Green car news

Average new car CO2 emissions fell by their biggest ever margin last year with the impact of recession and the Scrappage Incentive Scheme boosting the continued influence of technological advances made by veh... read more

Toyota has become a new international auto partner of the Clean Energy Partnership, adding impetus to CEP's programme of advancing sustainable mobility through the development of hydrogen filling stations and... read more

A new Car Buyer Survey is launched today to identify what information is most useful to consumers when buying a new car. The independent Car Buyer Survey is not a marketing survey. The findings will be u... read more

To showcase its 'EcoDynamics' range of fuel-saving vehicles, Kia Motors is revealing an 'ultra-low' CO2 version of its popular cee'd at the Geneva Motor Show. The new model achieves a significant 11% r... read more

Ahead of the official unveiling of the Auris HSD at the Geneva motor show this week, Toyota can announce its new, British-built model will deliver class-leading CO2 emissions of just 89g/km and official combi... read more

As another batch of lower-carbon models are unveiled at this year's Geneva Motor Show, new figures from JATO Dynamics reveal how the growth of small, low-CO2 cars is driving down the average CO2 emissions acr... read more

General Motors has announced that its sale of Hummer to the Chinese Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Company has fallen through; GM will now begin an orderly wind down of Hummer operations. Fi... read more

Pioneering motorists will receive up to £5,000 to buy an ultra-low carbon car, and the roll-out of supporting infrastructure will begin in selected regions, the Government announced today. The Plug... read more

The Honda 3R-C, a revolutionary one-person electric vehicle concept, will make its world debut in Geneva alongside the EV-N concept, to be displayed for the first time in Europe. Both the three-wheeled 3R-C a... read more

Dr Ben Lane of WhatGreenCar.com anticipates the next green car policy challenge for 2010... Imagine for a moment that the government had not introduced the car scrappage scheme last year. It hardly bears thi... read more

63,000 teams from all over the world participated in the Volvo's DRIVe Around the World game making it the most installed branded application and seventeenth most installed application on Facebook in 2009. ... read more

The new 80 mpg Polo BlueMotion adopts an all-new highly advanced 1.2-litre TDI three-cylinder common rail diesel engine. Combined with longer gearing through the five-speed manual gearbox, regenerative ... read more

Russell Bray tests his Prius' brakes for WhatGreenCar.com... Lurid headlines advising Toyota drivers to stay at home showed the excitable nature and exaggeration the Press seems to go in for these days. But ... read more

Six months after revealing the LF-Ch concept, Lexus will show for the first time its new CT 200h at the Geneva motor show next month. This is the first and only premium compact full hybrid model; a new gatewa... read more

The Hertz Corporation, the world's largest general use car rental brand, today announced it has entered a joint commitment with Nissan to bring zero-emission mobility to car rental in the US and Europe by ear... read more

Researchers from Imperial College, London and Volvo Car Corporation are developing a prototype material which can store and discharge electrical energy (act as a battery) and which is also strong and lightwei... read more

For the second time, the Car Scrappage Scheme has been extended, and will now continue until the end of March (or as long as funds allow). This will allow manufacturers and dealers more time to prepare for an... read more

Toyota’s reputation took another hit after it admitted there have been around 180 complaints about problems with the braking system in the latest version of the Prius hybrid. Following the global recal... read more

Toyota today confirmed a fix for the accelerator pedals of the eight Toyota models planned for recall in Europe. Toyota's engineers have developed a solution that involves reinforcing the pedal assembly to el... read more

Volvo Car UK has launched 119g/km DRIVe versions of its S80 executive saloon and V70 premium estate, the fourth and fifth body style it's launched delivering CO2 emissions below 120 g/km. Volvo estimates the ... read more

Car buyers searching on manufacturer websites will struggle to find out how much CO2 their prospective new car will produce and how much it will cost them to run, says a report published today by the Energy S... read more

As Governments and motorists keep up the interest levels in an electric-car future Kia Motors Corporation has revealed the first preview rendering of its latest concept car – called Ray – which will make ... read more

With CO2 emissions of just 109g/km and combined fuel consumption of 67.3mpg, the new Astra ecoFLEX brings even greater efficiency to Vauxhall’s recently launched compact hatch range, which has already seen ... read more

This week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Toyota announced its plans to launch eight new hybrid models in the U.S. over the next few years as part of its strategy to sell a million h... read more

Figures released by SMMT show that new car registrations through the scrappage scheme now total 284,479, and account for over 20% of all new car registrations in December 2009. The scrappage scheme has c... read more

The next-generation Ford Focus makes its worldwide debut this week at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, providing customers with more affordable technologies and features than eve... read more

As part of the regular 'Top 10' series, WhatGreenCar looks ahead to the greenest and most innovative cars due for launch in 2010. In a world overturned by the 'credit crunch' and threatened by ‘climat... read more

With the introduction of the first petrol-engined model to feature BlueMotion technologies, the Volkswagen Eos has joined in with the tradition and has made a New Year’s resolution that it will drink less f... read more

The growing number of new models offered by car manufacturers is causing consumer confusion, according to research by Glass's Guide. Many visitors to Glass's valuation website have indicated that the cho... read more

A new, ultra-efficient version of the Audi A3 1.6 TDI is available to order from this week, extending the compact hatchback’s lead by paring back CO2 output even further to just 99g/km and boosting combined... read more

At Copenhagen's Climate Summit for Mayors, London Mayor Boris Johnson joined leaders of thirteen of the world's largest cities to work together over the next year to make their cities more electric vehicle-fr... read more

Every Londoner will be no more than one mile from an electric car charge point by 2015, the Mayor Boris Johnson announced this week at the Copenhagen climate summit. The Mayor revealed detailed plans to... read more

Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan has today confirmed the introduction of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, a plug-in version of the third-generation Prius petrol-electric hybrid vehicle. The Prius Plug-in Hyb... read more

Today at MINI's Oxford plant, forty electric MINI E cars were handed over to their test drivers, who are all members of the public. This marks the start of two consecutive six-month field trial periods ... read more

20 mph traffic speed zones reduce casualties by 41.9% with the greatest reduction in child casualties, according to new research published in the British Medical Journal. Road traffic injuries are a lead... read more

Despite the current economic climate, it's time for some self-congratulation. With recent figures showing that average new car CO2 emissions fell by 5.5% in the first nine months of 2009, the current rate of... read more

The Electric Car Corporation (ECC) and THINK have supplied 75 electric cars to be available for delegates at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this week. The conference is being... read more

WhatGreenCar summarises the key measures of the Pre-Budget Report 2009 which impact on the private motorist, company car users and business fleets. VAT to return to 17.5% As expected, VAT will ret... read more

The scrappage scheme accounted for 21.6% of all new car registrations in November, in line with rates recorded in previous months. The scrappage scheme has helped lift overall new car registrations in e... read more

The new 2010 Ford Focus ECOnetic takes a successful formula to the next level by combining new technology with clever details delivering the most fuel-efficient Focus to date. Dedicated Ford Fiesta, Fo... read more

WhatGreenCar has awarded its prestigious Car of the Year Award USA to the 2010 Toyota Prius. The 2010 Prius was chosen from a short-list of 10 green car finalists and the judging was independently conduc... read more

The UK's streets and car parks could see thousands more charging points for electric and plug-in hybrid cars thanks to £30 million of Government funding. Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis has invit... read more

Dutch drivers will be first in Europe to start paying according to the kilometres they drive rather than for owning a car, if a legislative proposal submitted to the lower house of the country's parliament go... read more

The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) has announced the debut of Electric Avenue, a 37,000 square foot feature on the main floor of the 2010 show. The new showcase will feature nearly 20 new ele... read more

The idea that a wholesale switch to electric cars would automatically reduce CO2 emissions and dependence on oil is challenged by a major new report conducted by the European Federation for Transport & Enviro... read more

Road trains that link vehicles together using wireless sensors could soon be on European roads. A European Union-financed research project called SARTRE is looking at inexpensive ways of getting vehicles to t... read more

Peugeot's revolutionary electric vehicle of the future – the BB1 – will be visiting Covent Garden on 7th and 8th November. The BB1 is a glimpse of what could be urban mobility in the futur... read more

General Motors is to retain ownership of Vauxhall/Opel with the giant manufacturer's directors promising to "initiate a restructuring of its European operations in earnest". The surprise U-turn was announced ... read more

The most economical Vauxhall model ever will be available to order from January 2010 when the new Corsa ecoFLEX hits the UK market, boasting CO2 emissions of just 98g/km and a miserly combined fuel consumptio... read more

A colour-coded Used Car Fuel Economy Label was today launched by Minister for Transport Sadiq Khan. The label provides consumers with clear 'at a glance' information on the running costs, fuel consumption and... read more

The new Toyota Prius has clinched its latest major award, voted Japan Car of the Year by a panel of distinguished motoring journalists and industry experts at the Tokyo motor show. The accolade is a for... read more

New UK car manufacturer Axon Automotive has previewed its plug-in hybrid electric vehicle at the Milton Keynes Science Festival. The vehicle combines full electric mode for local travel and uses a petrol or b... read more

Volkswagen have launched the latest Golf BlueMotion, the most efficient production Golf ever, which achieves 74.3 mpg combined and emit a class-leading 99 g/km. The new Golf BlueMotion uses as its basis... read more

The Mitsubishi iMiEV city car was announced as the winner of the Japanese Car of the Year 'Most Advanced Technology' award at the 41st Tokyo International Motor Show 2009. The iMiEV has a top speed of 81... read more

From October 22 the new terms of the Government's scrappage scheme come into force providing an extra boost to the car industry and consumers. In September it was announced that an extra £100 million wa... read more

New industry figures released this week show that average new car CO2 emissions have fallen by 5.5% in the first nine months of 2009. The average for the year to date is 150.6 g/km, which is 8.8 g/km (5.5%) l... read more

The world's leading provider of electric vehicle (EV) recharging solutions, Elektromotive, has been selected as one of the UK companies trialling the smart electric drive. By testing the car in 'real-life' s... read more

The first annual report to Parliament by the Committee on Climate Change, published today, concludes that a step change is required in the pace of UK emissions reduction to meet carbon targets already set by ... read more

Infiniti has confirmed its first production Hybrid vehicle will form part of the recently announced M range of luxury performance sedans. With its introduction, the Infiniti M35 Hybrid will realise the high p... read more

A break in the clouds to reveal blue skies over Coventry, the city of the 'Sky Blues', proved a good omen for 37 'green' drivers taking part in the 2009 ALD Automotive/Total ECO 10 MPG Marathon this week R... read more

The latest version of Honda's sporty hybrid concept will be revealed at October's Tokyo Motor Show. The CR-Z Concept 2009 is the most recent prototype of a compact, agile coupe using Honda's IMA technol... read more

The Government is to pump a further £100 million into the vehicle scrappage scheme to build on the success of the initiative in boosting new model demand. The announcement was made by Business Secretary... read more

Fiat has announced that its average CO2 emissions figure on cars sold in Europe during the first half of 2009 has dropped to 129.1 g/km. The new figure – corroborated by automotive advisory leader... read more

Ford Motor Company has teamed up with 'The Jay Leno Show' to provide an all-new battery electric version of the Ford Focus ST five-door for celebrities to drive in the programme's regular 'Green Car Challenge... read more

Television presenter and Camden resident Gail Porter will open Camden Council's special Green Motor Show where residents and businesses can discover a whole range of eco-friendly vehicles. Camden Council... read more

Environmental car data released by WhatGreenCar today shows that the latest 2010 range of new cars available in the U.S. is 6.6% greener than the 2009 Model Year (MY) range. The WhatGreenCar Ratings also... read more

Pioneering drivers wanting to be part of the MINI E UK research project have less than 10 days to apply to lease one of twenty prototype cars destined for British roads – the the online application for... read more

The new Volvo C30 1.6D DRIVe with Start/Stop will soon be exempt from the annual VED road tax. Emitting only 99 g/km of carbon dioxide (CO2), the new C30 1.6D DRIVe with Start/Stop falls below the 100 g/km ca... read more

With the Frankfurt Motor Show opening its doors today, there no doubt that electric traction is the car technology of the moment – as can be seen by the incredible variety of concept and close-to-produc... read more

As the Frankfurt Motor Show opens its doors to the world, the average new car being sold in Europe today is now greener than ever, according to a special report released today by the world's leading provider ... read more

Worldwide sales of Toyota hybrid vehicles have topped the two million mark, with more than 200,000 of these hybrids sales in Europe. Since the launch of the world’s first mass-produced hybrid, the Priu... read more

The rise of mobile phones have left the streets of Madrid, and many other European countries littered with increasingly redundant telephone booths. But the underused installations in Spain are now set to play... read more

Production versions of three new highly-efficient additions to the BlueMotion range have been unveiled ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show. The new Polo, Golf and Passat BlueMotion models emit just 87g/km... read more

Hybrid and electric vehicles are set take centre stage at this month's International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt. Making a world debut in the 'Blue Drive Zone' is the Hyundai ix-Metro, a new crossover ... read more

Following its success in the UK, WhatGreenCar is aiming to 'green' the attitudes of US motorists with the launch of its new US website: www.whatgreencar.com/us. This new site allows US car buyers to rate... read more

Petrol prices have risen above the average 105p-a-litre mark for the first time in 10 months. The current UK average of 105.2p a litre was the highest point since mid-October 2008. Soaring wholesale oil ... read more

BMW is to offer the most fuel efficient and greenest 3 Series ever with the introduction of the new BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Saloon. The latest model to be offered by the marque sets a new benchmark in the ... read more

Following the success of the Insignia ecoFLEX hatch and saloon, the Insignia Sports Tourer now takes the green-hued limelight with an ecoFLEX version providing company and private buyers with significant redu... read more

BMW are officially unveiling the X6 ActiveHybrid at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. The vehicle retains the model's 400bhp, twin-turbocharged 4.4l V8 engine, but gains two electric motors. The dual... read more

JATO Dynamics has released its monthly European new car market analysis for July 2009, showing the Volkswagen Golf remains untouchable as Europe's best-selling car, despite strong sales performances in a resu... read more

Battery operated, driver-less cars will soon be carrying passengers at Heathrow Airport. The Personal Rapid Transport system, consisting of 21 electric shuttles on a two-and-a-half mile pathway, is expected t... read more

GM's much anticipated Chevrolet Volt is expected to achieve a fuel economy of at least 230 miles per (US) gallon, based on a new fuel economy test for plug-in electric vehicles being developed by the Environm... read more

Now at the half way mark, figures released this week show that the UK’s Car Scrappage Scheme has been a success up and down the country, with orders reaching 154,927. The data also shows that new cars bough... read more

Hyundai has charted new waters by making the Top 10 of the UK sales chart The Korean company's i10 citycar has been a massive hit with British buyers, with 3084 finding homes last month, making the i10 the 9t... read more

The new Toyota Prius, recently named WhatGreenCar Car of the Year 2009, and which went on sale on 1st August, has already seen tremendous popularity with over 2,000 advance orders taken. With its full h... read more

The US Scrappage scheme has proven so successful that the $1bn (£600m) allocated has nearly run out in less than a week. The programme, officially known as the Car Allowance Rebate System, is aimed at revivi... read more

Nissan today unveiled the Nissan LEAF, the world's first zero-emission C-segment (small family) car. Designed specifically for a lithium-ion battery-powered chassis, Nissan LEAF is a medium-size hatchback tha... read more

Saudi Arabia is currently the world's leading oil producer and exporter, but that doesn't mean the country is being left behind in the shift towards emission-free motoring. On the contrary, one of the Kingdom... read more

Kia will bring a raft of green vehicles to Europe as part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group's commitment to develop environmental technology. Announcing nearly £2 billion of investment in green g... read more

Honda's new Accord has been named as the UK's most reliable car in this year's Which? car survey, it was announced today. The car achieved a reliability score of 99%, one of the highest scores ever achieved; ... read more

The Government must improve the way in which it justifies motoring taxes to rebuild public trust, says the Transport Select Committee in its latest report Taxes and charges on road users (HC 103). Launch... read more

The Korean company Hyundai has become the king of UK scrappage, taking more than 17,000 orders since the scheme started - that's almost 300 orders per day. By far the most popular car under the schem... read more

Europe's top selling small hatchback, the Peugeot 207, is now even greener with the introduction of the new 207 Economique and Economique+ which emit only 99g/km of CO2. First shown at the 2009 Geneva Mo... read more

With almost two weeks to go till the new Toyota Prius goes on sale, Toyota sales Director Richard Balshaw (pictured, left) was presented with its first award, the WhatGreenCar Car of the Year 2009, by Dan Fal... read more

Working in partnership with the UK and Portuguese governments, Nissan today announced their plans to build two plants for the production of its advanced lithium-ion batteries in Europe. As part of the Renault... read more

Toyota Motor Europe today announced plans to manufacture a full hybrid version of its C-segment hatchback, Auris, at its UK-based facility in Burnaston, Derbyshire. Production of Toyota's first European... read more

The versatile Fiat Qubo mini-MPV is the latest in Fiat's range to benefit from eco:Drive, the in-car system that can save fuel and reduce emissions. eco:Drive, which allows drivers to download a record o... read more

Honda's new CEO, Takanobu Ito has announced plans to begin sales of the CR-Z sports hybrid model in Japan in February 2010. The start date for UK sales of the new hybrid coupe will be released towards the end... read more

After declaring banckrupcy last month, General Motors has been given a second chance and is now back in business. This "marks a new beginning for General Motors, one that will allow every employee.... read more

Nancy Gioia, the Director of Ford's hybrid vehicle program, said the company expects electric vehicles to account for between 10-25% of its car and light truck output by 2020, according to a report by Reuters... read more

The latest 407 Coupé features new levels of performance - with two new engines that are both more powerful and that have lower CO2 outputs, while ensuring that it remains as an attractive long-distance g... read more

An environmentally friendly car club scheme was launched in central London today. It is being jointly run by Westminster City Council and Zipcar, the world's largest car club operator. The car club will inclu... read more

The much anticipated vehicle scrappage scheme, which started on 18 May, is proving hugely popular and is working well, according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SM... read more

The Environment Agency has chosen to include Peugeot as one of its suppliers of low-CO2 cars for its UK fleet. Employees will be able to select from a choice of Peugeot 207 and 308 models, including the lates... read more

Renault is to make its Renault Kangoo be bop Z.E. prototype electric vehicle (EV) available to businesses for test-drives. The technology seen on this car is very similar to that which will feature on the bra... read more

According to a new survey released by Good Business, 61% of consumers demand greater environmental commitment from car companies and are sending a clear message to car manufacturers that they need to do more ... read more

The title of WhatGreenCar Car of the Year 2009 has been awarded to the 'next generation' Toyota Prius, due to be launched in the UK on 1st August 2009. The new Toyota Prius was chosen from a short-list o... read more

Eight new low carbon vehicle projects are set to benefit from a share of £25 million of Government funding to run 'real life' trials, Science Minister Lord Drayson and Transport Secretary Lord Adonis an... read more

Following successful trials in the UK, the iconic, zero-emission, smart fortwo electric drive is ready for small series production. Reaction from customers taking part in the UK trial, including the Metr... read more

From next week, Streetcar car club is giving the general public the chance to drive one of Europe's first plug-in electric hybrid cars. In a joint initiative with Camden Council and Transport for London ... read more

Ford is boosting its Mondeo ECOnetic range with the introduction of a new, 2.0-litre, 115PS model, the lowest CO2 Mondeo yet. The arrival of the new Mondeo ECOnetic continues a series of low CO2 model ... read more

WhatGreenCar today releases the short-list for the Car of the Year Award 2009, the most thorough environmental analysis of new cars in the UK. Now in its second year, WhatGreenCar uses its unique rating ... read more

After months of anticipation, the all-new Prius arrived in the UK this week and is already on the road and on public display. The third generation of Toyota's world-conquering hybrid has wasted no time i... read more

Van buyers will find it easier to cut emissions and save money due to a new van CO2 data base launched by the new Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis. The online database, the biggest of its kind for vans... read more

The Lexus RX and Toyota's hybrid car, the Prius, are the first and second ranking models in the J.D. Power and Associates/What Car? 2009 UK Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study released today. The Lexus... read more

A Volvo plug-in hybrid car that can be fuelled either with conventional diesel or electricity from a standard wall socket is likely to become a reality by 2012, according to recent plans announced by the Volv... read more

After 101 years in business, America's biggest carmaker, General Motors, today finally admitted defeat in its battle to survive the global crisis and declared itself bankrupt. With Chrysler, two of the top th... read more

Figures released today show that the Government's scrappage scheme has proved popular with consumers as manufacturers reported brisk sales, with more than 35,000 orders since the announcement of the £20... read more

Organisers of the London Motorexpo have unveiled details of this summer's Canary Wharf event – which takes place from Monday 8th to Sunday 14th June 2009 and is completely free for the public to attend.... read more

Euro NCAP, the organisation that assesses the safety of new cars, today releases the results for six new cars, five of which receive Euro NCAP's maximum five star award. Euro NCAP's latest top scorers w... read more

According to the consumer experts Which?, the car scrappage scheme launched this week will certainly benefit small car buyers, and the government – but buyers of larger, more expensive models may do bet... read more

President Obama has set in motion a groundbreaking US policy aimed at both increasing fuel economy and reducing greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and trucks sold in the United States. The new st... read more

With a combined CO2 rating of just 105g/km, the latest Vauxhall Corsa ecoFLEX shaves a remarkable 14g/km off the outgoing model's emissions figure, and now achieves 85.6mpg on the Government's extra urban fue... read more

As announced in the 2009 Budget, the UK 'bangers for cash' or 'car scrappage' scheme starts today 18th May. The aim of the 'vehicle discount' scheme (to give it its official name) is to give a boost to ... read more

Toyota will lease over 150 units of its next generation Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV) to selected fleet customers across Europe as part of a three-year programme. Alongside France, Toyota is in discussion with... read more

From September, the Vorsprung durch Technik brand will start to implement a series of measures to increase the average fuel economy across its model range by 20% by 2012.* These include the use of new technol... read more

BMW has a fight on its hands as it seeks a record-breaking fifth consecutive International Engine of the Year title. The German manufacturer, which has scooped more trophies for engine excellence than any oth... read more

A consortium including Ricardo, Jaguar-Land Rover, E.ON and Amberjac Projects, has announced the results of new simulation studies, which suggest that a substantial medium-term rise in the number of electric ... read more

Transport for London (TfL) has announced a six month trial of Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) technology, which aims to reduce road casualties and help cut congestion on London's roads. By communicating wi... read more

As announced in the 2009 Budget, the UK will follow in the footsteps of a number of European countries and introduce a ‘vehicle discount’ or ‘car scrappage’ scheme on 18th May . The aim of the ... read more

US President, Barack Obama, took on powerful industry interests in the US this week as he announced his plans for a future of more sustainable biofuel production. Obama's administration made clear that i... read more

As we mentioned in our Top 10 green wheel to watch in 2009 feature back in January, this summer will see the launch of the next generation Prius. The new, third-generation Prius further refines ... read more

From 1st May 2009, UK car tax bands will switch from an A-G CO2-banded system (officially known as 'graduated Vehicle Excise Duty' or 'VED') to a new A-M system, one with a larger number of narrower CO2 bands... read more

The Electric Car Corporation Plc (ECC) announces the launch of the UK's first 4-seater, 'all electric' production car, which is available to buy today. The launch coincides with the Govern... read more

Super-frugal, stylish and 'green', the new Fiesta Van ECOnetic goes on sale in Britain later this year. The new model offers the same Fiesta style with lowered suspension, low rolling resistance tyres and a s... read more

After months of lobbying from the struggling UK motor industry, Alistair Darling today announced that the UK will follow in the footsteps of a number of European countries and introduce a car scrappage scheme... read more

Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling delivered his second Budget against a background of the worst economic crisis for 60 years. Below we outline the key measures impacting on the private motorist, fl... read more

CO2 emissions for new cars are continuing to fall at the record rates first seen in 2008 as reported by WhatGreenCar in March. According to industry figures just published, average new car CO2 fell by 4... read more

On behalf of the London Borough of Camden, Ecolane is recruiting volunteers to take part in a series of focus groups about Transport and the Environment. To be eligible, you should either be resident in... read more

Following previous announcements by the Prime Minister and Geoff Hoon, the Transport Secretary, today the government unveils £250m worth of incentives and investment in electric cars and recharging infr... read more

As reported in The Independent in an interview with the Prime Minister, the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, is to announce significant financial support for green cars in next week's Budget, with particular emp... read more

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has challenged the Government to 'put its money where its mouth is' and back his ambitious plans to make London the electric car capital of Europe, helping to create jobs, ... read more

Struggling US car giant, General Motors, has unveiled a prototype two-seat electric scooter, which it has developed in combination with forward-thinking personal mobility specialists, Segway. The prototy... read more

According to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), a total of eleven EU countries now have fleet renewal programmes in place to soften the impact of the recession and promote greener cars... read more

The UK-based organisation 'We are Futureproof' is campaigning for the introduction of colour-coded labels on car advertisements, similar to those used in showrooms and on white goods. The group commissioned a... read more

The new and much anticipated addition to the UK’s hybrid car market, the Honda Insight, will go on sale in dealerships across the UK from this Saturday (4th April). The Insight, which is small family hybrid... read more

Electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors has unveiled its newest, cheapest vehicle, a four-door saloon that can carry five adults and can travel up to 300 miles per charge of its batteries. The Model S wil... read more

According to the latest figures released by the AAA (Association Auxilaire de l'Automobile), the official supplier of car data to the European Commission, Peugeot cars are the top sellers in the sub-120gCO2/k... read more

Indian car manufacturer Tata, has announced its much anticipated Nano citycar will go on sale in West Bengal state at a cost of only 100,000 rupees (roughly £1,350) and will be exported to Europe and other r... read more

Following the recent turmoil in Formula 1 arising from the high costs of running competitive motor racing teams, and doubts in sponsors' minds over the commercial value of their involvement, the viability of ... read more

Supermodel Jodie Kidd became the first person in the UK to take a Fiat 'eco' test drive in a new initiative designed to highlight the benefits of environmentally-friendly motoring. The greener test-driv... read more

CO2 emissions from new cars fell by their biggest ever margin in 2008 with the average model now emitting just 158.0 g/km – 4.2% less than the 2007 figure and 16.8% down on the 189.8 g/km base level in ... read more

Following the continuing loss of jobs in the UK automotive sector, there have been fervent calls from the industry for a car scrappage incentive scheme to boost consumer demand. WhatGreenCar considers the evi... read more

SEAT has, this week, unveiled the Leon Ecomotive Concept at the Geneva motorshow. The Swiss debut for the car provides an interesting development in high fuel-economy family cars, and underlines SEAT's increa... read more

WhatGreenCar has learnt that the new system of VED bands and car tax rates will not be introduced as planned on 1 April 2009 (as set out in the pre-budget report), but will now be introduced on 1 May 2009. ... read more

The fifth generation Volkswagen Polo has been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, 34 years after the original went on sale in the UK. Weighing 7.5 per cent less than the model it replaces – despite being... read more

The Renault-Nissan Alliance and UK companies Elektromotive and greentomatocars, have announced they are collaborating in the Partnership for Zero-Emission-Mobility, with the aim of accelerating the uptake of ... read more

While much has been made recently of Barack Obama's greening of the US auto-industry and his bailout plans for Detroit's struggling auto-makers, the Chinese government has been quietly moving development of i... read more

Zipcar, in partnership with San Francisco's Mayor, Gavin Newsom, has announced the launch of a pilot program for plug-in hybrid vehicles in the city's Bay Area. The company made the announcement at a press co... read more

BMW has announced 850 redundancies at its Mini car plant in Cowley, Oxfordshire, prompting protests from unions over a perceived lack of sensitivity towards the rights of agency workers. The decision, which h... read more

With the UK government's reform of Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) now less than two months away, and growing concerns about both the credit crunch and the environment, we thought now a good time to review the... read more

Hertz, the world's largest general use car rental company, has launched Connect by Hertz, a new international car share service with local parking in London, Paris and New York City. During 2009, the service ... read more

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today announced his intention to suspend the third phase of London's Low Emission Zone due to the added pressure it would place on small businesses. The extension to the sc... read more

There is no questioning iQ's status as one of the most fuel-efficient cars on the market, but a new hypermiling challenge has seen the tiny Toyota perform comfortably beyond its official fuel economy figures.... read more

The Ford Fiesta ECOnetic has arrived in dealership showrooms with a growing order bank in place for what is the greenest supermini currently available in the UK, according to WhatGreenCar environmental rating... read more

Lord Mandelson yesterday made £2.3bn of loan guarantees available to the UK car industry. The support package includes a scheme to unlock £1.3bn of loans from the European Investment Bank for car manufactur... read more

The Renewable Fuels Agency has released provisional data on biofuels supplied to UK forecourts, showing that many companies are failing to achieve the sustainability standards required of them under the Renew... read more

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done... We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together... We will harn... read more

From February 2009, safety organisation Euro NCAP will award a new star rating based on a car’s combined performance in protecting adults, children and pedestrians in an accident. Previously, vehicles ... read more

The 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit is proving to be an altogether different spectacle from previous years, as car manufacturers compete not for the fastest or the fanciest new model, b... read more

The Detroit motor show saw the official unveiling of the all-new, third-generation Toyota Prius, world's best selling hybrid car. With more than one million global sales since the original model was launched ... read more

Should there be any doubt that the automotive sector is being hit hard by the recession, the latest industry figures show that the new car market fell for the eighth successive month in December, and the regi... read more

As part of the regular 'Top 10 green wheels' series, WhatGreenCar looks ahead to the greenest cars due for launch in the UK during 2009. With the 'credit crunch' coming hard on the tails of the sharp in... read more

Doubts have emerged about the future of the London Congestion Charge, as the city's Mayor, Boris Johnson, indicated that he might consider holding a referendum on the central-London Congestion Charge zone. Sp... read more

In London last night, WhatGreenCar's director Dr Ben Lane was among an invited audience at the UK preview of the new Honda Insight family hybrid. The production version of the new Insight was presented for t... read more

Mercedes-Benz is presenting its near-series Concept BlueZERO range of ultra-low emission cars at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Based on a single modular design, the concept includes t... read more

The White House is moving ever closer to agreeing a deal which would see struggling Detroit based automakers, GM and Chrysler, receive a $15 billion financial bailout. Discussions are based on a rescue pa... read more

Bosch stop-start technology is being fitted to more and more passenger cars. From the early part of next year, Fiat will follow in the footsteps of BMW and MINI and fit a stop-start system to the Fiat 500. Bo... read more

In a detailed report released this week, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has urged the Government to target emissions from road-based transport and commit to reducing UK emissions of greenhouse gases by... read more

Following Boris Johnson's decision to cancel the planned CO2-based Congestion Charge, which had been due to start last October, the London Mayor has today announced his intention to scrap the Western Extens... read more

The Chancellor, Alistair Darling, announced his eagerly awaited Pre-Budget Report this afternoon. In a packed House, he outlined changes in rates of Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax), a cut in Value Added Tax (V... read more

With credit well and truly 'crunched', and a repeat of last summer's soaring fuel prices highly likely, there cannot be a better time to buy a low-cost, fuel-efficient car. As switching to a car with high fue... read more

The Insignia, the all-new family car from Vauxhall/Opel, has been voted 2009 Car of the Year (COTY) – by the narrowest possible margin. The Insignia polled an impressive 321 votes to beat this year’s othe... read more

Universal Motoring History has turned its comprehensive film archive into a free online motoring history resource for all serious car enthusiasts. The archive consists of more than 500 classic films from arou... read more

The planned reform of the UK’s road tax system as set out by Alistair Darling in the 2008 budget aims to extend the current system of emissions-based taxation introduced in 2001 by strengthening the link be... read more

The new car market fell for a sixth successive month in October, according to data released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The decline, which mirrored falls seen in 1991, was ... read more

Following a meeting of EU Commissioners, motor industry executives, ministers and MEPs, the European Commission has announced its support for an EU wide program to scrap older vehicles and promote uptake of m... read more

A new Arup and Cenex report jointly commissioned by two government departments concludes that there is significant scope for electric vehicles to play a role in tackling road based transport emissions in the ... read more

The government has announced plans to accelerate the development of the low carbon vehicle market by committing £100m of public money to incentivise the automotive industry and consumer demand. Speaking... read more

With the UK government’s controversial reform of Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) now less than six months away, a pre-budget report due from the Chancellor within weeks, and growing concerns about both the... read more

ACEA, the association representing many of the Europe's largest car manufacturers, has outlined plans to bid for a €40billion (£32bn) support package from the EU to help cover the costs of meeting 2012 CO2... read more

It seems that no company, however established, is going to get through the global market turmoil unscathed. Both General Motors and Ford, America's largest car manufacturers are now fighting for survival afte... read more

Figures just released show the worst monthly decline in UK sales of new cars for nearly 20 years. The market fell 88,995 units in September 2008 compared to September 2007, a drop in over 21%. The year-to-dat... read more

A new survey reveals that environmental considerations are driving more motorists to seek green alternatives when considering a new car. Three in four buyers will look for a vehicle with low carbon dioxide em... read more

Mercedes-Benz has announced that the eagerly awaited Smart fortwo cdi will have its UK launch in February of next year. Smart's owner, Mercedes, claims that the new 799cc engine diesel version of the ic... read more

Toyota and EDF Energy have teamed up to road trial the first Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV) introduced by a car manufacturer to the UK. Trials started this week and will continue for more than one year. Toyota�... read more

From this week, learner drivers taking their tests will be assessed not only on their ability to handle a car and drive in a safe manner, but also on their `eco-driving` skills. As well as the emergen... read more

Volkswagen has today unveiled the new Golf BlueMotion concept vehicle, a car capable of achieving a combined 74.3 mpg while emitting just 99 g/km of CO2. This matches the economy of the Polo BlueMotion, itse... read more

A group of British eco-enthusiasts have just completed their journey from London to Athens powered solely by contributions of waste vegetable oil. The `Grease to Greece` car rally took 11 days, c... read more

Scientists at Ohio State University have created a cheaper, more flexible way to produce hydrogen from biofuel. Led by Umit Ozkan, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, the team has devel... read more

A new report from the European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) shows that car manufacturers are currently falling (on average) 17% short of the 2012 emission levels set by the European Commissi... read more

General Motor’s Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid is on track to hit the European market in 2011. Although an official date has not been set, a spokesperson from the Detroit carmaker announced a US release at t... read more

The Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) has released its first report on the supply of UK biofuels under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO). The report finds that for the first month of the obligation, ... read more

With oil prices continuing to soar, there can be little surprise at today’s announcement from the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, that the planned 2p per litre rise in fuel duty due in October will be delayed... read more

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has now officially scrapped plans for CO2 emissions-based Congestion Charging in Central London. The decision overturns Ken Livingstone's planned change to the Congestion C... read more

A motion proposed for an amendment to the Finance Bill aimed at removing the government's `retrospective` changes to road taxation has been defeated in parliament by 303 votes to 240. The amendment, which was... read more

An article just published in Science explains why thinking about fuel economy in miles per gallon (or ‘mpg’) leads motorists to underestimate the environmental benefits of switching to a fuel efficient ca... read more

For full details see Press Release in PDF format. WhatGreenCar? has awarded its first Green Car of the Year Award 2008 to the Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi ECOnetic. The Focus has CO2 emissions of only 115g/km (65... read more

Sales of small cars have bucked the general trend in May and have seen encouraging levels of growth, according to the latest Society of Motor Manufacturers and Trader’s report. In the face of dwindlin... read more

Toyota have announced that worldwide sales of the Prius, the world's first mass-produced hybrid car, have passed 1 million – approximately 1,028,000 units were sold as of the end of April this year. Curren... read more

Following the recent rise in oil prices and the fuel protests by hauliers, Labour MPs are putting pressure on Gordon Brown to reverse the ‘green’ road tax reforms planned for April 2009. The backbenchers ... read more

The oil price reached a new high today of $135 a barrel, more than doubling in price in the last 12 months. Recent rises in the cost of crude have resulted in a peaking of petrol and diesel prices across the ... read more

Plans to increase the Congestion Charge for the most polluting vehicles in London and provide discounts for low-emission vehicles look set to be scrapped as Boris Johnson takes up his position as the new mayo... read more

The first of a new network of hydrogen gas fuelling stations has been opened at the University of Birmingham. Built by Air Products, the station will form the focus of research projects to ascertain the viabi... read more

The UK’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) comes in to force today. The obligation aims to ensure that biofuels comprise 2.5% of petrol and diesel sold in the UK, in a move which can be seen as the... read more

The TH!NK City electric was officially launched in Europe at the 78th International Motor Show in Geneva. The new TH!NK is the latest much improved version of the Norwegian-built electric car originally desig... read more

From today, 13th March 2008, Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) increases by £5 for VED bands C to F (121-225 gCO2/km), and by £100 for band G cars (>225 gCO2/km). This signals the Government’s increasing res... read more

WhatGreenCar? has launched a new web search tool that lists all models that will be exempt from paying the London Congestion Charge from 27th October 2008, the date when the new CO2-based Congestion Charge sc... read more

Despite high-profile government advertising campaigns and a road tax now based on emissions, 65% of British drivers ‘don’t have a clue’ how much CO2 is being produced by the car they drive according to ... read more

In these days of high oil prices, environmental awareness and increased charges for drivers of 'gas guzzlers', new research has found that green credentials are becoming increasingly important for car buyers... read more

The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, confirmed today that a new CO2-based London Congestion Charge would be introduced later this year. From 27th October 2008, cars with the highest CO2 emissions will pay £... read more

The London Low Emission Zone (LEZ), which aims to reduce harmful emissions from the most polluting diesel heavy-duty vehicles, goes live today. All diesel-engine lorries weighing more than 12 tonnes (Gross Ve... read more

In a damning report published yesterday, the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee concluded that although "biofuels can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from road transport... most first generation b... read more

WhatGreenCar? have just launched a new API that gives other websites access to the unique WhatGreenCar? database. The API provides a powerful search tool that enables users to search for the greenest new cars... read more

As part of the regular ‘Top 10 green wheels’ series, WhatGreenCar? looks ahead to the greenest cars due for launch in 2008. With petrol and diesel prices continuing to rise beyond £1 per litre, and... read more

As we first reported February, the European Commission has now proposed legislation that sets a mandatory target of 120g/km by 2012 for all new car emissions within the EU (current average is about 160g/km). ... read more

WhatGreenCar? are pleased to be supporting a major new survey of drivers of electric cars in London. Frost & Sullivan, a major consulting company with extensive experience in consumer research for the automot... read more

GoinGreen, the UK electric car market leader, announces the arrival of the G-Wiz i, the most advanced variant of this iconic EV. GoinGreen launched the emission-free G-Wiz dc drive in London in May 2004 and i... read more

The 2008 Car of the Year award has been won by the new Fiat 500. The jury of 58 specialist journalists from 22 European countries awarded the Fiat 385 votes, ahead of the Mazda 2 (325 votes), the Ford Mondeo ... read more

At this year’s Michelin Bibendum Challenge held in Shanghai, China, the Renault Logan eco² set a new low carbon emissions record of 71g/km for the event, covering the 172 km course on only 4.69 litres of d... read more

According to The AA, the average price of UK petrol breached the £1 per litre mark at the start of November 2007 with average diesel prices already over 104p. This follows the inexorable rise in the price of... read more

Cleaner, greener van fleets could be a reality on our roads, thanks to a new Department for Transport fund outlined by Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick this week. The programme, which will be worth an... read more

GoinGreen, the company that supplies the battery electric G-Wiz, has called for a rethink of plans to give a 100% Congestion Charge discount to all band B vehicles from next year. At the moment, only band A v... read more

Given the imminent failure of car manufacturers to reach the agreed voluntary CO2 emissions target of 140g/km by 2008, the European Commission is constructing legislation that will set a mandatory target for ... read more

A quiet green revolution is about to happen in the world of small panel vans. Fiat and PSA Peugeot-Citroen have announced the phase-in of three new commercial vehicles, each with a model with CO2 emissions of... read more

Following the ‘Top 10 green wheels’ list of eco-friendly new cars published in July, WhatGreenCar? seeks out some of the most polluting new cars in the show-room. While the aim of WhatGreenCar? is to... read more

Renault has launched the new Twingo city-car. Fourteen years after its original launch on the continent, UK drivers can get their hands on a right-hand-drive Twingo for the first time. Renault has alrea... read more

Peugeot is showcasing its forthcoming 308 Hybrid HDi at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Peugeot claim the vehicle is “the environmentally friendly car for the next generation” and plan to launch it in... read more

Volvo is unveiling an innovative plug-in hybrid at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The ReCharge Concept is a specially designed Volvo C30 with individual electric wheel motors and batteries that can be charged via ... read more

The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, has proposed new CO2 emissions-based charging bands for London’s congestion charge. Under the new scheme, cars with the highest CO2 emissions will pay three times more ... read more

This month sees the latest addition to the MINI family – the new low emission MINI Cooper D 108bhp 1.6litre diesel. The revised model is now capable of an impressive 72.4mpg with CO2 emissions of only 104g/... read more

Whether you are after a cute city runabout, a familiar family car or an exclusive executive auto, it is possible to get yourself some greener wheels, says Ben Lane, director of WhatGreenCar? Driving a ca... read more

Toyota is to launch a plug-in hybrid version of the Prius - named the Toyota Plug-in HV, the auto maker is currently testing eight prototypes of the plug-in hybrid in Japan. Toyota plan to use the same n... read more

The Polo BlueMotion is now available for ordering ahead of its arrival in the UK in October. Promising outstanding fuel efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions of just 99 g/km, the new model will be priced f... read more

Consumers are still not making the most of the green car labelling scheme, according to a survey carried out by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. Although the label was launched over two years ago, the rese... read more

Owners of ‘gas guzzlers’ will soon to feel extra strain on their wallet if they reside in Islington, North London. Plans to charge residents with high-polluting cars significantly more to park in the Boro... read more

After much anticipation, Mitsubishi have at last launched the award winning 'i' car in the UK. There has been much speculation about the efficiency of the i's 57bhp, 660cc, three-cylinder turbo engine and... read more

The international home furnishings retailer IKEA are to trade in their fleet of existing company cars for greener hybrid alternatives. The Swedish company will start with the purchase of 50 Honda Civic hybrids,... read more

Figures just published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that UK motorists are increasingly opting for environmentally friendly cars. During 2006, green car sales doubled with a re... read more

Honda announced this month that they will be ceasing the production of the Accord hybrid, currently on sale in the US. The decision to end production follows the model’s poor sales, which have continued to ... read more

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Toyota Prius. Almost a decade has passed since the debut of the first commercially produced hybrid car – a milestone in the history of greener motoring. Since the... read more

As many in the car industry had expected, Toyota is aiming to hybridise all of its model range, an objective now confirmed this week by Masatami Takimoto, executive vice president. What has made this possibl... read more

May sees the launch of the World?s first high performance, zero-emission electric motorcycle in London. While its not the first commercial electric two-wheeler, the Vectrix is the first electric bike to comb... read more

PSA Peugeot-Citroen are to launch a diesel-hybrid Peugeot 308 to replace the 307. Peugeot?s first diesel-hybrod is to be launched in late 2007. Automotive News Europe report that the hybrid 308 will have a fuel... read more

The first ever Sexy Green Car Show opened its doors today at the Eden Project. The Eden Project might seem a strange setting for a car show but having been to the exhibition the synergy between Cornwall?s le... read more

As WhatGreenCar? have advocated for some time now, with the climate in trouble and oil expensive, cars need to get greener ? and fast! The Eden Project in Cornwall has also recognized the importance of greener ... read more

The Chancellor, Gordon Brown, has included ?green? measures in this year?s budget in an effort to remind the public of his green credentials, tackling climate change by reducing carbon emissions. Consequentl... read more

Given the likely failure of car manufacturers to reach the agreed voluntary CO2 emissions target of 140g/km by 2008, the European Commission has proposed legislation that sets a mandatory target of 120g/km by 2... read more

Average CO2 emissions for new cars sold in the UK fell to a record low of 167.2g/km in 2006, a reduction of 1.3% on 2005 figures, according to data released by SMMT this week. The reduction continues the trend ... read more

Following a wide-ranging consultation with local residents and businesses, Richmond upon Thames Council is pursuing its radical proposals to charge on a sliding scale for residents? parking permits based on veh... read more

As part of its ?eGreen Programme 2010?? initiative, Nissan is to launch its first hybrid car, the Altima Hybrid, in the US during 2007. Although originally sceptical about the consumer demand for hybrids, the c... read more

This year?s PBR has announced immediate increases in fuel excise duties for petrol and diesel of 1.25p per litre. Biodiesel and bioethanol fuels are also affected (although the 20 ppl tax advantage remains). Th... read more

The London Hydrogen Partnership (LHP), has announced its intention to purchase at least 60 new hydrogen vehicles. These vehicles will be deployed as part of London?s public sector fleet and will focus on operat... read more

In an effort to reduce the impact of car emissions on climate change, Richmond upon Thames borough council in the south-east have proposed plans to link car emission ratings with the cost of parking permits. Ca... read more

Somerset police have taken delivery of their first high-performance bioethanol flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs), which will form part of the UK?s first bioethanol police car fleet. The fuel can be made from UK-grown c... read more

Citroen is now running its UK Head Office based diesel cars on a 30% biodiesel blend (B30) sourced from Total. This effectively reduces life cycle carbon emissions by around 15% and implies that all relatively ... read more

London Mayor Ken Livingstone has announced plans to increase the Congestion Charge for the most polluting vehicles from 2009. Cars in road tax Band G (with carbon emissions >225 gCO2/km) will pay ?25 per day, w... read more