News

Three new electric scooters have been launched onto the market by British company, e-motive. The e1, e3 and e5 models cost from £1399, produce no exhaust emissions and are very economical to run, costing just one penny per mile. The top-of-the-range £3999 e5 model can reach 65mph and the company claims an 80-mile range on a single charge....

The next car you buy will automatically let you know when its tyres need inflating if new EU laws are passed. Car tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) send a signal to the car’s dashboard if the pressure falls below the correct level. Correctly inflated tyres last longer, provide better road handling and improve fuel efficiency by around...

The inventor of the Brompton folding bicycle has received the Prince Philip Designers Prize. Andrew Ritchie built the first Brompton bike in 1979 and has been refining the design ever since. The British-built Brompton now sells across the world and such is its success that the company struggles to keep up with orders. A spokesperson for the...

Nissan’s luxury car division, Infiniti, is to build its first electric vehicle. Plans for the four-seater, electric, Audi A3-sized car were unveiled at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show with the promise that the design would deliver “inspired performance”. Nissan plans to build on the lithium-ion battery pack and electric motor drivetrain used in...

Nissan has unveiled plans that could bring down the cost of electric cars for drivers. When the car giant has finished with the batteries it plans to fit to its forthcoming Leaf car, it will sell them to a company that generates electricity from solar power. The Lithium-ion batteries will still have 70 to 80 per cent of their original...

From April 2010, rates of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), which is better known as road tax, will be changing for some vehicles. Consult the table below to find out how much you will pay. If you have an older car, please note that vehicles registered before 1st March 2001 with engines not over 1549cc pay £125 a year, cars with engines larger...

Hospital workers are being encouraged to get on their bikes to help protect the environment in East Lancashire. Under the government’s Cycle to Work scheme – more information scheme, employees at the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust are being offered the chance to buy a discounted bicycle through pre-tax deductions from their pay packet....

Mercedes-Benz is testing its electric Smart cars in ‘real-life’ situations in Britain so that the car manufacturer can understand what improvements could benefit drivers. Brighton-based firm Elektromotive has been chosen to participate in the scheme and will be testing the Smart electric drive for the next four years."The...

Electric cars could have longer-lasting batteries take no longer to refuel than petrol or diesel vehicles following a breakthrough in liquid-electrolyte technology by German scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT). Redox batteries generate power using two fluid electrolytes and now boast a capacity approaching...

Car and scooter manufacturer Peugeot has taken inspiration from both forms of transport to produce a 2.5m long electric vehicle that can seat four people. The Peugeot BB1 has electric motors in its rear wheels and replaces a regular car’s steering wheel and pedals with handlebars and side-by-side motorcycle seats. The result is a highly...