You know, I really don’t like to be much of a follower… but in this case, I am. I’m following Grant in going green.
You might recall that Grant Boardman, our Client Services Director, wrote in a blog that he was going green – ditching his Land Rover Discovery Diesel for a plug-in hybrid Volvo XC90. Well, I’m going a step further. (I couldn’t follow Grant too much!) I’m going fully electric – swapping my Audi S7 for a Jaguar I-Pace.
It’s time to say goodbye to the throttle jockey joys of the fabulous Audi and turn to something greener. But that doesn’t mean I’ll be lacking for the pace.
Oh no…
The Jaguar I-Pace rockets to 60mph in 4.5 seconds; 0.1s faster than the S7 for the standing sprint. And while I’m sure I’ll never notice that 0.1sec, the difference is that in the Jaguar SUV I’ll be emitting zero emissions. A far cry from the Audi’s 220g/km of CO2.
So while I might be getting a little bit more sensible, I’m really not sacrificing any getup and go.
Then there’s the range thing. Jaguar’s official range is 292 miles. That’s probably closer to 245 in real life I suspect depending on how it’s used.
So that’s easily doable in my commute to work, which is 180 miles each week. That’s a week on a single charge. And if I’m on a longer journey, then after 200 miles it’s time for a stop anyway. The Jaguar can then be recharged at a fast-charging station – up to around 80 miles in half an hour – while I recharge myself with coffee. With the additional juice in the battery, it gives me a further 125 miles of range. So from that point of view, I’ve satisfied myself with the range aspect. So I shouldn’t get stuck in a car that’s run out of ‘fuel’.
As this is a company car, I’ll be charged benefit-in-kind tax. The company car tax on an electric car is on a bit of a roller coaster at the moment.
This year I will be charged at 13% on the company car tax scale charge; the following year 16%; but the year after it drops to 2%. It means that in 2020/21 I will be paying under £50 a month company car tax. Not bad for a car that’s over £60,000 and has sub 5.0-second mph ability.
At the moment we have no visibility on the benefit in kind tax going forward, but every indication from the Government, through its Road to Zero strategy, suggests that Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs) will be taxed less than conventional petrol and diesel engined cars.
Whatever happens, though, I will be increasing the number of Fleet Alliance staff driving ULEVs to 29%. It means that, once my Jaguar arrives, there will be an even broader range of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric cars on the Fleet Alliance company car scheme. As we offer multiple ULEV options to all company car drivers, I can only see this number growing as more staff start taking the greener company car route.
And I’m looking forward to the start of my journey into electric cars. I’ll keep you posted on how I get on…
You know, I really don’t like to be much of a follower… but in this case, I am. I’m following Grant in going green. You might recall that Grant Boardman, our Client Services Director, wrote in a blog that he was going green – ditching his Land Rover Discovery Diesel for a plug-in hybrid Volvo … Continued
If you thought driverless cars were still some way off…well have a look at this! A driverless pod that has virtual eyes that see – well – eye to eye with you! The idea, according to Jaguar Land Rover, is to help other road users ‘understand’ the car’s intent. Without a driver at the wheel. … Continued
I found this report from Arval in my daily reading this week: it said that UK fleets were ahead of the game in adopting hybrid technology. Whether hybrid or plug-in hybrid, UK fleets were at the head of a table compared with 12 other European countries. The research came from Arval’s respected Corporate Vehicle Observatory … Continued
Imagine driving your electric car into a fuel station. You avoid the petrol and diesel pumps. Obviously. And glide silently (you’re an EV don’t forget) towards the ‘electric fuel’ pump. In about the same time that it’s taken your fellow motorists at the traditional pumps to refuel you have replenished the fuel in your battery. … Continued
Geraint Thomas winning cycling’s greatest race – the Tour de France – is something to celebrate. The Welshman becomes only the third Brit to win one of the most prestigious and gruelling events out there. But there’s more yet to be celebrated. With Thomas there seems to be no swagger, no requirement to massage … Continued
Just when you thought the Government, currently derailed by Brexit, had totally given up on the fleet industry – it publishes a new document. Called the The Road to Zero, it signposts the steps towards a zero emission future for both cars and vans. But what was impressive about this document was not simply the … Continued
If the diesel engine were taking part in the current World Cup, it wouldn’t be likened to any of the players. No. It would be that round ball, in the middle, getting kicked around, picked out of the netting after another Harry Kane goal, before being leathered around once more. Diesel has been made the … Continued
What did you do for Clean Air Day? (It was June 21, 2018 by the way.) Here at Fleet Alliance we were walking or cycling to work where it was practical. Because pollution is a real problem – it affects the air around us, and is responsible for a variety of respiratory diseases. Air pollution comes from … Continued
It’s true. After years of company car driving I’m taking my first steps into greener motoring. I’m moving to a plug-in hybrid Volvo XC60. That’s the T8 Twin Engine model with the ability to run up to 28 miles on zero emission mode. Why? Well, there were twin drivers: Fleet Alliance has a big green … Continued
At Fleet Alliance we’re are aware that by keeping our team hydrated will aid them to perform at their very best throughout the workday. As a result, we decided to invest in watercoolers from AquAid. Our unique relationship with AquAid has also given our company the opportunity to help those less fortunate than ourselves, because with each … Continued