Nissan has announced improvements to its NV400 range including a low emission Euro 5 engine and a number of specification upgrades on both panel vans and factory-built conversions. The four versions of the chassis, tipper and dropside turbo engine have been replaced with a single 2.3 litre turbodiesel engine which boasts an improvement in fuel economy and sees the NV400’s CO2 emissions fall by … [Read more...]
Newcomers
Big boost for electric car industry
The future of the UK as a leader in the development and take-up of low emission vehicles has been given a boost with government's announcement of how the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) will spend its £500m funding allocation over the next five years. Representing the UK motor industry, SMMT called on government to instigate a balanced approach to the 2015-2020 funding package, … [Read more...]
Van values soaring, but beware of a collapse, says expert
Soaring used van values have added nearly 50% to the trade price of a typical 3 year old van since 2010, according to the independent vehicle information specialists, CAP Automotive. But the boom in values is likely to falter by the end of the year, say CAP’s commercial vehicle experts. The rise in values for used vans was sparked by the collapse in new van sales when Britain fell into … [Read more...]
EU to order new infrastructure for alternative fuels?
The EU is expected to order member states to boost infrastructure investment for alternative fuels. To boost the take-up of alternative fuels in transport, EU countries will have to ensure that enough refuelling and recharging stations are available to enable cars, trucks and ships using alternative fuels, such as natural gas and electricity, to move freely on EU roads and waterways, under an … [Read more...]
Isuzu’s Blade runner enters the market
Isuzu UK has enhanced the rugged appeal of its award-winning pick-up range with the addition of a special edition, exclusive-to-the-UK model, the Isuzu D-Max Blade. With the new Blade, Isuzu hopes to attract new customers to the Brand including those who may not have considered a pick-up vehicle previously. The new special edition, which goes on sale in April, boasts a long list of unique … [Read more...]
Volkswagen e-Golf now on sale for summer delivery
Customers can now place orders for the fully electric Volkswagen e-Golf, which is priced at £25,845 on the road including £5,000 Government grant, or £30,845 without. The e-Golf can be ordered from one of 24 Volkswagen EV specialist Retailers across the UK, with the first deliveries expected at the end of June. Based on the multi-award-winning Golf hatchback, the e-Golf offers the same … [Read more...]
Welsh conference to discuss low carbon vehicles
Wales’s first low carbon vehicle conference will be held this month. The Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay is the venue for the ground-breaking conference on 18 March which will include speeches by industry leaders and experts in low carbon technology. There will be an opening address by Wales Minister for Economy Science and Transport, Edwina Hart and the event arranged by the Energy Saving … [Read more...]
Hybrid sales soar 40pc and Wales benefits
European sales of hybrid vehicles increased more than 40 percent last year to 214,237 units as more people decided to reduce their fuel consumption with the help of the electrically assisted cars. Analysts, however, say the market niche continues to struggle against diesel-powered cars that are often even more frugal than hybrids. Sales of the British-built and Welsh-powered Auris Hybrid … [Read more...]
EV and hybrid used market is picking up
AA Cars is reporting growing numbers of electric and hybrid cars being offered by dealers. This means that for green-conscious drivers who found the new price of EVs and hybrids to be out of reach, there are some good deals to be done. At present, nearly 1,260 hybrid and just over 100 electric cars are being offered dating back a decade but the majority are under two years old. Toyota … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: VW E Up
Volkswagen is on a charge with its newest city car, the e-up! Launched in Germany last autumn, the pure electric version of the up! city car is now reaching the first 24 UK dealers out of the 208-strong VW network and the battery of dealers will slowly grow, each with a specially trained technician, servicing facilities and customer dedicated e-parking and charging points, including Sinclair … [Read more...]