Cars.co.za report offers interesting insights
Cars.co.za recently launched Industry Report 2026 at its DealerCon summit, offers insight into the forces shaping South Africa’s vehicle market.
- Dealer News
- 22 September 2026
On the eve of its foray into the electrical vehicle (EV) market, Aston Martin has opted for US start-up Lucid Group for assistance with battery technology.
Reuters reported that on 26 June, Aston Martin announced that the company had reached a deal that will give US EV maker, Lucid Group, a 3.7% stake in the company in return for access to its "high performance" technology.
Subject to shareholder approval, Aston Martin will issue about 28.4 million new ordinary shares to Lucid Group. It will also make phased cash payments to Lucid totalling about $232 million.
The high costs of migrating to EVs have forced many smaller carmakers such as Aston Martin to become more reliant on partnerships to make the transition.
Aston Martin plans its first EV in 2025 and until now had leant on Mercedes as its “big brother” to provide the technology it needs.
In a separate announcement on the same day, Aston Martin said it had amended an agreement with Mercedes-Benz meaning the German carmaker would not increase its stake as planned but will maintain around 9% in Aston Martin and continue to provide it with access to engine and EV technology.
The agreement with Lucid, meanwhile, will give "access to Lucid's industry-leading technology for its (battery electric vehicles) BEVs, including electric powertrains and battery systems".
Lucid and Aston Martin have a common shareholder in Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). The Saudi wealth fund became Aston Martin's second-largest shareholder last year.
PIF is also Lucid's main shareholder.
Cars.co.za recently launched Industry Report 2026 at its DealerCon summit, offers insight into the forces shaping South Africa’s vehicle market.
Nissan has introduced the Tekton, a new compact SUV for the South African market. The model is built on the Renault‑Nissan alliance’s CMF‑B platform and is closely related to the Renault Duster, sharing engines and mechanical components.
At the recent DealerCon 2026, hosted by Cars.co.za automotive excellence was celebrated by honouring top executives in the automotive retails industry.
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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
For most of driving history, the sound of excitement has been orchestrated by the internal combustion engine (ICE).
Toyota is sharpening its focus on hydrogen as a practical route to cleaner heavy-duty transport, using IAA Transportation 2026 to showcase new fuel cell technology and partnerships with leading commercial vehicle manufacturers.
To mark World EV Day, Zero Carbon Charge (CHARGE) has launched the N3 EV Real-World Test. The initiative will turn everyday electric vehicle journeys between Johannesburg and Durban into a growing source of real-world data for South African motorists and fleet operators considering the switch to electric.