Less than half (48%) of drivers are aware of April’s increase in first-year rates for Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) - despite facing potentially substantial increases. As a result, drivers buying new cars this year might not fully understand the costs involved, meaning they could be choosing vehicles they can’t afford without realising it. VED is the yearly … [Read more...]
Government urged to speed up pollution cut
Government’s plans to reduce one of the most harmful types of air pollution do not go far enough or fast enough, according to the chief executive of a green technology company which has developed technology to help tackle the problem. George Eustice, the environment secretary, has proposed that the limit on fine particulate matter in England should be cut … [Read more...]
Fleet emissions sink to record low
The BVRLA has published its latest Quarterly Leasing Survey showing that average CO2 emissions for members’ new car registrations have fallen below 100g/km for the first time ever. During the Q4-2020 reporting period, average CO2 emissions were 98g/km compared to the average UK car fleet of 114.2g/km, highlighting the green credentials of the vehicle … [Read more...]
Newslines 18 October
A free app has launched that will forever change the way drivers buy car insurance and make it cheaper for drivers – and young drivers in particular - to get covered. honcho, which is the first reverse-auction marketplace app in the UK, requires insurers to bid against each other for customers, competing for their custom in real-time and the bidding … [Read more...]
Mixed responses to new EU emissions target
Car makers have expressed serious concerns about the highly challenging CO2 target that auto manufacturers will have to meet by 2030. The European Parliament, Commission and Council agreed to cut carbon emissions from new cars and vans by 15% in 2025 and 37.5% in 2030, compared to 2021 levels. The European federation of transport NGOs, Transport … [Read more...]
Newslines 19 October
A Hyundai Nexo hydrogen car has cleaned up some of the Capital’s dirtiest roads in a test in conjunction with University College London. The car, which goes on UK sale next year, actually filters the air intake and removes harmful micro-elements and pushes out a cleaner exhaust than ingested air. Poland has become a dumping ground for diesel cars which … [Read more...]
Continental holiday routes hit by driving bans
Highways to the South of France, Italy and Switzerland are closed in parts due to poor air quality. Five tourist areas currently introduced driving bans due to poor air quality. Paris, Strasbourg, Lyon, Annecy and Isère (Alpine region, Grenoble) have imposed traffic restrictions. Some cities had exclusion zones operating last month. In these zones, … [Read more...]
Serious issues for car makers facing new emissions test
There is a growing problem for car makers attempting to work to the new WLTP emissions test as the September deadline looms, says JATO. The international business intelligence service has carried out its own emissions analysis and concludes the perceived and real gap between the old and forthcoming test figures is bigger than first thought. Only … [Read more...]
EC say car makers are manipulating tests to save investments
European Commission scientists have uncovered evidence of carmakers manipulating the results of a new test for CO2 emissions, show documents obtained by Transport & Environment. Less than three years after the Dieselgate NOx emissions scandal, the car industry is now inflating its CO2/fuel economy results, which could reduce the stringency of its 2025 … [Read more...]
Tougher emission tests begin in September
In September, a more rigorous laboratory test for measuring pollutant and CO2 emissions from cars will come into force. This new test will make some much needed improvements to the way cars are tested, but its introduction is also likely to raise questions among consumers about the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure. With this in mind, … [Read more...]
