Daily Archives: March 12, 2020

MG ZS EV (Image: T. Larkum)

New MG ZS EV vs new Renault Zoe

Electric Cars, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, Renault, ZOE, ZS EV

Renault has upgraded the Zoe with a super range, while MG is undercutting every comparable electric car. Who has the brighter idea?…

For all the hype around Tesla, and as much as you might dream of owning a Model 3, a Model S or perhaps even a Model X, there’s more than a reasonable chance you don’t have the wherewithal. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider an electric car at all, because there are now quite a few that offer many of the same perks for a much lower price.

MG ZS EV (Image: T. Larkum)

So, assuming that you need a reasonable boot and rear seats that can comfortably accommodate adults, what are your cheapest options? Well, the Renault Zoe is certainly one; this car came out in 2013 but has just been thoroughly overhauled, with a bigger battery, a new interior, a swanky infotainment system and the option of a more potent motor.

Prices start at £25,670 (after the Government’s £3500 grant), but here we’re testing the range-topping GT Line, which gets all the gadgets you’re likely to want. Meanwhile, the MG ZS EV can cost just £22,495 (again, after the grant), although we’ve picked the range-topping Exclusive for a closer match with our chosen Zoe.

Driving

Performance, ride, handling, refinement

Although the Zoe offers two power outputs (108bhp or 132bhp), you get the stronger motor as standard with GT Line trim. Don’t expect anything remotely close to Tesla performance, but acceleration is still punchy away from the line and you can easily keep up in the outside lane of the motorway.

The ZS is quicker – not hugely, but put your foot down and it surges forth with noticeably more vigour. In fact, in the wet, you have to be a bit gentle when pulling out of junctions, lest the 141bhp motor spin up the front wheels.

Lift off the accelerator pedal in either car and you feel yourself slowing down as the regenerative braking system harvests energy to replenish the battery. And you can strengthen this effect so that you’ll need the brake pedal less often.

Performance isn’t just about how quickly you can speed up and slow down; it’s also about how far you can travel between charges. Officially, this Zoe can achieve 238 miles, compared with 163 for the ZS – unsurprising, considering the French car is more aerodynamic and has a bigger battery.

In our real-world tests, the Zoe went a very respectable 192 miles on a full charge (slightly farther than the entry-level Tesla Model 3). We were unable to test the ZS, due to unreliable weather, but it’s likely to be at least 50 miles adrift in equivalent conditions.

Read more: What Car

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Budget 2020: What does it mean for motorists?

Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Sales

Following Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s first budget, we look at whether it was good or bad news for drivers…

The government has announced new funding for electric vehicle charging, pothole filling and road improvements as part of its annual March budget.

In his first budget as Chancellor, Rishi Sunak announced a new package worth £27 billion for strategic road improvements over the next five years, including an extra £2.5 billion to repair 50 million potholes over the next five years. The Chancellor dubbed the announcement as representing the largest investment ever in the transport sector.

Below, we look at each of the Chancellor’s other announcements, and how they affect motorists and car buyers.

Electric vehicle charging

The Chancellor announced a new £500m funding pot, to be spent over the next five years, to help grow the UK’s rapid charging network for electric cars. The intention is that drivers will never be more than 30 miles away from a rapid charging point. The fund is primarily designed to cover the cost of businesses installing fast charging points on their premises.

According to charging point locator Zap Map, there are currently close to 18,000 charging points in more than 11,000 locations across the UK.

Plug-in vehicle grant

In addition, the current grant for those buying an electric vehicle, due to run out at the end of this year, has been extended to 2023 in a move worth £403 million. However, the current grant of up to £3500 will be cut to £3000 on orders placed from 12 March. In addition, the grant is no longer available on cars costing more than £50,000.

Industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders had wanted the government to go one step further by abolishing VAT on electric and plug-in hybrid cars. The group said that this would increase sales of such cars to just under one million by 2024, resulting in the saving of 1.2 million tonnes of CO2.

So far in 2020, more than 6500 purely electric vehicles have been sold – a rise of more than 200% on the same period in 2019. However, such cars still represent just 2.9% of total cars sold. More than 160,000 buyers have made use of the grant since it was introduced in 2011.

Elsewhere, the budget confirmed that electric vehicles will be exempt from the so called Expensive Car Supplement, which can add up to £1600 in tax over five years on cars costing more than £40,000.

Read more: What Car

It’s Time to Go Green!

If you would like to know more about Solar Panels and the PowerBanx range of home battery systems, and get a free instant quote, please complete our online form: