All posts by Repost

Electric car owners can be paid to charge their vehicles

January 14, 2020Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, OhmeRepost

The extreme wind over the weekend (December 14) meant that individuals were paid to charge their electric vehicles in order to relieve pressure on the electric grid.

The weather conditions meant that the UK’s wind farms generated a record 16GW, this was 45% of the UK’s total electricity supply.

At times, this was more electricity supply than the grid needed.

Drivers who have an Ohme charger and are signed up to the supplier Octopus Energy’s time-of-use tariff were actually paid to charge their vehicles in order to relieve the electric grid.

The Ohme app alerted customers of the opportunity in advance in order to encourage them to charge their vehicles.

Customers who benefited received 5.6p for every kilowatt-hour of electricity used, which equates to 1.8p per mile.

Using an electric car currently costs 8p less per mile than most petrol or diesel cars, this generates savings of up to 75%.

If individuals can continue to be paid to charge their car in the future then the economic benefits of driving an electric car will become even greater.

CEO of Ohme, David Watson said: ‘This is a landmark moment. For the first time, drivers using our smart technology on Octopus Energy’s Agile tariff have been paid to charge their vehicles – something that will happen with increasing regularity as the UK becomes more dependent on wind power.

‘The windy weather has clearly demonstrated the value of our smart chargers as we not only help electric vehicle drivers get cash for filling up with 100% renewable energy but also ease pressure on the electricity system.’

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Nissan Leaf named ‘Best Used Electric Car’ in Driving Electric Awards

January 13, 2020Electric Cars, Leaf, News, Reviews and Comment, NissanRepost

The Nissan Leaf has been named the ‘Best Used Electric Car’ in the Driving Electric 2020 Awards which celebrate the best hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric cars on sale.

Since Nissan launched the first-generation Leaf in 2010, creating the first mass-market electric vehicle, EV technology has continually improved, with the latest models both affordable and practical for the vast majority of car buyers.

The second-generation Leaf, launched in 2018, is the icon of Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility strategy; featuring driving assistance technologies such as ProPILOT and ProPILOT Park, and the unique e-Pedal which allows drivers to start, accelerate and decelerate to a complete stop simply through the operation of one pedal.

Customers also benefit from Nissan’s new NissanConnect infotainment system, with larger 8” touchscreen and Apple CarPlay and AndroidAuto. An upgraded navigation system features TomTom LIVE premium traffic and route optimisation, as well as the inbuilt Online Map Update facility and Chargers Location functionality.

“As you might expect from the world’s best-selling electric car, there’s no shortage of examples on the used market” said Vicky Parrott, associate editor, DrivingElectric. “They represent superb value for money, and buyers will enjoy a spacious and comfortable car that’s easy to live with. It’s the perfect affordable entry into the world of electric cars.”

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2020 set to be year of the electric car, say industry analysts

January 12, 2020Cooper Electric, Corsa-e, Electric Cars, MINI, News, Reviews and Comment, Sales, VauxhallRepost

Mini, Vauxhall Corsa and Fiat 5oo will join rapidly expanding European EV market

Europe’s carmakers are gearing up to make 2020 the year of the electric car, according to automotive analysts, with a wave of new models launching as the world’s biggest manufacturers scramble to lower the carbon dioxide emissions of their products.

Previous electric models have mostly been targeted at niche markets, but 2020 will see the launch of flagship electric models with familiar names, such as the Mini, the Vauxhall Corsa and the Fiat 500.

The number of electric vehicle (EV) models available to European buyers will jump from fewer than 100 to 175 by the end of 2020, according to data firm IHS Markit. By 2025 there will be more than 330, based on an analysis of company announcements.

The new supply will cater to a rapidly expanding market as demand for petrol-powered vehicles gradually recedes. UK EV sales will rise from 3.4% of all vehicles sold in 2019 to 5.5% in 2020 – or from 80,000 this year to 131,000 in 2020 – according to forecasts from Bloomberg New Energy Finance. By 2026 electric vehicle sales will account for a fifth of sales in the UK, the forecasts show. Similar predictions from LMC Automotive suggest 540,000 electric cars will be sold across the EU in 2020, up from 319,000 over the course of 2019.

New European Union rules come into force on 1 January that will heavily penalise carmakers if average carbon dioxide emissions from the cars they sell rise above 95g per kilometre. If carmakers exceed that limit, they will have to pay a fine of €95 (£79) for every gram over the target, multiplied by the total number of cars they sell.

The excess emissions bill would have been £28.6bn on 2018 sales figures, according to analysis by the automotive consultancy Jato Dynamics, illustrating the extent of the change required by carmakers over a short period of time. Jato analyst Felipe Muñoz said there will still be large fines, as companies keep selling profitable internal combustion engine cars and struggle to bring down EV prices to parity with their fossil-fuel peers.

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Electric car charging points pilot in Oxford: The results

January 11, 2020Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

A ‘GLOBALLY significant’ project installing electric car charging points in lampposts, bollards and homes across Oxford has published its first key findings.

The Go Ultra Low Oxford scheme saw 46 charge points installed at 28 residential sites and the use of 10 electric cars from Oxford’s Co-Wheels car club.

As well as 29 lampposts in 11 streets, three types of bollard chargers were included at four sites, five households were provided with a home charger, and the car club deployed ten electric vehicles across Oxford, each with an allocated parking bay close to a charger.

A total of 18 residents took part in the pilot from July 2017 to June 2019.

It is thought to be the first on-street charging pilot of its size in the world.

…

Key findings from the report include:

• Charging habits varied widely between users, with some regularly charging overnight, and others plugging in during the day or more often on weekends. These factors varied according to how people used their cars.

• Participants’ charging practices changed over time, as they became familiar with the equipment.

• However, when asked whether they had a preference for any of the charger types, two-thirds of respondents chose the technology that they had been allocated – expressing a preference for that above the other four that were trialled.

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Nissan Leaf supply increases as price drops by £1,650

January 10, 2020Electric Cars, Leaf, News, Reviews and Comment, NissanRepost

Nissan has reduced the price of the Leaf by £1,650 across all grades and secured additional supply for 2020.

The announcement follows a previous price hike of £1,800 earlier in the year.

With improved supply of the fully-electric model, Nissan expects to cut lead times for retail buyers.

The starting price of a Leaf 40kWh is now £26,345 for an Acenta version (including the £3,500 Plug-in Car Grant), whilst range-topping Tekna models are available from £29,345.

Nic Verneuil, marketing director of Nissan GB, said: “Nissan is always improving the competitiveness of its vehicles, ensuring customers enjoy a better buying and ownership experience.

“We’ve not only secured additional factory production to make Leaf more accessible, but as a result we’ve also been able to significantly lower the price tag of the car in market, making it more affordable. If customers are ready to make the switch, they shouldn’t have to wait to get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle.”

All new Leaf models now feature two rear USB connections fitted to the reverse panel of the centre console. On Tekna versions (and optional on N-Connecta versions) the LED fog lights have also been upgraded to include a cornering function.

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Arguments Against Electric Vehicles Are Running On Empty

January 9, 2020Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

When a few months ago ExxonMobil’s chief executive questioned the value of electric vehicles that are powered mostly by coal, he came up empty.

His argument: if such automobiles are juiced by electricity generated by coal, then the net value to the environment is zero and the whole movement is thus a way to make environmentalists feel good. Exxon, of course, is not a disinterested party. But folks who buy into Woods’ outdated line are missing key points. Coal-fired electricity is waning, and now provides just a quarter of the power mix, down from 50% a decade ago. Meanwhile, improvements in battery technology are making EVs ever more efficient and clean.

Ryan Cornell of Harvard University says that a traditional car using the internal combustion engine (ICE) will emit about 69 metric tons of CO2 over a lifetime, or 150,000 miles. But an electric vehicle (EV) powered 100% by coal will emit 66 metric tons of CO2 over the same time period, he figures. Given that nearly every grid in America hosts a number of fuel sources, that’s a conservative figure.

“The lifecycle EV carbon emissions for a vehicle powered by the 2016 US grid is 30.82 metric tons, while the emissions for an EV powered by 100 percent renewable energy is 6.3 metric tons,” writes Cornell. “An average internal combustion engine vehicle (25.4 miles per gallon) is responsible for 68.38 metric tons of carbon dioxide over its lifetime, while an ICE vehicle with a utopian efficiency of 80 miles per gallon accounts for 25.5 metric tons of carbon dioxide.”

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Electric vehicle drivers paid to charge their cars using wind power

January 8, 2020Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, OctopusRepost

Drivers of electric vehicles will increasingly be able, not only to charge their cars for free, but will be paid for doing so because of the UK’s increasing reliance on wind power, according to Ohme, a pioneering electric vehicle charging manufacturer.

Windy weather conditions meant that the UK’s windfarms generated a record 16GW or 45% of the UK’s electricity on Sunday 8th December, at times this was more renewable electricity than the electricity grid needed.

This meant that for the first time, drivers who have an Ohme charger and are signed up to supplier Octopus Energy’s Agile time-of-use tariff were actually paid to charge their vehicles. Ohme’s app alerted their customers to the opportunity in advance to encourage them to plug in. This also helped to balance the load on the electricity system.

This news comes on top of Ohme’s proven ability, when combined with a time-of-use energy tariff, to deliver savings of up to 75% of fuel costs to EV drivers versus a petrol or diesel vehicle. In comparison to charging with a standard variable tariff, Ohme can save drivers £250 – £400 per annum.

Consumers who benefitted from the surge in wind power were informed that they would receive up to 5.6p for every kilowatt-hour of electricity used which equates to 1.8p per mile. A Nissan Leaf driver charging the battery from empty to achieve its maximum range of 168 miles would have been paid up to £3.02. The owner of a Jaguar i-Pace would have received £5.25 to charge their battery to max.

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Tesla’s Musk says solar, energy storage will grow faster than electric cars, and there’s some truth to it

January 7, 2020Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, Energy Storage, Model 3, News, Reviews and Comment, Solar Power, TeslaRepost

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently said the company’s solar and energy storage business will grow faster than its electric vehicle business.
With Tesla making progress on Model 3 production efficiency, Musk said on the most recent earnings call there will be more focus on solar and the broader Tesla Energy business, which includes aligning intermittent solar power with battery storage.
Tesla and Musk have faced criticism, and a shareholder lawsuit, over the solar business, the controversial acquisition of SolarCity, and issues at the company’s solar panel plant in Buffalo, New York.

A Model 3 ramp-up that resulted in a quarterly profit was a sign that Tesla’s automobile business finally may be financially stable. If so, it is a good time for Tesla to turn its attention to the energy business — encompassing solar and energy storage — that has for long taken a backseat to getting the electric vehicle assembly line in order.

Elon Musk has been broadcasting this message since Tesla reported a surprise profit in the third quarter. On the call with Wall Street analysts after the earnings in November, the Tesla CEO said, “For almost two years we had to divert a tremendous amount of resources.”

Now Musk claims Tesla is poised for “the really crazy growth for as far into the future as I can imagine. … It would be difficult to overstate the degree to which Tesla Energy is going to be a major part of Tesla’s activity in the future,” he said.

Never one to shy away from bold claims or ambitions, Musk said Tesla Energy could grow to roughly the same size as Tesla’s automotive business, and solar would grow, on a percentage basis, the fastest of any, with storage second.

“I think both over time will grow faster than automotive,” Musk said. “They’re starting from a smaller base.” He added, “I think, especially, if you look at sort of — if you look at, like, year-over-year growth, it will be absolutely incredible … over the course of, say, a year, gigantic increase.”

In a recent internal email to Tesla employees, Musk outlined two critical year-end priorities: delivering all cars to their customers and boosting the rate of solar deployments by a significant degree.

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8 lessons about EV battery health from 6,300 electric cars

January 6, 2020Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

A persistent concern among some EV drivers is the long-term health of the battery.

All batteries lose some storage capacity over time. But how might that degradation affect your driving range a few years down the line? To help answer that question, we can now look to Geotab, a leading telematics-fleet-management company with access to a lot of EVs. Lo and behold, the losses are minor.

…

Here’s a quick rundown of what the data revealed:

If current degradation rates are maintained, the vast majority of batteries will outlast the usable life of the vehicle.
The average decline in energy storage is 2.3% per year. For a 150-mile EV, you’re likely to lose 17 miles of accessible range after five years.
EV batteries decline in a non-linear fashion. There’s an early drop, but the rate of decline slows down in subsequent years.
Liquid-cooled batteries decline slower than air-cooled packs. Geotab saw that a 2015 Tesla Model S with liquid cooling had an average annual degradation rate of 2.3%, compared to an air-cooled 2015 Nissan Leaf’s rate of 4.2%.

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3 Reasons Why Even Skeptics are Turning Bullish on Tesla (TSLA)

December 22, 2019Cybertruck, Electric Cars, Model 3, Model S, Model X, News, Reviews and Comment, TeslaRepost

Skeptics of Tesla have turned bullish on the electric car manufacturer.
Tesla has matured in 2019, operating more like a traditional automotive company.
It’s already too far ahead of the pack in the electric car market, no other company comes close.

The market cap of Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has surpassed the $60 billion mark, supported by the rising popularity of the newly released Cybertruck. The firm’s turnaround has even led skeptics to turn bullish.

Up until October, Tesla was criticized for being a little bit too different from traditional automakers in the way the company handles conferences, earnings and other crucial aspects of the business.

As the company evolved, and so did its market cap, high profile investors like Jim Cramer and Pierre Feragu started to believe that Tesla is now far ahead of the automotive industry. Three reasons support that claim.

1. Highly innovative

Tesla has stood out from its competitors since its inception. The public’s reception of its newest products like the Cybertruck have changed the mind of investors who previously thought such products would only appeal to a niche market.

Jim Cramer, host of CNBC’s Mad Money, said that he was blown away by the demand for the Cybertruck. With an improving balance sheet, beloved CEO in Elon Musk, and an active following, Cramer said that Tesla has all signs of a great company:

Even better, on that last conference call, he revealed his true rigor without the sardonic quips. Musk, it turns out, is a great CEO when he can get out of his own way, and that seems to be what he’s doing. Cult product? Check. Sound balance sheet? Check. Charismatic Leader? Check. If you’re going to invest in a battleground stock, Tesla’s got all the ingredients of a winner.

So far, 250,000 orders for the Cybertruck have been made. That’s equivalent to $25 million in revenue once the cars ship.

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