Motoring Podcast - News Show
Motoring Podcast
Updated 3 days agoMotoring enthusiasts Alan and Andrew discuss their takes on the week's motoring news in this 45 to 60 minute audio podcast.
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Episodes (338)
Sausage Fest - 16 May 2023
FOLLOW UP: LOS ANGLES SUBURB TARGETS STREET TAKEOVER CULTUREFollowing on from the recent news of Australia fining spectators of street takeover events, a Los Angles suburb, Pico Rivera, are introducing similar laws. Spectators up to 500 feet away can be fined up to $2000. Vehicles used in the event can be permanently confiscated. California already has tough rules for such events but this goes further. Click here to read more from The Drive. US AIRBAG RECALL REJECTED BY SUPPLIERARC, the maker of 67 million airbags that the NHTSA has ordered be recalled because a found defect has created “an unreasonable risk of death and injury", has rejected the recommendation. ARC state that the NHTSA’s eight year investigation has failed to show a "systemic or prevalent defect” in the inflators. To learn more, click this BBC News article link here. JAGUAR LAND ROVER SHOWS SIGNS OF FINANCIAL RECOVERYThanks to JLR’s supply chain woes easing slightly, their fourth quarter financial results are much improved on the previous year. Revenue is up 49%, production is up 24%and order books are still holding around 200,000 vehicles. Click this link to Jaguar Land Rover’s own press release on this matter. VW SHAREHOLDERS MEETING ATTACKEDDuring the shareholders meeting for the Volkswagen Group, protesters threw cake at executives and bared their chests as they highlighted the company’s green credentials and working in the Chinese region of Xinjiang, where human rights violations are reported. You can read more by clicking this link to the Raw Story article. TESLA OTA UPDATES EQUATED TO HACKER ATTACKSTesla is having to defend their Over-The-Air (OTA) updates in a court as it is claimed the software changes impacted the performance of the batteries, including making them inoperable. The lawyer for plaintiffs is stating this is equivalent to a hacker attacking a system and is using California's Computer Data Access and Fraud Act and California's Computer Fraud and Abuse Act as the basis for their case. To learn more, click this Autoevolution article link here. For some context on OTA updates for cars and why they are jolly hard to get right, click this article link from Ken Tindell. INDIA PROPOSES BAnning diesels in cities by 2027A committee set up by the Indian Government proposes the ban of diesels from cities and high density urban areas by 2027, but with quite a caveat as it does not include two and three wheeled vehicles as they get a reprieve until 2035. The committee proposing the moves also states that from 2024 new delivery vehicles in urban areas need to be electric, but the country is seriously behind on investment in EV infrastructure. You can read more by clicking this Jalopnik link here. TOYOTA DATA LEAK UNDETECTED FOR A DECADEToyota has confirmed that a misconfigured cloud data bucket has been accessible by anyone since 2013. The company were at pains to clarify that whilst car details have been accessible personally identifiable...
Whispering Bob Harris - 9 May 2023
FOLLOW UP: STADLER TO CONFESS TO ROLE IN DIESELGATEFormer Audio CEO, Rupert Stadler is to confess to his role in dieselgate, after a judge told him to or face a lengthy prison sentence. He will now receive a suspended sentence and pay a fine of €1.1 million. During court case he maintained his innocence and stuck to the claim it was down to engineers that defeat device engines were still sold in Europe after the scandal broke. Click this Automotive News Europe article link to read more. FOLLOW UP: ARRIVAL DEATH SPIRAL CONTINUESArrival released their 6-K Report in the US and it makes for quite the read. They are claiming they do not have enough personnel to sort it out reporting their financials properly so need more time, especially as they are scrambling around trying to raise more funds. They also declare they will report on their financial situation that will cause doubts on them continuing. To read more, click this link to Peter Campell’s Twitter thread on this extraordinary information.NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES APRIL 2023The SMMT has released the New Car Registration Figures for April 2023, which is typically a quiet month coming after the plate change in April. Petrol and BEV market shares increased, with Diesel and PHEV both dropping. You can see more by clicking this link to Tristan Young’s Tweet. Overall, registrations are well down on pre-pandemic levels and even below 2021’s. Significantly, the SMMT is downgrading its forecast for the overall market share of BEVs, citing high energy costs and fears over the charging infrastructure being blamed. However, we feel the continued high inflation and rise in all costs mean people and businesses have less money. Add on top the starting prices of most EVs and it is easy to see a slowdown. To learn more about April’s figures click this article link from SMMT. VW FIRES EXEC TEAM OF CARIADOliver Blume, CEO of VW and head of the supervisory board of CARIAD, has fired three of the executive team leading the software division. Peter Bosch, Head of Production at Bentley will take over. Once again VW demonstrate they do not understand software. Even with the new team being assembled they are making demands on silly timescales and saving money. To read more on this situation, click this electrive article link. ASTON MARTIM BOLSTER MANAGEMENT TEAMAston Martin are appointing Paul Thomas, ex-Rimac, to be Chief BEV Engineer and Vincenzo Regazzoni, ex-Ferrari, to be Chief Industrial Officer. They are intended to help Aston move to an electrified future more smoothly. You can learn more by clicking this link to an Automotive News Europe article. LEVC UNVEILS PLANS FOR NEW MODELSThe London Electric Vehicle Company, maker of the current Black Cab, has revealed plans to expand its offerings. They will be launching a new platform, SOA, which will be the basis of this expansion. They are going large though, the vehicles will be big, think Mercedes Sprinter but much nicer when fitted for passengers but also the commercial van market is being targeted.
Pushing Dieselgate Under The Bus - 2 May 2023
FOLLOW UP: CONTINENTAL EXEC IMPLICATES OTHERS OVER DIESELGATEA Continental manager has admitted their involvement in Dieselgate and implicated that others were involved, to German prosecutors. There are a total of 60 individuals being investigated over various levels of fraud. To read more, click this Automotive News article link here. FOLLOW UP: JLR LOSE C-TYPE COPYRIGHTJaguar Land Rover has lost a copyright infringement case in Sweden where they were taking several defendants to court. In a move that it appears JLR lawyers were not expecting, the defendants claimed that because Jaguar had not done anything to prevent replicas before they had implicitly approved. For more information, click here to read an explanation from Mattias Malmstedt on LinkedIn. GOVERNMENT CONSIDERING GRADUATED DRIVING LICENSESNewly qualified under-25 could be restricted in carrying younger passengers for a set time. This is one of several ideas being considered to try and help reduce road incidents and injuries. This is something that happens across the globe. Click this link to read more from Top Gear. QUEENSLAND PASSES ‘ANTI-HOON’ LAWSIn Queensland, a new law has passed that covers illegal street events, which are quite strict. Spectators could be fined up to $6,000 AUS, drivers could face up to a year in prison and the destruction of their car. Jalopnik has more on this story, which you can read by clicking this link here. ARNOLD CLARK CREATING EV CHARGING NETWORKArnold Clark, the car retail company, has announced they are investing £23 million into a rapid charging network via their dealership sites across the country. Access will be allowed out of hours too, for approved vehicles. They are still working out the details for pricing but have made it clear they do not wish to nickel and dime users. Click this AM Online link to read more. JUST EAT SALES FLEET TO GO EV ONLY BY 2025The corporate sale fleet of Just Eat will be EV only by 2025. That means 175 diesel vehicles will be replaced, which has already begun with the first 12 purchased. You can learn more by clicking this link here, from edie.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 NNCN - ORA SALOONOra has announced their larger saloon, known as the Good Cat in China, will be coming to the UK. This is aimed squarely at the Tesla Model 3 and Hyundai Ioniq 6, coming with a range of power outputs as well as both two and four wheel drive. Whilst most details are scant, Ora has confirmed it will have a range of 300 miles. Prices have not been announced but they consider this a flagship vehicle....
Graceness, Spaceness & Paceness - 25 April 2023
JAGUAR LAND ROVER ANNOUNCEMENTSJaguarl Landrover announced that henceforth it would be “brand house” JLR. Many words and an abstract teaser image were used to describe Jaguar’s future. You can learn more form Autocar here.FORMER FORD BOSS JOINS ASTON MARTINFormer Ford of Europe chairman, Steven Armstrong has joined Aston Martin as part of its latest recovery strategy. Autocar has more here.INEOS TO BUILD SMALL ELECTRIC OFF-ROADERIneos is going to expand its model line beyond the Grenadier with a small, electric off-roader being engineered by Magna and expected in 2026. There’s more information here.ASTON MARTIN AND MCLAREN MUST SELL EVSChanges in US Emission rules from 2032 mean that small volume manufacturers will be subject to the same fleet CO2 targets as other manufacturers. Find out more here.EU MOTORIST GIVEN £11,000 ULEZ FINEForeign-registered cars, even if compliant, will be fined on entry to the London ULEZ. Postal delays in sending out penalty notices abroad and then processing by hire and lease firms mean that appeal periods have passed. Find out more about more from The Guardian.DEVON AND CORNWALL POLICE DRONEDevon and Cornwall Police has unveiled it's using a drone to monitor for unsafe driving. More here from the BBC.GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL TO INSTALL 1,000 CHARGING POINTSGloucestershire Council is getting serious about on-street charging with plans to install 1,000 on-street points across the county. Find out more here.
Only One Survived - 18 April 2023
FOLLOW UP: ALL NEW SMART MOTORWAYS AXEDThe UK Government has given in to populist pressure and scrapped all new Smart Motorway plans. Teh safety benefits are dubious, but no doubt this will result in a reduction in public infrastructure spending. You can read more in this Government press release.NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES FOR MARCH 2023New car registrations in the UK have risen year-on-year for March, with significant gains by EVs and small SUVs. They’re still nowhere near pre-pandemic levels, but supply is easing and demand seems steady. You can read more in this article from SMMT.TESLA WORKERS SHARE CAR-RECORDED IMAGESEx-Employees are alledging significant data and privacy breaches at Tesla regarding in and out of car videos and still imagesbeing shared around employees. More detail in this Guardian article.FIRST HANDS-FREE DRIVING SYSTEM APPROVED FOR UK ROAD USEFord’s BlueCruise system has been approved for use on UK roads. The “hands-off, eyes-on” system is geofenced for motorway use only, but if you have to keep your eyes ont he road, what’s the point? More in this Guardian article.CATERHAM TO MOVE, BUT NOT FARCaterham are moving to anew, purpose-built facility in Dagenham, not far from their existing site, that will allow all parts of the business to be under the same roof while increasing production. More in this AM-Online article.Keyless Car Theft - Stealing Toyota Via Their HeadlightsBritish researchers have unveiled a popular method of vehicle theft via the vehicle’s own internal networks. Much more detail at The Register and on Ken Tindell’s blog.LUNCHTIME READ: Virtual Tour of the Lamborghini MuseumDesign News has shared a virtual tour of the Lamborghini museum for us to peruse from home. Click here to see the slides.LIST OF THE WEEK: The Forgotten Cars of The 1980sAutocar has compiled a list of 41 “forgotten” cars from the 1980s. Some are definitely ore forgotten than others, but it’s an interesting set nonetheless. Click here to see list .Click here to see our video on one of the choices too. AND FINALLY: MAN BUYS HOT WHEELS CAR BUT FORGETS TO POST IT TO SOCIAL MEDIAMajor Gav has his tongue firmly in his cheek this week with this breaking story. Read it here on Petrolblog.
His Hand Over His Mouth - 4 April 2023
FOLLOW UP: EX-AUDI BOSS FACES JAIL IN GERMANYRupert Stadler, the former CEO of Audi has been told the case of fraud against him and others, has been substantiated and therefore could face jail unless he fully confesses. He and three other defendants were charged in 2020. The judge confirmed that there was no proof that one of the engineers was guilty of criminal activity. Click here to read more, from the Automotive News Europe article. FOLLOW UP: PARIS RESIDENTS VOTE TO BAN E-SCOOTERSWith a turnout of just 6%, residents of Paris have voted to ban dockless shared e-scooters. This has cause furious anger from the pro-scooter brigade. Whilst the vote is only advisory the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, insisted she would abide by the result. Click this Move Electric article link to learn more. UK GOVERNMENT ZEV MANDATE CONSULTATION OPENSThe UK Government has opened its zero emission vehicle mandate consultation. They have outlined their proposed implementation of policies that would require zero emission vehicles to be sold. You can read the consultation documentation by clicking this link here. Amongst the plans is to fine car companies if they do not meet targets for zero emission vehicles sold, the year on year changes to limits and how hybrids do not appear to be allowed post 2030 thanks to the new ICE vehicles ban. Click here to read more, from Move Electric. POOR ROAD REPAIRS TO INCUR FINESUtility companies will face fines for poor repairs to works, the Government has announced. Inspection of the work will be £50 and every subsequent inspection being £120. Those who do consistently excellent repairs will then be inspected less. To read more, click this Autocar article link here. SEAT TO BE THE MOBILITY BRAND OF THE VW GROUPIn the latest efforts of the Volkswagen Group in trying to decide what to do with Seat, they announced they would become the mobility brand for the Group. Seat will offer car-sharing and e-scooters. Final plans are yet to be confirmed. You can learn more by clicking this Automotive News Europe article link here. GM ANNOUNCES ANDROID ONLY SOFTWARE IN THEIR CARSGeneral Motors has announced that they will be utilising Android Automotive in their cars, starting with the Blazer EV. As a consequence Apple CarPlay will not be offered to owners. This offers astonishing levels of data to Google, especially if the driver logs into their account on the car. Click here to read an article outlining some of the data Google collects, via this Autoevolution link. This is a ‘brave’ move by GM to cut off a large section of actual or potential customers by excluding their phone of choice. As can be seen by reading this FT article,
Stellantovan Alliance Benz Fordswagen - 28 March 2023
FOLLOW UP: EU REACHES AGREEMENT ON E-FUELS POST 2035After the sudden rejection of the ICE 2035 ban idea, after it was agreed to take it to formal vote, the EU has reached an agreement to amend the proposal to include the allowance of carbon neutral e-fuels to power ICE vehicles after 2035. The details of how this can work are to be established but there is much anger this was allowed. We have several articles to help explain the situation as well as how this was reported during the last few weeks. To read what has been agreed, click this Autocar link here. Automotive News, click the link here, reported this whilst the renegotiations were under way.The outlet Politico reported on the upheaval the sudden stance by Germany and Italy caused. You can read that by clicking this link here. FOLLOW UP: 3G SWITCH OFF RAMIFICATIONSFollowing last week’s request regarding the implications for the 3G switch off in the UK, Ken Tindell did come back. The main impact for vehicles is switching off previous generation emergency call/location services. This has hit a large number of cars in the US, which will be replicated here. Additionally, things like car park ticket machines will stop working and councils are deciding to replace these with apps, but that disadvantages those without smart phones, particularly the elderly, which is unacceptable. Click here to read the StokeOnTrentLive article for an example of this. FOLLOW UP: MERCEDES MUST PAY IF IT USED DEFEAT DEVICESThe European Court of Justice has confirmed that if Mercedes did use defeat devices on their vehicles, which is what is claimed they are when they alter the engine’s emissions at certain ambient temperatures, and the owner has suffered damages, then they are liable for compensation. Mercedes reject such protection to the engine is a defeat device and that even if it is ruled as such owners have suffered no damages. Click here for an Autocar article to learn more. MCLAREN SECURES FURTHER INVESTMENTMcLaren has raised £70 million in investment to allow it to move to an electrified future. This was raised from existing shareholders. Alan adds further context to what seems like constant funding seeking, which makes a lot of sense. Click here to read the Carscoops article on this story. PROPOSAL TO TRIAL 30MPH ON M8 IN GLASGOWA proposal is being put forward to trial and monitor a section of the M8 with a new speed limit of 30mph. The idea is to see what happens to the air quality and if it does improve ask to expand the ULEZ to include the motorway. This is still at a very early stage and not imminent. We also suggest and hope if it does occur there are other factors monitored and logged. To read more, click this link to the Glasgow Evening Times article. LEICESTER EV BUS FLEET GETS A TOP UPFirst Bus has secured even more...
Egregious - 22 March 2023
FOLLOW UP: EMERGENCY EXPERTS CONCERNED WITH LOSS OF AMIn the US, emergency experts have called on car manufacturers to ensure that the AM frequency is available on the infotainment systems of electric cars as this is the only way some people can get vital information, particularly emergency info. The US, Canada and Australia have vast amounts of sparsely populated environments that do not get internet access and phone coverage, hence the vital nature of AM. Click the link here to read more from a Popular Science article. FOLLOW UP: BAC BACKS OFF HYDROGEN powered DEVELOPMENTRecently BAC, the makers of the single seater sports car the Mono, announced that they were developing a hydrogen combustion powered vehicle. However, the short term reduction in hydrogen filling stations, the Government’s stance on alternative fuels and the 2035 ICE ban caveats has allowed BAC to step back from this and concentrate on existing technology. To read more, click this Autocar link here. UK SPRING BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENTThe Chancellor of the Exchequer gave the Spring Budget statement to Parliament, last week. Amongst the document there were some motoring related issues. The now 13-year long “freeze” in fuel duty was continued, the 5p-litre cut from last year has been carried over and more money being provided for repairing potholes. The first article we point you in order to learn more, is from AM Online, which you can read by clicking this link here. The second is from Influence emobility on LinkedIn, which can be read by clicking here. VW HAS RUSSIAN ASSETS FROZENA court in Russia has frozen the assets of Volkswagen, in the country. They had shuttered their plant, at Kaluga, last year but were trying to find a buyer for it. At the same time a license partner, GAZ, is suing them for cancelling their contract last year. Click the Automotive News article link here to read more. RECORD BENTLEY PROFITSA third consecutive record profit year from Bentley, in 2022, helping to boost the Audi Group figures. Revenues jumped 19% with an operating profit of £280 million. By clicking this link to the AM Online article you can read more. JAGUAR ANNOUNCE NEW MD AND RELAUNCHJaguar, after being so quiet for so long, has announced that they have appointed a new Managing Director, Rawdon Glover, replacing the interim boss Philip Koehn. Glover is an internal appointment, having been the MD of JLR since 2018. Additionally, we are told Jaguar will relaunch in 2025, but no details as to what that means for the brand or the direction they will go in. Click this Autocar Business article link, if you would like to learn more. VOLTA TRUCKS GAINS EUROPEAN WHOLE VEHICLE TYPE APPROVALThe Volta Zero has received the important European Whole Vehicle Type...
Pant Wettingly Excited - 14 March 2023
FOLLOW UP: CAMERA MIRROR VIEW ANGLESThank you to Jamie Fretwell, Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK PR& Corporate Communications Manager, who did respond to our unfair public request for more information on the viewing angles of lorries with camera wing mirrors. Click this link to see more via a tweet with a video. Also, he has a thread on safety campaigns across the globe, with this particular beaut from Australia, click here to see more. FOLLOW UP: UK GOVERNMENT CUTS ACTIVE TRAVEL FUNDBuried in with the announcement that HS2 will be ‘paused’, to save costs, the UK Government also stated that it will cut the budget fund for active travel, capping it out at £330 million, instead of the £710 million promised in 2021. Click here to read more, from Sustrans. VW TO OPEN NEW PLANT IN THE USVolkswagen has announced the first investment in North American plants thanks to the US Government’s Inflation Reduction Act. They will be building the Scout brand vehicles at a new factory in South Carolina. As the VW brand is tainted by dieselgate they are using an older US marque to get a bigger share of the market. Volkswagen claim they were always going to open a plant in the US but the incentives of the new act has pushed up that timescale. This is a blow to Europe as it still formulates it’s response to the dual threat of the US and China. Click here to read more from the TechCrunch article.FORD MUSTANG WILL NOT HAVE AM RADIO FREQUENCYThe infotainment system of the Ford Mustang will not come with the AM radio frequency. This has been the case with several EVs but now is taking place in ICE vehicles. AM is being or has already been switched off in many countries in the EU and where it hasn’t there are alternatives, such as DAB. Click here to read the arstechnica article for more. TESLA RECALL AFFECTS THE AV INDUSTRYThe recall of all Tesla vehicles fitted with ‘Full Self-Driving Beta’ software poses a risk to the autonomous vehicle industry, even though this is not self-driving software. Now that the NHTSA is finally doing something about Tesla, the claims it has made and the reality of their vehicles others may well come into the spotlight. As the linked article discusses, from SAE International, Tesla is not the AV industry. Click the link here to read more. HUD TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE HUDS WORSEEnvisics Holographic has developed a Head Up Display (HUD) that adds augmented reality to what the driver sees. Whilst this sounds like a good idea, the point of a HUD is to reduce distractions for the driver, adding more info does the opposite.
Death Angle - 7 March 2023
FOLLOW UP: SAUDI ARAMCO JOINS RENAULT-GEELY VENTURESaudi Aramco has agreed to invest in the Renault-Geely engine join-venture by furthering technological progress with synthetic fuels and hydrogen propulsion. They will take a minority stake in the partnership. Click this Automotive News Europe article link to read more. FOLLOW UP: GERMANY AND ITALY GET COLD FEET OVER ICE BANGermany and Italy are now expressing doubts over the EU’s proposal to ban new ICE and hybrid vehicles from 2035. Italy have said it is a flat no, from them, as they claim industry and consumers will be affected. Germany, however, want some changes, mainly around synthetic fuel use being allowed in new ICE vehicles after 2035. The formal ratification vote has been delayed as a consequence. Click this link here to read more, from Euroactive. NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES FOR FEBRUARY 2023February was a genuinely impressive month, after several that were only good when compared with Covid affected years, with 74,441 new cars registered. The breakdown of ‘what you put in it to make it move’ is continuing along the trends, with BEVs slightly up, PHEVs slightly down and diesel down again. The real surprise is petrol, a big jump there and that is not great in terms of CO2 emissions. Click here for the SMMT article explaining the month’s figures. Click here for Tristan Young’s breakdown of what makes the cars go. ASTON MARTIN FINANCIAL RESULTS ARE NOT ALL BADAston Martin announced a loss of £495 million in 2022, but the last quarter saw an operating profit of £6.6 million. Whilst the losses are not good, there is a glimmer of hope that things are being turned around for the company. Click the link here to read more from The Guardian. TATA EXPANDING UK R&D FACILITYTata, Jaguar Land Rover’s owner has announced they are expanding the workforce of their UK R&D centre at Leamington Spa. They are looking for an extra 350 staff. You can read more by clicking this Autocar Business article link here. JLR OWNER SEEKS GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR UK INVESTMENTTata, the Indian owner of Jaguar Land Rover, is looking for funding assistance from the UK Government in order to build a battery factory in this country, rather than Spain. There are serious question marks over the Government’s commitment to the UK car industry and this is a real test. JLR has already moved some production out of the UK. To read more, click this AM Online article link. VW SAVE THE GTI FESTIVALHaving been famously staged at Wörthersee for many years, the region had decided to no longer approve the festival. Volkswagen, though, has stepped in and will stage the event at Wolfsburg.
Everyday Batteries for Everyday Cars - 28 February 2023
FOLLOW UP: BRITISHVOLT BOUGHT BY RECHARGE INDUSTRIESThe troubled British battery startup has been bought by Australian firm Recharge Industries, but that means a pivot to battery storage and away from automotive - at least for the moment. Click here to read the main BBC story and click here for the thread by Peter Campbell of the Financial Times.STELLANTIS POSTS RECORD PROFITSStellantis has posted record profits while also recording a 41% rise global EV sales. Is this because of supply chain constraints forcing them to focus on building their most profitable models?Click here to read the Autocar story.CITROEN BOSS STEPS DOWNIn a surprise move, Citroen boss Vincent Cobée has left the company.Click here to read the Motor1 story.SONO STYMIES SOLAR SIONGerman solar panel startup Sono has ended its project to produce the Sion solar-augmented EV, instead it’s going to focus on producing solar cells suitable for vehicles through its existing partnerships.Click here to read the Move Electric story.MOBILITY APP SHOWS CO2 COST OF BUSINESS TRAVELA new app can help calculate the total CO2 cost of employee business travel across all modes and can help benchmarking against similar organizations.Click here for the full Autocar story.ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS TO HELP EV MOTORWAY CHARGING National Highways is planning an £8million investment in containerized battery EV chargers for some high demand English service stations with limited electricity supply.Click here for the full Motoring Research story.More funding for Councils to expand ev chargingSome English councils have won a share of £56million to expand their local EV charging networks.Click here for the move Electric Story.Firms greenwashing their products face steep finesNew rules will prevent companies from selling their products and services on claims that may be false or impossible to prove.Click here for the Guardian article.Bentley W12 reaches the end of the line in the BaturBentley’s W12 engine will bow out in 2024 in the limited-production Batur.Click here for the Autocar article.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
Drinking Game Bingo - 21 February 2023
FOLLOW UP: EU CONFIRMS 2035 BAN ON ICE ENGINESThe European Union Parliament has voted to ban the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid powertrain, from 2035. However, there is some breathing space, no pun intended, for small volume manufacturers. They will not be tied into the new CO2 reduction rules that were also approved, until the end of 2035. Interestingly, the EU will also share the methodology for calculating the lifetime CO2 emissions on new vehicles by 2025. Click here to read about the main story, from Autocar. To find out about what it all means for small volume manufacturers, click here to read another Autocar story. FORD TO CUT 3,800 EUROPEAN AND UK JOBS Ford has announced the extent of the job losses across the UK and Europe. 3.800 jobs will go, including 1,300 in the UK. With the move to electrification, fewer workers are required, Ford explained. However, the engineering and administration are bearing the brunt of the cuts as the company becomes “unapologetically American”. Click here to read the AM Online article, for more information. TESLA FORCED TO RECALL ‘FULL SELF-DRIVING BETA’In a shock move, after years of inactivity, the National Highways Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has demanded that Tesla recall some of their cars. In this instance it is the ones that have ‘Full Self-Driving Beta’ software fitted. Due to fears the software is unsafe, particularly when approaching junctions, pass stop signs and incorrectly handle speed limit changes. The recall will be delivered via an over-the-air update. Click this Jalopnik article link for more information. RENAULT REPORT RECORD PROFITS FOR 2022 Renault announced record profit per vehicle, in 2022. Revenue was up to €46.4 billion, with an operating margin of €2.3 billion and that is despite the cost of relinquishing their Russian operations. To read more, click this link to an Automotive Daily article. WALES SHELVES ALL FUTURE NEW ROAD PROJECTSThe Welsh Government announced that it was shelving all new road plans, due to environmental concerns. They will judge any future proposals against a tough criteria for them to be approved. Subsequently, the Government also stated that they did not have the finances to fund road developments. Click here to read a BBC News article about the initial announcement. To find out more about the lack of cash, click this link for another BBC News article. GRIDSERVE PLANNING SECOND CHARGING FORECOURT IN ESSEXGridserve, who have charging forecourts in Braintree, Norwich with one due to open near Gatwick, is planning on a second Essex location. Plans have been approved by Basildon council. Click this link, to read more from Move Electric. DR SHOICHIRO TOYODA PASSES AWAYThe Honorary...
Blackpool Trams - 14 February 2023
FOLLOW UP: SOUTH KOREA FINES GERMAN COMPANIES FOR COLLUSIONSouth Korea has fined Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi for colluding over emission technology, to ensure no one produced better technology. The fine is €31.18 million combined, which is 42.3 billion won. The EU, following Mercedes informing them, fined BMW and VW Group in July 2021 for this issue. Click this EuroWeekly article link to find out more. NISSAN WARNS OF SUNDERLAND’S FUTURE Nissan has explained that unless the UK Government aids in reducing energy prices and helps to create a local functioning supply chain the future of the Sunderland plant is in doubt. Currently Sunderland is more expensive to make cars than their continental European plants. To learn more, click this Sunday Times Driving article link. LUCID MOTORS NEW MD IS EX-JLR SVO BOSSFollowing the surprise exit from Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicles Operation, Michael van der Sande has been announced at the Managing Director of Lucid Motors. The US EV company has started to sell their cars in parts of Europe as they slowly expand. You can learn more by clicking this link to the Automotive Daily article. LOTUS TECHNOLOGY TO MERGE WITH SPAC Geely is going to raise funds for Lotus by merging Lotus Technology, the non sports car division, with a special acquisition company (SPAC) that means it will be listed on the New York stock exchange. The expectation is that it will raise around $5.4 billion. Click this Automotive Daily article link, to learn more. BOLLINGER SUES MUNRO OVER PATENT INFRINGEMENTBollinger is suing Munro All Terrain Electric Vehicles for infringing their patents. The US company claims a consultant has also passed on confidential documents that have helped Munro produce their 4x4 EV. You can learn more by clicking this link to a Newsweek article. US CHECKING CHINESE IMPORTS OVER FORCED LABOURUS Customs is checking incoming freight from China for any links to forced labour production, thanks to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Already aluminium imports have been slowed as inspections are taking place, which could well affect the car industry. Click here to learn more from the Maersk Advisory Note. BATH CONSIDERING PARKING PRICE RISESBath Council is considering increasing pay and display parking fees, once again, especially for vehicles that emit more emissions. The correct fee would be charged after entering registration data with the ticket machine. Click here for more on this matter, thanks to a BBC News article. Bath are also investigating if charging drivers to enter the city centre is a way in which they can help pay for the increased costs of installing the ‘ring of steel’ terrorism protection system. Click
Moved Nameplates - 7 February 2023
FOLLOW UP: BRITISHVOLT BUYER FOUNDThe Administrator for Britishvolt, EY, has narrowed down the options to the Australian firm Recharge. They are a start up and have not constructed a major project during their time. At the same time that they target getting a battery factory built in the UK they will be trying to do that same in Australia. Click here to learn more, by reading The Guardian article. FOLLOW UP: NEW DEAL DETAILS FOR THE REBEL ALLIANCE Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi announced the details for the restructuring of the alliance this week. We knew about the changes to share ownership but they also confirmed investment in Ampere by Nissan and that Mitsubishi is considering joining. To read more about the story, click this link to a Yahoo Finance article. JANUARY 2023 NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURESSMMT has released the New Car Registration figures for January 2023 and they are up on last year. Whilst it is an improvement you have to go back to 2012 for a worse year. Petrol and BEVs are up, with PHEVs also slightly increasing their numbers and diesel is down. Click here to read Tristan Young’s always excellent thread. The SMMT is calling on the Government to help with the charging network and also with VED. Click here to find out more via their article. FORD EXECS GET SMALLER BONUS Due to the poorer than expected results, Ford executives are receiving a smaller than anticipated bonus, whilst non decision making staff are not affected by this change. Jim Farley, Ford’s CEO, stated that it was unfair on staff who could not fix the issues that have impacted on the company’s earnings. Click here to learn more from the Detroit Free Press. Talks are apparently underway between BYD and Ford, over the Saalouis factory that is slated for closure. This would give the Chinese company a foothold in Europe quite quickly. However, not everyone agrees, with some thinking it is quicker for BYD to build their pown facility. Click here for the link to the The Driven article to read more. Even more reports suggest that Ford is looking at large job loses in Europe, with one figure being as high as 3,200. To learn more, click this link to an Autocar Business article link. ARRIVAL CUTS MORE staffArrival, the beleaguered commercial EV start up has announced the cutting of a further 800 jobs. This is on the back of a senior management reshuffle where the two top jobs just swapped nameplates. Click this Guardian article link for more. MERCEDES UNVEILS BEVISIONEERS CHARITYEyebrows were raised when Mercedes sold one of two
15 Is The Magic Number - 31 January 2023
FOLLOW UP: BRITISHVOLT BUYER SEARCHThe Administrator for Britishvolt, EY, has narrowed down the choice to five potential new owners. They are trying to select the winner by Tuesday 31 January, the day of recording. Click here for a link to the Financial Times article explaining more.FOLLOW UP: HMRC CHANGES AER CALCULATIONS Following feedback from industry, HMRC has changed how it calculates the advisory electricity rate, that dictates how much company car driving EV owners can get reimbursed for charging their car. To learn more, click this Fleet News article link here. AKIO TOYODA STEPS DOWN AS CEO OF TOYOTAShock news from Toyota as CEO Akio Toyoda announced he is relinquishing his role and becoming the Chairman. Koji Sato will become the president and CEO, stepping up from the head of both Lexus and Gazoo Racing. Click this link, to an Autocar article, to learn more. For more context about this and pointers to other thoughtful articles, click this Twitter thread link from Jean-Yves Jault. REBEL ALLIANCE REORGANISES Renault and Nissan have finally reached an agreement in the reorganisation of the alliance, primarily in the amount of shares Renaults holds in Nissan. Early indications are that Renault will reduce their shareholdings to 15%. Click this YahooFinance article link here to learn more. JLR POSTS PROFITJaguar Land Rover has posted a profit in last quarter of 2022, thanks mainly to US sales of Ranger Rover models, with pre-tax profits of £265 million. This is the first profit since 2020 for the company. Click here for the Autocar Business link. DRIVERS FINED INCORRECTLY IN FRANCEThanks to mistakes upon installation, a speed camera in France has “caught” 50,000 speeding vehicles. The camera was pointed the wrong way. The police and local mayor has told those affected to ignore any summons. Click here to learn more, from a Connexion article. VOLVO RECALLS OVER 100,000 CAR DUE TO SAFETY BRAKE FAULTVolvo has globally recalled in excess of 100,000 cars due to a fault on the automatic safety brake feature that might mean it does not deploy. To learn more, click this Autocar article link. UK GOVERNMENT INVESTS IN DECARBONISING ROADSThe UK Government is investing £30...
Adequately Unashamed - 24 January 2023
FOLLOW UP: CAZOO TO CLOSE SOME UK SITESFollowing on the heals of their retreat from Europe Cazoo has confirmed that it will be closing some UK sites, in a bid to help their finances. The plan is to focus on selling fewer cars than last year but prioritising higher margin models. There will also be changes to senior management as the CEO and Chairman roles are to be split, with current CEO Alex Chesterman retaining the Chairman seat but Paul Whitehead becoming Chief Executive Officer. Click here to read more, from AMOnline. FOLLOW UP: MOT CHANGES PROPOSED AGAIN The UK Government has returned to proposals for changing the timing of MOTs, despite the outcry last time. The excuse of saving money was aired once more but now the claim that advanced technology such as LKAS will ensure safety is maintained. Motoring groups are united in condemning this idea. Again. Click this Autocar link to read more. FOLLOW UP: PARIS RESIDENTS TO DECIDE ESCOOTER FATEThe Mayor of Paris has decided that she wants the residents of the city to decide if they should have e-scooters or not. The three companies involved have implemented and proposed a number of measures to ease the concerns around their use. The referendum will be held on 2 April 2023. For more on this story, click the Move Electric article link here. TESLA SELF-DRIVING VIDEO STAGEDThe head of Autopilot software for Tesla confirmed, under oath, that the 2016 video claiming to demonstrate Autopilot driving the car without a human driver involved was staged. The video explicitly claims the person sat in the driver’s seat is only there for legal reasons. This is testimony from a lawsuit connected to a 2018 fatal crash. Click here to read more, from Reuters. For more context on the issue of safety and Tesla software, click this Twitter thread from Mahmood Hikmet running through some of the shocking information that has come out. 2022 FAVOURITE COLOURSWith virtually no surprise, grey once again is the UK’s favourite colour to daub on our brand new shiny cars. Whilst monochrome was the predominant hue last year it was nice to see that brown, sorry bronze, orange, yellow and green all increased in their visibility. Click here for the SMMT article running through all the details. Interestingly, sports cars do not conform to the mainstream trends quite as tightly. Click here for a Tweet from SportsandGT that links to a video running through those colour preferences. BAC NAMES EX-MCLAREN CEO AS CHAIRMANMike Flewitt, the ex CEO of McLaren has been named as the Chairman of Briggs Automotive Company. This appointment has occurred just as they enter the next stage of their scaling up.
Stay In Your Furrow - 17 January 2023
FOLLOW UP: DFT WITHDRAWS APPEAL AGAINST FOI REQUESTDr Greg Marsden has confirmed that the Department for Transport has withdrawn their appeal over the Freedom of Information requirement for the justification of the Government’s plans for decarbonisation of transport. He has even been supplied with the answers to his three questions. Click here to see his Tweet about this. Now we wait on the analysis of said information. FOLLOW UP: BRITISHVOLT RESCUE PACKAGE SLASHES VALUATIONBritishvolts has entered administration, you can find out more by clicking this link to Peter Campbell’s Twitter thread. Just last year Britishvolt was valued in excess of $775 million, now there are rescue packages which state the company is worth $39 million. There are, reportedly, two consortiums bidding. To read more, click this Automotive News Europe article here. For more context around battery factories and how the UK appears to be sinking behind others, click this article from The Guardian. ENVIRONMENT AUDIT COMMITTEE RECOMMEND IEA PLAN TO UKThe Environment Audit Committee, from Parliament, has recommended the UK Government implement the ideas from the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s ten-point plan to reduce oil usage. Some of the suggestions are reducing the speed limits by at least 10km/h, allowing cars to enter cities on alternate days of the week, encouraging working from home and more. Click here to read the article on Autocar. For the IEA plan, click this link here. FUEL STILL TOO EXPENSIVEWhilst the wholesale price of oil has dropped, particularly in December, the retail price has not matched the same pace. This comes as no surprise to anyone, mind you. There has been seemingly constant calls on the big retailers, including supermarkets, to drop their prices more than they have, but to no avail. Click here to learn more, from a Motoring Research article. POTHOLE DAMAGE UP 34% SINCE 2016In another piece of news that is not surprising in any shape or form, we find out that damage to cars from potholes has risen 34% since 2016. The suggestion is that due to the cold and the wet, which this winter has treated the UK to, the quality of roads will deteriorate further, meaning even more claims. Sunday was ‘National Pothole Day’, as promoted by Admiral insurance. Click here for more, from Motoring Research. UNMARKED SPEED CAMERA VANS TRIALEDNorthamptonshire Police are trialling the use of unmarked speed camera vans, in an effort to see if they deter excessive speeding and phone use behind the wheel. The force are at pains to explain they do not financially gain anything, bar an admin fee, for any tickets issues. They also explain that drivers do change behaviour when they see marked...
He Might Just Explode - 11 January 2023
NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES FOR DECEMBER AND ALL 2022The SMMT has released the New Car Registration figures for December, which also gives the full picture of 2022 and it wasn’t great. As expected the overall numbers for the year were down, ending up 2% lower than last year. Main cause of this was supply, significantly through a lack of semi conductor chips. One of the big positives, no pun intended, was that electric vehicles overtook diesel ending up at 16.55% of market share, according to Tristan Young writing for Broker News, which you can read here. Congratulations to Nissan as the Qashqai ended up the most registered vehicle, with the Corsa just ahead of the Tesla Model Y. You can read more from the SMMT by clicking this link here. NEW LONDON ZERO EMISSION RULES COME INTO FORCENewly registered private hire vehicles have to be zero emission capable, in London, as of 1 January 2022. They must emit no more than 50g/km of CO2 and be able to drive 10 miles without exhaust emissions or a maximum of 75g/km of CO2 emitted and no exhaust emissions for 20 miles. If the vehicle is a hybrid then the engine must be Euro6 compliant. To read more, click this article link from BusinessCar. Quick note, TfL will launch a scrappage scheme from 30 January 2023, to help residents who will be affected by the expansion of the ULEZ in August. Interestingly, cargo bikes are being included as eligible for grants. Click this TransportXtra article link for more information. GLOBAL TRAFFIC SCORECARDINRIX, a traffic data analysis company, has produced a report on the most congested urban areas of the world. Utilising data collected they have calculated where the highest delays occur, stated a cost to these delays, shown how transportation trends have shifted and discussed the safety aspects. Click here to read more and you can download their full report by filling out the form at the bottom of that article. BARCELONA IMPOSING PUBLIC SPACE TAX ON DELIVERY FIRMSBarcelona City Council is introducing the first tax on delivery firms, as a step to help protect local businesses. Large e-commerce delivery companies, think Amazon, are being targeted as they are seen to have taken customers that would have selected a local option previously. On top of that, there is extra congestion and pollution. Click this CitiesToday article link to find out more. Barcelona is one of the C40 Cities groups, which is a group of global cities who are collaborating and moving quicker than national governments are to address, what they see, as issues that need immediate action. Click here to learn more about that organisation. QUALCOMM DEVELOPS A CHIP TO CONTROL TOO MUCHAt CES, last week, Qualcomm revealed their new chip that will be capable of controlling the ‘digital cockpit’, driver assistance tech and automated driving. All discussions about car hacking and security are clear that the infotainment should be kept physically...
Not Dany Bahar
Andrew was busy, so Alan’s joined by the ever-knowledgeable Alex Grant to catch up on some of the news from the holiday period.FOLLOW-UP: DfT Appeals Freedom of Information RequestThe Department for Transport is trying to stop a Freedom of Information Request release to see the assumptions on which the UK’s Transport Decarbonisation plan has been built. You can read more in this TransportXtra article.FOLLOW UP: Continental CyberattackContinental has released a set of questions and answers about its August cyberattack. They can be found on the Continental webpage.STELLANTIS DEALERS COMPLAIN ABOUT ITS BEHAVIOURStellantis has been forcing dealers and buyers to register cars before arriving in the country to improve “stock velocity” and secure next year’s supply. That doesn’t seem good for today’s customers. Read more in this Car Dealer Magazine interview.Toyota To Build New Hybrid Powertrain in WalesToyota has announced plans for investment in its Deeside plant to enable it to build its next generation of hybrid powertrains. You can find out more in this AM Online article.New Morgan Chairman Takes OverLawrence Price, great-grandson of the company’s founder, HFS Morgan, has taken over as non-executive Chairman of Morgan Motor Company, according to this AM Online article.Volkswagen Group Reshuffles AgainVolkswagen has rearranged the usual faces one more time. This time it’s “Strategic” according to Autocar.Stroll Ups Aston Martin StakeLawrence Stroll has increased his stake in Aston Martin, with this Autocar article saying it’s to stop a Geely takeover.Rental e-Scooter Trials Report Contains 5 Key TakeawaysYou won’t believe number three, but you can read what they are, and follow a link to the report in this Move Electric article.Geospatial Commission Calls for Better Use of Location Data In Chargepoint RolloutThe UK Government is looking at how to roll out the correct number of EV charging points in the correct places and how to make that data easily available to the relevant parties as part of a new report. You can read the summary and the full report on the Cabinet Office website.TOM Karen OBEThe 96-year-old former Managing Director of Ogle Design has passed away. His best-remembered automotive work includes many...
Special Edition - Scion TC Review
On this episode, Alan explains to us all Toyota’s US sub brand, Scion and his new car the Scion TC. Listen to his exasperation at how nothing costs what it is listed at, why he purchased it and how come Janet Street-Porter is relevant.
Special Edition - KIA EV6 GT Line Review
Andrew tried out the KIA EV6 GT Line, for a week when the weather was much nicer than now. You can listen to his thoughts on the car, KIA’s approach to electric cars in this instance and if the praise is deserved, in his opinion, that the car has received.
Linguistic Issues - 13 December 2022
FOLLOW UP: ARRIVAL ‘PAUSES’ JV WITH MERCEDESRecently Arrival announced a joint-venture with Mercedes-Benz, to make electric vans in Europe. However, they have just stated there will be a ‘pause’ in the deal as they focus on the US market and becoming cash flow positive. You can learn more by clicking this Reuters link here. REGULATOR STATES FUEL PRICES NOT DROPPING FAST ENOUGHCompetition and Markets Authority has concluded their investigation into retailer fuel prices, with the conclusion that they do not fall quick enough, especially compared to the increases. This is not surprising to anyone, as we have all seen the price gouging by those making huge profits. Click this Autocar link to learn more. BMW FINED BY UK REGULATOR OVER LACK OF DATAAccording to the BMW Group the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has no jurisdiction to demand information from it, only BMW UK, over the investigation into anti-competitive practices that is running concurrently with the European one. The CMA disagrees and is now fining the company. More can be read on this by clicking this MSM news article link. TOYOTA RESHAPING EV STRATEGYToyota is reshaping their three staged EV strategy to move certain aspects further up the timescale. They will be holding a large call with relevant supplies in February 2023. To learn what this means, click this Market Screener link here. VW BOARD TO BE GIVEN SOFTWARE ‘REALITY CHECK’Oliver Blum, the VW Group CEO, will present what is being described as a ‘reality check’ of their software program, to the Group board. The much heralded V2.0 release will likely be put back from 2026 to at least 2028. Don’t forget one VW CEO has lost their job thanks to their software woes. Click this Reuters link to learn more. M&S TEAMS UP WITH BP PULSE FOR EV CHARGERSFurthering their partnership, where M&S stores can be found at BP forecourts, BP Pulse is going to be the provider for rapid EV chargers installed at shops across the country. The plan is for 900 to be installed, being a mix of 50kW and 150kW capable chargers. To read more, click this Move Electric article here. WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY EV DESIGN COMPETITION LAUNCHEDMotability and Callum Design have teamed up to launch a design competition for students to come up with a future-proof and affordable design for wheelchair friendly EVs. 60 submissions have already been received with the winner being announced in January 2023. Click here to learn more, from the Move Electric article. UK ESCOOTER LAWS DELAYEDSurprising no one, the Government has confirmed there will be a delay in producing laws designed to take account of escooters and their use...
Inflated Dolphins - 6 December 2022
NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES FOR NOVEMBER 2022The SMMT has revealed the new car registration figures for November 2022 and there is reason to be more optimistic as the rise is genuinely impressive, if not up to pre-pandemic standards. Supply has allowed for 142,889 cars to be registered, with BEVs and to a certain degree PHEVs being a major factor in the push. Click here to read more, from SMMT.FORD INVESTING IN HALEWOOD PLANTFord Motor Company is investing in the Merseyside Halewood plant, to enable the production of electric drivetrains. The aim is for the site to produce 70% of the drivetrains required for Europe, by 2026. To read more, click this link to The Guardian article. RIMAC EXPANDING UK R&D CENTRERimac is beginning a recruitment drive for their UK Technology R&D Centre, where they will add to the control systems, battery and electrical systems teams. Click here to learn more from TheBusinessDesk article. GOVERNMENT FUNDING TOYOTA HYDROGEN RESEARCHThe UK Government is allocating £11 million to a project run by Toyota, researching hydrogen use for zero emission vehicles in isolated areas of the UK. There are plenty of places, in the UK, that it is not practical to set up an EV charging station, particularly in industrial settings, therefore investigating if this is viable is important. Click this Autocar link for more. SIRIUSXM VULNERABILITY EXPOSES CARS TO HACKINGIn the US SiriusXM is known, on the consumer side of things, as a streaming/radio platform. However, they also provide connected car services to many major car brands. Ethical hacker Sam Curry found a vulnerability tied into the VIN numbers of cars which then allowed him to access certain vehicles, unlocking doors, activating the horn, starting engines and the likes. All due to basic protection being non existent. SiriusXM claim they have fixed the issue. To learn more, click the AutoEvolutions article link here. To see exactly what Sam did, click his Twitter thread here. EUROPEAN AUTOMOTIVE CYBER SECURITY HUB FORMEDEurope’s first automotive cyber security hub has been formed in Sweden, where the Research Institute of Sweden will join forces with telecom experts and ethical hackers. For more on this story, click the AMOnline article link here. BORGWARD FINALLY DECLARED OFFICIALLY BANKRUPTIn a Chinese court, Borgward has been declared as officially bankrupt, closing the door on what was once a much hyped EV company that only seemed to sell anything in Luxembourg. Click this Autocar link to find out more. NOTTINGHAM EXTENDING ESCOOTER TRIALWhere many other trials are coming to an end and some places are even considering banning...
Terrible Cynic - 29 November 2022
FOLLOW UP: GHOSN HELPER NOW OUT OF US JAILMichael Taylor, the father of the father and son duo who helped Carlos Ghost escape from custody in Japan has been released early from US detention. Authorities stated his months of good behaviour in Japanese jail mean they allowed him back into the community ahead of the expected January 2023 date. To read more, click the Bloomberg UK article here. FOLLOW UP: REVEALED EVIDENCE CASTS DOUBT ON GHOSN CHARGESEvidence, which Nissan and the Japanese prosecutors are supposed to have kept hidden from Carlos Ghosn’s lawyers, indicate that Ghosn did not have a secret deal with a very small number of co-conspirators but that the board members of Nissan at the time, knew the details. This casts even further bad light onto Nissan and particularly the Japanese legal system. As the Asian Times asks, if no crime actually took place, how can anyone be charged, let alone be found guilty. Click here to read yet more damning information thanks to the Asia Times article link. FOLLOW UP: ARRIVAL CEO STEPS DOWNDenis Sverdlov, the CEO of Arrival, has stepped down with Peter Cueno, taking over. The two are swapping roles. In the announcement was the news that the strategy chief and president, Avinash Rugoobur, has also stepped down. The hope is that stakeholders see these as positive moves that stabilise the company. Click here, to learn more, via the FleetOwner article link. FOLLOW UP: FBI TO HELP IN CONTINENTAL HACKGerman security forces have asked the FBI for assistance in their investigation into the data hack of Continental. Budget, strategy, investment information as well as some data about customers is reportedly been accessed. For more on this story, click this Yahoo Finance link here. LONDON ULEZ TO EXPANDConfirmation from the Mayor of London, came last week, to announce that the ULEZ would now expand to be contained by the M25. This comes into affect in August 2023. To read more, click this Autocar article here. There was an expected outcry over this move, but some were saying that many had already swapped their non compliant car when the first expansion came in. London is bringing in a scrappage scheme from January 2023, which will help those looking to scrap and retro-fit their vehicles with compliant technology. Click this Parkers link to learn more. JLR REDUCING PRODUCTION INTO 2023Jaguar Land Rover is reducing the shift on certain production lines due to the chip crisis, they are particularly badly hit by. The focus will be on the more profitable models such as the Range Rover whilst the F-Pace and Velar do not. Click here for The Guardian article, to find out more. LEICESTER SCRAP WORKPLACE CHARGING COSTLeicester City Council had planned to bring in a workplace parking levy, similar to that in...
Musical Chairs - 22 November 2022
GOVERNMENT BUDGET STATEMENTThe Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that electric vehicles will, from 2025, be required to pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for the first time. This will be £20 in the first year, if brand new, then rising to £165 per year after that. The extra charge for cars over £40,000 will also come into force at the same time. Fleets will also be impacted, not just via the introduction of VED but at the Benefit in Kind rate is changing. They will rise 1% from 2025 to 2028. Added to this, there are changes to National Insurance contributions, charging costs and workplace charging point installations. These are all protected to some degree, but home charging will not be as the Government is reducing the help it gives households, from April next year. To read more, click this Autocar article. For more context, click the Autocar article from Alex Grant here. THIERRY BOLLORÉ TO LEAVE JLRThierry Bolloré has announced that he will be leaving Jaguar Land Rover, after only a couple of years in charge, due to “personal reasons”. The news is on the back of another round of losses, albeit much less than previous results. To read more, click this link from EVO. For some context around his departure, click this Autocar link to read what Steve Cropley has to say. And, if you fancy it, you can find more context with Peter Campbell and his tweet here. MAZDA EXITING RUSSIAN MARKETMazda has sold their part of the joint-venture operations to Soller, for €1, with a three year buy-back clause in place. They are the latest manufacturer to make such a move. Click this MSN article link, to learn more. DfT ORDERED TO RELEASE FORECAST BEHIND NET ZERO PROJECTIONSThe Information Commissioner has ordered the Department for Transport to release traffic level forecasts, which are behind the Net Zero projections. Professor Greg Marsden of Leeds University, submitted the Freedom of Information request as he states transport professionals and the public need to know what choices are behind the scale of change required to meet targets. Click here to read the TransportXtra article, for more on the story.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 PODCASTWRC: DRIVER MUSICAL CHAIRSNow is the brief window between a season ending and the next starting in Monte Carlo, early next year, for WRC. That means it is silly season, where there is a scramble for drivers and teams to get seats filled. The not so unexpected news came from M-Sport, announcing that they’d parted ways with Craig Breen.