Scottish car dealers to continue trading in Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown – AM Online
Car retailers will be able to continue trading after Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon moved into Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown – implementing the nation’s most stringent mitigation measures. Outdoor car lots have joined automotive aftersales facilities in being listed as essential retail, ensuring that they can remain operational in accordance with social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE) measures. As under England's current 'Lockdown 2' measures, therefore, car retailers will be relying on a click & collect service to drive sales during the three-week implementation of Level 4.
Alternatives needed before phase-out of diesel HGVs – Fleet News
A consultation on the phase-out of new diesel HGVs will be launched after the Government decided to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans. No decision has made on the future of diesel HGVs, with the Government instead saying it wants to consult with the commercial fleet industry. “Logistics UK is urging Government to ensure there are practical alternatives to petrol and diesel HGVs before a phase-out of these vehicles is considered,” said Alex Veitch, general manager for public policy at the trade association.
Marshall donates £10,000 to MotorVise ‘Xmas Do-nation’ Ben fund-raiser – AM Online
Marshall has pledged a £10,000 donation to Ben as part of a ‘Xmas Do-nation’ charity campaign launched by MotorVise to plug the charity’s £1m 2020 funding shortfall. MotorVise itself announced that it would be handing over the £1,000 it intended to spend on its now cancelled staff Christmas ‘do’ to Ben as part of the scheme and Marshall chief executive, Daksh Gupta, made his business’s surprise donation in a launch video for the ‘Xmas Do-nation’ campaign.
Gupta, the automotive sector benevolent charity’s vice president, also urged other car retail businesses to “dig deep” to help the charity which has faced a 50% increase in calls for assistance this year due to the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis.
Car dealers’ online activity up 33% in first 10 days of lockdown – AM Online
COVID-19 ‘Lockdown 2’ has sparked a rapid rise in the volume of digital car finance deals being forwarded to dealership customers, according to iVendi. During the first 10 days of the start of the new lockdown measures in England, on November 5, iVendi reported 33% growth in the number of ‘digital deals’ sent by car, van and motorcycle retailers via its TRANSACT platform.
EV enquiries soared 500% after Government’s 2030 car sales ruling – AM Online
Electric vehicle (EV) enquiries soared by 500% after this week’s UK Government announcement that it plans to ban the sale of cars and vans powered wholly by petrol or diesel engines in 2030.
The online car sales portal said that EV enquiries would normally represent around 300 searches per day, from a stock of more than 60,000 cars, but this week’s announcement saw that figure shoot up to 1,679 in the 24 hours following the Prime Minister’s announcement.
