International Fleet World May 2018

INTERNATIONAL

FLEETW RLD All that matters in the world of fleet

May 2018

CYBER WARS How the fight against car hacking has moved up a gear

Spotlight Ford reveals the latest generation Focus to the world

Driver Training

Fleet Focus

Driven

How global fleets can benefit from educating their employees

Analysing the regional variations in Italy

Range Rover PHEV Jaguar E-Pace CitroĂŤn C4 Cactus Audi A7

internationalfleetworld.com

The new Opel SUV models

SUV FEELING FOR ALL. Crossland X. Grandland X. Mokka X. Ready for your fleet.

Pictures show optional equipment, depending on local market offer. For further information please contact your local Opel/Vauxhall fleet representative or dealer. Fuel consumption combined 6.7–3.6 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined 155–93 g/km (according to R (EC) No. 715/2007 and R (EC) No. 692/2008).

INTERNATIONAL

FLEETW RLD All that matters in the world of fleet

May 2018

contents

CYBER WARS How the fight against car hacking has moved up a gear

Spotlight Ford reveals the latest generation Focus to the world

Driver Training

Fleet Focus

Driven

How global fleets can benefit from educating their employees

Analysing the regional variations in Italy

Range Rover PHEV Jaguar E-Pace Citroën C4 Cactus Audi A7

internationalfleetworld.com

Chairman Jerry Ramsdale jerry@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

20 SPOTLIGHT: New Ford Focus.

22 Driver training for employees abroad.

34 FEATURE: Fleet cyber security.

38 DRIVEN: Jaguar E-Pace.

Editor John Challen john@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Deputy Editor Alex Grant alex@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Business Editor Natalie Middleton natalie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Content Editor Jonathan Musk jonathan@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Account Directors Claire Warman claire@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Harry Whyte harry@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

04 Fleet Review Editor John Challen discusses ‘dieselgate’ and cybersecurity.

Yvonne Wright yvonne@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Circulation Tracy Howell tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Head of Production Luke Wikner luke@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Designers Tina Ries tina@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

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

08 Business News The biggest stories from the international fleet community.

12 Environmental News Updates from the electrified vehicle fleet market.

Dan Bennett dan.bennett@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Web Designer Dan Desta daniel@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

18 Analysis The residual values of the new Porsche Panamera.

20 Spotlight Ford unveils its latest Focus to the global fleet industry.

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

22 Management Driver training programmes for fleet employees driving abroad.

26 Fleet Focus Italy: Challenging times lay ahead for the the Italian fleet market.

30 Profile Honda: The future is electric for the growing Japanese giant...

34 Feature The fight for cybersecurity and how automakers are addressing threats.

38 Driven Audi A7 / Citroën C4 Cactus / Jaguar E-Pace / Range Rover PHEV /

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

Volvo S90 Twin Engine / Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace.

internationalfleetworld.com / 03

fleet review This month, editor John Challen discusses 'dieselgate', gadget reliance and cybersecurity...

The trouble with diesels

At home in the car

In September 2018, it’ll be three years since the Environmental Protection Agency found out that Volkswagen cars were being sold in the US with a 'defeat device’ that improved the performance of diesel engines. The rest, as they say, is history. Except that it isn’t because more than 30 months later 'dieselgate’ – which has so far cost the German manufacturer north of €20bn to put right – rumbles on.

The drama had already spread to other brands – and subsequently other manufacturers outside the VW Group were investigated and scrutinised – but there was more to come in April. News filtered out that German police had carried out raids on current and former Porsche executives in relation to the emissions scandal. Porsche probably isn’t the last manufacturer to have a knock on the door from the authorities, so when will the whole drama conclude? Answering that question now falls to Herbert Diess who – also in April – replaced Matthias Müller as CEO of Volkswagen.

The industry awaits further developments and news in a story that keeps on giving…

I wouldn’t consider myself a fanatic when it comes to classic cars, but I remain very fond of vehicles that were around in my youth. Part of the attraction comes from the aesthetic appeal and part of it is down to my love of 1980s and 1990s hot hatches. But a bit of me likes the simplicity of cars from before I was allowed to drive. However, there is a bit of hypocrisy in that statement because I love – and find myself getting used to very quickly – in-car gadgets. I couldn’t be without wireless phone charging, I already miss the heated steering wheel from the Vauxhall (Opel) Insignia I was running for sister-magazine Fleet World and parking just isn’t the same without a camera!

So the future is bright – for me at least – with the introduction of further features to aid driving. But for many there is fear and trepidation, especially with the increased amount of connectivity between machines and the ability of third parties to access information. We’ve seen the outrage surrounding the Cambridge Analytica and Facebook story, with people leaving the social media platform in droves.

No-one expects drivers to give up their cars, but auto makers have a responsibility to ensure that their information is safe behind the wheel – as well as themselves. For more on the battle for cybersecurity on page 34.

visit internationalfleetworld.com

Wagon, Fastback, Hatchback, N

Hyundai i30 Range. All taken care of.

Style. Performance. Safety. Space. Whatever it is you care about, the i30 Range has it all taken care of. This remarkably efficient range of models delivers a winning mix of headturning good looks and innovative technology. Built to fit your needs, they combine excellent driving dynamics with state-of-the-art connectivity and class-leading safety. And like every Hyundai, the i30 comes with a 5-year Unlimited Mileage Warranty for added peace of mind.

Discover more at Hyundai.com/eu

The Hyundai 5-year Unlimited Mileage Warranty applies only to Hyundai vehicles that have been originally sold by an authorised Hyundai dealer to an end customer, as set out in the terms and conditions of the warranty booklet.

Fuel consumption for the Hyundai i30 Range: combined 3.7–7.1 l/100 km, CO2 emissions 96–163 g/km.

fleet in figures

Industry bounces back in March after February fall Global light vehicle sales up 1.2% year-on-year in March, plus the selling rate rose to 94.1 million units a year. By John Challen.

N

orth America’s light vehicle sales totalled 1.65 million units at the end of March – an increase of 6.5% compared with 12 months prior.

Although there was an extra selling day this year, this was the strongest gain since February 2016. This March performance translates into a selling rate of 17.4 million units a year, up 400k from February’s figure.

Retail sales totalled 1,283,000 units, and fleet represented 22.3% of sales, compared to 25.4% in February. Vehicle prices averaged $35,848 (€28,897) in March, in line with the previous month, but incentives grew to $1,823 (€1,469) from $1,592 (€1,283).

In Canada, sales inched down 0.6% year‐on‐year (YoY), to just under 187,000 units, which translates into a selling rate of 2.04 million units a year, down 200k from February. Preliminary Mexico sales figures indicate a plunge of 12.9% YoY, to 119,000 vehicles. Easter was celebrated in March in 2018, but in April in 2017, contributing to the fall.

Europe West European light vehicle registrations fell by 5.8% YoY in March. The UK market, in which March is one of the highest‐ volume months of the year, acted as a significant drag on the region, as sales were down 14.9% YoY. However, Germany and Italy also saw YoY falls, of 3.6% and 4.4% respectively, while France and Spain only saw modest gains. Although some markets had fewer selling days than a year ago, the West European light vehicle sell‐ ing rate still fell to 16.0 million units a year,

06 / internationalfleetworld.com

from 16.9 million units a year in February.

Russian buyers purchased 157k light vehicles in March, a 13.9% YoY increase.

This was the weakest result of 2018 in YoY terms, but this may be partly explained by there being one fewer work‐ ing day in March 2018 than in the prior year. There is also a higher base effect, as March 2017 saw the first increase for many months at that time, contributing to the slightly weaker YoY rise last month.

China In China, the selling rate picked up slightly to 28.8 million units a year in March, and averaged 28.3 million units a year in Q1 2018. That is a modest slowdown, compared to last year’s total light vehicle sales of 28.6 million units, but a good result, given that the temporary purchase tax on smaller vehicles expired in December 2017. On a YoY basis, sales increased by 3.2% in March and 2.4% in Q1 2018, driven by resilient passenger vehicle sales.

Other Asia The Japanese market ended Q1 on a lack‐ lustre note, with the March selling rate being just below five million units a year, virtually unchanged from February.

Although the unit rate is not a bad result for Japan’s shrinking market, it was a slowdown, compared to the 5.5 million‐ unit rate in Q2 2017. The strengthening yen and the clouding global export envi‐ ronment are dampening consumer and business confidence.

As expected, sales in South Korea rebounded in March after being disrupted

by the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games and the Lunar New Year in Febru‐ ary. The selling rate reached just below 1.8 million units a year in March. On a YoY basis, however, sales declined by 1.4% in March and 0.3% in Q1. While the geopo‐ litical tensions with North Korea have eased, the rising trade frictions between the US and China present a threat to the South Korean economy and vehicle sales.

South America Sales in Brazil continue to improve, with the March selling rate reaching 2.4 million units a year. On a YoY basis, sales increased by 8.5% in March and 14.5% in Q1 2018, supported by falling inflation, record‐low interest rates and the strengthening labour market. Yet, political uncertainty over the October presidential election remains a risk for the economy and thus vehicle sales.

The Argentine market remains robust, thanks to the tax cut on vehicles that came into effect on 1 January. High inflation (26% YoY in February) must also be encouraging consumers to spend on durable goods, instead of saving. In Q1 2018, the selling rate averaged 970k units a year and sales increased by 17% YoY.

There was strong performance in the US market in March

SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT

9TH MAY 2018 THE GREATEST SHOW IN FLEET

PUT YOUR FLEET IN POLE POSITION The fleet industry is undergoing change like never before: explore the issues and discover how new vehicles, products and services could benefit your business and give you a competitive advantage...

Test Driving. Seminars. Exhibits. Networking.

DATA SAFETY

TRACKING ELECTRIC

MOBILITY

AUTONOMY .uk

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manufacturer news

Opel reworks fleet dealer network pel has clarified plans aimed at o widening the service it offers fleet and retail consumers, and improving profitability for franchisees.

The story hit the headlines in April, with many publications focusing on claims that a third of dealers will have their contracts terminated and thou‐ sands of jobs lost.

However, a spokesperson confirmed to International Fleet World that refranchising is carried out by all manufacturers every 5‐10 years as rules and the market change.

At the end of April, all of the brand’s dealers, including Vauxhall branded ones in the UK, will have received a letter giving two years’ notice. The carmaker will then renegotiate its contract with those retailers on an individual basis going forwards within those two years.

Although this will bring lots of changes, the company emphasised that a key aspect will be the ability for deal‐ ers to work on both the van and car sides of the business.

Denis Chick, communications direc‐ tor for Vauxhall Motors, acknowl‐ edged that there would be some dealers who would want to move on – including within the Group to

running Peugeot or Citroën fran‐ chises – or even moving on to used cars, but said this wasn’t expected to result in any job losses or cutting the network by a third, as had been widely reported in the press.

The move follows Opel’s acquisition

by PSA Group last year but also due to changes in the market that are seeing people using dealers less when researching cars – due to the increase in digital information – and for servicing due to increased vehicle reliability and

servicing schedules. Profitability, due to less footfall, and the exchange rate, were also playing a part, according to Chick.

Chick added: “It’s a necessary thing to do. We will end up with a stronger network, a more profitable network and a network that can invest in the future and look after our customers in the best way possible. It’s a good thing all round. For those retailers who will want to come along with us – and there are lots of them – life will be better for everybody as a result.”

BMW and Daimler to merge mobility solutions

DS culls model range ahead of new launches

B

D

MW and Daimler are to merge their mobility offerings in a deal that will bring fleets a single source for everything from ride‐hailing to EV charging.

Although the carmakers said they would remain competi‐ tors in their respective core businesses, the new agreement will see them create a 50:50 joint venture to combine and strategically expand their work on mobility services, with a particular focus on developing solutions to meet the challenges of sustainable urban mobility and evolving customer needs.

Subject to approval from regulators, the joint venture will cover five areas, comprising ride‐hailing, car sharing, EV charging, multimodal and on‐demand mobility, and digital parking services.

08 / internationalfleetworld.com

S Automobiles is to cut production of the DS 4 and DS 5 by the end of this year as it readies its new model range.

The announcement reduces the range to two models; the new DS 7 Crossback SUV and long‐stand‐ ing best‐seller, the DS 3 supermini. From 2018, the brand will introduce one new model every year.

Production of the DS 4’s sister car, the Citroën C4, ended late last year, while the Sochaux plant in France, which builds the DS 5, is now focused on cars on the new EMP2 modular platform (the Peugeot 308, 3008 and 5008). DS has yet to confirm when either model will be replaced.

For the latest news, visit internationalfleetworld.com

Vauxhall to build PSA vans in Luton from mid-2019

P

SA Group is extending the capacity of the Vauxhall van plant in Luton by almost 50%, with a new Vivaro on its own platform due to be built there, alongside Peugeot and Citroën vans, from mid‐2019.

Confirmed by Carlos Tavares, chairman of the managing board, the move will bring Vauxhall’s mid‐size Vivaro van onto the same EMP2 platform used by the Citroën Dispatch and Peugeot Expert from next year, which is said to safeguard the future of the plant for at least a decade.

The announcement ends a partnership with Renault for mid‐size vans which dates back to 2001.

Seat pushes for CNG as alternative to electrification eat will spearhead development of CNG technology for the entire S Volkswagen Group, which the company sees as a viable alternative to established fuels and electric vehicles, the brand’s president Luca de Meo announced at GASNAM Congress in Madrid.

Citing benefits including that minimal investment would be required to get a CNG network going as the technology already exists and widespread public adoption would not require a steep learning curve, Mr de Meo said: “CNG is not just a bridge technology, but a real long‐term alternative.”

Further benefits de Meo highlighted included a reduction of CO2 and significant cost savings to drivers.

However, Mr de Meo did not believe that Seat could go it alone and rather that, “the cooperation of competitors, institutions and other companies [would be necessary] in order to create an ecosystem and manage to make CNG an alternative to electrification”.

Volkswagen reveals new Touareg SUV

V

olkswagen’s premium‐class Touareg SUV will be replaced at the end of this year, with the new model including a plug‐in hybrid for the first time.

Unveiled in China, the Touareg’s expected biggest market and where Volk‐ swagen said over half of its sales could soon be SUVs thanks to ten new models due before 2020, the first examples will come to Europe during the summer as the flagship of the range.

Wider and longer than its predecessor, but with a lighter structure, it’s said to offer a significant increase in cargo capacity and will launch with a choice of 231hp and 286hp V6 diesel engines when it comes to Europe this summer. There will also be 340hp V6 petrol and 421hp V8 diesel engines in selected markets.

A 367hp plug‐in hybrid version, primarily designed for the Chinese market, will come to Europe afterwards.

New technology includes night vision, semi‐autonomous driving functions, matrix LED headlights and all‐wheel steering and elec‐ tromechanically‐controlled anti‐ roll bars to improve agility.

in brief Kia Motors Europe appoints new COO Kia Motors Europe has appointed Emilio Herrera as its new chief operat‐ ing of icer, replacing Michael Cole who moves to another role within the organisation. Mr Herrera will be tasked with continuing Kia’s growth targets of more than 500,000 European sales in 2018, and overseeing the roll‐out of the company’s next wave of vehicles.

European Fleet and Mobility Association launches The BVF, SFFV and FVA associations in Germany, Switzerland and Austria have founded the European Fleet and Mobil‐ ity Association(EUFMA). The associa‐ tion, which welcomes applications from other national leet associations, has been launched to represent the inter‐ ests of leet and mobility managers.

BMW takes full control of DriveNow BMW Group has taken the remaining shares in car sharing irm DriveNow, which now becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of the group. The shares were acquired from rental irm Sixt SE after approval from antitrust authori‐ ties in Germany and Austria.

Octo and RCI Bank partner for global telematics RCI Bank and Services, Groupe Renault’s global inance company, is to incorporate telematics services and data analytics from Octo Telematics to provide services for private drivers and leets. The part‐ nership will give customers in Italy, Spain, the UK, Brazil and Turkey the option to include an Octo device in their car, providing them with tailored insur‐ ance services and access to leet management dashboards.

internationalfleetworld.com / 09

The new A-Class with

Original like you.

The new A-Class fits to your life – from the sporty design to the intuitive Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) with Natural Voice Control, innovative touchpad and the new touchscreen. And thanks to the seamless smartphone connectivity, you’re always connected to what matters.

The new A-Class. Just like you. www.mercedes-benz.com/a-class

environmental news

Geely brands step up electric mobility plans in Europe C

hinese manufacturing giant Geely, which owns Volvo Cars, is broad‐ ening its footprint in Europe with a line‐up of new electric and plug‐in hybrid vehicles across three of its subsidiary brands.

First deliveries of LEVC’s TX eCity range‐extended electric black cab began in March, with London‐based Fulham Cab Company taking the keys to the first of its 40‐strong fleet, citing lower main‐ tenance costs, £100 (€115) weekly fuel savings, and longer service intervals, at 25,000 miles (40,000km).

The TX eCity is built in Coventry and uses a 148hp electric motor, supplied by a 23.25kWh battery which offers an electric range of around 130km and the option to rapid charge at 50kW or fast charge at 22kW. This is augmented by a Volvo‐sourced 1.5‐ litre petrol engine, functioning as a generator and extending the range to more than 600km.

Geely’s Polestar brand, meanwhile, began taking deposits for its first production vehicle. The 600hp extended‐range electric vehicle is a coupé based on the Volvo S90/V90’s platform, and can be ordered in 15 European countries, North America and China, in left‐hand drive only. Further models will launch in 2020 and 2022, Polestar said.

Volvo will also share its production facilities with new startup, Lynk & Co, which will build its first European‐ market plug‐in hybrid SUVs in Belgium, alongside the XC40.

The company launched in China late last year, offering a

subscription‐based ownership model similar to a mobile phone, primarily via its website.

The range now spans three models, the 01, 02 (pictured) and 03, all based on Volvo Cars’ Compact Modular Archi‐ tecture, as used in the XC40. Designed in Sweden, each offers a high level of connectivity, fixed trim levels with no options. European cars will be built in Ghent, with all the first examples all featuring a plug‐in hybrid drivetrain.

Sales will take place via fixed and pop‐up ‘Offline Stores’ as well as via its website, and the launch programme will focus on five European cities; Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels and London. Prices have not been announced yet.

World’s largest hydrogen FCEV police fleet rolls out

L

ondon’s Metropolitan Police Service has deployed the first of a fleet of 11 Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, marking its first zero‐emission response vehicles.

The cars will be put to use for both overt and covert responses, as well as general purposes, and offer a range of around 500km. They will have access to five hydrogen filling stations across the capital.

Funding is aided by grants from the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU): a public‐private partnership between the European Commission, European industry and research organisations to accelerate the development and deployment of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies.

The vehicles build on the Met’s work since late 2015 to hybridise and electrify its fleet, following successful trials

12 / internationalfleetworld.com

of the BMW i3 Rex. The police force is planning to procure 550 zero or ultra‐low emission vehicles by 2020.

For the latest EV news, visit evfleetworld.com

Swedish road charges electric vehicles as they drive

in brief

he world’s first public road capable of recharging electric vehicles as they drive is now live in Sweden, beginning a two‐year trial with large commercials.

Installed along 2km of road near Stockholm, the eRoadArlanda consortium’s technology transfers energy to the vehicle via a movable arm, which automati‐ cally extends when it detects the electric rail underneath, and retracts when it moves back to normal roads.

The technology will be tested on an 18‐tonne PostNord truck, but can be used for lighter vehicles, including passenger cars, the consortium said. It energises short sections of the road, and only when a moving vehicle is present.

It’s claimed that electrifying Sweden’s 20,000km of roads with the technology would cost SEK 80bn (€7.7bn) but save around SEK 32bn (€3.1bn) in fuel costs per year, meaning it would take less than three years to recoup the investment.

Seat will launch its irst plug‐in vehicles in 2020, as part of an ongoing product offensive. Con irmed at its annual Media Conference in Madrid, one will be a plug‐ in hybrid version of 2019’s new Leon, likely to offer a 50km electric range and be based on the new 1.5 TSI Evo petrol engine. The other will be a ‘competitively priced’ full EV, with a 500km range.

T

All-new Toyota RAV4 drops diesel

T

oyota’s new RAV4 will only be offered with petrol and hybrid driv‐ etrains, in line with the brand’s plans to phase out diesel from its European line‐up by the end of the year.

Unveiled at the New York International Auto Show, and on sale next year, the fifth‐generation SUV moves onto the same platform as the Prius and new Auris, said to lower the centre of gravity and improve weight distribution.

Powertrains comprise a 2.5‐litre petrol hybrid and 2.0‐litre petrol, the former likely to be the big seller. The outgoing car’s 2.0‐litre D‐4D diesel, sourced from BMW, will not be carried over or replaced, Toyota said.

Following a 38% year‐on‐year uplift in 2017, 41% of the 1,001,700 new Toyota and Lexus products sold in Europe had a hybrid drivetrain, rising to 52% in Western Europe.

Seat EV and Leon PHEV due in 2020

Shell opens UK motorway hydrogen station Shell has opened a hydrogen refuelling station at Beacons ield Services on the M40 motorway, north west of London, said to be the irst to offer it alongside petrol and diesel pumps. The station is owned and operated by ITM Power and generates hydrogen on‐site using an electrolyser that requires only water and electricity.

PSA launches electric mobility division PSA Group has launched a standalone Low Emission Vehicles Business Unit, responsible for overseeing the global EV strategy across its four car brands, and Free2Move mobility arm. It follows con ir‐ mation that every model will have at least one electri ied drivetrain, including North America where PSA is re‐launching following a 25‐year absence.

German charging demand growing Shell subsidiary and charging network operator, NewMotion, is reporting a 22% uplift in charging sessions across Europe last year, from 2.7m to 3.3m.

Most (3.2m) were in its home market of the Netherlands, though Germany (90,000 sessions, +356%) recorded the fastest growth year‐on‐year.

50%

in numbers

Source: ALD Automotive

Hybrid and electric sales share ambition for Nissan in Europe, by 2022.

Source: Nissan

77%

Fleet journeys which are less than 100 miles (150km) in a day - within the range of an EV.

internationalfleetworld.com / 13

business news

Alphabet expands into Ireland

in Ireland can now access Alphabet’s full range of operational and financial leasing products and services under a new collaboration.

FTheleets leasing giant has signed a cooperation agreement with Avis leasing fran‐ chisee, Avis Fleet Solutions, which is operated by the Denis Mahony Motor Group and will provide Alphabet’s complete range of Business Mobility solutions.

The deal follows the March announcement that Alphabet has expanded into Portugal, and means that the firm now offers fleet services in 21 coun‐ tries across Europe, Australia and China.

Mobility start-up appoints former Opel CEO

r Karl‐Thomas Neumann, who held the role of Vauxhall/Opel CEO D until the company’s sale to PSA last year, has joined the board of mobility startup Door2door and will also be investing in the firm.

The company provides global dynamic mobility solutions for public transportation, offering cities and mass transport companies with an on‐demand mobility platform that enables micro‐transit rideshare shuttle systems to be integrated into existing transport networks.

Dr Neumann brings more than 25 years of experience in the auto‐ motive industry to the role, including as CEO of Continental, and has previously held a number of executive roles at Volkswagen.

In addition, Ariel Luedi, the former CEO of e‐commerce firm SAP Hybris, joins Door2door as a board member, building on his 20 years’ experience of the enterprise software sector.

AutoBinck acquires Fleet Support Groep

utomotive and leet management irm AutoBinck has bolstered its Smart Mobility division with the acquisition of Fleet Support Groep B.V. ABased in the Netherlands and founded more than 25 years ago, Fleet Support provides independent fleet management along with its YOR24 mobility portal and app.

Commenting on the acquisition, AutoBinck said YOR24 would complement its Radiuz division, which actively works to provide access to all possible forms of mobility and associated services. The company also provides its Moove telematics‐based products for fleets and Bynco online retail & remar‐ keting solutions, as well as holding shares in car sharing firm SnappCar and solar energy firm Zelfstroom.

Fleetcompetence completes global network

F

leetcompetence Group is now offering its consultancy services on an international basis following its latest expansion.

The company, which runs the annual International Fleet Meeting at Geneva, has expanded its existing network of leet experts in Europe and South Amer‐ ica into North America, Asia, the Paci ic and Africa with the appointment of additional partners.

The move means that customers operating leets globally can now be supported worldwide.

The group announced the expansion as it reported growing demand for international consulting services in the past year, in particular among large multinational companies but also a growing number of medium‐sized busi‐ nesses, as they recognise the bene its of deploying a global leet strategy.

14 / internationalfleetworld.com

fleetinquotes a few soundbites from a month in fleet

We already offer outstanding mobility solutions to many companies throughout continental Europe and in Great Britain, so crossing over to Ireland really makes sense for our company and for our international customers.”

“

”

Rüdiger Ebel, head of new markets at Alphabet International.

Combining our mobility services as planned will create a unique digital ecosystem.

This alliance will make it easier for our customers to discover the emissionfree mobility of the future. We remain competitors when it comes to the best premium vehicles.

“

”

Harald Krüger, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG.

“

This is a major milestone for the future of the Luton plant and a key enabler to serve our ambitions in the commercial vehicle market, guaranteeing customers the best offering in this segment.

Carlos Tavares, chairman of the managing board PSA Group.

”

internationalfleetworld.com

INTERNATIONAL

FLEETW RLD 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

D ECISI O N S , D ECI S I O NS .

INTRODUCING THE JAGUAR AND LAND ROVER RANGES FOR BUSINESS Efficiency or performance? Ride comfort or driving dynamics? Connectivity or capability?

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

The Jaguar and Land Rover ranges offer uncompromised solutions for every fleet. Featuring our innovative InControl infotainment system and state-of-the-art Ingenium engines, our vehicles deliver everything your business demands. And with 104* derivatives below 130g/km CO2, the only decision you need to make is which vehicle to test drive first.

fleet-business.jaguarlandrover.com

*

104 models as of December 2017. Listing based on EU offer, all models and speciďŹ cations are market dependent, please check with your local retailer.

ANALYSIS Residual values

Remarketing notes Porsche has upgraded and expanded the Panamera range, taking advantage of the demand for premium large cars. By Dieter Fess.

What the manufacturer said at launch:

About the residual value grades

The second generation Panamera further advances its benchmark perfor‐ mance in the luxury class. In this evolution, Porsche has systematically improved the Panamera – a four‐door Gran Turismo that has been further refined down to the last detail. The engines and transmissions have been redesigned, the chassis and suspension optimised, and the driver display and control interfaces reinterpreted for the future – yet available today.

The new Panamera also further extends the boundaries between the world of sports cars and that of luxury saloons, with technical dynamic highlights such as rear axle steering, active body roll compensation and innovative three‐chamber air suspension.

The residual value grades assess the residual value performance of the car model in question. Addi‐ tional to the grades, a short statement addresses some of the cars characteristics or other factors, which are relevant to its residual value perfor‐ mance. The residual value grades are calculated according to their residual value percentages and the monetary depreciation within three years after the purchase as a new car, considering a common mileage for the respective segment. The perfor‐ mance is put in relation to the residual value performance of competitor models.

What BF Forecasts say now: When it comes to buying a car, you would hardly consider the prospect of purchasing a good investment, would you? Unless, of course, you're a member of the lucky few who can afford an old Ferrari or Bugatti, it is fair to say that buying a car destroys money. Porsche is one of the few car models that usually gain residual value, simply because they are Porsches. The latest Panamera is a good example, because of the current discussion on diesel engines, espe‐ cially Volkswagen ones, there is no current diesel version. Since 2017, the Panamera has been offered in two different body types: hatchback and estate ‐ but don't get us wrong, even Porsches can lose substantial value. The point is that in comparison to their competitors, the amounts are relatively small.

Brand: Porsche Prices from: (incl. VAT)

Model: Panamera France

Germany

Spain

€93,407

€90,655

€101,504 Estate

Petrol

Hybrid

Petrol

330hp

462hp

330hp

462hp

440hp

680hp

440hp

680hp

550hp

550hp

Text and data: bähr & fees forecasts GmbH ( Ø- Values; Trade; 36 Months; 75TKM;02-2018)

18 / internationalfleetworld.com

BF Forecasts is an independent supplier of accu‐ rate and transparent residual value forecasts as well as used car value data for the past and current used car market. BF Forecasts has been providing such data to leasing companies (both captive and non‐captive), OEMs, NSCs, major company fleets, as well as to insurance and investment companies inside and outside of Europe since 1998.

RESIDUAL VALUE GRADES

Available since: 2016

Hatchback Engines:

About BF Forecasts

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SPOTLIGHT Ford Focus

For the road...

The fourth-generation Focus is a technological showpiece, out to re-assert itself in a segment that’s still a core part of Europe’s fleet market. Alex Grant finds out how.

A clean sheet Ford says the newcomer is designed from a clean sheet; a new platform with a stiffer structure and longer wheelbase, creating space for larger wheels and pushing the cabin rearwards for a sportier silhouette. For the first time, not all versions will include Ford’s sophisticated independent rear suspension – a hallmark of the nameplate since 1998. A simpler twist beam will be used on cars with less than 125hp.

The range will comprise five-door hatch and sedan, and a new wagon featuring a taller, longer boot than the outgoing car, with under-floor storage for the load cover and an electrically-operated tailgate. Two-piece rear lamps means there’s a wider tailgate opening for getting bulky objects inside.

FLEET FACT SUV-inspired Active version features 30mm extra ground clearance.

20 / internationalfleetworld.com

Easier living Higher-quality materials and a simpler, more intuitive dashboard with controls relocated to its central touchscreen move the cabin on from its predecessor, with a view to making it easier to live with. This will be the first model with the FordPass Connect on-board modem, offering WiFi for up to 10 devices, live traffic, and a smartphone app with remote status checks and the option to unlock and start the car.

The outgoing Focus had brought autonomous braking and park assist into its segment, and the new car gets the latest technology in the Ford portfolio. This includes adaptive cruise control with active lane keeping and the ability to stop and start in traffic jams, as well as adjusting its speed based on roadside signs. Park Assist 2 enables hands-free, feet-free parking, by pressing a button on the centre console.

What we think...

Despite the popularity of premium brands and SUVs across Europe, the Focus is a core offer for Ford, accounting for a fifth of its volume, or 214,661 units, according to JATO data. So the new car is a showcase for its newest technology and, while not all of this will be relevant to fleets, improvements to connectivity, refinement and cargo capacity will all be welcomed by end-users. It will be interesting to see if this generation has a broader role for electric versions, though. AG

Broader appeal Falling in line with the new Ka and Fiesta, Ford will offer sports-tuned ST-Line, luxurious Vignale and SUV-inspired Active versions alongside the Zetec and Titanium trims. All feature new selectable driving modes, and there’s an option to add adaptive dampers which can pre-adjust suspension settings for taut handling or to counteract bumps and potholes.

But the engine line-up is familiar from the old car, with European markets likely to favour the 1.0litre EcoBoost petrol (with 85hp, 100hp or 125hp) or 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel (at 95hp or 120hp). The EcoBoost unit can operate on two of its three cylinders under low loads to save fuel, bringing CO2 emissions down to a target of 108g/km, while the diesel will emit an estimated 94g/km. Ford will also offer 1.5-litre EcoBoost (150hp or 182hp) petrols and a 150hp EcoBlue diesel, while an eightspeed automatic transmission will be available for engines at 120hp or more.

internationalfleetworld.com / 21

MANAGEMENT Driver Training

GLOBAL

WARNING Companies running global fleets, or expecting staff to drive abroad on business, bu need to have driver training programmes in place to safeguard employees, employee be socially responsible and drive down costs. Curtis Hutchinson reports

22 / internationalfleetworld.com

“There’s a moral and business case to ensure that staff are trained and therefore protected when driving on business abroad.” companies should operate centralised driver training programmes with consol‐ idated global reporting,” he says. “This approach means that each driver oper‐ ates to the same company‐wide stan‐ dards wherever they are, maximising potential returns and employee safety.

“We have a standard global training methodology which is delivered locally by in‐country trainers,” adds Thornton.

“This gives the bene it of consistency and high‐standards but is tailored to local laws, culture and languages.

Duty of Care

D

riving can be one of the most dangerous activities you will expect an employee to do on behalf of the business.

Furthermore, driving abroad in an unfa‐ miliar car on unknown roads and not being aware of local customs can raise risk levels alarmingly.

The simple solution is for businesses operating globally, or expecting their

staff to travel abroad for work, to have duty of care measures in place to safe‐ guard the well‐being of staff no matter where they are driving.

According to Chris Thornton, sales director of DriveTech, the leet driver training specialist operating in 95 coun‐ tries, companies operating globally need to have centralised policies in place to protect their staff. “Large international

Thornton believes that companies need to make sure they display a duty of care for all staff in all their working environ‐ ments, including on the road in other countries. “Not only is there the staff wellbeing and corporate social responsi‐ bility bene its, it helps reduce leet running costs and frees up budgets for core activities,” he says. “There’s a moral and business case to ensure that staff are trained and therefore protected when driving on business abroad.”

DriveTech has amassed years of expe‐ rience in delivering international driver training solutions working with blue chip companies across different continents. It also provides cover for LeasePlan Inter‐ national, the leet leasing and manage‐ ment giant which operates over 1.5 million cars worldwide. Under the Safe‐ Plan brand DriveTech and LeasePlan have developed an international service aimed at improving the road safety of

internationalfleetworld.com / 23

¡

MANAGEMENT Driver Training

GLOBAL WARMING... ¡

clients’ employees whilst reducing both leet costs and carbon footprint.

Thornton believes centralised programmes across multi‐national companies is the most effective way to deliver consistent results, citing one international customer which has seen tangible bene its.

“In 2015 we developed, implemented and successfully completed a global on the road driver training programme for a large chemical company, across the four continents they operate in,” he recalls. “The results speak for them‐ selves. In 2014 there were 20 motor vehicle injuries, which from 2015 steadily decreased. In 2015 there were 18, in 2016 there were 12 and by the end of 2017 there were just nine – a

reduction of over 50%. The results are the outcome of implementing scientifi‐ cally proven driver assessments, on the road driver training and driver perfor‐ mance monitoring.”

This centralised approach is also advocated by IAM RoadSmart which works with companies and government agencies across the world to identify needs and develop training programmes incorporating variations in road laws and local sensitivities.

“Offering a standardised driver train‐ ing programme will assist all companies when they look at their worldwide leet costs,” says Rebecca Ashton (right), head of driver behaviour at IAM RoadSmart.

“Road risk management for large international companies should follow a

CASE STUDY ALD Automotive Addressing social responsibility ALD Automotive manages over 1.5 million vehicles across 43 countries.

Its international network enables it to deliver centralised driver training programmes to customers focused on employee safety but with a wider remit incorporating social responsibility. “We seek to ensure that environmental and social principles apply to all the company’s activities and are taken into account in the daily conduct of all its businesses,” says Stéphane Renie (above), head of corporate and social responsibility at ALD. “In line with these principles, the company actively works towards helping clients improve safety on the road for their employees by providing dedicated driver safety training on a global basis,” she explains. “Successful driver training programmes not only contribute to changing driver behaviour, but also help improve the overall ef iciency of an organisation’s leet both inancially and environmentally.”

ALD Automotive says its programmes help leets reduce total cost of ownership by saving up to 15% on fuel consumption as well as maintenance costs and vehicle repairs. “Driver training programmes help protect those who are behind the wheel by reducing accident frequency, driver stress and speed and contribute to the adoption of an anticipative driving style. Compa‐ nies and their employees can also contribute environmentally by reducing CO2 emissions, pollutants in the air and noise.

“Responsible driving also reduces liability exposure which can damage a company’s image and increase inancial expenses in terms of operational, legal and insurance costs.”

24 / internationalfleetworld.com

plan which is equal to a recognised inter‐ national standard such as ISO 39001,” she suggests. “There are many bene its to the organisation. The main one is keeping your employees safe while at work and protecting other road users.

“There are also substantial inancial bene its for the leet by reducing accidents, incidents and business interruptions, while having a positive impact on the envi‐ ronment and lowering fuel costs. A company will also be able to benchmark them‐ selves and identify countries and drivers who would bene it from additional assis‐ tance in their leets.

Brits (driving) abroad UK‐based companies that require staff to drive abroad on business also need to have measures in place to safeguard them. Peter Eldridge, director of the Insti‐ tute of Car Fleet Management (ICFM), maintains there is a clearly de ined role for employers as a car used on business is an extension of the workplace, no matter where it is.

“When sanctioning overseas travel with a company vehicle, businesses have a corporate responsibility to ensure that duty of care and legal compliance is maintained,” he says. “They must ensure that leet drivers are properly prepared for travel abroad and provide support and guidance

during and after any trips that are made.

“If this is not robustly managed, then the consequences for the individual driver and the business can be signifi‐ cant and can potentially result in legal proceedings and reputational damage,” he adds.

Eldridge also advises that employers need to take care to ensure that correct guidance is provided in relation to exact overseas travel locations as laws vary from country‐to‐country. “For example, Austrian law dictates that between 1 November and 15 April all vehicles must be itted with winter tyres with a mini‐ mum tread depth of 4mm. If snow, slush

or ice occurs outside of these dates then drivers must use either winter tyres or all‐season tyres with mud and snow markings. Failure to follow these laws could result in a €5,000 ine and the company vehicle becoming impounded.

“In addition, checks should be made regarding leet insurance cover to ensure that involvement in an accident where incorrect tyres are itted does not invali‐ date insurance cover.”

With safeguarding staff, reducing vehi‐ cle costs and being socially responsible all high on corporate agendas, the case for having a centralised driver training programme in place is overwhelming.

THE BIG PICTURE Fleet driver training company DriveTech provides global coverage in over 95 countries and 30 languages. By working with 50 local driver training partners it delivers global initiatives on a local basis.

Just some of the headline trends the company is observing are: There are 1.25 million deaths on the road each year worldwide; road and traf ic deaths in low and middle‐income countries are more than double those in high income coun‐ tries; an estimated 40% of EU road deaths involve business drivers and more than 90% of incidents are the result of human error/behaviour.

“These statistics show that multi‐national companies must take extra care to ensure each driver is safe wherever they drive,” says Chris Thornton, sales direc‐ tor of DriveTech. “A driver training programme will tackle the typical cost, safety and performance challenges associated with leets, resulting in improved driver safety, reduces collision numbers and severity, reduces fuel costs and increases staff retention.

“With a typical leet, we have calculated that a standard training programme will deliver a payback on investment within ive months based on collision savings alone,” he claims.

“A standard training programme will deliver a payback on investment within five months.”

Chris Thornton, sales director, DriveTech

internationalfleetworld.com / 25

FLEET FOCUS Italy

Challenging times ahead for the Italian market 26 / internationalfleetworld.com

N

ew car sales in Italy grew for the fourth year running in 2017 to 2.2m and with positive GDP growth every month for the past two years the outward appearance is that the country is inally showing signs of shaking off its long‐term recession. At the end of 2017 Italy remained Europe’s fourth largest new car market.

But with 2.8m registered unemployed in Febru‐ ary 2018, the country’s employment rate is one of the lowest in Europe. The recent elections have also caused disruption to the country’s economy.

INCENTIVES ON OFFER The new car sales igures are misleading as manu‐ facturers and dealers continue to offer large incen‐ tives to continue stimulating demand and it was only these offers that helped the new car market grow in 2017. These incentives have forced many car dealers to stop trading and there is still a wide range of consolidation in the industry as busi‐ nesses search for ways to grow and improve prof‐ itability.

Tourists however keep coming to the country in high numbers which has helped the rental sector remain strong. Tourism growth has helped the big rental companies justify growing their short‐term hire leets which has helped new car sales.

Thomas Andresen, Autorola Italy’s country manager says growing new car sales give a false picture of the country’s automotive industry.

REGIONAL DISPARITY There remains a huge split between different areas of the country with parts of the south struggling with higher unemployment and a weak infras‐ tructure, with businesses such as car dealers only being able to log onto their broadband twice a day.

The north meanwhile boasts a solid high‐tech infrastructure that matches other European coun‐ tries such as Germany and France.

This regional split means dealers in the north of the country have embraced online buying and sell‐ ing of used cars very quickly while the south of the country still prefer to source much of their stock from physical auctions.

internationalfleetworld.com / 27

→

FLEET FOCUS Italy

→

Currently up to 20% of Italian used cars being exported through the Autorola Marketplace online portal are being purchased by German buyers, while Austrian dealers are also buying used cars, not just for selling into the home market but also for export to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia.

ITALIANS GOING GERMAN Meanwhile Italian drivers still prefer German cars whenever possible helping the Volkswagen group increase sales in 2017. The Far Eastern brands such as Hyundai and Kia continue to increase their market share to compete with home brands such as Fiat. Italy is one market where diesel sales are still strong – in 2017 they saw diesel sales rise, while hybrid car sales jumped by a massive 71% in 2017.

One year on from launch Autorola’s Indicata real time used vehicle management system has seen some strong traction as it provides a swift tonic to helping dealers and OEMs increase used sales. The bigger more professional dealer groups and OEMs appreciate the insights that Indicata provides will help reduce stocking days and ultimately prof‐ itability is worth investing in.

28 / internationalfleetworld.com

“The Far Eastern brands such as Hyundai and Kia continue to increase their market share to compete with home brands such as Fiat.”

REMARKETING CONCENTRATION Used cars is where many dealers are now concen‐ trating so the growth of Indicata is likely to continue throughout 2018. Its ability to ensure dealers buy the used cars they know are in high demand and avoid those in low demand is a key factor in reducing average stocking days. Being able to also use Indicata insights to have the con i‐ dence to increase prices on a used car a dealer knows is in high demand or in low supply is a major bene it to them. It means Italian dealers can adopt a much more ef icient stocking policy which they have welcomed.

Source: FocusEconomics

Italy economics

A

shroud of political uncertainty has descended on Italy following general elections held on 4 March 2018. The vote resulted in a hung parliament, with no coalition winning an absolute majority and anti‐establishment parties gaining over half of parliamentary seats. Given the fragmented political landscape and significant uncertainty, no future scenario can be ruled out, and a prolonged stalemate could negatively affect investor sentiment and weigh on the economy.

Separately, available data suggests that the economic recov‐ ery, although modest, is underway. In February business and consumer con idence rose, and the manufacturing PMI remained irmly in expansionary territory. However, in January retail sales dipped and the unemployment rate ticked up – even though the number of people employed continued to grow. Meanwhile, the banking sector continued to send encouraging signs: In January the growth rate of corporate lending gained considerable strength, while banks’ net bad debt declined to the lowest value since the end of 2012.

The outcome of political negotiations will significantly influence Italy’s economic prospects, as the formation of a fiscally irresponsible government could weaken already vulnerable public finances. This would generate financial instability, weighing on growth. Despite this downward risk, the economy should continue to expand at a mediocre, but steady, pace this year. Strengthening credit growth and healthy external demand will buttress fixed investment, while consumer spending should be underpinned by tight‐

ening labour market conditions and subdued inflation.

According to provisional data released by the National Statistical Institute (Istat) on 30 March, consumer prices rose 0.4% on a monthly basis in March, up from February’s flat reading. The figure mainly reflected higher prices for processed food including alcohol, and for tobacco and services related to transport—which were affected by seasonal factors. Meanwhile, inflation came in at 0.9% in March, above the previous month’s 0.5% print.

Core consumer prices, which exclude more volatile cate‐ gories such as unprocessed food and energy, grew 0.5% in March month‐on‐month, following February’s softer 0.1% rise. Consequently, core inflation was 0.9% in March, up from February’s 0.6%. Finally, harmonised inflation came in at 1.1%, above February’s 0.7%.

The consumer confidence index released by Istat rose to 117.5 points in March, up from a revised 115.7 points in February – the reading significantly overshot market expec‐ tations of 115.0 points.

March’s reading reflected an improvement in consumers’ assessments of both their personal economic situation and the country’s current economic situation. Moreover, consumers’ expectations on unemployment also improved, as did their assessments of their current savings opportunities. On the other hand, consumers’ expectations on the future general economic situation declined slightly, probably due to the political stalemate resulting from March’s elections.

internationalfleetworld.com / 29

PROFILE Honda

Dream power Last year, Honda managed to overtake Hyundai to 5th place in the global automotive market rankings.

The Japanese company is now setting its sights on the next chapter, with a clear new electric vision.

30 / internationalfleetworld.com

Manufacturer Honda Total Sales (FY2017): 5,028,000 Headquarters Minato, Tokyo, Japan Global market share 2016 5.5% No. of models 25

view

from the top

Planes, motorbikes and automobiles:

F

rom robots to lawn mowers and power generators, to cars and motorbikes and, more latterly, the HondaJet – an executive jet that ranked as most‐deliv‐ ered in its category during the irst half of 2017 – Honda offers an over‐ whelmingly diverse product line‐up.

Sales revenue for the iscal year ended March 31, 2018 amounted to ¥14.2tr (€107bn), an increase of 1.4% year‐on‐year. Operating pro it amounted to ¥705bn (€5.3bn), a decrease of 16.1% compared to the previous iscal year. In the mid‐term, Honda expects to incur up‐front expenses related to the introduction of electri ied powertrains and automated driving technologies, however, it will establish a corpo‐ rate structure to allow sustainable growth.

The company is jointly developing a compact hydrogen fuel cell system with General Motors and in addition has entered a partnership with Hitachi to create motors for electric vehicles. In the quest for autonomous vehicles, Honda is jointly researching the technology with Waymo, the driverless subsidiary of Alphabet Inc – the umbrella parent company of Google.

Worldwide automobile sales exceeded 5.2m units in 2017, an increase of 1.3% over 2016. For the calendar year of 2017, production in Japan experienced a year‐on‐year decrease for the irst time since 2015. However, production in regions outside of Honda’s home country experienced a year‐on‐year increase for the sixth consecutive year since 2012, setting an all‐time record for calendar year production. This includes all‐time records for calendar year production in Asia, and China.

In the Japanese market, domestic automobile sales in the calendar year 2017 expe‐ rienced a year‐on‐year increase for the irst time since 2014. Freed, Fit and N‐Box proved amongst the country’s best‐sellers in their respective categories.

Meanwhile, in the US, where Honda introduced the all‐new Ridgeline in June 2016 and all‐new CR‐V in December, unit sales exceeded 1.85m units, although this was down 5.4% on 2016’s igures. And, in February 2018, Honda built its 25 millionth automobile in the US. In China, sales exceeded 1.44m units due to strong sales of multiple models includ‐ ing the CR‐V, Vezel/XR‐V, Accord and Civic. In response to demand, Honda is building a third Dongfeng Honda plant, with a target to begin production in 2019.

In South America, Honda had put its new Itirapina, Sao Paulo, factory on hold while the market had declined. However, following signs of recovery, automobile production will commence in the beginning of 2019.

Starting 1 Jan 2018, Honda Europe joined ACEA, while in April Tom Gardner took over as senior vice president from Philip Ross who retired from the business.

Honda Global sales, by market (figures in thousands) Territory Japan North America Europe (inc. Russia) Asia Other markets Total

FY2016

FY2017

% change

668

668

0.0%

1,929

1,970

+2.1%

172

184

+6.9%

1,723

1,964

+14.0

251

242

-3.6%

4,743

5,028

+6.0%

Takahiro Hachigo , president and chief executive officer Global models: We have been enhanc‐ ing the global and regional models, which have long been strengths of Honda. The compact SUV Vezel/HR‐V has grown into one of our global models. Sales of the all‐new Civic have been strong everywhere. Sales of the all‐new CR‐V, which started in the US, are also off to a strong start. With vari‐ ous measures including the introduc‐ tion of a hybrid version, we are going to further grow CR‐V as a strong global model. Furthermore, the next‐genera‐ tion Accord will undergo a full model change this year, starting from the US. Regional strength: In addition to these global models, our regional models have also been growing in each respective region. These models include the Mobilio and BR‐V in Asia; the Ridgeline and Odyssey in North America; the Crider, Avancier and UR‐V in China and the N‐BOX in Japan. The WR‐V, a regional model developed mainly by the Honda R&D centre in Brazil, is now being produced and sold in India as well.

Operating structure: We will advance our six‐region global opera‐ tion structure through inter‐regional cooperation and coordination in order to further strengthen our global competitiveness.

Electric future: Honda has worked on the theme of the realisation of a carbon‐free and collision‐free society.

We have identi ied the introduction of electri ication technologies and advanced safety technologies as our highest priority. We are striving to electrify two‐thirds of all automo‐ biles we sell globally by the year 2030. In addition to the expansion of hybrid models, our development will put a central focus on hybrid‐based models utilising a high‐ef iciency plug‐in hybrid system unique to Honda. As we expect zero‐emission vehicles will quickly become popular on a global basis, we will strengthen the development of fuel cell vehicles as well as battery EVs.

→

internationalfleetworld.com / 31

→

Where

Manufacturing plant locations

20

Europe Swindon, UK: CR-V, Civic 5D, Civic Tourer, Civic Type-R

21

22

are they made?

23

23

24

25

26

7-8

20

27

21-22

19

2 3-6

13-17

1

9

29

35

10

29-30

18 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

FIN fleet in numbers

2/3

Honda’s sales to be electrified by 2030.

£2.2bn

Invested in Honda’s UK manufacturing plant since 1989.

8,000

People employed by Honda across Europe

32 / internationalfleetworld.com

Americas Lincoln, Alabama: Honda Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline, Acura MDX Greensburg, Indiana: Civic 4D (Pet, IMA) Marysville, Ohio, MAP-No 1: Accord 4D, Acura TLX, Acura ILX Marysville, Ohio, MAP-No 2: Accord 4D/2D Marysville, Ohio, ELP: CR-V, Acura RDX, Acura MDX Marysville, Ohio,Performance Manufacturing Center: New NSX Canada, Ontario Plant 1: Civic 4D/2D, Canada, Ontario Plant 2: CR-V Mexico, El-Salto plant: CR-V Mexico, Celaya plant: Fit, HR-V Sao Paulo, Brazil: Civic, Fit, City, HR-V, WR-V Buenos Aires, Argentina: HR-V

28

23-26

37 27-28

30 31

38 33-34

36 32

31-32

33

34

11

20 35

12

36 37 13

14 15

16 17

Japan Sayama Automobile Plant: Odyssey, Stepwgn, Freed/Spike, Accord, RLX/Legend, CR-V, Jade Yorii Automobile Plant: Fit, Vezel, Grace, Shuttle Suzuka Factory: N-Box, N-Box+, N-Wgn, Fit, N-One, N-Box Slash, CR-Z Production Supervisory Unit: Clarity Fuel Cell Yokkaichi Factory: Acty Truck, Acty Van, Vamos, Vamos Hobio, S660

38

18 19

China Dongfeng Honda, No.1 Plant: CR-V, Civic, Spirior, Elysion Dongfeng Honda, No.2 Plant: Civic, Ciimo, Jade, XR-V GAC Honda, HuangPu No.1 Plant: Fit, City, Crider, Li Nian S1, Vezel GAC Honda, ZengCheng No.2 Plant: Accord, Odyssey, Crosstour, Crider GAC Honda, ZengCheng No.3 Plant: Fit, Vezel, City Honda Automobile, Guangzhou: Accord Asia Oceania Honda Automobile, Thailand) No.1 Plant: Brio, Brio Amaze, City, Mobilio, BR-V, CR-V, Accord, HR-V Honda Automobile, Thailand, No.2 Plant: Civic, Jazz, City India, No.1 Plant: Brio, Amaze, CR-V, Mobilio India, No.2 Plant: AMAZE, City, Jazz Jakarta, Indonesia, No.1 Plant: CR-V, Freed, HR-V, Mobilio Jakarta, Indonesia, No.2 Plant: Mobilio, Jazz, Brio, Brio Satya, BR-V Malacca, Malaysia, No.1 Plant: Civic, Accord, CR-V Malacca, Malaysia, No.2 Plant: City, Jazz(& Hybrid * IMA), HR-V Pakistan: Civic, City Philippines: City Taiwan: CR-V, Civic, Jazz, City Vietnam: Civic, CR-V, City

Africa & the Middle East Ogun, Nigeria: Accord Kocaeli, Turkey: Civic 4D

Electric Vision

F

ollowing a late entry to the diesel market in 2004, Honda has already progressed toward an electric vision – announcing two thirds of sales are to feature electri ied powertrains in Europe by 2025 and globally by 2030.

The earlier date for Europe is due to particularly strong interest in the region.

Honda Motor Co. president and CEO, Takahiro Hachigo, said: “Here in Europe, we see this move towards electri ication gathering pace at an even higher rate than elsewhere,” adding that Europe was appropriate for the global premiere of the “next step” in Honda’s ‘Electric Vision’ strategy.

Cars including the new CR‐V have had diesel dropped from the line‐up and will instead offer the latest iteration of Honda’s proprietary hybrid technology; Intelligent Multi Mode Drive (i‐MMD) hybrid system, comprising a 2.0‐litre i‐VTEC Atkinson cycle petrol engine and two electric motors. “On sale from 2018, this vehicle will be the irst Honda hybrid SUV sold here in Europe,” Philip Ross, senior vice president of Honda Motor Europe said.

Further electric models have been displayed on the motor show circuit, including the Urban EV, Sports EV Concept and NeuV. Takahiro Hachigo commit‐ ted to the Urban EV Concept at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show stating, “This is not some vision of the distant future; a production version of this car will be here in Europe in 2019.”

A new fully integrated energy transfer system called Honda Power Manager Concept has also been developed, and will be on trial in western France and the UK, which can distribute electricity to and from the main grid, as well as direct power low from renewable sources and manage the interaction of an electric vehicle battery connected to the home.

Moving closer still to an electric future, Honda is running a dedicated fleet of Clarity Fuel Cell vehicles in European demonstration projects, such as HyFIVE. The arrival of the new Clarity Fuel Cell in Europe is a key part of Honda’s ‘Electric Vision’.

However, despite the obvious electri ied focus, at the start of 2018 Honda reintroduced diesel to the Civic range – for the irst time in the new model. It features a “comprehensively revised 1.6 i‐DTEC” that emits less than 100g/km CO2 and is claimed to produce lower levels of NOx emissions compared to the previous iteration of the engine. This may indicate Honda’s appreciation that diesel still plays an important role for leets today.

Honda fleet model range

N-One/N-Box/N-Wgn

S660

Brio/Amaze/Mobilio

Amaze

Variants: 5dr hatch (Kei car) Markets: Japan Fuel: 3.4-4.2l/100km* CO2: 81-100g/km*

Variants: Roadster (Kei car) Markets: Japan Fuel: 4.1l/100km* CO2: 98g/km*

Variants: 5dr hatch, sedan, MPV Markets: Asia, Africa, Oceania Fuel: 5.6-6.3l/100km CO2: 133-150g/km

Variants: Sedan Markets: India Fuel: TBC CO2: TBC

Jazz/Fit/Shuttle/WR-V

BR-V

Freed

City/Grace/Ballade/Crider

Variants: MPV, SUV Markets: Global Fuel: 4.7-5.9l/100km CO2: 106-133g/km

Variants: SUV Markets: Asia, Africa Fuel: 6.2-6.3l/100km CO2: 148-151g/km

Variants: MPV Markets: Asia, Oceania Fuel: 3.7-5.3l/100km* CO2: 89-127g/km*

Variants: Sedan Markets: Asia, Africa, Oceania, South America Fuel: 5.8-5.9l/100km CO2: 132-135g/km

Step WGN

HR-V/Vezel/XR-V

Civic

Insight

Variants: MPV Markets: Japan Fuel: 4.0-5.9l/100km* CO2: 96-141g/km*

Variants: SUV Markets: Global Fuel: 4.0-6.9l/100km CO2: 104-160g/km

Variants: 5dr hatch, sedan, coupé Markets: Global Fuel: 3.4-7.7l/100km CO2: 91-176g/km

Variants: : 5dr hatch Markets: North America Fuel: TBC CO2: TBC

Clarity

CR-V

Accord

Legend

Variants: 5dr hatch Markets: Europe, Asia, North America Fuel: TBC (FCEV/PHEV/BEV) CO2: TBC (FCEV/PHEV/BEV)

Variants: SUV Markets: Global Fuel: 4.8-7.8l/100km CO2: 115-187g/km

Variants: Sedan Markets: Asia, Africa, Oceania, North America, South America, Fuel: 5.0-9.0l/100km* CO2: 120-215g/km*

Variants: Sedan Markets: Japan Fuel: 6.1l/100km CO2: 146g/km

Odyssey (US)

Odyssey/Elysion

Pilot

NSX

Variants: MPV Markets: Japan Fuel: 10.7l/100km* CO2: 256g/km*

Variants: MPV Markets: Asia, Oceania Fuel: 7.6-7.8l/100km CO2: 178-183g/km

Variants: SUV Markets: Europe, Asia, Oceania, North America, South America, Fuel: 10.2-11.2l/100km CO2: 182-187g/km

Variants: Coupé Markets: Europe, Asia, Oceania, North America, Fuel: 10.0l/100km CO2: 228g/km

*

converted from test cycles other than NEDC

internationalfleetworld.com / 33

FEATURE Fleet Cyber Security

THE FIGHT FOR CYBER SECURITY Today’s vehicles have a huge amount of computer power and future autonomous and connected cars will see this level increase. This means the fight against those trying to hack into them becomes even harder. By John Challen.

A

s automakers continue to inno‐ vate and incorporate new tech‐ nologies into cars for the ultimate driving experience, new safety and cybersecurity challenges are emerging. Connected and autonomous vehicles will be dictated by software, so it will be critical that this software is safe and secure over the lifetime of the car. Consumer safety, costly recalls and brand reputation are at stake when a vehicle is compromised. On a fleet‐wide level, such levels of security are essential to ensuring uptime and efficiency levels are as high as possi‐ ble and drivers are aware of the fact that they are safe – in every sense – behind the wheel.

Alex Manea is chief security of icer at Blackberry, one company that has been focused on developing strategies to strengthen the company’s security posture. As a founding member of BlackBerry Security, Manea has protected mobile, desktop and IoT devices, networks and infrastructure for over a decade. He believes that the IoT is fundamentally changing the way business is done and, in turn, how the entire world operates. “We’re taking pretty much everything there is in the world and connecting it to the Internet.

34 / internationalfleetworld.com

These days we’ve got not just connected cars, computers and phones, but also connected fridges, thermostats, kettles and coffee‐ makers,” he reasons. “What’s happen‐ ing is that the IoT is overwhelming our traditional IT environment and also the number of laptops and desktops and even the number of mobile devices we have in the world.” He points to the evidence of this by revealing that in 2017, there were 2.4 billion smartphones in the world, but there were already 6.4 billion connected ‘things’. By 2021, there will be 5.5 billion smartphones and 46 billion connected things, according to Manea. “So when we start thinking about the future of security and the future of hacking – such as what, specifically, are hackers going to target – we need to think about the IoT and also the lead use case for IoT, which is the automotive sector.”

Get connected?

Almost every car made today is, in some way, connected to the Internet.

Cars boast more technology than smartphones and computers – on a typical high‐end car there are up to 100 million lines of code. “If you compare

the amount of code in a car, with the Android operating system, which has about 10 million lines of code, we are talking about an order of magnitude larger in terms of the amount of soft‐ ware on these cars,” says Manea.

“From a consumer standpoint it’s fantastic because there are a lot more features and the ability to drive autonomously,” he adds. “But it’s also good for hackers because having so many lines of code means there are potentially more ways to get into the car and a lot of software vulnerabili‐ ties in there.

“One of the trends we’re seeing is an upturn in the amount of hacking – specifically hacking computers and mobile devices. But latterly we’re starting to see hackers get into cars.

One example is in 2015, when two security researchers took a Jeep Cherokee and were able to hack into the infotainment system and most importantly of all, jump into the driver’s seat and take control of the accelerator and braking systems. At this point, I’m less worried about someone getting my personal data and information, I’m more worried about personal safety and the safety of those around me.”

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“One of the trends we’re seeing is an upturn in the amount of hacking – specifically hacking computers and mobile devices. But latterly we’re starting to see hackers get into cars.”

internationalfleetworld.com / 35

FEATURE Fleet Cyber Security

THE FIGHT FOR CYBER SECURITY ¡

Automotive’s supply chain issues One of the challenges the Manea sees in securing automotive applications is the existence of, what he views, as a “very complicated” supply chain. “In many other industries you have a standard supply chain where there is a single manufacturer and an ecosystem of third‐party suppliers. In the automo‐ tive space you have so many different OEMs and also Tier 1s and Tier 2s and other suppliers. But security is only as strong as it’s weakest link, so with all the different links in there, all you need is a single one to be insecure and it takes down the entire ecosystem.”

But the Blackberry man is keen to point out that what the automotive industry faces is not just a technolog‐ ical challenge, but a sociological and philosophical challenge too. “We need to get people comfortable with them being able to take their hands off the wheel – literally and figuratively,” says Manea. “There is a very big physiolog‐ ical barrier because when I’m driving my car I feel like I’m in control; whether I am or not is a very different question. But if I’m driving a self‐driv‐ ing car, I don’t know what that coder is feeling, who has built the code for the car, or who certified it or what

bugs it has in it. So if we want to get people comfortable with the idea of self‐driving cars, they have to have a much higher level of safety and secu‐ rity than conventional cars.”

In response to this, Blackberry has set out a seven‐pillar recommenda‐ tion to try and ensure that cars can be made as safe and secure as possi‐ ble. These recommendations are what the company believes to be the seven most important things that need to be done in order to achieve the required level of security and the company says they can be adopted for other markets.

The Blackberry seven-pillar recommendation Behind the scenes, vehicle developers and suppliers will hopefully be doing all the hard work to prevent drivers suffering from cyber attacks when behind the wheel. Here’s Blackberry’s step-by-step suggestion for what they should be doing.

1) Secure the supply chain Ensure that every chip and ECU in the automobile can be authenticated and loaded with trusted software, irrespec‐ tive of vendor tier or country of manufacture. Use sophis‐ ticated binary static code scanning tools during software development to provide a broad assessment that includes open source code content.

2) Use trusted components A recommended set of parts that have proper security and safety features – and have been hardened against security checks – is essential. The operating system must be safety certi ied and must have multi‐level security features such as access control policies, encrypted ile systems and thread level anomaly detection.

3) In-field health check Ensure that all ECU software has integrated analytics and diagnostics software that can capture events and log and report to a cloud‐based tool for further analysis. Also, ensure that a de ined set of metrics can be scanned regu‐ larly when the vehicle is in the ield.

36 / internationalfleetworld.com

4) Isolation Use an electronic architecture for the automobile that isolates safety critical and non‐safety critical ECUs and can also ‘run‐safe’ when anomalies are detected.

5) Rapid incident response network Create an enterprise network to share common vulnerabil‐ ities and exposures among subscribers. By doing so, teams can learn from each other and provide bulletins and ixes against such threats.

6) Life cycle management system When an issue is detected using pillar 3, proactively re‐ lash a vehicle with secure over‐the‐air software updates to miti‐ gate the issue.

7) Safety and security culture Ensure that every organisation involved in supplying auto electronics is trained in safety and security with best prac‐ tices to instil this culture within the organisation. This train‐ ing should include design and development culture as well as IT system security.

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Jaguar E-Pace 150hp Diesel S Does Jaguar’s new compact SUV live up to standards set by the popular F-Pace? Jonathan Musk finds out…

SECTOR Compact SUV PRICE €34,950 FUEL 4.7l/100km CO2 124g/km

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ith the introduction of cars like the F‐Pace and sensors all as standard, even on the cheapest model. S and forthcoming I‐Pace, Jaguar is staying ahead of the above add incremental upgrades that will appeal to some, curve, with aluminium components a core differ‐ but there's a fairly steep price hike with every bell and whis‐ ential. The E‐Pace, however, is the company’s compact SUV tle added. Sadly, the 10‐inch Touch Pro infotainment system that rests on the shoulders of the Range Rover Evoque rather isn’t anywhere near as convincing as the trim levels though, than the company’s lighter F‐Pace aluminium platform, and feels dated and is difficult to master. which immediately puts the car at a weight disadvantage.

The cabin is well‐laid out with plenty of storage space and Nevertheless, Jaguar has equipped the F‐Pace with a a capacious boot that easily swallows up buggies and shop‐ frugal 150hp Ingenium diesel engine that offers a credible ping alike, albeit with the typical SUV‐style high boot lip.

4.7l/100km with six‐speed manual transmission and front‐ Driving the E‐Pace around bumpy country roads was wheel drive. With CO2 at 124g/km and a starting price of pleasantly surprising. Though its heft is very much appar‐ €34,950, this looks to be a fleet‐friendly ent and the E‐Pace isn’t going to win any option offering both style and substance. prizes for cornering ability, it neverthe‐ All‐wheel drive bumps the price up by a less offers an enjoyable drive. This is couple of thousand euros, while auto‐ made all the better by the six‐speed matic transmission isn’t available on the manual, which has spot‐on gear ratios, FWD model and thus pushes the total to combined with the engine’s high‐torque €39,875 in base trim. output. Plenty of sound deadening and an Other engine options include a 180hp already smooth engine keep the cabin diesel only available with AWD, or a 240hp impressively refined too. at the top of the diesel tree. In practice, the Arguably, the biggest problem for E‐Pace 180hp diesel doesn’t bring much to the is its strong competition from the likes of party over the entry‐level diesel despite its the popular Audi Q3 and BMW X1. Add to slight increase in performance. that Volvo’s XC40 and BMW’s X2, and the Petrol 250hp or 300hp AWD auto‐ Jaguar has its work cut out. Whether matic‐only options round out the range enough has been done for E‐Pace to Jaguar’s E-Pace puts and provide reasonably premium refine‐ succeed will largely depend on personal the cat amongst the ment with plentiful performance, at the taste, but there’s certainly a proven pigeons. While there’s obvious expense of fuel consumption appetite amongst consumers for a Jaguar, and emissions. as F‐Pace has shown. The E‐Pace should, very stiff competition in Specifications and equipment levels therefore, be able to follow the good this segment, the E-Pace are high across the board, with features fortune that precedes it with options like offers plenty of reasons such as LED headlamps, Emergency the fleet‐friendly diesel, front‐wheel drive to take a closer look.

Braking, Lane Keep Assist, cruise control manual that has stolen a march to market and a rear camera with front and rear on Volvo’s XC40 D3.

what we think

38 / internationalfleetworld.com

Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace Does stretching a Tiguan appeal to the family man? Jonathan Musk takes a closer look.

SECTOR Large SUV PRICE €29,975-€46,600 FUEL 5.0-8.1l/100km CO2 131-185g/km

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uilding on the success of Tiguan, the Allspace is a long‐wheel base version that offers more space, seven seats as standard and a subtly more aggres‐ sive on‐road presence.

The main differences to be found include an additional 215mm overall vehicle length, including an extra 106mm wheelbase that ensures a cavernous interior.

Family drivers will be grateful for the front‐facing third row, though access to it requires acrobatic ability for any‐ one above five‐feet tall. The seats are also not the most sup‐ portive and when upright restrict the boot to 230‐litres. The middle row provides the most flexibility, being able to move back and forth 180mm but they’re only split 60/40 ham‐ pering versatility despite the 54mm extra claimed knee room. The seats are also a bit like sitting on a park bench and offer little ergonomic support for adults and those with young families may be disappointed to find only two ISOFIX points, with no option to add more.

Overall boot capacity is increased 85‐litres over the standard Tiguan, while folding all the seats down offers the Allspace a plentiful 1,775‐litres (+120 over Tiguan). There’s also dedi‐ cated stowage for the parcel shelf at the rear, keeping it safe, although the boot floor is raised to accommodate this.

The rest of the interior is largely unchanged from the reg‐ ular Tiguan, meaning the Allspace benefits from quality materials and stunning build quality. Engines range from a 150hp petrol to a 240hp diesel. Front or all‐wheel drive is also available for much of the range, though let’s face it – this is no mud plugger.

As such, the 150hp 2.0‐litre diesel with the six‐speed manual and front‐wheel drive would actually be our fleet pick, emitting just 131g/km and achieving a combined 5.0l/100km. Tiguan is Volkswagen’s third best‐seller and the Allspace is a sensible seven‐seat addition to the range.

Volvo S90 T8 Volvo’s luxury saloon gains plug-in hybrid power, finds Jonathan Musk.

SECTOR Upper large PRICE €68,250-€72,750 FUEL 1.9l/100km CO2 44g/km ELECTRIC RANGE 45km (NEDC)

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he S90 is available with diesel D4, D5 or the petrol plug‐ in hybrid T8. The latter offers more than 400hp and greater torque than a Nissan GTR. Sadly, the chassis doesn’t offer handling to match, but that’s not really the point of the S90 ‐ its electric mode is what shines, providing around 35 real world kilometres (45km official) of silent cruising.

However, its fuel‐sipping qualities are what will attract business customers: the T8 puffs out just 44g/km, which compares to the diesel D3’s 115g/km.

The T8 comes with a hefty €68,250 price tag, although it could be seen as a relative bargain considering its perfor‐

mance potential. But that does come with its drawbacks and real‐world fuel consumption is a distance away from the official combined 1.9l/100km figure. In practice, 5.8l/100km was easy to achieve over the course of a week.

Volvo’s newest cars incorporate a high level of standard equipment when compared to rivals, which Volvo says helps justify their at‐initial‐glance high asking price. Standard fea‐ tures include numerous safety options and Volvo’s clever semi‐autonomous Pilot Assist is also standard, offering lane keep assist technology combined with radar‐powered adap‐ tive cruise control.

The central 9‐inch touchscreen is a joy to use and incor‐ porates Android Auto, Apple Carplay and a raft of driver options including chassis and engine setup preferences.

There are three main trim options, Momentum, R‐Design and Inscription that each offer enhanced levels of luxury or sport‐trim as desired.

Overall, the S90 is a wondrous thing. It has a certain time‐ less elegance about it, while the cossetting interior is a place many happy hours can be spent in total comfort. And despite the T8’s over‐tuned petrol unit, the electric motor manages to balance the experience enough to create a sur‐ real and practical plug‐in hybrid.

internationalfleetworld.com / 39

Audi A7 50 TDI quattro Audi’s sector-bridging coupé isn’t just a style statement, says Alex Grant.

SECTOR Executive PRICE €66,000-€71,000 FUEL 5.5-5.8l/100km CO2 142-150g/km

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iversity is big business for Audi. Since 2001, it’s enabling the car to cover very short distances without using grown its model range from 17 variants to 53, in turn any fuel at all. Four‐cylinder options will follow – a first for doubling its global sales volumes from 991,444 to the A7 – and two‐wheel drive is likely to be on the cards too.

1,878,100 last year, across 100 countries across the world.

In the meantime, 5.5l/100km claimed economy is impres‐ There’s a model for every need, and some – like the A7 sive for a car like this. Particularly as the diesel doesn’t get Sportback – cater for several at once. the same intelligent part‐time Quattro system as the petrol, It’s a car that straddles multiple segments; coupé styling and comes paired with a seven‐speed Tiptronic automatic without the cramped cabin and two‐door access, estate flex‐ gearbox, instead of the TFSI’s S tronic double‐clutch trans‐ ibility without the visual bulk, saloon prestige without the mission. It’s quiet at speed, offers a good spread of pulling compromised load area. Roughly half of A7s went to fleets last power and feels effortless enough to mask the 5.3‐second time, which is a sizeable share considering even the effi‐ sprint to 100km/h. The A7 is a luxurious and incredibly easy ciency‐tuned Ultra version had a six‐cylin‐ car for long‐distance driving. der engine. For a long list of reasons, the Or, at least, it is in the right spec. Equip‐ newcomer might be even more attractive. ment levels are lavish regardless of trim Foundations first; it’s slightly bigger than level, with premium lighting and an all‐ the old car, and around 100kg heavier spec‐ digital dashboard with most functions for‐spec, but that’s reflected by a noticeable moved to a pair of touchscreens, giving increase in rear passenger space. The haptic feedback so realistic you’d swear silhouette and its frameless windows have you were pressing physical buttons. barely changed, and neither has the sizeable However, S line traditionally has a high boot, accessed through a practical hatch‐ take‐up, and its lower, firmer suspension back and extended over flat‐folding rear and 20‐inch wheels result in a really unset‐ seats. The all‐LED lighting, now wrapped tled ride which doesn’t suit the A7. around the rear end in a single bar like Audi Suspension settings are hidden in the saloons and coupés of the early 1990s, Drive Select menus; be sure to try both the certainly gives it a high‐tech style, but, it’s an steel‐sprung and air suspension before The A7 ticks a lot of evolution rather than a revolution. ordering, as this isn't enough of a driver's boxes for the highFrom launch, the A7 gets a pair of six‐ car to overlook the discomfort of the Sport mileage executive cylinder engines; a 340hp petrol and setup. And, unlike the A3, there's no option 285hp diesel, which is likely to be the to fit the standard springs to the S line. driver – but the bigger seller in Europe. Both can coast at Otherwise, it’s a hard car to pick faults optional air suspenmotorway speeds with the engine decou‐ with, offering all the presence, luxury and sion is a must-have pled and idling – it pulses the throttle flexibility of its predecessor, but in a more for S line versions. pedal to advise when to lift off – and chiselled, technology‐rich package. A feature a 48‐volt ‘mild hybrid’ system niche well worth filling.

what we think

40 / internationalfleetworld.com

Range Rover P400e Plug-in Range Rover reckons 20% of customers are already opting for the PHEV, Jonathan Musk finds out why…

SECTOR Large SUV PRICE : €118,700 FUEL 2.8l/100km CO2 64g/km ELECTRIC RANGE 50km

I

nterested business buyers need look no further than the tric 50‐kilometre range and the constant electric assist that spec sheet that says it all: 64g/km CO2 and 2.8l/100km, hybridises the petrol engine to deliver refinement rather 100km/h is hit in a mere 6.8 seconds and there’s a zero‐ than it feeling strained. In EV mode, the car emits an audi‐ emission 50‐kilometre official electric range too. This is ble alert for pedestrians at up to 32km/h and can travel cake and eat it stuff. It’s hard not to be impressed and onto a top speed of 137km/h. Its smooth, immediate clearly Range Rover has put a lot of effort into making this power delivery makes the luxury element of this Range a no‐compromise machine. While that’s a claim many plug‐ Rover second to none. Switching between hybrid and elec‐ in hybrids attempt, the P400e retains the Range Rover USP tric is automatic or can be overridden on demand should of off‐road ability combined with opulent luxury. And it drivers want to make the most of their electric range. The delivers in spades.

13.1kWh battery can be charged at 7kW (32 Amp), provid‐ Our test route consisted a drive across a lake (wading ing 0‐100% charge in two hours, 45 minutes and Range depth is up to 900mm), up a hill through Rover offer wallbox installation too. a muddy forest and then onto the open On tarmac, vehicle dynamics shift to road. No need for tyre changes, although that of a softly‐sprung luxury cruiser you might want to stop to extract twigs with quiet running that encourages a from the front grille. more laid back driving style. Straight‐line It’s a compelling offer and the P400e speed is impressive, though the soft is second only to the V8 in terms setup makes cornering more akin to of performance. boating. However, that’s what Range Thanks to electric power, there’s a Rover’s customers want and the heavily near‐instant 640Nm torque on tap too revised interior is designed to cosset that aids off‐roading, yet without the important passengers in great swathes of angry noise of an engine echoing about leather – obviously this isn’t trying to be the woods. Replacing the torque a drivers’ car. converter, the 116hp electric motor sits The P400e benefits from the many in‐between the 300hp 2.0‐litre four‐ revisions that have been made to the Range Rovers are not the cylinder Ingenium petrol engine and 8‐ Range Rover line‐up, including up to 24‐ most obvious fleet speed automatic gearbox, driving the way controllable front seats, 60:40 split choice, but the plug-in wheels via Range Rover’s proven reclining rear seats, twin high‐definition mechanical system and offering up a total touch‐screens and an abundance of hybrid impresses with its power output of 404hp. It’s also the connectivity options. The list is bewilder‐ no-compromise world’s first PHEV to be equipped with a ingly comprehensive. approach, brand prestige low‐range gearbox that ensures its off‐ Overall, the plug‐in hybrid Range Rover and on-paper economy. road abilities are up to scratch. opens doors to business buyers who might The big change, of course, is the elec‐ not have previously even bothered to look.

what we think

internationalfleetworld.com / 41

Citroën C4 Cactus There are some pleasant surprises behind the quirky C4 Cactus’s restyle, explains Alex Grant.

SECTOR Lower Medium PRICE €17,000-€22,500 FUEL 47-6.1l/100km CO2 97-110g/km

T

he C4 Cactus had always felt like a bit of a leap in improved insulation mean it’s noticeably quieter – espe‐ the dark for Citroën. Undeniably clever with its cially with the diesel engine. Unlike early cars, it gets one‐ low‐weight, low‐frill engineering and minimal touch electric windows and an interior light in the back, running costs, it felt like a modern interpretation of the while the infotainment is more responsive and features much‐loved 2CV. But, with radical styling, it was a divi‐ Android and Apple smartphone streaming. sive car from the moment it broke cover.

It’s still clever, too. This is one of the smallest hatch‐ This car feels like a step towards the mainstream. The C4 backs in the class, but its relatively long wheelbase hatch retired quietly at the end of last year, due to declining means the interior is surprisingly spacious (though demand, and those who had bought the old Cactus for its the glass roof on top‐spec Flair version helps), while pseudo‐SUV styling now have the more spacious C3 the boot easily swallows bulky buggies and boxes, albeit Aircross as an alternative. With its downsized Airbump after lifting them over the high load lip. However, if you panels, shades‐of‐grey colour palette and want a genuine SUV‐like ride height, deleted roof bars, the Cactus has grown and sliding rear windows instead of up. This is, essentially, the new C4. hinged pop‐outs, then the C3 Aircross is Which marks a change of focus, no the better option. longer centred on tiny running costs, Engine options are limited, though. but on class‐leading comfort. So, while There are three petrol options, at 82hp, those broad‐shouldered, barely‐ 110hp (with an optional automatic bolstered seats look unchanged, they’re gearbox), and the new 100hp unit, plus far more supportive than the early cars a single diesel at 99hp, and all come in thanks to denser, apparently harder‐ at 110g/km CO2 or less. But there are wearing, foam. And the C4 Cactus intro‐ no higher‐power options, as offered on duces European markets to Citroën's most rivals including the 308, and the new suspension technology, with diesel still makes do with a five‐speed shocks that move freely enough to manual gearbox. From experience, that almost float over small bumps, while curbs motorway economy for what’s Supernatural ride dissipating the energy from larger otherwise a very efficient engine. quality and subtle thumps as heat. Both are standard Of course, four years on, the C4 upgrades throughout across the range, offering unmatched Cactus has become a familiar sight, comfort in this class. and its divisive styling is a selling point have made the quirky But it’s the small differences that as much as it might alienate some Cactus a much better really add up. The steering is now buyers. So while this is unquestionably car. But arguably at the adjustable for reach as well as height, a better car now, scrubbing a little of its cost of some character. so it’s easier to find a comfortable driv‐ identity away might be another leap ing position, while thicker glass and into the dark.

what we think

42 / internationalfleetworld.com

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NEWS from the global fleet community

INSIGHT from experts into the fleet industry

ADVICE best practice for running your fleet

progressive

MOVE BUSINESS FORWARD WITH THE NEW VOLVO V60 In today’s business world, progress demands a different approach. With its human-centric innovations, intuitive technology and uncluttered Scandinavian design, the new V60 is the progressive choice for your organisation and your drivers. And with both T6 and T8 plug-in hybrid powertrains available, it is uniquely positioned to keep moving your business forward.

EMAIL GLOBALFLEET@VOLVOCARS.COM OR CALL 00 46 313258377

Official fuel consumption for the new Volvo V60 range in l/100km: Urban 10.1 – 5.3 Extra Urban 6.1 – 4.0, Combined 7.6 – 4.4.

CO2 emissions 117 – 176g/km. Fuel consumption figures are obtained from laboratory testing intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not reflect real driving results. Models may vary depending on market.