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Ford announces new partnership with Octopus Energy in Great Britain and Tibber in Germany, the Netherlands and Norway, that will enable Ford customers to charge their EVs using energy tariffs specifically designed to enhance the ownership experience. 

Developed to support Ford’s expanding EV line-up, the opportunities will initially be available from early 2024 to drivers of Ford Mustang Mach-E, followed by the new Ford Explorer when it arrives later in the year. 

The new Dynamic Charging feature is designed to enable Ford EVs to communicate with the energy providers’ intelligent supply networks. 

According to a statement by the company, owners of compatible models will be able to plug in their vehicle, input their desired state-of-charge and departure time using a smartphone app and simply get on with their day – safe in the knowledge that their battery will be automatically charged using tariffs designed to maximise cost savings and the use of renewable energy. 

Carwow, an online marketplace for buying and selling cars, has unveiled a global rebrand in a bid to drive Carwow’s growth plans for the UK, Germany and Spain in 2024, the company said in a statement. 

It’s hoped the rebrand will widen its appeal to its dealer and OEM partners. Carwow has unveiled its new logo, colour palette and tone of voice, part of a full refresh of its brand identity – the company’s first since launching 14 years ago – as it repositions itself as the ‘car-changing marketplace for life-changing moments’. 

The change supports its mission to become the go-to online platform for buying and selling cars, where dealers will never miss a car-changing opportunity thanks to its 3.5 million monthly users.   

Carwow CEO, John Veichmanis, said: “We have big ambitions for 2024 and along with the expansion of our product offering, this new look is a natural evolution that better reflects how we operate as a business today." 

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Motors, has secured a provisional court order from a Swedish court, instructing the country’s transport authority to find a way to get licence plates to Tesla that are being blocked by postal workers, the Aftonbladet newspaper reported.

In the filed lawsuit on Monday, Tesla is taking legal action against the Swedish state. More specifically, Tesla’s legal complaint addresses the partially state-owned Swedish Transport Agency, which in a sympathetic strike with car mechanics of the local trade union, has refused to deliver new license plates to the US car manufacturer. 

The Norrköping district court rapidly ruled in favour of Tesla, stating that the company should be permitted to collect the plates from the transport agency offices. 

The legal drama began when 130 Tesla mechanics requested for their wages to be set through collective bargaining, as is customary in Sweden. 

Bay Motors Group has rebranded as MOTORS with immediate effect. Under the direction and investment of new ownership, the dealer facing eBay Motors Group brand and consumer facing Motors.co.uk brand, have come together as a single entity – MOTORS.  

The business will continue to offer dealers access to multisite advertising across eBay and Gumtree, with no immediate changes to their advertising packages.  

From today the MOTORS website sheds the “.co.uk” branding it has carried since launch 15 years ago, and debuts a fresh new identity, with a vibrant green theme. An all-new MOTORS mobile app will follow in early 2024.  

Commenting on the rebrand, CEO Barry Judge, said: “The market for buying and selling cars has fundamentally shifted, so it is time to rethink how advertising platforms best support their consumer and trade audiences. Rebranding our operations provides an opportunity for us to drive the business and expand our role as a key partner for car retailers across the UK."  

Nissan has announced its plans to produce new electric versions of its models Juke and Qashqai in its Sunderland plant, supporting an estimate of 6,000 UK jobs. 

Nissan is allocating £1.12 billion to upgrading its UK facilities and supply chain, as well as to providing training for its workforce. In addition to the construction of a gigafactory for manufacturing batteries, likely in conjunction with its next-door neighbour AESC, the overall new investment is expected to amount to £2 billion, as stated by the company. 

The upcoming vehicles will take the place of the plant’s existing trio of models: the Qashqai, the Juke crossover SUVs and the Leaf. The commitment to producing three new electric models and to building a battery plant entails a considerable boost to the UK auto industry. 

A significant gigafactory is already under construction at the site, managed by AESC Envision, a Chinese company specialising in manufacturing batteries for the automotive sector, from which Nissan holds a 20% ownership stake.