Multiple UK car companies collapse in administration with jobs lost

Last month, administrators were appointed for Bicester-based Hedley Studios Ltd, with the Daily Express reporting that the majority of its employees have been made redundant.

Sources indicate that the Bicester Motion manufacturer, which made miniaturised electric versions of classic cars, had around 70 employees.

The company’s address was then changed from the historic Oxfordshire business park to Church Street in Birmingham, with the address belonging to Interpath, whose staff are leading the administration process.

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Hedley Studios, formerly known as The Little Car Company, was founded in 2018 and manufactures its cars at three-quarters the size of the original model, with the resulting vehicles typically costing £75,000 or more.

Then, this week, it was reported that a UK electric vehicle charging firm has gone into administration with 69 jobs lost.

EO Car Chargers designs and installs EV charging infrastructure, software and 24/7 maintenance and incident support.

It appointed administrators on Wednesday, April 8, after what it described as “challenging trading conditions in recent years”.

The business had been loss‑making following an expansion into overseas markets including the US, Australia, New Zealand and Italy.

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Also known as EO Charging, the company has produced more than 85,000 chargers and rolled out around 13,000 commercial charging stations in about 35 countries.

It has previously worked with Oxford‑based EV Charging Company to deliver home and business charging points across Oxfordshire.

Of the firm’s 93 employees, 69 have been made redundant, with the remaining staff staying on to help with the wind‑down.

Joint administrator and PwC partner Edward Williams said it was “regrettable that the company has been left with no option but to enter administration and that 69 employees have sadly been made redundant”.

He added: “The administrators are looking to assist customers in smoothly transitioning to alternative suppliers with the support of the remaining employees, before winding down the company in an orderly manner and seeking to optimise the value of its assets.”