Maniolas

House & Home, Technology, Tourism ,Cars & Motorbikes, Cars ,Transport ,Environment,electric cars , Nissan, Renault , Volkswagen , Leaf Acenta+ Grade , telematics system, Carlos Ghosn , Renault-Nissan , Bild, Martin Winterkorn , National Bureau of Economics,CityLab, (Relaxnews) – Demand for the current crop of plug-in electric cars may still be weak but Nissan, Renault and Volkswagen are all confident that a mass-market electric car is just around the corner. This week Nissan added a new model to its range of Leaf electric cars. The Leaf Acenta+ Grade adds special 17-inch alloy wheels and a 6.6kW charger as standard, meaning that it can be recharged in just four hours. And these practicality features come on top of a telematics system, reversing camera and cruise control and speed limiting system. The extra creature comforts will go some way to attracting new customers to the electric car market. However, the trickle of new customers won’t turn into a stampede until the Leaf’s range — 124 miles (200 km) — can be improved. It’s an issue that the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s head, Carlos Ghosn is fully aware of. Speaking toThe Guardian at the formula E championships on Wednesday, he said: “If there’s a price penalty, they just don’t buy. If there’s range anxiety, they just don’t buy.” However, as demand for electric cars increases, their cost will come down. And, as for driving range, Renault-Nissan is confident that within five to 10 years thanks to on-going research and development, range will be extended significantly Read More …

NBI says Cedric Lee and Zimmer Raz, suspects of serious illegal detention case filed by Vhong Navarro, will be temporarily jailed at their detention facility.PHOTO courtesy of CECIL VILLAROSA (DZBB) MANILA, July 3 (Mabuhay) – Businessman Cedric Lee on Friday appeared before the Sandiganbayan Third Division to ask the anti-graft court to defer the issuance of an arrest warrant against him for his graft and malversation cases. In a short hearing, Lee, represented by his legal counsel Jay Ricardo Moreño, reiterated in open court his plea to defer the issuance of the arrest warrant until the court resolves his motion for judicial determination of probable cause. “Without hearing the side of the accused-movants, this Honorable Court cannot properly and judiciously determine probable cause for the issuance of a warrant of arrest. As such, the elementary rule of procedure would dictate, that there is no basis for this Honorable Court to immediately issue a warrant of arrest,” Moreño said reading a portion of Lee’s motion filed on Tuesday. In his “motion for judicial determination of probable cause/deference of issuance of arrest order,” Lee said the Office of the Ombudsman deprived him of due process when it issued the resolution ordering the filing of graft and malversation charges against him and Mariveles, Bataan Mayor Angel Peliglorio Jr. The cases which were formally filed by the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan last week stemmed from the alleged anomalous release of some P23 million local funds of Mariveles to Lee’s construction firm Izumo Contractors Inc. Read More …

Vice President Jejomar Binay addresses the crowd during the 36th National Conference of Employers at Marriott hotel in Pasay City on Friday. Binay told the business community his family only has five bank accounts, denying the Anti Money Laundering Council report that he owns about 242 bank accounts. (MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Gerardo “Gerry” Limlingan and Eduviges “Ebeng” Baloloy are still in the Philippines based on the latest report submitted by the Bureau of Immigrations (BI) to the Department of Justice (DOJ). In an ambush interview, DOJ Secretary Leila M. De lima said that after the disclosure of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV that the two are already out of the Philippines, she immediately ordered the scrutiny of the database of the immigration and it appeared that Limlingan’s last travel was in October 2003 and he returned back to the country. On the other hand, the latest record of travel of Baloloy was in September 2014 and she immediately returned back to the country. However, the DOJ Secretary did not discount the possibility that the two alleged “trusted” persons of Vice President Jejomar Binay may have passed through the “backdoor”. Hence, De Lima has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to gather additional evidence to verify the revelation made by Trillanes. (MNS)

A BMW logo is seen on a car at an automotive dealership in Landover Hills, Maryland, December 31, 2014. AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB (Relaxnews) – After carefully testing the waters, BMW has decided to go ahead with the development of its own fuel cell car, which could go on sale by the end of the decade. A company source, who briefed AutoExpress on the matter, said that the company was aiming for a 2020 reveal as it believes that the technology – which will be in its second-generation form by then – will be ready for BMW’s client base. The comments follow an interview late last year where the German luxury car maker confirmed that after some time experimenting with the technology that it was ready to build a test car for putting fuel cell technology through its paces. However, BMW’s head of sales and marketing, Ian Robertson stressed to Autocar that environmentally focused BMW buyers shouldn’t get too excited. “The real issues lie not around what we can do, though, but whether the infrastructure can be built up to supply hydrogen in the marketplace cost-effectively,” he said. Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of the Hyundai Tuscan Fuel Cell CUV going on sale. And though only 70 southern California residents own one, they have driven a combined 475,000 miles (over 764,000 km) and counting. “Over the past year, Hyundai’s Tucson Fuel Cell owners are showing the world today that this technology represents the next generation of zero-emissions transportation,” said Read More …

Senator Grace Poe offers flowers at the tomb of her father, Fernando Poe Jr., at the Manila North Cemetery on Sunday (Dec. 14, 2014), the 10th death anniversary of the acknowledged Filipino movie king. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito defended Sen. Grace Poe amid questions about her citizenship, saying there is nothing wrong with being a foundling and being adopted. In his speech at today’s Independence Day celebration in San Juan, Ejercito said he is against the allegation even though it came from a party-mate and friend. He asked Poe to forgive those behind the allegation. “Kailanman, walang masama sa pagiging ampon, at lalo na hindi ito kasalanan. sabi ko nga mabuti pa sya kahit na ampon binigyan ng karangalan ang pangalan ng kanyang kinikilallang mga magulang. May ilan sa atin, hindi nga ampon tunay nga na anak eh binigyan naman ng kahihiyan ang magulang,” he said. “Sa pagkakataong ito nais ko ihingi ng paumanhin sa ating senadora ang ating mga kaibigan. Marahil hindi sila nabigyan ng mabuting payo.” Ejercito, son of former president Joseph Estrada, assured Poe of his support should she decide to seek higher office in 2016. Poe was the guest speaker at the city’s celebration of independence. “Kung mangyayari lang naisin niya ang paglahok sa pambansang halalan sa isang taon, nais kong ipabatod sa inyo na dahil sa prinsipyo at panindigan na ating nakita sa pagsasama sa Senado, ako po ay inyong maaasahan. Secret lang. Nagkakaintindan na tayo, kapatid,” Ejercito said. Read More …