Global commercial vehicle production volumes in 2020 compared to 2019 are forecast to be down 22 percent , some 650,000 units to 2.6 million units, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the most recent analysis from IHS Markit. Individual regional forecasts are set to a downtrend, and supply chain impacts are being felt, as the consequences of the virus have shuttered … [Read more...]
Dangers lurking on empty roads
Empty roads over the last few weeks have been used as race-tracks by some drivers, police have reported. Opportunist thieves and drug running gangs have also desperately used them to quickly move about, despite the risk of being caught by routine police patrols stopping to check on Coronavirus compliant trips. Now company car and van drivers have be warned to take extra care on the roads as … [Read more...]
Lockdown legalities for fleets & users
The handing back of company car and van keys or fobs to employers in order to avoid benefit-in-kind taxation during the coronavirus lockdown needs careful management, the Association of Fleet Professionals has warned. There remained both pertinent questions for HMRC around the issue and a range of potential practical problems to resolve, explained co-chair Caroline Sandall. She said, “During … [Read more...]
Warnings to drivers of furloughed EVs
Electric vehicle drivers may need to unplug their cars and vans during the coronavirus lockdown in order to reduce the risk of battery damage, Arval UK has suggested. David Watts, consultant at the fleet management and leasing company, explained that leaving an EV permanently on charge while the vehicle was hardly being used could cause issues. He explained: “General manufacturer advice is that … [Read more...]
Fleets welcome Clean Air Zone moratorium
The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Associatio has welcomed the Government’s decision to postpone the implementation of Clean Air Zones until 2021. BVRLA Chief Executive Gerry Keaney said, “This is a very sensible decision in the current circumstances. It gives some temporary respite for businesses and individuals trying to come to terms with the current health crisis and gives the … [Read more...]
New car sales slump to lowest in generation – for some
Car sales in Britain have crashed 44% to their lowest in a generation. Despite the introduction of the new 20-plate, registrations were effectively wiped out from the middle of March onwards after the UK Government ordered the shutdown in non-essential businesses for an unspecified period. Those dealers who secured advance orders and were able to deliver cars did better than their rivals and in … [Read more...]
Penalties and problems looming for fleets
Thousands of vehicles and hundreds of fleets will struggle to meet incoming stringent emissions legislation and pay the price, a survey shows. Around 5.3% of company cars and vans being operated by customers of FleetCheck only meet the Euro 4 emissions standard or older, according to a new analysis. A further 18.2% of vehicles from the total sample of 85,792 also fall behind the latest Euro 6 … [Read more...]
LEVC give more details about VN5 van
LEVC’s new electric light commercial van will set new standards in the commercial vehicle sector and will be badged VN5. Aligned with LEVC’s overall product naming strategy, with TX for taxi, VN is chosen for van and ‘5’ to represent the volume of the cargo area, 5m3. The VN5 cargo capacity easily accommodates two Euro sized pallets with a gross payload of over 800kg. It has been built with a … [Read more...]
Home deliveries need health check
A protocol is needed to ensure that home delivery fleets do not place drivers or the public at additional risk from coronavirus, says FleetCheck. These fleets could serve an essential role in the next few months by ensuring that people who are self-isolating can easily access food and other essentials – but there is a possibility that drivers could be exposing themselves to risk as well as … [Read more...]