Blogs

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/may/09/dyson-patents-reveal-plans-for-an-electric-car-with-off-road-potential The above link from the Guardian points to an article that shows plans for Dyson and their foray into the world of EVs. It's no secret that Dyson were planning on launching an EV, but the company has done a good job of ensuring all information regarding any Dyson-branded EV was to be kept firmly under wraps by employees. The article highlights that founder Sir James…

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/save-dying-sedan-automakers-steal-100000754.html The above link points to a story showing that car manufacturers are launching saloons in all-wheel-drive (AWD) or four-wheel-drive to compete alongside ever-trendy SUVs. I thought I'd share some thoughts on this with you... For context, the rise in popularity of the SUV with their (mostly) AWD of 4WD drivetrains has seen a fall in sales of the humble saloon. In response to this, car manufacturers…

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/audi-s4-now-diesel-car-too Have a read of the link above. Should we not be a little concerned that Volkswagen Audi Group (VAG) continue to push diesels on us in this era of heightened climate change awareness? I understand completely that new diesels run a lot cleaner than those of the past, and I also understand that for certain "applications" diesels are preferred. But until such time as no NOx…

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/china-apos-car-industry-rapidly-100800396.html?bcmt=1 The above link, originally written by Sean O'Grady from the Independent, points to China's growing car industry and their quest to not only compete, but also eclipse, the more established and certainly better known Western and Japanese car manufacturers. How? By joining them! It's a fairly dense read, but the jist of the article is that the car industry is becoming more cut throat and, in…

https://www.theguardian.com/green-light/2019/mar/19/will-i-make-it-out-of-town-common-electric-car-questions-answered The link above from the Guardian features actor and EV enthusiast Robert Llewellyn answer some of the more common concerns associated with EV ownership. (Interesting that the old marketing term "FUD", for fear, uncertainty, doubt, gets used in the title to really hammer home the point that it's wrong to have any concerns whatsoever!) Llewellyn tackles nine of what he considers to be the most common…

https://airqualitynews.com/2019/04/12/filtered-diesel-exhausts-may-worsen-allergies-study-finds/ Have a read of this article, and be prepared to be shocked like I was. In a nutshell, a research report published by the American Thoracic Society shows that people suffering from pre-existing respiratory conditions suffer more from exhaust fumes emitted from diesel vehicles fitted with Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF's) than those without. I find this truly remarkable as DPF's are mandatory for all diesel cars…

https://www.driving.co.uk/news/ford-claims-new-key-fob-sleep-mode-prevents-keyless-car-thefts/ The above link points to an article about a new key fob from Ford designed to prevent car thefts. It appears to be a brilliantly simple technology that I hope will 1) actually work and 2) be rolled out by every other car manufacturer. As highlighted in James Allen's article, the increase in keyless entry and start systems found in most new cars sold today has…

With the increase in bicycles on roadways across the country, better safety measures are constantly being debated to ensure both drivers and cyclists can share the roads in harmony. Dedicated cycle lanes, cycleways (shared with pedestrians) and cycle traffic lights are becoming more common place on roads throughout England. This is a good thing, no doubt. And yet much of the discussion regarding any improvements of shared…