Richard Crompton

MAJOR CAR BRAND PAUSES PRODUCTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE Government Minsters aren't the best people to advise on technology change Those who specialise in product design have to look at all of the factors involved in product acceptability including usability and acceptability in the market place Despite repeated warnings that the BEV is not a universally acceptable replace for the ICE power train, governments press ahead Vehicle manufacturers and product specialists are being ignored so Europe and the UK dig an ever deeper hole for ourselves. This will cost us dearly There's a say that goes like this: - 'When in a hole, stop digging' #BEV #Cars #Energy #Fuels #environment #ICE #hydrogen #EFuels

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Morris Garage has introduced Battery as a Service (BaaS), levelling the playing field between electric vehicles (EVs) and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in terms of ownership costs. Highlights of BaaS: * Lower Upfront Costs: By reducing the initial investment for personal vehicles, consumers can free up cash to invest elsewhere, creating a win-win situation. * Lifetime Warranty: BaaS includes a lifetime warranty for the battery, covering unlimited kilometers, addressing concerns about battery issues and degradation. * Cost Efficiency: While a conventional ICE vehicle achieving 20 km/l incurs a cost of Rs 5.10 per kilometer, BaaS reduces that to just Rs 3.50 per kilometer.

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🚗🔌 What’s Going On with London's Congestion Charge? 🔋❗ I was surprised but I wasn't at the same time to hear the recent announcement that London will extend the £15-a-day congestion charge (£15 a Day!!! Come on) to all zero-emission vehicles, including electric vehicles (EVs), starting from Christmas Day 2025. This decision has brought a lot criticism and got me thinking – are we taking away all incentives for people to go electric while simultaneously pushing for an EV transition? (I mean yes there are loads of reason to go EV but for some people they need a little extra push). For years, the shift towards EVs has been encouraged as a key strategy to combat air pollution and reduce carbon emissions. Incentives, such as exemptions from congestion charges, have played a significant role in making this transition attractive for many Londoners. However, this new policy seems to contradict the goal of promoting greener transportation. Am I missing something here? (Happy to be wrong but its getting silly) Is there a deeper strategy behind this move that justifies the removal of these incentives? Or is this a step backward in our efforts to encourage sustainable travel? I'm genuinely interested in hearing different perspectives on this. Let's discuss! Are we heading in the right direction with this new policy? 🤔💬 #EVs #SustainableTransport #LondonCongestionCharge #CleanAir #EnvironmentalPolicy #ElectricVehicles #SadiqKhan

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The UK automotive industry is already complaining about the penalties for not selling enough EVs to reluctant consumers, but I wonder whether the forthcoming HGV mandate will risk further damaging the UK Automotive Industry. The forthcoming mandate for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) to transition to zero-emission technologies presents significant challenges and risks for the UK automotive industry, echoing the issues currently faced by the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). Stellantis has already raised concerns about the impact of the UK's regulatory approach on its EV production plans. Without adequate government support and incentives, Stellantis has warned that it may halt EV production in the UK, which could lead to job losses and reduced consumer choices. This situation is compounded by post-Brexit trade rules, which require a high percentage of EV components to originate from the UK or EU, making UK-based production uncompetitive. The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which requires 70% of Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs) to be zero-emission by 2030, and all new cars and vans to be zero-emission by 2035, is ambitious. Currently, only 6% of new LGVs sold are zero-emission, highlighting the scale of the challenge. The same ambitious targets are set for HGVs, with a ban on new diesel HGVs by 2040. However, as of now, only 5% of new HGVs sold are zero-emission, predominantly battery-electric. The automotive industry, including major players like Ford and Stellantis, supports the government's zero-emission goals but stresses the need for more robust infrastructure and regulatory clarity. The transition for HGVs is particularly complex due to the varied use cases and the lack of a dominant zero-emission technology. The government's recent initiatives, such as the £381 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund and the development of new charging infrastructure, are steps in the right direction. However, industry leaders argue that without substantial incentives and support, the mandated targets may lead to significant disruptions. A balanced approach that combines regulation with strong incentives is crucial to ensuring the industry's sustainability and growth. The UK government must provide the necessary support to keep the automotive and HGV sectors competitive and thriving in the face of global competition and the shift towards electrification. https://lnkd.in/eNPhwPh7 #AutomotiveIndustry #ZeroEmissionVehicles #HGVs #UKGovernment #Stellantis #EVMandate #SustainableGrowth

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We are delighted to be working with Cleevely Electric Vehicles and our Sister company @ATA with Dave Walker FIMI~AAE~CAA~CAT~MSOE~MIRTE~Cert-Ed Watch this space for IMI courses that will make a difference in how you learn and transform you practice. #evtraining #skillsdevelopment #IMI #theIMI #automotiveexcellence #upskilling #sustainability #evautomotive #highvoltagesafety #futuretechnology #automotivetraining #evhybrid #hybridtraining #autoindustry #motortrade #evtraininguk

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Brilliant British design and automotive innovation or simply bonkers? A load of weird materials and form over function? Destined to be the final nail in the Jaguar coffin or another example of Jaguar brilliance, saving it from obscurity once again? We'll only know once they start trying to sell it but ngl, it's starting to grow on me.... #branding #advertising #creativity #marketing #design https://lnkd.in/gntFFhNi

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British commercial vehicle production output growth continues with the best Q1 figures since 2008. Figures also show British car production did fall in March, as manufacturers gear up to make new models, but rounded off Q1 with overall volumes still up 1.1%: https://lnkd.in/e95-H6FB #UKmfg #Manufacturing #Production #Automotive #CommercialVehicles

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September saw plugin EVs take 29.4% share of the #UK auto market, up from 23.4% year on year. Both BEVs and PHEVs grew volume YoY, by 24% and 32% respectively. Overall auto volume was 275,239 units, up 1% YoY, but still far below pre-2020 seasonal norms (350,000+). #Tesla was the leading BEV brand in September. September’s sales tally saw combined plugin EVs take 29.4% share of the UK auto market, with full electrics (BEVs) taking 20.5%, and plugin hybrids (PHEVs) taking 8.9%. These compare with YoY shares of 23.4% combined, 16.6% #BEV and 6.8% #PHEV. Against broader auto volumes which were barely flat YoY, both BEVs and PHEVs grew volume at a healthy clip. BEVs grew 24.4% to a new record high of 56,387 units, whilst PHEVs grew 32.1% to 24,468 units. Meanwhile, HEVs were essentially flat YoY, diesels saw a 7% volume decline, and petrol-only vehicles lost substantial volume of 9.3%, dropping share from 55.7% to 50.1% YoY. Best Selling BEV Brands Tesla was yet again the best selling BEV brand in September, with the Model Y leading with 5,799 units, enough to put it in joint 4th place in the overall auto market. Year to date, the Model Y is the 9th best selling automobile overall (and by far the best selling BEV), with 23,485 units registered. #Volkswagen took a surprise 2nd place in the September BEV rankings, a much stronger performance than typical (the brand is only in the 6th spot year to date). #BMW, conversely, slipped back to the 12th spot, despite being 2nd in the year-to-date rankings. In both cases, these volume swings are likely more to do with irregular shipments of right–hand-drive units arriving in the UK than fundamental changes in demand. #Mercedes took the third spot in September, unchanged from its position in August. We don’t have enough resolution in UK BEV model sales data to definitively identify every newly launching model, but can identify a few. The most significant debuts in volume terms are the new #Polestar 3 and Polestar 4, which registered 93 units and 744 units in September, respectively. Polestar looks like it may have a big hit on its hands with the 4. These are remarkable launch volumes for a vehicle which starts from £59,995. Let’s see what the sustainable volume is going forwards. The new #Porsche Macan sold its first ~113 units into the UK in September, and will surely grow from here, with the UK market having outsized weighting for the Porsche brand (the Taycan sold 288 UK units in September). The #MG Cyberster Roadster made its first UK customer deliveries in September, with a healthy 70 units registered — very strong for a vehicle like this, in not-the-most-practical segment. The new MG is the only open-top BEV two-seat sports car on the market. 

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Stellantis has just announced its Vauxhall plant in Luton will be shutting down, in a big blow to the local economy and the state of manufacturing in the UK. The reason? the weight of government quotas for EVs in combination with slowing demand. For many manufacturers, this confirms their concerns over the unfeasibility of the ZEV mandate. At Manufacturing Digital, we find ourselves agreeing with calls for a more flexible alternative. What do you think? https://lnkd.in/egMADZwF #Manufacturing #EVs

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I wrote this a while ago, and it needs updating to include eFuel/synthetic fuel opportunities, but conversations around the topic are firing up. https://lnkd.in/eEAAm4nN Synthetic fuels cost A LOT at the moment, so to incentivise their use: - Increase tax on any dinosaur-derived petroleum products to discourage their use, and encourage the development, production and use of synthetic fuels - Over time, mandate a sliding scale % mix of synthetic/dino-juice to control both the uptake in production and the downturn in fossil fuels - Incentivise "over-production" of synthetic fuels to create a carbon buffer in the system, which can be funded as a carbon credit by car manufacturers, allowing artisan production to continue (Ferrari, Aston Martin, McLaren etc.) The net result is the existing infrastructure can be used (depots, petrol stations, tankers etc), at worst they are CO2 neutral and existing (and perfectly functioning) ICE vehicles stay on the road. You can even keep tax on ICE fuels high thus incentivising the use of electric cars where practicable, but leaving the option there for sustainable ICE fuel use where it isn't!

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sadly we will not remain relevant in this space whilst our policy makers continue to isolate the UK from the EU legislative framework for decarbonising commercial transport, adopted in 2019 and updated in 2024, and exclude commercially viable technologies rather than promoting outcomes there are 22,000 UK jobs at risk the total cost of ownership criteria used by commercial fleet operators are heavily contingent on vehicle cost, which at 3-7x that of a diesel vehicle are untenable - worth asking which of these factors are strangling the uptake of LCVs vs the ZEV mandate, and understand that actual emissions reduction is contingent on availability and adoption of viable solutions 1.          Vehicle cost 2.          Limited vehicle types 3.          Vehicle servicing 4.          Vehicle range 5.          Charge point availability 6.          Charging time 7.          Charging cost 8.          Investment in charging infrastructure 9.          Safety 10.       Lack of familiarity 11.       Cost of insurance 12.       Replacement parts cost & availability 13.       Durability 14.       Battery condition 15.       Battery origin 16.       Reliability 17.       Temperature Sensitivity 18.       Running Auxiliary Equipment 19.       Weight 20.       Uptime

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Brake design by market – Emergency service vehicles Last year I wrote a number of posts relating to brake systems for specific markets. Continuing this theme, I thought I’d share some thoughts on brake design for vehicles used by emergency services. Fire & rescue, police and ambulance service vehicles can be extremely demanding upon the foundation brakes. Vehicles are often modified. They may be heavier due to armouring and/or load carrying or have increased performance. What is the best design of caliper and disc for an Emergency Services Vehicle? Below are a few key points: 1, Fade resistance – Response vehicles will need their brake systems to be capable of repeated use from relatively high speeds at loaded weights. They are often required to pass specific test requirements. In the UK, police vehicles need to pass the 30 stop NAPFM (National Association of Police Fleet Managers) test. Discs may need increased thermal mass and pads have more surface area to comply. 2, High strength components – Response vehicles’ brake systems are regularly put under extreme loads. Very few other vehicles will see a cold set of brakes carry out a high deceleration event whilst hitting high kerbs. Added to this, some drivers will regularly apply the park brake dynamically.   Correctly rated wheels and tyres may limit the space available. A cast iron housing will give more strength and stiffness than aluminium for a given space envelope. Iron also has a longer fatigue life, especially when hot. An opposed piston caliper is the ideal choice to give increased stiffness. 3, Reliability and High mileage – These are working vehicles. While some will see very low milage, for others it will be high. Pad materials need to be chosen for both high performance and low wear. Iron calipers can start to look rusty during use, but the working parts are internal and protected. Aluminium calipers tend to still have steel components fitted, this can create an electrolytic cell that could cause the aluminium caliper to show failures due to corrosion earlier than you would see in iron. Also, you do not want an ambulance off the road due to a brake quality issue. 4, Styling – Police vehicles are sometimes covert. A painted caliper can highlight that the vehicle is unusual and make it a target. Therefore, the caliper should look as much like an OE caliper as possible. As the original caliper will probably have been zinc plated, so should its replacement. 6, Tamper-proof – Many performance upgrade brake kits have external bridge pipes and bleed screws on the outboard half of the caliper. It is quick and easy to loosen these with a spanner or pliers so that they leak, causing brake failure. Calipers should only have bleed screws on the inboard half and fluid transferred to the outboard half inside the housing. External bridge pipes are also easily damaged when driving off-road.

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The Benzina Zero Duo/Duo+ (L1e/L3e) is now available for the UK and Ireland. >43mph max and realworld autonomy of 60 miles with a single battery >Robust frame, Bosch hub motor and no coloured plastics to damage >Energy savings vs petrol at 90%, £1,300+ yearly, based on 15,000 miles >Servicing cost savings vs petrol at 50%, £300+ yearly >Overall Running cost savings vs petrol, £1,600+ yearly, a payback inside of 12 months against the price premium vs petrol mopeds, so that year 2 onwards is pure cost savings - see here: https://lnkd.in/eDTzWzgv #BenzinaZero #emoped #QSRdelivery #GroceryDelivery

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WHAT THE DEALER DIDN'T TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR NEW ELECTRIC CAR - AN ANALYSIS BY NEIL WINTON An observation. More details in the forthcoming main report but market feedback broadly supports this report If you can accommodate the real world range within you usage profile you will probably be OK. But don't forget the fall away in battery capacity with time If you sell your car after 2 to 3 years not a problem but if you are buying second hand you will need to take this into account #BEV #TRANSPORTATION #EVs #Environment

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Drivers’ attitudes are shifting and confidence is increasing when it comes to switching to electric, and three key factors are playing a part in that decision, according to research by Venson Automotive Solutions Limited. 🔋Improvements in charging infrastructure 🌍The positive impact EVs are having on reducing emissions 💳Falling vehicle prices This is very encouraging to see, especially in relation to public charging infrastructure, which continues to increase at pace. With every day that passes, more chargers come online and here at InstaVolt, we’re proud to be driving that growth. Our UK network has already hit 1,500 reliable, strategically located chargers, as we edge closer to our target of installing 11,000 ultra-rapid chargers by 2030. Simon Staton #evs #electricvehicles #evchargers #charginginfrastructure #chargepoints

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