Fleet World December 2022

John Challen

editor

Look forward, not back

This issue of Fleet World is the final one of the year and what a year it's been! That’s a phrase that might have been trotted out every December in recent memory but, while previous ones have been ‘challenging', the multi-whammy of huge issues that have reared their ugly heads in 2022 is unprecedented.

However, I’m not going to use these words to dwell on them because you probably don’t want to be reminded of it all in the run-up to the festive period.

Instead, let’s focus on the positives and embrace 2023 and all that it has to offer. As a pretty pragmatic person, I’m firmly of the opinion that you can’t change what’s already happened, so best to forget about it and move on. In recent weeks, I’ve been encouraged to hear – and read – snippets about there being an end in sight to the semiconductor shortage that has severely hampered vehicle production in 2022. That means more drivers will be getting new cars in 2023 – possibly having had to wait what felt like an age.

For others, it means more choice when looking for replacement vehicles. Given the number of launches every year there is no shortage of vehicles on the market to select from. Although is there a chance that the conven tional becomes the exception to the rule at some point in the future? In this issue’s mobility special, we take a look at everything from subscription service providers, to mobility allowances to swapping four wheels for two. The world is changing and, helped by a shift in working habits and patterns, the way we move around is also changing too.

How fleets adapt to these changes and make mobility work for all drivers and users will no doubt be another challenge. But, given what has come our way these past 12 months, it will hopefully be a breeze!

There was more positive 2023-related news with regards the shift to EVs and clarification from the government about company car tax and the Advi sory Electric Rate in its Autumn Statement. Our analysis on page 8 has more detail on the measures and reactions to the news.

So all that remains for me to say is: enjoy the festive period; all the best for 2023 and good riddance to 2022!

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY!

25th April 2023 > The Great British Fleet Event returns... Fleet World’s annual focal point for the industry, alongside our awards, is relocating from London to Milton Keynes next year so make sure you save the date and join us!! www.greatbritishfleetevent.co.uk

“I’m firmly of the opinion that you can’t change what’s already happened, so best to forget about it and move on”

What is your ambition in your current job role? To make CarCloud the number one digital car management brand in the UK.

What job did you want to do when you were growing up?

Archaeologist. I loved digging as a kid and I’m still digging now.

What’s the proudest moment in your career? The opening of Porsche’s first Driving Experience Centre at Silverstone in 2008.

The best takeaway food? Nepalese.

Favourite James Bond? Believe it or not, I’m not a huge Bond fan, so I’d say Alan Partridge’s impressions!

If money was no object, what’s the first thing you would buy? Kite-surfing lessons somewhere warm and windy.

Three cars dream garage? 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 Touring, 1965 Alfa Romeo GTA, 1930 Bugatti Type 51

What are the biggest challenges facing fleets at the moment? The rapid shift in working prac tices is having a huge impact. From 'always on’ digital connectivity to hybrid working

and the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) agenda, the challenges for fleet manage ment and businesses are massive – but, simultaneously, packed full of opportunity

You’re on your dream holiday. Where are you? Somewhere with loads of snow and fabulous off-piste skiing.

Night in or night out? Day out and night in.

Your supermarket of choice? Morrisons.

What car do you currently drive? 1985 Saab 900 Turbo.

Tea, coffee or other? One coffee a day, followed by multiple peppermint teas.

Books or magazines? Magazines my attention span has gone to the dogs!

Who is your idol in life and work?

In life it’s Innes Ireland, a one-time Grand Prix winner and talented journalist who made a big impression on me growing up. He embraced every aspect of life and lived it to the absolute full.

In work, Ettore Bugatti’s mantra, 'nothing can work too well, nothing can be too beauti ful' is a great aspiration that lifts you when you're working through daily challenges.

Geoff Turral co-founder, CarCloud

In his first Autumn Statement as Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt announced plans to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and rebuild our economy, focused on “stability, growth and public services”. Admitting the UK “is now in a recession” during his speech, Hunt said the £55bn package of tax rises and spending outlined in the Budget would help inflation drop “sharply” from 9.1% this year to 7.4% in 2023.

When it came to fleet-specific announcements, electric vehicles were front and centre. The Government is to start raising company car tax rates for electric vehicles from 2025, but with yearly increases capped at 1% until 2028 to keep rates low. The changes set out that electric and ultra-low emission cars emit-ting less than 75g of CO2 per kilome tre will increase by 1 percentage point in 2025/26; a further 1% in 2026/7 and a further 1% in 2027/28 up to a maximum appropriate percentage of 5% for electric cars and 21% for ultra-low emission cars.

Meanwhile, the appropriate percent ages for rates for all other vehicle bands will be increased by one percentage point for 2025/26 up to a maximum appropriate percentage of 37% and will then be fixed in 2026/27 and 2027/28. Paul Hollick, chair at the Association of Fleet Professionals, said that the announcement on the EV BiK rates going forwards was the “biggest win from the news”.

“We’ve been campaigning, along

ANALYSIS

Make a statement

with the BVRLA and other industry bodies, to ask government to both limit any rise in benefit in kind for EVs and to provide longer-term certainty that would allow fleets to plan for the future,” added Hollick.

For a different industry perspective, Matthew Walters, head of consultancy services and customer value at Lease Plan UK, commented: “At last! We finally have the rates of Company Car Tax (CCT) for 2025/26 and beyond. Given that fleets are now entering into contracts that reach into those years, having this clarity is a welcome development.

“We note with particular interest the new rates for electric vehicles,” he added. “They will rise slowly by one percentage point a year to a high of 5% in 2027/28, which is the final year for which we now have certainty. PHEVs will also see their rates increase by one percentage point a year.”

VEHICLE TAX INTRODUCTION

Meanwhile, the Statement also included the news that electric vehicles will no longer be exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty from April 2025 in a move to make the motoring tax system “fairer”.

The measure, which will be legislated for in the Autumn Finance Bill 2022, will affect both new and existing electric cars and vans.

Hollick believed this was the biggest disappointment of the Autumn State ment. “This is still some time away and

probably the strategic thinking is that there will be market equity between EV and ICE by that point,” he reasoned.

“Of course, bearing in mind the £40,000 expensive car supplement in VED, this could be part of a govern ment strategy to try to make EVs more accessi-ble, with manufacturers being effectively encouraged to keep prices below this level, especially in the light of recent price escalation following the pandemic.”

OTHER EV-RELATED MEASURES

Although the Chancellor imposed new and higher taxes on EVs in this Autumn Statement, he also introduced some measures that will make the transition easier. This includes the extension to 2025 of the 100% first-year allowance for companies installing charge points.

Also significant is the confirmation that the energy price cap will be set at £3,000 a year from April 2023 to March 2024. “This will help to keep the whole life costs of EVs down – and protect fleets and motorists from the worst fluctuations of the energy market,” said Walters. “However, it should be noted that AER – Advisory Electric Rate (the rate at which companies pay company car mileage for EVs) has been increased to 8ppm from 5ppm from December 2022 and the Government have aligned the review of the rate to the AFR (Advisory Fuel Rate for petrol and diesel), which are decided upon quarterly.”

The recent Autumn Statement saw the Chancellor set out plans to “rebuild our economy”. Natalie Middleton reports on how it affects fleets with electric vehicles

INCOMING

Succession planning

Volvo intends to introduce one fully-electric model each year – and that process starts with the EX90. The flagship model of the range, this big sevenseat SUV takes many of the styling cues from the outgoing XC90, which will please those (many) drivers who love the current big Swede. But make no mistake, this is a car built for the future – a future that will be electric-only for Volvo by 2030.

On the big screen

Take a quick glance at the interior of the EX90 and the central portrait infotainment screen will leap out. Unsurprising, really, considering it’s a whopper that measures 14.5-inches. There, drivers will find Google apps and services, the usual wireless smartphone connectivity and a 5G connection, where available. The infotainment system – as well as the safety functions and battery management – is run on platforms from NVIDIA and Qualcomm, using freshly developed in-house Volvo software systems.

Numbers game

The EX90 is a bigger and heavier car than the one it replaces, which means plenty of battery power has been deployed to get the desired performance out of the big Volvo. The car will launch with a twin-motor all-wheel-drive setup, powered by a 111kWh battery and two permanent magnet electric motors. Together, they will deliver 517hp and 910Nm of torque.

Drivers will have up to 373 miles (WLTP) on tap from a single charge of the big battery, which can be charged from 10% to 80% in just 30 minutes, given the right equipment!

Elegant and environmental

Anyone one who has experienced a product from the recent Volvo range will know all about the quality levels to be found. Unsurprisingly, this attention to detail has been retained in the EX90, with the added benefit of natural and responsibly sourced mate rials. Volvo says the EX90 contains approximately 15% recycled steel and 25% recycled aluminium. Not only that, but there’s 48kg of recycled plastics and bio-based materials, which is roughly 15% of the total plastic used in the car. Sustainability is key for Volvo, as it has ambitions of being a fully circular and climate-neutral company by 2040.

VERDICT

The XC90 has been a big success story for Volvo – in all respects – and the electric version that replaces it should pass over the baton seamlessly. No, it’s not cheap, but when it offers the space, practicality and technology that drivers look for in a high-end vehicle, many will be willing to pay the price. If the rest of the range are converted to EV power in a similar fashion, it bodes well for the future prospects of the Swedish brand.

AT LARGE

Alex Grant

subject of net

Stability is a cornerstone of fleet deci sion-making, but it’s become increasingly rare. The world has changed immeasurably since demand for diesel peaked just 10 years ago. Sustainabil ity has gained momentum despite political turmoil, a pandemic, war and supply chain challenges – and Net Zero remains the goal for 2050. The Autumn Statement filled some important gaps for fleets, but the impact of lethargic decision-making is increasingly clear.

Confusion is rife. A recent survey for World EV Day showed 46% of UK drivers believe electric vehicles cost more to run than petrol or diesel cars. Unsurprisingly, after months of bad news about energy prices, less than half expected to pay less for charging than for liquid fuel, but aware ness of even the clearest benefits was low. For example, only 47% of the most costconscious respondents realised they’d save money on tax – EVs currently qualify for zero-rate VED and 2% Benefit-in-Kind. Even EV drivers were unsure about some costs.

The Government hasn’t helped. Having deferred important decisions through the summer, while mired in a leadership contest, it announced a two-year energy price cap in September, which also fixed the cost of EV charging at a lower level than liquid fuel. Five weeks and one new Chancellor later, that same scheme was cut to six months, then extended for 12 months at a higher rate in the Autumn Statement. Reducing the taxpayer burden is the right approach, but with fewer fixed-rate tariffs available, those U-turns make it hard for drivers to work out what they’re committing to.

Businesses have had even less to go on and, as that group includes chargepoint operators, their un-capped costs have been

passed on through progressively higher tariffs. When Osprey raised its prices to £1/kWh in September, it told customers the lack of details about government support had left them with no alternative. It’s cut its prices since, but this shows how inaction in Westminster can make charging costs as volatile as filling with petrol or diesel.

Worse still, there’s been no safety net. The 8p/mile Advisory Electric Rate was long overdue and, presumably overshad owed by ongoing in-fighting at Westminster,

we’ve had agonising delays announcing company car tax bands beyond April 2025. With year-long lead times now increasingly common, drivers had been gambling on almost 18 months of tax bills when ordering cars. The 1%-point annual increases confirmed in the Autumn Statement are logical, but who could have been sure? EV Benefit-inKind has been a rollercoaster, rising from 0% in 2014/15, to 16% in 2019/20, then falling back to 0% in 2020/21. Fleets will also remember the heel-dragging as WLTP was phased in with ‘NEDC Correlated’ CO2 figures – a misnomer that led to large overnight tax hikes for some models. Or perhaps the 3%-point diesel tax levy, which, instead of being scrapped, was raised to 4% with almost no warning. How on earth can you plan for that?

Meanwhile, financial support for EVs is shrinking at equally short notice. There’s no chargepoint grant for homeowners, no Plug-in Car Grant – and no support for people buying a used car either. The SMMT says the used EV market increased 57.1% year-on-year in Q2 2022, reflecting the growth in new registrations in 2019. Given rising interest rates, high transaction prices and the squeeze on household income, schemes like the Scottish Govern ment’s 0% interest loan for used EVs seem worthy of a nationwide roll-out.

Obviously, there’s no reason to believe the tide will turn back in favour of combus tion engines. We’re due details of manda tory EV sales targets for manufacturers – and the 2035 end-date for new combustion engines hasn’t changed. However, this transition is still in its early phases and – in an ever-changing world – stability is vital if fleets (and consumers) are to make more sustainable long-term decisions.

There’s been a lot of political in-fighting over the

zero, including what’s at stake for fleets. We look at the current state of play...

“Having deferred important decisions through the summer, the government announced a two-year energy price cap in September, which also fixed the cost of EV charging at a lower level than liquid fuel”

ON THE MOVE

Today’s mobility options for drivers stretch way beyond being tied into a passenger car for a fixed period of time. More alternatives have appeared that offer major cost, efficiency and flexibility advantages

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL

Without sounding like a contestant on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, the fleet sector is on a journey. In the past three years – from the shock of lockdowns to a frozen supply chain and now escalating operating costs –any fleet manager worth their salt has had to pivot, repeat edly. And the reality is, the picture isn’t going to change that much for 2023, with the added pressure of addressing sustainability targets.

Right now, one size certainly doesn’t fit all when it comes to business mobility. Probably the biggest shift has been the need to adapt to the hybrid working model. Employees who previously considered a company vehicle a necessity for every day, now might prefer access to flexible mobility solutions on-demand.

That approach has added another complication to the life of the fleet manager. Car share, car clubs and pool fleets have all become more important components of fleet strategies, with all the logistical challenges they bring.

Finding the right partners for flexible business mobility is now, therefore, about much more than getting a great deal on the price. Of course, that’s important – but so too is knowing that a partner has access to the right mix of mobility, from hourly and daily to monthly and longer; that

Mark Newberry commercial director Europcar Mobility Group UK

it can be managed easily with good technol ogy and that insight into vehicle usage and emissions can be part of the service.

ON THE ROAD TO ZERO

A partner that can help a business transition to lower emis sions is also crucial right now – and one that recognises that the path to zero – is not necessarily straightforward. A recent study we carried out among company car drivers found that over one third would consider changing jobs if they felt their employer wasn’t doing enough to be sustain able and tackle climate change.

The industry and UK fleet sector is learning more all the time about electric and sustainable motoring, which is why it's important to find a partner that can help you take those initial steps and learn from real-world experiences. Then, once ready, that partner can support a broader wholesale shift to zero.

MOBILITY THAT MAKES A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE

Advances in technology – on and off the road – make the potential for business mobility to make a truly meaningful difference to an organisation’s operations, staff wellbeing and profitability all the more exciting. The key is to find the right partners to achieve that potential.

CHANGE HERE FOR NEW MOBILITY OPTIONS...

As we continue to see wider business travel considered under an overall mobility strategy – rather than separate travel, car and operational vehicle poli cies – the industry is once again innovat ing to support businesses and their employees. The obvious evidence of this is the growth in Mobility as a Service (MaaS) solutions and the use of travel budgets, sometimes as a replacement for a perk company car. While this approach will work for some employers and employees, a one-size-fits-all approach is not going to work for everyone.

Like cash allowances, offering employees a travel budget could be one way for businesses to put a simple and cost-controlled solution in place to cover work travel costs. However, it’s impor tant to understand each employee’s travel requirements, what they value as an individual in business travel, and ulti mately what is ‘in it for them’.

Providing employees with a car has always been more than just covering

business miles – it’s a ‘perk’ or benefit for that particular role and a hugely emotive one. Following the ‘dash for cash’ the industry is seeing a huge change in employee behaviour and a return to the company car. This is heav ily supported by low BiK charges on

choice of options such as a travel budget to use on any form of transport or a vehicle funded via salary sacrifice, will give the employee greater flexibility and choice over what they need from a travel point of view.

From the employee’s perspective, they need to fully understand all costs involved whatever the option they choose. This is exactly what JCT600 does with its customers and their employees via the Origo driver portal and the ongo ing consultation.

electric vehicles and the re-popularisa tion of salary sacrifice schemes, coupled with changes to buyer behaviour and individual appetite to risk.

A hybrid approach could work well for businesses wanting to offer employ ees a valuable incentive. Providing a

In considering the overall business mileage mobility strategy, MaaS prod ucts will increase in popularity, but there will still be a desire for a car that can be used not only for business use but also commuting and private use too. Busi nesses that lead with the employees’ needs will excel in the future of mobility.

Caddick, head of business development, JCT600 Vehicle Leasing Solutions (VLS)

Christopher

“Offering employees a travel budget could be one way for businesses to control work travel costs”

As fleet propositions go, the Citroën Ami should be a laughing stock. The electric two-seater has a 28mph top speed, no heater or stereo and is left-hand drive only with a range of 46 miles. Instead, however, it might turn out to be one of the smartest commercial decisions that Citroën in the UK has ever made.

At first sight, the Ami makes sense as a retail proposition. Once the French manufacturer built a website to take expressions of interest in the Ami, it took just 22 minutes before the first UK order came in. That order was swiftly followed by more – many more, in fact. At the time of writing, Citroën has 1,625 active orders and reservations with an eye-watering 1,600 test drive requests at dealers.

So far however, Citroën openly admits that much of that initial focus had been on private buyers, but now it is turning its attention to the potential demand for the Ami among fleet customers, with its team already talk

ing to several prospective customers, many of whom are new to Citroën and indeed to car companies entirely.

(where the Ami is built), by airport authorities in Portugal and by the Suez water treatment company in France.

Widen your mind’s horizons still further and the possibilities are almost endless – food delivery companies, holiday parks, parcel or last-mile deliv ery firms, city car-sharing schemes, the list goes on and on. With more carrying capacity than a scooter and cheaper to run than a small car, you don’t need Mensa-membership to see the potential demand, particularly with the Cargo version that loses the passenger seat for a built-in 260-litre storage box.

It doesn’t take much, or indeed any, imagination to think about potential uses for the Ami either. They’re already used by the post office in Morocco

There are other added bonuses too. The first is that as the Ami has very little tech on board, it uses very few silicon chips, which obviously helps supply under the current industry challenges. The second is that as the Ami is such a unique proposition in the market – as a result Citroën is being approached by many customers who are new to the brand.

Nat Barnes

AUTOMOTIVE ALTERNATIVES CITROËN AMI

UNTAPPED POTENTIAL Already in use in Morocco, Portugal and Spain, Ami is also available as a Cargo variant

Don’t fancy sticking to four wheels, but still mindful of the shift to electric vehicles? An electric scooter might be the way to go. And no, not one of the e-scooters that are still yet to be legalised across the UK – we’re talking a Vespa-type affair that might pique the interest of eco-conscious mods and rockers.

One option in this (growing) segment is the MÓ from SEAT. With the electric motor and 5.6kWh battery providing 240Nm of torque and up to 85 miles of range, the MÓ is a fantastic vehicle that offers all of the advantages of a ICE-powered scooter, but with the added benefit of being emissionfree. Another advantage is the near-silent operation (there’s still a bit of road noise),

which takes some getting used to, given your brain expects a vehicle like this to emit a specific and recognisable sound.

With the equivalent of a 125cc standard bike, it’s an electric vehicle with plenty of power when you twist the grip to set off from a standstill. That power keeps on going – most entertain ing when selecting Sport mode (City and Eco modes are also available). The choice of power delivery is one of the many simple things about the MÓ. Operation is seamless and the onscreen menus all make sense – all the information you’d need is available with one or two presses of a button. There’s also elements you’d expect to see on a car, such as USB connectivity and daytime running lights.

Recharging isn’t an issue, either. Simply lift up the handle on the side of the battery pack (the complete unit is a bit like a small suitcase with wheels), pull it out and plug the 3-point pin connec tor into the mains to recharge. At 40kg, it’s not overly heavy, so moving it to the desired charging location shouldn’t be an issue, even if that means taking it up stairs or down the road. The charging process can be completed in as little as six hours.

The overwhelming feeling you get from riding an electric scooter like the MÓ is enjoyment. One thing to bear in mind is the need to complete a CBT (compulsory basic training) course before going anywhere near the bike. Or, if you’ve done one, remember that they only last for two years, so you might need to contact one of the many test centres around the country. It’s a one-day course – a mixture of practical and classroom-based work – that should be straightforward. If your favourite (current) Fleet World editor can get it done, then anyone can!

John Challen

AUTOMOTIVE ALTERNATIVES SEAT MÓ scooter

Most people return from a holiday with a couple of souvenirs, a novelty hat and sunburn. For Chris Hurdle, managing director of Electric Wheels, it was a motorbike. Not just any motorbike, mind you – this was an elec tric motorbike. Perhaps not that unusual today, but in 2018 it was something of a novelty. That novelty soon turned into a business however, when he kept being asked lots of questions while using it for his day job working in outdoor events.

It was enough to convince him to import the electric motorbikes as a busi ness and sell them and so Electric Wheels was born alongside business partner Tony Abel. The ideas for the business didn’t stop there however. A chance meet ing with a customer with an electric Util ity Terrain Vehicle (UTV) and a short test drive, convinced Hurdle to focus on them

instead. While similar in concept to quadbikes, UTVs actually have two seats sideby-side and are generally used more for work by farmers and outdoor workers.

Today, Electric Wheels both sells and rents electric UTVs in all their forms and business is booming. Hire numbers have doubled while sales have quadrupled and both sides of the business are expected to double in 2023.

It’s not hard to see why either. On the sales side, UTVs range in price from £14,000 up to £35,000, the latter with fourwheel drive, tow bar, winch, 40mph top speed and two differential locks. Farmers buy them mainly with a consideration towards sustainability but they’re also –obviously so much quieter than their diesel counterparts. The cost of fuel and servicing is considerably lower too. Other customers include everyone from

those working underground to the Ministry of Defence and night security at camping and caravan sites.

By comparison, the hire side of the business includes everything from music festivals to RHS flower shows and many other annual major outdoor events. “During the set up for large outdoor events, the UTVs are used as workhorses for carrying tools, putting up fences and transporting workers around the site,” explains Hurdle. “Then during the event, they’re used by people to get around and for staff to liaise with each other, plus catering and cleaning purposes, while during the break down, it’s just the same as the set-up, but in reverse.”

While the average hire at most events is eight UTVs, many will have between 30 and 40 (the largest is 54).

Nat Barnes

ADevon mobility hub delivered by social enterprise Co Cars has been recognised for promoting greener jour neys with a gold award from the national shared transport charity, CoMoUK.

The site at Seabrook Orchards in Topsham, near Exeter, has CoMoUK’s highest standard of accreditation for a new development and is only the second such facility to be offi cially recognised by the charity.

Mobility hubs can take several differ ent forms, ranging from larger inter changes in busy city centres to mini stations which are tailored to suburban or rural areas. The Seabrook Orchards facil ity was launched by not-for-profit social enterprise Co Cars in May and is the first at a housing development in Exeter.

Powered by by 100% renewable energy from Good Energy, the site features a dedicated charger for the Co Car, plus a

public charger, both supplied by Econe tiq. It is located just 100m from dedicated cycle routes and the nearest bus stop, with the 57 bus route providing frequent connections to both Exeter and Exmouth. Since the hub opened there have been almost 2,000 e-bike rentals and more than 20% average car utilisation.

“Mobility hubs are excit ing ways to boost sustain able transport, improve public health and save people money,” says Richard Dilks (left), chief executive of CoMoUK. “The combination of the cost-of-living and climate crises make it more important than ever to properly manage space for shared, active and public transport as an alter native to private car use.

Meanwhile, Nic Eversett, MD of Co Cars, adds: “Mobility hubs

make it very easy for people to make more sustainable travel choices it’s been fantastic to see residents embrace the services it offers. Moreover, the hub has also sparked the interest of our stakehold ers, including on-site visits to find out more. We look forward to launching more in the years to come.”

AUTOMOTIVE ALTERNATIVES ELECTRIC WHEELS

EVERY FLEET’S JOURNEY TO NET ZERO WILL BE DIFFERENT, SO WHY USE END-TO-END SOLUTIONS?

WHAT IS ACCELERATE TO ZERO?

Because every fleet’s decarbonisation journey will be different, Shell Fleet Solutions has launched Accelerate to Zero – a four-step programme that brings together our full range of consultancy services and products in a package that is tailored around your fleet’s specific decarbonisation needs.

Accelerate to Zero helps businesses to prioritise decarbonisation without compromising on other critical business needs. Why? Because we know that while the journey to net zero is critical, fleets must also focus on improving total cost of ownership (TCO) to protect productivity and profitability and remain competitive.

By helping you to understand your fleet’s carbon footprint, we can design a tailored roadmap that will bring decarbonisation closer in view – and help you to accelerate to zero sooner.

A FOUR-STEP ROUTE TO NET ZERO EMISSIONS

Realise your potential for change

Our ongoing performance review and analysis helps refine your actions, with results tracked and new opportunities identified, so you can increase the pace of your journey to net zero and strengthen your business.

Build a robust roadmap to net zero Our plan for your fleet will be based on your business’ specific data, allowing our experts to identify any quick win initiatives before guiding and supporting you through longer-term options.

Deploy the right solutions for you With tailored data comes tailor-made solutions. From on-the-go EV charging and telematics, to carbon compensation – we’ll help you to deploy the most impactful solutions for your business to accelerate your decarbonisation goals.

Diagnose your decarbonisation challenges

By analysing your fleet’s performance data, we can help you to establish your decarbonisation goals, and recommend the best ways to power your net zero emissions progress.

DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS THAT ADVANCE DECARBONISATION

With Accelerate to Zero in place, you can start:

Making more informed decisions, based on upto-date data that better reflects the realities and requirements of your fleet business.

Moving towards a model of sustainable growth, by balancing your transition to low- and zero-carbon solutions with a TCO approach to overall operations.

Navigating the complexity of your net zero journey by leveraging our tools and technologies like Shell TapUp mobile refuelling, Shell Telematics insights, our EV charging network and carbon compensation.

The role of a fleet manager has never been more complex. That’s why we’ve developed a programme that provides our fleet customers with an entire ecosystem of solutions, which can help them navigate each twist and turn on their journey towards net zero emissions. After all, decarbonisation isn’t a competition –we all need to get there. Accelerate to Zero simply makes the journey quicker, simpler, and allows you to balance sustainability with competitiveness.

Aysun Akik, General Manager, Shell Fleet Solutions (Europe and Africa)

Learn more: shell.co.uk/a2z

Stellantis advances autonomous driving work

Stellantis has entered into an agreement to acquire AI and autonomous driving software developer aiMotive. The deal will enhance the global automaker’s artificial intelligence and autonomous driving core technology and advance the mid-term development of STLA AutoDrive, its autonomous driving tech platform.

“Acquiring aiMotive’s world-class artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technology is an important contribution to becoming a sustainable mobility tech company,” said Yves Bonnefont, Stellantis chief software officer. “aiMotive’s classleading expertise and startup spirit will accelerate our journey to deliver our Dare Forward 2030 goals.”

aiMotive is based in Budapest, Hungary, with offices in Germany, the US and Japan. It boasts more than 200 employ ees worldwide, including engineers with advanced artificial

Top 10 vehicles* in Europe

October 2022

Model Units

Peugeot 208 17,075

Volkswagen Golf 17,038

Dacia Sandero 16,147

Fiat/Abarth 500 16,117

Toyota Yaris 16,039

Volkswagen T-Roc 13,378

Renault Clio 13,167

Citroën C3 12,248

Toyota Yaris Cross 12,079

Opel/Vauxhall Corsa 11,560

(Source: Jato) *Registrations

intelligence and autonomous driving expertise.

The company’s technology product portfolio is focused on four key areas within artificial intelligence and autonomous driving: its aiDrive embedded software stack for autonomous driving; the aiData artificial intelligence operations and data tooling; aiWare expertise and intellectual property for silicon microchips and the aiSim software simulation for development of autonomous driving.

The business will operate as a subsidiary of Stellantis, over seen by a board of directors established by the automaker and with company founder László Kishonti still onboard as CEO. It will continue selling three areas of its current technology product portfolio, including aiData, aiSim and aiWare, to other partners. Completion of the acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals.

Light vehicle sales

October 2022

Region Sales +/– (% yr-on-yr)

United States 1.17 million 12.1

Canada 133,000 1.2

Western Europe 962,000 12.5

Eastern Europe 252,000 -17.9

Japan 356,000 28.9

Korea 141,000 15.1

China 2.50 million 8.2

Brazil/Argentina 198,000 12.7 (Source:

Peugeot 208 Returns to the top spot, despite losing momentum in recent months. The 208 is likely to dethrone the Golf as Europe’s best-selling car by the end of this year.

Tobias Kern

partner, Fleet Competence Group

OPINION

Why 2022 was a year of shifting priorities, principles and pricing

Many people would probably conclude the 12 months of 2022 as ‘The Year of Multiple Crises’, where major factors culminated in a toxic cocktail for the fleet industry. While the effects of the pandemic – and the associated supply chain disruptions – were carried over from 2021, the fleet industry was further hit by the need to relocate production capaci ties then the energy crisis. In addition, impacts from inflation and an upcoming recession began to be felt, with uncertainty looming in the overall economic climate.

On this (more than) challenging back ground, some key actors – both on the supply and demand side of the industry – changed their strategy. Some of them not voluntarily.

One striking change was triggered by the shift of the sourcing principles of large corporates. They were forced to descale their purchase power by increasing the number of OEM suppliers in their poli cies. As a result, they could gain access to the required order volumes by diversify ing the supply chain and reducing the overall dependency from a limited number of suppliers.

Furthermore, the long-standing priority on achieving cost optimisations has been de-prioritised for different reasons. On one

hand, the lack of vehicle availability linked to extraordinary high lead times resulted in corporates being less cost-conscious when trying to secure employee mobility. This trend is further accelerated by the sustain ability targets, which are very high on the radar of corporates. In countries where ‘green' electric vehicles do not allow any costs to be optimised, there was a broad acceptance that electric fleets might lead to extended fleet budgets.

Needless to say, the role of a fleet buyer is very challenging in an environment domi nated by suppliers – and is made more diffi cult with rising energy costs and inflation. So, 2022 figures might be better measured in light of ‘cost avoidance’ rather than in the more traditional ‘cost reductions’.

But there wasn’t just uncertainty for the suppliers – manufacturers were also affected. They were tasked with setting priorities when allocating limited produc tion volumes to sales channels that had optimised margin structures. They also had to reduce rebate terms, noticeably even for long-standing corporate clients. The frequency of list price adjustments also increased and forecast delivery time lines were not able to be made, causing headaches for clients.

Some people in the industry have

concluded that, in light of what 2022 has brought, long-term customer loyalty is sometimes de-prioritised over short-term profit? Consequently, the diversification of supplier strategies resulted in a higher number of preferred OEMs listed in the car policies. Meanwhile, a six-digit order being placed by a rental company with a ‘new OEM player’ on the European fleet market underlines the willingness of shifts, even at a mega-scale.

As a third key angle, 2022 accelerated the trend of greater consideration being given to more flexible mobility within companies. Triggered by the increasing requests from employees for access to a multi-modal mobility offering instead of car only-scheme, corporates are either developing or are piloting ‘new mobility programmes’. Considering the opportuni ties to build a sustainable, attractive, flexi ble and cost-optimised mobility programme, this approach might trigger the priorities for tomorrow.

In a nutshell, 2022 provided evidence that long-established automotive industry patterns have been disrupted – and these will cause shifts in many ways. The impact those impacts will have, however, remain to be seen – maybe in 2023, or maybe beyond that.

managing

STRENGTHS

SH Hugely accomplished and desirable – and quite the perfor mance car in this comparison.

High on any company car wishlist.

MJ Driving dynamics, build and material quality are excellent. Good real-world range and economy, with plenty of perfor mance available when required.

MW The 3 Series Touring is impressive, regardless of what is under the bonnet. But the addi tion of a plug-in hybrid just makes it more appealing.

JW A fantastic all-rounder, boasting class-leading looks, handling, performance, practi cality and strong RVs.

WEAKNESSES

SH Not as well equipped as some in this comparison – and that performance is paid for with a higher front-end price.

MJ The 17-inch alloy wheels might be a touch small for some drivers. Limited colour choice.

MW On paper, it looks a touch expensive, while the boot space is compromised a little, compared with the standard Touring.

JW Increased insurance costs puts the 330e out of reach for some users. Less boot space than the competitors in this foursome.

OPPORTUNITIES

SH If monthly allowances are in the frame, it could be a short stretch for drivers with a modest premium over main stream models.

MJ Versatility makes it a legiti mate – and often more cost-

brand upmarket (to Volkswagen level) is still a work in progress in the UK

MJ The sporty low driving posi tion and small steering wheel won’t suit all drivers.

MW It’s not a problem exclusive to the 508, but the fiddly Peugeot infotainment system might be a bit of a turn-off.

JW High-tech interior might feel a little intimidating. Lack of badge appeal holds the 508 back in the UK.

effective – alternative to an SUV.

MW Ideal for those who want a 3 Series, but also want lower BIK.

JW Space, convenience and the taxation benefits of a PHEV, all at a lower price point than its trendy SUV counterparts.

THREATS

SH There are a number of other capable premium PHEVs that could also be tempting.

MJ Some drivers might not recog nise the benefits of ownership, even though the 34 miles all-elec tric range is impressive.

MW Luggage space goes from 480-litres from the standard 3 Series Touring, down to 375litres – a big loss of room.

JW Competitors with additional standard specification and more electric range are available.

car – and one that will appeal to many fleet drivers.

JW The 508 makes for a great fleet proposition and will help dispel the remaining stigma around the French brand.

THREATS

SH Probably struggles to regis ter when you think of main stream estate car choices – and is in a sector in decline.

STRENGTHS

SH Elegant and capable.

Although it loses out to the BMW on performance, it’s still swift, refined and best for BIK.

MJ Stylish alternative to the estab lished players with a distinctive exterior and high quality interior. A high level of safety equipment. MW 508SW has got the benefit

of Stellantis hybrid technology and is a great looking estate.

JW A practical, good-looking car with a high-tech interior. The lower price point results in competitive residual values.

WEAKNESSES

SH Peugeot's efforts to take the

OPPORTUNITIES

SH Cheapest for TCO on paper for those who like to achieve the most car for the money. Very well equipped.

MJ Peugeot has achieved big improvements in quality and desirability so should be creat ing conquest opportunities.

MW The 508 is a fantastic looking

MJ Awareness of this car is far less than it should be. Negative perception of ‘large French cars’ may be part of the problem.

MW Other PHEVs are much higher up the user-chooser lists, but 508 is worthy of consideration.

JW Fully electric competitors are now entering the market, which will slowly eat away at volume.

Jon Wheeler > JW Head of vehicle valuation services, CDL Vehicle Information Services

Simon Harris > SH Head of valuations, UK Vehicle Data

Mark Jowsey > MJ Head of TCO AutoTrader

Martin Ward > MW Manufacturer relationship specialist

Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of four plug-in hybrid estates are analysed by the Fleet World quartet of industry experts

BMW 3 SERIES TOURING • PEUGEOT 508 SW • ŠKODA SUPERB ESTATE • VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON SHOOTING BRAKE

BMW 3 Series Touring

Peugeot 508 SW

STRENGTHS

SH Supremely spacious when it comes to cabin and luggage area, so a clear choice if carrying capability is the priority.

MJ A well-established model that has space to rival both executive and upper-medium competitors.

MW A car that lives up to its

name in every department. Plus it looks good, too.

JW Huge amount of space, refined interior, sharp exterior looks and great build quality.

WEAKNESSES

SH RV is a little softer than the rivals here. Perhaps too easily

associated with UK’s minicab sector.

MJ Hard to find legitimate weaknesses in this product, although some buyers won’t like the badge.

MW Interior design is functional and a bit plain. Although it isn’t very exciting, it all works perfectly.

JW No longer the budget option it once was. Electric only range falls short of the competition.

OPPORTUNITIES

SH Some fleet customers might not know the virtues of the Škoda brand. This car is a great showcase for it.

MJ Good value will always attract buyers and usable space makes it a true SUV competitor.

MW A lot of car for the money, which will attract new customers to the Škoda brand.

JW The fourth generation version of the Superb is due next year, so deals could be had on runout.

THREATS

SH In the realm of £40,000plus company cars, drivers will be scouring the choice list for alternatives.

MJ Potential buyers may look at what they perceive to be more premium brands. Also chal lenges from SUVs within the within the Škoda line-up.

MW The Superb is a steady car and some drivers may be put off by its ‘boring’ features.

JW Current model is starting to show its age. Those looking for driveability and badge status could look at more modern alternatives.

the game with an estate version of the Arteon. Not a car at the top of anyone’s choice list.

MJ Arteon operating costs are good, but pricing has always been close to equivalent premium brand models.

MW Certainly not the most wellknown car, so calling it a shoot ing brake is a strange – and possibly confusing – decision.

JW High initial OTR price pushes it into the more premium German OEMs. Not as practical as the cheaper Passat.

MW If drivers wants something a different and unusual PHEV, the Arteon might make the shortlist.

JW The Arteon is more premium than some of the competitors in this basket and offers a large amount of space.

THREATS

SH Uses the same PHEV system as the Passat Estate and Superb, so it isn’t a unique proposition.

STRENGTHS

SH Rare and with a dash of premium elegance, it brings style and desirability to the segment.

MJ An attractive alternative to the Passat. Standard equipment is competitive with good levels of safety equipment.

MW The Arteon is a very hand some estate. It’s coupé-like

design looks great and should appeal to many.

JW Strong RVs, decent electric range, good boot space and great build quality should put the Arteon on anyone’s shortlist.

WEAKNESSES

SH Volkswagen has been late to

OPPORTUNITIES

SH Seems capable of squaring off against premium-badge alternatives when it comes to residual values.

MJ This sector features on many fleets so there is business to go for. Much lower BIK costs than ICE models.

MJ Another car that lacks the wider awareness that would generate more sales.

MW Not long ago there weren’t any estate PHEVs, now the choice is really good. The Arteon might get lost in the wilderness.

JW The lack of driving dynamics and the grown-up looks may put some people off.

Škoda Superb Estate

Volkswagen Arteon Shooting Brake

“The 3 Series Touring is impressive, regardless of what is under the bonnet. But the addition of a plug-in hybrid just makes it more appealing”

THE VERDICT

BMW 330 Touring 2.0e PHEV Sport

OTR: £45,165 P11D: £45,110 CO2: 31g/km RV: £17,775 (39.40%) BiK: 12%

SMR: £2,220 Fuel costs: £7,511 Insurance: £4,989 Finance: £6,090 NI: £2,444 VED: £1,020 Cost per month: £1,435

Peugeot 508 SW 1.6 HYBRID GT

OTR: £42,180 P11D: £42,125 CO2: 34g/km RV: £14,018 (33.28%) BiK: 12%

SMR: £2,233 Fuel costs: £6,391 Insurance: £4,893 Finance: £5,687 NI: £2,282 VED: £1,020 Cost per month: £1,407

Standard equipment: DAB, USB, online services

Satellite navigation Speed limiter Lane departure warning Voice control Sports seats

Options: Keyless entry: £1,050 Memory seats: £2,100 Adaptive cruise control: £2,000

Standard equipment: DAB, Bluetooth, USB Satellite navigation Memory seats Privacy glass Curtain rear airbags ISOFIX front seat fixing

Options: Night vision: £1,300 Pearlescent paint: £725 Leather upholstery £1,550

Škoda Superb Estate 1.4TSI iV SE L

OTR: £41,520 P11D: £41,465 CO2: 28g/km RV: £14,363 (34.64%) BiK: 12%

SMR: £2,212 Fuel costs: £7,499 Insurance: £4,155 Finance: £5,598 NI: £2,247 VED: £1,020 Cost per month: £1,386

Standard equipment: DAB, Bluetooth, USB Satellite navigation Blind spot assistance Traction control

Adaptable suspension Front fog lights with cornering

Options: Heated steering wheel: £540 Traffic sign recognition: £105 Panoramic sunroof (fixed): £1,295

OTR: £44,555

P11D: £44,500 CO2: 26g/km

RV: £18,314 (41.16%)

BiK: 12%

SMR: £2,155

Fuel costs: £7,580 Insurance: £4,266 Finance: £6,008 NI: £2,411

VED: £1,020

Cost per month: £1,380

Standard equipment: DAB, Bluetooth, USB Satellite navigation

Autonomous emergency braking

Adjustable suspension High beam assist

Panoramic sunroof (opening)

Options: Wireless phone charging: £1,525

Head up display: £575 Lane departure warning: £590

Jon Wheeler > JW Head of vehicle valuation services, CDL Vehicle Information Services

Simon Harris > SH Head of valuations, UK Vehicle Data

Mark Jowsey > MJ Head of TCO AutoTrader

Martin Ward > MW Manufacturer relationship specialist

Where tradition meets transition

Mobility in fleet is more than just the movement of people within a business, it’s about how commu nication, assets, and data move within an organisation. Software companies are now providing solutions to complex industry changes which can facilitate agile mobility. Here are some ways fleet management software can aid mobility:

1) Manage a holistic journey

Implement a solution that connects all stakeholders on one platform. Fleet managers can achieve operational excellence by looking at the whole journey - from charging infrastructure to ordering maintenance parts. This could be drivers undertaking remote inspections on mobile apps to fleet managers analysing produc tivity in real-time. If you have data on your whole operation, your software will be able to create predictive and pre-emptive maintenance schedules – enabling mobility and asset longevity. This holistic journey should also be accessible on different devices such as tablets and apps to aid in ease of use and accessibility.

2) Digitalise processes into one ecosystem

Digitalising workflows is faster, safer, and creates clear decisions for employees which saves time and money. These digital platforms not only manage assets but the individuals responsible for them – it stan dardises processes and gives employees the tools to increase their productivity. Organisations should be moving away from best practices in isolated areas – all best practices should be brought together and optimised. Your fleet management system should integrate with all areas of the business – fuel, mainte nance, HR, and more.

3) Ownership to usership

Fleet software takes the pain out of vehicle acquisitions and disposals. From your data, you can understand which vehicles need replacing and when. The analysis should also flag when ownership is not the best way forward. If assets are not reaching their full potential, it might be that your company’s methodology needs to transform from an ownership to a usership model, for example, asset sharing or leasing. Your data should also be sharing your fleets’ carbon footprint and giving you recommen dations to lower emissions.

For fleets, mobility can increase productivity, streamline processes, and optimise asset usage; often with the added benefit of reducing the company’s environmental impact and saving costs. AssetWorks provides a fully integrated platform calling on single points of data to provide global visibility to all stakeholders. You have never seen your operations analysed like this before. To learn how AssetWorks solutions can help you, visit assetworks.co.uk.

Mike Gadd Managing Director, AssetWorks

supplier stories

Mycardirect

LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE

It’s fair to say Mycardirect has proved popular with drivers.

Mycardirect recently celebrated two years in business. One of the biggest achievements in that time has been making the company profitable, which is rare for a car subscription business. This year we’ve had three times the revenues of a year ago, with around 2530% of that coming from the fleet and business sector. Tellingly, around 60% of the new business has been in electric vehicles. That growth enables us to rein vest in the business and also to get the car subscription message out all areas of the market. We are obviously keen to continue that journey and we see a lot of opportunities and potential for EVs on subscription as they become a bigger part of the UK vehicle parc.

The response from the fleet industry has been better than expected. We first came up with the idea just as the world was going into lockdown, but we thought it was going to be more of a B2C proposition. But, actually what we found is that the interest from the B2B sector is growing. Some of that is driven by the

rise in demand for EVs, because busi nesses are looking at the sector and figuring out how they introduce them into their fleets. In many cases, compa nies don’t want to commit to four years with a certain car when they don’t know it will work for them or not.

We’ve got ambitious future targets. Over the next 12 months, we’d like to have 1,000 subscription vehicles out in the fleet market – and we don’t see any reason why that’s not achievable, based on the current inquiries. Obviously, the only caveat around that is supply, but that’s an issue clearly out of our control. We’ve also seen interest within the van sector and, from our perspective, offering LCVs as well as cars gives fleet customers more choice, which they value.

Big fleets are testing the water – and that’s fine with us!

Some of the fleet customers we have on board are household names. A lot of them love the flexibility because, while they have a 500-vehicle fleet, they don’t take 500 cars on subscription. They appreciate the fact that they are able to

run 50 or so vehicles on a subscription setup to find out how it works for them.

Flexibility is key to the business model. The agreements can be as bespoke as the customer wants and they can pick and choose from different elements to be covered. We offer various subscriptions from one or three months right up to 36 or 48 months. But within that time, drivers can upgrade or downgrade, depending on their situation or require ments. We make sure everything is trans parent upfront and that the customer or driver understands the package they have. For example, the mileage options are either 1,000 miles a month – which is standard – or 2,000 miles a month. Outside of that, for certain clients we will offer 3,000 miles a month coverage.

The effects of vehicle and chip short ages have been limited on the business. We’ve managed it well, partly helped by the fact that we have a mix of new and used vehicles to offer. We also have great relationships with the OEMs and one of the things that surprised us, as outsiders, was the trouble people getting hold of vehicles

Duncan Chumley, CEO of Mycardirect and David Murray-Hundley, chairman of its parent company AAM Group, explain how the car subscription business has gone from strength to strength in 24 challenging months

and waiting years for the right ones. The experience we have within the group and the relationships we have built means that we are able to overcome those issues and get people into the cars they want.

The size of the company has its effi ciency benefits.

We know that at OEM level, or big corpo rate companies, it is sometimes difficult to be reactive or dynamic. There are so many people involved and layers of authority and structure that it presents a real challenge. But we’ve been able to make decisions really quickly. For exam ple, we’ve had phone calls from a manu facturer offering us 10 cars and made a decision on those vehicles there and then.

Admittedly, the business would’ve grown even faster if there was more vehicle avail ability, but that will come in the future.

People are very open to alternative vehicle acquisition options now. Maybe before covid and the shortages, people wouldn’t consider a company such as ours. But things have changed and we are seen as inclusive, from the point of view of drivers and customers.

They are interested in people who can deliver and a package where they don’t have to worry about tyres, maintenance and servicing issues – it’s all covered by us. From their point of view, they can get everything they need from us and vehi cles they can rely on.

The past two years have been great, we hope the next two are even better. From a pragmatic point of view, we want to continue on the growth curve that we’ve got and continue to reinvest in order to make Mycardirect the leading vehicle subscription company in the UK. Whenever a driver thinks about car subscriptions, we want them to automat ically think about us because we’ve become a household name. Keeping the shareholders and the chairman happy would be a bonus!

The UK market has so much potential but we’re not averse to looking further afield. Maybe not in mainland Europe, but the US market might be slightly easier to crack. But if and when we do that, it will be fairly localised – Boston, for example – as opposed to the whole of the country.

“Over

industry insight

Paul Hollick chair, Association of Fleet Professionals

THE FIGHT AGAINST FAKE NEWS

There’s an old adage that truth is the first casualty of war. It seems that the way in which the conflict in Ukraine has indirectly affected some public perceptions of electric vehicles (EVs) is a tiny but unfortunate example of this.

I was chatting to an acquaintance recently about buying a car. They said they wouldn’t be considering an EV because someone on the radio had suggested that charging them had become as expensive as buying petrol or diesel following Putin’s invasion. The escalating cost of electricity and the up-and-down journey of pump prices have complicated the comparison of EV versus ICE cars, but I know of no expert who would agree with this claim to even the slightest degree.

This example is far from the first piece of EV misinformation that I’ve heard from the general public. And not all of it is prompted by recent energy price upheaval, of course. No doubt fleet managers could each name their own examples – perhaps that batteries fail after eight years and the cars become worthless, or that they can’t be used in cold

weather, or that they are three times as expensive as diesel cars. And so on.

You could argue that this kind of misin formation shouldn’t matter to fleets because electrification in our sector is well underway at a rapid pace but, ultimately, it does have an effect. Public acceptance of EVs is essential to future residual values of the cars that we are operating, buying and ordering right now. Without strong RVs underpinning running costs, the economic impetus for moving away from ICE vehicles simply becomes weaker.

What can the fleet sector do about this?

On an personal level, debunk. If anyone asks you about EVs and is, to put it politely, talking nonsense, you can give them the benefit of your practical experience. Your drivers could, of course, be encouraged to do the same. As fleet managers know, the overwhelming majority of employees who adopt an EV would not willingly return to a petrol or diesel equivalent.

Thinking more strategically, a broader answer lies in working with the remarketing sector to ensure that we develop an ongoing

dialogue about the growing used EV market. The fleet sector needs to cultivate a strong understanding of motorist concerns about electrification and what can be done to help dealers allay them.

From a fleet point of view, this probably means ensuring that EVs added to choice lists have a high degree of appeal for the used market. I suspect that means longer range models in most instances, as well as ensuring that the history that is provided with them at disposal time is absolutely watertight and looks beyond the stan dard factors to which we have become accustomed. This may include, for exam ple, independent battery health checks and even telematics or connected car records of their use.

Really, it’s all about providing used car buyers, who may have heard questionable things about EVs, with as much reassur ance as possible as we head towards 2030 and increasing electrification of the used sector. Achieving this will be good for fleets, good for dealers – and good for the motorists themselves.

Misinformation around electric vehicles is rife, with many potential drivers quick to believe some of the false – or exaggerated – stories surrounding them

“If anyone asks you about EVs and is, to put it politely, talking nonsense, you can give them the benefit of your practical experience”

NISSAN NOTES

How has your time been in the new job?

Firstly, I would say it’s been very busy, but fun at the same time. I have a fantas tic team who are very professional and who have responded positively to the changes I’ve made.

The people within the UK fleet market – and our stakeholders – are very welcom ing. When I took the job, my priority was to get out to meet as many people as possi ble. In fact, since I started, we’ve had more than a dozen fleet-specific events, which has helped me achieve that goal. It’s important, because I believe that people buy from people. So I needed to make sure that they know me and I know them, because establishing those business rela tionships is vital. From a fleet perspective, the past year has also been interesting with the launch of Ariya and Townstar –two products that are important as we renew our lineup for fleet drivers and customers, which also includes our new Qashqai and Juke hybrids.

What were the changes you made?

I saw that there was a lot of potential for Nissan in the public sector, so we now have a dedicated public sector specialist who has been working in that area for some time. That was a relatively quick fix, but there have been more complex changes as well. For example, since April, we have had a dedicated dealer fleet programme, which is focused on institutional feet activities. We call them ‘super fleet dealers’ and we wanted ten initially, with specific expectations.

Those expectations are based on what experience they deliver to our customers, because everything we sell in fleet, goes through the dealers. So, knowing the level of experience these dealers have – and level of quality they provide – is key to our success there. There’s nothing extraordinary or ground-breaking in there – it’s similar to what a leasing company requires, for example. We wanted 10 dealers to ensure a good geographical coverage, but we actually managed 13, because more

dealers wanted to join the programme!

We also looked at managing the vehicle supply – thanks to a very clear prioritisa tion approach between the sub-channels within fleet. With this strategy, we can plan ahead and anticipate how we go to market with certain vehicles, with no ambiguity or conflict of interest.

However, we’d already reached 1,000 units in the order bank in fleet before then. That is not only higher than we set as a target but, overall, it is a major posi tive and shows that our expectations –and how we positioned the car – were spot on. Ariya is a big part of our fleet strategy and we have a very clear idea of

How has your business been affected by the lack of vehicles or components?

I'm not saying we haven’t been affected any differently from other brands but, in September, our market share was the highest and strongest it’s been since 2018 –6.2% in true fleet. If you look at the mainstream OEMs, that was the biggest true fleet share increase yearon-year in September. While that market share doesn’t tell you every thing, it is a good indicator of supply and the impact of some of the changes that we implemented.

Looking back on 2022, what were the highlights?

Ariya was a big success for us. We launched it in the summer and the first units started to arrive in August.

how to support fleet. Not restricting Ariya from the fleet channels was very much the right and responsible decision.

What are Nissan’s fleet plans for the next 12 months?

One of the plans is ongoing and that is the re-launch of our van lineup. We are launching Townstar, but already have new Primastar and Interstar and will have a dedicated dealer network for vans in 2023. In the past, our dealer fleet programme was focused on passenger cars and vans combined, but commercial vehicle customers have specific require ments and we see an opportunity to better serve them there.

We are excited about having Ariya on the market for a full year. We’ve already seen how important that car is to Nissan

A year in the role of fleet director at Nissan has given Csaba Vincze the chance to make some changes and plan for what he hopes will be a successful period for the Japanese brand. He explains all to John Challen

The EV rollout at Nissan continues with both passenger cars and LCVs such as this one, the Townstar

The initial reaction to the Ariya SUV was very positive and – depending on supply – Nissan is hoping for big volumes in 2023 and beyond for the flagship

– it remains our flagship, which is vital from a brand point of view.

We also need to further explore the public sector. With the new products we have coming out, I think there are a lot of positive developments happening at the right time, there.

Away from Ariya, how is Nissan’s fleet proposition looking?

For company car drivers who want to take advantage of the taxation benefits of EVs, we still believe LEAF is a very strong proposition. The way drivers are reacting

Vincze’s time at Nissan began in his native Hungary in 2006, after joining the company as a busi ness analyst from the country’s Raiffeisen Bank. He moved to the Central and Eastern Europe region in 2010 as a business manager, before swapping into marketing – firstly as a product manager of commercial vehicles and then for Nissan’s small and sports car lineup.

By 2015, he had moved into sales – initially concentrating on Hungary before returning to Central and Eastern Europe to lead sales. Under his steward ship, the region recorded records in sales volumes and profits and a transfer to the UK was his reward. Initially responsible for strategy and business planning, he assumed the position of fleet sales director in October 2021.

“Ariya is a big part of our fleet strategy and we have a very clear idea of how to support fleet”

Who’s Czaba Vincze?

to it is a real positive and we still have a lot of interest. But for those not ready for EVs, we have e-Power, which we see as an effective stepping stone to electric. For the next 12 months, the X-Trail e-Power will be a more significant offer on fleet than I thought at the beginning, partly because of its availability, supply and positioning. While it might not be a massive volume driver – that's not the purpose with that product – it's probably going to be the only seven-seater in the segment. Therefore it will capture plenty of market opportunity in the next 12 months and beyond 2023.

Since we announced X-Trail, we’ve received many inquiries from different companies about it – mainly because of the seven seat option. That's our key USP with that car.

Why should fleets choose Nissans? I see our positioning as very specific, because we have the experience. And it's not just because LEAF has 500,000 units sold worldwide, the UK-specific level is important too. We sold more than 10,000 ENV200s in the UK and now we have Townstar as well. So what I see on the market – and through talking to many corporate customers and leasing compa nies – is that they see it as a challenge. Shifting to electric fleets is still a big hurdle for drivers because they need to figure out the infrastructure, how their drivers will charge the vehicles, how many EVs they can put on the fleet and how they manage fleet efficiency – it’s very different to ICE fleets. Fortunately, we have cooper ation with partners who can help with this and that is why they should also trust us as partners on this journey.

When I presented at MOVE 2022 earlier in the year I did so because I wanted people to see who we are, not to sell vehi cles or promote products. In fact, I didn’t

even talk about products, just about Nissan as a partner in the shift to EV. We also have drivers who can talk about their experiences. One of the things we are doing is getting testimonials from them because that customer-centric element needs to be kept in focus. I want to make sure their experience is good. Why are we doing that now? Because have a renewed lineup that covers a wide range of options for drivers.

How has e-Power been received by fleets? It is early days but there has been interest from fleets. We are still waiting for more demonstrator vehicles but, from a TCO point of view, it is an approach that gets people talking. And, from a driver’s perspective, my opinion is that it provides the opportunity to get used to how an EV drives. You don’t need to plug it in, which is a struggle for some drivers. Many fleet managers talk about issues such as on-street charging, but with ePower you don’t need to worry about that.

What are the targets and aspirations for Nissan in fleet for 2023?

We don’t have any specific targets set, the market share figures are just used as a guide to evidence the success we had in the past. But our number one objec tive is always to focus on our customers – and that is especially important in fleet. For me and my team, the goal is to keep the structure we have and go to market in the most efficient way and to satisfy our customers. It’s also important to keep the dialogue open, to have a very close relationship and to be there when customers or drivers need to ask ques tions or need vehicles.

Something else we don’t talk about much is how we’ve invested a lot of time and money in our CRM system to make it more efficient and relevant. In terms of market share and specific ambitions, we will have to wait and see but, obviously, I’m very optimistic and positive about the future, especially with the products that we offer now, but didn’t have in 2022.

particular company made a very thorough assessment – with one of our guests even lying on the floor to check out the underneath of the car!

Aims for the future

FLEET FACT

To be the go-to manufacturer for companies as they transition from ICE to EV fleet management. Our aim is not only to provide mobility solutions with our already wellknown and well-respected vehicles, but also with our new products.

Qashqai

Nissan X-Trail

t’s easy to underestimate or not appre ciate how important a model the X-Trail has been to Nissan. Since the original car was launched in 2001, it has amassed nearly eight million global sales – three million of which have been from the outgoing car. In UK terms, the Japanese manufacturer has contributed with close to 140,000 sales – almost 50% of all those sold in Western Europe.

I

but in a package where drivers don’t need to worry about range anxiety or recharg ing. And, on first showing, its execution on the X-Trail is a success. The big Nissan drives well, offers minimal cabin noise and rides comfortably over a range of surfaces. At the same time, claimed fuel economy of 38.5 and 48.6mpg is to be applauded.

So getting this one – the fourth gener ation X-Trail – right, was an important task. To Nissan, it was a case of combin ing all of the best elements from previ ous generations, while simultaneously preparing for an electric future. For the latter point, Nissan has deployed its ePower technology seen on the Qashqai earlier this year. Essentially, the system uses a powertrain setup that comprises a high performance battery, variable compression ratio petrol engine, power generator, inverter and 150kW electric motor. The result is a system that sends power to the wheels directly from the electric motor to replicate the instant and linear power delivery of an EV.

Nissan has previously stated that the ePower approach acts as a ‘stepping stone’ to pure electric vehicles. In doing so, it brings EV characteristics to the market,

Thanks to e-Power, the new X-Trail is the only electrified seven-seater in the segment, although the standard five-seat version will likely be the dominant model in the UK. While the seven-seater is offer ing something unique in the large crossover market, adults may struggle to travel any big distances in the third row. Understandably, it’s quite cramped back there, but we did squeeze in and could still return the second row of seats to their usual upright position. There is also the issue of luggage room being depleted when travelling with a full car load, but small bags can still be accommodated.

The X-Trail offers a mix of quality and ‘go anywhere’ functionality. There are 2WD and 4WD options for the car – which shares its platform with the Qashqai – and improvements to the steering and suspen sion have been made for sharper handling. The 4WD system – the interestingly titled ‘e-4orce’ – is new for electrified vehicles and Nissan has revealed it will feature on the Ariya from 2023. By managing power output and braking performance for each individual wheel, stability improvements are made. Certainly on the sections we drove on tougher terrain, the X-Trail was very capable and assured.

Quality levels in all of the X-Trail models have also been upgraded over the outgoing model, with even the entry-level Visia offering impressive safety technology and infotainment. In total, there are five grades – joining Visia are Acenta Premium, NConnecta, Tekna and the range-topping Tekna+, which starts from £42,520

“X-Trail drives well, offers minimal cabin noise and rides comfortably over a range of surfaces”

BMW iX1

Want a compact sports activity vehicle with electric drive and loads of kit? This is the One. By John Challen

Full disclosure: the iX1 driven here was, we were told by BMW, a proto type. However, poking around both the inside and outside of Munich’s latest EV, we were hard-pushed to find any signs of pre-production-ness. But erring on the side of caution is understandable for a car that should provide a new platform to build on X1 sales. So while some finer details might be subject to change, the iX1 sampled was effectively the real deal.

The standard X1 has proved a big success for BMW since it was introduced 2009, amassing 119,000 UK sales in that time. For this, the third generation of the model series, the battery powered iX1 is expected to account for two thirds of all X1 orders. Designed to offer an entry point for drivers looking to test the EV water, the iX1 does plenty of things right. Like its bigger sibling, the iX3, the car retains its ‘tradi tional’ looks inside and out, albeit with subtle blue ‘electric’ touches that help it stand out from its ICE counterpart. Like the iX3, it’s not revolutionary, preferring to stick with a conventional EV offering, which will no doubt be appreciated by more conservative drivers.

Evolutionary, then, which means more standard spec, increased interior space –it’s longer and higher than the outgoing

model – and an infotainment makeover. BMW has introduced a two-screen setup that creates a neat curved display

The iX1 employs BMW’s Operating System 8, which links up those screens, voice control, head-up display (offered in the Technology Plus pack) and multifunc tion steering wheel buttons. While it sounds like a lot of tech in one place, it’s pretty straightforward to use, with sensi ble menus and good responsiveness to the inputs, both be they by touch or voice.

phase AC charging is available up to 22kW, which allows the battery to be fully replenished from empty in under four hours. Hook up to a DC fast-charger (at up to 130kW) and the battery gets boosted from 10 to 80% in less than half an hour. In other words, 10 minutes charging will provide an extra 75 miles of range.

One clever and intuitive feature is the adaptive energy recuperation while on the move which uses data from the sat-nav and driver assistance systems to calculate the optimum levels of reservation and decelerates accordingly. For something that could be setup to be intrusive, it’s a subtle and effective feature that adds keeps that all-important range topped up.

There’s one option for the iX1 – the xDrive30 – with two grades: xLine and M Sport. It is powered by one electric motor at the front axle and another at the rear. There’s 313hp available and 494Nm of torque, which enables a 0-62mph time of 5.6 seconds. Drive more sedately, however, and a theoretical range of 270 miles can be covered. The car’s 64.7kWh battery ensuring that big distances can completed on a single charge, further helping the iX1’s cause as a credible alter native to its ICE sister-product.

Talking of charging, single- and three-

Elsewhere on the road, the iX1 is, as expected, great to drive. The steering is direct and nicely weighted, there’s plenty of power available and a wide selection of ‘engine’ notes to choose from, should you feel inclined.

IN BRIEF

WHAT IS IT? Premium SAV HOW MUCH? from £52,255

270 miles CHARGE TO 80%? 30min (130kW)

Key fleet model xDrive30 great to drive; intelligent recuperation firm ride; price 7-word summary Brilliant, batterypowered BMW – with price premium

Also consider Audi Q4 e-tron / Mercedes-Benz EQA / Volvo XC40

“There’s 313hp available and 494Nm of torque”

WIN HEARTS AND MINDS ON THE ELECTRIC JOURNEY

Sustainability goals are now being clearly reported by most businesses. And transportation and mobility strategies are, not surprisingly, coming under particular scrutiny. But corporate pressure isn’t the only challenge fleet managers are facing. Employees are also making their voices heard when it comes to firms making the transition to zero.

New research commissioned by Europcar Mobility Group UK found that over a third (35%) of company car drivers would consider changing jobs if they felt their employer wasn’t doing enough to be sustainable and tackle climate change.1 Slightly worryingly, 31% believe their employer is not currently taking the right actions. And with the research also showing that only 14% of company car drivers already have access to an electric car or van for work, the question is ‘What’s holding them back?’.

Although fleet users want to lead the charge into cleaner, sustainable mobility, this is a huge task when vehicle supply is limited, and overall

fleet operating costs are spiralling.

Addressing this challenge, Europcar Mobility Group UK is offering a long-term rental solution for electric – Europcar Flex – to give businesses the chance to assess the operational and commercial impact of electric vehicle use and to satisfy driver concerns. Renting an electric vehicle is an effective way for employers and their employees to experience electric motoring in realworld conditions before committing to lease or outright purchase.

A change of mindset

Electric motoring also requires a change of mindset for drivers. And Europcar Flex helps employers instil confidence in the ‘how, where and when’ of driving an EV. It gives fleet managers the chance to genuinely put low and zero emission motoring to the test. That’s not only beneficial for overall fleet costs, but demonstrates to drivers that they work for a company that invests in good sustainable options.

Europcar Flex for EV

Available for monthly rental with no upfront deposit and commitment free, the Europcar Flex for electric vehicles includes:

• Comprehensive vehicle handover and charging instructions support

• Charging cables

• Shell Recharge card and app –providing access to over 10,000 publicly accessible charge points across the UK

• Access to Tesla Superchargers for Tesla rentals

• The option for CO2 reporting for valuable insight into emissions reduction

Plus, through its partnership with Shell Recharge Solutions, Europcar is offering a range of home, roadside and workplace charging solutions.

The reality is that making fleet decisions can have a big financial impact. Testing electric mobility for just a couple of weeks does not deliver the insight needed to understand the true impact on a business and its drivers. Europcar Flex for EV does.

To find out more about how Europcar can help your business transition to zero call 0371 384 0140 or visit www.europcar.co.uk/business

Europcar Mobility Group UK offers a range of sustainable solutions to help businesses in the transition to zero

WEEK BEHIND THE WHEEL

DAY 1

Hybrid and SUV aren’t two words people would’ve expected to see asso ciated with Alfa Romeo 10 years ago, but times have changed. The company has evolved and – under the Stellantis umbrella – embraced new technolo gies and products. Yes, it might mean another compact SUV on the market but, if you can’t beat them…

ALFA ROMEO TONALE

DAY 2

Inside the Tonale, there are some neat touches – such as bespoke stitching on the seats and textured surfaces on the dashboard. There are, however, also some more quirky elements, such as indicators that return to their normal position when deployed and a slightly confusing windscreen wiper setup. Admittedly it doesn’t take much to confuse me, but I ended up pushing both stalks in the wrong directions to get them to stop or change what they were doing!

Another prominent feature is the HUGE paddles for changing gear in the 160hp Tonale. The engine has a keenness to rev, which means that they might get more use than normal if you like to keep in control of your shifts. We’re a bit baffled by the size, too – there doesn’t seem like any need for them to be quite so big, plus they can get in the way of the aforementioned stalks.

The purists might also raise an eyebrow at an Alfa that is powered by a 1.5-litre engine and electric motor, but the Tonale is still a stylish vehicle. The Misano blue of our test car helps it stand out and attracted some admiring looks from the neighbours.

DAY 3

This being an Alfa, there’s a sporty element – even in an SUV – to the Tonale. The ride quality, at low speeds, especially isn’t as settled as some of its rivals, but the steering and handling is more impressive. Playing around with the ‘DNA’ settings changes not only the car’s characteristics, but also the display, with hints of red all over the 12.3-inch instrument cluster’s display. On a related note, we’re quite taken by the different layouts, settling on the old-school typeface that wouldn’t look out of place on one of the Italian manu facturer’s classic cars.

We spend time getting to know some of the latest fleet models a little better...

DAY 4

Off to Challen Jnr’s football and we need to pickup one of his team mates, which means it’s an oppor tunity to put the Tonale’s five-seat capacity to the test. Three under 14s across the back of the compact SUV fit with relative ease and – even better – relatively little argument from the siblings who are forced to sit next to each other.

The journey also gave us the opportunity to check out the boot. It’s a decent size and has a split level floor, although the tyre kit reduces the amount of extra available space.

DAY 6

Maybe it’s because I’ve spent quite a bit of time in electric cars, but I’ve got used to watching the range display click down as I go through the miles. In the Alfa, I was a little concerned that it might be broken as it seemed to be displaying 452 miles, despite me trav elling here, there and everywhere. Finally it started dropping, but is still showing a relative large amount of miles available. But I'm not complaining, certainly given the current fuel prices.

More confusion arose a couple of times with some warnings flash ing up on the dash. First the Tonale was asking me to plug in the rear central seatbelt, even though there was nothing on/no-one in the seat. Then the system told me the lane assist technology wasn’t working. I fixed the problems by ignoring them and they went away!

DAY 7

DAY 5

An early start for a dash to the airport. Although it turned out to be closer to three hours than the two predicted by the car’s satnav. It could’ve been longer to, if it wasn't for a timely intervention from the system that re-routed us off the jam-packed motorway, saving a valuable 15 minutes.

As annoying as it is being stuck in traffic, it’s made more bearable in the Alfa. The seats are comfortable and well supported, while the seat heaters were a welcome addi tion on a cold autumn morning.

Hybrid technology has certainly come a long way since the very early days of electrification, which is testament to efforts of manufacturers to sow the seed to drivers about the need to shift to EVs. The Tonale’s stop/start functionality is very effective and, over the course of the week, I got fairly close to the claimed WLTP figure. Given my time spent in the Italian SUV included a good chunk of urban trips, I was pretty pleased. The plug-in hybrid version will be arriving soon, which is sure to get even more heads turning and drivers interested in taking the Alfa plunge. JC

Astrata’s VideoLinc to improve road and driver safety

Many accidents involving HGVs could be avoided if visibility for the driver partic ularly visibility of blind spots was improved. Often the circumstances of an acci dent are unclear, leading to costly litigation and time-consuming reconstructions to establish the facts around an accident. That’s why Astrata, a leading provider of location-based solutions for the connected fleet, launched VideoLinc, a video surveillance solution that identifies critical events by using images from connected dash cams at the front, rear and sides of the vehicle, last year.

VideoLinc gives drivers a 360° view, improving road safety, reducing accident claim costs and cargo damage and guarding against false allegations. By combin ing telematics data with event-based video sequences it provides an overview of what actually happens on the road, streaming live video to the back office. Using VideoLinc will also help to comply with the Direct Vision Standard (DVS), a new vision safety standard introduced by Transport for London (TfL). VideoLinc helps to reduce road transport accidents and the time and money spent on resolving them, thus strengthening the legal protection of business and ensuring cargo security.

at Astrata

ON FLEET

ŠKODA KAROQ SE Drive 1.0 95hp

Our Škoda Fabia has bowed out, to be replaced by the Karoq midsize SUV.

Launched in 2017 as the replacement to the popular Yeti, Karoq is built on the highly versa tile Volkswagen MQB platform and rivals models such as the Nissan Qashqai. A facelifted version arrived this year with a host of design changes and new tech.

The engine range is broad but doesn’t include mild or full hybrid options. Ours is the small but by no means diminutive 110hp 1.0-litre, a step up from the 95hp unit in the Fabia and already proving more than up to the task in the larger Karoq.

We’re also testing the SE Drive grade, which despite being the entry-level comes with a long catalogue of goodies to rival my son’s list to Father Christmas.

THE NUMBERS

P11D

I pointed out in my last online update for the Born that winter is traditionally a time where EVs start to lose their range (and therefore a little of their appeal) but Cupra’s first fully electric vehi cle is holding up well.

Sure, it hasn’t been that cold yet but I’m still seeing a real-world range of around 270 miles and it also continues to surprise me how much holding onto a heated steer ing wheel which uses far less battery power than climate control heating can fool the rest of your body that it’s actually warm.

Obviously, no heating is not so great for passengers and the Cupra has had a few four-up trips of late, which have highlighted the useability and comfort of the cabin. It has also revealed a quirk of the touchscreen heating, which keeps defaulting to only turn on the fans on the driver's side. I’m still yet to ascertain if this is a case of operator error.

Having passengers has also made me realise I have the

driver’s seat set quite far back as a default, impinging upon rear legroom a little too much, but for the footprint of the car, interior space is entirely acceptable.

The Born’s suspension is, for the most part, very comfortable, although it can feel a little firm over increasingly frequent potholes

The afternoon it arrived was akin to a visit to Father Christ mas’s grotto. The kids were most excited about the sheer size of the interior plus the foldable and the like. Most would consider this is an acceptable trade-off for its driving dynamics.

Born never feels like a light car as such more chunky, substan tial and well-made. And those brilliant front seats have made every journey in 2022 a pleasure.

Luke Wikner

tables and phone holders in the rear. Me, I was genuinely delighted with the door pocket bin – after having spent a couple of hours cleaning out the Fabia, it felt like a game changer.

We have just two optional extras: Meteor Grey metallic paint (£660) and the temporary steel space saver spare wheel (£170 – and worth every penny to my mind).

Early impressions are that it’s smart-looking, highly spacious and comfortable and with the same quiet finesse as the Fabia. All the better for handling six months of work and family life.

Natalie Middleton

THE NUMBERS

P11D

PEUGEOT 508 SW GT PHEV

Does EV range matter in a plug-in hybrid vehicle? Discuss.

Range has always been a thorny issue for PHEVs. The rela tively limited mileage PHEVs can offer has always been derided by drivers of fully-elec tric vehicles, while they also constantly carry around effec tively two ‘engines’ the tradi tional petrol or diesel and the electric motor and battery. So while PHEVs may offer the best of both worlds, they also offer the worst.

There is also the thorny issue of EAER, the latest method by which EV mileage is calculated – thanks to HMRC – though in the real world the EAER range is about as likely to be seen as the contents of editor Challen’s wallet.

Take my Peugeot 508 PHEV as a perfect example. Officially, the EV range is anything between 33 and 39 miles, but in reality even after with a full charge in perfect conditions, I’ve never seen a

mileage figure on the gauge higher than 29 miles. Worse still, now that the weather has turned colder, I’ve even seen a maxi mum range on full charge as low

as 19 miles – less than half that claimed figure.

I’m not about to pretend that that’s anything other than disap pointing, but the more relevant

THE NUMBERS

P11D £40,130

BiK* 12% I £80 (20%) /£160 (40%)

ECONOMY 200.8mpg/33e-miles

CO2 EMISSIONS 34g/km

ON FLEET 85.5mpg

question is, is that a problem? I’m probably on top of my charg ing more than most as I’ve outlined in previous reports, but with judicious and regular charging, I generally always leave the house with a full battery which is a godsend for those shorter journeys when you just pop out or for commuting to the train station.

The proof, as ever, of the pudding is in the eating (or driv ing!) and the result is my average fuel economy which has crept up to 85.5mpg. For a family estate the size of this 508 SW, I think that’s a bit of a result.

Nat Barnes

With diesel now costing around 25p a litre more than petrol, the inherent economy disadvantage in our TSI Tiguan is not as pronounced as it would once have been.

According to a recent look at the RAC’s Fuel Watch, the aver age price of unleaded in the UK is £1.64 per litre, compared to £1.89 for diesel. As a result, the

petrol Tiguan costs about £95 to fill up, whereas a comparable diesel model would cost nearly £110. Granted, the diesel Tiguan will return upwards of 45mpg in the real world whereas my petrol model can get close to 30mpg, but a £15 per tank saving is not to be sniffed at.

Factor in the cheaper BIK payments for the petrol model

(it will save around £150 a year on BIK compared to an equiva lent specification diesel Tiguan) and the TSI model makes a sensible case for itself.

Obviously, if you or your drivers are really cost-conscious you’ll opt for a much smaller engine in less sporty specifica tion, but for user-choosers who want a sporty family car, there is

much to recommend in the Tiguan Allspace.

The third row of seats have proved useful and accommo dating for children and adults, the sliding middle row of seats has been hugely practical when shifting bigger loads, while the raise ride height and big glass areas make for a commanding driving position.

Downsides? The ride can be uncomfortable on some roads and the motion gesture for the info tainment screen is a gimmick that doesn’t work. That’s really all I can think of to fault with the Allspace. I shall miss it as a family car.

Julian Kirk

VOLVO V90 Cross Country B5 AWD Plus

FIRST REPORT FIRST REPORT

or the first time in nearly a year I’m running a combus tion-engined vehicle – and it feels a bit strange. It seems crazy to say that, but such is the pace of change in the industry and how used people can get used to EVs. The shift to diesel has also meant I’ve had to visit fuel stationsagain, which hit home how much prices have gone up!

The new arrival is another wagon for the Fleet World fleet – a Volvo V90 Cross Country, no less. We’ve been impressed with numerous Swedish models of late, in terms of their quality interiors, the way they drive and the level of

kit onboard. The new arrival is no exception to that affection, with a raft of safety and infotainment tech on board as standard.

Our car comes with tinted windows, a spare wheel and jack and metallic paint, but that’s pretty much all you’d need as all other essentials can be found onboard.

For example, every V90 gets goodies such as the 9-inch portrait centre console, which is very clear and works almost seamlessly with Google Maps. There’s also Google’s Automotive Services Suite, however that is where the only chink in the V90 CC’s armour has been found. When using voice control to phone Mrs Challen a simple “Call Kara” commend means the system not only searches Google, instead of my phonebook, but also assumes it’s the (I guess) more common Cara. It takes a bit of effort to get right, in which time I could’ve used the on-screen menu!

John Challen

the time, the Corolla Commer cial is well equipped with a range of safety and convenience items as standard. About the only things that might be missed are parking sensors, although there is a reversing camera as

standard, (just don’t wait for the beeps, the noise you would hear won’t be quite so reassuring). There’s no sat-nav either, but with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plug your phone in and it does the job just as well with

THE

NUMBERS PRICE OTR £24,003

minimal data consumption. So far, we’re impressed. It would serve any fleet where small loads are the norm and a car-like driving experience a bonus. A bit like the Ready power Group which has just taken on 45 Corolla Commer cials to replace a diesel-powered fleet. I’m getting between 59 and 60mpg regularly, including some long motorway trips. With petrol around 25-30p less than diesel at the moment that’s quite an incentive. The suspension is a bit on the soft side but that makes it a comfortable motor way cruiser.

John Kendall

We’ve come a long way since the first electric boat made its debut before Emperor Nicholas I on a river in St Petersburg in 1839. While the marine sector has been dominated by petrol and diesel engines for as long as anyone alive can remember, recent advances in EV drive systems and battery technology are enabling electrification of systems on land, in the air and on the water.

The personal watercraft (PWC) platform has been largely static since its introduction in the 1970s. The two- or four-stroke engines in petrol-powered PWCs have been a notorious nuisance from an environ mental and maintenance standpoint. For example, studies have estimated that for every four gallons of fuel used by a PWC, one of them will fail to combust and wash into the waterway. Worse still, studies have found that a day’s ride on a 100hp PWC emits as much air pollution as a modern passenger car does in 100,000 miles.

So why does a PWC join the fantasy fleet? Well, California’s Elaqua Marine Inc is making a play for the marine EV arena with a fully electric model that features a 175hp electric drive system, a lightweight composite

hull and a load of tech. The new model arrives in spring 2023 and transports three people at speeds up to 55mph. Fancy mixing work with pleasure? No problem as Elaqua’s PWC has space for fishing kit.

The Elaqua Marine Inc story is an impres sive one. The company began as one engi neer’s passion project, but has since flourished into a team of engineers, materi als scientists, composites experts and marine industry veterans. Their goal is to transform the way people use and think about their personal watercraft.

There’s a maximum riding time of four hours available (when averaging 35mph) before the 36kWh pack needs recharging. The battery pack is comprised of a set of longlasting LiFePO4 batteries that the company says offers peace of mind and power on demand. ICE-powered PWCs have always been susceptible to engine failure if the PWC is turned over incorrectly after an overturn even leading to water in the engine requiring thousands of dollars in repairs, or a new engine entirely. Without any exhaust system to worry about riders, passengers – and even fish – can breathe easy.

Elaqua Marine has, in its own words, ‘blended timeless boat building techniques with a powerful yet simple EV drivetrain to give riders the excitement they want with less maintenance headaches, less pollution, and more time on the water’. If you’re inter ested, the company has confirmed that deliveries will be being made to all four corners of the world next year 2023.

The plan is a pretty comprehensive one that is backed up by a traditional dealership model to ensure that riders get the support and service they need to keep them on the water. Whether traditional automotive manufacturers are tempted to, ahem, test the water, when it comes to similar innova tions remains to be seen. However, if Elaqua Marine proves successful, there’s likely to be some movement in that area to ensure that they don’t miss the boat…

fleetworld.co.uk evfleetworld.co.uk vanfleetworld.co.uk

John Kendall VFW editor

2022: (v)annus horribilis

Not many of us will be sorry to see the back of 2022. On a personal note, I have recently lost three journalist friends, including former Top Gear presenter Sue Baker Fleet World’s business editor Natalie Middleton and I were recently at her funeral. Sue took part in several of Fleet World Group’s MPG Marathon events, driving both cars and vans. Predictably, she took them just as seriously as driving a rally car or testing a high-performance car. Sue never entered to come second. When the work was done though, she was not one to dwell on her many achievements. She was interested in everyone and many benefitted from her sage advice. She will be missed.

Regarding fleet and LCV matters, component supply issues have contin ued to suppress the vehicle market, driving up used prices in the process and making good used vehicles scarce. We are starting to see electric vans appear on the market in number – in the sense of the number of models that are now available rather than the number actually entering the supply-constrained market.

New electric LCVs have arrived as artificial intelligence (AI) has started to make a difference to the digital tools available to fleet operators. While EVs and AI are not directly related, connected vehicles and the technol ogy used to help drivers plan electric routes, monitor vehicles and gener ally assist in fleet management all benefits from this advancing technology and will play a part in the ongoing development of autonomous vehicles.

We have seen a number of van launches in 2022 and there are more to come in 2023, not least the UK’s best-selling van and Ford’s best-selling model in the UK market, the Transit Custom. If more fleets are to begin the transition, we need fuel price stability and some serious investment in our charging infras tructure. That does not mean lots of taxpayer investment when money is tight, but it requires creative government thinking to push the right buttons.

“The technology used to help drivers plan electric routes, monitor vehicles and generally assist in fleet management all benefits from AI ”

MAXIMUM PROTECTION

What does vehicle security mean to you? Additional locks to prevent theft of and from the vehicle? Electronic anti-theft devices? Vehicle monitoring and tracking?

For this issue, VFW takes a look at some of the latest products and systems available.

unknown devices connected to the OBD port, spliced wiring, or tampering with the dashboard — fleets can get a better handle on the overall security of their assets.

Renault Trucks has recently introduced a reinforced Trafic van. The company says that, to safeguard tools and other items from theft, the Trafic can now be specified with a Cat 1 alarm, fully lined interior and floor, internal security system and fully sealed steel mesh internal door system with an internal five-point locking mechanism fitted to rear and side, with apertures finished off with an external high impact clear Perspex covering. The security system is available now on the new Renault Trucks Trafic L1H1, L2H1, and L2H2 Red EDITION and EXCLUSIVE models.

The equipment effectively provides a tool safe, which is flush-mounted into the vehicle, reducing internal space by only 30mm and weighing just 105kg. The system is produced exclusively for Renault Trucks by PD Stevens & Sons in Market Drayton. It can also be colourcoded to match vehicle paintwork.

Fleet security encompasses more than just monitoring physical asset location, says Rachael Plant of Fleetio

Integrated management solutions, such as Fleetio can help fleets improve secu rity and monitor related data to ensure a reduction in possible breaches. Fleetio integrates with telematics solutions to consolidate data around vehicle location, utilisation, ignition on/off positions and odometer readings and aggregates that data into easy-to-analyse reports. Fleets can use these reports to track and moni tor such suspicious activities as: geofence infractions; unauthorised use; discrepancies in estimated versus actual utilisation per day/job; and theft.

Additionally, creating a means of accountability can significantly reduce asset theft and misuse and ensure drivers are taking proper precautions when oper ating a company van. Fleetio provides an asset assignment feature allowing users (or just managers, depending on the permissions set) to assign themselves to the asset they’re using that day.

CYBERSECURITY

As the number of connected fleet vehi cles rises, it’s important to consider the cybersecurity risks they pose. Individ uals can gain unauthorised access to a van through its MP3 parser, Bluetooth stack, Wi-Fi network and by using a USB with a malicious software update.

By monitoring van locations, assign ments and usage in Fleetio and educat ing drivers on threats to look for —

Motormax designs and manufactures a range of aftermarket safety and security products. The company’s Live DVR camera provides vehicle security, for example for cash in transit vehicles. Along with a forward-facing AHD camera, further cameras can be installed to the nearside, offside and rear. These cameras feature a wide lens, which deliv ers an extended view to capture potential security risks around the vehicle. The eight-channel live DVR also provides geofencing, meaning that when the vehicle enters a predetermined geographical area that is classed as high-risk, operators are alerted so the vehicle can be contin ually monitored remotely for increased levels of security. Internal dome cameras can also be installed for additional secu rity monitoring.

The

Group has worked for

its

Tools

The system incorporates an extensive app and configurable I.T solution. It includes defect reporting, vehicle check, fleet check, depot audits and much more.

Datalive also comprises a full telemat ics suite including Tracking, Driver Behaviour, Trips & Stops, Geofence and Fuel Consumption. The system also offers live CCTV with accident recording, alerts and triggers. The software also has DVSA Earned Recognition status.

Handsfree

many years with DPD, providing

Datalive Fleet Management

system to the company.

“Renault

Iveco Daily Tipper

The Iveco Daily has the market to itself.

It covers the 3.5-7.2-tonne GVW range with a semi-forward control cab and offers a full set of body options from van to crew cab. Underpinning it is a light truck ladder chassis on which all body options are built.

The latest additions to the range, unveiled at this year’s IAA Hanover show are the battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric versions. These could appear in UK showrooms from March 2023. For now, most sales are likely to be of the diesel-powered models, tested here.

A Daily 3.5-tonne GVW chassis cab with 3,750mm wheelbase, fitted with a Brit-Tipp tipping body with a top and bottom hinged tailgate, featuring a large tool pod between the cab and body. Its side boards and tailgate can all be removed, resulting in a flatbed body.

This model is powered by Iveco’s wellestablished 2.3-litre four-cylinder diesel in Euro 6D specification, producing a useful 134hp and perhaps more impor tantly, 370Nm of torque. The engine can be specified with either a six-speed manual transmission or Iveco’s Hi-Matic eight-speed automatic. Our test vehicle came with the six-speed manual.

It is probably in the interior that Iveco’s continuous improvements are most noticeable. The dashboard layout has become progressively more car-like in recent years. The speedometer and rev counter are immediately in front of the driver, with warning lights and trip computer displays that can be scrolled through, just like in a car. Steering wheel mounted switches provide navigation

through the infotainment system and other functions. The infotainment touch screen is centrally mounted, with heater controls beneath, much like a modern car.

Storage space is plentiful and includes large door pockets, dashboard shelves and trays in front of the passenger seats. Cupholders are positioned at either end of the dashboard and the door pockets are large enough to hold a bottle.

The electric handbrake won’t automat ically release when you drive away, as it would in many cars. In the Daily, you need to press the brake pedal and release the handbrake with a switch. Since a fully laden vehicle could weigh 3,500kg, a handbrake that is released manually is a good safety precaution.

The 2.3-litre engine offers good perfor mance. It has been around a long time and has been regularly revised to meet the latest emissions regulations. The sixspeed manual gearbox offers a smooth shift and on-screen gearchange sugges tions help optimise fuel economy.

Engine noise is not particularly intru sive and wind noise levels are quite low for a vehicle with bodywork not designed with optimised air flow in mind. Tipper bodies can be a source of noise, but the Brit-Tipp body on our test vehicle was free

of squeaks and rattles. As we have come to expect from the Daily, it’s a straightfor ward vehicle to drive. Light controls, the short throw, dash-mounted gear lever and clear labelling all help to make the Daily easy to drive. As you might expect from a tipper, visibility was generally good allround, although the tool pod does take away any rearward view through the back of the cab. The large electricallyadjustable door mirrors include a large wide-angle section in the lower half.

The Daily chassis cab is available in four lengths and our tipper was based on the 3,750mm wheelbase, the second longest available. When the electric vari ant becomes available, it can be fitted with a full range of body options. Iveco will also

IN BRIEF

VERDICT

Having effectively cornered the market, the versatility of Daily’s chassis cab – coupled with emissionsfriendly powertrains, an improved interior and forthcoming EV models –make it hard to overlook.

Ford Ranger Raptor

It’s been a while since a pick-up truck has been launched with a big engine, the last one being the ill-fated MercedesBenz X-Class back in 2018. And it has been even longer since one was available with a petrol engine.

But the second-generation Ford Ranger Raptor is about to change all that, with a new 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged petrol engine. The EcoBoost V6 produces 289hp with 491Nm of torque and gives the Raptor a flagship powertrain it can finally shout about. Lower powered models will also be available.

As with the previous Raptor, power is delivered through the same 10-speed transmission, but it has been repro grammed with unique turbocharging boost profiles depending on the gear. That means that no matter which gear you’re in, the Raptor is ready to give you maximum boost when you floor the accelerator. In addition to the V6 engine, the Raptor also has an adaptive exhaust note system.

The suspension is once again the main engineering highlight of the Raptor with new Fox 2.5-inch Live Valves that stiffen up at the lower end of their travel to allow the Raptor to absorb massive levels of abuse.

The new suspension has also improved

the handling and with the dampers now positioned away from the frame and an increased steering ratio, the Raptor is even more direct when turning in and far quicker to respond. It’s a benefit felt across all terrains, but is especially noticeable on the road where the Raptor has become effortless to drive quickly.

Mechanically, the Ranger Raptor has had several formidable upgrades to make it even more capable off-road. These include a 20mm increase in front suspen sion travel for the front axle giving it 256mm of travel and 290mm at the rear.

But it is the addition of a front locking differential as standard, as well as the lock ing rear, that really aids its performance.

On top of the mechanical improvements there are new and revised driveline settings (selectable through a rotary dial on the transmission tunnel) that include Normal, Sport and Slippery settings for the road as well as four off-road functions: Rock Crawl, Sand, Mud/Ruts and Baja.

Another intelligent off-road system is the new Trail Control. A sort of off-road cruise control that works from 1mph up to 20mph. It works brilliantly, taking care of the power while you can concentrate on the steering and works on all terrain types including when going downhill.

There’s so much to like about the new Ranger Raptor from the new C-shape daytime running lights that mimic the Ford F150’s appearance through to the very noticeable “Ranger” stamped on the tailgate, but the combination of a halo engine that not only sounds great and performs well with all the new suspen sion, handling and off-road system changes makes the Raptor the most capa ble and complete pick-up in the market.

The downside is that the Raptor weighs 2,454kg and therefore only has a payload of 652kg making it ineligible for a VAT refund for commercial use. In the eyes of the tax man, it is a passenger car, and with a luxury interior that includes a 12-inch portrait touchscreen, not to mention its £57,960 on the road price, Raptor buyers will likely be thinking of it as such as well.

IN BRIEF

VERDICT

Purely as an on-road pick-up truck, the Ranger Raptor is probably hard to justify the expense, but if some robust off-roading is occasionally needed then the Raptor is easily worth the money.