CLEAN AIR - What does the Government's
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What does the Government’s CLEAN AIR strategy mean for funeral fleets? The Government's clean air The charge will apply to drivers we help funeral directors to afford strategy, which was published of petrol cars that do not meet the to meet these new requirements for in January, describes reducing Euro 4 emission standards - which funeral vehicles.” pollution from nitrogen oxides generally means cars registered before 2005 - and diesel vehicles which do The Government’s strategy on road (NOx), which come mainly not meet the Euro 6 standard, which transport includes a pledge to stop all from diesel vehicles, as its most generally means anything registered sales of new conventional petrol or immediate challenge. before September 2015. diesel powered cars and vans by 2040. However, responsibility for reducing As a result, registrations of new diesel NOx emissions has been devolved In October 2021, the ULEZ will cars fell 30% last year, according to mainly to a local level. London is expand to cover all roads inside the the Society of Motor Manufacturers North Circular and South Circular. A and Traders (SMMT). leading the way, introducing an Ultra similar scheme in France now covers Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in However, the European Automobile a number of major cities, including April 2019, which will require some Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) Paris, Lyon, Marseilles, Grenoble, motorists to pay £12.50 a day to drive is confident that modern diesel Lille, Strasbourg, Toulouse and into the existing congestion charging Chambery. cars could have a key role to play in zone, on top of the current £11.50 helping achieve air quality targets charge. “As well as London, Birmingham, and reducing CO² emissions, after Southampton, Oxford, Leeds, Bath, new research that shows that many For vehicle operators running Glasgow, and more, all have low new diesel cars are already achieving specialist vehicles on longer emission zone plans that are coming the highest emissions standards. replacement cycles, which is likely into operation this year and next,” says ACEA, which represents 15 major to include some funeral directors, Steve Cousins of Brahms Electric Europe-based car, van, truck and this could have a significant financial Vehicles. “That’s why we have been bus manufacturers, now says that impact upon their business. trying to be really innovative in how differentiation should be clearly 38 | FUNERAL DIRECTOR MONTHLY
made between the fleet of old diesel The ACEA is confident that modern cars on European roads and the new models now rolling off manufacturer diesel cars could have a key role to play production lines. in helping achieve air quality targets." ACEA found that some 270 new “It would be senseless of us to press has implied that all diesel engine types of diesel cars type-approved overlook the use of diesel engine vehicles emit harmful emissions. against the latest Euro 6d-TEMP cars,” said Graham Clow, National This is not correct. Modern Euro standard, also known as RDE-1, Sales Manager for Coleman Milne. 6-complying vehicles are among the were introduced on the European “Our variant based on the new range cleanest ever. New diesel and petrol market over the past year. The ACEA of Mondeo Panther diesels will hearse and limousine sales are likely research showed that all of these yield WLTP tested Euro 6 emission to continue until 2040, and used sales diesel cars performed well below the standards in excess of any ULEZ well beyond this. NOx threshold in the real driving requirement. This engine variant uses emissions (RDE) test that will be AdBlue to reduce the NOx emissions “Fully electric vehicles are a long way mandatory from January 2020 – a to meet the stringent standard. It has off due to development constraints, stage known as RDE-2 – and were been highly publicised that diesels weight issues and pricing. A new some of the cleanest diesel models are “dirty" and, although this is hearse with an internal combustion ever produced. certainly true of the older vehicles engine, for instance, costs £100,000 on the road, most vehicles registered - to make and retail a fully electric Coleman Milne, which includes in post September 2015 are Euro 6 vehicle on the same platform would its range diesel, petrol and hybrid compliant, with newer vehicles put the price up by 25-35%. These models, is confident that there becoming ever cleaner.” additional costs, along with real world remains an important place in funeral ranges of less than 200 miles, make fleets for newer, cleaner diesel Paul Wilcox, CEO of Wilcox the diesel and petrol fleets still very vehicles. Limousines, agrees. “The national desirable and more practical.” FUNERAL DIRECTOR MONTHLY | 39
What does the Government’s CleanAir strategy mean for funeral fleets? Affordable electric funeral vehicles are key to new clean air regulations By Steven Cousins, Brahms Electric Vehicles tBrahms an extra £12.50 daily fee or for non- lengthened electric compliant vehicles. removal ambulance in production “Brahms is producing an electric removal ambulance based on a lengthened Nissan eNV200. If funeral directors wish, this can be delivered with side glass and a twin deck to function as a hearse with viewable coffin with room for two stretchers below. Or, as most funeral directors have indicated, be used as a simple low cost electric removal ambulance, with two stretchers. “Our other innovation, again to keep costs down, is the seven- seat fully electric hearse. Almost everyone who has bought our Nissan Leaf two-seat electric hearse has then bought an additional give- seat Nissan Leaf saloon. That gives enormous flexibility to bereaved “After many years of concern about Euro 6 standard is required. These people and to bearers. Funeral the environment and climate change, use the ‘AdBlue’ Urea supplement directors get an extra vehicle they 2019 is finally the year when these to reduce NOx emissions from the have an impact on businesses, and exhaust. It is these NOx emissions can use for calls, and we have funeral directors are no exception. and exhaust particulates that have developed an adaptation for the been linked to many health problems hearse to enable discrete removals in “Many cities around the UK are and premature deaths at a level of the Birmingham clean air zone. The invoking clean air rules that are 40,000 annually across the UK. cost of the two vehicles is still way legislating older diesels off the road less than a conventional five-seat and only allowing the latest diesels “Funeral directors are facing a petrol or diesel hearse – and that’s and electric vehicles to enter parts ‘carrot and stick’ approach from city our approach, we want to make of the city or face large fees or fines governments. In London there is electric vehicles really affordable as each day. Many petrol vehicles encouragement for electric vehicles, well as super cheap to operate. slip through the net - for example which are not charged to enter the in London, if a vehicle is Euro 4 Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), “We will be showing our new compliant (as are most cars post- a ‘neutral’ position of just paying electric removal ambulance at NFE 2005), then they are still able to be the congestion charge for compliant 2019 later this year, along with some used. For diesel cars and vans the diesels and petrol vehicles, and then other exciting developments.” New ‘7-seater’ electric hearse - from £65000 Multi-functional, can do calls as well as funerals Please call 01536 384261 and removals. Very long deck. Meets city clean air rules. Low purchase cost and low operating costs. Easy parking. 2+5 ElectricHearse.co.uk Photo courtesy C.P.J.Field 40 | FUNERAL DIRECTOR MONTHLY
Coleman Milne launches Norwood and Rosedale hybrids for 2019 By Graham Clow – National Sales Manager, Coleman Milne “We are fast approaching the launch uColeman Milne’s of London’s Ultra Low Emission new Norwood Zone, in April 2019. It is a given that hybrid hearse this amount of revenue will not be over looked by all the larger cities around the UK, which will follow London’s lead with the full backing of the Government. “Coleman Milne, as Europe’s largest funeral vehicle manufacturer, has been looking ahead to ensure that city- centre funeral directors are still able to operate the appropriate vehicles to fulfil the traditional roles, whilst moving with the changing times. “The new self-charging hybrid Norwood and Rosedale range utilises a 2.0 litre petrol engine, coupled to an electric motor and lightweight Euro 6 emission standards, in “In the past 12 months there lithium ion battery pack. The hybrids excess of any ULEZ requirement. has been an increasing number pull away in full electric mode and This engine variant uses AdBlue to of “straight to crematorium” or the petrol engine only kicks in when reduce the NOx emissions to meet “cremation without ceremony” required, no need to recharge at base the stringent standard. As most services which funeral directors and no limit to the distance that can NAFD members are now aware, are now offering as a more cost- be covered. These vehicles will allow we are delighted to be extending effective alternative. In response to for a silent approach into the church our Mercedes range to include a this we are nearing completion of or crematorium and are, without Euro-style hearse too, which will an appropriate vehicle that we feel doubt, the most cost-effective way be launched at the 2019 National will fulfil this requirement perfectly, to acquire a hybrid fleet. Funeral Exhibition. Alongside the a vehicle that will also meet the existing E-Class range, the Euro- growing number of occasions when “Our diesel variant based on the style hearse will be available with the a bariatric hearse is required.” new range of Mondeo Panther E220 ultra-clean Euro 6 diesel with diesels will yield WLTP tested AdBlue, or E200 petrol engine. FUNERAL DIRECTOR MONTHLY | 41
What does the Government’s CleanAir strategy mean for funeral fleets? Co-op finds requests for alternative hearses increases by 21% in three years Recent research has revealed that 1970’s Mercedes E320). Families the number of requests for unique have also requested an Only Fools hearses in the last three years has and Horses themed hearse, canal increased by a fifth. Of the 100,000 boat, milk float, steam train, tractor funerals Co-op conducts each year, and trailer and a tandem bicycle for alternative hearses are now used for funerals too. one in 100 funerals. Leading the way in these requests in November, Co-op Funeralcare were its Land Rover, Rainbow and also launched the first Poppy hearse, Austin hearses although, following transforming a Ford Cardinal with a close behind, were Rusty (a Vauxhall showering of 100 poppies to mark the uCo-op Funeralcare’s Poppy hearse Wyvern 1953) and Dolly (a classic centenary of the end of World War I. A sixth Rolls-Royce Phantom VII for AW Lymn This month, Matthew and Nigel Lymn Rose, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of family business, A. W. Lymn The Family Funeral Service, will undertake a 2100-mile round trip to collect the company's sixth Rolls-Royce Phantom V11 hearse from Italy. It is five years since the first of these vehicles was brought back from specialist coach builder Biemme and they are now a familiar sight on the roads in the Midlands, where the company’s 27 funeral homes are located. Matthew comments: “The original blueprint for the car was quite different to the Rolls-Royce Silver vehicles are so unique and we feel pAW Lymn’s with matching passenger vehicles. Mists we ran in the 1990’s and we should be able to serve these fleet of Unusually, it also owns a London 2000’s, but the investment and whilst still meeting the needs of our Rolls Royce Routemaster hearse, which has been vision have proved to be the right clients in Nottingham, Derby and Phantoms used all over the country on trade choice. These vehicles are able to Mansfield.”. hires. cope with the modern funeral whilst retaining the classic Rolls-Royce Alongside the modern hearses Matthew concludes: “We think that, style and dignity,” he continued. and its 19 matching Rolls-Royce when the sixth hearse arrives, we “Although six may sound like a large Phantom VII saloons, the company will be fully fleeted - that is unless, number, we have experienced a rise also has vintage Rolls-Royce hearses of course, something else catches in the number of trade hires as the from the 1930’s and 1960’s, all Nigel’s eye!” 42 | FUNERAL DIRECTOR MONTHLY
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