MG has extended its attractive discount on its ZS EV after it recieved 2000 orders in the first two months of going on sale. The offer, which will be available to the brand’s next 1000 UK customers, will continue to see MG match the government’s £3500 plug-in car grant on the top-spec Executive model, bringing its list price down to £23,495. The entry-level ZS EV Excite will get a £3000 discount, which when paired with the government grant, brings the price down to £21,995. According to data supplied by the SMMT, MG sold 1078 units in total in June 2019, highlighting the ZS’s initial sales figures as a significant surge in demand. While it took longer for the ZS EV to reach 2000 sales, it is hoped the extended discount will continue momentum for the affordable EV. “Since the official launch of the ZS EV in July, MG dealerships across the country have reported unprecedented demand from customers eager to get behind the wheel,” Daniel Gregorious, MG UK’s Head of Sales Marketing, said. “Our mission at MG is to make high-tech, zero-emissions cars available to all, and we are well on our way.” Once the next 1000 examples have been sold, the ZS EV will be available from £24,995, including the government grant. Although largely unrivalled in its position as a value electric compact SUV, the ZS EV represents a much more affordable alternative to the Kia e-Niro, which starts from £32,995 after grant. The ZS EV’s chief rival, Hyundai’s Kona Electric, is priced slightly higher at £27,250, but is currently off-sale in the UK, with prospective buyers encouraged to join a waiting list. Like Hyundai and Kia, MG is applying a seven-year warranty to all ZS models sold in the UK. The discounted price puts the ZS EV among the cheapest electric cars available in the UK. The ageing Citroen C-Zero is the only mainstream EV available for less, at £17,020 including the grant. The ZS EV was first revealed at the Guangzhou motor show in China last year, and will be sold alongside the existing petrol versions of the ZS. The UK-bound ZS EV makes use of a front-mounted electric motor, producing 141bhp and 260lb ft. The car’s water-cooled 44.5kWh lithium ion battery is good for a 163-mile range on the WLTP test cycle, and is capable of rapid charging from flat to around 80% capacity in half an hour. Styling changes over the conventionally fuelled model are minimal, and limited to the integration of a charging point in its blanked off grille, and the addition of a newly designed set of 17in alloy wheels. Inside, standard equipment includes an 8in touchscreen, satnav, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth and DAB radio. The ZS prioritises interior space and practicality, with a split-level boot and several hidden storage areas maximising load capacity. “We’re delighted to be entering the electric car market at such an exciting time,” said Daniel Gregorious, MG’s head of sales and marketing. “With MG’s trademark value-for-money approach, we’re confident that we can help more and more new car buyers to go electric.” UK sales of the EV weren’t confirmed at its global debut last year, but now come as part of the steady growth of the MG brand worldwide and its transition to being a maker of SUVs. MG is enjoying sales success in China, under the ownership of SAIC. Last year, it sold 134,786 cars, a significant increase over the 80,389 sold in 2016. That success accelerated in 2018; MG had already surpassed its 2017 total by the end of August, having sold 179,109 cars. China is the world’s largest market for electric cars, and ranges in excess of 250 miles are now the norm there, rather than the exception. The ZS EV first made its debut alongside the new HS SUV, which is understood to be lined up to replace the GS in MG’s UK range later this
Origin: MG ZS EV gets extended discount offer following record sales
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Nissan chief Hiroto Saikawa quits following pay revelations
Hiroto Saikawa has resigned as CEO of Nissan with immediate effect after admitting being improperly overpaid. Saikawa had recently indicated he would quit after admitting being overpaid, and his departure was agreed at a board meeting in Japan today. Current COO Yasuhiro Yamauchi will take over as acting CEO, with the company aiming to appoint a new CEO by the end of October. The departure of Saikawa is another blow to Nissan following the revelations of financial misconduct that led to the departure and arrest of former chief Carlos Ghosn and director Greg Kelly. Whereas Ghosn had pushed to fully merge the three companies involved in the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, Saikawa has been pushing for Nissan to retain full independence. The misconduct came to light in a report from the troubled firm’s audit committee following an internal investigation into misconduct by Ghosn and Kelly. The report, produced by Nissan and an external law firm, listed several specific instances of financial misconduct. While it hasn’t been published in full, Nissan has released an overview of its key points. These include the fact that Saikawa had been overpaid as part of a bonus payment scheme – a charge that he recently admitted. The report says that, in 2013, Saikawa made a request to Kelly to find a way to increase his pay. While Kelly didn’t meet that request, he subsequently recalculated the compensation due from Saikawa’s share appreciation rights and falsified documents to give the appearance that those rights had been exercised a week after the actual date. The report also found that two former Nissan directors and four former or current executives benefitted from share overpayments due to improper handling by Kelly. However, the report suggests that only Ghosn and Kelly will be charged with misconduct, because the others were unaware of the methods employed by Kelly. The overview of the report also includes several examples of how overpayments to Ghosn were concealed and lists several examples of his personal use of company assets. These included $27 million (£21.7m) assigned to Nissan subsidiary Zi-A Capital being spent on properties for Ghosn’s personal use in Beirut and Rio de Janeiro, more than $750,000 (£604,000) being paid to Ghosn’s sister for a fictitious consulating contract and more than $2m (£1.6m) being paid to two universities in Ghosn’s home country of Lebanon with “no legitimate business
Origin: Nissan chief Hiroto Saikawa quits following pay revelations
Honda confirms Swindon factory closure following consultation
The firm will now begin the second phase of the consultation, which includes finalising redundancy packages and “identifying the impact on individual roles up until production ceases in 2021”. Honda said it will also consult with the Swindon Task Force set up by Secretary of State Greg Clark to “mitigate the impact of this decision on the wider community”. The closure would result in 3500 job losses. The Wiltshire factory, which builds only the Civic, currently produces 150,000 cars annually – far from its capacity of 250,000 units. The closure is a huge blow for the government’s hopes of the UK remaining an established car manufacturing hub post-Brexit. While Brexit hasn’t been cited as a reason for Honda’s plans, it is the latest factor in a perfect storm for the industry. Already this year, Jaguar Land Rover has announced 4500 job losses, Nissan has confirmed it will no longer build the X-Trail in Sunderland and Ford has said there will be job losses at its plants. Honda has been slow to react to electrification compared to its rivals. It launched its CR-V Hybrid last year but doesn’t offer any electric models, although its Urban EV, a retro-styled electric city car, is due to go on sale late this year. The firm’s intention is to consolidate much of its manufacturing back to its home country of Japan. This will allow it to ship to China – one of the markets where “high production volumes” are expected – fairly easily. The deal that the Japanese government has recently struck with the European Union (EU) is likely to be another motivating factor. It means tariffs on Japanese-made cars coming into the bloc’s 27 member states will be phased out from this year, reducing the financial benefit of Honda having a UK hub. The threat of import tariffs for European-made cars from Donald Trump’s administration will also be a factor, because the US is one of the Civic’s main markets. A statement issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) following the first news of the plant’s closure in February read: “Today’s announcement is a huge blow to UK automotive manufacturing, and for the Honda plant’s highly skilled and productive workforce. Whilst production will continue in Swindon until 2021, giving government and industry time to help affected employees and the local supply chain which supports a further 10,000 jobs, this is, nevertheless, devastating news.” “The challenges facing Honda are not unique,” SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said. “The global automotive industry is facing fundamental changes: technological, commercial and environmental, as well as escalating trade tensions, and all manufacturers are facing difficult decisions. The UK should be at the forefront of these changes, championing its competitiveness and innovation, rather than having to focus resources on the need to avoid a catastrophic ‘no-deal’ Brexit.” Honda’s statements have made no mention of Brexit or falling demand for diesel cars – two things that have been recurring in other car makers’ reasoning for problems. Honda of the UK Manufacturing director Jason Smith said: “It is with a heavy heart that today we confirm the closure of Honda’s factory in Swindon. We understand the impact this decision has on our associates, suppliers and the wider community. We are committed to continuing to support them throughout the next phases of the consultation process.” Honda of the UK Manufacturing, which was established in Swindon in 1985, has received a total investment of £1.5 billion across its numerous buildings. It mothballed half of its plant after sales failed to recover following the 2008 financial crisis and then decided to produce just the Civic, with the Jazz and CR-V moving elsewhere in the world. Back in 2008, Swindon produced more than 230,000 cars annually, but that number has now nearly
Origin: Honda confirms Swindon factory closure following consultation
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