Fleet World August 2013 by Fleet World Group

contents 21

MITIE’s mobile driver training simulator

The vital elements for a safer, less accident-prone fleet

Publisher Ross Durkin ross@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

BMW’s impressive all-new electric i3 finally sees the light of day...

Editor Steve Moody steve@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Deputy Editor Natalie Middleton natalie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Motoring Editor Alex Grant alex@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Editorial Assistant Katie Beck katie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk VFW Editor John Kendall john@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Director Anne Dopson anne@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Executives Darren Brett darren@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Luke Durkin lukedurkin@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Circulation Manager Tracy Howell tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Head of Production Luke Wikner luke@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Martin Ballard at Volkswagen Group Leasing on expanding the business

2,500,000 cars later... and it all started in 1981 with the Astra Mk1.

Designers Tina Ries tina@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Samantha Hargreaves sam@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Published by Stag Publications Ltd, 18 Alban Park, Hatfield Road, St Albans, Herts, AL4 0JJ tel +44 (0)1727 739160 fax +44 (0)1727 739169 email fw@fleetworldgroup.co.uk web fleetworld.co.uk

VAN FLEETW RLD

Fiat Doblo Cargo, Transit Custom ECOnetic, fuel management, contract hire.

STAG Publications

To subscribe to Fleet World visit: www.fleetworldsubscriptions.co.uk Certified circulation Jan – Dec 2012 17,724

fleetworld.co.uk / 03

fleetreview This month, editor Steve Moody wonders if petrol technology could catch up with diesel, whilst pondering the potential for salary sacrifice.

Salary sacrifice

Interesting DfT stats

I read a figure in a press release the other day that caught my attention: 3,000 requests for salary sacrifice vehicles out of a workforce of 20,000. As it happened, with further research I found out there had so far actually been 500 concrete orders, and the rest were people having a look about. Not a bad start to a scheme (Lex’s for energy supplier SSE), but seems to pretty much sum salary sacrifice up. The potential is clearly huge, the reality a little less impressive. Almost everyone who runs these schemes cites 10% as being their eventual target for take-up among workforces, but I’ve yet to hear of one that has got near this magic number. I’d be interested to hear from anyone who has.

The Department for Transport has released an interesting study into where, when and why people travel. One of its findings was that average company car mileage has dropped from just under 9,000 in 2002 to about 7,500 last year, which tends to reflect the downward trend most fleets have reported. In total, including commuting and private mileage, a company car travels 19,400 miles a year. A private one only does about 7,800. They also investigated what business mileage is averaged in private cars. This Grey Fleet scourge, this supposed vessel of risk and danger? The average annual mileage is about 400, down from about 600 in 2002. And according to the survey, the proportion of cars which are companyowned has fallen slightly from 6% in 2002 to 4% in 2012. If you assume the existence of 30 million cars of all types and ages, that works out at 1.2 million company vehicles on our roads. Overall though, we’re making about the same number of trips (this includes walking, cycling, trains, cars, etc) as we did in the 1970s, having dropped back from a peak in the mid-1990s – exactly the time the internet started to have an effect on our work and personal lives….

Cylinders on demand I’ve been driving Audi’s new A1 with Cylinder on Demand technology. When it’s not under load, two of the four cylinders in the 1.4-litre petrol engine shut off to save fuel. It’s not a new idea, amazingly having been dreamt up by the Americans decades ago, but the VW Group has been developing it on big Bentley and Audi V8s, and has now transferred it to small petrols. The result is a superb little thing, capable of 60mpg economy, refinement and 140bhp. Could it make petrol cars as desirable as diesel ones for some company car drivers?

04 / fleetworld.co.uk

Audi A1 pushes the case for petrol engines

for all the latest daily news, visit fleetworld.co.uk

Ford NEWS Transit Custom offers 5-star appeal THE all-new Ford Transit Custom, the only vehicle in its class to earn a fivestar Euro NCAP safety rating, provides fleet drivers with a car-like interior, smart driver assistance features and outstanding driving dynamics. Fleet operators benefit not only from a vehicle that helps them ensure a duty of care to their drivers, but also low cost of ownership, including outstanding fuel efficiency, durability and load carrying capability. Designed by Ford at Dunton and powered by diesel engines built at Ford Dagenham, the one-tonne Transit Custom and people carrier Tourneo Custom scored 77 per cent overall in Euro NCAP’s heavy vehicle crash tests introduced in 2012, achieving best-in-class marks for child protection (90 per cent), adult protection (84 per cent) and safety features (71 per cent). Ford also received the first-ever Euro NCAP Advanced reward for technology available on a commercial vehicle, awarded for Lane Keeping Alert. A high strength steel structure, pedestrian-friendly front end and segmentleading safety technologies have been combined to produce a van that provides the best protection available. During development it was subjected to more than 4,500 virtual crash simulations and 30 physical crash tests. It is the first Transit available with an enhanced restraint system with curtain airbags for front seat occupants.

inbrief

Transit gets Speedy Ford is supplying 400 new commercial vehicles to Speedy, the UK’s leading provider of equipment rental and support services. This latest Ford order is worth in excess of £8.6 million and marks an 18-year association between the companies. The Speedy order – comprising 380 Ford Transit vans, including new Transit Custom models, and 20 Ford Ranger pick-ups – will be operated through 283 fixed Speedy sites throughout the UK. The order is part of an on-going upgrade programme that Speedy says will improve both driver safety and fuel efficiency.

EcoBoost’s just rewards

Real-world fuel savings for Custom models FLEET operators who specify Acceleration Control on Transit Custom and Tourneo Custom are benefitting from fuel savings of up to 15 per cent in real world conditions. Standard on ECOnetic models and a £50 (ex VAT) option on others, Acceleration Control provides benefits such as preventing aggressive acceleration that increases fuel consumption and reducing stress on the vehicle by reducing engine and brake pad wear. Acceleration Control slightly restricts the power available for acceleration when the load is under 75 per cent of payload and under normal road conditions. But if the load is over 75 per cent, there is no acceleration restriction. Full power is also available in situations such as towing, driving up a steep hill and where external factors are affecting performance. Acceleration Control cannot be disengaged by the driver.

For further information on any vehicle in the Ford range please contact the Ford Business Centre on 08457 23 23 23, email info@fordfleet.co.uk, or visit www.ford.co.uk/fordfleet

Ford News Feature // 05

Ford’s acclaimed EcoBoost engine technology has picked up a top honour at the annual Car Dealer Power awards. The three-strong range of economical petrol powerplants was voted “Manufacturer Initiative of the Year” by Car Dealer readers. Ford’s EcoBoost range includes the 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit, as well as 1.6- and 2.0-litre fourcylinder versions. It is the second award in just a few weeks for the smallest of the trio after the 1.0litre was singled out as “International Engine of the Year” for the second year in a row.

inbusiness

Fleets get £37m charge point grants

fleetweet

@Phil100100

he Department for Transport has announced the first successful applicants for its £37m electric vehicle charging point funding, after inviting bids in February. Among the winning bids are numerous local councils and NHS trusts, seven rail companies, three universities and DVLA, while Transport for London is to receive one of the largest grants, at £595,000 over the next year, with £55,750 to follow in 2014/2015. The announcement comes after an extra £500m was committed to drive forward the market for ultra low emission vehicles, as part of the Government’s plans for roads reform published in July. The coalition government will provide 75% of the cost of installing new chargepoints. Transport minister, Norman Baker, commented: ‘With hundreds of new chargepoints adding to the ever-expanding network of infrastructure, people will be able to recharge their cars at stations, in hospital car parks and on streets all over the country.   ‘This is brilliant news for those already using these vehicles and will give greater conﬁdence to those who are considering making the switch to electric. With new models coming to market every month from major motor vehicle manufacturers and running costs of 2p to 3p a mile, these vehicles are an increasingly attractive option for many businesses.’

a few soundbites from a month in fleet

(Phil Weeden, director at Kelsey Publishing)

So Bentley confirm SUV on the day the Royal baby is collected in a new Range Rover. Battle of the Brits...

@ContiUK (Official account of Continental Tyres UK)

The Highways Agency has cut speed limits on some roads because they are so badly damaged with potholes!

@Totalaccman (Official account of Total Accident Management)

Councils make half a billion pound parking profit The RAC Foundation has claimed that councils see parking charges as a “nice little earner”, and aim to make profits to shore up lost revenue elsewhere. Figures analysed by the Foundation suggest that in 2011-12, English councils had a total current account surplus of £565 million from on and oﬀ street parking operations. This figure is a £54 million increase on 2010-11. Even where huge “profits” are absent, the picture is still largely one of surplus rather than deficit, with just 52 (14%) of the 359 councils reporting negative numbers. The authority with the biggest income is Westminster Council in London which made a surplus of £41.6 million in 2011-12. Only Brighton and Hove, and Cornwall Councils break into a top ten dominated by London authorities.

Up to £90 is added to every insurance claim thanks to bogus whiplash claims

@ChargeYourCar (Charge Your Car, nationwide EV charging network)

Scores on the doors today: North East England has now installed 720 EV public charge points as well as 12 essential quick chargers #EVready

@BTFleet

SC aimed at user choosers SEAT has launched the ﬁrst-ever three-door version of its Leon compact hatchback. The carmaker has one of the youngest customer profiles in the business, with an average age of just 38, and the Leon SC is expected to resonate with the company's typical buyers. ‘Our DNA lends itself to a three-door,’ said brand director, Neil Williamson. ‘We’ve not been able to offer one before. Now we can.’ Williamson believes the new model, dubbed the Leon SC, could go on to claim a quarter of all Leon sales.

06 / fleetworld.co.uk

(Official account of BT Fleet)

The AA fleet uses 17,500 tyres each year and purchases 15m litres of fuel to cover more than 75 million miles!

Online bidding grows A growing number of dealers are buying via online auctions as confidence grows in this digital channel, according to G3 Remarketing. The volume of used vehicles sold via G3’s online channel is up 21% year-on-year, with ﬁnance cars contributing to approximately 6% increase in these volumes, with the rest made up through the increase in ﬂeet vehicles to the marketplace. The average age of the online vehicles sold is up slightly year-on-year to 39 months with an average mileage of 44.2k miles.

THE MOST ADVANCED The new BMW 5 Series offers Business Advanced Navigation System, Xenon headlights, Dakota leather upholstery and EU6 compliance as standard throughout the range. With even stronger residual values and impressive fuel economy, the new BMW 5 Series achieves up to 62.8mpg (combined), CO2 emissions from 119g/km for manual and automatic transmission, and only 18% BIK, making this the ultimate executive choice. To find out more or to arrange a demonstrator, contact your BMW Account Manager, call 01344 480 800 or visit www.bmw.co.uk/5series

THE NEW BMW 5 SERIES. Official fuel economy figures for the new BMW 5 Series range: Urban 22.2–54.3 mpg (12.7–5.2 l/100km). Extra Urban 38.7–70.6 mpg

BMW Corporate Sales

bmwcorporate.co.uk Tel: 01344 480 800

The Ultimate Driving Machine

BMW 5 SERIES EVER. (7.3–4.0 l/100km). Combined 30.7–62.8 mpg (9.2–4.5 l/100km). CO2 emissions 214–119 g/km.

Taking on the Germans Hot on the heels of new products from the Japanese luxury manufacturers, Alfa Romeo and Jaguar are lining up new competitors to net a slice of the German-dominated compact executive class. By Alex Grant.

Alfa Romeo

Jaguar

Alfa Romeo may be putting its emphasis on sports cars for the short term, with the ultra-lightweight 4C close to launch and development underway for a two-seat roadster due to share its underpinnings with the next Mazda MX-5, but larger models are ﬁrmly on the radar. The carmaker hasn’t had a saloon in its range since the 159 was withdrawn in 2011, and its replacement isn’t only important in Europe. Chief executive, Sergio Marchionne, has plans to reintroduce Alfa Romeo into the United States, so larger models will be vital. We’re still at least two years from a 159 replacement, the manufacturer said, and few details have been oﬃcially released. Parent company Fiat Group has no large frontwheel drive platforms to use as a base, but it does have a rear-wheel drive executive car platform in the Maserati Ghibli, in North America, and this could allow it to share petrol engines with Chrysler, which the group has owned since 2011. It seems logical that smaller units and the Ghibli’s V6 diesel could be shared with a compact executive Alfa Romeo too. A move which would be welcomed by enthusiasts, as well as cutting costs for Fiat.

Jaguar Land Rover has made no secret of its aspirations in the corporate sector, appointing a corporate team for each brand under the guidance of fleet boss Jon Wackett, as it prepares to significantly broaden its range. Some 40 refreshed or renewed models are scheduled between 2013 and 2016, following a £2.75bn investment in aluminium manufacturing and £500m pumped into its engine plant in Wolverhampton, where its forthcoming all-new, low-carbon four-cylinder engines will be built. To really rival the German brands, Jaguar will need to slot a model underneath the popular but ageing XF. It hasn’t competed in this sector since the demise of the Mondeo-based X-Type in 2009 and, while there’s no official release date, the company’s heavily-disguised 3 Series rival has been widely photographed in recent months suggesting it’s in the advanced stages of development. Expect this to be a rear-wheel drive saloon car with coupe-esque styling and, possibly, a body featuring the same lightweight aluminium and plastics as the latest Range Rover products and Jaguar XJ.

Alfa Romeo 4C

Cenex announces seminars for LCV2013 Cenex has confirmed the first seminar sessions at its annual Low Carbon Vehicle Event (LCV2013), which takes place at Milbrook on 4th – 5th September 2013. Cenex expects over 2,000 UK and international visitors to this year’s event, which will combine a technology exhibition with broad B2B focus, a Ride & Drive in a test track environment, networking activities and an extensive seminar programme. LCV2013 delegates will be able to attend seminar sessions taking place across three conference streams over both days of the event. Professor Richard Parry Jones CBE, co-chairman of the Automotive Council, will deliver the key-note speech

10 / fleetworld.co.uk

and present the opening seminar, alongside Phil Smith, chairman of the Technology Strategy Board. Other seminar highlights will include: • E-mobility in the UK and beyond featuring IHS Automotive and OLEV. • Intelligent Mobility and Low Carbon Vehicles featuring the Transport Catapult, CGI and Cambridge University. • Low carbon vehicle technology presentations from Axeon, Ricardo and Jaguar Land Rover. • Changing Landscape for public funding featuring Technology Strategy Board, EPSRC and BIS. • Access to Private Finance featuring business angles, venture capital and peer-to-peer funding platforms.

A Daimler Brand

Sharp. The new E-Class Cabriolet.

Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg (litres per 100km) for the new E-Class Range: urban 20.3(13.9)–68.9(4.1), extra urban 36.2(7.8)–68.9(4.1), combined 28.3(10.0)–68.9(4.1). CO2 emissions: 234–109 g/km. Model featured is an E 220 CDI SE Cabriolet at £39,110.00 including

optional metallic paint. (OTR price includes VAT, delivery, 12 months’ Road Fund Licence, number plates, first registration fee and fuel). Some combinations of features/options may not be available. Please contact your Mercedes-Benz Retailer for availability. Prices correct at time of going to print 07/13.

inbusiness

Taking a lead in Europe UK car dealers offer fleets the best standard of service in Europe, reports Curtis Hutchinson, editor of Motor Trader.

K fleet bosses may not know it but they have a distinct advantage over their European counterparts when it comes to using main dealers to source or service their company cars. By and large dealers get a bad rap. Sometimes it is brought upon themselves; quite often through a member of staff’s failure to deliver an acceptable level of customer care, sometimes through a wider breakdown in processes and systems. The trouble is one bad experience can taint perceptions which become tough to shift. Recent years have seen the best dealer businesses address their approach to customer care head-on through training programmes and by looking outside car retailing to adapt best practices from other sectors. Talk to any boss of a car manufacturer or dealer group and they will say how they look to firms such as John Lewis Partnership businesses and Apple to see just how customer care can be delivered. The best UK dealers are constantly looking at ways of improving what they do to take the pain out of the buying and servicing experience. The disadvantage dealers face, compared with many of the companies they aspire to, is they need to be able to manage distress purchases. Never the easiest of situations. A new generation of increasingly professional managers have come into the sector with a clear idea of what fleet and retail customers expect and, importantly, how to deliver it. Having spent a good deal of time in car showrooms in the US, China and Europe, I always suspected that our dealers were punching above their weight; that view has been confirmed after a talk with Tim Tozer, the CEO of AutoBinck, the Netherlandsbased car distributor and retailer. Tozer’s a high flying Brit with an impressive track record in the automotive industry, best known here as a former managing director of Mazda, where he helped put the Japanese brand on

fleet lists back in the late 1990s. He started his career in Rover Group’s fleet department, was a director of Inchcape and ran Chrysler in France before heading up Mitsubishi across Europe. Having worked across fleet, retailing and car distribution he knows his stuff. His current job gives him a unique insight into how cars are brought to market and sold in Benelux and the emergent central European markets where AutoBinck often operates as both importer and retailer. Having spent half his working life in Europe, Tozer is in no doubt that when it comes to the delivery of consistently high levels of professional services, British dealers knock the rest of the continent into a cocked hat. Tozer reckons a certain Corsican, making a disparaging remark about the British 200 years ago, was actually spot-on. ‘Napoleon called us a nation of shopkeepers; we are sales people and marketeers, we do run businesses with that in mind.’ Tozer firmly believes the UK’s tradition for retailing innovation gives our dealers a competitive edge, making them the envy of just about every European country, especially as car sales continue to rise here while freefalling across the continent. ‘When it comes to high street retailing the UK is renowned globally for its competitiveness and the way it brings brands to market and encourages people to open their wallets. ‘I work in the Netherlands and they are a nation of traders; they buy and sell and make a margin in between, that’s very different to the UK’s sales and marketing experience, with all the customer focus that goes with it. Continental dealers have a lot to learn from the UK,’ he said. While UK dealers are still far from being uniformly excellent, they are much better than they were and the best of them aspire to be even better than they are now and that has got to be good news for fleets.

trading places

John Lewis becomes director at TR Fleet Former BVRLA chief executive John Lewis is to join consultancy specialist TR Fleet as a non-executive director. Managing director Julie Summerell said his industry experience, with a focus on road safety and accident reduction, would be invaluable for developing the company’s bespoke risk management programme, DriveSecure.

12 / fleetworld.co.uk

New Fleet Logistics director to drive UK expansion Fleet Logistics International has appointed David Raponi as its new business development director to help drive UK and international expansion. Raponi will be tasked with identifying and recruiting national and multinational fleet customers, helping the company towards a managed fleet of 10,000 units this year.

out

Arval MD leaves for Europe Arval has announced that managing director Bart Beckers is to move to a new role within the Arval Group. Beckers is to become chief commercial officer, based in Paris, from 1st September 2013 and will be replaced in his current role by Benoit Dilly.

Just as sharp second time around. The new E - Class Cabriolet is defined by its sleek new styling. But beyond the head-turning looks of the open top, the cabriolet has leather upholstery throughout, heated front seats and COMAND Online satellite navigation. An appealing top down strategy. The new E - Class, take another look.

A Daimler Brand

mercedes-benz.co.uk/fleet

BAROMETER Making sense of the surveys

We’ve pulled together the pertinent points from the myriad of research done in the fleet industry this month to give you a clearer view of what’s really going on...

motorway services

Source: IAM

Drivers using motorway service areas are paying up to four times the high street price for basic food and drink, while petrol prices average around 10p per litre more, a new survey reveals. White coffee bought at a service station was found to have an average mark-up of 47% over the high street, while a basic cheese sandwich retails with a staggering 299% average mark-up. 54% of the 3,000 motorists surveyed consider the price of petrol at motorway service areas to be unreasonable.

Source: IAM

65% of respondents said they stop at service areas just to use the toilet facilities because food and drink is so overpriced.

IAM chief executive, Simon Best, commented: ‘Motorway service areas are supposed to be for motorists to eat, drink and freshen up. It's very important to have a break every two hours and these costs will put people off stopping. Tired motorists pose a danger to themselves and other road users.’

car servicing Source: AA

A fifth of drivers in the UK are storing up potentially costly car repairs by cutting back or not having their car serviced at all, according to the AA. 8% of the 21,510 AA members surveyed claim that they never get their car serviced; only getting faults fixed as they arise. 12% of motorists have delayed or missed a service completely. Respondents in Wales and the South-West were most likely to gamble on not having their car serviced (9%), and the Welsh also came top for either delaying or missing a service completely (16%). Drivers in Northern Ireland were shown to be the most conscientious at keeping their car properly serviced, (54%), closely followed by the Scots and those in the North-East (53%). Tony Rich, AA patrol of the year, commented: ‘Getting a professional to check over your car can identify minor defects before they become more serious, expensive ones. ‘It costs £270 on average at an independent garage to have the timing belt changed, compared to around £3,000 for a replacement engine if it fails completely.’

14 / fleetworld.co.uk

older drivers Tim Naylor, head of PR at BCA Europe, commented: ‘In light of the RAC Foundation’s new study, it’s interesting that more than half of respondents to our research said that they don’t think that the minimum age for drivers should be increased. The results of our survey suggest that people may actually see elderly drivers as more of a road safety issue than younger motorists.’

A new survey released by British Car Auctions provides an insight into attitudes towards young and older drivers on British roads. 35% of the 800 respondents believe the minimum age for drivers should be increased, of which 40% say it should be raised to 21 years old. 58% would like to see compulsory re-testing for older drivers, with 47% believing that older drivers should be re-tested every 3 years after 70. 50% agreed that re-testing should take place every 10 years for all drivers, regardless of age. Source: British Car Auctions

insurance claims The proportion of honest drivers coming forward after hitting a parked car rather than driving off has risen, according to AXA’s new Honesty Barometer. The car insurance company analysed more than 30,000 claims between 2010 and 2012 where a driver had hit a parked car.

Source: AXA

Since 2010, the proportion of crashes where the third party was unknown has fallen by 16%. In 80% of cases processed by AXA, motorists who hit a parked vehicle made themselves known to the owner and provided their insurance details. 2012 figures show that motorists are most likely to hit a parked car on a Friday, with claims being an average 29% higher on this day than a Sunday. Amanda Edwards, head of marketing at AXA, commented: ‘While we tend to hear horror stories of fraudsters causing deliberate accidents or faking injuries to receive a payout, this data proves that the vast majority of drivers are honest and trustworthy.’

road rage

A survey carried out by YouGov on behalf of Admiral UK reveals that 32% of motorists get angry more than once a week while behind the wheel. 36% of the 3,120 respondents admitted road rage makes them drive more aggressively. 21% have argued with motorists as a result of a road rage conflict. A fiery 8% have actually followed a motorist who angered them with the intention of reprimanding them. 67% cite being cut up by other drivers as a major cause of their road rage, while 43% can’t abide being stuck behind someone driving slowly.

Source: Admiral UK Insurance

Transport psychologist, Dr Peter Marsh, explained the findings by revealing that drivers think of their car as their personal territory which, as humans, they are programmed to defend. When this territory is threatened, they can get frustrated and resent the loss of control, leading to explosive outbursts of rage.

for the latest daily news from the fleet industry, visit fleetworld.co.uk fleetworld.co.uk / 15

inbusiness

Total recall The Insider on managing recalls and the BVRLA’s new scheme to help.

ollowing my comment in last month’s column about VOSA’s lack of interest in pursuing a handbrake recall, I subsequently saw the Which? press release which noted that VOSA didn’t force any manufacturer to issue a single recall during 2012. Manufacturers don’t have to be forced into issuing a recall of course, they can do so themselves. Whether they choose to do so is a case in point, and I for one find a persistent refusal to acknowledge the existence of a well-known problem extremely frustrating. Nonetheless in 2011 there were recalls affecting 1.3 million vehicles and a further million cars were affected in 2012. Recalls are always an unwelcome bit of paper landing on the desk as they mean an extra visit to the garage, and inevitably some vehicle downtime. Some appear to be issued with a “go directly to the garage do not pass Go” type of message while others are more laid back and can be dealt with at regular maintenance – if you want to wait that long. Anyway, I used to dutifully forward recall paperwork to the driver, make it clear that they must ensure the work is done, and take it that I had done my bit. So I didn’t used to file copies of them or anything like that and it was a bit of a surprise when the lease company told me I ought to be keeping copies, and ensuring that drivers really did get them done, and keep a record of when it actually was done. They inferred it was a duty of care responsibility. Perhaps naively, I had overlooked that responsibility. So that was a little lesson. I was even more surprised when I read that it is actually a criminal offence to sell a vehicle with an outstanding safety recall. Blimey, I wonder how many of those transactions occur every year – I bet it’s in the thou-

FIN fleet in numbers

£25,680 OTR price for new BMW i3 electric car from November. SOURCE: BMW

sands. It just goes to show that however long you’ve been in this game, you don’t know what you don’t know. So I can understand why BVRLA members – and us as their customers – should be welcoming ReCare, the on-line recall notification system commissioned by the BVRLA for its members. Already up and running, and expanding apace, ReCare provides a one-stop platform for notifying its users of all new and outstanding safety-related recalls, relayed to them by participating manufacturers and parts suppliers. Members upload their fleet data into the system and ReCare checks the data to see if any of the vehicles are affected by an outstanding safety recall. Members then receive a regular report advising which vehicles, if any, have outstanding or new issues. The member can then directly contact its individual drivers, making the chances of reaching the correct and current driver first time much more likely, and quicker. The vehicle can then go in for fixing in the usual way. The participation of parts suppliers in the scheme is key because as manufacturers share more platforms in order to save cost, there is more chance of bigger vehicle numbers being affected if a shared part fails. Any system which makes notification easier has got to help the industry. And as the majority of safety recalls are likely to affect cars up to three years old, the chances are that a high percentage of them will be running on fleet. Better news still is that the service is free to BVRLA members. Whether there are any plans to allow outright purchase fleets who are not BVRLA members to pay for and receive the service in the future remains to be seen.

3.5m

Number of UK motorists (13%) who would drive up to 10 miles out of their way to save 5p a litre even though the benefit would be cancelled out. SOURCE: gocompare.com

18 / fleetworld.co.uk

£500k+ Saving in car travel costs realised by Croydon Council in Zipcar car sharing trial. SOURCE: Zipcar

STILL ABOVE COMPARISON. NOW BELOW THRESHOLD. THE NEW 14MY 129 G/KM JAGUAR XF RANGE. With over 100 international awards, including BusinessCar’s ‘Best Executive Car’ and J.D. Power / WhatCar? ‘Best Executive Car 2013’, the Jaguar XF clearly sets the class benchmark. Now, we’ve raised that benchmark higher still, because our new 14MY 2.2 litre 163PS Diesel engine produces just 129 g/km CO2, so the XF fits within the 18% Write Down Allowance threshold for businesses. Naturally it still delivers the exceptional standard specification you would expect from every Jaguar. The new 14MY 129 g/km Jaguar XF range starts from £29,945, bringing you the highs and the lows that really matter. Contact us today to talk to a Fleet Sales Specialist.

W W W.JAGUAR.CO.UK/FLEET 0845 366 0342

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XF 14MY range fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km): Urban 16.7–48.7 (16.9–5.8). Extra Urban 32.8–64.2 (8.6–4.4). Combined 24.4–57.7 (11.6–4.9). CO2 emissions 270–129 g/km. Models shown are a 14MY XF 2.2 Diesel 163PS SE, priced from £29,945 and a 14MY XF Sportbrake 2.2 Diesel 163PS SE, priced from £31,945. The figures provided are as a result of official manufacturer’s tests in accordance with EU legislation. A vehicle’s actual fuel consumption may differ from that achieved in such tests and these figures are for comparative purposes only. On the road price is the manufacturer’s Recommended Retail Price, plus First Registration Fee and Delivery Pack.

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inbusiness

fleetonfleet Liz Hollands talks to Phil Redman, manager UK & Ireland fleet management, IBM. Fleet size 4,100 company and salary sacrifice cars. IBM historically had a very large fleet, managed on sole supply? The fleet has decreased in size in recent years as we restructure the business world-wide. We moved to dual supply in 2010 in the UK to facilitate a move to salary sacrifice and to reduce our dependency on one funding source. How is that salary sacrifice scheme working out? The introduction of salary sacrifice enabled us to place cars into our flexible benefits programme, so both existing company car users and self funded employees can elect to take a car or retain their cash entitlement. Overall it has been well received and was a significant addition to our flexible benefits programme. What are the main fleet issues for you presently? We have recently completed a change of fuel card supplier and this now includes the provision of swipe and pin cards, reducing the risk of fraudulent use. Cost control remains high focus, particularly the unfair wear and tear expenditure. We are also piloting a telematics product designed to influence driver behaviour which we hope will both reduce costs and improve the safety of our drivers. How is the telematics pilot going? Participation has been by invite and on a voluntary basis. We do not use telematics to track cars, rather we use daily exception reporting direct from the supplier to the drivers, generated when their driving exceeds given parameters, with the expectation that the report

will influence their future driving. We are in the early days but so far the indications are promising. How is the car share database working – was it easier than expected to get staff who didn’t know each other to share travel? Take up is modest. Employees put their travel details on a central database so that others can see and make contact. However, I perceive there is much more collaboration between colleagues and friends in our offices these days so overall I think employees are sharing travelling and commuting more often than before. Fleet responsibility is often juggled between HR and Finance, both of which tend to have opposing views. What’s your view on the best way to sell an idea and achieve good end results for the company and drivers? In the current climate I think it fair to say HR and Finance are in one accord on the business objectives – so this makes life easier! But as always, communication is the key here. Explain what you want to do to get buy in, agree how you are going to do it, and when ready to implement obtain all parties’ commitment. Time for a hobby outside of work? I enjoy watching most forms of motorsport so as time allows I can be found outdoors spectating. I have also participated in some track days. Recently I have become a grandfather so my grandson brings me great pleasure and I am fortunate he lives close by so we are able to spend quite a bit of time together.

Crossover to triple Suzuki UK fleet sales Suzuki is predicting its forthcoming C-segment crossover, the S-Cross, will become the backbone of its fleet sales, tripling volume in the UK as the company launches a new model each year between now and 2016. The S-Cross goes on sale this autumn, followed by a low-CO2 city car in 2014 then a Juke-rivalling B-segment crossover in 2015 and ﬁnally a new supermini in 2016. Sales are already on the rise, growing 34% to reach 17,000 units during 2012 on the way to a targeted ceiling of 30,000 sales in the UK. Traditionally a retail-focused brand, Suzuki is to gain huge ﬂeet opportunities with the new C-segment crossover, according to national corporate sales manager, Andrew Wale.

20 / fleetworld.co.uk

inbusiness

MITIE’s mobile simulator MITIE, the FTSE 250 strategic outsourcing company, has launched a fully mobile car simulator to better train its 3,000 fleet drivers. What is it? The state-of-the-art simulator, which uses the latest training software, gives drivers the experience of challenging driving conditions, including varying light and weather settings, to improve their skills and safety. Users are also examined on a distraction drive, which is a key component of the training. Drivers are asked to send a text message mid journey and are then shown a bird’s eye view replay of how their driving was impeded, illustrating the dangers of driving whilst using a mobile phone. The simulator training enables drivers to advance their hazard perception and driving skills in a safe offroad environment – integral to getting safer, greener drivers on the roads. What do the drivers have to do? MITIE drivers first complete an online “Driver Risk Assessment”, enabling their training team to prioritise and tailor the “Driver Awareness Training” that involves using the simulator. All high-risk drivers (e.g. those with any speeding points or involvement in any previous road traffic accidents) are invited to attend a workshop focused on their specific risk areas.

The software has been designed to improve driver safety and wellbeing whilst further reducing carbon emissions. Who will use it? Over the next year up to 1,000 drivers around the country will use the mobile simulator, which MITIE reckons makes best use of their time and reduces the emissions and costs of traditional driver training. The simulator is currently being taken on a tour across the UK and has already clocked up 20,000 miles of training. Martyn Freeman, managing director of MITIE’s Facilities Management business, said: ‘This pioneering and industry leading simulator software is one of the most exciting pieces of technology MITIE has produced in our effort to continually improve the health and safety of our people. ‘I have used the simulator myself and it is highly effective at teaching you about hazard awareness, emergency stopping and eco-driving. MITIE continues to be an innovator in health and safety and we anticipate huge reductions in road accidents in our fleet for many years to come.’

fleetworld.co.uk / 21

g fleet e k

Proximo Keep track of up to five items – such as bags, keys, and cameras – with Proximo’s Bluetooth-based tracking fobs. Paired in seconds with the free iPhone app, each connected tag can be used to page each other, or the phone, and feature customisable proximity alarms and GPS tracking if they become separated. Two fobs are included in the starter kit, with extras costing from £15 each. Price: £49.99 from Kensington.com

Google Chromecast Chromecast is a low-cost, plug-and-play dongle which allows laptops, smartphones and tablets to stream content wirelessly onto a television screen. Plugged into an HDMI port, it’ll show content from Google web apps, such as YouTube and Google Play, and Netflix is the first of what should be many other developers launching compatible apps. Price: £23 from play.google.com

Globalgig Aimed at avoiding excessive roaming charges, Globalgig provides flat rates for mobile data across 36 countries, from as little as 2p per megabyte. The package is available as a SIM-only deal from £20 per month, or with a mobile WiFi hotspot capable of connecting to five devices securely. Price: Hotspot from £50 with £21/month plan, SIM-only from £20/month from uk.globalgig.com

MYO Gesture Control Armband Most movement detection software relies on a camera, but American technology company MYO’s armband monitors the electrical activity in users’ arm muscles instead, transmitting them wirelessly via Bluetooth for hands-free control of computer programmes. It’s netted over two million views on YouTube and 25,000 pre-orders for the first batch, which ships at the end of the year. Price: £97 from thalmic.com

apps of the month

PressReader

The AA

Google Maps

Access 2,300 of the world’s newspapers via one subscription and a single smartphone or tablet app. Available to read on or offline, complete with images, it can either display the traditional column view, or re-arrange articles so the text flows across the screen for easier reading, and allows social media sharing or printing as required. Price: Free from Blackberry World, Google Play and iTunes Store, 69p per paper.

The AA’s app puts its most useful services in your pocket, including live traffic information, fuel prices and parking information, and is available regardless of whether you’re a member. Call the AA directly from the app after a breakdown, and it’ll use the phone’s GPS sensor to detect your exact location and transmit it to the call centre. Price: Free from Google Play, iTunes Store and Ovi Store.

Google has just launched a comprehensive update for its excellent Maps app, adding over 100 million reviews of local businesses with the ability to find offers and discounts, and extra functions for its voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation function. This will now give details of traffic problems ahead and re-route around them. Price: Free from Google Play and iTunes Store.

24 / fleetworld.co.uk

inbusiness

What I’ve learnt LeasePlan’s managing director, David Brennan, on safeguarding a firm’s heritage, managing change and the importance of Leeds United. Respect your firm’s heritage It is very important to respect the heritage of a thriving company like LeasePlan, and understand why it is successful. However, at the same time I am a big believer in developing new ideas to ensure an organisation changes and is modern, fresh and exciting. It is this blend of old and new which will deliver success.

Get feedback from customers It is critical to get feedback from your customers at all times, whether it’s great, average or otherwise. An organisation always needs to know what its customers are thinking. For this reason, we work hard to get honest appraisals from our customers and this informs everything we do. This level of in-depth understanding allows LeasePlan to deliver better products and services which directly benefit our customers’ businesses.

Challenge and change Customer requirements are constantly changing. Any service organisation must adapt and continue to deliver beyond expectations to be successful. This means constantly challenging the business to stay ahead of its competitors and to evolve over time. People are at the heart

of any successful organisation and I believe that by hiring and retaining the very best in the industry we have succeeded in making LeasePlan the outstanding business that it is today.

Be clear with the media Knowing what you want to say and why you want to say it are two key considerations before any interview. Umming and aahing doesn’t help anyone, particularly if it’s a recorded piece! Practice doesn’t necessarily make perfect, but it certainly helps with authentic delivery and clearly understanding what is required in a particular situation. No interviews are ever truly “off the record” and as a result it’s always best to be completely transparent when answering questions.

Maintain a work/life balance I believe that maintaining this balance is critical to personal and organisational success. When I work hard during the week, I always make a concerted effort to spend quality time with my family at the weekend. Despite my best efforts, complete relaxation can be hard to achieve, particularly as a long suffering Leeds United fan. Here’s hoping that the 2013/14 season will bring happier times and a charge back towards the Premier League.

in the black Daimler says European downturn may be bottoming out Daimler AG has reported a sharp rise in Q2 figures, helped by new products and efficiency programmes, and said that recovery could be on the cards for the European car market. In its interim report, the carmaker reported that net profit doubled to €2.83bn for Q2 from €1.48bn a year earlier. Company EBIT rose to €5.24bn, up from €2.27bn for Q2 2012. This included a one-off gain totalling €3.2bn relating to proceeds of the sale of the remaining shares in planemaker EADS. Revenues were up 2.8% to €29.69bn. ‘As we previously announced, our earnings in the second quarter improved significantly compared with the first three months of the

year and exceeded market expectations. This represents progress in our earnings development, but no cause for complacency. We will continue to work hard on achieving our goals,’ stated CEO, Dr Dieter Zetsche. The group added its outlook that worldwide demand for cars still seems likely to expand between 2 and 4% this year. Growth will primarily be driven by the continuation of robust increases in demand in the United States and by the ongoing significant expansion of the Chinese market. Falling demand for cars meanwhile seems to have bottomed out in Western Europe, and a gradual improvement of the market situation is to be anticipated in the second half of the year.

fleetworld.co.uk / 25

SPOTLIGHT BMW i3

Born electric BMW’s first ever electric production car manages to offer something new even in an emerging segment, says Alex Grant.

design The i3’s chassis is bespoke, and designed for an electric drivetrain, which meant BMW’s engineers were able to start from a clean sheet when they considered packaging rather than squeezing components into spaces usually occupied by a fuel tank or engine. Its lithium-ion battery is mounted centrally under the floorpan and the motor is under the boot, giving a low centre of gravity, 50:50 weight distribution and allowing short overhangs with large, narrow wheels. The result is distinctive but unmistakably a BMW. Environmental friendliness goes beyond its drivetrain. The i3 is manufactured in a plant supplied with 100% renewable hydro-electric power, and its structure is a combination of aluminium and carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) which is light enough to pick up easily by hand. With lightweight panels, minimal use of wiring and details such as aluminium bolts, the all-electric i3 weighs 1,195kg – that’s 30kg less than a MINI Cooper S hatchback and 270kg less than a Nissan LEAF.

ownership The i3 will be offered as a pureelectric car, with a range of between 80 and 100 miles and on-the-road price of £25,680, or for £3,150 extra there’s a rangeextended version which emits 13g/km CO2 and uses a 650cc, two-cylinder engine to boost the range to 185 miles. While that’s not cheap per se, it puts list prices in line with a similarly-equipped 118i M Sport automatic. UK-market standard equipment is based on a 3 Series SE, including AC fast-charging, Business navigation, parking assistant, climate control, Bluetooth and USB connectivity and 19-inch alloy wheels. All UK dealers are equipped for service and maintenance, while the 47 i Agent specialist dealers are able to work on its high voltage systems. Service, maintenance and repair costs are positioned in line with a 1 Series. Initially, repair work can be undertaken at two carbon fibre repair specialists, with BMW taking care of transportation. The carmaker said the bonding process for carbon fibre means repairs take less time than in a steel or aluminium-bodied car. 28 / fleetworld.co.uk

FLEET FACT New BMW i3 weighs just 1,195kg (270kg less than a LEAF).

driving BMW has a well-established reputation as a manufacturer of driver’s cars, and the carmaker says it has worked to make sure the i3 offers an experience befitting the badge on its bonnet. It uses a 168bhp electric motor, developed in-house, and reaches 62mph in 7.2 seconds, while its low weight and high agility is claimed to set new benchmarks for electric cars. BMW has also included an ECO PRO driving mode, boosting range by 15%, and ECO PRO+ which improves it by the same amount again. Like the 1 Series-based ActiveE test vehicle, the car is also designed to allow most driving to be done using a single pedal. Ease off the throttle and the i3 reverses the polarity on its motor, regenerating energy and offering strong braking at town speeds or coasting on the motorway. There is still a brake pedal, but it’s only required for rapid deceleration.

motoring editor’s view As a premium brand, BMW has a sales advantage over the volume manufacturers with the i3 in that its pricing isn’t far out of line with a similarly-equipped petrol or diesel model. But this is a car which delights in more than branding, featuring cutting-edge materials, futuristic design and BMW’s renowned driving dynamics as additional attractions for potential customers. Substantial low-CO2 tax advantages mean for drivers with short commutes, the i3 can – and will – appeal to both head and heart. AG

fleetworld.co.uk / 29

FEATURE Arval CVO Barometer

What are fleets thinking ? Arval’s annual Corporate Vehicle Observatory (CVO) Barometer has asked thousands of businesses how their fleets are running, and what the future holds. We analyse the results.

Companies with less than 10 employees

Companies with 100 to 999 employees

Companies with 10 to 99 employees

Companies with 1,000 or more employees

COST In what remain challenging economic conditions, it is no surprise that company vehicle leets are coming under signi icant cost pressure. What may be more surprising is that larger companies are positive about growth this year according to new research. The results show that a balance of around 40% of leet decision makers expect cost pressures on the leet to grow this year; slightly less than in previous years, but still a notable proportion. As David Tinsley, economist at BNP Paribas, explains, economic conditions are improving but remain challenging none the less: ‘The outlook for the UK economy has improved somewhat of late and it appears that from here the economy ought to be able to show growth over the remaining quarters of 2013. That said, this expansion is not likely to be dramatic. There are still many headwinds facing the UK, from slow growth in the Eurozone to public sector consolidation at home.’

% that think this year, cost pressures will...

Decrease

Increase

49%

45%

Balance 2013

Balance 2012

Balance 2011

43%

39%

65%

39%

48%

56%

Balance = Cost pressure will increase – Cost pressure will decrease

% that think the total number of vehicles on their fleet will... Decrease

Increase

16%

Balance 2013

Balance 2012

Balance 2011

Balance 2010

17%

12%

14%

10%

18%

10%

14%

11%

10%

14%

13%

GROWTH

11%

12%

29%

+ 11%

32 / fleetworld.co.uk

21%

Despite these conditions, fleet operators at larger companies are bullish that the number of vehicles they operate will grow. This table demonstrates that 29% of UK fleet operators at companies with 100 or more employees expect the fleet to expand (an 18% balance). This is a higher proportion than we saw in the past three years, a higher proportion than in other European countries and a more optimistic outlook than that of companies with less than 100 employees.

COMPLEXITY

Management of a company vehicle fleet is becoming...

Nearly half of companies with 100 or more employees and around a third of smaller businesses think that leet management is becoming more complicated (see below). By its nature, companies Contract Hiring vehicles can bene it from expert advice and support from their provider, helping them to make sound decisions and illing any knowledge gaps that they may have. Mike Waters, senior insight and consultancy manager at Arval, said: ‘There is no doubt that the role of the leet manager is a more dif icult one than it used to be. A combination of vehicle related taxation, regulation, new vehicle technologies, health and safety and environmental performance are just some of the factors that they must now understand and consider as part of the decision making process. It is almost impossible for one person to have all of the knowledge and skills now necessary to optimise the leet operation.’

Less complex

20%

More complex

32%

22%

48%

35%

27%

13%

Remains the same

Don’t know

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

DRIVER EDUCATION

In businesses with 100 or more employees, only 7% plan to incorporate electric vehicles into their leet. The picture is a similar one for companies with less than 100 employees. ‘There is a clear trend towards more ef icient and sustainable vehicles and the research shows that this includes new vehicle technologies. From the current base, a 4% adoption of electric vehicles would be a signi icant increase,’ said Waters. The research also found that 18% of businesses are even willing to pay a price premium in order to operate zero emission vehicles. Waters added: ‘The ongoing savings that businesses can make on the most efficient vehicles can outweigh the up-front premium that they pay.’

The UK results show that 31% of companies with 100 or more employees are doing nothing to address driver behaviour, nor are 62% of companies with less than 100 employees. Waters said: ‘There’s no doubt the way that drivers operate a vehicle has a huge impact on mpg performance, emissions, safety and the cost of operation. Fleets really should put as much thought into educating and managing their drivers as they do into vehicle selection if they want to optimise fleet performance.’

CVO BRIEFS 58% of large leets think resale values of used cars will drop in the next year, with only 17% believing they will increase. 52% of small leets self purchase rather than lease, compared to 38% in 2009. Among the largest leets only 23% self purchase with the others mainly using inance or operational leasing. Three-quarters of the largest leets take action on driver behaviour to minimise impact on the total cost of ownership. Only a quarter of the smallest leets take similar action. Only 31% of larger fleets think that new vehicle MPG performance figures provide an accurate representation of actual fuel consumption. 72% of small fleets and 86% of larger fleets intend to shift to less polluting vehicles.

fleetworld.co.uk / 33

Mercedes-Benz S-Class Can the S-Class still live up to its claims of being the world’s best car? Alex Grant finds out. SECTOR Luxury PRICE £62,650–£88,130 FUEL 32.8–64.3mpg CO2 115–207g/km

t takes enormous confidence in your own product to describe it not only as the best in its sector, but the best car on the market. So when Mercedes-Benz calls its luxury S-Class the best car in the world, it’s giving the luxury saloon a lot to live up to. While this isn’t a volume seller – the outgoing car averaged just over 2,000 sales per year in the UK – it’s a backbone of the carmaker’s product offering. This is where the bulk of its innovation appears first, before being drip-fed into other models, and it’s a figurehead for a brand which thrives on offering high comfort and refinement. In the UK, it also enjoys a commanding sales lead in its sector, even after a lingering eight-year run for the outgoing model. This means its successor has to build on what is already a benchmark, moving the pinnacle of luxury motoring forward a generation while bringing running costs down for the fleet-heavy sales mix. That’s a very tough task. At the familiar end of the technology spectrum, the S-Class launches with the S500 V8 petrol and S350 BlueTEC For the first time, the S-Class has been designed to cater V6 diesel engines, the latter predicted to remain as the for the growing Asian markets where buyers tend to be sat biggest seller. It’s a remarkably quiet engine, too, now in the back. The long wheelbase now offers five seating comreturning 51.3mpg with CO2 emissions of 146g/km (or binations in the back, comprising two or three50.4mpg and 148g/km for the long wheelbase seat benches, the former available with two version) while delivering a near-silent 255bhp FLEET FACT through its smooth if slightly lethargic gearbox. reclining options each of which can be speciLess familiar is the choice of hybrid versions fied with a centre console. Because the seats 2014 S400 available. Using technology deployed on the pivot at the hip, not the shoulder, there’s less of Plug-in Hybrid a reduction in legroom when fully reclined. E-Class last year, the S-Class will be available will offer 74g/km European buyers – generally found in the with a 147g/km petrol-electric hybrid and the diesel-electric S300 BlueTEC Hybrid. It’s a driver’s seat – are expected to opt en masse and >70mpg . for the short wheelbase model, with either a unique product in this segment, returning an two or three-seat rear bench. Regardless of easily class-leading 64.3mpg and 115g/km. Despite using the only four-cylinder engine in the range, wheelbase, the S-Class cabin comes awash with soft and this is quieter than the E-Class can muster, with limited impeccably stitched leather and remains the benchmark shudder while shifting between diesel and electric power. for ride quality even on its largest wheels. There is a slight sacrifice in comfort for the larger AMG wheels, though. But where the S-Class really moves the sector forward is in its execution of everyday tasks autonomously. Six radars, six cameras and numerous other sensors mean it can analyse its surroundings in 3D, distinguish between pedestrians, cyclists, vehicles and animals, adjust suspension settings to soften bumps on motorways, stop automatically and adapt its headlight beams to avoid other traffic. This also means it can park itself with the driver only responsible for selecting reverse or forward gears, and eerily it’ll lock onto other vehicles in a traffic jam, intelligently deciding whether to follow their movements or the road markings at up to 40mph. Above this, it gently corrects steering to keep the car in its lane, while automatic cruise control makes long trips completely effortless. Whether it’s fair to call a car this aspirational the best in the world is open to debate, but there’s no questioning that the S-Class is a march forward in technology which wows and delights in equal measure.

36 / fleetworld.co.uk

what we think

highlights Camera, radar and ultrasonic sensors mean the S-Class can drive hands-free through traffic jams and park itself. Long and short wheelbase versions of biggest-selling S350 BlueTEC now emit less than 150g/km. S300 Hybrid shares its diesel-electric drivetrain with the E-Class, replacing the outgoing car’s only four-cylinder engine, the S250 CDI.

If effortless long drives and first class comfort are top of your priority list, the S-Class remains the benchmark in this segment. Its only potential fault is that it’s so conservative in the way it does so, firmly catering for its existing audience rather than rocking the boat to find new ones. That said, it’s done no harm in the past.

The first car with no lightbulbs. Energy-efficient LEDs are used throughout, saving 2.1g/km CO2 in the headlamps alone.

key fleet model S350 BlueTEC SE Line

fleetworld.co.uk / 37

Volkswagen Golf Bluemotion Danny Cobbs finds out if the real-life performance of the new Golf is as incredible as its economy figures. SECTOR Lower medium PRICE £20,335–£20,990 FUEL 88.3mpg CO2 85g/km

n theory, the latest version of the Volkswagen Golf Bluepassengers are afforded a generous amount of leg, shoulder, motion is capable of 970 miles between fill-ups. A bold and headroom. Boot space stays the same as in the non-Blueclaim, but the figures are hard to ignore. At 88.3mpg this motion Golf; 380-litres or 1270-litres when the back seats is the most frugal non-hybrid car to date and, for the averare folded down. Standard equipment includes Bluetooth age driver covering an annual distance of 10,000 miles, they connectivity, air conditioning, and 15-inch alloys. will only need to fill it up 10 times a year. It also happens to There’s little to suggest in the way it drives that this is be the cleanest too; emitting just 85g/km of CO2. anything other than a Golf. It certainly hasn’t curtailed to its At the heart of all this efficiency is a 1.6-litre TDI. Based on eco leanings, or been bothered by the lowered suspension, the standard 1.6 diesel, fuel consumption has been boosted and delivers an unflustered ride, capable of absorbing, and through reduced internal friction, an innovative thermal floating over, the worst type of tarmac defects. Granted, the management system with shortened warm-up phase, diesel engine isn’t the quietest, or the smoothest, when exhaust gas recirculation, and a twin-stage started from cold, but any noise or vibraoil pump plus an electric water pump. tions soon disappear once it’s on the Modifications to the engine have been move. Acceleration is good, reaching 0matched with a comprehensive package of 62mph in a brisk 10.5 seconds. weight-saving and aerodynamic improveAs we all know, the performance figures ments elsewhere. The running gear issued by car makers have mostly been weighs a full 26kg less than other 1.6 TDIs, extracted under meticulously controlled while the body has lost 37kg. With a comconditions. These then, should be used bination of a 15mm lower ride height, low merely as guide, as they tend to differ rolling resistance tyres, roof spoiler, greatly to what happens when the same masked off front grille, partially closing air car is driven in the real world. With that inlets and under-floor panels it's also 10% said, after driving the Bluemotion around more aerodynamic. The end result is a car town, and without even trying too hard, which is 15% more efficient than its predthe onboard computer had calculated my ecessor, yet doesn't appear all that differaverage fuel consumption at 83mpg, Volkswagen has ent from the car it's based on. although this dropped to 55mpg on the achieved new levels of The interior doesn’t surrender any of motorway. There’s plenty of length in the efficiency and frugality its green credentials either. It is basically gearing, especially in sixth gear, allowing it the standard S model, and costs from to happily potter about at 1100rpm. without compromising £20,335 for the three-door and £20,990 Although the Bluemotion is £1,215 any of the Golf’s integrity. for the five. It still feels very Golf-like, with more expensive than the standard Golf S Without doubt, it is an abundance of quality, soft-touch mate1.6 TDI, the lower CO2 emissions does truly a remarkable car. rials used in the cabin. The driving posimean it’s dropped to VED band A, and a tion remains unsurpassed while all new BiK of a 13%.

what we think

38 / fleetworld.co.uk

Trackers installed…? We’re guessing that some, maybe all, of the vehicles in your fleet have a tracker installed already. No problem, you don’t have to remove or replace them. Use telemetrics™ to access the data returned by your current tracking units – either directly or via the database of data received - then view the data in the format to match your KPI’s. telemetrics™ is a hosted, web-based reporting dashboard that displays your data in a meaningful way, as you want to see it. Simple to use, the dashboard can be configured just how you want it - to show the metrics that are important to you and to your business. View data from a number of sources and manipulate it easily to monitor vehicle utilization, journey and location information, driver behaviour and ranking, vehicle working hours and fault codes, and trend analysis.

Make your data work for you — call us

+44 (0) 843 515 9934

or email enquiries@telepath.uk.com

www.telepath.uk.com

fleet model focus Skoda Superb FIND OUT WHY NEW SKODA SUPERB REDEFINES THE FLEET CAR BOOK A TEST DRIVE TODAY

EASTERN ENGLAND

MANCHESTER

LIVERPOOL / CHESTER

Vindis Group Fleet Building 4105, Alconbury Airﬁeld Alconbury PE28 4DE

Claybank Motor Company 718 Liverpool Road, Eccles Manchester M30 7LW

Mitchell Skoda Stanney Mill Lane, Cheshire Oaks Chester CH2 4RG

t 01480 416900 e groupﬂeetsales@vindisgroup.com w www.vindisgroup.com/ﬂeet

t 0161 744 0471 e Jane.2@claybank.co.uk w www.claybankmotorco.co.uk

t 08433 208683 e n.gregory@mitchellgroup.co.uk w www.mitchellgroup.co.uk/skoda

WEST MIDLANDS

SOUTH

SOUTH WEST

Listers Skoda 47 Coventry Road, Exhall Coventry CV7 9FU

Garland Motors Ltd 15 Blackwater Way, Aldershot Hants GU12 4DN

Westover Skoda 502 Wallisdown Road, Bournemouth BH11 8PT

t 02476 686699 e Paul.fox@listers.co.uk w www.listers.co.uk/skoda

t 01252 311818 e andrew.evans@garlandmotors.skoda.co.uk w www.garlandskoda.co.uk

t 01202 970448 e ﬁrst4business@westovergroup.co.uk w www.westovergroup.co.uk/skoda/business-users

Nissan Note Nissan hopes to take on B and C-segments with its revitalised Note, says Danny Cobbs. SECTOR MPV PRICE £11,900–£16,950 FUEL 54.3–78.5mpg CO2 95–119g/km

issan has taken the frumpy old Note and given it a new lease of life. And it needed to, if its plans to go head-to-head with the likes of the Ford Focuses and Volkswagen Polos of this world are to succeed. So, gone is the Note's dowdy MPV exterior, replaced with one that's much funkier. It is a well thought-out piece of styling too; interesting enough to entice a younger audience, yet not too radical to alienate past customers. The interior is best described as functional. The plastics feel cheap and the front seats are too short in the swab to be classed as comfortable. However, according to Nissan, back seat passengers have the best rear space in its class. The rear bench also slides forward to increase boot space from 325 litres to 411 litres, or 1,202 litres with it folded ﬂat. These include a three-cylinder 1.2-litre direct-injection petrol with 79bhp, and a supercharged version of the same engine with 97bhp. It's the latter which oﬀers the lower emissions, at 99g/km rising to 119g/km for the CVT gearbox, and is better suited to shifting the Note's bulk. Then there’s the Renault-sourced oil-burner. Out of the three, it is this 85bhp 1.5-litre dCi turbodiesel which is most suited to the Note and expected to take around 60% of UK sales. It is marginally slower though – 0-62mph in 11.9 seconds, as opposed to 11.7 seconds for the DIG-S. Plenty of

mid-range torque disguises its modest output, making it feel much faster than it actually is. It’s the most eﬃcient too, emitting just 95g/km of CO2 emissions, and, with a combined fuel consumption of just 78.4mpg, the most frugal. As before, prices have been pegged back to four levels of trim. The entry-level 1.2-litre Visia has increased by £250, to £11,900, but it now comes with more standard equipment, although it doesn’t include that sliding rear bench. It can only be found, as standard, on the other three, higher trims – Acenta, Acenta Premium, and Tenka.

Nissan Micra Redesigned Micra is pitching for the class leaders. Danny Cobbs investigates. SECTOR Supermini PRICE £9,950–£15,050 FUEL 56.5–68.9mpg CO2 95–125g/km

fter just three years, the Micra has had a substantial facelift, gaining new rear lights and removing the bug-eyed front end. It's a lot more masculine looking; more purposeful and less cutesy. Yet, despite these changes, and a new palette for the paintwork, there’s little to endear it to the fashionista. The revised cabin is unlikely to win any design awards either. For sure, it feels a diﬀerent place to be sat than the previous model, but it’s still so drab and so uninspiring, only becoming slightly more joyful as the trim levels increase.

40 / fleetworld.co.uk

Nissan is taking orders now for delivery in September, with the entry-level Visia starting the pricing off at £9,950. It may seem relatively inexpensive, but the interior at this price feels pretty basic. Go up a trim level, to the £11,550 Acenta, and things become a little more interesting. It too comes with the Visia’s Bluetooth and USB connectivity, electric front windows, remote central locking and six airbags as standard, but this time alloys are added, as are climate and cruise control and a leather-bound steering wheel. Move further on up, to the range-topping Tekna, at £12,950, and parking sensors, keyless entry, NissanConnect navigation and infotainment system, a 5.8-inch colour monitor, plus Google Send-to-Car mapping, allowing for a route to be downloaded from an iPad or PC, are added. The chassis and all mechanical parts have been lifted straight out of the previous model, so it’s the same choice of 1.2-litre petrol engine; a naturally aspirated three-cylinder which produces 79bhp, or the supercharged 97bhp version. Both claim impressive efficiency figures, with the standard 1.2-litre emitting 115g/km of CO2, and a fuel economy of 57mpg. The supercharged is even more efficient, boasting emissions of 95g/km and an average fuel consumption of 68.9mpg. Both engines come as standard with five-speed manual box, but a CVT is an optional extra offered to each.

Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC

Smaller diesel gives the spacious CR-V satisfactory numbers, if not performance, says Kyle Fortune. SECTOR Crossover PRICE TBA FUEL 62.8mpg CO2 119g/km

onda freely admits it’s a petrol specialist, which in Europe is a problem. Diesel is king here, especially for the compact SUV sector. Throw in any ambitions to take corporate sales and a petrol engine – unless it’s mated to a hybrid system – is preposterous. So Honda has added its new 1.6-litre i-DTEC turbodiesel to the CR-V line up, giving it an entry-level diesel – a 2.2 iDTEC is also offered – that delivers fleet-friendly CO2 emissions of 119g/km and a combined consumption figure of 62.8mpg. All good, though that 1.6-litre turbodiesel does some-

times feel a touch overwhelmed under the CR-V’s bonnet. Those used to the easy, torque-rich delivery of its European, or even Japanese, rivals will find it lacking a bit. The numbers say there’s 300Nm of torque from 2,000rpm, but the reality feels a bit flatter than that. Revs don’t really help, adding little but more noise and the CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC doesn’t feel particularly brisk regardless of how it’s driven. Which all makes Honda’s focus on its improved dynamics rather odd. The 1.6-litre engine weighs some 47kg less than the 2.2-litre diesel, and add the loss of four-wheel drive – for front wheel-drive only – and the combined weight loss is 116kg. That’s allowed Honda to tweak the suspension to provide a more eager steering CR-V, the vagueness of its relations’ responses having been removed with this fleetfriendly machine. That only exacerbates the engine’s issues really, as the sharper steering and better control – at the expense of a touch of low speed ride comfort – aren’t matched by an engine with much in the way of enthusiasm. All of which might sum up the CR-V’s customers, as while its new engine doesn’t delight, it’s on the numbers. But at just under 120g/km, Mazda's CX-5 offers an 30bhp, while a Skoda Yeti is more fun to drive. The Honda excels in good looks and plenty of space, which is fine, but it would be better with a petrol engine – preposterous as that may sound.

Suzuki Swift 4x4

Four-wheel drive makes the Swift perfect for rural NHS fleets, reckons Alex Grant. SECTOR Supermini PRICE £11,516–£13,116 FUEL 51.3mpg CO2 126g/km

uzuki is really sticking to its strengths with the Swift 4x4. The carmaker may be a relatively small player in the UK market, but it’s known for doing two things exceedingly well – small cars and all-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive Swifts aren’t new, Suzuki has been selling these in selected markets all over the world for almost three decades, but it’s the ﬁrst time since the Eighties that British buyers have had the option. With several harsh winters behind us, the carmaker believes now is the right time to add it to the UK range as part of a mid-cycle cosmetic refresh. Under the bonnet is the familiar 1.2-litre 16v engine, the only one available from launch while the carmaker tests demand for a diesel, paired with a mechanical fourwheel drive system which automatically sends power to the back axle when required. Not only is this light, at a mere 65kg, but by avoiding complicated electronically controlled systems it’s also cheap. In the UK, four-wheel drive will be available on two versions. The SZ3 4x4 costs £1,000 more than its identicallooking two-wheel drive sibling, while the SZ4 features crossover-esque body cladding and silver skid plates, widening the price gap by a further £500 compared to the two-wheel drive SZ4. Both also feature 25mm raised suspension for extra ground clearance off road.

Naturally the Swift isn’t up to the off-road prowess of Jimny, but traction and ride quality off road were both impressive. The extra weight does, however, blunt onroad performance. It’ll pull itself up steep inclines, but don’t expect to get anywhere quickly. Suzuki has modest sales plans of around 500 units per year, expecting fleet demand to come largely from rural NHS trusts where they’ll keep staff moving in winter. It’s a niche model, but a useful one for those who need the extra traction of an SUV, without the extra size. fleetworld.co.uk / 41

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SWOTTeam This month the SWOT Team analyses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the new Lexus IS 300h against its closest rivals. Here is what they have to say...

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

AC The only vehicle here which ducks below 100g/km CO2. Much better to drive than the previous models and there is far more space inside, with 85mm more rear legroom and a 450-litre boot.

AC It's fine for tootling along, especially in town, but the CVT gearbox ruins the experience when it comes to dynamics. The car produces 220bhp, more than the diesel equivalents, but it doesn’t deliver the same pull, and doesn’t feel as fun to drive. It will almost certainly struggle to deliver similar economy figures to the diesels when running up and down the motorway too.

AC The savings in BiK against the other the vehicles this week range from £1,541 to £2,103 and there are also savings in fuel tax of at least £853 over three years. These figures will be very attractive to many, helped by claims of low maintenance costs over three years.

AC German rivals will be working their socks off trying to come up with vehicles that will offer even better running costs than they currently have so as to combat the lower BIK costs of the Lexus.

MJ Toyota and Lexus have vast experience of hybrids, so the technology is proven. The F-Sport's ride and handling feel closer to a German product and the interior is sportier too. AS Something different from the usual German offerings, and the quietness and refinement of a petrol engine is a welcome change. MW This is the one to watch as it is the new kid on the block, is built to a very high quality throughout, and has super low CO2.

44 / fleetworld.co.uk

MJ Traditional upper-medium sector diesel drivers probably won't have a hybrid in mind as an immediate alternative.

MJ Lexus believe that Euro 6 diesels will continue to carry a price premium over Euro 5, making the IS 300h a very cost-effective alternative to a premium diesel auto.

AS The previous generation hasn’t stood up well to the competition and real-world MPG is likely to be far short of official figures, as with all hybrids.

AS This will appeal to people who want to make a statement about their green credentials. Lexus and Toyota have the most experience in manufacturing hybrids and low BiK is a strong appeal.

MW Lexus is a relatively unknown brand, and this will unfortunately damage sales.

MW With those very impressive numbers, it has to get onto more choice lists now.

MJ The noise of the CVT gearbox can put people off, although there is a sound generation facility that provides a more engaging tone into the cabin. AS The hardcore fleet business is conditioned to buy diesel, and many still have to be convinced about the complexities of hybrid technology. Buyers are also conditioned to buy German. MW This whole sector will become threatened by the growing number of SUVs, MPVs and crossovers, and these will be the biggest threat over the coming years.

Martin Ward (MW) Manufacturer Relationship Manager, CAP

IS 300h

Alan Senior (AS) Director, Vehicle Information Publishing

Mark Jowsey (MJ) Commercial Director, KeeResources KwikCarCost

Strengths AC low BiK, and running costs. MJ Proven technology from an experienced hybrid manufacturer. AS Quiet, refined and different. MW Impressive running costs.

3 Series

AC CVT gearbox blunts its driver appeal. MJ Buyers are used to diesels. AS Real-world economy is unlikely to match up to claims. MW Competing against other sectors and German rivals will be tough.

Strengths

BMW 320d ED manual

AC By far the best driving dynamics. MJ Probably the benchmark car – with consistently good Whole Life Costs. AS The first choice in this segment. MW Everything a fleet driver needs. AC Expensive options. MJ Quite a few of these around. AS Not that special and residuals are showing some weakness now. MW 320d has been damaged by its own success – it is no longer a niche car to drive.

Strengths

Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI Executive SE manual

AC Comfortable ride. MJ Aspirational badge, good CO2/MPG. AS Well specified and feels exclusive. MW It has the Three-Pointed Star, which is still King to many people.

Standard equipment: • Bluetooth, USB and aux inputs • DAB Radio/CD player with 6.5-inch screen • Cruise control • Dual-zone climate control • 16-inch alloy wheels • Rear parking sensors • Fabric upholstery Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £610 • Satellite navigation £990 • Xenon headlamps £710

AC Noisy engine under load, poor interior. MJ AMG derivatives emit a less competitive 123g/km CO2. AS Stiff competition in this sector. MW Still known as a car for old drivers, which may put off younger ones.

OTR: £28,660 P11D: £28,915 Fuel: 68.9mpg CO2: 109g/km RV*: £9,825 (34%) BiK: 16% SMR: £2,404 Fuel costs: £5,485 Insurance: £4,440 Finance: £3,904 NI: £2,075 VED: £40 Cost per month: £1,041

Strengths

Audi A4 2.0 TDI SE Technik 177PS

Weaknesses

Standard equipment: • Bluetooth, 2x USB and aux • DAB Radio/CD player with 4.2-inch screen • Cruise control • Dual-zone climate control • 16-inch alloy wheels • Fabric upholstery • Xenon headlamps Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £610 • Parking sensors £600 • Satellite navigation £1,995

OTR: £29,495 P11D: £28,355 Fuel: 68.9mpg CO2: 109g/km RV*: £9,650 (34%) BiK: 16% SMR: £2,102 Fuel costs: £5,485 Insurance: £4,350 Finance: £3,828 NI: £2,035 VED: £40 Cost per month: £1,017

Weaknesses

C-Class

Lexus IS 300h SE OTR: 29,495 P11D: £29,440 Fuel: 65.7mpg CO2: 99g/km RV*: £10,700 (36%) BiK: 11% SMR: £2,733 Fuel costs: £5,557 Insurance: £3,990 Finance: £3,974 NI: £1,503 VED: £0 Cost per month: £1,015

Weaknesses

Andy Cutler (AC) UK Car Editor – Forecast Values Glass’s

AC Good to drive but not as dynamic as the BMW, good cabin. MJ New trim offers high equipment and competitive whole life costs. AS Top drawer quality. MW A great all-rounder.

Weaknesses AC A new model is coming soon. MJ Front-wheel drive makes it the odd one out in this group. AS Too many around – bad for RVs. MW Too much like previous models.

OTR: £28,900 P11D: £28,845 Fuel: 61.4mpg CO2: 120g/km RV*: £10,225 (35%) BiK: 19% SMR: £2,355 Fuel costs: £6,155 Insurance: £3,990 Finance: £3,894 NI: £2,428 VED: £60 Cost per month: £1,043

Standard equipment: • Bluetooth and USB input • Radio/CD player with 5.8-inch screen • Cruise control • Climate control • 16-inch alloy wheels • Parking sensors • Artificial leather upholstery Optional equipment: • DAB digital radio £335 • Metallic paint £645 • Becker sat nav £495

Standard equipment: • Bluetooth, USB and aux inputs • DAB Radio/CD with 6.5-inch screen • Cruise control • Dual-zone climate control • 18-inch alloy wheels • Parking sensors and camera • Metallic Paint • Satellite navigation • Leather upholstery Optional equipment: • Xenon headlamps £1,130

fleetworld.co.uk / 45

Numbers. Sometimes they speak louder than words. So here are a few about the class-leading Civic 1.6 Diesel.

Fuel consumption for the Civic 1.6 i-DTEC range in mpg (l/100km): Urban Cycle 70.6 (4.0), Extra Urban 85.6 (3.3), Combined 78.5 (3.6). CO2 emissions 94g/km. Fuel consumption figures sourced from official EU-regulated laboratory test results, are provided for comparison purposes and may not reflect real-life driving experience.

New Civic 1.6 i-DTEC Diesel from £195 Business Contract Hire* Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC SE 5dr

Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI 105 5dr

Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Zetec ECOnetic 5dr

Vauxhall Astra 1.7 CDTi 16V ecoFLEX Exclusiv 5dr

120

105

110

Combined mpg

78.5

74.3

76.4

76.3

BIK (%)

13%

14%

Monthly BIK @ 20%

£43

£45

£44

£46

Monthly BIK @ 40%

£85

£91

£89

£93

Engine PS CO2 Emissions (g/km)

honda.co.uk/corporate Model shown: Civic 1.6 i-DTEC SE Manual in optional Alabaster Silver Metallic. *Contract Hire Terms and Conditions: Contract Hire available to Business users only. Contract Hire rental is based on Honda Contract Hire for the Civic 1.6 i-DTEC SE Manual only. Rentals are based on 6 months rentals in advance followed by 35 monthly rentals starting month 2 with 10,000 miles per annum, non maintained and no metallic paint. Excess and other charges may apply dependent on the mileage and condition of the vehicle at the end of the contract. All rentals are subject to VAT at standard rates. All figures are correct at time of publication but may be subject to change. Honda Contract Hire rentals are available across the Civic range on a three year/variable mileage per annum, maintained and non maintained. Vehicles must be ordered between 1st July 2013 and 30th September 2013 with registration, delivery and funding by 31st October 2013 except for Civic 1.6 which must ordered between 1st July 2013 and 31st December 2013 with registration and delivery by 31st December 2013. Offer applicable at participating Honda Dealers and is at the promoter’s absolute discretion. Subject to model and colour availability. Promoter: Honda (UK), 470 London Road, Slough, Berkshire SL3 8QY. Honda (UK) is a division of Honda Motor Europe. Registered in England and Wales No 857969. Comparison data provided by independent industry source CAP Automotive Limited and correct as of 17/06/2013.

FEATURE Accident Management

Accident Assistance We’ve asked the experts what they think are vital elements for a safer, less accident-prone and lower cost fleet. Here are their suggestions. By Natalie Middleton and Steve Moody.

Fleet strategy

Do you have these measures, policies and cultures in place in your business? Lead from the top ‘Management leadership and engagement at all levels from directors to first line managers is vital to cutting crashes and repair costs. Recent research by Loughborough University showed a clear link between managers and fleet collisions. ‘The instruction to drivers should be: “look after yourself and get home safely”. Managers should also lead by example, and be the first to fit telemetry in their vehicle, do their risk assessment/DVLA check, reverse park and show the importance of road safety. ‘Managers also set the tone with regards to speedy and accurate claims, damage and defect reporting to allow effective cost management.’ Dr Will Murray, research director, Interactive Driving Systems

Make clear policy ‘Businesses must develop a clear fleet policy which encourages safe driving and removes any ambiguity for the drivers. For example, several years ago we made the decision to ban the use of hands-free mobile phones within our own vehicles. It’s not illegal but we believe that it increases the risk of a collision. It’s a clear rule within our policy and drivers are under no illusions what will happen if they get caught breaking it.’ Tracey Scarr, CSR manager at Arval

Prevention is better than cure ‘Preventative action is key. If you’re aware of exactly how drivers are behaving on the road, and have an analysis of their accident history, then you‘re well on the way to take preventative action and reduce accident levels. ‘As a business we use psychometric profiling, which along with telematics data and comprehensive accident reporting, can highlight potential behavioural risks and identify which drivers are more likely to have accidents and why. ‘Fleets can use these tools in an innovative way and create strategies that recommend the appropriate course of preventative action, such as driver training, which will help mitigate risk and reduce accident rates.’ Karen Zaremba, group customer service manager, ALD Automotive

48 / fleetworld.co.uk

“Generating a safe driving culture within the organisation will change driver behaviour and reduce collision rates and associated costs.” Create a culture ‘It’s not quick and easy but over time, generating a safe driving culture within the organisation will change driver behaviour and reduce collision rates and associated costs. To do this, the company must be seen to value the importance of driver safety, must invest in it, and must take robust action to minimise the risks their employees face on the roads in both their business and private lives.’ Tracey Scarr, CSR manager at Arval

‘Low/medium risk drivers may possibly be dealt with by way of general road safety seminars or speci ic campaigns while onroad driver training (with suitably quali ied and experienced leet trainers) for drivers may lean towards the higher risk category.’ Richard Wilyman, operations director, Mac GB

Choose better cars ‘Modern vehicle specification allows you to select extras which will help to reduce collision rates. We have made useful technology like reversing sensors and ESC mandatory on our fleet vehicles and as a result, we have seen collision rates fall.’ Tracey Scarr, CSR manager at Arval

Act on your data ‘The best way for companies to cut costs is to prevent incidents, and data is key to this. The old adage goes “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it”. Data is vital to modern day businesses, but it’s amazing how few are using it to its full potential. ‘By having the right systems and practices in place to record data, and crucially, to act on it, businesses can save money and improve safety. The fear is often that this can add to workload, but there are solutions available which actually streamline the process and save time, cost and worry.’ John Catling, CEO of FMG

Make a fully-costed business case for change ‘Driver training and safety management should always be top priorities for leets. Although you can't put a price on safety, in a competitive environment changes to policies and procedures still require a fully costed business case. Work with your provider to identify risk reduction strategies, and to gain a clear understanding of their implementation costs and likely impact. ‘With over 250,000 accidents and incidents on Britain's roads every year – not all accidents can be avoided but rather than simply managing outcomes, take steps to protect employees, their organisation and pro it.’ Jennifer Gradden, account director, Fleet Risk Management, LeasePlan UK

Use data to search for patterns

Categorise your drivers ‘Identify your “potentially problematic” drivers. For example: consider driver profiling, robust incident recording/management, driving licence monitoring, high mileage users, age factors. ‘Having categorised the driver risk, deal with the issue by prioritising the “high” risk through to “low”. Remember that once the risk is identi ied, you are duty-bound to address the problem!

‘Larger fleets have become much more sophisticated in the use of data to pinpoint accident causes and trends. A comprehensive data analysis function provides these fleets with the opportunity to try and prevent accidents occurring rather than simply reacting to the event. The use of data to reduce accidents is likely to increase in years to come as more fleets adopt black box technology. Monitoring driving patterns via this kind of technology can highlight potential risk areas and driver training requirements.’ Richard Harper, head of accident services, Lex Autolease

Learn from others ‘There are a lot of leets out there doing some great things to improve driver safety and reduce collision rates. Don’t be afraid to network with them, learn about their initiatives, and where you think they will work for your leet replicate them.’ Tracey Scarr, CSR manager at Arval

fleetworld.co.uk / 49

FEATURE Accident Management

Fleet strategy

Do you have these measures, policies and cultures in place in your business? Look out for fraudulent claims

There is no silver bullet

‘Fraudulent insurance claims from staged accidents are now so rife across the accident management industry that we advise drivers to take special care, especially at roundabouts and traf ic lights. ‘The fraudsters target a certain vehicle, and when they are approaching a roundabout or traf ic lights, they brake suddenly so that the unsuspecting vehicle goes straight into the back of them. ‘Usually there are several occupants and they all make excessive claim for whiplash injuries. This practice is so common now that one leading insurer has set up a special department dealing with these fraudulent claims. ‘Our advice is stay well back from the vehicle in front. If you are caught out in this way, take as many photos as possible with a camera phone of the damage and the occupants, and also try and get details from any independent witnesses to the accident.’ Jane Bartlett, claims executive, CLM

‘There is no “silver bullet” solution when it comes to making drivers behave more safely – but there are a number of key elements: Drivers need to take responsibility for their actions and take pride in both their vehicle and the standard of their driving; and issues surrounding driving need to be kept at the forefront of drivers’ minds. ‘This is best achieved by creating a company culture where emphasis is put on driver safety and vehicle use – implemented by a programme of regular communication, assessments (online assessments are very effective in that regard) and targeted interventions (training etc). In our experience a mixture of positive encouragement and sanctions yields tangible results without the need for extensive individual training.’ Dr Gerhard Manogg, director, Imagitech

Rapid repair saves downtime ‘Ensure you have a rapid repair service to limit costs of repair and replacement vehicles. For example, RAC Rapid Repair will see approximately a third of repairs being turned round in one to two days, conveying cost savings to fleets on both the repair costs and any associated replacement vehicle charges.’ Jim Monteith, head of accident services at RAC

Minimise downtime Using approved repairers can keep costs and downtime under control.

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Don’t skimp on replacement glass ‘In addition to accounting for up to 30% of the structural strength of a vehicle, the windscreen is increasingly becoming a crucial part of its central nervous system. However, the introduction of driver safety features such as cameras and head-up displays into laminated glass means added complexity for replacements.’ Jeremy Rochfort, national sales manager, Autoglass

Investigate the strength of repair networks

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‘Work with a partner that has a strong repair network that maintains quality, cost-control, and that allocates work quickly and locally to limit off-the-road costs and carbon footprint. A repair network should also guarantee the provision of a courtesy vehicle when required. ‘It should also boast a strong engineering unit to vet and authorise repair costs. Maintenance of cost control and ensuring correct repair methodologies are adopted thereby maintaining vehicle structural integrity so vehicles are repaired back to their original Euro NCAP rating.’ Jim Monteith, head of accident services at RAC

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FEATURE Accident Management

Safer driving tactics

How your drivers can expose themselves to less risk while out on the road. Increase accountability

Making eye contact reduces crashes

‘After every single collision involving one of our employees we sit down with them and talk about why it happened and whether it could have been prevented. Whether it is identi ied that the driver was at fault or not through the discussions, the outcome of these sessions can be anything from further training to rebuild con idence through to inancial penalties for multiple incidents in a period. Drivers need to know that if they cause a collision they will be held accountable – it’s an important deterrent.’ Tracey Scarr, CSR manager at Arval

‘We use eye contact all the time; it is a key form of non verbal communication. We use eye contact for lots of reasons, mainly for making sure that we understand people’s emotions and for making sure that we do not walk into people! ‘When driving we tend not to use eye contact so much, assuming that the vehicle and driver are separate. Remember that the driver is in charge of what the vehicle does so clear eye contact is essential for safety.’ Steve Croughan, lead trainer at DriveSense

Communicate better ‘It is crucial to remind drivers of the risks that they face, good practises they should adopt and their responsibility to drive safely. After a training session or a seminar for example, we ind that behaviour improves. However, over time drivers can slip back into bad habits so an ongoing communication programme is essential.’ Tracey Scarr, CSR manager at Arval

Better parking and manoeuvring

Perfect planning prevents... Make sure drivers pre-plan routes and add extra time to reduce risk-taking

‘Between 25 and 40% of business car leet collisions relate to parking and manoeuvring. With van leets it can be as high as 70%, so tackling the causes of these collisions will have a big impact on crash and repair costs. Top ways to do this include reverse parking, which can save fuel, money and time and makes it easier to depart safely than parking nose irst. ‘Never rely on parking sensors alone; they have blind spots. They will alert the driver with a continuous tone when about 30cm away from the obstruction it can see; this will not account for an overhang, such as when parking near a skip.’ David Richards, marketing director at AA DriveTech

Commentate while driving Avoid teleporter journeys ‘If drivers experience a “teleporter” journey (i.e when they arrive with little recollection of the drive), they need to try to identify what non driving-related thoughts they had when driving, so they can make a conscious effort to avoid these distractions in future.’ David Richards, marketing director at AA DriveTech

‘Becoming distracted when driving is a real danger. When we help leet drivers improve their skills, including how to stay focused behind the wheel, one of the best ways to encourage them to do this is by doing “commentary” drives in their head. This helps keep their mind on the job of getting to their destination safely.’ David Richards, marketing director at AA DriveTech

Take a hard hitting approach Make slowing down a challenge ‘Car curling is a novel approach to improving fuel ef iciency and safety: it involves lots of planning ahead and a clear eye for safety and what is happening around you. You have probably seen curling on the TV, where the goal is to land the stone as near to the centre of the target zone as possible. ‘Try it when you are driving, as long as it is safe; see how early you can come off the accelerator pedal up to a hazard and you will be amazed how soon you can do it, and save fuel at the same time, while you also become more aware of your surroundings as you try to improve.’ Steve Croughan, lead trainer at DriveSense

52 / fleetworld.co.uk

‘For some drivers, the only way to make the safe driving message resonate is to make it really hard hitting. We have launched a programme of safety seminars which use real people to demonstrate the potentially life-shattering consequences of poor driving. It’s a shocking approach to take, but one that often works.’ Tracey Scarr, CSR manager at Arval

Change expectations of time management ‘Allowing 20 minutes for a 15-minute trip makes for a relaxing trip with minimum vehicle wear. Conversely trying to drive 20 minute trips in 15, encourages taking chances and collision risks.’ John Davidge, head of technical fleet at Cardinus

fleet model focus Peugeot 2008 YORK

NORTHERN IRELAND Charles Hurst Peugeot 62 Boucher Road, Belfast BT12 6LR t 028 90383444 e GaryMartin@charleshurstgroup.co.uk w charleshurstgroup.co.uk

WEST BROMWICH

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ALD Automotive • Shell FuelSave 2013

9 – 10 October 2013. Tankersley Manor, near Sheffield

We want YOU!! Spiralling fuel prices have made economy one of the most desirable factors when choosing a car, while forcing private and business drivers to consider everything they do behind the wheel. It’s a cost nobody can ignore. The MPG Marathon is a live demonstration of how both car and driver can make a massive difference to fuel costs and emissions. Now in its twelfth year, it pits teams of contestants against each other over a two-day event to push for the best fuel economy.

This year's event will take place at the fantastic Tankersley Manor, near Sheffield, on Wednesday 9th October – Thursday 10th October 2013. Previous competitors have included everyone from celebrities, academics and motoring journalists to senior figures in the automotive industry, with coverage across regional and national press. Visit thempgmarathon.co.uk for more info...

in association with

NOW Visit the website thempgmarathon.co.uk and register to drive in the UK’s premier economy driving event, for FREE! 54 / fleetworld.co.uk

108mpg! Last year’s winning Ford Fiesta ECOnetic, on its way to a recordbreaking fuel figure.

Vehicle classes...

2013

Passenger cars

Commercial vehicles

(limited to maximum CO2 emissions of 180g/km)

(not subject to maximum CO2 emission limit)

Class 1

Passenger cars powered by petrol with CO2 emissions of 110g/km or more

Class 6

Light vans and car-derived vans – GVW of less than 2001kg

Class 2

Passenger cars powered by petrol with CO2 emissions of 111g/km or more

Class 7

Small vans – GVW between 2001kg and 2600kg

Class 3

Passenger cars powered by diesel with CO2 emissions of 110g/km or more

Class 8

Medium vans – GVW between 2601kg and 2800kg

Class 4

Passenger cars powered by diesel with CO2 emissions of 111g/km or more

Class 9

Medium vans – GVW between 2801kg and 3499kg

Class 5

Hybrids powered by hybrid systems

Alternatively fuelled vehicles Alternatively fuelled vehicles competing in a demonstration of fuel consumption capability. Vehicles competing in this class will where possible be given an official fuel consumption or indication of fuel used, but will not be eligible for the main MPG Marathon competition.

Event format... This year’s ALD Automotive / Shell FuelSave MPG Marathon will challenge competitors’ navigation skills as well as their driving ability, when the UK’s leading economy driving event sets off from its Yorkshire base later in the year. Ever since Fleet World first introduced the event in 2000, competitors have been required to follow a fixed route, as would be expected with a car rally. However, last year a number of unscheduled road closures and unforeseen traffic incidents along the route required drivers to find their own way round the problems, prompting a change of format this year. In what is known in motorsport circles as a “navigational scatter”, competitors in the 2013 MPG Marathon will be required to find their own route between a series of fixed points, in much the same way that any normal business driver would be required to do. The minimum, straight-line distance between them will be 360 miles in total, but navigators will be allowed to choose a longer route if they feel it will result in a better fuelsaving performance.

'We were beset with traffic jams and road closures last year and drivers were forced to re-route around them – in one section a bridge collapsed on the morning of the event. But the data we got from TRACKER allowed us to calculate the exact extra mileage covered by each vehicle, so we have added this extra dimension in 2013 and the drivers I have spoken to so far have roundly welcomed it,' MPG Marathon event organiser, Ross Durkin.

All cars will be fitted with TRACKER tracking equipment, so the organisers will know exactly where each car has been and how far it has travelled. The new format gives drivers the option to choose a route that is not necessarily the shortest distance, if they feel that by avoiding the traffic in certain areas they will achieve a better overall performance. Most cars in the event will be fitted with Sat Nav and by using the traffic avoidance systems they will be making decisions about their route in the same way that any normal driver would. Under the old rules, a deviation from the route could result in disqualification.

thempgmarathon.co.uk fleetworld.co.uk / 55

Results of the 2012 MPG Marathon... Model

Drivers

MPG MPG % Figure Combined Improvement

CO2 g/km

Audi A1 Sportback 1.6 TDi Sport

David Madgwick & Alexander Madgwick

69.27

74.30

-6.76%

BMW 320d EﬃcientDynamics

Richard Aucock & Leigh Stiﬀ

84.91

68.90

23.24%

109

BMW 320d EﬃcientDynamics

Pete Lunt & Ian Featherstone

70.47

68.90

2.28%

109

Citroën C1 1.0 VTR

Geoﬀ Murray & Mark Armstrong-Read

84.70

65.70

28.92%

Fiat Panda 1.3 MultiJet Easy

John Kerswill & Ian McKean

88.96

72.40

22.88%

104

Fiat Punto 1.3 MultiJet Easy

John Dalton & Chris Barron

82.47

80.70

2.20%

Ford Fiesta Zetec ECOnetic 1.6 TDCi

Andrew Marriott & Andy Dawson

108.78

85.60

27.07%

Ford Focus Titanium 1.0 EcoBoost

Paul Clifton & Doug Clifton

61.93

56.50

9.62%

114

Jaguar XF 2.2 diesel Luxury

Victor Harman & David Hancock

58.53

52.00

12.56%

139

Kia cee’d 1.6 CRDi 2 EcoDynamics

Dave Randle & Peter Cracknell

74.61

74.30

0.41%

100

Kia Rio 1.1 CRDi 1 EcoDynamics

Sue Baker & Steve Winnit

90.01

88.30

1.93%

Kia Rio 1.1 CRDi 1 EcoDynamics

Mick Linford & Steve Croughan

102.21

88.30

15.75%

Lexus GS450h Luxury

David Crouch & Richard Seymour

45.96

46.30

-0.72%

141

Peugeot 208 e-HDi EGC Active

Ian Robertson & Craig Morrow

90.24

83.10

8.60%

Peugeot 208 e-HDi EGC Active

Chris Russon & Kevin Jones

93.40

83.10

12.40%

Peugeot Partner Tepee e-HDi EGC

Iain Robertson & Robert Marshall

63.00

58.90

6.96%

125

Toyota Yaris Hybrid T4

Andrew Andersz & Alyson Marlow

79.78

80.70

-1.14%

Vauxhall Insignia BiTurbo 2.0 CDTi 16v SRi

Alex Grant & Katie Beck

49.86

55.40

-10.00%

134

Vauxhall Astra GTC 2.0 CDTi SRi

Dave Moss & Mike Hull

62.16

58.90

5.54%

127

Vauxhall Astra 2.0 CDTi ecoFLEX SE

Jerry Clist & Jeremy Yea

68.64

62.80

9.31%

119

Volkswagen Golf Match TDi 105

Julie Fitzell & Chad Brewer

75.06

62.80

19.53%

119

Vans Citroën Nemo HDi 75

John Kendall & Paul Nieuwenhuis

77.51

62.80

23.42%

119

Fiat Doblo 1.3 MultiJet 90

Dave Edwards & Rob Williams

62.36

53.30

16.99%

139

Ford Transit Custom T270 L1H1

Owen Wood & Richard Powell

56.04

40.90

37.01%

183

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313CDi LWB

Peter Thomas & Marke Roughneed

43.94

33.60

30.76%

208

Renault Traﬁc SL27 dCi 115 Sport

Dan Gilkes & Malcolm Curnow

57.19

40.90

39.84%

180

Vauxhall Vivaro ecoFLEX 2700 2.0 CDTi (115PS)

Neil McIntee & Andrew Duerden

65.16

40.90

59.31%

180

VW Transporter T27 BlueMotion (Cobra)

Doug Powell & Trevor Holland

56.50

44.80

26.11%

166

Dispelling the myths about fuel consumption... This year’s ALD Automotive / Shell FuelSave MPG Marathon is set to dispel many of the myths surrounding the alleged inability of some passenger cars to achieve the combined fuel consumption figure claimed by the motor manufacturers. The UK’s leading economy driving event features a number of cars and drivers that have a proven track record in beating the combined figure – a feat that some motorists seem to think is unachievable. Since the first event in 2000 – in the aftermath of the worst fuel shortages and protests seen in the UK in living memory – the MPG Marathon has seen literally hundreds of cars pass their combined figure with ease. And while the event is meant to be fun for those taking part, there is a far more serious side to the MPG Marathon, and that’s changing the mindset of drivers who have been conned into believing they can never achieve their car’s combined figure, meaning they don’t even try. All but four of the 27 vehicles in last year’s MPG Marathon beat their combined figure, and of those that failed, two were by less than 2%. Across all the cars taking part last year, the average improvement over combined cycle figures was over 9.0%, while for the seven vans that took part the average improvement was a

56 / fleetworld.co.uk

staggering 33.4%. Whether you are a fleet buyer or a consumer, you simply can’t ignore savings like this. The MPG Marathon takes place on Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th October, based at Tankersley Manor, near Sheffield. The event covers some 360 miles over two days, with strict time penalties for those who fail to keep up a safe speed, providing competitors with a “real-world” test of their eco-driving skills. Competitors include motoring journalists, fleet managers, racing drivers and celebrities, and the purpose of the event is to raise awareness among motorists of the potential fuel savings that can be made through the use of certain, easy-to-learn techniques. ‘There seems to be a misguided lobby of car enthusiasts who want the motor manufacturers to re-calculate their fuel consumption figures by anything up to 20%,’ said MPG Marathon event organiser, Ross Durkin. ‘Even if they were successful, it wouldn’t change the way these individuals drive, though they might feel happy to achieve a much-reduced combined figure. However, I suspect that the sudden leap in motoring taxes that everyone would have to pay as a result – all taxes being based on CO2 emissions – would soon wipe the smile off their faces. The only winner would be the chancellor,’ added Durkin.

Sponsors...

2013

ALD Automotive ALD Automotive is one of the UK's leading providers of vehicle funding and management solutions and manages over 73,000 vehicles. The ALD Automotive group is also the 2nd largest vehicle leasing operation in Europe and manages over 900,000 vehicles across 37 countries worldwide. As such we are, once again, delighted to organise the 2013 MPG Marathon. The event has proved to be an ideal fit with our own business strategy as it focuses on cost reduction, health and safety and environmental issues. These are the core issues at the forefront of our own and our customers’ thinking. Our support reflects the great importance we place on safer, smarter driving and our award winning risk management solutions – for company car drivers and the grey fleet alike, such as DriveSafe Solutions and ProFleet2 in-vehicle telematics – are testimony to this. It’s clear the MPG Marathon has gained a momentum of its own and is set to remain a key feature of the fleet motoring calendar.

euroShell card

TRACKER

Shell is proud to be the headline fuel sponsor of the 2013 MPG Marathon. The moment you fill your car with Shell FuelSave Regular Unleaded and Shell FuelSave Regular Diesel, you could start to benefit from its advanced fuel economy formula. That’s because it’s enriched with Shell Efficiency Improver, designed to improve fuel economy from the very first drop. This fuel-efficient formula is designed to ignite and burn more effectively, helping to produce more efficient combustion in your engine. In addition to this, it is also designed to help prevent the build-up of deposits on fuel injectors, improving your engine's efficiency. This helps you get the most out of every drop of Shell FuelSave Regular Unleaded and Shell FuelSave Regular Diesel, saving you more fuel with every tank.

TRACKER is the UK's number one supplier of vehicle tracking services, with over a million systems installed to date. Celebrating 20 years of market-leading success, TRACKER’s award winning fleet tracking systems help companies meet the challenges facing them today. TRACKER Fleet incorporates groundbreaking, patented technology, providing important cost-saving benefits, not just for the short-term by identifying fuel inefficiency, but also longer-term by providing valuable insights into driver and business behaviour. TRACKER remains committed to developing solutions that anticipate and respond to the changing dynamics of the marketplace. Our long history in supplying telematics means businesses can be assured we will be here tomorrow. For more information about TRACKER visit: www.tracker.co.uk

Eco driving tips... Keep your car well serviced and check the oil level regularly. Correctly maintained cars can operate more efficiently and help reduce CO2 emissions. Check your tyre pressure every month. Under-inflated tyres can increase your fuel consumption by up to 4%. Remove unnecessary weight from your boot or back seats. The heavier the car, the harder the engine has to work and the more fuel it consumes. Close your windows, especially at higher speeds, and remove empty roof racks. This will reduce wind resistance and can lower your fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10%. Use air conditioning only when necessary. Unnecessary use increases fuel consumption and CO2 by up to 5%. Start driving soon after starting the engine and turn off the engine when stationary for more than one minute. Modern engines enable you to just get in and go, thus reducing fuel consumption. Drive at reasonable speeds and above all, drive smoothly. Every time you accelerate or brake suddenly, your engine uses more fuel and produces more CO2. When accelerating, change up gears as early as possible. Higher gears are more economical for fuel consumption. Try to anticipate traffic flow. Look at the traffic as far ahead as possible in order to avoid unnecessary stopping and starting within the flow of traffic. Consider car sharing for work or leisure. You will help reduce congestion and fuel consumption.

fleetworld.co.uk / 57

FEATURE Cenex

Building bridges, removing barriers Set up to help put UK-developed low-carbon technology into use with fleets, in just under eight years Cenex has become a hub for the cutting edge of green transport. But who are they, and how can they help your fleet? Alex Grant finds out.

Cenex’s Fleet Carbon Reduction Tool has helped the Environment Agency identify where hybrid and biodiesel models could work on its fleet.

rom its head office in Loughborough, the UK’s first centre of excellence for low carbon vehicle technologies, better known as Cenex, has been an ever-present organisation in the first steps of the move towards alternative fuel sources, including electric and hybrid vehicles. Founded in 2005 with funding from what is now the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, this not-for-pro it

58 / fleetworld.co.uk

organisation set out to form a bridge between the UK’s low carbon vehicle industry in the UK and end users, mostly in the leet sector. Offering consultancy and backing numerous technology projects, demonstrator programmes, purchases and infrastructure development, it’s had a vital supporting role in highlighting the cost and environmental bene its of alternative fuels. Robert Anderson, programme manager for fleet carbon reduction at

Cenex, says new technology is an area where fleets are often cautious: ‘We know that UK PLC is good at developing low carbon products, but that there’s a disparity between that and fleets taking it up. There’s mistrust and uncertainty about new technology; fleets would rather wait five years until others make mistakes first.’ A large barrier in fleet uptake is cost. Among its previous projects, Cenex has supported several large-scale demon-

strator programmes for electric, hybrid and biofuel powertrains, ranging from cars through to heavy goods vehicles. It’s been a two-way process of information sharing, helping fleets understand the benefits, and providing data back to Cenex about where new technology works best. Most recently, the organisation was responsible for managing the Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Programme. Working with the Technology Strategy Board and Office for Low Emission Vehicles, this provided £20m funding to subsidise hybrid or electric vehicles to a price parity with conventional diesel models and encourage companies to invest. Full results will be published this summer, building on work done with the Energy Saving Trust’s Plugged-in Fleets report and ongoing analysis from previous projects. This historical data is now benefiting other fleets. In 2011, Cenex launched its own Fleet Carbon Reduction Tool. This enables companies to find roles for plug-in vehicles using their fleets’ duty cycles as a base, and offering numerous cost and carbon reduction scenarios based on mileage covered, the length of the lease, day and night time charging and the cost of fuel and electricity over the vehicle’s life cycle. Results are shown in traffic light form, offering a quick and low-cost analysis before investing in a vehicle trial. ‘It’s a complex analysis, but worth doing for fleets to understand each new technology type,’ explains Anderson. ‘The worst thing for companies to do is take on new technology and then not use it. Then it becomes a millstone, sits in the corner of the car park and is a waste. It’s not the vehicle’s fault, it’s just not being used correctly. We help find an operational fit.’ New technology presents fresh challenges, often requiring a new infrastructure to support their uptake. As

well as helping fleets to deploy vehicles, Cenex is studying the requirements for charging and refuelling networks around the UK and working with suppliers to accelerate their growth. The biggest of these is Plugged-in Midlands. One of eight Plugged-in Places schemes across the UK, it aims to create a publicly accessible network of 500 charging points spanning from Lincolnshire to Herefordshire. Managed by Cenex, discounts have been made available to businesses and private sector organisations installing charging equipment at their premises, provided they are accessible to members of the scheme. Anderson says this has offered invaluable insight into the requirements of a public charging network, such as how and when they are used, and for how long. It has also highlighted the need for interoperability between Plugged-in Midlands and other schemes. Allowing members to roam between Plugged-in Places regions will be vital for the electric vehicle takeup to accelerate, he says. ‘To make this worthwhile and to ensure longevity, it has to be interoperable,’ Anderson explains. ‘People have to be able to use one card in Milton Keynes and the same card in Newcastle.’ In London, the organisation is helping to support the Europe-wide HyTec project, which is taking the first steps towards building a refuelling network for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. To date, some 35 vehicles have been deployed across Europe, aimed at finding out where the technology is best suited, and the cost and environmental benefits they can offer. The remainder of this decade will bring a continued rapid evolution of the vehicle parc, as new technology and new working processes affect the day-to-day life of UK fleets. Whatever the coming years bring, it’s a process Cenex will be closely involved with.

Innovations Some of the work undertaken at Cenex involves supporting technology which is still years from production. Through the Niche Vehicle Network, the organisation is able to provide UK technology companies with grant funding to develop innovations which will soon be available to fleets. Important projects include: • VOCIS Four-speed EV – A fourspeed transmission which uses two motors, one connected to the evennumbered gears and the other to the odd-numbered gears. This could offer improved efficiency, different drive modes and smooth shifting similar to a conventional dual-clutch transmission, and a demonstrator is under construction at the moment. • Pi Innovo micro-hybrid – Designed to offer fuel-savings for companies with older commercial vehicles on fleet, this retro-fitted engine Start/Stop system will be compatible with all diesel engines. Potentially a very useful product for large fleets as vehicle lifespans continue to be extended and anti-idling legislation is discussed in London. • Revolve Technologies hydrogen/biodiesel ignition – The latest phase in a seven-year project which will allow conventional diesel engines to be run on 100% hydrogen, only using diesel as a catalyst during startup and as a backup fuel. Revolve is now redeveloping the system which will use biodiesel, instead of mineral-based diesel, as the catalyst.

fleetworld.co.uk / 59

INTERVIEW Martin Ballard, Volkswagen Group Leasing

not what it says on the tin Volkswagen Group Leasing’s corporate solutions director, Martin Ballard, is keen to grow the business, and not just with VW product either. By Steve Moody.

artin Ballard is at pains to point out that Volkswagen Group Leasing does more than lease Volkswagen Group cars and vans. It’s not exactly what it says on the tin, then. In fact, VWGL, is a rather surprising company. On the windows around the offices, which are based just across the road from VW Group in Milton Keynes, there are vast stickers with words like “Liquorice” and “Panda” emblazoned on them. Why, I ask Martin? ‘Because it’s about reminding people every day to think differently, to challenge preconceptions,’ he explains. ‘The main thing to understand is that although the name Volkswagen is above the door, we are still a multi-marque leasing company. We don’t get special deals, lower rates or preferential treatment from any of the Volkswagen Groups brands – we are completely market-driven. ‘What that means is that we still have to make the proposition stack up from a competitive point of view, so we are in the market trying to get the best rates and funding, and offer the best service. We aren’t in a position of just getting preferential deals on Volkswagen Group product and so are able to undercut the competition. That wouldn’t be a sustainable business position for us, it wouldn’t be good for the brands within the group and it’s just not the way we want to attract customers. ‘You need to have multi-marque capability, because you have to deliver what customers want. If our customers want BMW, then we will lease them BMWs – we’re not dogmatic and try to force everyone into Audis. ‘Where we do have an advantage is that we understand the culture of the Group. Our systems and the way we work are similar so if there are issues that need to be addressed, we know the best way to go about sorting them.’ At the moment Volkswagen Group Leasing has 65,000 vehicles on its books, but Martin is ambitious to see that increase markedly over the next few years. ‘I’d love to see us get into the top five leasing companies, and that means doubling out fleet size. And we’ll do that through consistency of our offering. ‘We have access to great and consistent funding lines, because Volkswagen has its own bank, and during the recession we actually grew, and I think that

60 / fleetworld.co.uk

one of the reasons was that we were consistent in the market. The funding was always in place, and we also have heavily invested in people and systems over the past five years. ‘A strong advantage of being part of the Volkswagen Group is that we are going nowhere. Our parent company exists to sell and run cars – it’s the reason for its existence. So we don’t have some of the pressures that other leasing firms might have if they are owned by investors or financial institutions who might one day say “our focus is now elsewhere”. With the Volkswagen Group, it’s always going to be about delivering great cars and vans to customers, and we are part of that process.’ Alphabet, owned by BMW, has grown rapidly in the past few years to a fleet size of more than 100,000, off the back of the purchase of ING Car Lease and incremental growth. It seems that car manufacturers are increasingly interested in keeping the whole ownership lifecycle within their control, whether it be selling (or leasing), running and servicing and then disposing of the cars through their own network. It makes sense, if you have the capital to fund it. With competition ever fiercer, but many financial institutions coming and going as they fight fires in other areas of their business, why not keep control of as much as possible of your product. That way you can control what is paid for it, offer profit opportunities to your network and try and control the used value too. But it is not all about scrabbling for growth. Martin is proud of the record for keeping the clients they currently have. ‘One of the things we really pride ourselves on is our retention rate. Generally once we’ve got a customer, we keep them, and this is about the personal touch: what we tend to do is have a sales team and an account management team because they’re very different types of people. Sales people go and get the business because that’s what they are good at, and then the account management team take over the day to day running because they have skills specific to that role. But, if somebody wanted their initial contact to continue to run the accounts we’d do that too. ‘It’s all about delivering what the customer wants.’

“If our customers want BMW, then we will lease them BMWs – we’re not dogmatic and try to force everyone into Audis.”

fleetworld.co.uk / 61

MANAGEMENT Fleet Academy

Join the Should smoking in cars be banned for all motorists? Natalie Middleton, Deputy Editor, Fleet World Group

Fleet World magazine’s Fleet Academy is designed to provide a forum whereby those industry consultants and professionals in possession of valuable fleet information can impart it to a select audience of fleet decision-makers. At the heart of the Fleet Academy is a network of independent fleet industry experts whose work brings them into regular contact with end-user fleet managers and other organisations playing a key role in the industry. These fleet experts provide a regular feed of information that is posted on the website forum in the form of a discussion topic. Typical areas of interest include, but are not limited to: taxation, finance and accounting, legislation, environmental issues, fleet safety, insurance, fleet management, supply issues and security. Fleet suppliers are permitted to respond to queries if it is felt that their response represents honest and impartial advice. This aspect of the service is strictly moderated in order to ensure that the quality of information provided remains of the highest standard. We have already attracted a strong network of fleet professionals, and our expert contributors have submitted a number of thought provoking discussion topics, a few of which are previewed to the right. We hope you will consider joining us in this exciting new venture into the world of fleet. To find out more about Fleet Academy and request membership, please visit:

www.fleetacademy.co.uk 62 / fleetworld.co.uk

Whilst smoking in fleet cars has been banned UK-wide since 2007, the issue of whether all motorists should face such a ban remains controversial. Earlier this year the Institute of Advanced Motorists released survey findings that showed 56% of motorists think smoking while driving should be banned. A total of 75% of respondents thought that lighting up whilst driving was a serious distraction. I do agree with their thought processes but where does

Nick Taylor, Head of Marketing & Web Development, Alternative Route Finance Ltd, replied... It’s becoming increasingly worrying how much of a nanny state we are becoming, and this is coming from someone who has only lived for 22 years. If you’re going to ban smoking in a vehicle due to it being a distraction, then you should consider banning and regulating the following: • Music: Either ban it full stop as a distraction, or put volume limits on players. • Drinks: Taking a hand off the wheel to quench your first? You better pull over. • Hands-free: You’re still concentrating on a conversation and not the road, right? • Sunglasses: Potentially dangerous, they can impair vision of sorts! I could go on with this tongue in cheek post, but I won’t. We really need to stop commissioning million-pound studies about these little issues...

Ross Durkin, Publisher, Fleet World Group, replied... Studies which call for things to be banned often have the effect of energising the anti-nanny state lobbyists far more than gaining the support of the pro-ban sub-culture. Unfortunately, media reporting of these issues isn’t always as impartial or straightforward as it might appear.

in association with

debate... this end? Do you start banning young children – a key distraction as far as I’m concerned – from vehicles or start gagging them instead? What about garrulous passengers? And should music – always an emotive sidetrack – or radio talk shows fare the same fate? And actually how effectively would this be policed? Every day I see someone drive past with a mobile glued to their face. How on earth would you stop someone from smoking? Would there be a development in hands-free lighters? I’m all for driver safety – particularly with some statistics saying that the average driver has a one in seven chance of a fatal or serious accident in any one year – but just how far can you go?

Some years ago the case of a woman who was prosecuted in Southampton for eating a Kit-Kat while driving became a cause celebre for those who thought the law had just gone too far. The tabloids went crazy over it and the police were widely mocked for being too concerned with trivial prosecutions while the streets were alive with villains and robbers. As a motoring journalist the story certainly made me raise an eyebrow as I couldn’t believe that a copper would bother with such a daft case, unless there was something else that had happened to draw his attention to the driver and her car in the ﬁrst place. Maybe she was searching in her bag for something to eat, nearly wiping out a bus queue of small children, and blamed her erratic driving on the chocolate bar, rather than her lack of attention to the road while looking for it. We will never know, but I personally credit the police with more sense than this story suggested they have. Like all good insurance claim forms, the truth isn't always as apparent as it might be. Maybe the answer is to tell motorists not to do anything that might result in them killing themselves or anyone else. That’s a pretty wide brief. But if people are prepared to light a cigarette which comes in a box saying “smoking kills” the chances of the entire population suddenly changing its habits overnight is slim. We’ve got enough bans as it is.

Is increased safety technology on cars actually making drivers less safe? Steve Moody, Editor, Fleet World Group I’ve been considering the argument that the increased use of safety technologies in new cars could actually be making drivers less safe on the roads due to them taking more risks. It’s a message that I think should apply to any and all safety-related technologies. This includes the Blind Spot Info System (BLIS) that comes on the Volvo V40 long-termer we’re testing at the moment– excellent technology for supplementing your own visual checks on the road but yet another one that I’d never want to completely rely on. And then there were the front parking sensors on another car I was testing, which decided not kick in for some reason in a supermarket car park – luckily without any consequences. Multiple research projects have indicated that drivers of vehicles equipped with ABS are more likely to take more risks. However, it has been said this can be partly attributed to lack of knowledge or incorrect assumptions on how ABS works. I’m also reminded about the story of the driver of a Winnebago motor home in the States who set the cruise control on the freeway and went into the back to make a coffee, only for the vehicle to crash and overturn. So I guess the key main message should be to always educate drivers on safety systems, how they work and what the driver should and shouldn’t be doing too.

Alex Grant, Motoring Editor, Fleet World Group, replied... I spent a little time recently driving a few cars from Ford’s heritage fleet. An interesting experience in many ways, but aside from the additional noise, heavier controls and lack of airbags, the most interesting thing to note was just how excellent the visibility is in an old car. It’s something which really hit home around a week later when, at a junction in France, I found myself driving a car which had a pillar so thick and raked that it completely blocked the view of the opposite lane. It meant my passenger had to help me out. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve recently driven an open top car which, with the roof fully reclined, offered zero visibility requiring parking sensors to be standard fit across the range. I’ve also had a car in on test which includes a rear camera as standard – but not parking sensors - as a way of compensating for the tricky view out of the back. Chasing aerodynamics and safety may be good for bringing insurance costs and accident rates down, but it's no wonder we’re saddled with so many electronics to help us see the road as clearly as we could before.

fleetworld.co.uk / 63

flashback a look back at the company cars of yesteryear

model Vauxhall Astra (Mk1) era 1980-1984 UK sales 208,103 Successor Astra Mk2

ith two and a half million sold in the UK, the Vauxhall Astra is a familiar sight and a backbone of the corporate market. Survivors of the first generation car are few and far between, but it left a lasting legacy which is present not only in its descendents, but across the rest of the range too. The Mk1 Astra was a giant leap forward from the ageing Viva it replaced. Most notably because it was the first time the carmaker had offered a front-wheel drive model in its range. That crisp design went on to inform the first Nova and Cavalier, which followed shortly afterwards, both of which also featured frontwheel drive. This was a shrewd move. The Volkswagen Golf was outstripping Viva sales and had become the class benchmark, despite a far smaller dealer network, and Ford’s Escort had also been replaced with an all-new, front-wheel drive car. So radical was the change between Viva and Astra, that What Car? awarded the newcomer ‘Car of the Year’ in 1980. Ironically, Vauxhall wasn’t first to get the new car. The Astra was a re-badged fourth-generation Opel Kadett, marking the first time both brands had sold near identical cars. Opel’s UK dealerships had Kadetts on sale several months before the first Astras arrived in early 1980, but sold far fewer than the domestic brand - a contributing factor to Opel’s eventual withdrawal from the UK in the late 1980s. Early versions were built at GM’s plant in Bochum, north west Germany, before production was mirrored at the former Viva factory in Ellesmere Port,

64 / fleetworld.co.uk

near Liverpool in 1981. In the 32 years since, over 250,000 Astras have left the factory in Cheshire. The Mk1’s model range featured a broader selection of models than Ford or Volkswagen could muster. There were three basic versions, comprising a saloon, hatchback and estate, with the latter two both available with three or five doors and the estate forming the basis of the Bedford Astravan. Engines included a legacy 1.2-litre with 53bhp, as found in the Viva, and two all-new petrol engines with 1.3 or 1.6 litres. The smaller 1.3-litre engine was offered with either 60bhp or a headline-making 75bhp, while the larger 1.6-litre version became (among others) the basis for Vauxhall’s first SR-branded Astra, a model line which still exists today. At the most economical end of the Astra range was Vauxhall’s first compact diesel engine, a 1.6-litre unit with 55bhp. But perhaps the best loved of the range was the GTE. Vauxhall’s response to the Golf GTI and Escort XR3 offered 112bhp and was available only as a threedoor hatchback, which unusually retained the Kadett’s E for the German “Einspritzung”, instead of taking the English I for “Injection” as its rivals. By the time the Mk2 Astra launched in 1984, Vauxhall had sold over 200,000 in the UK according to SMMT figures, reviving Vauxhall’s sales in the sector and comfortably outselling the Golf until it was replaced. By that point, the carmaker had almost completely moved to front-wheel drive for its biggestselling models, placing the Astra as the spearhead for its modern range.

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FEATURE Taxation & Funding

VAT on business vehicles This month Professor Colin Tourick looks at the VAT rules that apply if you buy or sell a business car or van. The VAT legislation defines a car as a motor vehicle of a kind normally used on the roads, that is built or adapted to carry passengers, has rear roofed accommodation, side windows and more than three wheels. Therefore caravans, ambulances, mobile shops, breakdown recovery vehicles, prison vans and vehicles designed to carry just one person are excluded. Heavier vehicles are also excluded: those capable of carrying more than 12 people or weighing three or more tonnes or with a cargo payload capacity of one or more tonnes.

Most businesses cannot recover input VAT when buying a car but can reclaim input VAT on vans. 66 / fleetworld.co.uk

If you buy a car for business use you can recover 100% of the VAT paid on the purchase (the input VAT) so long as it is not available for private use. For this purpose, “private use” includes any arrangement whereby the vehicle could be used for commuting or could be parked at the driver’s home overnight. A car on which input VAT has been recovered is described as “VAT qualifying”. A car on which recovery has been “blocked” is subsequently described as a “VAT non-qualifying” car (or “VAT blocked”). Once a car has become non-

qualifying it retains this status forever. If you sell a VAT qualifying car you have to charge VAT (output tax) on the sale price. However, buyers won’t pay more for VAT qualifying cars – there is only one market price for cars – so you will have to pay HMRC 20% ÷ 120% (i.e. one sixth) of the gross selling price. In practice, input VAT can only be recovered on a business car that is primarily used for self-drive hire or driving instruction or as a pool car, or by a leasing company to be leased out to clients.

in association with

For further ways to reduce your fleet tax bill, visit business.peugeot.co.uk or call the Peugeot Fleet centre on 024 7688 4644.

A pool car should not normally be allocated to any individual or kept overnight at an employee’s home. When you sell a car on which you paid VAT that you could not recover, the sale proceeds are exempt for VAT purposes and any VAT you incur on collection, delivery, auction fees, smart repairs or other disposal costs will be irrecoverable. If there is a change in the use of a VAT qualifying car and it starts to be used for private mileage, you must account for output VAT as soon as the change occurs. You do this by making a ‘self supply charge’, charging yourself output VAT calculated on the then-current market value of the car. The car then becomes a VAT non-qualifying car. If you buy a van for business use, the input VAT you pay on the purchase will be fully recoverable. When you then sell it you must charge VAT on the full selling price. As the market selling price for cars and vans is a gross (VAT inclusive) value, the output tax is one sixth of the sale price (i.e. 20% ÷ 120% x the gross sale price). Most businesses cannot recover input VAT when buying a car but can reclaim input VAT on vans (and other commercial vehicles). Sometimes it is difficult to ascertain whether a van should be treated as a car or a commercial vehicle, so HMRC has issued guidance on the dividing line between cars and vans. This is available on their website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/sectors/motors /what-is-car.htm. Most vans are clearly commercial vehicles for VAT purposes, in that they

have metal side panels behind the front seats, a load area that is unsuitable for carrying passengers and no rear seats. However, car-derived vans are based on cars but have no rear seats. They have a load area and the rear windows are blocked out. HMRC will view such a vehicle as a van if, after conversion it meets their technical specification of a van (see HMRC website, above), it can function as a commercial vehicle (though just removing the rear seat would not be adequate) and the load space is unsuitable for carrying passengers. If you are uncertain whether you can recover VAT on a car-derived van, you should ask the supplier to con irm that the vehicle meets HMRC’s technical criteria. The HMRC website contains a list of “borderline” vehicles where there might otherwise be some doubt and shows if these are cars or vans for VAT purposes. HMRC also issues guidance on the VAT treatment of “combination vans”. These vehicles look like vans but have (or can have) rear passenger seats fitted. They are treated as cars for VAT purposes unless they have a payload of more than one tonne, or the load area after the fitting of rear seats is larger than the passenger area and therefore large enough for the predominant use of the vehicle to be the carriage of goods. Light commercial vehicles with double-cabs (four-door pick-up trucks) have a second row of seats, can seat four passengers plus the driver and have an uncovered area behind the cab. So, should they be treated

as cars or vans? They are suitable for private use but that doesn’t automatically mean they are taxed the same way as company cars. Indeed there was initially much discussion about whether these were cars or vans for income tax and VAT purposes. These vehicles present a challenge to HMRC because on the surface many appear to be equally suited to convey passengers or goods. Hence HMRC cannot come up with a single categorisation for all double cab pick-ups or give a blanket ruling on any particular model, as the standard vehicle may have been adapted in the factory, by the dealer or after purchase. Therefore each case depends on the facts and the exact specification of the vehicle. Generally, if a double cab pick-up has a payload of one-tonne (1,000kg) or more it will be accepted as a van for VAT and also for Benefit-in-Kind tax purposes. Payload means gross vehicle weight (or design weight) minus unoccupied kerb weight.

INDUSTRY VIEWPOINT If there is a change in the use of a VAT qualifying car and it starts to be used for private mileage, you must account for output VAT as soon as the change occurs.

fleetworld.co.uk / 67

MARKET OVERVIEW Daily Rental

Alliance Asset Management

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental

Alliance Corporate Rental provides cost-effective vehicle rental solutions to companies of any size, offering daily rental and flexilease from one day to 12 months and contract hire/leasing for longer term requirements. Alliance can provide vehicles of any type including cars, prestige and performance vehicles, minibuses, light commercials, 4x4, specialist and adapted vehicles through to refrigerated vans and 7.5t and above. With both a national supply network of over 1,500 locations and our own specialist fleet, Alliance operates on a UK-wide basis, ensuring access to the UK’s most extensive vehicle fleet, quality service, consultative approach and simple invoicing. All these services can be accessed through our easy-to-use online rental management system.

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental is one of the UK’s largest, independently owned rental companies with over 40 years experience in the provision of long and short term tailor-made economical fleet solutions for corporate and retail clients. With access to a nationwide, multi-franchise fleet of over 55,000 vehicles in branches throughout the UK and close links with vehicle manufacturers, Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental offers extremely competitive rental rates on a range of the most up to date cars and vans. An on-line booking facility for both retail and corporate clientele is available and business users can also benefit from a dedicated on-line management reporting facility.

Contact: Riane Cooke rcooke@fleetcentre.com

Tel: 0844 4142998 www.fleetcentre.com

Europcar Group UK

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Enterprise Rent-ACar is the UK’s leading car rental provider, specialising in the provision of daily and weekend car hire for business, replacement and personal use. Founded in 1957, Enterprise is headquartered in St Louis, Missouri and has more than 8000 locations in the UK, Germany, Ireland, France, Spain, United States and Canada. This is in addition to a rapidly expanding franchise network across Central and Eastern Europe. In the UK and Ireland, Enterprise currently operates over 390 branches, with more than 3,400 employees. The scale of the Enterprise network means that 91% of the UK population is within 10 miles of a location. Contact: Tony Francis tony.francis@erac.com

Contact: Business Centre Tel: 0845 702 3946 central.reservations@arnoldclark.co.uk www.arnoldclarkrental.com

Tel: 01784 221300 www.enterprise.co.uk

Europcar Group UK provides access to the UK’s leading fleet of over 45,000 cars and vans, through its network of over 200 locations across the UK and a presence in 140 countries worldwide. We have a proven track record of innovation, great service delivery and a quality fleet. Europcar offers flexible short term and long term products to suit all business requirements - including delivery and collection, diesel only models, corporate loyalty programmes and a range of payment options. These services are supported by innovative online solutions to help businesses monitor and manage vehicle use and to support cost efficiencies, duty of care responsibilities and address environmental concerns. Contact: Martin Fisher Tel: 0871 384 0201 businesssolutions@europcar.com www.europcar.co.uk

Hertz

Leasedrive Group

As the world’s largest general use car rental brand, Hertz has 10,400 locations across 150 countries – 185 in the UK. With 95 years’ experience we deliver quality rental solutions to leisure and corporate customers, with an extensive range of cars and vans. From short-term solutions, such as Hertz 24/7 – our global car-sharing network for hourly rentals – through to long-term fleet management, we offer bespoke solutions to fit every business requirement. Consequently we retain a strong network of high profile corporate clients, alongside SMEs and individual renters. We also operate in the insurance replacement market, ensuring drivers have access to quality vehicles should their own be damaged in an accident.

Leasedrive Rental Management has access to over 228,000 vehicles from 1,200 locations in the UK, including airports. The company offers a simple and transparent pricing policy with no hidden surcharges. Rates are constant throughout the country and customers benefit from special all-inclusive pricing including free delivery and collection. Deliveries can be arranged with as little as two hours’ notice by calling 0844 579 8855. Alternatively, bookings can be made online using Rental:Manager, the award-winning, interactive online reservation system. For rentals of 28 days or more, there is the Stopgap solution and for rentals of 90 days or more there is Stopgap Plus, all on 0844 579 8846.

Contact: Sales Enquiries salessupportUK@hertz.com

Contact: Joe Howick info@leasedrive.com

68 / fleetworld.co.uk

Tel: 0870 850 2676 www.hertz.co.uk

Tel: 0871 271 8877 www.leasedrive.com

How many vehicles does your company operate?

How many rental locations does your company have?

Do you offer a one-way rental facility?

Does a driver get given a proof of condition receipt on handing back their hire car?

Do you have a rapid check-in system?

Do you offer a chauffeur drive service?

Do you offer an on-line billing facility?

Do you offer an on-line management reporting facility?

Can a driver guarantee a specific make & model of car when booking?

Do you offer cars fitted with satellite navigation systems?

Do you charge a fee for non-cancelled bookings?

Do you charge excess mileage rates on pre-agreed contracts?

Do you offer hybrid & Electric Cars?

Do you offer an hourly rate for hire?

FLEETW RLD

Alliance Asset Management

260k

1.5k+

Yes

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental

6.6k

Yes

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

55k+

390

Europcar UK Group

45k

200

Yes

Hertz

25k

185

Yes

Leasedrive Group

228k

1.2k

Yes

Nexus Vehicle Management Ltd.

500k

1.7k

Yes

Northgate Vehicle Hire

51k

Yes

17.5k

Yes

Key to services

Service provided

Service unavailable

Thrifty Car and Van Rental

Nexus Vehicle Management Ltd. Nexus is the UK's leading provider of vehicle rental supply, management and software to end users and intermediaries across the fleet, corporate and public sector. We provide a fully managed rental service covering over 1,700 locations with access to approximately 500,000 vehicles nationally including 100,000 commercial, specialist and adapted vehicles. Nexus, through our award-winning IRIS software platform, provides customers with a revolutionary rental management solution, ensuring seamless delivery, advanced reporting, swift billing and exceptional customer service at competitive terms, each and every time. We are adept at sourcing precise specifications and bulk orders on standard, specialist and adapted vehicles. Contact: Paul Russell â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Head of Sales paul.russell@nexusrental.co.uk www.nexusrental.co.uk

Tel: 0777 5844310

Thrifty Car and Van Rental Thrifty Car and Van Rental has 93 UK locations, offering a full range of cars, commercials, 4x4s and luxury vehicles. Thrifty has a dedicated UK based Central Reservation Team, providing an immediate response to enquiries and offering highly competitive rates, with access to a quality fleet of vehicles nationwide and an efficient delivery and collection service. Fast, accurate billing and detailed management information is available along with a dedicated account manager. For longer-term car hire, Thriftyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Flexi Fleet programme enables customers to rent vehicles on a short to medium term basis without being tied into a long term commitment. Contact: Caroline Gallagher sales@thrifty.co.uk

Tel: 01494 751568 www.thrifty.co.uk

fleetworld.co.uk / 69

advertisEment feature

New style. Even more value. New 2.0 TDI 177PS SE Technik models join the Audi A4 Saloon and Avant range, adding equipment worth £4,025 for just £1,000 RRP

A4 2.0 TDI 177PS SE Technik specification includes the following (in addition to SE): ► New 18˝ ‘10-spoke Exclusive’ design alloy wheels ► MMI Navigation System Plus ► Leather upholstery ► Audi Music Interface (AMI) ► Audi Parking System Plus ► Metallic paint ► CO2 emissions from 120g/km (6sp manual) ► BIK tax in the 19% band in 2013/14 (6sp manual) ► BIK tax from £91 a month (20% tax payer), or

£182 (40% tax payer) in 2013/14

SE Technik models have always offered spectacular value in the Audi A4 range. Now there’s even more equipment fitted as standard, with stylish new 18˝ ‘10-spoke Exclusive’ alloy wheels (illustrated above)* and metallic paint included to give the SE Technik models class-leading standard specification. Furthermore, the popular 2.0 TDI 177PS engine, with a choice of 6sp manual or 8sp multitronic transmission, is also now available with the enhanced specification, creating a compelling addition to the range.

► Combined fuel consumption up to 61.4mpg1. ► SE Technik premium just £1,000 over SE

Standard specification: how the Audi A4 Saloon 2.0 TDI 177PS SE Technik compares Model Alloy wheels Climate control Upholstery Parking sensors Satellite navigation

Audi A4 Saloon 2.0 TDI 177PS SE Technik

BMW 320d SE

Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI Executive SE

Volvo S60 D3 SE

18˝

17˝

16˝

17˝

Three-zone automatic

Two-zone automatic

Automatic

Dual-zone automatic

Leather

Cloth/leather

Artico2

Cloth/T Tec fabric

Parking System Plus

Rear

Front/rear

HDD-based

£990 (Business Media)

£495 (Becker Map Pilot)

£1,200

Bluetooth®

Standard

Light/rain sensors

Standard

Rain only

Standard

Metallic paint

Standard

£655

£645

£650

Stylish new 18” ‘10-spoke Exclusive’ design alloy wheels and metallic paint are now standard on Audi A4 Saloon and Avant SE Technik models*

As the table below shows, class-leading specification is only part of the story with the A4 SE Technik. The Saloon 2.0 TDI 177PS emits an attractively low 120g/km of CO2, while combined fuel consumption of up to 61.4mpg1, helping to reduce BIK tax and running costs.

Contract hire example Model

A4 Saloon 2.0 TDI 177PS SE Technik

SE Technik price premium just £1,000 RRP over SE

35 Monthly rentals (plus VAT)

Oﬀering added value of up to £4,025 RRP, SE Technik models cost just £1,000 more than the corresponding SE trim and include all the advantages of the MMI Navigation System Plus satellite navigation system, with luxurious Milano leather upholstery, the Audi Music Interface and Audi parking system plus.

Initial rental (plus VAT)

Building on the SE’s already comprehensive standard specification that includes deluxe 3-zone climate control, cruise control, light and rain sensors, Bluetooth® interface and, on Avant models, power tailgate operation, the A4 SE Technik is an exceptional package.

SE Technik range available with TFSI® and TDI engines

The 2.0 TDI 177PS engine joins a wide range of TFSI® and TDI engines powering the A4 SE Technik models in both Saloon and Avant body styles. P11D prices for the A4 SE Technik start from £24,730 for the Saloon 1.8 TFSI 120PS six-speed manual, while the 2.0 TDI 177PS starts at £28,845.

£299.00 £1,794.00

Term (months)

Annual mileage

10,000

Excess mileage (plus VAT)

6p/mile

Business users only: Further charges may be payable when vehicle is returned. Indemnities may be required. Subject to status. Available to over 18s from participating Audi Centres only for vehicles ordered before 30 September 2013 and delivered by 31 December 2013 (subject to availability). Offer may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Specification, prices quoted and example shown are correct at date of publication (July 2013) and do not take into account any variation to government taxes or charges arising after the date of publication. Terms and conditions apply. Audi Finance, Freepost Audi Finance. Model shown is Audi A4 Saloon 2.0 TDI 177PS SE Technik. 1 Standard EU Test figures are for comparative purposes only and may not reflect real driving results. 2 Artico – artifical leather. *18˝ alloy wheels not available on 2.0 TDIe 136PS models. For further information on the Audi A4, please visit audi.co.uk/a4

F O R F U R T H E R I N F O R M AT IO N O N T H E AUDI A 4 R ANGE V ISI T AUDI.CO.UK

our fleet Mazda6 2.2D Sport Nav

MAZDA – like almost every other motor manufacturer – has spent a fair amount of its time and money developing niche products like CX-5 and CX-7 over recent years.

But whereas some of its rivals have almost accepted falling sales in the D-segment and spread their investment accordingly, Mazda’s new 6 appears at first sight to be a genuinely serious competitor and an altogether more stylish car than its predecessor. Don’t misunderstand me, there was nothing particularly wrong with the old Mazda6, but to compete both in this sector and against other niche models, a car needs a certain stand-out value, and the new Mazda6 has it in spades where its predecessor was a more “worthy” model. We’ll report in detail over the next few

months on the cars various driving attributes, but initial impressions are favourable, even after spending six months cosseted in a Lexus RX 450h. It’s always a good sign when a new car attracts attention in car parks and filling stations and in this respect the new Mazda6 has already passed its first rite of initiation. First impressions of the cabin are just as good and on the evidence so far, it’s no surprise that the Fleet World Honours judges voted the Mazda6 to be the Best Upper Medium Car in this year’s awards. Ross Durkin

Renault Megane Sport Tourer dCi 110 MOVING from the 175hp Mazda6 to the 110hp Megane 1.5dCi wasn't a prospect that I was relishing. The Mazda had swiftly impressed, with its smooth and powerful 2.2-litre diesel and allround comfort. But, I told myself, the Megane estate was built on the longer wheelbase Megane platform, shared with the Grand Scenic. It should be a comfortable car, even if the performance was no match for the Mazda. The Megane swiftly dealt with my reservations. Yes there was less performance, but the little dCi diesel is one I've grown familiar with over the years and it seems to get better with each new application. The spread of torque helps to mask the lack of horsepower and in 110hp guise, it comes with a six speed gearbox. With cruise control and speed limiter fitted, an indicated 60mpg is not impossible and I have been averaging around 55mpg. I like the large, clear digital instruments - easy to see at a glance and to control the black on white

72 / fleetworld.co.uk

brightness at night. I'm no big fan of Renault's infotainment system. There is nothing wrong with the elements - TomTom satnav integrated with audio system plus Bluetooth, but it was designed by someone wowed with the technology and not how humans use it. It needs simplifying to navigate around the menus without tearing your hair out and I don't have hair to spare. On the plus side, Renault knows a thing or two about chassis. The Megane has evolved into a tidy handling car - much improved once I had added some necessary air pressure to the tyres. The steering is responsive and the ride/handling compromise suits a mid-sized family car well. The boot is deceptive - with more space than you might think. Five adults were a bit of a squeeze, but the long wheelbase means there is plenty of legroom for adults in the back. In short the likeable Megane has plenty going for it. John Kendall

the figures OTR PRICE £20,600 POWER 110bhp @ 4,000rpm TORQUE 177lb.ft @ 1,750rpm 0-62mph 12..4 seconds TOP SPEED 118mph COMBINED MPG 80.7mpg CO2 90g/km (13% BiK)

Volvo V40 D2 SE Nav WITH its sporty, sculpted design, the V40 has little in common with Volvos of yesteryear. But one, very strong link that it does have is its focus on safety, as shown by the plethora of safety gadgets and gizmos on it. Over the last few months, we’ve been putting some of these to the test and have to say that some are proving rather handy. Perhaps top of the list for me is the Cross Traffic Alert, which uses the rear sensor to check for crossing cars if you’re reversing out of a space. For weeks this has making me jump out of my skin due to its rather loud alarm if someone drives past if I reverse out of the drive. But it did come in handy the other day in the supermarket car park when I couldn’t yet see an oncoming car. I’m also finding the latest version of the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) handy. This now warns the driver of rapidly approaching vehicles up to 70m behind the car and while it should never be used on its own, it’s a handy addition to your own visual checks. I like the Road Sign Information feature too, which displays prevailing road signs in the instrument display – although I’m also not sure why it thinks the roads local to my house have a 5mph limit. But I’m not so sure about the Lane Keeping Aid, which applies extra steering torque to the steering column when the car gets close to a lane marking. I keep feeling as if the Volvo is about to suddenly skew off the road – luckily you can easily switch this feature off. And there are also a few safety features that I’m not looking to test out in everyday conditions – including the Pedestrian Detection technology, and the Collision Warning, City Safety and Driver Alert Controls. I’m quite happy to take Volvo’s word on these ones... Natalie Middleton

the figures OTR PRICE £22,795 POWER 113bhp @ 3,600rpm TORQUE 199lb.ft @ 1,750–2,500rpm 0-62mph 11.9 seconds TOP SPEED 118mph COMBINED MPG 78.5mpg CO2 94g/km (13% BiK)

Audi Q5 2.0 TDI quattro SE S tronic SO the Q5 is on its way back to Audi after a prolonged stint in the Moody household. Certainly, it is a very nicely-sized SUV for a family, being not overly large, but not cramped either. Also, the cabin, despite months of repeated assaults from the children, retained its quality feel, which is such a strength of all Audis. The Q5 is also refined on the move and rides fairly well making it a strong long distance cruiser. There have been gripes though: no sat nav as standard, the infernally clunky Stop/Start system and 35mpg, if you’re lucky. Next-gen will need a front-wheel drive version to remain competitive, I reckon. Steve Moody

Mercedes-Benz A220 CDI Blue Efficiency Sport AMONG the many optional extras fitted to our A-Class is a £420 DAB digital radio. Now DAB radio is going to be an essential fitment for all cars when the Government finally decides to switch off the analogue signal (currently pencilled in for the end of 2015), so our car is ahead of the game in this respect. The only trouble is the very patchy reception offered. On some short journeys around my home town I’ll be lucky to get a few garbled interludes, forcing me to revert to FM. This isn’t a problem I’ve encountered in other cars fitted with DAB – in fact it seems to be a Mercedesspecific problem as my previous C-Class suffered from patchy DAB signal too. Julian Kirk

fleetworld.co.uk / 73

our fleet Hyundai i40 Tourer Premium Blue Drive COMPANY car drivers have never had more choice when it comes to large family cars. Back in the 1980s you may have been limited to the default Ford, Vauxhall or Rover D-Segment models, but in the 21st Century there are more family-suitable segments than ever, available from the widest choice of credible brands in the history of the fleet sector. This sort of broad choice means the bar is set really high for quality, comfort and running costs – all of which are firmly in our nowdeparted i40’s favour. It’s moved Hyundai’s D-segment presence on a couple of generations, in this case giving the brand a sleek and sophisticated load-carrier with incredibly low CO2 emissions. Even against the latest newcomers, the i40 can still hold its own. Inside, the i40 boasts enormous rear legroom and impeccably high quality throughout. Soft-

touch, satin-finish plastics are complemented by glossy inserts, feeling thoroughly European and luxurious enough to tempt new buyers into showrooms. Drop the rear bench, and the i40’s boot swells to 1,719 litres – that’s larger than a Volvo V70, even with the tapered roofline. The i40 may have a relatively small 1.7-litre engine, but at 135bhp it proved perfectly capable of handling motorway speeds, while fuel economy settled in the mid-50s to the gallon. With an intuitive navigation system and Bluetooth on the Premium trim, I wanted for nothing during my three months with the car. Add in Five Year Triple Care, which offers an unlimited mileage five-year warranty, roadside assistance, and annual health checks to make life as easy as possible, and the i40 is a compelling choice in this sector. Anne Dopson

auctions & remarketing BCA Tel: 0845 600 66 44 bca.co.uk

accident management Total Accident Management Tel: 0845 078 4157 www.totalaccman.co.uk

fast fits & tyres ATS Euromaster Tel: 0870 066 3624 www.atseuromaster.co.uk

driver licence checking Jaama Tel: 0844 8484 333 www.jaama.co.uk

eyecare Specsavers Corporate Eyecare Tel: 0115 933 0800 www.specsavers.co.uk/corporate

SEAT Leon FR 2.0 TDI CR OF the Volkswagen Group’s latest crop of C-segment models, I reckon the SEAT Leon might just be the prettiest of the lot – especially in the sports-styled FR trim of our new long-termer. It’s a sign of a brand coming into its own. During the first six months of this year, SEAT recorded the largest sales growth of any of the Volkswagen Group brands –up 8.2% in Europe. Benefitting from the pick of the Group’s latest chassis and engine technology, and an increasingly coherent and very appealing family style under design boss Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, it’s not hard to see why. The new Leon will be a big part of that, replacing a model which had been with us for nearly a decade in a segment which is the backbone of both retail and fleet sales. So it’s a big step forward in design, looking upmarket, fashionable and aggressive but with high fuel economy and the brand’s value-led pricing behind it too. A Skoda Octavia will offer you more metal for your money, but for young drivers with an eye for style, the Leon shapes up well. Ours is equipped with the new 148bhp 2.0-litre

74 / fleetworld.co.uk

vehicle data International Decision Systems Tel: 01256 302 000 www.idsdata.co.uk

TDI, capable of an 8.4-second sprint to 62mph while returning a combined 68.9mpg and emitting 106g/km CO2. It means warm hatch performance, but with fuel economy that until recently would only have come from Ecomotive-branded versions, which should help this to be a popular part of the Fleet World fleet. But for now, after a brief stint at the office and positive feedback from the first staff behind the wheel, it’s over to our international editor John Kendall to see how well SEAT’s newcomer stacks up as a high value, high kerb appeal company car. Alex Grant

rental systems & programmes White Clarke Automotive Solutions Tel: 0870 787 2211 www.whiteclarkeauto.com

FLEETW RLD SUPPLIER DIRECTORY contract hire, leasing & finance Lex Autolease

daily rental

fleet management software

risk management

Alliance Asset Management plc Tel: 01480 475000 www.fleetcentre.com

Mycompanyfleet Tel: 0845 077 7760 www.mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Peak Performance Tel: 01246 244200 www.peakperformance.net

Sofico

Cardinus Risk Management Tel: 01733 426015

Alphabet (GB) Limited Tel: 0870 50 50 100 www.alphabet.co.uk

Tel: 0845 769 7381 www.lexautolease.co.uk

Maxxia 020 7520 9450 www.maxxia.co.uk

Contract Hire a Car Tel: 0370 218 8015 www.contracthireacar.com

Arnold Clark Car and Van Rental Tel: 0845 702 3946

Tel:0121 288 5935/07815 601622

www.arnoldclarkrental.com

www.soficoservices.com

Fleet Alliance Tel: 0845 601 8407 www.fleetalliance.co.uk

Total Fleet Services Ltd Tel: 01543 431080 www.lease-hire.co.uk

Nexus Vehicle Management Ltd Tel: 0871 984 1947 www.nexusrental.co.uk

Jaama Tel: 0844 8484 333 www.jaama.co.uk

ARI Fleet UK Tel: 0844 8000 700 www.arifleet.co.uk

Promote your company here and online for just £500/year.

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

Tel: 0845 603 4590 www.acvm.co.uk

Europcar Tel: 0871 384 0201 www.europcar.co.uk

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

MAC GB Ltd Tel: 01745 828180 www.reduceroadrisk.com

Concept Vehicle Leasing Tel: 0800 043 2050 www.conceptvehicleleasing.co.uk

Zenith Tel: 0113 348 8667 www.zenith.co.uk

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tel: 01784 221 300 www.enterprise.co.uk

Civica Tranman Tel: 01454 874002 www.civica.co.uk/tranman

AA DriveTech Tel: 01256 495732

www.cardinusfleet.com

www.AAdrivetech.com/fleetsafe DriveTech

Enterprise Software Tel: 0161 925 2400 www.essl.co.uk

IAM Drive & Survive Tel: 0870 120 2910 www.iamdriveandsurvive.co.uk

Drive Software Solutions Tel: 01438 317731

RAC Risk Management Tel: 0870 606 2606

www.drivesoftwaresolutions.com

www.racfleetriskmanagement.co.uk

BP Oil UK Ltd Tel: 0845 603 0723 www.bpplus.co.uk

Shell Fuelcards Tel: 0800 7 31 31 37 www.shell.co.uk/euroshell

Roadmarque Tel: 0845 053 0331 www.roadmarque.com

The Fuelcard Company Tel: 0845 073 0873 www.fuelcards.co.uk

Esso Fuel Cards Tel: 0800 626 672 www.essocard.com

Promote your company here and online for just £500/year.

Quartix Ltd Tel: 0870 013 6663 www.quartix.co.uk

Motrak Tel: 0800 054 6555 www.motivagroup.co.uk

Navman Wireless UK Ltd Tel: 0845 521 1188 www.navmanwireless.co.uk

TRACKER Network UK Limited Tel: 0845 602 3981 www.TRACKER.co.uk

SageQuest Tel: 0808 163 9309 www.sage-quest.co.uk

Teletrac Tel: 0870 460 5693 www.teletrac.co.uk

Telogis Tel: 0203 005 8805 www.telogis.co.uk

Trakm8 Tel: 01747 858 444 www.trakm8.com

www.volkswagengroupleasing.co.uk

Alliance Asset Management plc Tel: 01480 475000 www.fleetcentre.com

Motiva Group Tel: 0800 054 6555 www.motivagroup.co.uk

sgfleet Tel: 0845 144 721 www.sgfleet.com

Days Contract Hire Tel: 0845 296 4423 www.dayscontracthire.co.uk

Venson Automotive Solutions Tel: 08444 99 1402 www.venson.com

Volkswagen Group Leasing Tel: 0870 333 2229

fuel management

For more information, please contact Tracy Howell on 01727 739160 or email tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk telematics & tracking

Fleetmatics Tel: 0800 975 4566 www.fleetmatics.co.uk

Budget Rent-a-Car Tel: 0844 5338 08701544 56 56 56 www.budget.co.uk

Full listings online at fleetworld.co.uk fleetworld.co.uk / 75

Commercial Vehicle Mobility is on the Move. At Alphabet we’re always developing new, more efficient ways of operating van fleets. It’s all part of our vision for the future of commercial vehicle mobility. Existing forms of fleet management underpin this vision. But there’s certainly more to come. Van operators are under mounting pressure to condense costs, reduce fuel bills, comply with health and safety law, increase efficiency and maximise their fleet’s productivity. Whether it’s a car-derived van or something more specialist, you need a safe pair of hands – and that’s what our dedicated commercial vehicle team offer. Find out more:

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

VAN

August 2013

FLEETW RLD

Those looking to downsize their vans without losing too much in payload or loadspace, will find much to like in the Fiat. p84

at a glance Ford Transit Custom & Fiat Doblo Cargo

Updates from a month in fleet

Is driver training the best route to reduce fuel economy? fleetworld.co.uk

inbusiness

Connect pre-orders build

inshort bitesize stories from a month in the van fleet world...

Volkswagen vans

ord has taken more than 500 orders for the new Transit Connect, available in October this year, and hopes to have more than 1,000 orders by September. Connect will be sold in short and long wheelbase versions, though with a single roof height this time. Load volumes are 2.9m3 and 3.6m3 respectively with a full bulkhead, though customers can specify a load-through bulkhead and fold-flat passenger seat, raising capacities to 3.7m3 and 4.4m3. A multi-fold dual passenger seat will be offered for the first time, allowing three to travel in the front, while Kombi and Double-Cab-in-Van models offer seating for five in short wheelbase and up to seven in the longer models. A 1.6-litre TDCi engine is available with 75hp, 95hp and 115hp outputs, while Connect will be the first van to offer Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine. An ECOnetic version of the van is said to deliver class-leading 70.6mpg economy and just 105g/km of CO2.

FIN 47% fleet in numbers

FTA calls for flexibility The Freight Transport Association has welcomed London Mayor, Boris Johnson’s Road Task Force report, but called for greater flexibility on out-of-hours deliveries within the capital. While the Association agreed that with London’s population set to grow by around one million over the next 15-20 years a strategic review of transport was required to ease the flow of people and goods within the city, it said that a key element would be enabling quiet out-of-hours deliveries.

Percentage of UK drivers (equating to 15.6 million) who will be having a UK-based holiday this year.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has had its best first half year sales in the UK, with 18,782 vans sold by the end of June. This represents a 23% increase on sales in the first half of 2012 and puts the firm in the number two position in the UK van market, with a share of 13.7%, up 1.5% on last year. Transporter remains the firm’s lead seller, with an 18.3% increase in sales. Caddy was up 25.1% and Crafter improved by 16.1%. With Amarok supply now easing, it was no surprise to see the pick-up record growth of 79.8%.

Sporty Fiesta Ford has added a Sport Van version to its Fiesta line-up. The car-derived commercial vehicle is based on the 1.6-litre 95hp Trend model, with the addition of 16-inch alloy wheels, body coloured roof spoiler and bumper skirts, power fold mirrors with puddle lights, sports seats, a three-spoke leather-clad steering wheel, driver’s knee airbag, driver and passenger side impact airbags, cruise control, sports suspension and velour floor mats. The Fiesta Sport Van costs £13,570 plus VAT and on-the-road costs. Ford says that it currently commands 60% of the compact car-derived market in the UK.

20%

Rise in Nissan’s combined car and van sales to fleets for the first six months of 2013. SOURCE: Nissan

Half

Share of motorists who admit to road rage. SOURCE: Kwik-Fit

78 / fleetworld.co.uk

SOURCE: Admiral

Ford Transit Custom Ford adds ECOnetic and Sport Van versions to Transit Custom range, Dan Gilkes reports.

ord is continuing to develop its Transit Custom line-up with the introduction of five ECOnetic models and a range-topping Sport Van. Where previously the fuel-efficient ECOnetic specification was simply available on one short and one long wheelbase model, there are now three short Customs and two long panel vans on offer, at three gross weights. The Transit Custom ECOnetic delivers what Ford claims are best-in-class fuel economy and emission levels, with up to 46.3mpg and 162g/km of CO2 possible. This is achieved through the use of specific calibration of the 100hp version of the 2.2-litre Duratorq diesel engine, with a coolant bypass valve for faster warm-up, a switchable 70mph speed limiter, a 6% longer final drive ratio, low rolling resistance tyres and aerodynamic wheel trims. Customers can also choose to have fixed speed limiters set at 56mph, 62mph or 70mph if preferred. The ECOnetic pack also comes with Auto-Start-Stop and an Acceleration Control system, that limits acceleration to the levels achieved by a fully laden van, even when part or completely unladen. On the road the ECOnetic van is noticeably more relaxed when accelerating than the standard van, though progress is smooth and you don’t feel left behind by traffic. The van drives much like any other Custom, though the higher final drive ratio does mean that drivers will often require a lower gear than usual for urban driving situations. Even at 50mph on a country road the van sometimes calls for

80 / fleetworld.co.uk

what we think Ford continues to broaden the appeal of its Transit Custom range, with best-in-class economy and emissions for fleets and sporty styling for the image conscious owner, driver or small business.

specification MODEL

Transit Custom ECOnetic 290 SWB £19,195 4-cyl/2,179cc Common-rail 100hp @ 3,500rpm 310Nm @ 1,300rpm

BASIC PRICE ENGINE FUEL INJECTION POWER TORQUE Weights (kg) GVW 2,900 KERB WEIGHT 1,805 PAYLOAD 1,095 MAX TRAILER WEIGHT 1,550 Dimensions (mm) LOAD SPACE LENGTH 2,555 LOAD SPACE WIDTH 1,775 LOAD SPACE HEIGHT 1,406 LOAD HEIGHT (unladen) 583 LOAD VOLUME 5.95m3 Cost considerations FUEL TANK CAPACITY 80 litres COMBINED MPG & CO2 44.8mpg/166g/km OIL CHANGE 2 yr/30,000 miles WARRANTY 3 yr/100,000 miles

fifth gear rather than sixth. The ECOnetic Custom is only available as a standard panel van and Ford expects to sell around 1,000 a year in the UK. However, customers can order much of the additional technology, including AutoStart-Stop, cruise control and speed limiters on any Transit Custom model to boost efficiency. ‘The Transit Custom ECOnetic is packed with advanced fuel-saving technologies that help businesses keep running costs to a minimum and reduce their carbon footprint,’ said Barb Samardzich, vice president of product development at Ford of Europe. For those fleets more concerned with image than fuel consumption, Ford has also introduced a Sport Van version of Transit Custom. Based on the 290 short wheelbase model, the Sport Van boasts the most powerful 155hp version of the 2.2-litre engine, though it still returns a claimed 42mph when fitted with Auto-Start-Stop and 178g/km of CO2. The van gets a full body kit of lower front bumper spoiler, side skirts, rear bumper skirt and front and rear wheelarch extensions. These are required to cover the 18” alloys and low profile tyres that come as part of the package. Inside you get part leather seats, a DAB radio and Ford’s SYNC voice-activation technology on top of the range-topping Limited trim level. Ford expects to sell up to 500 Sport Vans a year in the UK, and judging by past performance it should have little trouble meeting this target, as the Sport Van remains a popular addition to the range.

3 YEARS

FREE SE

RVICING WITH DU CATO TE CNICO CO NTRACT HIRE ▲

COMBINED FIAT DUCATO TECNICO CONTRACT HIRE FROM

www.fiatprofessional.co.uk

£281 PER MONTH PLUS INITIAL RENTAL* WE SPEAK WITH FACTS.

Vauxhall COMBO

BEST IN CLASS COMMERCIAL VEHICLES The Wheels of Business

Call 0845 740 0777 or visit www.vauxhall.co.uk/vans

Fiat Doblo

Fiat takes mid-weight capacity to the max with the high-roof Doblo Cargo XL, says Dan Gilkes.

here has never been quite so much choice in the van market, as manufacturers continually search for the last niche that might net a few more sales. This has however lead to a slight blurring of the lines between sectors, with vans like Fiat’s Doblo Cargo capable of carrying a full 1.0-tonne payload, as much as its larger Scudo stablemate. Until now, the two have however been separated by physical size. Yes you might carry as much weight in a Doblo, but maximum load volume was capped at 4.2m 3 in the long wheelbase Maxi version. Now that too has changed, as Fiat Professional is offering a high-roof version of its long wheelbase model, called the Doblo Cargo XL. The XL provides a 5.0m3 load volume, with that 1,000kg payload, yet retains the car-like driving position and driveline. You can’t get the Doblo’s smallest 1.3litre engine in the XL, but there is still a choice of a 1.6-litre diesel with 105hp, the 1.6-litre at 90hp with the automated manual gearbox, or the range-topping 2.0-litre engine offering 125hp. We’ve opted for what will be the most popular combination, the 1.6-litre manual, offering 105hp and 290Nm of torque. This delivers a combined fuel figure of 49.6mpg and a CO2 level of 158g/km. This excellent motor is mated to a slick six-speed manual gearbox, making the Doblo a very relaxing drive, even at higher motorway speeds. A full height steel bulkhead and the standard internal cab roof make it easy to forget how big the load area

84 / fleetworld.co.uk

what we think Fiat stretches the boundaries of the small van sector but pulls it off, creating a car-like driving experience with the payload and loadspace of a van in the class above.

specification MODEL Fiat Doblo Cargo XL SX BASIC PRICE £16,465 ENGINE 4-cyl/1,598cc FUEL INJECTION Common-rail POWER 104hp @ 4,000rpm TORQUE 290Nm @ 1,500rpm Weights (kg) GVW 2,460 KERB WEIGHT 1,460 PAYLOAD 1,000 MAX TRAILER WEIGHT 1,300 Dimensions (mm) LOAD SPACE LENGTH 2,170 LOAD SPACE WIDTH 1,714 LOAD SPACE HEIGHT 1,550 LOAD HEIGHT (unladen) 545 LOAD VOLUME 5.0m3 Cost considerations FUEL TANK CAPACITY 60 litres COMBINED MPG & CO2 49.6mpg /158g/km OIL CHANGE 2 yr/21,000 miles WARRANTY 3 yr/unlimited miles

behind you is. Climb in the back and there is a practical storage box above the cab area. Talking of that working end, you get twin rear doors and two side loading doors with the XL, making it easy to access the load bay. Being front wheel drive and thanks in part to clever bi-link rear suspension, the load floor is also just 545mm from the ground, contributing to safe loading and unloading of heavier objects. That suspension also plays a part in a comfortable ride, soaking up the worst of the bumps with ease. The Doblo retains sharp handling however, and is easy to place on the road. Even at this size and weight however, ESP stability control remains an option (£375) on the Doblo Cargo. In the cab it’s the usual Fiat fare, which is no bad thing. The van comes in standard and SX trims, SX adding £600 to the purchase price, along with remote central locking, electric heated door mirrors with body coloured mirror housings, fog lights, a single passenger seat with underseat storage, bulkhead soundproofing, a height adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support and a PVC load area lining. Our van also came with a host of options, including climate control (£795), ESP (£375), cruise control (£135), Start/Stop (£225) and reverse parking sensors (£185). While the Doblo Cargo XL won’t appeal to everyone, those looking to downsize their vans without losing too much in payload or loadspace, will find much to like in the Fiat. Certainly the XL puts the Doblo in a niche sector all on its own.

A TOUGH TRUCK THAT MEANS BUSINESS

Pick up 3.5 tonnes* of pulling power with the all new Isuzu D-Max. With maximum power and class-leading towing, this pick-up has all the drive you need. Built, sold and used by professionals it’s tough, hardworking and dependable – and you don’t have to break a sweat to get hold of it, making it perfect for your business.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ISUZU FLEET SERVICES JUST CALL 01908 579555 OR VISIT ISUZU.CO.UK/FLEETSERVICES

FLEET SERVICES

*4x2 Single cab 2.5 tonnes. †5 year/125,000 mile (whichever comes first) warranty applies to all new Isuzu D-Max models. Terms and conditions apply. See isuzu.co.uk for details.

FEATURE Fuel Management

No train, no gain... Driver training offers van fleets the best route to fuel economy, reports Dan Gilkes.

espite the best efforts of manufacturers to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions, fuel continues to represent around 20% of the overall cost of ownership of a van. Finding a way to reduce the fuel bill therefore remains a major concern for fleet managers and van operators. ‘Today a mass market fleet vehicle is around 40% more fuel efficient than its equivalent 20 years ago,’ says Simon West-Oliver, director of Drive Software Solutions. ‘The trouble is that fuel is around 170% more expensive now than it was 20 years ago and it is this growing gap which means fleets are more exposed than ever to inefficiency and abuse. ‘In 1993 fuel was costing fleets around 50p per litre and it is now £1.35. Ignoring any short term spikes, that same long term trend means that fleets will be paying more than £2 per litre within the next decade.’ There are plenty of ways in which a fleet can reduce fuel consumption, from using fuel cards to accurately assess individual driver and vehicle performance, to telematic and tracking systems that show real-time vehicle use across a fleet. Many fleets are also turning to speed limiters, which have been shown

to instantly reduce fuel consumption for high mileage users by as much as 5-10%, while others are downsizing their vans where possible. Most companies agree though that driver training and economy driving incentives remain perhaps the most effective, and in many cases lowest cost, way in which companies can reduce overall fuel use. As Fleet World’s annual MPG Marathon regularly demonstrates, even seemingly unachievable manufacturer combined fuel figure claims can be bettered, if you are prepared to drive economically. That said, few fleets could live with the speeds achieved by some of the competitors. There are significant benefits on offer to those companies that are committed to educating drivers in economy driving techniques however, with some training companies claiming that savings of up to 20% are achievable. ‘UK companies operate some of the most fuel-efficient vehicles on our roads, but many of these cars and vans are not being used to their full carbon reduction potential, due to the way they are driven,’ says Gerry Keaney, chief executive of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA). ‘By encouraging staff to adopt a more

ef icient driving style, irms can cut carbon emissions and save on their fuel costs.’ This was backed up earlier this year by the Nissan Van Report, a new research initiative that looked at the way in which van drivers and leet managers operate. The report claimed that 51% of leet managers felt that driver training was the most popular measure for reducing fuel consumption, while almost 40% were keen on the use of speed limiters and 35% felt that telematics had a bigger part to play in effective fuel management. ‘Simple to apply defensive driving techniques can, on their own, eke out another 10% of fuel economy,’ says David Richards, of driver training business AA DriveTech. ‘When we train drivers to add specific fuel economy driving techniques they can improve consumption by up to 20%. Often these changes are simple, such as being light on the throttle, ensuring tyres are correctly inflated and keeping your distance from the vehicle in front so that there is space to brake and accelerate smoothly. ‘Given the sharp increase in the cost of fuel over the last few years, any saving that can be made on a fleet’s fuel costs will have a significant impact on that business’s bottom line.’

SAVING FUEL The annual Fleet World MPG Marathon proves careful driving can reap rewards.

86 / fleetworld.co.uk

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MARKET OVERVIEW Contract Hire, Finance & Leasing

ALD Automotive The ALD Automotive group is the second largest vehicle leasing operation in Europe and manages over 960,000 vehicles across 37 countries worldwide. Within the UK ALD is widely recognised as one of the industry’s leading service providers, with a proven portfolio of award winning products for major plc’s, small businesses and individual drivers alike. A specialist VanLease division offers award winning products including ProFleet2 in-vehicle telematics and DriveSafe, a unique suite of risk management initiatives, just two of the innovative solutions offered as standard for commercial vehicle operators. ALD hold ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accreditation. Contact: Ian Turner, Corporate Sales Director Tel: 0870 0011181 ian.turner@aldautomotive.com www.aldautomotive.co.uk

Grosvenor Contracts Leasing Limited Established in 1981, Grosvenor Contracts provides contract hire, fleet management, daily rental and short-term lease services to meet the car and commercial vehicle requirements of fleet managers around the UK. We are able to supply vehicles up to 3.5T including panel vans with bespoke racking and other accessories, as well as Tippers, Dropsides, Utility and wheelchair accessible minibuses. With our Light Commercial Vehicle Specialist on hand to offer advice and support, as well as access to a full web-based fleet management system, our clients who lease both cars and LCV’s can expect a service level second to none. Contact: Mary Dopson Tel: 01536 536536 sales@contracts.co.uk www.grosvenor-contracts.co.uk

Lex Autolease Lex Autolease is the UK’s leading provider of specialist commercial vehicles. We have the industry knowledge to build the perfect commercial fleet for your business as well as the experience to meet the challenges of your vehicle requirements. With industry expertise, innovative service and a comprehensive range of vehicles, we can genuinely add value to your business and contribute to your success. We’ll work with you to understand all your requirements – from design to specification, to funding and maintenance – so we can create a bespoke solution to match your business needs. Tel: 0800 389 3690 marketing@lexautolease.co.uk www.lexautolease.co.uk/commercial-vehicles

88 / fleetworld.co.uk

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management Arnold Clark Vehicle Management is one of the UK's premier vehicle leasing companies. We’re a family run business – small enough to deliver a uniquely personal experience, yet big enough to deliver the professional fleet management you need. We are the largest dealer-based leasing company in the country and we have a characteristic no-nonsense business style. Because we're totally independent, you can always rely on us to provide unbiased advice. We've helped corporate clients, small businesses and government departments realise genuine savings and improvements in productivity. We listen, and we'd welcome the chance to work with you. Contact: Calum Ewart calum.ewart@arnoldclark.co.uk www.acvm.co.uk

Tel: 0845 603 4590

Fleet Alliance Fleet Alliance is a leading UK fleet management provider, offering contract hire, leasing and a complete range of fleet solutions. We manage over 10,000 vehicles on behalf of corporate clients in a wide variety of business sectors. We deliver a complete fleet solution via our market-leading Fleet 360 model which provides the best combination of advice, products, competitive pricing and outstanding service. Contact: Grant Boardman Tel: 0845 601 8407 grant.boardman@fleetalliance.co.uk www.fleetalliance.co.uk

Venson Automotive Solutions Venson is a hands-on fleet management specialist with a proven track record in reducing costs and increasing vehicle availability. It’s our level of experience, knowledge and service that allows us to give you the kind of impartial advice that has real financial returns whether your business is in the private, public, not-for-profit or emergency services sector. From sourcing the right commercial vehicles to funding, maintaining and delivering vehicle fit-outs, we handle every aspect and we don’t let our clients down. Get in touch and reserve a free fleet audit and drive your business in a new direction. Contact: Anneka Marwaha sales@venson.com

Tel: 08444 99 1402 www.venson.com

Approximately how many commercial vehicles does your company operate? Do you employ dedicated specialists to offer advice & guidance on LCV specification? Do you offer non-maintenance contract hire on LCVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s? Do you offer funding & maintenance for ancillary equipment fitted to the vehicle (tail lifts etc)? Can you create bespoke return conditions for your LCV customers? Do you offer pooling of excess and credit mileage? Do you follow the BVRLAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guidelines on Fair Wear & Tear for LCVs? Do you offer packages that are based upon re-using bodywork or Interior equipment? Do you offer guidance to clients on Duty of Care legislation? Do you offer a design & build service for extensive bespoke conversions? Do you offer and arrange long term vehicle evaluations (6 months duration)

VAN FLEETW RLD

Key to services

ALD Automotive 12.4k

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management 4.2k+

Fleet Alliance Limited 2k

2.5k

Kier Services 9k

Leasedrive Group 5k

Lex Autolease 68k

11.5k

Service provided

Service unavailable

Grosvenor Contracts Leasing Limited

Venson Automotive Solutions

THE online resource for fleet decision-makers...

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fleetworld.co.uk / 89

ontheroad That time in your car might well be the only peace and quiet you get any more, Anthony Ffrench-Constant reckons.

istening to the dread skirl of the agony bags being throttled into a decidedly ham-fisted rendition of that evergreen McCartney hit Mulligan’s Tyres by a busker outside my office window, I am reminded of my favourite definition of a gentleman: ‘A man who knows how to play the bagpipes, but chooses not to….’ These days, however, that definition might readily be updated to encapsulate anyone who has the facility to play music in a public place (Rolling Stones included, I fear), but doesn’t. Much like pointing out that, once over 40, it’s impossible to get in or out of chair without the inadvertent accompaniment of a dainty little grunt, I’m not sure I’m doing you any favours by bringing this to your attention. Because once you realise that you’re being relentlessly bombarded by other people’s music wherever you go, it may well drive you as quietly bonkers as it has me. Hotels have always been entirely culpable in this respect; Katie Meluha’s trilled treatise on the Beijing bicycle population inevitably enlivens every lift ride, the telly in your room will always be blaring away to “welcome” someone approximating you (Arthur French Consulate a favourite), and even that suspiciously pink breakfast sausage must now be helped down by a side order of one ghastly Gallagher brother or other. Going some way to explaining my perennial ClothesHippo status, boutiques have been at it even longer, with sales assistants always happier to reach for the semaphore flags than turn down the volume to a level that

Once you realise that you’re being relentlessly bombarded by other people’s music wherever you go, it may well drive you as quietly bonkers as it has me.

90 / fleetworld.co.uk

actually permits speech. And now it seems that even my preferred tranche of once-tranquil Mudfordshire eateries has concluded that no lunchtime chat over a pie and a pint is complete without a little R&B Lite dressing. Nor will stepping outside save you anymore, since organisers of public events clearly feel that loud music is now essential to everything from a classic car show to a speed chess tournament. Even cricket matches are now inexplicably bolstered by a few corruscatingly loud bars of Queen every time anything happens. Really taking the biscuit, I was asked recently to relish the inimitable sound of a Spitfire fly-past; said glorious racket promptly swallowed, whole, by the scratchy Tannoyed film score from 633 Squadron (and they were Mosquitoes, numpty). I think, however, I do have a solution to my biggest bête noire; the owners of crappy little hatchbacks who’ve spent infinitely more than the car is worth on a sound system that’ll blow the wax clean out of your ears at 50 paces, and who wind down all the windows so you may share their taste in (c)rap… Take one common or garden paintball gun. Using a syringe, empty the ammunition of paint and carefully reinject each ball brim-full of cat diarrhoea. Reload, and fire as many pellets as possible through the open windows of passing offenders. This Just, Might… Work. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take sanctuary in my car. Perhaps you might be like me, and find those long work journeys the last bastion of privacy, and the only environment over which we can still exercise control outside the house. I have now all but given up on playing music on the move (even with the windows up), and my phone remains unconnected to the Bluetooth®, and stowed distantly in the boot. Who said driving for work was stressful? I find it the most peaceful, and quiet, time in my whole life.

VAN SUPPLIER DIRECTORY FLEETW RLD auctions & remarketing

contract hire, leasing & finance

racking systems

tail lifts

fleet management software

BCA Tel: 0845 600 66 44 bca.co.uk

Lex Autolease

Tel: 0845 769 7381 www.lexautolease.co.uk

Sortimo Central Tel: 0121 511 2303 www.sortimo-central.com

Penny Hydraulics Tel: 01246 811475 www.pennyhydraulics.com

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

Full listings online at

Volkswagen Group Leasing Tel: 0870 333 2229 www.volkswagengroupleasing.co.uk

Tevo Limited Tel: 01628 528034 www.tevo.eu.com

Ratcliff Palfinger Ltd Tel: 01707 382880 www.ratcliffpalfinger.co.uk

Civica Tranman Tel: 01454 874002 www.civica.co.uk/tranman

Avis Rent A Car Tel: 0844 544 5000 www.avis.co.uk

Venson Automotive Solutions Tel: 08444 99 1402 www.venson.com

Bott Ltd Tel: 01530 410600 www.bott-group.com

DEL Equipment (UK) Ltd Tel: 01993 708811 www.del-uk.com

Mycompanyfleet Tel: 0845 077 7760 www.mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Budget Rent-a-Car Tel: 0844 5338 08701544 56 56 56 www.budget.co.uk

Fleet Alliance Tel: 0845 601 8407 www.fleetalliance.co.uk

fleetworld.co.uk daily rental

Europcar Tel: 0871 384 0201 www.europcar.co.uk

Alphabet (GB) Limited Tel: 0870 50 50 100 www.alphabet.co.uk

Nexus Vehicle Management Ltd Tel: 0871 984 1947 www.nexusrental.co.uk

LeasePlan UK Ltd Tel: 0844 493 5810 www.leaseplan.co.uk

vehicle ventilation

Zenith Tel: 0113 348 8667 www.zenith.co.uk

For more information, please contact Tracy Howell on 01727 739160 or email tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

fast-fits & tyres

telematics & tracking

ATS Euromaster Tel: 0870 066 3624 www.atseuromaster.co.uk

TomTom Business Solutions Tel: 020 7255 9774 www.tomtom.com/business

Trakm8 Tel: 01747 858 444 www.trakm8.com

Teletrac Tel: 0870 460 5693 www.teletrac.co.uk

Quartix Ltd Tel: 0870 013 6663 www.quartix.co.uk

vehicle data International Decision Systems Tel: 01256 302 000 www.idsdata.co.uk

Full listings online at

fleetworld.co.uk risk management

Flettner Ventilator Ltd Tel: 020 8200 2321 www.flettner.co.uk Total Fleet Services Ltd Tel: 01543 431080 www.lease-hire.co.uk

Tel: 0845 055 8555 Ctrack www.ctrack.co.uk

fuel management

TRACKER Network UK Limited Tel: 0845 602 3981 www.TRACKER.co.uk

Roadmarque Tel: 0845 053 0331 www.roadmarque.com

BP Oil UK Ltd Tel: 0845 603 0723 www.bpplus.co.uk

IAM Drive & Survive Tel: 0870 120 2910 www.iamdriveandsurvive.co.uk

Esso Fuel Cards Tel: 0800 626 672 www.essocard.com

Promote your company here and online for just £400/year.

accident management Total Accident Management Tel: 0845 078 4157 www.totalaccman.co.uk

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

Tel: 0141 332 2626 www.acvm.co.uk

Shell Fuelcards Tel: 0800 7 31 31 37 www.shell.co.uk/euroshell

VAN FLEETW RLD SUPPLIER DIRECTORY For more information, please contact Tracy Howell on 01727 739160 or email tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Incorporated into every issue of VAN Fleet World and interactive online at www.fleetworld.co.uk £400 flat rate for the year. Cost includes a rotating monthly listing in SUPPLIER DIRECTORY in VAN Fleet World. PLUS... • Full listing on fleetworldgroup.co.uk • Email link to sales contact • Website link to homepage • Full-colour company logo fleetworld.co.uk / 91