CEO Update

Ahead of a historic weekend with the country preparing to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III, the latest new vehicle registration figures out yesterday also give cause for celebration. With the ninth month of growth for cars and the…

The automotive industry has been no stranger to challenges recently – Brexit, Covid-19, semiconductor shortages and a cost-of-living crisis – all occurring alongside the UK’s ambitious deadline for road transport decarbonisation. The good news is that, despite all of this,…

The Commercial Vehicle Show returned to the NEC this week, opening its doors to thousands of visitors who joined more than 200 exhibitors at the UK’s largest automotive trade exhibition. Given the many challenges the industry faces – economic, regulatory,…

With just 12 years to go until the first end of sale deadline for the UK’s predominantly diesel van and sub-26 tonne HGV markets, how we decarbonise these vital sectors will be high on the agenda at this year’s Commercial Vehicle…

We ended the first quarter of 2023 on a positive note, aptly demonstrated by the latest new car registration figures out this week which signpost an industry on its way to recovery. The market posted its eighth month of successive…

Government’s consultation on a zero-emission vehicle mandate, a watershed regulation for the UK new car and van market, is finally here. Yesterday’s long-awaited announcement is welcome, and we want regulation that gives consumers choice and affordability while also enabling manufacturers…

Safety is our industry’s number one priority and the MOT plays a crucial role in keeping the UK’s vehicles and roads safe. While billions of pounds of investment by vehicle manufacturers has made vehicles even safer and more reliable, the…

Rail strikes regrettably delayed our flagship SMMT Electrified event which was set to take place this Thursday (now postponed to 18 September), but we didn’t let that stop us in our tracks. On Monday, we held a special Electrified Parliamentary…

We started the week on a high, with news that the new car market posted its seventh consecutive monthly uplift in February. Deliveries grew by more than a quarter in this typically low volume pre-plate change month, as easing supply…

Much has been written in the media this week about the UK automotive sector, in particular its competitiveness as the global industry transitions to electrified vehicles. There’s no doubt we are at a critical moment, with competition to win investment…