News

It’s not as small as a Brompton, as light as a Dahon or as finely engineered as a Moulton but a new design by Makoto Asawa promises to be the fastest-collapsing bicycle on the market with a folding time of two seconds. The full-size is designed to be folded as it is being wheeled along by Japanese commuters in a hurry. The frame hinge is...

Trials of an amphibious bus have resumed after it broke down on Monday after only one hour’s use. Stagecoach hopes to use the “amfibus” to run a combined bus and ferry service on the River Clyde. The AmphiCoach is almost indistinguishable from a conventional vehicle, but as it enters the water its wheels retract and a powerful water jet...

Ducati has built its reputation on producing thoroughbred twin-cylinder sports motorcycles, but the latest two-wheeler in the Italian company’s range is an electric bicycle with a top speed of 15mph. The Ducati ‘City Pearl’ electric bicycle has a 250 watt motor mounted in its front wheel hub, with a lithium battery and other electronics on...

In reaction to the withdrawal of government biofuel subsidies, Morrisons is to stop selling B30, a diesel comprising 30 per cent biofuel, at 144 of its filling stations. The government is looking to slash its annual £550m spend on biofuel subsidies and has been urged by environmental groups to stop funding biofuels and instead use the money...

Toyota is to recall over 400,000 Prius and other hybrid cars to fix the brake problems that continue to plague the beleaguered car maker. 8,500 Prius cars in Britain made before January 27 are being recalled because of concerns about the cars’ performance on slick surfaces. The Toyota share price had already taken a battering this year...

A spokesperson for Peugeot this week described London as the ‘natural next step’ for Mu, the French car maker’s hire scheme that allows customers to load ‘mobility points’ onto a card before using them to borrow from a fleet of vehicles ranging from electric bicycles to a vans. Mu has enjoyed success in cities across France and is now ready...

Honda has unveiled a solar-powered hydrogen station for use by drivers at home, which can produce enough fuel to power its FCX Clarity fuel cell car for 25 miles of driving each day. Hydrogen can be used as a fuel for electric cars thereby doing away with the need for a battery – these so-called fuel cell vehicles can travel longer...

A new type of umbrella that you wear over your head claims to protect a cyclist’s head, face and shoulders from rain, wind, snow and extreme cold. The Nubrella costs £40 and uses a patented shoulder strap to allow it to be used hands-free. It bears a passing resemblance to the helmet worn by the character Buzz Lightyear in the animated...

The discrepancy in performance between new buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles, which are limited to 56mph by speed limiters, and older vehicles, which are able to drive at 70mph, has prompted the Department for Transport to call for a change to the law. As well as being able to travel at higher speeds, older , coaches and heavy goods...

A new electric vehicle that is to be sold without bodywork, seats or even a steering wheel promises motorists a choice of design and performance as diverse and easily available as an iPhone application. Trexa says its ‘low-profile enclosed design’ lends itself to unlimited design possibilities – customers will be able to specify their exact...