BMW unveils lower-tier armoured 7 Series concept

Plus: UK leasing fleet hits record 2.14 million vehicles as van demand stalls · 15 stories · 13 Oct 2026

This week's headlines show a fleet sector pulling in different directions: BMW's armoured 7 Series arrives as UK zero-emission HGV uptake slips even as EU volumes rise, while charging infrastructure expands and leasing fleets hit a record high, with van downtime costs drawing fresh concern.

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BMW Group has unveiled the BMW Concept 7 Protection, a new concept for special protection in the luxury sedan segment based on the 7 Series Sedan, in Munich.

The vehicle sits below the BMW 7 Series Protection (protection level VR9, with VPAM 10 available as an option) and the BMW X5 Protection VR6, expanding a range that also includes locally produced vehicles with lower protection levels.

BMW says the Concept 7 Protection complies with the new BayB standard and is designed to protect against selected, particularly common handgun ammunition such as 9x19mm and .44 Magnum. It does not offer blast protection, which BMW says requires an extended scope delivered by vehicles with a higher protection level.

That protection is built around bulletproof glass substantially thicker than the comparable series vehicle, ballistic steel and fibre-reinforced composite elements integrated into the doors, reinforced rear triangular windows, and an additional steel and composite layer beneath the panoramic glass sunroof that seals the upper passenger compartment while preserving the production car's exterior appearance; as a result, the sunroof's sunblind remains permanently closed. BMW adds that bulkhead and rear wall protection is fully integrated into the vehicle.

Protection features also include an intercom system that lets occupants communicate with people outside the car while doors and windows stay closed, using exterior and interior microphones and loudspeakers, supplemented by an attack alarm system that triggers visual and audible alerts.

The concept is based on the drivetrain of the BMW M760e xDrive, whose plug-in hybrid system combines a 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor integrated into the eight-speed Steptronic transmission and BMW's xDrive all-wheel drive, for a combined output of 450 kW/612 hp and 800 Nm of torque, according to BMW.

BMW is also showing, for the first time, a BMW Individual rear console with a foldable table, wireless charging and a cool box, which the company says will be available on BMW 7 Series vehicles from the second half of 2027.

BMW says its initial focus for the Concept 7 Protection is on selected European markets.

(Source: BMW Group)

VEHICLES & LAUNCHES

Kempower's Head of Fleet Charging, Moritz Vornfeld, says the divergence is not about truck technology but about underused depot charging infrastructure, with low-margin operators facing a psychological and commercial barrier to a long-term capex bet they can't afford to get wrong.

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UK zero-emission HGV registrations fell 6.6% in the first half of 2026, leaving them at less than one in 100 new trucks, according to SMMT figures cited by Moritz Vornfeld, Kempower's Head of Fleet Charging, in an opinion piece for FleetPoint. Over the same period, electrically chargeable truck registrations across the EU grew by 47.7%, according to ACEA. SMMT's third-quarter figures, published on 12 October, show the UK decline has since deepened: zero-emission HGV registrations fell 50.7% in the quarter and are down 30.9% in the year to date, at a 1.0% market share.

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CHARGING & ENERGY

The new site next to the OK Diner at Cromwell offers charging Fastned says can reach up to 400 kW, with the operator's UK boss calling the A1 a key corridor for fleets as well as road trippers.

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Fastned has opened a new 12-bay electric vehicle charging hub next to the OK Diner restaurant on the A1 northbound at Cromwell, near Newark, expanding its UK charging network along the route, the Newark Advertiser reported.

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VEHICLES & LAUNCHES

The 28-tonne zero-emission truck, built with seven battery packs for a claimed 400km range, will be used for urban and regional palletised freight distribution across Pall-Ex's UK network.

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Pall-Ex Logistics has taken delivery of the UK's first right-hand-drive IVECO S-eWay Rigid, FleetPoint reports, adding a zero-emission heavy truck to its palletised freight distribution operation.

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CHARGING & ENERGY

The deal uses Vaylens' charging-session data to let Rightcharge apply a driver's own home energy tariff and settle payment directly with their energy provider, as Rightcharge says public charging made up close to 70% of charging spend on its platform in the first half of 2026.

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Vaylens has partnered with charging payment specialist Rightcharge to automate home charging reimbursement for its fleet customers across the UK, Fleet News reports.

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MARKET & BUSINESS

SMMT figures show Britain's new bus, coach and minibus market rose 3.1% to 2,065 units in Q3 2026, with zero emission buses taking almost a third of registrations even as year-to-date volumes remain down 32.1% on last year's 17-year fleet renewal peak.

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Britain's new bus, coach and minibus registrations rose 3.1% to 2,065 units in the third quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to SMMT.

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CHARGING & ENERGY

The deal gives Paua Reimburse customers access to Powerverse's home chargers and installation services, extending support to brands including Cord, WaEV, Keba and Go-e.

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UK EV charging payment platform Paua has struck a deal with Powerverse, Fleet News reported, to give its business customers access to Powerverse's home chargers and installation services, extending the range of home charging solutions available through Paua Reimburse.

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MARKET & BUSINESS

SMMT figures show the new HGV market returned to growth for the first time in two years, but zero-emission registrations fell 50.7% to just 1.1% market share, prompting fresh warnings over charging infrastructure and investment barriers.

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New HGV registrations in the UK rose 7.2% in the third quarter of 2026 to reach 9,941 units, according to SMMT. The trade body said it was the first quarter of market growth since Q2 2024 and the strongest quarterly performance since Q3 2023.

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CHARGING & ENERGY

Ultra-rapid chargers are expanding fastest, up 39.1% year-on-year, as Zapmap's latest quarterly figures also show rapid chargers flatlining, en-route charging growing to serve longer journeys, and charging hubs continuing to roll out.

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Zapmap's quarterly charging infrastructure data, reported by Fleet News, shows 8,686 new public EV chargers were installed across the UK in the first nine months of 2026, taking the total to 124,738 devices at 48,298 locations – a 9% year-on-year increase.

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MARKET & BUSINESS

In an advertisement feature for Fleet News, Lex Autolease argues that switching to EVs works best when fleet managers understand how vehicles are used and support drivers through the change, with commentary from IMServ fleet manager Peter Weston and Lex Autolease's Ashley Barnett.

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Fleet News has published an advertisement feature from Lex Autolease titled 'Driver Engagement: Fleet electrification starts with people', featuring insights from Peter Weston, IMServ's fleet manager, and Ashley Barnett, Senior Consultant at Lex Autolease.

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MARKET & BUSINESS

A brand-new, in-stock Ioniq 5 in entry-level Advance trim is listed at £11,471 off its recommended retail price, which ordinarily starts well over £40,000.

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Auto Express is advertising a brand-new, in-stock Hyundai Ioniq 5 in entry-level Advance trim through its Buy A Car service for £30,474, a saving of £11,471 off the recommended retail price. Ordinarily, Auto Express says, the Ioniq 5 starts at well over £40,000.

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MARKET & BUSINESS

BVRLA's Q2 2026 Leasing Outlook shows the car fleet up 12.8% year-on-year on booming private and salary sacrifice demand, while the leased van fleet slipped 0.4% as businesses extend contracts amid higher replacement costs.

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The UK vehicle lease fleet has reached a record 2,144,743 vehicles, according to the BVRLA's Leasing Outlook report for Q2 2026, as reported by Van Fleet World. The overall fleet grew 9.6% year-on-year, but the headline figure masks a sharp divergence between cars and vans.

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MARKET & BUSINESS

The National Energy System Operator has revised the GB Grid Code's General Conditions to incorporate a new Electrical Standard covering electromagnetic transient modelling and a process for retrospective submission, applicable in all Transmission Areas.

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NESO issued Issue 6 Revision 46 of the Serviced Grid Code on 8 October 2026, covering a revised General Conditions section.

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MARKET & BUSINESS

The DC fast-charging manufacturer will supply eight charging systems plus installation and support for the Stockholmsmässan event, extending a partnership now in its fourth year.

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Kempower will serve as the exclusive charging partner at eCarExpo Stockholm for the fourth year, the company has confirmed. The event takes place at Stockholmsmässan on 9–11 October 2026.

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MARKET & BUSINESS

A new AA Business Services 'Yellow Paper' finds UK businesses lost an average of six-and-a-half days to vehicle off-road time in the past year, with ageing fleets, poor roads and technician shortages cited as causes.

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AA Business Services has published a new report in its 'Yellow Paper' series, Keeping Business Moving: Minimising Downtime, Optimising Performance, warning that vehicle off-road (VOR) time has become a critical business resilience issue for UK fleets.

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