Fleet World September 2014 by Fleet World Group

Introducing the next generation fuel card Take control of your business fuel spend with Fuel+, developed in association with Barclaycard and The Miles Consultancy (TMC). It’s geared to empower staff on the road while driving savings in the office. Powered by global Visa acceptance, it offers an unsurpassed level of coverage at filling stations across the UK and around the globe*. With total visibility and enhanced control, our efficient fuel solution drives an average cost saving of 25%** on business fuel spend.

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*Please note that a few small fuel retailers with a shop may be classified by their Visa processing bank as a supermarket or convenience store and your card may therefore be declined. Only an outlet classified as a fuel retailer will accept your card. **This is based on the first year business fuel savings of 24 TMC customers calculated in 2012. Barclaycard is a trading name of Barclays Bank PLC. Barclays Bank PLC is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register Number: 122702) and subscribes to the Lending Code which is monitored and enforced by the Lending Standards Board. Registered in England No: 1026167. Registered Office: 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP.

contents

September 2014

Behind the wheel of BMW’s 2 Series Active Tourer.

FLEETW RLD All that matters in the world of fleet

Euro6

Just how clean are the latest diesels?

Tom Gardiner of Aviva gives advice for fleets on avoiding the growing crash for cash problem.

MPG marathon 2014

The End

How to reduce spiralling end of contract charges

RATED!

Driven

Our first look at Jaguar’s new fleet competitor

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer Volkswagen e-Golf Renault Twingo fleetworld.co.uk

Managing Editor Ross Durkin ross@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Publisher Jerry Ramsdale jerry@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Editor Steve Moody steve@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Deputy Editor Alex Grant alex@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Business Editor Natalie Middleton natalie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Features Editor Katie Beck katie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk VFW Editor Dan Gilkes dan@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Director Anne Dopson anne@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Sales Executives Darren Brett darren@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Claire Warman claire@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Our first glimpse of Jaguar’s new compact executive – the XE.

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

Are Euro 6 diesels exactly what they say on the tin...?

Designers Tina Ries tina@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Samantha Hargreaves sam@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Published by

64 72

Renault’s MD, Ken Ramirez, on the brand’s fleet resurgence.

Outlining the pros and cons of winter tyres.

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VAN FLEETW RLD

Transit Eco drive, Peugeot Partner Electric driven, LCV conversions, VW Caddy.

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fleetworld.co.uk / 03

fleetreview This month, editor Steve Moody on why we need more 20mph zones, how Renault has turned its fortunes around in the UK and the advent of truly useful real-time traffic information.

Renault’s run of form Apologies for a bit of a Renault theme in this issue, with roadtests and interviews, but I have recently come back from driving the excellent new Twingo, and it was great to catch up with UK MD Ken Ramirez too. Thing is, in the last 18 months, this company that was previously on the rocks has launched four superb new small cars: ZOE, Captur, Clio and now Twingo. Next on the agenda is a C-Segment SUV and perhaps a D-segment one in time too, both of which will be essential for fleet growth. Last time Renault tried such a car, it came up with the Koleos, which you may well have forgotten about. I know I had. But it’s a company in a much more confident place now than when it launched that particular machine, and with Dacia bringing in the cash and allowing the Renault side of the business to express itself more, I would be very surprised if the run of hits didn’t continue.

More 20mph please The Alliance of British Drivers has called on the Government to halt a roll out of 20mph zones in urban areas until more research into their effectiveness has been established, claiming they might even make roads less safe.

Utter nonsense. All established research shows that if you hit somebody at 20mph they are likely to survive. At 30mph, they almost certainly won’t and at 35mph, they will die. In my small town, I drive about at 27/28mph and feel like a mobile roadblock, as cars come roaring up behind me time and again. Fact is, people speed far too much in built-up areas. Lower the speed limit, and less people will get hurt badly, or killed. It’s really that simple.

Traffic info is getting more informed I’ve been on holiday recently in a BMW X5 fitted with Real Time Traffic Information. It’s a system that aggregates mobile phone signals to work out the speed of traffic on any road, and although I had some experience of it before, over 600 miles of clogged roads I was staggered by how accurate it has become. To the metre and the second, you knew if you would be coming to a halt, or reaching a clear road. So many traffic systems claim there’s a jam when there’s not, or worse, reckon its clear when tailbacks stretch beyond the horizon. The data they’re getting is clearly dodgy. But BMW’s is the most accurate and most timely by far, and any business user would find it a huge help to their working life.

Real time help BMW’s latest traffic info system is very impressive.

04 / fleetworld.co.uk

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

Ford NEWS All-new Mondeo deliveries start this year

inbrief

FLEET customers will start taking deliveries of all-new Mondeo models towards the end of this year. The all-new Mondeo will introduce Ford Dynamic LED headlamp technology to Europe and its Ford remarkable technologies will include Active City Stop collision avoidance system, an advanced version of Active Park Assist featuring Perpendicular Parking, and Park-Out Assist which will help steer back out of a tight space; Lane Keeping Aid with Traffic Sign Recognition is standard on Titanium models. Other technologies include Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert, MyKey, Ford SYNC2 with Bluetooth and Voice Control and the unique-to-Ford Easy Fuel to prevent mis-fuelling costs. Inside, a standard 8” touchscreen provides easy access to all essential multimedia and climate controls. Mondeo introduces optional inflatable rear seatbelts to the segment. The range initially will include Style, Zetec and Titanium versions and the first Mondeo Hybrid. All-wheel drive diesel models will follow next year. Petrol engine options will include the 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre EcoBoost from launch, with the multi-award winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost joining the line-up in early 2015. An ECOnetic Technology model’s 1.6-litre diesel engine has anticipated CO2 emissions of 94 g/km; and there also will be a 2.0-litre TDCi ECOnetic diesel. The four-door Mondeo Hybrid combines a 2.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and 1.4 kWh lithium-ion battery to provide optimised fuel economy and low CO2 emissions of 99g/km.

Ford strengthens the AA patrol fleet Ford is supplying 343 Ford Transit Custom 310 and 330 L1 vans to the AA to join its fleet of patrol vehicles. They will raise Ford’s share of the 2,100-vehicle AA patrol fleet to more than 50 per cent. Ford secured the order following an exhaustive analysis of whole-life costs. Sarah Dopson, AA head of fleet, said: “We looked at all the usual factors – acquisition price, depreciation, servicing and maintenance costs, running costs including fuel economy – and the Transit Custom came out top. Deliveries of the new vehicles will be complete by November, in time for our busiest period for call-outs.” The vans are delivered complete with the AA’s new contract recovery trailer to allow the partial lift and recovery of brokendown vehicles, a dual battery system and racking.

Transit helps The Open

Great deals on Focus WITH the advanced new Ford Focus due in dealer showrooms by November, it has never been a better time to buy a current Focus, with exceptional deals available today on all models. The new Focus is packed with latest technology, including SYNC2, Active Park Assist featuring Perpendicular Parking, Cross Traffic Alert, Park-Out Assist, MyKey and Adaptive Front Lighting. Fleets will benefit from fuel economy improvements, including the Dagenham-built 120PS 1.5-litre TDCi engine with Powershift transmission which will offer a 19 per cent improvement compared with today’s equivalent.

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

Ford News Feature // 05

A Ford Transit high roof van supplied by West Wallasey Fleethire Services was on hand to transport golfers’ equipment between hotels and the course at the British Open. West Wallasey Fleethire Services runs 4,000 Fords in its 8,500vehicle fleet out of the UK’s largest commercial hire depot, at Wallasey on the Wirral. Transit models are available with up to 15.1cu m of loadspace and up to 4,700kg GVM. There are five body lengths and three roof heights.

inbusiness

SEAT puts continued focus on end-user fleets UK is targeting a 50% greater share of “true fleet” sales, helped by new SEAT products and investment in people and processes, according to head of fleet

and business sales Peter McDonald. The new Leon has helped the brand meet ‘lofty goals’ for 2014, he said, with end-user orders doubling year on year, demand for high trim levels increasing and large deals with Centrica and Zurich recently completed. Over the next three years, the brand will push for a 3% share of the market, which it sees as a key growth opportunity, and is investing in its own team and dealer presence to get there, McDonald explained.

fleetweet a few soundbites from a month in fleet

@bobbyllew Robert Llewellyn, comedian, actor and EV pioneer

Here’s 1 of the many things people assume about elec cars. When you arrive at charge point the car is ‘empty’. Not the case

@Chris_Rux Chris Rux, product & brand communications, GM Europe

Driverless cars to take to UK roads from January 2015

he Government has given the green light for driverless cars to take to UK roads from January 2015 under measures announced by Business Secretary Vince Cable. Under the plans – intended to establish the UK as a pioneer in driverless cars – UK cities can now bid for a share of a £10m competition to host a driverless cars trial. Up to three cities will be selected to host the trials from next year and each project is expected to last between 18 and 36 months and start in January 2015. Ministers have also launched a review to look at current road regulations and ensure there is an appropriate regime for testing driverless cars in the UK.

Discovery Sport aims for fleets

and Rover is to challenge the fleet sector’s biggest selling premium SUVs with the Discovery Sport, which will become the brand’s most efficient model to date when it launches next January. Sized to compete with the Audi Q5 and BMW X3, the seven-seat newcomer will be the first ever two-wheel drive Discovery in the model’s 20-year history, with the eD4 diesel set to offer CO2 emissions of 119g/km and a sub-£30,000 entry price when it joins the range late in 2015. Launch options comprise a single 188bhp 2.2-litre diesel, the SD4, which will only be available with four-wheel drive and a choice of six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic gearboxes. In the UK, this will only be available with seven seats, returning up to 46.0mpg with CO 2 emissions from 162g/km, and pricing from £32,395.

100,000 orders for our #Opel #ADAM! Great success for our urban lifestyle car! #WINNER #comeback

@HowardCCox Howard Cox, founder of @FairFuelUK Campaign

Highest fuel tax in the EU, the most expensive diesel & only nation with diesel priced higher than petrol. Now @MayorofLondon wants to tax it

@agustinm2020 Agustin Martin, marketing director, @Toyota_Europe

The UK looks set to allow autonomous vehicles on the roads within 5 months. The future is here!

@tgforces Tim Smith, commercial director, GForces

New car registrations – wow! 29 months of growth and predictions of 2.45m registrations by e-o-y, plus £64bn turnover added! @SMMT #GoodNews

@FT Official Twitter account for the Financial Times

One in five workers in London – 790,000 people in total – now commute from other parts of the country

@Chrisity Chris Choi, consumer editor at ITV News

Tax discs: Around since 1921 now their last month. New warnings today that drivers could be caught out by new fines and deadlines

06 / fleetworld.co.uk

THE BEST THING ABOUT WORKING LATE? THE DRIVE HOME.

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HOW ALIVE ARE YOU? Fuel consumption for the XF range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 16.7-48.7 (16.9-5.8); Extra Urban 32.8-64.2 (8.6-4.4); Combined 24.4-57.7 (11.6-4.9); CO2 Emissions 270-129 g/km. Fuel consumption for the Jaguar XJ range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 16.7-39.8 (16.9-7.1); Extra Urban 32.8-51.4 (8.6-5.5); Combined 24.4-46.3 (11.6-6.1). CO2 Emissions 270-159 g/km. The figures provided are as a result of official manufacturer’s tests in accordance with EU legislation. A vehicle’s actual fuel consumption may differ from that achieved in such tests and these figures are for comparative purposes only.

inbusiness

fleetonfleet John Pryor, ACFO chairman and group fleet & travel manager at Arcadia talks to Liz Hollands. Fleet size 590 user choosers, 700 cash out, 30 vans How are you finding being chairman of ACFO? It was and is a great honour. Arcadia has been a member for some 18 years and I do find it invaluable. It helps as I can talk to other fleet people who are having the same issues I have. We are fashion retailers and we have no other fleet expertise within the group so talking to other fleet managers is a great benchmarking exercise. Did you have a fleet background initially or were you working in another sector? I came from a facilities background and it was one of those, ‘Oh can you look after these’ conversations. Initially there were about 70 cars but then came the amalgamation of the total group fleet. We’ve often said that “travel manager” is the natural progression for a fleet manager’s job. Do you see ACFO focussing on helping fleet managers expand their roles in that direction in the future? I see it more as the other half of a whole role as I oversee all the movements – whether by air, road or rail. I think it is important that you do see the whole picture. But I believe fleet is one of the only disciplines within a company that can sit in many varied departments. It is more shaped by the business requirement. How do you manage key relationships with suppliers? I believe it is having a clear view of what Arcadia needs and requires and being able to structure that into the operation and ensure the supplier understands the

requirement. We tend to manage by exception reporting and monthly reviews to ensure nothing gets missed. We have run our own standalone system of control for years and therefore can manage our suppliers. I am a bit of a luddite in regard to the latest “dashboards” etc as information is just pumped at you, without analysis. I recently attended a meeting of transport managers responsible for freight fleets and when it came to question time, found them a lot more forthright than the majority of their car fleet counterparts. Why do you think that might be? I think they have a very different discipline. But different fleets do as well. User choosers have different objectives and targets than job-need fleets. Vans are carrying product and have a different focus again. I recall talking to a retailer which had a home delivery service but also had a car fleet. The home delivery service was run to military precision but the car side was run quite differently. But they saw the home delivery as vital for business as well as having their name on the side of the van. What should fleet managers be losing sleep over? I would hope that nobody is losing sleep. There are many changes coming up, which should have a positive effect on fleet. Tax disc removal will be a great time saver. The digital footpath that government are working on should reap benefits for the future. It would be nice if they were further advanced, but I am glad they are at least starting. We need to be aware of the

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changes in taxation and ensure we are putting pressure on manufactures to reduce CO2. But this has to be balanced with the cost of vehicles. How would you encourage a company to take up or renew the ACFO subscription? We have been members of ACFO for some 18 plus years and I believe it has been invaluable talking to others, and picking up what is happening is very important. I see ACFO as a central source of information for all companies who run vehicles for their business. ACFO is a members’ organisation and there is no "right" way to run a fleet, but there are good practices we can all adopt. My plea for membership in ACFO is to join so we have a voice and have the ability to influence and support the changes that are happening every day. Over the next few years, it is likely telematics will

become standard in all new cars. There is no doubt about the usefulness of the information, but what is the key to managing it usefully, as opposed to drowning in it? As with all these things, all fleets will use it in different ways. I suspect that the issue will be to make sure fleets know what is out there and what they can get hold of. In some cases it may be how to interpret the data as well. I think from evidence, people who have smart phones only use about 20% of their capability and I suspect that this will be the case with telematics data. Asking if you have time for hobbies away from work and ACFO is probably a daft question, but how do you relax? I would love to say I have a deeply passionate hobby that takes up all my spare time, but unfortunately no. It’s normally home with the wife and kids – watching as they spend my life savings.

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inbusiness

Driver Power Which brands have the best dealers? Motor Trader editor Curtis Hutchinson looks at the Auto Express Driver Power Survey.

veryone who has stepped inside a car showroom has a view on car dealers. Most people will also have a story to tell, chances are it won’t be positive and is likely to end in a punch line involving a shake of the head, an intake of breath and an exorbitant charge. Car dealers, like estate agents, get a bad rap. They are, after all, at the sharp end of a major purchase when high expectations are easily dashed by poor service. I get to spend a lot of time with dealer bosses and all will say how they are driven by a desire to weed out shoddy practices and be recognised in their locality as the best at what they do. See it from the dealer's perspective. Margins on new cars are wafer thin, the days of churning out large volumes of pre-registered metal and reaping fast rewards are long gone. For dealers to make a decent return they must try and close every deal with an array of point of sale addons ranging from finance, extended warranties and GAP insurance to car care products. More important though, especially for fleet customers, is retaining their service and repair work; this keeps workshops busy and adds to the bottom line. These days showrooms also have to contend with every customer being a potential online critic, especially with a growing number of dealer websites now hosting Feefo and Reevo feeds on their home pages. Dealers know that disgruntled customers can and will air their grievances while nonchalantly sipping at a coffee in their reception areas. There is nowhere to hide, which is why many dealers have raised their games in recent years and taken a leaf out of the customer service experience effortlessly delivered by the likes of Apple Stores and John Lewis. So are retail and fleet customers noticing a change in the way they are served by dealers? A good indicator is published every summer by Auto Express, the results are always enlightening and treated very seriously by the car manufacturers. The 2014 Driver Power survey polled the views of 50,000 driv-

ers who were asked for their views on the helpfulness, workmanship, cleanliness, technical knowledge, cost and value for money of the dealers they use. The biggest complaint about dealers was their inability to identify faults, while most faults were found to be of an electrical nature. Even allowing for the increased complexity of modern cars, this is a still a staggering result considering the huge investment franchised dealers make in brand specific diagnostic gear, the availability of direct assistance from manufacturers and the high level of technician training which is expected of workshop staff, especially in the franchised sector. Unforgivably, the second biggest grievance was unanswered phone calls followed by a failure to never satisfactorily explain a problem. So who were the winners and losers and do they reflect your experience as a fleet manager? Top honours, for the second year in a row, went to Lexus. The competition for the remaining top five positions was very close with Honda taking second place followed in quick succession by Porsche, Skoda and Subaru. The German brands all under-performed with Mercedes at 21, BMW at 22 and Audi at 26. Sitting at the bottom of the chart, for the second year in a row, at 32 was SEAT which scored the lowest points across six of the seven criteria. More surprisingly though was sister brand Volkswagen, a marque more used to taking plaudits, falling six places to 31, scoring poorly across all criteria, and rated the second lowest for the standard of workmanship and helpfulness. Uncomfortable questions about both brands will be asked at Volkswagen Group’s HQ. For the record the two biggest fleet brands fared poorly with Vauxhall at 20 and Ford at 27. What does the survey tell us? It confirms that every car brand still has a long way to go to beat Lexus’ customer focused approach. While Lexus does not do anything radically different, its ranking is down to its dealers not just being good at what they do but being consistently good.

Lexus leads as Britain’s best car dealer.

14 / fleetworld.co.uk

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inbusiness

One year on

The Insider’s new mileage capture scheme is one year old, and proving a great success.

ow time flies, whether or not you are having fun. It’s almost a year since we instigated our fleet’s mileage capture scheme and as HMRC mileage reporting has been in the news again recently, I thought I’d report back on the results. Our chosen provider ensured the mechanics of setting up the scheme were simple enough. Logging on to the system and entering trips is no more difficult than our previous internal scheme. What’s really important is keeping driver change information up to date, particularly if you habitually pass on registration number based fuel cards from one driver to another when they switch cars. And you need to be really sharp with updating starters and leavers. The time constraints for submitting information are necessarily tight, to meet our internal payroll process, but the capture site is available 24/7 and if a driver keeps up to date with recording the trips, it’s not a problem to submit information by the required date. We are running at well over 99% compliance. That’s hardly surprising since after an initial three months’ honeymoon period, we advised drivers we would deduct the whole cost of their monthly fuel purchase from salary if they did not submit information on time. Auditing by the mileage company is thorough, and reporting is clear. Drivers are quizzed on journeys which are much longer – or shorter – than the agreed comparison site allows. Often there are good reasons for this such as local route knowledge, diversions, or simply getting lost. There has been some resistance in that some drivers can feel they are not trusted, which then spills over into other employment issues, but these are in the minority. A few drivers can now prove that they do not use their company car for any private miles, usually because they have other vehicles at their disposal or, by the time the weekend comes, they have spent quite enough time in a car during the week to want to drive anywhere else. For these folk, it appears we would be unable to convince HMRC that there is no

16 / fleetworld.co.uk

private use, so they continue to be taxed on the benefit of the company car. The car is available to the driver, even if he chooses to sit in it on his driveway and listen to music, rather than drive it, however unlikely that is. I think this is an area where there ought to be scope for negotiation with the Revenue in the future. The bit which gave all the angst was communication to our drivers, who were wary of change, particularly since we took the opportunity to change from driver reimbursement of private mileage at HMRC rates, to charging them actual fuel cost. Whichever system you employ, when you change from one to the other you will get winners and losers but we felt that actual cost reimbursement was fairest to all parties, and gave the greatest incentive for our drivers to ease up on the right foot. Communication was thorough, and took place over a number of months. We provided clear guidelines on the scheme and a detailed FAQ. The results following implementation are quite startling. Although it’s clear that generally our drivers are extremely honest folk, there is no disputing that private mileage reimbursement has increased. Prior to instigating the new scheme we had put drivers through the EST’s subsidised efficient driving course so they had the tools necessary to better their fuel consumption. Now that everyone is paying at cost, there is an incentive for them to put that knowledge into practice. So overall fuel consumption has improved too, and our fuel purchase costs have gone down. Of course, a reduction in fuel price during the same period has also helped, but is by no means the major part of the saving. Given fuel purchase is one of the biggest expenses in any company, as well as the subject of a Revenue clampdown, we are delighted with the scheme because it has enabled us to reduce cost significantly but also be confident we are HMRC compliant; and both of those are issues any fleet manager should be worried about.

fiat.co.uk

inbusiness trading places

out

ARI to drive business growth with sales appointment ARI has bolstered its sales team with the appointment of a new business development manager for the East of England. Simon Coulton will work with companies to offer tailored fleet solutions and is tasked with growing ARI’s portfolio in East Anglia and the South East. Coulton has extensive experience in the fleet industry, with over 15 years in sales account management specifically.

VWGL appoints new head of sales Nigel Kerr has joined Volkswagen Group Leasing as its new head of sales as part of its ambitious growth plans to become the UK’s leading vehicle leasing and finance business. With over 25 years’ experience in contract hire and vehicle management, Kerr was previously the director of asset finance at Lombard North Central Plc. In his new role at Volkswagen Group Leasing, he will be particularly focusing on developing the firm’s 100+ fleet market and will also be helping to lead its expansion into the international market.

Mazda design director to retire Mazda has announced that Kevin Rice is to replace design director Peter Birtwhistle, who will retire after 26 years with Mazda Europe. Birtwhistle, chief designer at Mazda Europe’s R&D Centre, joined Mazda in 1988 and has led Mazda Europe’s design department since mid-1999. Among other things, he played an integral role in developing Mazda’s “KODO – Soul of Motion” design theme, which has been honoured with numerous prizes.

FIN 1 million fleet in numbers

PARKSAFE AUTOMOTIVE

Number of UK car drivers who admitted to driving whilst on drugs in last year. SOURCE: Brake/Direct Line

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20 / fleetworld.co.uk

Eden House

High Holborn Rd Codnor Gate Industrial Estate Ripley Derbyshire DE5 3NW

365

Number of days a year that Britain’s major motorways were struck by lane closures in 2013. SOURCE: Swiftcover.com

A third

Split of British smartphone users aged 18-24 who confessed to taking a “selfie” whilst driving. SOURCE: Ford

Less fuel in. More miles out. Go further with the new Honda engine.

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honda.co.uk/corporate Fuel consumption figures for the Honda range in mpg (l/100km): Urban Cycle 23.2 – 70.6 (12.2 – 4.0), Extra Urban 40.4 – 85.6 (7.0 – 3.3), Combined 32.5 – 78.5 (8.7 – 3.6). CO2 emissions 201 – 94g/km. Fuel consumption figures sourced from official EU-regulated laboratory test results, are provided for comparison purposes and may not reflect real-life driving experience. Models shown for illustrative purposes: Civic 1.6 i-DTEC S in optional White Orchid Pearl, CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC S in optional Passion Red Pearl and Civic Tourer 1.6 i-DTEC SE Plus in optional Twilight Blue Metallic.

inbusiness

Q &A

Tom Gardiner, head of Claims Fraud, Aviva UK and Ireland General Insurance, on the growing problem of crash for cash and how fleet drivers can avoid it. How serious is the crash for cash problem? Fraudulent “slam-ons” – road traffic accidents deliberately caused in order to claim for whiplash compensation – increased by 51% in 2013, according to Aviva’s claims fraud data. These induced accidents have a value of over £10m and are at the highest levels we have ever detected. In total, we have over 6,000 motor injury claims linked to organised fraud activity. So it is a serious problem, and the increase in induced accidents which put innocent motorists in harm’s way is of particular concern. What should fleets be on the look out for? To minimise the risk of being targeted by the cash for crash fraudsters, drivers should take a number of actions. Obviously, drivers should stay alert and pay attention to their driving and the traffic around them, and keep a safe distance between their vehicle and the one in front. It is also advised to check the brake lights as a common trait in many vehicles involved in “crash for cash” is failure of the vehicle’s brake lights. If you notice the car in front brakes and their lights don’t work, remain cautious, allow extra space between you and the vehicle, and perhaps distance your car from theirs. Also look out for warning signs. Is the car in front moving particularly slowly or is it slowing down and speeding up for no apparent reason? Drivers are also advised to assess behaviour. If the driver in front is focusing on the back of the vehicle in their mirror or passengers in the vehicle in front are turning around and looking at you for no apparent reason they may be assessing an opportunity to induce an accident. Finally, look at collision damage. Does the car in front look like it has been in other accidents – especially showing damage to its rear?

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

22 / fleetworld.co.uk

What should fleets do in the event of a suspicious crash? Firstly, drivers should stay calm and not argue with the driver of the other vehicle and/or their passengers. Drivers should call the police immediately while they are still at the scene of the accident, inform them they suspect the accident is a cash for crash scam and ask them to attend the accident scene. And never admit liability. Capture as much information as possible at the scene, including the make, model and registration number of the other vehicle, the time, date, location and weather conditions at the time of the accident, the full name, address and date of birth of the driver and each passenger in their vehicle, and whether they were male or female and the total number of passengers in the other vehicle, to include where they were sat in the vehicle immediately after the accident. It is advised to take pictures or video if you can. Drivers should contact their fleet manager to let them know about the accident, their suspicions and the information they have been able to capture to assist in defending the claim. What measures would Aviva like to see introduced? We believe that convictions for motor injury fraud resulting from induced accidents should result in more custodial sentences that recognise the unique physical harm that this form of insurance fraud poses to motorists, as well as the wider social costs. Stronger sentences will deter would-be fraudsters and help to keep roads safer and premiums lower for customers. We also welcome recent measures from Justice Secretary Chris Grayling which will help to crack down on insurance fraudsters. Specifically, requiring courts to strike out claims where the claimant has been fundamentally dishonest about their injury is something Aviva has been calling for.

Join the debate... theukfleetforum.co.uk

BAROMETER Making sense of the surveys

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

fraudulent mileage reports The results of a new survey carried out by car leasing firm Flexed.co.uk suggest that company car drivers may not be as honest about their business mileage claims as their fleet manager would like to believe. A staggering 89% of the company car drivers surveyed admitted to faking their driving miles at least once in their careers. 63% admitted to adding personal miles to their total for personal gain. 20% said they'd added private miles “by mistake”. 36% didn't keep accurate records of the business and private mileage, so “just made something up that looked right”. While 12% claimed they didn't realise they had to keep personal and business mileage separate. ‘Either through laziness, lack of knowledge or just greed, virtually every company with a car fleet is losing money through inaccurate claims,’ says Mark Hall of Flexed.co.uk.

‘It's an epidemic that's costing businesses millions of pounds per year, but very few drivers are ever actually caught. Those that are usually face internal discipline rather than bringing the attention of the law down on a company, and drivers we spoke to usually paid the money back if questioned. It's certainly not a victimless crime, but there is an unacceptable culture of impunity for those who do it.’ Source: Flexed.co.uk

country roads ‘We are urging drivers to slow right down on country roads, especially for villages, bends, brows and bad weather, to respect the countryside and other people's right to enjoy it,’ said Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive of Brake.

Drivers are being urged to slow down after a new survey by Brake and the solicitors Digby Brown reveals that motorists habitually drive too fast on country roads. Of the 1,000 people surveyed, 37% of respondents admitted to having a near-miss on country roads while driving, walking or cycling. 19% admitted breaking speed limits on country roads in the past year. 15% said they regularly take corners or brows at a fast speed. 5% admit to having carried out a moneuvour when it wasn’t safe to do so. 80% said that the average speed on country roads is “too fast”.

Source: Brake & Digby Brown

24 / fleetworld.co.uk

Brake found that per mile travelled, country roads are the most dangerous for all types of road user, with car occupants almost twice as likely to be killed on a country road than an urban road, motorcyclists more than twice as likely, and cyclists more than three times as likely. In 2013, 895 people were killed on non-built up roads, up 1% on 2012, and 6,554 seriously injured.

driverless cars The majority of UK adults believe that autonomous vehicles will be unsafe, with the possibility of malfunctions a major worry, according to a report by Churchill Car Insurance. 56% of respondents said they would not purchase a driverless car. 25% believe that autonomous vehicles will not be safe, with 60% citing fear of malfunctioning computer systems as their biggest concern. Of those willing to buy a driverless car, 32% said they would do so because it would mean more free time whilst travelling. 42% believe that both carbon emissions and fuel consumption will decrease with the introduction of driverless cars. Only 8% of respondents had no fears about self-driving cars whatsoever.

Source: Churchill Car Insurance

Commenting on the findings, Steve Barrett, head of Churchill Car Insurance, said: ‘Driverless cars have a long way to go before they win people’s confidence. Education on issues such as safety standards, including computer ethics is needed, as well as a re-think on existing road rules and amendments to insurance regulation. It is still early days however, so a certain amount of scepticism around such a significant development is to be expected.’

business insurance

Source: Masternaut

One third of British drivers who drive as part of their job are uninsured for business miles, clocking up 4,708 uninsured miles a year, according to new research from telematics company Masternaut. 19% of 2,000 UK employees surveyed by Masternaut said that they had been in an accident whilst driving for work. When asked who would be liable for such an accident, 80% said it would be their responsibility, while 20% thought an accident would be their employer’s. 70% had not been given any training to ensure they drive safely and efficiently. Martin Hiscox, CEO and chairman of Masternaut, explained: ‘The insurance industry is spending £2.2bn in claims annually, processing over 792,000 claims for commercial fleet insurance. This is the tip of the iceberg when you consider on-costs, downtime and the cost to businesses that self-insure. ‘The telematics industry is making huge steps to help the commercial fleet but even now we are surprised that so few employers are offering their staff the chance to take driver training, to ensure they’re kept safe whilst on the road and helping them be safer and more efficient.’

for the latest daily news from the fleet industry, visit fleetworld.co.uk fleetworld.co.uk / 25

EVERYDAY EXCEPTIONAL.

THE NEW BMW 2 SERIES ACTIVE TOURER.

With its classic lines and dynamic design, the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is the Ultimate Driving Machine created for both business life and family pursuits, however adventurous they may be. Boasting a sporty design, this car still offers everyday practicality with adjustable sliding rear seats with a 40:20:40 split, a folding floor and a plentiful luggage compartment. Impressive fuel economy and benefit in kind from 17% (2014/15 BIK tax rates) make the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer a compelling company car proposition, not only for the working week. To find out more visit www.bmwcorporate.co.uk or call 08081 280034. Fuel economy figures for the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer range: Urban 43.5–60.1mpg (6.5–4.7l/100km). Extra Urban 61.4–76.3mpg (4.6–3.7l/100km). Combined 53.3–68.9mpg (5.3–4.1/km). CO2 emissions 124–109g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions.

Please note these figures are based on preliminary data and are not confirmed. BMW EfficientDynamics reduces BMW emissions without compromising performance developments and is standard across the model range.

BMW Corporate Sales

bmwcorporate.co.uk

The Ultimate Driving Machine

g fleet e k

LG G Watch R Launching in Q4, LG’s latest smartwatch is the first on the market to use all of its circular 1.3-inch plastic OLED display. It features a 4GB internal memory, a customisable watch face and can run a growing number of apps, as well as presenting reminders about calls, texts, calendar alerts and local weather. Price: £TBA see lg.com/uk for details

Knomo Knomad Mini Power Smart device storage with a difference – the Knomad Mini not only has a microfibrebacked slot for an eight-inch tablet, but its included battery means it'll stay topped up too. Made from high quality leather with brass fittings, it'll also keep your pens, cards, cables and passport safe on the move. Price: £119 from knomobags.com

Samsung Galaxy Alpha

TomTom Runner Cardio GPS

The latest addition to Samsung’s popular Galaxy family is one of the slimmest yet, with a soft-backed metal frame that’s less than 7mm thick. Yet it still bundles a powerful processor and 12 megapixel camera capable of shooting in four-times the resolution of HD, plus a 4.7-inch bright and clear AMOLED display. Black, white, gold, silver and blue versions are available on most popular networks. Price: From £33 per month, see samsung.com/uk for details

Unlock a wealth of data about your daily activities with TomTom’s new GPSenabled tracker. It monitors heart rate to let you know when you’re pushing hard enough, shows how you’re comparing against past performances, and can even be used underwater. Much easier than lugging heavy equipment around. Price: £219.99 from tomtom.com

apps of the month

NEVO

Unread

1Password

Through the separate receiver and a wifi connection, NEVO turns your Android or Apple tablet into a remote control for televisions, DVD players and set top boxes. Its infra-red frequencies come from a comprehensive database, ensuring almost universal compatibility and making this an easy solution to an office or living room full of remote controls. Price: Receiver £59 from oneforall.co.uk

Simple but beautifully designed, Unread pulls in all your favourite news sources via their RSS feeds and presents them clearly in a number of easily-read themes, including darker colours for night time browsing. Cycle between articles with a swipe of the thumb, share on social media or via e-mails and texts, or store articles to your own reading list. Price: £2.99 from iTunes Store

Another step towards smartphones becoming a payment method, this not only creates a repository for all of your web passwords, but can store masses of data grouped into home and work sets too. It can be remotely locked if the phone is stolen, and features a built-in web browser which accesses its stored data for sign-ins. Price: £6.99 from iTunes Store

28 / fleetworld.co.uk

BiK 15%† FROM

COMBINED

MPG 76.3mpg* UP TO

A powerful 140PS engine – with a formidable 76.3mpg.

CO2 98g/km* FROM

BEAUTIFUL PERFORMANCE

P11D £16,299 FROM

NEW INSIGNIA

A natural winner, New Insignia has been awarded ‘Best Upper Medium Car’ by Fleet World. It’s the technological advance that drivers have been waiting for - eager, effortless performance without high consumption consequences. New Insignia has the power to transport you into a new realm of clean, lean motoring with CO2 emissions of just 98g/km*.

Transform your business at: www.vauxhallfleet.co.uk/beautifultechnology Book your FREE** 3 Day Test Drive at www.vauxhall3DTD.co.uk or call 0870 240 4848

VAUXHALL FLEET Visit www.vauxhall.co.uk/fleet

Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). New Insignia range: Urban 24.8 (11.4)-62.8 (4.5), Extra-urban 46.3 (6.1)-88.3 (3.2), Combined 34.9 (8.1)-76.3 (3.7). CO2 emissions 189-98g/km.

Official EU-regulated test data are provided for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. † = 2014-15 tax year. General Motors UK Limited, trading as Vauxhall Motors, does not offer tax advice and recommends that all Company Car Drivers consult their own accountant with regards to their particular tax position. ** = Excludes fuel and lubricants; congestion charges; parking and speeding fines and the £250 insurance excess (if applicable). 3 Day Test Drive vehicles are subject to availability and terms and conditions apply. Please refer to www.vauxhall3DTD.co.uk for full terms and conditions. Drivers must be 25 years or older and is available for Mainland UK only. All figures quoted correct at time of publication (September 2014).

business

raditional immobilisers, which use a transponder chip embedded in a conventional key, have made vehicle theft increasingly difficult, with ACPO figures showing a 76% decline in thefts over the last 10 years, the company said. Instead, most cars are now stolen using the owner’s keys, peaking at 74% of thefts in 2008, but thieves are exploiting new technology to reduce the risk of being caught. As keyless entry systems do not require a physical key blade, they are more vulnerable to hacking. Thieves can block the lock signal, or read and retransmit it to gain access, using cheap and easily available devices sold online. Once inside, it takes less than a minute to clone a car’s keyfob using a £150 programmer plugged into the diagnostic port, after which the car can be started and driven away. Swiss engineering college ETH Zurich showed that wireless keyfob signals can also be relayed over long distances using a low-cost amplifier. Although the transmitting end needs to be close to the locks or ignition, the receiver can be up to eight metres away from the fob, which could be inside a house or office. Of the 10 cars tested, all could be opened and started when the signal was amplified through a seven-metre cable – long enough for most driveways – while six could be stolen if the car was 50 metres from the receiver. Andy Barrs, police liaison officer for TRACKER, said: ‘Car hacking is a growing issue for motorists. Today’s sophisticated security systems mean thieves have to be smarter than ever and the latest trends show that criminal gangs have found a way to crack keyless cars.’ ‘A tracking unit can significantly increase the chances of a stolen car being returned to its rightful owner, and TRACKER devices come with a motion sensor that’s triggered even if the engine isn’t started.’

30 / fleetworld.co.uk

Keyless entry Keyless entry systems are a potential security risk for fleets, TRACKER has warned, with thieves able to hack the technology to steal a car without needing its keyfob.

‘As keyless entry systems do not require a physical key blade, they are more vulnerable to hacking.’

Infiniti Q50

FOLLOW THAT INSTINCT

You feel the pull the moment you see its curves. But when you get behind the wheel, instinct really takes over. Driving you to experience the 170 PS direct injection turbo-charged Diesel or the 211 PS 2.0l turbo-charged Petrol engine. Forcing you to feel the visceral pleasure of world-first Direct Adaptive Steering. It’s time to follow your heart and give in to your instinct. Book your test drive now at infiniti-instinct.co.uk

Official fuel economy figures for the Infiniti Q50 range in mpg (l/100 km): urban 29.4 to 50.4 (9.6 to 5.6), extra urban 53.3 to 76.3 (5.3 to 3.7), combined 41.5 to 64.2 (6.8 to 4.4). CO2 emission: 159 to 114 g/km. Official EU Test Figures. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ.

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer BMW’s radical move into MPVs is actually rather conservative, Kyle Fortune finds. SECTOR MPV PRICE £22,125–£28,755 FUEL 53.4–68.9mpg CO2 109–124g/km

wo kids under two and a half. That’s my reality, and that of many others. It has quite a dramatic impact on your transportation needs, too. That 420d you hankered after, forget it. A 3 Series Touring might just do. But, admit it, you need an MPV. Perusing my wife’s company car list had us select a Ford Grand C-Max three years and the question after a test drive was telling: ‘Does BMW do something like this?’. It didn’t then, but does now. The 2 Series Active Tourer. The 2 Series bit is confusing as that bundles it in with the two-door range and the Active Tourer is marketing subterfuge to soften the blow of familial defeatism. It’s a compact MPV in the mould of a slightly more useful hatchback. No sliding doors here, nor is the interior outstandingly versatile, it is merely more spacious and offers a few more options than a standard BMW in the back seats. They are 40/20/40 pews that slide and fold, the good-sized, easily accessed boot, and an automatically opening and closing tailgate. That’s something drivers will appreciate when juggling babies and Bugaboos after doesn’t mean a driving fun bypass, though inevitably it’s not less sleep than is recommended. going to thrill like that 420d might. What will is the cabin, Achieving all that interior space is a paradigm shift for which is among BMW’s best. The dash is a multi-layer, richly BMW, as the 2 Series Active Tourer is the first surfaced, neatly styled affair containing an easBMW to have drive sent to the front wheels. ily read and operated info and entertainment FLEET FACT While that will have the purists spitting out system. It’s all very appealing, and a grown up, coffee from their M Sport mugs, the majority executive-feeling car up front, with space in the Choosing the of buyers simply won’t care. Nor should they. back for the nippers (or a couple of adults). Sure, BMW has long traded on its sporty, Direct, premium-badged rivals are scarce. automatic option dynamic image, and the Active Tourer is in Mercedes-Benz offers the B-Class, but otherhas no impact on many ways the antithesis of that, but as famwise for similar, often greater, practicality you’ll CO2 emissions. ily-friendly, premium-badged transport goes, need to dip into the mainstream. Volkswagen’s it’s the sharpest to drive. Golf SV, Ford’s C-Max and the big-selling Citroën The steering is quick and accurate, the suspension finely C4 Picasso all offering similar, read better, family-hauling judged to deliver some agility and control, without being so ability, if not the BMW’s prestige and driving appeal. Prices firm as to potentially wake up those kids. Fertility here currently place it at the top end of the mainstream spectrum too, though certain high residual values will inevitably mean sensible running costs over a typical three-year ownership. At launch BMW is offering it with its new 2.0-litre fourcylinder turbodiesel, badged in 150hp guise as a 218d, while a 1.5-litre turbo triple cylinder petrol, though the bulk of sales are to go to the 218d. Good reason too, not just because of its 109g/km CO2 emissions and 68.9mpg combined consumption figure, but its refinement, smoothness and effortless mid-range urgency. It comes as standard as a manual six-speeder, but optioning the eightspeed auto does nothing to dent the efficiency and economy, only increasing the ease further. Four-wheel drive and a pair of further diesels badged 216d and 220d will join the line-up, as will 220i and 225i petrols. They’ll be tiny bit players in the UK, except that smaller diesel. Trims follow the usual BMW choice of SE, Luxury and M Sport, SEs coming with dual-zone climate control, alloy wheels, park distance control, Bluetooth, USB and DAB radio. So yes, BMW does do something like this, and it’s good.

32 / fleetworld.co.uk

what we think

highlights A BMW for the family buyer

For a lot of people at a certain point in their lives the 2 Series Active Tourer is not so much a choice as a necessity. It’s not the fertility-enforced enjoyment void you might imagine, either. Indeed, it’s rather good, for the three years or so you’ll really need and appreciate it.

109g/km CO2 certain to be lowered with future smaller 116d models BMW’s first front-wheel drive car Four-wheel drive will be offered on 225i and 220d models Rival for Mercedes-Benz B-Class

key fleet model BMW 218d SE Auto

fleetworld.co.uk / 33

Renault Twingo Renault’s new Twingo is a cracking little city car, Steve Moody reckons. SECTOR City car PRICE £9,495–£11,695 FUEL 62.8–667.3mpg CO2 95–105g/km

f I had to sacrifice some salary, the new Renault Twingo is exactly the car on which my earnings would be going. For Renault has managed to take the city car and repackage it into something incredibly clever, characterful and cheap. Chiefly, this has been achieved (with some help from Mercedes-Benz, which has developed the upcoming Smart ForFour alongside it) by moving the engine to the back, under the boot, thus freeing up lots of interior space as well as giving the car the sort of agility that makes driving round congested cities rather a lot of fun. Although the car is 10cm shorter than the previous one, the cabin is in fact 22cm longer without the engine up front, and the wheelbase is 12cms longer. The cabin is noticeably more roomy than competitor city cars and is beautifully judged, with cunning little touches and plenty of style. The cloth glovebox bag, the brightly coloured trim, and grippy plastic wheel show materials are used cleverly and well, and there are plenty of ways to personalise each car, as is the wont of the buyer in this sector. Dynamique models have Renault’s Stop & Start sysHigher end models also have an uprated version of the tem, which cuts the engine when the car is stationary in Renault’s R-Link system, which is a perfectly fine and traffic to reduce emissions and improve economy, and workable solution, but in fact the clever see CO2 emissions drop below 100g/km. choice is the more basic R&Go system, if the Prices start at £9,495 for an Expression FLEET FACT driver has an iPhone or similar smartphone. SCe, rising to £11,695 for the Dynamique Once installed in a cradle, it uses apps though ENERGY TCe 90 S&S, but having driven Twingo lowest the phone screen for things like navigation, both engines it seems best to opt for the trip computer, internet radio and even the cheaper models and then if there is any emission rev counter. Simple and effective, it marries money left over, use it to spec it up with models rated phone and car intuitively together. funky retro 80s stickers and well thought at 95g/km. There are three versions of the Twingo – through packs that give each car a different Expression, Play and Dynamique, powered by character. a choice of two engines – the new 1.0-litre 70 hp SCe threeRenault (and Mercedes-Benz for the Smart sister car) cylinder normally aspirated engine and a Dynamique TCe didn’t choose rear engine, rear-wheel drive for feisty 90 with a 0.9-litre 90 hp three-cylinder turbocharged unit. micro sports car handling, but for the more efficient use of space in a compact five-door car. Renault first mulled over this packaging concept in 2008, but couldn’t make it stack up financially, until Germanic economies of scale made development possible. Because of the lack of engine, the front wheels have been given licence to turn further, to as much as 45 degrees against the usual 30 for cars such as this, and the low speed turning circle is amazingly small. The three cylinder turbocharged TCe engine is similar to the one in the Clio and Captur, it has been tipped over 49 degress to fit into the space, while 50% of its components have been revised. This engine is combined with variable ratio steering that is supposed to make it more agile in town and settled on motorways but in reality it lacks precision. The cheaper SCe models, which do without turbos and fancy steering feel much better, and more lively too, despite having less power. As it should be with a city car, and certainly with a Twingo, the cheapest is the best.

34 / fleetworld.co.uk

what we think

highlights 188 litres of bootspace above the engine 10cm shorter than previous model, with 22cm longer cabin

Cute styling, brilliant packaging and low costs: the new Twingo is everything a city car should be. Just make sure you opt for the cheaper, lower power versions and you will have a car that puts a smile on your driversâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; faces.

Two petrol engines only, with either 70 or 90bhp Three trim levels and multiple personalisation packs On sale now

key fleet model Renault Twingo Expression SCe 70 fleetworld.co.uk / 35

Volkswagen e-Golf The e-Golf deserves praise for making unfamiliar technology feel familiar, says Alex Grant. SECTOR Lower medium PRICE £25,845 (after £5,000 Plug-in Car Grant) RANGE 80–118miles CO2 0g/km

anufacturers are showing two approaches to power output, top speed and air conditioning. Unusually, plug-in vehicles. Some choose to package the there’s no regenerative braking until the battery dips technology in a futuristic bodyshell, while others under around 90% charge. opt to normalise it, fitting it to an existing car. The VolkBeyond this, the driver can choose from three progressively swagen e-Golf sits firmly in the latter group. stronger regenerative braking modes by nudging the gear Whether that’s a pro or a con depends on personal taste. lever left or right, or turn it oﬀ altogether for a smoother drive. This isn’t a glaring billboard for a company’s environmental Pull the lever back, similar to engaging Sport mode on a norcredentials, but the e-Golf takes an unfamiliar technology mal DSG, and the e-Golf scrubs speed oﬀ so rapidly when the and slots it into a familiar car. It’s just another drivetrain throttle is released that the brake pedal is usually redundant. choice for the ubiquitous German hatchback, looking a little Volkswagen is claiming a range of between 80 and 118 like a Bluemotion with its aerodynamic grille, but with a miles, reduced by the limited amount of regenerative brakunique bumper and all-LED headlights. ing on motorway trips, and it can coast at Equipment levels are based on the low loads without using any energy. Once mid-spec SE, rather than the top spec as depleted, the e-Golf can be charged using in the e-up!, adding EV-specific navigaa three-pin socket or a dedicated chargtion, dual-zone climate control and ing point, which take 13 or eight hours parking sensors as standard kit. P11d respectively using the included cables. pricing won’t reflect this, but the £5,000 But the added string to its bow, and Plug-in Car Grant makes this slightly something many plug-ins still don’t cheaper than a DSG-equipped 1.6 TDI SE have, is rapid charging. Compatibility specced to the same level. with the new European rapid charging The drivetrain comprises a 113bhp standard means it’ll regain 80% of its electric motor, linked to a 24.2kWh batrange in around half an hour at most tery, and adds just under 200kg to the service stations. It doesn’t make this a diesel’s kerb weight. It chimes into life perfect long-distance car, but the ability with a twist of the key and operates like to undertake longer journeys when Though likely to be a conventional automatic – just slot it needed removes a barrier to ownership. overshadowed by the into D, and it pulls away silently with Sales are likely to be in the hundreds 202bhp Golf GTE plug-in that familiar feeling of Golf solidity and rather than the thousands, but with profirm, yet comfortable ride quality. duction taking place on the same line as hybrid due next year, the Squeeze the throttle harder and the the rest of the range there’s always the e-Golf makes good sense motor delivers a typically urgent surge option to grow to meet demand. As an as a company car for of electric acceleration, the sensitivity of easy, understated route into electromomostly urban drivers. which can be altered through Eco and bility, the e-Golf makes a really good Eco+ driving modes, which also limit case for itself.

what we think

38 / fleetworld.co.uk

The new face of business

ÂŁ169

For just per month over 4 years from Ford Lease at your local Ford D e aler Advance of 6 monthly rentals ALL-NEW FORD TRANSIT COURIER

Business users only

Base 200 SWB 1.5 TDCi 75PS Visit ford.co.uk/All-New -Transit- Courier

Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for Ford Transit Courier Van Base 200 SWB 1.5TDCi 75PS: urban 60.1 (4.7), extra urban 76.3 (3.7), combined 68.9 (4.1). Official C02 emissions 108g/km. Example shown is a Ford Contract Hire rental. Finance subject to status. Guarantees/indemnities may be required. Example excludes VAT and is based on a 47 month non-maintained agreement. Profile 6+47, payment in advance of 6 monthly rentals, followed by 47 monthly rentals, with a mileage of 10,000 miles per annum. Vehicles must be returned in good condition and within agreed mileage, otherwise further charges will be incurred. Prices correct at time of going to print and are subject to change without notice. Subject to availability for vehicles with finance accepted and vehicle contracted between 1st July and 30th September 2014. Ford Contract Hire is provided by ALD Automotive Ltd trading as Ford Lease, BS16 3JA. The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results (EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008), are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience.

SPOTLIGHT Jaguar XE

Top Cat

Jaguar’s re-entry into the compact executive segment is promising to be something very special indeed, says Alex Grant. DESIGN The XE is the first Jaguar to use the carmaker’s aluminium-rich modular platform, which had been shown as part of the C-X17 SUV concept at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. So this is the lightest, stiffest car ever to wear the badge, and the most aerodynamic too, promising excellent ride, handling and agility, as well as improving fuel economy. Styling mirrors the XF for the most part, which is no bad thing, but subtle nods to the F-Type, such as the functional wing air vents and rear light signature. Despite the coupe-like silhouette, Jaguar claims to have benchmarked the rest of the compact executive class for interior space. There’s plentiful legroom in the back and, while the windowline hampers rear visibility, it’s not short of headroom either.

ENGINES Jaguar is beginning to break away from its Ford and PSA engine links, and its all-new Ingenium family debuts in the XE as a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine, soon to be available in a range of power outputs. For now, only a 161bhp version has been confirmed, said to return a class-leading 75mpg and 99g/km CO2 emissions for cars with the smallest 17-inch alloy wheels. The XE will be the only Jaguar available with a six-speed manual as well as the familiar eight-speed automatic used on other models. Stop/Start is fitted to all versions, as is regenerative braking, and the diesel will offer long service intervals of 21,000 miles to minimise ownership costs.

40 / fleetworld.co.uk

TECHNOLOGY There’s a familiarity to the XE’s interior, with a dashboard that wraps around the driver as in the XJ and FType, complete with the pulsing engine start button and rotary gear selector which rises out of the centre console on startup. Drivers can select from an extensive list of assistance technology, such as automated cruise control, blind spot and lane monitoring and crash mitigation functions to reduce insurance premiums, and it also features an advanced traction control system – based on Land Rover know-how – to improve grip on snow and ice. The dashboard is also home to an all-new infotainment system which allows Android and Apple smartphones to stream apps to its eight-inch screen via a USB connection, while the InControl app allows the same devices to remotely unlock doors, set climate control functions and reset the alarm.

WHAT WE THINK...

FLEET FACT Prices will start at £27,000 when XE sales begin this October.

Line the XE up against its nearest predecessor, the X-Type, and it’s clear that Jaguar has changed markedly since it last competed in this segment. But this isn’t only visual. There has been a holistic approach to cutting whole-life costs through new technology, materials, engines and clever thinking, such as simplified repairs for vulnerable parts. This is a brand on the rise, and the XE will be a valuable tool for bringing in new customers. AG fleetworld.co.uk / 41

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

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

AC Octavia delivers practicality and luggage space by the bucket load. Good looking and decent to drive, it has probably the best suspension setup of this group – firmer than the others but not overly so.

AC Cost-cutting means it is not as refined as some of its rivals. Interior quality is very good, however it isn’t the most inspiring to look at, again Skoda saves a bit of money in the materials area.

AC One of the most practical of the four (the 308 has a slightly bigger load space), it may not be the most attractive of the bunch, but it is probably the best all-rounder.

AC This segment has reduced in size due to various alternatives such as smaller MPVs and crossovers. Estates are very much in the “business needs” category, but the difference in running costs is narrowing and many customers are willing to switch into something slightly more stylish.

MJ Latest generation Octavia is a class act. Most drivers recognise this as a well-considered choice. AS Octavia must be good, it has managed to oust the Avensis from the top slot of the private hire choice lists up and down the country. MW The workhorse estate was always regarded as heavy on fuel and dirty, but how things have changed in the past couple of years! This is probably the largest of this group and now really popular with fleet drivers.

42 / fleetworld.co.uk

MJ Latest generation Octavia is more costly and therefore has to deliver on value for money. However, most derivatives do just that, with good equipment levels. AS Since the introduction of the latest Octavia new prices have looked on the top-heavy side. Still has an image problem for some. MW As with most manufacturers MPG figures, you would have to drive constantly wearing carpet slippers and find some very long downhill section of roads to get anywhere near the quoted figures.

MJ Some buyers still don’t recognise Skoda as a quality product – but not many – and those fleets and individuals represent a real opportunity for the brand. AS As a used car the Octavia estate has become particularly sought after in a similar way that Volvo became an estate brand in the Eighties and Nineties. This should be good for residuals. MW Skoda now means high quality and good value, and the brand will continue to sell more cars into fleets, especially trims such as this, which offer drivers everything they need.

MJ Skoda has turned the Octavia into more of an uppermedium sector contender, so size plus more for your money is more difficult a claim. AS More work is needed in the fleet sectors as it is off the radar for many fleets. MW This sector is under threat from the increasingly popular SUVs and MPVs, and every one of this group has one in their own range. The threat for these generally comes from within…

Martin Ward (MW) Manufacturer Relationship Manager, CAP

Alan Senior (AS) Head of Valuations, MyCarCheck Trade Valuations

Skoda Octavia Estate

Mark Jowsey (MJ) Commercial Director, KeeResources KwikCarCost

Strengths

AC Practical, plenty of luggage space. MJ A class act, and well-considered choice. AS Low running costs and high reliability have given Skoda a loyal following. MW One of the segment’s largest boots.

Strengths

Peugeot 308 SW Allure BlueHDI 120

AC Largest boot space in this group. MJ Good looks, equals Skoda’s 88.3mpg. AS Much improved over outgoing model. MW Should get onto more lists as it is such a good looking estate.

AC Overly soft suspension. MJ Range naming can be confusing. AS A mountain to climb to get back on the fleet choice lists. MW Historical truths, and myths, of poor quality and reliability.

OTR: £21,645 P11D: £21,590 Fuel: 88.3mpg CO2: 88g/km RV*: £6,750 (31%) BiK: 14% SMR: £1,923 Fuel costs: £4,153 Insurance: £3,555 Finance: £2,915 NI: £1,341 VED: £0 Cost per month: £800

Strengths

Toyota Auris Touring Sports Hybrid Icon Plus

AC Quiet around town. MJ At last stylish, comfortable and well finished. Good BiK helps. AS Much improved over previous Auris. MW Fleets are starting to understand the advantages of petrol-hybrid.

Standard equipment: • DAB Radio with Bluetooth, USB and Aux inputs • Cruise control with speed limiter • Parking sensors, and camera • Electric windows • Dual-zone climate control • Sat nav, 9.7-inch touch screen • 16-inch alloy wheels • Auto lights, wipers, dimmer • All-LED headlights Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £525

AC Lacks torque, CVT gearbox makes for noisy, non-dynamic acceleration. MJ BiK challenged by low-CO2 diesels. AS Real world fuel consumption. MW Hard to meet that claimed economy.

OTR: £22,645 P11D: £22,590 Fuel: 76.3mpg CO2: 85g/km RV*: £6,925 (31%) BiK: 14% SMR: £1,492 Fuel costs: £4,653 Insurance: £1,650 Finance: £3,050 NI: £1,216 VED: £0 Cost per month: £772

Strengths

Renault Megane Sport Tourer Limited ENERGY dCi 110

Weaknesses

Renault Megane Sports Tourer

Standard equipment: • DAB Radio/CD, BT, USB, Aux • Cruise control • Rear parking sensors • Electric windows • Climate control • Sat nav with 5.8-inch touchscreen • 16-inch alloy wheels Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £525 • Auto lights and rear-view mirror dimmer £140 • Heated front seats £200

AC Cost-cutting on refinement and interior. MJ Outdated views of the brand are still a problem for some. AS Top-heavy pricing and still has a slight image problem. MW Skoda’s own Yeti is a threat.

Weaknesses

Toyota Auris Touring

Skoda Octavia Estate SE Business GreenLine OTR: £20,995 P11D: £20,900 Fuel: 88.3mpg CO2: 85g/km RV*: £7,175 (34%) BiK: 14% SMR: £1,468 Fuel costs: £4,153 Insurance: £2,550 Finance: £2,822 NI: £1,298 VED: £0 Cost per month: £724

Weaknesses

Peugeot 308 SW

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

AC Nice curvy looks. MJ High level of equipment over Dynamique TomTom spec. AS Greatly improved, it is a shame this car is not even thought about. MW Well built and a good price.

Weaknesses

AC A bit dull to drive, smallest boot space. MJ TCOs aren’t the strongest in its class. AS Megane has lost its way, and estate versions are even harder to move. MW Crossovers and MPVs are threats.

OTR: £20,745 P11D: £20,690 Fuel: 80.7mpg CO2: 90g/km RV*: £5,550 (27%) BiK: 14% SMR: £1,773 Fuel costs: £4,544 Insurance: £3,000 Finance: £2,793 NI: £1,285 VED: £0 Cost per month: £794

Standard equipment: • DAB radio/CD with Bluetooth, USB and Aux in • Cruise control • Reversing camera • Electric windows • Climate control • Sat nav,6.1-inch touchscreen • 16-inch alloy wheels • Auto lights, wipers, dimmer • Heated seats Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £495

Standard equipment: • Radio/CD with Bluetooth, USB and Aux in • Cruise control with speed limiter • Rear parking sensors • Electric windows • Dual-zone climate control • Sat nav with 5.8-inch screen • 16-inch alloy wheels • Auto lights and wipers • Heated seats Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £525

* 3yr/60k

fleetworld.co.uk / 43

Another winner from Nissan ALL NEW PULSAR Nissan Fleet has seen great success in the last year with numerous successful launches. The year started on a high with the successful launch of WhatCar’s Car of the Year, the New Nissan Qashqai. Following this, we have launched the All New X-Trail, New Juke and e-NV200 creating one of the widest ranges available on the market. The latest offering from Nissan is the All New Pulsar. On sale from 4th October, the new Pulsar is packed with technology, combines class leading passenger and luggage space with 78.5mpg fuel economy and CO2 emissions of 94g/km.

Form and function All New Pulsar isn’t just a style statement. With the longest wheelbase in its class, at 2,700mm, interior space can rival cars the segment above. Rear legroom of 692mm lets back seat passengers spread out, while the boot can be extended from 385 litres to 1,395 litres with the bench folded – more than the segment norm. The roomy interior may entice those fleet drivers who are used to D-Segment vehicles.

Equipped for business

An affordable choice

Nissan is a by-word for innovation, and the Pulsar is packed with the latest technology to make driving as easy as possible. All of its four familiar trim levels include cruise control with a speed limiter, Bluetooth® connectivity, air conditioning and a 5-inch colour screen driver assist among their standard equipment. New NissanConnect with a 5.8-inch touch screen, DAB and smartphone integration with Google Send-To-Car is included from n-tec upwards. Safety equipment is no less sparing, with six airbags and a full package of driver assistance systems, comprising ESP, ABS, EBD and Nissan’s Active Trace Control, which brakes wheels individually for more confident cornering, included across the range. Drivers can put an extra pair of eyes on the road with Nissan SafetyShield technologies, which add blind spot and lane departure warnings, Around View Monitor to give an overhead view of tricky parking spaces, plus Forward Emergency Braking automatically applies the brakes if it detects an obstacle ahead.

With prices from £15,995 on the road, the Pulsar doesn’t charge a premium for its space, flexibility and superior-grade technology and materials. Plus, Benefit in Kind liability starts from only 14% making this a great option for Fleet users. Its two engines, both of which are turbocharged, offer sparky performance, high durability and excellent fuel economy, helped by standard-fit stopstart technology. The dCi 110 diesel is the economy leader at 78.5mpg with CO2 emissions of 94g/km, putting it among the best in its sector. The DIG-T 115 petrol can be equipped with either a six-speed manual or Xtronic CVT automatic gearbox.

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

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flashback a look back at the company cars of yesteryear

model Volvo S40 / V40

era 1995-2004

urvy Volvos may have become the norm since, but when the carmaker took the covers off the entry-point to its range at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1994, the now conservative-looking S40 saloon made the 850 it was sold alongside look decidedly dated. This was the first model to reflect design chief Peter Horbury’s vision for Volvo, shown as the S60-like SCC concept two years earlier, and was the moment where the brand started to shed its trademark boxy image for the softer bodylines it still features today. Not only that, but the S40 introduced Volvo’s simpler naming convention, which separated the range into S, C and V models denoting Saloons, Coupes or Convertibles and Versatile load-carriers, followed by a number indicating its size, again still used today. Production continued in Born, in the Netherlands, where the 400 series had been built beforehand, but none of the mechanical components were carried forward. Instead, as part of an equal collaboration between Volvo, Mitsubishi and the Dutch state, the S40 and V40 shared their underpinnings and the newly renamed NedCar production line with motoring’s biggest misnomer, the Mitsubishi Carisma. The press had mixed opinions about Volvo’s newcomer, with early criticism bemoaning its lack of driver appeal compared to the benchmark Ford Mondeo, and the relatively cramped interior despite its overall size. But interior comfort came highly rated, and it was hard to fault its early use of the Volvo Side Impact

UK sales 142,111*

successor Volvo S40 / V50

Protection System (SIPS), its first-ever four-star Euro NCAP rating and 95% recyclability. Engines included an early use of common-rail diesels, with or without a turbocharger and unusually made of aluminium to save weight. The S40 also had 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol engines producing between 109 and 136bhp, or 160bhp with the low-pressure turbo, and shared a high-revving direct-injection 1.8 petrol with the Carisma. On the sportier side, the S40 competed in the heyday of the British Touring Car Championship, between 1997 and 1998, with Swede Rickard Rydell taking it to the top of the rankings in its second season. Performance roadgoing S40s peaked with the 200bhp T4 turbo – a great qcar for those who didn’t opt into one with the garish Panama Yellow paint job. Volvo became part of Ford in 1999, and the S40 had a major facelift shortly afterwards, but the replacement wasn’t far behind. Unsurprisingly, given its new parent, the second-generation S40 and V50 estate used the platform and engines from the Focus, and production moved to Ghent in Belgium, starting with the saloon. With the Dutch state already out of NedCar, Ford transferred its shares to Mitsubishi in 2004. But the hard work had been done. Volvo’s entire range had moved away from its boxy past by the time the second S40 was unveiled in 2003, and it’s continued to do so. As understated as the S40 and V40 look today, they’re an important part of the brand’s heritage.

*SMMT figures

46 / fleetworld.co.uk

MPG MARATHON 2014

ALD Automotive • Shell FuelSave MPG marathon 2014

MPG Marathon promoting smarter driving for better business

8 – 9 October 2014. Four Pillars Waterpark, nr Cirencester.

We want YOU!!

FUEL prices have seldom been far from the top of every fleet’s agenda. It’s a cost nobody can ignore, but the combination of fuel-efficient cars, advanced fuels, route planning technology and ecodriving skills means that fuel is a cost that can be managed. The MPG Marathon is a live demonstration of how both vehicle and driver can make a massive difference to fuel costs and emissions. Now in its fourteenth year, the MPG Marathon pits teams of contestants together over a two-day event to push for the best fuel economy.

This year's event will be based at the Four Pillars Waterpark Hotel, South Cerney, near Cirencester, on Wednesday 8th October – Thursday 9th October 2014. Previous competitors have included everyone from celebrities, academics and motoring journalists to senior figures in the automotive industry, with coverage across regional and national press.

Visit thempgmarathon.co.uk for more info...

48 / fleetworld.co.uk

Fleet Asset Management

TRACKER GUARANTEES SAVINGS OFF YOUR FUEL BILL

r Mo ney Ba c k ! u o Y OR

WAKEFIELD AND DISTRICT HOUSING REAP THE LONG-TERM BENEFITS OF FLEET TELEMATICS THANKS TO TRACKER

Reporting over 25% Reduction in Insurance Claims The logistics of managing a fleet of between 350-400 vehicles and a workforce of 560 authorised drivers can be demanding to say the least, but not for Wakefield and District Housing (WDH). Since investing in TRACKER Fleet, the organisation has been able to downsize its fleet by 15% making it far more efficient. With a portfolio of over 32,000 buildings to maintain, one of the biggest challenges for WDH is ensuring it utilises its fleet as efficiently as possible by allocating jobs to the relevant trades person. Telematics technology has allowed WDH to do more than simply identify where a vehicle is on the road. Fleet Manager, Rick Young, says: “With electricians, plumbers, plasterers and general builders to manage it is vital that we deploy the right person for the job. Our tradespeople are not always assigned to one vehicle, which is why driver ID is so important to us. We can see exactly who is driving what vehicle and where they are, giving us the ability to respond to each job individually with the correct and nearest driver – vital if it is an emergency.

0845 604 6002 tracker.co.uk

We have also established health and safety guidance for lone workers to monitor their safety whilst out on the road and understand the length of time they spend at each job, whatever its nature.”

Giving WDH the ability to analyse its driving data retrospectively has been beneficial, enabling them to lower their insurance premiums. “By utilising the telematics information since 2006, we have been able to show our insurers how we are improving the performance and safety of our drivers. We have been able to reduce our insurance claims by 39% in 2012 and 26% in 2013 by combining telematics data with a new claims management system, therefore helping us reduce our insurance premiums.” “Over the next two months we will be replacing our current fleet of vehicles with a wide range of VW vans, and with business growth projections we anticipate to grow the fleet by 10% over the next two years. Of course, TRACKER Fleet will continue to play an integral part in managing our fleet efficiency and growth,” concludes Rick Young. David Wilson, Sales & Services Director for TRACKER says, “Investing in telematics can provide a business with much needed insight on how they can cut costs as well as ensure they are running a safe fleet. As the case of WDH proves, telematics can be about more than cost-savings alone – it can help change the whole ethos of a company’s driver policy for the better.”

For terms and conditions

Intelligence you can trust

TRACKER is the ofﬁcial Telematics event partner for the MPG marathon

IF YOU WANT YOUR BUSINESS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT, PUT US TO THE TEST

AP PASSION ASSION F FOR OR M MAKING AKING IT IT H HAPPEN APPEN Dyson D yson E Energy n e rg y S Services e r v i ce s n needed eeded fl fleet e e t vehicles v e hi cle s that t h a t reflected re fl e c t e d the t h e company’s co m p an y ’s drive dr i v e to t o reduce re d u ce fuel f u e l consumption co n sum pt i o n and an d CO CO2. T They h e y cchose hos e Peugeot. Pe uge ot . Fro m vvans an s tto o tthe h e New N e w 308 3 0 8 our o ur g re a t rrange an g e of of vehicles v e hi cle s are are not n ot only o nl y environmentally e nv iro nm e nt al l y responsible re sp o n sib le and an d excellent e xce l le nt value v al u e for fo r money, m o n e y, they’re t h e y ’re extremely e x t re m e l y From great re l i ab le and an d popular p o p ul ar with w i t h Dyson’s D y s o n’s drivers, dr i v e r s , from f ro m surveyors sur v e y o r s and an d electricians e le c t r ci an s to t o management. m an a g e m e nt . So S o why w h y not n ot put p u t Peugeot Pe u g e ot to t o the t h e test. tes t . reliable V isit b u s in e s s .p e u g e ot .co.uk /p a s s i o n or o r call cal l 02476 024 476 884 884 6 4 4 ffor or m ore iinformation. nfor m a t ion . Visit business.peugeot.co.uk/passion 644 more

MPG MARATHON 2014

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VISITVISIT BUSINESS.PEUGEOT.CO.UK/PASSION TO FIND OUTOUT WHAT WE’RE DOING BUSINESS.PEUGEOT.CO.UK/PASSION TO FIND WHAT WE’RE DOING FORFOR DYSON ENERGY SERVICES – AND WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU.YOU. DYSON ENERGY SERVICES – AND WHAT WE CAN DO FOR

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Visit the website thempgmarathon.co.uk and register to drive in the UK’s premier economy driving event, for FREE!

MPG marathon 2014

in association with

fleetworld.co.uk / 51

FEATURE Vehicle Emissions

How dirty are diesels? With political pressure mounting on the fleet-favourite diesel engine, new research suggests even Euro 6 might not be the answer to Britain's pollution issues. Alex Grant investigates.

52 / fleetworld.co.uk

‘A sample group of ten Euro 5 cars all failed to meet even Euro 4 NOx levels, while only thee achieved Euro 3 compliance in real-world use.’

uelled by government incentives to cut carbon, the leet industry has adopted diesel fuel en masse since the latest tax system was introduced in 2002. But, as air pollution starts to come under focus and the real cost of moving to diesel engines comes to light, it seems the tide is starting to turn against the business fuel of choice. Carbon-based taxation has had a profound effect on UK buying habits. In 2001, diesel engines comprised 13.8% of the vehicle parc, according to Department for Transport igures. By the end of last year, this had risen to 34.5%, and Brits’ appetite for heavy oil isn’t subsiding. During the irst half of 2014, SMMT data shows diesel sales climbed 12.4%, or 100,000 units, year on year – almost twice the rate of petrol growth, to take 50.3% of the market. The downside of diesel engines is they produce signi icantly higher NOx emissions than an equivalent petrol engine. A collective term for nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, both of which are produced during the combustion cycle, NOx is linked to smog and acid rain, and in high concentration can cause lung damage, exacerbate heart disease and lead to early deaths. It’s also a big problem in the UK. Defra studies showed 16 zones which would fail to meet 2010 NOx limits by 2025, with London, Birmingham and Leeds unable to do so until 2030. Air pollution, it said, causes 29,000 premature deaths in the country each year – more than smoking and traffic accidents combined. The Court of Justice of the European Union responded by launching legal action against the UK, for failing to protect inhabitants from poor air quality. The good news on the horizon for diesel is Euro 6, the latest emissions standards set by the EU, which will set a 55% cut in NOx limits for diesel vehicles, bringing them in line with Euro 4 petrol engines and close to a modern petrol. In recognition, the 3% Benefit in Kind levy for diesel engines is to be scrapped from 2016, and that’s just the start.

Euro 6 is the lynchpin of London Mayor Boris Johnson’s air quality manifesto which, in July, laid out plans to double the Congestion Charge for diesels which don’t meet the latest standard. It’s a plan that Labour’s newly proposed city centre lowemission zones are likely to mimic, which makes the standard a key component of improving air quality in the UK. However, sceptics aren’t convinced that this will have the desired effect. Among them is Emissions Anaytics, an independent company which carries out road tests on new vehicles to monitor real-world performance against manufacturer-issued figures. In a study it carried out with Imperial College London, a sample group of ten Euro 5 cars all failed to even meet Euro 4 NOx levels, while only three achieved Euro 3 compliance in realworld use. Stop-start driving, particularly in the dense traf ic of pollution-prone city centres, makes the difference more pronounced, the company said in its report, adding that it would be interesting to see how the more stringent requirements of Euro 6 would affect future results. But is it?

The technology behind Euro 6 Exhaust Gas Recirculation This diverts exhaust gas back into the engine’s combustion chamber, reducing excess oxygen which could otherwise form NOx. NOx Traps These absorb NOx from exhaust gases and store it. Once full, the system is purged with fuel to form water and nitrogen, released as fumes. Selective Catalytic Reduction This injects a catalyst into the exhaust fumes (AdBlue is the best known), breaking NOx down to form nitrogen, water and carbon dioxide.

fleetworld.co.uk / 53

FEATURE Vehicle Emissions

How dirty are diesels... ¡

Putting Euro 6 to the test From its headquarters in Teddington, the scale of the Emissions Analytics operation is vast. The company provides real-world data on fuel economy and exhaust emissions for 250 vehicles in the UK each year, and another 250 in the United States, which has created a database covering around 90% of all new cars. This is made available to third parties to give a clearer, more detailed view of a set car’s environmental impact. Testing takes place on a two and a half hour road route, rather than a laboratory as in factory homologation, and the data is gathered using a Portable Emissions Measurement System attached to the car’s tailpipe. This measures the low of exhaust gases, revealing the carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrocarbons and particulate matter content, as well as real-world fuel

54 / fleetworld.co.uk

consumption and additional data from the car’s on-board systems. Jane Thomas, global sales manager at Emissions Analytics, says this sort of testing is vital: ‘The laboratory test used to assess vehicle emissions is not stringent enough for today’s cars and drivers. In particular it underestimates speed and acceleration which are key factors in the causes of emissions. Thus, when taken out of the lab and on to the road, the gap can be signi icant.’ With the standards coming into force from September for completely new vehicles, and all new registrations from January, we assembled four close-equivalent vehicles from mainstream leet manufacturers and Emissions Analytics analysed the performance of Euro 6 petrol models with the Euro 6 and Euro 5 results for their equivalent diesel variants.

FEATURE Vehicle Emissions

How dirty are diesels... ¡

The results... The results paint a bleak picture of the real-world performance of Euro 6 diesels. Against the 55% targeted reduction over Euro 5, Emissions Analytics found real-world improvements vary enormously. Only one of the four Euro 6 cars met the requirements, with two of the remainder failing to meet Euro 4 and one exceeding Euro 3 limits – set in 2000 – by more than three fold. By comparison, Euro 6 hasn’t set stricter NOx limits for petrol engines, which means our group would have met 2009’s Euro 5 requirements under laboratory conditions. Yet three out of four of the models tested met Euro 6 requirements, two of which were 88% and 90% underneath the benchmark, and the fourth only failed by 12%. Average NOx emissions for the Euro 6 petrol group was 18 times lower than for their equivalent diesels. Thomas says this is typical of the data gathered so far: ‘Based on the data we have collected so far, some Euro 6 diesels will be exceeding their predicted NOx emissions many times over,’ she explains. ‘This means that the capital may not see the reductions in air pollution that is required to meet the EU’s targets and this will continue to be the case until the test process incorporates real-world operation.’ Manufacturers have been quick to respond to political pressure on high-carbon vehicles, and have made great strides to bring down leet-average CO2 emissions in this area as tax demands it. But for a clearer view of the real environmental impact of your leet, real-world data suggests it might be best to take a broader view, and that even the newest diesel cars might not be as green as the government policy suggests.

The accuracy of real-world data While laboratory results can have strictly standardised conditions, on-road testing takes a little more work to ensure data is collected fairly. Emissions Analytics conducts all tests on the same 2.5-hour route, with the same small pool of trained technicians, tyres in lated to the manufacturer’s recommendations and the air conditioning switched off. Results are abandoned if the driver runs into severe congestion, and tests are postponed to avoid extreme weather to keep the data constant.

The data... 2.0

Key

1.8

NOx output (g/km) Euro 6 Petrol Euro 5 Diesel

1.6

Euro 6 Diesel

NOx output in g/km

1.4

NOx limits (g/km) Euro 3 (2000) Diesel

1.2

Euro 4 (2005) Diesel Euro 5 (2009) Diesel Euro 6 (2014) Diesel

1.0

Euro 6 (2014) Petrol

0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.0

Manufacturer 1

56 / fleetworld.co.uk

Manufacturer 2

Manufacturer 3

Manufacturer 4

MATERNITY ALLOWANCE

PETROL DUTY

1948

VALUE ADDED TAX

ELECTRIC CALCULATOR

1908

CORPORATION TAX

1961

BENEFIT IN KIND 2002

WE HAVEN’T JUST MADE HISTORY.

WE’VE MADE RUNNING A FLEET £1,000s CHEAPER. With the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, we haven’t merely made a new car – we’ve found a way to seriously impress your employer. The fusion of electric and petrol technology can deliver a staggering 148 mpg1 and creates a fraction of the CO2 emissions of a small car - just 44g/km. As a result business users will only pay 5% Benefit in Kind rather than the 25%+ most business users pay - boosting employees’ pay packets by thousands a year2. The business itself will make savings on its National Insurance Contributions3 and will be able to write down 100% of the cost of a new Outlander PHEV in year one4. Even a business with a small fleet of cars could save thousands in Corporation Tax5. We’ve made history – you just need to make time for a test drive. We call this Intelligent Motion.

Compare the tax savings of running a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV as your company car against these market leaders. COST OF THE CAR - P11D VALUE

THE WORLD’S FIRST 4WD PLUG-IN HYBRID SUV

OUTLANDER PHEV GX4H AUTO £37,8996

GOVERNMENT GRANT REDUCTION

£5,000

ADJUSTED FINAL PRICE

£32,899

CO2 EMISSIONS G/KM BENEFIT IN KIND RATE VEHICLE BENEFIT CHARGE WITHOUT FUEL PROVIDED

HONDA CR-V EX AUTO

BMW X3 XDRIVE SE AUTO

AUDI Q5 S-LINE PLUS AUTO

£33,995 £34,500 £39,225 £0

£0 138

£36,005

£0

£33,995 £34,500 £39,225 180

MERCEDES E-CLASS SE ESTATE AUTO £0 £36,005

184

140

32%

23%

29%

24%

£758

£4,351

£3,174

£4,550

£3,456

THE EXTRA TAX YOU PAY VS PHEV (40% TAXPAYER)

–

£3,593

£2,416

£3,792

£2,699

VEHICLE BENEFIT CHARGE WITH FUEL PROVIDED

£1,192

£7,129

£5,170

£7,067

£5,540

THE EXTRA TAX YOU PAY VS PHEV (40% TAXPAYER)

–

£5,937

£3,978

£5,875

£4,348

Make time for a test drive | Search: Outlander PHEV | Visit: mitsubishi-cars.co.uk to find your nearest dealer 1. Official EU MPG test figure shown as a guide for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. 2. Outlander PHEV GX4h compared with Honda CR-V, BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Mercedes E-Class - average saving £4,438pa for a 40% taxpayer. The savings for business drivers with a company fuel card are higher. 3. Class 1a NI only payable on 5% of list price compared to 25%+ average. 4. Outlander PHEV qualifies as low CO2 emissions vehicle for the purpose of Capital Allowances. 18% write down allowance used for comparison. Vehicles with CO2 emissions greater than 130g/km will only qualify for 8% from 1st April 2014. 5. Savings achieved due to lower Profits Chargeable to Corporation Tax (PCTCT). 6. Prices shown include VAT (at 20%), exclude VED and First Registration Fee. Metallic paint extra. Model shown is an Outlander PHEV GX4h at £33,399 including metallic paint. Prices correct at time of going to print. For more information about the Government Plug-in Car Grant please visit www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants.

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

FEATURE End of lease charges

The End There are often, hopefully relatively minor, end of contract charges when a vehicle is handed back at the end of the lease period. But how can you mitigate these charges, and lower the risk of damage to the vehicle as much as possible? Katie Beck reports.

Fair wear and tear: the basics

End of contract charges are compensation paid by the lessee to cover the cost of returning a vehicle back to the condition outlined in a lease agreement. It is unrealistic for a contract hire company to expect a working vehicle back in showroom condition, hence the industry term of “fair wear and tear”. The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) defines fair wear and tear as: ‘Deterioration that occurs during normal usage of a vehicle. It is not to be confused with damage as the result of a specific event or series of events such as impact, inappropriate stowing of items, harshtreatment, negligent acts or omissions.’

58 / fleetworld.co.uk

What constitutes damage will of course vary by operator, but dents to body work, severe scratching, broken lamps, chipped windscreens, missing spare wheels, ripped or stained upholstery and damaged audio and navigation features will all incur extra charges. Excess mileage over the agreed mileage cap will also invite further charges to compensate for the devaluation of the vehicle and the breaking of agreed terms. Non-return of keys - both the master key and the “slave” key – can cause a further signi icant end of contract charge for leets, and can be avoided by maintaining accurate records of each key’s location, particularly if a vehicle is shared by multiple drivers.

FEATURE End-of-lease charges

¡ 2

Honesty is key

Fleet operators must be honest with their vehicle leasing provider about the environment in which a vehicle will be used, advises Jim McNally, asset risk manager at vehicle leasing and management company, Alphabet. ‘Leasing companies don’t want to have end of contract charges,’ he says. ‘We would rather price for vehicle usage appropriately at the outset. If a leet is going to use a vehicle in a quarry, then don’t tell us that it will be used on the motorway, because we will build the price strategy against that usage. Talk to your leasing provider who will structure a rental that works for you and them.’ McNally also urges leet managers to ensure cars and vans are serviced in accordance with manufacturer schedules, saying this is key to a vehicle retaining its value. ‘De-hire damage is the biggest cause of dispute between leasing companies and their customers. Inspecting vehicles 10-12 weeks before end of contract means leet managers have the opportunity to mitigate end-of-contract damage charges,’ he explains.

‘By communicating regularly and reviewing the mileage of the vehicles throughout the contract, we are able to predict annual mileages for the vehicles and effectively mitigate any potential excess mileage charges for our clients. ‘We encourage our clients to update their mileages through our online client dashboard to not only control predicted contract mileage, but also provide accurate information to the leet manager on when their vehicles are next due a service – reducing risk and any potential issues with the vehicle.’

Controlling mileage

While features such as client dashboards can help to keep track of the running mileage on a vehicle, telematics devices allow management to quickly identify areas of risk. These systems accurately record total miles covered through the use of GPS technology, and can even cross reference daily mileage with a specified route to alert the operator if a vehicle is accruing more mileage than is strictly necessary.

Choosing the right policy

As well as being upfront about the environment in which the vehicle will operate, it is also important to be clear about how many miles the car is expected to cover. Any savings that may have been gained by choosing a lower mileage cap will be obliterated when the vehicle is handed back and excess mileage charges are levied. ‘It is important to ascertain the usage pro iles and determine the annual mileage of each respective vehicle. We work closely with our clients to tailor contract mileage on an individual basis if necessary to accommodate various mileage parameters,’ explains Days Contract Hire director, Aled Williams.

New technology also enables leet managers to reduce the environmental impact of a leet, a move which often goes hand-in-hand with saving money. Managers can track real-time vehicle journeys to monitor drivers’ behaviour and be alerted to any non-ef icient driving patterns such as harsh breaking and speeding. Whilst most advanced telematics systems will provide weekly or monthly reports to make all this data easier to understand, others will simply provide raw data for the leet manager to process. For larger leets the quantities of data can be staggering, and it is vital in these instances that the operator does not feel overwhelmed. One way to separate the wheat from the chaff is to use pivot tables: the latest tutorial of which is available on page 74. Pivot tables allow leet managers to pinpoint employees who regularly return vehicles with damage or excess mileage, and refer them for disciplinary procedures or driver training as appropriate.

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Jeep with

It’s not business as usual.

So you think you know Jeep? Think again. The all-new Cherokee doesn’t just offer outstanding performance off-road, it’s also guaranteed to stand out in the office car park. Its efficiency figures catch the eye too, returning 53.3mpg on the combined cycle with CO2 from only 139g/km.* As well as low monthly payments, new Cherokee models are available with a range of fantastic features such as our award-winning 8.4” touch screen entertainment system, unique in-car wireless charging pad for mobile devices and adaptive cruise control. Hardly your average nine-to-five runaround, wouldn’t you say?

To book a test drive call our Business Centre on 01753 519442 or email us at fleet@jeep-comms.co.uk The all-new Jeep® Cherokee from only £259 per month† The all-new Jeep® Cherokee. Built Free.

jeep.co.uk/fleet Model shown is Cherokee 2.0 140 4x2 Longitude at £25,495 OTR excluding optional True Blue special paint at £625 OTR. FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURES FOR THE NEW JEEP® CHEROKEE DIESEL RANGE IN MPG (L/100KM): EXTRA URBAN 55.4 (5.1) – 61.4 (4.6), URBAN 39.8 (7.1) – 44.1 (6.4), COMBINED 48.7 (5.8) – 53.3 (5.3), CO2 EMISSIONS: 154 –139 G/KM. Fuel consumption and CO2 figures based on standard EU tests for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. *Figures based on 2.0 140 4x2 versions. †Business users only. Rentals based on Cherokee 2.0 140 4x2 Longitude on Contract Hire profile of 6 rentals in advance (equivalent of £1554) followed by 35 rentals of £259, excluding VAT and maintenance. Based on 10,000 miles p.a., excess mileage charges apply. Vehicles must be registered with Jeep Financial Services before 30th September 2014. Offer subject to status, guarantee and/or indemnity may be required. At participating dealers only. Jeep Financial Services, PO Box 4465, Slough, SL1 0RW. Chrysler and CNH Industrial are Official Global Partners of the Expo Milano 2015. Jeep® is a registered trademark of Chrysler Group LLC.

FEATURE End-of-lease charges

¡ 5

Driver training

In most cases, simply knowing that they are under surveillance in the cab will be enough to prevent drivers from racking up excess mileage with personal errands or driving erratically, but sometimes further action is required to improve driving style and attitude on the road. Drivers who are insufficiently trained are at a higher risk of being in an accident and often incur a number of “knock on” expenses including tyres and brakes needing to be replaced more frequently; all resulting in higher end of contract charges. Driver training can help to minimise the risk of a driver being involved in a collision and guard against more minor vehicle damage, such as curbed wheels and panel scrapes, by raising their basic skill level and familiarity with the vehicle. Most risk management companies offer driver training programmes and the difference these tutorials make to driver behaviour can be astonishing – not only does con idence improve, but so does the driver’s ef iciency, risk rating and fuel consumption – all key elements of a successful leet.

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Designed to protect

Coming back to your car to ind a scratch or dent caused by another vehicle’s door is one of the biggest gripes of urban motoring, and manufacturers have started to take this issue into consideration with new vehicle design. C4 Cactus Airbumps are The Citroën C4 Cactus designed to minimise leads the charge with panel damage one of the most advanced defences to panel damage in the form of its innovative Airbumps – small air- illed bumpers that provide protection against small bumps and grazes at low speed impacts, with only minimal weight added to the vehicle. For drivers of long vehicles or with poor rear visibility, or who just struggle with getting in to tight parking spaces, a reversing camera can save on expensive damage charges. Many new cars now come with a factory itted reversing camera system, as well as sensors around the vehicle to alert to safety issues such as the vehicle drifting out of lane or unexpected objects in the road, further reducing road risk.

Damage control While the risk of a vehicle being involved in an accident can be mitigated by management strategies such as surveillance and driver training, there will inevitably be some vehicle damage in need of repair at the end of the lease period. Ogilvie Fleet claims to operate a total transparency policy for damage charges by telling customers what they will be at the outset of the contract, removing the risk of unexpected charges. The company operates a recharge matrix with the costs of each repair option presented in an easy-to read break-down format. Damaged panels can be replaced on an individual basis, helping to keep costs down and ensure the customer does not pay for unnecessary labour time. ‘The matrix is undoubtedly a unique selling point for Ogilvie Fleet because it shows to customers that any charges are very low compared to the rest of the industry. Many of our competitors use bodyshop pricing as the basis for end of contract charges and they can be very expensive and result in disagreements between the lessor and customers,’ explains John Hannah, operations director at Ogilvie Fleet. Despite a greater number older vehicles returning in 2013 due to leet replacement cycle extension as a consequence of the tough economic climate faced by many businesses in recent years, Hannah believes the company is benevolent towards customers in terms of end of contract damage charges. ‘It would be natural to assume that older vehicles would incur higher charges, but we want to be fair and reasonable to customers and we are more lenient towards vehicles that are four, ive or six years old and have clocked up high mileages,’ he explains.

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Model shown is Lexus NX hybrid SUV, due for launch October 2014. More information available on launch.

FEATURE Winter Tyres

winter warmers For those enjoying the autumn sunshine, it may feel too early to talk about preparing for winter. But cold weather tyres should be a consideration for any fleet, whatever the weather, says Dan Gilkes.

inter, or cold weather, tyres have been available for many years, though they have only become a popular itment for UK leets in the last decade. As the name suggests, winter tyres are more suitable for lower temperature use, though not necessarily for snow. Typically they offer improved grip and stopping power than a standard summer tyre at temperatures below 7°C. Winter tyres are made from different compounds that don’t harden as much as a summer tyre at lower temperatures. The tread blocks tend to be more distinct too, allowing the tyre increased grip as the roads get colder. Tyre manufacturer Continental claims that a car braking from 50km/h on snow will stop in 35m with winter tyres, while taking up to 45m with summer rubber. Likewise on ice, a vehicle travelling at 30km/h can expect to stop in 57m with winter tyres or up to 68m with summers. Winter tyres are a legal requirement in many European and Scandinavian countries, including Germany, Austria and Finland, with compulsory itting from October through to March or April. Worth remembering if any of your vehicles travel abroad.

Should fleets fit winter tyres? The gamble for leet managers, is how bad do you expect this winter to be? Winter 2013/4 was far warmer than 2012/3, with mean temperatures well above the long-term average at around 5.2°C, compared to 2012/3’s igure of 3.3°C. Many will remember noticeably colder spells in both December 2012 and January 2013 though, with considerable snowfall that brought many vehicles to a halt. Last winter that just didn’t happen, indeed in many parts of the South there was no snow at all and hardly any ice or frost. But a winter tyre isn’t just for snow and ice, it is designed to cope with temperatures lower than 7°C, which we certainly did have last year. Winter tyres also work well in wet weather and last winter was nothing if not wet. In fact it was the wettest winter for England, Scotland and Wales, and the equal wettest in Northern Ireland, since 1910. BRAKING AT 50km/h ON SNOW

BRAKING AT 30km/h ON ICE

WINTER TYRES

35m

57m

SUMMER TYRES

43m

68m

WINTER TYRES: THE COSTS Based on set of 4 Tyres fitted: If a new set of tyres was to be itted the overall price would be £63.80* plus the charge of the brand selected. Seasonal swapover on set of 4 Tyres fitted: If the tyres were simply being swapped over the price would be £80.30*. * Price includes: • 6 month storage in an ATS Euromaster tyre hotel. • Tubeless Valve. • Wheel Balance. • Wheel swap / change position.

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MICHELIN PRIMACY 3:

SAFETY TO THE POWER OF 3. EXCELLENCE IN DRY BRAKING, WET BRAKING AND CORNERING IN WET CONDITIONS.*

By choosing the MICHELIN PRIMACY 3, you will benefit from safety to the power of 3. Excellence in dry braking, wet braking and cornering in wet conditions*. Furthermore, with MICHELIN Total Performance, you will benefit from more all round performance due to MICHELIN leading technologies. See how the right tyre changes everything at www.michelin.co.uk

*Based on independent tests carried out by TÜV SÜD and IDIADA in 2011 on sizes 205/55 R 16 V and 225/45 R 17 W.

FEATURE Winter Tyres

winter warmers... ¡

Rising fleet demand ‘Despite a relatively mild winter our sales of winter tyres increased by 25% in 2013 compared to the previous year, which we believe is down to better preparation by leets for the unpredictability of the British weather,’ says Peter Fairlie, group sales director of tyre supplier ATS Euromaster. ‘We are expecting a higher than ever demand for winter tyres during winter 2014/15 to match the growth seen for the last three consecutive years.’ That increasing demand means that leet managers shouldn’t leave the decision until stocks of tyres run low. Indeed for larger leets the sooner the better. ‘We recommend medium to large leets, which could require anything from several hundred to several thousand tyres of a particular brand and size at the same time, plan ahead and place their orders in the spring,’ says Mr Fairlie. It’s a message echoed by Michelin UK’s head of sales Andy Fern, who says: ‘European leets order their winter tyres from us in March and April, so we have plenty of time to get them ready for October. Sure, that mentality is driven by legislation in some countries, but not across the board. ‘The demand for winter tyres in the UK is still predominantly reactive to the weather, as soon as drivers see ice and snow on the ground they want winter tyres. Fleets would do much better to be guided by the calendar and proactively it them in October.’ There are plenty of UK leets that

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have adopted a winter tyre programme, particularly blue lights, utilities and delivery companies. ‘Approximately 80% of UK winter tyre sales go to leets and corporate vehicles, and around 80% of those are van tyres. It’s fair to say the majority of leet customers using our Agilis Alpin winter tyres are emergency services and delivery businesses who rely on their vehicles whatever the weather,’ says Mr Fern.

Planning ahead Though larger numbers of tyres might not be instantly available, from manufacturers or tyre suppliers, it is not too late for smaller irms to follow suit. ‘I don’t think that leet managers have missed the boat,’ says Goodyear Dunlop communications manager Kate Macnamara. ‘We generally work to when the clocks change, as a time to change tyres and leets with very high performance vehicles really need to it winter tyres, as the drivers will expect the same level of performance throughout the year. In terms of blue light services we have

certainly seen increases in demand.’ ‘Each of our centres has access to winter tyre stocks currently, but we expect high demand and it’s unlikely there will be large volumes still sitting on the shelves once winter arrives in earnest,’ says Mr Fairlie. It’s a similar story for the manufacturers. ‘In terms of tyre stocks, winter tyre production cannot be ramped up at short notice should a UK winter prove to be extreme,’ says Mr Fern. ‘If leets who haven’t pre-ordered early let us know in September that they want a certain number of winter tyres in October, we’ll do our best to source the stock they require in time. If they give us a call in the second week of December because they’re snowed in, then they are seriously jeopardising their chance of success.’ Looking forwards It is perhaps still too early for anyone outside the Met Of ice to predict how severe this winter will be. However few leet managers can doubt that, even if it doesn’t snow, there are advantages to winter tyres. From a Duty of Care point of view, it would be hard to argue against their itment. ‘While we might not have had as much snow and ice in the last couple of winters, there are always a signi icant number of days when the temperatures are seven degrees or lower,’ says Mr Fern. ‘That’s when winter tyres give the best performance. They don’t guarantee you’ll avoid an accident, but they signi icantly reduce the risk.’

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FLEET ANALYSIS Digging a little deeper into the topical issues affecting the fleet industry today and tomorrow... we ask Matt Freeman from CAP Consulting about the reality, the issues and the likely impact.

‘Not only is the driverless car a realistic prospect – it’s becoming a reality.’

Is the “driver-less car” a realistic prospect? Not only is the driverless car a realistic prospect – it’s becoming a reality, and not only in prototype form. Buy or lease a car with a self-parking feature and you’ve already got a car which drives itself. Volvo’s City Safety system, which automatically brakes the car at low speeds to avoid collisions, is another self-drive feature. In a more basic form, cruise control ( irst offered in 1958) and the more sophisticated adaptive cruise control is another form of autonomy for cars. So the question is not really “if ” but “when”. And the “when” is dependent on how quickly the legal issues can be resolved, and of course how quickly the public will accept the technology. The former is a question for the lawyers, but as automotive professionals we can perhaps be a little too close to the industry and its products, forgetting that not everyone is as enthusiastic about driving as some of us are. Put bluntly, for some people driving is a chore, and

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one they would happily be freed from. Let’s look at a sector which has grown rapidly over the past decade: internet shopping. E-commerce is the fastest growing sector of retail in Europe. In the UK alone it is forecast to be worth £45 billion, a growth rate of 15.8%. Online sales could account for as much as 13.5% of the retail market this year. Naturally as with all new technologies consumers were resistant. Is it secure? How can I be sure I’ll get what I want? I’d prefer to see what I’m buying “in the lesh” before I buy. But as trust has grown so has the sector, and it will continue to grow. How does this relate to autonomous vehicles? Well I think autonomous vehicles will have the same effect on transport that the internet has and is having on our relationship with shopping (and information, entertainment and other areas of our lives). Autonomous vehicles have the potential to be a transformative technology in a way nothing the industry has seen before has. Fundamentally, the cars we drive today

are not that much different from the “Patent-Motorwagen” which Frau Benz and her sons took for that irst drive in August 1888. We’ve re ined and improved the basic template, improving safety, comfort, and fuel ef iciency and adding new technologies to make our cars a nice place to spend time, but fundamentally we remain in charge of the machine. The autonomous vehicle has come about as a number of connected technologies have come into common use, matured and developed. Sat nav is now widely used and accepted by drivers – we’re happy to accept the directions given to us by a box on the dashboard. Cruise control is widely available and a popular feature on many models. Safety technology like lane departure monitors, automatic low-speed braking and traf ic sign recognition is increasingly common, as are convenience features like self-parking and night vision. Put these together and you have the basis for the autonomous vehicle. Remove the legal requirement for the driver to be in full control of the vehicle at all times and the autonomous vehicle becomes a reality. The really interesting subject is how the autonomous vehicle will change the shape of the world of driving. An autonomous vehicle can’t exceed the speed limit, or wait in a box junction, or run a red light, or even park illegally. So the millions in revenue made by local and national governments in the form of traf ic ines would dry up. An autonomous vehicle can have an “ef iciency” programme, using the least fuel for the journey, avoiding hold-ups and congestion, and thus increasing fuel ef iciency – great for meeting our CO2 targets, but again reducing revenues from fuel duty. If you bought a 100% autonomous vehicle with no “manual” mode, why would you need insurance – if the car was involved in an accident it couldn’t be your fault. And you’d never need driving lessons.

in association with

CAP Consulting provides not just analysis, but the ability to understand how your business environments develop over time. We make it our business to understand what affects your brand and how you can unlock greater value from customer offerings, products & services. CAP Consulting provides support optimising residual values, bespoke technology solutions and corporate sales & fleet operations assistance.

Consulting

Visit www.business.cap.co.uk/consulting

Fleets could be at the forefront of this. Combine safety with ef iciency, cost of ownership and duty of care to the employee and leet managers could well be the pioneers in the introduction of autonomous vehicles. And whilst the focus is primarily on passenger cars, the technology is equally applicable to commercial vehicles, and indeed they could be the better arena to test the acceptance of the technology. So where would this leave the current generation of cars? Once a technology becomes widely adopted it usually spells the end of its predecessor. However the car as we’re used to it is so ingrained in our society it’s unlikely that we’ve seen the last of the steering wheel. There will likely be an era of part-autonomous, part-driven cars, with more and more technology being integrated. So leets will have to judge what their customers want, and leet managers will want to balance cost, technology and driver-acceptance to ensure a smooth integration of these vehicles into their leets.

Should motor manufacturers be doing more to incorporate technology for the “app” generation in order to improve the resale value of their cars? Given the profitability of tech companies, it’s not surprising that car makers are in awe of their success. In August the buzz surrounding the launch of the iPhone 6 drove Apple’s share price to record highs – when was the last time that happened to a car manufacturer? But it’s a mistake to think that mimicking companies like Apple will see some of their magic rub off on them. And automakers are always looking to build credibility with the next generation of drivers and buyers. There are four issues to take into account on this. Firstly, many apps are best classed as entertainment – if it’s not acceptable to play them on your smartphone when driving, you probably shouldn’t be playing them on the screen of your centre console! Secondly, those apps which are functional, like sat nav systems or DAB radio, are also potential sources of revenue for car makers, so do they really want to lose a source of revenue by facilitating a cheaper alternative? Thirdly there’s the issue of security – cars are so reliant on electronics, that protecting cars from viruses is a major concern for car makers, and this could be a weak point in the system. Fourthly there’s the matter of obsolescence – cars have a 5-7 year cycle, whereas some people change their smartphones annually or every couple of years and apps come and go in popularity, so integrating this technology is likely to have little if any impact on residual values after three years. It’s probably a better strategy to ensure that consumers can make as much or as little use of apps to ensure your products are as attractive as possible.

How will the proposed charge for pre Euro 6 diesels in London impact the diesel market, considering most diesels having been fitted with particulate filters for around eight years? There’s a wider issue here – and that’s the response to diesel. There is already concern that the UK Government has “betrayed” consumers by encouraging them towards diesel but now penalising them. There’s been a massive shift towards diesel in the past decade, with share of new registrations rising from 14% to 50% – close to the West European average – between 2000 and 2013. The proposed charge on pre-Euro 6 diesels in London alone is unlikely to have much effect on RVs – the number of vehicles affected is simply too small. However, if this spreads to other city centres, then we could see a negative impact on RVs. Since 2006 German cities have introduced “green zones” where only cars bearing a green sticker are admitted – no sticker and you can expect a €40 fine. There were only three cities with green zones in 2008 (Berlin, Cologne and Hannover), but the system has since been adopted by over 80 cities and towns. Will this affect demand for diesels, new and used? In Germany there doesn’t seem to have been much of an impact on diesel penetration, probably because the cost is low. And that’s the key – as long as the charge for London (or any other city) is low enough to be discounted by the driver, it’s unlikely to impact new and used buyers and thus RVs.

fleetworld.co.uk / 69

ontheroad This month Anthony Ffrench-Constant is not sure he wants to live in a world full of autonomouslydriving cars….

emember that delicious spat, almost a decade ago now, between Bill Gates and General Motors, in which the former suggested that ‘If GM kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we’d all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon’? Endearing me to the company considerably, GM stormed back with a superbly pithy press release which pointed out that, had GM indeed developed similar technology, its cars would be imbued with some extremely interesting characteristics. Amongst my favourites being: ‘For no reason whatsoever, the car would crash twice a day... Every time they repainted the lines on the road, you’d have to buy a new car... Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, you car would lock you out and refuse to let you in unless you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna... The airbag system would ask ‘Are you sure?’ before deploying...’ And, best of all: ‘Every time GM introduced a new car you’d have to learn to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.’ Now, I mention this because, if there’s any truth at all in Government business secretary Vince Cable’s recent assertion that autonomous driver-free cars will take to UK streets in less than six months, all of the above is suddenly rendered considerably less amusing. This is a vast subject but, let’s face it, even to scratch the surface is to unearth a daunting list of potential pitfalls... For starters, who’ll take responsibility for my car crashing if I wasn’t actually driving it at the time? Microsoft has never once forked out when my computer goes on the blink. The transitional period when, say, 50% of the cars

For starters, who’ll take responsibility for my car crashing if I wasn’t actually driving it at the time? Microsoft has never once forked out when my computer goes on the blink.

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out there are driver-free and the other 50% normally helmed vehicles (many of which already behave as if they’re driver-free) should prove a guinea a minute. And just how much knowledge will the autonomous car actually possess? Will it, for instance, be able to read road signs? Granted, the sight of a vast oak tree lumbering onto the dual-carriageway is an unlikely occurrence, but how will it react to a sign reading “Heavy Plant Crossing”? One thing is certain, assuming its navigation skills are down to GPS data, satnav technology is going to have to buck up its ideas somewhat, or we’ll all be joining a clutch of Polish lorries waist-deep in the same Herefordshire village duck pond. And never mind its questionable driving skills in slippery conditions, floods, landslides. What of the autonomous car’s decision-making skills? In the context of the great science fiction writer Isaac Asimov’s First Law of Robotics (‘A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm’), I read an interesting piece the other day posing the dilemma of such a car fast approaching a narrow bridge in front of which a child was sprawled on the road. Does the car decide to kill the child, or swerve, hit the bridge, and kill you...? However, assuming that, as with any computer, you’re not so busy waiting for it to go wrong that it would be impossible to relax on board, there should, of course, be many positives associated with motoring autonomy: The resurgence of the rural pub; no more coin tossing for the delegation of dinner party driving duties; the mobile card school; the whole of the M40 becoming the world’s largest dogging site... But that’s just a pipe dream, because – on the basis that you might have to switch off George and take over at any moment – the first thing the Government will do is outlaw drinking, smoking, eating, making phone calls, giggling, snoozing or playing strip Scrabble on the move. Which means, having switched off Chris Evans because you Just. Can’t. Take it. Any. More. you’ll be bored rigid. In which case, you might as well take over the controls and drive. Just to give yourself something to do.

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Model shown is Clio Dynamique S MediaNav in optional Flame Red i.d. paint at total P11D of £15,735. The official fuel consumption figures for the Renault Clio core range are: Urban 40.4 (7.0) – 78.5 (3.6); Extra Urban 60.1 (4.7) – 94.2 (3.0); Combined 51.4 (5.5) – 88.3 (3.2). The official CO2 emissions for the range are 127-83g/km. EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008 test environment figures. Fuel consumption and CO 2 may vary according to driving styles, road conditions and other factors.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;There was a time when we were broadly shooting everywhere and seeing what happened but we have to be more disciplined now.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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INTERVIEW Ken Ramirez, RENAULT

Right place, right time. Renault’s UK managing director Ken Ramirez is overseeing a dramatic reinvention of the brand. By Steve Moody.

ften successful careers are partly ability, partly huge work ethic, and partly being in the right place at the right time. Ken Ramirez, managing director of Renault UK, joined in February last year from Alliance partner Nissan where he was managing director of Nissan Latin America and the Caribbean, and he certainly fulfils those criteria. Being in the right place at the right time: after years of soul searching, staff, dealer and model cuts, Renault has spent the last 18 months launching distinctive new cars that prove the brand is very much back on form. Speaking at the launch of its latest impressive offering, the Twingo, Ramirez explained how the rejuvenation has come about. ‘Fleet business has continued to move up and with new Trafic and revised Master our growth and share in LCVs is increasing faster than in cars. Renault’s overall share is up in total 0.9% this year across cars and vans, which makes us the fastest growing brand. In their respective segments, vans are contributing 1.5 points and cars 0.8 points to that figure. Clio and Captur are the big drivers for this, but cars like XMOD and refreshed Megane are helping too. ‘Fleet business is stable. What is happening is that retail is growing so fast that fleet tends to shadow that side of the business and where we used to be 60% fleet, 40% retail, now that has switched round, and this is a position we ought to be at. But effectively fleet volumes haven't gone down, it’s just that the retail has gone up. We are launching all new products and of course retail tends to pick up quicker as it is a quicker win, so fleet will come on later. ‘We have the phrase internally “daring to imagine”, that Renault is a daring brand and hopefully we are illustrating that with our new product – Clio 4, ZOE, Captur and Twingo. Consumers have always expected it, even if they haven’t always received that. But this is changing. ‘Twingo is the embodiment of what Renault can do: very competitively priced, well equipped and groundbreaking – adding a lot of features, content and services to the customer that you don’t even get in the rest of the lineup. I think this Twingo does capture what the Twingo should be better than the last one did, which we had to compromise a bit with, because it had to service the entry point into the Renault Group, so it was no frills. But today the entry to Renault is Dacia, so we didn’t need to do that with this car.

‘Captur is doing really well, with a 20% segment share and second in its market, and there’s more to come from it as it has only just been launched really. I think its because it’s a very interesting crossover that is practical and dares to do things a little bit differently – the personalisation and the fact interior can be replaced, such as the zippered out seats. ‘When it launched Captur got very high residual value predictions. We haven’t been in the 40s with a car since the first Scenic, and the Captur was up there at 42% or 43%, so clearly the product has something to do with it and that’s something we will continue to see more of. Clio has maintained its position, and we expect to see the same thing for Twingo. So launch by launch we are seeing RV predications going up.’ Ramirez is forthright about ZOE, reckoning that Renault expected it to be selling better. So the firm is doing more communication to increase awareness so it makes sense to customers. The complex and contentious battery leasing scheme, which was intended to make the car accessible to early adopters, may also get a tweak in the near future he says, allowing the batteries to be “bought” which will clarify ownership of the car for fleets. At the Paris Motor Show this Autumn, a new Espace will be revealed but there are no plans to bring it to the UK, and also it is highly unlikely we will ever see a new Laguna either. Ramirez says the market has changed and that Renault has had to change its offering too. ‘The question is, do you bring something back such as Espace and Laguna? It’s a very different dynamic bringing cars in and you tend to look much further ahead. When you examine the trends in the D segment and see the evolution is moving far more from MPV and saloon to SUV, if I have to justify bringing a vehicle in that segment, there’s really only one choice.’ He adds: ‘There was a time when we were broadly shooting everywhere and seeing what happened but we have to be more disciplined now and when you look at it that way, the fastest growing segment is B SUV, for which we now have Captur, second is C SUV and something in that will be on sale next year, and then there’s D SUV after that. Obviously then there is a model to consider, but nothing is decided yet.’ With a raft of new cars in new segments, improving residuals and increasing sales, it seems Ramirez has indeed found himself in the right place, at the right time.

fleetworld.co.uk / 73

FEATURE Taxation & Funding

Part 6

Pulling it together Professor Colin Tourick on how to bring spreadsheets together to create meaningful analysis.

xcel spreadsheets are a core tool for many fleet managers and it’s likely that most fleet departments have plenty of information collected in static Excel lists. Over the last five months we have been looking at how a fleet manager can gain valuable reports and insights from this fleet data by using

pivot tables and pivot charts. This month we are going to summarise all of that knowledge and put everything we have learned into one article. We have been assuming that you maintain a spreadsheet (Fig. 1) listing the charges that your contract hire company has made for end-of-contract

damage over recent years. You wanted to ask questions such as ‘What’s the total cost by driver?’ or ‘Which department is incurring greatest cost?’ You could get the answers to such questions by re-sorting the Excel spreadsheet multiple times but instead we have been using pivot tables.

FIG. 1 A

Date

Reg No

Driver name

Department Ref

Model

Damage

Cost

2010

EG57CHO

Jenny Macintyre

KLL

VOLVO V70 Estate 2.4 D5 SE

Exhaust

£136

2010

AB06123

Len De Vere

FIN

MERCEDES C220CDi 4dr

Wheel

£135

2010

EA06PFA

Mary Adams

FIN

BMW 320D SE AUTO

Engine

£120

2010

AU57TDS

Peter Butts

KLL

MERCEDES C220CDi 4dr

Bodywork

£555

2010

ER57USM

Rose Aarons

LOP

AUDI A3 5dr Sportback

Exhaust

£872

2010

BH57SPK

Wilson Varley

FIN

BMW MINI 1.6 Cooper 3DR

Interior damage

£971

2011

DS58PWW

Andrew Parent

LOP

MERCEDES C220CDi 4dr

Bodywork

£425

2011

FF58YHV

Hugh Roberts

LOP

AUDI A4 2.0TDi

Tyres

£227

2011

BD58AHP

Paul Kalms

LOP

VW PASSAT 2.0TDi

Missing part

£643

2011

WY58KEM

Peter Jarvis

LOP

VW GOLF 5dr 2.0GT TDi Sport 170

Bodywork

£333

2011

LA58KER

Robert Turnbull

KRE

AUDI A4 2.0TDi

Wheel

£313

2012

YN59RYL

Graham Wayne

PES

AUDI A4 2.0TDi

Engine

£245

2012

DF09UJN

Nicky Blonde

LOP

AUDI A4 2.0TDi

Bodywork

£235

2012

YA59USG

Thomas Carlisle

PPO

BMW MINI 1.6 Cooper 3DR

Interior damage

£265

2013

LK60PAW

Alan Jones

AAG

AUDI A4 2.0TDi

Bodywork

£456

2013

PG10APH

Andrew Parent

LOP

MERCEDES C220CDi 4dr

Exhaust

£298

2013

YU09SRT

Cash Ora

FIN

VW GOLF 5dr 2.0GT TDi Sport 170

Interior damage

£354

2013

GH10PLL

Harlan Adams

PPO

LAND ROVER R/R Sport 2.7 TDV6

Interior damage

£225

2013

AY10HYV

Hugh Roberts

LOP

AUDI A4 2.0TDi

Bodywork

£398

2013

GL60KDE

Jenny Macintyre

KLL

VOLVO V70 Estate 2.4 D5 SE

Tyres

£642

2013

LM10WOS

Joanna Kahn

KRE

BMW MINI 1.6 Cooper 3DR

Interior damage

£198

2013

DA10JER

Peter Anthony

AAG

VW GOLF 5dr 2.0GT TDi Sport 170

Tyres

£654

2013

HA10HAH

Peter Butts

KLL

MERCEDES C220CDi 4dr

Missing key

£555

2013

FG10GAH

Wilson Varley

FIN

BMW MINI 1.6 Cooper 3DR

Interior damage

£233

2014

HE10LAL

Joby Farrell

FIN

VOLVO V70 Estate 2.4 D5 SE

Interior damage

£489

2014

FT60MAR

Mary Adams

FIN

BMW 320D SE AUTO

Exhaust

£325

2014

AH11ASP

Paul Kalms

LOP

VW PASSAT 2.0TDi

Missing part

£643

2014

SH60PRS

Rose Aarons

LOP

AUDI A3 5dr Sportback

Interior damage

£198

74 / fleetworld.co.uk

£11,143

To calculate how much we have spent in end-of-contract damage charges by driver, click Input > Pivot Table, then click inside cell A1, drag down to cell G29 and click the Existing Worksheet radio button on the wizard. A new sheet appears which will include this Field List: FIG. 2 Pivot Table Field List

Choose fields to add to report: Date Reg No Driver Name Department Ref Model Damage Cost £ Drag fields between area below: Column Labels Report Filter

Row Labels

to show “Average” rather than “Sum of Cost £”, and you’ll see that, on average, Department AAG incurred the highest average cost followed by Departments KLL and LOP. You can experiment by dragging different fields between Column Labels, Row Labels or Values fields in the Pivot Table Field List and seeing what happens. Some of the results will be gibberish, others will be insightful and the exercise will help you decide the best Pivot Table to meet your needs. Once you have produced your Pivot Table it’s easy to convert it into a chart – a Pivot Chart. Let’s say you’ve just produced a Pivot Table from the Pivot Table Field List. If you now click Insert > Column > Stacked Column In 3-D you get this chart. FIG. 3

Values

You then click Driver Name and Cost and Excel will deliver a summary of costs by driver. If you now unclick everything in the Pivot Table Field List and drag Department Ref into Row Labels and Sum of Cost £ into Values, we can see that department LOP has incurred the highest level of damage recharges, followed by Departments FIN and KLL. You’d like to know the average recharge cost that each department incurred? Just open the Values Field Setting dialog box and change the Values field

results if the spreadsheet had included hundreds of thousands of items. There are lots of charts to choose from. Put Damage into Axis Fields and Sum of Cost into Values, then click Insert > Pie > Pie In 3-D and you get this result. FIG. 4

Wow, it seems that we are paying for a lot of Interior Damage. Want to see which department is responsible? Drag Damage into Legend Fields and Department Ref into Axis Fields and you’ll get a pie chart that shows the aggregate cost of one type of recharge for all departments. Within the chart, click the Damage dropdown and you’ll see check marks (ticks) against all the different types of damage. Uncheck everything other than the type of damage you want to see – in our case Interior Damage – and you’ll get this result. FIG. 5

Note how department LOP has incurred a lot of cost because of missing parts, and damage to exhausts and bodywork. You might not have noticed this by looking at your spreadsheet but it becomes very obvious once shown on the chart. We have been using a tiny spreadsheet but Excel would deliver instant

Just show this chart to the head of department FIN and you’ll certainly get their attention! Happy pivoting.

fleetworld.co.uk / 75

MARKET OVERVIEW Risk Management

AA DriveTech

DriveTech Employers have a duty of care for staff who drive for work. As one of the UK leaders in road risk management and driver education, AA DriveTech works with you to deliver driver risk management solutions throughout the UK. This includes ‘driving for work’ programmes, action plans, licence validation, driver assessment (paper, on road and online) as well as in-vehicle and workshop training for all vehicle drivers including Driver CPC. Visit our website to find out what our customers have achieved from implementing occupational road risk strategies with us. Case studies include: • Becton Dickinson • Center Parcs • Cordek • Dow • Feedwater • Shred-it Contact: Francesca Hill tellmemore@AADrivetech.com www.AAdrivetech.com/fleetsafe

Tel: 0845 299 6131

ALD Automotive The ALD Automotive group is the second largest vehicle leasing operation in Europe and manages over 1 million vehicles across 40 countries worldwide. Within the UK ALD is widely recognised as one of the industry’s leading service providers, with a proven portfolio of award winning products for major plc’s, small businesses and individual drivers alike. An integral part of ALD’s product range is its award winning DriveSafe programme offering a straightforward, practical and cost effective solution to help establish a lasting road risk reduction programme for all employees who drive on business. Utilising the expertise of specialist partners DriveSafe provides a comprehensive and co-ordinated solution, all managed under ‘one roof’ and uniquely delivered via ALD’s threesixty online portal. Contact: Helen Fisk helen.fisk@aldautomotive.com www.aldautomotive.co.uk

Tel: 0870 00 111 81

Applied Driving Techniques ADT is a leading provider of fleet compliance and risk management solutions that overcome some of the most challenging driver safety issues facing business in the UK, mainland Europe and worldwide. ADT’s unique and fresh approach, suitable for all types and sizes of vehicle fleets, means it is best placed to understand and minimise the risk factors affecting these organisations to help meet legal obligations, reduce costs, lessen environmental impact and ultimately save lives. ADT provides a complete and managed service covering all auditing and assessments, grey fleet management, licence and document checking and driver training. With a successful and proven track record, the company has become a valued partner for an increasing number of public, private and third sector customers that are looking to achieve high levels of road safety, Duty of Care and operational performance.

ARI

Contact: Andy Phillips info@applieddriving.co.uk

Contact: Jason Chamberlain sales@arifleet.co.uk

Tel: 01489 883230 www.applieddriving.co.uk

Founded in 1948 by Holman Automotive Group, ARI has grown to become the largest privately held fleet management company in the world. The UK headquarters in Chippenham offers a comprehensive range of fleet services, distinguished by its award-winning fleet technology and driver management system, Riskmaster. Riskmaster asks all identified employees driving on company business to apply for a ‘Permit to Drive’ and focuses on improving the skills and habits of those by combining driver assessment with on-line or on-road training programmes. Our experience in designing these customised solutions has led to quantifiable ROI relative to productivity, downtime and accident rates. Tel: 0844 8000 700 www.arifleet.co.uk

Cardinus Risk Management

IAM Drive & Survive

Cardinus Risk Management has built up an enviable reputation of being able to provide our services and solutions to fleets of all shapes and sizes ranging from below 10 to the tens of thousands. Many blue chip, insurance and vehicle leasing companies use our wide array of fleet solutions which include consultancy, risk assessment, e-learning, practical training, licence, MOT and business insurance validation on a day to day basis. We can also offer non-fleet solutions to cater for your wider health & safety requirements. Our wider portfolio of solutions includes risk assessment, e-learning and practical solutions that cover fleet, property, environmental, DSE (display screen equipment), ergonomics, homeworking, fire, asbestos and risk engineering.

IAM Drive & Survive is one of the UK’s leading Driver Risk Management and Driver Training providers and is the commercial subsidiary of the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists), the UK’s largest independent road safety charity. Whether you need to mitigate the risks faced by your drivers, achieve duty of care or environmental objectives or simply reduce fleet costs, IAM Drive & Survive is THE organisation to talk to for: • Company drivers policies and procedures • Driving licence checking • Driver risk assessments • Driver seminars, workshops and talks • On-road driver training • Grey fleet management

Contact: Christian McKay info@cardinus.com

Contact: Rahma Hussein Tel: 020 8996 9663 rahma.hussein@iamdriveandsurvive.co.uk

76 / fleetworld.co.uk

Tel: 020 7469 0200 www.cardinus.com

Do you offer on-line isk Assesment?

Do you offer psychometric driver profiling?

Do you offer risk assessment as part of your programme?

Do you offer an on-the-road driver training programme?

Do you offer a classroom-based driver training programme?

Do your instructors provide a demonstration drive?

Do you offer a vehicle inspection service?

Do your instructors carry out a driver eyesight test?

Do you offer a licence checking facility?

Do you offer nationwide trainer coverage?

Do you offer training for all vehicle types?

Do you offer Post Accident investigations training?

Do you offer e-training as part of your programme?

FLEETW RLD

AA DriveTech

ALD Automotive

Applied Driving Techniques

ARI

Cardinus

IAM Drive & Survive Ltd

Mac GB Ltd

ROADMARQUE®

Key to services

Service provided

Service unavailable

Mac GB Ltd

ROADMARQUE®

Every company has a corporate responsibility and duty of care for employees who drive for work. As a leading UK provider of Occupational Road Risk (ORR) solutions, from online risk profiles to on road training, Mac know that a sustained campaign on ORR solutions, linked with the company’s health and safety policy, will have an immediate impact on: • Drivers attitude and behaviour • Reduction in incidents/related costs • Reduction in fuel consumption By using ex-police instructors delivering independently accredited courses, you are guaranteed a quality assured service. Course funding now available throught our partenership with the Energy Saving Trust.

Reduce risk, protect your people, save money. These are the benefits you can realise by using Roadmarque®. We understand that no two organisations’ requirements are the same. We focus on delivering the best return on investment for you, following an analysis of your objectives. Roadmarque® contains a number of elements: Compliance (licence check and grey fleet management), Mileage logs, communication, factual Driver Survey, Aptitude assessment, Training recommendations / implementation. We don’t impose a fixed programme, but provide the flexibility for you to achieve your aims and comply with legislation. We work with organisations of all sizes delivering practical and effective solutions. As an independent provider we guarantee that we won’t sell you what you do not need. Contact us now to find out more…

Contact: Richard Wilyman richard.wilyman@mac-hq.co.uk www.macdrivertraining.com

Tel: 01745 828180

Contact: Dr Gerhard Manogg hello@roadmarque.com

Tel: 0845 053 0331 www.roadmarque.com

fleetworld.co.uk / 77

our fleet Citroën C4 Picasso Exclusive+ e-HDI 115 Airdream

A couple of months in the Citroën C4 Picasso have seen it succeed where all other cars have failed.

Removing the CD player altogether has forced me to switch over to MP3s and root through my Amazon history with memory stick in hand – though I’m left looking rather forlornly at my amassed mountain of CDs from the last 20 years. I’m also now completely au fait with the touchscreen controls, although my other half still laments the rather obscure use of icons to denote the buttons for the stereo, heating, sat nav etc. Meanwhile, though I’m yet to fully embrace the ways of hypermiling, I’m certainly doing fine for fuel consumption by

personal standards. Over nearly 4,000 miles of motoring in it, I’m now seeing no waver from 44.7mpg. Overall, I remain impressed by the Citroën’s package of style and practicality. In the last month, I’ve put the 2.5-metre load length to decent test, finding the seats easy to fold down and the resultant boot space highly capacious. I have to hold my hands up though and admit to using the space to carry a rocking horse for the kids – perhaps I’m still a bit of a dinosaur after all. Natalie Middleton

Renault ZOE Dynamique Zen WITH pure electric sales up 143.9% year on year in the first half of 2014, and the technology finding ever-wider roles on UK fleets, we’ve deployed our first ever electric long-termer to get an extended view of how the technology can be used. Behind rising sales, the technology is becoming increasingly useful. Our Renault ZOE features a rapid charger and the new European Type 2/Mennekes connection. It means we can stop and top up to 80% in less than half an hour at most motorway service stations, and it’ll also take the maximum charging speed at whichever public units we find. With that in mind, the plan is to push it beyond its comfort zone, to see how it functions not only in the urban environment where electric vehicles are often deemed to be best suited, but to try and take it on longer journeys too. In essence, the plan is to use it like a normal supermini – mostly in town, but with the ability to go further when needed.

78 / fleetworld.co.uk

the figures It comes well equipped. On top of the basic Expression model, which gets R-Link with TomTom satellite navigation, our Dynamique Intens version gets a scent diffuser and air ioniser in the cabin, which is accented in white rather than the greys, blacks and blues of the identically priced sporty Dynamique Intens version. More importantly, it features 16-inch wheels rather than 17s on the Intens, which should help maximise the range. Early impressions are positive. Back to back with our old Clio, the ZOE feels very familiar, albeit with a much brighter cabin and higher seating position – on top of the battery. Boot space is generous, the R-Link infotainment system is excellent and it takes around seven hours to charge on my wallbox. It will be interesting to see how it copes with the commute down the M4. Alex Grant

OTR PRICE £15,195 (inc. £5,000 Plug-in Car Grant) POWER 87bhp @ 3,000–11,500rpm TORQUE 162lb.ft @ 250-2,500rpm 0-62mph 13.5 seconds TOP SPEED 84mph ELECTRIC RANGE: 120 miles CO2 0g/km (0% BiK)

Volkswagen Golf GTD

Mazda3 2.2D SE-L Nav EARLIER this month, I found myself waxing lyrical about my long-termer to the team at Mazda UK. Not as a result of my company at the time, but I’ve become really attached to the car. I’m coming to the end of my time with the Mazda3, which will move on to a colleague in a few weeks, and whatever replaces it will have big boots to fill. It’s fuel-efficient, quick, good looking and – despite what its curvaceous roofline might suggest – really spacious inside too. This is one of those unusual cars where you really can have your cake and eat it. Anne Dopson

Seat Leon 1.6 TDi Ecomotive A Welsh friend often uses the word “tidy” to describe something which, while not outstanding in any particular trait, is an altogether pleasing proposition. In the case of our SEAT Leon ST 1.6 TDi Ecomotive longtermer, “tidy” is as neat a description as you could wish for. I’ve clocked up nearly 2,000 miles in the last few weeks and have become increasingly comfortable with the controls, seating position and handling characteristics. Performance is good rather than blistering, but when you add up all its good points, the Leon is a car you can’t help liking… tidy. Ross Durkin

I’M all for driver assistance and increasing vehicle safety, but twice now the Golf has taken me by surprise by jumping on the brakes, despite the fact that I was already slowing the car and looking well ahead. The GTD comes with Front Assist, with a radar system in the front grille that warns the driver if they get too close to the car in front and maintains the gap if using the Automatic Distance Control cruise. However, twice while I have been braking more than heavily enough to stop if necessary, the brake pedal has been pulled away from my foot and the car stood on its nose. Once was at less than 10mph as a turning vehicle was still half in the road as I approached, though I was steering around it. The second time was while slowing rapidly in three-lane traffic, as it suddenly bunched close to the M25. While there was no harm done, it no doubt surprised the person behind me, as I stopped well short of the car in front, that had started moving by then anyway. Though undoubtedly clever, these systems can’t see the bigger picture. That aside, life with the diesel Golf is rapid, economical and easy. The Volkswagen is compact enough to make parking in town simple, yet remains big enough for comfortable long distance travel, whether in the front or the rear seats. Fuel economy still hovers around the 51mpg mark in mixed driving and the GTD has all the toys that you could ever want in a daily driver, even without our press car extras. Volkswagen’s Golf has for many years been known as ‘all the car you’ll ever need’. In GTD trim, with that cracking engine under the bonnet, that has never been more true. Dan Gilkes

the figures OTR PRICE £26,340 POWER 184hp @ 3,500–4,000rpm TORQUE 280lb.ft @ 1,750–3,250rpm 0-62mph 7.5 seconds TOP SPEED 143mph COMBINED MPG 67.3mpg CO2 109g/km (17% BiK)

fleetworld.co.uk / 79

our fleet Audi A8 SE 3.0 TDI quattro I’VE been looking after the Audi for the last couple of weeks, enjoying the cosseting way of travelling which the A8 provides. But I was a little thrown when I came to refuel and found two possible holes for my nozzle – as the A8 is now a “clean diesel” and can meet the Euro 6 emission standard, it comes with an AdBlue tank fitted. This holds the urea-based AdBlue solution, which is sprayed into the exhaust to reduce NOx emissions – the most harmful by-product of diesel engines. Audi says that the tank will last easily as long as the car’s service intervals, and the onboard computer will give you around 2,000 miles warning before the tank is likely to run out. You can buy bottles of the urea solution, although there does seem to be some confusion about if you can fill it up yourself – and internet forums are awash with hysterically

SUPPLIER

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

over-exaggerated stories of what dealers charge to get the tank replenished. The good news is that you can replenish the tank yourself, provided you use a particular solution (badged ISO 22241-1, priced at £6.60 per bottle from Audi dealers). You’lll need two of them though, as the minimum refill is 3.8 litres. Julian Kirk

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV GH4hS A revised Vauxhall Ampera may be on the way, but for the moment, the Outlander PHEV remains the most user-friendly plugin hybrid available in the UK. I say that for a variety of reasons including range, rapid charging capability, ease of use and the fact that it looks like any other Outlander, apart from the badges and extra fuel filler flap. Ease of driving is one of the key attractions of an electric car – no gearbox, regenerative braking to reduce conventional brake wear and less noise, which all add to the ease and comfort. That said, to get the best from any electric car I've driven needs frequent driver intervention and the Outlander has been designed to make these easy. For instance, one of the big advantages of a plug-in hybrid is the ability to choose where you drive under electric power alone. The obvious place is in urban traffic, where the regenerative braking

can be used to advantage and for the eco conscious, it's also where you can do your bit to improve air quality. Mitsubishi has thought about this and made it simple to switch between battery and engine power by using the large “SAVE” button on the centre console. “SAVE” mode kicks in the 2.0-litre petrol engine to generate the electricity and feed it direct to the drive motors. Then a prod of the button takes you back to electric only drive for emission free driving. It couldn’t be simpler. You can do that in the Ampera, but it takes a bit of scrolling through menus to do it. The Outlander’s steering wheel paddles enable the driver to select one of five regenerative braking levels, adjusting it according to conditions – another indication of the level of thought that has gone into the car. John Kendall

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

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

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

insureFLEET Tel: 0333 202 3133 www.insurefleet.com

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

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

80 / fleetworld.co.uk

FLEETW RLD SUPPLIER DIRECTORY contract hire, leasing & finance

daily rental

fleet management software

risk management

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

Volkswagen Group Leasing Tel: 0870 333 2229

Arnold Clark Car and Van Rental Tel: 0845 702 3946

Drive Software Solutions Tel: 01438 317731

RAC Risk Management Tel: 0870 606 2606

www.volkswagengroupleasing.co.uk

www.arnoldclarkrental.com

www.drivesoftwaresolutions.com

www.racfleetriskmanagement.co.uk

sgfleet Tel: 0845 154 0721 www.sgfleet.com

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

Apex Car Rental Tel: 01323 745444

Sofico Tel:0121 288 5935/07815 601622

www.apexrental.co.uk

www.soficoservices.com

Roadmarque Tel: 0845 053 0331 www.roadmarque.com

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

Maxxia 020 7520 9450 www.maxxia.co.uk

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

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

Cardinus Risk Management Tel: 01733 426015

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

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

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

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

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

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

AA DriveTech Tel: 01256 495732

Lex Autolease

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

www.cardinus.com

www.AAdrivetech.com/fleetsafe DriveTech

Vehicle Management

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

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

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

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

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

Full listings online at fleetworld.co.uk For more information, please contact Tracy Howell on 01727 739160 or email tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk telematics & tracking

Full listings online at fleetworld.co.uk

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

misfuelling

fuel management

AFF Tel: 0844 879 4770 www.autofuelfix.com

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

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

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

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

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

Teletrac, a Trafficmaster company Tel: 0870 604 8813 www.teletrac.co.uk

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

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

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

Trakm8 Tel: 01747 858 444 www.trakm8.com

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

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

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

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

car valeting

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risk management

Joining up the dots between connected cars & fleet safety Whilst connected cars are set to bring many benefits for fleets and fleet drivers, Mel Dawson, managing director of ALD Automotive, looks at their implications for fleet driver safety.

ith car-related technology very much in the news of late – from mobile phone usage behind the wheel, through to connected or even driverless cars – it’s clear that such technology will play an increasing role in the fleet industry. In fact such a point was made at the recent BVRLA Fleet Technology Congress, where the organisation revealed survey results that show connectivity and smartphone integration are set to soar in importance for fleets over the next five years. But although companies may be thinking first and foremost about the costs of such technology and the productivity benefits it may be bring, it’s also important for the industry to start considering the safety aspects too. Take, for example, connected cars. According to a new report by telecommunications giant Telefonica, in-car connectivity is to grow exponentially in the near future, from 10% of the global market today to 90% by 2020. And Intel has said for the last couple of years that the connected car is the third-fastest growing technological device, following the smartphone and the tablet. Such technology is clearly set to bring huge benefits in terms of productivity. In ALD Automotive's latest Driver Pulse Survey of over 1,000 company car drivers, nearly two-thirds (62.7%) thought that internet access would be an advantage when driving for business. A total of 14.9% thought the main advantage would be from live integrated traffic information, 12.5% said improved employee efficiency, 12.3% opted for greater connectivity with the office and 58.2% cited all of the above. And drivers are increasingly recognising the other benefits connected cars could bring. More than 80% of consumers in the United States, Australia and Britain believe connected-vehicle technology will make driving safer, as found by a recent survey by the University of Michigan. In fact, three-fourths of respondents said they believe connected vehicles will reduce the number and severity of crashes and help improve emergency response times. However, in a somewhat ironic move for a technology that majors on safety benefits, connected cars also raise the issue of distracted driving and the inherent safety risks. And for fleets, obviously the Duty of Care implications of

Contact ALD Automotive:

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t 087000 111 81

drivers being able to use such technology safely whilst on the move are critical. Clearly safety – along with security – is a key focus for carmakers at the moment. Alan Batey, an executive vice president at Chevrolet, has previously said: ‘If we cannot introduce a feature safely, then we will not introduce it at all. That is our absolute commitment. We want our customers to get information quickly, but we want them to focus on driving and focus on the road.’ But fleets should also take action to address the issue, both through driver training to raise employee awareness of how to use such technology safely and by setting out guidelines on such systems in their fleet policy. This is much in the same way as with mobile phones, which remain a key issue for both fleets and private drivers. This summer saw the Government announce possible plans to double the penalty points for using a handheld mobile behind the wheel, prompting road safety charity Brake to reiterate its call for a total ban on drivers’ usage of mobile phones – including hands-free. It’s not something that company car drivers are keen to see happen, according to our Driver Pulse survey, which found that 67.8% of respondents opposed Brake’s campaign. But again, it’s another issue where fleets need to ensure they have taken a clear stance on the issue and communicated this to drivers as well as ensuring their own managers are conscious of not calling employees when they are known to be driving. Certainly all these issues are something that we at ALD Automotive are taking seriously. As a leading UK leasing and fleet management company, ALD Automotive has been promoting a safe driving culture for many years. And in recent years we have been recognised for our work and have became a ‘business champion’ under the Government-backed Driving for Better Business campaign run by RoadSafe. Utilising our own internal experience of running a risk reduction programme, we can offer fleets our DriveSafe menu-driven suite of risk management services along with our CARRS (Car Allowance Road Risk Solution) service for ‘grey’ fleet drivers – helping to pinpoint any safety issues posed by newer car technologies as well as general road risk areas.

e ukinfo@aldautomotive.com

w www.aldautomotive.co.uk

INTRODUCING THE ALL-NEW RENAULT TRAFIC. YOUR SUCCESS BOOSTER.

TRUST EUROPEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S N0.1 VAN MANUFACTURER

ALL-NEW RENAULT TRAFIC ISN’T J

We’ve designed the cabin to include plenty of storage space (90 litres) and ofﬁ with a height and lumbar adjustable driver’s seat with armrest. And a digital s

JUST A NEW VAN, IT’S A NEW OFFICE.

ﬁce working space for laptops, tablets and mobiles. It’s also a lot more comfortable peedometer and DAB digital radio as standard makes everyday driving a pleasure.

TRUST EUROPE’S N0.1 VAN MANUFACTURER

Model shown features optional glazed bulkhead and glazed rear doors.

ALL-NEW RENAULT TRAFIC WITH FLEXIBLE LOADING SPACE. Need more reasons to get this van? We’ve got loads. The load space in the All-New Renault Trafic has been designed to fit longer loads. It can now fit 3 Euro pallets and has an innovative load-through-bulkhead that can handle up to 4.15 metre lengths in its LWB version. We’ve also improved the driving experience with Hillstart Assist and Grip Xtend giving you more control of the van while driving fully loaded.

inbusiness

Eight-speed auto improves Daily drive

veco is to offer an eight-speed automatic transmission on its Daily vans and chassis cabs. To be launched at the upcoming IAA Show in Hanover, Hi-Matic is an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission that promises increased lexibility, ef iciency and fuel economy. The company claims that the HiMatic transmission offers faster and more precise gearchanging than an expert driver can achieve, with shift times of less than 200 milliseconds under acceleration. Iveco will continue to offer its AGile automated

manual gearbox on Daily, alongside more popular conventional six-speed manual gearboxes. Hanover will also provide customers with the irst chance to see Iveco’s Daily CNG, a natural gas-powered version of the van. The CNG Daily uses a modi ied version of Iveco’s 3.0litre compression ignition engine delivering 136hp and 350Nm of torque. Tested to comply with Euro 6 emissions standards, the compressed natural gas engine offers emissions of 245-263g/km depending on vehicle weight and speci ication.

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

AllStar teams up with windscreen firm Fuel card provider AllStar has added glass replacement to its range of services, having formed a partnership with National Windscreens. AllStar customers will benefit from discounts of up to 20%, using their card to pay for vehicle glass repair and replacement.

Truck production drops in July UK commercial vehicle production has continued to suffer throughout 2014, with the sector recording a tough July. Truck production was down 25% on July 2013, with CVs built for export falling by 31%. The downturn is due in part to a spike in truck registrations at the end of 2013, with the introduction of Euro 6 emissions legislation.

Renault signs up for MPG Marathon

Hilux gets tough with Project Thirty Four

idlands off-road irm Project Thirty Four has developed the Hilux Extra Cab Proto, for companies that require extreme condition carrying abilities. Based on Toyota’s Hilux pick-up, the Proto is equipped with a new suspension and damping system that provides extended ground clearance and a

smoother ride over rough surfaces. The pick-up has also been provided with Project Thirty Four’s own commercial bed, that the company claims is more usable for farmers, builders and gamekeepers, with improved load space and accessibility. ‘We use Hilux because it is the benchmark,’ says Steve Gaunt of Project Thirty Four. ‘It has proved itself over decades of use and evolution. Our company test teams go to Africa and Iceland each year to appraise vehicles in volatile environments and we’ve found that a Toyota is always ready to embark on a 10,000 mile trip with just a quick levels check.’

Van Fleet World editor Dan Gilkes will once MPG again be taking on the marathon 2014 MPG Marathon economy driving challenge in October. Piloting a new Renault Trafic, equipped with the twin turbo 1.6-litre engine, Dan aims to better last year’s LCV podium finish. For more details, visit: www.thempgmarathon.co.uk

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A Daimler Brand

The Vito delivers. Economy, safety, status. Discover the Vito. www.mbvans.co.uk/fleet

FEATURE Transit Eco trial

Green van to the Emerald Isle What fuel consumption can you expect from a new Ford Transit ECOnetic? John Kendall drove to the west of Ireland to find out.

ord launched the new 2-tonne Transit earlier this year, replacing a range irst launched in 2000 and updated in 2006. The Transit ECOnetic offers EU combined fuel consumption of 40.9mpg, with CO2 emissions of 179g/km. How close could we get to that over a route of around 1,300 miles? A furniture collection and delivery to the west of Ireland gave us an opportunity to ind out. Low emission ECOnetic Fuel consumption is a priority for most leets and like its predecessor, this Transit ECOnetic offers a range of economy technologies. Acceleration Control, irst launched on the Transit Custom, limits acceleration to that of a 50% loaded van. There is also engine start and stop, smart regenerative charging and Ford’s battery management system, plus an eco-mode – which is activated automatically but can be switched off by the driver. This limits top speed to 68mph, helping to cut motorway fuel consumption. VAN Fleet World’s long-term Transit ECOnetic is a 125hp 350 L3H2 front-wheeldrive model, in UK base speci ication. That means electric windows but manual adjustment for the large door mirrors, remote central deadlocking and a full-steel bulkhead. Other equipment includes an adjustable driver’s seat, reach and rake adjustable steering column, storage space under the dual passenger seat, Bluetooth enabled radio with USB connectivity and remote controls. The route Starting from Bath, I drove 80 miles south to Hayling Island near Portsmouth for the irst collection. From there, I headed 220 miles north-east to Hingham in Norfolk, where I collected more furniture and a second driver. The inal stage on day one

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was a 140-mile drive to Banbury to collect more furniture and driver number three. From here we set off 225 miles north to Holyhead in north-west Wales. It was an early start on day two for the Stena Line fast ferry to Dun Laoghaire, close to Dublin. On arrival we crossed Ireland, using the republic’s comparatively new M4 and M6 motorways to our inal destination near Clifden, in County Galway, some 200 miles away. For the return journey, we reversed our route across Ireland and back to Banbury, before I returned the van to the Van Fleet World of ices at St Albans north of London, the following day. Altogether we covered 1,350 miles on road in addition to the Irish Sea crossings. Loading The Transit’s side loading door, standard in UK speci ication, is wide for a Europallet and the load area at up to 1,784mm wide, is able to accommodate two Europallets side by side. Ford has moved most of the substantial tie-down eyes from the loor to the body sides, which made strapping our mixed load in place a fairly easy task using ratchet straps. We came nowhere near challenging the Transit’s 1,479kg payload. The re-located lashing points ensured that the load didn’t move and made it easier to slide items over the load loor. On the road The latest Transit is not alone in demonstrating low engine noise levels, but it makes a big difference on a long journey like this. Exploring the economy potential of the van meant we used the default ECO setting. Acceleration control and the gear change indicator helped us to make the best use of the Transit’s 350Nm of torque between 1,450 and 2,000rpm. The high sixth gear gives under 2,000rpm at the limited speed.

OUTBOUND Day 1 The irst day proved to be the hottest day of the year to date in the UK with temperatures soaring to an indicated 30°C. Air conditioning would have been very welcome, but with just me in the cab, it was tolerable. Once we had three aboard, the centre passenger could have done with a bit more legroom, but regular driver changes made sure no one sat in the middle for too long. Our route to Hayling Island was half motorway, the other half being mainly single carriageway A-road, while up to Norfolk it was mostly motorway and fast dual carriageway. A serious accident on the A11 in Suffolk brought traf ic to a standstill,

‘Fuel consumption is a priority for most fleets and Transit ECOnetic offers a range of fuel saving technologies.’

while the road was closed to bring in an air ambulance, causing a fair bit of delay on the main road to Norfolk. We had to retrace our steps past this point on the next leg. Fortunately, by then, the road had been re-opened in our direction. We had planned a mid-afternoon departure for Banbury but the delays on the A11 and earlier on the M25 around London slowed our progress. It was 5.00pm before we left Hingham for Banbury. With no motorway on this leg and a good proportion of single carriageway road, it helped to keep our fuel consumption down, inishing the day after 428 miles with an impressive average of 39.2mpg on the trip computer, a good result, considering the windy conditions we experienced in the afternoon and evening. Day 2 We were up early to make the 10.30am Stena Line crossing from Holyhead. This day would not be so kind to fuel consumption. Having joined the M40 motorway north, the rest of the UK route consisted of motorway followed by dual carriageway, once we left the M6 and headed across North Wales on the A55, all the way to the ferry terminal. The only break in dual carriageway is the Britannia Bridge across the Menai Strait to Anglesey. By the Knutsford Service Area in Cheshire on the M6, fuel

consumption had dropped back to 36.7mpg. Rain later did little to help and we reached the ferry terminal in good time. The last time we would be able to say that on this trip! The sea crossing was near perfect, ensuring that we docked on time in Ireland. Getting through suburban Dublin and heading west used to be a real challenge, because of the almost complete lack of signposts and the lack of good roads. Ireland just did not have a motorway network 10 years ago. But that has all changed. Regular signposts in Dublin lead to the M50 motorway and out to the M4 and M6 west. Then it’s motorway and dual carriageway all the way across Ireland to Galway. It’s a different story west of Galway. Here the narrow, single carriageway N59 threads between mountain and lake – a spectacular sight in the prevailing good weather. By 6.00pm we were at our destination overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on a warm summer’s evening. 864.9 miles were now showing and fuel consumption had slipped back to 33.6mpg. RETURN Day 1 It started so well, with a relaxed drive across the N59 towards Galway in ine weather. It was only as we approached the city that I realised I had misread the ferry departure time. We were going to miss it. A hasty call to the Stena Line of ice in Dublin brought more bad news. The next crossing

was full and we would have to wait until 8.30pm for a space. That meant a midnight arrival at Holyhead and 4.00am in Banbury. The upside of our late arrival in Wales was that the roads were clear, traf ic building gradually as we travelled further south, with a steady line of trucks on the M6. The sky lightened as we approached Banbury and we reached our destination as dawn was taking hold. Day 2 The return to St Albans, now without codrivers, via a meeting in Luton, seemed a bit quiet. 1,350.2 miles at an average of 33.6mpg may be short of the claimed fuel igures, but the van was new, with less than 1,250 miles on the clock at the start. The amount of motorway driving also worked against better fuel economy. Those using more mixed driving cycles should expect better. But it’s worth noting that the fuel consumption stayed more or less constant once we had reached our Irish destination. What did my co-drivers think? They were both impressed by the all-round visibility from the large door mirrors with the wideangle lower sections. They were also impressed with the low engine noise levels, comfortable seats and generous storage. Ride comfort also scored well. We all agreed air conditioning would have been welcome as well as more legroom for the middle passenger, but overall, the 2-tonne Transit has made a good early impression.

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Peugeot Partner Electric Peugeot makes a welcome return to the electric van market, reports Dan Gilkes.

t seems like barely a week goes by without another electric or hybrid car being announced these days. While sales remain steady at best, there is certainly momentum in the market at manufacturer level. Unfortunately the same cannot really be said of the LCV market, where a move to electric drive is far less noticeable. That’s not to say that there aren’t electric vans out there, Renault has been pushing the Kangoo ZE strongly and has recently been joined in the market by Nissan, with the e-NV200. There are also electric versions of Merc’s Vito and Iveco’s Daily vans, plus a number of conversions. Peugeot launched the Partner Electric van last year, sister company Citroën also unveiled the Berlingo Electric at the same time, but it has taken a while for the vans to arrive on UK roads. Based on the L1 Partner model, in SE trim, the Partner Electric is in fact a return to the electric LCV market for the French firm, having dipped a toe in the sector some years ago. This time around Peugeot has managed to install the batteries, motors and inverters within the standard van without impacting on the load area, which remains at 3.3m3. The van also offers a respectable 695kg payload, so there is little compromise in terms of practicality compared to the diesel models. Partner Electric has 80 lithium ion battery cells in two packs, mounted beneath the loor, with a capacity of 22.5kWh. That’s enough to power a synchronous electric motor delivering 49kW and 200Nm of instantly available torque. Of icial range is 106 miles, though 8090 is probably more realistic for most customers, depending on use.

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what we think Though offering less connectivity, Partner Electric delivers the power for urban use and is easy to drive. With no loss of payload or volume it's worth a look if you are going electric.

specification MODEL Peugeot Partner Electric SE BASIC PRICE £16,750 inc Plug-in Grant ENGINE Synchronous electric motor FUEL INJECTION Common-rail POWER 49kW TORQUE 200Nm Weights (kg) GVW 2,225 KERB WEIGHT 1,530 PAYLOAD 695 MAX TRAILER WEIGHT na Dimensions (mm) LOAD SPACE LENGTH 2,040 LOAD SPACE WIDTH 1,500 LOAD SPACE HEIGHT 1,250 LOAD HEIGHT (unladen) 609 LOAD VOLUME 3.3m3 Cost considerations BATTERY CAPACITY 22.5kWh COMBINED MPG & CO2 na/0g/km SERVICE 1 yr/12,500 miles WARRANTY 3 yr/100,000 miles (vehicle) 5 yr/40,000 miles (electrical components)

Once in forward gear, Partner Electric will creep like an automatic as soon as you release the brake pedal. ESP and Hill Assist come as standard, and it is easy to drive the van around town. Regenerative braking is fairly strong, with the driver unable to alter how much retardation is provided, unlike Nissan’s e-NV200 that gives you a choice of settings. There is an Eco mode though, reducing energy consumption from the heating/AC system and potentially improving range. There are two charging systems available. Normal charging, from a 230V mains supply, takes up to 12 hours to complete. With a domestic wall box or highway station offering a 16A supply, a full charge takes around 7.5 hours, while Partner Electric can also cope with a fast charge station with a threephase 400V supply. This takes around 20 minutes to reach 50% battery capacity or 35 minutes to achieve an 80% charge. Peugeot will sell the vehicle complete with batteries, there are no plans to split the van from the battery pack in a sale/lease deal. The basic price is £21,300 before the government’s PiVG, dropping to around £16,750 after the grant. That works out around £2,500 more than a comparative SE trim Partner diesel, though lower running costs should easily make up that difference. At present the company has 22 dedicated electric vehicle dealers, though that number is expected to increase as demand grows for the firm’s electric and hybrid cars. Peugeot offers a three-year/100,000 mile warranty for the van, excluding the batteries and driveline. There is also a five-year/40,000 mile warranty on the electric drive components.

Volkswagen Caddy BlueMotion Volkswagen’s Caddy BlueMotion cuts fuel consumption and emissions, says Dan Gilkes. SECTOR Compact high cube PRICE £13,080–£18,065 FUEL 44.8–61.4mpg CO2 119–166g/km

olkswagen offers its BlueMotion Technology (BMT) package across much of the Caddy range, but the Caddy BlueMotion is a single model, based on a C20 short wheelbase van. It brings together BMT features such as cruise control, Hill Hold Assist, Regenerative Braking and Start/Stop technology, with a lowered ride height, low rolling resistance tyres, improved aerodynamics and an engine tuned for fuel efficiency. The result is a claimed 61.6mpg from the mid-range 102hp 1.6-litre engine, which is 6mpg better than the standard BlueMotion Technology model. Emissions take a similar cut, from 134g/km to just 119g/km of CO2. Though built around the base Startline trim level, the van comes with ESP, EBD, EDL electronic differential lock and an MSR engine drag torque control system as standard. You also get an MP3 compatible stereo with Aux-in facility, a height, reach and rake adjustable driver’s seat and a sliding side load door. That puts the Volkswagen some way behind Ford’s new Connect ECOnetic in terms of standard specification, though the compact Caddy is just as good as the Ford from the driver’s seat. It can handle urban delivery work and motorway cruising with equal ease and provides comfortable transport for a day at the wheel, though we would add

the optional full bulkhead to reduce in-cab noise. You get a bit more load volume in the Volkswagen, with 3.2m3 on oﬀer in the back of the short wheelbase Caddy. However, while the standard van can carry a competitive 652kg in the back, the BlueMotion is restricted to just 544kg. With prices starting at just £15,195, the Caddy BlueMotion is slightly more expensive than Ford’s ECOnetic Connect, though it probably boasts a slightly stronger residual value to offset that difference. Service intervals are set at 18,000 miles or two years.

Ford Transit Connect ECOnetic More impressive results for ECOnetic Connect though, says Dan Gilkes. SECTOR Compact high cube PRICE £13,350–£17,450 FUEL 50.4–70.6mpg CO2 105–130g/km

ord’s Transit Connect offers a range of engine options and power outputs, but the firm has built the latest ECOnetic models using its mid-range 1.6-litre diesel engine. Delivering 95hp and driving through a five-speed manual gearbox, the ECOnetic model lifts the claimed fuel consumption to 67.3mpg, or an incredible 70.6mpg if you also specify a 62mph speed limiter. Similarly the ECOnetic model drops exhaust emissions from the 115g/km of the standard 1.6-litre model to just

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109g/km or 105g/km with the speed limiter. These market-leading figures are achieved using AutoStart/Stop, a gearshift indicator, Smart Regenerative Charging, Ford’s Battery Management System, an Active Grille Shutter to reduce drag at speed and a 4% longer final drive ratio. The good news for drivers is that there is plenty of power to cope with the longer gearing at lower speeds, while it contributes to a more relaxed cruise for longer journeys. Indeed none of the eco kit has a detrimental effect on the driving experience, with secure, sporty handling, light controls and a decent ride, even when unladen. It doesn’t impact on the van’s carrying abilities either, with the L1 ECOnetic offering a 3m3 load volume behind the standard full height bulkhead and a 644kg payload. There is also the option of a fold-up panel in the bulkhead and a fold-flat passenger seat that allows longer loads to be carried. Adding further to the van’s versatility is the option of a dual passenger seat, allowing three people to travel in the latest Connect. Standard kit includes a DAB radio, Bluetooth, ESC stability control and one-touch electric windows. Prices for the Connect ECOnetic start at £14,721 and the van has 20,000 mile service intervals, contributing to a further reduction in operating costs.

NEW

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THE BEST DAILY EVER HAS ARRIVED, AND ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ALL NEW. A brand new van architecture, best in class in terms of load efficiency (10.8 m 3) and volume ( up to 19.6 m 3) . Truck derived chassis frame up to 7 tonnes gross vehicle weight. New suspensions, enhanced handling and superb interior comfor t. Diesel engines 2.3 and 3.0 litres, power from 106 to 205 hp, and up to 14% fuel savings when fitted with the full Eco Pack.*

Discover the New DAILY at your local IVECO dealer now. Visit www.newdaily.co.uk or call 0800 915 0040.

W W W. I V E C O. C O. U K

Image shown for illustrative purposes, model shown is a 35-150. *Fuel consumption refers to the urban cycle calculated in accordance with EU Regulations 715/2007 and 692/2008, and UNECE Regulations 83 and 101, compared with the previous range.

Iveco with

MANAGEMENT UK Fleet Forum

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

Join the Who is driving this thing? Martin Wedge, Managing Director, OVL Group

Fleet World magazine’s UK Fleet Forum – formerly Fleet Academy – provides a forum where fleet industry experts can exchange views on a wide range of topics, from taxation to speeding fines. At the heart of the UK Fleet Forum is a team of fleet professionals who play a key role in the industry, either as fleet managers, consultants or fleet suppliers. These fleet experts provide a regular feed of information that is posted on the website forum in the form of discussion topics. Typical areas of interest include, but are not limited to: taxation, finance and accounting, legislation, environmental issues, fleet safety, insurance, fleet management, supply issues and security. Fleet suppliers are permitted to respond to queries if it is felt that their response represents honest and impartial advice. This aspect of the service is strictly moderated in order to ensure that the quality of information provided remains of the highest standard. We have already attracted a strong network of fleet professionals, and our expert contributors have submitted a number of thought provoking discussion topics, a few of which are previewed to the right. We hope you will consider joining us in this exciting new venture into the world of fleet. To find out more about the UK Fleet Forum and request membership, please visit:

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Just when fleet managers and drivers thought the Department of Transport had handed down its latest edict on driver distraction, Ministers go and announce that driverless cars will be allowed on public roads from January next year. I know it is news silly season, but have I missed something here? Not one report I have read about this latest proclamation has shed any light on the benefits of such a move, begging the question – who is driving Government policy when the Department of Transport seems to be at odds with Vince Cable’s business agenda? Presumably, the Government believes such modes of transport will liberate us to “work on the go” as our own so-called “back seat drivers”? This is of course the polar opposite of what it has been trying to do in terms of stamping out smart phone use behind the wheel. Cable said this week: ‘Today’s announcement will see driverless cars take to our streets in less than six months, putting us at the forefront of this transformational technology and opening up new opportunities for our economy and society.’ What he failed to say was “how and why” so fleet managers will have to rip up their health and safety and risk guidelines until such time as millions of pounds have been spent on consultations to highlight the business case in favour of cars that can “do it for themselves”. Perhaps it means that we no longer have to go to the meetings, and the next generation of Mondeo Man will simply send the car instead? Apparently, UK engineers have already been experimenting with driverless cars, but, concerns about legal and insurance issues have thus far kept them off the road while other countries have more swiftly got ahead of the game. In California alone, Google’s driverless car has done more than 300,000 miles on the open road and last year Nissan carried out Japan's first public road test of an autonomous vehicle on a highway. Mountaineers used to argue that they climbed Everest “because it was there”. Likewise, the Government needs to explain its “brave new world” vision with greater emphasis upon the reasoned “why and how” rather than simply focus upon the “because we can” or “because everyone else is doing it”. Like GM crops, let’s at least have a grown up debate about whether or not we need or want driverless cars.

debate... Meet the experts... Mike Fullalove, Facilities Manager, Stephens & George Ltd replied... The thought of a “smart” car that does the driving looks nice in the sci-fi films, but is our technology currently good enough to be absolutely foolproof ? In forum and news stories we constantly complain that road standards within the UK are poor – will it detect potholes or children who stand behind a vehicle ready to shoot out? Drivers are not perfect by any means, but I do have serious reservations on these vehicles as they will still have the potential to have accidents.

Plug-in for tax savings Ross Durkin, Managing Editor, Fleet World I’ve just been working out the taxable benefit payable on the new Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid, and it makes interesting reading. Without boring you with all the details, the savings are astonishing. I don’t think I’ve made any mistakes in my calculations, but the tax bill for a 40% taxpayer on a £33k Outlander PHEV over three years will be just £2,261. A similarly priced SUV will cost in the region of £13,000. That is one heck of a difference, and the story is much the same where charges for private fuel are concerned. If I am missing something here can someone tell me what it is?

John Davidge, Head of Fleet Technical, Cardinus Risk Management Ltd replied… Yes, that’s why I run a Toyota Prius, around half the company car tax compared with my colleagues’ BMW 3 Series – and the plug-in Prius is almost halved again. It’s a no brainer, isn’t it!

Stewart Dalton, Supply Chain & Strategic Procurement Manager, URS replied… We have seen four Outlander PHEV’s come into our fleet in the last two months as it is certainly a big saving on the BiK. However, it’s worth doing the calculations on the fuel costs if the intended use is regular, long motorway journeys.

John Cameron, General Manager, Trimble Field Service Management (FSM) John is responsible for worldwide operations and development at FSM. Prior to joining FSM, he was general manager of Trimble’s Spectra Precision Division and before that general manager of Pacific Crest Corp., a company he co-founded and was acquired by Trimble in 2005. John holds a bachelor’s degree with highest honors in Mechanical Engineering from UC-Berkeley and a master’s degree from Stanford University.

Andrew Houston, Head of ICT & Fleet, Altro Limited Andrew worked in manufacturing supply chair roles in planning, purchasing, warehousing and transport for 25 years before moving on to business transformation project management and then into IT and fleet, a role he now holds in the Altro Group of companies. Aside from a lifelong passion for all things automotive, and a dally into motorsport in his early years, Andrew retains a keen interest in motoring and all that it encompasses.

Jos Dings, Director, Transport & Environment Dutchman Jos has been heading T&E since 2004, overseeing significant growth in size and impact of the environmental organisation. He previously worked as head of the transport division at CE Delft, a respected environmental policy consultancy in the Netherlands. He holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from Delft University, but likes economics a lot more. He puts sustainable transport into practice by regularly making his 2x30km commute by bike.

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FEATURE Conversions

Market converted A year after the adoption of EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval, Dan Gilkes looks at changes in the body builder and converter market.

here are very few fleets that simply take a standard van from a dealer without some form of conversion or tailoring of the vehicle to meet the needs of their operation. Indeed it’s probably fair to say that there isn’t such a thing as a standard van, given that manufacturers offer literally thousands of engine, body, weight, roof height and load volume combinations for their larger LCVs. That’s just panel vans too, where around 50% have some form of additional work, from a tow bar or roof rack to more complex conversions. Opt for a chassis cab, with a stand alone body and the choices can be baffling. Get it right and you have a vehicle that is dedicated to your individual operation, making it easier for drivers and operatives to work and providing the most cost-effective transport solution. Get it wrong and you may end up with a compromised vehicle, that doesn’t properly suit any of the tasks that you need it to complete. The implementation last year of European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA), also known as EC Directive 2007/46/EC, should in some ways have made things easier for fleet buyers. However, with more than 380 pages, 21 Annexes and 14 amending regulations, it covered a wide range of vehicles and called upon bodybuilders to comply with up to 60 different directives. Red tape and testing stations that had little understanding of the legislation, made life increasingly difficult for converters. Yet by ensuring that bodybuilders comply with the directive, ECWVTA should provide peace of mind for fleet managers, ensuring that all conversions meet minimum safety and legislative standards.

we’re also being asked to broaden the range of manufacturer-approved products, as fleets like the backing of manufacturer liability.’ The latest addition to Ford’s One Stop Shop line is a Luton body, supplied by Ingimex. Unbelievably this is Ford’s first manufacturer-backed Luton conversion for Transit and its expected to prove a popular option, particularly with rental fleets. Citroën is taking this a step further, investing more than £2.3 million to build up its specialist-bodied LCV stock, to reduce lead times for SME fleet customers. The firm is building 100 vehicles, based on the new Relay chassis, to boost stock across its Citroën Business Centre network. ‘To maintain the momentum of the successful new Relay launch, we are now putting increased emphasis on new Relay specialist models and Ready-To-Run conversions, which are increasingly in demand from our growing SME customer base,’ says Jeremy Smith, Citroën’s head of commercial vehicles and business sector operations. ‘Whether it’s a new Relay specialist model or a ReadyTo-Run conversions, the same high quality converters are used in every case to provide the most efficient and productive ready-bodied vehicle to suit a wide variety of transport operations.’ The additional 100 vehicles will include 40 new Relay 35 L2 tippers with Tipmaster bodies, 30 Relay 35 L3 Ingimexbodied dropsides and 30 Buckstone Luton-bodied Relays, based on the L3 chassis. Volkswagen has also called upon Ingimex to supply a

Off the shelf Certainly the legislation has pushed more buyers towards ready-bodied conversions, available through manufacturer certified schemes such as Citroën’s Ready To Run and Volkswagen’s Engineered To Go programmes. Guaranteed conformity and a single-point warranty are understandably attractive to many fleet managers. ‘Things have certainly changed, with many big corporate fleets insisting that all their vehicles meet ECWVTA,’ says Dave Petts, Ford’s UK Transit product manager. ‘Our One Stop Shop range has become more popular, but ‘Over the last 12 month period there has been a large increase in the number of options requested by the dealers, such as cranes and tail lifts.’ Ashley Morris, sales and marketing manager, VFS.

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A one-stop approach for vehicle conversions For many fleets, managing the vehicle conversion process can be costly and time-consuming process that detracts from their main business. Forming part of its comprehensive fleet product and services portfolio, ARI can offer a supply chain management service that takes care of the whole process.

ogistics and fleet management may not be the most exhilarating parts of a business, but as the backbone of UK plc, these sectors play a vital role in keeping firms profitable. In fact, a well-planned and executed logistics operation can mean the difference between a competitive product and a failing one. And as consumer demands ever increase, so do the requirements placed on the logistics industry, with ever more diverse solutions required – and that includes vehicle conversions. It will be no surprise to many fleet managers that some 25% of new 3,500kg gross vehicle weight (GVW) light CVs are not panel vans but conversions, involving a separate body built on a chassis cab, double cab or platform cab variant. The most popular types comprise dropside, box bodies and tippers but fridge conversions are a common sight too, either with a separate insulated body built on a chassis cab, as used by supermarkets for home delivery fleets, or insulated conversions of panel vans. As with any product that’s not offered ‘off the shelf’, careful planning is required to ensure that commercial fleet modifications meet the individual firm’s bespoke logistic objectives. To compound the issue, the European Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) legislation is now fully effective and will affect every fleet manager who takes delivery of a new light CV conversion. Although a streamlined Type Approval process has been recently launched by the Department for Transport (DfT) in partnership with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the process still requires careful management to keep the costs and red tape involved to a minimum and ensure vehicles are on the road as soon as possible.

This is where ARI Fleet UK can play a key role... As part of the largest privately held fleet management company in the world, ARI has over 65 years in the fleet management industry – including over 25 in the UK. Working closely with customers to solve complex problems with fleet vehicles, ARI combines business insight and optimal lifecycle analysis, best-inclass services and high-powered technology to drive vehicle fleet efficiency up and costs down, ensuring you drive the optimal utilisation from your fleet. This includes supply chain management, where ARI can bring its ‘one stop shop’ approach to ensure that fleets are provided with a cost-effective and practical solution that’s tailored to individual customer needs and takes control of the whole process – leaving the customer to focus on its core business. Under its bespoke service, ARI will track dozens of vehicle production and upfitting events from order through to delivery. The firm’s staff of truck and equipment delivery specialists will proactively obtain status from all companies involved in the supply chain, including component suppliers. ARI has a complete team of specialists currently in operation for our clients that track a vehicle from order to delivery, including the time at the body company. To ensure customers are kept up to date at all times, ARI will capture the arrived, estimated start date, estimated completion date, actual completion date, shipped date and invoiced date. We proactively identify any potential disruptions to the supply chain. And in the event of any disruptions, ARI personnel will respond immediately, cascading necessary changes down the supply chain to minimise the impact of these events. To add to its unique approach, ARI has now rolled out a pioneering fleet management system, ARI insights®, which gives fleet managers access to vital information at the touch of a button. In addition, the cutting-edge technology will provide your fleet personnel with continual status updates for all vehicles throughout the supply chain. For our fleet customers, this ensures full visibility of the supply process, ensuring operators remain in control of vehicle modifications without being burdened by the time and effort involved.

If you are interested in finding out how ARI can assist you, please contact us at 0844 8000 700 and speak to the sales team, or visit www.arifleet.co.uk

FEATURE Conversions

Luton body for its Crafter range and this 17m3 body can now be had as part of the firm’s Engineered To Go line. The Luton body uses GRP sides and bulkhead with a powder-coated bolted frame. The bodies are built to accept a tail-lift if required and come as standard with a four-tier load restraint system, a high strength shutter door and a rear step. ‘We have teamed up with one of the best conversion specialists to design our Luton Crafter,’ says Andrew Waite, head of sales for Volkswagen CV. ‘Our Engineered To Go range continues to provide a collection of conversions that offer an off-the-shelf solution for operators, regardless of their specific needs.’

Bodybuilders converted Leading bodybuilders like Ingimex have taken the decision to achieve ECWVTA across many leading van brands. However, Type Approval doesn’t just cover the base body conversion, also included are many popular options such as toolboxes, foot steps, grab rails and more complex modifications such as tail lifts. This allows customers to order the body and options that they require direct from Ingimex, rather than having to deal with a range of options fitted elsewhere post-registration. ‘Achieving European Whole Vehicle Type Approval means we can still provide our customers with our full range of vans, dropsides and tippers with no implications to price or delivery,’ says managing director Justin Gallen. ‘Being able to offer uniformity of supply to our customers is of great importance to Ingimex.’ Southampton body builder VFS is a major provider to

Ford’s One Stop Shop scheme, as well as producing bodies and conversions for Vauxhall, Peugeot and most recently Fiat Professional. Both Ford and Fiat are offering the firm’s latest high-strength steel tipper body, that is said to save up to 100kg compared to the previous version. ‘Prior to WVTA 70% of the vehicles that we worked on were Fords but we’ve seen a large increase in Fiats and Vauxhalls,’ says sales and marketing manager Ashley Morris. What has also been noticeable is the extent of the conversion work being carried out, with customers looking for a wider spread of options and body conversions as part of manufacturer and dealer-backed offers. ‘Over the last 12 month period there has been a large increase in the number of options requested by the dealers, such as cranes and tail lifts,’ says Mr Morris. ‘We are seeing a lot of requests for other options to be offered.’ While this might sound like additional complication for buyers and fleet managers, he says the company has in fact simplified the process, particularly for leasing companies. ‘For leasing companies such as Lex, we’ve built a matrix of options and pricing, that allows the leasing company to tell the dealer what they want from VFS, such as tail lifts and cage bodies. Our body warranties then match exactly what the manufacturer is offering,’ says Mr Morris.

Sitting comfortably Type Approval doesn’t just effect complete body installations. Adding a second row of seats and windows, roof racks, towbars and even lighting changes have to meet the regulatory standards.

‘Citroën is investing more than £2.3 million to build up its specialistbodied LCV stock.’

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Clarks Vehicle Conversions specialises in welfare and crewcarrying vehicle conversions and the company has achieved National Small Series Whole Vehicle Type Approval across a number of base vehicles, offering six- and seven-seat conversions on Transit, Movano, Ducato and Sprinter. ‘Larger companies who have a zero harm policy, like Balfour Beatty and Network Rail, already had a policy about Type Approval,’ says commercial manager David Healy. ‘They are able to afford the additional outlay, but we do still see smaller companies who don’t see the value of the work. But Type Approval sets an industry benchmark.’ The latest addition to Clarks’ offering is a seven-seat welfare conversion for the new 2-tonne Transit, launched earlier this year. The company has been able to use composite materials to make the conversion up to 25% lighter than a traditional welfare cab with ply wood carcasses and table. This constant search for weight reduction has also seen the company introduce a lightweight racking system from Italian firm Gentilli. Gentilli racking is fully crashtested and customers can choose between traditional steel frame or a new light weight aluminium Infinity range, which can be up to 30% lighter. Clarks also has a new wet-room finish that can be jet-washed

The reasons for choosing Clarks soon rack up

or hosed down, making it easier for customers to clean the welfare area. As with all of the firm’s conversions, Clarks matches the warranty supplied by the vehicle manufacturer.

Fleet benefits While ECWVTA has been causing sleepless nights for converters and body builders, Type Approval is making life easier for leasing companies, such as GE Capital Fleet Services. Indeed the company says that it can actually lead to savings for customers in terms of whole life costs. ‘ECWVTA means that better quality racking, lights, tow bars and other equipment is being fitted to greater numbers of new vans. Certainly, most of the fleets with which we work are spending more time and money in this area,’ says UK fleet LCV leader Simon Cook. ‘In most instances, these investments will largely pay off in the longer term, with the high quality of the equipment likely to see “second lives” in replacement vehicles. They could even be used three times in some instances. ‘For some fleets, we are even building the cost to transfer racking from one van to another into our standard lease arrangement, with the added benefit of minimising downtime at the point when they swap over to new vehicles.’

At Clarks we put nearly 30 years of experience into making our vehicle conversions fit-for-purpose and cost effective. But that’s not all. Our convenient end-to-end service handles everything from design to delivery, whatever the size and make-up of your fleet. And for your peace of mind, we meet high safety standards and offer nationwide aftersales care. Take a 3D tour of a racking vehicle at van-conversion.co.uk Or to find out more, contact us: 0845 319 2787 - sales@cvcltd.co.uk

WELFARE • RACKING • SEATS • LINING • ACCESSORIES

MARKET OVERVIEW Fuel Management

VAN Do you charge a card fee?

Do you oﬀer a non-pump price agreement?

Can your system accept data from own-pump transactions?

Do you oﬀer a fuel bunkering facility?

Can customers pay for alternative fuels, such as natural gas or electric using your cards?

FLEETW RLD

Not * always

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

Is your card single branded or multi-branded?

Do you provide management reporting?

Do you oﬀer account and database management via the Internet

Does your card oﬀer pan-European coverage?

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

Do you oﬀer rebates to major ﬂeet customers?

What types of vehicles does your cards cover?

Do you oﬀer a chip and pin security system?

Key to services

8.45k

Multi

All

The Fuelcard People

7k+

Both

All

euroShell Fuel Card

3.5k

Both

All

Service provided

Service unavailable

Barclaycard and The Miles Consultancy

* Card dependent

The Fuelcard People

Barclaycard and The Miles Consultancy TMC and Barclaycard provide a total fuel solution via Barclaycard Fuel+ in Association with TMC. The exciting new Fuel+ card gives you the power of integrated audited mileage capture with the ability to purchase fuel at nearly 99% of UK ﬁlling stations, including all supermarkets. It’s the single, powerful, secure solution for consolidated corporate vehicle fuel purchasing and mileage expense management. There are NO transaction charges (although card fees may apply) and you will love our customer service. Winner of the 2014 Fleet World Honours Best Fleet Service Award, Fuel+ oﬀers multiple opportunities to control fuel and mileage expenses. Contact: Giovanni Abbate reply@themilesconsultancy.co.uk www.tmcuk.co.uk/products/fuelcard

Tel: 01270 525218 Contact: Steve Gale info@thefuelcardpeople.co.uk www.thefuelcardpeople.co.uk

euroShell Fuel Card With over 50 years of fuel card expertise, the euroShell card can give you greater control, convenience and security to overall save fleet managers money! The euroShell card is accepted at an extensive 3,500 stations across the UK which includes Shell, Esso, Texaco and Total sites. The euroShell card information management system enables fleet managers to have: • control amongst their whole fleet • access to secure online invoicing • simple card management (with options to select card PINs) • generate bespoke smart alerts... and more! Please give us a call on the 0800 915 6021 to ﬁnd out how easy it is to become a euroShell card customer and start saving now! Tel: 0800 915 6021 info@euroshellcard.co.uk

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Nothing beats dealing with real people: The Fuelcard People, bringing you major fuel cost savings, huge paperwork and admin savings, always saving you from fraud worries. Plus: CO2Count, for help to count, control and cut your carbon footprint. And: MileageCount, from help with HMRC mileages to total fleet management. Plus: the Green Journey, for powerful help to meet your sustainability challenges. All built on real personal service from your named account manager, ensuring the best possible fuel card deal for your specific needs – right fuels, networks, locations – chosen from EVERY major brand: BP, Esso, Shell, Texaco, Gulf, Pace, Emo, Jet, Murco, Morrisons, Tesco, Co-Op, Diesel Direct, UK Fuels and more. Simply unbeatable.

www.euroshell.co.uk

Tel: 0844 870 9856

VAN SUPPLIER DIRECTORY FLEETW RLD daily rental

contract hire, leasing & finance

racking systems

tail lifts

fleet management software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Penny Hydraulics Tel: 01246 811475 www.pennyhydraulics.com

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

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

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

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

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

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

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

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

telematics & tracking

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

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

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

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

Trakm8 Tel: 01747 858 444 www.trakm8.com

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

fast-fits & tyres

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

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

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

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

UKVANLEASING

Tel: 01708 511071 www.ukvanleasing.co.uk

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

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

Teletrac, a Trafficmaster company Tel: 0870 604 8813 www.teletrac.co.uk

ATS Euromaster Tel: 0870 066 3624 www.atseuromaster.co.uk

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

risk management fuel management

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

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

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

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

Roadmarque Tel: 0845 053 0331 www.roadmarque.com

Lex Autolease

Full listings online at

fleetworld.co.uk

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

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

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

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

vehicle ventilation

accident management

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

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

VAN FLEETW RLD SUPPLIER DIRECTORY For more information, please contact Tracy Howell on 01727 739160 or email tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk vanfleetworld.co.uk / 99

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