Government announces huge hike in VED, could cost new car buyers thousands (July 2015)

Further changes to road tax were announced as part of the 2015 Budget. These will come into effect in April 2017 and concern the amount of road tax you’ll have to pay on cars purchased after that date. Unfortunately, only zero-emissions cars will remain exempt from road tax after then. All other cars will be charged a varying amount for the first year, based on the amount of CO2 they emit, and then a flat rate of £140 for each subsequent year.

Owners of more popular family-oriented cars will most likely have to pay between £100 and £160 for the first year. At the other end of the scale, owners of cars emitting more than 255g/km of CO2 will have to pay a staggering £2,000 to tax... more

What does the decision to leave the European Union mean for drivers and the car industry? (June 2016)

The polls are closed, the votes counted and the decision clear. Now we’re on course to leave EU, how might things change for motorists?
In what can only be described as a seismic decision, Britain is to leave the European Union, or EU. While politicians and businesses consider the wider ramifications of the ‘Brexit vote’, we turn our attention to the possible implications for the British motorist, as well as the UK’s thriving car industry.

Reacting to the news, the chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said: "The British public has chosen a new future out of Europe. Government must now maintain economic stability and secure a deal with the EU... more

Audi extends mobile wi-fi service to new models (June 2016)

More Audi models to get in-car, Europe-wide wi-fi connectivity

Audi has announced that more models will now come with what it calls the ‘Audi connect SIM’ as standard. This allows occupants to access 4G wi-fi across Europe for a standard flat rate per year, with up to eight devices being capable of connecting to the network.

The service will be extended to the Audi A3, the new A4, the upcoming Q2. It’s been developed with Irish communications company Cubic Telecom and is said to offer download speeds of up to 100 megabytes per second.

However, the SIM is not just for connecting your handheld devices (data for which will be charged at an additional rate).... more

Brexit and the UK car industry: British car bosses back 'Remain' (June 2016)

Britain’s car makers have banded together to lobby for a ‘Remain’ vote in Thursday’s EU referendum, where the UK will vote to quit or stick in the European Union.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which represents the car industry in the UK, reckons that 77% of its members favour remaining in the EU. Only 9% said that leaving would be best.

The sector is often quoted as a beacon of hope in a see-sawing economy - proof that Britain can manufacture on a global scale. It employs 800,000 jobs across the UK and contributes £15.5 billion to the country's coffers every year.

Around 80% of cars built in Britain are exported - and nearly 60% of those are sold... more

Government announces £2m hydrogen car fund (May 2016)

Department for Transport sets up fund to increase number of hydrogen cars on UK roads. In an effort to make the majority of cars on UK roads emission-free by the year 2050, the Department for Transport has this week announced the formation of a £2 million fund to encourage hydrogen fuel-cell car sales. Called the Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Fleet Support Scheme, it will allow local authorities, health trusts, police forces, fire brigades and private companies to bid for funding to add hydrogen cars to their fleets. The scheme aims to triple the number of hydrogen cars on the UK’s roads to 100 by spring 2017. At the moment, there are only two hydrogen cars on sale in the UK – the Toyota... more

VW emissions scandal: Golf recall announced (April 2016)

Owners of Volkswagen Golfs with the EA189 2.0-litre TDI BlueMotion engine will shortly receive a letter asking them to make an appointment with their nearest dealer so that a “technical solution” can be implemented to “remedy defects”.

Amid concern that a fix for engines implicated in the scandal could negatively affect their performance and/or fuel economy, Volkswagen has assured owners that the work to be carried out in this case “does not result in any changes to the fuel consumption levels, performance data or noise emissions”.

The recall announced will affect 15,000 owners across Europe, but more Golf models will subsequently be recalled, along with other cars in the... more

Nissan points towards electric future (May 2016)

Nissan has announced details of two new energy management innovations related to electric cars: a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) trial scheme and a residential energy storage solution.

Nissan has teamed up with multinational power company Enel to trial V2G technology in the UK for the first time. It’s set to be rolled out to 100 owners of Nissan electric vehicles across the country.
The setup allows EV owners to sell electricity that’s lying dormant in their car’s batteries back into the national grid at a profit. This means you can make money from electricity you’ve bought, but are not using. When you need to charge your vehicle, Enel’s V2G two-way charging box will allow you to... more

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