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Automotive News

New-vehicles sales gain 2.2% after eight months of decline; Suzuki swoops into second place

By: Irma Venter 6th May 2024 New-vehicle sales have finally moved into positive territory following eight gruelling months of decline. Not all market segments experienced growth, however. →

Braking company developing Africa presence

By: Lynne Davies 3rd May 2024 According to a report by the African Development Bank in the ‘Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook of Africa’ publication, 11 African countries featured in the world’s 20 fastest growing economies in 2023, which is why braking systems manufacturer and supplier of safety-critical subsystems for... →

The above image depicts one of the trucks operated by Knorr-Bremse

DIAGNOSTICS ANALYSIS Knorr-Bremse will be conducting technical training solutions, while aiding in diagnostics analyses to help diagnose issues with vehicles while in the field

New Class 4, 5 vehicles optimised for net-zero emissions

3rd May 2024 Commercial electric truck brand RIZON, the newest brand of all-electric trucks manufactured by Daimler Truck, announced the Canadian launch of its Class 4 and 5 vehicles. The RIZON brand was presented in Canada for the first time at Truck World in Toronto, which took place from April 18 to 20 –... →

The above image depicts the latest trucks offered by RIZON

Photo by Rizon
SAFETY SYSTEM The latest trucks offered by RIZON boast a proprietary connectivity service from RIZONCONNECT

RFA helps to address cross-border challenges

By: Lynne Davies 3rd May 2024 The Road Freight Association (RFA) – the largest national trade association in South Africa – is concerned about cross-border transport and the associated regulatory and traffic challenges. Three issues frequently occur at the border post precinct that either influence travel time or physically... →

The image depicts the RFA CEO Gavin Kelly

Photo by RFA
GAVIN KELLY The pre-clearing system has taken 20 years to develop, during which the RFA has attempted to get a variety of departments to agree and then devise sustainable or secure systems

Biofibre project to enhance competitiveness

By: Simone Liedtke 3rd May 2024 Government economic programme Coega Development Corporation, in partnership with scientific and technology research organisation Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have embarked on an initiative known as the Biofibre Hub Project. Positioned within the expansive 9 003 ha Coega... →

MANUFACTURING POTENTIAL The Biofibre Hub Project seeks to harness the potential of plant-based fibres, particularly bast and leaf fibres, to innovate in the automotive sector and beyond

Electric trucks too expensive? Now you can rent one from Volvo Trucks SA

By: Irma Venter 3rd May 2024 Volvo Trucks South Africa (SA) has introduced an equipment-as-a-service (EaaS) model for its new electric truck rental business. Following last year’s launch of Volvo electric trucks in South Africa, the company has been importing a range of configurations to suit local conditions. →

Cape Town takes another stab at rolling out electric buses for its MyCiTi service

By: Irma Venter 3rd May 2024 The City of Cape Town should have battery electric buses (e-buses) operational on its MyCiTi bus service by 2027, says Urban Mobility MMC Rob Quintas. It will be the city’s second stab at rolling out the zero-emission technology, following an unsuccessful attempt as an early adopter in 2018. →

VW Africa laments power outages in Eastern Cape, but Electricity Minister said to be tackling the problem

By: Irma Venter 3rd May 2024 Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) suffered four power outages at its Kariega plant in the second week of April, says VWA MD and chairperson Martina Biene. This happened while there was no loadshedding scheduled for the Eastern Cape. →

Suzuki breaks through 50 000 unit sales mark

By: Irma Venter 3rd May 2024 Suzuki Auto South Africa (Suzuki SA) has broken through the 50 000-units-a-year sales barrier for the first time in its history. The year in question is the company’s financial year, running from April, 2023, to March, 2024. →

Former Audi SA head moves to Ford as sales director

By: Irma Venter 2nd May 2024 Ford South Africa has appointed Ryan Searle as its new sales director, effective May 1. Searle joins Ford after six years as the head of Volkswagen passenger sales where he was responsible for sales and market share performance for its South African dealer network, including sales strategy and... →

Ryan Searle

Lower income consumers are being priced out of the car market – TransUnion

By: Irma Venter 2nd May 2024 TransUnion Africa CEO Lee Naik says a tough economic environment characterised by cost-of-living challenges, high fuel costs and currency depreciations have resulted in a notable decline in vehicle sales and financing in South Africa. However, while this contraction is expected to persist,... →

Hyundai unveils nano cooling film able to slash interior heat in cars

By: Irma Venter 26th April 2024 The Hyundai Motor Company has unveiled what it says is the world’s first application of a nano cooling film. The South Korean car maker describes the film as “a revolutionary vehicle window tint that offers a significant improvement in interior cooling performance compared to conventional tint... →

Volkswagen to invest R4-billion to produce third model at Kariega plant in show of commitment to South Africa

By: Irma Venter 26th April 2024 Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) will invest R4-billion in its manufacturing plant in Kariega, in the Eastern Cape. The investment will be used to prepare the plant for the addition of a third model to the company’s production line-up from early 2027. →

‘No operational issues’ as Golden Arrow tests electric Explorer bus

By: Irma Venter 25th April 2024 Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) says it will probably make a final decision in the third or fourth quarter of this year on whether it will acquire any Lion’s Explorer E electric buses from MAN Truck & Bus South Africa (MAN SA). MAN SA in September provided GABS with its first Lion’s Explorer E... →

The MAN Lion’s Explorer E electric bus

South Africa aims to set up three JET-aligned skills development zones

By: Terence Creamer 24th April 2024 Three Just Energy Transition (JET) skills development zones focusing on renewables and grids, electric vehicles and green hydrogen value chains are proposed for implementation under the larger JET Investment Plan (JET-IP), for which pledges of $11.5-billion have been made by several developed... →

Blue Energy signs 20-year green power deal with wheel manufacturer

By: Irma Venter 24th April 2024 Local developer and operator of clean energy infrastructure, Blue Energy Africa, has signed a 20-year deal with Borbet South Africa (SA) for the procurement of power from renewable-energy sources. Founded in 1962 by Peter Wilhelm Borbet, the family-owned company has five locations in Germany, as... →

Urgent need to develop Africa’s fuel storage, distribution networks – Puma Energy

By: Irma Venter 23rd April 2024 Puma Energy Africa head Fadi Mitri has issued a call to action to the African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA) to urgently develop the continent’s energy infrastructure. ARDA is the pan-African organisation for the downstream oil sector. →

IEA expects another record year for EVs in 2024, but sales remain concentrated

By: Terence Creamer 23rd April 2024 The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects electric vehicle (EV) sales to rise to a record 17-million in 2024, representing more than one in every five passenger cars sold, but with sales likely to remain highly concentrated in the Chinese, European and US markets. Sales rose by 35% last year... →

Amaury Vadon appointed MD of Michelin sub-Saharan

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 22nd April 2024 Mobility company Michelin in South Africa has appointed Amaury Vadon as its new sub-Saharan Africa MD, effective April 1. Originally from France, Vadon brings considerable experience and a proven record in sales, operations and management garnered over his 12-year tenure at Michelin, the company... →

Amaury Vadon

Jaguar Land Rover develops portable charger using second-life batteries

By: Irma Venter 19th April 2024 Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has developed a portable battery energy storage system (Bess) using second-life Range Rover and Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) batteries. The unit, built in collaboration with energy storage startup Allye Energy, is the first Bess to be... →

JLR's Bess system

Metair reassures market amid huge debt, challenges at Türkiye battery business

By: Irma Venter 19th April 2024 Metair is still very much open for business and the group is able to accommodate new clients should they need automotive components or energy storage solutions, says new CEO Paul O’Flaherty. O’Flaherty, now two months into the job after former CEO Sjoerd Douwenga bowed out, owing to health... →

GAC Motor joins inflow from China

By: Irma Venter 19th April 2024 China’s GAC Motor has appointed Salvador Caetano Auto as the distributor and retailer of GAC vehicles, spare parts and related services in South Africa (SA). GAC Motor is a subsidiary of the State-owned GAC Group, and was founded in 1997. The brand joins a rapidly growing number of Chinese... →

New-vehicle sales plummet 11.7% in March, extending months-long slide

By: Irma Venter 19th April 2024 New-vehicle sales plummeted by 11.7% in March, to 44 237 units, compared with the same month last year. Sales for the first quarter of the year are now 5.3% below the same period last year. →

Electric trucks too expensive? Now you can rent one from Volvo Trucks SA

By: Irma Venter 18th April 2024 Volvo Trucks South Africa (SA) has introduced an equipment-as-a-service (EaaS) model for its new electric truck rentals business. Following last year’s launch of Volvo electric trucks in South Africa, the company has been importing a range of configurations to suit local conditions. →

Electric Volvo trucks available to rent

Private renewables procurement may mitigate boom-bust cycles curbing South Africa’s green industrialisation

By: Terence Creamer 18th April 2024 The combination of public and private procurement of large-scale renewables in South Africa signals increased stability for manufacturers of key components, a new GreenCape report argues. Published ahead of the release of the much-anticipated South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM),... →

Together with large-scale procurement, rising rooftop solar installations are offering greater market stability that could stimulate local manufacturing

VW Africa laments power outages in ECape; Patel says Electricity Minister is tackling the problem

By: Irma Venter 17th April 2024 Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) last week suffered four power outages at its Kariega plant, says VWA MD and chairperson Martina Biene. This happened while there was no loadshedding scheduled for the Eastern Cape. →

Janse van Rensburg to succeed retiring Arbee as Motus CEO in November

By: Sabrina Jardim 17th April 2024 Osman Arbee will be retiring as CEO of automotive group Motus, with effect from October 31, and will be succeeded by the group’s CFO Ockert Janse van Rensburg, with effect from November 1. Having joined Imperial Holdings in September 2004, Arbee’s career with the group has spanned 20 years. He... →

Volkswagen to invest R4bn to produce third model at Kariega plant

By: Irma Venter 16th April 2024 Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) will invest R4-billion in its manufacturing plant in Kariega, in the Eastern Cape. The investment will be used to prepare the plant for the addition of a third model to the company’s production line-up from early 2027. →

VWA chairperson and MD Martina Biene

Millennials, Gen-Zs want cars, but are struggling to afford them – WesBank

By: Irma Venter 15th April 2024 Young South Africans, aged 35 and younger, are demonstrating a growing preference for private mobility. This is evident in recent WesBank data that shows a consistent increase over the past three years in the number of vehicle finance applications for new and pre-owned cars by Millennials and... →

Jaecoo launches its first cars in South Africa

By: Irma Venter 15th April 2024 China’s Jaecoo brand has launched its first vehicle in South Africa – the J7 sports-utility vehicle (SUV). Chery/Omoda & Jaecoo South Africa (SA) says the “urban off-road SUV brand” is “poised to take the local market by storm”, with the three J7 derivatives “priced from just R549 900”. →

The Jaecoo J7

Suzuki breaks through the 50 000-unit sales mark

By: Irma Venter 12th April 2024 Suzuki Auto South Africa (Suzuki SA) has broken through the 50 000-units-a-year sales barrier for the first time in its history. The year in question is the company’s financial year, running from April, 2023, to March, 2024. →

Toyota, Ford and VW shine in AutoTrader report

By: Irma Venter 12th April 2024 In 2023, Toyota took top position as South Africa’s most sold used-car brand, with 60 296 units changing hands, while the Ford Ranger reigned supreme as the country's most sold model, at 20 156 units. This is according to the 2023 AutoTrader Car Industry Report, released this week. →

Toyota adds Hilux, Fortuner hybrids to its local production line-up

By: Irma Venter 12th April 2024 Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has added the Hilux double-cab and Fortuner 48 V mild hybrids to its local production line-up at its Durban plant, in KwaZulu-Natal. The addition of the new models brings Toyota’s local hybrid production tally to three, adding to the existing Corolla Cross hybrid... →

WeBuyCars lists on the JSE

By: Irma Venter 11th April 2024 Preowned-vehicle sales specialist WeBuyCars on Thursday listed on the main board of the JSE under the share code WBC. The listing follows WeBuyCars’ unbundling from Transaction Capital, which also owns the struggling SA Taxi. →

Automotive experts unpack NEV growth projections, impact on platinum demand

By: Marleny Arnoldi 11th April 2024 As new energy vehicle (NEV) sales grow more moderately in reality than what was expected two years ago, demand for platinum group metals (PGMs) in the automotive sector is not trailing off as drastically as may have been expected, a panel of speakers noted during a PGMs Industry Day event hosted,... →

Cape Town takes second stab at rolling out electric buses for its MyCiTi service

By: Irma Venter 10th April 2024 The City of Cape Town should have battery electric buses (e-buses) operational on its MyCiTi bus service by 2027, says Urban Mobility MMC Rob Quintas. It will be the city’s second stab at rolling out the zero-emission technology, following an unsuccessful attempt as an early adopter in 2018. →

Zero Carbon Charge says it will build 120 off-grid e-truck charging sites

By: Irma Venter 9th April 2024 Electric vehicle charging startup, Zero Carbon Charge, has launched a new subsidiary, Zero Carbon Logistics, which it says will roll out 120 off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) electric truck charging sites on national highways across South Africa. According to Zero Carbon Charge, the project will... →

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