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Road Test: Ford Kuga ST-Line
Can Ford’s sportiest SUV stop drivers migrating to the premium brands? Alex Grant finds out.
Audi names Abraham Schot as interim CEO
Audi has confirmed the appointment of Abraham Schot as interim CEO with immediate effect.
Global warning: How multinational fleets can drive road safety
Companies running global fleets, or expecting staff to drive abroad on business, need to have driver training programmes in place to safeguard employees, be socially responsible
A clear vision on mobility: the challenges facing our cities
A recent report by Arthur D. Little found cities still need to work intensively on improvements to their mobility systems. Francois-Joseph Van Audenhove, partner at the firm,
Magna and BJEV to build EVs in China
Auto supplier Magna is teaming up with Beijing Electric Vehicle Co (BJEV) – a subsidiary of China’s BAIC – to design and build electric vehicles
Double-digit drop for German true fleet market
Germany’s true fleet channel was hit by a 12.0% decline in May on the back of a decrease in the number of working days and
Country focus: Italy
Thomas Andresen, Autorola Italy’s country manager, says growing new car sales give a false picture of the country’s automotive industry.
Country focus: USA
Dick Dennis, Autorola USA’s country manager, shares his thoughts on how the American markets for new and used car and light trucks are faring under
UPS to buy extra 950 electric vans from Workhorse
Parcel delivery giant UPS has placed a further order for 950 electric vans from US truck manufacturer Workhorse.
JLR launches unlimited-mileage car subscription service
Jaguar Land Rover’s InMotion Ventures mobility services arm has launched a new all-inclusive car subscription service targeted at high-mileage drivers.
Road Test: Kia Stinger GT
Kia’s 370hp flagship is a turning point beyond its modest sales expectations, says Alex Grant.
Renault to invest more than €1bn in France for EVs
France is to become a centre of excellence for Renault’s electric vehicles with an investment of more than €1bn in development and production.
Mazda doubts near-future CO2 benefits from EVs
Mazda sees electric vehicles offering less near-future potential for cutting CO2 emissions than improvements to combustion engines, owing to the way the energy is generated.
EU road safety coalition commits to work towards zero traffic fatalities
A coalition of major players in the European car and automotive industry has signed a road safety pledge to contribute to achieving zero traffic fatalities
VW agrees to pay €1bn fine from German prosecutors
Volkswagen has been fined €1bn for emissions cheating by German prosecutors.
Opel/Vauxhall to develop next-gen four-cylinder petrols for PSA
PSA is to draw upon Opel/Vauxhall’s expertise in engine development for its next-generation of petrol engines.
Spanish true fleet sector records double-digit growth
The true fleet market in Spain continued to see strong growth in May, recording another month of double-digit growth, at 16.1%.
Sophus3 signs deals with VW and Porsche
Automotive digital data specialist Sophus3 has won new global accounts with Volkswagen’s and Porsche’s corporate headquarters in Wolfsburg and Stuttgart respectively.
Toyota’s Yuko carsharing club expands to Italy
Toyota has expanded its Yuko carsharing club into Venice, Italy.
Daimler urged to start Mercedes recalls
Daimler is being urged to push ahead with a recall on some Mercedes models in Europe following allegations of ‘defeat devices’.
Incentivised carpooling to benefit large fleets in Germany
Toyota Financial Services has partnered with carpooling technology company Faxi to help reduce single-occupancy journeys in Hamburg.
UK true fleet market scores second month of growth
The UK’s true fleet sector was up for the second month running in May, while alternatively fuelled vehicles put in a strong performance.
Ford explores future for self-driving food deliveries
Ford is looking at how self-driving food deliveries might work with the help of a pilot project in Miami.
Masternaut restructure puts the focus on real-time data
Telematics and fleet management company, Masternaut, is re-shaping its operations to focus on software rather than hardware, aimed at helping businesses and Governments better utilise
Third-gen Sprinter gets wide-ranging telematics options
Fleets buying the new Sprinter can opt for a range of connected solutions to streamline their operations.
AlphaCity expands into multi-make vehicles and LCVs
Alphabet’s AlphaCity corporate car-sharing scheme has been expanded to cover multi-make vehicles as well as LCVs for the first time.
Land Rover moves Discovery production to Slovakia
Land Rover is moving production of the Discovery to its new factory in Slovakia, ending almost 30 years of production of the SUV in Solihull.
FCA partners with LeasePlan
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has teamed up with LeasePlan as it drives its services to fleets, including SMEs, within its European dealer network.
Company Car and Van Tax 2018-19 guide published for UK
The eighth edition of the Company Car and Van Tax publication is now available, providing details on all areas of UK tax for fleets.
Germany’s second diesel ban likely to have ‘domino effect’
Germany is to get its second diesel ban by 2019 after a judge in a regional court rules that it must go ahead.
BMW to make EV charging easier than refuelling
BMW is introducing wireless, inductive charging for the 530e iPerformance model from next month.
MEPs call for EU clampdown on clocking
The EU Commission is considering calls to draft new laws to combat mileage fraud as MEPs call for a clampdown.
Kia Niro EV to offer 450km range
Kia’s forthcoming electric Niro SUV will offer a range of up to 450km when it launches in the UK next year, according to details released
Fleetworx achieves ISO 27001
Car fleet supply chain management specialist Fleetworx has achieved certification to the internationally recognised ISO 27001 standard.
Pod Point expands presence in Norway
Pod Point has been appointed as Nissan’s preferred supplier for homechargers in Norway, building on the firms’ existing partnership.
Audi On Demand now available in Japan
Audi has debuted its On Demand carsharing scheme in Japan as it also expands the offering in Hong Kong.
Traxall drives global fleet management services with new appointment
Traxall International, a major independent provider of outsourced fleet management services, has appointed Leomont Wouda as its international business development director, as well as managing
PostNL becomes first fleet in Europe to deploy Master Z.E.
PostNL, a mail, parcel and e-commerce corporation in the Netherlands, has deployed the first two Renault Master Z.E. models built in Europe as it looks
Volvo plans for 50% EV sales by 2025
Volvo has set out plans to position itself as a leading player in the global automotive business by 2025 – including generating half its annual
UK government to clamp down on emissions cheating
The UK government is introducing new regulations to crack down on emissions cheating among carmakers through punitive fines.
Second German city likely to introduce diesel ban
Aachen could become the second German city to introduce a ban on diesel vehicles, following legal action brought by two environmental groups, the final hearing
Audi Q8 brings fight to BMW X6
Audi has unveiled its Q8 coupe-cum-SUV, bringing a flagship to its Q range to rival models such as the BMW X6, Range Rover Sport and Mercedes-Benz
BMW reveals new X5 SUV
BMW’s fourth-generation X5 will launch globally from this summer as it ups the ante against rivals such as the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90.
Euro 6 diesels still not meeting Euro 5 NOx limits, says ICCT
Real-world NOx emissions from diesels are still exceeding EU levels, even for the newest, Euro 6 models.
Peugeot 508 SW drives appeal of estate car sector
Peugeot has unveiled its 508 SW estate as it puts the focus on both style and practicality for the D-segment estate car market.
Sixt expands global corporate sales team
Sixt has expanded its international sales team as it puts the focus on providing global fleets with specialised international contacts for their worldwide mobility needs.
Nico Gabriel to head up ‘Sixt X’ new mobility division
Sixt has appointed Nico Gabriel to lead its newly created ‘Sixt X’ division, which manages all new mobility projects across all Sixt Group departments.
No sign of slowdown for French true fleet sector
The French true fleet market continued to rise in April, marking its 12th consecutive month of growth.
Italian true fleet market continues to rise
Italy’s true fleet market saw double-digit growth of 16.4% in April, building on a strong first quarter.
Michelin to recycle 100% of its tyres by 2048
Michelin has set out plans to ensure all of its tyres will be made using 80% sustainable materials and to recycle 100% of its tyres
Fiat Chrysler to phase out diesel by 2021
Fiat Chrysler has become the latest carmaker to call time on diesels in Europe with plans to ditch diesels across its car line-up by 2021,
