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WLTP: what you should know and what to do about it Hot on the heels of Brexit and GDPR comes a new challenge to the fleet manager – the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) The Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) is yet another complication to factor into your fleet planning over the coming years. It may feel like there has never been more noise or uncertainty in the market place, but help is at hand. There are ways we can help you negotiate the coming of WLTP and even turn it to your advantage. But more of that later, first a quick refresher.
align emissions to individual vehicles more accurately. More specifically, it will include a wider range of driving situations (urban, suburban, main road, motorway); longer test distances and higher average and maximum speeds and drive power. It will also include more dynamic and representative accelerations and decelerations and shorter stops.
What exactly is WLTP? WLTP is the new vehicle testing cycle that aims to improve the accuracy of vehicle emissions and fuel consumption figures provided by manufacturers. It replaces the outgoing NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) which has been in force since the nineties and no longer accurately reflects modern vehicle emissions or driving. So far, so simple. But what precisely are the differences between the old system and the new? Firstly, the testing time increases to 30 minutes with four driving phases instead of two. Speed, gear changes and distance travelled are all increased, whilst CO2 figures are tested at lower temperatures to give a more realistic picture of a vehicle’s emissions cycle. Secondly, the new WLTP testing will replicate real world driving and
What does WLTP mean for you? The main thing to bear in mind is that, under the new procedures, vehicles will receive new CO2 figures that may alter their vehicle taxation. Initial testing shows that CO2 and MPG impacts vary, with some car models having a lower CO2 under WLTP and some seeing CO2 and MPG increases. You should start to factor in the new figures when formulating your policy and vehicle choice lists, with some vehicles needing to be removed, and previously out of scope alternatives becoming potential options in the future. You may also find there are times when vehicle ranges and individual engines are temporarily unavailable to order while production is suspended to allow new WLTP testing to be completed. What’s happening when? Changes are already underway. Manufacturers are now testing their model ranges and
will complete this by September 2018. Some have already changed to the new testing regime and published the impact on their model ranges, others are yet to complete or publish their figures. The result of this is more confusion in the market place and a situation where fleet managers may struggle to make like for like comparisons from model to model. In an effort to limit this pain, all passenger cars, will have CO2 values derived from WLTP and NEDC 2 (sometimes referred to as NEDC correlated) from 1st September 2018. NEDC2 is calculated by taking the WLTP test result and applying an adjustment factor which realigns the CO2 to an NEDC equivalent value, with WLTP figures provided for MPG. For LCVs, the implementation of WLTP runs one year later. WLTP testing will be in place for all new vehicles on 1st September 2019. We’re here to help For the fleet manager already dealing with a mountain of new legislation and regulation, WLTP might seem like one headache too many. In fact many fleet managers are electing to weather out the storm and wait for the dust to settle. But why run the risk of increasing your overheads and watching your fleet age. What you need is a fleet partner with the experience and know-how to assess the impact and sort through the detail. At times of change, having the right leasing partner is more important than ever. Leasing offers real advantages to your business because you will be trading in vehicles every couple of years and can therefore benefit from the latest and most efficient technology without worrying about changing environmental restraints. As part of the Daimler family Daimler Fleet Management has close connections to manufacturer innovations, and with the recent acquisition of Athlon across Europe we can offer you a wealth of knowledge and experience. DFM can help you undertake a review of your current fleet and highlight how WLTP will impact you. Through Whole Life Costs analysis, we can help you put a plan in place that will maximise performance and cost‑efficiency, selecting vehicles fit for purpose and future proofed. L FURTHER INFORMATION Visit daimlersixty.co.uk/WLTP or request a visit from us for more on WLTP Email: dfm-uk@daimler.com Tel: 01908 697442
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