Best Western Hotels rolling out EV charging points in the UK

We’re electric car sceptics – or at least sceptical about their ability to replace the ICE car as our principal form of personal transport – although EVs do have their place as runarounds in urban areas, where their limited range isn’t really a factor. But taking your EV off for a weekend jaunt does pose logistical problems when the average range is probably no more than 80 miles, and something worth making the effort for a weekend away is almost always going to be further away than that. But a bit of smart marketing by Best Western Hotels – a group of 270 or so independently run hotels round the UK – means EV drivers will soon be able to plot their weekend away on the basis of Best Western Hotels en route, with Best Western planning on fitting EV charging points in their car parks, with half their hotels having free charging points by September.

Car Sales On The Rise But Buyers Seek To Pay Less

LATEST industry data has shown that car buying is on the increase, however budget-savvy prospective buyers want to pay less for their new wheels. Data from Sainsbury's Bank has revealed that as many as 18% of adults are looking to buy a new car in the months up to and including February 2014. And while this is a healthy 28% increase on those who planned purchases in the last six months, those now thinking about buying are likely to pay averages out at £9,934, which is 3.5% down on the figure for the last six months.

Sebring swap: Chrysler will call its 2011 sedan the 200

The Chrysler Sebring will get a fresh start late this year as it relaunches with a new name, the 200, and considerable upgrades to the engines, sheetmetal and interior. The 200 gets a new grille with a prominent Chrysler badge, new fascia front and rear, projector headlamps and fog lamps and LED taillights. The new engines to be offered are Chrysler's Pentastar V6 that will make 283 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, which is slightly detuned from its uses in the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Charger, and a 2.4-liter four-cylinder from Fiat's global engine bin.