Businesses need to adopt structured policies matching alternative fuel vehicles to the right person and purpose in order to give them a “fair chance” to integrate into fleets successfully, says FleetCheck. The fleet management software specialist says that so far AFV adoption has quite often been haphazard and that some fleets have already become wary of emerging technologies as a … [Read more...]
Newcomers
Newslines 6 November
VW is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its acclaimed camper van. It’s introduced the most exclusive special edition California model with a run of 999 units and just 30 allocated to the UK from £64,307 including extra equipment, a numbered plaque and three drivetrain choices. The tenth annual Bangers4Ben sale at BCA Blackbushe raised nearly £20,000 for Ben, an independent charity and … [Read more...]
Electric scooter debut
Zapp, a new scooter manufacturer headquartered in the UK, has unveiled the i300. A fully electric, high-performance scooter designed to lead the urban transport revolution, the i300 aims to make commuting more fun, stylish and sustainable. The £5,250 new Zapp i300 is powered by a pair of cutting-edge, lightweight lithium-ion batteries and a maintenance-free air-cooled interior permanent … [Read more...]
Newslines 3 November
Chepstow and south east Wales house prices are soaring. The end of the Severn Tolls from the middle of December has led to a rapid rise in property enquiries and prices as Bristol commuters seek to improve their lives and move over the Bridge into Wales, adding close to £100,000 to some Chepstow prices. Ford may be offered a VW electric vehicle platform for future models. The German … [Read more...]
Ford in talks for new project in Bridgend plant
Ford is looking at “high technology opportunities” for the future of its Bridgend plant, the company said today. It was responding to media reports that it’s in talks with petro-chemical, oil and gas company Ineos over its plans to build a modern version of the Land Rover Defender. Ford will continue to build its own engines in plant and this week started assembly of the new Dragon EcoBoost … [Read more...]
Water is fuel for thought and going green
Australian-Israeli startup Electriq~Global has developed a fuel that is safe, cheap and clean. Comprised of 60% water, Electriq's revolutionary technology extracts hydrogen from the water based fuel, which is then harnessed to create electricity to power the vehicle. The Electriq~Global (www.Electriq.com, formerly known as Terragenic) system contains three key elements: the liquid fuel … [Read more...]
Newslines 30 October
The new Mercedes-Benz GLE is available to order with prices starting from £55,685 for the GLE 300 d 4MATIC and from £62,300 for the GLE 450 4MATIC when deliveries begin in the spring. The new GLE features a seven-seat configuration for the first time; the latest generation of the MBUX multimedia system; two 12.3-inch display screens; MBUX Interior Assistant; Nappa Leather; Blind Spot Assist; … [Read more...]
Newslines 29 October
The eagerly awaited Volvo V60 Cross Country will be in showrooms early next year from £38,270. The all-wheel-drive model has specific 18-inch alloys, extra bodywork protection, hill descent control and an off-road mode for severe terrain but its also one of the last to get the 190bhp 2.0 D4 diesel engine and eight speed gearbox. The Vauxhall Corsa Griffin is a new high spec city car from … [Read more...]
Brakes applied to car sales across Europe
The European car market recorded the highest monthly decline of the last decade in September 2018, as 1.12 million vehicles were registered – 343,000 less than in September 2017, JATO reported. The drop follows August’s inflated results, which were boosted by an increase in business registrations and stock clearances ahead of the introduction of WLTP on the 1 September. Despite August’s … [Read more...]
Tradelines 24 October
The withdrawal of the Government’s plug-in hybrid grant will add about £2,500 to models and make them no longer commercially viable for many fleets, said Meridian Vehicle Solutions. It has taken the decision to operate its current plug-in rentals but not add further versions when they are due to be replaced. VW has introduced an old-diesel swapping scheme in Germany where 14 cities are … [Read more...]