Climate protection solutions are urgently needed in road transport and politicians must make a clear commitment to renewable fuels, according to a learned German body. Slumping new registration figures, consumer reluctance and increasing doubts among vehicle manufacturers indicate the all-electric approach to passenger cars promoted by European and German legislators has failed, accoding to … [Read more...]
Toyota extend their EVs with two MPVs
Toyota is extending its UK electrified vehicle range with the introduction of two new people carriers which are already on sale in Europe, the nine-seat Proace Verso EV and the compact Proace City Verso EV. Offered in nine-seat Shuttle form, Proace Verso can specified in medium (4,959mm) or long (5,309mm) body lengths (below). The Shuttle specification caters for customers who need a vehicle … [Read more...]
Tradelines 7 February
A strong 2.9% organic fleet growth during 2023 has been announced today by Arval UK, in a challenging market constrained by new car supply and inflation. The figure brings the total UK fleet size to 192,068 at the end of December 2023 and much of the rise has been powered by the ongoing transition towards battery electric vehicles as Arval’s UK fleet now includes 44,021 BEVs which account for a … [Read more...]
EV sales are trickling ahead of last year
Five of the largest EV manufacturers in UK market increased their sales last month compared to 12 months ago, according to the latest data from New AutoMotive’s Electric Car Count. The monthly report is the most up-to-date and comprehensive electric vehicle sales data in the UK, and reveals that 15 out of 20 manufacturers are selling more EVs than they did a year ago. Despite Toyota’s CEO … [Read more...]
Government EV strategy needs rapid recharge warn Lords
The Government must do more to get people to adopt EVs, says a Lords Committee. "If it fails to heed our recommendations the UK won’t reap the significant benefits of better air quality and will lag in the slow lane for tackling climate change,” said Baroness Kate Parminter, Chair of the inquiry (below). The inquiry was launched in August 2023 to identify the main obstacles and barriers to a … [Read more...]
EV regs hit a million but petrol sales climbing too
Discounted business registrations meant Britain’s millionth battery electric car reached the road in January 2024, while the new car market grew 8.2% for the month, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The first month of the year saw 142,876 new cars registered led by the Kia Sportage (above), which repeated its success of January 2022, and an UK uplift of 10,882 units on … [Read more...]
Newcomers: BMW expansions & MINI electric coming
A new entry-level BMW iX2 eDrive20 (above) is available to order in the UK from March 2024 with prices starting from £50,710. There is also an expansion of BMW XM offering with introduction of XM 50e, with model specific design elements. There are also comprehensive updates to BMW digital services, including extended smartphone integration for models with BMW Operating System 9. The pure … [Read more...]
Best and worst cars to buy and own
When buying a new car, it’s always worth thinking about the potential resale value and how much it will depreciate over time. Some cars can prove to be very worthy investments, with their value increasing over time, while others may drop quickly in value as soon as they leave the forecourt. Elements such as age, condition, mileage and number of owners are all influencing factors, and there are … [Read more...]
Tradelines 31 January
Specialist motor insurance loss adjuster Claims Management & Adjusting says new Office for National Statistics figures showing an 8% annual increase in vehicle thefts are shockingly unsurprising. According to the ONS’s latest Crime Survey for England and Wales instances of “theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle” increased from 122,423 in the year October 2021 to September 2022, to … [Read more...]
UK Auto surges over a million models made
UK vehicle production hit 1,025,474 units in 2023, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. With 905,117 cars and 120,357 commercial vehicles (CVs) produced, output was up 17.0% on the previous year with the easing of pandemic-related challenges from chip shortages to lockdowns and increasing electrified model production, combined to drive annual output above one million for … [Read more...]