The Government has announced plans to provide a £5,000 incentive for motorists to buy ultra-low carbon cars. The Plug-In Car Grant will be distributed directly to motorists at the point of purchase and will be available from January 2011.

The Government also announced the roll-out of a £30m fund to create a network of electric vehicle hubs- called Plugged-in-Places, which will see charging infrastructure appearing in car parks, major supermarkets, leisure and retail centres. The first Plugged-in-Places will be at London, Milton Keynes and the North East and they will now install 11,000 recharging points over the next three years. The Plug-in-Car Grant will significantly reduce the price of electric cars and will be open to both private and business fleet buyers.

There are however three areas the Government needs to think about as this roll-out continues;

1. Re-charging – it takes 15-20 minutes to recharge to 80% capacity for an EV so this means there will be a long wait for people compared to filling up at a petrol station. They will therefore need to think about waiting areas at these new locations in London, Milton Keynes and the North East.
2. Cost of Plugged-in Places – how much does it cost to build a suitable Plugged-in Place as £30m doesn’t sound a lot.  How many petrol stations are there nationwide, how much do they cost on average to build and if you replicated this across the proposed Plugged-in Places roll-out, how much would this cost in total?
3. Electricity demand – has someone forecasted the increase in the demand for electricity after 2011 and do we have the necessary infrastructure in this country to cope with the demand?

GM will continue to honour HUMMER warranties and will continue to support vehicle servicing and spare parts to current HUMMER owners around the world.

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The BMW 730d SE 4-door saloon diesel automatic is a luxury car suitable for any senior company executive and with BMW car leasing prices starting from only £578.19+VAT is great value for money. This state-of-the-art executive saloon also returns 41.5 combined mpg with CO2 emissions at 178g/km.

The BMW car leasing terms are based on the following;

- Business car leasing on a non-maintained contract over a three year term at 10,000 miles per annum.

- 3 months rental in advance followed by thirty-five subsequent rentals (38 equal payments in total)

- “With maintenance”, metallic paint and other vehicle options can be added at an extra cost.

- The image shown may not represent the exact model.

Skoda 2010 Fabia facelift

Skoda has updated both the Fabia and Roomster model ranges with both being unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. The new look is most evident at the front with a redesigned radiator grille and 3D-shaped headlamps giving both cars a more dynamic look and road presence. 

Skoda 2010 Roomster

The Fabia, Fabia Estate and Roomster have also had some technological changes with new state-of-the-art-engines. Four petrol and two diesel engines (all Euro 5 compliant) will be available in the UK, with power outputs ranging from 60bhp to 105bhp in the Fabia and from 70bhp to 105bhp in the Roomster.

The 1.2 new TSI 105bhp petrol engine is bound to be popular when combined with the optimised, two clutch seven-speed DSG transmission, as it delivers 53.3 combined mpg. This engine is also available in manual transmission with the 105bhp engine or 85bhp. Both 1.6-litre diesel engines offer sub 110g/km CO2 as well. Skoda contract hire prices on the new models will be loaded shortly.

Subaru Hybrid Tourer

Subaru is planning to showcase a number of green concepts at the Geneva Motor Show, including their new Hybrid Tourer Concept plus their STELLA EV city car.

The Hybrid Tourer Concept is powered by the first “Boxer”-hybrid powerplant and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and operates with a 2.0-litre horizontally-opposed, direct injection, turbocharged petrol “Boxer” engine allied to two electric motors (a 10kW at the front and a 20kW at the rear). The electric motors engage at lower speeds and at start-up and the petrol engine kicks in once the vehicle is travelling at higher speeds.

The STELLA EV is a city car that is fully rechargeable in five hours using an AC240V power outlet or it can be charged to 80% capacity in just 15 minutes, using the quick charging system The vehicle has a 40kW electric motor which is lithium-ion battery powered.

Honda 3R-C

The three-wheeled Honda 3R-C one person battery electric vehicle concept will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. This single occupant concept offers zero emissions commuting and has a clear canopy when the vehicle is not in use. When the 3R-C is in motion this also acts as a wind-shield to protect the driver from the weather.

Honda 3R-C

The high sides of the safety shell of this new concept provides driver protection and there is a also a lockable boot area for secure storage of luggage at the front. The Honda 3R-C offers a view of transport in the future and was designed by European designers working at Honda’s Research and Design facility in Milan.

HPI, the UK’s leading source of motor vehicle information, has warned used car buyers to beware of the growing number of used cars that are being clocked. When it comes to vehicle type, 22% of small cars top the clocker’s list, 15% for compact executive cars and just 3% for MPVs.

Nicola Johnson of HPI said,”Our analysis shows that clockers are avoiding the high end vehicles and concentrating on the every day vehicles. The relative ease of clocking these vehicles combined with the sheer volume being sold represents the quickest buck for them and the biggest risk to the consumer”.

Ms Johnson went onto say,”Worringly clocked vehicles may also represent a safety concern. Vehicles with incorrect mileages may have also missed important services and part replacement dates, making them unreliable and potentially un-roadworthy”.

8 out of every 100 cars checked by HPI show a mileage discrepancy so here is the HPI checklist to  make sure you can spot a potentially clocked vehicle.

1. Check the service history and look for mileages and stamps from genuine dealers.
2. Speak to the previous keeper to ask them the mileage when they sold it.
3. Trust your judgement – look for any evidence of clocking i.e. was it registered to a company yet has only done less than 12,000 miles per year?
4. Check the mileage – it has been know for clockers to wind back the mileage when you first view the vehicle and then wind it forward again to the correct mileage when you take delivery.
5. Look for signs for wear and tear – does the wear and tear on the vehicle match its mileage i.e. worn seats?

Buying  used cars can be a stressful process so before you buy a used car why not look at leasing a brand new car? The pros and cons of doing this are highlighted on the car leasing versus car buying  useful information page. You might be surprised by what you can for your money.

Total Accident Management

Total Accident Management is now providing their new SME accident management to SME customers of Leaseplan, one the UK’s largest vehicle leasing companies. The new service will allow an SME to track the whole repair process from start to finish, live and online, for an accident damaged car or light commercial van.

Total Accident Management provides the full range of services to ensure the repair is carried out efficiently and cost effectively to the highest possible standards. If the driver is too busy they can also receive text updates on the progress of the repair. The service will include vehicle repair, credit hire, credit repair,vehicle inspection, Uninsured Loss Recovery, Personal Injury and salvage if the vehicle is a write off.

If you are interested in the SME accident management service from Total Accident Management visit the Accident Management section on the site where you can apply for more details.

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BMW car leasing for the BMW 318i ES 5-door Tourer manual starts from only £289.28+VAT per month and offers a company car driver “executive  motoring” that is also really practical for the family. The combined mpg on this estate car is 44.8 and CO2 emissions are 147g/km.

The BMW car leasing terms are based on the following;

- Business car leasing on a non-maintained contract over a three year term at 10,000 miles per annum.

- 3 months rental in advance followed by thirty-five subsequent rentals (38 equal payments in total)

- “With maintenance”, metallic paint and other vehicle options can be added at an extra cost.

- The image shown may not represent the exact model.

Hyundai ix35 SUV

Hyundai has released the pricing for their eagerly awaited ix35 SUV and at an entry level price of £16,495, this new SUV looks set to be a popular model for Hyundai.

The entry level Style model features 17-inch alloy wheels, ESP, air conditioning, built-in Bluetooth connectivity, heated front and rear seats, electric heated door mirrors with integrated LED side repeaters, leather steering wheel and gearknob, reverse parking sensors and a trip computer making this an attractive entry level option.

Hyundai ix35

Step up to the Premium model and you get 18-inch alloy wheels, double length panoramic glass sunroof, automatic headlights, cruise control, dual zone climate control, electric folding door mirrors, keyless entry with engine start/stop button, rear privacy glass, rain-sensing wipers, part-leather upholstery and roof rails.

Currently all models will be available in a 2.0-litre petrol or 2.0-litre diesel however a new 1.6-litre petrol with direct injection technology and a new 1.7-litre diesel engine is in the pipeline for later in the year. All Hyundai’s are also backed up by the Hyundai 5-year warranty and 10-year anti-perforation warranty offering you peace of mind  for the future. 

The full range on launch is as follows;

• 2.0 5-dr 2WD Style – OTR £16,495
• 2.0 CRDi 5-dr 2WD Style – OTR £17,995
• 2.0 CRDi 5-dr 4WD Style – OTR £18,995
• 2.0 CRDi 5-dr 2WD Premium – OTR 19,745
• 2.0 CRDi 5-dr 4WD Style Premium- OTR £20,745

OTR (on the road price) includes VAT, delivery, number plates and 12 months VED (vehicle excise duty). Hyundai car leasing prices will be loaded shortly.