Policy
Car supplier insolvencies rose 180% since 2016 and the SMMT wants £130m for productivity
Insolvencies among UK vehicle and component makers rose about 180% between 2016 and 2025. The SMMT wants a £130m fund to raise supplier productivity.
Used market
Claims stayed at a record £3.2bn as the average premium slipped to £562
Motor insurers matched a record £3.2bn in third-quarter payouts while the average premium fell £4 to £562, and claims inflation is still running at 6% to 7%.
Policy
Car makers can now offer fleet buyers better terms than dealers
The Supply of New Cars Order 2000 banned fleet price discrimination and pre-registration bonuses. The CMA revoked it on 4 November after one reply.
Policy
The 100% write-off for new electric company cars ends on 31 March
A company buying a £60,000 electric car before April can save £15,000 in corporation tax. From April the first-year saving on the same car falls to £1,800.
New cars
JLR sent bailiffs into BYD's Dutch offices over the Defender's shape
JLR's bailiffs seized digital records from two BYD offices in the Netherlands in August. A Hague hearing this week decides whether the Ti7 case can proceed.
Used market
Used car sales rose 0.5% in Q3 while electric growth eased to 23%
SMMT figures show 2,030,619 used cars changed hands in Q3, the best third quarter since 2021, but used electric sales grew 23.2% after 67% in the spring.
Policy
Europe has cut its 2035 car target to 87.5%, and Britain's decision is still open
MEPs have cut the EU's 2035 car CO2 target from 100% to 87.5% and the van target to 80%, while the UK's own ZEV mandate review is still waiting on a decision.
Used market
Britain's best-selling car keeps owners waiting more than a week for repairs
The Jaecoo 7 was Britain's best-selling car in October, yet 65% of its faults keep owners off the road for more than a week, and insurers stay wary.
Policy
Ministers are set to cut the 2030 electric car target to about 60% this week
Government sources say Louise Haigh will sign off a 60% electric car target for 2030 this week, with the mandate's flexibilities extended to 2034.
Policy
Brent fell 16% in a week, and petrol gave back 1.3p a litre
Brent's steepest week since 2020 took 16% off crude while the UK average petrol price moved 1.3p. What the gap means for the cost of a fill-up.
Used market
Vauxhall tells owners of five older models to stop driving over Takata airbags
Vauxhall has issued a stop-drive notice for the Astra H, Astravan, Astra Twin Top, Vectra and Signum, with up to 82,000 cars still awaiting a free airbag repair.
New cars
Volkswagen has capped 5,000 UK electric cars at 80% charge, with no fix date
Volkswagen's battery recall covers about 5,000 UK ID.3, ID.4 and ID.7 cars, limited to 80% charge since mid-October, costing up to 70 miles of range.
Used market
The average car sold at auction for £7,244 in October, 5% less than a year ago
BCA's October average fell 1% to £7,244, 5% below a year ago and 2.5% further under guide price, while trade buyer numbers passed 10,800 for the first time.
New cars
The rate rise lands where 89% of private new car sales are financed
Bank Rate rose to 4% on 5 November, the first increase since 2023. With 89% of private new car sales financed, the monthly cost of a car is being repriced.
Charging
The £190m motorway charging plan has not yet shown it will add chargers
The CMA's subsidy unit says OZEV's £190m motorway charging plan rests on evidence it has not produced, with five gaps to close and key terms still open.
New cars
Electric cars reached 32% of October sales, five points behind petrol
October registrations rose 5.4% to 152,730. Battery electric cars took 32.0% of the market against petrol's 37.2%, leaving the year short of its 33% target.
Policy
Record electric van sales still leave a mandate gap that doubles by 2028
Electric van registrations rose 58.0% to a record 3,369 in October, a 12.9% share against a 24% mandate. SMMT's own outlook has the gap doubling by 2028.
New carsAll →
- Dacia's £17,995 Sandero hybrid is Britain's cheapest full hybrid, and the payback takes eight years4 November 2026
- Jaguar names 19 showrooms for a brand that registered eight cars this year4 November 2026
- Vauxhall passes 100,000 electric sales, on course for its biggest year yet4 November 2026
- Honda cuts CR-V and ZR-V prices, landing one trim under the £40,000 tax line3 November 2026
- Vauxhall hands its design to Citroen's chief as Mark Adams retires2 November 2026
- Volkswagen has paused the electric Golf because it cannot afford the work1 November 2026
PolicyAll →
- Pickup registrations have halved, and the Ford Ranger takes half of what remains5 November 2026
- MPs want a tariff plan for Chinese cars and a firewall for connected vehicles2 November 2026
- Euro 7 is confirmed for 2027 and the battery test is the real change31 October 2026
- Budget 2026 for drivers: fuel duty frozen to July, eVED fleshed out, £100 million for on-street charging28 October 2026
- Two-thirds of drivers are cutting back as pump prices approach record levels27 October 2026
- Burnham steps back from the 2030 electric car target as the cabinet splits25 October 2026
ChargingAll →
- £38m depot charging window misses its opening date3 November 2026
- Public chargers would have to pass a cyber security standard under new plans1 November 2026
- Octopus offers fleets up to 30% off public charging, and the maths explains why22 October 2026
- From tomorrow, charging without a driveway gets a planning route20 October 2026
- A Cheaper Week at the Plug: Home Charging After the VAT Cut6 October 2026
- The energy price cap is live: what it means at the plug1 October 2026
Used marketAll →
- Barclays begins early car finance settlements, with one month to decide3 November 2026
- Motor Ombudsman turns 10 with half of complaints turned away2 November 2026
- Used electric vans are gaining value while diesel vans slide1 November 2026
- Used hybrid stock is closing on 100,000 cars31 October 2026
- Used car values fell again in October, and electric cars were the only ones to rise29 October 2026
- Used EV values are rising while the rest of the market falls, and 300 miles is the number23 October 2026
GuidesAll →
- The turning circle: why PDCA still drives continuous improvement3 November 2026
- MOT testers must now accept approved LED bulbs in halogen headlamps14 October 2026
- Diesel slips back below £2, and the maths has not caught up10 October 2026
- Diesel Reaches Two Pounds a Litre: What It Costs You Now2 October 2026
- The grant shelf this autumn: what the money actually buys1 October 2026
- Why the Cheapest New Electric Cars Use a Different Battery30 September 2026