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The shortage of microchips and raw material caused a major shortage of new cars being built resulting in demand increasing during 2021 for used cars pushing up prices but there’s a limit that people will pay for a used car. Here’s the report.

UK used car transactions fell by 6.2% to 2,034,342 units last quarter, 134,257 less than in Q3 2020 when the easing of lockdown measures saw the market bounce back strongly, according to new figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Used car transactions declined in every month across the quarter, with July, August and September all falling, by 4.9%, 5.9% and 7.9% respectively.

Overall, the period is down 2% on 2019 pre-pandemic, making it the weakest quarter three since 2015.

It means the used car market is up 16.4% year-to-date but still 4% down against same period pre-pandemic.

Demand for used battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles continued to grow in Q3.

Reflecting recent trends in both the new and used markets, transactions rose by 56.4% and 43.3% to 14,182 and 14,990 respectively.

In fact, the number of used BEVs that changed hands during the period was the highest recorded in any quarter. Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) transactions also increased by 20.3% to 40,157.

The market share for all used plug-in vehicles increased to 1.4%, up from 0.9% the previous year.

Petrol and diesel powertrains continued to dominate, however, comprising 96.4% of all transactions equivalent to 1,959,955 units, although demand for both declined, by 6.9% and 7.6% respectively.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “Despite the used car market declining in the third quarter, record sales earlier in the year, particularly in the second quarter, means the market remains up year to date.

“Given the circumstances, with the global pandemic causing a shortage of semiconductors needed to produce new vehicles, undermining the new car market, used transactions were always going to suffer too. This is particularly worrying as fleet renewal – of both new and used – is essential if we are to address air quality and carbon emissions concerns.”

Superminis were the most popular body type, taking a third of the market (33%), followed by lower medium (26%) and dual purpose (13%). All segments saw declines with MPVs falling most, down -13.1% in the third quarter.

Black remained the most popular colour choice with 436,511 transactions, followed by silver and blue. Only two colours saw their sales increase during Q3 with orange rising by 3.6% and brown up 1.1%.

Thanks to record sales earlier in the year, year-to-date the used market is 16.4% up on 2020 to 5,889,601 units, an increase of 829,780 transactions. The overall market, is however, 33.9%, or 241,160 units off the 2019 total for the first nine months of the year.

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) says that drivers have missed out on £2.3 million of savings by not renewing their photocard driving licence online.

DVLA figures show that between April 2020 and March 2021, around 23% of the two million renewal applications it received were sent in either by post or via the post office. This is despite the online service being quicker and cheaper, it says.

Going online is the cheapest way to renew a photocard driving licence. Renewing a photocard driving licence using Gov.uk costs £14 and the driver will receive their new licence in five days. Posting an application to DVLA costs £17 and will take longer.

Customers who apply online can also track the progress of their licence by visiting the track your driving licence application page on the Gov.uk website.

Drivers are legally required to renew their photocard driving licence every 10 years and will receive a reminder from DVLA before their current licence expires.

Julie Lennard, DVLA chief executive, said: “Our online services are the quickest and easiest way to deal with DVLA and customers usually receive their driving and vehicle documents in just five days.

“Remember to always use Gov.uk when using DVLA’s online services.”

To renew online or find out more about renewing a licence visit Gov.uk. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Have you ever noticed a discrepancy between your vehicle’s speedometer and the speed stated by your GPS system? If so, you’re in good company.

But which is correct? Your speedometer or your GPS? In nearly all such cases, the speedometer is incorrect – reporting a higher speed than your car is actually travelling at.

You might imagine that manufacturers ensure their speedometers are as accurate as possible. So why the discrepancy?

A car’s speedometer works by measuring the rotations of the driveshaft, axle or wheel – rather than the speed you actually travel from one point to another. The car takes the recorded rotations, applies a healthy dose of mathematics and spits out a speed.

But the accuracy of a speedometer depends on the wheels remaining the same diameter as they were when they rolled off the production line. If the tyres or wheels are changed, this will change the speedometer reading. A larger diameter will result in a faster recorded speed. Fitting smaller tyres or having under inflated tyres will result in a slower recorded speed.

Even a tiny change in diameter – of say, a few millimetres – will result in an incorrect speed being recorded. This likely error margin is factored in to how car makers calibrate their speedos.

So why is my GPS satnav accurate?

GPS satnav systems calculate your speed by using satellites – and assuming the signal is strong, they should be accurate. Some sat navs installed at manufacture are integrated with the car’s own measurements to provide a more accurate speed reading.

Under UK law – which is based on a European Union standard – speedometers must never underreport a vehicle’s speed, while it must never over report by more than 110% of the actual speed + 6.25mph.

So if you’re going 40mph, your speedometer may read up to 50.25mph – but it can never read less than 40mph. In order to stay within the law, carmakers calibrate their speedomters to slightly overreport their vehicles’ speeds.

This of course means many motorists are travelling slower than they think – which is arguably good news for avoiding accidental speeding tickets and for making our roads safer.

You may well find your sat nav’s GPS is a more accurate determinant of your speed – although you should stick to your car’s speedometer reading to be on the safe side. By Graham Hill thanks to StartRescue.

My Comment: Many customers have asked if they should join the class actions being heavily publicised against Mercedes and others. It is your choice but I have yet to be convinced that any cases taken to court in the UK would succeed because it would require that owners or lessees to demonstrate financial loss, which I can’t see.

 Governments may be able to take manufacturers to court or maybe fine them for using devices to give false emissions readings causing greater harm to the environment but individually I believe we would struggle.

 As is mentioned below few cases succeed against Daimler in Germany, a country that makes it easier to take companies to court for ethical reasons. I believe that this is more of a data mining exercise with the claims companies simply collecting information on claimants which they can use as they feel fit because you will have signed a contract to enable exactly that. On to the latest article.

Mercedes-Benz is facing fresh allegations of using illegal defeat devices to cheat emissions tests, this time affecting its Euro 6 compliant six-cylinder 3.0-litre BlueTec engine.

Deutsche Umwelthilfe (Environmental Action Germany) has published a report identifying eight previously unknown defeat devices in certain Mercedes E-Class E350 diesel models.

In DUH’s view, these defeat devices result in nitrogen oxide emissions on the road being up to 500% above the legally prescribed limit.

Jürgen Resch, DUH’s national director, said: “It shows us for the first time how the company succeeds in complying with the legal limits in the test laboratory, while literally flooding our cities with harmful nitrogen oxides during real road use.

“The manipulation of the exhaust gas purification is not carried out because it is necessary for physical reasons or for the purpose of engine protection. The reason is as simple as it is cynical: it is about maximising profits at the expense of the environment and the health of city residents.”

The DUH tested a 2016 Mercedes E350 CDI Estate and found evidence of multiple ‘defeat devices’. It said the devices activate in driving situations that are common in road use conditions and stated that even under normal driving conditions, at least one defeat device almost always actively prevents the improvement of emissions

Three of the defeat devices identified by the DUH are said to depend on an “ageing factor” that reduces the amount of Adblue used as the vehicle’s milage increases. The report stated: “There is no plausible physical reason for the existence of any of them.”

The German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) said it sees no evidence of previously unknown defeat devices at Mercedes-Benz in the DUH report.

“In the report, eight defeat devices of the relevant model with the OM 642 diesel engine are named. We are aware of these,” said a KBA spokesman on Friday. They have already been checked and found to be “not inadmissible”.

The KBA had already demanded a software update for the model under investigation in the DUH report. The defeat devices were removed in the updated software and the nitrogen oxide emissions were subsequently also below the legal limit value during road testing.

Mercedes is among a number of car makers facing legal action for emissions misrepresentation.

The DUH report suggests that other Mercedes vehicles with comparable engines and technologies contain comparable illegal defeat devices.

Mercedes-Benz told Car magazine: “The outlined calibrations are known. In our view, these are not to be assessed as illegal defeat devices in the interaction and overall context of the highly complex emission control system.

“The vast majority of rulings in German regional courts and higher regional courts continue to be in Daimler’s favour: In approximately 95%of cases, the courts rule in favour of the company.

“At the regional court level, there are more than 15,500 decisions dismissing lawsuits in favour of the company; in only about 900 cases was the decision against the company.

“There are now around 900 decisions in our favour at the higher regional courts, and only three decisions against us.

“The German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has also confirmed key points of Daimler AG’s legal opinion in several decisions.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is backing the Transport Select Committee’s call to increase the numbers of emergency refuges on all-lane-running smart motorways.

MPs on the committee have said that the construction of new all-lane running motorways should be paused until safety concerns are addressed.

The new Transport Select Committee report on smart motorways concluded there was not enough safety and economic data to justify continuing with the Government’s plans to roll out an additional 300 miles of all-lane running motorway by 2025.

All-lane running smart motorways use the hard shoulder as a permanent ‘live’ running lane for traffic. These motorways have broken white lines, with the former hard shoulder lane only being closed in an emergency.

Between 2015 and 2019, 39 people died on UK smart motorways where there is no hard shoulder or the hard shoulder can be used as a running lane, according to figures from National Highways.

Rebecca Needham, road safety officer at RoSPA, said: “One of the most hazardous aspects of the UK smart motorway network is the removal of the hard shoulder. This is because it limits the options of a driver that needs to exit live traffic if they get into difficulty.

“Statistics show that on all-lane running motorways, around 40 per cent of breakdowns occur in a live traffic lane.”

On all-lane running motorways the emergency refuges are spaced at up to 1.6 miles apart. This is the standard for all new Smart Motorway schemes from 2013 onwards.

Needham continued: “RoSPA is deeply concerned by the spacing of emergency refuge areas on all lane-running smart motorways.

“Currently, emergency refuges are spaced more than a mile and half apart, meaning that some drivers who break down may be forced to stop in a running lane because they cannot reach the emergency refuge.”

“We support the calls of the Transport Select Committee to retrofit emergency refuge areas to existing all-lane running motorways to make them a maximum of 1,500 metres apart, decreasing to every 1,000 metres where physically possible.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Changes are expected to be made to the Highway Code in early 2022 which will introduce a ‘hierarchy of road users’, with more vulnerable users such as pedestrians and cyclists prioritised.

The move, which is part of a £338 million Government package to further boost active travel across the UK, comes as research carried out by Venson Automotive Solutions reveals a worrying number of people do not know enough of the current Highway Code.

According to the Venson survey, just one in three drivers (27%) know that vehicles are only required to stop at zebra crossings if pedestrians are already on the crossing.

If Parliament approves the proposed Highway Code changes, drivers will have to give pedestrians greater priority by stopping to give way to pedestrians waiting to cross as well as those already on the crossing. Three-quarters of respondents (74%) of Venson survey respondents agree this would be a good change.

Another popular new rule would require cyclists to move into single file to allow vehicles to pass – almost two-thirds (60%) of respondents agreed with this rule.

The least popular proposed new rule would allow cyclists to pass slower moving vehicles on either side, including when approaching junctions – just 26% agreed this rule should be brought in.

“Knowing the Highway Code is essential in making our roads safer places,” said Alison Bell, marketing director at Venson Automotive Solutions. “However, there is clearly confusion about what is and isn’t law.

“Take for example undertaking, there are circumstances where undertaking is necessary, such as a congested road, but only if it’s safe to do so.

“One cause of undertaking is middle-lane hogging, an offence in itself that’s punishable with an on the spot £100 fine and three penalty points.

“One of the new proposed changes in the law next year that’s likely to catch people is out, is using of the horn to invite pedestrians and cyclists to cross the road.”

She continued: “Depending on the severity, and whether or not the rules are legal requirements, breaking the rules of the Highway Code could lead to prosecution, points on your licence, fines or even a custodial sentence.

“Generally, if a rule states something ‘must’ or must not’ be done it is backed up by law and pleading ignorance is no excuse. Learning the existing and incoming rules deserves every driver’s time.

“However, for businesses operating a fleet of vehicles it’s especially the case, as they have a duty of care to ensure company drivers are aware of their responsibilities, and the upcoming changes to the rules – whether they agree with them or not.”

Venson Automotive Solutions Survey results:

Which of the following are true?

79% – It is illegal to overtake on the left of a vehicle on a motorway or dual carriage (FALSE)

45% – It is illegal to have the interior light on in your car whilst driving (FALSE)

35% – You must let bus drivers out at bus stops (FALSE)

29% – It’s okay to break the law to let an emergency vehicle past (FALSE)

53% – It is illegal to splash a pedestrian whilst driving through a puddle at the side of the road (TRUE – Road Traffic Act 1988)

27% – Traffic does not have to give way at a zebra crossing until a pedestrian has moved onto the crossing (TRUE – Highway Code rules 19 and 195)

New changes to the Highway Code are being proposed, including priorities at crossings and junctions and cyclists in relation to vehicles. Please tick all those you agree with.

74% – You should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross a zebra crossing and pedestrians and cyclists waiting to cross a parallel crossing.

60% – Cyclists should ride in single file when drivers wish to overtake and it’s safe to let them do so. When riding in larger groups on narrow lanes, it’s sometimes safer to ride two abreast.

58% – Don’t turn at a junction if it causes a cyclist going straight ahead to stop or swerve.

51% – At a junction, you should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which or from which you’re turning.

50% – You should remain behind cyclists and motorcyclists at junctions, even if they’re waiting to turn and are positioned close to the kerb.

47% – Don’t wave or use your horn to invite pedestrians or cyclists to cross; this could be dangerous if another vehicle is approaching.

33% – When traffic lights are red and there is an advanced stop line, cyclists may cross the first stop line to position themselves in front of other traffic but mustn’t cross the final stop line.

26% – Cyclists may pass slower-moving or stationary traffic on the right or left, including at the approach to junctions.

By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

Rapid chargers at supermarkets have more than doubled in less than two years and now number in excess of 450, according to new data from Zap-Map and the RAC.

Analysis shows almost 1,000 new electric vehicle (EV) charge points have been installed at supermarkets in the past 21 months.

It takes the total number of EV charger units on their sites to 2,059, up 85% from 1,112 in January 2020, equating to 8% of all the UK’s 26,000 publicly accessible charge points – up from 6.5% in early 2020.

The total number of stores now offering charging facilities for battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles has also more than doubled from 607 in early 2020 to 1,300 in 2021.

Tesco has added more EV chargers than any other supermarket by installing 641 devices, giving it a total of 922 across its 4,008 stores – 676 more than its nearest EV charging rival Asda which has 246 chargers.

This means the supermarket giant now has charging facilities at 514 of its sites – 372 more than at the start of last year. However, due to the size of its portfolio it means only 13% of its stores have the capability to charge an EV.

Morrisons installed chargers at 112 stores over the 21 months studied by Zap-Map and the RAC giving it a total of 201 sites with EV facilities; it means 40% of its estate now offers EV charging, the greatest proportion of any supermarket.

Its nearest rival Lidl has chargers at a quarter (24%) of its stores after adding EV facilities at 141 locations to give it 203 sites in total.

The data shows few supermarkets other than Tesco, Morrisons, Asda and Lidl have, to date, decided to invest heavily in EV chargers for their customers.

RAC director of EVs Sarah Winward-Kotecha said: “While the majority of drivers going electric will be fortunate enough to be able to charge easily on their driveways at home, for the remainder it won’t be so easy so having access to free, or affordable, charging facilities at supermarkets is very important, and could even help accelerate EV take-up in the first place.

“Rapid charge points, in particular, make it possible to run an EV easily without access to a home charger as drivers can get their cars topped up in the time it takes them to do their weekly shop.

“We call on all the supermarket chains to let their customers know what to expect when it comes to EV charging provision and recognise the vital role they play in encouraging many more drivers to opt for electric cars next time they change their vehicles.”

Morrisons has more rapid chargers than any other supermarket

Some 280 more rapid charge points have been installed at supermarkets from the start of 2020 to September 2021, meaning there are now 454 devices.

Morrisons is leading the way with rapid devices at 40% (197 locations) of its 497 stores compared to nearest rival Lidl which has 150 rapid charging locations, representing 17% of its 860 stores.

Tesco currently lags behind Morrisons and Lidl with when it comes to rapids with just 64 – and all but two of those were added since early 2020.

Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder of Zap-Map, said: “Over the past 12 months there has been more than 130,000 new drivers of 100% electric cars on UK roads and usage of public charging has surged since the lockdown has eased.

“To support the increased demand, more charge points will be needed in the future, so it is encouraging to see the progress made by the supermarkets.

“These facilities will be good both for ‘top-up’ charging and as a replacement for home charging.

“As we move towards 2030, it will be important for supermarkets not only to accelerate this roll-out but also to ensure that the consumer experience is as good as possible by providing ‘open access’ and simple payment options.”

InstaVolt doubles the number of chargers at Banbury hub

InstaVolt has announced an expansion of its Banbury charging hub as part of its continued infrastructure growth plans across the UK. This increase will expand the site to 16 rapid chargers, making it one of the UK’s largest charging hubs serving the motorways.

The new expansion will see eight Alpitronic chargers, capable of charging at speeds up to 150kW, installed by spring 2022 in response to increased popularity of EVs, with queues reported at the site over the summer, and addressing consumer concerns about accessibility to chargers.

The new installation will offer wider bays for easier access, with two extra-long bays featured in the upgraded site. This will allow for electric vans and larger fleet vehicles to use the site as popularity for these vehicles increases.

The site on the M40 which currently features on-site facilities including a Costa Coffee and a Miller and Carter steakhouse, will see a significant upgrade of its overall services, with additional lighting to be included to enhance drivers’ experience while charging, it says.

InstaVolt’s CEO Adrian Keen said: “We have been listening to drivers’ feedback and have responded accordingly, offering more spacious bays, while also providing additional lighting to enhance the customer experience.

“Drivers need to have confidence in convenience, reliability and customer service, which is why InstaVolt prioritises these when installing new chargers.

“The InstaVolt network is growing, and we are constantly reviewing a number of our existing locations for future expansion opportunities.”

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Government has launched a consultation on creating a road crash investigation team as self-driving technologies become more prevalent.

The aim of the new Road Collision Investigation Branch (RCIB) would be to learn lessons from road traffic collisions, including those involving self-driving vehicles.

The RCIB would operate much like the similar independent bodies that already exist for air, maritime and rail accidents.

It would carry out thematic investigations and probe specific incidents of concern to establish the causes of collisions and make independent safety recommendations to help further improve road safety across the country.

Roads Minister Baroness Vere said: “The UK’s roads are among the safest in the world, but we’re always looking at ways to make them even safer.

“A new investigation branch would play a huge role in this work by identifying the underlying causes of road traffic collisions, so we can take action to prevent them from happening again.

“It would also provide us with vital insight as we continue to modernise our road network to ensure better, greener and safer journeys.”

The Department for Transport (DfT) consultation on proposals to set up a Road Collision Investigation Branch (RCIB), is being launched now due to the huge developments which are taking place across the transport sector, such as the rollout of increasingly automated and electric vehicles (EVs), it says.

Director of the RAC Foundation Steve Gooding said: “After excellent progress across many years, sustained road safety improvement has been hard to achieve over the past decade, both in the UK and further afield.

“We should be challenging ourselves on whether we are understanding all we can about the causes of road collisions and what could be done to prevent them – our research to date suggests that more could be learnt – which is why today’s consultation is so important and so welcome.”

Jason Wakeford, head of campaigns at the road safety charity Brake also welcomed the move. He said: “Currently, information about the perceived cause of a road crash is recorded by police at the time of a collision, but only provides basic insights which simply are not adequate to properly investigate and determine the most effective countermeasures to tackle future road casualties.

“Brake has long advocated for an independent agency to provide the necessary evidence to learn from crashes and so we applaud the Department for Transport for launching today’s consultation.”

The consultation will run until December 9, 2021.By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A freedom of information request has revealed that 52% of UK councils made no investment in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure last year.

While some parts of the country have made sizable investments in EV infrastructure, others have spent nothing, and/or received no government funding to do so.

The findings are presented in a new report from DevicePilot, which argues that the UK is not yet ready for the inevitable arrival of universal EV ownership.

“Universal EV ownership is not a target, it’s an inevitability,” said Pilgrim Beart, DevicePilot CEO and co-founder.

“In the next ten years, more than half the cars on the road will be electric. To facilitate this transformation, the UK must install tens of thousands of chargepoints reaching every corner of the country.

“EVs are vital to the UK’s carbon emissions targets, but while some parts of the UK are on schedule to meet greater EV demands, others areas lack the funding to do anything whatsoever.

“I have a lot of sympathy for councils whose budgets have been stretched to breaking point by the pandemic and budget cuts, but we cannot continue to let the divide between the EV haves and have nots grow further. It should be the UK’s short-term goal to ensure everyone in the country can reap the benefits of EVs, not just the privileged few.”

The report reveals that nearly two thirds of UK councils (60%) received complaints about the availability, reliability or number of charging points over the last 12 months.

It also highlghts that, on average, UK councils received 15% less funding from the Government for EV charging infrastructure in the last 12 months compared to the same period in 2020.

London councils spent more than double the national average on EV charging in 2021 (£204k) and are planning to install 39 new chargers per 100,000 people in 2022, compared to a national average of just nine per 100,000 people.

Nearly half of councils (46%) reported that they don’t know how many chargepoints they will install in 2022, or are planning to install zero

On average, councils are planning to install 52 charging points in their area by the end of 2022 (up from 28 in 2021). The average cost of a council-bought chargepoint in the UK is £6,000.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Cazoo saw its total loss deepen massively last year to £102.7m from £18m in 2019, its latest accounts show.

The online retailer’s financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2020 – just published on Companies House – show that its total comprehensive loss was £102.687m versus £17.964m in 2019.

Meanwhile, its adjusted EBITDA went from minus £16.7m to minus £81.2m, while revenue rose from £1.2m to £162.2m over the same period.

It made a gross loss per unit of £229 in 2020, which was a big improvement on the £9,883 it lost per vehicle the year before.

However, it emphasised that the difference was because it only started in December 2019, meaning there was just one month of post-launch sales for that year against purchases ahead of the launch.

Cazoo sold 107 vehicles in the last month of 2019, whereas it shifted 12,097 during the whole of 2020.

It added: ‘The decrease in gross loss per unit in 2020 was primarily due to a significant increase in retail units sold, refurbishment efficiencies, reducing days to sale and growing ancillary services.’

The accounts and accompanying reports were published under the name of Cazoo Holdings Ltd and were said to be for its subsidiaries as well, aka Cazoo. It’s the first time that consolidated statements have been issued for Cazoo.

Over the year, Cazoo bought Imperial Car Supermarkets for £26.9m in July 2020 and closed it as a business in October of that year.

The purchase gave it leasehold and freehold sites to accelerate the roll-out of its customer centres, from where cars can be collected.

Since the end of the reporting period, it has bought subscription services Drover in the UK for £58.8m and Cluno in Germany for £60.4m.

It has also brought the refurbishment of vehicles in-house by acquiring Smart Fleet Solutions for £23.1m plus £15.9m of its freehold property, as well as SMH Fleet Solutions – which also carries out vehicle movements – for some £70m, and bought Cazana for £25m.

In addition, it floated on the New York Stock Exchange following a business combination with special purpose acquisition company Ajax I – the new holding company is based in the Cayman Islands.

Cazoo has also agreed to buy Vans365 for £6.5m, subject to FCA approval.

Average monthly unique users of its website for 2020 was 763,000 versus 195,000 in 2019, it said, attributing the rise to marketing investment and better brand recognition.

As of December 31, 2020, its total assets stood at £507.7m, versus £106.7m in 2019, thanks to two funding rounds of, respectively, £125.1m and £231.6m. By Graham Hill thanks to Car Dealer Magazine