All posts by Jo

Why you should consider a used electric car

October 9, 2017Blog, Electric CarsJo

Whether you are looking for your first electric car or your next electric car, there are many reasons why opting for a used one might be the best option for you.

See: Used ZOE 22kWh available now from £206 PCM with £250 deposit.

I’ve had my ZOE for almost 2 years, it’s a 2015 model with a reasonable range of 75-80 miles (real world). I was recently considering upgrading to the latest model that offers 250 miles (NEDC) range, however the price on the latest model was much higher than my current model (due to the larger battery and increased range). With budget in mind I started to weigh up the want for more range against the need for more range and soon realised that actually a used electric car with a range I am currently used to will continue to suit me just fine.

So when thinking about your first or next electric car, consider the following:

How many miles do you actually need your electric car to cover each day? And does a used electric car cover this?
If not, do you have the opportunity to charge it easily during your day? At work or during a commute?
What spec and features does a used electric car have compared to a newer one? Sometimes features in older model may cost extra in newer versions, for example the reversing camera in the ZOE is extra in the new model but comes as standard in most of the older models. And sometimes the features don’t differ much at all.
You still get a minimum of 1 year warranty with a used electric car.
Some used cars still come with a free charge point.
Availability of the car is almost always immediate so you can be driving electric in no time at all.
Low and zero deposit options are available, or you can increase the deposit to really drive down any monthly finance costs.

And let’s not forget opting for a pre-owned used electric car is a greener approach to electric car ownership, recycle and re-use.

Younger U.K. Drivers Turning on to Electric Vehicles

October 4, 2017Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentJo

LONDON – Electric-vehicle manufacturers look as if they’ve cracked the youth market in the U.K., with 24- to 34-year-olds most likely to own one.

At the same time, research by the Automobile Assn. reveals people over 55 are the least likely to own an EV.

Results of the Populus polling firm’s survey of 16,508 AA members conducted in mid-July will come as welcome news to the U.K. government following its announcement it intends to eliminate sales of internal-combustion-engine-powered cars by 2040.

“This may confound the ‘boy racer’ image that older people may have of young drivers,” AA President Edmund King says of the survey results. “Although overall numbers are still low, it shows that young drivers are taking an interest in new-car technology despite the fact that three-quarters (76%) are concerned about the high purchase price of EVs – but even that compares with 84% of older drivers concerned about price.”

The study also shows that among those who don’t own an EV, barriers to ownership stubbornly remain: the perceived lack of charging stations, the cost of buying an electric car and durability of the battery.

Other concerns include the potential time it might take to offset low operating costs against purchase price and limited range.

“In reality, these concerns are evaporating much more quickly than perhaps most people realize,”

King says.

“It seems that young drivers certainly ‘get’ the concept of electric driving, and our research consistently showed that it is older drivers who are putting up concerns that simply don’t exist.

“In fact, a third of respondents overall say they have no understanding of EVs.”

To counter that lack of awareness, the AA Trust has launched Drive Electric, a series of free sessions designed to help drivers understand EVs and how to obtain the best economy from them. The first sessions are being run in conjunction with the new Electric Vehicle Experience Center in Milton Keynes – the first center of its type dedicated to electric and plug-in vehicles.

Renault Using Old EV Batteries To Power Electric Car Charging Stations

October 3, 2017Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, RenaultJo

The French automaker believes this will add flexibility to charging infrastructure.

Call it Recyclin’ Renault: The French automaker is now using old electric-car batteries to power charging stations in Europe. These so-called “second-life” batteries were integrated with energy-storage systems from British firm Connected Energy and installed at two charging sites on highways in Belgium and Germany.

Like its partner Nissan, Renault is a major proponent of electric cars. Its Zoe hatchback rivals the Nissan Leaf as the best-selling electric car in Europe – meaning a lot of used batteries. The battery packs in electric cars eventually lose too much storage capacity to be useful. But even after they’re too degraded for automotive use, these packs still have plenty of capacity left over.

By using them to power charging stations, Renault claims DC fast-charging stations can be installed in more locations, since they won’t require a dedicated high-power grid connection. Instead, the battery packs can be charged using the same electricity infrastructure as lower-power stations.

In the United States, Tesla has used solar energy to charge energy-storage battery packs, taking some charging stations completely off the grid. Nissan and Chevrolet have experimented with turning old battery packs into energy-storage units, and BMW has even discussed selling them to homeowners.

More broadly, energy storage is now being used to increase the effectiveness of renewable-energy sources like wind and solar. Energy is harvested when wind and sunlight are available, and stored for when they aren’t. Energy storage can also help balance the grid by evening out the flow of electricity through the system. California already has some large energy-storage sites, and Tesla is involved with a major project in Australia.

Large-scale energy-storage projects will require a lot of batteries, and if electric-car sales live up to the hype, automakers could end up with plenty on their hands.

Source: The Drive

Ford to unleash more than a dozen electrified vehicles by 2021

October 2, 2017Electric Cars, Ford, News, Reviews and CommentJo

More details have emerged regarding Ford’s €4.2 billion plans to release 13 new electrified vehicles globally by 2021.

One of the first of these models set to launch will be a plug-in version of the Escape SUV crossover planned for 2019, sources told Automotive News. The North America-only Escape is near-identical to the Ford Kuga, suggesting a hybrid version of this is in the works for Europe.

The source also revealed American market models including the Escape platform partner Lincoln Navigator, as well as the Ford Expedition large SUV and platform partner Lincoln Navigator will all also come in hybrid drive from 2019. These four new hybrids follow the first of the 13-strong new wave of electric vehicles (EVs), the Police Responder hybrid sedan, coming in 2018.

The first model Ford has officially announced for Europe will be a plug-in hybrid version of the best-selling Ford Transit. Launching in 2019, the Ford Transit Custom plug-in hybrid, which is taking part in emission trials in London this autumn, will be followed by Ford’s flagship new all-electric small SUV, which is targeted at models such as the Opel Ampera-e, Volkswagen I.D. Crozz, 2018 Nissan Leaf, Jaguar i-Pace and Tesla Model S, all targeting 300-mile (482km) ranges.

Although Ford has only officially announced seven of the 13 models, most have now been revealed through sources, as outlined in the list below:

2018 – Police Responder hybrid sedan (officially announced)
2019 – Ford Escape plug-in hybrid, Lincoln MKC plug-in hybrid, Ford Expedition hybrid, Lincoln Navigator hybrid, Transit Custom plug-in hybrid (latter officially announced for Europe)
2020 – Small all-electric SUV with 300-mile range, Ford Mustang hybrid, Ford F-150 pick-up hybrid (all officially announced)
2021 – autonomous hybrid vehicle, for commercial mobility services (officially announced)
A second hybrid police vehicle (officially announced)
Two more currently unknown.

Following new CEO Jim Hackett taking the helm in May, analysts believe Ford will be taking a much more aggressive approach to EVs going forwards, while being cautious to launch models before there is enough of a market to realise significant returns on investment.

New technologies could save petrol and diesel power

October 1, 2017Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and CommentJo

With the environmental credentials of traditional internal combustion engines and especially diesel much maligned following the Dieselgate scandal, vehicle manufacturers are increasingly switching to low and zero emission alternatives.

Petrol power emits higher CO2 levels, and so has led manufacturers towards diesel, which emits less and therefore helps them achieve a lower overall carbon footprint with their fleets. However, this has resulted in other consequences with higher levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which are now known can cause serious health issues and have been linked to further air pollution issues. Yet due to EU economy regulations, diesel helps carmakers meet strict guidelines, meaning their hands are tied when it comes to fuel technology. With these restrictions tightening further, manufacturers are now left with lots of diesel power, and nothing they can do with it.

Some manufacturers are trying to develop technology that will allow them to continue running petrol vehicles, with Mazda launching a new engine, the SkyActiv-X, which does away with spark plugs and works on the same principle as a diesel, using compression to produce the ignition of fuel and therefore making the engine more efficient and less polluting.

Now, vehicle technology and systems provider Delphi has developed a fuel saving technology using petrol, which would improve efficiency figures without the risk of further pollutants. The company believes that combining two emerging technologies can boost petrol efficiency, possibly by as much as 19%, bringing them in line with diesel, while preserving the low-end torque that diesel drivers are accustomed to.

Delphi’s proposal combines its 48-volt mild hybrid system with a new type of cylinder deactivation it calls Dynamic Skip Fire. Both systems are ready for production, Delphi says, though neither is likely to arrive before 2020. The 48-volt system and Dynamic Skip Fire can be used separately but complement each other by increasing engine efficiency at both low and high speeds.

New UK real-world diesel test to cut NOx emissions by 66%

September 30, 2017Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and Comment, Pollution, UncategorizedJo

A new real-world test for diesel vehicles will begin later this week to more accurately measure emissions of vehicles sold in Britain.

Starting from 1 September, tested cars will be driven on urban and rural roads as well as motorways, with measuring equipment placed on their exhaust system.

The evaluation, which replaces current lab-based tests, will last 90 minutes and focus on cars due to reach market in Britain in the coming months. From 1 September 2019, all existing cars on sale will also be retested with this new system.

Government estimates suggest the stricter tests, rolled out as part of European-wide reforms following the Volkswagen Dieselgate scandal, will help to cut nitrogen oxide emissions from new diesel vehicles by two-thirds.

The Government claims that this reduction will be possible because where some cars were shown to have performed better in the lab than in real life, now they will have to conform to emissions limits in public – something that will force manufacturers to produce even cleaner powertrains.

A diesel-testing programme last year found that several Euro 6 diesel cars were emitting around six times more nitrogen dioxide in the real world than in the lab.

Certain models, such as those caught up in Dieselgate, were engineered to perform better in lab conditions, therefore deliberately skewing their CO2 and NOx outputs in order to be categorised as lower-emitting vehicles. Others saw rises in emissions after 20 minutes – the duration of the lab test process.

Transport Minister Paul Maynard said the new testing structure came as part of broader ambitions to improve air quality in Britain. From 2020, councils will be given power to enforce tougher restrictions on the highest polluters of nitrogen oxide.

“We are taking strong action to clean up our air and these tough new emissions standards will reduce dangerous pollutants,” he said. “This will ensure all vehicles meet rigorous standards when driven on our roads – and we are going even further by tightening requirements again in 2020.”

Earlier this year, the UK Government revealed plans to ban the sale of pure combustion engine cars from 2040. Some critics, including Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer, believe the legislation will have little impact, because the market is naturally heading in this direction.

Source: MSN /Autocar

BMW i3 facelift launched with 181bhp i3s range-topper

September 29, 2017BMW, Electric Cars, i3, News, Reviews and CommentJo

BMW has unveiled the i3s – an updated version of its three- year-old electric-powered hatchback featuring a more sporting appearance, added reserves and an upgraded wheel and tyre package.

It heads a new four-model strong facelifted i3 line-up that’s on display at the Frankfurt motor show. Sales have kicked off now, with prices for the range starting at £34,070. The i3s starts at £36,975.

Central among the changes brought to the new i3s is a more powerful synchronous electric motor. With 181bhp and 199lb ft of torque, the rear mounted unit is tuned to deliver a subtle 13bhp and 15lb ft more than the in-housed produced motor used by the standard version of the facelifted i3, which continues to produce 168bhp and 184lb ft.

Both new i3 models deliver drive to the rear-wheels via the same a fixed ratio gearbox. But while the standard i3 runs restyled 19-inch wheels shod with the same 155/70 profile low rolling resistance as the original model launched in 2014, the new i3s comes with larger 20-inch alloys and wider 195/50 profile rubber.

With the larger wheels and greater levels of standard equipment, the i3s tips the scales 20kg above its standard sibling at 1265kg. However, its added power and torque sees it post a faster 0-62mph time at 6.9sec versus the claimed 7.2sec for the standard i3. The new range topping i3 model also reaches a higher limited top speed of 100mph against the 93mph of its less powerful sibling.

In a bid to improve its agility, BMW has provided the i3s with a 40mm wider rear track. It is combined with a sport suspension featuring a 10mm lower ride height than the standard i3, together with uniquely tuned springs, dampers and anti-roll bars. Further changes are concentrated at the dynamic stability control system, which receives new software that is claimed to provide it with faster and improved response to a loss in traction.

New study finds that climate change costs will hit Trump country hardest

September 28, 2017Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and CommentJo

In the USA, the southeastern states are most vulnerable to the costly impacts from human-caused climate change

Humans are causing Earth’s climate to change. We know that. We’ve known it for decades. Okay so what? The follow-up questions should be directed to what the effects of warming will be. What will the costs be to society, to the natural biosystem, and to human lives? Let’s be honest, if the consequences of warming are not large, then who cares? But, if the consequences are severe, then we should take action now to reduce the warming. This really comes down to costs and benefits. Are the benefits of reducing emissions greater or less than the costs?

But there is a nuance to the answer. The costs are not uniformly distributed. Some regions will suffer more and other regions will suffer less. In fact, some regions will actually benefit in a warming climate. We understand that the world is interconnected and costs will inevitably be shared to some extent. But it is clear we won’t all suffer the same.

It is also clear that the natural biosystems won’t suffer the same. Some areas are more susceptible to climate change, others less so. Coastal areas and tropical areas are great examples. We know that sea level rise and ocean acidification will impact coastal regions much more than where I live (Minnesota, USA). But tropical zones that experience a very small climate variation throughout the year (there is no winter, for instance, in the tropics) have biosystems that have evolved to survive in very tight climate ranges. The plants and animals just are not used to systematic changes to the climate.

In my opinion, the most interesting research deals with answering just these questions.

Fortunately, a really important paper just came out in Science titled Estimating Economic Damage from Climate Change in the United States. Granted, this paper focused on the United States, but the analysis method and lessons can be applied elsewhere.

The eco guide to Electric Vehicle hype

September 25, 2017Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentJo

Don’t get spooked by the pro-fossil fuel lobby: when we abandon petrol and diesel, our whole world is going to change.

e-Car Club Nissan Leafs in Northampton (Image: T. Larkum)

When it comes to cars, I had a bit of luck this summer. No, I wasn’t loaned the new Tesla Model 3. My street underwent a pavement improvement scheme. All the parking bays were suspended and minicabs no longer idled their engines during the night. I found myself living in an accidental Low Emissions Zone. It was wonderful.

Yet despite research telling us that even very low levels of air pollution can shorten our lives, there are plans for just six Clean Air Zones across the UK by 2019. Instead, our dreams of breathable air lie with the Electric Vehicle (EV) revolution. It’s coming to save us in, um, 23 years (new petrol and diesel cars will be banned in 2040).

Can EVs really save the day? When it comes to decarbonising, yes. Growth in electric vehicles alone could save 2m barrels of oil per day by 2025. Impressive. But there are concerns over limitations of battery technology and the rare earth minerals needed to produce them.

Those who tried to save the planet last time around by buying a diesel car and have been left with a particulate-spewing monster are obviously feeling tender. At the extreme end of EV bashing is Dirty Secrets of Electric Cars, a video from a pro-fossil fuel advocacy group connected to the global-warming-denying Koch brothers. The best I can say is that it lacks imagination.

And you need imagination when buying into the promise of electric power. This is not just swapping cars, it’s about a whole new decarbonised power structure, one that takes periodic giant leaps forwards, in battery technology, in grid and storage innovation.

Ton up for Go Ultra Low Company scheme

September 24, 2017Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentJo

The number of Go Ultra Low Companies has reached the century mark, as the number of the UK’s leading organisations and companies that have committed to ultra low emission (ULEV) fleets reaches 100.

One of the main criteria of GUL Company status is a declaration that at least 5% of an organisation’s fleet must be made up of electric vehicles by 2020.

New companies to sign up include OVO Energy, Santander, and Gatwick Airport, whilst organisations are also able to get involved in a project that is proving popular in the public and higher education sectors.

Swansea University and Oxford City Council have both been granted GUL Company status, all joining the likes of the London Fire Brigade, Britvic, Microsoft, Cambridge University, POD Point, and Chargemaster.

A number of those organisations listed have committed to making more than 5% of their fleet electric by 2020, with Santander wanting EVs to make up 10% of its fleet by that date – it currently runs 57 electric vehicles out of a 1,400-strong fleet. Oxford City Council has said that 7% of its fleet will be electric by the end of the decade.

Claire Perry MP, Minister of State for Climate Change and Industry, said:

“The UK is the third best country in the world at tackling climate change and we’re investing in innovative clean technologies to support the move to a low-carbon economy through our ambitious Industrial Strategy.

“This Government backs companies that make the switch to low emission vehicles through grants and incentives – it’s good for business, good for the air we all breathe and good for reducing the amount of greenhouse gas we produce.”