Author: PA Media

Volvo has abandoned its ambition to sell only fully electric cars by 2030.

The Swedish company announced on Wednesday it is now aiming for 90-100% of its global sales to be either pure electric or plug-in hybrid at that point.

It said this will “allow for a limited number of mild hybrid models to be sold, if needed”.

Volvo’s previous target, set in 2021, was for all its cars to be pure electric by 2030.

Volvo, majority-owned by China’s Geely, attributed the change in policy to a “slower than expected” rollout of charging infrastructure, the withdrawal of government incentives in some markets and “additional uncertainties” created by recent tariffs on electric vehicles.

Volvo Cars chief executive Jim Rowan said: “We are resolute in our belief that our future is electric.

“An electric car provides a superior driving experience and increases possibilities for using advanced technologies that improve the overall customer experience.

“However, it is clear that the transition to electrification will not be linear, and customers and markets are moving at different speeds of adoption.

“We are pragmatic and flexible, while retaining an industry-leading position on electrification and sustainability.”

Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders figures show Volvo’s XC40 – a mild hybrid sports utility vehicle – was the fourth most popular new car in the UK in July, with 3,055 registrations.

Labour has committed to reverse then-prime minister Rishi Sunak’s decision in September last year to delay banning the sale of conventionally fuelled new cars from 2030 until 2035.

Drivers will be subjected to London’s ultra low emission zone (Ulez) rules if they move off official diversion routes during this weekend’s M25 closure.

National Highways said anyone ignoring diversion signs in an attempt to find shorter alternative routes will be liable for the £12.50 daily Ulez fee if their vehicle does not meet minimum emissions standards.

Failure to pay the charge when required can result in a £180 fine, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days.

The M25 will be closed in both directions between Junctions 9 and 10 in Surrey from 9pm on Friday until 6am on Monday while concrete beams for a new bridge and a gantry are lifted into place.

Drivers are being advised to avoid the area if possible.

Diversion routes will take cars on a 19-mile journey on A roads, crossing from Surrey into London’s Ulez area.

National Highways senior project manager Jonathan Wade told the PA news agency: “Although the (Ulez) cameras will be active, no enforcement action will be taken.

“However, if you ignore the diversion signs and do your own thing, then if your vehicle’s not compliant you do run the risk of getting caught.

“You’ll be perfectly safe as long as you follow the diversion routes.”

There are concerns sat navs could direct some drivers on to minor roads after leaving the M25, meaning they could be detected by other Ulez cameras as well as risk creating gridlock in residential areas.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan expanded Ulez to cover the whole of the capital on August 29 last year.

This weekend will see the second of five planned closures of the M25 – which encircles London – on sections connecting with Junction 10 as part of a £317 million improvement project.

Fears that diversion routes would become overwhelmed during the first planned closure – between Junctions 10 and 11 – in March proved unfounded as traffic levels were more than two-thirds lower than normal after a widespread awareness campaign.

Mr Wade said there is a “very real” risk that the lack of disruption then means some motorists will not heed warnings to replan journeys this weekend.

“We’ve upped the amount of correspondence that we’ve been sending out to try and counter that but it remains an issue,” he said.

Other stretches of the M25 will also be disrupted this weekend due to ongoing work to retrofit additional emergency stopping areas on smart motorway sections.

Mr Wade explained that the Junction 10 work can be halted at various points throughout the weekend if it runs behind schedule, as “we wouldn’t jeopardise opening the M25 on Monday morning”.

RAC spokesperson Alice Simpson said drivers could face “up to six days of disrupted travel” as the M25 closure follows national rail strikes which are expected to spark increased traffic levels.

She went on: “While the general advice is to avoid driving if possible, people will still need to make essential journeys for work, to access medical care and to reach Gatwick and Heathrow airports.

“Planning ahead is absolutely vital. Rather than relying on a sat nav, check the planned diversion routes ahead of time and be prepared for long delays.

“It’s also a really good idea to check your vehicle’s oil and coolant levels, tyre pressure and tread depth all before setting off to reduce the chances of a very unwelcome breakdown.”

Three more weekend closures of the M25 will take place between August and the end of the year.

The project, due to be completed in summer 2025, will increase the number of lanes and make it easier to enter and exit the M25 at Junction 10, which is one of the UK’s busiest and most dangerous motorway junctions.

Diesel car drivers are being charged up to £250 extra per year for parking near their homes as more than half of London’s councils impose air pollution surcharges, an investigation has found.

Residential on-street parking permits are more expensive for diesel vehicles in 18 of the capital’s 32 boroughs, according to analysis by the PA news agency.

The additional fees, levied to discourage polluting diesel cars as part of efforts to tackle a widespread problem with air pollution, are charged by only a handful of local authorities elsewhere in the UK.

A motoring group branded diesel surcharges a “cash grab” by councils, but environmental campaigners backed them as a tool to cut air pollution, urging more councils to follow suit.

Many drivers wanting to park a vehicle on the street near their home are required to buy a permit from the local authority.

PA analysed the cost of permits issued by councils across the UK.

The highest additional annual fee for parking a diesel vehicle near a home is the £250 charged by east London’s Hackney Council.

The surcharge is halved for council estate residents, while some modern diesel cars are exempt.

Among other London councils with additional permit fees for diesel vehicles are Islington (up to £220), Merton (£150) and Camden (up to £115).

Outside the capital, Bath and North East Somerset Council imposes diesel surcharges of up to £80.

Brighton and Hove City Council excludes diesel cars from its cheapest permits, which means some cost up to £62.05 more.

Edinburgh levies a £50 surcharge.

Encouraging drivers to switch from diesels is part of efforts to boost air quality, as the vehicles tend to emit higher levels of nitrogen oxide (NOx) than their petrol equivalents, and are a significant contributor to the problem.

Air pollution, including NOx and tiny particles known as particulate matter (PMs), are linked to a catalogue of health problems and play a role in the equivalent of 40,000 early deaths a year in the UK.

The most recent government figures show that in 2022 nine areas in the UK including Greater London, Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Nottingham Bristol and the West Midlands and West Yorkshire urban areas, as well as England’s south east region failed to meet annual limits for NOx.

Sales of new diesel cars have plummeted in the UK recent years, with a market share of just 7% in the first three months of 2024.

But at the end of September last year diesels still made up 34% of all cars licensed for use in the UK, with 11.4 million.

AA motoring policy spokesman Luke Bosdet said permits should be used to “regulate on-street parking for the benefit of residents, not as a tool to demonise car choice”.

He went on: “Influencing vehicle ownership towards greener alternatives is done evenly through national taxation, such as vehicle excise duty or company car tax.

“National car taxes ensure that all drivers are treated equally and are rewarded or penalised for their choice of vehicle.

“Diesel surcharges imposed by councils discriminate against residents who have to park their cars on the street outside their homes, while their neighbours with driveways and off-street parking can have whatever vehicle they want.

“Ramped-up parking permit costs are simply a council cash grab.”

But Friends Of The Earth warned that analysis in 2022 showed that 4.5 million Londoners lived in areas where air pollution levels were double World Health Organisation guidelines, which are stricter than UK limits, for at least one of the two key air pollutants.

Much of England and Wales also suffers from poor air quality, the green group said.

The organisation’s pollution campaigner Jenny Bates said: “Variable parking charges are one of the tools local authorities can use to help cut air pollution and encourage motorists to choose cleaner vehicles. This is an initiative we hope more councils will follow.”

She added: “Other policies are also needed to improve air quality and help people get around including better public transport, safer cycling and walking facilities and greater support to help people switch to electric cars.”

Leo Murray, co-director of climate charity Possible, said: “Real-world emissions tests show that toxic NOx emissions from diesel cars in London are on average six times higher than those of petrol cars.

“We need to start seeing more local authorities using parking policy to discourage dirty private cars.”

A Hackney Council spokesperson said: “London’s toxic air is causing a public health crisis and we know that the increased particulate emissions from diesel vehicles can lead to serious health conditions.

“That’s why we introduced a diesel surcharge in 2015, which is encouraging people to switch to cleaner vehicles.”

Darren Rodwell, transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, said: “It is a matter for each council, based on local factors, on how they may wish to improve air quality and reduce pollution, which could include diesel surcharges for residential parking permits.”

Many councils charge different fees for resident parking permits based on a car’s emissions of carbon dioxide, the most significant greenhouse gas driving climate change.

– Here are all the UK councils identified by PA as having a diesel surcharge for residential parking permits (maximum amount for a household’s first vehicle in brackets):

In London:

Barking and Dagenham (£75)

Barnet (£12.20)

Brent (£100)

Camden (£114.69)

Croydon (£50)

Ealing (£55)

Greenwich (£50)

Hackney (£250)

Haringey (£80)

Harrow (£21)

Hounslow (£62.50)

Islington (£220)

Kensington and Chelsea (£82)

Lambeth (£140)

Lewisham (£50)

Merton (£150)

Southwark (£72.60)

Tower Hamlets (£73)

Outside London:

Bath and North East Somerset Council (£50)

Brighton and Hove City Council (£62.05)

City of Edinburgh Council (£50)

Roads could start going back up to 30mph by the end of the year, the Welsh government has announced, just months after lower speed limits were put in place.

Ken Skates, the Welsh transport minister, has announced that the government in Cardiff Bay will be revising its guidance to the council on which roads can be exempted from the new lower 20mph speed limit.

The move could see councils able to return limits to their previous speeds by the end of the year.

But opponents have branded the move a “comms exercise” that will not see the 30mph default return.

The Welsh Labour government implemented a default 20mph speed limit in September last year, covering built-up areas.

Speaking in the Senedd on Tuesday, Mr Skates said there will be a “national listening programme” putting the “voice of Welsh citizens” at the heart of deciding which roads can return to 30mph.

Alongside this he promised to work jointly with local authorities to prepare the ground for changes, revising the guidance on which local roads can be exempted from the lower speed.

The revised guidance will be published in July, with councils expected to start detailed consultation on changes from September.

The Cabinet Secretary said: “We’ve started by listening. I have been clear in all my conversations that we will put communities at the heart of our thinking and will listen to people.

“As I have already said there is growing consensus on safe speeds in communities that we can build from. We continue to believe 20mph is the right speed limit in places such as near schools, hospitals, nurseries, community centres, play areas and in built-up residential areas.

“The principal objective of the policy is to save lives and reduce casualties on our roads. What I am doing now is listening to what people want for the roads in their communities, and pressing ahead with refining the policy and getting the right speed on the right roads.”

He encouraged people in Wales to let their councils know which roads should be targeted for change.

Speaking to the Press Association news agency, Mr Skates denied that his party was capitulating to the Conservatives, who have been calling for the policy to be reversed.

He argued they wanted to see the policy reversed entirely, which would cost the Welsh government around £35m.

He said: “The Tories want something completely different, something that would cause chaos at an extraordinary cost.

“They want to get rid of the policy completely, and that will cost in the region of £35m.

“Then they would wish to use what are called Traffic Regulation Orders to change any 30mph routes back to 20.

“It would be like a game of yo-yo.”

He accepted that Labour’s plan would also come at a cost, but argued that it would be a “fraction” of the Conservatives’ plan.

The transport minister denied that the Labour government had rushed to implement the scheme, insisting it was the “cleanest” way to put it in place.

“The reason that this policy was implemented in the way that it was is that we have very limited powers within Wales to be able to make changes of this nature,” he said.

“(Changing the) default setting was the swiftest and cleanest way of doing it.

“The government always knew that there’d be routes that would have to change, what we’re doing is making sure that we have citizens, the people of Wales, determine what is right, so that they can take ownership then over the speed limits in their communities, and that we implement the changes that people want as soon as possible.”

Asked if this was the Welsh Government admitting it had got the policy wrong, he said it was “showing humility”.

He said: “Humility is a vital part of being in politics.

“Showing compassion, standing and listening to people is vitally important.

“So far all I’ve heard from people leads me to believe that we’re doing the right thing in listening to people, acknowledging concerns and putting in place a process to make changes where necessary.”

Reacting to Mr Skates’ announcement, Natasha Asghar MS, the Conservatives’ shadow transport minister, said: “All of Labour’s talk of change on their flawed 20mph speed limit was sadly just a comms exercise which has consequently made people from all corners of Wales believe that their roads will be going back to 30mph.

“The bottom line is that after all of Labour’s talk about listening to the Welsh people, the default speed limit across Wales will remain 20mph. Nothing has changed to everyone inside and outside of Wales.

“Instead of making councils clean up the mess of this daft, divisive and destructive policy, it should be scrapped in its entirety, so common sense can prevail and 20mph remains where it is needed such as outside schools, play areas, high streets, places of worship etc.”

Labour’s shadow Welsh secretary in Parliament, Jo Stevens, said: “The practical changes Ken Skates has announced represent a pragmatic, welcome response to the concerns that have been raised over the last few months.

“Under Vaughan Gething’s leadership the Welsh Government is delivering on the priorities of people across Wales. With a Labour government at both ends of the M4, we will drive positive change in people’s day-to-day lives.”

Limiting what new drivers can do on the road will cut “needless deaths”, ministers have been told.

The AA said motorists should be prevented from carrying passengers of a similar age for at least six months after passing their test.

It also called for new drivers to be required to keep a record showing they have driven on all types of roads.

These limitations would form part of graduated driving licences, which place restrictions on drivers for a set period after they pass their test.

They are used in several countries including the US, Canada, Australia and Sweden.

The Department for Transport (DfT) announced in July 2019 it was considering introducing the licences in England.

But the assessment was halted in autumn 2020, partly due to the potential impact on young people’s employment.

AA president Edmund King said: “One of the major issues that needs to be addressed is the needless deaths of young drivers, their passengers and others caught up in these crashes.

“Each year nearly 5,000 people are killed or seriously injured in crashes involving at least one young driver.

“One in five young drivers crash within a year of passing their test.

“Most people don’t realise, until it is too late, that road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults.

“We owe it to the next generation to introduce positive measures that will help give them healthy and prosperous lives.”

Sharron Huddleston, whose 18-year-old daughter Caitlin died as a passenger in a car crash in Cumbria in 2017, has formed Forget-me-not Families Uniting, a campaign group for people who have lost loved ones in road collisions.

She said: “Graduated licences are a crucial issue. How many more young people need to die before action is taken?

“We can’t sit back any longer and just watch as more and more young people are killed or seriously injured in road collisions.

“My daughter Caitlin would be alive today if action had been taken when the concept of graduated licences was floated years ago.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “While the UK has some of the safest roads in the world, any death is a tragedy which is why we continue working tirelessly to improve road safety for everyone.

“Our Think! campaign is specifically targeted at young male drivers, and we have commissioned research designed to help learner and newly-qualified drivers improve their skills and safety.”

The plea for graduated licences was issued as part of the AA’s so-called motoring manifesto ahead of local and mayoral elections in May, and a general election on a date still to be announced.

The Creating Confidence for Drivers document calls for measures such as better fuel price transparency, reducing VAT on public electric vehicle charging, using technology to make more permanent pothole repairs, and setting clear targets to reduce road deaths.

Ministers are being urged to reinstate the hard shoulder on smart motorways.

The RAC issued the plea exactly a year after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancelled all future planned smart motorway projects, citing financial pressures and a lack of public confidence in the roads.

It is a day after the 10-year anniversary of the first stretch of all-lane running (ALR) smart motorway – using the hard shoulder as a permanent live traffic lane – opening on the M25 in Hertfordshire.

ALR smart motorways increased capacity at a lower cost than widening roads.

There have been long-standing safety concerns after fatal incidents in which vehicles stopped in live lanes were hit from behind.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “There is a real irony when it comes to talking about cost pressures in relation to these distinctly unpopular types of motorway.

“While heralded as a cost-effective way of increasing capacity on some of our busier roads, a colossal amount of public money has since gone into trying to make them safer – for instance by installing radar-based technology to detect stricken vehicles more quickly, plus the creation of additional emergency refuge areas.

“This cash needn’t have been spent. The Government ploughed on with building all-lane running motorways, regardless of concerns expressed by drivers, the RAC and even the Transport Committee.

“We continue to believe that the Government should either convert existing all-lane running smart motorways to dynamic ones – where the hard shoulder is only opened to traffic during busy periods – or repaint the white line and reintroduce a permanent hard shoulder on these roads.

“In either case, queue-busting technology such as variable speed limits could remain to help ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “While smart motorways are statistically among the safest roads on our network, we recognise the need for the public to feel safe when driving, and have cancelled plans for all new smart motorway schemes.

“We are also investing £900 million to make improvements on existing smart motorways, including building more emergency areas on these roads.”

A National Highways report published in December revealed that smart motorways without a hard shoulder were three times more dangerous to break down on than those with an emergency lane.

The number of people killed or seriously injured after a stopped vehicle was hit by a moving vehicle was 0.21 per 100 million vehicle miles travelled on ALR smart motorways between 2017 and 2021.

That compares with 0.07 on controlled smart motorways, which have variable speed limits but retain a hard shoulder, and 0.10 on conventional motorways.

National Highways said at the time that evidence shows all types of smart motorways are safer than conventional motorways in terms of deaths or serious injuries, and a series of safety improvements have been made since 2021.

The automotive industry issued renewed pleas for electric car purchase incentives after new figures showed a decline in the vehicles’ market share.

Some 15.2% of new cars registered in March were pure electrics, down from 16.2% during the same month last year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.

The industry body urged the Government to halve VAT on the purchase of new electric vehicles (EVs), amend plans to introduce vehicle excise duty for EVs, and reduce VAT on public EV charging to bring it into line with home charging.

Under the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, at least 22% of new cars sold by each manufacturer in the UK this year must be zero-emission, which in most cases means they are pure electrics.

The threshold will rise annually until it reaches 100% by 2035.

Manufacturers who fail to comply or make use of flexibilities – such as carrying over allowances from previous years or purchasing credits from rival companies – will be required to pay the Government £15,000 per polluting vehicle sold above the limits.

Across all powertrains, some 317,786 new cars were registered last month.

That is an increase of 10.4% compared with March 2023.

Growth was driven by purchases for large fleets (up 29.6%), while demand from private buyers fell by 7.7%.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “Market growth continues, fuelled by fleets investing after two tough years of constrained supply.

“A sluggish private market and shrinking EV market share, however, show the challenge ahead.

“Manufacturers are providing compelling offers, but they can’t single-handedly fund the transition indefinitely.

“Government support for private consumers – not just business and fleets – would send a positive message and deliver a faster, fairer transition on time and on target.”

The new Octa Defender will feature mild-hybrid technology with V8 power.

Land Rover is ready to reveal the most powerful Defender yet with the Octa.

The Octa Defender will be powered by a twin-turbocharged mild-hybrid V8 petrol engine while its 6D Dynamics air suspension is a first for the Defender range, having previously been used on the performance Range Rover Sport SV.

The 6D Dynamics technology has a pitch and roll system that enables the vehicle to remain stable during acceleration, braking and cornering on-road –while maximising independent wheel travel and articulation across off-road driving.

A new diamond graphic symbolises the flagship Defender model – hence the Octa name.

Mark Cameron, managing director, for the Defender said: “The Defender Octa name and signature graphic are representative of the vehicle’s strength, resilience and desirability – inspired by the vehicle’s diamond-like tough luxury credentials.

“The new signature graphic is particularly significant as it will be the first time it is seen on a Defender – and it will identify all flagship Defender models in the future.”

The Defender Octa is being extensively tested through the snow and ice of Sweden, Dubai’s desert, the famous ‘Green Hell’ of the Nurburgring tarmac and Moab rock crawls.

Customers will be invited to exclusive previews before the Defender Octa gets its full reveal later this year – with customers having to register their interest at their Land Rover retailer of choice.

More details of the Defender Octa will be revealed later this year when order books open.

 

By Cameron Richards

Genesis has revealed two concepts that showcase what we could expect from some of the Korean firm’s EVs in the future.

The new Neolun means ‘New Moon’ and it shows that Genesis’ of the future will have innovative features with a luxurious feel.

On the exterior, the Neolun does without a B pillar and has ‘suicide’ doors to allow greater access inside the cabin.

There are electric side steps which automatically operate when the doors open and retract when they close to help when getting in and out of the vehicle – while the pop-up roof rack gives it the SUV look and aids versatility.

Inside the Neolun, there’s an ‘Ondol’ heating system that allows for efficient heating throughout the cabin – there are heating films in the dashboard, door trims, floor, seatbacks and console sides.

Ondol is a Korean heating method that utilises direct heat from underneath the floor to give warmth throughout the interior.

There are also swivelling front seats to allow more space inside and a sound system that Genesis calls ‘sound architecture’. It essentially means that the speakers, tweeters, woofers and subwoofers are optimally placed to give a better audio experience.

The Magma performance series, meanwhile, will consist of four models – starting off with a hotter version of the firm’s GV60 electric SUV.

The GV60 Magma will come with improved battery performance and technology over the regular model alongside a wider width and lowered suspension – giving a lower centre of gravity.

At the front, a lower and wider front intake in the bumper cools the batteries, motors and brakes.

The Magma also features 21-inch alloy wheels with aero-brake discs. There are fins on the roof to help with airflow and channel air towards the rear spoiler to give better downforce, too.

On the interior, there are bucket seats with body-coloured seatbacks which are trimmed in a combination of nappa and suede leather.

Both Neolun and GV60 Magma models are just concepts for now, but we’ll have to wait for further announcements to see if Genesis will ever put these concepts into production.

Credit: Cameron Richards