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...]
Fleets looking at hydrogen after ev issues arise
Some fleet operators are starting to “take hydrogen seriously” as a fuel option because of issues they have encountered in operating electric vans, says the Association of Fleet Professionals. Paul Hollick, chair at the organisation, said that the forthcoming arrival of the Vauxhall Vivaro-e Hydrogen – really the first practical hydrogen-powered panel van available in quantity in the UK – was … [Read more...]
EV production lines will slow, say manufacturers
Europe's producers now anticipate making 500,000 fewer electric vehicles than expected two years ago. In the face of ongoing economic and industrial uncertainty, the automotive supply industry braces for a year of moderate growth although the electric vehicle segment continues to take a larger share however, according to CLEP Nevertheless, overall production volumes remain significantly below … [Read more...]
Looking after your ev and yourself this winter
EV drivers need to take extra care on icy and snow covered roads and look after their vehicles as temperatures fall. Whether you’re a seasoned EV driver or one of the thousands who have just made the switch, it’s important to stay safe on the roads by preparing your vehicle for cold weather driving. The arrival of colder weather means fewer hours of daylight, plus the potential of snow and black … [Read more...]
Shared charging points for fleets
A new committee formed to look at the practicalities of sharing charging infrastructure between fleets operating electric vans has been launched by the Association of Fleet Professionals. To be led by AFP chair Paul Hollick, it will investigate ways in which businesses can make their own chargers available to other organisations on a reciprocal basis. It follows research undertaken by the AFP in … [Read more...]
EU criticized over EV strategy
Europe's law makers are ignoring carbon-neutral fuels in the rush towards zero emissions and putting too much importance on pure evs, according to the components industry. The European Commission, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament have reached an agreement on the CO2 emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles today. While the political agreement positively includes … [Read more...]
Next Government must invest in hydrogen fuel
The new government that the UK is likely to see in 2024 should be pressured by fleets to deliver a more effective hydrogen van strategy, says FleetCheck. Peter Golding, managing director at the fleet software specialist, said there was huge potential for hydrogen as a factor in future fleet zero emissions strategies for light commercial vehicles, and much more needed to be done to support its … [Read more...]
Facelift for MY2024 Mazda2 Hybrid
Arriving in the UK from March, the facelifted 2024 Mazda2 Hybrid has a more differentiated design appearance thanks to a new, and unique to Mazda, front bumper and grille design. Designed at Mazda’s European Design Studio in Germany, the revised bumper shape combined with unique rear tailgate garnish gives the 2024 Mazda2 Hybrid a fresh and independent look. Launched in May 2022, the Mazda2 … [Read more...]