshops which are capable of manufacturing hydraulic hoses – among other kinds – on-site to meet the needs of customers operating across many different sectors.

The average price of purchasing one of Hydraquip Group’s Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans was previously around £22,000, while the costs associated with installing racking and on-board

38 February 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

workshop equipment were £10,000.

MacBain had bought vans outright since establishing the company and previously ran them until they reached the end of their useful life.

He realised the potential benefits of switching to contract hire after deciding to expand Hydraquip’s 24-hour service by adding a fleet of fully-equipped Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans previously operated by a collapsed rival in February last year.

He says: “I was getting fed-up with increasingly large and unpredictable maintenance bills for our fleet of owned vehicles and then we acquired a fleet of 16 new vans on a lease from Ogilvie Fleet, which also provided a fleet management service.

“This was a light-bulb moment for me. The benefits are fixed monthly costs, reduced maintenance bills and improved vehicle downtime.”

The collapse of a rival company last summer led to a decision to take in its fleet of 20 Volkswagen Crafter vans, which were also leased from Ogilvie Fleet.

Today, Hydraquip Group has 58 vans – 38 Sprinters and 20 Volkswagen Crafters – on lease from Ogilvie Fleet.

In recent months, the company has identified that Sprinters best meet its needs and a further 12 of these vans are currently on order to replace older vehicles that are currently owned.

MacBain anticipates that when current renewal or replacement cycles conclude, Hydraquip’s entire fleet will consist of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

313 CDI hi-roof models operated on threeyear/120,000-mile replacement cycles.

Each vehicle is fitted with racking and storage solutions by Bott.

MacBain says: “One of the things that impressed me about Ogilvie Fleet was that it operates a pooled mileage arrangement across the van fleet to limit the risk of penalty charges for breaking contracted mileage parameters.

“Furthermore, a comprehensive suite of driver and fleet decision-maker online tools are now available to us through the MiFleet dashboard.

“This offering impressed us and caused us to stick with Ogilvie.”

The van fleet has continued working highly efficiently since he took the decision to switch to contract hire in June last year and he has yet to encounter any challenges with this decision.

He adds: “My advice to anyone considering switching to contract hire is to examine the costs closely in the first place and take reassurance from the fact that they are fixed monthly costs.

“Also consider the many intangible benefits that could result.

“Apart from avoiding the downtime that occurs with older vans, employees like having new vehicles and this helps with staff retention.

“And for any rapidly-growing business like ours, contract hire also means that you can ensure your cash reserves remain strong, which is always a bonus in business.”

“I was getting fed-up with increasingly large and unpredictable maintenance bills for our fleet” Duncan MacBain, managing director, Hydraquip Group

SWITCHING FROM CONTRACT HIRE TO OUTRIGHT PURCHASE YORKSHIRE HOUSING Stuart Wiseman, fleet and transport manager

The main factor influencing Yorkshire Housing’s decision to switch from contract hire to outright purchase was the potential to make savings of £1.5 million over a five-year period.

The organisation had historically funded its van fleet through contract hire, but the arrival of an experienced fleet manager in August 2010 caused it to reassess this policy.

Stuart Wiseman quickly identified that it was possible to “get more for less money” across Yorkshire Housing’s fleet of vans which are used to carry out repair and maintenance work on 16,000 properties countywide.

Wiseman says: “My previous experience working for a large council in Yorkshire had already taught me that outright purchase can work well if you’ve got the money in place.

“But when I took up the job here, I came in with an open mind. The contract hire agreement had been in place for several years and I quickly realised that it was simply not giving us best value.”

At that point, 150 light commercial vehicles were on a three-year contract.

But Wiseman discovered that Yorkshire Housing was paying for three months more than it needed – three months upfront followed by 36 monthly payments. He subsequently calculated that by switching to outright purchase, it would

be possible to save £1.5m over five years.

Consequently, since April 2012 the organisation has been purchasing all its 152 Fords outright and it now runs them for five years or 100,000 miles.

Of these, 98 are short wheelbase, low roof Transits while a further 20 are long wheelbase Transits. The remaining 34 are also Fords and consist of chassis cabs, crew cab tippers, caged tippers, Connect vans, and two Fiesta Vans.

Yorkshire Housing has purchased these vehicles through the Government Procurement Service (GPS) framework agreements since making the decision to switch in December 2011.

Wiseman has calculated that in the first full year alone, Yorkshire Housing made savings of £250,000 and this total is set to increase to £600,000 by April this year.

He adds: “The average hire and maintenance cost per van was previously £47 a month. I’ve calculated that this figure has fallen to £13.50 per vehicle since we’ve purchased them outright.

“These savings are simply down to the fact that it’s more cost-effective for us to source vans and service, maintenance and repair (SMR) options in the way we’re now doing it.

“I initially approached our previous provider in summer 2011 and said that we wanted some terms and conditions, but when this didn’t happen, I went to our finance director with details of the projected savings from outright purchase. He reassured me that we had the cash in place.

“The change in funding for our fleet subsequently went before the departmental heads as well as the chief executive before it was taken to the board of directors. This whole process took around four months to complete and by December 2011 we’d notified our previous provider that we were phasing out the contract.”

After assessing the options available through seven different manufacturers through the GPS, Yorkshire Housing chose Ford as a result of its vehicles’ versatility, endurance and strong residual values, as well as the discounts offered.

Wiseman also highlights the fact that the manufacturer offered him reassurance that he would have back-up from the Polar Ford dealership for the vans’ SMR needs.

The only challenge arose when there was a hiatus between the delivery of Ford’s new range of Transits and the terms of previous vans under contract hire expiring. Wiseman says: “To overcome it we briefly went down the flexi-rent route for a short period – it hasn’t proved an issue.”

He adds: “My advice to anyone considering outright purchase is to ensure initially that you know precisely what your organisation needs the vehicles for and then work carefully through the costs of that option – and others.

“At that point, speak to the manufacturers directly if you’re going to buy the vans before going to the dealers and asking them for further discounts – you get the best deal that way.”

“It’s more cost-effective for us to source vans and SMR options in the way we’re now doing it” Stuart Wiseman, fleet and transport manager, Yorkshire Housing

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 39

DRI V EN 1.6 TDCI

FORD FIESTA SPORT VAN

Sporty bodykit and alloy wheels make this small van an eye-catching choice NEED TO KNOW

SPEC

n 1.6 TDCi engine produces 95hp n Load volume of 1cu m n Official fuel economy of 78.5mpg; CO2 of 95g/km

Gross vehicle weight (kg): 1,565 Power (hp): 95 Torque (lb-ft): 147 Load volume (cu m): 1.0 Payload (kg): 505 Comb fuel economy (mpg): 78.5 CO2 emissions (g/km): 95 Price (ex-VAT): £13,670

L

By Trevor Gehlcken ooking at the picture of this van, you may come to the conclusion that it is in no way, shape or form a fleet van.

But the needs of a modern van fleet are many nowadays and we can think of a few instances where a vehicle like this will be just the ticket.

Many users don’t actually want to drive vans so for, say, a photocopier salesman who really wants a company car and is a valued employee, this vehicle ticks all the right boxes.

The Fiesta Van was upgraded last year as part of Ford’s commitment to replace every single one of its vans with new models in the space of two years.

This particular model is one of the range of Sport vans that

VERDICT

Good looks, high spec and impressive official fuel economy.

This combination is bound to make the Fiesta Sport Van a favourite among both drivers and fleet managers.

Ford offers, whereby the looks are ramped up but the power remains the same. So while employees will be chuffed with their swanky-looking vans, they won’t be able to waste fuel and risk more accidents with excessive speed.

That doesn’t mean to say that this van is slow. The 95bhp on offer is delivered smoothly and gives plenty of acceleration.

Costing £13,670 ex-VAT, the Fiesta Sport Van offers a combined fuel economy figure of 78.5mpg and CO2 emissions of 95g/km from its 1.6 TDCi common rail powerplant, while in the back there is exactly one cubic metre of space and payload of 505kg.

The vehicle features a high standard of specification, including 16-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured side skirts, sports style bumpers and grille, sports seats, scuff plates, a Quickclear heated windscreen, leather-trimmed steering wheel, air-conditioning, power heated and folding mirrors, USB connectivity, front, side and knee airbags and Electronic Stability Control.

Options include rear parking sensors at £250 and Ford’s Active City Stop system which automatically applies the brakes if it senses an object ahead (£210).

Taut, pin-sharp handling proves a joy on the highway

BEHIND THE WHEEL On the ‘wow’ factor scale, this van comes pretty much near the top of the class – it looks fantastic.

Parked on my driveway at home I noticed several of my neighbours stopping to take an admiring look.

And, looking at the spec above, there’s a lot to go ‘wow’ about for any driver too, as few employees who use commercial vehicles will ever get so much many goodies.

Climbing aboard, its figurehugging sports seats make it feel as though you are in a sports car and not a van, although larger drivers might find them rather tight.

Storage space is at a premium but at least there are two coffee cup holders and a wire to plug in smartphones.

There’s a half-height solid bulkhead with mesh above it and in the rear the floor is carpeted.

40 February 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

However, the lip at the rear means loads cannot be slid in and out.

Even without a solid bulkhead behind there isn’t a lot of noise in the cab and the Fiesta Sport Van has impeccable road manners with taut, pin-sharp handling that proves a joy on the highway.

It’s top marks on safety too as electronic stability control comes as standard on this van.

The Active City Stop option is a godsend too. Although I didn’t

manage to test it with the Fiesta Sport Van, I’ve tried it on a track with the bigger Transit Connect and it works a treat when faced with the possibility of a rear-end shunt, automatically bringing the vehicle to a safe stop.

On the downside, we didn’t manage to get anywhere near the claimed 78.5mpg during our test week. The best average fuel economy we got from the trip computer was 59.2mpg.

MERCEDEZ-BENZ CITAN COMPACT

109CDI

Xpxpxp xp xpxp xpx pxpx xp xpx px px xppx pxpx

Low payload detracts from appeal of otherwise practical and desirable van NEED TO KNOW

SPEC

n Based on Renault Kangoo Compact n Fuel economy of 61.4mpg; CO2 emissions of 123g/km n ESC and Acceleration Skid Control fitted as standard

Gross vehicle weight (kg): 1,785 Power (hp/rpm): 90/4,000 Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 147/1,750-3,000 Load volume (cu m): 2.4 Payload (kg): 330 Comb fuel economy (mpg): 61.4 CO2 emissions (g/km): 123 Price (ex-VAT): £13,375

T

By Trevor Gehlcken he arrival of the Mercedes-Benz Citan last year marked the German manufacturer’s first foray into the small van sector.

In a tie-up with Renault (the Citan is based on the Renault Kangoo), the van’s launch meant that, for the first time, fleet buyers could order commercial vehicles from 1,700kg to 44 tonnes gross vehicle weight in a single deal.

Some pundits may query why anyone would buy a Citan rather than the cheaper Kangoo.

And they may have a point, unless we are talking about the van on test here, the Citan Compact.

That’s because Renault stopped offering its version of this particular model in the UK a couple of years ago.

BEHIND THE WHEEL We are beginning to see more Citans on the roads as fleets see the appeal of driving around with a three-pointed star on their vans.

This may be a Renault Kangoo underneath but there are certain things you get with a MercedesBenz that you don’t get with other brands.

There are higher residual values for starters, as well as the

VERDICT

Another great performer from the Mercedes-Benz stable which takes the firm into a whole new selling sector. However the low payload compared to the opposition may prove a problem for some fleet buyers.

German company’s unrivalled back-up if you break down.

Mercedes-Benz has its own system of dealing with breakdowns thanks to the truck levels of aftercare and says it gets 84% of people moving again rather than having them towed into the nearest garage as most manufacturers do.

As for the van itself, the cab is huge for the size of the vehicle and features big supportive seats, a

The Compact is rather a curious vehicle as it is basically a standard length Citan with the rear end cut off.

That means that the cab is far bigger than that in rivals Citroën Nemo, Peugeot Bipper and Fiat Fiorino, which is good thing, but it does give this van a rather strange look – a bit like a bulldog, which is all front end and not a lot at the back.

Power is courtesy of a 1.4-litre Renault turbodiesel powerplant offering 90bhp and 147lb-ft of torque.

This gives 61.4 mpg fuel economy and CO2 emissions of 123g/km.

In the back, there’s 2.4 cubic metres of loadspace on offer, which is on a par with the rivals in the sector, while payload is 330kg, which is half the 660kg offered by the Nemo/ Bipper/Fiorino.

However, standard spec is much higher than these rivals. Adaptive electronic stability control (ESC), comes as part of the £13,375 ex-VAT package, along with ABS brakes, Acceleration Skid Control, Brake Assist, folding front passenger seat, a plastic loadfloor in the rear, cruise control, stop-start technology, remote central locking and Bluetooth connectivity.

large chunky dash and a handy overhead shelf.

The passenger seat folds right down into the floor and there’s a swivelling bulkhead that protects the driver from moving cargo. This means that loads of up to two metres long can be carried.

The rear end doesn’t have a side loading door.

The wipe clean floor is a boon and is something that’s an extra in many vans of this size.

On the road, the Citan Compact is a lively performer, with ESC fitted as standard.

This van has an amazingly tight turning circle too, just what you need for urban deliveries and manoeuvring in tight car parks.

However, the mesh bulkhead meant that a fair amount of noise emanated from the back end, including a variety of annoying little rattles, the source of which I couldn’t quite pinpoint.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 41

LONG -T ERM T E S T

VAUXHALL COMBO

1.6 CDTI LWB

Impressive road manners and economy get long-term test off to a positive start NEED TO KNOW

SPEC

n Impressive 4cu m cargo capacity n Electronic stability control not fitted as standard n Average test fuel economy is 46.8mpg

Gross vehicle weight (kg): 2,350 Power (hp/rpm): 105/4,000 Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 214/1,500 Load volume (cu m): 4.0 Payload (kg): 1,000 Comb fuel economy (mpg): 52.3 CO2 emissions (g/km): 141 Price as tested (ex-VAT): £15,800

I

By Trevor Gehlcken ’ve been running our Vauxhall Combo long-termer for a couple of months and to say I am impressed is an understatement – although, to be fair, the odd niggle has manifested itself during that time.

But let’s look at the good points first. Build quality is superb and this van has a proper premium quality feel.

Although the Combo is classed as a small van, you get an awful lot of metal for your money in long wheelbase format.

The four cubic metre loadspace is not far off that of the Combo’s bigger brother the Vivaro, which offers 5cu m, while payload hits the one-tonne mark.

The seats are massive and comfortable. I’ve been doing a fair amount of long distance work lately, so I’ve given them plenty of opportunity to show up any shortcomings (which they haven’t).

This van is a corker in the ride and handling department, too. The 105hp from its 1.6 CDTi engine is plenty for everyday

“Build quality is superb and this van has a proper premium quality feel”

purposes and the Combo’s road manners mean that long journeys are not a chore.

Turning to the niggles, the biggest is that the Combo doesn’t have electronic stability control as standard.

Other notable items missing on this van are electricallyoperated wing mirrors (it’s a damned nuisance moving the nearside one by hand unless you have a left arm that’s about nine feet long) and a decent sound system, ours being more the ‘cooking’ variety.

I also miss reversing sensors. They are a paid-for extra and most of our test vans have them nowadays. And once you get used to having them, you don’t half miss them when they’re not there.

My final niggle is that the 12-volt take-off is placed right next to the handbrake in the central floor area.

This means that when I plug my portable sat-nav unit in, or charge my mobile phone, the wires get tangled up with the handbrake lever.

Of course, when moaning about lack of equipment, it must be remembered that the vast majority of drivers are given low-spec vehicles like this so at least I can give an unbiased opinion from an average driver’s perspective.

At the time of writing we have been blessed with unseasonably mild weather, so I haven’t managed to undergo any sub-zero weather testing as yet, but I am certainly pleased with the fuel economy so far.

Our van is currently returning 46.8mpg – under the official figure of 52.3mpg, but the engine is brand new so hasn’t loosened up yet.

I’ve also been doing a lot of motorway driving which means the standard stop-start system doesn’t really kick in and help lower fuel consumption very much.

When you also bear in mind that the official figures are calibrated on a rolling road with no wind resistance, my test figure begins to look more and more favourable.

I’ll be interested to see how it improves as the engine beds itself in.

Combo offers an awful lot of metal for your money in long wheelbase form

42 February 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

RUNNING C O S T S

F L EE T NE W S.C O.UK / VA N S

BEST IN CL A SS - CIT Y VANS

W

By Trevor Gehlcken hen deciding on which new vans to put on your fleet, it’s important to study all the relevant specifications and prices, as a bad decision at buying time could cost you dear in the coming years.

All the information required to make the right choice is available at fleetnews.co.uk and here in a series of features where we highlight a sector each month and pick out the six best contenders

in terms of running costs and leasing rates, using figures from our website and those from www. comparecontract hire.com.

This month we look at city vans on a threeyear/60,000-mile lifecycle.

The Vauxhall Corsavan returns the cheapest running costs, although it must be noted that this van holds only one cubic metre of cargo, against 2.5cu m for the Citroën Nemo, Fiat Fiorino and Peugeot Bipper.

In second place is the Ford Fiesta Van, although

once again this vehicle has a severely restricted load area compared to some of the rivals.

At the other end of the scale, the Mercedes-Benz Citan Compact and DFSK Loadhopper van don’t make the top six, with running cost figures of 30.09 pence per mile and 31.19ppm respectively.

Meanwhile, cheapest for leasing rates is the Citroën Nemo at £207.51 per month, while surprisingly (as they are basically the same vehicles), the Fiat Fiorino and Peugeot Bipper trail behind at £236.77 and £220.91 respectively.

CITROËN NEMO LCV

FIAT FIORINO CARGO

PEUGEOT BIPPER

1.3 HDi 75 DPF Euro 5 Enterprise

1.3 Multijet II 75 DPF SS Euro 5 SX

1.3 HDi 75 DPF Euro 5 Professional

Leasing price: £207.51 Purchase price: £12,837 Load volume (cu m): 2.5 Fuel costs (ppm): 9.57 Maintenance costs (ppm): 2.6 Running costs (ppm): 28.42

Leasing price: £236.77 Purchase price: £12,570 Load volume (cu m): 2.5 Fuel costs (ppm): 9.57 Maintenance costs (ppm): 2.6 Running costs (ppm): 28.36

Leasing price: £220.91 Purchase price: £12,522 Load volume (cu m): 2.5 Fuel costs (ppm): 10.01 Maintenance costs (ppm): 2.83 Running costs (ppm): 28.53

Our verdict: Made on the same production line as the Fiat Fiorino and Peugeot Bipper but better spec gives it a slightly higher list price than the Fiorino and thus a higher running cost figure.

Our verdict: Sharing a platform with Nemo and Bipper, the Fiorino is a vehicle which really raised the game in the sector with a huge loadspace in a small body.

Our verdict: It offers a load volume of 2.5cu m, identical to that of its Nemo and Fiorino siblings.

However, it has the highest running cost of the three thanks to higher maintenance costs.

FORD FIESTA VAN

VAUXHALL CORSA VAN

MINI CLUBVAN ONE

1.25 82 Euro 5

1.3 CDTi 75 DPF Euro 5

1.6 98 Euro 6 Media 6Spd

Leasing price: £226.19 Purchase price: £11,655 Load volume (cu m): 1.0 Fuel costs (ppm): 11.36 Maintenance costs (ppm): 2.47 Running costs (ppm): 28.36 Our verdict: A great-looking vehicle which is fun to drive too. Fuel economy is worse than many rivals, but running cost figures compare thanks to its high predicted residual value.

Leasing price: £214.07 Purchase price: £12,318 Load volume (cu m): 1.0 Fuel costs (ppm): 9.34 Maintenance costs (ppm): 2.41 Running costs (ppm): 27.25 Our verdict: Great for people who want to drive cars rather than vans as it feels more like a sports car than a commercial vehicle. Top contender in the sector for running costs too.

Leasing price: £254.12 Purchase price: £12,979 Load volume: (cu m): 0.86 Fuel costs (ppm): 11.56 Maintenance costs (ppm): 2.28 Running costs (ppm): 28.36 Our verdict: Stylish contender has won the hearts of many drivers. High predicted residual values make up for lower fuel economy figures to produce competitive running costs.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2014 43