Motoring
40 | AUGUST 2018
Motoring
Read online at www . proinstaller . co . uk
ECONOMICAL MERCEDES-BENZ ATEGO IS A CLEAR WINNER FOR DIRECT TRADE
Leading window , door and conservatory fabricator Direct Trade treated itself to a special 20th birthday present in the shape of 15 fuel-efficient Mercedes-Benz trucks .
The Doncaster-based manufacturer acquired its new Atego rigids from the local branch of Northside Truck & Van , the reigning Mercedes-Benz Trucks Dealer of the Year .
The subject of a flexible , low-cost Agility funding agreement with Mercedes-Benz Financial Services , the line-up comprises six 12-tonners with L-cab ClassicSpace sleepers , and nine 7.5-tonners which have been specified with a combination of S-cab day and L-cab sleeper ClassicSpace cabs .
They are Direct Trade ’ s first Mercedes- Benz trucks , although the company is a long-standing operator of Sprinter vans which also wear three-pointed stars and are serviced by Northside .
The operator stood down 15 vehicles to make way for its new Mercedes-Benz trucks . The 12-tonners are 1223 models with 5.1-litre six-cylinder engines , which transmit their 170 kW ( 231 hp ) outputs via smooth Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated transmissions . The 7.5-tonne Atego 816s employ a
115 kW ( 156 hp ) version of the same powerplant , paired with the same gearbox .
Fitted with either box or curtainside bodies , by Alloy Bodies , of Manchester , the Atego are now delivering Direct Trade ’ s market-leading products to its customers ’ factories and building sites nationwide .
www . directradeltd . co . uk
ROAD TO ZERO STRATEGY
The government has confirmed its ambition to see at least half of new cars to be ultra-low emission by 2030 as part of plans to make the UK the best place in the world to build and own an electric vehicle .
The proposals are outlined in the Road to Zero Strategy , which sets out plans to enable a massive expansion of green infrastructure across the country , reduce emissions from the vehicles already on the UK ’ s roads , and drive the uptake of zero emission cars , vans and trucks .
Together , the measures will put the UK at the forefront of a global revolution in motoring and help to deliver cleaner air , a better environment and a strong clean economy .
The Road to Zero Strategy will help the government to achieve key elements of its modern Industrial Strategy — leading the industries of the future and building the UK ’ s competitiveness in the face of major global economic trends . And the government will further look to prepare for and capitalise on the opportunities which will arise from the profound changes in how people , goods and services move around the country through its ‘ Future of mobility grand challenge ’.
As set out in the government ’ s Air quality plan , the UK will end the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040 . The Road to Zero Strategy will build on this commitment and outlines how government will work with industry to support achieving this .
The government ‘ s mission , as part of the modern Industrial Strategy , is to put the UK at the forefront of an industry that is estimated to be worth up to £ 7.6 trillion per year by 2050 . The Road to Zero Strategy is technology neutral and does not speculate on which technologies might help to deliver the government ’ s 2040 mission .
adVANced technology sets the new Sprinter apart
The highly advanced technology on the connected new Sprinter has impressed judges so much that it has been crowned Van of the Year at the Auto Express Awards 2018 .
The Sprinter ’ s ground-breaking on-board technology , including MBUX multimedia system ( which is only the second Mercedes- Benz vehicle to benefit from this ) and Mercedes PRO connect , enable simpler fleet control with a new level of vehicle management , and received high praise from the Auto Express team .
Like previous generations of the multi-award-winning Mercedes-Benz workhorse , the next Sprinter – which is priced from £ 24,350 * excl . VAT – raises the bar in the large van segment . Since its launch in 1995 , the Sprinter has defined and re-defined a whole segment numerous time . It has notched a succession of technological ‘ firsts ’ including the ESP stability system , Crosswind Assist , the Euro VI emissions standard , COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST , Blind Spot Assist and Lane Keeping Assist , and collected more than 80 industry awards .
www . mbvans . co . uk
LPG a key component of Government ’ s Road to Zero strategy
Liquefied Petroleum Gas ( LPG ) will play a key role in helping the UK avert its air quality crisis and achieve a zero-emission transport future according to the Government ’ s latest Road to Zero Strategy . Developed over 18 months , the DfT ’ s Transport Energy Model sets out the relative environmental performance of different fuels and technologies which will underpin future policies . |
With 40,000 deaths in the UK annually attributed to air pollution , the Government is working towards a target where almost every car and van is zero emissions by 2050 . The latest report outlines the roadmap to achieve this including measures such as the introduction of Clean Air Zones in several UK cities and towns .
The favourable environmental performance of LPG compared with petrol and diesel has been recognised
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for many years which has been reflected by lower levels of taxation making it more attractive to users . LPG vehicles emit less NOx , CO2 and particulates than both petrol and diesel models and the new report even uncovers LPG ’ s favourability over full petrol hybrids .
Given the strong environmental credentials of LPG , the report states that “ LPG ’ s environmental performance relative to diesel makes it a good current alternative to diesel ,
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particularly for vehicles being used in urban driving conditions ”.
While there are currently no opportunities for van or car buyers to buy an LPG model directly from vehicle
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manufacturers in the UK , the report does support the retrofitting of LPG systems , especially for vans and taxis . As well as outlining the potential for NOx reductions , the report states that “ retrofitting vehicles with pollution-reducing technology can offer a relatively low-cost alternative to purchasing new low emissions vehicles ”, giving drivers another reason to switch to LPG .
www . autogaslimited . co . uk
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