Production of the Volvo V60 Plug-in Diesel Hybrid is being increased by 90 per cent to cope with strong demand for the cars across Europe.

The 887hp Porsche 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid features a mid-mounted 4.6-litre V8 engine and two electric motors which combine to deliver 0-62mph in 2.8 secs, a 211mph top speed, 85mpg and 79 g/km CO₂.

Renault SAS has signed on as official Technical Partner of Spark Racing Technology to supply Formula E cars to be entered in the FIA Formula E Championship.

The first speakers for the LowCVP's 2013 annual conference - to be held on Thursday 11 July in Central London - have been announced and include leading representatives of the European Commission, Department for Transport and the Commitee on Climate Change.

The new Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion offers fuel economy of 88.3mpg on the combined cycle and emissions of just 85g/km CO2.

The European Parliament's Environment Committee has voted to adopt proposals to set an indicative 2025 target of CO2 emissions from new cars of 68-75g CO2/km, or 106mpg.

Conventionally powered petrol and diesel cars will remain with us until at least 2030 and short to medium-term carbon emissions reductions from the road transport sector will depend mainly on improving their performance. 

A leading ‘think-tank’ says that the market for ultra-low emission vehicles presents an ‘unmissable window of opportunity for the British automotive industry’. 

The London Congestion Charge emissions exemption limit is being lowered to 75g/km CO2, meaning that only plug-in cars will qualify for exemption, and sub-100g/km petrol and diesel cars will have to pay to enter central London.

The UKH2Mobility report on hydrogen vehicles has been published, providing further details and background to the findings published on 4 February 2013. It predicts over one and a half million hydrogen powered vehicles could be on UK roads by 2030.