Commercial GreenFleet November 2019

NOVeMBeR 2019

FIRST DRIVE: FORD TRANSIT CUSTOM PHEV Plug-in hybrid technology tested in real-world trials has resulted in Ford’s first electrified light commercial vehicle

NEWS

RETROFIT TECHNOLOGY

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

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Combined 36.2 - 45.6 (7.8 - 6.2). CO2 emissions 163 - 205g/km. For full details please contact your local Isuzu dealer or visit isuzu.co.uk *3.5 tonne towing applies to all 4x4 models. **125,000 miles/5 year (whichever comes first) warranty applies to all new Isuzu D-Max models. Terms and conditions apply. Visit isuzu.co.uk

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The pick-up of choice for your fleet Designed to tackle the working day, the Isuzu D-Max’s turbo diesel 1.9 litre engine pushes through the stigma of the ‘smaller engine pick-up’ and stands out from the crowd, proving to be the most economical yet powerful engine for Isuzu ever Isuzu only make commercial vehicles.

A range of pick-ups that are tough, strong and built to go the distance. It’s a single minded specialism that means they make outstanding vehicles that are truly fit for purpose, that’s why they’re known as the Pick-up Professionals. The winner of numerous accolades awarded

by What Van, Pickup & 4x4 Pro, Trade Van Driver, Professional Pickup & 4x4 Awards and the most recent award wins from On the Tools and Commercial Fleet Awards for the second consecutive year.

Designed to tackle the working day, the Isuzu D-Max’s turbo diesel 1.9 litre engine pushes through the stigma of the ‘smaller engine pick-up’ and stands out from the crowd, proving to be the most economical yet powerful engine for Isuzu ever. The entire Isuzu D-Max range is powered by a Euro 6 Compliant engine that delivers an impressive 164PS and 360Nm, without the need for AdBlue. Capable of over 40.4MPG combined and CO2 emissions of 163g/km (on all manual models) plus all models are London Emission Zone (LEZ) compliant.

Outshining the rest Outshining the competitors with larger engines, the Isuzu D-Max Double Cab is not restricted by the 2,040kg unladen weight classification for dual purpose vehicles.

The Isuzu D-Max Double Cab, which has an unladen weight of up to 1,964kg, offers all the powers and capabilities of a dual‑purpose vehicle, without the unladen weight classification restrictions of 60mph on a dual carriageway. This legal restriction applies to vehicles that exceed 2,040kg such as the 3.2 litre Ford Ranger Wildtrak and the 3.0 litre Volkswagen Amarok. For complete peace of

mind, all new Isuzu D-Max models comes with a 5 year/125,000 mile warranty and five year roadside assistance across UK and Europe.

Off-road, the Isuzu D-Max performs better than ever with a switchable 4x4 system, Electronic Stability Control and a Traction Control System with ABS. Coupled with the superior capacity to tow 3.5 tonnes and a 1.1 tonne payload on all Double Cabs, the award winning Isuzu D-Max is made to work.

Spec to suit you The Isuzu D-Max range features a variety of trim levels, each carefully crafted to offer incredible reliability and choice. There’s a model for every purpose, with varying levels of interior and exterior features so you can choose something to suit your needs and your budget, without compromising capability.

The entry-level Isuzu D-Max Utility, priced from £16,909 (CVOTR) comes equipped with LED daytime running lights, Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, Bluetooth® connectivity, power windows and air conditioning. Eiger Double Cab from £22,009 (CVOTR) adds a reversing camera, 16” alloy wheels, body coloured bumpers, audio system with CD player and 6 speakers. Yukon from £22,009 (CVOTR) adds 18” alloy wheels, silver side steps, new 7” multi-function touchscreen, LED rear lights, Cruise Control, rear load liner and a leather steering wheel.

Utah from £25,709 (CVOTR) takes comfort up a notch with keyless entry and push button start, Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™, satellite navigation, DAB digital radio, roof bars, leather upholstery with heated front seats, rear parking sensors and automatic air conditioning. The range topping Blade from £28,809 (CVOTR) adds tinted windows, 9” multi-function touchscreen, remote locking

lower tailgate, Blade puddle lamps, front and rear parking sensors and a colour-coded Aeroklas canopy or sports bar with roller cover.

In addition to the core Isuzu D-Max range, Isuzu also features a diverse range of fleet vehicles. Including collaborations with the SSE – one of the UK’s largest and fastest growing energy companies, the RAC with a custom built Isuzu D-Max patrol van and BT fleet.

The perfect vehicle for your business Being in business is time consuming, so at Isuzu we make running your company pick-up or vehicle fleet as hassle free as possible. Whether you are a fleet decision maker or trying to choose your next company vehicle, our fleet services team is here to provide you with outstanding services. This includes pre‑sale advice, including access to demonstrators; guiding you through the sale process, including funding options, tax implications and whole life costs; and aftersales care, including scheduled maintenance and prompt availability of parts and accessories Our Isuzu Fleet Services Charter provides fleet drivers assurance of excellent service throughout the ownership experience on what can be expected during a service or in the unlikely event of a vehicle breakdown. We understand that fleet customers procure and manage their fleet differently and usually cover a large geographical area, therefore we are committed to delivering a consistent and measurable aftersales service throughout the UK with a wide range of UK Isuzu dealers. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.isuzu.co.uk

November 2019 | COMMERCIAL GREENFLEET

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Commercial Vehicle News

REFRIGERATED TRUCKS

Thermo King introduces hybrid refrigeration system for trucks Thermo King has introduced a new hybrid refrigeration system designed to lower the environmental impact and reduce operating costs of truck transport operations.

The new Thermo King T-Series Hybrid and UT Hybrid refrigeration systems answer the demand for technologies that give transport companies easier access to restricted, low-emission urban areas while lowering operating costs the same time.

The new hybrid single - and multitemperature solution for trucks - builds on the proven track record of the Thermo King SLXi Hybrid trailer systems. Frigoblock alternator and inverter-drive technology allow switching the power of the nosemount T-Series Hybrid and under-mount UT Hybrid refrigeration units between diesel and electric as required or necessary.

This enables the transport companies to operate in inner cities, residential areas and low emission zones with the refrigeration unit’s diesel engine turned off.

“The commitment to our customers is what drives our innovation. Further, we

have long considered it our responsibility to lead the industry by designing and manufacturing sustainable products,” said Francesco Incalza, vice president product management and marketing at Thermo King. “Thermo King was the first to offer its European customers a trailer hybrid refrigeration solution and now we are expanding this technology into the truck range. This is another step for us in our journey to continuously advance the transport climate control technologies and sustainable urban distribution with cleaner and electrified transport refrigeration.”

To ensure customers were considered during the development of the new hybrid solution, Thermo King worked with Castell Howell Foods, one of the UK’s leading independent food wholesalers.

Since May 2019, Castell Howell has conducted thorough, real-life testing by operating the truck equipped with the Thermo King UT Hybrid Spectrum under-mount refrigeration unit.

“We have been running the hybrid truck

six days a week on mixed routes combining motorway and city centre routes with upwards of 30 deliveries a day,” said Martin Jones, director of transport operations at Castell Howell Foods. “With the hybrid mode always on we experienced fuel savings reaching approximately 20 litres of fuel each day, six days a week. It’s a significant mark in the truck’s operational bottom line and we’re really pleased to see how the Thermo King system combines the best of both alternatordriven electric and diesel technologies and how it has worked out in the field.”

The new Thermo King hybrid technology will help transport and delivery companies future-proof their refrigerated truck delivery operations and investments to stay ahead of regulations, control their total cost of ownership, increase efficiency and achieve important sustainability goals.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/tm3shkv

AWARDS

RETROFIT

Drivers and operators recognised at FTA Van Excellence Awards

More funding to retrofit buses in Scotland

The UK’s best van operators and drivers have been recognised at FTA’s 2019 Van Excellence Honours Lunch, which took place today (12 November 2019) at a ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Birmingham, sponsored

by Mercedes-Benz Vans.

Kevin Green, Director of Marketing and Communications at FTA, which administers the Van Excellence scheme, comments: “As the vans market continues to grow rapidly – there are now more than 4.3 million of them on Britain’s roads – it is important we recognise the van drivers and operators consistently leading the way in excellence. Vans play a vital and varied role in the UK economy, from a means to deliver a consumer’s online shopping to transporting a tradesman’s tools. And the role of van drivers and

operators is equally diverse: community consideration, employee welfare and use of technology all form part of their day‑to‑day responsibilities. Yet too often their contribution to society is undervalued; these awards are an opportunity to finally change that.

“All the winners and highly commended entrants have proven they truly are the best of the best in their respective fields; I would like to extend my congratulations to them all.”

The awards, also sponsored by The AA, Bott, Brigade Electronics, Hertz, Lex Autolease and Quartix, celebrate the businesses and individuals who have made a significant contribution to the industry and are setting a high standard for others to follow.

READ MORE https://bit.ly/3326p2d

A third round of funding has been launched to support bus operators with the financial costs associated with engine and exhaust retrofitting. £8.85 million for the Bus Emission Abatement Retrofit Fund (BEAR) is being made available in 2019/20 to support the Scottish Government’s plans to introduce Low Emission Zones into Scotland’s four biggest cities by 2020.

This technology helps reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions from older buses to achieve the Euro VI emission standard, which is the equivalent of a new, modern bus, through the installation of accredited retrofit technology.

Transport Scotland will also be monitoring air quality performance from the buses.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said: “Each fully occupied bus in our towns and cities can remove the equivalent of 75 cars from the road. That is why buses are part of the solution to tackling congestion, improving air quality and reducing transport emissions – and it is why we have committed to invest over half a billion

pounds towards bus priority infrastructure through the Programme for Government.

“Many operators are investing in new fleets, and we have supported this through our Scottish Green Bus Fund, however, for many operators the right solution is to retrofit their mid-life buses where they can. This adds to the £2.5 million we have invested through the BEAR programme in the previous two rounds.

“We all want our air quality to be the best in Europe, but for the oldest and youngest in our society and those with existing health conditions, air quality remains an issue. It is critical that we have LEZs introduced in our four biggest cities by 2020 and this fund will continue to help support our ambition to protect public health and improve our air quality.”

READ MORE https://bit.ly/37jKFCs

November 2019 | COMMERCIAL GREENFLEET

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L E T N O T H I N G S TA N D I N T H E WAY O F YO U R B U S I N E S S M a k e y o u r b u s i n e s s u n s t o p p a b l e w i t h t h e N e w F o r d R a n g e r, fe at u r i n g a B i -Tu r b o E co B lu e D i e s e l e n g i n e a n d u p to 3.5 to n n e s o f p u lli n g p o w e r.

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Commercial Vehicle News

COMMENT: FTA

VANS

Peugeot to launch electric Expert van in 2020 Peugeot will launch a fully electric version of its Expert van, the e-Expert in the second half of 2020 Users will be able to choose between two battery sizes: 50 kWh, for a range of 124 miles (WLTP) and 75 kWh, for a range of 186 miles (WLTP).

The e-Expert shares identical loadspace volume to the internal combustion versions of the Expert van. The new Peugeot e-Expert will take the company towards its

ambition of a 100% electrified LCV range by 2021.

It will sit alongside the Electric, e-Boxer, e-208, e-2008, 3008 Hybrid4, 508 Hybrid and 508 SW Hybrid.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/uwj7r7s

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

Hyundai conducts self driving truck platoon trial Hyundai Motor Company has conducted its first platooning of trailer trucks on the Yeoju Smart Highway test bed which replicates real-world traffic conditions.

Hyundai Motor conducted the trial using two trailerconnected Xcient trucks.

Yeoju Smart Highway is a 7.7km testbed within the central region expressway established by the Korean government for the development of autonomous driving technology.

The demonstration successfully displayed the following technology: Vehicle platooning, cut-in/out by other vehicles, simultaneous emergency braking, and V2V (Vehicle to Vehicle) communication tech.

This demonstration is part of a project initiated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT). Since 2018, MOLIT has been working to support pioneering efforts for autonomous technology.

Along with Hyundai Motor Company, this national project involved government, corporations, and academia.

Vehicle platooning has the benefit of reducing air resistance to improve fuel efficiency and lower emissions, making it an eco-friendly technology.

The platooning maneuver begins when the driver of the following truck approaches the leading vehicle and activates platooning mode.

Upon activation of platooning mode, the following truck maintains a 16.7m distance, with

real-time fine tuning based on the leading vehicle’s acceleration and deceleration. The driver does not need to put his/her foot on the accelerator nor brakes, vastly reducing fatigue on the road and improving safety.

The mode also activates lane keeping technology which makes possible for the driver of following truck to take hands off the steering wheel.

With platooning, other vehicles cutting in and out between trucks can also be seamlessly managed.

If a vehicle cuts between the platooning trucks, the following truck automatically extends the gap to minimum of 25m.

When a leading truck makes a sudden emergency stop due to an unexpected situation, the newly demonstrated technology responds by enabling the following truck to decelerate and stop.

The V2V system applied to both trucks in this demonstration showcased how real time information sharing between platooning vehicles can improve control over acceleration and deceleration, and also incorporate ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) information from various sensors like cameras and radar.

By displaying videos from the leading vehicle, the following driver can see the road ahead, solving vision issues.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/uwm79vj

Is the UK ready to go electric?

As part of the government’s ambition to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 2050, businesses Becki Kite, in the logistics sector are being environment policy manager, FTA encouraged to decarbonise their fleets. As a result, the use of electric vehicles (EVs) has soared; by the end of 2018 there were 5,395 plug-in electric light commercial vehicles (LCVs) on the UK’s roads

FTA, the voice of the logistics sector, recently conducted a survey among industry EV users – in conjunction with the Department of Transport – and found that charging, and the opportunity to do so, remains a primary concern across the logistics sector.

As well as long lead times for infrastructure installation, some operators in rented premises are also facing challenges from landlords seeking changes to contracts, often at a cost. Drivers who take their vehicles home at night face complications too: it is estimated that 43% of people do not have access to off-street parking. Currently, this could cause difficulties as there is a noticeable lack of public residential charging infrastructure, although the situation is being reviewed by the government which has pledged to provide an additional £2.5‑million to support the on-street residential chargepoint scheme.

Inadequate charging infrastructure is a common concern within the logistics industry. Nissan has predicted that by 2020 there will be more electric charging stations than there will be fuel stations. However, despite a rise in the availability of charging points in cities, there are still areas of the UK that severely lack the much-needed infrastructure. Without regular charging points, longer journeys require in-depth planning and could still pose complications for operators, such as out of use charge points.

Grid capacity is a major concern for operators, especially if they plan to convert their entire fleets. While, in the opinion of FTA, electric HGVs are not currently a viable mass-market solution, technological advances demonstrate that they will, one day, be a reality. To power such large, heavy load vehicles will require greater levels of charge and faster charging options. There are currently questions being raised about whether the national grid could cope with such a charging influx and alternative solutions are being sought.

In September 2019, Plymouth City Council announced its plans to partner with E-Flex to become the first council to trial bidirectional charging. With Plymouth described as a ‘particularly strained’ part of the grid, this initiative will see EVs taking electricity from the grid and then releasing it back when not in use to help relieve pressure during peak usage. If successful, this scheme is likely to gain momentum nationwide.

While FTA supports the government’s ambition of net zero GHG emissions by 2050, its members believe that more needs to be done to prepare to ensure that the logistics industry can be protected in continuing to deliver for its customers. Significant investments in charging infrastructure need to be made to support the logistics industry – and the UK as a whole – as it “goes electric”.

Consideration must also be given to how the rise in charging points, and the increased usage this will drive, could potentially cause shortages across the national grid. If the government wants to achieve its electrification ambitions, vital decisions must be made now to futureproof the nation’s infrastructure.

Efficient logistics is vital to keep Britain trading, directly having an impact on more than seven million people employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. A champion and challenger, FTA speaks to government with one voice on behalf of the whole sector.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.fta.co.uk

November 2019 | COMMERCIAL GREENFLEET

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RETROFIT TECHNOLOGY

Retrofit emissions reduction technology enables legacy fleet vehicles to comply with Clean Air Zone requirements. But what are retrofit solutions and how can fleet operators know the technology will meet its claims? Shani Kotecha from the Energy Saving Trust explains A large proportion of pollution comes from road to clean up the air we all breathe in the transport, both private and public vehicles, and timeframe needed. Considering that the it is more acute in highly populated urban areas. latest research shows that around 40,000 Modelling conducted by local authorities and people across the UK die prematurely due Defra has shown that only by setting up Clean to air pollution, local authorities need to Air Zones (CAZs), will cities meet air quality act fast to avoid further court cases. compliance in the shortest time possible, which is the challenge set by the courts following How does retrofitting vehicles the cases brought by Client Earth support Clean Air Zones? against the UK Government.

The Euro 5 (for cars and vans) and Unfortunately, current V (for trucks, buses and coaches) There vehicle replacement cycles emissions standards did not lead is often will not bring lower to the expected improvements a miscon emitting vehicles in air quality. However, on to the roads Euro 6/VI diesel vehicles, that theception re is no quickly enough particularly heavy-duty standar disation vehicles, have been shown Clean A across to perform far better, as but the ir Zones, the emissions control

r of the ee is in terms mis levels sesions t

Written by Shani Kotecha, Energy Saving Trust

What are retrofit solutions and how can they help?

systems employed reduce emissions of oxides of nitrogen (or NOx) by over 95 per cent.

There is often a misconception that there is no standardisation across Clean Air Zones introduced (or to be introduced) in the UK, but there is in terms of the emissions levels set.

All petrol vehicles need to be Euro 4 and, for diesels, Euro 6/VI, across all CAZs, the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and LEZs in Scotland. What does change from zone to zone, is which vehicles are charged. This is up to the implementing authority and can depend where they see the source of the problem, what they can control and how their modelling predicts the time to achieve compliance.

The CAZ classes are as follows: A class CAZ targets buses and taxis only; B class CAZ targets buses, taxis and HGVs; C class CAZ targets buses, taxis, trucks and vans; D class targets buses, taxis, HGVs, vans and cars.

What is CVRAS, and how has it been received?

The Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) is a robust certification scheme for manufacturers of retrofit emissions reduction technology that will enable CAZ compliance of legacy fleet vehicles. The scheme was developed through a partnership between Energy Saving Trust and the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP), supported by the Department for Transport.

The interest in CVRAS has been steadily growing among operators and retrofit system providers. There are not yet many retrofit system providers active in the market but CVRAS has listed most of them. CVRAS is technology neutral (outcome focused) so there are other solutions listed, besides Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) exhaust aftertreatment systems. E

Supported by

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 Will the market develop for retrofitting HGVs, or will it be limited to a few select vehicles?

The HGV sector is challenging to retrofit system suppliers, but within CVRAS we adopt a worstcase test and engine family approach in order to extend an approval test across as many models as possible. When the London LEZ was introduced, it only addressed particulate matter, so DPFs was the main technology applied. A retrofit supplier could test a large, medium and small truck to prove their system performed and blanket approval was given, meaning any make and model could be fitted. DPFs capture soot (incomplete combustion of the fuel) and that isn’t unique to a make or model of truck.

To be confident that retrofit systems achieve the Euro VI equivalence required will ultimately mean more approval tests. It can cost anything from £50k to £150k to develop, test and certify a retrofit DPF SCR system, so a retrofit supplier needs to know that customers exist for the product. This creates a bit of a “chicken and egg” situation where operators do not see retrofit solutions readily available so don’t enquire, and the retrofit system suppliers do not see a demand coming from operators in the numbers needed to invest in the development. We are working with local authorities to try and survey the operators to gain insight and operators’ needs, and if we can pool that demand across the UK then we may have the volumes needed to start that crucial product development.

Like the bus and coach sectors, truck applications where the box on the back is Advert_178x125_Layout worth more than the chassis 1and15/11/2019 cab, will be 10:52

the more attractive business case. Another aspect in the truck sector is that there may well be Euro VI trucks coming off their first lease (especially at the smaller end of weight class) by the time CAZs come in, so it may be possible to buy a second hand Euro VI truck cheaper than a retrofit system.

Is retrofitting the best option for operators in CAZs if they don’t have Euro 6 technology?

Whether or not retrofitting is the best option, depends on the operator’s circumstances.

Having the latest Euro 6/VI technology is ideal, but the operator can avoid the zone or re-organise their fleet so that their Euro 6/VI vehicles enter or work in the zone. Some may only enter once a year so can pay the charge.

Others may be in the zone every day so charges could be significant. Non-compliant vehicles may be up for replacement so bringing forward that replacement may be a viable solution.

Retrofit is likely to be the best option when vehicles will be working regularly in the zone as vehicles are expensive to replace or are specialist vehicles and are on fleet for longer.

Bus and coach retrofit solutions are well established – but were they the biggest problem?

The bus fleets tend to operate on set routes within set boundaries and can be targeted more easily, as the local authorities implementing the CAZs have some amount of control over the bus fleets. Coaches tend to contribute Page 1 to a lesser extent, but generally enter a

ELECTRIC TRUCKS

zone at each end of their journeys. Both have longer service life and are considered “ripe for retrofit”. Funding for bus retrofit helped established the retrofit market.

If the HGV retrofit market doesn’t develop, then what should operators do to comply with CAZ/ULEZ if they can’t afford Euro 6 trucks?

There are three options operators have: pay the charge; avoid the zone; or drive a compliant vehicle. Only driving a compliant vehicle will improve air quality, as the other options still produce harmful emissions. There will be operators that win and some that lose based on when they last replaced their vehicle/s. Those that were on the wrong side (Euro V) of the Euro V/VI boundary need a retrofit solution; those on the other side don’t have a problem.

Defra recognised that there were issues around the costs of testing for the retrofit suppliers and subsequently made funding available to cover CVRAS test costs. This was targeted at expanding the range of systems available for trucks, coaches and vans, and about £1million was allocated. There are some retrofit systems in the pipeline, but again the lack of market demand/insight presents a conundrum for manufacturers in terms of which make and model system to bring to the market.

Collaboration between operators, retrofit suppliers, local authorities and support organisations like Energy Saving Trust and the LowCVP is key to making progress in this area. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

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CNG Fuels has announced plans to become the UK’s first supplier of carbon neutral fuel for HGVs using manure. We chat to the company’s CEO Philip Fjeld to find out more How can using manure produce a carbon neutral fuel?

Manure, when left to decompose in an open environment, will emit large quantities of methane to the atmosphere. Methane has a global warming potential value that is 28 times greater than CO2. When manure is collected and treated in a biomethane production facility, the manure is captured and is used as a fuel, where it is ultimately turned into CO2 at the tailpipe of the vehicle. This avoids methane emissions to atmosphere and thereby reduces the lifecycle global warming impact from the manure.

Where will you source the manure and what’s the process of turning it into a fuel?

CNG Fuels is currently not an owner or operator of Anaerobic Digestion (AD) facilities.

An AD plant is where organic matter is processed and biomethane is produced and injected into the pipeline grid, where it is then transported to Bio-CNG refuelling facilities.

CNG Fuels currently buys biomethane from

five AD plants, with a greater number under contract as suppliers from 2020 onwards.

An AD plant turns organic material, such as manure, into fuel by first letting the matter decompose in an oxygen starved environment, where bacteria digest the material and produce biogas. The raw biogas is then sent to a clean-up module where impurities are removed and the gas is brought up to a specification that is similar to pipeline gas. The gas is finally injected into the pipeline grid and transported to a Bio-CNG refuelling station.

When do you think there will be demand for hydrogen and electricity for HGVs? It is hard to estimate when demand for such fuels will materialise, beyond occasional early-stage trials. However, as a marketdriven company, CNG Fuels’ objective is to provide its customers with refuelling solutions that can assist in their drive towards achieving net-zero emissions from their HGVs. We are busy preparing for a future when hydrogen and electric charging will become a technically and economically attractive offering, whether this is a couple of years away or longer-term.

Commercial GreenFleet

Using manure to create fuel

What does a ‘carbon negative’ fuel mean?

As manure, if left to decompose in the open What needs to happen to make environment, would emit large quantities hydrogen and electricity viable of methane, which has a global warming for HGVs? potential factor that is 28 times greater than Hydrogen and electric vehicles and CO2. Capturing the methane and using it refuelling infrastructure already as a fuel results in significant avoided benefit from zero fuel duty greenhouse gas emissions, which and grants to reduce means the fuel on a life cycle C apturin the vehicle purchase basis actually has a negative the me g cost and support the CO2 equivalent footprint. t from m hane cost of refuelling a infrastructure. using it nure and Ultimately, for a s a fuel results a technology to i n s avoided ignificant become successful gr and achieve mass gas em eenhouse adoption rates, it will issions have to demonstrate that it can be an economical option without relying on government support. There is currently a lot of investment going into developing lower-cost and more efficient hydrogen and electric vehicles and refuelling infrastructure. Over time, we expect this to result in a more competitive offering for the HGV sector.

What’s the progress of your six new refuelling stations that are due to open?

We are in the middle of a nationwide rollout of large public-access Bio-CNG stations. The station in Northampton, at junction 16 on the M1, opened in September. The largest Bio-CNG station in Europe, our Warrington station, has recently opened for business and we are on course for opening around two stations per quarter going forward. Demand and adoption rates for CNG HGVs has reached a tipping point, where large fleets are no longer just trialling the technology but are now purchasing CNG HGVs in significant numbers and diesel HGVs are being phased out as the vehicles reach end-of-life. L Philip Fjeld, CEO, CNG Fuels

FURTHER INFORMATION www.cngfuels.com Supported by

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Road Test Written by Richard Gooding

FIRST DRIVE

Ford Transit Custom Limited PHEV

Plug-in hybrid technology tested in real world trials has resulted in Ford’s first electrified light commercial vehicle. Richard Gooding finds out how the Transit Custom PHEV debuts segment-first plug-in tech for both maximum usability and zero-emission running What is it?

Ford’s cherished Transit nameplate has been around for 54 years. With the brand split into the one-tonne Transit Custom and two-tonne Transit ranges, a refresh this year has introduced mild hybrid technology, as well as a plug-in version of the smaller van.

The first one-tonne PHEV in the segment, Ford employs range-extending technology for maximum usability for both the van and the passenger-carrying Tourneo Custom. The production version of the van was borne out of a 20-vehicle, year-long fleet prototype trial in London which covered over 150,000 miles.

An impressive 75 per cent of central London miles were driven on electric power alone.

How practical is it?

The Ford Transit Custom PHEV is only available in the smallest ‘L1H1’ configuration. Clever packaging of the drivetrain under the load floor means carrying capacity isn’t compromised and is the same as the diesel-engined Transit Custom. That translates to a load volume of 6.0m3 and a net payload of 1,110kg.

Overall length is 4,973mm and the 2,933mm wheelbase allows a maximum loadspace length of 2,554mm up to the bulkhead, with a width of 1,775mm. There’s 1,406mm of room floor to roof, while the side door entry width is 1,030mm. The rear doors open to reveal 1,404mm of loading width.

What range does it have?

Ideal for urban use, the Transit Custom has an all-electric range of 35 miles (NEDC correlated), which increases to an overall distance of 310 miles once the range-extending petrol

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engine comes into play. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost three-cylinder unit only charges the 13.6kWh lithium-ion battery, extending the overall range – it never drives the wheels.

How long does it take to charge?

From a domestic 240-volt, 10-amp power supply, the plug-in Transit Custom’s battery can be topped up in 4.3 hours. Connected to a Type 2 AC fast charger, that time drops to 2.7 hours. Two-level regenerative braking and deceleration also capture electrical energy.

battery. Default ‘Auto EV’ decides when to activate the range-extender depending on driving conditions; ‘EV Now’ forces all-electric power; ‘EV Later’ prioritises the rangeextender and uses regenerative charging to maintain the current level of battery charge for later use; and ‘EV Charge’ employs the range extender to power the van and top up the battery for later ‘EV Now’ travel.

The impressive ‘L’ regenerative braking mode makes a noticeable difference to the amount of regen available, and highly manoeuvrable, the Transit Custom PHEV is easy to thread through city streets.

How does it drive?

Only a small ‘Plug-in Hybrid’ badge on the What does it cost? offside rear door and a covered charging port The entry-level Leader starts the Transit on the nearside of the front bumper Custom PHEV range off, from differentiate the Transit Custom £39,145 excluding VAT. Standard PHEV from its diesel siblings.

The equipment includes air In range-topping Limited tion c conditioning, DAB radio with specification, it’s a smartu d o r p e USB/Bluetooth connectivity, looking machine. It’s h t f o and electric windows. slick inside, too, with version rne out o b The £40,595 Trend adds high quality materials s a van w hicle, yeara body-coloured front and Ford’s SYNC 3 e -v 0 2 e bumper and mirrors, eight-inch touchscreen p a y f t o t proto e climate control, LED technology adding e fl g lon daytime running lights increased levels of trial in and parking sensors. connectivity. n o Lond The £42,950 Limited On the move, the silence affords 16-inch alloy wheels, of the smooth powertrain body-coloured door handles, side creates a calmer driving mouldings and rear bumper, heated seats, experience. As expected, there’s the usual LED load compartment lights, and an alarm. all-electric instant torque from take-off – The Transit Custom PHEV is also expected to 247lb ft (335Nm) – and once on the move, be eligible for the government’s Plug-in Van refinement levels are as you’d expect from Grant (PiVG) which deducts 20 per cent of the an electric vehicle, too. Four driving modes purchase price, up to a maximum of £8,000. control the the available charge from the

DRIVING THE SWITCH TO CLEANER COMMERCIAL FLEETS | www.greenfleet.net/commercial

All Transit Custom PHEVs have an eightyear/100,000-mile battery warranty.

Road Test

No barriers to connectivity

How much does it cost to tax?

CO2 emissions are 60g/km for the Transit Custom PHEV, and as it has a petrol engine, it still attracts the standard £260 light goods vehicle VED charge. The Tourneo Custom and Kombi PHEVs emit 70g/km, but are not classed as commercials, so they incur the £25 passenger car rate in the first year.

Why does my fleet need one?

Expensive it may be, but the quiet and calm driving experience the Ford Transit Custom PHEV gives is preferable to any diesel. Arriving at a crucial time to take advantage of low and ultra-low emission zones, Ford believes its PHEV solution is the right one due to payload compromise and battery size. An all-electric Transit is under development, but it won’t arrive until 2021 at the earliest.

Perhaps not the ultimate electrified commercial, the Transit Custom PHEV’s long range makes eminently more usable than all-electric alternatives. As the current market stands, it’s an impressively capable answer to the low emission van question. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.ford.co.uk

The latest Transits have new FordPass Connect on-board modem technology which allows operators to maximise efficiency through brace of new apps.

For small businesses, the FordPass Pro smartphone app enables management of up to five vehicles.

Operators can check the health, location and status of each vehicle, while an alarm notification advises of any ill-wanted activity.

The Ford Commercial Solutions telematics suite, is for larger operators and can be tailored to a customer’s needs or data exported to third party software. Fuel and emissions reporting will come later and will be used to decarbonise and ‘green’ fleets.

Ford’s useful new geofencing capability will be introduced in spring 2020 (with a retro-fit option). It automatically switches PHEV commercials to zero-emission ‘EV Now’ mode when entering a low-emission zone or a defined user-generated area to avoid penalties and ensure compliance with the latest regulations.

Ford Transit Custom Limited PHEV NET PAYLOAD:

1,110kg

LOAD VOLUME:

6m3

ENGINE: 92.9kW / 124bhp AC synchronous electric motor with 999cc three-cylinder EcoBoost petrol engine and AC synchronous generator / 13.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack CO2*:

60g/km

MPG (combined)*: RANGE*: VED:

104.6

35 miles (all-electric) / 310 miles (overall) £260

PRICE (ex VAT, ex PiVG): £42,950 (including VAT and government PiCG) *NEDC correlated Supported by

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