Improving supply components and completed cars has seen another rise in registrations in February, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Sales in Wales rose the most in Britain with a 29.6% increase to 2,370 new cars. SMMT datum show 74,441 cars were registered last month – a 26.2 per cent rise on February 2022’s lower numbers but it was was down by just 6.5 per cent on … [Read more...]
Finance
Government changes will affect safety, says transport group
This week's announcement of a consultation on proposed Driver Certificate of Professional Competence reforms from the Department for Transport raises serious safety concerns and devalues the professionalism of the road haulage sector. That's the opinion of business group, Logistics UK. Chris Yarsley, Senior Policy Manager – Road Freight Regulation at Logistics UK, who went on to say, “Logistics … [Read more...]
Tevva powers up battery backup and servicing
British electric vehicle manufacturer Tevva has entered into a strategic partnership with Ecobat, the global leader in battery recycling, for the repair, repurposing and recycling of its lithium-ion batteries. The partnership kicks off with a 12-month pilot phase for first-life battery management, with the opportunity to expand into additional energy storage and recycling solutions. In the … [Read more...]
Seeing is believing
Global research from behaviour experts SKIM Group has uncovered the scale to which some of the world’s most iconic automotive marques are struggling to keep up with the pace of the Electric Vehicle revolution in the eyes of car buyers. The global poll of in-market new car buyers assessed their perception of car makers' ability to survive the shift to electrified powertrains as the combustion … [Read more...]
Mounting opposition to “green-washing” attack on motoring
Low traffic neighbourhoods, so called “clean air zones” and new, underused cycle lanes are all deeply unpopular. So much so that a new petition has recently appeared on the UK Parliament website (https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/633504) demanding a revision to the statutory guidance that brought them in. Within days of posting, it has attracted over 1,200 signatories. Instead of there … [Read more...]
Newcomers 28 February
BMW is offering 625hp 4.4V8 engines in its latest X5M Competition and X6M Competition SUVs from this spring. They respectively cost £123,350 and £126,050 and get a wider range of driver assistance systems as standard including adaptive suspension, AWD and active differentials. … [Read more...]
Beware of virtual vehicle scams
Car buying scams are on the rise, driven by criminals hoping to take advantage of drivers searching online for their next set of wheels. The second-hand market is becoming a hot bed for shady and illegal practices and this week six people were arrested after a major virtual vehicle scam was uncovered by police. It is thought hundreds of victims across the UK had been targeted, parting with cash … [Read more...]
Newslines 27 February
Volkswagen will retrain over 22,000 assembly workers to transfer experience into building electric cars in its German plants, it has announced. The main plant in Wolfsburg will become a multi-platform location for the Volkswagen brand in Germany in the coming years and the company also intends to produce more ev components in-house to improve supply chain management and reduce costs. Drivers are … [Read more...]
UK car production steadies as EVs accelerate
UK car production was stable in the first month of 2023, with output down just -0.3% to 68,575 units, according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The loss, equivalent to just 215 fewer cars, was driven chiefly by structural changes, reflecting a move from car to van making at one major plant, but with supply chain shortages still afflicting some … [Read more...]
Newcomers 24 February
The Suzuki Swace estate car has been comprehensively revised and given new equipment grades. Produced in conjunction with Toyota’s revised Corolla, the Suzuki Swace Motion and Ultra models now begin at £28,999 and £30,799 respectively from the end of March. The 97hp 1.8 petrol engine is boosted by a stronger electric motor producing 43hp, a 15% rise in combined power over the previous … [Read more...]