EMISSION-CHEAT CHECKS FOR LORRIES The DVSA has become routinely checking lorries they stop at the roadside for emissions cheating. Commercial GreenFleet looks at the scale of the problem and what the penalties are
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FORD TRANSIT 290 BASE L2 H2 ECOBLUE 2.0 TDCi (105PS) FWD. FROM £221 PER MONTH OVER 4 YEARS ON FORD CONTRACT HIRE FROM FORD LEASE. ADVANCE OF 6 MONTHLY RENTALS. BUSINESS USERS ONLY. TO FIND OUT MORE, VISIT FORD.CO.UK Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Ford Transit 290 Base L2 H2 EcoBlue 2.0 TDCi (105PS) FWD shown: urban 37.2 (7.6), extra urban 43.5 (6.5), combined 40.9 (6.9). Official CO2 emission 180g/km.
The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results (EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008), are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience. Finance subject to status. Guarantees/indemnities may be required. You will not own the vehicle at the end of the agreement. Examples exclude VAT and are based on 48 month non-maintained agreements, profile 6+47 payment in advance of 6 monthly rentals, followed by 47 monthly rentals, with a mileage of 10,000 miles per annum. Vehicles must be returned in good condition and within agreed mileage, otherwise further charges will be incurred. Prices correct at time of going to print and are subject to change without notice. Subject to availability at a Ford Authorised UK Dealer for vehicles with finance accepted and vehicle contracted between 1st July and 30th September 2018, and vehicle registered between 1st July 2018 and 31st March 2019. Not available with any other promotion. Ford Lease is provided by ALD Automotive Ltd, trading as Ford Lease, BS16 7LB.
Commercial Vehicle News
FREIGHT TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION
ELECTRIC VANS
Renault donates seven Kangoo Z.Es to London’s Felix Project
Why Southampton’s Clean Air Zone will damage local businesses
Becki Kite, environment policy manager, FTA
London-based charity the Felix Project, which collects food from suppliers and donates then to charities providing for the vulnerable, has grown its electric van fleet with the addition of seven all-electric Kangoo Z.E.s donated by Renault. The development strengthens the partnership between the manufacturer and The Felix Project, which was established in November 2017 with the initial donation of a single Kangoo Z.E. The additional vans will grow the charity’s fleet by more than 50 per cent, enabling it to significantly increase the 20 tonnes of food they currently deliver each week. This is food which is fresh yet cannot be sold for a number of
reasons, that they collect from supermarkets, wholesalers and other suppliers, and distribute free of charge to around 200 charities and schools throughout London. In turn, these organisations then provide meals, snacks or food parcels to those in need. All of the vans will initially be based at the Felix Project’s central London operation. Vehicles that are already in-use in the depot will be allocated to the charity’s other sites with the result that the central operation’s distribution and collection service will be 100 per cent electric. READ MORE TINYURL.COM/Y75U5KPF
TRIALS
LEVC will trial its new vans with customers next year LEVC (London EV Company) has announced that it will trial with its new electric van in London with potential customers in the second half of 2019. The business is currently in discussion with a number of major public-sector fleets about joining the trials of prototype vehicles, including the Metropolitan Police Service and the London Fire Brigade. Earlier this year LEVC, who currently manufactures the TX electric taxi, announced it would be entering the van market with a zeroemission capable product.
Like the taxi, the van will combine a fully electric powertrain with an economical petrol range-extender. LEVC have previously announced that this product is not intended for “last-mile delivery” and will instead focus on fleets where vehicles undertake demanding duty cycles – for example, travel over 100 miles a day. This is a segment currently dominated by 1 tonne medium sized diesel vans.
READ MORE TINYURL.COM/YAYM37S4
Much has been heard in recent months about the introduction of Clean Air Zones around the country, with plans to bring them into action during 2019. As part of the programme of introduction, Southampton City Council ran a public consultation on its outline plan, which received over 3,500 responses by the time it closed on 13 September.
The Council’s preferred option called for the introduction of a formal class B charging CAZ, with a boundary covering the whole of Southampton city area. Entry standards for the zone will be set at Euro VI for diesel and Euro V for petrol and applies to buses, coaches, taxis and HGVs, with all non-compliant vehicles receiving a charge upon entering the zone. This option is expected to deliver compliance within the shortest time possible and provide the highest total reduction in NO2 concentrations. Therefore, it is likely to deliver the greatest benefits to public health. However, the area specified is much larger than the logistics industry had anticipated and consequently it will bring many businesses and operations into its scope; this will significantly increase the cost to them of operating in the region. And as access to the port comes under the zone, it also could force businesses to consider relocation to operate at a different port – one free from CAZ charges. While Southampton City Council has included an exemption for operators travelling into the zone to access test facilities, this ruling only applies to the first and second journeys per calendar year which will not be sufficient for logistics operators – HGVs test cycles have a higher frequency than this. FTA has requested the council provides vehicles with an exemption route. Harmonisation across CAZs is vital to allow industry as much lead time as possible to ensure its fleet is compliant or to make alternative arrangements. Lead times on the purchase of Euro VI trucks can be as long as 12 months. And for vehicles requiring after-market alterations and fitment of additional equipment, this lead time is likely to be significantly longer. Delaying the proposed start date of October 2019 until October 2020 would synchronise the scheme with the confirmed start date of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone and the Direct Vision Standard in London. FTA has also requested the daily charge for HGVs accessing the Southampton zone be set at £50, matching the figure already set by Leeds City Council. Southampton City Council must submit its full business case to the Secretary of State by October 2018; FTA will continue to follow the outcomes of its consultation. The outcome of this submission could be far reaching for other cities, and the businesses which facilitate trade within their boundaries. FURTHER INFORMATION www.fta.co.uk / www.lers.org.uk
Volume 117 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE
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Commercial Vehicle News
Locity
The latest from LoCITY, TfL’s low-emission commercial vehicle programme It’s been a busy month at LoCITY getting out and about. Our warmly received third annual conference took place at Kempton Park Racecourse and celebrated reaching the James Smith, halfway mark of our five programme year programme. We’ve manager, LoCITY made good progress but are always looking to recruit new commercial members, so if you are organising an event or are interested in joining then get in touch with us at locity@tfl.gov.uk or find us on LinkedIn. With over 300 people in attendance at Kempton Park it was great to see so many new faces. Thanks to Greenfleet, our speakers, exhibitors, and attendees for supporting LoCITY. My personal highlight was the interactive debate which was superbly hosted by LowCVP’s Andy Eastlake and included some lively contributions from the audience, but also the OLEV’s Phil Killingley who outlined the national picture, Thazi Edwards (UKPN) who explained why our electricity network would not be a barrier to success, Mike Foster (NGV) who made sure we understood how important bridging fuels will be for some sectors, and finally Natalie Chapman (FTA) who reiterated the importance of early engagement when introducing new initiatives like clean air zones so SMEs outside the immediate area are well supported. The speaker programme was also packed with content. Our LoCITY senior sponsor, Christina Calderato, presented her vision for the future and launched a new website designed to help answer those ever too familiar misconceptions around new fuel technology – check out www.fuelfacts. locity.org.uk if you want to know more. Glen Davies from The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme celebrated its ten year anniversary by mentioning how they formally recognise operators who take responsibility for their environmental impact – with over 5,000 accredited FORS operators covering 17 countries. LoCITY is now influencing international as well as domestic fleets, which is testament to the reach of the programme in only a few years. Lastly it was encouraging to hear from those successfully testing new technology – Sarah Maxwell from City of London highlighted how much a game changer an electric bin lorry could be for urban emissions. Clean, quiet, and able to double shift on a single charge; is there any excuse not to try it? Watching the huge variety of vehicles being tested during the afternoons ride and drive sessions, including the new LDV minibus, really reinforced why LoCITY was established to help support London push towards zero emission. Reassuringly our vision is shared by businesses in the Capital where Marcus Helliwell outlined IKEA’s goal to become 100% zero emission delivery fleet for London by 2022. We look forward to supporting their progress over the next few years. If you missed our conference then what were you doing? You can still see the presentations at tinyurl.com/y7hnnumh. Next month I’ll be able to report back on our Urban Distribution HGVs roadshow. FURTHER INFORMATION www.locity.org.uk
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DEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT | www.greenfleet.net
DEBUTS
Ford to showcase Transit Custom PHEV at IAA show
Ford will be debuting its Transit Custom plug-in hybrid (PHEV) at the IAA Commercial Vehicle show in Hannover, Germany, from September 20-27. Ford’s Transit Custom PHEV has a hybrid system with a zero-emission range of up to 31 miles, and features the 1.0‑litre EcoBoost petrol engine as a range extender. The EcoBoost engine charges the on-board batteries when longer trips are required between charging stops, giving a total range of more than 300 miles. The Transit PHEV has a compact liquid-cooled lithiumion battery pack located under the load floor so cargo
volume remains the same. The vehicle features the all-new interior design from the latest Transit Custom, including dedicated information displays for the PHEV variant. Also on show will be the Transit with 48-volt mHEV technology which improves fuel efficiency, particularly in stop-start urban driving. The mHEV system captures energy on deceleration in a 48-volt lithium-ion battery, and uses the stored energy to help drive the engine and electrical ancillaries. READ MORE TINYURL.COM/YCTK4V83
ELECTRIC VANS
Sixteen major fleets make the Clean Van Commitment Sixteen of the UK’s largest fleet operators, including Engie, Tesco, Anglian Water, Leeds City Council, Network Rail and Yorkshire Ambulance Service, have pledged to increase their uptake of electric vehicles by signing the Clean Van Commitment. These fleet operators will be investing an initial £40 million over the next two years, purchasing 2,400 electric vans, to signal to manufacturers that the demand is there. The DfT backed Clean Van Commitment, led by Global Action Plan in partnership with Engie, is a collective response from van operators that is creating a clean signal to Government, manufacturers and the National Grid that they are dedicated to immediately delivering zero tailpipe emissions. The Commitment includes two targets. The first target is an immediate commitment to switching a proportion of their
fleet by 2020 of 2,400 vehicles and a longer term commitment to deliver zero tailpipe emissions by 2028 of more than 18,000 vans if sufficient charging infrastructure and competitively priced electric vans are available. This will not only help bring down the price of new electric vans it will stimulate the second hand EV market in four to six years. The companies signed up to Clean Van Commitment are Abel & Cole, Anglian Water, ENGIE, Environment Agency, Gateshead Council, Leeds City Council, London Borough of Hackney, London Borough of Waltham Forest, Network Rail, Northern Gas, Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford Council and Direct Services, Tesco, United Utilities, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Yorkshire Water.
READ MORE TINYURL.COM/YD55SC57
MOBILITY
Better understanding of electric vans needed before clean air plans enforced
New route planned for Ford’s ride sharing shuttle service
According to leasing and fleet management firm Arval, legislators need to take into account the benefits and limitations of electric vans when making decisions about air quality, especially at a local level. Arval believes that electric vans are often considered to have the same type of capabilities as an electric car, but they are very different, given that they have cargo to carry which affects range. If this is not understood properly, fleets could suffer if zero emission zones are implemented. Eddie Parker, LCV Product Manager, explains: “This issue is something that has been especially apparent in recent conversations
around Clean Air Zones. Within these dialogues, electric vans have tended to be talked about in the same breath as electric cars, without any awareness of the payload limitations that are currently inherent in the use of electric light commercial vehicles. “As the industry now realises, these ELCVs lose range very quickly when laden and that makes the applications for which they are suitable quite specific. They are not at the same level of operational practicality as the electric cars with which legislators are probably much more familiar.” Eddie said that this process of education was necessary because of the likelihood that there would be an ongoing drive towards ever cleaner air in cities over the coming years, which could be difficult for fleets. READ MORE TINYURL.COM/YAQDOXHH
Chariot, Ford’s ride-sharing shuttle service, has launched a new London route, which is aimed at connecting companies and employees in areas with limited public transport. Chariot began operating in London earlier this year and is now expanding its focus to serve companies and out-oftown campuses where access by public transport can be difficult. The first new Chariot route is a collaboration between Chariot and sustainable transport group, easitNETWORK. The service
Commercial Vehicle News
AIR QUALITY
is available for commuters travelling between Stockley Park – near to Heathrow Airport on the outskirts of west London – and Hayes & Harlington Station, a major transport hub served by TfL Rail, National Rail and, from next year, the new Elizabeth Line. Chariot also offers a smartphone app that lets bus users book a seat and track their vehicle’s progress in real time.
READ MORE TINYURL.COM/YD4M995D
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Volume 117 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE
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WITH 63 MT LOADS OUR TESTING IS TOUGHER
Road-side checks for lorry emission cheating begins Cheat devices mean a lorry can produce up to 20 times more dangerous emissions. The DVSA has now become routinely checking lorries they stop at the roadside for emissions cheating
Under the Construction and Use Regulations and the Road Traffic Act, it is an offence to use a vehicle on a road which has been modified in such a way that it no longer complies with the air pollutant emissions standards it was designed to meet. From 1 September 2018, examiners from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will now be able to routinely check lorries they stop at the roadside for emissions cheat devices. Those drivers caught with such a device or a faulty emissions control system now have ten days to remove the device and repair their emissions system. If they continue to use a device or fail to repair the system, they can be fined £300 and have their vehicle taken off the road. The DVSA will then carry out a follow-up investigation with the operator and can refer its findings to the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain, who have the power to strip a company of its licence to operate. The DVSA is also working with its counterpart agencies across Europe to make sure that all offences committed by hauliers from outside Great Britain are dealt with in the country they’re based. So what’s the problem? Poor air quality is a major public health crisis, shortening lifespans and worsening conditions such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic heart disease, and strokes. It’s known to have more severe effects on vulnerable groups, for example, the elderly, children and people already suffering from pre-existing lung and heart conditions. Emissions released from road transport, especially from older, polluting diesel vehicles, is a major contributor to air pollution. As such, emissions standards for vehicles have become increasingly stringent. Measures to tackle pollutants involve increasingly complex engine management systems, and use of technologies such as exhaust gas recirculation, catalytic converters, diesel particulate filters and selective catalyst reduction systems. Tampering with such systems can cut operational costs but mean a lorry can produce up to 20 times more dangerous emissions. Gareth Llewellyn, DVSA chief executive, explained: “A vehicle doesn’t have to be falling apart to be unsafe – any driver or operator who uses cheat devices to get around emissions rules is putting the health of the entire nation at risk.” Drivers or operators can cheat emissions by using devices designed to stop control systems from working or removing the diesel particulate filter. Others ways include using cheap, fake emission reduction devices or diesel exhaust fluid, using illegal engine modifications, or removing or bypassing the exhaust gas recirculation valve. TM
Owned or used under license.
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A cheat device can cut operational costs but means a lorry can produce up to 20 times more dangerous emissions The scale of the problem In August and November 2017, DVSA examiners found 293 (out of 3,735) lorries fitted with emissions cheat devices at roadside checks at five locations across Great Britain. Northern Ireland registered vehicles were found to have the highest proportion of vehicles with a cheat device – 20.4 per cent of those inspected, compared to 8.5 per cent registered in Great Britain and 4.9 per cent registered outside of the UK. In total 7.8 per cent of the lorries checks carried some sort of emissions cheat device, the figures revealed. The drivers and operators were given 10 days to fix the emissions system, or face a £300 fine and having the vehicle taken off the road. Increasingly more tranport managers are being penalised for such acts. In March this year, a transport manager from the North West of England was disqualified after fitting AdBlue cheat devices to multiple vehicles on his instructions. In a written decision issued after a public inquiry, the Traffic Commissioner said it was the most serious case of the deployment of AdBlue emulators he had come across so far. He wrote: “The extent of usage in terms of the number of vehicles to which devices have been fitted, coupled with the length of time that the operator was prepared for this state of affairs to continue is alarming.”
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Keeping the public safe Speaking about the DVSA’s role in protecting the public from unsafe vehicles and lorries, Gareth Llewellyn said: “We are committed to taking dangerous lorries off Britain’s roads. Stopping emissions fraud is a vital part of that. “Anyone who flouts the law is putting the quality of our air and the health of vulnerable people, at risk. We won’t hesitate to take action against these drivers, operators and vehicles.” Richard Turfitt, senior traffic commissioner, said: “The Use of these devices threatens to undercut responsible and compliant operators as well as damaging the environment and public health.” “Traffic Commissioners will look to take action wherever an operator seeks an unfair and illegal advantage over the rest of industry.” The crackdown on emssions extends to a new regulation which will give the government powers to fine manufacturers up to £50,000 for every vehicle fitted with emissions cheating equipment. The Road Vehicles (Defeat Device, Fuel Consumption and Type Approval) Regulations were introduced on 1 July 2018. FURTHER INFORMATION www.gov.uk
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DAF LF PURE EXCELLENCE
The number one distribution truck
The LoCITY Conference The LoCITY Annual Conference, delivered by Commercial GreenFleet, gave freight and commercial vehicle operators working in and out of London the latest on air quality policies and information on lowering vehicle emissions London’s ultra-low-emission zone (ULEZ) comes into effect next April and will be expanded up to North and South Circular Roads in 2021. These, as well as other tough measures to improve the captial’s air quality, could affect fleets operating in and out of the area, especially for vans and truck operators, where zero-emission vehicles are not as viable as they are for passenger cars. Transport for London’s LoCITY programme has been designed to support freight operators in London prepare for the changes, and on 5 September, Commercial GreenFleet delivered LoCITY’s annual conference at Kempton Park. Hosted by LowCVP’s Andy Eastlake, delegates heard the latest information on national air quality measures, how London is planning to deliver them, and what support is available for commercial fleets.
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The national picture Phil Killingley, deputy head of the government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) kicked off the presentations, giving information on the government’s Road to Zero objectives, and more specifically, what they intend to do to help freight comply. He said: “What was new about the Road to Zero strategy was the announcement of an interim ambition of 2030, for one in every two cars to be ultra-low-emission, and for 40 per cent of vans to be ULEV. “For HGVs, we did state that our ultimate long term goal is to have zero emission heavy goods vehicles. This might seem like a long way off but there have been some exciting developments; we can see that there is some innovative technology out there to indicate that there is a pathway to that goal. We do however understand that that pathway is not clear as there are a lot of different options.” Transport for London’s Christina Calderato gave an update on the progress the LoCITY programme has made in helping freights and announced the launch of a new website designed to help answer the misconceptions around new fuel technology. Thazi Edwards from UK Power Networks explained the impact of EVs on the electricity network and Natalie Chapman from the Freight Transport Association spoke about the need to consider SMEs operating in and out of London when developing clean air measures. Glen Davies from the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme gave information on the scheme’s progress and next steps. IKEA’s Marcus Helliwell shared the company’s aim to have a zero emission delivery fleet for London by 2022 while Mark Barrett took a session about how LDV’s electric EV80 can help commercial operations become zero emission. There was also a Q&A and debate panel, chaired by LowCVP’s Andy Eastlake, which included Mike Foster from the Energy & Utilities Alliance and NGV Network and Christina Calderato from Transport for London. Exhibitors The LoCITY Conference also included opportunities to test drive the latest cleaner commercial vehicles, as well as chat to the companies supplying the industry. Ford brought its Transit PHEV which has an advanced hybrid system that enables a zero-emission range of 31 miles, and features the multiaward winning Ford EcoBoost 1.0-litre petrol engine as a range extender. Delegates also got to drive LDV’s EV80 zero-emission van, which has a 120-mile range, as well as its tipper variant.
LoCITY Annual Conference exhibitors Alphabet Elmtronics LDV ElectrAssure Iveco Engenie Green-Mopeds Cumberland Platforms Ford BD Auto & Energy Johnstons Sweepers CNG Fuels Autogas
Trakm8 Electra Commercial Vehicles Grosvenor Contracts Leasing Addex Group Certas Energy Tevva Motors Geesinknorba Calor Gas DAF Trucks Mercedes-Benz Trucks/e-Canter
DAF CF PURE EXCELLENCE
Award‑winning versatility
Van and truck manufacturer Iveco, which has sustainability at the core of its products, displayed its electric and gas powered Daily, as well as the Stralis NP. The Mercedes FUSO eCanter, the first 7.5 tonne fully electric truck, was also available. It has a battery capacity of 70 kWh and a range of up to 62 miles. For those looking for range-extended electric trucks, Tevva showcased its range. DAF Trucks had its new XF truck on show, which runs on clean burning HVO (Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil). Those looking for other alterntive fuels could talk to CNG Fuels, the leading operator of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling infrastructure and provider of compressed biomethane (Bio-CNG), as well as Certas Energy, suppliers of Shell GTL. The Electra full electric refuse collection vehicle was also present, as was a selection of road sweepers and small electric utility trucks. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.locity.greenfleet.net
Everything about The New CF is trend setting. From the incredible fuel efficiency that delivers savings of up to 7%, to the outstanding redesign of the vehicle itself – both inside and out. You’ve never seen a better looking truck, nor driven a more comfortable one. We’ve evolved the all‑round and versatile CF from a proven concept to a new benchmark for the industry. No wonder experts awarded it International Truck of the Year 2018. A PACCAR COMPANY DRIVEN BY QUALITY