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GM's top battery executive for the Volt to join California startup

General Motors's top executive in charge of developing batteries for the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid is leaving to take a position with an unnamed startup battery company in California. Denise Gray, 46, global director of rechargeable energy storage systems, will step down March 5 after more than three years in the post. This was “an opportunity that I could just not resist,” Gray said in a phone interview.

BMW i3 Concept (2011) first official pictures

This is the BMW i3 Concept, a near-production preview of Munich’s new urban vehicle. Previously known as the Megacity Vehicle (MCV), it’s an all-electric carbonfibre and aluminium car that BMW will sell from 2013 as part of its new ‘i’ range – the i8 supercar has also been unveiled today. Both the BMW i3 and i8 concepts will be revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show in September.

Fewer commuters but longer journeys

PEOPLE ARE TRAVELLING further to get to work but the number of commuters is falling as more staff work from home, according to official figures. Based on Census statistics, the average distance travelled to work in England and Wales increased from 8.3 miles (13.4km) in 2001 to 9.32 miles (15km) in 2011. Those living in the Midlands and south west England had the largest increase in average distance travelled between 2001 and 2011 - going an extra 1.36 miles (2.2km).