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Passenger Cars, Bakkies & Vans News

All mobility heading to electric future; solar and storage seen as key enablers

By: Schalk Burger 2nd October 2019 The Department of Science and Innovation’s (DSI’s) electric mobility initiative uYilo director Hilten Parmar on Tuesday highlighted that worldwide all forms of mobility, including personal, freight, aviation and marine transport, were moving towards the use or inclusion of electric systems. The... →

Govt, auto industry compiling position paper on EVs

By: Irma Venter 1st October 2019 The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and the South African automotive industry have started work on a position paper regarding the role of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country’s domestic economy, says National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa)... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Dylan Slater
Naamsa CEO Mike Mabasa

Toyota unveils all-new connected car offering as standard

By: Creamer Media Reporter 26th September 2019 Toyota South Africa Motors, in collaboration with partners Altron and Vodacom Business, has deployed connectivity features and in-car Wi-Fi on all new Toyota and Lexus models from September. Natasha Odendaal tells us more. →

Toyota unveils all-new connected car offering as standard

Entries open for revamped 2020 Sasol Solar Challenge

By: Irma Venter 25th September 2019 The 2020 Sasol Solar Challenge (SSC) is officially open for entries. Participants can look forward to a new route and changes in the format of the solar car race. →

The 2018 winner, Team Nuon

Peugeot launches comeback as the French return to the helm

By: Irma Venter 25th September 2019 Peugeot and Citroën are ready for yet another comeback in the South African market, this time under turnaround specialist Xavier Gobille. Gobille is the former Nissan South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa marketing, sales and aftersales MD. It was, however, his 2008 appointment at the... →

The new Peugeot 108

Increase in vehicle sales driving HVAC demand

20th September 2019 Growing vehicles sales and inclination toward safety and luxury are the main factors which are driving the global automotive heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) market, according to a study released by global market intelligence and insights provider Fact.MR. The progression of the... →

MARKET DOMINANCE The Japanese automotive HVAC market has been estimated to dominate the market by value owing to the growing sales of vehicles

AMEO, Numsa sign new three-year wage agreement

By: Irma Venter 13th September 2019 The Automotive Manufacturers Employers’ Association (AMEO) has signed a new three-year wage agreement with the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa). The wage increase will be effected retrospectively from July 1. →

Master plans needed to expand productive South African sectors – Patel

By: Simone Liedtke 13th September 2019 To grow South Africa’s economy and expand its productive sectors, master plans will need to be developed for each of those sectors, Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel said on Friday. Speaking on the second day of the Metals and Engineering Indaba, in Sandton, on Friday, the Minister... →

Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel discusses some of government's initiatives in rebuilding the South African economy, alongside the steel and manufacturing sectors, at the fifth iteration of the Metals and Engineering Indaba, in Sandton. Video: Kutlwano Matlala; Editing Nicholas Boyd.

BNEF cuts 2019 EV forecast by 6%

By: Irma Venter 13th September 2019 Research service, BloombergNEF (BNEF) has cut its electric vehicle (EV) sales forecast for 2019 by 6%, to 1.5-million units. Global passenger EV sales fell in July for the first time in 30 months, with the last move into the red seen in January 2017. →

Vehicle makers, Numsa reach wage agreement, but no deal signed yet, says AMEO

By: Irma Venter 12th September 2019 South Africa’s vehicle manufacturers and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) have reached an in-principle wage agreement, says Automotive Manufacturers Employers' Association spokesperson Andile Dlamini. “The parties met this week to finalise the details of the agreement... →

Electric car boom to turbocharge battery metal producers - Moody's

By: Reuters 10th September 2019 Demand for metals used in battery electric vehicles could rise sixfold if electric cars reach 8% of road traffic by the mid-2020s, delivering huge dividends for producing countries like Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Moody's said on Tuesday. The credit ratings agency said a worldwide shift... →

ZF starts production at new East London axle plant

By: Irma Venter 4th September 2019 ZF Lemförder South Africa’s new plant in East London has started production of front and rear axles for its customer, Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA). MBSA – a member of the Daimler group – is investing R10-billion to gear up for production of the new generation C-Class at its nearby plant,... →

The ZF plant in East London

Jimmy died with his integrity intact, Ford Kuga fire inquest hears

By: News24Wire 4th September 2019 Reshall Jimmy died with his integrity intact when his Ford Kuga went up in flames, after speculation he had been on a gambling binge or had had an altercation with a group of mystery men were proved wrong, the inquest into his death heard on Tuesday. But the mystery remains: Why did he not get... →

KLT acquires Brits plant, eyes East London expansion

By: Irma Venter 3rd September 2019 Chassis manufacturer, the KLT Group, has acquired the AVMY Steel Science pressing, welding, assembly and e-coating plant, in Brits, in the North West province, in a deal worth roughly R30-million. The move forms part of the Indian group’s production expansion and diversification programme in... →

New-vehicle sales continue to decline; exports set new record

By: Irma Venter 2nd September 2019 South African new-vehicle sales continued their steady downward trend in August. Total sales for August declined by 5.1%, to 45 537 units, compared with the same month last year. →

Development of South African EV ecosystem critical, says Nissan

By: Irma Venter 30th August 2019 It is critical that the South African government creates an enabling environment for the adoption and uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in South Africa, in order to catch up with global players, says Nissan Africa-Middle East-India connected cars and intelligent mobility coordination regional... →

EVs present economic and sustainability opportunities for SA

By: Schalk Burger 30th August 2019 Electric vehicles present economic and sustainability benefits for South Africa by offsetting fossil fuel imports and improving air quality, while providing potential storage and grid balancing benefits as the use of renewable energy grows, says electric vehicle and smart mobility company... →

Motus weathers buying-down trend, looks to acquisitions in Aus, UK

By: Irma Venter 28th August 2019 Current economic conditions are forcing South African consumers to buy down when it comes to vehicle purchases, moving either to pre-owned, entry-level or smaller cars, says Motus CEO Osman Arbee. Motus operates across the automotive value chain through four business segments, namely import and... →

Osman Arbee

Toyota, Suzuki to deepen ties

By: Bloomberg 28th August 2019 Toyota Motor and Suzuki Motor are strengthening their relationship by taking stakes in one another, the latest alliance in an industry that’s facing sweeping changes in technology, consumer preferences and business models. Japan’s biggest automaker will acquire about 5% of Suzuki shares for about... →

SKD production set to start at BAIC plant, CKD to follow in 2020, says IDC

By: Irma Venter 26th August 2019 Semi-knockdown production (SKD) is “about to start” at the BAIC South Africa (SA) plant in the Coega Industrial Development Zone, in the Eastern Cape, says Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Automotive and Transport Equipment head Joy Balepile. The IDC is a 35% shareholder in BAIC SA, along... →

Photo by Dylan Slater
The BAIC plant in Coega

Fancy a 1960s Land Rover? How about a lookalike made in South Africa

By: Irma Venter 26th August 2019 Accountant Willie Oosthuizen wanted a rough-and-tumble, simple-to-fix, fun-to-drive, affordable vehicle for use on the family farm near Potchefstroom. Unable to find one he liked on the open market, he turned to building one himself: the Farm Rover, or ANT. →

The Farm Rover

Volkswagen to launch EV in South Africa in 2021, urges govt support

By: Irma Venter 23rd August 2019 Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) hopes to launch it first fully electric vehicle (EV) in the local market in 2021, should it be able to convince its German head office to bring the vehicle to South Africa. The ID.3 has a price tag of roughly $36 000 and a range of 420 km. →

A camouflaged ID.3

South Africa does not need domestic EV market to produce EVs, says Patel

By: Irma Venter 22nd August 2019 There is an opportunity to bring battery electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle production to South Africa, without first developing a domestic market and charging infrastructure for these vehicles, says Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel. Addressing the National Association... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Dylan Slater
Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel

VW, Nissan to get ten-year tax breaks for Ghana plants

By: Bloomberg 15th August 2019 Ghana will offer tax breaks of up to ten years to automakers that set up local manufacturing plants, as the government seeks to attract international companies such as Volkswagen and Nissan. Volkswagen and Nissan both agreed last year to set up auto-assembly plants if Ghana signed off on an... →

Newcomer Zeelo seeks active growth in South Africa’s mobility market

By: Irma Venter 15th August 2019 Looking to go to that big concert or rugby game, but not keen to drive home after a drink or two, or to travel at night? Newly launched mobility service Zeelo hopes to provide a solution to these conundrums, as well as some other transport questions prevalent in South Africa. →

Metair to commission first li-ion battery line in November

By: Irma Venter 14th August 2019 Metair hopes to commission its first lithium-ion (li-ion) battery production line on November 5, says MD Theo Loock. Metair is an international manufacturer, distributor and retailer of energy storage solutions and automotive components. →

Theo Loock

Nissan, BMW in talks to pull South Africa into electric car era

By: Bloomberg 12th August 2019 Nissan Motor, BMW and Volkswagen are among carmakers in talks to bring the electric-car revolution to South Africa, as the nation’s auto-factory floors risk being left behind in the global switch to greener vehicles. The industry is preparing a unified stance on electrification to present to the... →

Oven temperature critical in automotive manufacturing

9th August 2019 For successful paint cure, irrespective of the paint chemistry being used, it is critical to measure and control the temperature of the car body as it travels through the oven. →

Fuel Economy Tour to crown real-life fuel consumption winners

By: Irma Venter 7th August 2019 WesBank and First National Bank have joined forces to sponsor a Fuel Economy Tour of South Africa. The WesBank Fuel Economy Tour, for standard production passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, will take place from November 12 to 16. →

Three scenarios for EV uptake in SA; spark missing for the best one, says Jaguar

By: Irma Venter 6th August 2019 There are three possible scenarios for electric vehicle (EV) uptake in South Africa, says Jaguar Land Rover South Africa (JLRSA) dealer network director and electrification project leader Brian Hastie. EVs are projected to make up around 50% of all global new light-duty vehicle sales by 2040, up... →

Global aluminium demand set to outpace growth – Fitch

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 6th August 2019 The global aluminium market is likely to experience a number of deficits over the coming years as solid demand growth, driven by the construction and automotive sectors, outpaces production growth, says Fitch Solutions Macro Research. Fitch expects the global primary aluminium market to remain... →

Cost of motoring continues to rise, says WesBank

By: Irma Venter 5th August 2019 Despite July’s interest rate cut, the cost of motoring continues to rise steadily, says WesBank. WesBank’s Mobility Calculator, a tool used to track and calculate motoring expense, has risen to R7 851.39 a month. →

New-vehicle sales yet again in the red, exports up by 22%

By: Irma Venter 2nd August 2019 New vehicle sales continued their downward trend in July. Total market sales for July declined by 3.7%, to 46 077 units, compared with the same month last year. New passenger car sales exercised the biggest drag on the market, dropping by 8.2%, to reach 29 477 units. Sales of new bakkies,... →

Ghana Msibi

Ford acquires defence contractor to get robot rides on the road

By: Bloomberg 30th July 2019 As Ford Motor bears down on a self-imposed deadline to field robotaxis and driverless delivery vehicles in two years, the automaker has acquired a small defense contractor whose experience could help get auto-piloted cars on the road. This month, Ford paid an undisclosed sum to acquire Quantum... →

AIH, PAC form new SA company to tackle automotive projects

By: Irma Venter 29th July 2019 Automotive Investment Holdings (AIH) and the PAC Group (PAC) have inked a deal for the formation of the PAC Group South Africa (PAC SA). The new company is 51% owned by AIH and 49% owned by PAC. →

PAC Group CEO Shah Firoozi

The lithium mine buildup is outpacing the electric-car boom

By: Bloomberg 29th July 2019 Lithium miners are bulking up for a booming future when electric cars go mainstream. But speed bumps loom, with prices tumbling on a burst of new production and demand growth slowing in China. Between mid-2015 and mid-2018, prices for lithium, the soft, silvery-white metal crucial for... →

Lithium ore at Bald Hill, Australia.

Driving EVs in Africa

By: Tracy Hancock 26th July 2019 Compared with the rest of Africa, South Africa has the most electric vehicles (EVs) on the road and the most extensive charging infrastructure, with new additions being made by a range of stakeholders and interest groups. This is according to the information available on EVs in Africa, says... →

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