New car sales are slowly picking up after the first full month of showroom openings, said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Registrations in May reached 156,737 units, an almost eightfold increase on the same month last year, but down -14.7% on pre-pandemic May 2019, and -13.2% on the 10-year May average. Against a more positive economic backdrop – including OECD forecasting a 7.2% … [Read more...]
Fleets expressing RV concerns over petrol & diesel models
Customers are already beginning to express residual values fears over buying new diesel or petrol cars and vans thanks to the prospect of rapid electrification, FleetCheck is reporting. Through its sister Fleetfind operation, the fleet software company helps its client base source vehicles, and says that buyers are concerned about the prospects for internal combustion engine (ICE) models in the … [Read more...]
Newslines 13 April
Classic car collectors are paying up to £75,000 for a good Ford Sierra RS Cosworth. Competition inspired cars are reaching six figure sums, reports Hagerty, with an Audi Quattro Sport likely to make £404,000. Plug-in hybrids could be forced off roads sooner than anticipated. EU legislation is moving towards tougher emissions standards which would make the PHEVs much more expensive compared to … [Read more...]
Charging cables are new target for thieves
Thieves making £200 a time stealing car charging cables. With the UK banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, the future of the motor trade industry really is electric, but that’s leading to a new type of crime – the theft of car charging cables and they can cost over £600 to replace. With this metal theft on the increase, a trusted waste disposal company asks: Can you leave … [Read more...]
Emissions data missing from PHEVs
Difficulties in obtaining and verifying the correct zero emissions range figure for newer plug-in-hybrid electric vehicles is causing P11D headaches for fleets, reports the Association of Fleet Operators. For PHEVs registered on or after 6 April 2020 emitting 50g/km or less of CO2, the ZER needs to be entered on the P11D but does not appear to be available anywhere other than on the Certificate … [Read more...]
Weeds need removing from our green drive
There are a few weeds to be taken care of as the motor industry, energy providers, related suppliers and authorities take us down the green road towards 2030 and onwards, writes Robin Roberts. The haste and race to have low emission cars and other vehicles on our roads is tripping over some serious issues, notably cost, and not just for vehicles and infrastructure but the expense of losing … [Read more...]
BEVs boosted to over 200,000 on UK roads
It has been a landmark 12 months for electric cars, says the RAC. Despite the wider car industry suffering badly from the effects of the pandemic, 2020 was a landmark when it came to sales of battery electric vehicles with twice as many sold last year compared to the year before, and a total of more than 200,000 registered since 2010, shows analysis of SMMT figures by the RAC. December alone saw … [Read more...]
UK car maker may need bailout
Despite Coronavirus, the plug-in market in Europe grew by well over 100% this year and it will happen again in 2021. BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) will grow by more than 100% and surpass the growth of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). In 2019, the UK sold 38,000 BEVs and the UK is currently on track for between 98,000 and 101,000 BEV sales by the end of 2020. Those in the industry are predicting that … [Read more...]
Used electric cars now growing sales
Second-hand battery and electric cars are being sought by drivers, says the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders in their latest report on the used car market. The UK’s used car market increased by 4.4% in Q3 after two consecutive quarters of decline, according to the latest figures published today by the SMMT. During the busiest quarter since the end of 2016, some 2,168,599 transactions … [Read more...]
Welsh parks are good for EV-isitors
The Pembrokeshire Coast and Brecon Beacons national parks are among the best in the UK to charge up electric cars for visitors, a new study reveals. Since 2015, there has been a 440% increase in charging points on average across all 15 national parks. The biggest increase is the Pembrokeshire Coast national park which had 1 public charging point in 2015, but now boasts 19 - a 1800% … [Read more...]