A van has become Britain’s best selling vehicle during the coronavirus lockdown according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. While the Mercedes Sprinter delivered for dealers the chaotic charts saw the pure electric Tesla Model 3 top the passenger car list, but even that couldn’t match the Sprinter. Overall, the revious low for car sales was immediately … [Read more...]
40M vehicles now used in UK
The number of vehicles registered for use on British roads has surpassed 40 million for the first time, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The UK’s largest automotive analysis reveals that more than 35 million cars and five million commercial vehicles were in use in the UK in 2019, representing a 1.0% increase on the previous year. Light commercial vehicles saw the … [Read more...]
Global collapse of van production to be felt for 2020
Global commercial vehicle production volumes in 2020 compared to 2019 are forecast to be down 22 percent , some 650,000 units to 2.6 million units, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the most recent analysis from IHS Markit. Individual regional forecasts are set to a downtrend, and supply chain impacts are being felt, as the consequences of the virus have shuttered … [Read more...]
Vauxhall temporarily shut UK plants
Vauxhall is closing its Ellesmere Port car plant tomorrow and Luton van assembly plant from thursday. They along with other PSA plants throughout Europe will be shut until 27 March and the 2,560 UK workers will get paid leave. It is part of the industry's response to the spread of Coronavirus around the world with many plants closing to protect workers as well as suppliers curtailing … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: VW Crafts it’s way to success
VW’s investment in their pursue of van domination seems to have paid off with the latest VW Crafter, leaving Mercedes sprinting back to the ideas board, writes Rhys Roberts. The VW Crafter does everything asked of a van, and seems to do it with some added pizazz. It may not be as technologically advanced as its Mercedes rival, but it isn’t as far behind as you might assume. The VW … [Read more...]
How we use our roads is changing
While the number of miles travelled on our roads hardly changed in 2018 compared to the previous year, the forms of transport used has changed. Van traffic, despite experiencing slower growth in 2018, still saw a slight increase which sets a new record high. Cycling miles also rose and is now 34% above what it was 25 years ago. RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes, responding to the latest … [Read more...]
Ford and VW confirm cvs and future technologies
Ford and Volkswagen today confirmed they will begin a joint venture to build and share vans and pickups from 2022. They will join forces in a bid to reduce costs and create new ranges of electric and self-driving cars, they announced at the Detroit Motor Show. Sales will begin in 2022 and will boost profits from 2023 and “Over time, this alliance will help both companies create value and … [Read more...]
£2.5M to clean up older polluting CVs
The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership welcomed the announcement that up to £2.5 million Government funding is being made available to increase the range of vehicle retrofit technologies capable of cutting emissions from larger road vehicles already in use and enable them to meet Clean Air Zone and ULEZ requirements. The funding will support vital testing of new technologies for the ground-breaking … [Read more...]
Newslines 27 April
An Uber-style community transport app for NHS patients in the Valleys is being considered by the Ministerial Taskforce for the South Wales Valleys. The app for patients who need to travel to hospital for appointments and treatment would bring together all providers of community transport to share vehicles and reduce wasted trips. Car thieves have raised their game and 32,000 more people were … [Read more...]
Electric vans now matching diesels’ cost, say analysts
The costs of emissions-free, electric vans are now as low as their diesel competitors. That’s according to a new study by consultancy CE Delft that focuses on the small van segment largely used in cities and which accounts for 40% of total van sales in the EU. The study takes into account purchase price, taxes, fuel bills and maintenance costs over six years, equivalent to a standard lease … [Read more...]
