In response to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s net zero statement on Wednesday, Baroness Parminter, Chair of the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee, has written to Mark Harper MP, Secretary of State for the Department of Transport. In the letter, Baroness Parminter, on behalf of the cross-party committee looking into the ev sector, has asked the following questions … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Nissan LEAF e+ Tekna ProPilot 62kWh
How a car holds onto its popularity and value is a good indicator of its real worth, as in the case of the Nissan LEAF. The world’s first mass market all-electric family car was introduced in 2010 and for the UK and Europe it’s built in Sunderland where about 200,000 have been made in a decade and it's won seven used car awards in three years. Over the 12 years of its run and two model … [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...]
Weekend roadtest: Nissan Leaf e-Tekna
The Nissan Leaf is the world’s best selling electric passenger car and it’s easy to see why, writes Robin Roberts. Often the benchmark for newer rivals, the Leaf’s a genuine five-seater with a good practical range over 200 miles and comes with a sensible choice of domestic or fast charger cables. The second generation, Sunderland-built Leaf is sold in three grades, Acenta, N-Connecta and Tekna … [Read more...]
UK car making lowest in generation
UK car making slumped last year to the lowest since 1984, hit by Covid-19 interruptions and a collapse in demand for most of the year. The car makers' body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders chief Mike Hawes said it was a "dreadful year" but added that a comprehensive vaccination programme might restore buying and production. Output was 920,928 vehicles, a 29.3% fall on … [Read more...]
Nissan decision puts pressure on Ellesmere Port investment
Britain is charging up for a battery cars’ future. Nissan said today that its Sunderland car plant is secure for the long term as a result of the trade deal reached between the UK and the EU. It already makes traction batteries next to its Sunderland assembly plant and now says additional battery production will be invested where it has 6,000 direct employees and supports nearly 70,000 jobs in … [Read more...]
Leading EV pioneer warns of jeopardising advances
As the UK Government prepares to bring forward a complete ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars to 2030 it has been warned by an experienced automotive engineer not to jeopardise advances. Former CEO of Aston Martin and one of the UK’s most experienced and well-known industry experts, Dr Andy Palmer, welcomed the news as a step towards achieving a net zero carbon future and potentially … [Read more...]
French tell Renault “home” build for state aid
The French government has told Renault it must keep home plants operating as a condition of receiving €5 Billion state aid. France wants it to remain the group’s global centre for engineering, research, innovation and development, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Wednesday. Speaking in the Senate, he said the government was particularly concerned about maintaining the Flins plant, … [Read more...]
Nissan Sunderland future revealed by June
The future of Nissan Sunderland is expected to be outlined at the end of May. The UK plant builds cars for the UK and Europe and the Japanese car maker is preparing a new global production plan which will see a 20% reduction in capacity and that is expected to see it concentrate on the Far East and USA. There was a report this week that it is about to announce the closure of its pickup and ev … [Read more...]
Newslines 1 May
A survey by the Welsh Automotive Forum of local supply chain companies shows 88% expect May turnover to be reduced by more than 50%. Even for July, 38% expect turnover to be 30%+ reduced on pre-COVID-19 levels. RAC patrols rescued some 3,426 motorists whose vehicles may have fallen victim to the UK’s pothole-ridden roads in the first three months of 2020, more than during the same period last … [Read more...]