Councils in Cardiff and West Wales have started work to reopen roads closed or restricted during the Covid-19 pandemic.The moves were done to allow more pedestrian room on pavements and permit outdoor eating and drinking, but now the local authorities want the streets returned to private vehicles to ease congestion and lower emissions in surrounding roads Italy is discussing with the European … [Read more...]
EU climate plans threaten jobs and economies
Carbon emissions from new passenger vehicles are to be cut by 55% in 2030 and 100% in 2035. These targets are the core of the revised CO2 vehicle fleet regulation adopted today by the European Commission as part of the so-called 'Fit for 55' package of measure to revise the EU climate policy.“A zero-emission tailpipe target in 2035 is a de facto ban on the … [Read more...]
Lawmakers fail to understand technology, say suppliers
The planned European wide ban on petrol and diesel cars is not supported by technical data, said Sigrid de Vries, Secretary General of CLEPA, the association of automotive suppliers. “The steeper the target, without recognition of sustainable renewable fuels, the closer one gets to a de facto ban on the internal combustion engine. Without renewable fuels acknowledged in this law, if you need a … [Read more...]
Newslines 11 June
Volkswagen will receive €288 million (£248m) in compensation payments after reaching a settlement with four former executives, including ex-CEO Martin Winterkorn and former Audi boss Rupert Stadler, over the diesel emissions scandal, reports Autocar. The settlement is a major step in the German firm’s attempt to move on from the Dieselgate scandal, in which it admitted using illegal software to … [Read more...]
Suppliers optimism and caution for 2021
Parts suppliers have started 2021 with mixed feelings of optimism and caution. Optimism, because demand for vehicles and components is picking up more rapidly than expected and the appetite for new, innovative technologies is accelerating. Caution, because the scars from 2020 are deep and the level of uncertainty remains high. Thorsten Muschal (above), member of the management of … [Read more...]
Newslines 1 December
The motorist and transport industry will pay the price for the Government’s support package for the UK in the Chancellor's Spring Budget, said Howard Cox, Founder of FairFuel UK. Fuel duties which have been frozen in recent years are likely to be substantially increased as HMRC has lost huge income and the Government wants to discourage motoring to save emissions and drive its green … [Read more...]
Continuing disagreement over evs “green” credentials
While more and more companies are focusing on electromobility in order to meet climate targets, the scientific community has by no means reached a consensus on what the propulsion system of the future will look like. This is shown in a new infographic from Block-Builders.net (right). The CO2 balance of an electric car looks much less attractive than that of a conventional combustion engine when … [Read more...]
Newslines 3 November
Demand for used cars is 15% higher than it was at this time last year, coinciding with a decline in sales of new cars, says AA Cars. Drivers’ interest in used cars spiked to 9.1%above pre-pandemic levels when forecourts re-opened in June, but the new analysis shows that demand has continued to pick up since then with searches on the AA Cars platform in September an average4% higher than they were … [Read more...]
EU risks undermining national low carbon drive
The -55% climate target announced last week makes the EU Green Deal the most ambitious climate initiative in the world, said green group Transport & Environment. But European Commission president Ursual von der Leyen risks undermining her own efforts with a plan that would undercut national action to cut pollution from cars and trucks added the pressure group. Emissions trading would be … [Read more...]
Newslines 15 September
Daimler will pay a $875 million or £681.30 million civil penalty for violating US clean air laws as part of a $1.5 billion settlement with US and California regulators over excess diesel emissions in passenger vehicles and vans, two people briefed on the matter said. It relates to claims over 250,000 US diesel cars and vans after the automaker used software to evade emissions rules. Former … [Read more...]
