Fleet World November 2018

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INSIDE

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November 2018 • fleetworld.co.uk

26 Mercedes-Benz diesel PHEVs tested

12 Budget 2018 for fleets

Director Jerry Ramsdale jerry@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Editor Alex Grant alex@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Business Editor Natalie Middleton natalie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Content Editor Jonathan Musk jonathan@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

32 The growing role for rental in UK fleets

36 Skoda UK’s fleet evolution

Editor Van Fleet World Dan Gilkes dan@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Account Directors Claire Warman claire@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Yvonne Wright yvonne@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Kevin Gregory Van Fleet World kevin@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Account Executives Darren Brett darren@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Lloyd Ramsdale Lloyd@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

38 Solutions for post-Budget limbo

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

MPG marathon

40 Highlights from the 2018 MPG Marathon

Designers Dan Bennett dan.bennett@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

2018

Tina Ries tina@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Victoria Arellano victoria@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

52 Masterclass: Telematics

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

54 The latest on our fleet

66 PSA’s new compact vans driven

70 Renault Master Z.E. tested

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Certified circulation Jan – Dec 2017 18,001

fleetworld.co.uk • 003

FROM THE

EDITOR When no news is bad news As the Chancellor outlined the key points, it quickly became clear that we had expected more than we were going to get.

You know what people say about best-laid plans? With what was looking like a decisive Budget for fleets scheduled a couple of days before going to print, we delayed deadlines and gave time to analyse what the policies would mean for operators. But, as the chancellor outlined the key points, it quickly became clear that we had expected more than we were going to get.

Against the backdrop of the shift to WLTP, the growth of ultralow emission vehicles, changing attitudes to diesel and with an uncertain Brexit drawing ever-closer, fleets might well remember this year’s Budget as a missed opportunity to answer collective calls for clarity. We are none the wiser.

This is not good enough. Fleets have limited incentives to opt for plug-ins, are facing penalties against diesel engines, and have no indication of Benefit-in-Kind after March 2021. The only hint of a deadline is a planned analysis of how WLTP-based tax could shape up, which is due in the spring. Given that the Treasury has shown, with last year’s hastily-introduced diesel tax, that it can implement changes quickly, the collective dismay of the fleet industry is wholly justified.

Silver linings? A further extension of the fuel duty freeze will certainly be welcome. And an extension of the first-year allowance for charging points is helpful, if not a game-changer.

Though, with cuts to the Plug-in Car Grant and no movement on ULEV company car tax rates, it’s hardly a stable foundation for the UK’s ambition to be a leading market for electric, hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

And perhaps, after last year’s diesel penalties, fleets ought to be thankful that the Budget didn’t throw any near-future tax burdens into the mix. It’s a pinch of ‘no news is good news’ in an otherwise still-uncertain landscape, though I’d argue ‘some news’ would be far better. At least that offers a chance to make some decisions.

We’ve outlined what the Budget means for fleets on pages 12 and 14, and you’ll find Professor Colin Tourick’s ever-insightful number-crunching on page 40. Fleets are not without options as far as planning is concerned, but, with an extended pause on the answers they need, it’s perhaps worth expecting that the bestlaid plans might well go awry once the full picture emerges.

Alex Grant editor

24 JANUARY 2019

Register now at www.greatbritishfleetevent.co.uk

Ford NEWS More comfort for all-new Ford Focus Sophisticated technologies designed to make the all-new Ford Focus driving experience more comfortable, less demanding and safer have been commended by the Euro NCAP independent crash test authority following its first-ever automated driving assessment event.

The Focus, which earlier this year was awarded a 5-star safety rating by Euro NCAP, received recognition from Euro NCAP as part of a new initiative designed to deliver a greater understanding among consumers of the benefits of advanced driver assistance technologies.

It was selected for testing after introducing a wider range of advanced driver assistance features than any Ford vehicle before, enabled by three radars, two cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors. Ford Co-Pilot360 technologies enhance protection, driving and parking.

Euro NCAP evaluated the Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Speed Sign Recognition and Lane-Centring technologies available for Focus, which helps the vehicle maintain a comfortable driving distance from vehicles ahead; helps reduce stress during long road trips by helping keep the vehicle centred in its lane; and can adjust the vehicle speed to within legal limits by monitoring the roadside and overhead gantries for speed signs in addition to using information from the on-board navigation system.

The all-new Ford Focus was found to deliver a good balance between supporting the driver and enabling the driver to feel in full control of the vehicle, while also presenting little risk of the driver becoming over-reliant on the technologies.

Ford Mondeo Hybrid estate announced Ford has announced the first Mondeo Hybrid estate, combining the efficiency and refinement of an electric powertrain with the driving range and freedom offered by a traditional combustion engine.

Specification and pricing for the enhanced Mondeo Hybrid range will be released closer to its 2019 on-sale date.

The Mondeo Hybrid powertrain’s electric motor supports the 2.0-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine in driving the wheels, and a generator to enable regenerative charging of the 1.4 kWh lithium-ion, air-cooled, recyclable battery. Regenerative braking captures up to 90 per cent of the energy normally lost during braking to replenish the battery.

The hybrid powertrain delivers 187PS, supported by a continuously variable automatic transmission.

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

Ford News Feature • 05

Fiesta Sport Van makes a welcome return The Fiesta Sport Van has returned to Ford’s line-up; based on the latest multi-award-winning Fiesta car, it is powered by a choice of 1.0litre 125PS EcoBoost petrol engine and 1.5-litre 120PS TDCi diesel.

It can carry approximately 1.0 cubic metres of cargo with a load length of almost 1.3 metres, and gross payload of around 500 kg.

Technologies include Active Park Assist with Perpendicular Parking and Cross Traffic Alert, plus Traffic Sign Recognition and Adjustable Speed Limiter.

It has unique front and rear design treatment, colour-coded rocker panels, alloy wheels, and revised seats and trim materials.

Driver assistance technologies can include Ford’s Pre Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection emergency braking system, Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Information System.

Compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™, the optional SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system comes with a floating 8-inch colour touchscreen. Using Ford SYNC AppLink, drivers can access key apps from their smartphone using the large display in the vehicle, now including the Waze traffic app and Cisco WebEx. The FordPass Connect onboard modem provides connectivity on the move.

A standard Fiesta Van is also available, with features including 4.2-inch touchscreen, DAB radio, daytime running lights, fog lights and powered, heated mirrors. There are two available 85PS engines - a 1.1-litre 3-cylinder EcoBoost petrol and 1.5-litre TDCi diesel.

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THIS MONTH IN FLEET www.fleetworld.co.uk

First-ever BMW X7 due in spring BMW has added a new flagship X7 model to its SUV line-up to bring the fight to the Range Rover and MercedesBenz GLS. On sale from April priced from £72,155, the new seven-seater puts the focus on practicality and versatility, while BMW claims “unrivalled” luxury in the large 4×4 segment.

Practical features include two full-size seats in the third row with the option of two individual seats for the middle row.

Boot space ranges from 326 to 1,210 litres while standard air suspension allows the car to be lowered at the touch of a button to facilitate loading. The X7 also comes with a two-section split tailgate, both elements of which have electric opening and closing as standard.

Launch engines in the UK cover a sixcylinder petrol engine for the BMW X7 xDrive40i and a pair of six-cylinder inline diesels to power the BMW X7 xDrive30d and BMW X7 M50d M Performance models. All units are married up to an eight-speed Steptronic transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive with the X7 M50d featuring an electronically controlled M Sport differential as standard.

APPOINTMENTS Toyota GB appoints new head of fleet Stuart Ferma is to head up Toyota GB’s fleet sales operation from 1 January, replacing Neil Broad who will move to the marketing department.

Ferma will take on the role of general manager, fleet operations, after more than 20 years in customer relationship and sales roles with the company, most recently as national fleet sales manager.

Martínez becomes LeasePlan UK MD

Volkswagen T-Cross joins compact crossover fray Volkswagen has unveiled its Polo-sized SUV, the T-Cross, as it continues to roll out a 30-model global SUV line-up by 2025.

The T-Cross is positioned below the T-Roc, and will be available with 1.0-litre 94bhp and 113bhp turbocharged petrol engines in the UK. Diesel engines, offered globally, might not be available here.

LeasePlan UK has appointed Alfonso Martínez as its new managing director from January, replacing Matt Dyer who moves to a new role as president and CEO of LeasePlan USA. Martínez will join the UK business after 12 years at LeasePlan, including as chief financial officer for LeasePlan Spain, and most recently as managing director of LeasePlan Italy since 2012.

Mike Todd named new CEO at VWFS Mike Todd has returned to Volkswagen Financial Services (UK), taking on the role of chief executive officer as a replacement to David Maloney. Todd joined VFWS UK in 2000 and held the role of chief commercial officer before moving to Volkswagen Bank Ireland as country manager.

Derby rejects charging clean air zone scheme Derby City Council is to push ahead with plans to deploy traffic management measures rather than a charging clean air zone as it looks to deal with air quality issues.

Although the council had been exploring three options, two of which would have involved charging of noncompliant cars, vans and trucks, it’s chosen to push ahead with the non-charging CAZ option, which will focus on easing congestion via a range of traffic management

measures for Stafford Street. Further consultation is planned.

It comes as Leeds publishes its final plans for a charging clean air zone that will target HGVs, buses, coaches, taxis and private hire – but not cars or vans. Meanwhile Defra is requiring eight new councils to draw up plans to curb illegal air pollution, after court-ordered local monitoring showed higher levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) than had been outlined in last year’s Air Quality Plan.

fleetworld.co.uk • 007

THIS MONTH IN FLEET www.fleetworld.co.uk

IN BRIEF Source: BVRLA

75% Percentage of leased cars that are already CAZ compliant some 15 months before the first zones are expected to begin operating.

Big-data real-time tools on the cards from Cap HPI Cap HPI has introduced a new data science team, aimed at offering a portfolio of real-time data tools and insight for customers. The international team of eight data scientists will use a mix of machine learning, forecasting, automation, analysis, science and data visualisation to develop tools enabling customers to benefit from big data.

105% Rise in BiK for the BMW 320d SE since 2009; compared to a 20% rise in real wages and a 23% rise in the list price of the vehicle.

Source: Cap HPI

Automated driving tech under test Euro NCAP has started to assess assisted and automated driving technology and compare carmakers’ claims with how such systems work in practice to help end driver confusion.

The initiative comes as Thatcham Research, the UK Euro NCAP member, releases the results of a survey of UK drivers, which found that 53% believe that they can purchase a car that can drive itself today.

010 • fleetworld.co.uk

Almost half of cars still not WLTP tested, says Jato Almost half of carmakers’ model ranges were not re-tested under the WLTP cycle at the start of October, according to Jato Dynamics, reflected by the Europe’s lowest September registrations in almost a decade.

The tougher Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) was introduced on 1 September 2017, replacing the New European Drive Cycle (NEDC) for all newly-homologated vehicles. Carmakers had until the end of August to re-test all except run-out models, which must be phased out before 1 September 2019.

Jato’s research shows this process is running slowly. The company analysed 61 brands and 5,044 variants across 22 European markets, finding just 57% (2,898 variants) had been WLTP tested as of the start of October. Sales of some variants have been suspended while they await testing, or dropped altogether, and Jato said vehicles which are due to be replaced probably won’t be tested at all.

The knock-on effect is significant disruption to deliveries in September – carmakers cleared a lot of pre-WLTP stock in August, contributing to a 23.4% (343,000 unit) yearon-year drop in European new car registrations the following month. Jato said those who have the highest rates of WLTP homologation also recorded the lowest declines in registrations during September but did not name specific brands.

Despite September’s slump in registrations, the new car market across Europe appears healthy. Registrations year-to-date are up 2.3% (278,000 units), totalling 12.26m vehicles across the 27 markets included in Jato’s data. Combined August and September registration figures were also almost static year-on-year, with a 3% decline.

2040 targets “vague and unambitious”, Government told Government targets for cars and vans to be zero-emission must be brought forwards to 2032 and backed up by meaningful purchase incentives and a truly nationwide charging infrastructure.

That’s the finding of MPs on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee (BEIC), who say that the Government’s current 2040 targets for zero emission cars are “vague and unambitious”.

The report was published a week after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlighted the need for urgent action on climate change including on transport.

Rachel Reeves MP, chair of the BEIC, said: “For all the rhetoric of the UK becoming a world leader in EVs, the reality is that the

Government’s deeds do not match the ambitions of their words.

“The IPCC report was clear on the need to encourage changes in consumer behaviour, including increasing the switch to electric vehicles, to help decarbonise our economy. But the UK Government’s targets on zero-emissions vehicles are unambitious and vague, giving little clarity or incentive to industry or the consumer to invest in electric cars.”

The report finds that the poor provision of charging points for electric vehicles (EVs) is one of the greatest barriers to expanding the UK EV market and says that clear incentives are needed to promote EV take-up – in particular it slams last month’s cuts to the Plug-in Car Grant; a move that’s also been widely criticised within the fleet sector.

WE ARE ALL MADE OF WILD.

NEW JEEP® COMPASS FROM UP TO 23,095 MPG 64.2 BIK 28%FROM P11D £FROM CO2 117g/km

NEW JEEP® RENEGADE FROM UP TO 18,630 MPG 58.9 BIK 30%FROM P11D £FROM CO2 127g/km

NEW JEEP® COMPASS AND RENEGADE. BORN TO BE WILD. For more information contact our business centre on 0808 168 5840 or visit Jeep.co.uk/fleet OFFICIAL FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURES FOR THE JEEP® RANGE IN MPG (I/100KM): EXTRA URBAN 29.7 (9.5) – 70.6 (4.0), URBAN 17.5 (16.1) – 54.3 (5.2), COMBINED 23.7 (11.9) – 64.2 (4.4), CO 2 EMISSIONS: 276 – 117 G/KM. Fuel consumption and CO2 figures are obtained for comparative purposes in accordance with EC directives/regulations and may not be representative of real life driving conditions. Factors such as driving style, weather and road conditions may also have a significant effect on fuel consumption. Jeep ® is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC.

A N A LY S I S BUDGET 2018

BUDGET 2018 THE MAIN POINTS FOR FLEETS Philip Hammond delivered his third Budget as chancellor last month, bringing in changes for areas including welfare and pensions but leaving a big hole when it came to clarity for the future shape of company car taxation.

Natalie Middleton looks at the main changes for fleets.

Taxation The chancellor failed to provide clarity on future company car tax (CCT) rates and how the switch to WLTP will be handled – despite calls from the industry.

Although the Government had been urged to outline how the higher CO2 figures from the switch to WLTP would be mitigated for CCT and VED, the Budget Red Book merely said: “The Government will review the impact of WLTP on VED and CCT to report

in the spring. WLTP aims to provide a closer representation of ‘real-world’ fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.”

Meanwhile there was no announcement of BiK tax bands beyond 2020/21, leaving businesses in the dark as to the future taxation of cars coming on fleets now.

The Red Book did reveal that from 1 April 2019 VED rates for cars, vans and motorcycles will increase in line with

RPI. It also announced that the Government would publish a summary of responses from the consultation on C02based VED reform for vans, which ran in the summer. The document – now published – sets out proposals to introduce environmental incentives from April 2021. Bands and rates will be announced ahead of Finance Bill 2019-20.

Capital allowances A change in capital allowances for business cars with CO2 emissions of more than 110g/km was announced with the 8% rate cut to 6% backdated to 1 April 2018. Legislation will be introduced in Finance Bill 2018/19 to the special rate of writing down allowance which will be changed from 8% to 6%.

The two other thresholds for capital allowances on cars bought outright remain unchanged and are: • Vehicles up to 50g/km (reduced from 75g/km): Companies can write down the cost against their taxable profits • Vehicles emitting 51-110g/km: Companies can write down 18% of the cost of the car against their taxable profits each year, on a reducing balance basis. >>

012 • fleetworld.co.uk

A N A LY S I S BUDGET 2018

>>

Potholes and roads funding A £28.8bn National Roads Fund was announced. Paid for by road tax – for the first time ever – this includes £25.3bn for the Strategic Road Network (motorways, trunk and A roads); said to be the largest ever investment of this kind.

It will also help fund the new network of local roads (known as the Major Road Network), and larger local road projects.

Local authorities will receive £420m to fix potholes on roads and renew bridges and tunnels, and there will be a £150m to improve local traffic hotspots such as roundabouts.

Fuel duty freeze confirmed The chancellor confirmed the continued fuel duty freeze, previously announced by Theresa May in her Tory conference speech.

It marks the ninth consecutive year that fuel duty will be frozen and will cost the Exchequer £840m in lost revenues for the 2019/20 tax year while saving the average driver a cumulative £1,000 by April 2020.

Elsewhere in the Budget Red Book, the Government announced that from 6 April 2019 fuel benefit charges will increase in line with RPI and the van benefit charge will increase in line with CPI.

014 • fleetworld.co.uk

Electric vehicles

Mobility

The Government said it would extend the first-year allowance for electric chargepoints for four years. This will extend such allowances until 31 March 2023 for corporation tax and 5 April 2023 for income tax purposes.

However, there were no changes to last month’s announcement that grants for plug-in hybrids would be cut under a reformed system focused on increasing uptake of electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. And there was also no announcement of an early introduction for the 2% company car tax rate for electric vehicles, despite the fleet industry having highlighted how this would help with government plans to increase ULEV uptake.

To support the Industrial Strategy Future of Mobility Grand Challenge, £90m from the National Productivity Investment Fund will be allocated to the Transforming Cities Fund to create Future Mobility Zones. This will trial new transport modes, services, and digital payments and ticketing. £20m of this will be allocated to the West Midlands.

The chancellor also announced an additional £680m of funding for sustainable transport including buses, trams and cycling routes through the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund. This brings the total amount of funding available through the Transforming Cities Fund, which aims to support productivity and prosperity through investment in public and sustainable transport, to £2.4bn.

Still no real news for EVs and incentivising ULEV uptake.

YOUR CLIENTS ARE LOOKING FOR FRESH THINKING. WHY NOT SHOW UP IN SOME?

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2018

Fuel consumption figures for the 18YM Civic Diesel in mpg (l/100km): Urban Cycle 76.3 - 60.1 (3.7 - 4.7), Extra Urban 80.7 74.3 (3.5 - 3.8), Combined 80.7 - 68.9 (3.5 - 4.1). CO2 emissions: 93g/km. Fuel consumption figures sourced from official EU-regulated laboratory test results, are provided for comparison purposes and may not reflect real-life driving experiences.

Important information: *Contract Hire available to Business Users only, subject to status. Information correct at October 2018. Vehicles must be ordered between 1st October 2018 and 31st December 2018 with registration and delivery by 31st March 2019. Rentals exclude optional maintenance. Excess mileage and other charges may apply dependent on the mileage and return condition of the vehicle at the end of the contract. Contract Hire is provided by Arval UK Limited trading as Honda Contract Hire, Whitehill House, Windmill Hill, Swindon, SN5 6PE. For further information please contact your local Honda Dealer.

evfleetworld.co.uk

For greener, more flexible, future fleets...

IN BRIEF

Dyson confirms EV production in Singapore

Total to roll out forecourt EV charging Total Gas and Power is to roll out electric vehicle charging stations at its UK forecourts, as part of a partnership with the global ChargePoint network.

The new units will form part of ChargePoint’s plans to have 2.5m locations worldwide by 2025, aimed at helping to accelerate electric vehicle adoption in the UK in line with the Government’s Road to Zero strategy.

V2G solution for home or office A new EV charger designed to make Vehicle-to-Grid technology (V2G) more accessible is being introduced by NewMotion. The Dutch EV charging provider has teamed up with eNovates and PRE Power Developers to develop the Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) solution, which can not only return power back to the energy grid but also to a home or office.

LeasePlan and Chargemaster tie up for charging support Fleet drivers opting for EVs from LeasePlan can now get access to charge points at home, at work and on the road under a new “industry first” partnership with Chargemaster. The optional Home Charger Package includes a wallmounted 7.4kW charge point and network subscription to Chargemaster’s Polar charging network plus help with deploying charge points at work.

Top three EV charging networks revealed Tesla, InstaVolt and Pod Point’s EV charging networks have been rated highest for user satisfaction in a survey. Research among more than 1,500 Zap-Map users found that Tesla topped the list, with more than 96% of drivers either ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ satisfied with the experience, followed by InstaVolt (88%) and Pod Point (82%).

016 • evfleetworld.co.uk

Dyson has confirmed plans to construct its first automotive manufacturing facility in Singapore, with the first production car to roll off the line in 2021.

The news follows the company’s announcement in September 2017 that it was working on an electric vehicle project, in addition to statements made earlier this year that it was investing £200m in new buildings and electric vehicle testing facilities at its Hullavington Airfield campus in the UK, as well as a £2.5bn global investment in new technology.

Dyson is not new to Singapore with an existing 1,100-strong workforce in the country producing 21 million electric motors a year for its various consumer products.

The brand expects to more than double the team there, leaning on its existing developments of electric motors.

Although CEO Jim Rowan said the decision to build its first EV outside the UK was based on supply chains, access to markets, and “the availability of the expertise that will help us achieve our ambitions”, the move has raised criticism following Sir James Dyson’s support of Brexit. But Rowan said the decision was “good news for the exceptional teams we have in both the UK and Singapore”.

3 Series PHEV to nearly double electric range The forthcoming BMW 3 Series plug-in hybrid will bring nearly double the electric range of the current model along with introducing lower CO2 and improved fuel economy.

The figures, published by BMW in press information following the global reveal of the new-generation 3 Series, show the future PHEV will have a 45mile range; a rise of 22 miles over the outgoing model and a similar increase to the expected electric range provided in the next-generation of BMW X5 iPerformance plug-in hybrid thanks to a battery capacity increase – though the exact kWh increase and weight penalty are yet to be confirmed.

The X5 will be equipped with a 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol unit

outputting 282bhp alongside an uprated electric motor with 110bhp, making a combined power output of 388bhp and 442lb.ft torque, though it remains uncertain whether the new 330e will benefit from similar treatment or stick with its 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit.

Emissions are provisionally rated at 39g/km keeping tax low, while fuel economy is rated at 166mpg (NEDC Correlated) compared to genuine NEDC figures for the outgoing 330e of 44g/km CO2 and 134.5mpg.

MOBILITY

IN BRIEF Addison Lee explores autonomous taxis

Enterprise webtool cuts cost and emissions for fleets Enterprise has launched a free journey-planning and booking system, which provides the relative cost and environmental impact of grey fleet, daily rental and car club vehicles for business travel.

Enterprise Travel Direct shows live availability of local vehicles in real time, tailored to company policy, and asks employees to confirm whether their own car is suitable for business use.

Journeys are logged before they take place, for more accurate expenses claims, and it also records travel patterns with the aim of identifying better solutions for businesses based on how their employees move around.

Enterprise said the system was piloted over 12 months with some of the UK’s largest public sector fleets, and was shown to cut journeys and business mileage, as well as changing employee behaviour.

Adrian Bewley, assistant vice president of business mobility UK & Ireland at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, commented: “Businesses have struggled to measure and contain the real cost of employee mobility because they lacked the data or it wasn’t available in a format that could be easily analysed. Because Enterprise Travel Direct records all the details of every journey, it provides employers with a wealth of data that can be used to refine business travel to more cost-effective options.”

Addison Lee Group is aiming to have autonomous vehicles on its London fleet by 2021, following a collaborative agreement with software developer Oxbotica. The two companies have agreed to share technology, expertise and resources to create detailed maps of 250,000 miles of London’s road network, forming the first stage of a project set to roll out to other markets in future.

BGF takes stake in Fleetondemand Investment firm BGF has taken a minority stake in fleet and mobility technology specialist Fleetondemand through a £5m investment. Fleetondemand CEO Justin Whitston said it was the first growth capital deal for the company and that the capital would be used to ramp up engineering and product development and rapidly accelerate its sales strategy in the UK and pan-European launch in 2019.

Gett offers electric-only service Customers using the black taxi app Gett can now exclusively order an electric taxi in London. The launch of the Gett Electric service, said be an industry first, means passengers can ride emission-free in the new LEVC TX Electric, and follows other recent initiatives by Gett to mitigate the carbon emissions from customers’ rides.

‘World-first’ Mobility-as-a-Service app launched A new Mobility-as-a-Service app that brings together thousands of public and private transportation providers including fleet and grey fleet vehicle usage under one platform is now available for fleets.

Launched by Fleetondemand after some three years of R&D and testing, the platform is available via desktop, IOS and Android and enables users to find, book and pay for their entire business journey (including parking, car hire, flights, trains, accommodation,

restaurants, airport lounges, car clubs, buses, taxis, and more) in seconds, through one transaction, on one device.

Mobilleo presents all available modes of transport including comparative costs of driving personal and company vehicles on business. The app accesses hundreds of sources of data to provide a total cost of journey breakdown in a door-to-door itinerary.

The desktop solution enables fleet managers to adopt mobility policies and drill down into the data on an

employee level to identify total cost, behaviour and even if there has been breaches of the travel policy. Fleets can even set restrictions on maximum spend limit, restrictions on routes of transport, providers or ticket class.

Users can also track and analyse all of their employee travel data to make better decisions for their mobility strategy, which in turn can help reduce congestion, CO2 emissions and business operating costs and enhance employee satisfaction.

evfleetworld.co.uk • 017

THE NEW

SMALL ON BiK. BIG ON SUV.

NEW GRANDLAND X TECH LINE NAV BiK FROM 25% | P11D FROM £22,535 CO2 FROM 109G/KM | UP TO 67.3MPG With its low running costs, New Grandland X is ideal for company car drivers.

CO2 and BiK are on the small side. Safety features and infotainment options definitely aren’t. From premium design to spacious interior, every journey is just a little more… grand.

Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) 57.7 (4.9) – 74.3 (3.8), Combined: 53.3 (5.3) – 68.9 (4.1). CO2 emissions: 128 – 108g/km.

Fuel consumption data and CO2 emission data are determined using the Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), and the relevant values are translated back to driving conditions, equipment or options and may vary depending on the format of tyres. For more information on official fuel consumption and CO2 emission values, please read the and recommends that all Company Car Drivers consult their own accountant with regards to their own tax position. Grandland X Elite Nav 1.2 (130PS) Turbo Start/Stop model illustrated (£320), optional at extra cost. 3 Day Test Drive terms and conditions apply and vehicles are subject to availability. Please call 0330 587 8221 for full details. All figures quoted correct

Book your Grandland X 3 Day Test Drive today.

Visit threedaytestdrive.co.uk and CO2 emissions (g/km). Grandland X Range: Urban: 46.3 (6.1) – 64.2 (4.4), Extra-urban: allow the comparability into NEDC, according to regulations R (EC) No. 715/2007, R (EU) No. 2017/1153 and R (EU) No. 2017/1151. The values do not take into account in particular use and guidelines at http://carfueldata.dft.gov.uk/ and for more information on WLTP please see www.vauxhall.co.uk/wltp. 2018/19 tax year. Vauxhall Motors Limited does not offer tax advice (P11D of £26,885) features Topaz Blue two-coat metallic paint (£565), silver-effect roof rails (£150), Premium LED Adaptive Forward Lighting Pack (£1,100) and black roof and door mirrors at time of going to press (October 2018).

OPINION

Curtis Hutchinson motor industry guru

Back in contention Over 12 months since being acquired by the PSA Groupe and Vauxhall’s recovery is starting to take shape. or decades Vauxhall was a strong number two to Ford, especially in the fleet sector where the Cavalier and Omega were company cars of choice for a legion of loyal drivers. Indeed, as recently as 2013, former Vauxhall boss Duncan Aldred was predicting the brand would overtake Ford by 2016. It didn’t.

Since then Vauxhall’s market share has been chipped away by emergent volume brands and premium German marques with General Motors realising its longstanding ambition to offload its loss-making European operations, selling Vauxhall and Opel to PSA Group in August 2017.

Somewhere along the way Vauxhall had lost its mojo. The unloved Vectra never established itself as a true Mondeo rival in fleet, while its Insignia successor was a car out of time; a capable upper-medium model in a sector superseded by crossovers.

Last year Vauxhall lost its position as the UK’s second biggest selling car brand to Volkswagen, after registrations slumped by 22%; an ignominious fall unprecedented in its long history.

However, things are changing. In January Stephen Norman took the reins as Vauxhall’s managing director, with a reputation for getting things done as PSA’s chief sales and marketing officer. An industry veteran, he had previously held senior positions at Renault, Fiat and Volkswagen.

Norman’s brief is to implement PACE! – Opel’s recovery plan aimed at returning the combined business to profit by 2020.

The group has targeted savings of €1.1 billion by 2020 and €1.7 billion by 2026, which will help achieve a lower break-even point of 800,000 vehicles.

Within the plan the business will ramp up its electrification programme by offer-

F

020 • fleetworld.co.uk

ing pure electric, or plug-in hybrid, models alongside petrol and diesels in all its car lines by 2024. By 2020 it aims to have four model ranges with some form of electrification, including the Grandland X PHEV and a plug-in version of the nextgeneration Corsa.

The PACE! plan will also see the business significantly grow its LCV operations.

The blueprint for future vans will be the Combo, which goes on sale in December and was borne out of an existing joint venture between GM and PSA, with the Combo sharing a platform with the new Peugeot Partner and Citroën Berlingo. All three models recently won the 2019 International Van of the Year Award.

Meanwhile the new-generation Vivaro rolls off Vauxhall’s Luton production line next year, with the tantalising prospect of the plant perhaps producing Peugeot and Citroën-badged vans in the future.

This renewed focus on commercials will benefit fleets with the brand selling them from every dealer in its new network, while creating between 50 to 75 Van Business Centres, some of which could be with LCV specialist dealers outside of the Vauxhall network.

The recovery plan appears to have got off to a good start as the business made an unexpected return to the black in July for the first time since 1999. However, there have been casualties with headcount reductions at its Astra plant in Ellesmere Port and a dramatic cull of its dealer network with two-year termination notices issued to all 326 dealers. Vauxhall aims to have around 250 dealers by 2020; significantly fewer sites but with much higher output than is currently being achieved.

Some dealer groups have chosen to

close sites now rather than hang on.

Others, identifying a long-term future with the brand, will look to combine Vauxhall showrooms with either Peugeot or Citroën. The process has already begun with Evans Halshaw opening its first joint Vauxhall/Peugeot showroom in October after the group decided to combine two separate sites in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, to a newly refurbished facility.

More will follow as dealers start planning future representation in the knowledge that next-generation Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroën cars and vans will share underpinnings, technology and parts.

Norman is taking a close look at how the business approaches fleet and retail with future sales likely to be more balanced than before. In a recent interview with Autocar he refuted the inference that the brand was too heavily dependent on fleet.

“Today our Corsa sales are mostly retail, but the bigger cars still go to fleets. We sell to user-choosers, and there’s nothing wrong with a company car sale as long as it’s about as profitable as a retail sale. Our business is absolutely not built on sand, but on a different kind of rock.”

As part of its recovery programme Vauxhall’s product line-up will be slimmed down to just six car model lines: the Corsa, Astra, Crossland X, Mokka X, Grandland X and Insignia. The Zafira’s already gone and the Adam and Viva city cars will both disappear next year.

Meanwhile, plans are underway to launch eight new or refreshed car and van models by 2020, starting with next year’s all-important next-generation Corsa, the car which Vauxhall hopes will redefine the brand and kick-start its turnaround. We’ll see.

INNOVATION

APPS, GADGETS AND ESSENTIALS FOR PEOPLE ON THE MOVE...

CHRIS BY GERMAN LABS Chris is an in-car assistant offering fully hands-free control of useful smartphone features. It’s powered by a 12-volt socket and pairs via Bluetooth, enabling drivers to send and receive calls and message, get navigation guidance and stream media, all controlled via gestures and conversational voice commands.

PRICE: £299.99 FROM CHRIS.COM

EKSTER SMART WALLETS AND CASES

GOOGLE MAPS

This line of luxury leather wallets and phone cases features a built-in, solarpowered GPS tracker, located either when it comes within range of another device, or if someone scans its QR code. It can also be paged from a Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. RFID protection and a quick release for commonly-used cards are also built in.

Google now offers detailed charging point information within its Maps app. Tesla, Chargemaster and Pod Point units are included already, with details about connector types, charging speeds and the businesses where they are located, as well as ratings from other users. Multi-modal route planning is also featured, based on timetables and live delays.

PRICE: £30-£80 FROM EKSTER.COM

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TECH SPOTLIGHT FREEWIRE MOBI CHARGER WHAT IS IT?

Mobi is a portable electric vehicle charger, developed by San Francisco-based FreeWire Technologies.

It’s designed to offer cost-effective solutions for filling gaps in public charging networks, as well as offering new services for drivers and fleets.

480 miles per hour plugged in, for compatible vehicles.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

HAVEN’T WE SEEN THIS BEFORE?

Essentially, it’s a high-capacity battery with the ability to output power to electric vehicles via a pair of charging cables. The unit itself can be charged using a domestic socket and can store either 40kWh or 80kWh of energy on board – enough to fully charge most electric vehicles, from flat, two or three times over.

FreeWire has two different versions; one on its own wheels for moving around a single car park, and the other on a trailer designed for operations over a wider area.

Output is limited to 6.6kW at the moment, which is about the same as most fixed public charging points, though a 120kW version is under development. This will add about

022 • fleetworld.co.uk

Yes, but portable chargers have previously been designed as an EV equivalent of a jerry can – a way to get the driver to the next fixed charging point so they can finish charging there. Mobi can augment fixed charging points, but without the high installation costs because it can be deployed wherever there’s a threepin socket available.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR FLEET OPERATORS?

In theory, easier roll-out. Instead of having one or two fixed points and getting drivers to move cars or vans in and out of the adjacent parking spaces, Mobi enables the charger to be brought to the vehicle. Based on typical usage, FreeWire claims

up to 10 vehicles can be topped up between charges of the Mobi itself – and that can take place overnight, while the electricity is cheaper and greener.

In San Francisco, the company offers a Charge-as-a-Service app, where drivers can request someone comes out to their car and plugs it in while it’s parked, and they’ll get a notification when it’s complete. The company can also provide businesses with detailed information about their employees’ driving patterns and energy usage.

WHEN IS IT COMING TO THE UK?

Very shortly. BP made a $5m investment in the company late last year, planning to trial the technology in Europe (including the UK) in the near future. Volvo Cars has also invested in the company, claiming it could help accelerate uptake of EVs.

DRIVEN

Mercedes-Benz C-Class & E-Class PHEVs More range, faster charging and a diesel option add up to perhaps the perfect all-round choice for fleets, says Kyle Fortune.

In four years, Mercedes-Benz claims every product in its line-up will be electrified. That’ll vary from 48-volt ‘mild’ hybrids, to plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and, at the top, its battery electric vehicle options. They’ll all be bundled under the EQ brand, with its ‘EQ Power’ PHEVs being a “key technology” in the brand’s electrification initiative.

It’s a broader range this time. The EClass retains the E 300 e petrol PHEV but gains a diesel alternative, the E 300 de, which is a variant shared with the C-Class. Both use a 121bhp motor, integrated into the nine-speed automatic transmission and supplied

026 • fleetworld.co.uk

by a larger-capacity 13.5kWh lithiumion battery.

The battery shares its dimensions with the pack in previous PHEVs, but a switch in the cell chemistry means there’s a 68% increase in energy density. Skipping the science class, this offers a greater electric-only range of up to 35 miles and the ability to run at up to 80mph on battery power alone.

They can also be charged at up to 7.4kW, or twice as fast as the outgoing models, using a dedicated wallbox.

In the C-Class that hybrid system is mated to a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel, which gives a system output of 302bhp and 516lb/ft torque, enough to allow a 5.6-second 0-62mph time in the saloon (the estate takes 0.1 seconds longer), though it’s the circa 40g/km CO2 and 201mpg combined consumption rating that’s the more

significant number to fleet users.

Those are numbers created using the old NEDC testing cycle but, even under WLTP, the C300 de should create some compelling figures as, once the battery range is exhausted, it’s utilising an efficient diesel engine.

That’s true, too, of its larger E-Class relation. It shares its drivetrain and combined power output with the CClass relation, but is quoted at 176.5mpg and 44g/km. MercedesBenz is also offering the E-Class in mere e guise, which instead of the 2.0litre turbodiesel of the de, uses a fourcylinder 2.0-litre petrol engine, for a combined system output of 316bhp and 516lb/ft. It can’t quite match the stellar combined consumption figure of the diesel plug-ins, but 141.2mpg is very respectable, so too is the 45g/km CO2 output. Mercedes is anticipated to

The greatest compliment you can pay all of these models is their conventionality

offer the same petrol hybrid system on the C-Class, too.

The greatest compliment you can pay all of these models is their conventionality. From how they look, to how they drive, the only visual tell being a plug-in cover on the rear bumper, otherwise you’d never know these C and Es gain hybrid technology.

Inside you have to look for the tells, the E mode button is a giveaway, as are the various different hybrid-specific settings in the driver modes and instrument displays, but that’s it.

Leave them in hybrid and the system best judges the motive power, using a combination of sat nav, mapping, radar sensors and live traffic data to do so. The powertrain

management even takes into account the topography, to best scavenge back power whenever possible. It’s a cleverly integrated system, with the car helping you get the most of it, with subtle resistance from the accelerator pedal. If that sounds like it’s interfering then it isn’t, indeed, all these plug-ins are the model of serenity, only the slightly gruff rattle of the diesel when starting being a reminder of the combustion technology underneath.

That aside, all are compelling choices, coming without the range compromises of fully electric vehicles, yet a decent circa 35-mile battery-only range. As a stepping stone to a bravenew plug-in world, it’s a very compelling one indeed.

SECTOR Executive PRICE From £38,000* FUEL 141.2-201mpg* CO2 38-45g/km*

THE LOWDOWN KEY FLEET MODEL C 300 DE AMG LINE SALOON STRENGTHS LONG RANGE, SUPERB HYBRID SYSTEM WEAKNESSES SOME LOSS OF BOOT SPACE

THE VERDICT Some hybrids can feel like half-way house compromises, but the latest choices from Mercedes-Benz offer a fine balance of good EV-only range, excellent integration and superb overall range.

RATING

* final figures TBC fleetworld.co.uk • 027

DRIVEN

CitroĂŤn Berlingo Berlingo is a true multi-purpose utility vehicle, says Dan Gilkes.

Having already included both the Peugeot Rifter and Vauxhall’s Combo Life in these pages, there is little to add in terms of specification and layout when it comes to CitroÍn’s Berlingo.

You get the same choice of 1.5-litre diesel engines and 1.2-litre petrols, with five and six-speed manual gearboxes, or an eight-speed auto for the most powerful models.

Where the CitroÍn does differ from its PSA stablemates is in the Gallic flair of its appearance. I wouldn’t personally specify the Soft Sand colour scheme of our test car, with its white highlights and Airbump rubbing strips, but it certainly stands out.

There are differences inside too. Opt for the Peugeot and you get the firm’s i-Cockpit interior, with its undersized steering wheel and high-mounted dash.

Go with the CitroĂŤn, or indeed the

Vauxhall, and you get a larger wheel and conventional dash console.

CitroĂŤn has two trim levels available, in both M and the longer XL body styles. Feel is the lower of the two, making do with steel wheels and without roof bars. You do however get cornering front fog lights, an eight-inch touchscreen with DAB radio, Bluetooth and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Go up to the Flair trim and you add alloy wheels, gloss black roof bars, electric parking brake, rear parking

sensors and a Connected 3D navigation system with voice recognition. Both come with air conditioning, cruise control, onetouch electric front windows, two sliding side doors and a host of safety and driver assistance systems.

Berlingo is an incredibly practical car, capable of carrying five in comfort, or seven in the longer XL model, with plenty of luggage. It won’t suit everyone, but for an active family looking for something a little bit left-field, there is a certain appeal.

SECTOR Medium MPV PRICE ÂŁ18,175-ÂŁ23,435 FUEL 49.6-68.9mpg CO2 108-130g/km

RATING

*

T H E S U Z U K I S W I F T AT

+ V ATT ON SUZUKI BUSINESS CONTRACT HIRE P L U S I N I T I A L R E N TAA L O F ÂŁ 7 7 9 . 9 4 + VAA T 36-month agreement. 10,000 miles per annum. Excess mileage charges apply. VAT payable at 20%

CO

2 114-97 g/km (NEDC)

MPG

(combined) 65.7-56.5

BIK

20%-26%

P11D

ÂŁ11,819-ÂŁ17,779

Model shown: Swift 1.0 Boosterjet SZ-T petrol manual including metallic paint. Swift range official fuel consumption figures in mpg (L/100km): 8UEDQ IURP WR ([WUD 8UEDQ IURP WR &RPELQHG IURP WR 2IILFLDO &2˄ HPLVVLRQV IURP J km to 97g/km. Figures based on NEDC test which is only comparable with other models tested by the same (NEDC) methodology. Important information – Business Users only. Offer subject to 35 monthly rentals of £129.99 plus VAT with initial rental of £779.94 plus VAT based on Swift 1.0 Boosterjet SZ-T. Non-maintained. Suzuki Contract Hire is a trading style of Lex Autolease Ltd. Registered office: 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN. Ownership of the vehicle remains with the finance company and the vehicle must be handed back at the end of the term. UK residents aged 18+ only. Subject to status. The offer above is available from participating Authorised Suzuki Dealers only. The offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer unless otherwise stated. This offer is available from 1st October 2018 to 31st December 2018. Charges may be payable depending on the condition/mileage when the vehicle is returned.

Excess mileage charges apply at 5.2p plus VAT per mile. All prices and specifications correct at time of going to print.

Fiat 500X You’d be forgiven for missing updates to Fiat’s chic urban SUV, says Alex Grant.

As brand extensions go, the 500X was an easy win. Positioned as a urban SUV, it scaled up the 500’s styling for those who could no longer fit their life into a city car, and it hit the ground running. This not only outperformed the 500L’s peak sales, it’s pretty much taken all of the MPV’s customers since it arrived in the UK. So Fiat hasn’t rocked the boat with its mid-life update. There are two ‘looks’ for the 500X; Urban and Cross, and both get new wheels and LED lighting. Urban versions have changed the most, but, with only one engine – a relatively thirsty 1.6-litre petrol – Fiat expects it to account for no more than 10% of UK sales.

Cross is offered in two trim levels, the lower of which gets most of the

useful equipment; cruise and climate control, rear parking sensors and Fiat’s Uconnect touchscreen infotainment.

Uconnect isn’t overly intuitive, but standard-fit Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity are a way around that. Cross Plus adds £2,200 to the price, along with sat nav, a reversing camera and larger wheels, and a twogroup rise in BiK. Diesel dropped out of the UK range before the update, and it’s not coming back. So Cross versions get a choice of two turbocharged petrol engines.

SECTOR Compact SUV PRICE £16,995-£23,195 FUEL 42.2-48.7mpg CO2 133-159g/km

The 118bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder is the likely best-seller, and it’s lively at low speeds with very little rumble under load, but can feel stretched on the motorway. A 148bhp 1.3-litre fourcylinder is also available, but only with a dual-clutch automatic transmission.

For now, that’s it. Jeep has a plugin hybrid Renegade in the pipeline, and the shared platform and production line imply that’s likely (but not confirmed) to reach the 500X too. It’s a further brand extension which can only help.

RATING

Reliability Survey Overall winner

*Suzuki has been named the number one most reliable car brand by What Car?

For even more reasons to choose Suzuki, visit your local Dealer today. cars.suzuki.co.uk/swiftbusiness

0800 804 8828

DRIVEN

Volkswagen Golf SV Volkswagen’s space-efficient compact MPV deserves wider recognition, reckons Alex Grant.

Majoring on space-efficient practicality, the Golf SV probably doesn’t appear on many drivers’ radars unless they’ve got a direct need for what it can offer.

Which makes this clever compact MPV a bit of a hidden gem in the Volkswagen line-up.

In the UK, at least, that’s perhaps down to the way it’s marketed. Volkswagen sees this as a derivative of its best-selling nameplate, offering Golf Estate space within a Golf hatchback footprint. It’s a popular segment in its home market (150,000 Golf ‘SportVans’ have sold globally since 2014) but this hasn’t chimed with British drivers; of the 74,605 Golfs registered here last year, only 2,626 were SVs. This perhaps makes more sense sold as a five-seat Touran than a large Golf.

The packaging is brilliant. It’s hatchback-sized, so smaller than the fiveseat C-Max, Scenic or C4 SpaceTourer, and price-positioned below BMW and Mercedes-Benz’s compact MPVs. Occupants sit higher and get larger windows than in a Golf, while rear legroom is closer to a Tiguan, with a bench that can also slide 180mm forwards to extend the boot capacity. It

only has room for two ISOFIX seats in the second row (unlike the Touran), but the large door openings and raised seat height means it’s easy to get the kids on board. Boot capacity, if not load length, is in line with a Golf Estate.

Last year’s update was little more than a subtle nip-tuck of its understated styling, with a focus on new technology. So the cabin is typical high-quality, soft-touch Volkswagen fare, modernised with the new 8.0-inch infotainment systems featuring the usual connectivity features across the range. GT versions are the top of the pile, but add little more than upgraded fabrics, wheels and body styling to the otherwise well-appointed SE Nav. However, it’s also the only trim to get the more powerful of the two 1.5-litre TSI petrol engines, as tested here. The 148bhp unit is a fantastic addition to the Golf SV line-up, too; it’s quiet, quick off the mark, lively enough for easy overtaking and offers almost 50mpg on the motorway, helped by the ability to freewheel and run on two cylinders when it’s not working hard.

That said, the 128bhp 1.5-litre and 108bhp 1.0-litre petrols are more than ample for a car which, despite being almost as sure-footed as the Golf hatch, isn’t intended to set pulses racing. Volkswagen also offers the

SECTOR Compact MPV PRICE £20,355-£28,675 FUEL 54.3-67.3mpg CO2 110-122g/km 030 • fleetworld.co.uk

familiar 108bhp 1.6-litre and 148bhp 2.0-litre diesels options, though neither offer significantly better economy than the equivalent petrol engines, and both carry higher company car tax.

The trouble is, the Touran does a lot of this better, without blending into the Golf line-up or being any less entertaining to live with than the SV. As clever as this might be for families of four needing big flexibility in a small footprint, that grey area positioning means it’s unlikely to get the recognition it deserves.

THE LOWDOWN KEY FLEET MODEL VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SV 1.6 TDI SE NAV. STRENGTHS VERY SPACE-EFFICIENT. WEAKNESSES SEVEN-SEAT TOURAN IS ONLY SLIGHTLY BIGGER.

THE VERDICT The SV is compact, clever and brilliant for small families. But British buyers want SUVs, and it’s fighting for a slice of a segment which just doesn’t exist here.

RATING

S H O R T-T E R M R E N TA L

ONE DAY AT A TIME THE PROCUREMENT UPHEAVAL CAUSED BY WLTP HAS PROMPTED SOME FLEETS TO CONSIDER SHORT AND MEDIUM-TERM CONTINGENCIES ON AN ONGOING BASIS. CURTIS HUTCHINSON REPORTS.

leets were already braced for disruption in the lead-up to the introduction of the new Worldwide harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) regulations in September. For many, sourcing new cars was temporarily put on hold until the publication of the new emissions and economy ratings. However, although WLTP ratings are now widely available, there remains a disruption in the supply chain which is unlikely to wash through until the first quarter of 2019.

F

032 • fleetworld.co.uk

A dilemma now facing many companies is whether to further extend vehicles at the end of their fleet life cycles, until replacement cars are more freely available, or look to short and medium-term contingencies.

“Short or mid-term rental, or minilease, is a useful tool in fleet managers’ tool boxes. However, it is typically most cost-effective in exceptional circumstances whether that is due to the current situation as fleet managers await clarity around WLTP and Benefit-in-Kind

tax or a requirement for temporary staff,” comments John Pryor, chairman of the Association of Car Fleet Operators (ACFO).

The Institute of Car Fleet Management (ICFM) acknowledges that fleets are reviewing their options, which has prompted a rise in demand for shortterm solutions.

“Knee-jerk reactions are driving a broadening range of short-term company car solutions, especially in the 30-day plus mini-lease sector,” says ICFM director Peter Eldridge.

“The challenge will be for the rental companies to keep pace with unprecedented vehicle demand, in times when the vehicle manufacturers themselves are unclear where their production targets should be directed.”

Arval says it’s seen an increase in demand for short and medium-term rental during the second half of this year and expects this to rise until manufacturers are able to fulfil customer orders due to the delays caused by WLTP. “As a product, daily rental has not fundamentally changed in many years but we believe it has become more attractive to fleets in recent times,” explains Zoe Maitland, head of mobility solutions at Arval UK. “Fleets have become much more open to the idea of flexible vehicle provision.

We have seen this not just in the growth of short-term rental at Arval but also medium-term rentals running from 28 days to two years.

“Daily rental is also fitting current business needs in a growing number of circumstances. An increasing amount of economic activity generally takes place on a fixed term or pay-as-you-go model and rental fits this approach exactly.”

According to Arval, the WLTP supply issue is improving but it expects the impact to carry over into next year.

“One positive aspect is that the situation is introducing the concept of medium-term rental to more fleets and we expect that general usage of the product could increase in the future as a result,” says Maitland.

This growth in medium-term rentals has also been noticed by FleetEurope, the fleet management solutions company.

“WLTP has had a significant impact on the demand for daily rental services. We found that many existing flexible rental

vehicles were extended whilst WLTP was being implemented,” says Joe Howick, chief operating officer.

“Some car manufacturers have had to cease or delay the production of noncompliant models, due to the sheer number that need to be WLTPhomologated. This has resulted in fleet operators either having to cancel existing vehicle orders or deal with extended lead times and find a temporary solution to bridge the gap until new vehicles are ready for delivery,” he continues.

“We found mid-term rental and mini lease services are ideally suited to these situations. Both offer the flexibility of being able to off-hire vehicles at short notice without penalty and are more cost-effective than a daily rental vehicle for businesses that can commit to a minimum hire period.

They allow fleet operators to either keep the vehicle on-hire at the end of the minimum hire period, at the same low daily rate, or simply hand the vehicle back at short notice without incurring a penalty.”

Meanwhile, the specialist daily rental companies are also seeing a change in the solutions required by corporate customers. Although daily rental has always played a support role for companies leasing or buying their main fleet vehicles, these firms are now appreciating some of the wider employee mobility benefits.

“Rental has grown in popularity in recent years as it allows fleets to keep people on the road in a flexible and costeffective way,” says Adrian Bewley, assistant vice president of business mobility at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. “This is growing increasingly important as fleets are currently in a period of considerable uncertainty, due to WLTP and the new IFRS accounting legislation

SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE

Daily rental and mini leases are part of a growing trend towards the delivery of Mobility as a Service (MaaS), an integrated transport ecosystem based on the delivery of highly flexible solutions for individuals.

An important and growing part of MaaS in the corporate world is car sharing, with Frost & Sullivan, the independent research company, forecasting a year-on-year growth in the global vehicle parc of 13% to 1.2 million by the end of 2018.

“Car sharing and car clubs are huge growth areas in business travel with hourly car clubs simply another aspect of rental,” says Adrian Bewley, assistant vice president of business mobility at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. “Fleets want to move people and goods around efficiently, and the simplicity and proximity of access provided by car club vehicles is an important element of business mobility. They’re also an integral part of the extension of air quality zones, as car club vehicles parked on-street in a city will be compliant with the new environmental requirements and enable fleets to avoid penalties.”

Hourly car clubs are fast becoming an essential part of the rental mix

fleetworld.co.uk • 033

S H O R T-T E R M R E N TA L

Rental has become a useful way to keep staff moving while the long-term tax and legislative picture is unclear.

that comes into effect in January 2019.

Many businesses are holding off on longterm investment decisions and are looking for more flexibility in how they source and manage their employee mobility. Short-term rental is a key part of that solution.

“Daily rental will help businesses bridge mobility gaps to keep their people on the road until they have a better idea of what the future will look like. It also ensures employees are in modern, low-emission vehicles, which is increasingly important given the growing number of air quality zones and London’s upcoming ULEZ. Fleets that don’t adapt may face steep penalties,” he adds.

The importance of short to mediumterm mobility solutions is also highlighted

by Gary Smith, managing director of Europcar Mobility Group in the UK. “The approach to fleet management is changing in line with changing working practices, and as a result, we have seen an overall shift towards a more transient approach to employee mobility,” he outlines.

“The key drivers for this change are

Demand for mid-term rental is increasing

034 • fleetworld.co.uk

extensive and include increases in taxation, the pressure from local government in terms of environmental policies as well as the introduction of WLTP. However, fundamentally, what fleet managers want are solutions that give them choice and flexibility, rather than being locked into one mobility solution for the long-term.”

Over the last 12 months Europcar has noticed a move towards greater use of mid-term solutions, of 28 days and more,

Daily rental will help businesses bridge mobility gaps to keep their people on the road.

and long-term rentals of three months.

“This shift in usage has been driven by the flexibility businesses need – both in relation to cost and in terms of accessing the right vehicle for the job – in comparison to outright vehicle purchase or three to four-year lease deals,” says Smith.

With fleets navigating the obstacles caused by WLTP, many are currently factoring how Brexit will impact their future vehicle requirements.

“There is no question that ongoing uncertainty caused by Brexit has affected fleet decisions in the UK,” states David Brennan, CEO of Nexus Vehicle Rental.

“We are definitely observing more businesses turning to rental for their mobility needs as rentals provide greater cost flexibility. Similarly, fleet capacity can be scaled when needed to allow businesses to always have the resources required to deal with peak periods, whilst downsizing fleets when demand isn’t as great.

“With fleet managers forced to work within strict budgets, there has been a disincentive to commit to significant capital investment, which is where rental has also become an attractive proposition – keeping businesses on the move without substantial overheads,” he adds.

WLTP has prompted many fleets to consider short and medium-term car provision as a way to manage a period of uncertainty. With further political, legislative and economic headwinds on the horizon it is essential that fleets continue to keep their mobility options as flexible as possible to provide the best possible coverage in these changing times.

FACE TO FACE

Czeching In Škoda UK director Rod McLeod talks to Craig Thomas about how Czech brand is evolving, its fleet offering and its plans for the future.

koda is one brand that feels very much at ease with itself: in addition to the practicality and reliability that have become associated with the company’s models in recent years, there’s a new sense of confidence to their styling that, when allied to higherquality interiors, is helping to make them more desirable to new customers, including those in the fleet sector.

The future looks bright, too, if recent concept cars are any guide. The recent Vision E, Vision X and Vision RS cars (the latter seemingly a hint of the Golf-sized Scala hatch) suggest that the future product direction of the company is bright.

New UK director Rod McLeod, who took the reins to the company in February of this year, joins at a time of significant growth: sales have increased from 53,249 in 2012 to 80,056 in 2017.

Taking the hot seat at a time of such success must place a lot of pressure on an executive, but when McLeod sat down with Fleet World recently, at the launch of the revised Fabia, he seemed confident that the reasons underpinning Škoda’s growth were sound.

“I think the growth’s been based around three things,” he explained. “One is the great products and we’ve had the two new SUVs coming through in the form of Kodiaq and Karoq. Then there have been great reviews and how they’ve been perceived really well by customers as well. So what we’re getting with those cars is new customers to the brand, which are really critically for growth, at the end of the day.”

However, this growth has been attained with a carefully formulated strategy that has included a reappraisal of fleet and where the company has focused its attention within the sector, as McLeod told us: “In terms of rental and Motability, we’re actually back year on year, but that’s been a conscious decision.

But, in true fleet, one of the great things about Skoda now is that the product credibility is really there. And so, previously, maybe it was more difficult to

Š

036 • fleetworld.co.uk

have a conversation 15 years ago to fleet customers, but today, they understand the products are great and so we’re having really credible conversations with a lot of the fleet companies.

“The fleet team interest is actually higher than it ever has ever been and we’ve seen growth in the true fleet part of the marketplace as well. And that’s fuelled by the great products behind that, which are really good, from a job need point of view.”

But McLeod is also keen to point out that the company’s success in the larger car market is replicated with fleet users.

“I think we offer the user-chooser a decision-making process that is probably more similar to a retail process in many

ways. So it’s the same great things that come through that drive our retail growth – the quality, great practicality and value.

And I think those are really important parts of our fleet proposition overall.”

The world is changing, though, as are the personal mobility possibilities that will be available in the next decade and beyond. As ownership morphs, in many cases, into usership, carmakers such as Škoda will have to look at a variety of new options, including subscription packages.

“Things will change, particularly in urban environments. You can already see that with things like ZipCar in London, or some of the suburbs that have no-drive zones in them and things like that. So we are looking at some of those things from our 2025 strategy, which we talked about earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show. So as well as e-mobility, there are mobility solutions, connectivity, autonomous drive – they’re

all macro trends in the marketplace that we, as a brand and as a group, absolutely need to address.”

Being able to adapt to these changes – whether in the realms of electromobility, autonomy or the other changes on the horizon – is perhaps slightly easier for a brand such as Škoda, as part of the huge Volkswagen Group, enabling it to share resources with a range of other marques.

“I think being part of a group is hugely beneficial to us,” McLeod said. An example would be the MEB platform [Volkswagen’s dedicated platform for EVs].

The economies of scale, in developing that platform, can be used by several other brands across the group, which is great.

But actually, the brands have a lot of autonomy as well, so we can lead our own way in some of the areas as well.

“So I think there is a good balance between taking advantage of those economies of scale, which will be really important, but also being entrepreneurial as a brand: some brands will lead some projects and some will lead others. We certainly will be progressing in some of those as well.”

Fundamentally, however, McLeod’s confidence comes from the products in Škoda’s model line-up. “At the heart of it, it’s the product. It’s the quality of the products and making relevant products for consumers, which I think we do today, and I think from what I’ve talked about, you can see in the future how we’re evolving in terms of that and emotionalising the brand to create more attachment to it as well.

“Then I think today we offer a great service for our dealer network, which had to evolve like all of our competitors, as well to have a platform where you can choose the services that you want – whether it’s a car for a weekend or a car on demand. That’s the future and we will have to evolve for that.

Digitalisation is also really critical for our future, which is about joining together with the customer journey and offering different solutions.”

We offer the user-chooser a decision-making process that is probably more similar to a retail process in many ways.

COMING SOON…

Škoda, like much of the car industry, has plans for electrification that start in 2019.

McLeod told us: “By 2020, we’ll have the PHEV Superb so we’ll have the plug-in hybrid there. We’re going to have an E-Citigo, as well, a pure electric version of the Citigo. And then we’ll have the car based on the Vision E concept car shown at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, which will be a B-segment SUV with a range of over 300 miles.

“In a couple of years’ time, the Škoda landscape will look really different. I think what the Vision E car will bring is that the quality of the product based on the MEB platform, as well as great design, will overcome a lot of the issues around range anxiety today. We’re making really good progress in that area, so I think IN SUMMARY we will be very well placed to handle that change in market.

“Today, the market’s about 5%, in terms of electrification, with most of the independent experts saying that it’s probably going to increase to around 10% in 2020, then going up to about 25% in 2025. By 2025, Škoda will have 10 electrified models, with six of those being pure battery electric vehicles.”

fleetworld.co.uk • 037

FLEET FINANCE

A DIFFERENT WAY TO IDENTIFY COST SAVINGS

FEELING SHORT-CHANGED BY THE LACK OF DETAIL IN THE BUDGET? PROFESSOR COLIN TOURICK HAS SOME SOLUTIONS FOR THIS ONGOING PERIOD OF LIMBO.

f things had gone to plan, this would be an article about how fleet managers should be reacting to the chancellor’s Budget. We would have looked at the new company car tax rates and how problems arising from the introduction of WLTP and NEDC Correlated figures will be addressed.

But he just said that we have to wait until spring for them to ‘report’ on the impact of WLTP on VED and company car tax.

We could gnash our teeth at this, because it’s unfair and certainly smacks of incompetence. But it is what it is and there’s nothing we can do about it.

He also announced another delay – the introduction of CO2-based VED for vans – but here we can cheer because there aren’t enough low-CO2 vans on the market at present for fleets to choose from.

I

RUNNING EXAMPLE T S COST LI

For a range of reasons that have been well-documented in Fleet World, fleet managers have had a lot to think about recently. We now have a five-month hiatus, so let’s use it to good effect and see if we can look at the fleet in a new way.

Most company cars are selected by reference to the driver’s job, the business requirement and whether the car is predominantly for business use or a perk. So, for example, drivers in ‘Group B, Salespeople’ may be allowed to choose from a fixed list or any petrolengined hatchback with CO2 levels below 115g/gm and a monthly contract hire rental below £390.

This approach is normal but it does throw up some problems. In many cases you will find drivers doing similar jobs whose cars cost them and the

company wildly different amounts.

My suggestion is that you assemble a list that shows the cost of running each of your cars. Include all of the costs the company pays – lease rental (or interest cost and depreciation if you buy), maintenance costs, VED, insurance, fuel, Class 1A NIC, etc. Then calculate the cost to the employee including company car tax, private fuel charges/tax, etc. You will have to make some assumptions including, infuriatingly, assumptions about future company car tax rates (but don’t get me started on that again), but do try to make the calculations as accurate as possible. You can look at the full cost over three or four years (the best approach, although you’ll have to make more assumptions) or just the last 12 months’ costs for each vehicle on the fleet.

GROUP D – BUSINESS USE

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

EMPLOYEE NAME

CAR

TOTAL COMPANY COST

TOTAL BUSINESS MILEAGE

COST TO COMPANY PER BUSINESS MILE

TOTAL PERSONAL MILEAGE

COST TO EMPLOYEE PER PRIVATE MILE

Make/model

£

Miles

p/mile

Miles

p/mile

038 • fleetworld.co.uk

If you could move some very high- cost-per-mile drivers into lower cost cars, the savings could be significant.

Having worked out these company and private costs for each car, divide them by the total number of business miles for each business-use car driver and the total number of private miles for each perk car driver, respectively.

We are only interested in business miles for business-use drivers, because of why the company provided these cars – so the employee could drive to perform their duties. And we’re only interested in the private miles for perk drivers because that’s the benefit to the employee – the private miles they drive. But in most cases the cars will be driven a mix of business and private mileage, so we’ll note both in our analysis for each driver.

Next, split the list by staff grade and then again into two lists, mainly business use and mainly perk use, depending on the predominant reason for allocating the car.

Now, sort the list by cost to the company and identify the average cost car/driver. You should end up with a chart something like the above for each grade of business and perk driver (we’ve shown Group D). Let’s not forget

that these costs include all tax and NI costs for both employer and employee.

Now stare intently at the list.

These are all people doing the same job, being allowed the same car choice and who must have a car for work. Why are some of those cars so expensive per mile? Is it because the car allocation policy was a rather blunt instrument and the same expensive, heavy, lowMPG car is being driven by predominantly low-mileage urban drivers and by predominantly high-mileage motorway drivers? Or because some of those high-mileage drivers are filling up at motorway service stations? Or some other reason?

Then think how you could mitigate those costs in future. A smarter car allocation policy that considers individuals rather than groups? More tightly defined groups? A lower CO2 cap for some drivers? Stricter application of internal rules? Use of telematics?

If you could move some of those veryhigh-cost-per-mile drivers into lower cost cars, the savings could be significant.

Similarly if you could move that average cost per mile down by 10%.

Next do the same exercise for your perk car drivers, using the same chart but sorted by column G. Why are some cars costing so much more per mile than others? Is it simply because they drive very few miles?

Then think about having a chat with the drivers. Do they realise how much the car is costing them personally? Show them the numbers. If you could offer them something that saves them and the company money, might they be interested in either getting out of their own car now or (more likely the better option) next time they are due to get a new car?

There are plenty of money-saving options, ranging from simply choosing a lower-price, lower-CO2 but not lower-perceived-value car, through to swapping them out of a company car and into a PCH deal arranged by your leasing company.

Set up the spreadsheet correctly and you’ll be able to slot in the impact of the new company car BiK rules once we know them. But don’t get me started on that again.

fleetworld.co.uk • 039

MPG marathon 2018

TESTING THE ALTERNATIVES AS THE INDUSTRY PREPARES TO PUBLISH FULL WLTP FUEL ECONOMY DATA, THE 2018 MPG MARATHON PUT SOME OF THE LATEST MODELS TO THE TEST OVER A GRUELLING 350-MILE ROUTE. AND THE BEST PERFORMERS WEREN’T WHAT YOU MIGHT EXPECT… HOW THE MPG MARATHON WORKS: A test of fuel economy under unpredictable on-road conditions, the MPG Marathon format is simple. Take 10 cars and teams and task them with working out the most economical route between a number of way points, either by the use of printed maps, apps or, if fitted, factory sat-nav.

This year’s event started and finished at the Marriott Forest of Arden Hotel, near Coventry. All cars were brimmed and scrutineered by the RAC at the start line, and fitted with Airmax Remote telematics to check routes, track realtime locations and monitor compliance with speed limits.

Day one took participants to the challenging and hilly roads of the Peak District, with waypoints at the Belfry golf resort and Uttoxeter adding stopstart traffic before stopping at the Devonshire Arms in Bakewell for a time-enforced lunch stop. The route then wound its way down to a coffee break at the Appleby Inn, Swadlincote, via a waypoint in Belper, before the hardest leg of the day – the return to the hotel and a penultimate waypoint at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena during the afternoon rush hour.

Day two was no easier, beginning with a run down to Daventry in rush hour, then on to Silverstone for a rest

and caffeine top-up. Lunch was in the Cotswolds, but there was still the small matter of an off-piste waypoint in Aylesbury to get to beforehand, and the final leg took drivers back to Coventry via Stratford-upon-Avon.

Refuelling took place in two phases; vehicles were filled at a Shell garage near Coventry, before being painstakingly brimmed by the RAC at the finish line.

Final results reflect fuel use (or, for the electric cars, energy use) over the route, plotted by the telematics data. With the more realistic ‘WLTP’ fuel economy test data only weeks away from being released, how would the newcomers stand up to the challenge?

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MPG marathon 2018

DRIVER DIARIES Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC EX Manual

t should have been easy. Match a proven economical car – the Civic 1.6 diesel - with last year’s winning driver. Press the start button and collect the prize two days later.

It wasn’t. The latest Civic has a peak in terms of economy at unusually low revs. Keep it rolling gently at 35 miles an hour and 1,000 revs in sixth gear, and it really delivers.

I

Honda Insight 1.0 IMA Manual

redating CO2 tax, the ‘dash for diesel’ and the first Prius in Europe, the Honda Insight feels better tuned to the demands of today’s new car market than the one it launched into. And it’s still impressive – plug-in hybrids aside, 83.1mpg and 80g/km CO2 remain unbeaten for a production car. So, can it hold its own against today’s most efficient models?

Honda’s pursuit of efficiency was ruthless. The Insight was largely built from aluminium to keep the weight down, while its spaceship-like body was optimised for minimal wind

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Driver Paul Clifton Co-driver Françoise Clifton

RESULT 87.53mpg

But you can’t climb hills like that. And this year’s route took us high into the Peak District. Before we reached the dry-stone walls and sheep on the moors, we were sitting at well over 100mpg. The climb slashed 20mpg off that figure. And with the Cotswolds facing us on the second day, we never quite clawed it back.

Keeping the revs down also meant we couldn’t reach the 56mph minimum motorway speed limit, enforced by trackers fitted to every car. So, while others headed for the M1, we took the shortest route of all competitors, sticking to back lanes and country roads. But, trickling along in 6th gear through the English countryside, the Honda did the job. Beautifully.

The highlight for me was my seriously good co-driver.

Françoise is my 23-year-old daughter, and this was her first attempt. Some years ago I won with her brother Doug sharing the wheel. Now both my children have taken on the best drivers in the country. And won. So please excuse the Proud Dad Moment.

ECO TIP Plan ahead – get into the highest gear, at the lowest speed, for the longest time. Arrive at every traffic light as it turns green, and find big gaps in the traffic at every roundabout.

Driver Alex Grant Co-driver Jerry Ramsdale

RESULT 84.80mpg

resistance. Power comes from a 1.0-litre petrol engine, producing 76bhp with the help of an electric motor, and there’s only space for two on board.

It’s also incredibly effective. The Insight will nudge 80mpg with only minor adjustments to driving style, while the low weight means it’s as peppy and sure-footed as a city car, so it’s not struggling to keep pace with traffic.

Avoiding the plateau afterwards takes more effort; stopping the engine from shutting down during short stops, keeping the momentum going, and utilising the electric motor assistance. There’s no EV mode, but the Insight advises early up-shifts even on inclines, leaning on the motor to provide extra torque. Shift down, and the engine works harder, using more fuel.

Of course, technology has improved. I was reliant on Google Maps to route me around traffic, and the Insight came in a close second to a diesel Civic, which has space for five passengers. But, for all the changes that have happened since, the Insight’s lasting relevance suggests those challenges haven’t moved on much after all.

ECO TIP The manual ’box means it’s possible to hold gears for longer, making full use of the motor to lighten the load on the engine.

in association with

Kia Ceed 1.6 CRDi 2

y sixth MPG Marathon was spent in the new Kia Ceed Diesel, with ITV journalist Matthew Price as co-driver on the first day. I’d set my sights on achieving an average of 80mpg over the two-day route.

Our car had no sat nav, so finding the waypoints would have been challenging if it didn’t have Android Auto. This uses the Google Maps app, with real-time traffic data finding the best route to a destination while avoiding congestion. All I had to do was dictate the postcode, and it routed me perfectly wherever I had to go next.

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Mazda6 Tourer 184ps GT Sport Nav+

hile most MPG regulars look for the smallest, most economical car they can find, I found myself tackling this year’s route in one of the largest cars in the competition. I am no stranger to the Mazda6, having run a saloon as a long termer for much of the year, but this was my first time in the recently updated Tourer.

With 184bhp and a hefty 328lb.ft of torque on tap under that sculpted bonnet, the 2.2-litre Skyactiv-D diesel certainly has the power to pull such a big car

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Driver Kevin Booker Co-driver Matt Price

RESULT 73.99mpg

The weather was ideal for good fuel economy: sunny and with no rain, which can really affect the result.

After the first two waypoints, some dual carriageways and motorways allowed the Ceed to excel with its long sixth gear. Cruising at 60mph with the flow of traffic saw the trip computer climb into the 80mpg mark.

Could we maintain this?

The fuel gauge hadn’t moved by lunchtime, when I swapped co-drivers. My co-driver came prepared with his map book with potential routes highlighted and we reached the finish point at the end of the day one with an indicated 77mpg.

Day two was an early start, and we hit our first problem straight away, with an accident causing traffic to come to a standstill. The Ceed’s start-stop technology came into its own here, meaning we lost less than 1mpg for the 30-minute delay. Using a combination of Android Auto and my co-driver’s local knowledge, we finished the route with an impressive 73.99mpg.

ECO TIP Android Auto’s real-time traffic data helps avoid traffic congestion, and its voice recognition is flawless, which means there’s no distraction from the road ahead.

Driver Dan Gilkes Co-driver Janine Harkness

RESULT 59.48mpg

around. A six-speed manual gearbox meant it was relatively easy to keep the engine spinning at less than 2,000rpm, where peak torque is produced, for maximum economy.

The car’s weight works in its favour once rolling too, maintaining a cruise with very little pressure on the throttle pedal and trickling through town on minimal rpm. But, you do pay a price when the roads get hilly and by lunchtime of the first day, which was spent climbing what felt like every hill in the Peak District, the figures weren’t looking good.

But, with a bit more dual carriageway and flatter terrain on the second day, we managed to pull some of that back and finished ahead of both the NEDC and WLTP figures. Indeed, the result against the WLTP figures shows just what can be achieved with a bit of careful driving. I’ll take that.

ECO TIP As a truck driver I was taught to keep the vehicle moving. Getting 44-tonnes rolling from standstill is very thirsty work. A car may be significantly lighter, but the same theory applies – keep the wheels rolling and you save fuel. Look much further ahead and plan your drive.

fleetworld.co.uk • 043

MPG marathon 2018

DRIVER DIARIES BMW 120d M Sport Auto

oftly and sparingly; that’s how I used the BMW’s accelerator over the two days and the 367 miles I racked up on the 2018 MPG Marathon, dutifully following the sat nav’s directions to waypoints in Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Shropshire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire.

With its lowered suspension, 18-inch wheels, eightspeed automatic transmission and seemingly all the options, it probably wasn’t the right BMW for highlighting the 2.0-litre diesel engine’s capabilities. Still, if I was going

S

Vauxhall Grandland X Turbo D 130

he date: Wednesday 17th October. The mission: Achieve the highest MPG. Mission accepted, my trusty co-pilot and I headed into rural Warwickshire, bound for some of the finest landscapes that England has to offer; first, to the rolling Derbyshire Dales, then down into the heart of David Cameron country: the Cotswolds.

Our vehicle was the Vauxhall Grandland X with its new 1.5-litre diesel engine. Efficient, but unlikely to out-eco the other competitors; mainly lower medium hatchbacks, some traditionally fuelled, plus the all-new, electric Hyundai Kona. That said, I like a challenge, and I’d like to

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Driver Martyn Collins Co-driver Peter Thompson

RESULT 58.50mpg

slow, I was going to look good doing it!

Steering column paddles were fitted, so I thought manual changes and engaging Eco Pro mode was a good idea for economy. I quickly changed my mind, just minutes after leaving our Forest of Arden base, and I left the BMW to change its own gears as I headed to my first waypoint.

BMW reckons its EfficientDynamics technology cuts consumption by 20%. I got the hang of using the coasting function on the gearbox, and was pretty chuffed to arrive at lunch with the fuel gauge still showing full.

However, things weren’t looking quite so rosy after the early evening traffic to the Ricoh Arena, with the gauge dropping a quart.

Day two didn’t start any better, with lots of rush hour traffic and me not following directions carefully enough. Despite my best efforts I was down to half a tank by the final fill-up. Still, looking at other sources, I’m on the money with owners’ figures of between 54.3 and 68.9mpg.

ECO TIP Eco Pro mode offers hints for efficient driving, and gave me an idea of how many miles of extra range I’d gained.

Driver Craig Pullen Co-driver Sam McDonald

RESULT 63.63mpg

think that I’m a fairly eco-aware driver, having previously driven over 30,000 miles (not all at once) in a firstgeneration electric Smart Fortwo.

We used the Vauxhall’s ‘Ecological’ sat nav setting, plus cruise control when appropriate, and took note of Airmax Remote’s Driver Feedback Unit. Helped by the absence of traffic on our route, this approach seemed successful, and we were at the top of the league by lunchtime despite the undulating route to get there.

But, in urban surroundings, fuel economy plummeted from 58mpg to 36mpg, and improvements on the M1 were negated once we hit Coventry.

On day two, a number of navigational blunders (which I take full responsibility for) removed any possible eco-driving advantage. Aware of the excess weight effect, I opted for a small portion of lasagne and chips over lunch, and eschewed pudding altogether. Then, we headed to the start/finish point via the refuelling stops, with the RAC on scrutineering duty.

ECO TIP It’s all about physics. To paraphrase Newton, it’s better to keep an object moving, than stopping and starting on the M1. Plan your journey, keep moving, and avoid traffic.

MPG marathon 2018

DRIVER DIARIES Volkswagen e-Golf

ver the past five years, ALD has been using MPG Marathon as a testing ground for alternative mobility and new technology. Previous entrants have included a Nissan Leaf, Moto Guzzi, BMW i3 and Hyundai Ioniq, all of which have gone away from the traditional petrol or diesel vehicle entrants.

2018 was no exception, as ALD decided to take on the 330-mile route using an electric Volkswagen Golf. This was a step into the unknown, with initial conclusions not looking favourable: the e-Golf wasn’t meeting its official range of 186 miles, a total calculated using the inaccurate NEDC testing cycle.

With a couple of hundred miles in the seat, myself and

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RAC VW Transporter T6 T32 Bluemotion

s a newbie to the team, this was my first MPG Marathon, so I hopped in the RAC’s VW Transporter T6 with Mark Souster, RAC Patrol of the Year 2018, who was determined to take up the gauntlet laid down by his predecessor.

The first day saw us travel up through the Derbyshire countryside to the village of Bakewell, and after a hilly drive through the peaks, we returned via the Ricoh Arena to Coventry. Although the steep inclines and sharp, winding roads proved challenging for the van, we

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046 • fleetworld.co.uk

Driver Christopher Britton Co-driver Martha Sloper

RESULT 5.8miles per kWh

Martha Sloper found our confidence building on the journey to the MPG Marathon, managing an impressive 5.7 miles per kilowatt-hour (MPkWh).

We started day one with a predicted range of 148 miles, extended at first by some frugal driving, but the Peak District soon reduced the figure, suggesting we would only manage 90 miles before needing a charge. This was a concern as there were still more than 100 miles to go!

Liberal use of the regeneration modes ensured that the battery was charged on every downhill possible, and the range began to fall in line. It was a nervous finish, but the e-Golf arrived back at the hotel with eight miles of range to spare.

Day two followed a similar pattern, and an identical performance was recorded, with both days ending at 5.8 mi/kWh – equivalent to over 200 miles on a single charge, narrowly beating the NEDC predicted range.

Proof, once again, that electric cars are viable options for a modern fleet driver.

ECO TIP Consider the terrain. If you’re going downhill and immediately uphill, consider switching regenerative braking off and allow the car’s momentum to increase, powering you back up the hill.

Driver Mark Souster Co-driver Hayley Everett

RESULT 37.03mpg

ended day one feeling positive about its performance.

Souster said: “It’s been good so far. It’s quite hard to keep on top of what you’re doing and how you react to your accelerating and braking, but we’re getting there.”

The second day brought a renewed steely determination to improve our performance, and as we embarked on our route through Daventry and across to the picturesque Cotswolds we upped our efficiency.

Opting for a route which was heavily motorway and dual carriageway-based suited the van more than the previous day, and with the ground flatter, our mpg continued to rise.

The van’s final score registered 37.03mpg; shy of last year’s effort, but a good result for the RAC nonetheless.

Souster said of the event: “It was a good event and I thoroughly enjoyed both days. Also, the van did quite well too compared to what I thought it would, due to it being an auto-DSG, so it’s a win-win really.”

ECO TIP Keep looking ahead at the route to make sure, where possible, you avoid traffic and congestion that will lead to the vehicle idling, and therefore lower your fuel efficiency.

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MG3 fuel consumption: URBAN 38.9 mpg | 7.3 l/100km, EXTRA URBAN 53.8 mpg | 5.3 l/100km, COMBINED 47.1 mpg | 6.0 l/100km, CO2 Emissions: 140 g/km. All MPG and CO2 figures quoted are sourced from official EU regulated laboratory test results. These vehicles are WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light-Duty Vehicles Test Procedure) type approved vehicles. However, in-line with Government guidance, to facilitate direct comparison between different models from different manufacturers and to accommodate the full transition to this new testing regime, we have displayed the NEDC figures. These NEDC figures are the values for this vehicle used in all registration and taxation until further notice from the UK authorities. Fuel consumption and efficiency figures are provided for comparative purposes only and may not reflect “real world” driving results. Models shown: MG3 Exclusive with Hello Yellow paint at £11,395 on the road (OTR), MG3 Exclusive with Ruby Red paint at £11,940 OTR and MG3 Exclusive with Laser Blue paint at £11,940 OTR. OTR prices include VAT where applicable, vehicle first registration fee, delivery, number plates and 12 months’ Vehicle Excise Duty. Prices are correct at time of being published and are subject to change without notice. Please see your local dealer or visit MG.CO.UK for details. * Excite and Exclusive only. ** Exclusive only. ^ Applies to New MG3 Excite 1.5 DOHC VTI-tech on 6+47 profile with an initial rental of £766.02 followed by 47 monthly rentals of £127.67 excl. VAT and Maintenance. Available at participating dealers until 31st December 2018. Based on 8,000 miles p.a. Excess mileage charges apply. Subject to status. Guarantees may be required. Ts&Cs apply. Finance by Maxxia Limited, MK16 9QB. Applicants must be 18 or over. Errors and omissions accepted. ^^Applies to 20% tax band.

MPG marathon 2018

DRIVER DIARIES GOOD HABITS...

A few weeks after receiving EcoSafe driver training from IAM RoadSmart, first-time MPG Marathon entrants Jonathan Musk and Lloyd Ramsdale put what they had learnt to the test. nder the watchful eye of IAM’s Richard Gladman, we’d successfully established that money can be saved by driving economically – and safely – while not losing time. In fact, driving our MG3 hatchback during our training, we’d managed an impressive 12% economy improvement over the official figures, while completing the route at a higher average speed than when driving ‘normally’.

Our challenge, however, was not over. The MPG Marathon would serve as the backdrop where we’d aim to hone our skills and put them to the test over a twoday event that would see us travel hundreds of miles encompassing Coventry to the Peak District and the Cotswolds. And we’d be driving different cars; the Hyundai Kona Electric and the latest Ford Focus.

Although each car would prove very different from the MG3, the beauty of economical and safe driving

U

Hyundai KONA Electric 64kWh

he Kona’s WLTP-rated range of 300-miles seemed ambitious, despite the car’s large-capacity 64kWh lithium-ion battery. However, armed with good knowledge of the car, its capabilities and of course IAM’s EcoSafe driver training, it didn’t feel unrealistic. Under some rough calculations, we worked out that we needed to keep the efficiency gauge at 4.6 miles per kilowatt-hour (MPkWh) or above.

The terrain and traffic were tough, so forward-planning was critical for maintaining momentum – using gentle acceleration downhill, then coasting up the following uphill

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048 • fleetworld.co.uk

practices is that they can be applied to any vehicle.

The principles remain the same: drive smoothly, keep distances, keep off the throttle, shift early and avoid excessive speed. Acceleration and setting off from a standstill will always use more energy than it does to keep something moving. That’s the inescapable law of physics. Our job then, would be to put that into practice.

Driver Jonathan Musk Co-driver Eloise Ramsdale

RESULT 5.7miles per kWh

stretch. The Kona’s adjustable regenerative braking also proved useful, with zero-regen letting the car coast with minimal energy use, then stepping up the regen to slow for speed-restricted areas.

We drove gently on both days. The Kona Electric isn’t a slow car – it’s capable of 0-62mph in sub-eight seconds, though at no point on the economy run was this put to the test. It goes to show, however, that when dialled back, electric cars can offer significant performance on-demand without incurring a permanent fuel consumption penalty as would be the case in your average high-performance petrol or diesel vehicle.

After day one, the economy gauge was showing 5.7MPkWh, while at one waypoint we’d actually increased that to 5.8. We had used just 45% of the battery to cover some 170 miles, meaning there’d be plenty for a theoretical range of more than 350 miles.

By the end of the second day, we’d covered 337 miles and used the equivalent of 89% battery capacity – with an average efficiency of 5.7MPkWh. ECO TIP Regenerative braking is good for town and city driving, but should be turned off for the best efficiency on other roads.

in association with

Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost 125PS

he Ford Focus is a fleet favourite and, specced with a 1.0-litre petrol turbo and six-speed manual gearbox, I was expecting it would do well. And I had IAM’s driver training to put into practice too.

However, once under MPG Marathon conditions and working towards a target, you quickly realise that employing all the techniques is harder than anticipated.

Day one went well but, after hours and hours of driving, I didn’t see the progress in fuel consumption that I’d hoped for. By day two I began second-guessing what I’d

T

Driver Lloyd Ramsdale Co-driver Ray Penford

RESULT 51.93mpg

been taught and played around with different driving techniques to see how they’d affect the fuel economy.

This didn’t work.

Overall, I averaged 51.93mpg, which wasn’t helped by a lack of any route planning and hindered by the generally hilly nature of the roads with abundant and unavoidable stop-start traffic. The built-in Ford sat nav also didn’t help, not displaying turnings far enough in advance. There was also an element of human error involved, with my co-pilot entering one wrong digit on a postcode, meaning we travelled an hour in the wrong direction. This put pressure on me to drive a bit quicker than would have been peak economy, as otherwise we’d have missed the allotted times for the waypoints.

The one tip I’d give to anyone eager to learn about EcoSafe driving, and the one thing I will take with me into any future MPG Marathons, is to keep your eyes on the conditions ahead and avoid being fixated on the MPG readout.

ECO TIP IAM RoadSmart trains you to focus on the road ahead, followed by an economical driving style. Safe driving becomes second nature.

FINAL THOUGHTS... aking our driver training into the MPG Marathon, we felt ready and prepared for the event. And it’s certainly true that both results would have been much worse without it. However, the event isn’t called a marathon for nothing and, being only human, patience was perhaps our biggest challenge. We both practised EcoSafe driving, not hypermiling, and this reflects in our results. Both cars are capable of better economy, but not by much in the real world.

Nevertheless, the driver training had proven its point – it had given both of us the skills and understanding necessary to eke the best economy from our vehicles, while travelling safely. But it was left up to us whether or not we followed that methodology and how closely.

It’s worth adding a note about the Hyundai Kona Electric too, as in addition to its impressive result, it achieved this with the same speed and time limitations as the petrol and diesel cars on the Marathon. However, in stark contrast to its fossil-fuelled counterparts, its 300+ mile range could be completed with a full charge costing less than a tenner using a home charger. Coupled with sensible EcoSafe driving, this is a real game changer.

T

IAM RoadSmart’s EcoSafe training is available for a fixed £40 per driver fee Find out how your drivers can save time and money at http://bit.ly/iam-eco-driver

fleetworld.co.uk • 049

MPG marathon 2018

Honda Civic claims top honours HONDA has claimed top honours in the 2018 MPG Marathon, not only achieving the best overall economy but the highest improvement compared to its combined-cycle figure over two days and almost 350 miles of real-world driving.

Driven by BBC Transport Correspondent Paul Clifton and his daughter Françoise, the Civic 1.6i-DTEC recorded an impressive 87.5mpg over a mixed route spanning from the Cotswolds to the Peak District. Not only is that a 7% improvement in fuel economy versus the NEDC Correlated combined-cycle figure, but it’s a 42.7% improvement over the forthcoming WLTP test data too.

The results validate the ongoing importance of diesel for company car fleets and motorwaymileage drivers. For those who want excellent economy, long range, reliability and low tax liability, the Civic ticks every box. Honda’s latest-generation diesel engine also meets the stringent new Euro 6d-TEMP standard, which assesses on-road emissions versus laboratory results.

Honda’s state-of-the-art 118bhp 1.6-litre i-DTEC engines have taken multiple class and overall wins at the MPG Marathon since they were first entered in 2014. The latest generation, comprehensively revised for the new Civic, returns up to 80.7mpg with CO2 emissions from 93g/km, with reduced noise, weight and friction and sharper responses. For the first time, it can also be paired with Honda’s slick nine-speed automatic transmission, offering extra comfort for high-mileage drivers.

For more information on the Civic 1.6 i-DTEC, visit our corporate website: www.honda.co.uk/civicfleet

MPG marathon 2018

ANALYSING THE DATA: AIRMAX REMOTE TELEMATICS ith participants able to select their own routes, vehicles entered in the MPG Marathon were fitted with telematics boxes from Airmax Remote. This not only offered a live overview of where they were during the event itself, but a huge amount of historical data to analyse how vehicles were driven and the different journey types taken.

Telematics has become more advanced, but easier than ever to fit. The Airmax Remote plugs into vehicles’ diagnostic ports, taking around 15-20 minutes to be installed into the car – in this case, on site at the Marathon start line.

Each vehicle also had a display on the dashboard, showing long-term and real-time driver behaviour via a line of red, orange and green LEDs to help improvements en-route.

The data recorded is staggering. Airmax Remote says its technology is aimed at reducing the cost, risk and environmental footprint of a fleet. And that data can be displayed via a customisable portal, giving an overview or enabling deeper analysis of individual groups or

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drivers. It’s incredibly granular, with league tables reflecting fuel economy and driver behaviour.

No two drivers took the same route on either day.

Indeed, there was a near 58-mile difference between the longest and shortest distances covered during the event – the shortest, at 324 miles, was the eventwinning Honda Civic. However, this took 40 minutes longer to complete the route than the Kia Ceed in second place.

MPG Marathon drivers were, unsurprisingly, not overly prone to speeding or harsh driving. As a group, the most common risk factor was harsh braking, while some vehicles were idling for 6% of the time they were out driving.

If anything, we barely scratched the surface.

Airmax’s technology can monitor a multitude of vehicle parameters, ensuring proper maintenance, detecting collisions and highlighting under-utilised assets.

For more information, see airmaxremote.com

RESULTS Vehicle

Team

Fuel used (Gallons)

Course Mileage

Overall MPG

WLTP MPG / difference

NEDC MPG / difference

Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC EX Manual

Paul Clifton, Françoise Clifton

3.78

331

87.53

61.4 (+42.6%)

80.7 (+8.5%)*

Honda Insight (Mk1)

Alex Grant, Jerry Ramsdale

4.25

360

84.80

N/A

83.1 (+2.0%)

Kia Ceed 1.6 CRDi ‘2’

Kevin Booker, Matt Price

4.69

347

73.99

58.9 (+25.6%)

74.3 (+0.4%)*

Vauxhall Grandland X Tech Line Nav Turbo D 130

Craig Pullen, Sam McDonald

5.78

368

63.63

56.5 (+12.6%)

67.3 (-5.45%)*

Mazda6 Tourer 184ps GT Sport Nav+

Dan Gilkes, Janine Harkness

6.20

369

59.48

38.2 (+55.7%)

58.6 (+1.5%)*

BMW 120d M Sport Shadow Edition Auto (5dr)

Martyn Collins, Peter Thompson

6.27

367

58.50

Not provided

62.8 (-6.9%)*

Ford Focus Titanium X 1.0L EcoBoost 125PS

Lloyd Ramsdale, Ray Penford

7.36

382

51.93

Not provided

58.9 (-11.8%)*

Mark Souster, Hayley Everett

9.94

368

37.03

N/A

46.3 (-20.0%)

Energy used (kWh)

Course Mileage

Vans VW Transporter T6 T32 Startline Bluemotion Technology Electric Vehicles

Overall MPkWh

NEDC MPkWh/ Difference

Hyundai KONA Electric Premium SE 64kWh

Jonathan Musk, Eloise Ramsdale

59.12

337

5.7

N/A

4.34 (+31.3%)

Volkswagen e-Golf

Christopher Britton, Martha Sloper

56.90

330

5.8

N/A

4.88 (+18.9%)

* Fuel economy data for cars tested under the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) is being converted to an ‘NEDC Correlated’ figure, used in promotional material until January 2019. Not all manufacturers are releasing this data before that date. fleetworld.co.uk • 051

Telematics & Tracking

Business mileage capture & eliminating expense overclaims Remote Mileage Manager, driven by our automotive approved telematics device to eliminate the need for recording expenses manually, reduces administration and inaccurate claims, while guaranteeing business compliance with HMRC regulations.

The goal is to mitigate against the risk of private mileage being claimed as business mileage and company fuel cards used to refuel private vehicles. Using telematics to record journeys, it prevents drivers from overclaiming trips and maximises the ability for validation of accurate business mileage claims.

Customers using this service have seen that even the best drivers have reduced their claims by 60 miles a month - with a return on investment of 1 month. Within our largest customers, we have seen up to a 17% reduction in business miles claims across driver populations on a like for like basis.

By connecting to the vehicle CANbus network, RMM integrates fuel tank level and refuel events, MPG and specific GPS location data, with an upload from all major fuel cards to deliver a detailed breakdown of total card spend. This provides payroll with accurate deduction.

Airmax Remote also offer a non-telematic Grey Fleet Mileage Manager using Google Map integration as well as automated DVLA lookup to proactively validate pence-per-mile claims. www.airmaxremote.com

EVERYTHING NEED FLEETS TO KNOW KNOW TONEED EVERYTHING FLEETS

Until cars drive themselves, it’s autonomous humans that need managing With all the talk of connected car and self-driving vehicles, it would be easy to assume that managing driver behaviour is just a short-term responsibility – after all, when the robots take over, collisions will end, right? (Well, that’s the theory.)

But for the foreseeable future, managing company car drivers and ensuring that their autonomy behind the wheel is safe and subject to appropriate levels of monitoring remains an important aspect of a fleet manager’s role. In addition to increased pressure to fulfil a duty of care, there are many business benefits that spin out from this – from fuel cost savings, to productivity improvement and driving down the escalating cost of fleet insurance.

Fortunately, the cost of telematics technology is plummeting, thanks to the use of smartphone apps that deliver almost identical functionality to traditional ‘black boxes’. Appy Fleet, from Trak Global Group, is exactly this kind of tool. The app tracks your drivers and reports into a Fleet Manager Dashboard; each driver gets detailed feedback and a Driving Style Score, encouraging safer driving and creating friendly competition within teams.

Appy Fleet can be trialled for free on iOS and Android. www.appyfleet.co.uk info@appyfleet.co.uk

.co.uk October 2018 • fleetworld

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Telematics and electric vehicles By 2040, the UK government plans to end the sale of all new, conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans. This is part of the UK government’s ambition to improve air quality by investing more in low or zero emission cars such as electric vehicles. Hybrid vehicles will also still be available.

When placed in an electric vehicle, telematics can monitor and record data to help: • Improve driving styles • Monitor energy consumption per kilometre • Monitor the amount of energy regenerated • Monitor battery state of charge Using sophisticated EV (electric vehicle) reporting tools, fleet operators can produce daily, weekly or monthly reports on start and end state of charge for every trip, overall energy consumption statistics (both used and regenerated) and current battery status.

Telematics’ ability to observe and report on driving styles helps to improve it. This, in turn, improves safety, energy consumption and energy generation. Early notification of low battery state of charge levels can also assist with managing electric vehicle fleets. www.mixtelematics.co.uk // info.eu@mixtelematics.com

Workforce management and fleet optimisation made possible with TomTom Telematics WEBFLEET is TomTom Telematics award-winning fleet management solution that provides real-time information about the location of your LCVs, lets you communicate directly with your drivers, helps to improve workflow management, save on fuel and connects to a whole ecosystem of third-party solutions.

• Become more agile – WEBFLEET allows businesses with LCVs to be more dynamic and flexible. Send the right person to the next job based on the shortest travel time. It keeps your workforce out of traffic and makes sure your technicians arrive on time. What's more, your customers can be informed of accurate ETAs. • Maintain service levels – WEBFLEET can provide transparency to your clients with ‘time on site’, ‘arrival times’, ‘proof of delivery’ and much more.

• Modular and scalable – TomTom Telematics’ hardware for LCVs can be rapidly installed into any commercial vehicle. If you want to upscale, WEBFLEET can be swiftly deployed across your entire fleet.

• Extend functionality – Once installed it’s easy to extend functionality. Connect to PRO driver terminals for easy navigation and communication with your office. Allow 3rd party hardware to connect via Bluetooth and capture additional data from the vehicle with LINK.connect, such as temperature sensors, tyre pressure, barcode scanning, RFID. telematics.tomtom.com // 0208 822 3605 uk.business@tomtom.com

Go beyond vehicle tracking with Trakm8

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Trakm8 is a leading provider of telematics, vehicle cameras and fleet optimisation. We are one of the only telematics providers to design and manufacture our telematics devices in the UK, and are proud to hold the ‘Made in Britain’ marque.

Trakm8 focuses on delivering actionable insights to its customers, enabling them to improve efficiencies, reduce risk and cut carbon emissions. As a result, our clients benefit from lower insurance premiums, reduced fuel, maintenance and repair overheads, and higher workforce productivity.

Trakm8’s solutions include the market-leading RH600 4G telematics camera; innovative new Insight telematics platform; and award-winning fleet optimisation. Our Optimisation solution goes beyond basic route planning to increase vehicle utilisation and cut total fleet mileage, with clients reporting efficiency savings of up to 20% and productivity increases of up to 30%.

Trakm8 also specialises in dash cams, multi-camera systems for FORS accreditation; driver behaviour analytics, digital tachograph integration; trailer tracking; and telematics for plant equipment. Furthermore, it is an acknowledged leader in vehicle health alerts and optimising ultra-low emission vehicles.

Fleet managers are increasingly turning to Trakm8 as a singlesource supplier, providing an integrated, user-friendly fleet management solution. Trakm8 has more than 250,000 live devices connected to its servers. www.trakm8.com // info@trakm8.com

fleetworld.co.uk • 053

FLEET

FIRST REPORT SEAT ALHAMBRA 2.0 TDI XCELLENCE (184PS) DSG P11d/BiK: £36,635 (33%) MPG/CO2: 53.3mpg / 141g/km Test MPG: 41.5mpg

AS final runs go, you don’t get a much better demonstration of an MPV’s talents than an early morning dash to the airport with the family in tow. Kids, buggies, car seats, suitcases and that nagging feeling that you’ve forgotten something all get a little less stressful to move around when space ceases to be an issue.

It’s a spread of talents which I hope don’t get overlooked as the market marches towards SUVshaped family cars. I’ve tried enough of them to know that there’s no real alternative to an MPV; to get three kids in the second row, you need a very large SUV, most of which are, and all of which will cause headaches in multi-storey car parks. The Alhambra is no city car, but those sliding doors make it very easy to unload in a tight space.

There are alternatives. My kids have nicknamed the Alhambra ‘The Van’, and that’s probably where this segment is headed given that modern vans (and their MPV derivatives) drive increasing like cars, and demand for bespoke MPVs is declining. It’s a logical meeting of worlds for those rational enough to opt for one, but I reckon the first manufacturer to get proper MPV familymoving flexibility into a Qashqai-sized SUV will do rather well out of it.

In the meantime, the surviving members of this class have ever-fewer competitors to take on. Drivers, like me, who have seen the benefits behind the compromised street-cred, might soon have to get used to ‘The Van’ being more than just a nickname.

Alex Grant

ALPHACITY VAUXHALL ASTRA 1.6 CDTi SRi Nav Bookings/Utilisation: 0 Mileage: 12,064 Test MPG: 57.3mpg

FOLLOWING the return of our trusty BMW 320d, AlphaCity now operates a fleet of non-BMW, and sure enough our replacement has arrived in the shape of a Vauxhall Astra. Things are slightly different now – firstly, insurance is cheaper for our team, while the keys are now needed to start the car. Previously, a pin number was required after opening the doors using our individual key cards. Though the new car perhaps doesn’t enjoy the same prestige of the BMW, it’s well-specced and also comes with a more frugal engine that should save the business a few pounds in fuel in the long term.

Jonathan Musk

054 • fleetworld.co.uk

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FLEET CITROËN C4 SPACE TOURER FLAIR BLUEHDI 160 EAT8 P11d/BiK: £32,295 (30%) MPG/CO2: 64.2mpg, 127g/km Test MPG: 50.3mpg

CITROËN has a habit of making popular people-movers, so we were excited to get our hands on the C4 Grand Space Tourer when the sevenseater joined the FW fleet recently.

With a growing number of SUVs on the market, old-school MPVs such as this award-winning French workhorse might look a little out of place, but rest assured it has plenty of things going for it.

As the name suggests, it's not small with generous room for five and then the choice of a huge boot or a third row of seats. You also get a lot of glass with a C4 Space Tourer, which is a good thing. Aside from the huge front screen – the sliding sun visors adding a few extra inches of daylight to the already generous view out of the front – there’s a panoramic glass roof. The result is a cabin that is very light and airy, with the ability to close it off easily, should you need too.

Big Citroëns have nearly always held comfort in high regard, so it’s no surprise that the seats are like comfy

armchairs. Not the most supportive, but when you sink into them, you’re instantly relaxed.

There are, however, some elements of the C4 that take a bit of getting used to. The brakes are a bit over-enthusiastic, often preventing a smooth deceleration, while the dashmounted gear-level felt a little out of place at first, but it’s winning me around slowly.

The annual challenge of changing the clock to GMT from BST fell to me in the C4 and to say it was easy would be pushing it. Having failed to find any instructions in the manual, I set about pressing some buttons in the menus. I managed to complete the job eventually, but not before switching to a French-Language profile (and back). Don’t ask…

John Challen

AUDI Q5 S LINE 2.0 TDI Quattro P11d/BiK: £41,555 (32%) MPG/CO2: 54.3mpg / 136g/km Test MPG: 39.8mpg

SO the time has come to say goodbye to the Q5 – and it will be missed. A great all-rounder, with a high-spec interior and comfortable seating that make it a lovely place to be. Approval from all five Challens is another box ticked and a bit of a rarity, if truth be told.

There were plenty of highlights during our time with the Audi SUV – an experience that a growing number of people will have in the coming months and years as the German brand continues to expand its model line-up. Ease of use is pretty high up on the list, with a straightforward menu system that enables flicking between climate, audio, phone and sat-nav settings a breeze.

There is also plenty of room inside

056 • fleetworld.co.uk

for all of us, which isn’t always a given in a car this size.

A fair few motorway miles were covered since it arrived at Fleet World Towers, which gave the engine the opportunity to impress with its torque, but also with a pretty effective stop-start system. I’ve already mentioned the powerful climate control system that cooled occupants down in seconds – granted it wouldn’t have been working too hard over the winter.

The fuel economy crept up over time, getting agonisingly close to 50mpg, but still a little way short of the claimed 54.3mpg.

Still a very decent return from a premium SUV, though.

John Challen

MERCEDES-BENZ E220D 4MATIC AMG LINE ESTATE

VOLKSWAGEN E-GOLF

P11d/BiK: £43,400 (33%) MPG/CO2: 53.3mpg / 142g/km Test MPG: 47.3mpg

P11d/BiK: £32,675 (0%) MPG/Range/CO2: 4.9mi/kWh / 186mi (NEDC) / 0g/km Test MPG: 4.2 mi/kWh

OUR E-Class is largely standard, save for three optional extras which together add almost £5,000 to the price. So, are the options worth the extra outlay?

At £685 I could forgo the obsidian black metallic paint in favour of a standard colour from the palette; the £1,495 Comand online system with widescreen cockpit display is, I’m

afraid, a must as it is such a good system (and I think the cabin would look rather drab with it); while the £2,795 premium package (keyless go, memory seats and panoramic roof) is a nice to have, not a necessity.

Although I would probably option the panoramic roof separately as it does flood the dark cabin with light.

Julian Kirk

FIRST REPORT

VAUXHALL GRANDLAND X Tech-Line Nav Turbo D 130 P11d/BiK: £24,210 (26%) MPG/CO2: 67.3mpg/110g/km Test MPG: 63.6mpg

COULD the Grandland X be a sign of Vauxhalls to come? That platform-sharing deal done before PSA took over the Griffin helm equals Peugeot 3008 underpinnings, meaning the Grandland feels more Lyon than Luton.

It is reasonably spacious and comfortable, even with the Tech-Line’s difficult-toclean 18-inch alloy wheels. I just wish Vauxhall had injected some of the design charisma found in the 3008’s exterior and interior into the Grandland. It’s by no means ugly, although the White Jade colour does it no favours, and the interior looks and feels well-made, but it’s very conventional in design, lacking in any surprise and delight features.

In just over a month and 1,400 miles, I’ve found that, like my last Insignia, the Grandland is an impressive long-distance companion. The seats and driving position are comfortable, plus the IntelliLink touchscreen navigation and infotainment system is easy to operate.

Biggest test during this Vauxhall’s first month on the fleet was taking part in the MPG Marathon. I wasn’t at the wheel, but 63.6mpg achieved over the two days wasn’t far off the combined figure of 67.3. More impressive was, it had less than 1,000 miles on the clock at this point!

Martyn Collins

THE e-Golf continues to be the perfect urban car. I have had a couple of other test cars on loan in the last month, but for anything local, the e-Golf has been a clear first choice. It’s a real joy to drive, silently making its way around town and costing very little to run (despite the more expensive cost of electricity from public chargers, compared to home or workplace units).

Longer runs? Not so much fun.

After my odyssey to Wales last month, a trip to Oxfordshire recently seemed straightforward. It would require a charge, but the Ecotricity charger at Cherwell Valley services on the M40 had worked a few weeks earlier, so...

Despite starting to charge when I plugged the e-Golf in, the charger cut out after a minute. It did this three times before I phoned the helpline: the staff member was very helpful, but the result was that the charger was effectively broken. Great.

Cue a 50mph drive to a Polar charger at the Holiday Inn at High Wycombe, which I made with just nine miles of range to spare, which is far too tight a margin on a motorway.

If EVs are to be more widely adopted, the public charging infrastructure really needs to up its game.

Craig Thomas

fleetworld.co.uk • 057

FLEET

FIRST REPORT VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON R-LINE 2.0 TDI DSG P11d/BiK: £35,430 (28%) MPG/CO2: 62.8mpg / 116g/km Test MPG: 44mpg

HAVING waved goodbye to the trusty and impressively (read: surprisingly) economical Tiguan Allspace, I'm now treated to the svelte lines of the Arteon.

I think we can all agree, it's a bit of a looker. I'll be keen to find out whether those looks are skin deep, however, as despite appearances suggesting a bunch of wild horses lurking beneath the bonnet, this car is fitted with the same fleet-friendly 148bhp diesel 2.0-litre, as fitted to my old Tiguan Allspace.

However, fitted with Volkswagen's slick DSG auto and with no more than 56-miles registered on the odometer, it is so far proving tricky to match the mighty Allspace’s (frankly amazing) 58.5mpg average fuel economy. That said, on a 100-mile motorway run, the Arteon has already demonstrated its potential with a credible 57mpg, while proceeding around town has reduced that average to 44mpg, with still fewer than 300-miles on the clock. To be fair, the engine is still a little tight, the DSG still finding its feet, and I’m only just beginning to learn what the car is capable of. Aside from that, this is a delightfully refined machine, complete with fancy R-Line details and premium features including 19-inch alloys and LED lights.

Jonathan Musk

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

EV CONTRACT HIRE, LEASING & FINANCE Lex Autolease

Tel: 0344 824 0115 www.lexautolease.co.uk

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

FINAL REPORT PEUGEOT 5008 GT LINE BLUEHDI 150 P11d/BiK: £34,500 (26%)* PG/CO2: 70.6mpg / 105g/km* Test MPG: 42.7mpg

OUR Peugeot 5008 has returned to its maker after six months that saw it perform impeccably, proving how it’s made the transition from MPV to SUV well.

Over its time with us, it was pressed into service to transport an army of relatives around in veritable comfort but also proved invaluable as a load lugger, including transporting a glass desk unscathed along the motorway. The separate seats in the middle row provided an element of luxury – although my youngest also found them a handy place to stash sweet wrappers under – and rear-seat passengers were also well served.

Our GT Line came with a wealth of high-tech kit. I particularly liked the 3D Connected

Navigation with TomTom Live updates – standard from Allure trim up – which was very quick and accurate. I wasn’t so fond of the lane keeping assistance, which turned out to be the cause of the steering suddenly pulling to one side. But I remain a fan of the massage function.

Driving experience was generally relaxed with decent control and the 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel proved gutsy but is now sadly obsolete. My overall fuel consumption ended up at 42.7mpg, shy of the official ‘true’ NEDC figure of 61.4mpg but including a very high proportion of urban mileage too.

All in all, a striking crossover still in line with MPV needs.

Natalie Middleton

FLEET INSURANCE insureFLEET Tel: 0333 202 3133 www.insurefleet.com

driver licence DRIVER LICENCE checking CHECKING Chevin Fleet Solutions Tel: 01773 821 992 www.chevinfleet.com

Jaama Tel: 0844 8484 333 www.licence2check.co.uk

TMC *Figures relate to the recently updated Peugeot 5008 BlueHDI 130 GT-Line

058 • fleetworld.co.uk

Tel: 01270 525 218 www.themilesconsultancy.co.uk

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY CONTRACT HIRE, LEASING & FINANCE

DAILY RENTAL

RISK MANAGEMENT

FLEET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Alphabet (GB) Limited Tel: 0370 50 50 100 www.alphabet.co.uk

Thrifty Car & Van Rental Tel: 01494 751 550 www.thrifty.co.uk

DriveTech (UK) Ltd Tel: 01256 610907 www.drivetech.co.uk

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

Venson Automotive Solutions Tel: 08444 991402 www.venson.com

Lex Autolease Tel: 0344 824 0115 www.lexautolease.co.uk

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

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

sgfleet Tel: 0845 154 0721 www.sgfleet.com

ALD Automotive Tel: 0370 00 111 81 www.aldautomotive.co.uk

Maxxia 020 7520 9450 www.maxxia.co.uk

Zenith Tel: 0344 848 9327 www.zenith.co.uk

SHB Hire Ltd Tel: 01794 511458 www.shb.co.uk

Tel: 01484 551060 www.virtualriskmanager.net

Tel: 01905 887884 www.bespokedrivertraining.com help@bespokedrivertraining.com

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

Sofico NV

Tel: 0141 332 2626 www.acvm.com

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

FUEL MANAGEMENT euroShell Card Tel: 0800 915 6021 www.shell.co.uk/euroshell

Tel: +3292018040

Tel: 01792 222133 www.daysrental.co.uk

daysfleet.com

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

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

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

0845 2172 608

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

T

TH THE CE H ACNHGA EN G YE O UY RO B U S I N E S SS UR B U S I D EDSEESREVREV E S E S SN E S S D E SERV USIN UR B ES E YO HANG HE C

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FLEET MANAGEMENT SUBSCRIPTIONS

Fourways Vehicle Solutions Tel: 0344 8000 385 www.fvsl.co.uk

Fleet Operations Ltd Tel: 0844 567 8000 www.fleetoperations.co.uk

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

Fleet World magazine Sign Up today... www.fleetworldsubscriptions.co.uk

Nexus Vehicle Rental 0871 984 1947 www.nexusrental.co.uk

FLEET CONSULTANCY

PVS Ltd Tel: 01278 550270 www.puddyvsolutions.co.uk

fuelGenie Tel: 0345 371 2490 www.fuelgenie.co.uk

TMC Tel: 01270 525 218

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

For more information, please contact Tracy Howell on 01727 739160 or email tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk TELEMATICS & TRACKING Teletrac Navman Tel: 0345 604 8813 www.teletracnavman.co.uk www.navmanwireless.co.uk

www.themilesconsultancy.co.uk

TRACKER Network (UK) Limited Tel: 0845 604 6091 www.TRACKER.co.uk

www.quartix.net Tel: 0870 013 6663

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

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

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

Tel: 0345 055 8555 Ctrack www.ctrack.co.uk

CanTrack Global Ltd Tel: 01908 330385 www.cantrack.com

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

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

Airmax Remote Limited Tel: 0333 358 3488 www.airmaxremote.com

VEHICLE CCTV & SAFETY Fleetmatics Tel: 0800 975 4566 www.fleetmatics.co.uk

Parksafe Automotive Tel: 01773 746591 www.parksafeautomotive.com fleetworld.co.uk • 059

t 01727 739160 // e info@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

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TRIPLE THREAT

MASTER Z.E.

INVINCIBLE X

New vans from Peugeot, Citroën and Vauxhall

Renault launches large electric van

Toyota updates popular pickup

THIS MONTH IN FLEET www.vanfleetworld.co.uk

GOVERNMENT OUTLINES PROPOSED VAN TAX

IN BRIEF Renault Renault has launched Premier Edition versions of its Kangoo, Trafic and Master vans, to celebrate its partnership with the Sky Sports Premier League. The rangetopping vans will combine distinctive styling with a high level of equipment, on top of the Business+ trim level. This will include Renault’s R-Link infotainment with TomTom navigation, a rear-view camera and a dashcam with ADAS, which warns of impending front end collision.

Avon Avon Tyres has introduced the AV12, a van tyre with fitments to suit 80% of the LCV market. The silica-rich compound promises 10% less rolling resistance than the outgoing AV11, with a 5% improvement in wet braking ability. The tyre also features a more durable sidewall.

The Government has given some indication of the direction that it will take when reforming the Vehicle Excise Duty system for light commercial vehicles. This will include a £0 standard rate for zero-emission vans, along with discounts for ultra-low emission and alternatively fuelled vans.

Full details have yet to be announced, but bands and rates are expected to be set out ahead of the Finance Bill 2019-20, for introduction in April 2021. The Government intends to introduce a twocategory approach, recognising that larger vans will produce higher levels of CO2 than smaller models, though actual category weights have yet to be finalised.

CONVERSION SERVICE As set out in the Road to Zero Strategy, the FOR VANS & PICK-UPS Government’s ambition is for 40% of new van sales to be ultra-low emission by 2030. In 2017 only 0.3% of new vans qualified as ultra-low, while vans accounted for 17% of UK greenhouse gas emissions and 33% of total NOx emissions from road transport.

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The City of London is proposing to introduce a pilot to restrict vehicle access to the southern end of Moor Lane, to ultra-low emission (ULEV) vehicles only. Under the scheme, a ULEV would be classified as a vehicle that emits less than 75g/km of CO2 and capable of at least 10 miles of zero emission driving, so basically a pure electric vehicle or some plug-in hybrids. This is not the same as the Mayor of London’s new ULEZ zone, which merely calls for diesel engines to be Euro 6 standard.

The scheme will begin by April 2019 and last for at least 12 months. It has not yet been decided if the restriction will be 24-hours a day, seven days a week, or be implemented between 7am-11pm Monday to Friday. All non-compliant vehicles will be prohibited from driving through the zone.

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LAUNCH REPORT PSA GROUP

Peugeot Partner

Citroën Berlingo

Compact load carriers PSA Group looks set to pose a triple threat to the small van market, says Dan Gilkes.

Peugeot, Citroën and new PSA sibling Vauxhall, have all unveiled updated vans in the small LCV sector. The Peugeot Partner and Citroën Berlingo replace existing models of the same name, while the new Vauxhall Combo takes over from the former Fiat Doblobased model.

As with the previous generation, there will be two body lengths on offer.

However, unlike the last Partner and Berlingo, where an extended load bay was placed on the same wheelbase as the shorter van, the new models have two distinct wheelbases, allowing improved load carrying abilities on both models.

The Berlingo XL, Partner Long and Combo L2 have a 19cm longer wheelbase, with a 16cm longer rear overhang. This provides a load volume of 3.8m3, compared to the 3.3m3 of the M/Standard/L1 models. In both cases the load volume can be increased – to 3.9m3 and 4.4m3 respectively – by opting for a folding passenger seat and

066 • vanfleetworld.co.uk

load-through bulkhead.

Maximum payloads have been increased, with both short and long wheelbase models now able to handle over 1-tonne of load. There are also reduced payloads of around 680kg available, for the lower horsepower models. The L1 vans are

All three vans are offered with a host of driver assistance and safety aids.

expected to account for 75% of sales, with the highest payload taking the lion’s share of orders.

Talking of which, the manufacturers have three diesel engines on offer, to be joined by two petrol engines next year. Initially the BlueHDi 75 and

BlueHDi 100 will use the existing Euro 6b 1.6-litre diesel engine, with Stop&Start now standard on the 100bhp model. The BlueHDi 130 is a new Euro 6d TEMP 1.5-litre BlueHDi, conforming to the next stage of Euro 6 emissions regulations. The 1.6-litre diesels will be replaced by similarly powerful Euro 6d 1.5-litre motors next summer, in time for a change in LCV legislation in September 2019. The 1.6litre engines have service intervals of 16,000 miles/1 year, while the newer 1.5-litre diesel has variable service intervals, of up to 25,000 miles/2 years.

There will also be two versions of PSA’s 1.2-litre PureTech petrol engine on offer, with 110bhp and 130bhp, though these will not arrive until 2019.

Petrol engines currently account for just 2-3% of Peugeot Citroën sales in this sector. However, there is growing fleet demand for petrol, from the likes of the Post Office in particular and the two companies are predicting a gradual move in demand. In the first full year of sales, that could be as high as 20% of the Partner/Berlingo mix.

The 75bhp and 100bhp engines come with a five-speed manual

Vauxhall Combo Vauxhall will offer the new Combo in three trim levels.

The entry level Edition, the Sportive and a range-topping Limited Edition Nav (LE Nav). The Edition model comes with a steel bulkhead, nearside sliding door, DAB radio with Bluetooth, electric windows and heated mirrors.

Move up to Sportive and the van gets a six-way adjustable driver’s seat, larger 16” wheels, air conditioning, metallic paint with body coloured bumpers, rear parking sensors, cruise control and an alarm.

On top of that, LE Nav adds body coloured mirror housings and door handles, side protection mouldings, a front bumper with a skid plate, 16” alloys and an 8”

touchscreen with sat-nav. The Crew Van models will be offered in Edition and Sportive trim levels.

There is no specific construction model in the Combo line-up, but there is an IntelliGrip Pack available for £200, which can be ordered in conjunction with a Construction Pack (£575) that includes the underrun guards, mud and snow tyres and 30mm increase in ride height.

The arrival of the new Combo represents a far bigger change for Vauxhall than for the two French companies. The van will spearhead a year of change for Vauxhall, with a new Vivaro and updated Movano both due by mid-2019.

SECTOR Small van PRICE £16,518-£27,564 FUEL 64.2-67.3mpg* CO2 109-119g/km*

gearbox, while the 110bhp and 130bhp motors get six forward gears. The 130bhp engines can also be ordered with an Aisin eight-speed automatic transmission, for an £1,150 premium.

Traditionally Citroën’s biggest selling Berlingo has been the 75bhp, 625kg payload L1 van, while the top selling Partner has been the 100bhp, 850kg L1 in Professional trim. Going forwards, Peugeot expects the 100bhp 1,000kg L1 to become the top model, while

Citroën expects to see a move from the 75bhp, 650kg L1, to the new 100bhp, 1-tonne model.

All three vans are offered with a host of driver assistance and electronic safety aids, though few of them will be standard equipment. The most popular options are expected to include a Surround Rear Vision system, that provides three different views to the rear of the van, for driving, manoeuvring and parking. The manufacturers will

RATING

also offer the first factory-fit Overload Indicator in this sector. The system measures the load on both axles and warns the driver when 80% load is achieved, to allow for the driver and a passenger to travel in the laden van. At 100% load a second warning is given, to prevent overloading.

All three vans will be in dealers from early December, with petrol engines and crew vans joining the line-up next year. >>

vanfleetworld.co.uk • 067

LAUNCH REPORT PSA GROUP

>>

Citroën Berlingo The Citroën Berlingo uses a conventional steering wheel and dash. There are four trim levels on offer here too, pretty much matching their respective Peugeot competition in specification and price. These range from X, through the construction-specific Worker, to Enterprise and a new range-topping Driver model.

While Peugeot calls the folding passenger seat MultiFlex, Citroën is sticking with its Extenso name. In both cases, the outer passenger seat can be folded down and forwards, or the seat base can be fold up, to make room for longer loads coming through the bulkhead hatch from the rear.

The bulkhead hatch can also be equipped with a load bag, that covers the ladders or pipes in the cab, to prevent dirt and loose materials from entering the cab.

All UK Partner and Berlingo models bar the entry level S and X trims will come with the three-seat layout. A second row of seating will be available in a crew cab model in 2019. This uses a sliding bulkhead to ensure occupant safety when the rear seats are folded forwards.

To bring Berlingo prices in line with their French stablemates, the Citroën’s list prices are expected to rise by around 8% with the new model.

SECTOR Small van PRICE £16,518-£27,564 FUEL 64.2-67.3mpg* CO2 109-119g/km*

RATING

Peugeot Partner Unlike the Citroën and Vauxhall vans, the Peugeot doesn’t just use a different front grille. Inside the cab, the Partner van has Peugeot’s iCockpit layout, as seen on many of the firm’s cars. This uses a very compact steering wheel with a raised dash that can be seen above the wheel, rather than through it.

Partner will be offered in four trim levels. Even the base S model comes with a full bulkhead, electric windows and mirrors, automatic headlights and daytime running lights. Technology includes ESC with Hill Start Assist, remote central locking, a DAB radio with Bluetooth and USB, plus Peugeot’s Connect SOS Assistance pack.

The Grip trim is based on the S model but adds an automatic electronic parking brake, Grip Control with hill descent, underbody protection, the Overload Indicator and a tyre pressure monitor. You also get 16” mud and snow tyres and a 30mm

increase in ride height.

Professional trim does without the offroad capabilities of Grip, but adds air conditioning, rear parking sensors, cruise control, the automatic parking brake and tyre monitor, the Multi-Flex modular folding passenger seat with loadthrough bulkhead and front cornering fog lights. In the cab Professional adds an 8” touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Mirror Link.

The range-topping Asphalt trim level comes with 16” alloys, body

SECTOR Small van PRICE £16,518-£27,564 FUEL 64.2-67.3mpg* CO2 109-119g/km*

068 • vanfleetworld.co.uk

coloured bumpers, door handles and mirror housings, auto wipers, Peugeot Connect 3D navigation, front and rear parking sensors and passenger and rear cameras providing rear and nearside visibility through a 5” screen where the rear view mirror would normally be fitted.

Partner prices are expected to rise on average 6% compared to the previous model, though the specification will have improved and the total cost of ownership should be lower.

RATING

VAUXHALL COMBO

NEW COMBO

INTERNATIONAL VAN OF THE YEAR 2019 Carries British business Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km).

New Combo Van range: Urban: 57.6 (4.9) – 62.8 (4.5), Extra-urban: 67.3 (4.2) – 70.6 (4.1), Combined: 62.8 (4.5) – 67.3 (4.2). CO2 emissions: 116 – 109g/km.# Model shown Combo. #Fuel consumption data and CO2 emission data are determined using the Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), and the relevant values are translated back to allow the comparability into NEDC, according to regulations R (EC) No. 715/2007, R (EU) No. 2017/1153 and R (EU) No. 2017/1151. The values do not take into account in particular use and driving conditions, equipment or options and may vary on the format of tyres. The values do not take into account in particular use and driving conditions, equipment or options and may vary depending on the format of tyres.

For more information on official fuel consumption and CO2 emission values, please read the guideline ‘Guideline for fuel consumption, CO2 emissions of new passenger cars’ freely available in all points of sale or at www.vauxhall.co.uk/WLTP Correct at time of print.

DRIVEN

Renault Master Z.E. Renault’s Master Z.E. electric van offers a healthy payload within a 3.1tonne gross weight, says Dan Gilkes.

Unlike many of its competitors, Renault has opted not to push its heaviest van up to 4.2-tonnes to accommodate the batteries for an electric driveline. Instead, the company has chosen to use lighter, more compact driveline components to achieve the desired payload within a lower overall gross weight.

The Master Z.E. is equipped with the same 33kWh lithium-ion batteries as the smaller Kangoo Z.E.33, mated with the firm’s more powerful R75 electric motor from the Zoe car. This delivers 76bhp and 225Nm of torque, with a maximum speed set at 62mph.

The van has an NEDC range of 124 miles, though Renault admits a more realistic 75-80 miles should be possible on a single charge, which should be more than enough for most urban delivery users. More importantly, the vans will still be able to carry around 1-tonne of payload.

Renault is offering the Master Z.E. in four panel van configurations, offering load volumes of 8-13m3. They go from a short-wheelbase, low-roof model, with a payload of 1,128kg, right up to a long wheelbase with medium roof.

This larger model boasts a 975kg loadcarrying ability. However, the longwheelbase, medium-roof combination

070 • vanfleetworld.co.uk

is the best-selling diesel Master and is expected to be the Z.E. model of choice for UK buyers too.

The Master Z.E. will also be offered in two platform cab variants, on the L2 and L3 chassis. These deliver over 1.35-tonnes of body and payload capability, suitable for conversions of up to 19m3 load volume. As the batteries sit below the cab, it is also possible to fit an ultra-low floor body to the front-wheel drive Z.E. chassis.

In the cab there is little to mark out the zero-emission driveline. The Master Z.E. uses an automatic transmission lever to select drive, neutral and reverse gears and the dash gauges are changed to show charge and regeneration status rather than fuel levels and rpm. Otherwise it’s standard Master fare, which is no bad thing.

Though limited to 62mph, the Master Z.E. is pretty nippy for a large van and will easily keep pace with the urban flow. Instant full torque delivery means that acceleration can be rapid when required, though the van is also happy to crawl along smoothly with stop/start traffic, with each application of the brakes returning a little bit of energy to the battery.

With a list price well under £50,000, after the Plug-in-Van Grant has been applied, the Master Z.E. has been positioned at the lower end of the price scale for a one-tonne carrying electric van. It’s still not cheap, but

with no congestion charge to pay and the ability to deliver in just about any city centre that you care to imagine, this is the direction that many companies will be heading in.

As with all electric vans, the Master Z.E. has to balance cost, range, payload and load volume. Renault looks to have got that balance spot on.

SPECIFICATION MODELS Renault Master Z.E. LM31 BASIC PRICE (incl PiVG) £48,800 ENGINE Synchronous rotor coil motor POWER 76bhp TORQUE 225Nm WEIGHTS (Kg) GVW 3,100 KERB WEIGHT 2,125 PAYLOAD 975 MAX TRAILER WEIGHT NA DIMENSIONS (mm) LOAD SPACE LENGTH 3,733 LOAD SPACE WIDTH 1,765 LOAD SPACE HEIGHT 1,894 WIDTH BETWEEN W/ARCHES 1,380 COST CONSIDERATIONS BATTERY RANGE (NEDC) 124 miles ESTIMATED REAL-LIFE RANGE 75-80 miles BATTERY WARRANTY 5year/60,000 miles WARRANTY 3year/100,000 miles

THE VERDICT Using proven components, Renault’s approach to the large e-van could well be a winner.

RATING

I n t r o d u c i n g t h e N e w Tr a n s i t C o n n e c t a n d N e w Tr a n s i t C o u r i e r. A s h a r d w o r k i n g , v e r s a t i l e a n d r e l i a b l e a s t h e r e s t o f t h e Tr a n s i t R a n g e .

B o t h a r e n o w a v a i l a b l e w i t h g r e a t n e w o p t i o n a l f e a t u r e s i n c l u d i n g 6" c o l o u r t o u c h s c r e e n , v o i c e c o n t r o l , D A B a n d S a t N a v . O n t h e Tr a n s i t C o n n e c t , y o u c a n g e t pre-collision assist and a modem providing live traf fic updates and a wi-fi hotspot, so you and your business can stay connected wherever you are.

W h e n b u s i n e s s d e m a n d s . W e d e l i v e r.

Discover more at ford.co.uk or contact the Ford Business Centre: 03457 23 23 23 | flinform@ford.com

Official fuel consumption ďŹ gures in mpg (l/100km) for the current Ford Transit range: urban 27.7-61.4 (10.2-4.6), extra urban 36.2-68.9 (7.8-4.1), combined 32.5-65.7 (7.8-4.3). Official CO 2 emissions 226-112g/km.

The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results (EU Directive and Regulation 715/2007 and 692/2008 as last amended), are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience.

DRIVEN

Toyota Hilux Invincible X Toyota’s Hilux Invincible X gets a new look, as befits its range-topping status, says Dan Gilkes.

Toyota’s Hilux pickup needs little introduction. A mainstay of construction fleets, a trusty friend on the farm and a capable load hauler, Hilux remains one of the toughest trucks around. The market moves on however. While there will always be a need for a hard-working pickup, the vehicle’s dual use credentials are often of equal importance.

It’s not surprising to hear that higher trim levels and more powerful engines are what customers want. The ability to rapidly write-down the investment, reclaim VAT and reduce Benefit in Kind tax make pickups equally popular as everyday transport.

Every manufacturer has been boosting the specification and appearance of its top pickups and Toyota is no different. Yes, you can have a bare bones Active model, or a well-equipped Icon. But most of the money heads up to Invincible level, or to the top of the range, where we find this Invincible X. Unlike some competitors who increase engine size or output as the trim level rises, Toyota equips all Hilux models with the same four-cylinder D-4D diesel engine. This 2.4-litre global diesel engine puts out a solid 148bhp, backed up by 400Nm of

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torque, available from just 1,600rpm.

With lower trim models you can opt for a six-speed manual gearbox, but once you get to Invincible level it’s auto only. The six-speed transmission is smooth-shifting, if a little keen to drop down a gear at motorway speeds when you need to accelerate.

A rotary switch engages four-wheel drive and controls the high and low range options, while all Hilux models also come with a locking rear differential for maximum off-road traction. Unsurprisingly there is also plenty of safety kit on board, including Toyota Safety Sense, which includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert and road sign assist.

The Invincible X is mainly a cosmetic update of the already wellequipped Invincible model. However, it does get a new front end, being the only model with the chrome grille surround, different front lights and revised front bumper.

At almost £3,500 more than the Invincible, the X also comes with chrome side bars and scuff plates, rear parking sensors, black leather seats, with heating for the driver and front passenger and electric adjustment for the driver. You also get Toyota’s Touch 2 with Go navigation and enhanced multi-media functionality, including voice control and 3D maps.

As a range-topper, the Invincible X is around 100bhp and two cylinders down on some of its more recent competitors. Yet it can hold its own in an increasingly popular market.

More importantly, if you do want to work the truck hard, it retains a decent payload and can now pull a full 3.5tonne trailer. For many, that combination will be enough to tick the Toyota box.

SPECIFICATION MODELS Toyota Hilux Invincible X BASIC PRICE £31,046 ENGINE 4-cyl 2,393cc POWER 148bhp @ 3,400 TORQUE 400Nm @ 1,600-2,000 WEIGHTS (Kg) GVW 3,210 KERB WEIGHT 2,090 PAYLOAD 1,120 MAX TRAILER WEIGHT 3,500 DIMENSIONS (mm) LOAD SPACE LENGTH 1,525 LOAD SPACE WIDTH 1,540 LOAD SPACE HEIGHT 480 WIDTH BETWEEN W/ARCHES 1,080 COST CONSIDERATIONS COMBINED CO2/MPG 204g/km/36.2mpg OIL CHANGE 1year/10,000 miles WARRANTY 5year/100,000 miles

THE VERDICT While no different under the bonnet, the revised look puts some clear air between the Invincible X and the rest of the Hilux range.

RATING

Racking and storage solutions

Our panel of leading suppliers helps you get the most out of your fleet...

A weighty argument!

Fleets spend considerable sums of money on telematics or fuel monitoring systems in order to improve fuel-efficiency. Many then go and specify a racking system that adds to the weight of the vehicle causing the immediate loss of any fuel efficiencies!

The economic argument is a very powerful one, but so is the argument for a racking system. Vantainer is well-known for its highly adaptable storage box system. It interconnects meaning it can reach the roof of the van, without compromising strength or safety and using fewer shelves. Space is optimised and this improves operating times because everything is organised for much easier access. However, these attributes are secondary to the fuel economies that can be made using a light-weight system.

Vantainer racking is manufactured using aluminium. The box storage system is ABS and is extremely light-weight in comparison to alternatives without losing any strength: It’s robust, durable and conforms to all the latest European safety regulations.

The hugely successful Vantainer system is easily transferred from van to van without the need for any internal repairs to the fabric of the vehicle. For a demonstration or more information visit vantainer.com

Register now at... www.greatbritishfleetevent.co.uk

vanfleetworld.co.uk v anfle eetworld.co.uk • 0 073 73

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY DAILY RENTAL

Tel: 01792 222133 www.daysrental.co.uk Fourways Vehicle Solutions Tel: 0344 8000 385 www.fvsl.co.uk

CONTRACT HIRE, LEASING & FINANCE

RISK MANAGEMENT

TAIL LIFTS

FLEET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Alphabet (GB) Limited Tel: 0370 50 50 100 www.alphabet.co.uk

DriveTech (UK) Ltd Tel: 01256 610907 www.drivetech.co.uk

Ratcliff Palfinger Ltd Tel: 01707 325571 www.ratcliffpalfinger.co.uk

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

Zenith Tel: 0344 848 9327 www.zenith.co.uk

Full listings online at

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

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

Penny Hydraulics Tel: 01246 811475 www.pennyhydraulics.com

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

fleetworld.co.uk ACCIDENT MANAGEMENT

Nexus Vehicle Rental 0871 984 1947 www.nexusrental.co.uk

SHB Hire Ltd Tel: 01794 511458 www.shb.co.uk

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

ALD Automotive Tel: 0370 00 111 81 www.aldautomotive.co.uk

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

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

Tel: 0141 332 2626 www.acvm.com

CanTrack Global Ltd Tel: 01908 330385 www.cantrack.com

TELEMATICS & TRACKING

Full listings online at

fleetworld.co.uk AMBER CONNECT Tel: 01789 774413 www.amberconnect.co.uk

Lex Autolease Tel: 0344 824 0115 www.lexautolease.co.uk

www.quartix.net

FLEET MANAGEMENT Fleet Operations Ltd Tel: 0844 567 8000

Tel: 0870 013 6663

www.fleetoperations.co.uk

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

www.volkswagengroupleasing.co.uk

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

Venson Automotive Solutions Tel: 08444 991402 www.venson.com

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

Volkswagen Group Leasing Tel: 0870 333 2229 Tel: 0345 055 8555 Ctrack www.ctrack.co.uk Teletrac Navman Tel: 0345 604 8813 www.teletrac.co.uk www.navmanwireless.co.uk

TRACKER Network (UK) Limited Tel: 0845 604 6091 www.TRACKER.co.uk

STEPS AVS Steps Ltd Tel: 01939 235900 www.avssteps.co.uk

Full listings online at fleetworld.co.uk FUEL MANAGEMENT BP Oil UK Ltd Tel: 0845 603 0723 www.bpplus.co.uk

0845 2172 608

VAN LINERS

daysfleet.com

DRIVER LICENCE CHECKING

United Vanliners Ltd Tel: 01778 561900 www.unitedvanliners.co.uk

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

TMC

VEHICLE CCTV Exeros Technologies Tel: 020 8303 1188 www.exeros-technologies.com

Tel: 01270 525 218 www.themilesconsultancy.co.uk

euroShell Card Tel: 0800 915 6021 www.shell.co.uk/euroshell .uk etworld.co • vanfle 2018 mber Septe September 2018 • vanfleetworld .co.uk September 2018 • vanfleetworld.co.uk September 2018

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TMC Tel: 01270 525 218 www.themilesconsultancy.co.uk

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

p70 p72

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