Fleet World May 2014

Less fuel in.

More miles out.

Go further with the new Honda engine.

More miles out, more life in Designed and developed in Europe and built in the UK with Honda’s latest engine technology, New Civic Tourer proves extra space doesn’t always mean upsizing to a bigger car.

Going the extra mile Honda’s proven 1.6 i-DTEC diesel engine returns 74.3mpg in the Civic Tourer, which is enough to travel 817 miles on one tank of fuel. Yet, with its low weight and high 118bhp and 221lb.ft torque, it sacrifices nothing in agility or on-road performance.

A real-time Eco Assist display, idle stop function and ECON mode are standard across the range, helping drivers to make fuel stops a rarity.

Technology as standard Equipment levels are generous across the range, with Bluetooth® connectivity, alloy wheels, climate control air conditioning and an MP3 compatible audio system with DAB+ digital radio included from the entry-level S trim. Adaptive dampers, a first for the Civic Tourer, are included on the top two trim levels, while a Driver Assistance pack adds the latest accident avoidance systems for £780.

To find out how well the Honda range compares to rivals, visit www.honda.co.uk/cars/corporatesales/comparator

Small outside, big inside At only 235mm longer than the hatchback, this is one of the shortest estates in its class, yet it’s also one of the most flexible. The boot holds 624 litres, enough for eight cabin bags, rising to 1,668 litres with the rear bench folded – amongst the largest in its class.

Honda’s unique Magic Seat rear bench, an underfloor compartment and low, wide load area result in class-above load-carrying abilities.

The competitive advantage...

The 1.6 i-DTEC diesel engine is the first component in Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology range, which will introduce a best-in-class combination of efficiency and performance into each sector. Developed in Europe and built in the UK, this already means Honda can offer low whole-life costs and incredible fuel economy across three of the fleet market’s most important segments.

Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC P11d from: £20,320 78.5mpg, 94g/km, 14% BiK

Honda Civic Tourer 1.6 i-DTEC P11d from: £21,320 74.3mpg, 99g/km, 15% BiK

Low costs, for life Not only can drivers enjoy the same excellent on-road dynamics as the hatch, but with P11d pricing starting at £20,270 and Benefit in Kind from 15%, extra flexibility doesn’t have to mean extra cost. The Civic Tourer also shares its sibling’s high residual values, Vehicle Excise Duty exemption and low running costs, as well as a three-year, 90,000-mile warranty as a reflection of Honda’s renowned reliability.

Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC P11d from: £23,005 62.8mpg, 119g/km, 19% BiK

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May 2014

FLEETW RLD All that matters in the world of fleet

Driven

Outlander PHEV, Panamera Hybrid, New Polo

Join the club!

The rise of car clubs and the benefits to fleets

Silverstone Grand Glee

Decoding daily rental 10 steps to getting the most from your rental provider

Interview Patrick McGillycuddy on Skoda’s fleet future

Fleets delight in getting behind the wheel at the home of motorsport

fleetworld.co.uk

contents

May 2014

25

32

New Outlander moves the game on for PHEVs.

FLEETW RLD All that matters in the world of fleet

Driven

Outlander PHEV, Panamera Hybrid, New Polo

Alex Grant tests Volvo’s latest KERS engine technology.

Join the club!

The rise of car clubs and the benefits to fleets

Silverstone Grand Glee

Decoding daily rental 10 steps to getting the most from your rental provider

Interview Patrick McGillycuddy on Skoda’s fleet future

Fleets delight in getting behind the wheel at the home of motorsport

fleetworld.co.uk

Managing Editor Ross Durkin ross@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

44

Publisher Jerry Ramsdale jerry@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Editor Steve Moody steve@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

The fleet show of the year. If you weren’t there, see what you missed...

Deputy Editor Alex Grant alex@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Business Editor Natalie Middleton natalie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Features Editor Katie Beck katie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk VFW Editor Dan Gilkes dan@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Director Anne Dopson anne@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Executives Darren Brett darren@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Claire Lake claire@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Circulation Manager Tracy Howell tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

58

The spotlight falls on all-new Twingo.

64

The rise of the car club.

Head of Production Luke Wikner luke@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Designers Tina Ries tina@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Samantha Hargreaves sam@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

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

68 Skoda’s head of fleet looks to the horizon.

02 / fleetworld.co.uk

VAN FLEETW RLD

STAG Publications

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Steve Bridge of Mercedes-Benz Vans. Driven: VW e-Caddy; daily rental.

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fleetreview This month, editor Steve Moody revels in the real triumph of Fleet World’s Fleet Show 2014 and asks whether fleets have embraced car clubs yet...

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

The success of a show is in the seminar room It was great fun at our Fleet Show swooshing round Silverstone in cars such as the incredible Tesla Model S, BMW i3 and Jaguar F-Type Coupe but in my view the real success was tucked away in a room in the Wing.

For it was here, away from the show stands and the glamour of one of the planet’s most famous racetracks, that the fleet management seminars were held.

And the room, which held about 150 people, was packed out all day.

I’ve been to a lot of different shows over the years, and I’ve sat in seminars in which one or two people have turned up, while outside drivers are barreling round bowls like lunatics.

To my mind, the strength of a show can be judged by how many attendees turn up to the seminars: to have the room packed out each time illustrates that real professionals have turned up to your event, that it is not full of people who have blagged their way in for a quick blast round a test circuit, but are there to learn new things, discuss issues and meet new contacts.

The reaction to the Fleet Show 2014 has been overwhelmingly positive and it is now the number one event in the industry calendar for fleet decisionmakers. So hopefully, if you couldn’t make it this year, I’ll see you there on 22nd April 2015. It was so successful the venue is already booked for next year, and I’ve already booked my drive in an F-Type Coupe again…

04 / fleetworld.co.uk

Car clubs: are they ready for business?

We have a couple of features on car clubs and daily rental in this issue. Being a country bumpkin who is a wide-eyed innocent on the mean streets of big cities, and supplied with a ready stream of test cars, I will admit I find it hard to understand the benefits of car clubs. But I’d love to hear your views on whether they can work for businesses as an alternative to pool cars and grey fleets, or are they just a novel sometime-shopping trolley for trendy urbanites? Cost-wise and in terms of availability, the gap certainly seems to be closing.

THE KEY TO AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE IS QUITE LITERALLY A KEY. THE ABSOLUTE OPPOSITE OF ORDINARY | INTRODUCING THE NEW GHIBLI FROM £48,835 | MASERATI.CO.UK

THE NEW MASERATI GHIBLI IS POWERED BY A RANGE OF ADVANCED 3.0 LITRE V6 ENGINES WITH 8-SPEED ZF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, INCLUDING, FOR THE FIRST TIME, A V6 TURBODIESEL ENGINE.

Official fuel consumption figures for Maserati Ghibli range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 18.0 (15.7) – 37.2 (7.6), Extra Urban 38.7 (7.3) – 56.5 (5.0), Combined 27.2 (10.4) – 47.9 (5.9). CO2 emissions 242 – 158 g/km. Fuel consumption and CO2 figures are based on standard EU tests for comparative purposes and may not reflect real

driving results. Model shown is a Maserati Ghibli S at £72,345 On The Road including optional mica paint at £660, 20” Urano design alloy wheels at £1,960, polished aluminium brake callipers at £2,160, fine grain extended leather interior at £2,420 and carbon fibre trim at £1,710.

inbusiness

Nick Clegg launches £500m scheme to boost EV & hybrid take-up

A

nnounced by Nick Clegg, a new £500m scheme intended to help drive take-up of electric vehicles and hybrids is to benefit fleets.

The scheme is intended to get drivers into ultra low emission vehicles by extending the grants for ultra-low emission vehicles, targeting increased charging points and investing in technology.

In total, £500 million will be invested between 2015 and 2020.

fleetweet a few soundbites from a month in fleet

@Thomas_Husson Thomas Husson, vice president & principle analyst, Forrester

Android Wear + Chromecast + Apple's Carplay + Amazon's rumored set-top box etc...The digital platform war is moving to a new era

@electricbowman Mark J. Constable, senior product manager – electric vehicles, EDF Energy

BMW to simplify choice lists for fleets

Just done 3 hotlaps of @SilverstoneUK

BMW has begun a process of simplifying the way its products appear on choice lists, to make it easier for drivers and fleets to understand the range.

Matt Bristow, head of corporate sales, said the range currently includes over 500 variants including the new Business lines, xDrive and Navigation models – the latter designed to make it easier to set residual values.

There are no targets for how much this will shrink by, and it was too early to say how it will be done, but Bristow said simplifying the range without reducing choice will be priority number one for 2014 and that the company is working with residual value setters during the process.

Meanwhile, BMW is continuing to expand its new 2 Series and 4 Series model lines. The latter will gain the coupe-like X4 late this year, following the 4 Series Gran Coupe, which is set to be a key corporate car for the brand. It features four frameless doors and a hatchback rear, and is the first 4 Series to use the 18d diesel engine, offering CO2 emissions of 121g/km with the automatic or manual gearbox.

The 2 Series Active Tourer joins the range with order books opening in May - BMW’s first MPV and, based on a modified MINI platform, the brand’s first ever front-wheel drive car.

International Circuit in @TeslaMotors Model S. Coming out of the corners it’s like nothing else #FleetShow

@Frost_Sullivan Official Twitter account for Frost & Sullivan, global growth consulting firm

@FS_Automotive estimates number of vehicles in corporate carsharing fleets to be at about 2,000 vehicles in 2013

@ChInsp_IanDS Ian Drummond-Smith, Police Chief Inspector (Operations) for Plymouth

Whilst driving, holding your mobile phone on speaker in front of your face is no less dangerous, no less illegal, than holding it to your ear.

@SteveFowler Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief, Auto Express

New Subaru Outback revealed in New York. Will it come to the UK? If exchange rate works out okay it will...

HAVE YOU SWITCHED ON TO THE BENEFITS OF TELEMATICS?

CO 2 Analysis True MPG Reporting Manage Driver Safety Business Mileage Capture With more than a decade of experience in telematics, we know a thing or two about the benefits of fleet management technology. Whether you’re looking to reduce your costs, manage your risk, lower your carbon footprint or improve your fleet’s efficiency, with ProFleet2 telematics by your side, benchmarking performance becomes an effortless task.

And with in-built driver consent you can rest assured your employees will be kept on-side too.

aldautomotive.co.uk

06 / fleetworld.co.uk

0870 00 111 81

THE BEST THING ABOUT WORKING LATE? THE DRIVE HOME.

THE JAGUAR BUSINESS RANGE. FROM 129 G/KM. Your teams aren’t like the rest. And neither is Jaguar. The Jaguar business range offers something unique. An exceptional drive and high standard specification, yet excellent fuel economy and low monthly costs. A company car like no other, with the support of an award-winning network of specialist fleet & business dealers. Jaguar mean business. Do you?

XF SPORTBRAKE • XF SALOON • XJ WWW.JAGUAR.CO.UK/FLEET 0845 366 0342 HOW ALIVE ARE YOU? Fuel consumption for the 14MY XF range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 16.7-48.7 (16.9-5.8); Extra Urban 32.8-64.2 (8.6-4.4); Combined 24.4-57.7 (11.6-4.9); CO2 Emissions 270-129 g/km. Fuel consumption for the Jaguar XJ range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 16.7-39.8 (16.9-7.1); Extra Urban 32.8-51.4 (8.6-5.5); Combined 24.4-46.3 (11.6-6.1). CO2 Emissions 270-159 g/km.

The figures provided are as a result of official manufacturer’s tests in accordance with EU legislation. A vehicle’s actual fuel consumption may differ from that achieved in such tests and these figures are for comparative purposes only.

inbusiness trading places

in

in

out

Hyundai UK appoints national fleet sales manager Hyundai UK has promoted Paul Williams to the new role of national fleet sales manager, responsible for further expansion in the sector.

Williams joined Hyundai as fleet operations manager in 2009, following roles at KWIKcarcost and Jaguar, and will now report to fleet director Martin Wilson as the carmaker continues to improve its offering to business customers.

Lex Autolease to develop business opportunities Doug Hyett has been appointed by Lex Autolease to the newly created role of head of new business as part of the company's growth plans.

The board-level position will see Hyett, previously head of mega fleets at Lex, manage the company's business development function and take responsibility for developing new business opportunities across all sectors.

ACFO chairman Damian James to step down ACFO chairman Damian James is to step down at this year’s AGM due to a job promotion.

James, currently head of ops at Bracknell Forest Council, which includes fleet responsibility, has been promoted to head of performance and resources at the authority.

The new role, which James will take up in the near future, does not include any fleet involvement.

Esso Card – Let our fuel card do the hard work for you • ŽŵƉĞƟƟǀĞ ĐŽŵŵĞƌĐŝĂů ƉƌŝĐŝŶŐ • DŽŶŝƚŽƌ ĞdžƉĞŶƐĞƐ ǁŝƚŚ ĐůĞĂƌ ŝƚĞŵŝƐĞĚ ŝŶǀŽŝĐĞƐ • ^ĞĐƵƌŝƚLJ͕ ŽŶůŝŶĞ ĂƵƚŚŽƌŝƐĂƟŽŶ͕ W/E ĂŶĚ ǀĞůŽĐŝƚLJ ĐŽŶƚƌŽůƐ • dĞƐĐŽ ůƵďĐĂƌĚ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ Ăƚ ƉĂƌƟĐŝƉĂƟŶŐ ƐƐŽ ďƌĂŶĚĞĚ ƐŝƚĞƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ h< Ύ

Ύ ^ĞĞ ĞƐƐŽƉŽŝŶƚƐ͘ĐŽ͘ƵŬ ĨŽƌ ƚĞƌŵƐ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐ &Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ /ĂŶ ,Ăůů ŽŶ Ϭϳϳϳϴ ϴϴϬϰϭϵ Žƌ ĞŵĂŝů Śŝŵ Ăƚ ŝĂŶ͘Ě͘ŚĂůůΛĞdždžŽŶŵŽďŝů͘ĐŽŵ

08 / fleetworld.co.uk

ASTRA 1.6 CDTi

WELCOME TO THE QUIET REVOLUTION Whispering diesels are now powering Vauxhall’s quiet revolution. Refined, smooth and quiet, they’re a new generation of lightweight and compact aluminium 1.6 litre turbo diesels that are worth shouting about.

FROM

P11D £17,680 FROM

CO2 97g/km† FROM

BiK 15%* COMBINED

UP TO

MPG 76.3mpg†

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

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

Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO 2 emissions (g/km). Astra 1.6 CDTi: Urban – 58.9 (4.8)-72.4 (3.9). Extra-urban – 74.3 (3.8)-80.7 (3.5).

Combined – 67.3 (4.2)-76.3 (3.7). CO 2 emissions 110-97g/km. † = Official EU-regulated test data are provided for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. * = 2014-15 tax year. General Motors UK Limited, trading as Vauxhall Motors, does not offer tax advice and recommends that all Company Car Drivers consult their own accountant with regards to their particular tax position. ** = Excludes fuel and lubricants; congestion charges; parking and speeding fines and the £250 insurance excess (if applicable). 3 Day Test Drive vehicles are subject to availability and terms and conditions apply. Please refer to www.3daytestdrive.co.uk for full terms and conditions. Drivers must be 25 years or older and is available for Mainland UK only. All figures quoted correct at time of publication (May 2014).

inbusiness

Thinking locally Even as market leader, Ford is still looking at new ways to improve fleet service through its dealer network, as Curtis Hutchinson, editor of Motor Trader, reports.

W

hile Ford has long been the biggest player in the UK fleet market, recent years have seen a renewed focus on appealing more to smaller businesses through its dealer network, especially as the brand limits its exposure to the fast-churn daily rental sector which can play havoc with residual values.

Ford has steadily reduced this short cycle business while retaining its dominant market share by growing its penetration of retail and what it terms “net fleet” which embraces local fleet and user-choosers.

Mark Ovenden, Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, sees the Blue Oval's storming performance as indicative of a new direction.

‘These sales are founded on growth in the more profitable retail and net fleet sectors of the market and they are the result of our continued investment in exciting products and industry-leading technologies, delivered through the strongest dealer network in the UK,’ he said.

While retail will always be its mainstay, fleet constitutes a vital and growing part of its mix, especially the company car business generated by its 550 UK dealers.

‘Local fleet is very important to us. We continue to rebalance our business away from short cycle, our share now of the rental market is about 18%, if you go back to 2006-2007 it was probably nearer 40-45%. We have reduced our short cycle business but kept our market share by growth in retail and net fleet.’

To this end Ford has been addressing the way dealers interact with local businesses, something the network has not always excelled at and Ovenden is on a mission to improve it.

‘Some are very good but I’d have to say there is too much inconsistency. We’d like all our dealers to be good at it.’

Late last year the brand started to overhaul the way it delivers its commercial vehicle business with the launch of 100 designated Transit Centres across the UK, each offering designated showrooms, elevated aftersales and extended opening hours. With 85% of its commercial vehicles sold to fleets this initiative has the potential to transform customer expectations especially with the Transit24 programme aimed at minimising vehicle downtime by offering late night appointments and while you wait servicing.

Ford already operates specialist Business Centres

12 / fleetworld.co.uk

across its dealer network but these too are set to up their game as the brand moves to further improve its local fleet offering, especially when it comes to selling competitive finance packages. Through Ford Credit the brand already offers between 5,000 and 6,000 Ford Lease finance deals a year to fleet customers but Ovenden sees scope for significant growth to mirror the high level of penetration it achieves on the retail side.

‘I don't see any reason why Ford Lease doesn't have the potential to become as strong in the local fleet market as Options is in the retail market. Now there's a huge way to go, because there's some very strong contract hire companies around, but I see that as achievable when you have the new Mondeo, new Focus and Vignale coming, plus our full range of commercial vehicles. The potential to grow our local business is very high and that is certainly an opportunity for our dealers,' he said.

The initiative ties in neatly with Ford’s fresh look at retailing which has seen a radical transformation of its outlets to create a bold new look more akin to an Apple Store than a traditional car showroom. Boldly coloured signage identifies each of the four main zones so the reception desk becomes the Hello area; a Discover area invites customers to use iPads to gather information on their purchase; a clearly defined Relax zone is available for waiting customers and a Thank You area, outside the showroom, is where vehicles are handed over.

It might all sound a bit corny but Ford and its dealers have invested millions in making sure the look and feel is right. Most importantly though the new thinking elevates the status of the customer, something not always apparent in the showy gin palaces still favoured by some brands.

fiat.co.uk

The new C-Class.

Beautifully calculated.

Just 104g /km* CO2.

A Daimler Brand

The numbers work.

Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg (litres per 100km) for the new C-Class Saloon range: urban 41.5 (6.8)â&#x20AC;&#x201C;58.9 for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. The new C-Class range starts from ÂŁ26,855.00 on-the-road. *Model featured is a Some combinations of features/options may not be available. Please contact your local Retailer for availability. Prices correct at time of print 04/14.

(4.8), extra urban 64.2 (4.4)–83.1 (3.4), combined 53.3 (5.3)–70.6 (4.0). CO2 emissions: 123-103 g/km. Official EU-regulated test data are provided new C 220 BlueTEC Sport Saloon at £32,005.00 on-the-road with metallic paint at £645.00 (on-the-road price includes VAT, delivery, 12 months’ Road Fund Licence, number plates, first registration fee and fuel).

inbusiness

Disc world

The Insider wonders what the implications will be for fleets of abolishing tax discs.

S

o, those little coloured paper discs which prove to all and sundry we have paid our car tax, and which have caused so much grief over the years, are to be abolished from October 2014. Perhaps I’ll save my final one and with some nifty handiwork, turn it into a paperweight or a coaster for my desk, just as a reminder in the future.

The goal, according to Roads Minister Stephen Hammond, is to provide simpler bulk transactions for big customers such as the motor trade, fleet operators and hire companies, who claim the savings benefit will be around £10m a year. The Office of Tax Simplification – isn’t that a great name?

- wants fleet operators to be allowed to buy multiyear road fund licences to ease administration further. Buying in advance would avoid future uplifts in price, presumably the offset being that Government would gain a little from getting more money up front.

From an administrative point of view all of this is great. The fleet operator or leasing company no longer has the hassle of posting out tax discs and making sure they actually arrive, and at the right person’s address. It also means the leasing or rental company can get a new vehicle on fleet and paying its way more quickly, as they don’t have to wait for the tax disc to arrive. Yes, I know there is a 14-day grace period on first registration but most leasing companies – and their fleet customers – elected to opt for a “no tax disc, no delivery” rule.

DVLA will rely on its digital record of taxed vehicles and the idea is that there will be a public online check facility for you and I to see if a vehicle is taxed. Whether this means you can check your own, and your neighbour’s, as at present should you feel so inclined, remains to be seen. Maybe it’ll become a bit like www.askmid.com, where you can check your own vehicle for free, but pay a fee for legally checking others.

Whether the fleet manager takes responsibility

16 / fleetworld.co.uk

for ensuring their cars are taxed, or believes this is within the remit of their leasing company as owner of the vehicle, is up for discussion. And will I really want to check each and every short term rental vehicle for its VED validity? Am I really bothered, or is it in fact my liability as the user of the vehicles?

Private motorists will be able to pay by direct debit monthly, enabling them to spread the cost equally throughout the year, albeit at a 5% increase in cost, or annually, with renewal being automatic, provided you have a current MOT in place. That’s fine for the majority of honest citizens out there but given the individual has to set up their own payment before the bank can take it, I’m not sure how that forcibly captures the errant half a percent who are already willing to take their chance against being spotted by ANPR cameras. That said, noncompliance is at an all-time low so ANPR is working, even if the loss of revenue amounts to a cool £35m.

I’ve heard the direct debit method won’t be available to fleets, although reading the DVLA blurb, it says it is available to businesses. The BVRLA says it is “working closely” with DVLA on the method its members will use to pay VED in the future. But at the time of writing this piece there is no detail forthcoming. Shouldn’t we be slightly concerned that, with less than six months to go, the mechanism is not yet in the public domain?

I can’t help wondering if this is just a stepping stone to opening the way for a complete change in policy and a move towards pay-on-use road pricing, perhaps by adding VED to the cost of fuel. I’ve always thought this would be a fairer system, provided it were a tax-neutral alternative, and that you could guarantee the revenue was subsequently used appropriately and visibly. Then we would all have to get much smarter around journey planning, and there would be no easy avoidance – although we might see increasing fuel theft.

But that’s a problem for another day.

renault.co.uk

RENAULT CLIO

Renault Clio Dynamique MediaNav ENERGY dCi 90 S&S Eco, inspired by love, the love of huge savings.

• Touchscreen navigation • Bluetooth and iPod connectivity • Cruise control and speed limiter

• 88.3 combined mpg • 83g/km of CO2 emissions • P11D from £15,490

Renault Business Quality Commitments • Like for like vehicle replacement • Pro+ specialist fleet network • Free collection and delivery T&Cs apply. For full list of commitments visit renault.co.uk/business for details

Visit renault.co.uk/business or call the Renault Business Team on 0800 040 7344

Model shown is Clio Dynamique S MediaNav in optional Flame Red i.d. paint at total P11D of £15,735.

The official fuel consumption figures for the Renault Clio core range are: Urban 40.4 (7.0) – 78.5 (3.6); Extra Urban 60.1 (4.7) – 94.2 (3.0); Combined 51.4 (5.5) – 88.3 (3.2). The official CO 2 emissions for the range are 127-83g/km. EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008 test environment figures. Fuel consumption and CO2 may vary according to driving styles, road conditions and other factors.

CUT YOUR FUEL NOT YOUR BOOT SPACE NEW PEUGEOT 308 SW

1.6 BlueHDi 120 FAP 6-speed manual stop start

CO2 MPG

from 85g/km up to 88

Boot space

up to 1775 litres

SMR costs

improved by 11%

SENSATIONS EXTENDED You CAN have it all. The lowest CO2 for this kind of car – and no road tax to pay. The biggest boot in the market, with one-touch folding seats and a flat boot floor. Excellent driving dynamics due to a strong, light chassis. And inside a sleek, technologically-advanced interior including the Peugeot i-Cockpit with 9.7" touchscreen+. The 308 SW is your new business leader. Available to order from 1st May. Find out more by visiting business.peugeot.co.uk/308sw or calling 02476 884 644 for more information.

Official Fuel Consumption in mpg (l/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km) for the 308 SW range are: Urban 44.8 (6.3) – 78.5 (3.6),

MPG figures are achieved under official EU test conditions, intended as a guide for comparative purposes only, and may not reflect actual on-the-road driving conditions. Model shown is Active e-HDi 115 vs. the New 308 SW Active BlueHDi 120. Independent data sourced from KeeResources’ Kwik Car Cost at 3 years 60,000 miles: May 2014.

NEW PEUGEOT 308 SW

business.peugeot.co.uk /308sw

Extra Urban 68.9 (4.1) – 94.2 (3), Combined 57.6 (4.9) – 88.3 (3.2) and CO2 129-85.

a 308 SW Feline with 18” Saphir alloy wheels. +9.7” touchscreen and satellite navigation available on Active level and above. SMR comparison data shown in the table is based on the 308 SW

inbusiness

Q &A

Paul Jackson, MD of The Miles Consultancy (TMC), outlines how the firm’s new partnership with Barclaycard gives fleets another choice of national fuel card.

What is the new Fuel+ fuel card and how does it work?

Fuel+ is designed to help both drivers and fleet managers and combines a fuel expenses Barclaycard with a mileage capture and audit system, developed by TMC. The Fuel+ Barclaycard, with global Visa acceptance, allows drivers to refuel at almost all petrol forecourts in the UK while the TMC mileage system gives fleet managers complete visibility of their staff’s fuel spend and reduces costs by streamlining and automating processes.

purchase-control features, Fuel+ offers unprecedented clarity and control over fuel costs.

How long has the fuel card been in development?

We started developing Fuel+ nearly three years ago.

Our first pilot customers came on board in 2012.

They included Morrisons supermarkets, who saw a £700,000 reduction in their like-for-like fuel spend in their first year with Fuel+. More than 10 major corporate fleets already use Fuel+.

Fuel+ is a pump-price card, with no rebates. What was the rationale behind this?

Our data conclusively shows that pence-per-mile matters more than pence-per-litre. Rebates require fleet drivers to use more fuel, carry more cards and travel more miles to find the discounted brand or brands. The FD of one of our customers recently calculated that any potential saving from a rebate would be wiped out if his drivers had to travel just two extra minutes in search of the right brand of fuel.

What will Fuel+ bring to the fleet fuel market?

Fuel+ is a game-changer for fleets. For the last 30 years, the Allstar fuel card has been the only choice available to fleets that need a national, multi-brand fuel card.

Now there is an alternative with state-of-the-art corporate procurement capability and integrated, audited, mileage capture and expense processing.

How does Fuel+ differ from the Allstar fuel card?

Fuel+ gives customers access to the biggest fuel network. It is accepted at nearly 99% of UK petrol stations. Drivers can also use the card at unmanned pumps that don't accept non-chip and PIN fuel cards.

Allstar levies a £2 transaction charge every time a driver uses their card, which is equivalent to adding 4p to 5p to the price of every litre the driver puts into the tank. Fuel+ customers don’t pay transaction charges.

Fuel+ includes the most sophisticated mileage capture, audit and settlement system on the market – TMC Mileage Audit. With bank-grade security and

20 / fleetworld.co.uk

Do you guarantee savings on fuel bills?

Yes. TMC’s mileage reporting and auditing system invariably covers its costs. TMC guarantees to refund double the cost of our fee if it doesn’t. We have never had to and in fact the average saving delivered by TMC Mileage Audit on fuel and mileage expenses in the first year is 24.7%.

Will TMC continue to work with users of other fuel cards?

TMC will continue to provide mileage capture and fuel cost management services that work with virtually all types of procurement and expense process.

Mileage Audit works with all current fuel cards as well as for pay-and-reclaim drivers in company vehicles and grey fleet cars.

Are there additional advantages to integrating Mileage Audit into a fuel card?

Fuel purchasing and mileage capture are separate but strongly complementary activities. When you get both of them right at once, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. With Fuel+ we have been able to work with Barclaycard from the word go to ensure each side of the equation works perfectly with the other.

Sandown Fleet.

Tailor made service.

A Mercedes-Benz is no ordinary car, so when purchasing one for your business, you should expect extraordinary service. Which is exactly what you will find at Sandown Fleet, with locations in Basingstoke, Dorchester, Guildford, Hindhead, Poole and Salisbury.

In addition to being a team of professionals dedicated to the needs of our fleet customers, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also experts when it comes to Mercedes-Benz.

So why not get in touch and see how we measure up.

Tel. 01483 654 541 fleet@sandown-mercedes.co.uk www.sandown-group.co.uk

g fleet e k

House of Marley Get Up Stand Up Bluetooth BT Home Smartphone Bringing smartphone functionality to your landline, this Android-equipped home phone uses a built-in WiFi connection to access the internet, social media, email and video calling apps and has a 300-metre range from its base unit. Nuisance call blocking and “do not disturb” functions are built in, and there’s a 2GB memory for storing music, video and up to 1,500 contacts.

Price: £169.99 from bt.com/shop

Containing a pair of powerful 4.5-inch woofers and one-inch tweeters housed within a piece of responsibly-sourced birchwood with a walnut veneer, the House of Marley is claiming room-filling bass and clear mid and high notes from its upmarket audio system. It can stream with or without wires, and charges devices through its built-in USB port.

Price: £299.99 from thehouseofmarley.co.uk

Roku Streaming Stick Plugged into your television’s HDMI port, this can stream content from over 750 channels in up to 1080p HD resolution. Masses of downloadable apps means news, weather and media sharing functions can be added, while Android and iOS devices can stream content or take control. The included remote control also features a built-in headphone jack, and PC streaming is coming soon.

Price: £49.99 from roku.com/uk

Lavazza A Modo Mio Espressgo Powered from a 12V cigarette lighter, this portable coffee maker means coffee addicts are freed from pricey service stations and lukewarm flasks. It slots into a cupholder, takes two minutes to brew an authentic Italian espresso, and is supplied with a carry case and 16 coffee capsules.

Price: £129.99 from lavazzamodomio.co.uk

apps of the month

Lowdown

Kabbee

POLAR Instant

Said to be the cure to the three hours wasted, on average, by businesspeople each week due to poor planning and late arrivals, Lowdown takes data from your contacts and calendars to give you a clear picture of the day ahead. It can plan inter-meeting journeys in real time, look up attendees via social media pages and show their recent e-mails for a clearer picture. A 30-day free trial is included.

Price: £1.99 per week, £4.99 per month from iTunes Store

A price aggregator for London taxis, Kabbee now has 400,000 users and works with 10,000 cars from 70 fleets across the capital, allowing users to compare prices, book and even pay for the journey via the app. There’s also an option to select a green journey, choosing from the 10% of available vehicles which are either hybrid or pure electric models.

Price: Free from Blackberry Appworld, Google Play, iTunes Store

Chargemaster’s dual-platform app offers access to the entire POLAR charging point network without requiring membership or an RFID card. Users can search for their nearest unit, with data about the connector and live availability shown, monitor energy usage and while most offer a free recharge there’s also the option to top-up using the network’s website.

Price: Free from Google Play and iTunes

24 / fleetworld.co.uk

inbusiness

Another way Volvo and Flybrid’s flywheel KERS technology is claiming impressive performance and economy benefits for a low cost. Alex Grant drove an early prototype to find out how it works.

What is it?

For the last four years, Volvo has been working with Flybrid to develop a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) which can boost power and improve economy for its future vehicles, at a fraction of the weight and cost of an electric hybrid drivetrain.

How does it work?

The system comprises a carbon fibre flywheel encased in a vacuum to reduce resistance, and connected to the rear wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT). It weighs 70kg, significantly less than the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid’s 300kg battery pack.

During deceleration, the CVT uses the flywheel’s mass to slow the rear wheels, while spinning the flywheel wheel itself up to 60,000rpm. Light braking is done with the flywheel, rather than the mechanical brakes, and the engine is switched off to save fuel.

The process is reversed during acceleration, slowing the flywheel by transferring its energy to the rear wheels. This allows the car to be driven short distances without using any fuel, or to reduce load on the engine, or provide an 80bhp power boost. Energy is recaptured and released more quickly than a hybrid battery, but can’t be stored and is used up in a few seconds under heavy driving.

Flybrid has designed the rear axle system to fit Volvo’s next-generation cars and its new Drive-E engines. Testing has included investigating whether all acceleration could be done using a very powerful flywheel, switching to a very small petrol or diesel engine while coasting.

What does it feel like?

The prototype S60 T5’s KERS was set up to be inactive below 40kph to demonstrate the power it adds under hard acceleration. Flywheel assistance kicks in like a large turbocharger, and two identical acceleration tests showed the sprint to 62mph reduced from 7.5 to 6.0 seconds with the system in operation. It was easy to maintain a 50-60% charge in normal driving, which provided a power boost long enough for most overtaking manoeuvres.

The claims: Like an electric hybrid, the system can offer economy and performance-tuned modes, which means drivers can increase fuel economy by 25% while accessing a substantial power increase when needed.

How much does it cost?

In mass-production volumes, Flybrid claims the rear axle system could cost between a quarter and a third of the price of an electric hybrid drivetrain. Compact versions can also be fitted between the engine and transmission at the front of the car, and these cost less than €1,000 (£830), the manufacturer added. In both cases the system is designed to last for a million kilometres (620,000 miles).

fleetworld.co.uk / 25

THE NEW BMW 4 SERIES POWER DRESSER.

The new BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé marks the final addition to the 4 Series family, completing the range. Combining the muscular and sporty design of the 4 Series Coupé with frameless doors, lower stretched roofline, and the practicality of a 5-door, the new model is set to be a popular addition to company car fleets. Innovative technology options include iDrive Touch Controller, Head-up Display and Adaptive LED headlights, while performance is enhanced by the Aero Curtain and Air Breather, working to guarantee optimum aerodynamic efficiency.

EfficientDynamics technologies help the 4 Series Gran Coupé achieve up to 61.4mpg (combined), and CO2 emissions as little as 121g/km, so BIK starts at just 20%.

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

THE NEW BMW 4 SERIES GRAN COUPÉ. UP TO 61.4MPG (COMBINED). FROM 121G/KM CO2.

Official fuel economy figures for the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé range: Urban 24.4-52.3mpg (11.4-5.4l/100km).

Extra Urban 44.8-68.9mpg (6.3-4.1l/100km). Combined 34.0-61.4mpg (8.3-4.6l/100km). CO2 emissions 193-121g/km.

Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions.

BMW Corporate Sales

bmwcorporate.co.uk Tel: 0800 777 113

GRAN COUPÃ&#x2030;.

The Ultimate Driving Machine

BAROMETER Making sense of the surveys

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

hands-free calls According to a new Brake and Direct Line survey – conducted ten years after the ban on hand-held mobile phones behind the wheel, drivers are still unaware of the dangers of staying in touch while driving.

Yet according to this study, 32% of respondents claimed they did not know that talking on a hands-free phone could be just as dangerous as using a hands-free kit.

Commenting on the results, Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, said: ‘The widespread belief that using a hands-free kit is a safe alternative is worrying. Don't kid yourself: it's not. Using a hands-free phone while driving can end and ruin lives just as surely as using a phone hand-held, and no phone call or text is worth a life.’

Despite an increased use of hands-free phone use, 13% of drivers said they still make hand-held calls, compared to 36% in 2006.

Source: Brake and Direct Line

Brake said prior research had shown making any phonecall while driving, including hands-free, quadrupled the chance of having an accident which causes injuries.

30% of drivers admitted to sending or reading messages while driving, rising to 44% of 18 to 24 year olds.

Brake says the lack of a total ban on phone use while driving has left drivers unaware of the risks. Almost half (45%) of those studied admitted to talking on the phone while driving, despite research showing it is the distraction of the conversation which causes the danger.

driving in Europe Source: The AA

A recent AA Populus survey of 23,317 respondents found that over a third of UK drivers are leaving themselves at risk of fines while driving in Europe by not having the right equipment.

37% of respondents were not aware that they needed a reflective jacket if driving in France, and 55% did not know that a disposable breathalyser was also needed.

Meanwhile 56% didn’t know a reflective jacket is compulsory for Belgium and 62% were unaware that it is compulsory in Spain (for a breakdown).

Edmund King, AA president, said: ‘The rules and regulations on the Continent can be confusing and it is imperative that drivers heading over to Europe should check before they travel.’

28 / fleetworld.co.uk

31% of respondents did not think that headlight beam converters are compulsory in France, while 47% were unaware they are needed in Belgium, rising to 51% for Spain and the Netherlands.

52% did not think a vehicle’s original registration documents need to be carried in France. This rose to 62% in Belgium and Spain, and 64% for the Netherlands.

dangerous roads Independent research firm Viewsbank has published a new survey that reveals a vast majority of British motorists deem their local roads to be in an unacceptable condition.

Source: Viewsbank

65% of respondents rated the state of their local roads as poor or dangerous, with the recent bad weather and cutbacks on spending causing major problems.

78% of motorists reported potholes being left unrepaired for months, with just 4% witnessing them being filled-in within a week.

49% of drivers said they had suffered damage to their car from potholes, with the average bill for repairs costing £165.

Although damage due to road surfaces is rife, drivers are not claiming for the damage caused – just 19% have put in claims to local councils and only 8% have tried to get compensation from their insurer.

Motorists in the South East of England are most at risk –20% of drivers claimed their local roads are dangerous, with 51% rating them as poor.

According to the survey, drivers in London are – relatively – the happiest with their roads, although only 14% said they were in good shape.

booking online ‘Currently, just 17% of motorists say that a reminder from a retailer is the most important factor prompting them to book their car in for a service. Digital tools provide a mechanism for quality interaction with a mass audience to help promote and transact aftersales work; it’s clearly a channel that a significant percentage of consumers now prefer.’

A substantial proportion of consumers now prefer to interact with dealer aftersales departments via digital means, according to new research from GForces.

The survey, carried out on over 2,000 car owners across the UK, found that 62% prefer to book a service or MOT without speaking to a retailer’s aftersales team over the telephone.

This preference is more marked amongst women – 64% said they would prefer not to contact aftersales personnel by phone when making a booking for a service or MOT, compared to 58% of male motorists.

Bias towards mobile devices is more pronounced with younger motorists, with 49% of those aged 25 to 34 now prefering to use a mobile device.

22% of respondents said that the absence of an online booking facility on a retailer’s website would make them less likely to book a service or MOT.

Source: GForces

‘This survey indicates that there is a need for greater quality and quantity of digital engagement with consumers when it comes to aftersales,’ commented Tim Smith, commercial director at GForces.

for the latest daily news from the fleet industry, visit fleetworld.co.uk fleetworld.co.uk / 29

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV The new plug-in hybrid Outlander could prove a very popular company car, Steve Moody reckons.

SECTOR SUV PRICE £28,249-£34,999 (after £5,000 plug-in car grant) FUEL 148mpg CO2 44g/km

m

itsubishi thinks its new plug-in hybrid Outlander is the perfect company car, with decent electric range, low emissions and tax, and strong pricing.

Thing is, with electric cars, we’ve heard all of this before. Every single one seems to be launched with the claim it is a ‘game changer’. The problem is it’s a game not many customers are playing. This time though, it might actually be different.

A full charge takes eight hours and costs a pound, although a three-quarters charge can be done in half an hour, and if you are especially light footed, you can drive about 30 miles before a petrol engine kicks in, although mid 20s is more likely. This will suffice for most commutes, and Mitsubishi reckons for drivers doing more than about 90 miles a day most days, a diesel is a better bet.

Perhaps the biggest fillip for this car is that the entry-level GX3h Outlander PHEV is on sale for £28,249 after the Government grant. This is the same price as the Outlander diesel GX3 auto, and rewrites at a stroke the expectation for what a significantly electric-powered car (and by that I and so Mitsubishi will need to move fast to get terms in mean not a hybrid with a three mile range) should cost. place and test drives done so the Outlander can be picked by Currently attracting a benefit in kind rate of 5%, Mitcompany car drivers. But it is an effort worth making: it’s a subishi claims a 40% tax payer will pay just genuinely enjoyable car to drive and for once, £665 in a tax year at this level, which over three and probably the first time ever with electric FLEET FACT years could equate to a saving of many thoucars, the environmental and economic benefits sands of pounds over competitors cars. Cerare clear to see.

Mitsubishi tainly it’s a calculation every company car The residual values providers have made driver in the market for a £30,000 car should fairly robust predictions too, which should see reckons on be doing for themselves. it compare to the diesel version. Mitsubishi also selling as many If the sums stack up for those looking to save says it can get hold of as many PHEVs from the as 10,000 a year money it is a no-brainer, but the issue MitJapanese factory as it wants, and as such has no subishi will have is getting on choice lists hard and fast volume targets for the car. If it quickly enough to take advantage of its market-leading posigoes well, the sky is the limit. tion. Word is that the part-electric Golf, out later in the year, So how does it drive? Perhaps the biggest surprise is drivwill be similarly price-competitive to its diesel counterpart, ing cross-country. You realise that even in refined diesel cars you make quite a racket, unlike the silent Outlander where you hear birds singing and twigs cracking under the tyres.

If this is the future of cars, then it’s welcome: a proper fourwheel drive SUV with a big boot (the batteries are hidden in the car’s chassis), five seats, it will tow and drive through mud, and barely any emissions.

Once the green energy is spent, the switch between electric and petrol is far smoother than in most hybrids. Using an iPhone app you can control the cabin's temperature remotely and, if it's still plugged in, that power comes from the mains so driving range isn't compromised.

It’s not entirely perfect though, as the suspension is a touch on the stiff side, no doubt to counter the weight of the batteries, and the cabin is made of rather brittle-feeling plastics, but they are about the only downsides.

32 / fleetworld.co.uk

what we think The Outlander PHEV is a genuinely appealing alternative for company car drivers, especially those looking for big tax savings. It drives nicely and has a useful EV range.

highlights 30-mile electric range Recharges in eight hours, or rapid charges to 75% in 30 minutes Same price as diesel equivalent Attracts a 5% BiK charge

key fleet model Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV fleetworld.co.uk / 33

Sponsored feature

Fleets under pressure to perform better Michelin figures show fleet drivers’ lack of focus on tyre inflation “If I could encourage all fleet managers to make one change for the second half of 2014 it would be to prioritise talking to your drivers about tyre pressures.”

Andy Fern, Michelin’s Head of Fleet

M

ichelin’s new Head of Fleet is calling on fleet managers to take urgent action over tyre pressures after figures revealed company car drivers are worse than private motorists at maintaining the correct inflation.

Andy Fern, who took over running Michelin’s dedicated fleet team at the beginning of this month, says he was shocked to discover businesses and public sector organisations have a poorer record of tyre pressures than the general public.

Results from pressure checks carried out by Michelin technicians at Fill Up With Air days throughout 2013 show 59 per cent of consumers’ tyres were being driven at the correct pressures compared with just 46 per cent of fleet drivers’ tyres. (see table opposite) Furthermore, 25 per cent of fleet drivers’ tyres were ‘dangerously’ or ‘very dangerously’ under-inflated compared with 14 per cent of private motorists’.

“These figures are surprising to say the least,” said Fern, who has worked at Michelin for more than 15 years and now heads up a team of dedicated account managers who work closely with fleets across the UK to maximise the value of their tyres.

“Less than half of the business drivers we checked had all tyres at the correct pressures, and a quarter were running on tyres dangerously under-inflated. It’s quite incredible when you think about it.

“We would expect business drivers to be much more aware of how important tyre pressures are to the safety, efficiency and environmental performance of their vehicle.

“It’s hard to say whether it is a case of individuals ignoring fleet managers’ advice, or if the messages are not being given out frequently enough. I just don’t know. Either way, these figures show there is still a lot of work to be done in this area.

“I would like to think that the safety of drivers is of paramount importance, but these figures simply don’t reflect that. As everyone knows, tyres are a vehicle’s only contact with the road and it is essential they are well maintained, and that includes keeping a close eye on the pressures.

“And it’s not just safety, there are obvious financial implications. Under-inflated tyres cost much more in fuel, and will also need to be replaced more often.

“At a time when everyone is looking to squeeze the last penny of value from all resources, it seems crazy that so many drivers are wasting money in this way. Not least because there is such an easy fix!

“I think there are more compressors at petrol stations than in recent years, and tyre centres like ATS Euromaster and Kwik Fit will check and correct pressures free of charge. There are no excuses and shouldn’t be any barriers to everyone getting this right.”

Fern added: “If I could encourage all fleet managers to make one change for the second half of 2014 it would be to prioritise talking to your drivers about tyre pressures.

“Perhaps if employees were reminded more frequently about the multiple and substantial benefits of maintaining correct tyre pressures - improving safety, saving money and reducing carbon emissions - they would be more willing to make sure it is part of their routine checks.”

If you are a fleet manager and would like support from Michelin in encouraging your drivers to correct their tyre pressures please email michelin-contact@uk.michelin.com

“We would expect business drivers to be much more aware of how important tyre pressures are to the safety, efficiency and environmental performance of their vehicle.”

Andy Fern, Michelin’s Head of Fleet

General public

Company car drivers

- events typically held at supermarkets or shopping centres at weekends / school holidays

- events held at private businesses or public sector organisations

Correct tyre pressures

59%

46%

Acceptable tyre pressures

21%

26%

12%

20%

2%

5%

- max 3 psi under-inflated - max 7psi under-inflated

Dangerously under-inflated

- between 8psi and 15 psi under-inflated

Very dangerously under-inflated - 15 psi or more under-inflated

Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid

The plug-in Panamera is an impressive car, but Porsche isn’t alone here, explains Alex Grant.

SECTOR Luxury PRICE £89,022 FUEL 91.1mpg CO2 71g/km

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orsche’s first plug-in hybrid forms part of the Volkcombines petrol and electric power to produce 412bhp – swagen Group’s plans to offer electric drivetrain in enough to propel its 2.1 tonnes to 62mph in an impressive, every sector it competes in by 2017. But with the sonorous 5.5 seconds. That weight is noticeable while corPanamera’s segment heavily weighted towards fleet, it’s nering but, for a grand tourer, grip and stability are ample. also an interesting offering for the newly corporate-conYet it doesn’t shout that loudly about the technology on scious carmaker’s UK ambitions. board. Visual modifications are limited to lime green highThis is a very different proposition to the old Panamera lights on the brakes, badges and clocks – which feature a Hybrid, which never made much sense against the diesel. Its power gauge where the speedometer would usually be found mains-rechargeable lithium-ion battery offers a useful 22– and the only adjustment to be made is getting used to plugmile range, and the motor now produces 95bhp. That’s a modging it in regularly to maximise the available economy. est figure, but it’s enough to reach a claimed 84mph with only That it makes sense financially says a lot about the scale a faint whine as a soundtrack and means of incentives for low-carbon cars. This is motorway commutes can be all-electric.

VED and London congestion charge When more power (or extra range) is exempt, eligible for a 100% first-year required, the motor gets a helping hand allowance and, despite the £34,000 from the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol price difference, the S E-Hybrid’s 5% engine with which it shares its eight-speed BiK liability against the diesel’s 29% PDK gearbox. Constantly run in as high a means the former costs around two gear as possible and capable of decoupling thirds less for drivers, and will stay at motorway speeds under low loads, cheaper for a typical three-year lifespan economy of around 35mpg isn’t difficult to despite this advantage eroding. achieve even with a flat battery. Not But Porsche isn’t alone here. Tesla has enough to worry a Toyota Prius, but good fleet ambitions for the similarly-priced going for a heavy performance car.

Model S, which can travel much further Unusually, the engine can also fully on battery power, and Mercedes-Benz charge the hybrid battery without using will soon have a plug-in hybrid S-Class, There are greener hybrids, an external power source. In E-Charge adding similar tax efficiencies to a more but the Panamera has a mode this takes around 40-45 miles to practical, comfortable luxury car. role to play in reducing reach 100%, in turn meaning drivers can The S E-Hybrid’s high price and the avoid exhaust emissions for urban secsector’s low volumes won’t make this a inner-city smog for tions of routes which start and finish in common sight. But heavy incentives for drivers who would town. The downside is a significant drop plug-in drivetrains mean this tax-effiotherwise default to the in fuel economy while charging. cient luxury car offers an interesting sector’s big-selling diesels.

That’s also true of the Panamera’s less alternative to the default diesel for those green-minded side. In Sport mode, it with the right kind of commute.

what we think

36 / fleetworld.co.uk

Volkswagen Polo Significant efficiency gains and new technology come subtly packaged in the new Polo, says Danny Cobbs.

SECTOR Supermini PRICE £11,100 - £19,715 FUEL 57.6 - 83.1mpg CO2 88 - 110g/km

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he new Volkswagen Polo arrives in July, offering more petrol engines and two diesels to choose from. These efficient engines, higher levels of standard equipment include two 1.0-litre petrol engines, with either 59bhp or and promising to be even safer than before.

74bhp respectively, plus two 1.2-litre petrols offered with But Volkswagen hasn't gone overboard in changing any either 89bhp or 108bhp, with the latter joining the range at of the exterior styling – a new set of LED headlights and the end of 2014. front grille is basically the extent of it – as this is merely a The two diesels will be a pair of 1.4-litre units, with either mid-term revision rather than a radical facelift.

74bhp or 89bhp. The 1.2-litre Bluemotion model will no However, buyers of Volkswagen’s refreshed supermini longer be offered in the UK, with the Bluemotion badge can expect a range of engines which are all Euro 6 compligoing on a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol due to join the ant and up to 23% more efficient. Also, and irrespective of range at the end of 2014. This is likely to average around trim level, all cars will be fitted with ESC, Hill Hold, and an 69mpg and emit 94g/km of CO2.

At the top of the petrol range, the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System BlueGT has had an uplift from 138bhp which brakes the vehicle after a collision to 148bhp and retains its fuel-saving to minimise the chance of a second cylinder deactivation technology. CO 2 impact. A Driver Alert System (standard emissions have been brought down to on BlueGT) and Adaptive Cruise Control 107g/km while fuel consumption has with Front Assist and City Emergency improved to 60.1 mpg. Priced from Braking is a £500 option. £17,710, the warm-hatch is available All models feature a touchscreen infowith either a six-speed manual or tainment systems with DAB radio, Blueseven-speed DSG transmissions. A tooth connectivity and auxiliary and USB more powerful GTI version will be inputs. Navigation costs £700 from the offered in 2015.

SE upwards, while the £150 MirrorLink The 1.0-litre 59bhp five-door in SE system enables the touch-screen to distrim is still expected to take the majority play exactly the same apps as on your of the sales. But here’s a bit of consumer smartphone. And, because of its proximDespite only subtle advice: spend the extra £525 and buy the ity sensors, it reacts to the same swipe updates to the styling, higher output three-cylinder engine. It movements, too. new technology and a may only offer 15bhp more power but In spite of this all new techno-wizthe difference it makes to the overall perardry the rest of cabin remains cut in running costs are formance is remarkable. unchanged. It’s still as functional as ever, enough to put the Polo Prices start at £11,100 for the threeif not a little staid, but, for the money, it among the best superdoor 1.0-litre S and continue to rise is completely unrivalled. minis on the market. until they reach £19,715, for the 1.4 TSI The most salient changes are under the ACT five-door. bonnet and to the economy. There are six

what we think

38 / fleetworld.co.uk

Kia Soul

Part SUV, part MPV, Alex Grant reckons the Soul has never had the recognition it deserves.

SECTOR Crossover PRICE £12,600–£21,550 FUEL 38.7–56.5mpg CO2 132–170g/km

T

he second generation Kia Soul has big shoes to fill.

Its predecessor might not have found a huge European fanbase but its distinctive styling, personalisation options and dancing hamster advertising campaign have made it a core component of Kia’s global brand reinvention, and one of its biggest-selling cars in the United States.

So there’s been little attempt to soften the boxy, boarlike styling this time around. Instead, Kia has pigeonholed the Soul more logically as a B-segment crossover, a competitor for the ever-dominant Nissan Juke among

others, and is targeting a more retail-focused UK customer base than its Motability-heavy predecessor.

But this is a big advance. The Soul has become a sportier-looking car under design chief Peter Schreyer, shares its platform with the cee’d rather than the Venga and the layout and quality of the cabin now matches Kia’s latest cars, all of which helps make it feel more European.

Top-spec Mixx and Maxx trims also get SUV-like arch extensions, which better define it as a crossover.

Boxiness has its benefits. Occupants get plentiful headroom in the upright cabin, and there’s a wide tailgate at the back providing access to a boot which now drops into a compartment under the optional false floor. With the rear bench folded, the Soul provides an almost class-leading 1,367 litres of space when stacked to its square roofline.

The downside is running costs. Kia’s 1.6-litre diesel is a no-brainer against the thirsty and lacklustre petrol, but with CO2 emissions at 132g/km it’s a long way from the class benchmark, which won’t help broaden its appeal even with the numerous improvements elsewhere.

But in Europe perhaps there’s no need to. The original Soul catered for those who wanted something unusual to look at and practical to live with, and its replacement ticks the same boxes.

Mercedes-Benz A180 CDI ECO SE Increasingly popular hatchback gets improved economy, says Dan Gilkes.

SECTOR Lower medium PRICE £21,965–£38,190 FUEL 42.9–78.5mpg CO2 92–161g/km

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ercedes-Benz has started upgrading its A-Class hatchback, with the introduction of the A180 CDI ECO SE. Replacing the previous A180 CDI SE, the ECO package incorporates an aerodynamic grille element, underbody panelling and lowered suspension (-10mm at the front and -15mm at the rear) to reduce drag to just 0.26.

Longer ratios in the six-speed manual gearbox, an improved energy recuperation system and a lightweight fuel tank all contribute to fuel savings, with Mercedes claiming that 78.5mpg should be possible, up from 74.3mpg. This also results in a further 6% drop in emissions, to just 92g/km.

That means that this entry-level A-Class is free from UK road tax, qualifies for 100% capital allowance until 2015 and sits in a BiK company car tax band of just 13%.

Despite the focus on emissions and fuel economy, the A180 CDI ECO SE retains the same 109bhp output from its Renault-Nissan sourced 1,461cc engine, backed up by a strong 192lb.ft of torque. This is enough for relatively spritely performance and the compact Mercedes is easily capable of keeping pace with traffic in town.

The longer higher gears make for relaxed cruising too, with hardly any engine noise once up to speed. With just

40 / fleetworld.co.uk

one person in the car there is enough power to accelerate in the upper gears, so the ECO SE doesn’t require constant gearbox stirring to maintain a motorway pace either.

The lowered suspension doesn’t turn the SE into a Sport model, though it does provide a fairly firm ride. Our test car was equipped with winter tyres, which may have contributed to a slight rise in road noise too.

Other than that, it was standard A-Class SE fare and none the worse for that. If more space is required, the ECO package is also available on the B180CDI ECO SE.

Sponsored feature

Game changer The new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. ractical, real-world electric motoring in a full SUV, with huge reductions in company car costs and no range anxiety: Mitsubishi’s remarkable new Outlander PHEV has just become the default company car option, irrespective of class.

Ignoring the Outlander PHEV’s company car credentials would be a serious mistake. This one really is a game changer.

You owe it to yourself to read at least some of what follows.

Here’s a few Outlander PHEV facts: Price: from £28,249 (post-grant) Benefit in Kind tax rate: 5% Vehicle Excise Duty: £0 London Congestion Charging: £0 CO2 emissions: 44g/km Pure EV range: 32 miles Pure EV + Petrol range: 514 miles These are the sort of numbers a futurologist might tentatively predict for a tiny city car ten years from now. All the more extraordinary, then, that the Outlander PHEV not only achieves these numbers now, in 2014, but that it does so as a lavishly-equipped SUV with no restrictions on interior or boot space.

If you’re a company car user, the benefits of running this new breed of electric hybrid are nothing short of startling. Here’s a taster. The BIK and fuel card tax ratings for similarlysized diesel SUVs are typically 30% or

more. For an Outlander PHEV, they are 5%.

For company owners and fleet managers choosing Outlander PHEVs, there’s a 100% Capital Allowance first year write down on the purchase, and lower National Insurance Contributions for PHEV users.

For any driver, Outlander PHEV running costs can be not just low, but radically low.

Fuel consumption is incredible. The official EU figure is 148mpg, but if your daily journey is less than 32 miles it could be considerably more than that. Longer journeys, such as a motorway trip will reduce this, but still return impressive figures. Unlike the average electric vehicle, there’s no danger of ‘running out of juice’ as long as you’ve got some petrol in the tank. Here, at last, is a hybrid car that really does offers ultra-cheap motoring without compromise to comfort, practicality or performance, and without the dreaded spectre of range anxiety.

How does it do it?

The PHEV’s secret isn’t under the bonnet. It’s under the floor. This car was designed from the outset to run on electric power (which also explains the uninterrupted cabin and boot space compared to just about every other EV on the market).

There is a conventional engine up front, a refined, quiet and lightweight 2.0-litre petrol unit, but after that, everything changes. This engine’s primary role isn’t to drive the car but a generator. This charges an array of underfloor batteries powering two direct-drive electric motors: one on the front wheels, the other on the back. As long as there’s sufficient charge in the batteries, the electric motors will work on their own for speeds up to 75mph. If the engine does need to kick

in at any point to top up the batteries, it will, but you’re unlikely to notice it happening.

The transition between electric and petrol is uncannily seamless and all but undetectable.

No allowances whatsoever need to be made to your driving style. The car will always choose the most efficient mode for you. Generally, that will be EV mode at lower speeds, and electric motors supported by the engine at higher speeds. You can dial up a higher rate of battery regeneration by flipping one of the steering wheel paddles to recoup more power during deceleration, which brings the bonus of reducing brake wear. In every other respect, driving a PHEV is exactly like driving a normal SUV, albeit a very comfortable, safe (5-star Euro NCAP rated) and powerful one. From 0-60mph it’s quicker than the already impressively rapid 2.2 diesel auto Outlander, with the instant shove of electric power just a toe-twitch away.

You can let the car look after its own charging through normal driving, charge it by plugging it into a high-speed charger (installed for free* at your house by British Gas), or, if you know you’re going somewhere where the ability to run on EV power would be useful, you can charge the batteries to 80% capacity in just 30 minutes simply by letting the engine idle.

You can even remotely control the charging process (and pre-heat or pre-cool the vehicle) through a free-to-download iOS or Android app.

From a full charge, which takes only 3-4 hours from zero (using cheap Economy 7 electricity if you do it overnight), the Outlander PHEV will run for up to 32 miles on electric power alone. So, if your total daily commute is less than, say, 30 miles (which most commutes are), or if it’s less than that distance one way and you have access to a

recharging point near your work – there are thousands in the UK now – you could in theory find yourself never actually using the PHEV’s petrol engine. Should you end up in that category of ‘electric-only’ user, there’d be no need to worry about the engine falling into disrepair through sheer lack of use. It stays in good health by starting itself up every now and then.

What we already know about EV power is that it’s quiet. The Outlander is so quiet that an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System chimes in at speeds below 22mph to warn pedestrians of its presence.

The PHEV handles surprisingly well too, thanks in no small part to the lowering of the Outlander’s centre of gravity by the batteries’ underfloor location.

Perhaps the best thing about this extraordinary machine is just how ordinary it is in everyday use. Being a Mitsubishi, it’s a proper offroader running a SuperAll Wheel Control (S-AWC) permanent 4WD system with a lock mode for the really gooey stuff. Towing capacity is an impressive 1500kg. Its 463-litre cargo volume is almost identical to the diesel Outlander’s.

Every Mitsubishi dealer will be able to service the PHEV. You won’t have to search out specialists, as is the norm for many other EVs. There really is no downside to Outlander PHEV ownership.

Or is there?

No, there isn’t.

The price is often the part where things go a bit Pete Tong.

As we all know, electric vehicles and hybrids are expensive, even after you take into account the £5,000 Plug-In Car Grant thrown in by the Government.

But this is another area in which the Outlander PHEV is genuinely exciting.

Because it was designed from day one for this EV application, it passes on no additional development costs to the end user (you). That means Mitsubishi is able to give it a price tag with no hybrid premium. The GX3 version of the diesel Outlander 2.2 DI-D Auto is £28,249.

After the Government grant, the cost of the equivalent GX3h version of the PHEV – which comes with an automatic gearbox, remote-controlled keyless entry, leatherwrapped steering wheel and gear knob, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, automatic headlights and wipers, electric windows, 18-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, rear privacy glass, USB port, iPod compatibility and Bluetooth connection – is £28,249. The same price.

Which is very possibly the most exciting news in motoring so far this year, if not this decade.

Higher specified GX4h and GX4hs versions are also available. If you want an Outlander PHEV, you’ll need to move quickly. It’s already a huge success in mainland Europe – and it’s really not that hard to see why.

Mitsubishi Outlander

Honda CR-V

BMW X3

Audi Q3

Mercedes E-Class

GX4h Auto

EX Auto

Xdrive SE Auto

S-Line Plus Auto

SE Estate Auto

Cost of the car - P11d value

£37,899

£33,995

£34,500

£34,595

£36,005

Government grant reduction

£5,000

£0

£0

£0

£0

£32,899

£33,995

£34,500

£34,595

£36,005

Cost comparison

Adjusted final price CO2 emissions g/km

44

180

138

156

140

Benefit in kind rate

5%

32%

23%

27%

24%

Vehicle benefit charge without fuel provided

£758

£4,351

£3,174

£3,736

£3,456

Tax saving per year without fuel (40% taxpayer)

-

-£3,593

-£2,416

-£2,978

-£2,698

£1,192

£7,129

£5,170

£6,080

£5,539

-

-£5,937

-£3,978

-£4,888

-£4,347

Vehicle benefit charge with fuel provided Tax saving per year with fuel (40% taxpayer)

* Subject to survey

Outlander PHEV range fuel consumption in mpg (ltrs/100km): Full Battery Charge: infinite, Depleted Battery Charge: 48mpg (5.9), Weighted Average: 148mpg (1.9), CO2 Emissions: 44 g/km.

Pop in and see your local dealer for more information or visit

www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk

in partnership with

Consulting

Consulting

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;An excellent opportunity for members of the industry to get together and move their business forward.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Andrew Fellows, head of CAP Consulting Vehicles available for test-drives showed the full breadth of the fleet industry, from electric vehicles to luxury models.

44 / fleetworld.co.uk

The fleet industry takes to the track!

Hundreds of fleet managers and dozen of exhibitors turned up at Silverstone for the Fleet Show 2014, the biggest event in the industry calendar. morning mist rolled back to reveal a beautifully sunny and warm Silverstone and a gleaming lineEAsarly up of stunning cars to test for the hundreds of leet managers at the Fleet World Fleet Show. attendees entered the Silverstone Wing, they were confronted with everything that sums up the show.

Flanking registration was one of Vauxhall’s pristine heritage Cavaliers and Jaguar’s gorgeous new F-Type – one a stalwart of the leet industry and the other a symbol of the resurgence of the British motor industry.

Inside, the halls buzzed with business: stands reported huge interest throughout the day as visitors sought out the latest innovations and new solutions to help them run their leets more safely and ef iciently.

In the seminar room, experts discussed the key leet issue of the day with packed audiences, and the allpervasive mood throughout the event was one of constant activity, as people swarmed around exhibitions and took cars out on the famous track.

‘A great way to introduce potential new customers to our brand and increase awareness of the models that we have to offer.’

Martin Wilson, fleet director at Hyundai Motor UK

fleetworld.co.uk / 45

was one of All-new Kia Soul ts at the event. the many debu

k c a r t e h t Stars of T

his year’s show featured premieres of exciting new models such as the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, the Tesla Model S, the In initi Q50 and the Nissan X-Trail, while there was a stunning array of leet cars and vans available to drive on four different circuits.

Every manufacturer was packed out throughout the day, with diaries full of booked drives.

Andrea Holland, corporate marketing manager at BMW Group UK, was typical of many of the attending vehicle manufacturers when she said: ‘BMW Group was delighted to participate in this year’s Fleet World Show, particularly with the chance to display key new models such as the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé and MINI Hatch.

‘With a considerable number of test drives completed, including the all-electric BMW i3, the whole event was extremely busy and provided a great opportunity to showcase our range of models.

‘We saw a wide array of businesses visit our stand for test drives. We had visitors ranging from driving school sole traders to the leet managers of blue chip companies, as well as decision-makers from the all important SME business sector,’ she added.

Hyundai’s leet director, Martin Wilson said: ‘The Fleet World Fleet Show is a good way to introduce potential new customers to our brand and increase awareness of the models that we have to offer. Our i30 and i40 models were particularly popular for test drives, proving their suitability for use in leets of all sizes.’

Hayley Ingram, leet communications manager at Vauxhall Fleet added: ‘We had a really busy event.

From the interest in the Heritage Cavalier to the new 1.6 whisper diesel engine premiered at the show, we were kept busy all day! Lots of test drives in our range of cars, including our Ampera e-Rev. And the weather was beautiful too!’

‘The whole event was extremely busy and provided a great opportunity to showcase our range of models.’

Andrea Holland, corporate marketing manager at BMW

48 / fleetworld.co.uk

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The mpg fi gures quoted are sourced from offi cial EU-regulated test results. These are provided for comparability purposes and may not refl ect your actual driving experience.

‘The number and quality of visitors is improving year on year.’

Nick Clay, vehicle manufacturer sector development manager, Thatcham Research r of the Year nual Fleet Drive Automotive’s an D Philip AL th of wi , al ow fin e Sh Th Fleet e. s again held at the competition wa stigious 2014 titl pre the ing nn pay wi Palmer of World

50 / fleetworld.co.uk

Seminars

Fleet on Fleet” was the overall theme “workshops. of this year’s seminar and training Six highly professional leet managers teamed up to lead the discussion in what proved to be a highly successful and informative format. The three themed sessions covered: • The basics of leet management • Environmental management • Risk management Members of the audience were actively encouraged to participate throughout the workshop-style sessions with each being followed by a vigorous question and answer forum. Many of the questions were answered from the loor by leet managers with irst-hand experience of the topic raised.

Eco Driving Winners With Silverstone’s wide Tarmac stretching out ahead of you, it takes a special level of self-control to drive as fuel-ef icently as possible. But many succeeded, and in the eco-driving competition on the in ield Stowe circuit sponsored by Allstar Card Services, the top ive most environmentally friendly drivers were: Jason Sykes of Carillion Services; Mervyn Cattermole of Devlin Estates; Ken Walker of A-One & Highway Services; Anthony Martin of Robert Hitchins; and Richard Morcom of Capital A1.

They navigated the course using the lowest amount of CO2 emissions as measured by the Lysanda Eco-Log diagnostic system, which uses telematics to report on a wide range of vehicle functions, including fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Each driver wins a Silverstone Driving Experience day provided by Allstar Card Services as reward for their ecodriving achievements. So they can cast of their eco-shackles at last! fleetworld.co.uk / 51

face to face with the fleet industry

n o i t i b i h x E t a e r G e h T T

The Fleet Show wasn’t just about test driving, and the event also featured an extensive indoor exhibition of fleet service companies, a “fleet on fleet” seminar programme and an extensive fleet networking facility.

52 / fleetworld.co.uk

he quality of the event can be gauged through exhibitors’ reactions: high quality visitors were there to ind out what could bene it their leet operations and as a result exhibitors made lots of new contacts.

CAP Consulting was one of the event’s headline partners and was represented at a special networking area where it was able to discuss with Show visitors ways of unlocking value and improving business operations.

Afterwards, Andrew Fellows, head of CAP Consulting, commented: ‘The exhibition halls were illed with both exhibitors and delegates, the seminars were full to capacity and the manufacturer test drives were full to bursting. The beautiful day capped what was an excellent opportunity for members of the industry to get together and move their business forward.

‘That was certainly the experience at CAP Consulting and we are very happy to have been a key sponsor of the event,’ he added.

Allstar’s Catherine Hickson, head of

communications at parent irm FleetCor reckoned it was an excellent way to show leets how the company is taking the brand forward.

‘Allstar’s mission is to help leet managers reduce fuel costs, so sponsoring the Eco Hub driving event at this year’s show was an opportunity to talk to customers about how we can reduce costs through more fuel ef icient driving along with our other ef iciency improving services.

‘The Fleet Show provides a very cost effective way for Allstar to network with senior fuel card decision makers.’

Innovation Professional Services Ltd showed many attendees their state-of-theart mileage system and clever solutions to reduce fuel costs by more than a third.

The irm said it is now saving all its new and existing clients ‘the best part of £10 million a year’. Since it irst set up eight years ago, that adds up to around £40 million in fuel costs.

ALD said it had a high level footfall to its

stand and gained a large number of leads, as did Bryan J Glazier, Esso Card sales manager.

Nick Clay, Vehicle Manufacturer Sector Development Manager, Thatcham Research said the show provided the ideal platform to demonstrate the bene its of Autonomous Emergency Braking and to show some of the key leet decision makers how to #stopthecrash.

He added: ‘We feel the number and quality of visitors is improving year on year and it’s one of the few events that can provide us with the space we need to effectively demonstrate the latest vehicle technologies.’

Vehicle tracking service TRACKER used the event to launch an upgrade to TRACKER Fleet Plus – TRACKER Vision. This new addition partners its leet telematics technology with the back-of ice expertise of Garmin’s satellite navigation units, meaning those using the Garmin Nüvi range will have the functionality of leet tracking and all the bene its that encompasses. So con ident is TRACKER in its success, it has launched a

Fuel Savings Guarantee programme which ensures businesses see the bene its from lower fuel costs as quickly as possible – promising a minimum 10% fuel saving within the irst year or “your money back’.’

Telematics featured strongly at the show and Vicky Arnold, sales & customer service director at vGroup International said: ‘We were at the Fleet Show to promote our new telematics solution, moDrive, which we have jointly developed with Ebbon-Dacs. From a moDrive perspective, for us the Show was a success with high quality visitors, and we have already booked appointments based on the leads that we gained there.’

The Miles Consultancy showcased its new joint fuel and mileage audit card, Barclaycard Fuel+ in Association with TMC. Paul Jackson, managing director, said: ‘We came away with several valuable leads from large leets looking for a fully up-to-date fuel and mileage solution. From the subsequent debrief with our colleagues at Barclaycard, they were also equally pleased with the

outcome. Fleet Show 2015 will de initely be on our agenda for next year.’

Trakm8 were promoting its Trakm8 ecoN fuel saving solution which it claims will save leet operators up to 20% off their fuel bill through driver behaviour feedback. The irm reckoned it picked up lots of interest at the show and has provided them with a number of opportunities to work with some large leets to help them improve driver safety and reduce their fuel bill.

Neil Marcus, marketing director, Selsia Vehicle Accident Centres, said: ‘There was extensive interest shown in Selsia Vehicle Accident Centres and we’re now busy following these up. The pre-show publicity as well as having access to the pre-registered data base was also particularly helpful. We will de initely be attending again in 2015.’

Fleet Innovations’ PEAK mileage capture systems garnered lots of inquistive question from leet managers, and the irm reckoned the orders it has subsequently taken have ‘paid for the show 10 times over’.

fleetworld.co.uk / 53

cked completed a pa Tesla's Model S a single charge. on s ive dr t tes diary of

offered a chance Indoor displays est new cars. lat the ss cu dis to ance to se offered the ch The off-road cour paces. ir the gh ou thr ls put leading mode

A date for your diary...

The 2015 Fleet Show at Silverstone has already been booked, for Wednesday 22nd April.

See you next year!

54 / fleetworld.co.uk

flashback a look back at the company cars of yesteryear

model Austin Montego

W

era 1984-1995

hen British Motor Holdings began work on the Montego in the mid 1970s, they can’t have imagined how much change the Ital’s replacement would live through. Developed before the British Leyland era, its original Austin brand had disappeared by the time the final cars left the Cowley factory under BMW ownership in 1995.

The turbulent process of privatisation and nearconstant strikes took its toll on development, and the Montego didn’t launch until 1984. Based on a Maestro floorpan with an extended wheelbase, and sharing most of the hatchback’s suspension and drivetrain components, it was a key fleet model for British Leyland at a time when most policies were limited.

By 1984, the three-box saloon sector was being challenged by the streamlined Sierra, and the more conservative Vauxhall Cavalier was a mainstay of the company car set. British Leyland’s newcomer arrived a little too late to offer anything particularly new to the sector, despite a subtle styling update before launch with now-common features such as wiper blades which dropped below the bonnet line.

The engine range was compact, comprising 1.3, 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrols at launch with between 69 and 102bhp. MG versions, marked out by a sports body kit, red seat belts and a talking digital dashboard, used a 115bhp 2.0-litre engine with electronic fuel injection, later upgraded to 150bhp in the Montego Turbo. This was, at the time, the fastest car

56 / fleetworld.co.uk

UK sales 435,000

successor Rover 600

ever to wear an MG badge, reaching 60mph in 7.3 seconds.

Buyers could also turn the Montego into an affordable luxury car, thanks to input from coachbuilder Vanden Plas. This top of the range model shared the 2.0-litre EFi engine with the MG Montego, but featured leather seats, wood panelling and almost all option boxes ticked. Business users could also opt into the lower-priced Mayfair, which was available with the 1.6-litre engine.

Press reviews were mixed. The Montego offered cavernous interior space, particularly in the seven-seat estate, but build quality issues were rife even in the press fleet. Early road tests reported rattles, rough running and insecure trim, while the talking digital dashboard proved so unreliable that it was withdrawn from the MG models shortly after launch.

By the late 1980s, the new Rover Group was owned by British Aerospace. Sporty MG versions hadn’t stopped the Montego looking staid against the rest of the class, and the Austin brand had been quietly dropped. The 1.3-litre engine was dropped as part of a range update in 1989, which also introduced a Perkins-developed 2.0-litre direct-injection turbo diesel aimed at fleet buyers.

Rover Group sold to BMW in 1994, as the final Montegos left the factory in Cowley which now manufactures the MINI. Build quality issues at the launch were followed by a tendency to rust and, with all pre-1989 models unable to use unleaded petrol, the once-common company car is now a rare sight on British roads.

SPOTLIGHT New Renault Twingo

Thinking small Mixing classic small car influences with modern MPV flexibility should put Renault’s stylish new Twingo right back on the city car map, says Alex Grant.

Rethinking the city car Using a platform developed in partnership with Daimler, this is the first Renault to feature a rear engine and rear-wheel drive since the R10, and will be built on the same production line as the next smart forfour. The engines, three-cylinder units with 70 or 90bhp, are angled heavily to avoid reducing boot space.

It’s not a gimmick. This layout allows a 13cm longer wheelbase to fit under a 10cm shorter body, and creates more room inside. It also gives the Twingo extra steering lock and a turning circle one metre less than the class average – ideal for inner-city driving. With wide tracks, quick steering and the option to add sports graphics and wheels, it’s a useful USP for broadening the car’s appeal beyond its traditionally female-heavy, design-focused audience.

58 / fleetworld.co.uk

A flexible connected cabin Renault has used its MPV expertise to make use of the cabin space created by its longer wheelbase. Rear seat legroom is best in class, the boot has no wheel well intrusion and all except the driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seat can fold flat. The flat 2.2-metre load length from tailgate to dashboard means this is claimed to be the only car in its class capable of carrying a flat-backed bookcase plus a rear-seat passenger.

Infotainment options are also new to the Renault range. The Twingo introduces the latest R-Link Evolution touch screen with DAB, but can also be equipped with R & GO. This removes the built-in screen in favour of an Android or iOS compatible app containing music, navigation, telephony and trip computer functions.

Classic design, updated Renault drew heavily on the classic R5 while designing the new Twingo, and its steeply raked tailgate, squared-off two-piece headlamps and Maxi Turboinspired shoulder line all pay homage to the much-loved 1970s city car.

Despite its compact proportions, though, this is the first time the Twingo has had five doors, the handles concealed in the C-pillar.

Led by the MINI and Fiat 500, customisation has become big business in this class. A nod to the first Twingo, the newcomer is available with only four base colours but can be heavily personalised. Customers can select colourcontrasted trim including the mirrors and grille on the outside, and the instrument surround, air vents and steering wheel on the inside. Like the 1940s 4CV, the Twingo can also be equipped with a retractable fabric roof.

FLEET FACT The 1940s Renault 4CV had the same space-boosting rear-engine layout.

What we think...

The city car class is an innovative, competitive one and the second generation Twingo never quite captured buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; imaginations as its predecessor had done in 1993. With its unique rear-engined platform, the newcomer has a USP which should prove attractive for both its driver appeal and unrivalled flexibility. Both are good qualities for a car which is targeted at an equal male/female sales split. AG

fleetworld.co.uk / 59

FEATURE Daily Rental

Daily rental decoded 10 steps to help you get the most from your daily rental provider.

Katie Beck explains all.

When calling on the services of a daily hire provider, businesses need a solution that combines minimum fuss with maximum service. But how can you ensure that you get the very best from your policy? We’ve worked with some of the biggest names in the daily rental market to bring you an insider’s guide into the points you should consider before signing on the dotted line...

1. Check vehicles are fit for purpose There’s no point in an employee renting a big luxury car for a lot of short town trips or a petrol sportscar for a long motorway drive, just because they can. It will cost your business money. But the temptation is there if checks, controls and balances are not in place.

Also, and this applies especially to vans where as much as three-quarters of the UK rental parc is more than four years old, you need to make sure your employees are being supplied are in good working order.

‘With a reputable rental supplier you can be guaranteed of a modern, reliable and fuel-ef icient leet,’ says Jonathan Pearce, head of marketing at Northgate Vehicle Hire. Choose a supplier that minimises risks further by looking for inclusive servicing, breakdown and recovery services.

Something different EVs are becoming increasingly popular to rent.

60 / fleetworld.co.uk

2. Beware of delivery charges Many businesses prefer to pay extra for Delivery & Collection (D&C) services, but make sure that you drill down into the detail. Sometimes the attractive D&C charge being offered will be for a limited mileage only, with additional costs if the journey is longer. There may also be the added expense of fuel costs allocated to D&C. ‘Before you sign on the dotted line, you should analyse where your employees, of ices, suppliers and customers are located to establish where you will most likely need vehicles. Then check that the rental provider has branches close to these locations and make sure D&C won't cost more than you irst thought,’ advises Adrian Bewley, director of business rental at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. 3. Trial as many different models as possible Daily rental can offer the perfect opportunity to trial different models and vehicle types in the run-up to a leet refresh.

Seize the chance to trial different options, for example switching between petrol and diesel, or even trialling an electric drivetrain.

‘Check the range of vehicles and the hire options available from your rental partner; for example, do they have alternative fuel vehicles (hybrids and EVs),

low CO2 vehicles and specialist vehicles which may bene it the business in the future?’ advises Kathleen Whittam, head of rental solutions at Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions.

4. Enrol in a loyalty scheme Most daily rental providers offer some form of loyalty scheme to reward returning customers with bene its such as discounts and “fast track” service online and in-branch.

‘Convenience and speed is particularly important to business travellers; as such we make every effort to make the process as ef icient and stress free as possible,’ explains Louise Bell, commercial director at Avis UK. ‘Signing up to loyalty schemes, such as Avis Preferred, is often free and offers a whole host of bene its, including pre-prepared paperwork and priority counters. All you need to do is show up with your driving licence, collect your keys and go.’

‘Signing up to loyalty schemes is often free and offers a whole host of benefits.’

¡

+ Fuel up Our new Fuel+ Card means saving money on your fleet’s fuel bill and expenses.

The Volkswagen Group Leasing Fuel+ Card provides access to the UK’s biggest network of fuelling stations that display the VISA sign. What’s more with its Chip and PIN payment system, it is universally safe and can be used across Europe.

With the ability to monitor and run a vast array of reports you can control your spending and we’re confident it can save you money too. If it doesn’t save you money in the first year, you could receive a refund of up to your first year’s card fees.*

To find out more about our Fuel+ Card call 0870 333 2229 or visit makingleasingsimple.co.uk/fuelcard * Terms and conditions apply. Availability of Fuel+ Card subject to credit approval.

FEATURE Daily Rental

Daily rental decoded ¡

5. Check 24-hour support is available When an employee climbs into a daily rental vehicle, it is very possibly his irst experience of the car. As such, it is even more important that support is on hand in the event of a breakdown or incident than it would be in a standard leet vehicle.

‘Choose a supplier who offers 24 hour support – if one of your drivers breaks down or has an accident in a rental vehicle who do they turn to? At Fourways we offer a 24 hour emergency line, manned by our own staff,’ explains Janet McCartney, director of Four Ways Vehicle Solutions.

6. Take advantage of administrative support As well as providing the vehicles to allow your drivers to get out on the road, a good supplier should also relieve some of the administrative burden involved in leet management, and provide support for compliance and servicing procedures.

‘Our main piece of advice for businesses looking to get the most out of a daily rental agreement is to ind a partner that will allow them to focus on their core activity, fully handing over responsibilities such as driver mandates, compliance and services,’ says Kathleen Whittam, head of rental solutions at Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions.

7. Ensure demand can be met Daily rental is often used as a stopgap to support an expanding business or help a company meet an unusually high level of demand. It is therefore vital that your supplier has the stock ready to lease out: ‘Infrastructure and scale is crucial so that customers can rely on their rental provider to deliver on volume requirements,’ says Ken McCall, managing director of Europcar UK Group.

‘This also comes hand in hand with a leet that is young and can deliver optimum fuel ef iciencies and, ultimately, savings, and a network which covers as large an area of the UK as possible,’ he adds.

62 / fleetworld.co.uk

9. Gain insight into your fleet A good supplier should provide analytical tools to help you gain a real insight into your leet’s needs, and which of them are being met by the service available.

‘Ensure your supplier can offer an online management information tool, allowing you to monitor your costs and rental pro ile instantly,’ suggests Janet McCartney, director of Four Ways Vehicle Solutions.

‘Does your supplier actively make suggestions to help reduce your costs based on your rental pro ile? Do you have continuity in your account management to enable your supplier to understand your business, and hence facilitate further ideas and suggestions?

These facilities should all be offered by a responsible supplier,’ she adds.

8. Book in advance If you require a speci ic vehicle for your leet, booking in advance is the easiest way to ensure a supplier can source the correct vehicle. There can also be inancial advantages when planning ahead, as the best rates are often reserved for early birds: ‘I’m sure it won’t come as much of a surprise to the experienced traveller, but when it comes to getting the most out of your daily car rental, preparation is key,’ advises Louise Bell, commercial director of Avis UK. ‘Booking in advance may secure a lower daily rate, as well as make it easier for your supplier to accommodate any speci ic requirements.’

10. Service should be personal Whether you manage a leet of 10 cars or 10,000, it is important that you feel supported by your daily rental provider.

This means queries should be responded to quickly and solutions offered, and, ideally a personal contact is assigned to assure continuity with the way your account is handled.

‘The key component to a truly worthwhile rental proposition is the customer relationship – ensure you work hand in hand with your rental provider and that they listen, and more importantly, respond and react to your needs,’ advises Ken McCall, managing director of Europcar UK Group.

Personal touch Good customer service should be a given. If it's not – swap.

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MPG Marathon

FEATURE Car Clubs

‘Each car club car removes 24 private vehicles from the roads.’

64 / fleetworld.co.uk

SHARE

& SHARE ALIKE

Danny Cobbs investigates how car clubs are becoming increasingly popular among fleets.

T

here’s no getting away from the fact, a “grey leet” – either pool cars used occasionally or personal vehicles used for business travel – can in luence the bottom-line igure on any balance sheet.

Even the newest of these cars, regardless how often they’re driven, incur hefty annual ixed costs. And these expenses – tax, insurance, breakdown cover, maintenance and depreciation – rarely correlate to the amount of use.

Plus, where an employee drives their own car, there are underlining issues such as roadworthiness and whether the driver’s insurance is covered for business use.

Ridding a company of the expense of a grey leet is one thing; replacing it with something as convenient, and less costly, is another. One way to do this is to look at the virtues of joining a car club.

Ever since a trail scheme began in Edinburg in 1999, car clubs have been steadily growing in popularity and can now be found throughout the UK. In essence, a car club provides its members with access to a variety of cars and vans on a pay-as-you-drive basis, 24-hours a-day, 365 days a-year.

‘Our research has shown that a grey leet vehicle, which is driven less than 8000 miles per annum, can, if you add up all of its associated annual expenses – tax, MOT, fuel, servicing, repairs and depreciation - cost a company up £3,500 a year,’ says Chas Ball, chief executive of Carplus, a registered charity established in 2000 to support the development of car clubs and ride-sharing schemes.

‘It’s all about convenience and costs,’ continues Ball, ‘We have played an active role in the introduction and growth of the car club sector in the UK. From a handful of community-led car clubs there are now over 160,000 members with access to over 3000 vehicles in locations across England, Scotland and Wales. And, the advancements in smart phone technology has meant the entire booking process is easier than ever before.’

Without the involvement and endorsement of local councils, any type of car sharing scheme would probably have not found the same take-up rate as they currently experience. The need to reduce heavily congested inner-city roads and rising levels of carbon emissions, has led to many councils entering into successful partnership agreements with car clubs (surveys suggests that each club car removes 24 privately owned cars off the road, and they emit 33% less CO2 than those they replace – in order to qualify for government support, operators of car club schemes are required to use new cars known for high economy and low emissions..

With town planners specifically allocating “on-road” parking bays, club car vehicles are now a commonplace sight, many of which are sited in suburban neighbourhoods, away from town centres, for ease of use and accessibility.

¡

fleetworld.co.uk / 65

FEATURE Car Clubs

¡

The shape of things to come in London

French connection French company Bolloré will soon provide 3,000 electric rental cars in London.

Recently, Bolloré, the French company behind the Autolib car hire scheme in Paris, announced they are to provide 3,000 electric rental cars in London under a car sharing scheme.

Drivers will be able to hire the Bluecars, dubbed the “Boris cars”, and drop them off at any one of thousands of charging points in the Source London system - a city wide electric vehicle charging network. Rental is expected to cost around £5 for a half-hour journey with a £5 per month membership. The irst 100 vehicles, which will each have a range of around 150 miles, will be on the streets in March 2015. In addition to the cars, Bolloré are to add thousands more charging points, having won the contract from Transport for London (TfL) to upgrade and extend the electric charging network.

Anyone between the ages of 18 and 75 can apply for membership from one of the main UK car clubs (age restrictions may vary). They must hold a full valid driving licence, held for at least 12 months, and declare any endorsements or convictions, along with insurance claims history at the time of application.

Once accepted as a member, vehicles can be booked by the hour (or half hour) either by telephone or online – the notice required can be as little as a few minutes, or up to 12 months in advance. If the required vehicle is available, then the booking time is con irmed by the call centre (if booking by phone),

66 / fleetworld.co.uk

or by text and/or email and then the vehicle is reserved.

In most cases, vehicles are then accessed from a car station, or designated parking bay, using a smart “proximity” card that, after identifying the member, automatically unlocks the vehicle and initiates the booking. The car or van is then started in the normal manner using an ignition key which will be found inside the vehicle. The smartcard is again used to lock the vehicle at the end of the booking, when the vehicle automatically sends all the user and mileage information back to a central computer for billing. However, unlike a more conventional vehicle rental, where it can be returned to a depot in another city or town, a club car must end up where it started from.

City clubbing All car clubs have their own set of charges, and most will implement an annual membership fee. For the personal user, these hover around the £50-£60 per annum, with hourly rates from as little as £4, depending on choice of vehicle. For business users, most clubs will negotiate on their membership charges. For example, when I phoned-up City Car Club, the UK’s irst commercial club and currently running a nationwide network of over 700 vehicles, to enquire about their business rates, they opened-up the batting by offering a £30 per person per annual

membership for company employees, with half-hourly tariffs from £2.07 plus VAT (which is the same as their published rates). I was told ‘I could probably get a better deal if I wanted to speak to one of their business managers’.

As with most of these schemes, City Car Club cars are equipped with a fuel card so members simply ill up as normal, handing over the fuel card to the cashier along with the current mileage of the car. The mileage is then charged back to the user.

City Car Club current mileage charges are 23p per mile for cars, 29p per mile for vans, and 5p per mile for EVs.

Zipping around town Zipcars, who presently have cars sited in Bristol, London, Oxford, Cambridge and Maidstone, charge business users an annual account fee of £99, with a £10 set-up fee for each additional driver. Their hourly tariff however, is slightly more expensive, from £4.79 (plus VAT), but it does include the irst 60 miles and the London congestion charge.

‘With so many different car sharing options available, these schemes are positioned to become ordinary rather than extraordinary.’

Car clubs...

Pros Maintain the benefit of car ownership but only pay for usage.

All costs included in one-hourly charge.

Designated bay always ensures parking.

Cons Longer hire periods can be more costly when compared to traditional vehicle rentals.

The exclusive option...

For business users based outside the location of a car club, or who simply want the exclusive use of a vehicle, there are irms such as AlphaCity, a subsidiary of Alphabet (GB), who operates an alternative scheme which allows companies to run their own “closed-group” car sharing programmes.

Kit Wisdom, head of corporate mobility, explains, ‘Vehicles are supplied on a normal fixed-term lease or contract hire agreement, and it can be any vehicle, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a bog standard city car. Thereafter, it works in much the same fashion as the more conventional types of car clubs with fuel, insurance, cleaning and maintenance all included in an hourly charge.

Bookings and reservations are made online with smartcards allowing access.

Onboard telemetry collects data to give a comprehensive overview of the employee’s mobility, reasons for travel, distances, fuel consumptions, dates and times. All costs are then simply reas-

Proximity and location of cars is still not yet nationwide.

High penalty charges for unauthorised late returns.

signed to that employee’s department.

‘Analysis from one of our clients, the Rugby Football Union, who have a leet of 300 company cars, and currently runs three BMW 116d Ef icientDynamics three-door hatchbacks on the AlphaCity scheme, shows they are spending no more than they used to with hire cars.’

Alisha Bird, services executive of the RFU, con irmed Kit Wisdom’s comments, and adds: ‘Our aim was to replace the mix of pool, hire and private vehicles previously used for on-demand travel while also reducing the administration and hassle of managing a grey leet. We currently have

nearly 50 registered users on this scheme with each car covering an average of 3,900 miles per month; a typical trip distance is 170 miles. We have also reduced our fuel bill by £3,000 a year compared with the previous pool car leet.’

With so many different car sharing options available, together with their ever growing numbers and accessibility, these schemes are positioned to become the ordinary, rather than extraordinary. Granted, they are never going to be that magic pill which will solve every problem the leet manager faces, but nonetheless, if utilised cleverly, they may cure a few headaches.

fleetworld.co.uk / 67

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Even before I joined, the business had recognised that we need to bring our fleet sales up, so we have more guys speaking to more fleets more often.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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INTERVIEW Patrick McGillycuddy, SKODA

Skoda looks to soar With a bigger fleet sales team, new products and a focus on larger fleets, Skoda’s head of fleet, Patrick McGillycuddy, reckons even more growth is due. By Steve Moody.

P

atrick McGillycuddy has only been head of fleet at Skoda since the end of last summer, but it’s been a stellar few months with sales soaring and new fleetspecific product. And there’s more to come he reckons.

He says: ‘The brand’s growth has been phenomenal.

Since 2010 up until the end of last year volume has grown 60% in total and 70% in fleet, which is outstanding, double digit growth year-on-year. Every new car we’ve introduced has done phenomenally well and aligned with that is the growth of the fleet team, which has been restructured to help drive that growth.

‘Historically in our balance of business, retail has always dominated fleet, but as we drive past our current 3% overall share (we’re slightly behind that on fleet) we are trying to bring that up to 50/50.’

Part of that growth is a bigger sales force. Last year, the firm increased the area fleet team from four to eight.

‘Even before I joined, the business had recognised that we need to bring our fleet sales up, so we have more guys speaking to more fleets more often, which means winning more business as well as being able to manage current customers better,’ he says.

‘That’s been one of the biggest changes: getting resource out to face the customer and talking to bigger firms, targeting 100-plus fleets whereas historically we might have gone after smaller fleets. And we’re seeing great success in that area.’

With Octavia, Superb, Rapid, Rapid Spaceback, Fabia and Yeti, Skoda has a very strong range which as McGillycuddy says offers something for everyone.

‘We have low CO2, good SMR and strong RVs, so in terms of a wholelife cost proposition we are spot on.

‘We launched Octavia last year and it has been a phenomenal success, and we’ve just launch the 85g/km Greenline which is a real advantage for us, particularly in estate which is a big statement in the market.

Across Octavia, Superb and Yeti, Skoda has launched an SE Business range tailored specifically to the requirements of company car drivers.

‘These new “business models” are a highly competitive proposition that deliver low whole life and running costs and a small BiK taxation liability, without the need for corporate customers to compromise on their reduced carbon footprint,’ he says.

‘There’s a triangle of practicality, quality and value with our cars, and that really works in the marketplace,

especially when talking to the corporates with job need and restricted badge fleets who also need a bigger network and more resource, which we now offer. So we now have the ability to service their needs too.

‘I believe it's about earning the right to tender, about building relationships with fleets and their stakeholders, such as leasing and fleet management companies, and understanding the different dynamics that are in play, so that even before that tender is released we're in a position to be competitive.’

Total fleet sales last year was just shy of 30,000 and this year Skoda aims to sell over 35,000 across all channels although McGillycuddy says the biggest growth will be in true fleet, specially off the back of the new product.

But it will also have to do better in leasing to hit those numbers, and Skoda has taken steps to address that.

‘We can do more in leasing. We need to have that resource there as 90% of the market is funded through those firms and the top six to ten do most of that, so we need to make sure these guys understand us. We are on a very aggressive growth path and we need to ensure those firms who are keyed in to our wholeluife costs, RVs, product and strategy so that when we are talking to these large fleet operators, that is echoed by a lease company.

‘Now we have two guys looking after north and south contract hire firms because it’s about building the whole relationship and helping them to understand Skoda – who we are, what we are and how we do it.

There’s also a dedicated resource for rental and Motability which McGillycuddy says will take a much bigger part in future Skoda sales.

‘In Motabaility, we are under-indexed but we will aim to grow. At the moment we’re at a 1.7% share when we are a 3% brand, so we are aiming to go to 2.5% this year.

But we need to make sure the retailer network is ready to serve that customer.’

Evolving the network is an important part of Skoda’s plans and the Fit for Fleet programme has morphed into a Business Centre scheme.

‘It’s a programme with around 30 centres across the country with a process of accreditation and support from us, both operationally and systems-wise on how they channel and target local business,’ says McGillycuddy. ‘There are 1.5 million small business fleets and we need to get our fair share of that business, or perhaps even our unfair share.’

fleetworld.co.uk / 69

FEATURE Taxation & Funding

Part 2

Pivot tables Professor Colin Tourick drills deeper into the world of pivoting.

L

ast month we assumed that you are a leet manager and that you need to analyse the end-of-contract damage charges your contract hire company has invoiced over recent years.

We saw how you can use pivot tables to re-analyse an unstructured list to produce a summary of costs by driver, department, year, type of damage or by both the driver and the type of damage.

Pivot tables are a great Excel tool that can save you a lot of time but can also help you gain access to information you couldn’t see before.

Imagine if the original Excel list had included 800 damage recharge lines rather than just 29. If you had simply scanned down the list of recharges it would have been pretty difficult to spot any really useful trends or gain any useful insights. But by using a pivot chart to summarise the data we can spot issues much more easily.

For example, in the original list you will probably have noticed that the leasing company charged over £600 for a missing part on Paul Kalms’ car. You might also have noticed that some of the

drivers appeared twice in the list, because it includes cars handed back over several years so some drivers had been charged for more than one car.

However, did you notice that both charges for Paul Kalms’ cars arose because of missing parts? Missing parts?

– is that something an employer should be paying for? Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t – it depends on the rules of the company car scheme and probably on the individual situation. But one thing’s for sure, the missing parts cost the company £1,286 and this is worth looking into.

TABLE 1 3 4

Sum of Cost £ Row Labels

Column Labels Bodywork

5

Alan Jones

456

6

Andrew Parent

425

Engine

Pivot Table Field List Exhaust

Interior damage

Missing Part

Tyres

Wheel

298

723

Cash Ora

8

Graham Wayne

354

9

Harlan Adams

10

Hugh Roberts

11

Jenny Macintyre

12

Joanna Kahn

198

13

Joby Farrell

489

14

Len De Vere

15

Mary Adams

16

Nicky Blonde

17

Paul Kalms

18

Peter Anthony

19

Peter Butts

555

20

Peter Jarvis

333

21

Robert Turnbull

22

Rose Aarons

23

Thomas Carlisle

24

Wilson Varley

25

Grand Total

354

245

245 225

398 136

Choose fields to add to report: Date Reg No

Driver Name Department Ref

225

Model

227

625

Damage

642

778

Cost

198 489 135

120

x

Grand Total 456

7

70 / fleetworld.co.uk

Missing Key

325

135 445

235

Drag fields between area below: Report Filter

235

Column Filter Damage

1286 1286

654

654

555

1110 333 313

872

2402

365

1631

198

313 1070

265

265

1204

1204

2933

555

1286

1523

448

11143

Row Labels Driver Name

Values Sum of Cost £

TABLE 2 3 4

Sum of Cost £ Row Labels

Column Labels Bodywork

Engine

Exhaust

Interior damage

5

Alan Jones

1

6

Andrew Parent

1

7

Cash Ora

8

Graham Wayne

9

Harlan Adams

10

Hugh Roberts

11

Jenny Macintyre

12

Joanna Kahn

1

13

Joby Farrell

1

14

Len De Vere

15

Mary Adams

16

Nicky Blonde

17

Paul Kalms

18

Peter Anthony

19

Peter Butts

1

20

Peter Jarvis

1

21

Robert Turnbull

22

Rose Aarons

23 24 25

Grand Total

Missing Key

Missing Part

Tyres

Wheel

Grand Total 1

1

2 1

1

1

1 1

1

1 1

1

2

1

2 1 1 1

1

1

1 2

1

1 2

2 1

1

1

2 1 1

1

1

1

2

Thomas Carlisle

1

1

Wilson Varley

2 6

2

When assembling the original list I typed the names, department names, costs and the types of damage completely randomly. I didn’t spot the fact that both Mr Kalms’ cars had been handed back with missing parts until I asked the question; ‘How many times has each driver been charged for each type of damage?’, I didn’t know the answer but I was able to use a pivot table to find out.

By the time I’d finished the analysis of types of damage recharge by driver,

4

8

2 1

2

3

2

my Excel worksheet looked like Table 1.

Note how the Values field says “Sum of Cost £”. Left clicking on this field and then left clicking “Value Field Settings” brings up a new dialog box.

Note how Sum is highlighted. That’s because Excel has been calculating the sum of the damage recharges by driver and dropping them into the

pivot chart. However, if you click on Count instead you produce a different result.

This was how I spotted that Paul Kalms had been responsible for two Missing Part recharges. I also noticed that Wilson Varley had twice handed back cars with Interior Damage. Once again, someone needs to decide who pays for this cost but without this sort of pivot table analysis the issue may never have been spotted.

Now let’s ask another question: Which department is incurring the most recharge costs? Most here could mean the greatest amount, in aggregate or perhaps the highest average. We can pivot the table to get both results. If we go back, unclick Driver Name and Damage, and click Department Ref, we can see that department LOP has incurred the highest level of damage recharges, followed by Departments FIN and KLL.

28

INDUSTRY VIEWPOINT Pivot tables are a great Excel tool that can save you a lot of time but can also help you gain access to information you couldn’t see before.

fleetworld.co.uk / 71

MANAGEMENT UK Fleet Forum

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

Join the Not a smart move for road safety?

Natalie Middleton, Business Editor, Fleet World

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

At the heart of the UK Fleet Forum is a team of fleet professionals who play a key role in the industry, either as fleet managers, consultants or fleet suppliers. These fleet experts provide a regular feed of information that is posted on the website forum in the form of discussion topics.

Typical areas of interest include, but are not limited to: taxation, finance and accounting, legislation, environmental issues, fleet safety, insurance, fleet management, supply issues and security.

Fleet suppliers are permitted to respond to queries if it is felt that their response represents honest and impartial advice. This aspect of the service is strictly moderated in order to ensure that the quality of information provided remains of the highest standard.

We have already attracted a strong network of fleet professionals, and our expert contributors have submitted a number of thought provoking discussion topics, a few of which are previewed to the right.

We hope you will consider joining us in this exciting new venture into the world of fleet.

To find out more about the UK Fleet Forum and request membership, please visit:

theukfleetforum.co.uk 72 / fleetworld.co.uk

Last month saw England’s first section of “smart” motorway open on the M25, but will the use of the hard shoulder as a permanent traffic lane lead to the safety issues that organisations such as the AA and RAC have warned about?

Previously trials of hard shoulder running, such as on the M42, have only been in operation at certain times but under the new changes, two sections of the motorway opening in April and May will, for the first time on a motorway scheme in England, have the hard shoulder converted for use as a permanent traffic lane for drivers. The sections also use enhanced technology to manage traffic flow to improve the reliability of journey times.

The Highways Agency says the move will improve journey time reliability for drivers and is now pushing its public information campaign on the various technologies that will be used to enforce the smart motorways.

And according to an article in Auto Express last year, the agency has said that All Lanes Running should see a 15% improvement on all-round road safety risks, with the use of Emergency Refuge Areas up to 2.5km apart.

However Paul Watters of the AA has said that the new “smart” motorways depend on drivers complying with the rules of the road and safety advice as well as a rapid response to incidents on the part of the road operator and technology.

RAC technical director, David Bizley, added: ‘We have raised concerns with the Highways Agency about the added risk arising from increased distance between emergency refuge

Drink or drug... which is worse?

Ross Durkin, Managing Editor, Fleet World The UK government’s attempts to get to grips with the issue of “drug driving” as opposed to “drink driving” draws attention to a frightening area of potential risk.

I wonder if this is perceived as an issue in other countries and, if so, what the solution is.

Some of our more liberal politicians seem determined to de-criminalise certain “recreational” drugs in order ostensibly to make the job of the police easier, but really

debate...

in association with

Meet the experts... areas, and we are disappointed so far at the absence of action to address them.’

Personally whilst I’m all in favour of anything to ease congestion, I’m rather sceptical of anything that requires higher standards of driving from all drivers given the idiotic behaviour that you can witness any time of the day or night on any motorway. But what do you think?

Clive Buhagiar, Head of Public Sector, Alphabet (UK) replied...

This is a subject close to my heart! I spend three to four hours a day on the M25 and have seen roadworks, extra lanes put in and variable speed limits over the years. I can honestly say that my 60 mile daily journey has never got any quicker despite all of these additions. But, I am an optimist, so if there is anything that can help the traffic flow, I think this will also help safety and reduce accidents and may reduce congestion. The M42 scheme seems to have had a positive impact, so this gives a good example of where these schemes can work. Can we really say no to any innovation that may reduce congestion?

A fleet manager replied...

I’m with the RAC/AA on this. When traffic levels are high, I fear a big increase to the risk of accidents.

Already on those sections of the M1 where the hard shoulder is used in this non-standard manner, I have seen many near misses.

to win votes from their chemically-oriented supporters.

As a result, many drivers will argue that driving with a certain level of drug(s) in your system shouldn’t be an offence.

Given the ability of the drug manufacturers to create “designer” drugs, surely it won’t be long before someone comes up with a hallucinogenic substance that gives an immediate high and then wears off quickly so that it won’t be picked up in subsequent blood and urine tests.

A frightening thought.

Dennis Dugen, Car Fleet & Employee Benefits Manager, WSP Dennis has worked at WSP, a professional consultancy, for the past 14 years. He was originally involved with building up the company fleet to over 650 cars, but is currently operating a salary sacrifice scheme for all company car drivers, having recently extended the offer to all employees.

Dennis was previously fleet manager at KPMG – a leading accountancy firm, for over 10 years. During this time he was responsible for regional fleets, and offered fleet management consultancy to many of the company’s clients.

Dean Bowkett, Technical Director and Chief Editor, Eurotax Glass’s Group Dean is responsible for the consistency and quality of residual values across the EurotaxGlass’s Group. He is a keen advocate for the closer integration of data and information across markets to provide a more rounded view of the industry.

He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, and has over 23 years’ experience within the automotive industry. Having started in external audit, Dean has worked for and with brands including General Motors, Vauxhall Opel and Nissan.

Natalie Middleton, Business Editor, Fleet World Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for 12 years, previously as Assistant Editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day.

fleetworld.co.uk / 73

SPECIAL FEATURE Contract Hire & Leasing

Simple yet effective measures for cutting cost A

lthough the UK economy may be looking brighter than it has done for some time, the recession has imprinted the need for cost control firmly into the fleet psyche, covering everything from the vehicles themselves to other unavoidable costs such as insurance and maintenance, thereby making up the total cost of ownership.

In fact, cost control frequently dominates the list of pressing priorities for fleets, along with the environment and road risk management.

In response, there are many innovative solutions arising from all areas of the fleet sector to help fleets deal with these priorities.

This includes the many tools provided by the contract hire and leasing sector. As a lynchpin of the UK fleet industry, the leasing marketplace is renowned across the world for its high level of sophistication and the launch of new cutting-edge advice and solutions to aid fleet managers and is in a prime position to help fleets get to grips with cost cutting.

A WLC methodology is key to understanding costs As one of the UK’s leading independent leasing, fleet management and vehicle outsourcing businesses, Zenith strongly recommends the adoption of a whole-life cost (WLC) strategy, with the firm advising fleets that their ability to measure, control and decrease the whole-life cost of operating their company vehicles will form a fundamental part of any successful fleet strategy.

Typically the largest cost of running a fleet is funding the vehicles, representing approximately 45% of total costs, according to Zenith. However, there are other key areas that should also be considered, such as fuel cost, vehicle maintenance, National Insurance (NI) and vehicle insurance.

The challenge for the fleet operator is to combine the skills and knowledge from a multitude of different functions within their business such as Finance, HR, Procurement, CSR, Health & Safety and operate their fleet taking into account all of the these potential costs.

Adopting a true WLC methodology enables you to understand the actual cost of running a vehicle over its life.

The purchase price, depreciation, tax rates (including NI), fuel, maintenance and repair costs, disposal costs and insurance all need to be considered rather than just the “on the road” price or monthly rental. A vehicle with a higher

in association with

74 / fleetworld.co.uk

purchase or rental price can actually cost significantly less than a “cheaper” model over the course of its life. Other factors such as CO2 emissions are important as these determine how much Benefit in Kind tax is payable by the employee and how much Class 1A National Insurance is payable by the employer. The WACC rate, which is the weighted average cost of capital, is also taken into account.

Utilising the WLC methodology assists in cutting costs by facilitating an accurate comparison of funding methods as well as helping to establish appropriate vehicle choice lists and grade boundaries. It also ensures that upcoming changes to tax rates including Benefit in Kind tax, VAT rate and Corporation Tax are taken into account. Carrying out a whole life cost model can result in substantial savings for a company.

It can also enable employees to drive more expensive cars within their grade than they may otherwise be eligible for.

So what should fleets do next? Zenith says you should look to take advantage of a consultancy service provided by an experienced leasing company. They should be able to review the total cost of your fleet and recommend any changes to funding methods, vehicle choices lists and vehicle policy to maximise efficiencies, improve fleet performance and reduce costs.

¡

CUTTING EDGE Cutting Costs

Save Money by pitching market-leading funders against each other to compete for your business

Save Time using a dedicated portal to receive real-time contract hire quotes with one click

Every Vehicle is subject to a mini-tender with multiple quotes delivered in under 10 seconds

Place an order in under 5 minutes and save over £100,000* on a 300 vehicle fleet over 3 years

Inchcape Fleet Solutions is in the top 15 fleet providers in the UK, with 45 years of experience in delivering a wide portfolio of fleet management services to meet our customers’ needs We are part of Inchcape plc, a global premium automotive group with operations in 26 countries worldwide We deliver an incredible customer experience to our clients and their drivers based on our global best practice and processes

For a no-obligation consultation on whether Inchcape Fleet Autobid is right for your business or for more information

Tel: 0333 222 0923 * Based on one client’s saving through competitive tendering of £346.32 per vehicle over a 3 year term, before any fleet management savings are factored in.

www.inchcape-fleet.co.uk/IFAutobid

SPECIAL FEATURE Contract Hire & Leasing

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Save time & money with competitive tendering One of the key ways to help generate savings is through using a competitive tendering solution, according to Inchcape Automotive Solutions.

The firm, part of the FTSE 250 global automotive company Inchcape plc, has highlighted the issues when it comes to seeking the right contract hire deal at the right price, with the range of differing contract hire prices for the same vehicle being as wide as the array of funders, with huge variations between funders that change every day.

The traditional model of tendering for a fleet can help to select the provider who is cheapest over the period of the tender process, but does nothing to select the cheapest price once a fleet is locked into a multi-year contract. The alternative of submitting every vehicle for a “mini-tender” has required a labour-intensive process of interacting with each provider individually, adding to costs whether in-house or outsourced.

In fact, according to an independent survey of fleet key decision makers commissioned by Inchcape Fleet Solutions, 94% of respondents confirmed that price is important or very important in sourcing vehicles, yet over a third of those polled requested quotes from only one or two companies. Less than a quarter of respondents improved their chances of securing the best price by comparing quotes from four or more companies.

With the time pressures that fleet managers and procurement professionals are under (particularly those who combine fleet management with other roles) it is unsurprising to see that over half of respondents (56%) spent less than two hours per month in obtaining quotes for their business.

In the internet age, with the abundance of price comparison websites for insurance, broadband, energy and travel, it is not surprising that 70% of respondents to the survey would be interested in an online system that gave them instant competing contract hire quotes.

In response to this clear gap in the market, Inchcape Fleet Solutions has developed the revolutionary product, Inchcape Fleet AutoBid. In under five minutes, customers can receive a real-time quote from a panel of marketleading funders, saving valuable time. This makes it practical to create a “mini-tender” on every vehicle in your fleet.

The huge benefit is that, for a 300 car fleet, the savings from competitive tendering for each vehicle could exceed £100,000 over a three year contract. Inchcape Fleet Solutions manages the whole process seamlessly so that you have one point of contact for your fleet regardless of the funder. This provides all the benefits of having one trusted long-term fleet management partner, coupled with the savings of obtaining competitive pricing on every vehicle.

in association with

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Achieve long-lasting savings by improving efficiencies Cost reduction isn’t about simply finding the cheapest fleet supplier, according to Venson. Indeed, that approach can often lead to false economies. Instead, the real way to achieve actual long-lasting savings is to look at improving efficiencies at the same time as reducing unnecessary expenditure. We believe that this can be achieved via a number of avenues.

1. Challenge your fleet supplier There’s no need to fear challenging the established order, in fact shaking things up can be mutually beneficial for both parties. The sign of a genuinely effective fleet supplier is one that works with you to ensure your fleet policy is the most appropriate for your needs. Question “hidden” costs from your supplier – how transparent are they on administration, maintenance, tyres and windscreen recharges?

2. Review company vehicle policy Vehicle whole life costs are one of the least considered but most important factors when it comes to selecting vehicles for a fleet policy. It may seem simple but having a fleet supplier that provides information that takes into account all aspects of running a vehicle means you can look at two models with an identical list price but be able to choose the one that is most cost effective for your fleet over the vehicle’s life.

3. Fuel costs Fuel bills can be tackled with a variety of tactics. Ensuring vehicles are properly maintained, regularly serviced, with tyre pressures checked. If not, it can add 5% to 10% to a fuel bill. Telematics can also help in reducing fuel costs, with suggested savings of c.10%.

4. Driver training Most drivers will feel that they don’t require training, but 22% of crashes are caused by driver inattention or distraction – a driver who performs a secondary task while at the wheel is up to three times more likely to crash*. A driver risk assessment programme coupled with either classroom or in-vehicle training will not only see incident rates fall but with it associated accident costs.

Venson added that these tips are just a flavour of what can be achieved. Our key advice: know what you are getting from your fleet supplier. On the surface some providers can look to be delivering the cheaper option, but then too far down the line companies realise the “paper savings” are not translating into tangible or real savings.

* Department for Transport 2010 Road Traffic Statistics

Select the right gear and unlock the data within your Fleet Award-winning Vehicle Management Software that puts you in complete controlâ&#x20AC;Ś Our innovative Pulse platform enables you to move your fleet performance up a gear.

It includes: t 'VMM BVUPNBUJPO XJUI JOTUBOU BOBMZTJT BU UIF UPVDI PG B CVUUPO t 5SFOET BOE BSFBT DPTU TBWJOHT BOE JNQSPWFNFOUT IJHIMJHIUFE t 3JTL ,1*T TFSWJDF MFWFMT BOE ESJWFS TBUJTGBDUJPO BMM EJTQMBZFE t 'VMM BDDFTT UP SFBM UJNF EBUB BOE SFQPSUT BOZUJNF GSPN BOZXIFSF JO UIF XPSME t $POTUBOU FWPMVUJPOT XJUI FYUSB GVODUJPOBMJUZ CFJOH BEEFE FWFSZ NPOUI LFFQJOH ZPVS DPNQBOZ T WFIJDMF NBOBHFNFOU BU UIF PQUJNVN TQFFE

0844 848 9311 www.zenith.co.uk enquiries@zenith.co.uk

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MARKET OVERVIEW Fuel Management

The Fuelcard Company As one of the largest commercial fuel card resellers in the UK, The Fuelcard Company enjoys partnerships with most of the large fuelling networks including Shell, Esso, Texaco and Keyfuels so this means we have around 6000 sites where our cards are accepted.

As experts in our field, we have a wealth of experience in delivering tailored and competitive fuel card solutions for businesses of all types. In addition to our excellent customer service, our online account management is completely free of charge and will totally streamline your fuel management.

Tel: 0845 073 0873 info@fuelcards.co.uk

Allstar Business Solutions Ltd

www.fuelcards.co.uk

euroShell Fuel Card

The Allstar network covers sites which deliver 96% of the fuel drawn in the UK, including motorway sites and lower cost supermarkets.

With an Allstar fuel card, drivers enjoy the ease and convenience they need and don’t have to drive off route in order to fill up. This means businesses benefit from savings in not just fuel, but time and cost too.

Our consolidated invoice is HMRC compliant and ensures you can claim back up to 100% of your business fuel VAT. Allstar cards will soon have Visa chip & PIN technology to reduce the risk of fraud and streamline reporting.

Tel: 0870 419 2849 fuelcardsales@allstarcard.co.uk www.allstarcard.co.uk

With over 50 years of fuel card expertise, the euroShell card can give you greater control, convenience and security to overall save fleet managers money! The euroShell card is accepted at an extensive 3,500 stations across the UK which includes Shell, Esso, Texaco and Total sites.

The euroShell card information management system enables fleet managers to have: • control amongst their whole fleet • access to secure online invoicing • simple card management (with options to select card PINs) • generate bespoke smart alerts • ...and more!

Please give us a call on the 0800 915 6022 to find out how easy it is to become a euroShell card customer and start saving now!

Contact: Philip Williams

Tel: 0800 915 6022 www.euroshell.co.uk

The Fuelcard People Leading independent supplier of fleet fuel cards, discount diesel fuel cards and petrol fuel cards. ISO quality accreditation for fuel card management and service, a range covering every major brand and unequalled value-added services. Nationwide network of 7,000+ sites includes BP, Esso, Shell, Texaco, supermarket forecourts and independent retailers. Every customer has a named account manager and 24/7 online account access. The CO2Count service enables emissions monitoring fleetwide, for both diesel and petrol vehicles.

MileageCount offers benefits ranging from complete, accurate personal/business mileage recording to comprehensive fleet management automation, including licences, MOT, insurance, servicing, training and duty of care compliance.

Contact: Steve Gale info@thefuelcardpeople.co.uk www.thefuelcardpeople.co.uk

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Tel: 0844 870 6942

UK Fuels UK Fuels is a market leader in providing fuel card solutions to business and commercial fleets. Our UK Fuels+ cards aim to reduce fuel costs for your business – no matter what type of fleet you run we'll find the right fuel card solution for you.

With access to over 6,500 filling stations nationwide, you simply choose which networks and brands suit each of your individual vehicles or drivers. Our free to use online fuel card management system will provide you with detailed information about transactions and expenditure helping to keep control of your costs.

Contact: UK Fuels Sales Team info@ukfuels.co.uk www.ukfuels.co.uk

Tel: 0844 880 2468

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 does 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?

FLEETW RLD

Key to services

7.6k Multi

All

BP PLUS Fuel Cards 2k Both

All

euroShell Fuel Card 3.5k+ Both

All *

The Fuelcard Company 6k Multi

All

**

The Fuelcard People 7k+ Multi

All

UK Fuels 6.5k Multi

All

Service provided

Service unavailable

Allstar Business Solutions Ltd

*PIN only ** not always

THE online resource for fleet decision-makers...

internationalfleetworld.com

fleetworld.co.uk

vanfleetworld.co.uk

fleetworld.co.uk / 79

our fleet Suzuki S-Cross 1.6 DDiS SZ-T ALLGRIP

I finally had the chance to try the S-Cross with five adults on board this month and, though performance was understandably slightly blunted, the compact Suzuki remained happy to keep pace with traffic.

However the additional weight in the back did highlight that the rear suspension is perhaps more comfortable with a little less weight on board.

The road holding remained admirably secure, thanks in part to the added grip of our four-wheel drive model. Bumps and expansion joints could certainly be felt and heard throughout the car though.

There were few complaints from those on board however, with three happily occupying the rear bench and little need for the two front seat occupants to do more than slide their seats forward slightly

for more leg room in the back. There really is plenty of space inside the S-Cross.

Unfortunately the same can’t be said of the luggage compartment, as having so many people’s aboard highlighted that the boot isn’t quite so spacious, even with its hidden underfloor storage compartment.

The boot floor is relatively high, resulting in just 430 litres of space, though that rises to a more commodious 875 litres if you can drop the rear seat back. Interestingly, ALLGRIP models lose nothing to their twowheel drive brethren in terms of capacity.

Dan Gilkes

Mazda3 SKYACTIV-D 2.2 SE-L Nav WHETHER or not consumers really understand the Mazda’s SKYACTIV Technology, the end results of this package of chassis, drivetrain and styling improvements have clearly struck a chord in showrooms.

The manufacturer said global sales of the CX-5 crossover, and new Mazda3 and Mazda6 – all of which have benefitted from the full package of SKYACTIV Technology upgrades – passed a million units between the first units leaving the production line in November 2011 and the end of March 2013.

Locally, it’s helped lift UK sales 38% in the first quarter of 2014 and means Mazda has the right foundations to reach its 36,000 unit target this year. Almost a quarter of those are the Mazda3.

As much as the CX-5 and Mazda6 are pillars of its future growth, and the seven year-old Mazda2 supermini is ageing surprisingly well, the Mazda3’s presence in Europe’s largest sector

80 / fleetworld.co.uk

the figures will make it a real asset to the brand both in fleet and retail.

The generational change is huge, both mechanically and visually. Platforms and engines are no longer shared with the Ford Focus, our car featuring Mazda’s new 148bhp SKYACTIV-D 2.2-litre diesel and six-speed gearbox, plus light aluminium chassis components linked to a re-worked steering setup. The aim is to give the hatchback a little of the MX-5 roadster’s driver appeal.

And, while a 2.2-litre diesel is a big engine for a C-segment car, CO2 emissions of 104g/km are competitive with similarly-powered rivals and the drivetrain never feels overworked – helpful for achieving good real-world economy. A sub-95g/km 1.6-litre diesel would be a useful addition, though. It will be interesting to see how it fares during our year-long tenure.

Anne Dopson

OTR PRICE £21,345 POWER 148bhp @ 4,500rpm TORQUE 280lb.ft @ 1,800rpm 0-62mph 8.1 seconds TOP SPEED 130mph COMBINED MPG 68.9mpg CO2 107g/km (17% BiK)

SEAT Toledo SE 1.6 TDI Ecomotive

Ford Kuga 1.6T EcoBoost Titanium FORD’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine has been in the news recently for winning government funding to help upgrade its efficiency but it’s the unit’s bigger brother, the 1.6-litre EcoBoost unit, that we’ve been testing in the Kuga in 148bhp FWD guise.

At 154g/km and 42.8mpg combined, the EcoBoost’s economies are not far off the 53.3mpg and 139g/km of the 138bhp 2.0 TDCI diesel but, not bearing the lights of right foots, I’m only seeing 29.9mpg. This only marginally changes to 30mpg in continued motorway conditions and 29.8mpg after some miles of urban driving – even with some effort to drive more gently. I think it may be time to call in some of the ecodriving techniques from the MPG Marathon…

Natalie Middleton

Renault Clio 1.5 dCi Dynamique S If ever a car’s interior polarised opinions, it is our Clio’s. It’s nothing to do with comfort, but more due to the overwhelmingly red colour scheme.

That said, it does complement the striking Flame Red paintwork rather nicely, even if it creates a brighter reflection in the windscreen than the standard black dashboard option. The chrome instrument bezels reflect the sunlight a little too readily as well, but overall it’s form and function in happy harmony.

The same of which can be said for the integrated TomTom sat-nav, until it curiously loses its mapping capability, which we’re hoping is an isolated incident. More of that next month...

Luke Wikner

the figures

AFTER the fanfare surrounding the MQB design architecture for models such as the Volkswagen Golf, SEAT Leon, Skoda Octavia and Audi A3, the Toledo might look like something of a throwback. Sharing major components with the Skoda Rapid hatchback, it doesn’t benefit from the MQB architecture and, although powertrain components are shared with other Volkswagen Group models, they are clearly designed to appeal to fleet buyers with a combination of high spec and competitive pricing.

The Toledo uses an old SEAT name and also looks back to the original 1990s model for its hatchback-thatlooks-like-a-saloon design. If you are looking for a car that can carry four large adults in comfort and offer a large (550 litre) boot, with good fuel consumption potential, our Toledo SE 105 CR – powered by the impressive 1.6-litre TDI diesel – could be for you. It won’t deliver the chassis finesse of a model with the MQB architecture, but it’s larger inside than you might expect and is well equipped even with lesser trim options.

S trim brings heated door mirrors, air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port, remote audio controls and remote central locking among others.

SE brings 16-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors touchscreen satellite navigation, DAB radio Bluetooth audio streaming, cornering lights, cruise control and much more, and should give competitive lease prices.

Add in low CO2 emissions, 20,000-mile service intervals and 72.4mpg combined and it should not be an expensive car to run either.

On longer journeys, it is not difficult to average an indicated 65mpg, thanks in part to the Ecomotive package that is provided with the 103bhp 1.6 TDI engine. Automatic Stop/Start plus regenerative braking is part of the standard package.

John Kendall

OTR PRICE £16,640 POWER 105bhp @ 4,400rpm TORQUE 184lb.ft @ 1,500rpm 0-62mph 10.4 seconds TOP SPEED 118mph COMBINED MPG 72.4mpg CO2 104g/km (16% BiK)

fleetworld.co.uk / 81

our fleet Mercedes-Benz E300 BlueTEC Hybrid SE Estate I promised to find some issues with the E-Class Hybrid this month, and I must admit I get a bit annoyed with the brakes.

Because they regenerate the batteries they can feel a bit inconsistent when you push them, with not a lot happening to start with.

Also, to get the thing into gear when you start it up you have to push them like it was an emergency stop or it won't engage D or R. This month though, the Moody family has been to Cornwall for Easter and the Merc, packed with four people and all their kit, managed 52mpg there and back, while the kids were royally entertained by the TV screens and DVD players, and we got the pleasure of DAB in the front. It made for a very relaxed journey.

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

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

Also, I've noticed the hybrid system makes this diesel drivetrain much more refined more of which next month. So all in all, a minor quibble with the brake feel aside, it's still a great car, doing a great job.

Steve Moody

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

Audi A8 SE 3.0 TDI quattro THERE are two cars in my life at the moment. The first is my 1986 Land Rover Defender, powered by 2.5 litres of noisy, bone shaking, four-cylinder diesel engine.

The second is our long-term Audi A8, powered by 3.0 litres of sweet sounding, ultra smooth V6 diesel capable of propelling the car from 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds. It has a top speed of 155mph, while returning a laudable 47.9mpg on the combined cycle.

The Landy has only once been over 60mph (at least, with me at the wheel) and probably returns something around 30mpg on a good day. It has no heater, stinks of dogs and is noisy as hell.

And yet I love them both, albeit for almost diametrically opposing reasons.

The Landy will go anywhere, carry anything, and can be hosed out when dirty.

The A8 is as refined as it gets and – being double glazed – provides a supremely quiet, stress-free environment on a long run. You can hear the engine if you listen hard, but at 70mph in eighth gear it is barely ticking over and totally unstressed.

I can’t say I look forward to driving 300 miles to work each week, but the Audi A8 certainly makes the experience a whole lot more palatable.

Ross Durkin

fleet insurance insureFLEET Tel: 0333 202 3133 www.insurefleet.com

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

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

rental systems & programmes White Clarke Automotive Solutions Tel: 0870 787 2211

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www.whiteclarkeauto.com

FLEETW RLD SUPPLIER DIRECTORY contract hire, leasing & finance

daily rental

fleet management software

risk management

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

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

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

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

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

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

AA DriveTech Tel: 01256 495732

Lex Autolease

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

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

DriveTech

Vehicle Management

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

www.AAdrivetech.com/fleetsafe

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Drive Software Solutions Tel: 01438 317731

RAC Risk Management Tel: 0870 606 2606

www.drivesoftwaresolutions.com

www.racfleetriskmanagement.co.uk

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

sgfleet Tel: 0845 154 0721 www.sgfleet.com

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

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

Roadmarque Tel: 0845 053 0331 www.roadmarque.com

Apex Car Rental Tel: 01323 745444

Sofico Tel:0121 288 5935/07815 601622

www.apexrental.co.uk

www.soficoservices.com

Cardinus Risk Management Tel: 01733 426015

tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

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

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

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

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

www.cardinus.com

Full listings online at fleetworld.co.uk car valeting

misfuelling

fuel management

AFF Tel: 0844 879 4770 www.autofuelfix.com

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

Maxxia 020 7520 9450 www.maxxia.co.uk

Val-Tech Solutions Ltd Tel: 0333 011 6540 www.val-techsolutions.co.uk

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

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

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

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

Trakm8 Tel: 01747 858 444 www.trakm8.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

telematics & tracking

fleetworld.co.uk / 83

risk management

Smart changes, big results Mel Dawson, managing director of ALD Automotive, on how this year’s Fleet Driver of the Year competition reinforces the benefits of combining technology and driver training to reduce fleet cost and risk.

W

hilst the recent Treasury analysis about the economic benefits of freezing fuel duty may be causing conjecture, the last month has seen sure-fire proof for fleets of the economic benefits of targeting employees’ driving behaviour.

Held on 9th April at the Fleet World Fleet Show, the 2014 Fleet Driver of the Year competition has once again put the focus on how technology and training can be used to improve drivers’ habits – with significant benefits to a company’s fuel bill.

Now in its second year, this unique competition organised

by ALD Automotive –in association with Fleet World and event partners AA DriveTech and Toyota & Lexus Fleet Services – puts fleet drivers’ skills to the ultimate test to find the UK’s best company car driver and promote smarter, safer and more cost efficient driving.

Entrants took part in a three-month evaluation process that included testing their knowledge of the Highway Code and an independent online psychometric assessment – used to identify behaviours that contribute to a driver’s increased risk of having an accident.

Drivers also had their driving technique monitored for a month through in-vehicle telematics. Any events that impacted on a driver’s performance, including speeding, harsh braking, acceleration or driving without a break, were benchmarked and scored in conjunction with ALD Automotive’s partner AA DriveTech.

At the end of the 30-day evaluation the top 10 drivers were invited to take part in a set of highly skilled driving challenges at this year’s Fleet World Fleet Show, which saw Philip Palmer, from payment processing service Worldpay, win the FDOTY crown. Second place went to Andy Price from Zurich Insurance Group, and third place went to Steven Annable from Alstom.

FDOTY champion Philip Palmer said that although he really enjoyed the challenges, the experience from start to finish made him aware of his driving style and how small changes in technique improved both his fuel efficiency and safety on the road.

Philip’s comments draw attention to the more serious message behind the competition, which has been devised to

Contact ALD Automotive:

84 / advertisement feature

t 0870 0011181

focus the industry’s attention towards the effects that drivers can have on fleet costs.

Although fleets may be funding their vehicles in the most tax-efficient way and use the most fuel-efficient models available, when the keys are handed over, it’s driving behaviour that has the biggest influence on cost, risk and CO2 output.

Telematics technology provides an exclusive insight into such behaviour, and solutions like ALD Automotive’s award-winning ProFleet2 product can be used as powerful tool to help manage your fleet. This advanced technology is unique within the marketplace, with over 35,000 units installed to date.

For fleet operators looking to tackle fuel costs, ProFleet2 delivers in-depth management information alongside data supplied by a fuel card to enable fuel usage to be matched with actual business journeys and accurate mileage statistics, ensuring that fuel cost reimbursement is controlled effectively, whilst also helping companies looking to manage their environmental footprint.

As a result, companies that have successfully implemented a telematics solution could see fuel savings as high as 15% according to Frost & Sullivan data. ProFleet2 has gone far as to help one of ALD Automotive’s customers achieve a 37% reduction on fuel spend.

Meanwhile the advanced data delivered by ProFleet2 can also be used to get to grips with road risk management by offering fleet managers a complete overview of their vehicles and the driving habits of their employees, along with dashboard reporting to highlight areas of potential risk and the necessary interventions to manage this risk.

And once ProFleet2 has identified drivers whose habits behind the wheel are proving risky or costly to the business, fleet operators can act on this using effective products such as driver training, as demonstrated by the evaluation process for the FDOTY entrants. This is offered by ALD Automotive in partnership with a number of best-in-class service providers, resulting in drivers assuming enhanced driving techniques, improved behaviour and a more responsible attitude.

For more details on ALD Automotive’s ProFleet2 technology and the benefits it can offer your fleet, please email ukinfo@aldautomotive.com or call 0870 00 111 81.

e ukinfo@aldautomotive.com

w www.aldautomotive.co.uk

VAN

May 2014

FLEETW RLD

p88

SPOTLIGHT

The signs are that both Trafic and Vivaro will move the game forwards.

New Trafic and Vivaro

at a glance driven Volkswagen e-Caddy

plus...

Latest news, daily rental & Steve Bridge of Mercedes talks strategy vanfleetworld.co.uk

inbusiness

New engines and driver aids for Ducato, Relay & Boxer

F

iat, Citroen and Peugeot are set to update their Ducato, Relay and Boxer heavy van ranges. While the three share much of their structure and body, they do differ under the bonnet.

The Fiat Ducato comes with a choice of 2.3-litre MultiJet II diesels, putting out 110hp, 130hp and 150hp or a 3.0-litre MultiJet engine with 180hp.

The French duo will use a 2.2-litre engine with 110hp, 130hp and 150hp, but will share the Fiat’s 3.0-litre motor for the range-topping 180hp model. Sixspeed manual gearboxes are available with all engines, while a ComfortMatic automated transmission is available on all Fiat vans bar the base 2.3-litre unit.

The introduction of standard ESC/ESP on all models brings with it a host of electronic driver aids, including Hill Holder, roll-over mitigation and a load and centre of gravity detection system.

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

Road Angel gets tough Road Angel Fleet is introducing Tough Track, an asset tracking device with an impact-resistant casing and its own self-contained power source. The Tough Track can be bolted or welded in place and comes with an internal aerial that has been designed to stand up to the most hostile working environments.

Fiat will also offer a Traction+ system, while Peugeot calls it Grip Control, complete with lane departure warning and road sign recognition as an option.

There will be the usual range of load volumes, from 8-17m3, thanks to a choice of four body lengths and three roof heights. All three manufacturers will offer panel vans, chassis cabs, crew cabs and a host of conversions. Gross vehicle weights will extend to 4 tonnes.

Smallest Transit to pack a heavy punch

New Daily poised for launch Iveco will take the wraps off its next generation Daily in June. Retaining its sturdy ladder chassis, the Italian truck and van range gets longer wheelbases with a shorter rear overhang, taking load volumes to 18m3 and 20m3 for the largest models. Iveco is promising up to 5% fuel savings and significant total ownership cost reductions.

Maxmiler tyre joins GT range Tyre supplier GT Radial has introduced the Maxmiler Pro van tyre range. Available in 25 sizes to suit both 15” and 16” wheels, the Maxmiler Pro is claimed to provide improved durability in higher load conditions, while offering improved fuel consumption and lower noise levels. The design uses a flatter tyre contour with large shoulder blocks and circumferential ribs to maximise safe handling.

F

ord is promising class-leading fuel economy and load carrying ability for its soon to be launched Transit Courier. The fourth model to wear the Transit badge in the latest round of product upgrades, Courier boasts a load length at the loor of 1.62m and up to 2.59m with a fold- lat passenger seat.

Maximum load volume is 2.6m3 and the body comes with pre-installed ixing points for racking or internal framework.

Under the bonnet will be a choice of

86 / vanfleetworld.co.uk

Ford’s 1.6-litre diesel engine with 95hp or a 1.5-litre diesel with 75hp. There is also the option of the irm’s EcoBoost 1.0-litre petrol engine. The most ef icient diesel model, the 1.6-litre with Auto-Start-Stop and a speed limiter, is said to offer up to 76.3mpg with CO2 levels as low as 97g/km.

Maximum payload is a very healthy 660kg and the Transit Courier can handle a Euro pallet. There will also be a Kombi version with seating for ive and a load volume of 1.69m3 with the seats folded.

Trakm8 optimises web tool offering Telematics supplier Trakm8 has added Swift 6 to its fleet management offering.

The web portal has been improved to offer Google Maps with Street View and Route Reply with a Snail Trail feature.

This allows the customer to get an accurate view of vehicle locations and road conditions when viewing historic journey information.

VFW SPOTLIGHT Renault Trafic / Vauxhall Vivaro

Rebirth!

Dan Gilkes outlines Renault and Vauxhallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crucial new medium van superstars...

engines The 2.0-litre engines in the previous generation Trafic/Vivaro have been replaced by two 1.6-litre motors, with a choice of four power outputs, that are 25kg lighter. There are two single turbo derivatives, delivering 90hp and 260Nm of torque or 115hp with 300Nm. In addition both companies will offer two twinturbo engines, with 120hp and 320Nm or a range-topping 140hp and 340Nm. These engines use a smaller fixed turbo for low rpm response and a larger fixed turbo for high speed power.

The 120hp twin-turbo engine is expected to prove particularly popular, boasting up to 47.1mpg and 155g/km of CO2. Though currently conforming to Euro 5b emissions standards, the engines have been designed with the move to Euro 6 as legislation demands.

The twin-turbo engines come as standard with Stop&Start and a deceleration energy recovery system, called Electric Smart Management. Oil change intervals for all engines have been extended to two years/25,000 miles.

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FLEET FACT New Trafic/Vivaro customers could save up to ÂŁ1,200 in fuel over 3yr/60k.

practicality Available in panel van, combi, crew van and platform cab layouts, the Trafic/Vivaro can be had in two body lengths, both 216mm longer than before. That means 100mm more cargo length, with internal load volumes now going from 5.2m3 in L1H1 form, to 8.6m3 for the L2H2 van.

The revised van has been designed to work as the driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office, taking inspiration from the larger Master/Movano models. The centre front seat can be turned into a small desk, capable of holding a laptop and there is plenty of storage in the centre console and in a drawer under the front passenger seat. There are even cradle mounts available for a range of smartphones and tablets.

safety The new vans will be safer to operate, thanks to standard ABS brakes, Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Hill Start Assist (HAS) and Traction Control with Roll Over Mitigation. Renault will also offer Trafic with its Grip Xtend system of traction control, that varies the performance of the ESC system depending on surface grip.

A reversing camera will be available as an option along with an additional wide-view mirror, which can be tilted to give the driver a better view when parking and reversing.

what we think...

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to wait until June to drive the two vans, but with more power, increased carrying capacity and a host of driver aids available, the signs are that both Trafic and Vivaro will move the game forwards for Renault and Vauxhall.

The 1.6-litre engines will be the smallest in the class, but with twin turbocharging they should be competitive in terms of both power and torque. If they can deliver the promised fuel consumption, without sacrificing driveability and longevity, then they will take the benefits of downsizing to a new level for the mid-weight van market. DG

vanfleetworld.co.uk / 89

Q. Why Citan?

A.‘Trust, value, quality’

A Daimler Brand

The small van with all the answers.

www.mbvans.co.uk/fleet

Volkswagen e-Caddy

You can’t buy it yet, but Dan Gilkes says that Volkswagen is ready for an upturn in electric demand.

G

iven its share of the car and van markets, through its many brand names, Volkswagen has been relatively slow to join the electric revolution. Indeed, though currently launching e-Golf and e-up! cars, the company hasn’t made much noise about an electric van at all.

However that looks set to change. While Volkswagen was at pains to point out that it isn’t launching anything yet, and that they are purely an engineering exercise, we have tried both an e-Caddy and an e-Load Up! on the roads of Berlin. Both vans looked pretty much production ready.

The company said that we may hear more about its plans at the Hannover Commercial Vehicle Show in September, so watch this space. For now though, we’ll treat these two vans as engineering prototypes.

As with the e-Golf, the e-Caddy uses a permanent synchronous motor with a power output of 115hp and 270Nm of torque. Its Lithium-ion battery pack, which uses a VWproduced casing with cells from Panasonic, has a nominal storage capacity of 24.2kWh and requires up to 13 hours to charge. That said, 80% of charge can be achieved in 30 minutes using a fast charge facility.

Volkswagen prefers to sell the vehicle complete, rather than have a separate lease for batteries. However on the e-up! car it provides an eight year/160,000km battery warranty for customer peace of mind, so it would be fair to assume a similar level of back-up for van customers.

The e-Caddy could offer 130-190km of range, depending on operating conditions, with a 550kg payload. As the batteries are

92 / vanfleetworld.co.uk

what we think Volkswagen may have been keeping relatively quiet about its expertise in electric vehicles, but the company is more than prepared to supply urban van demand when it comes.

specification MODEL Volkswagen e-Caddy Maxi BASIC PRICE Not for sale ENGINE Synchronous electric motor FUEL INJECTION n/a POWER 115hp TORQUE 270Nm Weights (kg) GVW n/a KERB WEIGHT n/a PAYLOAD 550 Dimensions (mm) LOAD SPACE LENGTH 2,250 LOAD SPACE WIDTH 1,552 LOAD SPACE HEIGHT 1,262 LOAD HEIGHT (unladen) 588 LOAD VOLUME 4.2m3 Cost considerations FUEL TANK CAPACITY n/a CO2 EMISSIONS 0g/km OIL CHANGE n/a WARRANTY 8 yr/160,000km warranty on batteries

mounted beneath the existing floor, the diesel van’s load volume is unchanged with the switch to electric drive.

In the cab, the van has the familiar gearlever from a DSG automated manual model, so is driven much like a regular automatic.

However, as well as the D position, for forward drive, there is also a B position (Braking), with what would be gearchange paddles behind the steering wheel activating three levels of regenerative braking.

In the basic D position, when you lift off the throttle there is no regeneration unless you also push the brake pedal, so the van will coast. The three brake positions then become increasingly more active, until in the third setting you barely need to use the foot brake at all to bring the van to a halt.

The e-Caddy has more than enough power to keep pace with urban traffic, offering quiet progress through the city streets. At least it is almost quiet, Volkswagen having equipped the van with synthetic engine noises, to warn pedestrians of its approach.

The e-Load up! is little more than a fivedoor compact car with the rear seats removed. However it does show that if there was demand for a more compact urban runabout, Volkswagen has one ready to go.

Which is the point really. Though perhaps not shouting about it, Volkswagen is more than prepared to jump into the electric van market, if and when there is a realistic demand from that market for it to do so.

With the introduction of electric cars, VW will have established a service network for the vehicles – it just needs the market to say yes.

Itâ&#x20AC;Ś is about being local and global.

Now operating throughout Europe and the UK, ARI is known and trusted by fleet management decision-makers worldwide to streamline operations and control cost.

We know that every company has unique fleet challenges. We meet complexity with tailored solutions. We dig deeper and go farther to unlock your fleet performance with sustainable business solutions. Across the globe, across the country, across your town our fleet management expertise is around the corner.

Learn more about ARI professional fleet management services: 0844 8000 700 www.arifleet.co.uk

INTERVIEW Steve Bridge, Mercedes-Benz Vans

Split decision Mercedes-Benz is splitting its commercial vehicle divisions into distinct van and truck operations, to provide an improved service to customers in both market segments. The move, which is a worldwide Daimler initiative, comes despite record van sales in the UK, though Mercedes-Benz Vans managing director, Steve Bridge, obviously hopes it will lead to even more impressive figures. By Dan Gilkes.

M

ercedes increased its van sales by 21% last year in the UK, double the overall market growth figure, taking the firm to more than 30,000 van sales for the first time. Now, with the launch of M-B Vans, the company wants to put even more focus on the entire customer experience, from choosing and purchasing the new van, through service and maintenance, to finance, parts and Service24 roadside recovery.

To achieve this the company has changed its internal organisation, bringing together all of the van-related team into one. All 77 of these staff will undergo the FTA’s Van Excellence training to ensure that they are up to speed with van operation and legislation.

This doesn’t mean a split within the dealership and vans will continue to be sold through the same premises as trucks, with all of the benefits of extended opening hours and service that this brings. It will however push the retail experience for van buyers.

Mercedes has launched a Van ProCenter programme across the UK, under which its van dealers will have to achieve more than 50 standards across the business. This includes expertise to ensure that specialists are capable of dealing with customer enquiries, both in terms of sales and service.

‘We mustn’t make the assumption that everyone who walks into our dealership knows what he wants,’ says Mr Bridge. ‘We looked at all of the competition and analysed the best bits of all of their van operations to fashion Van ProCenters around them.

‘We are not massively proscriptive about what a dealership should look like, or where it should be. It doesn’t matter, as long as it offers the people and the processes.

They have to be the best-in-class in new vehicle sales, used vehicle sales and aftersales. Most of it involves people, getting the right people in the right place.’

To date, two dealers have achieved Van ProCenter status, Ciceley Commercials and Mercedes-Benz Truck and Van Northern Ireland. However, 60% of the dealer network is currently participating in the initiative, working with Mercedes and with independent consultants to meet the criteria. The biggest investment is in time spent changing and refining their customer offer.

‘Multi-site management is also a big consideration for some of our dealers,’ says Mr Bridge. ‘Providing consistency across multiple locations can be difficult.’

The benefits are already clear though. Since achieving Van ProCenter status, the two dealers have seen new customer sales rise by 54% and 34% respectively. This is not a one-off achievement either, as Mercedes will audit the Van ProCen-

94 / vanfleetworld.co.uk

ters on an annual basis to ensure continuing standards.

Mercedes-Benz Vans has also set up an in-house Van Talent Development Programme with its dealers, to bring new people into the van sales business. A two-year programme, involving 26 learning modules at M-B UK, the Van Talent Development course results in an Institute of Sales and Marketing Management Level 3 Diploma in sales and marketing.

The first 60 candidates have entered the programme, though Mr Bridge reports that applications for this first year intake were more than 50 times oversubscribed.

Of course a sales force can only be as good as the vehicles that it is marketing and Mercedes has a strong range to offer at present. Sprinter remains the mainstay of many fleets across the UK and Citan is gaining momentum, particularly with the all-important SME market. A new Vito, that will be shown later this year at the Hannover Show, will complete the refreshed line-up.

‘So far this year Citan registrations are up 62% over 2013,’ says Mr Bridge.

Mercedes also intends to increase its presence in the readybodied market, in an attempt to attract more service engineers, construction and facilities management companies.

‘In the second half of this year we will be bringing to market an extremely robust bodywork offering under our Drive Away Solutions brand,’ says Mr Bridge.

‘We have had a less well publicised one-stop-shop operation for six years now, but we haven’t gone down the same route as other manufacturers. We sat back and watched what others have done and we will make a big play in that market.’

Expect the offering to include dropsides, tippers, cage tippers, a box body and a Luton. This year’s Van Experience will also show the diversity of bodybuilders with which Mercedes is working to develop its pre-bodied range.

Mercedes-Benz has a very strong relationship with national fleets, particularly with Sprinter. By developing the retail experience and the range of vehicles on offer, the company is hoping to capture a growing percentage of the SME and retail van markets.

‘The customer journey doesn’t stop once a vehicle has been purchased,’ says Mr Bridge.

‘It’s down to us to ensure that every customer enjoys the benefits of our complete offering. LCV traffic is set to increase by 38% by 2020, with customers more focused than ever before on efficiency, downsizing, rightsizing and pricing.

‘With a new management team, tariff-led pricing and new customer service options, Mercedes-Benz Vans is set to continue its record-breaking trend.’

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Our dealerships have to be the best-in-class in new vehicle sales, used vehicle sales and aftersales.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

vanfleetworld.co.uk / 95

MARKET OVERVIEW Daily Rental

Alliance Asset Management

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental

Built on service, growing by reputation Contact: Riane Cooke rcooke@fleetcentre.com

Tel: 0844 4142998 www.fleetcentre.com

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

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

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

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

info@burnt-tree.co.uk

Europcar UK Group Europcar are one of the leading brands of Short Term Car & Van Rental within the UK for both the Corporate and Leisure segments, with a total share of circa 26% of the market.

Our best in class products and services include: • Daily rental of Cars, Commercial & Specialist Vehicles • 24/7 vehicle provision • International network covering over 6,000 locations • On airport facilities at 40 UK Airports • Prestige vehicle rental • Pro-active & Consultative Account Management team • Industry leading IT capabilities • Mini-lease & Pre-contract products • Affinity Programmes • Innovative solutions – Pool Fleet Management Contact: Nick Wood Tel: 0871 384 0201 BusinessSolutions@Europcar.com www.europcar.co.uk/EBE/module/render/Business-SME

96 / fleetworld.co.uk

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.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Enterprise Rent-A-Car is the world’s largest international car and lighter 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, proving fleet operators with access to long-term light commercial rentals that can be tailored to meet your requirements.

Founded 1957, Enterprise Rent-A-Car has developed into an internationally recognised brand with more than 6,000 corporately owned neighbourhood and airport locations in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, France and Spain and a growing franchisee network throughout Europe.

In the UK alone, Enterprise operates in excess of 60,000 vehicles through a network of more than 370 branches. The size of this branch network means that 91% of the population are within 10 miles of an Enterprise branch.

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

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

Nexus Vehicle Management Ltd. Nexus is the leading provider of corporate vehicle rental in the UK. We are the only provider that can offer you any vehicle, anytime, anywhere. We also provide fleet and rental management solutions, allowing you to focus on what matters to your business.

Our unique range of hassle free services are unmatched by any other vehicle rental provider. Join the thousands of businesses that have already discovered Nexus.

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

Tel: 07775 844310

VAN How many commercial vehicles does your company operate?

How many rental locations does your company have?

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

Do you offer a delivery/ collection service for vans?

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

Do you offer an on-line management reporting facility?

Do you offer vans fitted with satellite navigation systems?

Do you offer vans fitted with tail-lifts?

Do you offer refrigerated vehicles?

Do you offer a guaranteed no turn down policy?

How many vehicle groups do you offer?

Do you provide electronic invoicing and statements?

Do you provide online damage management?

FLEETW RLD

Alliance Asset Management

100k

1.7k

All

-

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental

2.5k

35

-

-

7

-

Burnt Tree Vehicle Rental

16k

20

-

30+

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

10k+

370+

-

-

15

-

6k

182

-

6

Leasedrive

45k

1.2k

30+

Nexus Vehicle Management Ltd.

100k

1.7k+

All

5k

94

-

42

Key to services

Service provided

-

Service unavailable

Europcar UK Group

Thrifty Car & Van Rental

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

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

Tel: 01494 751500

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

Join the debate... theukfleetforum.co.uk

fleetworld.co.uk / 97

VAN SUPPLIER DIRECTORY FLEETW RLD auctions & remarketing

contract hire, leasing & finance

racking systems

tail lifts

fleet management software

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

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Penny Hydraulics Tel: 01246 811475 www.pennyhydraulics.com

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

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

Full listings online at

fleetworld.co.uk

UKVANLEASING

Tel: 01708 511071 www.ukvanleasing.co.uk

daily rental Lex Autolease

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trakm8 Tel: 01747 858 444 www.trakm8.com

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

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

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

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

Full listings online at

fleetworld.co.uk risk management

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

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

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

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

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

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

Full listings online at

fleetworld.co.uk vehicle ventilation

accident management

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

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

98 / vanfleetworld.co.uk

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

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

fuel management

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

Roadmarque Tel: 0845 053 0331 www.roadmarque.com

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

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

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

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

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

The new efficient Honda range Civic 1.6 Diesel • Low fuel costs 78.5 mpg • 94 g/km CO2 • Zero VED • BIK rate from 14% • Insurance group from 15E

CR-V 1.6 Diesel • Low fuel costs 62.8 mpg • 119 g/km CO2 • Band C VED • BIK rate from 19% • Two wheel drive

Civic Tourer 1.6 Diesel • Low fuel costs 74.3 mpg • 99 g/km CO2 • Zero VED • BIK rate from 15% • Insurance group from 15E

honda.co.uk/corporate Fuel consumption figures for the Honda range in mpg (l/100km): Urban Cycle 23.2 – 70.6 (12.2 – 4.0), Extra Urban 40.4 – 85.6 (7.0 – 3.3), Combined 32.5 – 78.5 (8.7 – 3.6). CO2 emissions 201 – 94g/km. Fuel consumption figures sourced from official EU-regulated laboratory test results, are provided for comparison purposes and may not reflect real-life driving experience.

Models shown for illustrative purposes: Civic 1.6 i-DTEC SR in optional Alabaster Silver Metallic, CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC SE in optional Passion Red Pearl and New Civic Tourer 1.6 i-DTEC SE Plus in optional Twilight Blue Metallic.

Powered by

Less fuel in.

More miles out.

Go further with the new Honda engine.

Earth Dreams technology was established with a philosophy to balance environmental efficiency with the dynamic power you’d expect from a Honda. We’ve made more than a few clever refinements to our 1.6 i-DTEC engine, powered by Earth Dreams technology. By making it lighter and smaller, it’s much more efficient, which means fewer stops to fill up, leaving you to enjoy its uncompromised performance on the open road. It’s a long term commitment – we plan to achieve top-of-industry fuel efficiency for all categories by 2015. Add to that the reliability you’d expect from Honda, and you’ve got the perfect driving experience.

“ There were no benchmarks for us because those targets would have been too low.

We were determined to establish a benchmark of our own that our competitors would follow.”

Tetsuya Miyake, Project Leader for the 1.6-litre i-DTEC engine

honda.co.uk/corporate Fuel consumption figures for the Honda range in mpg (l/100km): Urban Cycle 23.2 – 70.6 (12.2 – 4.0), Extra Urban 40.4 – 85.6 (7.0 – 3.3), Combined 32.5 – 78.5 (8.7 – 3.6).

CO2 emissions 201 – 94g/km. Fuel consumption figures sourced from official EU-regulated laboratory test results, are provided for comparison purposes and may not reflect real-life driving experience.

Models shown for illustrative purposes: Civic 1.6 i-DTEC S in optional White Orchid Pearl, CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC S in optional Passion Red Pearl and Civic Tourer 1.6 i-DTEC SE Plus in optional Twilight Blue Metallic.