We set three Netmums bloggers challenges to see if ultra low emission vehicles worked for them. In this video, we gave Penny, who blogs at Parent Shaped, a Renault ZOE and asked her to find as many local chargepoints as she could in an hour. Watch to see how easy Penny found it to charge on the go. Watch all our bloggers take the #EVChallenge: bit.ly/1ZMS1CC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0KUkt_2h68
The past twelve months have been exciting for many reasons, from new EV model releases to exciting events such as our #FollowTheSuitcase competition; but for us, the highlight has to be seeing a record number of plug-in vehicles on the road.
Last year over 28,000 electric cars were registered across the country. That’s more than the combined totals of electric cars sold every year since 2010, and marks a phenomenal 94% annual rise compared to the previous year.
Plug-in power is fast becoming a mainstream option for drivers alongside petrol and diesel, and EV popularity shows no sign of slowing.
We saw every region in the UK record improve year-on-year registrations for plug-in cars. Ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs) proved to be the most popular in the South East of England, closely followed by the South West and the West Midlands.
Read more: Go Ultra Low
More than 3,000 plug-in cars were sold during December 2015, taking 1.7 per cent of new car sales in the UK, representing a record breaking month for green cars.
The sales mix is the highest ever seen in the UK and is a significant step forward on the previous best of 1.3 per cent seen in November 2015 and December 2014, according to the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) figure
The news is especially good considering that overall December sales were the best ever – up 8.4 per cent – saw more than 180,000 vehicles registered. Almost 1,000 more Plug-in Car Grant (PiGC) vehicles were registered in December 2015 than in the same period the previous year with total sales at 3,090 – compared with December 2014’s 2,149. This represents one in every 60 cars sold was an ultra low emission vehicle.
Now with the end of the 2015 calender year complete, the figures show that 28,188 PiGC eligible cars were sold in 2015, almost double the 14,532 sold in 2014. This now puts the total number of PiCG eligible cars sold since the start of the grant at 47,690 – and this excludes commercial vehicles. Add in non-grant eligible plug-in cars and vans, the UK electric fleet now numbers almost 54,000 vehicles.
Read more: Next Green Car
The popularity of more sustainable transport among Milton Keynes residents continues to grow, boosted by record numbers of plug-in electric car sales in the run up to Christmas.
That’s according to Westcroft based dealership, Brayley Renault, which reported more than 30 sales of the 100 per cent electric Renault ZOE in December alone, a record for a single month.
The surge in electric cars on the roads of Buckinghamshire reflects the national demand for more environmentally friendly motoring.
Plug-in electric car registrations in the UK totaled 20,992 units during the first nine months of 2015, consisting of 6,951 pure electric cars and 14,041 plug-in hybrids.
Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that total registrations during this period increased by 140 per cent from the same period in 2014, with all-electric car registrations growing 55 per cent year-on-year.
One of eight national pilot projects set up by the Government to explore and encourage the take-up of electric vehicles, the Milton Keynes Plugged-In Places Scheme now consists of more than 200 charging points in Milton Keynes and across the county.
A quarter of these are rapid charging stations, enabling a full charge in just 20 minutes. A number of local rail stations have also installed charging points and offer discounted parking fees for electric vehicles.
Paul Brayley, managing director of Brayleys Cars, said:
“Our Renault dealership in Westcroft has seen significant growth in enquiries and sales of all-electric vehicles as people become more aware of their environmental credentials, low running costs and excellent driving characteristics.”
Source: One MK
Road test reveals cars emit seven times the permitted level of exhaust emissions when tested in real-world conditions
Nine out of 10 new diesel cars break new EU pollution limits when tested on roads rather than test tracks, according to a new report.
On average, the cars emit seven times the permitted level of NOx gasses, with the worst car producing 22 times the legal limit. Models from every major motor manufacturer breached the limit when they were evaluated in real-world conditions.
From 1 September, new diesel cars in the EU have had to comply with emissions rules called “Euro 6”. However, carmakers can use a whole range of techniques to ensure that their cars perform far better under test conditions than when driven by ordinary drivers.
These include stripping components from the car to reduce weight, using special lubricants, over-inflating tyres and using super-smooth test tracks. The same techniques are used to boost the apparent fuel efficiency of vehicles.
Read more: The Guardian
Campaign groups are calling on the Government to do more to tackle ‘breathtaking’ air pollution levels
Diesel exhaust fumes are causing the biggest health catastrophe since the Black Death, a campaign group has claimed, as new figures show air pollution limits for the whole year have been breached in just eight days in London.
European Union limits demand that maximum hourly nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations are not exceeded for more than 18 hours a year – yet Putney High Street, in west London, had recorded its 19th hour breaching the limits during Friday morning’s rush hour, the London Air Quality Network said.
Oxford Street, where legal limits for the toxic gas for the whole of 2015 were breached in just two days, has almost certainly broken the limit again but the monitoring equipment is currently being repaired. Campaigners say that the Government must do more to tackle air pollution which has been linked to respiratory and heart problems.
Simon Birkett, founder and director of campaign group Clean Air in London, said it was breathtaking that toxic air pollution in the capital had breached the legal limit for the whole calendar year within the first few days of 2016. Mr Birkett also called on all the candidates in the mayoral elections to pledge to ban diesel exhausts from the most polluted areas by 2020.
He said:
“Worse, several air pollution monitors have been vying for the dubious honour of recording the first officially monitored breach of the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) legal limit in the world in 2016.”
Read more: Independent
Simultaneous slowdown in Brics economies would jeopardise chances of pick-up in global growth this year, report says
The risk of the global economy being battered by a “perfect storm” in 2016 has been highlighted by the World Bank in a flagship report that warns that a synchronised slowdown in the biggest emerging markets could be intensified by a fresh bout of financial turmoil.
The Bank said the possibility that Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – the so-called Brics economies – could all face problems simultaneously would put in jeopardy the chances of a pick-up in growth in the coming year.
It added that the impact would be heightened by severe financial market stress of the sort triggered in 2013 by the announcement by the Federal Reserve that it was considering reducing the stimulus it was then providing to the US economy.
Launching its annual Global Economic Prospects, the Bank said activity in 2015 had failed to live up to its expectations – the fifth year in a row that growth has undershot the forecasts made by the Washington-based institution, which lends to the world’s poorest countries.
Read more: The Guardian
Evolt has recorded a record year for its Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging business – 12 months that has seen a significant increase in sales and market share in an increasingly competitive commercial charging landscape.
The company, which began installing some of its first single commercial chargers more than five years ago, has since grown to become one of the largest providers of single, dual and multiple commercial charging points across the UK.
It currently has more than 4,000 of its Evolt-branded charging points installed, from the south coast of England to the Shetland Islands of Scotland. It also has a further 160 Rapid Charging stations in place to meet the needs of an expanding customer base that includes 60 Local Authorities and a large number of private businesses
Justin Meyer, General Manager, says that its engagement with leading consortia and strategic alliances with two of the key industry players have served to consolidate its position as a true market leader:
“We have quickly established a reputation as the ‘go to’ supplier for commercial EV charging infrastructure solutions, respected for the range and reliability of our systems and a strong support network right across the country,” he says.
“Our growth and increased market share reflect the growing popularity of electric vehicles, as more local authorities and private businesses look to meet their ‘green’ responsibilities and realise the benefits that EVs can deliver.
“Fleets of electric buses, taxis and council vehicles are all increasing,” he continues. “We have exciting plans for 2016 and will continue to invest in new technologies over the next 12 months.”
Among the new solutions planned for early 2016 is an 800-Volt Rapid Charger with an innovative design, a 20kW triple headed Rapid Charger, and an advanced home charging unit with a number of bespoke features that will ensure that an EV unit can be installed in every home.
Other new innovations include a series of battery storage systems consisting of a 50kW, 100kW and ultimately 250kW capacity. These will enable expansion of the EV charging network where the power supply is constrained, as well as the ability to work with Green renewable energy sources.
Source: Gravity London
The recent Volkswagen emissions scandal has highlighted the issue of local air quality. The emissions from diesel cars impact badly on local air quality; petrol cars aren’t as bad, but they still have emissions. However pure electric cars have zero tailpipe emissions, and so are ideal for use in our congested urban areas. The Renault ZOE is also a compact size for city driving – so surely it must be the perfect city car?
The ZOE is a stand-alone model that’s only available as a pure EV. Although it’s a compact five-door supermini, it still has five seats – and a decent boot. The rear seats even fold flat to provide an increased load space. We think it looks good, inside and out; it’s simple, stylish and modern. With many functions controlled by the touchscreen, the dashboard has the minimum of fuss.
In terms of the technical stuff, the ZOE has a 400V, 22 kWh capacity lithium ion battery (which weighs 290kg) and a 65kW (88hp) synchronous electric motor. It also has a ‘Chameleon’ charger, allowing the ZOE to be charged at different power levels using the same socket, enabling drivers to take advantage of a wide range of charging points. Charging time from a 3 kW (single-phase 16 A) wall box is around 9 hours. If three-phase charging is available, then a 32 A 22 kW charge point can provide an 80% battery charge in one hour, or a 43 kW 63 A charge point can give an 80% battery charge in just half an hour.
Read more: Green Car Guide
DRIVERS of electric cars will be able to charge their vehicles at hospitals in Derbyshire in an award-winning low-carbon travel initiative.
Charging points have been switched on at community hospitals across the county this week. The move is part of a wider initiative by Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust to reduce the environmental impact of travel by its staff and to support sustainability in the community.
The trust has switched on new charge points at eight hospital locations around the county, including Ilkeston, Ripley, and Walton.
Source: Derby Telegraph