Car production tumbles again in worst February for a decade March 26, 2021 UK car production fell 14 per cent last month as the sector suffered its weakest February for over a decade. Just 105,008 units rolled off production lines last month, according to new figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). It was the eighteenth straight month of declining car production in [...]
British electric vehicle startup Arrival secures $13.6bn valuation in New York March 26, 2021 British electric van and bus startup Arrival secured $13.6bn (£9.87bn) valuation upon its listing in New York yesterday, despite being yet to begin production. The firm, which is yet to turn a profit, went public on Nasdaq yesterday, raising around $660m in gross proceeds to ramp up the delivery of its electric vehicles and expand [...]
Rolls-Royce bulk-buys Liberty steel ahead of feared collapse March 26, 2021 Rolls-Royce is buying enough steel from Liberty to last until Christmas to guarantee supplies in case parent company GVG Alliance collapses. The jet engine manufacturer is buying a relatively small amount of speciality steel for an undisclosed value, the Telegraph first reported, for fear the steel manufacturer may go out of business. Liberty Steel is [...]
It’s the end of the road for the Ford Mondeo March 25, 2021 Ford said today it will phase out the Mondeo early next year after nearly three decades of production. The saloon car used to be hugely popular among executives and families, with about 5m sold in Europe since its introduction in 1993. At the Labour Party Conference in 1996, leader Tony Blair identified “Mondeo man” as [...]
Rapid build-up of tankers and laden vessels at blocked Suez Canal as alternatives are limited March 25, 2021 Overnight on Tuesday, the container Ship Ever Given ran aground in the southern part of the Suez Canal, a rare event in the history of the waterway. The potential for a rapid build-up of liquid and gas tankers in the region is marked with multiple laden vessels now indicating major delays for their Suez transit. As of this morning [...]
Over half of households now commuting to work again March 25, 2021 More than half of all households could now be travelling to work again, analysis of their daily energy usage shows. According to challenger energy brand Bulb, about 54 per cent of households are now commuting into work, up 13 per cent from the beginning of January. Using data from its smart meters, the company is [...]
UK must install 700 electric vehicle charge points a day to hit 2030 target March 25, 2021 The UK must install 700 electric vehicle (EV) charging points every day for the rest of the decade to support the transition away from the internal combustion engine. From 2030, the government will ban the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars in order to help the country hit its ambitious 2050 climate goals. [...]
Ed Miliband calls for electric car ‘revolution’ across UK March 24, 2021 Shadow business minister Ed Miliband tomorrow will lay out Labour’s plans for an electric vehicle “revolution” for the UK. Under the new policies, Labour is pledging to introduce interest-free loans for those on low and middle incomes to buy electric cars, as well as a national scrappage scheme. It comes just a week after the [...]
What’s the latest for Brits’ summer holiday hopes? March 24, 2021 With the UK’s vaccination programme continuing apace, sun-starved Brits are getting more and more excited about the prospect of getting out of the country this summer. But in recent days the government has attempted to pour cold water on travel hopes, with multiple ministers warning it is “too early” to book holidays abroad. They are [...]
British Airways owner IAG agrees new $1.8bn credit facility March 23, 2021 British Airways owner IAG took yet another step towards stabilising its finances today by announcing a new $1.8bn (£1.3bn) revolving credit facility. The new financing arrangement has been agreed with a number of banks and will be available for an initial three years, with the possibility of extension for two more years. As well as [...]