James Hoxey

Automotive sector can be driver behind turbocharged UK industrial and economic growth, says SMMT chief The Chief Executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) has said the automotive sector can be the driver behind turbocharged UK industrial and economic growth. In his latest CEO update on Friday, Mike Hawes said: This week’s long-awaited announcement of an industrial strategy, with government’s Invest 2035 green paper, presents a fresh opportunity to turbocharge UK industrial and economic growth. Automotive can be the driver of this and, as SMMT set out in our Vision 2035 report, with the right conditions has the potential to deliver an economic boost worth more than £50bn during the next decade. https://lnkd.in/ecE__aPF

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BEVs have best September registrations on record The UK new car market rose in the key plate change month of September with battery-electric vehicles (BEV) up almost a quarter year-on-year, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Overall the market performance was the best since 2020 with 275,239 units. Demand for the latest BEV hit a new record volume for any month in September, up 24.4% to 56,387 units, achieving a 20.5% share of the overall market, which is significantly up from 16.6% a year ago. It is now expected to hit around 18.5% of the whole market by the end of the year. Read the full story on the Transport + Energy website: https://lnkd.in/eSN7TstE Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), Mike Hawes #smmt #carsales #carregistrations #ev #electricvehicles #bev #batteryelectric

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EVs help car registration growth to continue UK new car registrations grew for the 21st consecutive month, rising by 1% to reach 134,274 units in April, according to the latest data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Electrified vehicles (EVs) continued to be the main drivers of market expansion with plug-in Hybrids (PHEVs) recorded the strongest growth, rising by 22.1% to account for 7.8% of the market, followed by Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), up 16.7% with a 13.1% share of demand. Compelling fiscal incentives for businesses helped battery-electric vehicles (BEV) uptake rose 10.7%, pushing up market share to 16.9%, a significant uplift on last April’s 15.4%. Continuing the trend seen throughout the year, growth was driven entirely by fleets, where registrations rose by 18.5% to reach 81,207 units – more than six in 10 of all new cars registered in April. Read the full story on the Transport + Energy website: https://lnkd.in/e7ZxmWid Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), Mike Hawes, Sukky Choongh (she/her), James Boley, Emma Butcher, EVA England, James Court, Gill Nowell FairCharge, Quentin Willson, Zemo Partnership, Zapmap, Auto Trader UK, ChargeSafe, Women Drive Electric, The AA, RAC, REA, ChargeUK #transport #energy #electricvehicles #manufacturers

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The UK automotive industry is already complaining about the penalties for not selling enough EVs to reluctant consumers, but I wonder whether the forthcoming HGV mandate will risk further damaging the UK Automotive Industry. The forthcoming mandate for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) to transition to zero-emission technologies presents significant challenges and risks for the UK automotive industry, echoing the issues currently faced by the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). Stellantis has already raised concerns about the impact of the UK's regulatory approach on its EV production plans. Without adequate government support and incentives, Stellantis has warned that it may halt EV production in the UK, which could lead to job losses and reduced consumer choices. This situation is compounded by post-Brexit trade rules, which require a high percentage of EV components to originate from the UK or EU, making UK-based production uncompetitive. The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which requires 70% of Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs) to be zero-emission by 2030, and all new cars and vans to be zero-emission by 2035, is ambitious. Currently, only 6% of new LGVs sold are zero-emission, highlighting the scale of the challenge. The same ambitious targets are set for HGVs, with a ban on new diesel HGVs by 2040. However, as of now, only 5% of new HGVs sold are zero-emission, predominantly battery-electric. The automotive industry, including major players like Ford and Stellantis, supports the government's zero-emission goals but stresses the need for more robust infrastructure and regulatory clarity. The transition for HGVs is particularly complex due to the varied use cases and the lack of a dominant zero-emission technology. The government's recent initiatives, such as the £381 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund and the development of new charging infrastructure, are steps in the right direction. However, industry leaders argue that without substantial incentives and support, the mandated targets may lead to significant disruptions. A balanced approach that combines regulation with strong incentives is crucial to ensuring the industry's sustainability and growth. The UK government must provide the necessary support to keep the automotive and HGV sectors competitive and thriving in the face of global competition and the shift towards electrification. https://lnkd.in/eNPhwPh7 #AutomotiveIndustry #ZeroEmissionVehicles #HGVs #UKGovernment #Stellantis #EVMandate #SustainableGrowth

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This week's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Transport News Brief lead comment, Plans for growth Today, SMMT has published the latest UK commercial vehicle (CV) manufacturing figures for August – showing that year on year, production is down -10.0% with 6,044 units rolling out of UK factories. Context, however, is important. August is a low output month due to the traditional ‘summer shutdown’, meanwhile percentage changes are amplified – and the decline was equivalent to just 673 fewer units. Year to date, volumes are still 8.8% up on 2019’s pre-pandemic output. Exports continued to dominate output with more than half of output (59.3%) produced for overseas markets, with the EU receiving the lion’s share (97.2%). With vehicle production so important to the UK economy, it’s no surprise that the new government is committing to boosting the jewel in the crown of UK manufacturing base, the automotive industry – as outlined in Labour’s plan for the Automotive Sector, with key aspects like building an electric vehicle (EV) workforce and accelerating domestic battery manufacturing. They also recognise that while it’s important to focus on finished vehicle and battery production, there is a wealth of further opportunity for supply of other essential EV components such as powertrains, fuel cells and power electronics. Making sure the nation benefits from the technology the sector provides is also crucial. Last week, the government announced £88 million of funding for 46 projects aimed at boosting development and use of zero emission vehicle tech. Projects include deploying zero emission trucks delivering our post, and cleaner, greener bus journeys. In short, the funding will back projects that will lower emissions across the country, while also supporting skilled jobs. The Faraday Institution also published a report that predicts by 2030, the UK will need battery capacity of around 110 GWh per annum, the equivalent of six gigafactories. Recent gigafactory announcements in the UK by AESC and Tata Group have built excitement about the potential to create a new, dynamic and highly skilled battery industry in the UK. With huge investment needed for the other four gigafactories, we look forward to the government’s mission is to create a strong, stable and pro-business economy, with the UK remaining an attractive destination for investment for the automotive industry. Finally, the Government have also suggested six things to fix the NHS, one being mobile lung cancer screening trucks for testing people at supermarkets, sports centres and football grounds. Last year I visited the facility that builds these screening trailers in Leicestershire and saw firsthand the workmanship that goes into building these by hand from the skilled workforce. The UK can be proud of our commercial vehicle manufacturing from small electric vehicles, large trucks and medical trailers – and with a clear strategy, it will continue to thrive.

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🔋Does an EV have a higher environmental impact than a fuel car? 👣 Thankfully someone else has done the number crunching on a cradle-to-grave comparison and the results are in. For both types of car, these are the key emission-producing stages that were analysed: - manufacturing - battery production, especially for EVs - fuel cost, either petrol or electricity, over their life-cycle - disposal and recycling of the vehicle and batteries at end of life. 🏆The results were clear: over a car's lifetime on the road, an EV's carbon footprint is dramatically lower than a fuel-burning vehicle. Factor in solar charging, and the environmental benefits soar even higher! For the full deep dive, visit ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gkQZFgJz #ElectricVSFuelCars #EVs #EVMyths #ElectricVehicles #SmartEase

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Interesting developments as some manufacturers start to put electric vehicles quotas on larger orders, e.g. insisting that 10% of the order must be BEVs, in an attempt to meet the UK ZEV mandate targets. Others, including Ford Motor Company and Stellantis, have both warned they could restrict sales of ICE vehicles this year as a response to the mandate. Full story on Fleet News, reported by Gareth Roberts, following a discussion on the April Fleet News at 10 #webinar #electricvehicles #electriccars #electricvans #fleets #fleetnews #fleetmanagement

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A new survey from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles reveals that 52% of UK van drivers now see electric vans as more cost-effective than petrol or diesel. Learn more about this tipping point in EV adoption and the factors driving this exciting shift: https://lnkd.in/eTBpZNZf Join us at the EV SUMMIT to dive deeper into the future of electric mobility and connect with industry leaders driving the change. #EVSUMMIT | #EVAdoption | #ElectricVans | #Sustainability | #Volkswagen

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UK #automotive giant, Stellantis warns it is considering halting UK production over the government's strict (and unreasonable) #EV regulations Stellantis is the parent company of major car brands including Vauxhall, Citroën, and Peugeot, so such a decision would have major consequences for UK #vehicleproduction. MariaGrazia Davino, Stellantis’s head, raised concerns over the UK's mandate to ban new petrol and diesel car sales by 2035. She hinted that a decision on the future of their plants in #Luton and #EllesmerePort could be made within a year. The UK government’s move to extend the petrol and diesel car sales ban deadline from 2030 to 2035 was intended to ease the transition for consumers, however, Stellantis remains concerned about #EVdemand and profitability, especially with competition from cheaper #ChineseEVs. Despite substantial investments and plans to begin EV production at the Luton plant in 2025, Davino warned that hostile market conditions could force the #carmaker to relocate #automotiveproduction elsewhere. Read the story here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gbUAxAcp #automotivemanufacturing #autotiveproduction #vehicleproduction #carfactories #OEMs #vehicles #automotivenews Christopher Ludwig Nick Holt Megan Kelly Anushka Dixit Neemish Ladwa Ahmo Saric Riad Mannan Andrew F.

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22% Read this, its important That's a VERY important number for the manufacturers and dealer groups in Europe and the UK The loons in Europe and in Number 10 are controlling the registration of new vehicles, starting THIS year They must have AT LEAST 22% of what's registered as full electric vehicles Hybrids, Plugins etc DO NOT COUNT And the fines? £15,000 PER car that is registered that isn't a full electric Ford, among others have got a bit feisty about this ( rightly so ) and declared that they will not be paying any fines, will just stop selling/registering anything that's going to mean they have to pay. SO for every 1,000 cars registered, 220 MUST be electric or the fines cut in What does that mean for you? Well, I can see non-electric prices climbing I can see people who have left ordering late then finding out the manufacturer won't let them have a car til January That's the bad news The good news is that there's 3 days left to sort and order your PRICE PROTECTED car for delivery later this year. ( The earlier you are in the queue, the less chance they will cancel it because the ratios are going to mean fines) More good news is I can see manufacturers keeping the stormingly good EV deals on the go. They've been great this year and I don't see the annual price rises making much of an impact as they will keep throwing the kitchen sink at the deals OK, I'm not Mystic Meg but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to put together what's likely to happen I'm here to help you hunt out the sweet spot deals and mitigate against Number 10 lunacy JB PS ................ this is NOT a political post, but if you don't want to be conducting your life riding a pony and trap to work, there is only one political party that isn't having any of this bloody nonsense. PLEASE make sure you get off your backside and vote on the 4th. #business #elections #management

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Who’s going to clean up the donkeys (read: absolutely integral tools to businesses up and down the UK)? We are! Check out Mark Tisshaw's fantastic piece in Autocar on how we're spearheading the charge by converting trusty, diesel vans into lower emission hybrids (or fully electric). It's not just a makeover; it's a rebirth! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/efH6RTY4 #Retrofit #ElectricRetrofit #SustainableDriving #ICE2EV #ConvertElectric #Conversion #GreenInvestment #ElectricVehicle #ElectricVan #RenewableEnergy #ClimateChange #EnergySecurity #LowCarbon #ZEVMandate #ClimateCrisis #NetZero #GreenEconomy #GreenDeal #EV #Vans #ICE2EV #RebornElectric #FleetDecarbonisation

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EVA England launches EV Drivers’ Manifesto EVA England has launched its EV Drivers’ Manifesto 2024 which identifies the key priority areas that are essential to address as the uptake of electric vehicles continues to grow. The EV members’ association launched the manifesto in Westminster yesterday, hosting a special evening reception to mark the launch. The event, sponsored by Octopus EV and kindly hosted by the Shadow Minister for Roads, Bill Esterson MP, was an opportunity for EVA members from across the country to engage with parliamentarians and many key stakeholders in the electric vehicle (EV) landscape. The launch featured a keynote speech from Anthony Browne MP, Government Minister for Decarbonisation, and was attended by key parliamentarians closely involved in the EV landscape, including Ian Stewart MP, Chair of the Transport Committee, Matt Western MP, Chair of the APPG for Electric Vehicles. The EV Drivers’ Manifesto 2024 has been shaped directly by and for EV drivers through a series of EVA England workshops. It identifies the key priority areas that are essential to address next as the uptake of EVs continues to grow, helping move the UK ever closer to a majority of EVs composing its mobility landscape. Read the full story on the Transport + Energy website: https://lnkd.in/eHe9pv7V EVA England, James Court, Bill Esterson, Fiona Howarth, Octopus Electric Vehicles, Anthony Browne Gill Nowell, Sandrine Vaconnet, Victoria Edmonds, Warren Ryan Philips Clive Southwell, Gary Comerford, Quentin Willson, Ben Kilbey, Claire Miller, Vicky Read, ChargeUK, Chris Pateman-Jones, Mark Constable, Matthew Adams, REA, Dominic Phinn, Andrew Broadfield, FCA #transport #energy #electricvehicles

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It's great to see dirty diesels declining ⬇ and BEVs continuing to increase ⬆ their market share in the latest Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) May new car registration stats. 😁 go zero #Evs #electriccars

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