Industry News

VW promises shift to focus on electric and hybrid vehicles following emissions scandal

Announcing £750m of spending cuts to help pay for the product recall following the emissions scandal, a senior Volkswagen Group executive says that the company will turn its focus to electric and hybrid vehicles and revamp all diesel cars and vans to feature cleaner exhaust emissions systems. Meanwhile, Volvo has also announced it will be introducing electric variants for all its models.

Alexander Dennis partners with BYD to build 200 electric buses a year

Alexander Dennis and BYD of China have agreed a £660m joint venture to build up to 200 single-deck electric buses a year over the next ten years.

Policy Developments

New London black cabs must be 'zero emission capable' from 2018 says TfL

From 1 January 2018, all taxis licensed for the first time in London must be (ZEC) zero emission capable (less than 50g/km tailpipe CO2 and 30 miles ZE range) according to plans outlined by Transport for London.  Additionally, any ZEC taxi can only use petrol for its hybrid engine.  For private hire vehicles the intention is that all vehicles granted a PHV licence for the first time after 1 January 2023 must be zero emission capable, regardless of age.

LowCVP News

The LowCVP holds workshop to inform response to Defra air quality consultation

The LowCVP held a workshop on 19 October to help inform the Partnership's response to Defra's consultation which seeks views on draft plans to improve air quality in the UK.

LowCVP to focus on cutting emissions from trucks

(News release:) To coincide with its participation in the new Freight in the City event (27 October, Alexandra Palace) the LowCVP is calling on fleet operators, local authorities and others to join forces in building the market for heavy goods vehicles which cut carbon, reduce emissions  and lower fuel costs. 

LowCVP low emission freight workshop - 30/11/2015

The LowCVP is holding a stakeholder workshop in London  to progress the Partnership's commerecial vehicle activity, including the accreditation scheme for after-market technologies as well as providing opportunities for operators and others to collaborate in a new, DfT-funded test programme to benchmark vehicles powered by natural gas/biomethane. The group will also commence activity on the specific actions needed to stimulate low carbon urban freight solutions. 

International Developments

EU experts agree Real Driving Emissions approach to start in 2017

National experts in the European Commission's Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles (TCMV) have reached a compromise agreement on new conformity factor limits on nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted from passenger cars, with full implementation for all new cars delayed until 2019.

Norway study tests 'real traffic' CO2 and air polluting emissions

The Norwegian Centre for Transport Research has published new research based on 'real traffic' tests of 12 HGVs and seven Euro 6 diesel cars which found that the cars produced between 4 and 20 times the level of NOx in city traffic and during cold weather than the Euro 6 type approval limit values. The tests also found that the cars exceeded NEDC type approval average emissions of CO2 by 60% or more in congested traffic.

Oslo city centre to be car-free within 4 years

The newly elected city council in Oslo has announced plans to prohibit cars in central Oslo within four years, the first comprehensive ban in a European capital. 

Reports & Studies

CCC report: The scientific and international context for the fifth carbon budget

The Committee on Climate Change has released a new report ‘The scientific and international context for the fifth carbon budget’ setting out the climate science and global circumstances that will inform its advice to Government on the fifth carbon budget.

IMI study reveals "dramatic" growth in interest in alternative fuel vehicles

Half of drivers planning to buy or lease a new car in the next few years are considering an electric or hybrid vehicle, according to a new study conducted for the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI).

Events

Automotive Electronic Systems - AESIN Conference 2015 - 28/10/2015

AESIN 2015 is a two-day national conference aimed at exploring opportunities in the area of Automotive Electronic Systems for professionals and industry leaders. There is a 25% discount for LowCVP members on delegate rates.

UK Bus Summit 2016 - 11/02/2016

The second annual UK Bus Summit will be held in London at the QEII Conference Centre, Westminster on 11thFebruary 2016 and once again is supported by the Department for Transport. But this year the focus will also be on the devolution agenda, and proposals in the Buses Bill which would give combined authorities with an elected mayor powers to franchise bus services.

My Electric Avenue – Turning the Corner - 03/12/2015

My Electric Avenue’s ‘Turning the Corner’ final dissemination event is an opportunity to share learning and results from the project with stakeholders from across Government, the utilities and automotive sectors. The project aimed to discover essential learning about managing the local electricity network as sales of cars with ‘plug-in’ capability continue to rise.

Future Powertrain Conference 2016 - 24/02/2016

The Future Powertrain Conference (FPC2016) is a two day UK event created to bring together industry and academic experts within the powertrain development field. It will open up presentations and discussions on the solutions to the challenges faced by the engineering industry in the UK and internationally over the next ten years.

The Intelligent City Mobility Event - 12/11/2015

The Intelligent City Mobility event is for transport, urban design, intelligent mobility, city management, parking, smarter travel and automotive professionals.  Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), pay as you go cars, electric cars, journey planning and parking apps, in-car navigation systems, car and cycle sharing schemes, driver-assisted and autonomous vehicles are all manifestations of the world of ‘Intelligent Mobility’. This event will look at how cities in the UK and abroad are redefining their relationships with the car – for the better.  

Lightweighting Vehicle Body Structures - 01/12/2015

New legislation from the EU is driving car manufacturers towards the production of more fuel efficient and less polluting models, partly achieved by reducing the weight of the vehicle structure. This seminar will explore the latest developments in vehicle body design and lightweighting, and will cover a variety of topics including crash safety, end-of-life disassembly, recycling and multi-material construction technologies.

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