Fleet Car Spring 2020

IRELAND’S FOREMOST FLEET & CORPORATE SECTOR GUIDE

Volume 18. No. 1 Spring 2020

Revealed: Ireland's Best Fleet Cars 2020

BMW 3-Series

Audi A6

Kia e-Soul

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Peugeot 508

F E AT U R E S

Toyota Corolla

INTERVIEW: Patrick Magee, Renault Ireland PREMIERES: Cars due for launch at cancelled Geneva Motor Show TESTED: ALLY driving app from DriverFocus LAUNCH PAD: BMW 2 Series GC • Ford Puma • Land Rover Defender • Mini Electric • Opel Corsa • New Peugeot EVs & Hybrids • Renault Koleos • Seat Leon • Škoda Octavia & Superb iV • Volkswagen Caddy MPV

www.fleetcar.ie | 3

Contents Spring 2020

Fleet Car Magazine, D’Alton Street, Claremorris, Co. Mayo, Ireland.

Tel: +353 (0)94 9372819/ 9372826 Fax: +353 (0)94 9373571 Email: enquiries@fleet.ie ISSN: 1649-9433 www.fleetcar.ie Editor: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie Deputy Editor: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie Contibutors: Rob Van Dieten

4 News • AlcoSense Elite 3 launched • Entries open for Autostyle 2020 • Increase in CO2 emissions from SUVs • BIK and electric cars plus Junction Box 6 Interview With Paddy Magee, Renault Ireland 8 Launch Pad I Latest models from Skoda, Mini & Ford 9 Awards Fleet Car Awards 2020 winners announced

Photography: Jarlath Sweeney, Cathal Doyle, Newspress, Fennell Photography, Mark Ashby

14 Launch Pad II Heralding the new Defender, Caddy & BMW 2

Administration: Orla Sweeney, Denise Owens, Paula Mullarkey

15 Premieres New models and concepts

Advertising: Mary Morrissey Design: Eamon Wynne

All-electric Corsa-e arrives 19 Launch Pad IV Reveal of new Octavia, Kaleos, Megane & Leon 20 Feature Introducing ALLY from DriverFocus 22 Fleeting Shots Mitsubishi, Nikola & Motorsport pin-pics

P6

18 Launch Pad III Peugeot offers more drivetrain choices

Fleet Transport/ Fleet Car/ Green Fleet Management/ Fleet Van & Utility/ Fleet Bus & Coach/ Fleet Trailer & Body Builder/ Fleet Maritime are published by JJDS Publications Ltd. Registered Office: D’Alton Street, Claremorris, Co. Mayo.

Co. Reg. 368767 Directors: Jarlath Sweeney, Sean Murtagh.

Disclaimer: Fleet Car Magazine management can accept no responsibility for the accuracy of contributed articles or statements appearing in this magazine and any views or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Fleet Transport management, save where otherwise indicated. No responsibility for loss or distress occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the material in this

publication can be accepted by the authors, contributors, Editors or publishers.

The Editor reserves the right to make publishing decisions on any advertisements or editorial article submitted to the magazine and to refuse publication or to edit any editorial material as seems appropriate to him. Professional legal advice should always be sought in relation to any specific matter.

www.fleetcar.ie

4 | NEWS I

AlcoSense launches Elite 3

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hile we all know the importance of not driving while under the inf luence of alcohol, sometimes it can be difficult to ascertain just when it is ok to drive, especially the morning after.

That’s doubly important for people who drive for work where the legal alcohol limit is just 0.20 % BAC, compared to 0.50 % BAC for non-professional drivers.

A Personal Breathalyser is therefore an essential companion for anyone who has taken a drink the night before driving. The problem is that while there are a lot of cheap

options available, many of them are, not to put too fine a point on it, prett y useless.

Not so the Elite 3 which has recently been launched in Ireland by AlcoSense. It features upgraded SemiConductor alcohol sensor technology and deep lung air sampling for unrivalled accuracy at its price point of €90.

It uses a colour coded results system, alerting you when you are near or over the drink drive limit with results shown in increments of 0.01 % BAC or mg/L. AlcoSense Elite 3 is available from Halfords and Boots, or via www.alcosense.ie

Applications open for Autostyle 2020

Volkswagen Safety Technology Rewarded by Euro NCAP Volkswagen’s car-to-car communication system becomes the first technology to be rewarded by Euro NCAP in nearly six years. The technology, fitted as standard to the Golf 8 and to future ID models, allows cars to communicate with each other and with properly equipped road infrastructure and emergency vehicles to give the driver advanced warning of local safety hazards. Using ITS-G5 technology, cars equipped with the system can transmit a signal to others if they have broken down or have stopped suddenly and present a safety risk. Other manufacturers are also considering equipping their vehicles with ITS-G5 technology and, in time, it may be possible for drivers to receive advance warning of motorcycles and tractors.

A

utostyle, the renowned special version international car design competition, organised by Italian developer and manufacturer of OEM body components and accessories, Berman S.p.A., has issued details of the 17th annual contest.

For the 2020 Awards programme, applications are now open to young automobile designers worldwide to submit their creative interpretations of an existing original production or concept car in various categories selected by the hosts, headed up by Roberto Antioli, President Berman S.p.A. From the final ten entries shortlisted, the winners will be selected by the invited adjudication panel, consisting of representatives from car manufacturers and their car design leaders, together with representatives from Auto & Design magazine and Fleet Car magazine.

Elements of the criteria include: Students will be allowed to add accessory components and modify original components, specifically: bumpers, front grilles, side skirts, spoilers, wheel arches, mouldings, alloy wheels and modify colours. No modifications whatsoever to the original body panel are permitted. Designers are however allowed to apply graphic decorations

FLEETCAR | Spring 2020

Ford of Ireland consolidates

on the bodywork. bod ork “It is not allowed to use any image already processed by others, including those available on the web,” explained Roberto. “The design and styling language must remain coherent with the brand. The creative design must include originality and innovation, elegance,” he added.

Applications (please send the resumé and the portfolio, noting size limit: 10 MB) must be submitted by email to autostyle@ berman.it, by April 24, 2020 with the subject: “AUTOSTYLE 2020 – STUDENT”. The selected designers will be immediately notified their participation to the project.

Completed projects must be submitted by 21 August, 2020. The selected students will be invited to attend the award giving ceremony which will be held on October in Mantua, Italy.

Ford of Ireland’s Market Lead, Sales & Marketing Director, John Manning ha s been appointed to head up the brand’s activities in this country.

Following a major retrenchment of its worldwide operations, Ford of Ireland has undergone a significant shrinking of its workforce, with over half of the staff at its Cork headquarters having left the firm. Going forward, Ford of Ireland will be more closely linked to the UK for support and back-office help.

John Manning is excited about the future. “Even though the Ireland and Ford of Britain markets are merged, the two markets are being run separately. The difference is the UK’s power and scale

NEWS II | 5

is of huge benefit to Ireland, whether it’s the communications footprint, the massive budget they bring, or getting vehicles faster in the production cycle, it is all to our benefit.”

Mercedes-Benz most valuable auto brand For the third year in a row, MercedesBenz has been ranked as the world’s most valuable automobile brand. The analysis by Brand Finance shows it has a market valuation of US$65 billion, 7.8% more than last year, though second placed Toyota saw an 11% increase in its valuation to US$58.1 billion.

Also growing in market valuation size is Volkswagen, which saw a 7.6% growth to US$44.9 billion, while fourth placed BMW’s US$40.5 billion valuation remains unchanged from last year.

SUVs helping to push up CO2 emissions

D

espite new regulations to curtail CO2 emissions, figures across the European car market increased for the third consecutive year in 2019 and are now at their highest level since 2014.

According to data from JATO Dynamics, the average for the 23 European markets totalled 121.8 g/km under the NEDC regime – 1.3 g/km higher than in 2018. The increase is put down to a move away from diesel vehicles back into petrol powered products despite growth in sales of electric vehicles.

SUVs were the biggest driver of growth in terms of volume and profits for European

markets last year. However, their popularity is having a negative impact on the average emission levels, with average CO2 emissions for SUVs (131.5 g/km) higher than those posted from city-cars (107.7 g/km), subcompacts (109.2 g/km), compacts (115.3 g/km), midsize (117.9 g/km), and executive cars (131 g/km).

According to Felipe Munoz, global analyst at JATO Dynamics: “The SUV segment of the market urgently needs more electrified models. To date, the focus for EVs has been on traditional hatchbacks and sedans, leaving very few choices in the SUV market.

If these vehicles want to keep gaining traction and avoid future sanctions, they need to be electrified.”

The top ten most valuable brands are rounded off by Porsche, Honda, Ford, Nissan, Audi and Volvo.

EVs encourage employees back into company cars

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Older men slow down, women speed up!

Conventional wisdom has it that men speed more than women. A new survey reveals that this is true….up to a point.

According to telematics provider insurethebox, analysis of its policyholders’ driving data reveals that while men up to the age of 40 speed more than women of the same age (as much as 130% more for drivers aged 17), from age 41+ women are 2% more likely to speed than their male counterparts.

enefit In Kind (BIK) incentives are proving a major incentive for UK company car drivers to choose electric vehicles as their company cars - with similar fi ndings anticipated here.

Other factors include EVs having lower whole-life costs, and the actual driving experience of EVs, while the growing number of proposed Clean Air Zones in the UK was also a consideration for many employees, according to the survey.

Eight out of ten business employees who currently opt out of a company car scheme are ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to move back to company cars - and these cars will be electric - according to a survey conducted

by DriveElectric, a leading UK EV leasing company.

“With a wide range of new EVs currently coming to market, supported by fi nancial incentives, 2020 is the ideal year for business users to convert to electric - and today’s company cars become vehicles for private motorists in a few years’ time,” noted Mike Potter, Managing Director of DriveElectric.

While many employees have been opting in recent years to take car allowances rather than company cars, incentives such as 0% BIK on electric vehicles where the OMV of the car is €50,000 or less can save them thousands of Euro each year. www.fleetcar.ie

6 | INTERVIEW

One-to-One with Patrick Magee, Country Operations Director, Renault Ireland

In a difficult marketplace are you happy with Renault’s performance in 2020 so far?

Absolutely. It’s been a tough market already in 2020 and likely to get a lot tougher. All we can do is keep working with the Renault dealer network to get our share of that market. Groupe Renault’s 9.4% share to the end of February has put our network in third place on the podium in the two most important months of the year. We’ve been delighted to see a strong performance from our new models, all-new Clio and all-new Captur in the car market, and the recently updated Trafic and Master vans. That said, our performance in January and February has happened in spite of having no supply of the incredibly affordable new ZOE EV – that’s about to change as we have cars landing next week.

How important a contribution is the fleet / corporate side of the business versus private sales and hire car sales?

I mpor ta nt a nd get t i ng more important. Renault’s vans are sold almost exclusively to businesses, so our consistently strong performance there is a tribute to the excellence of our product and the strength of both the network and the Renault Ireland fleet team. What’s now undergoing rapid change is the passenger car fleet market – from being the preserve of traditional D-segment saloons, fleet buyers are increasingly looking to electric vehicles. These can save drivers a fortune FLEETCAR | Spring 2020

in BIK and save businesses a fortune in running costs. And our new ZOE is a prime mover in this market – with a range of 395km it undercuts other long range EVs by a minimum of €9,000. That’s a saving that’s hard to ignore.

really began to take off last year. And yes – our powerful and efficient plug-in hybrid drivetrain arrives in Captur and Mégane during the second half of 2020, bringing with it an exciting blend of very low running costs and real driving enjoyment.

Outline Renault Ireland’s approach for dealing with fleet customers - dedicated staff / special deals etc. Is fleet business managed at distributor level or at dealer level. If the latter, are there dedicated fleet staff at dealer level?

Are fleet customers starting to seriously consider electric vehicles or is such interest still at an enquiry rather than order stage?

The vast majority of Renault f leet business goes through our 29 dealerships - (27 dealers and 2 Pro+ LCV centres).

While there is a national fleet policy which ensures that all business customers get outstanding value on both cars and vans, we feel it’s essential that both sales and aftersales issues are handled by experts local to the customer. For business customers just as for private customers, the personal relationship is key to ensuring ongoing satisfaction. That’s why the majority of our dealerships have a dedicated fleet sales executive.

What are the key models within the range for fleet customers? Do you envisage that new models such as the Mégane E-Tech Plug-in Hybrid will appeal to company car buyers or is diesel still king?

We’re in exciting times as far as powertrain development goes. For fleet buyers in particular, diesel will have a place for several more years. Real world fuel costs are low, and mitigated further by the ability to claim back VAT. For high mileage drivers, their ease of use makes cars like the Mégane and Kadjar, with their efficient 1.5 dCi engines, the optimum choice. But we are starting to see other fuels making inroads – the efficient new TCe petrol engines in All-new Clio and Captur are increasingly popular while our electric fleet business

What’s interesting is that the Government’s removal of the SEAI grant for businesses has not killed off the electric fleet. For sure, it’s slowed slightly – the loss of a €3,800 support is bound to hurt. But business buyers are pragmatists and when they put New ZOE’s numbers through their TCO spreadsheets, many still find that going electric benefits their bottom line significantly.

Being able to offer vans as well as cars, is this something that helps win additional fleet business?

Vans are already the core of our fleet business. What’s great about the Renault range in 2020 is that we have such a wide range of cars to satisfy the needs of people who are already convinced by our van range.

Renault was recently awarded ‘Fleet Car Company of the Year’ by Chambers Ireland.

What do you attribute to being successful in winning this award?

For several years Renault has been recognised as a key player in LCV fleet. More recently, our passenger fleet business has grown thanks to the addition of cars like Kadjar and the luxurious Koleos SUV. The arrival of the New ZOE with its affordable pricing and 395km range means we now have all the bases covered.

Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

Model shown for illustrative purposes only. Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.

GLE range fuel consumption details: C02 range for the Mercedes-Benz GLE range: 161 - 214 g/km and 6.1 - 9.4 l/100 km.

Better is closer than you think.

The 2020 GLE.

With optional third row seats, the GLE can go from five to seven seats in a matter of seconds so everyone can enjoy the ride.

Your 2020 GLE is closer than you think.

mercedes-benz.ie

8 | LAUNCH PAD I

Škoda enters hybrid segment

Š

koda has entered the plug-in hybrid market with the launch of the Superb iV.

Combining a 156bhp 1.4 TSi petrol engine with an 85kW electric motor that generates 115bhp to a 13kWh battery, it will do up to 62km on electric power before having to revert to petrol. When petrol and electric motors are working in tandem, the Superb iV outputs 218bhp and will accelerate from 0-100kmh in around 5 seconds. Official CO2 figures are 40g/km.

Visually the Superb iV is almost identical to the recently facelifted regular Superb,

very refi ned and quiet drivetrain with even the petrol engine barely perceptible when running. Driving on roads around Amsterdam we managed to achieve 3.3l/100 km (85.6mpg) on an 88km test drive with the car mainly left in hybrid mode using a mix of petrol and electric power. only subtle iV badging at the rear giving the plug-in game away. The hybrid technology is shared with the Passat GTE, though ride is set up more for comfort than sportiness.

Charging time takes around five hours using a standard household plug, or three and a half hours via a 3.6kW Wallbox.

First impressions of the car are of a

When in electric mode there is an E-Noise sound generator to alert the outside world to the Superb iV’s presence.

Offered in the four regular Superb specification levels of Ambition, Style, SportLine and L&K, prices start from €40,350.

All-electric MINI goes on sale

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INI has launched its fi rst all-electric model, the MINI Electric, with deliveries starting this month in Ireland.

front grille is closed.

Inside the MINI Electric has a new digital dashboard with a 5.5-inch colour screen behind the steering wheel while it comes with four driving modes of Sport, Mid, Green and Green+ - in the latter mode certain functions such as air conditioning are limited or deactivated.

Based on the 3-Door Hatch bodyshell, the MINI Electric (or MINI Cooper SE) shares its electric technology with the BMW i3. A 32.6kWh battery and gives a driving range of up to 270km on a single charge. It develops 184bhp and 270 Nm of torque, enough to accelerate from rest to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds.

space (expandable to 731 litres) as the ICE cars.

There are no compromises to load or passenger space compared to the petrol or diesel version, with the MINI Electric boasting the same 211 litres of boot

Visually the MINI Electric features embossed logos on the car’s side scutt les, as well as on the tailgate and front radiator grille, while the hallmark hexagonal shape

The MINI Electric will be offered in three versions with starting prices inclusive of SEAI grant and VRT rebate of €27,765 OTR. Middle spec versions are from €30,405 and top trim models from €35,695.

Ford Puma reborn as a crossover

F

ord’s all-new Puma which has gone on sale is a B-segment compact crossover complete with mild-hybrid powertrain technology.

mild-hybrid technology with an 11.5kW integrated starter/generator (BISG) in place of a regular alternator to store energy when lift ing off or braking.

Based on the same floor plan as the Fiesta, the Puma features interesting styling cues including wing-top mounted headlights.

A 456 litre boot is generous in itself but incorporates a flexible load compartment that can accommodate a box 112 cm long, 97 cm wide and 43 cm high with the second row of seats folded flat. The tailgate-mounted luggage cover moves in unison with the tailgate, removing the need for side supports and easily moulding

Among the technology offered is Local Hazard Information, which informs the driver of hazardous situations in the road ahead before they become visible to the driver or vehicle sensors.

FLEETCAR | Spring 2020

itself around bulky items.

Powered by Ford’s three-cylinder 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine developing 125 PS, the Puma uses 48-Volt

The Puma is offered in three trims of Titanium, ST-Line and ST-Line X. Prices start at €24,465 for the Puma Titanium, with the Puma ST-Line priced at €26,065 and the Puma ST-Line X at €27,865.

Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

AWARDS | 9

Ireland’s top Company Cars for 2020 Fleet Car Awards 2020 selects deserving winners from a crowded field

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udi, BMW, Kia, Mitsubishi, Peugeot and Toyota emerged victorious at the conclusion of the 2020 Fleet Car Awards programme in association with the Health & Safety Authority (HSA).

Now in their ninth year, the Fleet Car Awards are well established and much sought after accolades that recognise the best and most relevant cars on sale for corporate and fleet buyers in Ireland today.

Open to all suitable vehicles for business and fleet customers, the cars are assessed across different categories for their fleet suitability, the selection of models and specifications offered and the brands’ approach to dealing with corporate business, as well as features such as styling, driving dynamics, practicality, pricing and health and safety.

A total of 175 cars were considered by the judging panel for the Fleet Car Awards 2020, ranging from entry level compact hatchbacks and saloons to top-of-the-range executive and luxury cars, as well as the latest and finest offerings in the ever more important and relevant plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle categories. Assessed by a team of experienced motoring journalists across five categories, the successful contenders were as follows:-

• • • • •

Fleet Car of the Year 2020 - C-Segment: Toyota Corolla Fleet Car of the Year 2020 - D-Segment: BMW 3-Series Fleet Car of the Year 2020 - Premium / Executive: Audi A6 Fleet Car of the Year - Green Fleet - Electric: Kia e-Soul Fleet Car of the Year 2020 - Green Fleet - Plug-in Hybrid: Joint winners - the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and the Peugeot 508 Hybrid.

Peugeot also claimed a second award, winning the Fleet Brand Supplier of the Year 2020 accolade. A new award for this year, it honours the brand seen to be leading the way in building relationships and supporting fleet and corporate customers both at distributor and dealership levels.

Fleet Car of the Year 2020 - C-Segment WINNER

• • • • •

Toyota Corolla - 53 points Honda Civic - 51 points Ford Focus - 49 points Mercedes-Benz A-Class - 42 points Kia Ceed - 39 points

With 58 different contenders identified as being eligible for consideration, choosing a winner of the C-Segment certainly

proved testing for the judges. As well as the more compact mainstream saloons and hatchbacks traditionally associated with this category, it also includes numerous examples of the crossover breed that have dominated sales in recent years as well as compact offerings from the premium brand manufacturers.

The decision by Toyota to drop the Auris name from the hatchback version of its latest generation Corolla, (the hatch, saloon and estate (Sports Tourer) versions are now all called Corolla) has certainly given a welcome boost to Toyota Ireland. Always a popular choice and Ireland’s best-selling car last year, the Corolla is on track to repeat the feat in 2020, topping the sales charts in the all-important opening months of the year.

But there’s more to it than just sales figures. The latest generation Corolla combines stylish looks inside and out with a practical layout and generous equipment, even on entry level models. Plus it’s fun to drive - not something we would always have said about

www.fleetcar.ie

10 | AWARDS previous generation models.

Fleet customers might question the absence of a diesel engine, but the latest generation petrol hybrids have improved significantly in recent times, so that even if you spend your days pounding up and down motorways the Corolla should return very respectable fuel consumption figures.

Pushing it hard all the way was the Honda Civic, recipient of this award in 2018 and 2019. The choice of efficient petrol or diesel engines, strong driving dynamics and Honda’s renowned reliability ensure it should be on any fleet manager’s shortlist.

In third place was the Ford Focus, which continues to tick many of the boxes for company car drivers. It remains probably the most driver focused car in the segment dynamically, is practical and comes better equipped these days than perhaps in the past.

Rounding out the top five were the latest Mercedes-Benz A-Class, a significant improvement on its predecessor with a top quality cabin and very fuel efficient engines among its stand-out features, and the new Kia Ceed, the Korean offering strong equipment levels for sensible money.

Fleet Car of the Year 2020 - D-Segment WINNER

offerings from the mainstream brands may be a better suit.

The 320d is a benchmark in diesel refinement and fuel efficiency, while there’s also a strong choice of petrol engines, plus a plug-in hybrid version.

Against the BMW, this year’s runner-up, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class may be looking a little venerable these days, but it’s a mark of its quality that Stuttgart’s finest is still one of the best cars available to fleet customers.

• • • • •

BMW 3-Series - 73 points Mercedes-Benz C-Class - 51 points Škoda Superb - 45 points Volkswagen Passat - 40 points Peugeot 508 - 39 points

Another busy category, with 52 eligible models up for consideration. In the past the D-Segment was THE fleet category, with favourites such as the Ford Cortina, Sierra and Mondeo and Opel’s Ascona and Insignia doing battle against the likes of the Volkswagen Passat and the Toyota Carina and Avensis.

These days though company car drivers are as likely to opt for a crossover as a traditional mainstream saloon, but are even more inclined to choose a smaller offering from a premium brand. Right up there in the desirability stakes is the latest BMW 3-Series, which proved to be the runaway winner of this category in 2020.

The seventh generation 3-Series offers a compelling blend of driving dynamics and performance combined with low running costs, better refinement and oodles of the latest technology. It’s also more spacious and practical than before with better leg and head room, though if pure load space is a priority, one of the larger

FLEETCAR | Spring 2020

A category winner in 2018 and 2019, the C-Class’ cabin is one of the nicest in the business, with its infotainment system and fascia display informative, easy to use and classy looking. Strong diesel engines, a comfortable ride and a strong brand image are other reasons why the C-Class will appeal to many.

Leading the charge of the ‘regular’ models in third place is the latest Škoda Superb. Renowned for its legendary spaciousness, there’s a lot more than that to the Superb, which in its latest incarnation comes very well equipped, boasts excellent refinement and a strong choice of engines including a new plug-in hybrid version that will do up to 62km on electric power. Financially too, while it may not be the complete bargain it once was, the Superb offers an awful lot of car for its price.

Two more ‘traditional’ saloons also scored highly with judges.

The latest Passat is a refinement of an already fine car with many of the attributes of its Škoda sibling if slightly more upmarket.

The new GTE hybrid is an interesting addition to the range.

Peugeot’s 508 is certainly one of the more striking cars on the road today, and is another model from a traditional mainstream manufacturer that has certainly edged towards the premium end of the segment.

AWARDS | 11

Fleet Car of the Year 2020 - Premium/Executive WINNER

• • • • •

Audi A6 - 58 points BMW 5-Series - 57 points Audi A8 - 44 points Mercedes-Benz E-Class - 41 points Volvo S90 / V90 - 39 points

A difficult category to judge in many respects, with the segment covering cars suitable for senior sales staff and junior executives right up to CEOs and owners of multi-national companies. With 43 contenders in the field, industry movers and shakers certainly aren’t short on choices at least.

The Audi A6, the winner of the Premium/Executive award for 2020 is a car that anybody, regardless of their seniority would be happy to sit in. Refinement and elegance is its signature, from the understated yet tasteful styling to the beautifully laid out cabin with its futuristic information display screens. The latest generation model is more spacious than its predecessor, boasts high quality, pleasingly tactile leathers, metals and plastics, and is offered with a vast amount of technology.

Driving refinement is top notch, with a nice balance of comfort over ultimate handling, though the A6 is more of a driver’s car than previously. Petrol and diesel engines come with mild hybrid technology helping to keep emissions and fuel consumption down without impacting on the driving experience.

Just a single point separated the A6 from its great rival, the BMW 5-Series. Choosing between the two is difficult, the main differentiator being the Audi is probably more comfort oriented while the 5-Series is still one of the finest handling big saloons and estates on the market. Low running costs, refinement and fuel efficient engines including hybrids are other reasons why it remains a compelling choice.

Big brother to the A6, the Audi A8 scored strongly into third place. Th is is a car that you definitely want to experience from the back seat especially in long wheel base L guise. Comfort and luxury are very much to the fore but the A8 is also one of the most technologically advanced cars on sale today.

A previous winner of this category on more than one occasions, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class continues to be a popular choice for executive buyers. A revised version may be on the way before too long, but the current car still feels fresh with a high quality cabin and fuel efficient engines.

Volvo is very much a premium brand these days and the S90 saloon and V90 estate are very much at home in this exalted company.

Interiors are every bit as good as those from the benchmark Audi and Mercedes-Benz products, both versions are stylishly goodlooking and refinement is top notch. A serious consideration if looking for an alternative to the German offerings.

Fleet Car of the Year 2020 - Green Fleet; Electric WINNER

• • •

Kia e-Soul - 34 points Tesla Model 3 - 31 points Peugeot e-208 - 27 points

• •

Hyundai Kona Electric - 26 points Nissan Leaf - 23 points

Anyone in the fleet car business will tell you that there is serious interest in electric vehicles from company buyers these days. How much of that has translated into actual sales so far is a different situation - certainly the Government decision to remove the €3,800 electric vehicle grant for companies purchasing electric vehicles hasn’t helped - but there is litt le doubt that more and more businesses are seriously looking into greener vehicles as part of their fleets.

Even compared to a few years ago there’s a much broader choice

www.fleetcar.ie

12 | AWARDS these days, with 16 models under consideration by the judging panel. With some now offering well over 400km on a single charge, it’s clear they are becoming very viable as company cars though they remain significantly more expensive to purchase than their ICE counterparts, even after Government grants are taken into account.

Already an award winner, having claimed the overall Continental Irish Car of the Year title last November, the Kia e-Soul was judged to be the best electric car for the fleet market in 2020.

Combining funky standout styling with an electric motor and battery combination that can achieve up to 450km on one charge, it’s also practical and functional - in other words it ticks most boxes a company car needs to tick.

There’s little doubt that if Tesla has shaken up the motor industry in recent years, the new Model 3 is the car that can propel it firmly into the mainstream. Its most affordable car so far with entry models coming in under the crucial €50,000 price to benefit fully from BIK subsidies, the Model 3 offers startling performance and a range second to none, while still being a practical four

door saloon.

Peugeot is the latest brand to launch all-electric models, and its approach is one that may well pay dividends. By offering petrol, diesel or electric versions of the same car customers can choose the version that best suits them without having to make other compromises. The new e-208 is a stylish, well equipped supermini that looks and drives prett y much the same as its petrol or diesel counterparts - without the noise of course.

Hyundai’s Kona Electric was something of a game changer when it arrived last year, bringing new levels of range and affordability to the sector. With the practicality afforded it though its crossover design, it meets the needs of a lot of potential company car drivers.

Nissan’s Leaf is the car that is most associated with electric motoring, and the latest 62kWh version keeps the flag flying for the Japanese brand, though other offers are starting to leave it behind on range capability. Nonetheless it’s a capable and practical car that drives very nicely and is practical to boot.

Fleet Car of the Year 2020 - Green Fleet; Plug-in Hybrid WINNER

= 1. = 1. = 3. = 3. = 3.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - 30 points Peugeot 508 Hybrid - 30 points BMW 3- Series Saloon PHEV - 28 points BMW 5-Series Saloon PHEV - 28 points Volvo XC40 Plug-In Hybrid - 28 points

The announcement in the last budget that the €5,000 SEAI grant will only apply to plug-in hybrid vehicles with CO2 emissions below 50g/km and that can travel on fully electric mode for a minimum of 50km is differentiating such cars from the regular hybrid models.

Judges assessing the 16 cars in this category were unable to seperate the two models, hence the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and the new Peugeot 508 Hybrid have been jointly awarded the Fleet Car of the Year - Green Fleet; Plug-in Hybrid title for 2020.

A multiple previous winner of this category, the Outlander PHEV has continued to evolve over the years. It’s now cheaper than it used to be, but also it’s more efficient thanks to a significant mechanical make-over with a new 2.0 litre engine replacing the previous 2.4 litre unit and a more powerful battery giving a stated 46g/km CO2 figure (and a range of up to 45km on pure electric power).

FLEETCAR CA CAR AR | Spr Spring ing 20 2020 20

WINNER

The just launched Peugeot 508 Hybrid takes the best features of an already desirable car and adds a 110bhp electric motor to a 180bhp petrol engine to give a combined 225bhp, CO2 emissions of 29g/km and an electric range of 54km making it eligible for the SEAI Government grant. It remains just as practical as the ICE car with no change to boot capacity or passenger space.

Three cars also tied for third place in the 2020 Awards. BMW’s 3-Series and 5-Series are both now offered in plug-in hybrid variants. The 330e can do up to 66km on a single charge and has CO2 emissions as low as 36g/km. The 530e offers a similar driving range and also falls under the 50g/km CO2 threshold.

The plug-in hybrid version of Volvo’s Irish and European Car of the Year, the XC40 will do an estimated 45km on electric power and has CO2 figures of 47g/km from its 81bhp electric motor and 10.7kWh battery.

AWARDS | 13

Fleet Brand Supplier of the Year 2020 success in the company car market.

Winner: Peugeot Having the best company cars is all good and well, but without a coherent fleet strategy and the right staff with specialist knowledge, no car manufacturer will consistently achieve

Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

The inaugural Fleet Brand Supplier of the Year Award is presented to Peugeot in recognition of the fact that not only does the French manufacturer now have a range of products that appeal strongly to the fleet customer, but also that the Irish importer, Gowan Distributors Ltd has in recent years put a strong management team and support structure in place to specifically address the needs and concerns of the company car sector. Key personnel such as National Fleet Sales Manager Sean Weir, Sales & Marketing Director Colin Sheridan and Technical Manager Martin Dunne have been instrumental in developing products and training specialised staff in fleet relevant products at both distributor and dealer levels.

www.fleetcar.ie

14 | LAUNCH PAD II

Herald the new Land Rover Defender

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o replace an iconic model range is difficult, and in the case of the Land Rover Defender it has taken many years to actually happen.

Over the past number of years, many draft design drawings and concepts have been produced. What the design team have finally created is a modern take on the original model, complimented by some styling traits from its predecessors.

The final result is a visually compelling vehicle that couldn’t be seen as anything else but a modern Defender for a world that has changed massively since the original was created. The new Defender has

Managing Director Jaguar Land Rover Ireland. “The new Land Rover Defender has been much anticipated and the reaction to the new model has been fantastic. This is the most durable and capable Land Rover ever produced, the most tested vehicle ever and a vehicle with huge appeal,” he said. toughness at its core, embracing the spirit of adventure that has been a fundamental part of Land Rover DNA for more than 70 years. Every detail of the exterior design has been creatively developed to re-enforce Defender’s DNA; sophisticated, durable and extremely tough, a vehicle design like no other, according to Eddie Kavanagh

The new Defender is available in 90 and 110 body designs, with 6 models available; Defender, S, SE, HSE, Defender X and First Edition, with commercial models set to join the line-up later in the year. Prices start from €68,160 for the Defender 110 2.0 SD4 AWD Auto model.

Jarlath Sweeney

Volkswagen’s new Caddy MPV has added passenger appeal

T

he all-new Volkswagen Caddy, unveiled last month in Dusseldorf, looks well placed to achieve significant success in the passenger car market as well as the commercial vehicle sector when it goes on sale towards the end of this year.

That’s based on two reasons. Firstly, the fifth generation Caddy shares the same underpinnings as the Golf and numerous other passenger cars in the wider Volkswagen Group family. The MQB platform means that not only is the next generation Caddy wider by 62mm than before, offering more space for passengers, but it can incorporate a host of high end technologies previously not available.

Infotainment Matrix (MIB3) infotainment screens ranging from 6.5 to 10 inches, and new ergonomic seats.

Secondly, the Caddy gets a significant suspension makeover. While the front axle uses the proven McPherson concept, the rear now comes with coil instead of leaf springs, which should make the MPV version significantly more comfortable and passenger car like than before.

New technology includes a completely redesigned dashboard that features Volkswagen’s Digital Cockpit as an option with third generation Modular

LED headlights are now standard while there are a total of 19 driver assistance technologies, 6 of them new to the Caddy. Notable is Travel Assist, a Level 2 autonomous driving functionality which accesses multiple functions including lanekeeping assistance and adaptive cruise control to keep the vehicle from straying off road.

When it arrives there will be a new trim specification naming system of Caddy, Life and Style which replace the familiar Startline, Trendline and Highline.

Cathal Doyle

BMW front wheel driven 4-door booted compact coupé

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MW has broadened its compact range with the arrival of the new 2 Series Gran Coupé.

The all-new model joins the 4 and 8 Series Gran Coupés that come with the practical features of saloons such as a decent boot and four door access but with more svelte styling features such as frameless doors.

Unlike the 2 Series Coupé, the Grand Coupé is front wheel drive (or all wheel drive) sharing its underpinnings with the 1 Series hatchback and X1 / X2 models. It features near-actuator wheel slip limitation (ARB) tech familiar from

FLEETCAR | Spring 2020

and auto only transmission. No electric versions are in the offi ng, though expect mild hybrid technology in due course.

the BMW i3s that controls wheel slip under acceleration.

Engines include a 1.5 litre 3-cylinder 218i with 140hp and 220Nm of torque, and a 2 litre 4-cylinder 220d diesel with 190hp / 400Nm. Topping the range is a 306hp M235i petrol with all-wheel drive xDrive

There are two trims of Sport and M-Sport to choose from, while BMW will be offering packs with a range of optional extras including a Tech Pack and M-Sport Plus Pack.

Available now, prices start from €34,170 for the 218i in Sport trim, making it the cheapest booted BMW you can buy. The diesel starts at €40,890 and the M235i at €52,220.

Cathal Doyle

PREMIERES | 15

No show at Geneva Palexpo ...but car launches continue

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h 2020 G he Geneva IInternational i lM Motor Sh Show at the Palexpo was the fi rst major event casualty of the Coronavirus Covid-19. As always, many car manufacturers were gearing up for the annual showcase to launch their latest models to the world.

As in recent years, the pre-event build-up was highlighted by the announcement of the ‘European Car of the Year 2020 Award’. A jury of 58 journalists elected the Peugeot 208 as the overall winner ahead of six other fi nalists. According to the panel, the new 208 stood out from its competitors thanks to its exceptional choice of powertrains which includes an electric version along with the traditional petrol and diesel drivetrains.

GT and Audi Q4 e-tron will follow later in 2020. Featuring 3 electric motors, 2 of which are located on the rear axle, the e-tron has 370 kW of boost power and 973 Nm of torque. These sporty EVs accelerate to 62mph in 4.5 seconds.

BMW

Other significant launches surrounding the Geneva Show (that didn’t happen) Alfa Romeo

“The BMW Concept i4 brings electrification to the core of the BMW brand,” stated Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior V.P. BMW Group Design. “The design is dynamic, clean and elegant. In short: a perfect BMW that happens to be zero emission. The drivetrain’s numbers include a range of 600 km, output of 530 hp, 0 – 100 km/h of 4.0 seconds and a top speed in excess of 200 km/h.”

Dacia

The new Giulia GTA is inspired by its 1965 namesake, the ‘Gran Turismo Alleggerita’, developed by Autodelta and based on the Giulia Sprint GT. Th is latest GTA is linked to the Giulia Quadrifoglio, and is fitted with a more powerful version of the Alfa Romeo 2.9-litre V6 Bi-Turbo engine, now with 540hp.

Audi Audi is moving forward with its EV offensive revealing a coupé version of the e-tron and the e-tron Sportback, while the e-tron

Dacia is utilising Groupe Renault’s 10-year experience as pioneer and leader in electric mobility by revealing the Spring www.fleetcar.ie

16 | PREMIERES Electric: its fi rst all-electric model in concept form, that when produced will probably be the cheapest zero-emission car in the marketplace, and in turn keep its budget car tag line intact for the eco-friendly motorists.

FIAT

“We have brought to life yet another icon that establishes a new standard for the EV segment as well as pushing Hyundai’s design vision to even broader horizons,” said SangYup Lee, Head of Hyundai Global Design Center. “It’s what we call Optimistic Futurism, a design concept embodied by ‘Prophecy’. With Optimistic Futurism, our aim is to forge an emotional connection between humans and automobiles.”

Kia

The new Fiat 500, FCA’s fi rst fully electric car has made its debut. The new generation of the iconic city car has a range of up to 320 km (WLTP) and receives 85kW fast charging as standard. Production returns to its birthplace of Turin, where the fi rst model was fi rst created 63 years ago. 3 other iconic Italian brands; Armani, Bvlgari & Kartell were involved to create unique versions of the new 500.

Honda

Kia Motors has revealed the all-new Kia Sorento. Sporting confidence, maturity and desirability, its exterior design is more stylish than ever, with the Sorento’s redefi ned design incorporating sharper lines. The new model is the result of a collaborative effort between the studios within Kia’s global design network, in Korea, Europe and North America. The fourth-generation model will feature electrified power for the fi rst time in the Sorento line-up.

Mazda

The fourth-generation Jazz adopts a cleaner design in every way than its predecessor. As the latest addition to Honda’s growing e:Technology range, the all-new e:HEV hybrid powered Jazz is capable of returning in excess of 100 km, while emitt ing just 102g/KM. All models feature an advanced two-motor hybrid powertrain as standard.

Hyundai

From Hiroshima cork producer to global carmaker, Mazda planned to celebrate its 100 th anniversary at the Geneva Show, marking years of innovation, pioneering design, style and engineering success. Today, Mazda has a range of cars designed using the Kodo – Soul of Motion design language that are winning awards across the globe and the brand continues to att ract attention with the launch of its fi rst electric vehicle, the Mazda MX-30.

Mercedes-Benz A comprehensively updated E-Class with numerous model variants – including the plug-in hybrid versions of the saloon and estate as well as the Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+ have been revealed. Also, the CLA 250 e as Coupé and Shooting Brake and the GLA 250 e complement the new range. There are also new engine variants with 48-volt technology and integrated

FLEETCAR | Spring 2020

PREMIERES | 17

starter-generator (ISG) in the E-Class.

Mitsubishi

CUPRA , as well as the SEAT Leon and CUPRA Leon - which will all be available in plug-in hybrid versions. SEAT is meeting market demands by offering a range of efficient, connected and safe vehicles that can deliver everything that customers need, while reducing the impact on the environment. Škoda

According to Mitsubishi, the new ASX is a compact SUV designed for the city, offering wide-ranging versatility. For European markets, ASX is powered by a 2.0L MIVEC 16-valve engine equipped with either a five-speed manual transmission or the INVECS-III CVT with six-speed Sports Mode. Both two and four-wheel-drive versions are available.

Renault

Škoda is offering a model from its vRS family with plug-in-hybrid drive for the first time. It is fitted with a 1.4 TSI petrol engine and an 85-kW electric motor delivering a combined power output of 180 kW (245 PS). Also on offer are three other electrified versions - Octavia iV is a plug-in hybrid delivering 150 kW (204 PS) and two e-TEC mild hybrid variants.

Volkswagen

The MORPHOZ concept is Renault’s vision of personal, shareable, electric mobility for the future. This modular, crossover is able to physically and technologically adapt whether it’s being used for a short commute, trip to the shops or a longer journey.

The prototype is able to recognise and welcome the driver but is fully shareable which features a number of autonomous technologies for improved convenience and safety.

SEAT SEAT and CUPRA have presented 3 new vehicles: the CUPRA Formentor, the coupe crossover exclusively developed for Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

The ID. CROZZ showcar has evolved into its series production version, the ID.4. Initially launched with rear-wheel drive, an electric all-wheel drive version will be added at a later date. The high-voltage battery is positioned near the centre of the underbody to create a low centre of gravity and an advantage in terms of driving dynamics, along with an extremely well-balanced axle load distribution. www.fleetcar.ie

18 | LAUNCH PAD III

Peugeot launches its green revolution

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eugeot may have been late to the electric picnic, but like all good acts, when it arrived it did so with a bang. An all-new all-electric supermini plus two plug-in hybrid models have gone on sale, with another electric compact SUV to follow imminently, a clear indication of its commitment to a green future which will include electrified versions of all its passenger and commercial vehicle ranges by 2023.

With the new 208 in petrol and diesel versions having also just gone on sale, and the new 2008 following hot in its wheel tracks, it’s an exciting time for the French manufacturer which has already seen steady sales growth in Ireland in recent years.

That new 208 is the headline launch, not least because it has just been announced as European Car of the Year 2020. It includes Peugeot’s fi rst all-electric offering in the shape of the e-208. Launched alongside petrol and diesel versions of the same car, it highlights Peugeot’s intention to provide customers with a choice of whatever powertrain is best suited to their needs,

without compromising on practical aspects such as load and passenger space. The e-208 delivers up to 340km on a single charge of its 50kWh battery. It is priced from €27,334 inclusive of SEAI grant and VRT relief, and is available in Active, Allure, GT Line and GT specifications.

Also now on sale are hybrid versions of the 3008 and 508, both of which qualify for the newly calculated grant thresholds available to plug-in hybrids that emit less than 50g/km CO2 and travel more than 50km in all-electric mode. As with the e-208, passenger and luggage space is not impacted by the addition of the electric motors and batteries to the EMP2 platform on which both models are built.

The 3008 is initially launched as an AWD model with a 2WD version following in April. Priced from €45,800 inclusive of grants, the 3008 Hybrid4 is available in GT Line and GT trims. It offers 300bhp via a 200hp (147kW) PureTech engine and electric motors at each end developing 81kW and 83kW respectively. It will do up to 59km on electric power and emits 29g C02/km with official fuel consumption of

1,3l/100km.

The two wheel drive 3008 Hybrid will be available in Allure, GT Line and GT trims. It develops 225bhp by combining a 180hp PureTech engine with a front located 110 hp (80kW) electric motor.

Prices are from €37,995 plus delivery related charges, inclusive of VRT relief and the SEAI grant.

The 508 HYBRID is offered in both fastback and SW (estate) body styles and in Allure, GT Line and GT trims. It uses the same 180bhp petrol engine and 110bhp electric motor as the 3008 Hybrid giving CO2 figures and official fuel consumption of 29g CO2/km / 1,3L /100km and 30g CO2/km / 1,3L /100km for the fastback and estate versions respectively while doing 54 km / 52 km in 100% electric mode. It retails from €38,900 plus delivery, inclusive of VRT relief and the SEAI grant.

An all-new 2008 compact crossover arrives this month in petrol and diesel variants, while an all-electric e-2008 version follows shortly using the same powertrain set-up as the e-208.

New Opel Corsa includes an electric version

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n all-new Corsa has just gone on sale. Sharing much of its underpinnings with the Peugeot 208, the 6th generation Corsa is lower but longer, with an increased wheelbase making it more spacious inside, while the boot is up 24 litres to 309 litres. An all-electric Corsa-e, with a promised range of up to 337km, will follow shortly.

With prices ranging from €17,975 to €25,445, Opel is offering the new Corsa in three trims of SC, SRi and Elite. There’s a choice of a normally aspirated 75bhp or turbo 100bhp 1.2 litre petrols or a 102bhp 1.5 litre diesel. CO2 emissions are significantly down, ranging from 85g/km for the diesel to 96g/km for the 100bhp petrol with manual box.

Among the tech features is adaptive glare-free IntelliLux LED matrix lighting, a first in this segment. The Corsa also comes well FLEETCAR | Spring 2020

equipped safety wise with features such as Forward Collision Alert with Automatic Emergency Braking and Pedestrian detection, radar-based Adaptive Speed Control, Lane Departure Warning and Traffic Sign Recognition available as standard or optional.

Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

LAUNCH PAD IV | 19

New Škoda Octavia on the way

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ue to arrive in June is the fourth generation of one of Ireland’s enduringly popular cars, the Škoda Octavia. The Czech brand’s bestselling model since its launch in 1996, Škoda has sold over 6.5 million units of the Octavia worldwide, with around 56,000 on Irish roads today.

Already a byword for spaciousness, the new Octavia hatchback is 199mm longer (22mm for the Combi estate) and 15mm wider, while the boot capacity is improved - by 10 litres to 600 litres in the hatchback and up 30 litres to 640 litres in the Combi.

Technology wise, LED lighting is standard

front and rear, with full-LED matrix headlights available as an option. The DSG auto gearbox uses shift-by-wire technology which electronically transmits the driver’s gear selection to the transmission. New safety systems offered for the first time include Collision-Avoidance Assist, Turn Assist, Exit Warning and the local Traffic Warning function.

Engine wise, a plug-in hybrid version, the Octavia iV will be available. A 1.5 TSI, 150 bhp petrol will be offered initially with the 1.0 TSI versions arriving later. Diesel-wise there’s a 2.0 TDI, 150 bhp with 7-speed DSG transmission while the familiar 1.6 TDI 115 bhp diesel engine is expected to make way for a 2.0 TDI variant with the same power output.

Prices have yet to be fi nalised but are expected to start at around €29,000 for the hatchback 2.0 TDI 115bhp Ambition version. On the spec front, Škoda is expected to discontinue the entry Active version and offer Ambition and Style specifications from launch.

New engines spearhead revisions to Renault Koleos, updated Mégane gets plug-in hybrid power

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n updated Renault Koleos has gone on sale with prices starting from €40,990. Updates include revised styling, new engines and better equipment levels.

Headlining the upgrades are two new engines which replace the existing 175hp diesel. A new 150bhp 1.7 dCi is offered in 2WD versions while the new 2.0 dCi 190 engine in 4WD versions is the most powerful offered thus far in the Koleos.

Both offer improvement in CO2 emissions and fuel consumption with motor tax reduced from €570 to €390.

Externally the Koleos gets new bumpers

and additional chrome elements. Two new trim levels are offered - Iconic and GT Line. Ionic includes hands-free parking, two-stage reclining rear seats, full LED headlights. a 7” touch screen with navigation, rear parking cameras, and blind spot and lane departure warning while GT Line versions include an 8.7” touch screen and 19” two-tone alloys.

Separately Renault has launched a revised Mégane which includes a plug-in hybrid the Mégane E-Tech. Offered initially on the Mégane Sport Tourer, it uses a 9.8kWh battery that will give full-electric mode running of up to 48km in mixed cycle and 65km in urban cycle driving (WLTP measurements) and emits less than 40g/ km of CO2 .

Arriving in July, the updated Mégane also get an updated interior, revised exterior styling, and improved driver assistance systems.

New Seat Leon revealed

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ue to arrive in the second quarter of 2020 is a new Seat Leon. First launched in 2000, over 13,300 Leons have been sold in Ireland over three generations.

Based on the V W Group MQB Evo platform, the new Leon is longer but narrower and lower than the outgoing car with a 50mm longer wheelbase. Boot space of 380 litres is unchanged in the hatchback but up 30 litres to 617 litres in the Sportstourer.

Highlights include a full connected vehicle Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

Engines include petrol engines with power outputs of 110PS, 150PS and 190PS, while diesels include 2.0 litre TDI units with outputs of 115PS and 50PS. The lower powered petrol cars include mild hybrid technology while a plug-in hybrid version will offer an all-electric range of 60km via a 13kWh battery. via Seat’s Digital Cockpit which features a high-resolution 10.25” user defi nable instrument cluster and infotainment system. Advanced driver assistance systems available include Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control, Emergency Assist and Travel Assist.

Trim levels will be SE, SE Plus, Xcellence, Xcellence Plus, FR, and FR Plus, with prices to be announced later. A powerful sporty version of the Leon from sister brand Cupra will follow in quarter 4, and will include a plug-in hybrid model. www.fleetcar.ie

20 | FEATURE

Staying compliant and safe with ALLY app from DriverFocus risks will be targeted earlier and more frequently.”

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udget 2020 brought mixed news for the corporate sector, especially company car drivers.

The announcement that exemption for Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) for employer supplied electric cars and vans (up to a cap of €50,000) continues to 31 December 2022 was welcomed as an important incentive towards encouraging businesses to move to more environmentally friendly vehicles. Against that was the removal of the SEAI grant on electric and hybrid vehicles for business registered vehicles, adding to the cost of purchasing these already expensive vehicles.

Furthermore it advises that there are increased penalties for underpaid tax, and in cases where PAYE tax on mileage and travel expenses is not correctly withheld, the tax will be recouped by Revenue on a grossedup basis, meaning that every €1,000 paid to employees will cost the employer €2,309 including tax and employer PRSI. Oneareaofchangefromthepreviousyear’s One area of change from the previous year’s budget that came into effect on January 1st, 2019 might have slipped under the radar somewhat, but can have a significant impact on company and fleet car drivers. That relates to PAYE reporting, something that impacts on business mileage for company car drivers. Whereas in the past, a year end reporting of PAYE was sufficient, employers are now expected to submit a return each payday.

Specifically in relation to company BIK and business mileage reimbursement, Revenue has advised employers of the following: - “You will need to calculate the ‘cash equivalent’ of your employee’s private use of the company car. The cash equivalent is a percentage of the Original Market Value (OMV) of the car. The percentage is based on the amount of mileage for business purposes”. Revenue has also advised employers: - “You should review notional pay regularly (at least quarterly) to ensure the payments reported to Revenue are as accurate as possible”.

According to DriverFocus, the Irish awardwinning app and cloud services company specialising in driving for work applications, accountancy firms with knowledge in this field are advising that “business mileage and BIK tax have consistently been among the top areas of interest when Revenue engage in what they refer to as “Timely Targeted Interventions”. With tapering relief on BIK tax for higher levels of business mileage, if anything, there can be a temptation for some individuals to claim more business kilometres than actually driven. Coupled with recently increased resources and REAP - Revenue’s compliance profi ling system - it is anticipated non-compliance

FLEETCAR | Spring 2020

All this means that company car drivers need to ensure that their business mileage is recorded in an up-to-date and accurate manner. Traditionally this has been done manually or via an Excel spreadsheet.

However this type of recording is open to claims of fictitious business travel, leaving the business exposed to potential extra costs or penalties.

An alternative is to use a specialist telematics tracking device, with many of the latest offerings providing comprehensive reporting technology including trip distance functionality. The issue with these is that they can be expensive and complex to use, depending on what functionality is included, while some company car drivers are not comfortable with every aspect of their driving being recorded and analysed.

To address these concerns, while providing business drivers with an easy to use tool to record business mileage, DriverFocus has created ALLY, an app and cloud-based service. Its primary function is to record all trips with the functionality to then easily allocate the trip as business or private travel.

Crucially only trips logged as business travel are shared with company payroll if the driver so chooses.

ALLY also offers additional functionality, notably monitoring driving behaviour such as aggressive acceleration and braking, harsh cornering and adherence to speed limits. From this data it creates a score ranking out of 100 judging the driver’s performance relative to other users of the app.

FEATURE | 21 Living with ALLY Having an app monitoring your daily driving may be an alien concept for many drivers. Fleet Car put ALLY to the test over a period of weeks to find out.

The first thing to note is that setting it up is very straightforward. The hardware consists of a small bluetooth plug similar to a regular USB fob that slots into the car’s 12V or 24V socket, while on the soft ware front there’s an app to download to a smartphone and a website that provides a summary of trips undertaken and generates BIK reports.

Installation involves downloading the free ALLY app to the Android or iOS smartphone, then, sitting in the car with the engine on, connecting the plug and app via the onscreen instructions. Initial set-up includes entering the car’s mileage which allows the driver to periodically compare the odometer against the app recording.

Once the app is initially set-up it will automatically record all journeys provided you have your smartphone alongside, though you can also manually add journeys via the website if you neglected to bring your phone on your journey. A message notifies at the start of each journey that a new trip is being recorded, though this can be turned off if necessary.

As I don’t need to record business mileage, this functionality isn’t particularly relevant to me, however allocating trips as company travel is a piece of cake, whether on the

Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

smartphone app or via the website. Upon completion of the journey, the trip appears as an individual entry. Within the trip there’s the option to choose the type of journey with the following choices:- ‘Private’, ‘Customer Meeting’, ‘Delivery’, ‘Service Call’, ‘Commute’, ‘Site Visit’, ‘Supplier Meeting’, ‘Company Office’ and ‘Other’, with ’Private’ the default setting.

Generating a BIK report is done from the webpage, with customers able to generate on a yearly or monthly basis. It’s perfect as a simple yet precise tool to record and monitor business mileage.

The driver monitoring side of ALLY is perhaps more relevant to me. As somebody who does reasonably large mileage - around 45,000—60,000 km per annum, having a clean license is critical, and anything that can help to keep that has to be welcomed.

Getting a good score on the ALLY app is challenging, and really calls on the person behind the wheel to reassess their driving habits. For me, the area I fall down on most often is cornering - even when I think I’m taking bends quite sedately, the app tells me otherwise. Equally, although I’m generally prett y aware of speed limits, it’s notable how easy it is to fail to slow sufficiently when entering urban areas with 50km/h and 60km/h speed limits.

Has it changed my driving since I started using it? Most certainly. Similar to trying to

reach your daily step target on your Fitbit, maintaining or improving your overall ALLY score quickly becomes an obsession.

Interestingly, on longer cross-country runs, I’m noticing that although I’m more aware of how I drive than getting there by a certain time as would have been the case previously, the actual journey times differ little compared to before. Food for thought….

From a company perspective there’s significant value in a driver monitoring app such as ALLY, even if Ron McNamara, CEO and founder of DriverFocus notes that the majority of customers for the app are interested primarily in its BIK reporting functionality. Ron’s analysis shows that those utilising the driver monitoring functions have seen huge reductions in the number of collisions and road incidents, with resultant falls in insurance costs.

Additionally he has calculated that using ALLY can save up to €750 per vehicle per annum in reduced fuel, CO2 emissions, servicing, depreciation, maintenance and repair costs.

Pricing for the ALLY app depends on the number of users and usage, but in the scheme of things will be a very small outlay for businesses compared to the potential savings on offer. As a simple to use mechanism for recording business mileage it makes sense, but combined with its driver monitoring functions it really is a very useful tool for employers and company car drivers alike.

www.fleetcar.ie

22 | FLEETING SHOTS

Mitsubishi Motors Ireland scores with Bohs

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itsubishi Motors Ireland along with Westbrook Motors, one of Mitsubishi’s Dublin dealers, has confirmed it is to continue as the official vehicle sponsor of Bohemians Football Club for 2020.

Keith Long, Bohemian F.C. Manager recently took delivery of the club’s new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 2.4L 4x4s as Mitsubishi Motors Ireland was announced as official vehicle partner. He is pictured with Gerard Rice, Managing Director Mitsubishi Motors Ireland, Mark Clarke, Dealer Principal Westbrook Motors and Daniel Lambert, Director Bohemian F.C., at Dalymount Park in Dublin.

the motor industry but also in the wider community.

The shared values of both Mitsubishi Motors Ireland and Bohemian F.C. are deeply rooted in the foundations of this partnership and contribute to its longevity and success. Bohemian F.C. is a club deeply intertwined within its local community. The club’s admirable Corporate Social Responsibility is an attribute of which Mitsubishi Motors Ireland is passionate and values greatly as it strives towards working together for a cleaner and greener future, not only within

Gerard Rice, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Motors Ireland commented; “Mitsubishi Motors Ireland and our local Dublin dealer, Westbrook Motors, are delighted to be the vehicle sponsor of Bohemian Football Club. With Bohemian F.C. in its 130th year and Mitsubishi Motors producing motor vehicles for over 100 years, both brands have evolved with successful and continual innovation in competitive industries.”

Introducing the Nikola Badger!

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ollowing the One, Two and Tre Hydrogen and Electric heavy duty trucks launched recently, the Nikola Corporation has revealed the Badger electric Pick-up truck with an estimated range of 950 kilometres!

Unlike anything on the market, the advanced electric Pick-up is designed to target and exceed every electric or petrol pickup in its class. The Badger is engineered to deliver 1,330 Nm of torque, 906 peak horsepower and 455 continuously. It will be built in conjunction with another OEM, (possibly FCA brand RA M) utilising their certified parts and manufacturing facilities.

Interestingly, the Badger will come equipped with a 15-kilowatt power outlet for tools, lights and compressors, which is enough power to assist a construction site for approximately 12 hours without a generator.

“Nikola has billions worth of technology in our semi-truck programme, so why not build it into a Pick-Up truck?” said Trevor Milton, CEO, Nikola Corporation on the development.

“I have been working on this Pick-up programme for years and believe the market is now ready for something that can handle a full day’s worth of work without running out of energy. Th is electric truck can be used for work, weekend getaways, towing, off-roading or to hit the ski slopes without performance loss.

No other electric Pick-Up can operate in these temperatures and conditions.”

Donagh Kelly & Conor Foley win opening round of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship while Tommy Graham races to A Final & Super Final Irish Rallycross Championship victories are pictured (left)at the fi nish of the TF Royal Hotel/Casey’s & Mulroy’s Londis Mayo Rally, the opening round of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship, along with members of the organising team from Mayo & District Motorsport Club. Photo by Martin Walsh.

D

onegal ’s Donagh Kelly and Monaghan’s Conor Foley (winning co-driver)

FLEETCAR | Spring 2020

Well known Sand & Gravel haulier Tommy Graham, from Prosperous, County Kildare scored a double win in the A

Final and Super Final at Mondello Park, at Round 1 of the 2020 Irish Rallycross Championship. Image by Mark Ashby.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

WINNERS

TITLE SPONSOR

Fleet Car of the Year 2020 C Segment Toyota Corolla

Fleet Car of the Year 2020 D Segment BMW 3-Series

Fleet Car of the Year 2020 Premium/ Executive Audi A6

Fleet Car of the Year 2020 Green Fleet; Electric Kia e-Soul

Fleet Car of the Year 2020 Green Fleet; Plug-in Hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Fleet Car of the Year 2020 Green Fleet; Plug-in Hybrid Peugeot 508

TRANSPORT www.fleet.ie

Engaging Connectivity

AWARDS 2021

Networking is an investment in your business!

DIARY DATE THURSDAY

1 OCTOBER

Attend the Fleet Transport Awards & Networking Event and Yield great results for years to come... your road to success

Thursday 1 October 2020, Citywest Hotel, Dublin

www.fleet.ie