The entire fleet of Government ministerial cars will be all-electric by 2030, the transport secretary Chris Grayling has confirmed.
Currently, electric vehicles make up nearly 23 percent of the fleet, with the government pledging to electrify at least a quarter by 2022.
The Government Car Service (GCS) is managed by the Department for Transport (TfL) to provide a secure car service for ministers in government departments.
GCS operates a fleet of around 90 cars, including British-built and low emission vehicles. The cars are managed by an in-house secure workshop.
The transport secretary has written to every government department to reinforce the pledge to move towards a 100 percent electric fleet by 2030.
‘Best place to own an ultra-low emission vehicle’
He said: “We want the UK to be the best place in the world to own an ultra-low emission vehicle, and as a government we have to lead by example.
“I am pleased with the change we are making to the Government Car Service, but this now needs to be reflected in all fleets that are controlled by government.
“Only yesterday, the prime minister made the bold commitment that the UK will end its net contribution to climate change by 2050. It is absolutely vital that all parts of government play their part in delivering this ambitious target.”
The government plans to end the sale of new diesel and petrol cars and vans by 2040 and is seeking to encourage more people to drive ultra-low emission vehicles.
Aston Martin has confirmed its long-awaited Valkyrie hypercar will race at Le Mans, following entry into the 2020/2021 World Endurance Championship season. This, as the new top-level hypercar regulations are ratified by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest – the organisation behind the 24-hour race.
The cars won’t quite resemble those customers will drive, or indeed the track-only AMR Pro version. The V12 engine will be prepared for the rigours of 24-hour racing, while Aston describes the car as a ‘fully competitive platform capable of challenging for outright race wins’. A ‘minimum’ of two will be entered when they take to the La Sarthe circuit next year.
If it wins, it’ll be the first ‘road car’ to come first at Le Mans since the McLaren F1 in 1995.
“We have always said that we would one day bring Aston Martin back to Le Mans with the intention of going for the outright win when the time was right – now is that time,” said Aston Martin CEO, Andy Palmer.
“David Brown came here in 1959, with a car and a team of drivers capable of winning. We intend to do the same in 2021. The Aston Martin Valkyrie is primed for such a challenge and sits perfectly within the ACO’s new ‘hypercar’ rule framework.
“What could be more evocative than the wail of an Aston Martin V12 leading the charge into the night on the Mulsanne straight?”
We have to say, we’re struggling to come up with an answer to that.
Porsche has launched a ‘Second Skin’ online tool that allows you to see your chosen car in classic motorsport livery – then have it made.
The scope for online creativity is, in fact, even wider than that, with Porsche saying: ‘It will also be possible to implement designs inspired by, for instance, fashion and the arts’.
Previously discontinued colours from Porsche will be available, and company will collaborate those in the car-wrapping industry, including artists, design studios, foil providers and vinyl paint manufacturers. The website will be up and running in July.
“As the livery segment is a very fragmented market, we have created a central port of call with Second Skin to guarantee quality and offer a comprehensive approach to finding a solution,” said Simon Weiss of Porsche Digital.
“For this reason, the entire design and ordering process is fully processed in Second Skin: customers select the vehicle model and design it independently or as part of a consultation to obtain a non-binding offer and finish the order online.”
The poster car for the project is a 911 RSR that’s due to compete at Le Mans this coming weekend (June 15-16). It features a design by pop-art artist Richard Philips that combines three of his most popular works.
“We wanted to use the project in Le Mans to demonstrate what we can do in terms of automotive design and that there are no limits to the imagination with Second Skin,” said Florian Rothfuss, director of Porsche Digital.
“The greatest challenge was to apply a three-part image on a vehicle. We are also very happy with the result because the effect of the colours is unique.”
Hybrids could be a more effective route to reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the short-term than electric cars, according to Emissions Analytics.
Strictly speaking, a hybrid with an internal combustion engine produces more CO2 than an electric car while in use. The argument that Emissions Analytics makes is that encouraging hybrid uptake now is a better plan for CO2 reduction than our current course.
That current course, supported by the government, is to promote uptake of full Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). However, given the current infrastructure and, indeed, the capability of many electric cars, progress towards such a goal is likely to be slow.
How do hybrid and electric cars compare?
The CO2 reductions achievable with hybrids versus standard cars are impressive, says Emissions Analytics.
The achievable figures are 23 percent in the EU and 34 percent in the United States. On average, that makes for a 30 percent reduction in CO2, or 7.5 percent shy of the post-2021 target set by the EU.
Why not skip the hybrid stepping stone?
Potentially, diesels, mild hybrids and hybrids are stepping stones we could skip. But only if infrastructure and battery technology improve, suggests the study.
Our capacity for electricity generation also needs to swell in accordance with projected demand. The already strained battery supply chain needs to be strengthened, too. In short, as it stands, the world isn’t ready for the production, distribution and use of the number of electric cars that need to be sold.
Beyond 2030, larger increases in CO2 will necessitate a move to BEVs, by which time the above issues should (hopefully) have been solved.
Hybrids are a more efficient use of battery supplies
Given supply issues with batteries at the moment, a more effective use of production resources is small-battery hybrid vehicles (mild hybrids), claims Emissions Analytics.
The numbers support that claim. A mild hybrid can save 73 grams per kilometre of CO2 per unit of battery size. That’s carbon per kWh used. Comparatively, a battery-powered vehicle saves 3.5g/km per kWh. Full hybrids save 50.5 grams of CO2 per kilometre, per unit of battery capacity.
Even plug-in hybrids, with three different use cases stated (mostly engine, half-and-half and mostly battery) yielded better per-kWh CO2 savings. Mostly engine got a 5g/km/kWh figure, compared with 50-50 and mostly battery, which managed 12 and 19.9 percent respectively. Still, at worst, 1.5g per kWh of battery unit used is better than a representative BEV.
That’s assuming that CO2 emissions produced during production of the electricity and car battery are equal in total to tailpipe emissions. According to Emissions Analytics, some studies suggest that BEVs are actually less ‘green’ when CO2 is tallied up throughout the life of a car.
Hybrid quantity over electric quality?
The argument is that getting motorists into hybrids en masse now ought to yield better results than getting a minority into EVs.
Take a two samples of 10 cars. The first contains three bang up-to-date mild hybrids, two full hybrids, and five reference cars. The second batch of 10 has one electric car and nine reference cars. Which batch produces more CO2? Moreover, which is easier to achieve on a large scale over the next five years?
On this basis, current UK policy that promotes and incentivises EVs while abandoning hybrids potentially harms the cause. The industry and infrastructure need to walk before they can run, it’s argued.
Is current government subsidy policy the equivalent of plonking a toddler on the start line of a 100-metre sprint?
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is referred to by many as the world’s greatest motor race. Indeed, some car manufacturers take it on independent of any championship, just for the honour of winning. It’s also unique by comparison with, say, the Monaco Grand Prix or Indy 500 for its inextricable link with road cars. For decades, this was the arena where you proved your ability to produce a high-performing and reliable car. As such, many marques have paid tribute to the race, be that in the form of a special edition or an entire car dedicated to it.
Aston Martin DBS Superleggera 59
The latest is perhaps one of the coolest. Special editions such as the DBS 59 are always at risk of being a bit half-hearted, but the devil is in the details. This is a gorgeous tribute to Aston’s 1959 triumph at Le Mans, and its subsequent World Sports Car title.
Aston Martin Vantage V600 Le Mans
The DBS 59 isn’t the first Aston to celebrate the 1959 win, though. The 1999 Vantage V600 Le Mans marked 40 years since the event. With Koni suspension, DBR1-style side vents, Dymag lightweight wheels and a map from the car’s Newport Pagnell birthplace to the Le Mans circuit included, just 40 were made.
McLaren F1 LM
The LM was a final iteration of the incredible McLaren F1. Five were built, to honour the five finishing cars in the 1995 race, which came in first, third, fourth, fifth and 13th. To this day, the F1 is the last road-based car to win outright at Le Mans.
McLaren 650S Le Mans
The McLaren 650S Le Mans was built to celebrate 20 years since McLaren’s shock 1995 win with the F1 GTR. The special 650S wears five-spoke lightweight wheels similar to the GTR, plus an F1-style roof scoop.
Ford Focus RS Le Mans
The Focus RS Le Mans is a curious beast. The warbling five-cylinder hot hatch was decked out in classic racing liveries as a tribute to the marque’s Le Mans heritage in 2010. Inspiration came from the Ford GT40 (obviously) and, of all things, the Capri. The latter won the Touring category at the race in 1972.
Jaguar XJS Le Mans
Jaguar’s 1-2-3 triumph at Le Mans in 1988, as well as its victory in 1990, was commemorated by the marque with a special edition XJS. The XJS Le Mans V12 added special badging, extra leather trim, lattice alloy wheels and a ‘growler’ on the bonnet. Although it feels like a bit of a ‘badge job’, it remains a rare beast. Just 280 were made.
Mazda MX-5 Le Mans 24
The MX-5 Le Mans 24 really wears its pride on its sleeve. After the rotary-powered 787B of Johnny Herbert won the LM24 in 1991, Mazda celebrated with a run of 24 MX-5s in the same Renown livery and with a BBR Turbo kit. Mazda’s victory was made all the more special because it was the first Japanese marque to win Le Mans.
Porsche 924S Le Mans
The 924S Le Mans isn’t a commemorative model, although Porsche had its fair share of victories to celebrate. Instead, it’s a limited-run special with high specification parts. As a result of its rarity and desirable spec, it’s a highly sought-after variant of the 924 today. Just 100 were brought to the UK.
Bentley Le Mans Editions
In 2013, Bentley decided to celebrate its six Le Mans victories with six Le Mans Edition specifications for its range. Back then, this included the Continental GT, Flying Spur and Mulsanne. Tasteful specifications with ‘Le Mans Edition’ badging and embroidery are a nice nod to the marque’s heritage.
Bentley Mulsanne
The car named after a straight, kink and corner complex on the track surely deserves a mention?
Bentley Arnage
As does the car named after a famous corner. Bentley really knows how to mine its Le Mans heritage.
Ford GT Heritage Editions
The Ford GT40 and GT are famously linked to Le Mans. After winning the GTE category at the race in 2016, special liveried versions of the GT road car were introduced, commemorating original winners in original colours. The racers taking to La Sarthe this year will be similarly decked-out.
Audi A6 Le Mans
Clearly, Audi didn’t want to go too overboard with its Le Mans victory celebrations. The Le Mans Edition of 2006 is, at first glance, just another A6. Available in both saloon and Avant (estate) body styles, the 1,000 cars came with different colours, wheels borrowed from the RS4 and a luxury pack.
Audi R8
Audi’s flagship is neither limited, nor named after Le Mans (unlike the concept that previewed it). It was the halo model built to celebrate the marque’s success at La Sarthe, though. It was named after the R8 racer, after all. And now, after has Audi abandoned its top-level LMP racing programme, the R8 is rumoured to be on the way out.
Peugeot 207 Le Mans
The Le Mans Edition Peugeot 207 was announced just as the marque took the top three qualifying spots at the 2008 race. The spec was available across most 207s, including the 175hp variant. Sporty styling in shadow chrome and body colour, plus a racing stripe, mark out each of the 2,000 examples built.
Paul Stephens Le Mans Classic Clubsport
Think ‘Singer scaled down’, as a tribute to the biennial Le Mans Classic event. There will be just 10 examples of this officially licenced special, built by Paul Stephens Autoart. The Le Mans Classic Clubsport offers a blend of classic 911 style with contemporary performance.
Porsche 911 British Legends Edition
This selection of 911 Carrera 4 GTS models celebrated British drivers who took Porsches to Le Mans victory. The Richard Attwood car is resplendent in red-striped Salzburg livery. The Derek Bell 911 wears iconic Rothmans colours. And finally, Nick Tandy’s car is white with black and red highlights.
Chevrolet Corvette C5 24 Hours of Le Mans Commemorative Edition
The Corvette, legend as it has become at Le Mans over the past 20 years, commemorated the famous 24hr race in 2004 during the twilight hours of the C5 generation car. A splash of Le Mans Blue Metallic on the bodywork, plenty of badging and if you were in a Z06, a carbon hood with standard striping, completed the package.
Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR
These last few are fun. Meet the homologation cars, specifically built so that the racers could be allowed to compete. First-up, here’s the Mercedes CLK GTR.
Porsche 911 GT1
The second (although it’s the car that came first), is the Porsche 911 GT1. The road car was named the ‘Strassenversion’. It was partly a reaction to McLaren’s 1995 victory with the F1, which proved there was Le Mans-winning potential in road cars.
Toyota GT One
And finally, the least roadworthy racer of all. There are only two GT Ones, one of which is still owned by Toyota. Technically, they’re road cars, but just look at it. It’s a racer through and through. This, like the CLK and 911, isn’t a celebration or special edition; it’s a car born out of Le Mans racing necessity.
Skoda has teamed up with three Czech universities to develop a car-sharing platform for students who don’t want to commit to car ownership during their studies.
Called Uniqway, the car-sharing service is the first of its kind in Europe and is available to students and faculty members at three university campuses in Prague.
Students can select from a fleet of 15 Skoda Fabias, paying £1.03 per hour plus 17p per kilometre driven. The fee reduces if the car is used for greater distances or day trips.
The length and distance of the rental period is tracked and paid for via an app. Pick up and drop off points are available in assigned areas near university buildings, halls of residence and free parking areas around Prague.
Skoda says the car-sharing platform “could see great demand in the future”, referencing the 2.3 million people enrolled in higher education each year in the UK.
Many UK universities promote car-sharing schemes via their websites, with some schemes operated via the Liftshare network. A commuter could save over £1,000 a year by sharing a car, says Liftshare.
Students can also arrange pay-as-you-drive car hire via the Co-wheels car club. The service is available in 24 university towns and cities, with students paying a lifetime membership fee of £25 and committing to a minimum spend of £5 per month.
If Skoda’s car-sharing trial is successful, it could be rolled out across the rest of Europe.
OK, cards on the table, that’s a very ‘clickbait’ headline. Apologies in advance, especially if you’re completely aware of the ‘secret’ car features we’re about to reveal. The thing is, ‘Some clever and quite interesting car features your friends might not know about’ was a headline my editor refused to entertain.
If nothing else, you can use a couple of these to ‘wow’ your colleagues at the water cooler.
The little arrow on the fuel gauge
We’ve all been there: arriving at a petrol pump in a moment of mild panic when you forget what side the fuel filler is on FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME.
Help is at hand thanks to that little arrow that tells you precisely where to find the filler cap. Proof that even in this age of adaptive cruise control, autonomous braking and driverless cars, a humble arrow can make all the difference.
Nissan claims to have invented the in-car ‘curry hook’ when it debuted on the Almera in 1996. It was designed for carrying handbags or shopping bags, but it soon became a must-have accessory for takeaway lovers.
Today, you’ll find a ‘curry hook’ in the Qashqai and X-Trail, but look out for similar hooks in other vehicles. More often than not, you’ll find at least one pop-out hook in the boot.
Dipping rear-view mirror
We thought this one was obvious, but we know of at least one person who was unaware that it’s possible to tilt the rear-view mirror to reduce headlight glare. Simply use the tab below the mirror to switch between ‘day’ and ‘night’ settings.
Automatic dimming rear-view mirrors are becoming commonplace, while rear-view mirrors of the future are likely to use cameras.
Parking ticket holder
If you enjoy the feeling of euphoria if you manage to place a car park ticket on the dashboard and then close the door without it blowing away, the humble plastic holder might not be for you.
The parking ticket holder has been sitting on the inside of Skoda windscreens for years. More useful than an electrically-operated driver’s seat, we reckon.
Colour-coding under the bonnet
Too many motorists are blissfully unaware of what lies below the bonnet, only venturing beneath the ‘hood’ to fill the washer fluid bottle.
Helpfully, many modern engine bays feature colour-coded guides to highlight the fluids and levels that could and should be checked between services. They tend to be yellow or blue, and they make it easier to locate the engine dipstick, oil cap, coolant, brake fluid and washer fluid.
Ice scraper
Open the fuel filler cap on a modern Skoda and you’ll find an ice scraper that doubles up as a tyre tread-depth gauge.
On the new Scala, you’ll even find that the cap for the washer fluid folds out to become a funnel.
Umbrella
Speaking of the new Scala, it also gets a compartment in the driver’s door complete with a free umbrella. Proof that you don’t need a Rolls-Royce to live the rain-dodging dream.
Alternatively, you could opt for a Japanenese-spec Nissan N13/N14 Pulsar to get an aptly-named ‘Umbrella Pocket’.
Japanese-specification Nissan N13/N14 Pulsar models (and derivatives) could be optioned with an Umbrella Pocket, but not the 4-door models (for obvious reasons). pic.twitter.com/kerHHXvVaS
Not all ‘hidden’ features are useful. Some manufacturers like to add so-called ‘Easter eggs’ to their cars – little treats that are akin to wearing brightly-coloured socks with an otherwise sombre suit.
Since 2004, Vauxhall and Opel have been adding small sharks to their interiors, and today they can be found in the likes of the Adam, Corsa, Astra, Insignia, Crossland X and Grandland X.
It all started when Opel designer Dietmar Finger was working on a sketch for the outer panel of the glovebox. It requires ‘ribs’ to maintain stability when the glovebox is opened, so Dietmar’s son suggested drawing a shark. Amazingly, the shark made into series production.
Other examples include a spider’s web on the inside of a storage lid in the Volvo XC90 and countless ‘Easter eggs’ in the Jeep Renegade.
Fancy puddle lights
How long before the fancy puddle light becomes as naff as a pair of Lexus-style rear lamps? We give it a few weeks.
In the meantime, they remain kind of cool and guaranteed to impress your mates. Probably.
Hidden storage
One of the joys of owning an MPV is discovering the seemingly endless array of hidden storage compartments and pockets. In the Seat Alhambra, you’ll find a pair of covered storage compartments in the second-row floor.
In other cars, you find might storage boxes under the front seats, on the top of the dashboard, in the roof and inside the boot. In fact, the one advantage of the absence of a spare wheel is the additional underfloor storage space.
Uber and Volvo have revealed the result of a collaborative project running since the two companies entered a joint engineering agreement in 2016. The self-driving Uber-branded Volvo XC90 is production-ready and could be sent into action now.
Does the Uber Volvo have a ‘driver’?
It seems redundant to ask whether the newly-announced self-driving Volvo has a driver but no, not exactly. What it does have is a ‘mission specialist’. That’s a specially-trained Uber employee that operates and oversees the car when in use in areas that allow autonomous cars to run.
Is it safe?
Volvo is arguably the best company to approach for an autonomous taxi. As such, a great deal has been made of the numerous backup systems that these vehicles will come with. These are redundancies that will safely run the vehicle, or bring it to a stop, in the event of something like steering, drive or brakes failing, including battery back-up power.
In fact, the XC90 was a chosen base for the project given its excellent arsenal of safety features and an impeccable safety record.
Sensors on top and built into the vehicle run Uber’s self-driving system, allowing it to operate in built-up and busy areas.
Tens of thousands of autonomous Uber Volvos to come
This is the first of a five-figure sum of drive-ready base vehicles to be delivered by Volvo for Uber’s self-driving service over the coming years.
“We believe autonomous-drive technology will allow us to further improve safety, the foundation of our company,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars.
“By the middle of the next decade, we expect one-third of all cars we sell to be fully autonomous. Our agreement with Uber underlines our ambition to be the supplier of choice to the world’s leading ride-hailing companies.”
“Working in close cooperation with companies like Volvo is a key ingredient to effectively building a safe, scalable, self-driving fleet,” said Eric Meyhofer, CEO of Uber Advanced Technologies Group.
“Volvo has long been known for its commitment to safety, which is the cornerstone of its newest production-ready self-driving base vehicle. When paired with our self-driving technology, this vehicle will be a key ingredient in Uber’s autonomous product suite.”
Critics of a total ban on pavement car parking suggest urban areas will not be able to cope with the increased need for spaces.
The warning comes from IAM RoadSmart, as the House of Commons Transport Committee takes comments on the subject of pavement parking, with one suggestion being a complete ban.
Localised bans could work, says IAM
IAM RoadSmart isn’t suggesting that localised solutions shouldn’t be levied. “Where data has been collated, the problems appear to be localised, ” said a spokeperson.
“Where pedestrians are being put in danger or denied access by inconsiderate pavement parking, or if costly long-term damage is being done, then we have no problem with local solutions being implemented for local problems.
“Local councils should be encouraged to use their existing powers to sign, define, review and enforce local bans as required.”
Councils can’t provide more parking
It has warned, however, that many local councils do not have the funding or real estate to accommodate all the cars that would be displaced by a pavement parking ban.
“New traffic orders, new signposting, new road markings and new enforcement administration will all be required at extra cost if a blanket ban is introduced. Councils are already struggling to implement… a host of other transport measures against a background of budget cuts and dwindling resources,” warns the IAM.
A duty to provide parking, with fines to fund them
The charity also suggests that if a ban is enforced, it should be the council’s duty to provide alternative parking that is safe, secure and affordable. Fines and penalties should be used to encourage the use of alternatives where they are available, while revenue should go exclusively towards providing those alternatives.
“If enforcement is going to be applied rigorously then councils should be forced to provide safe and secure alternative parking arrangements in those areas where pavement parking has been banned but worked perfectly well before.”
“If a blanket ban is to go ahead, despite our and other organisations’ recommendations, the income from fines should be ring-fenced to improve parking facilities in the worst affected areas.”
More research is required
Overall, it is suggested that more research and individual case studies are needed. While pavement parking is considered an issue in some areas, it’s actively encouraged in others, with signs and road markings actively directing drivers to pavement spaces.
A blanket ban, while helping those areas with a pavement parking problem, would hamstring regions that have incorporated it into existing systems.
The first Aston Martin DBX SUVs are now rolling off the line in a brand new factory in St Athan, Wales, ahead of the new super-SUV’s launch later in 2019.
Full production will begin in the first half of 2020 – by which time, around 750 new jobs will have been created within the plant, plus a further 3,000 more in the local area.
The investment in the region is being seen as a vote of confidence for South Wales, following Ford’s planned closure of its Bridgend engine plant, located less than 15 miles away, in September 2020.
The Aston factory has been created from three former Ministry of Defence aircraft ‘super hangers’. Aston Martin acquired the giant 90-acre site in 2016 and has been working to transform it ever since.
To mark the start of pilot production, the firm has revealed a new camouflage livery for its DBX prototype vehicles – one suitably Welsh-themed and carrying the hashtag #OGymru, or O Wales: it references the song expressing one man’s love for Wales.
Keen spotters will also notice it gives us our clearest hint yet at the shape of the new Aston Martin super-SUV…
Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group CEO, Andy Palmer said: “This is an exciting time for Aston Martin Lagonda. Our second luxury manufacturing facility is now producing cars and is ready to go into full production in H1 2020.
“Our facilities and manufacturing teams, led by VP and Chief Manufacturing Operations Officer Keith Stanton have done an outstanding job in getting the factory ready almost a year before full production starts, on time and on budget.“
The poster car for the project is a 911 RSR that’s due to compete at Le Mans this coming weekend (June 15-16). It features a design by pop-art artist Richard Philips that combines three of his most popular works.
The first Aston Martin DBX SUVs are now rolling off the line in a brand new factory in 
