The Ford Transit Custom is the best-selling vehicle in the UK so far in 2021… making it more popular than every other new car on sale.
With 26,978 registrations in the first half of 2021, the mid-sized Ford van stretched well clear of the best-selling passenger car. The Vauxhall Corsa racked up 24,399 registrations, more than 2,500 less than the Transit Custom.
The Transit Custom also outsold the best-selling Ford car, the Fiesta, by over 5,400 vehicles.
It’s a Ford one-two in the new van sector as well, with the larger Ford Transit clocking up 17,644 sales – well clear of the Volkswagen Transporter van in third (and outselling the British-built Nissan Qashqai car).
The Ford Ranger and Ford Transit Connect also appear in the year-to-date top 10 best-selling vans list, underlining Ford’s dominance of the commercial vehicle sector.
In June 2021, almost 35,000 new vans were registered in the UK. This is 14.4 percent up on 2020, but still 13.9 percent down on 2019.
As with the new car market, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders blames the global semiconductor shortage for supply issues tempering sales.
“Semi-conductor supply issues have extended lead times, but business confidence is growing and fleets are embarking on decarbonisation programmes,” said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes.
“It’s good to see the van market continue to perform well, with pent up demand, online retail and the construction sectors all on the rise.”
Scrapping VAT on the sale of new electric cars would be the most effective policy in boosting EV uptake, a new survey has revealed.
Two in three motorists say cutting 20 percent VAT from the purchase price would be the most helpful move – with particular support amongst low income households.
Indeed, support for scrapping VAT on new EVs has actually grown since the AA last surveyed motorists back in 2019.
Other policies supported by motorists to help move away from petrol and diesel cars include rolling out more rapid charging connectors, free EV parking and a scrappage scheme similar to the one introduced in 2008.
‘Go all in for EVs’
“If the Prime Minister is to meet the nation’s decarbonisation and Net Zero targets, then the government needs to go all-in for electric vehicles,” said AA president Edmund King.
“Many drivers still feel priced out of the electric car market, so more has to be done to encourage their uptake. Scrapping VAT, as happened in Norway, is the best way to accelerate their growth and give consumers confidence.
“As the UK looks to ‘level up’, we urge the Prime Minister and the Chancellor to act positively.”
Separate analysis from trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders indicates that scrapping VAT on new EV sales could see them overtake petrol and diesel cars as soon as 2025.
This would be three years earlier than if the government continues with its less generous £2,500 Plug-in Car Grant for cars priced under £35,000.
The Tesla Model 3 ended another quarter topping the UK monthly new car registrations. However, industry analysts are warning the global shortage of semiconductor chips risks squeezing the post-coronavirus recovery.
A total of 186,128 new cars were registered in June 2021, up 28 percent on the Covid-hit 2020 market.
However, this is still 16.4 percent behind the 10-year June average, while year-to-date sales are a whopping 26.8 percent below the decade-long average.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says this is due to the ongoing global semiconductor shortage, which is acting as a limiting factor on supply.
Indeed, second-quarter new car registrations actually fell short of industry expectations due to dwindling new car supplies.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “With the final phases of the UK’s vaccine rollout well underway and confidence increasing, the automotive sector is now battling against a ‘long Covid’ of vehicle supply challenges.
“The semiconductor shortages arising from Covid-constrained output globally are affecting vehicle production, disrupting supply on certain models and restricting the automotive recovery.”
Embracing EV
UK new car buyers continue to embrace electric cars. A combination of battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids accounted for 17.2 percent of new car registrations – with pure electric cars alone compromising more than one in 10 sales.
Pure diesel cars took a paltry 8.1 percent market share; add in mild hybrid diesels, and it increases to 14.2 percent – still behind the combination of BEVs and PHEVs.
Every vehicle sector apart from executive cars and MPVs grew in June. The SMMT says the strongest growth was in the city car segment.
Superminis made up 34.1 percent of all new car registrations, followed by family hatchbacks and SUVs.
The European Commission has dropped a requirement for UK motorists driving abroad to carry a car insurance Green Card.
The obligation has been waived and is expected to come into effect within weeks.
A Green Card is an internationally recognised certificate of insurance. It proves a visiting motorist has at least the minimum compulsory third-party liability car insurance.
Green cards are issued by car insurance companies and typically last for 90 days.
The EU required all UK motorists travelling to another EU country – including the Republic of Ireland – to apply for a Green Card.
Experts are keen to remind motorists the requirement has not yet been lifted, however, so motorists planning to travel into Europe this month will still need to apply for a Green Card before doing so.
This includes the Republic of Ireland and all other EU countries, plus the following non-EU countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Serbia and Andorra.
A pragmatic approach
The Association of British Insurers has praised the ‘pragmatic’ approach by the European Commission.
“UK drivers will no longer need to apply for a Green Card through their insurer which will help reduce bureaucracy for drivers and road hauliers travelling between the UK and EU,” said director general, Huw Evans.
“It will be especially welcomed by motorists in Northern Ireland driving across the border.”
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland has also praised the decision after lobbying to remove the requirement.
There are 43 million cross-border trips on the island of Ireland each year and chief executive David Fitzgerald says the situation wasn’t sustainable: “There are approximately 25,000 who live on one side of the border and who regularly commute to the other jurisdiction.”
Admiral car insurance’s Clare Egan said that “although the decision is yet to take effect, it’s a welcome change that will hopefully be rubber stamped by the European Union soon, so that things are a little less complicated for Brits who are still hoping for a getaway this year, but who would prefer to drive to Europe instead of flying there”.
In a normal year, it’s estimated there are around 13 million visits to the EU each year from UK motorists, either via sea ports or the Channel Tunnel.
Volkswagen has revised its ID.3 electric car line-up to boost the number of models eligible for the government’s £2,500 Plug-in Car Grant.
A cut in prices means there are now six ID.3 models eligible for the grant, thanks to being below the £35,000 threshold.
With the Plug-in Car Grant taken off, VW ID.3 prices start from £27,120 – compared to £24,710 for a similarly-powered entry-level Volkswagen Golf.
That’s a price difference of, fittingly, less than £2,500.
The new variants now eligible for the Plug-in Car Grant are the 145hp ID.3 Family Pro and 204hp Family Pro Performance. Both share a 58kWh battery for a range of 262 miles between charges.
“We strive to continue to make e-mobility straightforward and affordable for everyone,” said Volkswagen UK director, Andrew Savvas.
“Our pricing update for the ID.3 demonstrates our commitment to that promise.”
Range-topping Max and Tour prices have both been cut by a whopping £3,800 too. The 77kWh Tour starts from £38,800 and the well-equipped Max costs from £37,730.
ID.3 2022 model year
Volkswagen has also simplified the ordering process for the ID.3 (and the World Car of the Year-winning ID.4 EV SUV).
Instead of being available in pre-configured trim levels, with the only choice being colours and wheels, now customers can choose a trim level and add option packs on top.
Volkswagen says this gives more flexibility to customers when ordering.
For example, a head-up display was previously only available on top-spec models. Now it can be added as an option to any trim level for £2,200.
The firm has also cleaned up the trim names: the recently-introduced City variant has been renamed Life, and both Business and Tech trims have been discontinued.
By 2030, Moto chief executive Ken McMeikan predicts EVs will make up nearly a third of motorway service station visitors, as motorists become reliant on them to charge up their EVs during long journeys.
He says this is proof of how electric car owners will become used to the idea of driving long distances in EVs and grabbing a fast-charge battery boost en route.
To meet expected demand, Moto is investing in 350kW DC ultra-rapid chargers at all its 45 locations across the UK motorway network.
These will add up to 100 miles of range in 10 minutes.
Rugby Services is the first Moto site to benefit from the long-term investment drive. It was officially opened by Secretary of State for Transport Rachel Maclean MP, who unveiled a plaque at the site.
The £40 million site has created 120 jobs – and currently claims to be the UK’s flagship EV site with 24 ultra-rapid charging points: 12 Tesla and 12 Electric Highway.
It is the largest ultra-rapid EV charging site on the UK motorway network.
Three more Moto motorway service areas will be fitted out with 24 ultra-rapid EV charging points by the end of 2021.
All existing 50 kW chargers will be upgraded by the end of this month, and there will be a minimum of six ultra-rapid chargers at all Moto sites by the end of 2022.
Rachel Maclean MP said: “I’m proud to open the largest ultra-rapid charging site on UK motorways.
“As we accelerate towards net zero emissions by 2050, we announced last November that we’re bringing forward the phase-out of new petrol and diesel cars to 2030 – and allowing high-performing hybrids until 2035.
“This zero-emission future will need a world-leading electric vehicle charging network. Rugby Services and Moto’s long-term plan and investment in EV is a perfect example of that in action.”
More than three million people are predicted to use Moto Rugby services annually.
Take a wander along the Kings’s Road in Chelsea and you’ll spot more Ferraris and Lamborghinis than you can shake a Jimmy Choo at. But you’ll never see another Zenvo.
Danish marque Zenvo builds just a handful of cars each year, making each one fabulously exclusive – and fearsomely expensive. If you have seven figures to spare and want the ultimate road-legal rush, they are happy to help.
We spoke to James Bannister, former PR and Marketing Director at Zenvo, to discover what makes this innovative and proudly independent company tick. “These are cars for driving, not parking outside Harrods,” he says. OK, we’re listening…
Where did Zenvo come from?
“Zenvo is based in a beautiful small town called Praesto, near Copenhagen. Think of it as the Danish Henley-on-Thames. That’s where founder Troels Vollertsen grew up. Having done lots of consulting in the car industry, Troels had a vision for a supercar that combined cutting-edge tech with a tactile feel.
“He founded Zenvo in 2004 and our first car, the ST1, debuted in 2009.”
What makes Zenvo different?
“We’re not here to chase numbers in the horsepower race. Equally, we’re not about to weave gold into seat fabric. We just want to create the best supercar possible. Scandinavians talk about the law of Jante, which says it’s good to be humble. Zenvo has that outlook: our cars speak for themselves.
“The other point of difference is exclusivity. Each Zenvo is unique, built to the buyer’s exact specification, and they deal with Troels from day one. How many other car companies can say that?”
There’s more than one Zenvo, right?
“Yes, there are three models at present. The TS1 GT is our high-performance grand tourer, the TS-R is a lightweight, track-focused version of the same car, and the flagship TSR-S offers the best of both worlds.
“All use Zenvo’s twin-supercharged V8, which provides up to 1,194hp. Reckon on £1.1 million for a TS1 GT, up to £1.3 million for a TSR-S.”
Is there a local rivalry with Koenigsegg in Sweden?
“Ha! The two companies are theoretically in the same market, but Koenigsegg’s new direction means we are becoming more diverse.
“Troels has known Christian von Koenigsegg for many years and there has never been any bad blood.”
How would you describe the Zenvo look?
“Our designer, Christian Brandt, was inspired by nature, creating something organic yet predatory. The car has a huge amount of road presence.
“Aerodynamics were obviously important, too. Our patented tilting rear wing is something you won’t see anywhere else.”
Presumably there’s plenty of scope for personalisation?
“We of course have an option list, but truthfully every car is bespoke. So the conversation goes deeper than just paint colours. The work Zenvo craftsmen do with carbon fibre is just amazing – cutting, tinting and layering it to create a truly custom weave.
“Our fragmented carbon wheels are another good example. Each takes a week to hand-build and weighs 15kg less than a typical alloy rim.”
Why build your own engine rather than buying one in?
“The original ST1 used a highly tuned Chevrolet LS7 engine. Now we make our own 5.8-litre V8. It’s part of the cars’ character – the twin superchargers and flat-plane crank offer mind-blowing power and response. I absolutely love the raw engine sound, too.
“Power outputs vary slightly, but the 1,194hp TSR-S launches to 62mph in 2.8 seconds and 124mph in 6.8 seconds. Not slow.”
The Zenvo gearbox is pretty bespoke, too…
“That’s another in-house design: a sequential gearbox with helical-cut dog gears. Without getting too technical, the dog gears offer the instantaneous cog-swaps of a racer, while their helical shape provides the civility you expect in a road car.
“The ’box has a beautiful, mechanical feel, yet is brutally quick when needed. We even developed our own electronics to smooth the shifts.”
Tell us about that wild ‘centripedal’ rear wing
“That’s been a real talking-point. The software looks at factors such as speed and steering angle, then adjusts the wing angle while cornering to push the unloaded rear tyre towards the tarmac. It also flips the wing up to function as an airbrake.
“Essentially, it creates more downforce, more of the time – and we’ve proven that in testing.”
What’s next for Zenvo – will the cars go electric?
“We have a hybrid gearbox and power module coming soon for the TSR-S, plus a new model in development. As for electric power… it’s all up for debate. We’re not trying to jump on trends, but Zenvo has always embraced new technology.
“People are pre-programmed to doubt small car companies, but we have plenty more surprises in store.”
Note: After this piece was published, we interviewed Zenvo founder Troels Vollertsen for a separate piece on Robb Report. In it, he reveals more about the forthcoming hybrid, plus the company’s plans to expand into America. Read the full article here.
Transactions are always safer and more secure through GOV.UK, too.
“We recommend you always double check you’re using GOV.UK when accessing our online services,” said DVLA chief executive Julie Lennard.
Motorists can do this by checking the website URL that it includes ‘GOV.UK’.
“GOV.UK is the only site where customers will find our official services.
“You may be charged a premium when using other websites offering services that are not connected with the DVLA.”
Copycats ‘not illegal’
Moneysavingexpert.com deputy editor Guy Anker said such copycat sites are not illegal, “but they dress up like legitimate websites, and use clever tricks to appear higher on search engines.
“They get you to fill in forms, which requires no more work on your part than if you’d done it yourself via the official site, and then overcharge you for ‘administration’ or ‘services’.”
In reality, this simply involves passing it to the relevant body and actually requires no extra work.
“These services are usually free or much cheaper if you do it yourself, which can leave a very sour taste.”
One of the worst examples spotted by Moneysavingexpert.com is firms offering ‘checking services’ for driving licence renewals at a cost of £60.
Taxi and van manufacturer LEVC has unveiled a camper conversion based on its VN5 van.
Called the e-Camper, the company claims it is the first electric camper van. However, like the existing TX taxi and van, it uses a range-extending powertrain and offers only 60 miles of electric range before reverting to petrol power. Total range, including the petrol tank, is 304 miles.
Sold by LEVC, the conversion has been devised by camper van specialist Wellhouse Leisure. First deliveries are due to commence in the fourth quarter of 2021, with prices from £62,250 excluding VAT (around £74,400 after tax).
LEVC says the vehicle includes sleeping accommodation for four, an integrated electric kitchenette, a pop-up roof (incorporating sleeping space for two) and a central folding table. There’s also a second-row bench seat, which folds into another double bed.
Meanwhile, the first row of seats can be swivelled 180 degrees and the second row can be slid back, creating enough room to dine and socialise around a table.
A range of accessories for mounting cycles and surfboards is promised, along with some distinctive colours (although we’d be tempted to choose black, for the full TX taxi effect).
“The campervan market is growing rapidly and, despite these vehicles being used for coastal and countryside adventures which often include national parks and protected areas, they are still powered by petrol or diesel engines,” said Joerg Hofmann, CEO of LEVC.
“This is a major conflict; we can see a shift in consumer attitudes, with demand for greener mobility solutions to help to protect and improve air quality. Our new electric, zero-emissions capable e-Camper offers the perfect solution and is well-equipped with high quality features that can be tailored to meet a range of customer requirements.”
A prototype flying car has completed its first inter-city flight, travelling between the cities of Nitra and Bratislava in Slovakia.
The AirCar is powered by a 160hp BMW engine and runs on regular petrol. It completed the flight in 35 minutes and was ‘transformed’ back into a car within three minutes, then driven into the city centre.
The vehicle is equipped with a fixed propeller and a ballistic parachute. Its inventor, Professor Stefan Klein, said it is capable of travelling at 8,200 feet and can reach a cruising speed of 118mph.
The vehicle flown in Slovakia is the first prototype. A second pre-production model is also being trialled, powered by a 300hp engine. This is expected to have a cruising speed of 186mph and a range of 621 miles.
A spokesman for the company behind the project, Klein Vision, told Motoring Research the plan is for the vehicle to be available to customers within the next 12 months. A price is yet to be confirmed.
“This flight starts a new era of dual transportation vehicles. It opens a new category of transportation and returns the freedom originally attributed to cars back to the individual,” said Professor Klein after exiting the AirCar’s cockpit in Bratislava.
“AirCar is no longer just a proof of concept. Fflying at 8,200ft, it has turned science fiction into a reality,” added Anton Zajac, co-founder of Klein Vision.
