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Number made fell to 780,000, the lowest for seven decades barring the pandemic, as carmakers battle weak demand and EV transition British car production fell in 2024 to its lowest level in seven decades – barring the coronavirus pandemic – as the industry struggles with weak demand and prepares to shift away from fossil fuels to electric vehicles. The number of cars made in the UK fell to 780,000 during the year, the lowest since 1954, except for during the pandemic when first factories were forced to close and then supply chain problems caused shortages of computer chips , according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), a lobby group. Continue reading...

The president has signed orders to pardon January 6 rioters, scrap DEI policies and end ‘gender radicalism’ in military Donald Trump has signed dozens of executive orders in his first weeks back in office, including ending birthright citizenship, pardons for January 6 rioters, and withdrawing from the Paris climate accord. He’s also signed actions eliminating DEI and “ gender radicalism ” from the US military. Trump promised in his inaugural speech that these orders would amount to a “complete restoration of America”. Continue reading...

American Axle and Manufacturing’s acquisition of Dowlais follows exodus of London-listed companies in 2024 The British car parts maker Dowlais has agreed to a £1.2bn takeover by its US rival American Axle & Manufacturing, in the latest departure from the London stock market. The main operation of Dowlais, which has been listed on the FTSE 250 index since 2023 , is GKN Automotive, which formed part of the GKN engineering business that was bought by the private equity group Melrose in an acrimonious £8bn takeover battle in 2018. Continue reading...

Ministers in talks with vehicle finance sector about making more low-interest or interest-free loans available The UK government is reportedly considering subsidising purchases of electric vehicles by guaranteeing consumer loans, as it looks at ways to boost sales that are failing to reach official targets. Ministers have started talks with the car finance sector on how to make more low-interest or interest-free loans available to help consumers buy more EVs, according to the Financial Times. Continue reading...

Levies threaten exporters to US market, while scrapping of subsidies will hit EV sales – and Tesla could gain The internal combustion engine appears to hold a special place in Donald Trump’s psyche. During his inauguration speech last week, he made a “sacred pledge” to raise US car production to “a rate that nobody could have dreamt possible just a few years ago”. Car making and the oil industry – not AI, computer chips, or even cryptocurrencies – were the only two industries the new US president highlighted as he promised to make America a “manufacturing nation once again”. Continue reading...

Elon Musk’s company still imports large number of cars into Europe from its Shanghai factory Tesla has filed a complaint against the European Commission after the imposition of tariffs by the bloc on its Chinese-made electric vehicles. The EU announced its decision to impose tariffs on all imports of Chinese electric cars in June, alleging that the Chinese government had provided unfair state subsidies to manufacturers in order to win a dominant position in the emerging industry. EU leaders approved the tariffs in October . Continue reading...

The high cost and low availability of charging for those without driveways is hindering the UK’s EV economy Britain’s car owners are split into two tribes: the have-drives and the have-nots. If you have private off-street parking there are very few reasons not to buy an electric car (if you can afford to). The challenge, and one putting a brake on the transition away from polluting fossil fuels, is for motorists who jostle with neighbours to park on the street and access to public EV chargers. Continue reading...

International research team based findings on 300m records from MOT data to estimate failure rates of all cars Battery cars on Britain’s roads are lasting as long as petrol and diesel cars, according to a study that has found a rapid improvement in electric vehicle reliability. An international team of researchers has estimated that an electric car will have a lifespan of 18.4 years, compared with 18.7 years for petrol cars and 16.8 years for diesels, according to a peer-reviewed study published on Friday in the journal Nature Energy . The findings were based on 300m records from compulsory annual MOT tests of roadworthiness. Continue reading...

From LNG to drilling in Alaska, here’s everything you need to know about Trump’s energy and climate executive orders Through a flurry of executive orders, a newly inaugurated Donald Trump has made clear his support for the ascendancy of fossil fuels, the dismantling of support for cleaner energy and the United States’ exit from the fight to contain the escalating climate crisis. “We will drill, baby, drill,” the president said in his inaugural address on Monday. “We have something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have – the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth, and we are going to use it. We’re going to use it.” Continue reading...

President tells crowd that US ‘will not sabotage our own industries while China pollutes with impunity’ Donald Trump inauguration – live updates What executive orders did Trump sign on day one? Donald Trump took aim at federal support for the sale of electric vehicles (EVs) on Monday, amid a flurry of promised executive orders on his first day back in the White House. “The United States will not sabotage our own industries while China pollutes with impunity,” Trump said during a ceremony at Capitol One Arena, where he signed a raft of executive orders before a roaring crowd. Trump embraces role of demagogue , claims to be ‘peacemaker’ – follow live inauguration updates Factchecking Trump’s speech Elon Musk appears to make back-to-back fascist salutes Activists ask: is there any point in mass protest ? Continue reading...

The incoming president is ready to sign a slew of executive orders on day one of his second term. Here’s what’s planned In the grand theatre of American politics, presidential inaugurations typically follow a familiar script: the oath, the speech, a few carefully chosen executive orders to satisfy campaign promises. Franklin D Roosevelt used his first day to tackle the banking crisis . Barack Obama moved to close Guantánamo Bay (though it remains open). Donald Trump’s first term began with a single executive order targeting Obamacare . But as Trump prepares to return to the White House for round two, he’s promising to tear up the traditional presidential playbook entirely. With more than 100 executive orders reportedly prepared, his agenda represents a new attempt to reshape American governance through sheer executive will. It’s a blueprint that, if enacted, would touch everything from international trade to immigration, from cryptocurrency to classroom curriculums. Continue read...

Pod Point reports weak demand for new cars as it is confirmed no firms will pay fines over ZEV mandate Business live – latest updates A British charging company has said proposed UK changes to electric car sales could increase uncertainty over demand, as the government confirmed that the industry had achieved its sales targets for last year. Pod Point, which is majority-owned by EDF Energy, said weak demand for new cars meant it made revenues of £53m in 2024 from its sales of chargers and services, compared with a £60m target. The London-listed company’s share price slumped by a third on Monday morning. Continue reading...

Analysts say use of ‘flexibilities’ to avoid penalties shows that zero-emissions mandate does not need to be relaxed No carmaker in the UK will have to pay fines for missing electric car sales targets in 2024, according to analysis. All but one carmaker sold enough cars, or will be able to use so-called flexibilities, to avoid steep fines under the zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandate , according to estimates by T&E, a campaign group that focuses on transport and environment issues. One carmaker, Japan’s Suzuki, will have to buy credits from rivals to avoid fines. Continue reading...

Imaginations of science fiction community used to help policymakers prepare for potential crises in Britain It’s a scenario that would make Tesla’s founder, Elon Musk, shudder: a future where self-driving cars are the norm but a catastrophic electronic breakdown traps thousands of people inside them. This dystopian vision of the future was one sketched out by science fiction writers at an event this week where experts were asked to prepare Britain for threats ranging from pandemics to cyber and nuclear attacks. Continue reading...

Telecoms company hoped to convert up to 60,000 charge points, but will now shut down its sole installation BT has scrapped a plan to turn roadside green cabinets into electric car chargers, after only managing to install one. The British telecoms company had spied a chance to use the existing electricity connections to the cabinets, which usually house telephone and broadband internet equipment, to quickly install chargers. However, it will now shut down its sole charge point, in East Lothian, Scotland, according to the Fast Charge, a charging newsletter. Continue reading...

Online retailer will also begin its first large-scale deliveries by train and trial heavy post-style carts Business live – latest updates Amazon is to deploy nearly 150 electric heavy goods vehicles as well as piling packages on to trains and post-style trolleys in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of delivering goods in the UK. The tech company said it had bought more than 140 electric Mercedes-Benz heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and eight Volvo lorries – which it says is the UK’s biggest order of electric trucks – that can take loads of up to 40 tonnes. Continue reading...

Suzuki chairman who over half a century grew the company into one of the world’s largest car and motorcycle manufacturers Osamu Suzuki, who has died aged 94, was one of the global automotive industry’s longest serving leaders. A director since 1963 of Suzuki, the motorcycle and small car manufacturer based in Hamatsu, Japan, he rose through the ranks to become in 1979 the firm’s president, a position he relinquished only in 2019 to ascend to the chairmanship. Latterly, as is customary with elder statemen of Japanese industry, he became an adviser, the title he still held at the time of his death. When he first joined Suzuki, in 1958, it had been in the automobile business for only four years, building the tiny two-cylinder, air-cooled Suzulight car, in a country that was still finding its way as an industrial power. It had been founded in 1909 as a loom manufacturer, but the collapse of the cotton market in the early 1950s galvanised a move towards automotive endeavours. Continue re...

Hybrid cars remain popular due to lower sticker prices and range anxiety – but tax breaks and lower running costs mean EV buyers save in the long run Change by Degrees offers life hacks and sustainable living tips each Saturday to help reduce your household’s carbon footprint Got a question or tip for reducing household emissions? Email us at changebydegrees@theguardian.com It wasn’t long ago that electric cars were the darlings of the showroom. Buyers were queueing to own vehicles that, at the time, were hard to get hold of and held the promise of lower running costs. Continue reading...

Challenges of hitting net zero emissions are often discussed, but little focus is given to the gains of living in a low-carbon world The challenges of reaching net zero emissions are often discussed, but little attention is given to the gains from living in a low-carbon future. Less fossil-fuel combustion means less air pollution, and if the changes are done correctly, net zero could result in homes that are easier to keep warm and a healthier population from walking and cycling every day. A study has looked at air pollution and the health benefits from net zero changes to our homes, our vehicles and the ways we travel. Continue reading...

Denise Griffin would like to see a practical plan for town and country. Mark Vernon calls for a communal system I have a heat pump ( Letters, 5 January ). It’s not much use to me today as the electricity is out because of the bad weather, my house is beyond cold and what I’d give for a fire – at least I could burn furniture to keep my family warm! Our heat pump has broken down on several occasions and no local plumber can deal with it – as they don’t know how – so we have to wait for “specialists”. I also have an electric car – I love it but have severe range anxiety as there are very few chargers around here. I’d love to save the planet and I try to do what I can, but let’s have a practical plan that works for town and country. Can we have “experts” who have no agenda but who want to make it work for everyone? Denise Griffin Castleisland, County Kerry, Ireland Continue reading...

Bulk of funds for electric vehicle firm relate to government’s plug-in car grant, analysis finds Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company has received almost £200m in grants from the UK government since 2016, according to analysis. Tesla, which is run by the tech billionaire who has become increasingly vocal about the UK government, has received £191m from Westminster through grants, according to Tussell, which analyses public contract data. Continue reading...

LA tech entrepreneur Mike Johns nearly missed his flight after he became trapped in a malfunctioning self-driving car. 'I got my seat belt on. I can’t get out of the car. Has this been hacked? What’s going on?' Johns can be heard saying. The issue was resolved after a few minutes, Waymo said in a statement. Johns ultimately managed to catch his flight from Arizona to southern California, which he said was delayed LA tech entrepreneur nearly misses flight after getting trapped in robotaxi Continue reading...

Mike Johns was riding autonomous vehicle on way to airport when it started circling around parking lot A tech entrepreneur based in Los Angeles became trapped in a malfunctioning self-driving car for several minutes last month, causing him to nearly miss a flight, he said. Mike Johns was riding in an autonomous Waymo vehicle on his way to the airport when the vehicle began driving around a parking lot repeatedly, circling eight times as he was on the phone seeking help from a company. Continue reading...

Environmental groups urge government to keep tougher green targets despite industry claim they are unsustainable Carmakers sold a record number of electric cars in the UK last year, prompting environmental groups to urge the government to stick to tougher green targets even as the industry argues they are unsustainable. The number of new cars sold in the UK rose by 2.6% in 2024 to 1.95m, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) lobby group. Of those, 19.6% were electric, up from 16.5% a year earlier. Continue reading...

Pragmatism will win over purism, unless the government favours early closure for car manufacturers The main timetable is set: no new petrol and diesel cars will be allowed to be sold in the UK after 2030, and sales of all new hybrids will be forbidden from 2035. But that phasing still leaves open the critical matter – for the automotive industry, and for a couple of manufacturers in particular – of which new hybrids will be allowed to be sold until the last day of 2034. Just the variety that comes with a socket – plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)? Or should old-style hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius, which have smaller batteries charged by a main internal combustion engine, also be permitted? Continue reading...

Motoring body says hybrids without a plug should be banned or else confidence in electric cars will be damaged Britain needs to press ahead with a ban on the sale of new hybrid cars with no plug from 2030 or risk taking “a catastrophic misstep” on the road to net zero, ministers have been warned. Cars such as the Toyota Prius, which charge a battery from an internal combustion engine, need to be excluded from the list of vehicles sold in the UK from 2030 or there will be a “profound” fall in confidence in the government’s commitment to electric motoring, according to the representative body Electric Vehicles UK (EVUK). Continue reading...