1984 Yamaha Xs400 Special Xs 400 Oem Engine & Transmission on 2040-parts.com

China to boost electric cars with 30% Government EV fleet

The BYD E6 EV (pictured) will benefit from China’s push on EVs The UK government has just announced its commitment to use electric cars for its own vehicles in an effort to boost the take-up of EVs, but China is going even further. China has ordered government officials to start buying electric cars (that means BEVs, plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell cars) in a big way, with instructions that 30 per cent of government cars must fall in to the ‘New Energy’ category by 2017, and an even higher percentage going forward. The aim is to cut pollution, and China expects to have 5 million New Energy cars on the road by 2020 and it is urging it government agencies and some city governments to start buying New Energy vehicles from Chinese makers like BYD and SDAIC, but also instructing them to build more charging stations and supporting infrastructure.

Citroen DS3 Cabrio Racing arrives in the UK – just 10 at £29,305

The Citroen DS3 Cabrio Racing arrives in the UK The Citroen DS3 Cabrio Racing arrived at Goodwood last summer as a concept, but after the production run of the DS3 Racing a cabrio version seemed a certainty for production. That production run for the DS3 Cabrio Racing was confirmed by Citroen in December and now it’s going on sale in the UK. With all the extra grunt of the DS3 Racing – 207bhp from its 1.6 litre THP engine, enough for 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 145mph – and a raft of changes from a regular DS3 including sports exhaust, wider track, revised steering, uprated brakes and switchable ESC, the DS3 Cabrio Racing promises real hot-hatch fun in the sunshine.

Toyota & Lexus: Hybrid sales in Europe hit 20%

The ‘Green’ evangelists want to get us all driving electric cars to save the planet, but in the real world car drivers want a car that offers them all the practicality of a normal ICE car, but without the penalties of the poor range, high cost and inconvenience of an EV. So, with ever-rising fuel costs, it’s no wonder car buyers are willing to pay a little more for a car that offers better economy at the pumps – which plays straight in to the hands of Hybrid pioneers Toyota. The result is that Toyota and Lexus now see a full 20 per cent of their sale in Europe being hybrid cars in the first quarter of 2013, with sales of hybrid cars up a massive 82 per cent year-on-year.