Fleet World December 2013

December 2013

FLEETW RLD All that matters in the world of fleet

VIEW

Going anywhere, anytime

POINT

How all-terrain vehicles could work for your fleet

BMW i3 driven Does the new EV rewrite the rulebook?

BVRLA chief exec Gerry Keaney on its future plans

Leads to London Attempting 200 miles a day on the electric highway fleetworld.co.uk

“WE HAVE SEEN IMPROVED DRIVING STANDARDS UTILISING THE QUARTIX DRIVING STYLE REPORTS, RESULTING IN REDUCED VEHICLE INCIDENTS AND AN 18% IMPROVEMENT IN FUEL CONSUMPTION.” ANDREW GIBBONS, FLEET CI MANAGER, GINSTERS LTD

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contents 20 Fleet On Fleet: Ian Luckett of Luckett’s Travel.`

December 2013

FLEETW RLD

26

All that matters in the world of fleet

VIEW

Going anywhere, anytime

POINT

How all-terrain vehicles could work for your fleet

BMW i3 driven Does the new EV rewrite the rulebook?

Taking the hassle out of congested roads.

BVRLA chief exec Gerry Keaney on its future plans

Leads to London Attempting 200 miles a day on the electric highway fleetworld.co.uk

31

Managing Editor Ross Durkin ross@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Leeds to London in a Nissan LEAF. Testing the viability of all-electric travel...

Publisher Jerry Ramsdale jerry@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Editor Steve Moody steve@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Deputy Editor Alex Grant alex@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Associate Editor Natalie Middleton natalie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Features Editor Katie Beck katie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk VFW Editor Dan Gilkes dan@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Director Anne Dopson anne@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Executive Darren Brett darren@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Circulation Manager Tracy Howell tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

38

Behind the wheel of the game-changing BMW i3.

48

Head of Production Luke Wikner luke@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

The increasing role of allterrain vehicles in fleets.

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

63

50

Gerry Keaney of BVRLA on the challenges ahead.

Vauxhall Movano, CV Forum, Risk Management & Daily Rental.

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 predicts a buoyant 2014, drives what he considers the best hybrid on the market and falls foul of the law in Dorset...

2014 looking strong So how has 2013 been for you? The car market is booming, business confidence seems to be returning in spades and there seems to be plenty of finance about. The big question is ‘will it continue in 2014?’.

Well, almost all analysts are predicting the UK will be one of the fastest growing economies in the west next year.

The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) forecasts growth will come in at 1.4% this year and quicken to 2% next year.

Business confidence has also reached a 10-year high, according to a major survey by Grant Thornton and the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales. And for next year the International Monetary Fund expects UK growth of 1.9%, up from July's projection of 1.5%.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is even bolder, suggesting UK growth would accelerate to 2.4% in 2014, above economists' expectations of 2.2%, it said.

A cheery thought to end the year on, and all the best to you and your business in 2014.

The best hybrid on the market I have found over the years that almost every hybrid performs far worse than the official figures claim, by a factor greater than a standard diesel or petrol might. It’s not helped by my relatively rural location, granted, but nevertheless, it’s still a disappointment.

So imagine my surprise and delight the other week when having driven

04 / fleetworld.co.uk

the E-Class diesel hybrid to the BVRLA offices and home again, I managed to rack up an impressive 55mpg.

Fast, frugal and refined, it’s the best hybrid I’ve driven by some distance.

Hi ho, it’s off to speed awareness I go...

Oh dear. I’ve been caught speeding. I was doing 81mph on a dual carriageway when a camera van got me. No excuses, and nothing I can do, as the law is the law.

Except, of course, if I drove past a police patrol car doing that speed, there’s a very fair chance they wouldn’t react as they tend to work on the reasonable theory that 80-ish on a clear road is an acceptable speed. But if you go over 70mph, you leave yourself open to those vagaries and interpretations.

What I find most interesting is that I’ve been offered a speed awareness course in the offending area, which was Dorset, and I’ve taken up their offer. But it isn’t transferable, so on top of a £100 fine, I have a round trip of 350 miles to do, which basically means missing a whole day’s work and a tank of fuel for the privilege. I hope I learn something, and I hope they provide lunch…

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

Ford NEWS

inbrief Custom made for Mears

Mondeo, S-MAX & Galaxy reduce costs FURTHER improvements in CO2 and fuel economy for Ford Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy add up to significant savings for fleets and company car drivers.

Mondeo’s 1.6 TDCi 115PS engine’s CO2 output has reduced from 112g/km to 109g/km, meaning a £10 reduction in annual VED after the first year and a reduction of £7 per month - £84 a year - in BIK tax for a higher rate taxpayer.

Combined fuel economy is improved from 65.7mpg to 67.3mpg.

Improvements to the Mondeo 2.0 TDCi 140/163PS powertrain, achieved through the addition of a PowerShift ECO transmission and sports suspension have brought a reduction in CO2 from 149g/km to 136g/km and an improvement in combined fuel economy from 50.4mpg to 54.3mpg.

It means a higher rate taxpayer driving a Mondeo Titanium X Business Edition 2.0 140PS will pay £17 a month - £204 a year – less in BIK tax.

S-MAX and Galaxy offer similar improvements, with the 2.0 TDCi 140PS powertrain now emitting just 149g/km of CO2, down from 159g/km. A higher rate taxpayer driving a Galaxy with that powertrain will pay £19 a month £221 a year – less in BIK taxation; for the fleet operator it means a £35 reduction in annual VED and a 2.5mpg improvement in fuel consumption.

BlueService means dedicated support FORD has extended its comprehensive “BlueService” package to fleet customers, ensuring that companies with a fleet of 25 or more Ford vehicles receive dedicated aftersales support.

Ford BlueService for Fleet offers maximum convenience and professional support at competitive prices, with whileyou-wait servicing and free Wi-Fi access. The collection and delivery of vehicles can also be arranged.

There is a maximum booking lead-time of three days for service work and large fleets using Ford’s online booking system through “1link” are guaranteed a response within 20 minutes.

Fleet managers will benefit from the comprehensive Ford Fleet National Pricing programme, which details service costs, the added reassurance of various programmes designed to simplify fleet operation, such as Ford Fleet Accident Management, and support from Ford’s Fleet Service Centre.

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

The arrival of the new Transit Custom has helped Ford secure a fresh multi-year agreement to provide light commercials and cars to the 5,000-vehicle fleet run

by Mears Group PLC, one of the UK’s leading social housing repairs and maintenance providers.

Under the deal Ford will supply around 1,000 light commercials to Mears every year for the next five, continuing a long association with the Gloucester-based company, whose fleet has expanded to 4,300 light commercials and 700 cars following the acquisition of a rival firm.

“One of the swaying factors was the new Transit Custom,” said Mears Group asset manager Jo Hammonds. “We were impressed by the overall design of the Custom, its drivability and the new engines and technology. The response to it from our drivers, who were part of the assessment process, was very positive.”

Ford’s ACFO hat-trick Ford has won a hat-trick of accolades at the 2013 ACFO Awards.

Ford Transit has been voted Large Van of the Year, Ford Transit Connect wins Small Van of the Year, and Ford claimed the award for Environmental Initiative of the Year for the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder EcoBoost petrol engine, the 2012 and 2013 International Engine of the Year.

inbusiness

Ford opens up “BlueService” aftersales support package F ord has launched a fleet version of its “BlueService” package to offer dedicated aftersales support to companies with a fleet of 25 or more Ford vehicles.

Fleet managers will benefit from the comprehensive Ford Fleet National Pricing programme, which details service costs; the added reassurance of various programmes designed to simplify fleet operation, such as Ford Fleet Accident Management; and support from Ford’s Fleet Service Centre.

Ford has also launched a dedicated fleet management service for SMEs.

fleetweet a few soundbites from a month in fleet

@Steve_Carman (Steve Carman, director, Nobull Communications)

Amazon is set to use TFL empty tube station ticket offices as parcel collection points – a smart idea #retailweek

@FrontSeatPhil (Phil Huff, motoring journalist)

New Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV to offer BiK of 5% Mitsubishi’s forthcoming Outlander Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) is to offer up to 148mpg and CO2 emissions of 44g/km, the carmaker has announced.

Due on sale in spring 2014, the car’s low emissions mean that it will be exempt from the London Congestion Charge while fleets and drivers will also benefit from tiny fuel bills, no vehicle excise duty (VED) and a BiK rate of just 5%.

It's been a good week for unicorn cars. I've spotted a Laguna Monaco Coupe, a Suzuki Kizashi and a Kia Optima. Pleased people buy these.

@RalphHosier (Ralph Hosier, motoring journalist)

The new MINI may be enormous and look “distinctive”, but before you bash it just remember BMW are investing in Britain! Be proud of that.

@ StvCr (Steve Cropley, editor-in-chief, Autocar)

Heading out to view 167mph Porsche Macan for first time. All that speed yet Freelander utility – is this the most versatile compact SUV yet?

@teorichards (Tom Richards, PFPR)

How hot hatches have moved on – the new MINI Cooper S, shown today, emits the same amount of CO2 as my 1.2-litre Fiat. #SwiftProgress

ProFleet2 One day, everyone will expect to have this information

06 / fleetworld.co.uk

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...

winter driving conditions

Source: The AA

Compacted snow and ice is the most feared weather condition for UK drivers, according to the results of a new AA Populus poll.

(Percentage of drivers who rated their confidence out of ten at six or more, where ten = extremely confident).

Compacted snow and ice Low temperatures and icy roads Falling snow Low dazzling sunlight Strong winds Heavy rain during daytime Heavy rain at night

46% 62% 70% 70% 81% 84% 68%

Commenting on the results, Jim Kirkwood, managing director of AA DriveTech, said: ‘Confidence issues – either too much or too little – and difficult weather conditions can be a dangerous mix so I would urge all fleets to ensure their training is up to par before the bad weather really hits.’

Respondent’s confidence levels varied a great deal across different demographics, with 11% of women saying compacted snow and ice “terrified” them, compared to 2% of men.

Young drivers (18-24) were the most confident age group for driving in heavy daytime rain, with 25% saying they were ”extremely confident” at this. This fell to 12% for drivers over 65.

electric vehicles The range and cost of EVs continue to be key concerns for car buyers, according to a recent survey carried out by AutoTrader.com.

Only 41% of 350 respondents indicated that they would be prepared to pay a price premium to own an EV. 67% said that concerns about battery range were a major barrier.

With 59% of respondents indicating that EVs would need to get over 150 miles per charge for them to consider the vehicle.

When asked to identify which automakers they would identify as leading in the electric vehicle market, Toyota came out on top with 48%.

Source: AutoTrader.com

08 / fleetworld.co.uk

Of all the automakers who offer alternative fuel vehicles, seven ranked as having “high awareness” amongst respondents: Toyota, Honda, Ford, Lexus, Chevrolet, Nissan and Volkswagen.

accident rates Lex Autolease has revealed that its accident management department dealt with 43,293 incidents involving company car drivers last year.

In a survey of 120,000 vehicles, 40% of those leased to fleets were involved in an accident in 2012.

16% of accidents were caused by a fleet driver colliding with an immobile object such as a bridge, a building or a wall.

22% were the result of company car drivers hitting a third party vehicle.

2% involved collisions with pedestrians, cyclists or animals.

Richard Harper, head of accident services at Lex Autolease, said: ‘Although the average cost of each accident is just over £1,000, the true cost to businesses is significantly higher. Following an accident a company vehicle can be off the road for more than a week, causing immeasurable disruption and inconvenience.

‘The fact that company drivers were responsible for 40% of accidents last year suggests that businesses need to do more to raise standards and eradicate poor driving behaviour.’

Source: Lex Autolease

traffic congestion TomTom has released the sixth edition of its Traffic Index, which reveals that on average, British commuters are spending nine working days a year stuck in traffic.

The TomTom Traffic Index shows that Belfast remains the most congested city in the UK, with journey times up to 88% longer in morning peak times and 32% longer throughout the day.

‘We are seeing a clear pattern which shows that congestion levels increase as economies emerge from recession. The traditional responses to tackling congestion, like building new roads or widening existing ones, are no longer proving effective. The way traffic is managed needs significant change,’ said TomTom's chief executive officer, Harold Goddijn.

Source: TomTom

The UK’s top ten most congested cities, ranked by overall Congestion Level, in Q2 2013 compared with a year earlier, were: Rank

City

Congestion level

Up/Down

1

Belfast

32%

Up

2

Bristol

31%

Level

3

Brighton

30%

Up

4

Edinburgh

29%

Down

5

London

29%

Up

6

Leeds/Bradford

26%

Down

7

Manchester

23%

Up

8

Leicester

22%

Up

9

Sheffield

22%

Up

10

Liverpool

21%

Up

for the latest daily news from the fleet industry, visit fleetworld.co.uk fleetworld.co.uk / 09

inbusiness trading places

in

out

in

Arval adds to corporate sales team Arval UK has appointed David Wood to its corporate sales team as the company looks to drive growth following the implementation of a major new IT platform and a new account team structure.

Wood joins from Lex Autolease and brings more than eight years’ experience in the fleet sector.

Peugeot’s Phil Robson moves to international role Phil Robson, director, fleet and used vehicles at Peugeot, is to move on to a new international role with the carmaker, based in France.

Martin Gurney is to replace him in his former role and will also be joined by Nick Crossley who will have responsibility for driving both car and van sales to local SMEs via the dealer network in the newly created role of head of business sales.

Cobra gears up for fleet growth Cobra UK has announced the appointment of Mike Pearce as its new business development director.

The role has been created as the firm prepares to launch its fleet services for cars and commercial vehicles and grow its share of the insurance-based telematics and vehicle tracking markets.

All-new MINI offers 92g/km

T

he new MINI hatch is to target fleets with an engine line-up of three-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with range-lowest CO2 emissions of 92g/km, but the manufacturer isn't confirming electric or hybrid versions as yet.

At launch, the range will comprise Cooper, Cooper S and Cooper D versions. The fleet-favourite Cooper D will use a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder diesel with 116bhp and CO2 emissions of 92g/km.

Order books are already open, with deliveries due from March 2014, and residual values are indicated to be over 50% after three years and 60,000 miles.

12 / fleetworld.co.uk

inbusiness

Let battle commence Vauxhall fancies its chances of taking over from Ford as market leader.

The gloves are off, says Curtis Hutchinson, editor of Motor Trader.

T

here’s long been an unwritten rule adhered to by the bosses of the UK’s two biggest car sellers that they don’t acknowledge each other’s brand when they sit down with the press. Hints and suggestions are dropped into conversation but neither will respectively mention the V, or, indeed, the F-word.

The competition between the two brands, in fleet and retail, is so fierce that in public they prefer to operate in silos, while in private they pour over each other’s products, pricing and marketing.

The veil, however, dropped when Vauxhall chairman and CEO, Duncan Aldred, recently said his brand would overtake Ford as the market leader by 2016; a bold declaration of intent as Ford has been the top selling car brand for 37 years and has held the van slot for 48 consecutive years.

At a local level, Ford and Vauxhall dealers know precisely who they want to win fleet sales and servicing business from. While the emergent brands, notably the likes of Hyundai and Kia, are nibbling away at fleet business, with increasingly attractive products and warranty packages, the big two, with their massive national coverage, slug it out on a daily basis when it comes to winning the hearts and minds of local business customers.

Ford took a 14% market share in 2012, with the Fiesta as the best-selling model.

Vauxhall is currently enjoying strong car sales with volumes up 10.5% in the year to date with high demand for its Corsa and Astra models and no doubt reaping the rewards of renewed interest in its heavily revised Insignia after a recent price cull which slashed over £4,500 on some models. It doesn’t hurt that it’s head-to-head against an ageing Mondeo.

While the market leaders dominate the fleet and retail sectors, the gap between them is still wide. Last

year Vauxhall sold 232,255 units, giving it an 11% market share, while Ford achieved 282,000 registrations, taking a 14% market share. Vauxhall’s ambitions can only be achieved by growing its sales at the expense of Ford. It’s an enormous task.

The Fiesta remains the UK’s best selling car with 104,621 sales in the first nine months of the year (that’s more than the total 2012 sales of the likes of Peugeot or Citroën), followed by the Focus (76,493). Vauxhall holds the next two slots in the best sellers with the Corsa (72,903) and Astra (57,758).

Aldred confirmed the brand is accelerating its growth mode as it expands its line-up with new models such as the ADAM, Mokka and Cascada.

The aim is to overtake Ford by capturing a 14% plus share within the next three years.

‘That’s the message I am sending out to our dealers because now we have a product range to really attack the market. One model which is really doing well for us is the new Mokka and we could have sold several thousand more this year if we could get the product, the factory in South Korea can’t make enough to meet global demand,’ he said.

Naturally enough, Ford chairman and managing director, Mark Ovenden, is having none of this.

‘We keep an eye on Vauxhall as we do Volkswagen and the Koreans are growing aggressively. But there is also a big threat from the German premium brands which are increasingly coming into our territory,’ he said.

Ovenden’s ambition is to retain Ford’s market share and it’s hard to see how he can fail with the Fiesta flying out of showrooms at a rate which has been boosted by the brand’s overall increased retail demand.

‘The Fiesta is an absolute phenomenon and holds 25% share of its segment in retail, an impressive performance when you consider there are probably 20 other rivals you could easily choose,’ he said.

Also, like Vauxhall, Ford has some new products waiting in the wings to tempt both fleet and retail purchasers. Crucially it plans to launch two all-new SUVs next year, a move which could see it start to impact one of the fastest growing sectors and one that has been largely untroubled by the Kuga.

The gloves are off, it’s going to be a bloody battle and one which could give fleet buyers some leverage when it comes to inviting tenders from both brands.

fleetworld.co.uk / 13

inbusiness

Paper trail The Insider thinks the insurance certificate system should be changed.

I

’ve been awaiting with interest the outcome of the debate on whether to scrap the paper motor insurance certificate. Of course, we are now sticking with the current format, which is that a printable certificate remains in place. And I have to confess to being rather surprised by that.

A couple of times in years gone by we had fraudulent attempts at passing off one of our blanket certificates as covering a non-employee’s car – in one case by the brother of an employee who had bought the car from the leasing company and wrote it off the next day before he had insured it; but that’s another story. Occasionally a certificate would be left in a car at return and subsequently find its way into unscrupulous hands.

But for years I have no longer handed out certificates except upon specific request, for which the upside is that if someone needs a certificate, I get to find out why.

If we were to manage without printed or electronicallytransmittable certificates at all, there would be total reliance upon the Motor Insurers’ Bureau information and that can only ever be as accurate as we, or our broker or our insurer, keep it. We are obliged to keep entries up to date within a fairly limited timescale, and in a smaller fleet that’s not so hard. But spare a thought for the larger fleets or those with transient populations and numerous long-term hire cars. And of course, what can sometimes catch one out isn’t putting the new cars on the database; it’s remembering to take the old ones off.

Accuracy of the Database was one of the reasons stated for keeping printable certificates available. If we were reliant on the Database, entries would have to be immediate and I believe that would be problematic. So I can see there would need to be some form of proving insurance during the time between insuring the vehicle, and it going on the MID.

FIN 2.25m fleet in numbers

Latest SMMT forecast for total 2013 new car registrations following strong growth in October.

SOURCE: SMMT

16 / fleetworld.co.uk

I’ve always thought, and have said here before, that the MIB ought to provide a commercial service for confirming whether or not vehicles are insured. They seem concerned that too many parties would need access to it – but why? You could give everyone access for a fee, but the only information you would divulge is “is the car (or the driver) insured – yes or no”, and perhaps the policy end date, not who insures it, nor whom the car belongs to.

A lesser number of parties – Police, DVLA, insurers, already have access, which covers the main bases. The remaining interested parties (rental companies, local authorities, finance companies and windscreen repairers were named in the consultation) are usually those who will be charging the end user a fee for their service, so any MID fee could be incorporated into their own fees.

Or am I over-simplifying again?

The only positive outcome of this consultation is that in the past you had to return a paper certificate if you cancelled your insurance but, being a law-abiding citizen generally, I never found out what happened if you didn’t.

After all, the person you are physically showing your certificate to at the roadside doesn’t know whether it’s cancelled or not, and the bit of paper can’t magically change colour remotely or anything like that to show it’s no longer valid (more’s the pity). So, holding a paper certificate in your hand is not really concrete confirmation to a third party that you have insurance anyway.

At the end of the day, the consultation decided it was down to cost. Initially it was said it cost £1 to process a certificate and I can quite see that, with paper, printing, and postage costs, plus the time of the person or machine doing the sending. Then they said it didn’t cost anything like a £1, but would be much more expensive to change the system. What price progress?

542

SOURCE: Jaguar

Bhp power rating for supercharged V8 engine in new F-TYPE R Coupé.

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With today’s fuel prices at an all-time high, it’s time to understand how implementing the solution that’s being used by the world’s largest fleets in more than 100 countries can help you get ahead.

Let us know how we can assist. Visit telogis.co.uk/fuel or call +44 (0) 203 005 8805 to see first-hand how Telogis transforms business.

inbusiness

fleetonfleet Ian Luckett, director, Lucketts Travel Fleet size 109 coaches and minibuses Lucketts is a family-owned, multi-award winning coach and travel company. How did it all start?

The company was started in 1926 by Harry Luckett, the current chairman’s father. The business was predominantly haulage and storage but other activities were entered into, including keeping chickens and other farmyard animals.

By the mid-80’s the coach fleet had outnumbered the haulage fleet and it was clear which way the company was proceeding.

The third generation of Lucketts joined the company; Steve in 1983 and Ian in 1985. Since then the company has grown to a turnover of over £6.5million per year and employs over 90 people in three operating centres on the South Coast of England.

We have a sizeable number of vehicles and three different brands –Lucketts Travel in Fareham, Worthing Coaches in Worthing and Coliseum Coaches in Southampton.

There’s a lot of regulation involved, in employing drivers and on the vehicles themselves. Is that a particular challenge?

This is inevitably a challenge for any business, but it is also becoming an advantage for some businesses like ours, who can spend the time and effort setting up systems to ensure compliance, to identify issues and deal with them quickly and effectively when they arise.

too general and the primary market is only about 600 units per annum. So we cascade vehicles through our fleet, and across our brands. The highest usage vehicles are the National Express ones, which cover a staggering number of miles in their lifetime. We refurbish them inside and out at around five years old, then use them in our local fleets.

This is great for our customers as they have the added benefit of having full disability access, so we are moving in the right direction in terms of inclusive customer care.

Even using the latest engines, your fuel bill must be enormous. Do you buy via a bunkering scheme?

The majority of our fuel is purchased on a contract from a local supplier, WP Group, but we have never hedged nor bunkered. There is an element of seasonality in our work so we have arrangements with some customers whereby the price we charge is dependent on the cost of fuel, but realistically the majority of our work is booked and quoted relatively near to the date of departure, so we have a reasonable idea of forward fuel rates and include any fluctuation in the price.

What’s the main fleet issue for you?

Recruitment. We have grown considerably over the past five years and have an on-going requirement for drivers. Whilst we do take staff who already have PCV driver licences we prefer to train our own. In fact we have our own Driver Academy which has trained over 80 staff in the past four years.

We find these home grown drivers tend to come in with fewer preconceptions and we are always looking for people with the right attitude and aptitude to take on the role of a coach driver as the technical skills are fairly easy to impart.

Scheduling maintenance on a busy fleet this size must be a real headache.

We have always maintained vehicles in-house and have a well-staffed and equipped workshop in Fareham which can cope with almost all eventualities. We do post some work out to third parties, mostly tacho and specialist engine or gearbox work and usually to main dealers.

We have had some vehicles on R&M contracts as part of the sales package from the manufacturer, but that can have its own problems. Coaches don’t generally work the same patterns each day or week and the hours can be varied, plus there is seasonality. Outsourcing the maintenance limits flexibility and restricts our ability to react at the last minute. But I think there will be a time when we either outsource some or change the way we operate the vehicles just to get the quantity of work through our workshop.

Currently we outsource bodyshop work but may look at doing that in-house one day.

You invest in the latest technology on your fleet. A typical car fleet would run its vehicles for three-four years, but how long can you reasonably keep a coach for?

Much longer these days. Typical truck fleets lease their vehicles and keep them for three to five years, depending on the role. They then go back to a manufacturer and into the second hand market or to be exported. Unfortunately, the coach sales market doesn’t work like that. Vehicles are

Time for a hobby outside of work?

In recent years I’ve taken up road cycling with some local friends. In 2012 they persuaded me to enter a ride called the Vatternrundan, which is a 300km ride around a lake in Sweden – in one day! I did it in 12h 59m; that minute meant the world to me at the time! I planned to do it again this year but managed to bust my knee skiing, but I’ve already started training for June 2014!

20 / fleetworld.co.uk

inbusiness

Q &A

Winning the RBS fleet contract and acquiring its subsidiary Lombard Vehicle Management has resulted in Hitachi Capital Vehicle adding a combined 16,000 vehicles to its books, as well as rapidly broadening its footprint in the SME sector. Chief executive, Simon Oliphant, tells Fleet World it’s just the start of even bigger plans.

Before the Lombard acquisition, what share of your fleet was in the SME sector?

SO: A few percent, relatively small. Our history of success has been built around growing large to medium size corporates. Over the last decade we’ve turned ourselves into a high-end added value provider, which appeals to that sector. We still want to grow in that area, but if we want to continue to grow we need to look at other areas as well. Today’s SME is tomorrow’s medium size company or large company. There’s at least three million of them, so I don’t think it’s a sector we can ignore.

How challenging was it to transfer 9,000 vehicles in four weeks?

SO: We had already made the decision to move into the SME sector before Lombard came along, and we’d started building our capability, and started building our own teams. When we decide to go into a new product or service we make the decision whether to build it, buy it or partner. When Lombard came along it gave us a great opportunity to accelerate that entry and growth in that area.

How much additional SME growth are you planning?

SO: The Japanese believe in long term plans, so I’d be looking in five years time for that fleet to be around 2530,000 vehicles and I’m comfortable for that to be 25% of our overall fleet. If it takes six years I’m not that worried, if it takes four years great. It’s about doing it the right way for both ourselves and our customers.

What have you learnt about SMEs so far?

SO: Our plan was to grow organically, adapt and change and use that as part of our ongoing strategy. What Lombard has brought is a research base of 3,000 customers. So that’s a great opportunity for me to interact with those customers.

We believe those customers will want a good, solid, basic service, but we’re not assuming they won’t want to take advantage of some of the added value stuff that

22 / fleetworld.co.uk

we already do for our large and medium size corporates. So can we use our expertise in that sector and make it transferrable.

Some of those businesses are successful, they’re growing, they’re innovative, but don’t have the resources or necessarily expertise to deal with some of the challenges that some of the bigger organisations do. That doesn’t mean they’re not interested, what they want is some support.

How will you adapt to suit start-ups where there’s less financial history?

SO: Hitachi is a cautious company and the quality of our portfolio, in terms of assets and customers, is very important. I don’t want to dilute that, but we need to be flexible where appropriate. I think that’s about understanding what business they’re in and what their plans are. They need a quick decision because the likelihood is they’ve got an immediate need – it’s not part of a threeyear replacement cycle.

What we try to be with our customers is a business advisor, not just a fleet advisor. Our overall aim is to help their business be successful and perform better, because in doing that you know it’s going to give our relationship longevity. If you approach it from a fleet point of view you miss other opportunities.

BROADENING APPEAL Hitachi Capital is making waves with SMEs

g fleet e k

Bosch IXO Gourmet Not your average powertool, the IXO Gourmet is able to uncork wine bottles and dispense salt and pepper from a spice mill using the included attachments. Of course, it’ll take on the typical DIY tasks too, thanks to a full range of the usual screwdriver, hex and allen-head fitments.

Price: £59.99, see bosch-ixo.com/gb for suppliers

Innergie Pocket Cell Duo Pocket-sized and lightweight, but with enough energy to recharge two USB devices at once, Innergie’s latest charging device is ideal for those who frequently carry a hard working smartphone and tablet. To make it even more useful, it’s supplied with a three-in-one charging cable, compatible with both Apple connectors and micro and mini USB tips, to suit most devices.

Price: £99.00, see myinnergie.com for suppliers

Netatmo Urban Weather Station Compatible with iOS and Android devices, this atmosphere monitoring kit contains indoor and outdoor modules which feed data about temperature, humidity, air pressure, noise and CO2 levels back to an app, alerting the user to the healthiest way to get around.

It also contributes to a network of climate change monitors spanning 75 countries, part of Netatmo’s Urban Weather Program.

Price: £139 at www.netatmo.com

Netgear PTV3000 This tiny wireless adaptor allows you to mirror the display on your smartphone, tablet or compatible laptop to a television screen, via a WiFi connection. Connected with a single cable, via HDMI for high definition or A/V for standard definition, it’s great for sharing videos, photos or presentations at home or work, and can be powered from a USB port.

Price: £79.99, see netgear.co.uk for suppliers

apps of the month

Peekster

CityMapper

Pocket

Finally linking print and online media seamlessly, Peekster can scan articles from a newspaper or magazine and search for the digital version which can be shared with friends and colleagues on social media, e-mail or text message. Metro, Evening Standard and City AM are compatible now, other titles are due to follow shortly.

Price: £3.99 from iTunes

A detailed navigation app with a difference – it’s multi-modal.

CityMapper takes the hassle out of London commutes by planning journeys using a combination of cycling, walking or public transport, including live updates and updates and alerts on weather and potential delays on the buses and trains.

New York is also included.

Price: Free from iTunes

With an ever-increasing amount of content online, this useful app allows you to “pocket” interesting websites and social media content to your smartphone or tablet and access everything on the move, even if you don’t have an internet connection. Browser bolt-ons mean you can also store pages from your computer, to read later.

Price: Free from iTunes and Google Play

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inbusiness

INRIX XD Incidents Routing specialist INRIX is now using social media data to report on traffic conditions, claiming 40% more incident reports than its nearest competitor. Alex Grant finds out how it works.

What is it?

XD Incidents is an upgraded traffic information service, based on the XD Traffic system already available from INRIX. Designed to boost the accuracy of the widely used Traffic Message Channel (TMC) service used by most factory-fitted navigation systems, this is now used by Audi, BMW and Toyota, Garmin portables and some emergency services.

How does it work?

XD Incidents builds on the existing XD Traffic service, which provides a real-time view of road conditions based on historic, planned and live data. At its core, the system is able to predict how a road should flow, including traffic lights, roundabouts and stop signs, at any given time. INRIX then adds data gathered from local authorities and private companies, predicting jams due to planned roadworks, concerts or sports events.

But the system thrives on live data. XD Incidents pools data from a claimed 400 machine and human-based sources, such as emergency services, departments of transport and anonymously collected movements from tracking devices and smartphones to get a real-time image of road conditions.

For the first time, it also monitors Twitter for keywords such as road names and locations, filters them automatically at its headquarters based on an “internal confidence index” and crosschecks this against known sources. All live data is distributed to devices every minute, reducing the risk of warning about out-of-date incidents.

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The claims: XD Incidents service is claimed to report 40% more traffic-disrupting events than any of its rivals, and it can present it in incredible detail.

Roads are broken down into 800-foot sections, rather than between one and three miles for TMC data, so the service shows exactly where congestion starts and finishes and can report the cause. Because it can monitor secondary roads, there’s also less risk that it’ll divert the driver into another jam.

When does it launch?

INRIX XD Traffic operates in 37 countries worldwide, and its expanded service will be rolled out to all of them in the coming months. British and North American drivers will benefit from the launch, though, and the XD Incidents-supported service is also available via a smartphone app for those who don’t have it built into their navigation system.

THE NEW PLAYER IN TOWN, COUNTRY AND WILDERNESS. Whatever the landscape that surrounds it, the new BMW X5 can’t fail to draw the eye. The beauty and craftsmanship of its luxurious interior, combined with its superior efficiency and driving dynamics prove impossible to resist. Once again, the BMW X5 has given the others a mountain to climb.

To find out more visit bmwcorporate.co.uk or call 0800 777 113.

THE NEW BMW X5. FROM 149G/KM CO2. UP TO 50.4MPG. The official fuel economy figures for the new BMW X5 range: Urban 20 – 43.5 mpg (14.1 – 6.5l/100km).

Extra Urban 34 – 54.3 mpg (8.3 – 5.2 l/100km). Combined 26.9 – 50.4 mpg (10.5 - 5.6l/100km).

CO2 244 – 149g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions.

The new BMW X5

bmwcorporate.co.uk 0800 777 113

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COVER STORY LEAF: Leads to London

The end of range anxiety?

As the UK’s first rapid charge motorway network spreads across the country, Alex Grant finds an all-electric road trip is nowhere near as arduous as you might expect. ¡

PICTURES: Stuart Collins

fleetworld.co.uk / 31

COVER STORY LEAF: Leads to London

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Plugging in takes a few minutes, accessed via a free Ecotricity swipe card.

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Y

ou’d be forgiven for expecting that, in a day which included a 200-mile allelectric trip from Leeds to London, the long recharge stops would be the source of the longest delay. Yet, ironically, the biggest hold up on our planned electric journey was the weather-beaten train journey northbound.

That’s not because the later gave an unplanned overnight stop, either. In September, Nissan and green utility company Ecotricity completed their collaborative Electric Highway project along the London to Leeds stretch of the M1. This network of evenly-spaced rapid charging equipment is capable of illing an empty LEAF battery to 80% in around half an hour.

In theory, by stopping at the three Welcome Break services on the M1 for a top-up, a trip from Yorkshire into the capital need only take 60 to 90 minutes longer than it would in a diesel or petrol car. That’s less

32 / fleetworld.co.uk

than the extra time added by our stormdamaged railway trip, and assumes a petrol or diesel driver won’t stop half way.

Schemes such as this are vital if electric vehicles are to take off. Battery technology isn’t advancing quickly enough to offer hundreds of miles of range at an affordable price, which means charging times have to come down to offer drivers the lexibility they’re used to. Regular stops are still an inconvenience, but not waiting eight hours to get a usable range back is a big step forward.

There’s a reward for your patience, too.

Ecotricity’s Electric Highway scheme, which now includes all of the UK’s Welcome Break sites, selected Moto service stations and Ikea stores, is powered by 100% renewable energy and – for now – completely free to use. In fuel costs alone that’s a saving of £21.59 against a 60mpg diesel, even before the environmental bene its are weighed up.

Our delayed train touched down at Leeds

Railway station at 11.30am, to a waiting delivery driver and a fully-charged mid-spec LEAF. The end destination in North London provoked an unnerving warning that it was well outside the battery’s range, but our irst stopover was comfortably inside the display’s inner circle.

It doesn’t take long to realise why range anxiety is still a barrier. Joining the M1 near Leeds, there’s an unnerving realisation that grinding to a halt with a lat battery isn’t as simple as running out of fuel. There’s no twominute top-up in a recovery van, and even if there was there’s no guarantee that you’ll have the membership card or charging cable needed to access the nearest charging point.

So, conscious that the irst leg would be the only one where I’d have 100% battery capacity (around 96 miles,

Nearly there – LEAF arrives at Newport Pagnell services with range to spare

Compatability issues

D

espite the advances in the vehicles and infrastructure, electric vehicle charging is still a mine ield of incompatibility in the UK. Access to charging points is still mostly via membership cards, and while negotiations are under way between the eight plugged-in places schemes and multiple charging point suppliers, in most cases it’s not possible to pay for a charge via text message or phone call. A factor which limits the spontaneity of roaming between regions, and the comfort of knowing there’s somewhere to charge at the other end.

There are also ive different connectors, six if you count the Renault Twizy’s domestic three-pin plug, for electric vehicles. It means carefully selecting the right home or of ice charging point to suit, with Chargemaster usually recommending a socketed unit rather than a tethered cable.

A relaxed motorway car, once you get past the range anxiety

80% charge offered a range of 75-77 miles

London is comfortably outside the range from one charge.

The most common are as follows: J1772/Type 1 (AC) The most common connector at the moment, J1772/Type 1 cables feature a trigger-like release and tends to be favoured by Japanese and American manufacturers.

Fitted to: Nissan LEAF, Toyota Prius Plug-in, Vauxhall Ampera

‘Battery technology isn’t advancing quickly enough to offer hundreds of miles of range at an affordable price, which means charging times have to come down to offer drivers the flexibility they’re used to.’

according to the navigation system), I’d decided the best thing to do was throttle back, keep my speed under 65mph and use the LEAF’s Eco mode. While this meant I could use the climate control system and charge my phone, it strips the Nissan of all but the bare minimum pulling power.

It turns out this was a little unnecessary.

Despite steep inclines en route, a few stretches of 50mph roadworks and some gentle driving meant we arrived at Woodall Services with miles to spare. But we also arrived to ind the charging unit had been vandalised, meaning a call to Ecotricity for advice.

Woodall has charging units on both sides of the motorway, and a heavily potholed access road between the two which (in emergencies) electric vehicle drivers are directed to use to get between them. It’s a preferable solution to the ive-mile detour via the next junction and a similar diversion on the way back to the southbound M1.

Ecotricity’s rapid chargers look a little bit like electric petrol pumps. There are tethered

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Mennekes Type 2 (AC) A large oval connector used by most new European-developed plug-in vehicles, and found at most UK fast charging stations.

Fitted to: Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid, Renault ZOE, Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid CHAdeMo (DC) With Nissan as an EV pioneer, most public access rapid charge stations in the UK use the Japanese CHAdeMo standard, offering 80% charge in 30 minutes.

Fitted to: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Nissan LEAF Combined Charging Standard (AC/DC) CCS adds two DC charging pins to a Mennekes (pictured) or J1772 connector, allowing wider compatibility between cars and infrastructure and multiple charging rates.

Fitted to: BMW i3, Chevrolet Spark EV, Volkswagen e-up!

fleetworld.co.uk / 33

COVER STORY LEAF: Leads to London

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cables to suit the Japanese CHAdeMo connector, the larger of the two under the LEAF’s nose lap, and the European Type 2 standard used by Renault, among others.

Accessed by a swipe card, they give clear on-screen instructions and the LEAF’s cable-locking mechanism stops passers-by tampering with the charging while you’re inside having a coffee, which is reassuring.

My inexperience was showing, though.

At 80% charge, the unit drops down to a much slower rate similar to a conventional charging unit. Our car would’ve got there in about 20 minutes from just the quarter charge we arrived with, and the additional 15 minutes we’d spent in the services had added around 9% on top – an uneconomical use of time.

Halfway house...

Leicester Forest services, some 53 miles further south, was our half way stop. The LEAF chimed in to let us know we might not make it, so we set off slowly and kept the

speed down, arriving about an hour later with 19% capacity and a sense that my earlier range anxiety wasn’t really justi ied.

From here, we decided to treat each services as a pit stop. To roll in, leave the car charging to 80% and unplug as soon as it switched down to conventional rates. It turned Leicester Forest into a 23-minute stop – once the rapid charging inished, we’d already packed and were ready to go.

Con ident by now that, regardless of navigation warnings, the distance between each stop was well within the 77 miles offered from an 80% charge.

This is the most ef icient way to use it. The third leg was the route’s lattest and, with con idence improving, we were keeping pace with traf ic and held back only by the blunted performance in Eco mode. Californian electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla measures its charging times in miles per hour, and by that logic Ecotricity was adding around 160 miles per hour plugged in. Slowing to a crawl to save a couple of minutes at

LEAF's navigation can sometimes be over-cautious

Unplugging at 80% charge is the most time-efficient way to top up

34 / fleetworld.co.uk

London still has the UK's most advanced infrastructure

the “pump” is really unnecessary.

Stop three was Newport Pagnell services, by which point we were starting to feel like we were coming close to our destination. Train-related delays at the start, range anxiety on the irst leg of the journey, and the needlessly long stop at Woodall had held us up enough that dusk was descending on Northamptonshire and rush hour traf ic was picking up. An 80% charge arrived in 15 minutes, we unplugged and set off having barely had time to stop for a Starbucks.

As a sign that we were coming close to LEAF territory, Newport Pagnell’s rapid charger was showing data from its last user. From here it’s easy to get into London without an additional stop, provided there’s a charger waiting at home or the office when you arrive. But, with a trip back out to the Fleet World office in St Albans, a ten-minute top-up at the final Ecotricity charger at London Gateway provided a safety net en route

to our end destination in Regents Park.

Inexperience had meant the journey took far longer than it needed to, but it doesn’t take long to realise just how easy it’s now become to do a trip like this. Drivers who spend most of their working life travelling the length of the country will still ind the regular stops are a bind, but for those who use the motorways less regularly it’s not as inconvenient as you might expect.

There are still plenty of incompatibility issues in the UK’s charging infrastructure, a legacy of local schemes, but it’s getting easier. Rapid charging goes a long way towards providing the safety net drivers need if they’re considering an EV as a company car. Like a range-extender, it gives reassurance that – with planning – the car can travel long distances as needed.

With a 125-mile motorway range, a figure which we’re close to, a trip like this would’ve required only one stop. But even now, it could be quicker than taking public transport.

How long should it take?

The LEAF indicated a range of around 77 miles to an 80% charge in Eco mode, or 96 miles at 100% charge. Assuming no traffic jams and the driver sticking to the speed limit, a non-stop trip from Leeds to London should take around three hours and 12 minutes. Most drivers would, however, factor a break into their journey time.

Based on a 100% charge at the start, and assuming the driver treats each service station as a pit stop, leaving when the battery reaches 80% capacity, stopping at all four Welcome Break services will add around 58 minutes to the journey including a couple of minutes to plug in at each stop. This equates to a journey time of four hours and 10 minutes, with breaks taken while the car charges.

fleetworld.co.uk / 35

Built on a lighter, stronger platform the All-New 308 delivers a dynamic, intuitive driving experience and has undergone 4 million km of testing to guarantee long lasting performance. It’s a breakthrough in engineering and technology – and will be a benchmark for modern hatchbacks.

Offi cial EU fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km) and CO 2 emissions (g/km) for the 308 range are: Urban: 35.7 (7.9) to 67.3 (4.2), Extra Urban: 61.4 (4.6) to 85.6 (3.3), Combined: 48.7 (5.8) to 78.5 (3.6). CO 2 134-95. These fi gures have been achieved under offi cial EU test conditions.

They are intended as a guide for comparative purposes only, and may not refl ect actual on-the-road driving conditions. Model shown is a 308 Feline.

NEW PEUGEOT 308

NEW PEUGEOT 308

NOW AVAILABLE TO ORDER

To watch videos and find out more visit business.peugeot.co.uk/new308 or call us for more information on 02476 884 644.

BMW i3 BMW’s first electric vehicle is every bit the game-changer it promised to be, says Alex Grant.

SECTOR Lower medium PRICE £25,680–£28,830 RANGE 80–180 miles CO2 0–13g/km

w

ith that badge on the bonnet, the BMW i3 was due an advantage from its inception. BMW could easily have got away with stuffing an electric motor into a 1 Series, and it still would’ve sold.

But, thankfully, it’s done exactly the opposite.

The i3 is the first of BMW’s new plug-in vehicle subbrand, and not only has it made strides in engineering the car itself, but it’s taken six years studying the reasons why people might dismiss electric vehicle ownership and systematically tried to iron them out.

Top among which is range. The i3 travels a familiarsounding 80-100 miles on a charge and, though pre-launch trials proved this was plenty for most drivers, there’s a range-extended version for those who don’t believe it’s enough. Like the Vauxhall Ampera, this uses an efficient petrol engine to power a generator, which stops the battery running flat and emits a barely audible hum at low speeds.

BMW expects this safety net to make the latter more popular at launch, but with sales swinging back towards the pure EV as drivers get used to the technology. The i3 is offered Manufacturing uses half the energy and 70% less water than with access to 85% of UK public charging points, reaching a conventional model, and the materials used also allow it to be 80% charge in three hours using a 32-Amp charger, or 20 much lighter than its nearest rivals. A pure electric i3 weighs minutes at a DC rapid charger if the car is 30kg less than a MINI Cooper S, or 370kg less equipped with the optional capability. than a Nissan LEAF, while the range-extended FLEET FACT As rapid chargers appear along major model is 370kg lighter than the Vauxhall Ampera. routes, infrequent long-distance travellers In turn, this offers performance and agility BMW is could find there’s no need to opt up to the belied by its egg-shaped back end and skinny range-extender, particularly as the i3 is also tyres. Twist the chunky column-mounted gear predicting 50% offered with short-term access to conventional selector into Drive, and the i3 surges off the line of UK i3s will BMW Group models should the need arise. with ferocity its already impressive on-paper be fleet cars.

The car itself is no less interesting. Beneath figures don’t capture. The combination of its its plastic body panels is a carbon fibre reinrigid bodyshell, wide track and low overhangs forced polymer bodyshell, sat on an aluminium chassis also allow it to change direction with impressive precision, with the battery under the cabin and drivetrain under the without resorting to back-breakingly stiff suspension. boot floor, providing 168bhp to the rear wheels.

Single-pedal driving is odd, though. Most EVs reverse the polarity on the motor under deceleration, regenerating energy and simulating soft engine braking. Lift off the throttle in an i3 and it scrubs off speed so quickly that you often don’t need to touch the brakes at all. Throttle and braking sensitivity can be blunted using the ECO PRO and ECO PRO+ braking modes, which also incrementally increase range by 15%.

Sizing is also deceptive. The i3 has a stubby bonnet and is supermini-sized on the outside. Inside, though, it feels like an airy C-segment hatchback. The bodyshell design removes the need for a B-pillar, so the rear doors are reverse-hinged for easy-ish entry, and while the shallow windows make it a little claustrophobic, there’s plenty of room for adults.

With pricing similar to a 118d M Sport hatch and an ownership experience designed to be as unchallenging as possible, BMW should have no problem finding its 2,000 planned UK i3 owners. This potentially had an easy task on its hands, but by taking the difficult route it’s become a compelling proposition that’s impossible to ignore.

38 / fleetworld.co.uk

what we think highlights The i3’s single trim level is based on a 3 Series SE. The interior, awash with eco-friendly materials, can be chosen in one of four themes.

New navigation system shows range as a polygon, not circles, and will eventually allow charging points and public transport to be booked from the car.

High tech, great to drive and backed by some of the most joined-up thinking to be applied to the sector, the i3 presents a great case for a large percentage of the population to take a fresh look at electromobility. That futuristic styling could divide opinions though.

key fleet model BMW i3 Range Extender

fleetworld.co.uk / 39

Skoda Yeti Skoda's popular crossover gets a subtle midterm refresh. Danny Cobbs investigates.

SECTOR Crossover PRICE £16,600–£27,050 FUEL 36.2–61.4mpg CO2 119–184g/km

F

our years after it was first launched, Skoda has given the Yeti a few midterm revisions. From the early part of 2014, buyers will now have a choice between the standard model and the Yeti Outdoor.

Both models retain the familiar trim levels; S, SE, and Elegance (the flagship L&K trim is reserved for just the Outdoor) but they all receive a new set of square headlights and grille, which brings the Yeti neatly in-line with the rest of the Skoda range. Thereafter, the Yeti Outdoor gets the sort of body paraphernalia more in keeping with its off-roading capabilities – black plastic body protective cladding and slightly different front bumpers. Plus, all versions of the Outdoor are fitted with the all-new, and more efficient, Haldex V all-wheel drive system which is lighter and uses an electric motor to engage the clutch which drives the rear wheels. Towing capacity has been increased too, to 2100kg.

While the Yeti Outdoor will undoubtedly court those wanting all the versatility of a competent soft-roader, the mainstay of the Yeti business remains firmly with those who will never take it further than a supermarket car park. For those then, the standard Yeti does away with the Haldex system, opting instead for just front-wheel drive, powered by the more modest engines in the range.

Apart from a few minor additions, the interior has been left untouched. Air con is now standard across the range,

as is four electric windows and alloy wheels. Irrespective of trim, the rear seating arrangement is arguably one of the most flexible on the market; with the seats folding independently, or can be removed altogether to expand the boot space.

Although the 1.4 TSI has now been dropped, the rest of the engine line-up remains as before; all turbocharged, featuring 1.2 and 1.8 petrols, and 1.6 or 2.0 diesels, the latter in three different power outputs, with the Greenline SE 1.6TDI 105PS expected to be the most favoured by the fleet buyer.

Better yet the Yeti’s unflustered ride and handling hasn’t been compromised with any of these changes, either.

Vauxhall Insignia Country Tourer Dan Gilkes tries Vauxhall’s all-wheel drive lifestyle estate.

SECTOR Upper medium PRICE £25,349–£30,859 FUEL 42.8–50.4mpg CO2 147–174g/km

D

espite the constant growth in the SUV market, Vauxhall has joined Audi, Volvo, Volkswagen and others in offering a 4x4 lifestyle estate. Based on the recently updated Insignia, the Country Tourer has all the usual styling cues, riding 20mm higher than the standard car, with black “self healing” side mouldings emphasising its ability to tackle rough tracks and grassy fields.

Vauxhall is offering the Country Tourer with a choice of single and twin-turbo 2.0-litre diesel engines, delivering 163bhp and 195bhp respectively. The 163bhp engine will

40 / fleetworld.co.uk

be available with a choice of manual and automatic gearboxes, returning 50.4mpg and 147g/km or 44.1mpg and 169g/km, while the higher-powered engine gets an auto box as standard. Vauxhall is considering a two-wheel drive version for emissions conscious fleet buyers.

The electronically controlled adaptive 4x4 drivetrain has a Haldex clutch and an electronic limited slip differential to maintain traction. In the default setting and in Touring mode, 95% of torque is transmitted to the front wheels, though up to 95% can be sent to the rear when required. In Sport mode the split is 70% to the front and 30% rear, rising to 40% front and 60% rear depending on driving conditions and speed.

Equipment levels are high, with bi-xenon headlights and LED daytime lights, front and rear parking sensors, 18” bicolour wheels, a powered tailgate, privacy glass and a new centre console with an 8” touchscreen. Buyers can choose between the IntelliLink R700 infotainment system or the IntelliLink Navi 900, both of which will be able to download additional applications from the GM App Store when it goes live in March 2014.

Bigger than its rivals from Volkswagen and Audi, the Country Tourer undercuts the A4 Allroad by £5,000 and the VW Alltrack by £2,400.

Honda Civic Tourer Danny Cobbs finds out if the new estate was worth the 12 year wait.

SECTOR Lower medium PRICE £20,265–£27,460 FUEL 43.5–74.3mpg CO2 99–149g/km

H

onda hasn’t had a Civic estate since the last model finished production in 2001. So, given that it’s been more than 12 years in the making, you would think that this new one – arriving in February – would be the nearest thing to perfection in its market segment.

And, to a certain extent, it is.

The wheelbase dimensions remain exactly as found on the five-door hatchback, except this time the rear overhang has been increased by 235mm, giving it a huge and versatile cargo area; 624 litres expandable to 1668 litres with the seats folded flat, plus a very useful 117 litres of stowage under the floor.

Honda has also developed a very clever rear adaptive damper system for the Tourer, ADS, which comes as standard in the two higher trim levels; the SR and EX Plus, or as an optional £550 factory fit extra on the SE Plus, but not available on the entry-level S. In essence, the three-choice driving mode ADS – comfort, normal or dynamic – constantly monitors the stress on the rear axle, adjusting the rear suspension by making nanosecond compensations whenever it detects addition lateral or horizontal strain.

What this means, in the real world, is that the Tourer drives and handles with all the confidence of the five-door, irrespective of the size or weight in the cargo hold.

So far, so good. Even better when fitted with the Earth

Dreams Technology 1.6 i-DTEC diesel, capable of returning 74.3mpg while only emitting 99g/km of CO2. There is, however, one fly in this seemingly perfect ointment, and that is the way it looks.

Without doubt, Honda has achieved its goal in delivering a super-efficient Civic estate with a more than useful loading area, but in doing so it has also managed to give it a somewhat clunky and boxy stance. To say it looks ugly would be unfair; ungainly would be a fairer description. And, with a starting price of £20,265, it’s not a particular cheap car, either. Although, with that said, residuals are expected to be high which should mean respectable leasing terms.

Audi A3 Cabriolet Steve Moody comes away highly impressed by Audi’s new soft-top.

SECTOR Small convertible PRICE £25,790-£32,420 FUEL 67.3-48.7mpg CO2 110-133g/km

I

t seems that a lot of employees, when they are given a cash allowance to go and buy a car, end up with a convertible. And if they do, there can be few better choices than the new Audi A3 Cabriolet, which is better than its predecessor in every way, and by some considerable margin too.

In fact, it is so good, it makes you wonder whether it is time that the old fleet adage, that convertibles are nothing but trouble, has run its course.

For a start, it has a considerably bigger and more spacious cabin than the previous car, as well as being around 50kgs

lighter. The roof, which is always a concern for fleets, is made of hard-wearing fabric stretched over a lightweight kinematic mechanism made of magnesium-steel. It opens silently in a little under 18 seconds at speeds of up to 31mph and, when retracted, the top – complete with heated glass rear window – rests in a tray that barely affects luggage capacity, which amounts to 275 litres.

When the roof is up, you would be hard-pressed to notice you were in a soft top, for there is little extra wind noise, and the body, now made of VW Group’s MQB platform is remarkably stiff, meaning no rattles or squeaks.

Engines will include the 1.6 TDI later next year, which in other versions of the A3 already delivers up to 74.3mpg with CO2 emissions of just 99g/km and so will be not far off that figure, while in the Spring the 148bhp 2.0 TDI 148bhp with emissions of 119g/km. There’s also a 1.4 cylinder-ondemand petrol engine that is likely to be the star of the show.

The Cabriolet drives pretty much like any other A3, which means it is easygoing and consistent, looks great (much better than the stunted-looking previous model) and the cabin is of the extremely high quality you would expect of Audi.

So the question is then: is it time to have soft-tops back on your fleet? Perhaps it is, after all. fleetworld.co.uk / 41

SPOTLIGHT Nissan Qashqai

Leading the charge A conservative replacement for a segment-defining car, but with over two million sales under its belt Alex Grant says only minor updates were required for the Nissan Qashqai.

design Practicality and rugged SUV styling were key selling points of the old Qashqai. The new car wears Nissan’s new SUV family front end, with an upmarket clamshell bonnet, optional all-LED exterior lighting and vast improvements to interior aesthetics. It’s also slightly larger in all directions but, using the new Renault-Nissan modular architecture, it’s 4% lighter and the new design reduces aerodynamic drag by 9%.

There won’t be a seven-seat version, though. This accounted for 9,000 orders, roughly a quarter of UK volume, in the old car but Nissan said customers were usually attracted to its larger load space than the extra seats. Boot volume in the new car is exactly half way between the two bodystyles offered before, but flexibility is helped by a higher tailgate opening and removable, reversible boot floor with a stowage space for the parcel shelf and sections which can be fixed upright to hold loads in place.

Those who need seven seats will be directed towards the new X-Trail.

42 / fleetworld.co.uk

FLEET FACT New Qashqai is slightly larger and only available as a 5-seater.

engines The range will comprise two petrol and two diesel engines, shared with Renault, and all are downsized, turbocharged and equipped with start-stop technology. It’s the familiar 110bhp 1.5-litre diesel which is expected to be the volume seller, and with reductions in weight and drag as well as efficiency and refinement improvements to the engine itself, this now returns 74.3mpg and 99g/km – a new segment benchmark.

Front wheel drive accounted for around 90% of sales in the old model, so its availability has been narrowed to a single engine. The 1.6 dCi 130 emits 115g/km CO2 with front wheel drive, or 129g/km with four-wheel drive, and is available with the latest version of Nissan’s XTronic CVT gearbox, now featuring stepped ratios to improve driver appeal. Petrols comprise a 115bhp 1.2 and 150bhp 1.6-litre units, the latter available from Autumn 2014, and, at 129g/km and 132g/km respectively, they’re not far off the previous Qashqai’s diesel models.

ownership costs Nissan sells around 40,000 Qashqais each year in the UK, split equally between fleet and retail, and expects fairly similar demand for the new version, which retains its Golfrivalling pricing and has had a 10 percentage point uplift in residual values, as expected of a new launch.

Bringing the 1.5 dCi 110 under 100g/km is expected to help attract a higher percentage of userchoosers than before, helped by a reduction in Benefit in Kind liability. Nissan has reduced the servicing times to bring SMR costs down by 20-23%, while the full Nissan Safety Shield driver assistance package should cut insurance premiums for models which get it as standard, both contributing to reductions in total ownership costs for fleet operators.

what we think...

Nissan is embarking on a 51-model launch offensive by 2016, aimed at making it the largest Asian carmaker in Europe while growing its share of the fleet market from 3.3% in FY2012 to 4.5% in FY15. Although there’s a conventional C-segment hatch in the pipeline, the Qashqai will play a key role. Nissan GB’s corporate sales director, Barry Beeston, isn’t chasing large volume increases but it remains a backbone of Nissan’s sales and, with reductions in running costs for drivers and fleets, the new model sets new benchmarks in a competitive sector. The lack of a +2 variant does, however, rob the range of a large boot which can also offer the flexibility of seven seats when required. AG

fleetworld.co.uk / 43

SWOTTeam This month the SWOT Team analyses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the new Mazda3 against its closest rivals. Here is what they have to say...

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

MJ Mazda's impressive 150bhp 2.2 diesel returns 72.4mpg with CO2 emissions of just 104g/km – great performance, high economy and low BiK. Distinctive looks follow the KODO design theme of the Mazda6, and it’s well-equipped too.

MJ This is a very different, much stronger, proposition to the previous car, it is essential that Mazda UK and its dealers get that message to potential buyers, although Mazda’s initial volume expectations are quite modest. The 2.2-litre rather than 2.0-litre engine capacity could be an issue for some corporate drivers depending on their fuel reimbursement policy, as HMRC rates are 18p per mile rather than 15p.

MJ Mazda now has three impressive new products that will appeal to both corporate and retail buyers with CX-5 crossover, Mazda6 and new Mazda3. With Mazda2 and Mazda5, this gives them an opportunity to credibly target corporate business, competing in the sub-premium sector.

MJ There are a number of new products arriving in this sector, such as new Peugeot 308, alongside the strong established competitors considered here, so the task will not get easier for Mazda unless brand awareness improves.

AS Arguably now the best looker in the non-premium sector, with big improvements to cabin materials and general fit and finish. SKYACTIV weight saving and technical improvements lowers the CO2 output down to class-leading levels for an engine capacity of this size.

Ride and handling are strong plus points for this car now.

MW Mazda’s new SKYACTIV Technology helps lower its CO2 emissions, improves fuel consumption, and generally makes it very nice to drive.

44 / fleetworld.co.uk

AS The 2.2 diesel engine means this car may not ever feature on some car lists due to fleet policies.

MW Many will be put off by that 2.2-litre engine. They say size doesn't matter, but this larger than normal engine will put many fleet managers off putting them on the choice list.

AS Mazda3 has often been off the radar for many companies and until now users have had little reason to specify one as a car they desire. This should now change. The 2.2 is actually a plus point – because of its size the mpg figures are much more achievable, unlike smaller engines which usually underperform.

MW The Mazda3 has never really been on any lists, and has always been an “also-ran” but now it offers so much more, so should at least reach the allimportant lists.

AS This is the largest corporate sector and is dominated by the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. Small capacity engines also dominate here so – as Honda has experienced recently with the Civic – Mazda really needs a downsized diesel to compete.

MW As always with this group of cars, the expanding miniSUV and Crossover segments will continue to steal customers as drivers want more flexible and practical cars, and these C-sector hatches don't always hit the spot with families.

Martin Ward (MW) Manufacturer Relationship Manager, CAP

Mazda3

Alan Senior (AS) Director, Vehicle Information Publishing

Mark Jowsey (MJ) Commercial Director, KeeResources KwikCarCost

Strengths

MJ Performance and economy, low BiK, high equipment levels.

AS The best looking car in its segment?

MW SKYACTIV Technology means it’s great to drive, with low CO2 emissions.

MJ Brand awareness is still an issue for Mazda, new rival products are incoming.

AS Small capacity engines dominate this sector, Mazda needs one to compete.

MW Many will be put off by that 2.2-litre engine. Crossovers offer more versatility.

Strengths

Ford Focus Zetec S 2.0 TDCi

MJ Sector leader by a big margin and the UK No.2 best-seller with many happy drivers .

AS Strong fleet appeal, predictable RVs. MW The master in this class, and every fleet’s favourite.

MJ Cannot compete on MPG and CO2 here. Small boot, fussy rear styling not to everyone’s taste.

AS High volumes out there.

MW Higher than average CO2 figures.

Strengths

Vauxhall Astra Tech Line GT 2.0 CDTi 165PS

MJ Frequently underestimated – a competent product and well priced.

AS A safe choice, used buyers like them.

MW The Astra looks good, and will get onto lists simply because of its lower price.

Standard equipment: • DAB Radio/CD player • USB and auxiliary inputs • Manual air conditioning • Electric windows (front) • 17-inch alloy wheels Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £525 • Satellite navigation £750 • Cruise control £250 • Parking sensors, park assist £675 • Auto brake, lane, signs and fatigue alert £550

MJ Badge snobs will ignore this car.

Complicated range line-up. Slipping behind a bit on CO2 & MPG. AS Workaday image.

MW The Astra suffers with higher than average CO2 figures.

OTR: £20,755 P11D: £20,700 Fuel: 61.4mpg CO2: 123g/km RV*: £6,400 (31%) BiK: 19% SMR: £2,065 Fuel costs: £6,273 Insurance: £3,210 Finance: £2,795 NI: £1,743 VED: £210 Cost per month: £851

Strengths

Volkswagen Golf GT 2.0 TDi

Weaknesses

Volkswagen Golf

Standard equipment: • Radio/CD player • Satellite navigation • Bluetooth, 2xUSB and aux inputs • Cruise control • Dual-zone climate control • Electric windows (front and rear) • Parking sensors (front and rear) • 18-inch alloy wheels • Auto braking Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £530

OTR: £21,145 P11D: £21,090 Fuel: 57.7mpg CO2: 124g/km RV*: £6,750 (32%) BiK: 19% SMR: £2,073 Fuel costs: £6,534 Insurance: £3,210 Finance: £2,847 NI: £1,775 VED: £210 Cost per month: £862

Weaknesses

Vauxhall Astra

Mazda3 2.2D Sport Nav OTR: £22,145 P11D: £21,090 Fuel: 72.4mpg CO2: 107g/km RV*: £7,350 (33%) BiK: 16% SMR: £2,493 Fuel costs: £5,472 Insurance: £3,675 Finance: £2,982 NI: £1,585 VED: £40 Cost per month: £862

Weaknesses

Ford Focus

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

MJ An all-round class act, which sells nearly as many as Astra in UK. AS Strong image – drivers love them.

MW A superb car to drive, it does absolutely everything right. Everything a fleet driver wants in a C-sector hatch.

Weaknesses

MJ Comparatively high pricing means it may get excluded from choice lists.

AS Discounts are not competitive.

MW The Golf, as good as it is, suffers due to the high price.

OTR: £23,955 P11D: £23,900 Fuel: 68.9mpg CO2: 106g/km RV*: £8,950 (37%) BiK: 16% SMR: £1,859 Fuel costs: £5,472 Insurance: £3,000 Finance: £3,226 NI: £1,715 VED: £40 Cost per month: £842

Standard equipment: • DAB Radio/CD player • Satellite navigation • Bluetooth, USB and aux inputs • Cruise control • Manual air conditioning • Electric windows (front) • 18-inch alloy wheels Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £525 • Automatic lights, wipers, dimming mirror £230...plus • Auto brake, lane warnings £750

Standard equipment: • DAB Radio/CD player • Satellite navigation • Bluetooth, USB, SD and aux • Adaptive cruise control • Manual air conditioning • Electric windows front and rear • Parking sensors front and rear • 17-inch alloy wheels • Auto brake, fatigue and sign alerts Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £535

* 3yr/60k ** Andy Cutler is away this month.

fleetworld.co.uk / 45

flashback a look back at the company cars of yesteryear

model BMW 3 Series (E30) era 1982-1994 UK sales 220,000 successor 3 Series E36

B

MW’s compact executive sports saloon formula had already been laid out by the time the secondgeneration 3 Series launched in 1982. The E21 3 Series and 2002, which preceded it, had defined a segment, and the E30 3 Series broadened its appeal with the widest ever choice of engines and body styles.

While the E21 had arrived in an era of fuel crises and economic unrest, the E30 couldn’t have been better timed. Launched to a decade of financial prosperity and yuppie culture, the 3 Series became an instant status symbol renowned for its driving dynamics and quality as the British brands ebbed in popularity. So instant was its popularity that, in its first full year of production, BMW’s Munich plant upped volumes to 1,200 units per day – a 50% increase.

Engines at launch comprised inline four and six-cylinder units, from the entry-level 316 with 89bhp to the still sought-after 169bhp 325i, but it was the mid-spec 318i and 320i, with 101bhp and 125bhp, which accounted for the largest share of UK sales. The E30 was also the first 3 Series available with a diesel engine and four-wheel drive, though neither was sold in the UK. Most of the range is familiar though. The E21 had been available as a two-door coupe or cabriolet, but the E30 grew to include a more practical four-door saloon shortly after launch, followed by the versatile Touring as part of its 1987 refresh. This allowed it to compete with Audi’s lifestyle estates, and to offer a body style Mercedes-Benz couldn’t rival with its “baby Benz” 190.

46 / fleetworld.co.uk

At the very top of the range, the E30 marked the introduction of BMW’s first ever M3, serving as a halo for a model range with driver appeal at its core. Developed as a roadgoing homologation car for the DTM race series in Germany, the box-arched performance car was available only in left-hand drive and powered by a high-revving 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine producing 200bhp.

While the M3 dominated on track, its production counterpart was subject to several sales extensions and numerous special editions in line with its unexpected popularity, lifting power to 238bhp for the most potent models. A small run of 800 M3 Cabriolets were also hand-built, albeit at a substantial price mark-up over the saloon.

The E30 was ahead of the curve when it came to sports styling. M Technic body and interior upgrades – larger bumpers and a sports interior – were available on the 325i, and in 1989 the company introduced a performance-tuned 318iS as an affordable alternative to the M3. This used a new 136bhp 16-valve engine, in line with the latest crop of hot hatches, with chassis and styling upgrades to match.

Sales of the saloon and coupe finished in 1992, but the Touring continued on sale until it was replaced in 1994. The new E36 3 Series continued the trend which would eventually make the model one of the UK’s topten biggest selling cars, and a compact executive formula which remains the segment benchmark.

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FEATURE All-Terrain Vehicles

terra forming Danny Cobbs investigates the increasing role of ATVs in some business and public service fleets.

U

nless you were looking for it, you could easily drive past Buntingford Police Station. It’s an anonymous looking building which, until the 1970s was a police house, home to the local community officer. However, within the walls of this converted 3-bed semi is where the long-term serving sergeant, Duncan Wallace, first hatched his plan two-years ago to use ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) within his rural East Hertfordshire beat.

The correlation between ATVs and leet cars, especially police vehicles, may, at best, seem tenuous. Nonetheless, they are gradually being adopted – and not just by

the police – by those who can see the many virtues they have to offer. To begin with, their initial purchase price can be a fraction of what a 4x4 would cost. Also, because they are basically a four-wheel drive motorbike, they need a lot less maintenance too.

There are two distinct types of ATVs; single-rider use and the increasingly popular side-x-side, which can seat up to six and is a lot more lexible in its application. Phillip Crabtree of ATV World, Yorkshire, one of the UKs largest specialist dealers explains further: ‘This year, we have seen an increase of over 24% in sales of side-x-sides. This can be attributed to

the fact they deliver the same goanywhere ability as a more conventional ATV, but because they have weather protection and a generous payload area, and the price difference can be as little as £1500, our customers can instantly see the bene its.’

Although the market does offer less expensive Chinese imports, Crabtree would recommend buying an ATV from a more established manufacturer. ‘The 200cc Polaris Phoenix is a good starting point,’ he tells me, ‘For £3,800+VAT it is a good entry-level machine, although it is possible to spend upwards of £12,000 for something more powerful.’ There is a

‘An ATV can cost a fraction of the price of a 4x4, and in some cases do the same job.’

Off-road capabilities ATVs allow access to locations that would normally need a 4x4 to reach.

48 / fleetworld.co.uk

caveat to the pricing though; if it’s destined for road-use, it will need an SVA (Single Vehicle Approval), and this will cost an additional £1000 on top of the original purchase price.

Once it does have an SVA it can be used by anyone with a full driving licence (obviously, there’s no restrictions on private land), but training is highly recommended, as is a crash helmet and safety gear. As for driving it, in most cases it’s just a matter of choosing either the high or low gearing, and then, thereafter, it’s as simple to drive as an automatic car.

Anyway, back to Duncan Wallace and his story. ‘Rising commodity prices and the relative ease of access meant farms have always been seen as rich and easy pickings,’ explains Wallace. With 22 years of service under his belt, and an inherent love of the countryside (his family have worked the land for generations), he sought approval from his superiors to approach Honda, the ATV market leaders, to help ind a solution to combat crimes in more rural areas. Honda agreed to pilot a scheme where they would sponsor an ATV. Now, two years on, and with the ATV proving itself on countless other occasions, the East Herts Police force had little compunction in recently adding a further three ATVs to their leet. ‘The ATV gives us a much wider visual presence, which has always proved to be one of the best deterrents the police have in their armoury,’ says Wallace. ‘Plus, with budgetary constraints being put upon us, the ATV also makes a huge amount of iscal sense. On average, it costs the force £870 per month to keep one of our 4x4s on the road, while the ATV is working out at just £109. And, because it is much lighter, with a smaller footprint than a more conventional off-roader, it causes a lot less crop damage.’

The ATV has been successful in other areas of policing too. It was deployed during the Olympics, to patrol the perimeter fencing of the Lea Valley White Water Centre and, on another occasion, when an ambulance crew struggled to reach an injured patient its towing trailer was

converted into a makeshift stretcher, which negated the need to scramble the air ambulance.

But it’s not just the emergency services that can see that ATVs are more than merely agriculture machines. Marks and Spencer use the diesel-powered Polaris Rangers in their dispatch centres, while energy companies are exploiting the ATVs’ off-roading capabilities for crucial maintenance work in extreme places where it would normally need a 4x4 to reach or, in some cases, a helicopter. And because they are so versatile, local councils have also bought into the idea of ATVs, adapting them into low-cost mini snowploughs and salt spreaders.

The main downside to any ATV is that they don’t offer the same degree of passenger safety as a more straightforward 4x4.

However, this needn’t, or shouldn’t, become a deal-breaker. With specialised training and when used in the correct manner, given that many will hardly ever venture for too long onto the main highway, an ATV still remains a very credible consideration for the canny fleet buyer.

ATVs at a glance All-terrain vehicles, or quad bikes, generally have four wheels with low pressure tyres.

Designed to handle a wider variety of terrain than most other vehicles, they are often road legal.

Bigger utility versions can reach speeds of 70mph.

Wide-ranging possibilities ATVs, such as the Polaris Ranger, are used at Marks and Spencer dispatch centres.

fleetworld.co.uk / 49

INTERVIEW Gerry Keaney, BVRLA

Fleet and its role in UK PLC Gerry Keaney reflects on his first year as chief executive of the BVRLA, and the challenges ahead. By Steve Moody.

G

erry Keaney has been surprised. In his first year as chief executive of the BVRLA he’s been able to tour the fleet industry and what he has found is a sector very much on the up. But he has also been surprised by the level of understanding outside of the leasing business about just what it brings to UK PLC, and he’s on a mission to change that.

‘When you’re inside the leasing and vehicle rental business, you know what you are doing and how you do it, but when you sit down in front of Government officials as we have, you quite often end up having some very interesting discussions on some fairly basic stuff, on things such as how do you set lease rates and RVs,’ he says. ‘These are not stupid people, and they have a conceptual understanding, but when you talk practically, it really is quite illuminating.

‘I’ve found the association to be very well established and well-run and my predecessor John Lewis did an incredible job establishing the credentials of the BVRLA. So we now have a good understanding of the people in Government we need to speak to and what departments they are in, but we need to continue that work and sometimes in a different way.

‘For example, we want to work more closely with our members in terms of utilising them for our discussions with Government. The whole issue of taxation and vehicle leasing is a mess. It’s completely confused: disadvantaging, disallowing and discriminating against leasing companies by not allowing them to claim capital allowances on low emission vehicles in the last Budget was a complete mistake.

‘The good news is we have got a very good dialogue going with HMRC, which we want to extend to the Treasury, about what should a new regime for the tax on leases look like. It’s at the early stages, but we as a trade association know who we should speak to and can get them round the table, but then we want our members directly in those meetings with the likes of HMRC and DfT so they can explain about what those policies means for their business. It makes more impact if we’ve got somebody round the table who has a fleet of 135,0000 and employs 500 people.’

On shorter term strategies, Keaney sees huge potential for growth in the sector, because he believes that post-recession there is a change in the way businesses are approaching funding and cashflow.

‘Our members are very active in the SME market and that sector is also increasingly receptive to the offers our members have, as we are seen as being a critical part of the funding equation.

‘I think what’s clear is that having come out of the reces-

50 / fleetworld.co.uk

sion there’s a corporate mindset that you want to maintain as much flexibility in your funding structure. That’s come about because if you have had difficulty with finance during the recession you’re never going to forget that experience, and even the ones that have cash in the bank are going to think they want to keep it there for flexibility, strategy or peace of mind. And so they are seeing fleet funding and leasing as being that incremental source of finance in a way they didn’t do so before.

‘And for us that incremental area is very important. We need to get the message across because when we’re talking to Government, for example about the role vehicle leasing can play, part of my discussion with them has been that if an SME can’t access vehicles through leasing the likelihood is they just don’t fund a vehicle, and that means they don’t take on another technician, or an engineer, and that job is not created.’

Keaney says that within Government there was an assumption that if it’s not leased it will be bought for cash or some other form of finance, but he claims the reality now is that is just not the case. He sees more evidence of leasing being used as an incremental source of finance - directly related to the growth of business.

‘That’s where our members have been active in communicating that message of how leasing can fund the expansion of the SME sector in this country. We need to continue to have that dialogue with the Government, because one of the issues we are working on is how little understanding there is outside of the sector of what the sector does and how it does it,’ he adds.

‘When you see the importance of the fleet leasing market, generating £15billion in terms of GDP, employing directly 38,000 people and supporting nearly 100,000 more outside the sector, for me, having come in, it’s been a surprise to see the lack of understanding of the sector.

‘Similarly it is not understood that, of UK-built cars, our members buy 80% of them, so when you are talking about a UK PLC agenda for car manufacturing, which is rightly perceived to be one of the successes, you can’t talk about that without talking about who buys and uses those cars – and it’s our members.

‘We are buying over a million cars a year and the sheer numbers in terms of capacity it is tremendous. And so those kinds of messages about how we do it, why we do it, we can’t say too often and too loudly because fleet is so important for British business.’

‘We need to get across to Government the role vehicle leasing can play in the growth of UK PLC.’

fleetworld.co.uk / 51

MARKET OVERVIEW Fleet Management Software

Bynx

Civica UK Ltd

Bynx is a market-leading developer of software solutions for vehicle management. bynxFLEET enables vehicle leasing, fleet management and rental operators to control the lifecycle of vehicles and manage drivers, cost-effectively.

Customers are able to retain asset value, engage with stakeholders online and better utilise vehicles. bynxFLEET provides a platform and all the tools and applications required to run every aspect of a vehicle business – whether the fleet is owned or managed on someone else’s behalf. The product utilises functionality to automate and streamline contract processing and enables greater productivity, efficiency and utilisation. bynxNET improves the user experience and communication between dealers, customers, suppliers and drivers.

Civica’s Tranman fleet software helps you to control costs, manage compliance and improve operational efficiency.

With a track record of over 25 years in the sector, the Tranman software is proven to enable fleet managers to achieve cost and utilisation savings through improved management information and analysis. The resulting benefits include; reduced fleet and whole life operating costs, improved accident and risk management, better control over fuel usage, increased workshop productivity, minimised vehicle downtime and reduced stock holding.

Tranman customers save money, find out how.

Contact: Gary Jefferies sales @bynx.com

Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

Chevin Fleet Solutions Chevin is an award winning global provider of flexible, fleet management systems. Chevin works closely with organisations, regardless of size, sector or fleet complexity, to reduce waste, streamline processes and optimise management of fleet assets.

Chevin offers two comprehensive software offerings: RoadBASE – a robust desktop-based application designed enhance efficiencies for medium-scale fleet operations; and FleetWave – the world’s first web-based fleet management system, designed for larger, geographically dispersed fleets.

With offices in the UK, Europe, The US and Australia – and with customers in over 100 countries – Chevin has been in business for more than two decades and is a trusted and experienced supplier to over 300 organisations.

Contact: Joanne Barwell joanne.barwell@chevinfleet.com www.chevinfleet.com

Tel: 01773 821992

Drive Software Solutions Limited DRIVE Fleet Management and Leasing software is a single generic product applicable to vehicle management requirements worldwide and which represents over 150 man-years of development by our software experts.

DRIVE is a proven product our policy of continuous product enhancements and DRIVE’s modular structure enables it to be configured to meet the precise and unique needs of each of our clients. This has been enhanced with our managed service host offering DRIVE-Direct.

DRIVE is used throughout the world by leading vehicle leasing companies, major vehicle manufacturers, and other operators of large fleets to whom we continue to provide additional services and on-going 24/7 support.

Contact: Simon West-Oliver Tel: +44 (0)1438 317731 simon.west-oliver@drivesoftwaresolutions.com www.drivesoftwaresolutions.com

52 / fleetworld.co.uk

Contact: Jonathan Roberts jonathan.roberts@civica.co.uk www.civica.co.uk/tranman

Tel: 01454 874002

Mycompanyfleet Mycompanyfleet specialises in delivering appropriate scalable solutions to companies operating in the fleet and automotive industry. From supply chain management to leasing, from fleet management to service delivery and CRM, in multiple languages, we have a range of solutions that can be configured to meet every conceivable corporate requirement.

Contact: Jon Tandy jon.tandy@ngahr.com

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

Sofico Sofico is an international fleet software provider with 25 years of experience in the industry with a solid reputation in the market due to our extensive know-how.

Sofico stands for innovation and technological leadership. Through continuous strategic investment, our software solution, Miles, always evolves with the market – both in terms of technology and functionality. Sofico employs 125 people across its four offices in Belgium, UK, Sydney and Tokyo and has customers in 16 countries.

Our systems help manage over 1 million vehicles worldwide.

Contact: Roger Smith roger.smith@sofico.be

Tel: 07815 601622 www.soficoservices.com

Teletrac, a Trafficmaster Company Teletrac’s Fleet Director® is the most advanced and interactive fleet automation software on the market, equipped with easyto-use navigation and safety capabilities. With innovative features that include on-board navigation, lane guidance and twoway messaging, it is the premier software for fleet tracking intelligence. Tracking more than 250,000 vehicles globally, Teletrac saves fleet owners time and money while reducing their carbon footprint. Teletrac customers report up to 30% lower fuel usage, an average of 15% less driver overtime, 12% higher productivity and less unauthorised vehicle use.

Contact: Mark O’Neill fleetsales@teletrac.co.uk

Tel: 0845 604 8813 www.teletrac.co.uk

Do you provide a fully hosted software service?

Is your system suitable for multiple-user networking?

Do you provide on-line P11D submissions to HMRC?

Does your system permit electronic download of data from suppliers?

Does your fleet software provide electronic supplier invoice reconciliation?

Does your system include a vehicle order tracking function?

Does your fleet software provide on-line grey fleet management?

Does your system include a fuel management module?

Does your system allow users to design their own reports?

Does your system use exception reporting?

Does your system integrate with external telematics systems?

Does your fleet software provide a driver vehicle selector based upon allowance?

FLEETW RLD

Bynx

-

Chevin Fleet Solutions

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Civica UK Ltd

Provided, but not online

Drive Software Solutions Limited

Jaama

Mycompanyfleet

Sofico

Teletrac

-

-

-

-

White Clarke Group

Key to services

Service provided

-

Service unavailable

Jaama

White Clarke Group

Jaama’s market leading, multi award winning Key2 system is a totally integrated vehicle, asset and driver management solution covering everything from owning to disposing of vehicles, plant and asset related equipment. Recent enhancements include: EDS – a repository for fleet information allowing drivers (company car and grey fleet) to submit expense claims on-line and keep personal and vehicle data up to date as well as reducing administration for fleet managers and providing a fully auditable duty of care trail. Jaama continue to invest heavily to ensure the world’s only web based fleet system to use next generation .Net Microsoft ‘Smart Client’ technology – Key2 – remains visibly and functionally years ahead of the market. Designed for all fleet sizes and budgets, Jaama links users live to data providers, customers, suppliers, vehicle telematics and the DVLA.

White Clarke Group – The largest Motor Finance Technology supplier in Europe.

We help companies in the fleet and contract hire sector to streamline business practice, reduce operational cost and deliver outstanding customer service.

CALMS2, our award winning software solution is adding value around the globe.

CALMS2 – Fleet, leasing and contract management solution: A unique multi-channel platform, covering both fleet and retail business. The only truly 100% web-based solution available from any supplier – covering a wide range of fleet businesses, from one to two vehicle operations to large corporate fleets.

• Agile end-to-end multi-channel technology platform • Greater operational efficiency and cost reduction • Multi-country platform • Instant decisioning and instant take-on in an easy-to-use seamless environment • Self-serve capabilities

Contact: Jon Davis enquiries@jaama.co.uk

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

Contact: Brendan Gleeson bgleeson@whiteclarkegroup.com www.whiteclarkegroup.com

Tel: 01908 576 608

fleetworld.co.uk / 53

MANAGEMENT Fleet Academy

Join the Moving forward on parking prangs Natalie Middleton, Associate 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 discussion topics.

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 54 / fleetworld.co.uk

As part of Road Safety Week, airport parking specialist, Purple Parking, surveyed over 2,800 British drivers of whom 51% admitted to irresponsible actions when parking, including damaging vehicles (either their own or another person’s), damaging public or private property, getting involved in an argument or leaving the scene of a parking incident without leaving details.

Yet, having seen a 53-plate Peugeot Boxer earlier in great condition but with both tail-lights smashed, I’m left less shocked by the above research and more as to why private drivers and fleets don’t take more care on the issue of parking prangs.

Research released last year by Accident Exchange says that every year there are approximately 125,000 general car park incidents, costing UK drivers £175m each year in vehicle damage.

The average cost for car body and mechanical repairs resulting from car park collisions is £1,428.

The majority of incidents are caused by low speed manoeuvres in relatively cramped car parks, with damage ranging from front and rear-end collisions to bumps to doors, buckled wheels and burst tyres.

It’s something that the driver training firms are well aware of, with some offering targeted training to help slash the accident rates.

Meanwhile OEM or after-fit reversing sensors also offer a quick – and often far more cost-effective – solution to parking prangs.

For fleets, such solutions are surely a no-brainer. And for the drivers, it’s got to be far better than doing a runner…

Is Boris’s latest idea a hot potato?

Steve Moody, Editor, Fleet World Group The Mayor of London has given the green light to a pilot scheme to run London buses on chip fat. Under the scheme, over 120 buses on 10 routes are now being run on a 20% biodiesel blend made from used chip fat and other food waste. And the pilot scheme could be rolled out across the whole of TfL’s bus fleet in the future.

The scheme has drawn some criticism for being a gimmick, due to the fact that although biofuels cut CO2 emissions, they do not reduce deadly particulates. In addition, TfL is already

in association with

debate...

Andrew Houston, Head of ICT and Fleet, Altro Limited, replied...

Parking prangs are very numerous and a costly part of our own fleet’s incidents. Damage is often inflicted when “driver not present” and nothing seems to be able to be done to catch the perpetrators. The only good side to it is that road accidents are mercifully very low in comparison, but maybe we have a very careful bunch of drivers (training has helped in this respect). All our new contract hired vehicles are fitted with at least rear acoustic parking sensors if not included in the base specification and although it’s too early to say for sure, I believe they are making a difference already.

Paul Holmes, Strategic Account Director, Risk, FMG, replied...

I could not agree more that car parks and parking related incidents in general do result in avoidable vehicle damage, cost and downtime. As with most things, there are many factors in play here and if you are going to address this area of concern you will need to consider various areas for review. Key areas for review for me, would be: 1. Do you have a driver “excess policy” that is driving the wrong accident reporting behaviour?

2. Are your drivers trained to park safely and correctly?

3. Do you offer advice around safe places to park?

4. If you have a car park, is the layout the best?

5. Do you promote reverse parking?

6. Does your vehicle specification warrant parking aids?

This list is not exhaustive, but if the above were considered and adopted the chances are you will see a reduction in your parking related incidents. testing four electric buses that offer zero emission running.

However, as stressed by the Mayor of London’s press office, this latest scheme is a cost-effective way to reduce CO2 emissions in the city with no mechanical changes required to the buses.

Surely this is a parallel situation to that of the new car market, where although EVs are increasingly available, their costs and limitations mean that they’re still not suitable for all uses and many carmakers – in particular Mazda – are instead still looking to improve efficiencies from existing ICE engines.

And who knows? Maybe the new chip fat buses will also drive up fish and chip sales too…

Will motor manufacturing suffer if the UK withdraws from the EU? John Kendall, International Fleet World Editor, Fleet World Group It was only a matter of time before a motor manufacturer waded into the UK EU membership debate and Renault/Nissan boss, Carlos Ghosn’s, recent comments about reviewing investment in the UK if the country pulls out of the EU need to be given some thought.

Besides the Nissan plant in Sunderland, there’s a long list of overseas-owned motor manufacturers active in the UK. These include: Ford, Mercedes-Benz (F1), Geely (London Cabs), BMW (MINI and Rolls-Royce), Honda and the Volkswagen Group (Bentley).

Between them, these companies produce complete vehicles and engines. They also employ thousands of people, while thousands more are employed in the supply chain, design and testing. The plants are here because they deliver the goods at the right price and quality and because the UK’s EU membership gives access to 27 markets across Europe.

Exports also go beyond the EU borders.

It’s time the EU debate rose above the level of UK contributions and square bananas and considered the bigger picture.

Perhaps Ghosn’s comments have done that?

Rob Chisholm, MD, Applewood Vehicle Finance Ltd, replied...

Why would a company such as Nissan/Renault want to get rid of one of the most cost efficient plants they have anywhere in the world?

Somewhere in the bottom of many drawers in Westminster there are trade agreements just needing to have the dust blown off them. Trust me, a lack of a current trade agreement will not prevent the likes of VW Group, BMW or Mercedes continuing to sell us their cars... and what’s good for the goose...

And do you honestly think that India and China will want to stop producing goods for the likes of Tesco et al?

Oh, and you missed off your list the largest British owned vehicle manufacturer of the lot – Triumph Motorcycles of Hinckley. There are going to be some seriously annoyed bikers in North America, Japan and Australasia if they can’t get their hands on their beloved twins and triples.

fleetworld.co.uk / 55

FEATURE Taxation & Funding

Part two

Taxing issues Professor Colin Tourick delves deeper into the world of tax.

Last month we looked at the corporation and income tax rules covering lease rentals and maintenance and the VAT rules surrounding mileage allowance payments. This month we will look at the VAT rules relating to business motoring expenses, fuel, and inance payments.

If your business incurs VAT on vehicle running costs this is fully recoverable even if the driver uses the vehicle for private mileage.

If you reimburse your employees for the cost of fuel or other motoring expenses, you can recover the VAT so long as you don’t reimburse them more than the actual business-related expenditure they incurred. If they don’t buy the fuel using a fuel card, debit card or credit card provided by their employer – i.e. cards that create a direct contractual relationship between the employer and the supplier – you will need to retain invoices or receipts covering the cost of all of the fuel that has been bought for business purposes.

There will often be a mismatch between the business fuel reimbursement claimed by an employee in one month and the actual petrol receipts for that month, because, for example, the driver may have filled up the tank just before the month end. HMRC accepts this but they expect reimbursement claims to be supported by receipts that are dated before the business miles were actually driven.

If your business pays for fuel you can recover the input VAT in full but if there is any private use you can only recover the business proportion of the total input VAT you pay.

56 / fleetworld.co.uk

CO2 band g/km

VAT fuel scale charge, 3 month period

VAT on 3 month charge

VAT exclusive 3 month charge

120 or less

£168.00

£28.00

£140.00

125

£253.00

£42.17

£210.83

130

£269.00

£44.83

£224.17

135

£286.00

£47.67

£238.33

140

£303.00

£50.50

£252.50

145

£320.00

£53.33

£266.67

150

£337.00

£56.17

£280.83

155

£354.00

£59.00

£295.00

160

£371.00

£61.83

£309.17

165

£388.00

£64.67

£323.33

170

£404.00

£67.33

£336.67

175

£421.00

£70.17

£350.83

180

£438.00

£73.00

£365.00

185

£455.00

£75.83

£379.17

190

£472.00

£78.67

£393.33

195

£489.00

£81.50

£407.50

200

£506.00

£84.33

£421.67

205

£523.00

£87.17

£435.83

210

£539.00

£89.83

£449.17

215

£556.00

£92.67

£463.33

220

£573.00

£95.50

£477.50

225 or more

£590.00

£98.33

£491.67

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

To calculate the amount of recoverable input tax you could keep detailed records of the business and private mileage driven, calculate the percentage of business mileage and recover that proportion of the total input tax you have paid on the fuel.

Alternatively, if you prefer, you may recover all of the input tax and account to HMRC for output VAT on the fuel as if it was being sold to the employee.

Rather than perform any complex calculations splitting the total mileage between business and private, this charge is based on a scale related to the vehicle’s CO 2 emissions. The charge should be included in your VAT return.

In the table on the left are the quarterly scale charge rates from 1 May 2013.

You should choose the appropriate charge by rounding down the CO 2 of your vehicle to the nearest 5g/km.

Dual fuel vehicles that can operate on, for example, LPG and petrol, have two published CO2 emission figures. In this case you can use the lower one.

If you submit your VAT returns

If your business incurs VAT on vehicle running costs this is fully recoverable even if the driver uses the vehicle for private mileage.

monthly or annually you need to use a different VAT scale and you can find these on the HMRC website.

If all of the fuel bought for a car has been used for business purposes the scale charge will not apply.

Fuel is usually a general overhead cost of the business, so if your business is “partially exempt” you will only be able to recover a proportion of the input VAT you pay on fuel. However, the full scale charge (and output tax thereon) is still payable. Any irrecoverable element of the VAT incurred on fuel will be a cost to the business.

As long as the VAT scale charges are applied you can recover 100% of the VAT paid on the purchase of vehicle fuel, without adjusting for any private use (subject to the partial exemption comments above).

Even though the scale charge simpli ies the VAT calculation you still have to record the details of the cars for which any free or cheap fuel has been supplied, the CO2 emissions of those cars and the type of fuel they use (petrol, diesel, etc).

VAT ON FINANCE PAYMENTS No VAT is charged on hire purchase, lease purchase, contract purchase or conditional sale instalment payments.

This is because the “supply” of the vehicle for VAT purposes for this type of agreement occurs when the contract is entered into, rather than during the course of the agreement.

The supplier will issue a VAT invoice at the start of the agreement to account for output tax on the whole value of the goods. The purchaser recovers the VAT on this invoice (subject to any partial exemption considerations), rather than during the life of the agreement.

All VAT-registered lessors have to charge output VAT on their lease rentals and have to show whether the car is “VAT qualifying”. This applies to all types of lease, including finance lease, contract hire, operating lease and personal contract hire agreements.

You can fully recover input VAT on car lease rentals so long as there is no private use at all. Otherwise you can recover only 50% of the VAT on the rental.

fleetworld.co.uk / 57

our fleet Skoda Octavia Estate 2.0 TDI 150PS DSG SE

IT may not be a vRS but our Skoda Octavia is proving a welcome upgrade from some of the smaller-sized engines in many of the fleet models I’ve had lately. Quite

frankly it’s nice to have something with some welly behind it to remind me driving can be fun as well as functional.

And I’m very happy with the six-speed dual-clutch DSG auto. Aside from a slight hesitation when pulling off from standing, it’s actually very quick in shifting and, to be truthful, I’ve given up any notion of using the manual option or even the “S” mode as I’m getting quite lazy…

If there’s a downside, it’s the suspension, which is on the firm side and gives a slightly choppy ride over the increasingly ubiquitous imperfections of the UK’s roads.

In general, it’s comfortable enough though.

Of course the downside of having a large, more capable unit is the economy.

Figures of 119g/km and 62.8mpg are not to be sniffed at but, with my habit of paying more attention to the clock than my right foot, I’m actually achieving around 47.6mpg on predominantly motorway runs and 41.1mpg to date.

That said, I think the 2.0-litre is a good allround option for drivers looking for a “best of both worlds” approach to performance and economy.

Natalie Middleton

Kia cee’d SW 4 1.6 CRDi EcoDynamics OUR Kia Sport Wagon has something of the time travelling time lord’s conveyance about it, feeling far larger inside than out. As with all things automotive, the compact estate has been growing over the last few years and as I discovered recently, it is quite possible to carry five adults in reasonable comfort in the Kia without me having to slide forward the driver’s seat to accommodate rear passenger legs.

Despite that, the cee’d retains a usefully spacious luggage compartment, complete with adjustable load restraint system and bungee nets. Okay, it isn’t going to haul wardrobes like an aging Volvo 850, but conversely it is an easy car to use in urban traffic and a doddle to park at the supermarket, with rear sensors and a full colour camera helping to place the car within the white lines.

Having five on board did show up the 1.6-litre diesel’s slight dearth of pulling power

58 / fleetworld.co.uk

though. Its 126bhp and 191lb.ft of torque are more than enough for everyday travel, whisking you happily along with motorway traffic or cruising silently at low revs. Throw in over 400kg of adults though and it definitely blunts the available performance.

The move from estate cars to SUVs shows little sign of letting up, indeed manufacturers are rushing headlong to produce soft-roaders in every possible size and shape to suit demand.

The compact Kia proves that many of those drivers may well be missing a trick though, offering just as much carrying capacity with better fuel consumption and a good dose of comfort.

Talking of which, the combination of a heated steering wheel and heated seats, has made the Kia the first choice for early starts as we head towards winter. It’s as popular on the school run as it is on the way to the office.

Dan Gilkes

the figures OTR PRICE £22,895 POWER 126bhp @ 4,000rpm TORQUE 191lb.ft @ 1,900–2,750rpm 0-62mph 10.8 seconds TOP SPEED 120mph COMBINED MPG 64.2mpg CO2 116g/km (18% BiK)

Peugeot 2008 Feline 1.6 e-HDi 92

Ford Transit Custom 2.2 TDCi ECONetic VANS are a rare part of my motoring diet, and it’s always interesting to see how commercial vehicles are progressing in line with modern cars – particularly when said van is the ubiquitous Ford Transit.

A car-like drive has always been the Transit’s forte, and that’s unchanged. It feels almost as modern as any Ford car inside, complete with sat nav and a smartphone charging cable hidden under the instrument binnacle lid.

Start-stop has a car-like familiarity, and the 70mph speed limiter (which can be deactivated) boosts motorway efficiency. The only surprise is air conditioning – surprisingly still unusual on vans and an option on all except Sport and Limited versions.

Alex Grant

Hyundai i30 Tourer 1.6 CRDi Style Blue Drive AS the weather turns, I’ve decided I would cautiously describe myself as an SUV person. Perhaps it’s the raised ride height, or the styling, I’m not sure, but if it came down to a choice between a crossover such as the ix35 and a compact estate such as the i30 I’d be tempted towards the larger model.

This said, I’m regularly surprised by just how much fits into the smaller car, be that boxes of magazines, luggage or family members of all sizes and ages. I’d be lured by the heated seats and sat nav in the Premium trim, but otherwise it’s got all the qualities I need and like.

Anne Dopson

the figures

I feel like I’m doing the Peugeot 2008 a disservice at the moment because when friends ask what it is, I invariably respond by saying it’s a jacked up and tarted up 208 supermini.

Which, to all intents and purposes, it is although the 2008 has many more strings to its bow and is proving to be thoroughly likeable small family car.

The styling certainly helps, adding a degree of masculinity to the 208’s stylish looks, while the interior is usefully more roomy than a 208’s.

We’re running a top-spec Feline model for five months to assess the 2008’s fleet appeal. On paper it looks like a good package – an £18,645 price tag brings 17-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic glass roof which floods the cabin with light, aluminium trim, part-leather seats and satellite navigation as well as rear parking sensors, air conditioning, Bluetooth and a DAB radio.

Options-wise, our Peugeot only has two items fitted – pearlescent white paint at £595 (this colour really suits the 2008 and accents the dark colours on the lower parts of the body) and the £300 Park Assist package which provides automatic parallel parking (the latter I’ve yet to sample).

Under the bonnet is a 1.6 turbodiesel engine delivering 92bhp through a five-speed manual gearbox and fitted with fuel saving stop-start technology. This is a strong little engine, delivering more mid-range power than you would expect from its on-paper credentials.

It’s a touch noisy, but nothing excessive, while providing smooth progress through the gears.

Just as impressive as the power is the frugality – Peugeot claims 70.6mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 103g/km which equates to a 15% BiK tax banding. I haven’t had the chance to run through a rank and brim it again, but judging by the way the fuel needle is refusing to budge I have an inkling that I will be getting 60mpg without really trying.

Julian Kirk

OTR PRICE £19,145 POWER 115bhp @ 3,600rpm TORQUE 199lb.ft @ 1,750rpm 0-62mph 10.4 seconds TOP SPEED 117mph COMBINED MPG 70.6mpg CO2 105g/km (16% BiK)

fleetworld.co.uk / 59

our fleet auctions & remarketing

Mazda6 2.2D Sport Nav IT’S time to hand over our Mazda6 longtermer to one of my colleagues and it will be a fond farewell. After nearly 6,000 miles I think I’ve got a pretty good idea of the car’s strengths and weaknesses – there are more of the former than the latter.

A frosty morning in early November exposed a lack of puff from the demister, while a little more storage space in the cabin would also be welcome. But these are minor gripes in comparison with the muscular 2.2-litre, 175PS diesel engine, precise handling and sharp exterior styling.

Fuel consumption has hovered around the 50mpg mark despite some pretty rough treatment at times. With my “eco” hat on I daresay that this would be a little nearer Mazda’s combined figure of 62.8mpg. But with the carrot of 309lb.ft of torque being dangled in a car badged “Sport”, it’s hard to pussy foot

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

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

around all the time and not have a little fun.

As far as fleet investments go, there’s nothing in the car that looks like it might rear its ugly head in terms of whole-life costs, reliability or driver satisfaction, so it looks like a pretty safe bet.

Ross Durkin

Vauxhall Ampera Electron

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

THE Ampera has been with us for two months, and I’ve yet to manage to plug it into a public charging point.

Admittedly the range-extender means this isn’t a disaster, but trying to minimise petrol usage uncovers a world of complications for a new owner which still need to be ironed out.

Like most EV manufacturers, Vauxhall only supplies a cable to connect it to a conventional three-pin supply. Most drivers will probably take advantage of the government grant, have a wallbox fitted at home and, like me, they’ll charge the Ampera there.

But, on the road, I’ve stopped at charging points I can’t access because I’ve got the wrong membership card, and while my

60 / fleetworld.co.uk

Ecotricity card lets me use motorway chargers, these don’t have a three-pin plug. Vauxhall supplies a £300 cable which bridges this gap.

There are hurdles for the all-EV families, too. Wallboxes with a tethered lead for an Ampera, LEAF or Prius won’t plug into a ZOE or i3. This means either having two wallboxes, or (as I have) a single unit with a socket and separate cables for each car.

Armed with cards to access Ecotricity and Chargemaster’s POLAR network and the Vauxhall accessory cable, I’m getting there. But it’s more difficult than it should be, and I’ve become very thankful for the backup of a petrol engine.

Alex Grant

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

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

FLEETW RLD SUPPLIER DIRECTORY contract hire, leasing & finance Concept Vehicle Leasing Tel: 0800 043 2050 www.conceptvehicleleasing.co.uk

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

daily rental

fleet management software

risk management

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.AAdrivetech.com/fleetsafe DriveTech

www.volkswagengroupleasing.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

sgfleet Tel: 0845 154 0721 www.sgfleet.com

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

Drive Software Solutions Tel: 01438 317731

RAC Risk Management Tel: 0870 606 2606

www.drivesoftwaresolutions.com

www.racfleetriskmanagement.co.uk

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

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

Arnold Clark Car and Van Rental Tel: 0845 702 3946 www.arnoldclarkrental.com

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

Roadmarque Tel: 0845 053 0331 www.roadmarque.com

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

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

Apex Car Rental Tel: 01323 745444

Sofico Tel:0121 288 5935/07815 601622

www.apexrental.co.uk

www.soficoservices.com

Cardinus Risk Management Tel: 01733 426015

Maxxia 020 7520 9450 www.maxxia.co.uk

Tel: 0845 769 7381 www.lexautolease.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

JCT600 Contracts Limited Tel: 0113 250 0060 www.jct600contracts.co.uk

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

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

For more information, please contact Tracy Howell on 01727 739160 or email

Fleet Alliance Tel: 0845 601 8407 www.fleetalliance.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

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

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

Volkswagen Group Leasing Tel: 0870 333 2229

Lex Autolease

tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

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

Pendle Vehicle Contracts Tel: 08456 025697 www.pendlelease.co.uk

fuel management Full listings online at fleetworld.co.uk telematics & tracking

www.cardinus.com

MiX Telematics Europe Tel: 0121 717 5360 www.mixtelematics.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trakm8 Tel: 01747 858 444 www.trakm8.com

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

Full listings online at fleetworld.co.uk fleetworld.co.uk / 61

fleet finance

Making salary sacrifice work for you Helen Fisk, AutoSolutions Manager at ALD Automotive, on why salary sacrifice is worthy of consideration for any fleet.

A

s one of the fleet industry’s biggest buzzwords at the moment, “salary sacrifice” will probably have cropped up on fleets’ radars in the last couple of years.

But, as shown by a recent ACFO survey, many fleet operators may be ruling out salary sacrifice unnecessarily when both they and their drivers could be reaping the benefits.

The mechanism behind salary sacrifice is, in itself, quite simplistic and has already been applied successfully to childcare vouchers and bikes. It enables an employee to sacrifice part of their gross salary in return for the provision of a non-cash type benefit. The benefit for the employee comes through saving income tax and National Insurance contributions while the employer also gains from NIC savings.

However, when salary sacrifice schemes are used as a means of providing a company car, the employee is still required to pay Benefit in Kind taxation. As a result of this, the employee’s tax and NI savings must exceed the cost of the BiK that they’re paying for the scheme to operate effectively for them.

Structured correctly, such schemes can prove a key benefit for both employers and employees – as shown by the fact salary sacrifice take-up amongst fleets is rising according to a new ACFO survey, with more than a third of respondents (36%) now offering a scheme to staff.

However, the survey also shows that significant concerns remain about the viability of such a benefit. They included: • Forthcoming changes to international accounting standards that will result in all leased assets – including salary sacrifice scheme cars – being reported on a company’s balance sheet with a corresponding liability being incurred for future rental payments • Businesses being too small to believe they would benefit • Concerns that offering a scheme could conflict with wanting to increase the take-up of company cars • Job uncertainty in a challenging economic climate that could mean employers facing early termination costs in the event of an employee leaving, being on long-term sick leave or on maternity leave • A perception that car salary sacrifice schemes were incompatible with company car schemes through which premium badge cars were available and not beneficial as a replacement for “grey fleet” vehicles.

Contact ALD Automotive:

62 / advertisement feature

t 0870 0011181

Whilst some of these could potentially cause problems for fleets running an incorrectly structured salary sacrifice scheme, any reputable and experienced provider will work with you to ensure that your scheme will work for your fleet.

This includes ensuring that the maximum cost efficiencies are being leveraged for your drivers – including through strong manufacturer support terms to yield significant discounts as well as competitive cost of funds to help keep monthly payments low – in order to ensure that the scheme remains cost effective regardless of forthcoming accounting standard changes.

Any salary sacrifice provider worth their salt will also look at the demographics of the customer’s driver base to ensure that there are enough drivers to benefit and that they are suitable for salary sacrifice, for example making sure there is a low attrition rate to ensure that fleets are not left with vehicles on their hands.

There are also other options for ensuring that the company does not lose out in the wrong circumstances, for example through staff leaving or going on maternity benefit.

Solutions include insurance or even structuring the costs of the scheme to build a “buffer” in.

Fleets need not have concerns over running such a scheme alongside the provision of conventional company cars either. Whilst at ALD Automotive, our schemes are designed for use with all employees or specific populations, we do feel that salary sacrifice holds particular value when run alongside a traditional company car scheme to target drivers who wouldn’t normally qualify for a car, for example “grey fleet” drivers, who can be moved back into a controlled company car provision.

We also believe it is vital to work effectively with your drivers to explain the mechanics of salary sacrifice and to illustrate the benefits to them. At ALD Automotive, as well as being involved in the financial modelling and manufacturer negotiations from the outset, we can take a lead role in communicating how the scheme works to your drivers using online links, webinars and, potentially, individual presentations as well as our telephone helpdesk.

To find out more about how ALD Automotive can make salary sacrifice work successful for your fleet, please contact ukinfo@aldautomotive.com or phone 0870 00 111 81.

e ukinfo@aldautomotive.com

w www.aldautomotive.co.uk

VAN

December 2013

FLEETW RLD

p66 The van is not intended as an ultimate mud-plugger, more an occasional all-wheel drive that can cross construction sites or agricultural fields.

at a glance driven Vauxhall Movano 4x4

features Hot topics at the CV Forum 2013 and BT Fleet adds risk assessment to its fleet management offering fleetworld.co.uk

inbusiness

Dawsonrentals to grow fivefold by 2015

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

Ducato goes to America Fiat is to launch the Ducato van in the US market, as a Chrysler Ram ProMaster. Available in two roof heights and three wheelbases, the ProMaster will be offered with the Fiat 3.0-litre diesel engine, delivering 174hp, and with a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine, putting out 280hp.

The petrol engine will come with a six-speed automatic transmission, while the diesel gets Fiat’s five-speed Dualogic automated manual gearbox.

The front-wheel drive van will be built at Chrysler’s van plant in Saltillo, Mexico.

D

awsonrentals is planning major growth in the van market, with the opening of new depots and the rebranding of its Hiregate Vehicle Rental division. The heavy truck, trailer and cold store hire specialist has been operating Hiregate as a van rental division for three years. Now however, in preparation for the Group’s 40th anniversary in 2014, the Hiregate brand is being dropped and Dawson will go all out for growth in the expanding van sector.

As part of the move, the irm has opened a new van centre in Milton Keynes, with more than 1,000 LCVs available for lexible business to business rental and contract hire. This joins existing van sites in Skelmersdale, Doncaster and Newcastle.

‘We’ve got plans to have four more by this time next year, in Ipswich, Avonmouth, Birmingham and Kent,’ said group chief executive, Michael Williams.

The company plans to have up to 4,000

FIN fleet in numbers

vans on the leet by the end of this year and at least 5,000 by the end of 2014.

‘We don’t see 20,000 in five years as an issue,’ said Mr Williams.

‘This move is a carefully planned part of supporting our already fast growing presence in the van sector,’ said group MD Steve Miller.

‘We see this as a spring-board to driving our van rental division forward significantly in the coming years.’

Dawsonrentals will offer a wide range of vans from Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Nissan and Peugeot. In line with its heavy truck customer base, the majority of vans initially will be at the heavier end and the irm is aiming at longer term business rental, rather than daily spot hire.

‘Our growth will be built on existing Dawsonrental customers and van users who want a truck service,’ said Mr Williams.

‘We want people to come to us because we are doing it well.’

Iveco has launched a high specification version of its Daily van aimed at retail customers. The Platinum Daily is available in silver or white and is based on the 12m3 or 15.6m3 models, powered by the most popular 126hp version of the 2.3-litre FPT diesel engine.

The vans come with climate control, electric windows, a suspended driver’s seat, cornering front fog lights, cruise control, heated mirrors and a heavy duty battery and alternator. Platinum Dailys also get a Clarion entertainment centre with a 6.2” screen, integral satnav, Bluetooth, a reversing camera with rear sensors and a remote control.

The purchase price starts from £19,995 and includes a five-year Iveco Elements service contract with an allowance of up to 25,000 miles/year.

This includes all servicing and routine checks, greasing, oil changes and fluids.

8% £253 Rise in the 2012 rate of reported killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties in the North East compared to 2011.

SOURCE: IAM

64 / fleetworld.co.uk

High spec Daily on sale

Average fleet fair wear and tear cost per car.

SOURCE: Vmoves

£0

Charges on new BP Supercharge Fuel Card.

SOURCE: BP

www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk

We go the extra mile for our customers.

So Sky can go the extra mile for theirs.

Our service promise is just one of the reasons Sky chose us as their fleet partner.

As our partner, you can count on a certain standard of service, no matter what size your fleet. Our business understands the demands of yours. Which is why we work around your schedule, so you can reach us when it’s most convenient. It’s also why we offer to collect and deliver your vans when they’re due a service. And if courtesy vehicles are required, we’ll happily arrange that too.

Find out how we can work together at volkswagen-vans.co.uk/fleet or call us on 0800 808 9998.

Vauxhall Movano 4x4 Vauxhall adds 4x4 conversion to Movano van range. Dan Gilkes gets muddy.

V

auxhall has introduced a four-wheel drive option for its Movano van range. Using a driven front axle and transfer box from German all-wheel drive specialist Oberaigner, which supplies components for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4x4, the conversion is available on all rear drive Movano vans, chassis cabs and double cab models.

The Movano 4x4 can be ordered on 3.5 and 4.5-tonne vans, but Vauxhall has limited it to engines with 125hp or 150hp. The conversion adds just 150kg to the vehicle weight, with no loss of load volume in the rear.

The van rides slightly higher than a twowheel drive model but uses rear-wheel drive only in normal road use. A simple switch on the dash activates the front axle and this can be done at speeds up to 15mph.

A second switch drops the transfer gearbox ratio by 1.42 when stationary, providing additional pulling power for off-road work.

That said, the van is not intended as an ultimate mud-plugger, more an occasional all-wheel drive that can cross construction sites or agricultural fields to access power lines and other utilities.

Activating all-wheel drive results in a beeping from the dash, along with a yellow warning light that becomes a bit wearing after a while. This warning has to be present however, as the move to all-wheel drive disables the van’s standard ESP. As the vehicle drives in rear-wheel drive on the road there should be minimal impact on fuel consumption and emissions versus the regular rear drive van, though as mentioned the 4x4 does ride slightly higher.

66 / fleetworld.co.uk

what we think The Movano 4x4 will no doubt appeal to utilities and blue light operators and the Oberaigner four-wheel drive conversion provides Vauxhall’s biggest vans with real off-road capability, for a price.

specification MODEL

Vauxhall Movano 4x4 L3H2 2.3CDTI BASIC PRICE £28,313.33 ENGINE 4-cyl/2,298cc FUEL INJECTION Common-rail POWER 146hp @ 3,500rpm TORQUE 350Nm @1,250-2,500rpm Weights (kg) GVW 3,500 KERB WEIGHT 1,970 PAYLOAD 1,530 MAX TRAILER WEIGHT 2,500 Dimensions (mm) LOAD SPACE LENGTH 3,733 LOAD SPACE WIDTH 1,765 LOAD SPACE HEIGHT 1,894 LOAD HEIGHT (unladen) 557 LOAD VOLUME 13m3 Cost considerations FUEL TANK CAPACITY 80 litres COMBINED MPG & CO2 30.1mpg/232g/km OIL CHANGE 2 yr/25,000 miles WARRANTY 3 yr/100,000 miles

Of course those companies who need this type of off-road ability may well also fit mud and snow tyres, which would see a drop in fuel consumption.

As the 4x4 is a second stage conversion, Whole Vehicle Type Approval is carried out

by Oberaigner, with the converter offering two years/75,000 miles of cover for the components. All UK Vauxhall dealers will be able to look after repair and maintenance of the vehicles, with the Movano’s standard two year/25,000 miles service intervals unchanged.

On the road you can certainly feel that there is additional componentry beneath the cab, though the front drive system is not in use at normal road speeds. While the Movano is perfectly happy in two-wheel drive, it won’t be chosen as a long distance hauler.

Find a muddy track or a gravel road however, and the Movano 4x4 comes into its own. You can opt for single or double rear wheels, as seen on our test van, for the ultimate in off-road grip. Certainly there were no problems with traction on wet grass, muddy bridleways and rough ground.

The extra height offers even better visibility and the Movano’s cab remains a good place to spend the day, with endless storage solutions for even the busiest driver.

The Movano 4x4 isn’t expected to be a big seller, a £10,000 premium over the regular two-wheel drive models will ensure that this remains a real working tool. However, for those fleets that do need to get across muddy fields, along rough tracks and even through snowy winters, the additional ability should justify the investment.

FEATURE Risk Assessment

Risky business BT Fleet is to add risk assessment to its fleet management offering, reports Dan Gilkes.

‘Risk management is about drawing in data and then making use of that data,’ says Shaun Rowley, senior product marketing manager at BT Fleet.

‘A lot of companies gather data, but they don’t do anything useful with it.

What is a risk to the business, what’s a risk to the driver or to the vehicle?’

BT Fleet has always taken a holistic approach to risk management, examining every aspect of the operation.

Now the company is offering this indepth approach to external fleet management customers.

The risk management system includes building a driver risk profile, by looking at licences, checking accident data and examining service and maintenance data. Is the driver getting through brake pads and clutches faster than others, for instance?

Customers have access to this information through the BT Fleet internet portal and through regular meetings and e-mail updates. This allows them to provide training to those drivers that would benefit.

‘We don’t suggest training everybody, but concentrate on those that really need it,’ says Mr Rowley. ‘This is what we are seeing and this is what we suggest going forwards.’

BT Fleet looks closely at vehicle build. Every van and truck gets the same level of attention, looking at how the vehicle will be used and how the load affects handling and stability.

‘We will hire a proving ground if required and test the vehicle with the kit on it, to see how the vehicle affects risk,’ he says.

Choosing a van extends beyond safe handling, to how the driver will use the vehicle. Would twin sliding side doors result in less walking around the vehicle, particularly at

a busy roadside location?

‘Many companies operate a lean working environment in their offices, laying out the work space to minimise unnecessary movement. What they don’t do, is operate that same philosophy in a vehicle,’ says Mr Rowley.

For the irst time, this year the company will manage more external vehicles than internal, with BT Group accounting for 34,000 of the 80,000 vehicles on its books. Customers include EDF, E.ON, Thames Water, National Grid and Network Rail, all businesses with a similar specialist vehicle requirement. The company also manages leets for G4S, Chubb and Tyco ADT. ‘We looked at what we are good at and the sort of fleets that we should focus on, so we have concentrated on utility fleets,’ says sales and marketing director, Joe Fielder.

‘We are very much a safe pair of hands, but we have ambitious plans now to explore where we best fit in the public sector. We’re going for double digit growth again next year, as one of our key ambitions is to be a £100m business externally.’

The firm is moving into blue light operations, taking on police, fire and ambulance fleets. It is also approaching local authorities, city and county council fleet operators.

Risk management is a recent addition to the BT Fleet offering, one that tends to be added to existing customer packages.

‘A lot of customers like the fact that we have to be a practitioner of what we supply. The majority of our customers don’t relinquish responsibility for their operator licences, though we do our best work if we are allowed to fleet manage too,’ says Mr Fielder.

‘We are always proactively looking at compliance.’

SAVING FUEL A key aspect of the BT Fleet management solution is that the company runs 64 workshops around the UK, each capable of handling a range of cars, vans and trucks.

‘Every vehicle that BT has, we service ourselves,’ says Mr Fielder.

‘We’ve got plans to open another three to four workshops in the coming months. They run extended hours, with eight running until midnight.

There will be 24-hour hubs eventually.’

Loading a vehicle with equipment has an effect on fuel consumption, not a risk management issue perhaps, but high on the list for any fleet manager.

BT Fleet has developed an engine mapping solution in collaboration with Viezu, that allows the technicians within its workshops to remap engines to suit the job. By using this technology on BT’s own 25,000-strong LCV fleet, the company has recorded fuel savings of 14%, netting up to £4 million per year and cutting CO2 outputs by 20%.

fleetworld.co.uk / 67

Now in your range.

The New Sprinter, Vito and Citan from Mercedes-Benz Vans.

A Daimler Brand

Our complete range of vans are designed to meet your individual fleet needs.

Each vehicle comes with a comprehensive Mercedes-Benz support package as standard*. Which adds up to lower whole life costs and reduced downtime.

Contact our Fleet Business Centre for full details today on 01908 245835.

www.mbvans.co.uk/fleet *3 years’ unlimited mileage warranty, 24 hour roadside assistance and MobiloVan UK as standard, plus flexible, competitively priced, fixed rate Service Care plans. Terms and Conditions apply. Please contact the Fleet Business Centre for further details.

FEATURE Commercial Vehicle Forum 2013

The future of road transport was hotly debated at the CV Forum, as Katie Beck reports.

O

ronmental policies that would otherwise not have been a priority for leets, and that drivers are now more engaged with fuel saving initiatives than ever before.

RECESSION SHAKE-UP BBC broadcaster, Justin Webb, acted as chair for both panel sessions. The irst panel was comprised of Henry Foy, motor industry correspondent for the Financial Times; Giles Margerison, sales director for TomTom Business Solutions UK & Ireland; Sarwant Singh, partner of Frost & Sullivan and David Weller, former head of UK logistics at the Mothercare Group.

Delegates were in agreement that the global recession has forced leet operators to be more creative, and shaken them out of a “don’t ix what isn’t broken” approach to leet management. There is no doubt that increased economic pressures over recent years has lead to the development of cost reduction and envi-

FUTURE-PROOFING FLEET The issue of how best to utilise the UK’s overcrowded road network was also a popular topic. Increasing the number of out-of-hours deliveries to help ease rush hour congestion and improve the flow of traffic was a well received idea. Beverley Bell, senior traffic commissioner for Great Britain, commented that after the success of such schemes during the 2012 Olympics, more local councils are now open to running trials.

The practicality of electric LCVs was also hotly debated. Henry Foy was a passionate advocate for adoption of the technology, arguing that an electrified fleet would solve many issues by providing a clean, quiet and efficient transport option. Whilst there was an agreement that for SMEs and couriers an electrified van fleet could be a real asset (especially if the Plug-In Van Grant is extended), delegates were adamant that until the cost of EV batteries is reduced, they will never be installed in freight and HGV vehicles.

Ray Ashworth, managing director for DAF Trucks, revealed that the company’s R&D investment is driven by governmental regulations such as Euro 6 adaptations, leaving a very minimal budget for “flair” research into new technologies. There was a feeling that unless the freight industry receives significant funding to support research into alternative fuels and electric power,

n 22 October, industry experts and representatives from some of the largest companies in the UK road transport sector took their seats for the Commercial Vehicle Forum 2013.

Organised by the SMMT, Road Haulage Association and the Institute of Road Transport Engineers, the event, held at the British Museum in London, consisted of two panel-led debate sessions and aimed to address some of the key issues affecting the road transport industry.

In his keynote speech, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Robert Goodwill MP, outlined the government’s ongoing plans to support the road transport sector’s continued growth. These include improvements to the UK road network with 400 miles of additional motorway, and a £3bn maintenance budget to combat the unacceptable state of many roads.

70 / fleetworld.co.uk

fossil fuels will remain the dominant power source for the foreseeable future.

REGULATION OF LCVS For the second panel, Henry Foy and Sarwant Singh were joined by Beverley Bell, senior traffic commissioner for Great Britain, and Laura Moran, commercial vehicle director of Hertz UK. Bell expressed concern about the lack of regulations for drivers of vans under 3.5 tonnes. She pointed out that in comparison to the stringent regulations of the heavy truck and freight sector, anyone with a full UK driving licence is entitled to drive a LCV. Bell argued that this was a real problem for the industry, and exacerbated the “white van man” stereotype of reckless and aggressive LCV drivers. Strict driving hours, training standards, and vehicle maintenance policy for vans were all cited as areas where guidelines were needed.

Despite strong agreement about the necessity to regulate the van sector, there was a common feeling that any governmental policy would need to be drawn from collective EU legislation. As there is currently no such legislation in place, Bell suggested that the focus should instead be on promoting a “culture change” amongst van drivers to improve their attitude towards road safety and develop their relationship with other road users.

Laura Moran concluded that the road transport sector is an industry of two halves; with cutting edge HGVs jostling for road space with single-operator van leets.

The challenge now is to close the gulf in funding, regulations and training for each, and to ensure the industry functions as ef iciently as possible at every level.

WE SPEAK WITH FACTS.

MARKET OVERVIEW Daily Rental

Alliance Asset Management

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental

As one of the UK’s leading rental management companies, Alliance provide rental solutions for companies of any size including cars and light commercial vehicles, Lutons, tippers, crew cab vehicles, 4x4’s, 7.5-ton vehicles and larger. Alliance can meet more bespoke requirements including liveried vehicles, towbars, complex racking systems, refrigerated vehicles and more.

Alliance operates a carefully chosen network of suppliers, ensuring UK-wide coverage, exceptional service, extensive vehicle fleet and commercial expertise, with simple invoicing at competitive prices.

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

Apex Car Rental Apex Car Rental operate a Van Hire Fleet of 1,000 units and 3,500 cars, we specialise in providing vehicles on rolling 28 day contracts throughout the UK. We have a comprehensive range of vehicles all complete with Road Side assistance.

We can make bespoke reports to suit your needs with electronic billing. We have Short, Medium, Long & Jumbo size vehicles together with a comprehensive range of 9 & 17 seat Minibuses available from stock for you to hire. If you have any vehicle requirements, please contact us for the most competitive prices in the UK! Contact: Deana Grondona deana.grondona@apexrental.co.uk www.apexrental.co.uk

Tel: 01323 745444

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is the world’s largest international car and light commercial rental company. Specialising in providing daily and weekend rental for private or business use, we also provide replacement vehicles, courtesy cars and vans that are relied upon in the event of an accident. In addition, Enterprise Flex-E-Rent offers a new flexible solution, providing fleet operators with access to long-term light commercial rentals that can be tailored to meet your requirements.

Founded in 1957, Enterprise is headquartered in St. Louis and has more than 7,700 offices in the UK, Germany, Ireland, the United States and Canada. Enterprise, which started in the UK in 1994, has rapidly expanded and currently has over 360 locations across the UK & Ireland, with more than 3,000 staff.

Three quarters of the UK population are within five miles of an Enterprise location. For more information about Enterprise, visit www.enterprise.co.uk

72 / fleetworld.co.uk

Burnt Tree Vehicle Rental Burnt Tree is the UK’s largest independent commercial vehicle rental company, offering the widest range of vehicles in the industry, all backed by flexible products that put our customers in control, whether it’s daily rental, long-term flexible rental or contract hire.

We operate our 16,000-strong fleet from 20 strategically located sites throughout England, Scotland and Wales and we invest over £70 million annually to ensure that as well as being the most comprehensive ours is the youngest, most reliable and efficient fleet possible.

Tel: 01743 457 600 www.burnt-tree.co.uk

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Contact: Tony Francis anthony.b.francis@erac.com

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

Tel: 01784 221 300 www.enterprise.co.uk

info@burnt-tree.co.uk

Europcar UK Group Europcar UK Group, comprising the Europcar and National brands, provides access to the UK’s leading vehicle hire fleet of over 45,000 cars plus over 6,000 vans (at peak) through its comprehensive network of 200 locations across the UK. The business offers a range of flexible products to suit all business requirements – from 1 day to 1 year, with delivery and collection, corporate loyalty programmes, one way rentals and a range of payment options. These services are supported by innovative online solutions to and help businesses monitor and manage vehicle use to support cost efficiencies, duty of care responsibilities and address environmental concerns.

Tel: 01923 811250 businesssupport@europcar.com www.europcar.co.uk

VAN How many commercial vehicles does your company operate?

How many rental locations does your company have?

Do you offer a one-way rental facility for vans?

Do you offer a delivery/ collection service for vans?

Do you offer an on-line booking facility for vans?

Do you offer an on-line management reporting facility?

Do you offer vans fitted with satellite navigation systems?

Do you offer vans fitted with tail-lifts?

Do you offer refrigerated vehicles?

Do you offer a guaranteed no turn down policy?

How many vehicle groups do you offer?

Do you provide electronic invoicing and statements?

Do you provide online damage management?

FLEETW RLD

80k

1.2k

All

-

1k

2

-

-

-

-

All

-

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental

2.5k

35

-

-

7

-

Burnt Tree Vehicle Rental

16k

20

-

30+

8.75k

360+

-

-

16

-

Europcar UK Group

6k

200

4

Hertz

5k

140

-

11

Leasedrive

45k

1.2k

30+

Nexus Vehicle Management Ltd.

100k

1.7k+

All

Thrifty Car & Van Rental

5.5k

92

-

42

Key to services

Service provided

-

Service unavailable

Alliance Asset Management Apex Car Rental

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

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 approx. 400,000 vehicles nationally including 80,000 commercial vehicles and access to the largest supply of specialist vehicles. Nexus, through our unique IRIS software platform, provides customers with a revolutionary rental management solution, ensuring seamless delivery, advanced reporting, accurate billing and exceptional customer service at competitive terms each and every time. We are adept at sourcing precise specifications and bulk orders on commercial vehicles.

Contact: Paul Russell paul.russell@nexusrental.co.uk www.nexusrental.co.uk

Tel: 07775 844310

Thrifty Car & Van Rental As a well-established, sustainable and privately owned business in the UK, Thrifty Car and Van Rental occupies an enviable position in both the car and light commercial vehicle market. Operating from a network of 92 locations, with the youngest fleet in the industry and a UK based Reservation Centre capable of handling multi-location, dynamic vehicle bookings it’s easy to see why Thrifty is expanding in the LCV market. Our experienced and loyal staff base provides industry leading service and our on-line IT system means that clients can easily access information and vehicles. Why not contact us to see for yourself…

Contact: Graeme Lumley Graeme.lumley@thrifty.co.uk www.thrifty.co.uk

Tel: 01494 751500

fleetworld.co.uk / 73

Bigger and better...

WEDNESDAY 9TH APRIL 2014 SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT, NORTHANTS

face to face with the fleet industry The Fleet Show returns to Silverstone in 2014, bigger and better than ever before.

The event has developed into the UK fleet industry’s most important one-day event, with virtually every major fleet manufacturer represented, alongside a huge range of fleet service providers. Don’t miss out...

Visit www.thefleetshow.co.uk from 6th Jan 2014 to register

74 / fleetworld.co.uk

¡

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

Fleet Alliance Tel: 0845 601 8407 www.fleetalliance.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

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

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

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

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

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

fleetworld.co.uk daily rental

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

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

Apex Van Rental Tel: 01323 745444 www.apexrental.co.uk

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

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

UKVANLEASING

Tel: 01708 511071 www.ukvanleasing.co.uk

Tel: 0845 055 8555 Ctrack www.ctrack.co.uk TomTom Business Solutions Tel: 020 7255 9774 www.tomtom.com/business

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

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

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

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

Full listings online at

fleetworld.co.uk risk management

Lex Autolease

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

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

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

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

EV FLEET WORLD Tel: 01727 739160 www.evfleetworld.co.uk

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

Full listings online at

fleetworld.co.uk vehicle ventilation

accident management

Flettner Ventilator Ltd Tel: 020 8200 2321 www.flettner.co.uk

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

Trakm8 Tel: 01747 858 444 www.trakm8.com

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

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

fuel management

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

Roadmarque Tel: 0845 053 0331 www.roadmarque.com

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

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

VAN FLEETW RLD SUPPLIER DIRECTORY For more information, please contact Tracy Howell on 01727 739160 or email tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk fleetworld.co.uk / 75

There are easier ways to capture business mileage Whether you run 2,000, 200 or 20 vehicles, reimbursing staff for business mileage or claiming back the cost of private fuel can be an administrative headache and an expensive one too – for the driver, line manager and payroll.

With fuel prices increasing by 50% in the last 5 years; fleet costs under the spotlight; and the risk of a hefty fine from HMRC for incorrect mileage claims, there has never been a more important time to review this process.

Our FuelEx mileage capture and fuel reconciliation system has already delivered cost savings of over 25% - could we do the same for you?

0870 00 111 81

ukinfo@aldautomotive.com

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