Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Better Place EV Battery Swap business goes bust

It seemed like a good idea: take the cost of batteries out of the cost of buying an electric car and instead charge EV owners to use ‘Battery Swap’ stations where depleted batteries could be swapped for fully charged ones in the time it takes to fill an ICE car with petrol. But it’s all gone a bit Pete Tong. Better Place – which partnered with Renault in 2009 to make the battery swap technology viable – has failed to find anyone to add to the $750 million already involved in the project and has filed for bankruptcy.

Young women risking unsafe lifts

THOUSANDS of young women are risking their lives and safety by accepting lifts from drivers they don’t know or drivers who are under the influence of drink or drugs. Among young women aged 17- to 25-years old who don’t drive, it was found that 6% have accepted a lift from a stranger. That figure rises to 13% who have got into a car with a driver who has been drinking alcohol or taken drugs.

Audi RS7: 2013 Detroit Auto Show

The new Audi RS7 has been revealed at the Detroit Auto Show complete with the 552bhp 4.0 litre V8 from the new Audi RS6 Avant. With the same 552bhp 4.0 litre V8 the new RS6 Avant gets, the 2013 RS7  has permanent 4WD and can get to 62mph in the same blistering time as the RS6 Avant – 3.9 seconds – and on to a top speed of 155mph. That is unless you specify the Dynamic or Dynamic Plus package and then the RS7 can hit either 174mph or 189mph.