Fleet World February 2022

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FEBRUARY 2022

WELLBEING (IN THE WORKPLACE)

How drivers’ mental health came to the forefront of fleet consciousness

EVFW UP ?

ON THE ??????????????

Kia has Why ?????????????? to reasons ????????????? be positive in 2022

DRIVEN BMW iX Jeep Compass 4xe Kia Sportage

THE BIG SWITCH Advice for making the transition to EV as seamless as possible

SUPPLIER STORIES Digital Innk’s CEO Angela Montacute on why SaaS is here to stay

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Contents 20

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February 2022 fleetworld.co.uk

06 Update The big stories from fleet

08 At large Our man Alex Grant argues for EV terminology consistency

10 Wellbeing and work Why the issue of mental health is now such an important topic

12 Smart motorways Government pauses roll-out

14 CES 2022 Highlights from the trade show

18 All around the world A global fleet perspective

20 Supplier spotlight The story behind Digital Innk

22 SWOT Four cars compete to decide the optimal fleet investment

26 Fleet essentials Data and tips that could help smooth the transition to EV

30 Incoming Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer

32 In conversation with Kia's John Hargreaves and Steve Hicks on plans for 2022

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35 Driven Kia Sportage / BMW iX / Genesis G70 / Jeep Compass

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40 Our fleet The FW long-termer stories

43 LCV tyre choice under the microscope

49 Driven Isuzu D-Max

51 Fantasy fleet Vehicles more likely in your dreams than on your driveway

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publisher Jerry Ramsdale jerry@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2022

WELLBEING (IN THE WORKPLACE)

How drivers’ mental health came to the forefront of fleet consciousness

editor Fleet World John Challen john@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

DRIVEN BMW iX Jeep Compass 4xe Kia Sportage

THE BIG SWITCH Advice for making the transition to EV as seamless as possible

SUPPLIER STORIES Digital Innk’s CEO Angela Montacute on why SaaS is here to stay

Kevin Gregory kevin@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

business editor Natalie Middleton natalie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

head of production Luke Wikner luke@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

published by Stag Publications Ltd, 18 Alban Park, Hatfield Road, St Albans, Herts, AL4 0JJ tel +44 (0)1727 739160 fax +44 (0)1727 739169 email fw@fleetworldgroup.co.uk web fleetworld.co.uk

editor Van Fleet World John Kendall john.kendall@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

designers Victoria Arellano • Dan Bennett Tina Watson

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

editor-at-large Alex Grant alex@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

EVFW UP ?

ON THE ??????????????

Kia has Why ?????????????? to reasons positive be????????????? in 2022

account directors Claire Warman claire@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Darren Brett darren@fleetworldgroup.co.uk circulation manager Tracy Howell tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

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WELCOME_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 15:07 Page 1

WELCOME

John Challen editor

Back to the future...

“Next-generation cabins will be much more driver-focused, so keeping people entertained will be a priority”

It’s very easy to get used to something and accept the ‘future’ as current, which immediately raises expectations. I spent some time with the Hyundai IONIQ 5 over Christmas, in addition to ‘my’ long-term Audi e-tron. Both very impressive and capable EVs in their own right, but one was very obviously a step into the future, the other is in keeping with the present.

Generally people love the quality, relative simplicity and layout of Audi interiors. The brand managed to nail the MMI function from the off, while others took a couple of attempts to get it ‘right’ (I’m looking at you, BMW!).

However, swapping out of the Hyundai into Ingolstadt’s finest did feel a bit like going back in time. I don’t even know if that’s a bad thing, but it was certainly a very obvious thing.

Granted, the IONIQ 5 is based on a brand new EV-only platform and the Audi features components raided from the parts bin of existing ICE/PHEV/hybrid models. But the materials, available space and functionality are worlds apart from each other. Even features such as the door handles (they baffled my father-in-law for a good couple of minutes) and the glove compartment (it’s a drawer) in the Hyundai have a really futuristic vibe about them.

However, it’s not always a good thing. In the ‘5’, you’re often repeatedly pressing the touchscreen and wading through menus to get to the desired function. Yes, there are shortcuts, but sometimes all you need is a physical dial or button!

To be honest, from those two vehicles, a combination of the best attributes from both cars would be perfect. I’m not naive enough to think that these things can be changed either overnight or easily. But, putting a positive spin on things, I’m quite excited for how Audi approaches its future interiors. It’s clear that next-generation cabins will be much more driver-focused, so keeping people entertained – or even intrigued – will be a priority.

There’s something about Fleet World…

Talking of future classics (which I sort of was…), you will have hopefully noticed you are experiencing the MY2022 Fleet World. We’ve added some new standard features, refreshed the exterior and interior and hopefully made it more efficient and enjoyable. I look forward to hearing your thoughts, good and bad – I’m a big boy, I can take it – so please get in touch to give us your review.

Stay up to date at fleetworld.co.uk 04 fleetworld.co.uk

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NEWS_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 15:15 Page 1

FLEET15 UPDATE ALD has signed a memorandum of understanding to acquire LeasePlan for £4.1bn in cash and shares

Tim Albertson CEO, ALD

Electric battery start-up Britishvolt is pushing ahead with plans for a gigafactory in Northumberland after securing £1.7bn in funding

ROB EAST general manager, corporate sales, BMW Group What is your ambition in your current job role?

To continue to position BMW Group as the leading premium fleet brand, especially in terms of customer perception, engagement and loyalty.

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

A racing driver, but, of course, no talent! As a kid, I was obsessed with cars.

The best takeaway is…?

It has to be Indian curry.

Living in the south midlands, we have plenty of choice.

What’s the proudest moment in your career?

I’ve got three: joining Škoda in the early 2000s; running Smart from 2013 to 2015 and joining BMW at the end of 2018.

Reflex Vehicle Hire is planning for growth, including new fleet services, expanded EV fleet, and a reshaped senior management team

Aaron Cawrey head of fleet, Reflex

read more online at fleetworld.co.uk

06 fleetworld.co.uk

Favourite James Bond and why?

Roger Moore for his irreverent, slightly humorous style.

Followed by Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

Money no object, what’s the first thing you’d buy?

A warehouse. Then cars to put in it, as well as a boat – a Sunseeker Predator 74, to be specific.

Name three cars in your dream garage?

A BMW E30, a three-door original Sierra Cosworth and a Ferrari F40.

What are the biggest challenges facing fleets at the moment?

Supply challenges; the uncertainty around Benefit-in-Kind taxation and how we can improve the purchase experience for company car drivers.

You’re on your dream holiday. Where in the world are you?

Dubai to relax, California for activities. Based on how tired I am now and in need of some sun, it’s Dubai.

Night in or night out?

Night out. Dinner with friends in London and then lots of cocktails!

What’s your supermarket of choice?

It depends – either Waitrose, Morrisons or Aldi.

What do you drive?

An X5, but I’m moving into an iX later in the year.

Tea, coffee or other?

Coffee.

Books or magazines?

Magazines – I have a short attention span.

Who is your idol?

Richard Branson. I love his ability to take on established operators across a variety of sectors.

Dream garage Ferrari F40

COLUMN_Alex_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 13:52 Page 1

AT LARGE “Having normalised electric vehicles, it’s time to normalise the terminology that comes with them”

Alex Grant

Why it’s time to cut the jargon and start treating electricity like any other fuel

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t’s perhaps inevitable given the CO2weighted incentives available but, in a UK market with surging demand for plug-ins, fleets are leading the way. SMMT data shows businesses registered twice as many new electric cars and three times more plug-ins than private motorists during the first three-quarters of 2021 – and electricity is rapidly becoming an everyday ‘fuel’ for operators to work with.

So isn’t it about time we found a clearer and more consistent way to talk about it?

Barriers are shifting as the technology improves. According to a recent LeasePlan Mobility Insights Report, cost was the number one concern for would-be electric vehicle drivers in the UK (55%), compared to only a third (34%) who cited limited range as an issue. There’s no question that range has been a simple and important metric during the early days of this transition, but it’s as much a measure of battery capacity as efficiency. Few petrol or diesel cars are marketed based on their range because, once it’s comfortably beyond your normal journeys, it ceases to be a concern. That’s now also true of many electric cars.

Having normalised electric vehicles, it’s time to normalise the terminology that comes with them. I’m familiar with the glazed-over expression people default to while encountering unfamiliar terms, but the basics are really straightforward. In the UK, we measure journeys in miles, and we pay for electricity (both at home and at most public charge points) in kilowatthours. Miles per kilowatt-hour makes

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perfect sense as our measure of EV efficiency. Standardising it – as we have done with miles per gallon – would make it easy to compare cars and work out how much they cost to run.

The alternative is continuing to treat relatively simple concepts as if they were incomprehensibly complicated.

Consumers don’t need cooked-up efficiency grades based on some secret formula. Nor do they want or need theoretical per-mile costs worked out using the cheapest tariffs and most frugal vehicles. Detail is useful, but carmakers are burying it under inconsistency. Leaf through a few brochures and you’ll find consumption using a mix of kilowatt-hours (kWh), watt-hours (Wh), miles and kilometres. You’ll need a calculator to make sense of it all!

Notably, this scenario also gives rise to some amusing errors; one electric van spec sheet listed Wh-per-mile consumption as kWh-per-mile – underestimating its range by a factor of 1,000. For context, that equates to about 200 metres from a full charge, or about half the range of a top fuel dragster. Though I’d imagine the latter might have some duty-of-care issues.

Simplifying this might also help highlight the differences to those in government. HMRC’s Advisory Electric Rate (AER) has just been raised from 4p to 5p per mile, but it still lumps all electric cars into one group when they’re just as variable as their petrol or diesel counterparts.

Enable drivers to make a simple calculation, and they’ll be able to figure out that a Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge (7p/mile, based on average domestic energy prices for 2020) costs quite a bit more per mile than the nearest equivalent Audi Q4 etron (5.2p/mile), despite these rival SUVs offering a similar range. That gap gets even bigger once public charge points are involved.

The transition to electric mobility picked up pace in 2021 and it’s unlikely to slow down anytime soon. That’s a positive, of course, but this is no longer a market of early adopters who are tolerant of unclear information and unexpected costs. Palatable, granular data is crucial for understanding the cost and energy consumption of these vehicles and, perhaps inevitably, it’s fleets who will need it first.

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from the industry Paul Hollick chair, Association of Fleet Professionals

WELLBEING (IN THE WORKPLACE)

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Talking about mental health issues and the effects they can have on colleagues

ver the last few years, mental health has progressed from being an issue about which people often felt embarrassed about – and even refused to acknowledge – to one that is generally treated with a much higher degree of sympathy and support.

Within fleets today, there is certainly increased understanding when it comes to the pressures under which drivers are placed and the need to protect their wellbeing, as well as the demands made on fleet managers facing up to their own intensive challenges at work.

As with many other subjects, the pandemic seems to have served as a moment of clarity here. This happened on two levels – firstly, frontline and delivery fleets found themselves massively stretched and this had a marked effect on some individuals involved. Secondly and conversely, a lot of people suddenly made to sit at home began to realise the ongoing effect that driving long distances had been having on them.

Members of the AFP have, for some time, been discussing how they are handling the needs of both of these groups and the proactive steps required to look after their wellbeing as a key element of fleet risk management. Increasingly, there’s a realisation that the mental health of workers should now be on a par with other

10 fleetworld.co.uk

health and safety considerations for businesses, particularly while we are not yet out of the Covid woods.

Here are some of the issues that are being reported – and the solutions being employed.

Have furloughed drivers lost confidence?

There are concerns – and reports from across the AFP – that some employees who have returned to work after lengthy periods have become deconditioned to daily driving in different ways. Sometimes, even something as simple as the reintroduction of early morning shifts has been an issue. Managers need to be aware of this possibility and make plans for driver skill fade or reduced confidence, perhaps even anxiety behind the wheel. Some employees may need training to refresh their skills or ways of helping them to improve their confidence might need to be identified.

Ensure drivers remain engaged The growth of remote working means engagement is proving to be a potential issue as fewer drivers come into contact with their fleet or line managers – both of whom have responsibilities for the safety of employees while on the road. This lack of visibility can have negative effects on drivers and the road safety culture within an

organisation. As a result, steps in mitigation should be taken.

Especially, be aware that potential feelings of isolation for drivers may have emerged. Commercial vehicle drivers especially are often accustomed to this as many travel alone, but enforced social distancing and lack of social contact may have amplified any feelings of loneliness.

Monitor drivers for unsafe behaviours The pandemic and, particularly, the lockdowns, have brought many kinds of pressures to bear on individuals. Additional financial stresses, loss of confidence, changes in the workplace and the potential lack of social interaction could all have had a detrimental impact on driver wellbeing. Drugs, alcohol and other unsafe behaviours can thrive in these conditions and managers need to be watchful for signs that employees are being negatively affected.

Be aware that Covid measures could persist well into future It’s becoming clear that potential new strains of Covid could well be an issue for some time and it is far from unlikely that measures will continue to be employed to contain its spread. For example, businesses may still ask employees to work from home to limit the risk of transmitting the virus, or because

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“Additional financial stresses, loss of confidence, changes in the workplace and the potential lack of social interaction could all have had a detrimental impact on driver wellbeing”

Safe environment Top tips for maintaining driver physical and mental welfare...

“Drivers should be made to feel that they work for a supportive business that is mindful of their wellbeing,” Chris Woods, Trakm8 “Businesses must ensure that sufficient mental health training is available and refreshers are offered on a regular basis,” Spencer Halil, Alphabet (GB) “Try and reduce mileage by doing more video-conferencing, or reschedule appointments so employees are not doing long drives in the morning or evening when the risks are higher,” Greg Ford, RED Driver Risk Management

with Covid-secure measures in place, offices and workplaces will have a reduced capacity. This probability needs to be integrated into your approach to driver wellbeing.

One of the more insidious effects of the pandemic has been the phenomenon of Long Covid, where people recovering from the virus have suffered long-term problems including serious fatigue, cognitive impairment and many other symptoms.

If any drivers are in this position, they need to be properly managed and not feel under pressure to work long hours when they are simply not capable of doing so safely.

Recovery can take many months.

Even where we are seeing a return to

something resembling normality, there will likely still be controls and some levels of limitations in place for a period of time.

It is also quite possible there will be a reluctance or feeling of anxiety around a return to ‘normal’ social interaction and contact by many employees. Patience is required in all areas, to ensure that the workforce is made to feel as comfortable as possible.

BIO / Paul Hollick is chair of the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP). The AFP embodies the combined strengths of two of the industry’s most prolific organisations, ACFO and the ICFM.

“We’ve coined a new term – Road Health – to reflect how a combination of social distancing and the everincreasing profile of mental health awareness really could benefit business drivers,” Andy Wheeler, Licence Bureau “Isolation can be lessened with regular contact from a manager or being part of a group chat. Keeping workers up to date is key,” Rebecca Ashton, IAM RoadSmart “AI-powered dashcams capture video footage in real-time and can tell managers when driver behaviour has changed, flagging a possible need for action,” Damian Penney, Lytx

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ANALYSIS_Smart Motorway_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 16:09 Page 1

ANALYSIS

A smart move for road safety In a ‘victory’ for drivers, the Government has said it’s pausing the rollout of new smart motorway schemes until more safety data is available. Natalie Middleton reports.

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he rollout of smart motorway schemes in the UK is now on hold after the Government accepted recommendations from the Transport Committee that more safety data on their operation is needed.

The move follows a damning report from the Transport Committee into ALR smart motorways, which said they should never have been rolled out without work on safety concerns and that the Department for Transport (DfT) and National Highways (previously Highways England) had failed to deliver on promises to implement safety improvements.

The report stated that the government decision in March 2020 for all new smart motorways to use the ALR format, rather than the earlier ‘dynamic’ system of activating the hard shoulder at busy times, was “premature” and called for a hold on future ALR schemes until five years of safety and economic data was available and safety improvements had been delivered and independently evaluated.

An announcement from the DfT in January confirmed the Government will move to collect this data for every alllane running scheme introduced before 2020 and will pause the conversion of seven dynamic hard shoulder motorways to ALR schemes.

It will also consider alternative options for enhancing capacity on the Strategic Road Network as it prepares for the next Road Investment Strategy. The case for controlled motorways will be revisited.

And the Government has also commit-

12 fleetworld.co.uk

ted to improving safety measures on existing stretches of smart motorway.

This will include investing £390m to install more than 150 additional emergency areas – representing around a 50% increase in places to stop by 2025 – giving drivers added reassurance.

The Transport Secretary has also committed to investigate the concept of an ‘emergency corridor’. The idea is to update the Highway Code to include the manoeuvre to help emergency services and traffic officers to access incidents when traffic is congested. In effect, traffic in the right-hand lane pulls over to the right and on the left-hand lane pulls over to the left, which leaves a corridor so that emergency services can access any incident rapidly.

Announcing the commitments, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Pausing schemes yet to start construction and making multimillion-pound improvements to existing schemes will give drivers confidence and provide the data we need to inform our next steps. I want to thank safety campaigners, including those who have lost loved ones, for rightly striving for higher standards on our roads. I share their concerns.”

The move has been welcomed by road safety organisations, including the RAC, which said it was “an unqualified victory for drivers”.

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes added: “Rather than ploughing on regardless in the face of mounting public opposition, we’re pleased the Govern-

ment has finally hit the pause button and given itself time to fully consider the safety of these schemes, and the way our motorways are adapted to increase capacity from now on.

“We have long argued that dynamic hard shoulder and controlled motorway schemes – both of which feature a hard shoulder in some form – should be considered given their good safety record and it’s important these options are on the table. A further commitment to install an additional 150 refuge areas on existing schemes to bring them all up to the same standard is positive news and should go some way towards reassuring drivers worried about reaching one in an emergency.”

The AA also said that government action on increasing the number of emergency refuge areas would mean drivers were much less likely to become ‘sitting ducks’ on smart motorways and would help address its concerns over the fact that 38% of breakdowns on smart motorways occur in live lanes.

Edmund King, AA president, added: “The AA view remains that controlled motorways with a hard shoulder are the safest option and we are pleased that the business case for these will be examined.

“Whilst ‘smart’ motorways will never be perfect, we do believe that considerable progress has been made to make them safer.

“We will be holding the Government to account to ensure these actions will be implemented as soon as possible.”

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CES_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 13:46 Page 1

ON DISPLAY // CES 2022

VEHICLES IN VEGAS Omicron put paid to a number of new vehicles physically being showcased at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). So the event went hybrid, as John Challen reports.

Here are just some of the highlights...

Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX It wouldn’t be an automotive event without a ‘Vision’ concept from Mercedes-Benz. In the case of EQXX, it was an opportunity for people to get excited about a theoretical driving range of more than 620 miles.

Delve a little deeper than that headline grabber and there are more hints at what to expect from the German manufacturer in future production modules. A battery pack that holds more than 100kWh of energy, but that is 30% lighter than the EQS’ one, for example. Ultra-low rolling resistance tyres, lightweight disc brakes and solar panels on the roof are just three eco solutions that could quite easily get the green light in the coming years.

Hyundai Metamobility Concept Demonstrating its commitment to future mobility, Hyundai used CES 2022 to showcase the role it believes robotics will play. The OEM said the vision was for ‘the real work and the metaverse’, which is a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection, apparently.

Back on planet Earth, Hyundai believes that future vehicles will serve as smart devices to access virtual spaces, enabling drivers and passengers to be in a Hyundai, but also in a VR environment at the same time.

It almost seems like a world away (no pun intended), but these ideas have a habit of becoming reality, so expect to see it on the Korean cars in the future…

BMW iX Flow While its German rival went down the efficiency route, BMW opted for a car that could change colour. Yep, the iX Flow (featuring E Ink) offers ‘a future technology that uses digitisation to also adapt the exterior of a vehicle to different situations and individual wishes,’ according to BMW. It might seem a bit far-fetched, but BMW claims a variable coloured exterior can improve efficiency by reducing the amount of cooling and heating needed within the vehicle, when coupled with the right exterior hue.

In a (slightly) more conventional move, BMW also showed the iX M60 – an even more powerful variant of the iX. With over 600hp and a maximum torque of 1,100Nm from its twin-motor setup, it’s a car that continues to dispel the myth that EVs are dull…

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CES_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 13:48 Page 2

BEST OF THE REST! Stellantis and Amazon announced plans to collaborate on software solutions for the automotive company’s new digital cabin platform, STLA.

Valeo Not to be left out, two-wheeled technology was also represented within the halls of CES 2022. Valeo presented an all-electric 48V motorcycle – a cost-effective route to electrification and cleaner mobility.

Beyond bikes, the automotive supplier said the new technology would suit a number of new forms of mobility, such as small urban vehicles.

In another collaborative bit of news, Geely-owned Zeekr and Mobileye announced they will work together to create the world’s first consumer autonomous vehicles with Level 4 capabilities by 2024.

There were a whole host of US-centric car debuts, including the Cadillac InnerSpace luxury EV concept and the Chevolet Equinox and Silverado EVs. Electronics heavyweight LG got in on the act with the Omnipod concept – a “mobility concept solution that blurs the distinction between home and car”, it says.

Togg Transition Concept Smart Device

Magna EtelligentReach

A new name in motoring emerged in Las Vegas with the arrival of Togg. The Turkish company ventured to the US with its ‘USE CASE Mobility’ concept, which was developed as a result of more than 30 focus groups involving more than 2,000 people. CEO Gürcan Karakaş, who describes the business as a technology company, not a car manufacturer, said the car has been built with a user-centric focus. As such, he said that a product needs to create user value to survive, adding that the company will adopt a number of “smart energy solutions”.

Batteries for the cars will be developed in-house via a joint venture with Farasis Energy and Togg has included further cell R&D into its business plan. Target-wise, the company is aiming for one million vehicles in five segments by 2030.

Away from the actual vehicles, there were other important displays in Vegas, such as the EtelligentReach – a connected platform from Magna. Set to feature on a new model this year, the platform has two electric motors, inverters and gearboxes, proving that three isn’t always the magic number.

Engineering improvements to Magna’s eDrive technology means that the EtelligentReach’s driving range represents an increase of up to 90 miles when compared with “certain other production vehicles in the segment”. That might sound a bit vague, but it’s safe to say that it’s very much a positive step forward.

Magna also used CES 2022 to promote its connected PHEV technologies and other electrification solutions.

Sony Vision-S 02 The 2021 edition of CES saw electronics company Sony dip its toe into the water with the Vision-S 01 concept car and this year the company was back with a hardware (and software) update.

The second iteration of the electric SUV concept is a seven-seat affair with a full suite of sensors, safety systems and connectivity options. Inside the car, there’s 360° audio, rear-seat displays and large front screen to keep occupants entertained while parked.

Keeping true to the brand, PlayStations can be linked to the car through a remote connection, with the ability to stream games through the cloud from devices at home. Going further back, the company that brought you the Walkman and Discman declined to comment whether the new model would be called the Driveman.

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IFW_Update_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 13:57 Page 1

Your essential global fleet update

HERE partners with Digital Charging Solutions

L

ocation data company HERE Technologies and Digital Charging Solutions GmbH (DCS) have announced plans to work together on charging networks. DCS already boasts payment solutions that are used across nearly 300,000 units in Europe and Japan. In addition, it is already the provider of charging services for a number of OEMs, including BMW, MercedesBenz and Hyundai.

Battery-as-a-Service technology arrives in Norway LeasePlan and NIO have announced that LeasePlan will become the preferred leasing partner for NIO electric cars in Norway. The deal will initially see LeasePlan offering NIO’s ES8 – which has a range of up to 500km (311 miles). The lease can be combined with a ‘Battery-as-aService’ subscription, enabling drivers to easily swap and upgrade the EV’s battery.

“I’m delighted to announce our exclusive partnership with NIO, which will empower every driver to dump the pump and fight the worst effects climate change,” beamed Tex Gunning, CEO of LeasePlan when announcing the deal. “NIO’s innovative battery swapping system will eliminate range anxiety, and encourage even more drivers to make the switch to electric. Together, LeasePlan and NIO will offer some of the cleanest, greenest and smartest EVs ever produced, and we’re excited to be bringing the next generation of electric vehicle technology to the European market.”

STATS Light vehicle sales December 2021 Region United States Canada Western Europe Eastern Europe Japan Korea China Brazil/Argentina

Sales 1.2 million 100,000 1.01 million 358,000 334,000 150,000 2.79 million 210,000

+/– (% year on year) -26.4 -9.0 -19.2 -18.8 -10.9 -6.9 -0.6 -16.8

(Source: LMC Automotive)

Top 10 vehicles* in Europe December 2021 Model

Units

Tesla Model 3

27,358

Peugeot 208

20,186

Renault Clio

18,397

Dacia Sandero

18,020

Peugeot 2008

16,330

Volkswagen T-Roc

14,449

Dacia Duster

14,405

Mini Hatch

13,541

Fiat/Abarth 500

13,230

Renault Captur

12,855

(Source: Jato) *Registrations

18 fleetworld.co.uk

The collaboration aims to provide “an end-to-end, seamless, in-car experience for EV drivers” according to the duo, who will lean on each other’s expertise. For example, DCS brings charging station access, session authentication and payment and billing services. Meanwhile, HERE will use its automotive-grade mapping, points of interest and routing capabilities.

“Together with HERE, as leading mapping and navigation partner for car manufacturers, we see enormous potential to take the in-car charging experience to the next level,” said Jörg Reimann, CEO, Digital Charging Solutions GmbH. “We can help drivers find a reliable charging station along the route which can be used with their charging service. Drivers will be able to search for the most reliable, the nearest or the most affordable charging station on their way.”

Jørgen Behrens, chief product officer at HERE Technologies, added: “By bringing our technologies together, we intend to make finding, booking, using and paying for EV charging directly available from the vehicle navigation system or mobile companion application. It is another important step on our journey to make EV driving a seamless end-to-end experience.”

Tesla Model 3 Best-selling EV reflecting the shift to electrification in Europe

Image: Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.

IFW_Update_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 13:58 Page 2

OPINION Tobias Kern managing partner, Fleet Competence Group

OEM IN TURMOIL TO BE CONTINUED IN 2022?

M

any fleet professionals will still remember the challenging situation for businesses running fleets during the financial crisis of 2008/9. Back then, most of them might have thought there would never be a more turbulent time.

However, the year 2021 proved them all wrong – things were a lot worse.

A combination of several factors turned out to have a massive impact both on the demand and supply side. Initially, the first wave of the pandemic the previous year caused a high degree of uncertainty regarding the economic impact and future vehicle demand. Consequently, the entire supply chain got disrupted, where specifically the shortage in semiconductors became a key issue. Meanwhile, raw material prices increased. Adding those factors to the ongoing shifts in alternative powertrains, connected and autonomous vehicles meant the reactions of OEMs were as unpredictable as never before.

Specifically, the second half of 2021 forced those responsible for fleets to adopt a ‘firefighting’ approach. Being engaged in developing workarounds on

the main challenges for our international clients, we experienced tremendous impacts. For example, we had to deal with increased lead times up to the point of not getting any expected delivery dates.

There was also a general focus from OEMs on the B2C market instead of B2B in terms of vehicle allocation. Then there was the frequent alterations of car specifications (including retrospective decisions for vehicles already ordered) and list price revisions (upwards, not down!). In some cases we were forced to only accept orders on drastically reduced rebate conditions and also had to deal with the termination of International Framework Agreements.

In a nutshell, the demand-driven vehicle market changed into a supplier market. One could get the impression that the previous focus from OEMs in the B2B-business on global production volumes, growth, scalability and profitability, narrowed down to a margin-orientated strategy only.

The most optimistic OEM representatives and other industry experts expect the situation to get back to normal during the second half 2022. However, during the last

few months of 2021, getting back to normality ‘in 2023’ became more and more frequently mentioned.

Consequently, there’s a challenging year when it comes to budgeting and managing corporate fleets. In general, there is no ‘onesize-fits-all’ recipe to mitigate the impacts.

However, accelerating orders and checking lease contract prolongations are crucial first steps. Additionally, not all OEMs or vehicle models are equally affected. Consequently, a re-evaluation of the OEM-strategy and/or car policy set-up might also be options to lower the impacts.

Times of turmoil might also give ground to accelerate changes, such as further enforcing the electrification of the fleet, where lead times for EVs are, in some cases, more favourable.

Finally, OEMs should not forget that the memories of fleet customers can be very long. There will be a point in time where we are back to a demand-driven market.

Then, it will be vital for suppliers to be remembered as reliable and sustainable business partners – especially during times of turmoil.

CHANGE AT THE TOP AT ALPHABET INTERNATIONAL There’s a new CEO at Alphabet International after Markus Deusing stepped up from his previous position of COO at the start of this year. Deusing takes over from Marco Lessacher, who moved to BMW Group Financial Services as the VP, customer, brand and sales.

Deusing is now responsible for the company’s B2B businesses as well as with international corporate customers. “I am really looking forward to my new role,” he commented. “The industry is currently in a major change process – and change is an essential part of Alphabet’s DNA – which makes it even more exciting. With a strong team and a clear strategy, we help our customers building a better future of mobility.”

In his previous role, Deusing was hailed as driving forward sustainability and digitisation within the company. He has also been responsible for strategic coordination and development of all Alphabet markets.

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supplier stories DIGITAL INNK Angela Montacute CEO

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FL

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L

EXIBIL E

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Y IT

Fleets struggle to ignore Software-as-a-Service offerings, as more and more products come onto the market. One of the new players is Digital Innk, whose CEO, Angela Montacute, explains how it is doing things differently

O

pportunities to lead a startup business don’t come around very often. So when Angela Montacute met up with a group of ex-colleagues who were setting up a business, she jumped at the chance.

Montacute is no stranger to fleet – in 2020, she called time on a 15-year stint at Arval, where she held a number of positions, ultimately rising to chief

20 fleetworld.co.uk

operating officer. In that time, she reinvented Arval UK’s technology suite before moving to Group level to cover between 25 and 30 countries as service delivery director. She also saw the integration of GE Capital Fleet Services, which Arval acquired in 2015.

The founders of what was to become Digital Innk knew that Montacute could make a big impression. “They asked me if I would lead the company because of

IVIEW_Supplier_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:11 Page 2

“We wanted to put the power in the drivers’ hands and make it simple for them to feel empowered” my experience in driving the commercialisation of new ideas,” she explains.

The team didn’t waste time in getting things moving “I formally joined in the summer of 2020 and got everyone organised and structured. I knew we had to get a real product out to people as soon as possible – we couldn’t depend on just slides and presentations. We invested in some offshore resources to bolster our technical activity – a fantastic team of people based in India – and start commercialising the product by March 2021.”

It’s certainly a memorable company name…

“The Digital Innk name was registered quite early on in the process in order to have something official. The idea was to focus on the digitalisation of what is still quite a paper-based and manual industry. But they didn’t want a single ‘n’ because that would imply it was a something to do with photocopier or printers.

But while the company name is Digital Innk, we promote the product as ViSN.” It’s a product that will hopefully help make lives easier for fleets “It’s a modular-based suite of products, which are effectively three components all linked together. There’s an app, which is both Apple- and Androidcompatible. That app is linked to two Software-as-a-Service cloud-based backends. One for a fleet owner-operator or anyone who needs a view of a collective set of vehicles. The other one is for the network provider.”

One of the biggest benefits is making life easier for drivers “Some of the problem statements that I’d experienced, certainly in my life trying to make managing the fleet as efficient as possible, had been around the frustrations

of drivers. For example, they would have to phone the leasing company to book a service, or a supplier to get the booking in. And then the supplier would have to phone the driver back to confirm, or the driver would simply turn up at a supplier who may not have been on the preferred network of the fleet customer.

“So we wanted to put the power in the drivers’ hands and make it simple for them to feel empowered about booking service maintenance, repair, tyres, glass, MOT, anything like that. Then we link that directly into a whole set of system logic – to get to the right network providers to be able to respond electronically to confirm the booking – and all the time the fleet owner-operator has real-time visibility.”

The Digital Innk team has tried to draw on experiences in normal consumer life “When you take your vehicle into the garage, for example, you can use a simple ‘check-in’ button to confirm the vehicle is on-site. The first thing the garage will do is check in the vehicle on their system, which means the vehicle off-road time is very, very accurate. For a lot of fleets, this is really important that they can monitor over time the vehicle off-road.

“So we’ve tried to think of what are all the challenges we used to face and how we can make it simple for the natural flow of the process to overcome those challenges.”

To get people’s buy-in to the app, there’s a lot more user-involvement, but in a simplified way “If a vehicle is on contract hire, it’s probably between one and three years old.

That’s not enough SMR interactions for somebody to use an app, but I was really keen that we added an in-app notifications capability. When fleet financiers send paper letters to customers once a

quarter asking for the mileage, not only is there a big environmental impact, but the response rate is very low. With the app, we can allow that fleet operator to set a very simple parameter – how frequently do you want to send an in-app message to the driver to load their mileage, for example.

“As soon as the driver records the mileage, it’s visible to the other party; it’s all done in real time.”

The company has secured some serious funding, so many more products are coming down the track “We’ll soon have the ability to schedule and record a vehicle health check on the app. So if they are shared vehicles, or drivers have been allocated to a vehicle, they can do a walk around, and check all the standard safety and compliance checks. If anything is flagged up, it’s visible to the fleet manager.

“Following that, there will be a ‘fit to drive’ declaration. So from a compliance point of view, again, it’s all recorded.

Everything’s dated and timestamped, all the replies to the health tracks that fit-todrive, or date and timestamped. We’ve used the very latest API link for the DVLA to undertake licence checking.

“Then the next big topic that we’re working on is EV – charging points, payments and collections – because that’s a real pain point for fleets.”

In terms of targets, the startup is off to a flyer “So far, we’ve got 2,000 suppliers and two early adopters. In terms of suppliers, the goal by the end of 2022 is to have 4,500. We also plan to have more than 30 individual customers signed up by that time, too.

“We would like to have 20,000 drivers engaged and signed up to our compliance modules. Those will be within probably the other sales customer channels, but that’s the goal.”

fleetworld.co.uk

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SWOT

SWOT_FW_Jan22.qxp 14/02/2022 10:52 Page 1

Simon Harris > SH Head of valuations, UK Vehicle Data

Mark Jowsey > MJ Head of TCO AutoTrader

Martin Ward > MW Manufacturer relationship specialist

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

Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of four rivals are analysed by the Fleet World quartet of industry experts AUDI A4 • BMW 3 SERIES • MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS • VOLVO S60

six years into its cycle. RVs are out of sync with German rivals.

MJ Conservative styling, lower MPG and higher CO2 than rivals.

That means higher fuel costs and increased BiK. MW Used to be the one to have, but it has lost its way a bit. RVs are not as good as they once were.

JW Bland looks, expensive running costs and challenging residual values leave the A4 trailing behind competitors.

Audi A4 40 2.0 TFSI S Line

STRENGTHS SH Familiar and well equipped, the A4 gives drivers plenty for the money, including more performance than the 320i.

MJ Spacious interior with quality fittings, digital instrumentation and large central screen.

Comfortable compliant ride.

MW Some great exterior lines,

with clever body pressings. The A4 looks great from every angle.

JW Spacious cabin, great infotainment and a comfortable ride make the A4 a great choice for those who cover high miles.

WEAKNESSES SH Feels as old as the hills almost

WEAKNESSES SH It does nothing badly, but perhaps a few might be keen on something outside the three German premium brands.

MJ Pedals slightly offset. Limited colour palette.

MW Always at peril of ‘overkill’ with so many 3 Series sold new, being so popular has lost a bit of status.

JW Interior design falls short of some competitors and the steering can feel woolly, lacking feedback and feel.

BMW 320 2.0i M Sport

STRENGTHS SH Despite the popularity of the 330e among fleets, the 320i will prove an appealing used car prospect at the end of a lease.

MJ Current sector leader. A dynamic drive with aerodynamic styling and a spacious comfortable wide cabin.

22 fleetworld.co.uk

OPPORTUNITIES SH Tough for a model so late in its life cycle, but run-out strategy ahead of a new version could make it more palatable.

MJ A4 enjoyed good success in previous generations but seems to have slipped off people’s shortlists.

MW An attractive and competitive price, with its great styling,

MW As the ‘default’ car in this sector for many years, it’s always been good. But every new model is an improvement on the previous one.

JW The obvious fleet choice due to its highly competitive list price, strong residual value and low running costs.

OPPORTUNITIES SH As a mature model in its segment, there is little in the way of ‘opportunity’, apart from people looking for a ‘safe’ choice.

MJ A larger and a viable ‘downsizing’ option for executive sector drivers, plus the 320i here is very competitively priced.

will get more customers into showrooms.

JW A true contender and not a car to be overlooked, just needs work to improve residual values and running costs.

THREATS SH As it's such a competitive sector, the choice of models could see it passed over, ahead of the launch of its replacement.

MJ Previously the sector leader for interior quality, the competition has caught up, removing a key strength.

MW Audi A4 used to win lots of awards, but not anymore. It’s now competing with some brilliant SUVs from within Audi.

JW The A4 has been on the back foot for several years now, the premium market is flooded with quality, memorable opposition.

MW 3 Series is keeping up with technology and will attract even more customers to drive one.

JW Get the stock to the UK and the sales will follow. Introduce a fully electric version to market as soon as possible.

THREATS SH Mercedes-Benz has the newest car in this sector – which is highly polished – and there’s a new Audi A4 on the horizon.

MJ 320i sales will decline for emissions/tax reasons but should be substituted with 330e PHEV sales as availability improves.

MW Could suffer from becoming too popular, detracting from its long history of being something very special.

JW Heavily discounted competitors and the frantic dawn of fully electric alternatives threaten the 3 Series’ dominance.

SWOT_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:57 Page 2

“Mercedes-Benz has the newest car in this sector – which is highly polished – and there’s a new Audi A4 on the horizon”

Mercedes-Benz C200 1.5 AMG Line MHEV

STRENGTHS SH The newest model in the class with the newest technology – and a compact engine that fits into a lower AFR category.

MJ Stronger styling – particularly AMG models – an updated interior including a large centre console screen. Cabin material quality is generally good.

MW Like the 3 Series, it improves with every model.

Drivers love that Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star.

JW Good-looking car, excellent digital displays alongside a modern dynamic interior.

Competitive running costs with high MPG and low CO2.

OPPORTUNITIES SH As the newest model in the sector, it should spark curiosity among those who want the latest tech.

MJ Baby S-Class looks may attract new buyers. Plus lots of the equipment comes as standard.

the S60 on the same level as the 3 Series and C-Class.

MJ S60 only offers a 250PS Petrol, not the 197 available in the V60, so pricing is out of step. Ride can be a little harsh.

MW Almost the ‘forgottenone’. On paper it does look a bit expensive and RVs are not the most competitive.

JW Possibly not the best choice due to high OTR price and average running costs. Over £40k list price really hurts the S60 from a fleet perspective.

Volvo S60 2.0 R Design MHEV

STRENGTHS SH The best-looking saloon in its class – and its 250hp engine offers more power than rivals.

MJ Well-equipped with extensive safety equipment standard.

Comfortable seating, including the spacious rear.

MW The car from this group you drive if you want to be a bit differ-

WEAKNESSES SH New status hasn’t given it the strongest RV in the sector, perhaps a hangover of how the previous C-Class went to market.

MJ Not the most refined of Mercedes’ engines. Rear cabin space is snug.

MW Mercedes-Benz went through a stage of poor quality some years ago and many drivers have not returned to the brand.

JW Some poor choices of interior materials let down the C-Class and the drive isn’t historically as engaging as the BMW.

ent – high quality throughout.

JW A premium alternative to the German brands. High specification as standard, with a strong engine and fantastic interior.

WEAKNESSES SH Residual values reflect that used car buyers don’t yet see

OPPORTUNITIES SH Many will be tired of the German three and might not have given Volvo a second look yet.

MJ An alternative to the usual premium brands, Volvo continues attract new customers.

MW It might be the underdog, but will continue to nibble away

MW A good-looking saloon and style sells. Many could be attracted to the Mercedes brand by looks alone.

JW The newest premium upper medium size saloon on the market, so the C-Class is a must for those looking to stand out.

THREATS SH As it’s already behind the 320i on residual value, Mercedes-Benz will have to be very disciplined in its volume and sales channels.

MJ Seen by many as an older person’s car, although this generation should help dispel that view.

MW In the past it has been regarded as an ‘old-man’s-car’.

That’s not the case now, but some have long memories.

JW The lower OTR price and higher residual value of the BMW 3 Series are hard to overlook.

at its competitors. People like it to be a bit different.

JW Fleet buyers looking to break away from the standard German trinity. Needs more market exposure to be acknowledged and considered as a true contender.

THREATS SH Volvo – being the outsider – also has a number of other rivals vying for attention, including Jaguar, Alfa Romeo and Genesis.

MJ Not everyone sees Volvo as truly premium and this will take time. Limited petrol engine choice isn’t ideal.

MW Price looks a bit too heavy and, with relatively low RVs, it doesn’t make for a good economic case.

JW When comparing this basket of vehicles, it’s hard to justify the extra costs of the S60.

fleetworld.co.uk

23

SWOT

SWOT_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:58 Page 3

1st SH 1st MJ 1st MW 1st JW 1st

2nd SH 2nd MJ 2nd MW 2nd JW 2nd

3rd SH 3rd MJ 4th MW 3rd JW 3rd

4th SH 4th MJ 3rd MW 4th JW 4th

24 fleetworld.co.uk

Simon Harris > SH Head of valuations, UK Vehicle Data

Mark Jowsey > MJ Head of TCO AutoTrader

Martin Ward > MW Manufacturer relationship specialist

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

THE VERDICT BMW 320 2.0i M Sport OTR: £37,495 P11D: £37,220 Fuel: 44.1mpg CO2: 146g/km RV: £14,625 (39.29%) BiK: 33% SMR: £2,262 Fuel costs: £8,745 Insurance: £4,506 Finance: £5,025 NI: £5,188 VED: £530 Cost per month: £1,359

Standard equipment: DAB, Bluetooth, USB Apple CarPlay/Android Auto Automatic air conditioning Cruise control Sport suspension Thatcham alarm Options: M Sport Pro package: £2,500 Sun protection glazing: £320 Heated steering wheel: £170 Electric glass sunroof: £950

Mercedes-Benz C200 1.5 AMG Line MHEV OTR: £40,165 P11D: £39,900 Fuel: 44.1mpg CO2: 146g/km RV: £14,246 (35.70%) BiK: 34% SMR: £2,930 Fuel costs: £8,745 Insurance: £4,989 Finance: £5,386 NI: £5,561 VED: £500 Cost per month: £1,495

Standard equipment: DAB, BT, USB Apple CarPlay/Android Auto Automatic climate control 11.9-inch multimedia screen Active brake assist Blind spot indicator Options: Metallic paint: £685 Selenite Grey paint: £1,795 Driver assistance pack: £1,695

Audi A4 40 2.0 TFSI S Line OTR: £38,650 P11D: £38,040 Fuel: 41.5mpg CO2: 155g/km RV: £12,235 (32.16%) BiK: 35% SMR: £3,079 Fuel costs: £9,292 Insurance: £4,653 Finance: £5,135 NI: £5,617 VED: £865 Cost per month: £1,514

Standard equipment: DAB, Bluetooth, USB Apple CarPlay/Android Auto Electric boot lid release Privacy glass Cruise control with limiter Front and rear parking sensors Options: Comfort/sound package: £1,395 Driver assistance pack: £1,250 Sport steering wheel: £125 19-inch alloy wheels: £325 Audi 5-year warranty: £995

Volvo S60 2.0 R Design MHEV OTR: £40,895 P11D: £40,295 Fuel: 42.1mpg CO2: 152g/km RV: £13,019 (32.31%) BiK: 34% SMR: £2,696 Fuel costs: £9,160 Insurance: £4,989 Finance: £5,440 NI: £5,783 VED: £1,505 Cost per month: £1,581

Standard equipment: DAB, BT, USB Apple CarPlay/Android Auto 9-inch touchscreen Rear parking camera Dual-zone air conditioning Heated front seats Options: Climate pack: £525 Lounge pack: £2,050 360° parking camera: £600 19-inch alloy wheels: £550

www.drivetech.co.uk

01256 610 907

Essentials_Data_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 13:55 Page 1

fleet essentials

THE BIG SWITCH W

ith 2030 now a fixed deadline for the end of the sale of petrol and diesel cars, the transition to electric cars is on the brink of rapid acceleration. There were 190,000 battery electric cars across the country last year, accounting for about 11.6% of total sales. A number of the UK’s largest fleets have already made commitments on sustainability grounds to electrify their vehicles by 2030, if not earlier, but now every fleet decision-maker knows that the switch to plug-in cars is no more than two replacement cycles away.

The pace of transition is set to increase exponentially, with the battery electric vehicle market forecasted to comprise of around 25% of total new car sales by 2025 in the UK. EV ACCEPTANCE Fleet attitudes to electric cars have changed in the last 12 months. Traditional barriers, such as range and a limited public charge point network, are

There’s no getting away from the shift to electric vehicles. Ian Richardson, managing director, 360 Media Group, assesses the landscape and offers some advice on how to make the transition as painless as possible

diminishing as issues, leaving acquisition cost as the principal obstacle to wider adoption. Corporate social responsibility is now the main reason for adopting electric vehicles.

With 74% of car fleets having an average annual mileage of between 5,000 to 15,000 miles – and just 49% conducting journeys exceeding one hundred miles – the range capabilities of most electric cars, meet the needs of most fleets.

In the face of Covid-19’s squeeze on the economy, fleets face apparently conflicting objectives for the next 12 months: with 58% planning to cut costs and reduce emissions with around half of fleets having a formal emissions reduction target in place.

With 70% of fleets planning to invest in electric cars during 2022, and 68% of fleets expecting to order electric vans, the direction of travel is clear.

Interestingly the intent to order PHEVs has dipped to just 43% for 2022, down from 69% last year. Cost savings

Opting back into the company car scheme Q. Do you expect drivers to opt back into your company car scheme due to the electric vehicle benefits/offering?

No

Yes, I expect to see this occur in the next 12 months

Yes, I have already noticed this

Total

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Source for graphs: Fleet Outlook Report 2022 (360 Media Group)

26 fleetworld.co.uk

100%

lie at the heart of fleet PHEV adoption plans, so it is vital for fleets to impose charging discipline that ensures drivers plug in their cars. Fuel card and anecdotal evidence indicates that many drivers fail to plug in their PHEVs, given the cars’ limited ranges.

THE FLEET SUPPLY CHAIN The shift to electrification is placing demands on leasing companies to be flexible. Fleets are undecided on future contract lengths; with electric vehicles deemed to be capable to run on longer cycles due to less moving parts increasing reliability, coupled with low maintenance costs making five-year terms viable. However, 47% of fleets currently lease their company cars for just three years and, with the recent trend of perk car drivers migrating to cash allowance, a jump from three to five years is a risk.

Conversely 59% of fleets expect cash allowance takers to opt back into the company car scheme due to the benefits of electric vehicles.

As a result, fleets expect their leasing company to work in tandem with them on their electrification journey and there are three services required by fleets: funding for charging hardware; increased administrative support and flexible terms, and the ability to switch vehicles.

Expectations are high and, with admin and advice at the top of the priority list, fleets are seeking expert advice and consultancy on the transition to EVs. With just 40% of fleets expecting to make electric vehicles available to all employees eligible for a company car, fleets would value support in producing an EV readiness report to identify drivers ready to switch to EVs and require access to accurate data to fulfil emissions and carbon reporting as they are becoming more prevalent.

With the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme changing on 31 March, over 50% of fleets would like the cost of the domes-

Essentials_Data_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 13:55 Page 2

FULLY CHARGED Five top tips to plug the charging knowledge gaps Charging tips There is a clear hierarchy to cost effective charging. The cheapest is home charging, followed by workplace charging. If drivers have to pay to use public chargers, then slow, kerbside chargers and destination chargers at supermarkets, gyms and hotels are typically cheaper than faster motorway charging stations.

Motivations to switch leasing provider

Competitive charging tariffs

Q. What is the motivation behind the decision to switch leasing provider?

Employees who home charge their EVs need to focus on the pence per kilowatt hour of their domestic energy tariffs. These rates can vary substantially, with a growing number of energy providers offering specialist EV tariffs that offer cheap overnight rates for recharging batteries.

Access to immediately available vehicles

Access to pay-as-you go administration services related to driver

Provision of a suite of management and reporting tools

Public charging solutions Increased administration support

Support on emissions reduction initiatives

A range of flexible contract terms and ability to switch vehicle

0%

tic charger bundled into the monthly rental payment. There are other services that fleets are interested in to aid the transition to electric vehicles, with 74% of fleets receptive to EV charging payment reimbursement solutions.

However, as the transition to electric gathers pace, 55% of lease fleets warn that they are ready to seek a new provider to find the services they want.

SETTING OUT A FLEET POLICY A successful EV policy involves placing the right person in the right vehicle at the

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

right time. Drivers (and their managers, if necessary) should sign the policy to acknowledge that they are aware of the range limits of the EV they intend to order. Another key element is to make is a decision on how much to reimburse EV drivers for business miles. In most instances, HMRC’s official AER rate of 5p per mile no longer covers the actual cost of electricity, even for drivers with home chargers who can take advantage of lowcost domestic energy tariffs.

In particular, the official rate underestimates the true energy cost for electric

70%

of fleets are planning to invest in EVs during 2022

About 30-40% of EV drivers will not have off-street parking where they can install a home charger. These drivers will need to plug in their vehicles either at work or at a public charging station.

Electricity tariffs for public charging also vary wildly, so it pays to identify the cheapest public charging stations, in the same way drivers should choose to refuel with petrol or diesel at the cheapest pump prices. These decisions all contribute to the whole-life cost savings of EVs.

When to recharge EV batteries perform best with regular charging top-ups from about 20-80% of capacity, rather than near 0-100%, so encourage drivers to take advantage of all recharging opportunities, even if their vehicle is only going to be plugged in for an hour or so. EV batteries are typically covered by long warranties and battery degradation is minimal – perhaps 15% after five or six years – so it is not an issue for fleet drivers.

Journey planning Drivers of EVs need to pay more attention to journey planning, plotting where they may need to recharge their EV on an app, such as Zap-Map or their vehicle manufacturer’s own app. This avoids range panic as the batteries run low. Having a Plan A, B and C takes care of situations such as a charger being occupied or out of service.

Source: EV Index, 360 Media Group

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fleet essentials A RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES Range anxiety is a very real phenomenon. However, when looking in detail, it often need not be, plus there are measures that can be taken to reduce and even eliminate it.

Fleet Objectives 2022

Reduce emissions

Improve driver safety

Do not drain batteries unnecessarily EV drivers need to be conscious of significant drains on the battery, such as heating. Using an app to pre-set the desired in-vehicle temperature, or to pre-warm heated seats and steering wheels, while an EV is plugged into a charger saves the power in the battery for propulsion. Likewise, using air conditioning sparingly while driving will extend range.

Save time on managing my fleet

Transition to electric vehicles

Reduce costs

Adopt last-mile delivery solutions

Save weight The lighter a vehicle, the better when it comes to maximising range, so drivers need to avoid carrying unnecessary cargo in an EV.

Optimise route planning

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Fit specialist EV tyres vans. Specialist fuel management companies, such as TMC, can help fleets establish a fair and accurate mileage reimbursement policy, based on the actual cost of the charging used.

Another part of the policy should be around charging. Key points to consider here are whether or not to allow drivers to plug-in their cars at high-cost, ultrafast motorway chargers. Other considerations are around charging PHEVs and who pays for workplace charging.

An EV Fleet Policy document from 360mediagroupltd.com might be useful.

EV HOMEWORK The speed of evolution in EV adoption makes it challenging for fleets to top-up their knowledge, but accessing learn-

FIFTY

per cent of fleets would like domestic charger cost bundled into the monthly rental fee

ings from early EV adopters makes it possible to act quickly.

TCO is the primary driver for adopting electric vehicles among many fleets, however, just 21% are confident in achieving cost savings on BEVs vs.

ICE cars.

Some 39% of fleets are extremely confident in their knowledge of electric vehicles, however, recent feedback shows that dealers are not explaining the detail of the electric car in relation to charging times, battery type and range (or range optimisation) Fleets were asked to rate their knowledge on EV charging infrastructure, with the overall score just 6/10. This is likely to be a barrier as the market shifts from early adopter to early majority.

21% Data supplied by the latest ‘EV Index’ from 360 Media Group

28 fleetworld.co.uk

Specialist EV tyres are designed to deal with the extra weight (due to the battery pack) and instant torque of an EV. These tyres also roll more quietly, so drivers reap the benefits of a silent motor; and they have a low rolling resistance to maximise range.

Drivers should be urged to check tyre pressures regularly; under-inflated tyres can have a negative impact on vehicle range.

Realistic winter range Inform drivers that cold weather drains battery performance – in winter expect to achieve about 70% of an EV’s summer range. Official WLTP figures for maximum vehicle range are typically optimistic, and not based on freezing temperatures

of fleets are confident in achieving costs savings on BEVs compared with ICE cars

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INCOMING

SPOTLIGHT_VxAstra_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:32 Page 1

VAUXHALL ASTRA SPORTS TOURER What is it? New Astra with a boot When is it available? Mid-2022 Biggest changes? Exterior design, HMI and a moveable floor Fleet appeal? PHEV version from launch

Plug and away The Astra Sports Tourer will offer PHEV technology from launch. Details are limited, but the hybrid system produces a combined 225hp and is sure to be a big attraction for fleets in the absence of an all-electric model.

Elsewhere, there’s the choice of petrol- of diesel-engined models with outputs between 108 and 128hp. The ICE cars come with a six-speed ‘box, while the PHEV model gets an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Sitting pretty Passengers travelling in the front of the Astra Tourer don’t sit on any old seats. These ones have been specially designed in-house and certified by Germany’s Campaign for Healthier Backs. This centre of excellence for ergonomics has deemed the Tourer’s seats to be perfect for long journeys, while Vauxhall claim that they offer “unrivalled comfort for drivers”.

The ergonomic seats are said to offer the best that the compact class has to offer.

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SPOTLIGHT_VxAstra_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:33 Page 2

Design revolution

VERDICT

The Astra Sports Tourer is the first estate model from Vauxhall to adopt the OEM’s latest exterior design. The result is a cleaner front-end and more prominent front headlights.

Inside there’s a 10-inch driver display and an additional 10-inch infotainment touchscreen. For those not comfortable with going ‘full button’ there are physical switches for a number of key functions such as climate control.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard across all models.

It’s a new look for the Astra Sports Tourer and, with a shorter body but a longer wheelbase, it appears Vauxhall is taking the ‘Sports’ bit seriously. The interior upgrade will be welcome to many, as the British brand goes toe-to-toe with some strong contenders in the segment.

Specific details about the engines are yet to be confirmed, but the presence of a PHEV in the range is a big plus. It’s also the first electrified estate from the manufacturer.

On the move One of the Astra Sports Tourer’s options is the ‘IntelliSpace’ moveable floor, which is available on petrol and diesel models. It can be adjusted with one hand to high and low positions and tilted at a 45° angle.

In other ‘boot’ news, the petrol and diesel cars offers up to 608 litres of storage space with the seats upright and 1,634 litres when they are folded down. The numbers for the PHEV are 548 and 1,574 litres respectively.

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IVIEW_Kia_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:04 Page 1

In conversation

ON THE UP

Kia is carrying over sales momentum from 2021 – and with some important model launches planned – John Hargreaves and Steve Hicks tell FW why there are many reasons to be positive in 2022

K

ia is in uncharted territory but, fortunately, it’s in a very good way. One of the most talked about cars of 2021 was the EV6 – a vehicle that was voted (in Germany, at least) car of the year in the premium category.

Premium has never really been a target for the Korean manufacturer. In fact, sales director, Steve Hicks and head of fleet and remarketing, John Hargreaves don’t consider that to be the case. They’ll happily take the accolade, but it’s not something that was ever the intention.

As most other automotive manufacturers found, 2021 was, as Hicks describes, ‘a rollercoaster’. Problems surrounding supply, going in and out of lockdown and continuing issues such as semiconductor shortages meant it was very difficult to predict which way to turn. But, helped by the launch of the EV6, Kia’s market share reached close to 6%, up from 2.8% a decade ago.

Sales in 2021 were split roughly 60:40 in favour of fleet, with around 50,000 vehicles going to businesses. With more BiK-friendly electric vehicles set to arrive (depending on supply!) in 2022, the Kia UK team has its sights set on hitting 95,000 units across the two disciplines.

“The biggest challenge for next year is communicating our delivery schedules to our customers,” says Hicks. “Fortunately, we’ve got a really strong product range and a good relationship with our dealer network – and also our fleet customers, which helps.”

How are you approaching 2022 and helping fleets transition to EVs? John Hargreaves: We still have a good range of diesels, petrols and plug-in hybrids, so we’re not trying to force people down that road. But the TCO argument is starting to become a lot more relevant, which is helping fleets focus on what’s important. We’re not, certainly not financially, supporting EVs to get people to change. Instead, we are speaking to customers and if they want

32 fleetworld.co.uk

to drive the cars, we are facilitating that process. We are also finding out that, for some fleets, EV might not be right for the whole fleet. It’s almost like being an expert advisor and not pushing one power source or another.

What has been the reaction from fleet customers to the EV6?

Steve Hicks: What we find really interesting is that a lot of the customers are really genned up on EVs. A couple of years ago that wasn’t the case, but now, with a number of products out there, most of our customers are fully aware of what they want, what the benefits are and how EVs fit into their fleet.

Our job is to guide and help that journey, rather than four or five years ago

would take a bigger push from us to convince them about EVs. But it hasn’t – it’s very much drivers and customers choosing their vehicles.

JH: I think with e-Niro, it was largely down to the driving range – getting 280 miles was important. And it is a realistic range, rather than just a stated one, which made a big difference. As soon as we got the message across that e-Niro was a 280-mile car in real-world usage, people began to realise they could use it. It was the same with the Soul, when that launched.

What’s the plan to manage the semiconductor shortage issue?

SH: Our colleagues in Korea have done an amazing job. In the short term, our

CONQUEST 90% of EV6 drivers were new to the Kia brand

when we were working much harder to tell people about the opportunities that EVs present.

In general, most of our customers are aware of the benefits and the direction of travel. For example, next year the e-Niro is going to sell more than every other Kia model, apart from the Sportage.

Are you surprised by the success of e-Niro and EV6?

SH: I’m more surprised – and delighted – by the speed of change, because I genuinely thought for many drivers it

factories have already confirmed the continued supply of semiconductors.

We’re quite comfortable, but there are elements that we can’t control. Therefore, we’re looking at simplifying some of our ranges – some parts that we can’t guarantee arriving we don’t buy or put them in our vehicles, for example. Ultimately, having an ethos of not allowing failure and controlling the situation ourselves will be a strength for us going forwards, too.

JH: I think the production of locally produced semiconductors has been

IVIEW_Kia_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:03 Page 2

“As soon as we got the message across that e-Niro was a 280-mile car in real-world usage, people began to realise they could use it” expanded, which helps. It’s going to be difficult, but there’s also a lot of an active management at Kia factories to increase the number of components and keep supply of the parts ongoing.

John Hargreaves, head of fleet and remarketing, Kia

What improvements are planned when it comes to aftersales and servicing?

JH: We have a fleet service standard, which has got all of the things drivers expect, such as ‘while you wait’ servicing and fixed prices. We’re finding that it works well, but we are working on a few things where we have had particular issues with Sportage and some offroad customers, but we are supporting them through our own dealers to keep them on the road. The first goal is always to get them back on the road in a Kia and then resolve the problem. Our fleet service standards are well set and we see no reason to change that.

How has a relatively niche car such as Stinger helped Kia’s growth and status?

JH: In all sorts of brands there’s often a halo car and Stinger was another example of that. I think you’d be stretching it to say that someone who drives a Picanto does so because they’ve seen a Stinger and they like it. But those cars do enhance the perception of the brand.

Also, cars such as the ProCeed have a ‘sporty’ feel to them and there is a bit of

Who’s John Hargreaves?

Starting out in the automotive business in 1985 as a sales manager at Herondrive, Hargreaves moved onto Ford Credit and Ford itself in 1987.

By 1993, he had moved to Citroën UK, where he spent 16 years, rising to national fleet sales manager.

After a short spell as manufacturer account manager at Motability Operations, he joined Kia in February 2011, originally as head of fleet and remarketing.

Hargreaves enjoys spending time playing golf and lives in South Buckinghamshire. fleetworld.co.uk

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IVIEW_Kia_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:08 Page 3

In conversation

that sporting pedigree from Stinger, people are likely to notice it a bit more.

And then with EV6 you’ve got a highperformance electric car and people are surprised – in a good way – by that.

Does the new branding mean a shift how the company is positioning itself?

SH: I think it helps raise awareness. I think we’ve earned the trust of customers in the UK because we’ve delivered and tried to offer affordable cars with good specifications and warranties. Now, it’s enabling us to move to more desirable cars and attract new customers. We’ve got a really loyal base who will stick with us and continue to buy our products. But EV6 and Stinger have definitely brought conquest customers, which we always need to be attracting. Those cars were specifically designed to provide a change in the brand’s direction, but also to attract those new customers in.

Looking from the stats, I’d say 90% of EV6 customers are new to Kia, which is great. And that’s exactly what we want – and I’m hoping that will help us sell more.

This year kicks off with new Sportage, what are the goals for that car?

SH: Sportage has been our best-selling car and I’m really excited about it. It follows the direction of EV6 in terms of design and interior quality. Also, with the new powertrains, it’s getting to the point where it is easy to see the demise of diesel and petrol in the marketplace because there are hybrids and PHEV options. That fact alone will open up new opportunities because Sportage, until now, has just been powered by petrol or diesel. It’s built in Europe, which helps because we tend to get more guaranteed supply from our European factory, compared with our global factories. So I’m really encouraged

by Sportage production for this year.

IN Number of models 17 Best fleet seller / number of units Sportage / 16,359 units (fleet).

How many total cars sold last year 90,817 units (retail and fleet) – 53,687 units to fleet, a 6.4% market share.

Next model launch The all-new Kia Sportage in February 2022. (see opposite page)

What challenges do you face around RVs for electric cars?

JH: The likes of CAP are very nervous about EVs. The values are going up, but not at a hugely steep rate, because they have put a caveat on everything by stating that what is currently ‘state-of-the-art’ battery technology now could be obsolete in a few years.

The used car market and new car market are different, but also completely related. So if the market goes to 50% EV quickly, I think it’s safe to assume that the market for used cars will be will be similar.

The tax advantages of used cars as EVs are obviously non-existent compared to new cars, so there is more risk there. But the guides are saying they’re going to become more acceptable, better known and the RVs will go up. But they are tempering that by saying that they don’t want to see cars in three years’ time with large values when actually they’ve been overtaken by the new cars that will go much further.

PROFILE FLEET FACT The Niro family (Hybrid, PHEV and fully electric e-Niro) has overtaken the Ceed family as a fleet favourite, after Sportage.

Aims for the future Sustainable growth throughout 2022, following the launch of new Sportage and Niro family later in 2022, not to mention the high(er) performance EV6 ‘GT’.

Who’s Steve Hicks?

After joining the Ford graduate scheme in 1999, Hicks worked at Mazda as dealer operations manager before joining Hyundai in 2010, starting out as product planning manager, before moving on to national sales and operations manager.

After a short spell as regional director at Nissan, he became sales director at Kia in 2017.

Hicks is an avid rugby fan and lives in St Albans with his wife and son.

34 fleetworld.co.uk

ROAD_Kia_Sportage_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:31 Page 1

ON TEST

Kia Sportage New Sportage is a big car for Kia and it successfully hits the spot, says John Challen

I

t’s fair to say that Kia surprised a lot of people with the EV6. In terms of the driving experience, interior quality and equipment levels, it was a big step forward for the Korean manufacturer.

Essentially, as fleets look to make the move to electric cars, Kia was dangling a very tempting carrot with EV6.

However, we’re not there yet and petrol and diesel cars are still in high demand, especially in the ever-increasing C-SUV sector. For Kia, that means the Sportage, the company’s best-seller (more than 16,000 fleet sales alone last year). Therefore, the new version carries a certain amount of expectation, regardless of how much people loved EV6.

One thing that strikes you about Sportage is how many elements from the BEV have shifted across. The infotainment and instrument screens, multi-mode control panel and the blind spot cameras have a welcoming familiarity.

“The infotainment, multi-mode control panel and the blind spot cameras have a welcoming familiarity”

Outside, there’s a bold new look, with more chrome elements as well as LED lighting. Wheel sizes range from 17-inch to 19-inch across the Sportage model range. Colour-wise, the former offers 13 different options, four new and two bespoke to Sportage. Drivers of the rangetopping GT-line S can choose a black roof, and 19 colour combinations are available.

The fifth-generation Sportage is a car created for the European market and, therefore, developed in the region. It’s built on Kia’s new N3 architecture, which features optimised wheelbase dimensions and proportions for the Continent’s roads. Beyond improving the driving experience, this new platform was also designed to add to the ownership experience. That means there’s improved luggage capacity and more head and leg room for all passengers, compared with the outgoing car.

Powertrain options for new Sportage cover standard petrol and diesels and, for the first time in Sportage, hybridised models. There’s plug-in-, mild- and standard hybrid petrol variants and a mildhybrid diesel. Each use a 1.6-litre engine, with the petrol power outputs ranging from 148hp and 250Nm (standard and MHEV) to 261hp and 350Nm (PHEV). The

diesel powertrains put out 114hp and 280Nm (standard) and 134hp and 320Nm (MHEV). Depending on the model, the CO2 emissions range from 31g/km to 154g/km on the WLTP cycle.

We sampled the petrol hybrid version – a model that is expected to be a popular choice in the UK. It’s a hybrid system that works effectively and efficiently, mated to an engine that is smooth, capable and a seamless transition between engine and hybrid powertrain. The 1.6-litre T-GDi unit works with a 59hp permanent magnet electric motor and 1.49kW Li-ion battery to give a total power output of 227hp and 350Nm. New Sportage is a step in the right direction for Kia and the addition of alternative-fuelled versions are likely to further boost the car’s appeal. The emphasis on tailoring the car specifically for European tastes, roads and requirements will also gain Kia a lot of fans, too.

IN BRIEF WHAT IS IT? C-SUV HOW MUCH? from £26,745 ECONOMY? 44.1mpg EMISSIONS? 146g/km Key fleet model ‘GT-Line S’ HEV AWD Infotainment system; options list High price at the top end 7-word summary Hybrid options will help the best-selling Kia Also consider Nissan Qashqai / Toyota RAV4 / Volkswagen Tiguan

fleetworld.co.uk

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ROAD_BMW_iX_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:20 Page 1

ON TEST

BMW iX The Munich manufacturer’s i family grows with an SUV you certainly won’t miss, says John Challen

B

efore we get into the important stuff, let’s address the elephant (metaphorical to some; real to others) in the room. The design of the iX is, to put it mildly, divisive. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is up for debate, but with a drag coefficient of 0.25 and some clever technology behind that prominent grille, it was clearly intentional.

Right, with that out of the way, let’s cut to the chase: the BMW iX is one of the most memorable cars we’ve driven in a

long time. Beyond the exterior appearance, it’s a statement car from BMW – one that could well dictate the direction of future SUVs. iX is built on a new EV platform that is modular and scaleable and one that will underpin a whole host of future products from BMW. With that in mind, a lot of effort has gone into ensuring it is futureproofed in terms of accommodating safety technologies and powertrain technologies.

In terms of the former, iX has “the

most extensive set of standard driver assistance systems ever seen on a BMW”, according the blurb. For example, that means a front collision warning system that detects oncoming traffic – as well as cyclists and pedestrians when turning.

The car also features an exit warning function that alerts drivers to other road users before the car doors are opened.

The list of cameras and sensors extend to parking and reversing assist technologies, which come as standard on the iX.

“The BMW iX is one of the most memorable cars we’ve driven in a long time”

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As mentioned before, iX moves the electric vehicle game on, especially in the interior. There’s a flat-bottomed steering wheel, sumptuously padded doors (which now house the seat controls) and a huge amount of space.

The head restraints on the seats are akin to pillows and there are haptic touchpoint all around, which – in some cases feels a bit too far beyond common sense.

From the driver’s seat the view is dominated by an expanse of curved infotainment screen that stretches way beyond the centre of the car. As a result, there is ample room to display a variety of elements, with the latest iteration of iDrive (navigated using a glass dial) making switching between the functions a relatively straightforward operation.

The car launches with two options: iX xDrive40 and 50, with each having an M Sport derivative model alongside. More recently – at CES 2022 (featured on page

14) – the iX xDrive60 took centre stage and was confirmed to go on sale later this year. As you’d expect, the list of items that are standard spec is impressive. Across both current models there are include 21inch alloys, BMW Live Cockpit Professional, climate comfort windscreen and four-zone air-conditioning. Want more?

How about heated front seats, wireless phone charging, park assist and the ‘Shadow Line’ exterior trim.

Performance-wise, even without the 620hp iX M60, the current variants have more than enough power to keep drivers satisfied. BMW is now onto its fifth generation of eDrive technology, so iX gets a high-voltage battery with energy density that is 40% greater than that of the MY2020 i3.

The car’s twin motors, combined with a 71kWh or (in the xDrive50) 105kWh battery, mean that the ‘40’ has 326hp and 630Nm, while the ‘50’ puts out

523hp and 765Nm. Maximum theoretical driving ranges on the WLTP cycle for the two cars are 257 miles and 380 miles respectively.

The result, as you would expect from BMW, is a car that is refined, responsive and very capable. For a car that tips the scales at 2.5-tonnes, there’s relatively little body roll in the iX and it is surprisingly agile, considering its footprint.

It possibly doesn’t live up to the Ultimate Driving Machine tag in terms of dynamics, but then however much manufacturers like to promote SUVs or SAVs, the ‘S’ can often be interpreted as a lower case one. However, a 4.6-second sprint from zero to 62mph (in the 50; the 40 clocks 6.1 seconds) shows it’s not exactly slow. Reaching those speeds in near-silence still takes some getting used to, but hats off to the development team because the noise absorption in the iX is first class.

VERDICT We expect BMW to shift a lot of iXs, partly because of its history in pushing EV boundaries, but also because it’s a complete package.

Look beyond the exterior – if you really need to – because you won’t be disappointed with what you find.

IN BRIEF WHAT IS IT? Luxury SUV HOW MUCH? from £69,905 ECONOMY? 2.9-3miles/kWh RANGE? 380 miles (WLTP) CHARGING TO 80%?

1hr 33 mins (50kW) 34 mins (135kW) Key fleet model iX xDrive40 M Sport Interior quality and attributes; range Price; might be evolution too far for some 7-word summary A bold design, but an impressive execution Also consider Audi E-Tron / Mercedes-Benz EQC / Tesla Model X

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ROAD_Genesis_G70_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:23 Page 1

ON TEST

Genesis G70 Shooting Brake The estate version of the G70 will turn a lot of heads as Genesis banks on European success, says Olly Benn

T

here’s no doubt Genesis left its mark on 2021. Launching into Europe in the middle of a global pandemic might have seemed like a risky move, but for the Hyundai-owned brand it was almost a case of ‘it’s now or never’.

The lack of any electric – or even hybrid – models introduced last year raised some questions from onlookers. But, with three on the way in 2022 and more planned (from 2025, all new Genesis models will be EVs), the rollout has been part of a carefully controlled strategy.

The latest ICE product to join the range was the G70 Shooting Brake. Genesis went to great lengths to emphasise that the car was developed for Europe.

That means tested on European roads, with feedback from customers in the region and taking the demands of European drivers into consideration.

As observers might expect, there’s little to differentiate between this car and the ‘original’ G70. In addition, the core brand elements in the body-styling have been integrated into the regionalised model. The big difference, of course, is the addition of a boot to the saloon version, which adds a level of practicality that will be welcomed to those who like the idea of a Genesis, but

don’t want to go down the SUV route of the GV70.

The Korean brand likes to do things in its own way, so the Genesis has a 40:20:40 split on the rear seats for added flexibility.

Fold all the seats down and there’s 1,535 litres of space; keep them up and there’s still an impressive 465 litres available.

“Fold all the seats down and there’s 1,535 litres of space; keep them up and there’s still an impressive 465 litres available” Added innovation comes in the form of the ‘Smart Boot’. Don’t worry, there’s no leg waving with this one – simply stand behind the car (up to 100cm) with the key and up goes the boot lid. We tried the technology and it did work, but also thought it would have the potential to trigger when you might not intend it to…

There is a clear, but small, choice of engines: a 2.2-litre diesel with 200hp and 440Nm of torque or a 2.0-litre turbo petrol available in two forms.

The standard 2.0T offers 197hp and the 2.0T Plus has 244hp on tap – both models have 353Nm of torque. Like the standard, non-booted car, there are three grades: Premium, Luxury or Sport lines.

Keen to get the positioning of the Shooting Brake spot on for Europe, Genesis says it is most certainly not a “sporty wagon”, more a “more spacious GT”. Having spent time in both diesel and petrol (2.0T Plus guise), that’s a claim that stacks up. The G70 Shooting Brake is a good-looking and wellequipped vehicle, with decent (if not class-leading) performance and luxurious surrounding for its occupants.

The G70 Shooting Brake might not get the attention it deserves – especially while potential suitors wait for the battery-powered G60, GV70 and G80 to make their bow – but it will tick the required boxes for many.

IN BRIEF WHAT IS IT? Estate HOW MUCH? from £35,250 ECONOMY? 31.5-41.8mpg EMISSIONS? 177.1-203.5g/km Key fleet model 2.2D RWD Luxury Line Boot space, sound system Limited powertrain options 7-word summary Desirable estate – developed in Europe, for Europeans Also consider BMW 3 Series Touring / Volkswagen Arteon Shooting Brake

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ROAD_Jeep_Compass_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:30 Page 1

ON TEST

Jeep Compass 4xe Upgrades inside and out for the off-roader, with PHEV tech to boot. By John Challen

J

eep isn’t alone in experimenting with the technology in a bid to prepare drivers for the rise of the EV. Having introduced the technology in the Renegade, Jeep has deployed the 4xe system (that tag extends to ‘all Jeep 4x4 vehicles featuring enhanced hybrid capability and performance’ according to the manufacturer) into the bigger Compass.

The PHEV model will sit alongside a 1.3litre 128hp version with 270Nm. The 4xe’s version of that engine puts out 180hp, which works with an electric motor that adds an extra 60 horses. The engine’s 270Nm of torque is combined with the motor’s 250Nm to give a total power output of 520Nm. As such the zero to 62mph time is figured at around 7.5 seconds, while CO2 emissions are between 44 and 47g/km on the WLTP cycle.

Under urban driving conditions, the plug-in system is good for 30 miles of electric-only driving, which was proven on our test route. The car’s 11.4kWh battery can be replenished while on the move, helping to maximise that figure. With careful driving – and the clever system that matches the powertrain to the road type/speed – that range is easily achievable, before it switches seamlessly to the ICE unit.

For those drivers taking the Compass

away from the tarmac, the two electric motors feature Powerloop technology to ensure that eAWD traction is always available, allowing them to tackle the toughest terrains. Again, the off-road capabilities of the car were also put to the test on our

“Inside, the Compass had undergone a transformation to make it a more pleasant environment” drive, with the route including a visit to a local off-roading centre. The Compass proved a capable companion over boulders and at some pretty steep angles.

Four trim levels are offered: Nighteagle, Limited, S and Trailhawk. There is also a choice of two- or four-wheel drive and a whole host of colour (single and two-tone) options.

Standard on the Nighteagle are front and rear parking sensors, a 10.1-inch infotainment screen and another 10.25-inch full digital screen for the instrument cluster. Limited adds adaptive cruise control, side parking sensors with automatic parking function and Keyless Enter & Go.

Moving on, the S means more exterior styling options, a new hands-free power tailgate and 19-inch alloys. Topping off the range, the Trailhawk has ‘Trail-Rated’ 4x4 capability and, therefore, upgraded suspension and traction control.

Prices start at £29,895 for the petrol Nighteagle and the cheapest PHEV model is priced at £40,895, in S trim, with full leather as standard.

Inside, the Compass had undergone a transformation to make it more pleasant environment and storage doubled to 7.2-litres throughout. Other points to note are the infotainment’s new processor, which is five times faster than its predecessor, and Level 2 autonomous driving capabilities.

Away from the vehicle, drivers will be offered Jeep Wave, the company’s new aftercare package that includes three years’ servicing, roadside assistance and dedicated customer services.

IN BRIEF WHAT IS IT? C-SUV PHEV HOW MUCH? from £40,895 ECONOMY? 156.9mpg EMISSIONS? 44-47g/km Key fleet model 1.3-litre PHEV S Interior quality; off-road capabilities Engine noise 7-word summary A big step forward, inside and out Also consider Ford Kuga / Kia Sportage / Volkswagen Tiguan

fleetworld.co.uk

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LTT_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:15 Page 1

ON FLEET CUPRA FORMENTOR VZ2 eHybrid AFV 245 DE-FLEET REPORT

H

aving mentioned in a previous report about being on commission for Cupra – having persuaded a local company car driver to opt for the Formentor PHEV – their car has now arrived.

Later than planned, admittedly, but then that’s a function of the current global supply chain sitaution we all find ourselves in.

I won’t pretend it’s not slightly bittersweet, however, because, like ships in the night, our Magnetic Tech Grey (as opposed to the newbie’s Midnight Black) model has now returned to its maker with 5,000+ faultless miles under its rather striking wheels.

And that is 5k miles throughout six months, run almost exclusively under electric power. Or, to put it another way, a much lower carbon footprint than I was expecting, and a great deal fewer compromises in the process too.

There were some compromises of course – an electric-only range of 35-40 miles won’t work for everyone, and charging disci-

THE NUMBERS P11D £40,585 BiK* 11% I £74 (20%) /£147 (40%) ECONOMY 56.8mpg CO2 EMISSIONS 33g/km ON FLEET 300+mpg

pline comes into it as well.

Reports of company car drivers not charging their PHEVs often enough have been around since plug-in hybrids first hit the market, but there is a strong sense that drivers these days – guided by fleet operators – are adapting and plugging-in more often.

As to the Formentor PHEV, it’s a great example of a compromise – there’s that word again – for current drivers in the transition to full BEV vehicles in the future.

The Cupra itself replaced our previous long-term SEAT Leon PHEV and managed to raise the bar even higher. Impressive stuff.

Luke Wikner

AUDI Q7 55 TFSIe quattro S line DE-FLEET REPORT

T

o wrap up our coverage of life with the plug-in Q7, I thought it worth looking at where the car sits compared with its rivals. Does a plug-in beat a diesel in the real world? Is a five-seat Q7 really worthwhile? Is it best in class?

Let’s answer the first question… plug-in Q7 vs a diesel 45 TDI S line model. For company car tax, the plug-in is a clear winner (£372 a month in BiK vs £743 in the TDI).

And even if you ignore the optimistic official fuel economy of 108mpg, the plug-in still beats the TDI’s 35.3mpg claimed in the real world – we averaged low to mid50s throughout our time with the plug-in. However, the TDI is about £9,000 cheaper at the front-end and comes with seven seats as standard (unlike the plug-in).

Question two: is a five-seat Q7 worthwhile? Well, it depends on what you want from it. With two young children and the frequent need to transport them and their friends at weekends, a sevenseater is essential. On the flip

40 fleetworld.co.uk

THE NUMBERS P11D £69,915 BiK* 16% I £186 (20%) /£373 (40%) ECONOMY 108.6mpg CO2 EMISSIONS 59g/km ON FLEET 52.3mpg

side, the Q7’s boot is massive and the cabin super-roomy so it really does make a capable and capacious car. However, the fly in the ointment is that the Q7’s key rivals (Volvo XC90, MercedesBenz GLE) both come with seven seats as standard.

Finally, is the plug-in Q7 best in

class? On paper, it’s neck and neck with its closest rival, the XC90 Recharge T8 R Design… the Volvo is slightly cheaper at the front-end (£68,420 vs £69,915), shares the same 16% BiK banding and is, therefore, slightly cheaper in company car tax (at £364 a month it’s £8 lower than the Q7)

but has lower claimed fuel economy (100.9 vs 108.6mpg). None of which is enough to swing the deal either way. For me, the XC90’s seven-seat capability seals it.

So where does that leave the Q7? In isolation it’s a quality, roomy and comfortable car with all the attractions of the Audi badge. But as an all-round package it is hampered by its five-seat layout. This Q7 feels like a stepping stone to greater things when the next generation is revealed… unlike its successor on the longterm test fleet – you can read more about our new e-tron next time.

Julian Kirk

*2021/22 Tax year – Benefit-in-Kind tax cost per month for 20% taxpayer / 40% taxpayer

LTT_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:16 Page 2

for more reports visit

fleetworld.co.uk

RENAULT CAPTUR Iconic E-Tech Hybrid 145 Auto

he Captur has certainly racked up the miles, helped by that early trip to Scotland and followed up by a few press trips before Omicron slowed activity in December. It has given me time to appreciate the car at length and my first impressions are being borne out. It’s a

T

comfortable car for longer journeys and being a hybrid is very well-suited to stop/start traffic and short distance running.

Fuel consumption has settled down to a more-or-less constant 52.4mpg, indicated by the trip computer and I can’t help but admire how the hybrid system

has been set up. It will switch swiftly from petrol power to electric drive whenever a suitable opportunity presents itself and it will always use electric drive for reversing if possible. The ‘B’ for extra regenerative braking gear selector position is a useful feature, helping to control downhill speeds and minimise the use of the conventional braking system in stop/start traffic. That said, the lever selector feels a bit clunky – the push button selector from its French rivals works much better, although the Captur provides a more impressive level of regenerative braking.

With 145hp available to it, the Renault provides a reasonable level of performance, but it tends to roll a fair bit when pushed and is much more at home as a sedate and refined means of transport.

Our Captur comes with a charging pad for phones but it seems reluctant to do so. It will usually display a message

THE NUMBERS P11D £23,630 BiK* 26% I £105 (20%) /£210 (40%) ECONOMY 56.5mpg CO2 EMISSIONS 114g/km ON FLEET 52.4mpg

suggesting that a piece of metal needs to be removed from the pad for it to work properly. I haven’t worked out what it means yet – I never leave anything metal on the pad except the case of my phone. I need to investigate further.

John Kendall

VAUXHALL MOKKA-e SRi Nav Premium Auto THE NUMBERS P11D £34,880 now £31,880 BiK* 1% I £6 (20%) /£12 (40%) RANGE 201 miles ON FLEET RANGE 145 miles EFFICIENCY 3.2mpkWh

t’s been a busy month or so for Vauxhall’s Mokka-e electric crossover in the news.

First up was the announcement that it had won Top Gear’s ‘Design of the Year’ title. It’s certainly been clear during our testing that the Mokka-e is a headturning car, from the attention it gets out on the road and in car parks. I’ve found that it certainly

I

stands out if you’ve forgotten where you’ve parked it…

More noteworthy for fleets was the news that Vauxhall had responded to the latest Plug-in Car Grant cuts and levied a £3k reduction across all Corsa-e and Mokka-e versions with immediate effect, equating to a £2k price cut when you factor the grant in. It means that for the Mokka-e, OTR

prices including the grant now start from £29,365 and rise to £30,495. Our SRi now stands at £30,435; a reduction of 6.2%.

Vauxhall has also extended the driving range on both the Mokkae and the smaller Corsa-e through a number of updates. As a result, the Mokka-e range is up 4% from 201 to 209 miles. It doesn’t sound much but as Tesco says…

I’ve been putting the Mokka-e’s range to the test with a few journeys lately. I’m typically getting about 145 miles on mixed routes but a few journeys have shown that I can do much better than this.

In all cases, I was closer to the wire on range than I’d have liked – not helped by cold weather and some last-minute changes of plan – but by some careful sub-50mph driving and reduced acceleration/braking, I actually managed to complete around 47 miles on some 17 miles of range in one case and 19 miles on eight miles in another case. Always reassuring to know for the future.

Natalie Middleton

fleetworld.co.uk

41

LTT_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 16:50 Page 3

ON FLEET VOLVO XC60 Recharge PHEV T6 AWD

I

’m not sure how closely some people look at options lists on their new car, but it’s probably worth paying a bit of attention, just in case you omit something that you find yourself, somewhere down the line, cursing because you left it off.

The driver assist package in the Volvo (priced at £1,500) is well worth the investment. The Swedish brand has held on to its reputation as one of the safest – if not THE safest – car brand out there. Or at least the one that puts safety first. So, for the money, you get all-round monitoring, with blind spot warning technology, steering assist, automatic brake and rear collision mitigation.

There’s also pilot assist and adaptive cruise control added into the mix. I know some people aren’t fans of ADAS, but the fact that those systems are there, when required, has got to be a positive.

One warning signal the car doesn’t transmit is when you’ve left the charging flap open when replenishing the battery. I

THE NUMBERS P11D £55,395 BiK* 15% I £139 (20%) /£277 (40%) ECONOMY 100.9–113.0mpg CO2 EMISSIONS 55-64g/km ON FLEET 72.1mpg

must’ve made the same mistake about 15 times – to the point where other drivers were pointing it out to me as I drove along the road oblivious to the fact that it wasn’t shut.

Another sound (pardon the pun) investment is the Harman

Kardon entertainment system – priced at £850. Surround sound with Dolby Pro Logic II transforms the XC60’s cabin into an auditorium, with crystal clear quality.

The pack also includes the smartphone integration with Apple’s CarPlay or Android Auto, which

has worked seamlessly with numerous devices onboard.

These options add to the overall positive experience of driving the XC60. The plug-in technology won’t work for everyone’s driving habits – and the limited EV-only range can often disappear before you know it, especially if heading straight onto A roads, which I often do. But short urban journeys – not exactly what all XC60 drivers would be undertaken, granted – can keep you from the fuel station, if managed effectively.

Just remember to charge up regularly – and also to close the filler cap when you’re done!

John Challen

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY Webfleet Solutions Tel: 0208 822 3605 www.webfleet.com

Airmax Remote Limited Tel: 0333 358 3488 www.airmaxremote.com

Geotab Tel: 0800 0885482 www.geotab.com/uk

EV CONTRACT HIRE, LEASING & FINANCE Herd Group Tel: 01372 747333 www.herdgroup.co.uk

GKL Electric Leasing Greener Fleet Consultancy Tel: 01844 852252 www.evcarleasing.co.uk

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

Tel: 0141 332 2626 www.acvm.com/electric-vehicles

FUEL MANAGEMENT

SOGO Tel: 01908 101100 www.sogomobility.co.uk

Lex Autolease

Promote your company here and online for just £500/year.

Tel: 0344 824 0115 www.lexautolease.co.uk

NORTHGATE

Windsor Vehicle Leasing

Venson Automotive Solutions

Tel: 0330 042 0903

Tel: 01753 851 561

Tel: 0800 328 0370

www.northgatevehiclehire.co.uk

www.wvl.co.uk

www.venson.com

Fleetmaxx Solutions Tel: 01227 936 936 www.fleetmaxxsolutions.co.uk

BP Fleet Solutions

PRINT + ONLINE

TELEMATICS & TRACKING

Tel: 0345 603 0723 www.bpplus.co.uk

TMC

Tel: 01270 525 218

RISK MANAGEMENT

EV FLEET SOFTWARE

EV CHARGING SOLUTIONS

EV DAILY RENTAL

DriveTech (UK) Ltd Tel: 01256 610907 www.drivetech.co.uk

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

Mobilize Power Solutions UK Tel: 07973 874344 power-solutions.mobilize.co.uk

Herd Group Tel: 01372 747333 www.herdgroup.co.uk

42 fleetworld.co.uk

PRINT + ONLINE

themilesconsultancy.com/tmc-e

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY_FW_Jan22_ARI.qxp_SUPPLIER DIRECTORY_Aug'07 08/06/2022 11:47 Page 2

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY CONTRACT HIRE, LEASING & FINANCE

DAILY RENTAL

GKL Leasing Chesterfield: 01246 572181 Princes Risborough: 01844 852000 www.gkluk.com

0845 2172 608 daysfleet.com Windsor Vehicle Leasing Tel: 01753 851 561 www.wvl.co.uk

TMC

Zenith Tel: 0344 848 9327 www.zenith.co.uk

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

ARI

Tel: 0141 332 2626 www.acvm.com

Tel: 0844 8000 700 www.arifleet.co.uk

ALD Automotive Tel: 0370 00 111 81 www.aldautomotive.co.uk

RISK MANAGEMENT

FOD Mobility Group Tel: 01274 714745 www.fodmobilitygroup.com

themilesconsultancy.com/risk

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental Tel: 0141 567 0561 www.arnoldclarkrental.com

DriveTech (UK) Ltd Tel: 01256 610907 www.drivetech.co.uk

Europcar Mobility Group UK Tel: 0871 384 0140 www.europcar.co.uk/business

Tel: 01270 525 218

Brightmile Tel: 0203 514 5925 www.brightmile.io

Reflex Vehicle Hire Tel: 0330 460 9913 www.reflexvehiclehire.com

Alphabet (GB) Limited Tel: 0370 50 50 100 www.alphabet.co.uk

FLEET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

Sofico Services UK Ltd Tel: +44 1684 423 166 www.sofico.global

Promote your company here and online for just £500/year.

DRIVER LICENCE CHECKING

TMC Tel: 0800 808 5611 www.edriving.com

Tel: 01270 525 218 themilesconsultancy.com/ driving-licence-checks

Licence Bureau

Venson Automotive Solutions Tel: 0330 094 7817 www.venson.com

Lex Autolease Tel: 0344 824 0115 www.lexautolease.co.uk

www.licencebureau.co.uk

FLEET MANAGEMENT

REARGUARDS

FLEET INSURANCE ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Total Motion Vehicle Management Tel: 0116 248 8160 www.totalmotion.co.uk

Tel: 01442 430980

Bluedrop Services Ltd Tel: 01706 658 587 www.bluedropservices.co.uk

Richard Grant Mouldings Ltd Tel: 01525 853888 www.rgmautomotive.co.uk

For more information, please contact Tracy Howell on 01727 739160 or email tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

SMR Autoserve Ltd Tel: 0121 803 5796 www.autoservefleet.co.uk

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FUEL, FUEL CARDS, FLEET SOLUTIONS BP Oil UK Ltd Tel: 0345 603 0723 www.bpplus.co.uk

euroShell Card Tel: 0800 915 6021 www.shell.co.uk/euroshell

ASSET PROTECTION AND RECOVERY

ACCIDENT MANAGEMENT

CanTrack Global Ltd Tel: 01908 330385 www.cantrack.com

Selsia Tel: 0333 444 5500 www.selsia-vac.co.uk

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Airmax Remote Limited Tel: 0333 358 3488 www.airmaxremote.com

Webfleet Solutions Tel: 0208 822 3605

Geotab Promote your Tel: 0800 0885482 www.geotab.com/uk company here

Astrata B.V. Tel: +31 402348484 www.astrata.eu

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fleetworld.co.uk

43

TAXATION_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:58 Page 2

EV TAXATION / LEGISLATION

CHECK OUT...

DIGITAL MAGAZINE

LOW BiK WHY GOING ELECTRIC MAKES SENSE FOR FLEETS AND DRIVERS

F

ull-electric vehicles, no matter when they were registered, are currently subject to a 1% BiK rate and rates will then be frozen at 2% from 2022/23 up to 2024/25.

There’s no doubt that with these rates, choosing an EV could save company drivers thousands over ICE alternatives.

The Government’s £3,000 Plug-in Car Grant will carry on to the 2022/23 tax year – and £500m has been pledged over the next five years to support the rollout of rapid charge points for EVs; the idea being that EV drivers will never be more than 30 miles from a rapid charging station. A Rapid Charging Fund is also included in this legislation, which will help businesses with the cost of connecting fast charge points to the grid.

BiK RATES FOR EVs

VED RATES FOR EVs

CARS FIRST REGISTERED FROM 6 APRIL 2020

CO2 emissions emissions

First Year Rate

Standard Rate

Standard Rate

(g/km)

(paid during

(cars with list price

(cars with list price

registration)

of £39,999 or less)

of £40,000 or more)

£0 £10 £25 £115 £140 £160 £180 £220 £555 £895 £1,345 £1,910 £2,245

£0 £155 £155 £155 £155 £155 £155 £155 £155 £155 £155 £155 £155

£335 £490 £490 £490 £490 £490 £490 £490 £490 £490 £490 £490 £490

CO2 emissions

(g/km) 0

Electric range (miles)

Appropriate Percentage (%) 2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

N/A

1

2

2

2

1-50

>130

1

2

2

2

1-50

70-129

4

5

5

5

1-50

40-69

7

8

8

8

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30-39

11

12

12

12

1-50

<30

13

14

14

14

0 1-50 51-75 76-90 91-100 101-110 111-130 131-150 151-170 171-190 191-225 226-255 over 255

DEFINITIONS OF ZERO AND LOW-EMISSION VEHICLES EVs These are vehicles that run solely on electric motors – powered by a rechargeable battery – rather than an internal combustion engine. They produce zero emissions and are therefore eligible for the lowest BiK rate in 2021/22 and beyond.

HEVs HEV means Hybrid Electric Vehicle, powered by an internal combustion engine (ICE) that is assisted by an electric motor, with a small rechargeable battery. In turn, this is charged by regenerative braking or the ICE. HEVs switch between the two power sources but can also be driven in electric-only mode for short distances.

PHEVs Plug-in hybrid vehicles typically work in a similar way to HEVs – being equipped with both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. The key difference is that a PHEV has a plug socket so its battery can be charged via an external power source and they tend to have much larger battery packs. As such, a PHEV has a longer electric-only range and tends to offer greater efficiency than an HEV.

44 fleetworld.co.uk

FUEL BENEFITS Where fuel is provided by an employer for private mileage, there is a charge to pay by applying the appropriate percentage to the car fuel benefit charge multiplier, which is £25,300 for the 2022/23 tax year. This could prove expensive, unless the employee’s car is a low CO2 model.

The good news is that if a full EV is chosen, electricity is not regarded as a fuel for car fuel benefit purposes and as such if you charge at work, there is no benefit charge.

EV-driving employees now also benefit from the Advisory Electricity Rate (AER) of 5 pence per mile.

JOHN_VFW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:13 Page 1

John Kendall VFW editor

Embracing the hierarchy...

“The latest Highway Code changes are going to cause confusion and possibly accidents”

When did you last read the Highway Code? It might be a while since you even thought about it. If so it’s probably worth getting your hands on a copy because it has just been updated, with eight changes that came into effect from 29 January. They don’t all directly affect van drivers, but let’s take a look at those that do and how they have caused a bit of a stir.

Firstly the changes introduce a hierarchy of road users, with the most vulnerable road users at the top of that hierarchy. This has effectively always been the case, except where road users are restricted but, as a general rule, giving way to pedestrians, cyclists and animal riders should be what we are doing already.

More controversial are changes affecting people crossing the road. Effectively people doing so are now given priority in most situations. These include crossing, or waiting to cross at a junction, crossing a road that traffic is turning into and people crossing on a zebra crossing. In all these circumstances, people are presumed to have priority. This could be an issue where drivers are turning into a road where people are crossing or waiting to cross.

Cyclists going straight ahead at a junction will now have priority over motorised traffic waiting to turn into or out of a side road. Drivers must also give priority to cyclists on roundabouts. This means they should not overtake cyclists in their lane and allow cyclists to move across their path as they travel around a roundabout. Cyclists can already use the inside lane at a roundabout (being the one closest to the kerb) to go three-quarters of the way round a roundabout. So can trucks but they rarely do so these days because, understandably, it could cause an accident – because most people probably don’t realise that this is permissible. The changes are going to cause confusion and possibly accidents. They might have been devised with safety in mind, but arguing over who was right or wrong if someone is killed would make no sense.

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TYRES_VFW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 15:28 Page 1

LCV essentials

A TYRE Safety, reduced fuel consumption and good performance are just some of the requirements that van fleet operators have of their tyres, as John Kendall discovers

FOR ALL SEASONS

T

he development of the pneumatic tyre pretty much mirrors the development of motor vehicles. The original intentions of improving comfort and reducing rolling resistance are still important today, while the technology, just like that of the internal combustion engine has progressed to an extent, that its inventor, John Dunlop, would probably never have foreseen. Today there are run-flat tyres, self-repairing tyres, winter tyres, summer tyres, all-season tyres, as well as specialist tyres for every motorised application you can think of.

Like most technologies that have proved to be reliable, we tend to take tyres for granted and only give minimal attention to them when things go wrong, or they need replacing. Many drivers would attribute good ride and handling to the development of the vehicle they are driving, ignoring the huge investment that the tyre manufacturer would have made in tread design, the compounds used in producing the tyre or other important factors.

For vans, tyre design ensures that the vehicle will be safe to drive laden or unladen, while helping to minimise fuel consumption. Before we consider the most recent developments in tyre technology, tyre life and vehicle fuel consumption can be improved by ensuring that tyres are set up properly on the vehicle in the first place.

ALIGNMENT AND GEOMETRY Tyre kerbing can quite quickly affect axle alignment and steering geometry.

Specialist equipment suppliers such as Pontefract-based AES UK can supply wheel alignment systems from suppliers including Josam and also portable heat inductors that can help to free up suspension and steering joints that have become seized over time with exposure to salt and water. Regular wheel alignment checking can reduce fuel consumption and extend tyre life by ensuring even tyre wear.

“It saves a great deal of time for our HGV, PSV and LCV customers during servicing, maintenance and repairs, and also within our own fleet when preparing vehicles for MOT,” says AES customer Alin Gabor of Cris Services Group, “Plus, our customers can expect a full report and analysis, which is printed out after each job.”

Van tyre kerbing can quite quickly affect alignment and steering geometry

GETTING SPECIFIC...

Winter tyres can ensure good tyre performance when ambient temperatures fall but, for a fleet, the administration, fitting and storage needed for a second set of tyres has made all season tyres more popular. Continental is the latest tyre manufacturer to offer an AllSeason van tyre, which will be launched alongside a new summer tyre in the company’s VanContact Ultra tyre range this year. Continental told VFW that the range has a clear focus on tyre robustness and longevity, which is designed to provide exceptionally high mileage, robustness and low rolling resistance.

The new Ultra range of van tyres has also been designed to meet the demands that electric vehicles place on tyres.

“Electric vans have a higher-than-average weight and at the same time can accelerate faster than comparable combustion vehicles, as the full torque is available considerably earlier due to the engine design,” explains Continental spokesperson Samara Edwards Amos.

“If the driver makes full use of the vehicle’s acceleration capabilities, this can lead to increased tyre wear, which reduces the service life of the product.

“Electric vehicles also need low rolling resistance to reduce the vehicle’s energy consumption and thus to increase the range of electric vehicles before the batteries have to be recharged again.”

Image credit: Freepik

46 vanfleetworld.co.uk

TYRES_VFW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 15:29 Page 2

“When designing tyres now and in the future for EV LCVs, we need to consider reduced energy loss tyres for improved battery range” Gary r Powell, Bridgestone ry

Bridgestone’s north region technical manager, Gary Powell, is seeing similar demands for electric vehicle tyres.

“When designing tyres now and in the future for EV LCVs, we need to consider reduced energy loss tyres for improved battery range, i.e., low rolling resistance, increased wear rates due to higher torques, an increased tyre contribution to noise and finally an increase in tyre load due to heavy vehicle batteries.

“However, with new compounding technologies like Bridgestone’s Nano Pro-Tech and low tread deformation pattern designs, then the tyre can deliver low rolling resistance with competitive wear rates. Also, low noise pattern designs combined with tyre noise packages means that we can keep tyre noise to a minimum, which is extremely important for LCVs operating in urban environments round the clock.”

TYRES_VFW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 15:30 Page 3

LCV essentials

Kumho has seen a dramatic rise in demand for 3PMSF-rated all-season tyres. The company has developed a range for vans by combining the strengths of its all-season Solus 4S HA32 car tyre and its winter specification PorTran CW11 van tyre. Kumho has named its new all-season van tyre, the PorTran 4S CX11. It is currently available 15 different sizes between 15inches and 17-inches, with versions to fit the Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, Fiat Ducato, Renault Kangoo and Volkswagen Transporter among others. Further 17-inch fitments are due this year.

Kumho PorTran 4S CX11 all-season van tyre

For the future Kumho predicts growth in eco-friendly tyres to satisfy UK and international legislation. The company also expects to see growing cross-over between tyres developed for passenger cars and those developed for light CVs. This is being driven by the increasingly car-like performance of today’s vans and the developing fashion for fitting everbigger alloy wheels to vans.

48 vanfleetworld.co.uk

Yokohama’s latest development in its van tyre range is the BluEarth-Van All Season RY61 using the company’s latest triple polymer compound technology and new tread design to provide a balance of wet performance, fuel efficiency and durability for year-round use.

Yokohama also offers its latest dedicated van winter tyre, the Yokohama WY01.

The company says it has been optimised for wet braking and handling to deliver excellent performance on both snow and ice. Both tyres have been introduced in the UK in response to increasing demand from customers.

KEEPING WATCH Commercial vehicle fleet tyre specialist TyreWatch uses continuous tyre monitoring, telematics and artificial intelligence to develop a tyre management platform with a range of monitoring systems, which enables fleet managers to reduce running costs and improve safety while also limiting the environmental impact of their operations. Two recent additions to its systems are AutoAlign for wheel alignment monitoring and VanSmart – a tyre management system for LCVs, particularly those operating in urban areas. AutoAlign will detect incorrect wheel alignment affecting vehicles on the road and automatically alert the fleet operator.

“Early corrective action will greatly reduce carbon output and keep PM 10

and PM 2.5 tyre particulate emissions to a minimum,” comments TyreWatch cofounder Mark Longden.

The company says that its active monitoring systems can deliver substantial savings, not only in reduced tyre replacement but also through improved fuel efficiency, reduced down time and maintenance costs.

“TyreWatch can eliminate 95% of all blow outs caused by underinflated tyres,” says director Glenn Sherwood.

“Through receipt of real-time proactive pressure and temperature alerts, operators have the ability to schedule tyre repairs and replacements, even while the vehicle is in motion.”

FOR THE LATEST UPDATES FROM THE FLEET VAN INDUSTRY, VISIT...

vanfleetworld.co.uk

ROAD_Isuzu_D-MAX_VFW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 14:29 Page 1

ON TEST

Isuzu D-Max DL20 Double Cab Impressive new pickup offers strong appeal for all fleets, says John Kendall

I

suzu launched the D-Max range in spring last year and immediately made an impression on the pickup sector, recording a total of 3,688 registrations in 2021, 17% higher than in 2020. This effectively mirrored the growth in pickup registrations during the year – up 19% on 2020 to 42,488, giving Isuzu a healthy 8.7% of the market. Considering that the new model was on sale for roughly eight to nine months of the year, it was a good start.

Interestingly, the best-selling D-Max model was the range-topping V-Cross automatic, demonstrating the strength of the ‘Lifestyle’ pickup market in the UK. For our test, we opted for the model that is most likely to be chosen by working fleet customers, the 4x4 DL20, available with either an extended cab or double cab. There is a greater choice of ‘working’ models from the entry-level D-Max Utility range, which is available as either a 4x2 or 4x4 with single cab, as well as a 4x4 with extended or double-cab.

Isuzu reckoned on the DL20 as the working model of choice because of its improved specification compared with the Utility model. Additional equipment includes a rear differential lock, alloy instead of steel wheels with locking

wheel nuts, front fog lights, rear parking sensors, body-coloured bumpers, electric folding and heated door mirrors, rear USB port for double cab models, heated front seats, front centre armrests, rear centre armrest with cup holders and rear heating ducts.

This spec is in addition to the advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) fitted to all models, which includes cruise control, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, manual and intelligent speed limiter, lane departure warning, automatic headlights and wipers, manual air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, DAB radio, hill start assist and hill descent control, and front, side, curtain and driver’s knee airbags.

In other words, all D-Max models are well equipped, and the DL20 gains a few useful comfort and working items. Our test vehicle was also fitted with a load bay liner, which is a good way to stop the paint from being rubbed off the load area and allowing corrosion to creep in.

On the road, the DL20 feels like a traditional pickup with its long travel suspension and body roll. This is accentuated by the low gearing in first gear, designed for laden and off-road work. The 1.9-litre

Isuzu diesel produces a very useful 164hp, which would be appreciated by those who take advantage of the 3,500kg towing capacity. This incidentally would mean that a tachograph would be needed. It also means that the DL20 will happily cruise at motorway speeds.

Double cabs provide an inevitable trade-off in the size of the load box, which is 1,495mm long compared with 1,805mm for the extended cab model. It all depends on what you use the vehicle for. The double cab gives away much less when it comes to payload at 1,120kg compared with 1,148kg for the extended cab. It is also worth noting that all manual transmission D-Max models can operate using car speed limits as opposed to the lower LCV speed limits, because the vehicle unladen weight is 2,000kg or less.

IN BRIEF WHAT IS IT? 4x4 Pickup HOW MUCH? £26,759 (ex-VAT) LOAD VOLUME? 3.3m3 – 3.9m3 PAYLOAD? 1,120kg ECONOMY? 33.6mpg DRIVE? 164hp @ 3,600rpm/360Nm @ 2,000-2,500rpm. 1.9-litre turbo-diesel.

VERDICT The D-Max DL20 is a well-equipped and competitively priced pickup truck and the dealer network has earned a strong reputation for customer service. The D-Max range offers a broad range of body styles for users.

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VFW SUPPLIER DIRECTORY_Jan22.qxp_VFW SUPPLIER DIRECTORY_Aug'07 02/02/2022 15:02 Page 1

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY CONTRACT HIRE, LEASING & FINANCE GKL Leasing Chesterfield: 01246 572181 Princes Risborough: 01844 852000 www.gkluk.com

DAILY RENTAL

FOD Mobility Group Tel: 01274 714745 www.fodmobilitygroup.com Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental Tel: 0141 567 0561 www.arnoldclarkrental.com

0845 2172 608

RISK MANAGEMENT

TELEMATICS & TRACKING

FLEET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

DriveTech (UK) Ltd Tel: 01256 610907 www.drivetech.co.uk

Airmax Remote Limited Tel: 0333 358 3488 www.airmaxremote.com

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

Full listings online at

Geotab Tel: 0800 0885482 www.geotab.com/uk

Promote your company here and online for just £400/year.

fleetworld.co.uk

daysfleet.com

ACCIDENT MANAGEMENT

Alphabet (GB) Limited Tel: 0370 50 50 100 www.alphabet.co.uk

Selsia Tel: 0333 444 5500 www.selsia-vac.co.uk

Europcar Mobility Group UK Tel: 0871 384 0140 www.europcar.co.uk/business

Webfleet Solutions Tel: 0208 822 3605 www.webfleet.com

FULL LISTINGS ONLINE AT fleetworld.co.uk

PHVC Minibus & Fleet Suppliers Tel: 01489 580333 www.phvc.co.uk

Zenith Tel: 0344 848 9327 www.zenith.co.uk

ALD Automotive Tel: 0370 00 111 81 www.aldautomotive.co.uk

PRINT

+

ONLINE

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

Tel: 0141 332 2626 www.acvm.com

FUEL MANAGEMENT Lex Autolease Tel: 0344 824 0115 www.lexautolease.co.uk

TMC Tel: 01270 525 218 www.themilesconsultancy.co.uk

Venson Automotive Solutions Tel: 0330 094 7817 www.venson.com

BP Oil UK Ltd Tel: 0345 603 0723 www.bpplus.co.uk

ELECTRIC VEHICLES EV FLEET WORLD Tel: 01727 739160 www.evfleetworld.co.uk

FULL LISTINGS ONLINE AT fleetworld.co.uk

DRIVER LICENCE CHECKING

FLEET MANAGEMENT

TMC Tel: 01270 525 218 www.themilesconsultancy.co.uk

50 vanfleetworld.co.uk

Total Motion Vehicle Management Tel: 0116 248 8160 www.totalmotion.co.uk

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY

For more information, please contact Tracy Howell on 01727 739160 or email tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

FANTASY_GoCycle_FW_Jan22.qxp 01/02/2022 18:08 Page 1

FANTASY FLEET

GO-CYCLE G4 Price from £3,999 Range up to 50 miles

MOBILITY OUTSIDE THE BOX

Charging time 3 hours Weight from 16.9kg Connectivity USB port and Bluetooth for the Gocycle App Likelihood of making it onto the fleet? 7/10

T

he majority of vehicles featured within this magazine have four wheels, but the rise of the e-bike means fleets are considering all transport options. As such, the Gocycle G4 could be the answer to a lot of questions. Need more exercise, but don’t want to go ‘full’ lycra? Tick. Zero emissions? Yup. Fold and carry your vehicle wherever you need to go? It’s possible.

The Gocycle story dates back to 2002, when Richard Thorpe – a former McLaren Cars employee – had a vision. The first bike in the range, the G1, eventually launched in 2009 and saw a lot of lightweighting and engineering innovation put to good use on two wheels. Since then, the clever people

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It’s very much a case of what you put in, you get out. A little bit of effort is required to get started and keep going, but that boost button – especially on hills – means that you don’t arrive at your destination a sweaty mess.

The Gocycle App will give riders all sorts of data such as speed, riding time and calories burned – think of it as part trip computer, part smart watch. It also lets you know how much battery life you’ve got left, so there’s no excuse for range anxiety on this EV. It might not be top of the list for everyone – battling the elements in an uncovered two-wheeler isn’t ideal – but anyone looking to help themselves and the environment could do a lot worse than a G4…

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in the company’s R&D department have been fine-tuning products to make them even lighter, more comfortable and as fully equipped as possible.

With the latest model – the G4 – riders get carbon fibre on the forks and frame and fast-charging capabilities. There’s also a new electric motor and the ability to fold the bike up in just 10 seconds. But look beyond those attributes – and the ‘MotoGP-inspired tyres’ – and the G4 is just good plain fun. If you’ve not been on a bike for a while, this e-bike is sure to raise a smile. Go one step further and press the magic Power Boost button and you’ll be giggling along the road.

The bike doesn’t do all the work, though.

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51

F O R T H E D AY A H E A D

NEW ELECTRIC VAN RANGE PEUGEOT i-Cockpit® - Access zero emission zones

WLTP (1) Combined Fuel Consumption for the PEUGEOT electric van range in MPG (l/100km): Combined N/A. CO₂ emissions (g/km): 0g/km.

(1) The fuel consumption or electric range achieved, and CO₂ produced (where applicable), in real world conditions will depend upon a number of factors including, but not limited to: the accessories fitted (pre and post registration); the starting charge of the battery; variations in weather; driving styles and vehicle load. The PEUGEOT electric van range are battery electric vehicles requiring mains electricity for charging. The WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure) is used to measure fuel consumption, electric range and CO₂ figures. Figures shown are for comparison purposes and should only be compared to the fuel consumption, electric range and CO₂ values of other cars tested to the same technical standard.