BMW has demonstrated its unique Light and Charge''system that could keep your electric vehicle (EV) topped up using existing urban infrastructure instead of dedicated power outlets and charging stations One of the biggest setbacks for electric cars has been the problem of charging. With few stations around topping up the car’s batteries might be a task, thus limiting the wider uptake of electric vehicles. But, BMW hopes to change this scenario by fitting charging stations onto pre-existing street lights. This new system was announced by the Bavarian carmaker last year, but was demonstrated this year in Oxford, UK. The two prototypes of the ‘Light and Charge’ system already exist outside BMW’s headquarters and currently the company plans to roll it out on a larger scale. Rather than having to install new individual charging stations in cities, the Light and Charge system works by integrating energy-efficient LED lights with BMW’s ChargeNow technology that can be fitted onto current lighting systems already in place. Customers would then be able to pay for the electricity through a control panel on which they can swipe a charge card. BMW are also investigating a way in which people could pay through an app on their phone. Courtesy: Autocar

Cult bike-maker Royal Enfield will price its limited edition range of motorcycles, inspired by despatch riders of World Wars, at Rs 2.17 lakh (on-road Delhi). "The motorcycle will be available in two colours in India - Desert Storm Despatch and Squadron Blue Despatch - and only 100 units of each colour variant will be manufactured for the domestic market", the company said in a statement. Royal Enfield said it is opening online bookings for the limited edition bike from July 15. In May, the company had unveiled the bike along with new collection of gears and accessories for both domestic and international markets. The limited edition range is based on Classic 500 model. The bikes are inspired by despatch riders, who relayed vital information between headquarters and ground forces through the World Wars. Moreover, the World War inspired range includes gears and accessories such as leather jackets and shoes with ankle guards. These would also be available at around 50 global markets where the company is present. Courtesy: Business Today

Yamaha’s new, upcoming naked motorcycle is based on the YZF-R3 which was launched around the globe last year. Images that were procured from an official company source was recently seen on visordown.com. The new bike''s name hasn''t been revealed yet, but it could be called the MT-03, MT-3 or MT-32. The motorcycle is sure to be part of Yamaha’s MT family, and looks similar to the previous MT-25. Yamaha’s MT-25 is not equipped with an ABS braking system, but this new Yamaha gets one, clearly indicated by the ABS sensor ring on the front and rear disc brake. The faired Yamaha YZF-R3, on which the naked bike will be based, is powered by a 321cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled and four-stroke powerplant that makes 41.4bhp at 10,750rpm and a maximum torque of 3kgm at 9,000rpm. The bike uses conventional telescopic forks up front and a monoshock at rear for suspension duty. Although unconfirmed, the new bike may also be powered by a similar powerplant, but could be tuned to deliver power lower down in its rev range. Courtesy: Autocar

Just a day after making headlines for a possible collaboration between Red Bull Racing and Aston Martin for the next F1 season, it has now been revealed that Red Bull Technologies is partnering with Aston Martin to develop a Red Bull road-going hypercar. This collaboration is expected to see Adrian Newey, the designer of the F1 cars which won the championship four years running between 2010 and 2013, working in close relations with Aston Martin to develop this car. This deal however is not expected to affect the F1 deal mentioned earlier, as Red Bull Technologies and Red Bull Racing are two separate entities within the Red Bull Group. The new road car project is also expected to rope in Mercedes to supply the engine and electronics, leading to the speculation of a wider link-up between the companies. Speaking about the project, Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner, told our sister publication Autocar UK, “It’s something that Adrian is keen to do as a legacy project. At the moment our focus is on being a Formula 1 constructor, but as we see more technology cross over with the road car market, it’s something that will organically grow.” No other information is available regarding the road car project. Reports have suggested that the new hypercar is expected to be a track-only machine, while some have stated that the car will be road-legal like the Mclaren F1 designed by Gordan Murray. Courtesy: Autocar

Nissan today launched the base-trim Micra XL with a CVT (constantly variable transmission) automatic gearbox at a sticker price of Rs 6.4 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The automatic gearbox was previously offered only on the XV petrol trim, which was a trim lower than Micra’s top XV Premium variant. The fourth-generation CVT gearbox will be mated to Micra’s 1.2-litre petrol engine and will get a few additional features as compared to the standard Micra XL. Extra features include a new steering wheel borrowed from the Sunny, a stylish black roof, glossy black finish for the audio console, driver armrest and illuminated door sills among others. The car also gets side stickers, along with an ‘X Shift’ sticker on the front passenger side. It gets EBD, ABS and four airbags as standard. Currently, the mid-level XV trim of the Micra with a CVT gearbox is priced at Rs 7.05 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). By offering the Micra base variant with a CVT gearbox, Nissan hopes to attract customers who are solely looking for the convenience of an automatic gearbox, without the want for any significant additions to the features on the variant. Courtesy: Autocar