Automotive News – Early July 2024
Estimated reading time 3 minutes
Auto makers can drive UK’s green growth agenda with carbon emissions halved.
- 25th automotive Sustainability Report shows UK vehicle manufacturers surpass major milestone with CO2 emissions per vehicle produced halved since 1999.
- More vehicles made but less energy used in 2023 with an -18% decline in CO2 emissions from factory production.
- Enhancing UK’s competitiveness could help deliver more than a million British-built zero emission vehicles every year by 2035.
- https://www.smmt.co.uk/2024/07/auto-makers-can-drive-uks-green-growth-agenda-with-carbon-emissions-halved/
Luxury car maker, Jaguar Land Rover, has begun its new financial year with better first quarter sales, compared with the same period last year.
The Indian-owned manufacturer, which has production plants at Halewood in Merseyside and Solihull and Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands, reported its figures for the three months to June 30, 2024, which were better than the same period a year ago, it said, reflecting sustained demand for its vehicles.
Wholesale volumes of 97,755 units in the first quarter of financial year 2025 – excluding the Chery Jaguar Land Rover China joint venture – were up 5% compared with the same quarter a year ago, while retail sales of 111,180 units in the first quarter – including the Chery Jaguar Land Rover China JV – grew 9% compared with the same quarter a year ago.
Van market records best first half since 2021 despite June decline.
- New light commercial vehicle market falls in June, down -4.5%, after record-equalling 17-month growth run ends.
- Sector records best first six months since 2021, with market up 4.5% on last year as 177,620 new vans, pickups and 4x4s delivered.
Battery electric van demand declines for third month this year, down -16.8%, highlighting urgent need to maintain fiscal incentives and bolster van-suitable chargepoint rollout
New car market hits ‘million motors’ milestone at half year.
- New car market grows 1.1% in June to reach 179,263 units – and breaks million motors mark at the half year point for first time since 2019.
- Battery electric cars record highest monthly market share since December 2023, but uptake in year to date remains stable at 16.6%.
- Industry calls on next government to back consumers as fewer than one in five new battery electric cars go to private buyers. https://www.smmt.co.uk/2024/07/new-car-market-hits-million-motors-milestone-at-half-year/
A new group, which will strengthen links between academia and the automotive sector has been launched by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC).
The Academic Advisory Group (AAG), created to address automotive industry challenges, marks the beginning of a new academic and industry partnership.
Commenting on the inaugural meeting of the group, Stakeholder Engagement Director at the APC, Philippa Oldham said: “In order to sustain and develop the academic engagement that we have generated over the years at the APC the AAG has been created. We are in a unique position to deliver an approach that helps to connect academic communities with industry.