Veteran strikes 5 people waiting for Memorial Day parade

WEST CHESTER, Ohio (AP) - Police in Ohio say a car driven by a World War II veteran went off the road and struck five people creased up for a Memorial Day parade.

Authorities say 84-year-old Everett Cole's vehicle rolled above and hit a tree in front of a house in West Chester, about 15 miles north of Cincinnati.

Cole was aware and talked with emergency personnel as they extracted him from the car. There was no instant word on the extent of any injuries to him or others.

Police say three of the five wounded were taken to hospitals. One of the people struck was known as a Korean War veteran.

Cole had been allotted to drive a car in the parade Monday morning. The accident postponed the parade's start by 30 minutes.

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Ford Figo costs to go up, by how much we don’t know

Here is obviously incredible that prospective Ford Figo buyers will find hard to digest. Ford India will hike prices of the Ford Figo in the coming days as it lastly loses the battle with inflation that has, for long been threatening to impact prices. While Ford India hasn’t indicated by how much the Ford Figo prices would see an impact, here’s what Ford India Executive Director (Marketing, Sales and Services) Nigel Wark had to say regarding the impeding price hike.

We can’t challenge gravity for ever. The general industry cost is increasing, steel prices are up, components are costlier and there has also been an increase in transport cost.

A huge reason for the Ford Figo’s stupendous success has evidently been the great value for money pricing at which the Figos have been selling for. Keeping this hugely significant factor in mind, we’re expecting Ford India to hike Figo prices only marginally to reduce any impact on sales. That said, it would be attractive to see how Ford India manages to cope up with the higher inputs costs while still making sure that the Figo buyer faces a marginal price hike.

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Mahindra obtains majority stake in REVA Electric Car Company

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd announced the attainment of a majority stake in Bangalore-based REVA Electric Car Co Ltd. Following this, REVA Electric Car Co Ltd. will be renamed Mahindra REVA Electric Vehicle Co Ltd.

Under an agreement signed by both the companies, M&M will own 55.2 per cent equity in the renamed Mahindra REVA by a grouping of equity purchase from the promoters and a fresh equity infusion of over Rs 45 crore (approximately $10 million) into the company. The buy-out constructs the Mahindra group a strong global player in the electric vehicle space, says a release.

Mr Chetan Maini will persist to play a leading role in Mahindra REVA as Chief of Technology and Strategy, the release adds.

Mahindra REVA will at present have access to Mahindra’s vehicle development technology and distribution network, considerably enhancing its ability to commence a state-of-the-art electric vehicle for global markets.

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Electric vehicle manufacturer CODA to set up battery plant in Ohio

Californian electric car and battery manufacturer CODA is planning to construct a new production facility for lithium-ion batteries in Columbus, Ohio.

The company said yesterday it is scouting out numerous possible sites for the plant, although the project is contingent on the award of state incentives and a federal loan from the US Department of Energy (DOE).

Kevin Czinger, President and CEO of CODA said: With the aid of our global family of partners, CODA’s innovative team in Santa Monica has not only formed a battery system capable of powering affordable electric vehicles today, but has created the next great American manufacturing opportunity.

The new plant would be operated by Lio Energy Systems, a joint venture between CODA and Chinese company Lishen Power Battery, which now produces more than 20,000 battery packs a year at its one million square foot facility in Tianjin, China.

If it goes ahead, the Ohio facility would substitute the Chinese plant.

Over the weekend, US Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke toured the Lishen factory as on the Obama administration’s first cabinet-level trade mission to China.

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Montway Auto Transport Ships more than 2,600 Cars in 1 Year

Montway Auto Transport, a Chicago based auto transport company, reports that as the launch of their website in May of 2009, they have processed approximately 2,500 website orders, transporting over 2,600 automobiles in the year, all from website traffic alone.

In times of economic uncertainty, the significance of marketing a business to stay afloat is so important, and the success of Montway Auto Transport's website launch proves just that. If ever there is skepticism about the worth of marketing a website to raise sales, Montway Auto Transport stands as an example of success.

Montway Auto Transport is an award winning car shipping company trusted by everybody from car dealers to private customers for secure door-to-door delivery. With reliable, safe and secure delivery, their drivers are completely insured and licensed.

Montway Auto Transport has a Carrier License, which means they have possess fleet of trucks used for auto transport needs. Typically Montway transports 6,000 vehicles a year and have a Broker License which permits access to other fleets across the country. They have got you roofed coast to coast!

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Car insurance premiums on the grow

Car insurance premiums saw an annual increase of 26.1%, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics.

The cost of car insurance rose by 6.3% in April alone, adding a whopping 0.1% to the annual inflation rate. According to the Association of British Insurers, "spiralling" legal costs have been the key cause for growing insurance costs. Government figures show that, for personal injury claims under £10,000, on summit of every £1 paid in compensation, a further 76p is added on in the form of legal costs. And for minor claims, the tyranny of legal fees is even worse.

According to industry insider, such costs add anywhere in the region of 10% to premiums paid by motorist, a percentage which is measured to be exorbitant. The demographic group of 17 to 22-year-old females has been hit mainly hard by this trend, which saw its premiums rise by as much as 7% during the first three months of 2010.

However, in something a silver lining for motorists, new data from the Department for Transport specify that the number of road traffic accidents has decreased.

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Pininfarina debuts Nido EV Electric Car lying on Firm's 80th Anniversary

To mark the celebrations of its 80th anniversary, Pininfarina reveals the Nido EV, the first running prototype of the “Nido Development Programme”, the project for an electric car conceived, designed and built completely by the Pininfarina Style and Engineering Centre of Cambiano (Turin).

The Nido EV, a small city car (slightly larger than a Smart), has 2 seats and enduring magneto rear engine.

The prototype is also equipped with “green” tyres, developed by Pirelli paying particular consideration to safety, environmental sustainability and saving.

The Nido EV is a veritable laboratory designed both to investigate the electrification of a small city car and to develop a modular floorpan. The body structure of this initial prototype is a tubular steel frame, while the final version will have an aluminium space frame. The structure was designed to adapt to four different, totally electric or hybrid vehicles: 2-seater, 2+2, pickup and light van.

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Nissan Leaf electric car to cost £10,000 extra than a Golf Bluemotion

The Leaf is a five-passenger family car that assures a 100-mile range and standard equipment including air conditioning, sat nav, rear parking camera, a quick charge socket and smart-phone connectivity.

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Guidelines to keep you car alive

The recession and ensuing tough economic climate means many motorists continue to look for ways to cut costs.

UK roadside assistance provider Mondial Assistance offers some advice on improving fuel efficiency and reliability through usual DIY checks on your car.

Mondial Assistance automotive director Lee Taylor said: The rising cost of fuel and the impact of the recent recession combined with a enduring focus on greener motoring, means many motorists are more troubled than ever about reducing waste and getting the best from their current vehicle.

Five-step car care steer:

• Battery – check connections and fluid levels, mainly on older vehicles
• Punctures – check tyre pressures and condition fortnightly, particularly after hitting a kerb or pothole and ensure the spare wheel, jack and wheel removal tools are in good condition. Optimum tyre pressure as listed in the vehicle's handbook will raise fuel efficiency. Tread depth should preferably be at 2mm or more.
• Engine oil – ensure the level every fortnight and before any long journey. Also, guarantee your vehicle is serviced regularly. High oil consumption needs to be investigated, as it could highlight a larger problem.
• Engine coolant – check the level frequently, when the engine is cold. Any consumption could be an early caution sign of potential problems and inefficiencies.
• Fuel – never let the fuel gauge drop too low and fill up completely before a long journey to prevent being caught out. Getting abstracted and accidentally filling with the wrong fuel could result in costly repair bills, so pay attention at the pump.

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UK Drivers 'Switched On' to Driving Electric Vehicles

The first trial of electric vehicles in North East England has been a chief success, leaving hundreds of drivers ready to build the switch to low carbon transport.

Cenex, the UK's Centre of Excellence for little carbon and fuel cell technologies, in conjunction with Regional Development Agency One North East, deployed four electric two-seater Smart ForTwo cars over six months in the region from September 2009. These were placed into ten diverse vehicle fleets, featured at three public events and in total were driven by 264 different people.

Key findings from this test include:

• Post-test drive, 72% of people said they would exploit an electric vehicle as their regular car
• The car surpassed the public’s expectations on all monitored performance aspects
• Drivers found charging the vehicle was simple, safe and reliable
• Drivers were over-cautious about the car’s battery life when scheduling journeys
• Vehicle fleets could give a successful early market for electric vehicles.

Following the three public test drive events in Gateshead, 72% of the people who took part said they would use an electric vehicle as their usual car, compared with just 47% before the test drive, and 82% said they would think owning an electric vehicle.

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Nissan Leaf electric car to cost £28,350 – £10,000 greater than rivals

Fully electric Leaf goes on sale February 2011, with buyer’s production money back in three years due to little running costs.

The world's first mass-market electric car, the Nissan Leaf, will cost almost £10,000 more than its equivalent petrol and diesel rivals.

Nissan, which proclaimed the European pricing for the fully electric Leaf today, said that the five-door car would set consumers back £28,350, dropping to £23,350 when a UK government grant is incorporated.

This is the first appropriate electric car on the market, and 100 miles is the minimum that serious drivers will be looking for, said King.

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First test drive: The CITROEN C-ZERO electric car

Very soon after setting off in the Citroen C-ZERO on our test drive earlier this week, it became clear that here is an electric car that offers sufficient performance and range to be a feasible option for many motorists.

From the both exterior and the driver’s seat, the C-Zero is virtually indistinguishable from any other city car. The fully-electric is as well appointed as you would anticipate with four full-sized seats, a 166-litre boot, power steering, ABS, traction control, ESP, electric windows, six airbags and air conditioning.

The C-Zero has a top speed of 80mph, has a 0-62mph time of 15 seconds and is able to travel 80 miles, above a standard combined cycle, before its batteries need charging.

Complete charge requires six hours, while an 80% charge is possible in just 30 minutes using a rapid charger.

A spokesperson for the Environmental transport Association (ETA) said: On the road the C-Zero felt energetic, but this is scarcely the point of such a car – its unique selling points are its non-existent tailpipe emissions and zero engine noise.

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In Spain, Telephone Box Doubles as Electric Car Charger

The Chairman of Endesa, Borja Prado, together with the mayor of Madrid, Alberto Ruiz Gallardon, and the Chairman of Telefonica, Cesar Alierta, have today revealed the first phone booth in Madrid which can also be used for recharging electric vehicles. The booth is located at Ronda de la Comunicación, s/n, Madrid (District C) and will take the Endesa logo.

Reserved parking spaces will be situated next to this and all other booths set up in Metropolitan areas where users will be able to park their EVs and recharge at no cost once they have acquired their free "zero emissions" pre-paid card from the Madrid city council.

This pilot scheme is proposed to demonstrate the project's technical viability, as well as its commercial feasibility.

During the pilot scheme, which is due to run until the end of the year, recharging will be free-of-charge using a pre-paid card. The system will be commenced commercially once the pilot scheme has finalised.

Endesa and Telefonica have signed an agreement to build up a technological solution using Telefonica's phone booths as EV recharging points. The aspire is to promote sustainable mobility and enable users to recharge their vehicles on public thoroughfares. This project, which uses pre-paid cards, will also give information on usage and consumption.

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Ford Fiesta production begins in converted pickup plant in Mexico

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US Truck Giant Orders Volvo Units for business Vehicle Fleet

US – Pennsylvania based Penske Truck Leasing, a joint venture of Penske Corporation, Penske Automotive Group and General Electric, has preferred Volvo VN670 tractors with EPA2010-certified Volvo D13 engines and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) when ordering 600 new rigs for their commercial rental fleet.

The company claim to have chosen the cleanest-running diesel trucks available today that can deliver 5% better fuel economy than previous engines and a smaller carbon footprint for its customers.

The initial 100 units of the order have been built and are being located in Penske’s commercial truck rental fleet. The remaining 500 VN670s will be formed and delivered over the next several months.

Penske group companies run more than 200,000 vehicles from more than 1,000 locations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia.

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Pimp my tank: The £323,000 bulletproof limo gauges 20ft that dwarfs a Hummer

It can withstand a barrage of bullets, features its own entertainment system and bar and is so large it dwarfs a Hummer.

At 20ft in length, the impressive car stands at more than three feet longer than a Hummer and is a whole foot wider.

The company behind the cars is experiencing a rush in sales, despite the price tag of £323,000 - which can rise to £660,000 after upgrades.

William Maizlin, president of Canadian makers Conquest Vehicles, said: We consider we have created completely new niche in the bespoke luxury armored vehicle marketplace with the Knight XV.

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Beijing Motor Exhibit 2010

The volcanic ash hovering over Europe might have curtailed some Western exhibitors' plans to visit the 2010 Beijing motor show, but that didn't stop the event from being hailed as a new massive global success.

Not only were key cars unveiled by recognized Western carmakers but there were a number of increasingly convincing models displayed by Chinese manufacturers.

China officially became the largest car market in the world in 2009 -- and not just through massive sales of low-budget transport.

The country is now Audi's second biggest market and the third most vital for Bentley. No surprise then that both marques chose this year's Beijing event -- formally known as Auto China 2010 and held between April 23 to May 2 across a whopping 200,000 sq m exhibition space -- to commence significant models.

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Best New Product: Tata Nano Car Wins Gold at 2010 Edison Awards

Tata Nano car has been in the news for bad reasons for relatively a while, but now its celebrations time at the Tata camp. The world’s cheapest car has made us arrogant by winning gold prize at the prestigious 2010 Edison Awards. The car has been awarded as the most excellent new product in the transport category.

This $2,500 car has caught attention of the entire world and has put the Indian automobile industry on the world map with its pioneering features and ultra low price tag.

Named after the famous inventor Thomas Alva Edison, Edison awards are known to identify the persistence and excellence Thomas Edison himself personified.

The awards are presented annually and are linked with some very big names such as Discovery channel, The Nielson company, Strategyn and Google.

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2010 Subaru Outback: Flawlessly logical

In 1982, forgoing his common penchant for American cars, bought himself a brand new Subaru GL sedan...in pale yellow. It had a 1.8-litre, 71 horsepower engine, front-wheel drive and a five-speed manual transmission with a clutch hard sufficient to sculpt your thight after only a couple of starts and stops.

Almost 30 years later, Subaru has come terribly long way. Formerly little cars that rusted as soon as you looked at them, Subaru models have become models of civility and gentleness. Note that ALL cars are much more subtle, and Subaru is just following the trend. And today, in several ways, this little Japanese brand has surpassed its rivals.

When Subaru completely overhauled is Legacy/Outback duo last fall, it detained the opportunity to simplify its line.

From now on, the Legacy is an intermediate sedan, while the Outback is offered only as a wagon (although it’s more like a crossover).

In fact, driving at standard speed of 115 km/hr, we had an average fuel consumption of 7.8 L/100 km. A few weeks before, we reconnected with the Outback PZEV.

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Love Affair with New Cars most recent Longer for Women

It’s called the “honeymoon period” and it doesn’t just be relevant to your spouse. It also covers swooning for that brand-new car, and it turns out women love their new cars longer than men do.

The poll of around 2,500 drivers also breaks down the moment people know the magic is gone.

For women, the automotive love issue is over when they let a spouse lastly drive it (39%), start carpooling with other people’s kids (24%), eat in the car (12%), put makeup on in the car while driving (9% — and also a big no-no) and leave clothes in the car (6%).

Men know the flame has expired when they park around other cars (33%), start transporting sports equipment (22%), clean their cars less normally (17%), are bothered by high payments (12%) and don’t care who drives on long trips (3%).

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