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FiatUk

FIAT reacts to UK Government refusal to reintroduce grants for electrical automobiles

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  • FIAT reacts after Government guidelines out reintroduction of grants to help buy of electrical automobiles
  • Despite lack of Governmental motion, FIAT continues to supply its E-Grant of £3,000 on all electrical fashions

Fiat has beforehand stated the federal government is sleepwalking into an electrical car disaster. With affirmation that no electrical automobile grant goes to be reintroduced, the federal government is now effectively and actually on the cusp of that disaster. 

FIAT UK Managing Director, Damien Dally, stated:  

“Half one million electrical and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) autos have been registered throughout 2023, which is unbelievable information. But the EV marketplace for personal consumers is in actual jeopardy, accounting for fewer than one in 5 (18.2%) new electrical automobiles registered in 2024. 

“The authorities says it’s concentrating on its incentives the place they’ve essentially the most impression and ship the best worth for cash. Whilst we welcome that there’s an incentive in place for electrical van consumers, we all know the most important barrier to entry for a retail electrical automobile purchaser is worth. Surely, then, the best impression can be to deal with this by serving to to scale back the upfront price of the automobile, through the reintroduction of a authorities grant.  

“Fiat is enjoying its half in that with the continuation its personal £3,000 grant – the FIAT E-Grant on all electrical fashions in its vary.  

“Helping people make the switch to electric also supports the government’s Net Zero targets – targets we fully support.” 

April 23rd 2024

Ref: 24-17

Ends

Contact: 

VINCE CLISHAM
HEAD OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
vincent.clisham@stellantis.com

TEL +44(0)7385 114390 

 LUCINDA INGGS 
PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER
lucinda.inggs@stellantis.com

TEL +44(0)7542 394878

MICHAEL ARNOLD
PRESS FLEET MANAGER
pressfleet@stellantis.com   

TEL +44(0)7831 829410

JEREMY TOWNSEND
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
jeremy.townsend@stellantis.com   

TEL +44(0)7827 896480

News

Tesla Quietly Removes Cybertruck Resale Lawsuit Clause

The previous version of Tesla’s documentation included strict rules for reselling. Initially, the company prohibited any sale within the first 12 months of ownership. However, if an exception was necessary, the buyer would need to obtain written permission from Tesla. Tesla stated that it had the sole authority to consider a resale and remained the exclusive buyer for such Cybertruck units.

Under the previous rules, Tesla would deduct costs such as repair expenses and charge a fee of $0.25 for each mile on the odometer. Interestingly, the updated Cybertruck Motor Vehicle Pre-Order Agreement no longer includes these rules. However, it still maintains a “No Resellers” stance, and any breach of that clause would result in punitive action.

The document states, “We may unilaterally cancel any order that we believe has been made with a view toward resale of the Vehicle or that has otherwise been made in bad faith.” It’s worth noting that there is no mention of the company blocking any future purchase of Tesla cars for the bad actor. It’s important to note that Tesla isn’t the only carmaker to take this approach, as companies like Ferrari, Ford, and Aston Martin also have strict regulations around flipping new cars for a profit.

News

Lawmakers under pressure to water down strict Euro 7 rules – report

Lawmakers in Europe are facing pressure to soften strict emissions rules known as Euro 7, following a compromise agreement among EU countries. The new proposals, presented by Spain, are seen as a more fair alternative to the European Commission’s initial plan to tighten emissions limits for non-CO2 pollutants. This includes nitrogen oxide from brakes and tires, as well as carbon monoxide. Diplomatic sources have indicated that EU countries have largely agreed on these compromise proposals. The pushback against Euro 7 comes from eight EU countries, who argue that car manufacturers are already struggling to meet the continent’s 2035 electric vehicle targets, and that Euro 7 would be too costly with minimal environmental benefits. Car manufacturers themselves, such as Renault and Stellantis, have also voiced concerns, with Renault’s chief stating that it would distract from the transition to electric vehicles, and the Stellantis boss arguing that it would increase prices of smaller vehicles, making them less affordable for lower-income drivers. Euro 7 is the final stage of EU regulations for combustion engine emissions before the sale of pure internal combustion engine vehicles is banned in 2030-2035. It aims to make combustion engines as clean as possible and will bring diesel and petrol engines under identical emissions limits for the first time. The regulation sets limits for various pollutants, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and particles. However, concerns have been raised about the cost-effectiveness of Euro 7, particularly regarding the regulation’s emissions budget and the inclusion of brake dust testing.

Wearables

Why The CIA Doesn’t Allow Fitbits Or Apple Watches In Its Annual Pedometer Challenge

The CIA has specific security protocols for its annual Pedometer Challenge, as outlined by Greg (CIA rules only allow the use of first names), the coordinator of the challenge. The agency has a list of pre-approved devices that are not connected to the internet and have been cleared by security for step counting. This includes specialized pedometers for CIA personnel with disabilities.

The challenge involves teams of eight to ten people who aim to reach a specific number of combined steps in order to progress to the next round. Each level of the challenge requires increasingly higher step counts. This year, the theme of the challenge was “Battle of the Bands,” and the team names were clever puns such as “Red Hot Chili Steppers.” Surprisingly, despite working for the CIA, the competition relies on the honor system for submitting step counts.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the winning team this year was Team Buttsteak, who won for the third consecutive time with 7,550,224 steps. Team 2 Much Stepz 4 U came in second place with 6,516,821 steps, and Happy Feat secured third place with 5,779,997 steps. The name of Team Buttsteak is now engraved on a trophy displayed at the CIA’s gym in Langley Field House.

Featured

Bharat NCAP vs Global NCAP: Similarities And Differences Explained


The Bharat NCAP rules are in line with the global NCAP; however, there are some India-specific tweaks based on our road and driving conditions

Bharat NCAP vs Global NCAP

India has taken a significant step towards passenger safety with the introduction of the Bharat NCAP. Now, cars sold in India can be crash tested in the country to receive a safety rating. However, this rating system remains voluntary for manufacturers, who must still meet basic regulatory requirements to be road legal. The Bharat NCAP will be effective from October 2023.

Until now, crash-test ratings for cars made in India were awarded by the Global NCAP as part of the “Safer Cars For India” program. After 10 years of sharing safety ratings for new cars sold in India and observing a shift among buyers towards cars with higher ratings, the BNCAP used GNCAP standards and protocols to set its own benchmarks.

Which Parameters And Assessments Are Similar?

Both versions of the NCAP include the following tests:

Mahindra Thar frontal impact test

  • Frontal Impact: The front offset barrier tests are conducted at a speed of 64kmph to evaluate the impact on head, neck, chest, pelvis, and knee regions.
  • Side Pole Impact: The side pole impact test is performed at a speed of 29kmph, and a car must be equipped with six airbags to pass this test.
  • Side Barrier: At a speed of 50kmph, a barrier rams into the side of the car to evaluate the damage to the passengers.
  • Electronic Stability Control: ESC is an active safety feature that prevents tire skidding, and cars must be equipped with ESC as standard.
  • Pedestrian Compliant Front Design: Cars are mandated to have a pedestrian-friendly bumper and bonnet design to minimize pedestrian injury in case of an accident.

All cars must undergo and pass these tests for higher safety ratings.

The front offset tests will continue to be conducted at a speed of 64kmph, while the side barrier and pole tests will be performed at 50kmph and 29kmph, respectively. Similar to the GNCAP rules, the Bharat NCAP also considers the structural integrity of the car and its safety assist technologies.

Hyundai Exter six airbags

To achieve a 3-star safety rating or higher, cars must be equipped with six airbags, electronic stability control, and front-row seat belt reminders. Failure to include any of these features may result in a deduction of points in the assessment.

Also See: Kia Sonet Facelift Spotted Testing Yet Again; Launch Expected In Early 2024

Same Scores And Star Ratings

The scores will remain the same, ranging from one to five. Here are the minimum scores required for each star rating:

Global NCAP To Start Crash Tests In India By End Of 2023

Adult Occupants Protection

Child Occupants Protection

Star rating

Score

Star rating

Score

5 stars

27

5 stars

41

4 stars

22

4 stars

35

3 stars

16

3 stars

27

2 stars

10

2 stars

18

While following the procedures of the global NCAP, the Bharat NCAP will also include some India-specific modifications regarding the weightage given to individual parameters when deciding the final score.

What’s Different?

Since the Global NCAP is ahead of the newly introduced Bharat NCAP, there are some safety parameters not included in the latter at this time.

Kia Seltos rear seatbelts

One key difference is the mandate for rear seat belt reminders for higher safety ratings. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for the Ministry of Road, Transport, and Highways, had previously stated that rear seat belt reminders would be compulsory, leading several manufacturers to update their cars with this feature.

While the tests are largely based on global NCAP guidelines, the government has also taken into account Indian driving conditions and roads.

Also Read: Toyota Rumion, Maruti Ertiga-based MPV, Could Go On Sale By August-End Or Early-September

Ratings Will Be On Show

Finally, all cars tested by the Bharat NCAP will carry a sticker displaying their adult and child safety rating. The model, variant name, and test year will also be mentioned on the sticker. Unlike promotional materials, this sticker is likely to be applied to cars that score lower than four stars from the BNCAP.

The government plans to keep updating the testing procedures. The crash test agency intends to add a rear crash impact protection test and the presence of select ADAS features (lane departure warning, brake assist, and autonomous emergency braking) as mandatory for evaluation.

Many manufacturers have already lined up for the Bharat NCAP crash test ratings. This move will encourage manufacturers to focus on passenger safety and reduce road accident fatalities. We expect to see several cars undergo crash tests once the system becomes effective in October 2023.

News, Technology

FTC Proposes Ban On Fake Online Reviews

Fake reviews have become a significant problem, and the new rules proposed by the FTC may not be sufficient to tackle this issue. While it has been against Amazon’s terms of service for years to post false reviews, the company’s efforts to combat this practice by removing sellers and closing accounts have not fully resolved the problem. In fact, Amazon has taken legal action against companies selling fake reviews in an attempt to address the issue.

However, the new rules may fall short due to several reasons. Many companies that engage in buying fake reviews are based abroad and easily evade capture by reappearing under different names. These fake review companies operate on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, providing limited information and being difficult to trace and prosecute.

Moreover, the wording used by these companies makes it challenging to prosecute them. They typically ask “reviewers” to legitimately purchase a product with a promise of full reimbursement and request “honest feedback.” If the feedback is positive, the “reviewers” are politely asked to post it on Amazon or similar websites.

However, while the regulations may have limitations, they represent a step in the right direction. Fake reviews undermine Amazon’s business model and can result in customers being deceived. Furthermore, they harm legitimate small businesses that adhere to the rules and offer quality products.