After the Nissan LEAF's best sales month ever in March and a 423.5% year-over-year sales increase in April, Nissan's all-electric car has crossed the 25,000 unit sales mark. With more than 25,000 sales in the US and 62,000 global sales, Nissan seem to have been successful in their initial intention with the LEAF model, which was to bring affordable zero emission motoring to the mass market....

Source West has today launched its new website providing a wealth information about electric vehicles (EVs) and recharging network in the South West. Source West, funded by Bristol City Council through the UK’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund, is promoting the introduction of EVs into the South West including Bristol City, Bath and North East Somerset, and the Counties of South Glou...

Alfa Romeo has introduced a special series Collezione range to its Giulietta line-up. The Alfa Giulietta Collezione features modified body styling, upgraded specification and low official CO2 figures. The special series is powered by a choice of four engines – a 1.4 TB 120bhp or 1.4 TB MultiAir 170 bhp petrol and 1.6 JTDM-2 105 bhp and 2.0 JTDM-2 140 bhp diesels. Emissions are from ju...

Businesses in Scotland are being encouraged to enter the race to be recognised as the country's greenest transport business as the 2013 VIBES Transport Award opens for entries. VIBES, or the Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland Awards, is Scotland's leading environmental awards scheme. Backed by the Scottish Government, VIBES aims to recognise businesses of all sizes and...

History has been made as the first CO2 free laps of the Nurburgring 24 hour race have been completed using a new hydrogen hybrid automotive concept, the Aston Martin Rapide S. The most powerful hydrogen hybrid car has proven its reliability and performance characteristics at an international motor race, demonstrating its lack of restriction to driving range or refuelling time. The Asto...

BMW UK today revealed its network of dealers that will supply and support BMW i, the company's new sub-brand featuring electric drive systems and premium mobility services. From launch, 46 sales agents across the UK will offer the BMW i range. Each will have specialist technical capabilities allowing them to carry out repairs to the vehicles' high voltage batteries. A wider service network ...

Source London, the capital's electric vehicle charge point network and membership scheme, has now met the Mayor of London's commitment to provide 1,300 publicly accessible charging points. Since its launch two years ago, 1,300 charging points have been installed by a consortium of over 60 public and private partners, led by Transport for London (TfL), at over 300 sites in the capital. These...

Volvo Car Group is ramping up production of its world-first V60 Plug-in Diesel Hybrid by 90% to cope with strong demand for the cars across Europe. The increased demand, especially in Holland, Belgium and Italy, means that Plug-in Hybrid production at Volvo Cars' Torslanda plant in Sweden will be increased continuously from 150 to 282 units per week. The V60 was a pioneering model when...

The new Peugeot 2008 Crossover is now available to order from £12,995 OTR, with CO2 emission figures from 98 g/km. With an official UK launch date of July 18th, the 2008 Crossover offers contemporary styling with a range of low CO2 engines, making it a likely choice for both private and business users when it launches. The 2008 Crossover range consists of four trim levels: Access+, ...

The Toyota Auris Hybrid hatchback is now available with CO2 emissions of 84g/km, the lowest of any car in the family hatchback class. This reduction is achieved by refining the vehicle tuning and adopting various aerodynamic improvements such as new aero-stabilising fins in the rear glazing. These measures combine to improve the overall energy efficiency without negatively impacting vehicle...

GreenFleet's Arrive 'n' Drive event will take place this Thursday (May 16th) at Rockingham race circuit in Northamptonshire. The event promises a number of industry firsts and a host of other activities. The list of firsts at the Northamptonshire circuit include the first fleet drives of the Vauxhall Adam and Peugeot 2008, as well as event sponsor EDF's EV Power Park, which will showcase th...

A dedicated hybrid vehicle technical forum is to take place in London on July 17th and July 18th this year. The 'Hybrid Powertrain 2013: Component & System Level Technological Development Summit' event is the first dedicated technical forum to be held in Europe providing engineering focused briefings on achieving the optimal balance between cost, performance and commercial viability. I...

Peugeot has released first images of the New 308, a compact family hatchback with the most efficient model variant returning just 85 gCO2/km. A number of new technologies have been used to design the new Peugeot 308 – during the development stages, PSA Peugeot made 116 patent applications which led to a new driving feel. New technologies and reduce size of many major components h...

Bosch, the global supplier of technology and services, says that they are confident that that the EU vehicle fleet emissions target of 95 grams of CO2 per kilometre is technically feasible. Bosch is working on petrol and diesel engine technologies to further reduce their CO2 emissions by 20%, as well as electric vehicles, for which Bosch believes there will be a volume market after 2020. ...

Local criminals won't be the only ones charged after West Midlands Police (WMP) took delivery of 30 Nissan LEAFs in the UK’s largest corporate LEAF deal to date. Ten local policing units (LPUs) will run three 'diary car' LEAFs each: the cars will be used to attend pre-arranged meetings with victims of crime and locals who have contacted the police force. Diary cars average 40 to...

car2go, the car sharing service from Daimler and Europcar, launches in Birmingham on 8 May with 250 low CO2 smart fortwo vehicles available to use over an area of 21 square miles. Car2go aims to be a fully-flexible, on-demand car sharing scheme that is easy to use, affordable and environmentally-friendly. Car2go is already proving successful in 19 other cities worldwide, with a total of 7,0...

Six new Volvo models featuring revised styling, additional equipment and reduced CO2 emissions are set to arrive at dealerships nationwide. The new Volvo S60, V60, XC60, V70, XC70 and S80 all feature new front and rear profiles and enhanced equipment levels. CO2 levels have been lowered across each new model, with increased fuel efficiency. V40 and V40 R-Design models fitted with the 1...

Atmospheric CO2 levels are rising, and the global average is on the verge of exceeding the 400 parts per million (ppm) milestone. At the end of April the daily average of atmospheric CO2 was officially recorded as 399.72, and scientists expect the figure to exceed 400 ppm over the next few days. Last week, the weekly average stood at 398.5 ppm. Hourly readings have exceeded the 400 ppm...

The UK government faces European fines as we have failed our legal duty to meet European air pollution limits. This week, the supreme court recognised that the government have a duty to protect people from the harmful effects of air pollution – but legal limits have been exceeded in many cities. It is the first time that a UK court has ruled against the government in European pol...

The Greater Manchester Electric Vehicle scheme (GMEV), a new electric vehicle charging point network and pay as you go programme, led by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), has been officially announced. TfGM is working with the Greater Manchester local authorities to identify locations and install a range of charge points for electric vehicles, which will be operational in the summer....

The brand new Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion is now available to order, and enters the market as one of the most fuel-efficient combustion engine family cars available in the UK. The new Golf BlueMotion offers fuel economy of 88.3 mpg on the combined cycle, and CO2 emissions of just 85 g/km, yet it still offers customer all the Golf’s traditional attributes of practicality, comfort and s...

Two Nissan LEAFs have been delivered to Microsoft UK, becoming the first 100% electric cars to join its staff company car scheme. Keen to look for ways to reduce its vehicle fleet carbon footprint, Microsoft UK ran five weeks of competitive internal trials with several electric car manufacturers. The trial involved inviting 500 Microsoft UK staff members ranging from engineers and seni...

With the high cost of fuel being one of the biggest concerns for UK motorists, vehicle manufacturers are failing to offer a cost-effective solution that is already available to drivers in mainland Europe says LPG supplier, Autogas Ltd. Currently, cars powered by autogas LPG are available directly from the showroom of more than 20 different vehicle manufacturers in Europe, offering drivers s...

An Aston Martin has become the world's first hydrogen-fuelled zero CO2 emission vehicle to complete a lap of the 24 km Nordschleife circuit in Germany. The lap was completed last Saturday, with Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer Dr Ulrich Bez at the wheel of the prototype Aston Martin Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S. The lap was a perfect test run ahead of a formal record-breaking attempt at the...

It sounds like science fiction but a team from the University of Exeter, with support from Shell, has developed a method to make bacteria produce diesel on demand. While the technology still faces many significant commercialisation challenges, the diesel, produced by special strains of E. coli bacteria, is almost identical to conventional diesel fuel. This means that it does not need t...

Ford Motor Company and Schaeffler have demonstrated the Fiesta-based eWheelDrive car, a driveable research vehicle that could lead to ground-breaking improvements in urban mobility. Powered by independent electric motors in each of the rear wheels, eWheelDrive technology offers space under the bonnet that in conventional cars is occupied by the engine and transmission, and in electric cars ...

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) has taken delivery of a 100% electric Nissan LEAF in a bid to meet high levels of environmental responsibility across all areas of its operations. CDDFRS approached Nissan for help to reduce its pool car fleet carbon footprint and the LEAF, with zero tailpipe emissions, has proved to be a perfect partner. The LEAF is being u...

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has confirmed that the London Congestion Charge scheme will undergo a major change in July this year, with the current Greener Vehicle Discount (GVD) being replaced by a new Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED). Currently, vehicles entering the congestion charge zone are eligible for the GVD if they have CO2 emissions of 100 g/km or less and are Euro 5 &#82...

Just one month on from its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show, Renault has confirmed UK pricing and specification for its new supermini crossover, Captur. The Captur is a new style of urban crossover, with large wheels and generous ground clearance making it a unique blend of MPV, SUV and hatchback. Each of the versions in the Capture's line up will come with a turbo-charged engine. ...

Vauxhall is to cover the majority of running costs for Ampera customers with a new ownership package for its pioneering extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV). Available on Positiv and Electron trims, private buyers will be entitled to three years or 60,000 miles free servicing and a £2,000 fuel contribution, enough to cover both electric and petrol costs for three years for an avera...

The EU Parliament has approved a draft law setting out rules for achieving the 95g/km CO2 emissions target for 2020 car sales within Europe and added an indicative target range of 68-78g/km from 2025. In 2009, the EU set legally-binding targets for new cars to emit 130 g/km CO2 by 2015 and 95 g/km CO2 by 2020, a target which will require the encouragement of further clean-car innovation. ...

Britain's largest 'smart grid' project has joined forces with an electric vehicle (EV) recharging network to monitor the impact EVs have on electricity networks and support the UK’s transition to a low carbon economy. The £54m Customer-Led Network Revolution (CLNR) project and Charge Your Car—the UK's largest regional network of EV charge points—will work togethe...

Volvo has been successful in creating an on-board charger that is small enough to be fitted in an electric vehicle and can receive charge through a three-phase electricity supply. The three-phase supply means that charging the electric vehicle battery can be achieved much faster, reducing the full charge time in an electric C30 model to 1.5 hours. Although the C30 isn't planned for the...

A Kent based cheesemaker's quest to turn his business totally carbon neutral has been made possible by Nissan. The UK's first carbon neutral cheese production has began at Winterdale cheese factory, made possible by completing deliveries in a renewably powered 100% electric Nissan LEAF. Not only does the LEAF produce zero tailpipe emissions, the electricity used to charge its batteries...

Despite several leading supermarkets dropping fuel prices at the pumps, new research from leading vehicle remarketing company BCA, highlights that fuel costs remain a major concern for motorists. The BCA surveyed over 700 used car buyers in March, finding that 75% claimed fuel price is their biggest worry when it comes to motoring costs and over a third are annoyed by the lack of Governmen...

Hyundai Motor Company has strengthened its commitment to a cleaner, low-carbon future by joining the Mayor's London Hydrogen Partnership (LHP). Hyundai and LHP representatives, including Deputy Mayor, Kit Malthouse, signed the agreement at the Greater London Authority headquarters in London last week. The LHP has initiated over £50 million worth of hydrogen projects, attracting h...

Detroit Electric's new high-performance electric sports car, the SP:01, has been publicly revealed at the Shanghai Motor Show. The SP:01 is a limited-edition, two-seat pure-electric sports car, that has become the world's fastest pure-electric production sports car, setting a new benchmark for performance and handling in the electric vehicle segment. The Shanghai event is the first tim...

More than five million Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicles have been sold globally since 1997, in around 80 different countries. The Prius has become one of the world's best-selling cars, and is now among 20 different hybrid models offered by Toyota Motor Corporation. That figure is set to grow as the company plans to introduce 18 new hybrids and a fuel cell vehicle within the next two years. ...

Britain now has the fifth most competitive automotive industry in the world, with the sector providing around one in 40 of all UK jobs, according to a new report published by the think tank IPPR. But with two-thirds of the world economy now covered by low emissions standards, the report shows that demand for electric vehicles in the UK has fallen behind most other European countries and the...

The latest Volkswagen Golf GTD, initially introduced at last month's Geneva Motor Show is now available to order in the UK, with CO2 emissions from just 109 g/km. Despite the low CO2 figure, the new performance Golf is still capable of returning a 0 to 62 mph time of 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 142 mph. In the UK, prices start from £25,285 on the road. The new GTD is powered b...

The UK's best selling small van, the Peugeot Partner, is now available with an electric drivetrain. Designed mainly for business users, the Partner Electric van offers zero emission mobility and a near silent driving experience, whilst not losing the attributes that have made the original diesel Partner van popular. The Peugeot Partner Electric was first presented in its definitive ve...

Ford has announced upgraded versions of its Mondeo executive car range, with competitive new pricing and lower CO2 emissions. The new Ford Mondeo five-series model range introduces new Graphite and Titanium X Business Edition models, priced at £15,995 and £21,995 respectively, and with CO2 emissions from just 119g/km. Ford Mondeo models equipped with the reputed 2.0-litre Durator...

The first ever electric car club scheme in Wales has launched, offering an all-electric, zero emission Nissan LEAF which the whole community will be able to benefit from. The Big Lottery Fund's Village SOS programme awarded nearly £25,000 to the Cilgwyn Community Group near Newport, Pembrokeshire, to support the car club project, which allowed them to purchase a brand new Nissan LEAF ...

The next generation of Nissan's all-electric LEAF has arrived – and for the first time, buyers can lease batteries for the 100% electric car and choose one of three trim levels. A new pricing structure has been introduced to reflect the three trim levels and the battery-leasing options now available. Cars bought with leased batteries will be known as 'Flex' models and buyers will...

The tax man now collects from British motorists over £1,000 a second in fuel duty on sales of petrol and diesel, the equivalent of over £94 million by the end of each day, according to the world's first road statistic counter. So far this year, 11,453,586,419 litres of petrol and diesel have been used, which adds up to the payment of a lot of fuel duty. This equates to a contri...

The Mayor of London has announced his intention to create the world's first Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London, with the aim to deliver dramatic benefits in air quality. Boris Johnson believes that the decision will provide a major spur for the further development and mass take-up of zero and low emission vehicles. He has asked Transport for London to prepare plans to look at in...

Nissan has analysed and announced the results from an intensive month long cold weather testing programme carried out on the eNV200 electric van. The testing was carried out within the British Gas fleet, and proved to be a great success. British Gas were pleased with the eNV200’s performance, and have plans to make a substantial proportion of its 13,000 strong LCV fleet electric by 2...

The new Citroen Berlingo Electric van will make its UK debut at the CV Show, at the NEC in Birmingham, from April 9th to 11th. The all-electric Berlingo van will go on sale in the UK later this year, and builds upon Citroen’s first electric van market experience, gained with the first generation Berlingo Electrique van that was for sale between 1998 and 2005. Citroen has decided...

Following other emergency service departments around the country, the Norfolk Fire service has just taken delivery of a new Chevrolet Volt range-extended electric vehicle, as part of its initiative to reduce its own environmental impact. The Volt was handed over at Cambridge Chevrolet which has been selling the plug-in model since its launch last year. The Volt returns an overall fuel effic...

HMRC has confirmed that the P11D price for EVs will include the price of the battery even if the battery is leased rather than purchased outright. While the 2010 Budget announced a five year tax break for battery electric vehicles, from 2015, battery electric vehicles will begin paying company car tax based on a BIK rate of 5%. An EV's P11D price will therefore become an important considera...

The second generation Porsche Panamera Gran Tourismo introduces plug-in hybrid technology to the executive saloon car segment for the first time. The new Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid is a four door, four seater sports car that has retained powerful performance whilst not sacrificing efficiency. Its official NEDC fuel economy figure is up to 91 mpg and CO2 emissions are just 71 g/km – a...

The car club with a difference, WhipCar, has closed for business and will no longer offer their services to existing or new customers. WhipCar launched in April 2010, and offered a slightly alternative but very interesting car hire scheme. They offered car owners the chance to make better use of their cars and offset the rising costs of motoring by renting them out whilst they were not in u...

A new report from IPPR proposes that the government should set up a 'green badge scheme' to encourage the uptake of ultra low emission vehicles by offering them free parking. The IPPR think tank also believes that ultra low emission vehicles, including electric vehicles, should be exempt from congestion charges and road tolls. They believe that this would offer significant incentive to purc...

The Tesla Model S all-electric sports car has been awarded the World Green Car 2013 title at the New York International Motor Show. The Tesla Model S was chosen from an initial entry list of twenty-one new vehicles from all over the world, then a short list of ten, then three finalists: the Tesla Model S, the Renault Zoe and the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid. "The success of Model S is a cr...

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled a new-generation plug-in electric car at the 2013 New York International Motor Show, the B-Class Electric Drive. During the B-Class Electric Drive's development process, it has been important that no compromise to performance has happened at the expense of increasing environmental friendliness. Whilst maintaining the high standards of comfort, quality and sa...

Today, Nissan is beginning a new era in European car manufacturing with the official start of production of the new and improved all-electric 2013 LEAF model. This new Nissan LEAF, incorporating more than 100 updates, is now rolling off the line at the company's Sunderland Plant, using advanced lithium-ion batteries that are also manufactured in the UK, at Nissan's new Battery Plant. T...

Center Parcs, short holiday operator company, has proved its green credentials by taking delivery of 22 new all-electric Renault Kangoo Maxi Van Z.E. models, which were handed over recently at the Sherwood Forest resort. The zero emission vehicles will be used across Center Parcs' other UK villages including, Elveden Forest, Longleat Forest and Whinfell Forest and its forthcoming fifth vill...

As part of the celebrations of English Tourism Week, Visit England Chief Executive, James Beresford, launched The New Forest's newest 'green' initiative – the Twizy, at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. The idea behind this initiative is that visitors will be able to explore the stunning New Forest by hiring one of Beaulieu Museum's new Twizy electric vehicles, and making use of th...

The development of a hydrogen economy in London will help support the Mayor's ambitions to secure new jobs and investment whilst at the same time reducing environmental impact in the capital. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) are accepted by many as a viable long-term successor to today's diesel and petrol passenger vehicles, with many major global automaker developing FCEVs. ...

Electric cars across Cornwall recently hit the roads and ventured across the South West to take part in one of the country's first ever electric car rallies. Over 40 'green' vehicles assembled at Truro's Lemon Quay and made their way across the county, passing by Trelissick Gardens and boarding the iconic King Harry Ferry, before finishing up the 26 mile circuit at the Cornwall Hotel in St...

At the Geneva Motor Show this month, Peugeot announced the new Hybrid Air vehicle to the world, confirming that it will go into production in 2016. The hybrid technology used would mean that the vehicle would be able to return 81mpg, and the models are expected to be far cheaper than competing hybrid vehicles already on the market, such as Toyota's Prius. If Peugeot can successfully st...

Renault's flagship Z.E. model, the ZOE, will be available for deliveries from 7th June 2013. The UK pricing and specifications have been confirmed, with an on the road price from £13,650 (after the Plug-in Car Grant). The ZOE is likely to be a popular electric vehicle in the UK, for both business and private motorists. With a driving range of 130 miles from a single charge and low pri...

Mitsubishi Motors in the UK is pleased to confirm the long awaited arrival of the all-new Mitsubishi Mirage. The Mirage is a city car that has been designed by Mitsubishi with practicality and reliability as the most important features. It offers a well-equipped package that has low CO2 emissions – every variant in the Mirage range emits 100 gCO2/km or less. The new Mirage is pow...

Next Green Car's summary of the Chancellor's Budget 2013 that affecting vehicle tax, fuel duty, BIK rates and other motoring taxes. What the Chancellor, George Osborne, has announced in today's Budget 2013: Fuel duty – The 1.89 pence per litre fuel duty rise scheduled for 1st September 2013 has been cancelled to support households and businesses. According to the Chancellor, from...

In the lead up to the showroom launch of its 100% electric ZOE on 7th June, Renault is offering a free domestic charging point with every car purchase. The free Single Wall-box, supplied and installed by Renault's electric vehicle charging partner, British Gas, is available both to new customers, as well as those who've already pre-ordered ZOE. This offer makes the most of the recently...

Nissan's first 100% electric van, the e-NV200, will be making its UK debut at the 13th annual Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC in Birmingham on the 9th-11th April 2013. The e-NV200 has already been popular among fleet operators for zero CO2 at the point of use and driving comfort, whilst not compromising a generous carrying capacity and payload. With prices at the pump continuing to ...

A new report provides compelling evidence on why there is a growing gap between the official fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of new passenger cars, and that which is achieved by the same vehicles on the road. The report by the European NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) demonstrates that the current New European Drive Cycle (NEDC) test is outdated and unrepresentative of real-world drivi...

BMW has confirmed that they will be using the New York International Auto Show this year to unveil the new Active Tourer plug-in Hybrid Concept. The New York Motor Show kicks off on 27 March 2013, and will host a number of new green models from major car manufacturers. The new plug-in concept from BMW will be amongst the most interesting for green car enthusiasts. The Active Tourer Hy...

Volkswagen has presented its first fully electric production vehicle – the new e-up! – at the Annual Press and Investors Conference in Wolfsburg. The four-seat e-up! – which operates with nearly zero noise and zero tailpipe emissions – returns a driving range of almost 100 miles and excellent everyday practicality. The car is designed for daily use in the city, ...

A new report issued today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that the number of VED-free, sub 100g/km CO2, cars rocketed in 2012. Sub 100gCO2/km new car sales more than doubling their share of the market last year to 8.2%, compared to just 3.7% in the previous year. This trend towards low emissions and maximum fuel efficiency was reflected by the number of ...

Vauxhall has handed over a new Ampera to the Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) as part of a trial of plug-in, extended-range electric vehicles. The Ampera is due to go on service with PSNI in Belfast city centre as an incident response vehicle. This plug-in vehicle has been used as an emergency vehicle within other communities, such as within York council, with very positive feedback. ...

Better Place, a company promoting battery exchange for EVs in Europe, Asia and the US, has posted losses of more than $500 million. Better Place is one of the key developers of 'battery swap' technology enabling an EV to have its depleted battery pack replaced by one fully charged ones in a matter of minutes, without the driver leaving the car. The Israeli based company's intention i...

After the technology's debut last year in S and RS models, Audi has extended the use of their Cylinder-on-Demand feature to A1 and A3 models. The technology enables a near seamless switch between two cylinder and four cylinder operation, meaning that A1 and A3 models can offer both ultra efficient driving operation with over 60 mpg and a 140PS performance mode. The switch happens in just 13...

While football clubs have a reputation for training ground car parks full of exotic sports cars and gas-guzzling 4x4s – Forest Green Rovers of Stroud are trialling the use of 11 electric vehicles. The club's aim is to reduce carbon emissions by over 80%, by offering players who commute from Birmingham, the Home Counties and the West Country the use of an all-electric Nissan LEAF. ...

In 2012, for the sixth consecutive year Fiat has been confirmed as the brand with the lowest average CO2 emissions in Europe among the best-selling automotive brands, with an average of 119.8 g/km. The record is certified by JATO Dynamics, the world's leading provider of automotive intelligence. In the past six years, Fiat has reduced its average CO2 emissions by about 13% from 137.3 t...

The top three finalists for the 2013 World Green Car Awards have been announced at a Geneva Motor Show press conference – they are the Renault Zoe, the Tesla Model S and the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid. A sixty-six member jury chose these finalists, and the overall winner will be announced at the New York International Auto Show on Thursday 28th March, 2013. Winners of the World Car of t...

The Renault ZOE has been awarded a five-star rating following the passive safety tests carried out by Euro NCAP, despite the harsher testing system introduced in January 2013. Renault ZOE obtained an overall score of 82% (including the maximum rating for pedestrian safety) which consequently places the all-electric ZOE among the very best models in its segment. As an otherwise silent e...

Northern Ireland is installing 14 rapid charge points across its province. ABB has sold nine rapid charge points for electric vehicles to the ecar network in Northern Ireland. By cutting the time needed to charge an electric vehicle to as little as 30 minutes, the ABB Terra 52 fast chargers are extending the practical daily range of electric vehicles, allowing drivers to charge quickly and ...

The Geneva International Motor Show is one of the largest and most prestigious motor shows on the calendar, and will run from 7th to 17th of this month. As well as a wealth of sports and luxury performance cars attracting many to the show, carmakers have certainly not overlooked the growing market for greener, more fuel efficient models. Almost each manufacturer with a stand at the sho...

The 7th EV Battery Tech Cost Reduction Initiative event on the 24th and 25th April will focus on the relationship between battery technology costs and the wider EV industry. The cost of electric vehicle batteries remains the fundamental challenge that restricts both electric and hybrid vehicle advancement and ultimate profitability. Despite these obstacles, one thing is clear: combusti...

The world's first diesel plug-in hybrid, the Volvo V60 D6 AWD, has received approval for the Government's Plug-In Car Grant, designed to offer incentives for buying new ultra-low carbon cars. In this scheme, buyers will receive a £5000 grant towards the purchase price of the vehicle, meaning it will be available with an on-the-road price of £43,775. In order to qualify for ...

Toyota's new i-ROAD personal mobility vehicle (PMV) makes its world debut at the Geneva motor show, a new, flexible form of transport designed for city streets. Seating two in tandem and under cover, the i-ROAD is an electric vehicle with a range of up to 30 miles on a single charge. Using 'Active Lean' technology, it is safe with no need for driver or passenger to wear a helmet. Toyot...

Next Green Car is recruiting EV owners to take part in a short survey to be conducted by Durham University. The focus of the study is to collect positive and negative experiences of using EVs on a daily basis. The results will feed into a wider study that will investigate the potential relationship between EVs and home-generated renewable energy. The survey, which is being conducted by...

Land Rover will be unveiling seven new all-electric Defender models at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show next week. The traditionally off-road model being tested with a battery electric drivetrain proves that electric drive is certainly not restricted to on-road city applications. The research vehicle delivers zero emissions whilst retaining its tough, go-anywhere capability. "Investing ...

Energy Saving Trust (EST) has announced it will be offering 100 organisations in England a free analysis of their fleets to see if and how electric vehicles will work for them. The initiative, funded by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, follows the successful completion of the original Plugged-in Fleets Initiative (PIFI). In 2012/13 EST demonstrated how 20 of the UK's leading organ...

The Energy Saving Trust in Scotland (EST) has launched a new driving app, FuelGood, that will help drivers save money and track fuel efficiency. The free mobile app is designed to track fuel efficiency for each car journey that is made, and alerts the driver when inefficient driving behaviour is recorded. At the end of each journey, the FuelGood app will provide a summary of distance t...

Production of the 2013 upgraded Nissan LEAF electric vehicle will begin at Nissan's Sunderland plant in the spring. To date, more than 50,000 LEAF models have been sold world-wide, and each one has been manufactured in Nissan's home country, Japan. The new model has been modified with more than 100 changes, and is promised to be better to drive with more equipment. Improvements in...

Dr Ben Lane of Next Green Car talks to BBC radio presenter Melvyn Prior about his experience of driving a Nissan Leaf and about the benefits of electric vehicles. On Tuesday this week, Dr Ben Lane was interviewed by Melvyn Prior of BBC Radio Lincolnshire on the 'Melvyn in the Morning' programme. The discussion was prompted by Melvyn's experience of driving a Nissan Leaf EV, which he has on ...

Hyundai has become the world's first manufacturer to produce zero emission fuel cell vehicles on an assembly line production scale. The ix35 model is being built at the company's Ulsan plant in Korea – the zero emission, hydrogen powered model is intended for fleet use. Based on Hyundai's popular ix35 C-segment SUV, the first ix35 Fuel Cell model exited the assembly line yesterda...

Audi is preparing the all-new A3 e-tron petrol-electric plug-in hybrid, capable of 188 mpg, for the Geneva Motor Show early next month. The new plug-in hybrid has been designed so that performance is not sacrificed but fuel efficiency is maximised, with overall CO2 emissions reduced to just 35 g/km. The electrification of the drivetrain by using plug-in technology, will play a decisive...

As part of the commitment to reducing its carbon emissions, Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust will be the first to trial a range-extended electric Vauxhall Ampera as part of their emergency fleet. The Ampera will operate as a rapid response vehicle around York as part of the NHS Trust's emergency unit, to see how low carbon vehicles could join the Trust's vehicle fleet. Yorkshire A...

The new Citroen C3 will make its world debut at the 83rd Geneva Motor Show next month, and is set to reach UK showrooms in the early summer this year. Citroen's new PureTech 3-cylinder petrol engine delivers up to 15% more power but a 25% reduction in fuel consumption compared to the previously used 4 cylinder power unit. The new engine technology has been a break-through for Citroen &...

At least 100 new models are to be shown for the first time at next month's Geneva International Motor Show, which will be held between the 7th and 17th March. The Geneva International Motor Show, in its 83rd year and with 900 vehicles on display, is to include a large number of electric and hybrid drive-trains, with many models certain to wow visitors to the show. One particularly inte...

Vauxhall customers can now benefit from a free installed home charging unit if they choose to purchase an Ampera extended-range electric vehicle. The Government has announced funding for owners of electric vehicles where they will cover 75% of costs for home charging unit installations up to a maximum of £1,000. Vauxhall will meet the remaining 25% on the same basis for new customers ...

30 years after the original Golf GTD was introduced to Europe, Volkswagen is now readying the latest version – set to make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The GTD Golf is a version that is intended to be a blend of sports performance and styling with the low running costs associated with a diesel engine. Back in 1982, the first Golf GTD was revolutionary as it was ...

An award-winning Devon guesthouse is using two Nissan LEAF electric cars to offer tourists an 'electric safari' through the beautiful Dartmoor National Park. Upcott House in Okehampton uses its near silent electric vehicles to offer guided tours through Dartmoor, without shattering its natural tranquillity by noise or exhaust pollution. Upcott House Proprietor, Kay Bickley, said: "So m...

Peugeot and Total have collaborated in the development of the 208 HYbrid FE concept, designed to improve fuel efficiency and driving performance. The 208 Hybrid FE provides an enhanced driving experience with acceleration to 62 mph taking 8.0 seconds whilst the average CO2 emissions are just 49g/km. The technological concept benefits from Peugeot and Total's latest innovations in aero...

EV drivers are set to benefit from a £37 million government funding package for home and on-street charging as well as an improved railway station charging network. The £37 million package comes from the government's original £400 million allocated to increase the uptake of ultra low emission vehicles. The new funds will be available until 2015. The government has com...

To celebrate the completion of a very successful 2nd series of Fully Charged, presented by Robert Llewellyn, British Gas is giving away a POD Point electric vehicle charging unit as a competition prize. Sponsored by British Gas, Robert Llewellyn has been presenting Fully Charged for two full series, with many popular individual episodes that focus on many aspects of living with electric veh...

Scientists at Oxford University have gone one step further than Google, by designing a self-driving car that can operate in snow, rain and other weather conditions. Led by Professor Paul Newman, a team has been thoroughly testing their self-drive system in a Nissan LEAF electric car on private university roads, with positive results. The system can be fitted to normal cars, and the tea...

Signalling the start of a wave of bold new models from Nissan, the all-new Note for Europe will make its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show on 5th March 2013. The new Note model will include a high level of advanced technologies, but will be affordable – positioning it as a strong B-segment contender once launched. The new Note has benefited from extensive European development,...

Citroen will unveil their new Hybrid Air breakthrough technology at this year's Geneva Motor Show – a full hybrid solution combining a petrol engine, compressed air and hydraulic power. The high-tech system has the capability of offering fuel economy in excess of 94 mpg (less than 3 litres per 100km) as well as exceptional performance. The system uses no additional batteries, whi...

This week sees the launch of a new Fuel Economy Label for electric vehicles, which includes information on each model’s expected energy usage and fuel cost over one year. The existing label, which displays a vehicle’s fuel economy and low CO2 emissions for all new petrol and diesel cars, has been updated to include new vehicle technologies including battery electric vehicles a...

A new study has concluded that Boris Johnson's 'sticky pollution solution' has turned out to be a £1.4 million failure. The trial aimed to reduce the amount of particulate matter air pollution in London, by 'gluing' pollutants from vehicles to London's roads. Air-quality experts have now found this method does not work. Transport for London began the trials in 2010, when calcium ...

The new, British-built Auris Touring Sports introduces an estate car body style to Toyota's Auris range for the first time. It's also the first model in its class to offer the choice of a full hybrid powertrain, marking further diversification of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology. Auris Touring Sports is built exclusively by Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMUK) at its factory in...

A new Combined Charging System (CCS) will be available in Europe in the second quarter of 2013, supported by leading technology group, ABB. The new charging standard will combine today's industry standardization with fast charging convenience to support the next generation of electric vehicles. The new multistandard functionality will be available in Europe in the second quarter of 201...

Vauxhall's Zafira Tourer MPV will be the first model to feature the all-new 1.6 CDTi Start-Stop diesel engine, the first engine announced in a new family of four cylinder diesel units. With its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show next month, this is Vauxhall's cleanest engine ever, and meets the strict Euro 6 emissions regulations. The 1.6 CDTi unit delivers 136PS and 320Nm of torq...

Extensive CO2 and fuel efficiency gains with no price changes on new automatic Volvos are set to deliver significant savings to company car drivers and their employers, as well as private users. Volvo's improved efficiency means that drivers of automatic cars can receive the same benefits as their manual counterparts. Effective immediately, new S80, V70, S60 and V60 D3 and D4 Geartroni...

Following the global reveal of the Spark Electric Vehicle in Los Angeles last year, Chevrolet's all-new battery-powered mini car will be presented to a European audience for the first time at this year's Geneva Motor Show. The car will be sold in select European markets as of 2014. It will be powered by the most advanced electric motor and battery system General Motors has ever built. ...

Researchers from the Durham Energy Institute (DEI) at Durham University are looking for people who own or regularly use electric cars to be interviewed. The interviews are to be used for part of a project investigating the relationship the vehicles could have on home-generated power in the future. The North East region has a network of electric car charging points thanks to initiative...

V-Tent is a new parking system that has been designed to protect and charge up electric vehicles whilst they are parked. It is a collapsible solar panel canopy that can be stretched over an electric vehicle whilst parking in public or personal parking spaces – the flexible solar array surface provides both shelter and renewable electricity for the car. V-Tent has been designed by...

Citroen is set to reveal a new concept compact MPV model at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The concept will offer features that will indicate the future of Citroen MPVs. The Technospace Concept model will form the basis structure of Citroen’s new C4 icasso, which will go on sale in the UK later in this year. Citroen has already become well established as a popular and reliable ...

EV owners in the East of England can apply for a free, fully installed electric vehicle charge point, using a new government grant. The service includes a site survey followed by the installation of an intelligent wall-mounted charge point, which would normally cost around £1,000. Electric cars are set to become more and more mainstream with the introduction of several reasonably...

The 2013 Geneva Motor Show will open its doors to the public from 7th to 17th March, and will be held at the Palexpo exhibition halls in Geneva. This year's show is expected to be the biggest international show of the year in terms of vehicle debuts, whether it is super-green production cars, modern concepts or outrageously tuned performance vehicles. As always, environmental issues wi...

Noise limits for cars could be tightened to protect public health, under a draft law voted in the European Parliament on this week. MEPs also recommended introducing labels to inform consumers about new cars' noise levels, whilst sound may have to be added to hybrid and electric vehicles to alert pedestrians of their otherwise silent presence. Persistent exposure to high levels of traf...

The countdown has begun in preparation for the 2013 World Car Awards winners' press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show on Thursday, March 28th, 2013. The 2013 World Car of the Year, World Performance Car, World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year will all be declared at this time. The top three finalists in all award categories will be announced at the Gen...

Over one and a half million hydrogen powered vehicles could be on UK roads by 2030 according to a joint Government-industry study published today. The forecast is made in an interim report commissioned to evaluate the benefits of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and ensure the UK is well positioned for their commercial roll-out. Produced by the UKH2Mobility project – ...

ASK Driving School's Paul Tomlin has taken delivery of a Nissan LEAF to become the first driving instructor to teach in a 100% electric vehicle. Based in Stoke-on-Trent, Tomlin has been a driving instructor for 14 years and wanted a more economically friendly car to teach his pupils how to drive. Tomlin is happy to avoid petrol stations and the time incurred filling up, citing a &pound...

Embarque, the new executive minicab service operating in London and all the major airports will be transforming its vehicle fleet by adding 22 seven-seat Prius+ models through January and February. Already operating a fleet of vehicles with uniformed drivers 24 hours a day seven days a week, Embarque provides premium chauffeured services in many cities around the world. Embarque ha...

With the combination of class-beating performance, increased fuel efficiency and reduced CO2, Mazda's SKYACTIV-D clean diesel engines are attracting automotive experts and consumers worldwide. The new diesel technology seems to have reached beyond traditional diesel strongholds and is proving a global success. While diesel engines power more than half of all new passenger cars sold in...

Citroen will be showing its all-new Berlingo Electrique van at this year's Commercial Vehicle Show, to be held at the Birmingham NEC from 9th to 11th April. This advanced, 100% electric van builds upon Citroen's unrivalled experience of electric LCVs in the UK, which was gained with the first generation Berlingo Electrique launched in 1998. The new Berlingo Electrique incorporates the ...

Last night at the celebration of their 10th anniversary, the LowCVP presented their Low Carbon Champions Awards for 2013 with two organisations receiving particularly special awards. Ford Motor Company Ltd and Transport for London (TfL) were awarded with special anniversary accolades for 'Outstanding Achievement in Low Carbon Transport over the last 10 years'. Both organisations have b...

Today, the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) launches a renewed strategy for carbon reduction from road transport at a London event held in celebration of their 10 year anniversary. The LowCVP will announce their 10 year vision for a reduction in road transport carbon emissions based on analysis going beyond only vehicle tailpipe pollutants. The anniversary reception will start a...

The second annual World Electric Vehicle Summit (WEVS) is to be held from 14th to 16th May this year, at the Thon Hotel Arena, near Oslo in Norway. Next Green Car is offering a 10% discount to the event when registering through the WEVS website. Use VIP Code: FKE2244NGCE1 when prompted to receive the discount. The WEVS electric vehicle conference will bring industry members and end use...

After having been showcased in 2012, Nissan's all-electric e-NV200 van received all-round positive feedback from various branches of the fleet industry. Five leasing companies, six major fleet operators and three used value guides visited Nissan's Barcelona production facility and drove the new e-NV200, a diesel NV200 and the LEAF. The group met the e-NV200 development team and were ab...

Next on the calendar of 2013 motor shows is the Geneva International Motor Show, which will open to the public from 7th to 17th March. Now in its 83rd year, the 2013 Geneva Motor Show will also be the venue for announcing the prestigious Car of the Year Award, which will take place on March 4th, just prior to the show's press days. Each year, the Geneva Motor Show welcomes more than 10...

The European Union has new plans to install half a million charging stations by 2020, as part of a new plan to boost electric vehicle sales in Europe. The ambitious plan will mean that electric vehicle charging ports will be almost as common as petrol stations, and is expected to attract more people to buying plug-in vehicles. The European Commissioner for climate action, Connie Hedega...

Fully Charged, a series of online green-tinged shows hosted by Robert Llewellyn, has focused its latest episode on car sharing in Berlin. There is a well established car sharing network in Berlin, with a user-friendly system to show members which cars are available to them and where they are. Electric cars are being increasingly used in car sharing schemes; mainly as they are simple to...

Leaders in the field of electric vehicles (EVs) have joined forces to accelerate the development of a national plug-in vehicle charging infrastructure as well as developing associated technologies. Charge Your Car, the largest regional network of EV charge points and its sister company, Zero Carbon Futures are to enter into an agreement with Chargemaster Plc, the country's leading provider ...

Businesses that switch to electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles could reduce their fleet fuel costs by 75%, according to a new report published by the Energy Saving Trust this week. These are the main findings of a new report on The Plugged-in Fleets Initiative (PIFI), which is funded by Transport for London (TfL) and Department for Transport (DfT) and delivered by the Energy Saving Trust in...

Nissan is making zero-emission mobility more affordable by reducing the price of the all-electric Nissan LEAF by £2,500, now available in 180 Nissan dealerships across the UK. The change comes as part of a global effort to make the LEAF more affordable in the pioneering electric vehicle's three main markets of Japan, Europe and the United States. In addition to the reduction in t...

The 2nd Chinese International New Energy Vehicles Forum will take place on March 27th to 29th in Shanghai, China. The forum will build on the success of past new energy vehicle programs, that have generated significant interest from a range of industry players. 2013's event will concentrate on key issues including China's new energy regulations and policy, charging infrastructure and chargi...

The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) has revealed the shortlist for their LowCVP Low Carbon Champion Awards. The Awards celebrate outstanding and innovative practice in accelerating the shift to lower carbon vehicles and fuels, and reducing road transport emissions in general. Winners will be awarded across 9 separate categories. The LowCVP Low Carbon Champion Awards winners wil...

Transport for London (TfL) has proposed to make changes to London's Congestion Charge scheme, to ensure that it continues to reduce traffic congestion and emissions in the capital in the most efficient way. TfL are considering an Ultra Low Emission Discount to replace the existing Greener Vehicle and Electric Vehicle Discounts. They also wish to increase the penalty charge by £10 to &...

With an upbeat mood inside Detroit's North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) this year, more than a hundred thousand people enjoyed the public opening day – a 12% increase over last year's public opening day. The public part of the show opened on Saturday and will run until the 27th January. Expectations are that this year's show, the 25th annual NAIAS, will be the busiest show...

BMW is strengthening its model range from Spring 2013, thanks to an expanded range of equipment and additional engine and drive system variants that will improve efficiency. The first of BMW's all-electric 'i' brand models will also be launched later in the year – the BMW i3. The i3 battery electric vehicle will combine advanced EV technology, super-lighweight materials and futuristi...

Vauxhall has developed an all-new diesel engine to add to their powertrain portfolio, with increased efficiency and much lower fuel consumption compared to previous versions. The brand new four-cylinder turbo-diesel 1.6-litre CDTI ECOTEC engines will replace the existing 1.7 litre engines and several lower powered versions of the 2.0 litre range. Vauxhall are beginning to downsize acro...

The first two press days of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) have now come to a close – an impressive 59 brand new vehicles have been introduced so far. There have been a full range of vehicles on display, ranging from head-turning wacky concepts to more 'everyday' vehicles that will be seen on the roads in the near future. Fuel efficiency and low emission power...

The Electric Vehicle Conference – Overcoming Barriers, Driving Adoption – is a one day event that will take place this year on the 30th April at the Grand Connaught Rooms in Central London. The industry-led conference and networking event is aimed at exploring the barriers of electric vehicle adoption and exploring various practical business models for moving the industry forwar...

Businesses and residents in Milton Keynes will have the opportunity to reserve and drive a Nissan Leaf electric car for just £5.00 per hour. The latest environmental car sharing initiative is being coordinated by Milton Keynes Council, Hertz on Demand, the Hertz Corporation's global car sharing club and Chargemaster plc, the UK's leading provider of electric vehicle infrastructure. ...

The new smart fortwo electric drive is now available to purchase for the first time. The fully electric version of smart's compact two-seater combines the benefits of the original car with zero emission driving. The car can be plugged into a standard 13A household socket or public charging point and can be charged from flat to full in seven hours, meaning an overnight charge will leave the ...

According to a Ford survey, one in three Europeans would spend more to buy an environmentally friendly car, even though 71% say they have reduced spending as a result of the economic recession. The survey, sponsored by Ford, also shows 53% consider climate change to be the world's biggest issue and 57% would prefer to lead a more environmentally conscious lifestyle. The survey conducte...

At the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, social media analysis has found that car-related technology exhibitions were the single most talked about element of the show. Considering all the technology sectors on display at the CES Show it is significant that consumer interest in automotive technology is so strong, and possibly reveals future tech-related trends. The soci...

The 2013 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) will be held from 14th to 27th January, and will be held in Detroit, US. Last year’s NAIAS show was a huge success, attracting 771,000 people and 5,000 journalists from 58 countries in the presence of 42 brand new vehicle debuts. This year’s show is predicted to be even more impressive. The 9 day public show will be ...

After having introduced the new LEAF in to the Japanese market at the end of 2012, Nissan have announced that a 2013 version of the LEAF will be available for the US market. Production of the updated all-electric model has already began in Smyrna, Tennessee, next door to Nissan's LEAF lithium-ion battery. The new model will feature several upgraded features. The new Nissan LEAF will of...

Zipcar, the world's biggest car club, has been bought by Avis Budget car hire firm for $500 million (around £310 million). Avis paid almost 50% more per share of Zipcar than the shares were worth at the end of 2012, reflecting the global and rapidly growing car sharing market. Zipcar has adopted a different business model to Avis, one considered to be a more modern way of 'hi...

My Solar Port will be launched across the UK this month, which is a solar panel sheltered port under which your electric vehicle can be parked and sustainably recharged. The oak-framed car ports have a traditional style and integrated modern electric vehicle charger. All the electricity is generated using the solar panels fitted to the roof, and excess electricity can also be used to power ...

Average CO2 emissions of new cars sold in the UK fell to a new low of 133.1 g/km by the end of 2012, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). At the same time, total new car sales rose to a four-year high succeeding 2 million units, indicating improving consumer demand in the UK. Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive said, "Boosted by strong consumer demand, the...

The Toyota Prius Plug-in was the number one selling plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in the UK in 2012. The car achieved 470 sales from its launch date in July 2012, outselling its nearest rival the Vauxhall Ampera, despite the Ampera being on sale since April. This result is just part of a strong year for Toyota conventional and plug-in hybrid sales. Overall, the brand sold 12,840 hybr...

Mia electric cars and vans will be officially launched in the first quarter of 2013 in the UK. They are purpose designed to satisfy what Mia believe car buyers really want as the perfect solution for urban mobility. There will be five versions of the Mia electric in total – three (Mia c, Mia L and Mia Mayfair) eligible for the Government's £5,000 Plug-in Car Grant and two (Mia U...

The market for plug-in electric vehicles in the US continues to grow with sales of battery electric and plug-in hybrids increasing month on month. According to the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), by the end of 2012 in the US over 60,000 plug-in vehicles had been sold, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid and range-extended electric vehicles. This is compared to aroun...

Elektromotive, the first company to introduce public EV charging stations in the UK nearly 10 years ago, is to be taken over by competing EV infrastructure provider, Chargemaster Plc. Once the acquisition has been confirmed, expected to happen in the coming months, all related information on Next Green Car's Zap-Map will be amended and updated accordingly. Those who are familiar with e...

Next Green Car looks ahead to the greenest and most innovative cars due for launch in 2013. While 2013 will see the continuation of the on-going electric car revolution, expect more ‘slow burn’ than ‘big bang’. With at least another six high quality EV offering from the major car makers being launched in the New Year, the number of electric cars will certain...

The Energy Saving Trust has produced a free guide to help you get to your destination as safely and as efficiently as possible, despite the miserable winter weather. With winter upon us, driving conditions start to get dangerous. According to the Department for Transport over 15,000 accidents (300 fatal) were caused last year alone by slippery roads, impaired vision or inappropriate driving...

Infiniti, the premium car brand of Nissan, today confirmed that it will manufacture vehicles in Europe from Nissan's award winning production base in Sunderland, United Kingdom. The announcement represents a substantial investment of around £250 million into the facility and is expected to secure a further 1,000 jobs at Sunderland and across the UK. Colin Dodge CBE, Nissan Motor Co....

Renault has presented the keys of the first ZOE electric car to Arnaud Montebourg, French Minister of Industrial Recovery. The first delivery of ZOE comes ahead of further deliveries set for between now and the end of 2012 and mass launch in the French Renault network in first-quarter 2013. After ordering the car at the Paris Motor Show in September 2012, the Minister was presented wit...

Camden is holding a special electric Christmas event today to launch the Council’s free electric vehicle trials. At the event, which takes place on Monday 17 December, from 4pm in Bedford Square, a set of Christmas lights will be powered by two electric cars: a Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid and a Vauxhall Ampera Range-Extended EV. The event marks the launch Camden’s new ini...

California-based Lit Motors has just announced the ground-breaking C-1, a self-balancing electric two-wheeler which just might be a vision for the car of the future. While the C-1 is totally enclosed with all the mod cons (and more) that you'd expect to find in a modern car, it only has two-wheels. But a motorbike it isn't, as two high-speed gyroscopes keep the C-1 upright even when it's st...

PureTech, Citroen's new family of three-cylinder petrol engines, is to be rolled-out across the Citroen model C3, DS3 and C-Elysée ranges. The design brief for the new-generation PureTech engines was to make substantial cuts in emissions and fuel consumption, and also to reduce the weight of the engines and to make them more compact (with a target specific power of 50 kW per litre). ...

While you may not be tempted to drop the top down quite yet, the new VW Beetle Cabriolet is now available to order in the UK ahead of the first cars arriving in April. In creating the latest Beetle Cabriolet, Volkswagen has reinterpreted its iconic design. At 1,473 mm tall, 4,278 mm long and 1,808 wide, the new model is 29 mm lower, 152 mm longer and 84 mm wider than its predecessor. ...

The BVLRA, the UK's vehicle leasing and hire trade body is urging the government to maintain the tax benefits currently available to owners of electric and ultra-low emission vehicles. Commenting on the Chancellor's Autumn Statement, BVRLA chief executive John Lewis reiterated the association's call for the leasing industry to retain its access to the 100% first-year allowances available on...

Daimler and Europcar have teamed up to bring their car sharing service car2go to three London boroughs. From this week, registered customers in Islington, Sutton and Newham will be free to locate the company’s smart cars via a smart phone app and drive away for 35 pence per minute – a cost which includes fuel, insurance, road tax, parking and maintenance. London joins 16...

In today's Autumn Statement, the Chancellor has scrapped the scheduled the 3p per litre increase in fuel duty, originally due to come into force in January 2013. As we highlighted last month, in considering a possible second delay of the increase rise in fuel duty, the Chancellor, George Osborne, has taken the bold step of completely cancelling the planned increase in response to increasing...

The 2013 Ford Fusion has been named US Green Car of the Year by Green Car Journal at a ceremony at this year’s LA Auto Show. The new Ford Fusion beat off stiff competition from the Dodge Art Aero, Ford C-Max, Mazda CX-5 SKYACTIV and the Toyota Prius c, in a competition which requires its nominees to ‘forward environmental performance in meaningful and quantifiable ways’....

The concept BMW i3 Coupe has been revealed at the LA Auto Show, demonstrating the potential for the possible extension of the 'i' model range. The three-door i3 Coupe follows three other models in the 'i' family; the five door i3, i8 and i8 Spider. All of which have been touted as ground-breaking electric vehicles. The i3 Coupe features a striking exterior which is a continuation of th...

The VW Jetta Hybrid is making its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in production form, as it launches on the North American market. This highly efficient vehicle is powered by a 1.4-litre 150 PS turbocharged petrol engine and a 20 kW electric motor, together with a seven-speed DSG gearbox. The hybrid improves fuel economy by 20% compared to than an equivalent petrol-powered vehic...

The new Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid has been awarded a five-star Euro NCAP rating, the highest safety score ever achieved by a plug-in hybrid. As part of the ratings process the V60 plug-in hybrid, which achieved the same score as its traditional counterpart, underwent safety tests including a frontal offset collision at 40mph. A breakdown of the safety results shows that it scored well a...

Chevrolet has announced the launch of the Spark EV, ahead of the Los Angeles International Auto Show , which takes place between November 30th and December 9th. Expected to go on sale in 2014, the Chevrolet Spark EV will be priced at under $25,000 (£15,600) with tax incentives taken into account. Although the Spark EV is confirmed to go on sale in markets across the US, Canada and...

Cambridge University is to construct and race a solar powered car across Australia as part of the 2013 World Solar Challenge. In October next year, teams from across the globe will set off from Darwin in the north of the country on a gruelling marathon to Adelaide, some 3,000km to the south. The students from the Cambridge University Eco Racing (CUER) team are required to design and b...

Fiat has released pictures of their new all-electric 500e, based on the highly successful 500 citycar, prior to its official unveiling at this month’s LA Auto Show. Expected to be powered by a 75kW (100bhp) electric motor and powered by a lithium ion battery pack, the 500e will go on sale first in the US in 2013. The exterior is almost the same as that of the regular Fiat 500, t...

According to a new survey, 84% of UK motorists believe that electric vehicles (EVs) are at least as safe as cars that use conventional fuels. The web poll, to which 505 UK drivers responded, demonstrated that 45% of UK drivers believe that EVs are as safe as those powered by combustion engines and that 39% actually consider them to be the safer option. However, though these figures wil...

UK newcomer Dacia is making its forthcoming Sandero available for a monthly payment from just £69 on Dacia Dimensions (PCP). At just £5,995, Dacia claims that the entry-level Sandero Access model is the most affordable new car to buy in the UK. With a deposit of £1,845, at 9.4% APR, it costs from as little as £69 per month on Dacia PCP plan. With a deposit of £699, at ...

The world’s first plug-in diesel hybrid has rolled off the Volvo production line at the Torslanda plant in Gothenburg. Volvo is now ramping up production of the new plug-in hybrid ahead of first customer deliveries in early 2013. After the initial batch of 1,000 model year 2013 cars, production will increase to 4,000-6,000 cars from model year 2014. The assembly of the world's f...

The new 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engine from Honda is the first engine from the company's Earth Dreams Technology series to be launched in Europe. This new power unit will make its introduction in the Civic at the beginning of 2013 and offers a class-leading combination of power (120 PS) and torque (300 Nm @ 2000 rpm) with an official combined fuel economy of 78.5 mpg and CO2 emissions of j...

New research published today by the Energy Saving Trust (EST), has found that although motorists want to save money on fuel, they don’t know how much it costs. Based on a survey of 1,749 car drivers, the research found that 71% of English car-owners ‘do not know the average price of a litre of unleaded’, despite 90% of them shopping around for the cheapest re-fill. ...

Honda has unveiled the Micro-Commuter Prototype, an all new micro-sized electric vehicle designed with the urban commuter in mind. The prototype has been developed in partnership with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan, who are investigating the possibility of producing a practical and relatively safe micro-vehicle. The Japanese-based car company will...

Toyota has released prices and specifications for the new Auris; the new petrol, diesel and hybrid model range go on sale in December. The British-built five-door hatchback, which will make its world debut at the Paris motor show later this month, will be available in four trim levels with OTR prices starting at £14,495. Not only are the Auris’s new looks and sharper than its...

Labour are to force a vote in the House of Commons calling for the planned 3p increase in fuel duty, due to come into force in January 2013, to be delayed for three months. If successful, this would be the second delay of the increase rise in fuel duty, the last being announced in June this year in response to increasing pressure on household budgets. Rachel Reeves, the shadow chief se...

The 1.4l petrol engine used in the new Polo BlueGT incorporates the latest Active Cylinder Technology (ACT) to provide the performance of a petrol car with the fuel frugality normally associated with a diesel. The new Volkswagen Polo BlueGT, due to be launched in December, features a turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine producing 140 PS and 250 Nm (185 lbs ft) of torque, yet it retur...

The ADAM, Vauxhall’s A-segment newcomer, is due to be launched in the UK early in 2013. The all-new three-door hatchback measures 3.70 metres in length and 1.72 metres in width, seats four people, and is Vauxhall’s first entrant into a segment which has grown by 30% since 2000. The ADAM is initially offered with three petrol engines: 1.2-litre 70PS, 1.4-litre 87PS and 1...

Renault’s new electric ZOE voted the best production car in the RAC Future Car Challenge 2012. Some of the lowest-emission cars and vans – many of which had not been seen on UK roads before – completed the third annual Brighton to London RAC Future Car Challenge on Saturday 3 November. The event, sponsored by RAC Motoring Services was first introduced in 2010 to s...

Renault’s new supermini ZOE is available to reserve now ahead of its UK showroom launch in spring 2013. With an official range of up to 130 miles and an on-the-road price from just £13,650, ZOE is the one of the most affordable cars to have been designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle. The ZOE comes in the wake of the Fluence Z.E. saloon, Kangoo Van Z.E. and the i...

UK drivers could reduce fuel costs by at least £140 per year if they fitted more fuel efficient tyres on their cars, according to figures from the European Commission. The news comes on the eve of new EU legislation – which comes into force on 1 November – compelling tyre manufacturers to label their car and light commercial tyres. For a typical passenger car travelling...

The 2012 RAC Future Car Challenge takes place on Saturday 3 November, the cars driving from Brighton to London before going on display at the Regent Street Motor Show. Also taking place on the weekend of 3-4 November is the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, the veteran cars also being displayed in Regent Street alongside their modern day counterparts. The Future Car Challenge, which...

Members of Source London and Source East EV charging networks can now roam between the capital and the East of England secure in the knowledge they will be able to charge their vehicles across both schemes. An agreement between electric vehicle charging networks Source London and Source East means that members of both schemes will be able to use the other’s charge points free of char...

This week sees the launch of a major new trial of electric vehicles at Heathrow to test the viability of electric power-trains used in the highly demanding context of daily airport operations. Over the next month, a fleet of EVs including the Nissan LEAF, Peugeot iOn, Vauxhall Ampera and the Renault Kangoo Z.E. will be trialled by four major organisations and operators at Heathrow. In...

Greentomatocars and BYD have signed a Memoran-dum of Understanding to create London’s first fleet of all-electric minicabs. BYD, the fastest-growing Chinese car manufacturer that is pioneering hybrid and electric vehicles, will supply greentomatocars with 50 of its pure electric e6 models for trial use in the Capital. greentomatocars is London’s second largest quality m...

The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership has announced the call for nominations for the third Low Carbon Champions Awards which will be presented at a gala event to take place on 29 January 2013 at One Birdcage Walk, Westminster. The Awards presentation will take place following a celebration event to mark the LowCVP’s 10th anniversary. The Anniversary Reception, to be attended by transpo...

Volkswagen’s latest concept car, the Taigun, has been unveiled at the Sao Paulo motor show. Just like the up!, the Taigun previews the look of a possible small SUV based on the New Small Family platform. The compact SUV is small on the outside – at just 3.86 metres long and 1.73 metres wide – but big on the inside, thanks to a generous 2.47 metre wheelbase. Powering...

Vauxhall's award-winning Ampera became a record-breaker when a journalist from Top Gear magazine drove it through the Channel Tunnel from the UK to France and back. The story began with a challenge from Top Gear’s editor who wanted the magazine to be the first to drive a production car through the Channel Tunnel. As luck would have it, a third tunnel exists which runs between Eurotu...

Ford is to offer the acclaimed 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine in the C-MAX and Grand C-MAX ranges, an engine which delivers best-in-class fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions. Ford customers will have the option of purchasing a C-MAX and Grand C-MAX with either the 100 PS or the 125 PS versions of the 1.0-litre EcoBoost, this year's 'International Engine of the Year'. The Ford C-MAX 1.0...

Honda’s cumulative worldwide sales of hybrid vehicles passed the 1 million mark at the end of September 2012. This milestone was reached almost 13 years after sales began of the first generation Honda Insight in Japan in November 1999. The first generation 2-door Insight (pictured) achieved the groundbreaking fuel economy of 83 mpg (CO2 of 80g/km), then the world's highest fue...

BMW Group has won the Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year accolade for the fifth year running at this year's GreenFleet Awards. The German Group (which also includes MINI) also scooped the 2012 Outstanding Achievement Award for its low emission EfficientDynamics enhancements. With 45% of available fleet models having CO2 emissions of 120g/km or less, the company has established ecologic...

The UK’s first all-electric car club E-Car has launched in Wolverton, Milton Keynes, as part of a new nationwide network. E-Car is offering Milton Keynes residents and businesses the chance to sign up to the scheme and hire a Nissan LEAF or Peugeot iOn for around £5.50 per hour. Members of the scheme are given a smart card and pin code and once they have booked a vehicle onl...

California has become the third U.S. State to allow the use of Google's prototype driverless car, paving the way for a possible future of self driving vehicles. The State's Governor, Jerry Brown, has recently signed a Senate Bill (SB1298), which essentially legalises the use of 'autonomous vehicles' in California, and requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to establish and enforce ...

The Ford Fiesta ECO-netic 1.6 TDCi has won the 2012 MPG Marathon, clocking up 108.8mpg over a 370-mile route involving tough, real-world driving in challenging weather conditions. The annual event, sponsored by ALD Automotive and Shell FuelSave, is a test of fuel consumption for showroom vehicles, which also demonstrates the financial benefits of simple, smarter driving techniques. This yea...

Two Peugeot 208s that entered the MPG Marathon 2012 have achieved an average fuel economy exceeding 90 mpg. Over a demanding route that included a wide range of roads and terrain across England and Wales, the 208s were among the top 4 in the MPG Marathon overall, one using just 3.91 gallons (17.77 litres) over the 370 mile route. Driver Chris Russon from Trinity Mirror Regional Newsp...

The new Honda Civic has received an award from the Women's World Car of the Year committee. The award was presented to Honda at the Paris Motor Show 2012. The Women's World Car of the Year is divided into four categories; Family Car, Luxury Car, Sports Car and Economy Car. The Honda Civic was chosen as the winner for the Economy Car category with second and third places going to the Volkswa...

Four international car manufacturers have joined forces to demonstrate hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). A total of 7 FCVs from Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Hyundai and Toyota are touring the UK as part of the European Hydrogen Road Tour 2012. The event aims to improve awareness around FCVs and their benefits, as well as how the UK needs to develop in order to accommodate a hydrogen refu...

Petrol sales slumped this spring despite a dip in prices at the pumps, according to official figures. Almost 500 million fewer litres of petrol were sold between April and June than in the same period last year, statistics from the Department of Energy and Climate Change showed. The recent fall in sales followed a near-120 million litre rise in petrol sales in the first three months of...

Kia’s new three-door Picanto City is the latest model to join Kia’s ‘Originals’ collection at the affordable price of £10,245. The Picanto City is powered by the low-emitting three-cylinder Kappa 1.0 MPI engine. With a five-speed manual gearbox, the City produces just 99g/km of CO2 and delivers 67.3 mpg on the combined cycle, making it exempt from road tax an...

Hyundai has announced that it will begin production of its hydrogen ix35 Fuel Cell vehicle for public and private lease by the end of 2012, becoming the first global automaker to begin commercial rollout of a fuel cell vehicle. In December 2012, Hyundai will begin production of the ix35 Fuel Cell at its Ulsan manufacturing facility in Korea, with a target of building up to 1,000 vehicles by...

Mercedes-AMG has developed its most powerful high performance sports vehicle; a pure electric vehicle with zero emissions at point of use. The new SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive features advanced Formula 1 technology and uses four electric motors to produce a total output of 740 hp (552 kW) and a maximum torque of 100 Nm. The result is the world’s fastest electrically-powered series pr...

The electric vehicle land speed record has been broken by a 100% battery electric car at Elvington airfield near York. The Nemesis, a heavily-modified Lotus Exige which was originally bought off eBay, was recorded travelling with an average speed of 151.6 mph (244km/h). The car was designed and built by a team of British motorsport engineers in Norfolk, and was developed by green energ...

Making its motor show debut alongside the seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf in Paris is one of the world's most fuel-efficient cars: a concept for the new Golf BlueMotion. The 3rd generation Golf BlueMotion is a family car with five seats and many comfort and safety attributes. It is predicted to return 88.3 mpg on the combined cycle and emit just 85 g/km of carbon dioxide, and set for UK ...

Citroen's C-Zero has become the first standard 100% electric car to drive around the world, driven on an 'Electric Odyssey' by a two-man team comprising engineers Xavier Degon and Antonin Guy. The battery-powered vehicle successfully navigated through 17 countries to cover 15,500 miles, over an eight month period on just £202 worth of electricity. Xavier and Antonin started their...

The new Ford Fiesta will target best-in-class fuel economy with six powertrains for the UK offering both sub-100 g/km CO2 emissions and returning from 65.7 mpg. New Ford Fiesta customers will also be able to specify an ECOnetic Technology variant expected to deliver 87 g/km CO2 emissions and return 85.6 mpg. Since the first Fiesta was launched in 1976, Ford has sold more than 15 millio...

Toyota has released prices and specifications for the new Auris five door hatchback, which will go on sale in December 2012 and will be manufactured here in the UK. The new Auris will make its world debut later this week at the Paris motor show, will be launched in a four-grade line-up with on-the-road prices from £14,495. All powertrain options will be available from the start o...

The Transport Select Committee today released a report criticising the Govt’s plug-in vehicle strategy as ineffective and questioning why the official National Charge Point Registry is incomplete. The a new report from the Transport Select Committee focuses on the Government’s plug-in vehicle strategy and assess its effectiveness in supporting the sales of electric vehicles in...

Nissan today unveiled the all-new 100% electric Panel Van version e-NV200 Concept, decorated with Nissan and FedEx graphics and logos, at the 64th IAA Commercial Vehicle International Motor Show in Hanover. Nissan is in the final development phase of its second mass production zero emission vehicle, the e-NV200 compact van. Electric vehicles are ideal for urban delivery applications, and th...

The new Mercedes-Benz E300 BlueTEC Hybrid combines performance and efficiency. In standard form it can accelerate from rest to 62 mph in 7.5-seconds. It can achieve a maximum speed of 150 mph and can return 67 mpg while emitting as little as 109 g/km of CO2. To prove the theory in the real-world, the very first example of the car to arrive in the UK set out on an economy run – wi...

BMW's innovative approach to new car concepts and ultra-efficient alternative powertrains will be given a new direction at the Paris Motor Show with the introduction of the Concept Active Tourer. The Concept Active Tourer will use plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology with the capability of 20 miles of pure electric driving. With more than 190 bhp, it will return 113 mpg and less than 60 gCO2/km...

This year there has been a collapse in the number of British towns that are supporting the World Car Free Day, due to take place on 22nd September 2012. The annual event encourages motorists in over 1,000 towns around the world to leave their cars at home for the day, in favour of bicycles, trains and buses. The Environmental Transport Agency (ETA), the organisation that first coordinated t...

The Nissan TeRRA SUV concept, to be unveiled on 27th September at the Paris Motor Show, introduces Nissan's electric vehicle technology into the SUV vehicle class. The 4X4 fuel cell electric powertrain provides the TeRRA SUV with equal ability to travel both on and off road, whilst producing no emissions – taking sustainable motoring into a new territory. Nissan will build on the...

The popular Peugeot Partner vehicle range is to expand to include a new 100% all-electric version, as well as other combustion engine models with CO2 reduced to just 118 g/km. With the new versions, the Partner range now offers business users power units suitable for all kinds of use, reducing the environmental footprint and the dependence on fossil fuels whilst maintaining driving pleasure...

Peugeot's 3008 HYbrid4, the world's first diesel-hybrid crossover, is now available with even better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions, reduced from 99 g/km to just 91 g/km. Although it has been used by other manufacturers, such as Citroen with the DS5, the HYbrid4 drive train was originally developed by Peugeot. The 3008 uses an HDi 163 bhp diesel engine powering the front wheels ...

Visitors to GreenFleet Scotland in Edinburgh will be given the opportunity see and experience the latest low emission vehicles, including the Vauxhall Ampera, Nissan LEAF and a number of low emission combustion engine cars. To take place at Ingliston in Edinburgh on September 16th, 2012 will be the fourth year that the GreenFleet event has been staged, in association with the Energy Saving ...

Renault has presented the Vatican with two electric vehicles made especially to meet the mobility needs of the Pope. The vehicles were handed over last week to His Holiness Benedict XVI by Renault's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Carlos Ghosn, during a visit to the Pope's summer residence in Castel Gandolfo. The first vehicle, for use when the Pope is travelling at his summer re...

The Smart EV Infrastructure & Business Europe 2012 show will take place on December 5-6th, to confront the key business and technological challenges to enable a smart and interoperable European EV infrastructure. The event will run over two days and will take place in Munich, Germany. This will be the 3rd annual time that the event has been run, and expected to be bigger and better than...

Ford's next generation Mondeo will be equipped with the award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, following on from the Focus, B-MAX, Fiesta and C-MAX models. Ford's 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine will become the smallest-ever engine to be specified in such a large family car, enabling industry-leading efficiencies including best-in-class fuel economy and CO2 emissions. This game-chan...

Honda today marks the launch of the new CR-V model as part of a £267 million investment programme into new models and engines at its Swindon, UK plant. Representing the single biggest investment into Honda‘s UK manufacturing in over a decade, the funding will support the introduction of the new Civic (launched in December 2011), the new CR-V (launched today), and the new 1.6 litre...

Nissan is offering new and existing LEAF owners an exciting new opportunity to claim a free Chargemaster Home Charging Unit with free installation from British Gas and free access to the POLAR public charging network of 1,500 charging points, until the end of March 2013. The offer is available to all EV customers who live in the Source London, Source East, Midlands and Milton Keynes Plugged...

The Obama Administration today finalised standards that will increase fuel economy to the equivalent of 54.5 miles per US gallon for cars and light-duty trucks by Model Year 2025 – equivalent to 65.4 mpg (UK). When combined with previous standards set by this Administration, this move will nearly double the fuel efficiency of those vehicles compared to new vehicles currently on Americ...

The new Mercedes Benz Citan is a surprisingly powerful yet super efficient urban delivery van. The most frugal option in the range offers CO2 emissions of just 112 g/km and combined fuel economy of 65.7 mpg. Having the lowest fuel consumption in its class, the new Citan also benefits from maintaining adequate power for delivery van operations, great driving pleasure and low maintenance cost...

Most major car manufacturers are now investing significant time and money into research and development of plug-in vehicles, and electrification of power-trains is becoming a key part of efficient motoring. A segment that will certainly offer several electric options will be small quadricycle urban mobility vehicles (smaller than city cars), due to the increasing pressures on road space and...

POD Point launches the country's first nationwide Pay As You Go network for electric vehicle charging today. The POD Point Pay As You Go (PP PAYG) network is free to join, has no monthly fee and only requires a refundable £10 balance for account activation. The PP PAYG network will use SMS text to access charging points, and stop and start charging cycles, providing electric and ...

Transport Scotland, the national transport agency for Scotland, has announced that all 500 of its existing free-to-use electric vehicle (EV) charge points are to be added to the Charge Your Car network in the north east of England. In addition, a further 250 charge points will be installed across Scotland and connected to Charge Your Car by March 2013, more than doubling the size of the Cha...

Green car company, Fisker Automotive, are recalling 2,400 Karma plug-in hybrids due to a faulty cooling fan unit being responsible for causing a vehicle fire in California last week. This is the second time this year that a Fisker Karma has caught on fire, which is raising issues about the safety of Fisker's first plug-in model. However, now the source of the second fire has been confirmed,...

Car makers have been set a target by the European Commission to achieve average CO2 emissions of below 130 g/km from 65% of their total vehicle fleets – the target will begin to be phased in from 2012, but all manufacturers must comply by 2015. 15 of the 31 major vehicle manufacturers have already met this target, and so have no worries about facing the fines for not conforming. So fa...

Following on from our recent story regarding POD Point's offer of free charging units to electric vehicle (EV) owners in London, they have extended the offer to plug-in car owners in East Anglia, the East and the West Midlands. The POD Point charge points will be installed using a grant from the government's Plugged-In Places scheme, and the offer is available to electric or plug-in vehicle...

Businesses across the UK could potentially slash their fleet mileage costs by up to 10% by more accurately tracking journeys, the Energy Saving Trust announced today. UK firms are expected to spend up to £10.9 billion on fuel for their company vehicle fleets of four million vehicles in 2012. But by introducing a mileage management system they could make an estimated collective saving ...

Hyundai has showcased its latest-generation hydrogen fuel-cell technology at the 'Investing in Future Transport' conference held at London's City Hall. In front of an audience of policy makers, investors and industry representatives, Dr. Sae Hoon Kim, Hyundai's Principal Fuel Cell Research Engineer, explained the company's strategy for sustainable future mobility, and presented their zero-e...

It is not just a vehicle's tailpipe CO2 emissions that manufacturers are addressing to reduce their environmental impact, there are many other aspects of a car's lifecycle that can release harmful emissions. Kia’s three latest models – the all-new cee’d hatchback, the Optima hybrid saloon and the refreshed Sorento SUV have all been certified in recognition of outstanding...

The sixth annual Revolve Eco-Rally is due to take place on Saturday – an event where a group of journalists and special guests put low carbon vehicles to the test on a journey from Oxford to London. The Eco-Rally is not a static motor-show or an economy run. The event uses the most eco-friendly cars available today and uses existing refuelling infrastructure whenever possible. Wh...

One of the world's fastest electric racing cars – the 850 bhp Lola-Drayson B12/69EV – will be demonstrated at the fifth annual Cenex LCV 2012 event. LCV 2012, now in its fifth year, is the UK's largest B2B low carbon vehicle show for manufacturers, technology providers and fleet operators, and is to be held at Millbrook Proving Ground. It will offer a rare opportunity to see the...

Entries are being invited for the third annual RAC Future Car Challenge, taking place on Saturday 3 November – the event was introduced in 2010 to showcase low energy use vehicles. The Challenge features competitors driving electric, hybrid, hydrogen and low-emission conventional cars on a 63-mile route from Brighton to London. The event is unique in being free to public spectators an...

EV owners living within the M25 are being offered free home charging units worth over £1,000 if they take part in the Low Carbon London electric vehicle usage trial. The Low Carbon London project is working towards the goal of reducing London’s emissions by 60% by 2025 and the year-long trial will measure how and when people charge their electric vehicles. Results from the t...

London's most comprehensive attempt to measure and record air pollution in the capital is now underway – with 80 scientists from 11 universities monitoring nearly 1,000 different gases and particles in the atmosphere. Project ClearFlo was timed to start during the Olympics, and intends to help improve air quality forecasting in years to come. Air quality is being examined at ground le...

According to figures from the SMMT, the number of alternatively fuelled car registrations rocketed last month, in line with a general increase in vehicle sales. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) report that alternatively fuelled vehicle registrations in July rose by almost a half compared to July 2011's figures, increasing by 45.9% up to 2,079 units. Year-to-date alterna...

Europcar, the leader in car hire services in Europe, is continuing to invest in creating a sustainable fleet with the addition of 100 Toyota Yaris Hybrids this year, responding to customer demand for hybrid vehicles. For those operating in the London area the vehicles will be Green Vehicle Discount (GVD) registered, in anticipation of the new, tighter Congestion Charge rules to be implement...

Nissan has announced a bold new vision for the future of the London 'black cab' and its 300,000 daily users – the Nissan NV200 London Taxi. The NV200 London Taxi will offer significantly reduced CO2 outputs compared to current taxi models – a focus in line with the Mayor Boris Johnson's Air Quality strategy for London. In comparison to the current black cabs, the new NV200 ...

Toyota has hosted a vehicle hand-over to one of its leading business customers where Dr Shoichiro Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corporation Honorary Chairman, personally presented the keys of a new Prius Plug-in to Electricity North West. Dr Toyoda was at Toyota GB's Surrey headquarters during a visit to the UK and was able to present the first new Prius Plug-in to be ordered by a fleet customer. Th...

Mercedes-Benz releases prices and specifications for the new Mercedes-Benz E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid, the most efficient E-Class production car to date. The E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid brings together a powerful yet highly efficient 2,143cc, four-cylinder diesel engine. Developing 204 hp and 500 Nm of torque, it is linked to a 20 kW electric motor mounted within the 7G-Tronic Plus automatic transmissio...

Five hydrogen fuel cell black cabs developed by Intelligent Energy and partners are transporting VIPs and dignitaries around London during the 2012 Olympic Games. This begins a two-year trial project supported by HyTEC (Hydrogen Transport for European Cities). A hydrogen fuelling station has been installed at Heathrow Airport and an additional site has been planned in central London to fuel...

In addition to being the official Automotive Partner for London 2012 and providing a fleet of over 4,000 low emission cars, BMW are also playing their part in the actual Games. To assist US athletes, BMW has developed a camera system that captures information and data about a long jumper's performance, which is fed back to coaches to improve performance during training. The German aut...

Following the success of last year's GreenFleet Scotland event, the show will be held again this year on September 13th at Ingliston Showgrounds, Edinburgh – it is the biggest gathering of low emission cars to test-drive in Scotland. GreenFleet Scotland, in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust and O2, is an event for fleet managers and heads of transport who want to manage their f...

Pioneering electric vehicle charging points from APT Technologies have been installed at a £100 million technology park development in Longbridge, in response to the rapid growth of EV ownership in the Midlands. The Innovation Centre, at Longbridge Technology Park, has been developed by regeneration specialists St Modwen and is home to nearly 50 technology-based local, national and inter...

SEAT's environmentally friendly car sales have been at an all time high so far this year – with their Ecomotive models making up a record 41% of all SEATs sold in 2012. SEAT has also announced the addition of the new Exeo Ecomotive, to join their model line-up later this month. With green car sale volumes already 1.2% greater than last year, SEAT expect the Exeo to further boost inter...

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has announced that it will expand its workforce at its advanced manufacturing facility at Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands to support the launch of new Jaguar models. More than 1,100 new jobs are being created, and a recruitment campaign for production operators has been launched. This is not the first announcement this year that JLR is expanding its workforce. ...

At LCV2012, an event taking place at Millbrook Proving Grounds on 5-6th September 2012, Charge Your Car Limited will be presenting its plans for the creation of the UK's largest pay-as-you-go, 'open source' network of public access charging stations for electric vehicles. Charge Your Car is offering the first national network that is open to all EV drivers, all charge point hosts and networ...