The boss of one of Britain’s biggest car leasing businesses has criticised the government for slashing electric vehicle grants at the very time they’re making a crucial environmental and economic difference. Andy Alderson, founder and CEO of online leasing giant Vanarama, was left gobsmacked when the government announced yesterday that it would cut the Plug-In Car Grant (PiCG) by 60 … [Read more...]
Industry
Drivers’ bootcamp squares up to challenges
The Government's plans to boost training for HGV Driver candidates has been welcomed by Logistics UK’s Deputy Director Public Policy, Alex Veitch. He said, “The introduction of HGV Skills Bootcamps will help to attract new individuals into the workforce and are another welcome measure to tackle the driver shortage; Logistics UK is looking forward to working with government to help deliver some … [Read more...]
Train-safe campaign launches for Christmas season
British Transport Police and Transport for Wales has launched a joint operation this Christmas to keep passengers across Wales safe during the festive season. Operation Genesis will see extra officers and rail staff out across the network throughout the month to help anyone who needs it. With emphasis on Fridays and Saturdays during December, the operation will see an increase in … [Read more...]
Winter warning from road safety experts
In 2020, over 18,000 accidents were reported across the UK where rain, snow, fog, or high winds were a contributing factor. More severe road traffic accidents are happening in winter due to motorists being unprepared for driving in winter weather and ignoring weather warnings, and IAM RoadSmart believes now is the time to remind drivers how to drive safely when the temperature drops, and the … [Read more...]
Serious concerns over Renault Zoe accident protection
The final round of Euro NCAP testing of 2021 reveals some sobering safety scores for two new vehicles from the carmaker who brought five-star safety to the market 20 years ago. The Renault Zoe and Dacia Spring have achieved zero-stars and one-star respectively in safety assessments. The Renault Zoe, a vehicle in the Supermini class, becomes only the third car in Euro NCAP’s history to achieve … [Read more...]
Volkswagen Group forging new alliances for future EVs
The Volkswagen Group has entered into three more strategic partnerships, further strengthening its position in the field of batteries. The new partners are the leading materials technology group Umicore, the battery specialist 24M Technologies, and cleantech company Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd. Although these three partnerships are independent from each other, they share a common goal: … [Read more...]
Trade event will be training, technology and tools focused
The new UK Garage and Bodyshop Event has revealed its theme will be ‘Training, Technology and Tools’, as the event hosts a showcase of new technologies, products and training initiatives from leading suppliers. The aim is to support suppliers, garage and bodyshop business owners, technicians, and specialists to futureproof their businesses and careers, while enabling them to tackle the … [Read more...]
Turnaround in new car sales led by EVs raises issues
New car sales rose 1.7% year on year in November, ending four consecutive months of decline. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reported 115,706 new cars were registered last month, up from 113,781 in the same period last year. The trade body noted this small uptick "must be viewed in the context of a weak 2020, when lockdowns impacted registrations". With the … [Read more...]
Newslines 6 December
Polestar has released a second teaser image of the forthcoming Polestar 3 pure electric performance SUV. It will launch in 2022 as the company’s first SUV and will be its first vehicle to be built in the US, in Charleston, South Carolina. Stellantis has collaborated on a pilot project to build near Milan a 1,000 metre road implanted with an electrical loop to test inductive charging in … [Read more...]
Wales powers ahead with car chargers
Wales is out-performing the rest of the UK installing charging points, say the car makers. New analysis by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders revealed that the ratio of vehicle chargepoints to plug-in cars deteriorated by -31% during 2020. The research shows that at the end of 2019, 11 plug-in vehicles potentially shared a standard public chargepoint capable of charging both … [Read more...]