Aston Martin Lagonda has started car building at its new multi-million pound St Athan plant. They are pre-production models of the carmaker’s first SUV, the Aston Martin DBX, and have been assembled by the mostly locally recruited workforce and will be used by the luxury brand for engineering, testing and special projects. The 90-acre, former Ministry of Defence site at St Athan in Wales was … [Read more...]
Green drive threatens to push makers into the red
Alternatively fuelled vehicles, pure electric, petrol-electric hybrids and plug-in hybrids saw a 21% increase in UK new car sales last year to 141,270 units but only 15,474 of those vehicles were pure electric models, writes David Miles. So far this year only around 2,000 battery electric cars were sold in the first five months of the year. Still small steps might lead to big strides as … [Read more...]
Local AM to oversee Ford Task Force aid
Welsh Government has set out the aims it wants a task force to work towards following the “devastating” closure announcement last week of the Ford Bridgend Engine Plant. After 40 years on the Waterton site east of Bridgend, Ford will close by autumn 2020 and make 1,700 people redundant. Ken Skates, Minister for Economy and Transport, said local AM and former First Minister Carwyn Jones, who has … [Read more...]
Newslines 11 June
Traffic jams on the M4 around and west of Swansea are 78% worse over two decades than South East Wales, says analysis. Work by transport consultant Mark Berry suggests it’s down to the rise in housing estates close to motorway junctions and with still more planned the situation will get far worse without major public transport investment. Half of regular drivers say they are suffering more … [Read more...]
Solar car-port puts rivals in the shade
A Welsh company is launching a high technology car-port which puts rivals in the shade, using advanced solar power panels. BiPVco of Newport also produces flexible panels for the roofs of boats, motor homes, caravans and commercial vehicles and its product is being used on the latest patient transport vehicles ordered by the Welsh Ambulance Service Trusts as part of a £13.5M transport … [Read more...]
Union urges nationwide fight over Ford Bridgend closure
Ford workers across Britain must stand together against the closure of the Bridgend Engine Plant, GMB Congress has said. An emergency motion, passed at GMB’s Annual Conference in Brighton yesterday, called on the company to reconsider the closure – which will cost 1,700 jobs. Ford workers at the car giant's other UK plants must stand alongside their Bridgend colleagues, the motions … [Read more...]
Volvo takes a head start in cycling safety
Volvo Cars, a leader in automotive safety, is teaming up with top Swedish sports and safety brand POC for a series of world-first crash tests of bike helmets against cars as part of a ground-breaking new research project that aims to further protect cyclists. The partnership is the latest example of Volvo Cars’ leading position in safety development and its ambition to improve road safety for … [Read more...]
EV planning is improving, say dealers
There’s increasing retailer satisfaction levels with manufacturers’ approach to the electric vehicle sector, said Sue Robinson, Director of the National Franchised Dealers Association. Commenting on the results of the latest Electric Vehicle Dealer Attitude Survey, Ms Robinson went on to say the main objective of the survey is to understand retailers’ views on the approach to the electric … [Read more...]
Newslines 7 June
JLR and BMW will jointly develop their future electric motors and powertrains. The German company will design them and the UK business will build them for both companies after reports BMW will also supply new V8 engines to JLR models for certain markets. Fiat Chrysler has withdrawn a $35 billion merger offer for France's Renault, blaming a breakdown in discussions on the French Government … [Read more...]
Welsh Minister calls for rethink over BEP closure
The closure of Ford Bridgend Engine Plant will have a devastating impact on its employees, the supply chain and Bridgend, said Minister for Economy and Transport Ken Skates. “Earlier today I spoke with Graham Hoare, Chairman of Ford UK, who informed me that the company intends to begin a consultation to close its Bridgend engine plant in September 2020 to move production of its Dragon engine to … [Read more...]