GreenFleet 110

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ISSUE 110

MOST INFLUENTIAL GreenFleet’s pick of the most influential people that have shaped the low-carbon fleet industry in 2017 INTERVIEW

TOYOTA: BEYOND SUSTAINABLE CARS Toyota’s Jon Hunt shares his thoughts on the green car market

2018 TOP TEN

THE VEHICLES TO WATCH OUT FOR

The low and zero-emission vehicles coming out in 2018

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ISSUE 110

The list is out MOST INFLUENTIAL GreenFleet’s pick of the most influential people that have shaped the low-carbon fleet industry in 2017 INTERVIEW

TOYOTA: BEYOND SUSTAINABLE CARS Toyota’s Jon Hunt shares his thoughts on the green car market

Visit t.tv nflee video e e r g e v ti a rm for info tent on t con tal flee nmen enviro agement man

2018 TOP TEN

THE VEHICLES TO WATCH OUT FOR The low and zero-emission vehicles coming out in 2018

Follow and interact with us on Twitter: @GreenFleetNews

Welcome to the first GreenFleet of 2018, which includes our second list of the 100 Most Influential people in the green fleet industry, looking back over the last twelve months. See page 17 to find out who the new entrants are, the risers and fallers, and who has left.

MOST INFLUENTIAL

Last November I was delighted to go to Toyota’s head office in Epsom to chat to Jon Hunt about his views on the green vehicle market and the company’s sustainability practices and future environmental goals. I was also able to test drive the Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and visit Shell’s hydrogen refuelling station on Cobham services. Read the interview on page 36.

GreenFleet 100 Most Influential: the full list revealed, starting on page 17

I also chatted to Rolec’s Kieron Alsop to find out how the company went from installing electrical distribution systems to the leisure industry to becoming one of the UK’s most well-known electric vehicle charging companies. Read the interview on page 33.

Meanwhile, Richard Gooding filters out the top ten low and zero-emission vehicles making the showrooms this year, test drives the new Alfa Romeo Giulia, and conducts a retro road test of the Honda Insight from 1999, in light of the new version coming out in America later this year.

Angela Pisanu, editor

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PUBLISHED BY PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION LIMITED

226 High Rd, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 Fax: 020 8532 0066 Web: www.psi-media.co.uk EDITOR Angela Pisanu FEATURES AND ROAD TEST EDITOR Richard Gooding EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Andrea Pluck PRODUCTION CONTROL Ella Sawtell PRODUCTION DESIGN Jo Golding WEB PRODUCTION Victoria Casey PUBLISHER George Petrou ACCOUNT MANAGERS Kylie Glover, Dean Cassar ADMINISTRATION Vickie Hopkins REPRODUCTION & PRINT Argent Media

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Volume 110 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Contents

Contents GreenFleet 110 07 News

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Diesel vehicles needed to achieve 2021 CO2 targets, cap hpi warns; APC awards £26m funding for low carbon development projects; BVRLA recommendations to improve air quality

14 2018 top ten vehicles

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GreenFleet filters out the top ten low and zero-emission offerings which should be appearing at a showroom near you in the next 365 days

16 2018 travel predictions

Johan Herrlin, CEO of ITO World shares some thoughts and predictions on how he thinks the world of transport and travel will evolve in the next twelve months In association with

17 GreenFleet 100 Most Influential

This is our pick of the individuals whose efforts have contributed to making the fleet and motoring industry more environmentally-friendly over the past 12 months

33 Rolec interview MOST INFLUENTIAL

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Angela Pisanu chats to Rolec’s Kieron Alsop to find out how he built up Rolec to become one of the most well-known EV charging companies in the UK

34 EV roundtable

When it comes to heavier vans, there is little in the way of alternatives to diesel, making it difficult to make a low or zero-emission choice. Delegates at GreenFleet’s EV roundtable discussed this issue, as well as predictions that the grid might not be able to cope with mass on-peak charging of EVs

36 Toyota interview

Before buying an alternatively-fuelled vehicle, more information needs to be sought than just tailpipe emissions, says Toyota’s Jon Hunt.

Angela Pisanu finds out more

40 Road test: Honda Insight (1999)

With news that a new US version of the hybrid-powered Insight will appear in 2018, Richard Gooding drives the first generation of Honda’s pioneering petrol-electric car

42 Road test: Alfa Romeo Giulia Super 2.2 Turbodiesel 180 Alfa Romeo’s new compact executive sports saloon takes inspiration from its past, but also looks forward towards a more efficient future. Richard Gooding reports

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GreenFleet magazine

www.greenfleet.net Volume 110 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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News ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS

Diesel vehicles needed to achieve 2021 CO2 targets, cap hpi warns Vehicle data expert cap hpi is warning that a clampdown on diesel vehicles could result in the UK missing European environmental targets.

Experts from the company, who have published a new report which looks at the recent issues around diesel, say there is a real danger that the EU’s 2021 environmental targets could be missed if the percentage of diesel vehicles continues to decline on UK roads. The report points out that some of the environmental criticism of diesel vehicles is misguided.

All the countries in the report achieved the

2015 CO2 emission target for cars registered in that year. While France and Italy were below the 130g/km line, the UK is closer, and Germany only cleared the hurdle by 1.4g/km.

Matt Freeman, managing consultant at cap hpi and the report’s author, commented that without continuing sales of diesel engine cars, this target reduction is unachievable: “Hitting the 2021 environmental targets for CO2 reduction would be a significant challenge without the likely decline in diesel. Therefore it is imperative that diesels continue to command a substantial share of the new car marketplace.

“If consumers, with no option of transitioning to hybrid or EVs, switch to petrol the environmental impact is clear – their CO2 emissions would likely rise between three per cent and 23 per cent according to the model.”

Cap hpi predicts that even if consumers decided to change over wholesale to electric cars in the next few years, there is not sufficient manufacturing capacity in place for this to happen.

READ MORE

tinyurl.com/ybrezz69

INFRASTRUCTURE

POLAR network sees the biggest growth for 2017 POLAR added more rapid chargers in 2017 than every other UK-wide public charging network combined, data shows.

The POLAR network, which is operated by Chargemaster, already has more rapid chargers than any other UK charging network, and will continue to expand its provision at pace in 2018. Over 80 per cent of the rapid chargers added to the POLAR network in 2017 were supplied free of charge to site hosts representing private investment of over £1.2 million.

Data from Zap-Map shows that the number of rapid chargers added to the POLAR network in 2017 was more than double the nearest competitor network.

Unlike some networks, all public

rapid chargers on the POLAR network provide the three common charging connectors – CHAdeMO, CCS and Type 2 AC – making them compatible with all rapid charging EVs. As well as more rapid chargers, over 500 fast charging points were added to the POLAR network last year. Chargemaster’s David Martell said: “Over 700 charging points were added to the POLAR network in 2017, and we plan to more than double that figure in 2018. We already have 40,000 users and POLAR will maintain its position as the network of choice for EV drivers in the UK.” READ MORE tinyurl.com/y8s74c66

E-MOBILITY

New VW e-mobility board division announced The Volkswagen brand is strengthening the area of e-mobility and creating a separate Board of Management division for e-mobility. With effect from February 1, 2018, responsibility for the division, which includes the e-mobility series and production of vehicles on the new MEB platform at the future e-mobility plants of the Volkswagen brand throughout the world, is to be assumed by Thomas Ulbrich, previously Board

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of Management Member of the Volkswagen brand responsible for Production and Logistics.

Ulbrich is to be succeeded, also with effect from February 2018, as Board Member for Production by Dr Andreas Tostmann, previously Executive Vice-President for Production of the SEAT brand.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y9f75sta

DEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT | www.greenfleet.net

INFRASTRUCTURE

Source London set to roll out 1,000 new points Source London is planning to install 1,000 new EV charge points across London.

The units are currently ready and waiting to be installed.

The company has signed an agreement with Tower Hamlets to install and operate charge points in the area.

The news comes as part of an announcement from the network stating that it has signed an agreement with its 20th London borough to install and operate charge points in Tower Hamlets.

As reported by Zap Map, BluePointLondon – the company behind Source London – says that it has spent only a quarter of its £100 million budget, allocated to overhaul the city’s EV charging infrastructure.

Part of that expenditure going forward is to install the 1,000

charge points currently stored in a warehouse in Ealing.

Christophe Arnaud, Managing Director, said: “Source London continues to be London’s leading charging network and we are extremely pleased to be working with 20 boroughs across London. Nevertheless, we are still far behind other capitals and witness daily the appetite of Londoners for electric vehicles.

“Providing them with the right infrastructure is essential and only an immediate collaborative effort from all of London’s local authorities will enable us to find the best possible locations for the 1,000 points we have waiting in storage.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y9ydjr3v

News

RESEARCH

APC awards £26m funding for low carbon development projects More than £26 million funding has been awarded as part of plans to develop new low carbon powertrain technologies.

The money is being invested by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), in association with Innovate UK, to three UK-based consortia for low carbon projects.

Led by Ford, GKN and Jaguar Land Rover, the projects will deliver competitive e-machine manufacturing capability, re-skilling of workforces and a stronger supply chain capable of producing the next generation of vehicles here in the UK. The projects, which are worth £53 million and include the grant funding through the APC, are forecast to save more than 11 million tonnes of CO2.

Each will focus on developing the UK’s e-mobility capabilities, from developing electric powertrain components to advanced manufacturing processes for EV components.

One of the projects is led

by Ford’s UK based Global Manufacturing Engineering team and will focus on working with machine tool supply chain partners to develop processes and equipment for production of ultra-high volume next-generation electrified powertrain systems.

This will include the development of new digitisation tools for both the design, operation and monitoring of manufacturing plants.

GKN will look at the

development of future generation eDrive system platforms, utilising high-speed eMachines and advanced high-speed power electronics, in conjunction with Nottingham University. This project aims to further grow UK capability in the design and manufacture of eMachines and Power electronics.

Jaguar Land Rover will be leading an exciting research project to develop future state of the art electric hybrid vehicle systems, in conjunction with universities and businesses across the UK. The project aims to significantly improve the vehicle system efficiency through utilisation of innovative electronic systems and componentry.

Ian Constance, chief executive of the APC, said: “The eighth round of APC funding marks our first investment of 2018 and comes at a crucial time for the UK automotive industry – when it must continue to invest in the latest innovations to remain at the forefront of low emission development.

“These projects build upon the current APC portfolio and demonstrate how UK companies are driving greater electrification into future vehicles, while standing to create or safeguard nearly 1,500 jobs supporting next-generation electrified powertrains.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/yb7alctd

AIR QUALITY

Brussels new low emission zone comes into force A new low emission zone has been implemented in Brussels, covering the entire metropolitan area.

All European vehicle owners must first be registered in the municipal database in order to enter the zone.

Older, polluting vehicles are then excluded from traffic.

For the present, however, this regulation only applies to Belgians,

with foreigners exempt from registration before summer 2018.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/ycflfqom

LowCVP’s Andy Eastlake

Is low carbon losing its shine?

Data published earlier this month showed that, for the first time in nearly two decades, average new car CO2 emissions rose – from around 120g/CO2 per km to 121g (up around 0.8 per cent). This was a wake-up call for many of course, but to those of us closely involved in the low carbon agenda, it was not completely unexpected.

The latest data shows a slump in diesel car sales (down 17 per cent in 2017 vs 2016) alongside a small rise (2.7 per cent) in petrol car sales, causing the market share of diesel cars to drop back to 42 per cent (from 48 per cent in 2016). Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) – including hybrid, plug-in and pure battery EV – increased almost 35% year-on-year and made up 4.7 per cent of the overall market last year. (Note that 88 per cent of those 120,000 AFVs have a petrol engine, so the overall petrol market share is somewhat understated.) On a like-for-like basis in terms of vehicle size and performance, diesel cars emit less CO2 per km (20 per cent according to the SMMT) than similar petrol cars and, I think, this factor is likely to explain much of the rise in average emissions, outweighing the positive impact of the rise in AFV numbers.

AFV sales were, indeed, one of the brightest spots in the data and I anticipate further strong growth this year with the continued focus on air pollution and the introduction of Clean Air Zones.

The increasing focus by manufacturers on the regulated shift to new vehicle emissions tests – to the representative WLTP for fuel consumption, emissions and CO2, and to real driving emissions (RDE) for locally polluting emissions, could be another factor in the rise, though its precise impacts are difficult to estimate at this time.

Within the AFV segment, a record number of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell cars were also registered in 2017. Cars eligible for the plug-in car grant showed an increase of nearly 27 per cent, to over 45,000 individual vehicles, in 2017 compared with the previous year. But the quiet revolution in what we might call ’regular’ petrol hybrids (ie non plug-in) is, arguably, the unsung hero with growth of 43 per cent year-on-year.

So, what does all this mean in terms of future CO2 emissions from the road transport sector?

While the latest new car results are clearly not good news, I think there are encouraging trends in terms of the uptake of cleaner, low carbon vehicles. Commitments by the motor manufacturers and governments – both central and local – around the world, particularly to vehicle electrification, points to rapid progress in this area which, I hope, should compensate for any further shift from diesel to petrol cars over the short or medium-term.

It’s important to remember that there are clear challenges based on legitimate concerns about air pollution from the use of some diesel car models in areas of poor air quality. Diesel cars are, though, still one of the most suitable (low carbon) choices for many high mileage and motorway operations. We already see the latest Euro 6 RDE cars following the trend set by the latest Euro VI buses and trucks in making a step change in terms of local pollutants.

It’s highly likely that we’ll see further fluctuations – and uncertainties – in future CO2 data as the new test cycles, taxation and policies all come into effect before the data settles down under the new testing regimes, but I’m confident that the downward trajectory in CO2 emissions of the twenty years to 2016 will soon be resumed. And, of course, the LowCVP will be working hard to help vehicle users navigate, and benefit from that inevitable shift.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.lowcvp.org.uk

Volume 110 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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News AIR QUALITY

BVRLA recommendations to improve air quality The BVRLA has released its recommendations to improve air quality, in response to the government’s consultation on air quality. It outlines what the association wants to see incorporated into future government policy.

The association urges policymakers to consider a set of incentives and restrictions which ensures that measures introduced do not cripple the economy or punish people, but encourage long-term behaviour change which moves people and businesses towards cleaner transport solutions.

In its submission, the BVRLA makes recommendations to ensure that the introduction of Clean Air Zones acts as a catalyst for innovative schemes such as Mobility Credits which would give people credits to use for occasional vehicle rental, hours of car club use and public transport.

The association also calls for improved

fiscal incentives for the uptake of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles such as extending the current incentives for electric vehicles to cover not just the first owner of the vehicle, but subsequent owners too.

This is in addition to exploring the possibility of ‘green lanes’ on particularly congested and pollution generating routes in which only vehicles with low emissions could drive.

BVRLA chief executive, Gerry Keaney said “Clean Air Zones are coming to many of our largest urban areas and you only have to look at some of the recent local adverse reaction from the taxi community in Leeds to see they have the potential to significantly impact local people and businesses.

“We are calling for a carefully managed transition that encourages people and businesses to use more sustainable vehicles and modes of transport. Crucially, it must

be done in a way that encourages people and businesses to make long-term changes in their behaviour. Hence our strong advocacy of our Mobility Credits initiative which will help remove thousands of the most polluting vehicles from the roads.

“If the government and local authorities get this wrong, public and business support will be lost, and the economy and people’s quality of life will suffer.

“The key to getting a quick and effective transition will lie in government’s ability to implement a practical and workable solution which considers fleet operating cycles as well as offering incentives and support to operators.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/ybobks72

HYDROGEN

Hyundai names new fuel cell EV Nexo Hyundai has revealed that NEXO will be the name of its all-new, dedicated Fuel Cell EV during a press conference at CES 2018.

The car maker also spoke about the vehicle’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that expand its autonomous driving potential.

NEXO is the technological flagship of Hyundai’s growing eco-vehicle portfolio and marks Hyundai’s continued momentum toward having the industry’s most diverse CUV powertrain lineup.

The NEXO model will spearhead Hyundai Motor’s plans to accelerate development of low emission vehicles, in line with Hyundai Motor Group’s renewed goal of introducing 18 eco-friendly models to global markets by 2025.

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This new development roadmap also represents the next step for Hyundai Motor towards realising Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) “Hydrogen energy is the key to building a more sustainable society. Hyundai Motor Company has already taken a lead in hydrogen technology with the introduction of the ix35 Fuel Cell,” said Dr Woong-chul Yang, vice chairman, Hyundai Motor Company. “I am so proud to introduce to you our second-generation Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle which is a culmination of our cutting-edge technologies.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/ybpdy28b

DEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT | www.greenfleet.net

INFRASTRUCTURE

Guernsey welcomes first EV charging stations Two new electric vehicle charging stations are now available for the public to use in Guernsey.

The two stations are located in three-hour parking spaces along the southern wall of the North Beach car park.

Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, member of the committee for the environment & infrastructure, said: “The Integrated Transport Strategy encourages and supports the switch to electric vehicles, to help reduce the negative impact of road use on the environment.

“This initiative provides electric vehicle charging stations for the first time in a public car park in Guernsey – a facility that will enable more people (for example Town residents without access to domestic charging points, and people visiting the island in an EV) to use electric vehicles more easily.

Customers who use the charging stations will need to

download the free app which allows access to the vehicle charging and payment system; details of which are available on the app and at the location of the charging units.

The app can be downloaded by searching “EOApp” on the App Store and Google Play.

The charging stations have been installed by locally registered energy storage & EV charge point Company provider “Green Acorn”. Complementing this initiative are three newly designated 10-hour electric and hybrid vehicle parking spaces immediately west of the charging units. The location of the charging and priority parking spaces will enable more scope for similar installations if there is future demand.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y84bgwww

News

REGISTRATIONS

Electric and PHEV registration on the rise Go Ultra Low figures show that 100 per cent electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles achieved “record-breaking levels of popularity” last year.

Unprecedented demand saw registrations increase by more than 27 per cent on the previous year with an ever-expanding range of plug-in vehicles available to motorists.

In 2018, annual electric car registrations could reach 60,000 for the first time, retaining the UK’s position as one of Europe’s largest markets for ultra low emission vehicles.

From January to December, motorists flocked to buy ultra low emission vehicles, with 46,522 registered in 2017.

The Go Ultra Low numbers show that records tumbled throughout the year with every quarter comfortably out-performing 2016. The second half of 2017 recorded in excess of 24,000 registrations of 100 per cent electric and plug-in hybrid cars – up more than 40 per cent on July-December 2016.

Poppy Welch, head of Go Ultra Low, said: “2017 was a stellar year for electric vehicle registrations with strong growth of 27 per cent, demonstrating the massive consumer appetite for 100 per cent electric and plug-in hybrid cars.

“There are already more than 130,000 electric vehicles on UK roads, a figure that

could pass 190,000 this year as new models come to market and consumers reap the cost saving benefits of electric driving.”

Across the country, several regions stood out with London (9,274) and Eastern England (8,685) registering the most electric vehicles (EVs), a rise of 42 per cent and 21 per cent respectively on 2016. Meanwhile, the South West and Scotland grew the fastest, boosting plug-in uptake by 140 per cent and 70 per cent respectively against the previous year.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/ya67lnwc

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

All-electric concept car unveiled at CES by Kia Kia Motors has unveiled a new all-electric concept car and presented the brand’s vision for future mobility at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Combining Kia’s design strengths with a highly efficient battery-electric powertrain, the new concept represents the next step in the brand’s on-going journey to electrification.

The concept also features a human-machine interface (HMI) and an advanced new ‘motion graphic’ lighting system, previewing the potential for these technologies for market introduction in coming years.

Alongside Kia’s new concept, a range of new in-car features and innovations have been revealed at CES 2018. Kia’s interactive ‘Beyond Autonomous Driving’ exhibits combine existing and future technologies to outline the company’s plans for vehicle autonomy and mobility, supported by the introduction of upcoming autonomous drive technologies.

Kia has also presented three interactive,

cockpit-style exhibits designed to show how the company will incorporate new technologies to enhance communication and interaction between occupants and vehicles.

These include new advanced driver assistance technologies and pioneering HMI functions, as well as the world’s first in-car 5G connection.

Dr Woong-cheol Yang, vice chairman and head of Hyundai-Kia R&D Centre, said: “Virtual reality, self-driving cars, and full vehicle connectivity were all once considered technologies of the distant future.

“As they rapidly become a reality, Kia is exploring how to adapt these new technologies for its customers.

At CES we share our strategy and vision for future mobility, and exhibit a range of advanced technologies that our customers can look forward to.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y93jdlx6

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Hampshire County Council rolls out first staff EV Hampshire County Council has introduced its first electric vehicle for staff to use in order to cut fuel costs and make savings.

A new electric delivery van and pool car based at Bar End, Winchester, is expected to cost 97 per cent less to ‘fuel’ than equivalent diesel vehicles.

The council is also reviewing which other vehicles in its 156 small vehicle fleet could be replaced with electric equivalents – which could save £210,000 every year.

The council has already saved nearly £30 million in energy costs over the past seven years after cutting its carbon emissions by 38.1 per cent since 2010.

The local authority has now set a more ambitious target to cut carbon from 40 per cent to 50 per cent by 2025.

The new electric vehicles include a Nissan E-NV200 van which will be used to deliver supplies to schools and council offices in Winchester, and a Nissan LEAF which will be used as a staff pool car.

Two new electric vehicle charging points at Bar End, Winchester, are not for public use, but are the first of approximately 40 new charging points to be installed by the council across Hampshire.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/ybacl2ql

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Commercial Vehicle News

AIR QUALITY

London Mayor’s new electric van fleet helps cut toxic emissions The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is helping cut toxic vehicle emissions on London’s roads with a trial fleet of 25 electric vans which are delivering thousands of items.

Over half of London’s filthy air pollution is caused by dirty diesel and old petrol vehicle emissions.

Khan is determined to help Londoners breathe cleaner air and wants to work with freight companies to reduce the number of large lorries on London’s roads and encourage the use of cleaner vehicles like electric vans.

Freight vans and HGVs make up over 30 per cent of all traffic in central London and currently, 97 per cent of them are diesel. The new all-electric vans produce zero exhaust emissions providing a much cleaner alternative to diesel freight vehicles.

The new vans have been part of an all

electric fleet that together are delivering an average of 80,000 parcels a week to Londoners during the Christmas season, reaching a high of 18,600 deliveries in a single day after Black Friday. The vans are some of the largest electric vehicles currently on the road and have been fitted with innovative hardware which remotely monitors environmental emissions performance, electric vehicle range, and electrical energy consumed.

The vans are funded through a £1.1million partnership with the mayor, Innovate UK, and freight company Gnewt Cargo who deliver parcels from a variety of retailers across central London. The trial will test and assess the commercial viability of electric delivery vehicles and encourage other freight companies to

switch to cleaner vehicles. Deputy mayor for environment and energy, Shirley Rodrigues, said: “Electric delivery vans have an important role to play in helping lower harmful emissions and improve air quality on our roads. The mayor is determined to take the bold action needed to protect Londoners from our toxic air and wants much greater use of electric vehicles as we move towards becoming a zero-emissions city.”

The electric vans will be charged using specially designed rapid charging points at Gnewt’s depot which are fitted with SMART technology which identifies the most efficient time of day to charge the vans.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y9pfko64

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

TAXIS

Iveco Daily Natural Power gas vans for Veolia

New electric taxi export deal signed with Norway

Iveco has supplied three Daily Natural Power vans to waste company Veolia.

The vehicles were selected for their ultra-clean gas-powered engines and will carry specialist equipment for removing graffiti, as part of a new contract with the London Borough of Camden.

Supplied by Dunstable-based Iveco dealer Northern Commercials, all Daily Natural Power light commercials feature purpose-built spark ignition engines, which deliver performance comparable to a diesel in terms of power, torque and response.

Running on compressed natural gas (CNG) means they produce 12 per cent fewer NOx emissions, 76 per cent less particulate matter and up to 95 per cent less CO2 emissions using bio-methane.

The vehicles will be in operation

whenever demanded and are approximately 50 per cent quieter than their diesel equivalents; they will refuel from Veolia’s brand new CNG refuelling station situated at its Alperton depot which was built to service all the CNG vehicles in the Camden fleet.

Andrew Hope, fleet development manager at Veolia, says: “Emissions reduction was a critical factor in Veolia’s decision making for this vehicle so the availability of a cost-effective CNG engine made the Daily our first choice when specifying the panel van. The team at Northern Commercials were great to work with and IVECO built the vehicles within the required time frame.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y92xvrek

The London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) has appointed Oslo based Autoindustri as its Norweigian importer for its advanced electric taxi.

This marks the second deal to export the TX eCity to Europe, following a deal signed with RMC. According to the Norwegian EV Association, electric taxis are essential to reduce emissions and noise, in particular in city areas.

In Norway, the taxi companies have lagged behind the private market in electrifying their fleets, and the next wave of Norway’s electrification of road transport will be to electrify urban commercial vehicles – like taxis, vans and lorries.

Autoindustri will be working to realise this transition, by combining the latest geofencing technology with LEVC’s eCity technology.

The TX eCity has already been extensively tested in Norway as part of LEVC’s cold-weather testing regime. The country has world leading testing facilities within the Arctic Circle. In addition, the aluminum for the taxi’s body is provided by Norwegian firm SAPA’s Welsh plant.

Chris Gubbey, CEO of LEVC said: “We are delighted to be working

with a business that shares our vision for transforming the urban commercial vehicle sector. ” Both Norway and the Netherlands have extensive EV charge point networks that allows LEVC to use after-market geofencing technology and enables the vehicle to meet regulatory requirements for zero emission operations from taxis in European city centres.

This system will ensure that the vehicle always runs in zero emission mode whilst in city centres – with the petrol range extender only in operation on intercity journeys – providing a flexible EV solution that meets the requirements of both city regulators and commercial operators. With the approval of operators, LEVC hopes to share the aggregated data collected with city regulators to give them the necessary piece of mind that these vehicles are spending most of their operating cycle in pure EV mode.

Deliveries to Norway will begin in Quarter 1 2018, following a planned launch by Autoindustri at the Nordic EV summit.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/ycyalapo Volume 110 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Industry Comment Written by Martin Flach, alternative fuels director

IVECO – building the vehicles of tomorrow, today IVECO has spent more than 20 years developing and producing the vehicles of tomorrow, for today. How we power our vehicles is going through a global revolution, and as we strive to create a cleaner world to live in, it will continue for many years to come A recent run of award wins show IVECO has been at the forefront of this seismic shift towards greener vehicles in the commercial sector, winning this year’s GreenFleet Large Goods Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year category for the second year running.

Judges commented on IVECO’S “unique position as the only manufacturer offering a full range of sustainable commercial vehicles” – highlighting that while new emission regulations are planned, IVECO “is already thinking way ahead”.

On awarding IVECO the Leader in Low Emissions Vehicle title at the National Air Quality Awards, judges said the manufacturer’s gas-powered engines “are really helping to lead the way in cutting particulate emissions and NOx”. They added: “Reducing vehicle emissions is an important component in improving air quality both now and will be even more so in the future.”

Martin Flach, IVECO’s Alternative Fuels Director, has been speaking at many of the FTA’s 2017 Transport Manager seminars about the challenges facing all businesses involved in road transport.

He made the point that ‘dieselgate’ has proven a thorn in the side of what has been the industry’s mainstay fuel since the 1930s. And despite experts predicting it still has a long future – planned government legislation and ever-tightening emission targets mean alternatives are needed.

IVECO believes the “one-size fits all solution” diesel used to provide is now ending.

Energy sources of the future will depend on the jobs the vehicles are being used for.

Flach said: “The heavier you get, and the larger you get, the more natural gas is going to be the answer. CNG and LNG in particular are both clean fuels that can deliver the real-world practicality and economy so vital for long distance transport.”

He also points to recent research which suggested that to operate a top weight, long distance truck at today’s speeds would require a battery weighing up to 14 tonnes, and costing between £250,000 and £300,000.

However, IVECO’s award-winning Stralis NP,

the first gas-powered vehicle designed for long-distance transport, is significantly more practical. It can reduce particulate matter (PM) emissions by 99 per cent, NOx by 60 per cent and CO2 emissions by up to 95 per cent with the use of bio LNG. Furthermore, the Stralis NP is around 50 per cent quieter than a diesel equivalent, drastically reducing noise pollution in towns and cities.

It was these impressive sustainability credentials which earned the Stralis NP the title of Low Carbon Truck of the Year 2017 at the Commercial Fleet Awards. “IVECO was willing to try something different and succeeded in producing a vehicle that significantly reduces both CO2 and NOx emissions,” the judges said. “Its use of CNG and LNG power is a breakthrough for long-distance trucking.” They added the Stralis NP “marks a major stride forward in making alternative fuels operationally acceptable within the industry”.

Fuel revolution Commenting on the many award wins IVECO has clocked up with Stralis NP, Pierre Lahutte, IVECO Brand President, said: “It’s further endorsement that natural gas represents the future for sustainable transport, and a proven technology which fleets can adopt today.”

And when it comes to being at the forefront of the fuel revolution – IVECO’S new Daily Blue Power range leads the way at the lighter end of the market too. Its van, chassis cab and minibus line-up already frees operators from the burden of access restrictions in cities. And it anticipates future changes to legislation with solutions driven by technology and innovation.

Its three models include the Daily Electric with an extended range of 174 miles (280km) in a three-battery configuration; the Daily Euro VI RDE 2020 Ready which is the most advanced diesel-powered LCV on the market; and the Daily Hi-Matic Natural Power which is the first CNG-powered LCV with an eight-speed automatic gearbox in the industry.

Together, these new models were crowned International Van of the Year 2018 at the Solutrans trade show in Lyon.

Martin Flach

Alternative fuels director, IVECO Martin Flach is alternative fuels director with responsibility for the light, medium and heavy product ranges. Prior to this role, Martin held the position of product director, UK & ROI. He has also held a number of positions for IVECO in Italy, at the Brescia Production Plant and in the IVECO headquarters of Turin before returning to the UK. Presenting the award, Jarlath Sweeney, International Van of the Year Chairman, said: “IVECO has always been on the forefront of sustainability in the LCV segment. The new Daily Blue Power range confirms this position.” Judges were particularly impressed with the range’s “technical innovation” and for “presenting the new RDE diesel engine now – three years ahead of the EU’s RDE regulation which will be mandatory for vans – far ahead of any competitor”.

Lahutte added: “This award recognises the tremendous efforts made by IVECO to decisively contribute to the battle for clean air in our cities and CO2 emissions. Daily Blue Power is the first and only vehicle to offer three choices that anticipate regulations increasingly impacting access to urban areas.” !

FURTHER INFORMATION www.iveco.co.uk

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Commercial Vehicle News

FREIGHT TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION

ELECTRIC VANS

VW E-Crafter tested in “everyday use” by major customers Volkswagen’s zero-emission van is being tested in parallel in everyday use by customers in Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Sweden The firm has handed over the first e-Crafter vehicles to an international group of major customers at its headquarters in Hannover. The customers will be testing the new electric vans in everyday use until mid-2018.

Dr Eckhard Scholz, chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “We have developed the new e-Crafter with our customers and for our customers. We are therefore now integrating selected fleet operators into an initial customer phase so that their findings in daily operations with the vehicles can flow into the final design of the zero-emission van.”

Major customers from Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Sweden are testing the new e-Crafter vans in practical use. They are package delivery services, energy suppliers, trades businesses and individual retailers whose

vehicles cover around 43 and 62 miles per day; sometimes with each day involving hundreds of starts and stops.

These parameters apply to around 85 per cent of the trips made in an urban setting according to analyses performed

by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles on more than 210,000 driving profiles with over 1,500 customers. The e-Crafter has been tailored precisely to these typical city operations and distances with its 100kW power output, range of around 99 miles.

The electric van is based on the new Crafter. Like Crafter versions with diesel engines, the new e-Crafter will also launch on the market with state-of-the-art driver assistance and convenience systems.

The e-Crafter will be available in September 2018. By then it will have the distinction of having already been extensively tested by customers in practice and made fully ready for the market.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/ybu5lwlf

BUSES

First customer for Citaro all-electric bus

German transport company Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH will be the first customer for the fully-electric city bus from Mercedes-Benz.

Representatives of the Daimler subsidiary EvoBus GmbH and Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH have signed a corresponding memorandum of understanding.

The first vehicles will be delivered at the end of 2018, and then go into practical operation in the Rhein-Neckar

metropolitan region in Germany.

Hartmut Schick, head of Daimler Buses, said: “Our bestselling Citaro is built in the EvoBus plant in Mannheim, our Centre of Competence for city buses. I am therefore pleased that our first customer for the bus also comes from the Rhein-Neckar metropolitan region.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/yacfwws6

NO2 plan consultation The government’s consultation Becki Kite, FTA on practical help for individuals Environment and companies affected by new Policy Clean Air Zones closes this month Manager (January). The Freight Transport Association’s Environmental Policy Manager, Becki Kite, outlines the work FTA is doing, to ensure the voice of fleet operators is heard.

Last year, the government published its proposals for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations, known to most of us as the NO2 Plan. It set out actions aimed at bringing NO2 emissions within statutory limits in the shortest possible time, amongst them the introduction of Clean Air Zones (CAZs) in some of the most polluted areas.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has been consulting on possible practical help for individuals and companies based inside these new zones. The proposals include measures that could be supported through the £220 million Clean Air Fund. This provides an opportunity for local authorities to implement specific local measures, to help minimise disruption to residents and businesses caused by the new restrictions. For FTA, the two key concerns are the size of the new zones and the assistance provided for businesses during implementation. FTA wants local authorities to make CAZs a small as possible. This will keep the number of businesses based within the zones to a minimum and maximise the opportunities for local operators to come up with practical solutions to keep goods moving in and out of urban areas.

Exemptions and discounts for commercial fleet operators based within the zones must be built into the initial implementation. These should include so-called “sunset clauses” which exempt operators from charges for a specific period. This will give them time to adapt by acquiring a compliant fleet, or building the charges into their operating costs. Whatever assistance is provided by local authorities, we also want to see a notice period of at least twelve months to give operators a fair chance to prepare for the changes.

Without these measures, councils must understand there’s a genuine risk that residents and other businesses based within the zones will find the supply of goods disrupted.

There are several other proposals in the consultation which could support firms working inside CAZs. One suggestion is the introduction of incentives to help more operators retrofit vehicles. FTA sees this as a good option for buses, as they are relatively straightforward to modify, however this is not a practical or cost-effective option for vans and trucks.

One suggestion which FTA does not support, is the introduction of a scrappage scheme for commercial vehicles.

While we would be happy if the government wants to introduce such a measure for private cars, our members are concerned a commercial scheme could be exploited, with businesses moving older vehicles into the zone to benefit.

This would make it costly and ineffective. Defra has proposed several measures to encourage private road users to switch to cleaner modes of transport. These could include an increase in car clubs, bikes and trains; more park and ride and car sharing schemes and better bus journeys. FTA certainly supports any measures which recognise that cars are significant polluters and encourage people to use alternative forms of transport.

As the implementation of CAZs moves forward, FTA continues to represent the needs of fleet operators at all levels. FTA members who have concerns are encouraged to attend one of our regional Freight Councils to share their views.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.fta.co.uk www.fta.co.uk/lcrs

Volume 110 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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2018 Top Ten

Top ten green vehicles to watch out for in 2018

Writtern by Richard Gooding

What will 2018 bring the fleet car and van buyer? GreenFleet filters out the top ten low and zero-emission offerings which should be appearing at a showroom near you in the next 365 days Renault Pro+ Master Z.E. – Electric Van – CO2: 0g/km Boosting Renault Pro+’s all-electric commercial vehicle offering to three, the new Master Z.E. was announced at the 2017 Brussels motor show, along with a revised version of the Kangoo Z.E. with a longer 168 miles of range on the official NEDC cycle.

The larger electric van is based on the standard Renault Master, which the French manufacturer states has been designed primarily for last-mile urban deliveries as well as municipal needs. The Master Z.E. uses the same Z.E.33 33kWh battery as the smaller Kangoo Z.E., mated to Renault’s ‘R75’ 57kW electric motor. Range is officially 124 miles on the NEDC cycle, and a full charge from a 7kW wallbox takes around six hours.

The Master Z.E. is available in four versions, with three lengths – 5.04m to 6.19m – and two heights – 2.3m to PURE EV 2.49m. Load volume hasn’t been compromised by the electric powertrain, and is the same 8m3 to 22m3 as the standard Master. Payload is 1,000 to 1,100kg. A chassis cab version will also be offered, in addition to an expanded range of connected services and a specialist LCV network. A UK on-sale date has yet to be confirmed.

Lexus CT 200h – Hybrid – CO2: 88-94g/km The hybrid Lexus CT-200h is refreshed and updated HYBRID for 2018, with styling changes as well as enhanced cabin quality, along with new colours and trim options. A more simple trim-level structure introduced new SE Plus Pack and F Sport Premier Pack models, while Lexus’ Safety System+ system is provided as standard on all SE models and above.

The largest changes to the Japanese hybrid hatchback are cosmetic, while interior upgrades include a 10.3-inch touchscreen system on selected models: the 134bhp petrol-hybrid drivetrain is unaltered. The updated Lexus CT-200h is on sale now, priced from £23,495 for the entry SE. The top-line CT 200h F Sport Premier Pack is £31,245.

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PURE EV

BMW i3 / i3S – Electric / Range-Extender – CO2: 0-15g/km BMW’s i3 is refreshed in 2018, and a new more powerful model will also join the range. Both i3 and i3S are powered by the existing lithium-ion 94Ah / 33kWh battery, good for round 180-186 miles of range in the standard car, which BMW states will be around 125 miles in the real world. Exterior styling changes to front and rear bumpers as well as new paint colours enhance the i3’s stand-out looks, while an updated version of the iDrive operating system for infotainment, communications and navigation functions is standard with an expanded suite of BMW i ConnectedDrive applications.

The standard i3 has 170bhp, while the i3S boasts 184bhp (and 174 miles of range), as well as lowered suspension and a performance-orientated drive system. A range-extender petrol engine option for both models can also be specified which extends the i3’s overall range in everyday use.

PURE EV

Nissan LEAF – Electric – CO2: 0g/km The long-awaited successor to the world’s best-selling electric car is now available to order in the UK. The second-generation Nissan LEAF not only offers more mainstream and premium looks – with more than an evolutionary nod to the trail-blazing original car – but also a massive 50 per cent increase in range compared to the outgoing model, thanks to a larger capacity 40kWh battery. The official NEDC cycle range is now 235 miles, an 80-mile gain over the first-generation model.

Power is up by 38 per cent to 147hp, and technological advances include the ProPilot semi-autonomous driver assistance system, which can steer, accelerate and brake. The new e-Pedal allows drivers to start, accelerate, decelerate and stop – simply by increasing or decreasing the pressure applied to the accelerator. Prices start at £21,990 (including the government’s £4,500 PiCG discount) for the entry-level Visia, rising to £27,490 for the range-topping Tekna.

Jaguar I-Pace – Electric – CO2: 0g/km The Jaguar I-Pace will be the third SUV model in the British car maker’s range when it arrives in the summer of 2018.

With a production model debut rumoured for a Geneva motor show reveal in March, the all-electric SUV will follow the introduction of the smaller E-Pace earlier in the year.

Long-awaited, the I-Pace heralds a bold new styling era for Jaguar, and looks like nothing the company has produced before. As the I-Pace is still a concept car at the time of publication, we can only go on the prelimary and approximate figures which state that sporty crossover will sprint to 60mph from rest in around 4 seconds, thanks to its front and rear axle-mounted electric motors which produce a combined output of around 400bhp.

The I-Pace will have a range of more than 310 miles (500km on the NEDC cycle) from its 90kWh lithium-ion battery.

An 80 per cent charge can be achieved in just 90 minutes using a 50kW DC charger, while a full charge using the same charger will take around two hours. All-wheel drive will ensure the I-Pace’s 700Nm / 516lb ft is delivered to the road safely, and should also guarantee a sporty drive.

Nissan e-NV200 – Electric Van – CO2: 0g/km The Nissan e-NV200 was one of the first players in the electric light commercial vehicle market, and the 2018 model year sees a longer-range version unveiled. A larger-capcacity 40kWh battery increases the range by 60 per cent up to 174 miles (NEDC cycle), while no physical size change to the battery itself means the electrically-powered commercial remains just as practical as before.

Nissan states that zero-emission last-mile deliveries are even more achievable than before, thanks to the 2018 e-NV200’s ability to travel an additional 62 miles on a single charge.

Range Rover / Range Rover Sport P400e – Plug-in Hybrid – CO2: 64g/km The Range Rover has enjoyed a luxurious image for almost five decades, and the latest models build on this even further, and for 2018 go one step beyond and drive in near silence. The new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport P400e models are the first plug-in hybrids to wear the luxurious SUV’s badge, and offer an official all-electric range of 31 miles from their 13.1kWh batteries. A 2.0-litre 300bhp petrol engine is married to an 85kW electric motor for a total system output of 404bhp.

The Range Rover and Range Rover Sport P400e emit an official 64g/km and allow drivers to choose from two driving modes: ‘Parallel Hybrid’ lets the driver optimise battery charge or fuel economy, while ‘EV’ mode enables zero-emission running, ideal for urban journeys.

PURE EV

HYBRID

Hyundai Nexo – Hydrogen Fuel Cell EV – CO2: 0g/km Announced at the US CES 2018 technology show, Hyundai unveiled its long-awaited new-generation hydrogen fuel cell EV model, which will replace the aged ix35 FCEV later this year.

The South Korean company stated the Nexo will spearhead its plans to drive forward the development of low emission vehicles, in line with its goal of introducing a total of 18 eco-friendly models to global markets by 2025.

The Nexo has an estimated driving range of 500 miles (NEDC) – 134 miles more than its predecessor. Power is now 135kW, and the new car will have cold-start capability within 30 seconds: an industry-leading achievement.

FUEL CELL

2018 Top Ten

PURE EV

Kia Niro EV – Electric – CO2: 0g/km The Kia Niro Hybrid SUV was unveiled in 2016 with emissions as low as 88g/km, and late 2017 saw the plug-in Niro PHEV launched with just 29g/km, and an official combined fuel consumption of up to 217.3mpg.

At the CES 2018 technology show in Las Vegas, Kia pulled the covers off an all-electric Niro concept.

Part of Kia and Hyundai’s push to launch 31 electrified vehicles by 2020, the Niro EV concept married a 150kW electric motor with a 64kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Kia quotes a normal driving range of 238 miles for the Niro EV concept, with potential PURE EV to extend that beyond 300 miles. The La Vegas concept also boasted near- bespoke bodywork for improved aerodynamics, low-drag wheels, as well as a faired-in front grille similar to the Soul EV.

DIESEL

Honda Civic Diesel – Diesel – CO2: 99g/km A believer that diesel still has its place in the fleet and wider world, Honda will launch a new diesel-engined version of the tenth-generation Civic in March. Claiming to offer ‘an outstanding combination of performance and economy’, the 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel has significant revisions to its exhaust system to improve real-world performance. A new NOx storage converter system improves NOx emission performance.

Efficiency has improved, too, with provisional official figures of 76.3mpg, and CO2 emissions of just 99g/km for the 117bhp unit. The new engine is also one of the first to be tested through the Real Driving Emissions (RDE) procedure.

Volume 110 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Mobility

Transport and travel in twenty-eighteen

Written by Johan Herrlin, CEO, ITO World

Johan Herrlin, CEO of ITO World shares some thoughts and predictions on how he thinks the world of transport and travel will evolve in the next twelve months 1. The bike sharing revolution will enter its next phase Over the last twelve months we’ve seen a number of dockless bike sharing companies make a concerted move on the Europe market. Ofo, Mobike and oBike might not be household names yet, but they have bold ambitions and plenty of capital behind them.

So what will the next twelve months mean for the bike sharing revolution in Europe? As the months wear on, I think we’ll see bike sharing schemes begin to consolidate, based on scale requirements and funding. Theirs is a careful balancing act, as firms will need to keep both local authorities and customers as sweet as possible. Availability and upkeep of bikes, as well as high quality real-time data showing accurate locations, will be deciders in the race to gain dominance in each market.

The novelty factor will begin to wear thin and customers will become increasingly discerning about the bikes they choose. The arrival of electric bikes is also expected, along with other shared services like mopeds and scooters. Combined with the expansion of bike sharing schemes outside of towns and cities, this will likely add further complexity for local authorities, so expect to see more locked horns while legislation plays catch up with technology. Also, look for possible new entrants into the bike sharing market, such as the existing ride hailing players.

2. We won’t be much further ahead with autonomous vehicles While it’s likely we’ll see further updates in the development and rollout of autonomous vehicles this year, widespread adoption is still comfortably a few years away. Continued trials of fully autonomous vehicles will expose a larger number of people to what life could

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look like once we move away from individual car ownership, but the vast majority of us will still be driving to work in 2018. There’s plenty of momentum in the movement, but I expect the next twelve months will start to reveal the true task at hand – changing the mindset around car ownership that is so deeply ingrained in our culture. In the meantime, much of the real autonomous vehicle usage will continue to be small buses, operating in controlled environments that are more predictable than the open road.

3. Car sharing schemes will open their data to help them scale more quickly Expect to see the car sharing market, which has maintained slow but steady growth over the past few years – really start to accelerate.

Firms like ZipCar and DriveNow have been flexing their marketing muscles for some time now and will be actively looking for opportunities to scale. It’s likely car sharing schemes have been monitoring the success of bike sharing and public transportation operators that have opened their data, and will be joining suit in 2018. So don’t be surprised if you see the locations of available rental vehicles pop up soon on Google Maps.

4. We’ll start to see public and private partnerships as the MaaS market matures Expect to see a lot more from Mobility as a Service (MaaS) this year. To work properly, it was always going to require public and private companies working closely together, and I anticipate we’ll see a number of new partnerships and agreements develop in the year ahead. Private companies have taken the lead so far, but in 2018 we’ll see an

increasing public sector and operator presence.

This could have interesting implications for the single app, subscription-based MaaS model we are most used to hearing about. It wouldn’t be totally unexpected to see a number of alternative models in play before 2018 is out.

5. Authorities and operators will begin to understand that better data unlocks innovation It seems like every December we talk about the importance of data in the twelve months ahead, but it really cannot be understated.

The information used routinely by most transit authorities is currently designed to manage the movement of vehicles alone.

However, if they wish to participate in newer transportation innovations, authorities will need to move away from providing operational level data, to providing passenger level data.

6. The bus will get its own reboot Buses play a vital part in keeping our towns and cities moving, but you wouldn’t exactly say they’ve kept up with the times.

However, 2018 promises to be a big year for the humble bus. There are lots of players currently vying for the ‘pseudo-scheduled’ market, something that existing companies like Ford’s Chariot are already addressing.

Apps in this space require lots of data and smart analysis to figure out the gaps in existing services that they can fill. Earlier in 2017 we saw Citymapper start its own night bus service, plus a partnership with Gett.

Expect to see more of the same in the twelve months ahead. The bus is getting a reboot. !

FURTHER INFORMATION www.itoworld.com

www.greenfleet.net

ISSUE 110

MOST INFLUENTIAL GreenFleet’s pick of the people that have shaped the low-carbon fleet industry in 2017 In association with

THE ALL-NEW ALFA ROMEO STELVIO SPECIALE. Whether you are a fleet decision maker or a company car driver, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio offers the complete fleet and business package. Coupling the most exciting driving dynamics with elegant Italian design and offering exceptional fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and specification, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is the perfect Business choice. £41,275 (P11D)

C02 127 g/km

BIK 27%

For more information, call our Business Centre free on 0808 168 7152 or email alfaromeo.fleet@alfaromeo.com

RANGE OF OFFICIAL FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURES FOR THE ALFA STELVIO RANGE: URBAN CYCLE MPG (L/100KM) 31.7 (8.9) – 51.4 (5.5), EXTRA-URBAN CYCLE MPG (L/100KM) 47.9 (5.9) – 65.7 (4.3), COMBINED CYCLE MPG (L/100KM) 40.4 (7.0) – 60.1 (4.7). EMISSIONS 161 – 124 G/KM. FUEL CONSUMPTION AND CO2 VALUES ARE OBTAINED FOR

THE ALFA ROMEO STELVIO. MORE THAN AN SUV.

COMPARATIVE PURPOSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH EC DIRECTIVES/REGULATIONS AND MAY NOT BE REPRESENTATIVE OF REAL LIFE DRIVING CONDITIONS. FACTORS SUCH AS DRIVING STYLE, WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS MAY ALSO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON FUEL CONSUMPTION. MODEL SHOWN ALFA ROMEO STELVIO 2.2 D 180 SPECIALE 5DR AUTO.

GF 100 Most Influential

In association with

www.greenfleet.net

ISSUE 110

Welcome to the second GreenFleet 100 Most Influential list This is our pick of the individuals whose efforts have contributed to making the fleet and motoring industry more environmentally-friendly.

MOST INFLUENTIAL GreenFleet’s pick of the people that have shaped the low-carbon fleet industry in 2017 In association with

Last year, we took a historical perspective, looking back over GreenFleet’s lifetime to commemorate our 100th issue. This year, and going forwards, we will look back at the last twelve months to identify those individuals that have done something that has made an impact on the industry, and, as a result, made it greener.

These range from policy changes and the launch of cleaner vehicles, to fleets embracing zero or ultra-low emission vehicles. It includes a mix of fleet managers, government officials, campaigners and company bosses.

This approach means there is quite a lot of movement on the list, with some of the more ‘historical’ figures removed, and some new entrants appearing. Michael Gove is a new comer to the list, making the top ten for his duty to oversee the government’s air quality plans. Then there is James Thornton from ClientEarth, the firm responsible for taking legal action against the government for air pollution, also making the top ten.

Follow and interact with us on Twitter: @GreenFleetNews

Congratulations to those that have made the list, and if you have not, please email your green successes for future consideration.

Angela Pisanu, editor editorial@psigroupltd.co.uk

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PUBLISHED BY PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION LIMITED

226 High Rd, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 Fax: 020 8532 0066 Web: www.psi-media.co.uk EDITOR Angela Pisanu FEATURES AND ROAD TEST EDITOR Richard Gooding EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Andrea Pluck PRODUCTION CONTROL Ella Sawtell PRODUCTION DESIGN Jo Golding WEB PRODUCTION Victoria Casey PUBLISHER George Petrou ACCOUNT MANAGERS Kylie Glover, Dean Cassar ADMINISTRATION Vickie Hopkins REPRODUCTION & PRINT Argent Media

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GreenFleet is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint please contact Michael Lyons or Angela Pisanu on 0208 532 0055. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk

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Supported by

We at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Fleet and Business appreciate that managing a fleet xoxoxoxo of any size brings challenges, especially in an environment where return on sales is the foremost consideration of any decision. The FURTHER INFORMATION following list features many individuals who xxx understand this acutely and have refined their skills and experience to become recognised as benchmarks and trend setters in the industry.

FCA Fleet and Business are proud to support many of these customers in achieving their objectives. 2017 has been another successful year for FCA fleet and Business. New models introduced in 2016 – Fiat Tipo and 124 Spider, Fiat Professional Fullback and Talento, Abarth 124 spider and the multi-awardwinning Alfa Romeo Giulia – have opened our multi-brand offering up to larger fleets and our products are now firmly established on a growing number of choice lists.

In October 2017 we launched the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, and the interest in FCA brands continues to grow.

FCA ticks every fleet box We at FCA bring the benefit of a multi-brand fleet solution, offering our customers a wide variety of choice. We provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ for fleets of any size and with a diverse portfolio of cars including the iconic Fiat 500, the robust Jeep Renegade and the stunning Alfa Romeo Stelvio, the line-up of vehicles can tick every fleet box.

We anticipate that we will maintain this growth throughout 2018 with the first full year of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Alfa Romeo’s first, multi-award-winning SUV delivers on every front, thanks to its distinctive Italian design, leaving the impression of sophisticated simplicity both inside and out.

On the road, drivers are promised an exhilarating experience thanks to the Stelvio’s exclusive AlfaLinkTM suspension, perfect weight distribution and an outstanding power-to-weight ratio.

The Stelvio benefits from ground-breaking technical solutions, including Torque Vectoring technology, for the utmost control of traction, and the Integrated Brake System, which significantly reduces braking distance on any road surface.

Stelvio will appeal to wallets as well as hearts. Its lightweight structure and sophisticated engines deliver excellent fuel

economy and reduced CO2 emissions. The 2.2 Turbo Diesel, available with 180hp and 210hp, is the first all-aluminium diesel among the new-generation engines from Alfa Romeo.

It features the latest-generation MultiJet II injection system with Injection Rate Shaping (IRS). The electrically-operated variable geometry turbocharger offers state-of-the-art mechanics and minimises response times, guaranteeing benefits in terms of efficiency.

Based on the strong residual values (RVs) seen for the Alfa Romeo Giulia and the initial strong demand for Stelvio, we anticipate that Stelvio RVs will be among the strongest in its class, leading to affordable running costs.

All-new Jeep Compass Another source of growth in 2018 will come from the introduction of the all-new Jeep Compass, a key addition to the Jeep portfolio and to our range. Combining unparalleled 4x4 off-road capability with contemporary and authentic Jeep design, excellent on-road refinement and industry-leading safety systems, the Jeep Compass will be sufficient for even the most discerning fleet customer.

In order to meet all customers’ needs and preferences, the Jeep Compass offers six powertrain combinations, including two petrol and three diesel engine options, and two gearboxes: the nine-speed automatic and the six-speed manual. Best-in-class off-road capability comes courtesy of two intelligent 4x4 systems: Jeep Active Drive and Jeep Active Drive Low for the best four-wheel-drive performance on any surface,

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on or off-road, and in any weather condition.

Driver and passenger safety were also of paramount importance in the development of the all-new Jeep Compass, which offers more than 70 available active and passive safety and security features. This resulted in the Compass being awarded the highest five-star Euro NCAP safety rating in 2017.

We’re confident that the all-new Jeep Compass will provide our customers with a safe, comfortable and connected everyday driving experience, offering open-air freedom and a full array of advanced user-friendly connectivity. With a starting price of just £22,995 OTR the new car represents outstanding value for money.

FCA Fleet and Business has been specifically designed to bring the all-new Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Jeep Compass, together with our existing models, under one umbrella to make things simpler for businesses. As a result of our customer-centric approach, we’ve been recognised as the ‘Most Improved Fleet Manufacturer’ at the Fleet World Honours awards and our brands are appearing on many more fleet policies. Our customers appreciate the value of a multi-brand solution and it’s a portfolio we’re incredibly proud of. We’re setting a new standard in fleet provision and we expect great things for 2018. !

FURTHER INFORMATION For more information about the FCA Fleet and Business offering please contact our business centre on 0808 1687152.

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The GreenFleet 100 Most Influential 100 Khaled Shahbo Managing director, UK & Ireland, Enterprise Car Club

94 Will Smith Group reward & performance manager, Britvic Soft Drinks

Khaled manages the UK & Ireland operations for Enterprise Car Club, which has a fleet of 1,300 vehicles, including a range of electric vehicles that can be rented hourly, daily or for longer periods.

The total representation of electric and alternative fuel vehicles is currently at 18 per cent of Britvic’s total car fleet and over 30 per cent of new orders are for hybrid vehicles.

99 Thomas Schmidt Managing director, TomTom Telematics

93 John Gorton Head of transport, Kent & Essex Police

TomTom Telematics continued its success last year, having been recognised as the largest provider of fleet management solutions in Europe for the third successive year by market analyst Berg Insight.

98 Katie Colledge-Price Managing director & founder, Carpendale EV Consulting After many years working in the electric vehicle market, including managing an EV programme within a global blue-chip corporate, Katie started Carpendale in 2017 to support organisations adopting electric vehicles. The firm also has Go Ultra Low company status.

97 Colin Herron Managing director, Zero Carbon Futures

John manages Kent and Essex Police’s fleet, which includes 2,100 vehicles with 8,500 authorised drivers travelling some 43 million fleet miles per year, under the most challenging response driving conditions.

92 Christopher Morns & Andrew Wordsworth Co-founders, E-car Club The all-electric car club, E-Car Club, was acquired by Europcar in 2015 and continues to grow with new locations and electric vehicles.

91 Amanda Lyne Managing director, Ulemco Ulemco continued to innovate in 2017, with projects such as developing a fuel cell unit to extend the range of a Nissan e-NV200, and a hydrogen diesel dual-fuel conversion on a waste disposal truck in Oxford.

90 Alistair Clarke Founder and MD, e-connect cars

Colin heads up Zero Carbon Futures, an independent consultancy specialising in low carbon vehicle technologies. Recent projects include working with Gateshead College to train mechanics in maintaining EVs.

Alistair’s company provides London with a chauffeur-driven car service using all electric vehicles. The firm is active in trying to improve London’s poor air quality by promoting electric taxis.

96 Chris Salmon Commercial director, SG Fleet

89 Paul Balmont & Richard Falconer Directors, Co-Wheels

SG Fleet’s company car policy is heavily incentivised towards employees choosing a ULEV. The firm has recently introduced both electric charging stations at its premises and offers to offset carbon generated by visitors.

95 Jon Lawes Managing director, Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions Jon has been instrumental in growing the commercial fleet at Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, from 700 units in 2001 to more than 30,000 vehicles. He is also Chairperson for the BVRLA Commercial Vehicle Committee.

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Co-Wheels was set up as a social enterprise in order to introduce electric vehicles to the masses. The firm recently introduced ten new electric cars into Oxford, which is having 100 new EV charging posts installed.

88 Dale Vince Founder, Ecotricity In 2017, Ecotricity removed its £3 connection fee from its rapid chargers and teamed up with Rolec EV to launch a Fully Charged Bundle, a new electric vehicle charging offer including home charging.

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87 Bianca Orrey Managing director, EV OneStop

79 Mark Roberts CEO, Lightfoot

Bianca has been working in the EV industry for 10 years, firstly working at Rolec Services, then setting up evonestop.co.uk, which is the first Online store specialising in supplying EV/PHEV equipment.

Lightfoot has secured government funding for a £1.8 million project to help further develop its in-cab technology that enables and rewards smoother driving styles, cutting fuel bills, accidents and pollutants.

86 Carl Nicholson Fleet manager, North Somerset Council

78 Erik Fairbairn Founder and CEO, Pod Point

The council under Carl has converted 37 per cent of its van and car fleet to electric vehicles and now has 29 electric vehicles which staff can use.

85 Dave Hodgetts Managing director, Honda UK Honda continues to invest in cleaner technologies, including starting a joint venture with GM to mass produce hydrogen fuel cell systems.

The car maker also said all new launches in Europe will have electrified technology by 2025.

84 Dhruv Parekh CEO, Masternaut Masternaut is one of Europe’s largest providers of telematics solutions.

With Dhruv Parekh in charge, the firm is pressing forward with connectivity and innovation.

83 Arne Knaben Managing director, Volvo Trucks 2017 saw Volvo Trucks introduce Euro 6-compliant heavy duty trucks running on liquefied natural gas or biogas. The new trucks have the same performance and fuel consumption as Volvo’s diesel models.

82 Rachel Thompson Sustainability manager, Gatwick Airport In May 2017, Gatwick was officially recognised as a carbon neutral airport through its use of 100 per cent renewable electricity and Gold Standard carbon credits to offset ground fuel emissions.

81 Dan Martin CEO, Elmtronics Dan Martin was named an ‘EV Champion’ at the GreenFleet Awards last year for his dedication to the EV industry and pushing the boundaries of vehicle battery technology in his role at Elmtronics.

80 Chris Gubbey CEO, LEVC Having been put through rigorous testing in extreme weather conditions in the Arctic Circle and Arizona, plus thousands of miles in the hands of London cabbies, the hybrid-electric TX is now driving silently around London’s streets.

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Charging point supplier POD Point had a successful 2017, partnering with supermarket chain Lidl to install rapid charge points at 40 selected stores, as well as teaming up with parking provider APCOA.

77 Matthew Morgan Operations director, The Phoenix Works The Phoenix Works is a national renewable energy installation company specialising in electric vehicle charging, solar PV systems and battery storage. Aa a qualified electrician, Matthew has seven years’ experience designing, installing and maintaining systems.

76 Rory Harvey Chairman and MD, Vauxhall Motors Rory was appointed his position at Vauxhall Motors in 2015. Vauxhall unveiled three new models at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show last year – the Insignia Grand Sport, Insignia Sports Tourer and Crossland X. Rory has since announced he will be leaving the firm at the end of February 2018. He will be replaced by Stephen Norman.

75 Edward Kulperger European vice president, Geotab Geotab won GreenFleet’s IT Innovation Award last year for its GO telematics device, which plugs into a vehicle’s OBDII port and monitors information on dangerous driving, pothole detection, parking, weather conditions, CO2 emissions, traffic flow, and much more.

74 Andy Barratt Managing director, Ford of Britain Ford’s new plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) Transit Custom is being trialled by fleet customers in London to explore how telematics and geofencing technology can maximise clean air benefits.

73 Carlos Tavares CEO, PSA Group PSA Group grew its business last year buy acquiring Vauxhall.

Within the PSA brands, Peugeot released the Tepee Electric and an L2 version of the Partner Electric van last year, while Citroën released the E-Berlingo Multispace and Berlingo Electric L2.

72 Colin Ferguson Managing director of Trakm8 Group Fleet and Optimisation Colin Ferguson assumed this role after his company, Route Monkey, was acquired by Trakm8. Colin is know for his trail blazing work on optimisation, which he now brings to Trakm8.

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71 Judith Eadie Fleet specialist, Scotland & Northern Ireland, Inchcape Fleet Solutions

63 Derek McCreadie Low emission officer, City of York Council

Judith is regarded as a leading expert on EVs and ultra-low emission vehicles in Scotland. Judith left Automotive Leasing in October 2017 to take her position at Inchcape, bringing her EV expertise with her.

Derek continues to actively improve air quality and cut carbon in York, which is a Go Ultra Low city that has received £816,000 to invest in an ultra-low emission programme.

70 Alan Baker Fleet manager, Galliford Try

62 Ken Mccall Group chief operating officer and managing director, Europcar

Alan manages a mixed fleet of 1,750 cars and 550 commercial vehicles, light vans and LGVs. He ensures that company vehicle choice lists support the firm’s carbon reduction strategies.

69 Keith Hidle Fleet manager, West Yorkshire Police West Yorkshire Police has been testing the electric Peugeot Partner van for crime scene investigators, a range-extended electric BMW i3 for response scenarios, and an electric Nissan LEAF.

68 Andrew Boland CEO, Addison Lee Addison Lee has invested in new hybrid vehicles to achieve CO2 reductions and supports the Eco Sustainability Agency’s anti-idling programme, where drivers are instructed not to idle whilst waiting.

61 Graham Teller Fleet manager, Gateshead Council The council has made some impressive improvements to its fleet under Graham. These include reducing grey fleet mileage by a third and adding 20 pool cars for staff, including three EVs and two hybrids.

60 Thomas Henderson Services manager, fleet operations, Fife Council

67 John Pryor Chairman, ACFO

Tom is continually reviewing alternative fuel vehicles for the council’s fleet, along with introducing the latest EVs. The eFife charging network has 52 charging posts, giving 104 charging facilities at 29 locations.

John Pryor continues to campaign for the fleet industry, pledging to fight the government’s tax attack on company cars and urging the chancellor to focus on removing old, polluting diesel vehicles from the UK’s roads instead.

59 Mike Potter MD, FleetDrive Electric

66 Robert Murphy Electric vehicle administrator, Edinburgh College Edinburgh College has operated a zero-emissions pool car fleet since 2012, and has charge points at all campuses. Last year the college expanded its electric fleet with two new electric vans.

65 Dr Ben Lane Director, Next Green Car Dr Ben Lane continues to give honest advice on the environmental credentials of a vehicle on his website Next Green Car. He also operates Zap-Map.com which is built around a UK-wide charge point map.

64 Brian Matthews Head of transport innovation, Milton Keynes Council As head of transport innovation, Brian managed the delivery of Milton Keynes’ Electric Bus Project and leads on the council’s Go Ultra Low cities programme. Brian also worked on the autonomous pods project.

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Europcar currently holds over 100 alternative fuel vehicles including three hydrogen fuelled Toyota Mirais. In 2017, the Europcar-Go Ultra Low Electric Vehicle Roadshow allowed businesses and residents in Manchester see that EVs can be accessed in different ways.

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Fleetdrive Electric helps businesses adopt ultra-low emission vehicles and has already put more than 1,000 ULEVs on the road. The company is also a partner in the Electric Nation project.

58 Mark Barrett General manager, LDV UK & Ireland LDV won the LCV Manufacturer of the Year award at the 2017 GreenFleet Awards for its all-electric EV80 van, which has a 130-mile range.

57 Darren Moon Operations manager, Jersey Post Darren is the man responsible for putting 30 Nissan e-NV200s on Jersey Post’s fleet after extensive research and trials. The firm has plans to purchase an additional 15 electric vans in 2018.

56 Lance Bradley Managing director, Mitsubishi Motors Under Lance’s stewardship, Mitsubishi Motors has enjoyed success in plug-in hybrid sales with the Outlander and posted record profits. Lance announced he will be stepping down from his role in March 2018.

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55 Matt Dyer Managing director, Leaseplan

47 Nicole Fletcher Head of sustainable development, London Fire Brigade (LFB)

Leaseplan became a founding partner of EV100, a global initiative to fast-track the uptake of EVs among corporate companies. The firm also announced its own employee fleet will be transitioned to electric cars.

LFB was one of the first organisations to have been awarded ‘Go Ultra Low Company’ status in recognition that all of its car fleet is electric or hybrid. LFB is also looking at other alternatives, such as hydrogen.

54 Nigel Morris Infrastructure specialist – project liaison, Swansea University

46 Jon Wakefield Managing director, Volvo Car UK

The university has 13 electric vehicles, making up half of the university’s fleet and resulting in 14,000kg of CO2 emission savings. The university won last year’s GreenFleet Public Sector Fleet Manager (S-M) award.

53 Edmund King President, The AA Last year, the AA formed a partnership with Chargemaster which will allow patrols to use the POLAR EV charging network to provide an emergency backup charging solution if an EV driver runs out of charge.

52 Kevin Bradshaw Chief executive, Northgate Vehicle Hire Kevin was appointed chief executive at the beginning of 2017. Impressed with its flexible van hire solution, GreenFleet judges awarded Northgate Vehicle Hire the Rental Company of the Year Award in 2017.

51 Ian Anderton Integrated delivery director, BAE Systems BAE systems won the GreenFleet Private Sector Fleet of the Year award (small to medium) for its work trialling and then delivering 48 electric Nissan e-NV200 vans and 26 charging points to Portsmouth Naval Base.

50 Justin Meyer General manager, eVolt UK New to the list, eVolt delivered its 200th electric vehicle rapid charging unit last year. The company has delivered charging solutions to 83 local authorities and private businesses throughout the UK.

49 Richard Lowden Founder, Green Motion Last year, low CO2 vehicle rental company Green Motion celebrated its 10th year in operation. Committed to the green cause, Richard was awarded the coveted Outstanding Achievement award at the GreenFleet awards 2017.

48 Ashley Andrews MD, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) The FCA Group won Fleet New’s Most Improved Fleet Manufacturer award last year after changes to its product line-up and fleet team.

Introduced in 2017, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV is predicted to be the firm’s best-selling model in 2018.

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Volvo Cars was the first car maker to boldly announce that it will stop making conventional ICE engine vehicles in favour of vehicles with an electric powertrain. Jon climbs from 65th position last year for his work in leading the organisation forward during this time of change.

45 Dr Graham Cooley CEO, ITM Power ITM Power scooped the GreenFleet award for Industry Innovation last year for its intelligent solutions to address the UK’s energy challenges through power-to-gas energy storage and hydrogen fuel.

44 Gary McRae Corporate fleet manager, Dundee City Council Dundee City Council operates 87 electric vehicles including 30 car pool vehicles. To support these, Dundee has the most concentrated rapid charge network in the UK and was awarded Go Ultra Low status.

43 Paul Gatti Fleet director, Royal Mail Royal Mail purchased 100 electric Peugeot Partner vans after extensive trials, helping to make its operations more environmentally friendly. Paul has responsibility over the firm’s entire 47,000 vehicle fleet.

42 Darren Smith Fleet standards and delivery manager, Heathrow Airport Darren is responsible for Heathrow’s owned and leased vehicles and associated contracts, and is a leading figure in the implementation of Heathrow’s Airside Ultra Low Emission Zone due to be in place in 2025. Darren, along with his team, has transformed the Heathrow fleet from four Nissan LEAFs in 2016 to over 55 electric and plug-in hybrids.

The target is for vehicles under 2.4 tonne to be EV or PHEV by 2020.

41 Monica Guise Sustainable logistics manager, University of Birmingham The university is committed to sustainable travel, under the leadership of Monica. It was the first UK university to open a campus hydrogen filling station, and 28 per cent of the fleet is either hydrogen, electric or hybrid.

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40 Terry Pycroft Head of fleet services, Leeds City Council

32 Chris Chandler Associate Director, Lex Autolease

Terry is instrumental in making the council’s fleet greener, removing barriers to make it possible. A combination of electric vans and cars have been purchased through the authorities own fuel purchasing framework.

Chris has 20 years within fleet Consultancy, working with customers to reduce the environmental impact of their fleets. Chris manages Lex Autolease’s alternatively fuelled fleet, including their first Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles introduced in May 2016.

39 Alexis Percival Sustainability manager, Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust Awarded the GreenFleet award for Public Sector Fleet of the Year (med to large), Alexis continues to push the boundaries when it comes to greening the fleet. The fleet features two hydrogen electric hybrids and a hydrogen-diesel conversion. The trust is also rolling out EV charge points.

38 Fergus Worthy Principal city planner for environment strategy, Transport for London Fergus manages the LoCITY programme, which aims to stimulate fleet uptake of alternatively fuelled commercial vehicles and prepare the freight and fleet industry for the Ultra Low Emission Zone.

37 Chris Rutherford Fleet commercial manager at London Ambulance Service NHS Trust Former GreenFleet Award winner Chris is helping London Ambulance Service find ways to lower its fleet emissions, which is a difficult task given the size and round-the-clock critical nature of ambulances.

36 Paul Willis Managing director, Volkswagen UK Putting the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal behind it, VW pushed through its ambitions to be the leader in mass-market electric cars. Last year saw the firm release the e-Golf with 50 per cent more range.

35 Sytse Zuidema CEO, NewMotion Impressed with NewMotion’s innovative smart-charging solutions, fuel giant Shell signed an agreement to buy the company last year, which will help the company expand across Europe.

34 Gary Savage CEO, Mercedes-Benz UK / Smart Gary is recognised for his influence on the success of Mercedes-Benz UK over the past three years. The manufacturer has said it plans to offer all its commercial van model lines with electric drive. What’s more, Smart Won GreenFleet’s City Car Manufacturer of the Year award 2017.

33 Andrew Benfield Director of transport, EST Andrew has transformed the Energy Saving Trust (EST)’s work on transport from a niche activity to the largest single programme area. EST has been asked to help the government implement clean air zones.

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31 Rebecca Kite Environment policy manager, Freight Transport Association (FTA) Rebecca looks after the Logistics Carbon Reduction Scheme (LCRS) and works closely with LoCITY, LowCVP and local councils to help the freight industry reduce vehicle emissions and prepare for Clean Air Zones.

30 Kieron Alsop Managing director, Rolec Kieron has been busy launching several new innovative solutions, including a retrofitted street light EV charging solution and mobile phone operated charging points with no subscriptions.

29 Quentin Willson TV presenter and motoring Journalist Quentin continues to be a vocal campaigner for ultra-low emission and electric cars, as well as head up the FairFuelUK petition, which has saved motorists over £100bn in planned tax hikes in duty and VAT.

28 Martin Flach Product director, Iveco Martin takes the lead on Iveco’s range of commercial vehicles that run on electric power and CNG, a range that enabled Iveco to win last year’s GreenFleet LGV Manufacturer of the Year award.

27 Paul Philpott President and CEO, Kia Motors (UK) Paul has climbed from 71st position last year, owing to Kia’s increased choice of ULEVs. These include the Optima PHEV which has emissions of 37g/km and the Niro PHEV with emissions of 29g/km. Kia was presented with GreenFleet’s PHEV Manufacturer of the Year award 2017.

26 Tony Whitehorn President & CEO, Hyundai Motor UK Hyundai released the Ioniq last year, which signals the car maker’s aim to become an eco-friendly vehicle leader. The Ioniq has one body style but three electrified powertrains to choose from: electric, PHEV and hybrid.

25 Nicholas Brownrigg CEO, Alphabet Last year, the company announced it had delivered nearly nine per cent of the UK’s total number of grant-eligible electric and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles registered up to the end of September 2017.

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24 Jane Lindsay-Green UK future fuels manager, Shell

17 Justin Laney Fleet manager, John Lewis Partnership

Fuel giant Shell made huge strides last year in positioning itself as a ‘future fuels’ provider, including opening its first on-forecourt electric vehicle rapid charging service and opening its first hydrogen refuelling station on the Cobham services on the M25.

One of Justin’s main priorities last year was to reduce emissions of Waitrose’s fleet, which led him to introduce biomethane CNG trucks with a 500 mile range. This work resulted in Justin winning two GreenFleet awards last year: Fleet Manager and Private Sector Fleet (med-large).

23 Michael Hurwitz TfL’s director of transport Innovation

16 Phillip Sellwood Chief executive, Energy Saving Trust

As TfL’s first director of transport innovation, Michael is looking at how new technology can bolster London’s transport, including autonomous vehicles and alternative mobility solutions. Well known in green transport circles, his previous roles include founding and leading OLEV.

The Energy Saving Trust (EST) helps the fleet sector drive down emissions by giving advice to companies on ULEVs. Outside of EST, Phillip is an active member of a number of influential boards, such as the LowCVP.

22 Sam Clarke & Mathew Linnecar Founders of Gnewt Cargo

15 Gerry Keaney Chief executive, BVRLA

Since launching in 2009, Sam and Matthew have won multiple awards and for their electric last-mile delivery operations. In 2017, Menzies Plc acquired Gnewt to accelerate the company’s expansion plans.

Gerry continues to campaign on behalf of the industry on issues that matter, such the rise in diesel tax supplement, which is unfairly punishing diesel drivers and the fact that commercial vehicle operators have not been given enough time to prepare for London’s ULEZ.

21 Andy Eastlake Managing director, LowCVP A good friend to GreenFleet, Andy Eastlake is heavily involved in all aspects of the low-carbon transport and air quality agenda. In 2017 Andy and his team busied themselves developing the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme to help transport operators identify the most effective retrofit solutions for lowering bus emissions.

20 Jonny Goldstone Founder, Green Tomato Cars Winner of GreenFleet’s Taxi Company of the Year, Green Tomato Cars introduced the Toyota Mirai hydrogen FCEV into its fleet and committed to 50 more by Q3 2018. What’s more, the firm has fitted CleanSpace sensors to its vehicles to map and monitor London’s air quality.

19 Karl Anders National EV manager – corporate sales, Nissan GB Karl is the go-to man for information on Nissan’s electric vehicles. He has responsibility for UK fleet sales and profitability of the Leaf and e-NV200 and manages high profile EV projects with major fleets and the public sector.

18 Norman Harding Corporate fleet manager, London Borough of Hackney Norman Harding won last year’s GreenFleet Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year Award. Norman pushed to introduce HVO biodiesel as a viable alternative fuel for heavy vehicles, and has EVs on its fleet.

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14 Robert Evans CEO, Cenex Cenex’s highlights for 2017 include taking charge of upgrades to the National Chargepoint Registry, and project ACCRA, which will test real time emission control technology based on live air quality data.

13 Ian Robertson Board member of BMW AG, sales and marketing Ian Robertson is up there with the most senior Brits in the motor industry, with a seat on the main board of BMW AG. The BMW’s product range has several models that are either all-electric, like the BMW i3, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. BMW also scooped the 2017 GreenFleet award for Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year.

12 Jon Hunt Marketing manager, Toyota and Lexus Fleet Services Jon has worked at Toyota for 25 years in various roles and is a fountain of knowledge on electric powertrains, hybrid systems and fuel cell vehicles. Part of his current role is to promote Toyota’s fuel cell vehicle, the Mirai, as well as help commercialise hydrogen.

11 Vincent Tourette Managing director, Renault 2017 highlights for the French car maker include the release of latest Renault Zoe Z.E. 40, which has a 250-mile official all-electric NEDC range, and the launch of the Kangoo Van Z.E. 33 with 50 per cent more range. Renault also won last year’s GreenFleet Electric Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year award.

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10 David Martell Founder and chief executive, Chargemaster Chargemaster’s POLAR network had its 300th rapid charging unit installed last year, making it the UK’s largest. Other highlights include opening the Electric Vehicle Experience Centre in Milton Keynes, and winning GreenFleet’s Charging Infrastructure Provider of the Year award.

9 Elon Musk Founder and CEO, Tesla Motors Elon Musk climbs two spots for the huge influence Tesla Motors has on the EV industry. In 2017, Tesla made some exciting announcements: the new Roadster, which is expected to be capable of 0-60mph in two seconds, is due out in 2020, the same year as the company’s heavy-duty electric truck, the Semi.

8 Poppy Welch Head of Go Ultra Low, SMMT Poppy continues to lead the government and industry funded ‘Go Ultra Low’ campaign to encourage acceptance and the uptake of electric vehicles. 2017 was an good year for the initiative as the number of organisations signing up to be ‘Go Ultra Low’ Companies reached one hundred.

7 Natasha Robinson Head, the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) Natasha heads up OLEV, a government agency which was set up to take forward the government’s green vehicle policies. OLEV is responsible for around £900 million funding for ULEVs, and as such is a key shaper of the industry.

6 James Thornton CEO, ClientEarth New to the top 10 is James Thornton, founding CEO of ClientEarth, the law firm that has successfully taken legal action against the government for its illegal poor air quality. This has spurred the government to take action and devise a Clean Air Strategy. As this will involve Clean Air Zones and the 2040 ban on new ICE engine vehicles, it will undoubtedly shape the motoring, transport and fleet management sectors.

5 Michael Gove Environment Secretary A new entrant to the list, Michael Gove takes the fifth position after being appointed Environment Secretary in June last year. He is overseeing the government’s plan to improve air quality, which includes the government’s plan to end the sale of all new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040, as well as introducing clean air zones in polluted areas.

Gove also has oversight of the Brexit process in relation to environmental legislation and is insisting that Britain’s exit from the European Union will not harm environmental standards.

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4 Sadiq Khan Mayor of London The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said he wants to help every Londoner breathe cleaner air and plans to do this by taking old, polluting cars of the capital’s roads. Khan’s plans include bringing forward the Ultra-Low Emission Zone one year earlier to April 2019 and introducing the £10 Toxicity Charge for vehicles that do not meet Euro 4 standards for both PM and NOx emissions. Khan has also introduced the second Low Emission Bus Zone, with an additional 12 planned to be implemented by 2020.

Whilst Khan’s air quality measures may be quite prohibitive for older fleets operating in and out of London, air quality is a real public health issue and he is under the scrutiny to tackle the problem.

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3 John Hayes Former Transport Minister At the time of writing, John Hayes had resigned from his post as Minister for Transport during Theresa May’s recent reshuffle. He still retains third place however for the influence he had on low-carbon transport over the last 12 months.

Hayes was instrumental in pushing forward the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill, which will mean electric charge points for all UK motorway services and large petrol retailers, and enable insurance for driverless cars. Hayes will be replaced as Transport Minister by Jo Johnson.

2 Chris Grayling Transport Secretary Grayling has responsibility for the Department for Transport (DfT)’s policies, including those relating to carbon reduction and air quality.

Last year saw many major announcement’s from the DfT on diesel, alternative fuels and air quality. £600m was announced for the manufacture of ULEZs by 2020; £100m was announced to clean up bus emissions, and £255 million was set aside for air quality plans.

The DfT also put forward proposals for van drivers to have the right to use heavier vehicles if they are electric or gas-powered.

Grayling is also an advocate for autonomous, ultra-low emission vehicles, saying they can benefit certain groups such as elderly people or people with disabilities that are unable to drive, and that the technology will make road travel more efficient.

1 Phillip Hammond Chancellor of the Exchequer The government’s chief financial minister retains the top spot for the huge impact his financial decisions have on fleets and the green motoring sector. His Autumn budget included good news for electric vehicles, with the announcement of £400 million to be invested into charging infrastructure and a further £40 million for EV charge point research and development. He also confirmed the Plug-in Car Grant will be guaranteed until 2020 and receive £100 million more funding.

Hammond’s budget however included some controversial rises in diesel taxes, including a one per cent rise in the diesel supplement for company car tax, and a higher VED band for diesel cars that do not meet the latest emission standards.

The EU single market is critical to the automotive sector, and Hammond is calling for a transitional deal where Britain would pay for access to the single market for 24 months after leaving the EU.

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How did a company that started off installing electrical distribution systems to the leisure and marine industry become one of the most well-known electric vehicle charging companies in the UK? Angela Pisanu chats to Rolec’s Kieron Alsop to find out When and why did you form Rolec?

My background is electrical and I worked for a small company which specialised in the design and installation of electrical distribution infrastructures on caravan and residential parks.

After many years of learning my trade and rising through the ranks, I had many innovative ideas for the leisure industry that were not being taken on board by my employer. Therefore, in 1990, I decided to form my own company called Rolec to give me the platform to introduce a number of new innovative product concepts, which proved well received and contributed to our initial success and growth.

We expanded as a company and continued to provide the leisure industry with innovative products as well as introducing a nationwide electrical installation, maintenance and emergency call out service.

After your initial success in the leisure industry where did Rolec go from there?

Rolec quickly achieved its position as the leading specialist in the design, manufacture and installation of electrical distribution systems to the leisure industry.

From there we explored new opportunities utilising the skills and expertise we had developed in the leisure industry, expanding to the marina industry and specialising in electrical, water and emergency services.

Again, through innovation, we achieved almost immediate success in the UK marina market – quickly becoming the dominant force, which gave us the confidence to further expand into the international marina industry.

To cut a long story short, we are now considered the world’s leading specialist in the design and installation of services on marinas, managing distributors and representatives in over 40 countries around the world.

Rolec products are on thousands of marinas worldwide, including many iconic projects such as the 1,000 berth marina on Palm Island, Dubai. On this particular project we designed and installed a bespoke RFID Smartcard management system, enabling boat owners to pay directly by card for their electricity and water services.

We continued to innovate in the marina industry, introducing the world’s first computer controlled electricity and water services management system called

BerthMaster. We recently enhanced BerthMaster to BerthMaster Online, enabling berth holders to pay for their electricity, water and sanitation pump-out services via their mobile phone.

Is it at this point you moved into the EV charging industry?

Not quite. Following our electrical manufacturing and installation successes in the UK leisure and global marina industries, we further developed as a company – introducing a new division called Power Solutions.

Power Solutions focuses on the manufacture and supply of a wide range of panels, pedestals, cubes and street posts for both the permanent and temporary electrical installation industries.

Are we now at the point you enter the EV charging industry?

What triggered this decision?

Being a fan of cars in general, and having travelled the world following Formula 1 and participating in numerous intercontinental Gumball rallies and similar global road trips, I quickly became aware of the trend towards electric vehicles.

At this point we noticed that there were one or two early developers of EV charging points. We took the time to research the charging points on the market and came to the conclusion that this was an industry that Rolec could add value and experience to.

We immediately invested time and resources in developing an initial charging pedestal and wall unit – including the Rolec WallPod, which has now established itself as one of the country’s favourite EV charging units.

As the EV industry matured we in turn continued to further invest in our products.

We now offer what is believed to be the largest and most comprehensive range of EV charging equipment in Europe.

Our range has been designed to offer a charging solution to suit every budget and location, and includes EV charging pedestals, wall units and EV charging street lights.

Interview

A chat with Rolec’s Kieron Alsop

within the market, enabling a wider and faster deployment of charging points across the UK. The second was to introduce EV Charge Online, our back office management system which completely revolutionises the way that EV drivers pay-to-use and access EV charging networks.

We could not quite understand why an EV driver was expected to pay annual membership fees, monthly subscription fees and connection fees before their vehicle had even received a single kW of electricity.

If a driver of a combustion engine vehicle can go to a petrol station and pay only for the fuel they put in their vehicle, why should an EV driver be expected to pay these additional fees on top of the electricity they are consuming?

With the EV Charge Online system the driver simply pays for the kWs consumed, at the price advertised, at the EV charging point without enduring any associated membership, subscription or connection fees.

The EV driver simply pulls up to the charging point and, using their mobile phone, logs on to the charging app and chooses their method of payment from Visa, MasterCard, American Express or PayPal. Are there any other interesting EV charging developments on the horizon at Rolec?

We have quite a number of exciting projects and product developments in the pipeline. One of these is our recently advertised partnership with Ecotricity.

This Rolec/Ecotricity partnership offers the “Fully Charged Bundle”, enabling any EV driver whether private, company or fleet operator to sign up. Once signed up, they receive a competitive 100 per cent green energy home tariff, a Rolec EV charge point fully installed for £99, and access to the nationwide Ecotricity Electric Highway charging network at half the usual price. !

FURTHER INFORMATION www.rolecserv.com Kieron Alsop, managing director, Rolec EV

What difference do you feel Rolec has made to the industry?

There are two key areas where I feel Rolec has made a major impact.

The first was to deliver high quality EV charging equipment at cost effective prices, which introduced a sense of competition

Volume 110 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

33

Electric Vehicles Written by Angela Pisanu

With support from

EV ROUNDTABLE When it comes to heavier vans, there is little in the way of alternatives to diesel, making it difficult to make a low or zero-emission choice. Delegates at GreenFleet’s EV roundtable discussed this issue, as well as predictions that the grid might not be able to cope with mass on-peak charging of EVs While commercial vehicles make up less than five per cent of vehicles on European roads, they account for almost 20 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, according to industry analyst Frost & Sullivan. Lowering the carbon emissions from vans and lorries therefore has the potential to significantly reduce CO2 from road transport.

The government is pushing electric vehicles due to their zero tailpipe emissions, and there are a handful of small to medium electric vans on the market that are proving popular with fleets. Gnewt Cargo, Jersey Post and Leeds City Council, who were all in attendance at GreenFleet’s EV roundtable discussion, all operate electric vans on their fleet.

But beyond 3.5 tonnes (and below 11 tonnes), there is a gap in the market, the delegates agreed.

“The biggest market is the white van man yet it’s the bit we can’t grasp,” commented Michael Cook from Babcock International Group.

This is a particular issue for blue light services. Ambulances are 5.5 tonnes and their operational requirements are “hard to achieve”, says Chris Rutherford at London Ambulance Trust. They need to be able to get to emergencies without any concerns over range, as well as power life-saving equipment on board. Developing an electric ambulance is therefore no easy task, but it is something that Chris hopes to achieve one day. “An electric ambulance would need to be able to have a 200 to 300-mile range, be able to have heating and cooling on for a 12-hour shift, as well as the ability to rapidly charge,” explains Chris.

While there are some larger electric commercial vehicles out there, which John Curtis describes as “few and far between”, there is also the cost factor as they are expensive.

Operating licences Another factor that can work against people wanting to use larger electric

34

Chris Chandler, principal consultant, Lex Autolease Chris has spent 25 years helping organisations of all sizes to run more efficiently and cost-effectively.

Since 1996, he has provided strategic fleet management consultancy to clients in a wide range of industries, with a focus on optimising operations.

Chris is a recognised expert in sustainable transport and alternative fuels.

Matthew Morgan, operations director, The Phoenix Works Matthew is operations director at The Phoenix Works, a national renewable energy installation company specialising in electric vehicle charging, solar PV systems and battery storage solutions.

A qualified electrician, Matthew has seven years’ experience designing, installing and maintaining systems for customers from all market sectors.

Ben Wicks, senior campaign manager, Go Ultra low Ben has been working in PR and communications for more than eight years and has worked on the Go Ultra Low campaign for the past two and a half years. As senior campaign manager he oversees its social media, PR and content delivery, as well as the extensive fleet communications campaign. commercial vehicles is that the extra weight of the batteries can push users into another operating category. The government is looking into whether to change this, however.

Currently, a motorist with an ordinary category B licence for a car can drive a van weighing up to 3,500kg. Electric vans are generally heavier than conventional diesel vans because of the battery they carry.

This reduces the amount of goods they can carry or means van drivers have to apply for a category C licence, with the associated costs and medical report requirements.

DEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT | www.greenfleet.net

Now the Department for Transport has published plans to allow motorists to drive vans weighing up to 4,250kg if they are powered by electricity, natural gas, LPG or hydrogen.

Transport Minister Jesse Norman explained that they “want to make it easier for businesses to opt for cleaner vehicles.”

But until this change happens, the vehicle operating categories of electric commercials remains a barrier, as does price and payload, says Lex’s Chris Chandler.

Electric buses, which are on an 18-tonne or

26-tonne chassis, meanwhile are becoming a familiar sight. London for example has over 170 electric buses and over 2,500 hybrids.

Chris Rutherford explains that electric buses are possible because they “have the space for very large batteries.”

Strain on the grid There has been a lot of noise recently about the effect that mass fast-charging of electric vehicles at peak times will have on the national grid.

The grid’s Future Energy Scenarios report last summer suggested that a dramatic growth in electric vehicles could see peak electricity demand rise by more than the capacity of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station by 2030.

In another scenario, the analysis suggested that 30 gigawatts (GW) of additional power could be needed at peak times by 2040 – the equivalent of almost 10 Hinkley Point C nuclear power stations.

Delegates at the roundtable agreed bleak predictions that the grid will not be able to cope is overly hyped and any issues will likely be overcome by the time EVs are commonplace.

Commenting on the report, Go Ultra Low’s Ben Wick’s says: “There is one scenario that

says we might need 10 Hinckley Points but that assumes no smart charging, no vehicle to grid systems, and no increase in renewables.

But then there is another scenario that says we don’t need any more power.”

Matthew Morgan from the Phoenix Works said: “There are companies called aggregators that manage this issue, with battery storage and vehicle to grid charging. When there is a massive demand on the grid they fire up a big hydroplant that will make that extra demand.”

Andrew Pickford from Leeds City Council believes that these negative headlines will be a convenient excuse for people to not buy electric cars. He said: “The issue of the grid is a bit of a red herring, and people will throw it up as a reason not to buy electric vehicles.”

Chris Chandler and Matthew Morgan pointed out that electricity consumption has actually gone down, and that its consumption is lower than it was in 1965. They were referring to data from BP in 2015, that showed that despite the economy tripling and the population increasing over the past 50 years, energy consumption had gone down by close to five per cent.

Matthew said: “With the energy efficiency savings made over the years, there’s actually already a lot of head room actually available on the grid. I think you can put about 50 million EVs on the road without doing anything.” !

DfT ill plans worists ot allow mve vans to dri g u p t o n w e i g h i g if they k 4,250 wered are po native r by alte ls fue

Matthew Morgan Operations director & electric vehicle charging / infrastructure specialist, the Phoenix Works Chris Chandler Principal consultant, Lex Autolease

Electric Vehicles

Event delegates

Lauren Pamma Head of fleet consultancy, Lex Autolease Ben Wicks Senior campaign manager, Go Ultra Low Darren Moon Operations manager, Jersey Post Ashley Grainger Project manager, Gnewt Cargo Andrew Hickford Project manager, Projects Programmes & Procurement Unit, Leeds City Council Chris Rutherford Fleet commercial manager, London Ambulance Service NHS Trust Michael Cook Senior fleet engineer, Babcock International Group John Curtis Event chair, motoring journalist

35

Interview

Toyota: beyond sustainable vehicles

Written by Angela Pisanu

Before buying an alternatively-fuelled vehicle, more information needs to be sought than just tailpipe emissions, says Toyota’s Jon Hunt. Angela Pisanu finds out more

36

With the sale of new conventional diesel and petrol ICE engines to be banned by 2040, more attention has turned towards alternatively-fuelled vehicles. Many of the headline-grabbing attention is given to battery electric vehicles. But before buying any type of alternatively-fuelled vehicle, the right questions must be asked, the big picture must be considered, and the correct information must be sought. This is according to Toyota’s Jon Hunt, who has been working for the company for 25 years in different roles, and is currently responsible for Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV), the Mirai.

“When it comes to pure-electric vehicles, people look at the hole in the wall where they can charge. But they don’t ask where the electricity comes from and whether the grid has capacity to generate it.

“They don’t ask about the battery production and how sustainable that process is.

“And finally, they don’t look at the grid emissions.”

Jon explains that battery production can be very carbon intensive if clean energy is not used. In the case of a 100 kilowatt battery, 15-20 tonnes CO2 can be emitted during its production, meaning there is over 80g CO2 embedded in the battery.

When it comes to charging a battery electric vehicle, grid emissions should also be considered. Depending on the carbon intensity of the grid at the time, this

could amount to around 41g CO2/km.

So although a battery electric vehicle has zero tailpipe emissions, its embedded emissions should be considered – and it is this information that is not communicated fully in the promotion of fully electric vehicles, believes Jon. Sustainable operations Being sustainable in its entire operations is therefore something that Toyota takes very seriously and is very open about.

“We make low-emission vehicles but you have to look at the wider aspect,” explains Jon. “We are a resource intense global company so we have to look at all aspects of what we do, from the resources we use to production, lifetime support and disposal. I think that’s not always understood in terms of what the environmental impacts are across the board.”

Toyota’s engine plant at Deeside has 12,680 solar panels, which generates around 3,475,000kWh each year, enough energy to build 22,500 engines.

The firm’s current environmental plan is to be zero emissions by 2050, both in the vehicles it produces and the processes it uses to make vehicles.

So what is Toyota’s future fuel of choice? “We believe electric powertrains are the future, but are not fixed on one energy source,” explains Jon.

Electric powertrains currently come in many different guises – mild-hybrid, full-hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric, and hydrogen fuel cell – and the differences are often not communicated properly, according to Jon. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, for example, are electric vehicles, “the difference being how, where and how quickly you get your electricity,” explains Jon. A fuel cell produces electricity through a chemical reaction in the fuel cell between hydrogen and oxygen, and emits only water vapour from the tailpipe. It refuels in the same time as a normal vehicle.

Explaining hybrids Full-hybrids meanwhile use an electric powertrain, and in effect, have three power sources: a petrol engine, battery and regenerative braking. Jon explains: “Any of those three can operate to run the vehicle at any point in time, either independently or together.”

Jon continues: “One thing people don’t necessarily understand is that every one of our hybrid vehicles is an electric vehicle. We have something that is referred to as full hybrid system. This consists of a petrol engine and a fuel tank but we also have a full electric powertrain which has got an electric motor and battery with enough power to drive the vehicle at any speed.”

Bei sustain ng its entir able in eo is someperations that To thing yo very ser ta takes i and is oously pe about n

Interview

Toyota and Lexus have 17 different hybrid models in the UK. Jon explains why a hybrid system is inherently more efficient: “The engines in our hybrid vehicles are not what you would think as a normal petrol engine – they are very high performing and very lightweight. We use the Atkinson cycle engine. This in itself has very low torque and is not powerful enough to fully operate a vehicle at high speed. But they are extremely energy efficient – up to 40 per cent energy efficient where normal internal combustion engine can be as low as 20 per cent.

We use these efficient engines without compromising on performance because we can rely on the electric powertrain to provide supplementary power when needed.” Furthermore, unlike full battery EVs, hybrids will charge themselves by using the petrol engine or through regenerative braking minimising inconvenience.

Plug-in hybrids meanwhile need to be charged to typically give around a 30-mile electric range, but Jon warns that if the technology is not used correctly, it can result in an inefficient petrol vehicle being driven and none of the benefits an electric vehicle.

Pure battery electric vehicles have other limitations aside from range and the “embedded emissions” that should be considered, Jon points out. There is currently no international standards for charging systems, meaning there are several different plugs, different voltages and different combinations. What’s more, charging will always take time and degrade the battery.

What hydrogen offers Toyota has been developing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCV) for over 25 years, and released the Mirai, its first mass production FCV in 2015.

Hydrogen is emission free and non-toxic, producing only water when used. It is also very energy-dense; three times that of diesel and 130 times more energy dense than lithium-ion.

Unlike the long charging time of battery electric vehicles, hydrogen FCVs can be refuelled within minutes, much like refuelling with petrol or diesel, and can do over 300 miles on a tank. The limitations that exist for this fuel however are infrastructure and public acceptance, Jon says.

There are currently only a handful of publicly available hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK, but more are in the pipeline. Fuel giant Shell opened its first hydrogen refuelling station at Cobham services on the M25 and has plans for more. The hydrogen at Cobham is generated on-site using an electrolyser, meaning the hydrogen does not have to be transported.

Additionally, the hydrogen can be produced directly from renewables on site, such as in Rotherham, Rainham and Swindon, meaning no need to rely on the grid.

Any excess hydrogen can be piped into the existing gas network and used in the same way as our natural gas without much work.

Jon explains. “If you think about what the gas network is really, it’s just storing energy in the form of natural gas. If you could replace that gas with a renewable rather than a fossil fuel then you are improving the overall efficiency of the energy sector.”

The Toyota Mirai FCEV at the Shell hydrogen refuelling station at Cobham services

Hydrogen is emission free and non-toxic, producing only water when used. It is also very energy-dense; three times that of diesel and 130 times more energy dense than lithium-ion When people argue that producing hydrogen is expensive, Jon points out that it could already be created using the 1TWh of unused power that is available in the UK due to excess generation or unused renewables. If that unused power was used to create hydrogen, that would be enough to power around 90,000 vehicles 12,000 miles annually.

Overall, Jon believes that all alternatively-fuelled vehicles have a role to play in the future because different power sources can work well in different applications. Battery electric vehicles for example can work very well for people who only have short distances to travel.

Jon concludes: “You can only demonstrate and make an impact with a particular system if you sell it in a range of products and at volume. If you only sell one model, then you are focusing all your attention on one thing. It could be very good in terms of performance and emissions, but is it practical, and will it sell in the mass market?

“People have different requirements and Toyota is very proud to have such a large range of alternative powertrains to offer customers.” !

FURTHER INFORMATION www.toyota.co.uk

Volume 110 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

37

Industry Comment Advertisement Feature

A look at Electro-Magnetic Compatibility standards Fully electric and hybrid vehicles are common place on our roads today and the constant improvements needed to drive this technology forward should not be held back by EMC or other vehicle standards, writes Geoff Hitchen There was a time (not that long ago) when a passing vehicle would have a detrimental effect on radio or TV reception. Some readers may be old enough to remember the white snow like interference that would appear over the TV picture when a motorist drove by. A public information film was even used in the UK to get the message across to motorists of the need to fit suppression to their motor vehicles ignition and spark systems. Automotive technology and EMC standards have advanced a great deal since these pre-1970 days.

Technology The technology used within on road vehicles today is vastly different from the technology used just twenty years ago. It is not uncommon for today’s vehicles to contain a vast array of multi-media electronics as well as a data network capable of supporting the equipment’s interaction. This is on top of the complex electronics that make up most of the vehicles driving capability.

The addition of all this additional technology creates a greater challenge for manufacturers of final vehicle or Electronic Sub-Assemblies when it comes to EMC. The EMC standards used have to constantly evolve and improve to include tests, frequency bands and limits that capture misbehaving technology.

In the case of new technology that is meant to make the world a cleaner place, the standards shouldn’t be a blocker to progress.

Fully electric and hybrid vehicles are common place on our roads today and the constant improvements needed to drive this technology forward so that it can fully replace the need for fossil fuel should not be held back by the over burdening of EMC or other vehicle standards.

The main changes and improvements to the automotive EMC standards right now are to better cover the rapid emergence of electric vehicles. The large charge currents used by todays ‘plug-in’ electric vehicles is proving to be a particular challenge when it comes to EMC and the need to test a worst case

scenario from within the EMC test chamber.

Until ‘plug-in’ electric vehicles appeared there was no need for the EMC standards to consider the products interaction with the domestic mains supply – for instance.

The Automobile of the past had always been a separate entity, a self-contained unit.

The Standards Automotive standards addressing Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) are developed mainly by CISPR, ISO, SAE and UN ECE. The SAE develops standards mainly for use in North America. The UN ECE develops standards widely used within the European Economic Community.

These EMC standards are written to cover the testing of complete ‘on highway’ vehicles and Electronic Sub-Assemblies that operate within them. These standards treat both scenarios completely separately.

The EMC testing that takes place on any product (be it final vehicle or Electronic Sub Assembly) focuses on three aspects: Emissions – The generation of electromagnetic energy, whether deliberate or accidental, by some source and its release into the environment.

Susceptibility – The tendency of electrical equipment, referred to as the victim, to malfunction or breakdown in the presence of unwanted emissions.

Immunity – The opposite of Susceptibility, being the ability of equipment to function correctly in the presence of RFI (Radio Frequency Interference).

ESG Approach For ESG products it is exclusively the Electronic Sub Assembly part of these standards that we must comply with.

A challenge today for ESG is that each vehicle manufacturer (OEM) has their own internal standards that specify levels and testing that components used in their vehicles must meet. As with the government standards, these documents usually refer to the CISPR or ISO documents with differences in scope or test levels.

The Present Today’s automobile technology contains the ability to warn the driver of and automatically prevent collisions with other road users and roadside obstacles whilst the vehicle is in motion.

Modern vehicles also have the technology to sense distance while parking and even

38

DEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT | www.greenfleet.net

Geoff Hitchen Geoff is Electronics Test and Design Engineer at ESG. He has been with the company for three years and been electronics engineer since graduating in 1989.

Geoff has spent time in the defence industry, data communication technology industry and the hazardous area (oil and gas) electronics industry before joining ECCO Safety Group. automatically park the vehicle without driver intervention. Imagine for a moment if these systems were somehow impaired by a nearby vehicle emitting high levels of RFI. Due to the vehicles susceptibility to RFI the vehicle could partially fail to respond correctly or it could fail to warn the driver of an obstacle whilst reversing. Worse still it could cause a collision whilst the vehicle is in motion. Of course, in today’s world there would be a (human being) driver to react and recover the vehicle.

The Future In the (not so distant) future our highways may be partially or fully populated with autonomous ‘connected’ vehicles.

In this future scenario the vehicle may not support human intervention or control and it will become more important than ever that the vehicle is tested for every EMC scenario, especially those affecting passenger and road safety.

In a connected vehicle future the vehicle and the inter-vehicle data network will need to be fully tested for EMC Emissions, Immunity and Susceptibility. !

ESG will be launching its new lightbar – 12+ Series and this lightbar’s electronics have been redesigned to give exceptional EMC performance and increased functionality.

The new 12+ Series lightbar far exceeds the minimum EMC performance expected in R10 where more complex electronics are being added to vehicles and is therefore far less susceptible to interfere with any of the systems.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.eccosafetygroup.com 0113 237 53 40

Industry Comment ADVERTORIAL

Seizing 800 WORD the opportunity EDIT HEADLINE of alternative HERE fuels AS TIGHT AS POSS

Policies to lower vehicle emissions pose great challenges for fleets, but also great opportunities. That’s the message that emerges loud and clear from Hitachi Capital UK’s new Future of Fuel report

Jon Lawes

Advertisement Feature

Udae nonsend icidisquid quam elisimincim facepro et et, sed

quodi blaborum utindustry, molorem aut ationse laboribus In all my years in the fleet I’ve never Crucially,nos 82 pereumque cent of respondents seen things changedolo as rapidly are said that it nitibusdae is important to move towards et quoditiat qui asdethey volecab orerisqui nullacianti today. Alternatively-fuelled vehicles (AFVs) alternative fuels. The fleet industry rest, sitiatis ut idem quodi consequat facimagnime pernatemquae are becoming an increasingly common sight appreciates the need to cut emissions, nimus earibus, tem ipsaest moluptatium es net etsteps to do so. on our roads.

Manufacturers are innovating and is already taking all the time, bringing out vehicles with new However, the fleet professionals we capabilities xoxoxoxo at a relentless pace. Politicians surveyed also issued a collective call to are introducing an ever-growing list of action. 28 per cent believe that their own policies designed to tackle the twin threats organisations should be doing more to FURTHER INFORMATION of climate change and air pollution. embrace alternative fuels. 73 per cent said With all of this change comes great xxx that the government must also do more challenges for fleets, but also great to encourage their adoption, if the UK is opportunities. That’s the message that going to meet our emissions targets. emerges loud and clear from Hitachi The survey also reveals the biggest Capital UK’s new Future of Fuel report. obstacles that are preventing more It examines all the possibilities for fleets fleets from going green. Infrastructure looking to reduce their reliance on petrol and vehicle cost were the reasons most and diesel – from cars powered by hydrogen frequently given by fleet professionals to HGVs that run on used cooking oil. who are not planning to add more AFVs. Each type of fuel comes with its own mix of pros and cons, and is therefore a AFV infrastructure better fit for some uses than it is for others.

The government is working hard to improve Electric vans, for example, with their very the nation’s electric charging infrastructure, low running costs but limited range, make through both the Automated and Electric the most sense if they are doing around Vehicles Bill and the new £400 million 100 miles a day and can be charged up Charging Investment Infrastructure Fund. overnight. Natural gas, meanwhile, is most However, policymakers should also be paying practical for large HGV fleets who can afford attention to the lack of filling stations for to install filling stations at their depots, Compressed Natural Gas, biodiesel and or to forge partnerships with other local hydrogen. The Chancellor would be wise to operators to attract investment in building invest in those facilities, to help make these a fuelling station close to their operation. fuels a realistic option for more fleets.

It’s certainly true that the upfront costs Universal of many AFVs can be daunting, even While the precise solution will vary from though they are coming down thanks to organisation to organisation, the need to technological progress and economies take alternative fuels seriously is universal. of scale. However, the upfront cost is With taxes on diesels due to rise in April and only one aspect of a vehicle’s whole-life Clean Air Zones on their way in 2019, no fleet costs, and alternative fuels offer big can afford to ignore AFVs. Fortunately, most savings on several other fronts. understand that fact very well, according to First, there are the government incentives, the research we conducted for our report. such as the Plug-In Car and Van Grants and We surveyed 149 fleet professionals lower Vehicle Excise Duty rates, that fleets about their current use of alternative fuels can benefit from by switching to AFVs. and their plans for the future. Many of the Second, and most dramatic, are the savings results were heartening: 62 per cent of fleets AFVs offer when it comes to fuel costs. already contain AFVs and 42 per cent plan Take electricity, for example. It’s exempt to add new ones within the next two years. from both fuel duty and benefit-in-kind tax. Our research suggests that it works out at around 15 pence per mile cheaper than petrol or diesel for vans, and 38p cheaper for HGVs. If every commercial vehicle switched from petrol or diesel to electricity, the total fuel savings could therefore total around £14 billion a year.

And the whole-life costs calculation will soon tilt more heavily in favour of AFVs, with the introduction of London’s Ultra

Jon Lawes, managing director of Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions.

Jon has more than 20 years’ experience in the fleet and leasing industry, and became divisional managing director of Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Solutions in 2006. In 2015, Jon was made managing director of Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, which covers all assets from cars to plant.

He has just completed a three-year stint as chairperson of the BVRLA’s Commercial Vehicle Committee and sits on the overall board of the BVRLA. In addition, Jon is also a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Low Emission Zone in April 2019 and Clean Air Zones in other cities soon after.

These will impose significant extra costs on fleets running older diesel vehicles – costs that can be avoided by switching to alternative fuels. Our survey reveals that most fleets intend to do just that: 65 per cent of respondents said that they will be more likely to use AFVs because of Clean Air Zones.

Time and again, fleets have demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt to change.

By doing so now, and making the transition to alternative fuels, fleets can help to combat air pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while also helping their own bottom lines. !

FURTHER INFORMATION www.hitachicapitalvehiclesolutions. co.uk/future-of-fuel-report

Volume 110 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

39

Road Test

ROAD TEST

Honda Insight (1999)

Written by Richard Gooding

With news that a new US version of the hybrid-powered Insight will appear in 2018, Richard Gooding drives the first generation of Honda’s pioneering petrol-electric car Honda is to re-introduce the hybrid-powered Insight and Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system to the US market in 2018, the third generation of a petrol-electric car nameplate which was first launched in 1999. The original two-seat coupé-silhouetted Insight gave way to the second-generation model in 2009 (although production ended in 2006), which featured Toyota Prius-like styling and a five-door body. We take a trip down hybrid memory lane in Honda UK’s pristine first-generation car to remember the original Prius’ only real contemporary rival.

A 995cc, three-cylinder petrol engine provides the motive power, its 67bhp boosted to 73bhp with the assistance of a 13.4bhp/10kW electric motor mounted in-between the engine and transmission. A strict two-seater, behind the driver and passenger is a bank of nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries rated at 144V DC. Under acceleration, the electric motor provides additional power to aid the petrol engine. The engine and the electric motor are permanently connected, so, unlike the original Prius, the electric motor cannot propel the Insight on its own. But, as the electric motor only assists the VTEC-E petrol engine, it’s smaller and What was it? lighter than traction motors in other hybrid The original Honda Insight was the first vehicles, a key point in the Insight’s make-up. production car in the Japanese carmaker’s Lightweight construction and space-age looks range to use the IMA system, one of the reminiscent of the 1983 Honda CR-X ensured most technologically-advanced parallel the original Insight was almost ahead of its hybrid power systems of the time. Using time. Faired-in rear wheels, a both the engine and motor to power narrower rear track as well the car, recuperation of braking as a teardrop silhouette energy – the motor acting as meant the Honda a generator to recharge the bested Toyota’s batteries – maximises energy impressive Cd usage in order to cut emissions 0.29 drag and boost fuel economy. co-efficient figure, the Number produced: 17,020 Number sold in the UK: 250 Key rival: Toyota Prius

1999-2006 Honda Insight key stats

Insight recording a value of just 0.25. The first production petrol-electric hybrid car sold in the US, the Insight beat the Prius on that front, too: the odd, saloon-styled Toyota arrived a few months later than the hybrid Honda.

How did it drive?

Inside, the garish digital instruments are as space-age as the exterior looks, and the low-slung driving position as sporty as any other two-seat coupé, which is in effect what the original Honda Insight is. As with the first-generation Prius we tested back in GreenFleet issue 100, the only thing which really dates the little Honda is the quality of the interior trim plastics – while they may be not up to 2018 standards in feel and look, the layout of the controls

2001 Honda Insight (ZE1) ENGINE:

67bhp, 995cc, three-cylinder petrol with 13.4bhp/10kW electric motor

BATTERY CAPACITY: WEIGHT: TYRES:

838kg 165/65 R14 low-rolling resistance

CO2: MPG (combined): PRICE (1999):

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DEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT | www.greenfleet.net

5.75Ah

80g/km 83.1 £15,490

EV Plus: Honda’s electric experiment While Honda may not have a pure battery electric car in its current line-up, it experimented with a full EV in 1997.

Production Insight was inspired by Honda’s J-VX 1997 concept car (inset)

Digital instruments featured a raft of economy read-outs

means everything falls readily to hand.

In typical hybrid fashion, there’s a split rear window tailgate, but all-round vision is good, despite the super swoopy styling.

As well as its state-of-the-art hybrid powertrain, the Insight was equally pioneering in its construction. Liberal use of light materials and a unit-body/space-frame which used stressed sheet metal panels to absorb and distribute loads as well as extruded frame members resulted a body a whole 40 per cent lighter than a contemporary Honda Civic. Underneath, chassis resin panels ensured a clean passage of air, with additional fairings around the fuel tank and exhaust system. Everything was honed for utmost efficiency: even the aluminium alloy wheels had a flat, disc-like design.

Out on the road, Honda’s weight-saving and efficient way of thinking means the 838kg Insight doesn’t feel underpowered, despite its meagre power output. It’s not fast (0 to 62mph takes around 12.0 seconds), thanks to its long, eco-minded gearing. But, the low driving position and light weight means the Insight feels faster than it is, and its power-assisted steering offers enough feedback to let you know what the front wheels are doing. Grip from the 165/65 R 14 low rolling-resistance tyres is good, and the dinky Honda changes direction well, no doubt a result of that lightweight, almost obsessive attention to detail.

Unlike the original Prius, the Insight has a five-speed manual, and although the shift action isn’t the slickest, it helps the Honda hybrid feel more like a ‘normal’ car, most probably a good thing back in 1999. When in neutral, the engine is shut off, just like most contemporary cars of 2018, restarting when first gear is selected. The ride is a strange mix of both firm and soft, the two-seater feeling soft when cornering and more hard-riding when the road surface turns a little less smooth.

Despite its avantgarde dieting construction methods, the Insight was very fully equipped

The EV Plus was a conventionally-styled hatchback, leased to 400 drivers in the US for $455 a month. The $53,900 cars were taken back in 1999 and scrapped, but with technology such as an Ni-MH battery pack, regenerative braking and an electrically-heated windscreen, it introduced many of the features which would later appear on the original Insight. Its 49kW electric motor gave around 100 miles of range.

Honda’s J-VX concept of 1997 previewed the look of the first-generation Insight, as well as its IMA system. The production Insight arrived two years later.

as standard. Central locking with keyless entry, electric windows, reading lights, and sporty (and very brightly-trimmed on Honda UK’s 60,000-mile car) bucket seats all helped justify the Honda’s on the high side price. Air-conditioning was standard in some markets, too, and a raft of eco-minded displays include an economy shift indicator as well as a fuel mileage computer, which can be toggled between fuel economy, either a ‘lifetime’ or instantaneous 0 to 150mpg readings. Fuel level, battery charge and the IMA’s ‘Charge’ and ‘Assist’ indicators reveal whether the system was being recharged or being used to send energy to the electric motor, much like the more sophisticated displays in electric vehicles and hybrids today.

was the cheapest hybrid car on the market.

If the rakish and dinky Honda appeals today, you’ll need considerably less than that original £15,490. Cars can be picked up from around £1,750 and top out at around £4,000, but, again, as with the first-generation Prius, locating one could be problematic.

Rarer in the UK than the 1,200-unit Toyota, only around 250 original Insights found their way here, so you might have to comb the classifieds very thoroughly. Major issues are thankfully rare, though: the battery pack can be expected to be past its best after 17 years, and the aluminium body panels may make accident repairs costly.

How economical was it?

The official and claimed fuel economy of the original Honda Insight is still a value most drivers would dream of today. Way back in 1999, a combined cycle return of 83.1mpg was some way ahead of the 57.6mpg of the original Toyota Prius. As were the emissions. While the hybrid Toyota emitted 114g/km, the little 80g/km Honda was a whole 34g/km cleaner. While few drivers would see the claimed economy figure (around 60mpg was nearer the mark for most), around 700 miles was theoretically possible from the Japanese hybrid.

Why did my fleet need one?

With the low-carbon market very much in its burgeoning stages of development, the Insight arrived as a breath of fresh air against its – admittedly limited – competition. It’s swoopy, stand-out looks and digital dashboard seemed to have arrived from another planet, its alien green-like colour (actually called ‘Citrus Yellow’) only adding to that ‘out of this world’ feel. Which also summed up its new assisted motor technology, which not only made it green in every sense of the word, but very clean, too.

In fact, so ‘clean’ was the Insight, it was the only car to fall into the new VED Band A (up to 100g/km) tax grouping at the time of the banding’s introduction in 2005. Perhaps surprisingly, the Honda held onto that honour until 2008, when numerous car makers began to introduce low-carbon models that also benefited from the new VED-free status. !

What did it cost?

Just like the original Prius, Honda’s hybrid trailblazer didn’t come cheap. At £15,490, it was a little cheaper than its Toyota classmate, but, like the Prius, the Insight cost more than its conventionally-engined and more practical small hatchback rivals. With fewer seats and therefore less usable space, the price was quite a big ask at the turn of the millennium. But again, just like the Prius, the hybrid technology that both were pioneering was in its infancy, and the prices reflected this. But, the Honda

Road Test

First-generation Honda Insight features a drag co-efficent figure of just 0.25

FURTHER INFORMATION honda-insight.co.uk

Volume 110 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

41

Alfa Romeo Giulia Super 2.2 Turbodiesel 180

Written by Richard Gooding

Road Test

ROAD TEST

Alfa Romeo’s new compact executive sports saloon takes inspiration from its past, but also looks forward towards a more efficient future. Richard Gooding reports What is it?

The first Alfa Romeo Giulia was built from 1962 to 1978, its stylish but boxy looks belying a lively handling compact executive saloon. The third and current-generation Giulia was first unveiled in 2015, entering production in 2016. The first model in the brand’s relaunch plan, a lot rests on the Giulia’s muscular haunches.

Worldwide sales targets of 400,000 are the aim for 2018, and both the Giulia and its Stelvio sister are part of a €5 billion investment for a new eight car line-up.

With predecessors including the 156 and 159, the latest Giulia offers a weight-saving build philosophy as well as efficient engines and a thoroughly re-invigorated engineering approach, as well as a return to the traditional longitudinal front-engined, rear-drive transaxle layout favoured on that original Giulia. The ‘Super’-trimmed car we have on test has a nod to Giulias of old, too, the ‘Super’ name first used on the sporty Giulia TI Super of 1963.

How does it drive?

The latest Giulia takes cues from Alfa saloons of the recent past as well as the traditional and distinctive V-shaped ‘Scudetto’ grille and the ‘Trilobo’ it creates with the lower front bumper air intakes. Svelte and curvaceous, the Giulia is far removed from its upright and

42

square-edged 1960s ancestors, and offers a more elegant, dynamic, and emotional-looking alternative to its German competition.

The cabin inspired that of the new Stelvio, and just like Alfa’s new SUV, with its low-slung driving position and high window line, its feels snug and cocooning. The electrically-adjustable seats offer a driving position for every body, and the leather sports seats are cosseting and comfortable, although one passenger complained of backache over long distances.

The deeply-cowled dials emit a sporty touch, as does the carbonfibre-look dashboard trim. The steering wheel-mounted automatic gearbox aluminium paddles are wonderfully tactile to use, while materials are generally impressive overall. Only the 8.8-inch ‘Alfa Connect’ colour infotainment satellite navigation system lets the side down: it’s not as clear as competitors’ offerings, but is easy to use thanks to a BMW iDrive-style rotary knob on the centre console and no really deep-set menus.

Parts of our test car’s impressive cabin features were down to the optional £1,200 ‘Sports Plack Plus’ and £1,950 ‘Performance Pack’. A sports leather steering wheel, and aluminium centre console trim and pedals are included in the former, along with bi-xenon headlights, while the latter optional equipment pack features the steering wheel

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paddle-shift levers, as well as a limited-slip differential, and an active suspension system.

The Giulia was the first new-age Alfa to return to the front-engine, rear-drive template of Alfas past, a layout now shared by the Stelvio. The newly-developed ‘Giorgio’ platform transfers power from the engine to the rear-mounted gearbox transaxle via a carbonfibre propshaft. For additional efficiency, suspension and braking components, as well as the engines and door and wing panels are all made from aluminium, saving weight and ensuring a near-perfect 50:50 weight distribution.

Alfa’s attention to detail has paid off.

The Giulia feels super sharp to drive, the steering quick and direct. Keen handling ensures the Giulia really digs into corners, the car staying flat and level with very little body roll at all. Alfa’s first all-aluminium diesel engine feels gruff on starting, but noise levels ebb away when cruising.

On the move, the only discernible noise is wind from around the B-pillars, while the optional 18-inch wheels fitted to our test car were fitted with run-flat tyres which, given their ultra low profile masked road imperfections very well. As in the Stelvio, the ZF-sourced automatic gearbox can be a touch slow-witted, eliciting an old-fashioned turbo lag-like feeling, with seemingly no power,

Less taxing Tecnica

Alfa Romeo Giulia Super 2.2 turbodiesel 180 ENGINE: 2,143cc, four-cylinder diesel CO2:

109g/km

NOx:

52mg/km

MPG (combined):

67.3

GF MPG (combined):

47.0

VED:

£140 first-year, £140-£450 thereafter (see text)

BIK: PRICE (OTR):

23% £33,315 (including VAT, £41,605 as tested)

What does it cost?

Available in four trim levels, the Alfa Romeo Giulia is priced from £29,875 for the entry-level ‘Giulia’ model powered by a turbocharged 200bhp, 2.0-litre petrol engine.

Equipment is high, with 16-inch alloy wheels, a 6.5-inch colour infotainment system and 3.5-inch TFT instrument display, auto lights and wipers, climate control, cruise control, a ‘D.N.A’ driving mode selector, and rear parking sensors all included in the price.

Move up to the £31,575 ‘Super’ specification and the wheels gain an inch in diameter, while satellite navigation – the infotainment screen increasing to 8.8 inches in size – leather and cloth seats, as well as front parking sensors are added. ‘Speciale’ models start at £35,515 and add 18-inch wheels with run-flat tyres, an auto-dimming rear view mirror, bi-xenon headlights, as well as black window surrounds, heated and powered leather seats and steering wheel, and red calipers.

Range-topping ‘Veloce’ Giulias feature black brake calipers, steering wheel-mounted shift paddles, and an upgraded braking system in the £38,260 price. Veloce trim cars are also limited to just one engine choice: the 2.0-litre 280bhp petrol unit.

As will follow with the Stelvio (GreenFleet issue 108), a business-focused Giulia Tecnica model is available now (see panel). The 2.2-litre, 150bhp turbodiesel kicks off the fleet-friendly Tecnica range at £31,035.

The lightweight ethos of the Giulia helps with its efficiency, the four-door emitting just 109g/km

followed by a surge of push. Most of the time it performs well, though, and changes gear whenever it thinks is appropriate.

All things considered, the Giulia is an incredibly dynamic package, and a welcome return to an area in which Alfa has been deficient in recent times. The standard Alfa ‘D.N.A’ driving mode selector offers three choices of programme: ‘d’ – Dynamic sports driving mode, ‘n’ – Normal driving mode, and ‘a’: Advanced Efficiency mode which alters the car’s behaviour for eco driving.

The Start & Stop eco system meanwhile cuts off the engine when at standstill.

How economical is it?

The lightweight ethos of the Giulia helps with its efficiency. The svelte four-door returns an official 67.3mpg on the combined cycle in diesel-engined form. All Giulias are fitted with stop-start systems to cut the engine when stationary in traffic to save fuel, and all engines, regardless of fuel type, meet the latest Euro 6 emissions standard.

Economy can be further optimised by selecting the ‘Advanced Efficiency’ mode on the Giulia’s Alfa Romeo ‘D.N.A’ drive selector programme which is standard on all models. Altering the car’s dynamic behaviour, the increased efficiency mode minimises emission levels and saves energy.

How much does it cost to tax?

Alfa Romeo’s latest sports saloon has emissions of just 109g/km in 2.2 turbodiesel form, whether with outputs of 180bhp as tested here or the less powerful 150bhp version. This places it in the £140 first-year rate band of VED, with the cost remaining the same each year thereafter. Go carefully with the options list, though: any car specified to the same level as our test Giulia with £8,290 worth of optional kit will be incur an annual £450 charge after the first year due to its list price exceeding £40,000. Should you favour petrol, the 2.0-litre turbocharged 200bhp and 280bhp Giulias will cost £200 in the first year, softening to £140 thereafter.

Why does my fleet need one?

The Giulia’s arrival was a long-awaited one, following the discontinuation of its last D-segment challenger, the 159, in 2011. But, the wait was worth it. With more

As with other models in the FCA Group, Alfa Romeo has launched a version of the Giulia directly aimed at fleets and businesses.

Road Test

Alfa’s ‘D.N.A’ driving mode programme includes an ‘Advanced Efficiency’ setting to maximise efficiency

The Giulia Tecnica has been developed to offer a high specification coupled with low emissions and ‘exceptional’ fuel consumption. Powered exclusively by either the 150bhp or 180bhp 2.2-litre turbodiesel engines, the Giulia Tecnica includes such luxuries as auto lights and wipers, climate control, cruise control, electric seats, LED tail lights, 8.8-inch ‘Alfa Connect’ colour infotainment system with satellite navigation, 17-inch alloy wheels and a host of safety systems.

A standard stop-start system means emissions of 109g/km and a combined cycle fuel economy of 67.3mpg. Equipped with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, prices for the Alfa Romeo Giulia Technica start at £31,035 on-the-road for the 150bhp model, rising to £32,235 for the 180bhp car. BIK tax is 23 per cent for both, while the P11D value is £30,840 and £32,040 for the 150bhp and 180bhp versions respectively.

curvaceous and less straight-laced lines than its German rivals, and the enthusiast’s choice of driven wheels, the latest Giulia is, like its newer Stelvio relative, a dynamic and involving car. While the interior may be bested by most European competitors, there’s very little wrong with it indeed, and the Giulia has deservedly boosted Alfa Romeo’s fortunes since its introduction.

The diesel-engined versions of the Alfa’s new sports saloon offer low emissions, and coupled with those arresting looks, there’s little not to like. A thoroughly re-invigorated four-door, the Giulia can be counted among the best in a very talented class. Keep an eye on those options, though, as too much additional kit will push the limits of taxation.

Overall, the standard Giulia should leave few fleet drivers wanting, in both terms of kit as well as driving experience. !

FURTHER INFORMATION www.alfaromeo.co.uk The Giulia’s rising waistline accentuates its rear-wheel drive layout

The Giulia’s interior is sporty and comfortable

Volume 110 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

43

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Volume 110 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

45

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