Cci 06038u10 - Oldsmobile Intrigue 16" Factory Original Style Wheel Rim 5x114.3 on 2040-parts.com

Feds researching fire risks from EV batteries, regulator says

Federal safety regulators have begun an $8.75 million study of whether lithium ion batteries in electric vehicles pose a potential fire hazard, officials said Thursday. Kevin Vincent, chief counsel of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said researchers are looking at whether the high-voltage batteries can cause fires when they are being charged and when the vehicles are in an accident.

New Porsche Macan takes over Harrods’ window (video)

The new Porsche Macan gets pride of place in Harrods’ window. Harrods display windows have become a happy stomping ground for car makers in recent years, with everyone from MINI to Hyundai (here and here) taking up prime Harrods real estate to showcase their latest cars. Now its the turn of Porsche to get their newest cars on display to Harrods’ customers and passing Londoners and visitors as they take over a window until 5th February.

Opel / Vauxhall Mocha almost revealed as Buick Encore

Three quarters of the Bucik Encore - the American Mocha The European Opel / Vauxhall Mocha – a Corsa based SUV – has been almost revealed in the US with a tease for the Buick Encore. Just before Christmas we reported on a new Corsa-based SUV on the way from Vauxhall and Opel which looks like it’s going to be the Opel Mocha (and, we assume, the Vauxhall Mocha too). But in this new ‘One World’ for cars, where North America actually gets the sort of cars they would once have derided as too small to consider, the Mocha is also going on sale in the US.