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More than half of all drivers have either hit or had a near miss with an animal on UK roads, new research from GoCompare Car Insurance suggests.

 

Two-thirds (68%) of respondents, meanwhile, said they would not know what to do if they hit a larger animal, such as a deer or a badger while driving.

 

The animals most likely to be involved in an incident with a car are:

 

• Bird e.g. pigeon (27%)
• Cat (23%)
• Large game bird e.g. pheasant (20%)
• Deer (18%)
• Dog (17%)
• Rabbit (17%)

 

 

When asked what kind of road the accident happened on, two-thirds (68%) of drivers said they had been on a country road, followed by one in four (24%) on a town or city road.

 

While the animal running out into the road was the biggest reason for the incident (66%), driving at night was blamed by 22% of drivers. Driving too fast or being distracted contributed to 8% of the incidents.

 

The research also showed that animal-related accidents can happen at any time of day with broad daylight (32%) being the most common of the driving conditions, followed by evening/dusk (29%).

 

When asked what action they took, 39% of drivers admitted to driving on after hitting an animal, with those living in Scotland (47%) being the least likely to stop.

 

What is clear from the research, however, is the impact that hitting an animal or having a near-miss can have on the driver and the car.

 

When asked how they felt after hitting or nearly hitting an animal, only 16% of the drivers involved said they weren’t affected by the incident at all.

 

Men were nearly three times more likely to feel unaffected (21%) than women (8%). More than half (55%) admitted they were shaken by the incident, while 28% said they have slowed their driving down as a result. Fewer than one in ten (8%) said the incident had affected their confidence when driving.

 

In terms of vehicle damage, 18% of drivers who hit an animal sustained damage to their vehicle, with 10% resulting in an insurance claim.

 

Comparing genders, men were twice as likely to badly damage their car after hitting an animal compared to women.

 

Animal involved with car incident	Percentage of drivers reporting
Bird	27.5%
Cat	22.7%
Gamebird	20.0%
Deer	17.8%
Rabbit	17.1%
Dog	16.9%
Squirrel	16.0%
Fox	15.7%
Hedgehog	11.9%
Sheep	10.3%
Badger	8.9%
Cattle	6.6%
Horse	6.6%
Other or unidentified	5.8%

 

 

Lee Griffin, founder and CEO of GoCompare said: “Sadly, as our research shows, accidents and near misses with animals on our roads are something most drivers have experienced.

 

“While some encounters may not be dangerous, a close call with an animal on the road can happen anywhere and at any time. They can leave drivers badly shaken or worse, lead to accidents and expensive repair bills.

 

“Animals are unpredictable and as a result, these incidents are unexpected but are increasingly common, as we all spend more time in our cars.

 

“Often the type of animal isn’t the issue. The action taken by a driver to avoid a bird can be just as dangerous as hitting a large mammal.

 

“Drivers on country roads need to take particular care, especially when driving at dusk or in the dark at this time of year when daylight time is shorter.

 

“But the reality is that we all need to be more aware of the likelihood of meeting an animal of some kind on the road.

 

“Being mindful of our speed and the distractions around us will help reduce the risk of a serious accident if the worst does happen.”

 

What is clear is that many drivers wouldn’t know what to do in the event of an accident involving an animal, but GoCompare has spoken to Adam Grogan, head of wildlife at the RSPCA.

 

He said: “Each year the RSPCA receives and attends several thousand calls regarding road traffic accidents involving deer. As a result of this, we always urge people to be cautious when driving in an area with known wildlife nearby and pay heed to warning signs indicating that wild animals may be around.

 

“If you do hit an animal while driving, we would advise people to stop and check (if it’s safe to do so), as the animal may be more seriously injured than they appear.

 

“If you find an injured wild animal, contact the RSPCA’s 24-hour emergency line on 0300 1234 999 for further advice on what to do.

 

“Always report any deer-vehicle collisions to the police and try to remember to record any deer-vehicle incidents at Deer Aware.

 

“Animals can scratch and bite when frightened, particularly if they are injured, so be cautious and apply common sense.

 

“Please do not try to handle or transport any injured deer, foxes, badgers, otters, swans, geese or birds of prey; keep a safe distance from them and call our emergency line for assistance.

 

“Always wear gloves when handling all other animals and please take them to a vet for treatment where possible.

 

“We also urge people to take care in dangerous locations, like a busy road, and ask people to always report any animal obstructing a highway to the police and call for help if you can’t reach the animal safely.”

 

Find out more about what to do if you find an injured wild animal on the RSPCA’s website.

 

Richard Leonard, head of road safety at Highways England, added: “We urge drivers to look out for animal warning signs which let you know that animals are known to be about in the area, or likely to be roaming across the road.

 

“You may be well-travelled and on a known route where you’ve never seen an animal before – but there may one in nearby foliage or woodlands.

 

“We want everyone to reach their destination safely – so my top tip is if you see an animal warning signs slow down, remain vigilant and keep your distance.”

 

Key points

 

• By law, you are required to tell the police if you’ve hit a dog, horse, cattle, sheep, pig or goat.
• If you hit any animal, it’s best to report it to the police, particularly if it could be a pet, so that the owner can be informed.
• If you see a dead animal by the roadside, you can contact the local council

 

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News and GoCompare

UK drivers have revealed that ‘not indicating’ is the most annoying driving habit.

 

In a survey compiled by Click4Reg, drivers outlined the top 10 things that regularly irritate them on the road.

 

Not indicating was voted as the worst driving habit by 55% of respondents.

 

More than half (52%) also felt that ‘leaving full beams on’ was annoying, placing it second. The study shows that women find this habit more annoying than men (55% of women stated it annoyed them, compared to only 49% of men).

 

Driving 10 mph below the speed limit seems to infuriate many UK drivers, with 39% finding it frustrating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of those that voted in the survey, 87% also admitted doing at least one of the annoying habits.

 

Looking at the difference between genders, 39% of females stated that their worst driving habit was bad parking while nearly half of men (43%) admitting their worst habit was speeding.

 

The study also asked its participants which drivers they found most annoying on the roads. Elderly drivers were picked as the most irritating, despite young drivers being much more likely to cause a crash.

 

Young male drivers were rated the second most annoying and lorry drivers appeared in third, with 26% finding them irritating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Graham Hill with thanks to Fleet News and Click4Reg.

The RAC saw a 20% upturn in pothole-related breakdowns in the last quarter of 2019, compared to the same period the year before.

 

It attended more than 2,000 breakdowns in the three months to the end of 2019 believed to be as a result of potholes – 300 more than during the same period in 2018.

 

The breakdown data, released to coincide with National Pothole Day, also showed that of all the breakdowns experienced by RAC members in 2019, just short of 9,200 were for pothole-related faults such as distorted wheels, broken suspensions springs and damaged shock absorbers.

 

While this was down from 13,000 in 2018, a year which saw a dramatic increase in potholes following the so-called ‘Beast from the East’, it still represented 1.1% of all breakdowns attended.

 

Between October and December 2019, 0.9% of all breakdowns were for pothole-related faults, up from 0.8% in the previous three months (July to September 2019) and up from 0.8% in the fourth quarter of 2018.

 

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “We might so far be experiencing a milder but wetter winter than in the last couple of years, but our figures clearly show the problem of potholes has not gone away.

 

“Our patrols are still attending on average around one pothole-related breakdown every hour of the day.”

 

The RAC’s Pothole Index, which is an accurate long-term indicator of the health of the UK’s roads, suggests the widespread problem of potholes and poor-quality roads remains as the Index currently stands at 1.7, down from 1.8 in the third quarter of 2019.

 

This means drivers are 1.7 times more likely to break down as a result of pothole-related damage than they were back in 2006 when the RAC first started collecting data.

 

Lyes continued: “We anticipate the Government will pledge further funds to help cash-strapped councils mend potholes in the March Budget, but such pledges are only chipping away at the problem, and they’re unfortunately not addressing the root cause of why so much of the UK is still characterised by crumbling road surfaces.

 

“What we need is for central Government to think differently about how councils are funded to maintain the roads under their control.

 

“Short-term commitments of cash, while welcome, are not enough on their own – councils need the security of long-term funding so they can plan proper preventative road maintenance.”

 

Lyes believes a solution to the UK’s long-term pothole problem is possible. “From this year, the money raised from vehicle excise duty in England will be ring-fenced to help fund motorways and major A-roads over successive five-year periods,” he said. “But as yet, there is no similar model for local roads where the vast majority of drivers begin and end their journeys.

 

“We believe this could easily be changed by ring-fencing 2p a litre from existing fuel duty revenue to generate £4.7bn of additional funding over five years.

 

“Pothole-free roads shouldn’t be a ‘nice to have’ in 2020, drivers should surely be able to expect the vast majority of roads they drive on to be of a good standard, especially given they pay around £40bn in motoring-related tax every year.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Researchers from car leasing giants LeaseCar.uk have revealed the English councils that received the highest number of compensation requests from vehicle owners due to pothole damage over 2018-2019.

 

They have also revealed the amounts paid out to motorists, with Surrey topping both lists.

 

A total of 37,578 relevant claims were made across England during the period in question, with poorly maintained roads meaning councils compensated motorists to the tune of £3.5 million.

 

Surrey County Council received by far the most claims for pothole damage – 3,533 – and paid out the most in compensation – £323,222.

 

Hampshire (2,665), Hertfordshire, Kent and Northamptonshire County Councils also faced over 2,000 claims each throughout 2018-2019, with counties such as Essex (1,841) and West Sussex among those comfortably topping 1,000.

 

Other local authorities paying out substantial amounts of compensation include Bury Metropolitan Borough (£217,992.15) in Greater Manchester.

 

Cumbria, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire (£214,804.22), Warwickshire, Suffolk and Devon also paid out six figure sums.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only councils that didn’t have to use a single penny of taxpayers’ money to compensate motorists were the Greater London Boroughs of Islington and Sutton.

 

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Sefton Borough Council on Merseyside and St Helens Council were among others to keep compensation for pothole damage to a minimum.

 

They paid out just £353, £582.60 and £594 respectively, with the local authorities in Harrow, Hounslow, Redbridge and Waltham Forest also received bills of less than £1,000.

 

Only two claims were issued, meanwhile, against Richmond upon Thames Borough Council – 21 less than any other area in England.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A spokesperson for LeaseCar.uk said: “Taking greater steps to repair and prevent potholes would improve safety for road users and be popular among the voters across the country that councillors are accountable to.

 

“It could also ultimately reduce councils’ costs by bringing down the number of successful compensation claims by long suffering vehicle owners.

 

“We’d advise any driver who drives over a significant pothole, or is worried their vehicle may have been damaged, to urgently check their tyres and suspension.”

 

The data was obtained by Freedom of Information request and covers the period January 1 2018 to October 17 2019.

 

The full breakdown of English councils and their claims for compensation is available here.

 

To report a pothole, or to find out if you suffer from damage from one and wonder if you can claim for compensation, visit the RAC’s pothole online guide.

 

By Graham Hill with thanks to Fleet News

The last thing you want to do is have to key in your car registration  number when you are nipping down the shops.

 

What is worse is when you key in the registration and get a character or number wrong resulting in a fine for not having paid the fee. You then have a fight on your hands but that is about to change.

 

Car park operators have been told by the British Parking Association not to penalise motorists who make a mistake when typing vehicle details.

 

It has published a revised code of practice for parking on private land, which includes guidance on grace periods, self-ticketing as well as motorist keying errors.

 

The enhancements, it says, will ensure Approved Operator Scheme (AOS) members are delivering a high standard of service for motorists.

 

A minor keying in error is categorised as one letter or number incorrect or letters and numbers in the wrong order.

 

A major keying in error is one that has multiple number and letter keying errors, the first three digits only have been recorded or a completely incorrect registration number is used.

 

Steve Clark, BPA head of business operations, said: “Following consultation with key stakeholders, including consumer groups and Government, we are delighted to release the latest version of our leading AOS Code of Practice.

 

“We recognise that genuine mistakes can occur, which may result in a parking charge being issued even when a motorist can demonstrate they paid for their parking. In recognition of this we have further clarified the situation for all parties.”

 

He added: “Motorists will still need to appeal, but we expect our members to deal with them appropriately at the first appeal stage.”

 

The BPA continues to work closely with Government on The Parking (Code of Practice) Act. The Act, it says, supports its call for a standard setting body, a single code of practice, and a single independent appeals service.

 

John Gallagher, lead adjudicator at Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA), welcomed the publication of the revised code.

 

He said: “The revised code will bring greater clarity for motorists and parking operators alike on issues such as simple keying errors and grace periods.

 

“The introduction of a section on keying errors, requiring parking operators to cancel Parking Charge Notices in certain circumstances and reduce the amount to only administration costs in others, is particularly welcome.

 

“This addition to the code means that, for the first time, POPLA will be able to make decisions on keying errors without referral back to the operator.

 

“We would like to thank the BPA for listening to our feedback on this and other issues – and involving us in ongoing discussions on the best way to ensure a fair system that protects motorists.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A consultation was launched in October 2019 into the merits of issuing zero emission cars with green number plates. The idea was to be able to identify the greenest of vehicles so that local authorities could, as an incentive, offer drivers cheaper or free parking, possible use of bus lanes etc.

 

 

The plates may be all green, have a green verticle bar down one edge or have a large green dot on one side of the plate. Simple plate recognition could identify the cars. Now where did I put my pot of green reflective paint? And that could be the problem. Drivers either modifying their number plates to appear like a ‘green’ number plate or buy a set of dodgy plates made up as though the car is zero-emission.

 

 

If the Government gets it right the new plates could also capture snob appeal making drivers of cars with green number plates ‘Holier than though’ to impress the neighbours and work colleagues.

 

 

A big boost to the sale of zero-emission cars will be lower lease rates which a couple of manufacturers and leasing companies have already addressed. So far in 2020 we have seen the VW eGolf at its lowest ever rate as well as the Nissan Leaf. Contact GHA Finance for the latest deals and offers.

 

A personal view from Graham Hill:

 

As part of this study, the Government is proposing to invest £1.5 billion into the drive towards total zero-emission cars. This includes home chargers built into every new house and increasing the number of charge points.

 

 

Now I’m not being funny but I don’t have a tank and pump installed at home to top up my petrol car. Why, because I can pop into my local petrol station and top up in a matter of minutes. The average time is 8-12 minutes. The latest BP 150kW Ultra Fast Chargers take, according to BP and independent checkers around 15 – 20 minutes to provide a complete charge. 10 minutes should provide about 100 miles of charge.

 

 

So why are we hell-bent on creating a national network of  home, street and car park chargers when all we should be doing is investing in even faster chargers and batteries capable of withstanding the fast charging. Inevitably there will be many who will charge at home or in car parks as the cost of charging will be cheaper so even if cars are a little longer at charge points it won’t cause congestion as fewer cars will use them as many will be charging at home.

 

 

My idea would be a set of charge pads that drivers drive over. The number recognition system tells the charge point whether you have an account or not and a screen entry on the dashboard allows you to select the charge and cost. If you don’t have an account you enter card details into the charge pod.

 

 

You then sit in the car for say 10-15 minutes whilst the car is charged. A screen drops down in front of you with advertising on it. The charge to the advertisers could subsidise the cost of electricity. Doesn’t sound like rocket science to me! By Graham Hill

Only one in 10 new car sales could be diesel in as little as five years, says a leading academic.

 

Currently, one-in-four of new cars sold is powered by the fuel, a dramatic decline from the parity with petrol it enjoyed just a few years ago.

 

Its popularity is also on the wane in the company car market, where it has traditionally dominated thanks to its tax-friendly CO2 performance.

 

New figures show that the proportion of diesel cars on the FN50 fleet – the UK’s top 50 leasing companies by risk fleet size – fell from almost two-thirds (63.4%) to close to half (50.5%) over the past 12 months.

 

In terms of vehicles they had ordered in the past year, the flight from diesel was still more pronounced. Almost half of the cars ordered in 2019 were petrol (47.6%), while only two-fifths (38.8%) were diesel.

 

David Bailey, Professor of Business Economics at the Birmingham Business School, said: “There seems to be no end to the decline in diesels.”

 

Overall, diesel new car sales are down by more than a fifth in the past year. Some 515,000 units have been sold year-to-date, compared with 650,000 during the previous 12 months, data from the UK automotive trade body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), shows.

 

Forecasters say that, with the sharp falls seen in the sale of new diesel cars since 2017, it could lead to an undersupply of used vehicles in 2020 and 2021, which would help sustain residual values. However, it’s unclear whether the decline in new diesel car sales will be mirrored in the used car market. The most recent figures from the SMMT show that demand for used diesels grew by 1.4% in the third quarter, with some 858,442 changing hands.

 

“A big shift away from diesel is still taking place,” said Bailey. “In late 2015, diesel accounted for more than 50% of the market, by March last year it was down to 32% and it has fallen further since then.”

 

The UK is not alone in turning its back on the fuel; its decline is being seen across Europe. In the key market of Germany, diesel’s share has fallen below 30% from having accounted for half the market and to a similar level in France, where three-quarters of new car sales were once diesel.

 

Bailey said: “We are seeing this continuing decline and, while I originally thought the market share for diesel by 2025 would be down to 15%, I now think that’s quite optimistic – it may be as low as 10%.”

 

Despite its popularity in Europe, diesel has not enjoyed similar market penetration in other countries. “It’s negligible in North America, it’s only 4% at best in China and virtually insignificant elsewhere,” he said.

 

“If you go back to the turn of the century, diesel as a share of the market in Europe was only 10-15%. We then gave (the fuel) loads of tax breaks, because we thought it was good for the environment.”

 

Dieselgate followed however, and concerns over the fuel’s impact on air quality has put its market share on a downward trajectory.

 

Bailey told delegates at a recent Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA) seminar the trouble is “people are completely freaked out over diesels”.

 

He said: “They are concerned about falling resale values, they are worried about tighter regulations in cities, higher taxes and its impact on the environment.”

 

He says Government policy has not helped either, labelling it a “complete shambles”.

 

“One part of Government has been saying ‘clean diesels are good’, while another part whacks a load of tax on them.”

 

Government has, however, introduced tax breaks for diesel company cars, which meet strict emissions limits defined by the RDE2 standard.

 

Company car drivers are exempt from the 4% benefit-in-kind (BIK) diesel surcharge, while fleets benefit from not having to pay the higher first-year rate of VED on new diesel cars.

 

The NOx limit for the RDE2 standard, which is measured on the road, is up to 1.43 times the Euro 6 lab limit of 80mg/km for diesel and 60mg/km for petrol. Cars achieving this limit are labelled Euro 6d.

 

Cars achieving RDE1, which allows for a margin of error two times the actual limit, are classified as Euro 6d-temp.

 

RDE2 will apply to all new registrations from January 1, 2021, before the margin for error – the conformity factor – is removed by 2023.

 

Peter Golding, managing director at FleetCheck, believes that 2020 could turn out to be a make or break year for diesel, with the success of Euro 6d cars key. However, he acknowledges the outlook is not promising when Bristol’s proposed diesel city centre car ban will not apply to older petrol vehicles, with potentially worse emissions than the latest RDE2 diesels.

 

“RDE2, effectively, puts diesel on a roughly equal footing with petrol from an emissions point of view,” he said. “The question is whether everyone from legislators to the general public are willing or able to make that distinction.”  By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News.

Car thieves are stealing some of the most desirable cars and selling them on the black market for as little as £1,000, according to vehicle protection and management technology provider AX.

 

The most sought-after vehicles – usually those with a higher street value – include models from prestige brands such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

 

Despite costing from between £18,000-£100,000 to buy new, the vehicles are stolen and quickly sold on for a fraction of their retail or used value – sometimes for just £1,000.

 

The investigation by AX further exposes the activities of car theft gangs as Home Office figures show the number of vehicles stolen in Britain has almost doubled in the last five years.

 

According to an AX source, criminals have put a black-market value of just £1,000 on an Audi A1, while a Range Rover, which costs upwards of £80,000 when new, will go for £1,500-2,000. Once the theft has occurred, the vehicles are typically sold rapidly to a known network which then exports or dismantles them for parts.

 

The BMW 3 Series, a popular model for fleets, was given a  black market value of just £1,500-£1,800.

 

Director of Investigative Services at AX Neil Thomas said: “The list is quite shocking, despite my 30 years working in the police force. We know how the criminals operate but, with the UK theft figures in mind, it’s a sharp reminder of the problem car owners and the industry faces.

 

“Rather than the cars that are stolen most in the UK, this list represents the criminals’ wish list of preferred targets. A typical, current Ford Fiesta, for example, would change hands for little more than £200.

 

“Business and private owners alike are affected by the increase in thefts, so it’s paramount to take precautions to avoid being targeted, or ensure vehicles have robust covert technology so that they can be recovered. Most tracking devices are simply removed after being stolen.”

 

Last month, AX revealed that criminals are using WhatsApp groups to plan and execute car thefts as the UK vehicle crime wave continues, while further research also indicates the growing use of messaging application Telegram for organised vehicle theft.

 

In 2017-18, nearly 112,000 cars were taken illegally, up from 75,308 in the 2013-14 financial year.  By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) dominate the landscape of zero emission motoring.

 

Government, manufacturers and suppliers are spending billions of pounds to develop and introduce the technology, with more BEVs being launched and more charge points being installed on a weekly basis.

 

However, BEVs aren’t the only zero-emission option – and, for some, they aren’t even the best option either.

 

Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) have been sitting in the background for many years. Hyundai brought the first commercially available model – the ix35 – to market in 2013. But the manufacturer has been developing FCEV systems since 1998 when it opened a dedicated R&D centre.

 

While the technology is lagging far behind BEVs in terms of vehicle availability and infrastructure, analysts such as KPMG believe they have a significant role to play in the future of road transport.

 

Like BEVs, the technology produces zero tailpipe emissions but also offers much faster refuelling times: a hydrogen station can deliver around 300 miles of range in five minutes, while it would take a 150kW rapid charger one hour to do the same.

 

The general opinion among transport industry experts is that FCEV technology works better in larger vehicles, such as lorries and buses, while BEVs will suit the majority of passenger car users.

 

Current market trends support this. There are just two FCEVs currently available to buy in the UK – the Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo – while the Go Ultra Low campaign says there are 30 BEVs, with this number set to expand rapidly.

 

Nevertheless, the FCEV’s potential has attracted the attention of the Government as it looks to reduce transport emissions: the Office for Low Emission Vehicles has a £23 million fund to accelerate the take-up of hydrogen vehicles and the roll-out of infrastructure.

 

One beneficiary is the Liverpool City Region combined authority, which was awarded £6.4m earlier this year for a bus project which will see a new hydrogen refuelling station and potentially up to 25 hydrogen buses on the area’s roads.

 

Meanwhile, London has placed an order for 20 FCEV buses due to start work next year.

 

‘The larger the vehicle, the more hydrogen makes sense’

 

“The larger the vehicle, the more hydrogen makes sense,” says Callum Smith, business development officer at ITM Power, which operates seven hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK, with a further six under construction.

 

“You can fill up a hydrogen bus in roughly 10 minutes. In a battery electric bus you can use almost half of the battery on the heater alone, while there’s no distance compromise with the fuel cell. These will get 250 miles while you are looking at a 100-mile range with the battery electric bus.”

 

While examples such as this show why it is clear hydrogen is suited to larger vehicles, it may be less obvious why the fuel is relevant for passenger cars.

 

“I think hydrogen will be really important in heavier vehicles and non-automotive applications, such as shipping,” says Tom Callow, director of communication and strategy at BP Chargemaster.

 

“What I can’t quite get my head around is how a hydrogen passenger car will end up being a more compelling proposition that a pure EV, other than as a real niche – a 3% type niche – product. The EV charging infrastructure, battery capacity and everything else is accelerating at such a pace I can’t see it stacking up economically.”

 

However, the argument is not that FCEV should replace BEV in all applications, but should complement it, dependent on user requirements.

 

“For smaller vehicles and lower distances travelled, BEVs are perfect,” says Paul Marchment, senior business manager at leasing company Arval, which has carried out a series of hydrogen roadshows to raise awareness of the technology.

 

“You plug them in, drive to the office, and as most people only do 20 miles a day, electric cars will suit them. For the occasional longer trip, they might consider a plug-in hybrid.

 

“When you get to the drive cycles that demand a lot of distance and a lot of time, that’s where hydrogen works because it’s so easy to fill up.

 

“I can fill my Toyota Mirai from empty in about four minutes, that 4.5kg of hydrogen gets me about 300 miles and the only emission is water, so what’s not to like?”

 

Obvious answers are the current lack of availability and cost of FCEVs and the limited refuelling infrastructure.

 

However, both scenarios will change in the future, according to Jon Hunt, manager alternative fuel at Toyota.

 

“By 2025, you will start to see all the main carmakers having a fuel cell in the market,” he says. “Between 2025 and 2030 is when you will start to see an acceleration. Again, it won’t be commonplace everywhere but in certain areas: California has mandates, but also the desire, to change and so do markets like the UK.

 

“Post 2030 is when you will start to see that real push, and that will be driven not only by the adoption of new cars, but simply because you won’t be able to achieve the average emission requirements with any other solution.”

 

Toyota and Hyundai lead the way

 

Toyota and Hyundai are leading the development of FCEVs, while Honda also has experience of the technology with its FCX Clarity.

 

BMW is expected to launch an FCEV in 2022, while Hyundai last year entered a cross-licensing agreement with Audi for fuel cell technology, with the German manufacturer announcing it would intensify its development of hydrogen fuel cell technology by re-establishing its h-tron programme.

 

It says a limited-volume Audi FCEV could be offered as part of a lease programme by 2021, with volume production of models during the second half of the next decade.

 

Audi cited concerns over the sourcing of natural resources for battery production and doubts over electric cars being able to deliver on ever-more-demanding customer expectations to explain why it was investing in hydrogen technology.

 

Renault will launch FCEV versions of its Kangoo ZE and Master ZE battery electric vans next year, providing up to three times the range of the BEV models while taking a fraction of the time to refuel.

 

The technology will see the Master ZE’s range increase from 75 miles to 218 miles in the Master ZE Hydrogen, with the Kangoo ZE Hydrogen offering 230 miles, a rise of 87 miles.

 

“These vehicles provide professionals with all the range they require for their long-distance journeys as well as record charging times,” says Denis Le Vot, Alliance SVP of the Renault-Nissan LCV Business Unit.

 

Vehicle costs will also fall. The two FCEVs available in the UK retail at almost £70,000, but it will not be long until the price of hydrogen cars falls more in line with conventional vehicles.

 

“It’s difficult to forecast because it is dependent on volumes, but we pretty clearly indicated that around the mid-2020s, you will have price parity with conventional cars,” says Hunt.

 

This is because the cost of the components is no more than the material cost for a conventional car. FCEVs don’t require the same emissions control systems, the amount of platinum in the fuel stack is not much different than in a diesel catalyst, and there are no oils.

 

“Overall, at scale you could achieve a lower price point – but it’s that scale you need,” Hunt says.

 

“We do get a bit too hung up, generally, on the purchase price. In the fleet market, the cost of ownership is more important and the vehicle’s residual value (RV) is the biggest part of that.

 

“The interesting thing with fuel cells is that your operational costs can be low because in the fuel cell system there is just one maintenance part which is a de-ionising filter like you have at home on your hot water system, which needs replacing every 30,000 miles.

 

“So, when you look at the maintenance and you consider your RV, the fuel cell system will hold an intrinsic value because the components in the fuel stack itself are designed not to wear out and will still do the same job as it did when made.

 

“You can put it in another powertrain, you can use it for stationary power, you can recycle 100% of it, so you’ve got a value in the component which is maintained and that means your RV has a bottom because it always has a market.

 

“You will dispose of your internal combustion engine car when it becomes too expensive to maintain the engine, transmission or other components; you will do the same with a BEV when the battery degrades to a point when it is not usable.

 

“This simply won’t happen with an FCEV.”

 

While future launches will increase the number of FCEVs in the UK, the number is currently tiny – combined, 150 Mirai, Nexo and Hyundai ix35 hydrogen-powered cars, and a handful of buses.

 

Chicken and egg situation

 

This creates a chicken and egg situation when it comes to providing and expanding the refuelling infrastructure, says Smith. At the moment there are just 17 publically-accessible refuelling stations.

 

Phil Killingley, deputy head of the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, adds: “You can take different approaches to the roll-out of hydrogen refuelling stations. You can scatter the country and hope the vehicles come along, or, given that the vehicle supply is relatively limited, you can seek to achieve high utilisation of stations with captive fleets and it is the latter approach we have gone for in the UK.”

 

Hydrogen has the advantage that stations can use renewable energy on site to create hydrogen through electrolysis, meaning that as well as the process being eco-friendly, they do not have to be connected to a wider refuelling network or grid.

 

However, the infrastructure will never be able to match that of BEVs, with home and work-based charging accounting for a large proportion of its refill requirements.

 

Alternatively, hydrogen can be created through industrial processes and transported to the stations.

 

Five of ITM’s stations are in the London area and are used by fleets including private hire firm Green Tomato Cars (see case study, page 30), which is operating around 50 Mirai models, and the Metropolitan Police which has 21.

 

“Our stations are based on who has got a fleet that wants them,” says Smith. “For example, there is a gap in the network between Sheffield and Aberdeen and we could easily put a station in there, but if there is not a fleet to use it, then it wouldn’t be a project we would go ahead with.”

 

Smith says a great example of how it can roll-out hydrogen refuelling stations is its Birmingham bus project, which will open in Q1 next year to provide fuel for 20 hydrogen buses.

 

“The reason our project in Birmingham is so key is that it concentrates on that fleet of buses, and we can then say let’s put a public refuelling station on it as well,” he adds.

 

“That’s how I think the refuelling infrastructure will initially be expanded.”

 

How safe are fuel cell vehicles?

 

“A lot of people say ‘hydrogen, it’s going to explode’ and hydrogen does have a high energy density, but if you manage it safely then it does a good job and is super safe,” says Sylvie Childs, senior product manager at Hyundai.

 

Its Nexo was the first FCEV crash-tested by Euro NCAP and achieved the maximum five-star safety rating.

 

“Its rating should dispel concerns around how hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles perform in a crash,” says Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham Research.

 

“With the Nexo, Hyundai has successfully demonstrated that alternative fuelled vehicles need not

pose a risk to car safety.”

 

Toyota has taken a similarly thorough approach to safety for Mirai: each of the materials chosen for its hydrogen tank has been selected to contain the fuel safely. Its carbon fibre-wrapped polymer-lined tanks absorb five times the crash energy of steel.

 

In a collision, the hydrogen system shuts off to prevent the gas from travelling to potentially damaged systems outside of the tank. By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

Thousands of cars left unused over the holiday period are in danger of not starting when the majority of fleet drivers return to work, says the RAC.

 

This year the RAC is expecting to be called out to around 12,000 breakdowns on Monday 6 January with nearly a third of those call-outs likely to be flat batteries, it said.

 

on Monday 7 January 2019, RAC patrols dealt with 3,600 battery-related breakdowns, which represented 31% of all its call-outs that day. Wednesday 2nd January 2019 was also busy a day for flat batteries with 2,422, or 26% of all RAC breakdowns.

 

New research carried out with 3,480 members of the RAC Opinion Panel shows 6% of drivers have suffered a post-Christmas flat battery. Of those, 58% say it was due to the vehicle not being used for several days and 13% claim to have fallen victim twice.

 

As many as 40% who have suffered this problem say the last time it happened they were on the way to work, and 17% say it “caused a big problem for them”.

 

The RAC has published a list of tips to minimise the chance of battery-related issues:

 

• Park your vehicle in a garage whenever possible
• Ensure everything is switched off when you finish your journey including lights, heater, fan, heated rear windscreen, and the radio. Sat-navs and other devices can also drain the battery if left connected
• Check the battery connections, ensuring that they are tight and free from any corrosion
• It’s worth getting your battery tested, particularly if it is over four years old
• Take your vehicle for a decent drive to get your battery well charged, and get the engine to its proper operating temperature, before you really need it – ideally several days before. Don’t just check that it starts as this is likely to drain the battery more

 

By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

Only one in 10 new car sales could be diesel in as little as five years, says a leading academic.

 

Currently, one-in-four of new cars sold is powered by the fuel, a dramatic decline from the parity with petrol it enjoyed just a few years ago.

 

Its popularity is also on the wane in the company car market, where it has traditionally dominated thanks to its tax-friendly CO2 performance.

 

New figures show that the proportion of diesel cars on the FN50 fleet – the UK’s top 50 leasing companies by risk fleet size – fell from almost two-thirds (63.4%) to close to half (50.5%) over the past 12 months.

 

In terms of vehicles they had ordered in the past year, the flight from diesel was still more pronounced. Almost half of the cars ordered in 2019 were petrol (47.6%), while only two-fifths (38.8%) were diesel.

 

David Bailey, Professor of Business Economics at the Birmingham Business School, said: “There seems to be no end to the decline in diesels.”

 

Overall, diesel new car sales are down by more than a fifth in the past year. Some 515,000 units have been sold year-to-date, compared with 650,000 during the previous 12 months, data from the UK automotive trade body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), shows.

 

Forecasters say that, with the sharp falls seen in the sale of new diesel cars since 2017, it could lead to an undersupply of used vehicles in 2020 and 2021, which would help sustain residual values. However, it’s unclear whether the decline in new diesel car sales will be mirrored in the used car market. The most recent figures from the SMMT show that demand for used diesels grew by 1.4% in the third quarter, with some 858,442 changing hands.

 

“A big shift away from diesel is still taking place,” said Bailey. “In late 2015, diesel accounted for more than 50% of the market, by March last year it was down to 32% and it has fallen further since then.”

 

The UK is not alone in turning its back on the fuel; its decline is being seen across Europe. In the key market of Germany, diesel’s share has fallen below 30% from having accounted for half the market and to a similar level in France, where three-quarters of new car sales were once diesel.

 

Bailey said: “We are seeing this continuing decline and, while I originally thought the market share for diesel by 2025 would be down to 15%, I now think that’s quite optimistic – it may be as low as 10%.”

 

Despite its popularity in Europe, diesel has not enjoyed similar market penetration in other countries. “It’s negligible in North America, it’s only 4% at best in China and virtually insignificant elsewhere,” he said.

 

“If you go back to the turn of the century, diesel as a share of the market in Europe was only 10-15%. We then gave (the fuel) loads of tax breaks, because we thought it was good for the environment.”

 

Dieselgate followed however, and concerns over the fuel’s impact on air quality has put its market share on a downward trajectory.

 

Bailey told delegates at a recent Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA) seminar the trouble is “people are completely freaked out over diesels”.

 

He said: “They are concerned about falling resale values, they are worried about tighter regulations in cities, higher taxes and its impact on the environment.”

 

He says Government policy has not helped either, labelling it a “complete shambles”.

 

“One part of Government has been saying ‘clean diesels are good’, while another part whacks a load of tax on them.”

 

Government has, however, introduced tax breaks for diesel company cars, which meet strict emissions limits defined by the RDE2 standard.

 

Company car drivers are exempt from the 4% benefit-in-kind (BIK) diesel surcharge, while fleets benefit from not having to pay the higher first-year rate of VED on new diesel cars.

 

The NOx limit for the RDE2 standard, which is measured on the road, is up to 1.43 times the Euro 6 lab limit of 80mg/km for diesel and 60mg/km for petrol. Cars achieving this limit are labelled Euro 6d.

 

Cars achieving RDE1, which allows for a margin of error two times the actual limit, are classified as Euro 6d-temp.

 

RDE2 will apply to all new registrations from January 1, 2021, before the margin for error – the conformity factor – is removed by 2023.

 

Peter Golding, managing director at FleetCheck, believes that 2020 could turn out to be a make or break year for diesel, with the success of Euro 6d cars key. However, he acknowledges the outlook is not promising when Bristol’s proposed diesel city centre car ban will not apply to older petrol vehicles, with potentially worse emissions than the latest RDE2 diesels.

 

“RDE2, effectively, puts diesel on a roughly equal footing with petrol from an emissions point of view,” he said. “The question is whether everyone from legislators to the general public are willing or able to make that distinction.”  By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News