March new-vehicle sales come in 0.6% lower year-on-year

March new-vehicle sales dipped by 0.6%, to 50 157 units, compared with the same month last year. But it’s not all bad news, says WesBank marketing and communications head Lebogang Gaoaketse. 

Durban Car Terminal notches up historic milestone

The Durban Car Terminal (DCT) says it has handled more than 600 000 vehicles this financial year. Towards the end of March, the vessel Cattleya Ace of MOL Shipping offloaded 4 025 fully built... 

Lexus to be first in Toyota stable to dip toe in local electric vehicle market in next two years

Toyota’s premium vehicle arm, Lexus, is set to launch two battery electric vehicles (EVs) in the local market in the next two years. The introduction of these vehicles will most likely be the... 

SVI sees strong growth in armoured vehicle demand as crime surges

SVI Armouring Solutions expects to armour around 200 vehicles this year, up from 130 vehicles in 2020. SVI business development director Nicol Louw says the recent surge in the domestic crime rate,... 

Civil Confidence Index improves for fourth consecutive quarter

The First National Bank (FNB)/Bureau for Economic Research (BER) Civil Confidence Index increased to a more than six-year high of 42 in the first quarter of the year, up from 31 in the fourth... 

Chery to add Omoda brand to its local line-up

Chery’s first Omoda model has gone on sale in South Africa. Omoda, which takes aim at a more premium market than the Chery brand, is already available in South America and Asia, with Europe and... 

Golden Arrow to add 60 locally built electric buses to its fleet next year

Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) aims to add 60 locally built electric buses to its fleet in 2024, says GABS company engineer Gideon Neethling. The Cape Town-based bus operator started testing two... 

Hyperinflation, higher costs take big bite out of Metair’s profits

Metair faced a tough 2022 financial year, with its results significantly impacted on by hyperinflation in Türkiye; project costs to support the launch of the new Ford Ranger; higher logistics... 

A.P. Moller acquires Vector Logistics

A.P. Moller Capital and South Africa’s RCL Foods have entered into an agreement for the Danish firm to acquire Vector Logistics, a division of RCL Foods. Vector Logistics is a South Africa-based... 

Volvo Trucks South Africa ready for May introduction of electric trucks 

Volvo Trucks South Africa has confirmed that it will start delivering heavy electric trucks to its local customers in May. In South Africa, these trucks fall within the extra-heavy commercial... 

Volkswagen takes over vehicle assembly operations in Ghana

Volkswagen has taken over new-vehicle assembly operations in Ghana from the brand’s licensed retailer, Universal Motors Limited (UML).  UML was awarded the assembly contract when Volkswagen... 

Challenges ahead as dealerships move to EVs, says LMG’s Dipela

Legacy Motor Group (LMG) chairperson and shareholder Mpho Dipela says dealerships in South Africa face “significant challenges” as they participate in the transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs).... 

Metair CEO resigns, interim replacement named

Metair CEO Riaz Haffejee has resigned after two years at the helm of the components manufacturer. His last working day was March 31. He will, however, be available for two months, up to the end of... 

Anchor block construction on Msikaba bridge nears completion

The Concor-Mota Engil Joint Venture has almost completed the four massive concrete blocks that will anchor the Msikaba bridge in place. Concor project director Laurence Savage says the blocks... 

Bell boosted by strong demand, autonomous trucks ready to roll 

Increased commodity demand, post-Covid-19 stimulus packages, as well as expanded infrastructure spending in several markets, have all combined to drive up demand for Bell’s articulated dump trucks... 

Top SA car brands could be impacted by arrival of hybrids, EVs – AutoTrader’s Mienie

AutoTrader’s newest Hybrid Car Buyers Survey and Electric Vehicle (EV) Car Buyers Survey show that brand ranks very low in importance among potential buyers of EVs and hybrids. The digital... 

R66bn worth of component exports at risk from move to EVs

Catalytic converters, engine parts, engines, clutches/shaft couplings, silencers/exhausts and ignitions/starting equipment are the component groupings most at risk from the global move to electric... 

New electric buses are locally assembled and stress-tested, UJ says

The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has purchased two battery electric buses to ferry students between its various campuses. The decision to roll out the buses follows a test period last year... 

BMW unveils pilot hydrogen fleet

The BMW Group has unveiled the first vehicles in its pilot hydrogen fleet that will enter service this year.  After four years of development work, the iX5 hydrogen vehicle and development project... 

VWSA jump-starts new supplier through BBBEE Initiatives Trust 

Through the ongoing support of Volkswagen’s Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Initiatives Trust, a former employee of Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) has been able to realise his... 

Cape Town wants new Transport Minister to fast-track rail devolution

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says he has written to new Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, asking her to fast-track rail devolution “as a top priority”. Chikunga’s appointment follows a... 

February new-vehicle sales inch up 2.6%, exports slide 11.5% 

Domestic new-vehicle sales in February increased by 2.6%, to  45 352 units, compared with the same month last year, says Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council. Year-to-date sales are up 4.3%. 

Grindrod plans commodity portfolio expansion in hunt for growth

Logistics specialist Grindrod aims to “deconcentrate” its portfolio of commodities, says CEO Xolani Mbambo. Unveiling the company’s financial results for the year ended December 31 last week, he... 

Mantashe says SA must not ‘walk away from coal’ as Greenpeace disrupts his Indaba speech

Greenpeace Africa last week disrupted Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe’s opening speech at the Africa Energy Indaba in Cape Town by staging a silent protest in front of the... 

WBHO reveals record order book, finally closes door on Australia chapter

Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) revealed a record order book as the company earlier this month reported its financial results for the six months ended December 31. At about R26.5-billion, the... 

Vehicle sales growing, but storm clouds loom, warns TransUnion

South Africa’s automotive industry shrugged off ongoing vehicle price inflation, declining consumer credit health and looming macroeconomic storm clouds to record an increase in vehicle sales in... 

Audi rolls out second phase of EV charging network

Audi South Africa (SA), in partnership with sustainable technology group Rubicon, has brought 43 additional electric vehicle (EV) charging stations on line across the country.  These chargers can... 

Bolt to invest €500m in Africa in next two years

Mobility app Bolt says it will invest €500-million in its African operations over the next two years.  The funds will be used to expand the company’s services in Africa and to create opportunities... 

Transformation at dealerships ‘woefully slow’, says Legacy Motor Group chairperson

The pace of transformation within vehicle dealerships remains woefully slow, and urgent action is needed if the automotive industry is to achieve true transformation, warns Legacy Motor Group... 

Purchase subsidy would be ‘most appropriate’ EV incentive model – Naamsa

Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council has proposed the “provision of a direct, fixed new-energy vehicle purchase subsidy” as the most appropriate incentive model to support South Africa’s move... 

Mantashe affirms commitment to coal as Greenpeace disrupts his Indaba speech

Greenpeace Africa on Tuesday disrupted Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe’s opening speech at the Africa Energy Indaba in Cape Town by staging a silent protest in front of the... 

Gautrain Management Agency starts process to appoint new concessionaire

The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) is ready to go to market with the tender for the reconcessioning of the 80-km rapid-rail system, says CEO William Dachs.  The GMA, an agency of the Gauteng... 

Msikaba bridge construction slated for completion by end of 2024 

Construction of the Msikaba cable-stayed bridge near Lusikisiki, in the Eastern Cape, should be complete in the last quarter of next year.  Work on the project, which forms part of the N2 Wild... 

Provisional antidumping duties slapped on Chinese windscreens

The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) has imposed provisional antidumping duties on vehicle windscreens imported from China, varying from 18.36% to 26.6%. Itac... 

Mercedes-Benz Vans SA to launch electric Sprinter by 2024, minibus set to follow

Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa will introduce the battery electric Sprinter panel van (eSprinter) to the local market in 2024. “As we embark on a new era of sustainable mobility, we are proud to... 

Motus to spend R250m in next 18 months on alternative energy sources

With no light discernible at the end of the Eskom tunnel, mobility group Motus will spend R250-million over the next 18 months to install alternative energy generation sources, such as solar power,... 

Grindrod looks to expand commodity portfolio in the hunt for growth

Logistics specialist Grindrod aims to “deconcentrate” its portfolio of commodities, says CEO Xolani Mbambo. Unveiling the company’s financial results for the year ended December 31 on Thursday, he... 

Ford SA starts exports of new Ranger bakkie

Ford South Africa (SA) has started exports of the new-generation Ranger from its Silverton plant in Pretoria. The pick-up is being shipped to more than 100 markets, with Europe the largest export... 

BMW SA adds new i7 to EV mix, says iX1 to follow later this year

The total battery electric vehicle (BEV) market in South Africa grew by 137% in 2022, says BMW Group South Africa (BMW SA). Just under 420 BEVs were sold in South Africa in the first 11 months of... 

New-vehicle sales up 4.8% in January, exports down 1.8% 

New-vehicle sales increased by 4.8% in January, to 43 509 units, compared with the same month last year. New-passenger-car sales gained 2.9%, to 31 072 units.