Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)

More than £600m has already been committed in the UK to connected & self-driving vehicle testing & trialling since 2015. This tech in on-road passenger cars and services, such as buses, taxis and ride-hailing, could deliver a market worth £3.7bn annually. #SMMTConnected

Manufacturers have committed billions to bring a huge range of competitive ZEV models to market but, to get mass adoption rolling, Britain needs a globally competitive environment for fleet decarbonisation enabling operators to access the latest, greenest vehicles and use them to their full potential. Major industry innovation was clear to see at this week’s Commercial Vehicle Show, featuring some 118 new HGVs and light commercial vehicles coming to market – many of them zero emission. It was also a pleasure to welcome Shadow Minister for Roads, Rt Hon Bill Esterson MP to the Show and discuss the challenges and opportunities industry is facing in its transition to net zero. As set out in a new SMMT paper published at the event, a ‘next generation’ Plug-in Truck Grant is essential along with a nationally joined-up plan for infrastructure. Given the time such projects will take to complete, a plan is already well overdue.     More in this week’s Update: https://lnkd.in/e2BcmxT5

Join the SMMT webinar on 2 May to hear Envantage, low carbon and energy experts provide insights into the current landscape of electricity non-commodity charges, finishing with an outlook and guidance on what your organisation can do to manage these costs. With many in the industry facing rising energy costs and needs to reduce carbon emissions, whilst aiming to meet regulatory requirements, SMMT has teamed up with Envantage, a specialist carbon and energy consultancy, to support members navigating the energy and carbon challenges they are currently facing. To register for the webinar visit https://lnkd.in/eQ5446vM.

Thank you to everyone who attended this year's #CVShow and visited us at the Road Haulage Association (RHA) stand! Special thanks to our supporters and organisers for their hard work in putting the show together. It was a fantastic year, and I hope all who visited enjoyed it. Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE), Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT),Society of Operations Engineers, Commercial Vehicle Show

This week’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Transport News Brief lead comment, Raising the roof for future prosperity World-leading pioneers of truck and van technology headed to Birmingham this week to the Commercial Vehicle Show, providing a massive opportunity for industry to showcase the latest innovations currently available in Britain. Taking place over three days and all under one roof, more than 200 exhibitors set out their stalls – including around 180 vehicles, as well as advanced components, state-of-the-art solutions and all-new services – giving thousands of UK fleet operators the perfect chance to give their business a competitive edge. Government has an important part to play in encouraging operators to switch, as made clear in a new SMMT report published at the event – particularly to deliver a ‘next-generation’ Plug-in Truck Grant and the depot and public infrastructure needed to power the very greenest vehicles. It was a highlight therefore to welcome Shadow Minister for Roads, the Rt Hon Bill Esterson MP on the second day. He visited a number of stands and SMMT members to hear about their priorities for the years ahead, with engagement between industry and politicians as important as ever during an election year. Exhibitor feedback has been positive with quality leads being generated, helped not least by a number of exciting vehicle and product launches that make the Show the UK’s premier industry event. As we transition to net zero, the market is evolving with more competitive and high-tech vehicles features, which as evident this week is encouraging more operators – who typically have long-term loyalty to their brand – to consider switching to new technology.

Exhibit on the UK Pavilion at Automechanika Ho Chi Minh City in June – the nation’s only focused exhibition on automotive aftermarket.   Vietnam has attracted significant manufacturing investment, and in order to explore these opportunities SMMT is organising exhibition stands for UK businesses for half the price compared to exhibiting independently. Find out more about exploring this vibrant market: https://lnkd.in/eDfX7YHi

We are at the Battery Tech Expo🔋at Silverstone today discussing UK regulation and how we can support the EV supply chain. Come by stand A02 to chat with myself, Owain Mortimer or Tim Hughes! Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)

It’s good to see UK CV production record its best Q1 performance in some 16 years, success testament to the determination of manufacturers to deliver for this vital sector, while investing in the latest cutting edge, ultra low and zero emission technology. Global demand continues for British-built commercial vehicles, emphasising the need for favourable market conditions to sustain our production capabilities for increasingly green vehicles. This means reducing energy costs, upskilling our workforce and maintaining free and fair trade deals, the result of which will allow us to attract further investment to improve productivity and decarbonise automotive manufacturing and its supply chain. https://lnkd.in/ey8CG935

Best first quarter for CV production since 2008 despite March drop - British CV production records best Q1 since 2008, rising by 27.4% to 32,626 units. - Export volumes grow 57.9% in first three months, while manufacturing for the UK declines -13.1%. - Growth in January and February followed by -19.2% March decline to 7,943 units. https://lnkd.in/er6aN2Ab

This fall in production is not unexpected given the wholesale changes taking place within UK car factories as existing models are run out and more plants transition to electric vehicle production. We can expect further volatility throughout 2024 as manufacturers lay the foundations for a successful zero emission future. Recent investment announcements have boosted confidence and enhanced the UK’s reputation but there needs to be an unrelenting commitment to competitiveness. Free and fair trade deals must be secured, energy costs reduced and the workforce upskilled if we are to attract further investment to improve productivity and decarbonise automotive manufacturing and its supply chain. https://lnkd.in/eE8JesRi