Motor Trader The award-winning and longest running UK magazine for car retailing professionals. Your first stop for News, Jobs and Reports for the motor industry.
Diesel was top of the agenda at the Motor Trader Summit 2018 Scotland which took place yesterday at the GTG Training & Conference Centre in Edinburgh.
Demand for diesel has plummeted 37% in March with buyers deterred by negative publicity surrounding the fuel on environmental and health grounds and a government switch in strategy.
Sandy Burgess, SMTA CEO his big bugbear is the demonisation of diesel. “We are trying to turn it around and say diesel is part of the solution,” he told delegates.
Stephen Latham, senior operations manager at the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) commented on the “substantial” shift from diesel and the slow inroads being made by EVs.
Consumers were “very confused” on diesel and that is driven by “poor signalling” from government, he said.
Diesels were being seen as dirty with little understanding of Euro 6 clean diesels. This he said was impacting consumer buying decisions. There was also concern that CO2 levels were increasing as buyers switched back to petrol,” he said.
Humza Yousaf, Scottish minister for transport said: “Internally we are doing a lot of work to get to 2032. I would rather be put more of our energy into the electric vehicle side.”