Moved Nameplates - 7 February 2023

FOLLOW UP: BRITISHVOLT BUYER FOUNDThe Administrator for Britishvolt, EY, has narrowed down the options to the Australian firm Recharge. They are a start up and have not constructed a major project during their time. At the same time that they target getting a battery factory built in the UK they will be trying to do that same in Australia. Click here to learn more, by reading The Guardian article. FOLLOW UP: NEW DEAL DETAILS FOR THE REBEL ALLIANCE Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi announced the details for the restructuring of the alliance this week. We knew about the changes to share ownership but they also confirmed investment in Ampere by Nissan and that Mitsubishi is considering joining. To read more about the story, click this link to a Yahoo Finance article. JANUARY 2023 NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURESSMMT has released the New Car Registration figures for January 2023 and they are up on last year. Whilst it is an improvement you have to go back to 2012 for a worse year. Petrol and BEVs are up, with PHEVs also slightly increasing their numbers and diesel is down. Click here to read Tristan Young’s always excellent thread. The SMMT is calling on the Government to help with the charging network and also with VED. Click here to find out more via their article. FORD EXECS GET SMALLER BONUS Due to the poorer than expected results, Ford executives are receiving a smaller than anticipated bonus, whilst non decision making staff are not affected by this change. Jim Farley, Ford’s CEO, stated that it was unfair on staff who could not fix the issues that have impacted on the company’s earnings. Click here to learn more from the Detroit Free Press. Talks are apparently underway between BYD and Ford, over the Saalouis factory that is slated for closure. This would give the Chinese company a foothold in Europe quite quickly. However, not everyone agrees, with some thinking it is quicker for BYD to build their pown facility. Click here for the link to the The Driven article to read more. Even more reports suggest that Ford is looking at large job loses in Europe, with one figure being as high as 3,200. To learn more, click this link to an Autocar Business article link. ARRIVAL CUTS MORE staffArrival, the beleaguered commercial EV start up has announced the cutting of a further 800 jobs. This is on the back of a senior management reshuffle where the two top jobs just swapped nameplates. Click this Guardian article link for more. MERCEDES UNVEILS BEVISIONEERS CHARITYEyebrows were raised when Mercedes sold one of two 'Uhlenhaut' SLR Coupes as they couldn’t have needed the cash. Well they did, but for a good cause, to start the beVisioneers charity. They have created a global fund for young people to access to help their projects that are aimed at sustainable goals. Successful bids will be helped to achieve the target of the schemes. Click this Complete Car article to learn more. If you like what we do, on this show, and think it is worth a £1.00, please consider supporting us via Patreon. Here is the link to that CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST LUNCHTIME READ: EARLY MOTORING FASHIONS FOR MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDRENThe Juicy History newsletter provides this week’s Lunchtime Read, where you can go back to the early days of motoring and see how to suitable dress before clambering aboard a motor vehicle. What a wonderful snapshot of attitudes, technologies and society. Click this link here to read more. LIST OF THE WEEK: TOP 15 FUN AND FRUGAL CARSWe have Top Gear magazine to thank for their excellent list of frugal and fun cars, where you get to enjoy driving them but they don’t cost the earth to keep going. Don’t forget, guess which Alan would chose and do let us also know if you agree with Andrew’s choice. Click this link here to view the options. AND FINALLY: 70 YEARS OF MATCHBOX CELEBRATED There will be seven collections of new Matchbox cars produced to help celebrate the 70th anniversary of the toy car company. Click this Top Gear link to view some of the cars we will all be able to buy soon.