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A landmark deal on zero emission cars and vans has been unveiled to coincide with Transport Day at COP26, with leaders committing to working towards 100% zero emission new car and van sales by 2040 or earlier.

Twenty-four countries, six major vehicle manufacturers – GM, Ford, Mercedes, BYD, Volvo and JLR – 39 cities, states and regions, 28 fleets and 13 investors all jointly set out their determination for all new car and van sales to be zero emission by 2040 globally and 2035 in leading markets.

In this group, companies like Sainsbury’s and countries including Uruguay, El Salvador and New Zealand are today making new commitments to 100% zero emission vehicles.

They follow proposals made by the EU, Chile, Canada and a number of US states this year to ensure all new cars are zero emission by 2035.

Also announced, a number of emerging markets and developing economies have committed to work to accelerate the adoption of zero emission vehicles in their markets, including India, Ghana, Kenya, Paraguay, Rwanda and Turkey.

The full pledge and signatories are available to view online, but includes:

• As governments, we will work towards all sales of new cars and vans being zero emission by 2040 or earlier, or by no later than 2035 in leading markets.
• As cities, states, and regional governments, we will work towards converting our owned or leased car and van fleets to zero emission vehicles by 2035 at the latest, as well as putting in place policies that will enable, accelerate, or otherwise incentivise the transition to zero emission vehicles as soon as possible, to the extent possible given our jurisdictional powers.
• As automotive manufacturers, we will work towards reaching 100% zero emission new car and van sales in leading markets by 2035 or earlier, supported by a business strategy that is in line with achieving this ambition, as we help build customer demand.
• As business fleet owners and operators, or shared mobility platforms, we will work towards 100% of our car and van fleets being zero emission vehicles by 2030, or earlier where markets allow.

Helen Clarkson, CEO of international non-profit, Climate Group, said: “COP26 marks the end of the road for the internal combustion engine.

“We’re seeing significant commitments from manufacturers, investors, fleet operators, countries, cities, states and regions.

“The voices of the people in the streets at this COP are very clear – there is no more time for delay, or excuses to be made. We need to decarbonise our economies at pace and at scale. Those not at the table on Transport Day are on the wrong side of history.”

Vehicle leasing company Zenith joined the EV100 initiative in 2020, promising to switch its entire internal fleet to electric by 2025 – five years ahead of the 2date required by the EV100.

Commenting on the COP26 announcement, Tim Buchan, chief executive officer, Zenith, said: “The transition to net zero underpins everything we do at Zenith. We are working closely with customers and partners to accelerate change. The EV100 declaration at COP26 is a milestone for our industry and one that we are proud to be a part of.”

Zenith has already made significant progress on the road to net zero, with 42% of its own fleet now fully electric. The transition of customer fleets continues to accelerate, with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounting for 17% of the car fleet.

Salary sacrifice leads the change, with 79% of current orders being for a BEV, while the customer LCV order book is now 37% BEV.

Alfonso Martinez, managing director of LeasePlan UK, said: “Back in 2017 when we became one of the founding members of the EV100 and committed to accelerating the worldwide switch to EV, everyone said we were being too idealistic.

At the time, we were just one of a few lonely voices telling everyone that the EVolution was just around the corner. But now, the excitement for EVs among businesses has reached fever pitch and there are very few people left to convince.

“Years of debate around range, cost and model availability have subsided. Passenger issues have been solved. Now, companies want to go electric; their regulators are pushing them, their investors are requesting it, and their customer are demanding it.

“Three years ago, one in 100 of our new orders were for an EV. Now it’s one in five. The whole mindset around EVs has changed. Our message to business leaders and fleet managers is simple: it’s possible, you just need to get started.”

Zero-emission HGVS from 2040

The UK Government has also announced it will phase out new, non-zero emission heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) weighing 26 tonnes and under by 2035, with all new HGVs sold in the UK to be zero emission by 2040.

It had previously announced that it would end the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030.

Transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said: “We have reached a tipping point in the transition to clean road transport. It is inspiring to see governments and industry come together, to decarbonise road transport within a generation.”

New business commitments to electrify fleet vehicles by 2030 through Climate Group’s EV100 initiative have also been announced to coincide with COP26’s Transport Day.

EV100 has welcomed seven new members who committed to electrify their combined fleets of over 250,000 vehicles by 2030.

New joiners include UK-based companies M Group Services – the fifth largest fleet operator in the UK – and Kier, SK Networks from South Korea, Nichicon Corporation from Japan, and US-based Gilead Sciences Inc., Mack-Cali Realty Corporation and NRG Energy Inc. Gilead Sciences, Inc. is also joining RE100 by committing to 100% renewable electricity by 2025. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The UK faces an electric vehicle (EV) skills gap, with too few technicians to service the volume of zero emissions vehicles predicted to be on UK roads by 2030, according to the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI).

It says that 90,000 technicians will be required to provide a sufficient workforce ahead of the Government’s Road to Zero deadline.

However, whilst the automotive sector is working hard to retrain and upskill, because of the accelerated adoption of EVs, the IMI is predicting that there will be a shortfall of 35,700 technicians by 2030, with 2026 marking the point at which the skills gap will materialise.

Steve Nash, CEO of the Institute of the Motor Industry, explained: “As of 2020, there were 15,400 qualified TechSafe technicians in the UK. That number represents just 6.5% of the UK automotive sector and was already giving us cause for concern.

“Our new analysis paints an even more challenging picture. The pace of EV adoption is accelerating, even while the issues around infrastructure remain a barrier.

“Once the charging network is fit for purpose, combined with electric vehicles becoming more financially accessible, the next big challenge will be how to ensure we have a workforce adequately qualified to provide the essential servicing, maintenance and repair to keep these vehicles safe on the roads. And that’s where we believe Government attention – and funds – should be focused now.”

Plug-in cars are expected to account for more than a fifth (21.5%) of all new car registrations next year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 

New plug-in vehicle uptake rates have accelerated so rapidly that more EVs will join Britain’s roads in 2021 than during the whole of the last decade, says the SMMT.

A total of 271,962 new BEVs and PHEVs were registered between 2010 and 2019. However, the SMMT now expects Britain to break its plug-in records, forecasting that businesses and consumers will take up around 287,000 of the latest zero-emission capable cars during 2021 alone – around one in six new cars.

Based on current forecasts, BEV registrations are also expected to exceed those of diesel by the end of 2022.

The rise is even more remarkable given that 2021 is expected to be a relatively weak year for new car registrations, some 30% below the average recorded over the past decade.

Nash said: “Whether it’s looking at incentives to retrain the existing workforce or ensuring that school-leavers and people changing the direction of their career are excited about the prospects of working in such a fast-moving sector, there needs to be a mind-shift in how to fix the widening skills gap.

“Significant investment is being ploughed into infrastructure, but the government still seems to be ignoring the fact that without a skilled workforce, it will fail in its decarbonisation ambitions.”

Using the SMMT’s upper scenario on EV adoption, the IMI predicts that the number of TechSafe qualified technicians required by 2030 is 90,000.

As of 2020 there were 15,400 qualified, and using current forecast trends, by 2030 there could be a shortfall of 35,700 qualified technicians, risking the safety of technicians and undermining confidence that EVs can be serviced, maintained and repaired by a garage with the right skills.

The forecast also indicates that the gap could materialise as soon as 2026 thus risking the Government’s 2030 green ambitions.

Faced with the potentially fatal consequences of an inadequately skilled workforce, the IMI is repeating its plea for the Government to commit funding to support EV skills training.

It is suggesting a £15 million boost would play a critical role, contributing towards training for up to 75,000 technicians. In the context of the £1.9 billion investment committed by Government in the 2020 Spending Review to supporting the transition to zero emission vehicles for charging infrastructure and consumer incentives, the IMI believes this is a modest figure.

It would make a significant difference, particularly for the independent sector which historically has less training opportunities compared to the franchise network which is supported by manufacturer academies, with the result that consumers will have less choice, says the IMI.

“The current gaping chasm in EV skills not only presents a safety threat for those who may risk working on high voltage vehicle systems without appropriate training and qualifications; it also means the premium on skills could add to costs for motorists, creating another, unnecessary deterrent to the switch to EV”, concluded Nash.

“The Government wants the adoption of EV to continue at a pace – the investment in EV charging needs to be matched by an investment in EV skills training to help employers ensure the workforce is EV-ready and electrified motoring doesn’t come at a premium.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Connected Kerb, the electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure company, has announced plans to install 190,000 public on-street EV chargers, worth up to £1.9bn, by 2030.

The company has secured new partnerships for 10,000 public on-street EV chargers across the UK in 2021, the majority of which will be deployed across West Sussex and Kent, announced today (November 8).

It said the investment will revolutionise access to EV charging for drivers without off-street parking and help support mass market charging for workplaces and fleets.

Dr Chris Pateman-Jones, chief executive officer at Connected Kerb, said: “Our rollout of public chargers – one of the most ambitious the UK has ever seen – encapsulates that future, helping individuals and businesses to confidently make the switch to electric, reducing their carbon footprint and cutting air pollution.

“Targets are important – for an industry so critical to the decarbonisation of transport, we need goals to work towards and objectives to which we are all accountable. However, they need to be met with action.

“With deals confirmed for 10,000 chargers this year alone and 30,000 more expected next year, we are demonstrating that we’re getting on with the job and delivering the change that needs to happen – not just talking about it.”

Deals for a further 30,000 chargers are expected conclude next year, as part of the company’s ambition to ‘level up’ charging across the UK.

Transport minister, Trudy Harrison said: “Providing reliable and affordable on-street charging is vital as we work to decarbonise transport and level up across the country.

“It’s great to see Connected Kerb and local authorities working together as the Government commits £2.5bn towards electric vehicle grants and the development of EV infrastructure in our towns and cities.”

The UK government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles meets 75% of the cost of installations through the On-Street Residential Charging Scheme (ORCS), while Connected Kerb provides the remaining 25%, it said.

Kent County Council has also announced it has chosen Connected Kerb to deploy at least 600 chargers by 2023.

Charge point installations have been announced today as part of tenders with councils including: Coventry (300 chargers), Cambridge (360) and Plymouth (100), and recently, Milton Keynes (250), Warrington (30), Medway (30), and Glasgow City Council, East Lothian Council, Shropshire County Council and Hackney Council, as part of the Agile Streets trial (100).

Lord Gerry Grimstone, minister for investment at the Department for International Trade and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said: “Connected Kerb’s significant investment in electric vehicle chargers will support the UK’s commitment to green growth and ambitious net zero targets.

“Investments like this will be vital to help reduce emissions and limit the rise in global temperatures whilst driving jobs, growth and levelling up across the country.”

Neil Isaacson, CEO of Liberty Charge, also welcomed Connected Kerb’s ambition to install 190,000 charge points in the UK by 2030.

“We are pleased to see that it shares our vision that EV charging needs to be accessible to all, anywhere and at anytime. Our industry has a key role to play, today, in tackling the chronic deficit in on-street charging in the UK, and supporting local authorities in providing their residents with reliable, safe and high-quality vehicle charging to inspire the confidence required for EV adoption,” he said.

“At Liberty Charge, we understand the vast breadth and depth of the challenges that local authorities are facing with regards to restricted budgets, legislation, location of chargers, resident pressure (both for and against EV installations), quality and longevity of equipment, the diversity of technology and simply the time required from planning to installation. And we believe it is vital that we instil trust that our ambitions can be delivered.

“That’s why, working in partnership with Virgin Media O2, we’re already installing charge points and committing to ongoing maintenance, helping local authorities to give confidence to drivers looking to adopt EVs. And, crucially, helping them to make a difference to the environment and communities in which they live.

“Our recent initiatives include Hammersmith and Fulham, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, West and North Northamptonshire Councils, and Croydon.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Government has launched a review into HGV driver training with the aim of reducing the burden for existing and returning heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers.

HGV drivers currently need to undergo five days of periodic training every five years to ensure they remain fully qualified to drive heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and buses professionally and up to date with road safety standards.

The training is an EU initiative and is compulsory within what is known as the Driver Certificates of Professional Competence (DCPC) regime.

Some drivers are left to pay for the training themselves and are not paid whilst attending their training course. Feedback from industry suggests this puts off many drivers who have left the profession from returning.

The review will look at how the process can be updated to reduce the burden on drivers – both returning and new – and ensure it does not act as a barrier to working in the sector.

The announcement is the latest in a long list of measures introduced by the Government to tackle the shortage in HGV drivers, which the Road Haulage Association (RHA) estimates is some 100,000 drivers.

Covid-19 and Brexit have exacerbated the issue in the UK, leading to the Department for Transport (DfT) extending drivers’ hours temporarily, before introducing a raft of measures as the crisis deepened.

They included a streamlined HGV driving test, which ministers claim will provide additional capacity for 50,000 HGV tests per year, recruiting more examiners and issuing temporary visas for foreign drivers.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “We’re listening to industry leaders who have told us about the issues HGV drivers face with CPC arrangements.

“Now we’ve taken back control of our own laws and regulations, I’m delighted to say we’re launching a review into these training rules.

“We understand it’s vital for drivers to remain fully qualified – but we’re looking to ensure they can do so in the most efficient way possible whilst maintaining road safety standards.

“No driver should be out of pocket or out of work through no fault of their own.

“This is the latest in a raft of 30 measures we’ve taken to support this vital sector and encourage drivers to return to the job or kickstart a new career in the industry. These measures are working.”

A recent freedom of information (FOI) request from Driver Hire Training suggested that almost two-thirds (62%) of HGV test centres across the UK had a waiting list of at least 11 weeks, with some test centres facing a 24-week wait.

The research revealed that the average waiting time across all UK test centres was nine weeks.

The highest waiting times were found in Aberdeen, Lerwick and Machrihanish, where there is a currently a waiting time of 24 weeks for a HGV driving test. Cumbria, the Isle of Wight and South Yorkshire were revealed as the UK counties with the average shortest waiting times of just one week.

Shapps said: “There is no backlog of HGV licence applications and we’re seeing over a thousand more people than normal apply for a licence each week.”

Government says that the number of weekly HGV tests available has increased by 90% and training for up to 5,000 new drivers through skills bootcamps has been announced.

The DVLA, says the Government, has processed over 40,000 HGV and vocational licence applications in four weeks, with applications that do not require complex medicals being turned around in five working days.

DVSA is providing 1,350 more tests than normal a week at sites all over the country, with vocational licence applications being processed in normal five-day turnaround times with no backlogs, says the Department for Transport (DfT).

Over the past three weeks, it reports around a 90% increase in the number of people requesting application packs for vocational licences each week.

Temporary lorry park sites identified

The Government is working with key stakeholders to identify a number of lorry parks across the country where short-term facilities such as temporary toilets, showers and catering can be delivered in the coming months. 

The Government also emphasised the expectation that councils consider new proposals for these vital facilities constructively and has committed to review guidance that will assist this.

This follows the £32.5 million recently committed in the Chancellor’s budget to provide better facilities right across the country for HGV drivers, in an effort to improve standards of roadside parking and facilities for hauliers and further safeguard driver wellbeing, comfort and safety.

In addition, £500,000 will also be added to the existing Mode Shift Revenue Support Fund for 2021 to 2022, in another boost to the country’s supply chains.

The £20m grant scheme provides funding to private-sector freight companies to encourage them to move more freight from the country’s roads to either the railways or inland waterways.

The additional funding equates to taking a significant 29,000 lorry loads of goods off the roads up until the end of March 2022 and will help to generate more environmentally friendly modes of transporting freight, says DfT.

Director of policy at Logistics UK Elizabeth De Jong said: “The measures announced today will support our members in their efforts to attract and retain new HGV drivers to the sector.

“Inadequate driver facilities across the roads network have led to a negative impression of our industry, creating a barrier to entry to our sector and are an issue that Logistics UK has been campaigning on for many years; we are pleased that the Government has listened to our concerns and will move forward with a rapid programme of improvements.

“Logistics UK and its members also welcome the review of Driver CPC, to ensure that continuous education for drivers is as effective as possible while upholding all necessary safety requirements.

“Meanwhile, the extra funding for the Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme will help the industry to reach net-zero emission targets while reducing road congestion.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

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

Three-quarters (76%) of drivers think that too much technology in a vehicle can be distracting, according to research conducted by Dacia.

The carmaker found that more than half (61%) of respondents would rather have a more affordable car with just the technology they actually use.

For drivers that have a long list of technological features on their own car, around a third think that there are too many fitted in the first place, while 69% think that in-car technology has become too complicated.

The research revealed that on average, drivers only use around 40% of the technological features fitted to their vehicles, with drivers aged between 25 and 34 regularly using the largest number of features in their car.

The features drivers want their cars to be fitted with over anything else are parking sensors, sat-nav and DAB radio.

Luke Broad, brand director for Dacia UK and Ireland, said: “We believe in providing our customers with everything that is essential, all for the best value – it keeps us faithful to our DNA.

“Features and technology on our cars should be in line with our customers’ demands so they pay for only what they need.

“At Dacia, we get the balance right, offering the most advanced features and technology that are essential for the driver’s comfort and pleasure but maintaining the best value.

“This survey shows that our vehicles are perfectly aligned with our customers’ expectations, and we still offer a unique proposition that resonates with the times.”

Across the New Duster range two of the UK’s most commonly used features of DAB radio and Bluetooth are fitted as standard, while one step up the range to Comfort and Prestige models brings a reversing camera and parking sensors, some of the UK’s other favoured technological features, while Media Nav brings satellite navigation – another UK favourite. The New Duster also now features an 8.0-inch infotainment screen.

This is reflected in the Sandero and rugged Sandero Stepway specifications, with all versions featuring DAB and Bluetooth, as well as parking sensors on the Comfort specification.

The same 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system from the New Duster is also available to Sandero customers. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Tesla is launching a trial in the Netherlands to allow other electric vehicles (EVs) to use the manufacturer’s Supercharger network.

It plans to open 10 locations in the Netherlands for the pilot programme, with the manufacturer monitoring take-up.

The system will work through a Tesla app and tariffs will be at a premium compared to Tesla car customers.

As it stands, Tesla customers are charged two different rates depending on charging speeds, with the switch point to the higher tariff being above 60kW.

All Tesla Superchargers are capable of 150kW charging, with a new generation of V3 chargers coming online with up to 350kW – a rate higher than any battery electric vehicle (BEV) is capable of receiving, yet.

All Superchargers, regardless of version, are compatible with most CCS-capable BEV models, which has become the non-official standard for most European manufacturers.

Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, announced via Twitter in the summer that the company was planning to enable cars from other manufacturers to use its Supercharger network later this year.

However, Tesla has not offered any more detail of whether the 20,000 strong global network will also open up to support other vehicles.

Filip Klippel, automotive manager at Here Technologies, says if Tesla opened up its network to other EV drivers it would make great strides in increasing the number of charging stations across Europe, which will directly address an integral infrastructure issue regarding EV charging stations.

“The UK currently leads the way in the number of charging stations in Europe, but there’s still a way to go to build the infrastructure required for the ban on petrol and diesel cars in 2030,” he said.

“With less than nine years remaining, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) estimates that around 2.3 million charge points, with 700 being added every day, will be needed to sufficiently meet this target and deliver the so-called green industrial revolution.

“London is setting an example for the rest of the UK and while it has around 6,000 EV charging stations, many of which feature multiple charge points, the SMMT numbers show that rapid growth is required to be on top of this.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News