Europe
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Chinese manufacturer BYD is planning to have plug-in hybrid vehicles on sale in the U.S. within two years, with similar ambitions for the European market. The company took a step closer to reaching those goals by launching the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid vehicle in China this week. The car is the F3DM and it can drive up to 62 miles on electrical power alone before a small internal combustion engine takes over driving duties. Its battery can fully charge in nine hours from a regular electrical outlet, or much faster at BYD's own charging stations, reports The Detroit...
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Nissan upgrades European GT-R along 'Series II' linesRecent reports about the demise of launch control in Nissan's GT-R aside, the cars sold in the UK and Europe next year will be getting a range of upgrades as well. Those upgrades have now been confirmed for Europe, including a 5hp (3kW) bump in power to 478hp (356kW) and stickier Dunlop tires, like...
Kenneth Hall -
EU reaches agreement on emissions reduction target
The European Union has reached an agreement on a greenhouse gas reduction program for new vehicles, announcing today that carmakers must cut their fleet-wide emissions levels by 18% within the next six years. The program will also see carbon-dioxide emissions levels for new cars cut to an average...
Kenneth Hall -
European Commission proposes €5 billion aid package for auto industry
The European Commission has reportedly given its stamp of approval to a large aid package to help the struggling European economy, with at least €5 billion earmarked for the automotive industry. In total, the proposed package will encompass €200 billion for a number of sectors of the...
Alex Kaufmann -
Audi demonstrates inter-brand car-to-car networking in Germany
The second CAR2CAR Forum at a testing ground in Dudenhofen, Germany, was the site of a new step forward in vehicle-to-vehicle communications systems. Among several other European carmakers, Audi presented a system that is able to interoperate with vehicles from other companies. The CAR2CAR Forum is...
Nelson Ireson -
EU considering three year delay of 120g/km CO2 limit
The European Union is ready to abandon its long-established goal of cutting carbon dioxide limits for new vehicles to 120g/km by 2012. Under a proposal introduced during negotiations between nations in the EU late last week, the 120g/km limit originally set for 2012 would be pushed back to 2015, a...
Kenneth Hall -
The European commission put forward a proposal on Wednesday to introduce a scheme to offer motorists incentives to scrap their old cars in order to boost sales of new fuel-efficient models. The latest proposal is just one of a number of government backed schemes being considered to help carmakers overcome the current sales slump and meet tough new emissions regulations. Also under consideration are €40 billion in low-interest loans similar to the $25 billion aid package offered by the U.S. government to the Detroit 3. Once again, the move is intended to help the car industry develop new...
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EU carmakers want $55 billion loan package
American carmakers recently secured a $25 billion loan guarantee from the federal government, and now their European counterparts are seeking the same sort of deal from the European Commission. Asking for a somewhat more significant $55 billion in loans, the industry has the money earmarked for...
Nelson Ireson
