Finance

EV expansion trips over kerbs

14 April 2021

The lack of an effective national strategy for creating kerbside charging infrastructure is emerging as the biggest barrier to adoption of electric vehicles by businesses, says the Association of Fleet Operators. The current government approach to installation of kerbside charging means that 75% of the cost is met by a national fund and 25% paid by local … [Read more...]

Government statements slowing car sales recovery

12 April 2021

Continuing confusion over Net Zero targets is slowing the recovery of motor sales. Seán Kemple, Managing Director of Close Brothers Motor Finance, said, “March marks a year since the first UK national lockdown, and the industry has evolved remarkably during this time. “New car sales are going ahead through click and collect, or click and deliver, services, … [Read more...]

EV sales soar and so do drivers’ travel plans

9 April 2021

Sales of new electric vehicles hit new records in March as Tesla tops with 31% market share and Kia, Nissan and Hyundai battle it out for second place, revealed New AutoMotive’s Electric Car Count tracker. The independent research organisation will publish the tracker each month and it looks at the top ten EV manufacturers and their market share as well as … [Read more...]

Tradelines 7 April

7 April 2021

While the pandemic has taken a toll on many people’s finances, others are emerging with a nest egg after months of lockdown living and this could ensure the car industry, along with the wider economy, bounces back quicker than originally anticipated, said James Fairclough, CEO of AA Cars. He was speaking after the SMMT released March car sales figures … [Read more...]

Electric car sales surge, but Wales sees big loss

6 April 2021

Electric car sales are charging ahead on British roads. Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show ev registrations hit a record and hybrid sales last month were higher than September 2020, the previous best for the dual fuel vehicles. It's also the first month that the Tesla Model 3 EV, pictured above, has been officially recognised … [Read more...]

A quarter of new cars will be hybrids, say buyers

5 April 2021

One in four UK drivers plan to opt for a hybrid car as their next vehicle purchase, according to research conducted for Close Brothers Motor Finance’s upcoming Britain Under the Bonnet Report. The fifth iteration of the report reveals that the desire to purchase a hybrid vehicle has accelerated to 26% from 21% in 2020. And this is largely stable across age … [Read more...]

Newslines 2 April

2 April 2021

Nine out of ten Cardiff drivers don't know when they must put on headlights and are risking accidents, prosecution and penalty points as well as invalidating insurance. A survey for Uswitch found only 9.62% of Welsh drivers knew they had to turn on headlights when visibility was under 100 metres as defined in the Highway Code. The average annual car … [Read more...]

Tax change is major opportunity for fleets

31 March 2021

The 130% capital allowances superdeduction that comes into effect on 1 April presents a “major renewal opportunity” for van fleets, FleetCheck is forecasting. The fleet software specialist says that businesses who have been considering buying Euro 6 compliant light commercial vehicles to meet the needs of Clean Air Zones or electric and hybrid vans as they … [Read more...]

Sharing chargers solution to shortfall

30 March 2021

Independent research by Dodona Analytics reveals electric charger sharing is essential to support the UK's ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030. According to their research, if only 4% of motorists with a home charger share it with their neighbours living in flats and terraced houses where they can't have their own charger, then a … [Read more...]

Good and bad cars’ survey