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In order to stop the massive increase in ‘crash for cash’ claims the Government has introduced new rules which should help to avoid illegal claims. The following report was aimed at those running fleets of cars but it equally applies to all drivers.

Following a long wait, the whiplash reforms finally came into effect from 31^st May 2021.

The reforms will simplify compensation for victims and clarify processes around claims.

But if your business operates with vehicles on the road, there’s a few things you’ll need to know about the changes.

There is now an official definition for the term ‘Whiplash Injury’ under the reforms:

• A sprain, tear, rupture or lesser damage of a muscle, tendon or ligament in the neck, back or shoulder, or
• an injury of soft tissue associated with a muscle, tendon or ligament in the neck, back or shoulder
• An increase in the small claims track limit for pain, suffering and loss of amenity for road traffic accident  injury claims has been made from £1,000 to £5,000 for accidents on or after May 31, 2021.

There is clearer guidance over the compensation levels to be awarded. There will now be two set tariffs for whiplash injuries up to 24 months.

These tariffs are fixed at lower levels compared to awards made previously:

• A lower tariff under Regulation 2(1)(a), where there is no psychological injury.
• A combined upper tariff under Regulation 2(1)(b), which includes minor psychological injuries.

Individuals injured in a road traffic accident will now be able to use a free online service provided by Official Injury Claim (OIC) to manage their claim directly, rather than involving claims management companies or solicitors.

This OIC portal service will run separately to the existing Ministry of Justice (MoJ) site but will remain integrated with other systems such as the Motor Insurance Database (MID).

Compensators / insurers now have 30 working days to decide on liability, and to have all evidence uploaded to the OIC portal if liability is disputed.

To ensure that an accurate and informed decision can be made regarding liability, compensators will need to receive relevant documents and evidence as early as possible. These may include:

• A signed statement of truth from the defendant driver providing a detailed account of events
• Any dashcam, CCTV or video footage or details of where it can be obtained
• Photographs of the accident scene / damage
• Any independent witness statements or details of witnesses to be contacted
• Tachograph or tracker data if available
• Details of any emergency services that attended, including reference numbers or contact details
• Any additional relevant documents

Failure to comply to the 30 working days deadline will lead to an automatic admission of liability, so it is vital that the MID is kept as up to date as possible to enable correct signposting of claims.

The changes are likely to be welcomed by commercial fleet operators.

Fixed compensation awards, at lower levels than previously, are expected to reduce the cost of claims. And legal costs will no longer be recoverable for most whiplash claims.

This should benefit businesses with vehicles on the road, particularly those operating large commercial motor fleets.

To reap these benefits, it’s important that vehicle operators have the necessary processes in place to notify their insurer as early as possible following an accident, and to be able to provide all the documents and evidence needed to make a prompt decision.

Failure to upload the evidence required within the new timeframe, particularly if liability is disputed, is deemed an automatic admission of liability, so could potentially impact on claims costs.

Fleet operators should make sure they have familiarised themselves with the new process in case of claims.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Toyota is offering new and used customers a service-activated warranty called Relax, which can be applied until the vehicle reaches 10 years or has covered 100,000 miles. 

All Toyota and Lexus models qualify as long the age and mileage criteria are met, including passenger cars and light commercial vans and pick-ups.

They do not have to have been purchased from a Toyota or Lexus centre – second, third and even fourth-hand vehicles traded privately or from other outlets are eligible, potentially enhancing the residual value (RV) of vehicles when defleeted.

There is no requirement for a vehicle to have a history of servicing at an official centre in order to qualify for the warranty; it will be applied from the date the vehicle is serviced at a Toyota or Lexus centre.

Rob Giles, Toyota (GB) customer services director, said: “This is a game-changing proposition that redefines the manufacturer warranty, giving our customers the reassurance and value of cover for up to a decade of motoring.

“There are compelling business benefits to be gained as well, with Relax connecting us with more owners, building loyalty and giving our network partners the opportunity to maximise value chain opportunities in both sales and after sales activities.”

The new warranty applies to every type of powertrain and Toyota says that there are no complex clauses, exclusions or caveats.

All new Toyota vehicles will be sold with a three-year/60,000-mile manufacturer’s warranty as standard, while at the same time Toyota Relax will be made available to all Toyota owners when they have their vehicle serviced at an official Toyota centre.

For Lexus, the existing three-year/60,000-mile new vehicle warranty remains in place.

The Relax warranty is automatically activated on the completion of a scheduled full or interim vehicle service at an official Toyota or Lexus centre.

Customers can extend their Relax warranty by an extra 12 months/10,000 miles, year after year, until the 10-year/100,000-mile limit is reached.

On vehicles that have service intervals every two years, the cover is for 24 months/20,000 miles.

Ewan Shepherd, director of Lexus in the UK, said: “The foundation for this exceptional level of protection is the essential quality, durability and reliability of our vehicles and our commitment to delivering customer-first service.

“As well as rewarding existing Toyota and Lexus owners, our Relax programme will also strengthen the appeal of our vehicles to new customers, equally whether they are considering a new car or a used model.”

The Relax warranty covers the same parts and labour as the three-year manufacturer’s warranty provided on new Toyota and Lexus vehicles and the one-year manufacturer warranty that’s standard with approved used vehicles.

It does not include wear and tear items, bodywork, paint, interior trims and maintenance parts.

A vehicle health check is part of the service package, which includes all mechanical and electronic parts, which helps potential problems to be detected at an early stage. Any existing defects present at the time of service are excluded from the warranty.

If owners are concerned about potentially having to pay for significant repairs when bringing their vehicle to a centre for service for the first time, Toyota’s Drive Now, Pay Later scheme is available to spread costs over a suitable period of time, it says. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News.

The ‘Relax’ programme covers new and used Toyota and Lexus vehicles, with the scheme applying retrospectively to second-hand models.

Toyota and Lexus have launched an industry-leading warranty programme that provides up to 10 years’ cover for new and used cars, vans and pick-up trucks.

The ‘Relax’ scheme adds a year’s warranty to a vehicle each time it is serviced at a Toyota or Lexus dealer. There is no extra cost for the programme, servicing costs are unchanged, and vehicles are eligible until they are 10 years old or have covered 100,000 miles.

Relax comes with every new Toyota or Lexus, and also applies retrospectively to models already on the market, as long as they are under 10 years old and have covered fewer than 100,000 miles. This means if you were to go out today and buy a nine-year-old, 90,000-mile Prius, you could add a year’s manufacturer warranty to it simply by getting it serviced at a Toyota dealer.

The scheme also applies to vehicles that have been maintained outside the Toyota and Lexus dealer networks: bringing a car back in for a main or interim service will activate Relax for a year. Vehicles used commercially, including taxis, are covered, as are all powertrain types, including hybrids, electric cars and the hydrogen Toyota Mirai. 

A number of manufacturers offer warranties that extend beyond the once-traditional three-year period; Renault and Hyundai provide five years’ cover, while Kia gives a seven-year/100,000-mile warranty.

Toyota previously offered a five-year/100k-mile policy, and Lexus a three-year/60k one. Relax replaces both these with a three year, 60,000-mile warranty as standard, and this can be extended each time a vehicle is serviced at a main dealer.

The scheme works in the same way for vehicles with longer service intervals: the Toyota Proace van, for example, has a two-year maintenance schedule, and so has two years of warranty added each time it is serviced. Toyota’s previous warranty scheme, introduced in 2010, remains valid, with Relax beginning at the end of the five-year period.

Toyota’s price promise, which sees dealers match service quotes from independent garages within 10 miles, is also unchanged. Rob Giles from Toyota GB called Relax “game-changing”, while adding that it brings “compelling business benefits” for the firm.

Why is Toyota doing this?

Relax is good news for consumers, so is likely to attract new buyers in and of itself. Toyota also expects a “significant growth” in dealer footfall, upping servicing income and tempting more people with new cars. Residual values are also likely to increase, and with PCP deals paying off depreciation, over time this could theoretically have a positive impact on new-car finance.

Plus the firms’ exposure to warranty costs is proportionally low: our Driver Power data shows 9.6 per cent of Toyota and 11.1 per cent of Lexus owners had issues with their cars; the industry average was 17.34 per cent. By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express

With more electric vehicles on our roads I felt that it would be a good idea to reprint this blog post from last year. Hope you agree.

We’ve all experienced the issue of lithium-ion battery degradation through our smartphones.

When brand new, the batteries seem to last forever, but over time and use they need to be charged increasingly frequently as their capacity reduces.

Similarly, the lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles also degrade over time.

This means that an EV will be able to travel less far on a single charge until the point when the battery is no longer suitable for use in a vehicle.

However, there should be no reason for a fleet decision-maker or driver of a new EV to panic.

Analysis by telematics company Geotab of 6,300 fleet and consumer EVs, representing 1.8 million days of data and 21 vehicle models, found batteries are exhibiting high levels of sustained health.

If the observed degradation rates were maintained, the vast majority of batteries would outlast the usable life of the vehicles.

“As you might expect, the older a vehicle is, the more likely its battery has deteriorated,” says Charlotte Argue, senior manager, fleet electrification at Geotab.

“However, when looking at average decline across all vehicles, the loss is arguably minor, at 2.3% per year.

“This means that if you purchase an EV today with a 150-mile range, losing about 17 miles of accessible range after five years is unlikely to impact your day-to-day needs. Under ideal climate and charging conditions, the loss is 1.6%.

“As vehicles come out with larger battery packs, losing some capacity may not impact your day-to-day driving needs and shouldn’t overshadow the many benefits EVs have to offer.”

She adds: “One exciting piece of information we were able to glean from the data was that vehicles with high use did not show significantly higher battery degradation.”

EV manufacturers have also moved to soothe any concerns over battery health by offering battery warranties, typically covering much more than the typical fleet vehicle replacement cycle. For example, the Peugeot e-208’s battery has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for 70% of its charge capacity.

But there are good reasons for organisations to look after the health of their EV batteries even if it does not directly impact their day-to-day operations.

A battery’s state of health (SOH) may affect future residual values, while a cared-for battery can be used in ‘second-life’ applications such as battery storage after it is no longer used to power a vehicle.

“Batteries are like human beings in that human beings age faster during stress, and batteries also age faster during stress,” says Vipul Dhingra, development engineer, battery BMS function development, at powertrain development company AVL.

“Heat could be a stress, high charging current could also be a stress. You cannot completely prevent that there will be a kind of ageing, but there are chemical processes that you maybe can delay: if you are smoking a cigarette then you age faster, so perhaps the preventative measure is to quit smoking.

“Similarly, for batteries, if you are doing a lot of fast charging and that is reflected in the ageing model, then you can take the corrective measures for reducing the peak current or peak power performance.

“If you know how to carefully handle your battery, it will last longer.”

1 Manage the state of battery charge

“Typically, when you buy a new mobile phone, it comes with 50% or 60% of charge because that’s a nice, healthy state to keep the battery in,” says Samuel Abbott, energy system hardware specialist at Cenex. “You want to avoid storing it fully empty or fully charged.”

The same principle extends to EV batteries. Geotab’s Argue says ideally the state of charge should be kept at 20% to 80%, particularly when an EV is left for longer periods, and it should be charged fully only for long distance trips.

Grid management services and charging infrastructure provider Enel X adds: “Lithium-ion batteries last longest when they aren’t always charged to 100% or drained to the point of being almost fully depleted.

“The EV manufacturers know this. They engineer a vehicle’s battery management system to ensure that doesn’t happen so even when an EV shows a 100% state of charge, the battery is only about 90% charged, with the 10% left unused as a ‘buffer’ to prevent overcharging.

“Even with the 10% buffer it’s better if you only power your EV to about 80% unless you need the extra range for a particular day. In that case, it’s fine to fuel the batteries all the way to 100%.”

Enel X advises users not to frequently drain a battery below 5% and when they do, the EV should be charged as soon as possible because “leaving a nearly-drained battery sit for a long period of time (typically weeks rather than days) without recharging can permanently damage the cells, shorten the battery life, and eventually contribute to battery degradation”.

2 Limit the amount of rapid charge sessions

Geotab’s analysis found the use of DC rapid chargers (typically 50kW and above) appears to increase the rate that batteries degrade: after 48 months, EVs operating in a hot climate (five days a year over 27oC) which had been rapid-charged more than three times a month would have an average battery SOH of around 80%. When new, a battery has a 100% SOH. After the same period, an EV which had never been rapid-charged had an SOH of around 90%, while one which was rapid-charged up to three times a month was at 85%.

“Rapidly charging a battery means high currents resulting in high temperatures, both known to strain batteries,” says Argue.

Enel X says rapid-charging won’t damage a lithium-ion battery as long as the number of times it is done is limited.

“There’s no harm in using rapid-charging stations a couple of times a week, or even a couple of times on the same day when you’re taking a long road trip,” it says.

“However, the combination of frequent DC rapid-charging in hot ambient temperature settings can accelerate the battery’s loss of capacity. You should try to only use DC rapid-charge stations when you need to, and use slow charging stations for daily recharging at home.”

ChargePoint says that when using a rapid charger, it’s best to unplug when the battery reaches about 80% charge.

Every battery follows a ‘charging curve’ when plugged in. Charging starts slowly while the car monitors several factors from the battery’s charge level to the weather outside, climbs to peak speeds for as long as possible and slows down again at 80% to prolong battery life.

“It could take almost as long to fill the last 20% of charge as it did to get to 80% in the first place,” adds ChargePoint.

3 Avoid extreme heat

The climate is out of the control of a fleet decision-maker or EV driver, but they should do what they can to avoid extremely hot temperatures, says Argue.

Geotab found those EVs driven in hot conditions* – which it classes as areas having more than five days a year over 27oC – show a notably faster rate of decline than that driven in temperate conditions – fewer than five days per year over 27oC or under -5oC.

After 48 months, the SOH of an average battery in hot climates was around 90%. For temperate conditions this was around 96%.

“This is not great news if you and your fleet toil under the hot sun,” says Argue.

EVs feature systems to cool the batteries when they rise in temperature, but Enel X recommends drivers take steps to protect the battery if they are used in areas where temperatures frequently exceed 30oC.

“Wherever possible, try not to leave the car parked in direct sunlight for long periods of the day when the temperatures are very high”, it says.

“It’s especially important not to leave a fully-charged EV sitting unprotected for prolonged periods in extreme heat.

“If you know the car is going to be exposed to high temperatures, don’t charge it past 80% that day, unless you need the extra range.”

Enel X says cold temperatures do not have the same effect. “The cold will reduce the driving range of an electric car because the chemical reaction inside the battery cells slows down, and that limits the amount of energy available,” it adds.

“However, as soon as the battery warms up, its fine and there’s no lasting effect from cold conditions.”

* The majority of the vehicles used in the analysis were from North America. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

I am reprinting the guide as laid out by Fleet News. Frankly I’m totally confused made worse by the fact that much of the handling of VAT is down to driver honesty and returns. Good luck!

HMRC has clarified the tax policy concerning the VAT treatment of the charging of electric vehicles (EVs) via public charge points and at home.

The tax authority says that the standard rate of VAT applies to supplies of EV charging through charge points in public places.

It has also explained when input tax can be recovered for charging EVs for business purposes.

HMRC says that supplies of EV charging through charge points in public places are charged at the standard rate of VAT. There is no exemption or relief that reduces the rate of VAT charged.

There is a reduced rate of VAT for supplies of small quantities of electricity, known as ‘de minimis’.

The de minimis provision only applies if the supply of electricity is all of the following: ongoing; to a person’s house or building; and less than 1,000 kilowatt hours a month.

The de minimis provision does not apply to supplies of EV charging at charge points in public places.

This, says HMRC, is because these supplies are made at various places such as car parks, petrol stations and on-street parking, not to a person’s house or building.

In addition, these supplies are not usually an ongoing supply to one person where the rate of supply can be calculated.

HMRC says that it is possible to recover the input tax for charging an EV if all of the following apply: you are a sole proprietor; you charge your electric vehicle at home; and you charge your electric vehicle for business purposes.

HMRC says you should work out how much of charging your EV is for business use and how much is for private use. VAT is recoverable only on the business use amount. The usual input tax rules apply.

It means businesses cannot reclaim VAT on electricity used by an employee to recharge a vehicle at home, even when the charging is for business journeys.

However, HMRC’s policy on petrol/diesel is to allow VAT recovery when an employee fills up their car and is reimbursed by their employer.

As a sole proprietor, HMRC says it is also possible to recover the input tax for charging your EV for business use at other places. The usual input tax rules apply.

The rate for recovery of input tax for charging EVs is the same as the VAT rate charged on the supply of electricity.

For employees charging an EV (which is used for business) at home, HMRC says the VAT cannot be recovered, because the supply is made to the employee and not to the business.

For employees charging an employer’s EV (for both business and private use) at the employer’s premises, the employee will need to keep a record of their business and private mileage so that the employer can work out the amounts of business use and private use for the vehicle.

HMRC says it is possible to recover the full amount of VAT for the supply of electricity used to charge the EV. This includes the electricity for private use.

However, you will be liable for an output tax charge on the amount for private use. This is because a ‘deemed supply’ has been made.

Alternatively, you can recover VAT on only the business element. The usual input tax rules apply. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

‘Self-driving’ vehicles fitted with Automated Lane Keeping System (ALKS) could be permitted on the roads later this year, in the wake of a government consultation on the safe use of the technology.

The UK government has set out how vehicles fitted with ALKS technology will be allowed to use the roads. It said it would work to facilitate a data sharing agreement between insurers and manufacturers, and to ensure manufacturers provide sufficient driver information to help them understand how to safely use automated vehicles.

A separate consultation on changes to the Highway Code to clarify rules on safe use has been launched, proposing to add a new section setting out expectations for users of automated vehicles.

Driverless cars expert Ben Gardner of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law, said: “The introduction of ALKS is likely to be the first of many gradual steps as we see increasing levels of autonomy in road vehicles. However, at this stage, it will not be possible for drivers to reap the full benefits of these advanced driving features as other existing driving laws will also need to be reviewed and, if deemed appropriate, amended or withdrawn altogether.

“Arguably the current speed restrictions could limit how frequently this technology is deployed and prohibitions on using handheld devices whilst at the wheel will remain in force. As a result, in the short term, drivers will not be fully released from their driving responsibilities and free to do other tasks,” Gardner said.

“However, as regulatory reviews continue and new advanced driving features come to market, we will begin to see a phased evolution of what road vehicles are technically and legally capable of doing – together with the benefits of increased productivity and, more importantly, reduced congestion and accidents,” Gardner said.

ALKS controls a vehicle’s movement without the need for driver intervention and is designed to keep a car in its motorway lane at speeds of up to 37 miles per hour – for example when there is heavy, slow-moving traffic.

The system can only be activated through a deliberate action by the driver and when the driver is in the car’s driving seat and available. It can also only be used on roads where pedestrians and cyclists are not present.

The government launched a consultation into the use of ALKS on motorways last summer and received 186 responses (45 page / 2.4MB PDF) from individuals and organisations, including from manufacturers and insurers.

Although respondents felt that drivers needed to understand ALKS capabilities and limitations to use it safely, only a minority proposed mandatory training. Respondents said manufacturers had a responsibility to ensure drivers understood how to use vehicles, and there was widespread support for a public awareness campaign to educate all road uses about ALKS.

The proposed new section in the Highway Code on automated vehicles sets out the requirements for drivers. It notes that drivers are not responsible for automated vehicles when they are driving themselves, and drivers do not need to pay attention to the road in these circumstances. However, they do need to pay attention to instructions about when it is appropriate to engage the self-driving function.

Drivers should remain in the driving seat if a vehicle is designed to require them to resume driving after being prompted to, and are still responsible for the vehicle being in a roadworthy condition.

Drivers will be permitted to perform other activities if they are using vehicles that can safely drive themselves. The government said it intended to consult later this year on amending the regulation concerning the use of screens in vehicles, and would consider changes to the use of screens by drivers of automated vehicles.

The government is also planning to commission research to scope the technical requirements needed for enabling motorway-based automated driving systems to operate at higher speeds and change lanes. By Graham Hill thanks to Pinsent Masons

A new hub of electric vehicle (EV) chargers will open in Oxford this year, offering a variety of fast and ultra-rapid charging facilities.

Billed as Europe’s “most powerful” public EV charging hub, the Pivot Power site will provide 38 charging points from providers Fastned, Tesla and Wenea.

Unlike other charging hubs, the site, at Redbridge Park & Ride, will be directly connected to the high voltage national electricity grid, to provide the power needed to charge hundreds of EVs at the same time quickly, without putting strain on the local electricity network or requiring costly upgrades.

The planned hub will scale up to help meet the need for EV charging in the area and is the first of up to 40 similar sites planned across the UK to help deliver charging infrastructure needed for the estimated 36 million EVs by 2040.

Councillor Tom Hayes, cabinet member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford at Oxford City Council, said: “As an innovative city embracing technologies and change, Oxford is the natural home for the UK’s largest public EV charging hub.

We are excited to be taking a major step forward in the completion of Energy Superhub Oxford, working closely and superbly with our private sector partners. As an ambitious city, we are excited about the prospect of further innovation and investments, building upon our record of transformational public and private sector delivery.”

The announcement is a “key milestone” in the completion of Energy Superhub Oxford (ESO), due to open in Q4 this year, and comes as Oxford is set to launch the UK’s first Zero Emission Zone this August, where vehicles are charged based on their emissions, with EVs able to use the zone for free.

The £41m world-first project, led by Pivot Power, integrates EV charging, battery storage, low carbon heating and smart energy management technologies to support Oxford to be zero carbon by 2040 or earlier.

Matt Allen, CEO at Pivot Power, added: “Our goal is to help the UK accelerate net zero by delivering power where it is needed to support the EV and renewable energy revolution. Oxford is one of 40 sites we are developing across the UK, combining up to 2GW of battery storage with high volume power connections for mass EV charging.

“Energy Superhub Oxford supports EDF’s plan to become Europe’s leading e-mobility energy company by 2023, and is a blueprint we want to replicate right across the country, working hand in hand with local communities to create cleaner, more sustainable cities where people want to live and work.”

Fastned will initially install ten chargers at the Superhub with 300kW of power, capable of adding 300 miles of range in just 20 minutes for up to hundreds of EVs per day.

The station will be powered by 100% renewable energy, partly generated by the company’s trademark solar roof, and all makes and models of EVs will be able to charge at the highest rates possible simultaneously.

Any EV will be able to use the site, with chargers open 24/7 and only requiring a simple contactless payment. An on-site café is planned where drivers can buy drinks and snacks, ensuring the charging process is as convenient as possible. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Connected Kerb is working with Kent County Council to provide a blueprint for local authorities to deliver electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to hard-to-reach communities.

In the project’s first phase, Connected Kerb is installing 40 charging units across 20 Kent parish sites.

All income from the chargers will be reinvested into the local community or used to support the rollout and maintenance of more chargers.

Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO of Connected Kerb, says that access to charging infrastructure is one of the “biggest barriers” to the uptake of EVs.

“Although demand for chargers is higher in dense urban areas, the lack of infrastructure in out-of-town communities leaves people concerned about switching to EVs,” he said.

“It is vital that access to public charging is equitable across the entire country and we bring an end to the EV charging postcode lottery.”

The distribution of EV charge points across the UK is massively varied. For example, around a third of the UK’s public charging network is located in London, equivalent to 63 public chargers per 100,000 people.

This compares to areas like Gravesham, Kent or Castle Point, Essex, which have just 3.7 chargers per 100,000 people.

According to the UK Government, access to convenient charge points is essential to ensuring communities do not become isolated, either because they become unreachable for other EV motorists, or because they themselves are unable to utilise new EV technology.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has also highlighted the risk that electric car owners in some areas could be “left behind” as a significant challenge to the industry, with a lack of infrastructure potentially stifling EV uptake.

Pateman-Jones continued: “Nobody should be left behind by the EV revolution because of where they live.

“Our partnership with Kent County Council shows that the economics of installing EV charging in non-urban areas is much more favourable than many believe. This is a recipe for success for local authorities across the UK.”

Installing public charging infrastructure outside of busy urban areas has typically been a challenge for the industry.

Lower grid capacity and fewer connections increase upfront cost, with lower footfall compounding the challenge by extending the return-on-investment period.

With some rapid chargers costing upwards of £100,000 to install, and with lifespans of between 5-10 years, the economics rarely add up, says Connected Kerb.

As part of the company’s mission to make EV charging accessible for everyone, wherever they live, it says that its technology and business model enables local authorities to provide all communities with accessible, low-cost and reliable public EV charging.

The chargers also feature additional smart capabilities that can facilitate air quality monitoring, parking management, CCTV, road sensors, 5G connection, autonomous vehicles, route planning and power demand forecasting, it says.

Tim Middleton, transport innovations programme manager for highways, transportation and waste at Kent County Council, said: “This partnership offers a fantastic opportunity for Kent businesses, residents and visitors to have equal access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure – not only is this crucial as we move closer to the 2030 ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars, but it means that Kent can play its part in the transition to decarbonisation.”

The EV charging units are being installed at a range of sites, including village halls and car parks, beginning from this month.

Every charger will provide a 7kW – 22KW fast charge and will feature contactless payment via the Connected Kerb app.

The project has received funding from the Kent Lane Rental Scheme, the Department for Transport (DfT) and parish councils, and for some locations 75% of the costs were financed through the UK Government’s On Street Residential Charge Point Scheme, available to all local authorities in the UK.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Government is facing a “huge challenge” to achieve its goal of all new car registrations to be zero-emission by 2035, according to a new Public Accounts Committee report.

The report criticises the Government for having no clear plan for how it will increase zero-emission car registrations from 11% to 100% in the next 14 years.

The Committee believes that up-front prices for zero-emission cars are still too high for many consumers and is not convinced the government is on track with the implementation of charging infrastructure.

Meg Hillier MP, chair of the Committee, said: “The Government has a mountain to climb to get to all new cars in the UK emitting zero carbon in the next 14 years: to convince consumers and make the cars appealing, to make the car industry environmentally and socially compliant, to build the necessary infrastructure to support this radical shift and possibly biggest of all, to wean itself off carbon revenues.

“Yet once again what we’ve got is a Government throwing up a few signs around base camp – and no let-up in demand for oversized, petrol- guzzling vehicles.

“This isn’t about more targets with no plan behind them inevitably getting missed – it’s about averting the real-world challenges that are bearing down on all of us. The Government needs to get the country behind it and lead the way in the global race against climate change.”

Echoing its recent report on environmental taxes, which said the Treasury and HMRC seemed “stuck in a bygone era”, with a narrow focus on tax revenues rather than the way they must be used to drive the transition to net zero, the Committee says DfT and BEIS will need to do much more to consider the practical application of this large societal change, and put consumers at the heart of it.

The Departments will need to be on top of the other consequences arising from this transition, including the impact on the skills and capabilities required to support the changeover in the UK vehicle fleet; the environmental and social implications of the switch-over both in the UK and across global supply chains; the impact on our future power needs; and the impact on the government tax-take due to the loss of fuel duties.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “The automotive industry shares government’s ambition for an electric revolution, a transformation that has already begun. However, as the Public Accounts Committee has made clear, we need a comprehensive and holistic plan to get us there in time.

That plan must convince consumers to make the switch, it must provide the incentives that make electric cars affordable for all, and it must ensure recharging is as easy as refuelling – which means a massive and rapid rollout of infrastructure nationwide. Now is the time for government to match its world-leading ambitions with a world-class policy package.”

To date the Departments have no clear published plan setting out how they propose to manage these consequential impacts, who they will need to work with, and the timetables for any action. 

The onus is on the Departments to show they are on top of all the repercussions and focussed on supporting consumers to shift to electric as they work towards the government’s ambitious goal.

David Watson, CEO and Founder of Ohme, added: “MPs are right to highlight the need for a clearer roadmap towards electrification. But alongside more affordable EVs and investments in charging infrastructure, we also need to see a focus on rolling out smart charging solutions at scale.

Not only will this significantly lower the running costs of EVs for drivers, but it will also future proof the grid in the face of increased energy demand as EVs becomes mainstream.”

The Government says it is on track to achieve its 2035 targets. A spokesman said it was investing £2.8bn to help the car industry and drivers make the switch to electric.

Car maker Ford recently called for a nationwide electrification strategy that will set the country on the right trajectory for 2030.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Police forces have recovered more than 1,000 stolen catalytic converters and arrested more than 50 people.

The joint operation to tackle catalytic converter theft, codenamed Goldiron, was coordinated by the British Transport Police (BTP).

Police forces joined experts from the Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC), led by the Environment Agency, Smartwater Group, and motor industry, to carry out synchronised enforcement action, intelligence-led site visits, forensic marking and educational events.

Over a five-day period last month, officers and partner agencies made 56 arrests, visited 926 sites, stopped 664 vehicles, recovered 1,037 stolen catalytic converters and 297 items of stolen property; and identified 244 offences.

During the visits and checks, officers searched for stolen metal and examined trader’s financial records to ensure they were complying with the 2013 Scrap Metal Dealers Act.

The JUWC also coordinated a series of waste site inspections to ensure businesses held environmental permits and met other legal requirements.

Furthermore, catalytic converter marking demonstrations were also held to educate and encourage drivers to protect their vehicles. More than 1,610 vehicles were forensically marked by officers and partner agencies.

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for metal crime, BTP Assistant Chief Constable Charlie Doyle, said that the “positive results” are testament to why it’s vital to share information and specialist knowledge to disrupt those operating in this area of crime.

“By taking a multi-agency approach, we are maximising our ability to identify those who are involved in catalytic converter theft, making it harder for them to sell stolen metal and gain from their criminal activities,” he added.

Catalytic converters clean harmful gases before they exit a vehicle’s exhaust pipe and are stolen for the precious metal they contain. These metals have surged in value recently, leading to organised crime networks to commit more offences.

A national conference took place in November last year to create a cross-agency plan focussed on prevention and detection and this was the second week of action that has taken place since.

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime, Cheshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Simms, said: “Policing and law enforcement agencies will continue to focus on catalytic converter theft and ensure that this low risk/ high-reward crime is relentlessly targeted, and offenders are brought to justice.”

The RAC and Ageas say that vehicles parked during lockdown are being targeted by criminals stealing catalytic converters for their precious metals.

There has been a “marked rise” in the theft of catalytic converters since the start of the first lockdown just over a year ago, says Ageas Insurance.

Three-in-10 of all theft claims reported are now related to catalytic converters. Before the lockdown catalytic converter theft only accounted for around one-in-five.

Toyota is working with police and Smartwater to covertly mark the catalytic converters on more than 100,000 cars in an attempt to deter thieves.

The initiative is costing the car maker more than £1m and will be provided to existing Toyota owners for free.

Police say that reports of catalytic converter theft should be made as soon as possible to increase the chances of detection.

People are encouraged to report any suspicious activity to the police by calling 101, or 999 if an offence is in progress. If you spot something at a railway station, contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News