Bosses from leading businesses looking to build a green recovery today vowed to invest £1.5bn in hydrogen technologies as they called on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to lay the foundations for a UK-wide hydrogen strategy. In a letter to the Chancellor the campaign group, Hydrogen Strategy Now, set out a commitment to unlocking investment, creating jobs and slashing emissions. They argue that developing … [Read more...]
Finance
Jams & bigger bills for commuters
Longer jams and higher insurance premiums will welcome commuters when lockdown ends with indications of an almost doubling in private cars being used to replace public transport, particularly in Wales. Millions of drivers could see a spike in their motor insurance premiums in the coming months as the number of people driving to work increases and face possible fines if they don’t update policies … [Read more...]
Newslines 16 June
Britain’s first end-to-end online car maintenance service provider revealed national survey results which show that UK drivers have not prepared their vehicles for summer holidays. Results from a national Fixter survey shows that 70% of Fixter customers are planning to spend their holidays in the UK this year and will rely on their cars for road-trips and stay-cations but 69% of survey … [Read more...]
Green label guide for new car buyers
A survey commissioned by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership and the National Franchised Dealers Association found that motorists considering a new car are now more concerned about ‘going green’ – with 50% saying that environmental friendliness has become more important to them in the last year. In the same survey, despite today’s record low fuel prices, almost as many (43%) potential … [Read more...]
Newslines 15 June
A new 170mph Lancia Stratos two-seater sports car will be hand-built in a run of just 25 models by the newly created Manifattura Automobili Torino company. The legendary bespoke rally car of the 1970s will get a modified Ferrari 4.3V8 engine delivering 540bhp and it will be unveiled in the UK at the exclusive Salon Prive event in September at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire. A 143 miles Citroen … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: On the road and in the news 14 June
Despite the roads-of-life starting to reopen with shops, businesses, car manufacturers and dealerships getting the wheels of business moving again, I’m still sifting through automotive news you might have missed until my first new model road test car arrives at the end of this week, says a hopeful David Miles. But for the foreseeable future the availability of new model lest cars will be very … [Read more...]
£1.2 Billion plant promises thousands of Welsh jobs
A £1.2 Billion deal is close to being signed to bring over 3,500 and up to 15,000 jobs with a new massive car batteries plant adjacent to the Aston Martin Lagonda facility at St Athan, in the Vale of Glamorgan. UK start-up battery manufacturer Britishvolt has shortlisted the site at the former RAF base next to where AML (above) started making their luxury DBX SUV in December and where it also … [Read more...]
Slow pickup to England’s car sales after lockdown eases
The industry is now one week into the post lockdown trading period in England and the question that concerned retailers nationwide has now been answered and that was whether there really would be consumer demand for cars, says Rupert Pontin, Director of Insights at Cazana. Indications both anecdotal and factual reflect the fact that consumers have returned to the showrooms in significant numbers, … [Read more...]
Newslines 9 June
Vehicle owners in the UK will be given £6,000 towards a new electric car if they scrap their current petrol or diesel model, according to media reports. The announcement is scheduled to be made on 6 July in a bid to boost the flat UK car sales and the impending new number plate change coming in September, but some believe it will only keep up high prices of electric vehicles and is not backed by … [Read more...]
Fiat launch ‘Pay As You Go’ deal
Fiat has become the first car firm in the UK to launch a ‘Pay As You Go’ finance deal where the average commuter can drive a brand-new vehicle to work for less than £10.50 per day. The government continues to advise against the use of trains and buses where possible, despite lockdown starting to ease. And research by Fiat has revealed 35 per cent of motorists are considering driving more to … [Read more...]