Motoring Podcast - News Show
583 episodes - English - Latest episode: 19 days ago - ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsMotoring 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
There and back again - 19 June 2024
June 21, 2024 06:00 - 55 minutes - 76.9 MBFOLLOW UP: SURPRISE EU TARIFF RATES The EU has announced the rates for interim tariffs on Chinese made cars coming to the continent. These are surprisingly high, in some cases. The differences per brand is due to the level of cooperation they provided the investigators and what state aid they receive. To read more, click this Politco article link here. To read another interesting article from Politico, explaining how the EU’s moves are very similar to those China made decades ago, click t...
Car data influencers - 11 June 2024
June 12, 2024 06:00 - 48 minutes - 67.2 MBFOLLOW UP: JLR SPEEDS UP SECURITY UPDATE FOR OLDER CARS JLR is speeding up the software updates to older models of the Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar brands. These are cars built after 2018. Owners of such cars are urged to get in touch with JLR so their vehicles can be updated. You can learn more by clicking this AMOnline article link here. NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES MAY 2024 The UK’s new car registrations rose just 1.7% year on year. That was thanks to another very stron...
Tax registration and blergh - 4 June 2024
June 05, 2024 06:00 - 41 minutes - 57.1 MBFOLLOW UP: FCA PERMITS GAP INSURANCE AGAIN The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has given permission for companies to sell GAP insurance once again, following steps to make it fairer to customers. Those selling the insurance will need to demonstrate they are following the new rules and then they will be allowed to resume their offering. If you wish to learn more, click this AMOnline article link here. FOLLOW UP: SPOTIFY OFFERS REFUNDS ON CAT THING After hearing our damning criticism of ...
Nationalistic ranting - 28 May 2024
May 29, 2024 06:00 - 40 minutes - 55.6 MBFOLLOW UP: NHTSA INVESTIGATES MORE WAYMO INCIDENTS The National Highways and Transport Safety Administration (NHTSA) are investigating further incidents involving Waymo vehicles. The nine extra are focused on stationary or semi-stationary items such as gates, chains and utility poles. If you wish to learn more, click on this TechCrunch link here. FOLLOW UP: CAR THING TO BE BRICKED BY SPOTIFY After the huge fuss made on its launch, by Spotify, the Car Thing will be bricked by the company...
Abstract whatboutery - 21 May 2024
May 22, 2024 06:00 - 47 minutes - 65.5 MBFOLLOW UP: EU TO IMPOSE TARIFFS EU politicians have indicated that they will impose tariffs between 25-30% on Chinese EVs imported to the European Union. This comes after the US raised their tariff level to 105% for Chinese EVs. The move has been expected but the amount was not known. This has brought out divisions within the EU as France and Germany have very different home industries. If you wish to learn more, click this electrive article link here. FOLLOW UP: CRUISE AGREE PAYOUT TO PE...
The legal episode - 14 May 2024
May 15, 2024 06:00 - 48 minutes - 66.8 MBFOLLOW UP: CAZOO TO ENTER ADMINISTRATION The online car retailer has taken the step to announce that it will appoint administrators for its subsidiaries to help protect them from creditor’s debt enforcement. Cazoo also stated, to investors, unless it found urgent investment it would fold. You can read more, by clicking this AMOnline article link here. FOLLOW UP: TESLA AUTOPILOT UPDATE INVESTIGATED The National Highways Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has written to Tesla seeking an...
Air and unicorn - 7 May 2024
May 08, 2024 06:00 - 41 minutes - 57.6 MBFOLLOW UP: EU WARNS OVER LACK OF COOPERATION WITH PROBE The EU has accused BYD, Geely and SAIC of not providing enough detail for their investigation. Due to this, apparent, lack of cooperation the tariffs that will be imposed are going to be higher than they might have been. The timing of this is important as the Chinese President is visiting Europe imminently. Click this article link from Politico for more. FOLLOW UP: MORE TESLA CUTS Tesla is reported to be cancelling the ‘ground-break...
G What? - 30 April 2024
May 01, 2024 06:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBFOLLOW UP: CONTINENTAL FINED $107M FOR DIESELGATE Continental, the automotive parts supplier, has been fined €100 million for its part in the dieselgate scandal. The fine was such due to the full cooperation of the company and changes they have subsequently made to their compliance structures. There are six weeks for Continental to pay the fine. Click this Reuters article for more information. STELLANTIS LASHES OUT AT EV MANDATES Carlos Tavares criticises the current UK EV mandates as “t...
So is duct tape - 23 April 2024
April 25, 2024 06:00 - 46 minutes - 63.6 MBFOLLOW UP: WALES TO CHANGE SOME ROADS BACK TO 30MPH Ken Skates, the Welsh Government Transport Secretary, has announced that some of the road limits recently changed from 30mph to 20mph, will now revert back to the original limit. This is an acknowledgement that the implementation of the reduced road speeds has not been as carefully executed as should have occured. If you wish to learn more about this story, click this BBC News article link here. UK GOVERNMENT RULES OUT GRANTS FOR EVS Th...
The week that was - 16 April 2024
April 17, 2024 06:00 - 52 minutes - 72.2 MBFOLLOW UP: BYD HELPED BY CHINESE GOVERNMENT A report is claiming that BYD has received $3.7 billion, in funding from the Chinese Government, to help it to reach its dominating position. This is all part of the EU’s investigation into whether companies from the country have an unfair advantage thanks to state aid. Click this Yahoo Finance article link for more information. FOLLOW UP: BRITISHVOLT SITE TO BE SOLD BY COUNCIL The site of the ill-fated Britishvolt battery factory is to be sold...
Semantic boy - 9 April 2024
April 10, 2024 06:00 - 47 minutes - 65.6 MBFOLLOW UP: RENAULT AND VOLVO GROUP PRESENT EV VAN JV Flexis is the name of the joint-venture between Renault, the Volvo Group and transportation company CMA CGM, that will develop EV vans aimed at urban and last mile deliveries. This will fill the gap in both Renault and Volvo’s offerings to the commercial vehicle industry. For more information, click this Autocar link here. TOYOTA UPDATES ON CAR THEFTS Toyota GB has issues a statement regarding thefts of certain models and a fix that wi...
Cowey wowey - 2 April 2024
April 03, 2024 06:00 - 52 minutes - 72.4 MBFOLLOW UP: LUCID RAISES $1B FROM SAUDI ARABIA THe luxury EV maker, Lucid, has received a further $1 billion in investment, from the Saudi Arabian sovereign fund, Public Investment Fund. They also increased the number of vehicles they expect to produce in 2024 compared to 2023, still only 9,000 cars though. If you wish to learn more, click this link to a Reuters article. FOLLOW UP: CANOO BUYS UP ARRIVAL EQUIPMENT The bones of Arrival are being picked over as the administration team try to...
Handbag luxury - 26 March 2024
March 27, 2024 06:00 - 53 minutes - 74.3 MBFOLLOW UP: RENAULT VOLVO JV FOR EV VANS IS ON Last week we discussed the Reuters article that stated Renault and Volvo will announce that their joint venture for electric vans will shut in early April. This turns out not to be the case. Thanks to Renault sources we can confirm the JV is still very much on. Click this article link from AMOnline to read more. FOLLOW UP: FISKER TALKS WITH NISSAN BREAK DOWN The electric car company Fisker, has had their shares suspended following a huge drop...
Freedom episode - 19 March 2024
March 20, 2024 06:00 - 49 minutes - 68.5 MBFOLLOW UP: RENAULT AND VOLVO TO SHUT EV VAN PROJECT Renault and Volvo will announce that their joint venture for electric vans will shut in early April. There is no detail on why this is. Click here for more information, via the Reuters article link. UK GOVERNMENT PREPARES TRADE SANCTIONS ON CHINESE EVS At a SMMT conference, the Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said that the UK Government could impose sanctions to prevent the market being unfairly in favour of subsidised Chinese electri...
Electric trolley problem - 12 March 2024
March 13, 2024 06:00 - 48 minutes - 67 MBFOLLOW UP: EU CONSIDERING RETROACTIVE TARIFFS ON CHINESE EVS The investigation, by the European Union, into if China subsidises the homegrown EV makers has, within an interim report, stated there is enough evidence to show there is unfair assistance. On top of this, imports have increased 14% since the investigation began. The fear is, if the rate of increase continues it will cause harm to the European market before the official conclusions come to light. If you wish to learn more, click t...
Butt of many jokes - 5 March 2024
March 06, 2024 06:00 - 54 minutes - 74.9 MBFOLLOW UP: AGENCY MODEL CLARIFICATION Thank you to all who responded to Andrew’s request for more information on how the agency model works for car retails. We can now confirm, the query about who carries the financial liability, does in fact lie with the manufacturers now. To see who is moving to this model, click this link to an Auto Retail Network article. FEBRUARY 2024 NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES SMMT has released the new car registration figures for February 2024 and they are the...
Overly Cheesy - 27 February 2024
February 28, 2024 06:00 - 41 minutes - 57.7 MBFOLLOW UP: VOLVO TO SELL SHARES IN POLESTAR We begin to get the answer of what difference Volvo cutting funding will mean to their Polestar relationship, as they look to offload a large portion of the shares they hold. The plan is to drop from 48% of shares down to 18%. For more information, click this electrive article link here. STELLANTIS TO CONVERT LUTON PLANT FOR EV VANS Stellantis has confirmed that they will convert the Luton plant to enable it to build the Group’s electric vans...
Corporate tomfoolery - 20 February 2024
February 21, 2024 06:00 - 55 minutes - 76.6 MBFOLLOW UP: CRUISE APPOINTS FIRST EVER SAFETY OFFICER In a move that should have more people stunned, Cruise has announced their first every safety officer. Steve Kenner has worked at a number of places in the autonomous vehicle industry. Louise Zhang, who is a VP of safety and systems will remain in her role. Astonishingly. If you wish to learn more, click this TechCrunch link here. FOLLOW UP: FRENCH SUBSIDY FOR LOW INCOME HOMES HALTED The recently launched subsidy to help low income f...
Pronounce that very carefully - 12 February 2024
February 13, 2024 06:00 - 46 minutes - 63.5 MBFOLLOW UP: ARRIVAL GOES INTO ADMINISTRATION The inevitable has happened at Arrival and the company has brought in receivers to try and sell on the company assets. Last year they announced they were focusing only on their large van, but this has not been produced. Claims of macroeconomic conditions have been laughed at, following the revelations of management and how the business was run. If you wish to learn more, click this article here, from The Guardian. ASA BANS ADS OVER ZERO EMISSIO...
Farting indicators - 6 February 2024
February 07, 2024 06:00 - 48 minutes - 66.3 MBFOLLOW UP: PARIS VOTES TO CHARGE EXTRA FOR HEAVY CARS Just under six percent of eligible Parisians voted on charging extra for non resident parking permitted heavier vehicles, with 54.6% voting for this. Therefore, internal combustion engined cars (ICE) weighing over 1.6 tonnes and electric vehicles weighing over 2 tonnes, will be charged extra. Click here to read a misleadingly headlined article from The Guardian that is an example of some of the pathetic reporting on this matter. FOLLOW...
Member Number Seven - 30 January 2024
January 31, 2024 06:00 - 43 minutes - 59.2 MBFOLLOW UP: CRUISE’S ACCIDENT FAILURES ARE WORSE THAN GUESSED The ‘independent’ review by a legal firm employed by both GM and Cruise has produced their first report into the incident where a pedestrian who was knocked into the path of a driverless taxi was hit and dragged by the car. They try to claim that no one really meant to deceive the regulators and it was the internet that prevented them from showing the full video. They admitted that no one then attempted to explain verbally or via ...
Pretty please with sugar on top - 23 January 2024
January 24, 2024 06:00 - 35 minutes - 48.6 MBFOLLOW UP: VW AND GERMAN GOV LOSE ENGINE FIX FIGHT A German environmental group has won its court case against the Volkswagen Group and the German Government for allowing the use of thermal windows in engine emissions, for the last eight years. Whilst the regulator allowed it the court ruled they should not have. You can learn more by clicking this electrive article link here. FOLLOW UP: CMA WINS APPEAL AGAINST BMW AND VW The Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) has won its appeal r...
Call me Captain Cynical - 16 January 2024
January 17, 2024 06:00 - 59 minutes - 81.6 MBFOLLOW UP: CAR MAKERS LOBBIED AGAINST INCENTIVES FOR SMALL EVS In the consultation over the introduction of the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which came into force on 1 January 2024, documents have revealed that some manufacturers fought against rules that encouraged more efficient, smaller and lighter vehicles. Not a great look for the car industry. If you wish to learn more, click this Autocar link here. FOLLOW UP: WALES 20MPH REVIEW TO BE LED BY ORIGINAL ADVISOR In what feels l...
That was my line - 9 January 2024
January 09, 2024 06:00 - 51 minutes - 70.5 MBFOLLOW UP: RIFTER NOT BERLINGO, BAD ANDREW During the Year of unintended consequences - 19 December 2023 episode, Andrew stated that Alex Grant has an e-Berlingo, which is incorrect. Alex has the more stylish e-Rifter, which shares a lot of the platform but is not the same. Apologies Alex, Andrew has been suitably chastised for his error. FOLLOW UP: WELSH 20MPH LIMIT TO NOW BE ENFORCED The Welsh Government has stated that the newly introduced default 20mph speed limit, for built up areas...
Special Edition: Lexus GX460 Review
January 05, 2024 06:00 - 55 minutes - 76 MBIn this episode, Alan talks all about his 2019 Lexus GX460 Premium. Since this was recorded, the replacement GX550 has been announced, and Alan has taken it on a 5,000-mile road trip to Wyoming and back. The 4.6 litre V8 has become more efficient over time; it’s underlined its ability to remain very comfortable for long periods of time, and, sadly, it still looks like Predator chewing a wasp.
Add to the drinking game - 2 January 2024
January 03, 2024 06:00 - 54 minutes - 75.3 MBFollow Up: RULES OF ORIGIN DELAY AGREED Leaving it until almost the last moment, the EU and UK have agreed to delay implementing the rules of origin legislation, which would’ve hit car makers in both Europe and Blighty. This was expected to happen and there was an almost audible sigh of relief from the car industry. You can find out more on this, by clicking the link here from Autocar. MCLAREN SHARE RESTRUCTURE DEAL The Bahrain sovereign wealth fund, Mumtalakat, has effectively become th...
Year of unintended consequences - 19 December 2023
December 20, 2023 06:00 - 40 minutes - 55.5 MBFollow Up: CRUISE FIRE NINE EXECS IN ACCIDENT AFTERMATH Following the internal investigation by GM, into the incident where a pedestrian was dragged by a Cruise driverless vehicle, nine executives from the company have been sacked. Departments affected include Legal, Government Affairs, Commercial Operations and Safety and Systems. On top of that General Motors has stated that it is cutting 900 staff from the offshoot. Click here to read more, from The Register. Follow-Up: FRANCE EV SUBSI...
Electromagnetic Molecular Interference Antifreeze Snow Removal - 12 December 2023
December 13, 2023 06:00 - 47 minutes - 21.7 MBFollow Up - EU and UK Agree to 3-Year Rules of Origin Delay UK and EU politicians have agreed to delay the introduction of EV Rules of Origin by three years—more details in this Autocar story. Follow-Up - Tesla Vs. Nordic Unions - Unions Ahead Tesla continues to rebuff cooperation with Nordic unions, making life hard for Tesla. The Guardian covers this in more detail in the story linked here. New Car Registration Figures for November UK new car registrations were slightly up in November...
Not discussing that - 5 December 2023
December 06, 2023 06:00 - 32 minutes - 22.3 MBFollow Up - Volta Trucks Saved by Venture Existing Backers UK-based Volta Trucks has been saved by a venture capital fund that had previously invested them. There’s more about this in the Autocar story linked here. Follow-Up - Welsh Speed Limit Changes Cause Consternation Some roads in Wales are now subject to many more changes of speed limit than before. This BBC story highlights one extreme example. VW to Cut Jobs In Bid To Increase Competitiveness The Volkswagen CEO has claimed that ...
Big traffic light - 27 November 2023
November 28, 2023 06:00 - 40 minutes - 56 MBNISSAN TO INVEST FURTHER IN SUNDERLAND PLANT Nissan is investing a further £2 billion in their Sunderland facilities, with the confirmation that the next generation Qashqai and Juke, both to be electric only, will be built alongside the Leaf. If you wish to learn more, click this Autocar link here. HYUNDAI BRINGS GENESIS OPERATION IN HOUSE Hyundai UK is brining the administrative operations of the Genesis brand, in-house from early 2024. On top of this, there will be a move away from a...
Sick of everything - 21 November 2023
November 22, 2023 06:00 - 40 minutes - 55.7 MBFOLLOW UP: BRITISHVOLT OWNER SERVED NOTICE ON UNPAID WAGES An ex employee has served a legal notice on Recharge Industries, the “owner” of the failed battery manufacturer Britishvolt, for unpaid wages. If the money is not forthcoming, the firm could be pursued further with bankruptcy proceedings being an option. Click this link to read more from The Guardian. FOLLOW UP: CRUISE HALTS ALL OPERATIONS AND CEO RESIGNS Cruise has now halted all ride-hailing operations, even those with human s...
Need want and desire - 14 November 2023
November 15, 2023 06:00 - 47 minutes - 65.1 MBFOLLOW UP: RENAULT FINALLY CREATES AMPERE Renault has finally announced the creation of Ampere, the new division responsible for developing their EVs, circular economy and software for the Group. At the time of recording there was no mention of the IPO that was discussed when first announcing the entity. Click this electrive article to read more. FOLLOW UP: RIVIAN ENDS EXCLUSIVITY DEAL WITH AMAZON Rivian and Amazon have announced that the exclusive deal to supply the retail giant with el...
Buying your dreams - 7 November 2023
November 08, 2023 06:00 - 46 minutes - 63.5 MBFOLLOW UP: BRITISHVOLT STAFF NOT PAID FOR MONTHS Recharge Industries, the company that has bought Britishvolt, although not finalised payment yet, has not paid UK staff for the last four months. Once again, the poor staff let down by management. If you would like to read more, including how much belief employees have in the assurances given, click this BBC News article link here. FOLLOW UP: JLR PARTS ISSUE TO LAST INTO 2024 JLR have confirmed that they are improving the repair parts ba...
My demeaning voice - 31 October 2023
November 01, 2023 06:00 - 51 minutes - 70.8 MBFOLLOW UP: CRUISE PAUSES DRIVERLESS TAXI SERVICE Both Califoria’s Department for Motor Vehicles and Public Utilities Commission have revoked Cruise’s license to carry fee paying passengers in their robotaxis. Cruise, following this, has “paused” the operation of their fleet. This all stems from an incident on 2 October 2023, where a car driven by a human hit a pedestrian and they were knocked into the pathway of one of Cruise’s cars which could not stop in time and trapped the pedestrian un...
Special Edition: Japan Mobility Show 2023 - 30 October 2023
October 30, 2023 06:00 - 49 minutes - 72.6 MBJAPAN MOBILITY SHOW 2023 Alan and Andrew are rounding up the motoring element of the Japan Mobility Show 2023, which is the replacement for the Tokyo Motor Show. The organisers have expanded the remit and potential audience. There are stands about everything from wheelchairs to private jets and all things between. TINY CARS As this is Japan you can imagine just how many tiny and kei cars there were. We have picked only a small fraction to discuss. Honda CI-MEV Daihatsu ME:Mo Daihatsu...
That's courageous - 24 October 2023
October 25, 2023 06:00 - 46 minutes - 63.7 MBCALLS FOR RULES OF ORIGIN AGREEMENT STRENGTHENED The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has reinforced its call for an agreement to be reached between the EU and UK over rules of origin delay. The SMMT has outlined what the average price increase would be for vehicles coming into or out of the UK and EU. You can read more about the potential impact by clicking this link to an SMMT article. The UK Government has stated that if a satisfactory agreement with the EU cannot be reached ...
Better at rubbing the soap - 17 October 2023
October 18, 2023 06:00 - 47 minutes - 64.7 MBDOJ CHARGES EBAY OVER ROLLING COAL DEVICE SELLING The Department of Justice (DOJ) in the US, has taken eBay to court over allowing ‘rolling coal’ devices to be sold on the platform. These manipulate the control of engines and allow for huge plumes of black smoke to be emitted by vehicles. eBay says it cut so many out and does all it can. The fine, if found guilty would be a maximum in the region of $2 billion, but as its an American company it will not be that high. Click this CNBC article ...
Driven by nobs - 10 October 2023
October 11, 2023 06:00 - 54 minutes - 75.2 MBFOLLOW UP: CHINA UNHAPPY AT EU SUBSIDY PROBE In a move that should surprise no one, China has complained about the process and speed of the EU’s investigation into the possibility of state backed subsidies for Chinese EV makers. Click here to read the Reuters article with plenty of quotes from China making it clear there will be ramifications. FOLLOW UP: PENDRAGON SUITERS DOWN TO TWO The Hedin Penske bid for Pendragon has been removed, which leaves two suiters. A report this week has s...
Take a French lunch - 3 October 2023
October 04, 2023 06:00 - 42 minutes - 58.4 MBFOLLOW UP: ZEV MANDATE FINALLY ANNOUNCED The Government has finally published the details of the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate. As we discussed last week the expected percentage minimums of zero emission vehicles sold per brand have remained from the consultation. However, there is no additional detail from 2030 to 2035 except there being no new internal combustion engines sold from 2035. Click here to read the Autocar article on the story. To read the SMMT’s response, click this link here....
Existential and deep - 26 September 2023
September 27, 2023 06:00 - 35 minutes - 48.9 MBGOVERNMENT DELAYS 2030 ICE-ONLY BAN The Prime Minister announced that he was putting back the date when the sale of new internal combustion engined cars and vans would be banned in the UK, to 2035. This caused much comment, especially from an angry car industry. Click here to read about that, from Autocar. For an explanation as to what has changed, ie. nothing, click this LeasePlan article link. ZEV MANDATE TO REMAIN DESPITE NEW 2035 ICE-ONLY BAN Whilst much was made of the change in th...
Your Chanel handbag - 19 September 2023
September 20, 2023 06:00 - 52 minutes - 72.5 MBINDUSTRY CALLS FOR MORE GOVERNMENT HELP The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has called on additional help from the Government, to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles. During their one day conference, called Electrified, they proposed four incentives that would help make the switch easier for the private buyer. You can find out more, by clicking this link here. NEW EV MINIS WILL BE BUILT IN THE UK BMW is investing £600 million in their Oxford and Swindon plants to...
Too wet to light man - 12 September 2023
September 13, 2023 06:00 - 49 minutes - 68.3 MBNEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES FOR AUGUST 2023 For the first time, in a long time, the new car registration overall figure for August is close to those of the before times, being just under seven thousand less than 2019 numbers. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) jumped to a 20.1% market share for the month, unfortunately the year to date is still stuck in the 16s. The SMMT make it very clear they desperately need the Government to reveal what the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate will actually be ...
I am whelmed - 5 September 2023
September 06, 2023 06:00 - 49 minutes - 67.7 MBFOLLOW UP: XIAOMI’S EV PLANS Last week when discussing the approval of Xiaomi’s plan to build EV, Andrew should have clarified that this was the fourth to be given permission since 2017, not the fifth. FUEL PRICE RISE HITS HARD IN AUGUST Unsurprising to anyone who’s watched fuel prices over the last few years, petrol and diesel went up in August. That month when the UK takes to roads due to the school holiday. Prices increased by nearly seven pence per litre. To read more, including som...
Split the ions - 29 August 2023
August 30, 2023 06:00 - 40 minutes - 55.2 MBFOLLOW UP: BATH CAZ MAKES A DIFFERENCE Following the introduction of a Clean Ari Zone (CAZ) to a portion of Bath, NOx levels have dropped by 26% and only 1% of vehicles entering the zone are non compliant. Bath took the approach of targeting taxis, vans, buses, coaches and lorries only. You can find out more, by clicking this BBC News article link here. DAMAGE FROM POTHOLES ROCKETS IN JULY July, in the UK, was incredibly wet which has help to make conditions that have led to a sharp inc...
Water transport devices - 22 August 2023
August 23, 2023 06:00 - 56 minutes - 77.8 MBFOLLOW UP: CLAIMS WELSH 20MPH WILL CAUSE EMERGENCY SERVICES ISSUES DISPUTED A Conservative Freedom of Information request has led to accusations that the mandatory 20mph speed limit for urban areas in Wales will impede emergency services ability to fulfil their roles. This is disputed by both the Labour Government and the emergency services. You can read more, by clicking this BBC News link here. FOLLOW UP: CRUISE CUTS TESTING FLEET BY 50% Following a collision with a fire engine, Cruise...
Swansea Blackhole - 15 August 2023
August 16, 2023 06:00 - 47 minutes - 65.1 MBFOLLOW UP: britishvolt saga takes another twist The buyer for the bankrupt Britishvolt company, Recharge Industries, has failed to make the final payment and is in breach of contract, according to the administrator. Recently we covered the news that the Australian head office was raided by tax officials and police. Click this Autocar Business article to find out more. FOLLOW UP: TESLA RANGE CALCULATIONS EXPLAINED Following the report that Tesla was deliberately misleading owners on the r...
When MPVs were real MPVs - 8 August 2023
August 09, 2023 06:00 - 44 minutes - 60.7 MBFOLLOW UP: ULEZ SCRAPPAGE SCHEME EXPANDED The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced that the scrappage scheme for the London ULEZ expansion has been altered to now cover all residents of London, unlike previously where only a small number of eligible groups were allowed to apply. Click this BBC News article link to read more. FOLLOW UP: UBER AV FATALITY LEGAL CASE ENDS The legal case brought against the test operator, Rafaela Vasquez, who was working for Uber in their autonomous veh...
Bobble hats and forests - 1 August 2023
August 01, 2023 06:00 - 38 minutes - 53.2 MBFOLLOW UP: ULEZ EXPANSION GIVEN GO AHEAD The High Court has ruled that the expansion to the ULEZ, as announced by the Mayor of London, is legal and allowed to take place. Five councils had brought the action against the increase in the area covered by the rules on vehicle emissions. You can find out more by clicking this BBC News article link here. ASTON MARTIN GETS NEW BOARD MEMBER Following their increased stake in Aston Martin, Geely are now entitled to a seat on the board of the spo...
Facetious and silly - 25 July 2023
July 26, 2023 06:00 - 40 minutes - 55.8 MBTATA BATTERY FACTORY TO BE BUILT IN THE UK Tata, Jaguar Land Rover owners, have finally confirmed thanks to Government help their battery factory will be built in the UK and not Spain. Production is planned to start from 2026, with the aim being to produce 40GWh of batteries when fully operational. These will be sold to the mobility and energy industries. Click this Autocar article link for more. JLR CONFIRM ADRIAN MARDELL AS PERMANENT CEO Adrian Mardell stepped in to fill the void fol...
Wheels are on fire - 18 July 2023
July 18, 2023 06:00 - 45 minutes - 62 MBPublic Charge Point Regulations announced The Government has announced that it will bring in laws that require a 99% reliability to the charging network, for rapid chargers, as well as live status updates. Furthermore, new chargers over 8kW must have contactless pay reader fitted. Failure to meet the new regulations could result in a £10,000 fine for each unit that does not satisfy the requirements. Click here to read more, from Autocar. RENAULT-GEELY PARTNERSHIP HQ IN UK We first disc...