Go Electric 2018 by Fleet World Group

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( GO ELECTRIC 18 ) FOR HYBRID, PLUG-IN AND FUEL-CELL FLEETS

TAKE CHARGE

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR AWARD-WINNING RANGE OF HYBRIDS, CALL THE VOLVO CAR BUSINESS CENTRE ON 0345 600 4027 OR VISIT VOLVOCARS.CO.UK/BUSINESS

Official fuel consumption for the Volvo T8 Twin Engine range in MPG (l/100km): Urban N/A, Extra Urban N/A, Combined 134.5 (2.1) – 141.2 (2.0). CO2 emissions 49 – 46g/km. MPG figures are obtained from laboratory testing intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not reflect real driving results.

ADD ELECTRICITY. THE MINI COUNTRYMAN PLUG-IN HYBRID. To ﬁnd out more, visit mini.co.uk/business

MINI Fleet & Business Sales Ofﬁcial Fuel Economy Figures for the MINI Countryman range: Urban 30.1-58.9 mpg (9.4-4.8 l/100km). Extra Urban 45.6-68.9 mpg (6.2-4.1 l/100km). Combined 38.2-122.8 mpg (7.4-2.3 l/100km). CO2 emissions 49-169 g/km. *Figures are obtained in a standardised test cycle using a combination of battery power and petrol fuel after the battery had been fully charged. They are intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not be representative of what a user achieves under usual driving conditions. The MINI Cooper S E ALL4 Countryman is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that requires mains electricity for charging. †Charging time varies between a minimum of two hours and a maximum of eight hours, depending on the provided voltage and battery levels.

GO ELECTRIC 18 ALEX GRANT EDITOR

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

ere’s a sign of the times; Nissan is beginning this year with the launch of a second-generation Leaf, evolving what’s arguably become the household name for electric vehicles since the original debuted in Europe in 2011. It’s hard to take in the transformation of the market that’s happened in the meantime. This has changed remarkably quickly: rising awareness of air quality among consumers, increased demonisation of the ﬂeet-default diesel engine, and rapidly improving battery technology bolstered by ever-growing charging infrastructure. And it’s not just fully electric cars that have benefited. Full hybrids are soaring – and an even easier product to adopt on ﬂeet – while hydrogen fuel cell has become a showroom-ready reality in the same period. Are we at a tipping point? We’ll see. But certainly the appeal of what had been an alternative, niche technology is accelerating, and there’s a new world of terminology and considerations for fleets to get their heads around. Electric once looked like the future – but for many businesses, it’s now the present.

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( GO ELECTRIC 18 ) FOR HYBRID, PLUG-IN AND FUEL-CELL FLEETS

TAKE CHARGE

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR AWARD-WINNING RANGE OF HYBRIDS, CALL THE VOLVO CAR BUSINESS CENTRE ON 0345 600 4027 OR VISIT VOLVOCARS.CO.UK/BUSINESS

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

INSIDE

04-06 Road to 2040: The end for internal combustion engines?

19-21 Case Study: Why Heathrow’s ﬂeet is switching to EV.

26-28 Electric Vans: Why electric LCVs are taking off.

10-14 Work Place Charging: Solving the issues around charging at work.

30-31 Case Study: ALD Automotive puts tests plug-in hybrids.

16-18

32-33

Myth Busting: Debunking five common EV myths.

Case Study: Shell enters the EV charging game.

19-21

E-Bikes: The rise and rise of the e-Bikes.

Case Study: Leeds City Council goes electric.

( ROAD TO 2040 )

WHERE NEXT?

AIR QUALITY PLANS ARE ALREADY PUTTING PETROL AND DIESEL VEHICLES IN THE GOVERNMENT’S CROSSHAIR – BUT THE MOVE TO ALL-ELECTRIFIED NEW CAR SALES IN 2040 MIGHT NOT BE AS AMBITIOUS AS IT SOUNDS, EXPLAINS JONATHAN MUSK.

hen Michael Gove announced the plan to “ban the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles” in Britain by 2040, much of his statement was met with confusion and panic across the automotive industry. However, petrol and diesel wasn’t being banned at all, rather that unassisted petrol and diesel would be. The end of fossil fuel? Not entirely.

Jaguar demonstrated its 2040 vision with the electric and autonomous Future-Type.

A LAST HURRAH FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION Petrol and diesel will still be with us in 2040, but they might be a little different to what’s on the road today. New technologies aim to keep the humble combustion engine relevant, such as Mazda’s SkyActiv-G and Inﬁniti’s VC-Turbo. Mazda’s new petrol engine technology uses a high compression ratio, similar to a diesel engine, which the company says can provide

efficiency and torque gains of 15%. Similarly, Infiniti’s VC-Turbo is the world’s first mass production variable compression ratio engine, resulting in increased torque and efficiency that the company says is comparable to a diesel and will first appear on the market this year. In addition, BMW and Volkswagen Group have both said they will use selective catalytic reduction (SCR) across the range in the near future. However, despite efficiency improvements

Volvo has conﬁrmed it won’t develop a next-gen diesel ...but all new models will have some electric drive from 2019.

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some believe the end is high for internal combustion engines. Volvo’s Powertrain Engineer, Lutz Stiegler conﬁrmed last year that the Swedish company has no plans to develop a next generation diesel engine and that “it’s a waste of money investing in new engine technology today”. Nonetheless, any advancement to internal combustion will of course beneﬁt hybrids, plug-in hybrids and extended range electric vehicles.

( ROAD TO 2040 )

HYBRIDS

Now in its 4th generation, Toyota ﬁrst introduced the hybrid Prius in 1997.

For many, hybrids represent the first real world experience of an electrified vehicle; these use electric motors to reduce the load on the combustion engine, cutting fuel consumption – now in line with an equivalent diesel. The Toyota Prius has become a household name and last year, hybrids accounted for 45.0% of Toyota and 98.8% of Lexus volumes in the UK. Due to low demand, Toyota UK is dropping the diesel Auris in favour of the hybrid, while Honda has similar plans for the forthcoming CR-V. With the UK Government’s decision to increase diesel Beneﬁt-in-Kind and clarifying that from 2040 all vehicles must offer zero emission range ability, which includes hybrids, it’s likely that their convenience will appeal to drivers used to a fossil fuel infrastructure. They may not offer the on-paper credentials of a plug-in hybrid, or benefit from the same level of current incentives, but today hybrids might just offer the most easily-adopted path to electrification.

“LAST YEAR, HYBRIDS ACCOUNTED FOR 45.0% OF TOYOTA AND 98.8% OF LEXUS VOLUMES IN THE UK.”

BMW is working with American company Solid Power to develop the nextgeneration of lithium batteries.

“THE UK MARKET SHARE FOR ELECTRIFIED VEHICLES ROSE BY 26.8% TO 1.7% BETWEEN CY2016-17. ” ELECTRIC CARS Expect cars to become increasingly electrified, autonomous and flexible in ownership over the next two decades. Billions are being ploughed into each of these technologies and, from a technical standpoint, it’s perfectly feasible that they’ll be familiar on fleets by 2040. The UK market share for electrified vehicles (xEV) rose

by 26.8% to 1.7% between CY2016-17, but with a global governmental agenda pushing for cleaner air and a reduction in reliance on fossil fuels, interest has reached fever pitch, which ultimately helps sales. Companies including Tesla are seen as leading the way and others, like Mini and Jaguar are keen to catch up. Early adopters – particularly Nissan,

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Renault, Tesla and BMW are already facing broader competition. Volkswagen sees its forthcoming I.D. electric hatchback being as significant as the original Beetle, while Volvo said it will fit at least ‘mild hybrid’ technology to every new launch from 2019. Even Toyota, currently the world’s largest carmaker that has until now concentrated on non-plug-in hybrid technology, announced it expects 50% of global sales to be electrified by 2030: accounting for 5.5m vehicles, including 1m battery and fuel cell, as well as 4.5m plug-in hybrid. Partnerships between Toyota and Panasonic, as well as BMW and Solid Power each announced they are working to produce next generation solid-state lithium-ion batteries. Key amongst the benefits to electric cars include increased driving range and a longer shelf life. Solid-state is not expected to be market ready until around 2030, according to Toyota, but by 2040 could be the battery of choice. It is therefore highly likely that in 2040 xEVs will have a majority market share. While barriers to adoption remain: batteries may prove difficult to source en mass for carmakers and there are current infrastructure limitations that must be addressed, but these should be things of the past by that point.

( ROAD TO 2040 ) Renault’s Symbioz concept is capable of level 4 “mind-off” autonomy.

“BY 2040, IT IS PROBABLE THAT AT LEAST LEVEL 4 VEHICLES (HANDS OFF, EYES OFF) WILL BE ON THE ROAD. ” AUTONOMOUS CARS Headline-grabbing driverless cars are touted to be the next big thing. However, driverless cars are, perhaps, less relevant than autonomous technology, which is already making its way into today’s cars. Some carmakers, including Ford, are aiming to go straight to level 4, which will likely include motorway driving with no human input necessary. French company Navya is pushing ahead with a fully level 5 driverless taxi

INFRASTRUCTURE Playing a huge role in the uptake of the above technologies will be infrastructure, in particular electric vehicle charging. In the UK, we already benefit from rapid charge networks provided by Chargemaster and Ecotricity, with forecourt charging appearing thanks to the likes of Shell and InstaVolt. In Europe, similar rapid charge networks connect towns and cities, while slow charging has become the reserve for homes and businesses thanks to providers like Ensto. The roll-out of large capacity battery cars will only be as good as the infrastructure that supports them. Tesla’s Supercharger network leads the way and others are keen to follow, for example, BMW, Daimler, Ford and the Volkswagen Group have formed a consortium to create the 350kW Ionity network, which is seven times faster than current rapid chargers and enables high-speed recharging of longrange cars like the forthcoming Volkswagen I.D. range, Porsche Mission-E and many more. By 2040, therefore, Europe should have the infrastructure to support large scale recharging of electric vehicles and it will likely become

as soon as summer this year, building on the company’s know-how learnt from its autonomous level 4 shuttle bus. It’s no mistake or coincidence that these vehicles are electric, as autonomous technology requires enormous and intensive amounts of energy to run all the necessary sensors and computers. The prospect of autonomous driving does offer certain unique beneﬁts to electric adoption, such as the possibility to have a car parked and

Ionity 350kW rapid charge network is being led by carmakers to encourage EV uptake.

a common sight over the next decade to see people plugging in. Whether that is replaced by wireless charging is debatable. Fundamentally, wireless charging is less efficient than a direct connection, although Qualcomm’s Halo engineers believe they’ve come up with a happy compromise that could be rolled out across road networks, enabling charging on the move rather than needing to stop. However, though these dreams could become reality with the right framework and legislation, they’re unlikely to do so due to a lack of clarity as to who would provide the energy and how it would be paid for.

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charging elsewhere than your home, as it can be summoned on demand, reducing the need for off-street parking. By 2040, it is probable that at least level 4 vehicles (hands off, eyes off) will be on the road. There is, however, a fairly enormous societal and governmental pinch of salt to throw in the mix. Legislation will likely guide autonomous vehicles either onto the road or into a ditch and similarly, it is up to society whether to accept or reject them.

HYDROGEN A special mention is necessary for hydrogen, as it was once the darling of the motor industry, offering virtually no change to consumers’ current and accepted lifestyles; with five-minute fills at the pump and similar fuel costs. Despite Toyota, Honda and Hyundai all pursuing hydrogen vehicles the uptake has been far smaller than that of electric vehicles and similar infrastructure problems are present. If fast charging takes off and works as expected, it’s possible hydrogen will miss the boat and could, sadly, be resigned to the history books. Toyota’s Mirai takes just five10 minutes to fill up and has a range of around 300 miles.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

RAISING THE BAR WITH A LONGER RANGE, CUTTING-EDGE ASSISTANCE TECHNOLOGY AND A NEW SENSE OF STYLE, THE NEW NISSAN LEAF MAKES ELECTRIC MOBILITY EVEN MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR BUSINESSES. WE GOT BEHIND THE WHEEL TO FIND OUT MORE. #SIMPLYAMAZING

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE SINCE its 2011 launch in Europe, the UK-built Nissan LEAF has blazed a trail for electric mobility. Providing the space and flexibility of a family hatchback, with a useful electric range and fast recharging times, it redefined customer expectations and set the standard for rivals. Talents reflected not only by its 85,000 European customers, but by their high satisfaction ratings and strong retention too. This year, the LEAF will aim to re-set those expectations once again. Developed from seven years of real-world private and business customers, the second-generation car takes the best attributes of its predecessor, adds cutting edge new technology, and packages it into an athletic, assertive, stylish new design. The world’s best-selling electric vehicle has never been in better shape.

HIGHLIGHTS Unparalleled seven-year experience with the UK’s electric fleets.

50% increase in range between charges, to 235 miles (NEDC).

Up to £1,500 lower like-for-like pricing than the old car.

Nissan Intelligent Mobility features, including ProPILOT, ProPILOT Park and e-Pedal for easier business travel. The only electric car to be built in Britain.

BETTER TO DRIVE This isn’t just a visual overhaul. With a performance boost, from 108bhp to 148bhp, the LEAF exudes confidence while overtaking or accelerating to motorway speeds, while the lowmounted battery and revised chassis setup result in sure-footed handling and a responsive drive. Yet it’s also remarkably refined, lacking both the noise and vibration of a combustion engine, while offering similar comfort to driving with an automatic gearbox. Of course, it needn’t be confined to urban routes. The LEAF’s larger-capacity battery offers a range of 235 miles (NEDC), in turn making this suitable for an even wider selection of businesses and drivers. For longer routes, that can be extended using an extensive network of 5,000 rapid chargers across Europe, replenishing 80% of the range in up to 40-60 minutes. Charging on a dedicated unit takes eight hours, meaning it’s always ready to go in the morning, or after a day at the office, and the ports are angled upwards for easier access.

DRIVER-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY The LEAF is an icon of Nissan Intelligent Mobility; it can transform business travel. Pioneering features include e-Pedal, which reduces fatigue in urban driving by enabling 90% of a typical route to be driven using one pedal. Nissan’s ProPILOT system also makes its debut in the new car, reducing fatigue by maintaining its position within a lane, and keeping a distance from other traffic, even down to a complete stop. ProPILOT Park, meanwhile, uses ultrasonic sensors and the surround cameras to ﬁnd a suitable horizontal or perpendicular space, and swiftly manoeuvre into it without the driver touching the pedals or steering wheel.

TO BOOK A DEMO OR HAVE AN EV HEALTH CHECK CALL 0800 294 0579 OR EMAIL SALES@NISSANCORPORATE.CO.UK

“THE TRAILBLAZER FOR ELECTRIC MOBILITY HAS NEVER BEEN IN BETTER SHAPE.”

BUILT FOR BUSINESS Nissan has unmatched expertise in electric fleets, based on seven years of real-world experience, and the LEAF makes great business sense. Fuel costs of 2p per mile (compared to 9p for an equivalent diesel car) and help cut running costs, while 0g/km CO2 emissions result in zero vehicle excise duty, Benefit-in-Kind liability of 9%, low Class 1A National Insurance Contributions and exemption from the London Congestion Charge. With a price reduction of £1,500 compared to its predecessor, and a residual value uplift between generations, it’s become even more cost-effective to run. Factor in a five-year, 60,000-mile warranty on the drivetrain, and eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty on the battery, and it’s a futureproof choice for a changing fleet landscape. The trailblazer for electric mobility has never been in better shape.

EASIER TO LIVE WITH Engineered from the ground up as an electric vehicle, there are no packaging compromises to accommodate the battery. This means the LEAF offers space for five adults and, at 420 litres, one of the largest boot capacities in its class. Vital controls and information displays are grouped intuitively around the driver, including a revised Nissan Connect EV system, with navigation overlaying remaining range and nearby charging points, while Android Auto and Apple CarPlay bring familiar apps to the touchscreen. Yet it’s flexibility that also goes beyond the conventional, including remote status checks and control of charging and cabin pre-heating via a smartphone app. The LEAF can also function as a mobile energy storage unit; its unique bi-directional charging technology enables it to provide energy back to the grid during peak demand, with funding available for fleets to install suitable infrastructure.

( WORKPLACE CHARGING )

EV CHARGING GOES TO WORK AS THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE REVOLUTION SPARKS SPA P RKS INTO T LIFE LIFE, ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS FOR FLEET USERS IS WHERE TO CHARGE THEM. THE OBVIOUS ANSWER IS THE WORKPLACE, BUT IS IT THAT STRAIGHTFORWARD? BY CRAIG THOMAS.

efra’s loosely-worded announcement about banning the sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2040, against a backdrop of growing concern around air quality, has accelerated the interest in alternative fuels over the last year. The need for an alternative to fossil fuel-powered cars is pretty much a given, but what we replace them with, and how we navigate the change, is throwing up quantum theory levels of potential scenarios. While hydrogen fuel cells might be a (much) longer-term solution, the

focus is more on plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs). Sales of these are increasing year-on-year – the ﬁgures from the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) for 2017 show that just under 120,000 alternatively fuelled vehicles were sold in the UK, a 34.8% increase on 2016 – but there’s still a long way to go. A Confused.com survey from September 2017 suggested that 79% of drivers are not convinced about buying an electric car as their next vehicle. One of the biggest barriers is the lack of a reli-

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able charging infrastructure, with 60% of the 2,000 Confused.com respondents saying that there are not enough places to charge their car in their local area. As ﬂeet users are responsible for over two-thirds of PHEV and EV sales/leases, this lack of charging options is an even more pressing concern. However, there is a solution, in the form of workplace charging, with numerous suppliers ready and willing to install the infrastructure that will make the use of PHEVs and EVs a practical proposition for ﬂeet operations.

( WORKPLACE CHARGING )

UNDERSTANDING THE TECHNOLOGY David Martell, CEO of Chargemaster says there are several options open to companies wanting to install their own charging infrastructure. “There are three groups of chargepoints at the moment. There are slow or standard chargers, which are more legacy units now and are 16A 3kW chargers: they offer about 50% more than you’ll get out of a domestic three-pin socket. They can work well for long-stay applications, such as employee car parks where a car is parked for eight hours during the day. “We then have what the industry calls fast chargers: their power ratings go from 7kW 32A right up to 22kW. These constitute the vast majority of chargepoints in the UK – about 70%. Then at the top are rapid chargers, which are

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( WORKPLACE CHARGING )

rated at 50kW DC, or 43kW AC, or more. Most universal rapid chargers that can charge any electric car have those ratings. “We’re working on higher-power rapid charging technology as well, which is 150kW DC, something that the market may demand in the near future.” Companies looking to install chargers need to consider a number of criteria before taking the plunge. James O’Neill from Ensto Chago tells us how they go about supplying chargepoints. “Invariably we need to ﬁnd out what the basic requirements are of the site and what is available, charge-wise or supply-wise, to fuel the chargers. That’s probably the most fundamental point to understand. Companies then need to understand whether they’re looking at growing the number of chargers they have in the future and what kind of control aspects they want. “From there we’d identify the kind of charging requirements of the site and also whether they want to go for an upfront cost model, where they pay the installation fee and then for the hardware and service agreements for the chargepoints, or whether they want to go more along the lease model, where they pay for the installation and then lease the hardware. That means that after three or ﬁve years, they can upgrade to the latest technology when that comes available.”

A BESPOKE SOLUTION One of the other requirements that a ﬂeet manager has to consider before installing chargepoints is the kind of vehicles that the ﬂeet will be using. As Alex Earl, UK country manager for Alfen, says: “Not all cars are born equal, so you might have a Tesla or a Renault Zoe, for example, which could potentially charge up to 22kW, or you

might just be looking to facilitate plug-in hybrids, in which case you’re looking at 3.7kW.” The estate agent’s mantra of ‘location, location, location’ is also important when deciding where to site a chargepoint. Earl adds: “A ﬂeet manager might want to have the charger near the front door for example, because it’s good for CSR reputation to have them placed there.

Not all plug-in vehicles can charge at the fastest speeds - suitable infrastructure takes careful planning

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“But the other consideration of location is where the distribution board is, so where can you limit the cost most by installing the chargers. There’s often a conflict where you’d like to have them for least-cost reasons. Then there are the installation considerations, in terms of how the cable’s run, what that looks like (whether you can clip it along a wall, perhaps), or whether there’s a dig – hard dig, soft dig – those kind of things.” Whether or not to invest in a charging unit that enables fleet managers to monitor how and when drivers charge is another decision that businesses must make before taking the plunge. Martell outlined the options currently available, saying: “There’s a lot of non-communicating, plug-and-play chargers being fitted, where there’s no RFID access, no traceability of usage. Some workplaces are taking the approach that they just want to get people charging and aren’t overly concerned about electricity costs at this point. The Government has also confirmed that there’s no fuel BiK for employees charging at work, so businesses don’t necessarily have to install a chargepoint where they can trace the usage. Most, in our experience are doing that, though, in order to futureproof for scenarios where lots of people plug in.”

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( WORKPLACE CHARGING )

LOOKING AHEAD Futureproofing is arguably the key word for any fleet looking to embark on EV adoption, with improvements to battery capacity – and, as a result, range and charging times – shifting the goalposts on a regular basis over the next decade (and beyond). This means that companies will need to have one eye on future capabilities when installing chargepoints. “The answer, if you want to future proof, is to get 22kW chargers, the fastest AC charger that you can have, which supports both three-phase charging and charging up to 32 amps,” Earl suggests. “The majority of full electric vehicles will certainly charge at 32 amps, so that’s 7kW. And if they’re three-phase as well, that’s 22kW. So by having a 22kW charger you facilitate charging of all vehicles, whatever comes in the future and whatever’s out there now.” But charging behaviour will also evolve, with EV drivers not relying on one solution, as O’Neill points out: “If the battery levels increase, you’re going to end up in even more of a situation where charging will be opportunistic. Most fleet drivers will charge overnight at home and, if they’re going into the office, charge there too. If they’re going to a meeting, they’ll probably charge at a car park for the company they’re going to meet with. So, they’ll always be plugging in. That topping-up mentality is what we’ll see more of.” The public charging infrastructure – which is far from perfect at the moment, but which should improve as EVs become more commonplace – could also be corralled into use for this topping up. Chargemaster, for example, already has a Polar Corporate scheme that utilises public chargepoints. Companies can open an account for their fleet users and issue staff with RFID cards – in much the same way as they’d issue

fuel cards – and monitor their usage. The other concept being mooted at the moment is vehicle-to-grid (V2G), or two-way, charging, which will see electricity flowing not just from the chargepoint to the car, but also the other way, when the grid needs more power to deal with surges in demand. However, we might be putting the electric cart before the EV horse here, as Earl explains. “If you look at the practicalities of V2G, what you need is the manufacturers to start standardising the way in which they facilitate bidirectional charging. You need a standard, which isn’t finalised yet, so that needs to be done first. Then need the manufacturers need to adopt that standard and begin shipping cars that support that standard on mass-market scale. Once that starts, the charger manufacturers need to adopt that standard and adapt our products as well. But bidirectional charging is an extra cost, so then you need a business model that supports the end user, effectively getting money back from feeding back into the grid. That’s not there yet, either. So there’s a whole bunch of steps that need to go through before it happens.”

A much easier solution is smart charging, says Martell: “You’re likely to solve most of the issues with peak demand by simply incentivising offpeak charging. At the moment, most people plug their cars in at home around 7pm at night. But most of those people won’t need their car for another 12 hours, so you can get them to shift that charging to overnight. They can still plug their car in when they get home, but cars can be programmed to charge overnight. However, there’s currently no incentive to do that at the moment, so energy companies could offer halfprice electricity for charging between 11pm and 5am, perhaps – and this could solve a lot of the issues around peak demand.” It’s still relatively early days yet for workplace charging, with a large number of ﬂeets that have yet to take the plunge in adopting EVs, let alone chargepoints. That will undoubtedly change in the next few years, as new models come to the market from all the major manufacturers, but businesses will need to continue keeping one eye on a technology that will be constantly improving and evolving. Because it will be 2040 much quicker than we think.

“THAT TOPPING-UP MENTALITY IS WHAT WE’LL SEE MORE OF. ” 14

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( MYTH BUSTING )

POWERING THE ELECTRIC REVOLUTION IS THE WORLD READY FOR MASS UPTAKE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES? CAT DOW MYTHBUSTS THE COMMON CRITICISMS LEVELLED AT THE SECTOR.

MY TH

“PRODUCING AND POWERING ELECTRIC VEHICLES ISN’T GREEN” The argument supposes it must take significantly more carbon-based energy to make and “fuel” EVs, and that this can’t be saved in exhaust emissions during its lifecycle. However, a 2015 study by The Union of Concerned Scientists said production of an 85kWh powered Model S had parity with a full-sized internal combustion car, with the exception of the battery. The study found there was a 53% overall reduction, comparing the lifetime global warming emissions of a Tesla Model S and other non-electric vehicles. Lifetime emissions calculated include the power stations and grid supply with which the vehicle is charged, and

the one metric tonne of extra CO2 produced to make the battery. Car manufacturers are endlessly seeking ways to reduce costs and offset their carbon footprints. Nissan UK, manufacturer of the UK’s best-selling electric model, the Leaf, installed 19,000 solar panels alongside ten wind turbines in 2016. Together they generate enough energy to create more than 31,000 vehicles. What’s more, National Grid ﬁgures revealed that the UK had its “Greenest Year Ever” in 2017, breaking 13 clean energy records. That included a full day’s operation in April without any coal power. Energy is getting cleaner, with renewables energy making up almost half of the energy supply to the country, through a combination of solar, wind, nuclear and biomass.

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( MYTH BUSTING )

MY TH

“MOVING THE POLLUTION FROM EXHAUSTS TO POWER STATIONS ISN’T ENOUGH” While transitioning from black to green energy, it makes sense to move pollution out of cities. Air pollution is responsible for 340,000 years of lost life, according to a Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP) . Translating in statistical terms to roughly

40,000 deaths a year, many of these can be attributed to exacerbation of pre-existing respiratory and cardiovascular issues. James O’Neill, UK director of Ensto, a smart electrical solutions company, says “Around 16% of NHS budget is spent on ﬁghting pollution-related illness, where 10% is spent on diabetes. From a moral standpoint, how can we look at the lives that are being lost and argue over the emissions being made, when [production] is comparable and [electric power] is making a dramatic difference after the vehicle leaves the factory?” Some critics argue that it is particulate matter (PM) causing health issues, so reducing carbon emissions is only partly the solution. Particulates are microscopic debris, such as road wear and brake dust, ranging in size from 2.5 microns to 10. However, only smaller-sized PM— created by combustion, not electric power—enters the bloodstream. Electric cars have also been accused of creating more PM, since the weight of the batteries may accelerate the wearing away of road surfaces. However, heavier vehicles account for more road wear, where the additional weight of an EV’s battery pales by comparison. Furthermore, EV use of regenerative braking means far less brake dust is created—supported by the fact EV brake pads can last over 100,000 miles.

“CREATING LITHIUM BATTERIES ISN’T ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY” While it is true that any form of extraction can be harmful to the environment, the mining of the lithium is no more intensive or detrimental than oil extraction to create petrol and diesel. There are several ongoing studies into a viable lithium-ion (Li-ion) alternative, like redox flow batteries, graphene or solar. Currently, such alternatives are unproven commercially, being cost-prohibitive, unscalable or less stable than Li-ion. However, Li-ion is proving to degrade more slowly than expected. Cornish firm, C&C, confirmed its 2013 Nissan Leaf taxi maintained as much as 75% battery capacity after 120,000 miles, with roughly three daily rapid charges. Other real-world examples mean reduced need for replacement. What’s more, EV batteries are roughly 98% recyclable. Robert Byrne, founder of Franklin Energy, says that secondary use for lithium-ion batteries is increasing. “We work with domestic battery storage specialist PowerVault on integrating EV charging with battery storage for home charging. PowerVault usesecondhand Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf batteries and recycle them to be used as static energy storage devices.”

MY TH

“EV BATTERIES ARE ROUGHLY 98% RECYCLABLE.”

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( MYTH BUSTING )

“ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE TOO EXPENSIVE, COMPARED TO PETROL OR DIESEL MODELS” In the last seven years, the cost of battery production has decreased by 80%. Being able to sell the batteries on for secondary use helps car makers recoup some of the loss and bring EV prices down. Counter-arguments of onethird lower running costs and 33% cheaper ‘fuel’ are still applicable to those managers considering adding EVs to ﬂeet. Moreover, EV manufacturers forecast the tipping point as 2021, though some analysts have suggested it could be as soon as 2018 when electric vehicles are more competitively priced, or cheaper than regular vehicles. Companies, such as DriveElectric, are making it easier to consider adding EVs to ﬂeets, by leasing them. Managing director, Mike Potter, explains “It’s a real advantage for businesses to lease electric, since depreciation of these vehicles is currently quite volatile. Most companies are scared by the loss in residual value, but our experience helps us remove the risks of implementing EVs in business. Coupled with the government grant, leasing an EV, for example, a Kia Soul, can be as little as £200 per month including VAT.”

MY TH

“LEASING A KIA SOUL, CAN BE AS LITTLE AS £200 PER MONTH.”

“THE GRID ISN’T GOING TO COPE WITH THE MASS UPTAKE OF EVS” The National Grid reckons only an 8% increase in peak capacity is needed as far away as 2040. Meanwhile, studies suggest the existing UK electricity grid will struggle to cope with the increasing use of EVs. Peak load for one household is around 1.5kW. Charging an EV doubles that, and most households have more than one car. So, what is the solution? In addition to products being made for bi-directional use, where the car will also act as a power source to even demand on the grid, the key to balancing the grid is through smart charging. James O’Neill, UK director of Ensto, a charging point manufacturer, says, “Our [the UK’s] issue has never been producing enough power. Our issue is storing the power. We have enough technology to resolve any further issues.” DriveElectric is working with Western Power Distribution on a 700-household-strong project called Electric Nation, which uses sophisticated software to manage charge times. Mike Potter explains, “Our Crowd Charge software makes EVs part of the solution, rather than the problem. EV charging can make the grid cheaper and greener, since we can remotely manage the rate at which EVs are charging locally.” Editor of Green Car Guide and leading EV communications expert, Paul Clarke clariﬁes “It’s important to make a distinction between the grid at national level and that at local level. At national level, 500 cars plugging in is a drop in the ocean. However, at local level, 6-10 people driving EVs in

MY TH

a 50-house substation will make a massive impact.” Crowd Charge manages the charge at local level. If the household/business indicates that it needs a faster charge, via a smartphone companion app, then the energy can be directed to that vehicle, more so than to those plugged in for the day or night. Alfen provides the hardware for Electric Nation. Alfen’s UK director Alex Earl says, “Some 90% of people charge their vehicles at home. We know from the data that EVs are plugged in for much longer than they are charging, so ﬂexibility is there. [With disruption to] a handful of EV drivers for less than 30 minutes a few times per year, critical grid issues can be avoided, even with a very high penetration of EVs.” Surprisingly, DriveElectric’s Mike Potter says he advises businesses to be wary of relying on public chargers, due to their unreliability—a primary worry amongst those considering EVs. James O’Neill describes ‘queue anxiety’, fear amongst drivers that they’ll have to wait their turn at a charge point. But, in January 2017, the Zap-Map team integrated real-time availability into the tool, and innovations, like Chargie, an AirBnB-esque platform allowing EV drivers to charge on privately owned chargers— monetising these assets and broadening the publicly available network— show the picture for EV ownership is rapidly improving.

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( ELECTRIC BIKE MARKET UPDATE )

New technology has driven a resurgence in the e-bike market.

Photo: Bosch

TWO WHEELS GOOD?

THE ELECTRIC BICYCLE SEGMENT MIGHT JUST BE ON THE CUSP OF A BOOM IN THE UK; WITH HEALTH BENEFITS FOR RIDERS, AND COST AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGES FOR BUSINESSES, CYCLINGINDUSTRY.NEWS EDITOR, MARK SUTTON, RECKONS IT’S WORTH A FRESH LOOK. FIRST, A BRIEF HISTORY In the late 90s through to early 2000s, electric bikes were beginning to ship in small numbers from the Far East into Europe and further aﬁeld. At the time these primarily carried heavy and inefficient lead-acid batteries that would make the vast majority of bikes handle like a mechanical bull with all the weight typically loaded at the front or rear of the bicycle. Seasoned bike designers winced. Weight with a high centre of gravity proved highly counterproductive for the

demographic they were, at the time, primarily serving – those looking to cycle during later life. Despite retailing at well north of the average sale price for pedal bicycles (at the time approximately £270), electric bikes served a purpose for those who had fallen out of touch with cycling and needed a little assistance. For the elderly, disabled, or just those living in particularly hilly areas, the notion of having the wind on your tail for the duration of the ride may have seemed like a godsend.

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Unfortunately the technology at the time, paired with poorly thought out design gave the bicycle business a near 10-year headache from which it almost didn’t recover. So poor was the early electric bicycles’ reputation that bike retailers turned their backs on pedal assisted bikes in numbers for a lengthy spell after the initial interest, leaving only a handful of specialists to persevere. Today, those that weathered the storm are reaping the rewards having gathered an additional generation’s worth of customer data.

( ELECTRIC BIKE MARKET UPDATE )

Ford is working towards a mobility system integrating e-bikes with cars, vans and public transport.

WHAT’S THE LAW?

BUT ISN’T IT CHEATING?

The UK falls largely in line with European laws on electric bikes, imposing an upper speed assistance limit of 15.5mph and with motors not exceeding 250W of continuous rated power. Anything able to achieve above these limits is classed as a motor vehicle and requires much the same licence, protective gear and insurance as a moped. Should you come across ‘Speed pedelecs’, often capable of 40km/h, these will require registration with the DVLA and a number plate affixed to the rear of the vehicle. Similarly, electric bike manufacturers are gradually moving to phase out the ability to derestrict power output with a ‘dongle’, often used to speed the electric bike up post purchase. It is illadvised to get involved in this practice!

This is a common put down among seasoned cyclists and one that is poorly considered. In fact, research published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology has shown that, despite the assistance, electric bike users very often do see notable improvements in aerobic capacity and blood sugar levels. “Commuting with an electric bike can help individuals incorporate physical activity into their day without requiring them to set aside time speciﬁcally for exercise,” said James Peterman, a graduate researcher in the Department of Integrative Physiology at CU Boulder. Modern electric bikes have phased out the twist throttle of old and phased in the now

“COMMUTING WITH AN ELECTRIC BIKE CAN HELP INDIVIDUALS INCORPORATE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INTO THEIR DAY WITHOUT REQUIRING THEM TO SET ASIDE TIME SPECIFICALLY FOR EXERCISE.” 20

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commonplace mid-motor; the vast majority of these systems require the user to begin pedalling in order for any assistance to kick in. Indeed, most riders will only ﬁnd that ﬁrm assistance comes into play when they are faced with hills, something determined by in-built torque sensors. The most commonly chosen motors – made by Bosch, Yamaha, Brose, Bafang and Shimano – will link to a handlebar-mounted remote that determines the level of assistance required. To maximise mileage, it is wise to choose Eco mode until assistance is essential. It is very often the case that sceptics are won over once they are convinced to demo an electric bike, with the phrase “e-Bike smile” coined to reference that moment of realisation of how an electric bike could change one’s life for the better. Tarmac-going electric bikes are not ‘for’ cyclists. It is instead for those who have a journey to make. Indeed, this notion has been capitalised upon by numerous outdoor hubs in Europe and the UK. Realising that these vehicles will allow grandparents and even kids to summit the very same hills pedalled by the more athletic members of the family, demo hubs have become an economic boon for such outdoor spaces. Purists will argue until they’re blue in the face, of

( ELECTRIC BIKE MARKET UPDATE )

course, but the electric bike is not for them – it is instead an opportunity to invite new customers to try a new means to get from A to B, no matter how far their health or willpower will stretch.

THE MARKET TODAY “Cycling is booming”, you might hear. Well, sadly, no. In fact the pedal cycle market is in 2017 on course to import 1 million fewer bicycles than it did in the so-called road boom days of 2014. The reverse is true of electric bikes, which now make up 12% of the value of imports into the bicycle market, yet just 3% of the volume. With an average imported value of £650, there may yet still be some error in HMRC data, but improved coding has begun to paint a clearer picture of what is landing at the docks. Though getting cheaper as technology progresses, as a rule of thumb a quality electric bike doesn’t retail for much shy of £900, with much of the cost stemming from the battery and motor, not the bicycle itself. A 2016 CONEBI report revealed that 20,751,000 bicycles and electric bikes are now sold annually across Europe, with 13,000,000 of these produced from outside EU member states. Of that tally, European e-Bike sales represented

“IN CHINA, IT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED THAT A CONSUMER WILL, FOR THE MOST PART, OPT TO BUY AN ELECTRIC BIKE RATHER THAN AN ELECTRIC CAR.”

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around 1,357,000, a near 20% growth on 2014 levels. Germany represented around 40% of those sales. In China, it has been demonstrated that a consumer will, for the most part, opt to buy an electric bike rather than an electric car if their A to B journeys are particularly urban. That trend is being mirrored in cities around the globe and indeed dockless bike share giants are now tapping into this mindset change. As a result, city planners too are having to rethink urban design policy to combat congestion and pollution concerns, the former of which is not solved by adding more cars to the roads. For context on just how sharp the growth trajectory has been for electric bike sales, the Electric Bike World Report, compiled by cycling industry veterans, puts 1997’s global electric bike sales at just a few thousand. By 2014, that ﬁgure was quickly nearing 1.4 million. Since 2014, electric bike aesthetic – an enormous barrier for many non-essential buyers – has improved immeasurably, opening up the demographic range and further steepening the curve. As a result, Cube, Europe’s largest maker of e-Bikes, will alone produce 200,000 electric bikes in 2018. In turn, this has led to the rapid broadening of the bike industry’s scope. Electric mountain bikes, targeted at anyone over 30, have seen unexpectedly strong sales on mainland Europe and recently in the UK. Crucially for businesses that need efficient logistics, electric cargo bikes are now widely in use by the likes of DHL and UPS on mainland Europe. Indeed, a deep study by Pro-e-bike.org demonstrated that use of electric cargo bikes for inner city delivery purposes resulted in cost savings “in almost every case”. However, unlike cars and vans, there’s no government subsidy for businesses adding electric bicycles to their mobility mix.

THE SCOPE FOR THE FUTURE? Anyone familiar with the evolution of electric mobility may ﬁnd parallels with the bicycle industry. Motor giant Bosch, whose European business has grown by 25% for several years in a row, estimates that in the future as much as 30 to 40% of all bicycles will carry some form of electric assistance. Late in 2016, turnover of electric bikes surpassed turnover of pedal bicycles in The Netherlands, with Germany’s trajectory closely mirroring its neighbour. Thus far, the UK has been playing catch up with our albeit more mountainous European neighbours. With motor industry businesses increasing their interest in e-Bikes, the battleground for anticipated future business is only just beginning to hot up.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

W E R E P L A C E D 2 0 T R A D I T I O N A L C O M PA N Y CARS WITH PLUG-IN HYBRIDS (PHEVS) H E R E ’ S W H AT W E L E A R N E D

Matt Dale, Consultancy Services Manager, discusses ALD Automotive’s latest in-house trial and what it means for fleets. Up until very recently, electric and other alternatively fuelled vehicles have been the preserve of the innovators and early adopters, portrayed in the media as something vaguely ‘in the future’. But with the Government’s growing emphasis on improving UK air quality, signified by the changes to diesel taxation in April and plans for the introduction of Clean Air Zones, there is little doubt that alternative fuels will be a part of fleets’ future fuel mix. But is the technology and infrastructure actually ready for fleets to make the switch today? As part of our ‘Get Future Ready’ initiative, we swapped 20 traditional company cars with a PHEV equivalent. Our aim was to find out if today’s PHEVs are equipped for the demands on fleets now, or if are they still out of reach to all but a few specific types of driver profile. We assigned 20 Mercedes C350e PHEVs to our company car drivers, who all had unique daily journeys, driving styles and weekly mileages reflective of a typical company car fleet. The vehicles were fitted with ALD Automotive’s ProFleet telematics device to monitor their performance over a six month period.

While current limitations to battery technology means that PHEV performance does lessen beyond a certain annual mileage, businesses should look again at their fleet profile as they may find that more drivers could benefit from choosing a PHEV today than they originally thought. By switching now, fleets and drivers can also take advantage of current Government grants, such as the ‘Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme’ that helps cover the cost of installing a home charger. As the range of PHEVs continues to improve and the UK charging network gathers pace, fleets will find that these vehicles are opened up to even more of their drivers with higher annual mileages. In the meantime, for the proportion of the fleet where these vehicles aren’t yet a practical alternative to diesel or petrol, businesses have the opportunity to build PHEVs into a more holistic mobility strategy. For example, drivers that have a higher annual mileage could benefit from a more flexible approach to travel which comprises a mixture of transportation types and fuels.

OUR FINDINGS While it’s widely accepted that Alternatively Fuelled Vehicles (AFVs) will be an increasing presence on our roads in future, the single most important finding of our trial was that, when applied appropriately, the statistics show that PHEVs suit a variety of driver profiles right now - they’re not just a future concept. This, combined with possible fuel savings and lower Benefit in Kind (BIK) implications makes them a compelling proposition for many fleets. Driver engagement proved to be just as important as the performance of the car itself, however, as regular charging and an efficient driving style significantly bolstered MPG. It is also paramount that fleets allocate PHEVs to the right driving profiles. We saw that above 20,000 miles per annum, the fuel cost benefits began to diminish due to the lower overall MPG.

“

Robert Llewellyn, electric vehicle enthusiast and founder of the ‘Fully Charged Show’ had this to say about the trial: I’ve been an advocate of electric vehicles for personal use for some time now. ALD Automotive’s landmark trial reveals how such vehicles can actually make a practical, low-cost alternative to standard petrol and diesel models for company car drivers who are likely to do the most driving of us all! With clean air zones just around the corner and changes to the taxation of diesels, businesses and their employees will be increasingly looking for accurate and reliable information about the different types of Electric Vehicles (EVs) to help them decide if they can make the switch. The results of ALD Automotive’s trials will be an incredibly useful tool for this purpose.

“

www.aldautomotive.co.uk

A D V E R T I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

WHAT OUR DRIVERS HAD TO SAY David Jackson Annual mileage: Distance between ofﬁce and home:

Two of our company car drivers compared their experiences and shared their top tips for successful eco-driving in a PHEV.

Rob Rossiter 14,000 miles 15 miles

30,000 miles Distance between 23 miles Annual mileage:

ofﬁce and home:

David has a typical commute to the ofﬁce and had always driven diesels prior to the trial.

Before trying a PHEV, Rob had driven diesels for over 15 years which had suited his high annual mileage.

BEFORE THE TRIAL:

He had never driven a PHEV before the trial and knew very little about how the vehicles work in practice. He went into the experience with a positive outlook and the hope that his commuting fuel expenditure would fall considerably.

When he joined the trial, Rob conducted some initial research on-line to ﬁnd out more about using a PHEV and to allay some of his concerns. “I also maintained a constant dialogue with my fellow company car drivers which allowed us to share tips and advice.”

DURING THE TRIAL:

As with each of the drivers in the trial, David received initial training and he says he very quickly changed his driving style.

By employing efﬁcient driving techniques and charging the vehicle as regularly as possible, he was able to get an impressive performance out of his PHEV.

“Simply by adjusting my driving habits with a more economical approach and being able to charge at both home and work meant there were occasions where I completed over 800 miles on a full tank of fuel”.

“I was particularly proud to achieve 94.4MPG on my 30 mile commute to work, and even more impressed with a total of 46 miles in engineoff mode on a 420 mile journey.”

“I WOULD OPT FOR A PHEV...

...for my next company car due to the lower BIK charges, fuel efﬁciency and because of the positive changes it made to my driving style.

When the electric range increases beyond 30 miles, I would certainly recommend PHEVs to drivers with similar journey requirements to myself.”

...again in future but would advise having a home charger installed. The tax savings are signiﬁcant and I like the way it makes you think more about your driving style, which in turn

makes you a safer driver. My advice to a new PHEV driver would be ensure they have plenty of opportunities to plug in; the more frequent the charge, the better the performance.”

GET THE WHITE PAPER (INCLUDING, STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE) Are you interested in the potential of PHEVs for your ﬂeet but are unsure of where to begin? Read the results of the trial in our white paper that includes a step-by-step guide so you can:

• • • •

Get a better understanding of how PHEVs perform across a variety of different driver profiles View the current challenges facing these types of vehicles See how the benefits of PHEVs can help you achieve your business goals Identify what you need to consider when looking at PHEV integration within your fleet VISIT www.aldautomotive.com

Contact the Consultancy Services team for support with your 2018 ﬂeet plans.

03700 011 181 ukinfo@aldautomotive.com

#GETFUTUREREADY

CASE STUDY HEATHROW AIRPORT

BUSINESSES based on a single site are arguably the ideal customers for electric vehicles, as the biggest objection to EVs – range anxiety – is largely eliminated. Introducing EVs to the ﬂeet of Heathrow Airport, therefore, seems a no-brainer. The second busiest airport in the world, based on a site west of London that covers just under four and three-quarter square miles, has started to embrace the EV revolution, with an initial 57 full electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles on its ﬂeet. Andrew Chen, head of emissions strategy

at Heathrow, told us how the airport has taken its first steps to rolling out EVs to its ﬂeet: “We gradually started introducing these vehicles to various departments, to familiarise our colleagues with the concept and ensure that the vehicles were ﬁt for purpose. We worked closely with vehicle manufacturers, to test a range of vehicles before selecting the most suitable models for our teams.” However, charging has also been an important consideration for Heathrow. As part of the airport’s plan for sustainable growth, which it calls Heathrow 2.0, it has invested

£4m in establishing a charging infrastructure. “To start, we identified compatible vehicles and chargers, which worked with our limited operational downtime,” Chen said. “This was then cross-checked against the availability of electricity in the areas concerned and an infrastructure map was created, with key areas prioritised.” Heathrow’s 24/365 operations are challenging for any fleet use, but particularly when that fleet includes EVs. Chen said: “We’re working with much less vehicle downtime and knew that we needed

“HEATHROW ALREADY HAS PLANS FOR HOW IT WILL CONTINUE ON THE PATH TO EV INTEGRATION IN THE COMING YEARS.“

to explore rapid charging options for our ﬂeet. Concerns arose about vehicle range, so we worked to familiarise our colleagues with the charging units and educate them on vehicle range. For example, our newest addition to our ﬂeet, the Renault Zoe, has a range of 200 miles. By doing this and introducing a maximum charge time, we’ve countered issues with unnecessary overcharging and charger availability.” Following a thorough procurement exercise, Heathrow chose APT Controls Group as its preferred supplier, as the airport

needed to fit both AC and DC chargers. Installing the chargers was a straightforward process, according to Chen: “Our development and engineering teams worked closely with our contract installation team to find innovative charging solutions that deliver for our operation.” With the installation of the first units now complete (it will be an ongoing process as Heathrow seeks to make all the vehicles on its sub-2.4-tonne fleet electric or plug-in hybrid by 2020), there are currently 79 charging sockets around the airport, both

airside and landside, ranging from 7kW and 22kW AC to 50kW DC rapid charge units, deployed based on available power and how long vehicles are typically stopped there. Efforts which were recognised at the Energy Saving Trust’s Fleet Hero awards last year. But this is merely the start: Heathrow already has plans for how it will continue on the path to EV integration in the coming years, along with the installation of charging units to service those vehicles. Chen told us: “Heathrow has the highest density of electrical vehicle charging infrastructure in Europe, was one of the first companies to sign up to EV100, which takes Heathrow’s commitment to electric technology further by committing to turning all large vans (and half of its HGVs) electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030. “We’re also encouraging our partners to do the same. Through our Clean Vehicles Partnership, we work with fleet operators at the airport to promote the uptake of electric and sustainable fleets and provide guidance on how to reduce emissions. We’ve already seen the introduction of electric ground support equipment (GSE), baggage tugs and ramps on the airfield. We’re also working towards introducing airside vehicle emissions standards aligned with London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) by 2025.” With such a start to its integration of EVs and chargers into its operations, it might be fair to say that the sky’s the limit.

( ELECTRIC VANS )

COMMERCIAL SENSE? CHANGING LEGISLATION AND THE BROADEST-EVER PRODUCT OFFER COULD MAKE 2018 A BREAKTHROUGH YEAR FOR ELECTRIC VANS, SAYS DAN GILKES.

THE Department for Transport (DfT) will raise the permitted gross weight of electric vans, from 3.5-tonnes to 4.25-tonnes, without companies being required to hold an operator’s licence. For larger vans, this could be the muchneeded push that will allow ﬂeets to try a plugin alternative. Until now, the problem with heavier electric vans has been that the additional weight of the batteries reduced the available payload. Going above 3.5-tonnes meant operating within O-

licence rules, adding a layer of regulation and bureaucracy to the fleet manager’s job. By allowing companies an additional 750kg of gross weight, without an O-licence, the DfT has levelled the playing field when compared to a diesel van, making electric drivelines a far more viable option. Of course, there are still cost and range considerations, as with electric cars, but in terms of a total cost of ownership proposition, particularly where low-emission zones have a financial impact, electric drivelines look set to grow in popularity.

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“Iveco has been campaigning passionately on this issue for several years and we’re delighted with the DfT’s decision on relaxing O-licensing for alternative fuel vehicles up to 4.25-tonnes GVW,” said Martin Flach, Iveco’s alternative fuels director. “We look forward to this being followed by a similar decision on driver licence derogation for 4.25-tonne vehicles. We are conﬁdent these will support the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles, delivering much needed improvements in air quality for our towns and cities.”

( ELECTRIC VANS )

GOING FURTHER... Electric vans make a great deal of sense for some operators, particularly in urban delivery and last-mile operation. Manufacturer research has shown that many vans cover less than 60 miles per day, well within the range of most electric LCVs. Delivery vehicles also tend to return to a depot overnight, simplifying recharging infrastructure. For those prepared to consider the change though, there have been relatively few vehicles on offer, making it difficult for ďŹ&#x201A;eet managers to choose the electric option even if payload was not an issue. Here too that looks set to change, with an increasing number of manufacturers set to enter the electric van market. Nissan and Renault have pioneered electric drive at the lighter end of the sector. Nissanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eNV200 offers the same 4.2m3 load volume as its diesel counterpart, along with a competitive 703kg of payload. The company recently announced a revised battery for 2018, that is said to deliver up to a 174-mile range, with no drop in carrying capacity. The e-NV200 also comes with three charging options, delivering a 30-minute rapid charge capability or four hours on a regular wall box. Renault increased the range of its Kangoo Z.E. and Kangoo Maxi Z.E. models in 2017 too, updating the battery technology to provide up

to 170 miles for the Kangoo Z.E.33. Unlike Nissan, Renault has not equipped the vans with a fast charger, so a wall box offers the fastest recharge, at six to nine hours. It is also one of the few manufacturers to offer a choice of purchasing the entire van including the batteries, or buying the van and leasing the battery separately, removing some of the anxiety for newcomers to electric power. Renault will also launch the Master Z.E. this year, in three panel van wheelbases and with two roof heights. There will be a chassis cab in long wheelbase form as well. The vans are good for up to 124 miles, offering 1-tonne of load carrying ability within a 3.5-tonne gross weight. Peugeot and CitroĂŤn have electric versions of their Partner and Berlingo vans. The two French LCVs also boast a fast charge facility, cutting the eight hours required when using a wall box, to just 30 minutes for an 80% charge. Partner and Berlingo Electric promise a driving range of up to 106 miles. Mercedes-Benz will be back in the electric van market this year, with the launch of the eVito. This will be followed in 2019 by the eSprinter and an electric version of the Citan. This promises a maximum load volume of 6.6m3 with a payload of up to 1,073kg. Mercedes promises a conservative range of 62 miles on a single charge, with no fast charge capability.

( ELECTRIC VANS )

On-road trials of the Volkswagen e-Crafter are already underway in the UK.

Volkswagen has supplied a ﬂeet of e-Crafter vans to customers from the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, including UPS, DPD and Gatwick Airport. The vans will be tested in everyday use until the middle of 2018, before the e-Crafter goes on sale in September. The e-Crafter offers a 10.7m3 load volume, with payloads of 1,000-1,750kg, depending on model. A 100-mile range is promised, though Volkswagen says the van has been designed for future battery technology, which could lift this to as much as 250 miles. Fast charging capability will allow an 80% charge in around 45 minutes. “We are now integrating selected ﬂeet oper-

ators into an initial customer phase so that their findings in daily operations with the vehicles can flow into the final design of the zero-emission van,” said Eckhard Scholz, chairman of the board of management at VW Commercial Vehicles. Iveco has been offering the Daily Electric for some years, in panel van and chassis cab forms, up to 5.6-tonnes gross weight. The vans can be supplied with one to three batteries to suit individual applications, with the triple battery offering a range of up to 170 miles. A fast-charge facility provides two-hour charging to 80% for a rapid turnaround. “Models like the Daily Electric have been available for years, we’ve just needed changes

in regulation to ensure businesses keen to introduce cleaner vehicles aren’t penalised on payload, in a sector that is very sensitive to reductions,” said Flach. LDV, part of Chinese automotive giant SIAC, offers an electric van at 3.5-tonnes. The EV80 can be had as a medium roof, long wheelbase van, or as a chassis cab for conversion. Both vehicles should offer 900-950kg of payload, depending on body ﬁtment. The driving range is said to be up to 120 miles and the EV80 comes with a fast-charge capability, providing two-hour recharging. LDV is expected to add a second electric van to its line-up over the coming 18 months.

HYBRID TECHNOLOGY

Ford’s plug-in hybrid Transit Connect brings new technology to a fleet staple.

Ford is taking the hybrid route, rather than opting for a full EV van, with the Transit Custom PHEV. Currently testing with customers in London, the van has a compact 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine to augment the electric drivetrain. The battery offers a 31-mile electric range, but with the engine charging the batteries, the van offers up to 310 miles of overall driving range. As the engine and battery are so compact, there is no loss of payload or load volume. Ford is not the only van provider going down the hybrid route, as Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV can be had in a commercial version too. Powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine, the PHEV offers up to 33 miles of battery range, with a potential hybrid range in excess of 500 miles. The Outlander PHEV has a load capacity of 510kg and a 1.6m3 load volume. Ford’s larger Transit is also being used as a base for a number of electric projects. Deutsche Post DHL has used the Transit chassis as a base for its StreetScooter WORK XL electric van. The company has committed to building 2,500 of these electric vans by the end of 2018 for its own use. However, Ford and DHL have not ruled out selling the van to third parties as well. In the UK and the USA, Lightning Systems has based the LightningElectric on a Transit chassis too. Initially offered as a 4.7-tonne GVW electric van, the company is promising lighter versions later in the year. Lightning Systems will offer 50-mile and 100-mile ranges, with both versions offered with the option of 1-hour fast charging capability. Payloads range from 900-1,360kg for the 4.7-tonne van. evfleetworld.co.uk

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CASE STUDY ALD AUTOMOTIVE

ALMOST three quarters of ultra-low emission vehicle registrations last year were plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), according to SMMT data, and awareness and interest among businesses and drivers continues to grow. However, it’s a part of the market with limited and often conflicting information; a tax-efficient stepping stone to electric vehicles, but a technology often criticised for unrealistic fuel economy and CO2 data. The results of ALD Automotive’s own survey showed 32% of company car drivers were interested in plug-ins, but that they wanted more data before committing to a PHEV. So, last year, the leasing company launched a six-month trial to ﬁnd out whether these vehicles could offer an alternative to a diesel vehicle – with a view to sharing the data, even if it proved to be negative. The trial deployed 20 Mercedes-Benz C 350 e petrol PHEVs with ALD’s company car drivers, each with different weekly mileages, journey types and driving styles, to assess a variety of use cases. All cars were fitted with ProFleet telematics to monitor performance, and participants were helped to apply for home charging points. As some had never driven a PHEV before, ALD provided training to help extend the range and in the use of regenerative braking, and a leader board was put in place to encourage more fuel-efficient behaviour. This produced some encouraging

results. The fleet covered a combined 145,000 miles, saving 14.8 tonnes compared to an equivalent diesel. In the latter half of the trial, more than 50% of miles were driven on battery power. ALD’s data showed fleets could save £2,000 per vehicle in ownership costs, based on 15,000 miles per year, while driver league tables and familiarity with the technology contributed to a 4% uplift in average fuel economy during the first month. Unsurprisingly, there was a huge variation between drivers, highlighting the importance of deploying PHEVs effectively. One of the higher-mileage drivers (19,000 per year) averaged the lowest fuel economy, at 33.73mpg, compared to 110.54mpg for the best-case driver (7,000 miles per year). However, the biggest fuel savings were found in the mid-range. Drivers covering 14,000 miles per year could save £500 annually compared to an equivalent diesel, which is more than twice the £200 savings made by those with a 7,000-mile yearly usage. Whole-life costs (based on 15,000 miles per year) were up to £2,000 lower, per vehicle. Matt Dale, ALD’s consultancy services manager, says this shows PHEVs can already be an effective alternative to a diesel vehicle, reporting cost savings for drivers

covering anything up to 20,000 miles. That’s in addition to £6,000 savings in Benefit-in-Kind for drivers. The company will soon issue a white paper on its website, with a step-by-step guide to assessing the technology’s suitability for different fleets. “Having PHEVs on a company car policy requires the policy to drive the right behaviours,” he explains. “Getting the best out of this type of vehicle is a learning process, and drivers will find that the more experience they gain, the easier it will become to drive the car in the most efficient way possible. The NEDC economy rating is not particularly reliable or realistic, but we’ve proved that a good MPG can be achieved with the right kind of driving behaviour.” Dale says the trial has resulted in a “cultural shift” at ALD, with company car drivers now appreciating how they might work as an alternative to petrol or dieselpowered vehicles. “We’ve also seen an increased interest in plug-in electric vehicles within our customers’ fleets,” he adds. “While the total number of UK PHEV registrations in Q1 – Q3 increased by 9.19% in 2017 when compared with the previous year, PHEV deliveries among ALD customers far outstrips this, increasing by 60.92% in the same period.”

“PHEVS CAN ALREADY BE AN EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO A DIESEL VEHICLE, REPORTING COST SAVINGS FOR DRIVERS COVERING ANYTHING UP TO 20,000 MILES.” Matt Dale, consultancy services manager, ALD Automotive

CASE STUDY SHELL

“IT’S IMPORTANT FOR SHELL TO OFFER ‘A MOSAIC OF FUELS’ BECAUSE PEOPLE’S TRANSPORT NEEDS ARE CHANGING.”

WITH so much uncertainty about the UK’s public charging infrastructure, one obvious potential solution is the current source of vehicle fuel-filling stations. Esso hasn’t publicly committed to adding chargepoints to the services it currently offers at its locations, and BP announced sites in the UK and Europe will get electric vehicle rapid chargers later this year. Shell has already invested in electric charging, though, having just bought charging supplier NewMotion, which has one of Europe’s largest electric vehicle charging networks, managing over 30,000 charging points for electric vehicles in Western Europe. It will host units from the manufacturer-backed, pan-European, Ionity ultra-fast charging network from next year, and recently took the significant step of launching a rapid charging pilot at 10 UK filling stations. The service, named Recharge, is aimed at offering more convenience for drivers, supporting home and workplace charging with 50kW rapid chargers on its forecourts. The company says that it’s important for them to offer “a mosaic of fuels” because it recognises that people’s transport needs are changing, with Recharge constituting another choice alongside its existing portfolio of fuels. Shell hasn’t explicitly spoken about services that it will offer fleet drivers, but as two-thirds of all new electric vehicles go to fleet users, this new network of fast chargers at convenient locations will augment its current services, which are designed to “relax and refresh” its customers. It also offers a 24-hour helpline, seven days a week, for

drivers using its rapid chargers, to support them with any queries they may have when using Recharge. Shell says that the pricing for Recharge has been competitively priced compared to other, similar ‘on the go’ offers. It has deliberately chosen per-kWh pricing, so customers only pay for the energy they consume, which it says is an easy-tounderstand charging method for drivers. There’s no connection or subscription fee to pay. In addition, Shell currently has a halfprice offer running until 31 June 2018 to incentivise EV users. The Recharge service is Shell’s ﬁrst involvement in providing rapid charging at its service stations, but it will quickly be followed by cutting-edge 350kW units

from Ionity, for which Shell is one of the hosting partners. The network is owned by a consortium of carmakers including BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company and the Volkswagen Group (which numbers Audi and Porsche among its brands). Is this confusing for customers or covering all possible bases? Shell said: “We see our existing Recharge locations and the Ionity collaboration as complementary. We will offer customers the opportunity to charge their cars at convenient locations, wherever they may be.” The big question is whether the introduction of rapid chargers to ﬁlling stations is the start of a gradual transition from fossil fuels to electricity supply. Shell said: ”We are exploring different station formats to reﬂect the changing transport needs of our customers. We have already started installing Recharge in both the UK and Netherlands. We will look to grow further in those markets during 2018 and more widely across other markets as we see the growth in EVs.” Of course, the installation of rapid chargers – which require a higher-powered electricity supply – does raise the question of how safe they are in such close proximity to tanks of combustible petrol. Shell, however, assured us that it works closely in consultation with the regulatory bodies to offer a safe solution. As mobility switches to electricity over the coming decades to meet its needs for cleaner propulsion, the clever money is on big oil companies gradually transitioning to energy companies. In this area, it seems as if Shell is stealing a march on its rivals.

CASE STUDY LEEDS CITY COUNCIL

“WHEN THE NEW 51 VEHICLES ARRIVE, WE’LL HAVE ABOUT 96 POINTS IN LEEDS THAT WE CONTROL. ” Terence Pyecroft, LCC’s head of service, fleet services

AS one of the UK’s 36 metropolitan counties, Leeds City Council serves a population of over three-quarters of a million people. With so many residents to serve, LCC’s decision to begin electrifying its fleet can show other local authorities how electric vehicles are a practical proposition for their day-today operations. Leeds has already invested in 44 EVs (Nissan e-NV200s) and is currently in the process of ordering 51 more. However, the need to keep multiple EVs, used by multiple departments, at multiple sites, constantly charged is a challenge – especially as the authority can’t rely on Britain’s public charging infrastructure. Named Best Ultra Low Emission Fleet at the Energy Saving Trust’s Fleet Hero Awards last year, Leeds has met that challenge head-on with a strategy that is cautious, explorative and cohesive. Terence Pyecroft, LCC’s head of service, fleet services, explained the process the authority went through to identify where best to located the chargers for its EVs. “Two years ago, we started looking at the fleet, van size and mileage ranges. We picked off various vans with a low enough mileage – vehicles doing 70-80 miles per day, no more – and then looked at the

services where the vehicles were housed overnight, the areas where we needed to get the chargers installed.” A survey of the sites where the EVs would be located suggested that seven depots across the city would need to be ﬁtted with units, with the number of chargers ranging from four up to 20 at one depot. The surveys also identiﬁed where the power supply was insufficient and needed upgrading. “Most of the units were installed by Leeds LBS, which is the construction arm of the authority, but I’ve also used The Phoenix Works, an SME in Leeds. LBS surveyed all the sites I asked them to survey, and did installations at sites: where they felt it was a little awkward or they didn’t have the capabilities, they used the Phoenix Works. It’s been quite simple: you send someone out to do a survey of the site, they send an email back saying that site can cope, they have the power for X and we do the installations.” A number of council staff also take vehicles home at the end of the working day, or travel around the city, using their home as a base. This being the case, LCC is currently conducting a home charging pilot programme – initially with seven members of staff – to find out if this can

augment the workplace charging that the council has installed. This home charging initiative has improved even further the distribution of chargers that the council has at its disposal around the city. Pyecroft said: “I’ve got lots of different sites. There are the seven major sites, while the rest of them are all over Leeds: the town hall’s got one, the civic hall’s got one and we’re looking at other buildings where vehicles are parked at night. We’ve actually got about 86 chargepoints at the moment. We’re expecting that when the new 51 vehicles arrive, we’ll have about 96 points in Leeds that we control.” Investing in workplace charging isn’t cheap, but Leeds has utilised OLEV grants to subsidise the cost of installation – both at workplaces and at staff members’ homes. As many of these chargers are the less expensive slow chargers, which ﬁt in with vehicles that are charged overnight, a relatively significant proportion of the installation costs has been recovered – an important consideration for local authorities that have suffered from budget cuts in recent years. And, with the money running EVs will save Leeds on fuel and maintenance costs, this has to be good news for not just the city’s environment, but also its residents.

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