The government incentive offering buyers of low-carbon vehicles £5,000 off will not be enough to put electric cars in general use, it has been claimed by the Association of British Drivers (ABD).

ABD agreed that the government’s Plug-in Grant would be incentive but said that not enough people were currently considering buying electric cars because "people need to go further than electric cars can go".

The government announced plans yesterday to provide support to the new ultra-low carbon car market by offering money-off incentives to buyers of cars in the sector.

It will be investing around £450 million in a strategy for the industry, including £30 million on recharging units across the country.

However, ABD spokesperson, Hugh Bladon, said the battery technology on electric cars was not developed enough for people to travel long distances with the cars.

He said: "If you’re in London and you want to whizz around in a little electric car then I suppose it is a good idea, but if you want to go anymore than 40 miles you’re stuffed."

Car dealers are being warned about the ever-present threat of car thefts by HPI.

Compact executive-style cars and 4×4s are the most likely to be stolen, making up a quarter of all vehicles currently reported as stolen, according to HPI, which is the primary independent provider of information to the motor industry.

Dealers are being advised to be alert for any cloned vehicles, which are those that have been stolen and are then disguised using similar legitimate vehicle identities.

When purchasing a car, dealers are being advised to check the basics such as the VIN/chassis number, V5 and service documentation and purchase a HPI check, to ensure the car is not stolen.

The director of automotive for HPI, Daniel Burgess, said the age of the vehicle seemed to be a big factor in whether it was stolen or not.

Criminals tended to target vehicles aged between four and eight years old, which accounted for 45 per cent of stolen cars, because they could be sold with relative ease and generally for cash, he said.

Mitsubushi will be offering its UK customers £5,000 the new i-MiEV when the government scheme is implemented next year.

Customers will be able to purchase the all-electric car with savings of £5,000 off the list price thanks to the government Plug-in Grant scheme, which is due to start in January 2011.

The pioneering scheme means savings will be given directly to consumers who buy ultra-low carbon vehicles.

A zero-emissions car, the i-MiEV has been designed to be a city car that accommodates four adults and has luggage storage space too.

The car can reach a top speed of 81mph and has a range of more than 100 miles. Its battery can be trickle-charged from flat to full in six hours from a standard UK plug point.

It only costs 96p to fully charge of the battery, meaning 12,000 miles driving costs the equivalent of £115.

Mitsubushi is now accepting customer orders for the i-MiEV for January next year.

Auto Windscreens has changed its glazing repair times in order to ease pressure on the automotive industry.

The company will be operating glass repairs and replacement services from 08:00 GMT to 20:00 GMT seven days a week.

This means its 700-strong service fleet will provide customers with more time and date options to limit the impact on their working and social life.

The announcement comes a day after the company compiled data showing that British workers spend 1,808 hours during work making phone calls to organise glass repairs.

Nigel Davies, sales and marketing director at Auto Windscreens, said the extended hours would give businesses in the automotive industry the opportunity to control their glass cost base.

This is because repairs could be carried out after before or after traditional working hours with no extra charge being incurred.

Auto Windscreens will be the key supplier of glass repair and replacement services to Lex Autolease until 2013.

One of the main reasons behind Lex Autolease’s choice was the extended working hours, which would give its customers greater flexibility.

Lottery winners are more likely to buy a Vauxhall car than a Porsche or Audi, according to a survey conducted by Ipsos MORI.

Some 100 National Lottery winners who had won £1 million or more were questioned on their automotive wish-list in the survey.

Vauxhall ranked number four in the list, which was ahead of luxury brands such as Range Rover and Jaguar.

After winning the prize, 15 per cent of those surveyed did buy a Vauxhall model, showing that millionaires want practical cars not necessarily prestige brands.

Cars were very popular purchases among the lotto winners, with 36 per cent of them choosing to visit a car showroom before heading to an estate agent or going shopping.

Britain’s biggest-ever lottery winners, Nigel Page and Justine Laycock, who won £56 million on the EuroMillions draw, will be bucking the Vauxhall trend.

Mr Page said he would be swapping his Honda Civic for a Range Rover Sport or BMW X5.

Motorists will receive up to £5,000 towards purchases of ultra-low carbon cars from January 2011, it has been announced by the government.

The Plug-in Car Grant, which will account for approximately 25 per cent of the total car cost, will go directly to the consumer and is available from next year, when a host of eligible vehicles is expected to go on sale.

Plugged-In Places, which form part of the government’s plan, will be a network of electric vehicle hubs across the country.

Some £30 million of a total £450 million fund will go towards putting the car-charging units in car parks, major supermarkets, leisure and retail centres, and on the streets.

Forming part of a government strategy, the initiatives are there to provide support to the ultra-low carbon vehicle market in the early stages.

The strategy is being implemented to ensure the UK meets the European Union targets on carbon emissions from cars.

By 2012, all new cars produced within the EU need to emit less than 120g/km.

The programme will also benefit businesses in the automotive and charging industries, creating new opportunities in both sectors.

Car prices have increased by nine per cent over the past year whilst discounts available on cars have shrunk by 13 per cent, it has been reported by What? Car.

Consumers are still able to haggle for better prices on cars but they will only save an average £1,699, which is £200 less than those who bartered last year.

Manufacturers are offering savings on models in their ranges too. The most generous discounts are available from Renault, where customers can save around £2,009 (13 per cent) on list prices.

Mini customers will only save around one per cent off the list price of cars there, saving around £125.

Over the past year, Ford has hiked its prices the most. On average car prices have risen 14.7 per cent at the brand, with the Fiesta 60 Studio increasing by a significant 32.6 per cent.

The editor at What? Car, which is Britain’s biggest and "best" buyer guide, Steve Fowler, said he thought manufacturers were trying to recoup some of the money they had invested in the scrappage scheme.

He said the rise in prices could also be attributed to the pound being weak compared to the euro.

Fiat is set to showcase its low-carbon engines at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

A brand new turbocharged two-cylinder petrol engine will be on display. The engine, which uses the same Multiair technology as Alfa Romeo, emits 30 per cent less CO2 than a conventional unit with the same power.

Fiat will be using the new engine design in its new 500 model, which is set to launch this September.

Its 84bhp engine unit will produce CO2 emissions of just 95g/km. The car emits far less CO2 than the target amount for the UK government, which is for all new cars to produce less than 120g/km by 2012.

Two new versions of the Punto Evo will also be shown in Geneva, one that uses the Multiair engine, and one powered by a Multijet diesel engine fitted with an Eco pack, which means it emits less than 100g/km.

Fiat is committed to reducing carbon emissions and encouraging drivers to be more eco-friendly.

It has an Eco:drive application on its website that calculates how efficiently motorists drive as well as offering tips for how to be more eco-friendly as a driver.

A new generation model of the Porsche Cayenne will have its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

Each model in the new range is a trend-setter in terms of its efficiency and output compared to the previous models.

They offer an increased fuel economy of up to 23 per cent and perform better.

Developed according to Porsche Intelligent Performance, they have more power on less fuel usage, greater efficiency and lower CO2 emissions.

There is a Cayenne Hybrid model, which is the most eco-friendly in the range, producing emissions of 193g/km.

The model can be powered by the electric motor and combustion engine together, or the electric motor on its own, meaning drivers can travel producing zero carbon emissions at speeds up to 40mph.

On sale from May 29th, there are five new generation models on sale from a starting price of £41,404.

There have been fresh calls for the government to raise the age at which young people take their driving test to 18 or even higher.

Tougher regulations are needed on young drivers, who take more risks on the roads, according to road safety charity Brake.

More 15-24-year-olds die on the road than from any other cause, data from the Office for National Statistics shows.

Brake chief executive Mary Williams OBE is convinced that the higher the driving test age is increased to, the fewer deaths there will be on the roads.

The charity, which also provides support to victims of road accidents, has been campaigning for Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) to be introduced in the UK.

GDL already exists in a number of countries around the world and, although the schemes differ slightly, the main aim is for young drivers to build-up their ability and experience on a gradual basis following a well-structured system.