One of Britain’s most eagerly awaited new models hits showrooms on Monday and it’s almost certainly going to lead to a “brown market” price war. The Suzuki Jimny LCV will be limited to about 400 sales this year and they are expected to be snapped up even more quickly than the Jimny lightweight 4x4 SUV two years ago. Priced from about £16,700 before VAT as a commercial vehicle the Jimny LCV will … [Read more...]
Retail News
Motorhomes sales are booming
Demand for motorhome cover surges as Brits prepare for UK’ations GoCompare has seen a 26% increase in quotes from motorhome insurance compared with last year, as restrictions on holidaying in self-catering accommodation ease across the UK. And it seems that the VW camper is still king when it comes to motorhomes in the UK, whether it’s a classic splitty, T2 or a modern T5. Hannah Isitt, … [Read more...]
£1 Billion Nissan investment boosts EVs
Thousands of jobs will be created or secured in Britain after Nissan announced this morning that it’s building its next electric car in Sunderland. About 900 new jobs will be added to the plant which currently builds the Leaf EV and a further 750 places will be created when Nissan Chinese partner Envision AESC constructs a new traction battery plant adjacent to the car lines. The £1 … [Read more...]
Motor Sport reprieved from new insurance law
Vehicles intended exclusively for motorsport will be excluded from new Motor Insurance rules, known by some as the VNUK law. For seven years a European Court of Justice ruling threatened the entire sport and business of motorsport in the UK and Europe but has now changed its mind and this positive result comes after years of pro-active lobbying by the FIA, the Motorsport Industry Association … [Read more...]
Long-Covid is hitting fleets
Lengthening replacement cycles prompted by the pandemic and new vehicle shortages is causing major component failures to rise sharply for some van operators, FleetCheck is reporting. The company says that these trends mean more light commercial vehicles owned by fleets are entering the fifth and even sixth years of their operational life, and that expensive mechanical breakdowns are becoming more … [Read more...]
Fleets must look behind headlines to whole life costs
Fleet management provider CBVC Vehicle Management is urging financial advisors and accountants to encourage businesses to ignore headline lease rental rates and to instead focus on whole life costs for company car acquisition for fleet cost savings. According to CBVC, understanding whole life costs is critical, especially as fleets start to accommodate electric vehicles. Focusing simply on … [Read more...]
Fleets’ worries over EV costs and charging
Almost six in ten fleets which are not considering implementing electric vehicles named a lack of public charging infrastructure as the biggest barrier to their adoption. However, the majority of perceived barriers listed by non-EV adopting fleets reduced significantly over the last year, according to results from the latest Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer research. When the same non-EV … [Read more...]
Full throttle drive to boost evs and manufacturing jobs
Car makers have called for millions of new charging points to be installed in Britain and for Government help towards building enormous factories to manufacture traction batteries for new cars if the UK is to hit its low and zero emissions goals. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders ambitious plan, ‘Full Throttle: Driving UK Automotive Competitiveness’, is intended secure the future of … [Read more...]
Accidents & injuries hit record low in Wales, say Quotezone
It has been the safest year on record with the fewest accidents on Welsh roads. Welsh road accidents dropped more than a third in 2020 compared to 2019, making last year the safest year on record for road users in Wales. Welsh government figures show road accidents were at their lowest during the ‘stay at home’ period in spring, with April 2020 down 68% year-on-year, while May was down 65%. … [Read more...]
EVs real threat to jobs
EU legislators are preparing to ban sales of petrol and diesel powered vehicles by 2035 as it toughens emissions laws. A proposal to slash 60% cut in emissions at current levels by 2030 due to be announced in three weeks will precede the total block and it comes as Jaguar says it will be moving future EVs up-market to match Porsche and Bentley. CLEPA said in a statement, such stringent … [Read more...]