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Celebrating 9th September – World EV Day – The global movement driving change

vuyi on September 9, 2021

After the enormous success of the inaugural World EV Day, ABB continues its headline partnership with sustainability media agency, Green.TV, for the 2021 World EV Day, to be held on 9th September.

World EV Day is a global movement, driving change, together. A day of celebration of emobility, and a day to shift the transition to sustainable transport with consumer, business and policy outcomes.

In 2021, World EV Day is asking businesses across the world how they will #DriveChange to support emobility, and sharing stories from real EV owners about their journeys on the road to #GoEV.

In 2020, World EV Day became a global focus for raising awareness around e-mobility and the important role it plays for the future of sustainable transport.

– Frank Muehlon, President of ABB’s eMobility Division

Also, the 2021 campaign focuses on education, accessibility and sustainability as the headline themes for the 2021 World EV Day campaign. The day, continuing its work to deliver action will be focused on motivating more people to engage with e-mobility and to support sustainable transport solutions for all.

World EV Day works with its partners to either create digitally led creative campaigns, or provides the tools and channels for our partners to work on their own campaigns.

With 2021 also being the year that the global community comes together with COP26 – the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties – World EV Day will contribute to enhancing progress towards sustainable mobility and focus on decarbonization.

Frank Muehlon, President of ABB’s eMobility Division, comments: “We are committed to enabling low-carbon societies and driving the further adoption of e-mobility solutions is a crucial part of achieving this objective. In 2020, World EV Day became a global focus for raising awareness around e-mobility and the important role it plays for the future of sustainable transport. The initiative was a huge success across the e-mobility community, and something ABB is delighted to continue supporting as headline partner.”

I’m thrilled that ABB are continuing their headline partnership for the 2021 World EV Day

– Ade Thomas, Founder of Green.TV and of World EV Day

Green.TV, the creators of World EV Day, will be working with leading global companies, and organizations, to plan a series of content streams, and events, to accelerate the transition to sustainable transport with consumer, business and policy outcomes.

Ade Thomas, Founder of Green.TV, and of World EV Day, said: “I’m thrilled that ABB are continuing their headline partnership for the 2021 World EV Day. In its inaugural year, the campaign became an international movement, with a media reach of 1.9 billion: the most successful automotive digital communications activity of the year.”

New vehicle sales on the rise in August 2021

vuyi on September 9, 2021

The new vehicle market bounced back during August after being unsettled by a barrage of impacts during July.

Not only did sales show good growth over the same period last year, but August’s new vehicle sales were the second highest this year at 41,425 units, after March’s figure of 44,217. According to naamsa | the Automotive Business Council, new vehicle sales were 24.6% up on August last year.

“Taking into account that July sales were significantly disrupted, the fact that sales were up 8.9% over June indicates some reparations from impacted July sales,” says Lebogang Gaoaketse, Head of Marketing and Communication at WesBank. August sales were 25.3% up over the skewed July new vehicle sales result.

WesBank shares the confidence expressed by motor industry CEOs during the first half of the year in a survey conducted by naamsa. “We have consistently held the optimistic view of recovery for the industry during 2021, with various signs showing growing confidence from both consumers and business,” says Gaoaketse. “To have this environment amplified by industry confidence will help to continue to build momentum in the market’s recovery, preserving jobs and fulfilling demand.”

Taking into account that July sales were significantly disrupted, the fact that sales were up 8.9% over June indicates some reparations from impacted July sales

– Lebogang Gaoaketse, Head of Marketing and Communication at WesBank

In terms of demand, WesBank believes the market is out-running the industry’s ability to supply. “Between the challenges of the pandemic, micro-chip shortages affecting international production – and therefore import supply to South Africa – and the prevailing market conditions that have simply hampered the free supply of certain models, the new vehicle market is poised to capture growth opportunities while trying to keep up.”

The trend towards the pre-owned market continues, driven primarily by affordability

– LEBOGANG GAOAKETSE, HEAD OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION AT WESBANK

The bank’s demand is measured by applications for finance that continue to sit at levels equivalent to or above those experienced prior to the pandemic. “This is reassuring in two senses,” explains Gaoaketse. “On one hand, consumers have been keeping their vehicles for longer, especially delaying purchases through the pandemic. This will create natural demand on the replacement cycle as consumers need to renew their ageing vehicles, probably with lower mileage.

“On the other hand, the current performance of the market is related to supply, rather than demand, meaning a healthy recovery for the industry is on the cards when stability returns to global production,” says Gaoaketse.

The outlook for the remainder of the year looks positive and will hopefully not be impacted by further lockdown restrictions

– LEBOGANG GAOAKETSE, HEAD OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION AT WESBANK

WesBank warns that not all that demand will go to new vehicles, however. “The trend towards the pre-owned market continues, driven primarily by affordability,” says Gaoaketse. “This remains good news for dealers in support of their viability across new and pre-owned showroom floors. Consumers will also benefit from better used vehicle stock once the replacement cycle activity kicks in, due to those low mileage vehicles that have been used less during lockdown.”

– LEBOGANG GAOAKETSE, HEAD OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION AT WESBANK

The growth in the market was shared across most sectors, including another strong performance from the rental sector, buying 4,962 units in total.

Passenger cars grew 40.5% over August last year to 27,157 units. Of these, 22,225 units were sold through the dealer network, 25% ahead of the same period last year, showing a resumption in demand and confidence.

The Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) market was impacted less at 11,749 units, 3.8% ahead of August 2020. In fact, dealer sales were 1% down in this segment year-on-year.

“The market showed good recovery during August from the loss of momentum experienced in July. The outlook for the remainder of the year looks positive and will hopefully not be impacted by further lockdown restrictions or other unforeseen factors,” says Gaoaketse.

Ford Takes Parking to the Next Level, with an Automated Valet

vuyi on September 9, 2021

The search for a parking space can be a daunting endeavour, and when a space is found, it might be a tight squeeze to get the vehicle in. The solution? Leave that work to the vehicle.

As part of a German Association of the Automobile Industry collaboration, Ford has partnered with infrastructure providers and technology companies, including Bosch, to demonstrate the potential for a connected vehicle to communicate with the car park infrastructure to not only find a space but to park itself too. Automated Valet Parking enables drivers to use an app to send the vehicle into an automated parking manoeuvre – all from outside the vehicle.

The technology, currently in the research and demonstration phase, takes the stress out of parking and could be extended to enable drivers to send the vehicle to a car wash or charging station; or even have parcels delivered to the vehicle in the car park.

Ford will demonstrate Automated Valet Parking at IAA in Munich, running from September 6-12. 

In Europe, a standard parking space is 2.44 metres by 4.88 metres. But while vehicles have become increasingly larger over the years, many parking spaces have stayed the same size.

Automated Valet Parking could enable up to 20 percent more vehicles to be parked in a car park – without the potential for damage resulting from vehicles parking too close to each other or occupants opening doors against other vehicles.

How it works

With Automated Valet Parking, sensor technology set up in the car park takes over the control of the vehicle and manages all the traffic inside the parking area. This is done via vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. 

The car park sensors recognise and localise the vehicle to guide its parking manoeuvre. If the infrastructure senses something in the vehicle’s path, such as a pedestrian, vehicle or hazard, it stops the vehicle immediately.

Upon arriving at the car park, the driver leaves the vehicle in a designated area and uses the FordPass app to start the automated guidance to a free parking space.*

When the car is parked, it could also become a personal parcel drop-off point, with delivery companies accessing the vehicle to leave parcels in the boot.

In the future, further connected services could be developed to offer more convenience and benefits to customers.

Drivers use the FordPass app to request the return of the vehicle to the designated area, expediting the pick-up experience and enabling the driver and passengers to comfortably enter the vehicle. This saves any long walks through large car parks or the potential problem of trying to find the vehicle again. 

Sadly the technology is not available in South Africa and in all likelihood will not be available to us any time soon.

WATCH: Overview of the freshly upgraded Lexus LS 500 at launch

vuyi on September 9, 2021

The 2021 Lexus LS 500 is now on sale to South African customers, benefiting from design and technology advances that deliver ever greater refinement, comfort and safety. 

LEXUS LS F SPORT PRICES AND SERVICE INFORMATION 

The Lexus LS 500 Luxury retails for R2 204,200, while the LS 500 F Sport has a price tag of R2 397,900. The LS has best-in-class 7-year/105 000km Warranty and Full Maintenance Plan. The vehicle’s service intervals are at every 15 000km, alternatively once a year.