I read an interesting article about the electrification of Europe namely how the big manufacturing groups are retooling their factories to produce more electric vehicles. Firstly, there was an announcement by Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), a major battery supplier in China, who are building a factory near Erfurt in Germany to satisfy orders from companies such as … [Read more...]
VW Electric Minibus to Target Ride-Share Services
Isn't it interesting, a couple of years ago, Volkswagen was everybody’s enemy thanks to finding a way to provide a test result - the one that the German Government wanted to see, even though it wasn't the real answer. It didn’t take long for the revenues to bounce back and with a new focus from new management they are pushing ahead with electric vehicles - just like the rest of … [Read more...]
Motorcycle Air Jets
I’ve been lucky over many years of motorcycling not to lose the front end on a loose or slippery surface - other than during an off-road training course and that was at a slow speed. I’ve had the back get away on mud and ended up on my arse however nothing too serious. When these accidents occur, they can can happen very quickly and depending on the length of the changed … [Read more...]
Ford’s Multi-Modal Transportation Patent
In May, Automotive News in the US wrote an article about a new patent that Ford had filed in the prior month. It was for a multi-modal transport system - not new as a concept but one that Ford was patenting as a way to ensure future products are secure from others launching similar ideas. The Ford idea is a vehicle that combines a motorcycle with a small car. Patent number … [Read more...]
German Court Rules That Diesel Can Be Banned in Cities
Earlier this year, a German court ruled that cities in that country could ban heavily polluting diesel powered cars from their urban areas. This was a blow to the Government who dislike bans and they were looking at other restrictions to ease pollutant levels. The whole issue around the VW emissions test work-around has had wide ranging repercussions. Governments reacted in … [Read more...]