A new £1.8m fund to encourage businesses to move beyond manufacturing internal combustion engines to producing low carbon vehicle technologies, helping to stimulate innovative economic growth in Wales, is being established by Ford and the Welsh Government. The Ford Low Carbon Vehicle Transition Fund, administered by the Welsh Government as part of Ford’s legacy in Wales after … [Read more...]
Bamford pushes on with £1 Billion hydrogen project
Green entrepreneur Jo Bamford has joined forces with multi-family office Vedra Partners to launch HYCAP, a hydrogen investment fund which has set its sights on raising £1bn. The capital, which already stands at more than £200m after the first round of investment, will be injected largely into UK businesses, with the focus on speeding-up green hydrogen production and supply, creating … [Read more...]
Stellantis step up LCV training for brand technicians
Stellantis is expanding its new Light Commercial Vehicle Training Programme following the immediate success from its launch in April this year. Operated for Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroën retailers, the new Training Programme has 99 Master & Consultant Technicians trained and passed, with an improvement in first time fix rates and a decrease in diagnosis times. Following the initial … [Read more...]
Dealers expect to recruit more staff
The percentage of dealers’ looking to recruit across all business areas is significantly up from Q2 this year, reports the National Franchised Dealers Association. In particular, 77.5% are seeking to recruit sales executives over the next three months and the same percentage intend to employ technicians. Additionally, 67.5% intend to hire service advisors. Employee engagement: all dealers who … [Read more...]
Vauxhall and VW looking to dominate EV sales this year
Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have all spotted the risk Tesla and other EV-based manufacturers have on the dominance in the sector and will all end 2021 with upwards of four models. But according to motor dealer Peter Vardy, it’s Vauxhall and Volkswagen that are currently the most eager for dominance in the EV market in 2021. Volkswagen is set to rival Tesla with 6 EV models available by the end … [Read more...]
Electric vehicle incentives woo Chinese & Brits
China has halved EV prices in a decade but they’re still rising in Britain, Europe and the US. JATO Dynamics shares its latest report on the evolution of the electric vehicle (EV) markets in China, the US and Europe. ‘EVs – A pricing challenge’’ includes JATO’s industry-leading data and insights, exploring EV pricing over the past 10 years, alongside the impact of government incentives on the … [Read more...]
British Motor Show & the shortfall in EV technicians
The British Motor Show will showcase the best, the fastest and the most innovative in automotive technology this weekend, but it comes amid a huge shortfall of EV technicians needed to keep the newest cars moving, says the Institute of the Motor Industry . Data from the IMI shows that the automotive retail sector does not currently have the skills and the pipeline of talent needed to service and … [Read more...]
Newslines 13 August
Proposals for a new business park adjacent to Cardiff Airport on Model Farm, Rhoose approved by Vale of Glamorgan Council have been criticised by local residents. Vale Communities Unite say the project advanced by insurers Legal and General will increase traffic on local roads and goes against Welsh Government announcements to combat climate change after it has just put up for sale the nearby St … [Read more...]
Glass’s Guide ramps up services to trade
Autovista Group has unveiled Glass’s sales solution – a new platform-based application for the motor trade to value stock. “This is a game-changer for the automotive industry and will transform the way that dealers are able to access business-critical pricing information,” says Lindsey Roberts, CEO of Autovista Group. “Our new Glass’s platform pulls together our wealth of exceptional services, … [Read more...]
UK site considered for new Rivian ev-models’ assembly
The Amazon and Ford backed Rivian pure electric pickup may be built in Britain at a new energy park planned in the West Country. The proposed Gravity Park a few miles north east of Bridgewater and adjacent to the M5 has been earmarked for the potential £1 Billion investment, reported Sky News. The project is being courted by German and Netherlands Governments as well so there is no guarantee it … [Read more...]