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The number of vehicles stolen in England and Wales rose by more than one-fifth (21%) between 2016 and 2019, according to a freedom of information request by AX.

 

Responses obtained from police forces across England and Wales found much of that increase occurred between 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, with a ride of 14.1%.

 

The report follows research by Verizon Connect earlier this year, which found the average fleet loses around £16,000 per year as a result of vehicle or equipment theft.

 

Neil Thomas, director of investigative services at the provider of intelligent vehicle protection and management technologies and a former detective inspector, said: “While the lockdown may temporally reduce some types of car theft, criminals are using increasingly intelligent ways to steal vehicles and continue to find success.

 

“The combination of organised crime getting smarter and ability to make quick returns has drastically increased pressure on police forces to control the theft of motor vehicles.

 

“Car thieves are opportunists and have no respect for property and will remain determined to carry on illegal activity despite the current restrictions on movement across the UK. I have even seen recent reports of vehicles belonging to key workers being stolen.

 

“During this period of lockdown, it’s even more important that car owners remain vigilant and do what they can to keep their car safe while they’re using them less frequently, if at all.”

 

Of the 17 police forces that responded, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire Police saw the largest increases, with Nottinghamshire Police reporting an overall rise of 60%.

 

Hertfordshire, Surrey, West Midlands and Essex Police each saw overall surges of more than 40%.

 

However, some forces have seen a decrease in motor vehicle thefts, including Merseyside Police and Avon and Somerset Constabulary. Humberside Police reported the largest drop, with a decrease of 36%.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Holdcroft Group Fleet will begin vehicle deliveries and collections from Wednesday (April 29), after adapting processes to provide a contactless home delivery service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Vehicle collections and deliveries have been suspended by leasing companies during the lockdown, while carmakers have put production on hold across the world.

 

However, the Department for Transport (DfT) says in a letter to the logistics sector that logistics, including the collection and delivery of vehicles, should carry on during the lockdown, provided that it can be done in accordance with coronavirus safety guidelines.

 

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) urged dealerships and other delivery agents to start moving vehicles again, earlier this month.

 

Group fleet director at Holdcroft Group Fleet, Malcolm Pearson, told Fleet News: “In light of recent advice from the Government regarding delivery of new cars to customer’s homes and their desire to keep the UK economy going, we have adapted our process to accommodate a contactless home delivery service whilst ensuring social distancing and safety for all parties.

 

“From Wednesday (April 29), we will be recommencing deliveries albeit starting with a low volume while we gradually bring a number of employees back from furlough.”

 

However, he added: “Due to manufacturers not delivering new stock to us at the moment we can only deliver vehicles we have physically with us.”

 

Some manufacturers have announced plans to slowly begin production at plants in Europe.

 

Audi will restart car production at its plants in Europe during the coming weeks, with ‘normality’ expected by the end of the month.

 

The company announced the temporary suspension of production at its European sites in mid-March due to supply bottlenecks and a drop in demand due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Suppliers and service providers will also restart at the same time, in an effort coordinated with the Volkswagen Group.

 

PSA Group has also announced a gradual restart of its facilities, including the Ellesmere Port Vauxhall plant.

 

A multi-franchise dealer group based in the Midlands and North West, Holdcroft is one of largest vehicle retailers in the UK and Holdcroft Group Fleet is a fully licenced transport company operating its own fleet of transporters.

 

Pearson said: “We are taking all necessary precautions to deliver safely to customer addresses and have recently introduced contactless home delivery for new fleet vehicle orders.

 

“When booking the delivery this process will be outlined with the customer and will only progress and take place if both parties are completely satisfied with the process.

 

“All vehicles will be delivered on a transporter – to both reduce the number and length of time we have to spend in a customer car as well as eliminating the need for the use of any public transport ensuring safe return of our employee.”

 

Delivery drivers will also follow strict protocols in ensuring the vehicle is disinfected. “Drivers are fully equipped with gloves and the correct hand sanitisers,” explained Pearson.

 

“They will re-wipe all areas they have come into contact with once the new vehicle is parked in the correct new location, before finally wiping the keys and placing at the customers front door and stepping back to allow them to be picked up for the car checked over.”

 

Customers will not need to sign any paperwork or handheld device but will be asked in advance for permission to sign on their behalf once they have checked the vehicle over externally.

 

Pearson said: “A down-side to social distancing means the usual level of vehicle demonstration will not be able to take place, but this may also not be possible for many months to come depending on future government guidance around social distancing.

 

“If the customers are self-isolating, shielding or are nervous, but they still want the car delivered, we will leave the car and allow two hours after to inspect the car and advise us of any concerns.”

 

In terms of vehicle returns, Holdcroft Motor Group will be instructing the customer that they must be able to clean the car with appropriate anti-bacterial wipes and then not enter the car for three days prior to collection.

 

The keys must also be wiped at that time and placed in a bag or envelope and be left at the door in the same way it is approaching deliveries of new cars.

 

“This will reduce the risk of any virus remaining on hard surfaces after three days,” said Pearson. “We will re-wipe handles and keys as necessary before we move the vehicle as well.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

BMW is continuing to develop hydrogen powered cars, as part of a collaboration with Toyota.

 

The German brand says it plans to test its next-generation powertrain in prototype X5, in 2022.

 

Named the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT, the powertrain combines a hydrogen fuel cell with BMW’s new eDrive electric unit.

 

Fuel cells from the cooperation with Toyota will be deployed in the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT, alongside a fuel cell stack and overall system developed by the BMW Group.

 

A peak-power battery enables the system to deliver up to 374PS, while producing no emissions. Refuelling the vehicle will take three-to-four minutes.

 

Klaus Fröhlich, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Research and Development, said: “We are convinced that various alternative powertrain systems will exist alongside one another in future, as there is no single solution that addresses the full spectrum of customers’ mobility requirements worldwide.

 

“The hydrogen fuel cell technology could quite feasibly become the fourth pillar of our powertrain portfolio in the long term.

 

“The upper-end models in our extremely popular X family would make particularly suitable candidates here.”

 

Although the BMW Group has said that it has no doubt as to the long-term potential of fuel cell powertrain systems, it will be some time before the company offers its customers a production car powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology. This is primarily due to the fact that the right framework conditions are not yet in place.

 

The OEM believes hydrogen will be used primarily in applications that cannot be directly electrified, such as long-distance heavy duty transport.

 

According to BMW, the requisite infrastructure, such as an extensive, Europe-wide network of hydrogen filling stations, is lacking at present.

 

However, it is pressing ahead with development work in the field of hydrogen fuel cell technology.

 

The company is using the time until the infrastructure and sustainably produced hydrogen supply are in place to substantially reduce the cost of manufacturing the powertrain system.

 

In the meantime, a total of 25 electrified models are slated for launch by 2023, including at least twelve with an all-electric powertrain.  By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know that I have been talking about wireless electric vehicle charging for over 3 years. It seems that the industry is seeing sense at last.

 

Interest is increasing in electric vehicles (EVs), but consumer anxiety and misconceptions over the ease and availability of charging has slowed EV proliferation on a global scale.

 

While wireless charging addresses many of those concerns, there are still myths circulating about how it works.

 

In reality, EV wireless charging is as efficient as plug-in options. Wireless EV charging based on magnetic resonance technology operates between 90% to 93% efficiency from the grid to the EV battery, well within the 88% to 95% efficiency range of conventional Level 1 or 2 plug-in EV chargers.

 

Wireless delivers the same charging power – in the same amount of time – as conventional plug-in methods.

 

EV wireless charging is flexible. Magnetic resonance requires neither physical contact nor fully accurate car alignment. No mess or fear of forgetting—your EV charges automatically, hands-free. The same charger can support low vehicles like a sports car up to high ground clearance SUVs.

 

Magnetic resonance can also work through water, snow, ice, concrete and asphalt—so the EV can charge no matter the circumstance or installation.

 

EV wireless charging is safe. Wireless charging is a totally hands-free experience. No gas pumps or charging cables to mess with.

 

Magnetic resonance systems deliver energy from a ground pad to an embedded vehicle-side receiver, and all magnetic fields are contained in a limited space underneath the vehicle.

 

Following years of rigorous analysis and testing by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), wireless EV charging meets all regulatory guidelines for human safety.

 

Wireless EV charging technology keeps stray magnetic and electric fields below the well-established safety limits used in all consumer products, such as induction cooktops, cellphones or Bluetooth headsets. Sensing and processing hardware, which can detect foreign and living objects and vehicle position, ensure safety and ease of use.

 

EV wireless charging is being standardised on a global scale. Today, charging connectors have not been standardized across automakers and regions, and drivers sometimes have difficulty finding a plug that fits their specific model.

 

For wireless charging, automotive industry groups including SAE International (global), IEC/ISO (global) and CATARC (China) agreed from the beginning to create industry standards to ensure full interoperability.

 

EV wireless charging is dynamic. A future benefit is dynamic charging, which enables charging ‘on-the-go’. This is a breakthrough for taxi fleets which will be able to ‘power snack’ as they move through taxi queues waiting for passengers.

 

Wireless charging can help accelerate adoption of EVs in taxi fleets—important for the urban environment—by eliminating charging down-time and maximizing ‘in-service’ time on the roads.

 

EV wireless charging is a key enabler for the future of mobility. Wireless charging will also be critical for autonomous vehicles and autonomous parking, automatically charging by positioning themselves over local wireless charging pads.

 

While full robo-taxi deployment may be some years out, auto-valet parking is near at hand. Ultimately, robo-taxis are expected to dominate the passenger-miles in urban environments and smart cities, and wireless charging is a key enabler.

 

EVs are reshaping the automotive industry, and wireless charging can help make them accessible and appealing to all.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

New analysis from used vehicle pricing specialist Indicata has revealed the potential impact Coronavirus will have on the daily rental and leasing sectors.

 

In its free-to-download White Paper, Indicata looks at the short, medium, and long-term effects of Covid-19 on the European used car industry, particularly rental and leasing companies.

 

The research includes analysis of nine million used vehicle advertisements across Europe each day. It highlights that Northern Europe saw a sales fall of 21.5% between March 11 and 18, while southern Europe, including Italy saw sales fall by 44% during the same period.

 

A clear correlation between infection rates and the fall in used car sales between March 11-18 versus the same period in February, was uncovered.

 

As the virus progresses, Indicata says re-marketers will need to know the country-by-country market trends to identify the most effective sales channels.

 

Andy Shields (pictured), global business unit director at Indicata, authored the White Paper. He said: “The relationship between the increase in the number of people with Covid-19 and the measures each individual government introduces to fight the pandemic is already having a detrimental impact on European rental and leasing companies.

 

“Countries will have different challenges at different times and it’s all about equipping companies with the right data to help assist them in making fast decisions.”

 

He says that rental companies are likely to have contracted their annual volumes with OEMs already and now need to re-assess current contracts.

 

“In many cases contracts will be defaulted on, such is the loss of demand in the rental industry,” Sheilds explains.

 

This will leave OEMs with a stock of unregistered, and in some cases registered ready for delivery, new vehicles the rental industry does not want.

 

In addition, de-fleets will be happening, and rental companies may try and hold risk vehicles until after the initial social distancing. However, when there is significant volatility on demand and differences between country the capacity to absorb stock at any one time becomes more challenging.

 

According to Sheilds, the challenge for the leasing industry will be to manage the current volatility in the market while respecting the fact that there may be no short-term recovery in residual values.

 

In 2008/9, many leasing companies extended vehicle contracts. With the risk used vehicle prices will be depressed for an extended period, an immediate run on vehicles may not be ideal. Even so, vehicles will still need to be remarketed over the downturn.

 

The White Paper also looks at how the last recession played out for both the new and used car markets across Europe and how those same trends may repeat in a world dominated by Covid-19.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

New car sales across Europe have plummeted, reaching a four-year low for the month of February.

 

Jato Dynamics revealed in its monthly report on the European region’s 27 car-selling nations that a total of 1,063,264 new vehicles found owners last month, compared to 1,143,852 in February 2019 – a decline of 7% year-on-year and just 11.3% up on 2015’s 955,113 units.

 

The performance leaves the sector 7.3% down by volume year-to-date, at 2,194,706 units.

 

Felipe Munoz, global analyst at Jato, said that the situation in Europe’s new car sector was “rapidly deteriorating” – even ahead of March’s escalation of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak – due to complex regulation, lack of available homologated cars, and increasing pressure on the economy.

 

“All of these factors are having a detrimental impact on consumer confidence”, he added.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the top end of the new vehicle sales rankings, the region’s long-time best-seller, Volkswagen’s Golf, was dethroned by the new Renault Clio.

 

Jato says this is a result of Renault’s new Clio having been available to the market for a longer period of time than the recently-launched eighth-generation Golf.

 

Other changes included a shift away from SUVs, with none appearing in the top 10 ranking.

 

Mid-size cars posted the highest growth among all segments, thanks to strong performances by the BMW 3 Series and the Volkswagen Passat.

 

The BMW and VW models’ combined registrations made up 31% of the whole midsize segment volume, while sales of the Tesla Model 3 fell by 6%.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to Jato’s data, alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) were once again delivered growth in February, despite the market’s downward trajectory.

 

It showed that AFV registrations jumped from 75,400 units in February 2019 to 135,500 units last month.

 

The increase of over 80% came at the expense of diesel and petrol cars which saw significantly fewer registrations, however.

 

Munoz said: “So far this year, electrified vehicles have been the only lifeline for manufacturers operating in Europe.

 

“This is good news, as the industry’s electrification plans have finally seen a positive response from consumers.”

 

The shift towards AFVs is now starting to place pressure on the previously buoyant SUV market, according to Jato.

 

Registrations for SUVs fell by 1.7% to 415,300 units last month, taking the year-to-date total to 865,500 units – down 1.4% year-on-year.

 

The SUV segment still retains the largest overall market share, however.

 

Jato said that the fall in registrations was due to the compact SUVs, declining by 3.7% in contrast to the strong growth experienced by large SUVs, which saw an increase of 17%.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The cost of electric vehicle (EV) base models has risen by 18% since 2013, according to research from Cap HPI.

 

However, it says drivers are now enjoying significantly more technology and performance to compensate for the higher investment.

 

The analysis shows that selected EVs have 48% more battery life, almost two thirds (60%) extended range and a quarter (23%) improvement in higher engine performance.

 

The research reviewed base versions of the BMW i3, Kia Soul Electric, Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe. All of the automobiles reviewed fell into a price range of £18,000 to £35,000.

 

The number of models in this category has jumped 360% since 2012 to now account for 23 models and 132 derivatives.

 

To accommodate this growing sector and meet market demand, Cap HPI has made significant increases in the data volumes available for battery electric vehicles over the past 12 months.

 

The company has also added new data fields including battery capacity and fast charging information during a recent major upgrade of EV data.

 

The increase in data volume and accessibility will empower the automotive industry to provide more accurate vehicle identification and drive accurate valuations, the total cost of ownership figures and a host of other data services, says Cap HPI.

 

Jon Clay, head of vehicle identification at Cap HPI, explained: “We continue to invest and innovate to ensure the industry has the depth and accuracy of data required to work efficiently.

 

“Advancements in technology mean the process of harnessing new vehicle data is speeding up and can be used in new ways to drive a digital customer journey.

 

“The pace of changes continues to accelerate with the number of EV derivatives doubling in the last year.

 

“As technology advances, Cap HPI will continue to look at new ways to use the data for the benefit of customers across the supply chain.”

 

The EV data offers a detailed list of fields to cater for several variables within the category. As an example, there are four stages of battery charge speed relating to all the different manufacturer information along with more standard fields.

 

The new set of fields is available in three formats in total, NVD SQL, NVD CSV (Car Enhanced Technical CSV) and NVD JSON (Car Enhanced Technical) JSON and will receive updates alongside the standard engine types currently available. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News.

Compensation could be owed to UK business that bought or leased new cars and vans between October 2006 and September 2015, as a result of legal action taken against five shipping firms for price fixing.

 

MOL, “K” Line, NYK, WWL/EUKOR and CSAV were found to have violated EU competition law by the European Commission on February 21, 2018. The EC held that the shippers had coordinated rates, allocated tenders, coordinated reductions of capacity in the market and exchanged commercially sensitive information to maintain or increase the price of intercontinental shipping of new vehicles.

 

The companies were fined £343m by the EU and now class representative Mark McLaren has filed a claim against them for overcharging UK consumers and businesses, instructing law firm Scott+Scott UK LLP.

 

McLaren said: “When UK consumers and businesses purchased or leased a new car, they paid more for the delivery of that car than they should have done, as a result of a long-running cartel by five of the world’s leading maritime shipping companies. I have spent much of my career working in consumer protection and I strongly believe that compensation should be paid when consumers are harmed by such deliberate, unlawful conduct.”

 

Affected vehicles include those from Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Peugeot, BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota, Citroen and Renault.

 

The claim is being brought in the Competition Appeal Tribunal as a collective action on an opt-out basis, so that all eligible consumers and businesses will benefit from any damages awarded without incurring any legal fees or risk of adverse costs.  The value of the claim is believed to be in excess of £150 million – or up to £60 per vehicle.

 

Businesses or consumers that purchased one or more new cars, or light commercial vehicles, between October 2006 and September 2015 are automatically included within the class.

 

Class members will not pay costs or fees to participate in this legal action. The legal action is being funded by Woodsford Litigation Funding.  There are no legal or other fees, or any risk of adverse costs, for class members.

 

For additional information or to register interest, visit https://www.cardeliverycharges.com  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

 

While 2020 got off to a strong start with demand from Britain’s car dealers keeping wholesale values of used cars above the usual seasonal levels, and the strongest February since 2012, the market is now showing signs of weakness.

 

As you would expect, we are keeping a very close, daily, eye on retail footfall, auction attendance and prices in the trade and retail data. Today (23/3/2020) the values in Live are down 1.5% since last month on average, but there has been a marked change in the market since the beginning of last week.

 

There is the likelihood that demand will continue to decline, and with it, values in the short term. Our forecasting team is currently predicting values to drop by more than the seasonal norm over the coming weeks.

 

Our short-term forecasts for the coming months will be worse than otherwise would have been the case, as the effects of COVID-19 continue to be felt.

 

At present, our longer-term forecasts for one to five years in the future are likely to remain broadly unchanged, as we wait to see longer-term impacts on new car registrations, especially following plant closures from many manufacturers.

 

A fall in registrations this year could help support used values in the long term, and there are also a great many other factors which could yet influence values in various directions.

 

The automotive industry is navigating uncharted waters, and the coming months will provide an unprecedented challenge as the UK has to adapt to new ways of working, socialising and shopping.

 

To keep customers informed on a fast-moving market Cap HPI is reviewing daily data feeds that are received from trade and retail sources, and the changes reflected accordingly.

 

The team of experienced industry experts is supported by data analysts and scientists who ensure that the data is reflected in all valuation products. Our Business Continuity Plan has been enacted and our valuation services will continue to function as normal.

 

Be assured that values are set by Cap HPI using an unrivalled breadth of data sources, big data technology and a team of editors who scrutinise trends and movements in the market in real-time.

 

The team of experts is supported by data analysis and audit managers, who ensure the quality of the data.

 

As a call to action, I would encourage all customers to use the data and tools at their disposal. The market is changing daily, and situations such as this are the reason Cap Live was developed.  By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

The following information is guidance provided by the Government. During the MOT 6 month exemption period you must ensure that the vehicle is still roadworthy and safe to drive.

 

You’re responsible for making sure your vehicle is always safe to drive (‘roadworthy’). It can be unsafe even if you have a current MOT certificate.

 

You can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get 3 penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.

 

Checks you should carry out

 

Every time you drive you should check:

• the windscreen, windows and mirrors are clean
• all lights work
• the brakes work

 

Your vehicle’s handbook will tell you how often to check the:

• engine oil
• water level in the radiator or expansion tank
• brake fluid level
• battery
• windscreen and rear window washer bottles – top up with windscreen washer fluid if necessary
• tyres – they must have the correct tread depth and be free of cuts and defects

 

The handbook will also tell you when your vehicle needs to be serviced.

 

Tyre tread

 

Tread must be a certain depth depending on the type of vehicle:

• cars, light vans and light trailers – 1.6 millimetres (mm)
• motorcycles, large vehicles and passenger-carrying vehicles – 1mm

Mopeds only need to have visible tread.

 

There must be tread across the middle three-quarters and around the entire tyre.

 

By Graham Hill – reprinted from Government website