Despite a record-low base of comparison due to the COVID pandemic, sales of new cars continued to decline in the EU last year because of the microchip shortage. With chip supplies expected to stabilise in 2022, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association now forecasts that passenger car registrations in the EU will return to growth this year, rising by 7.9% to reach 10.5 million … [Read more...]
Newslines 7 February
Volvo Car UK has launched its first ever Pure Electric Test Drive Hub at the iconic Eden Project and reaffirms the business’s commitment to being an electric-only car manufacturer by 2030. The Eden Project attracts more than one million visitors every year who will be given the opportunity to test drive Volvo’s pure electric fleet around the picturesque Cornish roads and experience the enjoyment … [Read more...]
Unique skills courses aim to deliver for lorry drivers
Government-funded training courses called Skills Bootcamps are available through the Driver Academy Group, a consortium comprising business organisation Logistics UK, HGV training specialist HGVC, and workforce solutions group Manpower. With limited spaces available, the Driver Academy Group is calling on HGV drivers to apply now and is encouraging all businesses to put their drivers forward for … [Read more...]
EVs depreciate less than petrol or diesel cars
A leasing company has analysed a popular online car marketplace and compared the prices of the UK’s most popular used cars against the number of miles the car had done to uncover the average depreciation cost per mile our cars drive. The average price an petrol or diesel car depreciates is 67ppm or by £4,669.90 a year compared with an evs cost of 55ppm and £3,833.50 annually, meaning evs save 18% … [Read more...]
Half of drivers don’t know new rules of the road
A poll conducted by NFU Mutual has found that 57% of Brits are not aware of Highway Code changes coming into force tomorrow with particular importance in rural areas. The poll, conducted on Twitter by leading rural insurer NFU Mutual, calls into question whether the majority of road users will be familiar with the Highway Code when it changes on 29th January. The updated Highway Code brings in a … [Read more...]
EV charging costs are postcode lottery
Figures from British Gas show there are currently 21 local authorities in England and Wales that allow drivers to charge their batteries free of charge but in some areas motorists are forced to pay as much as £4 per kilowatt hour. Analysis found that at that price it would cost around £240 to charge a typical EV from full to flat while it would cost around £3.90 to fully charge the same car at … [Read more...]
Car sales shifting towards cross-overs
Despite ongoing availability issues at dealerships, European consumers last year continued to shift from traditional vehicles such as hatchbacks, sedans and MPVs, to SUVs. These vehicles have continued to perform well thanks to the arrival of new electrified models. Last year, registrations of SUVs totaled 5.34 million units, up by 11% when compared to 2020, and down by 12% compared to … [Read more...]
Welsh electric vehicle registrations accelerate 76% in a year
Wales is switching on to electric cars in a big way. Ultra low emission vehicles registrations across Wales shot up nearly 76% between July-September compared to the same time a year before. The Department for Transport’s figures show that at the end of September, 12,900 vehicles belonged to Welsh residents, up from 7,330 on July-September 2020. The data shows the pace of moving to electric … [Read more...]
Councils threats to low income families’ cars
The poorest will be hit hardest by future car bans in cities, say filling station owners. While there is a need to reduce tailpipe emissions, especially in cities, local mayors should be mindful that any extra charges will significantly impact low income households who are already struggling with high energy costs, said Gordon Balmer Executive Director of the Petrol Retailers Association, … [Read more...]
Slashing costs of electric vehicles
A new employee benefit initiative, The Electric Car Scheme, has launched. Staff across the UK are now able to submit a request for a heavily discounted electric car through their employers, in a similar vein to the popular Cycle to Work scheme. This high-demand new staff benefit is a UK Government tax incentive and works via a salary sacrifice scheme. This ends up saving employees between … [Read more...]