The Best Car Finance Blog In The World

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that all privately-owned e-scooters and e-unicycles, including those that can be folded or carried, will be banned on London’s transport network from Monday (December 13).

Customers in possession of such devices will not be permitted to enter any premises on TfL’s network or travel on any of its services, including on the Tube, buses, Overground, TfL Rail, Trams and DLR, it says.

The decision has been driven by safety concerns following recent fires on TfL premises and services.

There have been incidents of e-scooters and e-unicycles catching fire while on TfL services or infrastructure, it claims.

A review found that the incidents that occurred were caused by defective lithium-ion batteries which ruptured without warning. This led to fires that caused toxic smoke to be released.

TfL consider that if this were to happen again and fires occurred in an enclosed area like a Tube train or a bus, there could be significant harm to both customers and staff, as well as secondary injuries from customers trying to escape the area.

Lilli Matson, TfL’s chief safety, health and environment officer, said: “We have been extremely worried by the recent incidents on our public transport services, which involved intense fires and considerable smoke and damage.

“We have worked with London Fire Brigade to determine how we should deal with these devices and, following that review, we have decided to ban them.

“Customers who try to bring them onto our network will be refused access to our stations and premises, and not be permitted to use any of our services.” 

While privately owned e-scooters remain illegal to use in public spaces, they are widely available for purchase.

Private e-scooters and e-unicycles are currently unregulated, meaning they are not currently required to meet any minimum vehicle standards.

TfL will keep these changes under review pending any future changes to legislation by the Government regarding e-scooters and e-unicycles, specifically around safety standards.

TfL is collecting data from the rental e-scooter trials to help shape future policy on safety standards in London and the rest of the UK.

TfL’s trial of rental e-scooters, which began in June 2021 as part of trials permitted nationally by the Department for Transport (DfT), offers the only e-scooters legally allowed on London’s roads.

Rigorous safety measures are central to the trial, it says, with vehicles that exceed the DfT’s regulatory requirements for trial vehicles and that are considerably more robust than the most common private e-scooters.

The safety criteria for the trial were agreed by TfL, London Councils, the participating boroughs and the DfT, as well as with key stakeholder groups and other cities that have previously launched similar trials. These e-scooters are also not currently allowed on TfL services.

The ban will include all e-scooters and e-unicycles but does not include mobility scooters that are permitted on the network or foldable e-bikes.

E-bikes are generally subject to better manufacturing standards and the batteries are usually positioned in a place where they are less likely to be damaged, and so are less of a fire risk, says TfL.

Non-foldable e-bikes will continue to be allowed on some parts of the network at certain times of the day.

London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety, Paul Jennings, said: “We have growing concerns about the safety of e-scooters due to the amount of fires we are seeing involving them, so we fully support TfL’s ban of private e-scooters on public transport.

“Fires are dangerous and terrifying wherever they happen, but a fire on the transport network has the potential to become very serious very quickly and involve hundreds of people, particularly on trains where evacuation may be challenging, so anything that can be done to mitigate that risk is a positive step.”

Anybody who does not comply may be refused entry, directed to leave the network or face a fine of up to £1,000.

The Metropolitan Police has also appealed to retailers to be responsible in selling e-scooters and has reminded Londoners that the use of privately-owned e-scooter and e-unicycles on public roads, cycleways and highways is illegal.

British Transport Police Superintendent, Lisa Garrett, said: “Our priority is the safety of passengers and the staff members working across Transport for London services. We’ll be working alongside frontline staff to engage with the public on this issue and enforce where necessary.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Mercedes-Benz has received approval for a self-driving system paving the way for it to be able to offer the technology to customers where national legislation allows its use.

In the UK, the Government gave the green light for self-driving vehicles on UK roads, earlier this year. Following a landmark call for evidence, it set out how vehicles fitted with Automated Lane Keeping System (ALKS) technology could legally be defined as self-driving, as long as they receive GB type approval and that there is no evidence to challenge the vehicle’s ability to self-drive.

The German manufacturer is the first automotive company in the world to meet the demanding legal requirements of UN-R157 for a Level 3 system, which was granted by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA).

Level 3 refers to the automated driving function taking over certain driving tasks. However, a driver is still required and must be ready to take control of the vehicle at all times when prompted to intervene by the vehicle.  

Mercedes-Benz says that customers will be able to buy an S-Class with the Drive Pilot technology in the first half of 2022, enabling them to drive in conditionally automated mode at speeds of up to 60 km/h (37mph) in heavy traffic or congested situations on suitable stretches of motorway in Germany.

The system approval also applies to the EQS.

Markus Schäfer, member of the board of management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, and chief technology officer responsible for development and purchasing, said: “We are the first manufacturer to put conditionally automated driving into series production in Germany.

“With this milestone, we are once again proving our pioneering work in automated driving and also initiating a radical paradigm shift.

“For the first time in 136 years of automotive history, the vehicle takes over the dynamic driving task under certain conditions.”

The technical approval regulation with which such a system can be certified did not come into force until the beginning of 2021, while Germany was the first country to create a legal basis for the intended use of these systems.

Mercedes-Benz is initially offering Drive Pilot on 13,191 kilometres (8,200 miles) of motorway in Germany. The manufacturer says that extensive test drives for the system are already underway, for example in the USA and China.

As soon as there is a national legal framework for conditionally automated operation in additional markets, the technology will be rolled out step by step, it added.

How does the self-driving system work?

When the driver activates Drive Pilot, the system controls the speed and distance, and guides the vehicle within its lane.

The route profile, events occurring on the route and traffic signs, are correspondingly taken into consideration.

The system also reacts to unexpected traffic situations and handles them independently by employing evasive manoeuvres within the lane or by braking manoeuvres, says Mercedes-Benz.

Drive Pilot builds on the surround sensors of the Driving Assistance Package and comprises additional sensors that Mercedes-Benz considers indispensable for safe conditionally automated driving.

These include LiDAR, as well as a camera in the rear window and microphones, especially for detecting blue lights and other special signals from emergency vehicles, as well as a wetness sensor in the wheel well.

As well as the sensor data, the Drive Pilot receives information about the road geometry, route profile, traffic signs and unusual traffic events such as accidents or roadworks from a digital HD map. This is made available and updated via a backend connection.

The S-Class with the optional Drive Pilot also has redundant steering and braking systems and a redundant on-board electrical system, so that it remains manoeuvrable even if one of these systems fails and the safe handover to the driver can be ensured.

If the driver fails to take back control even after increasingly urgent prompting and expiry of the takeover time, for example in the event of a severe health problem, the system brakes the vehicle to a standstill in a controlled manner and with “suitable” deceleration.

At the same time the hazard warning lights and, once the vehicle has come to a standstill, the Mercedes-Benz emergency call system is activated and the doors and windows are unlocked, to make access to the interior easier for any first responders.

The exact location of the S-Class is determined using a highly accurate positioning system, says Mercedes-Benz.

In addition, data obtained from satellite navigation are matched with sensor data and data from an HD map.

Sensor data collected by LiDAR, camera, radar and ultrasonic sensors can be, for example, information on road geometry, route characteristics, landmarks or traffic signs.

The HD map provides a three-dimensional street and environment image. The map data are stored in back-end data centres and updated constantly, it says.

Each vehicle also stores an image of this map information on board, constantly compares it with the backend data and updates the local data set if necessary.

The HD map offers stable positioning through a representation of the surroundings independent of shadowing effects or a soiled sensor. It also provides information on road geometry or special traffic events such as roadworks.

This high-precision map differs from maps for navigation devices by, among other things, its higher accuracy in the centimetre rather than metre range and its detailed intersection and track model, the manufacturer says.

A central control unit provides the necessary software functions for conditionally automated driving. Within the framework of modern security architecture, important algorithms are calculated redundantly.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Latest statistics have revealed that UK fleets and drivers lost 73 hours this year and £595 to congestion.

Data published by the Inrix Global Traffic Scorecard showed that congestion cost the UK economy £8 billion in 2021, which works out an average of £595 per driver.

The 73 hours lost due to congestion is up from 37 hours in 2020, but down from 115 in 2019.

According to the research, drivers in London, Cambridge, and Bristol lost the most time to traffic congestion (148, 75 and 66 hours respectively), despite seeing reductions compared with 2019 (down 53%, 42% and 64% respectively). Exeter saw the largest increase in congestion with delays increasing by 27% from 2019.

A spokesperson at Inrix said: “The key findings of the Inrix 2021 Global Traffic Scorecard provide a quantifiable benchmark for governments and cities across the world to measure progress to improve urban mobility and track the impact of spending on smart city initiatives.

“Access to reliable data is the first step in tackling congestion. Applying big data to create intelligent transportation systems is key to solving urban mobility problems.

“Inrix data and analytics on mobility, traffic and traffic signals, parking and population movement help city planners and engineers make data-based decisions to prioritise spending to maximise benefits and reduce costs now and into the future.”

Lockdown resulted in a fall in trips leading to a large reduction in 2020 however, this trend has reversed with the easing of restrictions, but has not returned to pre-COVID levels and most cities still saw lower numbers than 2019 levels.

During the first UK lockdown, travel to city centres dropped 75% in April 2020. The lifting of the lockdown on June 1, 2020 led to rebounds in city centre activity.

However, trips to city centres had dropped again in November 2020, as the UK’s second lockdown came into force.

By February 2021, the UK entered its third lockdown – coinciding with new COVID-19 variants being discovered. This resulted in a 52% retraction in trips to city centres among major cities analysed in the Inrix Global Traffic Scorecard.

Throughout the country, delays on the busiest corridors decreased versus 2019. In 2020, the five busiest corridors were all in London – the A503 E/B, the A2 W/B, and A406 North Circular Road E/B (with 42, 39 and 38 hours respectively). Outside of London, the busiest corridors were Belfast’s A644 East, Birmingham’s A435 South and Liverpool’s Queens Drive (with 15, 14 and 14 hours respectively).  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Gridserve will open more than 20 ‘electric hubs’, each featuring 6-12 x 350kW ultra high-power electric vehicle (EV) charge points with contactless payment, at motorway service stations across the UK by Q2 2022.

The majority should be installed by the end of March, with a further 50 additional electric hub sites set to follow. 

Two Electric Forecourts situated adjacent to major transport routes and motorways, including a flagship site at Gatwick Airport and Norwich, are also in construction, due to open in 2022.

Several additional Electric Forecourt sites now also have planning permission including Uckfield, Gateshead, Plymouth and Bromborough, with more than 30 additional sites also under development as part of the company’s commitment to deliver over 100 Electric Forecourts.

Toddington Harper, CEO of Gridserve, said: “Our mission is to deliver sustainable energy and move the needle on climate change, and that is exactly what we are doing – delivering.

“Getting people into electric vehicles is a big part of our vision but to do that charging has to be simple and free of anxiety, which is why we’ve designed our network entirely around the needs of drivers, listening to our customers’ needs and providing the best possible level of customer service to deliver the confidence people need to make the switch to electric transport today, eight-years ahead of the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel cars.”

Gridserve says it wants to revolutionise EV charging across the UK, following the acquisition of Ecotricity’s Electric Highway network in June.

Some of the Electric Hubs are also located in areas traditionally left behind in the EV transition, including Wales and Cornwall, helping to deliver its vision of giving drivers everywhere the confidence to go electric well ahead of the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars.

Since the acquisition, Gridserve has invested tens of millions of pounds in the network to develop the new Electric Hubs, replace the 300+ existing motorway chargers it inherited from Ecotricity, and install 130 additional AC chargers to cater for all types of EVs.

The two new Electric Forecourts for Gatwick and Norwich will follow Gridserve’s blueprint of the world’s first Electric Forecourt in Braintree, Essex.

Gatwick Electric Forecourt

Developed in partnership with Gatwick Airport, the Gatwick Electric Forecourt will be a flagship site, serving passengers, commuters, staff, local residents and businesses that pass through the airport and its surrounding motorway network each year.

Located on the Ring Road South approach to Gatwick’s South Terminal and adjacent to the M23 – it will enable 36 EVs to be charged simultaneously, with high-power chargers that can deliver up to 350kW of charging power, capable of adding 100 miles of range in less than 10 minutes. Multiple charging connectors will cater for all types of electric cars.

The site is due to open in autumn 2022 and will host a café, waiting lounge with free superfast WiFi, convenience supermarket, children’s play area and a dedicated educational space to increase awareness around electric vehicles.

Harper said: “Gatwick isn’t just an airport, it’s an ecosystem of commuters, travellers, staff, taxi drivers, car rental companies, local residents and businesses, all culminating in a transport hub that hosts tens of millions of drivers every single year.

“The Gatwick Electric Forecourt will give these drivers and businesses the confidence to switch away from petrol and diesel cars, making electric journeys to and from one of the country’s most important transport hubs straightforward and sustainable.”

Jonathan Pollard, chief commercial officer, Gatwick Airport, said: “Our new high-powered charging facility will help meet the increasing need for electric vehicle charging infrastructure at the airport, including the growing number of our passengers who own electric vehicles and need fast, convenient and effective charging facilities.

“The new charging infrastructure will also benefit people right across our community, including thousands of staff who live locally, businesses looking to introduce electric vehicle fleets – even those operating buses and trucks – and also local residents who may be considering buying an electric-powered car but were undecided due to the lack of charging facilities.”

The Norwich Electric Forecourt, which is nearing the end of its construction, and scheduled to open in April 2022, will mirror the set up at Gatwick.

David Hall, VP Power Systems UK and Ireland for Schneider Electric, says the announcement from Gridserve will help “unleash” the potential of EVs by reducing fears of range anxiety.

“To support the growth of adoption in electric mobility, which is crucial to achieving ambitious targets to reduce global CO2 emissions, we need readily available infrastructure to support EVs and to ensure the electric revolution is renewable, plentiful, and affordable,” said Hall. “It is also a significant opportunity to rebuild the UK economy with climate action at its core.

“The UK already has more EV charging points than petrol stations, and one in ten new vehicles sold is an EV.  Businesses and transport companies are increasingly playing their part by switching to low carbon, net zero fleets for cars, trucks, and buses, which will be essential for cutting their carbon footprints. We hope that this announcement will encourage those who were holding back to make the switch and come along for the ride.

“As the popularity of electric vehicles increases, we need to ensure that electric or hybrid vehicles are low-emission, the energy grid needs to be powered by a much higher percentage of renewables. This transition will bring additional consumer demand, effectively bringing the concept of net zero transportation to life.”

Gridserve’s latest sites:

Electric Hubs

• Currently in construction: Swansea (Moto), Heston West (Moto), Severn View (Moto), Wetherby (Moto), Burton in Kendall (Moto), Exeter (Moto), Woolley Edge North (Moto), Woolley Edge South (Moto), Thurrock (Moto), Leigh Delamere Westbound (Moto), Reading West (Moto).

• Entering construction early next year: Reading East (Moto), Grantham North (Moto), Scotch Corner (Moto), Washington North (Moto), Washington South (Moto), Cornwall Services, Annandale (Roadchef), Magor (Roadchef), Rownhams North (Roadchef), Durham (Roadchef), Watford Gap North (Roadchef), Watford Gap South (Roadchef), Northampton North (Roadchef), Northampton South (Roadchef), Strensham North (Roadchef), Strensham South (Roadchef)

Electric Forecourts

• Currently in construction: Norwich Electric Forecourt (opening April 2022), Gatwick Electric Forecourt (opening Autumn 2022).
• Planning permission secured: Uckfield, Gateshead, Plymouth, Bromborough.

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A fleet of Dott e-scooters have been used to identify road safety risks in cities.

The e-scooters were fitted with sensors from See.Sense, which monitored rider behaviour on the vehicles for a period of 10 weeks.

Data was collected from 1,800 rides with a total distance of more than 2,000 miles. Throughout each journey, See.Sense’s monitors were detecting changes in rider behaviour to help better understand the user’s experience on the road.

The findings reveal areas which experience particularly high levels of braking or swerving and changes in the road surface. These hot spots will be shared with the authorities to suggest improvements in road quality, helping make the streets safer for all micro-mobility users.

Braking and swerving, for example, can happen around uneven and rough road surfaces or potholes, causing a rider to react suddenly.

Maxim Romain, Co-Founder and COO, Dott, said: “Quality infrastructure is key to helping users of micro-mobility feel safe whilst on the road. The results of this new trial, in partnership with See.Sense, reveal that Dott’s vehicles can do more than provide efficient, reliable and sustainable transport for its riders – they can also deliver valuable learnings to create smart cities which are safer and more pleasant for all residents.”

Data was also collected to compare surface types, and See.Sense’s data could identify consistent patterns on road, cycle path and footpaths.

Understanding when riders are using footpaths could be another indicator of a poor quality road surface. Or it could be down to rider behaviour, allowing Dott to prompt e-learning modules, revise speed limits when the change in surface is detected, or further investigate unsafe riding.

Irene McAleese, Co-founder & CSO, See.Sense, added: “Our technology has been created to provide safety focused data on the adoption and maintenance of infrastructure. We’re excited to partner with Dott on this project to demonstrate a scalable solution that provides cities with powerful data driven insights that will help cities unlock the true potential of micro-mobility”.

Following the success of the trial, Dott is exploring implementing the solution both more widely across London, and into other European cities.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Stellantis will invest more than £25 billion in vehicle connectivity and electrification as it seeks to create a new revenue stream from software-enabled products and subscriptions.

The car maker, which owns Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Citroen, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, Peugeot and Vauxhall, expects to generate more than £17m in revenue from new digital services by 2030.

This transformation will move Stellantis’ vehicles from today’s dedicated electronic architectures to an open software-defined platform that “seamlessly integrates with customers’ digital lives”.

It will enable drivers to add features and services via regular over-the-air (OTA) updates, years after the vehicle has been built.

“Our electrification and software strategies will support the shift to become a sustainable mobility tech company to lead the pack, leveraging the associated business growth with over-the-air features and services, and delivering the best experience to our customers,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO.

Stellantis says its software strategy “works hand-in-hand” with its vehicle electrification plans, which targets that more than 70% of its vehicle sales in Europe will be low emission vehicles by 2030.

Stellantis has 12m monetizable connected vehicles on the road currently. By 2024, it expects the majority of its vehicles will be fully updateable over-the-air. By 2026, the business expects to have 26m connected vehicles with the potential to make more than £3bn in revenue.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Pressure group Transport & Environment (T&E) claims that synthetic e-fuels are no cleaner than ordinary petrol or diesel.

The organisation commissioned a series of laboratory tests to compare the emissions from a car running on E10 petrol with three synthetic fuels.

No difference in NOx emissions were observed for any of the e-fuels tested either in the lab or on road tests compared to today’s petrol fuel.

T&E says the use of e-petrol in cars will have “little impact” on NOx emissions, which are “at the heart of toxic NO2 pollution” across Europe’s cities.

Carbon monoxide emissions from e-fuels were found to be much higher in the tests. Emissions were up to three times higher in the lab test and 1.2-1.5 times higher on the RDE test compared to fossil fuel. The largest increase in emissions occurred when the engine was first switched on, according to the test.

Julia Poliscanova, senior director for vehicles and e-mobility at T&E, said: “No amount of spin can overcome the science of burning hydrocarbons. As long as fuel is combusted in engines, toxic air will persist in our cities. Lawmakers who leave loopholes for e-fuels in emissions targets are condemning the public to decades more of avoidable air pollution.”

A substantial decrease in particle emissions was observed on all e-fuel tests, however. The number of particle emissions (PN) larger than 10nm decreased by 97% in the lab test, and by 81-86% on the RDE test cycle – a significant improvement compared to the fossil fuel tested.

Hydrocarbon emissions from e-fuels decreased by 23-40% in the lab test too, but no difference was observed on the RDE test due to low emissions for all fuels.

Emissions of dangerous but not yet regulated aldehydes – acetaldehyde and formaldehyde – decreased with the use of e-fuels when the engine was first switched on, but no significant difference was seen on the test overall.

Ammonia emissions of two e-petrol blends roughly doubled on the RDE test, with emissions particularly increasing after the engine was first switched on. These results, according to T&E, indicate that some e-petrol blends may cause an increase in ammonia emissions, which is a precursor to PM2.5 pollution.

The testing was carried out by French research organisation IFP Energies Nouvelles. It used a Euro 6d-temp Mercedes A 180, on WLTC and RDE drive cycles performed on a chassis dyno.

Due to a lack of commercial production, IFP Energies Nouvelles had to blend three e-fuel blends representative of potential future fuels that are compatible with petrol cars. Two different 100% e-petrol blends and one blending 2nd generation ethanol (10%) and e-fuel were made.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

June to September 2021 saw the RAC deal with the largest proportion of pothole-related callouts in any third quarter since 2006.

RAC patrols attended 1,810 breakdowns for broken suspension springs, distorted wheels and damaged shock absorbers which represented 1.2% of all its callouts over the three-month period.

The RAC said June to September, along with October to December, are normally the quietest quarters for pothole-related breakdowns, both in terms of pure numbers and the proportion they represent of all RAC breakdowns.

Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy at the RAC, said: “With Government data showing weekday car traffic is still not quite back to pre-pandemic levels, it’s very worrying that our patrols are still attending a higher proportion of pothole-related call-outs in relation to all the breakdowns they go out to.

“While it’s welcome that the sheer number of pothole breakdowns is not as high as we’ve seen in previous years, we see worrying signs in our data that implies little progress has been made in the last 12 months in improving road surfaces for drivers.

“Traditionally, the spring and summer months give authorities a chance to repair and improve roads, but unfortunately it seems many roads remain in a perilous state. We fear we’re only a bad winter away from seeing a plague of potholes which authorities will struggle to repair.

“When it comes to potholes, prevention is always better than cure. Relying on just patching potholes is a fruitless task which simply pours good money after bad as it only acts as a sticking plaster. This will anger drivers incredibly as they already feel not enough of their motoring taxes are invested in keeping roads up to a respectable standard.”

When looking at the proportion of pothole callouts as a rolling average of the last four quarters, there is a ‘worrying increase’ in the share of these breakdowns, the RAC said, as they represent 1.5% of all RAC call-outs – the highest such figure seen in the RAC’s Pothole Index data since the four quarters to the end of September 2018 (1.5%).

The RAC Pothole Index is a long-term measure of the condition of roads which is adjusted for weather and seasonal effects. As of Q3 2021 it stands at 1.48, down from 1.51 in Q2.

The RAC said that drivers are nearly one-and-a-half times more likely to breakdown after hitting a pothole than they were when the RAC first started collecting the data back in 2006.

RAC Report on Motoring 2021

Drivers surveyed for the RAC Report on Motoring 2021 named the poor condition and lack of maintenance of local roads their top concern.

This year, 46% of drivers say that the state of local roads is one of their four biggest motoring-related concerns, up from 38% 12 months ago.

More than half (58%) of drivers believe local road conditions where they live have deteriorated over the past year, a rise on the 52% recorded in 2020 and 49% in 2019.

Drivers would like to see at least some of the revenues raised from the likes of vehicle excise duty (VED) and fuel duty ring-fenced for spending on local road maintenance. This year, 81% of drivers support this idea, an almost identical proportion to 2020 (82%).

At present, revenues from VED in England are used to fund maintenance spending but only on the motorway and high-speed road network.

Three-quarters (74%) take the view that the motoring taxes they already pay are not sufficiently reinvested into local roads.

Drivers are overall are happier with the state of the UK’s motorways and major A-roads – only 11% cite the state of motorways and high-speed roads as a main concern, although 28% still say that the condition of these roads has deteriorated over the past 12 months. 

Lyes said: “We have long campaigned for national government to recognise the significance of local roads and ring-fence funds over a five-year period to enable councils to plan and deliver longer-term road maintenance.

“If the coming winter proves to be colder than normal as some are predicting we could sadly see our roads crumbling yet further, costing drivers hundreds of thousands of pounds in repairs.

“We’re sounding the alarm now so that this doesn’t happen, but we badly need the transport secretary and the treasury to take a fresh look at how local roads are funded.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The leasing industry has grown in the past five years, with private ownership falling in Europe from 53% of total market in 2013, down to 42% in 2021, according to research by Jato Dynamics.

The report, ‘An industry in flux: Leasing in the automated age’, showed that leasing has gained popularity – it is estimated that five million vehicles were leased in the UK, last year – with 1.9 million of those being individual or personal contracts.

Separate research from Fleet News recently showed that, after two consecutive years of decline, the FN50 – the UK’s top 50 leasing companies by risk fleet size – had stabilised over the past 12 months with a slight rise in the number of funded cars and vans to 1,663,421 (up by 1,101 units).

Jato said the rise in demand for leasing can be explained by evolving priorities for consumers – where individuals previously thought it was important to own a car, perceptions have shifted where the focus is now on the usage of a vehicle.

David Krajicek, chief executive officer at Jato Dynamics, said: “The leasing sector has evolved significantly in recent years.

“Impacted by many factors – such as technological advances, digitalisation, and changing consumer priorities – OEMs and leasing companies must now ensure they shift away from manual processes and adapt to changing customers’ wants and expectations.

“Those that fail to respond to this evolution risk damaging business relationships, sales prospects, and their chances to succeed in the increasingly competitive market.”

Leasing rather than ownerships poses benefits including lower maintenance costs, greater flexibility and the ability to upgrade to new models and technology – which is important as consumers now expect to consistently access new products and services, according to Jato.

Research from Salesforce found that three quarters (75%) of consumers’ site search queries are new each month. The growing desire for new products and features can be linked to the rise in popularity for leasing subscriptions, rather than committing to one, single vehicle for several years, said Jato.

In 2020, 72% of customers expected to be able to apply for a leasing contract entirely online, according to reserach by Capgemini. Jato said the research highlights that automation has a role to play in the automotive sales processes.

With the leasing marketing growing, creating a seamless customer experience through digitalisation and automation will be the ‘vital’ next step for OEMs and leasing service providers to accelerate their sales and profit margins, Jato said.

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

New figures show that there were 28,375 public electric vehicle charging devices available in the UK as of January 1.

Of the total devices available, 5,156 were rapid chargers.

Compared to October 1, 2021, it means that available devices increased by 2,448, an increase of 9%, while rapid devices increased by 233, up 5%.

There was an increase in total and rapid devices across all regions of the UK.

In the past year, the number of public devices has increased by 37%, corresponding to 7,600 devices.

The number of rapid devices increased by 33%, with an additional 1,276 public devices.

Regional distribution of charging devices

The data, however, points to an uneven geographical distribution of charging devices within the UK.

Some UK local authorities have bid for UK Government funding for charging devices, and others have not.

Most of the provision of this infrastructure has been market-led, with individual charging networks and other businesses (such as hotels) choosing where to install devices.

London and Scotland had the highest level of charging provision per 100,000 of population, with 102 and 52 devices per 100,000 respectively. In comparison, the average provision in the UK was 42 per 100,000.

Northern Ireland had the lowest level of charging device provision in the UK, with 18 devices per 100,000, followed by the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber with 24 and 26 devices per 100,000 respectively.

Scotland had the highest rate of rapid device provision of 12.9 rapid devices per 100,000, while the average provision in the UK was 7.7 per 100,000.

Rapid device provision was lowest for Northern Ireland and Wales, with 1.2 and 5.3 rapid devices per 100,000 respectively. An interactive map of this data is available.

All regions across the UK saw an increase in total charging devices between October 1, 2021 and January 1.

London had the greatest increase at 16.4%, whilst Northern Ireland and the North West had the smallest increases at 3.9% and 4.6% respectively.

London also had the greatest increase in absolute number of devices at 1,292 devices, contributing to more than half of the increase in devices across the UK.

Meanwhile, rapid charging devices have increased in every region in the UK.

The smallest percentage increase in the number of rapid devices was in the North East at 0.4%.

East Midlands had the largest percentage increase in rapid devices at 7.5%, corresponding to an increase of 26 rapid devices.

Ben Foulser, head of future mobility at KPMG UK, said: “As electric vehicle adoption rises, it’s encouraging to see more public charging points installed. But there’s no doubt that the pace of delivery will have to increase in order to both cope with the demand of the coming years, and to convince others to transition to EVs.

“It’s also vital that any use of public funding to de-risk investment by the private sector is targeted and successful.

“This includes development of commercially attractive portfolios that incorporate rural and smaller sites, enabling a just transition to zero emission mobility across the UK.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News