GreenFleet 77

INFRASTRUCTURE

ROAD TEST VW PASSAT

EV HISTORY

www.greenfleet.net

ISSUE 77

TELEMATICS

THE CONNECTED CAR When the car becomes part of the driver’s digital lifestyle

GOVERNMENT FLEETS

WHITEHALL PLUGS-IN

Transport Minister Baroness Kramer on getting more electric vehicles on government fleets FORMULA E

ELECTRIFYING MOTORSPORT

FIA President Jean Todt on the philosophy behind the Formula E electric race series

ROAD TEST: FORD TRANSIT CONNECT 1.0 ECOBOOST

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ROAD TEST VW PASSAT

EV HISTORY

www.greenfleet.net

ISSUE 77

TELEMATICS

THE CONNECTED CAR

When the car becomes part of the driver’s digital lifestyle

GOVERNMENT FLEETS

WHITEHALL PLUGS-IN

Transport Minister Baroness Kramer on getting more electric vehicles on government fleets FORMULA E

ELECTRIFYING MOTORSPORT

FIA President Jean Todt on the philosophy behind the Formula E electric race series

ROAD TEST: FORD TRANSIT CONNECT 1.0 ECOBOOST

COMMENT

INFRASTRUCTURE

Electric vehicles past and present This September the first ever electric race series, the Formula E, kicked off in Beijing. Some 40 million are believed to have watched the race worldwide on television and 75,000 attended.

With so many eyes watching, this new motorsport championship is helping to promote greener vehicle technology on a global scale. On page 25, FIA President Jean Todt explains the thinking behind the race and how he believes it can “play an important role in promoting the use of more electric cars in cities.”

Going from the cutting edge of electric vehicle manufacturing in the Formula E, to a humble look back at its past, Roger F de Boer, a member of the Battery Vehicle Society shares his knowledge of electric vehicles in history on page 19. From electric Harrods vans to electric buses and milk floats, this is a fascinating look back at a technology that today seems so modern.

GreenFleet’s Arrive ‘N’ Drive is now upon us. This year we have the Crown Commercial Service and Alphabet host a workshop on changes to the fleet Frameworks, and the Freight Transport Association is holding

sessions on van fleet accreditation. Add to this the usual stellar line-up of low emission vehicles to test drive, and this year’s event is set to be as informative and enjoyable as ever.

Angela Pisanu, editor

P ONLINE P IN PRINT P MOBILE P FACE-TO-FACE If you would like to receive 10 issues of GreenFleet magazine for £200 a year, please contact Public Sector Information Limited, 226 High Road, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 GreenFleet® would like to thank the following organisations for their support:

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 EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Arthur Walsh EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Danny Wright PRODUCTION EDITOR Richard Gooding PRODUCTION CONTROL Jacqueline Lawford, Jo Golding WEB PRODUCTION Reiss Malone PUBLISHER Martin Freedman ACCOUNT MANAGER Kylie Glover ADMINISTRATION Victoria Leftwich, Vickie Hopkins REPRODUCTION & PRINT Argent Media

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Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

3

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CONTENTS

Contents GreenFleet 77 07 News

35 Commercial vehicles

14 Government fleets

41 Telematics

Nissan in battery procurement rethink?; EU Programme sees UK rapid charging network take shape

14

Transport Minister Baroness Kramer explains a new scheme that aims to increase the amount of electric and hybrid vehicles on government fleets

A report from Telematics Detroit on how the car will become part of the driver’s digital lifestyle

19 Electric vehicle history

As October’s GreenFleet Awards approaches, we look back at 2013’s winners

Battery Vehicle Society member Roger F de Boer takes a look back at the history of electric vehicles in public and commercial service

21 London taxis Ken Brown

We look back at the history of the iconic London taxi and its various fuel sources

19

There are two schools of thought from manufacturers of electric vans: sell the battery with the vehicle or lease it out

25 Formula E

47 GreenFleet Awards

50 Road test: Hyundai i10

Economical, smart-looking, practical, and good value

52 Road test: Ford Transit Connect EcoBoost A 1.0-litre petrol engine in a small commercial vehicle

Following the inaugural Formula E this September, FIA President Jean Todt explains the thinking behind this electric race series

54 Road test: Volkswagen Passat Executive TDI

31 EV infrastructure

56 Road test: Škoda Octavia GreenLine III

Nigel Jenkins from the Energise Network explains how the South East of England is improving its electric vehicle charging infrastructure

Richard Gooding assesses the lowest‑emitting VW Passat Executive

Angela Pisanu reports from behind the wheel of the greenest Octavia in production

31

36

35

52

GreenFleet magazine

www.greenfleet.net Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

5

NEWS

News in brief ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Toyota gains Japanese government approval for fuel cell manufacture

Nissan’s battery rethink could see reduced production in Sunderland and Tennessee With a decision due next month regarding the future of the Nissan battery plants in Sunderland and Smyrna, Tennessee, news agency Reuters is reporting that company boss Carlos Ghosn is preparing to cut battery manufacturing – a move which re-opened deep divisions with alliance partner Renault, according to the agency.

The plan, which faces stiff resistance from within Nissan, would see US and British production phased out and a reduced output of next-generation batteries concentrated at its domestic plant. Citing a variety of sources, the news agency said Nissan would follow Renault by taking cheaper batteries from LG Chem in South Korea for some future vehicles, including models made in China.

“We set out to be a leader in battery manufacturing but it turned out to be less competitive than we’d wanted,” an anonymous executive told Reuters, adding: “We’re still between six months and a year behind LG in price-performance terms.”

Another source told reuters “Renault would clearly prefer to go further down the LG sourcing route, and the Nissan engineers would obviously prefer to stay in-house.

The write-off costs are potentially huge.”

According to Reuters, Nissan is already negotiating with manufacturing partner NEC about the shift to dual sourcing, with Ghosn’s backing. However, Rachel Konrad, a spokesperson for the Alliance, told Reuters that Renault-Nissan “remains 100 per cent committed to its industry-leading electric vehicle programme” and had no plans to write down battery investments.

“We have not taken any decision whatsoever to modify battery sourcing allocation,” Konrad said, adding that the alliance “does not confirm or deny procurement reviews”.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/pw9lomd

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

EPSRC announces funding to improve battery and fuel cell performance The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has announced that it will channel £6m of funding into a new research project which aims to improve the performance of both electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

The research will be directed by Professor Rob Thring, at Loughborough University, and informed by an industrial advisory committee comprising of companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, Johnson Matthey and Intelligent Energy. The consortium, ELEVATE (ELEctrochemical Vehicle Advanced Technology), will develop materials for fuel cells and batteries whilst attempting to improve integration between devices, vehicles and power.

A second project, led by Dr Robert Morgan at the University of Brighton, will focus on developing low-carbon solutions for conventional combustion engine

cars. Together the projects will involve eight Universities in the UK, including the University of Warwick, University of Southampton, University College London and the University of Oxford.

Professor Philip Nelson, EPSRC’s chief executive, said “The UK’s research base and its universities are a fantastic source of new ideas and refinements from which industry can draw to grow and innovate.

Low carbon vehicles are, without doubt, an inevitable and very necessary next step for the automotive industries.

“The leading research that EPSRC supports will help to make the mass use and production of these vehicles a reality more quickly.”

READ MORE

Toyota has reached an important production staging post in its programme to launch its first fuel cell vehicle – gaining government‑approved status to build and inspect high‑pressure hydrogen tanks.

Toyota was the first manufacturer to meet the criteria required by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and can now increase production of tanks that can be used for safe storage of hydrogen fuel at up to 70MPa (700bar) pressure.

This keeps the company firmly on track for the market introduction of its Fuel Cell Sedan in Japan, Europe and North America in 2015.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/ocb7usa

EV Homecharge Scheme to run until March 2015 The government has launched the next stage of its initiative to support domestic charging points. The EV Homecharge Scheme replaces the Domestic Chargepoint Grant, a funding programme in place since February last year. This follows Transport Minister Baroness Kramer’s June announcement that the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) planned to invest an additional £9 million to promote the use of charging points domestically.

The new scheme offers grants to those who own, lease or are named as the primary user of an eligible electric vehicle from 1 July 2014 onwards. Grants will be offered from 1 September 2014 to 31 March 2015 or until the £9 million budget runs out.

Evidence of ownership or primary driver status must be supplied in order to be considered for funding, which is capped at £900 per person – this is intended to cover 75 per cent of installation costs. Baroness Kramer said earlier this year: “Our [Domestic Chargepoint Grant] scheme has been tremendously popular and we are keen to continue the roll out of chargepoints to driveways and garages across the country. It will also help create British jobs in the sector.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/le55z8b

tinyurl.com/lux25am

Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

7

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To book a test drive call our Business Centre on 01753 519442 or email us at fleet@jeep-comms.co.uk The all-new Jeep® Cherokee from only £259 per month† The all-new Jeep® Cherokee. Built Free.

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NEWS

News in brief INFRASTRUCTURE

L-R: Michael Schrieber, Technical Development, Volkswagen; Janet Nash, Projects Manager, BMW I; Olivier Paturet, General Manager Zero Emission Strategy, Nissan; Andrew Price, TEN-T Programme Manager, Department for Transport; Ben Fletcher, Senior Product Manager, Z.E. Range, Renault; Deirdre Arthur, Commercial Manager, ESB ecars

EU programme sees UK rapid charging network take shape Renault, Nissan, BMW and Volkswagen have joined forces through the European Union’s TEN-T programme to create a multi‑standard charging network through the UK and Ireland. As well as helping to finance the scheme, the consortium is providing other members of the project with the benefit of its extensive experience in the field.

The project, managed by Zero Carbon Futures in the North East, draws on the network expertise of ESB and Newcastle University. When complete, the UK Rapid Charge Network (RCN) will comprise 74 multi-standard rapid chargers covering some 1,100km of major trunk routes and providing EV-friendly links to five seaports and five international airports.

Running on two priority road axis on the mainland, the UK RCN will link major ports and cities including Stranraer, Liverpool, Holyhead, Birmingham, Felixstowe, Leeds and Kingston upon Hull while there will also be networks embracing Dublin, Ireland and Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Significantly, the rapid chargers are the latest state-of-the-art multi-standard units and are compatible with cars using 44kW CCS, 44kW CHAdeMO or 43kW AC systems. This will ensure that EV drivers travelling in the UK can undertake longer journeys. Ten rapid chargers have

been already installed with a further 28 sites soon to be commissioned.

The UK RCN is part of the European Union-financed Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T) and represents a substantial partnership investment of €7,358,000, half of which is being funded by the EU. A significant portion of the manufacturers’ contribution to the overall costs will be used to fund a research program, led by Newcastle University, which will aim to confirm the benefits of such an advanced inter-operable EV rapid charging network.

Strategic information gathered from users, including customer charging behaviour and changes in mobility patterns, will help plan the roll-out future rapid charging infrastructure in member states across Europe.

Funding for the RCN project is being led

by Nissan and is one of 30 priority transport projects across Europe identified by TEN-T for the added value they offer to the European community and their contribution to the sustainable development of transport systems. They include rail, mixed rail-road, road and inland waterway projects, as well as a ‘motorways of the sea’ scheme.”

World’s first 3D-printed car The world’s first ‘3D-printed’ car was printed and assembled during the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago. Called the Strati, the vehicle was printed in one piece using direct digital manufacturing – the first time this method has been used to make a car. Mechanical components were sourced from a variety of suppliers. American firm Local Motors plans to launch production‑level 3D-printed vehicles in the following months.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/olwa2an

Nevs reveals Saab EV prototype National Electric Vehicle Sweden (Nevs) has revealed a new prototype Saab electric vehicle. After financial difficulties following the acquisition of Saab’s bankruptcy estate, Nevs has renewed their ambition with a recent showing of a prototype Saab 9-3 EV. The EV is a modified Saab 9-3 Aero Sedan, powered by 100kW electric motor which returns a top speed of 75mph.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/mrt6nzd

HYBRID CONCEPT

Eolab concept to show off in Paris Renault’s Eolab concept car is a petrol-electric hybrid which the French manufacturer says can average 282mpg and emit just 22/gkm of CO2. Eolab makes its public debut at the Paris Motor Show next month, and should appear “’within 10 years’, according to Renault.

The French manufacturer says that in order to reach its economy target, engineers concentrated on refining aerodynamics and getting the best performance from its petrol-electric powertrain. The concept weighs 955kg, about 400kg less than the current Renault Clio, and features a drag coefficient of 0.235, some 30 per cent less than the Clio. The battery part of the Eolab’s PHEV powertrain will offer approximately 37 miles of range. In all,

Renault says there are “100 new, realistic technological developments” in this showcar that could come to future models.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/mwjgwcl

CENEX launches EV viability analysis tool Cenex has launched a new web‑based Electric Vehicle viability analysis tool. Cenex’s FCRT lite enables fleet decision makers to accurately access the viability of low carbon vehicles within their operation and is based on real world duty cycles and electric vehicle range.

DOWNLOAD THE TOOL

READ MORE

tinyurl.com/lt82p6v

tinyurl.com/q8ylt9c Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

9

NEWS

DRIVER SAFETY

HYDROGEN VEHICLES

IAM’S wearable Hydrogen will tech warning struggle outside of Road safety charity the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is warning drivers about the potential risks associated with smart watches while driving.

Wearable technology, such as the forthcoming iWatch from Apple, will allow users to make and receive calls, check their messages and monitor their health. However, the IAM warns that this could significantly impair driving performance. Existing research on smartphone use between 2006 and 2010 found distraction from a mobile phone was a contributory factor in 1,960 road accidents which resulted in injuries; this figure includes 110 fatal accidents.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/n56c6rb

POLICE VEHICLES

German police planning a round of e-Golf

Japan says VW chief Volkswagen Group Japan President Shigeru Shoji believes that cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells will probably struggle to catch on beyond Japan’s borders.

Government subsidies of as much as 3 million yen (£17,310) per vehicle offered in Japan will probably be too high for other countries to match, Volkswagen Group Japan President Shigeru Shoji said in an interview.

Even in Toyota’s home country, refuelling will be impractical because handling hydrogen is challenging and building out infrastructure will be costly, he said.

“It may fly within Japan, but not globally,” said Shoji, 51. Fuel cells could become another example of the “Galapagos syndrome” that plagues Japanese companies for making products that are only popular at home, he said.

Shoji joins Tesla Motors chief executive officer Elon Musk among skeptics of fuel cells and his comments illustrate the growing divide within the auto industry over which technology will prevail in replacing traditional gasoline and diesel cars. In Japan, fuel-cell vehicles have won government financial support, paving the way for such cars to benefit just as hybrids including Toyota’s Prius have.

“In order to survive, you need to come up with new products, better products,” said

Thanh Ha Pham, a Tokyo-based analyst at Jefferies Group Inc. “It’s not nationalistic.”

Fuel-cell cars, which only emit water vapou, offer one of the best solutions to reduce carbon emissions in Japan, said Dion Corbett, a Toyota spokesman based in Tokyo. He declined to comment on Shogi’s remarks. “Fuel-cell system costs are still relatively expensive so we need subsidy support from the Japanese government,” Corbett wrote in an e-mail. “It’s difficult to imagine that FCVs will become widely used in the next couple of years alone.”

In June, Toyota said it expects Japan, Germany, California and the US East Coast to generate the highest demand for fuel‑cell vehicles. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, has outlined a vision for creating a “hydrogen society,” with fuel cells powering homes and office buildings, as well as cars made by the Toyota-led auto industry.

“It’s an Abe and Toyota deal,” said Yasuo Maruta, a Volkswagen Japan spokesman. “It’s an industry giant and the most powerful LDP party, and they are working very closely.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/lux25am

FORMULA E

Lucas Di Grassi wins spectacular first Formula E race in Beijing

At the General Police Equipment Exhibition and Conference (GPEC) in Liepzig this month, the special edition Volkswagen e-Golf was unveiled as the police patrol car of the future. The specially-designed e-Golf has been fitted with a SoSi siren system, light bar across the roof and new digital radio. Like the standard model, the car is powered by a lithium‑ion battery which feeds an electric motor that develops 113bhp (85kW) and 270Nm (199lb ft) of torque. This enables the hatchback to accelerate from 0-62mph in 10.4 seconds and travel 130-190km (80-118 miles) on a single charge.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/o8tuaba

10

Lucas di Grassi took first place in the first-ever Formula E race in Beijing, after Nicolas Prost and Nick Heidfeld crashed spectacularly in a battle for the lead going into the last corner. Frenchman Franck Montagny (Andretti Autosport) took second place, with Britain’s Sam Bird (Virgin Racing) taking the last podium spot. Read more about the Formula E series of races on page 25.

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

NEWS

LOWCVP AWARDS

BMW cleans up at September’s LowCVP Awards The BMW Group won the ‘Grand Prix’ Award for Outstanding Achievement in Low Carbon Transport at The LowCVP’s Low Carbon Champions Awards, held in Milton Keynes. The awards presentation, hosted by TV personality Robert Llewellyn (Kryten from Red Dwarf) also saw Professor Dame Julia King, author of the King Review of Low Carbon Cars, recognised with a special award for outstanding individual achievement.

BMW also scooped the Low Carbon Car / Van Manufacturer of the Year, with an entry which impressed the judges.

BYD Europe B.V. won the Low Carbon Heavy Duty Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year Award for demonstrating impressive carbon saving through its innovative electric powertrain systems and for providing a compelling business case with high market growth potential.

Around 25 entries were shortlisted for awards. One of the judges, Philip Sellwood, chief executive of the Energy Saving Trust, said: “The road transport sector has been a real success story in terms of cutting carbon as well as delivering growth and dynamism to the UK economy.

I was delighted to play a part in celebrating the successes of the entrants to these awards who are making an important contribution to current, and future, UK economic success.”

Dame Julia King

READ MORE www.lowcvp.org.uk

LOW CARBON ENGINES

3 million and counting at Dagenham Ford’s three-millionth UK-built small-capacity diesel engine has rolled off the line at the company’s manufacturing centre at Dagenham. Low-carbon diesel engines have been built at the Dagenham Diesel Centre plant for a variety of models across the Ford range, and for other manufacturers, since production started in May 2007. On average more than 30,000 engines are produced every month, with total

production of the small-capacity diesel engine for 2013 exceeding 365,000. By September 2015 all Ford diesel engines will comply with the latest Euro-6 emission regulations, which reflect an 84 per cent reduction in Nitrous Oxide (NOx) emissions from diesel cars since 2000.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/knkdcbn

LowCVP’s Andy Eastlake Fuelling the future Watching the LowCVP’s Twitter feed as I write this, I see the GreenFleet elves are clearly very busy confirming and announcing the extensive range of vehicles to be present at this year’s Arrive ‘N’ Drive at Rockingham. Together with a wide range of supporting partners services and technology, the show looks set to be a great place to see many of the options fleet managers have to cut carbon emissions and save money.

The event will showcase some great examples of the future technologies and products that manufacturers are working on to deliver cheaper and less polluting driving.

What the future looks like, however, for the energy that will be used in those vehicles is not quite so straightforward. To address this challenge the LowCVP and the DfT are collaborating to bring together a new, high level group which aims to map the future for transport energy.

The group will have to grapple with the immediate requirements to introduce more renewable energy to the road transport fuels mix by 2020 (under the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive) and also define a trajectory for the fuels which will be used to 2030 and beyond. The group will define the key issues and detailed work that will be required to identify the transport energy mix of the future.

We need to make sure that not only our vehicles, but the energy they use is produced and distributed as efficiently as possible in order to deliver the low carbon future we crave. The UK has an opportunity to lead the way, identifying a coherent fuels pathway to complement the progress we’re seeing in vehicles like those on display at Arrive ‘N’ Drive and those we will be driving further into the future.

For more information about the LowCVP’s current projects and activities, and how to get involved, see the website.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.lowcvp.org.uk and follow LowCVP on Twitter: @theLowCVP and @aeastlake

Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

11

GOVERNMENT FLEETS Written by Transport Minister Baroness Kramer

14

Whitehall to plug-in its fleet Transport Minister Baroness Kramer explains a new scheme that will allow every central government department to review its fleet arrangements and consider how ultra-low emission vehicles can be used, with the aim of making electric and plug-in vehicles commonplace on the government’s fleet There are times when Government should lead by example. That is why in July this year, I launched a new scheme designed to increase the number of ultra low emission vehicles in UK government fleets. The launch in July was for the first phase of a wider £5 million scheme demonstrating our commitment to ultra low emission vehicles, and our strong desire to lead the way in converting government fleet vehicles to ULEV alternatives.

Sales of ultra low emission vehicles in the UK have increased radically in recent months and July 2014 was the best month ever, with sales over 400 times the levels seen in the same month last year. While we are seeing an increase in the number of ULEVs purchased for private sector fleets, the number of ULEVs purchased by the public sector to date remains disappointing.

I am determined that is going to change. month leases for any vehicles identified Because we are going to offer the opportunity in the review as suitable for replacement to save money and improve the service you by a ULEV, and fully subsidised charging offer to your customers. By introducing a infrastructure to support these vehicles. We zero risk, minimal cost offer, we want to are absolutely determined to get this right. demonstrate that ULEVs, when put in the right Fleet reviews have been designed with place, and used in the right way, can managers in mind to address any barriers save money, while improving the that could make them think twice driving experience and without before ordering ULEVs, but also e r restricting vehicle usage. to identify where, where There ahen petrol and diesel vehicles w s e tim The offer are currently used, t n e m We are offering a ULEVs could prove to Govern lead fully funded fleet be a better option. We d l u sho s is i h review for all UK want this to show how T . e l p m a w x central Government ULEVs can increase e o l y b ultra w departments and performance and provide e n a e why ison vehicl their agencies. cost savings – especially Fully subsidised 24 emis s been on running costs – and

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

ha scheme duced intro

The Energy Saving Trust (EST) will conduct the fleet reviews which are designed to demonstrate where ULEVs could be integrated into a fleet in a practical, cost effective way.

at the same time reduce their carbon footprint and improve air quality too.

Our aim is to get about 150 vehicles into central Government fleets through this scheme, and, importantly, influence future purchasing decisions so that we start to see significant numbers of ULEVs across public sector fleets over the next few years.

Progress to date Since launching the scheme in July, I have been delighted with the response from Government departments and their agencies. At the time of writing, nine departments have already started their fleet reviews, and by the time you read this, we expect to have heard from a further six to 10 departments. This scheme has also received strong support from the start from the participating Government departments. Nigel Morris from the Foreign Office, the second department to sign up to the scheme said: “We are delighted to take part in this programme and are committed to lowering the emissions of our fleet. We’re looking forward to receiving the results of the fleet review.”

At the launch I was able to speak to some of the fleet managers who are participating in the scheme and like the public at large, they are already starting to think differently about ULEVs. I’ve been particularly encouraged by requests received to widen the scope of reviews to include greater proportions of vehicle fleets than originally planned; and by the enthusiasm of several fleet managers, who are considering ways to build larger numbers of electric vehicles into their fleets (subject to review outcomes).

There are now over 25 grant eligible vehicles, which span most of the vehicle segments and more will be added in the coming months. We are working to ensure that the right vehicles are recommended, and with manufacturers and leasing providers to ensure that they can be supplied as quickly as possible.

If you’re reading this and want to get involved but haven’t already I would strongly encourage any UK Government department or agency who has not yet contacted my officials to do so immediately.

Next steps I am hoping to see the first vehicles delivered before the end of the year, and the

On the basis of the recommendations from the fleet reviews, fully subsidised vehicle leases will be offered, for a period of two years to allow departments to understand the operational reality of ULEVs. All vehicles that are on the live Plug in car and van grant eligibility lists at the time the review is conducted are eligible. As new vehicles are added to the list they will be included in scope.

To support the use of these vehicles, the costs of installing electric charging infrastructure will also be met in full. It is expected that the infrastructure will be placed on sites which can be accessed by fleet, employee or visitor vehicles where appropriate.

Funding will be provided for a maximum of two years and after this date, central government departments will be expected to illustrate a commitment to increasing the number of ULEVs in their fleets.

Fleet managers will have the opportunity to negotiate with leasing providers if they want to extend the leases of the vehicles and will be expected to take on the cost of the extension themselves.

GOVERNMENT FLEETS

How the scheme works

numbers will really start to increase in the first few months of 2015. There are already some fantastic examples of public sector fleets taking a risk on ultra low emission vehicles and being delighted with the results, and I applaud these visionary fleet managers for their efforts. We want to build on this example when we announce the wider public sector scheme in the autumn.

ULEVs will be a major area of future growth for the hugely successful UK automotive sector. They are currently worth over £11 billion to the economy, and we expect the value only to increase.

By investing in ULEVs public sector fleet managers will be helping the UK create the kind of high-tech, clean and green jobs we need in the future.

We are setting an example, we are supporting industry, we are demonstrating the usability of ULEVs and helping government fleets to drive costs down. This is a unique project and I am thrilled to be endorsing it. L FURTHER INFORMATION tinyurl.com/o9356g5

Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

15

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Electric vehicle technology is seen as the cutting edge of modern vehicle manufacturing, but it is not a new phenomenon. Battery Vehicle Society member Roger F de Boer takes a look back at the history of battery electric vehicles and their successes and failures in public and commercial service enjoyed more success with their one man operated 25-seater in 1925 (a Walker).

The extension of trolley and motorbus routes saw battery buses obsolete by the 1930s and little developed until the 1970s.

Trials and experiments There were a number of trials in 1972 to 1974 with two Crompton – Leylands (midibuses) which were used in fourteen cities and towns including Birmingham, but they were not used much and had both been scrapped by 1987.

In 1974 SELNEC experimented with a Chloride-Seddon SILENT RIDER between Manchester and Birmingham.

It went to a museum however.

A 1973 Leyland National integrally‑built bus

The ttery (chassis and body together) first ba us in was converted by Ribble b to run on the Runcorn electric rvice was busway (Cheshire) in e s r a n l regu on betwee 1975 (batteries towed in trailer behind bus). in Lond g Cross and In 1981, a Dodge n i Char , extending midibus was used in Bournemouth but Victoriaoriginal confined to a central route its – I remember this being done route and also the Crompton used on

Brighton enjoyed more success using some second-hand Electrobuses lasting until 1916, but it was Lancaster who commenced service in the same year and whose Corporation powered its trams also with the use of 22‑seat Brush-bodied Edisons. The virtue of these vehicles were found to be in their economy as they were cheaper to run than a petrol bus.

West Bromwich Corporation tried to run a service for two years (1917 – 1919) but World War I itself, strikes and delayed delivery of the then American chassis (Edison) coupled with the ridicule of their slowness sealed their demise. On the same grounds of slow motion York’s electrics were replaced by petrols in 1922. Liverpool

chassis were converted to minibuses and exported to Nepal an a pollution reduction experiment. Similar floats have been converted to minibuses and used to carry tourists at resorts such as Polperro in Cornwall.

With passenger transport battery traction was not long used in service – more on a trial basis.

The routes were restricted due to the need to recharge the batteries. In Victorian times lead acid batteries were used. Not only heavy and large the acid would spill and where bench seats were used passengers were exposed to fumes.

Birmingham’s Centrebus service. I also remember the SELNEC vehicle at the Birmingham end of the route (as a Brummie).

Between 1993 and 1995 there was a bus retrial in Oxford where comparison was made between electrics and diesels.

The electric buses were confined to the city centre but due to technical problems and lack of funds they were abandoned.

In 1998, former milk floats with M and M cabs from Birmingham Co-op and on Morrison

London Bus Museum, Brooklands

Aside from a trial in 1882 in London, by far the most successful UK tramway using battery traction was the Birmingham Central Tramway Co. (1890 – 1901) running twelve open-top cars from the city centre to Bournbrook South West from the city.

The first battery electric bus in regular service was in London between Charing Cross and Victoria (1891). Later buses appeared but only experimentally. The Electrobus Co. of London imported a chassis and motor (Thomson-Houston) from Paris in 1906 and fitted it with locally-built body. From 1907 the fleet expanded to twenty buses extending its original route from Liverpool Street to Fulham but went into liquidation by 1909 – they had problems in obtaining spares.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE HISTORY

Glancing back at old EVs

Goods vehicles & refuse trucks Moving away from passenger transport for a moment, electric goods vehicles appeared from about 1908 – they were either 5 to 12 tons for heavy use or 1 tonners – mainly vans.

Railways and breweries were large users but sometimes forgotten were the refuse lorries – the big three patrons of these were Sheffield, Birmingham and Glasgow. With Sheffield already using EVs, their manager – James Jackson – moved to Birmingham who bought their first battery electric for waste collection in 1919. The method of waste disposal at this time was by incineration and recycling. The destructors were at five depots in Birmingham.

The heat produced by the fire was harnessed to make electricity which in turn charged the batteries of the collecting lorries. There was great economic saving by using EVs over the horse and tests in Birmingham showed this.

The last electric dustcart ran in Birmingham in 1971 but their 50 years’ success was proven by seeing a line-up of diesels in the scrapyard the previous year.

(Long Marston). It was ironic that in 1971 the diesels were waiting for spares from Germany whilst that winter would have presented no problem for the EVs to start.

Incineration is surely preferable to landfill.

Electric vans The 1-tonne vans were firstly imported from America, like Walker of Chicago – two firms opened works in Birmingham – Edison and G.V. The vans were popular with London stores and were used for their quiet reliability rather than economy.

Harrods first van was in 1913 – I wrote to the store in the 1980s (post al-Fayed takeover) and was impressed that the vehicle records going back to 1913 were still held. That the history was retained is commendable. The sixty-strong fleet was replaced when Harrods rebuilt their vans during the war (1940).

Apart from the users already mentioned no great impact was made – there being no more than 1752 EVs by 1930 (compared to 7,750 steam-driven vehicles and 335,000 petrols).

Their numbers were still declining in 1933 but then a niche was found in milk, bread E Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

19

ELECTRIC VEHICLE HISTORY

 and laundry roundsmens’ vans/trucks.

Leicester could boast a number of EV manufacturers – Brush of Loughborough, Morrison, Wilson and Harbilt in the city.

After the war Smiths/NCB of Gateshead were popular and the same year (1948) Dinky Toys produced what became dubbed the Dinky Toy Milk Float.

I visited the Birmingham Co-op in 1975 and copied out all the details of their EVs since 1933 and it took me six months (Saturdays) to record some 1,300 vehicles as milk, bakery and laundry vans. The latter two types were converted to milk float as they became redundant in their original use.

The revival in the EV was based on door‑to‑door delivery but the rise of the supermarket after the war was to encroach on the milk and bakery rounds through their selling of cheaper goods. It was the laundry vans which succumbed firstly however once the washing-machine had entered most homes.

In 1975 the city of Worcester had 100 dairy EVs on retail rounds (65 Co-op and 35 from Bennetts Dairies) – now in 2014 there are none. My own milk is now delivered by a hired diesel van – the milkmen dislike the slowness of the EV but it scores in the stop/start situation (diesel trucks got through a starter motor in three months).

Competition Within the manufacturing industry itself there was competition as the demand for EVs lessened. Three firms are worthy of mention – EVS of Brownhills Staffs, M & M of Atherstone and Henry Bugden of Brighton.

Electric Vehicle Services of Brownhills reconditioned chassis by buying old milk floats stripping off the bodies and placing new fibreglass bodies upon the chassis using the Marsden (same shape as float which used to appear at the beginning of

There is hope for improvement. EVs can bring benefits of clean air in cities, helped when the electricity is not generated from fossil fuel sources. There is growth in hybrid buses relying on an electric motor combined with a small diesel engine as alternative traction Coronation Street) cabs. This happened with some former Derby Co-op trucks which were re-registered and sold to Birmingham Dairies.

M & M of Atherstone, Warwickshire also known as Electricars founded by two brothers named Mason who had previously worked in the Birmingham Co-op vehicle workshop on bodies. They bought former milk floats/ vans, took off the bodies and placed their own cab and body which was a kit. The sturdiness of an EV chassis allowed this because it had been built to withstand the weight of heavy batteries in the first place. They were so successful that they took over Crompton of Tredegar South Wales who were a builder of new vehicles but who at their end were assembling rather than building chassis.

Several thousands of pounds had still been left in the safe when M & M walked in.

Henry Bugden of Brighton rebuilt floats using Morrison BM chassis supplied by Jobs’ Dairies – his largest customer. He used a Manulectric cab and his own solid-tyres wheels (1960s) – over 200 rebuilds had been completed by 1968. His wheels were also supplied to Kirby & West Dairies of Leicester who built their own floats from scratch – I remember seeing one of these austere vehicles in the last ten years at South Wigston and from its registration plate it was 50 years old illustrating the possible longevity of an EV even if it is home-made.

The battery vehicle is not much now used in door-to-door collection/delivery – but may still be found with hospital internal transport where it is suitably quiet and as baggage tractors at airports.

One less successful EV manufacturer was Midland Electric Vehicles of Leamington Spa (1935 – 1958). With links to Garner of Birmingham – the 20/25 cwt float was its staple production – nevertheless a favourite of mine. Their design did not change since the 1930s. It enjoyed patronage from Midland Counties Dairy of Coventry Birmingham and Wolverhampton (later Unigate) – on the end of production MCD bought three chassis which they built as rebuilds. The person who bought them out only wanted their premises and trade declined – with the death of a manager enthusiasm was lost.

A local milkman received a new float from them but was not billed for 12 months.

Back to buses Returning to the bus front there may be hope for improvement. EVs can bring benefits of clean air in cities, which is helped further when the electricity is not generated from fossil fuel sources. In Milton Keynes there is an experiment with 8 Wrightbus electrics where wireless recharging can be used on fixed route.

Also there is growth in hybrid buses relying on an electric motor combined with a small diesel engine as alternative traction. L

Sources: Birmingham’s Electric Dustcarts by Roger de Boer (1990) Road and Road Transport History Association: Companion to British Road Haulage History (2003) Companion to Road Passenger Transport History (2014) To which the author has made joint contributions FURTHER INFORMATION

Ken Brown

www.batteryvehiclesociety.org.uk

20

Harrods ran a fleet of 60 electric vans before World War II

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

Smiths/NCB milk float

1958: Austin FX-4

2014: Nissan e-Nv200

LONDON TAXIS

1897: Bersey Taxi

Hail the Hackney Carriage At the start of 2014 the Major of London Boris Johnson announced that all new taxis in London should be capable of emitting zero emissions from 2018. With this in mind, we look back at the history of the iconic London taxi and its various fuel sources The London Taxi, or Hackney Carriage, has been a celebrated icon of British life since the 17th century. It is loved and respected in equal measure around the world.

Relied upon my millions of travellers, tourists and commuters every day, the familiar black cab is an integral part of the City’s transport network and enjoys a special place in the hearts of visitors and residents of London and the UK’s other major cities.

The story of the London Taxi begins long before cars were even invented.

Although the origins of the term ‘Hackney coach’ is unclear, historians suggest that it derives from the French word hacquenée, which roughly translates as a horse suitable for hire.

The first Hackney coaches – large and luxuriously trimmed horse-drawn carriages – appeared during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Wealthy Londoners often looked to recoup the high costs of keeping horses, drivers and coaches by hiring them out to lesser members of the gentry.

A more organised and structured taxi service was introduced in 1634 when Captain John Bailey – a regular member of Sir Walter Raleigh’s many expedition teams – set up London’s first taxi rank. He started with four Hackney Carriages by the Maypole in the Strand, and set strict rules for what drivers could charge. He also introduced a code of conduct for his employees – along with a special livery to mark his carriages out from the crowd.

The popularity of the horse-drawn Hackney Carriage continued for the next 200 years with the biggest change coming in 1823 when a faster two-seater, two-wheel carriage arrived from France. Called a cabriolet, it quickly became known as a ‘cab’ – with drivers referred to as ‘cabbies’.

Electric cabs The taxi story took another turn at the end of the 19th Century, when The Capital’s first

motorised cabs hit the street. Just to prove that London was already thinking of the future, the first examples to hit the streets were electrically-powered, zero-emissions vehicles. The Bersey taxi was named after its designer, Walter C Bersey of the London Electrical Cab Company, and soon earned the nickname ‘Hummingbirds’ after the distinctive sound they created.

Sadly, the electric cab proved to be rather too futuristic for its own good. Expensive to run and temperamental, the travelling public soon lost confidence in them and by 1900, the Bersey had been completely withdrawn from service.

The dawn of the modern era of London taxis was in 1903 Emerging car manufacturers raced to develop them with a French-built Prunel winning the race to be the first petrol-powered Hackney Carriage to hit London streets.

In an effort to standardise design and passenger fares, the Public Carriage Office introduced Conditions of Fitness for all motor cabs in 1906. Among the many requirements was a turning circle of 25ft – the exact outer diameter of the roundabout in front of the famous Savoy Hotel in London. This, along with many other regulations, helped filter out less suitable machines, and ensured that only the most safe and manouvreable cabs were permitted to trade. Another innovation that remains with us today – the taximeter – became compulsory in 1907 and gave rise to the name taxi.

The impact of war The First World War hit London’s taxi fleet hard, with all manufacturers switching operations to help the war effort. Indeed, it wasn’t until the 1920s that new designs started to filter back onto the Capital’s streets.

Even then, the trade was slow to pick up and had barely recovered before war intervened once more.

The Londonkney Hac Taxi, or , has been e Carriag ated icon of r a celeb Life since the British ntury, and is 17th ce all around loved world the

After World War II, the taxi business bounced back. An urgent need for new models prompted Morris and Austin to launch new models. But while the Morris Oxford was the first to arrive in 1947, it was the 1948 Austin FX3 – built by Carbodies of Coventry – that created the template for the familiar London black cab.

Thanks to booming sales, Austin developed a 2.2-litre diesel for the FX3 and despite competition from rivals it became the machine of choice for London’s growing band of cabbies. Its replacement, the FX4, arrived in 1958 and would go on to be a common sight for the best part of five decades.

Having bought the production rights from Austin in the early 1980s, Carbodies had little budget to develop a new model and was forced to update the FX4 with new drivetrains.

Among the most popular with cabbies was the Nissan TD27 diesel, which was offered in the 1989 Fairway model. Helped by the introduction of compulsory wheelchair access, the Nissan-powered Fairway remains a favourite with many London taxi drivers to this day. New regulations which restrict the use of taxis over 15 years old will result in the disappearance of these iconic models from the Capital’s roads in the next few months.

Refining the fleet The same Nissan engine went on to power the Fairway’s replacement – the retro-styled TX1. Designed and built by London Taxis International (formed after the acquisition of Carbodies and taxi dealer Mann and Overton

by Manganese Bronze Holdings) the 1997 TX1 and its replacements the TXII and TX4 have defined the look of London’s taxi fleet for the last 15 years.

Now, we see the first real challenger to the TX family arrive on London’s streets.

The Nissan NV200 London Taxi sets new standards for passenger comfort, efficiency and emissions. Building on the strengths of the highly successful New York City and Tokyo taxi projects, the NV200 London Taxi ushers in a new era in taxi design. And with a Zero Emissions electric e-NV200 set to follow it into production, the next chapter in the rich history of the famous London Taxi is about to begin. L Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

21

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FORMULA E

All eyes on the ePrix Motorsport history was made on 14 September as the world’s first ever fully-electric single-seater race took place in Beijing, marking the season opener of the FIA Formula E Championship. FIA president Jean Todt explains the thinking behind this new electric race series, which is helping to promote greener vehicle technologies on a global scale Formula E is the FIA’s new fully-electric single-seater championship designed to appeal to a new generation of motorsport fans. Competing entirely on city-centre circuits all over the world, it uses cars capable of speeds in excess of 150mph (225kph).

Its 10 teams feature some of the leading international names in motorsport including Alain Prost and Michael Andretti, along with high-profile environmental supporters including Sir Richard Branson and Leonardo DiCaprio. Meanwhile, it’s driver-line up boasts an array of former Formula One stars such as Jarno Trulli, Jaime Alguersuari, Sebastien Buemi, Lucas di Grassi and Bruno Senna.

The first race took place in Beijing on a temporary race track built around the city’s iconic Olympic ‘Bird’s Nest’ Stadium on 14 September and was won

by Audi Sport ABT’s Lucas di Grassi.

Some 40 million are believed to have watched the race worldwide on television with 75,000 attending on site and one billion social interactions recorded around the race.

Here FIA President Jean Todt talks about the philosophy behind the series and his hopes for the future.

that’s why we changed the regulations in Formula 1, and why we supported new regulations in the World Endurance Championship. And then came the idea of making a specific flagship championship with electric technology. A lot of people were enthusiastic about this idea.

For me the electric car is really the future of motoring in the cities. And that’s why we begin with hosting races in world cities. It’s a new approach and a new product.

Anywhere I go people speak to me about Formula E with great enthusiasm and great commitment as well. You can see the cities that are committed and it’s simply amazing and those who are demonstrating an interest are also amazing. In each category – media, new media, TV, sponsors, cities, teams, manufacturers, and suppliers – people are very excited about it.

Can you explain the inspiration behind setting up an all-electric championship?

The world is changing and as the sporting flagship of motorsport we have a responsibility to keep up with those changes. The link between daily mobility and racing is very important. I thought it was important to have a vision for new technology for the development of the motoring industry and

Where will Formula E be in three, five and 10 years’ time?

Formula E is just beginning, and it is necessary to carefully examine the first season to see what works and what does not work.

As it gains popularity and as the calendar increases, new teams and new manufacturers will be crucial. We believe we have created a framework to support the positive evolution of the series over many years,

notably in opening gradually the competition between engine and battery suppliers.

Do you see technology transferring from Formula E to other FIA championships?

We can expect development in batteries, motor technology and security issues that can be transferred with other series such as F1, WEC etc.

You always learn from one championship to another one. For example, what generates a lot of cost is aerodynamic development and in Formula E it’s quite limited, which I think is a good thing because sometime you see how complicated aerodynamics are on a car.

You take Formula 1 now with all the little winglets that require so much wind tunnel testing. So I would say let’s try to develop as much that can be transferred to a city car.

a E Formul IA’s is the F lectric lly-e new fu e-seater singl hip, using ons champi capable of cars in excess speeds 0mph of 15

How does Formula E fit on the motorsport ladder or does it stand on its own?

It could be said that FE is more a stand-alone series rather than a new thread included in the single-seater ladder. However, it still does open career pathways for drivers with various backgrounds and has already attracted both young talents and experienced racers.

For me it’s a city, single-seater category, and I’m keen to keep it on a track of its own. E Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

25

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 And I think the interest in this challenge is because it’s like a circus. You have everything take place in 24 hours. The day before it’s just a normal city, then everything happens for the organisation of the race and then 24 hours later it’s just a memory until next year.

The series has the ability to reach a totally new audience. I think it’s fascinating to see. When we speak about FanBoost to get people participating – use your smartphone or tablet– it’s creating a link with the supporter, the team and the driver.

Some hardcore race fans find FanBoost controversial. How do you balance engagement versus the true sporting element?

For each team, each driver has to give his supporters as much support as possible, so I think it’s a friendly, fresh initiative, which I don’t think will damage the final result.

I really hope it’s a category of racing which allows contact with the drivers – people love to have contact. You see that in endurance racing where you have more access and I quite like that, you allow

are sold all over the world each year and only one per cent is with new energy like an electric car. It’s less than a million cars, but I think we can play an important role in promoting the use of more electric cars in cities.

In what ways can Formula E help with the Campaign for Road Safety?

Each single category of motorsport has to contribute towards road safety. And over the past decades the motor racing community has been doing a lot with regard to road safety and education as well. You would not get into a racing car without putting on a safety belt, without putting on a helmet, so the same applies on the road.

For me a racing driver has to be an ambassador. He has a strong voice. If he says that he will never use a phone or send an SMS while he is driving people will listen more than any other institutional message. For the FIA it’s quite clear. If a racing driver says I go as much as I can to exploit the limit of my car on the circuit, but when I become a normal citizen on the road I will respect the speed

Formula E can encourage people to adopt new technologies. I think we can play an important role in promoting the use of more electric cars in cities people to touch their hero, to be closer to their team. So I think it creates a family link between the supporter and the team.

limit, it’s a very strong message. They are a hero for young people. For me each champion has a responsibility to be an ambassador.

There are two female drivers in the series. This fits in well with the Women in Motorsport campaign.

I think that having women involved in any kind of motorsport is great and through our Women in Motorsport campaign we are encouraging more and more to get involved at all levels of motor sport.

Did you come to Beijing?

Yes, and all the World Motor Sport Council members from the FIA were there because had the World Motor Sport Council meeting in Beijing. For me the first race is a very important occasion. It’s a new championship.

And we don’t make those very often. The last was the World Endurance Championship, but that was reborn, this is a new championship starting from scratch. Formula E is a big step in the history of motorsport and the development of new technologies. L

Another unique feature of the series is the plan to leave a lasting legacy behind. How do you feel about that?

It can encourage people to adopt new technologies. At the moment 75 million cars

FURTHER INFORMATION

World’s first trackside motor shows at Formula E events The all-electric FIA Formula E Championship has confirmed the launch of the Formula E Motor Shows.

Taking place within the Formula E city-centre race circuits, fans will get the unique opportunity to see, and experience, first-hand how the advances in technology, safety, innovation and speed witnessed on the racetrack are driving forward everyday electric and hybrid car development.

Alejandro Agag, ceo of Formula E, said: “We are excited to announce this new and important development for Formula E. The Formula E Motor Shows will play an important part in removing the barriers to the electric vehicle market and helping change perceptions to make people believe in electric car ownership. The future of modern, mass transport, particular in cities and urban areas, lies in electric vehicles. The Formula E Motor Shows will help to accelerate the interest and adoption of sustainable and clean air motoring solutions in line with our objectives for the championship.”

Justin Tadman, ceo of the Formula E Motor Shows, added: “I am delighted to be launching this series of exciting events. Consumers will be able to engage and interact with the manufacturers and their ranges of hybrid and electric vehicles at these city centre race tracks.

Our first Formula E Motor Show will take place alongside the Miami race in March 2015, followed by Long Beach, Monaco, Berlin and London.

This is a truly exciting time for the motoring industry and these events are perfectly timed and located to help drive the change towards an electric future.”

The Formula E Motor Shows will take place over four days – before, during and after the race.

Formula E is the FIA’s new fully‑electric single-seater championship designed to appeal to a new generation of motorsport fans, whilst accelerating the interest in electric vehicles and promoting sustainability. Racing entirely on temporary city-centre race tracks, it uses cars capable of speeds in excess of 150mph (225kph). The first of 10 races takes place in Beijing on September 13 2014 with the season finale taking place in Battersea Park London on June 27 2015.

Visit www.fiaformulae.com for further information.

FORMULA E

FIA president Jean Todt

www.fiaformulae.com

Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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EV INFRASTRUCTURE Written by Nigel Jenkins, Energise Network

Electric ambitions in the South East

The South East of England is improving its electric vehicle charging infrastructure to encourage residents and businesses to take-up plug-in vehicles. Nigel Jenkins from the Energise Network answers some key questions about the scheme How is the South East is driving uptake of electric vehicles?

The South East has a unique opportunity to drive electric vehicle take-up in the UK because of its high levels of individual private car ownership compared with the rest of the UK, including a high level of additional car ownership. The vast majority of journeys undertaken, for both business and pleasure, are made by car – even with the relatively good public transport links that the SE enjoys.

Furthermore most of these journeys are short range and well within the capability of existing production EVs and therefore

convincing people to switch an additional car to an EV can be a very achievable goal.

What is the charging infrastructure currently like?

Charging infrastructure in the southeast is limited but growing. There are already a number of EV charge points in East and West Sussex and Brighton & Hove installed over the past few years. Most of these, however, are of the ‘slow’ (or standard) type with a household three pin socket, meaning that a full charge using these units can take up to eight hours.

There are some newer charge points, the ‘fast’

type, which allow for a full charge in four hours, scattered around the South East. These operate on a number of different networks.

The South East already has some rapid charging infrastructure thanks to Ecotricity who have installed rapid chargers at motorway service stations in the region.

Their nationwide Electric Highway takes in five service areas on the motorway network in West Sussex, Surrey and Kent.

What is Energise Network?

The Energise Network will be a cornerstone for the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in the South East. Thanks to a wide-ranging web of rapid charge points right across the region and a commitment to connect the entire charging infrastructure in the South East under a single banner, Energise offers drivers a comprehensive network which makes EV ownership a viable option for the first time.

What is the EV South East Network Partnership?

Energise Network had developed from the EV South East Network Partnership – a consortium of local authorities across South East England, supported by a number of E Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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CHARGING CARS ACROSS THE SOUTH EAST The South East’s electric vehicle charge point network is growing fast...

Creating the electric vehicle charge network for the SE.

Linking together the SE charge points for everyone to use.

Don’t overload your vehicle.

Making it easier for people and businesses to go electric.

Connecting the SE to the UK and Europe.

For more information visit:

www.energisenetwork.co.uk

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are the four county councils in the region: East Sussex, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex as well as Brighton & Hove City Council.

We are working with a number of district and borough councils across Kent, Surrey and Sussex also. The private sector partners responsible for installation, maintenance and network management of our rapid chargers are Charge Your Car Limited and Elektromotive Limited and we are working with a number of other private sector partners including Southern Rail.

 private sector companies. Led by the Sussex Air Quality Partnership, EV Southeast was established primarily to encourage the take-up of electric vehicles in the densely populated South East in a bid to improve air quality.

The energise network was created to provide an effective public facing brand for the scheme.

Does the Energise Network work with Source East plugged in places scheme?

We want to make sure that our network is interoperable with all of those around us and Source East is one network with whom we will need to ensure compatibility. We are not merely an organisation who seeks to protect revenue or market share – our main objective, first and foremost given our public service base, is to encourage people to buy and to drive electric cars to improve the quality of the air that we breathe and the current lack of compatibility between networks and operators is a major barrier to that. Over the coming months and years, eliminating those barriers within the South East, with the wider UK and with mainland Europe is something that we will be enthusiastically pursuing for the benefit of EV drivers. L

What are the aims of the Partnership?

The principle aim of this partnership is to reduce vehicle tailpipe emissions, a major contributing factor to poor air quality, by encouraging EV take-up which will result in a positive effect on public health.

We have a number of objectives which fall under our overarching goal of: creating the electric vehicle charge network for the South East; making it easier for people and businesses to go electric; linking all SE charging infrastructure for everyone to use; and connecting the SE to the rest of the UK and mainland Europe.

What fleets are using EVs? University fleets are some of the best for containing electric. Encouragingly for the SE, according to the Times Higher Education, one of the best universities in the country for this, in seventh place, is the University of Kent, in Canterbury, whose vehicle fleet is now more than a quarter (26 per cent) electric.

The University of Sussex at Falmer, Brighton, also scores highly with 20 per cent of its fleet vehicles powered by electricity. A number of local authorities have had Plug-in Fleet Initiative (PiFi) reports prepared for them by low carbon consultancy, the Energy Saving Trust – including Energise project partners Surrey County Council and Chichester District Council – in order to allow them to understand where their own fleets would benefit from replacing diesel vehicles with electric equivalents.

What other companies and local bodies are involved?

Energise Network is led by the Sussex Air Quality Partnership and Lewes District Council. The key top level public partners

EV INFRASTRUCTURE

The Energise Network will be a cornerstone for the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in the South East, thanks to a wide-ranging web of rapid charge points right across the region and a commitment to connect the entire charging infrastructure

FURTHER INFORMATION www.energisenetwork.co.uk

Charging infrastructure in the southeast is limited but growing

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There are two schools of thought from manufacturers of electric light commercial vehicles: sell the battery outright with the vehicle or have the operator lease it. We look at the different approaches

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Counting the costs of electric vans Nissan offers both a lease and an outright purchase option for the battery on its all-electric e-NV200

cturers a f u n a nearly 15 years, and more M em e s recently it’s been joined w o n d for e r in the sector by products a p e r p r e t s from companies like t e e i t b tuali n e Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, v e l l s a e m o Peugeot, and Renault. c t i when ‑powered There have been ry automotive casualties to batte mercial along the way – such as m o c Ford’s partnership with Azure vehicles Dynamics – however this time

Electric cars can be found buzzing around every large UK city, but the commercial vehicle sector has yet to see a significant take-up.

Figures from July show there have been 284 new registrations of commercial vehicles joining almost 1,000 already on the road.

From the vehicle manufacturer’s point of view there have been major technical hurdles to jump, as well as the task of persuading operators that the ROI is worthwhile.

Nonetheless, there is movement towards all-electric LCVs from large fleet operators keen to reduce energy consumption on local runs – and this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show was proof that a number of vehicle manufacturers (VMs) have developed commercial EVs that meet the brief. Citroën’s experience with electric vans dates back

around, manufacturers seem to be better prepared for all eventualities when it comes to battery-powered commercial vehicles (CVs). These manufacturers are also keen to work with operators to ensure the total cost of ownership (TCO) remains as low as possible – a factor largely affected by the choice of battery acquisition.

Battery options There are two schools of thought: sell the battery outright with the vehicle or have the operator lease it. Looking at options

available from vehicle manufacturers, there doesn’t seem to be a simple answer.

Mercedes-Benz, which produces the Vito E-Cell, doesn’t offer the option of a separate battery. “Our approach has been to give the customer peace of mind by offering the vehicle on an all-encompassing Contract Hire package via Mercedes-Benz CharterWay,” says the company. “This [deal] ensures that the only remaining TCO variables are the cost of charging and insuring the vehicle, allowing the customer to know from the outset what the vehicle will cost them.”

Since the launch of the first generation Citroën electric van in the late 1990s, the French manufacturer has adopted a policy of selling the vehicle as a complete package. Peace of mind, experience and simplicity for transport operators were all taken into consideration when Citroën decided to continue with this approach for its latest electric van, the Berlingo Electric.

Renault goes against the grain and offers a lease deal for its battery-powered E Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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The whole package Nissan’s experience with cars is, according to Hanna, “heavily skewed towards buying the whole package,” and he says the company expects the e-NV200 van to be the same mix when operators buy them.

He does, however, understand the appeal of separating battery and vehicle. “Leasing the battery is a good option, but it is not very widely accepted by leasing companies – they find it difficult to place a residual value on something that you don’t wholly own, especially from a repossession point of view,” states Hanna. “Customers and leasing companies are used to owning the whole vehicle and while the leasing option is a good model, I don’t think the market is ready for it on a large scale just yet.

“The difference in costs of operation for leasing versus outright purchase will depend on how long you are going to keep the vehicle, and the mileage you are planning to do,” Hanna adds. “If you are going to keep it for a long time, the advantage of leasing the battery is that it is guaranteed for the whole life of the vehicle. The vehicle, if you buy the whole package, does have a five-year warranty, which is good if you are planning on low mileage and keeping the vehicle for a while.”

In its launch materials for the e-NV200 van, Nissan claims that it can save operators up to £2,500 in fuel costs, with running costs

There is movement towards all-electric LCVs from large fleet operators keen to reduce energy consumption on local runs – and this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show was proof that a number of vehicle manufacturers have developed commercial electric vehicles that meet the brief of 2p per mile possible. Maintenance costs can be reduced by £575, based on servicing parts, and wear and tear. These are all details that Hanna says are covered in the initial discussions about orders for new vehicles.

“With electric vehicles, we will write a bespoke TCO model with the customer. We have corporate sales managers who have a lot of experience with EVs, and they know how best to help operators,” he explains.

“We work out how long they are going to keep it, how many drivers there will be, what is the maintenance schedule, where it will be charged, whether it will be charged at on/ off peak times, and then we calculate what is best for them – either buy/buy, or buy/lease.”

Capital cost Hanna admits that EVs don’t look appealing when you look at the capital cost; prices for the e-NV200 start at £13,393 for the base van model (including the grant), rising to over £30,000 for the top-of-the-range model. But he remains confident that these costs stack up from a TCO point of view, and explains that is how they look at the situation. “British Gas is a good example,” he explains. “We did an EV van trial for six months, and the dataloggers that were fitted onboard told us that they’d covered 60,000 miles across all of the vans. When we worked

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 offerings, but partner Nissan is planning yet another variation on the theme with its e-NV200, which went on sale in June.

“We know that, for battery requirements, different manufacturers have different outlooks on which way is best,” says David Hanna, National Corporate Sales Manager at Nissan. “We decided to go for flexibility and offered both options to the customer. So, the same vehicle can be purchased both ways – either lease the battery or buy it outright with the van.”

out how it compared against its current fleet of Volkswagen Caddy vans, British Gas was happy to place an order for 100 vehicles.

“We are looking at it on a case-by-case basis – British Gas keeps its vans for five years, and covers about 7,000 miles a year. We looked at it from all angles, but the company decided that buying the battery was the best option,” he states.

One further consideration is charging options, says Hanna. “There are different capabilities, but the best way to decide on what is best is to look at vehicle downtime,” he says. “We’ve got LEAFs in with West Midlands police, and they are also looking at the van. They have four hours downtime between shifts, so have fitted a quick charger onboard, which reduces the charging time down to four hours, so it is perfectly aligned to their charging capabilities. So we would spec that option, and it may have a residual value application.

You could put rapid charging capability on the van, but would never need it, so operators have to be aware of these things.” L

This article was supplied by SMMT’s Transport News Brief.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.transportnewsbrief.co.uk

Mercedes-Benz only offers the Vito E-Cell on an all-encompassing Contract Hire package via Mercedes-Benz CharterWay

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IF YOU WANT YOUR BUSINESS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT, PUT US TO THE TEST

A PASSION FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN Dyson Energy Services needed fleet vehicles that reflected the company’s drive to reduce fuel consumption and CO2. They chose Peugeot. From vans to the New 308 our great range of vehicles are not only environmentally responsible and excellent value for money, they’re extremely reliable and popular with Dyson’s drivers, from surveyors and electricians to management. So why not put Peugeot to the test. Visit business.peugeot.co.uk/passion or call 02476 884 644 for more information.

Peugeot has laboured over the new 308 to create a significantly different offering from its former model. It is lighter and more fuel efficient, with emissions low enough to make it a serious contender in the fleet sector Competing against some major competition in the C segment, such as the VW Golf and Ford Focus, Peugeot has put considerable effort into its new 308 hatch, released this January. It is lower, wider, and 140kg lighter compared to the predecessor model, thanks to the manufacturer’s Efficient Modular Platform 2. This new architecture makes use of innovative steels, composites and aluminium, as well as optimised design, making the car more agile and helping to keep emissions and fuel consumption down.

Of most interest to the fleet market will be the 1.6 HDi and e-HDi diesels, with 92bhp or 115bhp. The 92bhp car achieves 78.5mpg

economy of 91.1mpg. With the efforts of the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) function and the Diesel Particulate Filter System with additive (DPF), the BlueHDi technology is said to reduce NOx by 90 per cent, and almost totally eliminates diesel particulates (99.9 per cent reduction).

Solid performer I test drove the Active 1.6 HDi 92. So how did the official mpg value of 74 translate in the real world? For the week that I had the car I averaged 59.3mpg, which involved a variety of fast and town roads. Far from the manufacturer’s figure, but good all the

ROAD TEST

New 308 redefines itself

first, bringing you away from the sat nav screen, or whichever screen you have up, and then adjust the temperature. Other features of what Peugeot calls the ‘i-Cockpit’ is a compact steering wheel and a raised instrument panel to read the information, such as speed, without taking the eyes from the road ahead, which is handy.

The interior at the front is spacious, but a little less for rear passengers. This, however, is compensated for by the 420-litre boot space, which is the largest in the segment.

The 308 has the option of coming with a Driver Assistance Pack. This includes cruise control which also has a speed limiter function. It has an Emergency Collision Alert System, which is a visual and audible warning alerting the driver to brake to prevent the collision. In the event of an imminent collision, automatic braking is triggered to prevent the impact or reduce its consequences.

Another interesting safety feature is the blind spot monitoring, which works through an LED integrated in the exterior mirrors which warns the driver of the presence of a vehicle in the blind spot.

The full LED headlamps provide excellent visibility at night, and are said to reduce eye fatigue as the lighting is perceived as

VISIT BUSINESS.PEUGEOT.CO.UK/PASSION TO FIND OUT WHAT WE’RE DOING FOR DYSON ENERGY SERVICES – AND WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU.

(combined) and emits 93g/km of carbon dioxide, when fitted with ultra low-rolling resistance tyres. This puts the car in the 13 per cent benefit-in-kind tax bracket and VED band A. The 115bhp version achieves 76.3mpg (combined) and 95g/km of CO2 (again with low rolling resistance tyres), putting it in the 14 per cent BIK band and also VED band A. Of further financial interest, the new 308 has a strong predicted resale value, up nine per cent compared to the outgoing model, putting it ahead of several key rivals and the segment average. From spring 2014, Euro 6-compliant BlueHDi versions will come out, which will bring the CO2 emissions down drastically to 82g/km and an impressive fuel

same. Performance wise, the new 308 is solid. It pulls off sharp and fast, it’s smooth as you move up the gears, it grips the road and handles well, even in vastly wet conditions. The cabin is nice and quiet, blocking out road and wind noise, and it is very comfortable.

A neat interior Peugeot have tidied up the cockpit, eliminating the bulk of the dials by putting controls like the heating and stereo buttons within the 9.7‑inch touch screen. Whilst this has the desired affect of making the cockpit look uncluttered and up-market, simple actions like adjusting the heating are more long-winded; you have to select the climate control screen

being close to daylight. What’s more, they consume 50 per cent less energy than the halogen headlamps and contribute to reducing the CO2 emissions.

Overall, Peugeot has done an excellent job with the new 308. It looks good, performs well, is competitively priced and has low running costs, which will get even lower once the next generation engines come in. It is an excellent example of how a radical platform redesign and a refined engine can create lower emissions, without the use of additional green technology.

For fleets, this could make it a serious contender amongst an incredibly strong C-segment offering. L Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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STEAM ENGINE

THE WHEEL 3500 BC

1712

ELECTRICITY

ENVIRONMENTALISM

1752

1960’S

JET ENGINE 1930

MOON LANDING 1969

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Business users will only pay 5% Benefit in Kind rather than the 25%+ that most business users pay2. If your commute is less than 30 miles your petrol consumption will be minimal too. That’s because, in full electric mode, the Outlander PHEV has a range of 32 miles. Its combined petrol and electric range is an incredible 510 miles3. Plus its battery can be charged in a few hours via a domestic plug socket or a low-cost4 home Charge Point5. We’ve made history – you just need to make time for a test drive. We call this Intelligent Motion.

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Make time for a test drive | Search: Outlander PHEV | Visit: mitsubishi-cars.co.uk to find your nearest dealer 1. Official EU MPG test figure shown as a guide for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. 2. 5% BIK compared to average rate of 25%+. 3. 32 mile EV range achieved with full battery charge. 510 miles achieved with combined full battery and petrol tank. Actual range may vary depending on driving style and road conditions. 4. Low-cost British Gas plug-in vehicle charging package available – ask your dealer for more information. Offer ends 31st March 2015. 5. Domestic plug charge: 5 hours, 16 Amp home charge point: 3.5 hours, 80% rapid charge: 30mins. 6. Prices shown include VAT (at 20%), exclude VED and First Registration Fee. Metallic paint extra. Model shown is an Outlander PHEV GX4h at £33,399 including metallic paint. Prices correct at time of going to print. For more information about the Government Plug-in Car Grant please visit www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants.

Outlander PHEV range fuel consumption in mpg (ltrs/100km): Full Battery Charge: infinite, Depleted Battery Charge: 48mpg (5.9), Weighted Average: 148mpg (1.9), CO2 Emissions: 44 g/km.

Connectivity enables a new paradigm for auto mobility

At Telematics Detroit in June, Gartner’s Thilo Koslowski said that connecting with the broader mobile ecosystem will be the key for cars to converge with digital lifestyle, describing a time when consumers will finally be able to enjoy their favorite content and services without interruption, no matter what device they use.

Already, the sector sees the emergence of broader, non-automotive-specific business models, according to Koslowski.

And some of the consumer electronics (CE) and Internet companies may, in fact, end up dominating some of these.

Noting Apple’s recent introduction of Home Kit for the connected home and Health Kit, a new framework for managing a user’s health-related information, Kevin Link, SVP & GM China, Verizon Telematics, went as far as to ask: “How long do you think it will be before we see the Car Kit?” But there is a conundrum, said Tom Gebhardt, president of Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America: What is the best way to weave the car into the consumer’s existing and preferred personal digital lifestyle without asking him to change apps or services when he gets into the car?

TELEMATICS

Telematics Update’s Susan Kuchinskas reports from Telematics Detroit on an age when the car will truly become part of the driver’s digital lifestyle

If you’re interested to hear what consumers of hub. Vendors like Covisint and SiriusXM want from telematics then have developed products that promise to read Consumer Panel from easily add, integrate and manage If the e Detroit: Opinionated connected devices, including cars. on h baby-boomers rule p t r a sm b, the automotive The mobile phone s the hung e m o c e marketplace. as the hub b lo a o g ld e u h But then again, the mobile t o g w it settlin te d Hub or spoke? phone might be the r a w o a way t unning deb At last year’s hub. According to Chris conference, Ruff, president and CEO long-r mbedded several vendors of UIEvolution, the phone on e ought-in r introduced the hub will continue to play a versus boach to concept: Cloud‑based crucial role for a variety of r app ity technology that reasons, including it’s the fastest iv t c e n con can orchestrate a and easiest way for consumers variety of applications to add services, content and apps. and web services while “The smartphone will have to be providing security and authentication. relevant because we don’t know what Automakers, not surprisingly, tend to apps will be hot, and we can’t plan what see their cars as the hub – the center of we’ll embed versus build,” he said. everything, said David Miller, chief security Dominikus Hierl, CEO of Telit Automotive officer at Covisint. “But what we have Solutions, said there are plenty of now, with the Internet of Things or the other clear benefits in using the phone world of everything, the car will become as the hub instead of the car. just another thing that has to deal with First, there are lower up-front costs for the universe of all of my connected life.” automotive OEMs because they can leverage There are several other contenders for the role the substantial R&D investments E Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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BMW i3

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TELEMATICS

 and huge developer ecosystems of the mobile phone industry. There’s also reduced risk, because – at least with any luck – app problems will be attributed to the device maker, not the auto manufacturer.

This solution is highly scalable, as well.

The hybrid approach to connectivity Should the smartphone indeed become the hub, it would go a long way toward settling the long-running debate on embedded versus brought-in approach to connectivity.

The majority of OEMs has now put a stake in the sand on one side of the debate or the other. But that doesn’t mean those stakes won’t move toward the centre.

In fact, the consensus among experts and industry leaders at Telematics Detroit 2014 was that the hybrid approach will dominate for some time to come.

Philip M. Abram, chief infotainment officer for General Motors, acknowledged as much when he said: “You can’t defend a position that’s indefensible. It’s inevitable, I believe, that people will want their digital lives brought into the car. Right now, that’s being defined by smartphones. As automakers, we have to accommodate that.”

The car as part of the Internet of Things Hub or not, the connected car will be a key component of the Internet of Things, with a range of functions and services to rival any other mobile device, including the smartphone.

How about a car that monitors your heart rate and blood glucose levels? Or a car that checks your blood pressure, and if it finds it elevated, plays soothing music as it drops you off at work and then goes to park itself?

Or a car that makes restaurant suggestions based on what food you and your friends like and then proceeds to make a reservation for a time of arrival that takes account of the restaurant’s location, local traffic conditions and your typical driving style?

Less is more in user experience It’s been said for quite a while that the car is the most expensive mobile device a consumer owns. But when it comes to infotainment, it merely replicates a few of the functions of a smartphone – phone calls, navigation, streaming music, mapping – and often doesn’t do them as well.

That’s not a big deal for consumers; according to a Q1 2014 survey by Gartner, the services they are most interested in are fairly basic: traffic information; map updates; weather and news updates; parking information; and internet radio.

But they need to be executed well. The first-ever panel of consumers to appear at a Telematics Update conference reaffirmed this.

Ranging in age from 26 to 65, each of the panelists spent approximately an hour in four different car models, attempting to do several tasks while driving. The tasks included calling a friend, finding a restaurant, setting two different destinations in the navigation and finding two different radio stations.

During the testing, three main problems

emerged. It took multiple steps to achieve a task. Displays were mounted in places that took the eyes off the road for too long. And menus were too complex.

All three panelists saw greater benefits in smartphone integration. They singled out personalisation, better functionality and the ability to keep the system up to date.

The of services is that it release rPlay a C can help eliminate ’s e l p Ap ’s e driver distraction l g o by reducing the and Go ent that m e need for drivers c n n annou oduce its ow to interact with r the system. it will p nomous car Contextualisation o t u e a can also reduce rrisom are wo ome hassle, for example, to s by identifying heavy

The generation app gap Safety aside, it turns out there is also a bit of a generation gap when it comes to the desire for apps in the car – although not as big a one as it’s often made to seem.

The Bloomberg survey showed that 44% of all respondents agreed with the following statement: “I wish I could easily and safely access every app I want to use on my smartphone while driving.” But the percentage went up to 58 per cent for 35- to 44-year-olds and 64 per cent for 18- to 24-year-olds.

Bloomberg also found that the majority of consumers of all ages thought that mobile technology was more advanced than connected car tech, a conclusion that Bob Kennedy, vice president at LochBridge, disputed. “Mobile technology is really visible,” he said. “There is a lot of technology in the car that can be harnessed, but consumers take it for granted.”

Contextual awareness for the connected car When it comes to contextual awareness, another prominent theme at Telematics Detroit 2014, and building services around it, automakers have an advantage over CE companies, according to Verizon Telematics’ Link.

Automotive systems know where the car is and where it’s going, and they can make educated guesses about the intent, for example, if someone leaves home at 8 a.m. on a weekday, it’s likely he is going to work.

Part of the promise of using context to shape

traffic on a standard route and suggesting an alternative. And it can improve comfort by, for example, automatically heating the car.

Mercedes-Benz is keen on the “predictive user-experience concept,” said Johann Jungwirth, president and CEO of Mercedes‑Benz Research & Development North America.

The goal, according to Jungwirth, is to “create a passionate relationship between customer and car, and immerse the customer in a personalised Mercedes-Benz experience that follows him from one car to another.”

Panasonic’s Gebhardt added that letting consumers personalise what’s delivered in the car reduces the OEM’s risk of delivering the wrong thing. “If you let that individual decide, he’s 100 per cent satisfied,” he said.

Future-proofing A big issue the connected-car sector has struggled with for several years now is how to keep up with – or at least get a little closer to – the speedy product cycles and continuing innovation of the consumer electronics space in general and mobile phones in particular.

What was new on the subject this year was the buzzword of future-proofing.

OEMs don’t know what consumers will want five years from now, so how do they design their systems in such a way that they might be able to deliver it?

Focus groups won’t work. Dan Teeter, director of vehicle connected services at Nissan North America, pointed out that consumers don’t even share the same definition of connected cars that the industry does, so they’re really not equipped to E

Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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TELEMATICS

While consumer awareness of telematics is still relatively low, those drivers who are aware of it expect higher reliability from automakers than they do from phone makers while expecting connected-car services to be as fully featured as their phones are  answer questions about future services.

Does the car have a jack to plug in an iPod? Does it have Bluetooth, Sirius XM or HD radio? Does it plug into an electrical socket for charging? “That’s ‘connected’ to our customers,” he said.

But what might work is one or several of the following strategies: Over-the-air updates of software and content; some way to adapt embedded modems to let them take advantage of the improved speed and capabilities of wireless networks; and changes in design and production methods so that carmakers can be more flexible as a new car model moves toward release.

At Telematics Detroit 2014, Abalta Technologies announced that it was working with Delphi Automotive on WEBLINK, a global solution that pushes Internet services from the smartphone’s browser to the in-vehicle infotainment unit. When the driver upgrades his phone, WEBLINK will be able to tap into the new phone’s more advanced power and capabilities, so that in-car services can keep pace with mobile phone innovation.

equation for automakers, but they need to figure out a way to maintain the customer relationship once the car drives off the lot.

A good place to start is to make that connection to the car free of charge, said Strategy Analytics’ Lanctot, noting that OnStar is offering five years of basic service free and BMW a full 10 years.

“At least that modem will be turned on, so you can make offers to the customer,” Lanctot said. “That’s what needs to happen. Modem needs to be activated for a base level of service and then you can strategise selling more.”

He added that it’s possible that only one per cent of all connected-car customers may ever make a purchase, but that one per cent could pay for all the rest.

Big Data This was the Telematics Detroit conference where Big Data became big news, according to Lanctot.

It’s clear that there is business value to be had from it, and yet most OEMs are only just

Threat from tech giants Although many automakers are collaborating successfully with Apple and Google, the release of Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s announcement that it will produce its own autonomous car are worrisome to some.

Automakers believe that their human‑machine interfaces (HMIs) are a competitive advantage – if they’re good – and also an opportunity to reinforce their brands. But with CarPlay, suddenly it’s the Apple interface showing up on the in-vehicle infotainment screen.

Still, not every automaker feels threatened. Already, some automakers have embraced the tech giants.

Edward Rhodes, senior group manager, Hyundai Motor America, said that Hyundai is continuing to leverage its relationship with Google and that its point-of-interest search is now powered by Google Voice because, he said, “It’s faster and more reliable.”

There is, however, the danger of letting the likes of Apple and Google advance too far, UIEvolution’s Ruff said. According to him, Internet and CE companies are motivated to enter the automotive space to sell more smartphones or increase usage of their apps.

“They’re not trying to make a better car,” he said. “OEMs should be careful – but it may be too late.”

After-purchase CRM Selling cars could be just one part of the ROI

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beginning to contemplate extracting it. More connected cars equal a lot more data, however.

According to Airbiquity’s Frank, the Ford Fusion Energi plug-in generates 25 gigabytes of data per hour while Google’s autonomous vehicle is predicted to generate 3,600 gigabytes per hour. With all this data flooding in, Frank said, “We need to get smarter about what is the relevant Big Data set.”

One of the first steps, Frank said, is to invest in Big Data storage that can handle unstructured data. “It’s better to normalise data in a single data repository that multiple use cases can access,” he said. “Don’t control Big Data. … You can’t learn from something you never got, and we don’t know exactly what we can learn from what we have.”

Another step is moving from diagnostics to prognostics when it comes to exploiting the value of Big Data, said Mark Searle, vice president of development at Symphony Teleca.

This could provide significant reductions in warranty claims and improvements in product development, for example.

The ultimate goal, he said, is “using data to drive services, rather than other way around.” “We’re just starting to understand how to use this data,” he said.

Disruptive innovator pitches In what was a first for Telematics Detroit, automotive technology consultancy SBD brought together six connected‑car start-ups to pitch their ideas to the audience, which picked the winner.

Eyeris CEO Modar Alaoui demonstrated a driver attention and emotion-monitoring system that, he claimed, would reduce collisions due to inattention and rage by

TELEMATICS

80 per cent. The system uses an infrared sensor mounted on the dashboard to track facial micro-expressions and artificial intelligence to assign them positive, negative or indifferent values. According to Alaoui, the system can detect everything from joy to disgust to fear and intervene as necessary by triggering safety support systems or switching to autonomous driving.

CamFind is a phone app that uses a camera with object recognition to perform searches without typing. In one demoed scenario, a child in a car used a phone to take a photo of animals grazing at the side of the road. The app identified the animals as cows and offered the information as a possible input for other in-vehicle systems.

Augary uses in-car cameras to collect information on temporary road conditions, gas prices and parking rules. Once processed in the Cloud, the information gets passed back down to connected cars as safety alerts, lane departure warnings and pedestrian detection. “We’re crowd-sourcing the acquisition of mapping data,” Augary CEO Dima Kislovskiy told the audience.

Plan your trip Roadtrippers is a platform-agnostic road trip planner for the Unite States. Available on desktops, laptops and also as a mobile app, Roadtrippers includes travel guides, points of interest grouped by theme, and the ability to book restaurants, hotels and Airbnb stays.

Users can search along a route, plan the route with stops and stays, and then sync it with a portable device for turn-by-turn navigation.

Irish navigation start-up Vicinity Systems

provides what it calls a “content‑rich navigation,” which might include information on the risk of an accident or crime on the road ahead, as well as venues recommended by friends via social media.

The app Smartcar, which was declared winner of Disruptive innovator pitches by the audience, is designed to work with Tesla’s Model S. This smartphone app learns your regular routine to then automatically calculate how much charging your car needs to get to typical destinations and to manage the charging based on when electrical rates are at their lowest. It’s also smart enough to pre-condition your car just in time for you to take off. While Tesla has its own apps to do this, charging or pre-conditioning must be manually started using a smartphone app.

Conclusions The more we progress, the more we can feel that we’re falling behind. The telematics industry has taken steps to change its mindset, design and production processes in order to get closer to the rapid pace of innovation in the mobile industry.

But there’s still a disconnect between consumer expectations and the reality of automotive telematics. While consumer awareness of telematics is still relatively low, those drivers who are aware of it expect higher reliability from automakers than they do from phone makers while expecting connected-car services to be as fully featured as their phones are.

When the auto industry gets this right, the car will take its place as part of the consumer’s digital lifestyle and the connected society.

Cars will be less prone to failures; issues will be addressed more quickly; and major recalls will be reduced or even avoided.

At the same time, cars will work harder for their drivers. They’ll not only get them where they’re going while avoiding bad traffic conditions, but they’ll also help them keep in touch with family, friends and co-workers; offer them just-in-time information; and enable them to take care of little chores while driving.

The biggest enablers of this happy day will be Big Data from multiple sources and robust APIs that enable ecosystems of partners to provide and manage services.

If technology is the driver of automotive success, the ecosystem is the fuel.

FURTHER INFORMATION telematicsupdate.com

About the author Susan Kuchinskas is regular contributor to Telematics Update, an influential business intelligence organisation within the connected car industry. Telematics Update’s mission is to serve the burgeoning mobile, CE and digital industries as they converge with the automotive industry. Telematics Update currently provides cutting-edge industry news, analysis, reports and senior-level B2B conferences.

Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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GREENFLEET AWARDS 2014

Gearing up for the GreenFleet Awards The 2014 GreenFleet Awards, sponsored by Jaguar, comes to the Heritage Motor Centre motor museum on October 30, and aims to shine a spotlight on the fleet managers and vehicle manufacturers that are making fleet transport more sustainable With the need to curb vehicle emissions becoming ever more pressing, the fleet industry is gearing up for an event that recognises the innovative measures being taken to reduce the impact transport has on the environment. The 2014 GreenFleet Awards, sponsored by Jaguar, takes place at the Heritage Motor Centre motor museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire on October 30, and will celebrate the groundbreaking work being done by both private and public sector fleets, as well as suppliers, vehicle manufacturers and other organisations. The awards shortlist can be viewed on the event website.

This year’s event will be hosted by Quentin Willson, a renowned motoring journalist

Quentin Willson

46

and longstanding spokesperson for drivers’ rights who has used his platform to boost public perceptions of alternative fuel vehicles (AVFs). A patron of the Hydrogen Trust, Quentin has consulted with the Office for Low Emission Vehicles and has frequently made the case for electric and hyrdogen cars as a sound business investment that makes sense for the environment.

Last year’s awards were held at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on October 11 and saw a range of winners across 18 categories.

The award for Outstanding Achievement went to Andy Eastlake, managing director of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, for his‑commitment and hard work towards

low‑carbon motoring, while the BMW won the Industry Innovation Award for its first electric vehicle, the i3, launched in 2013.

Last year’s winners Abel & Cole took home last year’s Private Sector Fleet of the Year award in the small to medium fleet category, sponsored by Route Monkey. The company delivers organic produce to 50,000 customers weekly, running 142 Iveco Daily Euro IV and V chassis cabs with bespoke bodies across nine depots driving 3.9 million miles a year. After trials of alternative fuels (PPO, LPG, and CNG) using telematics to monitor performance, the company concluded that the driver is the critical factor in fleet efficiency, and devised a programme to influence and reward driver behaviour aiming to increase MPG from 20.5 to 25 in a twelve month period. This was surpassed and has continued to rise – fuel as a percentage of sales was two per cent in 2012 and fell to 1.6 per cent in 2013. A big part of this saving

(£200k) is set aside as a driver performance bonus. Driver trainers have been introduced to deliver SAFED training techniques. Speeding and idling are monitored through telematics and fed back to drivers through weekly meetings. Vehicles are also speed restricted and feature an agile gearbox which also helps improve efficiency.

Stobart Group scooped the award for Private Sector Fleet of the Year (medium to large fleet), sponsored by Alphabet. The company pioneered several environmental initiatives, such as a modal shift from road to rail which cut total Group fuel usage by 20 per cent. A stringent Vehicle Replacement Programme ensures that its fleet benefits from the latest technological advances, and in 2013, 99 per cent of the company’s vehicles met with Euro V emissions legislation.

The ‘Driving Fuel Efficiency’ initiative offers cash incentives to reward drivers for greener driving – the system records and transmits in real time four key causes of raised fuel consumption. The Group also made the first-ever UK delivery using its new high-volume ‘Enviro‑trailer’

this year. The extended trailers allow operators to carry higher volumes of goods whilst remaining within current maximum weight and turning circle regulations.

The award for Private Sector Fleet Manager of the Year, sponsored by Lightfoot, went to Nick Davies, head of transport operations at Sainsbury’s. Despite growth, in 2013 Sainsbury’s logistics fleet travelled almost eight million less kilometres than in 2010. Nick Davies oversaw the extension of Sainsbury’s dual-fuel fleet to 51 vehicles, which, operating on a combination of diesel and bio-methane produced from rotting organic material in landfill, can save up to 25 per cent in emissions. Each dual-fuel vehicle saves around 41 tonnes of CO2 each year. 2013 also saw trials of the world’s first naturally refrigerated trailer to transport chilled and frozen goods. The system was initially developed for deep sea containers and completed a rigorous sea trial programme in 2012. The trial was part of the retailer’s review of its transport refrigeration gas and work to reduce its carbon footprint, which includes converting all its stores to natural refrigeration by 2030.

The 2014 t e GreenFleelebrate will c Awards undbreaking the gro k done by wor ate and iv r p h t bo ector public s ts flee

GREENFLEET AWARDS 2014

The 2014 GreenFleet Awards will take place at the Heritage Motor Centre

Public sector fleets Islington Council was presented with the 2013 Public Sector Fleet of the Year (small to medium fleet) Award, sponsored by Automotive Leasing, A previous GreenFleet Award winner, Islington Council managed to go on blazing a public sector trail and in 2013 took fleet, workshop and refuse/recycling services back in house to obtain direct control. The fleet of 340 vehicles was streamlined to remove six 26-tonne refuse vehicles with no detriment to the service provided. The first phase of a new replacement programme brought in 21 new tippers with hybrid drive systems and driver behaviour monitoring systems, creating the largest local authority fleet of hybrid light commercial vehicles in the UK. Islington’s fleet of 17 electric vehicles also continues to grow having negotiated big discounts directly with a manufacturer. The cars are delivering the equivalent of 300 miles per gallon and cost just £1.80 to charge overnight with the larger commercials costing £8 per charge. The council continues to work closely with Cenex, OLEV and Transport for London to trial new technology.

West Lothian Council celebrated double success last year, taking home Public Sector Fleet of the Year Award (medium to large fleet), sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year, sponsored

by Lex Autolease. The Council operates a fleet of around 1,000 vehicles ranging from refuse collection, pool cars, buses, vans, electric cars and sweepers. No vehicles have engine technology older than Euro 5, and all vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes to have EEV engines with stop start technology where available. The Council estimates that its green transport initiatives had achieved savings of £1.2 million by autumn 2013. The introduction of telematics is expected to deliver a further 10 per cent in fuel savings as well reduced repair and accident costs.

The Council’s fleet manager Joe Drew scooped Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year for his 40 year service to the Council, being involved in various alternative fuels and carbon reduction schemes. These range from Landi Hartog gas conversions in the 70s through to natural gas powered refuse vehicles in the 90s. As a Council, West Lothian has adopted diverse measures to reduce emissions throughout the whole fleet, including re-mapped engines in Euro 5 HGVs to make them EEV compliant and the introduction of speed limiters to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 by 10 per cent. As well as maintaining a number of pure EVs on its fleet, West Lothian Council also puts Vauxhall’s range‑extending Ampera to good use. E Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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GREENFLEET AWARDS 2014

 Innovative vehicles BMW’s all-electric i3 scooped last year’s Industry Innovation Award. After extensive trials into the real‑world usage of electric vehicles, BMW designed and built the i3 from the ground up as an electric vehicle. The i3 is engineered using 100 per cent renewable energy; the plant at Moses Lake utilises hydroelectric power and the BMW i assembly in Leipzig uses energy from wind turbines. As a whole, the production uses 50 per cent less energy and 70 per cent less water compared to normal automotive production processes.

The BMW i3 has a focus on using sustainable, recycled and lightweight materials designed to offset the weight of the battery and to help achieve maximum range.

Keeping within the theme of innovation, Route Monkey was presented the 2013 IT Innovation Award for EVOS, the first electric vehicle optimisation software, which helps de-risk the procurement of EVs by running virtual trials to demonstrate which routes they are most suited to.

Plugging-in The Electric Vehicle of the Year Award, sponsored

by EDF Energy, was last year presented to Renault for its Kangoo Z.E. for the second year running. As Europe’s best‑selling electric van, the Renault Kangoo Z.E. reached 10,000 new registrations in 2013. The compact commercial vehicle accounted for close to 10 per cent of sales over the entire Kangoo range in that year.

The vehicle has also scooped ‘Ecovan of the Year’ and ‘International Van of the Year’ accolades.

A 60bhp-equivalent electric motor and lithium-ion battery make up the power system.

Torque is impressive at 226Nm, and a full charge can see the van covering just over 100 miles. With rapid charging, 80 per cent battery power can be reclaimed in half an hour.

Ford was crowned with the title of City Car Manufacturer of the Year in 2013, an award sponsored by Green Motion. The Fiesta is the UK’s best selling car – and has been since 2009. The Fiesta’s 1.0 EcoBoost petrol engine combines power with exceptional fuel-efficiency of up to 65.7 mpg. Three models emit just 99g/km.

Fleet car manufacturer Meanwhile, knocking BMW of the top spot, the 2013 Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year

r’s Last yea ere w awards rsenal’s A held at Stadium on s Emirate tober 11 f and a number of high Oc range o a w a s profile organisations and s across r e have made use of the n n i w gories scheme. GreenCARE is 18 cate an online green analysis

Award, sponsored

by Rockingham, went to Citroën. The company’s expanding range of low‑emission cars included 65 vehicles with CO2 emissions of 120g/km or less, and 26 with less than 100g/km. Fleet car sales increased 29 per cent in the first seven months of last year, aided by its 80-strong Business Centre network which provides comprehensive levels of after-sales support. Fleet-focussed staff benefit from regular training.

Commercial vehicles Fiat Professional scooped the LCV Manufacturer of the Year in 2013, sponsored by Michelin. Fiat Professional’s Punto Van, Fiorino, Doblò Cargo, Scudo and Ducato all feature Start&Stop and environmentally-friendly MultiJet diesel engines in order to provide class-leading economy. Fiat’s application for commercial drivers, eco:Drive Professional, helps them learn to use less fuel. eco:Drive Fleet allows fleet managers to monitor all the data from the vehicles they supervise via an on-line dashboard.

The title of LGV Manufacturer of the Year was given to Volvo Trucks. Since September 2012 Volvo Trucks have completely revised their truck range and now have one of the most modern, fuel-efficient ranges on the market.

The latest Volvo engine range and transmissions deliver up to 10 per cent lower fuel consumption – when used with other Volvo fuel-saving options, three per cent lower carbon dioxide emissions, and 40 per cent lower oxides of nitrogen emissions – despite higher power outputs. Volvo’s I-See is a revolutionary system which enables the truck to ‘record’ the hills that it has driven before to optimise gear changes to be made in a fuel-efficient way. The system remotely obtains up-to-date information about the road’s topography from a central server, so all trucks with I-See have access to the same fuel-saving information.

Rental and leasing awards Alphabet took home the award for Leasing Company of the Year, sponsored by RAC Business. It launched the award-winning AlphaCity corporate car sharing service in 2012. This uses dedicated leased cars to provide a self-managing employee car club,

application which provides CO2 data and allows customers to benchmark their performance against ‘average’ and ‘best in class’ performers.

In October 2013, Alphabet launched ‘Alpha Electric’, an EV consultancy that helps fleets to assess the viability of electric vehicles.

The Private Hire/Taxi Company of the Year Award, sponsored by Catalina Software, was presented to Addison Lee. With over 4,500 drivers and 25,000 journeys carried out every day, Addison Lee’s calculated 10-15 per cent fuel reduction through the implementation of driver training programmes was impressive. Defensive Driver Training, which targets drivers that have received complaints from customers or have been involved in an incident, has been in place since 2010.

Meanwhile, Green Motion scooped the award for Rental Company of the Year.

Launched in 2007 here in the UK, Green Motion vehicle rental now operates in 11 countries throughout the world. A commitment to further reduce its overall emission levels has been achieved through continued investment in the latest technologies, with the new BMW i3 being introduced to the fleet in November.

A strategy named ‘The Green Heart Fee’ aims to add a fixed modest charge to each and every rental contract. The funds collected will be invested to the national fund for forestry run by the Costa Rican government.

Greener driving The Driver Training Company of the Year Award went to the Energy Saving Trust last year for its Smarter and Fuel Efficient Driving programmes. 500 organisations including EDF Energy, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Hampshire NHS Trust and Oxford City Council, realised impressive savings in fuel use and therefore emissions. The training, subsidised by the Department for Transport and Transport Scotland, was said to have improved fuel consumption by around 15 per cent. L FURTHER INFORMATION events.greenfleet.net/awards

Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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ROAD TEST

New Power Generation Economical, smart-looking, practical and good value.

The Hyundai i10 ups its game The Hyundai i10 may not have been on UK car buyers’ radar until the scrappage scheme of 2009. Giving prospective new car owners a discount of £1,000 when they traded in cars of 10 years old or over, the little Hyundai became the one of the most popular cars at the time. The Korean company sold almost endless quantities of the then two year-old city car to drivers who wanted an affordable, economical car to replace their aged vehicles.

Simple and stylish Launched in 2007 to replace the awkward‑looking Atoz, the first-generation i10 set the template for the ‘new’ Hyundai.

It gave way itself to the New Generation i10 earlier in 2014, which shares some parts commonality with the Picanto, the i10’s sister car made by partner company Kia. Longer, wider and shorter than the model it replaces, the New Generation i10 brings with it Hyundai’s updated design

50

direction and certainly looks the part. With hints of first-generation Mercedes‑Benz A-Class in its rear window line, it’s simple, stylish and undoubtedly modern.

The looks play to Hyundai’s aim to increase its share of the European city car market to 6.6 per cent this year. Before the arrival of the new car, the i10 was Hyundai’s biggest‑seller in the UK and accounted for almost one third of the company’s 74,000-unit sales figures during 2013. In line with most of its competitors such as the Volkswagen Up, the new i10 is only available with petrol engines. A 1.0-litre 64bhp three-cylinder starts off the range which is topped off by a 1.2 four-cylinder unit with 84bhp. The smaller‑capacity engine should account for the majority of buyers in the UK. It’s this engine which features in the most eco‑friendly version, the 98g/km SE Blue Drive.

Sizeable kit list Three trim levels are available – S, SE and Premium – and it’s the mid-range SE with the four-cylinder engine which is tested here. For £9,795, the i10 SE comes with a whole host of standard features. As well as body-coloured door mirrors and door handles, there are also electric front and rear windows; electrically-adjustable and heated door mirrors; USB and AUX-IN connections; an electronic stability programme; front, side and curtain airbags; remote central locking; and air-conditioning.

A sizeable kit list by anyone’s standards.

The Stardust Grey test car also featured stylish blue upholstery which matched a dashboard insert the same shade, lending the interior a colourful air. The cabin itself is simple in its design but everything works as it should and feels like it will last.

With the exterior and interior featuring a new-found modernity, you would expect the mechanicals to be up-to-date, too. And so it proves. The new i10 is both easy and fun to drive thanks to its all-new platform which was designed and engineered in Europe. The small Hyundai handles with verve, while the ride soaks up imperfections with ease. It’s grown-up too, with a sense of maturity which may at

There’s re o much m ut the bo to like aeration i10 en New G st plain good than ju ioned value. old-fashoks smart It lo fun to and is e driv

first seem a little at odds with the new-found sense of fun, but both these attributes sit well together.

It’s true, the 1,248cc engine has to be revved and stirred with the slick five-speed gearbox to get the best out of it, but get it up to speed and it’s a refined motorway cruiser. With refinement and mechanical noise isolation being worked on so much, there is very little external noise at all.

Hyundai quotes a combined cycle miles per gallon figure of 57.6. Our real-world tests resulted in a tally of 53.0mpg, which is one of the closest-to-quoted figures we’ve yet found. This 114g/km 1.2-litre engined car is expected to take at least 40 per cent of total sales.

ROAD TEST

Smart European looks mark out New Generation i10 from old

Practical and good value Contemporary small cars fight in the smallest, yet one of the most demanding sectors of the market. City car buyers look for models which are affordable to buy and to run, offer plenty of space, are fun to drive and easy to thread through the city landscape. The New Generation i10 is well up to the task. It’s practical, smart-looking, good value and enjoyable to drive. Add in a generous standard equipment list, a five-year unlimited mileage warranty plus a 15 per cent BIK rate, and there’s now much more to like about Hyundai’s newest small car offering than just plain good old-fashioned value. L

Hyundai New Generation i10 1.2 SE ENGINE:

1,248cc, four-cylinder petrol

CO2:

114g/km

MPG (combined): VED:

57.6 Band C, £0 first year, £30 thereafter

BIK:

15%

PRICE (OTR):

£9,795 (including VAT, £10,425 as tested)

Hyundai’s New Generation i10 interior is both well-built and stylish

Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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ROAD TEST Written by Richard Gooding

Joined-up thinking Has Ford played a masterstroke by ditching the diesel and installing a 1.0-litre petrol engine into a small commercial vehicle? Richard Gooding links up with the Transit Connect to investigate No longer just a nameplate for a van, the Ford Transit badge now stretches across four family members. The Transit Courier is the child of the range, while the Transit Connect tested here is the next rung up the Ford commercial vehicle ladder. The Transit Connect was first introduced in 2002 to replace the ageing Ford Fiesta-based Courier and Escort van ranges. Based on the first-generation Ford Focus platform, it lived for 11 years, before the current larger and more stylish model was ushered in during 2013.

Traditionally powered by diesel engines, this new variant of the small Ford commercial is fitted with Ford’s award-winning 1.0-litre

52

EcoBoost engine. With a light commercial vehicle aimed for use on city streets, was Ford wise to ditch the derv?

Refined and fun to drive Let’s start with that engine. Designed at Ford’s research and development centres in Dunton and Dagenham in the UK, the three-cylinder unit is turbocharged. In the Transit Connect, it makes 98bhp and 129g/km of CO2. Awarded International Engine of the Year accolades in 2013, 2013 and 2014, Ford is justifiably proud of its new powertrain. On the move it’s easy to see why.

It’s hard to believe that the 1.0-litre unit has

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a footprint no larger than an A4 sheet of paper such is its eagerness. It’s even harder to comprehend that the Transit Connect is a van when you’re scything through urban streets.

The 1,000cc engine is easily as refined as when it is fitted to a Ford Fiesta. It pulls well, giving the 1,342kg (unladen weight) Transit Connect a decent turn of speed. At first it feels strange using higher revs when pulling away than you would usually with a typical diesel engine, but it soon becomes second nature.

It’s a similar feeling when using revs past what would traditionally be a diesel’s narrow power band, but again you soon get used to it. An added benefit is that refinement

GROSS PAYLOAD:

628kg

LOAD VOLUME:

2.9m3

ROAD TEST

Ford Transit Connect Trend 1.0 EcoBoost SWB L1

Ford’s three-cylinder EcoBoost 1.0-litre engine has a footprint the size of an A4 piece of paper

ENGINE: 1,000cc, three-cylinder petrol CO2:

129g/km

MPG (combined): VED:

PRICE (ex-VAT):

Five different versions of the Ford Transit Connect are available.

The smallest L1 has a load volume of 2.9m3

afforded by the petrol – it makes a welcome change from noisy diesels typical of vans of this size. Drive is put down to the road through a slick six-speed manual gearbox. The Transit Connect is genuinely fun to drive with direct and nicely-weighted steering making for easy placement on the road. Ford’s renowned playful chassis tuning shines through, too, while lumps and bumps are shielded well.

With one eye on the environment, the 1.0 EcoBoost Transit Connect is also fitted with Ford’s Auto-Start-Stop engine switch‑off system, further trimming emissions. The company claims that when compared to a conventional 1.6-litre petrol engine, the smaller unit achieves 24 per cent better fuel economy as well as 25 per cent fewer emissions. Ford quotes a combined cycle mpg figure of 50.4 – not bad for a small van and even better for a petrol-powered commercial vehicle. A week of real-world testing yielded 40.2mpg.

Ford’s EcoMode system is fitted as standard which monitors gear-shifting and anticipation levels among other actions for more environmentally-friendly driving inputs.

An ‘active grille shutter’ designed to improve aerodynamics and lower fuel consumption also features in the rosta of eco kit.

Five versions The Transit Connect is available in five versions: short and long-wheelbase single-cab vans, short and long-wheelbase double-cab vans and a long-wheelbase ‘Kombi’ version with five or seven seats. EF63 YOK was the basic short-wheelbase ‘L1’ mid-range Trend variant, capable of carrying 628 kg with a 2.9m3 load volume. The standard L1 van can carry two Europallets as well as three-metre long items when fitted with a load-through hatch.

The loadspace itself is nice and square, while a full-height bulkhead not only protects

the occupants in the cab but also helps to mask road noise from the cargo area. A single sliding nearside passenger door and two rear swing doors make loading easy. An near-fully lined cargo area means fewer scratches inside.

The driving environment is more akin to a car than a commercial vehicle. Taking cues from Ford’s passenger car range, the dashboard bears more than a passing resemblance to that of a Fiesta. No bad thing and combined with a high level of standard kit in the Trend model, makes the Connect cabin a nice place to be. Equipment includes a DAB/CD radio with voice control and USB/ Bluetooth connectivity; steering wheel radio controls; and a centre armrest with USB and AUX-IN ports.

A flexible dual passenger seat folds flat to provide a writing surface and flips up to reveal a storage box. The driver’s seat features eight-way adjustability and lumbar support. The test van was also equipped with a £300 optional reversing

50.4

£225

£14,150 (£15,640 as tested)

The interior features many car-like touches

camera, which appears in the rear view mirror.

A very clever piece of technology, it aids parking brilliantly and could be essential for avoiding parking scrapes to the smart‑looking exterior which is elevated above its more commercial counterparts by its front fog lamps and body-coloured front bumper.

Stroke of genius Refined, zesty and perfect for scooting around the city, the ‘International Van of the Year 2014’ Transit Connect has lots to commend it. Along with carrying capacity and stylish looks, the smoothness and quietness of the non‑diesel engine shouldn’t be underestimated. With 20,000-mile or 1-year service intervals, running costs should be low. Putting a small-capacity petrol engine into a light van is a stroke of genius by Ford.

A jewel in the company’s commercial vehicle range, the Transit Connect 1.0‑litre 6-speed Manual SWB L1 represents joined-up thinking at its very best. L

g Droppin acity cap a small‑ gine into n petrol e ommercial c a light such as vehicle Connect is sit the Tranke of genius a stro Ford by

The Connect is the second step on the Ford Transit ladder

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ROAD TEST Written by Richard Gooding

Economical executive express Can high fuel returns be achieved in the luxury of a high‑specification model? Aimed at businesses, Richard Gooding assesses the lowest-emitting Volkswagen Passat Executive 2.0 TDI Believe it or not, the Volkswagen Passat has been around longer than its more famous sibling, the Golf. Launched in 1973, the first-generation of Volkswagen’s D-segment challenger shared much commonality with the Audi 80. Originally a fastback, the more traditional saloon body style arrived in 1981. Now in its seventh generation, 23 million Passats have been sold over 41 years. The latest additions to the range in the UK are the Executive and Executive Style. The pair of high-kit value-packed versions are powered by 2.0 TDI engines equipped with BlueMotion Technology.

Practical touches The Passat Executive and Executive

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Style replace the Highline, Sport and R-Line models. Executive models such as KY14 WKS offers £1,700 of additional equipment for a premium of just £200 over the outgoing Highline trim. Exterior highlights include 17-inch ‘Michigan’ alloy wheels and chrome detailing.

Inside, there’s a 5-inch DAB/FM/CD/ USB/MDI touchscreen radio system with satellite navigation, a leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel, leather heated seats and dual-zone climate control.

Practical touches include automatic wipers, an auto-dimming rear view wiper, parking sensors, and cruise control. A comprehensive specification by most standards. Only the infotainment touchscreen interface lets the

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

side down, designed before many of the newly-introduced Volkswagen models.

Our test car also came with an optional rear view camera, as part of the £1,200 RNS 510 touchscreen DVD navigation/DAB radio system upgrade. The ‘Night Blue Metallic’ paint is also an extra-cost option, retailing at £535. The truly colossal boot holds 565 litres, and an even more cavernous estate version of both the Executive and Executive Style models is also available.

Fuel-saving innovations Tested here, Volkswagen’s fuel-saving BlueMotion Technology innovations include a Stop/Start system as well as battery regeneration (energy recuperation under braking). It works surprisingly well, too, with the test car achieving a high of 62.6mpg, better than Volkswagen’s own official 61.4mpg combined cycle figure. ‘Real‑world’ tests saw an average of 56.2mpg.

What the figures don’t tell you is that the parsimonious values are easy to achieve.

Driving at a relatively sedate pace – but not in a particularly economical fashion – is all the driver needs to do. The engine does the rest. In comparison, the Passat BlueMotion is quoted at 65.7mpg on the combined cycle.

On the flipside to an economic mindset,

ROAD TEST

The Passat Executive emits only 10g/km more than the BlueMotion, it is more luxurious and costs relatively little more

The Volkswagen Passat Executive’s cabin is both highly-specified and comfortable

Aimed at business users. the Volkswagen Passat Executive has a 2.0 TDI engine with BlueMotion fuel-saving technology

the 2.0 TDI engine develops its 236lb ft of torque at 1,750rpm, carrying its occupants swiftly to any given destination.

It does it quietly, too – this particular car was one of the quietest at speed I’ve ever tested. At 70mph the engine is only spinning at 1,800rpm, with only a whisper of wind and road noise present.

At just under five metres long the Passat isn’t small, but it seems to shrink around you. The power‑assisted steering is not over-light and has been given a considered weight for the car’s size. It can be placed accurately on the road, while well‑damped suspension makes for a comfortable and refined ride.

With 119g/km of CO2, it emits just 10g/km more than the super economically‑minded BlueMotion, yet features much more luxury for relatively little extra cost. It only costs £10 more per year to tax in VED Band C (£30 per year versus £20, both are £0 VED for the first year) and is two per cent higher when it comes to BIK rates (19 against the BlueMotion’s 17).

While the BlueMotion eclipses it in economy stakes, the Executive feels more upmarket than both the Ford Mondeo Zetec Business Edition TDCi and the Vauxhall Insignia SRi Nav 2.0CDTi tested in GreenFleet issues 70 and 74 respectively.

An all-new eighth‑generation Passat arrives in 2015, but on this outing at least, the current car is still well and truly in the running. Worthy of consideration if you’re after a swift yet economical executive express, this particular business-specification Passat is a good value, premium-feeling choice. L

The Passat .0 ve 2 Executi Motion e TDI Blu ology is Techn omical, an econcious capa rious u and lux nder all-rou

Capacious and luxurious The Passat Executive 2.0 TDI BlueMotion is a capacious and luxurious all-rounder, capable of achieving high fuel returns with little effort. It’s nicely‑finished, elegantly-styled (in saloon form) and feels like a premium product.

Volkswagen Passat Executive 2.0 TDI BMT ENGINE:

1,968cc, four-cylinder diesel

CO2:

119g/km

MPG (combined): VED:

61.4 Band C, £0 first year, £30 thereafter

BIK:

19%

PRICE (OTR):

£23,795 (including VAT, £25,527 as tested)

Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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ROAD TEST Written by Angela Pisanu

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Occupying the Octavia Angela Pisanu reports from behind the wheel of the cleanest and most fuel-efficient Škoda Octavia yet, the GreenLine III 1.6 TDI

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

ROAD TEST

Škoda Octavia GreenLine III ENGINE:

1,598cc, four-cylinder diesel

CO2:

85g/km

MPG (combined): VED:

Band A, £0

BIK:

13%

PRICE (OTR):

The Škoda Octavia is a popular car. More than 205,000 Octavias have been sold in the UK, making it the second biggest-selling model in the country after the Fabia. Globally, more than 3.7 million Octavias have been produced, making it the biggest-selling Škoda over the course of the company’s 117 years.

Last year I drove the Octavia 1.6 TDI and was very impressed with its performance, fuel consumption (official figure 74.3mpg) and low emissions of 99g/km CO2. But these figures have been improved even further with the introduction of the new GreenLine III hatch model. Powered by a 108bhp version of the 1.6-litre TDI engine, its official fuel consumption figure is an impressive 88.3mpg on the combined cycle, and has CO2 emissions of just 85g/km. This makes it the cleanest and most efficient Octavia ever produced. I managed a real world figure of 66.2mpg without driving particularly green-footed, which I was impressed with.

Low running costs The Octavia GreenLine’s BiK rating of 13 per cent and VED Band A means running costs

will be kept low. This, together with its reasonable price-tag of £20,150, should draw attention from company car drivers.

But the savings from improved fuel economy and emissions isn’t all this model can boast about; it promises more power too, up 5bhp from the non-GreenLine version.

The Octavia GreenLine performs well. The 10.6 seconds it takes to get from 0-62mph is done so confidently and smoothly, it holds the road well, and has light yet precise steering.

The ning low runand costs price Spacious ble reasonans that the and practical a e I Despite being wider I I m e g n i a t L n e e and longer than its r G Octavia get attention predecessor, the latest model is up to should the fleet 102kg lighter thanks to m o fr lightweight engineering, market improved body design, and a

careful selection of materials.

The car’s handsome yet simple exterior looks good without being pretentious.

The interior is stylish and practical with ample leg room and comfy seats. It has a touchscreen infotainment systems as standard which includes car stereo, navigation system and trip computer.

The boot space is a decent 590 litres, which

88.3

£20,150 (including VAT)

is five litres bigger than the previous model.

With the back seats folded down, space grows to a maximum of 1,580 litres – an increase of 125 litres over the previous models.

Looks wise, the only hints that this is a super efficient model is GreenLine badging on the front grille and rear, while inside there is a GreenLine logo on the gearstick.

The list of accident-avoiding features of the Octavia GreenLine is impressive and has helped it achieve five stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests. It includes lane assistant – which keeps the Octavia on track, automatic braking (in an accident), fatigue detection, and adaptive cruise assist – which automatically maintains a pre-set distance to the car ahead.

I appreciated the Octavia’s new Intelligent Light Assistant, which turns the high beams on and off automatically. As soon as oncoming traffic is detected, it turns the beams off and back on when the car has passed. This is a great safety feature and does away with the tedium of having to switch the beams on and off when driving in the dark.

The low running costs, high safety features, solid performance and reasonable price-tag means that the Octavia GreenLine should get attention from the fleet market.

Indeed, this year the Octavia has scooped Best Estate Car title from both the Fleet News Awards and Fleet World Honours. L Volume 77 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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BMW 22, 23 Citroen UK 28, 29 EV South East 32 Fiat 6 Ford 24 Green Motion 42 Jeep 8 Lex Autolease 36 Mercedes 12, 13 Mitsubishi 40 Nissan OBC Peugeot 38, 39 RAC 4 Reco Auto 32 Route Monkey 34 Seat 30 SV Tech 32 TomTom Telematics IFC Toyota IBC Vauxhall Vans 16, 17, 26 Volvo 18

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