Gridlock Britain

Motorway travel is getting ever more expensive
Image Creds: Stock.xchng

The Daily Express has reported that the UK’s roads are some of the most gridlocked in Europe. This news will be unsurprising but worrying for fleet managers, as delays can be costly to business, both in terms of time, and petrol used.
 

Unsurprisingly London came out as the worst UK City in terms of congestion, with 34.5 per cent of main roads at a crawl during the day. Perhaps one of the more surreal comparisons afforded to the speed of London’s traffic has been the assertion, from Thisislocallondon, that the average speed of traffic in the Capital was the same as a running chicken.
 

Interestingly, the problems seen in London come despite ONS statistics that suggest 43 per cent of Londoners do not have any access to a car.

 

UK Wide Problems   

 

As well as the problems suffered by London, several other UK cities were placed in the top 20 for jams. Surprisingly Edinburgh, despite its relatively small population of less than half a million, was the second most congested UK city at number seven. Manchester took third, in tenth place overall.
 

Outside of the UK, only Brussels and Warsaw were more congested, however it should be noted that France had four cities inside the top ten, with Toulouse, Lyon, Marseille and Paris all scoring poorly.
 

This research makes worrying reading, and LeasePlan would always advise planning routes before travel to help avoid traffic hotspots. To a degree, traffic jams are an inevitable part of a business driver’s day, but efficient driving and better vehicle choice can help mitigate the increased fuel expenditure that is associated with long periods in slow-moving traffic.

£10million Fund Announced for Low-Carbon Vehicle Development

Engineering a Greener Future? (Pic: LeasePlan)

Yesterday, it was announced that a new, £10 million pound fund would be set up to fund low-emissions vehicle research and development in the UK. Supported by a grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

The project will work in partnership with three UK universities with expertise in the field. The research is designed to pursue a variety of carbon-saving approaches to motorised transport. One example of how the money is being spent can be found in the £3 million allocation to Warwick University, which is specifically aiming to improve the drive systems of electric vehicles.

It is hoped that research into areas such as this will allow for greater efficiencies in existing technology, as well as the discovery of new ways of operating as the fund’s aims progress. This move has been hailed by the Conservative Party, and Business Minister Mark Prisk, who approved the fund’s allocation said, “The £10m research grant will help ensure that the UK remains a world leader [in reduced-carbon technology].”

The UK has a long history of leading the way in scientific developments, and this research should be regarded as part of this tradition. Alongside this gesture of support shown to the UK motor industry, there was further good news for car manufacturers today. Despite long-standing and widely publicised struggles, UK car production rose by 15% in the past month, with the strength of the export market widely believed to be the driving factor. There was also a reported 10% rise in engine output from UK plants that was also welcomed by industry leaders.

Both of these pieces of news should be welcomed by fleet managers, as a strong and innovative UK car market will ensure the latest automotive developments are conveyed to domestic customers as soon as they become available.

As car manufacturers become ever more effective at increasing MPG while reducing the carbon output, it would seem that the consumer will soon have a wealth of leaner, greener vehicles to choose from.

While a wholesale move away from fossil fuel remains tantalisingly out of reach, a combination of electric vehicles and more efficient fossil fuel vehicles could provide a useful stop-gap as research into the ideal vehicular solution to the world’s oil thirst continues.

The Stuff of Electric Dreams?

Today, the BBC announced an unlikely entrant into the electric vehicle race – Rolls Royce. Famed for cars which epitomise luxury and a degree of excess, it seems an unlikely pairing. In truth, it is just that - the Phantom that was revealed at the Geneva Motor show is, for now, a one-off. While this exercise could be passed off as mere publicity, the fact that the unveiling has been keenly watched by the likes of Maybach and Bentley suggests that what we have been shown here could be a fleeting glimpse of the future.

The question remains, why not? As electric vehicles’ capacities and capabilities grow, it would appear that these top-end vehicles could one day leave fossil fuels behind. Comfort in these cars is crucial, and the traditionally constant battle against engine noise would become obsolete in an electric Phantom or Bentley. The unique levels of torque and rapid acceleration provided by an electric motor would also surely appeal to manufacturers who design these vast vehicles to shift at speeds deemed acceptable by the modern top-level buyer, who demands speed as well as luxury.
 

From Concept to Reality

The model on show is very much a concept car, and with a price tag in the region of £250,000, many would be forgiven for questioning its relevance. It is an expensive statement, but something that it can achieve is to capture the public imagination. If electric cars can be associated with all brands, including those at the top of the automotive tree, then, surely, the concept of electric vehicles as an everyday phenomenon is succeeding. Although still in its early stages, there is also some innovative technology on show with this prototype, including a wireless charging system could remove the need for roadside posts, or dangling extension leads.
 

Crucially, the reaction of Rolls Royce’s competitors should be watched with interest. While there have been positive statements from the likes of Bentley's chief executive Wolfgang Durheimer, speaking to the BBC, commented, “electrification and hybridisation were among the key technologies I introduced at Porsche and I think there is potential for these technologies in Bentleys too.” Dieter Zetsche, the chief executive of Daimler, has been less positive however, suggesting there was no demand for electric Maybachs.
 

Ultimately, it is up to the technology to prove its’ worth, and while we may not all be able to drive Rolls Royces in the future, we can potentially benefit from the change in the perception of electric vehicles that statement prototypes such as this can usher in.