GM proceeds with electric Cadillac Converj; driving tax comes to the Netherlands

Converj a go
General Motors says it will produce a production version of the Cadillac Converj concept. The Converj, which debuted in concept form at the 2009 Detroit auto show, promises 40 miles of all electric propulsion, with a small gasoline-powered electric generator that extends the overall range to a few hundred miles.

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Dutch taxes
Rather than an annual road tax, drivers in the Netherlands will soon pay a few cents for every kilometer they drive. Starting in 2012, new car prices will drop as much as 25 percent with the abolition of a purchase tax and the road tax. Instead, an average car will pay about $0.07 per mile, with higher charges levied during rush hour and on busy roads. GPS devices installed in cars will track and send data to a billing agency.

Sources: AP, Wheelbase Communications