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Mercedes-Benz drivers will be able to make purchases for fuel, parking, and other services and goods, through the MBUX connectivity and infotainment suite from Spring next year.

Payments usually made through mobile devices, or manually on credit cards or with cash, will be able to be made through the vehicle’s infotainment and connectivity suite, using Visa’s fancy security technology.

The Future

Taking one more step into the future, Daimler Mobility has formed a new partnership with transaction system provider, Visa to integrate in-car payments for goods and services. Fancy, albeit barely pronounceable, titles aside, the Cloud Token Framework and Delegated Authentication products are Visa’s way of ensuring robust digital security for the consumer.

To use the payment services from the centre display screen, drivers will be required to use biometric ‘fingerprint’ technology to verify their identity. There will also be two-factor authentication to make sure drivers aren’t unknowingly paying for random unauthorised transactions.

Mercedes in-car payments

What do the bosses say?

Deputy CEO of Visa Europe, Antony Cahill, said: ‘This is a powerful example of how the world’s leader in digital payments and the inventor of the automobile are able to combine their technologies to create the next generation of smart solutions for the automobility sector, providing the driver and passengers with a completely new in-car connected commerce experience.’

This new payment feature will be facilitated by Mercedes pay, a service from Daimler Mobility, a mobility and digitalisation business unit of Daimler Group. CEO of Daimler Mobility, Franz Reiner, explains: ‘Mercedes pay is our competence centre for in-car payment. In partnership with Visa, Daimler aims to offer native in-car payments in a secure and user-friendly way.’

What this means for you

It broadly means that you’ll be able to make in-car payments if you’re signed up to Mercedes’ latest all-singing all-dancing infotainment system. In the short-term, this might not make much of a difference to your life. But in the long-term, this is the first step into cars becoming service providers and not just metal boxes to cart you around in. By Graham Hill thanks to Parkers

Drivers of Audi e-tron models manufactured between 2019 and 2020 can unlock an additional 12 miles of range with a free software update.

The upgrade is applicable to 55 Quattro variants, built between September 2018 and November 2019, of which there are 1,655 in the UK.

It can be installed at an Audi service centre.

The update expands the usable capacity of the car’s 95kWh battery to to 86kWh and optimises the control of the front electric motor.

In normal driving mode, the motor attached to the rear axle is responsible for propulsion. For improved efficiency, the front electric motor is now almost completely disconnected and powered off – and only when more power is needed do both motors come into play.

The update also improves cooling. The thermal management system, which consists of four separate circuits, regulates the temperature of the high-voltage components more efficiently. Modifying the control system made it possible to reduce the volume flow rates in the coolant circuit, thus reducing energy consumption.

The cooling system is the basis for fast DC charging, long battery life, and consistent driving performance, even under high loads.

“At Audi, we deliver progress through technology – and there’s no clearer demonstration of that than the free software and range update we’ve just launched for our existing e-tron 55 quattro customers,” said Andrew Doyle, director of Audi UK.

“As we shift our focus to the world of electric vehicles, we’re channelling our pioneering spirit and world-renowned technological expertise into the reinvention of our company as a leading light in the field of sustainable mobility.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Used car values reached the second highest on record at BCA in October with the average car selling for £3,000 more than a year ago.

October used car values averaged £11,295 at BCA, maintaining the pattern of consistently high average used car values this year. Year-on-year, average monthly values are up 38.6%.

Stuart Pearson, COO BCA UK, said: “October felt like the first month for a long time, where the market started to behave exactly as it usually would at this time of year. Whilst prices remained resilient, many people took the opportunity to get away which shifted the supply and demand dynamic back in favour of the buyer for the first time in a long time.”

The weekly data highlights the stability of average values at BCA throughout October.  Values remained around £11,700 for much of the month, before dipping just below £11,000 at the end of October.  At the highest weekly point in October, year-on-year values were ahead of the same week in 2020 by 49%.

Pearson added: “The market may have eased back from some of the frenzied activity seen in recent months, however with very little certainty around new car supply, average used car values remain robust.  It doesn’t feel like it would take a lot to change for the market to reignite, particularly as we move towards the opportunity that the New Year presents for retailers.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Connected Kerb, the electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure company, has announced plans to install 190,000 public on-street EV chargers, worth up to £1.9bn, by 2030.

The company has secured new partnerships for 10,000 public on-street EV chargers across the UK in 2021, the majority of which will be deployed across West Sussex and Kent, announced today (November 8).

It said the investment will revolutionise access to EV charging for drivers without off-street parking and help support mass market charging for workplaces and fleets.

Dr Chris Pateman-Jones, chief executive officer at Connected Kerb, said: “Our rollout of public chargers – one of the most ambitious the UK has ever seen – encapsulates that future, helping individuals and businesses to confidently make the switch to electric, reducing their carbon footprint and cutting air pollution.

“Targets are important – for an industry so critical to the decarbonisation of transport, we need goals to work towards and objectives to which we are all accountable. However, they need to be met with action.

“With deals confirmed for 10,000 chargers this year alone and 30,000 more expected next year, we are demonstrating that we’re getting on with the job and delivering the change that needs to happen – not just talking about it.”

Deals for a further 30,000 chargers are expected conclude next year, as part of the company’s ambition to ‘level up’ charging across the UK.

Transport minister, Trudy Harrison said: “Providing reliable and affordable on-street charging is vital as we work to decarbonise transport and level up across the country.

“It’s great to see Connected Kerb and local authorities working together as the Government commits £2.5bn towards electric vehicle grants and the development of EV infrastructure in our towns and cities.”

The UK government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles meets 75% of the cost of installations through the On-Street Residential Charging Scheme (ORCS), while Connected Kerb provides the remaining 25%, it said.

Kent County Council has also announced it has chosen Connected Kerb to deploy at least 600 chargers by 2023.

Charge point installations have been announced today as part of tenders with councils including: Coventry (300 chargers), Cambridge (360) and Plymouth (100), and recently, Milton Keynes (250), Warrington (30), Medway (30), and Glasgow City Council, East Lothian Council, Shropshire County Council and Hackney Council, as part of the Agile Streets trial (100).

Lord Gerry Grimstone, minister for investment at the Department for International Trade and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said: “Connected Kerb’s significant investment in electric vehicle chargers will support the UK’s commitment to green growth and ambitious net zero targets.

“Investments like this will be vital to help reduce emissions and limit the rise in global temperatures whilst driving jobs, growth and levelling up across the country.”

Neil Isaacson, CEO of Liberty Charge, also welcomed Connected Kerb’s ambition to install 190,000 charge points in the UK by 2030.

“We are pleased to see that it shares our vision that EV charging needs to be accessible to all, anywhere and at anytime. Our industry has a key role to play, today, in tackling the chronic deficit in on-street charging in the UK, and supporting local authorities in providing their residents with reliable, safe and high-quality vehicle charging to inspire the confidence required for EV adoption,” he said.

“At Liberty Charge, we understand the vast breadth and depth of the challenges that local authorities are facing with regards to restricted budgets, legislation, location of chargers, resident pressure (both for and against EV installations), quality and longevity of equipment, the diversity of technology and simply the time required from planning to installation. And we believe it is vital that we instil trust that our ambitions can be delivered.

“That’s why, working in partnership with Virgin Media O2, we’re already installing charge points and committing to ongoing maintenance, helping local authorities to give confidence to drivers looking to adopt EVs. And, crucially, helping them to make a difference to the environment and communities in which they live.

“Our recent initiatives include Hammersmith and Fulham, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, West and North Northamptonshire Councils, and Croydon.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

My Comment: Many customers have asked if they should join the class actions being heavily publicised against Mercedes and others. It is your choice but I have yet to be convinced that any cases taken to court in the UK would succeed because it would require that owners or lessees to demonstrate financial loss, which I can’t see.

 Governments may be able to take manufacturers to court or maybe fine them for using devices to give false emissions readings causing greater harm to the environment but individually I believe we would struggle.

 As is mentioned below few cases succeed against Daimler in Germany, a country that makes it easier to take companies to court for ethical reasons. I believe that this is more of a data mining exercise with the claims companies simply collecting information on claimants which they can use as they feel fit because you will have signed a contract to enable exactly that. On to the latest article.

Mercedes-Benz is facing fresh allegations of using illegal defeat devices to cheat emissions tests, this time affecting its Euro 6 compliant six-cylinder 3.0-litre BlueTec engine.

Deutsche Umwelthilfe (Environmental Action Germany) has published a report identifying eight previously unknown defeat devices in certain Mercedes E-Class E350 diesel models.

In DUH’s view, these defeat devices result in nitrogen oxide emissions on the road being up to 500% above the legally prescribed limit.

Jürgen Resch, DUH’s national director, said: “It shows us for the first time how the company succeeds in complying with the legal limits in the test laboratory, while literally flooding our cities with harmful nitrogen oxides during real road use.

“The manipulation of the exhaust gas purification is not carried out because it is necessary for physical reasons or for the purpose of engine protection. The reason is as simple as it is cynical: it is about maximising profits at the expense of the environment and the health of city residents.”

The DUH tested a 2016 Mercedes E350 CDI Estate and found evidence of multiple ‘defeat devices’. It said the devices activate in driving situations that are common in road use conditions and stated that even under normal driving conditions, at least one defeat device almost always actively prevents the improvement of emissions

Three of the defeat devices identified by the DUH are said to depend on an “ageing factor” that reduces the amount of Adblue used as the vehicle’s milage increases. The report stated: “There is no plausible physical reason for the existence of any of them.”

The German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) said it sees no evidence of previously unknown defeat devices at Mercedes-Benz in the DUH report.

“In the report, eight defeat devices of the relevant model with the OM 642 diesel engine are named. We are aware of these,” said a KBA spokesman on Friday. They have already been checked and found to be “not inadmissible”.

The KBA had already demanded a software update for the model under investigation in the DUH report. The defeat devices were removed in the updated software and the nitrogen oxide emissions were subsequently also below the legal limit value during road testing.

Mercedes is among a number of car makers facing legal action for emissions misrepresentation.

The DUH report suggests that other Mercedes vehicles with comparable engines and technologies contain comparable illegal defeat devices.

Mercedes-Benz told Car magazine: “The outlined calibrations are known. In our view, these are not to be assessed as illegal defeat devices in the interaction and overall context of the highly complex emission control system.

“The vast majority of rulings in German regional courts and higher regional courts continue to be in Daimler’s favour: In approximately 95%of cases, the courts rule in favour of the company.

“At the regional court level, there are more than 15,500 decisions dismissing lawsuits in favour of the company; in only about 900 cases was the decision against the company.

“There are now around 900 decisions in our favour at the higher regional courts, and only three decisions against us.

“The German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has also confirmed key points of Daimler AG’s legal opinion in several decisions.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Chemicals company Johnson Matthey has scrapped plans to capture a slice of the market for electric car batteries in a surprise move that saw its shares tumble up to 20%.

It said rivals were too far ahead in the technological race, and the battery chemicals arm would go up for sale.

Johnson Matthey is a major producer of catalytic converters that clean exhaust emissions from petrol and diesel cars.

But with the pending ban on such cars, it needs alternative revenue sources.

The company is thought to have spent hundreds of millions of pounds trying to commercialise a chemicals project called eLNO, aimed at improving the efficiency of batteries.

There were high hopes the company would play a key role in helping the UK develop a large-scale electric battery manufacturing sector.

But chief executive Robert MacLeod, who also announced on Thursday he would step down next year, said the potential returns from the battery division could not justify further investment.

He said: “This decision will allow us to accelerate our investment and focus on more attractive growth areas, especially where we have leadership positions such as in hydrogen technologies, circularity and the decarbonisation of the chemicals value chain,”

Development of better-performing lithium-ion batteries is key to producing electric cars that can travel further on a single charge. The market is dominated by companies in China, South Korean and Japan.

An exit from the market would more strongly tie Johnson Matthey’s fate to the internal combustion engine at a time when the future of transport looks to be electric, said Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Laura Hoy.

“Ultimately the group will be starting over from square one as it looks for ways to change alongside the new greener auto industry,” she said.

Charlie Bentley, analyst at Jefferies, said that while the development of hydrogen transport will grow, “it is very hard to believe these can be sufficient revenue drivers and replace the very significant earnings” from Johnson Matthey’s current operations.

Mr MacLeod is being replaced in March next year by Liam Condon, the head of Germany’s Bayer crop science unit.

“After nearly eight years as chief executive, the time is right for me to move on. I am confident in our future growth prospects,” said Mr MacLeod.  By Graham Hill thanks to the BBC

A survey by budget car brand Dacia shows that a third of UK drivers don’t use 75% of the features fitted to their cars.

A whopping 78 per cent of UK drivers don’t want unnecessary technology in their new cars, while a third of car owners only use 25 per cent of the features fitted to their vehicles.

Those are the headline claims from survey results published by Renault-owned budget brand Dacia. The published figures also suggest that 61 per cent of UK drivers would prefer not to pay for this raft of redundant features.

Dipping further into the survey reveals 76 per cent of drivers believe cars overloaded with tech can be dangerously distracting, and 69 per cent believe in-car technology is simply too complicated these days.

The Dacia data shows young drivers between 25-34 tend to use their in-car tech features the most, but even they use less than half of the available features. On average, drivers are said to use just 40 per cent of the available tech, so premium features such as in-car Wi-Fi or self-parking often go completely unused.

While Dacia has scored big sales hits with models such as the Sandero and Duster that have relatively low-specifications compared to pricier rivals, it didn’t limit its survey to owners of its own cars – the results came from a nationwide sample of 2,000 drivers in a bid to reflect the views of UK motorists as a whole.

Add to this the fact that with microchips being in short supply manufacturers have reviewed some of the electronic gadgetry fitted to cars as standard and revised its standard features then either removed them altogether or took them off the standard feature list and changed them to an optional add on. So make sure that you know exactly what is fitted on your new car.  By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express.

Before I get to this report from Car magazine I have a couple of observations of my own. Firstly, I’ve known of drivers receiving an end of contract charge to buff out the ‘Swirl Effect’ on the paintwork caused by constant use of a car wash and it wasn’t cheap. In my opinion the occasional use of a carwash is fine but regular use may cause this effect on the paintwork.

The answer may be to use a roadside handwash but these can be equally as dangerous because the pre-wash spray that some use can damage paintwork, rubber, plastic and attach the alloy wheels. I remember in one report I ran the spray was little short of diluted acid intended to degrease industrial equipment. Check that they are using a proprietary brand of pre-wash to lift the grime.

On to the Car report:

► Are automatic car washes good for your car?

► Why they may not be

► And what you can do moving forward

The Best Car Cleaning Products

We’ve all been caught at the crossroads between convenience and quality when it comes to washing a car, and while taking your car through an automatic car wash may seem innocuous every now and then, you’re not only doing your car a disservice in terms of cleanliness, you’re also damaging its finish.

But what kind of damage can be unknowingly inflicted upon a car’s paint by going through an automatic car wash?

According to Damon Lawrence who runs automotive detailing business Auto Attention, car washes are a major cause of paintwork getting damaged. ‘

‘Automatic car washes, as much as they are convenient, are abrading your paintwork because the brushes used aren’t properly maintained,’ Damon says.

‘These machines are essentially like slapping your car with a dirty mop, causing hundreds of deep micro scratches called swirl marks. Over time, this damage builds and eventually results in your paint becoming dull and the scratches become easily noticeable.

‘Repairing the swirl marks is done through a process called paint correction. This process cuts down the peaks of your paintwork to level out any swirl marks seen on the surface.

This process can only be done so many times due to a car’s clear coat being a certain thickness, depending on your manufacturer. The cost of this process varies but on average costs over £1000.’

And if you try to skirt the issue by using a touch-free automatic car wash, chances are you’re still doing damage.

‘Unfortunately as perfect as the idea sounds, not only do touch-free washes use aggressive acids to cut down the grime which can eat away paint, the high pressure hose simply won’t clean it 100%.’

So what’s the alternative for time-poor car owners who still want clean cars?

Applying a ceramic coating is a great way for your car to stay clean in the first place.

The hydrophobic properties will make it harder for dirt and grime to stick to the car’s paintwork, while also encapsulating and rinsing off dirt when it rains.

But, if you want to take the best care of your car’s paint, ‘it is always best to do it yourself and use the two bucket wash method, making sure to use clean microfibre materials when touching the car.’  By Graham Hill thanks to Car Magazine.

The Government needs to start developing a new road pricing scheme now to ensure a smooth transition from today’s emissions-based motoring tax regime.

That was the message from the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) to the Transport Committee, which is conducting an inquiry into road pricing.

BVRLA director of corporate affairs, Toby Poston, told MPs that there is a clear need for a new national road pricing scheme to be developed as more zero emission vehicles are seen on UK roads.

“We are removing fossil fuels from the equation, so the current emissions-based tax system will see revenues plummet,” he said.

“Any new road pricing scheme must be easy to pay and have the simple objective of providing a revenue-neutral replacement for fuel duty and Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).

“It should be based on a simple ‘distance driven’ model that considers vehicle weight, emissions and use case, with discounts given to shared mobility solutions – such as car clubs, rental cars, buses and taxis – to incentivise more sustainable travel choices.”

With the sale of new internal combustion engine (ICE) cars and vans ending from 2030 and hybrids from 2035, and the Government consulting on a ban on new diesel trucks from 2040, the number of plug-in vehicle registrations is estimated to rise rapidly to around 3 million by 2025, 10 million by 2030 and 25 million by 2035.

KPMG’s Mobility 2030 team expects the already-growing sale of zero emission cars and vans to reach 98% of sales in 2031 and 27% of the parc by 2030.

Dwindling tax take from EVs

It leaves the Treasury urgently needing a plan to plug a potential £40bn shortfall from road taxes, including fuel duty.

At £28.4bn in 2019-2020 (excluding VAT), tax revenues from the fuel duty account for a significant 2% of GDP, while Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) receipts were estimated to account for £6.5bn.

Poston told the Transport Committee: “It is imperative that road pricing is considered and trialled now to ensure a smooth transition into a new system.

“Drivers and fleet operators need clarity on future taxation as they make the transition to zero emission road transport.”

The session also included representatives from RAC Foundation, the Renewable Energy Association and the Road Haulage Association. The phasing out of petrol and diesel vehicles puts around £34bn of fuel duty revenue at risk. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Government published its Net Zero Strategy ahead of COP26, including proposals for a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate forcing manufacturers to sell a certain proportion of electric vehicles (EVs).

The new net zero strategy aims to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to reach a target of net zero by 2050.

It includes commitments around transport, including a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which it says will help deliver on the Government’s 2030 commitment to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, and 2035 commitment that all cars must be fully zero emissions capable.

It says that ministers will earmark a further £620 million for zero emission vehicle grants and EV infrastructure, including funding for local EV infrastructure, with a focus on local on street residential charging.

It is also allocating a further £350m of its £1 billion Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) to support the electrification of UK vehicles and their supply chains.

Furthermore, it says it will expand zero emission road freight trials to include three zero emission HGV technologies at scale on UK roads to determine their operational benefits, as well as their infrastructure needs.

“A well-designed, flexible regulatory framework could help maintain or even increase this pace to ensure we deliver on our shared decarbonisation ambitions,” Mike Hawes, SMMT

In the forward for the new strategy, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, says: “This strategy sets out how we will make historic transitions to remove carbon from our power, retire the internal combustion engine from our vehicles and start to phase out gas boilers from our homes. But it also shows how we will do this fairly by making carbon-free alternatives cheaper.

“We will make sure what you pay for green, clean electricity is competitive with carbon-laden gas, and with most of our electricity coming from the wind farms of the North Sea or state-of-the-art British nuclear reactors we will reduce our vulnerability to sudden price rises caused by fluctuating international fossil fuel markets.”

The ZEV mandate will require a percentage of manufacturers’ new car and van sales to be zero emission each year from 2024.

ZEV mandate plans consulted on next year

The Government says it will consult on its ZEV mandate plans in early 2022. It will seek views on the design of the ZEV mandate (including uptake trajectories) and CO2 emissions regulation (as a backstop to ensure standards in the remainder of the fleet are maintained), and how and when targets will be set and enforced.

Gerry Keaney, chief executive of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), said: “This is uncharted territory for the automotive industry, and it is vital that any future ZEV mandate includes a review mechanism to assess potential market failures. The mandate must also take account of the very different uptake trajectories seen between cars and vans.”

The mandate, explains Keaney, will need to be backed up by some equally ambitious policy measures aimed at delivering EV demand.

He added: “We hope that next week’s Budget will see the Government commit to providing long-term financial support and tax incentives that will accelerate the roll-out of public and private charging infrastructure and absorb the price premium that many prospective electric vehicle users are still faced with.”  

Industry figures show more than 650,000 new plug-in cars have been registered in the UK since 2010, and more than one in seven cars sold so far in 2021 had a plug.

Furthermore, there are now 20 EV models that come with a range of more than 200 miles compared to the early Nissan Leaf models that delivered 60 miles, and battery prices are little more than a tenth of what they were in 2010.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said: “A well-designed, flexible regulatory framework could help maintain or even increase this pace to ensure we deliver on our shared decarbonisation ambitions.”

He continued: “To ensure we have the reliable, accessible and nationwide charge point network this transition needs, however, requires a similar regulatory approach.

“The announcement of additional funds for on-street residential charging must energise much-needed private sector investment but consumers will only have confidence in the future if there are commensurate and binding requirements on the infrastructure sector.

“Combining regulatory commitments with financial ones is the key to a successful transition to zero-emission road transport.”

Paul Willcox, managing director of Vauxhall, also welcomed the ZEV mandate plan, which he says will provide clarity to the UK motor industry.

He said: “Vauxhall believes a ZEV mandate can work in the UK provided there are complimentary targets on the other key parts of the electric vehicle ecosystem which are key to driving Britain to a more sustainable transport infrastructure.

“With our Ellesmere Port plant set to become the first electric vehicle only factory within the Stellantis group, we look forward to working with the Government on the detail of how a ZEV mandate can be implemented and help support a sustainable vehicle marketplace in the UK.”

Vauxhall has committed to only selling fully electric new cars and vans from 2028 – seven years ahead of the government’s deadline of 2035.

Additional targeted action ‘may be be required’

The Government announced it would end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030, last year.

The sale of new hybrid cars and vans that can drive a “significant distance” with no carbon coming out of the tailpipe will be allowed until 2035.

Government modelling suggests that, by 2050, total transport emissions, including international aviation and shipping, could need to drop by 76-86% compared to 2019, down to 23-40 MtCO2 e.

In the interim, it expects they could fall by 22-33% by 2030 and 46-59% by 2035, compared to 2019 levels.

These figures, it says, are based on an indicative transport sector pathway contributing to the whole-economy net zero and interim targets. Its potential pathway also indicates residual emissions from domestic transport could need to fall by around 34-45% by 2030 and 65-76% by 2035, relative to 2019 levels.

However, the net zero plan says that depending on progress in the sector, at some points additional targeted action may be be required, such as steps to reduce use of the most polluting cars and tackle urban congestion, to enable these targets to be met.

It says it will regularly review progress against its targets – publishing the next transport decarbonisation plan within five years – and continue to adapt and take further action if needed to decarbonise transport.

Iryna Kocharova head of sustainability at Lex Autolease, said: “We are pleased to hear that the Government has announced further plans to support the ambition outlined in the Transport Decarbonisation Plan. https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/latest-fleet-news/electric-fleet-news/2021/07/14/government-publishes-roadmap-to-decarbonising-transport-by-2050

“We welcome the commitment to investment in infrastructure and supply chain and would be supportive of a well-executed EV sales mandate that is carefully designed to sit alongside CO2 targets creating an overall scheme which is reasonable and proportionate.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News