The latest edition of the NFDA EV Dealer Attitude Survey revealed key insights into retailers’ views about electric vehicles. The survey was launched in May 2018 to monitor retailers’ satisfaction levels with manufacturers’ approach to the EV sector.
Roughly a year after reports suggested the UK could become home to a gigafactory, AMTE Power and Britishvolt announced plans to investigate collaborating to build the UK’s first full cycle battery cell GigaPlant, servicing the automotive and energy storage markets. Both parties have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) focussed on each other`s complementary ambitions to create and expand an onshore manufacturing supply chain. The successful outcome of the collaboration would enable scalable production of a diverse product portfolio of lithium ion batteries to support the country’s Road to Zero targets and unprecedented transition to electrification.
A study earlier this year concluded that electric cars are much better for the climate than petrol cars in 95 per cent of the world. Other research last week found that on a yearly basis, electric cars (9,435 miles) are driven 26 per cent more miles when compared to petrol cars (7,490 miles).
Dismal new car registration figures in April conceal a milestone for the UK motoring public – for the first time ever, an all-electric model topped the passenger vehicle sales charts. But when it comes to overall new registrations, top of the heap during the month was a van.
In what has, for obvious reasons, been dubbed a Covid-19 budget, new UK Chancellor the Exchequer (the Right Honorable Rishi Sunak MP) promised the highest levels of inward investment for 30 years including a number of initiatives that will help small and medium-sized business such as tyre retailers and garages.
The Lexus LF-30 Electrified concept first seen at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show was a highlight of the car maker’s streamed press conference during the cancelled Geneva International Motor Show 2020’s Virtual Press Day last Tuesday. The concept car, which celebrates the brand’s 30th anniversary and is designed to promise a dynamic driving experience like no other, sits on four bespoke Goodyear concept tyres.
February’s car registration figures were released as the SMMT calls on the Chancellor to use next week’s Budget to announce bold new measures to make new-tech zero emission-capable cars, including plug-in hybrids, more affordable for mass-market buyers. In 2020, manufacturers will bring more than 23 new battery-electric and ten plug-in hybrid electric cars to the UK to add to the more than 65 already on sale, but take-up of these new models depends on affordability and the provision of adequate charging infrastructure.
Charging an electric vehicle using a public charging point can cost almost 10 times more than charging up at home. This is according to Britain’s new-car buying platform, What Car?
Earlier in the month, Boris Johnson announced the Government’s ambitious – or as some see it, overambitious – intention to bring forward the ban on new combustion-engine cars to 2035. Many have wondered how the country should go about developing an infrastructure of electric vehicle (EV) charging points within this timeframe. YourParkingSpace, the online parking marketplace, believes homeowners can play a role in keeping a growing EV fleet on the move.
The news that the sale of petrol and diesel cars could be banned in 15 years should propel the automotive industry into addressing the serious need for vehicle technicians to be skilled in electric and hybrid vehicle servicing. According to the IMI, who are actively lobbying Government to get the automotive industry’s workforce appropriately qualified, just 5 per cent of UK vehicle technicians have been trained in electric vehicle servicing. Critically, these untrained technicians could be putting themselves at risk, due to the high voltage nature of electric cars.
The motorsport calendar now includes an all-new event – the world’s first all-electric, multi-brand touring car championship. Pure ETCR vehicles will be equipped with a Williams Advanced Engineering battery unit and a 500kW Magelec Propulsion powertrain – the equivalent of a staggering 680bhp – that drives the rear wheels and enables 0 to 100km/h acceleration in just 3.2 seconds. This torquey power will be delivered to the racetrack via products supplied by one of Pure ETCR’s founder partners – Goodyear.
A potential “charging crisis” could soon emerge among vehicle remarketing companies as electric vehicles start to make their way onto the used market in larger numbers, says the Vehicle Remarketing Association.
In its submission ahead of the Budget taking place on 11 March 2020, NFDA has urged the Government to safeguard the plug-in car grant which has proved successful in encouraging consumers to buy an EV.
Logistics giant UPS has ordered 10,000 purpose-built electric vehicles from Arrival in an order worth “hundreds of millions of Euros” as part of its global project to transition to a zero emissions fleet. These vehicles will be rolled out in the UK, Europe and North America from 2020 to 2024 with the company having an option to purchase a further 10,000 models. UPS’s venture capital arm also announced an investment in Arrival of an undisclosed sum.
BorgWarner Inc. and Delphi Technologies PLC agreed that BorgWarner will acquire Delphi Technologies in an all-stock transaction that values Delphi Technologies’ enterprise value at approximately $3.3 billion on 28 January 2020.
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Chris McAndrew