Behind the wheel of the latest green technology
Feature
Rockingham welcomed back GreenFleet Arrive ’n’ Drive for a 10th year, giving fleet managers the chance to get behind the wheel of the latest low and zero‑emission vehicle.
From the original Toyota Prius back in 2007, to the Nissan e-NV200 in 2015, to the Tesla Model X at this year’s show, Arrive ’n’ Drive has always positioned itself at the forefront of emerging low‑emission technologies.
The theme of this year’s event was ‘Going Ultra Low’, with a focus on how standard, blue-light and commercial fleets can keep up with the increasingly strict emissions regulations, as well as ensuring that fleet managers are aware of the incentives available for low emission vehicles.
The government is planning for widespread adoption of low-emission vehicles, including battery electric, hybrid and fuel cell, with the aim of almost all cars and vans to be zero-emission by 2050.
In order to meet this target, a number of incentives have been launched to reduce the initial cost of plug-in vehicles, namely the Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG) and the Plug-in Van Grant (PiVG).These offer up to £4,500 and £8,000 respectively off the purchase price of a low emission car or van and are complemented by subsidies for home charging units of up to £500, as well as lower tax for less polluting cars.
As part of the Go Ultra Low campaign, private and public organisations can also receive ‘Go Ultra Low Company’ status, which recognises companies that have embraced electric vehicles (EVs) and have committed to make ensure EVs make up at least five per cent of their fleet by 2020.
Arrive ’n’ Drive gave the fleet managers in attendance the opportunity to see first hand how low emission vehicles could fit into their fleet and offer a practical, reliable and efficient option for drivers.
Getting behind the wheel
Models from BMW, Peugeot, Citroen, Ford, Fiat Chrysler, Jaguar Land Rover, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Mini, smart, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla and Toyota filled the track throughout the day. This gave delegates the chance to get hands on experience with the different low emission vehicles on offer, ranging from the latest most efficient combustion engines, to plug-in hybrids to pure EVs and even a hydrogen fuel cell.
The centrepiece of Toyota’s display was the hydrogen-powered Mirai. The Mirai’s name derives from the Japanese for ‘future’ and, despite Toyota’s status as a pioneer of the hybrid car, thanks to the huge success of the Prius, the Japanese manufacturer sees hydrogen power as the real long‑term solution to low emissions mobility.
The first mass produced fuel cell vehicle readily available in Europe, the Mirai was the recipient of the 2016 World Green Car award and represents a major step for Toyota.
Thus far the Mirai has been rolled out in limited numbers across the UK, meaning Arrive ’n’ Drive gave delegates a rare chance to test drive the new technology. While the drive is comparable to that of EV, the hydrogen fuel tank offers a range of up to 342 miles, which is far superior to the majority of its pure EV rivals.
Priced at £66,000 on-the-road (not including PiCG subsidies) the Mirai is very much at the high end of low emission vehicle market, but as the technology becomes more wide spread, as Toyota envisions it will, this price will likely start to fall.
EVs of the future
Tesla’s stand attracted a huge amount of attention throughout the day, which was largely due to the appearance of the Model X. The event marked the first time a Model X appeared at fleet event, and delegates had the opportunity to be driven around the track in the futuristic all-electric SUV before it hits UK roads later this year.
The Model X was first unveiled in September 2015 and is the second production offering from the electric manufacturer. It is available in 60, 75, 90 and 100kWh options, with ranges from 220 miles for the 60D model up to 336 miles for the highest spec P100D, which also boasts a top speed of 155mph with acceleration from 0-60mpg in just 2.9 seconds.
Starting from £64,100 before incentives, it is again placed at the higher end of the market, but with options for five, six or seven seats, it boasts functionally that few other EVs can compare to.
Another pure EV on display was the Nissan e-NV200, which combines the technology of Nissan’s award-winning Leaf with the practicality of the NV200 van. Powered by a 24kWh rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack, the electric LCV boasts a 4.2m3 cargo capacity and is capable of holding a 703kg payload, with a serviceable range of up to 106 miles.
In addition to the e-NV200, Nissan also brought its new 30kWh Leaf, which now has a claimed range of 155 miles – an increase of 25 per cent compared to the previous model.
Mercedes-Benz also showcased its B-Class Electric Drive. The 28kWh lithium-ion battery is stored under the raised floor, which means the EV is effectively as spacious as the combustion engine versions, with a 500 litre boot and generous leg room. Priced from £26,950, the B-Class Electric Drive has a range of up to 124 miles is capable of accelerating 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds, with a top speed of 99mph and, of course, zero tailpipe emissions.
Hybrid power
BMW proved extremely popular with delegates on the day and there was rarely a moment when its i3 couldn’t be seen whizzing around the Rockingham track. However, the big head turner was the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid, which looks to compare the performance of a sports car with the consumption and emission values of a compact car. The i8’s 1.5-litre three-cylinder electric-gasoline hybrid is a two time ‘International Engine of the Year’ winner and is capable of accelerating from 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds, with fuel consumption of 134.5mpg and CO2 emission of 49g/km.
Another hybrid that proved popular on the day was the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The Outlander PHEV is currently the UK’s best selling plug-in, with total registrations topping 25,000 this October. 11,681 registered in 2015, meaning that the Outlander PHEV accounted for 61 per cent of the entire plug-in hybrid segment, and it has enjoyed continued success in 2016, with 7,800 registered in the first three quarters of the year.
Bristol Street Motors brought with them a fleet of Peugeots, including the Partner electric van with zero emissions and a potential range of 105 miles between charges.
Beat the Sprig
Delegates were able to test their eco-driving skills by taking part in the annual Beat the Sprig competition, sponsored by Trackm8. Driving training partner r3Rockingham took participants out in a Mini Clubman One D on a set route, giving them tips on how to drive in a fuel-efficient manner. The participant with the best overall score, calculated using Trackm8’s software and taking into consideration mpg, acceleration, and braking, won the competition. GreenFleet eco‑driving pro the Sprig set the score to beat.
Workshops
The indoor exhibition allowed fleet managers to find out more about the products and services that support the fleet industry, from telematics to EV charging providers and leasing companies. The companies that made up the indoor exhibition were Leaseplan, Chevin Fleet Solutions, Co‑Wheels Car Club, Everwarm, Fleetdrive Electric, Green Motion, Rolec Services, Route Monkey, Trakm8 and Vortex.
What’s more, delegates were able to take a break from test drives and attend the informative seminar sessions.
The first workshop of the day was entitled ‘helping fleets to go ultra Low’ and aimed to increase awareness of electric and plug-in vehicles by helping fleet managers to understand the benefits, cost savings and capabilities of the wide range of vehicles on the market. It featured a keynote from the Energy Saving Trust’s Kearcy Watts and Mike Potter, managing director of ultra-low leasing specialist Fleetdrive. Additionally, Will Smith, performance manager at Britvic, explained the steps the company has taken to become an approved ‘Go Ultra Low Company’.
Second on the agenda was ‘Go ultra low in the blue light sector’, sponsored by Vortex, which had a specialist focus on the use if low emission vehicles in the emergency services.
Presented by The National Association of Police Fleet Managers (NAPFM), this workshop covered solutions for the police, ambulance and fire and rescue sectors. Representatives from each emergency service presented case studies about how their fleets have incorporated low emission technologies and strategies. Speakers included: Alexis Keech, environmental and sustainability manager, Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS; Arend Mouton, vehicle fleet manager, City Of London Police; and Nicole Fletcher, head of sustainable development, London Fire Brigade.
The third and final workshop of the day was ‘Go ultra low with commercial vehicles’ and was presented by the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS). It had a focus on the future operating environment in the context of emissions, implications for commercial vehicle operators and merits of technology options available, which included looking ‘beyond Euro VI’ for conventionally powered HGVs to ascertain how hauliers can mitigate their emissions.
FORS’s own Dan Bowden, performance manager, and Paul Wilkes, business services manager, presented, along with Darryll Finch, O2 smart vehicle proposition manager, who offered further industry insight on the topic of vehicle and engine diagnostics.
