Author: Aimee Turner

The variety of automotive retailers offering electric vehicles (EV) has stayed consistent year-on-year, with the dearth of growth blamed on government indecision and market instability.Auto Trader’s research reveals that greater than half (53%) of outlets disagree with reinstating the 2030 ban on selling petrol and diesel vehicles.Amongst franchise retailers, nearly half (48%) support the 2030 ban, in comparison with only 31% of independent retailers.Following the previous government’s decision to push the ban to 2035 last October, nearly 1 / 4 (22%) of franchise retailers said they would scale back their electric vehicle (EV) inventory, while almost half (48%) of independent…

Automotive makers are heading in the right direction to satisfy their zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate targets for this 12 months, despite many falling in need of the electrical vehicle (EV) sales targets.The ZEV mandate, which compels automakers to sell a selected percentage of electrical cars annually, imposes fines of £15,000 for every automotive sold below the goal. In 2024, the goal is ready at 22%, regularly increasing to 80% by 2030.By the tip of July, electric vehicle registrations had increased by 10% to 195,000, in accordance with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).Nonetheless, this still represents only 16.8%…

Wessex Garages and GWM ORA have teamed as much as support the Cardiff Devils, highlighting their dedication to sustainable practices in each the automotive and sports industries. The partnership, now in its tenth yr, aligns with the values of all parties involved, specializing in green technology and community engagement. “We’re incredibly proud to proceed our sponsorship of the Cardiff Devils,” said Chris Wiseman, managing director of Wessex Garages. “Our 10-year partnership, now enhanced with the introduction of the ORA 03, showcases our commitment to sustainability and cutting-edge technology. The Cardiff Devils are a key a part of the South Wales…

A strategic partnership between two players within the wholesale vehicle sector has been forged to revolutionise the way in which used automotive dealers source and finance stock.Wholesale funder NextGear Capital has teamed up with the web auction platform 1link Trade Buyer, allowing NextGear Capital customers to seamlessly add vehicles purchased on epyx’s 1link Trade Buyer to their stocking plan.The combination streamlines the vehicle acquisition process, offering dealers fast access to trade vehicles, including hundreds of ex-fleet cars and vans available on 1link every week.Darren Mornin, managing director of NextGear Capital, highlighted the advantages of this partnership, stating: “Acquiring stock is…

AI-powered communication platform AutoChat PRO has officially launched with Devonshire Motors as its first customer within the UK.For several years, AutoChat has been offered an AI assistant for dealership web sites. Now, with AutoChat PRO, it’s offering an AI assistant to dealership staff, including customer contact centre employees, receptionists, and sales staff.The primary version of AutoChat PRO enables the dealership to upload documents like brochures, tariffs, manuals, and technical documents into organised buckets.As a substitute of manually trying to find information, staff can depend on the AI assistant to quickly retrieve the required details from these documents, providing quick answers.“Within…

Hendy Group has opened a brand new multi-brand showroom in Tonbridge for Vauxhall and Peugeot. This £1 million investment on a brownfield site has created over 40 recent jobs. The Hendy Vauxhall and Peugeot facility offers state-of-the-art vehicle service and repair capabilities, Motability support, and specific sales and repair for the newest Vauxhall vans. To support the growing range of Vauxhall and Peugeot electric and hybrid vehicles, the brand new site includes charging bays for each the on-site team and visiting customers. The workshop incorporates a Class 7 MOT facility and eight bays for automotive and business vehicle servicing, ensuring…

Despite positive overall results for brand new automotive registrations in the primary half of 2024, there are worrying signs of slowing growth, in response to JATO Dynamics first-half evaluation of recent passenger automotive registrations in 28 European countriesRegistrations increased by just 4.4% from January to June, rising from 6,559,213 units in H1 2023 to six,847,842 units in H1 2024.Felipe Munoz, global analyst at JATO Dynamics, said: “Europe’s growth is becoming more moderate and stays removed from pre-pandemic levels. That is attributable to a more complex operating environment, including stricter emissions regulations, rising vehicle prices, and challenges in electric vehicle (EV)…

The Labour government, which has committed to reinstating a 2030 deadline for phasing out latest ICE automobile sales, is coming under pressure to determine whether to follow the EU and US in raising duties on Chinese EV imports.Britain’s business secretary Jonathan Reynolds is reported to be closely monitoring the situation and consulting with industry leaders on the subsequent steps after a gathering with EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis at a G7 ministers’ meeting on July 16.“Any solution would should take the UK’s auto sector exports under consideration and be calibrated for the UK economy,” stated a government summary of the…

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has confirmed it’s ditching five models from its lineup next yr on account of their lack of profitability. The five models being axed include the XE and XF sedans, the sporty F-Type, the E-Pace SUV, and the all-electric I-Pace SUV. By 2025, Jaguar’s lineup will consist of only one existing model, the midsize F-Pace SUV. The move which JLR spokesperson confirmed to media outlets is a component of a big transformation for the brand, which goals to go all-electric soon. Jaguar can be positioning itself as a high-luxe brand, targeting higher profitability. Jaguar plans to launch three recent models built…

US software house CDK Global is reported to have paid out a $25 million ransom to hackers following a devastating June 19 cyber attack which likely cost its US dealership clients $600m in direct losses.CDK’s software supports nearly 15,000 dealerships in North America by managing vehicle acquisitions, sales, financing, insurance, repairs, and maintenance.Keyloop, the UK’s dominant DMS provider, will not be a part of CDK Global. CDK sold off its international business, which rebranded as Keyloop in 2021.CDK initially described the incident as a “cyber incident” in media statements although reportedly referred to it as a “cyber ransom event” with…