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Germany says diesel as polluting as petrol

New diesel cars do not produce less of the environmentally damaging carbon dioxide than petrol cars, a group of newspapers cited the German Transport Ministry as saying on Wednesday, in a potential further headache for the auto sector. The car industry is Germany's biggest exporter and employs more than 800,000 people. The emissions difference has been at a similar level for 10 years but the amount of CO2 has fallen, it said, adding that one reason the carbon dioxide values were almost identical was because diesel cars were heavier and had higher power.

Mercedes to build US SUV, battery plants

Mercedes-Benz announced Thursday that it will invest $1 billion to set up electric vehicle production at its Tuscaloosa, Alabama plant and build a battery factory nearby. The carmaker said it plans to manufacture electric SUVs under Mercedes' EQ subbrand at the Alabama plant by the start of the next decade. Daimler is among the global automakers investing in what they hope will be the automotive technology of the future, combining low-emissions electric propulsion with autonomous driving technology.

Toyota to stick with hybrid strategy

Toyota Motor says hybrid technology will remain central to the company's strategy even as a rising wave of governments and automakers get behind plug-in electric vehicles. The carmaker will continue to offer a wide range of powertrain options, and customers will ultimately decide which technology is successful. "With hybrid technology at the center, Toyota will offer fuel-cell vehicles, plug-in hybrids, gasoline cars, and - although we're a little bit late - electric vehicles," said Toyota President Akio Toyoda.

Motoring - Agencies

(China Daily 09/25/2017 page19)