April 23 2020 £6.00 [email protected] Contact the Fleet Fit team Fit team Fleet Contact the at News Fleet shi�s in performance, efficiency and endurance. their Fleet Fitness. Many little changes can add up to big to can add up little changes Fitness. Many Fleet their fleets. to more attention can benefit from paying size fleet Any more agile Leaner Fitter, Fitter, FleetNews April 23, 2020 ■ ADVICE ON MANAGING YOUR FLEET THROUGH COVID-19 ■ NISSAN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE PROJECT SHOWS POTENTIAL ■ LAUNCH OF FLEET & MOBILITY LIVE ■ HOW AUTO WINDSCREENS SAVED MORE THAN £150K ■ EX-DRAGON WANTS DRIVE SOFTWARE TO BE ‘GLOBAL LEADER’ INSIDE FRONT PANEL Start finding FleetFleetNewsNewAprils 23 2020 £6.00 the marginal CommercialINCORPORATING Fleet gains Fleet spotlight: Auto Windscreens ‘My best If you have immediate fleet performance targets career move’ to tackle or you are looking for ways to become Just 30 months in, Shaun Atton more agile and ready to respond to changes has revolutionised fleet practices in legislation, taxation, fleet finance or new to save more than £150k and win technology. Beginning to pay more attention most improved fleet of the year to your Fleet Fitness is a great way to start developing leaner mobility solutions that are more prepared for the future. Working closely with our Fleet Fit coaches or using the free resources and advice available from our website is a fantastic way to start racking up the marginal gains, the small tweaks to fleet operation that can be compounded to create big shifts in overall performance. The UK’s most influential fleet For any questions on your Fleet Fitness event is back with a new name email: [email protected] and two days of packed content. Turn to page 28 to find out more DFM_FN_Cover_wrap_AW_AG.indd 2 08/04/2020 15:03 adRocket CONTENTS NEWS AND OPINION 4 Fleet News survey on lockdown 8 SMR challenges of coronavirus 9 Home delivery threat to fleet safety 11 Free2Move Lease looks to mobility 12 Your letters FleetNews 58 Last word: Keith Cook goes TOMORROW’S DIGITAL ONLY FLEET 16 Humandrive Project FROM MAY The road to autonomous driving 20 Future transport zones P14 Solent drone trial could save lives ELECTRIC FLEET 22 Salary sacrifice and EVs Together they are a ‘perfect fit’ 24 Making EVs the No 1 choice Case for increasing fleet uptake IN THE TODAY’S FLEET SPOTLIGHT 40 Cash vs car 28 Launch of UK’s biggest fleet event The company car fights back 32 Auto Windscreens 46 Fleet News debates Automation is the ‘buzzword’ Look beyond 0% BIK on BEVs, 36 Drive Software Solutions say leading fleet managers Ex-Dragon’s great expectations 38 Multi-award-winning BMW Simplifying its fleet approach THE CASH International Truck of the Year 2020. VS CAR DEBATE The new Actros. P40 IGNITION 48 Audi A3 Sportback We’re proud that the new Actros has won the “International Truck of the Year 2020” Improved fleet appeal accolade and would like to extend our thanks to all of our customers for their many years 49 Peugeot 3008 hybrid of loyalty! Everyone talks, one delivers. The new Actros. Super crossover-type SUV 50 Our test fleet For more information scan the QR code. COMMERCIAL FLEET 53 Testing the Daf XF FTP 55 The Maxus E Deliver 3 56 Pandemic impact Many new measures on hold fleetnews.co.uk ■ April 23 2020 3 FP_FLEETNEW_NATOTYUK21id4273259.pdf 04.09.2020 10:28 NEWS: CORONAVIRUS UPDATE All areas of the industry adversely impacted as virus lockdown bites One-in-four fleets agree contract extensions; less than 10% of company cars driven for work By Gareth Roberts he had mothballed half his fleet due before and after the period of unavail- sionals (AFP) says it has already undreds of thousands of to a lack of work, while another had ability, it is liable to benefit-in-kind heard reports of employees pushing company cars and vans de-hired all unused vehicles and (BIK) tax during the whole period. their keys back through the letter- H are standing idle as arranged rental holiday for leased HMRC told Fleet News the benefit boxes of unattended offices. fleets feel the full force vehicles. charge applies where a car is made Not only does it make it impossible of the coronavirus pandemic. Payment deferrals have also been available for private use, whether or for fleet decision-makers to create Almost three-quarters (72.6%) of discussed with funders in the event not it is so used. an audit trail to satisfy HMRC, but it Almost 20% of fleets said between respondents to a Fleet News survey of extended movement restrictions. A spokesman said: “A car kept on could also create a health safety half and three-quarters of their said less than 10% of their company The Government lockdown, intro- an employee’s driveway during a problem if a car needed to be moved drivers were still on the road cars are being driven for work. duced on Monday, March 23, has period of furlough would still be in an emergency and the keys were Any semblance of normality was resulted in an estimated nine million considered to be made available. not readily available. reserved for just one-in-20 fleets, employees being furloughed. Many Neither would we accept a SORN Zenith, said: “We are operating as which said more than 75% of their of those still in work, meanwhile, are declaration as proof of unavailability.” OPERATIONAL IMPACT near to normal as possible. company car drivers were still on the working from home. Ordinarily, a car would need to be Vehicle deliveries and collections Customers are still able to order No: 8.9% Yes: 91.1% road. An overwhelming majority of fleet handed back to the employer so it have also been halted, with leasing vehicles and speak to our team for The impact on van fleets is equally decision-makers – close to three- cannot be used. However, HMRC companies working with fleet deci- any assistance they might need.” significant, but, due to increases in quarters (73.4%) – said they were says it recognises under the current sion-makers to extend contracts, Customers and their drivers are Yes: 29.2% demand from different parts of the working from home; one in 10 were circumstances it may not be possible where possible, and mitigate poten- being kept up-to-date, with regular N/A: 37.5% economy, such as home deliveries, dividing their working day between to physically hand the car back. tial charges incurred during the communications on everything from Have deliveries of Have you agreed fewer vans as a proportion of overall the office and home, and just 15.4% The spokesman said: “We would Covid-19 pandemic. vehicle availability to servicing and new company cars and contract extensions with fleet operations are standing idle, the were still in the office full-time. accept that where all the keys (or However, they say they are contin- maintenance, explained Buchan. vans stopped? your leasing provider? research suggests. tabs) are in possession of the uing to support vehicle deliveries for “Everyone at Zenith understands Source: Fleet News Source: Fleet News Nevertheless, two-thirds (66.7%) of ‘BENEFIT’ QUESTIONED employer, and the employee does not frontline essential services, public how important our role is in keeping respondents said that less than 10% The number of employees being have the authority to request the keys sector customers and key workers. fleets operational and we’re doing of their van drivers were working, but furloughed or working from home are returned to them, the car would Customer service teams are everything we can to support them almost one-in-five (18.8%) said has called into question the fairness be unavailable.” working from home and are avail- all at this time.” between half and three-quarters of of paying company car tax on a However, no official guidance has able to assist fleets, while vehicle Nick Brownrigg, Alphabet’s CEO, No: 33.3% their drivers were on the road. One in ‘benefit’ that may be standing idle. been published and the suggestion orders can be made online, but the told Fleet News he understood that 10 had more than 75% of their van Currently, unless a company car is around sending keys back could industry says it recognises fleets will Covid-19 is an “unprecedented, drivers operational. unavailable for 30 consecutive days create major problems for fleets. need help negotiating the crisis. concerning and difficult time” for One fleet manager told Fleet News and is available to the same employee The Association of Fleet Profes- Tim Buchan, chief executive of everyone in the UK. Customers that may have an issue Brownrigg said, if they have less with their payments as a result of than three months left on their coronavirus should call to discuss contract fleets and drivers are being 5.4%: their concerns as soon as possible, contacted to discuss their options. more than 72.6%: 11.2%: 15.4%: less than 10.3%: 66.7%: he said. He added: “For customers with a bit of 5.4%: 75% more than less than working 51-75% 10% “We have a range of options avail- vehicles on contracts with beyond both in the office 2.9%: 75% 10% able – such as the rescheduling of three months to run, we are recom- 31-50% payments – which enables us to mending they continue to run to their 8.5%: 51-75% tailor a solution to the precise normal renewal cycle, unless there circumstances of the business and is a specific request for a contract the types of contract on which the reschedule.” 13.7%: 3.6%: fleet operates.” Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, 10-30% 31-50% Are you still working What proportion of your What proportion of your He continued: “This is an incredibly like many other leasing companies, in the office or now working company car drivers are still company van drivers are still difficult moment for many busi- is taking a similar approach.