Motor boss warns against ‘protectionism’ as electric vehicle production accelerates 50 per cent February 24, 2023 Car production in Britain fell slightly in January as thousands continued the shift towards electric vehicles which experienced a near 50 per cent increase. Despite global economic instability, car production fell just 0.3 per cent last month, which was welcomed by the industry as a sign of market stability. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and [...]
Bentley to end production of 12-cylinder petrol engine as luxury car maker is latest in shift to EV February 22, 2023 Bentley will end production of its famed 12-cylinder petrol engine in April next year, the luxury car maker has announced. More than 100,000 examples of the W12 engine have been built at the company’s factory in Crewe, Cheshire over the past 20 years. The decision to halt production is part of the business’s move to [...]
EV charging prices down but varying peak-rates threaten to drive up cost, AA warns February 15, 2023 The cost of charging electric vehicles (EV) fell in January but drivers should be aware that providers are now offering different rates depending on the time of day, a report by the AA warned. The insurance company found that slow charging costs dropped eight per cent last month to match home charging, but the average [...]
How decoupling cost of electricity from gas can benefit EV uptake, according to motoring groups February 9, 2023 Motoring groups have called on the government to decouple the wholesale price of electricity from gas in a bid to bring down the costs associated with running an electric vehicle (EV). The RAC and EV campaign group Faircharge today urged ministers to publish the results of their Review of Electricity Market Arrangements, which closed in [...]
Nissan’s Sunderland plant could make Renault and Mitsubishi cars if factory is competitive, top exec says February 6, 2023 Nissan’s Sunderland plant could start producing Renault and Mitsubishi cars under the rebooted alliance between the Japanese and French car makers, but only if the factory is competitive, Nissan’s chief operating officer Ashwani Gupta said today. Gupta told journalists this afternoon that the move could happen depending on the factory’s competitiveness. “If Sunderland is competitive, [...]
Tesla: Musk’s EV giant ready to enter UK insurance market with launch of London firm February 6, 2023 Electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla appears to be readying itself to begin insuring British drivers through the launch of its own London-based insurer. Elon Musk’s automotive company is seeking to open a UK branch of its Malta-based insurance business, filings to Companies House show. Tesla is also hiring a lawyer to work in its “full-stack [...]
Car makers call for EV tax cuts in March Budget to help drive green transition February 6, 2023 Car makers have called on the UK government to implement a raft of tax cuts in the March Budget to help support the transition to electric vehicles. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said today that the upcoming budget – which will be announced on 15 March – is a good opportunity to [...]
Safety first as Volvo’s EV UK sales accelerate, but shares still take a hit February 3, 2023 The UK remains a key market for automaker Volvo, along with Italy and Belgium where its models shifted faster than anywhere else. The Swedish carmaker, which is majority owned by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, said its global sales were up two per cent last month to 48,520, from the same period last year but [...]
Toyota boss to stand down after 14 years amid concern over sluggish shift to EVs January 26, 2023 Japanese car-maker Toyota (TMC) has announced a major shake-up of its leadership structure, with its current president stepping to to be the new chair. Akio Toyoda has been promoted to the top of the company’s board this morning in wake of Takeshi Uchiyamada’s resignation. Uchiyamada, the grandchild of the company’s founder, stepped down as the [...]
Electric car demand jitters fail to derail government from hitting 300,000 charger target January 23, 2023 The UK government is on track to hit its target of delivering 300,000 public electric vehicle chargers by 2030, a new report out today reveals. A study by the transport organisation New Automotive shows the goal will be met despite the car industry’s scepticism over the strength of demand for electric vehicles. According to recent [...]