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Passenger Cars, Bakkies & Vans News

Work on Tshwane auto SEZ in full swing after lockdown

By: Irma Venter 25th September 2020 Work on the R3.4-billion Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) is forging ahead, following delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, with clearing of the site, groundworks and the installation of bulk infrastructure under way. The public–private partnership, located next to the Ford... →

Suzuki moves to bigger head office, parts warehouse as sales soar

By: Irma Venter 25th September 2020 Suzuki Auto South Africa (SASA) completed the move to its new, larger head office and warehouse facility in Johannesburg on September 1. The announcement came shortly after the brand reported 1 213 new-vehicle sales in July, with 1 200 of these sold through its dealer network. →

Covid-19 pushes out launch of new D-Max to 2022

By: Irma Venter 23rd September 2020 Isuzu Motors South Africa (IMSA) has postponed the launch of its new generation D-Max bakkie from 2021, to the first half of 2022, says IMSA technical operations senior VP Dominic Rimmer. “Our next generation bakkie programme remains a top priority for the South African market and has the ongoing... →

The new generation D-Max bakkie from Isuzu

Musk say Tesla plans new $25 000 EV in about three years

By: Bloomberg 23rd September 2020 Tesla plans to manufacture a car that will cost $25 000 in about three years’ time, fulfilling an elusive long-term objective to sell a cheap mass-market electric vehicle, CEO Elon Musk said Tuesday. “This has always been our dream from the very beginning,” Musk said at an event showcasing... →

Elon Musk

Cartrack launches mobile phone rapid response safety app

By: Irma Venter 22nd September 2020 Mobility solutions company Cartrack has launched a rapid response safety app, called Karu Safety. Karu Safety is a mobile phone app that allows subscribers to access private security services at the touch of a button. →

Call for improved enforcement as construction transport accidents run up R352m tab

By: Irma Venter 22nd September 2020 Statistics provided by the Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company (FEM) – the workmen’s compensation insurer for the building industry – indicate that there were 929 motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) in 2018 involving people working within the construction industry. “While this may seem low,... →

Big Toyota investments proceeding, despite Covid-19

By: Irma Venter 18th September 2020 Toyota Motors South Africa (TSAM) is going ahead with its three big investment projects, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, says TSAM president and CEO Andrew Kirby. “Largely, we have been able to protect and secure all of our big projects that were originally planned in 2019, despite the fact that... →

August new-vehicle sales decline by a disappointing 30%

By: Irma Venter 18th 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. →

Motus sees new-vehicle market of 420 000-plus in 2021

By: Irma Venter 16th September 2020 Vehicle retail, rental, aftermarket and import group Motus believes that the new-vehicle market could reach between 420 000 and 440 000 units in 2021, up from the expected 350 000 to 380 000 units this year. The decline expected this year in the new-vehicle market, compared with 2019 (when it... →

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... →

Gavin Kelly

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

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... →

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... →

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... →

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. →

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

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... →

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

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... →

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... →

TSAM provides R15m in Covid-19 aid to eThekwini, KZN governments

By: Irma Venter 26th August 2020 Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, as well as the eThekwini metropolitan municipality, to support the fight against Covid-19. The MoA, signed by TSAM president and CEO Andrew Kirby, KwaZulu-Natal Department of... →

Nissan enables customers to check affordability before applying for finance

By: Irma Venter 25th August 2020 Nissan South Africa has launched what it calls “intuitive digital application technology” to assist customers when applying for vehicle finance online. The Nissan pre-finance tool is powered by WesBank and allows customers to check affordability by completing a pre-approval form before applying... →

Suzuki moves to bigger head office, parts warehouse as sales soar

By: Irma Venter 24th August 2020 Suzuki Auto South Africa (SASA) will complete the move to its new head office and warehouse facility in Johannesburg by September 1. The announcement comes shortly after the brand reported 1 213 new vehicle sales in July, with 1 200 of these sold through its dealer network. →

Elon Musk is going to have a hard time finding clean nickel

By: Bloomberg 24th August 2020 Elon Musk promises a “giant contract” with the miner that can supply nickel for Tesla Inc. batteries at low cost with minimal environmental impact, yet the industry’s messy track record may make that deal difficult to clinch. Recent accidents such as a diesel spill in Arctic Russia and a burst... →

Elon Musk

Bridgestone to close PE factory, Brits plant to remain open

By: Irma Venter 21st August 2020 Bridgestone Southern Africa (BSAF) has started the process to close 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 its... →

It’s full steam ahead for Toyota investments, despite Covid-19, says Kirby

By: Irma Venter 21st August 2020 Toyota Motors South Africa (TSAM) is going ahead with its three big investment projects, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, says TSAM president and CEO Andrew Kirby. “Largely we have been able to protect and secure all of our big projects that were originally planned in 2019, despite the fact that... →

Andrew Kirby

July new-vehicle sales decline by 30%

By: Irma Venter 21st August 2020 Total South African new-vehicle sales declined 29.6% in July to 32 396 units, compared with the 46 042 vehicles sold in the same month last year. The new-passenger-car market fell by 35.8% to 18 905 units. →

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