BREXIT BREAKDOWN
The ongoing Brexit dilemma may
have had a flow on effect for British
Fleets in the event of a “no deal”
outcome. While the decision has
again been delayed the result could
mean a block on interim customs
or free trade agreement between
the UK and the EU, triggering
World Trade Organisation tariffs and
lengthy delays at customs for all
goods crossing the border between
both entities.
The Association of Car Fleet
Operators (ACFO), has tried hard to
avoid getting involved in speculation
about the consequences of a no
deal Brexit.
John Pryor, ACFO chairman, said,
“We’ve never been in a situation
quite like this before. My gut feeling
is that it [the withdrawal agreement]
will not really matter. Cars will still
come and we will still have fuel.”
“If there are delays in the supply
of vehicles or parts for service and
repair, fleets will just have to cope,”
he added.
The more significant early
complication, said Pryor, could
involve UK employees hiring cars
within the EU, if the two sides fail to
reach an agreement on accepting
driving licences.
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ISSUE 16 2019 / WWW.AFMA.NET.AU
CONFERENCE
COLLABORATION
SKODA SENSATION
Now in its seventh year, the Global
Fleet Conference is set to bring
together managers of the world’s
largest multinational commercial fleets
on June 4-6. Skoda plans to build three electric cars
based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB
platform in the Czech Republic within
the next four years, including a small,
affordable model.
The publishers of Automotive Fleet,
Work Truck, Fleet Europe and Global
Fleet have joined forces to bring
Global Fleet Conference. Alternating
locations between Europe and the
U.S. each year, over 300 participants
from all over the world attend Global
Fleet Conference to examine the latest
thinking in global fleet management. Skoda’s flagship MEB electric car will be
based on the Vision IV coupe crossover
concept revealed at the Geneva auto
show earlier this month.
The all-new Deep Dive features
subject-specific sessions covering
Safety, Technology, Vocational Fleets
and Mobility. Global Fleet managers
will share their personal experiences
how to overcome obstacles and avoid
pitfalls.
Global Fleet Conference is an
opportunity to meet exclusively with
high-level executives from around the
world in an intimate setting designed
to encourage alliance-building and
idea and resource exchange. The
organisers are promising that delegates
will walk away with a strengthened
understanding of (and new strategies
for addressing) the big picture issues
that affect your operations.
It will be joined by a second car that
will be a more conventional SUV and
will be built at Skoda’s Mlada Boleslav
plant alongside the flagship model,
which starts production in the second
half of 2020 ahead of its market launch
in early 2021. Both vehicles will be built
on the same line as the Skoda Octavia
compact car.
“That gives us a lot of flexibility. We
can scale and adjust to some extent if
customer demand changes,” Maier said.
A third, more affordable electric car will
be built at Skoda’s Kvasiny plant and will
form part of a new “MEB entry family” of
cars announced by the VW Group.