JSPR - Press Office: Vision 2015 White Paper







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Leasedrive VELO

Leasedrive Velo ‘fleet management vision in 2015’ white paper
14 January 2010

Leasedrive Velo, one of the UK’s largest independent privately-owned vehicle management groups, has produced a white paper entitled ‘A vision of fleet management in 2015. Predictions on how the fleet industry could look in the future.’

Commercial director, Roddy Graham said: “Forecasting what will happen in a year’s time in our industry is difficult enough, trying to forecast what will happen in five years time is tougher still. However, organisations can only improve their own performance if they are prepared to anticipate developments in order to be best positioned to meet future market requirements. That applies equally to the fleet industry as it does to the vehicle manufacturers themselves.”

The 21-page white paper looks at the fleet management industry, the major issues it faces; potential new products and services, the impact of climate change, future CO2 emissions-based taxation levels, future vehicles, future vehicle technology, and the overall future outlook.

Headline predictions include:

We anticipate that whole-life costs, while always important, will no longer be the dominant issue in five years time. See below what we believe will be the number one issue.
With every car manufacturer required to achieve average CO2 fleet emissions of 130g/km or less by 2015, we expect the environmental impact of company car fleets to top the boardroom agenda in five years time. And given that the UK government is committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 30 per cent by 2020, this will only give greater impetus to the green crusade.
By 2015, we could envisage the ultimate contract hire scheme, probably negotiated with a single manufacturer by the leasing provider, being a lifestyle scheme where the company car driver has the opportunity to swap his or her designated lease vehicle with another to meet specific ad hoc requirements.
By 2015, we may see the advent of more flexible contracts starting at 18 months and offering an opt-out option on a rising monthly basis up to 48 months. Ultimately, however, contract hire lengths will be determined by a combination of whole life costs, environmental considerations and legislation.
With currently only six different types of hybrid car on sale and the promise of six more becoming available in 2010 in the UK, in the interim, hybrids will continue to occupy a niche sector of the market and may not even make the anticipated breakthrough given the tremendous strides being made by vehicle manufacturers in extracting even greater efficiencies out of the internal combustion engine.
By 2015, we expect the composition of fleets will still comprise predominantly petrol and diesel-powered vehicles emitting less than 90g/km and a ceiling of 130g/km with a growing percentage of electric and hybrid vehicles and the odd hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.
Lack of a nationwide infrastructure, lack of a decent range between recharges and high cost of batteries will all combine to make the electric car dream more of a nightmare other than for those confining their motoring to driving around urban areas. For the average salesman, it will be a non-starter.
We anticipate the next step will be the deployment of average speed cameras not only in roadworks but across selected major road networks in the form of a spider’s web.
We consider it likely that, given the British Medical Council’s strong views on unhealthy alcohol consumption and its efforts to have all alcohol advertising banned across the board, this will be the trigger to bring current drink-driving limits more into line with Continental Europe.
Perhaps as the person responsible for making the first commercial car club in the UK a reality I am biased but we remain convinced that car clubs have an important role to play in our future transport infrastructure, especially in towns and cities.

Free copies of the complete white paper are available to download at www.leasedrivevelo.com/whitepaper-vision