Daily Motor News – Tuesday 5 August 2025 

ILC Exclusive: Distorted data, distorted decisions: the hidden cost of claims mismanagement 

In today’s motor insurance landscape, the pressure on pricing, the rise of AI-driven reserving, and a wave of mergers and acquisition (M&A) activity are reshaping how insurers manage claims. Through all these changes, one thing remains paramount: claims are a strategic asset, with their true value realised through the data they generate and how this data is leveraged across the insurance value chain. Read more

First car models approved for £1,500 discount to turbocharge the move to electric 

Drivers across the UK can save £1,500 on new electric vehicles, with the first eligible models confirmed today (5 August 2025), as government makes owning an EV cheaper and easier for thousands of people. Read more

Motor finance claims – Supreme Court decision brings relief to lenders and credit brokers but the FCA is consulting on a redress scheme 

On Friday 1 August, the Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeal’s judgment in the cases of Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd, Wrench v FirstRand Bank Ltd and Hopcraft v Close Brothers Ltd, in very good news for lenders and credit brokers. It found that the car dealers in these three cases did not owe a fiduciary duty to their customers. Whilst it upheld the decision that there was an unfair relationship between one of the claimants and the finance company, this was based on a very specific set of circumstances that will not necessarily be widely applicable. Read more

Critics say EVs are a fire hazard. here’s what the latest data shows 

Electric cars are not the fire-prone hazards your uncle might have said they are during that heated Thanksgiving dinner. New data from Poland’s State Fire Service, quoted by the New Mobility Association (PSNM), shows EVs are on par with combustion cars when it comes to vehicle fires. The latest EV fire safety report looked at all the vehicle fires that occurred in Poland in the first half of the year, and as raw numbers go, EVs accounted for less than half a percent of the total. Read more

Road trips and rear-enders: auto claims AI automation for the summer surge 

It’s summer. The highways are packed, roadside billboards are sun-bleached, and somewhere between the lake and the nearest gas station, a rear-end collision just triggered a new claim. Multiply that by thousands. With more drivers on the road for longer trips, insurers see a sharp increase in collision claims of every kind—from fender-benders to major highway crashes. Read more

esure Group publishes 2025 ClimateWise Report 

David McMillan, Chief Executive Officer, esure Group said: “I am pleased to share our 2025 ClimateWise report. This is our fourth ClimateWise disclosure and it remains an important part of how we assess our progress and gain invaluable external perspective to help inform future plans.” Read more

New car registrations stall in July but recovery expected 

The new car market stalled in July with registrations falling -5.0% to 140,154 units, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The performance was the weakest for the month since 2022 and some -10.8% lower than in pre-pandemic 2019, demonstrating the market’s volatility and wider economic setting. Read more

Eight months of decline for new van market puts strain on EV ambitions 

The new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market fell by -5.1% in July with 24,433 vans, 4x4s, pickups and taxis joining the road, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). This marks the sector’s eighth consecutive month of decline, and the weakest July since 2022, as sluggish business confidence deters fleet investment, and economic conditions remain tough. Read more

Incentives not ‘knee jerk’ mandates key to boosting uptake of corporate zero-emission cars 

Europe has a zero-emission vehicle demand problem. Battery-electric models account for only around 15% of car registrations in the first half of 2025. In the same period, the share stood at just 8.5% for vans and 3.5% for trucks. Read more

‘Open the floodgates’: why Tesla’s $243 million Autopilot crash verdict is such a big deal 

Thanks, in no small part, to the rise of artificial intelligence, a new era has arrived for autonomous cars. New players are springing up all over the world, established leaders are having to up their game, and more and more consumers are requesting automated driving assistance systems (ADAS) features.  Read more

Why Panasonic opened one of the largest EV battery plants 

Panasonic has officially opened its new cylindrical lithium-ion battery factory in De Soto, Kansas, US. Spanning 4.7 million square feet, this facility is now one of the largest gigafactories in North America. The Japanese company began mass production of 2170 battery cells on 14 July, setting a target for an annual production capacity of about 32 GWh. Read more

Will new greener brake pads be more expensive? 

Garage owner Kevan Gibbons has noticed many changes in his 45 years in the motor trade. Cars are much bigger than when he started out. Driving styles have changed too, with more frequent stopping. Read more

Tyre safety must not be overlooked as eyesight becomes a focus for older drivers 

TyreSafe has welcomed Lancashire County Council’s new resources aimed at educating older and mature drivers about the risks of deteriorating eyesight—and is urging drivers of all ages to consider their tyres as a critical component of overall road safety. Read more

Behind Apple’s aspiration to increase the global use of circular materials 

The smartphone in your pocket contains aluminium, copper, rare earth elements, and several other critical materials—the same materials critical to renewable energy technologies, such as lithium batteries and electric vehicles. Read more

JLR has announced the appointment of Mr P B Balaji as Chief Executive Officer from November 2025. Mr Balaji succeeds Mr Adrian Mardell, who has expressed his desire to retire from JLR after 3 years as CEO and 35 years with the Company. Read more

Energy giant BP says it has made its largest oil and gas discovery this century as it shifts its focus away from renewable energy and back to fossil fuels. Read more