International Fleet World October 2017

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INTERNATIONAL

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

seat.com/ibiza

Some see the best residual value.

We see the best way forward.

The new SEAT Ibiza.

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

SEAT FOR BUSINESS. Your goals are our fuel.

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

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

The new Opel Insignia Country Tourer

FIRST WORK, THEN LOTS OF PLEASURE. With dynamic 4x4 FlexRide1 premium chassis.

Optional with selected engines.

Picture shows optional equipment. Availability depends on local market offer.

Fuel consumption combined 11.5–4.6 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined 203–144 g/km (according to R (EC) No. 715/2007).

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INTERNATIONAL

FLEETW RLD All that matters in the world of fleet

contents

October 2017

seat.com/ibiza

Some see the best residual value.

We see the best way forward.

The new SEAT Ibiza.

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

SEAT FOR BUSINESS. Your goals are our fuel.

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

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

Chairman Jerry Ramsdale jerry@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

16 SPOTLIGHT: Volkswagen T-Roc.

18 Investigating at-work road safety.

24 What’s the future for connected cars?

42 DRIVEN: Skoda Octavia Scout.

Publisher Steve Moody steve@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Editor John Challen john@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Deputy Editor Alex Grant alex@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Business Editor Natalie Middleton natalie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Content Editor Jonathan Musk jonathan@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Director Anne Dopson anne@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Manager Harry Whyte harry@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

04 Fleet Review Editor John Challen talks roads, EVs and the Frankfurt fallout.

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

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

16 Spotlight Under the skin of Volkswagen’s striking, all-new T-Roc SUV offering.

Victoria Arellano victoria@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Web Designer Dan Desta daniel@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

18 Feature Road safety: An investigation into work-related deaths and accidents.

22 Analysis Assessing the residual value prospects of the latest Hyundai i30.

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

24 Feature Crystal ball gazing into the future of fleet management and telematics.

28 Fleet Focus Erwin Coesens analyses the changing fleet market in Belgium.

32 Profile How Peugeot’s fleet portfolio is shaping up, post PSA’s Opel acquisition.

36 Review All the highlights from the recent 2017 Frankfurt IAA Motor Show.

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

38 Launch Report Audi A4 Allroad Quattro / Skoda Octavia Scout / Smart ForFour / Volkswagen Polo

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fleet review This month, editor John Challen talks roads, electric vehicles and the Frankfurt fallout...

Dangerous roads

A lot of noise about EVs

I’ve often had an issue with people who claim roads are dangerous. I’m of the opinion that it’s not the roads, but the drivers who make them a danger. However, I’m slightly revising my view following a recent trip to the UK’s Isle of Wight.

Out for a run one morning, I quickly found myself on a road with no pavements. This wasn’t a one-off, the IOW has loads of routes that looked like they are designed with no thought to pedestrians. But what I didn’t quite get is that the road surface itself was beautiful.

So much so that it looked like it had been freshly laid for our arrival. Again, this was not the exception to the rule – there has certainly been a lot of investment in roads there recently, but the allocation of the money could have been thought about a bit more.

At a time when car manufacturers are looking to reduce road deaths (as well as cut emissions), is there not a case to look at what they can do with infrastructure? Of course it’s not their direct responsibility, but nor is the environment, if we’re being pedantic. Yes, those vehicles they produce impact the environment, but they also impact the roads too, hence the need for the resurfacing. Maybe protecting the pedestrians – as well as the passengers - needs to be given more consideration in the future?

It was while running on these island roads that another thought entered my mind. A thought that dispelled the urban myth that electric cars are silent. I’ve heard the view expressed that EVs are ‘dangerous’ because you can’t hear them approaching, or that some sort of sound should be engineered in to prevent people getting run over by them. Well let me tell you, there was NO mistaking the Renault Zoe coming towards me, due to the noise coming from the tyre’s interaction with freshly laid tarmac.

I could hear the car – emblazoned with the brand and model generously across its side – long before it came into view and more than enough time to make sure I was well out of the way of its path. That’s not a sleight at the French batterypowered vehicle – I’m a big fan – it’s more realising that what people say might not always be entirely true.

Talking of EVs, the recent Frankfurt Motor Show was awash with news about them. New models, multi-million dollar investments, and battery and motor technology. Rest assured it wasn’t ALL about battery power – and you can find out more about the stars of the show on page 36.

Elegant electrics Honda's Frankfurt concept hints at how future EVs from the Japanese manufacturer could appear.

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visit internationalfleetworld.com

DRIVE A COMPACT WITH IMPACT. The New Å KODA KAROQ.

www.skoda-auto.com

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

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fleet in figures

Growth in global sales; selling rate holds firm Solid gains in China and western Europe matched by rapid growth in Japan and South America. By John Challen. ight vehicle sales in the US totalled 1,482,000 units in August, down 1.9% over August 2016. That translates into a selling rate of 16.1 million units a year. Much of the decline came from fleet, with sales down 16.2% – retail fell 3.4% (selling day-adjusted). While OEMs are pulling out of the less lucrative fleet sales, they have increased incentives.

Canadian light vehicle sales broke another monthly record, with 184,000 units sold in August. That was 7% more than in August 2016 and is equal to a selling rate of just over 2 million units a year for the year-to-date.

Sales in Mexico fell 6.7% in August, to 124,000 units. After a strong 2016, sales have declined in the last three months as credit has been tightened. August’s selling rate was just 1.5 million units a year, the third lowest so far this year.

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Europe Western European Light Vehicle sales grew by 3.1% YoY in August, with an identical number of selling days in almost all markets as August 2016. The selling rate rose to 16.4 million units a year from 15.4 million units a year in July, as the historically quiet month of August turned out to be a remarkably strong one in several key markets, including Germany, France and Italy.

Russian light vehicle sales grew by 16.7% in August, recording the secondstrongest increase of the year and only just below July’s +18.5%. The selling rate came in at 1.46 million units a year, very slightly ahead of the July rate. The negligible improvement in the selling rate is a little

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concerning for what was the second month for various new incentive schemes.

China Preliminary data indicates that China’s August selling rate was 28.9 million units a year, down 2.5% from a robust July. That has brought the year-to-date average selling rate to 27.7 million units a year, compared to last year’s total light vehicle sales of 28 million units. Sales increased by nearly 3% YoY in August and 2.6% in the first eight months of this year.

The economy remains buoyant, although the cooling property sector in major cities is a concern. The heightened geopolitical tensions in the Korean peninsula are straining the US-China relationship, which could spill over into the trade issues between the two. That, along with China’s new “Made in China 2025” industrial policy, raises uncertainty over the course of the automotive market.

Other Asia After an abrupt slowdown in July, the selling rate in Japan rebounded to 5.4 million units a year in August, up nearly 9% from the previous month. On a YoY basis, sales increased by 8% so far this year, a robust result for a mature market. The economy is enjoying a long period of expansion, boosting consumption.

Defying the rising military threats from North Korea, sales in South Korea surged in August. The selling rate reached a robust 1.84 million units a year, up nearly 12% from a relatively weak July

(due to the expiration in June of the scrappage incentive scheme for old diesel vehicles). However, the heightened geopolitical tensions in the region may start to undermine investment and thus job creation and vehicle sales.

South America While its economy continues a fragile recovery, the Brazilian auto market remains volatile. After a sharp slowdown in July, the August selling rate surged to 2.47 million units a year, up 21% from the previous month.

Sales increased by 18% YoY in August, the fastest growth so far this year. The stabilised currency and falling inflation and interest rates are helping to support a recovery in sales.

In the run-up to the October mid-term elections, the Argentine market continues a strong recovery. Sales increased YoY by 16% in August and 30% in the first eight months of this year. Steep declines in inflation and rising real wages are helping to boost consumers’ purchasing power, but the weakening peso is a concern.

August saw a big jump in the selling rate in Japan, following a slower July

www.kia.com

For those who like to stand out.

The new Kia Stonic. For those who can’t get enough of life.

The new Kia Stonic’s muscular design was made for those who make each ride an adventure. Sharp, aerodynamic lines and a bold grille add to your individuality.

LED Daytime Running Lights with striking LED side repeaters get you noticed.

Several colour combinations for the interior and exterior let you customise your own car. The new Kia Stonic – for those who can’t get enough of life.

The Kia 7-year/150,000 km new-car warranty is valid in all EU member states (plus Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Gibraltar), subject to local terms and conditions. Fuel consumption (l/100 km)/CO ² (g/km): urban from 4.9/127 to 7/158, extra-urban from 3.8/99 to 4.6/106, combined from 4.2/109 to 5.5/125.

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manufacturer news

Volkswagen planning 19-model SUV range olkswagen is predicting 40% of V its global sales volume will be SUVs in the near future, with plans for a range spanning 19 models across the different markets in which it operates.

The latest in the range is the newly revealed T-Roc, which will enter a new segment beneath the Tiguan when it launches at the end of the year. Platform-shared with the Golf, it’s roughly the same size as an Audi Q2 and will be priced from €21,000 in Germany.

Globally it joins a range which, by the end of the year, will include five and seven-seat versions of the Tiguan, the Atlas and Teramont sold

in North America and China respectively, and the Touareg. A new Touareg, previewed by the T-Prime concept, will be shown at the end of the year, and a Polo-sized crossover called the T-Cross will break cover in 2018. An all-electric crossover is also in the pipeline, a hint of which was shown in the I.D. Crozz.

“We expect to see further strong growth for years to come,” said Dr Herbert Diess, chairman of the board

of management of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars, speaking at the reveal of the T-Roc. “Forecasts expect [sales of] these SUVs will grow by 50% in the next ten years. This affects all regions; Europe, China and the American markets, and all SUV segments, and especially small SUVs, which are very popular. This market is expected to double to 11m cars by 2027.”

EV uptake vital to meet proposed post-2021 CO2 targets

Mazda petrol could beat diesels on fuel economy

urope’s car makers have laid out plans that indicate EV uptake is vital to meet post-2021 CO2 targets, ahead of a European Commission proposal due later this year.

The proposal by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) is based around a 20% CO2 reduction for passenger cars by 2030, compared to 2021 WLTP figures, which it said is conditional on the real market uptake of electric and plug-in vehicles. The ACEA added that without any adequate action at national level, a higher market uptake of such vehicles remains “beyond reach” and would require increased investment in recharging and incentives to be run by individual member states.

The target would be subject to a mid-term review in 2025 and could be revised up or down accordingly.

azda is to launch a new petrol engine using compression ignition to bring similar or better fuel efficiency than its current diesels.

Due in 2019, the Skyactiv-X engine family will replace today's Skyactiv-G units and could make Mazda the first carmaker to use compression ignition on a production car.

Mazda claims the technology could bring a 10-30% increase in torque and 20-30% increase in engine efficiency over the current Skyactiv-G petrols, but said it can also equal or exceed the current Skyactiv-D diesels for fuel efficiency.

Mazda said it will also start introducing electric vehicles from 2019 but added that its work on reducing CO2 emissions will continue efforts to improve internal combustion engines.

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For the latest news, visit internationalfleetworld.com

Mercedes-Benz to rival Uber with new London ride share service

in brief

ercedes-Benz is to launch a new Uber-rivalling ride sharing service M in Europe, kicking off with London.

The joint venture with US technology start-up Via – which already oper-

Ford and Deutsche Bahn turn to bike sharing

ates ride sharing schemes in Chicago, New York and Washington – will offer on-demand shuttle services using the Mercedes-Benz nine-seater Vito Tourer and the eight-seater V-Class, integrated with Via’s software with onboard vehicle sensor. The technology will also be licensed to third parties.

In the longer term, the cooperation will look to deploy electric vehicles and autonomous driving capabilities.

Audi revamps naming structure udi is introducing a new global naming strategy for all engine types to denote output rather than capacity in line with its move to plug-in hybrid and electric drive models.

Rolling out this autumn, the new structure will use a combination of two numbers to denote specific power output based on kilowatts (kW).

The system kicks off by using the ‘25’ sub-classification for models with 70kW (95hp) output – namely the A1 25 TFSI, in the UK and other markets where the model is offered. The classifications then increase in increments of five, for example the designation ‘30’ will appear on the rear of all models with power outputs of between 81-96kW (110-130hp), rising to the toplevel ‘70’ classification for models above 400kW (544hp).

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Ford and Deutsche Bahn Connect GmbH are to start running a bike share scheme in Germany with 3,200 FordPass bikes. The collaboration is an extension of the two firms’ existing work on car sharing and will see the bikes made available from October in both Cologne and Düsseldorf and accessed through Deutsche Bahn’s Call a Bike hire system.

Thrifty relaunches Maltese service Thrifty Car Rental has enhanced its rental proposition in Malta under new management.

Now operated by United Garage, a longstanding franchise partner of parent firm Hertz Global Holdings, the service has been updated to bring more rental locations and updated fleet, as well as a new website.

Volvo unveils XC40 crossover olvo has revealed its XC40 crossover, which will rival the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA, targeting significant volume growth in one of Europe’s largest segments.

Due to start first deliveries early next year, the XC40 is based on the brand’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), which will underpin the replacement for the V40 line-up, and potentially also an S40 saloon, which was previewed as a concept car last year.

At launch, it will be offered with three petrol engines, producing between 156hp and 247hp, and two diesel engines at 150hp and 190hp. All except the entry-level units are fitted with all-wheel drive and an automatic transmission.

The XC40 will be the first to get Volvo’s three-cylinder engines, including one used in the forthcoming T5 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid, and a fully electric version will also be available.

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WEX Europe Services expands fuel supply network in France Esso Card owner WEX Europe Services is now a reseller of the E.Leclerc fuel card in France.

The agreement effectively doubles WEX Europe Services’ supply network in France to more than 1,200 sites – including 630 E.Leclerc service stations.

Arval enhances outsourcing solutions Arval is launching a completely revised package of outsourcing solutions, which enables businesses to delegate day-to-day fleet management to Arval within an agreed framework.

The launch comes as the firm reports a 30% increase in outsource contracts within its portfolio in the first half of 2017.

internationalfleetworld.com / 09

The new E-Class All-Terrain.

Get your morning coffee where it is grown.

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

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environmental news

Ford reveals Transit PHEV ahead of London trials ord’s first plug-in Transit van has made its premier public appearance at the Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle 2017 event in the UK, weeks ahead of a 12-month, 20-vehicle trial with businesses in London.

Due to go on sale in 2019, the Transit Custom PHEV is driven using only an electric motor, supplied with power from a lithium-ion battery pack under the load floor. This offers a range of 50km when fully charged, but can be topped up using a 1.0-litre EcoBoost gasoline engine as a range-extender. The combustion engine never directly drives the wheels, but extends the total range to 500km.

Ford claims the cargo volume is the same as a conventional Transit Custom, while the payload is reduced for the fullyelectric vans. It forms part of the carmaker’s plans to launch 13 electric and hybrid vehicles over the next five years, and runs alongside a project with Deutsche Post DHL Group to develop electric vans; by the end of next year, the two companies will have produced 2,500 of them.

In the meantime, the London-based trial will deploy vans with fleets including the Metropolitan Police, British Gas and Clancy Plant. Ford will record real-time data using telematics devices and geofencing, aiming to find out whether they meet emissions regulations and to investigate automatically switching the van to electric mode when it enters a low-emission zone.

The 20 vans destined for London were designed and engineered in the UK, at Ford’s technical centre in Dunton, UK, and at Prodrive Advanced Technology in Banbury, with the support of Revolve Technologies.

Lilli Matson, Transport for London’s director of transport strategy, said: “Cleaner vans, like those being used in this trial, will be vital in helping the freight and fleet sector to reduce emissions and play its part in tackling the Capital’s air quality crisis. We are also using the data from the trial, which will be an invaluable resource for our LoCITY programme that encourages commercial businesses to use greener vehicles.”

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Bosch e-axle to reduce electric vehicle costs and R&D time osch has developed an electric axle claimed to cut the cost and development time for electric and hybrid vehicles, predicting “billions” of sales for the technology.

The company’s new electric axle packages the motor, power electronics and transmission into a single unit, which can be customised to vehicle manufacturers’ specifications and delivered to their production lines, helping bring vehicles to market more quickly than developing similar components in-house.

As the all-in-one design requires fewer copper cables, a simpler cooling system and no bearings, it’s said to be more affordable than separate components, as well as being lighter and more compact, which makes it easier to package into the

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vehicle. It’s flexible enough that it can be used in front or rear-wheel drive hybrid and electric vehicles, including trucks up to 7.5 tonnes.

Despite its size, power output can be up to 405hp, with 6,000Nm of torque, and Bosch is claiming it can offer high peak output for fast acceleration, as well as strong continuous performance for high-speed travel. Mass production is planned for 2019, and prototypes are already under evaluation with vehicle manufacturers.

Bosch has an ambition to be the leading supplier of electric drivetrain components by 2020. The company already has half a million electric and hybrid cars on the road fitted with its technology.

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For the latest EV news, visit evfleetworld.com

in brief

Long-range EVs could require ‘charging forecourts’ network of high-powered charging stations, similar to fuel forecourts, will be essential as electric vehicle battery capacities grow to offer hundreds of miles of range, according to a new report by the UK’s National Grid.

In its latest Future Energy Scenarios thought piece, the utility company suggested that drivers with off-street parking could top up overnight. But, it added, domestic energy supplies don’t offer high enough output to fully charge vehicles with a battery large enough to offer a 300-mile range, and 43% of British motorists don’t have off-street parking.

For longer-distance travel, the report suggests drivers could visit forecourt-like charging hubs for short-stay, ultra-fast charging. These would need to offer outputs of up to 350kW per charger (seven times the speed of most rapid chargers today) for nine vehicles at a time to match today’s fuel stations. The peak requirement for three megawatts of energy, is equivalent to 1,000 homes.

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TomTom adds live charging point data to its maps

Hyundai to launch EV sharing scheme in Amsterdam Hyundai Motor will launch a car sharing programme in Amsterdam in October, offering a fleet of 100 Ioniq Electric vehicles available for use around the city. The city was chosen because of its 2,200-unit charging infrastructure, and CO2neutral target set for 2025, which the carmaker said resonated with its own sustainability strategy.

Nissan to sell electric battery business Nissan has agreed to sell its battery subsidiary, Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC) to investment fund GSR Capital. Assets include its battery manufacturing operations in Smyrna, Tennessee and Sunderland, England, as well as development and production sites in Oppama, Atsugi and Zama in Japan. Employees will all be transferred to the new owners.

Renault-Nissan and Dongfeng to co-develop EVs

omTom' has added real-time charging point availability to its live data services, with a view to offering the information via its navigation devices.

Aimed at reducing range anxiety, the system uses data from network operators, updating constantly during a journey to help drivers find unoccupied charging points. Information on opening hours, payment methods, and connection types will also be available.

TomTom EV Service rolls out in Europe first, with expansion planned for North America next year. Once complete, this will map more than 35,000 charging points across the two continents, according to the company.

Antoine Saucier, managing director, TomTom Automotive, commented: “One of the major barriers to driver adoption of electric vehicles is range anxiety, so with the launch of the TomTom EV Service, we’re taking driver peace of mind to the next level, and encouraging sustainable mobility.”

in numbers

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Source: Alfen

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Renault-Nissan Alliance and Dongfeng have announced a 50:50 joint venture to co-develop and sell electric vehicles in China. The joint venture, eGT New Energy Automotive Co., Ltd. will be based in the City of Shiyan in central China.

Production is due from 2019 at the Dongfeng Shiyan plant, which has capacity for 120,000 vehicles per year.

Second-life batteries power new charging network Connected Energy has installed two quick-charge stations along highways in Belgium and Germany using second-life Renault EV batteries as power sources.

Years until Scotland hopes to have phased out traditional petrol and diesel vehicles.

60 Charging points installed across European Commission offices in Brussels, working with Dutch supplier Alfen.

Source: Scottish Parliament

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business news

LeasePlan mulls IPO after strong H1 easePlan has said it’s looking at a potential Initial Public Offering (IPO) after reporting strong first half results.

In a statement the leasing giant said it was reviewing an IPO as part of a range of strategic options, with further updates to be provided.

The move could see it follow in the footsteps of ALD, which floated in June, raising €1.2bn.

For the first half of 2017, LeasePlan reported underlying gross profit up by 4.3% to €799.7m, on the back of fleet growth and higher contributions from all core lease related income streams. Underlying net result was up 18.2% to €291.7m.

Fleet growth was up 5.7% compared to the end of June 2016, reaching 1.71m vehicles under management, with LeasePlan attributing the continued fast growth to its SME business, several new international clients and smaller corporate client wins.

The firm also reported increased demand from international customers for consultancy services in the second quarter, covering areas such as cost optimisation and fleet policy, and continued interest from a wide range of corporate customers in sustainable lease solutions and low-emission value propositions.

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Addison Lee to launch in New York ondon-based private hire company Addison Lee is to expand its branded car service into New York with the purchase of car service booking and management platform Tandem Technologies from Transdev.

The acquisition, made for an undisclosed amount, will spearhead the launch of 500 Addison Lee-branded cars in New York by the end of October, with business customers able to book cars via app, web or phone.

The acquisition also supports the firm’s broader expansion in the United States. In January 2017, Addison Lee acquired US chauffeur business Flyte Tyme, following the acquisition of executive car service company Tristar Worldwide in June 2016.

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Indicata used vehicle management software platform gets UK launch utorola Group’s Indicata software platform for used vehicle management is now available in 13 countries, including the UK. The platform analyses over six million individual vehicles every day, with real-time data available in dashboards as KPIs and downloadable Excel reports.

The platform has been in operation across the globe for the past two years and the UK launch follows a successful pilot.

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fleetinquotes a few soundbites from a month in fleet

“

For the time being, we will be offering the entire powertrain spectrum – from conventional to fullyelectric – to enable sustainable and affordable mass mobility. We are not being arbitrary.

We are listening to the voice of reason.

”

Matthias Müller, Volkswagen Group CEO

Our new Grandland X as plug-in hybrid is the next big example of the opportunities that await us as a member of the PSA group. We will follow this path closely.

“

”

Michael Lohscheller, Opel CEO

“

In future it is our ambition to provide our core models with a choice of two hybrid powertrains.

One will provide the traditional benefits of efficiency and fuel economy, like in our current offer. The second will build on this and add more power and a more dynamic driving character.

”

Dr Johan Van Zyl, Toyota Motor Europe CEO

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advertisement feature

A smarter app for today’s Business Mobility Carolin Conrad, Product Manager at Alphabet International, on challenges and solutions in corporate mobility.

What are the latest challenges in Business Mobility?

The biggest challenge our industry currently faces is keeping up with the accelerated pace at which the world is changing. In the era of connectivity and digitalisation, we must promptly respond to clients’ constantly evolving mobility needs with innovative new solutions. The mobility landscape has drastically changed from a few decades ago. Today, driver assistance features, the connected car and telematics are omnipresent, driverless cars are in test phases and there’s ever more interest in eco-friendlier transport options.

How is Alphabet addressing these challenges to continuously satisfy clients’ changing needs?

We have a long-standing tradition of innovating and consulting with clients to create tailor-made mobility solutions. In the digital age, we offer companies tools that enhance the Business Mobility experience, such as the innovative AlphaGuide app. Its fine-tuned features improve the entire mobility experience for drivers while also lending fleet managers a helping hand. The regularly updated app responds to the needs of our clients and adapts them to countryspecific requirements.

You said the app is regularly updated.

What are some examples of the latest features?

We are proud to currently present three new features, which are available in different countries. In the past, when a fuel card wasn’t accepted for payment, a driver had to cover the expense out of pocket and then provide documentation for reimbursement. The new ‘expense & refund’ feature streamlines this process, so a driver can submit receipts and other pertinent information through the app.

Another feature is the ‘request a service’ feature, which allows drivers to request services – from maintenance to a tyre change – at the click of a button and initiate an appointment at a local preferred Alphabet Service Provider.

Finally, our FAQ feature lets users quickly find reliable answers to the most common questions about AlphaGuide and therefore further enhances the convenience of the app.

Tell us more about what the app is good for.

The user-friendly AlphaGuide simplifies Business Mobility and makes work

More at www.alphabet.com/alphaguide

related travels more enjoyable. The app is the touchpoint to our customers and enables them to use all provided services in an easy way. Should a driver need a charging- or gas station or a tyre service partner, the app shows options nearby.

Via the ‘damage reporting’ feature, breakdowns or accidents can be reported instantly and pictures of the scene can be included. In urgent cases, a click on the emergency button connects drivers directly with 112.

What’s on the horizon for Alphabet and the AlphaGuide app?

Without divulging any company secrets, I can confirm we are already working on the next set of AlphaGuide features. We view all our fleet management products as constant works in progress as we aim to always offer clients Business Mobility solutions that takes mobility-related challenges head on.

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SPOTLIGHT Volkswagen T-Roc

Seeds of change Volkswagen’s entry into the compact crossover segment is a good reason for established rivals to be worried, and it’s just the start of the brand’s SUV boom, explains Alex Grant.

Part of the family Volkswagen sees big opportunities for its SUV line-up. Positioned beneath the Tiguan, which will soon also be available in seven-seat Allspace guise, the T-Roc will arrive at the end of the year, just as the all-new Touareg breaks cover. A Polo-based crossover called the T-Cross is also due to be revealed during 2018, while the recent I.D. Cross concept is a glimpse of plans for an electric crossover likely to appear in around 2020/21.

So the T-Roc will be a major contributor, entering a segment which the brand predicts to double in size to 11m units globally over the next decade, and with hints that it could be one of the brand’s best-sellers in Europe. Pricing will start from around €20,000, depending on the market.

FLEET FACT Volkswagen has plans for a 19-model global SUV range in the near future.

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Functional but personal The T-Roc is almost identical in size to the Audi Q2, and the two cars share a platform. This means it is 24mm shorter end to end than a Golf hatch, but slightly wider and taller overall. There’s space for five on board, and the boot is bigger than you’ll find in either a Q2 or a Golf, as well as its closest rivals.

Like most crossovers, it’s a design statement as well as a step up in practicality. The range will include Style and Sport versions, with personalisation options including bi-colour bodywork matched to sections of the dashboard. All versions will get a touchscreen measuring at least 6.5 inches across, while the glass-fronted 8.0-inch screen is available as an option, and can be equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity.

What we think...

Arguably Volkswagen is over-crowding the small end of its SUV line-up, with the T-Roc set to be sandwiched between the T-Cross and Tiguan in the near future. But this is a growing part of the market, and, with personalisation and badge appeal on its side, the T-Roc is a real threat to its established rivals, even with pricing likely to be closer to larger crossovers. It could also plug the gap in the Group portfolio left by the recently discontinued Skoda Yeti. AG

Familiar engines Engine options from launch will be familiar to most other Volkswagen Group products. Diesel options comprise a 1.6-litre unit with 115hp, and two 2.0-litre engines producing 150 or 190hp. Four-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is offered on the mid-spec engine, and both are standard on the most powerful diesel. Based on the Q2, CO2 emissions for the most efficient version should be around 110-115g/km.

However, it’s expected that most T-Roc customers will opt for petrol engines – the Q2 and Ateca imply these could offer similar CO2 emissions to the diesels. The UK won’t get the 190hp 2.0-litre petrol, but 1.0-litre 115hp and 1.5-litre 150hp versions could suit some low-mileage users, and some markets will have a 190hp 2.0litre engine at the top of the range. It’s also possible that the T-Roc could get a plug-in hybrid or electric drivetrain at some point, as both are offered in the Golf.

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FEATURE_Road safety_IFW_Oct17.qxp_Layout 1 25/09/2017 12:47 Page 1

FEATURE Road safety

STOP SIGNS An investigation into work-related deaths and accidents

How safe are the streets for fleet drivers and what is being done to reduce accidents?

Dave Moss talks to people trying to make a difference. →

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Photo: Ververidis Vasilis (Shutterstock.com)

ccording to the Global Road Safety partnership, every day more than 3,500 people are killed – and between 55,000 and 135,000 seriously injured – on the world’s roads. In some countries, up to 60% of those who die are believed to be victims of workrelated collisions, though exact numbers are unknown, as data varies greatly from country to country. European Union (EU) figures analysed by the European Transport Safety Council, (ETSC) show that 25,500 people died on EU roads in 2016 - with at least 40% of those deaths estimated to be directly work-related.

The Global Road Safety Partnership's chief executive, Dave Cliff, points to a major conflict underlying these statistics: “Death and injury on the roads place huge health and economic burdens on countries, communities, and individual victims,” he says. “Yet the risk to people is regarded as small. Many of us think, ‘it won't happen to me...' but at an individual fleet level, this is why some managers fail to understand the full risk faced by them or their employees on the everyday driving task.”

A

Knock-on effects In Europe, where over 50% of cars are fleet-operated in some countries, the ETSC is leading calls for company senior management to make road safety a priority. “Road collisions can affect many parts of a business,” says ETSC executive director Antonio Avenoso. “Fleet managers will look first at insurance costs and vehicles being unavailable. But others will have to deal with employee absences, driver training and the like. The effects and responsibility are spread around.

That's why it’s so critical senior management make road safety a company-wide priority, ideally at chief executive level.”

Pat Sheehan, UK head of health and safety for international transport infrastructure group Colas, agrees that taking the subject seriously is vital. “One of the fundamental points when developing a driving policy is ensuring its led and supported by those at the very top,” he says. “Otherwise, companies will face an uphill task in changing their road safety culture.” Avenoso points to another good reason for senior management involvement - at-work driver safety

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FEATURE Road safety

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improvements can boost the bottom line. “Companies can make big savings on insurance costs and repairs, reduce employee injuries and related absences - and see benefits such as improved customer satisfaction,” he says.

Companies investing in employee road safety can also make gains in less obvious areas. “Bad publicity arising from high severity incidents involving fleet drivers can be reduced,” says Sheehan. “Occupational road risk training programmes allow employees to develop new skills, with improved fleet fuel consumption one of the training benefits.”

BENEFITS OF WORK-RELATED ROAD RISK MANAGEMENT Saving lives and reducing injuries

Access to tender processes / new market opportunities

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The potential for lowering of insurance premiums

ISO 39001 Based on implementation of the ISO 39001 road safety management scheme

Mechanism to comply with legal requirements

Counting the costs Little official data covers the hidden costs of crashes and injuries in lost time or productivity, or the social costs of work-related traffic collisions. However, research by the British Occupational Road Safety Alliance suggests the full costs of road crashes are nearly always much higher than resulting insurance claims. It reports that for every £1 (€1.15) recovered by companies, between £8 (approximately €9) and £36 (€41) may be lost through uninsured costs. A European Commission Mobility and Transport Directorate study quoted annual company cost figures for workrelated road collisions in Britain at £2.7 billion (approximately €3.1bn), with US annual crash costs averaging $US54.7 billion (€46bn) - around 13-15% of total fleet spending. In Australia estimated annual work-related road crash costs were around $AUS 425 million (€284m) with average lost working time from such incidents greater than for any other workplace injuries.

Numbers such as these suggest that formal at-work road safety policies are fast becoming essential for any size of company - but Avenoso expects it to take time. “Small businesses in particular lack resources and management can be distracted by other pressing worries.

But there is change; telematics can help get an overview of what's happening

Reduced repair bills

Reduce risk of injury claims

Consistency of approach within and across organisations

Promotional purposes

Demonstrate commitments and enhance reputation

Differentiation in the market place / market advantage

INVESTING IN ROAD RISK PREVENTION CAN SAVE YOUR ORGANISATION MONEY

Electricity Supply Board (Ireland): Fleet collisions

BT: Insurance claims per 1,000 fleet vehicles

291

121

59

26

Iron Mountain: Road collision damage and third party costs down 60%

in 2003

in 2013

in 2001/2

in 2015/16

since 2008

Unilever Poland: Costs due to absenteeism caused by road collisions

291

121

in 2003

in 2013

Source: European Transport Safety Council

with company vehicles on the road.

Another issue is the grey fleet - many companies don't take commuting seriously, or pay attention to what happens when drivers use their own vehicles for company work.”

Though many risks facing at-work drivers are similar to those faced by any driver, amongst them drink driving, fatigue, speeding and distraction, Pat Sheehan underlines the scale of company responsibility for drivers on business. “Occupational road risk is one of the highest risks any company running a fleet will face,” he says.

“Successful company safe driving policies will be very wide ranging, possibly with other policies, covering say drugs and alcohol, or mobile phone use, in support. They should apply to all

drivers, no matter what the vehicle type, distance driven or company position, and have flexibility to allow changes,” he says. “These policies also need to be properly communicated, and understood by those affected.”

Why analysis can be key Tony English, chief executive of fleet data technology supplier Isotrak, feels the first stage in understanding work related road risk is analysis of driver incident and crash data. “Knowing when and why incidents occur, and which drivers are likely to be involved, will motivate improvement programmes,” he says. “Managing journeys is another key factor, which can help reduce numbers of vehicles on the road - and time pressure on drivers.”

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With excess speed a central issue in many collisions, Avenoso is particularly concerned over those at-work driver time pressures and stress. “Many workers are facing huge pressure to hit deadlines or delivery quotas, he says.

“This is dangerous, and journey planning should leave enough room for delays - such as traffic or diversions.”

Cliff shares big concerns about speed: “If everyone slowed down by even a few kilometres an hour, it would have an enormous effect on crash injury and death reduction. Impact speed always decides injury severity.”

Do you know your duty of care?

Official approaches to managing and enforcing work-related road safety (WRRS) vary widely around the world.

Duty of care, occupational safety, and health and road safety compliance are legal requirements in the EU, where employers must undertake work-related risk assessments. In most of Europe, employers can be held legally responsible for employee involvement in workrelated road collisions, and several countries provide detailed guidance to actively encourage employers to take action. In the UK, health and safety at work law requires employers to manage

road risks, with organisations facing possible corporate manslaughter charges if serious management failures result in major “duty of care” failings.

The Global Road safety partnership believes more regional and national action is still needed: “Despite clear evidence about what works to reduce road risk, many countries have not enacted best practice legislation,” says Cliff. “Some countries still have very high drink drive limits, others don't have adequate seat belt laws, and yet others have limited road policing.” Avenoso feels awareness of the issues is growing amongst fleet operators generally “Leadership to reduce work-related road risk is coming from many places,” he says. “Local and national authorities, companies themselves, and from the road safety sector, where consultancy services and telematics providers are making it easier for companies to develop a strategy. It’s good to see this but there's also a need for national and EU action, to help get the legal framework right.”

With many companies around the world apparently still lacking any formal policies, the ETSC wants businesses to recognise that much can be gained from improving work related road safety. Says

“Occupational road risk

training programmes allow employees to develop new skills, with improved fleet fuel consumption one of the training benefits.”

Pat Sheehan, UK head of health and safety, Colas

Avenoso: “A collision resulting in death or serious injury can have a terrible impact on individuals – and also on a business. There are many benefits to improving road safety, some financial, others reputational. Don't leave things too late; it’s a great investment.”

Safer vehicles as well as safer people Helped by advanced technology, and publicly available ratings from organisations such as NCAP, safer vehicles are playing an increasing role in reducing fatal and serious injuries. Pressure is growing around the world to drive nextgeneration vehicle safety from its passive past into an interactive, automated and connected future.

Europe is amongst the leaders, having already reached agreement requiring future fitment of more life-saving vehicle technology. An example is the 'eCall' system, to be fitted in new vehicles from March 2018, which automatically contacts a Europe-wide emergency number following a serious road accident, and provides the exact vehicle location. It is estimated this alone could reduce fatality numbers by at least 4%, and severe injury numbers by 6%.

Already, various safety features must be fitted before vehicles

can be sold in the EU. Last year the European Commission published 19 more safety technologies, likely to be added to the list when EU vehicle safety rules are next updated. Some are already appearing ahead of specific legislation around the world, especially Automated Emergency Braking, Intelligent Speed Assistance and seat-belt reminders for all passenger seats.

Alongside this, a European strategy on intelligent traffic systems has been agreed, described by the Commission as a milestone in cooperative, connected and automated mobility.

This is expected to bring major road safety, emission and energy consumption benefits through vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-roadside infrastructure communication, starting in 2019. These functions will aid introduction of automated vehicles, which themselves promise a whole new range of road safety benefits.

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ANALYSIS Residual values

Remarketing notes The latest vehicle to fall under the resale spotlight is the Hyundai i30.

Dominic Galati passes judgement on the Korean C-segment contender.

What the manufacturer said at launch:

About the residual value grades

The New Generation Hyundai i30 is the DNA car for Hyundai Motor representing the core of the brand in Europe. The new i30 delivers great value to single people, families, young and old.

It is a smart and rewarding choice for those seeking an appealing design, an efficient and dynamic ride and a comprehensive safety package. Its quality and reliability are guaranteed by the unique, industry-leading 5-year unlimited mileage warranty.

What BF Forecasts say now: The benchmark for Hyundai with its i30 has always been the Volkswagen Golf. Looking purely at the MSRP of the actual model from Hyundai, the mission is accomplished. With regards quality and equipment, the i30 meets the expectations and even exceeds them in many respects. However, the i30 is not a Golf, even if the residual values have improved. It would be recommendable to maintain one of the main virtues of the model: affordability in combination with appealing design.

France

Germany

Spain

€22,550

€17,450

€20,500

Hatchback Engines:

About BF Forecasts BF Forecasts is an independent supplier of accurate 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

Brand: Hyundai Model: i30 Available since: 2017 Prices from: (incl. VAT)

The residual value grades assess the residual value performance of the car model in question. Additional to the grades, a short statement addresses some of the car’s characteristics or other factors, which are relevant to its residual value performance. 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 performance is put in relation to the residual value performance of competitor models.

Estate

Petrol

Diesel

Petrol

100hp*

95hp**

100hp*

Diesel 110hp

120hp

110hp

120hp

136hp

140hp

136hp

140hp

Text and data: bähr & fees forecasts GmbH ( Ø- Values; Trade; 36; Mon; 60TKM;08-2017) * N/A in France and Spain ** N/A in France

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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 France

Germany

Spain

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FEATURE_Fleet Management_IFW_Oct17.qxp_Layout 1 25/09/2017 13:31 Page 1

FEATURE Fleet management and the future

GET CONNECTED Will the changing face of the automotive industry make life easier for eets?

What will be the impact of autonomous vehicles? George de Boer, leader of connected car initiatives at TomTom Telematics, does some crystal ball gazing. By John Challen.

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anagement systems have become essential tools for fleet managers and operators in recent years, helping to monitor and control company vehicles and employees when behind the wheel. But with so many systems in the marketplace – and with many of them offering the same or similar benefits – it can be confusing to know which is the right one to choose for a business.

TomTom Telematics is just one of the many service providers in the fleet management sphere, but it is fully focused on the evolution of the products it currently has, as well as preparing for new user models and forms of transportation. “We are using our 16 years of experience in commercial vehicles to get data from vehicles into one platform and making it understandable and valuable for fleet managers,” explains George de Boer, currently in charge of business development for connected cars, but a veteran of the TomTom business. “The role of the fleet manager is different for cars to commercial vehicles as the former is more about monitoring where the fleet is, how much it is costing the company and the promotion of safer driving. In passenger cars there isn’t the need to know exactly where vehicles are and when they will be at their destination – not at the moment, anyway.”

But de Boer maintains that TomTom – and the wider industry – needs to rethink the benefits of fleet management for passenger cars and how people look at and interpret data. “We say that if you want to drive adoption of our systems with drivers, you need to give them enough benefits,” he explains. “We have taken the back end technology of

M

connecting two cars, but altered the front end – the applications of pre-journey and post-journey. Pre-journey, we are looking at how much fuel is in the tank and whether or not the driver needs to refuel and add more time to their journey. Post trip it could be knowing whether or not the door is locked on the car and where it is parked. All of the information makes your life as a driver more convenient.”

Health checks In many companies, fleet managers have become ‘mobility’ managers, in response to the changing demands of drivers and the way they use their vehicles. “For increased mobility, we want to be able to monitor the health of the car and check there will be no problems with it,” explains de Boer. “We also want the ability to share that data with the mobility manager. It is a trend we are seeing more and more in leasing and rental where the traditional fleet manager is not only looking at the car but also other means of transport. To do this you need to have a good insight into the data of how and where the vehicles are being used.”

When it comes to driver benefits, de Boer sees the value in a workshop automatically calling and arranging a convenient time for a service. “Making things fit in with the needs and the demands of the driver means a lot to them,” he says. “This scenario focuses on the driver perspective, but we believe the process should also look at the wider connected world – the driver is living with a car that he can connect to the home. If you have a thermostat, why not make sure that your car is connected to the home so they can talk to each other and heat the house while you are on the way home?”

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FEATURE Fleet management and the future

“We are looking at ideas that will help fleet managers better monitor their vehicles and also contemplate different forms of mobility.”

George de Boer, TomTom Telematics

→

Business benefits Away from the drivers, de Boer says there also needs to be benefits on the fleet and mobility management side – first and foremost having access to reliable and up to date data. “For leasing, we found it is very important that they have information in real time relating to the mileage,” he explains. “These figures could be used for maintenance reasons, or having the best idea of when to defleet or remarket a vehicle. If the driver approves of it, they can be given advice on what their next car should be. The mobility manager could have some insights not necessarily about where they have driven, but how they have driven. Short or long trips? Time of the week? International travel? Then you can decide whether diesel or petrol is better, or if a hybrid or electric vehicle would be a more suitable option.”

On the rental side, de Boer believes that same information can help with a faster service. “You would be able to see in advance if a car needs to be refuelled or not, or if anything has to be done with the car. For electric vehicles, you can quickly see if there is enough charge for it to be immediately rented out again or if it needs a fast charge,” he maintains. “You can look at geofencing – not necessarily monitoring where the car is, but more controlling it if it is going into areas you don’t want it to be in. If it is driving in a straight line towards the port, maybe the driver is planning on leaving the country, you might not want that so could stop them.”

There are various different solutions to cope with the new technologies that are

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making their way into the market and dealing with the growing amount of vehicle data. “We are looking at ideas that will help fleet managers better monitor their vehicles and also contemplate different forms of mobility,” says de Boer. “The drivers will also be happy, because they can have the option of other forms of mobility. Employees, in many cases, are not always asking for a company car but instead a mobility budget. If you want to give them this budget and calculate it based on how they use the car, then you have to include driving behaviour and driving style.”

First EVs, now AVs “Autonomous vehicles present a great opportunity for the fleet market as there will be no autonomous vehicles in the future that aren’t connected to other cars, infrastructure or the environment around them. You need the connectivity to ensure they get the updates they need and to communicate with the environment, such as traffic lights.” That’s de Boer’s verdict and it's likely to be sooner rather than later.

“There won’t be a world of purely autonomous vehicles – there will be a mixed environment of AVs and non-AVs. The other thing is that when you have a fleet AV, which is more expensive than a traditional vehicle, you probably want to share it. That means you need to call the car to come to a pickup point, so productivity will be more important, and that is just from a functional point of view.

“If I look at the vehicle safety, we are currently developing – from the TomTom part – HD maps and road DNA

as a reference for the cars to be able to drive. For example, lane information and where an AV can ‘see’ around, which we can scan with our mobile mapping bands that have highly accurate equipment on top of the roof,” explains de Boer. “They provide accuracy within a centimetre, because the GPS isn’t accurate enough. Sourcing that data right now is being done by vehicles with a lot of equipment on board, but we want to update the maps with the data coming from the AVs themselves. That means they will also have cameras, sensors and lighter systems on the car and the data coming from it is maybe not as accurate as our current equipment that we use for mapping technology, but it is a valuable input.”

The TomTom man reveals that the company has been working with the Dutch government on a project, looking at using the sensors to spot any irregularities in the road or in weather conditions. “Where we now connect our car to see if the doors are locked, how much fuel there is or if there is something wrong with the engine – in a similar way we can connect to fog lights, temperature sensors and windscreen wipers to determine the local weather conditions,” he says. “If you take that one stage further, we can also connect to the ABS to spot slippery road conditions or the airbag and then you can have additional information and also warn the other autonomous vehicles that are around.

“Connectivity will only become more rather than less important, so it is critical that we are working heavily on it now.”

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FLEET FOCUS_Belgium_Oct17.qxp_Layout 1 25/09/2017 13:04 Page 1

FLEET FOCUS Belgium

Diesel drop sees hybrids boosted in Belgium Autorola Belux director Erwin Coesens discusses the end of a love affair with diesel – and why fleets are moving to a one-stop shop approach.

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ike many countries, the Netherlands is seeing its motoring landscape change as the hunger to reduce emissions and drivers’ reliance on fossil fuels increases. 2016 was the biggest year for change as the country decided to replicate countries such as Norway, where the introduction of incentives has helped speed up the sale of electric vehicles. The government has set a target for half of new car sales by 2025 to be electric - or hybrid - powered as part of a green deal.

After decades of diesel dominance, the Belgian market has virtually switched its allegiances overnight. Government fiscal reform has included lower registration and road tax for petrols, hybrids and EVs, plus an equalisation at the pumps of the price of diesel and petrol fuel.

For companies, the more environmentally friendly the car, the more it is tax deductible and the lower the employees’ company car tax. All of these changes have been introduced to help reduce the use of fossil fuels and to help improve air quality.

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QUICK TURNAROUND For many years Belgium was nearly 95% in favour of diesels based on their fuel consumption, reliability and strong running costs. This has changed very quickly with car makers now offering a strong range of petrol, hybrid and EV options that are finding favour with both consumers and company motorists.

Volkswagen continues to be the market leader but the move away from diesel seems to have increased the fortunes for the premium brands with BMW and Mercedes both growing their market shares.

The Belgian new car market is up by 3% to 395,000 units to the end of August helped by the growth in personal leasing. Some leasing companies and national sales companies are offering leasing directly to the consumer supported by strong discounts from car makers for bulk purchases. An Opel Corsa can be leased for as little as €180 a month on a full operating lease or a Peugeot 208 for as little as €139 a month. And while profitability of these deals is sometimes in question it is helping the market keep new car sales moving forward.

THE DEATH OF DIESEL DEMAND The biggest challenge for the industry is that consumers now want to only buy used petrol cars. When the Government introduced its new green road policy it affected cars already on the road as well as new cars. As a result, private motorists have been moving towards petrol power as a healthy volume of hybrids and EVs is yet to reach the market.

Our used car traders and franchised dealers are desperately looking to buy used petrols to satisfy demand.

Consumers are willing to pay more for petrols, while used diesels have fallen in price.

There simply aren’t enough petrols to go around, and there won’t be for

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FLEET FOCUS Belgium

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another two to three years until the large number of used diesels are flushed out of the system.

The result is that thousands of used petrols are being imported through Autorola’s online portal into Belgium. This so called cross border activity is helping go some way to balancing demand and supply.

CHANGING BUSINESS MODEL Leasing companies and national sales companies are also changing the way they manage their vehicles by switching to a one stop shop supplier, such as Autorola, to take care of their assets. Autorola has seen growth for its Fleet Monitor product, which manages a car from its inception in the factory to the day it is sold online.

Companies including JLR and Mazda have extended this one step further with Autorola now running the tender process for the refurbishment of ex-company cars and rental cars. The work is offered to authorised bodyshops and the most competitive price wins the repair contract. The refurb process is vitally important as these cars are being offered to dealers in a ready to retail condition as far as six months before they are due to come back to the manufacturer.

This pre-selling process is being offered through Autorola’s ‘branded sites’ initiative where dealers get to bid on OEM stock in a closed auction environment. The dealer can bid on stock and a final defleet inspection by Autorola means the price the dealer pays is modified slightly depending on the car’s end of contract mileage and condition.

By selling used cars so early on in their life on a buyback agreement with a rental or leasing company the manufacturer is managing their assets more efficiently. They know what pipeline of used stock they have sold and what cars they can then offer to the wider market. This approach is proving very successful and is a dream come true for many remarketing strategists who have been talking about this approach for many years. Now this has become reality.

Belgium has come a long way since diesel had a 95% market share

Credit: Christian Mueller/Shutterstock.com

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Source: FocusEconomics

Belgian economics month-on-month comparison shows that industrial production in Belgium rose a seasonally-adjusted 1.1% in June, contrasting May’s revised 0.4% rise (previously reported: -1.7%) and the fastest monthly expansion in four months. The increase was driven by higher output in the manufacturing and electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning sub-sectors, which more than offset lower output in the mining and quarrying sub-sector.

Annual average growth in industrial production decreased from 3.7% in May to 3.4% in June. FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists expect industrial output to expand 2.3% in 2017, which is down 0.1 percentage points from last month’s forecast. For 2018, the panel sees industrial production growth rising slightly to 2.6%.

The economy plodded along at a mild pace in Q2, according to recently-released figures. Robust domestic demand likely fueled growth, with consumer spending aided by lower inflation, and fixed investment buoyed by easy access to credit and past structural reforms designed to boost firms’ profitability. In a bid to raise the potential growth rate and make Belgium a more attractive place to do business, at the end of July the federal government reached an agreement on an important battery of reforms. The corporate tax rate will be reduced significantly by 2020, measures to increase the flexibility of the jobs market and reduce labour costs will be implemented, and the fiscal stance will be tightened in 2018

A

in order to chip away at the large public debt burden.

Growth is set to remain modest going forward, with fixed investment supported by easy access to credit, and exports continuing to grow healthily thanks to firms’ improved competitiveness and solid regional dynamics. However, longrun growth potential continues to be hampered by low labour market participation. FocusEconomics panelists expect GDP to expand 1.6% in both 2017 and 2018.

Business confidence fell from minus 1.5% in July to minus 2.1% in August. The decrease in the barometer resulted from worsening sentiment in the business-related services, building and trade industries, which more than offset improving sentiment in the manufacturing industry.

Consumer confidence was unchanged in August from July’s 2.0 points, which marked the highest reading since the precrisis peak in 2007. Consumers grew more optimistic regarding the country’s economic situation and unemployment, while they became less positive concerning their financial situation and ability to save.

FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists expect fixed investment to expand 2.6% in 2017, which is down 0.4 percentage points from last month’s projection. For 2018, the panel sees fixed investment growing 2.4%. The panelists expect private consumption to expand 1.5% in 2017, which is up 0.1 percentage points from last month’s estimate. For 2018, the panel expects private consumption to grow 1.4%.

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PROFILE Peugeot

Pushing to pass Peugeot has enjoyed success in recent years, with the PSA Group, which includes Citroën and DS, almost doubling profits in 2016. Since then, the Group has bought Opel/Vauxhall in an historic multi-billion euro deal, effectively ending General Motors’ influence in Europe.

“‘Push to Pass’ – the company’s aim to turnaround to profitable and sustainable growth by 2021 – has clearly been working.”

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PROFILE_Peugeot_IFW_Oct17.qxp 25/09/2017 15:36 Page 2

Manufacturer Peugeot Total key region sales 2016 1,919,460 Headquarters Paris, France Global market share 5.73% (2016) No. of models 10 (excluding vehicles made under licence, e.g. 206, 405 – Iran Khodro)

Mr. Jean-Christophe Luchhi, head of TCO and residual values

An interesting year... t has been an interesting year for Peugeot and the PSA Group in general, after a record 2016, which saw the Group earn record profits of nearly double that of 2015 – an increase of 92% to €1.73bn (£1.53bn). Using this large amount of capital, PSA Group invested by way of the purchase of Opel/Vauxhall in a €2.2bn deal. The purchase included recently launched electrified Chevrolet-based cars, the Opel Ampera and Ampera-e, which could help move plug-in technology to PSA Group cars sooner than 2019, when the company originally planned to do so. Opel announced at the Frankfurt motor show that its Grandland X crossover will be offered with a plug-in hybrid and is based on a shared platform with the Peugeot 3008.

PSA Group’s self-titled, ‘Push to Pass’ – the company’s aim to turnaround to profitable and sustainable growth by 2021 – has clearly been working. For Peugeot, the objective was to move the brand more upmarket and become the “best high-end generalist brand”.

Worldwide, cornerstone vehicles include the 3008, which had sold 58,543 units

by H1 2016 and by H1 2017 had sold 105,076 units – a rise of 79.5%. Similarly, sales of the crossover 5008 rose from 16,496 (H1 2016 results) to 21,918 (H1 2017), after the launch in H1 2017. Another popular crossover in worldwide territories, the 4008 – only available in select markets and based on the Citroën C4 Aircross – climbed to 21,112 sales H1 2017, an increase of 1,375.3%.

In the city and small car categories, the 108 sold 31,018 and the 208 171,671 units in H1 2017 results, while the refreshed in 2016 2008 model sold similarly with 120,284 units. However, sales of all three vehicles were down on their H1 2016 results.

Remaining important to the brand and sold under licence are the 206 and 405, sold in Egypt and Iran, which number 86,064 and 121,869 respectively, in H1 2017 results, and together account for nearly a fifth of overall Peugeot global H1 sales of 871,325 (excluding van sales).

Moving into H2 2017 in Europe, Peugeot expects demand to increase for the 308, which is due a mid-life refresh, while the company plans to ramp up sales of the 5008.

In China & SE Asia, following an extended partnership with Changan, sales of the Peugeot 4008 and 5008 are planned to increase. For Eurasian markets, where Peugeot has enjoyed +37% growth, the 3008 commercial launch is due in Russia and Ukraine.

Meanwhile, in the Middle East and Africa, Peugeot’s H2 2017 plans include the launch of the Peugeot 2008 in Iran and a Peugeot Pick-up launch in Q3. The company is aiming for 700,000 sales in the region by 2021.

I

Peugeot Global sales, by territory Territory China & SE Asia Eurasia Latin America Europe Other markets Total

2015 412,271 6,538 99,261 1,056,103 135,550 1,709,723

2016 351,904 5,626 122,639 1,102,230 337,061 1,919,460

% change -14.6 -13.9 +23.6 +4.4 +248.7 +12.3

How is the diesel market share standing up for leasing customers?

Diesel is still the preferred energy for leasing customers, because it remains more TCO effective for customers driving more than 20,000km/year. Nevertheless we are observing a switch towards petrol engines on specific segments (B, B-SUV and C segments) mostly in northern Europe. Leasing companies are pushing in order to convince B2B customer to switch to Petrol and/or alternative energies.

What are the implications of electrification for PSA fleets?

Electrification is an opportunity for PSA fleets. Our 100% electric vehicles (Peugeot iOn, Peugeot Partner, Citroën C-Zero and Citroën Berlingo) are allowing PSA to retain and conquest new customers in the public sector, in sectors such as energy, environment and new mobility solutions.

With the recent purchase of Opel/Vauxhall, how will the company's fleet operations be integrated into PSA? It is still too early to answer this.

Mr. Philippe Belorgey, Free2Move Lease CEO How is Free2Move Lease being developed across Europe?

F2ML has been launched and is operating in France, the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy. F2ML aims at completing its European footprint by the end of 2018. The expansion to key PSA Group markets outside Europe is also being studied.

Are there plans to integrate Opel/Vauxhall leasing operations into Free2Move Lease?

As the takeover of the GMF entities by Banque PSA Finance / BNP Paribas Personal Finance is not completed yet, it is impossible to make any comment at this stage on this subject.

→

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PROFILE_Peugeot_IFW_Oct17.qxp 25/09/2017 15:37 Page 3

PROFILE Peugeot

→

Where

Manufacturing plant locations

are they made?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Europe 108 – Kolin, Czech Republic 208 – Trnava, Slovak Republic & Poissy, France 2008 – Mulhouse, France 508/5008 – Rennes, France 308/3008 – Sochaux, France Expert/Traveller – Sevel Nord, France Partner – Vigo, Spain Boxer – Sevel Sud, Italy

FIN T

6 1

4 5

2

3

7

Beyond 2017

fleet in numbers

160 Number of countries Peugeot is present in.

1810 The year Peugeot was created.

308 The car that became Peugeot’s bestseller.

34 / internationalfleetworld.com

he PSA Group, including Peugeot, Citroën and DS, is trying to shake its old image by moving with the times and adapting to a new era of car sales, where infrequent car purchases are turned into transport subscribers.

The company hopes to do this via its Free2Move service, which they hope to become the goto portal where customers share cars in a rental-like situation, rather than own them outright.

Free2Move (F2M) aims to have 36m car sharing users worldwide by 2025 and addresses business-to-consumer and business-to-business customers alike. The freeto-download app enables users to see where nearby vehicles from various car-sharing providers are, compare technical details and options and simply make a reservation to use it. At end 2016, the platform operated 22 mobility providers across 16 cities in five countries to 150,000 users. By end 2017, F2M expects to have 569k global users.

For fleets, there’s Free2Move Lease (F2ML) where managers can choose their leased cars from a wide array of vehicles, along with packaged services and reduce their cars’ total cost of ownership and be better able to schedule maintenance operations, while streamlining the cars’ usage by corporate staff.

Key benefits, says Peugeot, include the ability to manage monthly outgoings and fix monthly rentals without the burden of depreciation. Fleets can also operate flexible contract lengths of between 18–48 months, or annual mileages and reclaim some, or all tax on rentals (for VAT registered companies) in addition to vehicle disposal no longer being necessary. Indications are that the plan is working, with 400,000 vehicles under F2ML agreements and a +21% revenue growth rate between 2015-2016.

Electrification will also play an important role for the company, with statements made in 2016 indicating two C & D segment plug-in hybrids from 2019, and B & C segment battery-electric vehicles from 2019. PSA Group plan 80% of core models across all brands to be electrified by 2023. At the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, Peugeot’s show car was the Instinct concept that hinted at the company’s new design direction and included possible future autonomous technology.

In 2015, PSA Group and China’s Dongfeng Motor Group laid plans to co-develop the, ‘Common Modular Platform’ (CMP); a vehicle architecture that supports low-carbon technology on B and C segment vehicles, for prospective launch in 2020. Dongfeng owns 14% of PSA Group, while the French government owns a further 13.7% share, which it bought in 2014. In addition, Peugeot is keen to integrate autonomous vehicle driver aids, including Highway Integrated Assist in 2017 and full ‘hands off’ autonomy from 2020.

After a 25-year official absence in the North American market, PSA Group has plans to re-enter the market there using tools including F2ML. In February 2017, the Group bought car-sharing service TravelCar in a $16m (£11m) deal. The company says this is the first step in a 10-year plan to progressively re-enter North America.

PROFILE_Peugeot_IFW_Oct17.qxp 25/09/2017 15:38 Page 4

PEUGEOT fleet model range

iOn

108

Variants: 5dr hatch Markets: Europe.

Fuel: N/A (electric) CO2: 0g/km

Variants: 3/5dr hatch Markets: Europe, Africa.

Fuel: 4.1-4.3l/100km CO2: 95-99g/km

208

301

308/408

Variants: 3/5dr hatch Markets: Global.

Fuel: 3.0-5.6l/100km CO2: 79-129g/km

Variants: 4dr sedan Markets: Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America.

Fuel: 4.1-6.4l/100km CO2: 109-148g/km

Variants: 5dr hatch/4dr sedan Markets: Europe, South America.

Fuel: 4.9-7.1l/100km CO2: 129-165g/km

308/408 (new)

508

Variants: 5dr hatch/ 4dr sedan, wagon Markets: Global.

Fuel: 3.1-6.6l/100km CO2: 82-155g/km

Variants: 4dr sedan, wagon Markets: Europe, Asia, Africa, S. America, Oceania.

Fuel: 3.7-7.1l/100km CO2: 96-117g/km

2008

3008/4008

5008

Variants: Crossover Markets: Europe, Asia, Africa, South America.

Fuel: 3.5-6.5l/100km CO2: 90-150g/km

Variants: Crossover Markets: Europe, Asia, Africa, S.America, Oceania Fuel: 3.8-7.3l/100km CO2: 100-165g/km

Variants: Crossover Markets: Europe, Asia, Africa Fuel: 4.1-6.1l/100km CO2: 106-140g/km

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REVIEW_Frankfurt_IFW_Oct17.qxp 25/09/2017 13:52 Page 1

REVIEW Frankfurt Motor Show 2017

Delights from Deutschland The German international auto show was largely dominated by alternative-fuelled vehicles, but there were still plenty of new ‘traditional’ models on show. John Challen picks out the highlights...

Honda’s first EV for Europe Honda announced it would launch its first European-market electric car in 2019, with near-future product plans suggesting diesel is being phased out of its product range.

Star of the stand – and the show, for many visitors – was the Urban EV concept, a production version of which will launch in 2019. The concept is slightly shorter end-to-end than a Jazz supermini, with a retro design featuring hints of the first-generation Civic, and the boxy City hatchback sold in the 1980s. It features rear-hinged doors and a charging port located on the bonnet.

Honda has not revealed details of the battery or motor but said at this year’s Geneva Motor Show – when it revealed its future electric plans – that its electric powertrain development will include a high-density, lightweight battery pack, integrated heat management and the evolution of energy transfer functions.

The Urban EV broke cover alongside the CR-V Hybrid prototype, its first hybrid SUV, which will launch next year. Far from a niche model, the CR-V Hybrid will replace the most popular 1.6-litre diesel engine in Europe, meaning the Civic will soon be the only Honda offered with a diesel engine.

36 / internationalfleetworld.com

The i family set to grow at BMW BMW’s third i brand model will join the carmaker’s line-up in 2021 in the form of a fully electric four-door Gran Coupé. The carmaker revealed its i Vision Dynamics concept at Frankfurt, previewing how a future production – and presumably titled – ‘i5’ could look.

The car will sit between the i3 and i8 – and has been heralded by chairman Harald Krüger as a “significant milestone in our roadmap for e-mobility” and “a vision we want to realise in the foreseeable future”.

Featuring the brand’s fifth-generation battery-electric system, the i Vision Dynamics concept offers a range of 600km, a top speed of over 200km/h and acceleration of 0-100km/h in four seconds.

BMW also revealed its updated i3, which brings a range-topping i3S that uses a 33kWh 94Ah battery and higher-output 184hp motor to bring power and torque levels up to 40% higher than the standard version.

REVIEW_Frankfurt_IFW_Oct17.qxp 25/09/2017 13:53 Page 2

Opel confirms first plug-in hybrid

Ford reveals refreshed EcoSport

Opel will offer a plug-in hybrid drivetrain in the Grandland X crossover, using PSA Group technology and suggesting sister brands Peugeot, Citroen and DS could offer similar products in the near future.

Announced by newly-appointed Opel CEO, Michael Lohscheller, the Grandland X – the brand’s first competitor in the Qashqai-sized crossover segment – launches this autumn, based on a platform shared with the Peugeot 3008. It’s the result of a technical partnership which dates back to 2012, rather than PSA’s recent acquisition of the two brands.

Although details are limited, the plug-in hybrid version is likely to use PSA’s plug-in hybrid drivetrain technology, which is due to debut in 2019. This will offer an electric range of 60km, and 40% fuel efficiency improvements compared to a (gasoline) combustion engine.

Ford’s EcoSport baby SUV has been given a further facelift, introducing intelligent all-wheel drive and a new diesel engine as well as revised exterior and interior styling and enhanced connectivity technology.

The latest iteration of the Fiesta-based crossover gets a new 124hp 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel engine from mid-2018, married up with Ford Intelligent All Wheel Drive and a six-speed manual gearbox. However, from launch the engine line-up will cover Ford’s 99bhp 1.5-litre TDCi diesel combined with front-wheel drive and all-new six-speed manual gearbox along with the 1.0litre EcoBoost petrol in 138hp and 123hp formats – a new 99hp version of the EcoBoost also joins in mid-2018.

Chery targets European fleets with plug-in SUV

More powerful hybrids planned by Toyota

Chinese carmaker Chery has revealed the first of its European-market products, a crossover with hybrid and electric powertrains which will target fleet and retail customers across the region.

With a design and R&D centre in Europe, the carmaker is planning a market launch “within the next few years”, selling a line of cars and SUVs under the Exeed brand. The first of these is a Qashqai-sized crossover, called the TX, shown in Germany.

The TX will be offered with hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric drivetrains, possibly in addition to a small turbocharged petrol engine. The PHEV will be the first to launch, combining a 150hp 1.5-litre petrol engine with an 115hp electric motor, driving all four wheels and enabling a 6.0-second sprint to 100kph.

Fully charged, which takes four hours from a domestic supply, the TX offers an electric range of 70km, while rapid charging enables 80% of that range to be restored in around half an hour.

Toyota revealed its Toyota C-HR HyPower concept previewing the possibility of a higher-powered hybrid system for its 1.8-litre petrol-electric hybrid coupe-crossover, although actual figures and timelines were not announced.

Introducing the concept, Dr Johan Van Zyl, president and CEO, Toyota Motor Europe, said customer feedback had highlighted an opportunity to introduce a higher-performance hybrid powertrain, alongside the 1.8-litre unit also seen in the Prius.

The move would see the current setup become focused on efficiency and fuel economy, with a new offering building on this with more power and dynamic driving, with further details to be announced next year.

Toyota’s stand at Frankfurt also uncovered the facelifted Land Cruiser, which brings updated design and new safety and infotainment technology.

Kia unveils new European models Kia unveiled the production Kia Stonic compact SUV, Picanto X-Line, upgraded Sorento and Proceed Concept in Frankfurt.

Stonic is seen as an important model for the company in Europe’s fastest-growing vehicle segment. Highlights of the new car include a paint finish available in up to 20 two-tone colour combinations, with a choice of five distinctive colours for the roof. Colour choices continue into the cabin, offering a vast range of configurations and personalisation.

The car is powered by a range of lightweight petrol and diesel engines, each paired with a manual transmission, maximising driver engagement and efficiency.

Elsewhere on the Kia stand, the Picanto X-Line made its public debut.

The crossover-inspired Picanto X-Line is inspired from Kia’s crossover and SUV model lines, the company says. The design sports a 15mm raised ground clearance and multiple colour options.

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ROAD_IFW_VW_Polo_Oct17.qxp 25/09/2017 14:03 Page 1

Volkswagen Polo The Polo does so much, so well, that it could tempt buyers out of the Golf, reckons Alex Grant.

SECTOR Supermini PRICE €13,000-€20,000 FUEL 4.4-4.8l/100km* CO2 101-110g/km* *petrol only

olkswagen was an early contender in the supermini class with the first Polo. Launched in 1975, as it was moving from Beetle-derived products to modern water-cooled engines and technology, from Audi subsidiary NSU, it’s now a segment stalwart. More than 14 million Polos have sold worldwide since.

The Tiguan and Passat are bigger players in fleet, but the Polo is Volkswagen’s second biggest-selling car overall, despite being part of what’s become a much broader product range. This sixth-generation car arrives at the end of the year, only a few months after an all-new version of its longrunning rival, the Ford Fiesta.

For the first time, the Polo is on the same platform as the Golf, albeit a downsized version. It’s just over the segment norm of four metres from bumper to bumper, but with a wheelbase only 20mm shorter than the last-generation Golf, discontinued just five years ago.

With no three-door version, entry-level pricing has shifted up slightly between generations, starting at just under €13,000 in Germany, though Volkswagen claims equivalent it’s the most efficient of the three, when fitted with a fiveversions are actually cheaper this time. Trim levels are familspeed manual transmission. iar from the old one, with demand weighted towards the Diesel versions are less popular in the Polo than they are mid-spec Comfortline in most markets. The in the Golf. Volkswagen will offer two 1.6-litre sporty-looking R-Line, and Beats edition with TDIs in the new car, with 80hp or 95hp. It’s an FLEET FACT a high-powered audio system, are both offered engine that’s prone to emitting a dull mechaniwith a range of engines, while the 200hp GTI cal drone, and doesn’t suit this car as well as the version will follow at the end of the year.

The first five-door livelier, better isolated and significantly quieter Perhaps a sign of the times, the Polo is petrols. For those who want diesel, it’s due Polo launched in launching with a choice of three 1.0-litre threeshortly after launch, alongside the GTI, a 150hp 1995; it’s now the cylinder petrol engines, producing 65hp, 75hp 1.5-litre TSI petrol and a 115hp 1.0-litre TSI only bodystyle. and 95hp, the most powerful of which is the that, based on our experience with the latest likely best-seller in most markets, and the only Ibiza, will be a fantastic fit in the Polo. one offered with a DSG transmission. It’s a responsive and Expanding dimensions aside, it’s become every bit the remarkably quiet engine with barely any vibration through downsized Golf. Head, leg and shoulder room are impresthe cabin, even under load and while idling, and on paper sive, particularly in the back, and the boot capacity matches the Mk6 Golf, with a long, wide floor that drops into a hidden compartment or extends over flat-folding rear seats. Lowspeed ride quality and high-speed refinement are on par with cars in the class above, but without numbing its compact agility.

But it’s cabin quality that really sets this car apart from the competition. Precise lines, consistent use of materials, and the contrasting panel that runs across the dashboard all offer a feeling of premium-class attention to detail, without needing to opt for top trim levels. That’s also true of the infotainment; a 6.5-inch touchscreen is standard, while glassfronted 8.0-inch versions (with or without navigation) come in on higher trims, and the digital instrument cluster – as offered on the Golf – is a segment first.

So, just as Volkswagen makes noises about growing its SUV line-up and moving into electric mobility, the Polo is a well-established name that’s become a star in the range.

The new Polo is easily good enough to question a need for anything bigger.

V

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ROAD_IFW_VW_Polo_Oct17.qxp 25/09/2017 14:32 Page 2

what we think The Polo feels grown up enough to dissuade some drivers to move up to a Golf, though high-mileage drivers will find a better selection of efficient diesels in the Polo’s larger sibling.

highlights Big-selling 95hp 1.0 TSI offers CO2 emissions from 101g/km.

Generous occupant and cargo capacity.

Touchscreen infotainment across the range.

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ROAD_IFW_Smart_ForFour_Oct17.qxp_Layout 1 25/09/2017 14:00 Page 1

Smart ForFour Electric Drive Smart’s first four-seat EV is clever, but compromised, says Alex Grant.

SECTOR City Car PRICE €22,500-€24,500 RANGE 160km (NEDC) CO2 0g/km

17.6kWh battery beneath the cabin, now developed inhe pace of evolution in electric vehicles is unlike any house rather than sourced through Tesla, as the old one was. other part of the market. Less than a decade ago, There’s no loss of load space, aside from the bags of chargmost were either low-volume, hand-built cars, or ing cables, while the folding passenger seat and clever rotatquirky short-range city runabouts. As battery ranges have ing rear bench are carried over from the petrol ForFour. grown, and vehicle choice has expanded, they’ve become With more power than the larger Renault ZOE, it’s also less extraordinary to live with, and less extraordinary to quite quick. Turning circles, though wider than the petrol look at, too. Which can only be a good thing. version, are still incredibly tight and, with instant torque That’s even true of the Smart line-up, though it might not and only 1,200kg to move around, it’s suited to darting look that way at first. The third generation of the Daimler through city traffic. But pick options subsidiary’s electric offering is now carefully; large wheels give a particularly available with four seats as well as two, firm ride around town, and produce lots for example. It’s more powerful, travels of road roar at motorway speeds, which a little further between charging stops, is more noticeable without engine noise and although the lurid green panels are to drown it out. still optional, there’s a choice of more On the downside, it’s easy to spot sedate colour schemes available for cost-cutting measures. Digital radio is those who don’t want to shout about optional, the steering column doesn’t their eco credentials. adjust for rake or reach (unlike the In theory, city cars are ideal for elecpetrol ForFour) and charging speeds trification, at least with the constraints are low. Rapid charging is arguably a of today’s battery technology, as they luxury with a small battery, but not cover mainly short trips in areas of poor having it confines this car to short trips air quality. But those constraints also while its key rival, the Volkswagen E-Up, include a price penalty, which curbs the isn’t. A typical range of around 80-90 financial sense it can make to opt out of A clever city car that miles, replenished in three hours, may a petrol version. That’s likely to be a seems ideal for electric limit its appeal. contributing factor behind the Renault power, but the cost of Which makes this a bit of an oddity.

Twingo not being offered in Z.E. guise, the technology makes it The ForFour feels well suited to urban while the platform-shared Smart prodexpensive and more of businesses needing a short-distance ucts can absorb it into a premium-brand runaround, and perhaps for greenprice tag. The ForFour is expensive an environmental stateminded company car drivers or couriers. among its peers, this is even more so. ment than a sensible But, as clever as it is, there are more It’s a neat conversion; the 82hp motor business choice. versatile options for those looking to is under the boot and drives the rear switch to electric motoring. wheels, supplied with energy from a

T

what we think

40 / internationalfleetworld.com

ROAD_IFW_Audi A4_Oct17.qxp_Layout 1 25/09/2017 13:56 Page 1

Audi A4 Allroad Quattro Audi’s lifestyle estate has never made more sense for fleets, reckons Alex Grant.

SECTOR Compact Executive PRICE €44,000-€56,000 FUEL 4.9-6.5l/100km CO2 127-148g/km

lmost 20 years since the first A6 Allroad, and eight big-seller with fleets, though, consuming 4.9l/100km with since it joined the last A4 Avant range, Audi’s rugged either the six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG transmislifestyle estate is a familiar product. One updated sion. As in any other A4, it’s quick, incredibly quiet and emits almost so subtly in its latest guise, that it would be easy to barely any vibrations through the cabin, while there’s no miss the technological strides now making this a much more noticeable loss of performance from the added weight and useful business tool. resistance of the all-wheel drive system. It can even use naviIt’s starting from great foundations; the new A4 is larger gation data to pre-plan coasting opportunities to save fuel. but lighter than its predecessor, much better to drive and However, diesel versions aren’t available with the new partsets the standard for cabin materials in its class. There’s time Quattro system yet. This monitors road conditions and more room for passengers, a bigger boot driver behaviour to either pre-emptively with a one-metre square load floor, and a engage four-wheel drive, or to respond to rear bench that folds in three sections a sudden loss of grip. For the rest of the using switches just inside the tailgate. journey, it can separately disengage the The Allroad Quattro is an SUV alterrear differential and propshaft and run in native for those with occasional offtwo-wheel drive to save fuel, especially road needs. Beneath its flared arches, useful for economical highway cruising. larger-diameter wheels and raised Instead, diesel engines are paired with suspension, which lifts the A4 34mm a permanent Quattro system, which further from the ground, under-body splits the power 60:40 in favour of the cladding shields vulnerable parts from front but can also shift up to 85% to the rocks and bumps, and an off-road mode rear, or 70% to the front, depending on sets the chassis and drivetrain to cope the available grip. Paired with a with low-grip surfaces. If that’s all a bit lightweight new multi-link suspension too aggressive and SUV-like, the protecsetup, and wider front and rear tracks, tive arch-flares can be colour-coded, the handling hasn’t been blunted by the Diesel versions would though that defeats the point. raised ride height, nor has Audi needed benefit from Audi’s There are five engines to choose from; to use overly firm springs and dampers more efficient Quattro the familiar 2.0-litre TDI producing 150hp to curb body roll. system, but the Allroad or 190hp, a 3.0-litre TDI with 218hp or All of that means the A4 Allroad Quatis a versatile alternative 272hp, and a 252hp 2.0-litre TFSI petrol. tro builds on all of the standard car’s best All include four-wheel drive, and even the points; it’s quiet, powerful and sureto a brash SUV for most powerful diesel emits 139g/km CO2 footed on road, with the right hardware to drivers needing the on its smallest wheels, while offering a keep drivers moving when conditions are extra traction. towing capacity of up to 2.1 tonnes. more challenging. A familiar offer, but now It’s the 190hp diesel that’s the likely better for businesses than it’s ever been.

A

what we think

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ROAD_IFW_Skoda_Octavia_Oct17.qxp_Layout 1 25/09/2017 15:51 Page 1

Skoda Octavia Scout The Scout is a fantastic all-rounder, but with a looming threat, explains Alex Grant.

SECTOR Lower Medium PRICE €33,000-€37,000 FUEL 5.0-6.8l/100km CO2 130-158g/km

As appealing as it might be with its most powerful engines igh on value and packed full of flexibility, Skoda’s – the high-powered diesel is shared with the vRS – the 150hp Octavia is far from short of talents. But, as if that list TDI is the most versatile option. It’s the only one available with isn’t quite long enough, the Scout lets it take your a manual transmission as well as the DSG automatic, and offers business off-road too. both the lowest fuel consumption and highest towing capabilThe popularity of crossovers means the line between ity of the line-up. With a wide spread of pulling power, barely wagons and SUVs are increasingly blurred, but this falls any engine noise and fuel consumption of around 5.6l/100km closer to the latter than you might expect. There’s no frontwhile cruising, anything more seems unnecessary. wheel drive version, unlike Skoda’s forthcoming Karoq In addition to styling upgrades, the 2017 facelift adds an crossover, while the additional body cladding is paired with 8.0-inch touchscreen navigation system, reduced overhangs and a ‘Rough Road’ and unique half-leather, half-alcantara package shielding vulnerable compoupholstery is optional. The Scout’s long nents underneath. wheelbase and sophisticated rear axle Most of the upgrades are hidden. The mean ride quality is very high, even on Scout gets 30mm extra ground clearance relatively large wheels, and there’s no and the same multi-link rear axle usually noticeable increase in body roll with the only used on the sporty vRS, now with a raised ride height. Cabin space is in line slightly wider track to aid stability. A with the segment above. specific off-road driving mode means it As is its ability to move large objects. can tailor on-board systems to suit loose The Scout still offers a metre-square load surfaces, while the XDS+ electronic area in the boot, with a wide tailgate and differential is the same technology found 610-litre capacity beneath the load cover, in the Golf R, shifting power to the wheels unaffected by packaging four-wheel drive with the most grip. It might look like a components underneath. Those who wagon, but some small crossovers can’t need to tow can also add Trailer Assist as go as far off road as this can.

The Scout offers an option, which offers more intuitive Most markets will get a choice of three useful off-road ability control of steering manoeuvres via the engines; a pair of 2.0-litre TDIs with without compromismirror adjuster knob.

150hp or 184hp, and a 1.8-litre TSI with ing on the Octavia’s The Scout has an impressive set of 180hp. All diesel versions consume best points. But SUV talents but it faces the same problem as 4.7l/100km or less at highway speeds, most other Combis, that it’s not quite and the Scout gets a 55-litre fuel tank styling will probably where the demand lies. With the (compared to 50-litres for two-wheel give the Karoq Qashqai-sized Karoq crossover on the drive models) which means those with broader appeal. way, its biggest threat may come from only occasional off-road needs won’t find just across the showroom. themselves filling up all the time.

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what we think

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

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EV Fleet World

Driving up expectations.

Hyundai H350 Meet the light commercial that’s been engineered to exceed expectations – not only on the road, but also on your balance sheet. It combines car-like comfort with business-like efficiency, and smart technologies that deliver high levels of safety, stability and convenience. Five loaded Euro pallets can be accommodated. The 2.5 l CRDi powertrain with SCR technology features our selectable Active ECO drive mode that further optimises fuel efficiency. And there’s the reassurance of the flexible warranty system that allows you to choose the warranty that best fits your business model: either a 3-year unlimited or 5-year/200,000 km mileage warranty.

Discover more at Hyundai.com/eu

Combined fuel consumption for H350 van range: 7.8–8.7 l/100 km. Combined CO2 emissions for H350 van range: 205–231 g/km. The Hyundai 3-year unlimited or 5-year/200,000 km mileage warranty applies only to Hyundai vehicles that have been originally sold by an authorized Hyundai dealer to an end consumer and as set out in the terms and conditions of the warranty booklet.