Britain’s car-makers and component suppliers face opportunities as the race speeds up towards a future of pure electric vehicles, delegates to the annual Autolink Conference in Cardiff were told yesterday.On the day that the UK Government announced a £620 Million grant to boost ev-sales, extend the national recharging network on-street and in homes, as well as introduce a compulsory mandate … [Read more...]
£230M investment saves Ford Halewood jobs
Ford Halwood plant will get a £230M investment to produce electric powertrain components in two years for the company's European EV fleet.An undisclosed amount of that has come from the UK Government and it will safeguard about 500 jobs on Merseyside which have been under threat as the industry moves from internal combustion engined cars and vans to pure electric models by 2030.Ford has … [Read more...]
September registrations worst for over two decades
New car registrations collapsed to a 22 year low last month due to the semi-conductor shortage delaying scores of models' introduction.Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reported sales plummeted 34.4% year on year in September – traditionally one of the busiest months for the industry after the March new-plate change.Just 214,312 new cars were registered with the latest plate … [Read more...]
EVs cheaper to insure than petrol or diesel cars
GoCompare car insurance data shows Electric Vehicles are now cheaper to insure than petrol or diesel cars.The average cost of insuring an electric car in July 2021 was £484, compared with £489 for a petrol vehicle and £534 for a diesel car.The average cost of insuring electric vehicles has also seen a steady decrease since 2019 – with a £65 drop in average costs from the first six months … [Read more...]
Fuel shortage green light for ev sales boom
After one on-line retailer reported a 60% jump in ev-searches over the weekend, analysts believe the fuel shortage will be the big catalyst to boosting the uptake of the greenest cars.Sean Kemple, Managing Director of Close Brothers Motor Finance, said, “The current fuel crisis may well be the catalyst for motorists to go green."Vauxhall is bringing out eight new electric models, … [Read more...]
UK drivers shunning electric cars over costs
Over half of UK drivers say electric cars cost too much and charging points are too scarce.The Opinium survey of 2,000 UK drivers, commissioned by InsuretheGap, a supplier of Guaranteed Asset Protection, asked drivers what they thought of electric cars.Cost is the biggest concern for most drivers, with 56% saying electric cars cost too much (58% men and 54% women), rising to 65% of 55 and … [Read more...]
Young drivers pass on manual gearboxes
The ‘green agenda’ is radically influencing driving attitudes of young people aged 17-24, reports IAM RoadSmart.The ban of new petrol and diesel vehicle sales from 2030 and the absence of manual gearboxes in electric vehicles has prompted 61% of the 1,000 young drivers to tell the road safety charity that they plan to apply for an automatic-only driving licence.The green … [Read more...]
Wales shows little love of EVs
Ownership of electric cars in Wales has risen over 72% in the last year but that’s way behind most of the UK regions.Wales has settled in ninth in a list of the top dozen areas in DVLA data compiled by LeaseLoco.In 2020 there were 2,696 electric vehicles registered at the Morriston centre and last year it went up to 4,641, a rise of 72.1%, just behind the East Midlands for growth but ahead … [Read more...]
Tradelines 15 September
Fiat Professional’s New Ducato is the first commercial vehicle to have level 2 autonomous Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.The New Ducato offers a range of technologies aimed at improving the driving experience while making the Ducato a safer environment for work or leisure.Inclusion of technology like Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop&Go function, Lane Keep Assist and Traffic Jam … [Read more...]
Car production & sales stagnate on shortages
Car sales in Wales crashed over 26% last month, the worst of any part in the UK.Just 2,363 new models were registered and that's even below the 3,230 recorded in the pandemic hit showrooms of last year and the total for the country was a little over 68,000.It was a very dismal August for the motor trade across the country, the lowest figures recorded since 2013 and the overflow from … [Read more...]
