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Hertz has struck a deal with Polestar to purchase up to 65,000 electric vehicles (EVs) over the next five years.

Vehicles are due to start joining the rental company’s European fleet this spring with the new EVs joining operations in north America and Australia later this year.

The partnership with Polestar builds on Hertz’s announcement last October to offer its customers the largest EV rental fleet in north America and one of the largest in the world.

“We are excited to partner with Polestar and look forward to introducing their premium EV products into our retail and rideshare fleets,” said Stephen Scherr, Hertz CEO.

“Today’s partnership with Polestar further builds on our ambition to become a leading participant in the modern mobility ecosystem and doing so as an environmentally-forward company.

“By working with EV industry leaders like Polestar, we can help accelerate the adoption of electrification while providing renters, corporate customers and rideshare partners a premium EV product, exceptional experience and lower carbon footprint.”

Polestar reported that it nearly tripled volumes in 2021 and anticipates more than doubling volumes again this year. It expects volumes to reach 290,000 vehicles per year by the end of 2025.

“Polestar is committed to accelerating the move to electric mobility with a fascinating and innovative product portfolio,” said Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath.

“We are delighted that Hertz has chosen Polestar as a strategic partner on their road to electrification.

“The partnership with a global pioneer like Hertz will bring the amazing experience of driving an electric car to a wider audience, satisfying a broad variety of our mutual customers’ short- and longer-term mobility requirements.

“For many of them it may be the first time they have driven an EV, and it will be a Polestar.”

Hertz will initially order the Polestar 2, which has a 78kWh battery providing a WLTP range of 292 miles and a rapid charge time of 0-80% in 40 minutes.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Vehicle CCTV has been effective in slashing personal injury claims and reducing insurance premiums, according to Brigade Electronics UK. 

The survey of drivers, fleet managers and other industry professionals found that 29% said personal injury claims had dropped, while 32% saw a reduction in insurance costs.

From 360-degree all round protection to vehicle CCTV, cameras have significantly reduced collisions and injuries, successfully protecting fleets, safeguarding drivers, and shielding vulnerable road users from harm, says Brigade.

The size of commercial vehicles means that vehicle blind spots are a major factor in collisions across all industries.

Operator positions, bulky bodywork and the absence of rear windows all contribute to restricting and limiting a driver’s visibility.

Installing cameras, either at the point of manufacture or retrospectively, has proved to be invaluable in preventing collisions, protecting equipment from damage and minimising the associated financial costs and downtime.

While preventing deaths and injuries on the road and in the workplace is no doubt a number one priority for fleet operators, keeping equipment safe and maintaining fleet efficiency are also top of the agenda.

Cameras with 360-degree capabilities that can be combined with vehicle CCTV are making a huge difference in helping to manage fleets, maintain safety and keep vehicles secure.

The introduction of high definition (HD) is enhancing these safety camera options, says Brigade.

Emily Hardy, a vehicle safety expert at Brigade Electronics UK, explained: “High definition cameras, such as Brigade’s Backeye360 HD BN360-300, are offering complete security and peace of mind for drivers and fleet managers by ensuring that blind spots are eliminated and acting as a reliable eye-witness in the event of an incident, false claim or theft.

“HD provides better clarity with clearer, crisper images for drivers and operators, making the resulting footage invaluable in terms of both safety and security.”

High definition means a high-resolution image will be displayed on a driver’s monitor, providing clarity and detail, allowing them to see an object or person in a vehicle’s blind spot with ease, says Brigade.

The difference between high definition and standard definition is the number of pixels contained in the displayed image.

HD images have more pixels per square inch than standard definition. This means a HD system will show much finer details than standard definition systems. Typically, HD is referred to as 720p and above.

Hardy said: “At Brigade we recommend using analogue rather than digital HD cameras as they offer many benefits for commercial vehicles drivers.

“These include being able to transmit video over traditional cabling across distances as far as 500 metres – plenty of cabling length for any commercial vehicle.

“Additionally, there is no video latency, so drivers will benefit from a true view of everything on the monitor.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

As I explained last week local councils can now apply to prosecute motorists for moving vehicle violations including yellow box violations.

The Government is being urged to update guidance to councils on yellow box junctions ahead of local authorities being given the powers to fine drivers.

Failure to do so, says the RAC, could result in an “avalanche of penalty charge notices” being wrongly issued to drivers.

The new powers, which will allow local authorities, rather than the police, to enforce against moving traffic offences such as disregarding one-way systems or entering mandatory cycle lanes, were initially outlined by the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, two years ago, in an effort to increase walking and cycling in England.

The change has already taken effect in London and Cardiff.

Identifying the potential problems in a new report – Enforcing yellow box junction rules fairly: the dangers facing councils and drivers – the RAC is calling on the Government to improve its official design, maintenance and enforcement guidance to councils to avoid thousands of drivers being wrongly fined.

While RAC research shows 57% of drivers are generally in favour of yellow box junctions being enforced, it has discovered that many junctions have design flaws which cause drivers to become trapped through no fault of their own, and that some are so poorly maintained that it’s hard to see where the yellow lines start and finish.

Design flaws include junctions that have been installed in completely the wrong places, boxes that are larger than they should be and ones where buildings or street furniture obstruct drivers from seeing where boxes end, making it impossible to assess whether there is enough space beyond the junction for their vehicle to fit into.

The situation can be compounded by crossings and stop lines set back which make it even more difficult for drivers to see whether there is space to make it through the junction in one go as they are further away to start with.

The RAC also believes the official guidance in Chapter 5 of the Traffic Signs Manual is generally unsatisfactory as it does not clearly state the specific purpose of box junctions or show how to design them in relation to vehicle movements at junctions, and lacks any information on how they should be maintained and enforced.

RAC report author Sam Wright, who was formerly responsible for the design and approval of yellow boxes on the Transport for London (TfL) road network, explained: “The key design principle is that yellow boxes should be no bigger than is necessary to prevent vehicles obstructing through movements.

“They are not designed for, and serve no purpose in, situations where vehicles are travelling in the same direction.

“The second main condition is that drivers should have adequate visibility beyond the box to be able to make a clear judgement before entering it.

“It’s not just that drivers need to see the end of the box, they need to see that there is space beyond the box for their vehicle to fit without any part of it overhanging.”

In the case of a car that will be 5-6 metres. For larger vehicles, it will be up to 15m.

Wright continued: “I think designers should have to take a car out in rush hour to see if they can negotiate the box without stopping, before insisting that others do the same.

“Drivers may also be surprised to hear that there is no legal requirement for authorities to meet this design criteria and it’s simply down to the competence of the enforcing authority.”

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “In the absence of definitive guidance on the design, maintenance and enforcement of box junctions there will be a high degree of confusion among drivers and local authorities which could lead to an avalanche of penalty charge notices being wrongly issued and then having to be appealed.

“This will inevitably lead to an unnecessarily high number of appeals for local authorities to review, as well as some poor outcomes for drivers.”

The RAC has written to the Department for Transport (DfT) asking them to update the guidance to make it clear to local authorities what the minimum standard for design and condition of a box junction should be before letting enforcement begin, but they are adamant the present guidance is sufficient.

“We are worried that failing to update guidance to include the lessons learnt from more than 15 years of enforcement in London will lead to countless wrong fines being issued, no end of unnecessary stress for drivers who feel they have been unfairly treated and thousands of wasted council hours investigating appeals,” continued Lyes.

“It’s absolutely crucial that yellow box junctions are enforced fairly and, as things stand, this may not be the case which will mean many drivers will be treated poorly and lose out financially as a result.”

What’s the penalty for stopping in a yellow box junction?

In London, many box junctions have cameras in place, and you could be fined if you’re caught using the box incorrectly.

On TfL red routes, the penalty charge notice is now £160, reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days.

The penalty in Cardiff, which is the only authority outside London currently enforcing box junctions, is £70. If payment is made within 21 days, then this is reduced to £35.00.

Drivers can appeal fines if they think they can prove their innocence, but if they don’t win their cases it could prove to be a costly and time-consuming process.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Allstar has launched Homecharge, a new payment solution for fleet operators that require employees to charge their business vehicles at home.

Homecharge provides businesses with visibility of home charging across their fleets, with all charging costs coming through on one consolidated invoice. Any home charging payments are made directly to their drivers’ energy supplier.

The new service is powered my EV charging payment specialist Mina, which recently agreed a similar partnership with ev.charge.

For employees, Homecharge can mitigate any out-of-pocket expenses, administration or bill shock – something that Allstar says has never been more critical with the steep rise in energy prices.

Drivers have access to their home charging history through the Allstar Driver Homecharge portal which they can also use to manage home energy tariffs details, have visibility over home charging sessions, and view when and how much EV charging has been paid for by their employer.

Combined with Allstar’s fuel and electric charging card, Allstar One Electric, drivers can access on the road charging too, with more than 5,000 charge points across a multi-branded EV charging network.

Allstar One Electric has been added as a payment in the Zap-Map app, providing additional enhanced features to search, plan and pay for charging across the Allstar electric charging network.

Paul Holland, managing director of UK Fuel at Allstar Business Solutions, said: “Increasingly, UK businesses are migrating their fleets to electric vehicles. With that comes additional responsibilities and considerations when it comes to fleet management, including facilitating home charging and facilitating payments for work-related usage.

 “Allstar Homecharge is supporting the many businesses that have already started to transition to EV fleets, as well as those who are planning to, by providing the payment processes and infrastructure needed to do this securely and seamlessly. It is the first of its kind to simplify EV charging payments for drivers and businesses when at home.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Ford is testing a new connected traffic light system that can automatically turn green for emergency vehicles.

The system can also interact with the adaptive cruise control in Ford passenger cars, allowing the vehicle to adjust its speed on approach, therefore reducing congestion.

The trial was part of a broader project that involved testing automated and connected vehicles and networked infrastructure in highway, urban and rural areas.

“Whether it’s a fire engine attending a blaze or an ambulance that is en route to an accident, the last thing anyone wants is for these drivers to be caught up among other vehicles waiting for the lights to change,” said Martin Sommer, research engineer, Automated Driving Europe, Ford of Europe.

In order to test the technology, Ford utilised a road with eight consecutive traffic lights in Aachen, Germany, and two stretches with three consecutive traffic lights just outside the city, all set up by the project’s partners.

For testing an emergency response situation, the test vehicle signalled to the traffic lights to turn the light green. Once the vehicle passed through the junction, the traffic lights returned to standard operation. 

For testing daily driving situations, the test vehicle received the timing information for when the traffic lights turned from red to green and green to red. Ford’s Adaptive Cruise Control technology then adapted the vehicle’s speed to help ensure a higher proportion of traffic encountered a green light.

When the traffic light was red, the vehicle’s speed was reduced well ahead of the junction to time the vehicle’s approach to arrive at the light the moment it turned green, for example from 30mph to 20mph.

For vehicles encountering a red light, the technology could still help to minimise harsh braking and the time spent at a standstill. The vehicle received the traffic light information well ahead of the junction and slowed down earlier, helping to reduce congestion.

The communication between vehicles and traffic lights is enabled by C-V2X (Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything) technology, a unified platform that connects vehicles to roadside infrastructure, other vehicles and other road users. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Parkopedia has partnered with parking operator APCOA Parking to deliver automated digital parking payments.

By leveraging ANPR technology at APCOA’s car park locations across 13 European countries, drivers will be able to enter and exit car parks without requiring a ticket or needing to stop at a pay station.

The solution, ‘Access and Pay’, allows digital payments for the total time of the stay, without requiring any further action from the driver.

APCOA Parking said the platform also accommodates its dynamic pricing structure which covers different tariffs depending on the occupancy of the car park.

Frank van der Sant, chief commercial officer at APCOA Parking Group, said: “Our partnership with Parkopedia allows us to take our already successful automated parking and charging payment solution to the next step in driver convenience and mobility services.

“Our customers will now be able to benefit from our technology directly from their in-car infotainment screens without taking their focus off the road and allowing drivers to get valuable time back with peace of mind that their parking and charging payments are completely taken care of.”

APCOA Connect, the company’s digital platform payment service will integrate into Parkopedia’s in-car payment platform – which allows drivers to pay for both on and off-street parking, as well electric vehicle (EV) charging, tolls and ‘pay-at-the-pump’ fuelling, via the vehicle’s infotainment screen.

Hans Puvogel, chief operating officer at Parkopedia, added: “Our partnership with APCOA is a huge step forward for driver convenience technology and mobility services.

“Parkopedia is able to substantially increase our payment platform’s parking coverage across Europe, while APCOA can now integrate its successful parking payment services directly to the driver from within their vehicles as part of complete seamless mobility.

“Together, we will meet the demand for digital and automated parking services and provide lasting positive parking experiences across the continent.”

Parkopedia and APCOA previously collaborated as part of Mercedes-Benz’s Intelligent Park Pilot for the S-Class, enabling reservations and parking payments for vehicles parked using Autonomous Valet Parking (AVP) technology.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The education sector will play a major part in the UK’s rollout of EV chargers, with up to 50,000 points expected to be installed at schools, colleges and universities.

Energy services company eEnergy, in partnership with EO Charging, plans to create the UK’s largest public sector charging network, making a contribution towards the Government’s 2030 target of 300,000 charge points in the UK by 2030.

An initial batch of 200 chargepoints will be fitted in April, with 2,000 expected by the end of the year.

At a time of unprecedented energy costs, installing standard EV chargers is not currently a viable option for many public sector organisations. By offering longer-term, fully serviced performance contracts, eCharge customers can install EV charging without upfront investment.

The service will also offer new revenue opportunities, with schools and other organisations able to monetise their EV charging facilities by making them available to local communities or providing charging in place of parking fees.

Harvey Sinclair, CEO of eEnergy, said: “The Government has rightly set ambitious net zero targets, and electric vehicles will play a fundamental role. However, ensuring everyone has access to reliable charging, especially for those who cannot plug in at home, poses considerable challenges.

“Like many employers, schools face a growing demand for EV chargers just as energy costs reach record highs. Our ambitious rollout will make life easier for teachers and other drivers by offering an affordable and accessible alternative.

“By pairing workplace chargers with energy-saving technologies and clean energy procurement, everything from lighting to commuting can be powered using 100% fossil-free energy, cutting energy costs, and creating new revenue opportunities for the public sector.”

There are approximately 32,000 schools, colleges, and universities, with more than 600,000 teachers, 225,000 staff and 2.66m students currently in higher education.

eEnergy expects to install up to 20 chargers per school or workplace. The company already provides energy services to more than 600 schools and 2,000 other workplaces across the UK.

Charlie Jardine, founder and CEO of EO Charging, said: “Our partnership with eEnergy ensures critical net zero infrastructure can be widely adopted by the public sector as well as businesses, making EVs accessible to more people throughout the UK.

“Together we have built a compelling solution for those who are looking to install EV chargers as part of their broader net zero strategy.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Mercedes-Benz will accept legal responsibility for collisions that occur in its cars fitted with a new Level 3 Automated Lane Keeping System.

Its new Drive Pilot system has been approved for us on German highways and can control the cars steering, acceleration and brakes at speed up to 40mph.

The car maker said it will accept liability in cases where the crash was caused by a fault with its technology, but not when the driver has “failed to comply with their duty of care”.

Drive Pilot will be initially offered on the S-Class and EQS, as an option, in German Markets. Mercedes also plans to introduce the technology in US markets, once it gains approval.

Matthew Avery, chief research strategy officer at Thatcham Research, said: “The issue of liability in automated vehicles is complex and nuanced. It’s too crude to suggest that the carmaker should be liable in all circumstances; there will be times when an accident is and isn’t the carmaker’s responsibility.

“What is apparent in the case of Mercedes, the first to have approval – albeit in Germany – for technology that will allow drivers to disengage and do other things, is that when the automated system is in control, the carmaker will be liable.

“What’s less straightforward is an accident that occurs when the driver has failed “to comply with their duty of care”, for example when refusing to retake control of the car when prompted.

“It will be incumbent on carmakers to ensure drivers of their cars are confident, comfortable and have a strong grasp of their legal responsibilities – which in the UK would be in accordance with the Road Traffic Act. Absolute clarity is required for drivers in terms of their legal obligations behind the wheel and their understanding of how the system operates, especially during a handover from system to driver.

“This is challenged by the fact that a driver can take a long time to come back ‘into the loop’ after extended periods of effectively being chauffeured by the system.

“Insurance claims will require scrutiny, so the provision of data to help insurers understand who was in control of the vehicle at the time of an accident, system or driver, will also be vital.

“Trust will diminish if confusion reigns and drawn-out legal cases become common, hampering adoption of the technology and the realisation of its many societal benefits.”

The Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission have published a joint report, making recommendations for the safe and responsible introduction of self-driving vehicles.

Under the Law Commissions’ proposals, when a car is authorised by a regulatory agency as having “self-driving features” and those features are in-use, the person in the driving seat would no longer be responsible for how the car drives. Instead, the company or body that obtained the authorisation – typically the vehicle manufacturer should face regulatory sanctions if anything goes wrong.

The report recommends introducing a new Automated Vehicles Act, to regulate vehicles that can drive themselves and suggests that a clear distinction should be made between features which just assist drivers, such as adaptive cruise control, and those that are self-driving.

Thatcham Research is currently leading the development of a consumer safety rating to support the safe adoption of Automated Driving Systems. Funded by government organisation Zenzic and in co-operation with Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) Testbed partners, the rating will give UK motorists and insurers greater clarity around relative performance and safe use of automated technology. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News.

The number of on-street residential charge points funded by the Governments grant scheme currently stands at 2,641 with a further 8,415 approved but not yet installed, new figures suggest.

As of 1 April 2022, the data from the Department for Transport (DfT) shows that the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) has funded 2,641 public charging devices, which have been installed local authorities in the UK.

It suggests that 603 on-street charging devices were installed after being claimed for by the local authorities in the previous three months, while funding has also been awarded for 8,415 additional ORCS charging devices to be installed in the future.

The AA is warning that the DfT’s target of 120,000 on-street chargers by 2030 could be missed if more isn’t done to help promote on-street charging.

It also says that charging from a lamppost is cheaper than a typical on-the-road rapid charge point, with costs as low as 24p/kWh compared to around 45p/kWh at a rapid charge point.

Those with a home charger can unlock even cheaper rates if they can find a dedicated off-peak EV tariff.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said; “With around a third of households without any dedicated off-street parking, providing accessible and affordable local charging solutions is key.

“Ideally, drivers would like to charge as close as possible to their home, yet with around 10,000 on-street charge points currently planned, the installation rate needs to increase to more than 1,000 charge points each month just to meet the Government’s target.

“We should also remember that that many rural areas suffer from a lack of off-street parking, and we are concerned that on-street charging could become bookmarked as an urban problem.

“Sadly just 87 councils out of almost 400 across the United Kingdom have applied for the on-street residential charge point grant since 2017. This needs to dramatically improve so that EV drivers across the country have access to good, local charge points.”

Paul Hollick, chair of the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP), says that as businesses move to electrify their company vehicles ahead of the Government’s 2030 deadline, the high number of drivers without space available off-road to have a charger installed is a “major obstacle to electrification”.

“This is especially the case for electric vans, whose drivers are much more likely to live in a terraced house or apartment and lack this kind of parking,” he said.

A map of the UK that shows where fleets need kerbside charge points close to the homes of company van drivers has been unveiled by the AFP.

Home and workplace charging

The new figures from the DfT also show that funding through the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) and the Domestic Recharging Scheme (DRS) (the predecessor to the EVHS) have delivered 331,882 domestic charging devices since 2013.

The EVHS has funded the installation of 291,549 domestic charging devices, with 121,001 devices installed since April 1, 2021, an 86% increase compared to the previous 12-month period.

In terms of workplace charging, the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) has funded the installation of 26,424 sockets in workplace car parks since the scheme started in 2016.

It has funded 10,727 sockets installations since April 1, 2021, an increase of almost 60% compared to the previous 12-month period.

Meryem Brassington, electrification propositions lead at Lex Autolease, said: “It is reassuring to see the latest Government data showcasing the significant increase in take-up of the domestic EV charging grant across the UK.

“While this is encouraging, the Government and industry bodies must continue to work together to showcase the power of the UK’s charging infrastructure to drive the transition to an electric future and provide affordable alternatives as the cost of living continues to increase.

“This has been supported by the government’s requirement to install charge points in new homes and buildings from next year, but it is crucial that we ensure connectivity across the country and not just in city hubs.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Charging an electric car on a pay-as-you-go, non-subscription basis at a rapid charger has increased by 21% since September, new research suggests.

Analysis by the RAC’s new Charge Watch initiative and the FairCharge campaign shows that the per kilowatt hour (kWh) price has risen by 7.81p, from 36.74p to 44.55p. 

It means that the average cost to complete an 80% rapid charge of a typical family-sized electric car with a 64kWh battery has increased by £4 in the past eight months, from £18.81 to £22.81.

In stark contrast, the cost of filling a 55-litre family car from empty to 80% with petrol has increased by £14.54 to £74.21 – a 24% increase.

The RAC’s analysis shows that it now costs on average 10p per mile to charge at a rapid charger, up from 8p per mile (ppm) last September.

This is nearly half the cost per mile compared to filling a petrol-powered family car, the cost of which has risen from 15ppm since the end of last September to 19ppm now. The cost per mile for a similarly sized diesel-powered car is even higher at nearly 21p.

Meanwhile, the average price of charging at the quickest ultra-rapid chargers – which have a power output of 100kW-plus and can deliver a charge to a compatible vehicle in as little as 20 minutes – has increased by 16.76p per kWh, from 34.21p per kWh in September to 50.97p in May. This means the cost to charge a vehicle to 80% has risen from £17.51 to £26.10.

The price increases facing drivers of electric cars using publicly accessible chargers can be explained by the rises in the wholesale cost of electricity, which itself is driven by hikes in the cost of gas.

Ofgem figures show that the wholesale cost of gas doubled between the end of September 2021 and the end of March this year, with wholesale electricity prices rising by around 65% over the same period.

RAC electric vehicle spokesperson Simon Williams said: “Our analysis shows that the quickest places to charge are also the most expensive with ultra-rapid chargers costing on average 14% more to use than rapid chargers.

“For drivers in a hurry though, or travelling a long distance, paying this premium might well be worth it with the very fastest chargers capable of almost completely replenishing an electric car’s battery in a matter of minutes.

“Having said that, the most affordable way of charging an electric car isn’t at a public charger – it’s from home, where overnight electricity rates can be much lower than their public charger counterparts.

“Our own RAC Recharge tariff, for instance, costs just 12p per kWh overnight. But for people who have no option of charging up at home, there is no opportunity to benefit from these sorts of savings.”

The other reason home charging can be so much cheaper is because of the way that electricity is taxed.

“VAT on electricity from a public charger is levied at a rate four-times that which applies to domestic electricity which makes it far more expensive to charge on-the-go than it should be,” explained Williams.

The FairCharge campaign is therefore calling for the 20% VAT rate currently charged on electricity at public chargers to be cut to match the 5% levied on domestic electricity.

Williams said: “We are right behind the FairCharge campaign in thinking this is totally unfair and flies in the face of the Government’s ambition for many more drivers to opt for an electric vehicle.

“We understand conversations have been had within Government over this ‘no driveway premium’, but it’s time there was an acceptance that a VAT rate that’s more favourable to drivers who have their own off-street parking risks putting other drivers off making the switch.

“Given the cost-of-living crisis, it’s surely only fair that everyone pays the same level of VAT no matter where they buy their electricity from.”

The RAC has launched Charge Watch to give greater clarity to drivers about what they can expect to pay to charge on public networks.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News.