International Fleet World August 2017

Front Cover_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 17:02 Page 1

INTERNATIONAL

FLEETW RLD All that matters in the world of fleet August 2017

GET CONNECTED The technological advances set to revolutionise personal mobility

Driven

Fleet focus

Spotlight

Interview

BMW 530e Jeep Compass Ford Fiesta

Finland to head down the electric vehicle route

A new compact SUV for fleets: Hyundai Kona

Edward Kulperger of Geotab internationalfleetworld.com

seat.com/ibiza

Some see the best residual value.

We see the best way forward.

The new Ibiza.

• 8" Navi with Full Link • Wireless Charger • ACC & Front Assist • Rearview camera • 335l boot space

Get to know the best Ibiza ever created. Dynamic handling. A larger interior. Connective technology. And did we mention the best residual value among its main competitors? It’s clear, your new car policy has got to have the new SEAT Ibiza. Discover it.

SEAT FOR BUSINESS. Your goals are our fuel.

Average fuel consumption: 4.7 - 4.9 l/100 km. Average CO2 mass emissions: 106 - 112 g/km.

CONTENTS_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 20/07/2017 11:16 Page 1

F

INTERNATIONAL

FLEETW RLD All that matters in the world of fleet

contents

August 2017

GET CONNECTED The technological advances set to revolutionise personal mobility

Driven

Fleet focus

Spotlight

BMW 530e Jeep Compass Ford Fiesta

Finland to head down the electric vehicle route

A new compact SUV for fleets: Hyundai Kona

Interview Edward Kulperger of Geotab internationalfleetworld.com

Chairman Jerry Ramsdale jerry@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

16 SPOTLIGHT: Hyundai Kona.

24 F&S Intelligent Mobility conference.

28 FLEET FOCUS: Finland.

40 DRIVEN: New Ford Fiesta.

Publisher Steve Moody steve@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Editor John Challen john@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Deputy Editor Alex Grant alex@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Business Editor Natalie Middleton natalie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Content Editor Katie Beck katie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Director Anne Dopson anne@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

04 Fleet Review Editor John Challen considers the future of freight transport.

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

06 Fleet in figures Breaking down the latest global vehicle sales by region.

08 News The biggest stories from a month in the international fleet world.

Designers Tina Ries tina@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Victoria Arellano victoria@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Web Designer Dan Desta daniel@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

16 Spotlight An in-depth look at new Kona, Hyundai’s SUV sector offering.

20 Feature Expert advice from Shell’s Make the Future summit in London.

24 Feature The key news from Frost & Sullivan’s Intelligent Mobility conference.

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 ifw@fleetworldgroup.co.uk web internationalfleetworld.com

28 Fleet Focus Finland’s plans to boost electric and hybrid vehicle sales.

32 Profile Audi’s focus on electrification and advances in vehicle autonomy.

36 Interview Edward Kulperger from Geotab on uses of vehicle-generated data.

To subscribe to International Fleet World visit: www.fleetworldsubscriptions.co.uk

38 Launch Report Ford Fiesta / BMW 530e / Jeep Compass / MINI Countryman.

internationalfleetworld.com / 03

JOHN_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:06 Page 1

fleet review This month, editor John Challen considers the future of personal – and freight – transport...

EVs on a charge Despite saying that the decision-makers within companies take a long-term view of their business, many will still predominantly focus on the present and the challenges that it brings. In the automotive industry, the pressures to meeting monthly sales targets, building on the previous quarter’s financial results and ensuring there is enough stock to satisfy demand often overrides anything else.

But sometimes it is important to look at the bigger picture. At a recent Frost & Sullivan event the focus was very much on the future. ‘Intelligent Mobility – digital transformation of the automotive industry’ very much did what it said on the tin – with one of the most interesting sessions being about flying cars. Less ‘Back to the Future’ and more ‘Forward to the Present’, there are big efforts being made in taking personal transportation away from the road and putting it in the sky. In fact, there are currently 15 companies looking to move into flying cars with the first vehicle set to become a commercialised product by next year.

Another company involved in the industry – AeroMobil has recently secured a second round of investment from a global

AeroMobil is pressing ahead with plans for flying cars, following recent investor funding

04 / internationalfleetworld.com

fund management and advisory firm, so it’s clearly a subject that is being taken very seriously. It remains to be seen if the idea is still a little ahead of itself – or whether the perceived demand will happen – but it’s a very interesting time in the market.

I, Robot Elsewhere on the event’s agenda – and back on the ground – was talk of the future of freight transportation. The commercial vehicle industry has made huge leaps and bounds in terms of technology, efficiency and cleanliness in recent years and is now embracing opportunities that autonomous driving presents. Platooning and road trains is one area under scrutiny in Europe and beyond, who delivery robots offer a potential solution to the issue of ‘last mile delivery’.

Currently concentrating on e-commerce purchases, grocery shopping and fast-food delivery, there is considerable potential for these connected, pavement-dwelling machines to act as couriers for industrial components, business documents and office equipment. Then, the next step might be to make them fly too…

visit internationalfleetworld.com

The new Opel

INSIGNIA German Technology for Everyone 

Safety first: IntelliLux LED® Matrix headlights, Opel OnStar and advanced safety systems



Full transparency: addressing real-life fuel consumption (WLTP driving cycle) and OnStar fleet manager portal



Leading its category: state-of-the-art innovations and premium-class features

Fuel consumption combined 11.2–3.6 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined 197–105 g/km (according to R (EC) No. 715/2007).

Picture shows optional equipment and Exclusive trim.

Availability depends on local market offer.

5300_SF_210x297_Insignia_Fleetanzeige_0717.indd 1

10.07.17 16:17

ACEA_IFW_Aug17.qxp 19/07/2017 17:12 Page 1

fleet in figures

Year-on-year sales growth boosts confidence Selling rates picked up in June compared with May, with smaller markets helping boost the numbers. By John Challen. lobal light vehicle sales in June grew by 1.3% year-on-year (YoY), while the selling rate of 94 million units a year was up on May’s figure of 93 million. There was contraction in the US while China stayed positive. Elsewhere, there were strong performances by Japan and South America, who improved on their year-on-year sales.

G

North America US light vehicle sales in June totalled 1,472,000 units, a selling rate of 16.5 million units a year. Total industry sales have fallen 2.2% through the first half of 2017 compared to H1 2016. Retail sales have slipped just 0.6%, but the area of concern is fleet, where numbers are down 7.3% year to date. OEM incentive spending continues to climb as the year progresses with discounts of up 12% YoY, which, coupled with relatively low interest rates, continues to draw consumers into showrooms.

There were a total of 203,000 sales for June 2017 in Canada, representing a 6.6% increase from June 2016 and a selling rate of 2.09 million units a year.

by falls elsewhere. The overall picture remains one of regional YoY growth continuing, albeit at a slower pace in the second half of the year.

In Russia, 141,000 light vehicles were sold in June, representing a YoY increase of 15%. Although LMC Automotive – supplier of the data – remains cautious about the likely impact of the new range of incentives (including the ‘First Car’ and ‘Family Car’ schemes) that started on 1 July, the outlook is for 10% market growth this year, which would be the first annual rise since 2012.

China The Chinese market seems to be picking up again, with preliminary data indicating to LMC that the selling rate rose month-on-month for the second consecutive month in June to 27.9 million units a year, up nearly 7% from May. On a YoY basis, sales increased by 1.8% in June and 2.5% in H1 2017. Yet, that is a significant slowdown, compared to a 12.6% increase in 2016. The rate of the temporary tax cut on smaller vehicles has been halved since January 2017, which has dampened sales.

to 1.86 million units a year in June, ahead of the expiration of the scrappage incentive scheme for old diesel vehicles at the end of June. On a YoY basis, sales declined by 11% in June, but that was due to a high base effect (the temporary tax cut ended in June 2016).

South America Despite the escalating corruption scandals among the top government officials, the Brazilian market continued to improve through June. The selling rate reached a relatively strong 2.37 million units a year. In H1 2017, sales increased by 4.5% YoY. Falling inflation and interest rates are helping to support consumers’ purchasing power. The depressed job market, however, remains a major obstacle for the recovery in sales.

In Argentina’s volatile market, the selling rate surged to 919,000 units a year in June, the highest rate since December 2013. Sales increased by 33% year-onyear in H1 2017, supported by the economic recovery, falling inflation and rising government spending ahead of the October mid-term legislative elections.

Europe In western Europe, light vehicle sales grew by 1.2% YoY in June, despite some markets seeing fewer selling days when compared with June 2016 — the selling rate in June was 16.3 million units a year, continuing the generally strong pace of sales in the first half of the year.

However, YoY results in individual markets were more mixed, with strong performances in some areas mitigated

06 / internationalfleetworld.com

Other Asia In Japan, the selling rate continued to accelerate and exceeded 5.5 million units a year in June, the highest rate since December 2014. A very tight job market and higher stock prices are contributing to boost consumer spending. Yet, wage growth remains weak, which will be an obstacle for sustained growth in sales.

In South Korea, the selling rate surged

Argentina sales boosted

by Volkswagen Gol

ADVERT_EVFW website_Jan17_Int_Layout 1 27/02/2017 18:51 Page 1

evfleetworld.com

For all your fleet electric vehicle needs and to stay up to date with the latest news and developments, visit

evfleetworld.com @EVFleetWorld

EV Fleet World

NEWS_IFW_Aug17.qxp 19/07/2017 18:16 Page 1

manufacturer news

France moves towards petrol and diesel ban

Jaguar E-Pace crossover to rival Evoque

rance is to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040, under plans outlined by the country’s newly F appointed environment minister.

J

Audi reveals high-tech new A8

Hyundai: 30 new models by 2021, 14 EVs by 2020

Notably, the ban would mean an end to the sale of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and range-extended electric vehicles as well as conventional petrol or diesel models – as all of these have an internal combustion engine.

In the meantime, the government will move to end the favourable taxation on diesel fuel, bringing it in line with petrol. A scrappage scheme for vehicles which are ineligible for a Crit’Air sticker – diesels made before 2001, and petrols before 1997 – will also be introduced to help people buy newer, less polluting models. Unlike the scrappage scheme in the UK, grants will be offered against new and used vehicles.

France is the fourth European country to announce plans to ban petrol or diesel vehicles from being sold; Germany wants this in place by 2030, while last year the Netherlands confirmed similar plans by 2025 and Norway said it was working towards the same deadline.

he all-new Audi A8 has broken cover ahead of going on sale in the autumn, bringing partially-autonomous driving features and the first plug-in hybrid version.

At launch, the range will include six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, offered across long and short-wheelbase versions, and all will include 48-volt ‘mild hybrid’ technology to curb fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

A petrol plug-in hybrid will arrive early in 2018, likely to bring CO2 emissions down to 50g/km.

The new A8 will also introduce a number of new semiautonomous driving features, including Audi’s AI ‘traffic jam pilot’ level 3 autonomous technology, which can drive the car, including starting, accelerating, steering and braking, at speeds up to 60km/h on major roads where a physical barrier separates the two carriageways, with the driver not even required to monitor the car. The introduction of technology in each market is subject to clarification of the local legislation as well as approval procedures. See IFW’s Audi profile on page 32.

T

08 / internationalfleetworld.com

aguar is to enter the compact crossover class later this year, with the new E-Pace challenging cars such as the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque.

Positioned beneath the F-Pace, and launching in addition to the all-electric I-Pace SUV that’s due next year, the E-Pace gets a platform unique to Jaguar and will be offered with front or four-wheel drive.

The line-up brings a choice of three S, SE and HSE trim levels, each also available as a sportier-looking RDynamic version.

In turn, these can be equipped with three diesel engines producing 150hp, 180hp and 240hp or two petrols with 250hp or 300hp. All of these can be equipped with a ninespeed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. Emissions start from 124g/km for the entry-level diesel with front-wheel drive when fitted with 17inch wheels.

Hyundai will launch 30 new and updated products by 2021, including i30 Fastback.

iming to become the number one Asian car brand in Europe, Hyundai Motor is planning a large-scale model offensive over the next five years, targeting growth segments and expansion of its eco car line-up.

Speaking at the launch of the i30 Fastback, Hyundai Motor Europe’s chief operating officer, Thomas Schmid, said the company will launch 30 new products by 2021; a mix of replacements and all-new entrants. Among the new launches will be 14 electrified cars; five hybrids, four plugin hybrids, four electric vehicles – including a version of the Kona crossover in 2019 – and a hydrogen fuel cell SUV, launching in 2018.

The brand said further investments will cover future mobility concepts, such as autonomous driving, car sharing initiatives, connected car platforms and last-mile mobility.

A

NEWS_IFW_Aug17.qxp 19/07/2017 18:16 Page 2

For the latest news, visit internationalfleetworld.com

Volvo to launch five fully electric cars between 2019 and 2021

fleetinquotes a few soundbites from a month in fleet

“ olvo’s line-up will gain five fully electric cars – including two high-performance models – by 2021 in line with its plans to use electric motors in V all cars from 2019.

The new all-electric line-up – part of the carmaker’s bid to have sold a total of 1m electrified cars by 2025 – will feature three Volvo models and two high-performance electrified cars from Polestar, Volvo Cars’ performance car arm that’s now being repositioned to focus solely on EVs. Volvo will also introduce electric motor technology on its internal combustion engine line-up in the form of 48V mild hybrid technology, with the carmaker outlining that in the future no Volvo car will be without an electric motor.

SEAT continues SUV offensive with new Arona unveiling EAT has unveiled its Arona as it presses ahead with plans to swiftly develop a strong SUV presence.

Revealed following last year’s launch of the midsize Ateca – which marked the brand’s first and somewhat late foray into the SUV sector – the Arona launches later this year to take the fight to the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur. It will be joined next year by an unnamed flagship large SUV. As with the new Ibiza, the Arona is built on the group’s MQB A0 platform and is slightly shorter than both the Juke and Captur but longer and taller than the Ibiza.

Engine line-up – shared with the Ibiza – will cover three and four-cylinder petrols and four-cylinder diesels.

S

Facelifted Transit Custom gets 148g/km Econetic model ord has updated its Transit Custom van for 2018 with new styling as well as the launch of a 148g/km Econetic version that paves the way for a plug-in hybrid model due in 2019.

On sale at the start of next year, the facelifted Transit Custom carries over the 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine, which was introduced to the range during 2016 in 105hp, 130hp and 170hp variants with a six-speed auto option, but also adds a new Econetic short wheelbase model, based on the entry-level diesel and offering 148g/km CO2 emissions and 5.7 l/100km fuel economy – a 6% improvement over the most efficient current vehicle.

Meawhile the PHEV Transit Custom will begin trials with fleet customers in London later this year, prior to going on sale in 2019.

F

We are already the number one car brand in terms of customer satisfaction in both sales and service in Europe. By expanding our product line-up, combined with our digital and intelligent services, we will create new customer experience and attract new customer groups.

”

Thomas Schmid, Hyundai Motor Europe’s chief operating officer

This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car.

Volvo Cars has stated that it plans to have sold a total of 1m electrified cars by 2025. When we said it, we meant it.

“

”

Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars

“

While there are some great examples of large and small organisations across Europe starting to take road safety seriously, many companies wrongly see road risk management as a burden rather than an opportunity.

”

Antonio Avenoso, executive director of ETSC

internationalfleetworld.com / 09

The new E-Class All-Terrain.

Get your morning coffee where it is grown.

Masterpiece of Intelligence. Equipped with the AIR BODY CONTROL air suspension system and the 4MATIC all-wheel drive system, every day it ensures that your route does not become routine. mercedes-benz.com/fleet

MB_E-Klasse_AT_Fleet_INT_420x297_ICv2_RZ.indd 1

28.04.17 14:04

MB_E-Klasse_AT_Fleet_INT_420x297_ICv2_RZ.indd 2

28.04.17 14:04

EVNEWS_IFW_Aug17.qxp 19/07/2017 16:58 Page 1

environmental news

Volkswagen Group hints at long-range Golf and A3 EVs he next generation of the Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 are likely to include fully-electric versions offering a range of 400km to a charge when they go on sale at the end of the decade.

Speaking at the company’s Annual General Meeting, Prof. Rupert Stadler, chairman of the board of management of Audi AG confirmed three electric models by 2020. Two of these are known; a pair of ‘e-tron’ SUVs, each with a 500km range, Tesla-rivalling performance and ultra-fast charging.

However, Stadler also confirmed Audi would launch a ‘premium electric car in the compact segment’ in 2020, based on the Volkswagen Group’s modular EV technology platform. This would coincide with the likely launch of the next A3, based on a typical seven-year model replacement cycle.

So far only offered as a plug-in hybrid, an all-electric A3 would be a vital part of Audi’s product plans: “By the middle of the next decade, every third Audi delivered to a customer will be either partially or fully electric. That means we will make the models we offer so attractive that at least one in three customers will make the change,” Stadler explained. However, it’s likely that the majority of those will still be plug-in hybrids by that point.

Volkswagen’s plans have, so far, been less obvious. The carmaker held an event at its headquarters in Wolfsburg recently, offering a glimpse of future technology that is due for production in the near future. Among them was a research vehicle, the Gen.E, which could give some idea of how the next Golf will look and the technology underneath.

The Gen.E has a range of 400km to a full charge via a new generation of lithium-ion batteries, and a lightweight structure optimised for crash resistance. At the event, it was demonstrating a robotic arm which could automatically connect the car to a charging cable, then move onto another vehicle once the battery had been topped up to a set level.

T

UK government bolsters EV charging infrastructure he UK is preparing for an uplift in electric and plug-in hybrid sales, introducing measures to require charging points at service stations and large fuel retailers, and investing £20m (€22.6m) into vehicle-to-grid technology.

Announced during the Queen’s Speech, which sets out the plans for the new government, the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill is aiming to make it easier to charge plug-in vehicles. This will begin a move towards standardised connectors and accessibility, in turn underpinning an almost entirely electric vehicle fleet by 2050.

An additional €22.6m funding will also be made available, through the Department for Business Energy and Industrial

T

12 / internationalfleetworld.com

Strategy and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), to support vehicle-to-grid technology for the UK. The investment forms part of the government’s Industrial Strategy and will enable electric vehicles to feed some of their battery charge back into the grid during periods of peak demand, cutting the cost of upgrading the country’s infrastructure as the electric fleet grows.

Projects to be supported will include feasibility studies, industrial research and development, and real-world trials, chosen through a competition process which will begin inviting entries during the summer. Winners will be confirmed in December, and studies are expected to begin early in 2018.

EVNEWS_IFW_Aug17.qxp 19/07/2017 16:58 Page 2

For the latest EV news, visit evfleetworld.com

in brief

Norway now buying more electric and plug-in hybrid cars than diesels lmost half of all cars registered in Norway in the first six months of this year were hybrid or electric models, with plug-ins outpacing petrol or diesel sales for the first time.

According to the latest statistics from Norwegian interest group, Opplysningsrådet for Veitrafikken AS (OFV), 48.1% of the 77,983 newlyregistered passenger cars were hybrid, electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles; equating to some 37,523 units.

Significantly, more than a third (34.9%, 27,183) of H1 registrations are fully electric or plug-in hybrids. That compares to 25.8% and 26.1% respectively for conventional diesel and petrol vehicles, and 13.2% for other hybrids.

This time last year, diesel was still just about the most popular fuel in Norway, with a 31.9% share, followed by petrol (28.3%), plug-in and hydrogen (27.6%) and hybrid (10.3%). Average CO2 emissions for new cars in June 2017 was 78g/km, down from 96g/km a year ago, and in a market enjoying its best month for registrations in 30 years, the OFV said.

A

BlueCity EV sharing launches in London

Deutsche Post to manufacture Transit-based EVs Deutsche Post DHL Group and Ford are partnering to produce electric vans for the courier firm’s urban delivery fleet from 2018. The joint venture uses technology from the group’s StreetScooter subsidiary and will begin production in July 2017, with at least 2,500 vehicles due on fleet before the end of 2018.

Daimler joint venture to build EVs for China

Daimler and Chinese joint venture partner BAIC Motor are to produce Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles in China under a 5bn yuan (€64.5m) investment. Production will start by 2020 at the firms’ BBAC joint venture in Beijing, with the vehicles to be powered by locally manufactured batteries.

Honda and Hitachi form EV motor joint venture

he BlueCity electric car sharing scheme has officially launched in London following a pilot in the boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham.

Operated by BluepointLondon, part of the Bolloré Group, the scheme mirrors the Autolib service in Paris. Vehicles are booked via the BlueCity app and can be returned to any location, claimed to provide convenience similar to car ownership. Charging is provided via BluepointLondon’s own network, and these can also be reserved through the app.

The pilot launched last December with 10 cars, its official launch takes the fleet to 30 and extends its coverage into the boroughs or Merton and Hounslow with plans to have 50 in operation by the end of the summer. Membership costs £5 (€5.65) per year, and usage is billed at 17p (19c) a minute with a minimum charge of 20 minutes. Autolib, which launched in 2011, claims 15,000 journeys a day are made using the service.

in numbers

T

5

Honda and Hitachi have formed a ¥5bn (€38.4m) joint venture company, which will develop and manufacture motors for the growing global electric vehicle market. Hitachi Automotive Electric Motor Systems will be based in Japan, but longer-term plans are targeting additional manufacturing and sales facilities in the United States and China.

Electric Aston Martin due in 2019 Aston Martin’s first electric vehicle will begin production in 2019, but only for a limited run of 155 cars. The RapidE is a collaboration with British R&D company, Williams Advanced Engineering – the carmaker said combustion engines will still be a part of its future products.

Source: International Energy Agency

Volvo EVs launching by 2021, including three from high-performance EV sub-brand Polestar.

2m Source: Volvo Cars

Number of electrified cars on the roads globally during 2016.

internationalfleetworld.com / 13

NEWS_IFW_Aug17.qxp 19/07/2017 18:17 Page 3

business news

Up to 40% of road deaths in Europe are work-related, says ESTC report

in brief

mployers, national governments and the EU are being urged to take action E to tackle fleet road risk, as latest estimates suggest that up to 40% of all road deaths in Europe are work-related.

PSA acquisition of Opel/Vauxhall approved

The analysis of EU road safety data, published by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), finds that a total of 25,671 lives were lost on the road in the European Union in 2016 and says that as EU road death figures stagnate, employers are essential to tackling road risk.

However, the new ETSC report sets out that fleets need help and support from national governments and the EU to take action on work-related deaths and stresses that improved data collection by police forces recording details of traffic collisions is a crucial first step to tackling the issue.

The authors also say that government and public authorities should lead by example and adopt work-related road safety management programmes for their employees and their fleets and include vehicle safety in public procurement requirements.

Isotrak acquires VeriLocation sotrak has acquired UK GPS fleet tracking specialist VeriLocation for an undisclosed amount.

The combined business will have in excess of 500 fleet and telematics customers over 50,000 connections in the UK and overseas and will offer a comprehensive range of fleet software solutions and professional services, integrating managed service vehicle camera systems on a single platform.

Isotrak was acquired by UK B2B services and technology investor Lyceum Capital in 2013. Lyceum partner Daniel Adler said of the latest deal: “We are committed to identifying, acquiring and integrating businesses that provide a strong strategic fit, across all our investments. We are certain that Isotrak will continue to build on its position as a market leader in the dynamic telematics space and remain at the forefront of new product innovation.”

I

Applications for 2017 PRAISE Awards and conference now open leets can now enter this year’s PRAISE awards, which will recognise those companies are the forefront of fleet safety.

Run by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), the competition covers three separate categories – SME, large company and public authority – with the winners to be announced at the 7th Annual European PRAISE Conference on work-related road safety in Brussels on 24 October 2017.

The conference will also bring together fleet safety managers, EU institutions, government representatives, and road safety experts to discuss the latest developments and priorities in work-related road safety.

The deadline for applications is 1 September 2017.

F

14 / internationalfleetworld.com

EU antitrust authorities have approved the proposed acquisition of GM’s Opel/Vauxhall automotive business by PSA Group. The acquisition will create the second largest automotive company in Europe behind Volkswagen.

Goodyear concept tyre for autonomous EV fleets Goodyear has unveiled a concept tyre designed for future-generation autonomous electric ride-sharing vehicles in urban areas. The IntelliGrip Urban features Sensor-in-Tyre technology to sense road and weather conditions and send the data directly to the vehicle’s computer system.

Leasys acquires FCA Fleet Services France rental activities Leasys, FCA Bank’s mobility and longterm rental company, is continuing its European expansion with the takeover of FCA Fleet Services France rental activities. The move comes just a few months after its Spanish debut.

App could halve time to find parking spot A new app that could cut the time taken to find parking by up to 50% in European cities is to launch this autumn. EasyPark’s Find & Pay tool uses crowd-sourced location information to create a parking probability map for any given hour of the day.

LeasePlan USA names SVP of operations Juan Perez has been appointed to lead LeasePlan USA’s operations team as senior vice president of operations. Mr Perez brings more than 25 years of leadership and management experience in logistics, transportation and fleet management services.

MEET THE NEW EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR

The New Ĺ KODA Superb.

The mighty and the elegant, the joyful and the intelligent - the new Ĺ KODA Superb.

In both Limo and Combi versions, the new Superb boasts a unique body shape, class-leading spaciousness and dynamic curves, making it a true flagship of our range.

And given its cost-effective operation, modern technology, low emissions and beneficial fleet offers, you are about to meet one of your most efficient and reliable employees ever.

www.skoda-auto.com

Combined fuel consumption and CO2 emissions according to the legislation of the concerned country

SPOTLIGHT_Hyundai Kona_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:20 Page 1

SPOTLIGHT Hyundai Kona

Joing the compact SUV party Kona is the car that Hyundai hopes will make it the leading Asian brand in Europe by 2021. John Challen discovers more about the Nissan Juke rival.

FLEET FACT 7DCT gearbox helps cut CO2 by up to 20% compared with the six-speed auto.

16 / internationalfleetworld.com

SPOTLIGHT_Hyundai Kona_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:21 Page 2

Into the unknown

New equipment and engines

The latest company to join the compact SUV market is Hyundai. While the amount of times these vehicles spend on tracks, rather than tarmac is very much up for debate, SUVs are very much en vogue at the moment, and manufacturers are making the most of it.

“The All-New Kona is not just another car among Hyundai Motor’s established SUV range – it is an important milestone of our journey to become Asian automotive brand number one in Europe by 2021,” says Thomas Schmid, COO at Hyundai Motor Europe. Time will tell if it has the desired effect or not…

The engine line-up isn’t the most expansive, but it features the latest units available. First up is a new downsized 1-litre three cylinder petrol with 120hp and 172Nm of torque. A 1.6litre diesel – boasting 115hp and 136hp outputs – will be introduced within a year of the car’s launch.

Also new is a four-wheel-drive system, for those who might require that extra capability and a suspension setup that allows a comfortable ride, but also decent handling.

Clean sheet of paper A new model has afforded Hyundai to take a fresh approach to design, with a bold front end featuring LED DRLs, twin headlamps and the now-familiar cascading grille that features on other models from the Korean manufacturer’s range.

Step inside the car and it’s clear that the cabin is designed for passenger convenience. There are options for customisation with distinctive colours being available for certain areas, such as orange, lime and red.

There is an optional eight inch floating screen, containing navigation, connectivity and media systems. Other options include a heated steering wheel, keyless start and 8way adjustable electric seats.

What we think...

In a relatively short period of time, the compact SUV market has become quite congested, with competitors from Citroën, Nissan, Renault, Opel/Vauxhall and Peugeot. The arrival of Hyundai to the party is expected to be a success, helped by the reputation of its established SUVs – the Tucson, Santa Fe and Grand Santa Fe. An appealing design, plus an impressive range of safety and driver-friendly technology, will help the company in it’s quest to be the best Asian car company in Europe.

internationalfleetworld.com / 17

D ECIS I O N S, DE C I S I O NS. INTRODUCING THE JAGUAR AND LAND ROVER RANGES FOR BUSINESS Efficiency or performance? Ride comfort or driving dynamics? Connectivity or capability?

Choosing vehicles for your fleet is a huge responsibility, but who said you can’t have it all?

The Jaguar and Land Rover ranges offer uncompromised solutions for every fleet. Featuring our innovative InControl infotainment system and state-of-the-art Ingenium engines, our vehicles deliver everything your business demands. And with 78* derivatives below 130g/km CO2, the only decision you need to make is which vehicle to test drive first.

fleet-business.jaguarlandrover.com

78 models as of January 2017. Listing based on EU offer, all models and specifications are market dependent, please check with your local retailer.

*

FEATURE_Shell_IFW_Aug17.qxp 19/07/2017 17:52 Page 1

FEATURE Fleet Management

Detail in the retail All the time that diesel- and petrol-fed personal and commercial vehicles exist, the likes of Shell are under pressure to deliver to their business and consumer customers. István Kapitány, executive vice president Shell Retail, talks challenges, growth plans and digital disruption.

20 / internationalfleetworld.com

FEATURE_Shell_IFW_Aug17.qxp 19/07/2017 17:53 Page 2

István Kapitány, executive vice president Shell Retail n my time spent as a Shell employee, a lot has changed in the world. Thirty years ago nobody talked about energy transition or had even entertained the idea of global warming. Back then, through its original events that eventually became festivals such as Make the Future, Shell started with young kids and asked them to find solutions to problems. Problems such as finding new energy solutions for engines as well as ways of using our fuels more effectively. And the event grew into a global success that has covered different regions and evolved hugely from the small festival in the south of France. This year’s event in London proves that it is still growing and we hope that the growth will continue in the future.

We often talk with our partners about energy transition and how we go about it.

The one thing we know is that we don’t know, so it’s always a good first step to say if you want to do something about climate change, you cannot assume someone else will do it. You have to be proactive and seize control of the situation.

I

Commercially minded Many people are surprised when I talk about how important the commercial fleet retail segment is for our business. We have 43,000 service stations around the world in nearly 80 countries. I jokingly say that we are warming up – not because it’s not a huge number of locations – we appreciate that it is – but because we truly believe we are a global company. With this in mind, we try to offer customers the type of activities we provide everywhere. If you think about what we offer commercial fleet customers in Europe, 30-40% of our volume is B2B, but there are areas of the world where we cannot claim such popularity. In India, China and Asia as a whole, we do not have a truck stop network to the degree we have in Europe. In the US, we have a big presence with 15,000 sites, but we don’t really cater for the commercial vehicle customers.

So, going forward, we want to make the business more global and I think it will be possible to achieve this goal. We are too Euro- and American-centric so there are lots of regions we need to be growing in if we want to stay number one in the global market. If we want to grow the regions we have to concentrate on are those with the highest growth rates – the countries where the lion’s share of the world’s mobility will be in the future.

internationalfleetworld.com / 21

→

FEATURE_Shell_IFW_Aug17.qxp 20/07/2017 13:19 Page 3

FEATURE Fleet Management

→ Cards on the table Our potential future developments in emerging regions doesn’t mean we’ll be ignoring our established markets, though.

We have made a big investment in our commercial network and tried to revamp the truck stop network in Europe, offering drivers an improved service where they are able to really rest. We aim to give them everything that they need when they stop and offer preferential treatment – including providing information in all the languages of the European Union.

We try and do everything we can to give them a personalised service, which is not typical at other sites around the world.

Thanks to Euro Shell, we are one of the biggest fuel card issuers in the world and have the most widely used fleet card

in Europe. One of the reasons for this success is because we have a good network coverage and we are signing more trademark license agreements – such as Portugal – all the time.

These mean that while we don’t own the service station, we do have a partner who operates them in the country.

Our plan by 2025 is to have 100 countries where you can see the Shell brand – including the likes of Korea and Vietnam. We know we need to up our game because we are not the leader in every area. But we do have a concrete plan of how we can change that. We are investing in our IT platform for a start – and while there are some elements of the Euro Shell card that are leading, in other areas, we need to up make improvements.

Fuel of choice Energy transition is an exciting part of the business and we get many questions about what the move from fossil fuels to renewable energies will look like. Shell’s strategy is to provide more energy and cleaner energy. Some people will favour one or the other, but we believe you need both. In this world, every day there is a minimum of one billion people who are not switching on lights because they don’t have any electricity. So to say we need cleaner energy is not a good starting point because they might not have ANY energy.

In the commercial fleet business the majority of the vehicles

22 / internationalfleetworld.com

run on diesel and there are challenges and pressures as part of that. We are very active in LNG for transport initiatives and we are trying to work with hauliers to find ways for them to switch their truck network from diesel engines to LNG engines. We started the journey in Germany but now have gone to Holland and elsewhere, but it’s a long process. The powertrain has to be modified – you cannot just switch over – and it has to be cost-efficient because those who are running businesses need to be making money and customers running these trucks have to be cost-competitive straight away.

FEATURE_Shell_IFW_Aug17.qxp 19/07/2017 17:54 Page 4

“We are one of the biggest fuel card issuers in the world and have the most widely used fleet card in Europe.”

How to make drivers feel welcome Driver facilities are an issue for us in Europe and beyond. We have a big programme planned to revamp, rebuild and reconstruct service stations in the next 10 years. These measures aren’t only for the benefit of truck drivers – there are many aspects we need to improve on, including knocking down existing sites and making them bigger and removing toilet facilities

and making them suitable for 2017. If you go to some sites in Europe, we have a programme where you pay to use the toilet facilities, but you enter into a relaxing, colourful world that many people quite like. We always smile about it, but it is a fundamental part of the business. Showers for truck drivers is a big issue in Europe, but elsewhere there are other issues.

Shell faces the future The world is changing and digital disruption is everywhere – we even try to disrupt ourselves with new technologies. One example is a programme we have that we are currently trialling in Holland, where drivers can order their fuel on an app if they are at a rest stop for a couple of hours. After the driver has placed an order, a Shell-branded electric tanker carrying up to 1,000 litres of fuel, arrives at your vehicle, fills it up and leave, with minimal disruption.

It’s an interesting concept, but we’re aware that it might have an impact on commercial fleets because in this test we are finding that fleets with 40-50 vehicles are asking if we are can do this at night, at their own facilities. By going to the depot, the drivers don’t have to spend the 10-20

minutes at the service station the next day before or during their shift.

Finally, there is a new energy department now within Shell, so we will be entering into many areas that we hadn’t been in before. That might mean changes to many parts of the energy value chain, but we have to be prepared for that. If you find consumers we have today are using any of these products or services at a different place than the service station, we need to think about how we make what we are offering the consumer easier so that they don’t have to deal with other parts of the business. We have different brands, but customers only see Shell that is providing them with energy needs. That is something that needs to change in the future.

About the author István Kapitány has enjoyed a 29-year career with Shell and now finds himself in the position of executive vice president of Shell Retail. In this role, he is responsible for the management of half a million people, who serve 25 million customers in more than 40 Shell forecourts and outlets across 80 countries. In total, his team is responsible for the retailing of almost 200 billon litres of fuel a year.

internationalfleetworld.com / 23

FEATURE_Mobility_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 17:19 Page 1

FEATURE Intelligent Mobility

THE FUTURE OF FLEET IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER Frost & Sullivan’s recent conference – ‘Intelligent Mobility: digital transformation of the automotive industry’ – hinted at what the roads of the future will be like. John Challen was in the audience.

24 / internationalfleetworld.com

FEATURE_Mobility_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 17:19 Page 2

“Artificial intelligence is a fundamental part of our business and it will also be for automotive companies.”

Christoph Stadeler, head of automotive strategy, Facebook

longside the traditional automotive manufacturers, a number of familiar – and not so familiar names will play a big role in the industry as the levels of automation, connectivity and technology reach new heights. Frost & Sullivan’s recent event looking at intelligent mobility saw many of these companies share a stage with more established vehicle manufacturers and explain what they could bring to the table, as well as the vehicle manufacturers.

Representing Facebook was the company’s head of automotive strategy, Christoph Stadeler, who was keen to highlight the similarities between the social media sphere and the automotive market. “We both want to help accelerate digital efforts and we are both engineering companies who build sophisticated tech products,” he pointed out. “We are also both leaders in innovation and share a vision of bringing the world closer together. We service the same mission, even though we have completely different ways of getting there.”

A

Facebook’s future plans Stadeler said that Facebook – now with more than two billion users – is embracing technologies, especially in anticipation of autonomous vehicles. “Artificial intelligence is a fundamental part of our business and it will also be for automotive companies as the car industry moves forward with autonomous vehicles. We are also heavily involved in virtual reality and our ownership of Oculus means we think it will be an important way of bringing people together in real-time in the future.”

Another name that wouldn’t readily be associated with the automotive sector is Schneider Electric, which has, until now, concentrated on energy solutions for the home, not the vehicle. But the growth of electric vehicles – and advances in technology – is changing that as the company’s electric vehicle charger becomes the first of its products not specifically designed for the home.

“Connectivity, mobility and analysis is driving automotive into the digital age and smart charging is helping the digital

world,” said Christian Girardeau, electric vehicle VP, building and IT business, strategy and innovation, Schneider Electric. “The car will effectively become a battery with four wheels and everything will be driven from the state of charge of the battery – 75% of the time people will charge at home, so we are moving to smart homes.”

The worldwide leader in EV sales – Renault-Nissan – was also involved in discussions at the London event and gave an update about collaborations with Microsoft about connected cars and Transdev and DeNA on autonomous vehicles. Through these collaborations, Ogi Redzic, alliance SVP, connected vehicles and mobility services, Renault-Nissan, said the plan was to offer 10 different models within the Alliance by 2020.

Ready for autonomy?

The role of autonomous vehicles as an example of intelligent mobility was discussed at length, with Franck Leveque, partner and business unit leader, mobility, Frost & Sullivan predicting that by 2020 there will be close to 10 million vehicles on the world’s roads that will have some form of automation, with that figure set to quadruple by 2025. “We will see big features introduced and connectivity will be a critical enabler at every stage of the evolution of autonomous vehicles. But there are two Franck Leveque, partner and business unit leader, mobility, Frost & Sullivan

internationalfleetworld.com / 25

→

FEATURE_Mobility_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 17:21 Page 3

FEATURE Intelligent Mobility

→

schools of thoughts in that road map. One where vehicle manufacturers will embrace the challenges of ‘Level 3’ autonomy and the handover between the vehicle and the driver – and another where OEMs will actually say that they are going to jump ‘Level 3’ altogether to avoid the complexity,” he stated.

There was also a warning to the existing manufacturers about the future: “The ecosystem of autonomous vehicles is fast transforming. We’ve identified about 300 startups in this area that are developing skills and capabilities that will address the wider spaces in the industry,” said Leveque.

“Traditional vehicle manufacturers and suppliers are being outpaced by innovation coming from outside of the traditional value chain. In the past 12-18 months we’ve seen $60 billion worth of mergers and acquisitions taking place and we see expect big investment from manufacturers to stay relevant and able to compete.”

Connected cars Further discussions about connectivity featured a company that has moved in a different direction. Previously best known for manufacturing cellphones, Nokia now operates predominantly in the communication and cloud infrastructure business, with customers including network providers such as Vodafone. There is a lot of interest in what Thierry Klein, head of information management for verticals, Nokia

26 / internationalfleetworld.com

the company does from those in the automotive world. “In automotive the challenge is connectivity and I’m surprised no-one has wondered how you make the connections – but that is where we come in,” explained Dr Thierry Klein, head of information management for verticals at Nokia. “We’re not in the car business and not providing chips to go into the car, but we think of the car as a cyber secure connected device. Yes, it is a device with wheels, but we are very good at working with connected devices – they are normally called smartphones and tablets, but we regard cars as devices too.”

Next-generation techniques for today Honing the specifics of autonomous vehicles relies on a lot of data and advanced techniques and NVIDIA – traditionally known for the development of graphics processing units (GPUs) for gaming devices – is another technology company that believes it has something to offer the passenger car world.

At the Frost & Sullivan summit, the company’s business development manger for autonomous driving, Tom Westerndorp outlined what it could offer. “Autonomous driving isn’t something we intend to solve on our own, we work with OEMs, suppliers and software companies to find answers. All of these industries are working on autonomous driving and we think they can add something to what we are trying to achieve with our platform and benefit from our solution in return,” he said.

“The whole challenge is similar to when a human drives. You need to sense the environment and then calculate what the next move will be. It sounds easy but traffic is complex and changes every day because of factors such as roadworks, infrastructure and severe weather conditions. In order to get to ‘Level 3’

“The car will effectively become a battery with four wheels.”

Christian Girardeau, electric vehicle VP, building and IT business, strategy and innovation, Schneider Electric

FEATURE_Mobility_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 17:22 Page 4

“Autonomous driving isn’t something we intend to solve on our own.”

Tom Westerndorp, business development manger for autonomous driving, NVIDIA

autonomous vehicles, it is a lot more complex and that is where Deep Learning comes in.”

Deep Learning is the process of training a computer to extract features for a huge amount of data. Different layers can be built up – in a stop sign the layers might be the colour, the shape, whether there is movement or not, etc. Each of those layers will have a weighting and then an outcome will work out that the object is a stop sign.

“While you are training the computer, you are feeding it more data. It’s not a new concept, but a number of elements came together for us and there was a big bang in artificial intelligence and the development of a GPU that could cope with the increased amount of data,” explained Westerndorp.

The only way is up

“The advantage of being able to drive and fly is that it offers a door to door solution, whereas flying only results in a platform-to-platform form of transport.”

Away from the road, there is huge interest – once again – in taking personal transportation to the sky. Estimates suggest that there are at least 15 established companies that are venturing into the area of flying cars.

Terrafugia, AeroMobil, PAL-V and many others have all spoken publicly about their projects with the intention of one of them – PAL-V’s vehicle – to be ready in a commercialised form by the end of 2018.

“There are challenges – not least vertical take-off, range and cost – but start-up companies such as Tesla have proven that what seems impossible is actually possible,” argued Robert Dingemanse, CEO of PAL-V (Personal Air and Land Vehicle). “Amazon’s drones are a step in the right direction to what some call ‘three dimensional transportation’, but there are further opportunities to take people into the sky with their own transportation.”

Dingemanse explained there are currently three approaches – rotor crafts that fly and drive (also known as multicopters); others that have wings and can be driven; and

flying cars that don’t drive at all. “Flying is different in terms of energy use. It needs lift, which can be achieved in two ways: by taking a small amount of air and pushing it very fast; or taking a huge amount of air and pushing it very slowly,” he explained, adding that the range of cars under development are split between the two approaches. “A flying car offers a range of up to 500 miles on one tank of fuel, compared with multicopters that have just 50 miles. The biggest difference is how you store your energy, because a lot of energy is used in to get the aircraft in the air in the first place. There is still a long way to go until we get to efficient flying, but we will master the challenges.

How long it will take, we will see.”

The advantage of being able to drive and fly is that it offers a door to door solution, whereas flying only results in a platform-toplatform form of transport. “In terms of infrastructure, we need to look at physical and data requirements and there are differences in approaches,” said Dingemanse. “In our approach, we fit existing infrastructure with existing data infrastructure. If you look at other proposals, there are vehicles with the chassis of an electric car and the appearance of a drone. That requires a lot of investment in infrastructure.”

The regulatory framework is, in most cases, a big inhibition to coming to market, but Dingemanse said it is something they are working hard to get around. “We took a different approach to anyone else – we build the vehicle to existing regulations, become a player in the market and then later on be in a better position to meet new regulations. There are manufacturers who have products that meet some of the regulations as well as those that don’t mean any – but they are not looking to commercialise their products for some time.”

internationalfleetworld.com / 27

FLEET FOCUS_Finland_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:04 Page 1

FLEET FOCUS Finland

Finland dreams of electric avenues Autorola’s Brian Madsen Scandinavian brief extends to Finland. He explains how the country is looking to replicate Norway and increase its EV sales.

28 / internationalfleetworld.com

FLEET FOCUS_Finland_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:04 Page 2

he Finnish government has viewed Norway’s success in incentivising drivers to buy and own electric cars and is looking to mirror this with a €100 million investment in subsidies for electric cars. Over the next 10 years Finland wants to replicate the success of Norway which now has around 120,000 EVs and plug-in hybrids on its roads.

The Finnish government is considering offering a €3-5,000 subsidy on the first 20,000 vehicles to help reduce the country’s fossil fuel consumption. Volvo Cars’ announcement that it will introduce cars with some form of electrification across its model range, embracing fully electric cars, plug-in hybrid cars and mild hybrid cars comes at the right time to accommodate the Finnish government’s vision.

T

REGISTRATION RE-CAP New car registrations were 2% down in the first six months of 2017 with Toyota and VW dominating the market with a 13.1% and 11.2% share of the market. Toyota sales continue to go from strength to strength, up by 21% already this year.

Already 63,598 cars have been registered in Finland in the first six months, which means the annual target of 110,000 new cars looks well within reach.

Typically the country only imports cars, but Valmet Automotive has recently announced that its production facility in Uuskiaupunki has expanded to three shifts to help cater for the increased demand for the Mercedes A-Class and GLC SUV. It has also nearly doubled its workforce from 1,900 to 3,500 and it’s still growing.

internationalfleetworld.com / 29

→

FLEET FOCUS_Finland_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:05 Page 3

FLEET FOCUS Finland

→

ARE EVS THE ANSWER? How the move to electric vehicles will change the new car landscape is difficult to tell as the country only sold a few hundred EVs in 2016. The weather is likely to cause EV motorists some challenges as the range for a Renault ZOE is typically around 400km, but in the heart of winter temperatures do not get above zero in Helsinki from December to March which can halve an EV’s effective range.

It will be a while before the used car industry starts to see used EVs arrive in any volume but currently the second hand market is very strong with 600,000 used cars sold.

Profitability at €300-1,000 is healthy and the squeeze on new car profits to around €500 a car means dealers can only remain in business if they sell both used and new cars.

Typically the dealers run a very professional used car operations with many topping up their stock by importing used cars from countries like Sweden, Denmark and Germany via the online Autorola remarketing platform.

t’s too early to say whether Finland could ‘do a Norway’ and reach the heady market share of its Scandinavian brother, but looking at the latter’s experience would be useful.

Like Finland, Norway’s electric vehicle success has been boosted massively by government incentives. In Norway, electric vehicles are exempt from car-purchase taxes as well as the 25% sales tax that is imposed on most other items. Drivers are able to plug in for free at municipal power points, they generally don’t pay tolls and can use bus lanes to avoid traffic. On ferries across Norway’s deep fjords, electrics travel at no cost.

The subsidies were introduced in the 1990s to support a fledgling, and never particularly successful, domestic electric vehicle industry. “There was hardly anything to buy,” says Christina Bu of the Norwegian EV Association. The incentives

I

30 / internationalfleetworld.com

were still on the books when more appealing, mass-produced electric cars such as the Nissan LEAF and the Tesla Model S came onto the market. “Suddenly the market expanded before politicians realised what was going on,” says Bu. So while some markets struggle to hit 3% with electric vehicle penetration, earlier this year that figure reached 37% in Norway. Over 4,800 plug-in electric vehicles were delivered in the country in January – helped by strong BMW i3 sales (622 units) and some PHEV vehicles such as the Volvo XC90 (398 units) and the Volkswagen Passat GTE (411 units).

Tesla also contributed to the new record now that it has firmly become a two-vehicle automaker: 129 Model S sedans were delivered in January and 238 Model X SUVs. Even newcomers such as the Hyundai Ioniq Electric also started contributing with 166 deliveries last month.

FLEET FOCUS_Finland_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:05 Page 4

Source: FocusEconomics

Finnish economics

he economy in Finland got off to an encouraging start to the year in 2017, with GDP growing at the fastest rate since Q4 2010 in Q1, according to data released in early June. Detailed national accounts data reveal that the recovery is fairly broad-based and well balanced, with private consumption growing robustly on the back of strong consumer confidence and fixed investment expanding healthily thanks to accelerating global trade dynamics.

The momentum seems to have carried over into the second quarter, with the Central Bank’s output indicator accelerating in April. Yet economic conditions might have suffered from a certain degree of uncertainty in the political arena, as the government faced a threat of collapsing following turmoil in the coalition Finns party, which resulted in the party splitting in two.

In April, economic activity in Finland expanded a workingday adjusted 3.8% over the same month last year, a substantial increase from March’s 2.9% increase as per the monthly trend indicator of output released by Statistics Finland. The result was driven by an increase in output in the manufacturing and construction sector while the agricultural sector also witnessed a pick-up in production.

A month-on-month comparison shows that economic activ-

T

ity increased 0.7% in seasonally-adjusted terms, an upswing from the previous month’s flat reading. As a result, annual average growth in economic activity increased from 1.9% in March (previously reported: +1.6%) to 2.2% in April.

The Central Bank expects the domestic economy to expand 2.1% in 2017 and 1.7% in 2018. FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists expect a much lower expansion, forecasting GDP to expand 1.4% in 2017, which is up 0.1 percentage points from last month’s projection. For 2018, the panel sees GDP increasing 1.5%.

Early July saw Uber announce that it was to pull its primary taxi service out of Finland as it waits for a law to deregulate the market to be passed. The cab firm, which exclusively operates in the nation’s capital Helsinki, is suspending its UberPop service, which allows any driver to sign up and offer unlicensed taxi trips. “We want to ensure that we do not pose drivers who use our app or our employees any unnecessary issues, especially now that we have a bright future to look forward to,” said Joel Järvinen, Uber’s country manager for Finland. “While we are looking forward to the reforms coming into effect, we have decided it is best to pause UberPop from 15 August until the new regulations allow a better environment,” Järvinen added.

internationalfleetworld.com / 31

PROFILE_Audi_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:18 Page 1

PROFILE Audi

The A-Team Audi’s ambitious launch schedule of new and refreshed models continues with fourth-generation A8, featuring innovations in the brand’s key R&D areas of electrification and autonomy…

“Audi’s success in Western Europe has continued into 2017.”

32 / internationalfleetworld.com

PROFILE_Audi_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:18 Page 2

Manufacturer Audi AG Total sales 2016 1,867,738 Headquarters Chemnitz, Germany Global market share 2.7% No. of models 13

A driving force for autonomy Dave Humphreys talks to Alejandro Vukotich, Audi’s head of automated driving development, about the potential for AI technology…

Fluctuating international markets n 2016, Audi delivered 1,867,738 vehicles worldwide – an increase of 4% compared with the previous year, and the brand’s highest year-to-date result.

This sales success was achieved despite challenging conditions in several international markets, boosted by the continued popularity of the Q-range of SUVs and refreshed A4 models.

In Western Europe, Audi’s sales increased by 8% over 2015 levels, with sales in the home market of Germany outperforming the region as a whole (293,307, +9%).

In the United Kingdom – the brand’s biggest European export market – a total of 177,565 vehicles were delivered. Deliveries of Audi brand vehicles were also strong in the key markets of Italy (+16%), France (+3%) and Spain (+17%).

Audi’s success in Western Europe has continued into 2017, with the new Q2 (launched in August last year), becoming Audi's best-selling SUV product in March.

The crossover also contributed heavily towards Italy becoming the fastest-growing large market in Europe in the first quarter of 2017. Demand for the new Audi A4 also remained strong, with European sales up by 14% to around 41,500 units in the first three months of the year.

Sales in the Central and Eastern Europe region, however, remain heavily impacted by the increasing economic and political instability in Russia. Country sales declined by -19% to 20,705 (25,650) vehicles in 2016, and the market remained sluggish in Q1 2017.

In contrast, Audi delivered 210,213 vehicles to customers in the United States last year – an increase of 4% in a static market. Volume growth was also positive in Canada, where the brand recorded 30,544 – an increase of 14% over 2015.

Strong consumer demand for Audi SUV models finished the year on a high note, with the Q5 and Q7 performing particularly strongly. The Q5 posted 6,396 sales, a 6% increase over December 2015, and the A3 Sportback e-tron also had its best ever month one year after launch, with 589 deliveries in December. Audi’s flagship sedan also performed strongly with American customers – for the year, A4 sales rose 20% to 34,687 deliveries.

Meanwhile, demand fell in the South American region by -17%. Contracted sales were influenced by a downturn in the key region of Brazil – the largest national market in the region – where sales recorded a 30% decline due to continued economic instability. In the Asia-Pacific region, Audi delivered 680,507 vehicles, achieving a minimal increase in sales of 1% compared to 2015. Registration-based sales restrictions in South Korea and overall weak demand in Japan (-4%) impacted sales in the Asian region, and the increase can be wholly attributed to a positive result in the Chinese market.

Sales increased 4% year-on-year in China, and the country remains an important growth region for Audi. The brand is in talks with local partners for the planned next stages of development.

I

AUDI Global sales, by territory Territory Western Europe Central & Eastern Europe

North America South America Asia-Pacific Total

2015 745,049 54,891 243,103 27,234 677,199 1,803,246

2016 801,116 55,853 256,087 22,589 680,507 1,867,738

% change +8% +2% +5% -17% +1% +4%

Star of the show at the recent Audi Summit event in Barcelona was the new A8 luxury saloon, featuring ‘Level 3’ autonomous technology – something that Audi believes will prove a big draw for buyers, and has been a key R&D area for the brand since 2009.

When asked as to who would most benefit from the introduction of the first Level 3 system (called Traffic Jam Pilot), Alejandro Vukotich, head of automated driving development, suggested those with longer commutes on motorways where they regularly face heavy traffic: “The commute from one city to another is the first step, but in the end, it’s not the level that determines who has the benefit, it’s the use case.”

One barrier currently in the way of this is legislation, and Vukotich would like to see a change in this area happen at a similar pace to the development of the technology: “We would like them to move quicker so that we can make the offering to our customers as soon as possible,” he said. With the laws amended, drivers could then activate the AI (Artificial Intelligence) functions and, in certain situations, allow it to take over the driving. On clearly marked motorway lanes, for example, the car could drive unaided at speeds up to 60km/h for extended periods of time.

When asked about the potential safety implications of unaided driving, Vukotich was quick to highlight the numerous redundancy systems and revealed that, in addition to four types of front sensors, there would also be a camera mounted within the instrument display that can monitor the driver’s alertness. Should the driver not respond to the prompts to retake control of the car, the system could stop it safely in its lane.

→

internationalfleetworld.com / 33

PROFILE_Audi_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:19 Page 3

PROFILE Audi

→

Where are they made?

Manufacturing plant locations Europe 1 Neckarsulm plant,

Germany – Audi A4, A5, S5, A6, S6, A7, S7, A8, S8.

2 Ingolstadt plant,

Germany – Audi Q2, A3, S3, A4, S4, A5, S5.

3 Audi Brussels, Belgium –

3 1 5 2 4

A1, A1 Sportback, S1, S1 Sportback 4 Győr plant, Hungary –

6 8

7

TT Coupe, TT Roadster, A3 Sedan, A3 Cabriolet

9

5 Bratislava plant,

Slovakia – Q7

11

10

6 Kaluga plant, Russia –

A6, A7, A8 L, Q7 7 Martorell, Spain – Q3

Asia 8 Changchun plant, China

– Audi A4, A6, Q3, Q5.

9 Foshan plant, China –

12

Audi A3.

10

Aurangabad plant, India – A3, A4, A6, Q3, Q5, Q7.

11

San Jose plant, Mexico – Audi Q5.

12

Curitiba plant, Brazil – Audi A3, Q3.

FIN A

Focus on electrification

fleet in numbers

4.9 seconds 0-100kph time of new A8 L e-tron quattro.

FIVE The number of Audi electric vehicles due to launch in China by 2022.

€24 billion Investment in product development, technology and innovation from 2015-2019.

34 / internationalfleetworld.com

udi continues the regeneration of its model range with new A8, available in international markets from September. The model will gain its first plug-in hybrid next year, and the A8 L e-tron quattro version will offer a range of up to 50km on electric power alone.

Mild hybrid technology is standard-fit across the petrol and diesel line-up, bringing features including coasting with the engine switched off, an extended Stop/Start function and energy recovery under braking.

Pricing, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions were unconfirmed at the time of publication, but new A8 is expected to offer around 50g/km – in line with its Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series rivals.

The electrification of the range is a key focus for Audi – the brand has committed to launch an electric vehicle every year from 2018, with plans to compete in volume segments as well as niches.

Audi has confirmed production of its etron Sportback will start at its Brussels plant in 2019, marking its second electric car. The new model will be produced alongside the Model X-rivalling e-tron electric SUV, which launches in 2018.

New electric Audi vehicles will also be e-tron Sportback concept launched in China, manufactured in partnership with FAW. The range will include the Audi A6 L e-tron as the first locally produced plug-in hybrid, and the Q7 e-tron as an import model.

The new agreement forms part of the carmaker’s plans for significant expansion of its locally produced model portfolio, and comes as the Volkswagen Group looks to diversify into electric vehicles in the wake of the emissions scandal.

Dietmar Voggenreiter, board member for sales and marketing at Audi AG, commented: “China is the leading market worldwide for electric mobility. With our e-tron initiative, we want to create a compelling premium offer of products and services here.”

Audi is also planning a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle “in the coming years”, and executives have hinted at high-speed 350kW charging for future electric vehicles, with the ability to reserve charging points while they drive.

The second generation of the Audi A7 will reinforce Audi’s line-up in 2018, while the new Q8 will be a coupe-SUV, similar to the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe. Audi Q4, a sporty compact utility vehicle, will further strengthen the SUV crossover range in 2019.

PROFILE_Audi_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:19 Page 4

Audi fleet model range

A1

A3

A4

Variants: 3/5dr hatchback Markets: Global Fuel: 3.6-7.2l/100km CO2: 94-168g/km

Variants: 3/5dr hatchback, 4dr sedan, cabriolet Markets: Global Fuel: 1.6-8.4l/100km CO2: 36-192g/km

Variants: : 4dr sedan, wagon Markets: Global Fuel: 3.7-6.8l/100km CO2: 95-154g/km

A5

A6

A7

Variants: Coupe, cabriolet Markets: Global Fuel: 4.2-9.6l/100km CO2: 109-223g/km

Variants: 4dr sedan, wagon Markets: Global Fuel: 4.2-9.6l/100km CO2: 109-223g/km

Variants: 5dr coupe Markets: Global Fuel: 5.2-9.5l/100km CO2: 138-221g/km

A8

Q2

Q3

Variants: Limousine Markets: Global Fuel: TBC CO2: TBC

Variants: Crossover Markets: Europe, Asia, South America, Oceania Fuel: 4.1-6.4l/100km CO2: 109-146g/km

Variants: Crossover Markets: Global Fuel: 4.2-7.2l/100km CO2: 10-168g/km

Q5

Q7

Variants: SUV Markets: Global Fuel: 4.5-8.5l/100km CO2: 117-195g/km

Variants: SUV Markets: Global Fuel: 1.8-7.7l/100km CO2: 48-179g/km

TT

R8

Variants: Coupe, cabriolet Markets: Global Fuel: 4.6-8.5l/100km CO2: 122-194g/km

Variants: Coupe Markets: Global Fuel: 11.4-12.5l/100km CO2: 272-292g/km

internationaleetworld.com / 35

IVIEW_GeoTab_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:05 Page 1

INTERVIEW Edward Kulperger, Geotab

The big picture Safer, more efficient fleets are only part of the picture for Canadian telematics company Geotab; 18 months after its European launch, it’s readying itself for a role in an all-new era for vehicle-generated data. Alex Grant finds out more.

gainst a backdrop of faster mobile data connections, and a need and ability to collect richer information from vehicles, the telematics sector is growing. It’s finding wider uses, and wider acceptance among operators, with benefits for costs, safety and environmental impact. And, according to Geotab, there’s a chance we may only be scratching the surface.

“The driver behaviour and ‘Where’s my vehicle?’ type attributes that people looked for in the past have evolved,” explains Edward Kulperger, vice president of the company’s European operation. “Most mid to large fleets are getting into the maintenance aspect, and that’s spurred a lot of growth over the past 24 months. Two years ago, we were doing 10,000 units per month – now we’re doing 40,000 units a month.”

Geotab is a relative newcomer to Europe, but it’s arriving with plenty of experience. Established in Canada in 2000, it provides a platform for fleets to gather vehiclegenerated data; a focus on hardware and software, marketed and sold through global and local partners. And its footprint is growing quickly.

Within the last three years, it has opened offices in London, Madrid and Munich, readying itself for expansion into Europe, which went live in late 2015 in partnership with telecommunications giant, Telefonica. The scale of its global operation is significant; its 17,000 customers include everyone from small businesses to multinationals, spanning 100 markets and with more than 750,000 devices between them.

"We think the leasing and rental space is very conducive to our product,” Kulperger says. “They have a need and want for things like odometer data, DTCs [diagnostic trouble codes], and other vehicle-related information, which we can provide them in a myriad of formats.

Then we see the small to medium businesses as good opportunities. Geotab is incredibly strong on the massive megafleets – we have three fleets with over 60,000 units installed – and we’re strong on the SMB side too. It’s an interesting parallel.”

While the underlying platform is the same, that expansion has shown huge variations in the data sought by endusers. European fleets are less likely to have telematics in

A

36 / internationalflfeetworld.com

place than North America, and there are variations across the region, he says. For example, British fleets tend to have similar requirements for and acceptance of GPS data to those in North America, while most of mainland Europe has a focus on technical information and the devices have GPS features disabled. But adapting to new market needs and demands has informed developments which customers in other markets can benefit from.

“In Europe we see some challenges around the data privacy and security side,” Kulperger explains. “We comply with GDPR and we house our data in Europe, which was a conscious decision. The privacy side we take incredibly seriously, we built that into our programme so North America can take advantage of some of the pushes we’ve done into Europe.”

But, he adds, it’s not just a case of getting more devices on the road. Geotab customers are generating 1.6 billion data points per day, only a third of which is GPS data.

Aggregated effectively, that’s building a detailed picture of traffic movement, refuelling, accident blackspots, even potential areas where vehicles could be idling longer and using more fuel, despite covering shorter distances. As well as helping fleets to improve efficiency, the company is exploring the socioeconomic value of the growing amount of data – live and historical – that those devices can gather from vehicle sensors.

“I think the next big wave will be around Big Data,” says Kulperger. “Every department in Geotab runs something off our Big Data engines. We’ve improved our own efficiencies, and now we’re looking at, for example, monitoring weather, fuel station usage, and we have a project in the U.S. around potholes. Municipalities spend millions of dollars fixing potholes, and understanding where they are. We can provide that data in an anonymous, aggregate fashion and they won’t even pay for it. We’ll provide it for the benefit of driving in that city.”

Of course, OEMs and Tier Ones are also seeing value in that data. Could that present issues for telematics companies? It could certainly change their role: “For sure the OEMs should be looking at organisations to send their data to in order for the people that are already using that application, or future customers, to just leverage that

IVIEW_GeoTab_IFW_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:06 Page 2

“Most mid to large fleets are getting into the maintenance aspect, and that’s spurred a lot of growth over the past 24 months.”

data. I think some of the challenges are around the richness of the data and unifying it from one OEM to another.

Having that interoperability, and getting the data they need, in the rich granular fashion that fleet management companies are craving, will always be a challenge from the OEM side.”

Big Data also totally transforms the business model for telematics companies, with benefits for their end-users.

Whether they’re coming from built-in or aftermarket telematics systems, those thousands or millions of live data points have a financial value, which could offset some of the cost of the technology, says Kulperger. It could make telematics cheaper to deploy, as well as enabling new businesses to develop.

“You could see so any different mobility models evolving from that; the vehicle becoming a utility, the telematics platform becoming pennies on the dollar in terms of getting data from the vehicle and presenting it in a way people want. Whether it’s ride sharing, or car sharing, are there consumer-type initiatives and advertising that come into that, which shares the cost? All of that is playing out, but we feel if the hardware is embedded, and they send the data in the right way, that this will become a data play where the consumer will benefit and not have to pay certain costs.

“We stay laser-focused on the fleet side, but getting organised on Big Data early on, we believe will pay off down the road. We can’t be the ones to push a model, but we can be an enabler and a platform for that model for the fleet,” adds Kulperger.

So, as the acceptance among fleets improves, and the quality of the data does the same, it’s increasingly a technology that operators can’t ignore, Kulperger concludes: “[Telematics] really enables fleets to help transform their business; to become digital, to move into Mobility as a Service, Transportation as a Service type solutions, and, in five to ten years, the car sharing world. Every large manufacturer and leasing company is making investments into this space – telematics really enables them to participate in those evolving business models. I personally think that type of innovation is going to be gamechanging for telematics companies.”

internationalfleetworld.com / 37

ROAD_FW_BMW 530e_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:25 Page 1

BMW 530e iPerformance It’s no niche car, but the 5 Series plug-in hybrid isn’t quite mainstream either, explains Alex Grant.

SECTOR Executive PRICE €53,000-€55,000 FUEL 1.9-2.1l/100km CO2 44-49g/km

ow quickly times change. It’s not so long ago that an pace when needed, and a surprisingly appealing soundtrack executive-class plug-in hybrid, such as the 530e iPertoo. But the 530e will also switch seamlessly to electric power, formance, might once have looked like a niche gliding along silently when battery charge and/or conditions oddity. Yet, in some large European markets, these are beginallow. As long as there’s some electric range left, it takes a heavy ning to outsell electric mobility’s usual suspects. BMW is press of the throttle to get the petrol engine to kick in. feeling confident that this newcomer will be enough of a Also shared with other BMW plug-in hybrids is the techcore part of the range, where incentives allow, that it could nology to back it up; navigation which works with the hybrid even extend the 5 Series customer base. system to pre-plan regenerative braking and motor assisIt has every reason to be confident. The ActiveHybrid 5 – a tance, based on the topography of the route, and driving six-cylinder, high-performance hybrid modes to prioritise or conserve battery never really found its place alongside power. These are offered on top of the BMW’s equally appealing, more fuel-effiusual Sport and Eco Pro modes found in cient diesel alternatives in Europe. But the the rest of the 5 Series range, so the 530e 530e’s tax-efficient 44g/km CO2 emiscan be tailored to suit whatever roads lie sions and pricing to match similarly quick ahead. diesel versions are likely to make this indiPackaging is better than in the Activerect successor a very different story. EspeHybrid 5, albeit not without compromise. cially as it only has the E-Class and S90 as The battery is under the boot floor, rather direct competitors. Though, arguably, with than upright behind the back seats, no Touring version, the larger plug-in which means the rear bench can fold. hybrid SUV class is also a threat.

However, there’s around a fifth less boot The drivetrain is shared with the 330e – space than in a petrol or diesel 5 Series, the same 184hp 2.0-litre turbocharged and the fuel tank is around the same size petrol engine you’d find in a 520i, as you’d get in a MINI hatch. It can cover augmented by a 113hp electric motor. But, long distances, but not without regular Improvements to battery unlike the ActiveHybrid 5, this also has a fuel and charge stops. technology which would 9.2kWh mains-rechargeable battery, in And that’s the drawback. The 530e is a make this more of a turn meaning it can travel around 50km step forward, but in a segment where range-extended electric on electricity, including at motorway long distances are the norm, it’s still too car would result in speeds. However, 30-40km is more realisreliant on petrol power to be a diesel tic, depending on weather conditions. alternative – particularly when even the something better suited This gives it the muscle of the six-cylin530d consumes 4.5l/100km. A part-electo traditional executive der executive cars of 20 years ago; the tric Five is no longer a niche seller but, saloon usage. combined 252hp and instant electric motor without a longer EV range, the real-world torque delivering blistering straight-line use case is a rare one.

H

what we think

38 / internationalfleetworld.com

ROAD_IFW_Jeep_Compass_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:27 Page 1

Jeep Compass The Compass could be the car to establish Jeep in fleet, explains Alex Grant.

SECTOR Crossover PRICE €25,000-€40,000 FUEL 4.4-6.9l/100km CO2 117-160g/km

170hp 2.0-litre diesel engine, though it’s only the former emember the old Jeep Compass? For most fleets, that’s offered with a manual gearbox as well as the nineyou’d be forgiven for not paying it too much attention speed auto. Neither are particularly fuel-efficient, at – this might be one of the world’s most familiar 5.2l/100km for the manual, or 5.7l/100km for the automatic. brands, but until recently it’s been a bit of an unknown in They’re almost unnecessary. Unless you need four-wheel the corporate sphere. The quirky Renegade has gone some drive, the pick of the line-up is the 120hp 1.6-litre diesel way towards getting it there, but, with its sights on the lucraengine – it’s smoother and quieter, especially under load, tive Qashqai segment, the new Compass is the car Jeep hopes and almost as punchy to drive as the 2.0-litre engines, while will really get its feet under the table. fuel consumption and CO2 are competitive with all except The opportunity is huge; three quarters of Jeeps registhe Renault-Nissan crossovers. Ride tered in Europe last year were Renequality is good, body roll is limited and it gades, and this newcomer is expected to handles much like a big hatchback. The be even bigger – set to nearly double its exception, predictably, is the Trailhawk volumes overall. And, with a more fleetwith its off-road tyres and raised ride weighted sales mix than the Renegade, height. It’s excellent off-road, but backed up by specialist dealers and a compromised on it. central team working across all the FCA Awareness aside, Jeep’s biggest potenbrands, the opportunity and infrastructial problem is perceived cabin quality ture are in place for it. next to the impeccable Tiguan – it’s a step With Jeep and Alfa Romeo sharing up compared to the Renegade, but still a dealerships, the Compass will be a semimismatch of plastics, chrome and silver premium offering – think of this as an bits inside. That said, it’s well laid out, Italian-American rival to the Jaguar Land and the new-generation infotainment Rover line-up – and pricing will reflect system is feature-packed, near lag-free that. Pricing will straddle mainstream and reasonably intuitive to use, including and premium-brand products, similar to A competent if not classAndroid Auto and Apple CarPlay. There’s the Volkswagen Tiguan, and although it’s leading newcomer, Jeep plenty of headroom in the back, and boot on an extended Renegade platform, the has some awarenessspace is competitive if not class-leading. deliberately more conservative shrunken building to do here, but Arguably, this is a segment that an offGrand Cherokee styling is aimed at findit’s a real opportunity to road focused brand like Jeep should have ing it broader appeal. been able to get right years ago. But, by Where the old Compass had a limited net existing crossover capitalising on FCA’s growing fleet presline-up, its replacement feels well-tuned customers fancying ence, affection for the brand and the to class norms. Demand is expected to be something different. continuing demand for crossovers, the weighted towards four-wheel drive, Compass could be about to find its place. which is available with either a 140hp or

R

what we think

internationalfleetworld.com / 39

ROAD_IFW_Ford_Fiesta_Aug17.qxp 19/07/2017 18:30 Page 1

Ford Fiesta Ford’s popular supermini sets tough benchmarks for its ever-growing list of rivals, says Alex Grant.

SECTOR Supermini PRICE €13,000-€21,500 FUEL 3.2-5.2l/100km CO2 82-118g/km

onceived as a fuel-efficient solution to the oil crisis of the 1970s, the Fiesta has evolved into a segment benchmark. Helped by good looks, peerless driving dynamics and high value, not to mention hard-earned familiarity, what had been a top-selling car in Europe has now found customers the world over. Generation eight has a tough act to follow.

Popular enough to outsell entire product ranges, the Fiesta has to be a one-size-fits all car to suit a wide spectrum of tastes and needs, and this one is the broadest line-up yet. Style, Zetec and Titanium versions form the core of the range, with the mid-spec version the expected big-seller, while those with more choice can opt into the sporty ST-Line or luxuriously-equipped but arguably less range-appropriate Vignale. Both are available with the full engine line-up. A 200hp ST hot hatch, and the crossover-like Active will follow next year.

Most Fiestas are petrol-powered, there are five available from launch. All are three-cylinder engines; a pair of new 1.1-litre non-turbo units with 70 or 85hp, and three While it’s not necessarily a priority for end-users, the versions of the 1.0-litre EcoBoost with 100hp, 125hp and over-arching feeling is one of big-car confidence and 140hp as in the outgoing car which are expected to be small-car playfulness – it’s good fun. Prior experience of volume sellers. The 1.5-litre diesel is also the old car suggests that should be the case available, with 85bhp or 120hp and CO2 from even with the least powerful engines.

FLEET FACT 82g/km, though with the price difference, Of course, connectivity is just as important low average mileage for supermini drivers, in this segment now, and it’s an area where and and low-CO2 petrol options it’s becomthe outgoing car had fallen behind. Ford has In Ford’s biggest ing an increasingly harder case to make. moved to three systems running on a tabletmarket, the UK, Ford had a limited selection at the launch like upright panel on the dashtop, and it’s 5% of new cars event; just the two most powerful engines, only the entry model that doesn’t get a touchare Fiestas. but with a wide choice of trim versions to try screen with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. them in. The Fiesta has long set the class Built-in navigation with a larger screen is an benchmark as a driver’s car and it’s hard to fault here, option on most versions, and it’s included on the Titamanaging to feel incredibly precise and agile when you nium, Vignale and up-specced ST-Line X. Opt into the B&O want it to, without also compromising on ride quality.

Play versions of the Zetec or Titanium, and you also get metallic paint and Ford’s fantastic B&O audio system, capable of bringing everything from death metal to acoustic jazz to life in incredibly high quality.

But it’s not quite a clean sweep. The cabin has neither the plushness of the outgoing Polo, nor the design flair of the C3. Hard plastics are to be expected at this price level, but more obvious when they’re used in areas hands often touch – they’re almost incongruous in the Vignale with its aspirations to lure drivers out of premium brand products. And, while this is one of the few in this class still available with three or five doors, the former sacrifices boot space and both have limited rear headroom, particularly with the panoramic roof.

Ford was an early arrival in this segment back in the mid Seventies, and agility, practicality and low running costs are still at the core of what makes the Fiesta sell in droves – even in the outgoing car’s twilight years. With an emphasis on curing its predecessor’s shortcomings, the segment benchmark has never been in better shape.

C

40 / internationalfleetworld.com

ROAD_IFW_Ford_Fiesta_Aug17.qxp 19/07/2017 18:31 Page 2

what we think

highlights

The outgoing Fiesta deservedly maintained strong demand throughout a long lifespan – this isn’t as radical a step forward as that car was in 2008, but it’s got all the right boxes ticked to hold its own at the top of the sales charts.

1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol consumes 4.3l/100km, and emits 97g/km CO2 Touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on most UK cars Sporty ST-Line and luxurious Vignale versions from launch

internationalfleetworld.com / 41

ROAD_IFW_MINICooperSE_Phev_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2017 18:29 Page 1

MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 Combining crossover cachet and low CO2, MINI’s first plug-in can’t go far wrong, reckons Alex Grant.

SECTOR Crossover PRICE €36,500 FUEL 2.1-2.3l/100km CO2 49-52g/km

or a brand built around upmarket small cars, the first Getting the most out of it requires planning. There are electrified MINI feels a long time coming. It’s eight three driving modes, from eco-focused to sport, and three years since 600 MINI E prototypes were deployed for additional settings for the hybrid system, to conserving public trials, hinting at what was on the horizon, but that battery power for urban driving, force it to run on electriccar’s closest descendent is a very different proposition. ity, or let the car decide. That final setting is best for long Unlike the MINI E, this isn’t a fully-electric car, nor is it a journeys, where it can use navigation data to pre-plan two-seat hatchback. Part of the new, larger, Countryman opportunities for regenerative charging, or to use the motor line-up, it’s a full-size crossover, a plug-in hybrid with a to assist the petrol engine on uphill climbs.

40km electric range, positioned in a segment where the On battery power, the motor makes easy progress in traffic sort of short-distance usage that suits and – in EV mode – can whirr silently up this technology best is actually realistic. to motorway speeds without the petrol But there is a bloodline back to those engine starting. There’s also a combined early prototypes; the MINI E had been a 225hp when needed, which is enough to test bed for BMW technology that has out-accelerate every Countryman except come full circle here. MINI’s secondthe John Cooper Works, and it holds some generation Countryman shares a platbattery charge so the motor can provide form with the BMW X1 and MPV extra power or traction when needed. derivatives of the 2 Series, and the Otherwise, it’s no more difficult to live plug-in hybrid system is the same as with than any other Countryman. Cabin what’s in the 225xe Active Tourer. materials are high quality, accented with That’s a 136hp petrol engine and sixyellow as a nod to the MINI E’s graphics, speed automatic gearbox at the front, and there are additional displays showand a 87hp electric motor driving the ing what the hybrid system is up to. rear wheels.

Making space for the battery has cost it It’s a good system, albeit with the some of its under-floor boot storage, but Plug-in hybrid technolfamiliar plug-in hybrid problems. A realthe rear seats still fold flat and there’s ogy is a good fit for a world electric range of around 35km, still plenty of room for passengers and compact crossover's after which it becomes reliant on a petrol luggage on board. often urban-centric engine, means high-mileage drivers will The Countryman has gone some way usage. Though, as is get better fuel economy from the Cooper towards delivering on a near decade-old SD. Regular long trips would be frustratvision, taking good technology and fitting always the case, it’s ing in this anyway – its downsized 36it to a fashionable crossover, rather than suited to a very specific, litre fuel tank, short electric range and an MPV as BMW has done. Short on and committed, user. two-hour charging times requiring regudirect rivals and high on desirability, it’s lar stops for fuel or electricity. got plenty in its favour.

F

what we think

42 / internationalfleetworld.com

ADVERT_IFW subs_IFW_May17.qxp_Layout 1 24/04/2017 14:38 Page 1

internationalfleetworld.com

INTERNATIONAL

FLEETW RLD

Subscribe now!

For all your global fleet needs, visit fleetworldsubscriptions.co.uk to receive International Fleet World magazine every month.

NEWS from the global fleet community

INSIGHT from experts into the fleet industry

ADVICE best practice for running your fleet

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE NEW OCTAVIA?

IS IT THE TCO?

IS IT THE SAFETY?

IS IT THE RELIABILITY?

Low total cost of ownership is necessary for your company. But when it comes combined with reliability and safety, it becomes an incredible asset to your car fleet. So it isn’t that nobody knows exactly what it is about the New OCTAVIA. It is that when it comes to benefits, it’s almost impossible to pick just one.

skoda-auto.com

OctaviaFL_fleet_210x297.indd 1

Combined fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions according to the legislation of the concerned country

20.03.17 10:42