Ashwoods Ecodrive

The new Ashwoods Transit EcoDrive is our latest complete vehicle offering which incorporates a number of technologies to improve the performance of the vehicle through driver interaction.

The EcoDrive is a much lower priced option than the flagship Ashwoods Hybrid Transit, providing fleet customers with an entry level product within the Ashwoods Vehicle range.

How does it work?

The EcoDrive system provides real-time driver feedback in the form of an 'Optimal Operating Efficiency' (OOE) display and gearshift indicator. The display provides the driver with a visual 'sweetspot' for engine efficiency in all driving states. Drivers intuitively alter their driving style to drive within the engine's most efficient zone, therefore reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by between 5 and 10%, depending on the drive cycle.

The gearshift indicator helps the driver to adopt a more economical driving style and to drive within the OOE for the engine.

The Ashwoods EcoDrive technology makes complex calculations using information gathered from the vehicle control unit and provides user friendly driver feedback.

The only connection to the vehicle is through the standard On Board Diagnostic socket (OBD)

What are the benefits?

The Ashwoods EcoDrive is the most affordable low carbon commercial vehicle on the market and is backed with all the performance and reliability that customers expect from the Ford Transit brand.

Tests have proven that the EcoDrive sees fuel and CO2 savings of between 5 and 10%, and subsequent improvements in quality of driving result in reduced accidents and both brake and engine wear.

Ashwoods EcoDrive Transits start from £12594.98 plus VAT and RFL

The Ashwoods Hybrid Transit is the UK's best selling Hybrid commercial vehicle and has been adopted by the country's largest Public and Private Sector fleets. It is also the most ordered vehicle taking part in the Low Carbon Vehicles Procurement Programme (LCVPP) run by Cenex on behalf of the Department for Transport. The vehicle makes up 137 out of the 200 vehicles supplied, clearly demonstrating it’s superior market credentials for major fleet operations.

How does it work?

The Ashwoods Hybrid Transit is derived from the best in class Ford Transit and uses electric power to provide torque assistance to the internal combustion engine. The vehicle uses an electric motor/generator, attached to the drive shaft, to assist the drive of the vehicle in heavy load situations and charge the hybrid battery during deceleration. This electric torque assist reduces both CO2 and fuel consumption as the engine does not need to work so hard.

What are the benefits?

The Ashwoods Hybrid Transit has been proven to consume between 15 and 25% less fuel and produce between and 15 and 25% less CO2 than the standard diesel equivalent. Not only does this contribute towards the customer's CO2 reduction targets, but it also saves them money.

The Ashwoods Hybrid Transit does not share many of the limitations of all-electric vehicles:

• Range - the vehicle has improved range over allelectric vehicles (and standard diesel Transits)
• Heading - no plug-in charging is required as the vehicle charges on the road through regenerative braking

It also benefits from the following other advantages:

• Financing and Resale - the vehicle has the predictable residual value of the underlying standard diesel Transit and so has competitive finance packages
• Fleet Operations - the vehicle drives just like a standard vehicle and requires no driver training or change in operational procedure
• Downtime - even in the event of a system fault the vehicle will experience no downtime as it will revert to standard diesel

The Ashwoods Hybrid Transit is a fitting solution for today's commercial fleets providing both CO2 and fuel savings without compromising reliability or operational performance.

For total budget control and reporting purposes, Ashwoods has developed an onboard tool that gives Fleet Managers access to real-time MPG figures for their commercial fleet vehicles. Whilst originally developed to be supplied as part of the Hybrid Drive, the Ashwoods Fuel Logger is now available as a standalone item, ready to fit to existing vehicles, after customer feedback demonstrated extensive demand for the product.

How does it work?

The bespoke Fuel Logger is a GSM device that fits neatly into the sun visor. Fuel data is sent instantly to the Ashwoods website, where customers can securely login and track MPG achieved for each vehicle within their fleet. The Driver follows the procedure below when refuelling:

• 1. Refuel the tank (until full at each refuel)
• 2. After refuelling an alarm sounds in the visor
• 3. Pull down the visor and follow instructions on the screen which will ask the driver to:
  a. Enter litres of fuel added
  b. Enter total mileage displayed on dash
• 4. Alarm then stops
• 5. Data entered will then be sent automatically via GSM to the Ashwoods website for publication
• 6. Fleet Managers are assigned secure logins for the Ashwoods website where they can view their real time and cumulative mpg figures

What are the benefits?

The Ashwoods Fuel Logger is a straightforward and affordable system that provides the exact information that fleet managers require, and in a timely manner.

At the request of a major vehicle finance company, Ashwoods are adapting the Fuel Logger to incorporate a 'Private' and 'Business' button to help fleet customers administer the employee mileage claim process.

For the largest fleets, Ashwoods can also supply the website back-end so that the customer can publish and control the data internally rather than through the Ashwoods website.

The award winning hybrid technology used in the Ashwoods Hybrid Transit will be made available to existing customers as a Retro-Fit option from January 2011. The system will be available to all Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) Ford Transits and then other RWD commercial vehicles later in the year.

How does it work?

The kinetic energy (momentum) that is normally converted to thermal energy (heat) during braking is captured and stored in a battery using the latest C-LIFEPO 4 technology. The energy stored in the battery is then reused to assist the vehicle when the engine is at its least efficient. This is achieved by a bespoke vehicle interface system through an electric motor, which is integrated to the final drive of the vehicle.

This electric torque assists reductions in both CO2 emissions and fuel consumption as the engine does not have to work as hard.

The retro-fit Ashwoods Hybrid Drive includes a bespoke driver display to inform the user of system performance – see our 'Ashwoods Driver Display’ leaflet.

What are the benefits?

The Ashwoods Hybrid Transit has been proven to consume between 15 and 25% less fuel and produce between and 15 and 25% less CO2 , than the standard diesel equivalent. Not only does this contribute towards the customer's CO2 reduction targets, but it also saves them money.

Key selling points

Hybrid integration requires no unauthorised modifications to the vehicle or its components meaning that the vehicle manufacturer's warranty remains intact and the vehicle retains its residual value

• Installation is completed in less than 4 hours
• No holes are drilled or wires cut during installation
• The unit can also be refurbished after 3 years and the warranty extended
• The unit is transferable from one vehicle to another

The Ashwoods Hybrid Transit does not share many of the limitations of all-electric vehicles: Ÿ

• Range - the vehicle has improved range over all-electric vehicles (and standard diesel Transits) Ÿ
• Charging - no plug-in charging is required as the vehicle charges on the road through regenerative braking

The Ashwoods Hybrid Transit is a fitting solution for today's commercial fleets providing both CO2 and fuel savings without compromising reliability or operational performance.