News

Nobody knows for certain whether electric, hybrid or even micro turbine engines will prevail in the technological race to power cars in the most efficient way possible, so Honda is hedging its bets with its latest concept car – the Personal-Neo Urban Transport (P-NUT) ultra-compact vehicle features a modular engine bay designed to...

The world’s first solar-powered aircraft made its first hop into the air during testing last week, but a commercial application for the technology is too far off to help meet impending emissions targets; according to the government’s advisers on climate change, the introduction of more fuel-efficient aircraft will allow an additional 138...

Bike theft is a major concern of police in Scarborough this Christmas. Responding to growing fears over people’s security over the festive season, an annual crime prevention campaign has been launched in the town centre. Sgt Diane Jobling said:“Many children will be getting a new bicycle for Christmas, so we will be selling ‘immobitags’ at...

Company drivers who choose electric cars are to be exempt from benefit in kind (BiK) tax for five years from April 2012. Electric cars currently attract a tax rate of 9 per cent. The exemption was announced today as part of the Pre-Budget report given by Alistair Darling. The Chancellor is keen to increase the number of electric cars used...

A man has been found guilty of a series of bike thefts in Chiswick. Rocky Taylor of Hampsted was pulled in for questioning when he was spotted by the Turnham Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team riding a stolen bicycle. When officers searched the 36-year-old’s flat they discovered a number of stolen bikes and cycle parts. Mr Taylor was also...

As sales of electric bicycles boom around the world, China is facing calls for the bikes to be banned. Guangzhou in South China fears being overrun by electric bicycles and has tried unsuccessfully to ban the vehicles, whilst Yizhuang last week started a campaign to reduce their number. Sales of electric bicycles are up 30 per cent in...

Bike theft protection may be a wise investment for parents in Wales as the number of children cycling to school rises. According to statistics from sustainable transport agency Sustrans, the number of children cycling to school in Conwy and Neath Port Talbot has trebled over the past year from 13 per cent to 39 per cent. The hike is being...

Northern Constabulary is warning people to take extra measures to avoid falling victim to bike theft over the festive period. According to the organisation, many people are expected to have bicycles at the top of their Christmas lists this year but unfortunately so will many thieves. Responding to the expected rise in bike thefts, crime...

The Business Secretary, Peter Mandelson, used a speech this week to announce the car scrappage scheme had run its course and it now seems highly unlikely that it will be extended in next week’s pre-Budget report. “The longer you make any sector or industry dependent on government, the harder it will be to wean that industry or sector off,”...

Audi is developing a ‘driverless’ version of its TTS coupe that comes to a stop if driving conditions become unsafe. Such autonomous technology, which allows an onboard computer to take complete control of a vehicle, is some way off being fitted to production cars, but an increasing number of driving tasks are becoming automated; the VW...