Plug-in hybrid cars burn more fuel than tests record, says Which?

Automotive industry Research suggests pollution from the vehicles could be worse than advertised Plug-in hybrids combine an internal combustion engine with an externally rechargeable battery, in the hope of lowering CO2 emissions while giving the range and refuelling ease of fossil fuels. Photograph: V Kalyniuk/Alamy Plug-in hybrid cars burn significantly more fuel than official tests… Continue reading Plug-in hybrid cars burn more fuel than tests record, says Which?

Volvo says it will make only electric cars by 2030

Volvo plans to sell only electric cars by 2030 in the latest move by a legacy carmaker to abandon fossil fuels that contribute to global heating. The Swedish carmaker also said it would only sell its electric cars direct to consumers online, in a blow to the traditional model of selling vehicles via independent dealerships.… Continue reading Volvo says it will make only electric cars by 2030

Fossil fuel cars make ‘hundreds of times’ more waste than electric cars

Fossil fuel cars waste hundreds of times more raw material than their battery electric equivalents, according to a study that adds to evidence that the move away from petrol and diesel cars will bring large net environmental benefits. Only about 30kg of raw material will be lost over the lifecycle of a lithium ion battery… Continue reading Fossil fuel cars make ‘hundreds of times’ more waste than electric cars

Old-school Stellantis car factories gear up for the shock of electric

Carlos Tavares is an unashamed petrolhead, with a rally-racing hobby that harks back to an earlier automotive age. Yet carmakers like Stellantis, which he leads, and its rivals have had to set aside affection for roaring internal combustion engines as environmental rules set the limits for the industry. Stellantis was formed in January in a… Continue reading Old-school Stellantis car factories gear up for the shock of electric

Future of Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port factory hangs in balance

The owner of Vauxhall has claimed it is considering the closure of its Ellesmere Port factory unless the UK government offers financial support after extended negotiations. An executive of Stellantis, the carmaker, on Thursday said it hoped to reach a binding agreement with the government on aid. Michael Lohscheller, the head of Stellantis’s Opel and… Continue reading Future of Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port factory hangs in balance

Electric busmaker Arrival schedules first UK road trial

Electric buses built by Arrival, the UK-based manufacturer, will be tested on British roads for the first time later this year in a trial with the transport company First Group. The tests will begin in the autumn of this year, starting with four of the first production vehicles produced at Arrival’s research and development facility… Continue reading Electric busmaker Arrival schedules first UK road trial

Coventry to seek planning permission for electric car battery ‘gigafactory’

Coventry city council intends to secure pre-emptive planning permission for a “gigafactory” beside the city’s airport to make electric car batteries, in the latest effort by UK authorities to attract investment. The government has identified investment in battery factories as a key goal to keep automotive jobs as the sector moves away from the internal… Continue reading Coventry to seek planning permission for electric car battery ‘gigafactory’

Jaguar Land Rover low-carbon mass production Castle Bromwich plant

Jaguar Land Rover’s announcement of a low-carbon future also contained significant news for its historic Castle Bromwich plant. JLR said it would end mass production of cars at the site before 2025, after decades of assembly at a facility with an illustrious past which rivals that of any UK factory. The plant was brought to… Continue reading Jaguar Land Rover low-carbon mass production Castle Bromwich plant

UK new car sales fall 40% in January as lockdown bites

Just over 90,000 new cars were sold in the UK in the slowest January for more than 50 years, according to industry figures released on Thursday. Sales fell 40% compared with January 2020 to 90,249, as the closure of car showrooms under lockdown compounded the economic gloom. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)… Continue reading UK new car sales fall 40% in January as lockdown bites

UK new car sales fall 40% in January lockdown, and construction output dips – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news UK car sales drop 39.5% in January Worst start to a year since 1970 UK construction output fell last month too LIVE Updated The Windrush Volkswagen garage in Slough, Berkshire, during last month’s lockdown Photograph: Maureen McLean/REX/Shutterstock Key events Show 6.02am EST 06:02 UK construction sector… Continue reading UK new car sales fall 40% in January lockdown, and construction output dips – business live