PG Carz World

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions probes an intriguing scientific question in relation to the climate emergency Readers reply: Is it inevitable that consumerism will literally fill up the planet? If all the vehicles on the planet had their tyres pumped up with CO 2 , would this lock up enough carbon to lower the amount in the air significantly? Would there be other issues, such as the carbon cost of trapping it all into the tyres? Chris Coldwell, Lancaster Post your answers (and new questions) below or send them to nq@theguardian.com . A selection will be published next Sunday. Continue reading...

Harvard study finds traffic fatalities increase by 15% on release dates compared with similar days either side The release of a new album by Taylor Swift might be a cause for celebration among her fans, but such events have also been linked to a more sombre phenomenon: an increase in fatal car crashes. The team behind a new study say it sheds light on the impact of distracted driving. “You can’t randomise people into using their phones, and drivers rarely volunteer what they were doing in the seconds before a crash,” said Dr Vishal Patel, first author of the study based at Harvard Medical School. Continue reading...

Chinese-owned AESC has pushed back plans in sign of slowing transition from petrol and diesel to electric cars Andy Burnham moves to cut new EV sales targets The UK’s biggest gigafactory has shelved plans to expand production in Sunderland because of stalled talks on a deal to supply electric car batteries to Jaguar Land Rover. Chinese-owned AESC produces batteries for Nissan at its gigafactory next door to the Japanese carmaker’s Sunderland plant. However, AESC has had to push back its ramp-up plans because of lower-than-expected demand from Nissan and the lack of a deal with JLR, according to people with knowledge of the situation. Continue reading...

They rule the roads and, in their wake, even old-style saloons have been supersized. It’s an illusion of consumer choice Recently, while traipsing from showroom to showroom in search of a used car for my growing clan, the iconic line from Christopher Nolan’s seminal Batman movie The Dark Knight came to mind : “You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” And by villain, of course, I mean an SUV driver. Because, if you haven’t shopped for a secondhand family car recently, I’ll save you the shock: wherever you look, it’s SUVs. Continue reading...

Possible cut from 80% down to as little as 50% could add millions of tonnes of CO2 to emissions and comes amid UK heatwaves Andy Burnham’s government has said it will look at cutting electric vehicle sales targets, in proposals that could add millions of tonnes a year to the UK’s future carbon dioxide emissions. The government launched a consultation on Friday on cutting the target for new EVs to as little as 50% of all new cars in 2030, down from 80% under existing rules. The consultation will include several options, including leaving the headline target unchanged, or cutting it to 70%, 60% or 50%. Continue reading...

Fifa presidency | Humanist funeral | AI cab confusion | Clacton byelection | Standing up for pubs Calls for Gianni Infantino to resign as president of Fifa ( Editorial, 7 August ) raise the question of who is available and suitable to replace him. This calls for a figure who is passionate about football, has international stature with a network of major political players, and a reputation for decency and integrity. Step forward Sir Keir Starmer. David Cronin Stockport, Greater Manchester • As my beautiful wife’s final wish to have a Viking-style burial aboard a flaming boat has been denied permission by the Canal and Rivers Trust, I am now looking at a range of humanist celebrations of life ( Letters, 5 August ) which will allow myself and our little dogs to howl our way through a collection of Neil Young’s Harvest LP and Nick Cave’s Into Your Arms to give thanks for her life. Ian Grieve Gordon Bennett, Llangollen canal Continue reading...