A new report by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association shows that despite strong growth, the available charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in the EU still falls far below what is needed, and remains unevenly distributed across member states. Its second edition of ‘Making the Transition to Zero-Emission Mobility’, is an annual study which tracks progress on the availability … [Read more...]
Aston Martin to get future Mercedes powertrains
Aston Martin's future electrified vehicles will have Mercedes-Benz powertrains when they go into production in St Athan in a few years. The technical deal is part of a massive investment by Daimler taking a 20% stake in the British luxury car-maker over the next three years. The two have been working together since 2013 when MB supplied petrol engines to the sports cars made in Gaydon and this … [Read more...]
As emissions fall, there’s a dire warning on trade
Amid a very turbulent year, there is finally some positive news on the horizon for the automotive industry. Many OEMs have started to see a significant reduction in their average emissions levels and are largely on track to hit targets set by the European Commission, despite new car registrations being severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to data collected and updated on a … [Read more...]
Self-driving cars too risky on UK roads, say safety experts
British government plans that could allow self-driving cars on highways as soon as 2021 would put lives at risk because the available automated technology falls well short of human driving capabilities, according to safety experts at UK insurance group Thatcham Research. "We don't believe that this technology adequately addresses what consumers will do and how they'll use it," said … [Read more...]
Hire days and holidays good to try EVs
Hiring an electric car on holiday is a good opportunity to try one out say almost a quarter (23%) of car hire drivers (25% men and 21% women). According to a new Opinium survey of 2000 UK holidaymakers, on behalf of iCarhireinsurance.com, a leading provider of car hire excess insurance, almost one in seven car hirers (14%) would choose to hire an electric car rather than a petrol or diesel car; … [Read more...]
Automotive jobs disappearing is worrying, say suppliers
A calculated 100,000 automotive jobs will disappear across Europe over the next 12 months due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and nearly half will be in the supplier sector, according to parts cluster body CLEPA. Secretary general Sigrid de Vries (right) has pulled together the figures from manufacturers and industry observers and said the conclusions show how important it will be for Governments to … [Read more...]
Spark of help for independents in ev sector
The Electric Vehicle Approved accreditation scheme reopened on monday. EVA recognises dealers’ expertise in the electric vehicle sector and promotes industry standards for the benefit of the consumer. The scheme encourages dealerships to further develop their ability in selling and servicing electric vehicles, as the country continues to move towards a zero-emission future. The … [Read more...]
Fleets hold key to UK ev drive
The fleet sector’s pivotal role in delivering zero-emission road transport will see it responsible for 75% of battery electric vehicles on UK roads by 2025. To demonstrate the huge commitment that its members are making to decarbonise, the BVRLA has launched its new Plug in Pledge, which shows the rental, leasing and fleet operator sector owning and operating around 900,000 BEVs within five … [Read more...]
Newslines 2 October
CUPRA has started production of the new Formentor, the first vehicle uniquely designed and developed for the brand. The CUPRA Formentor will be available to order in the UK from Tuesday 20 October, starting with the 2.0-litre 310PS petrol engine, and followed by other engines including the plug-in hybrid variant. MG has beaten its 2019 sales targets already as the UK’s fastest-growing car brand … [Read more...]
Re-Leaf engineered to meet emergencies
British engineers have transformed an electric car into an emergency response vehicle designed to provide a clean power supply to areas hit by natural disasters and extreme weather. The Nissan RE-LEAF is based on the Sunderland-built LEAF family hatchback. But instead of school-runs and motorway miles, the highly modified motor is better suited to navigating roads covered in … [Read more...]