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Peugeot UK’s fleet director Martin Gurney says business fleets can balance cost, tax and air quality considerations by ensuring drivers choose the right engine and fuel-type for their needs.
ince the advent of CO₂ based benefit-in- kind taxation more than a decade ago,
cars fuelled with diesel have generally been the default choice for most fleets. With lower CO₂ emissions being the target of governments both in the UK and abroad, it’s not really surprising the result has been that manufacturers have pushed ever harder to optimise efficiency. In fact, back in 2002, the average CO₂ emissions of all diesel cars sold in Britain was 164g/km. Today, it is 129g/km, and for Peugeot, which leads the rest, it’s 111.1g/km.
The system has clearly worked in achieving the goal set for it, but now there is a new
issue which may see a shift in the market. In major cities, in which
public sector fleets operate thousands of cars, many councils and authorities are looking at air quality as at least an equal priority as CO₂ emissions.
The latest Euro 6 diesel engines, such as those found on Peugeot models, are extremely clean with emissions of particulates and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) - which have an impact on air quality – cut by up to 55%, bringing them into line with efficient Euro 4 petrol engines. However, diesel engines are designed for high mileage work, with particulate filters working best when operating at an optimum temperature.
If you have drivers working in cities, perhaps doing numerous short journeys which isn’t the ideal environment to allow the particulate filters to get up to that ideal working
68 | public sector executive Oct/Nov 14
temperature, how do you balance the needs of them paying low BiK tax against urban air quality? The answer is to ensure your fleet has a balanced portfolio that includes the latest generation of petrol engines.
Peugeot has also been at the forefront of a revolution in petrol technology in the last couple of years with its range of PureTech three-cylinder engines, which are delivering significantly lower emissions, meaning drivers not only get low CO₂ but lower BiK (benefit-in-kind) bills too, while for fleets the cars are ideal for urban travel.
Earlier in 2014, the 110hp and 130hp turbocharged engines were added to the PureTech
family of next- generation three-cylinder petrol engines. As an example, a version of the Car of the Year, the new Peugeot 308 1.2-litre PureTech 130 Stop & Start, achieves fuel consumption of 57.6mpg and 114g/km of CO2 , with an improvement of 45g/km over the
previous 1.6-litre VTi 120 model, due mostly to its small, lightweight turbocharged three cylinder engine. It should also be remembered that this is a modern, five-seater family car, yet can still achieve class-leading performance, drivability with impressive operational economy.
The result is that this year for an employee paying benefit-in-kind, their monthly tax bill is almost identical, at just over £42 a month for a lower rate taxpayer, as a driver choosing
the equivalent diesel model, the 308 BlueHDi 120 Active with emissions of only 82g/km and 91.1mpg.
This 1.6-litre BlueHDi 120 engine, coupled to a manual six-speed gearbox, helped the new Peugeot 308 and 308 SW set new segment records for fuel consumption earlier this year. This engine is being launched progressively into more vehicles, including the 208, 2008, 3008 and 5008.
The story is similar on the Peugeot 208. The 208 Active 1.2 e-VTi 82 Start & Stop model has emissions of just 95g/km and a Combined Drive Cycle economy of 68.9mpg. On the Urban Drive Cycle, that figure improves to 72.9mpg, and alongside the diesel version, the 1.4 e-HDi Active 70 Stop and Start EGC with emissions of 87g/km fleets can get the best of both worlds, thanks to the latest PureTech and BlueHDi engines.
Across the board, the introduction of new PureTech and BlueHDI engines are ensuring Peugeot is at the forefront of lowering emissions and has reduced the average weighted CO2 emissions of Peugeot’s range to just 111.1g/km*, making the vehicle brand Europe’s cleanest and continues to place PSA Peugeot Citroën at the top of the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) ranking.
So, for those doing higher mileages the BlueHDi range will be the better option as fuel bills will be lower, but for those in urban situations, the brilliant new PureTech petrol engines also deliver, showing that Peugeot’s class-leading range of engines allow public sector fleets to balance the needs of delivering better air quality, social responsibility and make financial good sense.
*Measured at the end of June 2014
Martin Gurney
FOR MORE INFORMATION W:
www.peugeot.co.uk
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