Europe
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The mayors of 12 major cities from around the world have taken a landmark step to increase the use of zero-emission public transportation late last month. Mayors of London, Paris, Los Angeles, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Quito, Vancouver, Mexico City, Milan, Seattle, Auckland, and Cape Town all signed the C40 Fossil-Fuel-Free Streets Declaration, which pledges that they will add only fully electric buses to their cities' public transportation from 2025. Although electric buses are the largest part of the agreement, the mayors also agreed to other measures to reduce carbon output in their...
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EU to slash vehicle carbon emissions one third more from 2021 through 2030
Europe already has tough standards for reducing carbon-dioxide emissions in current and future vehicles. Now they're going to get significantly tougher between 2021 and 2030. At its weekly cabinet meeting, held Wednesday, the European Union formally adopted far more stringent requirements for...
John Voelcker -
BMW, Mercedes, Ford, VW, Audi launch Ionity high-power fast charging across Europe
A group of automakers in Europe announced on Friday they will launch "Ionity," a network of high-power fast-charging stations to build out the continent's infrastructure for electric-car travel. When it's finished in 2020, Ionity will include 400 charging stations across multiple countries...
Sean Szymkowski -
Those fuel-efficient diesels? Actually worse on lifetime CO2, study says
Diesel-powered cars have enjoyed a comfortable market share in Europe for decades, but their decline in popularity continues following numerous diesel-emission cheating scandals and regulatory crackdowns. As if diesel cars hadn't already had enough negative press, a new study says "fuel-efficient"...
Sean Szymkowski -
European bans on vehicles with engines should exempt collector cars: study
Numerous European countries have rolled out target years in which they plan to ban the sale of new cars powered by internal-combustion engines. At the same time, many European cities have introduced car-free zones in highly congested or polluted areas—which has led to worries that...
Sean Szymkowski -
EU announces launch of battery alliance to boost cells for electric cars
As it stands today, Asia dominates the production of electric-car battery cells globally, with Japanese and Korean companies representing the bulk of the industry outside of booming Chinese makers. Europe, however, lacks a single major player in the fabrication and assembly of lithium-ion battery...
Sean Szymkowski -
European countries continue to assess more aggressive policies that favor or mandate zero-emission vehicles to move away from fossil fuels for transportation. Last year, a recommendation passed by the Dutch senate proposed The Netherlands join Norway in banning the sale of new cars powered solely by internal-combustion engines after 2025. That measure received no followup from the government, and hence did not become law. DON'T MISS: Netherlands joins Norway in plans to end new gas, diesel car sales Now, the Dutch government has proposed a policy toward the same goal, though on a less...
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Shell buys its first electric car charging station firm in Europe
Even oil companies have begun to realize the future will not be nearly as reliant on fossil fuels, and Royal Dutch Shell is moving to safeguard its future business. The Dutch oil company acquired NewMotion, an electric-car charging station firm, for an undisclosed price. DON'T MISS: Shell fuel...
Sean Szymkowski -
Ahead of France, Paris to phase out internal-combustion engines by 2030
France followed two other European countries—Norway and the Netherlands—with a plan to ban the sale of new cars powered by gasoline and diesel by 2040. While the country will stick to the 2040 timeline, France's capital city of Paris announced a more aggressive timeline. Ten years ahead...
Sean Szymkowski -
Norway proposes electric car tax that could affect Tesla significantly
Norway is likely the friendliest place on Earth for electric cars. The government's generous incentives and perks have led to an electric-car boom, and the country is now Silicon Valley automaker Tesla's third-largest market. However, Norway's latest taxation proposal could have serious...
Sean Szymkowski -
Copenhagen mayor proposes banning new diesel cars
Copenhagen's mayor wants to deal a major blow to diesel-fueled cars—but not trucks. Frank Jensen, the city's mayor, says that he will propose legislation to ban new diesel cars from entering the Danish capital by January 1, 2019. Jensen's plan would not apply to vehicles bought and registered...
Andrew Ganz -
Electric trucks to grow fast from now through 2030: report
In the coming years, the world's auto industry will continue to shift its product mix to electric and electrified vehicles to meet growing concerns over carbon emissions and stringent fuel-economy regulations across the globe. However, the passenger-car segment isn't the only area that will see...
Sean Szymkowski -
Public concerns over diesel cars, and their ebbing sales, have become a well-documented phenomenon in Europe after decades of popularity. When the VW diesel scandal exposed deliberate cheating, and real-world testing revealed that virtually no diesels certified for sale actually met emission limits, automakers across the industry adopted rapid plans to electrify their vehicle lineups. One immediate solution will be fitting 48-volt mild-hybrid systems to gasoline engines. DON'T MISS: 48-volt mild hybrid systems: what they do, how they change the car While affordable long-range electric cars...
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Scots couple complete grueling Mongol Rally in electric car
The Mongol Rally is no small undertaking for any driver, in any type of vehicle. The 10,000-mile rally takes drivers from Europe to Siberia, via Mongolia, with no support vehicles or backup cars. On July 16, 2017, a Scottish couple arrived at the starting line at the Goodwood race course in England...
Sean Szymkowski -
Mercedes EQC electric SUV reservations open in Norway, for 2019 delivery
The country of Norway has been among the most ardent in urging drivers to buy zero-emission vehicles, offering a friendly market in which automakers can launch new electric cars. In fact, Norway was the first nation to announce a ban on the sale of new vehicles powered by fossil fuels; it's due to...
Sean Szymkowski -
Volkswagen ID electric car to launch in 2020 along with new VW Golf
Volkswagen has a critical year coming in 2020, when the German brand will launch two incredibly important vehicles nearly back-to-back. The next-generation Volkswagen Golf will arrive that year, and then, one month later, the brand will launch its first mass-market electric car, the ID hatchback...
Sean Szymkowski -
Electric cars near 2 percent of German market (plug-in hybrids included), surging past US
While Volkswagen's diesel scandal has fallen out of the public eye in the United States, its effects continue to be felt in Europe, where diesel-powered cars have long reigned supreme. Falling sales of diesel vehicles in many European countries are somewhat balanced by a boost for electric and...
Sean Szymkowski -
European electric and plug-in hybrid sales for Jan-July 2017
The data has been crunched and the latest round of sales figures has arrived for a look at European electric and plug-in hybrid sales through the month of July. With another month on the books, Europe still continues to choose one specific electric car and one plug-in hybrid over all the other...
Sean Szymkowski -
As European countries continue to crack down on emissions from road vehicles, automakers are stepping up with solutions to reduce levels of smog-causing nitrogen oxides, especially in city centers. Ford identified the commercial vehicle segment as one it believes is ripe for electrification, and earlier this month it revealed its Ford Transit Plug-In Hybrid van. Notably, the electrified powertrain does not use the gasoline engine to power the front wheels—ever. DON'T MISS: Ford to test plug-in hybrid Transit Custom van in London Instead, the lithium-ion battery pack and Bosch electric...
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Europe's tougher new emissions, fuel-economy tests should be closer to real-world results
Fuel-economy ratings for cars sold in Europe have long been wildly unrealistic, sometimes more than 30 percent more optimistic than real-world consumption figures. Today, that will change. As of September 1, two new and more stringent testing regimes are to be used for certifying new vehicles going...
John Voelcker -
Used diesel demand drops in Germany over fear of software upgrades
Diesel-powered cars, long a staple on European roads, are starting to lose favor as million of dollars of inventory begins to pile up in used diesel models. The inventory, largely recent models certified under the superseded Euro-5 emission standards, has boomed recently over the possibility the...
Sean Szymkowski -
How Teslas charge in US and UK: similarities and differences
It's well-known that electrical outlets in the United States and elsewhere vary, but it also makes for somewhat different charging experiences with the Tesla Model S. In Europe, the standard voltage is higher than the United States, which means more power can be drawn from a standard wall outlet...
Sean Szymkowski -
UK Royal Mail electric vans now entering service
The United Kingdom's Royal Postal Service has entered a new era as its first electric mail vans enter service. In total, nine electric postal vans from local company Arrival will enter the Royal Post's fleet, along with another 100 electric vans to be added in December from French brand Peugeot...
Sean Szymkowski -
European electric and plug-in hybrid sales for Jan-June 2017
The numbers are in, which means it's once again time take a look at European electric and plug-in hybrid sales. Delivery and registration data is compiled from January through June of 2017, and once more, it remains clear Europe has a favorite electric car. The Renault Zoe walks away with an even...
Sean Szymkowski