First customers are key to EV sales success, execs say

Word of mouth is a key element to generating buyers for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Today, it's the early adapters, tech-savvy buyers who are embracing the technology and buying the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt and the battery-powered Nissan Leaf. But for these vehicles and similar models to go mainstream, anxiety about the technology needs to be eliminated.

Volvo XC30 for 2012

It's starting to look as if the baby Volvo Crossover - the XC30 - is getting close The rumour mill has been working on a smaller crossover/SUV from Volvo for a long time – since just about the time that the Volvo C30 first hit the road. And it’s a car that makes a lot of sense, especially in the current market. So it’s not any sort of surprise to see the rumour resurface, but we’re a bit peeved to have missed (until now) the comment that’s being attributed to Lex Kerssemakers – Volvo’s Overseas Corporate Strategy President – from Geneva when he apparently said “There will be some further expansion of the XC range in the near future”.

Upgraded Mazda MX-5 hits the UK

[ad#ad-1] Back in December we brought you news of the updates to the Japanese MX-5 – The Mazda Roadster – and as expected they’ve now filtered through for UK Cars, with the first cars appearing in showrooms in April. The MX-5 has, quite rightly, dominated the little, open sports car market for ever. It does so much so very right, and so little wrong, it is an example of how to dominate a niche.