Monthly Archives: March 2017

Electric cars are set to arrive far more speedily than anticipated

Economy, Electric Cars, Opinion, Sales

Carmakers face short-term pain and long term gain

Electric cars ready for free test drives in Milton Keynes (Image: T. Larkum)
Electric cars ready for free test drives in Milton Keynes (Image: T. Larkum)

THE high-pitched whirr of an electric car may not stir the soul like the bellow and growl of an internal combustion engine (ICE). But to compensate, electric motors give even the humblest cars explosive acceleration. Electric cars are similarly set for rapid forward thrust.

Improving technology and tightening regulations on emissions from ICEs is about to propel electric vehicles (EVs) from a niche to the mainstream. After more than a century of reliance on fossil fuels, however, the route from petrol power to volts will be a tough one for carmakers to navigate.

The change of gear is recent. One car in a hundred sold today is powered by electricity. The proportion of EVs on the world’s roads is still well below 1%. Most forecasters had reckoned that by 2025 that would rise to around 4%. Those estimates are undergoing a big overhaul as carmakers announce huge expansions in their production of EVs.

Morgan Stanley, a bank, now says that by 2025 EV sales will hit 7m a year and make up 7% of vehicles on the road. Exane BNP Paribas, another bank, reckons that it could be more like 11%. But as carmakers plan for ever more battery power, even these figures could quickly seem too low.

Ford’s boss is bolder still. In January Mark Fields announced that the

“era of the electric vehicle is dawning”

and he reckons that the number of models of EVs will exceed pure ICE-powered cars within 15 years. Ford has promised 13 new electrified cars in the next five years. Others are making bigger commitments. Volkswagen, the world’s biggest carmaker, said last year that it would begin a product blitz in 2020 and launch 30 new battery-powered models by 2025, when EVs will account for up to a quarter of its sales. Daimler, a German rival, also recently set an ambitious target of up to a fifth of sales by the same date.

Read more: The Economist

The Pros and Cons of Electric Cars

Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment

Even though the total number of electric cars has been on a steady rise for more than half a decade (and up 38% in the USA in 2016), many organizations and individual consumers still aren’t aware of how electric vehicles compare to traditional gas-guzzlers.

Pros of Electric Cars

They’re Cheaper to Run

Performing basic calculations, the average electric vehicle can save a driver who drives 15,000 miles in a year about $850 annually on fuel. Keep in mind that these estimates have been made without taking any special charging systems into consideration. For EV owners and fleets participating in a smart charging program, the savings can be much higher.

You Can Charge at Home or at Work

One overlooked advantage of electric vehicles is the ability to charge them at home or at a parking lot. People who live in family houses can simply plug in their vehicles after they return home from work, and leave the next morning with batteries fully charged. Fleet vehicles can be charged using smart EV charging systems that offer maximum cost savings, thanks to advanced energy management tools.

There’s No Engine Noise

Noise pollution is detrimental to human health, and the engines of gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles are among its most significant sources. According to a study published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS),

“Tens of millions of Americans suffer from a range of adverse health outcomes due to noise exposure, including heart disease and hearing loss.”

The same study claims that

“nearly 100 million people in the United States (about 50% of the population) had annual exposures to traffic noise that were high enough to be harmful to health.”

They’re Quick

Most recent speed records have been achieved by electric vehicles. For example, the Tesla Model S P100D hit 60mph in 2.28 seconds, making it the first production car to reach 60mph in under 2.3 seconds. That’s because electric vehicles offer superior power-to-weight-ratios compared to traditional cars.

They’re Environmentally Friendly

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) don’t produce any tailpipe emissions, which are known to be a serious threat to human and environmental health. In comparison, the average gasoline car produces over 350 grams of CO2 per mile.

Cons of Electric Cars

Some Have Limited Range

At the moment, the biggest perceived negative of battery electric cars is their limited range, which leads to what is known as range anxiety. To give an example, the 2016 Nissan Leaf can travel up to 107 miles on a single charge. The thought of only being able to drive 100 miles on a charge worries a lot of potential customers, who think that the somewhat limited range of electric vehicles isn’t enough to meet their needs.

A Higher Initial Cost

Electric vehicles usually cost more upfront than their gasoline- or diesel-powered counterparts, but they are expected to be cheaper than conventional vehicles by 2022, even if the conventional cars improve their fuel efficiency by 3.5% a year.

Fewer Options to Choose From

New electric vehicles are being introduced on a weekly basis, but it will take years before customers will be able to choose from the same range of models as they can now when it comes to cars with internal combustion engines. After all, the first automobile, Benz Patent Motor Car, started its engine for the first time on New Year’s Eve 1879.

Read more: Fleetcarma

BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)

BMW i8 Gallery

Blog, BMW, Electric Cars, i8

During a test drive of the BMW i3 I took the opportunity to photograph a pair of i8’s on show there.

BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)
BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)

The i8 is a rather good looking car by any account.

BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)
BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)

Of course, it is marred by the fact that it has a fossil fuel engine as well as an electric motor, giving it only about 20 miles of electric range.

BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)
BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)

But then no car is perfect.

BMW i8 in Ionic Silver (Image: T. Larkum)
BMW i8 in Ionic Silver (Image: T. Larkum)

My thanks to Vines of Guildford BMW for arranging the visit.

A Look Around my New Nissan Leaf 30 kWh

Blog, Leaf, Leaf 30kWh, Nissan, , , , , , , ,

I just took delivery of my new long range Nissan Leaf and I love it.

Check out the short video. This is the Tekna and the interior shots show the nice leather (heated) seats front and back, and the roomy boot.

New stuff I have noticed:

  • The extra range is wonderful.
  • DAB radio is great and the software interface is much improved.
  • It tucks in the wing mirrors automatically when you lock it.
  • It comes with both 13A and type 2 charge cable as default.
  • It seems to accelerate a little quicker than before in normal mode (in spite of the extra battery weight).
  • It seems to accelerate a little slower in eco mode. I guess that is good for eco.
  • Gun Metal grey looks fantastic.

Smart unveiled its latest ForTwo Cabrio at the Frankfurt show

SMART Electric Drive | Fully Charged

Electric Cars, ForTwo Electric, News, Reviews and Comment, Smart

This is the 260th episode of Fully Charged and just possibly, the very first proper, informative and clear car review. This is very much down to the talent and experience of Jonny Smith, his first time on the series (but definitely not the last).

After watching this, I know I have to up my game, I’m so thrilled Jonny could do this show with us and I’m really intrigued to hear your reaction.

Thank you Smart for flying Jonny and Mark out to Toulouse and organising the cars.

London ups congestion charge on older cars

Congestion Charge, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment

Brexit be damned. In an effort to comply with European Union pollution regulations, London says that later this year it will begin levying a £10 (about $12.50) charge on older cars if they want to drive in the city’s core.

Though not an outright ban on cars, the fee is a step toward creating the

“toughest emission standard of any major city,”

said London mayor Sadiq Khan in a release issued to members of the media.

London plans to implement the new charge on October 23, 2017, the 14th anniversary of the city’s first congestion fee. The city estimates that the fee will apply to about 10,000 vehicles driven into central London on weekdays.

The new “T-charge” is in addition to a £11.50 fee (£10 with automatic payments) that is already collected on all cars driven into central London between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays. While the existing charge applies to nearly all motor vehicles, the T-charge will be levied on cars that do not comply with at least the Euro-4 emissions standards. Broadly speaking, Euro-4 cars date from 2005 or later.

That’s not to say that the new T-charge is not without its detractors. The Telegraph calls it

” a tax on the city’s poorest motorists.”

Khan has also said his administration is investigating a diesel scrapping scheme to pull older, polluting vehicles off of the road and that it is accelerating plans for a separate Ultra Low Emissions Zone that would charge an even larger amount of money to higher emissions vehicles.

Source: The Car Connection

Charging a BMW i3 on the drive (Image: BMW)

Government Grant for Electric Car Home Charge Point

Blog, Charging, Charging, Electric Cars, FAQ

This is a summary of the UK Government’s scheme for subsidising home charge points for electric cars, known as the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS).

It has been kept relatively simple; if you need detailed guidance you should consult the original document (linked at the bottom).

1. Most plug-in vehicle owners carry out most charging at home.

2. Customers who are the registered keeper or have primary use of an eligible electric vehicle may receive up to 75% (capped at £500, inc VAT) off the total capital costs of the chargepoint and associated installation costs.

3. The key features of the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme are as follows:

  • The grant is a 75% contribution towards the cost of one chargepoint and its
    installation up to a maximum of £500 (including VAT) per household/eligible
    vehicle.
  • Customers must provide evidence of being the primary user of an eligible electric vehicle or have a vehicle on order in order to be able to qualify for the grant.
  • The date of installation must not be more than 4 months ahead of the date
    of delivery or start date of vehicle use.

4. The grant covers up to 75% of the eligible costs of chargepoint installation, the
customer form requires confirmation of who is paying the balance of the
installation costs.

5. The grant for 75% must be claimed against an approved chargepoint and
made on your behalf by a chargepoint installer which has been authorised
by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).

6. You must have off street parking facilities suitable for chargepoint installation (a survey prior to installation should be conducted by your installer). If you do not have off street parking, your Local Authority may be able to help via a central Government grant.

7. The authorised chargepoint installer will claim the 75% (capped at £500) on your behalf. How the remaining cost is to be met should be agreed with your installer prior to installation. In any event, you should satisfy yourself whether you are expected to pay the remaining cost, and if not who will be paying for it, before the installation takes place. The grant will only be paid in arrears (i.e. once installation is complete).

8. No more than 2 chargepoints can be funded at one property irrespective of how many vehicles are registered there.

Source: EVHS – Guidance for Customers: November 2016

Electric Cars and why this technophobe has one

Blog, Electric Cars, Renault, ZOE

I’m a 34 year old woman who is not naturally drawn to technology and yet I am an early adopter of the electric car.

I try to live a simple life, and there is little I enjoy more than a bit of nostalgia and switching off from the modern world, so it was a bit of a surprise to some of my friends and family when I decided to get an electric car.

The truth is, that it’s actually not much different to driving a regular car, except you’re considering your fuel consumption differently and of course you are saving the environment, and those are good things to concern yourself with, right?!

I took my mum and sisters to the spa the other week, it was the first time my older sister had been in the car and she was sceptical “are we going to get there and back OK, is there enough charge” she must have said this at least 4 times before she forgot about range and concerned herself with other aspects of the car. She was like a kid with a new toy, pressing the touch screen display, asking “what does this do”, “what does that do”, then noticing how silently the car moves and yet how quick it is off the mark. She was impressed. On the way home she noticed the remaining range “36 miles, oh we’ll get home on that” – she was getting it.  More at ease and enjoying the ride she asked if I wanted any money towards fuel, I laughed and said “well the journey cost less than £1, so I think I’ll let you off” – she was speechless.

‘Getting over’ the technology aspect of the car is very easy, there isn’t actually much to learn, in fact the car itself makes driving and running it very simple, and I do love a simple life ?