The German government has thrashed out a deal with the European Union to allow sales of vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE) to continue past 2035, so long as the vehicles burn carbon neutral “e-fuels.” The EU’s plans to ban sales of new C02-emitting cars from 2035 were well underway before Germany halted progress by demanding an exemption for ICE cars that … [Read more...] about Carmakers get relief from piston engine ban
Spotlight
GM keeps petrol alive with new V8 engines
The new right-hand-drive Chevrolet Corvette Z06 that will go on sale in New Zealand next year will almost certainly be powered by the last of parent General Motors’ current high-performance V8 engines. But it won’t be the last V8 from the US carmaker, which is keeping petrol power alive while investing heavily in electric vehicles (EVs). GM has announced it has … [Read more...] about GM keeps petrol alive with new V8 engines
100 years of cars and timepieces
There’s nothing new about the relationship between car and watch brands. One of the first collaborations was 100 years ago when French watchmaker Jaeger and Swiss company LeCoultre started a company in the UK making car clocks. In 1927 they sold 75% of the company to Smiths, a British competitor forever linked to the Smiths/Rolex watch Sir Edmund Hillary wore on the ascent … [Read more...] about 100 years of cars and timepieces
Kia EV6: Aussie rare earth magnet for next-generation EVs
The Hyundai-Kia group has positioned itself for future electric vehicle (EV) production by getting from a mine site in Australia supplies of a rare earth critical to electric motors. The rare earth is Neodymium-Praseodymium (NdPr) oxide. It has a powerful magnetic quality and is a key ingredient in the manufacture of high-performance electric motors. Currently, China produces … [Read more...] about Kia EV6: Aussie rare earth magnet for next-generation EVs