London
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Uber announced Tuesday that it will levy a surcharge for its ride-hailing passengers in London. The goal: to get 20,000 drivers to go all-electric by the end of 2021, on the way to make every car using its ride-hailing app an electric vehicle in the smog- and congestion-prone city by 2025. The surcharge, which is part of the company’s clean-air strategy announced in 2017, will go into effect in early 2019. It’s potentially as much an environmental image move as it is a response to ever-tightening rules governing the vehicle types that can pass through central London. DON’T...
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UPS adds battery energy storage for 118 electric vans in UK
Electric vehicles are not only zero-emission and quieter and more pleasant to drive, they also clearly lower emissions of the carbon dioxide linked to climate change under most circumstances. For fleet operators who recharge large fleets of electric vehicles overnight, however, the load on electric...
John Voelcker -
Uber to go all electric or hybrid in London by 2020, ban diesels, add clean-air fee to rides
Uber has announced it will require its 40,000 drivers in London to switch to hybrid or fully electric cars, and ban diesel vehicles from its fleet, by the end of 2019. By the end of 2021, it will extend that policy throughout the United Kingdom, where it presently operates in 40 cities. Uber said...
John Voelcker -
Combustion engines: high emissions from short commutes a huge challenge
Drivers in the U.S. have longer commutes than those in Europe and Asia, on average. In the U.K., short commutes in vehicles with combustion engines—whether gasoline or diesel—pose particularly tough emission problems. That's because the exhaust aftertreatment systems have to warm up...
John Voelcker -
Ubitricity street lamp socket provides electric-car charging
A German company has brought forth its idea of how to provide convenient, cost-effective electric-car charging and now it has made its way to the United Kingdom. Ubitricity rolled out its streetlight car charging ports two years ago, but the German company has now spread its innovation to the UK...
Sean Szymkowski -
Cities lead global push for cleaner, zero-emission cars
Carlos Ghosn, the man behind the Nissan Leaf electric car and now the chairman of the Renault Nissan Alliance, isn't the first to say it. But his recent comment that cities are driving the push for electric cars is an important one, because it indicates a prime market for their advantages. The...
John Voelcker -
For more than 13 years, London has collected a stiff charge from motor vehicles entering the congested core of the city during weekday business hours. Known as the congestion charge, the fee of £11.50 a day, or $14.50 (£10 with automatic payment, or $12.50) is levied from 6 am to 7 pm Monday through Friday except holidays. First intended to reduce congestion and let buses and delivery vehicles move faster, the charge has now evolved into a way for the city to improve its air quality as well. DON'T MISS: Paris weekday ban on pre-1997 cars takes effect, historic cars excepted...
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Ford to test plug-in hybrid Transit Custom van in London
Earlier this month, Ford announced a host of new electrified vehicles, including prototype and production hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric models. Before its planned 2019 production launch, one of those vehicles will soon begin testing in London. It's a plug-in hybrid version of the...
Stephen Edelstein -
Hybrids lose London privileges two weeks from today: here's why
Sooner or later, it can happen in a romance: the two parties decide they're just not that into one another. The state of California dumped hybrid-electric vehicles on July 1, 2011, when it ended the rule that allowed them to use carpool lanes on freeways even with just one occupant. Now the city of...
John Voelcker -
London's black cabs go plug-in hybrid; maker Geely issues bonds to fund work
London Taxi Company now has additional funding to build its plug-in hybrid TX5 cab.
Stephen Edelstein -
First all-electric London double-decker bus in service; made in China by BYD
BYD will supply five electric double-decker buses.
Stephen Edelstein -
The London Taxi Company debuts a new extended-range electric model.
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Who Drives Electric? Famous Racing Driver Stirling Moss, It Turns Out
Celebrities are always a good way to draw attention to cars. Now the U.K. arm of French carmaker Renault has made a short video about one very well-known driver of its Twizy electric car. That would be none other than Sir Stirling Moss, one of the most famous racing drivers of all time. DON'T MISS...
John Voelcker -
UK Auto Industry Backs Diesel After Parking Surcharge In London Neighborhood
Carmakers are starting a pro-diesel publicity campaign in Europe.
Stephen Edelstein -
Clean Tech Could Generate More Growth Than Fossil Fuels: Study
Clean tech holds more promise for big, money-making breakthroughs, a new study says.
Stephen Edelstein -
Diesel Pollution In London Makes Air Worse Than Beijing For Nitrous Oxides
There's a lot of talk about so-called clean diesel, which in North America means any diesel that meets tailpipe emissions standards that went into effect seven years ago. Those standards, known as Tier II, Bin 5, are among the strictest in the world--and considerably tougher than the European...
John Voelcker -
London To Levy Additional Charge On Older, Higher-Emitting Cars By 2020
Plans are afoot to hit diesel drivers in London with an extra fee to drive on the city's streets. Drivers already pay a £11.50 ($19.50) fee to enter the city, known as the 'Congestion Charge', but diesel drivers could pay an extra £10 ($17) if the plans go ahead. The diesel surcharge is...
Antony Ingram -
Electric cars make a lot of sense for use as taxis. Taxis are typically driven in cities, where air pollution is often a problem. They tend to do frequent short runs punctuated by stops. And passengers tend to like a smoother, quieter taxi ride. London taxi firm eConnect Cars has realized all these factors, setting up an all-electric taxi fleet of Nissan Leafs. Seven cars are currently on the fleet, and another fourteen are joining soon--one of just a handful of companies offering such a service. A proliferation of diesel-powered cars, taxis and buses has put some of London's streets among...
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How Do You Cut City Traffic, Pollution? Move Cars Underground
Figures vary year-by-year, but London constantly hovers near the top of Europe's most polluted cities. Like many of its European counterparts, it sprang up long before the car was invented, leaving little space for roads and the growing number of cars owned by its 8.3 million inhabitants. Pollution...
Antony Ingram -
U.K. To Invest $850 Million By 2020 To Promote Electric Vehicles
Despite hefty incentives, electric vehicle sales have remained stagnant in the United Kingdom. While sales doubled in 2013 compared to 2012, matching the global trend, just 2,500 vehicles found homes last year. That's less than the Nissan Leaf sells in some single months in the U.S. The UK...
Antony Ingram -
New Range-Extended Electric London Cab A 'Masterpiece,' Says Mayor After Test Drive
London has some of the worst inner-city pollution of any city in Europe, but legislators and automakers are now working hard to correct that. Among them is Metrocab, a company that purpose-builds taxis for the city--and its latest product, a range-extended electric cab, is drawing praise from...
Antony Ingram -
Autolib Electric Car-Sharing Service Expands Into London From Paris
Car-sharing services have proven popular for city-based users, many preferring to use the conveniently-located cars in lieu of buying, owning and running their own. Few have been more successful than the Parisian Autolib electric car sharing business though. Owned by Bollore, It runs thousands of...
Antony Ingram -
Nissan, Metrocab Work On 2018 London Zero-Emission-Taxi Target
Starting in 2018, all new taxis in London will need to be capable of running as zero-emission vehicles--a policy recently announced by Mayor Boris Johnson. That's quite a promise, and a significant engineering push will be needed to make it happen. But already, several manufacturers are working on...
Antony Ingram