Monthly Archives: October 2019

MG ZS EV vs Nissan Leaf

October 31, 2019Electric Cars, Leaf, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, Nissan, ZS EVRepost

Is MG’s first electric car a convincing challenger? We compare the new ZS EV to the big-selling Nissan Leaf

As more manufacturers explore electric tech, the trickle-down continues to penetrate the lower car classes, democratising zero-emissions motoring for many.

The latest affordable EV model to emerge comes from MG. The Chinese-owned, reborn British brand is offering quite a strong proposition with its ZS EV SUV, as a simple look at the numbers shows: £26,995 for the top-spec Exclusive model and a claimed WLTP range of 163 miles.

This means the MG faces a key rival the Nissan Leaf, a car that pioneered affordable electric motoring. At this price it’s the top-spec MG versus the entry-level Nissan – but when it comes to power, range and charging, the two are close.

MG ZS EV

For: Range and affordability, stronger, more flexible recharging capability, decent practicality and kit.
Against: Ride and handling could be more controlled, infotainment lacks EV-specific functionality.

Key to any EV is its battery. This determines the usable range on offer, as well as the car’s performance, and in the ZS EV the engineering and tech are pretty good given the price. The 44.5kWh battery total means around 40kWh of usable capacity, and MG claims 163 miles on a full charge.

The battery supplies a 141bhp electric motor that drives the front wheels. This is 7bhp down on the Leaf, but then the MG is 41kg lighter. The ZS EV’s performance on test was more than adequate, with the 353Nm of torque (33Nm more than the Leaf) delivered instantly for strong and smooth acceleration.

It sprinted from 0-60mph in 7.4 seconds, 0.4 seconds faster than the Leaf, but by 60mph the MG’s urgency tails off (its top speed is only 87mph). Acceleration from lower speeds is more important to more people, and in this instance, the ZS managed 30-50mph in 2.7 seconds, compared to 2.8 seconds in the Leaf, so there’s little to split them. This acceleration is what makes smaller EVs like these easy and fun to drive in urban areas.

BP Chargemaster lauds first 150kW ultra rapid charging hub in London

October 30, 2019BP Chargemaster, Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

BP Chargemaster is laying claim to the first 150kW ultra-rapid charging hub in London as its nationwide roll out continues.

Four 150kW chargers have been installed at BP’s retail site in Hammersmith in London, making the site the first ultra-rapid charging hub in London.

The chargers join the rest of BP Chargemaster’s Polar network and are currently available on Free Vend for a limited time.

The chargers have both CHAedMO and CCS connectors.

The installs come as part of a wider roll out of ultra-rapid chargers, with a goal of 400 to be installed across the UK by 2021. The project was first announced at an industry event in May by Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO of downstream at BP.

The first two chargers were installed at a BP retail site, BP Cranford in Hounslow, in August.

BP Chargemaster’s Tom Callow said ultra-rapid charging will become “increasingly important” as EV adoption accelerates, particularly in urban areas due to fleets and private motorists without access to off-street parking at home.

“While our first two ultra-fast charging locations are within the M25, by the end of the year, we expect to have started to establish a nationwide network, with sites in England, Scotland and Wales.”

Free fuel for life: Nissan and CSIRO launch solar-powered EV charging station trial

October 29, 2019Charging, Electric Cars, Leaf, News, Reviews and Comment, NissanRepost

Nissan is conducting a 200-day trial to find out if you can run an electric car on the power of the sun.

It’s the dream of any motorist: free fuel for life – and Nissan Australia is poised to find out if it’s possible and practical.

Nissan has unveiled three electric-car charging stations at its head office in Melbourne powered by solar panels on its roof.

They are part of a 200-day trial to find out if solar-powered charging stations can provide truly emissions-free motoring.

The charging station is the first of its type in Australia because it can be programmed to draw energy from a range of sources at certain times.

The charging stations can source energy from solar panels or the traditional coal-powered electricity grid.

Those sources of energy can then be used to charge the station’s built-in 6kWh battery pack – or send energy directly to an electric vehicle.

It means that depending on weather conditions, an electric car can be recharged using solar power only – or energy in the battery can be generated purely by solar power.

Tesla owners weather PG&E’s power outage as gas stations across CA shut down

October 28, 2019Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and Comment, Prepping and Collapse, TeslaRepost

Tensions are rising in up to 34 counties in California as residents begin feeling the effects of Pacific Gas and Electric Co’s decision to cut power to around 800,000 customers as a way to avoid potential wildfires in the area.

Amidst the chaos, Tesla owners who have installed rooftop solar and Powerwall 2 batteries are reporting that they are weathering the widespread power outage with no problems.

PG&E’s shutdown has received widespread criticism among CA residents and officials alike. In a statement to The San Francisco Chronicle, Rep. Jared Huffman described the power provider’s strategy as a “lousy set of choices.” Michael Wara, director of the climate and energy policy program at Stanford University, added that the widespread outage shows that the company cannot operate their system safely during challenging times. CHP officers have even started looking into an incident involving a PG&E vehicle in Colusa County that appeared to have been shot at by a disgruntled resident on Wednesday morning.

This is particularly prominent among gas stations in the state, many of which require power to function. Only a few gas stations remain operational in CA amid the power outage, resulting in long lines of vehicles as owners attempt to acquire fuel. Ali Alezzani, a manager of an Exxon station on San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito, noted to the Chronicle that tensions are currently so high, some gas car owners almost got into fights while they were waiting for their turn at the pump. Videos taken of gas stations across the state hint at extremely long wait times as large numbers of car owners line up for a chance to acquire fuel.

New hot Renault ZOE RS electric car to replace Clio RS

October 25, 2019Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Renault, ZOERepost

A Renault Sport version of the ZOE electric hatch is being eyed up as an indirect replacement for the Clio RS, Auto Express can reveal.

Bosses at the firm told us a successor to the hot Clio is no longer a viable business proposition, and that a hot ZOE is currently the favoured option within the company to plug the gap.

Renault previously flirted with the idea of a performance-based EV back in 2017 when it showed the ZOE e-sport concept. The running prototype featured technology learned from the French firm’s efforts in Formula E; a twin-motor set-up delivered 454bhp and a 0-62mph time of 3.2 seconds, but the concept was never intended to be put into production.

However, Ali Kasai, Renault’s executive vice-president of product planning, told us that future Renault Sport models have to be in keeping with the brand’s electrification strategy.

“We need to be in line with the current trends; we have to invent the future sporty cars. This is the role of Renault Sport, to be innovative,” Kasai said. “ZOE, that concept, it is exactly what we were thinking and we still think. That car was appreciated by many people, they loved it, they want to buy it from the feedback we get.”

The latest ZOE is powered by a 52kWh battery that drives a 132bhp electric motor on the front axle. A range of up to 245 miles is claimed. There are various ways in which Renault Sport could develop a more performance-focused model; the first would be to sacrifice some of the car’s range while adding a more powerful electric motor. Another avenue would be to fit an additional motor on the ZOE’s rear axle.

Government EV charging fund to help ‘unleash the power of the market’

October 24, 2019Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

The government’s EV charging fund is to have a broad scope, looking at “all geographical areas” of the UK, all charging speeds and a variety of use cases.

The £400 million Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (CIIF), which is managed by Zouk Capital, was formally launched today (7 October 2019). The government is providing £200 million, with the rest to come from private investment.

The maiden investment of £35 million, then matched by the government, was put forward by Masdar last month, helping finance the installation of 3,000 rapid chargers.

However, it’s not only rapid chargers that will be funded.

Samer Salty, managing partner of Zouk Capital, confirmed that the fund intends “to cover as much as possible of the UK’s geography” to ensure that drivers have confidence to travel anywhere.

This was echoed by Philippa Eddie, commercial specialist at the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, who said that from a policy perspective, the plan is to look at “all geographical areas” and “all speeds”, despite the initial investment into rapid chargers. However “ultimately its for Zouk Capital to decide” on where the investment goes and where the remaining private investment comes from.

Long-term report: Becoming an EV super-fan in a BMW i3

October 23, 2019BMW, Electric Cars, i3, i3 120Ah, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

I’ve tried very hard indeed to not become one of those evangelical electric car owners that we all try to avoid – but it’s slowly creeping in.

You know the type I mean: the ones that constantly tell anyone who’ll listen just ‘how good electric cars are’, how they’re ‘easy to live with’ and that ‘they’re the future’.

They annoy me as much as they probably annoy you, but after nearly two months with the BMW i3 I’ve sort of become that person by default. The thing is, with a unique-looking car like the BMW, more people than usual ask you what it’s like to live with.

I’ve had neighbours wait for me by the car in the morning to ask what it’s like and a group of shoppers at the local supermarket hang around and want to know how the charging works as I plug it into the fast charger there.

I can’t help but tell them just how much I love it. In fact, I’m genuinely surprised at how well it has fitted into my life. With a range of around 200 miles – which flexes up and down by around 20 miles depending on how and where I’m driving it – I’ve managed to get away with just two fast charges in that time.

By plugging it in at work every day, in a normal three-pin plug socket, I’ve managed to keep the i3 topped up enough for my daily usage. I haven’t got access to charging at home so am relying purely on this trickle-charging at work (it takes 15 hours for a full charge this way) and it’s working. It effectively means the 1,000 miles I’ve covered so far have cost me personally the grand sum of £14 for two fast charges. OK, so that’s not very realistic, as most owners will be paying for their electricity at home, but if you’ve got a free charging point at work then it could equate to very cheap motoring indeed.

The New Renault Zoe Could Become The Cheapest Car You’ll Ever Own

October 22, 2019Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Renault, ZOERepost

Renault has been continuously updating the electric Zoe ever since it launched in the European market in 2012, but this last iteration is by far the biggest and more impressive change in the model’s successful career.

The biggest highlight is of course the adoption of a new larger 52 kWh battery pack, which enables the Zoe to travel up to 245 miles (345 km) on a full charge, according to the WLTP standards. Also new is the support of 50kW fast charging, which can replenish around 90 miles (145 km) of range in 30 minutes.

The new battery is accompanied by the more powerful R135 electric motor as well, producing 133 HP (135 PS) and 181lb-ft (245 Nm) of torque and giving the Zoe more poke than ever; Renault claims a 0-62mph (100km/h) in 10 seconds and a top speed of 87 mph (140km/h).

The range of the updated Zoe includes a base R110 version that’s powered by a 108 HP motor, known from the previous model.

The interior of the small EV is now made from better-quality materials and features a new dashboard design that hosts a large 9.3-inch infotainment system and a customisable 10-inch digital instrument cluster. Wireless phone charging, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as well as an upholstery made from recycled materials are also present.

Electric cars: you can now find used deals for less than £7,000

October 21, 2019Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesRepost

Five-year-old vehicles are now great value and prices are rising as buyers cotton on

If the two people behind a major website championing electric cars have both done it, the rest of us should probably take note.

Whisper, so not too many people hear it, but used five-year-old electric cars are arguably one of the best vehicle purchases you can make right now, whatever your environmental credentials. It makes particular sense if you are one of the millions of people who use their car most days.

Long considered way out of the price range of normal car buyers, good quality electric cars that were launched a few years ago, are now hitting the used market for less than £7,000.

Nissan Leafs, which cost £30,000 (after grants) eight years ago, can be found for £5,700 with about 60,000 miles on the clock.

A Renault Zoe, with a leased battery and with fewer miles on the clock, starts at about £6,500.

Even the more futuristic-looking and previously expensive BMW i3s, made from recyclable parts, can be had for £13,000 for a five-year-old, low-mileage model. Once purchased, these environmentally friendly cars cost a few pounds a week to run – attractive at a time when petrol costs £1.30 a litre and diesel averages £1.36.

Interestingly, used electric vehicle prices have, in recent months, started rising – a near unheard-of thing in the used car market – as demand outstrips supply. They are also increasingly being sold by a new group of car dealers that have emerged only selling electric vehicles.

Is it just laziness that stops me from switching to an electric car?

October 20, 2019Charging, e-Golf, Electric Cars, Kia, Leaf, News, Reviews and Comment, Niro EV, Nissan, VolkswagenRepost

The practical reasons against electric are disappearing – and now councils are stepping in to help

This feels like one of the “You’re the expert” questions that appear in Guardian Money every week. I have an old-ish petrol-fuelled car, sitting parked outside my terraced home, which I use only at weekends. And I have a brother-in-law who is evangelical about his Nissan Leaf. I’d like to be more like him. Yet the closest charging point for me is a 10-minute walk away, and often busy. Is it just too early to ditch my old car and go electric?

The question marks over electric vehicles used to be about battery technology and the cost. But “range anxiety” has largely been conquered. The first Nissan Leaf batteries took you about 80-85 miles without needing a charge; the latest ones do 150 miles. The new Kia e-Niro family car manages 300 miles, while at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Mercedes was showing off its Vision EQS model with a “comfortable” range of 435 miles. Given that the average car journey in the UK is just 10 miles, according to the RAC, fears over the usability of electric cars are fading fast.

Sadly, prices for new electric cars remain higher significantly higher than for petrol or diesel, with the eGolf at about £30,000 compared with petrol ones starting at about £20,000. But as we highlight this week, a used market is now developing in electric vehicles, with entry-level prices as low as £5,000 – with no annual tax, and low servicing charges to boot. What’s more, driving costs are a fraction of the cost of petrol, without even mentioning the enormous benefit to the environment, especially in cities.

So why aren’t we all switching over? The knee-jerk response is now about charging times, for city dwellers like me without the luxury of a drive or garage. Who in their right mind is going to spend half an hour queuing for a charge point, then sit there for an hour or so while it fills up? Or faff around finding the only on-street overnight charge point available, then walk home in the rain for half an hour? It’s not going to happen.

The correct response is that the climate crisis means we will have to live without the hyper-convenience we became accustomed to. If the average journey is just 10 miles, why not take the bus or use an e-bike? And if you must insist on a private car, is a 10- or 15-minute walk to a charging point really such a sacrifice to save the environment?