All-new Volvo V40

Volvo will be showcasing four of its vehicles at this year’s GreenFleet Scotland show in Ingleston at the Royal Highland Centre.  The event will take place on 16th September and will be the fourth year that the show has been put on.  Visitors will be able to check out and drive the latest green models.  There will be four seminar sessions on Green issues which will reflect Volvo’s philosophy as it gets ready to launch the Volvo V60 D6 AWD, the world’s first plug-in diesel hybrid.  This car will arrive in the early part of 2013 and has a low CO2 of  49g/km.

The all-new Volvo V40, with its low CO2 of just 94g/km, will be on display and visitors will have the chance to drive four models, one of which is the Volvo V40 D2 SE.  Volvo has designed many of its models with the business motorist in mind.  The S60 and V60 SE have a good BIK 2012/13 category of 16% for the Volvo S60 and 17% for the Volvo V60 and the company predicts very good residual values.

Volvo S80 SE D3 Lux wins

The Volvo S80 D3 SE Lux has won, amongst other titles, Executive Car of the Year in the Professional Driver Car of the Year awards beating the likes of  the Mercedes-Benz E220 and BMW’s 530d Gran Turismo.  It was also the overall winner in the awards.

An up-to-date sat-nav, softer seats and great rear leg-room are factors which made the Volvo S80 D3 SE Lux a winner.  It has a luxurious feel, good running costs and low CO2 emissions.  The Volvo scored high on safety too.  One of the car’s features is the City Safety system which comes into action if the driver does not respond quickly enough when the car in front stops or slows down.  In this instance, the car will brake automatically.

All-new Mazda CX-5

The all-new Mazda CX-5 has been given the “thumbs-up” by CAP, the UK’s leading vehicle information and valuation provider, with residual values for three years and 60,000 miles being set at an average 36-39 per cent of its original purchase value. The CX-5 also offers competitive whole life costs and looks set to shake up the compact-crossover SUV sector.

It features Mazda’s SKYACTIV technology and promises to reduce operating costs for fleet operators through better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. The entry-level SKYACTIV-G 2.0-litre petrol 162ps engine is just one example, as it offers you CO2 emissions at 139g/km and a combined mpg of 47.1, with a forecasted residual value (future resale value) at 39 per cent in SE-L trim.

However in the UK it is more likely that the diesel models will be the most popular with fleets and company car drivers, with class-leading emissions at just 119g/km of CO2 and combined mpg from 64.1. The car also comes with a high level of vehicle specification which includes dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity.

Peugeot 208

The eagerly awaited new Peugeot 208 will go on sale from the 28th June and will be offered in five trim levels, namely Access, Access+, Active, Allure and Feline. There will also be a new Limited Edition called “Ice Velvet” from launch as well.

The new Peugeot 208 is a much improved model on the outgoing 207 as it is smaller on the outside, yet bigger inside. The range starts from £9,995 for the 3-door VTI 68bhp Access model and eight engines are available across the range. There are five petrol variations and three new-generation 3-cylinder diesel engines and 3- and 5-door body style variants.

It is the latter powerplants that should really appeal to company car drivers as all the diesels emit under 99g/km of CO2. The even more efficient e-HDi diesel engine hits the mark from 87g/km, so is bound to be a popular choice for any company seeking a low CO2 car.

Peugeot contract hire prices for the new models should be on the site soon.

Toyota Prius+ seven-seat hybrid MPV

The Toyota Prius+ is Europe’s first full hybrid seven-seat MPV and will be available in two equipment grades of T4 and T Spirit, with on-the-road prices starting from £26,195.

Vehicle specification for the T4 includes electric windows all round, Toyota Touch touchscreen control, Bluetooth, rear-view camera, head-up display, Smart Entry and Start, panoramic roof and automatic air conditioning.

The T Spirit features 17-inch alloys, leather upholstery Toyota Touch and Go Plus with satellite navigation, voice recognition, advanced Bluetooth and on-line connectivity, plus rain-sensing wipers and JBL audio system.

The T4 model is the only sub-100g/km seven-seat model on the UK market offering 96g/km of CO2 and is available to order now, with first customer deliveries expected from the 9th of July. The T Spirit emits 101g/km CO2 and official fuel consumption figures are 68.9mpg for the T4 and 64.2mpg for the T Spirit.

The ground-breaking new model, which combines traditional people carrier practicality with ultra-efficient performance, is also the first mainstream Toyota hybrid to use a lighter and more compact lithium-ion battery pack.

The slim lithium-ion battery fits neatly within the centre console and avoids any intrusion on the space available for rear seat passengers and for load carrying. There are five separate folding rear seats provided and with all of these in place there is 200 litres of luggage space, or with the third row stowed, this figure rises to 505 litres.

Green Motion

The low CO2 car and van hire company, Green Motion has announced the introduction of their new Pay On Arrival facility for its UK rental customers. This new service will give all Green Motion’s customers the option of selecting to pay their car rental in advance through prepay or alternatively chosing to pay the majority of the hire charges at the commencement of hiring their vehicle.

For those customers who choose to pay with the new Payment On Arrival option there is a small booking fee, which is less than 10% of the total booking value which will enable them to secure their vehicle in advance.

Green Motion offers low CO2 car hire services throughout the United Kingdom including all the major airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Bristol, Luton, London City Airport, Manchester and East Midlands.

For further information on Green Motion’s new Payment On Arrival option please visit: www.greenmotion.com

Green Motion

Green Motion is a recognised daily rental provider in low CO2 emission rentals and in 2011 the company won the Energy Saving Trust Fleet Hero award. It currently operates in 18 UK locations, including Birmingham city centre and Birmingham International Airport and has just become Aston Villa Football Club’s preferred daily rental provider.

The Premier League side has a Corporate Social Responsibility and environmental commitment, so renting with Green Motion will ensure a significant improvement in the carbon footprint of both the Club and their fans, both of whom will benefit from special daily rental rates.

Paolo Lo Monaco, Group CEO and Green Motion, said.”This is a fantastic opportunity for both Green Motion and Aston Villa. In fact, on top of the immediate rental opportunities, this relationship will offer the Green Motion brand major exposure into the Birmingham market thanks to the significant retail and corporate connections of the Aston Villa network.”

Renault Kangoo Van Z.E.

The news that the Government is to introduce an £8,000 plug-in grant for electric vans is a good reason for fleet operators to visit this year’s EV & Low CO2 Fleet Show at Silverstone, on April the 18th. There will be a complete line-up of electric vans available for driving around the racing circuit and on the open roads around Silverstone, with experts on hand to answer any of your questions.

Visitors to the Show, which is being sponsored by the Energy Saving Trust, will be able to listen to a presentation from construction specialists, Willmott Dixon Group, on their progress in “de-carbonising” their business. They have adopted a wide range of low-emission strategies for their light commercial fleets and will be sharing their experiences.

The commercial vehicles available for test driving will include the new Edison and Newton models from Smith Electric Vehicles, plus Renault’s 100% electric Kangoo Van Z.E.. Renault claims the Kangoo Van Z.E. can be more economical to run than a diesel powered van, when the plug-in van grant is taken into account.

The EV & Low CO2 Fleet Show is being organised in association with the British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association, (BVRLA) the trade association of the UK’s leasing and rental industries.

For more details please phone 01727 739160 or see http://evfleetshow.co.uk/

Octavia Green E Line

SKODA has just started road testing the new Octavia Green E Line, their first pure electric vehicle, and is working closely with the Volkswagen Group to gain practical experience with electric propulsion.

The Octavia Green E Line test fleet is based on the Octavia Combi as the chassis from the Combi is ideal for holding the battery, electronic controllers and electric motor. The Octavia Green E line is ideal for inner-city driving and will reach 0-62mph in 12 seconds and onto a top speed of just under 84mph.

The battery pack is situated under the middle and rear floor panel and in part of the boot so is well hidden, allowing the car to seat five adults, plus it has a range of around 93 miles. It takes around 8 hours to fully charge at 230V (single-phase AC) and 2 hours at 400 V (three-phase AC).

In addition to developing its first electric vehicle, SKODA is also continue to bring cars to the market that offer fuel-efficient economical engines with low CO2 emissions. The brand has seven models that manage an average CO2 of less than 100g/km and a total of 63 models that emit less than 130g/km.

If you are interested in finding some of the lowest CO2 cars on the market today, have a go on our Vehicle Type shopper. Just select the type of car (or van) you are looking for and set the range of CO2. You can also see the latest business contract hire (or personal) prices too.

The Freight Transport Association has warned commercial vehicle operators to keep their older vans out of London as the new Low Emission Zone comes into effect on the 3rd January 2012. This will apply to Y-registration and some 51 plate vans, as well as even older vans.

If you run a fleet of vans (or just one) and want to understand the new charges being applied, then the FTA has produced an LEZ compliance guide which is available for FTA members to download at www.fta.co.uk/lez

If you are unsure if your van is compliant or not you can also check this by entering your vehicle registration mark at the Transport For London website. This will also affect minibuses and motor caravans as well.

Natalie Chapman, FTA’s Head of Policy for London, said,”The penalties are such that non-compliance is simply not an option. Research by the FTA shows that fortunately, most large HGV fleet operators will be fully compliant with, or prepared for, the move up from Euro 3 to Euro 4 standard engines. However, for tradespeople operating vans over ten years old the LEZ will be an entirely new consideration and, therefore, preparedness will be far lower. This is where our immediate concern lies”.

If you are a small business running an older van and you need to get a new van quickly then we have the full range of commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes on van contract hire available now. The LEZ requirements mean that vans will have to meet Euro 3 standards if you want to avoid a fine of £500, or face a daily charge of £100 to operate in and out of London.