Episodes
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FOLLOW UP: EU CHINA TARIFFS UPDATE
On the 31 October, the EU tariffs for China made EVs went live. Click this electrive article link here to read more.
This has caused SAIC to take the European Commission to court over the amount it has been charged. You can read more via this electrive article link here.
China, it is claimed, has instructed home grown EV makers to not build plants in the EU to get around the extra charges. Once again, electrive have an article link here for you.
Additionally, they now want to know the lifecycle of rare earth minerals in Western supply chains. Check out this link to a China Digital Times link here.
FOLLOW UP: FINANCE INDUSTRY THROWN INTO TURMOILFollowing a court ruling regarding commission on finance agreements, the industry has been thrown into turmoil as there are questions on what they need to do in order to be compliant. Some companies have halted all offerings for car finance until the situation is clarified. You can find out more, by clicking this AMOnline article link here.
FOLLOW UP: AUDI TO CLOSE BRUSSELS PLANT IN 2025As listeners will be aware, Audi plans to close their Belgium plant in early 2025. However, they have been unable to find a suitable buyer to take on the property and run it. To learn more about this, click the electrive article link here.
LABOUR’S FIRST UK BUDGETLabour has revealed their first budget, since being voted into power. Fuel duty and the extra relief, is staying in place. However, there are big changes for VED rates, Benefit in Kind (BiK) thresholds, classification for double cab pickups and more. Click this AMOnline article link here to read more.
For more on fuel duty and first year VED rates, click this Autocar article link here.
To read about the BiK changes, click here for an Autocar article.
If you wish to learn more about the changes to taxation for double-cab pickups, click this link from Professional Pickup.
VW GROUP PROFITS DOWN €3billionVolkswagen Group profits plunge €3 billion in the latest financial report. The VW brand itself is causing heavy drag thanks to an operating margin of just 2%. The information comes out at a key time when the company is...
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Andrew was invited, by Kia UK, to try out the refreshed Picanto and new Sorento. Book ending the ICE and hybrid model range, the city car Picanto and large SUV Sorento show how the company caters to many different needs.
Listen to the Alan and Andrew discuss the first impressions of the cars, following his short time with each of the models.
To find out more from Kia on the Picanto, click this link to their website here.
If you want to discover more about the Sorento, click this link to the Kia website here.
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Missing episodes?
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FOLLOW UP: VW CONSIDERS RADICAL COST SAVING PLANS
Information has come out as to the extent that Volkswagen Group are considering how to save the $4 billion they state they need to. This includes closing up to three German plants, reducing wages, reducing bonuses and more. Unions have reacted angrily whilst VW has not commented on the claims. To find out more, click this Reuters link here.
FOLLOW UP: JLR STILL HAVING REPAIR ISSUESA year ago the CEO of JLR, Adrian Mardell, apologised for how long it was taking to repair their customer’s vehicles. This situation is still not resolved. Problems with their supply chain, which not all are their fault, as well as the supply hub they switched to has meant that around 10,000 customer cars are off the road. Click this Autocar article to read more.
RADFORD MOTORS FILES FOR CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCYThe car company co-founded by Jenson Button, Ant Antsted and Dan Bednarski, to build a low volume supercar based on a modern interpretation of the Lotus Type 62, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US. This is a debt restructuring move and does not mean the company is folding. There are also two court cases being brought against Ansted and Bednarski over financial matters related to the company. In order to find out more, click this Road & Track article link here.
CHINA DEPORTS VW EXEC OVER DRUG ALLEGATIONSChina has deported a senior Volkswagen executive, Jochen Sengphiehl, over claims he failed a recreational drug test. He was held by authorities for 10 days before the action was taken. Many questions come from this, is it real or China flexing? You can read more, by clicking this Reuters article link here.
RIVIAN AND BOSCH TAKE EACH OTHER TO COURTBosch has sued Rivian for breach of contract, which caused Rivian to counter sue. Rivian cancelled their contract for electric drivetrains from the supplier as they will use their own in-house developed ones. Bosch are, understandably, unhappy at the loss of business, whilst Rivian state that this issue is why they did not deliver as many cars as expected previously. Click this electrive link to find out more.
NEW PHEV BATTERY GIVES CLAIMED 249 MILE RANGECATL has released information on a plug-in hybrid battery, that gives a claimed electric only range of 249 miles. This has the chaps confused. Why is it PHEV only? Sounds almost too good to be true, but is it? What are Alan and Andrew missing? You can read more on this, by clicking this Autocar article link here.
STELLANTIS TO ROAD TEST SOLID STATE BATTERIES IN 2026Stellantis are the latest company to announce when they will be road testing their solid state batteries. Using a fleet of Dodge Charger Daytonas, for some reason, they will be trying them out on the roads in 2026. To read more on this, including the list of others who have claimed they will have...
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In this episode, Alan talks about taking a short break from his holiday/vacation, driving around the southeast of the USA to visit Porsche North America in Atlanta, Georgia, touring the impressive facility, and driving a 911 GTS and a Boxster GTS back-to-back on track.
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FOLLOW UP: TESLA STILL HIT BY SWEDISH STRIKES
In Sweden, the strikes by various workers from a variety of industries that serve parts of Tesla’s business has expanded to include the union Vision. Those that work on the Tesla Supercharger network will no longer service, repair or run maintenance on the charging stations. To learn more, click this Automotive News Europe article link here.
STELLANTIS TO SHAKE UP UK BUSINESSCarlos Tavares, the CEO of Stellantis and wielder of the big hammer affectionately named “cuts”, has said there will be an announcement in the next few weeks for the “correction” they will be making to the UK business. In recent months the company has threatened the UK Government, as seems to be their Plan A in all countries, with closing production plants. The main bugbear is the ZEV mandate and, in the company’s eyes, a lack of financial support from the Government. Click this Autocar article to read more.
STELLANTIS UK GET A NEW MD AFTER SURPRISE EXITMario Gazia Davino has made the shock move of leaving the company with immediate effect. Peugeot UK’s new director has been promoted to run the UK operation for Stellantis, and also Peugeot until a successor can be found. There is a lot of upheaval and changes of personnel within the company, both in the UK and Europe, in recent times. If you wish to read more on this, click here for an article from Auto Retail Network.
VW FINANCE HIT WITH FINE BY UK REGULATORVolkswagen Financial Service, one of the largest car finance operators in the UK, has been fined for failing to fairly treat customers in financial distress. The time period in question is January 2017 and July 2023 and covers around 110,000 customers. On top of the £5.4 million fine, the company has agreed to pay compensation in the order of £21.5 million to customers who suffered harm. In order to find out more, click this AMOnline article link here.
JLR APPOINTS NEW SALES DIRECTORJLR has appointed Angela Shepherd, as the group’s new sales director to help it transition to the luxury market. JLR are trying to move to a hybrid dealer and agency model. Click this AMOnline article link to learn more.
VOLVO SHAKE UP MANAGEMENT STRUCTUREIn an attempt to create a company that is “designed to increase simplicity, speed and collaboration and reduce complexity by flattening our structure”. The most senior person to be impacted by this is the Chief Commercial Officer and deputy to the CEO, Björn Annwal. To read more on this matter, click here for an electrive article link.
MASERATI UK APPOINTS NEW BOSSPeter Charters has left Maserati with immediate effect and has been replaced by Mariangela Del Vecchio. She will also be looking after Scandinavian operations. You can read more,
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FOLLOW UP: EU vs Chinese EVs
The European Commission has approved tariffs on Chinese EVs. There are a number of stories behind this:
European Commission Approves Tariffs On Chinese EVS - AutocarEU Rejects Chna’s Proposal for €30,000 minimum price - electrive.comWhy EU rejected China's compromise on EV tariffs - Automotive News EuropeJLR encourages further talks in plea to avoid EU-China tariff war - AutocarEU-China EV dispute: Beijing retaliates with levy on French brandy - Automotive News Europe
FOLLOW UP: DIESELGATE - Winterkorn’s Trial Moved AGainThe trial for ex. Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn, has been delayed due to his current ill health. A new timeline is being planned and will be announced in due course. Click this Automotive News Europe article for more.
FOLLOW UP: FIAT 500E PRODUCTION PAUSED FOR LONGERFiat has announced that the current pause in production of the 500e will continue for longer, which the company claims is down to the low demand for EVs. Or is it the reduced demand for the 500e? To read more on this, click here for an Autocar article.
SEPTEMBER NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURESSMMT has released the new car registration figures for September. The overall figures are still down significantly on the Before Times, pre-Covid. There has been a lot of things said and written about these which require more than surface level analysis that has occurred. EV numbers were once again good.
But the SMMT is leaning heavily into calling for Government assistance for Private consumers. Which rather counters all the claims that cost is not a driving factor in the growth of EVs not being as fast and large as many expected and hoped. If you wish to learn more, click this SMMT link here. You can also see more on the industry’s calls for help, click this link from The Guardian.
SEVERAL COMPANIES ISSUE PROFIT WARNINGSIn the past few weeks several car brands have issued warnings on their expected profits. Mercedes, Stellantis, Aston Martin, BMW and Volkswagen for a second time. More can be found on all of that by clicking this Reuters article link here.
CARLOS TAVARES TO... -
FOLLOW UP: GHOSN ORDERED TO RETURN YATCH
Carlos Ghosn has lost his appeal over the ruling that he must return his luxury yacht and repay approximately $32 million, to Nissan. This could prove tricky as he is in Lebanon and due to geopolitical issues, it may be tricky to send someone to go pick it up. To learn more, click this article link from The Autopian.
JLR INVESTS £500M IN HALEWOOD PLANTIn order to build hybrid vehicles and prepare for their electric future, JLR are updating the Halewood plant to the tune of £500 million. They will also be able to build combustion engined vehicles at the same facility. Click this article link to The Guardian.
NISSAN BUYS MORE SHARES BACK FROM RENAULTNissan is buying another 5% of shares back from Renault as the Rebel Alliance continues to dissolve. Estimated to be worth around $551 million which will help Renault’s finances. If you wish to learn more, click this article link from Automotive News Europe.
UK GOVERNMENT HAS NO PLANS FOR PAY-PER-MILE CHARGE YETIn a surprise move, the UK Government has confirmed that it will not be announcing a pay-per-mile charging scheme, which many expected as a replacement for fuel duty and VED. That is not to say it isn’t going to happen at some stage. Click here to read more from Top Gear.
KIA DEALER PORTAL VULNERABILITY FOUNDSecurity researchers found a flaw in the Kia dealer portal which allowed them to take remote control of vehicles, find their location, examine details of customers and more using only the license plate information. This was reported to Kia who have fixed the issue and confirm no one maliciously accessed their systems via this method. To read more on this, click here for the Bleeping Computer article.
LUXURY VEHICLES STILL GETTING TO RUSSIASky News has followed up an earlier investigation and found that luxury vehicles, including those from British manufacturers, are finding their way to Russian customers via other countries. We are not sure what the car brands can do to prevent this, as it is not from them directly. If you want to see what is going on, click this link here to read more.
POLESTAR ANNOUNCE INFOSYS AS SOFTWARE PARTNERPolestar is going to partner up with Infosys, the Indian IT giant, for their infotainment, driver assistance and connected services software. We REALLY hope Polestar has the people to check and tripple check the software that is produced. We are not confident this will be a good move. You can read more by clicking this article link from The Register.
If you like what we do, on this show, and think it is worth a £1.00, please consider supporting us via Patreon. Here is the link to that
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Alan is on his own this week, and there's no Follow-Up.
This week, though, the European motor industry warns that it will miss CO2 targets because of falling EV sales, the US proposes to ban Chinese and Russian connected car tech, and MAN and E.ON club together to open their first joint-venture truck charging site, while Shell does something similar in the UK. Gordon Murray Group won £ 11 million in UK government funding for developing a new lightweight platform, and Porsche patented a 6-stroke engine cycle.
New New Car News includes the Lotus Theory 1 concept, the Renault Estafette concept, and the Ineos Grenadier, where seats are a concept.
Points of Interest includes with a Lunchtime Read by Nir Kahn, and a list of 20 very angry cars. The And Finally this week is the latest from c90adventures on YouTube.
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FOLLOW UP: BWM DOWNGRADES OUTLOOK
On the back of the news that the BMW brake recall has expanded, which we covered last week, BMW has announced that they have cut their projected outlook for 2024 due to the costs incurred by the issue of the Continental supplied part. On top of that, reports are now surfacing that they were first informed of the issue in June 2022. To read more, click this link to an AMOnline story.
TOYOTA SOLID STATE BATTERY PLANS APPROVEDToyota has announced that it will begin production of solid state batteries in 2026, with mass production to begin in 2030. Have they actually cracked? If you wish to read more, click this InsideEVs article link here.
MERCEDES AND SUPPLIER DEVELOPING SOLID STATE BATTERYMercedes-Benz and Factorial have announced plans that they are developing a solid state battery, but with no confirmation on a date when these might come to market or be fitted to cars. Click here to read more, via a Reuters article link.
MG TO SELL SOLID STATE BATTERY CAR IN 2025Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), the company that owns MG amongst other brands, has announced that it will reveal their solid state battery in the second quarter of 2025. They then expect to start selling cars fitted with them by the end of the same year. To learn more, click this Autocar article link here.
TOYOTA REDUCES EV TARGETSToyota is the latest car maker to lower their production targets for electric cars. They are moving from 1.5 million to 1 million EVs produced, in 2026. Whilst that looks dramatic, it is not as dramatic as the jump from now. If you want to read more, click this electrive article link here.
VOLVO SUBSCRIPTION BUSINESS TO ENDVolvo has announced that it will be shutting down their car subscription offering. The system covered all costs except insurance and fuel. Whilst this has not worked for Volvo, or not well enough, others in the industry still think it is a viable business model and something consumers want. To find out more, click this AMOnline article link here.
FORD PATENTS COME TO LIGHTFord has submitted patents that are invasive of personal space and information to just a bit silly. We have to remember that patents often don’t make it to market and we can hope some of those unearthed don’t. One is to use in-cabin microphones to monitor conversations, combined with predicting the trip intention and historical data to “serve” you adverts, both visually and through the speakers. Yep, we’re more than appalled at that, just like you. Click this link from The Record, to read more on this.
The other one that raised an eyebrow, is for ‘Smart Vehicle Holograms’ that will, apparently, do a whole host of things from project security guards and dogs patrolling around a car, to
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FOLLOW UP: WINTERKORN DIESELGATE TRIAL BEGINS
Former Volkswagen CEO, Martin Winterkorn, is in court, charged with fraud, market manipulation and perjury all connected with the dieselgate scandal. Winterkorn denies all charges. To learn more, click this BBC News article link here.
AUGUST 2024 NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURESThe Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has released the August 2024 new car registration figures. They are the first month in two years to not grow year on year. BEVs took a market share of nearly 23% in August, but the year to date is still only at 17.2%. Diesel, petrol and PHEV were down, but HEV rose. Private flatlined, but Business and Fleet registrations were down. Calls were renewed for charging VAT equalisation and incentives from the Government for consumer purchases. Click this link to read more, from the SMMT article.
Click this link here to read what Robert Forrester, CEO of Vertu Motors, was quoted as saying with regards to the ZEV mandate and state of the market.
VW CONSIDERING PLANT CLOSURES TO CUT COSTSVolkswagen have started to think the unthinkable and are considering closing some of their German factories. The German company needs to save billions and this is one of the possible actions being weighed up. Also being looked at is shelving a planned compact electric SUV model. If you wish to read more, click this Autocar article link here.
VOLVO LATEST TO MODIFY MODEL PLANSVolvo is the latest manufacturer to announce a modification to their future model plans, thanks to current global market conditions and slower than expected roll out of chargin infrastructure. To find out what they are aiming for, click this AMOnline article link here.
POLESTAR ENDS AGENCY MODELPolestar has ended the agency retail model and now allows dealerships to act in a more traditional manner. One of the changes will be the ability to target potential customers and sell to them, rather than the previous “no pressure experience”. To learn more, click this AMOnline article link here.
BMW BRAKE RECALL ISSUE PERSISTS AND EXPANDSBMW began a recall due to issues with the Integrated Braking System. This has now been expanded to include the Mini and Rolls Royce brands. On top of that, they are struggling to cope with the scale of the issue due to the numbers involved. Parts are hard to come by and taking far longer than hoped. If you wish to read more, click this Car Dealer article link here.
If you like what we do, on this show, and think it is worth a £1.00, please consider supporting us via Patreon. Here is the link to that CLICK HERE...
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RAC RECOMMENDS DITCHING FUEL DUTY CUT
The RAC, who have long been highlighting how fuel retailers are not passing on the fuel duty cut to consumers, have recommended to the Government that they remove this in the upcoming Budget. Their argument is that drivers are not seeing the benefit and companies are only lining their pockets. To read more on this, click the link here to a BBC News article.
HACKNEY PROPOSAL FOR MOTORCYCLE PARKING CHALLENGEDA legal challenge has been filled against Hackney Council after their proposal to impose a parking fee at the same rate as a car, for residents. The council expects the move to reduce motorcycle commuting by 70%, in the face of evidence that it is better to shift from a car to a motorcycle. To help this challenge succeed a crowdfunding campaign is in operation. Click this link to a Motorcycle Action Group page for more.
HYUNDAI UPDATES MODEL PLANSHyundai is the latest company to announce a revision to their model and powertrain plans, in the face of market conditions. They will expand their hybrid offerings, including adding a range-extender. These moves, it hopes, will counter the fears that markets have about making the switch to fully electric vehicles. If you want to read more, click this AMOnline article link here.
LOTUS SLASHES SALES FORECASTLotus, blaming tariffs on Chinese built EVs, has slashed its sales forecast from 55,000 vehicles to just 12,000. With next year being down from 76,000 to 30,000. In the first half of 2024 Lotus sold 4873 cars globally. Whilst this is a record, it is no where near where it needed to be if 55,000 were to be sold. Click this Autocar article link here, to read more.
NEW CEO FOR POLESTARThomas Ingenlath has resigned as CEO of Polestar, he will be replaced by ex-Opel-Vauxhall boss Michael Lohscheller. Lohscheller, recently, was the CEO of Vinfast and president of Nikola Motors. You can read more about this, by clicking this Autocar article link here.
HMRC CUTS EV MILEAGE RATESHMRC has announced that they are cutting the Advisory Fuel Rates (AFRs) for EVs, reducing it to 7ppm, from 8ppm. There are, as a result, calls to change how this is done because it does not actually cover the costs of business users, especially if they do not have a home charger. Click this FleetNews article link for more.
LEX AUTOLEASE PROFITS PLUNGE £400MLex Autolease, the business leasing company, has announced a drop in pre-tax profits of £400 million, in the face of increased revenues. A large portion of this is attributed to the fall in EV residuals at rates far more than anticipated. As we have said on the show, there are consequences which will impact both new and second hand markets. Click...
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WARNING ISSUED FOR UK NEW CAR MARKET
Cox Automotive, the automotive consultancy that helps those selling cars, has warned that the last quarter of 2024 will be very difficult for brands and dealers in the UK. They have gone so far as to liken the struggles they foresee as similar to those faced in the economic turmoil of the 2008 financial crash. To read more and get a better understanding of what is facing OEMs, click this Autocar article link here.
CATERHAM SEPARATES EV BUSINESSCaterham has created a separate business that is focused on the EV side of things. Named Caterham Evo, it has been funded by investors as profits from the main business are not enough for the development. For more on this, click here to read the Autocar article.
FORD REVISING EV PLANSFord has announced it is canning a planned three-row large electric SUV, which will now be a hybrid, will pursue a mid-sized pick-up (that’s mid sized for the US, so think Ranger) and will refuse to launch an EV unless it can be profitable in the first 12 months, according to InsideEVs. This will add costs and delay product launches. Click here to read more.
COUNCILS TO DECIDE ON SPEED LIMITS AND LTNSLouise Haigh, the new Transport Secretary, has stated that councils will decide if roads should be 20mph and if areas should be covered by Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTNs) schemes. However, she did say that the implementation or not, needs to involve the local communities. If you want to read more on this, click this Autocar article link here.
TOYOTA US DATA STOLENToyota US has had data stolen and leaked. This data included customer, staff, financial, contracts and credentials. There is speculation that the information has come from a back up server as one date found, on the files, was December 2022. To find out more, click this Bleeping Computer link here.
If you like what we do, on this show, and think it is worth a £1.00, please consider supporting us via Patreon. Here is the link to that CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST
As discussed in the show, there is a new way to play podcasts on non-Apple devices as they have brought the Podcast app to web browsers. Click this Podnews link to find out how to install and use it on your device. Thank you to James Cridland, the editor at Podnews, for making it easy to help more people listen to podcasts (and hopefully ours) with that guide.NEW NEW CAR NEWS - Mazda EZ-6Mazda unveiled the EZ-6 at a Chinese motor show, originally for that market, but is now coming to Europe with a chance it will be brought to the UK too. The design is the antidote to all the swooshes, slashes and dents that seem to be so very en vogue. Click this Autocar
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London ULEZ Scrappage Scheme to End Next Month
The London Scrappage Scheme will close next month for residents of all the London Boroughs covered by the ULEZ, but certain groups still have until 2027. You can read more in this story from Autocar.
GM Lays off 1,000 Software EngineersJust when all other car manufacturers are trying to focus on getting software correct, GM lays off 1,000 across the US. There’s an overview story from The Autopian here and one from CNBC here.
UK Motorists Warned of Quishing RiskBad actors are placing QR codes pretending to lead to the relevant payment sites in car parks and on EV charging stations across the UK. Keep an eye out for labels over correct QR codes or, even better, use the appropriate app or type in the URL where physical payment isn’t possible. There’s more detail in this Guardian story.
Leasing Model At Risk of BreakdownLeasing companies across Europe claim they’re considering pulling out of the market due to the unpredictability of used EV values as new vehicle prices rise. 60% of new vehicles across the continent have a lease component to their purchase, so are the lease companies getting their sums wrong, or is it something deeper? This Reuters story has more information.
Boston to use AI to calculate Traffic Light TimingsBoston is working with Google to optimise traffic light timings in the centre of the city. Thankfully the outcomes are being sanity checked by a human before implementation. This Boston25 News story tells us more.
If you like what we do, on this show, and think it is worth a £1.00, please consider supporting us via Patreon. Here is the link to that CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST
NEW NEW CAR NEWS - Vauxhall GrandlandIt still has a silly name, but the new Vauxhall Grandland comes in both hybrid and EV versions. You can read more in this Autocar article.
Lamborgini TemerarioLamborgini has shown its Huaracan successor at Monterey Car Week. It’s a PHEV andfaster, more powerful and heavier than its successor, but every bit as interesting. Just don’t get too distracted by the press photos. There’s much more in this Evo story.
BMW M5 TouringBMW has unveiled its M5 Touring. It’s a hybrid, has 717bhp and 1,630 litres of seats-down boot space. It will set you
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FOLLOW UP: CHINA SAYS EU TARIFFS ON EVS BREAK WTO RULES
China has said the tariffs imposed by the EU on Chinese made electric cars break the World Trade Organisation’s rules. On top of which the claim is the findings from the initial report and ruling are factually incorrect too. There is no confirmation that they have lodged legal proceedings with the WTO yet, but they state they reserve the right to do so. Click this Reuters article link to read more.
JLR INCREASES SPENDING DUE TO EV TRANSITION ISSUESJLR has stated that it is increasing its five year investment plan spending by another £3 billion, as the transition to an EV market is not happening as quickly as many would like. They feel they are having to develop ICE and hybrid platforms alongside the electric only, as a result. If you wish to learn more, click this Autocar article link here.
On top of that news, Jaguar announced it will reveal its EV concept in December with no cars being delivered before 2026. To read more on that, click this Autocar link here.
LAMBORGHINI POSTS BEST HALF-YEAR RESULTSLamborghini delivered 5558 vehicles, resulting in a 14.1% increase in profits of £387 million. This is helped by an increase of 28.2% of car prices. At this current rate they will deliver more cars than they did in their record breaking year, 2023. You can read more about this, by clicking here for an Autocar link.
VW TO CONCENTRATE ON COST CUTTINGVolkswagen Group has announced that it will be pushing their cost cutting program in the second half of the year as it looks to increase margins. CARIAD is one focus, according to CEO Blume. Constraining production would also be further enacted. Click this Reuters article link to read more.
PROPOSED EU BATTERY REGULATION CHANGES CAUSE ANGERThe German car industry is up in arms about proposed changes to the EV battery regulations, for 2027. The idea is to grade a battery on a country’s energy production mix, which will impact Germany that are more carbon intensive after shutting all their nuclear plants. France, is in favour of the rule change, unsurprisingly when one looks at their energy production mix. To find out more, click this electrive article link here.
CHINESE EV MAKER HIPHI FILES FOR BANKRUPTCYTo manage to go bankrupt, as a Chinese EV maker with plans to export across the globe, considering the amount of assistance the Government will give its home grown companies, takes quite the effort, but HiPhi have managed it. If you wish to learn more, click this Autocar article link here.
FORD WORKERS TO GO ON STRIKE OVER CHANGES... -
FOLLOW UP: MORE CERTIFICATION WOES FOR TOYOTA
Following on-site inspections, by Japan’s transport ministry, more certification violations have been found. A further seven models have been found to have been incorrectly certified, including the RAV4 model, resulting in a call for “drastic reforms” from the government. To learn more, click this link to a Reuters article.
JULY 2024 NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURESThe Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) released the new car registration figures for July 2024. Overall the figures are up 2.4%, year on year. EVs are up 18.8% for the month but still only a 16.8% market share, year to date. Hybrids and Plug-In Hybrids are also up, with petrol down slightly and diesel a lot. Private registrations are down significantly again, with Fleet being 60% of the market. SMMT call, again, on the Government to do more to incentivise consumers and do more for the infrastructure. Click here to read more, from SMMT.
AUDI UK GETS NEW MANAGING DIRECTORAndrew Doyle is leaving Audi UK to become CEO of Peter Warren Automotive, an Australian dealer group. He will be replaced by José Miguel Aparicio who is moving from Audi Spain, taking up the role on 1 October 2024. If you want to learn more, click this AMOnline article link here.
UK PUBLIC CHARGING POINTS INCREASE TO 64,632 DEVICESThe UK, as of 1 July 2024, has 64,632 public charging devices available for use. This is an increase of 47% on July 2023 numbers. However, the location of these chargers is uneven across the country. London has the best coverage, with Birmingham second, then it is very patchy across the rest of the country with the north of England particularly poorly served. Click this Autocar article for more.
BARCELONA HARNESSING METRO TRAIN ENERGY FOR EVSIn Barcelona, the first charging station that uses regenerated braking energy from metro trains, has opened. Complimenting this are solar panels placed on metro buildings. We like this very clever idea and are now wondering where else energy can be captured from! To read more, click this electrive article link here.
FIRST UK EV LORRY CHARGING HUB BEING BUILT IN IMMINGHAMImmingham port is the location for the UK’s first HGV EV charging hub, which is due to open in November 2024. This is also the location for a lot of off shore energy being brought into the country, therefore will make it easier to connect the chargers to a source. If you want to learn more, click this Current News article link here.
STONEHENGE TUNNEL CANCELLEDThe proposed tunnel under Stonehenge has been cancelled, along with the Arundel bypass, whilst other road...
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NEW ICE ONLY CAR SALE BAN TO BE 2030 IN UK
The Department for Transport has stated that they will ‘provide clarity’ by announcing that new internal combustion petrol and diesel only cars will be banned from sale in 2030. Further details will be issued in ‘due course’. Questions are being raised over vans, which are not mentioned. To read more, click this FleetNews article link here.
STELLANTIS PROFITS HALVEDStellantis revealed their first half financial results and they were bruising. A reduction in sales and that they are going through a big model refresh, across their brands, contributed to this. CEO Carlos Tavares has announced he would be reviewing all brands and threatened to close down those that are not profitable. He also stated that the UK’s zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate was damaging the company and unfair it did not take into account that they built such vehicles in the country.
Click here to read about the profit issues via this Autocar link.
To read more about the UK and how that has proved tricky for the company, click this AMOnline article link.
If you wish to consider which brand or brands may go, click this Autopian link as they run through those under the Stellantis group.
FORD POSTS SMALLER THAN EXPECT PROFITSFord also announced their financial results for the last quarter, which did not meet the expectation of many. They put the less than hoped for numbers down to the huge expense of repairing vehicles under warranty. On top of that the Ford model e division, for electric vehicles, operating loss was another $1.1 billion. Click this Reuters article for more information on this.
Click this Jalopnik article to read more about the warranty costs for Ford.
SOME WELSH ROADS WILL REVERT TO 30MPHThe Welsh Government has announced that it has put aside £5 million for some roads to be returned to a 30mph limit where councils think the new law was inappropriately applied. This is following “feedback”. If you wish to read more on this, click the Wales Online article link here.
NEW SPANISH CAMERA CATCHES SPEEDERSA new camera system, to be rolled out across Spain, detects if a vehicle bakes heavily before a speed camera and accelerate quickly after. Any vehicles spotted doing so can result in a €600 fine and 6 pints being added to the driver’s license. The cameras will be fitted anything up to one kilometre either side of the traditional...
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NEW CTO FOR RENAULT GROUP
Philippe Krief will become the chief technical officer for the Renault Group on 1 September 2024, taking over the role from Gilles Le Borgne. Krief will continue his role at Alpine. To learn more, click this YahooFinance link here.
NEW EU TYRE RULES COME INTO FORCENew rules for tyres, from the EU, mean that they will need to have the same wet braking standards new as when they have 1.6mm tread left. This will increase safety and also it is hoped will mean drivers do not swap to newer tyres before they need to. The idea might mean that production CO2 emissions will be cut by up to 35 million tons. There is no confirmation the rules will be adopted in the UK. Click this EVO article link to read more.
LIDL TO ENABLE EV CHARGING PAYMENTS VIA LOYALTY APPLidl is the first UK supermarket to allow for EV charging payments to be made via their loyalty app. They have approximately 370 charging points across the country. If you want to learn more, click this link from EV Powered.
ARRIVAL BUYS 51 VOLVO ELECTRIC BUSES FOR LONDONServicing just two routes Arrival will add 51 new electric Volvo double decker buses for Transport for London. To be fitted with the biggest battery capacity these will help improve air quality along the routes. You can read more by clicking this electrive article link here.
TVR FACTORY NO SHOW TO COST WELSH TAXPAYERS MILLIONSDue to TVR Automotive not using a site earmarked for their factory, in South Wales, the Government of the principality could be out of pocket to the tune of nearly five million pounds. TVR are now looking to located somewhere in Hampshire. Click this AMOnline article link to read about this story.
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NEW NEW CAR NEWS - Audi A5Audi have revealed their new replacement for the A4 saloon and Avants. Now named the A5, due to a change in their policy, this will be longer and wider than the previous model. Additionally the interior is heavily revamped with liberal use of screens. Powertrains will be petrol, diesel, mild hybrid and a PHEV. A S5 is also coming. Click this EVO link to read more.
Renault Traffic E-TechRenault has revealed details of their mid sized van, the Traffic, in EV guise. A maximum range of 186 miles, with an ability to fully charge in about an hour on a 50kW DC charger. The vehicle can carry a...
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UK CAR FACTORIES HALVE CARBON EMISSIONS
The UK car manufacturing industry has managed to cut carbon emissions by half in the past 25 years. On top of which, water use has dropped significantly. This comes from the SMMT’s 25th annual Sustainability Report. If you wish to learn more, click this AMOnline link here.
JLR SALES INCREASEJLR, in the last quarter, saw their sales to dealers (wholesale) rise for the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. The reason being given is the new body shop opening at Solihull. The Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Defender made up 68% of wholesale numbers. Foreign markets such as China and particularly the US also grew. Click this Autocar article link to read more.
They also announced that the Jaguar lineup will be cut down to just one model, due to lack of profitability. Only the F-Pace will be sold by the Jaguar brand until they announce their new models, aimed at the luxury market. If you wish to learn more, click this AMOnline article link here.
RENAULT OFFERS EV CONVERSION TO MASTER OWNERSOwners of Master III vans are being offered a conversion to EV, by Renault in France. At a cost of €26,900 + tax the vehicles will have a maximum range of 124 miles. This is significant saving on a new electric van, but with a limited range. To read more about this, click here to go to an electrive article.
AUDI MAY CLOSE BRUSSELS PLANTDue to a lack of sales, of the Q8 e-tron, the future of the VW Group plant in Brussels is under consideration, with the ultimate move being to close it and stop selling the model. Whilst Volkswagen Group has just announced it is investing heavily in Rivian, it has financial issue to sort as they and shareholders lower their earning expectation. Click this Reuters article link here to read more.
US STUDY QUESTIONS SAFETY CLAIMS OF ADASA study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute (IIHS), in the United States, has questioned how effective some of the advanced driver assistance systems actually are and if they do mitigate road incident rates. This covers technology which claims to be partial automation, not crash avoidance such as automatic emergency braking. Their conclusion is that partial automation adds nothing when it comes to additional safety. You can ream more, by clicking this link from IIHS here. To read the TechRadar piece associated to this, click here.
NEW CAR THEFT ATTACKS HIT HYUNDAI AND OTHERSWith the...
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FOLLOW UP: CHINESE BUILT EV TARIFFS COME INTO EFFECT
The interim tariffs, from the EU on Chinese built EVs, has come into effect. Some of these have been tweaked, with Geely’s penalty dropping a fraction. The EU also published a document to explain who was hit by what and why. To find out more, click this Reuters link here.
SAIC have asked for a special hearing with the EU as it states some of its evidence has been ignored. SAIC are the hardest hit of all companies, with a 37.6% additional cost added to all their vehicles. To read more, click this Reuters article link here.
China has imposed stricter control on some rare earth material, which might impact those importing from China. Click this electrive article link here, to read further on this.
There are signs that the tariffs are having one intended consequence, with Smart considering building a production plant in Europe. You can read more, by clicking this Autocar article link here. BYD are ahead of all others though, as they announce an agreement to open a factory in Turkey, a deal worth $1 billion. Click this BBC News article link to read more.
EUROPEAN GSR2 COME INTO FORCEThe European General Safety Rules 2 (GSR2) have come into force now, with systems such as intelligent speed limiters being fitted to all cars in the EU, including Northern Ireland. This will mean that UK cars will also have them fitted but they are not legally required. If you wish to read more, click this EVO article link here.
JUNE 2024 NEW CAR REGISTRATIONSJune saw another month of flatline registrations, with a 1.1% increase on 2023. However, BEVs did take a market share of 19% for June, raising it to 17.9% for the year to date. However, Private registrations are dropping, worryingly so, yet again as the market share decreases 15.3% for the month, with it now down 12% for the year to date. A reminder, salary sacrifice is not a private registration, no matter how hard you really wish it was. Click this link from the SMMT to read more.
To read the article from Matt Prior explaining who will end up paying for the mandate policy, click this Autocar link here.
Autocar also have an Editor’s letter for the new UK Government, with recommendations on how they can help the car industry. Click this link to read that.
EVS TO PAY LONDON CONGESTION CHARGE IN 2025Since 2020 Transport for London (TfL) have confirmed that EVs will pay the congestion charge from the end of 2025. Apparently, many have discovered this widely known news and are shocked. If you wish to learn more,
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FOLLOW UP: ARAMCO FINALLY AGREE TO HORSE STAKE
The joint-venture between Geely and Renault, for engine technology, called Horse, has finally managed to get Aramco on board as the third partner. They are expected to take a 10% share in the company. To read more, click this link to a Reuters article here.
VW THROWS $1B LIFELINE TO RIVIANVolkswagen and Rivian announced a partnership, with VW investing $1 billion initially into the US EV start up. The German company has stated it wants access to the battery technology and full software stack Rivian has developed. A further $4 billion could come from Volkswagen if certain criteria are met. This helps Rivian survive a little longer, but raises big questions about CARIAD. Click this Tech Crunch article link for more.
Click this Christiaan Hetzner Twitter thread for more about CARIAD and why the deal brings it’s existence into question.
If you would like to read more about Rivian’s ambitions, click this autoevolution article link here.
STELLANTIS THREATEN TO CLOSE UK MANUFACTURINGStellantis’s UK managing director has stated that they will make a decision in “less than a year”. They want help from the UK Government, including incentives for private buyers to encourage more EVs to be bought. On top of that, more is demanded for businesses to encourage them to buy more EV vans. To read more, click this article link from The Guardian.
RENAULT UK GET A NEW MDRenault UK has announced that Guillame Sicard will take up a new post in Renault France, with Adam Wood becoming the managing director on 1 October 2024, as well as the country manager for Renault Group. Click this AMOnline article link to read more.
PEUGEOT UK GET A NEW BOSSAs Adam Wood has resigned from his position as managing director of Peugeot UK and moved to Renault UK, Eurig Druce who was vice president of Stellantis Sales. To read more, click this AMOnline article link here.
NEW CAR PARK INDUSTRY CODE OF PRACTICEThe car parking industry, in an attempt to avoid direct intervention by the UK Government, has announced a number of new standards they will work to from the autumn. However, the whole industry does not need to be compliant until December 2026. Motoring groups have stated how little this does to change the situation. You can read more by clicking this BBC News article link here.
SUGGESTION ON DEALING WITH CAR WEIGHT INCREASEA group of academics have...
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