Corporate social responsibility and cash considerations in both tax and fuel cost lead back to one thing – green performance. For the sixth year, BusinessCar looks at the top 20 fleet manufacturers to assess their all-round eco performance. Paul Barker reports on the findings.
The environmental performance of a company’s vehicle fleet can be crucial to its finances, green credibility and reputation. Increasing numbers of organisations, especially those in the public sector or tendering to it, have to prove they are working to become greener. Meanwhile, a raft of taxation issues including driver benefit-in-kind and company National Insurance are dependent on CO2 performance, and greener cars are intrinsically linked to those providing the best fuel economy.
For 2013 we’ve made one change to our annual investigation, adding the average CO2 per bhp figure, courtesy of the www.cleangreencars.co.uk website, as it shows which manufacturers are achieving better emissions by increasing efficiency rather than simply fitting smaller engines. The same site also provides the local air pollution rating by looking at where the manufacturers compare and rank across NOx, particulates, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, all elements that influence local air quality and cause respiratory problems, especially in urban settings.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has provided BusinessCar with data on the sales-weighted average emissions of cars registered as fleet in 2012 and 2011, allowing us to grade the average emissions of each manufacturer in the fleet sector last year, and how that has dropped, or in one case actually risen, year-on-year. We’ve also scored the top 20 fleet brands on how far they have exceeded their EU emissions target. Each brand had an individual target to achieve by the end of 2012, based on the mass of their vehicles, and although the EU figures are only available for 2011 at this stage, only one of the top 20 has yet to achieve it, so we’ve star-ranked according to how far below their target they have managed to reach. These targets tighten again every year until an average of 130g/km is ordered for all brands by 2015, dropping to 95g/km in 2020.
BusinessCar’s own CO2 calculator (www.businesscar.co.uk/tools) provides the information for two categories – those of the number of vehicles on each manufacturer’s price list below 120g/km and 95g/km. We’ve tightened the boundaries to these points from last year because 120g/km is now a feasible point to set a blanket emissions limit for many fleets, given the breadth and quality of vehicles on offer there now, while sub-95g/km is the boundary at which drivers are eligible for the lowest benefit-in-kind taxation band. The same CO2 tool also provided the information on the lowest conventionally powered vehicle in each manufacturer’s line-up.
That excludes vehicles that require plugging into the electrical supply, but includes regular petrol or diesel hybrids.
The final two categories are decided by BusinessCar’s own expertise and knowledge, grading each manufacturer against each other on the range and quality of their current environmental efforts, and on their future plans, looking at what will be brought to market in the next two years.
These 10 categories create a final score out of 50, which we then double to form a handy percentage guide to how BusinessCar ranks the top 20 manufacturers across a broad range of green influences.
In the minefield of choosing suitable fleet vehicles, we hope this helps inform your choice.
1. Toyota 82%
Furthest below EU emissions target
After being knocked off top spot in this survey last year, Toyota has regained the position of being rated BusinessCar’s greenest brand. Excellent average emissions, being nearly 20% below its EU target emission and having an excellent variety of low-emission models thanks largely to the implementation of hybrid technology, all helped the Japanese firm back to the number one position. The nearest it gets to a weakness is the middling local air pollution score, while recent large strides in bringing new low-emission models won’t be maintained to the same level over the next couple of years.
2. Volvo 80%
A few years back Volvo suffered in this sort of analysis, but the transformation into a leading low-emission brand is commendable. Impressive breadth of range below both 95g/km and 120g/km offers plenty of choice, while the firm also excels with air pollution. Its only major weakness is average emissions, which we’d expect to see fall rapidly again next year.
3. Peugeot 78%
The French brands have all performed well in this survey, but Peugeot takes national pride due to strong performances on average emissions. Only a low local air pollution score due to its diesel predominance and a low power-for-the-emissions score stopped Peugeot threatening to repeat its table-topping performance of last year.
4.= Renault 70%
Biggest CO2 drop in 2012
A big climber this year, thanks in part to the company’s 2012 average fleet emissions reduction of 8.0% being the best of the UK’s top 20 business car manufacturers, while the great range of models below 95g/km and the new Clio’s excellent emissions figures both scored well. There’s not so much in the pipeline to extend this by the looks of it though, while local air pollution and average CO2 for the horsepower also prevented Renault finishing higher still in the table.
4.= Volkswagen 70%
A good performance from VW, but it was the only brand bar Mini not to reduce average fleet emissions last year, while the current paucity of sub-95g/km alternatives, given the huge variety below 120g/km, didn’t help VW’s quest for a top-three spot.
6.= Audi 62%
Like all the premium brands, Audi scores well on power for the emissions, but struggles because it has nothing below 95g/km, with both the A1 and A3 on 99g/km. Overall emissions fell strongly last year and Audi is the joint-top premium brand here with BMW.
6.= BMW 62%
Highest CO2 per bhp
The long-time low-emission champion thanks to its Efficient Dynamics technology, BMW struggled in this survey as it doesn’t yet have any models below 95g/km, and only has one that breaks 100g/km. New i3 electric and plug-in models are this year’s exciting news.
6.= Citroen 62%
Citroen offers a variety of low-emission models, from electric to diesel hybrid and diesel, and is well under its EU emissions target. It does though struggle in terms of CO2 versus power. The 88g/km DS5 Hybrid4 model is particularly impressive.
6.= Ford 62%
Ford is another brand, like BMW and Audi, that is on the verge of launching into the electric and plug-in arena. For now, an 87g/km Fiesta and an 88g/km Focus are the highlights, while there’s a vast range below 120g/km. Local air pollution is the weak point.
6.= Vauxhall 62%
Vauxhall’s scores are mainly high or low, with a good number of models below 95g/km and a huge amount under 120g/km, but the firm’s average emissions for fleet cars last year were high. Local air pollution and lack of near-future progress harmed the overall result.
11. Seat 60%
A reasonable result from the VW-owned brand, with the high points being its average fleet CO2 figure, healthy margin below its EU target and good result for local air pollution. The flip side is a current range that lacks class-best emissions and little sign of progress upcoming.
12.= Fiat 56%
Lowerst average fleet CO2
The Italian brand returns to our survey as a result of replacing Mazda in the top 20 fleet registrations table for 2012, and its small car-orientated range helps the number of models under 95g/km and fleet emissions last year. Horsepower against CO2 is more of a struggle.
12.= Mercedes 56%
The biggest climber, thanks in part to our new focus on CO2 versus power that gives help to carmakers selling larger cars. The 7.7% reduction in emissions last year had a huge impact. The new A-class should also help bring emissions down further.
14. Skoda 52%
Skoda’s results didn’t show any major high points, but were generally consistent around the middle of the top 20. Getting the large Superb model down to 109g/km later this year is an achievement, but more choice below 95g/km would be useful.
15. Honda 50%
The new 94g/km Civic is a sign that Honda is making inroads after previously struggling to make emissions a priority. Its hybrid models are less sophisticated and not as clean as Toyota’s, and apart from the Civic, the diesel engines are off the pace for efficiency.
16. Kia 46%
Like parent brand Hyundai, Kia is making massive strides with the quality of the product and in terms of UK fleet sales, although the emissions are still a little behind. At least for Kia they plunged last year, while the 85g/km Rio is a bright point in the range.
17.= Hyundai. 42%
The Korean brands are improving fast, but reduced emissions and use of alternative fuels is lagging compared to quality of product. The lowest-emission i20 at 84g/km is impressive, but there’s little else that threatens the class best for emissions.
17.= Mini 42%
Best for local air pollution
Mini’s position as a brand offering appealing small cars is beyond doubt, but disappointingly there’s still no model below 99g/km, while average emissions for fleet registrations rose last year thanks to the Countryman, the firm’s new largest and most fleet-orientated model.
19. Land Rover 38%
Land Rover made big strides in terms of emissions reduction last year, with the figures dropping by 7.0% mainly due to the launch of the new small Evoque. CO2 for the power is also impressive, but the line-up of large 4x4s can’t compete with more fleet-focused brands.
20. Nissan 34%
At present something of a one-trick brand from a green perspective, Nissan doesn’t capitalise on the eco reputation it has cultivated with its electric Leaf. There’s little else competitive in the range from an environmental viewpoint if an electric car doesn’t meet a driver’s needs.
Conclusion
Toyota returns to the top of our eco-brand table, having been pushed off last year by Peugeot. The Japanese brand also topped the chart the first four times we ran this article, so last year’s drop to fourth place has the appearance of a temporary blip rather than a trend.
Peugeot also drops behind Volvo, which has steadily improved year-on-year to now sit second, while Renault and Volkswagen were a little further back and tied for fourth, with a gap above and below them.
Five manufacturers were unsplittable to round out the top 10, with Seat just a point behind, while Fiat slots back into the middle of the table, having been once more included in this survey by returning to the fleet top 20 by registration at the expense of Mazda.
Mercedes made strong progress, climbing six places on last year thanks to big improvements in its emissions, although it’s still behind Audi and BMW.
At the bottom, Nissan’s pioneering Leaf electric car couldn’t make up for the lack of particularly competitive low-emission activity in the rest of the range, while Land Rover’s regular struggles as a result of being a manufacturer of large off-road vehicles meant it languished near the bottom once more.
