FOLLOW UP: ENVISION SCALES BACK OUTPUT PREDICTION
Envision, the Chinese company partnering with Renault on their battery factory, in Northern France, has lowered the predicted production output due to a change in the site’s layout. The wooded area, previously marked for demolition will now not be destroyed because it is a wildlife habitat and building there would be “complicated”. Output is now predicted to be 30 gigawatts per hour against 43 previously expected. To find out more, click the Today News Post here.
OCTOBER 2021 NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES
Another month means more grim reading, with figures down 24.6% on last year, and that was hardly spectacular. Chip shortages are the main reason why. Electrified vehicles, though, helped reduce the pain. To find out more, click here for the SMMT article.
TESLA RECALLS ON BACK OF SOFTWARE GLITCH
A communication error, for nearly 12,000 cars sold in the US since 2017, could result in false forward collision warning and application of the automated emergency braking. The issue appears to be two chips not communicating once woken from sentry or summon standby modes. To read more, click The Guardian article here.
MERCEDES RECALLS EQC DUE TO WATER INGRESS DAMAGE
Mercedes-Benz has issued a recall for their EQC SUV, built between 11 December 2019 and 18 May 2020. The steering wiring harness may have been damaged during assembly, which could lead to water ingress. This model has been hit by a number of recalls. To find out more, click here for the Autocar article.
MERCEDES ACCUSED OF DEFEAT DEVICE USE
A German environmental group (DUH) has accused Mercedes-Benz of using eight ‘defeat devices’ in an engine tested on an E350d Bluetec. The German regulatory authority has stated it was aware of these devices and that they were permissible, to ensure a long life of the engine. DUH claim, these devices are not about longevity of life. To read more, click the Autocar article here.
JCB AWARDED DEWAR TROPHY BY RAC FOR HYDROGEN ENGINE
The RAC has awarded JCB their Dewar Trophy, for "an outstanding British technical achievement in the automotive field", thanks to the development of the ABH2 hydrogen engine which gives a similar performance to the diesel equivalent. Whilst it produces no CO2, it also produces less NOx than a diesel. To read more, click here for the Autocar article.
GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES ROAD COLLISION INVESTIGATION CONSULTATION
The Government has launched a new consultation about setting up a dedicated organisation to investigate...
