Fleet World March 2015

March 2015

FLEETW RLD All that matters in the world of fleet

Attention seeking Nissan’s Barry Beeston on its fleet success story

Driven

Geneva

Volvo XC90 Mazda6

All the future fleet stars on display

Risk & reward Six steps to better risk management

THE ROAD AHEAD How the next government can futureproof business travel

Register for the show at...

www.thefleetshow.co.uk

Tuesday 12th May 2015 Silverstone fleetworld.co.uk

contents March 2015

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XC90: Behind the wheel of Volvo’s best yet.

FLEETW RLD All that matters in the world of fleet

Attention seeking Nissan’s Barry Beeston on its fleet success story

Driven

Geneva

Volvo XC90 Mazda6

All the future fleet stars on display

Risk & reward Six steps to better risk management

THE ROAD AHEAD

Hyundai UK’s fleet director, Martin Wilson, on aiming to be in fleet’s top five.

How the next government can futureproof business travel

Register for the show at...

www.thefleetshow.co.uk

Tuesday 12th May 2015 Silverstone fleetworld.co.uk

52

Pre-register for the Silverstone Fleet Show on 12th May 2015!!

Publisher Jerry Ramsdale jerry@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Editor Steve Moody steve@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Deputy Editor Alex Grant alex@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Business Editor Natalie Middleton natalie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Features Editor Katie Beck katie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

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Fleet Consultant Ross Durkin ross@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

The fleet stars of the show at Geneva.

VFW Editor Dan Gilkes dan@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

54

Sales Director Anne Dopson anne@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Executives Darren Brett darren@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

What steps will the next government take to improve business mobility in the UK?

Claire Warman claire@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Circulation Manager Tracy Howell tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Head of Production Luke Wikner luke@fleetworldgroup.co.uk 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

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Barry Beeston of Nissan discusses the firm’s fleet success story.

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Fiat Doblo Cargo, SPOTLIGHT: VW Caddy, Risk management Minibuses, Telematics.

STAG Publications

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To subscribe to Fleet World visit: www.fleetworldsubscriptions.co.uk Certified circulation Jan – Dec 2014 18,000

fleetworld.co.uk / 03

fleetreview This month, editor Steve Moody looks at how Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV has surpassed fleet expectations.

The incredible tale of the Outlander PHEV Being the type of risk-managed, mediumterm strategy sector it is, the fleet industry isn’t known for surprising things happening. The usual brands dominate, customers choose the usual vehicles.

But this year, something remarkable has happened. From out of nowhere, Mitsubishi has come in and grabbed the mantle of top EV fleet seller. Within just eight months of being on sale the Outlander PHEV will, by the end of March, become the highest-selling EV ever in the UK, overtaking Nissan’s LEAF, which has been on sale for four years.

Of the more than 10,000 Mitsubishi has sold, two-thirds have gone to fleets.

This is incredible. Not an established fleet brand, you’d think it would take a long time to get on to choice lists. You’d think the leasing companies would take a while to get up to speed with it. Drivers would never move from their 3 Series and A4s. Mitsubishi’s dealer network isn’t geared up to deal with fleets.

Not so: managing director Lance Bradley reckons that because of the low BIK tax proposition and price parity with diesel, fleets and their drivers have been incredibly receptive, and he expects sales to increase further in the next couple of years.

The firm has taken on more fleet sales staff, introduced a company car charter for dealers to help with test drives and servicing and invested more in specific business centres and a fleet demonstrator programme. The ASX PHEV next year, taking the concept to the Csegment, could see further inroads into the fleet sector.

The only clouds on the horizon are partially of its own making: Mitsubishi has been so fabulously successful with the car that it has taken up a significant proportion of the government’s pot of money for plug-in hybrids and EVs. While eventually the market will have to stand on its own two feet, the plug-in grant is doing its job. It’s not just a hand-out though: Mitsubishi took a very real risk on the price of the Outlander itself. As Bradley said, if it hadn’t have worked he wouldn’t be MD now. But the combination of their farsightedness and the grant brings the car into the right bandings.

The government needs to commit to more funding over the longer term, because Mitsubishi has shown that when you get the product and price right, there is genuine demand out there in the fleet market for EVs.

Don’t miss out on all the latest daily news! Visit fleetworld.co.uk

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“Of the more than 10,000 Outlander PHEVs Mitsubishi has sold, two-thirds have gone to fleets, which is incredible.”

Turn to page 52 for how to register...

04 / fleetworld.co.uk

Ford NEWS

Ford Focus increases efficiency

inbrief

All-new Ford Transit Courier: best-in-class

IMPROVEMENTS of up to 15 per cent mean the powertrain line-up in the new Ford Focus is the most fuel-efficient ever, and there is a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.

For instance, the 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine with six-speed manual transmission and Auto-Start-Stop, available for the first time in a Ford Focus, achieves 74.3mpg combined, with CO2 emissions of just 98g/km.

Available with 95PS or 120PS, the new 1.5-litre TDCi engine with sixspeed manual transmission and Auto-Start-Stop, delivers greater power, torque and responsiveness, with optimised combustion chamber design and cutting-edge turbocharger and fuel injection technology. It features the most fuel-efficient combustion process from a Ford diesel engine ever.

With enhanced handling and steering, the new Ford Focus takes the model’s class-leading driving dynamics and acclaimed fun-to-drive DNA to a new level. Ford engineers have delivered a more solid, responsive and connected-to-the-road feel by increasing the structural stiffness at the front, revising the suspension geometry, increasing lateral stiffness of ‘steering-relevant’ suspension bushes and retuning the shock absorbers.

The electric power steering has been retuned to make the driver feel even more connected to the road. Ford’s industry-first Enhanced Transitional Stability system monitors vehicle speed and steering input to predict a loss of traction before it actually happens and trigger Electronic Stability Control sooner to enhance safety.

ST Diesel extends Ford Focus range THE newly-launched Ford Focus ST Diesel hatch and estate models in ST-1, ST-2 and ST-3 series have extended the new Ford Focus range even further; the ST’s new 185PS 2.0-litre diesel engine emits just 110g/km of CO2 and returns up to 67.3mpg.

BIK payments of just £66.42 a month on a Ford Focus ST-1 hatch for a 20% taxpayer and £132.84 for someone paying 40%, means the new Ford Focus ST Diesel gives the company car driver more fun for less tax.

With CAP predicting a residual value of around 45% after three years/60,000 miles, and with a £1,700 RV uplift versus the current petrol Ford Focus ST, it represents excellent value. It is in VED Band B, meaning £0 tax in the first year and £20 a year after that.

For further information on any vehicle in the Ford range please contact the Ford Business Centre on 03457 23 23 23, email flinform@ford.com, or visit www.ford.co.uk/fordfleet

Ford News Feature // 05

The all-new Ford Transit Courier combines best-in-class load space – 10 per cent more than direct competitors with unsurpassed fuel efficiency.

The 95PS 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi, Dagenham-built engine achieves 76.3mpg and 97g/km CO2, and the 1.0litre EcoBoost offers 54.3mpg and 119g/km CO2 when fitted with optional Auto-Start-Stop. Fleets can also specify Ford’s 75PS 1.5-litre TDCi diesel that betters all rivals with 103g/km CO2 and 72.3mpg.

The Ford Transit Courier offers a load volume of 2.3m3 (SAE) behind the bulkhead, as well as a longer load length at floor level, which will accommodate a standard Euro pallet, and greater access width through the standard sliding side doors. The load compartment will hold a maximum 2.59m3 with folding bulkhead and optional ‘fold and dive’ passenger seat; the load length of 1.62m at floor level increases to 2.59m with the folding bulkhead and seat option. Maximum payload is 660kg.

The Ford Transit Courier, What Van?’s 2015 Van of the Year, offers class-leading safety features, in-cab stowage space and connectivity, including optional Ford SYNC with Emergency Assistance.

All powertrains offer extended oneyear/20,000 mile service intervals, while a multi-piece rear bumper, rugged body-side protection and highmounted front and rear lights help to reduce the cost of accident damage and lead to lower insurance premiums.

You can test-drive a Ford Transit Courier at next month’s CV Show at the NEC, Birmingham.

inbusiness

Fleet drivers at risk of new drug laws A

s the Government introduces a new law to make it easier for police to catch and convict drug drivers, LeasePlan is warning fleets and drivers about the possible ramifications for those using prescription drugs.

The legislation makes it illegal to drive with certain drugs – both illegal and prescription – in the body above specified levels. Motorists who get behind the wheel after taking illegal drugs face a criminal record, loss of their licence for at least a year and a fine of up to £5000. People using prescription drugs within recommended amounts will not be penalised.

Matthew Walters, head of consultancy services, LeasePlan UK, said: “There are now nine prescription drugs where further clarification and a seemingly ‘harder‐ line’ is being taken. There is now a clear statement on the legal limit of these substances per litre of blood based on a µg measurement.

“These include anti‐depressants such as tamezepan as well as morphine based painkillers and methodone. It is therefore essential that employers have the correct policies, education and testing in place to help drivers understand the consequences of drug driving.”

fleetweet a few soundbites from a month in fleet

@deanslavnich Dean Slavnich, editor-in-chief at UKIP Media & Events

Volkswagen XL1 is still a star attraction and rightly so, a brilliant piece of engineering.

Lucky to have driven one!

@Kyle_Fortune Kyle Fortune, director at Car Enthusiast Editorial Agency

#Goodyear concept tyres use thermo/piezo electric tech to generate power on the move.

Crazy stuff. #GIMS

@PFPR_Comms PFPR Communications, automotive PR and events

Traffic police numbers cut by 23%

T

he number of traffic police in England and Wales has plummeted by 23% in the last four years – a reduction of 1,279 officers – the RAC has revealed.

The drop has seen 43 police forces cut their traffic officers from 5,635 to 4,356 between the end of March 2010 and 2014, according to figures published by the Government in response to a parliamentary question.

Devon and Cornwall police suffered the largest cut – 76% – taking its traffic officers from 239 to just 57. Essex’s traffic police numbers fell by 71%, Notting‐ hamshire’s by 68%, Wiltshire’s by 47% and both the Avon and Somerset and Dorset forces traffic functions diminished by 39% each.

Only two forces have increased their traffic officer count in this time: Suffolk by 32% – 67 officers to 88; and Warwickshire by 230% – 10 to 37.

RAC head of external affairs, Pete Williams, said: “These figures make a mockery of motoring law – if there are not enough police on the road, we can introduce all the new rules we want, but those breaking them just will not get caught. While cameras are good at catching speeders and drivers who go through red lights, offences that relate to general poor behaviour at the wheel still rely on a police officer to enforce them.”

There's a beautiful silk – yes, silk – interior in the new @rollsroycecars Phantom Serenity.

Remarkable. #Geneva2015

@PaulWardGover Paul Gover, editor-at-large at Carsguide

Volkswagen Passat is European Car of the Year.

No surprise there, then.

@Jon_Quirk Jon Quirk. editor-in-chief at Autotrader

No more Citroën badges on DS5 as ‘brand DS’ takes shape.

With such heritage, it'll be interesting to see what's next.

@StvCr Steve Cropley, editor-in-chief at Autocar

Teletrac & Navman Wireless announce merger

N

avman Wireless and Teletrac Inc have merged to create one of the world’s largest global telematics organisations.

The combined company will be run by an executive management team selected from both firms and will continue to operate under both the Navman Wireless and Teletrac brands.

“We expect that both Navman Wireless and Teletrac customers will be able to greatly leverage the enhanced feature set in the coming years as a result of this combination. Further, our future customers will see the added benefit of leveraging innovations from two leading companies,” noted Mike Jarvinen, VP of marketing for the joint company.

06 / fleetworld.co.uk

Vauxhall will launch its class-best connectivity package, Onstar, in many 16 models from summer. Turns your car into a 4G hotspot #GIMS

@JoshuaDowling Joshua Dowling, national motoring editor at News Corp Australia

Volvo unveils bicycle helmet with sensors that connect to Bluetooth (and then a cloud) to detect cars and vice versa.

Steve is on the M4 from Reading right now.

At this rate, he’ll reach the Swindon depot by 4pm.

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inbusiness

Getting close to Infiniti Will increasing sales of the German brands open up a premium fleet niche for the newly ambitious Infiniti, Curtis Hutchinson, editor of Motor Trader, wonders.

C

ompany car choice is an emotive issue for all companies from SMEs up to blue chips. The higher up the pay scale the more emotive this issue becomes. It used to be simple, as you couldn't go wrong with a German premium brand for managers. From the fleet manager's perspective they may have been pricey but could be justified by all the whole life cost boxes they ticked.

However, times have changed and all three German brands have new entry models which have opened their showroom doors to a new breed of customers who previously would have bought a more mainstream model.

The rate of change has been fast. Take last year's new car registration figures published by the SMMT: Audi was by far and away the biggest seller of the trio notching up a record breaking 159,000 units (compared with BMW's 149,000 and Mercedes' 124,000; all considerably up year on year). What may surprise some user-choosers and fleet managers is that Audi outsold a number of erstwhile volume brands including Nissan (138,000) and Peugeot (103,000). Audi also came within a whisker of outselling the combined volumes of Korean upstarts Hyundai (82,000) and Kia (77,525). Indeed, Audi and BMW were only beaten in the volume stakes by the top three: Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.

Suddenly the German club is looking a little less exclusive. So where should companies look for upmarket cars that don't necessarily stray into the luxury sector?

Enter Infiniti. Coincidentally Nissan's upmarket brand was launched in 1989 at the same time as Toyota unveiled Lexus, but the first UK dealership did not open until 2009. Since then it has been a bit player here despite enjoying the high profile associated with the championship winning Red Bull F1 team. All this is about to change as the brand gears up to significantly grow European sales, expand its dealer network and begin producing its new entrylevel Q30 in Sunderland.

Last year was the brand’s best ever in the UK but with just 746 units sold (2013: 386), the scale of its

08 / fleetworld.co.uk

ambitions are just starting to become evident. From here onwards it plans to continue doubling annual volumes to create the visibility and desirability it needs to attract fleet business. Importantly, Infiniti has laid its cards on the table as an alternative to the premium German brands.

It's a tall order, of course, as Infiniti is still pretty much an unknown quantity. While the Germans will not be losing any sleep, they could start to see a number of SMEs having a look at the brand.

“Infiniti aims to have a strong fleet presence. This will grow as our range extends into more fleet desirable products. All fleet channels are of interest to us and SMEs represent a large sales channel which we obviously do not want to ignore, but profitability must come before volume,” said Hannah Bishop, Infiniti’s UK fleet manager.

“Currently Infiniti works with each centre to ensure any SME enquiries are looked after but the centre still remains the main point of contact. As our volume increases then there will be a requirement for every centre to look after their local fleets with a dedicated fleet sales representative,” she said.

Infiniti’s ambitions here rest largely on the success of a new product rollout which starts later this year with the Q30 C-segment car, which it hopes will attract user-choosers. This European designed entrymodel is pitched against the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series, as well as the Mercedes A-Class, with which it shares a Daimler platform.

An important element in the brand's growth plan is the expansion of its dealer network with sites serving major conurbations, and actively targeting local busineses. The job is already in hand with high profile names such as Vertu Motors and Glyn Hopkin joining the network last year. It currently has 10 sites with plans to grow to 15 this year, rising to 25 sites.

Infiniti started the process when its Q50 saloon launched 18 months ago with an Executive trim level aimed at high mileage business users with a low C02 diesel engine, high specification level and a contract hire rate that delivered a £30,000 car for £300 a month. The lower price of the Q30 should present an even more compelling fleet argument.

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

THE SPORTS SALOON REDEFINED. The new Jaguar XE features our lightweight, all-new aluminium architecture and F-TYPE-inspired design and technology.

With class-leading emissions from as low as 99g/km of CO2 and up to 75 mpg, the new Jaguar XE is the most efficient car we’ve ever built.

For more information and to be among the first to experience the new Jaguar XE, register at jaguar.co.uk/XE or contact the Jaguar Business Centre on 0845 366 0342.

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

For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ.

OPEN MORE DOORS FOR YOUR BUSINESS.

THE NEW MINI 5-DOOR HATCH.

Official fuel economy figures for the new MINI 5-door Hatch Range: Urban 36.7-70.6 mpg (7.7-4.0 l/100km).

Extra Urban 58.9-88.3 mpg (4.8-3.2 l/100km). Combined 47.9-80.7 mpg (5.9-3.5 l/100km). CO2 Emissions 136-92 g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions.

The new MINI 5-door Hatch, delivers the same distinctive styling and go-kart handling as the current MINI Hatch but with the benefit of 5 doors. This time you’ve got no excuse not to take your colleagues out at lunch.

MINI customers can benefit from increased legroom plus bags more luggage space, taking it to a generous 278 litres. As well as all this extra space, the new MINI 5-door Hatch sets itself apart from competitors with the wide range of MINI technologies available. Standard specification includes Keyless Go, USB audio interface, Bluetooth® and On-Board Computer.

With impressively low CO2 emissions and superior performance, the new MINI 5-door Hatch provides fleet drivers with a proposition that’s hard to refuse.

The new One D, for example, offers combined fuel economy of 80.7mpg while CO2 emissions start from only 92g/km, resulting in a BIK rate of only 14%.

To find out how MINI makes sense for your business, visit www.minicorporate.co.uk or call 0370 5050 166.

J Fuel economy: from 80.7mpg (combined) J CO2 emissions: from 92g/km J BIK: from 14%

MINI Fleet & Business Sales

inbusiness

Spec adjusted The Insider is trying to ascertain which extra equipment is worth the cost.

C

yclist safety is prominent in the news at the moment. We are encouraged to get out on our bikes to ease traffic congestion and aid our health and weight. It's a bit of a chicken and egg situation really. If you can make the roads safer for me, I'll get out on my bike. But trying to keep track of the whereabouts of cyclists moving faster than the flow of traffic, when they are weaving inside and outside of my car, in the dark and wet weather, wearing dark clothing and showing few lights, doesn't convince me that cycling is a life-extending experience.

So the news that Jaguar Land Rover is working on in-car technology to warn us about the proximity of cyclists is welcome, although a car seat with the ability to tap me on the left or right shoulder to warn me of the direction of the incoming may be just a tad disconcerting. It reminds me of those films when serial killers jump in the back seat of stopped cars on dark roads. The fright could kill me, not a cyclist.

Question is, once the technology becomes available on mainstream cars - and it will - would you specify it on all your vehicles and bear the additional cost? Or at least on those fleet cars which operate largely in urban environments? I would. For one, it's protecting vulnerable road users, and from a commercial standpoint, cyclists are uninsured so we will never be claiming off them in a fleet bump.

Updating the specification on fleet cars is always an interesting conundrum, and an ongoing process.

After all, the overall objective is to run as few cars as possible, whilst working them as hard as possible, at least cost. When it comes to additional mandatory specification, for me it’s about weighing up the

likely improved safety angle - leading to happier employees and potentially less vehicle downtime and lost productivity - versus the cost. We keep our cars for three to four years, so the additional specification costs are less than they would be on a fastchurn cycle.

For us, specifying a spare wheel on the highmileage working vehicles was a no-brainer; yet winter tyres were deemed not necessary. We are not running a fleet which is providing an essential service 24/7. But all-weather tyres, which can be left on a car all year around with no requirement for additional wheels and storage costs, may be a different story, if the price proves right. Front and rear facing cameras are another area I am keen to pursue, because in addition to accident footage availability, there is a hidden benefit in that it is bound to change driver behaviour for the better.

Most of these items will become standard fit in a few years, but early adopters reap the benefits now.

I learned another new thing this month, unrelated to the above, other than to illustrate the complications generated by increasing amounts of vehicle technology. The Stop/Start on one of our cars stopped working, apparently due to insufficient battery strength. I always reckoned a healthy car battery would normally last around 4 years, but of course with more ancillary equipment like sat navs and tablets drawing power, capability could reduce.

I assume that as the Stop/Start function draws more power it is the first thing to fail. As you often don't get any warning that a battery is about to fail, at least this has a positive side benefit. One to watch.

WE’RE ALWAYS RIGHT BEHIND YOU IT’S OUR WAY OF PUTTING YOU IN FRONT

When it comes to vehicle leasing and fleet management, we work hard to understand our customers’ business objectives. Our team has the knowledge and expertise to deliver a first-class service to achieve those objectives.

So whatever your requirements are, we’re here to help deliver a solution that best suits you.

Keeping you one step ahead

www.aldautomotive.co.uk

in

Hyundai targets top five sales spot H

yundai UK is targeting 88,000 sales during 2015, a 7% growth despite a predicted flat market, with important new products set to underpin that increase according to president and CEO Tony Whitehorn.

The prediction follows a record 2014, where the company sold 82,159 units in the UK – the first time a Korean manufacturer has exceeded 80,000. But, Whitehorn explained, new product is going to be the only way to continue to grow during 2015, and its sales plans are bolstered by the new i20, refreshed i30 and i40, the Tucson and a small number of Genesis luxury saloons as a showcase.

This year, the company will roll out a new dealership identity with additional support and revised standards for its Business Centres, and new segments, a 70% replacement of its drivetrain line-up by 2020 and fresh design are expected to lay the foundations of ongoing growth split equally between the sectors the company competes in.

“Our short term ambition is 100,000 units, our medium term ambition is a 5% market share, our long term ambition is UK top five,” said Whitehorn. “Those are our milestones, it would be naïve to put a timing on them but what we’re trying to say is this is what we need to be doing and where we need to be going.”

Key fleet models...

i10

i20

i30

ix35

i40

The irst Korean car to exceed 25,000 units in the UK last year. Take‐up for the top two trim levels has doubled since the last car.

2014 sales reached a record 14,800 units, in its inal year on sale. The new i20 launched in January, ahead of the Coupe in April.

The refreshed i30 arrives in March, with CO2 emis‐ sions from 94g/km and a new hot hatch at the top of the range.

Hyundai’s oldest model, ix35 had a record 2014 with sales up 26% to 16,900 units. It will be replaced by the Tucson later this year.

Facelifted for 2015, the i40 gets technology from the Genesis luxury car and a choice of ef icient new dual‐ clutch automatic gearboxes.

14 / fleetworld.co.uk

view

from the top

Martin Wilson, fleet director, Hyundai UK

The winning formula for ffleet leet per performance formance

How were Hyundai UK’s fleet sales last year?

It was another record year for us. The key measure for me is the volume via the dealer network, that was up over 1,000 units year�on�year, but it’s great to see every single sector is now contributing to the overall number.

What are your aspirations for this year?

Overall volumes will only grow by 2,000 to 2,500 registrations, but the key ele� ment is the rental volume will decrease by a couple of thousand units. The vol� ume we need to ind will come from true leet and Motability. We’re not walking away from rental, we just need to make sure we have that optimal volume to keep control on residual values.

How will you support this?

It’s enhancing our offering in every single sector. We have a very robust aftersales charter which gives con idence to deal with our brand, we’ve driven down SMR costs and it’s great to see the investment in what we’re trying to do. I brought three new staff into the department last year and we’re looking to take more people on this year.

We will be re�launching the Hyundai Business Centre programme in April where we’ll be giving more support for prospecting, CRM and database manage� ment and also raising standards. It’s key for me that the money we spend is utilised on dealers who are proactive and can deliver that excellent level of service.

We’re also working with RV setters so they set the best values for certain cars.

On i40 we’ve seen an RV change any� where from 7�10% uplift from old to new. That’s a game changer for us – whereas in the past, especially in the public sector, we wouldn’t compete because the annual payment would be too far out; now we’ve got a strong RV and a very good product it gives us virtu� ally a completely new audience to talk to.

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inbusiness

Q &A

The trial of the new digital service, Check Or Update Your Company Car Tax, means that Pay As You Earn (PAYE) customers who have company cars will be able to make any changes online to their car and car fuel benefits that will affect their tax codes.

HMRC explains the benefits for fleets and drivers.

Why has the change been implemented?

HMRC has introduced this new online trial service to make it easier for customers who have company cars to make changes to their tax code. They can use the service to check their current car details, change their car details or update their fuel details.

We are developing this trial service in a way that enables us to quickly incorporate feedback from customers. This means it will evolve over time as we continuously develop it.

How will fleets/drivers benefit?

Using the digital service means customers can make updates to their company car details and they will no longer have to wait for HMRC to update their tax code for them. This will enable them to make sure their tax code is always up to date.

The digital service is a lot more convenient for customers as it means they can deal with HMRC at a time that suits them, rather than when our call centres are open.

They can also access the service from a place that suits them, using their computers, mobiles or tablets.

It also brings significant savings for users as they will save the time and money they previously spent dealing with us by telephone or post.

What other digital-focused changes can fleets and company car drivers expect?

We are developing a personalised digital tax account

UK connecting the UK’s fleet community ~ Formerly Fleet Academy

18 / fleetworld.co.uk

for individual customers that will bring together information about their taxes and benefits at a single point, and present it in a simple, easy-to-understand way. It will include summaries of their tax information and provide access to the services they need to keep their information up to date and report a change in circumstances online.

Initially, a small number of digital PAYE services will be available, including making changes to car benefits online, but it will evolve with further services being added. We expect to trial the new service with a small group of customers in spring 2015 and make it available to all customers in autumn 2015.

How will data security be ensured?

This new service is using GOV.UK Verify – the new way for people to prove who they are when using government digital services. GOV.UK Verify offers a service that is faster and more secure for users. When you need to prove who you are you chose from a list of certified companies to verify your identity. The company verifies your identity by asking questions only you would know the answers to. You’ll also be asked to enter a code you receive on your phone or via an e-mail. This is known as ‘2-factor’ authentication.

Verifying your identity for the first time usually takes 10 minutes and is fully completed online. It also means there is no central government identity database and the company you choose can’t use or share your data without your permission.

Join the debate... theukfleetforum.co.uk

renault.co.uk

RENAULT CAPTUR CAPTURE LIFE

Renault Captur Dynamique MediaNav ENERGY dCi 90 S&S Multimedia Touchscreen with Integrated Navigation With only 95g/km CO2, 78.5 combined mpg and 15% BIK P11D price £16,540

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DRIVE THE CHANGE

The official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Renault Captur Dynamique MediaNav ENERGY dCi 90 S&S are: Urban 67.3 (4.2); Extra Urban 83.1 (3.4); Combined 78.5 (3.6). The official CO2 emissions are 95g/km. EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008 test environment figures. Fuel consumption and CO2 may vary according to driving styles, road conditions and other factors.

Car shown has optional metallic paint, available at an additional £495 (or £595 for i.d. paint), plus £300 for painted roof. All information correct at time of going to print.

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...

leasing demand

Source: SMMT

The results of new car registration data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) suggests that fleet demand for leased vehicles – in particular low emission models – will continue to grow in 2015.

SMMT recorded 2,476,435 new car registrations in 2014, up 9% on 2013’s total.

Fleet registrations also rose 8.7% to 1,178,416, and together with business sales, were responsible for over 52% of all new registrations.

2014 also saw a surge in demand for ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs), with registrations of plug-in cars increasing by 304% from 3,586 in 2013 to 14,498 in 2014.

Commenting on the SMMT figures, BVRLA chief executive, Gerry Keaney, said: “2014 was a great year for the retail and fleet motor industry, with new fleet registrations hitting a seven-year high. We expect to see a further, steady increase in new leasing volumes this year. Demand for vehicle finance continues to grow – particularly from consumers, SMEs and salary sacrifice customers.”

Figures from the BVRLA corroborated these statistics, showing that the fleet leasing sector also had a good year.

motoring fines

Source: Lex Autolease

According to the results of Lex Autolease’s annual Company Driver Fines and Penalties survey, fleet drivers accumulated £9.4m in motoring fines and penalties in 2014.

The survey of 290,000 company vehicles revealed that there were 144,955 motoring offences involving fleet drivers last year, an increase of 16.5% over 2013.

Parking fines increased 23% to 58,089, mirroring a trend seen amongst non-company drivers.

The number of company drivers caught committing endorsable offences such as speeding, driving dangerously, or driving whilst on a mobile phone also increased by 16%, recording 40,001 total convictions.

“With new smart technology motorway speeding cameras expected to be rolled out later this year, company drivers may incur additional fines and penalties unless they change their driving behaviour,” commented Guy Mason, head of fleet operations at Lex Autolease.

“The onus for changing poor driving habits rests with individual drivers and businesses, and company owners and fleet managers need to ensure they have robust driver training procedures in place to help eradicate behaviour that results in motoring fines.”

20 / fleetworld.co.uk

vehicle immobilisers

Source: National Windscreens

The results of a recent motoring safety innovations survey by National Windscreens suggest overwhelming support for technology designed to immobilise vehicles if sensors detect that the driver is over the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit.

84% of the 540 National Windscreen customers surveyed said they would support the introduction of immobilising technology in the UK. 66% said they would specify the additional technology when buying a new vehicle specifically to benefit from discounted insurance premiums.

When asked which safety technology had the most potential to reduce road accidents, 17% of survey respondents cited alcohol detection systems – just 2% less than the most popular answer which was Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB).

The level of support for alcohol detection devices contrasted to the 39% of respondents who stated they would support the introduction of technology designed to make it impossible to exceed the speed limit.

According to the Department for Transport, despite significant reductions in recent years alcohol was cited as the cause for 6,630 UK road accidents in 2012, leading to 230 deaths.

sat navs

Source: Brake and Direct Line

More than one in seven drivers who use a sat nav admit to making illegal or risky manoeuvres to correct mistakes when following sat nav instructions, a recent survey by Brake and Direct Line suggests.

7% of drivers surveyed said they had experienced a near miss, having to swerve or brake suddenly to avoid a hazard.

This rose to 11% among young drivers (17–24 years old).

7% of drivers also admitted to having a similar near miss because they were distracted by in-cab technology, for example while adjusting the radio.

Through its Drive Smart campaign, Brake is calling on all drivers to stay alert and keep their mind and eyes on the road.

That means programming sat navs before setting off, and not attempting to re-program it while driving. Brake is also urging drivers not to be distracted by the range of technologies installed in many new cars that have nothing to do with driving, such as access to social media.

The organisation is appealing to the government to regulate the use of technological features that can pose a distraction to drivers.

for the latest daily news from the fleet industry, visit fleetworld.co.uk fleetworld.co.uk / 21

inbusiness

Upwardly mobile The fleet manager role is morphing into one encompassing all travel arrangements, says John Pryor, chairman of ACFO. Mobility has fast become a buzzword across the fleet industry. The January issue of Fleet World posed the question ‘do mobility managers exist’ and I note that Alphabet no longer describes itself as a vehicle leasing and fleet management company but as a ‘business mobility specialist’.

At face value ‘mobility manager’ may better describe the job of today’s ‘fleet manager’. After all many of us while managing a fleet of vehicles are also responsible for employees moving around the country by other means - bus, train and plane, for example, as well as car.

Indeed, we are also being urged as part of our role to promote the use of teleconference and video conferencing so ensuring ‘meetings’ are held without ‘mobility’, unless you count an employee perhaps moving from their desk to another internal location.

While the job of the fleet manager was historically easily understood, in the last 20 years or so it has morphed so many times that those two words frequently no longer adequately explain the role of the individual that bears such a title.

Although, ‘mobility manager’ in many ways describes very well the job function of today’s ‘fleet managers’, it is a job description I am uncomfortable with.

I do not believe the words ‘mobility manager’ are beneficial to the industry I have worked in for more than 25 years and represent as ACFO chairman.

That is because the words ‘mobility manager’ have connotations outside of the fleet industry.

Notably in respect of mobility scooters and wheelchairs used by disabled people and the government funding of mobility allowances.

That is why my job title is ‘fleet and travel manager’ and why, I suspect, Fleet World editor Steve Moody in his article said in 15 years of writing about the fleet industry he had never received a business card with the job title ‘mobility manager’ printed on it.

‘Fleet and travel manager’ may not be as succinct a job description as ‘fleet manager’ or ‘mobility manager’ but it does, I believe, more accurately describe the job I and colleagues fulfil.

My job at its simplest level is to manage how people within the business I work for travel, which could mean by company car, hire car, own car, car share, bus, train or plane or indeed cycle or walk. I have a complete overview of who travels, how, when and where and the cost of any trip.

I must ensure that the company’s policy is implemented and the best value is given to the traveller to make their journey, while also taking into account other factors such as duty of care and the environment.

For example, our policy is lowest price but we don’t want to save a few pounds on a hotel bill if it means young female staff who we employ having to take taxis late at night when a more suitable hotel is conveniently located for the meeting/appointment.

Increasingly, the company I work for is promoting the use of sophisticated audio visual as an alternative to travel. While, in many cases, that may be managed by an organisation’s IT department, it is part of the armoury of the ‘fleet and travel manger’.

Years ago, the traditional ‘fleet manager’ could recite the power output of every company car they managed. What’s important today is to know the total cost of an employee making a journey - including parking, taxi fares, hotel accommodation etc how that journey will be made or whether an alternative to travel is more viable.

Labelling employees with a simple job title is fine if the description fits. But the role of the ‘fleet manager’ has broadened so much in today’s world and I’m sure will widen still further - that to pigeonhole what we do with a snappy couple of words could result in a wholesale misconception of the job.

“What’s important today is to know the total cost of an employee making a journey.”

22 / fleetworld.co.uk

+ Fuel up Volkswagen Group Leasing – approved promoter of Barclaycard Fuel+ in association with The Miles Consultancy (TMC)

Fuel+ means saving money on your fleet’s business fuel spend.

Volkswagen Group Leasing working with Barclaycard Fuel+ provides access to the UK’s biggest network of fuelling stations that display the VISA sign*. What’s more with its Chip and PIN payment system, it’s secure and can be used in most stations across Europe.

With the ability to monitor and run a vast array of reports you can control your spending and we’re confident it can save you money too. If your first-year saving doesn’t amount to double the TMC fee*,* TMC will make up the difference.^

To find out more about Fuel+ call 0870 333 2229† or visit makingleasingsimple.co.uk/fuelcard * Please note that a few small fuel retailers with a shop may be classified by their VISA processing bank as a supermarket or convenience store and your card may therefore be declined. Only an outlet classified as a fuel retailer will accept your card. ** Fuel + costs £3.25 a month per vehicle. Additional card fees of £2 per month per card, may apply. ^ Mileage over-claims are only for claims made within the first year. †

Calls provided by BT will be charged up to 5p per minute, with a 12p set-up charge. Mobile and other provider’s charges may vary and are likely to cost more.

Terms and conditions apply and availability of Fuel+ is subject to credit approval.

g fleet e k

Sonicable Quick charging for Android and iOS devices, via the world’s most advanced USB cable.

The in-line switch allows computer syncing to be disabled and 100% of the power to be diverted to the battery, claimed to halve charging times.

It’s also tangle-resistant for simplicity.

Price: £17.50 from sonicable.com

The Egg A clever solution for always full cameras, tablets and smartphones, offering up to 256GB of additional memory in a portable, rugged egg-shaped case, accessed via USB or its on-board WiFi hotspot. It’s a little like cloud-based storage, but it keeps data locally and enables large files to be stored off the device to save space.

Price: £84–£207 from eggcyte.com WayTools TextBlade

Qmote Aimed at streamlining the use of smart devices, Qmote allows up to ten actions to be programmed into a compact and weatherproof keyfob. So it could activate the camera, trigger a location alert, run through presentation slides or snooze an alarm from the other side of the room, and it can pair with smart home devices such as the Hue lighting system.

Price: £12.50 from qmote.qblinks.com

Designed to bring full-sized keyboard touch typing to smartphones and tablets, the TextBlade disassembles into three small sections which stack to a third of the size of an iPhone. Claimed to be the slimmest QWERTY keyboard ever made, it connects via a low energy Bluetooth connection, takes minutes to charge and the batteries last a month.

Price: £65 from waytools.com

apps of the month

Umano

IFTTT

Pushbullet

Umano lets you compile all your favourite news sources as a playlist, and have articles read out by real people rather than a computer. It’s essentially a way to create your own news-based podcast, to catch up with relevant articles on the move, and it includes the ability to download for offline use, and a mode specifically designed for listening in the car.

Price: Free from Google Play, iTunes Store

Turn the internet into your own personal assistant with a few simple commands. Using sources including mail, information sites and social media, it can automatically notify, send e-mails or download files based on easily entered ‘recipes’.

Originally launched in 2011 and with 15 million recipes going through the service every day, it’s now available for Android and iOS devices.

Price: Free from Google Play, iTunes Store

Offering full smartphone integration with your computer, Pushbullet mirrors notifications between the devices and has some useful tricks up its sleeve. Media content can be shared directly from the desktop app, links from e-mails come through on both screens and the clipboard is mirrored allowing links to be copied quickly and easily between the two.

Price: Free from Google Play, iTunes Store

24 / fleetworld.co.uk

inbusiness

Autonomy in the UK As the UK takes its first steps towards driverless vehicle trials, Alex Grant looks at what challenges the four-year test period will have to overcome.

What is it?

The claims:

Following a six-month review, the Department for Transport has given the green light for driverless cars to be tested on UK roads, aiming to establish a pathway for the technology to reach production.

Autonomous cars are tasked with helping to combat a number of problems. Human error contributes to 94% of accidents with huge financial costs as a result. That’s a factor which the unwavering concentration of a computer can mitigate – something insurers are already recognising in the latest driver assistance systems. Computers can also be programmed to always drive efficiently and smoothly, cutting congestion and energy use.

There are also benefits for convenience. British drivers spend an average of 235 hours per year driving, equivalent to six working weeks, which will be opened up to other tasks and increase productivity.

The DfT says 31% of women and 14% of men do not hold a driving licence, and that figure rises to 46% among 17-30 year olds. Fully autonomous cars would enable them to become road users without taking a driving test.

Why the UK? Globally, the Vienna Convention has been the traditional challenge to driverless vehicles. This requires cars to have a human driver able to take control.

Although the UK has signed this, it hasn’t ratified it. So as long as the vehicles obey proper driving behaviour, and participants follow a code of practice, they aren’t confined to test tracks. The hope is that the lack of red tape will help attract domestic and international developers to test technology here.

How will it work?

Trials will take place in Greenwich, Bristol and a joint project in Milton Keynes and Coventry, which will share a £19m funding package. The first step will be to issue a code of practice, due this spring, which will streamline potential participants through the application process and set out guidelines they have to follow to test the technology on public roads.

Participating vehicles must have a driver who can take control if required, a data-logging device which can record whether a collision was caused by human or computer error, and evidence that the technology works on a test track. There are no requirements for special permits; participants just have to abide by conventional road laws. This will mean the systems can be proven in the environment where they will have to function once they reach production.

26 / fleetworld.co.uk

The next steps The tests are expected to show how partial autonomy could work on UK roads, so a driver would be able to select when they take control. This creates new regulatory challenges; liability after a collision is tackled case by case, and the technology could mean changes to The Highway Code, the MoT test and type approval for new vehicles. All are areas which trials in the UK, and worldwide, will address.

Amendments to regulations will be completed by the end of 2018, the DfT has said, ready for production versions to go on sale.

It looks even better on your books.

ALL-NEW FORD MONDEO Ford Dynamic LED Headlights Sleek curves, bold lines — the All-New Mondeo is quite a head-turner.

But its beauty is more than skin-deep: New rear seatbelts with built-in airbags that give your passengers unprecedented protection.

Dynamic LED headlights that improve all-round visibility.

With the option of a Hybrid Electric delivering over 100mpg on urban cycle.

• • •

For more information please contact our Business Centre on 0345 723 2323.

COMBINED

P11D

BIK

CO 2

MPG

£20,740 - £27,310

14% - 31%

176 - 94g/km

37.2-78.5

Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Ford Mondeo range: urban 27.4-100.9 (10.3-2.8), extra urban 47.9-85.6 (5.9-3.3), combined 37.2-78.5 (7.6-3.6). Official CO2 emissions 176-94g/km.

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

Vehicle shown is a 2.0 180PS TDCi with 19́​́Alloy wheels, Panorama roof & Dynamic LED Headlights, in Ruby Red Special metallic paint (all optional at additional cost).

Citroën C4 The C4 is a sensible choice, but lacks the sparkle of its stablemates, reckons Alex Grant.

SECTOR Lower medium PRICE £14,645–£19,990 FUEL 60.1–85.6mpg CO2 86–110g/km

W

for the functionality it brings it’s probably worth having. ith the C4 Picasso and C4 Cactus, Citroën has a Line of sight materials are generally high quality and soft pair of very strong products at the core of its to the touch and there’s plenty of room in the front and back range. The downside is the basic C4, without – the latter is compromised by the optional panoramic roof the weight‐saving innovations or the clean new family though. The boot is one of the segment’s largest and a wide, design, has aged prematurely as a result. usable shape, but the rear seats don’t fold flat with the floor.

On sale in the UK from April, the refreshed version arrives Citroën is marking itself out as a brand with wellbeing, almost five years after the second‐generation C4 originally rather than sportiness, woven into its identity. So the C4 launched. Behind new three‐dimensional front and rear rides smoothly over even the roughest surfaces on its light internals, a couple of additional shades of grey paint‐ smallest wheels, but isn’t a car which likes to be rushed. work and some fresh alloy wheel designs, it’s taking steps to Comfortable front seats, now available with a massage define itself as a model in its own right, separate from the function, and effortlessly light steering visually similar DS 4, and it looks all the feed into that ethos. better for what is really a subtle change.

It also makes good sense on paper.

Minor exterior tweaks are matched Pricing is aggressive and the almost all‐ with familiar PSA Peugeot‐Citroën tech‐ new engine range is competitive. This nology inside the cabin. The dashboard now comprises 110 or 130bhp tur‐ now features a seven‐inch touchscreen bocharged three‐cylinder petrols, and display, as used on most of the group’s three BlueHDI diesels with 100, 120 and new products, which neatly groups nav‐ 150bhp. On 16‐inch wheels, all diesel igation, media and telephony controls versions now emit 98g/km or less and, into the screen, allowing Citroën to sig‐ with the optional £200 Stop and Start nificantly reduce the number of physical system, the BlueHDI 100 returns buttons on the centre console. While it's 86.6mpg and emits 86g/km. That’s not fiddly at first, it's a better layout than the far behind the C4 Cactus. old car and, unlike the C4 Picasso and So the C4 shapes up well – it’s under‐ Cactus, this still has proper air condi‐ The C4 is a good car, and stated, comfortable, practical and now has tioning controls. lower running costs will the fuel efficiency it needed to be a com‐ But it isn’t standard equipment. All make it more attractive. petitive part of this segment. The prob‐ except the top‐spec Flair trim get a black‐ lem, though, is it’s sharing a showroom on‐orange LCD display and the same scat‐ But, it's possibly a little and nameplate with two excellent prod‐ tering of buttons as the old car, with a anonymous in this ucts, and it still feels a little dated by com‐ blanking plate across the bottom of what segment, even against parison. In a sector packed full of brilliant, would be the screen. Upgrading costs its stablemates. desirable hatchbacks, the C4 remains an a very reasonable £460, or £900 with entirely head‐over‐heart choice. navigation, on the mid‐spec Feel trim and

what we think

28 / fleetworld.co.uk

Mazda6 Mazda’s stylish family car makes a strong case for the traditional D-segment, reckons Alex Grant.

SECTOR Upper medium PRICE £19,795–£28,795 FUEL 47.1–68.9mpg CO2 107–139g/km

W

the cabin feels convincingly more upmarket than it did before. hile new segments and premium brands might Sport Nav versions get the biggest upgrades, which be stealing sales away from the traditional Mazda reckons could help bolster sales of its flagship trim upper‐medium saloons and estates, there are level. With new 19‐inch wheels, a thicker grille flanked by some genuinely brilliant options for those who don’t see LED headlights and a six‐way adjustable driver’s seat in its the need for a high‐riding lifestyle vehicle or flashy badge. leather‐trimmed interior, it wouldn’t feel like a downgrade The Mazda6 is up at the top of that list. from any premium‐brand rivals.

It’s been an important part of the brand’s surging sales Neither would the driving experience. Mazda’s SKYAC‐ since it launched early in 2013. The carmaker sold 37,784 TIV Technology package, comprising weight reduction, cars in the UK last year, a 21% increase, and with the chassis refinement and new four‐cylinder engines, made Mazda2, Juke‐rivalling CX‐3 crossover, a new MX‐5 and this one of the segment’s best driver’s cars; susprisingly refreshed CX‐5 and Mazda6 all launching during 2015, it’ll agile and with perfectly weighted steer‐ be surprising if its results aren’t equally ing, a sporty driving position and short‐ positive next January. throw gear changes. None of which For the most part, the Mazda6 line‐up comes at the expense of comfort, short is unchanged. There’s still a choice of SE of the firmer ride quality on the Sport and SE‐L versions, each with the option Nav’s bigger wheels. to move into a navigation‐equipped trim But engines are still at the large and level for an extra £700, and the range is powerful end of the segment. Mazda’s topped out by the striking Sport Nav. 2.2‐litre diesel offers strong, linear power Unusually it manages to look sporty and delivery and competitive on‐paper fig‐ elegant regardless of bodstyle or trim ures for both the 150bhp and 175bhp level, so there’s been no need to perform outputs, but there’s no 1.5‐litre diesel to radical changes. bring CO2 emissions under 100g/km. The Instead, the majority of updates are upside is, they’re genuinely fuel efficient found inside the car. All versions now fea‐ in real‐world use and, with the additional ture a tablet‐style seven‐inch touch‐ Striking good looks, an sound deadening fitted for 2015, they’re screen on top of a redesigned centre engaging drive and comalso incredibly quiet. stack, now using the web‐enabled MZD petitive running costs conSo while this segment’s sales are being Connect infotainment system instead of challenged by premium brand products, the clunky TomTom unit used to date. tinue to put the Mazda6 in crossovers and MPVs, the Mazda6 is a Leather upholstery, if the option is a good position for those reminder that there are still plenty of rea‐ ticked, is matched to a horizontal strip who aren’t chasing subsons to stick with the traditional D‐seg‐ across the dashboard, and the centre con‐ 100g/km CO2 emissions. ment saloon or estate. Ironically, it might sole looks much neater with its electronic just be becoming an avant‐garde choice. handbrake. That latter point is divisive, but

what we think

30 / fleetworld.co.uk

Advertisement Feature

How secure is your fuel payment solution?

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Barclaycard Fuel+. Miles ahead.

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Source: ‘Fraud the Facts 2014’ Financial Fraud Action report, May 2014.

†

Please note that, at present, Fuel+ is available only to organisations with a business fuel spend of more than £100,000 p.a.

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Nissan Juke / Qashqai / X-Trail

A different class Stylish, fuel efficient and packed with technology, Nissan’s segment defining, market-leading crossover range is built for business.

Qashqai With over 250,000 UK sales, the Qashqai is one of Nissan’s most successful vehicles and the undisputed crossover leader. The second generation, launched last year, is setting new benchmarks for design, technology and whole-life costs which have won awards and praise from the press and fleet industry alike.

Fuel economy of 74.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 99g/km for the class-leading dCi 110 diesel engine mean the Qashqai is VED exempt, and offers low running costs with BiK from 17% for company car drivers.

Advanced technology, including autonomous braking, traffic sign recognition and lane departure warnings, contribute to lower insurance ratings, while the NissanConnect system brings smartphone connectivity and intuitive navigation to drivers’ fingertips.

For more information visit www.nissan.co.uk/fleet or call us on 0800 294 0579

Juke Athletic and stylish, the Juke offers a tailor-made driving experience.

It’s extensively customisable, with the Nissan Design Studio including colour packs which link the sporty interior with details of the bodywork, while the optional open-air panoramic glass roof adds a feeling of space to the cabin.

Stop/start technology results in economy of up to 70.6mpg with 104g/km CO 2 emissions, keeping running costs low with BiK from 18% for drivers. Juke’s interior space and practicality belie its coupe-like profile, including a useful boot capacity of up to 354 litres. Options include the NissanConnect system with satellite navigation and digital radio, while Safety Shield Technologies keep an extra pair of eyes on the road.

X-Trail The new X-Trail offers huge interior flexibility with striking design and low running costs. The luxurious crossover flagship model offers up to 57.6mpg with CO2 emissions of 129g/km, resulting in Benefit in Kind tax from 23%. Large reductions in insurance, service and maintenance, with a substantial uplift in residual values make the X-Trail an affordable, desirable alternative to a conventional estate car.

The range enables drivers to build a car to suit them, including five or seven-seat versions, two or four-wheel drive and the option of an automatic transmission. The X-Trail also benefits from Nissan’s full range of advanced technology. NissanConnect lets drivers take their digital lives on the road and, via Around View Monitor, offers a birdseye view for tight manoeuvres. On top of this, Safety Shield Technologies, and Intelligent Park Assist, mean it’s safer and easier than ever to live with.

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BMW 2 Series Convertible A new badge for a familiar car, BMW’s smallest soft-top has real fleet appeal, says Alex Grant.

SECTOR Convertible PRICE £26,045–£39,255 FUEL 33.2–68.9mpg CO2 108–199g/km

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MW can lay claim to having the world’s biggest‐ 160g/km CO 2, and the new three‐cylinder 218i engine. selling premium compact drop‐top with the old This entry point to the range is £3,000 less than the 1 Series Convertible, having sold 130,000 globally equivalent diesel and offered in a fourth SE trim level, and 21,000 in the UK. So while the 2 Series may be a and with up to 53.3mpg combined fuel economy it could different badge, it hasn’t strayed far from what’s already make a viable option for low‐mileage user‐choosers. an attractive part of the range.

Whichever engine is under the bonnet, the 2 Series Actually, the big difference between generations is its Convertible offers exactly the driver‐focused driving expe‐ closest rival. While the old A3 Cabriolet felt a lot like a rience BMW has become synonymous for. Wide tracks, Golf, complete with the stubby boot, the second genera‐ large wheels and stiff suspension contribute to excellent tion is based on the A3 Saloon. So, like the BMW, it has a agility without back‐breaking ride quality and figure‐ long and elegant profile with a yacht‐like rear deck. hugging sports seats are standard across the range. BMW While Audi has a wider range, the two expects 60% of UK buyers will opt into cars are very closely priced on the the M Sport trim, which is on par with competing versions, which gives this a the rest of its sportier bodystyles. tough rival.

Open‐top motoring, accessible in 20 The 2 Series Convertible gets a seconds at speeds of up to 30mph, concise line‐up, with five engines from takes very little of the Coupe’s practi‐ the Coupe of which only one is a diesel. cality or sharpness away. Scuttle shake Predicted to take around a third of UK is barely noticeable on anything except sales, higher in fleet, the 220d produces the most rippled country roads, wind 188bhp and never feels like a soft noise through the heavily insulated option. The engine is light, progressive fabric section is minimal even at and muscular in its power delivery and motorway speeds and though the boot remarkably quiet even with the roof space is compromised by compart‐ down. It should also offer impressive ments containing the roof mechanism, real‐world economy. it’s still large enough to be useful.

The 2 Series Convertible On that note, the most efficient Ultimately, all of these are qualities feels much closer to the version uses BMW’s excellent auto‐ which the A3 Cabriolet can now contest, equivalent 4 Series than its matic gearbox. This adds £1,550 to the though. Choosing the right compact soft price (and £135 on top of that for the top really comes down to whether driv‐ predecessor, a premiumSport version) but lifts economy from ers prefer the sharp‐edged futuristic class cabriolet with style, 64.2mpg to 68.9mpg and takes it down styling and detailed design of the Audi, agility and surprising two BiK bands. or the rear‐wheel drive agility and practicality on its side.

Petrols comprise the 325bhp M235i, driver‐focused nature of the 2 Series. the 2.0‐litre 220i and 228i, both under Neither are likely to disappoint.

what we think

34 / fleetworld.co.uk

Mazda2 The new Mazda2 signals a year of change throughout the range, says Al Suttie.

SECTOR Supermini PRICE £11,995–£17,395 FUEL 56.5–83.1mpg CO2 89–117g/km

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he launch of the new Mazda2 heralds the start of a pretty busy year for Mazda that will see it sweep a new broom throughout its range, to the point that 2014’s Mazda3 will be the oldest car in the range.

That’s not to say these new cars are emergency meas‐ ures to reinvigorate a stagnant range. In fact, it comes off the back of two years of strong sales growth across Europe.

The signs are good that the upswing will continue with this supermini. The 2 shares styling with the 3, 6 and CX‐5. giving it a more distinct style from most super‐ minis, taking it a step away from the monobox shape.

Inside, the 2 delivers space and comfort for the driver.

Coupled to a clear main instrument display with central counter flanked by digital displays for speed, fuel and other vitals, and simple rotary controls for the ventila‐ tion, the 2 has another typically logical and precise driv‐ ing environment. There’s also decent rear seat space and a boot the same size as a Volkswagen Polo’s.

Choose the SE‐L trim and above with the 89bhp 1.5‐ litre petrol engine or the more powerful 113bhp unit and you also enjoy a seven‐inch colour touchscreen

H

E

W

Eco-warrior † – from only 85g/km CO2

Warm bums, with heated seats

S Hey good looking

multimedia display. For the SE‐L and Sport models, there are also Nav versions with integrated navigation and three years of free European map upgrades.

The 89bhp 1.5‐litre petrol engine is expected to be the most popular and starts from £13,995. It’s a keen worker and offers 105g/km CO2 emission when matched with the five‐speed manual gearbox. Go for the six‐speed auto and emissions rise to 112g/km, while economy for the auto is 58.9mpg versus 62.8mpg for the manual.

The 74bhp 1.5 needs to be revved hard, but the 113bhp 1.5 addresses these complaints, although comes with economy penalties. We were not able to sample the 104bhp 1.5‐litre turbodiesel, which delivers 83.1mpg combined economy and 89g/km CO2.

It is clear from the 2s we did drive Mazda has made sig‐ nificant improvements to the ride and refinement over the previous model. Noise is ably suppressed while com‐ fort is on a par with the best in class on roads more akin to the lunar surface. Fortunately, this has not come at the expense of handling prowess, so the 2 remains a fun and feisty small car on twisty roads.

Streaming.

Bluetooth® audio streaming with IntelliLink infotainment

THE A-Z OF NEW

CORSA

Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). New Corsa range: Urban 36.2 (7.8) – 76.3 (3.7), Extra-urban 57.6 (4.9) – 94.2 (3.0), Combined 47.1 (6.0) – 88.3 (3.2). CO2 emissions 140 – 85g/km. † = Official EU-regulated test data are provided for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. All figures quoted correct at time of publication (March 2015).

Volvo XC90 Is Sweden’s new premium SUV good enough to lure executive user-choosers? Mark Nichol finds out.

SECTOR Large SUV PRICE £45,550–£63,650 FUEL 35.3–112.9mpg CO2 59–179g/km

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n car years the outgoing Volvo XC90 qualified for one of those ‘well done for getting old’ letters from the Queen some time ago, but even at the end of a 13‐year lifecy‐ cle it remained a serious choice for those looking for comfort and versatility above all from their SUV. So, predictably, Volvo hasn’t added any new dishes to the XC90 smorgasbord, but has instead made the good ones even better: this XC90 is bigger, more versatile, more comfortable, and safer. A sporty SUV it isn’t.

That aligns the XC90 more with the stuff of Solihull (Land Rover Discovery and, at a push, Range Rover) than the more dynamically gaited Germans that together form the basis of the posh 4x4 segment.

Things start well. It’s a lovely place to sit, with a calm‐ ing, uncluttered cabin that best suits lighter colours and wood trim, but is classy throughout. Dominated by a large, high definition and outstandingly intuitive touchscreen, the XC90’s interior effortlessly melds traditional and tech‐ nological comforts.

Comfort is the outstanding quality in this car. For a large cylinder and all with an eight‐speed automatic gearbox as box on big wheels it keeps wind and road noise excep‐ standard: 222bhp D5 diesel, 316bhp T5 turbo petrol and tionally low, and its ride quality is worthy of any luxury 395bhp petrol‐electric hybrid T8. Each are hushed at low saloon, especially on the motorway – revs, but become a very non‐executive drone although, granted, the cars we’ve tried so far when pushed. They’re all punchy, but run out FLEET FACT have all had optional air suspension, while the of steam slightly from the mid range. standard configuration uses a fairly old‐school The D5 diesel will prove the big seller for 187bhp D4 diesel leaf spring rear setup to maximise space. now (it’s the best all‐rounder and the The XC90 is the definition of versatility.

35.3mpg T6 petrol makes very little sense), with FWD will All the rear seats fold flat and come back up offer sub-130g/km but for the fleet market, the T8 could find its again easily, and the middle row slides to give way to many a finance director’s driveway.

CO2 in 2016. the sixth and seventh passengers more leg This seven‐seat executive SUV puts out just space – and when those two seats are folded 59g/km and returns 112.9mpg, giving it a there’s a 775‐litre boot.

100% first year write down allowance, 9% BiK rating and, Only the engines occasionally give this Swedish SUV calculates Volvo, a monthly tax outlay of just £180. By the away as a luxury imposter. Three come to the UK, all four‐ same calculation, the D5 costs £410 per month.

All versions of the XC90 are well equipped, and although there are only three trim variations, Volvo has bafflingly decided to scrap the easy‐to‐comprehend trim naming convention (SE to SE Lux to Executive) in favour of arbitrary names. Base level is called Momentum, with Inscription and R‐Design sitting parallel above it, the latter the sportier of the two. Incidentally, half of all UK sales will be Momentum.

In the UK full‐LED headlights are standard issue, as is navigation, the aforementioned touchscreen media system, air‐filtering climate control, a powered tailgate, part‐ leather upholstery, DAB radio, Bluetooth, and even a high definition reversing camera. P11D prices start at £45,550.

Momentum may be a fairly random sounding trim name, but it’s a very appropriate descriptor for both the XC90 and Volvo itself. Not only is this the best Volvo in recent memory, it’s also the blueprint for the company’s post‐ Ford future – a future that, to shoehorn in another Volvo‐ appropriate metaphor, should see the company sail blissfully into happy times.

36 / fleetworld.co.uk

what we think

highlights P11D prices start from £45,550 395hbp T8 hybrid returns 112.9mpg with 59g/km CO2

Superb refinement, a lovely cabin, joyous infotainment system and relatively low running costs make the XC90 a class act in the premium SUV segment. Sweden has given Land Rover something to worry about.

Seven seats as standard Full-LED headlights standard in UK

C

I

Connected.

Sync up and phone home

U want one

V Value for money – from only £8,995

U THE A-Z OF NEW

CORSA I can see clearly now, with the heated screen

Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). New Corsa range: Urban 36.2 (7.8) – 76.3 (3.7), Extra-urban 57.6 (4.9) – 94.2 (3.0), Combined 47.1 (6.0) – 88.3 (3.2). CO2 emissions 140 – 85g/km. † = Official EU-regulated test data are provided for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. All figures quoted correct at time of publication (March 2015).

telematics

Intelligent use of crucial fleet data Rhys Harrhy, Telematics Product Manager of ALD Automotive, looks at the rise of the telematics proposition and how to address the issue of managing data overload.

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ince its early development as basic GPS technology, telematics has significantly evolved to the point where it is now firmly established as a comprehen‐ sive fleet management tool for fleets.

In fact, although in‐vehicle telematics has been around in one shape or form since the 1990s, it’s now on the radar for many fleets – particularly car operators as well as commer‐ cial fleets – as the abilities of telematics systems grow ever more sophisticated.

As the technology has come of age, recent discussions throughout the industry have been focussed on addressing a best practice approach to managing fleet data. The issue has become more prevalent as telematics technology has evolved but it can be resolved by using smarter approaches to interrogate data and by working with the right supplier.

Meanwhile, although the main issues for fleets are the same now as they were several years ago – encompassing cost reduction, risk management, CSR reporting and fleet/fuel efficiency – more fleets are waking up to the potential for telematics systems to address these matters effectively.

However, sifting your way through the ever‐increasing flow of information can prove a key challenge for a busy fleet manager. As such, it is essential for fleets to identify key issues to address from the outset when looking for a telematics provider, such as ALD Automotive.

First launched in 2004 as a way of reminding fleet driv‐ ers to service their vehicles on time, our award‐winning ProFleet2 telematics system has been developed into a proven and all‐encompassing fleet management solution delivered through the www.profleet2.com portal. It also bears the distinction of being unique within the market‐ place, with over 40,000 units installed to date.

Whichever system you opt for, telematics can provide a vital component to your fleet operation but to ensure opti‐ mum effectiveness, fleets using such technology are advised to act smarter with the data they are provided with.

This includes looking at vehicle suitability for the driver/job type – an increased focus on emissions and air quality legislation coupled with newer technology in vehicles (the rise of diesel/petrol hybrids, electric vehicles) mean that there is now a more compelling argument to move away from traditional diesel cars. This is being further driven by increased driver awareness of the BiK implications of less

Contact ALD Automotive:

38 / advertisement feature

t 0870 0011181

efficient vehicles and willingness to adopt cleaner technology.

And this is just one example of where telematics can drive efficiency gains for fleets but different fleets will have different requirements – the important issue is to work with a provider that offers a scalable solution that can be broken down to meet bespoke needs. It’s also vital to find a provider that will liaise closely post‐implementation to ensure all parties get what they want out of the system.

As the telematics industry perhaps looks to move to standard datasets, this will ease the process, in particular as insurance companies come under pressure to agree common standards, as seen in other countries such as Italy, where driver data is shared between companies, particularly after an accident, to help sort out claims and price premiums.

One further issue that is still causing a great deal of debate is the question of who owns the data – a growing concern as insurers using the technology have admitted that data on speeding etc could be passed to the police.

Central to this problem is the issue of how consent can be sought from all drivers to share part/all of the information – this is a vital subject for telematics service providers and cus‐ tomers to resolve, particularly due to the Data Protection Act, and fleets will need to have a clear policy here. However, it is actually not a problem for the ALD ProFleet2 system, which fea‐ tures an in‐built consent mechanism to manage this. In fact, drivers can actually be provided with online access to their own data to help engage their involvement.

The telematics industry will also evolve in the coming years as manufacturers increasingly fit the technology on all new cars. In particular this is being driven by EU regulations that mean that all new cars will need in‐vehicle communication technology from March 2018 for the eCall automatic emergency call system.

Telematics will also see an increasing role as part of future mobility solutions. Although this concept is still at an embryon‐ ic stage, it’s a hot topic for fleets. And by utilising historical banks of telematics data, fleets will be able to shape a sustain‐ able vehicle/mobility policy for their drivers in the future.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg for the technology, which will not only provide solutions for today’s key fleet challenges but also for tomorrow.

To find out more about how ALD Automotive can help you review and, if necessary, reconsider your fleet telematics, contact ukinfo@aldautomotive.com or phone 0870 00 111 81.

e ukinfo@aldautomotive.com

w www.aldautomotive.co.uk

Nissan e-NV200 Combi As an electric MPV, the e-NV200 is a great option for city-based families, reckons Alex Grant.

SECTOR Compact MPV PRICE £17,855–£26,309 RANGE 106 miles CO2 0g/km

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issan’s second electric vehicle has been drawing global atten‐ tion for packaging the LEAF’s drivetrain into a versatile electric van.

But it’s also available with back seats and rear windows, which makes the e‐NV200 Combi one of only two electric MPVs on sale in the UK. Heavy weights and range anxiety might make this sound flawed, but consider this. How many MPVs rarely, if ever, go further than the school, work and shopping run? In other words, what share of petrol and diesel‐burning MPVs are actually well within the range of an electric drivetrain? Quite a few, I’d guess.

That could make this a BiK‐effective option for drivers who might otherwise make do with a smaller model.

Within the footprint of a C‐segment hatchback, the practicality is impressive. There’s a huge amount of space in both rows of seats, and the second row tumbles forward (but can't be removed) to extend the already

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Gloves?

Who needs gloves with the heated steering wheel?

enormous boot. The tailgate is huge, the luggage area is wide and tall and the load floor isn’t much higher than a pavement – ideal for buggies and pets.

It makes a fantastic urban vehicle, easy to park because the body lacks bulbous arches and curves and the light steering gives a tight turning circle.

There’s no noise or vibration from the motor, instant torque from a standing start and it drives like an automatic, which is great for traffic. Plus there’s no air pollution.

But there’s no getting away from its van‐derived roots, with the porthole‐sized sliding rear windows and plas‐ ticky cabin showing what it was originally designed for.

That boxiness also curbs the range at motorway speeds, which means (unlike the LEAF) it’s only really suitable for urban use, despite the rapid charging system fitted to top models. It’s a small drawback for an otherwise versa‐ tile solution for city‐dwelling families.

N

Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights

P Flaunt it

Pay less P11D

X THE A-Z OF NEW

CORSA National Insurance Contributions down

Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). New Corsa range: Urban 36.2 (7.8) – 76.3 (3.7), Extra-urban 57.6 (4.9) – 94.2 (3.0), Combined 47.1 (6.0) – 88.3 (3.2). CO2 emissions 140 – 85g/km. † = Official EU-regulated test data are provided for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. All figures quoted correct at time of publication (March 2015).

Geneva 2015 Highlights

The Swiss Showcase

Amid the glitzy unveils of this year's event, Steve Moody and Alex Grant report on what the Geneva Motor Show could mean for your fleet.

SEAT product explosion is on a long fuse By the looks of SEAT’s 20V20 SUV concept, the firm’s design direction is for much sharper, more dynamic and sporty-looking cars. But the Audi Q5-sized vehicle won’t be here for another five years, which these days is an age.

Between then and now, there’s a Qashqai rival next year, and a Juke competitor the year after that.

There’s no doubt SEAT needs these cars desperately, as they fit in with the brand’s much-trumpeted sporty lifestyle aspirations, but it seems that they have been a long time coming, and a little more patience is going to be needed.

D DAB – never a dull moment

T Turbocharged engines

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J Just keeps going...

Up to 88.3mpg†

Mine

Q Quids in for Whole Life Costs

Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). New Corsa range: Urban 36.2 (7.8) – 76.3

† = Official EU-regulated test data are provided for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. * = 2014-15 tax year. General Motors UK Limited, charges; parking and speeding fines and the £250 insurance excess (if applicable). 3 Day Test Drive vehicles are subject to availability and terms and conditions apply. Please refer to www.vauxhall3DTD.co.uk for full terms and

The Skoda Superb: just what it says on the tin Kadjar should achieve what Koleos couldn’t The short-lived Koleos may have made Renault a forgotten contender in the mid-sized crossover segment, but its return with the Kadjar is looking promising. Sharing parts with the Nissan Qashqai can’t hurt, particularly the headline 74.3mpg and 99g/km CO2 emissions, and it wears its scaled-up Captur styling well too. This could be an important tool for Renault to hang onto user-choosers which the capable, but ageing, Megane can’t quite manage. The R-Link 2 infotainment system even features mileage and economy tracking, driver training and data gathering functions aimed specifically at fleet users.

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There were rumours that when the first Superb was being developed, the Volkswagen Group board chose one of the more dowdy design options, fearing the car might step on the toes of the Volkswagen Passat otherwise.

Well, such is the strength of Skoda now (and the Volkswagen Passat for that matter), that the new Superb is a stunning vehicle. There’s the usual concert-hall levels of space inside, high quality throughout and suggestions are that GreenLine trims might have CO2 as low as 96g/km.

The double boot arrangement has been dropped in favour of a standard hatchback while prices will start at just over £18,000. Superb, indeed.

Love at first sight Love the tiny whole life costs Love the huge spec Love New Corsa

Kind on BiK – from just 13%*

Z Zero VED

VAUXHALL FLEET Call 0870 010 0651 | visit www.vauxhall.co.uk/fleet

(3.7), Extra-urban 57.6 (4.9) – 94.2 (3.0), Combined 47.1 (6.0) – 88.3 (3.2). CO2 emissions 140 – 85g/km.

Book your FREE** 3 Day Test Drive at www.vauxhall3DTD.co.uk or call 0870 240 4848

trading as Vauxhall Motors, does not offer tax advice and recommends that all Company Car Drivers consult their own accountant with regards to their particular tax position. ** = Excludes fuel and lubricants; congestion conditions. Drivers must be 25 years or older and is available for Mainland UK only. All figures quoted correct at time of publication (March 2015). Images shown for illustrative purposes only and may feature options at extra cost.

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Geneva 2015 Highlights Ford broadens its appeal Ford is clearly defining three separate ‘families’ of cars outside its core Fiesta, Focus and Transit line-up, according to UK chairman and MD Mark Ovenden. These include a trio of SUVs topped by the forthcoming Edge, Vignale versions of the Mondeo and S-Max to target premium-brand customers, and an increased focus on the RS and ST models – there are high hopes for the diesel Focus ST in the UK fleet sector. This will enable Ford to continue catering for its core customers, while broadening its customer base even as far as rivalling Ferrari with the new GT supercar.

Connectivity is the vital ingredient

New C-Class Hybrid will be expensive

Connectivity has become the new battleground for manufacturers, now competing to offer integration with in-car displays, downloadable apps and smartphone-controlled functions. While it’s a new (ish) phenomenon, it’s already progressed beyond handsets. This year, manufacturers will begin launching apps for the new smartwatches, enabling remote control and checking of vehicle functions from drivers’ wrists. Hyundai has suggested its Blue Link app, which launches in Europe later this year, could eventually monitor the driver’s heartrate and advise when to take a break.

Mercedes-Benz is going down the plug-in hybrid route big time: it will launch 10 by 2017. Following the excellent S-Class version, this year the C-Class gets a socket and batteries for sub-50g/km models. But it will not be cheap, coming in only high-end trim levels, because the cost of the system pushes the price up.

Elsewhere in the C-Class range, get used to more naming changes. All diesel models lose the confusing BlueTec name and the numbers are now followed with a good old-fashioned ‘d’. Hybrids get an ‘e’, and petrols nothing.

Even more SUVs and crossovers are coming JLR has the right cars for growth There’s a genuine confidence at Jaguar Land Rover about the next five years. Sales of the two brands were up 13% and 6% respectively last year, and UK managing director, Jeremy Hicks, says they’re only limited by supply. New product will certainly help – the sub-100g/km XE is expected to double Jaguar’s sales, and the forthcoming F-Pace crossover already has provisional orders. Land Rover will have a 119g/km Discovery Sport and 109g/km Evoque, with a Convertible option, in the near future, all of which will bolster its fleet appeal. “We’re only now breaking into the sub-130g/km CO2, which is the key door opener for us,” said Hicks.

42 / fleetworld.co.uk

Inbetween the unveiling of a myriad of sportscars (the green cars being shoved to the sides this year), there was of course the profusion of new SUVs and crossovers.

Mitsubishi revealed its sharp XR-PHEV, which is basically the new ASX, which will come next year with less than 40g/km, the Mazda CX-3 looks compact and well designed, while Hyundai revealed its new Tucson – a replacement for the ix35.

There is no doubt these types of cars are taking over and becoming the core vehicles in all ranges, from the cheapest to the most expensive brands: Bentley may not build its show-stealing EXP 10 Speed 6 concept because of the priority of selling the Bentayga SUV, while even Aston Martin had a crossover, citing it as vital to its future.

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G H I B L I

THE HEAD SAYS YES. THE HEART SAYS DEFINITELY, YES.

MASERATI GHIBLI. THE ABSOLUTE OPPOSITE OF ORDINARY. STARTING FROM £49,160

THE NEW MASERATI GHIBLI IS POWERED BY A RANGE OF ADVANCED 3.0 LITRE V6 ENGINES WITH 8-SPEED ZF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, INCLUDING, FOR THE FIRST TIME, A V6 TURBODIESEL ENGINE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE MASERATI GHIBLI, CALL 01943 871660 OR VISIT MASERATI.CO.UK

Official fuel consumption figures for Maserati Ghibli range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 18.0 (15.7) – 37.2 (7.6), Extra Urban 38.7 (7.3) – 56.5 (5.0), Combined 27.2 (10.4) – 47.9 (5.9). CO2 emissions 242 – 158 g/km. Fuel consumption and CO2 figures are based on standard EU tests for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Model shown is a Maserati Ghibli S at £70,598 On The Road including optional pearlescent paint at £1,776, 21” Titano design alloy wheels at £3,670 and Red brake callipers at £432.

www.maserati.co.uk

Geneva 2015 Highlights →

The Passat is named Car of the Year At Geneva, there’s always discussion about the newly crowned Car of the Year, usually centred around the fact that it’s the wrong choice. You can’t please everybody. But the new Passat won this year and for once the controversy was muted.

Yes, something a little more bold than a family saloon and estate might have been a more interesting winner, but the Passat really is an extremely good car. So much so, the premium brands could really have their work cut out over the next year or two, because the big Volkswagen at least matches them for quality, while being larger and better value.

Volkswagen and Mitsubishi launched commercial vehicles at a car show It’s not all cars at Geneva: Volkswagen launched its revised Caddy, Citroën revamped the Berlingo and Mitsubishi unveiled the new L200.

A big seller in the SME fleet market, the current L200 will continue on sale for another year, while the all-new version comes in the summer. That shows a lot of confidence in the new car to make a clear step forward, and the firm reckons it is class-leading in areas such as economy, load and towing capacity, performance and driveability.

The Caddy meanwhile is a substantial upgrade of a van that has sold almost 1.5 million units, while the Berlingo offers usefully utilitarian motoring on a budget.

Autonomy will transform future cars Partial autonomy is already a mass market technology, through driver assistance systems, and innovations such as Land Rover’s off-road cruise control and Tesla’s indicator-activated overtaking function show the luxury brands are continuing to develop this. But autonomy has the potential to transform interior design – Italdesign’s GEA concept (pictured), a luxury saloon car, has an interior designed around its passengers. Depending on which mode is selected, it can function as an office, offer space to sleep and even turns into a gym.

Kia concept is the Optima Europe needs While it’s a good-looking car, the Optima has never really found the same audience in Europe as it has enjoyed in Asia and North America. The Sportspace concept, a luxurious grand tourer, gives some idea of where the brand is likely to be going with its next one – notably that it’ll be offered in the estate bodystyle the currently saloon-only range has always needed.

In a sector where estates can account for half, or more, of sales, it’s an important addition.

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OFFICIAL FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURES FOR JEEP RENEGADE RANGE MPG (L/100KM): EXTRA URBAN 48.7 (5.8) – 70.6 (4.0), URBAN 32.1 (8.8) – 51.4 (5.5), COMBINED 40.9 (6.9) – 61.4 (4.6), CO2 EMISSIONS: 160 – 120 G/KM. Fuel consumption and CO figures are obtained for 2

comparative purposes in accordance with EC directives/regulations and may not be representative of real-life driving conditions. Factors such as driving style, weather and road conditions may also have a significant effect on fuel consumption. *Business users only. Rentals based on Renegade 1.6 MultiJet E5+ Sport on Contract Hire profile of 6 rentals in advance (equivalent of £1014) followed by 35 rentals of £169, excluding VAT and maintenance.

Based on 10,000 miles p.a, excess mileage charges apply. Vehicles must be registered with Jeep Financial Services before 31st March 2015. Offer subject to status, guarantee and/or indemnity may be required. At participating dealers only. Jeep Financial Services, PO Box 4465, Slough, SL1 0RW. Chrysler and CNH Industrial are Official Global Partners of the Expo Milano 2015. Jeep ® is a registered trademark of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US LLC.

SPOTLIGHT Renault Kadjar

A happy alliance Renault’s first C-segment crossover model is due to be launched in the UK this autumn, after making its debut at the Geneva Show in March. John Kendall explains all.

Good credentials Built on the Renault-Nissan Alliance CMF (Common Module Family) C/D platform. This is currently used for the latest generation Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail, as well as the Pulsar, launched last year. The new Renault Espace, not currently sold in the UK also uses the platform. The Kadjar will be assembled at the Renault plant in Palencia, Spain for the European market.

Kadjar will be the first Renault to be manufactured in China, under a joint venture with Dongfeng. The plant is currently under construction and production is scheduled to begin in early 2016. Initial production capacity will be some 150,000 vehicles per year.

46 / fleetworld.co.uk

FLEET FACT Renault announced emissions starting at 99g/km with 74mpg for New Kadjar at Geneva.

Technology A seven-inch touchscreen TFT display will feature across the Kadjar range and it will be available with Renault’s R-Link 2 multimedia system. R-Link 2 features will include voice recognition to control the navigation, phone, apps and radio.

Available apps are designed to help with news, travel and social media among others. The list of drive assist technology includes emergency brake assist, lane departure warning, roadsign recognition with speed limit alerts and a reversing camera. Kadjar will be equipped with LED headlamps for both dipped and main beams, producing light that is close to the colour of daylight with 20% more power than halogen lamps, while using less power.

What we think...

Engines The Kadjar shares its diesel engines with the Nissan Qashqai, and it’s the familiar 1.5-litre dCi 110 that’s likely to account for the bulk of fleet orders. Fuel economy of 74.3mpg and 99g/km is identical to Nissan’s headline figures, putting the two cars at the head of the segment.

Renault is also claiming similar fuel economy for models fitted with its dual-clutch transmission.

Diesel options are completed by the 1.6-litre dCi 130, optionally available with four-wheel drive, and the 1.2litre TCe 130 engine will be the only petrol version.

Renault is late to the Crossover party, but the runaway success of Captur across Europe means the company is hoping to repeat the experience with Kadjar. Based on the same platform as Qashqai, Kadjar can tap into existing crossover know-how. But there’s plenty of competition, check Tucson, Renegade and Vitara amongst the newcomers. AG

fleetworld.co.uk / 47

flashback a look back at the company cars of yesteryear

model Renault Espace

R

sector MPV

enault’s claim to have invented the MPV segment may be debatable, but the Espace was a vital car for its parent company, and a defining moment for the market. Launched to a backdrop of falling sales, it was the innovative product needed to reinvigorate an otherwise ageing model range, and its legacy is still recognisable in today’s production cars.

Yet ironically, it could easily never have been a Renault. Its aerodynamic shape, inspired by the French TGV high-speed train, had been conceived by Matra as a Talbot (or Simca in other markets) product to replace the Rancho – arguably also ahead of its time as an early crossover. But it wasn’t to be. Chrysler sold its European operations to PSA Peugeot-Citroën in 1979, and the new parent company wasn’t interested in bringing the high-risk project to market.

So, still visually a Chrysler-esque design, the Matra P23 concept was pitched to Renault in 1982, who quickly greenlighted it for production. Front end mechanical parts were swapped to a design based on Renault’s Fuego coupe, enabling shared drivetrains, and it launched to an enthusiastic press reception in April 1984 before going on sale in July of the same year.

Renault’s concept for a modular interior is clever even by modern standards. The Espace was shorter and narrower than the current Megane hatchback, yet offered space for seven occupants. Each seat was independent, so the two rear rows could be removed giving a flat, van-like load area, while top-spec versions had rotating front seats too. With the middle row folded to

48 / fleetworld.co.uk

UK sales 10,431

successor Espace (mk2)

create a table, the Espace quickly turned into a mobile lounge, complete with a heavily glazed cabin.

Production took place at Matra’s plant in Romorantin, France, and was equally advanced. Its chassis was made from hot galvanised steel for durability, a method shared with the Talbot Matra Murena sports car, and the bodywork was made of lightweight, dent and rustresistant fibreglass. The resulting low centre of gravity gave car-like stability, despite its high-sidedness.

Sales started slowly, but grew quickly and Renault performed few alterations during its life cycle. The heaviest update came in 1988, where the Simca/Talboteqsue forward-slanting grille made way for a front end closer to the rest of the Renault range. This also introduced the four-wheel drive Quadra versions, designed to compete in snow-prone markets.

The second-generation Espace arrived in 1990, still built by Matra but conceived as a Renault. It replaced a car with almost no direct rivals, but other manufacturers – ironically including PSA Peugeot-Citroën – weren’t far behind. Even Renault broadened its offering, downsizing the concept to the Megane Scenic in 1996 and partnering with Matra to launch the futuristic Avantime in 2001.

So while the Espace was withdrawn from the UK in 2012, its legacy lives on through a multitude of MPVs sized from full-size seven seaters to superminiderived models, and now including even premium brands. Whether it invented the segment or not, this was a formative MPV.

Set to save over £500,000* and improve UK air quality by quitting diesels.

By choosing petrol full hybrids over equivalent diesel models, Paul will save his company over half a million pounds in three years. Reduced BIK tax bills mean company car drivers will be on average £5,000 better off. Paul’s also said goodbye to diesel particulates, improving the air we all breathe.

Read Paul’ss sttoryy at qu uittcllub b.oorg g.u uk

Paul James, Facilities Manager, Slimming World.

brilliant for business

*Saving based on switching existing Honda fl eet to Lexus hybrids.

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

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

GA Strong, but not class leading, CO2 and MPG will draw some attention. The Nissan brand continues to gain a great reputation which will help its cause.

GA There’s no wow factor here. Whilst it’s not essential in this company, there are other well-established alternatives. High discount levels will unfortunately be the driving force if it is to sell in numbers.

GA There’s no doubt that the Pulsar can have a bite of the cherry in this sector, but the question is how big and how much discount needs to be applied in order to increase its share of the market.

GA The competition are already on the case in all the right areas; price, emissions, fuel economy and quality.

The new kid on the block’s price may well be its downfall.

AC It certainly won’t set your pulse racing. This has been designed with comfort in mind rather than excitement.

It isn’t particularly exciting to look at either, in fact it looks a little awkward from some angles. Interior trim is a mix, some of it is very good but then there are other areas that just feel a bit hard and cheap.

AC Nissan hasn’t had anything in this segment since the highly forgettable Almera and needed a C-segment hatchback to get its other vehicles onto more choice lists. Nissan will now have greater opportunity for their other products, such as the Qashqai.

AC Its main strength is class-leading interior space; legroom is bigger than the average D-segment car. There is plenty of standard equipment, and it is decent enough to drive, built for comfort rather than dynamism.

MJ Excellent levels of equipment and surprising levels of interior space, as well as a huge load area. NissanConnect is fast and easy to use.

CO2 emissions of 94g/km allows current maximum Writing Down Allowances.

MW The car Nissan was missing in its range. Has loads of rear leg room.

50 / fleetworld.co.uk

MJ Firm ride can be jittery over poor surfaces. Expensive tyres. No established image.

MW The Pulsar (there is no real nice way of putting this really), is a bit dull, and does not get the pace running.

AC This is a massively competitive sector which includes some excellent cars so the consumer has plenty of choice and bargaining power.

MJ Not everyone wants a crossover, and this sector represents significant volume, particularly in the corporate sector.

MJ Nissan had withdrawn from this sector, following the arrival of the Qashqai, which represented a successful alternative to a hatchback. So this now has to re-establish the brand against very strong competition and thin margins.

MW This will sell in limited numbers, but is the addition that Nissan needs; a ‘proper’ C-segment hatch that will help it get onto more lists.

MW This sector is always looking over its shoulder at the C-SUVs, which are growing in numbers, availability and popularity.

Martin Ward (MW) Manufacturer Relationship Manager, CAP

Nissan Pulsar

Gavin Amos (GA) Head of Valuations, CDL Vehicle Information Services

Mark Jowsey (MJ) Commercial Director, KeeResources KwikCarCost

Strengths GA Strong CO2 and MPG. AC Class-leading interior space, plenty of equipment on n-tec.

MJ 94g/km means it’s eligible for maximum Writing Down Allowances.

MW Useful for getting onto more choice lists.

Strengths

Ford Focus 1.5 TDCi 120PS Zetec **

GA A great proposition, well established and a nice place to be.

AC Great drive, excellent all-rounder.

MJ Sector leader, and a good product.

MW Just got even better, and will attract more buyers just on looks alone.

GA Not quite the cheapest in the group.

AC Not as roomy as some of the rivals.

MJ Volume means it lacks any exclusivity, slightly behind on CO2.

MW Pressure from other great cars.

OTR: £19,995 P11D: £19,940 Fuel: 74.3mpg CO2: 98g/km RV*: £6,674 (33%) BiK: 15% SMR: £1,599 Fuel costs: £4,175 Insurance: £2,550 Finance: £2,692 NI: £1,321 VED: £0 Cost per month: £713

Strengths

Skoda Octavia SE Business 1.6 TDI GreenLine III

GA Price, build quality and fuel economy – the strongest on paper.

AC Spacious, well equipped.

MJ Well established and a great drive.

MW Just what fleet managers and drivers want: spec, price and ultra-low CO2.

GA A few will still avoid the badge.

AC Lacks a little character.

MJ More an upper-medium car.

MW Doesn’t really fit in to any sector, a bit confusing to many.

Strengths

Kia cee’d 3 1.6 CRDi 126bhp

GA Credible alternative amongst its peers.

AC Seven year warranty, build quality.

MJ Well built, good equipment, 126bhp and a seven-year warranty.

MW Good quality, good dealer network and looks good value.

Weaknesses GA Has been overtaken by rivals.

AC Not the most fun to drive.

MJ Slightly behind on CO2 emissions.

MW A relatively unknown quantity and easily forgotten about. * 3yr/60k ** with £500 optional sat nav

Standard equipment: • DAB Radio/CD, BT, USB, aux-in • Satellite navigation • Manual air conditioning • Electric front windows • 16-inch alloy wheels • Front fog lights Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £525 • Cruise control with speed limiter £250 • Rear parking sensors £225 • Reversing camera £165

OTR: £20,365 P11D: 20,310 Fuel: 88.3mpg CO2: 85g/km RV*: £6,875 (34%) BiK: 14% SMR: £1,468 Fuel costs: £3,513 Insurance: £2,550 Finance: £2,742 NI: £1,261 VED: £0 Cost per month: £695

Weaknesses

Kia cee’d

Standard equipment: • DAB Radio/CD, BT, USB and aux-in • Sat nav • Cruise control with speed limiter • Dual-zone climate control • Front and rear electric windows • Reversing camera • Front fog lights • LED headlights • 17-inch alloy wheels Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £500

GA No wow factor, strong rivals.

AC Awkward styling, some poor materials.

MJ Firm ride, expensive tyres, image.

MW A bit dull, crossover popularity.

Weaknesses

Skoda Octavia

Nissan Pulsar n-tec dCi 110 OTR: £20,595 P11D: £20,540 Fuel: 78.5mpg CO2: 94g/km RV*: £5,950 (29%) BiK: 14% SMR: £1,958 Fuel costs: £3,952 Insurance: £2,205 Finance: £2,773 NI: £1,276 VED: £0 Cost per month: £745

Weaknesses

Ford Focus

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

OTR: £19,495 P11D: £19,440 Fuel: 74.3mpg CO2: 100g/km RV*: £6,200 (30%) BiK: 16% SMR: £1,589 Fuel costs: £4,175 Insurance: £2,325 Finance: £2,759 NI: £1,439 VED: £0 Cost per month: £738

Standard equipment: • DAB Radio/CD, BT, SD, USB and aux-in • Sat nav • Cruise control • Dual zone climate control • Front and rear electric windows • Rear parking sensors • 16-inch alloy wheels • Front fog lights Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £535 • Rear parking camera £300

Standard equipment: • Radio/CD with BT, USB and aux-in • Sat nav • Cruise control with speed limiter • Dual zone climate control • Front and rear electric windows • Front and rear parking sensors • Reversing camera • 16-inch alloy wheels • Front fog lights Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £490

fleetworld.co.uk / 51

WHY YOU NEED TO BE THERE! INDOOR EXHIBITION

SEMINAR PROGRAMME

With over 60 exhibitors already signed up, the indoor exhibition area at Fleet Show 2015 promises to provide visitors with plenty of opportunities to discover new products, services and suppliers.

Covering everything from accident management to telematics, exhibitors in the indoor exhibition area will be primed to provide fleet buyers with information on how to make their fleet safer, more environmentally friendly, more cost-effective and more effective as a means of recruiting and retaining staff.

Fleet Show 2014 pioneered a new kind of seminar programme in which all the content was collated and presented by a team of experienced fleet managers.

Audience feedback was unequivocally positive and as a result the same format will be adopted in 2015.

Under the chairmanship of Dennis Dugen - Fleet & Employee Benefits Manager for WSP Group - our team of professional fleet managers will present the latest thinking on: • Fundamentals of Fleet Management • Environmental Management • Risk Management • Procurement and supplier agreements Further seminars and training sessions will be available throughout the day.

OFF-ROAD COURSE The off-road course will be in operation throughout the day. Visitors who have experience of driving 4x4s will be able to test a wide range of vehicles over the challenging course, while those who haven’t driven offroad before can pick up some of the key skills from our team of instructors.

TRACK DRIVING With so many different areas to choose from, Silverstone Circuit provides the perfect location for test driving new cars and vans. At Fleet Show 2015 visitors can experience: > NATIONAL

> INTERNATIONAL

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VILLAGE CORNER THE LOOP

ABBEY COPSE CORNER WOODCOTE CORNER

NATIONAL PITS STRAIGHT

FARM CURVE INTERNATIONAL PITS STRAIGHT

CHAPEL CURVE

BROOKLANDS CORNER

WELLINGTON STRAIGHT

HANGAR STRAIGHT

LUFFIELD CORNER MAGGOTTS CORNER

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All drives will be accompanied by either a professional racing driver or a representative of the motor manufacturer.

Drivers on the National circuit will be able to experience the full excitement of the iconic Silverstone Circuit.

NETWORKING LOUNGE Fleet Show 2015 will provide visitors with a full day of informative experiences, but there’s always time to sit down for a chat with colleagues old and new. The networking lounge in Hall 3 proved to be something of a magnet for visitors to last year’s show and with so many of the industry’s major players in attendance, the networking lounge will once again be the place WHERE THE FLEET INDUSTRY MEETS.

SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT

12TH MAY 2015 www.thefleetshow.co.uk FLEET DRIVER OF THE YEAR Now in its third year, Fleet Driver of the Year 2015 is a driving competition like no other. It puts fleet drivers’ skills to the ultimate test through a thorough three-month assessment to find the UK’s best company car driver and promote safer, smarter driving. The event was launched by ALD Automotive, in association with event partners Toyota & Lexus Fleet Services. The final of the prestigious competition will take place at the Fleet World Fleet Show 2015.

REGISTER TODAY and be part of the action at the Fleet Show 2015, visit www.thefleetshow.co.uk

FEATURE UK infrastructure

DRIVERS

of change With just two months until a new government comes into power, what steps does the fleet industry want to see them take to improve business mobility in the UK? Alex Grant finds out.

54 / fleetworld.co.uk

Gerry Keaney, BVRLA Chief Executive 1) We would like the introduction of a fairer, simpler tax regime that continues to incentivise leets as early adopters of low emission vehicles.

2) Continue to modernise the motoring agen‐ cies, while ensuring that they do not result in unforeseen administrative burdens being placed on the leet sector.

3) Help leets tackle the key transport challenges of conges‐ tion, air quality and safety by creating a regulatory envi‐ ronment that supports the introduction of new automotive technology and mobility business models.

4) Introduce minimum requirements for the standards of roads and ensure there is a greater focus on preventative maintenance.

5) Reintroduce road safety targets and ensure injuries sustained in work‐related traf ic incidents are included as part of RIDDOR reports.

Liz Hollands, fleet and facilities manager, Freight Transport Association My wish would be for much more visible road traf ic policing. If we can't have that, then average speed cameras seem to work well at regulating traf ic low.

John Pryor, chairman, ACFO ACFO fears a creeping privatisation with regards to road charging. Fleet manager administration would be simplified and reduced if a single centralised database held vehicle data for all road charging schemes.

The launch of each new charging regime results in a further administrative burden for leet managers in terms of keeping vehicle account information up to date – new vehi‐ cles are added and de leeted vehicles removed immediately to avoid the risk of ines or inadvertent payment.

One of the reasons why many leets have not embraced electric vehicles is because of a lack of a viable refuelling infrastructure. We are discovering that vehicle technology is running ahead of infrastructure – the same could be said for driverless cars – so the new government needs to keep pace with such advances and not lag behind.

Robert Pieczka, marketing & insurance director, Arval UK For the bene it of businesses and their drivers we would hope for a continued freeze on fuel duty. The driver already bears a high cost in the UK with a large chunk of the price of fuel purchased made up of tax.

While tax bands need to be aligned to developments in vehicle technology, it is important not to discourage the selection of low emission vehicles. There’s no doubt that take‐up is increasing as businesses and their drivers start to understand the practical circum‐ stances in which to deploy this kind of vehicle and we would be disappointed if tax policy had a negative in luence on this trend.

We would welcome clarity around Approved Mileage Allowance Payment (AMAP) rates for electric‐ hybrids and fully electric vehicles which is an area that hasn’t been addressed in previous Budgets. With these vehicles becoming a more common addition to the company vehicle leet, a clear and consistent position would be useful for businesses.

Richard Schooling, chief executive, Alphabet The key challenge for the next government is to ensure it takes a truly holistic view of the transport infrastructure and business travel – joining up the dots of public, private and commercial transport networks – to make truly strate‐ gic, enlightened and far‐reaching decisions.

The decisions the next government makes to support more connected, smarter business mobility can not only build upon the progress made over the past 20 years in terms of road safety, minimising envi‐ ronmental impacts and reducing congestion, but can also set the foundation for the long term prosperity of businesses and the country as a whole.

“The next government has to take a holistic view of the transport infrastructure.” →

fleetworld.co.uk / 55

FEATURE UK infrastructure

Drivers of change →

Simon Oliphant, chief executive, Hitachi Capital Investment in the road network is vital to keeping the country moving. Investment in public transport, such as HS1, HS2 and even Crossrail, are excel‐ lent ways to reduce congestion and emissions, a key factor over the next decade, but it’s impor‐ tant to consider the impact these services will have.

Superfast broadband and innovations in technology will also be an increasingly valuable alternative to face‐to‐face meet‐ ings, especially with improve‐ ments in audio, visual and connected technology.

However, all of these elements are driving change in their indi‐ vidual silos; for a truly ‘connected’ future, all of these improvements, and importantly their impact, should be consid‐ ered together. In 2030, we could have driverless cars with internet access and the ability to go between London and Birming‐ ham in 40 minutes but, if we have reliable HD video conferencing, will there still be demand for this service? From our perspective, having a truly connected and related future vision is critical.

56 / fleetworld.co.uk

Top industry concerns:

Andrew Benfield, group director of transport, Energy Saving Trust We support a national network of LEZs but they must it within a national policy framework to ensure compliance by vehicle manufacturers and operators does not create unnecessary costs.

The public sector’s enthusiasm for plug‐in vehicles is leading to emission reductions and large‐scale cost savings. We believe central and local government leets should be supported to develop low emission transition strategies to build on this momentum.

With an average UK commute of less than 10 miles and with six in ten commuters travelling by car, plug‐ in vehicles are ideal to reduce the cost of living and air pollution. Support for workplace charging will open a new market for plug‐in vehicles.

An Of ice for Air Quality would unify government leadership on this critical transport issue. Its goal would be coordinate air quality work across Government, ensuring skills and capacity exist so planned infra‐ structure improvements can be delivered effectively.

• Maintenance of the road network.

• Freeze on fuel duty.

• Support to develop low emission fleet strategies.

• More stringent road safety policy.

• Investment in the electric charging network.

• Improvement of public transport services.

• Greater emphasis on ISO 39001 accreditation.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research, IAM The implementation of an interna‐ tionally recognised standard like ISO 39001 is something that all leets should have to show they take road safety seriously, and have an active interest in improving the skills and attitudes of leet drivers and riders across the country.

The IAM is advocating public sector procurement guidelines that insist work should only go to companies that carry the ISO 39001 accreditation. Any organisation that invests in this will see an increased number of staff, customers and the general public bene itting from it too.

→

It… is raising the bar, and raising it again.

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Finding new ways of helping customers to do a better job—with increased efficiency, productivity and safety. It is about fleet management success. Moving the needle, and the bottom line.

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FEATURE UK infrastructure

→ What are the political parties proposing...?

Conservatives The Conservatives earmarked £15bn to continue ongoing upgrades to the road network in the Autumn State‐ ment. Said to be the largest programme of its type since the 1970s, this includes widespread resurfacing and junction improvements. High‐ speed rail and capped fares are on the agenda, enabling businesses to grow in the north of the country. Ongoing work includes clearing radio frequencies for high‐speed mobile broadband, esti‐ mated to have a £1.3bn value for the UK economy, and extending the SME connection voucher scheme.

Labour Labour is proposing devolving transport decision‐making to city and county councils, which will enable them to make their own decisions on local roads, regulate bus and train fares and introduce smart‐ticketing as used in London.

It aims to set strict caps on annual rail fare increases, and allow public sector operators to chal‐ lenge private companies for control of certain lines. Cyclists will be offered a national set of standards, to improve safety and make it more accessible.

Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats’ pre‐manifesto addresses congestion issues largely through modernising public transport.

This includes upgrading and expanding the railway network, with new stations and local lines and support of the HS2 scheme. Early steps towards a decar‐ bonised UK in 2050 involve supporting the EV market by adding charging points, bolstering cycling infrastructure and progressively raising green criteria for public procurement, while high‐speed broadband is planned for 99% of the country. The party has no plans for a net increase in runways to grow capacity.

UK’s infrastructure in numbers of journeys on the Highways Agency’s network, in England, were on time during 2014, according to the DfT.

78.6%

investment in the road network, announced in the Autumn Statement, includes £6bn to resurface 80% of the national network, £9bn to add 1,300 extra miles of lanes and 60 junction improvements on major routes, and £6bn for local roads by 2020/21.

of passengers on routes into London were standing during 2013, compared to an average of 1.2% across all other UK cities.

This rose to 20% in London during peak hours, or 120,000 passengers, the DfT says.

4.0% 58 / fleetworld.co.uk

of Britons drove to work, compared to 10% walking, 9% by rail and 7% by bus in Q4 2013. The average driver in England spends equivalent to six work‐ ing weeks per year driving, the DfT says.

68%

of the UK’s A and B roads have no mobile coverage, according to Ofcom. At least one of the four mobile operators will offer no signal on 33% of these roads.

9%

will be invested, across the UK’s four major mobile phone operators, to give voice and text cover‐ age for 90% of the UK’s geographic area by 2017, and full coverage across 85% of the country.

of trains arrived on time in January 2015, Network rail figures show, with an average delay of 2.9 minutes during that period.

Of these delays, 61% were caused by Network Rail, 27% by the operator itself and 12% were delayed by another operator.

87.9%

Infiniti gears up for fleet customers As Infiniti increasingly ramps up its profile in the UK corporate sales sector, two new announcements will have added significance for fleet operators looking for luxury models developed with business users’ needs in mind.

Crossing over Marked out as an important addition to the carmaker’s European range, the new QX30 Concept has been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show and previews Infiniti’s forthcoming premium compact crossover.

Combining the sleek lines of a coupe with the rugged looks and commanding seating position of a crossover, the QX30 Concept is aimed at both urban and lifestyle usage thanks to its compact footprint.

Practicality for everyday usage will be a key feature but the new model will go beyond this, setting new standards in the sector, particularly when it comes design, which will take a distinctive approach in line with Infiniti’s head-turning styling on other models.

“Infiniti QX30 Concept combines the sleek lines of a coupe with the rugged looks and commanding seating position of a crossover.”

Infiniti QX30 Concept

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Infiniti Q70

Stylish protection The practicality extends to QX30’s use of ‘stylish protection’, with a more pronounced aluminiumtrimmed bumper up front and a tough skid plate at the rear with nuanced graphics as well as distinctive 21inch wheels and larger profile tyres. Meanwhile carbon fibre in the lower cladding and roof-bar supports adds to the car’s lightweight performance character.

Made in Britain The QX30 Concept arrives in the UK at the end of 2016, following in the footsteps of the all-new Q30, which will be manufactured in Sunderland from later this year. Q30 will be the first Infiniti to be produced outside of Japan for markets around the world.

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Premium Q70 saloon enhanced...

Also expected to particularly appeal to the fleet market is a range of updates for the new premium Q70 saloon, which is now on sale in the UK. The range has been revised for 2015 to bring attractive pricing, reduced CO2 emissions, enhanced equipment and sharper styling.

Exterior changes see the adoption of a new, more chiselled look to the front and rear bumper that brings signature features introduced on the Q50.

The latest Q70 models are also upgraded under the skin, with improvements to refinement and ride comfort as well as engine updates.

The 2015 range includes a 3.7-litre V6 petrol unit as well as the latest Q70 Hybrid featuring the Infiniti Direct Response Hybrid powertrain. As with the latest Q70 Hybrid offers even more performance – accelerating from 0-62mph in just 5.3s – and better efficiency, with CO2 emissions at 145g/km.

Meanwhile, of particular interest to the fleet market will be the new entry-level Q70 2.2d model, which replaces the previous 3.0-litre V6. Powered by a four-cylinder diesel engine mated to a standard seven-speed automatic transmission, this brings emissions of just 129g/km whilst offering 170PS and 400Nm of torque.

Priced from £32,650, the new Q70 Premium 2.2d also brings extensive equipment. Standard features which are likely to appeal to fleet drivers include full LED headlights, chromed accents on the front grille, a rear-view camera, front and rear parking sensors, with standard Connectiviti+ navigation, 8-inch wheels and leather seats with ventilation.

Meanwhile ‘Sport’ versions bring a more dynamic look for the front bumper, uprated brakes and 20-inch wheels, among other changes.

And to further enhance the extensive equipment on offer, both Premium and Sport models are also offered in Tech versions, which add in Infiniti’s Dynamic Safety Shield (intelligent cruise control, lane departure prevention and blind-spot intervention), Bose® Premium Surround Sound with 16 speakers and Around-View Monitor with Moving Object Detection and Forest air-conditioning.

Prices for the New Infiniti Q70 start at £32,650.

Book your test drive now at www.infiniti.co.uk

FEATURE Back to Basics

6 steps to better...

Risk Management We talk to the experts about how to minimise exposure to risk, improve driver skills and comply with duty of care regulations. By Katie Beck.

Seek expert advice

1

Indentify risk-takers

3

Being ignorant of duty of care laws is unacceptable in today’s corporate climate, where information is readily available and hundreds of risk management solutions exist to help leets stay legal. The challenge is often greater for SME businesses, however, who may ind it harder to stay compliant.

“The volume of changes and updates to the law can be hard to keep track of for an otherwise hard‐pressed SME busi‐ ness owner,” comments Jenny Powley, sales director corporate, RAC Business.

“As such it is vital to consult business service providers about the best approach for your business. At the micro end of the scale, the business owner usually has so many other responsibilities that the detail can easily be overlooked. If you’re not an expert, speak to somebody who is, invest in the right approach now and protect your business.”

Maintaining an overview of driver behaviour is essential: “Implementing a data audit trail weighted by factors such as driver age, previous road traf ic accidents and busi‐ ness miles per annum is crucial for duty of care compliance,” explains Martin Evans, managing director of Jaama.

“The weighting points associated with each area can then be accumulated to produce an individual driver total risk pro ile score according to a company’s individual risk criterion. Depending on an individual driver’s pro ile, targeted reme‐ dial action can then be implemented.”

Telematics systems can also be hard‐ wired into the cab or moved between vehicles to build up an invaluable picture of an employee’s driving style over a period of time, pinpointing potentially risky behaviours such as harsh braking or regular speeding.

Show compliance

Manage grey fleet

Penalties for Health and Safety at Work convictions can be dracon‐ ian; with ines only limited by the size and pro itability of the company. Organisations must be able to produce a tailored policy for business users that includes the driv‐ ers’ own responsibilities and guidelines for ensuring vehicles are compliant.

“Statistically, driving for work is the riskiest thing anyone will ever do as part of their job,” says the IAM’s Duncan Pick‐ ering. “Companies need to demonstrate that these risks have been mitigated and the best way is to implement a driver risk management programme; one that includes licence checking, risk assess‐ ments and driver training at the very least. Without it, employers are wide open to being convicted of negligence under health and safety and corporate manslaughter laws.”

Given that the average grey leet vehicle is more than six years old, it is no surprise that they are often more polluting, inef icient and prone to complications than rental or lease cars.

Grey leets require constant monitoring to ensure that vehicles are safe to drive and it for purpose, and that employees are licensed to be behind the wheel.

“If an employee drives their own vehi‐ cle on business then checks for convic‐ tions/points and traf ic offences must include the employee’s personal vehicle,” explains Carlos Montero, commercial director of FleetEurope.

“As well as license checks, the driver should be asked to complete a vehicle health check sheet (which may include MOT and insurance). These should be recorded as part of your duty of care and checked frequently.”

Ban Bluetooth

5

Increasingly companies have a zero‐tolerance policy on using a phone while driving, even Bluetooth hands‐free systems. Simon Turner, direc‐ tor of risk consultancy Fleet 21, believes this should be a standard policy across the board: “People think that because using Bluetooth is legal it is safe to use in the car, when it is categorically not.

When an employer allows a driver to use a hands‐free set they are potentially exposed to prosecution if the employee is involved in an accident.

“In law, it doesn’t matter if you are hold‐ ing the phone or not in the event of an accident, the term that is used is ‘cognitive distraction’ to measure how distracted the driver was at the time of the collision. The only way to ensure compliance is to ban Bluetooth and other in‐cab technological distractions altogether.”

Reap the rewards

2

62 / fleetworld.co.uk

4

6

As well as helping to ensure the safety of employees and reduce exposure to prosecution, Diarmuid Fahy, leet risk manager at Alphabet, believes an effective risk management policy can posi‐ tively in luence all areas of an operation.

“Providing leet risk workshops is a highly cost‐effective means of improving driver performance,” he says. “By placing the emphasis on driver behaviour and risk awareness this generally leads to more ef icient driving, lower fuel consumption and reduced maintenance and repair costs.”

“An investment in driving assess‐ ments will help reduce costs, including fault and none fault accidents, save fuel, reduce wear and tear, improve green emissions and help the operation remain legal,” agrees Peter Brabin, head of training at Bill Plant. “Don’t wait until it’s too late to act!”

CASE STUDY: Data accuracy Speedy, a provider of tools, equipment and plant to the UK’s construction and infrastructure industries, implemented Jaama’s Key2 Vehicle Management system in 2014 to manage a leet of 1,000 commercial vehicles, 600 company cars and 200 trucks.

Key2 enables Speedy to integrate leet infor‐ mation with its new cross‐company IT platform so the systems can ‘talk’ to each other with data, updated in real‐time. With legislative compliance a key concern – Speedy received the Fleet Safety Award at road safety charity Brake’s annual awards last year – software inte‐ grations means, for example, updates by the company’s HR department (such as an employ‐ ees’ change of address) will automatically amend leet data and, in that example, trigger driver licence amendments.

Speedy has also equipped commercial vehi‐ cles with telematics devices and cameras are itted to allow the company’s leet administra‐ tion team access to all leet management data and information transmitted.

“This strategy gives us a comprehensive overview of the leet and from the data we can identify inef iciencies and targeted initiatives can be implemented. Without such a system it would be impossible to achieve maximum compliance,” states Mark Woodworth, logistics project manager at Speedy.

CASE STUDY: Licence checking Independent plumbing and service company Pimlico Plumbers has signed an ongoing deal with the Freight Transport Association’s Driver Licence Checking Service to ensure drivers remain compli‐ ant as they attend callouts around London.

Pimlico uses the online Compliance Managed Services (CMS) portal to manage its leet of 160 Volkswagen Transporter vans and Golf cars. Because all vehicles are permanently kept by their driv‐ ers, licence checking is essential to ensure that they are quali ied to operate within the busy con ines of London, where it is easy to quickly acquire penalty points.

The FTA’s Driver Licence Checking service provided by Licence Bureau also guarantees that drivers can safely operate vehicles that are equipped with potentially hazardous materials, giving the leet operator peace of mind about the safety of Pimlico employees.

George Lusham, transport manager at Pimlico Plumbers, said: “Our reputation is built on the quick and pro icient service deliv‐ ered by our engineers, and with Licence Bureau’s easy‐to‐use licence checking portal, we can focus on providing our clients with the high quality work they can depend on.”

fleetworld.co.uk / 63

INTERVIEW Barry Beeston, NISSAN

Attention seeking Nissan deserves more plaudits for its fleet successes, corporate sales director, Barry Beeston, tells Steve Moody. arry Beeston reckons Nissan deserves more attention for the position it occupies in fleet. He might well be right.

For, in volume terms for cars, once you get past the big three and then the German premium brands, you find Nissan. Nissan, which has a supermini that doesn’t really sell in great numbers in the UK, and until the arrival of the Pulsar in the second half of last year, had no tradi‐ tional C or D sector offering either. So it’s down to crossovers of varying sizes such as Juke, Qashqai and X‐ Trail, electric vehicles and vans.

It might seem that its products are niche offerings, but they do not sell in niche volumes. Last year was a record year for Nissan’s Corporate Sales, with just over 63,000 passenger cars registered, which was an increase on 2013 of 13.6%, and a market share of 5.4%. Overall, including vans (which were supply constrained – and so a missed opportunity in 2014, Beeston says), Nissan sold 71,751 vehicles in the fleet sector last year. The story for this year will be stronger still, Beeston reckons.

“This year, we will aim to do closer to 80,000 units in fleet, and that is down to a number of factors. For a start we have a new leadership team who are all experts in their fields, as well as having the new Pulsar, the contin‐ uing strength of the new Qashqai, and the electric vehi‐ cle market continues to mature and expand.”

The Qashqai is a continuing phenomenon, selling in remarkable numbers at around 30,000 units a year with residual values impervious to that volume it seems, and the new model has picked up where the old one left off.

Beeston adds: “The Qashqai continues to be a major success story for us, and especially with it being British built too. The advantage of being produced in the Sunder‐ land factory is that it gives us a flexibility when it comes to product planning and ordering: we’ll never have too many entering the market at any time, putting pressure on prices and used values.”

The other notable aspect of last year’s sales was the sudden and dramatic uptake of LEAF among fleets, to 1,200 units, making it by far the biggest seller in the elec‐ tric vehicle sector. Beeston puts this down to the increas‐ ing momentum and acceptance of EVs in the corporate market, and the firm now has a dedicated EV resource

B

64 / fleetworld.co.uk

headed by Karl Anders, previously a fleet consultant at the Energy Saving Trust, to ensure that every opportu‐ nity is explored.

The second half of last year saw the launch of the Pulsar, a family hatch that received lukewarm reviews, principally for the lack of ambition when set against the much of the rest of the Nissan range, but Beeston contends it will be an important car for the brand, offering a complete mid‐sector portfolio to those fleets who need it.

“We launched five outstanding new products through‐ out the year to give ourselves one of the freshest and most exciting line‐ups in the industry and increase our coverage of vitally important market segments, includ‐ ing the core C‐segment.

“This created real energy around the brand and, as a result, we were able to significantly strengthen our rela‐ tionships with existing fleet customers while opening doors that had never been open to us before.”

But it has not been just about launching new cars, Beeston says: “Over the course of the year we’ve made significant improvements to our customer experience by improving our nationwide network of specialist Business Centres, introduced an enhanced fleet website and expanded our fleet sales team.”

The investment in new staff across leasing, EVs and corporate sales means Nissan has one of the most expe‐ rienced fleet teams in the industry, while there has been a big focus on customer insight, Beeston reckons, finding out exactly what fleet customers are looking for, as well as some reworking of the way the 61‐strong Business Centre network operates.

“Previously there had been a bit of a tick‐box culture to become a Business Centre, but we are working much more closely with the network and they must be able to deal with large fleet aftersales as well as have in place a more rigorous SME programme. In return we are offering significant resource to help them.”

It’s no wonder that Beeston thinks Nissan hasn’t shouted about its successes loud enough in the past. But with the huge number of new people, products and processes, it looks as though Nissan Corporate Sales isn’t likely to be the industry’s best‐kept secret for long.

fleetworld.co.uk / 65

MANAGEMENT UK Fleet Forum

UK connecting the UK’s fleet community

Join the

~ Formerly Fleet Academy

Are winter tyres necessary in the UK? Martin Wedge, Managing Director, OVL Group

Fleet World magazine’s UK Fleet Forum – formerly Fleet Academy – provides a forum where fleet industry experts can exchange views on a wide range of topics, from taxation to speeding fines.

At the heart of the UK Fleet Forum is a team of fleet professionals who play a key role in the industry, either as fleet managers, consultants or fleet suppliers. 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 the UK Fleet Forum and request membership, please visit:

theukfleetforum.co.uk 66 / fleetworld.co.uk

Many parts of the UK ‘endured’ an icing sugar dusting of snow last month. Quick, reach for the winter tyres, say some – mainly the tyre companies – but would it be better in such conditions to simply get a grip and tread more carefully?

The rubber used in winter tyres is designed to work specifically below temperatures of 7 oc. Because the compound won’t harden when the temperature drops, it reduces the risk of aquaplaning and improves braking distance. The profile is flatter so more of the tyre width touches the surface, and the addition of sipes gives the tyre extra grip, even on the most slippery surfaces.

That’s the science bit and sales pitch. However, my argument is that because we don’t live on the Russian Steppes or near some Finnish fjord, we should avoid the unnecessary expense that UK drivers can live without?

Yes, there have been some severe snow falls in recent winters, but in these technology driven days, it is better to take a ‘snow day’ and work at home rather than put yourself and other road users at risk by venturing out?

Britain is affected by extremely slippery weather for approximately 5% of the year. In my opinion, winter tyres are an expensive luxury with no justifiable benefit in slushy Slough or sleety Surrey, especially when you are looking at a conservative bill of at least £500 for all four tyres.

If I’m generous, make the investment if you live in the Scottish Highlands or a remote area where time and road gritters have forgotten. Otherwise, just stay safe and stay at home unless you are an emergency service.

There are few bosses that would insist on you taking to the road in bad weather, unless they have a penchant for prosecution under the corporate manslaughter laws.

Carl Yorke, Business Development Manager, UKGRS replied…

I agree, companies should encourage staff to work from home for those who can, and the rest to spend the time at home until the weather improves. In my spare time I

debate...

am a fundraiser for my local Air Ambulance and I have got to know the crews very well. Some of the stories about accidents they attend due to bad weather just reinforce the need to stay off the roads when they are bad – your life is of more value than trying to reach an appointment or a meeting at work.

My advice is stay at home; it’s just not worth it.

Saul Jeavons, Director, The Transafe Network replied…

I’m afraid I disagree – because winter tyres provide better grip in low temperatures, they are not just useful in snow, they are useful every time the temperature drops below 7oc. Take a look at the Met Office website and use the historical weather data for your area – in Cambridgeshire (hardly the frozen north) there are only about four months when we don't get temperatures of lower than 7oc.

The way to use winter tyres (not snow tyres, winter tyres...) is to look at the weather patterns in your area, your travel patterns, and the time of day you travel. Would I have them if I lived in London and rarely went outside the M25? No. Would I have them if I lived in Nottinghamshire and commuted leaving the house at 06:00 every day when it’s cold and dark? Yes. As with any tyre, you need to look at the use to which it will be put and select tyres accordingly – they are after all the only component on the vehicle in contact with the road, and yet the one we pay least attention to.

John Davidge, Head of Fleet Technical, Cardinus Risk Management replied…

A self‐employed colleague of mine (not far from London) has a very short drive on several untreated small hills to get onto the main roads – in that case I too would possibly fit winter tyres so that I could get out and keep earning, rather than being stuck at home and not earning. But even then I’m not that convinced.

Most drivers (sorry, licence‐holders!) simply don’t understand ordinary tyres let alone winter ones. As a rule, very few people really need winter tyres – just better education and more ‘uncommon’ sense!

Les Owen, Senior Compliance Associate, Compliance Bureau replied…

I disagree with you Martin, my vote goes with Saul. I would add the temperature is below 7 oc often enough over a four month period to make the invest‐ ment worthwhile. As Saul pointed out, it is not just snow but cold temperatures (the variation across geographically very small areas can be large) and icy patches occur frequently on many roads. The recent AA survey indicated that over 50% of roads are not treated, so making greater risks for drivers. I believe that those who are blind to the advantage of winter tyres do not consider the whole cost benefit.

Mick Donovan, Group Fleet Manager, Bowmer & Kirkland Ltd replied…

I agree with Martin. Why is it in the UK we have minimal snow and freezing conditions and panic whenever they arrive for the limited time they are here. I feel sure that all the major tyre companies have carried out extensive research on the matter of winter tyres and their limited availability infers the market in the UK is simply not large enough to warrant them being imported. Indeed for certain models they are not even made!

We talk about common sense prevailing and work‐ ing from home, but this is not possible for all work‐ ers but if those that could did, the amount of traffic on the roads would reduce accordingly and give those essential travellers a better chance. I have trialled snow tyres for the past two years and the difference is minimal if you adapt your driving style to the conditions. Let's face it, we do not have dry and wet tyres do we!

fleetworld.co.uk / 67

MARKET OVERVIEW Daily Rental

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental Alliance Asset Management Ltd

Built on service, Growing by reputation.

Highly competitive, bespoke service from state of the art technology to the good old telephone.

We are only here to serve you.

Contact: Riane Cooke rcooke@fleetcentre.com

Tel: 0844 414 2998 www.fleetcentre.com

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Contact: Sales Team car.rental.sales@arnoldclark.co.uk www.arnoldclarkrental.com

Tel: 01786 468700

Europcar UK Group

Founded in 1957, Enterprise Rent­A­Car is an industry leading multinational company with more than 1 million vehicles in its fleet and over 6,700 offices worldwide – making it the largest car rental company in the world.

This year, Enterprise celebrates 20 years in the UK and in this short time it has gone from strength to strength and now operates the largest vehicle rental network and fleet in the UK. Enterprise specialises in the provision of replacement vehicles and courtesy cars, as well as daily and weekend rental for private or business use. The company also leads the way with grey fleet support and advice for implementing total transport solutions In the UK, Enterprise operates more than 60,000 vehicles through 370 corporately owned rental branches. The size of this branch network means that 91% of the UK population is within 10 miles of an Enterprise location.

Contact: Tony Francis Anthony.B.Francis@ehi.com

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental is one of the UK’s largest, independently owned rental companies with over 40 years’ experience providing long and short­term tailor­made economical fleet solutions.

We have a nationwide, multi­franchise fleet in 35 branches throughout the UK. Close manufacturer relationships mean we can offer competitive rates on a range of up­to­date vehicles.

We have packages to suit all industry sectors, providing fleet solutions tailored to meet each client’s needs.

We have an online booking facility available for retail and corporate clients. Our business customers can also benefit from dedicated online management reporting.

Europcar UK Group provides access to the UK’s leading fleet of over 45,000 cars and vans, through its network of more than 200 locations across the UK and 140 countries worldwide. With a proven track record of innovation, great service delivery and a quality fleet, Europcar offers flexible short term and long term products to suit all business requirements. These include delivery and collection, diesel only models, corporate loyalty programmes and a range of payment options. Plus innova­ tive online solutions help businesses monitor and manage vehicle use and support cost efficiencies, duty of care responsibilities as well as address environmental concerns.

Contact: Europcar Business Team businesssolutions@europcar.com www.europcar.co.uk

Tel: 01162 173531

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

Nexus Vehicle Rental As the leading provider of corporate vehicle rental in the UK, we are the only supplier that can offer you any vehicle, anytime, anywhere! Our online booking system can now make reservations in under 10 seconds – saving you time. With over 500,000 rental vehicles available in over 1,750 rental loca­ tions, there is always a vehicle available to meet your needs.

Thrifty Car and Van Rental

Driven by quality We are constantly improving our systems and services to meet the evolving needs of our customers. We’ve achieved internationally recognised certifications in the ISO Quality Management and ISO Information Security Management standards and were awarded ‘Best Customer Focus’ in the 2014 Best Business Awards.

Thrifty Car and Van Rental has 95 UK locations offering a full range of cars, commercials, 4x4s and luxury vehicles. Thrifty’s UK based Central Reservation Team provides an immediate response to enquiries and offers highly competitive rates.

We supply a quality fleet of vehicles nationwide with an efficient delivery and collection service. Fast, accurate billing and detailed management information is available along with the ability to specify vehicles by Make, Model, Fuel type and CO2 on our long term Flexi Fleet programme which enables customers to rent vehicles on a medium term basis without a long term commitment.

Contact: Dean Rose dean.rose@nexusrental.co.uk

Contact: Caroline Gallagher caroline.gallagher@thrifty.co.uk

68 / fleetworld.co.uk

Tel: 07525 323067 www.nexusrental.co.uk

Tel: 01494 751500 www.thrifty.co.uk

How many vehicles does your company operate?

How many rental locations does your company have?

Do you offer a one­way rental facility?

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

Do you have a rapid check­in system?

Do you have relationships with charging infrastructure supplies for EV’s?

Do you offer an on­line billing facility?

Do you offer an on­line management reporting facility?

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

Do you offer cars fitted with satellite navigation systems?

Do you charge a fee for non­cancelled bookings?

Do you charge excess mileage rates on pre­agreed contracts?

Do you offer hybrid & Electric Cars?

Do you offer an hourly rate for hire?

FLEETW RLD

Key to services

Alliance Asset Management Ltd 260k 1.5k+

No Yes

-

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental 6.6k 35

No Yes

-

Enterprise Rent-A-Car 60k+ 370+

No No

-

Europcar UK Group 45k 200

Yes Yes

Leasedrive Group 300k 1.5k

No Yes Yes -

Nexus Vehicle Rental 500k+ 1.75k+

Yes Yes -

Service provided

Service unavailable

Northgate Vehicle Hire 55k 75

Yes No -

Thrifty Car and Van Rental 20k 95

Yes Yes

FEATURE Taxation & Funding

Part 2

Compare & contrast Last month Professor Colin Tourick compared a conventional contract hire arrangement with salary sacrifice. Next up is ECO Schemes.

T

here are lots of similarities between conventional contract hire and salary sacrifice because they are both, in fact, based on contract hire agreements. The difference between salary sacrifice and ‘regular’ contract hire (i.e. contract hire when used to lease a normal company car) comes from the way the product is used.

Salary sacri ice is used to provide a staff bene it to those employees who wouldn’t normally qualify for a company car.

The employee agrees to forego part of their gross salary and the employer agrees to lease a car from a contract hire company for the employee’s use. As explained last month, by giving up salary on which they would have paid tax and national insurance con‐ tributions (NIC) and replacing this with a low CO2/low list price car on which they will pay only a modest amount of tax, the employee can make signi icant tax and NIC savings.

Next we will compare contract hire to employee car own‐ ership schemes (ECOS).

We discussed the key features of contract hire last month. In summary, under a contract hire agreement you pay a monthly rental and then hand back the vehicle at the end of the con‐ tract. The employer gets tax relief on the rentals (there’s a 15% deduction for cars emitting more than 130g/km of CO2).

The employee pays Benefit‐in‐Kind tax based on the list price of the car and its CO2 emissions (with some adjustments) and the employer pays Class 1A NIC. The problem with this arrangement is that there is quite a lot of tax being paid here, particularly for higher rate taxpay‐ ers choosing cars that don’t emit low levels of CO2. Were those employees to drive their own cars for business instead no Benefit‐in‐Kind tax or Class 1A NIC would arise and they could claim 45p for each business mile driven (up to 10,000

70 / fleetworld.co.uk

miles and 25p thereafter), totally free of tax, NIC and AMAP (Approved Mileage Allowance Payment).

When employers looked at this they often found that it would have been cheaper to allow employees to use their own cars and to pay them a mileage allowance rather than giving them a company car. However, most employers would baulk at the idea of allowing a free‐for‐all under which their employees could drive business mileage in privately owned cars over which the employer had little control. Are these cars being serviced properly? Have they passed an MOT? Are they being insured for business purposes? Are they new and reliable or old and constantly breaking down?

What was needed was a structured product that allowed employees to use their own cars whilst retaining the benefits of a conventional leased company car scheme and delivering tax savings.

ECOS were developed to do just this. The simplest way to describe these schemes is to imagine a conventional com‐ pany car scheme where the cars are supplied on contract hire, then remove the contract hire agreement and replace it with a credit sale agreement.

Credit sale is an unusual inancial product. It is a loan agree‐ ment by which someone acquires something (e.g. a car) and pays for it over time but it has one unusual characteristic – title of the car passes to the borrower on the irst day of the agree‐ ment. (So you can see why it has been unpopular with lenders).

The legislation says that Benefit‐in‐Kind tax does not apply to a car that is owned by an employee. A credit sale agree‐ ment achieves this and therefore there is no Benefit‐in‐Kind tax or Class 1A NIC on an ECOS car.

There are differences between the operation of a leased

CONTRACT HIRE

EMPLOYEE CAR OWNERSHIP SCHEME Leasing company supplies the car, pays the annual vehicle excise duty, can pay for service maintenance and repair, takes residual value risk

Financial agreement: a lease (contract hire)

Financial agreement: a loan (credit sale)

Car is returned to leasing company at end of contract

Employee can decide whether to return the car or to pay a pre‐agreed amount and keep it

Employer pays monthly lease payment

Employee pays monthly loan repayment, by deduction from net pay

Employer reimburses employee’s petrol cost for business mileage (actual cost or based on HMRC advisory fuel rates)

Employer pays a tax‐ and NIC‐free mileage allowance to the employee (AMAP rates)

Employer gets 100% or 85% tax relief on lease rental depending on CO2 level

Employer pays a further taxable amount into employee’s salary, usually enough to leave the employee in the same after‐tax position as if they’d paid BiK tax on a company car

Employee pays Benefit‐in‐Kind tax

No employee Benefit‐in‐Kind tax

Employer pays Class 1A NIC

No employer Class 1A NIC

Scheme doesn’t require HMRC approval

Strongly advised to obtain HMRC approval

company car scheme and an ECO scheme. Under the ECO scheme the employee personally signs the credit sale agree‐ ment and an agreement giving them the option to sell the car back to the leasing company at the end of the agreement for a pre‐agreed price. The employee submits monthly mileage claims for business mileage and the employer pays these at 45p/25p per mile (AMAP rates). The employer then pays an additional amount into the employee’s gross pay and deducts the monthly credit sale payment from the employee’s net pay and pays it over to the leasing company.

Different schemes work in different ways and most leave the employee out of pocket by a pre‐agreed amount; their agreed contribution for the private use of the car. This is often calculated to be the precise amount of BiK tax the employee would have paid had they taken the car under a conventional company car scheme. But in this case the employer is bene‐ fitting from this payment rather than HMRC. The upshot of all of these adjustments is that in the right circumstances quite a lot of tax and national insurance can be saved, and the employer takes the benefit of this.

If your eyes glazed over whilst reading this explanation,

you are not alone. Compared to contract hire these schemes are complex and they require close management. If you make a mistake in operating an ECO scheme you can mess up your payroll or attract the unwanted attention of HMRC. Nonethe‐ less these schemes can deliver real cost savings, which is why they still have quite a loyal following.

INDUSTRY VIEWPOINT Salary sacrifice is used to provide a staff benefit to those employees who wouldn’t normally qualify for a company car.

fleetworld.co.uk / 71

our fleet BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Touring Auto THREE months of driving the 320d Touring has made me realise that although it's been out quite a while now and is ubiquitous on our roads, there are few more accomplished fleet cars on the market.

There are a few things that its newer competitors might do a bit better: the diesel engine is fairly noisy under hard acceleration and when cold, and the cabin is bettered by the new C-Class, certainly in terms of plastics and space.

But as a family car to live with every day, it really is superb. Certainly it is much improved with the auto option while the seats are fabulously comfortable and the driving position second to none. As a result it is amazingly easy to drive long distances in, especially if you just

the figures

stick it in Comfort mode and switch the cruise control on.

Also, BMWs infotainment system is excellent: the navigation is clear and the traffic information, aggregating mobile phone signals speeds, is the best there is. In fact, on one trip where somebody had another system and I was in the BMW, my sat nav routed round a problem while the traffic info on the other car didn't and it saved me 30 minutes. As a business driver this is a massive benefit.

So although the 3 Series has been around a while now it is still a hard car to beat as an overall package of driveability, comfort and usability. No wonder it remains a hugely popular company car.

Steve Moody

OTR PRICE £36,515 (including options) POWER 163bhp @ 4,000rpm TORQUE 280lb.ft @ 1,750rpm 0-62mph 8.3 seconds TOP SPEED 138mph COMBINED MPG 65.7mpg CO2 112g/km (18% BiK)

Volvo V40 D4 R-Design Lux Nav I’VE always thought that after two months that ‘new car novelty’ wears off, leaving you with distinct impressions on the good and bad points of a car. So what are the things that stick in my mind about the V40?

72 / fleetworld.co.uk

The first thing is the engine. The 190bhp D4 unit in our car is an impressive engine; smooth and refined yet delivering big dollops of torque from right at the bottom of the rev range.

Working with the slick six-speed manual gearbox, this combines to offer a decently sporting drive.

However, thanks to the reserves of power from very few revs, the V40 is a serious torque-steerer, with the front wheels squirming to deliver the power to the road. Add in a rather unintrusive traction control system and I fear for the longevity of the front tyres.

Other points? The heated front windscreen (a la Ford) is such a handy feature to have, and the heated seats become nuclear hot in a very short time, which is a very good thing. However, the climate control system takes a bit of getting used to – it controls the temperature on both sides of the car from one dial which can be a bit fiddly to master.

Generally though, there are way more good points than bad, which makes the V40 a good car in my eyes. And, judging by the number I see on the road, in plenty of other people’s eyes too.

Julian Kirk

Renault ZOE Dynamique Zen

Mazda3 2.2D SE-L Nav

AFTER six months and almost five thousand miles, our ZOE has gone back to Renault. But, in that time, it’s answered the question I’ve been asked so many times since it was delivered: hat’s it really like living with an electric vehicle?

It’s much easier than you’d expect. We usually carry hundreds of miles of unnecessary fuel in a conventional car, but the ZOE shows a typical range of between 80 and 100 miles is quite generous. It’s enough to comfortably get from my house in Cardiff to Bristol and back, and the electricity costs less than half the price of the Severn Bridge toll. At each end, I can plug in while I do other things.

Of course, long trips take planning. The range drops to around 75 miles on the motorway, not helped by my impatience at the Eco mode’s 60mph speed limiter. At a steady 70mph, with the blowers on but air conditioning off, it comfortably gets between Ecotricity’s Electric Highway network on an 80% charge, reached in 20 minutes.

Range anxiety is usually down to bad planning.

It’s hard not to love the technology, too. R-Link is fiddly at first but easy to get used to, setting cabin temperatures from your bed is a useful feature, and the Chameleon Charger means it takes the fastest charging speeds from whatever you can plug it into. Domestic sockets are the painfully slow exception, though, and the threepin cable is really only a backup.

The more you live with it, the more it becomes a normal car. It’s stylish, comfortable, has a generous boot, folding seats and ISOFIX points in the back, plus the refinement is blissful. For mostly urban driving and occasional motorway trips, do you really need a plug-in hybrid?

Alex Grant

WHILE I wouldn’t describe myself as a technophobe, it’s not unusual for me to ask for pointers when it comes to new technology. So, credit to Mazda, I’ve been really impressed at how easy it is to get my head around the MZD Connect infotainment in my long-termer.

The screen is perched on the dash top, operated by a tactile silver-detailed command knob on the centre console. I barely need to look at it – most functions are a couple of glance-free clicks away, which is an underrated and important consideration now that in-car technology has become so advanced.

Anne Dopson

Kia Carens 1.7 CRDi ‘2’ Manual

OTR PRICE £15,195 (inc. £5,000 Plug-in Car Grant) POWER 87bhp @ 3,000–11,500rpm

A thorough clean of the Kia has given me a chance to appreciate just how much storage is on board. The cooled glovebox is handy as is the centre console box (aka the ‘snack’ box in our car) and the front and rear door pockets, which are being used to store gym/child water bottles. There’s even a cupholder in the third row.

The fold-up tables are also coming in handy, as is the ability to create another table by folding the the middle-row centre seat. It all comes in rather useful for having a family car that doesn’t end up looking like a pigsty, particularly after long journeys.

Natalie Middleton

TORQUE 162lb.ft @ 250-2,500rpm 0-62mph 13.5 seconds TOP SPEED 84mph ELECTRIC RANGE: 120 miles CO2 0g/km (0% BiK)

the figures fleetworld.co.uk / 73

our fleet Vauxhall Insignia Country Tourer 2.0 CDTi 163PS FWD IMPRESSED as I am with the Insignia’s fuel consumption, I was browsing the handbook and found that there was an eco setting for the tyre pressures, basically 10psi more all round. I reasoned that the car’s adaptive damping should ensure that the ride quality didn’t suffer too much and I would play the handling by ear. The handling seems to be largely unaltered and my hunch about the ride quality is right. Fuel consumption is better too, reaching an indicated 61mpg on one trip and settling down to an average of around an indicated 56mpg – very impressive figures for a large family estate car.

I have covered around 5,000 miles in the car now and it continues to be a pleasant way to travel, particularly at motorway speeds.

My only major disagreement with it is the shape of the rear tailgate, which wraps around the sides, reducing headroom underneath it if you approach from either side, rather than the back. I have scraped my head a couple of times when loading or unloading and wished for a flat profile tailgate which maximises headroom. Must mention it to Vauxhall/Opel exterior design director Malcolm Ward when I next see him...

John Kendall

SUPPLIER

DIRECTORY electric vehicle charging Ensto UK Ltd Tel: +44 7432 701524 ensto.com/chago

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

Selsia Vehicle Accident Centres Ltd

Tel: 0845 468 6800 www.selsia-vac.co.uk

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

Audi A5 Ultra SE Technik

FATE has a funny way of putting opportunities your way, and a gap between my longtermers has given me the chance to spend some time with our Audi A5. It’s been a treat.

We’re due a new A4 at some point in the near future, and shortly afterwards a successor to this car. Yet, despite having components conceived back in 2008, I still think this looks sharp and modern. That said, I have hit my head on the interior lighting panel a few times – a sacrifice of its shallow roofline.

That’s just as well, because this segment is a

74 / fleetworld.co.uk

competitive one with newcomers aiming to steal the A5’s sales. Most notable, perhaps, is the 4 Series Gran Coupe which – in 418d SE guise – is priced closely to the A5 Ultra in this fleet-focused SE Technik trim. Audi has the edge on economy and CO2 emissions, though, at least until a CClass derived CLC coupe joins the market.

SE Technik versions – which account for around a third of UK sales – come generously equipped. I’m happy to lose some ride quality for the stunning 18-inch alloy wheels, and the leather-trimmed interior includes satellite navigation and a USB port for MP3 players. All it lacks, visually, is the LED-lined Xenon headlights.

It’s not so long ago that a stylish, premiumclass coupe would have been out of reach for most drivers. The A5 shows how much that’s changed recently, feeling genuinely special as a company car but without attracting luxuryclass running costs with it.

Alex Grant

fleet insurance Bluedrop Services Ltd Tel: 01706 658608 www.bluedropservices.co.uk

insureFLEET Tel: 0333 202 3133 www.insurefleet.com

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

FLEETW RLD SUPPLIER DIRECTORY contract hire, leasing & finance

daily rental

risk management

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

Drive Software Solutions Tel: 01438 317731

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

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

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental Tel: 01786 468 700 www.arnoldclarkrental.com

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

sgfleet Tel: 0845 154 0721 www.sgfleet.com

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

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

Roadmarque Tel: 01792 824438 www.roadmarque.com

www.drivesoftwaresolutions.com

Maxxia 020 7520 9450 www.maxxia.co.uk

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

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

Cardinus Risk Management Tel: 01733 426015

Tel:0121 288 5935/07815 601622

www.cardinus.com

www.soficoservices.com

Europcar Tel: 0116 217 3530 www.europcar.co.uk

Bill Plant Ltd Tel: 01765 645023 www.billplant.co.uk

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

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

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

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

Chevin Fleet Solutions Tel: 01773 821 992 www.chevinfleet.com

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

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

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

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

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

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

AA DriveTech Tel: 01256 495732

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

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

Tel: 0845 815 0019 www.dayscontracthire.co.uk

Lex Autolease

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

Total Leasing Solutions for your business

Sofico

Telephone 0113 250 0060

www.jct600vehicleleasingsolutions.co.uk

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

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

DriveTech

Vehicle Management

FLEETW RLD FLEETW RLD November 2014

November 2014

All that matters in

the world of fleet

All that matters in the world of fleet

Full listings online at fleetworld.co.uk

interview

Michael O’Shea of

interview Michael O’Shea of Volkswagen

Volkswagen

stopping power

Why fleets should

stopping power Why fleets should check their brakes

check their brakes

misfuelling MODE MODELPUPIL LPUPIL Behind the wheel

of Tesla’s remarkable

Model S

Behind the wheel of Tesla’s remarkable Model S

2014 2014 MPG Marathon 100mpg in real-world driving from a C-segment estate? The UK’s premier economy event sees if it’s possible...

www.AAdrivetech.com/fleetsafe

MPG Marathon

100mpg in real-world driving from a C-segment estate?

The UK’s premier economy event sees if it’s possible...

AFF Tel: 0844 879 4770 www.autofuelfix.com

Interactive Driving Systems Tel: 01484 551060 www.virtualriskmanager.net

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

Full listings online at fleetworld.co.uk fuel management Esso Fuel Cards Tel: 0800 626 672 www.essocard.com

fleetworld.co.uk fleetworld.co.uk

tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

telematics & tracking

Full listings online at fleetworld.co.uk

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

Teletrac, a Trafficmaster company Tel: 0345 604 8813 www.teletrac.co.uk

SMR Autoserve Limited Tel: 0844 888 3001 www.autoserve.co.uk

Trakm8 Tel: 01747 858 444 www.trakm8.com

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

Tel: 0845 055 8555 Ctrack www.ctrack.co.uk Telogis Tel: 0203 005 8805 www.telogis.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

Shell Fuelcards Tel: 0800 915 6021 www.shell.co.uk/euroshell

fleetworld.co.uk / 75

SPECIAL FEATURE Salary Sacrifice

Salary sacrifice comes of age Recent years have seen salary sacrifice become a buzzword in the fleet industry as awareness grows of such schemes. We look at how the proposition is moving away from being the new kid on the block and is rapidly becoming a more mature product offering.

in association with

s fleets increasingly look for more cost‐effective ways to benefit existing staff and attract new recruits, a growing number of companies are exploring salary sacrifice for cars.

Already applied to pensions, childcare vouchers and “bike to work” schemes, the salary sacrifice mechanism has gained a lot of exposure in recent years as a highly tax‐efficient way to offer employees the benefit of a company car by enabling 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 savings in income tax and NIC while the employer also gains from NIC savings – not to mention the ability to retain, recruit and motivate employees at no cost to the business.

As such there are a number of companies in the marketplace offering salary sacrifice, including Tusker, which says it was the first company to launch a branded salary sacrifice scheme, SalarySacrifice4Cars, back in 2008, and has over 200 live schemes for some of the UK’s biggest employers.

Iain Carmichael, chief commercial officer of Tusker, explains the benefits to fleets, saying: “Salary sacrifice has firmly established its place as a mainstream car benefit solution for many UK employers.

It has a proven track record, with many drivers now on their second or even

A

76 / fleetworld.co.uk

third successive car through a salary sacrifice scheme.

“The attractions are simple – worry‐free motoring for a fixed budget where the driver simply adds fuel. Cost savings for drivers and employers are well documented, and HR professionals have recognised their value as part of a flexible benefits package. In fact salary sacrifice car schemes are one of the fastest growing employee benefits.”

Quantifiable savings Tusker’s Iain Carmichael also outlines the savings that fleets can make from such schemes, saying: “Drivers can save an average of £900 a year on income tax and National Insurance, plus up to £500 a year on fuel by choosing more fuel‐efficient models. Employers can also save approximately £300 per driver per year due to the NI savings.

“Additionally, drivers’ savings are maximised by selecting the lowest CO2 emitting models, so many employers are actively using salary sacrifice schemes to directly address environmental concerns and move towards a carbon‐neutral fleet.

To add to a scheme’s environmentally friendly credentials, Tusker also offers drivers the option to offset all of their carbon through accredited carbon offsetting schemes around the world.”

There are also many more benefits to such schemes, as Iain Carmichael explains:

“Since a salary sacrifice scheme offers a company car to all qualifying employees, it opens up the savings to a much wider audience. Employees who use their own cars for occasional work trips and claiming their mileage through expenses, (ie grey fleet drivers) can enjoy all the benefits of cost savings and driving a brand new, fuel‐ efficient vehicle, while the employer saves on the NI. Salary sacrifice also addresses the duty of care issue for these drivers, as they are driving newer, fully maintained and correctly insured vehicles.”

He adds: “Cash allowance drivers can also benefit from entering a salary sacrifice scheme. Due to a cash allowance being included as part of the employee’s gross salary, they are taxed in full for this benefit.

By sacrificing this salary they could save an average of £80 per month in tax and National Insurance contribution savings, which could be used towards the monthly cost of the car.

“If an employee is using their cash allowance to finance a car, they are already at a disadvantage from a tax perspective, compared to putting their cash allowance towards a salary sacrifice car.

“A number of Tusker’s customers have very successfully introduced a salary sacrifice scheme to help maximise their cash users’ allowances. The take‐up of schemes introduced alongside a cash allowance scheme is usually significantly higher as employees can clearly see that

→

Tusker's salary sacrifice car scheme... with you every step of the way P Put ut y your our emplo employees yees driving seat seat with an all in the driving inclusive motoring motoring package package inclusive Tusker Tusker fully manage the scheme on your your behalf

Comprehensive Comprehensive risk risk mitigation that offers offers a range range of protections protections to to mitigate mitigate any risk risk

Clock up incr incredible edible savings Unique ccarbon arbon off setting initiativ e offsetting initiative

FFully ully bespok e ssystems ystems ar e bespoke are designed ar ound your your around per sonal rrequirements equirements personal

Make great savings and improve your employee benefits through our innovative fleet solution To find out more give us a call on 0333 400 1010, email us at hello@tuskerdirect.com or visit www.tuskerdirect.com/fw15 0333 400 1010 www.tuskerdirect.com/fw15

SPECIAL FEATURE Salary Sacrifice “Communications are very important as they bring the scheme to life and ensure there is a full understanding of the benefits.”

→

they are getting better value for money compared with, for example, the running and depreciation costs of owning their own vehicle, or leasing a car through an alternative retail offer.”

A complement to company car schemes Given the plethora of reasons why salary sacrifice schemes are being adopted across a wide cross section of industry sectors, it is not surprising that their popularity continues to grow.

However, this does not mean that traditional company car schemes are on the decline, according to Tusker.

Iain Carmichael explains: “In fact the most successful salary sacrifice schemes are those that are run alongside traditional contract hire fleets for essential users. Many of Tusker’s clients have traditional company car drivers, salary sacrifice drivers and cash allowance drivers operating simultaneously, which gives employers the flexibility to offer the best option for each individual to maximise tax efficiencies and cost savings.”

But to achieve this it is important for employers to look at all aspects of their car policy. Iain adds: “To do this they must work with their provider to establish a holistic approach which takes into consideration all of the objectives, not just financial and tax issue, but HR issues, duty of care concerns and corporate social responsibility.

“By adopting a flexible approach and offering mixed funding solutions, each driver’s own tax situation and mileage profile can be examined and the best option identified. This way savings can maximised for everyone.

“Tusker takes time to work with companies to understand their requirements and tailors bespoke solutions for each customer. Tusker can provide vehicle funding in any shape or form, as well as providing fleet management services which save time and money for businesses and fleet managers.

“As UK market leader in the provision of

in association with

78 / fleetworld.co.uk

salary sacrifice schemes and one of the country’s most innovative providers of contract hire, leasing and fleet management, Tusker is ideally placed to deliver a fully holistic solution and provide the level of support and expertise that many employers are looking for.”

A constantly evolving product Zenith, which is a market leader in the design, implementation, provision and management of salary sacrifice car schemes, also says that such schemes offer highly practical benefits to companies that are rapidly evolving.

Andrew Kirby, commercial director – employee benefit schemes, explains: “Salary sacrifice car schemes provide a no‐ cost way for companies to drive loyalty, motivation and productivity. As employees agree to a two or three‐year period they have been shown to really help retention, as well as improve overall engagement.

The schemes open up the perks of a company car to the wider employee base.

Employees can save money through the cost of driving a car, including through monthly payments and also through the potential for lower fuel bills from a new and potentially lower‐emission car.”

He adds: “Awareness in and understanding of the benefits of salary sacrifice car schemes is increasing. The schemes are also becoming more sophisticated. As a provider we now have a vast amount of data and analysis which helps us ensure we achieve excellent take‐ up of the benefit. We know which communication methods are the most effective and which types of cars to promote to which audiences. Employers are looking more closely at their benefits packages as a whole and assessing which ones add value. Car manufacturers are more on‐board with schemes than ever and realise that they drive new sales, not replace ones which may have been made anyway. Online systems are becoming more and more advanced.”

Zenith adds that communicating salary sacrifice car schemes is vital to their success. Andrew Kirby comments:

“Communications are very important as they bring the scheme to life and ensure there is a full understanding of the benefits and how salary sacrifice works.

There is no like‐for‐like equivalent on the retail market, so it is crucial that employees understand how much of a good deal they are getting and are supported in making a comparison to alternatives.

“Marketing plans need to focus on pre‐ launch, the launch itself and throughout the scheme’s life. They also need to cover the most effective communication channels within an organisation.

Promotions include emails, offers and competitions, internal social media, intranet news stories, printed literature, giveaways and roadshows.”

What’s next for salary sacrifice car schemes?

Already fast rising in popularity, salary sacrifice looks set to stay on fleets’ radar in the future as demand increase for cost‐effective benefits, driven by ever‐increasing low‐CO2 vehicle choices.

Andrew Kirby adds: “The competition to retain and attract talent has become more intense, as the recruitment market recovers from the recession. In order to keep the best employees, companies are going to need to look at innovative and attractive benefits, such as salary sacrifice car schemes.

“From a driver perspective, costs associated with driving such as maintenance and insurance are increasing which makes an all‐ inclusive, fixed cost and easy to budget for package more and more attractive.

“There is also an increasing awareness of the benefits of driving lower emission cars. Hybrid and electric car orders are accelerating and now account for 12% of all our salary sacrifice car orders.”

VAN

March 2015

FLEETW RLD

p90 Fiat Professional sold more than 1.4m Doblo Cargos globally since the last generation was launched.

at a glance driven...

Fiat Doblo Cargo

plus...

CV Show preview, Caddy in the spotlight, telematics update and weight concerns for minibus operators

Thursday 8th October 2015 ArenaMK

Register for the show at... vanfleetworldlive.co.uk vanfleetworld.co.uk

inbusiness

L200 set for summer launch M itsubishi will take the wraps of its fifth generation L200 pick‐up at this month’s Geneva car show. The truck will use a new 2.4‐litre diesel engine delivering 150/178hp, with 380/430Nm of torque.

The new engine promises a 17% improvement in CO2, down to 169g/km and the L200 will finally come with a six‐ speed manual transmission, which should make longer distance driving easier.

The truck’s body structure has been reinforced and the chassis develops 7%

higher torsional rigidity, to cope with heavy‐duty load‐carrying work. Oil change intervals have been extended to 12,500 miles and the coolant change is up from 37,000 miles to 112,000 miles, reducing cost of ownership.

The new engine, extended rear sus‐ pension, increased noise insulation and a stiffer body all help to reduce noise and vibration within the cab. Improved seating and a better driving position also make life more comfortable for the driver, while quicker steering delivers a class‐leading turn‐ ing radius.

The L200 will come with seven airbags, including side, curtain and driver’s knee airbags. Active stability and traction control systems with trailer stability and hill start assist further improve safety.

The L200 will be launched in Europe during the summer, with pricing and specifica‐ tions available nearer the introduction date.

Extra grip for smallest Citroën

C

itroën’s Nemo HDi75 van can now be specified with the firm’s Grip Control system for £630. The Grip Control pack includes an intelligent traction control system, raised suspension with larger tyres, under engine protection, front and rear mudflaps and door sill protection.

The Grip Control system, already seen on the larger Berlingo, can be activated by

80 / vanfleetworld.co.uk

a button on the dash at speeds up to 18mph. It auto‐ matically transfers torque to the wheel with the most grip in slippery conditions, then is automatically disengaged as the speed passes 18mph.

“The availability of the Grip Control option pack will fur‐ ther increase the versatility of the Citroen Nemo van,” said head of CVs and business sector operations Jeremy Smith.

“This competitively priced option provides the Nemo with the enhanced traction capability to meet most opera‐ tors off‐highway requirements. It offers an exceptionally economical and low cost alternative to a larger, more expen‐ sive to run 4x4.”

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

Styling updates for X-rated truck Toyota has added a range-topping Invincible X model to its Hilux pick-up range. The truck comes with a choice of four alloy wheel designs, chrome tubular side bars and the choice of a chrome ladder bar or a Style Pack. There are also four colour options for the leather interior. Available in double cab only, the Invincible X is priced from £23,842 for the manual gearbox and £24,842 for the automatic.

Rental demand leads to fleet growth Dawsonrentals vans is adding 3,500 cars and LCVs to its nationwide fleet this year, to meet growing demand. Though predominantly from Mercedes, Volkswagen, Ford and Isuzu, Dawsonrentals is also adding vehicles from Land Rover, Peugeot and Nissan to its offering.

Warranty change for Iveco Daily In last month’s Van Fleet World we mentioned that the warranty terms for the new Iveco Daily were five years/100,000 miles. While this was true on the new model until the end of 2014, it has now changed to the firm’s standard three years/unlimited miles.

A Daimler Brand

The New Vito.

Raise Your Game

www.mbvans.co.uk

show preview

CV Show preview The UK’s largest road transport event is back in April, as the CV Show 2015 opens at the NEC in Birmingham. These are just a few of the highlights that visitors can expect to see at the show, writes Dan Gilkes.

Citroën

Ford

Citroën’s Berlingo will get a facelift this year, with a new front end including a revised bumper, grille and repositioned daytime running lights. Berlingo also gets an uprated driveline, with Euro 6 engines on offer for the first time.

These BlueHDi motors, with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology, are available at 75hp, 100hp and 120hp.

The 100hp model is offered with the option of Citroën’s ETG6 automated transmission, dropping the CO2 output to just 106g/km. The 120hp model will get a six‐speed manual gearbox for the first time, to provide more relaxed long distance driving and improved fuel efficiency.

Citroën is also upgrading its Relay conversion models, by making the Enterprise trim level standard on all Ready To Run Relays for the first time. The Ready To Run tippers, dropsides and Luton vans will get Teletrac Smartnav and Trackstar stolen vehicle telematics as standard, along with air conditioning, cruise control, a perimetric alarm, a five‐inch colour touch‐ screen with DAB radio, Bluetooth, audio streaming and an MP3 compatible CD player.

Having dominated the van launch scene for the last few years, Ford will have its complete LCV line‐up on show, along with some older models as it starts the Transit’s 50th anniversary celebrations. A leet of Transits will leave the show to visit a number of Ford’s 105 recently estab‐ lished Transit Centres around the UK, before arriving at Gaydon for the 50 year celebrations in August.

Ford is also set to offer is own telematic package, in partnership with Telogis, with whom it works in North America. Ford Telematics uses Ford‐only diagnostic data that is not available through standard OBDII communi‐ cations. Available as a UK dealer‐installed option, Ford Telematics promises fuel savings of up to 20% as part of a full fleet management system.

Mercedes-Benz Birmingham will provide the first chance for many UK operators to take a closer look at Mercedes’ new Vito van range.

Available in three lengths, three weights and with a choice of two diesel engines in five power ratings, Vito breaks with the mid‐weight van market, by launching in both front and rear‐wheel drive.

The front drive models use the 1.6‐litre engine from Renault’s Tra ic rated at 88hp and 114hp. Rear drive models get Mercedes’ 2.1‐litre engine with 136hp, 163hp or 190hp. All three of these engines will be Euro 6 rated. Six speed manual transmissions are standard on all but the range‐topping 119BlueTEC diesel, which uses the irm’s 7G‐Tronic Plus automatic transmission. The auto box is avail‐ able as an option on the two lower powered rear drive models too.

Mercedes will also take the wraps off a UK‐only Citan Sport. Avail‐ able on the Long panel van with 109CDI or 111CDI engines, Citan Sport boasts metallic paint with colour‐coded wing mirrors, bumpers and tail light trim plus 16‐inch alloy wheels.

The vans come with air conditioning, a leather‐clad steering wheel, Sport mats and badging, daytime driving lights and chromed front grille, sidebars and tailgate trim.

→ 84 / vanfleetworld.co.uk

show preview

→

Peugeot

Isuzu

Not surprisingly, Peugeot will also be updating its Part‐ ner van range, with a revised front end to more closely resemble the latest Boxer range. Equipment levels will also be raised and Peugeot will be able to offer a choice of Euro 5b or Euro 6 engines by June of this year.

The company will also be lifting the specification of its Professional trim level on Bipper, Partner and Expert. Currently as many as 30% of Partner vans sold are in Professional trim and the move aims to bring continuity across the van ranges.

Following the success of last year’s range‐topping Blade model, Isuzu will launch a second generation D‐Max Blade at the show this year. The firm sold all 400 of last year’s Blade models easily, but will again limit produc‐ tion of the top of the range pick‐up.

Vauxhall Vauxhall will focus its attention on the launch of the Corsavan this year. Based on the three‐door car body the Corsavan comes with a choice of two 1.3‐litre diesel engines and a 1.2‐ litre petrol. The Euro 6 diesels come with Start/Stop, lifting fuel consumption to a claimed 83.1mpg and reducing CO2 emissions to just 90g/km for the most powerful 90hp model.

Vauxhall will also launch a new programme designed to make it easier for customers to order conversions, while extending the number of specialist converters offering bodies for Movano and the new Vivaro platform cab.

Vivaro will once again take much of the stand, with high roof and combi versions now available, along with a double cab model. Vauxhall recently added a second shift at its Luton plant to cope with demand for Vivaro, creat‐ ing 250 new jobs.

Renault Renault will also concentrate much of its show stand on conversions, demonstrating the wide range available both from its factory‐built programme and from 30 approved converters around the UK. Bodies on show will include a Master‐based horsebox, catering vehicles, a welfare bus and tippers, while Tra ic will provide the base vehicle for a taxi conversion, a refrigerated van, wheelchair accessible vehicle and a camper van.

Trafic will be on show with a long wheelbase and a high roof for the first time, complete with racking from the firm’s Ready4Work range.

Visitors to the Renault stand will also have the irst chance to see a Dacia Duster LCV, based on the low cost SUV.

Iveco

Extreme New to the show, Extreme Sales is introducing a range of 4x4 and LCV accessories to the UK market. These include South African‐built Alu‐Cab pick‐up hard tops. Available to it all UK pick‐up models, the tops offer side door access and can carry up to 200kg on the roof section. The irm will also show a range of Rhino4x4 front bumpers for 4x4s and pick‐ups with integral winches.

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Iveco’s Vision concept vehicle, first seen at Hanover last year, will take centre stage at the NEC, alongside various models from the new Daily line‐up. Vision is centred on low environmental impact mobility, using a dual energy drive system and a variable traction system.

The possible van of the future concept has see‐ through A‐pilars plus a rear view camera displayed on a screen above the windscreen. Load management is auto‐ matic and the vehicle uses futuristic electronic commu‐ nications and tablet control systems.

More down to earth is the new Daily, celebrating Inter‐ national Van of the Year 2015. There will be four vans on show, including the new Hi‐Matic model, with an eight‐speed ZF automatic transmission.

VFW SPOTLIGHT Volkswagen Caddy

Caddy content Volkswagen’s fourth generation Caddy van will offer Euro 5 and Euro 6 engines, boasting increased power and lower fuel consumption. That smart new front end also covers a host of driver assistance systems and a cab interior that will feel familiar to Golf drivers, says Dan Gilkes.

drivetrain Volkswagen will continue to offer the Euro 5 diesel engine range from the current Caddy line-up until September 2016. However, the firm will also offer Euro 6 engines, delivering the same 75hp and 102hp outputs in 1.6-litre form, plus a more powerful 150hp range-topping 2.0-litre. The Caddy BlueMotion model is expected to better 70mpg.

Four petrol engines will be available on the Continent, but are unlikely to come to the UK market, at least in van models. There is also a natural gas motor available in Germany, but this too is unlikely to make it into right hand drive models.

The vans will be offered with five and six-speed manual or six and seven-speed DSG gearboxes and though no decision has been made yet, the all-wheel drive 4Motion may be offered in the UK this time around.

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design Caddy has undergone revisions to both front and rear lights, with sharper lines reminiscent of the latest Golf. Indeed ahead of the A pillar the Caddy owes much to Volkswagen’s much-vaunted MQB architecture, though the van rides on the previous generation’s heavyweight van chassis, rather than the newer car structure.

In the cab there is greater differentiation between cargo carrying van models and the more car-like Caddy Life, with a different dashboard for each including a lockable glove box. The van benefits from a range of new infotainment and electronic driver assistance options including a Front Assist monitoring system, City Emergency Braking, Light Assist and Driver Alert. For the first time, Caddy will also be available with Adaptive Cruise Control.

practicality Both short and long wheelbase models remain and, though there is no change to load volumes, Volkswagen has slightly raised the payload capability on some models. However at just over 830kg for the heaviest load carrier, there is no competitor for the 1 tonne vans available from Fiat, Vauxhall and Ford.

Caddy will be offered in standard and Maxi panel van, kombi, full window van and in Caddy Life forms.

what we think...

FLEET FACT The Euro 6 BlueMotion is expected to generate just 109g/km of CO2 with fuel consumption in excess of 70mpg.

Given that VW sold more than 1.5 million of the last model Caddy during its 11-year production life, and the firm’s Polish plant is currently running three shifts to keep up with demand, it is perhaps unsurprising that the fourth generation model’s upgrades are more cosmetic than structural. That said, the new van looks particularly sharp and should attract similar demand from the market.

For UK customers, the real benefits of the new models will be felt later next year, as Euro 6 engines become the norm, offering improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions, plus more power in the case of the 2.0-litre engine. DG

vanfleetworld.co.uk / 89

Fiat Doblo Cargo Fourth generation Doblo Cargo offers increased efficiency and improved refinement, says Dan Gilkes.

F

iat Professional’s latest Doblo Cargo line‐up aims to please both leet man‐ agers, with improved fuel consumption and market‐leading carrying capacity, and drivers by offering lower in‐cab noise levels and uprated infotainment systems. The vans have also been made more drivable, with improved torque response for the two most popular engines.

However, while Doblo adopts an all‐new face, with revised grille and lights, the inte‐ rior of right‐hand drive models remains unchanged, despite continental models get‐ ting a facelift inside as well.

The UK business was offered the updated interior, but opted to keep the existing trim, to maximise its competitive edge in the UK market. Not that this is a bad thing, as the Doblo Cargo remains a comfortable place to spend time, with additional soundproofing dropping internal noise levels by up to 3dB on the new models.

Other subtle changes include a lighter clutch and retuned engines, that aim to deliver more torque earlier in the rev range for improved urban driving. The engine range itself remains much the same, with the 90hp 1.3‐litre Multi‐ jet II diesel taking around 60% of UK sales.

This is followed by the 105hp 1.6‐litre diesel, delivering 105hp in manual trim and 90hp if you opt for the Comfort‐Matic automated man‐ ual box, though hardly anybody does.

That 105hp engine has become increas‐ ingly popular though, as the split between short and long wheelbase models has also changed over the last few years. As many as 40% of UK Doblo Cargo sales are now the longer vans. This is in part due to the arrival

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what we think Fiat Professional sold more than 1.4m Doblo Cargos globally since the last generation was launched in 2000. The upgrades around this time should prove equally popular.

specification Fiat Professional Doblo Cargo SX 1.6 XL Euro 5+ BASIC PRICE £17,045 ENGINE 4-cyl/1,598cc FUEL INJECTION Common-rail POWER 105hp @ 4,000rpm TORQUE 290Nm @ 1,500rpm Weights (kg) GVW 2,460 KERB WEIGHT 1,460 PAYLOAD 1,005 MAX TRAILER WEIGHT 1,300 Dimensions (mm) LOAD SPACE LENGTH 2,170 LOAD SPACE WIDTH 1,714 LOAD SPACE HEIGHT 1,550 LOAD VOLUME 5.0m3 Cost considerations COMBINED CO2/MPG 158g/km/47.1mpg OIL CHANGE 2 yr/21,000 miles WARRANTY 3 yr/120,000 miles MODEL

of the high roof XL, with its 5m3 capacity and 1‐tonne payload tempting down‐sizing cus‐ tomers out of larger models.

For those seeking ultimate performance, particularly when running at higher weights, there is still a 2.0‐litre diesel engine boasting a very healthy 135hp, while a 1.4‐litre petrol motor can also be had delivering 95hp. This is primarily aimed more at the people carry‐ ing versions of the van though.

Of more interest is a new EcoJet speci ication for both the 1.3 and 1.6‐litre diesels. Costing £450, it includes Stop/Start, low rolling resist‐ ance tyres, low viscocity oils, an intelligent alternator, a variable displacement oil pump and a new aerodynamic pack. Fiat claims fuel ef iciency gains of up to 15% for the 1.6 EcoJet and 12% for the smaller engine are possible.

Fiat Professional is also making its Trac‐ tion+ electronic traction system available on Doblo for the irst time. This includes 16” all‐ season tyres and metal under‐engine protec‐ tion as well as the traction control system.

Another new option is Gateway, a factory‐ supplied module that plugs into the van’s diagnostic port to provide an easily accessi‐ ble outlet for a range of after‐market telem‐ atic systems. This stops telematic providers and other leet management suppliers having to break into the vehicle’s electronic system.

There are popular Tecnico versions of the 1.3‐litre short wheelbase van and the 1.6‐ litre long wheelbase models on offer too. For a premium of £1,630, Tecnico vans get air conditioning, rear parking sensors, Blue‐ tooth, Start/Stop, remote steering wheel audio controls and a dealer‐fit sat‐nav, on top of the generous SX trim level.

FEATURE Telematics

In-house solution Does Volkswagen’s entry into the telematic market signal a new way to work with customers? Dan Gilkes finds out.

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here is no denying that leets can make substantial operating cost savings by employing a telematic system to track and monitor vehicles. There is no shortage of providers either, all vying for your business by offering that one piece of vital information that no‐one else can deliver.

To date, vehicle manufacturers have on the whole steered clear of getting directly involved in the sector, preferring to let the telematics providers deal with operators. Now how‐ ever, Volkswagen is adding telematics to its in‐house cus‐ tomer offer, by introducing a single, all‐encompassing smart telematics solution in partnership with the RAC. In line with its ‘Working With You’ philosophy, Volkswa‐ gen has attempted to make the telematic solution as easy to use as possible. It is also simple to choose which options to adopt, as there aren’t any. Volkswagen will simply charge £12.50 per vehicle, per month, for a 36‐month contract.

There are no hidden extras, no add‐ons and no charges for set‐up and installation.

Critically, the telematic unit can be installed in new or older Volkswagen vans and in other makes of vehicle, allow‐ ing customers to have a single information source, whatever the fleet make‐up. All that’s required is an OBD II diagnos‐ tic port in the van.

“The key for us is having a system that is universal,” said James McGhee, service and parts planning and performance manager at Volkswagen. “It’s a key opportunity to add value to our customers’ businesses.”

The company has also made the system easy to use, wary of the data overload concern. The company is looking to attract SMEs as well as larger corporate users, with fleets in excess of 20 vehicles offering the best opportunity for savings.

Volkswagen claims that the telematic system can lead to ef i‐ ciency gains of up to 13%, saving as much as £740 in fuel con‐ sumption per vehicle each year. Closer monitoring of driving

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habits can also lead to longer component life, cutting costs.

The telematic unit is a plug and play module, that is easily positioned behind the dash by your local Volkswagen Van Cen‐ tre. Once activated the data can be accessed through a web por‐ tal on a computer, tablet or smartphone. It takes a few moments to set up, but the dashboard is simple to navigate and managers can easily add drivers and vehicles and set‐up reports.

The unit provides real‐time tracking, so a manager can see where vans are on a map at any time. This makes it easier to allocate work and to keep customers informed about deliv‐ eries and arrival times.

The reports also show how the vehicle has been driven on each journey, with different colours to flag up heavy acceler‐ ation or braking.

Such easily accessed information allows the fleet manager to deal with the driver, providing driver training if necessary, to improve behaviour behind the wheel. The system also allows managers to print driver comparison tables, rating drivers in terms of fuel consumption and driver performance to generate competition to be the best within the fleet.

In addition to regular telematic functions, Volkswagen is offering a Driverline concierge function. If customers permit it, the data feed can also be seen by their local Volkswagen Van Centre, allowing proactive contact to book service work and ensure timely maintenance. The customer can also decide who the point of contact is within their own company, the fleet manager or, for more remote workers, the driver themselves.

“This unit really can be cost‐free, because it can deliver cost savings that more than pay for it,” said Mr McGhee.

Volkswagen has fairly low‐key ambitions for this first year in the telematic market, though it would be a surprise if they weren’t easily exceeded.

“We’re looking at between 500‐1,000 units this year,” said Mr McGhee.

® © 2015 TomTom Telematics B.V. TomTom ® and the logo are among the trademarks or registered trademarks owned by TomTom N.V. and its affiliates. Our limited warranty applies to this product. You can review it at www.business.tomtom.com/legal

SAVE FUEL TOGETHER. EMPOWER YOUR TEAM TO DRIVE MORE RESPONSIBLY Give your drivers direct insight into driving behavior so that together you can slash your fleets fuel, maintenance and insurance costs. WEBFLEET® brings your drivers and office staff closer together, working better as a team.

Call 0208 822 3605 or E-mail business.uk@tomtom.com to arrange a free demonstration of WEBFLEET®.

www.tomtom.com/telematics

FEATURE Minibuses

“At the moment we cannot build enough 17-seat minibuses, we can’t keep up with demand.”

Dave Petts, product manager, Ford

Weighty issues Rising vehicle weight, to meet legislative and customer demands, could have a big effect on the minibus market, says Dan Gilkes.

I

ncreasingly stringent emissions reg‐ ulations are going to have a major effect on the minibus market, but not just in terms of purchase and operating costs. As we have seen with a number of larger vans recently, the introduction of Euro 6 engines at the end of September 2016 will almost certainly result in a rise in unladen weights going forwards, impacting available payloads.

While this might not be that serious at the heavier end of the minibus market, where drivers have professional driving quali ications, it will have an effect on the many minibus users who prefer to keep their vehicles below 3.5 tonnes GVW. Drivers that were issued a driving licence prior to January 1, 1997 are allowed to drive minibuses in the UK, provided that they are over 21. Their licence will show a D1 category permit‐ ting them to drive a minibus with up to 17 seats, including the driver, as long as it is not for hire or reward.

However, drivers who passed their test after January 1, 1997 are now required to sit a separate PCV minibus theory test, a medical and a practical test to attain the D1 licence. They may then drive a minibus with up to 16 passenger seats not for hire or reward, as long as

94 / vanfleetworld.co.uk

they are over 21 and have been driving for more than two years. The vehicle’s gross weight must not exceed 3.5 tonnes, unless equipped with special equipment for disabled passengers, in which case the GVW rises to 4,250kg.

Therein lies the problem. Unless you are carrying incredibly small and light passengers, it will become increasingly difficult to specify a 17‐seat minibus with a gross weight under 3.5 tonnes.

Ford’s latest 17‐seat Transit minibus, which is Euro 6 powered, now comes with a gross weight of 4.6 tonnes. Indeed the firm’s 14‐seater weighs up to 4.1 tonnes, putting it out of reach of many younger drivers or those without the required licence. The firm’s minibus at 3.5 tonnes has just 12 seats these days.

It’s not denting sales however, with demand for the new Transit at an all time high.

“At the moment we cannot build enough 17‐seat minibuses, we can’t keep up with demand,” says Ford’s Transit product manager Dave Petts.

There are however converters capable of building lighter vehicles – Citroën’s recognised supplier Advanced Minibuses, for instance, will be able to get 14 seats into a Relay‐based bus at 3.5 tonnes.

The change in weight will have an effect on leasing companies and their customers though. BVRLA members currently run more than 12,600 minibuses on their leets throughout the UK, and 6,347 of those are classed as short‐term rental. To maximise utilisa‐ tion, those rental companies will want to appeal to the largest possible audience, which will mean hitting the 3.5‐tonne maximum weight. But that in turn may result in less passenger seating.

Of course the additional mass is not just a result of Euro 6 engines, that require an AdBlue tank and exhaust luid dosing sys‐ tem to reduce NOx emissions. Passengers want added luxuries, the latest Ford Tran‐ sit in Trend speci ication for instance comes with reclining rear seats, rear air conditioning, an electric step, plus front and rear parking sensors, all of which add weight. Despite that, Ford has seen the Trend speci ication rise in popularity from a traditional 7% of UK sales to around 40% of current demand.

While purchase and running costs will undoubtedly play a crucial role in any purchase decision, available weight and its effect on the number of seats, could become an equally important factor for many minibus users.

advertisement feature

The right training for the job...

With increasing focus being placed on having the right vehicle for the job, fleets must also ensure their drivers have undergone the right training for the vehicle, says ARI UK.

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or the right kind of fleet, running a minibus or MPV can provide a much-needed solution to the issue of people transportation.

But whilst choosing the right vehicle – and making sure the correct permit is in place for it – is a vital consideration for fleets, so is the requirement to make sure that drivers have been correctly trained to drive it, in particular for minibuses.

As it stands in the eyes of the law, any driver aged 21 or over who obtained a car licence prior to 1 January 1997 can drive a minibus, provided the vehicle is not being operated for hire or reward. However, any driver who gained their licence after this date will be required to gain a Dl licence, which covers minibuses, for any vehicles over 3,500kg.

Yet even for those older drivers who are automatically granted the right to drive Minibus Category Dl vehicles, it is important to make sure that they undergo training to ascertain their ability to drive such vehicles.

This is where organisation such as ARI UK can take the lead. Based in Chippenham, ARI UK is part of ARI – the largest privately held vehicle fleet management services company in the world – and offers a comprehensive fleet product and services portfolio, distinguished by awardwinning fleet control and reporting technology.

Thanks to its leading-edge expertise in driver risk management, ARI UK can bring its advanced Riskmaster safety management solution that ensures compliance with all areas associated with driving at work activity – this includes for minibuses.

Our experience in designing customised solutions that combine driver assessment processes with on-line or onroad training programmes, has led to quantifiable ROI relative to productivity, downtime, accident repairs and liability exposure.

The benefits of using such a comprehensive road risk solution are many and various. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) estimates that every week more than 20 people are killed and 250 are seriously injured in at-work road crashes. Implementing driver management solutions not only enhances drivers’ abilities, thereby making them safer with a better understanding of the particular vehicle they are behind the wheel of, but it can also change the driving culture within the company at large by demonstrating to individuals that they have a clear responsibility for their actions when driving any motor vehicle, in particular on company business.

If you are interested in finding out how ARI can assist you, please contact us at 0844 8000 700 and speak to the sales team, or visit www.arifleet.co.uk

Under the ARI Riskmaster solution, not only are driver licence, insurance and MOT validation undertaken but also employees’ fitness to drive will be thoroughly assessed using ARI’s pioneering ‘permit to drive’ system. This requires company drivers to apply annually for such a permit via its dedicated website (www.riskmaster.co.uk), including making relevant declarations on areas of driving and accident history, general health, daily miles driven and hours on the road.

Importantly, the application process will also require drivers to sign a licence checking mandate.

The system then keeps the fleet informed about its drivers' performance by collecting information about drivers and vehicles. The system processes information and then produces an up-to-date driver operating life report for management appraisal and/or intervention such as in-car assessments or driver training.

ARI’s leading-edge technology also comprehensively supports the data feed to support the fleet’s individual needs.

The programme will also take into account the need to keep such vehicles correctly used and maintained, including looking at walkaround checks – both before and after journeys – and vehicle logs for drivers and for dealing with the increased onus of having extra passengers on board. Again, this is tailored to suit the individual fleet and provides a holistic view of requirements.

Finally, the ARI service also provides a comprehensive solution for training drivers on all relevant vehicle legislation including towing and tail-lifts.

Thanks to such services, not only will your drivers be safer but you will also create greater awareness and promote safe driving, lower accident costs and increased productivity.

MARKET OVERVIEW Risk Management AA DriveTech Employers have a duty of care DriveTech for staff who drive for work.

As one of the UK leaders in road risk management and driver education, AA DriveTech works with you to deliver driver risk management solutions throughout the UK. This includes ‘driving for work’ programmes, actions plans, licence validation, driver assessment (paper, on road and online) as well as in­vehicle work workshop training for all vehicle drivers including Driver CPC. Visit our website to find out what customers have achieved from implementing occupational road risk strategies with us.

Case studies include: • Center Parcs • Cordek • Feedwater • Thatcham – The Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre • Sainsbury’s Online • Shred­it

Contact: Eloise Robb tellmemore@AAdrivetech.com www.AAdrivetech.com/fleetsafe

Tel: 0845 299 6131

ARI is the largest privately held fleet management company in the world.

With a workforce of 2,400 skilled professionals, it now manages over 1.1 million vehicles worldwide. ARI provides a wide­range of fleet solutions from its UK headquarters, including its award­winning driver management service Riskmaster.

Riskmaster has delivered safe driving, lower accident costs and increased productivity for numerous clients. ARI’s experience in designing tailored solutions that combine driver assessment processes with flexible training programmes will lead to a quantifiable ROI. ARI is committed to developing innovative technologies that will continue to set the benchmark for driver management in the UK.

Contact: Jason Chamberlain jason.chamberlain@arifleet.co.uk

Tel: 0844 8000 700 www.arifleet.co.uk

Interactive Driving Systems

ALD Automotive The ALD Automotive group is the second largest vehicle leasing operation in Europe and manages over 1 million vehicles across 40 countries worldwide. Within the UK ALD is widely recognised as one of the industry’s leading service providers, with a proven portfolio of award winning products for major plc’s, small businesses and individual drivers alike.

As an integral part of ALD’s product range, their award winning DriveSafe programme offers a straightforward, practical and cost effective solution to help establish a lasting road risk reduction programme for all employees who drive on business. Utilising the expertise of specialist partners, DriveSafe provides a comprehen­ sive and co­ordinated solution, all managed under ‘one roof’ and uniquely delivered via ALD’s threesixty online portal.

Contact: Helen Fisk helen.fisk@aldautomotive.com www.aldautomotive.co.uk

ARI

Tel: 0870 00 111 81

Interactive Driving Systems provides research­led fleet risk management solutions.

Our Virtual Risk Manager tool is proven – with 1,000,000+ car, heavy and light commercial, bus, two wheeler and lift­truck drivers registered across 90+ countries.

Organisations of all types and sizes are supported to build road safety into their DNA. Participants in our Fleet Safety Benchmarking program saved £11+ million in direct collision costs over three years through claim rate and cost per vehicle reductions.

Almost 1,300 organisations have been engaged in work related road safety via our freely available 10 minute fleet safety gap analysis and benchmarking tool at: www.fleetsafetybenchmarking.net

Contact: Andy Cuerden Tel: 01484 551070 andy.cuerden@virtualriskmanager.net www.virtualriskmanager.net

ROADMARQUE® Reduce risk, protect your people, save money.

These are the benefits you can realise by using Roadmarque®. We understand that no two organisations’ requirements are the same. We focus on delivering the best return on investment for you, derived from a thorough analysis of your objectives.

Whilst we don’t impose a fixed programme, we do offer packaged solutions including “Complete peace of mind for Fleets” for £2.95 per driver per month, or “Compliance only” for £1.95 per driver per month.

We work with organisations of all sizes delivering practical and effective solutions. As an independent provider we guar­ antee that we won’t sell you what you do not need. Contact us now to find out more…

Contact: Dr Gerhard Manogg hello@roadmarque.com

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Tel: 01792 824438 www.roadmarque.com

RVM Assist Ltd RVM Assist Ltd employ a service­focussed team with skills and systems designed to offer tailored solutions to our customers. Our mission is to reduce the frequency and cost of accidents using evidence­based techniques. We have created a series of alerts within our software to automatically highlight risks that exceed pre­agreed tolerances relating to accidents, training, driver assessments, licence checks or grey fleet data.

This eliminates human error and ensures non­standard risks receive appropriate remedial attention. This saves time for our customers, ensures consistency and accuracy as well as reduces accident frequency and cost. Call now to arrange a demonstration by RVM Assist Ltd–Driving Safety Home.

Contact: Angela Sorley asorley@rvmuk.com

Tel: 01132 248898 www.rvmassist.co.uk

VAN Do you offer on­line LCV driver appraisal?

Do you offer psychometric driver profiling?

Do you offer risk assess­ ment for LCV’s as part of your programme?

Do you offer an on­the­road LCV driver training programme?

Do you offer a class­ room­based LCV driver training programme?

Do your instructors provide a demonstration drive?

Do you offer operator licence training?

Do you offer CPC Training?

Do you offer Driver CPC Periodic Training?

Do your instructors carry out a driver eyesight test?

Do you offer a licence checking facility?

Are your training programmes Insurance Company approved?

Do you offer Post Accident Investigations training?

Do you offer e­training as part of your programme?

FLEETW RLD

AA DriveTech

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ALD Automotive

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ARI

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IAM Drive & Survive

Interactive Driving Systems

ROADMARQUE®

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RVM Assist Ltd

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TTC Group PLC

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Key to services

Service provided

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Service unavailable

Q: What’s the biggest risk to the safety and efficiency of your fleet?

So, would you like a solution that…

• ...can improve driver safety?

• ...makes your fleet greener and drivers more fuel efficient?

• ...gives an immediate ROI? • ...manages it all in an easy and straightforward way?

Managing your drivers and fleet raises lots of questions.

There’s one simple answer:

Talk to us.

Stand C10, The Fleet World Show

A: Your drivers.

R

T 0870 120 2910 E enquiries@iamdriveandsurvive.co.uk

T 01392 340410 E info@lightfoot.co.uk

iamdriveandsurvive.co.uk

ashwoodslightfoot.co.uk

ontheroad Anthony Ffrench-Constant thinks all drivers should take an after-dark test drive before they commit to a new car.

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hrumming thirstily home through the twilight yesterday, after yet another new car launch foray into yet another relentlessly emergent part of Europe boasting an endless panorama of building cranes thicker on the ground than ticks on a sheepdog, on blisteringly expensive and entirely empty, mercurysurfaced motorways which you and I paid for, two entirely disparate thoughts struck me.

Firstly; ‘Portuguese Food’ is in grave danger of dislodging either ‘Fun Run’, ‘Luxury Coach’ or ‘Birmingham International Railway Station’ from top-three status on my list of all-time favourite oxymorons and, secondly; said launches are invariably tailored to ensure a road tester’s driving duties have been duly dusted before dusk.

This, it occurs to me, makes my new car road test very similar to that which you experience when you visit your local dealer. After all, how often has it been suggested to you that you really should return later to experience the car after dark? Quite... And given that many daily commuters may drive for weeks on end at this time of year without once seeing the light of day through the windscreen, this constitutes something of an oversight.

Driving a car at night is a great leveller. With darkness largely obviating the more obvious interior aspects of badge snobbery, you are forced to focus on that which really counts in a cockpit; seat comfort, driving position, ergonomic minutiae and, of course, instrument and switchgear legibility.

Only recently, for instance, I was reminded of just how easy an after-dark Audi dashboard is on the eye; an entire Amsterdam side street of softly suffused red, minus the talc cloud and tacky lingerie.

But how do manufacturers decide what colour to back-light their instrument binnacles and dashboards?

I’d always assumed that a Teuton of Tefal-heads spent months in the dark with a test subject strapped to attention in the manner of Alex in ‘A Clockwork Orange’,

“Piech pointed out that, during the war, Luftwaffe aircraft used green instrumentation, whilst the RAF favoured red. ‘And’ he ended the discussion, ‘look who won that one.’”

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agonising over precisely the correct hue to guarantee peerless clarity and instantaneous legibility.

Until, that is, reports filtered through of a meeting once chaired by Volkswagen board supremo Ferdinand Piech, held to determine whether or not Audi interior lighting should remain red.

Famed for a loathing of air-conditioning so intense he carried a comprehensive tool-kit everywhere with which to open fixed hotel windows, Piech pointed out that, during the war, Luftwaffe aircraft used green instrumentation, whilst the RAF favoured red. “And” he ended the discussion, “look who won that one.”

And the interior isn’t the only aspect of a potential purchase on which a night time test drive may shed new light. Headlamp technology has come a very long way indeed since I first took to the back-roads of Mudfordshire in an off-white Austin 1100 armed with the lumen equivalent of two tealight candles BluTack’ed into the centre of a pair of badly polished woks.

Today, even the mighty LED is about to be cast into the circular filing tray of obsolescence by the whiteheat technology of the laser, the latter creating a beam that will send stunned wildlife tumbling from the trees a full quarter of a mile ahead.

Better yet, auto-dimming technology, which merely dips the main beams that split-second late enough to persuade the oncoming belligerent oaf to punish you by leaving his on for the duration, now plays second fiddle to main beam blanking systems of such astonishing sophistication that you can leave the dimmer switch alone in perpetuity and simply watch in amazement as an oncoming car is precisely tracked by its own personal black hole.

Thing is, we’re perennially being asked to fork out considerable sums on such technology, which is, invariably, a cost option, without ever sampling the goods before we buy; shopping on Amazon without recourse to a no-quibble returns policy.

So, do yourself a favour and insist your drivers take a test drive after dark. Firstly, less badge-aware, you may find them favouring a model they had not previously considered. And, secondly, you’ll then be in a position to sign my petition for all manufacturers to backlight their key fobs so that we can actually open the doors at midnight, rather than merely the boot.

VAN SUPPLIER DIRECTORY FLEETW RLD daily rental

contract hire, leasing & finance

racking systems

tail lifts

fleet management software

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

UKVANLEASING

Tel: 01708 511071 www.ukvanleasing.com

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

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

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

Europcar Tel: 0116 217 3530 www.europcar.co.uk

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

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

Penny Hydraulics Tel: 01246 811475 www.pennyhydraulics.com

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

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

Volkswagen Group Leasing Tel: 0870 333 2229

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

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

Chevin Fleet Solutions Tel: 01773 821 992 www.chevinfleet.com

Teletrac, a Trafficmaster company Tel: 0345 604 8813 www.teletrac.co.uk

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

fast-fits & tyres

Lex Autolease

www.volkswagengroupleasing.co.uk

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

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

Avis Rent A Car Budget Rent-a-Car Tel: 0844 5000 08701544 56 56 56 www.avis.co.uk www.budget.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trakm8 Tel: 01747 858 444 www.trakm8.com

conversions Full listings online at

Clarks Vehicle Conversions fleetworld.co.uk Tel: 0845 319 2787 www.van-conversion.co.uk

STEPS

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

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

telematics & tracking

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

fuel management

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

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

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

risk management

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

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

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

Roadmarque Tel: 01792 824438 www.roadmarque.com

AVS Steps Ltd

Tel: 01939 235900 www.avssteps.co.uk

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

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

insurance Bluedrop Services Ltd Tel: 01706 658608 www.bluedropservices.co.uk

Shell Fuelcards Tel: 0800 915 6021 www.shell.co.uk/euroshell

Vehicle Management

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

VAN FLEETW RLD SUPPLIER DIRECTORY For more information, please contact Tracy Howell on 01727 739160 or email tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk vanfleetworld.co.uk / 99

OUR SOLUTIONS ARE AS INDIVIDUAL AS YOU ARE

Whatever the needs of your organisation, ALD has a solution tailored just for you.

We can supply any car or commercial vehicle, at any time, to any location with a range of exible options to suit all requirements. Half a century of experience coupled with our award-winning support ensures our solutions will always continue to evolve as your needs change and grow.

Keeping you one step ahead. www.aldautomotive.co.uk