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GREENFLEET SCOTLAND

September 13th, Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh

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The official fuel consumption and CO2 figures were not available at time of print – 06/12. UK pricing and specification to be confirmed. Please visit mercedes-benz.co.uk for more information.

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ENTER ONLINE NOW! Closing date 24th August

NEWS EST Plugged-in Fleets | Michelin RFID tyres | Diesel hybrids boost green car sales

www.greenfleet.net ISSUE 57

GREENFLEET SCOTLAND

September 13th, Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh

LOW CARBONSHOWTIME

www.greenfleetawards.co.uk/entry-form

Gold Star for the Olympics As the Olympics draws to a close, and the incredible performance of team GB athletes is recognised by all, it’s worth thinking about other legacies left by the spectacular event. There are important lessons to be learned from what has been dubbed the ‘greenest Olympics in history’. In the end, concerns about transport infrastructure were swept under the carpet as the system appeared to cope admirably with the tourist influx - let’s not forget the complex makeup of the City of London. Several projects (BP’s new alternative fuels, hydrogen buses and taxis) should provide a sound base for further research and development. See the news pages for further details.

Tyres with chips, please. Michelin has been working on some interesting tyre technology in partnership with bus operator Stagecoach. RFID chips are inserted into tyres donned by Stagecoach’s double decker bus fleet. As well as the ability to monitor tyre pressure, the chips have huge potential to provide valuable data about vehicle performance etc - read more on page 12. The BVRLA has expressed concerns over changed to business car tax, which its chief executive John Lewis says are “even more misguided than the Pasty tax” and “in danger of erecting a massive road block against low carbon motoring” . The group is seeking to challenge the Lease Rental Restriction announced in this years’ budget - read more on page 17. In Scotland, they take environmental motoring seriously. Aside from the many pioneering projects instigated by forward thinking

organisations north of the border, this years’ GreenFleet Scotland event, taking place on September 13th at the Royal Highland centre, is bigger than ever - over 40 organisations that deliver low carbon vehicles and technology will feature. Read more on page 39 Finally, the “oscars of the fleet industry” (not our words - those of impressionist and awards presenter Alistair McGowan), the GreenFleet Awards will take place on October 11th at the Emirates. Are your environmental efforts worth shouting about? If so, be sure to tell us. The closing date for entries is fast approaching. Find out how to enter on page 53. Our next issue will contain details of all the shortlisted projects.

Until then.....

Danny Wright

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

03 Volume 57 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

Welcome to The Green.Helping you put sustainability at the heart of your fleet.

Looking for ways to run a greener fleet? Why not visit The Green, the acclaimed sustainability website from Lex Autolease, the UK’s leading fleet management and fleet funding specialist.

Listen to our latest podcast about low carbon vehicles at The Green www.lexautolease.co.uk/theGreen

Find free help and advice on sustainable issues, including: • choosing the right vehicles • tax and budget • fuel strategy and how to cut your fuel bill.

Visit The Green at www.lexautolease.co.uk/theGreen today, and see why we’re Green Fleet Leasing Company of the Year.

Or you can call us for more information on 0800 389 3690.

LA441 Green Fleet Advert A4.indd 1 19/07/2012 15:50

Contents

07 GREENFLEET NEWSOlympics hydrogen taxi-test; Michelin introduces chipped tyres to Stagecoach bus fleet; EST’s Plugged-in Fleet initiatives embrace EV technology; Europcar takes a ton of hybrid Yaris

17 TAX & FINANCE NEWSBVRLA fights back on Lease Rental Restriction

21 EUROPEAN INITIATIVES Cosmin Codrea, research programme officer in the components Unit of the European Commission, outlines recent developments in the European Green Cars Initiative in the context of European research and development support for electro-mobility.

25 EV INFRASTRUCTURE ‘Successfully Implementing a Plug-in Vehicle Infrastructure’, explores the challenges and opportunities for local authorities of a multi-stakeholder approach to implementing an electrical vehicle infrastructure.

CONTENTS

GreenFleet Magazine www.greenfleet.net

36

60

31 TELEMATICS The potential of Telematics to change driver behaviour, reduce insurance premiums and instigate fuel savings is massive. GreenFleet reports.

36 ROAD TEST - VAUXHALL AMPERA ELECTRON Roland Rendell puts the innovative range extender through the London mill

39 GREENFLEET SCOTLAND Scotland’s premier green motoring event goes from strength to strength with a bigger-than-ever exhibition of the latest low carbon vehicles and fuel saving technologies. It takes place on September 13th at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh

45 PRIVATE HIRE - TAXISNissan launches a cleaner, greener London Taxi which should help to improve air quality for Londoners

46 ROAD TEST - MIA U ELECTRICThe ultra-compact Mia U crosses the channel to be put through its paces by GreenFleet’s larger-than-life correspondent Roland Rendell

49 ROAD TEST - FIAT PANDA TWIN AIRRoland Rendell is sent back to the 80s by a car that really dishes out the feel-good factor.

53 GREENFLEET AWARDS Impressionist extraordinaire Alistair McGowan returns to present the 2012 ‘Oscars’ at the Emirates Stadium in October

60 ROAD TEST - FIAT FIORINORoland Rendell gets to grips with the latest small van to roll off of the Italian manufacturer’s production line

53

45

07



f i a t . c o . u k

Fiat, the car brand with the lowest average CO² emissions in Europe†. Fuel consumption figures for the Fiat Punto TwinAir in mpg (l/100km): Urban 57.6 (4.9); Extra Urban 74.3 (3.8); Combined 67.3 (4.2). CO² emissions 98 g/km.*Under current DVLA regulations there is no charge for Vehicle Excise Duty in the first year of registration and every subsequent year. Vehicle Excise Duty rates are reviewed annually by the government and are subject to change. Above rentals based on Punto TwinAir 3dr on Contract Hire payment profile of 3 rentals in advance (equivalent to £507) followed by 35 monthly rentals of £169. All rentals exclude VAT and maintenance. Based on 10,000 miles per annum. Excess mileage charges apply. Vehicles must be registered with Fiat Contract Hire before 30th September 2012. Offer subject to status, a guarantee and/or indemnity may be required. Fiat Contract Hire, 240 Bath Road, Slough, SL1 4DX. †Source: JATO Dynamics. Based on volume-weighted average CO² emissions (g/km) of the best selling brands in Europe, full year 2011.

The facts.

The sporty new Punto TwinAir comes with the revolutionary TwinAir engine.

Which means 74.3 mpg, only 98g/km of CO²,10% BIK rating, zero VED and zero Congestion Charge.

New Punto TwinAir. From just £169 a month for business users only. Visit fiat.co.uk/fleet for more info.

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FLEET INITIATIVESNEWS IN BRIEF

Source East offers POD discountElectric car owners in Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk can benefit from up to 75 per cent off the cost of installing a POD Point home charging unit in their homes.

This has been made possible through a subsidy provided by the East of England’s electric vehicle recharging network Source East, and reduces the overall ownership cost of running an electric car. The

offer uses a grant subsidy to provide a POD Point

communicating home charge point for £225, including installation. A year’s membership to Source East is included in the cost (usually £10), which provides free access to the growing network of public charging points in the East of England. L

Nissan black cabs for LondonNissan has announced a bold new vision for the future of the London ‘black cab’ and its 300,000 daily users – the Nissan NV200 London Taxi. The NV200 London Taxi will offer significantly reduced CO2 outputs compared to current taxi models – a focus in line with the Mayor Boris Johnson’s Air Quality Strategy for London. L

READ MORE ON PAGE 45

Big names kick off EST’s Plugged-in Fleets researchTwenty organisations across England have been selected to take part in the Energy Saving Trust’s Plugged-in Fleets initiative, in partnership with EDF Energy. Boots UK, London Fire Brigade, Network Rail, Surrey County Council, Southwark Council, Tristar, University of Cumbria, Morrisons, York City Council and 11 other organisations, will all be shown where electric vehicles can add value to their organisation. As part of the scheme, funded by Transport for London (TfL) and Department for Transport (DfT), the companies will receive guidance and a strategic plan for the introduction of electric vehicles into their fleets. Experts from Energy Saving Trust and EDF Energy will undertake analysis on each organisation’s fleet to identify where electric vehicles could best be used by the organisations. In addition EDF Energy will be providing advice on vehicle recharging.The initiative has three key aims - To provide a tailored report for each participating fleet, showing how electric vehicles could fit into and benefit their organisation; To offer wider practical advice for all business fleets, and; To enable fleet decision makers to purchase and use electric vehicles where they work best.

Ian Barnes from Boots UK said: “Being selected to take part in the Energy Saving Trust’s Plugged-in Fleets initiative is a great opportunity for us to learn how we can make savings, and benefit the environment, by introducing electric vehicles into our fleet.” Caroline Watson of the Energy Saving Trust, said: “Our recent Plugged-in Fleets report has shown that organisations can save money now when selectively introducing electric vehicles within their fleets, and our Fleet Advice team can provide practical and impartial recommendations to help companies achieve this. Each of our 20 selected organisations is committed to supporting the environment by building a greener fleet, and we look forward to helping them make this a reality.” Route Monkey’s EVOS software will support the programme. It can identify which existing routes are suitable for EVs before an organisation commits to purchasing electric vehicles; once the vehicles are deployed, EVOS maximises their use, ensuring fleet operators achieve the best reductions in fuel bills and emissions.Colin Ferguson, CEO of Route Monkey, said: “Route Monkey can help make the integration of electric vehicles painless, efficient and cost-effective for fleet managers. EST, Route Monkey and EDF Energy will all be present at GreenFleet Scotland - see page 39 for details L

www.sourceeast.net

The new Mercedes-Benz E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid is the German manufacturer’s most efficient E-Class production car to date.It features a 2,143cc, four-cylinder diesel engine. Developing 204 hp and 500 Nm of torque, it is linked to a 20 kW electric motor mounted within the 7G-Tronic Plus automatic transmission powered by a 19kW Lithium-ion battery. The car can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 7.5-seconds and has a maximum speed of 150 mph. When fitted with the 16-inch wheels, it is capable of returning 65.7 mpg (62.8 mpg) on the combined cycle while emitting 109 g/km of CO2. The Saloon varaint is priced from £39,645.00 OTR while the Estate starts at £41,435.00 OTR. The BIK rates range from 12 per cent. L

E-Class efficiency

EXECUTIVE CARSHYDROGEN

Fuel Cell Buses pass milestoneLondon’s fleet of fuel cell buses have now passed a milestone of 1,000 hydrogen refueling events at Air Products’ station at Lea Interchange Stratford, a stone’s throw from the Olympic Park. With a tank of hydrogen allowing each of the buses to operate for up to eighteen hours a day, the fleet has now also surpassed 100,000 miles of service. Although they demonstrate the viability and benefits of fuel cell transportation to thousands of Londoners, the buses are not a demonstration; they are a permanent part of Transport for London’s fleet carrying passengers between landmarks such as Tower Bridge, the London Eye and Covent Garden. The buses are operated by First Group for Transport for London and feature Ballard fuel cells and Wrightbus chassis integrated by ISE Corporation. Commenting on the fleet, Mike Weston, operations director for London Buses said: “London faces many environmental challenges but we believe alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, will bring genuine long term benefits in tackling CO2 emissions. Hydrogen fuel cell buses are an exciting new technology which will help us further build on the excellent work we are doing to improve air quality for Londoners.” L

Europcar’s ton of Yaris Europcar has added 100 Toyota Yaris Hybrids to its fleet this year, responding to customer demand for hybrid vehicles. For those operating in the London area the vehicles will be Green Vehicle Discount (GVD) registered, in anticipation of the new, tighter Congestion Charge rules to be implemented later this year. The new Yaris will be available to book and collect from all Europcar locations, and boasts CO2 emissions from 79 g/km. L

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f i a t . c o . u k

Fiat, the car brand with the lowest average CO² emissions in Europe†. Fuel consumption figures for the Fiat Punto TwinAir in mpg (l/100km): Urban 57.6 (4.9); Extra Urban 74.3 (3.8); Combined 67.3 (4.2). CO² emissions 98 g/km.*Under current DVLA regulations there is no charge for Vehicle Excise Duty in the first year of registration and every subsequent year. Vehicle Excise Duty rates are reviewed annually by the government and are subject to change. Above rentals based on Punto TwinAir 3dr on Contract Hire payment profile of 3 rentals in advance (equivalent to £507) followed by 35 monthly rentals of £169. All rentals exclude VAT and maintenance. Based on 10,000 miles per annum. Excess mileage charges apply. Vehicles must be registered with Fiat Contract Hire before 30th September 2012. Offer subject to status, a guarantee and/or indemnity may be required. Fiat Contract Hire, 240 Bath Road, Slough, SL1 4DX. †Source: JATO Dynamics. Based on volume-weighted average CO² emissions (g/km) of the best selling brands in Europe, full year 2011.

The facts.

The sporty new Punto TwinAir comes with the revolutionary TwinAir engine.

Which means 74.3 mpg, only 98g/km of CO²,10% BIK rating, zero VED and zero Congestion Charge.

New Punto TwinAir. From just £169 a month for business users only. Visit fiat.co.uk/fleet for more info.



Trim Size 297mm x 210mm

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NEWS IN BRIEFDiesel Hybrids boost green car figuresJuly’s figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show a wider trend of car registrations going up in July. The number of alternatively fuel vehicles registered rose by almost half – with a big boost coming from diesel-hybrids. A spokesman for the SMMT told Energy Live News: “Alternative fuel vehicles have seen a really big rise, a 46 per cent rise in a month and 18 per cent over the year. We’re seeing a lot more petrol-electric cars and hybrids, as well as diesel-electrics which weren’t on the market last year.” There have been around 640 registrations of diesel electrics this year so far, while electric or plug-in cars are up around 20 per cent this year. All new car registrations rose 9.3 per cent in July to 143,884 units – the fifth monthly gain in a row and the best of 2012. Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive said: “International economic stability remains a concern for vehicle manufacturers and the UK market, but intense competition and new fuel efficient products are creating great opportunities for motorists.”

Vauxhall ADAM City Car unveiledVauxhall’s new three-door, four-seater urban city car, ADAM, that will be unveiled at this year’s Paris Motorshow in September. The ADAM will appear in UK showrooms in early January 2013. Although CO2 or fuel economy figures have not yet been confirmed, they are likely to be competitive with other efficient models in the A segment.

SOLAR CHARGING

‘Eco Park’ solar EV charger launchedA specialist renewable energy company based in Dorset has launched a new solar car port system. H2Eco, based in Poole, has designed the integrated parking solution which combines an architectural car parking canopy with a solar photo-voltaic system. The modular design has been constructed to suit a number of applications, from a single domestic car port up to a large scale commercial multi car parking installation. Director at H2Eco Paul Bullimore commented, “Eco Park ticks lots of boxes, being a great alternative to homeowners who don’t want panels on their roof but would like to enjoy the benefits of solar energy, up to vehicle manufacturers or those managing large municipal car parks.” Eco Park is manufactured from galvanised steel and can be powder coated in a range of colours. The design offers quick installation, low maintenance and the potential to save up to £530 each year on household energy bills.

Sallyann Tanner, electric vehicle relationship manager at Westover Nissan said: “We are immensely impressed with the Eco Park system. We can envisage all sorts of practical ways to utilise it, and of course it fits superbly with our 100 per cent electric Nissan Leaf car. There is no doubt that motorists are getting more switched on to the potential of electric vehicles, and I can see Eco Park being widely installed at homes, offices and car showrooms across the country. We are proud to be involved at the birth of this exciting new concept.” The official launch was held at the H2Eco premises in Holton Heath, Poole where Annette Brooke MP Mid Dorset & North Poole was in attendance. H2Eco has also recently installed a permanent electric vehicle charging point that can be used by the general public free of charge.

2012 OLYMPICS

BMW helps US long jumpers In addition to providing a fleet of over 4,000 low emission cars, BMW has assisted US atheletes by developing a camera system that captures information and data about a long jumper’s performance. This is fed back to coaches, and helped US jumper Brittney Reese to Olympic gold. She became the first American woman to win the Olympic long jump title since Jackie Joyner-Kersee in 1988. The German manufacturer has been testing a similar camera system in its research vehicles to allow them to detect obstacles or pedestrians with the aim to improve safety in their cars.“Being able to track the motion of an athlete is very similar to how we’re going to track pedestrians and other objects,” says Cris Pavloff, an advanced technology engineer at BMW. As part of what has been billed as the greenest Olympics, BMW’s fleet has average CO2 emissions of just 116g/km. This figure is helped by the inclusion of

320 electric and hybrid cars including 40 MINI Es, 120 ActiveHybrid 5-Series hybrids and 160 ActiveE 1-Series. An additional 100 vehicles took part in trials of three new advanced biofuels provided by official Olympic sponsor BP. One of the blends is a cellulose ethanol produced from specific energy grasses, one is a sugar based diesel produced from any source of sugar and one is a biobutanol derived from the fermentation of plant sugars using a special micro-organism.BMW also had huge marketing campaign in the Olympic Park, where its new ‘i’ brand is being displayed in their central pavilion. Due to begin launch next year, the ‘i’ brand consists of the all-electric BMW i3 and the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid - a highly efficient sports car with head-turning design. L

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www.h2-eco.com



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Michelin’s ‘chipped’ tyres introduced into Stagecoach fleet

TYRE TECHNOLOGY

Michelin is taking the first steps to combine the introduction of a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips in tyres for large commercial vehicle fleets. The company believes that its new ‘communicating’ tyres not only make it possible to obtain tyre pressure and temperature data easily, they will ensure flawless traceability of bus, coach, truck and trailer tyres throughout multiple lives in service. This new generation of tyres are currently being introduced across a fleet of 100 double-decker buses operated by Stagecoach in London, which is the first major European customer. Michelin is confident the introduction points the way to new methods of managing tyres, and hopes more commercial vehicle fleets will benefit soon. At the heart of the development is an RFID chip and antennae assembly, weighing 0.2 grams and 5cm long, which is built into the Michelin X InCity tyre casing. In conjunction with a separate wheel rim mounted TPMS, the chip enables key data

including the tyre pressure, temperature and the serial number of the tyre to be identified using an easy-to-use probe that can also record tread depths. The probe provides an electronic link between the tyre and a data processing system, with all information quickly downloaded into a handheld PDA unit. Bill Schafer, commercial director of Michelin’s Truck and Bus division in the UK, explains: “This new technology allows a technician to gather complete, extremely accurate tyre information in significantly less time than via a manual inspection. It also makes pressure checks safer; and since the valve is not opened, there is no loss of air. The increased speed of these checks will help fleets ensure their tyres remain in optimum condition for longer. This brings multiple benefits, since tyres maintained at the correct pressure last longer and improve fuel efficiency, which in turn reduces CO2 emissions.” Michelin estimates that a tyre inflated to 1 bar less than the recommended pressure increases fuel consumption by up to 0.4 litres per 100 km. Tyres inflated 10 per cent

below the recommended level experience a 15 per cent reduction in tyre life, whilst 30 per cent underinflation reduces tyre life by 50 per cent. Studies of fleet operations also show that 75 per cent of tyre-related incidents are due to slow air leaks. The introduction of this combined TPMS and RFID technology to the Stagecoach fleet in London is part of Michelin’s vision for the future. Schafer explains: “The goal is to continue putting the pieces in place to enable this new technology to be incorporated in more Michelin tyres, and made available to a wider customer base. We see TPMS and RFID-equipped tyres representing the future for many large commercial vehicle fleets.” The RFID chip needs no battery as it is powered by the electromagnetic waves given off during data collection. Chip lifespan is considerably longer than that of the tyre, and it is uniquely designed to survive Michelin’s Remix remoulding process, enabling the same sensor to be used in all stages of Michelin’s Four Lives offer. Furthermore, the chip cannot be worn off or lost, as a bar code label can, because it is embedded in the tyre’s construction. L

tinyurl.com/cy7o2ob

NEWS IN BRIEF Hydrogen taxis trialledduring OlympicsAs part of a two-year trial project supported by HyTEC (Hydrogen Transport for European Cities), five hydrogen fuel cell black cabs developed by Intelligent Energy were used to transport VIPs and dignitaries around London during this summers Olympic Games. To support them, a hydrogen fuelling station has been installed at Heathrow Airport, with an additional site planned in central London. Weighing in at just over two tonnes (2180kg), the hydrogen cabs can get from 0-60 mph in 13 seconds - 10 seconds quicker than a standard London taxi. Top speed is just over 80 mph, with a 250 mile range on a single tank of hydrogen. Feedback from the drivers of the hydrogen taxis during the Games has been positive. Taxi driver Phil

Davis, who has over 30 years experience of driving conventional London taxis commented: “It drives very well. With the fuelling stations being put in place hopefully more people will have the opportunity to ride in a hydrogen fuel cell powered taxi.” Boris Johnson, Mayor of London commented: “These prototype zero-emission taxis are a shining example of British ingenuity, combining revolutionary fuel cell technology with an iconic design classic. This marks an important milestone in my goal to create a cleaner cab fleet. Affordable and low polluting cabs are within our grasp and I urge manufacturers to accelerate efforts to produce them.” The car was developed by Intellugent Energy and the London Taxi company. L

Millbrook hosts CENEX 2012Cenex, the UK’s centre of excellence for low carbon and fuel cell technologies, will host its fifth annual Low Carbon Vehicle (LCV) event on September 5 and 6 at Millbrook Proving Ground. Neil Fulton, group head of powertrain engineering and sales at Millbrook Proving Ground, stated: “The sharp rise in the number of low carbon vehicles over recent years has seen a shift in development, testing and approval procedures and Millbrook is playing a key role in bringing these types of vehicle to market.” L

www.cenex.co.uk tinyurl.com/bnnhdec

Next Green Car 2012 winners announcedNext Green Car has announced the nine winners of the Next Green Car Awards 2012, including the ‘Next Generation’ Award, which includes new technology models that are confirmed to launch beyond 2012. An overall winner is also awarded the title of Next Green Car ‘Gold Award’ 2012.The nine winners are selected from shortlists of 26 of the UK’s greenest new cars of 2012/13, all selected for their environmental Green Car Rating (GCR), level of innovation, value, drive experience and design. As noted by Dr. Ben Lane, managing editor of Next Green Car: “The 2012 winners

reflect two key elements underlying current green car development: downsizing and electrification. Three of the winners are brand new models and follow the design philosophy of ‘small is beautiful’. Over half of the winners also incorporate electric drive-trains, either as pure electric cars, plug-in hybrids or with start-stop.” He continues: “Indeed, the Next Green Car Gold Award 2012 goes to the highly innovative Renault ZOE Z.E. which for the first time offers a zero-emission all-electric supermini to the UK car buyer.”In receiving the Gold Award 2012, Andy

Heiron, head of Electric Vehicle Programme, Renault UK said: “We’re delighted that ZOE has collected not just one, but two awards from Next Green Car, several months before it even launches in the UK; especially the prestigious Next Green Car Gold Award. With an affordable price tag, stylish design and great technology including six world premieres such as its innovative Chameleon charger with fast charge capability and the R-Link internet connected integrated touch-screen tablet, we have very high hopes for the fourth model in our electric vehicle range.” L

TO SEE THE LIST OF WINNERS VISITwww.nextgreencar.com/awards-2012


GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE | Volume 5712

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NEWS IN BRIEF4.1 million US charging stations by 2017New analysis from Frost & Sullivan finds that there will be approximately 4.1 million charging points by 2017. Most common ones will be the level one charging stations - plugged in a household socket which takes approximately 8 to 10 hours to charge the vehicle and does not involve any installation cost. Level 2 will account for 27 percent of the market share by 2017. Nearly 87 percent of the EVs are expected to be charged in residential locations, as they will be parked in the garage for 10 to 12 hours in a day. L

Jenner re-elected as ACFO chairmanJulie Jenner has been re-elected as chairman of ACFO, with Damian James elected to the newly created post of deputy chairman. ACFO has a six-strong board of directors and the duo were unanimously elected to serve in 2012/13 by their colleagues: John Pryor, car fleet and travel manager, Arcadia Group; Phil Redman, fleet manager, IBM UK, Caroline Sandall, fleet manager, Barclays Bank, and Brian Ingham, fleet manager at T W Birk & Sons who also serves as ACFO’s finance director. Jenner, key solutions manager at GE Capital Fleet Services, has served as chairman since being first elected in 2006. She was elected to the ACFO board in 2003. L

ITS world congress deals with mobilityWithin the theme ‘Smarter on the way’, the ITS World Congress, which takes place in Vienna on 22-26 October, is set to feature innovative systems for the improvement of mobility. The energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly transport policy using intelligent systems and services has continually proved to be of great importance in Europe and worldwide. Austria in particular is calling for an exceedingly high degree of well-balanced freight and passenger mobility using multimodality. The main Demonstration Area will showcase state of the art cooperative mobility services based on vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. L

2012.itsworldcongress.com

www.automotive.frost.com

Rimac brings Concept_one to Syon ParkThe Rimac Concept_One electric hyper car will make its debut at this year’s Salon Prive, the Supercar Event held in September at London’s Syon Park. The car has the capability of producing the equivalent of 1,088 bhp from its 92-kWh battery, which powers four sets of electric motors, one at each wheel. All four systems can operate independently and accelerate and decelerate hundreds of times per second.

The Concept_One’s performance is impressive, with 0-60 mph in just 2.8 seconds. It also has the ability to reach a top speed of 190 mph and a range of 373 miles. 24-year-old Croatian Rimac Automobili CEO, Mate Rimac, said: “We started with a blank sheet of paper. The idea was to create an exceptional supercar with a new propulsion concept. What we have here is a fully-fledged hypercar that is as powerful as a Bugatti, as stylish as a Ferrari, and as luxurious as a Mercedes, all while managing to forsake even the tiniest sip of gasoline.” L

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Qualcomm signs Renault and Delta Motorsport for Wireless charging trialQualcomm has announced that Delta has agreed to integrate the Qualcomm Halo™ Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC) system into its Delta E-4 Coupé electric vehicles, which are intended for deployment in Qualcomm’s London WEVC trial. A memorandum of understanding has also been signed with Renault, also taking part in the trial. The London WEVC trial is scheduled to commence in the second half of 2012 and is expected to be supported by a cross section of stakeholders, including government departments as well as commercial and private sector enterprises, with the objective to evaluate the commercial viability of wireless charging. Delta Motorsport and Renault will also sit on a steering committee for the London trial and to provide support for the London Trial. “Our intended participation in the WEVC

London trial with Qualcomm complements Renault’s European research and development project involving 10 partners to demonstrate wireless inductive charging of electric vehicles in a public environment with a high level of performance and safety,” said Jacques Hebrard, vice president of Energy and Environment Advanced Projects director at Renault. Nick Carpenter, technical director at Delta Motorsport, stated: “Wireless EV Charging is the next technology step for the Delta E-4 Coupé, while the integration of Qualcomm Halo EV charging technology into the Delta E-4 Coupé and rigorous user testing in the London trial will help us better understand future EV engineering challenges.” L

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WIRELESS CHARGING



* = 2012-13 tax year. General Motors UK Limited does not offer tax advice and recommends that all Company Car Drivers consult their own accountant with regards to their particular tax position. ** = Excludes fuel and lubricants; congestion charges; parking and speeding fi nes and the £250 insurance excess (if applicable). 3 Day Test Drive vehicles are subject to availability and terms and conditions apply. Please refer to www.3daytestdrive.co.uk for full terms and conditions. Drivers must be 25 years or older and is available for Mainland UK only. † = Telephone lines are open Monday-Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm excluding Bank Holidays. ‡ = Telephone lines are open Monday-Friday, 8.00am to 5.30pm excluding Bank Holidays. All calls may be recorded or monitored for quality and/or training purposes. All fi gures quoted correct at time of publication (July 2012) and refer to featured model only (Insignia hatchback Tech Line 2.0CDTi 16v (160PS) ecoFLEX Start/Stop), all features quoted apply to full Insignia Tech Line range. Model shown features metallic paint, optional at extra cost. Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty covers lifetime ownership of fi rst car owner, 100,000 mile limit, annual check required. The warranty excludes wear and tear and serviceable items and the vehicle must be serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s servicing schedule to continue the Lifetime Warranty. Terms and conditions apply. Offer available to all Vauxhall passenger cars, (this offer does not apply to car derived vans) registered from 1 August 2010.

Offi cial Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption fi gures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). Insignia hatchback and Sports Tourer Tech Line range: Urban 35.3 (8.0)-55.4 (5.1), Extra-urban 58.9 (4.8)-76.3 (3.7), Combined 47.9 (5.9)-65.7 (4.3). CO2 emissions 155-114g/km.

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VFL5058.002 GF 210x297 AW.indd 1 10/07/2012 11:11

New Company Car tax rules ‘even more misguided than the Pasty Tax’ says BVRLA chief John Lewis

COMPANY CAR TAX

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association has written to HM Treasury to express concern over the business car tax measures outlined by the Chancellor and has assembled a ‘Business Car Taxation Taskforce’ to develop lobbying strategies and technical arguments against what it sees as discrimination against the sector. The Budget announced last March introduced a series of changes to the company car tax regime and made it much harder for BVRLA members and their customers to claim tax relief (Capital Allowances) on lease and rental vehicles. Documents obtained by the BVRLA under the Freedom of Information Act show that the Government hopes to earn an extra £2bn from company car tax between 2013 and 2017 and make nearly one million fewer business cars eligible for 100 per cent first year or standard tax relief during the same period. The association believes

that these changes will place an even more disproportionate tax burden on essential road transport users and remove a vital stimulus for the ultra-low carbon vehicle market. “Tax incentives for reducing fleet emissions have worked too well and the government is worried about falling revenues”, said BVRLA chief executive John Lewis. “But these measures are ill-advised, unfair and over aggressive. There is almost total consensus across the road transport and automotive industry that the government is in danger of erecting a massive roadblock across the road to low-carbon motoring”. The newly-formed taskforce plans to commission an independent report that will use member statistics and other data to challenge unfair elements of the government’s Capital Allowances regime. In particular it wants to reverse the decision to remove the 100% first-year capital allowances available on low-emission vehicles from leased cars,

which would also impact rental firms. The group will also seek to challenge the continuing application of the Lease Rental Restriction, which prevents companies deducting the full cost of leasing or renting certain cars from their taxable profits. The BVRLA has already started trying to persuade the government to introduce a more gradual increase in company car tax for people driving cars emitting between 0 and 75g/km CO2 after April 2015. At the moment, these cars will go from either being taxed at a zero rate or 5% of their P11D price to a 13% rate overnight. It is already making company drivers hold back on choosing an ultra-low emission car while they re-evaluate the impact on their take home pay. “We understand the need for austerity measures, but this assault on essential road users will result in more harm to the environment. It is even more misguided than the Pasty Tax,” said Lewis. L

Produced in association with manufacturer Peugeot and consultancy firm Deloitte, the digital publication incorporates all the tax changes made in the recent Budget, and helps users compare the key features and accounting treatments of different funding methods including contract hire, finance lease, contract purchase, hire or lease purchase and outright purchase. “Credit is not as easy to find as it used to be, but locating independent information about different funding methods is almost as great a challenge,” said BVRLA chief executive, John Lewis. “With companies focusing so hard now on the whole-life cost and tax-efficiency of their fleets, it is more important than ever to choose the right type of vehicle finance. This publication is a good starting place for any business exploring its fleet funding options.” Dan Rees, senior manager in Deloitte Car Consulting said: “Vehicle funding is an essential fleet decision. Various changes to tax rules have meant that there can be a big difference between the least and most expensive options, which is accentuated by the financial position of the

acquiring company and the type of vehicle. “We recommend checking the financial comparison between buying or leasing a fleet car, particularly if this hasn’t been reviewed for some years. It is also important to ensure that the right cars are being acquired. “Some vehicles have a better after-tax whole life cost than others, so it is always worth looking beyond the price to the total financial impact on the business taking into account hidden tax costs.” Phil Robson, fleet sales director at Peugeot, believes the new guide is being launched at just the right time: “We are seeing growing fleet demand for our vehicles, which have a great whole life cost proposition. This guide will help make fleet buyers better informed, which can only be a good thing.” L

New guide explains vehicle funding methods

FLEET FINANCE

The number of employees with company cars has fallen by a quarter in the UK over the past eight years, new figures have revealed. There were 1.3 million company cars in 2002, but this had fallen to 970,000 by 2010 - the most recent year available - according to a new Benefits in Kind report published by HM Revenue and Customs. The statistics revealed that in total, just over 3.8 million individuals received around £7.5 billion of taxable benefits in 2009/10, resulting in a tax liability of £2.3 billion and national insurance contributions of £1bn. The most popular benefit in kind was private medical and dental insurance, which was enjoyed by 2.26 million employees. But proportionally, car benefits accounted for 50 per cent of the total value of all taxable benefits. However, experts predicated that the downward trend in the number of company cars would continue when tighter rules governing taxation in this area were introduced in 2014. Capital allowance relief on cars is due to be adjusted, with vehicles with a CO2 emission above 130 grams – rather than the current 160 grams – subject

to a 15 per cent restriction, which is likely to increase the cost of leasing cars. Low emission cars currently attract 100 per cent capital allowances, a relief that will be extended for a further two years but will not be available to leasing companies. In addition, the taxable benefit on cars will increase by 1 per cent from April 2014, which will add cost to employees with company cars emitting more than 75 grams of CO2. There was also a rise in the fuel scale charge in April 2012, increasing the car fuel benefit charge multiplier from £18,800 to £20,200. “Clearly all these announcements call for employers to review their company car policy, and creates huge uncertainty over the future of company cars and the leasing industry as a whole,” said Alastair Kendrick, tax director at accountancy firm MHA MacIntyre Hudson. “Employees most likely to be affected are those who have taken low emission cars via a salary sacrifice car scheme and are, in addition to the taxable benefit, taking a salary reduction to cover the employer’s cost of leasing the car.” L

Latest figures show sharp decline in company cars

COMPANY CARS

Tax & Finance

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE tinyurl.com/c8h7uo7



Written by Cosm

in Codrea, research programm

e officer, European Comm

ission

Transport is a major driver of Europe’s economic competitiveness and growth. The transport industry and the related equipment manufacturing accounts for seven per cent of the Union’s GDP. Transport is, at the same time, a societal challenge. It is responsible for over 20 per cent of the overall energy consumption and for 25 per cent of the CO2 emissions in the EU. Road transport is by far the largest consumer and emitter, with a share of over 80 per cent in energy consumption and over 90 per cent in greenhouse gas emissions. The scarcity of fossil fuels, the environmental burden, the need for efficient and sustainable use of energy sources and the increasing rates of urbanisation leading to heavy traffic congestion and air pollution in cities are all demanding new mobility means and models. Citizens, the industry and public authorities are all equally challenged. The European automotive industry - vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and aftermarket - is a key sector for the European economy, providing over 12 million direct and indirect jobs and a positive contribution to the trade

balance. Europe has several high-quality premium vehicle brands, a large and diversified volume segment and worldwide strongest Tier 1 suppliers. European companies are spending more on automotive R&D (30 billion Euro per year) than in other sectors or world regions. The industry is strong and organised. However the decreasing European market and the rapid growth of third markets are expected to reshape this sector in the coming decades. Overcapacity and high cost-pressure are further important factors.

THE ROLE OF THE EUTo tackle short to long-term challenges in transport closely linked to industrial, environmental, energy and social policy, the European Union is assuming the role of coordinating efforts and raising awareness across the continent. Major impact is achieved through policy-based adjustment and streamlining of the regulatory framework on one hand and the direct support to research and innovation on the other. This is complemented by efforts for interoperability

and standardisation, testing and piloting and the support of public procurement. There is a range of EU policy actions addressing the abovementioned challenges to provide a frame for the necessary transformations in the transportation and automotive sector. Among them, the 2008 Climate and Energy Package has set the all-encompassing ‘20-20-20 targets’ aiming at 20 per cent improvements in greenhouse gas emissions, share of renewables and energy efficiency, all to be met by 2020. The 2011 Transport White Paper has defined key goals in transport by 2050, including a 60 per cent cut in emissions and the banning of conventionally fuelled cars in cities. The re-launched CARS21 initiative has gathered industrial stakeholders and public authorities to agree on a long-term vision for the automotive industry, with concrete implementation pathways. The final report was published in summer 2012 (tinyurl.com/847u436). With respect to EC regulation, the CO2 emission thresholds for vehicles are currently the main driver for technological development. From 2020 onwards, this regulation sets a target of 95 g CO2/km as average emissions for the new fleet of passenger cars and 147 g CO2/km for vans. Research, development and innovation are supported through several instruments and EU programmes, mainly by means of the European Green Cars Initiative Public-Private Partnership (PPP). It is complemented by the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) and its continuation from 2014 onwards - Horizon 2020, by the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP), as well as by ENIAC, ARTEMIS and the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertakings.

EUROPEAN GREEN CARS INITIATIVEThe European Green Cars Initiative (EGCI) is one of the three Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) of the European Economic Recovery Plan announced in 2008. It supports R&D on E

SMART MOBILITY: BUILDING THE PATHWAY FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLESWith Europe expected to account for a quarter of electric vehicle sales by 2020, Cosmin Codrea, research programme officer in the components Unit of the European Commission, outlines recent developments in the European Green Cars Initiative in the context of European research and development support for electro-mobility.

European Initiatives

ELECTRO-MOBILITY



E technologies and infrastructures essential for breakthroughs in the use of renewable and non-polluting energy sources, safety and traffic fluidity. A total of one billion Euro is made available for R&D through joint funding programmes of the European Commission, the industry and the member states, with EU grants of 500 million Euro in total. In addition, European Investment Bank loans of four billion Euro are open to applications from stakeholders involved in transport research. Due to the horizontal character of the topic, various services of the European Commission work tightly together in this PPP: DG Research and Innovation, DG for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT, former DG Information Society and Media), DG Mobility and Transport, DG Energy, DG Environment and DG Enterprise and Industry. An industrial advisory group plays the role of a high-level forum for the strategic dialogue between the European Commission and the industrial sectors concerned. The industry is represented there through the European Technology Platforms ERTRAC, EPoSS and SmartGrids. They assume the elaboration of strategic roadmaps and make recommendations for the annual calls for proposals. Under the EGCI, the R&D topics are structured along three streams - electrification, heavy-duty and logistics - with a main focus on the electrification of mobility and road transport. Three rounds of annual calls for proposals have been launched since July 2009, and in response, more than 80 collaborative research projects have started or are currently being launched. They are mainly pre-competitive in nature. A natural question is raised concerning the added value of this instrument, especially in relation to national programmes and the intensity of private funding within the industry itself. The answer is provided directly by the industrial stakeholders: the initiative has created an effective framework for swift cross-border cooperation across the value-chain. Furthermore, it facilitates larger demonstration pilots and interoperability projects difficult to implement on a national level.

ELECTRIFICATION AND ICTMid-to-long-term greenhouse gas and emission reduction targets in transport and oil dependence mitigation are accelerating the development of propulsion systems beyond the internal combustion engine. Electric and hybrid technologies are solutions that are gradually penetrating the global markets at a pace depending on a) CO2

regulation, b) oil price and availability, c) the cost of energy storage, d) the availability of infrastructure and c) of a green energy mix. The European industry is committed to electrification and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) will have a high share of ca. 40 per cent in the value of an electric car. They are likely to become an

increasingly important brand differentiator. Europe is expected to account for more than 25 per cent of global electric vehicle sales in 2020. This assumes the availability of early-adopter consumers and governments to intensively promote electric vehicle programmes. Overall, there seems to be a broad consensus around a 10 per cent penetration of electric vehicles in 2020. Europe has excellent research on basic components, electronics, microsystems and smart systems and is leading in sensor technology, power electronics and electric motors. For instance, in 2008, 45 per cent of the worldwide 1.7 billion Euro revenue in automotive sensors was with European companies. There are leading European IC manufacturers for high voltage, high power and smart components. Embedded software and architectures are key to future automotive ICT systems and Europe took a lead in layered systems with AUTOSAR. The European electronics industry is cross-linked to a large extent to automotive applications. Electro-mobility is a chance for Europe to lead in automotive electronics with a significant impact on employment and further spillover effects, e.g. on the consumer industry. Suppliers and component developers are system integrators providing 70-75 per cent of the value of a vehicle. They are closely linked with vehicle OEMs and will benefit from vehicle electrification independent of technology, i.e. battery, hybrid or fuel-cell. Electro-mobility is at present one of the few job-creating sub-sectors of the automotive industry, with OEMs also retraining staff to gain competences in electrification. The overall efficiency gains made possible through vehicle electrification are considerable and would alone justify this technological pursuit. They encompass not only the highly

efficient electric motor and an optimised transmission, but also the benefits of electrified auxiliaries and cooperative systems. With the present electricity mix, there is no general consensus on a clear well-to-wheel emissions benefit of electric cars over conventionally fuelled ones. However, the continuously increasing share of green electricity is giving this technology a further competitive edge.

THE DECADE AHEADICT are transformative technologies underpinning innovation and competitiveness across a broad range of public and private markets and sectors. Over the next decade, the transformative impact of digital technologies, components, smart and embedded systems, ICT-enabled infrastructures and interoperable services will be increasingly visible in transport and mobility. A ‘Smart Mobility’ concept encompasses various technologies paving the way for the electric, smart, efficient and connected car of the future. DG CONNECT is responsible for the ICT theme within the Green Cars Initiative, with a funding budget of 120 million Euro. The focus lies on the objective ‘ICT for Fully Electric Vehicles’ addressing vehicles with a significant range on pure battery based power. The first three calls for proposals yielded 25 research projects with a strong industrial and SME participation. They cover a large spectrum of vehicle electrification technologies, e.g. electric powertrains, energy and battery management, electronic architectures, electrified auxiliaries, vehicle dynamics, stability, and safety as well as vehicle-to-grid and cooperative systems. The major goals of this investment are the improvement of the cost/performance ratio of the vehicles and their integration into the infrastructure with a positive impact on the

Euro

pean

Initi

ative

s

ELECTRO-MOBILITY



competitiveness of the automotive industry. In addition, four projects under the ‘ICT for Transport’ theme of the ICT Policy Support Programme of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) were launched at the beginning of 2012.At the same time, an external contractor has been commissioned to carry out a study assessing ‘The impact of ICT R&D on the large-scale deployment of electric vehicles’. Key stakeholders have been consulted to provide the state of play of the automotive sector as well as recommendations for future R&D activities in this context. The final report of the study will be made public at the end of 2012.

ICT FOR FULLY ELECTRIC VEHICLESThe fourth and last call for proposals under FP7 has been recently launched and will close on December 4th 2012. It has a funding budget of 40 million Euro for two research target outcomes (39 million) and one Coordination and Support Action (1 million). Research projects may address one or both R&D topics, i.e. ‘Advanced System Architecture’ and ‘Comprehensive Energy Management’. The Coordination Action is expected to focus on SME activities and international cooperation. All details concerning the rules of participation, the target outcomes and the expected impact of this and the simultaneous coordinated calls of the EGCI are available through the FP7 Participants’ Portal on Cordis. The ICT Proposers’ Day 2012 is an opportunity for stakeholders to network, present ideas for proposals and establish consortia. The high success rate of the previous calls of 40-50 per cent is expected to be a strong incentive for participation. Potential participants and consortia are encouraged to pursue a high level of vehicle integration and exploitation. This usually

implies that the proposed project includes an end-user and/or a vehicle manufacturer. Fleet operators are considered possible early adopters of electric vehicles, usually taking advantage of specificities like operation in defined areas with predictable load and daily ranges, a central planning of daily routes and the availability of at least one central charging/fuelling station. In this context, they could become valuable consortium partners or contribute to so-called pre-commercial procurement schemes.

HORIZON 2020Horizon 2020 is the new framework programme for research and innovation for the period 2014-2020. The Commission proposal foresees a budget of 88 billion Euro (current prices) for research activities with a main focus on innovation. It will preserve the stakeholder engagement, maintaining and possibly extending the Joint Undertakings and the PPPs. Fewer, more flexible and user-friendly funding schemes are proposed with a reinforced support for SMEs. The programme is thematically structured along three pillars, i.e. Scientific Excellence, Industrial Competitiveness and Societal Challenges. While the latter covers the ‘Smart, green and integrated transport’ theme, electric vehicle technologies and building blocks are likely to be supported also under

the theme ‘Leadership in enabling industrial technologies’ of the Competitiveness pillar. The continuation of the EGCI PPP is currently explored by public authorities through a consultation process with representative industrial stakeholders (tinyurl.com/bwaa3zt)

CONCLUSIONSSmart electric mobility is a major priority to address acute global challenges and is an opportunity for Europe to lead and innovate in automotive electronics and ICT. The Green Cars Initiative PPP has been paving the way for focused, cooperative research, development and coordination actions. All in all, investing in research and innovation for a smarter, greener and integrated transport system and the competitiveness of the automotive sector is expected to make an important contribution to the Europe 2020 goals of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. L

ABOUT THE AUTHORCosmin Codrea is research programme officer in the ‘components’ Unit of the European Commission, Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology - DG CONNECT. He is coordinating the objective ‘ICT for Fully Electric Vehicles’ under the European Green Cars Initiative Public-Private Partnership.

Over the next decade, the transformative impact of digital technologies, components, smart and embedded systems, ICT-enabled infrastructures and interoperable services will be increasingly visible in transport and mobility.

European InitiativesDEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT – www.greenfleet.net


Written by M

atthew Lum

sden

The United Kingdom is the world’s eighth largest emitter of CO, with transport currently accounting for 24 per cent of the country’s emissions. Acting on transport’s role in mitigating this is an increasing priority in both national and local policy. If a reduction in carbon emissions of 91 per cent at 2008 levels is to be achieved in the UK by 2020, radical changes need to be made to certain aspects of the country’s behaviour. Policies focusing on reducing the need to travel (modal shift), through promoting the use of sustainable transport, will go a long way to decarbonising transport. However, the current Government feeling is that simply forcing people out of their cars is too pessimistic an approach and that low and ultra-low emissions technologies, such as electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids, offer the potential to reduce emissions but still allow people the personal mobility they want and need. Local authorities are seen as key to changing constituent communities. By developing effective electrical vehicle recharging infrastructures, many local authorities will see considerable environmental, social and economic benefits in their local communities – but importantly carbon and other transport emissions will be reduced.

PLANNING DECISIONSBefore reaping the benefits of any EV infrastructure, local authorities need to make important decisions in the planning stages. One of these is how best to approach the project and manage relations between key stakeholders. The adoption of a multi-stakeholder approach to implementation has proved most popular among many local authorities. In fact, many of the most successful EV infrastructure projects to date have been those that have given a high priority to identifying and engaging with key stakeholders right from the outset. The implementation of any EV infrastructure project will involve a wide range of stakeholders from both the public and private sectors. After initial contact, ongoing stakeholder and information management is critical to ensure commitment to a process that can otherwise be protracted. In addition,

there are also a vast number of challenges and opportunities involved in this approach. Within local authorities, a range of individuals are likely to need to be involved, from strategy development through to town and county planning, transport planning, parking, facilities, property, fleet management, climate change, sustainability etc. These functions need to be involved at different stages, but communication approaches that manage all parties through a ‘journey’ have proved particularly effective.

MANAGING STAKEHOLDERSAlong with internal stakeholders there are also a number of external stakeholder relations which must be effectively managed. One of these is with Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) for charging equipment installation. These organisations are important to the process for three reasons. Firstly, they are only obliged to respond to enquiries within E

Car park operators provide an alternative approach to providing public charging infrastructure. NCP has already started to install charge points in several of its sites around the UK

EV INFRASTRUCTURE

PLUGGING IN: A LOCAL PARTNERSHIP APPROACH TO INFRASTRUCTUREMatthew Lumsden, author of the recent IET Standards report ‘Successfully Implementing a Plug-in Vehicle Infrastructure’, explores the challenges and opportunities for local authorities of a multi-stakeholder approach to implementing an electrical vehicle infrastructure.

EV InfrastructureDEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT – www.greenfleet.net


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E 90 days, so working closely with them to develop efficient lines of communication can be beneficial to all parties. Secondly, DNOs need to be involved in choosing charge point locations to ensure that the most economic connections are located. And thirdly, DNOs need to approve any connections into their network, as detailed in the Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation (IET Standards Limited, 2012). Electricity suppliers should also be involved and, in particular, the local authority’s incumbent provider. Suppliers are important because some have chosen to sponsor schemes, or offer EV-related tariffs and will also need to provide meters to the scheme.

DEMONSTRATING INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENTSince plug-in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure are of little use without each other, working with plug-in vehicle manufacturers and retailers can also help present a joined-up proposition to customers. For example, strong working partnerships between Charge Your Car and Nissan in the north-east and between Source East, Ford and GM in the east of England have enabled dealers to demonstrate to vehicle purchasers that a local charging infrastructure is in development. Local authorities vary in terms of how much parking they own within their areas: for example, Sheffield City Council owns the majority of the car parks in Sheffield city centre but by contrast Leeds owns very few. In either case, car park operators provide an alternative approach to providing public charging infrastructure. NCP has already started to install charge points in several of its sites around the UK. Early discussions with independent car park operators could significantly affect the extent to which local authorities choose to install their own charge points. Many projects have successfully worked with

major employers, landowners, retailers and leisure service providers to create a distributed infrastructure. Some, such as Little Chef, are developing infrastructure at a national level while others are currently focusing on trialling it on a few pioneering sites. In any event, large organisations often have complex decision-making processes, so early engagement is essential. Given the pace of change in the industry, it is worth engaging with technology

providers or an independent source of expertise at an early

stage. Charge point costs, areas of functionality,

refinements and designs are changing rapidly, so it is important to develop a system that incorporates up-to-date technology.

By way of example, Charge Your Car

in the north-east of England, by necessity as a

Plugged in Places (PiP) pioneer, installed many street side, single socket 3kW, ground-mounted charge points with normal 13A plugs. Two years later most projects are now installing double socket units that are generally tending towards 7kW, plugs are now being upgraded to

Type 2 and, wherever possible, projects are typically installing wall-mounted units, and only street-side where this is unavoidable.

BRISTOL GATEWAYA good example of this multi-stakeholder approach to EV infrastructure implementation can be seen with Bristol City Council. With an aim of providing a ‘gateway’ for EV users, the council has successfully worked with the private sector to develop optimum results. The council is currently working with Polar to install charging points in privately owned car parks in the Bristol area. One of the car parking operators on board with the project is the national car parking provider, NCP. In addition the Council is also keen to develop links with the Ecotricity motorway rapid charge network and facilitate travel into Wales, where several hotels and guesthouses have installed charge points. A multi-stakeholder approach to local EV infrastructure planning is the most effective way of ensuring that a project draws on the most up to date and specialised knowledge available – as well as ensuring that implementation can be affected as smoothly as possible in the long term. In addition this approach can also help to improve EV driver experience by improving interoperability i.e. the ability for EV drivers to use different charging networks. Project developers should talk to other network operators and in particular those operating adjoining networks to enable EV drivers to cover as much distance as possible with minimal inconvenience. By ensuring that all stakeholders, both internal and external, are engaged with any EV project from the beginning, any challenges or opportunities can be identified in the early planning stages of the project. This will help local authorities to deliver an EV infrastructure in the most efficient and cost effective way. L

ABOUT THE AUTHORMatthew Lumsden is a sustainable transport and EV infrastructure specialist and managing director of Future Transport Systems Ltd.

EV Infrastructure

EV INFRASTRUCTURE

Charge Your Car aims to become largest ‘open source’ charging network

Charge Your Car Limited will present its plans for the UK’s largest pay-as-you-go, open source network of public charging stations at LCV 2012, which takes place on September 5 at Millbrook Proving Ground. Claiming to be the first national network open to all EV drivers, charge point hosts and network operators, and charge point manufacturers in the UK, Charge Your Car will outline how an open source approach to the creation and management of EV recharging infrastructure will facilitate the mass uptake of EVs. Alexandra Prescott, operations manager at Charge Your Car, said: “The UK has multiple regional networks of charge points in closed membership schemes, which is delaying the adoption of electric vehicles in the UK. EV users cannot ‘roam’ - they

need to join multiple membership schemes, pay multiple subscriptions, and use multiple means of accessing the charge points. This creates hassle and imposes unnecessary expense. “Most EV drivers charge at home overnight, so the public network is for topping up and extended-range journeys. We know from research that EV drivers want to be able to access charging infrastructure in the same way as they buy petrol or park their car: pay-as-you-go, without joining membership schemes or paying a monthly subscription.” Charge Your Car hopes to expand its current network of 400 public access charge points to 10,000 pay-as-you-go charge points across the UK. “The new service will be fully operational by next year,” said Prescott.

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With about 7.5 million units in service worldwide out of a total available market close to 300 million commercial vehicles, the Telematics industry shows huge potential. Amongst numerous industries, fleet management and vehicle leasing companies are the ones that are deriving significant business efficiencies due to different telematics’ applications. For instance, one of the key concerns of fleet operators is managing unforeseen budgeting risks arising out of unscheduled maintenance of vehicles. M2M technologies enable operators to provide real time event monitoring a long with real time information pertaining to transmission, engine performance and other pertinent vehicle health parameters. Visibilities into these aspects allow operators to foresee probable maintenance events early on and help them budget maintenance costs. Leasing companies and fleet management companies can significantly reduce their business risks by bringing down operating costs through better budgetary management. Additionally, they can also pre-empt potential heavy vehicle maintenance costs by taking corrective repair measures before, to prevent extensive damage to vehicle and parts.

STREAMLINE DRIVERS – INCREASE EFFICIENCYM2M telematics applications and technologies can also help fleet management companies streamline their employee management processes by regular monitoring of drivers and other staff that are associated with vehicles. These systems help operation managers understand driver behavior which includes actions such as start and end of work-day, stops control, private activity time, speeding and unnecessary braking, improper shifting of gears, tire pressure and break down monitoring, etc. It will help bring in discipline and other driver training and development aspects to the forefront.

DELIVER IN TIMEAdditionally, it will also help ensure timely delivery by effectively tracking the shipment and route optimizing using location based systems and GPS devices. This is possible because M2M technologies offer geo-fencing capabilities enabling corporations that operate fleets to alert drivers, if the person

or the vehicle goes off limits geographically making delivery more productive. This can result in a huge potential business gain as operators will significantly reduce shipment delay penalties. Dispatch can instantly identify trucks in the vicinity of a new call for pick-up, enabling the business to achieve cost-efficient routing as well as meeting customer service expectations. And the need and cost associated with purchasing and maintaining cell phones for drivers is also eliminated. Apart from fleet management and vehicle leasing companies, today, insurance companies, public transportation agencies, law enforcement & emergency response agencies are also turning to M2M technologies and applications to enhance efficiencies and business profitability.

REDUCE ACCIDENTS / INSURANCE COSTSFor instance, globally, insurance companies are reaping significant benefits. According to one of UK’s largest insurance companies, M2M and satellite based technologies have led to a reduction of 20 per cent in crashes involving young drivers. Insurance companies have started calculating their premiums based on driver behavior through a M2M device which is integrated into the car. This includes collecting data on braking and acceleration, cornering, speed and what time of day the car is driven. The data is then used to calculate insurance premiums - the better the driving, the lower the premium.

SOLUTIONS FOR A MARKETAs a market leader, Telit is already engaged in many solutions that help to solve the challenges modern fleet managers are facing. Consider for example, a general preference for the use of CDMA over GPRS in some regions. Or that the migration from 2G to 3G will happen faster than expected. Telit’s new 910 family offers pin-to-pin compatible footprint in 2G, 3G, CDMA and EVDO modules so that service providers can target all markets with only one board. Also for the situation that governments are imposing use of one satellite positioning network over another or prescribing higher location accuracy for some markets, Telit is able to solve that challenge. The new Jupiter JN family offers GPS only and GPS/GLONASS modules with compatible footprints, to reduce the number of boards even more. Another

key challenge for fleet managers is roaming and addressing new regions without going through time consuming carrier agreements and selection. Therefore we are able to provide through our new business unit, M2MAIR, value-added services including global coverage and flexible rate plans. Bundled with Telit’s wireless module technology, these services enable M2M solution providers to easily create and manage their M2M applications reducing the total-cost-of–ownership (TCO) necessary to operate and support M2M user-applications while ensuring highest quality and reliability. L

FURTHER INFORMATIONwww.telit.comwww.m2mair.com

TELEMATICS

M2M TELEMATICS APPLICATIONSCyril Zeller, senior sales director - Global Telematics Segment at Telit Wireless Solutions, explains how to leverage auto “mobile” data to enhance business effectiveness

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Telematics is one technology that businesses are more commonly embracing to deliver cost savings, with particular emphasis on helping reduce their fuel bill. In the last two years, the technology has really started to come of age, and is now much more than a simple way of locating and recovering stolen vehicles. By 2013, industry experts estimate that the European Telematics market could be worth more than £6bn. Research and consultancy specialist Frost & Sullivan’s findings point to fuel savings of 15 per cent achieved by companies that have successfully implemented a telematics solution. Supermarket giant Tesco saw an immediate reduction in fuel spend of 12 per cent as well as a 6 per cent reduction in vehicle damage after it introduced a telematics solution. The term telematics describes the process of long-distance transmission of computer-based information. It was first introduced in French by Simon Nora and Alain Minc in L’informatisation de la Société. Over recent years, telematics vehicle tracking and analytics have advanced significantly to allow detailed aggregated profiles of driving style and behaviour to be built.

YOUNG DRIVERS AT WORKThe Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) in Scotland has recently teamed up with MyDrive Solutions, an insurance telematics specialist, to launch a pilot project using telematics to monitor the

at-work driving of young people. The project, funded by the Scottish Government, will run until July 2013. The aim of the pilot is to identify how employers in Scotland can best make use of black boxes to help keep their staff and other road users safe. This is the first research of its kind in Scotland and the results will be used to promote the benefits of the technology and will act as a drive to encourage other employers to adopt it. The black box records second-by-second driver analysis data and sends it automatically at the end of every journey, providing a detailed

profile of each individual driver’s driving style, habits and capability, thus allowing the risk to be assessed accurately. A web portal will also be set up so an employer and its drivers can view the results and access further advice. Following the pilot, RoSPA will publish a report to show how the black box technology has helped to identify real-life driving habits of at-work drivers, as well as a best practice guide for employers on the use of the technology. Kathleen Braidwood, road safety officer, RoSPA Scotland, said: “By monitoring

driving every second, we can develop a detailed picture of the real-life driving habits of young at-work drivers. This black box technology then allows the risk to be assessed very easily and accurately. “Many companies are starting to use black boxes to monitor the at-work driving of their staff, and insurance companies are also increasingly using the technology to monitor how, when and where the young drivers who they insure are driving. They do this in order to provide feedback to the drivers and in some cases adjust insurance premiums to act as an incentive to discourage risk taking behaviours and improve driving skills. “Information gathered from this technology can not only help to motivate drivers and encourage better driving, but also to improve the reputation of the company and help reduce costs. This pioneering research will contribute to the commitment within Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020 and supports the recommendations within the National Young Driver Debate.” Talking about the use of telematics for younger drivers, Simon Douglas of the AA says: “Telematics can help moderate driver behaviour and ensure young drivers are more likely to drive safely rather than roar around in their cars.” Douglas also points out how telematics’ provides advantages for the wider driving community.

PRIVACY CONCERNSWhile on-board telematics can help with driver safety, its introduction has raised employee privacy concerns. Heather Angus, people and sustainability director at logistics company 3663, says she was mindful of such concerns when introducing the FleetWave system from Chevin. She told HR Magazine: “We made sure we implemented it after full consultation with employees and trade unions,” she says. “But actually it has been seen as a benefit by employees, as it justifies what they are doing and how hard they work.” Employers who implement vehicle tracking

systems should be aware that the use of information and data gathered by these systems are regulated by numerous pieces of legislation. The use of data and the actions taken by an employer or public body as a result of information gathered are governed under Data Protection, Human Rights and Employment Rights legislation. However, this protection is not explicit and well defined in relation to vehicle tracking itself and as such legal guidance should always be sought to ensure compliance with the law. E

Supermarket giant Tesco saw an immediate reduction in fuel spend of 12 per cent as well as a 6 per cent reduction in vehicle damage after it introduced a telematics solution.

FLEET TELEMATICS

TELEMATICS: IT’S GOOD TO TALKThis year is seen by many experts as the year telematics comes of age. Its potential to change driver behaviour, reduce insurance premiums and instigate fuel savings is massive.

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E SURVEY Earlier this year, ALD Automotive announced the results of a survey of five hundred UK business drivers, which reveals that nearly nine out of ten drivers would approve of having telematics installed in their vehicle, if it could help them to conserve fuel and reduce their annual fuel bill. Commenting on the survey results, Keith Allen, managing director of ALD Automotive UK, said: “Over the past seven years, telematics technology has evolved hugely, delivering a wide range of functionality that can help businesses to better manage the costs and risk associated with their fleet”. Keith Allen concludes: “At the same time business drivers have also become far more positive about the use of telematics, recognising the benefits it can deliver to themselves as well as their employers.”

INSURANCEAccording to automotive industry analysts SBD, by 2017 as many as 19 million drivers will rely on telematics insurance. The company has produced an assessment of the future growth potential for telematics insurance, along with an in-depth analysis of the opportunities and threats that this growth will present to the automotive industry (see tinyurl.com/d7x7ajp for further information). The basic idea of telematic auto insurance is that a driver’s behavior is monitored directly while the person drives and this information is transmitted to an insurance company, which then assesses the risk of that driver having an accident and charges insurance premiums accordingly. A driver who drives long distance at high speed, for example, will be charged a higher rate than a driver who drives short distances at slower speeds. Previously, a survey of over 2000 UK motorists by GoCompare showed that 92 per cent thought that pricing insurance this way is a much fairer way than the current system of using age, gender and claims history. This year the AA has announced its new Drivesafe telematics insurance product and TomTom has linked up with broker Motaquote to form a vehicle tracking Fair Pay Insurance Service, joining Admiral, The Cooperative and Swinton in offering UBI products.

BLUE SKY THINKINGBlue Sky Development & Regeneration is a not-for-profit grounds maintenance company providing employment for ex-offenders. It was established by the charity Groundwork Thames Valley, set up to give paid work to people coming out of prison, enabling them to move successfully into long-term employment. Blue Sky has employed nearly 500 ex-offenders and carries out grounds maintenance under contract to organisations in the private and public sectors. As controlling costs is essential, the organsation has utilised telematics capabilities to deliver fleet tracking and security. Steve

Finn of Blue Sky Development & Regeneration explains: “Telematics has become an integral part of our fleet management, providing detailed information on speeding, driver hours, mileage and journey times. All this helps us make real savings and look after our drivers. This helps us improve the efficiency across our workforce, helping us meet our Duty of Care by monitoring driving times and staff safely.”

DENNIS OLYMPIC TRIALS Bus and coach manufacturer Alexander Dennis (ADL) announced that solutions from Traffilog, a web-based telematics provider, were installed in their public service vehicles in time for the 2012 Olympic Games. Traffilog has also been selected by UK coach operator Kings Ferry to secure its fleet of coaches it supplied for the police and VIPs during the Games. With the Olympics this summer requiring the highest levels of security and safety, two Traffilog solutions, TraffiSafe and TraffiMech, were used in tandem. TraffiSafe detects dangerous and inefficient driving behavior, and TraffiMech transmits vehicle data in real time and detects any mechanical failure before it happens. Additional components

were specified for the Olympic Games implementation. The M2M device features the GE863-GPS advanced cellular modules from Telit Wireless Solutions that wirelessly transmits real-time driver and mechanical performance data to their fleet management centre, as well as enabling the remote control of the vehicle by authorities if deemed necessary. KWIK FIT GOES MOBILEKwik Fit is famed nationally as an expert provider of automotive repairs and servicing through its national network of over 650 centres. The company’s Mobile division has a fleet more than 200 vehicles offering private and commercial customers a nationwide call-out service for mobile tyre fitting, tyre replacement, wheel balancing and services. The company has recently invested in O2’s Drive m2m (machine-to-machine) technology, which is suitable for all vehicles including HGVs or contract cars and can be used by any business. Kwik Fit Mobile installed Drive into its entire fleet. NAVTEQ mapping was included as standard and gives Kwik Fit Mobile the ability to see where each vehicle is, in real-time. A thorough reporting system was also provided which produces daily, weekly and monthly records of vehicle movements and behaviours, complete with full data analysis for each

vehicle. Also installed was in-cab technology to give the drivers real-time feedback on their driving styles. Kwik Fit Mobile can now see clearly where its business operations can be improved, for example, where past jobs have resulted in driver detours or the crossing of engineers in the same area. In addition, up-to-date records are now held on every journey an employee makes, helping Kwik Fit Mobile fulfil its duty-of care responsibilities to employees and helping improve the welfare of drivers.

IN THE MIXA collaborative programme of risk reduction developed by bus operator RATP and MiX Telematics has been a major contributor to a significantly improved safety record, with the personal injury claim rate against RATP London United today reduced by 21 percent compared to its standing prior to the introduction of the programme. MiX Telematics assisted RATP in implementing a risk reduction scheme based on in-vehicle monitoring and targeted driver training designed to improve the behaviour of RATP’s drivers behind the wheel. “In the immediate programme post-launch period, we were encouraged to see

personal injury claims reduce by 14 percent,” said Owen Kirchin, Drive Well Coordinator for RATP London United. “Since then, we have been delighted at the manner in which the figure has continued to improve, as every personal injury claim has potentially significant consequences for the company.”

THE VALUE OF DATABeyond insurance, telematics has many applications, points out independent consultant Christopher Wilson, who told Telematics Update: “There are many, many uses. On the infrastructure side, we currently have traffic. But we can use data to better utilise, design and operate infrastructure, signal timing, where to build roads, how to manage lanes on a bridge, what speeds are being driven. On the vehicle side, for autonomous and semi-autonomous systems, we can use connected vehicle data to learn how vehicles should behave and make them feel ‘natural.’ The technical problems, for the most part, are not that hard to solve. The main challenges are around the business model.” L

FURTHER INFORMATIONwww.telematicsupdate.comwww.telematicsguide.comwww.uktelematicsonline.co.uk

The idea of telematic insurance is that a driver’s behavior is monitored and this information is transmitted to an insurance company, which then assesses the risk of that driver having an accident and charges insurance premiums accordingly.

TelematicsFLEET TELEMATICS



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costs taking you into the red?

Written by the Energy Saving Trust

Returning from a recent climate change summit in Rio, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced that from the start of next financial year, companies listed on the London Stock Exchange’s main market will have to report their annual greenhouse gas emissions. The UK will be the first country to make it compulsory for businesses to publish emissions data for their entire organisation. When it comes to environmental disclosure, Britain leads the way. The expectation is that public disclosure will encourage businesses to be as green as possible. With the public increasingly concerned about the effects of climate change, environmental concerns have become a point of competitive advantage. The transparency these new regulations will bring will enable investors, customers and the wider public to see which companies are managing greenhouse gas emissions best and which are just spouting hot air. The good news is that businesses have broadly welcomed the intervention. Of those taking part in the consultation process that led to the announcement, the majority agreed with the plans. Many organisations have seen that environmental reporting can help their public profile and already report emissions data in some form: in their annual reports or in special CSR reports, for example. Last year, 66 per cent of FTSE 350 respondents to a survey by PriceWaterhouseCoopers disclosed their emissions targets, up from 58 per cent in 2010. But just 38 per cent of respondents implemented specific emissions reduction measures to cut emissions in some or all of their businesses. So there’s still some way to go.

VOLUNTARY REPORTING The Energy Saving Trust, an independent social enterprise that delivers government-funded programmes, welcomes the Deputy Prime Minister’s announcement. As the first batch of large businesses begin to report their emissions data, others are likely to feel that they should do so voluntarily. With such transparency will come pressure to be as effective as possible and that will almost certainly reduce carbon emissions, as firms look at the areas that use most energy, such as travel and transport. Transport accounts for a substantial proportion of the country’s

energy use (39 per cent in 2010, the latest year for which figures are available). And more than a fifth of UK carbon dioxide emissions (22 per cent) in 2010 came from road transport. Getting transport policies – and the composition of the fleet – right can save considerable sums of money. This is because reducing emissions correlates with reduced energy consumption and, therefore, lower costs. By using less energy, efficient fleets can make a sizeable contribution towards UK carbon reduction targets. In short, relying less on cars and vans, and deploying appropriately sized vehicles for the task, cuts both carbon emissions and costs considerably. However, organisations often find significant cultural hurdles in realigning their fleet or making adjustments to travel policies, such as mandating when pool cars should be used or reducing mileage reimbursement rates. People like their cars. Firms are proud of their fleets. There are practicalities to address too; as businesses often rely on travel to meet suppliers, partners or customers, the use of vehicles for business journeys will continue. However, bad habits and poor practices can creep into even the most efficient of companies, so it’s worth taking a step back and looking at what actually happens in

the workplace. By making sure that delivery vans are utilised efficiently and that service engineers have all the necessary parts for a job, fuel, costs and time are all optimised. Efficient route planning that minimizes mileage achieves the same outcome. With careful thought and planning – and sometimes much consultation on the pathway to cultural change – much can be achieved.

GET READYThe time to undertake that planning process is now. Mandatory reporting of emissions is on the way for the largest firms, and now the process has begun, it may go further as the government will consider whether to extend the initiative to other businesses from 2016. For organisations wishing to future-proof themselves from legislative change, as well as craft a competitive advantage through their travel and transport policies, it makes sense to address the issue right away. L

FURTHER INFORMATIONThe Energy Saving Trust offers free Fleet Health Checks for fleets. Call our advice line on 0845 602 1425, email [email protected] or visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/fleet

EMISSIONS REPORTING

MANDATORY EMISSIONS REPORTING IS ON THE WAYMandatory emissions reporting is on the way. Directors of the UK’s largest companies need to have compliance and governance matters on their radar. Now another piece of regulation could help identify their businesses as responsible organisations writes the Energy Saving Trust

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1884 saw British engineer, Edward Butler, construct the first petrol internal combustion engine. Two years later saw Karl Benz use a combustion engine in first the patented car. Up popped Rudolph Diesel in 1893 with the first diesel combustion engine, and the fight was on for fuel supremacy. In the Noughties, we saw the birth of the first full production hybrid, and just as importantly, the re-birth of GreenFleet. The 2007 Arrive’n’Drive witnessed the re-introduction of EV technology, and despite there being some EVs on the road, it wasn’t until 2009 that we saw the first full production EV, in the form of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Since then we have been on a roller coaster ride as the manufacturers scrap for ultra low carbon supremacy.

EXTENDED RANGENow we have the birth of the E-REV - the Extended-Range Electric Vehicle. In the US, GM are hoping to make a big noise (a lot louder than the engine anyway) in the fleet sector with the introduction of the Chevrolet Volt.

Over here, its called the Vauxhall Ampera. Having now experienced it myself courtesy of Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, Vauxhall appear to have stolen a march on their rivals. The Ampera made its GreenFleet debut in 2011. It’s the first time I have ever seen fleet managers running to a manufacturers plot to book a test drive. The same happened in Scotland, and again in the North East, where they have made great progress in infrastructure. I had seen it in the flesh many-a-time, but needed to get behind the wheel and put it to the test myself. When it arrived, I was like a kid in a sweet shop. From the front, with its boomerang-shaped lights and air vents, it has the look of a sabre-toothed tiger. But prehistoric this isn’t. Touch the chrome button on the door handle and the chrome lock pops up inside. At first, I experience a bit of panic as the ceiling is having a go at my already thinning hair, but a quick adjustment lowers me into a more relaxed driving position. In fact, it’s so low, it feels like a sports car. A quick glance in the back and it’s apparent that this is a four-seater. That should

make no difference to the fleet sector, but not ideal for the taxi and private hire industry. I take a while to absorb the many features that this futuristic beast comes with. On the panel in front of me there is the fuel pump symbol, indicating how many miles left in the 30 litre petrol tank (more on that later) and it’s got around 60 miles left. Underneath is the large, green, battery level and range indicator, which is empty. At the bottom is a total range indicator, telling me what is achievable from both. Bang in the middle is the MPH, to the right shows what doors are open, and the top right tells you what mode you are in, according to the automatic box. Under this is a symbol that indicates driving style, in terms of acceleration and braking – which I found very useful - a kind of spirit level-type indicator. It moves up to indicate the application of power, and down for the braking. The idea is to keep it in the middle as much as possible. Bottom right is your mileage trip and across the bottom, if you press the right washwipe lever, is a scrolling display of the MPG on different journeys. E

A NEW ERA FOR ELECTRICAfter ten days around London in the new Ampera, Roland Rendell reckons range extending technology will become all the rage - and Vauxhall’s latest innovation will take some beating

Road

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VAUXHALL AMPERA ELECTRON

TO WATCH THE VIDEO REVIEW PLEASE VISIT www.greenfleet.net/ampera



E Finally, above this, and under the speedo, is the actual driving mode, which allows you to choose Normal, Sport, Mountain and Hold. The ‘Infotainment’ system sits in the middle and is cased in a metallic-looking material. It’s all touch sensitive - climate control, radio, CD and satnav options at your finger tips. Crowned by a 7”ish touchscreen display, the whole cockpit is well laid out and quite easy to get to grips with.

A CLEAR REAR VIEWTime to move. I select reverse and am immediately conscious of a review I read that said the rear view through the split rear screen was, I quote, “rubbish”. Utter nonsense - it was fine for me, especially when you add the aid of the rear mounted reversing sensors and camera that transmits to the screen. However, the one thing I noticed is the lack of a rear screen wiper. In the summers we have come to expect, as well as the rain sodden autumns, winters and springs, a rear window that is quite flat for aerodynamic reasons needs a wiper. Also, I notice a pedestrian, be she doesn’t notice me because she cannot hear me. As with all EVs, the Ampera is silent. Then, I notice on the left hand indicator lever a small symbol that indicates a noise might resound if it’s pressed. I oblige and it doesn’t let me down, trumping a little noise that let her know I was on the move, seperate from the main horn. I pull out and immediately head for a petrol station. £30 later and the 30 litre tank is full, with the fuel pump symbol indicating 313 miles. All I need to do now is give it an overnight charge, and we’re good to go. When I arrive home and plug into the mains, it lets out a little “parp” on the horn and a green dome light glows on top of the dash to indicate that this baby is sucking in the voltage. This E-REV system has 3 key components. A T-Shaped battery that runs under the centre console and the back seats. This gives the vehicle a low centre of gravity and also extra boot space, which is a great design feature. To prolong battery life, the unit never fully charges or depletes, and the smart-use cycle comes with a 100,000 mile or eight year warranty.

The battery also benefits from energy recycled from the cars regenerative braking system. In the front is a 150PS electric drive unit that delivers 370Nm of torque and accelerates the Ampera from 0-60mph in less than nine seconds. The top speed is limited to 100mph in both electric and extended-range electric modes. Finally there’s the generator, powered by a 1.4 litre, 16v VVT ECOTEC petrol engine that generates 86PS. This kicks-in once the battery reaches its minimum state of charge, or when the driver selects Hold mode. On a full tank, it will deliver 310(ish) miles before you need to refuel. This is where the E-REV technology comes in to its own. This engine is a generator, and means the electric drive train is always powering the car. Range anxiety? No such thing with this.

The next morning, the battery indicates 35 miles, and the petrol engine

312, so I should be good to go for around 350 miles. First up

is the M11 and the Ampera eases up to 70mph but quickly realise that this is more than capable of quite a lot faster. I flip the cruise control on and then

find myself glancing at the centre screen to watch

the movement of the MPG indicator. And, slowly but surely it

starts to rise. Onto the north circular, and I have to drop to 50mph. This is where

it starts to make a massive difference. Ask yourself this – when have you seen your MPG creep over the 100 mark? I was getting quite excited. By the time I came off and headed on the A-road towards City Airport, ExCel and the Docklands, I was over 150. A few laps around roundabouts, and over the bridge back and forth, and I peaked. I had managed to reach an amazing 250 miles per gallon. You can see for yourselves on our YouTube channel by going to www.greenfleet.net/ampera During the next few hours, I put the Ampera through London rush hour traffic conditions, avoiding the Olympic lanes and ignoring the Congestion Charge signs. After a while, the generator kicked in, and as a result, the MPG slowly drops. But after central London, A-road, dual carriageway and motorway driving on the way back, I got home and still had an MPG reading of 92. Incredible. I spent the next few days in the Ampera, and I have never attracted the attention of so

Road Test

”A review

I read said the

rear view through

the split rear

screen was, I quote,

“rubbish”. Utter

nonsense.”

Vauxhall Ampera Electron E-REV

MPG 235.4 (manufacturers statement)

CO2 27 g/km

BIK 5 per cent

Price (Electron Model) £33,995

many people, and spoken to so many complete strangers. I had averaged around 25 miles a day, given it three charges, and still had over half a tank left from first filling it up. I did not want to let it go back to its rightful owner.

A REVOLUTIONARY DRIVEHitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions had offered me this car to try, and if you haven’t yet had a go, then make sure you do. For me, it is the best car I have driven in a long time. Why? It looks the part, the acceleration and feel of the drive is amazing, and finally, when you look at what you get back in terms of MPG, you get a sense of real satisfaction. The model I drove (Electron) will set you back £33,995 after the government grant, but the lower-spec models are available for £29,995 (Earth) and £32,250 (Positiv), and HCVS can offer the Electron, with metallic paint and a British Gas home charging point (installed) for £650 per month (£593 after 10 per cent VAT is recovered). This is based on a 36 month contract and 30,000 miles (in total) with maintenance, UK breakdown cover and tyre replacement. It emits 27g/km of CO2 and falls in to the 5 per cent BIK bracket. The range extender has arrived, and looks set to stay. Leading the way is the Ampera - a fitting name for a car that has technology that should revolutionise driving. Until we get the Pure EV and charging times in order, this car will take some beating. L



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Scotland is addressing the environmental transport challenge head on. Plugged-in Places Scotland, the scheme to install electric vehicle charging points, has been expanded from the original central belt target area to include all of Scotland. Under the project, 74 points were installed in 2010-2011, a further 240 will be installed in 2011-2012, and approximately 170 in 2012-2013, in households, workplaces and publicly accessible locations. Back in March, transport minister Keith Brown launched the E-Cosse partnership, which brings together Transport Scotland with car manufacturers, power companies, local authorities and WWF Scotland to maximise the opportunities for EVs to become an essential part of Scotland’s greener transport system. Brown stated: “The Scottish Government has ambitious climate change targets but I believe they are entirely achievable. This partnership will help us work with key stakeholders to develop a shared vision and set future priorities to promote the uptake of electric vehicles in Scotland. It will also allow us to take forward exciting economic opportunities for innovative Scottish businesses and our education and research institutions in the low carbon vehicle and renewable energy sectors.”

FOUR YEARS ONAs part of Scotland’s low carbon transport initiatives, GreenFleet Scotland takes place for the fourth consecutive year on September 13th at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh.

Staged in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust and O2, the event is designed for fleet managers and heads of transport that want to manage their fleets more efficiently, reduce fuel and running costs and save money. It presents the biggest gathering of low and zero emission vehicles available for test drive that Scotland has ever seen - around 60 different low carbon, hybrid and electric vehicles will be available to choose from, and available to test drive. Stewart Stevenson MSP, Minister for Environment & Climate Change, will address visitors shortly after the show opens, and will set off the Fuel Efficient Driving Experience, which demonstrates how driving techniques have a massive bearing on fuel use. After a driver briefing and instruction in fuel efficient driving styles, participants set off from the Royal Highland Centre in identical vehicles (this year, the Peugeot 208), stopping at each of four checkpoints around Edinburgh to pick up a token in order to simulate city driving. The winning team will return to the Highland Centre having completed the 36-mile trip using the least amount of fuel, and therefore CO2. This is swiftly calculated by scientists from Millbrook Laboratories, a world-renowned vehicle testing organisation, and the results are announced E

SCOTLAND TACKLES EMISSIONS HEAD-ONBigger and better than before, GreenFleet Scotland comes around again on September 13th at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh. Visitors will be able to test drive over 60 low and zero emission models, as well as pick up tips on how to drive efficiently and learn from the experts in the packed seminar sessions.

GreenFleet Scotland

Stewart Stevenson MSP, Minister for Environment & Climate Change, will address

visitors at GreenFleet Scotland



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E in the afternoon on the O2 Zone. Ian Murdoch, EST Scotland, stated: “With staggering results demonstrated by last years Fuel Efficient Driving Experience, people will undoubtedly be interested in taking fuel efficient driver training sessions. In Scotland, the Energy Saving Trust can offer individuals fuel efficient driver training at a heavily subsidised cost of £12 for 50 minutes of training. Average results from this training are 15 per cent of fuel saving. This can equate to two months’ worth of fuel. So for £12 you can potentially save hundreds of pounds.”

SEMINARS This years seminar sessions will be kicked off by Ian Murdoch of EST Scotland who asks what can be done with combustion engines, examines the drivers role and fuel efficient driving. Andrew Radovanovic of O2 M2M, presents detasils of Drive – O2’s fleet technology. Before an audience Q&A session, Sandy Burgess from the Institute of the Motor Industry asks what the fleet industry needs to do to take on board this ever changing needs of sector. Session two is entitled ‘Creating an EV future for Scottish transport’ and will feature Mike Foster of Transport Scotland, discussing the Plugged-In Places project. Kate Armitage of EDF Energy talks about The Plugged-in Fleets initiative (PiFi); Judith Eadie of Automotive Leasing tackles the leasing issues surrounding EVs, such as end of life etc. The final session is consulded by Gary McRae of Dundee City Council, who imparts his knoweldge on implementing an EV policy and making it work. Taking place after lunch, session three focuses on hydrogen, and includes presentations from Charles Purkess of ITM Power and Nigel Holmes of the Scottish Hydrogen Fuel Cell Association.The final session, entitled ‘The GreenTech Debate: Can technology help you?’ will feature five presentations from organisations that can assist in running fleet operations, plus the results of the Fuel Efficient Driving Experience, announced at the O2 Zone.

EXHIBITORSVtec is a leading provider of TomTom Business Solutions, and will be demonstrating Work Smart-eco, a state of the art, real time solution that delivers information on the driving style, speed, carbon footprint and idle time of each driver. ITM Power designs and manufactures hydrogen energy systems for energy storage and clean fuel production.A visit to its stand will give visitors the opportunity to test drive the hydrogen powered Hyundai ix35.The 100kW fuel cell stack has been developed in-house by Hyundai and this has resulted in a significant drop in production costs. It offers a 325-mile range on an 11.3kg tankful of hydrogen – a 55 per cent improvement over

the previous fuel cell. Route Monkey will feature its EV route optimisation product - a simple form of scheduling, designed to help fleets conduct runs in the best logistical order or redefine set routes for greater efficiency. Leading fleet management and funding specialist Lex Autolease will provide help and advice to visitors on low carbon and leasing solutions, while Green Motion, Europe’s first fully environmental car and van rental franchised network, will again be present in the Lowland Hall. Speed limiter manufacturer Autokontrol will demonstrate its rev and speed limiting control device, the COMBO, which can help fleets drastically reduce their fuel usage. CENEX will be sharing its fleet carbon reduction tool (FCRT)w hich is designed to help companies with fleet strategy development. The Big Green Book directory of

green companies helps to expand opportunities in the rapidly growing market green product marketplace, and continues to be present at GreenFleet events with like-minded companies. Millbrook, one of Europe’s leading locations for the development and demonstration of land vehicles, provides every test and validation service necessary for today’s demanding programmes from its impressive proving ground in Bedfordshire. Elektromotive is the Electric Vehicle Recharging Technology Partner for Greenfleet Scotland. The leading provider has a continually expanding network of ‘Elektrobays’ being installed throughout the UK, Europe and the USA. The mia is conceived to simplify urban and suburban driving. Ultracompact, silent, economical, zero-emissions, and with a range of up to 125 km, the mia is a pioneering concept in the urban electric car market (see page 46 for a GreenFleet road test eview of the mia u). Charging Solutions’ product range has grown from vehicle charging points to a complete range of associated electric vehicle charging products and services, backed up by a dedicated team which is ready to help

clients plug-in to the future. Schneider Electric offers standard or quick charging stations, access to charging stations at home, in offices, car parks shopping centres and public places. Axeon is Europe’s largest independent designer and manufacturer of lithium-ion battery systems for electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as high volumes of batteries for e-bikes, power tools and mobile technologies. ACFO, the Association of Car Fleet Operators, has a long history of helping fleet operators to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of their business travel operation. It has developed as a membership body, and is now recognised as the leading organisation representing fleet operators in the UK. British Gas can provide dedicated charging solutions that are suitable for everyone from the fleet operator to the sole trader. Because of its expertise, the organisation has been selected by Nissan, Renault, Toyota and Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions as their charger installing partner for the UK.

BIG FUEL SAVINGSEnergy Saving Trust Scotland is the joint headline sponsor, and will be advising visitors on how they could save 15 per cent from their fuel costs by using efficient driving tips. These tips also improve safety and help to reduce wear and tear on components like tyres, clutch and gearboxes. Michelin’s Energy Saver Construction features silica-based tread rubber which helps improve engine fuel efficiency by keeping the tyre cooler. This compound is moulded into a symmetric design that features siped, independent tread blocks to combine predictable handling, no compromise stopping performance and traction - without trading fuel efficiency. As Britain’s largest producer of low carbon electricity, EDF Energy, a partner in greenfleet Scotland, strongly believes fleet take-up of plug-in vehicles (PIV) has the greatest potential to help reduce transport carbon emissions. EDF Energy is playing a leading role in facilitating the development of PIV recharging technology and infrastructure. Eastern Western Group will be presenting a great range of low emission, high economy cars including Toyota & Lexus Hybrids, VW Bluemotion, Smart and the Mercedes Benz Vito E-Cell. E

EDF Energy is playing a leading role in facilitating the development of PIV recharging technology and infrastructure.

GreenFleet Scotland

GREENFLEET SCOTLAND


Make your transport budget go miles furtherAre you a business in Scotland and looking to lower your costs? If so, your local Energy Saving Scotland advice centre can help. Businesses across Scotland have already saved £1,000s and accessed interest-free loans. Call us on 0800 51 2012 for free advice or visitdrivingchange2012.com

E Citroën will exhibit the all electric C-Zero, the highly successful and stylish DS3, and Top Gears’ family car of the year, the highly acclaimed 200bhp Citroën DS5 Hybrid4. Volvo’s all-new V40 will be on show. The premium hatchback has received a warm welcome from the fleet industry as leasing companies and future value guides are positive about the new model, with residual values, demand and desirability all predicted as being strong. Ashwoods has recently launched the Lightfoot vehicle efficiency and driver behaviour monitoring system. At a low cost of £250 and 14 per cent average fuel saving, ROI comes in a matter of months. Ransomes Jacobsen is now the sole UK importer of the Mega Professional range of eco-friendly compact utility vehicles. The Mega e-Worker boasts a tight turning circle and compact external dimensions, making it highly manoeuverable. It is robustly constructed with excellent carrying capacity, and the ability to tow. Recognising the specialist needs of public sector organisations in Scotland, Automotive Leasing has developed a perfectly suited choice of products and services including the award-winning GreenPlan service. The vehicle range is unsurpassed from traditionally fuelled and electric powered cars to electric sweepers and other municipal vehicles. The range of BMW Efficient Dynamics feature strong residual values, and ensure the cars are cost-efficient to run. BMW’s dedicated Regional Corporate Sales Team is on hand throughout the event, offering help and advice. The MINI model range appeals to companies and company car drivers that want to get away from the ‘vanilla’ alternatives and into a car that says something more about their brand and personality.

JOIN UP WITH O2 DRIVEO2 believes that getting your whole business aligned is critical to your success. This means joining everything up - people, assets, customers, communications and IT. Drive is its M2M solution for businesses looking to take control of their fleet and transform the way drivers and vehicles work. Ford has launched production of its 1.0-litre, turbocharged, direct injection EcoBoost

engine, which was developed by UK engineers. The three-cylinder EcoBoost engine will be available in the new Ford Focus and will produce 125PS while delivering a combined fuel economy of 56.5mpg and low petrol CO2 emissions performance of 114g/km. This year’s GreenFleet Scotland provides ŠKODA with a great opportunity to showcase its ever-increasing line up of eco-friendly models. Customers are increasingly recognising ŠKODA as a brand that delivers quality at outstanding value for money. As a result, ŠKODA is continuing to increase its prominence in the fleet sector. The groundbreaking Vauxhall Ampera has been available to drive at all recent GreenFleet events. It is the first extended-range electric vehicle available in the UK. The wheels are always electrically driven: powered by its 150PS Voltec propulsion system gives the Ampera up to 50 miles of driving from its lithium-ion battery pack – which independent research shows will meet the needs of 85 per cent of UK commuters. It can then be re-charged from a 16amp mains supply in hours. Peugeot is proud to be attending this year’s event with the entire diesel HYbrid4 range and the exciting new 208.The company is thrilled that its enviable hatchback history continues with the brand new 208. This model wil lalso be used in the Fuel Efficient Driving Exprerience. Renault is leading the charge in the 100 per cent electric vehicle market with a range of four models. The EV début came in December 2011 with the arrival of the first pure electric commercial vehicle, Kangoo Van Z.E. Also featuring at the event will be the fully electric 2-seater Twizy and Fluence ZE. As sole Scottish distributor of Goupil, Double A Trading is pleased to exhibit the dual mode electric-hybrid G5 and full electric G3 utility vehicles. Both have been designed to have the same versatility and can be fitted with all types of equipment: box van, tipper, waste collector, watering, high pressure cleaner, refrigerated van and more. As a major network operator, Scottish Southern Energy has an interest in the electrification of transport and the challenges that this will present both in terms of increased demand for electricity, and how this increased demand will be balanced on the

electricity network. SSE’s main involvement is in the development and installation of the electricity infrastructure required to support the mass introduction of EVs. Paneltex specialises in the manufacture of temperature controlled truck and van bodywork for a wide range of fleet customers. In 2008 the Company demonstrated its first “Zeroed” electric vehicle conversions based on the Isuzu Grafter truck chassis. Four years on they are now offering a range of vehicles from 5 to 11 tonnes GVW featuring 150kW peak power permanent magnet motors, and up to 100kWh of lithium ion phosphate battery capacity. Tata Motors is an active partner in a number of Low Carbon Technology collaborative programmes. It is also engaged in the design, development, assembly and commercialisation of Ace EV vehicles. Fife SEAT will demonstrate the new Ecomotive models, the greenest yet from SEAT, with feature extremely low emissions thanks to the Start and Stop system, brake energy recovery, improved aerodynamics and low resistance tyres. Imperial Commercials is the largest independent commercial vehicle dealer group in the UK, and will be showcasing the Fiat Fiorino. Designed to be agile enough to negotiate busy town traffic, the Fiorino is nippy and handles like a city car, but is as comfortable on main roads as it is in city traffic, just like a fully-fledged van (see the Fiorino roadtest on page 60). Alex F Noble & Son will be displaying the all-electric Nissan LEAF, which has been awarded the highest five star car safety rating following its performance in Euro NCAP’s stringent crash tests - the first electric vehicle ever to earn this distinction. Visitors to GreenFleet Scotland will be able to put LEAF through its paces. The GreenFleet Scotland event really does offer everything the fleet manager needs to make informed decisions about what vehicles and other technologies can be used to lower emissions, what practical training steps can be taken, and where the future of green fleet transport lies. L

FURTHER INFORMATION For further information, and to register, visit www.greenfleetscotland.co.uk

O2 believes that getting your whole business aligned is critical to your success. This means joining everything up - people, assets, customers, communications and IT.

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The London Taxi, or Hackney Carriage, has been a celebrated icon of British life since the 17th century. August saw the unveiling of a new Hackney Carriage which manufacturer Nissan hopes will help reduce CO2 and improve the capital’s air quality in line with the Mayor Boris Johnson’s strategy. Nissan claims the NV200 London Taxi is 50 per cent more fuel efficient than alternative cabs. An all-electric e-NV200 concept is also set to undergo trials in the Capital. Versions have already been unveiled in Tokyo, and it has also been chosen as the exclusive New York City ‘Taxi of tomorrow’. Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, said: “From what I’ve seen of the NV200 London Taxi, it ticks all the right boxes. It’s important that it looks like a cab, is comfortable with good ingress and egress and is reliable. If the fuel consumption figures are as promised, it will be a big seller.” A particular focus of the NV200 London Taxi was on providing for passengers with mobility issues. Alan Norton, from Assist UK, said: “We have had the opportunity to bring together experts from all fields of disability to work with designers to ensure the vehicle will work for all in their transport needs. The work is ongoing and future refinements are planned after the initial launch.” The NV200 is based on the company’s multi-purpose NV200 compact van. The Taxi incarnation seats five adults with the front

passenger seat removed to create space for luggage. Sliding passenger doors were developed for easy open and close, and also to make things safer for pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles because they do not swing out to create a potential obstruction. The diesel NV200 London Taxi is expected to be competitively priced below the new TX4 (the London Taxi Company’s current model) and will be available through a specialist Nissan dealer. The NV200 also delivers significantly improved running costs - the model’s 1.5 dCi 89 HP EuroV, 6-speed manual drivetrain achieves 53.3mpg on a combined cycle meaning almost 50 per cent fuel saving than the most efficient TX4 with its combined cycle figure of 35.3mpg. Fuel costs account for around 10 percent of taxi driver overheads. Over the course of a year, NV200 London Taxi drivers would spend around 50 per cent less (about £700) on fuel than TX4 drivers. The Euro V engine emits up to 138g/km of CO2, compared with 209g/km from the greenest TX4 model. NOx and Particulate Matter gases on which authorities are seeking particular improvement would be reduced by an estimated 135 metric tonnes and 20 metric tonnes per year respectively. Discussions with stakeholders will continue to try and make an e-NV200 electric version a realistic proposition by increasing investment in charging infrastructure.Subject to final testing, including a crash-test, the diesel-powered Nissan NV200 aims

to receive full London Taxi certification later this year. Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, said: “Having taken the significant step of introducing the first age limit for taxis in London, I am absolutely delighted that manufacturers are stepping up to the plate and are responding to the challenge I set in my air quality strategy to reduce taxi emissions and improve efficiency. I look forward to when a fully competitive model comes to market.” LONDON CAB STORYAlthough the origins of the term ‘Hackney coach’ are unclear, historians suggest it derives from the French word hacquenée, which roughly translates as a horse suitable for hire. The first Hackney coaches appeared during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, but the Capital’s first motorised cabs hit the street at the end of the 19th Century, and, ironically, were zero-emission. The Bersey taxi was named after its designer, Walter C Bersey of the London Electrical Cab Company, and soon earned the nickname ‘Hummingbirds’ after their distinctive sound. By 1900, the Bersey had been completely withdrawn from service, after proving temperamental and expensive to operate. In 1903, the French-built Prunel becoming the first petrol-powered Hackney Carriage to hit London streets. The Public Carriage Office introduced Conditions of Fitness for all motor cabs in 1906. Among the many requirements was a turning circle of 25ft - the exact outer diameter of the roundabout in front of the famous Savoy Hotel in London. This helped filter out less suitable machines. Another innovation that remains - the taximeter - became compulsory in 1907 and gave rise to the name taxi. The First World War hit London’s taxi fleet hard, with all manufacturers switching operations to help the war effort, but after World War II it was the 1948 Austin FX3, built by Carbodies of Coventry, that created the template for the familiar London black cab. Thanks to booming sales, Austin developed a 2.2-litre diesel for the FX3. Its replacement, the FX4, arrived in 1958 and would go on to be a common sight for the best part of five decades. Having bought the production rights from Austin in the early 1980s, Carbodies had little budget to develop a new model and was forced to update the FX4 with new drivetrains. Among the most popular with cabbies was the Nissan TD27 diesel, which was offered in the 1989 Fairway model. Helped by the introduction of compulsory wheelchair access, the Nissan-powered Fairway remains a favourite with many taxi drivers. New regulations which restrict the use of taxis over 15 years old will result in their disappearance in the next few months. Now, we see a challenger to the TX family arrive on London’s streets. With a zero emissions electric e-NV200 set to follow it into production, the next chapter in the rich history of the famous London Taxi may see it go full circle. L

TAXIS

NISSAN’S REVEALS NEW LONDON CAB Nissan’s new NV200 Hackney Carriage aims to lower emissions and improve both air quality and mobility for Londoners

Private Hire - TaxisDEDICATED TO PROMOTING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT – www.greenfleet.net


Road

Test

Writ

ten

by R

olan

d Re

ndel

l

MIA U ELECTRIC

MAMMA MIA! The ultra-compact Mia U crosses the channel to be put through its paces by GreenFleet’s larger-than-life correspondent Roland Rendell

“..It looks

like a cross

between a VW

Camper and Johnny

Cab from Total Recall.

Or the Mystery

Machine from

Scooby-Doo..”



When the buzzer to the entrance of the GreenFleet Towers went, the person at the other end announced he was here to deliver a van that its French manufacturer hopes will make a big noise – albeit it silently – in the UK fleet market. I didn’t know what to expect when we walked around to the car park. Recently, I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing a few of the latest LCVs on the market, including the new Citroen Berlingo, the Vauxhall Combo and the Fiat Fiorino. And I remember finding it difficult to control the urge to hum the tune to the words made famous by Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Anni-Frid, “Mamma Mia, here I go again…..” We turned the corner, and there it was – the silver machine I have heard referred to as looking like a toaster on wheels. For me, the song continued….. “My, my, how can I resist you?” I knew this was going to be good fun.

SIZE MATTERS The first notable point is the size, shape and apparent close proximity to the floor (just 110mm from the road). It looks like a cross between an old-style VW Camper and the Johnny Cab from Total Recall. Or the Mystery Machine from Scooby-Doo. I give it the once-over, and I have to say, the small, black, 3-spoke alloys are impressive looking, and add to the ‘urban’ styling Mia is aiming for. The model I had was their commercial offering, the Mia U. Measuring just 3.19m long by 1.65m wide, they have certainly gone for something that can easily nip in and out of busy city centre traffic, make use of the narrower side streets, and operate around tight corners. After I push the unlock icon on the key fob, the mechanism inside the door pops, sounding not unlike the noise of a rubber bung being pulled from a demijohn. However, that’s not it. There’s another task to perform before you reach out and actually open the door. Located under the wing mirror is a black square, with a white flower-shape, which happens to be the mia logo. Push that, and the door pops out towards you - only then are you able to slide it back, revealing the interior. One seat? In the middle? Where’s the other one? No need, and this is genius. Remember this - the van is designed for small deliveries in towns and cities. Let’s not get this confused with the delivery vehicles used to drop off a washing machine or cooker. We’re talking deliveries of small to medium items, and the lighter the better. The vehicle has a kerb weight of 815kg, with a gross vehicle weight of 1180kg, meaning it has a payload capacity of 365kg. So, already you can see the market sectors Mia is going for. I was hugely impressed at how easy it was to lower my not insignificant bulk in to the Mia U. Firstly, the sliding doors are a massive help. But the doors kind of wrap underneath the vehicle, and for part of the door width, some of the floor forms part of the door. Make sense? What I mean is that when you

open the door, a gap in the floor appears too, meaning the “step in” is minimised. A quick scan of the dash, and again, it’s very simple. No flashing lights, dozens of dials, switches and knobs. Not even a gear stick. Key in the ignition, foot on the brake, turn and wait for the beep. Nothing. Ah, a safety feature - close the door, and then it works fine. Through the steering wheel is a rectangle shaped screen, and on the right of it, an arrow pointing upwards (indicating forwards) is illuminated. I’m ready to go, and yet there’s silence. Handbrake off, push the button on the left of the dash that allows two commands (forwards and backwards),

ease the throttle and it whirs in to life. Indicators and wipers are standard left and right respectively. There’s a hazard light button next to the direction one, and an Eco button completes the trio. I am reliably informed that should I suffer a very real case of ‘Range Anxiety’, pushing this should get me home. I don’t intend on putting this to task, so asked no more. Air vents at either end of the dash complete the line-up of things you can push or turn. Electric windows? Nope. Either side of me are windows that you can slide half open. Wing mirrors for seeing what’s behind, and unusually, a rear view mirror which is offset to the right hand side. The reason being the rear door is not so much a door, but more a glass tailgate. Like it. In terms of actual driving, it’s very nimble. The ride is a bit hard, but it’s a van, and it’s also not much more than the hand-span of a 10 year old off of the floor. I have a full charge, indicated on the left hand side of the rectangular screen, which says I have around 72 miles available to me.

MIDDLE GROUNDThe high road and remainder of my journey home passes very smoothly and quietly. I must say, it’s very easy to drive indeed, and I really like the one seat in the middle driver position. It’s different, but somehow, strangely, it feels right. The one thing I saw plenty of on the journey home was rubber-necking. As I explained earlier, this will certainly get noticed, and if you take that a step further, imagine it with your company’s livery on the side - it’s going to get seen. So I spent the next few days doing similar 15 or 16 mile journeys, and really got to like the feel of the vehicle. In terms of performance, it has a range of 75-81 miles in Eco mode, 10kW of power when cruising, and 18kW at it’s peak.

There is 58 Nm of torque and apparently can reach 66mph. I must confess, I didn’t venture on to the motorways, but did reach 52mph on a road where the black and white national speed limit signs were in abundance. Also, when you go to slow down, the regenerative braking helps conserve energy. Charging time. Parked up outside the office, I then open the flap to access the vans in-built socket. It comes with a 5m long M3/T2 power cable which allows you to plug in to the mains. On it went, bang on 9:00am, and off I went to check my e-mails. However, I was curious. What kind of charge would I get after an hour? I went and checked, and it was

23 miles. Not bad at all. And I can honestly say the 12kW battery goes from empty to full in no more than five hours, which is great.

MARKET PLACEAt the outset, I wasn’t at all sure where this little van had a place in the market. After a week, I certainly did. First up, any one-man-and-his-tool-box maintenance guy that has to flit from place to place, fixing this and that on his rounds, would benefit. Even better for a company that needs to carry out essential maintenance at night, as it’s virtually silent. Depot to depot, university campus to university campus. All of these and plenty more are the sort of duties that this van was designed to tackle. Does it stack up in terms of cost? Not really for me to say, as each company has its own needs, running costs and budgets. But for some, it’ll do just fine. At £16,995 + VAT on the road (after the UK Government Plug-In Grant), it comes with a five year manufacturer’s warranty, five year battery warranty and a five year road side assistance programme. So, I shall wrap this up using more words from my Abba idols Benny and Bjorn – Voulez-vous….. un mia de votre flotte? I will answer in the words of Pele – I would. L

Road Test

Mia U Electric

PAYLOAD: 365kg

RANGE: 75-81 miles (Eco Mode)

TOP SPEED: 66mph

PRICE: £16,995 plus VAT (after £5K Plug-in Grant)

Measuring just 3.19m long by 1.65m wide, they have certainly gone for something that can easily nip in and out of busy city centre traffic, make use of the narrower side streets, and operate around tight corners.



Written by

As a massive fan of all things 80s (especially the sweets and crisps) I’m old enough to remember the first Fiat Panda that hit the roads in 1980. Designed as a modern day ‘peasant car’ (a basic, inexpensive no-frills vehicle) the Italian giant was looking to shift plenty of the ‘Mini-Gems’, and managed to come second in the European Car of the Year in 1981, only losing out to the Escort Mark III. As you’d expect, this latest version sees a massive improvement in looks, design and performance. The ‘smiley-faced’ front of the car was surrounded in Sweet (Cough) Candy Beige paintwork. Open the door and the Rubik (Cube) fabric, is very retro. The print features solid and outlined squares, called Squircles, but to me, they look more like Spangles.

SPACE INVADERAlthough not quite the Millennium Falcon the dashboard is well thought out. The first thing I notice is the conveniently high-mounted gear stick, with a much nicer feel than the Atari joystick-styled ones in older models. This will make things easier for those in and around towns and cities, where stopping and starting and changing gear is commonplace. I glance down to my left and the handbrake is flat, rather than a stick. Apparently it is space-saving, and is supposed to resemble a (White Chocolate) mouse. I’m in the TwinAir model, with a 37 litre capacity fuel tank, and powered by something which Fiat boast as being the ‘cleanest petrol engine in the world’. It’s an 875cc turbo, with two in-line, transverse cylinders. It (apparently) fits on an A4 sheet of paper, or a ‘Connect 4’ rack. It sounds great, reminding me of the old motorbikes my

mates used to buzz around on when we were (much) younger. At 5500rpm, it will kick-out 78-85 bhp, depending on whether you press the ECO-mode button on or off (On is by default every time you start up). Emissions range from 95-99g/km. I’m surprised by the poke this little car has got. With 0-62 in around 14 seconds and with 100-145 Nm of torque, it’s capable of holding each gear much longer than I am used to, and as I glance at the amber-glowing display in front of me, I notice the gear-shift indicator flashing before me. I also glance at the rev counter and after a while it becomes clear that this appears to run smoother by changing at 3500 rpm - much higher than I would expect. I found myself lowering the electric windows just to hear the engine noise.

OPAL FRUITSAfter about an hour of driving around town, I realise I am still achieving the 49-50 mpg figures, which means the car has a role to play for companies operating in and out of towns and cities. Now it’s time to hit the bigger roads, but first some roadworks. I pull up in front of some temporary traffic lights, which remind me of Opal Fruits, and shift in to neutral and the engine dies, thanks to the Stop&Start system that comes as standard. The Panda comes with four airbags as standard, ABS complete with a Brake Assist System, front head restraints with an anti-whiplash system and seatbelts with pre-tensioners and ISOFIX attachments. An additional option is the Electronic Stability

Programme complete with Hill-Holder, to help the driver with hill starts – meaning you can easily pull away on a slope, a bit like BigTrak.

So, on to the A12, I find myself now trying to prove that the driver still has a vital role to play in the battle to cut fleet running costs, and above all, emissions. My journey turns in to a Marathon - a 26 mile stint. Averaging around 45mph, I arrive at my destination in good time, with Duran Duran still ringing loud in my ears. I glance down at the display to see an incredible 71.4 mpg. Not quite the 74.3 this is supposed to be capable of, but a very modest difference I can live with. The new Panda is nippy about town, and quite happy on a longer stint. It features great styling throughout and fantastic economy from its superb engine. And what a noise! Speaking of noises, the model that saw the first TwinAir, the 500, currently sits on the Top Deck as it’s the GreenFleet City Car of the Year. In 2012, it has certainly got a challenger from within. We could well see the Golden Cup change hands this year. So watch this Space (Invaders). L

Road Test

PANDA POPSRoland Rendell is sent back to the 80s by a car that really gives you the feel-good factor.

FIAT PANDA TWIN AIR

Fiat Panda twin airMPG: 67.3 (combined cycle)

CO2: 99 g/km

BIK: 10 per cent

Price: £10,745


Combined consumption (l/100 km): from 83 (3.4) to 48.7 (5.8). CO2 emissions (g/km): from 87 to 135. *BIK ranges from £33 to £123 based on the 208 Access 1.0 VTi at £9,940 PIID value and the 208 Feline 1.6 THP at £16,720 PIID value. Model shown is a 208 Feline with metallic paint and a PIID value of £16,265.

THE NEW PEUGEOT 208. LET YOUR BODY DRIVE.Producing iconic small cars is something we know more than most about. And with the new Peugeot 208 we’ve done it again. Reduced weight, new generation 3 cylinder petrol engines and Stop & Start technology maximises efficiency and performance. The result is a fantastic fleet vehicle, with CO2 emissions from 87g/km, up to 83.1 MPG and a BIK liability rate from only £33 per month*. Available to order now.

BIRTH OF A NEW ICO2N

208

peugeot.co.uk/208business

PEF0427_GF_297x210_02.indd 1 13/07/2012 16:11

GITI Tire (UK) Ltd. . 2 Cherry Tree Lane . Rostherne . Nr Altrincham . WA14 3RZ Tel: 0845 643 6435 . [email protected] . www.gtradial.co.uk

Innovation, Safety & Efficiencyfrom GT Radial

Taking place at the Emirates Stadium, London on October 11th, the GreenFleet awards will continue to recognise the pioneering efforts of private and public sector fleet managers, vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and other organisations that strive to reduce the environmental impact of transport. Comedian and impressionist Alistair McGowan will return to present the 2012 event. Alistair is an ambassador to WWF-UK, part of the global World Wide Fund for Nature, and campaigns on a number of environmental issues. The Awards are presented in 18 categories. Over the past few years, we have witnessed a sharp a rise in the amount of private hire and taxi firms that have adopted innovative practices to reduce their emissions. For this reason, a new category ‘Private Hire/Taxi Company of the Year’ has been included,

and is expected to be hotly contested. It will recognise the efforts of the private hire and taxi sector and will be awarded to the company which demonstrates a commitment to reducing overall levels of CO2 emissions within their fleets, and that has incorporated a robust environmental policy into its present and future policies. Cordic, provider of high quality data despatch systems, sponsors this new category. Cordic’s core products operate over public GPRS networks and incorporate leading edge wireless and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technologies to provide reliability, flexibility and scalability while providing the most cost effective solution and best user experience. Last years’ awards took place at Twickenham Stadium on 13 October. The GreenFleet Award for Outstanding

Achievement was presented to Dr. Colin Herron, who has worked tirelessly to make the North East of England an internationally recognised centre for low carbon vehicle innovation and education. He received the 2011 Outstanding Achievement Award for his groundbreaking work at regional development agency One North East, where he played a major role in researching and implementing an electric vehicle infrastructure, whilst promoting cultural change.

INNOVATION IN THE INDUSTRYLast years’ award for Industry Innovation was presented to Azure Dynamics for its Electric Transit Connect which was produced in collaboration with Ford Motor Company. The end product is the result of a robust product development process which has resulted in a strong, long-lasting commercial electric vehicle, designed for a 10-year life using a single battery.

Meanwhile, the award for IT Innovation went to E

THE GREENFLEET OSCARS APPROACH ONCE AGAIN Pioneering projects, low carbon cars, fuel saving technology will once again be recognised at the Emirates on October 11th as the 14th annual GreenFleet Awards takes place.

2012 GreenFleet Aw

ards

ENTER FREE

ONLINE NOW!

Closing date 24th August.

www.greenfleetawards.

co.uk/entry-form

GREENFLEET AWARDS



Over 90% of Company Cars are financially better funded by the employee driver and their employer companies can save over £10,000 across a typical 3 year term.

The BCS Partnership Ltd has developed a comprehensive approach to the Company Car Dilemma. Based on our experience of dealing with over 25,000 Company car drivers and some 600 Car Allowance Schemes, we help companies identify huge savings. Seminars are being held across the country where Managing Directors and Financial Directors can find out for themselves exactly how these impressive savings can be made.

Businesses are saving over £10,000 per driver in company car running costs!

Seminars - Company Cars - The Alternatives 9.30am-12 noon

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ICIS Energy is one of the fastest growing utility consultancies in the UK, a business built around a powerful combination of knowledge and expertise.

We have a very clear focus; to deliver a comprehensive package of energy management services to support our clients, with a strong emphasis on reducing costs.

• Portfolio Management

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PROFESSIONALENERGY

MANAGEMENT

E TomTom Business Solutions for its WORKsmart– eco which gives fleet managers visibility of their vehicles. ecoPLUS reads data directly from vehicle engines through the OBDII port without the need for CANbus connections, showing a real-time view of fuel efficiency.

LAST YEARS’ WINNERSFiat’s new 500 TwinAir took the top prize for City Car Manufacturer of the Year. The ground-breaking car features a low-consumption 875cc two-cylinder engine and emits just 95g CO2 per km, making it the cleanest quantity production petrol engine in the world. The powertrain, voted the 2011 International Engine of the Year, appeals to a wide variety of customers. Despite weighing just 85kg, it rates among the most powerful mainstream A-segment vehicles on sale. The title of Electric Vehicle of the Year went to the Nissan LEAF. The vehicle boasts five door practicality, including a generous boot space, a 109-mile range and a high level of standard specification. The integrated satnav can locate a driver’s nearest charging point, and Nissan is further improving the E E car’s appeal to fleet users in the capital by allowing drivers free charging for 12 months at 150 points, set up by Source London. The Award for Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year went to BMW. Due to the success of the ultra-frugal 320d EfficientDynamics Saloon – which achieves an impressive 74mpg and emissions as low as 109g/km – the company is expanding its portfolio by launching the 520d EfficientDynamics Saloon and the 116d EfficientDynamics hatchback. Citroën scooped last year’s award for LCV vehicle manufacturer of the year. The manufacturer has a continuous product improvement programme in place which has resulted in its LCVs benefitting from an approximate five per cent fuel efficiency gain and significant CO2 reductions. The introduction of Trafficmaster Smartnav and the ability to use of up to 30 per cent bio diesel are two further examples. The Euro 5

Berlingo range includes 75hp and 90hp HDi engines, Stop & Start technology, and six-speed EGS automated manual transmission. The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead scooped top prize in the Public Sector Fleet of the Year (below 250 vehicles) category. The council’s sub 120g/km Salary Sacrifice Leasing Car Scheme for staff was launched in April this year. Open to some 2,000 staff members, the scheme has been widely accepted and is seen as a catalyst to staff retention. The all-electric Nissan Leaf was also introduced during 2011, and is now an integral part of the councils pool car fleet, operating between two administrative centres. Within its manifesto, the council has committed

to the installation of charging points, to be situated at various council owned car parks in partnership with a multinational supplier. The Vehicle Selection Process Guide, first introduced by the fleet manager in 2005, has also been revamped. Before any new vehicle can be procured, heads of service must read the guide and complete an environmental impact questionnaire. This enables the most environmentally friendly vehicle in class to be sourced.

EMISSIONS DROPThe Award for Private Sector Fleet of the Year (below 250 vehicles) was presented to Commercial Group. Between 2006 and 2011, emissions at Commercial Group experienced a 65.93 per cent drop, and despite an increase in miles travelled this year, this has been maintained. Commercial’s

biodiesel solution uses a variable computer blending system which can blend any quantity from 100 per cent mineral diesel to 100 per cent biodiesel. This allows the fuel blend to be specific to each vehicle. 24 hour access is provided for its drivers.

THE SPONSORSEDF Energy, Britain’s largest producer of low carbon electricity, sponsors the Electrical Vehicle of the Year category. EDF has recently launched one of the biggest environmental and social programmes of any British energy company to help people use energy more sustainably through products and initiatives such as Team Green Britain, smart meters and electric vehicle research.

The champagne drinks reception this year comes courtesy of Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, the Newbury based leasing specialist. The company, which is at the forefront of ultra low carbon and electric vehicles leasing plans, would like to wish all of the shortlisted companies the very best of luck. Automotive Leasing has delivered fleet funding and fleet management solutions to over 550 Public Sector organisations. This year, the company sponsors the Public Sector Fleet of the Year (0-250 vehicles) category. Automotive Leasing has a complete range of fleet funding products and fleet services suited to the varied needs of the public sector. Last years’ Leasing Company of the Year winner is widely recognised for its achievements throughout the sector. Big Green Book sponsors the Driver Training Company of the Year. Through its directories, E

Over the past few years, we have witnessed a sharp a rise in the amount of taxi firms that have adopted innovative practices to reduce emissions. For this reason, a new category ‘Private Hire/Taxi Company of the Year’ has been included

2012 GreenFleet Aw

ards

Alistair McGowan returns to present the 2012 Awards



WORLD LEADER IN THE PROVISION OF LOW CO2 VEHICLE RENTAL

Hiring a vehicle from Green Motion is a positive step in actively reducing your company’s carbon footprint.

As the World’s first and only fully environmental car and van rental network Green Motion is committed to offering:

Reducing the effects of global climate change is everybody’s business,Green Vehicle Rental is ours!!!

For further details on opening a corporate account with Green Motion, please call or click

0333 888 4000greenmotion.co.uk

2009

2010

2011

• Accuratebillingandreportingof spend, emissions and fuel economy

• Flexibledeliveryandcollectionservice

• TheWorld’slowestC02 rental fleet

• ThelatestlowC02 vehicles

• Excellentfueleconomy

• Highlycompetitiverates

• Ecodrivingandtraining

E the company showcases sustainable organisations that offer and deliver innovative environmental business products, services and technologies, and helps grow greener communities and local economies.

LEADING EDGECordic is the sponsor of this years new category, the Private Hire/Taxi Company of the Year. Its core products operate over public GPRS (General Pack Radio Services) networks and incorporate leading edge wireless and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technologies to provide reliability, flexibility and scalability while providing the most cost effective solution and best user experience.Environmental rental company Green Motion, a three-time winner of the Rental Company of the Year Award, sponsors the City Car Manufacturer of the Year category. Green Motion has steadily developed its national network of franchised locations, and offers customers, both leisure and corporate, the opportunity to hire the latest class leading, low CO2 vehicles. Enterprise Rent-A-Car is an industry leading, multinational company with more than 900,000 vehicles in its fleet and over 7,000 offices worldwide – making it one of the largest car rental companies in the world. In 1994, Enterprise Rent-A-Car was launched in the UK, and in the sixteen years since has

gone from strength to strength, establishing the largest vehicle rental network in the UK. Enterprise will be supporting the Public Sector Fleet of the Year (+250 vehicles) category. Michelin Tyre plc sponsors the LCV Manufacturer of the Year category. Michelin is the world leader in the development of low rolling resistance tyres, and now offers an extensive range for cars, vans and trucks - identified by a ‘GREEN X’ marking on the sidewall. These tyres use advanced technology to reduce rolling resistance, thus improving fuel consumption and reducing CO2 emissions.

CHARGING AHEADElektromotive is proud to be sponsoring the Private Sector Fleet Manager of the year award. Founded in 2003, the Brighton-based company produces the Elektrobay, the fully-operational charging station for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. The next innovation from Elektromotive comes in the form of sophisticated EBConnect software, pre-installed in the Elektrobay, which can manage a two-way exchange of data via GPRS and the internet. Finally, Greater London Hire, which specialises in offering the highest quality services for both private hire passenger car and courier transportation, is the official Taxi company for the event. In addition to being London’s first ‘carbon acknowledged’ private hire organisation,

GLH holds the prestigious ISO:14001 Environmental Management Accreditation. Since introducing the management system, GLH has saved a staggering 22 per cent on its carbon footprint. To open an account with GLH or to discuss any aspect of its services, contact Zoë on 020 8815 5462.

HOW TO ENTEREntering the GreenFleet Awards is simple, and requires the submission of a 500 word entry statement. When preparing your entry statements, it is important to consider the following questions: What has been the direct results of your efforts? How much CO2 and other emissions have you saved? What are the other environmental benefits of your project? Did the project offer value for money as well as environmental benefits? What have you done to win minds internally and externally, and how do you spread your environmental message? How has technology been applied to your project and what other technologies are you monitoring for the future? What do you plan next? What is your next challenge? L FOR MORE INFORMATIONThe closing date for entries is August 24th. Visit www.greenfleetawards.co.uk for further information, and to enter.

2012 GreenFleet Aw

ards

GREENFLEET AWARDSWORLD LEADER IN THE PROVISION OF LOW CO2 VEHICLE RENTAL

Hiring a vehicle from Green Motion is a positive step in actively reducing your company’s carbon footprint.

As the World’s first and only fully environmental car and van rental network Green Motion is committed to offering:

Reducing the effects of global climate change is everybody’s business,Green Vehicle Rental is ours!!!

For further details on opening a corporate account with Green Motion, please call or click

0333 888 4000greenmotion.co.uk

2009

2010

2011

• Accuratebillingandreportingof spend, emissions and fuel economy

• Flexibledeliveryandcollectionservice

• TheWorld’slowestC02 rental fleet

• ThelatestlowC02 vehicles

• Excellentfueleconomy

• Highlycompetitiverates

• Ecodrivingandtraining

Driver Behaviour, Fuel & Time Savings

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A NEW WAY TO REDUCE YOUR FUEL COSTSWould you like to save up to 10% off your commercial transport fleet fuel costs? By analysing your fuelling, vehicle and driver data and creating easily actionable reports, it shows you exactly where and how your fleet can save fuel.

Shell FuelSave partner also has a wealth of features to support effective fleet management, including:� Track and Trace your vehicle� Fraud prevention by reconciliation of fuel purchases to fuel consumption� Tachograph data downloads (with optional remote data download if required – no need to physically download

data from each vehicle)� Web-based platform so you can manage your reports from anywhere� Continuous improvement - Shell FuelSave Partner is updated three times a year with new features as a result of

customer feedback

Interested in finding out how we can help you save on fuel consumption and fuel costs?

For a limited time only, for fuel card customers new to Shell, we will match your current fuel card price and give you 20 Shell FuelSave Partner boxes free for 6 months.*

Try Shell FuelSave Partner and the euroShell Card, and see how we can help you save on your fleet costs.

To find out more please contact us on 020 7934 8686, [email protected] or visit www.shell.co.uk/sfsp.

* Terms and Conditions apply. Offer on a first come, first served basis. Sign up for a minimum of 10 euroShell cards, and minimum fleet size 50 HGVs. Limited number of boxes available.

TITLE: SH_23627_CF SFSP EW 10pc PRESS AD_en_gb LANGUAGE: English DATE: 18 July 2012 3:17 PM PLATES: CMYK PAGE: 1 of 1

A dedicated fuel management solution for commercial transport fl eets, Shell FuelSave Partner is supplied on a subscription basis with no upfront investment required.

The technology amounts to a ‘black box’ installed in vehicles which interrogates fl eets’ fuel, vehicle and driver data, delivering online reports highlighting fuel effi ciency improvements of up to 10%.

Automatically linking diesel purchasing transactions made via Shell fuel cards with the monitoring of driver activity and vehicle performance, the comprehensive management reports give a complete insight into fuel consumption - thus helping to eliminate any fraudulent activity - and CO2 emissions.

Data transmitted shows fuel usage by individual truck and driver by the day, week, month and year as well as reporting fuel-related CO2 emissions on a per tonne-mile basis.

For further information on Shell FuelSave Partner telephone 0800 731 3131 or go to www.euroshell.co.uk

Saving money, cutting fuel bills and reducing vehicle carbon emissions sounds like mission impossible. But that is exactly what commercial vehicle operators are achieving with the help of Shell - and specifi cally Shell FuelSave Partner.One organisation that is benefi ting from FuelSave Partner is RCS Logistics, a third party logistics company, which operates across the UK and mainland Europe from its Corby, Northamptonshire, headquarters and a second distribution centre in Wakefi eld.

RCS Logistics spent £1.2 million on fuel last year and is no different to any other organisation in that fuel is one of its biggest costs. The telematics technology has been installed into each of RCS Logistics’ vehicles - 31 long wheel base Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, 15 44-feet articulated lorries and six rigid 7.5 tonne commercial vehicles.

Initially, RCS Logistics took a softly-softly approach to monitoring and only used FuelSave Partner to measure vehicle idling time. With 15 minutes of vehicle idling allowed before offi ce-based staff were informed via e-mail, RCS Logistics managed to save more than 500 litres of diesel within the fi rst month of monitoring.

RCS Logistics Director Steve Gray said: “That was a real eye-opener as to what Shell FuelSave Partner could do.”

Since then RCS Logistics has extended the use of the technology to monitor and measure a wide variety of driver and vehicle data to reduce fuel use including: speeding, use of cruise control, vehicle braking and acceleration.

“These are all areas that contribute to fuel use. If we can cut just 1% from our fuel bill then that is £12,000 on the company’s bottom line. However, our experience suggests that the fi nancial savings will be signifi cantly greater”, said Mr Gray.

Far from being viewed as ‘Big Brother’, Mr Gray says the company’s 85 drivers who clocked up three million miles last year, were won over by the technology due to a combination of consistent communication and education.

Additionally, RCS Logistics is seeing a number of spin-offs from using the technology. Mr Gray explained: “We are challenged every day by our existing customers and prospects as to the extent of our environmental focus. Carbon footprint reduction is a huge issue in business and tenders invariably ask for real evidence of action.”

He is full of praise as to how Shell has partnered with RCS Logistics, a business with a £9 million turnover, to reduce its fuel spend, while admitting to being sceptical as to why it would want to help RCS Logisticst save money, particularly in relation to fuel.

However, he now says: “Shell has been magnifi cent in helping RCS Logistics introduce FuelSave Partner and obtaining the best information from the technology to help improve our effi ciencies and reduce costs.To fi nd out how Shell can help you reduce your fuel and fl eet management costs, please visit www.shell.co.uk/shellfuelsavepartner or call 0207 934 8686.

“WE ARE NOT A HUGE LOGISTICS COMPANY BUT IT IS FANTASTIC THAT SHELL CONTINUES TO WORK EXTREMELY CLOSELY WITH US TWO YEARS AFTER WE FIRST INTRODUCED SHELL FUELSAVE PARTNER.”

RCS Logistics Director Steve Gray

TITLE: SH_23260_CF SFSP EW RCS LOG AD LFT_EN_GB_a4 LANGUAGE: English DATE: 20 July 2012 5:16 PM PLATES: CMYK PAGE: 1 of 1

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FIAT GETS THE GOLD WITH NEW FIORINO

ADVENTURE

Road

Test

FIAT FIORINO 1.3 MULTIJET DIESEL



Roland Rendell gets to grips with the latest small van to roll off of the Italian production line, with a fresh look and new Euro 5 engine.

Road Test

With there being plenty of gold medals flying around this summer, particularly for team GB, it seems apt to get the opportunity to test drive the new van named after an old Italian gold coin. Fiorino means Florin, a coin from the 13th/14th century, laced with pure gold. This new version of the van that was first launched way back in 1977 is packed with the latest emission-reducing technology, as well as having superb fuel economy. I was handed the keys to the new 1.3 MultiJet diesel model, in what appears to be the popular colour for small vans these days – red. It was Fiat’s top-spec model too, the Adventure, and I wondered whether it would live up to its name, or just fall in to the run-of-the-mill category. I jump in and immediately notice how high up I feel for a small van. Looking around, I’m impressed with the size of the cabin space. Being a fair bit over six foot, I could have still worn a top hat with room to spare. The dash is very user-friendly - every dial and indicator on the dash is easy to read, and the controls are within easy reach, which I’m sure will help drivers keep their mind on the job and their eyes on the road. A nice little arm rest to my left will aid the city driver with his hand constantly on the gear stick.

TARDIS-LIKEAt the first junction I find myself having to try and look around parked cars and a large van, before I can pull out, and it’s then that I notice just how good the visibility is. Inside, it’s almost Tardis-like. It measures 3881mm long and 1716mm wide, which explains a lot. The height of 1803mm is the reason I could do mini jumps inside without bumping my head. After half an hour, the 16v diesel manages to rack up an impressive return of just over 45 mpg. I decide to unload my small cargo (a ten year old boy) and see what it really can do. Being ten, he doesn’t use the conventional method of getting in and out. As I am walking around the back, I glance in through the glass door window panel and can see him attempting to clamber out of one of the side doors. Yes, one of them - this model has one on each side. The other thing I noticed about the doors is on the back - there’s a rear wash wipe, which proved invaluable in the wet weather we’d been having.

THE RUSH HOUR TESTNow cargo free, out of curiosity I decide to test the van against the Panda TwinAir I had the week before by doing the same route, at the same time of day – rush hour. 26 miles later I have to say I’m the most impressed I have ever been in a van. At an average of 44 miles mph, it manages an incredible 70.1 mpg, more than their stated combined cycle of 65.7. Again, this demonstrates that if you drive any vehicle in the right way, there are some serious savings to be had. The other pleasant surprise, which will now become more commonplace, is the admission of the CO2, which is a staggering 113g/km. The Fiorino Adventure is very comfortable, easy to drive and use, returns great mpg if you ask it to and is set to make a huge impact on the light commercial vehicle market. I say this van takes gold - it’s a winner. L

Fiat Fiorino 1.3 Multijet DieselPAYLOAD: 1,000kg

LOAD VOLUME: 3.4m³

MPG: 58.9 (combined cycle)

PRICE: from £14,708.33

CO2: 113g/km



Prod

uct F

inde

r

Lex Autolease Blake House, Hatchford Way, Birmingham B26 3RZTel: 0800 389 [email protected]

Lex Autolease is the UK’s leading vehicle management and funding specialist. We have in excess of 300,000 vehicles currently under management, making us the UK's largest leasing company. But it’s through delivering world class customer service and developing a true partnership with businesses and public sector organisations, to help them face the challenges of running a fleet, which gives us our competitive edge.

QDell LHR Express Cars91 Station RoadWest Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7LTTel: 01895 444333 [email protected] www.qdelllhr.co.uk

Located near Heathrow airport, airport runs are our speciality, we offer a meet and greet service where uniformed representatives monitor flights, meet your VIP’s and escort them to a waiting vehicle. Electric hybrids. Diesel hybrids, electric vehicles are included in our fleet We use biofuel made from 100% recycled cooking oil.

PRIVATE HIRE/COURIER SERVICES

Alfa OBC

Box Telematics 32

Celtic Tuning 48

Citroen 10, 11

Driver Check 57

EDF Energy 40

Energy Saving Trust 34, 35, 42

Fiat 6

Ford 24

GITI Tire 52

Greenmotion 56

Kia Motors 18, 19, 20

Leasing Options 54

Lex Autolease 4

Mercedes IFC

Peugeot 50, 51

QDELL 44

Ransomes Jacobsen 54

Renault IBC

Schneider Electric 26

Shell 58, 59

Skoda 8

Telefonica 38

Telit Communications 30

Vauxhall Vans 28, 29

Vauxhall 16

Volvo 14, 15

The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service

ADVERTISERS INDEX

GreenFleet Magazine www.greenfleet.net

FLEET MANAGEMENT AND FUNDING

FleetdriveHarleyford Marina, Henley RoadMarlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 2DXTel: 0800 [email protected]

Fleetdrive specialise in helping businesses with 5 – 80 cars or light commercials get best value and great service. Our services include contract hire, finance lease, maintenance, accident management, risk management and rental tied together with our online management system.

CONTRACT HIRE

Schneider Electric Stafford Park 5, Telford,Shropshire TF3 3BLTel: 0870 608 8608 Fax: 0870 608 8606gb-customerservices@schneider-electric.comwww.schneider-electric.co.uk

As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments. With the current adoption of electric vehicles, we have pooled our expertise to develop and offer you the right charging solution for today’s changing transportation landscape.

ELECTRIC CHARGING SOLUTIONS

Fleetdrive Electric Harleyford Marina, Henley RoadMarlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 2DXTel: 0330 303 [email protected]

Since we helped to fund the first Tesla back in 2008 Fleetdrive helped businesses ensure they are using the most suitable vehicles available, information about charge points etc. We can help with demonstration vehicles if you are considering electric cars or vans.

CONTRACT HIRE - ELECTRIC

GreenRoadFleet House, 8-12 New Bridge StreetLondon EC4V 6AL UKTel: 020 7822 8563 www.greenroad.com

GreenRoad is the leader in driver performance and safety management for fleets. The GreenRoad Driver Improvement Loop™ uses technology-based, personalised driver self-improvement to transform driving culture and deliver the best drivers. Proven across over 70,000 drivers worldwide from all industry segments, GreenRoad dramatically reduces crashes, fuel consumption and emissions so customers realise positive ROI within months.

SAFETY MANAGEMENT



100% MORE ACCESSIBLEON THE RENAULT Z.E. TOUR.

DRIVE THE CHANGE

Between now and 31st October, you and your drivers can experience the Renault Kangoo Van Z.E., Renault Fluence Z.E. and Renault Twizy at venues across the UK. To find out why the UK is buzzing about Renault’s 100% electric vehicles, book your place at renault.co.uk/ze-tour

Terms and exclusions apply. Warranty up to 4 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes fi rst. Service 48,000 miles. See Renault.co.uk/4+ for details. For Finance, guarantees and indemnities may be required. Finance, subject to age and status, provided by RCI Financial Services Limited, PO Box 149, Watford WD17 1FJ.

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