The leading all-electric parcel delivery company HIVED has placed an order for 11 Mercedes-Benz eActros, recently voted International Truck of the Year 2025, as it expands the UK’s only end-to-end electric delivery network, covering middle and final mile. HIVED has ordered nine eActros 600 and two eActros 400 from Mercedes-Benz Dealer partner, Motus Truck & Van. They will operate across HIVED’s nationwide middle mile network, collecting from retailer warehouses for delivery to end customers. The eActros 600 is the perfect choice for HIVED’s middle mile deliveries as its large battery capacity of over 600 kWh1 means it can travel at…

Bentley Motors has officially opened its new state-of-the-art Excellence Centre for Quality & Launch. The new facility, opened today by Gunnar Kilian, Member of the Board of Management at Volkswagen AG, and Bentley’s Board of Management, will be pivotal to the brand’s preparations for the first Bentley BEV. The world’s first Urban Luxury SUV will be launched next year and today’s opening sets a key milestone in transforming the 85-year old site for a new age of electrification. Bentley’s industry-leading Beyond100+ strategy will see the company reinvent its entire product range to support an electrified future. The company’s new digital,…

New 2024 eBay data reveals residents of Romford, East London, continue to be the UK’s most security- conscious car owners, purchasing the highest number of vehicle security accessories per capita. Following Romford, Llandudno, Conwy, and Redhill in Surrey rank second and third, while Dorchester, Dorset, and Truro, Cornwall, round out the top five. eBay’s analysis, based on vehicle security product purchases throughout 2024, highlights a growing shift towards traditional, non-electronic car security solutions. Security Trends: A Return to Traditional Protection In 2024, searches for traditional security accessories—such as Faraday pouches and steering wheel locks—increased by 2.75% compared to 2023. Most…

A boost of almost £10 million has been earmarked for city highways improvements – with continued road surfacing projects to tackle potholes. Investment from the highways capital programme for 2025/26 will be bolstered by an extra £500,000 City of Wolverhampton Council commitment, bringing the total to £9.7 million. Potholes are a priority for the council and over the past year more than 7,900 have been repaired. But with more than 740 kilometres of carriageway to manage, prevention work is key. That is why the council uses a data driven, informed strategy to identify where targeted surfacing works can extend the…

Volkswagen Group UK Managing Director, Damien O’Sullivan, has become a Patron of the Automotive 30% Club, demonstrating the Group’s ongoing commitment to gender balance and its holistic DE&I agenda. O’Sullivan took over in December from Alex Smith, who was the first Patron and Gold member of the Club. The UK’s Automotive 30% Club is a network of over 70 automotive MDs and CEOs who have made a commitment to be inclusive leaders and build diverse gender-balanced businesses. Volkswagen Group UK has long been a part of the network, and is proud of its current achievements in the field of DE&I.…

Following the successful launch of the new MINI family, a range of additions and optional extras are set to further enhance the MINI offering from Spring 2025. Increasing personalisation across the MINI Cooper, MINI Cooper Convertible and MINI Countryman, customers now have a wider choice of exterior colours and trim combinations, alongside new digital features and improved practicality. Improved exterior colour range Giving customers increased options to personalise their new MINI, an improved selection of optional exterior paint colours are now available on petrol powered MINI Cooper, MINI Cooper Convertible and MINI Countryman models, regardless of customer choice between Classic,…

During this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, Volkswagen Group UK is not only celebrating with a visit to the Houses of Parliament to showcase network skills, but also launching a number of new head office apprenticeship roles. On Monday, our National Learning Centre apprenticeship team and seven learners took part in a Society of Manufacturers and Traders event at the Houses of Parliament. They had the chance to showcase their learnings and share their passion for working in the automotive industry with sector leaders and politicians, as well as to undertake an unforgettable guided tour of the Houses of Parliament. Volkswagen…

JLR’s Barbara Bergmeier has been named the overall winner at the inaugural Autocar Drivers of Change awards. Held and judged in association with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and Ennis & Co, Autocar Drivers of Change is a new initiative championing diverse talent in the automotive industry. A sibling event to Autocar Great Women, these awards celebrate the automotive industry as a place that welcomes everybody. The 40 Autocar Drivers of Change winners are individuals who are driving change and promoting diversity in their business in whichever role they perform. They were named at an awards ceremony at…

Top employers in the UK automotive sector are investing in a major skills drive to grow apprenticeship numbers by almost a sixth in 2025, according to a new survey by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), as manufacturers embark on a ‘green growth decade’. With the UK celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 2025 (10-16 February), there are few more exciting places for apprentices to be than automotive, as the sector innovates to deliver a new generation of zero emission vehicles. More than £20 billion of investment has been committed to Britain’s EV transition in the past two years alone1 –…

In September 2019, the council declared a climate emergency, later committing to a Net Zero target of 2041. The Walsall Net Zero 2041 Strategy sets out the priorities and actions needed to achieve net zero into six themes. These are: Energy: Focusing on reducing energy consumption, increasing efficiency, and transitioning to renewable energy sources. Circular and Green Economy: Promoting sustainable production and consumption, reducing waste, and supporting green skills and business opportunities. Homes, Workplaces, and Public Buildings: Improving energy efficiency in buildings, retrofitting existing buildings, and ensuring new buildings are net zero ready. Transport and Travel: Reducing emissions…