Monthly Archives: November 2018

Diesel MoT failures quadruple under new emissions test rules

November 30, 2018Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and Comment, PollutionRepost

Tougher MoT test sees almost 750,000 cars fail for substandard emissions; failure rate for diesel cars shoots up more than fourfold

More than four times as many diesel cars have failed their MoT test for substandard emissions since tough new test criteria were introduced in May this year.

Some 58,004 diesels failed the emission portion of the MoT test between 20 May and 19 November 2017, but this figure increased to 238,871 in the same period this year. The new emission tests have proven so tough on diesels, in fact, that 17 per cent of all MoT failures for diesel cars were due to emission faults this year – up from 10 per cent in 2017.

The MoT test saw one of its biggest-ever updates on May 20, when Minor, Major and Dangerous fault categories were introduced, and tougher emission checks were brought in.

Diesel cars fitted with a particulate filter (DPF) that emit visible smoke of any colour, for example, now automatically fail their MoT, while petrol cars that emit dense blue or clearly visible black smoke for more than five seconds when idling also fail.

Some cars would seem to be struggling to meet these new requirements, with data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) showing almost 750,000 cars failed their MoT for emissions between 20 May and 19 November 2018 – up from around 350,000 in the same period last year. But while twice as many petrol cars failed in 2018 compared to 2017 (up from 292,468 to 505,721), diesel cars were more severely affected.

Minister signals shift away from electric vehicle ‘buyer subsidy’ to lower costs

November 29, 2018Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesRepost

Recent cuts to the grants available for the purchase of electric vehicles are intended to move the sector away from “buyer subsidy”, according to energy and clean growth minister Claire Perry.

Speaking to the business, energy and industrial strategy select committee, she added that grant payments potentially offered cash to vehicle owners who could already afford to pay for electric vehicles.

Plug-in car grants for new plug-in hybrids were recently scrapped earlier, while cash for fully electric vehicles were cut from £4,500 to £3,500.

Perry added that public grant reductions would help lower the cost of electric models, suggesting that vehicle manufacturers were selling their vehicles at lower prices in other markets. She added that consumer demand for lower prices would see companies respond.

“We cannot transition to a low carbon economy through government subsidy. Somebody has to pay; it’s either taxpayers, consumers or shareholders and there is a constant interplay of these three,” the minister said.

Perry went on to place more focus on the role of government to grow the infrastructure required to accommodate increased numbers of EVs, which would help to grow the market in tandem with falling costs.

“We can no longer define success as how much government subsidy is going into a particular technology, we need to define it based on what is actually happening.

“Subsidising or not is not going to change the market, what is going to change the market is a rapid reduction in technology costs and investment in infrastructure,” she told the committee.

Hyundai Kona Electric vs Nissan Leaf

November 28, 2018Electric Cars, Hyundai, Kona Electric, Leaf, News, Reviews and Comment, NissanRepost

What’s the best affordable small electric car on sale? We test the new Hyundai Kona Electric against the Nissan Leaf to find out…

For years the Nissan Leaf had the affordable electric car market to itself, sewing up the sector with a balance of range, practicality, performance and affordability that made electric cars viable for many, if not the masses. But now there’s a new challenger.

Hyundai has launched its Kona Electric, and with a choice of battery sizes available packaged in an SUV body, it’s an appealing choice that matches the second-generation Leaf for price, range and performance.

EVs are here to stay, but has Hyundai nailed it with the Kona Electric? Or have Nissan’s years of experience with its all-electric hatch paid dividends and put it ahead of the competition? We find out.

Hyundai Kona Electric

For: Range, infotainment, slightly cheaper than the Leaf but just as well equipped as standard.
Against: Boot not as big as the Nissan’s, ride can sometimes be a little lumpy.

Hyundai’s compact Kona SUV was designed with an all-electric variant in mind, so buyers don’t have to make too many compromises with the packaging when compared with a petrol or diesel model.

The electric motor is mounted up front in place of a conventional engine and gearbox, and drives the front wheels through a single-speed automatic transmission. This means there are no gears; you simply select ‘D’ and drive, which makes it a smooth experience, just like in the Leaf.

£25m facility given green light near Norwich in bid to encourage drivers to switch to electric vehicles

November 27, 2018Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

A £25m battery storage facility which could bring fast chargers for electric vehicles to the city has been given the go-ahead.

Pivot Power, along with the National Grid, applied to South Norfolk Council for a 49.9MW battery facility next to a substation on Ipwich Road at Dunston.

It will be one of the first 45 sites across the UK that will combine 50MW batteries with rapid EV charging stations, which it is hoped will encourage more drivers to make the move to electric cars.

Charging my Renault ZOE in Milton Keynes (Image: J. Pegram-Mills) — Charging a Renault ZOE (Image: J. Pegram-Mills)

Matthew Boulton, chief operating officer of Pivot Power, said:

“We want to support councils working to clean up air pollution, promote low-carbon policies and develop a sustainable economy with better services for local people. Close collaboration will ensure that we build the right infrastructure in the right place to make it easy for drivers, businesses and public services to switch to electric vehicles.”

It is hoped the site will be operating by April 2020, and will store enough electricity to supply almost 6,000 homes for a day from a single charge.

The Norwich site – which will be surrounded by a security fence and will be fitted with CCTV – comes as part of a £1.6bn programme to set up a national network of batteries fed by National Grid sub stations.

A response from the council’s senior conservation and design officer said while nearby Dunston Hall is a grade II listed building, the separation meant there will be little visibility between the two sites.

South Norfolk Council approved the bid on November 7.

Renault Pro+ commercial vehicles announces pricing and specification of new Renault Master Z.E.

November 26, 2018Electric Cars, Electric Vans, Master Z.E., News, Reviews and Comment, RenaultRepost

Ordering is now open for the New Renault Master Z.E., the all-electric version of the largest Renault Pro+ LCV priced from £45,700 excluding VAT (after the Government PiVG)

Ideal for emissions-free access to city-centres and benefiting from a payload of up to 1,128kg, New Master Z.E is perfect for last-mile deliveries.

Utilising the manufacturer’s electric vehicle expertise – the Renault Kangoo Z.E. 33 and the Renault ZOE being the best-selling electric van and electric car in Europe in 2017 – Master Z.E. combines the new-generation 33 kWh battery and a highly efficient motor to provide a real-world driving range of 74 miles with half payload and a charging time of empty to fully-charged in only six hours.

New Renault Master ZE Electric Van with Kangoo ZE Electric Van behind (Image: Renault) — Renault Master ZE Electric Van (Image: Renault)

Master Z.E. is available in a choice of three wheelbase configurations – SWB, MWB and LWB – with a choice of two roof heights, LR & MR. All are based on the well-equipped Business specification that is available across the award-winning Renault Master range. Focused on providing drivers with high levels of comfort, convenience, connectivity and safety, standard features of the Business trim level include electric front windows and mirrors, DAB radio, Bluetooth, CD player, USB, full steel bulkhead, ESC, Hill Start Assist and Trailer Swing Assist.

Specific equipment that is unique to the New Master Z.E. includes a side Z.E. charging socket, pre-heating function, and Z.E. voice – a specific sound that the vehicle makes at low speeds in order to be more noticeable to pedestrians.

Exclusive New Master Z.E. options include a charging cable suitable for a domestic three-pin plug and a three-year renewal subscription to My Z.E Connect, which when combined with the R-Link media system, lets you view the vehicle’s range on a smartphone or computer connected to the internet.

Demand surges for hybrids and EVs in used car market

November 25, 2018Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Renault, Sales, ZOE, ZOE Z.E. 40Repost

Consumer appetite for alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFV) is growing fast in the used car market.

Over the last three months the percentage of fuel related searches on Auto Trader attributed to AFVs almost doubled, increasing from 4% to 7%.

And in July, the UK’s fastest selling used car was a Renault Zoe; a first for a fully electric vehicle.

Renault ZOE Z.E. 40 Example Colours (Image: Renault) — Renault ZOE Z.E. 40 (Image: Renault)

“However, whilst AFVs undoubtedly represent an exciting opportunity for retailers, significant growth may be hampered by a lack of availability,” said Auto Trader director Ian Plummer.

In terms of stock to search ratio, each AFV car advertised on Auto Trader receives an average of four times as many searches than the average petrol car. Purely electric vehicles (EV) receive nearly nine times as many.

Plummer said the next generation of EVs will be in high demand throughout Europe.

“And with some manufacturers questioning the ROI in supplying post-Brexit UK with the much anticipated second generation EVs which will be in high demand throughout their other European markets too, demand may outstrip supply in both the new and used markets,” he said.

The biggest challenge to the government’s road to zero ambitions may no longer be the traditionally perceived barriers to entry, such as cost and infrastructure, but rather a matter of long-term supply and demand” said Ian Plummer, Auto Trader Director.

Volkswagen e-Golf – long-term test: is the family hatchback still one of the best when it’s electrified?

November 24, 2018e-Golf, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, VolkswagenRepost

It is fair to say that the regular Volkswagen Golf is one of the best all-round buys – competitively priced when new and holding its value well. Does ditching an internal combustion engine make it a better day-to-day bet than a bespoke electric car?

Our car: Volkswagen e-Golf List price when new: £32,730 (excluding PICG grant) Price as tested: £35,490 (excluding PICG grant) Official fuel economy: n/a

November 13, 2018

Average consumption: 4.3 miles/kWh

This week, I thought I’d highlight two aspects of the e-Golf that have particularly caught my attention – one electrical, one mechanical.

The electrical has – perhaps surprisingly, for an electric vehicle – nothing to do with the e-Golf’s powertrain. No, what I’ve been particularly struck by, as the clocks have gone back and the nights have closed in, is the lighting system.

All e-Golfs, unlike regular Golfs, have LED headlights and C-shaped daytime running lights (DRLs) – and they’re very bright. LED lights are becoming increasingly commonplace on modern cars, filtering down model ranges and from premium marques to be found on mainstream cars.

Their greater brightness (compared with xenon lights) is a valuable safety feature, allowing a car to be seen from a greater distance and enabling the driver to see further ahead. In addition, they use less power than xenon lights, so are more efficient – an advantage for all cars, but a definite boon to an EV, where you want as much of the electrical energy as possible assigned to powering the car.

It’s noticeable how much brighter the e-Golf’s LED lights compared with those of oncoming cars and, allied to the DRLs, they improve the face of the car.

‘Laughing in the face of the congestion charge’ – Zoe Williams meets the Tesla

November 23, 2018Electric Cars, Model S, News, Reviews and Comment, TeslaRepost

As more drivers opt for electric, Zoe Williams takes the Tesla Model S for a spin

This is the most unscientific analogy to use about the most incredibly scientific car, but you know when you’ve been out with, say, three Sagittariuses (Sagittarii?) in a row.

You think, each of those was very delightful in their own way, exciting, adventurous, yada yada, but I would not do a Sagittarius again because they’re just too unreliable.

That’s what I always felt about the electric car. Watching the mileage vanish in a BMW i8, 16 miles of charge left one minute, wham, 50 yards later, you’re down to your last four, with a boot full of shopping and no charger in sight; stranded in a service station, halfway between Oxford and Manchester in a Hyundair Ioniq, staring down the barrel of spending three hours next to a plug, smiling half-heartedly at the people checking their tyre pressure.

It just isn’t worth it. This may be the future, but thanks, the future isn’t for me.

And then I met the Tesla; and oh my God, I’d fallen for another archer, except this time, it was also Brad Pitt.

Obviously, this car is the brainchild of Elon Musk, and though there are faults to find in Musk’s temperament and these might predispose you against his invention, forget it. Surrender is inevitable.

What happens to used lithium-ion battery packs from electric cars?

November 22, 2018Electric Cars, Energy Storage, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesRepost

Electric cars are a critical subject, and are likely to remain so as buyers respond to knee-jerk legislation by turning to electric vehicles (EVs) – be it plug-in hybrid or pure electric. Sales of those cars eligible for the (now reduced) government plug-in car grant are up 30 per cent year-on-year in the UK according to the SMMT, with 26,482 registered in the first half of 2018.

Notwithstanding the issues of excavating precious metals, there is a significant environmental burden associated with plug-in cars that must be considered: the batteries.

The scale of the issue

Most modern EVs use lithium-ion batteries; much the same as those that power your phone, toothbrush, tablet and most portable electrical items. Given how unfathomably numerous these small batteries are, it says a lot that EV batteries are expected to account for 90 per cent of the lithium-ion battery market by 2025 according to a recent forecast by consultancy firm Roskill.

For a longer-range forecast, consider that the UK government intends for all new cars and vans to be plug-in EVs by 2040. Assuming the new car market remains as buoyant as it is now, that equates to about 2.5 million new cars – and therefore battery packs – each year.

While the sheer volume of EV batteries that will need to be re-purposed or recycled is undoubtedly daunting, it’s worth starting on the positive note that these batteries have a long lifespan, and have proven very reliable. Most lithium-ion batteries will last about eight to 10 years before their performance drops to around 70 per cent (or less) of what it was when new.

So what can be done with these batteries when they reach the point that they need to be re-used or recycled?

Power storage for your home and business

One popular solution is to re-use them as power storage for domestic and commercial buildings. Nissan recently launched the largest power storage facility in Europe to use both new and used car batteries; the Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam uses 63 used EV battery packs and 85 new battery packs, which feed off of 4,200 solar panels on the stadium roof.

Tesla to open up CCS fast charging for European Model 3, Model S and Model X

November 21, 2018Charging, Electric Cars, Model 3, Model S, Model X, News, Reviews and Comment, TeslaRepost

Third-party CCS fast charging available to all Tesla Model 3 owners with adaptors coming for Model S and Model X owners

European Tesla Model 3s will come with a CCS (Combined Charging System) fast charging compatible port when they arrive in the early part of 2019. That means that, as well as using Tesla’s own Supercharger and Destination networks, the Model 3 will be able to fast charge on third-party networks such as Polar/BP Chargemaster and Ionity.

Owners of Model X and Model S cars will also be able to use third-party CCS chargers by buying an adaptor that can be plugged into their cars’ existing on-board Type 2 sockets. The new adaptors are expected to be priced similarly to existing CHAdeMO fast-charging adaptors, which cost around €500 (£435), yet will be slightly smaller in form.

Speaking exclusively to Auto Express, Tesla’s head of global charging infrastructure, Drew Bennett, said: “There’s a lot of excitement about Model 3 coming to Europe and charging is always part of that conversation.

“We’ll be continuing to invest in our network – that’s a huge part of the ownership experience. But we’ll be enabling our owners to have access to the CCS networks that are starting to grow in Europe, so the Model 3 will have a charge port for the CCS standard and we’ll also have an adaptor for Model S and X.

“All existing Tesla customers will be able to use the Supercharger network still, but these changes will allow people to venture outside the network – this is something that could really help our owners and is really exciting for us to be able to say that about the infrastructure in Europe.

“We’re all about accelerating the advent of sustainable energy and transportation and this is another way to help everybody scale.”