New electric tram trains that will revolutionise transport across the South Wales valleys were unveiled this week at their new £100 million depot at Taff’s Well. As part of the South Wales Metro project by Transport for Wales, they are capable of operating on both electric lines and battery power up to 62mph and carry 252 passengers. Commuter scooters led by Yamaha and Honda are the most … [Read more...]
Luxembourg chills with car karma
Luxembourg topped the rankings as the least stressful European country for drivers, in a study for Confused.com . The western European country’s ranking reflects its consistently good scoring, and it was found to have low traffic congestion levels. It also recorded a fuel cost of just 0.002% of its average annual income and 3.58 road fatalities per 100,000 people. The study calculated … [Read more...]
What is autonomous or not
Thatcham Research has revealed further insights from its Trust in Automation study - which polled 2,000 motorists in the US and 2,000 in the UK – and found a significant disconnect between attitudes and behaviours on either side of the Atlantic. American drivers are more likely to a see a benefit to self-driving or autonomous technology than British drivers: 81% versus 73% respectively. However, … [Read more...]
UK not ready for big switch onto electric cars, report
More than 6.5 million electric vehicles (EVs) have been sold worldwide, and that number is set to grow due to the phasing-out of the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from as soon as 2025 (Norway), with the UK targeting 2030 and the 27 EU member states EU aiming for 2035. In anticipation of this, personal finance guidance and comparison website Forbes Advisor has looked at EV-readiness around … [Read more...]
Mazda driving joy comes in more models
The joy of driving is still very important to Mazda, says UK boss Jeremy Thomson. This week, Mazda UK commissioned 20 electric charging points at its Darford headquarters as more staff progressively returned to the office. However, the UK and Europe’s rush to turn on electric cars over the coming decade has not dimmed Mazda’s investment in the internal combustion engine. “Mazda has very … [Read more...]
British attempt on electric motor-bike speed record
White Motorcycle Concepts has unveiled a revolutionary 250mph-plus pure electric prototype motorcycle. Company founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob White will use it in attempts to break both the British and world electric land speed records over the next 12 months in Britain and Bolivia. The WMC250EV high-speed demonstrator, White’s brainchild, is more than two years in the … [Read more...]
Britain’s underpowered in EV incentives and take-up
New research from Select Car Leasing identifies where the UK government ranks in the promotion of electric vehicles compared to 32 other European countries. Countries across the world are battling a widespread lack of confidence in electric vehicles, due to low availability of charging points, a limited choice of cars and higher cost compared to petrol alternatives. To battle this lack of … [Read more...]
Brexit deal provides hope for automotive sector
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders want to ensure all automotive companies benefit from continued tariff-free trade with our largest market after agreeing on Brexit terms. While no substitute for the benefits provided by remaining in the EU, the TCA provides hope for the future, with a foundation on which to build, domestically and internationally, in 2021. Given the … [Read more...]
EU states largely unprepared for EV motoring
A new report by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association shows that despite strong growth, the available charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in the EU still falls far below what is needed, and remains unevenly distributed across member states. Its second edition of ‘Making the Transition to Zero-Emission Mobility’, is an annual study which tracks progress on the availability … [Read more...]
Tradelines 10 June
Japan wants an end to automobile and parts tariffs in negotiations on a post-Brexit trade agreement with Britain, the country’s trade minister said yesterday. After decades outsourcing its trade policy to the European Union, Britain is embarking on negotiating free trade deals with countries around the world including Japan and 10 other Pacific nations and which must be agreed before 2021. … [Read more...]