New Launches
Show Report: CV Show 2012
What a cracking event the 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show turned out to be, thanks in no small part to Ford… Read More
Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Long-Term Test 1
We has just taken delivery of a Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Club Cab for long-term appraisal… Read More
Ford Transit ECOnetic Brief Test
We’ve been putting a SWB 100hp 2.2TDi Euro 5 Transit 280 ECOnetic through its paces… Read More
Renault Kangoo ZE 2011 European Launch
Renault is at the forefront of manufacturers offering a mass produced factory-built electric van… Read More
Fuso Canter 2011 European Launch
Fuso has completely revamped its range of light and heavy truck Canter chassis and chassis crew cabs… Read More
Iveco Daily 2011 European Launch
Iveco has introduced new, latest generation diesels to its Daily range, along with detail changes inside and out… Read More
Ford Transit 2011 European Launch
Ford takes the iconic Transit to the next stage with an all-new range of 2.2-litre Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Volkswagen Crafter 2011 UK Launch
VW’s large panel van has undergone a serious makeover with changes to the front-end styling and the cab interior, as well as new Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Ford Transit Connect Electric Brief Test
We spent a day with the battery-powered Connect to get a better idea of what it’s like to live with in its natural, urban environment. Read More
Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL Brief Test
Currently undergoing trials with selected fleet customers in the UK, we managed to get behind the wheel of a battery-powered Vito E-CELL… Read More
Volkswagen Crafter 2011 European Launch
Volkswagen’s Crafter has undergone a midlife makeover and gets a new front-end along with new Euro 5 engines… Read More
Zytek awarded EV development grant
Staffordshire-based clean vehicle technology specialist Zytek has won a £1.35 million grant from the government’s Regional Growth Fund to support the development of an electric powertrain technologies centre. A further £3.65m will be invested by the company itself, bringing the total to £5m. Zytek is behind the battery-powered Mercedes-Benz Vito E-Minibus (pictured), which took part in the recent RAC Future Car Challenge, and the eVito taxi (see video below).“Zytek has many years experience developing and integrating advanced electric and hybrid powertrains for several of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers,” said managing director Neil Heslington. “This new investment will ensure that we can continue to drive innovation, allowing us to introduce next-generation technologies that will significantly improve the range and cost of electric and hybrid vehicles.”
The main focus of the new centre will be on the development of high-efficiency, lightweight electric motors, inverters and energy storage systems. “Electric vehicles are at an interesting phase in their development, where significant improvements can be made by taking a clean sheet of paper approach to a number of systems, particularly the power electronics and energy storage systems,” continued Heslington. “That’s exactly what we will be doing here, with a focus on delivering the safety, durability and affordability needed for the next generation of volume production vehicles.”