Starting April 1 2017, the taxing system for new cars in the UK will change. Many drivers looking to buy a new car will observe that they are going to pay more than they expect to.
The new system of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is expected to lead to an easier, more streamlined system. However, many low-emission vehicles will also be subject to the tax even if they are already insured.
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The streets of North America will soon be a platform for electricity-powered, a.k.a. green smart cars.
In a recent letter, (obtained by publication Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and reviewed by Reuters), German auto giant Daimler claimed that shortly, their gas-powered smart vehicles being sold in the US and Canada will be replaced by electric versions of their micro cars. However, markets outside USA and Canada will continuing having access to gas-powered vehicles.
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Doing rounds of the news recently was Finland conducting a ‘social experiment’ wherein a sizable number of its population were given USD 600 per month. Close on the heels of this Finnish initiative, the Oslo Government announced on February 01, 2017, that it would offer its residents exactly double, i.e. USD 1,200 credit, to promote a revolutionary ‘green’ cause. The funds will be given to residents to purchase electric bikes that can easily accommodate things that would otherwise need to be put in car trunks, such as groceries, bags, etc. This credit will cover 25 – 50% of an E-Bike’s total cost, which lies in the USD 2,500 to USD 6,400 price range.
By the year 2025, German automobile giant Volkswagen says that they will roll out over 30 electrified vehicle models, one of which would possibly be a zero-emission version of the Beetle.
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Recently at Detroit’s North American International Auto Show, Volkswagen launched the I.D. Buzz concept – a modern eight-seater, all-electric drivetrain/van with a 600 km range and integration with impressive futuristic self-driving technology.
Formerly known as the Eurocopter X3, Airbus’ patent-pending X3 hybrid helicopter could be the fastest forward moving helicopter in history. It took its first flight back in 2010 but has been a piece of work for the company as it battles out challenges to make the X3 the world’s fastest at speeds of up to 239 mph. This is made possible by a combination of a traditional motor for take offs and wing rotors that can be fired up during flight to give it the forward thrust it needs. The speeds far surpass the fastest helicopter today, which does a modest 160 mph. The patent has been filed for a new design that sees the motors placed behind the wings resulting in lesser noise and vibrations. This also boosts passenger safety and does a word of good for the aerodynamics of the flight.
The BMW compact electric car has just received a welcome improvement on performance. The 2017 BM i3 (94 Ah) arrives with a battery capacity that has increased by fifty percent. The capacity is now 33 (kWh), thanks to the lithium ion cells that pack a higher density. The good thing is that even with this increased capacity, the size of the battery still remains the same. The car can easily pull off a 114 mile drive in arduous weather conditions, with the heater or the air-conditioning turned on full blast. It also has great pickup for an electric car, managing a 0 to 60 climb in a matter of just seven seconds. As soon as the battery charge dips to a level around 6.5 percent, a 2-cylinder gasoline engine is switched on for backup so that you can find the next, closest charging station to power up.
The Tesla Model 3 may cost $35,000 but it has sent a wave of anticipation and love for eco-driving across. The car has received 325,000 pre-orders for the car amassing an assured future earning of $14 bilion. This has led to good things for brand Tesla as well, with the company confidently going ahead and upgrading its factory in Fremont, California. Each buyer has pledged $1,000 to reserve their cars. It could be the yearning for a car that is less polluting or maybe the low pledging fee that made the one-week launch of the Model 3 the biggest for any brand. This means that this could well be a top-seller over the iPhones and PlayStations of our times.
Scandinavia continues to be the ruling sustainability belts from across the world, this time with Norway. Last month (March) over sixty percent of all cars sold in Norway were either hybrids or electric hybrids. The report presented by Dinside Motor surprised the world of sustainability advocates. The numbers may not really seem high when you compare it with car sales of most nations but Norway isn’t known to be too populous either. The country sold 3,400 hybrids, 2,600 electric drives, and 2,000 plug-in hybrids in March. The US is far behind the 60 percent mark at a measly 2.6 percent in the light-vehicle segment.
Sustainable transport couldn’t have a greater superlative than this. While fuel cell cars are what eco-driving will be in the future, the idea of creating a platform to share these wonderfully non-polluting machines makes perfect sense. Germany’s industrial gases giant, Linde, has launched BeeZero, a car-sharing service that will create a pooling service with Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell cars. The idea of this is no coincidence in a land where hydrogen research and technology is always in focus. Users can reserve their rides by pre-booking it via a smartphone app. Linde go a step forward and ensure that the hydrogen gas used to power the cars is created from sustainable sources making the experience a truly eco-conscious effort for all.