The RAC and British Gas have joined forces to boost the take-up of electric cars. Following just weeks on from the RAC launching its market-leading electric vehicle (EV) leasing website, the new partnership means customers can have a smart 7kW home charge point installed by an expert British Gas engineer and take advantage of a bespoke electricity tariff with cheaper off-peak overnight … [Read more...]
Welsh company joins Ford project
Welsh specialist Ford Pro commercial vehicle converter MS-RT has joined the vehicle maker with a £4M centre at Dagenham from 2022. The Pontypool company’s styling business will continue and the expansion is purely to meet soaring demand for their models across the UK and Europe with up to 120 new jobs created in Essex when full production is reached after 2022. "We are delighted to be building … [Read more...]
Newslines 16 July
Tesla is on course to notch up a million pure battery car sales by next April, the first manufacturer to do so. VW is tipped to overtake them two years later and Mercedes-Benz will be close behind, according to projections calculated by Moneyshake. As Germany ramps up estimates of EV sales to 14M on its roads inside eight years analysts believe 55% of all EU sales will be electric in the same … [Read more...]
Aston Martin plan 950ps hypercar
The first Aston Martin hybrid sports car will develop a combined 950ps from its 4.0 litre twin turbo V8 petrol engine and twin electric motors driving front and rear wheels. The Valhalla has moved from concept to creation with its active aerodynamics and new eight-speed dual clutch transmission, racing tuned handling and suspension and will be the British company’s first mid-engined … [Read more...]
Newslines 15 July
New petrol and diesel cars will be banned from sale by 2035, lorries five years later and aircraft and shipping will face stinging new fuel taxes under proposals announced this week by the EU. Imported steel used to make vehicles will also be heavily taxed as the EU seeks to dramatically reduce cross border carbon footprints. Ex Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn has told the BBC how he was … [Read more...]
Government is threatening road safety – claim
Business group Logistics UK is dismayed by the announcement of the continued relaxation of drivers’ hours legislation until 8 August 2021. It governs the length of time which HGV drivers are legally expected to work and James Firth, the organisation’s Head of Road Freight Regulation Policy, explains the announcement will heap more pressure on drivers who are already stretched to the limit to … [Read more...]
Aurobay is new powerhouse for Volvo & Geely
Volvo Cars and parent Geely Holding have will create a joint venture under the name Aurobay for its powertrain operations as the companies proceed with their announced plans to merge these into a new, stand-alone business. The new company will be a global supplier of complete powertrain solutions including next generation combustion engines, transmissions and hybrid … [Read more...]
Diabetic drivers must declare condition to DVLA
A leading Insurance comparison website is warning that many motorists with diabetes risk a hefty fine if they fail to declare the condition to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. Quotezone.co.uk also warns that policies could be void and claims disputed if diabetic drivers have not declared the disease to their insurer - and that includes those newly diagnosed. As the pandemic-induced … [Read more...]
Suzuki’s century of ideas & cleaner seas
They may be one of the smaller engineering companies, but Suzuki has consistently shown over a century that it’s the size of an idea which matters, not the business itself. Some 11 years before the Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Co was officially formed in 1920, founder Michio Suzuki pioneered a new type of textile loom design in 1909 after watching his mother using her labour intensive and … [Read more...]
Lotus and Bentley’s new contrasting performance models
The Lotus Emira has been unveiled as the company’s final model with a mid-mounted internal combustion engine. In fact there’s a choice of two power units, the familiar 3.5V8 or AMG 2.0 i4 giving 360 to 400hp, a maximum 180mph and choice of manual or automatic transmissions and on the road from next spring from under £60,000. All-new mid-engined sports car perfectly embodies ongoing … [Read more...]