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the electric car that dares to be different

The Mazda is a lovely little EV, nice to drive, different in many ways, with real driver appeal, but the range is parlous.

Until we get a range extender version, the MX-30 is only suitable as a second car/urban runabout – provided you don’t fancy a visit to the seaside.

THE FACTS

Mazda MX-30

TESTED AC synchronous electric motor and 35.5kWh lithium-ion battery with step-down gearing, front-wheel drive

PRICE/ON SALE without £3,000 Government PIGG, from £28,545, to £33,045 (£30,495 as tested in First Edition trim)/spring 2021

POWER/TORQUE 143bhp/160lb ft

TOP SPEED 87mph

ACCELERATION 0-62mph in 9.7sec

RANGE 124 miles (WLTP high) 

EFFICIENCY 3.49 miles per kWh

CO2 EMISSIONS zero at tailpipe, well-to-wheels 41.35/km

VED £0 

VERDICT Nice to look at and drive, and genuinely different, Mazda’s MX-30 only lacks one thing to make it a credible contender in the market and that’s a better battery range (until a range-extender version

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Car
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Proximity-sensing bike tail light warns encroaching drivers

A large percentage of automobile-bicycle collisions occur when a car hits a bike from behind. The UK-designed SureLight bicycle tail light was made with this in mind, as it actually warns motorists when they’re getting too close.

Featuring a water-resistant body that’s milled from a single block of aircraft-grade sandblasted/anodized aluminum, the SureLight automatically powers up when attached to an included magnetic mount on the bike’s seatpost. Its array of 22(!) red LEDS then remain steadily illuminated until the light is pulled off again.

As is the case with many other modern bicycle tail lights, the SureLight also contains an accelerometer that detects when the bicycle starts suddenly slowing down. When this happens, the red LEDs temporarily get brighter, serving as a brake light.

Additionally, however, the SureLight also incorporates a rear-facing proximity sensor. When this device detects that a vehicle behind the bike is getting dangerously close, it triggers

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Bycycle
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3 Trends Propel Vehicle Electrification (.PDF Download)

This article appeared in Machine Design and has been published here with permission.

Two things remain a concern for would-be electric-vehicle drivers: running out of charge and the time it takes to recharge batteries. That could soon change as an international team of researchers work on a battery solution that will help waylay range anxiety fears.

When it comes to a high-capacity lithium-ion battery that charges quickly and operates efficiently, the technology isn’t quite there yet. But a group of researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) have developed a composite made of black phosphorous and graphite in its core and covered in electrolyte-swollen polyaniline. The engineered electrode material holds promise for industrial production, they said.

In contrast with previous efforts, the new engineered electrode material allows for a high charging rate, and the material does not sacrifice capacity and cycling stability, according to their research

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Vehicle
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California sets new car ICE ban for 2035 | Automotive Industry News

This latest move by Californias state governor will likely ratchet up tensions with Washington

This latest move by California’s state governor will likely ratchet up tensions with Washington

The US State of California’s Governor has said it will require that by 2035, all new cars and passenger trucks sold in California are zero emission vehicles. 

Governor Gavin Newsom said he will aggressively move the state further away from its reliance on fossil fuels. He has issued an executive order requiring sales of all new passenger vehicles to be zero-emission by 2035 and additional measures to eliminate harmful emissions from the transportation sector.

In a statement Newsom’s office noted that the transportation sector is responsible for more than half of all of California’s carbon pollution, 80 percent of smog-forming pollution and 95 percent of toxic diesel emissions.

“This is the most impactful step our state can take to fight climate change,” said Governor Newsom.

“For too many decades, we have allowed cars to pollute the

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Transportation
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2020 Land Rover Defender 110 First Drive Review

2020 Land Rover Defender 110

2020 Land Rover Defender 110 first drive review: Off-rad chops meets modern tech

“The 2020 Land Rover Defender combines old-school ruggedness with modern refinement.”

  • Impressive off-road capability
  • Drives like a car, not an SUV
  • Well-designed interior
  • Useful tech
  • Vague steering
  • Fussy touchscreen

Modern Land Rover is defined by SUVs that combine luxury with off-road capability, vehicles that, despite their mud-plugging abilities, are typically compared to the likes of Mercedes-Benz. It wasn’t always this way.

When Land Rover launched in 1948, it made simple, rugged vehicles aimed more at farmers, explorers, and soldiers than wealthy suburbanites. Those early Land Rovers were Britain’s answer to Jeep, not Mercedes. As Land Rover drifted further into luxury, the Defender became the last reminder of the brand’s origins. Until it went out of production in 2016, that is (United States sales ceased in 1997).

Fans loved the original Defender because it existed in a time

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Car
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Triumph Bonneville VE Day bike makes retro cool by paying homage to the British army’s glorious heritage!

Every year Triumph Motorcycles organizes a competition to discover the most mindful custom bike design which is purely based on the legendary Bonneville range. The competition dubbed ‘Bonneville Build-Off Challenge’ (debuted in 2019) requires the custom motorcycle to be powered by a 900cc or 1200cc engine. It tests the skills of creative Triumph dealers who have to craft their own version of the iconic bikes that the company has built since its inception in 1983. The best custom builds are finally voted by Triumph fans who choose their favorite dream machine crafted from the bespoke engineering and off-the-shelf aftermarket parts.

This year the nine stunning bikes submitted by the Triumph dealers across UK are equally impressive but one outshines them all because of its perfect fusion of classic with the modern cruise bike aesthetics. This desirable machine created by the Fowlers Motorcycles from Bristol commemorates the 75th anniversary of VE

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Bycycle
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Utah Expands Connected Vehicle Project to Include More Autos

A connected vehicle pilot project in Utah is expanding in order to gather more data and insights into what’s happening on the roadways.

The Utah Department of Transportation, in partnership with Panasonic Corp. of North America, plans to move into the second phase of a connected vehicle study. The goal is to explore how the technology can improve highway safety by gathering data generated by vehicles, as well as putting in place a system to better communicate road, weather and other conditions with drivers.

The project will involve outfitting more vehicles — namely UDOT fleets, but also other vehicles from other public-sector agencies — with onboard technology that can connect to roadside units.

The first phase of the five-year, $50 million project began last summer. In that phase, 35 UDOT vehicles were equipped with the connected vehicle technology, which was able to communicate with roadside units along a stretch of

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Vehicle
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Labour steps up push for 2030 petrol and diesel car sales ban

Transport is the UK’s biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions | Credit: Haidan

Transport is the UK’s biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions | Credit: Haidan

The opposition joins Greenpeace and Green Alliance in warning the government should introduce a ban of fossil-fuel cars by 2030 if it wants to meet its 2050 emissions target

Greenpeace and Green Alliance have today warned the government must ban sales of all new petrol, diesel, and hybrid cars and vans by 2030 if wants to stand a chance of meeting its 2050 net zero emissions target – a move that came in the same week as Labour stepped up its calls for Ministers to pull forward the date for ending the sale of conventional cars.

With transport responsible for the largest slice of the country’s emissions, a phase out of polluting vehicles by 2030 is the “single most important measure” the government can introduce to get the country on track to meet its long-term climate targets,

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Transportation
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15 Winter Must-Haves to Prep Your Car for the Snowy Season

Photo credit: Marc Urbano - Car and Driver
Photo credit: Marc Urbano – Car and Driver

From Car and Driver

With the cool winds blowing and the leaves changing, it’s time to consider prepping your car—and yourself—for winter. Or, at the very least, gathering all the necessary tools and consumables to save your future self time, money, and a whole lot of headaches. Just one note: These are general approaches to surviving winter, automotively speaking. This isn’t a catchall for every scenario that you might face in the struggle of protecting your car through harsh winter months.

We also looked at getting your collector car or more rust-prone ride ready to stash for the winter months. Rounding out the list, we have some suggestions to keep you busy when you can’t enjoy your car.

Photo credit: - Hearst Owned
Photo credit: – Hearst Owned

Unfortunately, those living in the frozen tundra of the East and Midwest will have to get around somehow when

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Car
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The Future Of Sustainable Automobile: KBO Bike

KBO Bike

KBO Bike
KBO Bike
KBO Bike

Chino, California, Oct. 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the activism of climate change is catching speed, more and more people are opting towards sustainable livelihoods. People all around the world are giving up modern luxuries of single-use plastics, petrol and diesel-powered cars, fast fashion, and much more. In a situation such as this, where sustainability is of utmost importance to preserve the climate and slow down climate change, automobile companies are dashing to keep up with the increasing standards of their consumers.

And with a stride in the general direction of progress, electric commuting bikes by KBO Bikes are catching on with the people.

About KBO Bikes:

KBO Bike is aimed at offering more choices for people who e-bike to commute and who e-bike for leisure by pushing the boundaries for innovation and imagination. We want you to explore the freedom and pure

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Bycycle