Analyses
31 mai 19

LCV conversions create challenges for WLTP testing

Vehicle converters face a complicated procedure to ensure the conversion of light commercial vehicles (LCVs) into dropsides, tippers and refrigerated units, achieve WLTP homologation. While light commercial vehicle manufacturers insist business customers will not experience the same WLTP-related problems and delays as new car buyers suffered last year, converted LCVs face a different set of challenges.

From September, all new LCVs will have to be WLTP homologated, in a process designed to provide buyers with more accurate fuel consumption and emissions information.

When WLTP arrived in the car market, the need to test each and every variant, including any specification changes that might impact the weight or rolling resistance of the vehicle, led to lengthy delays in testing, with knock-on effects for order lead times.

LCV manufacturers claim the extra time they have had to put their vehicles through the WLTP testing regime, and the fewer engine and trim options available, have made the WLTP approval process much more straightforward, at least for ‘vanilla’ panel vans and base chassis cabs.

WLTP distorts LCV sales

However, the introduction of the new regime does appear to have distorted the sales patterns of new LCVs, as manufacturers have pushed to register LCVs that have not been WLTP tested before September. Some fleets are also thought to have brought forward orders to avoid the risk of lengthy lead times.

Across Europe, LCV sales were 5.9% up for the first four months of this year, compared to the same period of 2018, and are expected to coninue their growth until September, according to Dean Bowkett, managing director of Bowkett Auto Consulting and author of the ExpertEye European Automotive Report.

But he also forecasts that any growth over the first eight months of 2019 will be wiped out after September.

“The market is expected to continue growing until the requirement for WLTP on new LCV registrations starts in September 2019. From that point onwards new LCV sales are expected to replicate what happened with cars with sales falling sharply with 2019 total sales down 3.5% and a further 1.2% drop in 2020,” said Bowkett.


OEMs say LCVs will be WLTP ready

Both Ford and PSA say all of their LCVs are already homologated to WLTP. Mercedes-Benz adds that its range will be WLTP tested before September, with the Citan due in July; the front-wheel drive Vito ready from May production and the rear-wheel drive Vito from September; and the 6-cylinder X-Class compliant from July. But production of the 4-cylinder X-Class has stopped until September when a WLTP-tested version will return.

Renault has announced a renewal of its Trafic and Master vans, with WLTP versions ready for September.

And Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has gone through a rationalisation of its range, which has made WLTP testing easier, and is confident that its LCVs will be fully compliant by September.

Conversions create WLTP challenges

Where problems arise for all OEMs is in the WLTP testing of third-party conversions. Bare chassis cabs leave the original factory for a variety of body kits and engineering alterations to meet the wide range of business and industrial purposes for which LCVs are used. Each of these models needs its own WLTP figures to comply with the new regulations.

A handful of OEMs have created or are in the process of creating a web portal where converters can input the key criteria of their conversions and an online tool will produce the relevant WLTP figure.

Online WLTP calculators

A spokesman for Ford said the company: “Is working very closely with its Transit dealers and converter partners to ensure that they are able to achieve the second stage WLTP certification now required for converted CVs. This includes creating a special calculator that allows converters to generate accurate fuel economy and CO2 emissions data for their converted vehicles, based on data such as vehicle weight, frontal area and rolling resistance.”

Volkswagen, too, has developed a web portal for converters to recalculate the fuel consumption and emissions of their conversions.

And a spokesman for Mercedes-Benz Vans UK, said the company had created a WLTP look-up table, which allows converters to select the vehicle model, engine, transmission and gross vehicle weight, and the table will then provide the maximum allowable values for size, weight and tyre classes.

“We are due to issue this out to convertors using our Bodybuilder Portal. We also have new body mounting directives with information about how to calculate frontal area and vehicle weights, as well as detailed information on tyres. Currently, there is a WLTP calculator on our Bodybuilder Portal, which will allow a WLTP certified VIN numbers (June build vehicles onwards) to be entered to access all base vehicle WLTP data. The convertor can then enter the added size and weight, to have the completed WLTP values provided to support their type approval documentation,” said the spokesman.

 

 

 

Authored by: Jonathan Manning