Former Audio CEO, Rupert Stadler is to confess to his role in dieselgate, after a judge told him to or face a lengthy prison sentence. He will now receive a suspended sentence and pay a fine of €1.1 million. During court case he maintained his innocence and stuck to the claim it was down to engineers that defeat device engines were still sold in Europe after the scandal broke. Click this Automotive News Europe article link to read more.
Arrival released their 6-K Report in the US and it makes for quite the read. They are claiming they do not have enough personnel to sort it out reporting their financials properly so need more time, especially as they are scrambling around trying to raise more funds. They also declare they will report on their financial situation that will cause doubts on them continuing. To read more, click this link to Peter Campell’s Twitter thread on this extraordinary information.
The SMMT has released the New Car Registration Figures for April 2023, which is typically a quiet month coming after the plate change in April. Petrol and BEV market shares increased, with Diesel and PHEV both dropping. You can see more by clicking this link to Tristan Young’s Tweet.
Overall, registrations are well down on pre-pandemic levels and even below 2021’s. Significantly, the SMMT is downgrading its forecast for the overall market share of BEVs, citing high energy costs and fears over the charging infrastructure being blamed. However, we feel the continued high inflation and rise in all costs mean people and businesses have less money. Add on top the starting prices of most EVs and it is easy to see a slowdown. To learn more about April’s figures click this article link from SMMT.
Oliver Blume, CEO of VW and head of the supervisory board of CARIAD, has fired three of the executive team leading the software division. Peter Bosch, Head of Production at Bentley will take over. Once again VW demonstrate they do not understand software. Even with the new team being assembled they are making demands on silly timescales and saving money. To read more on this situation, click this electrive article link.
Aston Martin are appointing Paul Thomas, ex-Rimac, to be Chief BEV Engineer and Vincenzo Regazzoni, ex-Ferrari, to be Chief Industrial Officer. They are intended to help Aston move to an electrified future more smoothly. You can learn more by clicking this link to an Automotive News Europe article.
The London Electric Vehicle Company, maker of the current Black Cab, has revealed plans to expand its offerings. They will be launching a new platform, SOA, which will be the basis of this expansion. They are going large though, the vehicles will be big, think Mercedes Sprinter but much nicer when fitted for passengers but also the commercial van market is being targeted.
