Fleet World May 2012 by Fleet World Group

The leading magazine for fleet decision-makers

May 2012

FLEETW RLD FIT FOR FLEET? The biggest health problems for at-work drivers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the cures

inside Telematics 30 ways to keep your fleet on track

Silverstone success Fleets flock to EV & Low CO2 Fleet Show 2012 fleetworldgroup.co.uk

The leading magazine for fleet decision-makers

May 2012

FLEETW RLD FIT FOR FLEET?

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The biggest health problems for at-work drivers – and the cures

RECRUITMENT For the lastest recruitment vacancies, visit fleetworldgroup.co.uk

inside Telematics 30 ways to keep your fleet on track

Silverstone success Fleets flock to EV & Low CO2 Fleet Show 2012 fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Publisher Ross Durkin ross@eetworldgroup.co.uk Editor Steve Moody steve@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Deputy Editor Natalie Wallis natalie@eetworldgroup.co.uk Motoring Editor Alex Grant alex@eetworldgroup.co.uk Editorial Assistant Katie Beck katie@eetworldgroup.co.uk VFW Editor John Kendall john@eetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Director Anne Dopson anne@eetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Executive Darren Brett darren@eetworldgroup.co.uk Circulation Manager Tracy Howell tracy@eetworldgroup.co.uk Head of Production Luke Wikner luke@eetworldgroup.co.uk Designers Tina Ries tina@eetworldgroup.co.uk Samantha Hargreaves sam@eetworldgroup.co.uk Internet Editor Luke Durkin durks@eetworldgroup.co.uk

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

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Contents

If you couldn’t make it to the excellent EV & Low CO2 Fleet Show last month, then we’ve covered it in this issue. As well as all the vital low CO2 ﬂeet cars there were some interesting electric cars too, and I especially enjoyed careering about in the Renault Twizy. At the show Alex Stewart from consultancy Element Energy summed the whole EV issue up succinctly: it’s all about the batteries. Currently a 300kg battery pack (the weight of a Nissan LEAF’s pack) costs about $20,000 in terms of production, materials and packaging, with a 100-mile range, he said. By 2020, advances in production, chemistry and economies of scale will see costs halve and mass drop by a third, while by 2030 the fall will be 70% and 45% respectively. However, range will only increase by a factor of two or three. These improvements are mainly in pure electric vehicles. The cost of the denser and smaller batteries needed in range extender vehicles will decrease more slowly, as they need to deliver a bigger bang for their size, and there isn’t the technology to improve that. This month though, I drove the rangeextending Chevrolet Volt, which you can also read about in this issue, and I was very impressed. At nearly £30,000 it seems a lot of money, but for certain business applications, you can see it working very well. As with all these technologies, fitness for purpose is key and we’ve got that covered in this magazine too – but in human form. Are your employees fit to drive? Find out on page 34 of this issue.

04 A month in fleet 12 Fleet World Barometer The latest research from the world of eet.

14 Comment 18 Driven Kia cee’d // Chevrolet Volt // Range Rover Evoque // Audi allroad // Jaguar XF.

24 EV & Low CO2 Fleet Show Last month’s successful eet event at Silverstone.

30 Fleet Academy Join the debate online with the Fleet Academy.

34 Fit for fleet? How your employees can live more healthily and be safer behind the wheel.

44 30 ways to better telematics Top tips for getting better service, the latest products and the best prices.

52 Driving the Olympics How BMW’s London 2012 eet shapes up...

54 Tough times Ford boss, Mark Ovenden, on the hard decisions that the industry needs to take.

56 To buy or lease 58 Market Overview Fuel Management.

60 Selling 62 Fleet update 67 VAN Fleet World Nissan NV400 // Racking // Short-term Rental.

74 NUM8ER5 G4ME

To subscribe to Fleet World visit: www.eetworldsubscriptions.co.uk

24 44 54 72

Certified circulation Jan – Dec 2011 19,619

Steve Moody Editor

May 2012

A MONTH IN FLEET A skip through the key news and events since the last issue of Fleet World. Sign up to our FREE digital magazine Fleet World Confidential... visit fleetworldsubscriptions.co.uk

CONFIDENTIAL

LEASING FIRMS TELL MANUFACTURERS TO UP THEIR GAME The major motor manufacturers need to improve their propositions to the contract hire and leasing sector after a survey revealed that satisfaction levels sit below 50%. The survey by Experteye saw senior personnel questioned from 34 of the major leasing providers, with average satisfaction across eight key areas sitting at 49.4%. Sitting in bottom place for satisfaction at just 43% is the vehicle manufacturers’ fleet strategy with support terms next lowest placed at 44%. Rick Yarrow, managing director of Experteye, said: ‘It is, perhaps, unsurprising to see support terms sitting as the highest priority to the contract hire companies, but second

lowest in satisfaction, because everyone is always demanding better pricing. However, it will raise a few eyebrows with motor manufacturers that the leasing sector feels they are falling short with their fleet strategies, which achieved the lowest satisfaction score of all.’ Satisfaction levels were highest for the brand and vehicle range provided which scored 59%, with dealer performance in second place at 55%. Other scores were for the supply and order process (51%), the quality of the contract hire and leasing managers (49%), events and communications (48%) and contract support (46%).

IAIN CARMICHAEL RAPID AND ADAM: SKODA AND VAUXHALL LEAVES AUDI NAME NEW CARS Skoda’s new compact hatch will be called the Rapid while Vauxhall’s new small car will bear the moniker Adam. The Czech firm’s new car will make its debut in Europe before the year is out, sitting between the Fabia and Octavia. The MissionL design study (below), shown at Frankfurst last year provides a preview of the car’s design and concept. Meanwhile, Vauxhall’s new city car will be named after Opel’s founder, and will make its debut at Paris in September.

Audi’s fleet sales director, Iain Carmichael, has left the firm after six years in the role. In a short statement, the recently appointed director of Audi UK, Martin Sander, said: ‘Iain has decided to pursue other opportunities outside of the Group, and will therefore be leaving the business by mutual agreement. ‘I would like to thank Iain for his contribution during the 13 years service with the business, and wish him well for his next opportunity. ‘In the interim, whilst a replacement is being recruited for this role, please refer any Fleet related matter to Warren Richards in the first instance.’

CAP SOLD TO PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM Pricing firm CAP has been sold to a private equity firm for a figure thought to be between £150-200 million. Montagu Private Equity has reached an agreement to acquire the Leeds-based firm from Top Right Group (formerly Emap International). Montagu, which has investments in many sectors, has experience of the motor industry having owned auction firm BCA for a number of years before selling it in 2009. Edward Shuckburgh, director of Montagu, said: ‘Montagu believes that CAP has significant opportunities to build on its market leading position. We are excited about working

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with an experienced and energetic management team, who are eager to accelerate the company's development to the benefit of all stakeholders.’ Founded in 1979 CAP’s data and information systems serve leasing, disposal, rental, manufacturer and insurance clients. It is understood the firm will be staying put at its Leeds base. Ian Rendle, general manager of CAP added: ‘All of CAP’s products are based on our expertise within the market place, our close relationships within the industry and our dedication to develop key business solutions for our customers.’

Ford NEWS New Transit Custom makes debut THE new Ford Transit Custom which made its global debut at the CV Show is a major step in Ford’s commitment to refresh its entire commercial vehicle line-up by 2014. It is a brand new derivative in the light commercial segment, much more stylish and attractive and offering a true car-like driving experience. “In addition to our traditional Transit customers, we have targeted the owner-operator, the artisan and the small business, who want a smart, stylish, hard-working vehicle that they can drive for work and then be proud to park on their drive at night,” said Ford of Britain CV director Steve Clary. “They will get all of the proven reliability, durability and quality of the Transit brand.” The new one-tonne model combines class-leading load-carrying ability, impressive durability and attractive cost-of-ownership with best-in-class fuel economy. Alongside it at the show was the new Tourneo Custom, and the all-new Ford Ranger pickup. Totally new from the ground up, Ranger now delivers more payload and class-leading towing capability, along with innovative new comfort and driver assistance features. The three cab bodystyles are among the roomiest in its class, and Ranger comes with a choice of two powerful and economical new Duratorq TDCI diesel engines, and with 4x2 and 4x4 drivetrains. New Ranger is also the first pickup to achieve a 5 Star rating in the Euro NCAP test, scoring 89% for overall safety – the best score ever earned by a pickup, and one of the highest scores recorded by Euro NCAP for any type of vehicle. The most fuel-efficient van ever produced by Ford, the new Fiesta Van ECOnetic Technology, which delivers best-in-class CO2 emissions of 87g/km and fuel consumption of 86.5mpg combined, also made its debut.

inbrief

In SYNC with drivers Ford is preparing to introduce its SYNC in-car connectivity system, which can read aloud incoming messages through a text-tospeech feature and enables drivers to send a text reply by voice from a predetermined list of responses. Ford SYNC will debut this summer on the new B-MAX and will roll out to other vehicles in Ford’s lineup, including Focus and Kuga. The text-to-speech feature on SYNC, powered by Microsoft, retrieves messages using a simple voice command from Bluetooth-connected compatible smartphones.

Ford improves fuel economy across range

Ford helps motorists pay less per mile FORD is tackling soaring fuel prices with an economical new engine that helps motorists pay less per mile for petrol than they did four years ago. Despite a 34% increase in fuel prices in the past four years, the Ford Focus with the new 100PS 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine delivers lower fuel costs than the 2008 Focus 100PS 1.6-litre petrol equivalent. In January 2008, with petrol at 104.3p per litre, owners of the 100PS 1.6litre Ford Focus five-door paid an average of 11.2p per mile in fuel costs. Fast forward to today, with unleaded prices at 140p per litre, and the 1.0-litre Ford Focus five-door costs 10.8p per mile in petrol – 0.4p per mile less. The Focus 100PS 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine achieves 58.8mpg compared with 42.2mpg on the 2008 model, while delivering the same power and more torque.

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

Ford News Feature // 05

Significant improvements have been made to fuel economy and CO2 emissions for Mondeo, SMAX and Galaxy, by changes to calibration, aerodynamics and other measures. In the Mondeo 2.0 TDCi 6speed manual (140PS and 163PS), CO2 drops from 139g/km to 129g/km, resulting in a first year VED reduction from £115 to zero, and subsequent years from £115 to £100. There is also a Benefit in Kind saving. For example, the Mondeo Zetec Business Edition 2.0TDCi 6-speed manual BIK value drops by £154, while several competitor models see BIK increase.

A MONTH IN FLEET A skip through the key news and events since the last issue of Fleet World. Sign up to our FREE digital magazine Fleet World Confidential... visit fleetworldsubscriptions.co.uk

AMPERA AND MOKKA IN NEW VAUXHALL FLEET PUSH Vauxhall’s Ampera and the new Mokka SUV are opening new doors for the company’s fleet team. Vauxhall has already conducted more than 500 test drives at roadshow events of its range extender Ampera, and has around 750 fleet demonstrations booked in. Paul Adler, Vauxhall’s fleet marketing and motability manager, said: ‘There has been huge interest in the Ampera because it is an electric vehicle that works. ‘It has certainly given us a lift as a company because of the interest in it from businesses – some of this interest is coming from people that we do not deal with at the moment. Ampera has been a door opener for us, letting us demonstrate to new people what the whole Vauxhall team can do.’ Adler says that this is making prospective clients look at Vauxhall in a different light, helped by two other bold new cars – the forthcoming Mokka SUV and Junior small car. While the sales figures show a drop in Vauxhall’s fleet performance, this is part of the company’s stated aim of withdrawing 20,000 short-cycle vehicles out of the business this year, Adler said. He added: ‘Our market share in quarter one was down quite a bit, but this is driven by a planned reduction in short cycle business. It is painful but we are sticking to the plan. ‘Our priority is residual value strength so we have tried to get an astute and timely fleet and defleet strategy in placed. RV recovery is our biggest priority. ‘It is all about driving wholelife costs up. To get a strong performance in true fleet, you have got to have strong wholelife costs. We need to get that balanced approach.’

CONFIDENTIAL

TOYOTA-LEXUS TOP HYBRID MARKET Figures from the SMMT has shown that of all the hybrid vehicles sold over the past five years in the UK, three quarters of these were Toyota or Lexus. From 2007, almost 100,000 hybrids have been sold in the UK. Of that number, 77,000 were Toyota or Lexus cars. In terms of hybrid’s market share, the figures have almost doubled, from 0.7% to 1.3% so far in 2012.

LEASEPLAN IN GROWTH REFINANCE DEAL LeasePlan UK has completed a £582.1 million UK-based refinancing deal, claiming to be the only business in the industry to secure such levels of funding. The deal provides funding for LeasePlan UK’s projected organic growth and new vehicle leases, the firm said, adding that high investor interest demonstrates confidence in its business model and growth potential. David Brennan, managing director, LeasePlan UK, said: ‘While many fleet leasing suppliers are having to scale back due to financial constraints, the health of LeasePlan UK means that we are in a strong position to pursue our ambitious plans for growth. ‘This deal demonstrates great confidence in LeasePlan UK’s business from major investment companies and will enable us to continue our strategy of growing funded fleet and market share. We believe it is also a vindication of our market offer.’

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A MONTH IN FLEET A skip through the key news and events since the last issue of Fleet World. Sign up to our FREE digital magazine Fleet World Confidential... visit fleetworldsubscriptions.co.uk

SPURIOUS WHIPLASH CLAIMS INVESTIGATED

INBRIEF

The Government is to investigate questionable medical FLEETW RLD evidence in a bid to stamp out the spurious whiplash claims which are causing fleet insurance to rocket. A Whitehall summit will see the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Transport can work together on a plan to cut out the ”crash for cash” scams which are costing insurers IS THIS MAN COSTING more than £2 billion a year. FLEETS A FORTUNE? As a result, fleet insurance bills have risen by an average of £90 a year, despite the number of road accidents in the UK falling. To counter the fake whiplash claims, currently running at 1,500 a day, the Government is intending to tackle ”questionable” medical evidence by introducing a tougher accreditation system for doctors to assess whiplash injuries on behalf of insurers and claims management companies. It will also encourage insurers to challenge dubious claims. Justice secretary Ken Clarke said: ‘It is scandalous that we have a system where it is cheaper for insurers to settle a spurious whiplash claim out of court than defend it. ‘Our reforms will put a stop to this. We will weed out fraudulent claims by tackling questionable medical evidence and we will enable insurance companies to defend claims thoroughly and encourage them to pass on the savings to their customers.’ The Government is also planning to make it quicker and cheaper for valid personal injury claims to be dealt with through the small claims court. The move follows on from the Government’s pledge to abolish referral fees, money paid by claims management or legal firms to insurers for data on accidents. The leading magazine for fleet decision-makers

CONFIDENTIAL

March 2012

PRE-REGISTER NOW AT

evfleetshow.co.uk

driving towards lower

ADDISON LEE PROTESTS AGAINST BUS LANE BLOCK

fleet emissions

18/4/2012

Geneva show

All the star cars rated

Toyota bounces back

How the Japanese giant is fighting in fleet again

Investigated: the scandal of accidents and insurance claims

The chairman of London’s largest minicab company is instructing his 3,500 drivers to break the law and use bus lanes in the capital as a demonstration over discrimination against private hire vehicles. John Griffin, chairman and founder of Addison Lee, has said he will indemnify his drivers against possible fines from using the bus lanes – which can potentially total £1,000 per offence. Currently, black cabs are able to use the bus lanes in order to speed up their journeys, but minicabs are not. However, Addison Lee has secured a judicial review of the bus lane legislation which will be heard later this year.

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SALARY SACRIFICE MISCONCEPTIONS STUNTING GROWTH A series of misconceptions are stopping many companies launching salary sacrifice schemes for vehicles. According to a survey by Fleet Evolution of 150 companies, a lack of understanding of how schemes work, fears about complexity and concerns over cost are the main stumbling blocks. A Fleet Evolution spokesman said: ‘Salary sacrifice is an essential part of the modern employers benefit package, used to fund everything from childcare vouchers to bicycles. ‘However, few companies are combining this extremely tax efficient funding method to one of the most desirable benefits, company cars.’ Topping the list of misconceptions was that businesses were not aware that company cars can be funded by salary sacrifice. According to the poll, some companies are simply unaware such schemes exist, especially in smaller companies where the HR manager has responsibility for other areas. Another barrier is the complexity of introducing such schemes, not helped by suppliers ”playing up” complexities of such schemes to prevent new entrants to the market. The spokesman added: ‘In reality salary sacrifice is complex but it is equally complex for other benefits unless an experienced partner is sought. The complexity should not be a barrier to introduction as it is the suppliers’ burden to meet.’ Finance plays a key part, too, as the costs involved in a salary sacrifice car scheme are significantly higher than some other salary sacrifice arrangements. However, Fleet Evolution points out that well-structured schemes are cost neutral. Another barrier in people’s minds is scale, with smaller companies not thinking there will be a benefit to them, while take-up rate among among employees is another hurdle to negotiate.

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> SEAT APPOINTMENT SEAT UK has appointed Philip Allan as its new national fleet and business sales manager. Philip, 49, joins from Renault where, as head of leasing, he oversaw significant growth in contract hire share. He was national fleet sales manager at Nissan before that. Reporting directly to SEAT UK’s head of fleet, Steve Robertson, he has direct responsibility for the nine-strong fleet and business sales team.

> ELECTRIC POOL CAR FOR WILDLIFE TRUST EDF Energy is loaning Sussex Wildlife Trust an electric MINI E for a month-long trial. It will be used as a pool car for trust officers during their work in maintaining 30 nature reserves throughout Sussex.

Making sense of the surveys in association with

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...

LOCAL COUNCIL ROAD BUDGETS 15% (£23 MILLION) THE AMOUNT LOCAL COUNCILS IN ENGLAND SLASHED THEIR ROAD SAFETY BUDGETS BY LAST YEAR. • As an example, Camden Council cut road safety spending by more than 70% (£4million), despite the fact that road casualties have increased by 10.6% there since 2006. • Thirty councils (37%) cut spending on road maintenance by more than 10%, but generally, road maintenance fared well with an overall increase of 0.37%. For example, Northumberland Council cut road maintenance by 63% while Blackpool Council increased it by 34%.

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: ‘In difficult times, councils can be more innovative and flexible in their approach by working with the voluntary and private sectors to provide the services they can no longer afford.’ Source: IAM

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DRIVER BEHAVIOUR OF THE 1,000 UK BUSINESS DRIVERS SURVEYED: 50% of Alan drivers surveyed Chairman have altered their behaviour in an Mackenzie, of the Asphalt Industry effort to reducesaid: fuel consumption Alliance ‘These disastrous figures result from decades of underfunding and enforced short-term 87% of drivers approve of the use of telematics to deliver planning, frustrating the efforts of local authority improved fuel consumption highways engineers to carry out the preventative work whichfor they has needed to be done.’ 50% shop around theknow cheapest fuel available 65% drive slower and more smoothly in an effort to save fuel 20% drive fewer miles Keith Allen, managing director of ALD Automotive UK, said: ‘Drivers are taking additional steps to save fuel, whether it be through shopping around for the cheapest price, or changing the their driving behavior.’ Source: ALD Automotive

LEASING A SURVEY OF 34 MAJOR LEASING PROVIDERS’ SATISFACTION LEVELS WITH THE CAR MANUFACTURERS. 59% Satisfied with brand and vehicle ranges 55% Satisfied with dealer performance 43% Satisfied with the vehicle manufacturers’ fleet strategies

The top 4 most important items to the contract hire and leasing sector were: 1 > support terms 2 > brand and vehicle range 3 > contract support 4 > fleet strategy

44% Satisfied with support terms

Rick Yarrow, managing director of Experteye, said: ‘It will raise a few eyebrows with motor manufacturers that the leasing sector feels they are falling short with their fleet strategies, which achieved the lowest satisfaction score of all.’ Source: Experteye

LONDON 2012 THE IMPACT OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES ON BUSINESSES... 82% of transport and logistics companies expect the Games to increase demand for their services and goods. 90% of companies in the sector have assessed the potential impact of London 2012 on their businesses 46% intend to invest in marketing 38% expect to make changes to staffing levels 24% are preparing to increase capacity 12% are considering new trading locations. Byron Griffin, partner for business and professional services at Deloitte said: ‘Logistics companies will need to be flexible to support their customers during a period of heightened demand; they will need to manage potential travel disruption, challenging response times and the possibility that staff could be unavailable. A reliable and agile supply chain will be vital to ensuring ‘UK plc’ takes full advantage of the Games.’

Source: Deloitte

• for the latest daily news from the fleet industry, visit www.fleetworldgroup.co.uk

May 2012

COMMENT

EVs: a tough sell? Curtis Hutchinson Carmakers are using their dealer networks to establish EV sales in the UK, with local fleets targeted, says Motor Trader editor Curtis Hutchinson.

‘EVs, in their current guise, will not suit everyone.’ 14

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With petrol and diesel prices seemingly hitting all time record highs on a monthly basis some fleets are seriously considering electric vehicles as an alternative for certain users. It might still be early days for EVs, but as choice and availability from the mainstream players – notably Nissan, Renault and Peugeot – improves, it might be time to consider when a plug-in can become a cost effective fleet option for both your business and your staff. Clearly EVs, in their current guise, will not suit everyone. They are expensive to acquire, have a sub-100 mile range and the recharging infrastructure is in its infancy. Furthermore, thanks to the recent Budget, drivers will face a 15% BiK charge for EVs from April 2015 even if vehicles are sourced before this date; a short sighted ruling every bit as perplexing as VAT on hot pasties. While some of the big utility companies and local authorities are among the early adopters, having spotted short-hop niches for EVs, which also tick their environmental responsibility boxes, where does this leave the SME fleet? For EVs to gain traction in the UK dealers need to be talking to their fleet customers. Gearing up to sell and service EVs does require a level of investment from dealers and many believe fleets will be the best market to initially target, Neville Briggs, managing director at Pinewood told me. Some manufacturers are thinking small and local rather than big and national when it comes to establishing an EV market. Nissan in particular is preparing its dealer network for UK production of the LEAF from next year. This will mean better availability and cheaper specification levels. Jim Wright, Nissan’s UK managing director, reckoned his dealers are being encouraged to talk to their local fleet customers not necessarily about the green benefits, but the potential wholelife cost savings, they

can achieve through going electric. Central to this wholelife cost argument for EVs is not just the price of electricity but the low cost of servicing and maintenance. Independent fleet consultant Professor Colin Tourick agrees that dealers have a key role to play in showing the tangible benefits of EVs and need to ask fleet managers how individual vehicles will be used to ascertain their suitability. ‘Dealers have an essential role in getting the first generation of EVs onto the road. Whilst most drivers like the flexibility of being able to take their car on a long trip, the fact is that most cars drive less than 80 miles a day. Dealers need to help their customers identify those low-mileage vehicles that could be swapped for EVs, particularly those operating in city centres that have congestion charging and where vehicle charging points are available,’ he said. Tourick argues that dealers have a consultative role to play to help fleets calculate where it is economically viable to change to an EV or stick with something more traditional. ‘Some EVs are incredibly expensive, even after the Government subsidy, but they are becoming less expensive and the economic case against EVs will soon be much less clear cut,’ he said. Curiously though, it may be a human factor which determines the desirability of EVs. ‘Currently, a major impetus for offering this kind of vehicle on a fleet choice list is that they allow driver taxation to be minimised, but rating all vehicles below 95g/km at a standard rate of 15% removes that incentive to a large degree,’ argues Gary Killeen, fleet services commercial leader at GE Capital UK. No matter how good a dealer's fleet proposition is there is still a sizeable stumbling block; company car drivers facing a BIK liability on something which is currently exempt. Now that is a tough sell.

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COMMENT

A tax fiddle The Insider Our tame fleet manager demands to know why HMRC is so lax with company car tax codes.

’Employees would always be playing catch-up on their tax code.’

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So, HMRC is in the news for incorrectly issued tax codes relating to company cars. I can’t say I’m surprised. What does concern me is how many employees are prepared to believe their tax code must be right because HMRC issued it. It’s a bit like some of my more creative spreadsheets – they must be right because they are in print. Never mind I may have completely messed up a calculation somewhere along the line. True, I struggle a bit to understand my tax coding as a whole, but with the current transparent CO2 based emissions system, at least the car bit is quite simple to work out. But because it’s perceived as difficult, for many checking it goes on the big pile of paperwork sitting on the dining room table, along with those other complicated deals on offer from TV and telephone service providers. We might be able to save money by studying the detail harder, but at the end of a hard day, it’s much easier to sit back and watch the football on TV. I really don’t get the idea of HMRC changing submitted P11D figures, as has been suggested. I mean, how does that work? We’ve had a few such queries ourselves though and, where the car is a few years old, it’s important to be able to trace the original information. Perhaps it’s just a ploy so we know HMRC do actually check the returns. For me, the writing was on the wall when HMRC said they no longer required employers to report interim car changes during a tax year, apparently on the basis that ‘the coding doesn’t change that much’. Really, not even for someone who swaps from a burly oil burner into a frugal Fiesta? I could see that employees would always be playing catch-up on their tax code, especially those who changed cars a couple of times in a year. I mean, when all changes

had to be reported all of the time, HMRC were already claiming they were short staffed and often it appeared our carefully completed P46 forms sat on a windowsill in their office gathering dust for months. On the other hand they also advertised a charter which said if you telephoned changes through, they would receive immediate attention – and they did, often within three or four days. Still do, in fact. My take on that was to write to all employees when they changed cars and suggest they call HMRC despite the paperwork. Unhelpful if the whole country decided to do the same but hey, at least my guys were coded up to date. When HMRC went to annual notifications only, I couldn’t see how they would ever catch up, because potentially they’d be trying to figure out a whole string of changes per taxpayer, and inaccuracies would be bound to creep in. And so I have continued to suggest employees phone changes through as they occur. Even so, they are often shy of telephoning HMRC, and so I have little sympathy when they tell me their code is unchanged. Let’s face it, we all make errors from time to time, however loathe we are to admit it. Even one of the country’s biggest lease companies admits to errors in P11D information submitted in relation to its rental, rather than lease cars. Genuine mistakes are one thing. What concerns me more is the lack of uniformity in carrying out policy, coupled with an apparent carelessness in assessment. I’m aware of different tax offices giving different rulings on the same question: if HMRC can’t agree a cohesive view, why should I expect them to be any more accurate in their approach to correct coding? The individual must take some responsibility for himself. But I would like to know how HMRC intends to resolve the errors.

DRIVEN

Kia cee’d The new cee’d is bigger, better to drive and more refined. Ross Durkin explores its fleet credentials. SECTOR Lower medium PRICE From £13,995 (est.) FUEL From 78mpg (est.) CO2 From 97g/km At a time when many motor manufacturers are still struggling to shake off the tough economic conditions of the last three years, Kia has established itself as a brand with an impressive track record for growth. The Korean manufacturer has emerged from being a ”value” brand picking up sales from the cost-conscious end of the retail market to one which is increasingly making its presence felt in certain sectors of the fleet market. And while this presence may not yet be right across the spectrum of major corporates, the company has ambitious plans to reach out to an ever growing number of organisations, both through its own sales operations and via the major contract hire and leasing providers. Key to this growth will be the new cee’d, which competes in the heartland of the fleet sector, nose-to-nose with powerhouses such as the Focus, Astra and Golf. While the previous generation offered decent, value motoring, Kia has greater ambitions for the new cee’d, taking it upmarket in terms of quality, price and driving experience. Paul Philpott, chief operating officer, Kia Motors Europe, said: ‘The original cee’d was a paradigm shift for Kia, taking the company into the hotly contested C-segment with a truly competitive car for the first time. Just as the

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original cee’d represented a major step forward for Kia in 2007, this second-generation model represents a further leap for the brand – both in terms of the capability and sophistication of the vehicle, and what it will do to drive further momentum in our European sales.’ The new model is both longer and lower than its predecessor – overall length is increased by 50mm, yet the overall height has been reduced by 10mm - with the same wheelbase, which not only gives it a more sporty profile, but better handling too. Interior space has been increased too. Front occupants have more headroom, while rear passengers gain shoulder room. Luggage capacity is up by 12% to 380 litres (up 40 litres) and the split-folding rear seats can be made fully flat. There will be two petrol engines – a 1.4 MPI and a 1.6 GDI producing 100 and 135bhp respectively – plus two diesels: a 1.4 with 90bhp and 1.6 VGT diesel offered in two states of tune (110 and 128bhp). For fleets the diesel will no doubt prove the most popular and the requisite low emission version will be a favourite as well: CO2 emissions start at just 97g/km. But perhaps the biggest leap forward is not in the cold hard statistics of this car, but the way it looks, feels and drives. For a start, the cee’d looks sporty, well proportioned and

handsome, the cabin is made of very high quality materials – the touch screen and graphics are as good as anything in the sector, if not better, and the dashboard is cleanly laid out – while to drive it is refined, decently nippy and rides well too. In terms of overall driving enjoyment it is not quite the match of the best in the segment, the Ford Focus, but in every other respect it is its equal. Perhaps the prices, indicated to start from just under £14,000, will be the biggest challenge because it is no longer the ”cheap” option, at least at the front end. You’ve got to pay for this uplift in quality. But Kia’s awareness of the importance of residual values has increased remarkably in recent years, and speaking to market experts, Kia has more focus on this area than some of the volume brands. So the cee’d should continue to be the value proposition it has always been, but now is even better to drive.

verdict The new Kia cee’d is bigger, with a higher quality cabin, as well as being better to drive and more comfortable. But while the new car takes Kia into core fleet territory among some major players, the likely higher price will need to be offset by stronger residuals and low running costs for it to really compete.

Chevrolet Volt Interested in Ampera? Don’t forget the Chevrolet Volt, says Steve Moody. SECTOR Executive EV PRICE £29,995 (with £5,000 grant) FUEL 235mpg CO2 27g/km We’ve driven the Ampera quite a few times already, but amid the hype, it shouldn’t be forgotten that the Chevrolet Volt also shares that European Car of the Year accolade. For fleets looking to source this clever range-extending vehicle, the obvious

strategy is to go to Vauxhall with its well-established fleet credentials and vast dealer network. But Chevrolet is keen for a slice of the action too. Although its annual sales targets are in the hundreds rather than thousands (Vauxhall getting first dibs on

UK-bound production), the Volt is specced more for the retail buyer than the Ampera, is a five door hatch rather than the Vauxhall’s four, and is more American and glitzy in aesthetic, managing director Mark Terry believes the firm can service a fleet’s needs. But surely nearly £30,000 for a Chevrolet (after the Government subsidy) is too much money? Well, possibly, but it is a unique, and very capable proposition. The car has a 1.4-litre petrol engine, but this never directly powers the wheels, instead being used to produce electricity for the electric motor when the stored energy in the battery has been used. What this means in reality is that you have around 40 miles of stored energy and another 250 miles using this on-board generator (ignore the ludicrous official figures). The clever bit is how strategic you can be, ”holding” your stored energy for areas when it can be used at its most effective and cutting the range extending mode in for energy sapping stretches. We managed a solid 40 miles on battery, which then settled down to an overall 75mpg average over 100 miles. If a driver’s commute is less than 40 miles, they will hardly use any fuel ever, as long as the car is plugged in at home and work.

DRIVEN

Range Rover Evoque eD4 Coupe The 2WD drive Evoque looks good, but will it attract user choosers, asks Julian Kirk. SECTOR SUV PRICE £36,630 FUEL 57.6mpg CO2 129g/km Front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, fourwheel drive – let’s face it, when a car looks as good as the Evoque, no-one really cares to which wheels the power is transmitted. But for those with a greenish bent, 2012’s car of the moment is now offered in front-wheel drive guise, allied to a

lower powered diesel engine, which brings useful savings on fuel economy and CO2 emissions. Badged eD4, the 2.2-litre diesel musters 150bhp and returns 57.6mpg and emits 129g/km of CO2 (the similarly-powered 4x4 model offers 49.6mpg and 149g/km).

Audi A6 Allroad The ultimate niche car, offering a range of abilities – for a price, says Steve Moody. SECTOR Estate PRICE £43,145 – £49,445 FUEL 46.3 – 42.2mpg CO2 159 – 176g/km As a niche product, the A6 Allroad is a fantastically successful one, taking a standard Avant, adding some body cladding, trick suspension and a hefty price hike to create a very desirable, keenly targeted car. Although Audi only sells around 500 a year, with half of those going to fleets,

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almost all are high-end versions and residual values are commensurately stratospheric – even the outgoing version, based on the old A6, outperforms equivalent new A6 Avants. Those who want Allroads, new and used, really want them it seems. On sale now, the third generation car is

So, some useful savings in terms of fuel and company car tax, but does the entrylevel Evoque feel like a cheaper relation? No, is the simple answer. It still looks fabulously right, a concept car which has gone from show stand to showroom without having the wow factor diluted, while the interior is a lovely mix of leather and metal trim and some calming mood lighting. On the road the Evoque has a lightness of feel which you don’t associate with SUVs – its squat stance and wheel at each corner layout promoting flat cornering – and there’s little in the way of body roll during direction changes. The diesel engine is fine, nothing more, nothing less, and 150bhp is probably the limit when it comes to shifting a 1.6-tonne car like this around. Thankfully there’s a lovely short gear-change action to liven up the driving experience. But none of this matters a jot, because an Evoque is not a car to enjoy driving in, it’s a car to savour being seen in. Land Rover bosses maintain that the full-fat, four-wheel drive models will take the lion’s share of Evoque sales, and that will be true, especially since the price differential between front and all-wheel drive Evoque is less than £1,000.

offered with four engines: 200bhp and 240bhp versions of the 3.0 TDI, the new 307bhp BiTDI diesel and a 3.0-litre petrol, bound mainly for other markets. All models come with air suspension, which can be adjusted according to the mood of the driver and the speed of the car, and give an increased ground clearance of 45 millimetres for off-road driving over its already 60mm higher stance. But crucially, it can squat down at high speeds for a more slippery profile, making this a car for all roads. Hence the name. Hill descent control and permanent quattro four-wheel drive, which uses a mechanically self-locking centre differential and distributes torque to whichever axle can use it best, should make this handy off road, while stainless steel guards on the underside protect it from damage. As a drive, it is typically Audi: comfortable, fast, easygoing but not especially involving. The air suspension means in Comfort, and set up high, it’s a horribly pendulous thing, but in Dynamic mode the body drops, hunkering down, and it will corner with more keenness than the standard A6. Of the engine choices, the bi-turbo diesel is incredible, sounding like a performance petrol engine and fantastically quick. But it is nearly 50 grand. The perfectly adequate lesser V6 diesels are probably a more sensible choice.

Jaguar XF 2.2D 163PS SE Jaguar is aiming its new entry-level XF diesel at fleets. Julian Kirk drives it. SECTOR Executive PRICE £29,950 FUEL 52.3mpg CO2 149g/km The advantage of arriving late at a party is that generally you get to make quite an impression once the initial hullabaloo has died down. So, while the German brands have been having a ball for the past few years, lapping up all those company car driver sales

thanks to their low emission/high brand appeal formula, Jaguar has been sitting at home wondering how to get on the invite list. And then, someone in the Midlands had a eureka moment and decided to install Ford’s 2.2-litre diesel engine under the bonnet of the XF. All of a sudden, the

XF would have its place at the party. But even that engine can’t match the economy and emission figures the Audi A6 2.0 TDI and BMW 520d muster, so Jaguar has gone back to the drawing board and come up with another version. This one uses the same 2.2 unit, but detuned from 190 to 163bhp. Economy and emissions figures stay the same (52.3mpg average, 149g/km of CO 2), but the new model is priced substantially cheaper and is available in lower-specification versions. However, Jaguar hasn’t scrimped too much on the spec. It’s still got the gimmicky pop-up gearknob selector, and the air vents all rotate to meet you when you switch the ignition on, but outside the 17-inch wheels look lost in the XF’s rear arches. Some cars manage to cope with being down-specced – the XF isn’t one of them. On the road the XF feels a bit strained as it gets up to motorway speeds, and the engine noise intrudes into the cabin, but suddenly at 70mph the automatic gearbox slips into eighth gear, the rev needle drops to about 2,000rpm and you are whooshing along serenely. This car is never going to challenge the German hegemony in the sector, but it at least offers something different. Just make sure you specify some larger alloys though.

EV & LOW CO2 FLEET SHOW 2012 Review

sponsored by

in association with

driving towards lower fleet emissions

SILVERSTONE FLEET SHOWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ELECTRIC DEBUT Nearly 400 fleet decision-makers visited the iconic new Silverstone Wing for the first EV & Low CO2 Fleet Show in April, to drive the latest low emission models, talk to suppliers about technology and logistics and attend seminars that delved deeper into new green technology and how it could help their fleet operations.

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May 2012

OUTPERFORMING THE The one and only BMW EfficientDynamics range is really setting the pace in the corporate market. The new BMW 320d EfficientDynamics, for example, emits just 109g/km of COâ&#x201A;&#x201A; in both manual and automatic transmissions with a BIK of just 13%. With personal bests like this, there are no medals for guessing why BMW was chosen as Official Automotive Partner for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Our fleet of almost 4,000 EfficientDynamics vehicles, hybrids, electric vehicles and motorcycles comfortably beat the average CO2 target of 120g/km set by the organising committee. For more information on the unbeatable BMW range, please visit www.bmwcorporate.co.uk or call us on 0800 777 113.

A WINNING FLEET SUPPLIER.

Official fuel economy figures for the BMW range: Urban 14.6-62.4mpg (19.3-4.4l/100km). Extra Urban 26.2-83.1mpg (10.8-3.4l/100km). Combined 20.3-74.3mpg (13.9-3.8l/100km). CO2 emissions 325-99g/km. BMW EfficientDynamics reduces BMW emissions without compromising performance developments and is standard across the model range.

BMW Corporate Sales

bmwcorporate.co.uk Tel: 0800 777 113

COMPETITION.

The Ultimate Driving Machine

EV & LOW CO2 FLEET SHOW 2012 Review The Show offered a first UK drive of the radical Twizy two-seat electric quadricycle

xus Hybrid and Le Prius Plug-in well as y la sp di on CT200h were r test-drives as available fo

BMW BMW brought two of its vehicles to the show that will feature in the Olympic fleet: the electric MINI E, and the 1 Seriesbased ActiveE. The carmaker was also displaying its most efficient conventionally-powered models: at 119g/km, the 520d is the most efficient model in its class, while the new 320d ED adds an automatic gearbox with no increase in its 109g/km CO2 emissions. Also coming soon is the 99g/km 116d EfficientDynamics, which will be the most efficient BMW ever built. CITROEN The show marked one of the first opportunities to drive Citroen’s striking, aviation-inspired DS5 with its 200bhp diesel-electric Hybrid4 drivetrain, offering emissions from 99g/km. It marks the next step in an electromobilty programme which started with the C-Zero electric city car last year, and the third addition to its acclaimed DS-Line range. pressed Citroen DS5 im Striking new track e th makers on fleet decision-

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RENAULT 2012 is a significant year for Renault, as the carmaker launches the remaining three models in its Z.E. electric vehicle range. The EV and Low CO2 Fleet Show allowed delegates to get behind the wheel of the Kangoo Z.E. van and Fluence Z.E. saloon, but also offered a first UK drive of the radical Twizy two-seat electric quadricycle. But it’s the Clio-sized ZOE that will have the biggest market appeal. Making its first UK appearance at the event, having been shipped in from Paris shortly after its Geneva production debut, order books open early this summer with prices under the £14,000 mark. INFINITI The M35h combines a powerful V6 petrol engine with an electric motor, and is the holder of the world record for the fastest accelerating hybrid. For 2012, the M36h is even more efficient, with CO2 emissions down to 159g/km and economy up to 40.9mpg. Prices start at £46,840. NISSAN Nissan has put itself at the forefront of the electric vehicle movement with the LEAF, and with production about to be extended to its factory in Sunderland this continues to be an important model. But it’s just the start. The LEAF’s drivetrain has been reworked to fit into the NV200 van, with two test vehicles undergoing real-world trials globally ahead of its production launch. One of the two, currently undergoing a trial with British Gas, was available for exclusive test-drives at the event.

TOYOTA Toyota is expanding its already marketleading hybrid presence in fleet further still. The 79g/km Yaris Hybrid brings the technology under £15,000 for the first time, while the Prius Plug-in adds a 15.5mile electric range with 49g/km CO2 emissions, allowing it to qualify for the £5,000 plug-in car grant. LEXUS Lexus has greatly increased its footprint in the corporate sector with its first front-wheel drive compact hybrid. The CT 200h offers similar power to a 2.0-litre diesel, but with the CO2 emissions of a 1.6-litre diesel, and now accounts for over half of the carmaker’s UK sales.

Transit-based Edison offers up to 150 miles per charge

Stowe Circuit HYbrid on the Peugeot’s 3008 on display so al as w 208 w while stylish ne

PEUGEOT The all-new 208 made its first UK appearance at the show, and will offer one petrol and three diesel engines at under 100g/km when it goes on sale. Following the launch of the iOn electric city car, the manufacturer has continued its electromobility programme with the diesel-electric HYbrid4 drivetrain. Offering four-wheel drive, 200bhp and some of the best emissions in its class, the 3008 and 508 RXH were available to drive. VOLVO Although Volvo has yet to launch an electric or hybrid vehicle in the UK, the manufacturer’s DRIVe range helped reduce fleet-wide emissions by 9% during 2010 – the greatest reduction of any European manufacturer. And there’s more to come, as the fleet-focussed V40 C-Segment hatch will be available with a 94g/km diesel engine. Volvo is also investing heavily in its electromobility R&D, with the V60 Plugin Hybrid set for a UK launch early next year offering a 30-mile electric range, four wheel drive and ultra-low CO2 emissions.

SMITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES Originally based in Newcastle, Smith Electric Vehicles started out as a manufacturer of milk floats over 80 years ago. It has since grown to become one of the biggest names in electric commercial vehicles, with headquarters in Kansas City and models to suit North American and European fleet needs. Its clients include Sainsbury’s, Coca Cola, FedEx and the U.S. Military. Available to drive at the event was the Transit-based Edison, with a choice of load areas, large payloads and range of up to 150 miles from a single charge.

SIEMENS Technology giant Siemens showed it rackside at the CP500A fast charging point, that can provide facilities for two electric vehicles at the same time. According to Mark Bonnor-Moris, Siemens head of Electro-mobillity UK and Ireland, the Siemens charging stations can fully charge vehicles in just one hour ensuring greater availability. He said: ‘Siemens also provides a full supply, installation and maintenance service. As the UK’s largest provider of traffic control and signalling equipment, we have a specialist field service operation that is able to support EV charging infrastructure as part of a much larger portfolio of work.’

VAUXHALL After years of pre-production hype the Ampera is now on sale in the UK and destined to become a major fleet car. Its extended-range drivetrain offers 50 miles of electric driving, with an efficient petrol engine to recharge the battery when it drops below a third charge, boosting the range to over 300 miles. The carmaker has also recently launched its most efficient Astra, with a 1.7-litre diesel engine and CO2 emissions of 99g/km. Vauxhall r revolutionary Test-drives fo d fully-booke Ampera were

May 2012

MANAGEMENT Fleet Academy

Join the Leap forward or pyrrhic victory? (Ross Durkin, Publisher, Fleet World Group)

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

www.fleetacademy.co.uk 30

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The subject of motor manufacturers’ claimed fuel consumption figures raises its head every so often in the motoring press, but I often wonder precisely what point those raising the question are trying to make. Do they really have an “end game” in sight? One of the consumer motoring magazines recently launched an initiative aimed at providing prospective car buyers with information on the true MPG they can expect to gain from their new car, contrasting this with the motor manufacturers’ own figures which are “determined under EU law and are conducted under laboratory conditions on rolling roads”. The clear implication is that these figures do not reflect reality and cannot be achieved in everyday driving conditions by the motorist on the street. Having organised the MPG Marathon every year since the great fuel protests of 2000, we at Fleet World have more than a little experience of fuel consumption testing and have learned that there are many, many variables that can affect the results, not least of all driver ability, traffic conditions and climate. Of these, traffic conditions and climate are to some extent out of the user’s control. But driving ability is not and it is this factor which, in our experience, has the biggest influence of all. In the 2007 MPG Marathon we had three identical Toyota Aygos that recorded a 10% spread between the highest and lowest fuel consumption (they all beat the combined cycle figure) which could only be accounted for by driver ability. But perhaps the “elephant in the room” where this discussion is concerned is what might happen if various European chancellors were to see this as an opportunity to raise tax income by making the NEDC fuel consumption tests a bit stiffer and reducing combined cycle figures accordingly. The corresponding rise in CO2 emissions would see us all paying far more tax with no change in vehicle performance. What a great result that would be. A “pyrrhic victory” as they say.

debate...

ith w on iati c o ass

BUDGET UPDATE... mitigating the tax impact

Finding the “sweet spots” for the electric van

(Alastair Kendrick, Taxation Director, MacIntyre Hudson LLP)

Vehicle value experts CAP have put out a statement recently defending their low residual forecasts for electric vans, held back by uncertainty about obsolescence, higher cost of ownership and end-user uncertainty caused by high profile manufacturing collapses during the last year. There is undoubtedly plenty of fairness in what they're saying, and until early adopters get on board with the technology it's going to be difficult to know what the long-term picture is until these vehicles come through the remarketing system and battery developments happen. Or don’t, as the case may be. Keen to at least get the ball rolling, the Energy Saving Trust has launched a project to help fleets find out where electric vehicles work, and conversely where they don’t. Speaking at the EV and Low CO2 Fleet Show at Silverstone, the EST’s Caroline Watson explained that the trust was looking for 20 fleets, 15 of which must be within the M25, who were genuinely interested in acquiring electric vehicles. These would then be offered free consultation based on their vehicles’ duty cycle, ending with advice on where, and if, these fleets could see cost advantages from making the investment. Data would also be presented publicly to show “sweet spots” for real-world usage. I think projects like this are incredibly valuable for the future of the industry, regardless of whether the outcome is largely positive or negative for electric vehicles. Once the findings are released next year, they could be instrumental in informing the UK's decision makers of ways to make them viable in the future. Conversely, it will avoid costly trial runs for fleets where it won't be suitable – this isn’t a technology that'll work for everyone, yet. My view is that electric vans have a very real role to play in the future of road transport. Not so much at the heavy duty end, where the duty cycles are longer and the range becomes an issue, but for short-distance fleets with set usage patterns and the facilities needed to recharge overnight. It’s this sort of predictable usage where they could offer a real advantage if the incentives are stacked up. But, as ever, this is a movement that will be reliant on those brave early-adopters who are prepared to take a financial hit in the name of cutting down on emissions. In these cash-strapped times, and against a huge wave of negativity from the press, it might take a while for them to come forward.

I read with interest the article prepared by Peter Minchinton which highlighted what was announced by George Osborne MP in his recent budget statement. Depending on which paper you read the proposals will deliver additional tax for HM Treasury in the period to 2016 of between £375m to £600m. It is clear that these changes will bite and I am not expecting vehicle manufacturers to be in a position to produce significantly reduced engines by 2016 to counter the difficulty. It is the case that most company cars are leased on a three to four-year lease and on this basis it is a fact that many vehicles leased over the next year or so will be on fleet when these changes start to bite. I understand that there is a view that some lobbying may lead the Government to a change in policy. I expect HM Treasury to have decided on the money it is looking for from company cars and any changes may be a re-assessment over the basis of the calculation, rather than simply agreeing to a mass reduction in tax take. Possibly, though, it is time to go back to a review of how the benefit is calculated, but this will require commitment from HM Treasury which may not be forthcoming. What concerns me is how many people have not grasped the extent of these proposed changes and how they will impact on their employees. It is clear that given the potential impact of these changes, employers need to go back to the drawing board and consider their car policies and look at what they can do (if anything) to mitigate the tax impact. Watch this space!

(Alex Grant, Motoring Editor, Fleet World Group)

May 2012

Fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Kia Sportage range are: Urban 26.6 (10.6) - 47.1 (6.0), Extra Urban 41.5 (6.8) – 58.9 (4.8), Combined

34.4 (8.2) – 54.3 (5.2). CO2 emissions are 195 -135 g/km. †£219 per month refers to Kia Sportage ‘1’ 1.6 GDi 2WD, model shown is Kia 2.0 CRDi Sportage KX-3 Sat Nav AWD available from £298.99 per month on a 36 month/30,000 miles ‘Maintenance Excluded’ contract hire scheme (with an advance payment of 3 monthly rentals), provided by ALD Automotive, BS 16 3JA. Package includes road fund licence and Kia Assistance. Rental valid on orders placed on or before 30 June 2012. All payments subject to VAT. Written quotations available on request. Credit provided subject to status. Excess

Park the clichés.

Kia Sportage. From £219† (plus VAT) per month. We could say that the Kia Sportage is a result of blue sky thinking that ticks the right boxes and lines all our ducks in a row. But we won’t, because the Sportage needs no clichés. It is simply an exceptional crossover with very competitive emissions and fuel economy, providing you with a usefully low BIK rate. So park the clichés and drive the Kia Sportage.

kia.co.uk/fleet

and other charges may apply depending on the mileage and condition of the vehicle at the end of the contract. Excess mileage charges will be applied if the contract mileage of 30,000 miles is exceeded. Wear and tear is determined by reference to condition commensurate to age and mileage. For full details please refer to www.kia.co.uk. For Business users only. Guarantees and indemnities may be required. Prices correct at time of going to print. *7 year / 100,000 mile warranty. See your local dealer or visit www.kia.co.uk for full warranty terms and exclusions. Prices correct at time of going to press (April 2012).

We were also going to say that you can choose a Sportage with 44.1 mpg on the combined cycle, has a BIK of 20% and a P11D value from ÂŁ17,110. But we werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure if that was just boasting.

For more information, call Kia Fleet today on 0845 126 4700.

Kia Fleet. Be ahead of the game.

COVER STORY Fit for fleet?

FITNESS TO DRIVE How your employees can live more healthily, and be safer behind the wheel Driving can be stressful, tiring, and demanding on the mind and body, yet little thought is given to the physical wellbeing of employees when they are behind the wheel. Alex Grant investigates the biggest health problems associated with at-work driving, and the cures. At-work drivers are almost 50% more at risk of accidents than other motorists, even with higher mileage taken into account. They account for a third of all collisions, or 1,000 deaths and 13,000 serious injuries each year in the UK and, according to RoSPA, many of these could be avoided by explaining the benefits of a healthier lifestyle more clearly. We’ve looked at some of the key health areas affected by driving and how motorists can improve their mind and body, to be fitter and safer behind the wheel.

The problem of a tired mind on drivers SYMPTOMS: Although alcohol is commonly perceived to be the biggest cause of accidents, sleep deprivation can actually impair driving more than being over the legal blood/alcohol limit. A lack of deep sleep causes the brain to process information more slowly, delaying reaction times and reducing the driver’s ability to concentrate or make decisions. EFFECTS: A recent study by Loughborough University showed fatigue was a contributory factor in 20% of fatal or serious motorway crashes. Tired drivers are also 50% more likely to be seriously injured or killed than those who are properly rested, because in many cases they don’t make an attempt to avoid the crash. Yet research by the Department for Transport showed over half of respondents had driven while they were tired, adding that the igure was limited because it only covered those who admitted to it. CURE: Short naps of up to 15 minutes are the best way to boost alertness. Caffeinated drinks can be helpful too, but research in America has shown the effects are short-lived, with slow reaction times returning within an hour. Naps and caffeine should be seen as emergency solution, though. The best cure is to plan drivers’ duty cycles to avoid extended working hours. CAFFEINE IS A ONE-HIT FIX, BUT NOT A CURE Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the IAM, says: Energy drinks are good as a quick fix, but they’re no substitute for regular breaks. Having a high-caffeine drink is a one-off hit - you can’t repeat it, as this type of drink does not produce the same effect in a couple of hours’ time.’

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Big meals burn energy and cause tiredness SYMPTOMS: During digestion, the brain diverts blood to the gut to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream, causing a drop in oxygen to the brain itself. The larger the meal, the more energy is required to digest it and the more drivers will feel drowsy as a result. Carbohydrate-rich meals, such as chips or pasta, can also be problematic. The high glucose content of these foods causes the body to release insulin to speed up absorption into the body, but causes a rise in the levels of a chemical called tryptophan in the brain. When it reaches the brain, tryptophan is converted to melatonin, which is a hormone that promotes sleep. EFFECTS: The period between 2pm and 4pm is the second most common time for fatigue-related accidents, and these are often caused by the after-effects of eating a large meal. CURE: Drivers should avoid stodgy lunchtime meals in favour of lighter snacks and salads to kerb early-afternoon drowsiness and stay hydrated to maintain concentration – the brain relies on water to function properly. Taking a break after a large meal can also reduce the risks.

TAKE A PACKED LUNCH RATHER THAN STOCK UP AT SERVICES Jill Joyce, senior policy and research adviser at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), recommends taking sandwiches, bottled water and a flask of coffee or tea for long trips, avoiding the temptation to rely on whatever fat and sugar-rich snacks are available at motorway services and fuel stations en route.

Sleep apnoea is a breathing disorder that causes fatigue during the day

A lack of physical fitness in your employees EFFECTS: There are few studies into the effects of physical itness on drivers’ ability to be safe on the road. However, Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at RoSPA, says there’s a proven link between obesity and sleep apnoea, a breathing disorder which can cause problems with sleeping, in turn leading to fatigue during the day. Drivers with sleeping disorders are between six and 15 times more likely to have an accident during than those without. Long-distance drivers are also exposed to risks from deep vein thrombosis – blood clots formed during long periods of inactivity. Although usually only discussed in relation to long-haul lights, a 2002 study showed 70% of DVT-prone travellers had recently travelled long distances in a car, exposing them to the same risks. CURE: Regular exercise will improve physical itness, and there are established treatments in place for those suffering from sleep apnoea. Encourage regular long-distance drivers to be checked for susceptibility to DVT, and enforce frequent breaks to reduce the risk.

May 2012

COVER STORY Fit for fleet?

Stress causes bad decisions to be made

Heart rate is increased when under stress, due to the release of adrenalin

SYMPTOMS: The feeling is caused by the ‘ ight or light’ mechanism that prepares us for physical challenges. Under pressure, this causes the brain to release adrenaline, a stimulant, which increases heart rate, tenses the muscles and changes the way we process information. EFFECTS: While this allows us to make decisions more quickly, which is ideal for responding to immediate threats, stress usually means they’re not considered fully, which can be dangerous when driving a car. Drivers under stress make decisions because they are thinking instinctively and short term, a sort of “tunnel vision” and not planning and assessing their actions over longer term. Prolonged periods of stress are also very tiring for the body, and over time leads to the same slower brain functions as fatigue. CURE: Stress is caused by not feeling in control, so preparation for every journey can help at least take that element of uncertainty out of the equation. Neil Greig says: ‘Knowing what to expect ahead in terms of delays, giving yourself plenty of time for the journey, having fuel in the car, knowing the car is in good shape mechanically and knowing your route etcetera will all help reduce worry.’ Music has also been shown to calm drivers. Softer tunes can slow brainwaves, which in turn lead to a reduction in the heightened heart rate and breathing caused by stress.

WORK IS STRESSFUL, AND DRIVING DOESN’T HELP RoSPA says 85% of motorists find driving itself stressful, regardless of other pressures, so ensuring drivers are fully prepared, trained and relaxed for the journey is vital.

At the very least, a decent demo session should be undertaken, especially for long-distance drivers before they commit to a car for three or four years.

The problem of poor posture on the body EFFECTS: Long periods of being sat in badly adjusted seats puts stress on muscles and joints, leading to long-term neck, arm, leg and back pain. CURE: Many companies give advice to avoid poor posture while using computers, heavy machinery or other of ice equipment. But it’s just as important to ensure drivers adjust their driving position appropriately too: RoSPA advises leets to consider work vehicles in the same bracket as other heavy machinery. At the very least, a decent demo session should be undertaken, especially for long distance drivers before they commit to a car for three or four years. Most cars now offer heavily adjustable seats, rake and reach adjustment for steering wheels and headrests which can be ixed to prevent whiplash in an accident – if they don’t, should they be on the choice list?

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ELECTRIFYING PERFORMANCE

The Ampera makes a powerful impact. Absolutely, positively not a hybrid, its advanced Extended-Range Electric Vehicle technology offers the convenience of a conventional car – overcoming the range anxiety often associated with other electric cars: • Eligible for £5,000 Government Plug-in Grant • 100% Writing Down Allowance1 • Congestion charge exempt2

• Up to 235.4mpg3 • 27g/km CO2 (5% BiK tax band)4

Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km), Vauxhall Ampera: Combined/weighted: 235.4mpg (1.2). CO2 emissions: 27g/km. 1 = First year. 2 = Exemption from London Congestion Charge available upon the payment of a £10 annual fee. 3 = The “Combined/weighted” fuel consumption/CO2 figures calculated from two test results: one with the battery fully charged and the other when the battery is discharged. The two test results are a weighted average, taking into account mileage range on battery power only, providing a representative figure for the vehicle used in a variety of battery charge conditions. Lifetime Warranty covers lifetime ownership of first car owner, 100,000 mile limit, (8-year 100,000 mile warranty on the Ampera battery subject to the warranty conditions as outlined in the Vauxhall Ampera service booklet). Annual check required. The warranty excludes wear and tear and serviceable items and the vehicle must be serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s servicing schedule to continue the Lifetime Warranty. Terms and conditions apply. Offer available to all Vauxhall passenger cars, (this offer does not apply to car derived vans) registered from 1 August 2010. 4 = 2012/13 and 2013/14 tax years. General Motors UK Limited does not offer tax advice and recommends that all Company Car Drivers consult their accountant with their particular tax position. Image shown is for illustrative purposes only.

COVER STORY Fit for fleet?

Can your drivers see well enough? SYMPTOMS: Drivers’ eyesight can deteriorate over time, and without regular eye tests this can go unnoticed. The DVLA says drivers must be able to read a newstyle number plate font from 20 metres away, but in some cases drivers won’t have reassessed this more recently than their test, and complying with this doesn’t necessarily indicate adequate vision for driving. EFFECTS: Awareness is equally low from leet operators. Specsavers Corporate Eyecare recently studied leet managers from 164 companies, representing a combined 414,000 drivers, and found two-thirds didn’t know the legal requirements for vision. Only 38% of those studied said they tested drivers’ eyesight before they drove for work. CURE: Ultimately it’s the employee’s responsibility to make sure their eyesight is up to scratch, but recent legislation such as the Corporate Manslaughter Act could change this if it’s tested in court. Encouraging regular eye tests for professional or long-distance drivers could avoid problems later down the line.

Alcohol can remain in the bloodstream for many hours after drinking, and food only delays, not reduces, the effect.

Alcohol, now, and the morning after EFFECTS: Even small amounts of alcohol impair concentration and judgement, and can exacerbate existing drowsiness, and 5% of all fatal crashes, 9,700 per year, are attributed to being over the legal limit.The problems are ongoing the morning after. Alcohol is dif icult to metabolise, causes a reduction in deep sleep, and leads a loss of water and nutrients in the bloodstream. CURE: The easiest solution is not to drink over lunch, or avoid driving afterwards, rather than guessing. Alcohol limits are confusing, and a recent government household study showed 77% of respondents don’t know what they are. And personal abilities to deal with alcohol vary depending on factors including body weight and age, and aren’t affected by eating a big meal – food only delays the absorption into the bloodstream, delaying the associated problems. RoSPA’s Kevin Clinton advises: ‘It is impossible to accurately calculate how much alcohol is in your body, and whether you are above or below the drink-drive limit. Every year, about 90,000 people are convicted of drinking and driving, and face a driving ban of at least 12 months, a large ine and possible imprisonment. Many drink drivers are caught the morning after they have been drinking.’

PEOPLE KNOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS DRIVING, BUT STILL DRINK DfT research found two-thirds of drivers have driven after one or two drinks, for example over lunch, even though three-quarters believed you should not drink at all before driving.

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£129.* Your monthly out and about goings.

The new Fiat Panda. Available from just £129 a month for business users only. And with exceptionally low fuel consumption and fewer CO2 emissions across the Panda range, what's not to like? Visit fiat.co.uk/fleet for more info.

for

people fiat.co.uk

Fiat, the car brand with the lowest average CO2 emissions in Europe†. Fuel consumption figures for the new Fiat Panda range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 42.2 (6.7) - 60.1 (4.7); Extra Urban 65.7 (4.3) - 80.7 (3.5); Combined 54.3 (5.2) - 72.4 (3.9). CO2 emissions 120 - 95g/km.

*Business users only. Above rentals based on Panda 1.2 Pop on Contract Hire payment profile of 3 rentals in advance (equivalent to £387) followed by 35 monthly rentals of £129. All rentals exclude VAT and maintenance. Based on 10,000 miles per annum. Excess mileage charges apply. Vehicles must be registered with Fiat Contract Hire before 30th June 2012. Offer subject to status, a guarantee and/or indemnity may be required. Fiat Contract Hire, 240 Bath Road, Slough, SL1 4DX. †Source: JATO Dynamics. Based on volume-weighted average CO2 emissions (g/km) of the best selling brands in Europe, full year 2011.

Smaller. Lighter. Bigger? It sounds impossible but the 208’s dynamic design allows it. The result: low running costs with CO2 emissions from 87g/km and all diesels under 100g/km, up to 83.1 MPG and a BIK tax liability from 10%. Did we mention the thrilling drive? Available to pre-order now. PEUGEOT

208

Combined consumption (l/100 km): from 83 (3.4) to 48.7 (5.8). CO2 emissions (g/km): from 87

*For 40% tax payers. BIK ranges from £33 to £123 on a 40% tax rate on the 208 Access 1.0 VTi at £9,940 P11D value and the 208 Feline 1.6 THP at £16,725 P11D value. Model shown is 208 Feline with metallic paint and a P11D value of £16,220.

7 to 135.

peugeot.co.uk/208business

FEATURE Fleet Telematics

WAYS TO BETTER TELEMATICS The tracking and telematics industry reveals its top tips for getting better service, the latest products and the best prices. By Steve Moody.

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The New Consumer Guide to Choosing a Vehicle Tracking Provider Get Your Free Copy Now!

s telematics finally coming of age? It is a sector of the fleet industry that has had more than its fair share of cowboys over the years, but now seems to be maturing and stabilising, and with that comes more and more evidence that telematics can work to reduce cost and accidents as well as improving business efficiency. A recent report from analyst Frost & Sullivan reported fuel savings of 15% being achieved from companies who have successfully implemented telematics, while other research has suggested this figure could be as high as 20%. The fuel spend on Tesco’s fleet reduced by 12% too, with a 6% reduction in vehicle damage since telematics was introduced, while insurer Zurich estimates that telematics could result in a 11% improvement in fuel consumption and a 20% reduction in the number of vehicle collisions. So with more and more fleets turning to telematics, what are the questions to ask when starting on the road to implementation? We asked the firms offering these products to come up with the questions you should be grilling them with to get the very best system and implementation.

This a free educational service provided by Chris McClellan, RAM Tracking 7 common myths and misconceptions about vehicle tracking The 13 costly dangers of choosing the wrong vehicle tracking provider Our clients 10 must know tips when buying a vehicle tracking solution ;OL KPɈ LYLUJL IL[^LLU WYPJL ]HS\L 10 steps to dramatically increase your productivity with vehicle tracking 8 steps to slash your fuel bills using vehicle tracking

1) Avoid third party lease finance contracts This is a very quick and simple way to eliminate the market’s weaker players. Remember, only strong, well-established providers are in a position to invite you to enter into an agreement directly with them: they have no need to involve third-party ﬁnance. To understand the importance of this point just go to YouTube and search for Lease Finance for Vehicle Tracking. Andy Kirk, sales and marketing director, Quartix

6 steps to radically improve your customer service

Call 0845 154 7679 or visit www.ramtracking.com to get your free guide

2) Keep your options open When looking for the right solution you should ensure your provider has all the components you might need as your business grows or requirements change, without having to pay for more than you need for your initial deployment. Ideally, you want a full-service, end-to-end provider that can oﬀer an “a la carte” menu of options so you can start with what you need now and easily scale-up later. Nick Mitchell, VP Global Sales, Trimble Field Service Management

Our fuel bill was over £6000 a month... using RAM it’s down to £2200. A 63% reduction... simply amazing! Dave Luck Ltd - Decorators (21 vans)

3) Ensure your system will deliver expense management Expense management focuses on reducing unnecessary journeys in the ﬁrst place; making sure that business mileage is necessary and authorised, is recorded accurately, and is then reconciled with payroll. Administratively cumbersome, paper-based logs are being increasingly replaced by online journey reporting, integrated directly into payroll, with mileage bills dropping by as much as 25% when such measures have been introduced. Keith Allen, managing director, ALD Automotive

Get in touch today

0845 154 7679 www.ramtracking.com

May 2012

FEATURE Fleet Telematics

30 WAYS TO BETTER TELEMATICS 4) Treat purchasing like any other software solution When selecting a product treat it like any other software solution i.e. CRM. Consider what beneﬁts you want to get, how you will achieve this and what operational changes will be needed. Apply these requirements when carrying out your research rather than being overly inﬂuenced by what you are ‘told’ you need. Steve Blackburn, European Vice-President for Navman Wireless

company vehicles online, delivering the ﬂeet manager reports and statistical evidence of how drivers are performing. Simple tracking devices fail in that respect. Keith Allen, MD, ALD Automotive

jobs shouldn’t be led by the rumour mill. Steve Blackburn, European Vice-President for Navman Wireless

11) Avoid third party suppliers 8) Use cloud-based systems

Check you’re dealing with a true telematics provider – an organisation with full design ownership and control over all the technology used – and not simply someone who purchases third party boxes and adds some software. Andy Kirk, sales & marketing director, Quartix

5) Does your supplier offer training? Even if the tracking product has been installed for years there is always be something new to learn, so opt for a provider that can deliver insightful training via varied media: on-site training, online sessions, video tutorials, step-bystep user guides and hints and tips from customers. Not only do these easily accessible training resources ensure the greatest possible return on investment from your tracking system, they’re especially helpful for new employees. Chris McClellan, joint managing director, Remote Asset Management

6) Do suppliers offer short contracts and no termination charges? Check that the supplier is able to oﬀer 12-month or shorter contract terms with no termination charges at the end of the period. You should do this even if you expect to have the system for years to come. Before committing to longer contract terms, you can always have the supplier provide the service for 12 months to check them out. Andy Kirk, sales & marketing director, Quartix

Innovation is rendering traditional telematics systems obsolete as fewer ﬂeets want traditional data. Management now needs to evaluate solutions that take advantage of cloud computing and open APIs. A cloudbased service can share data and insight about vehicles, driver behaviour, risk and fuel economy with drivers, depot managers, insurers etc, to improve decision-making. Aidan Rowsome, general manager, GreenRoad

9) How often does your system update? Active tracking has become the most popular method of GPS vehicle tracking because of the huge benefits to having real-time location information of each vehicle which, in turn, allows fleet owners to make on-demand management decisions. Be cautious of systems that only update every five minutes or so as this isn’t truly real-time and often you can be charged for additional ‘pings’ if you need to locate a vehicle between intervals. Richard Brooks, Director of Marketing for Europe, FleetMatics UK

12) Prioritise your priorities Before you dive in, be sure to identify and understand the business needs that you are looking to meet with telematics; this will help identify the solutions and functionality most appropriate for your business. For example, with customers becoming increasingly demanding, are you looking to make frontline improvements to aid customer service? Or perhaps your focus is on reducing fuel consumption? Nick Mitchell, VP Global Sales, Trimble Field Service Management

13) Buy cheap, buy twice… Be wary of extremely low cost tracking solutions because the danger is if you buy cheap you buy twice. It is more important to consider the long-term savings that can be achieved from a proactive system that cleverly help to reduce the time and resources required to eﬀectively administer the technology.” Chris McClellan, joint managing director, Remote Asset Management

10) Communicate with staff 7) Intelligence rather than tracking delivers the savings Delivering savings and return on investment requires more intelligent technology than tracking, and that’s where telematics plays a signiﬁcant role. Telematics solutions give ﬂeet managers the ability to look at driving styles and performance of

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Communicate with your staff about the new tracking system – why you are implementing it and what the benefits are. Don’t assume people will know – change is often unsettling and facts about the software and the benefits to the business and ultimately their

14) Establish KPIs Establishing a company-wide series of key performance indicators and performance benchmarks, businesses can set well-deﬁned targets and use telematics data to measure how successfully they are working towards them. Giles Margerison, Director UK & Ireland, TomTom Business Solutions

TRACKER Fleet from £169…

…we’ve got the answers you need Whatever your wish list for a greater understanding of how your fleet is being used, TRACKER the UK’s number 1 supplier of vehicle tracking systems can help. With 18 years’ experience in the telematics industry, and over 1 million units installed, TRACKER Fleet gives you the control you need to: Reduce fuel and overtime costs Optimise fleet utilisation and complete more jobs Ensure best driving practices Deliver improved service levels TRACKER Fleet provides you with all the information you need for a smooth running and efficient fleet – delivered to you via our brand new and easy to use website.

Find out more, call or visit…

0845 604 6099 www.TRACKER.co.uk

FEATURE Fleet Telematics

30 WAYS TO BETTER TELEMATICS 15) Are you getting the latest tech?

be used on computers with the proper installation and can be subject to manual upgrades. The best GPS solutions provide the information securely over the internet and, as long as the login and password are known, can be accessed from any internet-enabled computer. The flexibility and 24/7 accessibility of an internet-based solution makes it the far superior choice when deciding on a specific GPS vehicle tracking solution. Richard Brooks, Director of Marketing for Europe, FleetMatics UK

18) Have you got good technical support?

Check the supplier is able to provide the latest technology. The latest telematics units are fully integrated, including internal GSM and GPS antennas – they do not have connectors mounted on the enclosures which can lead to problems with connectivity and tampering. Ask to see the unit. Andy Kirk, sales & marketing director, Quartix

16) Get references In the past, the industry has suffered damage to its reputation because businesses have had their fingers burned by fly-by-night operators. Brands offering first-class service should also be able to provide references from their existing customer base and be able to provide expert consultancy throughout the selection and installation process. Giles Margerison, Director UK & Ireland TomTom Business Solutions

17) Will you need proprietary software? Many GPS vehicle tracking solutions use proprietary software that can only

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Enquire about the technical support oﬀered. When you need support you will want answers quickly and from someone technically competent. Is the support UK based and accessible, is this support dedicated and adequate to support the number of customer that the supplier has. Steve Blackburn, European Vice-President for Navman Wireless

19) Drive improvement through incentives Use telematics data to formulate incentives designed to encourage efficient and safe driving practices. One of the most effective schemes is a driver league table, where top performers earn a percentage of the savings made through efficient driving. Steve Blackburn, European Vice-President for Navman Wireless

20) Transparency on costs is vital Check all costs have been revealed, and stay clear of companies that charge for extras later – such as providing older historical data. Reputable suppliers will not expect you to sign a separate airtime or warranty contract: such services will be covered by the original fee, payable directly to the telematics supplier. Don’t be shy to ask whether the supplier has the resources to honour a comprehensive on-site warranty. Andy Kirk, sales & marketing director, Quartix

21) Find out about resilience and reliability Ask about what measures are in place to ensure the system is resilient and reliable. The hosting of a tracking solution is complex so consider getting some IT support to assess the information and to ask the right questions. Steve Blackburn, European Vice-President for Navman Wireless

22) Make sure it can integrate with scheduling software Integrating the vehicle tracking system with the routing and scheduling software also enables companies to improve service levels. They can proactively manage the deliveries and notify their customers of arrival times using text messages or by email. This ensures that staff are ready to receive the delivery and can work on other jobs right up to the time of the delivery. William Salter, Managing Director, Paragon Software systems

Remember when paper maps met GPS?

Job management, meet Telogis Progression. Add the missing link to your fleet management software and bring your work order systems out of the Stone Age. Telogis Progression enables you to see, automate and optimise hundreds, or thousands, of jobs – including those inevitable surprises – and watch them updated, confirmed and reported in real time. More visibility. More intelligence. More return.

Next Generation Job Management To see it in action, visit Telogis.co.uk or call +44 (0) 1344 747638

FEATURE Fleet Telematics

30 WAYS TO BETTER TELEMATICS 23) Get precise journey readings The ability to accurately determine when a journey truly starts can be notoriously diﬃcult: do you judge by an engine’s running time, journey time or average speed? Many tracking products deliver false “idling” readings so talk to those providers that have the capability to detect electrical noise to accurately determine engine use and therefore provide the most precise data. Clive Girling, Technology Director, TRACKER

24) Don’t be a slave to data During deployment, processes should be put in place to rationalise the vast amount of data available. Don’t become a slave to data and waste time and resources sifting through information you won’t use productively. Building in the correct level of analysis and reporting is essential for maximising ROI. Nick Mitchell, VP Global Sales, Trimble Field Service Management

25) Train your staff Businesses see greater value from a tracking system when both office and field based staff are comprehensively trained. Choose a provider that offers initial product training and has training resources which can be accessed on demand. Steve Blackburn, European Vice-President for Navman Wireless

26) Work out your ROI profile Businesses can receive a return on investment (ROI) after using GPS vehicle tracking for as little as six months, with a vast majority reaching positive ROI in under a year. With proper management of the system, we’ve seen some customers realise an immediate ROI within a week simply by reducing excess overtime. Richard Brooks, Director of Marketing for Europe, FleetMatics UK

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27) Driver profiling could save cost

Driver proﬁling focuses on improving how vehicles are driven and this is where telematics can really make a big impact. There are quick ‘wins’ to be had if ﬂeets are serious in wanting to cut costs, not just in reducing excessive speeding but reducing harsh acceleration, heavy braking, over revving and unnecessary idling. Keith Allen, MD, ALD Automotive

28) Will it give you street names? It seems an incredibly straightforward thing to say, but when you’re watching a demonstration of a tracking solution, check that the system actually shows street names on the reports produced. Some products will just display facts such as “0.4 miles southwest of X” which has limited value when monitoring the activity of your fleet. Chris McClellan, joint managing director, Remote Asset Management

It may seem straightforward, but when you’re watching a demonstration of a tracking solution, check that the sytem shows street names on the reports produced

29) Can tracking protect assets? The recession has brought about a new breed of professional vehicle thieves who steal to order. The upfront cost of fitting a fleet of cars or vans with tracking systems may put many operators off, but the long term benefits – cost of losing equipment and time, a reduction in insurance premiums and improved residual values – can outweigh the initial outlay. Andrew Smith, Managing Director, Cobra UK

30) The financial argument for telematics Calculate how much money you could save by reducing fuel consumption by monitoring driver behaviour to help build a sound business case. Monitoring driving style will enable you to identify drivers that habitually speed or take regular detours on route. The savings that can be made through changes to driver behaviour mean that a telematics system can more than pay for itself. Clive Girling, Technology Director, TRACKER

GREENER FLEETS

Make your emissions monitoring count Fleet managers nationwide have welcomed CO2Count, the new service which provides accurate reporting of vehicles’ greenhouse gas emissions.

“All fleets face growing pressure to reduce their fleets’ carbon footprints. That has to start with measuring emissions.”

Fleet managers can find out more at www.co2count.org.uk or by calling 0844 870 7893

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CO2Count was introduced to existing customers of The Fuelcard People at the beginning of 2012 and is already delivering essential information for leets across the country. Steve Clarke, head of marketing for Fuel Card Services, said: “Whether managers are running a couple of vans, dozens of cars or hundreds of trucks, they all face growing pressure to reduce their leets’ carbon footprints. That has to start with measuring emissions.” Alongside each regular invoice, a customer receives a corresponding emissions report in the form of a CO2Count Certi icate. This encompasses their whole leet, split by vehicle fuel types: diesel, petrol, gasoil and LPG. For each of these, it shows the greenhouse gases produced during the invoice period: carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen dioxide (CO2, CH4 and N2O). The leet manager can see, at a glance, the leet’s emissions of each gas and the combined emissions total. “Your irst CO2Count Certi icate gives a starting point,” said Steve Clarke, “and from there it is simple to track emissions across the leet, and match them against any emissions reduction initiatives. This is an instant and continuing gain for the customer, but the enduring global bene it comes from our partnership with Cool Earth.” Cool Earth, Europe’s fastest-growing environmental charity, has underlined the ecological value of CO2Count by appointing The Fuelcard People as its irst of icial Partner from within the automotive industry. For every CO2Count Certi icate issued, a donation is made to Cool Earth to further its work in protecting threatened rainforests. Backed by both David Attenborough and Lord Stern, Cool Earth works with local communities to protect rainforest in imminent danger of being cleared. It does so in such a way that the protected area then blockades tens of thousands of acres of adjacent forest. Cool Earth funds a local trust, making the local community the legal custodians of the land, and uses community rangers and satellite imagery to monitor and protect the rainforest 24/7 from illegal activity. It also institutes sustainable employment programmes, and supports schools and clinics, so that

indigenous rainforest communities do not suffer from lost logging income. Matthew Owen, Cool Earth director, said: “After checking the environmental credentials of the CO2Count service, we are happy to recognise its importance. Reducing emissions of greenhouse gases is vital for the planet’s future and independent emissions monitoring is key to tracking the results of any reduction initiative. The automotive sector is not known for being particularly green, so CO2Count stands out as a serious measure in its own right. The donation to Cool Earth is a welcome bonus, which should protect vast stretches of threatened rainforests.” Cool Earth believes that the best way to protect rainforest is from the ground up. By working with the local peoples, Cool Earth is halting deforestation by keeping custodian communities intact and ensuring that the forest is always worth more to them standing than it is cleared. Cool Earth ensures that all donations have the biggest impact possible by focusing solely on rainforest that is in imminent danger and will protect tens of thousands of acres of neighbouring forest. All of its projects are community-led and community-owned. With over 100,000 individuals and businesses from 16 countries behind it, Cool Earth is becoming a key tool in tackling rainforest destruction. Every single minute Cool Earth has been in business, its supporters have saved enough rainforest to prevent 14 tonnes of CO2 emissions being released.

May 2012

FEATURE BMW’s Olympic Fleet

DRIVING THE OLYMPICS BMW has unveiled its Olympic fleet. Steve Moody went to drive the cars involved. BMW is gearing up for the Olympics with a massive fleet of nearly 4,000 vehicles, many of which will be Euro6 compliant or electric to ensure that emissions in London will be kept to a minimum. This huge logistical operation includes all the cars being liveried, with a few hundred vans and minibuses brought in from Citroen. The organising committee of the games specified that the overall fleet should have average emissions of less than 120g/km, and BMW claims the mix of cars gives it a 116g/km average. • BMW 1 Series ActiveE (EV) Number in fleet: 160 170bhp / Zero tailpipe emissions Usage includes: Shuttle transporting athletes and broadcasters. Venue pool cars for operational usage. DRIVEN: ‘The ActiveE flies off the line with huge amounts of torque, even though the extra weight makes it a little less nimble than a standard 1 Series. What takes getting used to is the motor braking that takes place on lift off, as it recharges the battery - you don’t even have to touch the brakes to slow.’ • MINI E (Electric Vehicle) Number in fleet: 40 204bhp / Zero tailpipe emissions Usage includes: Venue pool cars. • MINI Countryman Cooper D Number in fleet: 200 112bhp / 115g/km CO2 / 64.2mpg Usage includes: ”On demand” service (a walk up taxi rank) at key locations such as London Heathrow and IOC Hotels.

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• BMW 320d Efficient Dynamics Number in fleet: 1,550 163bhp / 109g/km CO2 / 68.9mpg Usage includes: Official vehicles for cycling events and technical delegates who are responsible for approving competition set-ups. DRIVEN: ‘A stalwart of the Olympic fleet, the new 320d ED is a superb car. The engine is a little unrefined in lower gears at higher revs, but otherwise the ride quality is excellent, the new cabin beautifully appointed and it drives with plenty of verve. Euro6 emissions versions are maintenance free (unlike some Euro6 cars which require extra servicing) so there should be no problems putting them into the used market.’ • BMW 520d Efficient Dynamics Number in fleet: 700 119g/km CO2 / 62.8mpg Usage includes: Vehicle transfer/shuttle. • BMW 5 Series ActiveHybrid Number in fleet: 20 149g/km CO2 / 44.1mpg Usage includes: Vehicle transfer/shuttle. DRIVEN: ‘The ActiveHybrid’s 40kw electric motor gives it impressive shove off the line while the 3.0 straight six cuts in later to keep it flying along – a total of more than 300bhp – making this very much a sporting saloon, with low CO2. The extra weight of the batteries means it doesn’t feel as balanced as other 5 Series, but it should keep the VIPs in the manner to which they are accustomed.’

• BMW X3 xDrive 20d Number in fleet: 17 147g/km CO2 / 50.4mpg Usage includes: Specialist role of towing boats at sailing and rowing venues. • BMW X5 xDrive 30d Number in fleet: 10 195g/km CO2 / 38.2mpg Usage includes: Towing horse ambulances at equestrian events and on-course support. • R1200 RT Motorcycle Number in fleet: 25 (Total number of motorcycles including F650GS, R1200GS, R1200RT) Usage includes: Key support roles in road based events including cycling.

• BMW Streetcruiser Bicycles Number in fleet: 400 Usage includes: Support for water-based sports including rowing.

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RELAX THIS SUMMER, KNOWING WINTER’S TAKEN CARE OF WARM weather, a chance to open the sunroof, daylight commuting and quieter roads (presuming you aren’t near an Olympic venue) – all things company drivers and fleet managers can look forward to this summer. But ATS Euromaster says savvy fleet managers are already planning several seasons ahead, and factoring in their cold weather tyre requirements for winter 2012/2013 now. Peter Fairlie, Group Sales Director at ATS Euromaster (left) – which pioneered the introduction of cold weather tyres to the UK fleet market in 2010 – says that rising European demand coupled with limited manufacturing capacity means both tyre distributors and fleets must order early. He explains: “Despite last winter being relatively mild by comparison, snow and ice still affected large parts of the country and the popularity of cold weather tyres reached unprecedented levels amongst fleets.” The early-adopters – including many ‘blue light’ operators, home shopping retailers and utility companies – are now adopting winter fitments on a fleet-wide basis. As a result, it’s becoming routine for ATS Euromaster to manage tyre changeovers twice a year on as many as 1,000 cars and vans per customer. According to Fairlie: “Last winter it became the exception to see an ambulance or supermarket home delivery vehicle driving on summer tyres. “These are highly sophisticated fleets; managers have

been quick to realise the added benefits of cold weather tyres whenever the temperature drops below 7° Celsius. As a result, they are now switching tyres not simply to guarantee mobility in the event of adverse weather – but as part of a wider road safety and duty of care strategy. “And as more fleets trial high-grip seasonal tyres, take-up in subsequent winters will continue to rise. The UK is mirroring the growth seen in other European countries, such as Holland, a decade ago.” ATS Euromaster says fleets of all shapes and sizes are specifying winter rubber. Recent customers include Councils, leasing companies, logistics operators, building contractors, SMEs and even schools, which opted to fit cold weather tyres to minibuses to ensure maximum safety on the road.

WHY THE HEAT IS ON FOR WINTER RUBBER… Summer might seem like a strange time to be ordering cold weather tyres; but it’s when the majority of high-grip winter fitments are produced. By the time temperatures begin to fall in the autumn, most manufacturers will have reverted back to producing standard ‘summer’ tyres. ATS Euromaster has placed initial orders for more than £10 million of cold weather tyre stocks for winter 2012/2013 – its largest winter tyre order to date. “We’ve been working to assess customer demand early to ensure we order the exact tyres our fleet customers require. “It’s a strategy which is particularly crucial for larger organisations, which may require anything from several hundred to several thousand tyres of a particular brand and size at the same time. You can’t cater for that level of demand without planning ahead.” ATS Euromaster is prepared to place further orders over the coming months to meet additional demand, but Fairlie points out this will be subject to available manufacturing capacity: “If fleets are serious about adopting a winter tyre policy they need to be telling us now,” he concludes.

To pre-order your cold weather tyres visit your local ATS Euromaster centre, call 0845 600 1010 or log on to www.atseuromaster.co.uk

INTERVIEW Mark Ovenden Ford of Britain

Tough choices Ford of Britain managing director, Mark Ovenden, believes the car industry needs to make hard decisions before it returns to health. By Steve Moody. As one of those high-flying global executives US car firms are so good at creating, Mark Ovenden is ideally situated to give a view on how the fleet industry in the UK is affected by issues right round the world. Managing director of Ford of Britain since last summer, Ovenden had previously spent three years in Russia and although British, has that unmistakable transatlantic twang redolent of years of experience among the Detroit powerbrokers. So how does he see the health of the UK industry, and Ford in particular? ‘Well, the economy is what the economy is and the exchange rate is what the exchange rate is and so a bit like footballers we're really focused on taking every game as it comes, and that means month-by-month, quarter-by-quarter and launching great product, and so far this year it’s going well – we’ve really got out of the blocks quickly,’ he says. Ovenden believes that the foundation of success is down to product being very strong, but he reckons Ford still has some work to do on its core fleet car. ‘We’ve not seen the full potential of Focus in Britain yet because last year we were short on diesel engines, but the fact that Europe’s gone a little bit soft and the improving availability of diesel engines means that in Britain we are really able to strengthen Focus’s performance. ‘Whenever new product comes out in Britain it seems to take people a little while to get used to it, and in particular that’s been the case with Focus – the styling is a departure from the old one and it has taken people a while to get used to it, but now they have. And with diesel engines and the petrol Ecoboost coming through now we have plenty of upside potential. So all is good, but only the paranoid survive.’ A top-three selling car – it’s a position most competitors in the volume C-sector hatch market would like to be in. But looking at the market from a wider perspective, Ovenden sees trouble ahead for those with their house not in order. He says: ‘It gets ever more competitive and it always will do. I've been in the market 26 years and it has got more competitive every year and as a result I think the also-ran brands are going to be under a lot of pressure. ‘The Koreans are coming through, and I think the Chinese will come through and what people used to call the premium manufacturers are coming down too, and so it is getting tougher, but that’s the nature of capitalism and we have to make sure we keep turning out very strong products. ‘The benefit of our One Ford strategy now is that we can leverage the strength of Ford globally in each and every market in which we compete. With the pressures on the European market, one of the benefits of Ford being very profitable in the US is that we can continue to invest in the product, where some

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manufacturers who are overly exposed to Europe are going to find it difficult to continue to invest in new product.’ The solution? Hard choices and cutting capacity. Ovenden believes there needs to be a major realignment of the European car manufacturing industry before health will be restored, and that the cuts in production when the recession first hit in 2008 were fairly cursory and short-term. ‘Sometimes we mix it up in a lot of complex stuff but fundamentally it’s economics 101. If you’ve got an industry with 35% overcapacity, until somebody blinks and takes out capacity there’s going to be tremendous downward pressure on margins, because it is just simple supply and demand. ‘In Europe in 2008, not a lot actually happened. If you look at what went on in the States and the measures that Ford and GM took to restore their profitability it was serious cutting and shutting of factories, not just tinkering at the edges. And further back: Ford took a lot of tough decision at the start of the 2000s, ending carmaking at Dagenham for example, which was tough but leaves us in a better situation now. ‘Because if you look at all the capacity being put in all around the world this downward pressure on pricing is going to continue. It’s great news for customers though as they get lots of great choice at great prices. ‘In Europe though, it’s fair to say that no-one else has yet taken those chunky decisions of that nature. One of the challenges is that it must be very hard for domestic manufacturers to cut plants because the governments will have a view and it’s a lot of jobs. But in the end that which can’t go on forever won’t and there will have to be a rationalisation.’ For Ford, with decent margins and strong new product, part of the challenge going forward will be ensuring the fleet product mix is right to improve residual values for the used market. ‘With our Ecoboost petrol engine that delivers all these best-inclass figures from a 1.0-litre unit, I think you will see a move back from diesel in the fleet market, but I don’t think it will be precipitous or sudden because people don’t suddenly change that much. But what you’re aiming to do in fleet is to replicate the natural retail demand because, in the end, all cars are retail cars. ‘If you get a particular model or powertrain into the fleet market that is inconsistent with the natural retail demand when that stuff come into the used market you have to drop residual values. The more flexible and aligned your fleet portfolio, the better.’ With new product such as B-MAX, Kuga and new Transit coming soon, Ford of Britain looks in a decent position, relative to the weakness of the European volume sector, but Ovenden knows there can be no let-up in effort. ‘You almost have to hit home runs on every single product you are bringing out and if anyone stumbles in this market, it’s very hard for them to get up again. It really is that tough.’

“Until somebody blinks and takes out capacity there’s going to be tremendous pressure on margins.”

May 2012

FEATURE To buy or to lease? // Part 18

BUYING POWER

There are many different ways of buying your vehicles. Professor Colin Tourick explains the difference between them. Should you lease or buy? In this column over the last 18 months we have explored many of the issues you need to consider when answering this question, and we’ve covered a lot of ground. Along the way I have mentioned a whole raft of financial products – outright purchase, contract hire, lease purchase, contract purchase, finance lease, hire purchase and so on – without stopping to explain these or to consider their advantages and disadvantages. So that’s what we will be doing in the next few columns.

OUTRIGHT PURCHASE Despite the popularity of other methods

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of acquisition and particularly contract hire, outright purchase is still the favoured acquisition method for around half of business vehicles in the UK, so we need to consider this important method. Companies buy their own vehicles for a variety of reasons. For many, this is simply the approach they have always adopted. Some are suspicious about involving a third party: ‘Surely it must cost more? They have to make a profit too’. Others buy their vehicles because they like the idea of ”ownership” and all that this implies, including the ability to place an asset on their balance sheets and

have complete control of when they sell it. Some like the idea of keeping the full sale proceeds. And some like having a close working relationship with a local car dealer who will look after them and their vehicles should anything go wrong. The move away from outright purchase started decades ago and was hastened by the 1995 VAT changes, which allowed leasing companies to recover VAT on the purchase of new cars. This was not available to most other businesses buying cars for their own use, so the net cost of leasing a car fell relative to buying outright. In the absence of special arrangements

made with a fleet management company, if you buy your own cars you will be fully exposed to movements in the used vehicles market when you come to sell. In other words, you take the residual value risk. Unless your fleet is very large, when you buy your own cars you will not get the same levels of dealer and manufacturer discounts (called ”volume related bonuses”) that leasing companies can attract. These can be significant. Under the current lease accounting rules, when you buy a vehicle you have to show it as an asset (”capitalise it”) on your company balance sheet. If yours is a private company this may be of no consequence to you. However, directors of quoted companies are keen to present their financial statements to shareholders and stock market analysts in the most favourable light possible and worry that if they add assets to the balance sheet they will dilute their published return on assets. However, upcoming lease accounting rule changes are likely to make many companies capitalise almost all assets on their balance sheets, however they are funded. Outright purchase may tie up the working capital your company needs for its normal day-to-day trading activity.

HIRE PURCHASE Hire purchase is defined in SSAP 21 as ‘a contract for the hire of an asset that contains a provision giving the hirer an option to acquire legal title to the asset upon the fulfilment of certain conditions stated in the contract’. Note the use of the word ”hire”. The contract is essentially a hire agreement. You only become the owner if you opt to acquire legal title (ownership) at the end of the agreement. It is not unusual to see hire purchase described as ”lease with option to purchase”. For most people, however, hire purchase is simply a way to buy a vehicle on deferred payment terms, and for this reason the word ”buyer” is normally used to describe the client, rather than ”hirer”, and the payments are usually called ”instalments” or ”payments” rather than ”rentals”. The agreement will give you the option to buy the vehicle for a nominal ”bargain” amount. You pay this to get title, but only if you want to. If you prefer, you could simply pay the instalments and walk away. Unlike conditional sale (see conditional sale agreement), the option to

buy is just that – an option – and not a contractual obligation. Normally, you will pay the option amount and take title. A hire purchase agreement is a financing agreement that gives you all the risks and rewards of ownership from the date of delivery, including residual value risk. Therefore, for accounting purposes, the vehicle has to be shown as an asset on your balance sheet, together with a corresponding liability representing the balance due to the funder, much as if you had financed the vehicle using a loan or a finance lease. In nearly all hire purchase transactions you expect to become the owner. The tax regime recognises this and treats hire purchase as a deferred purchase agreement rather than a hire agreement. Hence, for corporation tax purposes, the vehicle is deemed to belong to you from delivery and you can claim capital allowances as if you had paid for it in full on delivery. The lease rental tax disallowance rules don’t apply to hire purchase payments. For VAT purposes the ”supply” is deemed to have happened at the time of delivery. The funder charges output tax on the sale and you account for input tax on the purchase. The instalments are not subject to VAT, unlike rental or leasing arrangements. HP is widely available from contract hire companies, finance companies and banks and is suitable for borrowers who want to buy vehicles using deferred payments. The advantages of hire purchase are that it is a simple method of finance. You can obtain capital allowances from the date of delivery and you do not suffer a partial lease rental tax disallowance (see earlier articles on tax treatment). The disadvantage of hire purchase is that it is an on balance sheet form of finance (a disadvantage for some) and you retain the residual value risk.

LEASE PURCHASE A lease purchase agreement is exactly the same as a hire purchase agreement except that a balloon instalment is payable at the end of the contract. This reduces the monthly payment and makes it similar to those payable under other finance products that incorporate either balloon payments (e.g. finance leases) or residual values (e.g. non-maintenance contract hire). ”Lease purchase” is a contradiction in terms; it is not a lease, simply a method of deferred purchase. Generally,

the expression ”hire purchase” is used in both commercial and consumer transactions, while ”lease purchase” is reserved for commercial transactions. If the final balloon instalment has been calculated accurately and equals the market value of the vehicle at the end of the lease, the sale proceeds will cover the balloon payment so you will not be left out of pocket at the end of the contract.

CONDITIONAL SALE AGREEMENT A conditional sale agreement allows you to buy a vehicle, subject to meeting all the conditions of the agreement. Unlike hire purchase, with conditional sale you are contractually committed to become the owner of the vehicle once all of the payments have been made. The funder retains title until you have met all of your obligations, then title automatically passes to you. A conditional sale agreement is non-cancellable. There is no need for an ”option-to-purchase” fee to be paid, as title passes automatically when the last payment is made. Conditional sale has all of the advantages of hire purchase. It is agreed in advance that you will complete the purchase of the vehicle. The only (minor) disadvantage is that it compels you to complete the purchase of the vehicle. When conditional sale is the basis for a contract purchase agreement (which we will cover in a later article), this disadvantage is overcome through a separate agreement that allows the funder to take back the vehicle at the end of the contract for a pre-agreed price.

CREDIT SALE Credit sale is yet another form of finance that is very similar to hire purchase or conditional sale, except that here title passes to the customer at the start of the agreement, rather than the end. As this involves the funder giving up the security of ownership of the asset, credit sale was not a common form of finance, but this changed when employee car ownership schemes (ECOS) grew in popularity in the 1990s. Car Benefit in Kind tax rules do not apply if title in the vehicle transfers to the employee. By using credit sale agreements, ownership in ECO schemes transfers to the employee on day one and car benefit tax is avoided. Next month we will start looking at the features, advantages and disadvantages of lease products.

May 2012

What is the number of ﬁlling stations at which the card is accepted?

Is your card single-branded or multi-branded?

Do you provide management reporting?

Do you oﬀer account and database management via the internet?

Does your card oﬀer pan-European coverage?

Do you oﬀer a card to pay for non-fuel items?

Do you oﬀer rebates to major ﬂeet customers?

What types of vehicles do your cards cover?

Do you oﬀer a chip and pin security system?

Do you provide data download into PC-based ﬂeet management systems?

Do you oﬀer a facility for splitting business and private mileage?

Do you charge a card fee?

Do you oﬀer a non-pump price agreement?

MARKET OVERVIEW Fuel Management

BP Plus Fuel Cards

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Multi

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6.5k

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6k+

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*A card fee may be payable in certain cases.

BP Plus Fuel Cards

Esso Card

The BP PLUS Fuel Card offers the UK’s best combination of price, network, security and management information. BP offer competitive and flexible pricing and can help improve a customer’s cash flow with interest free credit (subject to status). Customers enjoy access to over 1 in 3 forecourts in the UK, including BP’s own unrivalled motorway and extensive A-road network. BP PLUS fuel cards have been designed to minimise fraud with individual driver PIN numbers, automatic alerts of unusual card use and online authorisation. BP PLUS Online Services helps to save time and money on routine fleet administration and enables customers to monitor and control fuel spend.

Esso offers a range of cards and pricing options that can be specifically tailored to meet the needs of your business. This includes accessing your fuel card account online 24/7. Esso Card can be used at about 2,000 sites nationwide and 15,000 sites across Europe. Esso Card’s enhanced card security and the availability of your latest online transactions provides peace of mind. Esso’s Energy Fuels help improve your engines performance and help improve fuel economy, so if you are looking for quality fuel and a secure easy to use platform, make your life easier by choosing Esso Card.

Contact: BP Fuel Cards Sales Team bpplus@uk.bp.com

Tel: 0845 603 0723 www.bpplus.co.uk

The Fuelcard Company UK Ltd

Contact: Bryan Glazier, Sales Manager UK & Ireland Tel: 0800 626672 bryan.j.glazier@exxonmobil.com www.essocard.com

The Fuelcard People

As one of the largest commercial fuel card resellers in the UK, The Fuelcard Company enjoys partnerships with most large fuelling networks including Shell, Esso, Texaco and Keyfuels. This means we have a total of over 6,000 UK sites where our cards are accepted. As experts in our field, we have a wealth of experience in delivering tailored and competitive solutions to better manage business fleets of all sizes. In addition to our first-class customer service, our online account management allows access to all your account transactions 24 hours, 7 days a week.

If you’re a fleet manager, you’ll like The Fuelcard People. You’ll enjoy a faster, better service from our dedicated team. Simply call us, tell us about your refuelling needs and our comparison of every major brand will find the discount fuel card that offers you the best deal. Personal service is all part of having the right card to keep your costs as low as possible. You can only find that with somebody independent who offers BP, Esso, Shell, Texaco, Total, Diesel Direct and UK Fuels. If you don’t enjoy being treated like just another faceless customer, do something about it.

Tel: 0845 270 6214 info@fuelcards.co.uk

Contact: Sean Webb info@thefuelcardpeople.co.uk

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www.fuelcards.co.uk

Tel: 0844 870 9856 www.ﬂeet-fuelsavings.co.uk

A whole new online interactive experience! Designed specifically for the web, EV Fleet World is a dynamic all-new, interactive digital magazine. Subscribe for free at fleetworldsubscriptions.co.uk to receive your monthly issue, direct to your inbox.

Issue 004

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EV NEWS

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HIGHLIGHTS

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S E LLI N G

CAP launches real-time RV data service CAP has launched a real-time online valuation guide which reflects residual value changes as they are identified, aimed at giving users more accurate information than the printed monthly price guides allow. Black Book Live is still managed by a team of editors, and will be offered alongside the company’s printed guides. It uses a new database system, which also allows CAP to produce the monthly Black Book with a more recent residual value “snapshot” than before. Editors will add comments to show when a value has been updated online. The system went live at the start of May, initially for cars but with a commercial vehicle version planned. Fleet World asked CAP how the system would work for sellers and vendors: How will valuations in Black Book Live differ from current CAP used car valuations? Current CAP used car valuations are published on a monthly basis. Valuations in Black Book Live will change as soon as sufficient evidence is gathered to indicate that the market value of a vehicle has changed. Will values change on a daily basis? This is extremely unlikely. Valuations will only be adjusted when sufficient evidence is gathered from the marketplace to provide a sound basis for changing the published valuation for a vehicle. Will published values be adjusted automatically by the Black Book Live system? No. A team of editors will use their own market expertise to investigate pricing evidence for all model ranges, as they do at present. Only when an editor is satisfied that sufficient evidence is available to justify a price alteration will a published value be altered. Why is that? Much of CAP’s pricing evidence from the marketplace is formed of “raw transaction” data received from auctions. CAP’s research policy is to use this as a basis for additional investigation rather than a basis for automatic adjustments. This is because a clearer understanding of the disposal circumstances is necessary, including vehicle condition and specification and volumes at individual sales, before adjusting a published price. Will ‘CAP Clean’ be retained as a benchmark? Yes. CAP Clean is a unique and vitally important independent benchmark for both parties in a transaction, and will remain the industry standard for valuing vehicles that meet specific condition and other criteria. Will all values change over the course of a month? Almost certainly, yes, on the basis of evidence gathered. Where sufficient volumes of data and strong anecdotal/interpretive evidence exists, values will be adjusted more often, where appropriate. A snapshot of the Black Book Live system will be taken to establish prices for monthly valuation products.

Aston Barclay opens Leeds site Aston Barclay Group has completed work on its fourth auction site, a multi-million pound facility in Leeds, with the ﬁrst Friday Fleet Sale to take place on the 11th May. Supported by companies including Motability, Alphabet, Leasedrive, Ogilvie and Zenith, the opening event will feature over 250 cars. The former Motor Auctions Leeds site has been redeveloped by the Group, and will initially host two sales per week.

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HOT... Jaguar XF The first 2012 XF models are going through auction, and attracting premiums of over £2,000 compared to the pre-facelift version.

Skoda estates With a diesel engine, Skoda’s estates are generating high interest at auction. Particularly the cavernous Superb and sporty Octvia vRS TDI.

Volkswagen Transporter Range-wide values are unstable, but Kombi or window van variants of the Transporter are selling well.

NOT... High CO2 vehicles Petrol SUVs and low-value sports cars are suffering due to high tax costs, which make running costs unattainable for their target buyer.

Citroen Berlingo The market is saturated with Berlingo models, so there’s plenty of choice. As a result, values are down 3% this month.

Autopilot options Expensive accident avoidance systems don’t appear to be worth much on the second hand market. Avoid them to maximise RVs.

RISK MANAGEMENT

A safe investment in tough times Mel Dawson The UK may be officially back in recession, but fleet investment in road risk management is more pertinent than ever. Mel Dawson, sales director of ALD Automotive, looks at how solutions, such as ALD’s award-winning DriveSafe suite of risk management products, should play a key role in a firm’s fleet policy, and how they can lead to significant cost saving.

“ ALD currently operates a policy of zero accident involvement”

t 0870 0011181 e ukinfo@aldautomotive.com w www.aldautomotive.co.uk

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The news that the UK is officially into a double-dip recession will put fleets under renewed pressure to reduce spending. Before taking any knee-jerk reaction, however, it’s worth considering the areas where additional spending can actually result in cost savings. Road risk management is a prime example. Although some fleets may consider cutting back on road risk management measures during this period, such a move is very likely to end up actually costing them more. There are many other reasons for having a comprehensive road risk policy in place, however, rather than simply to reduce cost. Fundamentally, there’s a wealth of legislation that means it is incumbent upon employers to ensure the safety of their staff undertaking any form of driving for work-related reasons. There’s also the moral and social responsibility argument of taking action on road safety, with the attendant benefits to the company’s CSR. But for fleet managers looking to put together an even more compelling case to the Board, there’s also the economic savings involved. These range from the more obvious reductions in accidents and vehicle repairs to ‘hidden’ cost savings, such as improved fuel consumption, reduced wear and tear, a reduction in lost staff time, less administration, and even a possible cut in insurance premiums. Clearly, there are a number of key reasons why firms should invest – and continue to invest – in road risk management. Another important decision lies in choosing the right road risk management partner to work with to ensure you are benefiting from the latest solutions and expertise. Long before the Corporate Manslaughter Act 2007, ALD Automotive had adopted a safe driving culture internally, and we had already integrated work-related road safety into our general approach to Health & Safety and environmental matters. As a result we currently operate a policy of zero accident involvement. Using this internal experience of running a risk reduction programme, we developed a series of risk management solutions for our customers to help them better manage their own duty of care to drivers, and this conclud-

ed in the launch of our DriveSafe Solutions product portfolio. The DriveSafe menu-driven suite of risk management services includes: • Licence checks • Driver profiling • Safety workshops • Driver training • Vehicle maintenance • Accident management • Journey profiling • Grey fleet management • Tyre safety • Insurance checks Extending this commitment to road risk management for all employees who drive on business, we also offer CARRS (Car Allowance Road Risk Solution), a service specifically targeted at employees who take a cash alternative. Our initiatives in road risk management have been recognised and awarded in a number of ways over the years. Recently we were acknowledged for our proactive management of work-related road risk by becoming a ‘business champion’ under the Governmentbacked Driving for Better Business campaign run by RoadSafe. And we were delighted to be given the accolade of Fleet Service Company of the Year in the 2011 ACFO awards. Our latest award sees us scoop the Fleet Management Service title in this year’s Fleet World Honours, with the judges having praised the DriveSafe programme and its expert all-embracing approach to corporate road safety. It’s an award we’re delighted to accept, but far from resting on our laurels, we will continue to improve and develop our knowledge and processes in occupational road risk policy to ensure that both our own business drivers and those employed by our customers, benefit from the latest initiatives and thinking. For further details on how ALD Automotive can work with companies to develop a road risk management programme, contact us on 0870 0011181 or visit www.aldautomotive.co.uk

May 2012

FLEET UPDATE

This month Paltry postcodes in the Kia, a nail in the Scenic and a fight over the Jag’s keys....

Ford Mondeo Zetec 1.6 EcoBoost

Kia Optima 2 Tech 1.7 CRDi

That Great British institution, the weather, has not been doing the Mondeo’s fuel consumption much good of late. As the summer weather we have endured for the past couple of years returns, drought or no drought, roads awash and strong winds have conspired to bring consumption to around 36mpg at the moment. I’ve also had a fair bit of motorway cruising which probably doesn’t help either. Model launches, the EV & Low CO 2 Fleet Show at Silverstone, plus the CV Show have all helped to keep the Mondeo busy and there’s no let up on the horizon. The motorway miles have helped to nudge the mileage reading past 8,000 and it’s as quiet and smooth as the day it was delivered. Attending the recent Ranger pickup launch, Ford’s PR chief Tim Holmes asked how the Mondeo was going and I mentioned a couple of instances where the car had apparently dropped out of cruise control for no obvious reason. A quarter of an hour with the press garage laptop had the Mondeo’s on-board computers re-booted, a reminder of how reliant we are on smart electronics to keep moving now. I’ve had no recurrence since, so either I was pressing a wrong button and I’ve stopped doing it, or maybe there was a programming issue that has now been resolved. I have never travelled for any distance without a map before, but I find I’m putting too much trust in the Mondeo’s very effective sat-nav system. A postcode is all it needs to take me door-to-door, but I feel as though I’m asking for trouble and must get my hands on an atlas, just in case. The system senses traffic flow too and will warn of holdups on your planned route and come up with an alternative if you want, although experience tells me that’s not worth doing in rush hour.

Crunching some numbers for the Optima, it’s clear someone’s been very clever at Kia and got the financial package right for fleets. For a start, it’s good value, which helps. In the gadgetlaiden Tech 2 trim, we’ve got all basic kit ticked off as standard. Bluetooth, satellite navigation, cruise control, comfortable half leather seats and a spacious, wellappointed cabin are all pleasing things to find on the list of factory equipment. It bodes well that the Kia is no longer at the back of the pack on depreciation – now slightly ahead of the Insignia at 27% vs 25% according to CAP figures. And while it’s not class-leading at 129g/km, it beats the Mondeo and the difference in terms of fuel efficiency and Benefit in Kind taxation can be absorbed slightly by its competitive pricing. Insurance costs are the lowest of the lot, too. Were it not for the high residual values of the Passat 2.0 TDI BlueMotion Technology stealing the lead, it would just have clinched the best cost per mile of the pack. But while this doesn’t add up to a streets-ahead win for the Optima, it does at least mean drivers who like the looks needn’t be put off by ongoing costs. As a stylish option in what can be a bland sector, Kia’s first serious D-segment offering has looks, spec and cost on its side – it’s a great foundation for future generations. However, there’s one thing the Optima doesn’t have, and that’s the last two letters of a postcode. In the sat nav you can only punch in, say, AL4 0, rather than AL4 0JJ. This is fine in some instances, but if a postal area is stretched out over hill and down vale you can be miles from your destination, as I found to my cost when a five mile journey from Silverstone to our hotel the day before the EV Fleet Show took 45 minutes. Still, I saw some nice villages as I wandered about lost...

Alex Grant

John Kendall

OTR PRICE £20,845 POWER 160bhp @ 5,750rpm

OTR PRICE £21,695 POWER 134bhp @ 4,000rpm

TORQUE 117lb.ft @ 4,000rpm 0-62MPH 9.6 seconds

TORQUE 239lb.ft @ 2,000-2,500rpm 0-62MPH 10.2 seconds

TOP SPEED 130mph COMBINED MPG 44.1mpg

TOP SPEED 125mph COMBINED MPG 57.6mpg

CO2 149g/km (19% BiK)

CO2 128g/km (19% BiK)

fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Jaguar XF 2.2 Diesel Portfolio With such a strong spirit of ”share and share alike” among the Fleet World road test team the time has come for me to hand over the keys of our Jaguar XF long-termer to motoring editor Alex Grant – albeit only for a couple of days. We see our way through a huge range of cars during the course of a year and, not surprisingly, some are more sought after than others. The XF is without doubt one of the more desirable vehicles to pass our way recently and while the 190PS 2.2-litre diesel doesn’t have the muscle or refinement of the 3.0-litre V6 diesel, the lower tax bill gives it a greater relevance to fleet and its power and torque figures are still pretty impressive. Equally impressive is the smoothness of the eight-speed automatic transmission which is both responsive and seamless. Most of my journeys involve countless, mindnumbingly boring motorway miles which give little opportunity to try out the sequential shift selector on the gearbox. But it proves itself to be well worthwhile on the few back roads I have to negotiate and is a feature of which I wholly approve. The XF comes with a stop/start function which can be a little over eager to cut in (or out, depending on your point of view). For reasons of road testing integrity I’ve not disabled it but were it to be my car for several years I might be sorely tempted to do so. I will probably jinx myself by saying this but I would also do away with the heated windscreen – a £275 option fitted to our car – as I have calculated that the slight distortion of oncoming headlamps at night is a greater inconvenience than the occasional frosty screen. Cue the unseasonably icy polar winds. Other very worthwhile extras are the blind spot monitor (£460) and the rear parking camera (£500) which might preserve a motorcyclist’s life and your rear lights respectively.

Ross Durkin

Renault Grand Scenic dCi 110 EDC Auto

A rogue nail in the nearside rear tyre of the Grand Scenic on a stretch of busy road has recently caused me to reassess my personal priorities when it comes to optional extras on fleet cars. Up until now, my main requirements have been parking sensors – particularly as I have seen far too many newish cars being driven into bins/kerbs/walls lately – and sat nav. The Renault’s Carminat version has some good features and is budget-orientated whether specified as part of a trim or as an option. However, the puncture on the Grand Scenic has now led me to add a spare tyre to my list of requirements. This is increasingly just an option on many cars including the Renault and although the AA patrol guy who turned up to change my tyre said the supplied can of foam would have worked in my case, it was a relief not to have to worry about that nor have any further delays. And whilst on the subject of optional extras, one of my ”nice to haves” is a panoramic sunroof. On the Grand Scenic this two-part version costs £620 and features electric controls to open the front half. I know air con has largely made opening sunroofs less popular but I’ve found it useful to have. The sunblinds also render it more practical, particularly for kids. However, as a result of having the sunroof we lose out on the ”child minder mirror”, which would have been useful but I’d rather have the sunroof to be honest. One area where I’m not faring so well is the fuel consumption. The official combined is 60.1mpg, but I’ve only managed to get my average figure up to 37.8 and the Fleet World team didn’t fare much better whilst also testing the car, despite doing some longer journeys. Hopefully the facelifted model’s 1.5 dCi 110 Stop & Start with its 68.9mpg performs better in real-world conditions.

Natalie Wallis

OTR PRICE £43,050 POWER 188bhp @ 3,500rpm

OTR PRICE £22,300 POWER 108bhp @ 4,000rpm

TORQUE 332lb.ft @ 2,000rpm 0-62MPH 8.0 seconds

TORQUE 177lb.ft @ 1,750rpm 0-62MPH 13.3 seconds

TOP SPEED 140mph COMBINED MPG 52.3mpg

TOP SPEED 112mph COMBINED MPG 60.1mpg

CO2 149g/km (23% BiK in 2012-13)

CO2 124g/km (18% BiK)

May 2012

FLEET UPDATE

Audi A6 Avant 2.0 TDI SE manual

As you might have seen, we drove a niche version of our long term A6 Avant this month, in the form of the Allroad, and I think the existence of the two side-byside are a fine lesson on why Audi is such an incredibly successful business. The Allroad is built on the same line as our A6 Avant, so there are few on-costs in production terms, and obviously it has a handily big profit margin in each unit. But where Audi has also been very clever is at the back end. The residual values are very high – if you bought the outgoing Allroad now it would still be worth more than our equivalent new generation, standard A6 Avant in three years’ time. A lot of Audi’s success is down to the way it manages its portfolio, using niche models like this to spread residual value risk across products. If you think the fleet buyer with around £40,000 to spend has a choice of an Allroad, a Q7, Q5, A5 Sportback , A7and the A6 Avant, then you are going to get diversity, and so not too much of one thing coming back in three or four years and depressing prices. So the fleet or leasing company can sell these cars into the used market at a good price, dealers get a good secondhand product with decent margins (and because of the inherent health of the business, getting good funding rates to buy them too), and Audi gets to increase its volumes in ever more incredible numbers without exposing itself to too much risk on any one model. It’s a virtuous circle that Audi manages better than any other premium brand, which is why our A6 Avant is so immensely popular.

Volkswagen Tiguan Sport 2.0 TDI 4Motion Despite a recent facelift and ignoring the bizarre Golf Country of the Eighties, the Tiguan is Volkswagen’s first foray into the crossover segment. But it’s a year now since this first-generation car was refreshed and it’s likely the next phase of its evolution is already in the pipeline, which makes me wonder what’s in store for the globally successful model. Efficiency will certainly be among the top considerations. It’s more efficient post-refresh, but the sub-120g/km crossover is very much a reality, with Nissan, Mazda and likely the forthcoming Ford Kuga coming under this figure in front-wheel drive form. The lowest-emitting Tiguan isn’t exactly class leading at 139g/km. If recent concepts are anything to go by, hybrid technology must be under consideration. The Cross Coupe concept, based on the next Golf platform, uses a petrol or diesel engine with electric motors front and rear to give four wheel drive. This, surely, must give some hint of what’s to come from the Mk2 Tiguan. Cost is still an issue, of course, but if it could offer sub-95g/km CO2 emissions it would fend off future Benefit in Kind hikes without alienating core buyers. Despite the tax penalties, it seems Tiguan gets used properly. Some 80% of buyers of the most popular 138bhp 2.0 TDI add four-wheel drive – an all-wheel drive hybrid system would allow them to do so without being stung on tax or fuel economy. We’ll probably be driving the Mk3 Tiguan before this becomes the core choice, but for compact crossovers with occasional off-road use, hybrid technology could offer some very competitive efficiency figures. Peugeot’s 3008 may be there first, but it’s unlikely to be the last.

Alex Grant

Steve Moody

OTR PRICE £32,100 POWER 175bhp @ 4,200rpm

OTR PRICE £24,370 POWER 138bhp @ 4,200rpm

TORQUE 280lb.ft @ 1,750-2,500rpm 0-62MPH 9.0 seconds

TORQUE 236lb.ft @ 1,750-2,500rpm 0-62MPH 10 seconds

TOP SPEED 138mph COMBINED MPG 56.5mpg

TOP SPEED 120mph COMBINED MPG 53.3mpg

CO2 132g/km (19% BiK)

CO2 139g/km (21% BiK)

fleetworldgroup.co.uk

FLEETW RLD AUCTIONS & REMARKETING

ACCIDENT MANAGEMENT

BCA Tel: 0845 600 66 44 www.british-car-auctions.co.uk

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

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY DAILY RENTAL White Clarke Automotive Solutions Tel: 0870 787 2211

FLEET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

RISK MANAGEMENT

cfc solutions Tel: 0121 717 7444 www.cfcsolutions.co.uk

Peak Performance Tel: 01246 244200 www.peakperformance.net

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

Cardinus Risk Management Tel: 01733 426015

www.whiteclarkegroup.com

VEHICLE DATA

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

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

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

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

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

DRIVER LICENCE CHECKING

FAST-FITS & TYRES

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

ATS Euromaster Tel: 0121 325 8842 www.atseuromaster.co.uk

Leasedrive Rental Management Tel: 0844 579 8877 www.leasedrive.com

White Clarke Group Tel: 01908 576 605 www.whiteclarkegroup.com

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

www.cardinusfleet.com

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

AA DriveTech Tel: 01256 495732 www.AAdrivetech.com/fleetsafe DriveTech

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

Europcar Tel: 01923 811250 www.europcar.co.uk

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

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

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

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

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

RAC Risk Management Tel: 0870 606 2606

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

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

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

Drive Software Solutions Tel: 01438 317731

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

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

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

CBVC Vehicle Management Tel: 01283 509177 www.cbvc.co.uk

Tel: 0800 085 4128 www.lexautolease.co.uk

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

CONTRACT HIRE, LEASING & FINANCE

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

Lex Autolease

The leading magazine for fleet decision-makers

January 2012

DIARY DATE

FLEETW RLD

18/4/2012 Visit evfleetshow.co.uk for more information and to register for the event

inside Seoul Searching

Leasing trends

Hyundai plans major fleet push

Is the contract hire industry due more change?

Stars of 2012 Featuring all the essential new cars launched this year

Roadmarque Tel: 0845 053 0331 www.roadmarque.com

Full listings online at fleetworldgroup.co.uk

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

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

www.drivesoftwaresolutions.com

www.racfleetriskmanagement.co.uk

TELEMATICS & TRACKING

Leasedrive Tel: 01344 466 466 www.leasedrive.com

The Fuelcard People Tel: 0844 870 9856 www.fleet-fuelsavings.co.uk

Trakm8 Tel: 01747 858 444 www.trakm8.com

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

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

BP PLUS Fuel Cards Tel: 0845 603 0723 www.bpplus.co.uk

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

Quartix Ltd Tel: 0870 013 6663 www.quartix.net

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

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

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

Telogis Tel: 01344 747638 www.telogis.co.uk

driving towards lower fleet emissions

May 2012

VAN FLEETW RLD May 2012

fleetworldgroup.co.uk

‘NV400 is a very good van and with the backing of an increasing business centre network deserves to do well.’

May 2012

A MONTH IN FLEET A skip through the key news and events since the last issue of VAN Fleet World. Edited by John Kendall. Sign up to our FREE digital magazine Fleet World Confidential... visit fleetworldsubscriptions.co.uk

FORD TRANSIT CUSTOM UNVEILED AT THE CV SHOW, RWD AND NEW TRANSIT CONNECT DUE AUTUMN Ford is to launch two separate Transit models over the coming months, reflecting the differing needs of customers in the one-tonne and two-tonne van sectors. The Transit Custom, unveiled at the CV Show in Birmingham, will take on the lighter end of the market. Available with front-wheel-drive only, the Transit Custom is powered by 100hp, 125hp and 155hp versions of Ford’s 2.2-litre TDCi Duratorq engine, driving through a six-speed manual gearbox. Auto Start/Stop is standard on all models, with Ford claiming an average 8% improvement in fuel economy and emissions reduction. ECOnetic models will also be offered for additional economy and emissions savings. There are short and long wheelbase versions of the Transit Custom, each available as a panel van or a kombi with a second row of seats. A full minibus is also available along with a Tourneo people carrier. A full steel bulkhead is standard on all van models. However, the firm says that 8’ x 4’ sheets can be carried either standing up or laying down in even the shortest body, while a load through feature below the passenger seat allows pipes and ladders up to 3.0m long to be carried in the short model. ESP and Ford’s Torque Vectoring Control are standard, while inside the vehicle, driver and passenger airbags as well as seat-mounted thorax airbags are part of the standard kit. Curtain airbags for front passengers are on the options list, along with lane alert systems and rear view cameras. The larger Transit model, which will be oﬀered in both front and rear drive and will be sold in North America (in rear-wheel-drive only), will be unveiled at this year’s Hanover Show in September. Ford has announced that the long-awaited replacement for the current Transit Connect will also make its ﬁrst appearance at the German show. Indeed Ford has committed to completely refresh its entire commercial vehicle line-up in Europe by 2014.

fleetworldgroup.co.uk

CONFIDENTIAL

ISUZU D-MAX REPLACES RODEO Isuzu has launched a revised pick-up range, dropping the UKonly Rodeo name in favour of the European D-Max brand. Both 215mm longer and with a 50mm wider track, the D-Max comes in single, extended and double cab models, with both 4x2 and 4x4 drivetrains available. All models are powered by a twin-turbocharged 2.5-litre Euro5 engine, delivering 163hp and 400Nm of torque. Offering as much power as the previous 3.0-litre motor, Isuzu claims up to 38.2mpg is possible. Drive is through a standard six-speed manual gearbox or an optional five-speed automatic. Changing between two and fourwheel drive is possible on the go, at speeds up to 60mph. Prices start at £14,499 plus the VAT for the single cab 4x2, rising to £21,499 for the top specification 4x4 double-cab.

CHINESE PICKUP MAKES UK DEBUT Vehicle distribution ﬁrm IM Group now has two pick-up lines on oﬀer, as Chinese manufacturer Great Wall unveils its Steed 4x4 truck. Available solely as a 4x4 double-cab, the Steed is powered by a 2.0-litre diesel putting out 143hp and driving through a six-speed manual gearbox. There are two trim levels – S and SE. However, even the base S models come loaded with heated leather seats, Bluetooth, air-con, alloys and an alarm. Upgrade to the SE and you’ll get a hard top for the pick-up bed, a load liner, reverse parking sensors, roof rails and plenty of chrome. With promised fuel consumption of 34mpg, the Steed S sells for £13,998, while the SE goes for £15,998.

PEUGEOT LAUNCHES ATV PARTNER AND EXPERT Peugeot has introduced an optional ATV package to its full Partner and Expert line-ups. The ATV vans come with selectable Grip Control, essentially a clever electronic differential and braking system that provides added grip on slippery terrain. The vans also get additional ride height, chunkier tyres and protective under-run panels. The ATV pack costs around £500, which is considerably less than opting for a full 4x4 vehicle for those fleets that require occasional all-terrain capabilities. Also on show, though only a mock-up at present, was a Partner Electric. The real thing won’t arrive until the middle of next year, and Peugeot is keeping quiet on actual specification, but Renault is not going to have the electric high-cube market to itself for long.

VAN OPERATIONS Racking Systems

Sortimo sheds the pounds Are composites the lightweight answer for racking? Sortimo reckons it is and the price is right... Racking specialist Sortimo International is delivering the Holy Grail of racking, increased strength and durability with a big weight saving, through what it claims is the first composite van racking system on the market. Called Globelyst C, the composite shelving offers all the strength of the firm’s Globelyst M steel and aluminium racking, but with a system weight saving of up to 20%. Globelyst C uses the same aluminium frame as the recently launched Globelyst M, but with extruded composite shelving. This allows customers the opportunity to mix and match components to suit their operation. Weight saving is not the only benefit of a composite material. The shelving is both water and battery acid resistant. It is also very strong. Normally a Sortimo steel shelf would be expected to carry around 80kg in a racking system. Globelyst C has been tested to loads of more than 300kg without any concerns, even though individual shelves weigh up to 40% less than a comparable steel shelf. Sortimo has developed the composite manufacturing process with the help of the Fraunhofer-Institute for Chemical Technology. The firm has invested €10 million (£8.3m) in a pultrusion plant and a new composite production building at its Zusmarshausen headquarters in Germany. The production line can create a range of composite profiles that can be used as shelving and other components. The company already has plans to install a second and possibly a third pultrusion machine to provide continuous production as demand grows. ”I think in the first year composite Globelyst C could account for just 10% of our production,” says UK sales and marketing director Chris Jones. ”But in two or three years I can see that as much as 40% could be composite.” The pultrusion machine takes fibre

fleetworldgroup.co.uk

composite from up to 330 bobbins, along with a weave of six fibre mats. This is fed into the pultrusion die, where resin is injected and compressed under controlled heating. The process produces a continuous run of composite shelving, at a rate of 1m per minute, which is then cut into useable lengths as it is produced. ”Sortimo is entering uncharted territory in the industry with the start of mass production for fibre composite technology,” says chief executive officer Reinhold Braun. ”Globelyst M was an evolution, but Globelyst C is a revolution. Though fibre composites are considerably more expensive than metal parts, we invest in futureproof technology. The additional costs can only be compensated through integral construction and lean processing.” However, Mr Jones is only expecting around a 5-10% premium for the Globelyst C shelving compared to the Globelyst M system, and he says even that difference may be reduced as production volume increases. ”We are seen as a premium brand and we’re not the cheapest racking, but over the life time of the product we will be

more cost effective,” he says. Despite a severe global slowdown, Sortimo has been experiencing strong growth in many countries. In the UK Sortimo experienced an increase of 30% during 2011, and Mr Jones predicts a similar rate of expansion this year. ”We’ve just hired more people for installations and for the office, and we’re looking to increase sales too,” he says. Given that racking systems often outlast their first vehicle installation, this shows an increased customer base as well as repeat business. ”We see a lot of second life with our product. We provide a three year warranty, but life expectancy is 10-12 years,” says Mr Jones. Customers often return to have their racking system moved to new vans after four or five years. This is one area where the modular design pays dividends, as it is possible to reconfigure the racking system to fit a different van body if required. What has changed through the downturn though, is that many companies are also downsizing their vehicles, swapping from a two-tonne van to a one-tonne for example, or from a midweight to a high-cube compact. This is where the lighter weight of Globelyst C system will pay dividends, as it provides customers with a greater potential payload for a smaller van. ”A lot of fleet buyers are interested in their CO2 emissions and the only way they can achieve that is to go with a smaller vehicle,” he says. ”For that you need a lighter system.” Fleet managers are increasingly concentrating on occupant safety, under Duty of Care regulations, leading more companies to turn to van racking solutions. With the combination of proven Globelyst M, and the new lighter Globelyst C, Sortimo looks ready for continued future growth.

35% MORE AFFORDABLE THAN A DIESEL*. TIME TO SWITCH.

With diesel prices at an all-time high, isn’t it time you switched? The 100% electric Renault Kangoo Van Z.E. is now eligible for the new Plug-in-Van government grant, meaning prices start from just £13,592 excluding VAT and On The Road charges. And with lower running costs, zero road tax and exemption from the Congestion Charge, it’s up to 35% more affordable to own than an equivalent diesel van (10% if you operate outside London). Oh, did we mention it’s also International Van of the Year and What Van? Van of the Year 2012? To find out more, visit renault.co.uk/kangooze or visit your local dealer.

DRIVE THE CHANGE Business users only *Saving is based on 4 years and 10,000 miles per year. For full details of saving calculation please refer to renault.co.uk/kangooze Battery hire cost for 4 years and 10,000 miles per annum at £67 per month (excluding VAT). Official range of 106 miles according to the NEDC combined cycle. From price, after 20% Plug in Van grant deduction, starts from £13,592 plus VAT, delivery (£595) and first registration fee (£55). Vehicles are covered by a warranty package for up to 48 months. The first 2 years are unlimited mileage, followed by a further 2 years up to 100,000 miles. Please see the warranty terms and conditions (renault.co.uk/warranty) for further details. Servicing offer covers cars for 4 years or 48,000 miles and vans (excluding the Debut range) for 4 years or 80,000 miles, whichever comes first. Services must be carried out in line with the manufacturer’s minimum maintenance programme requirements and servicing intervals, and can only be carried out at a Renault Approved outlet. Renault Assistance Roadside Cover is provided in association with the AA. Cover from month 0 to 36 includes assistance at the roadside and home, national recovery, onward travel and European cover. Cover from month 37 to 48 includes Roadside and Homestart (including a local tow to an authorised Renault dealer). The provider of this cover is the Automobile Association Limited. For Finance, guarantees and indemnities may be required. You must be at least 18 and a UK resident (excluding the Isle of Man and Channel Islands) to apply. Finance provided by RCI Financial Services Limited, PO Box 149, Watford WD17 1FJ. Available at participating dealers only. Not available in conjunction with any other schemes or finance offers, please check with your local dealer for information. Offers are available to retail and business customers (but exclude fleet customers with own terms), and are valid on new vehicles, at point of new vehicle registration, when ordered from 1st February 2012 until further notice. Visit renault.co.uk/4plus

DRIVEN

Nissan NV400 SE

Words Dan Gilkes

specification MODEL BASIC PRICE

Nissan NV400 SE £23,695

ENGINE FUEL INJECTION POWER TORQUE

4-cyl/2,298cc Common-rail

123bhp @ 3,500rpm 229lb.ft @ 1,250 – 2,500rpm

Weights (kg) GVW

3,500

KERB WEIGHT PAYLOAD

1,880 1,620

MAX TRAILER WEIGHT Dimensions (mm)

2,500

LOAD SPACE LENGTH LOAD SPACE WIDTH

3,083 1,765

LOAD SPACE HEIGHT WIDTH between wheel arches

1,894 1,380

LOAD HEIGHT (unladen) 562 LOAD VOLUME 10.8m3 Cost considerations FUEL TANK CAPACITY 105 litres COMBINED MPG 34.5mpg CO2 emissions 218g/km OIL CHANGE 2 yr/25,000 miles WARRANTY 3 yr/100,000 miles

fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Despite being a fairly crowded marketplace, the large van sector doesn’t actually have that many individual vans in it. True, Ford only makes the Transit for its own consumption, likewise Iveco with Daily. But VW and Mercedes share the Crafter/Sprinter chassis, the Sevel trio of Fiat, Citroen and Peugeot have Ducato, Relay and Boxer, while Renault and Vauxhall make use of basically the same van in the shape of Master and Movano. Now you can add a third marque to that last pairing, as Renault’s alliance partner Nissan finally gets its hands on the big van chassis, grafting on its own corporate front end to produce the NV400. To be fair, the Nissan grille and lights look like they were designed to be there from the start and the NV400 is a handsome van. You get all the usual models, so a choice of front and rear drive, multiple body lengths and roof heights and gross weights up to 4.5 tonnes. The vans are powered by a choice of three 2.3 litre dCi engines, pushing out 100hp, 125hp or 150hp, all of which drive through a six-speed manual gearbox. A six-speed automated manual is available as an £800 option on the mid-range 125hp models in both front and rear drive. Nissan is also coming to market now with a number of conversions and chassis cabs, further extending the options available. As with other models in the range, Nissan tends towards a fairly high specification, to put some clear air between itself and the other two suppliers of the van. You can have your NV400 in E or SE specification, though the E is only available on 100hp front drive models, so is really an entry-level van. The SE level that we have here, gets you ESP on both front and rear drive models, unlike some competitors who still have the safety system on the options list on front drive vans. You also get standard superlocking, rear parking sensors and a driver’s airbag. Inside the cab drivers will be pleased to see that Bluetooth is standard, along with powered win-

dows and mirrors. You also get cruise control and a trip computer, along with a Radio/CD with Aux input. The clever folding centre seat with built-in rotating tabletop also comes as part of the SE trim. Our 125hp front drive test vehicle was also fitted with a comfort pack of air conditioning, front fog lights and a pollen filter for the cab (£750), along with Nissan Connect by TomTom sat-nav (£650), metallic paint (£350) and carpet mats (£35). All in, that takes the standard on the road price of £23,960 up to a total of £25,745, excluding the VAT. With a 3,682mm wheelbase and that high roof, the internal load volume of our test van was a useful 10.8m3, while the available payload including driver tips the scales at 1,620kg. Despite that substantial footprint, the NV400 is easy to drive through city traffic and makes light work of country roads too. It is also an accomplished motorway companion, the high riding stance providing good visibility above the traffic in front. It is also a very quiet van, the cruise control reducing driver effort over longer journeys. Indeed everything in the cab has been well thought out to make life easier for the driver, with plenty of well-positioned storage, easily accessible controls and a comfortable driver’s seat with armrest. Running costs are acceptable, with Nissan claiming a combined fuel figure of 34.45mpg. Trips to the dealer come every 25,000 miles or two years, and you get three years/100,000 miles of warranty. Nissan has big plans for its LCVs and the NV400 should help to push the company into new fleets. Certainly being able to offer up to date vans across the whole range now will help.

verdict NV400 is a good very van. With the backing of an expanding business centre network, it deserves to do well. Nissan is aiming for around 80 business centres across the UK, 20 more than last year.

VAN

MARKET OVERVIEW Short-term Rental How many commercial vehicles does your company operate?

How many rental locations does your company have?

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

Do you oﬀer a delivery/ collection service for vans?

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

Do you oﬀer an on-line management reporting facility?

Do you oﬀer vans ﬁtted with satellite navigation systems?

Do you oﬀer vans ﬁtted with tail-lifts?

Do you oﬀer refrigerated vehicles?

Do you oﬀer a guaranteed no turn down policy?

How many vehicle groups do you oﬀer?

Do you provide electronic invoicing and statements?

Do you provide online damage management?

FLEETW RLD

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental

2.5k

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

8.6k

360

Europcar UK Group

200

Leasedrive

25k

1.2k

Nexus Vehicle Management Ltd. 80k+ 1.7k+

All

Thrifty Car & Van Rental

Key to services

Service provided

Service unavailable

4.5k

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

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

Contact: Business Centre central.reservations@arnoldclark.co.uk www.arnoldclarkrental.com

Tel: 0845 702 3946

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is the world’s largest international car and light commercial rental company. Specialising in providing daily and weekend rental for private or business use, we also provide replacement vehicles, courtesy cars and vans that are relied upon in the event of an accident. In addition, Enterprise Flex-E-Rent offers a new flexible solution, providing fleet operators with access to long-term light commercial rentals that can be tailored to meet your requirements. Founded in 1957, Enterprise is headquartered in St. Louis and has more than 7,700 offices in the UK, Germany, Ireland, the United States and Canada. Enterprise, which started in the UK in 1994, has rapidly expanded and currently has over 360 locations across the UK & Ireland, with more than 3,000 staff. Three quarters of the UK population are within five miles of an Enterprise location. For more information about Enterprise, visit www.enterprise.co.uk.

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

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

Nexus Vehicle Management Ltd.

Europcar UK Group

Nexus is the UK's leading provider of vehicle rental supply, management and software to end users and intermediaries across the ﬂeet, corporate and public sector. We provide a fully managed rental service covering over 1,700 locations with access to approx. 400,000 vehicles nationally including 80,000 commercial vehicles. Nexus, through our unique IRIS software platform, provides customers with a revolutionary rental management solution, ensuring seamless delivery, advanced reporting, swift billing and exceptional customer service at competitive terms (small vans from £60 per week), each and every time. We are adept at sourcing precise speciﬁcations and bulk orders on commercial vehicles.

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

Contact: Geoﬀ Wells geoﬀ.wells@nexusrental.co.uk

Tel: 01923 811250 businesssupport@europcar.com

Tel: 07808 764002 www.nexusrental.co.uk

europcar.co.uk

May 2012

NUM8ER5 G4ME the fleet month in figures

116g/km

570,000 UK whiplash claims, per year, for the last three years. Equivalent to seven times the volume of the Olympic Stadium, and a £2bn cost to insurers. SOURCE > ABI

fleetworldgroup.co.uk

4.4%

The range in miles of Vauxhall’s new Vivaro ecoFLEX – enough to drive from Maidstone to Milan on one tank of fuel.

The average percentage increase in used fleet car values in April, equating to a £285 rise to £6,712. SOURCE > Manheim Auctions

SOURCE > Vauxhall

Predicted CO2 emissions for a rumoured plug-in hybrid version of Bentley’s EXP 9F concept car, also claimed to offer 30 miles of electric driving and 62mph in under five seconds.

SOURCE > BMW

800

130g/km SOURCE > Bentley Motors

Average CO2 emissions of the BMW London 2012 Olympic fleet, which comprises of mainly 320d Efficient Dynamics models.

10,000

The distance in miles covered by the one millionth Land Rover Discovery, driving from the factory in Solihull to the Beijing Motor Show. SOURCE > Land Rover

VAN

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY

FLEETW RLD AUCTIONS & REMARKETING

CONTRACT HIRE, LEASING & FINANCE

RACKING SYSTEMS

TAIL LIFTS

FLEET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

BCA Tel: 0845 600 66 44 www.british-car-auctions.co.uk

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

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

Penny Hydraulics Tel: 01246 811475 www.pennyhydraulics.com

cfc solutions Tel: 0121 717 7444 www.cfcsolutions.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Full listings online at fleetworldgroup.co.uk DAILY RENTAL

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

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

FAST-FITS & TYRES

CBVC Vehicle Management Tel: 01283 509177 www.cbvc.co.uk

ATS Euromaster Tel: 0121 325 8842 www.atseuromaster.co.uk

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

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

VEHICLE DATA International Decision Systems Tel: 01256 302 000 www.idsdata.co.uk

Full listings online at fleetworldgroup.co.uk TELEMATICS & TRACKING

FUEL MANAGEMENT

VEHICLE VENTILATION

Quartix Ltd Tel: 0870 013 6663 www.quartix.net

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

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

BP PLUS Fuel Cards Tel: 0845 603 0723 www.bpplus.co.uk

HEALTH & SAFETY COMPLIANCE

Tel: 0113 346 7705 Ctrack www.ctrack.co.uk TomTom Business Solutions Tel: 020 7255 9774 www.tomtom.com/business

The Fuelcard People Tel: 0844 870 9856 www.fleet-fuelsavings.co.uk

Handistep - Fleet Safety Tel: 01939 260707 www.handistep.com

RISK MANAGEMENT Tel: 0800 085 4128 www.lexautolease.co.uk

Trakm8 Tel: 01747 858 444 www.trakm8.com

TOTALCARD Services Tel: 0800 147 148 www.total.co.uk

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

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

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

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

Roadmarque Tel: 0845 053 0331 www.roadmarque.com

Lex Autolease

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

VAN

fleetworldgroup.co.uk

FLEETW RLD January 2010

‘Doblo has always shown promise, now it looks as though it can deliver’ p46

VAN FLEETW RLD SUPPLIER DIRECTORY

January 2010

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

Incorporated into every issue of VAN Fleet World and interactive online at www.fleetworldgroup.co.uk £400 flat rate for the year. Cost includes a rotating monthly listing in SUPPLIER DIRECTORY in VAN Fleet World. PLUS... • Full listing on fleetworldgroup.co.uk • Email link to sales contact • Website link to homepage • Full-colour company logo May 2012

One day, everyone will expect to have this information Whether you work in Fleet, Finance or in HR, having access to accurate and timely data allows you to make informed decisions quickly and easily, saving you both time and money. With ProFleet2 telematics by your side, not only will you be alerted to key events to reduce cost, risk and your carbon footprint, but benchmarking fleet performance becomes an effortless task. And with in-built driver consent you can rest assured your employees will be kept on-side too. Partnerships that work. Contact us today and ask for a free trial* rhys.harrhy@aldautomotive.com

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