International Fleet World December 2012 – January 2013

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2013

internationalfleetworld.com

INTERNATIONAL

FLEETW RLD Essential Business Information for International Fleet Decision Makers

inside Track mate

TO INFINITI AND BEYOND How Nissan became a shining star in fleet

How telematics can benefit fleets

Driven Opel ADAM Skoda Rapid New A-Class

THE NEW SEAT IBIZA ST

The Fleet car that’s big on space and small on emissions

ENJOYNEERING MORE BOOT SPACE, LOW EMISSIONS – THE CAR THAT MEETS ALL YOUR FLEET NEEDS The New SEAT Ibiza ST is designed to be perfectly in tune with the requirements of today's fleet driver.

With an outstanding boot space of 430 liters, you can take on board all the essentials you need for your business and everyday life.

This translates versatility without renouncing to a superior driving experience because of the beauty of its new design lines and the technology of its latest TSI and TDI engines. With emissions from only 89 g CO2*, it even reduces the Total Cost of Ownership through lower fuel costs and tax, this makes it a great choice for your balance sheet.

The New SEAT Ibiza ST is a perfect chord between beauty, functionality, performance and economy. /Petrol engines from 1.2 to 1.4 TSI (from 60 HP to 150 HP) /Diesel engines from 1.2 TDI to 1.6 TDI (from 75 HP to 105 HP)

SEAT Fleet

FOLLOW US ON:

Average consumption: 3.4-5.9 l/100 km. Average CO2 mass emissions: 89-139 g/km. * Ibiza ST 1.2 TDI CR (55 kW) Ecomotive. Combined fuel consumption of 3.4 l/100 km

SE AT.COM

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2013

internationalfleetworld.com

INTERNATIONAL

FLEETW RLD Essential Business Information for International Fleet Decision Makers

INTERNATIONAL

FLEETW RLD internationalfleetworld.com

inside Track mate

TO INFINITI AND BEYOND How Nissan became a shining star in fleet

How telematics can benefit fleets

Driven Opel ADAM Skoda Rapid New A-Class

Publisher Ross Durkin ross@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Editor John Kendall john@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Deputy Editor Natalie Middleton natalie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Motoring Editor Alex Grant alex@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Editorial Assistant Katie Beck katie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Director Anne Dopson anne@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Executive Darren Brett darren@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Circulation Manager Tracy Howell tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Production Manager Luke Wikner luke@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Designers Tina Ries tina@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Samantha Hargreaves sam@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Internet Editor Luke Durkin durks@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

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

STAG Publications

®

VIEWPOINT

CONTENTS

As 2012 draws to a close, what can we look forward to in 2013? I’m sure that European readers will want to see an improvement in the economy. The EU officially slipped into recession in October, although as we have said before, the picture varies across the Union. The UK for instance has officially come out of recession, while several of the smaller economies appear to be faring better.

Meanwhile, in the US the economy is growing and car manufacturers have seen booming sales in 2012, while some forecasters suggest that consumer confidence is set to grow.

China is recovering too, although from a different perspective. Growth of 7-8% per year may not be what it was, but there are businesses in Europe that would be delighted with a performance like that right now.

In other areas, Europe can look forward to new thinking on renewable fuels.

Speaking at the Scania Transport conference in Brussels in November, European Commission Vice-President and Commissioner for Transport, Slim Kallas told the audience: ”Concretely, and by the end of this year, I will present a comprehensive strategy for alternative fuels: ‘Clean Power for Transport’.”

It’s certainly needed. We have abundant sources of potential biogas for instance, but a coherent policy on tapping into it is currently lacking. Establishing it may be costly, but as imported oil costs continue to rise, we cannot afford not to do it.

Come what may, I’m sure we all hope for a brighter 2013. On behalf of all at International Fleet World, I wish you a happy Christmas and prosperous new year.

04 News Analysis 10 EV news analysis 12 Technology What will telematics systems be telling us in the future?

18 Technology How telematics can help you achieve more productivity with less resources...

20 Strategy European residual value confidence.

22 MPG Marathon 2012 Europe’s premier economy driving event.

28 FOCUS ON UK fleet industry.

32 Remarketing How online growth is affecting the market.

34 Management ALD Automotive’s ALDO application.

36 FLEET PROFILE Nissan

42 2013 fleet calendar 43 Launch Report New A-Class / Skoda Rapid / Opel Adam / Nissan e-NV200.

48 SWOT Honda CR-V.

50 Fleet in figures Analysing the latest ACEA sales charts.

12 22 36 46

John Kendall Editor

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

IFW December/January 2013

03

news analysis

Ford launches Transit Custom ECOnetic

Ford has added to its Transit Custom line-up, before the standard van actually hits the streets. The company has announced the Custom ECOnetic, which will be available in both short and long wheelbase models and with a choice of three gross weights. The ECOnetic models will use the 100hp version of Ford’s 2.2-litre Duratorq diesel engine, which already comes as standard with Auto-Start-Stop.

The engine has been given unique calibration and a coolant by-pass valve for quicker warm-up. The ECOnetic specification includes a switchable 112km/h speed limiter, a 6% longer final drive ratio, low rolling resistance tyres and aerodynamic wheel trims. Customers can also specify optional fixed speed limiters at 90km/h, 100km/h and 112km/h.

The ECOnetic vans also feature Acceleration Control, a new technology that limits the acceleration available to what is achievable when the vehicle is fully laden. This is said to further cut consumption, by 4-15% and also to reduce wear on tyres and brakes.

Ford claims that the ECOnetic Custom will achieve best in class fuel consumption with a combined figure of 6.1l/100km, a cut of 8% over the previous Transit ECOnetic. The CO 2 emissions are set at 162g/km, on a par with the firm’s S-Max people carrier.

Gold cards for BMW drivers BMW and MINI fleet drivers in the UK are to be offered Businessworld Gold Cards in a new partnership between BMW (UK) and workspace provider Regus. As a result of the move, drivers will have access to more than 1,300 Regus business lounges across the world.

The deal is intended to allow UK business drivers to make the most of flexible, mobile working. They will be able to meet, use WiFi and drink free tea and coffee at hundreds of business lounges in suburban and city centre locations as well as at some motorway service stations.

04

internationalfleetworld.com

Chinese Qoros to launch at Geneva A new independent Chinese car company called Qoros will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013.

The first vehicle to appear will be a compact four-door saloon designed by Gert Volker Hildebrand, executive director of design. The car is said to showcase a design language inspired by modern European tastes. Following the unveiling at Geneva in March, the car will go on sale in China by the end of 2013, with sales in Europe also expected to start next year.

Qoros was established in December 2007, through an equal partnership between Chinese firm Chery Automobile and global industrial holdings company Israel Corporation. A new production facility is currently under construction in Changshu, capable of producing 150,000 cars per year initially, rising to up to 450,000 cars per annum.

Component suppliers include Magna Steyr, TRW, Continental, Bosch, Valeo, Microsoft and Iconmobile. ”We are a new company without any legacy or previous history, which gives us a great advantage because we are starting from scratch with a clean sheet of paper,” said vice chairman, Volker Steinwascher. ”By recruiting experts in all the essential fields of our operation we can create a globally competitive product and service network.”

Brazilian order for Mercedes Daimler subsidiary Mercedes-Benz do Brasil has won tenders from the Brazilian government for more than 2,100 trucks and vans. The deals include 1,700 Atego trucks for the Brazilian Ministry of Defence and 400 Sprinter vans that will be used as ambulances by the Ministry of Health. ”Once again we are correctly positioned in Latin America,” said Daimler board of management member, Andreas Renschler. ”With an expected volume of over 200,000 vehicles sold in the long run the Brazilian market will take the position as the fourth largest market for medium and heavy-duty trucks in the world.”

for the latest news, visit internationalfleetworld.com

PwC backs UK car manufacturing

ARI rebrands UK operation

The British car industry is enjoying a renaissance that could last for at least another 5 years, according to Autofacts, the auto analyst arm of PwC Automotive.

Although the EU continues to struggle in tough economic conditions, UK business can remain optimistic. ”The recent investments into British car production should secure the renaissance for at least five years,” said Phil Harrold, UK automotive expert at PwC. ”By then I would expect to see an enhanced skills base and workforce which together with our established R&D capabilities and supply chain strength should ensure our success continues. ”British engineering and car manufacturing does have a bright future. With investments by GM, BMW and Nissan in the UK production plants, and now Toyota, this shows the world is backing the UK as a base for automotive manufacturing.”

Fleet Support Group, one of the UK’s largest independent fleet management companies, has been renamed ARI Fleet UK. The name change comes 10 months after the acquisition of FSG by ARI. ”While it is the end of an era, today marks the start of a new one with the official launch of the ARI name in the UK,” said recently appointed managing director, Mark Bryan. ”Technology is a major differentiator for ARI and the company’s significant financial resources present a considerable opportunity for our customers and prospects in the UK to embrace a raft of new solutions to aid operating cost reduction.”

Long truck trials for MAN

EU Tyre labelling arrives Experts are warning that new tyre labelling laws do not tell the whole story when it comes to choosing new rubber. The EU Tyre Label, which came into force on all car, van and truck tyres sold in the EU from November 1, highlight three criteria – rolling resistance, wet grip and exterior noise. However, while tyre manufacturer Goodyear welcomes the initiative, it stresses that there is more to tyre choice than these three factors. ”The label has a huge potential impact, financially, environmentally and on road safety across Europe,” said Jean-Pierre Jeusette, general director of Goodyear’s Innovation Centre Luxembourg. ”Our analysis shows that if all European cars ran on A-graded tyres it could save up to €27 billion in fuel each year. This could mean a reduction in CO 2 of 20 million tonnes. Choosing an A-graded car tyre for wet braking compared to a G-rated one could mean a 30% shorter stopping distance on a wet road. ”However, the label can only serve as a starting point for consumers and fleet managers, who should look beyond the label to other criteria that affect the overall performance of the tyre. Crucially for safety, aquaplaning performance in curves and on straight roads is not reflected by the EU Tyre Label.”

Truck manufacturer MAN is participating in long-truck field trials that are being conducted across Germany. Since early October, a 25.25m long MAN road train has been shuttling spare parts on the 600km journey between the firm’s logistics centres in Dachau and Salzgitter. The combination offers around 40% more load volume than a conventional truck and trailer, but as two road trains can carry as much as three conventional trucks there is the potential for big fuel and emissions savings.

MAN’s long truck comprises a three-axle truck chassis with a swap body, a fifth-wheel trailer dolly and a conventional semi-trailer. The 440hp MAN TGX tractor is equipped with ABS, ESP, adaptive cruise control, LaneGuard and continuous damping control systems.

Fuel and emissions reductions are expected in the German long truck trials

IFW December/January 2013

05

news analysis

BMW builds new Brazilian plant

Honda improves Hybrid efficiency

The BMW Group is to build a new factory in Brazil. Subject to governmental approval, the company will invest more than €200 million in the plant, in the Joinville region of Santa Catarina, which will have a capacity of 30,000 vehicles a year. More than 1,000 jobs will be created within the facility, as well as many jobs in the supplier network. ”Brazil is a market with tremendous potential for the future for the BMW Group,” said Ian Robertson, member of the board of management responsible for sales and marketing. ”This will create the necessary conditions for us to maintain the balance of sales between Europe, Asia and the Americas, and therefore for the long-term success of our company.”

Honda has developed a lightweight, compact singlemotor hybrid system for small vehicles. Called the Sports Hybrid Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive, it incorporates a 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle engine with a Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) and is said to offer higher levels of fuel economy with more powerful acceleration than existing models. A built-in high-output motor and lithium-ion battery improve efficiency by more than 30% compared to a conventional one-motor system.

The system uses full electric vehicle (EV) drive during start-up and low to medium speed cruising, by using the clutches to disengage the engine. The clutches also disengage the engine during deceleration, re-engaging the engine’s drive during acceleration.

Along with the Sport Hybrid Intelligent Multi Mode Drive system for mid-size vehicles, and the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system for sports cars, this provides Honda with a choice of three hybrid drivelines to suit different vehicle requirements.

New powertrain will improve efficiency of Honda’s next generation hybrids.

Ian Robertson, BMW (right), presents a BMW Art Car model to the Brazilian President, Dilma Rousseff (left)

Operational leasing on the rise Leasing companies throughout Europe are becoming multi-mobility solutions providers, according to analysts Frost & Sullivan. In a strategic analysis, the company found that the European automotive leasing market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 6.2% during the period 2011-2018.

However, operational leasing is expected to account for 62% of fleet leasing sales by 2018, up 55% compared to 2011 levels. Fleet leasing is moving from a total cost of optimisation basis, to total cost of mobility, with companies offering mobility solutions over base level vehicle leasing. ”The mature fleet leasing market is re-inventing itself, offering multi-modality solutions and entering into new business models like car sharing,” said Frost & Sullivan’s consulting manager, Mohamed Mubarak. ”In future fleet leasing is expected to become a onestop-shop for all mobility solutions.”

06

internationalfleetworld.com

Belt up says TISPOL In a recent week-long pan-European seatbelt control operation, across 25 countries, it is reported that nearly 100,000 drivers and passengers were detected not wearing their belts. The operation, coordinated by the European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL) showed that of the 97,489 detections, 3,539 related to children not wearing seatbelts or other restraints. ”The use of seatbelts is the single most effective method of reducing injury in motor vehicle collisions,” said TISPOL president, Koen Ricour. ”Experts have estimated that increased seatbelt wearing as the result of national legislation and police enforcement has reduced fatalities by more than 20%.”

for the latest news, visit internationalfleetworld.com

Ricardo buys AEA Europe Engineering and technology consultancy Ricardo has acquired the business of environmental consultancy AEA Europe for a cash consideration of €22.5 million.

The new business, Ricardo-AEA, will continue to operate from five UK sites, employing 400 staff. It is anticipated that Ricardo’s international network will allow AEA Europe to develop as a more global business, while AEA’s strong links with government organisations are expected to enhance Ricardo’s relationships in this area. ”AEA Europe has a strong reputation for its technical capabilities and has a pre-eminent position in advising on and developing major environmental policies,” said Ricardo CEO, Dave Shemmans. ”This acquisition supports our ongoing strategy and marks the continued development of Ricardo as the global multiindustry supplier for high quality strategic, technical and engineering services.”

EU tables car manufacturing proposals The European Commission has tabled a set of proposals designed to maintain a world-class car manufacturing industry within Europe. The CARS 2020 Action Plan recommends a number of initiatives that would streamline innovation and R&D under the European Green Vehicle Initiative. Proposals also aim to reduce CO2 emissions, drive improvements in road safety and develop technologically advanced road transport systems. ”Europe produces the best cars in the world,” said EC vice-president, Antonio Tajani. The Commission wants this leadership to be maintained, moving even further ahead in safety and environmental performance. This automotive plan is the first fruit of the Commission’s strategy for a new industrial revolution.”

Jaguar Land Rover reports 10% October sales increase Jaguar Land Rover is celebrating continued sales growth, with more than 25,000 vehicles sold globally in October. That’s a rise of 10% on the same month last year, though the company’s sales have risen 35% over the first 10 months of the year, to 294,000. The company has experienced strong growth across all major markets, with North American sales up 15%, Europe rising by 41%, China up 78% and the Asia Pacific region enjoying a 38% boost. ”During a very competitive year for premium car sales, and in an increasingly uncertain economic environment, I am delighted to see strong demand for our products and that we are still performing well across all our key markets,” said director of group sales operations, Phil Popham.

in brief...

Nissan gives coke added fizz Nissan has joined forces with CocaCola Central Japan to further road test the forthcoming Nissan e-NV200 electric van. The van will only be recharged at night, to determine whether this will be enough for customers to use the van throughout a full day shift.

The e-NV200 has already be trialled by AEON Retail, FedEx Express and British Gas, in both Japan and in Europe. This latest test will help to refine the final details of the e-NV200 prior to its launch in 2014.

Japanese sales drop in China dispute A territorial dispute between Japan and China, over a group of uninhabited islands, has seen Chinese car buyers boycotting Japanese brands, leading to revised sales forecasts for Nissan, Honda and Toyota. Japanese ownership of the Senkaku Islands, known as Diaoyu in China, has caused anger among Chinese buyers, who have turned away from Japanese brands.

Nissan has cut its full-year profit forecast by one fifth as its Chinese joint venture saw sales slump by 41% in October. Toyota and Honda had seen Chinese sales drop by 49% and 41% respectively in September.

Conversely, BMW reported a 40% rise in sales in the Chinese market.

Suzuki files for Chapter 11 in US Suzuki has pulled out of the car market in North America, as its US distributor American Suzuki Motor filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy recently.

The firm no longer manufactures cars in the USA and has said that it will concentrate on motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and boats in the future.

The company, which sold the Kizashi saloon and the Grand Vitara 4x4 in the US, has said that it will honour warranties during the bankruptcy.

IFW December/January 2013

07

* CO²OL

*The new A-Class with CO₂ emissions as low as 98 g/km.

A Daimler Brand

The pulse of a new generation. Thanks to state-of-the-art technical features such as the ECO start/stop function fitted as standard, the new A 180 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY is one of the most efficient diesel vehicles in the compact car segment – with CO₂ emissions from just 98 g per kilometre. And because road safety is not a matter of price at Mercedes-Benz, the radarsupported COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST system also comes as standard. Find out more at www.mercedes-benz.com/fleet

Fuel consumption urban/extra-urban/combined: 8.4–4.5/5.1–3.3/6.4–3.8 l/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions: 148–98 g/km.

Figures do not relate to the specific emissions or fuel consumption of any individual vehicle, do not form part of any offer and are intended solely to aid comparison between different types

of vehicle.

EV news analysis

Tesla to establish UK fleet team ahead of Model S launch Californian electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla is appointing a European fleet team ahead of the launch of the Model S executive car next year, aiming to offer electromobility which can match the versatility and pricing of conventionally-powered rivals.

Developed entirely in-house, the Model S offers performance on par with large executive sports saloons and a choice of three battery options offering ranges of up to 500km.

Importation costs will lift prices higher than the $50,000 (€40,000) entry level offered in the United States, but Tesla said it hopes to keep European pricing competitive.

Global sales of 20,000 units are planned for next year. Small volumes, but enough to put Tesla on the map ahead of the 2015 Model X SUV and forthcoming even cheaper small executive car. As in North America, European showrooms will be located in high footfall areas, usually shopping malls, and from its network of service centres it will offer on-site servicing for existing customers for a fixed price.

The corporate sector is firmly on Tesla’s radar, too, with a specific fleet team due to be recruited early in 2013 including regional contacts and an in-house residual value specialist tasked with maintaining used prices. The team will have its own fleet of demonstrators, available to drive at conventions and on-site demonstrations for potential customers.

George Blankenship, vice president of sales and ownership, said: ‘It’s not that we don’t pay attention to what other people are doing, but we don’t want our business model or our customers to be driven by what others are doing. We want to do things for them that takes care of them the way we think they should be taken care of.

‘As we roll out our cars we want to make sure people can get great service and we’ll be opening service centres in areas where we don’t have stores. Service is our top priority.’

New charging standard paves way for multiple speeds on one connector The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has approved and published technical standard for plug-in vehicle charging which could reduce charging times from eight hours to 20 minutes.

Developed in consensus with 190 global experts from the automotive, charging equipment, utilities industries and national labs, the standard is aimed at enabling long-distance electric vehicle travel and integration with a smart electricity grid, designed to reduce the risk of blackouts.

Building on the previous standard for charging, which covered AC units, the revised version integrates DC Level 1 and Level 2 charging units and defines specifications for levels, connectors and electrical interfaces. It will allow multiple charging speeds to be offered from a single connection.

Gery Kissel, engineering specialist, global battery systems, GM, and chairman of the task force responsible for the new standard, explained: ”This reflects the many hours that top industry experts from around the world worked to achieve the best charging solution – a solution that helps vehicle electrification technology move forward.”

10

internationalfleetworld.com

Andrew Smart, director of industry relations and business development for SAE International, added: ”This new technical standard is a real game-changer. It reflects the advancements in technology within PHEV and EV engineering and we are pleased to represent the collaborative efforts within industry that made it possible.”

for the latest news, visit evfleetworld.com

The AA begins portable charging trial British roadside recovery company The Automobile Association (The AA), has begun trials of a portable fast charger, which will offer electric vehicle drivers enough power to get to a fixed charging point if their battery runs flat.

The units are part of a €940,000 investment in training and equipment for hybrid and electric vehicles now underway at The AA, following trials of electric scooters and patrol vans around the UK. Donald MacSporran, the AA’s head of technical, said: ”Most of the common breakdowns are no different to a conventional vehicle but there are important differences, for example, how to jack them up if the battery is set in the underside or knowing that the motor is definitely off rather than just powered down, which could mean it starts up at any time.”

World Food Programme begins LEAF trial The World Food Programme has become the latest participant in Fleet Forum’s Electric Vehicle Demonstrator Programme, beginning a one-year trial of the Nissan LEAF at its headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Started in April, the programme aims to support humanitarian organisations and encourage them to find ways to reduce CO2 emissions from their vehicle fleets.

So far, Nissan has loaned LEAFs to partners in Switzerland and the UK, with each vehicle used by a number of drivers who provide feedback to the manufacturer.

Paul Jansen, executive director of Fleet Forum, said: ”Through this programme different organisations can see for themselves how electric vehicles can be used to help achieve their objectives. From a Fleet Forum point-of-view we're happy to facilitate this as a way of increasing efficiency and reducing pollution.”

Amir Abdulla, WFP's deputy executive director and chief operating officer, added: ”Trialling the Nissan LEAF in Rome will give us first-hand experience of the latest in urban electric vehicle technology, and contribute to our efforts to reduce WFP's carbon footprint.”

Twizy joins Paris firefighter brigade Renault has presented a prototype Twizy to the Paris firefighter brigade, adapted to be used as an emergency response vehicle for early interventions ahead of full-size trucks.

Co-developed with the carmaker’s conversion subsidiary Renault Tech and the Paris firefighter brigade, it features an emergency equipment store instead of a rear seat, containing two fire extinguishers, two oxygen tanks, a fire suit, helmet and first aid kit.

The vehicle will be used for an eightmonth trial in Paris and its suburbs, to help with temporary safety installations for major public events. Based on the results, the Paris firefighter brigade will review the long-term possibility of using a fleet of light electric vehicles.

in brief...

Renault adds windows to the Twizy Renault has weather-proofed the futuristic Twizy, launching a set of retrofit clip-on windows which zip onto a metal frame. The system costs €349 from dealers, can be fitted by the owner with no body modifications required and is reversible when the weather improves, the carmaker said. Vents front and rear allow airflow into the cabin, and give access to the door handles inside.

First Toyota iQ EVs arrive in the United States Toyota has delivered the first of a fleet of 90 electric iQ city cars in the United States, where they will be deployed for car sharing and fleet use at campus-based companies across the country. Based on the petrol-powered version, it offers a 50-mile range and can be recharged in around three hours. Details of project partners will be announced shortly.

Volvo starts tests of 6x faster on-board charger Volvo Car Corporation has developed what’s claimed to be the world’s first three-phase on-board charging unit, which will allow six times faster recharging times than previous versions. The charger is being trialled on the carmaker’s C30 Electric test cars, and means the battery can be topped up to 50 miles in 30 minutes, or fully charged in 90 minutes from flat.

HP and Renault partner for electric vehicle telematics system Renault has begun working with HP Utility Services to co-develop a range of telematics services for its electric vehicles. The cloud-based system, operated from a server in Grenoble, France, will offer real-time information on battery charge, traffic and charging point availability, as well as facilitating pay-as-you-drive insurance.

IFW December/January 2013

11

technology

Time for telematics?

What will telematics systems be telling us in the future? John Kendall finds the answer. ncouraging leet managers to spend money, so they could save it in other parts of the business, might sum up the original telematics proposition fairly well.

While that is still effectively what telematics salesmen are asking leet managers to do, the capabilities of the latest systems and what future systems will be able to do might be opening up the discussion a lot further.

Knowing where your vehicles are, how they are being driven and how long they have spent on a job, while potentially monitoring fuel consumption and purchasing, among other functions, are fairly useful tools in themselves. Developing technology has the potential to unlock other areas too.

What are they? How will they affect leets?

What are customers asking for now?

“The tougher the climate, the more focused people become on our industry,” says Giles Margerison, director of TomTom Business Solutions UK and Ireland. “We’re an easy decision not to make when things are going well.”

“Some businesses, when trading environments get tough, hunker down and won’t spend or invest until the storm clouds blow over,” says John Wisdom, european managing director of Ctrack (left), “Then there are those that look at the situation and think, ‘How are we going to be a bit smarter about managing our costs and becoming more ef icient?’ and recognise that in times of adversity, if they spend wisely and in the right areas, then there are some substantial returns on investment to be realised.”

So where are those returns on investment being made now and into the future?

“One of the questions lots of people ask is how we’re going to interact with the insurance companies,” says Steve Blackburn, european vice president of Navman Wireless, “Companies like the idea of reducing their insurance premiums. The insurance companies are quite happy to reduce the

E

12

internationalfleetworld.com

insurance premium, provided they see a lower risk pro ile for the company. Companies are still very nervous about sharing information with an insurance company and in some ways you can absolutely understand the reason why if something does go wrong.”

Steve gives an example of a vehicle approaching a roundabout, the driver having selected the wrong gear and braking hard. “It’s obviously dangerous, something

that needs to be addressed. It’s a real training issue. Would you really want your insurance company to know every time you did that?” asks Steve.

“On the other hand, the insurance company wants to make sure that they’ve got the tools to manage their risk. In other words, there’s no point in saying to the companies you can have a discount or retrospective discount, unless you give them the

tools to manage this. Who’s the guy who is speeding through an urban speed limit?

Who’s the guy who is driving erratically?

“Some insurance companies are actually starting to get it. A company needs to have the tools, but they can’t have the access.

But the insurance company needs to be sure that the company is actually using this information.

“There is a way the technology can be

manipulated to keep both parties happy.

There has got to be a real willingness for the insurance companies to change the way they think about this. They have been experimenting with telematics for years.

They know there is something there, they just didn’t quite know how to do it.”

“Insurance is becoming a massive driver,” says Giles Margerison. “Every day, more and more people are talking to me about insurance-based telematics. It’s really changed from the vehicle security aspect.

Now everyone is talking about the behaviour of people at the wheel and the people surrounding the people at the wheel in traf ic. There are third party claims, ‘cash for crash’, and people are seeing signi icant discounts and reduction in risk pro ile by using telematics.

“Three years ago, nobody ever spoke to me about it. Now someone is mentioning it to me every day. I’m talking to brokers, to insurance companies, I’ve been asked to sit on panels of insurance industry experts. It’s the hot topic and it’s driving a new pattern of interest in our technology.

“Risk pro ile is a really big issue,” continues Giles, “If you look at what’s on the leet ‘radar’, fuel and wages are on it and I think that up to this point, people have accepted risk as something they can’t change. Businesses are now starting to question that and asking what they can do to affect it and realising that they can alter it and there is technology out there that can help them do it.

Insurance companies are de initely on board and they weren’t before.”

“We’ve seen a lot of interest with insurance companies,” says John Wisdom, “So for example a typical leet operator might be very interested in this technology, but then we see that by sharing that data with insurance providers, there’s an opportunity to derive improved insurance terms for better driving practices. For some leets, insurance can be a very substantial cost component. That’s an example where we’re seeing more lateral thinking with businesses and we’re touching different areas of the

One of the questions lots of people ask is how we’re going to interact with the insurance companies Steve Blackburn, european vice president, Navman Wireless

¡

IFW December/January 2013

13

management

Time for telematics? ¡

business by sharing data with more parties.

“With larger leets we’re seeing a desire to integrate and compare data sets with other software applications, whether that’s integrating with leet management packages or routing and scheduling software.”

An essential element for insurers is the driver monitoring capability. “There’s lots of interest in driver behaviour-based reporting,” says John Wisdom, “It’s recognised that if you manage driving style, you are potentially reducing wear and tear on the vehicle and reducing fuel costs. That type of thing is also very interesting and attractive to insurers.”

It’s not just a matter of remotely monitoring driving style, either, “There’s a lot of interest in itting simple devices to the vehicle that also provide feedback to the driver,” says John, “So rather than having information just feeding into the back of ice, it’s also about sharing information with drivers and helping them to drive better.” Ctrack is also seeing a further development with drivers, particularly those working in sales teams, wanting to know how their driving compares with their colleagues’.

John sees telematics developing in two directions, which he describes as horizontally and vertically. “What are the key things that are of interest to most vehicle operators?” asks John. These ‘horizontal’ factors affect leets regardless of size or type.

Then there are particular capabilities of the system, which might appeal to operators of particular types of vehicles, which he describes as vertical development. He gives the cash-in-transit sector as an example, “Security in that market is a key factor,” says John, “One of the developments we have made is a proposition that links in with security seals. You then start delivering information every time the seal is broken.

So it’s not just about where that vehicle stops and starts. That vehicle went to that particular point and that particular seal was broken at a particular location.” A system that can deliver this information may be of interest to leets operating similar vehicles.

14

internationalfleetworld.com

Looking to the future, what other developments can we expect to see from telematics? “I think there’s a drive for more information around fuel monitoring and CO2 reporting,” says John Wisdom, “A lot of that is already in place, but it’s a matter of how that will get re ined.

“There are a lot of controls already in place, for instance to immobilise vehicles, but is not used either for legislative or health and safety constraints. But I can see these being used in the future for speed control on certain roads, as governments look to control traf ic speeds and routes and I’m pretty sure telemetry will be playing a part in that.”

“I think there will be an evolution of what we have now,” reckons Giles Margerison (right), “We will see more and more information coming out around the driver, their behaviour and their style. I think it will become more meaningful and easier to digest as time goes on. The same will be true of vehicle pro iling.”

“I think we’re going to see lots of movement on things like network coverage,” says Steve Blackburn. “For certain industries, network coverage can be a real issue. Take water utility companies as an example.

They will go to places with a lone worker that we don’t cover and for some of them it’s not about cost, but about health and safety.

We have developed devices that will roam onto multiple networks and even in extreme cases where it will just switch to satellite communication.

“We will see much more intelligent devices in vehicles – devices that will not only be 3G, as opposed to GPRS, but will also offer Bluetooth connectivity. As the manufacturers bring more facilities into the vehicles and make more things available to us, not just through SMS irewalls for instance, but anything the manufacturer can make available to us, we should in theory be able to pick up and bring back. So the car will become a true computer on

wheels. One of the things we have been trying to work from the manufacturers is fault codes and we’ve been looking at this globally.

“The problem with fault codes could be something as simple as the ignition has been turned on and the windscreen wipers have not parked, which happens with some trucks. Alternatively it could be a case of stopping driving and getting the vehicle recovered.

“What we would really like to see is the ability to group these things so we can tell a customer, ‘You’ve got a fault code, I can’t tell you what it is, but it’s not critical, take it to your dealer on your next visit’. Alternatively, it could be, ‘This is a critical fault code. Stop driving the vehicle and get it recovered to you nearest dealership.’

“The manufacturers are obviously reticent about giving this information because if it’s in the public domain and one manufacturer can claim that they have 25% fewer fault codes than any of their competitors, it would not go down particularly well with them.

“I’ve seen some things in the US now where they are a little bit more open than in Europe and they have started to offer diagnosis, ‘You’ve got a problem with your air ilter, this will increase your fuel consumption by X% and if you don’t take action in a set distance, the vehicle will stop working’.”

“That’s the sort of information from the vehicle end, I would really like to see and obviously we would be picking it up wirelessly, or by Bluetooth. At the back end, it’s all about integration. You’ve got accounts packages etc and companies have different disciplines. What we need to do as software providers is to get better at working together, so any telematics solution just becomes part of the system.

“The operations manager may not want to know about vehicle faults but the transport manager will. He’s going to want that information at the touch of a button and presented in a palatable format. We’re all busy people. We haven’t got time to trawl through endless amounts of information.”

The new

Astra Sports Tourer

LOOKS GOOD ON TARMAC AND GREAT ON PAPER. With excellent TCO. Engineered to attract.

www.opel.com Fuel consumption combined 8,1–4,0 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined 174–105 g/km (according to R (EC) No. 715/2007). Efficiency class D–A+.

EVERY FLEET NEEDS A FLAGSHIP.

BMW i

Sheer Driving Pleasure

At BMW i, we know the corporate world is all about efficiency, so we’ll keep it short and simple. Why should fleet managers consider the all-electric, emission-free BMW i3 with eDrive technology, available in 2013? First, it’s a perfect fit for innovation-minded companies. Second, it’s a strong sustainability statement. Third, with its connectivity, it makes a functional workplace when required.

Fourth, it can bring down the cost of ownership. And finally, as a genuine BMW, it’s going to put a smile on the face of your employees – every time out. More: bmw-i.com/fleet BMW i. BORN ELECTRIC.

bmw-i.com

technology

gainst a background of rising fuel prices, restricted budgets, a changing regulatory landscape and spiralling customer expectations, ield service businesses have endured a tumultuous environment over the last few years. The ability to meet customer demands and achieve cost goals has become a more dif icult balance, leaving many struggling to achieve more with less.

Trimble recently carried out an independent study entitled, ‘The Road Ahead: The Future of Field Service Delivery’ among directors and senior managers operating large ield-based work forces in the UK, and found that businesses are struggling to fully deliver on their vision for ield service excellence because of the pressure on internal resources from economic restraints – 48% of respondents were on target to achieve their annual business goals.

Field service management systems can help streamline business processes to improve workforce productivity and customer satisfaction. However, there is often a lack of understanding of the capabilities and huge cost savings these technologies can deliver. According to AberdeenGroup surveys, investment in ield service management tools provides far reaching bene its including:

A

• 32% improvement in fleet utilisation • 31% reduction in daily mileage • 25% reduction in idle times • 22% reduction in fuel consumption • 21% reduction in vehicle and operating costs • 11% increase in service revenue • 9% improvement in workforce productivity

18

internationalfleetworld.com

Maximising resources Technology can help organisations meet field service targets, says Mark Forrest, general manager, Trimble Field Service Management (FSM).

Tackling the budget black cloud The availability of budget emerged as a major barrier to achieving ield service excellence for around one quarter of the Road Ahead report respondents: 27% said the Board was fully committed, but lack of budget meant they could not follow through on their plans; while a small minority – 11% – felt that the Board only paid lip service to ield operations.

Only 18% of those surveyed currently possessed fully automated scheduling, dispatch and mobility tools. The majority were operating partly-manual, partly-automated systems, integrating a diverse mix of often incompatible legacy systems.

By producing a detailed business case, it is possible to demonstrate that investing more now can signi icantly reduce costs in the long run. Field service management solutions including leet management and work management technologies have emerged as powerful management tools.

Interestingly, those ield service organisations that operate leet management, for example, say they recoup the bene its, with a more ef icient workforce, reduced insurance costs and improved working practices, all factors which can lead to a rapid ROI (Return on Investment).

The capabilities of modern ield service management solutions can improve a company’s productivity and level of service by enabling every aspect of a mobile operation to be identi ied, measured, and analysed.

Ef iciency can be increased by completing more tasks per day with the same workforce and a boost in customer satisfaction and retention can be achieved through greater appointment lexibility. The technology also helps boost customer satisfaction by enabling better communication, answering more customer service calls per day and mitigating return visits by getting the right worker to the right job at the right time.

In addition, the information provided by the leet management technology typically includes the vehicle location, speed and

time, but also may include work order information, driver behaviour and vehicle diagnostics data such as fuel use or vehicle faults.

The data can help fleets to reduce direct expenses such as fuel costs by optimising route planning, improving operational efficiencies and driving revenue generation through top quality customer service and maximum flexibility. With the knowledge of where resources are, their status and time on site, businesses can make the realtime decisions required to keep their operations running as smoothly and cost-effectively as possible.

Minimise the impact of fuel price hikes The Road Ahead report revealed that rising fuel prices have become the greatest concern in meeting field service priorities.

Although fuel costs may be beyond the control of fleet managers, consumption is not.

Fleet management technology can decrease a business’s fuel costs by reducing unauthorised vehicle use, curbing excessive speeding and reducing engine idling by 50-90%.

Improved vehicle maintenance scheduling and monitoring a vehicle’s performance can also help businesses reduce fleet fuel consumption and improve productive use of vehicles. Improved vehicle utilisation could reduce vehicle component wear and tear, and lower the risk of mechanical failure, further aiding profitability.

Fuel use can vary signi icantly between drivers because of driving style and vehicle

condition. So individual fuel consumption can be of signi icant value to managers, rather than the overall fuel use of a leet.

Simple policies to improve driver ef iciency can also play an important role in containing fuel costs, such as a driver training programme.

Address customer service priorities whilst boosting productivity Trimble’s Road Ahead report suggested that achieving customer satisfaction is the top priority for ield services and 60% felt that this would need to be achieved with fewer resources. The vast majority of respondents (80%) found that customers were more demanding than ive years ago.

Effective delivery is critical to a positive service experience. Tardy arrivals, missing deliveries and the inability to specify a time and date for arrival are the key factors that have left consumers feeling let down by ield service deliveries. 81% of respondents placed a high priority on offering acceptable appointment slots, recognising that busy consumers want more certainty from their suppliers.

Building a relationship with a customer, making a promise and delivering on it will allow for a happier customer base. Achieving it can greatly affect costs in terms of resource allocation, something many businesses are struggling to control. Managers can tackle this by optimising scheduling to ensure customers are offered acceptable appointment slots, which are attended to by quali ied and prepared staff.

Recent consumer research commissioned

by Trimble found that customers are willing to pay for next day delivery, allowing organisations to charge a premium price for a premium service, as well as improving workforce utilisation and avoiding the inancial and environmental costs of repeat appointments.

Ultimately, getting it right the irst time round will utilise your resources in the most ef icient way whilst keeping the customer happy and brand reputation intact.

IFW December/January 2013

19

fleet strategy

Pessimistic outlook for Portugal as forecasted residuals tumble Residual values are still slipping in many European countries but there are signs of improvement too, reports Experteye.

Portuguese forecasted residual values have suffered a -6% slump in the last twelve months, with a -1.2% fall in the past quarter. This is contrary to France and Germany where confidence in the future used vehicle market has improved in the last year with a +1.6% rise in French values and +1.3% in Germany.

The figures from the Experteye European Leasing index show mixed opinion across Europe, with half of the countries surveyed showing an improvement to residual values in the last three months and half reporting a downturn.

Opinion is equally divided regarding servicing, maintenance and repair budgets with the UK reporting a +0.4% rise in the last quarter, yet Spain a -5.5% fall.

The Experteye survey tracks forecasted residual values (RV), servicing, maintenance and repair (SMR) costs and rental rates in six European countries using data supplied by major leasing companies.

In the past year, Portugal has consistently reported a decline in its forecasted residual values, albeit a -6% fall is the largest to date in 2012. The UK has also suffered with a -3.9% fall in forecasted RVs in the last year, however, optimism is creeping back into the UK leasing sector with a +1.4% increase in the last quarter (the highest increase of all nations surveyed).

a reduction in their rental rates, with a -1.5% fall in the last year, although, the recent quarter has shown a small +0.7% rise.

Annual SMR budgets have remained almost static with a +0.1% change during the year and a -0.8% reduction since August 2012.

ITALY: Signs of confidence in the future Italian used vehicle market may be returning with a +0.4% improvement in forecasted RVs after a year that saw them fall by -2.8%. SMR budgets had been on the increase since November 2011 with a +1.3% rise, but these have come down by -0.1% in the last quarter. And following a year that saw Italian fleet operators enjoy a -2% fall in their annual rental rates the tide has turned with a quarterly +0.2% increase.

PORTUGAL: Portugal has consistently reported a pessimistic outlook to the future used vehicle market this year, however a fall of -6% is the largest reported downturn. This negative trend is continuing with a -1.2% drop in the last quarter and even though SMR budgets have also fallen – with a -1.2% reduction in the last year and a -2.1% fall for the quarter – it still leaves Portuguese leasing customers suffering the highest rise in annual rentals of all nations surveyed – +1.9% for the year and a smaller +0.1% for the quarter.

SPAIN: SMR budgets have been coming down in Spain with a -4.6% fall since November 2011 and a -5.5% reduction since August 2012.

These are the largest annual and quarterly decreases of all nations surveyed. Views on the future used vehicle market remain consistent, with a -0.9% downturn for both the year and the latest quarter. Perhaps surprisingly, in light of the reductions in SMR, Spanish leet operators have suffered increases to their rental rates with a +1.2% rise in the last twelve months and +1.1% for the quarter.

UK: A recent +1.4% improvement to forecasted RVs shows a sense of renewed optimism from the UK leasing sector, following a year that saw anticipated residual values fall by -3.9% (the 2nd largest drop behind Portugal). UK SMR budgets have, however, risen by more than any other country surveyed with a +3.1% increase since November 2011 and a +0.4% rise in the last quarter. Yet this hasn’t affected leet operators detrimentally with rental rates remaining static in the last quarter (0%) with a -0.8% fall in rates for the year.

Market summaries – 3 and 12 months to October 2012 FRANCE: France has reported the highest increase in forecasted RVs in the last year – at just +1.6% this reflects a cautious mood across Europe. However, with a -2.4% reduction in SMR budgets, French fleet operators have enjoyed an annual reduction in rental rates of -4.3% (the largest fall of all nations surveyed). The outlook for the last quarter has been one of stability with RVs remaining relatively unchanged (+0.1%) and SMR budgets showing a -0.1% shift. The upshot being that rental rates have crept back up slightly since August 2012 with a +0.5% rise.

GERMANY: Germany sits behind France with its confidence in forecasted residual values with a +1.3% improvement since November 2011. However, this has been tempered with a -0.7% fall in the last quarter. German fleet operators had been enjoying

CHANGES IN RV FORECASTS, SMR COST FORECASTS AND LEASE RENTALS Forecast Residual Values

Forecast Service, Maintenance and Repair Costs

Current Rental Rates

3-month change 12-month change 3-month change 12-month change 3-month change 12-month change France Germany Italy Portugal Spain UK

+0.1% -0.7% +0.4% -1.2% -0.9% +1.4%

+1.6% +1.3% -2.8% -6.0% -0.9% -3.9%

Notes: • The comparisons are for vehicles with a contract duration of 36 months/90,000km.

• Twelve-month comparisons show change since October 2011.

• Three-month comparisons show change since July 2012.

20

internationalfleetworld.com

-0.1% -0.8% -0.1% -2.1% -5.5% +0.4%

-2.4% +0.1% +1.3% -1.2% -4.6% +3.1%

+0.5% +0.7% +0.2% +0.1% +1.1% +0.0%

-4.3% -1.5% -2.0% +1.9% +1.2% -0.8%

• Rental rate changes compare the rates in effect at the time of the survey with those in effect three or twelve months ago.

• RV and SMR changes show the change in participating leasing companies’ forecasts of residual values and maintenance costs over the period.

the environment

3-LITRE TRIUMPH Two cars dipped below the 3l/100km mark at this year’s record-breaking ALD Automotive • Shell FuelSave MPG Marathon. Coverage by Steve Moody and Alex Grant.

22

internationalfleetworld.com

ALD Automotive • Shell FuelSave 2012

he MPG Marathon is the UK’s longestrunning and best-known economy driving event. Featuring a wide range of cars and vans, it is a live demonstration of how both the vehicle itself, and the person behind the wheel, can make a massive difference to an organisation’s spiralling fuel costs and carbon emissions. And it’s a cost nobody can ignore.

Now in its twelfth year, it pits teams of contestants together over a two-day event to push for the best fuel economy.

This year's event started in the stunning Cotswolds in early October, where competitors pushed for the best fuel economy over two days, on a route covering around 610 kms of British countryside, including A and B roads and motorway driving. Day one took drivers west into South Wales, while day two circumnavigated the Cotswolds and South Midlands.

All 28 vehicles in the event were expertly monitored along the route by TRACKER fleet tracking devices, while all fuel tanks were brimmed with Shell FuelSave petrol or diesel, before and after.

Stunning scenery, skilful driving and the great British weather combined to make it the most memorable MPG Marathon yet, with some truly incredible results – read on to find out more...

T

MPG on the BBC...

Paul Clifton, transport correspondent for BBC (below right), took part in this year’s event in a Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost, keeping BBC News viewers informed of his progress each day, along the 610-km route.

mpgmarathon.com ¡ IFW December/January 2013

23

the environment

¡

2012 MPG Marathon in figures

2012

28

3.7l/100km Fuel economy for the Citroën Nemo HDi 75, driven by VAN Fleet World editor John Kendall – the highest result for the LCV class.

16% Average improvement in fuel economy against the published figures. Diesel models averaged a 17% increase, while the three petrol cars averaged a 9% improvement.

The number of competitors in this year’s event, comprising 21 cars and 7 vans.

2.76 l/100km Fuel economy achieved by Kia’s 1.1 Rio CRDi eco – the second best result in the history of the MPG Marathon, but not quite good enough for top spot...

€55million The annual fuel bill of BT Group, according to fleet manager, Dave Edwards.

115 litres

€203.64 Total fuel cost reduction, based on the average petrol and diesel prices for October from the AA.

24

internationalfleetworld.com

17,125 The combined kilometres covered by vehicles competing in the 2012 MPG Marathon event.

Total fuel saved by drivers on the event, when compared to official figures.

10 TIPS FOR SAVING FUEL 1 • MAINTENANCE: Well-maintained engines perform better and use less fuel. Faulty sensors, shown by engine warning lights, can significantly reduce economy, while regular servicing and oil level checks will ensure your car is running at its best.

Both will pay dividends for long-distance drivers.

2 • TYRES: A European Commission report published earlier this year showed 38% of motorists are driving on the wrong tyre pressures. Underinflated tyres cause up to 4% increase in fuel use, the report said, as well as affecting stopping distances and road holding.

3 • SPEED: Obeying the speed limit can offer drastic improvements in fuel economy. Vans use 25% less fuel at 70mph than 80mph, according to Cobra, while extending the life of consumable parts.

”The MPG Marathon has established itself as the premier fuel economy event in Britain, with realistic results achieved by judicious eco-minded driving on a tough hilly route, in vehicles which have their tanks sealed and their refuelling scrupulously measured.

The staggering results are genuinely achievable.”

Sue Baker – Kia Rio 1.1 CRDi eco

4 • SMOOTHNESS: As well as reducing fuel efficiency, aggressive driving accelerates wear and tear and can lead to increased insurance reductions for fleet operators. Avoid sudden acceleration wherever possible, and watch further ahead to anticipate dangers which could cause hard braking.

5 • REVS: Over-revving an engine while accelerating causes increased fuel use. The Energy Saving Trust advises changing up at between 2,000 and 2,500 revs. But don’t labour the engine. If it feels like it’s struggling, change down.

6 • WARMING UP: Engines use more fuel when they’re cold, but the quickest way to get up to temperature is to start driving as soon as you turn the vehicle on. Pre-warming a car at idle wastes fuel, takes longer and causes additional wear because the oil hasn’t got around the internals properly.

7 • COOLING DOWN: Modern air conditioning systems are considerably more energy efficient than their predecessors. Open windows create drag, which hurts fuel economy more than using your car’s air conditioning.

8 • PLAN YOUR ROUTE: Stop-start driving with long periods of idling is disastrous for fuel economy.

Watch traffic flows ahead, and try to maintain your speed through congested routes to avoid losing momentum.

9 • DON’T HOARD: The more weight you’re carrying, the harder the engine will be working and the more fuel it’ll use. Regularly clear out heavy items from the boot, wherever possible, and remove roof racks when not in use to reduce wind resistance.

10 • DON’T DRIVE: Where possible, try using public transport or sharing a car with a workmate. The easiest way to save fuel is not to drive at all!

THE RESULTS... ¡ IFW December/January 2013

25

the environment

2012

¡

2012 MPG Marathon Results % l/100km l/100km Combined Improvement

CO2 g/km

Model

Drivers

Audi A1 Sportback 1.6 TDi Sport

David Madgwick & Alexander Madgwick

4.07

3.80

-7.11%

99

BMW 320d EfficientDynamics

Richard Aucock & Leigh Stiff

3.32

4.10

19.02%

109

BMW 320d EfficientDynamics

Pete Lunt & Ian Featherstone

4.00

4.10

2.44%

109

Geoff Murray & Mark Armstrong-Read

3.33

4.29

22.38%

99

Fiat Panda 1.3 MultiJet Easy

John Kerswill & Ian McKean

3.17

3.90

18.72%

104

Fiat Punto 1.3 MultiJet Easy

John Dalton & Chris Barron

3.42

3.50

2.29%

90

1 Citroën C1 1.0 VTR

2 Ford Fiesta Zetec ECOnetic 1.6 TDCi

Andrew Marriott & Andy Dawson

2.59

3.30

21.52%

87

Ford Focus Titanium 1.0 EcoBoost

Paul Clifton & Doug Clifton

4.56

5.00

8.80%

114

Jaguar XF 2.2 diesel Luxury

Victor Harman & David Hancock

4.82

5.43

11.23%

139

Kia cee’d 1.6 CRDi 2 EcoDynamics

Dave Randle & Peter Cracknell

3.78

3.80

0.53%

100

Kia Rio 1.1 CRDi 1 EcoDynamics

Sue Baker & Steve Winnit

3.13

3.19

1.88%

85

Kia Rio 1.1 CRDi 1 EcoDynamics

Mick Linford & Steve Croughan

2.76

3.19

13.48%

85

Lexus GS450h Luxury

David Crouch & Richard Seymour

6.14

6.19

0.81%

141

Peugeot 208 e-HDi EGC Active

Ian Robertson & Craig Morrow

3.13

3.80

17.63%

87

Peugeot 208 e-HDi EGC Active

Chris Russon & Kevin Jones

3.02

3.80

20.53%

87

Peugeot Partner Tepee e-HDi EGC

Iain Robertson & Robert Marshall

4.48

4.79

6.47%

125

Toyota Yaris Hybrid T4

Andrew Andersz & Alyson Marlow

3.54

3.70

4.32%

85

Vauxhall Insignia BiTurbo 2.0 CDTi 16v SRi

Alex Grant & Katie Beck

5.66

5.09

-11.20%

134

Vauxhall Astra GTC 2.0 CDTi SRi

Dave Moss & Mike Hull

4.54

4.79

5.22%

127

Vauxhall Astra 2.0 CDTi ecoFLEX SE

Jerry Clist & Jeremy Yea

4.11

4.49

8.46%

119

Volkswagen Golf Match TDi 105

Julie Fitzell & Chad Brewer

3.76

4.49

16.26%

119

Citroën Nemo HDi 75

John Kendall & Paul Nieuwenhuis

3.64

4.49

18.93%

119

Fiat Doblo 1.3 MultiJet 90

Dave Edwards & Rob Williams

4.53

5.30

14.53%

139

Ford Transit Custom T270 L1H1

Owen Wood & Richard Powell

5.04

6.90

26.96%

183

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313CDi LWB

Peter Thomas & Marke Roughneed

6.42

8.40

23.57%

208

Renault Trafic SL27 dCi 115 Sport

Dan Gilkes & Malcolm Curnow

4.93

6.90

28.55%

180

Neil McIntee & Andrew Duerden

4.33

6.90

37.25%

180

Doug Powell & Trevor Holland

5.00

6.30

20.63%

166

Vans

3 Vauxhall Vivaro ecoFLEX 2700 2.0 CDTi VW Transporter T27 BlueMotion (Cobra)

1

26

% IMPROVEMENT WINNER – CARS

internationalfleetworld.com

2

BEST MPG – CARS

3

% IMPROVEMENT WINNER – VANS

¡ mpgmarathon.com

Think you can have too much of a good thing?

Think Again.

Hyundai understands that everyone is unique and that different people need different solutions.

That’s why we’re proud to announce the arrival of our newest model, the all new Hyundai i30 3 door.

More options for you to choose from, the same quality for you to enjoy.

To find out more visit hyundai.com/eu or your local dealer.

Fuel consumption in MPG (l/100km) for the i30 range: Urban 29.7-68.9 (9.5-4.1), Extra Urban 51.4-80.7 (5.5-3.5), Combined 40.9-76.3 (6.9-3.7), CO2 Emissions 162-97g/km.

fleet focus UK

ON THE RISE AGAIN? The UK may own few of its historic car brands now, but the motor industry is still a powerful economic force, reports John Kendall.

he United Kingdom is a remarkable nation, when considering how small it is relative to its economic importance. This collection of islands has a land area of some 243,610km2, making it the 80th largest nation in the world. Yet it has the seventh largest economy by GDP. Much of this can be attributed to Britain’s mineral wealth, which enabled it to become the world’s first industrialised nation. This was originally based on the country’s large coal and iron ore deposits, supplemented by the large offshore oil and gas reserves discovered in the 20th century.

This formed the perfect backdrop for a flourishing motor industry. The car may not have been invented there, but a lengthy background of steam engineering and engineering innovation, fuelled by the available coal and iron, ensured that its potential was quickly recognised and the opportunities seized. Vehicle manufacturing was thriving in the opening years of the 20th century, the first manufacturers having established themselves in the 1890s.

Today, many of the names from that pioneering era survive – Rolls Royce, Rover, Vauxhall, with those that were established

T

28

internationalfleetworld.com

later – Aston Martin, Bentley, Jaguar, Lagonda, Land Rover, Lotus, MG, MINI and Morgan, although most are no longer in British hands. These have all been built into formidable brands, even though some reputations have not always lived up to the image.

There are some 17 motor manufacturing plants in the UK, a number comparable with Italy. BMW (MINI), Honda, Nissan and Toyota all have car-manufacturing plants in the UK. Ford and General Motors produce vans in the UK, although Ford has just announced that its Southampton assembly plant will close when production of the current generation Ford Transit ends in 2013. Ford had planned to build chassis cab variants of the new Transit model at the plant, but all production will now be transferred to Turkey.

General Motors builds the Opel/Vauxhall Vivaro panel van in a joint venture with Renault Nissan and the plant also builds the Renault Trafic and Nissan Primastar van. The last vestiges of the once great Leyland Trucks manufacturing empire remain, with a manufacturing plant producing DAF LF, CF and XF models. The company is now owned by PACCAR of the US, which owns Kenworth and Peterbilt Trucks, as well as DAF in Europe.

Honda car production is centred on the company’s plant at Swindon some 120km west of London. Jazz, Civic and CR-V models are produced here, along with petrol and diesel engines. Nissan produces the Juke, Qashqai and LEAF at Sunderland, while Toyota builds the Auris and Avensis at its Burnaston plant near Derby. GM builds the Opel/Vauxhall Astra at its Ellesmere Port plant besides the van production in Luton. As well as vehicle assembly, engine production, design, research and development are all well represented in the UK, while the UK has considerable expertise in motorsport and there is a well-established component sector.

Currently, the manufacturing sector is enjoying rising output, a contrast with the experience in some other European markets. According to data from the UK Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), for the year to the end of October, vehicle production had risen 8.4% compared with the same period in 2011 to 1,314,518. At 1,220,304, car production had risen 9.7% for the same period, while commercial vehicle production was down 6.1% to 94,214, although the monthly trend was more encouraging, with production up 5.0%

MADE IN BRITAIN Nissan produces the LEAF at its Sunderland plant in the UK, alongside the Juke and Qashqai.

to 11,899. 2012 engine production was down slightly, by 0.2% to 2,121,314, with October again showing a slight rise, of 1.2% compared with October 2011 to 239,011.

The majority of this output was exported, with 82.4% of car production, 57.9% of commercial vehicle production and 62.5% of engine production destined for other markets.

The healthy trend in production is also reflected in vehicle registrations. For the same January to October period, SMMT data shows car registrations rose 5.0% to 1,771,861, with October registrations up 12.1% in 2012 compared with 2011 to 151,252. That is a significant figure, because the UK changes vehicle licence plates twice a year in March and September with the new plates showing the latest date mark. This tends to lead to a fall-off in demand for vehicles in the preceding months (February and August), a sharp rise in the plate change month and again, reduced demand in the following month (April and October). For registrations to remain healthy in October suggests that there may be renewed confidence in the UK economy although the indications of a sustained recovery are not necessarily present. Data from the European Automotive Manufacturers

Association (ACEA) shows that the UK has been the only major European market to post growth during 2012.

SMMT data also records fleet registrations in the UK and for the same January to October period, fleet accounted for 49.7% of car registrations (881,182) with business registrations accounting for a further 4.4% (77,540), meaning fleet and business combined sales accounted for over 50% of car registrations. Fleet registrations have shown only modest growth for 2012, up 0.4%, while business registrations are down 11.1% compared with 2011, and private registrations were up 12.4% to 813,139.

Such is 2012 market growth that the SMMT has revised its full year 2012 forecast upwards to 2.013 million units compared with 1.94 million in 2011. This is the second forecast revision during the year. Originally the forecast was for 1.92 million units, which was raised to 1.97 million in July. The forecast for 2013 shows a slight increase to 2.015 million units.

The split between vehicles powered by diesel, petrol and alternative fuels tends to reflect the strength of the fleet sector. Diesel models accounted for 50.6% of 2012 regis-

trations, petrol 48.1% and alternative fuels 1.4%. Alternative fuel vehicles posted the largest percentage rise, with registrations up 13.1% to 24,266.

Commercial vehicle registrations have not been so buoyant as the car sector this year, reflecting the financial constraints that many businesses are still experiencing. SMMT figures show that total CV registrations were down 3.9% compared with 2011 for the January to October period to 243,099. Trucks have had a good year, with registrations up 13% to 38,238, while light CV registrations, below 3,500kg gross vehicle weight (GVW) have fallen by 6.5% during the period to 204,861. The SMMT expects light CV registrations to be down 6.5% overall for the complete year. Practically all the growth in heavy truck registrations has been in the over 6.0 tonne GVW category for rigid vehicles, with registrations highest in the over 16 tonne GVW sector, with growth of 24.0% in 2012 to 10,181. Articulated tractor unit registrations have been in decline in all sectors so far this year, with registrations down 7.6% overall to 13,433.

Ford has dominated the UK light CV market for almost 50 years, with the Transit the

IFW December/January 2013

29

¡

fleet focus UK

On the rise again... ¡

best selling model for the past 47 years.

Ford registrations were down 9.43% during the January to October period to 54,753, compared with 25,661 for second placed VW, ahead of Vauxhall with 22,841.

Daf Trucks, the US PACCAR subsidiary, leads the heavy truck sector over 6.0 tonnes GVW with 9,687 registrations for the January to October period, up 28.4% on 2012.

Mercedes is in second place with 5,124 ahead of Scania, MAN and Volvo Trucks.

Car taxation is relatively complex with a range of taxes applied to the purchase price of a new car and a system of annual taxation called Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). For new cars, the system is based on CO2 emissions with 13 separate tax bands, ranging from zero for cars with emissions of up to 100g/km to £465 (€580) per year for cars with emissions exceeding 255g/km.

Taxes for company cars – those provided by employers for use by employees – are also based on CO2 emissions and based on a taxable formula with rates that have been progressively changing for a number of years. The taxable rate also depends on the employee’s salary. Despite the fact that diesel cars produce lower CO2 emissions than petrol-powered models, they also carry a tax penalty of 3% compared with a petrol model in most cases, where company car tax is concerned, although this will change in tax year 2016/17, when petrol and diesel models will be treated equally from then on.

Fuel taxation is high in the UK, helping to make fuel costs among the highest in Europe. Both fuel duty and VAT at 20% are levied on fuel, meaning that around 66% of the total cost is accounted for in taxation.

Information from the UK Automobile Association (AA) suggests that the UK has the eighth highest price in Europe for petrol and the second highest for diesel. At the time of writing, petrol prices are around €1.72 per litre and diesel around €1.80 per litre.

Not surprisingly, this has an impact on the size of car that most UK customers choose. In 2012, demand for small cars has grown rapidly, partly in response to new model launches. SMMT information shows that the Mini segment has grown by 52%, while the Supermini segment has grown by 5.8%. The SMMT suggests that taken

30

internationalfleetworld.com

UK BEST SELLERS, OCTOBER 2012 Model

Units

Year-to-date

Units

Ford Fiesta

8,058

Ford Fiesta

96,805

Vauxhall Corsa

6,285

Vauxhall Corsa

78,760

Ford Focus

5,834

Ford Focus

70,355

Vauxhall Astra

5,754

Volkswagen Golf

54,300

Volkswagen Golf

4,158

Vauxhall Astra

52,879

BMW 3 Series

3,762

Nissan Qashqai

39,432

Nissan Qashqai

3,567

BMW 3 Series

38,102

BMW 1 Series

3,029

Volkswagen Polo

36,939

MINI

2,970

Mercedes C-Class

32,427

Volkswagen Polo

2,952

Fiat 500

29,215 Source – SMMT

together, these two segments account for almost 40% of the new car market.

On these figures, it is not surprising that the Ford Fiesta is the best-selling car in the UK with 96,805 registrations to the end of October, ahead of the Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Focus, VW Golf and Vauxhall Astra.

Ford dominates in the car sector as it does in light CVs, recording registrations up 5.15% to 245,109 for the January to October period. Vauxhall took second place with 197,721 registrations, down 3.14% on 2011. VW took third place with 160,200 registrations. Among the premium brands, Audi has registered the most in 2012 with

Ford Fiesta is the top selling model in the UK, with the Focus third.

110,622 registrations, ahead of BMW on 107,651 and Mercedes-Benz on 79,923, up 10.7%, 8% and 12.6% respectively.

Korean producer Ssangyong has recorded the largest percentage increase of the year, with an increase of 963.4% to 755 from 71 last year, as it revived its import operation.

SsangYong’s Korean rivals performed as well in the UK as they have done elsewhere this year. Kia has seen registrations rise 21.5% to 57,736 and Hyundai 16.7% to 62,980.

Among ‘home’ brands, Land Rover has had a good year, as it has elsewhere in Europe, thanks to the Range Rover Evoque.

Registrations are up 33.4% to 42,312.

5 GOOD REASONS

TO TRUST ARVAL Over

4,000 people totally committed to customer satisfaction

A presence in

39

countries through our subsidiaries and the PHH Arval Global Alliance partners

Our Expert Advice leads to an average of

431€

identified savings per car per year(1)

With Arval Consulting, our customers save an average of

846

kilos CO2

emissions per car per year(1)

The Arval International Business Office, with its multicultural team, services international corporates with global demands (1) Amount identified by Arval Consulting – 2011

Founded in 1989 and a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, Arval specialises in full service vehicle leasing. Arval offers its customers – professionals, SMEs and large international corporates – tailored solutions that optimise their employee’s mobility and outsource the risks associated with fleet management. Expert advice and service quality, which are the foundations of Arval’s customer promise, are delivered in 25 countries by over 4,000 employees, and in 14 other countries through a network of partners. Our staff are dedicated to the complete satisfaction of our customers so that you can focus on the essential: your business.

Discover more about Arval on www.arval.com or call us on +33 (0)1 57 69 50 00.

arval.com

remarketing

ONLINE REMARKETING IS GAINING A GREATER FOOTHOLD IN THE ESTABLISHED UK MARKET, RECKONS AUTOROLA UK’S SALES DIRECTOR, JON MITCHELL. utorola UK believes that within the next five years online buying and selling of used vehicles will comprise around 3035% of the market, which spells change for the established UK remarketing industry. Buyer confidence continues to build in buying vehicles online and Autorola’s buyer base expands daily to view around 6,000 vehicles that the UK has for sale on its online platform.

More buyers are also seeing that online represents a good use of their time as they can buy vehicles from three or four locations all from the comfort of their own office.

The UK has been a predominantly physical auction market for decades and as things are showing signs of change, so online and physical are beginning to work alongside one another. ”We don’t see the death of physical auctions in the short term as they are very well established in the UK, what we see is more vehicles being bought and sold online when physical doesn’t provide the right remarketing solution”, said Jon Mitchell, Autorola UK’s sales director. ”We are now selling vehicles online for a leasing company that don’t sell first time at auction. The car remains on site at the physical auction – we simply load it onto our platform to offer to a completely new set of buyers that are based all over the country. There will be more of this type of solution being adopted by vendors as they continue to focus on converting their vehicles into cash quickly and efficiently”, he continues.

Some other vendors are using the Autorola Branded Sites proposition which gives vendors an online presence to sell their used vehicles using their own logos and branding, but which links into Autorola’s online platform and to its buyer network. ”Some fleets offload 100 identical vans simultaneously. Spreading the volume should mean they see better prices and open up stock to new buyers. It also opens up their stock to buyers 24/7 which doesn’t happen in a physical auction environment,” added Mitchell.

Autorola UK has seen a 40% growth in 2012 and it expects the same level in 2013 with 10 more staff being added to their team.

Reports from UK auction house BCA suggest that used car auction prices have continued to rise. The company reports that across sectors, used car average prices reached £6,481 (€8,046), a 2.6% increase over prices in September and an 8.6% rise over 2011, even though cars were on average older and with higher mileage. BCA’s October figure is the highest since reporting began in 2005 and as the company points out, it is largely the result of the continuing shortage of good, retail quality stock.

Across BCA’s sectors, average fleet and lease prices rose by 0.4% in October compared with September prices. BCA says this is the sixth consecutive monthly rise. For the year, fleet and lease prices have risen by an average of 14.9%. BCA data shows that the average age of cars in its auction halls has risen from 59.7 months to 62.2 months, while average distance covered has increased from 92,283km to 94,473km.

A

32

internationalfleetworld.com

ONLINE NOW! For all your fleet needs, visit internationalfleetworld.com

NEWS from the global fleet community

INSIGHT from experts into the fleet industry

ADVICE best practice for running your fleet

AND to receive IFW every month, visit fleetworldsubscriptions.co.uk and register your details for FREE

19:31 Page p_IF W_Feb'12 1 :Lay

out 1

JANUARY > FEBRUA

RYJAN 2012 UARY > FEB

25/1/12

11:05

Page

1

DIARY DATE

INTIENRTNEATION RNATIAL O FLE FE LE TW ET RLDNAL RUARY

2012

internationalfleet

world.com

18/4/2012 inter

natio Visit evfleets how.co.unalfleetworld. com for more informa k tion and to register for the event

W RL D

Essential Busin Esse ess ntiInform ation for Intern al Busin ational Fleet Decis ess Inf ormati ion Makers on for Intern ational Fleet De cision driving towards

lower fleet emissions

Reaping the o said dividW enhds effic

can’t b ie e excit ncy ing?

How Ford’s fleet strategy has allowed it to create truly global vehicl es

The new

MOKKA

THINK BIG. RIDE CLEVER. World premiere at the Geneva Motor

www.opel.com

The A ll New

Fuel consumption combined 7.0–4.9 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined 159–129 g/km (according

inside SWOT

Show.

to R (EC) No. 715/2007).

Suzuki SX4

On show

LA & Tokyo review

s

Off balance

Lease accou

Makers

management

Future fleet technology now?

Does ALD Automotive’s ALDO system signal how fleets will operate in future? John Kendall finds out. any leet managers will be familiar with the capabilities of telematics systems even if they do not use them. A system could enable data transfer between a vehicle and a leet manager or the vehicle’s operating base to give information on location, speed of travel and driving style, among many other factors.

For commercial vehicles, a system could also give information on a range of factors from refrigerated body temperature, estimated time of delivery and by interfacing with a routing and scheduling package, could automatically arrange a delivery schedule or help to allocate the next available vehicle to a job.

In other words, a telematics system could provide a great deal of data that could help a leet to run more ef iciently, by identifying drivers who might need further training and reducing mileage by sending the right driver to the next job, while also giving leet managers visibility of their leet.

This has been the basic offering from telematics systems up to now. How could it be developed further? ALD Automotive has been developing its own ideas and recently announced a pilot project using telematics at the heart of its ALDO Smart Mobility Assistant system.

Although the company operates a leet of some 930,000 vehicles in 37 countries, ALDO is not designed solely for use with its vehicle leet, as Tim Albertsen, ALD Automotive’s deputy CEO explained: “There has been a lot of discussion about multi-modality, new mobility, car sharing etc for the last 2 or 3 years. I think we are basically now at a time where things are starting to happen – not on a large scale, but at least the irst real products are going on the road and the irst experiences from the client are coming in.

“We have a strategy group internally, which works with trying to igure out how to serve our corporate clients better in the future and how our products will evolve over time. Some of the mega-trends that are very clear these days have meant we have developed 4 scenarios that we are working

M

34

internationalfleetworld.com

on. The two main axes that we have identi ied for our business and for corporate mobility are the level of connectivity – we see that people are more and more connected and we also see regulation impacting quite heavily, particularly due to a lot of different things – CO2 emissions, congestion, scarce resources.”

Tim says that ALD has basically split its business into two for the future to deal with these issues: “Transport for rural areas – meaning outside the cities and cars that are being used for a purpose – we see that continuing much as we know it today. If people live outside cities they will still need a car for many years to come. So we don’t see our products and services evolving so much around that. Where we see things evolving quite quickly is in the big cities – again that’s due to regulation. There’s quite an interesting development in terms of products and services and clients are asking for a different form of mobility, no doubt.

“Then as we want to be quite operational with products and services and the most operational ideas for these things never come out of the headquarters of holding companies, we have basically placed a lot of the development around products and services with our subsidiaries.”

Greater lexibility seems to be the requirement for products. For instance ALD recently launched ALD Switch in the Benelux countries. If, for example, a driver has an allowance of €1,000 per month for a car, he or she could choose to spend €700 per month by downsizing to a smaller car, then using the balance to choose a different car for when it is needed. For instance, this could be for a cabriolet on a summer weekend or a larger car for family holidays. Provided the customer gives 7 days notice for the type of car needed, ALD would guarantee the choice of car.

ALDO, which ALD describes as a smart mobility assistant can provide lexibility in a different way. “We have to be much closer to the drivers than we have been,” says Tim, “I would say that today, of course, we are in touch with the drivers but our main contact

is still typically the corporate entity, where there is a leet manager and they are the ones communicating with the drivers. But to be able to handle all the needs and the lexibility of the drivers, we need to be closer.

“That’s basically why we started looking at ALDO. With an iPhone 4S or if you already have a 5, you can do a lot of these things, but ALDO is not assigned to a speci ic telephone or tablet, it’s an application that can run even on an iPhone 3 and it has voice recognition. If you have a Blackberry, you would still be able to use the voice recognition.

“It’s a pilot right now in Paris,” continues Tim, “We have 1,000 drivers since it’s been launched and the ALDO application is developed with Orange, which is one of our major clients, so they are running the pilot with two or three other clients in the Paris area.”

System users start by entering a pro ile of themselves, which would include whether they want to be, “time ef icient,” or, “CO2 ef icient”. The user would also specify which means of transport they would want to use.

This could include car, bicycle, public transport (train, metro, or bus) and walking. For journey planning, ALDO can be programmed with the desired arrival time and would then calculate the journey, making allowance for traf ic conditions and delays in public transport to calculate a start time. If the journey involved car parking, ALDO can advise where there are available parking spaces, and the time it would take to the nearest public transport link. It even includes expected weather conditions. Journeys can be automatically uploaded to the user’s diary.

An hour or two before the journey is due to start, ALDO will recalculate the entire journey, checking on traf ic conditions and any delays with public transport. Then the system would adjust the departure time accordingly to ensure that the user would still arrive on time. ALDO is connected to the systems measuring traf ic low and public transport systems, constantly gathering data on train or metro delays and updating the journey plan.

“Most of the users will also have a

company car from us,” continues Tim, “Using ALDO they can book maintenance, or ind the cheapest fuel illing station on the chosen route. You can buy tyres, ticketing for your journeys, or ask ALD questions. For our company car users, ALDO will help us to manage our drivers and also touch upon people who are not eligible for a company car. A leet manager who today, for instance, runs 1,000 vehicles, can have a tool to handle other parts of the business.”

This could include car rental and car sharing. ALD has its own car sharing system. Bosch in France, for example, uses the car sharing system and ALDO will be used as the reservation module for it.

The pilot programme was scheduled to run for around three months, enabling ALD to monitor what was working well and to iron out any bugs in the system. After that, ALD plans to roll the system out in Western Europe during 2013. “It’s quite an easy task,” reckons Tim, “What will have to be done for each country is to link up to the available open data.” ALD has had discussions with the Paris administration, which can see a lot of interest in initiatives such as ALDO and is very willing to help make the system work effectively.

“I think there’s a good basis for common development with the cities, because they need these kind of tools to handle increasing traf ic and to try and reduce pollution. So I think we will be targeting the Benelux countries, which are quite advanced on all the mobility ideas. In the Nordic countries people are working very hard to ind new means of dealing with these issues. We would see that we would be launching this in 6 or 7 countries next

THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT ALD Automotive’s ALDO application is developed with Orange and now has 1,000 drivers since launch.

year, if everything goes well with the pilot.

“We have had a joint venture partner in China since 2009 and a big problem in China is that they are increasing the regulation of traf ic. For instance in 2011, they cut the number of cars that were allowed to be sold in Beijing. Overnight they said basically instead of selling 800,000 cars you are allowed to sell 250,000 cars. These are the kind of tools that the Chinese are quite interested in, so we are expecting a Chinese delegation from Shanghai to come in, probably early next year, to have a look at some of these things.

“Electric vehicles still have some way to go in Europe before they become mainstream and China may be moving faster than Europe in this area.”

We have to be much closer to the drivers than we have been.

Tim Albertsen, Deputy CEO, ALD Automotive

IFW December/January 2013

35

fleet profile NISSAN

TO INFINITI AND BEYOND Almost bankrupt in 1999, Nissan is now a shining star in the Renault-Nissan Alliance, as Mark Bursa reports.

Nissan Power 88 is the roadmap for our company’s profitable growth Carlos Ghosn, CEO, Nissan

36

internationalfleetworld.com

Nissan is undoubtedly one of the success stories of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Once the most conservative of all the Japanese automakers, Nissan has reinvented itself over recent years, dropping dull-but-worthy repmobiles such as Almera and Primera in favour of funky crossovers such as Qashqai and Juke. And at the same time, Nissan has made a serious play for ‘green’ sales with the battery-electric LEAF. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES Nissan’s mid-term strategy is to become the largest Asian brand by volume in Europe by 2016, as de ined by a 2011 plan called “Nissan Power 88”. Already Nissan is the top Asian brand in several key markets including the UK, Spain, France and Italy.

Nissan Power 88 is a six-year business plan that will “accelerate the company's growth across new markets and segments”, the company announced at the time. By the end of iscal 2016, Nissan aims to achieve a global market share of 8% and increase its corporate operating pro it to a sustainable 8%.

An extended new product plan will deliver, on average, an all-new vehicle every six weeks for six years. The company's global portfolio will have 66 vehicles and will cover 92% of all markets and segments. The emphasis on sustainable mobility will continue, encompassing zero-emission vehicles and low-emission technologies. Cumulative electric vehicle sales for the Renault-Nissan Alliance will reach 1.5m units.

“Nissan Power 88 is the roadmap for our company's profitable growth,” said president and CEO Carlos Ghosn. “We will accelerate our growth, bringing more innovation and excitement to our products and services as well as cleaner, more affordable cars for everyone around the world, in line with the energy and environmental challenges of the 21st century.”

The automaker will increase investments in its brands and retail networks to enhance its customers' entire ownership experience.

It currently has 6,000 major points of sales globally; the retail network will expand to 7,500 in the midterm plan period. Business expansion will focus on growth markets and further developing the company's In initi

and light commercial businesses. Nissan claimed that, by 2016, it would be the world's leading light commercial vehicle manufacturer.

In 2012, Nissan will have a production capacity of 1.2m units in China. China has become – and will continue to be – its largest single global market and it aims for a 10% share. The automaker will also increase its presence in Brazil, Russia and India, as well as in the next wave of emerging markets. In Brazil, Nissan will build a new plant, with a capacity of 200,000 units as a irst step.

Meanwhile, the In initi premium brand will grow from 2010 sales of 150,000 vehicles to 10% of global market share among luxury brand segments, a level today that would represent 500,000 vehicles. In initi will be present in over 70 markets with a product range of at least 10 vehicles.

proportion of its European models. Exports from Japan account for a relatively small percentage of sales, and continue to fall, dropping 8.6% year-on-year in the irst half of 2012 to just 37,186 units.

Paul Willcox, senior vice president sales & marketing in Europe, said: “Nissan produces around 70% of vehicles sold within the region at plants in the UK, Spain and Russia.

This includes the 430,000 Qashqais and Jukes manufactured at our plant in Sunderland in 2011.”

Sunderland, opened in 1986, was the irst Japanese transplant in Europe, and has grown to become one of Europe’s largest car factories, achieving a record output of 480,485 units in 2011, its 25th Anniversary.

Qashqai, and the seven-seat Qashqai +2, accounted for more than 250,000 sales, with

EUROPEAN SALES GROWTH The realignment of the range is driving this ambition. In 2011, despite the ongoing recession, Nissan posted record European sales of 695,702 units, 140,000 more than its previous 2010 best, and a rise of 25.4%.

Major year-on-year gains were made in the UK, where sales rose 11% to 107,000 units, as well as France (+31%), Germany (+18%) and Italy (+16%).

Nissan out-sold its 2010 total in every month of 2011, and ended the year with a market share of 3.7%, up from 3.1% in 2010 – an achievement that was all the more remarkable as it was achieved in a year when much of the Japanese auto industry faced serious disruptions as a result of the earthquake and tsunami.

Nissan managed to avoid the worst of the effects of the disaster because it has localised the production of a large

¡

¡

IFW December/January 2013

37

fleet profile NISSAN

¡

Juke contributing more than 123,000 sales in its irst full year of production. The Qashqai line is running on a 24-hour basis.

Other models that performed strongly included new Micra, with 75,000 sales, and the X-Trail SUV, whose sales trebled in 2011 to 33,000 units. The Navara pick-up, manufactured at Nissan’s Barcelona plant, increased sales by 50% to 23,000 units, and the NV200 van, also built in Spain, achieved more than 17,500 sales.

Russia is now Nissan’s top market in Europe, and Nissan is the top-selling Japanese manufacturer in the country. Sales in 2011 increased by a massive 75% on 2010 – or nearly 60,000 units. Nissan now holds around 5.5% of the overall Russian market and in May launched a third production shift at its plant in St Petersburg to support the introduction of the Murano SUV, the plant’s third model.

Despite these positive results, RenaultNissan chairman, Carlos Ghosn, believes Europe’s recovery will be slow. In a Bloomberg Television interview, he said Nissan was “preparing for many mediocre years” in Europe, thanks to a combination of a depressed market and European overcapacity. Nissan will manage its capacity in the region to match demand, Ghosn said.

GLOBAL SALES Nissan’s success in 2011 was not just con ined to Europe. The company posted record global sales of 4.67 million units in 2011, up 14.4% compared to 2010, and accounting for 58% of Renault-Nissan Alliance sales. The success has continued into 2012, with irst-half global sales up 16.7% year-on-year to 2.63m units, marking an alltime record for the January-June period.

China is now Nissan’s largest market, and the company posted record sales in 2011 of 1,247,738 units, a 21.9% increase over 2010, led by strong sales of the Sunny and Teana sedans. Despite a slowdown in growth this year, Nissan’s Chinese sales increased 14% year-on-year to 678,007 units, marking an all-time record for the January-June period.

In the Americas, Nissan reported record sales of 1,561,230 units for Nissan and In initi brand vehicles throughout North, Central and South America, up 17.2% compared with the previous year. The Nissan brand alone gained

38

internationalfleetworld.com

a market share of 7.5%, up 0.6 percentage points, becoming the number two Asian automotive brand in the region.

The US, Mexico and Brazil posted the largest single-country gains. Sales in the US reached a record 1,042,534 units, up 14.7% compared with 2010. Market share in the US grew to 8.2%, led by the Versa compact car and the Rogue crossover. The Altima sedan also continues to rank among the best-selling vehicles in the country.

In Mexico, where Nissan will open a third plant in 2013 to support its rapid growth across the Americas, sales grew 18.6% while its market share grew to a record 24.8%. In Brazil, where Nissan plans to build its irst plant in Resende in 2014, Nissan's sales nearly doubled to 67,097 units. Nissan was Brazil's fastest-growing automotive brand in 2011.

Sales in regions outside Japan, China, Europe and the Americas increased 25.4% year-on-year to 470,967 in the irst half of 2012, mainly due to increased demand in Brazil, Thailand and India. Production in other regions, mainly India, Indonesia, South Africa and Thailand, saw an overall increase of 19.5% year-on-year to 283,269 units in the January-June 2012 period.

Indeed, Ghosn said growth from Southeast Asia and the US would be among the main drivers behind Nissan’s plans to build more than 5 million cars in 2012. “Myanmar may be the star of future, along with Indonesia and Vietnam,” he said.

The only recent black spot has been Nissan’s home market of Japan, where the effects of the earthquake meant sales slipped 8.4% year-on-year to 591,312 units, in a market that shrank 15%.

Nissan's market share climbed one percentage point to 14%. Nissan Serena was the best-selling minivan in the country with 84,359 units sold.

However, there has been a recovery in Japan throughout 2012, helped by a government subsidy programme for environmentally friendly vehicles. Nissan sold 366,569 units in Japan, up 31.1% year-on-year, mainly due to increased demand for Juke, Serena and Note, all of which qualify for the government subsidies.

Exports from Japan are also on the rise. In the irst half of 2012, Nissan exports in January-June increased 19.4% year-on-year to 333,078 units.

EUROPEAN FLEET SALES Nissan has grown its European fleet sales steadily in recent years, on the back of increased European production and a broader light commercial vehicle range.

Nissan currently has around a 4% market share in the overall European fleet sector, largely due to strong sales of locally built Juke, Qashqai and Note ranges.

Even so, Nissan is still below the European average in terms of the fleet component of its overall sales. In 2011, fleet accounted for just over 30% of Nissan’s European total, against an average for all manufacturers of around 40%. The high retail content is no bad thing, but Nissan does want more fleet business, and admits to being shy of making a major fleet play in the past.

Fleet sales are particularly strong in the UK, where British-built Nissan models are going down well with company car drivers.

Fleet sales increased by 9% in the irst 10 months of 2012 to 43,918 units, giving Nissan a 5% share of the UK leet market.

Fleet sales accounted for around 47% of Nissan’s total UK sales in the period – well above its European average.

The Qashqai was Nissan’s best UK leet seller at 19,309 units, with Juke more than doubling sales year on year to 8,965 units.

Qashqai+2 and Note sold 4,965 and 6,005 units respectively to leets, and 89% of Nissan’s leet volume is built in the UK. Yearto-date leet sales of LEAF have more than doubled in 2012 to 458 units.

In Europe, Nissan has a two-tier leet sales organisation. A European leet of ice is located in Paris, and there are major Regional Business Units (RBU), in France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Russia and the UK, as well as smaller of ices in some other countries. Each of those RBUs has a leet operation within its organisation.

FIRST MAJOR ALLIANCE FLEET DEAL ยก Renault and Nissan leet business has tended to be conducted separately, but an overall Alliance leet department has been established, and this achieved its irst major success in July, with the announcement that RenaultNissan would provide 15,000 vehicles in an exclusive leet contract with the Paris-based food company Danone. The irst-of-its-kind deal for the Alliance provides a full range of vehicles to Danone in 25 countries for at least ive years.

Danone said it selected the Renault-Nissan Alliance for its wide product line-up, its experienced fleet sales and services organisation and its global sales footprint, which matches that of Danone. Under the terms of the deal, Danone fleet managers can select vehicles from any of the four brands under the Alliance: Renault, Nissan, Dacia and In initi. The deal encompasses passenger cars and commercial vehicles, including electric models. The contract will last until 2017, and Danone said the highest volumes would be in Russia, Mexico and France.

SEALING THE DEAL Guillaume Cartier - Nissan, Philippe Bassin - Danone, Uwe Hochgeschurtz - Renault, Bernard Loire - Infiniti

Juke and Q have en ashqai joyed str o Europea n sales ng

IFW December/January 2013

39

fleet profile NISSAN

¡

LEAF GAINS MOMENTUM Renault may have made the biggest play for the battery-electric car market, with a range of four vehicles, but Nissan got to market irst with the LEAF hatchback, launched in December 2012. And despite having to resort to price cuts, Nissan is claiming a success with the car, which is now the best-selling electric vehicle ever.

Nissan sold more than 42,000 Nissan LEAFs in just under two years, and the car won the World Car of the Year, Japan Car of the Year and European Car of the Year awards.

Production of LEAF is due to start at Nissan’s Sunderland plant in the UK in early 2013, while production of the e-NV200 van will start in Barcelona in late 2013 for global distribution. Lithium-ion batteries will also be made in Europe for the use of both Nissan and Renault.

Slowly, the electric vehicle movement is gaining momentum in Europe. Between March and September 2012, the number of Nissan dealers selling the LEAF has grown to 700 in 18 markets, compared to just 110 earlier in 2011. Around 1,800 units were sold in Europe in 2011, but in the irst nine months of 2012, more than 3,000 have been sold, representing around 20% of the EV market. In EV-friendly Norway, LEAF is among the top 15 best selling new cars with more than 2,000 registered since sales began in November 2011.

Among leet deals is a supply contract with daily rental company Europcar, in two of Europe’s busiest capitals, London and Paris, giving potential customers the chance to rent a Nissan LEAF and evaluate it in real world conditions to see if it is suitable for their needs.

40

internationalfleetworld.com

ZERO-EMISSIONS LCVs Nissan sees the light commercial vehicle market as a way of driving growth in the EV sector. At the Hanover CV show in September 2012, Nissan unveiled a range of EV initiatives in the van market, including an electric compact panel van, the second of four electric vehicles promised by 2014.

To be built for global markets exclusively at Nissan’s plant in Barcelona, Spain, the eNV200 combines the powertrain of the Nissan LEAF with the NV200 compact panel van. Production will start in late 2013, and prototypes are currently undergoing tests with large leet operators worldwide.

These include AEON Retail, FedEx Express and British Gas in Japan and Europe, and Coca-Cola Central Japan, which is using an eNV200 as a regional sales vehicle in Yokohama, evaluating its performance and practical usability against conventional internal combustion-engined vehicles. One of the biggest test programmes is with FedEx Express, which has been using the e-NV200 in London since December 2011 and is now expanding the programme to Japan. FedEx Express currently operates 130 all-electric vehicles worldwide, making the company an ideal collaborator for this initiative.

Nissan is using the feedback from the ield-testing to re ine and enhance the inal development of e-NV200. The e-NV200 offers the same carrying capacity as the conventionally powered NV200, while its running gear includes Quick Charging technology, which recharges its battery to 80% capacity in just 30 minutes.

At Hanover, Nissan showed two other battery-powered concept vehicles. The eNT400 Cabstar Concept, uses EV technology to create a large zero-emission light truck capable of entering areas denied to conventionally-powered LCVs, while another Cabstar prototype, the Cabstar e-Refrigerator, uses a lithium-ion battery and electric motor to drive the vehicle’s chilled and refrigerated compartments, reducing CO2 and noise emissions by taking over the task normally performed by the truck's diesel engine.

EV INFRASTRUCTURE As part of its EV initiative, Nissan is driving the installation of fast-charge infrastructure in Europe. There is now almost double the number of conventional charging points in Europe compared to a year ago, with a total close to 15,000 across Europe. And earlier this year, Nissan announced a plan to create a network of 400 DC Quick Chargers across Europe, and unveiled the irst of these in France and the Netherlands.

The 400 chargers will be manufactured and donated free by Nissan. The direct current units will be able to charge up any ChAdeMO compliant electric vehicle, such as the Nissan LEAF, to around 80% capacity in 30 minutes.

In the Netherlands, the charger forms the irst part of a 40-unit network, which will mean the majority of Dutch motorists will be within 30km of a Quick Charger, anywhere in the country. The irst Nissan unit is being installed on a commercial of ice estate, which is close to a strategic motorway junction in the central town of Amersfoort.

The irst French Quick Charger has been installed at a Cora supermarket, in the town of Haguenau, which will be the irst of the sixcharger network for the Alsace region – selected for its commitment to electric vehicles and strong government inancial incentives to choose zero emission cars. In total France will install 40 Quick Chargers across the country, with details of other locations to be revealed in the coming months. Around 30 Nissan dealerships are already equipped with DC charging facilities in the UK, which are available for Nissan LEAF drivers to use free of charge.

Oliver Paturet, general manager of Zero Emission Strategy for Nissan, said: “The installation of these irst ChAdeMO compliant Quick Chargers is an important moment for zero emission mobility in Europe. In the coming months we will reveal our plans for inter-country, national and regional quick charging networks.”

Nissan hopes to accelerate the development of an established electric vehicle infrastructure across the whole of Europe, hoping to have thousands of Quick Chargers installed by the end of 2012 and tens of thousands by 2015.

Nissan's Quick Charger is a Direct Current design that conforms to the ChAdeMO charging standard. It has been designed and engineered

by Nissan to be smaller and cheaper than existing units and is fully approved to assist widespread installation. This charger can be made compatible with Renault's AC 43kW fast charging system, and both systems will be offered together for future network expansion.

INFINITI EXPANSION Nissan’s luxury car brand, In initi, was launched in the US in 1988, but has only been on sale in Europe since 2008, with a range of up-market saloons and SUVs. So far around 4,000 cars have been sold across Europe through a limited dealer network, concentrating on large cities.

However, in 2011 it was announced that In initi would increase its sales massively as a result of the tie-in between Renault-Nissan and MercedesBenz, which will supply four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, as well as its A/B-class platform. This will allow In initi to enter new markets and offer smaller and less expensive models, including a smaller hatchback to compete with the Audi A3.

Meanwhile, In initi has ended a feasibility study of third party manufacturing with MagnaSteyr of a ‘a new compact premium vehicle’ and said it was ‘moving ahead with plans’ for a scheduled launch in 2015 of a model it would make ‘in-house’ in an as yet unnamed European factory.

“In initi intends to manufacture the vehicle in-house in a European production plant. The company will announce a production location and more product details closer to the start of production,” the automaker said in a statement.

“In initi still intends for the all-new compact premium vehicle to share a platform developed with Mercedes. The expanding partnership between the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Daimler, which began in 2010, includes powertrain and platform sharing, joint development of fuel-ef icient vehicles and other projects worldwide. All design, engineering and development work continues on schedule.” In initi models are also likely to be built in China and India in future, Nissan has revealed.

IFW December/January 2013

41

2013 fleet calendar International Fleet World’s guide to what’s happening in the fleet industry in the comimg months – when, where and how to find out more info...

January 2013 11-20 91st Brussels Show, Belgium (LCV, RV) www.febiac.be 19-25 Cairo International Motor Show, Egypt (CV) www.mondial-automobile.com 19-27 North American International Auto Show, Detroit (Industry Preview, 16-17) (PC) www.naias.com February 8-17 Chicago Auto Show, USA (PC) www.chicagoautoshow.com 15-24 Canadian International Auto Show, Toronto, Canada (PC) www.autoshow.ca March 1-3 Transportec Logitec 2013, Verona, Italy (CV) www.tltexpo.it 7-17 Geneva 83rd International Motor Show, Switzerland (PC) www.salon-auto.ch 22-31 Belgrade International Motor Show, Serbia (PC, LCV) www.belgradefair.rs 29-7 April Seoul International Motor Show, South Korea (PC, LCV, CV) www.motorshow.or.kr April 3-14 Amsterdam International Motor Show, The Netherlands (PC) www.autorai.nl 9-11 The Commercial Vehicle Show, Birmingham, UK (CV) www.cvshow.com 23-26 NAFA Institute and Expo, Atlantic City Convention Center, NJ, USA www.nafa.org/conference 24 Fleet World Fleet Show 2013, Silverstone Wing, Silverstone, Northants, UK www.thefleetshow.co.uk May 11-19 Barcelona International Motor Show, Spain (PC, LCV) www.firabcn.es 31-2 June International Kyiv Auto Salon 2013, Ukraine (PC) www.sia-motorshow.com.ua June 4-5 The Blue and Amber Light Fleet Exhibition, Telford International Centre, Telford, UK (Emergency services) www.napfmevent.org.uk 15-23 Sofia international Motor Show, Bulgaria (PC) www.svab.bg 20-30 Buenos Aires International Motor Show, Argentina (PC, LCV) www.elsalondelautomovil.com.ar September 10-14 Moscow Auto Salon COMTRANS, Russia (LCV, CV) www.oar-info.ru 10-22 Frankfurt International Motor Show, Germany (PC) www.iaa.de October 4-13 Bucharest International Motor Show (PC, LCV) www.siab.ro 18-27 Johannesburg International Motor Show, South Africa (PC, LCV, CV) www.johannesburgmotorshow.co.za November 2-10 Athens International Motor Show, Greece (PC, LCV) www.seaa.gr KEY: PC – passenger cars // LCV – light commercial vehicles // CV – commercial vehicles

42

internationalfleetworld.com

launch report Mercedes-Benz A-Class p44 Skoda Rapid p45 Opel/Vauxhall ADAM p46 Nissan e-NV200 p47

Overall GM has got ADAM right. It has plenty of character, drives well and the price is competitive. p46

IFW December/January 2013

43

launch report

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

New A-Class gives BMW and Audi’s compact cars a very credible rival, says Alex Grant.

SECTOR Lower medium PRICE €23,978 – €36,860 FUEL 3.8 – 6.4l/100km CO2 98 – 148g/km Radically different to its predecessor, this isn’t only one of the most important Mercedes-Benz models of recent years, it’s one of the most important fleet launches of 2012. It’s the car charged with putting the three-pointed star back on the map in what’s become a crowded premium C-segment, so it has to be good.

The first generation A-Class promised a lot when it launched in 1997. Shorter than a Ford Ka, but with more rear passenger space than a C-Class, all except the driver’s seat could be removed to turn it into a compact van.

Audi had taken a different approach. The A3, launched only a year beforehand, was exactly the stylish, sporty small car young executives moving out of volume brands were interested in. So much so that BMW, Volvo and Lexus have all launched rival products in the meantime. Mercedes-Benz, meanwhile, had two small MPVs at the small end of its range.

New A-Class is aimed at rectifying that. It has adopted a similar profile to its rivals, with optional AMG styling and the ability to make this the fastest or the most fuel-efficient A-Class ever made, which adds up to a much broader appeal than the outgoing car.

Mercedes-Benz doesn’t expect to alienate existing A-Class owners. B-Class sales

44

internationalfleetworld.com

have grown dramatically in some markets since this was introduced, and the 70,000 global orders for the new A-Class suggests those who saw it as an affordable entry point have stuck with it, joined by a large influx of newcomers.

The range is similar to its rivals, including the aggressively-styled AMG Sport version shown on most adverts for the car.

The non-AMG trims are subtler and less eye-catching, but it’s a neatly proportioned car with a low roofline which looks sporty on all except the steel wheels and hubcaps of the entry-level model.

Drivers seeking the most efficient Mercedes-Benz on sale don’t have to make much of a style sacrifice. The A180 CDI is powered

by Renault’s 1.5-litre diesel engine, as found in the Megane, and it’s a really good fit.

Power delivery is progressive rather than peaky, gear changes are firm and positive and if anything it’s less rattly than the manufacturer’s own units offered higher up the range. But it’s only the manual version which gets the Renault engine, the automatic uses a 1.8-litre Mercedes-Benz unit.

The A180 CDI and A200 CDI are expected to be the most popular engine choices in Europe, and both are offered with the AMG Sport styling pack. Size up to larger wheels,

though, and the A180 loses its double-digit CO2 emissions, ranging up to 108g/km for the largest wheels. For some, it’ll be a small price to pay for the better looks.

Interior styling is as strong as the creased bodywork, feeling very much in line with the manufacturer’s sports cars. All trims get tombstone-shaped sports seats varied only in the size of their bolsters, and the back seats don’t feel cramped even with the low roofline. The biggest difference between entry and top-level models is the aluminium accents, optional carbon fibre style inlays and red pinstriping, which can make cheaper models feel a bit gloomy compared to their better-equipped siblings.

This is an entirely successful overhaul of the A-Class nameplate, which loses little of the concept car’s head-turning shape. It’s keenly priced, efficient, great to drive and no less practical than its key rivals. Mercedes-Benz had to get this big-selling sector right, and the new A-Class is very, very good.

verdict New A-Class has the style, driving experience and running costs to be a real success.

It’s a huge departure from the outgoing car, but it’s exactly what Mercedes-Benz needed.

Skoda Rapid

Does the surprisingly spacious Skoda Rapid make a good fleet proposition? John Kendall finds out.

SECTOR Lower medium PRICE €12,680 – €21,300 (approx) FUEL 4.4 – 5.9l/100km CO2 114 – 137g/km MQB may be the future building block for many more VW Group models yet to come, including the latest Skoda Octavia, when it breaks cover next year. But as corporate belts tighten, it does no harm to be reminded that there are many ways of producing new models without breaking the bank. Tried and tested existing hardware and manufacturing methods can provide the starting point needed.

Enter the Skoda Rapid, bearing all the packaging hallmarks of a Skoda product. In model range terms, it fits between the Octavia and the Fabia, while where interior space is concerned, it manages to offer as much, if not more than the Octavia. And there’s a sizeable boot as well, providing 550 litres of space with the rear seat in place and 1,488 litres with them folded down. At the same time, a 1.83m tall passenger can sit behind a 1.83m tall driver with knee room to spare. That should guarantee interest from a few fleet operators.

At launch, Skoda is offering a choice of 1.2, 1.2TSI and 1.4TSI petrol engines or 1.6TDI diesel power. The entry-level 1.2-litre engine delivers 75hp, rising to 86hp for the lowest powered turbocharged 1.2TSI engine. These engines are both equipped with a five-speed gearbox, while the 105hp 1.2TSI engine

comes with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. Opt for the 122hp 1.4TSI and it comes with the seven-speed DSG automated transmission as standard, but with lower CO2 emissions than the 1.2-litre 75hp engine – 134g/km compared with 137g/km.

Diesel power comes from the 105hp variant of the VW group 1.6 TDI diesel engine, with emissions of 114g/km. In 2013 GreenTech models will also be added to the Rapid range, lowering emissions still further.

For the launch, Skoda had lined up a selection of 1.6TDI diesels, peppered with a few 1.2TSI models with both 86hp and 105hp.

Journalists are not normally known for their economy driving performances on vehicle launches, but some of the claims made included figures of 4.0 – 4.7l/100km (60-70mpg) or even better. It drives well too, with the 1.6TDI engine. It has impressed us before with its spread of torque and good refinement and it’s no different in the Rapid.

The TDI was equipped with a five-speed gearbox, but this seemed no barrier to good economy and provided slick gear shifting.

Curiously the first model we drove had a good blend of ride comfort and responsive chassis, but the ride quality was stiffer in the second model fitted with smaller diameter wheels.

Skoda’s designers have done a good job, particularly in disguising the interior space when looking at the car from the outside. The Rapid follows the recent trend for more angular design, with sharp crease lines in the bonnet and body sides. Externally, it carries the Skoda grille with vertical bars up front beneath the new Skoda logo - without green finish. The bonnet line curves under that new badge. At the rear, the Rapid carries Skoda’s trademark ‘C’-shaped rear lamps, making it recognizable as a Skoda in the dark.

Aside from the hard finished plastic for the dashboard, which gives the interior a somewhat utilitarian look, the car looked well assembled and pleasing to the eye. The interior would probably look better in one of the lighter coloured finishes available, instead of the dark grey of our test cars, which made the interior somewhat austere.

The switchgear and instrumentation has a familiar VW Group look about it, but it’s a familiarity that suggests good quality.

verdict Skoda is on to something with the Rapid.

The company has developed a good looking compact hatchback with a commodious interior. One to watch.

IFW December/January 2013

45

launch report

Opel ADAM

Opel finally arrives in the City Car sector. What’s in a name, asks John Kendall?

SECTOR City Car PRICE €11,500 – €14,500 (approx) FUEL 5.0 – 5.5l/100km CO2 118 – 129g/km Is it ADAM as in Adam Opel, or ADAM as in the first from the company? As long as it gets people talking about the new baby, GM doesn’t mind. Opel’s marketers have been having a lot of fun with words surrounding the ADAM launch. By the time you’ve got halfway through the brochure you should also be familiar with Slam, Glam and Jam – all members of the ADAM’s family in the shape of the three different trim levels.

There are new colours too. Choose from ‘Papa Don’t Peach’, ‘Buzz Lightgreen’, or 10 others. Opt for a roof in a different colour and choose from ‘I’ll be Black’, ‘White my Fire’ or ‘Men in Brown’. Inside, there are different headlining design options including choices featuring LEDs to simulate a starry sky. Young customers are high on the company’s target list.

The formula is similar to that of other city cars such as the Fiat 500, Ford Ka, Toyota Aygo, or VW up! – four seats in a compact car, with comfortable space for two people plus luggage and occasional space for one or two more.

The only engine available at the press launch was the 1.4-litre 87hp petrol variant.

This is the mid-power rating, which is expected to be the best selling power choice. These start with a 1.2-litre 70hp

46

internationalfleetworld.com

petrol unit, while the top rating will come from a 100hp variant of the 1.4-litre engine.

All drive through a five-speed manual gearbox. There will be no diesel option. In 2014, these engines will be joined by a new engine family designed jointly with Chinese manufacturer SAIC. Expect a direct injection, 1.0litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine to rival Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost. That should also help the ADAM’s comparatively uncompetitive CO2 emissions figures.

Underpinning the car is a modified Corsa platform, with a shortened wheelbase and shorter overhangs. It carries the Corsa suspension over with it, but re-tuned to suit the car. On the variety of Portuguese roads, where we were driving, it came out well. It was set up with a good ride and handling compromise that inevitably felt firm over poor surfaces.

Compared with the Fiat 500 for instance, it felt more accomplished, lacking the softly sprung ride of the Fiat.

Performance from the 87hp engine was lively and generally refined, if lacking in pulling power when faced with a long motorway hill. But it felt equally at home in town or on the open road.

Options include the Intellilink connectivity system, including a seven-inch colour

touch screen, which looks a good bet at €300. It combines Bluetooth connectivity, and smartphone integration, initially for iPhone and Android via a wired connection for iPhone and Bluetooth for Android.

The system will support a restricted range of Apps – for navigation and music to start with, but these will be expanded.

In practice the BringGo nav system was not fully developed, running on an iPhone, but GM flagged this up on the launch and assured us that it will be properly sorted by the time ADAM goes on sale. The problem appeared to be slow response, making navigation in city streets frustrating, while attempts to pronounce Portuguese street names were amusing to begin with, but irritating after a while. There is a good system here waiting to get out and it signals how smartphones will become more integrated in cars in the future. The screen is also set low on the dashboard, and would be better set higher up.

verdict Overall GM has got ADAM right. It has plenty of character, drives well and the price is competitive. The list of options will help to extend its appeal.

Nissan e-NV200

Nissan reveals more details of its e-NV200 electric van. Richard Yarrow reports.

SECTOR Electric Compact Van PRICE TBA RANGE Up to 160km CO2 0g/km It’s the second of four EVs, which Nissan plans to launch in the next three years, as part of its commitment to a 90% reduction in brand CO 2 emissions between 2000 and 2050. So far it’s the only one confirmed as a CV. The van’s drivetrain is based on the Leaf ’s, with a 107hp electric motor generating 280Nm of torque. Interestingly, the lithium-ion batteries will also be able to use the stored energy to power equipment, making the vehicle ideal for use as a mobile workshop or catering vehicle. Production is scheduled to start next year at Nissan’s Barcelona plant. The van is expected to carry a small price premium over the diesel versions.

Externally, the vehicle is very similar to the standard NV200, with sliding doors on both sides and a 60/40 split rear entrance.

The most obvious difference between the siblings is at the front end, where the upper grille is replaced by plastic panels.

The blue-tinted Nissan badge hides the charging socket, as it does on the Leaf.

Anyone familiar with Nissan’s pioneering EV car will recognise much of the cabin switchgear. The central screen, bow tie-style layout of the ventilation controls and circular gear shifter have all been car-

ried over. Above the screen is a smaller display with digital speedo, external temperature and eco-meter for how well the vehicle is being driven. Behind the steering wheel the instruments include a power meter and remaining charge readout, plus the odo and trip.

The floor-mounted handbrake is adjacent to a flat tray between the two seats for convenient storage. Additional practicality comes from the narrow but deep door bins and slots either sides of the screen, which could hold smaller items.

Behind the seats is a metal mesh bulkhead. The prototype van featured a wider section at the base, which won’t be on the production vehicle. Load volume will be identical to NV200, with a 2,040mm length, 1,358mm height and 1,500mm width. Maximum volume is 4.2m3 allowing it to carry two Euro pallets, and payload limit is 752kg.

Tomoyuki Nakano, manager of the e-NV200 programme, explained: “This is a test vehicle and the final production may be slightly different. For example, the interior and instrumentation is still being designed.

Feedback from vehicles on trial with FedEx, Japan Postal Service and other companies – including some in London – will help us decide.” The final version is expected to be

around 50kg heavier than the standard van.

When empty the van is expected to offer drivers a range of up to 100 miles between charges. However, when loaded that’s expected to reduce by 10-20%. The drive event took place on a Nissan test track near Tokyo, so no long distance evaluation of that was possible.

Starting the e-NV200 is via a button on the centre console. Chimes indicate it’s ready for use. Moving the gear selector right and down for Drive, there’s an audible whine which gets louder as road speed increases. Riding on 175/70R14 tyres, acceleration is smooth and brisk. It feels nimble through tight turns and holds the road well through longer, faster bends.

Nissan’s belief is that users will charge the van overnight, giving them enough battery life for a morning’s work. A fast charge will power it to 80% capacity in 30 minutes, allowing drivers to get back on the road in the afternoon.

verdict NV200 was always going to have an electric option and the ready-made Leaf powertrain is an obvious choice. Rising fuel prices might make it more attractive by 2014.

IFW December/January 2013

47

S.W.O.T.

In association with

Honda CR-V

SMALLER AND BETTER? Stephen Dilley from Fleet Influence runs the SWOT ruler over the latest Honda CR-V.

48

internationalfleetworld.com

Within the compact SUV sector, new contenders appear with regularity – all competent, offering a few new angles to a now well-established format. Yet, amongst the cognoscenti, one model has continued to offer a benchmark others aspire to.

It does not have drop dead gorgeous styling, it’s off road capabilities are good yet not exceptional, the engines are ine but not class leading and yet it is the model that other’s are always compared against – the Honda CR-V. From a quick glance, the new, 4th generation CR-V looks like the old one, yet (to quote every manufacturer who ever launched a revised model) ‘almost everything is new’. It certainly offers a number of subtle, yet fundamental changes. The interior has more space, yet the car is slightly shorter and lower. The snub-nosed bonnet has been replaced with a more aggressive design, giving a broader frontal impression. The European version carries a black, spoilered, lower frontal treatment with an air intake set between the driving lights (in the U.S., this becomes a sharply angled swoop up towards the grill area to cope with the sharply angled ramps common in the States). At the rear of the car, the side window line cuts back sharply to alter the balance of the car’s pro ile, making it appear higher and chunkier. The tailgate design may not be to everyone’s liking, but the high waistline is emphasised and is certainly distinctive.

No surprises when it comes to the interior – very Honda. The materials are more European but could still bene it from less hard plastic. The instrument binnacle is easy on the eye, dominated by the large, central speedometer, lanked by tachometer and fuel/temp gauges. Technology includes hill start assist, parking sensors,

rear camera and Bluetooth on all but the entry level ‘S’, trailer stability assist, emergency stop braking and DAB digital radio either as standard or optional it. Other options include active cruise control and a lane keeping system.

The ample front seats offer a wide range of adjustment and the rear seat can accommodate 3 comfortably, or 2 with a giant centre armrest, wide enough to put a monopoly board on. Amazingly, for a car that has shrunk on the outside, Honda has increased the luggage capacity, seats up, by 25% to 589 litres, with 1669 litres when the seats are lattened.

For the irst time, Honda offers 2-wheeldrive versions of the CR-V, although these are currently limited to the 2.0-litre petrol engine.

The new electronic 4-wheel-drive system offers faster response times when coping with loss of traction. This new system also contributes to a noticeable weight reduction.

Two engines are currently on offer; the petrol 2.0 iVTEC and the well established 2.2 DTEC diesel, both now producing 10% less CO2.

Both enjoy Stop/Start technology with the 6 speed manual transmission.

Handling of compact SUV’s is always compromised and claims of ‘sports car handling’ rarely bear much relationship to fact. Yet the CR-V gives the driver light controls, making journeys easy and relaxing. The ride is good, slightly less stiff at the rear, and to be honest, the lower spec versions, shod with 17” rather than 18” wheels, are a little smoother. Noise levels have – in line with Honda’s claim – been greatly reduced. Economy, certainly in the diesel, is competitive at 50.4mpg (5.6l/100km), while next year will bring the new 1.6-litre diesel to the range.

Since the introduction of the 1st iterance in

1995, CR-V has shown continuous improvement. This Swindon produced 4th generation keeps up the tradition.

STRENGTHS Quality and reliability – in straightened times, much more important than you may at irst realize. Honda still delivers here. If you need con idence in your car, Honda’s the one.

Match this with the CR-V’s unquestioned practicality and up to the minute technology and it is an impressive offering.

WEAKNESSES To mention you drive a CR-V when down the pub will not generate envy, it may even produce derision, which is a shame because it deserves better. All about image, not something that Honda excels at.

Honda must also try harder at emissions and economy – it is an engine manufacturer above all else, yet It took them a long time to get the importance of diesel and this put them on the back foot in Europe. Now it needs to lead.

OPPORTUNITIES Honda still needs to get its market perception right. This is both a brand and range issue which they are clearly aware of, have tried to address and, as yet, have not managed to resolve.

Oh, and when the CR-V gets that nice, new 1.6-litre diesel engine just put into Civic – it will open up a new tranche of potential buyers.

THREATS The competition in the compact SUV sector is ierce – everyone wants a piece of it and more are coming, especially at the low cost end – watch out for Dacia and Great Wall.

CROSS BORDER COMPARISONS List Price

UK

Portugal

Spain

Italy

Germany

France

Euro – Low end

26,091

27,100

27,200

23,900

22,900

25,150

Top end

39,817

48,900

44,900

43,500

39,355

40,950

£S – Low end

21,395

-

-

-

-

-

Top end Spec & Trim

32,650

-

-

-

-

-

S S-T SE SR EX -

Active Active Top Elegance Lifestyle Executive -

Comfort Elegance Lifestyle Executive Luxury

Comfort Elegance Lifestyle Executive -

S Comfort Elegance Lifestyle Executive -

Comfort Elegance Executive Exclusive

-

-

Innova

-

-

Innova

Engines Petrol

2.0i VTEC 155PS

Diesel

2.2i DTEC 150PS

IFW December/January 2013

49

fleet in figures

Global sales rise despite financial problems in Europe As the year draws towards a close, 2012’s mixed fortunes look set to continue, reports John Kendall.

In the US, Fiat registered a YtD increase with registrations up 130% from 15,826 to 36,462.

50

internationalfleetworld.com

It’s a familiar picture from the European Automobile Manufacturer’s Association (ACEA), in that car registrations across the 27 EU member States are continuing their downward trend. Data for the January to October period shows that the market is down 7.3% on average compared with 2011 to 10,327,276. Of the 27 member States, only 8 have registered an increase in registrations for the period. As we have noted elsewhere, the only major market to show an increase is the UK, which is up 5.0% for the period to 1,688,038 registrations. The other States showing an increase are; the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia. If we consider the European Free Trade Area (EFTA) countries too, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland are also all registering increases with an average of 4.5% between them.

The southern European States most affected by the financial crisis are those that are still seeing the biggest market declines. Registrations in Greece during the period are 39.9% down to 50,646 (2011: 84,254). For Portugal, the market is 38.3% down to 81,827 (2011: 132,601).

Among the larger markets, France and Spain are still experiencing sizeable reductions. French registrations are down 13.3% to 1,593,844 (2011: 1,837,374), while in Spain the decline is averaging 11.9% for the year bringing registrations down to 600,237 (2011: 681,199).

The VW Group is still leading the EU registrations table with 2,664,043 registrations for the period, down 0.6% on 2011. VW registrations have performed better than average, down 3.3% for the period to 1,376,546 (2011: 1,423,117).

Audi continues to perform well with registrations up 5.8% to 608,151 (2011: 574,802). By contrast SEAT registrations have declined the most in the group, down 15.6% to 220,246 (2011: 260,927).

Hyundai and Kia have continued with the strong performance both have shown through the year. Hyundai EU registrations are up 9.3% to 365,640 (2011: 334,394), while Kia has averaged an increase of 17.6% to 285,883 (2011: 243,128). Land Rover continues to perform well, thanks to the Evoque, with registrations up 39.5% to 84,855 (2011: 60,813).

Among individual brands, Alfa Romeo has posted the largest decline, with regis-

trations down 30.5% to 79,256 (2011: 114,031). Among larger brands, Renault continues to register big declines, down 21.4% to 693,015 (2011: 881,490). For October, Renault registrations were down 24.9% to 65,257. Alliance partner Nissan is having a much better time of it in percentage terms, with registrations down 4.7% to 372,421 (2011: 390,653).

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES: EUROPE Given the lingering financial problems in Europe, it is hardly surprising that commercial vehicle sales have recorded large falls in some European countries.

Overall, to the end of September, commercial vehicle registrations fell 10.7% to 1,282,248, compared with 2011. The September monthly trend saw average registrations down 13.7% compared with September 2011 to 150,910.

None of the major markets have avoided the downturn, but Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary and Romania all recorded small increases.

The heavy truck sector over 16-tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW) reflects the downturn with registrations across the EU down on average by 7.7% to 162,355.

Again none of the major markets recorded an increase while some smaller States recorded small increases.

The same pattern is repeated for light CVs up to 3,500kg GVW. The market was down 11.7% here to 1,041,028. EFTA countries managed a small 1.8% increase to 47,260.

GLOBAL SALES UNCHANGED Looking at the global picture, sales around the world for September were unchanged from a year ago, but the overall forecast for the year is still for car sales to grow by around 5% in 2012, according to Scotiabank’s forecast for global sales of 62.03m, up from 58.89m in 2011, with most of the growth coming from Asia and North America. Scotiabank is forecasting full year sales of 14.3m in the US compared with 12.73m in 2011. Modest growth to 4.37m is forecast for Eastern Europe, while Chinese sales are expected to grow to by 7% this year to 10.74m.

Scotiabank attributes the flat sales graph in September to a drop in sales of Japanese models in China, while Japan and China try to resolve the territorial dispute between

the two countries over the uninhabited islands in the East China seas. The declining European market is also singled out.

In October, Hurricane Sandy appears to have had a relatively small effect on the US car market. Scotiabank reckons the result was a fall off in sales, equivalent to 300,000 over a year. Annualised sales in the US are running at 14.29m in October, but Scotiabank expects a sales surge in the coming months because consumer confidence is at the highest level since February 2008. The bank says that the number of Americans intending to buy a new vehicle is also at the highest level since the late 1990s. Although Hurricane Sandy made a small impact on new car sales, replacements for vehicles damaged in storms is expected to impact demand.

Scotiabank indicates a softening in used car prices in the US in recent months, according to the Manheim Used Car Index.

A large increase in de- leeted cars from the rental market is responsible for the change, reversing a three-year trend. But Scotiabank expects this change to be temporary.

Turning to the new US light vehicle market, data to the end of October puts GM at the top of the sales league with a total of 2,163,479 vehicles made up from 882,283 cars and 1,281,196 light trucks, an overall increase of 3.6% compared with 2011. The Big Three take the first three places, with Ford and Chrysler lining up behind GM. Chrysler car sales have risen by 43.1% compared with 2011 from 290,821 to 416,236. Fiat car sales in the US have risen 130% for the January to October period, compared with 2011 from 15,826 to 36,462.

Toyota has seen US car sales rise 38.6% for the period to 1,004,441, while VW sales are up 35.6% to 357,401. Sales of Smart have more than doubled, up 103.5% to 8,309. Performance and luxury brands are having a good year in the US too. Lamborghini sales are up 63% to 419, while Maybach has seen sales rise 48.5% to 49.

It’s not all boom in the US though. Suzuki announced in November that the company would be ending car sales in the US after 27 years and would file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings for the car business. The company has said it will focus on its motorcycle, boat and all-terrainvehicle businesses in the country instead.

IFW December/January 2013

51

SIMPLY CLEVER

Cutting edge technology that helps cut costs.

ŠKODA Superb Combi. When it comes to a business, your company is only as reliable as its partners. Adding a ŠKODA vehicle to your fleet gives you the much needed quality and reliability, especially in today’s economic storm. Our state-of-the-art technology and attention to detail finds its way into every aspect of our cars – design, development, production, safety, running costs and also after sales service. Your fleet choice of ŠKODA Superb Combi will fully match your company‘s high standards. Consequently the car has earned the ‘Best in Class’ Running Cost in Spain, France, Italy and UK, besides also being nominated as the ‘Best in Class’ Residual Value forecast in Germany according to Eurotax-Glass’s.

www.skoda-auto.com/fleet

Combined fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for the Superb Combi model: 4.4–10.2 l/100 km, 114–237 g/km