Issue 77: February 2021 £5.99 www.companycartoday.co.uk Your independent source of fleet news, reviews and interviews INSIDE TEST DRIVES Revised Insignia, Toyota RAV4 PHEV, New Hyundai Tucson INTERVIEW The man behind the new MOKKA 36-car EV charging site ANALYSIS US EV brand Fisker PLEASE eyes UK fleet market Test Drive Review: Vauxhall’s boldly styled new crossover PLUS INSIDE: GREEN COMPANY CAR BIG TEST: The first car from VW’s new ID EV brand FOREWORD CONTENTS 04 NEWS New DS 4 revealed; Renault 5 EV 11 FISKER AND FLEETS US EV brand targets businesses 12 BIG TEST What’s the VW iD.3 really like? WELCOME It’s on the standing at a petrol pump and watching 18 COFFEE WITH… the number spin around and seeing the Gridserve’s Toddington Harper periphery of the cost of your next 400 miles before your electric vehicle eyes, but anyone charging at home will 21 GREEN COMPANY CAR stop and think if X car can achieve a few Focus on EV efficiency, not range; debate, but the extra miles per charge that Y, it will mean carbon-offsetting; guest opinion issue of vehicle that they get home with more miles in efficiency will hand, and less charge required to take 30 REVIEWS the car back up to full, therefore lowering New Vauxhall Mokka, Volkswagen become more their household electricity bill. That will Tiguan, Toyota RAV4 PHEV, Vauxhall Insignia, Hyundai Tucson, relevant as familiarity with be amplified as tech gets smarter and it’s VW Arteon Shooting Brake, easier to track the cost of charging a car. EV technology increases. But it’ll also require manufacturers, as Vauxhall Crossland, Jaguar XF I’d imagine that with early petrol and an entire industry, to become more diesel cars, people weren’t that worried transparent. At the moment, there’s not 38 LONG-TERM TESTS about the vehicle’s MPG figures, only that an easy at-a-glance way of checking an Citroen C5 Aircross, Seat Leon, they didn’t have to feed their new horseless Citroen Berlingo, Ford Puma, individual EV’s efficiency – no electric carriage and it didn’t get tired, but with time Audi A7 Sportback and Kia Xceed version of miles per gallon that the awareness that some cars give you manufacturers are obliged to put out. more distance for the same amount of fuel, KNOWLEDGE But we’re going to need a miles per kWh 43 it became increasingly important. Used buyers want more tech or similar measurement sooner rather And so it will be with electric vehicles, than later to highlight the most efficient as we’ve looked into on page 22. 46 FLEET OF FANCY models for consumer comparison Understandably and logically, at the Porsche Taycan: terminal velocity purposes, and to give manufacturers moment it’s all about vehicle range. That’s a little further nudge to make their EVs the key measurement as people learn about as efficient as possible. 04 the new technology and its capabilities, especially while trust in the reliability and geographical spread of the public charging network isn’t yet where it needs to be. But in time, possibly at the end of a driver’s first ownership cycle of an electric car, the point will begin to drill home that some offer more distance for each kW of electricity going in. It’s not as visible as Paul Barker Editor 12 EDITORIAL: DISCLAIMER: Company Car Today is EDITOR: Paul Barker published by Automotive Media & Events E: [email protected] Limited, registered address 1 Second Avenue, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Tristan Young Halstead, Essex, CO9 2SU. Registered CONTRIBUTORS: Nat Barnes, Euan Doig, number 10034249. All rights reserved. No Tom Webster part of the magazine may be reproduced in NEWS: [email protected] any form in whole or in part without prior PRODUCTION: written permission of the publisher. All 21 ART DIRECTOR: Caroline Creighton-Metcalf material published remains the copyright of T: 07786 063838 Automotive Media & Events Limited. 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COMPANYCARTODAY.CO.UK 3 The big stories from the world of fleet this month NEWS DS REVEALS NEW PREMIUM HATCHBACK boot that engines and a 130hp diesel will pedestrians or animals up to is 50 litres make up the range, although 200 metres ahead and alerts bigger than DS is yet to confirm the UK the driver. The company’s new the Audi's, line-up of engines and trims. Extended Head-up Display and isn’t Technology will include the system is claimed to use an compromised DS Smart Touch system of optical illusion to project in the PHEV gesture control for essential information four metres ahead version. functions, while the vertical of the windscreen and into the The range daytime running lights contain driver’s eyeline. DS Automobiles has revealed will comprise the regular model a total of 98 LEDs. On the inside, the cabin the new DS 4 premium lower- plus DS 4 Cross and DS 4 The latest version of the features high-quality medium model that will arrive Performance Line derivatives, Drive Assist safety system materials, and the infotainment in the UK late this year with depending on whether the includes recommended speed can be controlled using a petrol, diesel and plug-in buyer is keener on a more SUV adaptation for corners and five-inch touchpad as well hybrid powertrains. or more sporting look. speed limits, and semi- as the gesture controls. The new model will join the The fleet highlight of the automated lane change The bulk of the range will be DS 3 Crossback and DS 7 powertrains will be the 225hp capacity, while grip sensors on fitted with 19-inch alloys, with Crossback and is 87mm longer plug-in hybrid, which will give steering wheel monitor that 20-inch wheels also available. than an Audi A3 Sportback, as the car an official range of 30 the driver remains in control of Deliveries are scheduled to well as 14mm taller and 45mm miles on electric alone. Then, the car. The DS 4 also has night begin in the UK this November. wider. It also offers a 430-litre 130hp, 180hp and 225hp petrol vision that detects heat from Paul Barker Revisions inside and out for Minis BVRLA seeks certainty in March Budget Mini has announced a facelift The BVRLA has called for a trio investment tax allowance and additional technology for of measures to be included to enable businesses to its hatchback line-up, including in the chancellor’s Budget on offset the full cost of charge the Electric and Convertible. March 3 to support recovery point installation, including Visually, the main change in the vehicle rental, leasing groundworks and grid upgrade. is a larger grille, as well as and fleet sectors. “We need a long-term recontoured wheel arches. The rental and leasing perspective on tax to combat On the inside, all models now from their smartphone. association has called for a uncertainty, support for get the leather sports steering The Driver Assistance freeze on Vehicle Excise Duty the hard-hit rental sector, wheel and digital cockpit, as package also now includes until April 2022, a clarification and some creative thinking well as a new operating system lane-departure warning of company car Benefit-in- on tax allowances that can for the infotainment and a new and adaptive cruise control Kind tax rates until the end unlock investment in green Mini app allowing drivers to that will, for cars with an of the 2025-26 tax year, technology,” said BVRLA Chief check fuel or charge level and automatic gearbox, bring the and an expansion of green Executive Gerry Keaney. send navigation destinations car to a complete standstill. 4 COMPANYCARTODAY.CO.UK NEWS BITES HYUNDAI BEGINS BUILD-UP TO NEW ELECTRIC BRAND Hyundai has revealed the first teaser images of its new Ioniq 5, the first in its new line-up of Ioniq-branded electric vehicles. The 5 will, in time, gain a range of siblings under the Ioniq nameplate. Detail is currently scarce on the model, which will be unveiled this spring. Renault 5 reborn as brand plots clean-energy move FORD ADDS BP PULSE TO ITS APP EV NETWORK Renault has set out its The 5 Prototype is a The tech, service and clean Ahead of the launch of its strategy for the next five demonstration of how the energy brand statement electric Mustang Mach-e, Ford years and beyond, with the brand will “democratise the included a focus on the has added BP Pulse to its French brand stating it will electric car in Europe”, it said, development of world-leading FordPass app, which gives evolve into a “tech, service although there is no detail artificial intelligence and drivers a free 12 months of and clean energy brand”.