The year thats been and the road ahead
Apr 30, 2014 By Toyota Australia.
Keeping up to date on automotive industry trends is a great way to stay on top of any changes that may affect your fleet. By taking a look back to 2013 as a whole, were able to get insights on the industrys position today, and the predicted road ahead.
Where its been
Despite the obvious challenges the fleet market faced in 2013, Toyota was able to boast significant achievements in the automotive industry as a whole. We sold 214,630 new vehicles across the country in 2013, which was almost twice as many as the next competitor.
As a result, we maintained our position as Australias most popular brand for the 11th year running. And to shift things up a gear, Toyota Corolla took home the title of Australias most popular car, with HiLux securing third place overall.
Last year, 36.5% of the 1.136 million new vehicle purchases were for business fleets. But growth was stunted after the Rudd Government announced proposed changes to Fringe Benefits Tax on the personal use of company cars. In the months leading up to the federal election, fleet purchases rapidly declined and most novated leases were put on hold. The impact can be seen in the 2.1% drop in sales at the start of September compared to the same time period in 2012. However, after the coalition overturned the policy announcement when they were voted into government, car fleet sales rose by 64% in the second half of September.
In terms of the areas of focus for fleet management, vehicle and employee safety became a top priority last year. Coming in second was running costs, with engine downsizing becoming more and more common. Productivity and cost management came in third, with environmental concerns becoming less prominent in fourth place.
Where its going
With cost reduction becoming a huge focus area, the fleet order book for smaller vehicles is larger than ever, and its only going to grow. This doesnt mean theres no longer a place for larger vehicles in your fleet, just that managers are better evaluating their requirements.
Digital solutions such as fleet analytics and monitoring, vehicle tracking and vendor services are not only predicted to increase in Australia, but around the world. Online fleet management systems, like Toyotas myFleet Portal, will become critical in accessing every aspect of your fleet.
Its also worth looking at the predicted fleet trends across the globe, to get a good idea of where Australia is heading. In the United States, green fleet management, worker education and decreased maintenance and repair costs are amongst the top predicted trends for 2014. In the United Kingdom, the forecast is all about reduction of overall fleet costs, greater awareness of electric vehicles and a drop in business mileage due to people working from home.
After last years unsteady fleet market, the road ahead looks to be more stable. But with fleet running costs becoming a main concern in Australia and across the globe, youre going to need vehicles that will take your fleet further for less. We at Toyota are confident we can deliver.