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Automotive News

Roll-out of AARTO a big concern, says Road Freight Association

By: Irma Venter 15th September 2020 The Road Freight Association (RFA) says it is working with all relevant role-players to ensure that the proposed Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) is “considered properly” before implementation, and that AARTO will achieve its main purpose of ensuring road safety, says... →

Electric car racing series announces cyber protection deal

By: Irma Venter 14th September 2020 Airspeeder, which aims to be the world’s first electric flying car racing series, has announced a technical and strategic partnership with cyber protection specialist Acronis. The deal will see the racing series, created by Australian performance electric flying car manufacturer, Alauda, receive... →

Ford improves efficiency at Silverton plant with new wheel and tyre facility

By: Irma Venter 11th September 2020 Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has upgraded the wheel and tyre facility at its Silverton assembly plant, in Pretoria. The plant produces the Ranger pickup and Everest sports-utility vehicle for the domestic market, as well as more than 100 export markets. →

The new wheel and tyre facility at Ford's Silverton plant

Industry’s wings seemingly clipped

By: Mamaili Mamaila 11th September 2020 South Africa’s economy is hanging by a thread and this has presented massive challenges for the local aerospace industry, says aircraft design organisation Aerodesigns Africa director Murray Spoelstra. →

GLOBAL SIGHTS SET Similar to the local automotive industry that is manufacturing for European countries, so must there be opportunities to manufacture aircraft under licence for foreign companies

The time for SA to shift to EV production is now – report

By: Irma Venter 11th September 2020 South African policymakers and automotive manufacturing sector stakeholders need to develop a coherent strategy for the shift to the production of electrical vehicles (EVs), or fall behind global developments and lose their edge in the export market. This emerged as a key message from a report on... →

Used-car market value climbs 3.8% to more than R100bn

By: Irma Venter 11th September 2020 AutoTrader’s new yearly used-car industry report, launched in August, shows that South Africans used the country’s largest digital used-car trading portal to conduct 401-million online searches from July last year to the end of June this year. This is an all-time record and an almost 40%... →

Bridgestone to close PE factory, Brits plant to remain open

By: Irma Venter 11th September 2020 Bridgestone Southern Africa (BSAF) has started the process of closing its bias tyre manufacturing plant in Port Elizabeth. The company says this move is in line with the recently announced mid- to long-term business strategy as set out by the Bridgestone Corporation, which plans to strengthen... →

Naacam, Proudly SA launch portal for face shield producers

By: Irma Venter 11th September 2020 The National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (Naacam) has joined forces with Proudly South African (SA) to launch a Web portal to list the manufacturers of locally produced face shields and visors. A similar portal was launched for face mask producers in May. →

Battery metals to boom despite widespread Covid-19 disruption

By: Donna Slater 11th September 2020 Battery metals, which are used in modern energy efficient electrical products, are playing an increasingly important role in climate change mitigation and the shift towards a lower carbon-intensive future. Battery metals, including lithium, vanadium, copper, cobalt, nickel, lead and graphite are... →

Nissan reports breakthrough in carbon-fibre parts production

By: Irma Venter 10th September 2020 Japanese car maker Nissan has reported what it terms a breakthrough in carbon-fibre parts production. This development should see carbon-fibre, typically used in airplanes, rockets and sportscars, find its way into more mass-market cars, says Nissan. →

Automotive training programme resumes

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 8th September 2020 The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), in partnership with automotive sector enterprise development company Filpro, has resumed its R2-million support programme aimed at growing the competitiveness of 137 informal automotive mechanics in Mdantsane, outside East London. Launched in July... →

Bell sees recovery following Covid-19, parts ways with John Deere

By: Irma Venter 8th September 2020 Bell Equipment’s plants are currently operating at roughly 70% of pre-Covid-19 levels, says Bell Equipment CEO Leon Goosen. The South African operation at Richards Bay is running a little bit below this average, however, as it had stocked up on inventory prior to the pandemic in anticipation of a... →

Leon Goosen

Ford and partners roll out self-parking project

By: Irma Venter 7th September 2020 Autonomous driving may not sound like a lot of fun, but autonomous parking may just be a different kettle of fish. Ford Motor Company, real estate developer Bedrock and Bosch are launching a demonstration project with connected Ford test vehicles that can drive and park themselves inside... →

Dube-Ncube congratulates CHEM Energy for opening S Africa’s first fuel cell factory

By: Sane Dhlamini 7th September 2020 KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube has congratulated CHEM ENERGY, a subsidiary of Taiwanese conglomerate CHEM Corporation, which has opened its $200-million fuel cell production factory in KwaZulu-Natal at the Dube TradePort Special... →

Photo by Supplied
CHEM Energy President Angelin Maharaj with KZN MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Nomusa Dube-Ncube at the opening of the first fuel cell opened at the Dube TradePort

Wireless valve bank available locally

By: Tracy Hancock 4th September 2020 The EX600-W wireless valve bank module from industrial automation technology company SMC is officially available in the South African market, says SMC senior technical sales engineer Wade Holland. The product has been available in Europe and Asia since early last year, but still needed to conform... →

TIME AND MONEY The EX600-W wireless valve bank module is designed to reduce downtime and costs

Nissan’s Mike Whitfield elected AAAM president

By: Irma Venter 4th September 2020 Nissan Africa South (NAS) chairperson Mike Whitfield has been elected president of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM). He replaces former Volkswagen Group of South Africa chairperson and MD Thomas Schäfer. →

Study calls for extension of moratorium on transport height restrictions

By: Irma Venter 4th September 2020 Many South African industries, especially the fruit industry, could suffer major financial losses if they are not allowed to transport their goods in high-cube containers beyond June next year, a new master’s degree study indicates. This is when government’s seven-year moratorium (running from... →

Covid-19 containment measures, manufacturing shutdown cost Metair R250m

By: Irma Venter 4th September 2020 The Covid-19 pandemic has cost Metair about R250-million, taking into account the measures taken to keep employees safe, as well as the total shutdown of manufacturing, says CFO Sjoerd Douwenga. This number, however, does not include the profit lost, he adds. →

Festival of Motoring rescheduled for August, 2021

By: Irma Venter 3rd September 2020 Following its cancellation this year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Festival of Motoring will now return to the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit from August 26 to 29, 2021. Event organiser, Messe Frankfurt South Africa, says next year’s event will be the fifth edition of the yearly motoring... →

Audi South Africa CEO departs for Germany, no successor announced yet

By: Irma Venter 3rd September 2020 Audi South Africa CEO Trevor Hill has departed the company after his contract came to an end on August 31. Hill, who was born in South Africa, left the country in 1997, returning in 2017 to head up the Audi brand within the local Volkswagen group. →

Trevor Hill

GDDA prioritises the roll-out of three Gauteng SEZs

By: Irma Venter 3rd September 2020 The Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GDDA) has prioritised three special economic zone (SEZ) developments for roll-out in Gauteng, says GDDA CEO Mosa Tshabalala. The first is a high-tech SEZ in the northern corridor of Gauteng, in Bronkhorstspruit, 50 km from Pretoria. →

The groundbreaking ceremony at the Tshwane automotive SEZ in 2019

Dekra, AIH partner in project to provide Covid-19 safety seal

By: Irma Venter 3rd September 2020 German testing, inspection and certification group Dekra and Automotive Investment Holdings (AIH) have partnered to provide a range of business sectors with a Covid-19 safety seal. The Covid-19 Dekra Standard Trusted Facility Seal is available to the automotive; retail; supply and manufacturing;... →

August new-vehicle sales decline by a disappointing 30%

By: Irma Venter 2nd September 2020 Total South African new-vehicle sales declined by 26.3% in August, to 33 515 units, compared with the 45 484 vehicles sold in the same month last year. The new-passenger-car market fell by 32.6%, to 19 545 units. →

Volkswagen’s Lionesses Den announces winners

By: Irma Venter 31st August 2020 Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA), in partnership with Lionesses of Africa, have announced the winners of the Volkswagen’s Lionesses Den competition. The panel of judges selected the top three pitches after calling on female-owned businesses in South Africa to share a two-minute pitch to win... →

E-commerce has finally arrived in South Africa, says Dawn Wing

By: Irma Venter 31st August 2020 Despite going through a rough patch during the initial hard lockdown in South Africa, Dawn Wing couriers says it has since seen a significant surge in e-commerce. “The lockdown period business was really tough as volumes were low, but we made a decision to stay open to support our healthcare... →

Supporting policy must embrace EVs, says uYilo

By: Irma Venter 28th August 2020 The supporting policy driving vehicle manufacturing in South Africa needs to “evolve and embrace electric vehicles (EVs)” in order for the country to fully adopt the technology, says uYilo eMobility Programme director Hiten Parmar. “It should be clearly defined, incentivising multinational... →

Hiten Parmar

Regulations, pricing a challenge for local LNG uptake

By: Theresa Bhowan 28th August 2020 Despite there being vast benefits to using liquefied natural gas (LNG) locally, natural gas producer Renergen tells Engineering News that regulations and pricing are impeding the growth of the LNG sector. →

RENEWING ENERGY Renewable energy is fast becoming more affordable

Laser tech key to developing economy

By: Tracy Hancock 28th August 2020 It is vital that South Africa has an in-depth understanding of the impact photonics-based technologies will have on its economic development, as they underpin the communication systems and sensors needed to drive the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The country also needs to ensure that it can... →

LASER FOCUS The present focus of the Rental Pool Programme is to improve the commercialisation of research done by research groups

Increased demand for laser marking

By: Tracy Hancock 28th August 2020 Identification and traceability company Traceability Solutions has seen an increase in enquiries for laser-marking systems despite the national lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19, says MD Kelby Parker. “Many sectors, such as fast-moving consumer goods, did not have a loss of production from... →

iZONIT VISION SYSTEM The product enables the user to establish view mark positioning accurately and easily before firing a laser

National Automobile Dealers Association appoints Marcia Mayaba as VP

By: Irma Venter 28th August 2020 Barloworld Motor Retail franchise executive Marcia Mayaba has been elected the National Automobile Dealers Association (Nada) VP. “We are extremely excited to have Marcia on board,” says Nada chairperson Mark Dommisse. “We look forward to working closely with her on various matters impacting... →

New-vehicle export revenue declined by R21bn in H1 2020

By: Irma Venter 28th August 2020 Vehicle exports from South Africa declined by 73 419 vehicles, or 40.3%, in the first half of the year, compared with 2019, says National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) trade, exports and research executive manager Dr Norman Lamprecht. This decline saw vehicle... →

Covid-19 puts EV sales, carbon emission targets at risk

By: Irma Venter 28th August 2020 Data analytics and consulting company GlobalData says lower oil prices as a result of the Covid-19 crisis could reduce electric vehicle (EV) demand and impair European Union (EU) efforts to significantly reduce average new-vehicle carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the European car market.... →

New-vehicle pricing increasing sharply, TransUnion index shows

By: Irma Venter 28th August 2020 The South African car market experienced record lows in the second quarter of the year, as the combination of minimal trading owing to the Covid-19 lockdown and the depressed economy saw a 71% decline in the number of new and used cars financed over the same period in 2019. This is according to... →

Ford donates 240 engines to support skills development, training in technical schools

By: Simone Liedtke 27th August 2020 Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has launched a far-reaching engine donation programme to support skills development and training at technical high schools across the country. As part of the programme, the vehicle manufacturer is donating 240 engines, valued at R7.8-million, as part... →

Fuchs Lubricants to build plant, warehouse in R250m development

By: Irma Venter 27th August 2020 Fuchs Lubricants South Africa, a subsidiary of Fuchs Petrolub SE, in Germany, will invest more than R250-million in South Africa through the purchase of land and the development of an expanded warehouse, office complex and lubricants plant on this site. The project is expected to be completed in... →

Electric cars to account for 79% of lithium demand by 2030 - Chile

By: Reuters 27th August 2020 The electric car industry will dominate demand for lithium over the next ten years, Chilean state mining agency Cochilco said on Wednesday, accounting for more than three quarters of the ultralight battery metal's consumption by 2030, up from one third in 2019. Cochilco said demand for lithium... →

Electric Mini to make its debut in South Africa in Q4

By: Irma Venter 26th August 2020 BMW Group South Africa (BMW SA) will launch South Africa’s fourth electric vehicle (EV) in the fourth quarter of this year, when the Mini SE will make its local debut. The Mini SE follows the new style of EVs, where a known model is turned into an electric car, and the vehicle is not manufactured... →

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