2002-2006 Escalade Smoke Halo Led Projector Headlights+clear Fog Bumper Lamp on 2040-parts.com

Electric cars get a £500 million government cash boost – but will it get spent?

The new BMW i3 EV (pictured) will be subsidised until 2017. The subsidy of up to £5000 paid to buyers of electric cars has been with us for three years, but it hasn’t had much impact on EV sales and it did look like the government had decided to scrap it all together. But it looks like the coalition has allowed Nick Clegg to have his way with EV subsides in a move that will see £500 million injected in to promoting and supporting electric cars in the UK in the next few years.

Mini showcases three Getaway concept campers

Mini has released three concept camping cars based on Mini models, each offering a huge variety of outdoor gear. The Mini Clubvan Camper has been rebuilt into the world's smallest luxury camper van, while the Mini Cowley has been coupled with a caravan trailer for two people. The biggest Mini of the group is the Countryman ALL4 Camp, which features a folding sleeping tent on the roof.

Driven: a week with a Chevrolet Volt

In Fall 2010, before the Volt went on sale in North America, we sampled an early build model and came away so impressed, we declared it the car for the digital age. Since then the car has received harsh criticism from the press and been outsold by the Nissan Leaf in the North American market. Given the unique powertrain, we felt longer exposure to the Volt was therefore in order, so on a recent trip to Michigan, we lived with one for five days.