Green transport latest news

Electric cars to share fast-charge design

Tuesday, 16th March, 2010

Mobile phone manufacturers may get away with making a different type of plug for every design of handset, but this would not be acceptable where electric cars are concerned. With this in mind, Toyota and Nissan have set up a working group to establish an international standard for electric car fast-charging stations.

MPs scrap bicycle parking spaces to make way for cars

Tuesday, 16th March, 2010

Bicycle parking spaces at the Palace of Westminster have been scrapped to make more room for ministerial cars.Covered bicycle racks in the Star Chamber Courtyard have been removed and replaced by parking for Government ministers’ cars, many of which are left with their engines running for hours while they wait for their passengers, according to MPs angry at the change.

High-speed rail: Little improvement on CO2, but journey times slashed

Friday, 12th March, 2010

The planned £17.4bn high-speed railway between London and Birmingham is unlikely to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 0.3 per cent of current emissions from transport. The Department for Transport describes the London-to-Birmingham route as ‘carbon neutral’.

Future flight: Electric aircraft or personal jetpack?

Wednesday, 10th March, 2010

Two designs of future aircraft publicised this week illustrate contrasting visions for the future of flight. The first is a petrol-powered personal jetpack that manages 5mpg, whilst the other is a concept design zero-emissions electric airship able to carry multiple passengers.

European Commission sued over biofuel ‘cover up’

Tuesday, 9th March, 2010

The European Commission is being taken to court by a coalition of environmental groups over its refusal to release data on the negative impact of widespread biofuel use in the EU.

Expect waiting list for Nissan Leaf electric car

Tuesday, 9th March, 2010

Despite being many months away from production, the all-electric Nissan Leaf has been pre-ordered by over 56,000 people in America – a situation that may lead to a waiting list for new cars when deliveries start at the end of this year.

Bicycle power: The world’s greenest, quietest and healthiest ride-on lawnmower

Tuesday, 9th March, 2010

Petrol-powered lawnmowers might have made gardening a little easier but they are far from kind on the wider environment; some estimates put the amount of pollution from a lawnmower at four times the amount from a car engine for every hour they are in use.

Eco driving Peugeot 308 pushes 90mpg

Monday, 8th March, 2010

The driver of a 5-door family hatchback Peugeot 308 HDi has achieved an average fuel consumption of 89.95mpg on public roads between Paris and Geneva – an improvement of almost 50 per cent on the manufacturer’s official figure.

Is the Tata Nano EV an electric car Ford Model T?

Friday, 5th March, 2010

An electric version of the Tata Nano, the world’s cheapest car, is on display at the Geneva Motor Show. No one knows for certain how much the Nano EV will cost, but it is expected that Tata will once again undercut its rivals on price. At the right price, the car could be the electric car version of the Ford Model T – the first electric vehicle to have mass-market appeal.

Brompton child seat makes perfect sense for bicycle commuters

Thursday, 4th March, 2010

The Brompton is popular with city commuters because of the way it can be carried on public transport and then quickly folded and stored under a desk, so it is surprising that there is currently only one supplier of child seats for the bicycle.

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