Price rises for a range of popular fleet cars and vans is “almost inevitable” over the next few months, FleetCheck is advising. Andy Kirby, customer success director at FleetCheck, said that a range of factors from rising raw material costs to much slowed production would all create upwards pressure. He said: “Through our sister company, Fleetfind, we help our client base source vehicles, and … [Read more...]
Secrets of the US President’s car
US President Joe Biden has arrived in the UK for the G7 summit chauffeured in his £1.2m Cadillac ‘The Beast’. Joe Biden’s ‘Beast’ has an armoured exterior, layered armoured windows, a top-spec communications system and Kevlar-reinforced tyres and it’s believed also has some secret offensive features to thwart or disable attackers, but how much does all this extra security cost? The cars … [Read more...]
Newslines 11 June
Volkswagen will receive €288 million (£248m) in compensation payments after reaching a settlement with four former executives, including ex-CEO Martin Winterkorn and former Audi boss Rupert Stadler, over the diesel emissions scandal, reports Autocar. The settlement is a major step in the German firm’s attempt to move on from the Dieselgate scandal, in which it admitted using illegal software to … [Read more...]
Skilled EV workforce not keeping pace with new vehicle sales
Latest data from Institute of the Motor Industry reveals a chasm in EV skilled workforce compared to growth in BEV, PHEV and HEV sales. As the latest SMMT data shows that EV sales represent 23% of the new vehicle market in May, analysis by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) reveals that by the end of 2020 only 6.5% of the automotive sector was EV ready. This is just a 1.5% increase on … [Read more...]
Tradelines 8 June
Apple is reportedly pushing ahead with its plans to build and launch an electric car in two years. Media report the technology company has been discussing battery manufacture with a number of potential suppliers but wants its power cells assembled in the US to boost jobs and circumvent any tariff restrictions or duties. As part of ‘Our Road to Tomorrow’, SYNETIQ’s new sustainability … [Read more...]
Wales’s lowest electric vehicle charging grant take-up in UK
Wales had the lowest uptake for electric car home charging grants, according to figures from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles. The demand for the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme’s (EVHS) in Wales amounted to just 319 grants per 100,000 homes last year. The highest take-up of EVHS, which provides 75% of the cost of installing electric vehicle charging devices at domestic properties, was … [Read more...]
Newslines 1 June
cinch reports there’s been an unprecedented upsurge in searches for convertibles from ever-optimistic Brit car buyers looking to purchase a car that will allow them to literally feel the wind in their hair and the sun on their face. From 4 January to 26 April, cinch saw a 303% increase in convertible car views, with views steady ever since and last week alone convertible searches spiked … [Read more...]
Newslines 28 May
A unique sports suspension calibration and body styling with distinctive interior trim is available in the new Bentley Bentayga S. It’s the first S trimmed luxury SUV from the British marque and uses the 550ps 4.0V8 turbo-petrol engine and eight-speed automatic gearbox. It reaches 60mph in 4.4seconds and has a 180mph maximum. A split sports exhaust, dark tint headlamps, S-badges and paint … [Read more...]
Fleets expressing RV concerns over petrol & diesel models
Customers are already beginning to express residual values fears over buying new diesel or petrol cars and vans thanks to the prospect of rapid electrification, FleetCheck is reporting. Through its sister Fleetfind operation, the fleet software company helps its client base source vehicles, and says that buyers are concerned about the prospects for internal combustion engine (ICE) models in the … [Read more...]
Luxury loophole can add value but not cost
Smart buyers, dealers and manufacturers have been given a lifeline to save expensive payments on new cars, for now. The Government's Office for Zero Emission Vehicles has provided clarity around the price cap definition stating cars must be priced below £35,000 RRP to be eligible for Government grants. In particular, the price cap definition includes “any non-standard option fitted by the … [Read more...]