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EV views and enquires surge as drivers rush to the pumps

It’s reported that the number of advert views for new and used electric models increased a record 28% and 61% respectively versus the previous weekend, but it saw an increase in the number of people sending enquiries to retailers, with one sent every two minutes.

This, it said, suggests that people have been encouraged to actively pursue a purchase. Accordingly, it expects retailers with electric stock to do particularly well this week.

Ian Plummer, commercial director, Auto Trader, said: “This weekend four out of five of the top performing new cars on Auto Trader were electric, with the Hyundai IONIQ 5 coming out top, followed by the Ford Mustang Mach-E. The launch of these ‘cool’ and aspirational models have been key to shifting the consumer perception of electric. This has been accelerated further by the significant increase in advertising among manufacturers, which is helping to drive awareness and dispel lingering myths.

Read more: MOTORTRADER

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Ubitricity Electric Avenue project lamppost charging (Image: Siemens)

UKPN records 42% increase in EV chargepoints

Nearly 2,700 Electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints have been added across London, the east and south east in the past twelve months, UK Power Networks (UKPN) has said.

As a result, there are now over 9,000 chargepoints in London, the east and south east, with a total of 40% of all chargepoints in Great Britain being connected to UKPN’s local grids. This is almost double the volume of any other network operator.

Additionally, UKPN is estimating there will be 4.5 million EVs in the areas it serves by 2030. As it stands, there are around 594,000 EVs in the UK, with an estimated 154,000 in the areas served by UK Power Networks.

Ubitricity Electric Avenue project lamppost charging (Image: Siemens)
Ubitricity Electric Avenue project lamppost charging (Image: Siemens)

However, Shira Lappin, innovation project lead at UK Power Networks, said there’s still “a lot of work to do ” to meet the growing demand for EVs and chargepoints, and that it is important UKPN works with local and central government, chargepoint operators, customers and other stakeholders to ensure a seamless transition.

The company pointed to how a single 50kW rapid charger uses the same amount of power as a block of 25 flats, meaning that the more EVs sold, and the more chargers installed, the greater the need to create smart solutions on the electricity network.

Read more: CURRENT

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Charging with an Ohme smart charging cable

Milton Keynes secures £1.1m grant for residential EV charging rollout

Milton Keynes Council has secured the largest grant offered to date from the Office for Zero Emissions (OZEV).

The council worked with Connected Kerb and Ringway on the proposal, with 250 chargepoints now to be installed on residential roads in older areas of Milton Keynes where there are fewer off-street parking options but where electric vehicle ownership is on the rise.

Currently, around 40% of homes in Milton Keynes don’t have access to off-street charging facilities.

Charging with an Ohme smart charging cable
Charging with an Ohme smart charging cable

“Encouraging drivers to make the switch to electric is a vital part of our carbon neutral future,” said cabinet member for Climate Action and Sustainability, Jenny Wilson-Marklew.

“It needs to be made as easy as possible and we look forward to working with all of our partners to begin this ground-breaking project.”

Read more: CURRENT

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POD Point Rollout at Tesco Stores (Image: Tesco/POD Point)

UK electric car inquiries soar during fuel supply crisis

Sellers of plug-in vehicles say petrol shortages are driving people to adopt the new technology

As petrol stations in parts of the UK started running out of fuel on Friday, business at Martin Miller’s electric car dealership in Guildford, Surrey, started soaring.

After what ended up being his company EV Experts busiest day ever, interest does not appear to be dying down. This week the diary is booked up with test drives and the business is low on stock.

“People buy electric cars for environmental reasons, for cost-saving reasons and because the technology’s great,” he said. “But Friday was one of those moments where people said, ‘Do you know what, this is a sign that we need to go electric’.”

While scenes of chaos play out at petrol stations across the country amid shortages, for many electric vehicle (EV) dealers the fuel crisis has led to an unexpected surge in inquiries and sales.

EVA England, a non-profit representing new and prospective EV drivers, reports a rise in electric car inquiries and in interest at EV dealers, particularly in the last week.

POD Point Rollout at Tesco Stores (Image: Tesco/POD Point)
POD Point Rollout at Tesco Stores (Image: Tesco/POD Point)

“Saturday was bonkers but Friday even surpassed that, it was very strange,” said Miller, who founded his company four years ago. “I’ve now got trade-in cars with no petrol to move them.”

Along with existing factors such as the expansion of London’s ultra-low emission zone, the fuel crisis has proved to be another trigger point, he said. “People were using it as ‘this is the moment where I’m not going to put this off any longer’.”

The EV market is no longer the preserve of innovators and early adopters, he said, with the most popular models the Nissan Leaf, Volkswagen ID 3 and Jaguar I-Pace.

Ben Strzalko, the owner of Electric Cars UK in Leyland, Lancashire, said that as a small business it would take a few months to feel the knock-on effect of the fuel crisis on sales.

But every time there are problems with petrol or diesel, he said they acted as “one more tick for people making that transition to electric cars”.

Read more: The Guardian

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MG 5 EV (Image: mg.co.uk)

New long-range MG 5 EV on sale now from £26,495

The MG 5 EV can now be specified with a larger 61.1kWh battery pack, which boosts the estate’s maximum range to 250 miles

MG has launched a new, long-range version of the MG 5 EV. It’s available to order now, with prices starting from £26,495 including the government’s £2,500 plug-in car grant.

It’s powered by a 61.1kWh battery pack (up from the 52.5kWh cell in the standard car), which increases the estate’s range from 214 to 250 miles. However, MG says that range figure will increase to 334 miles if the car is only driven around town.

The new battery pack also offers support for 100kW DC rapid charging, which can top the cells up to 80 percent capacity in 40 minutes. When connected to a home wallbox charger, the battery can be fully recharged in around eight and a half hours.

The larger battery feeds an electric motor mounted on the front axle, which develops 154bhp and 260Nm of torque. The company says that’s enough grunt for a 0–60mph time of 7.3 seconds and a top speed of 115mph.

Like the standard MG 5 EV, this long-range model focuses on practicality. The boot can swallow up to 578 litres of luggage with the rear seats in place – and this figure expands to 1,456 litres with the bench seat folded flat.

Buyers have their choice of two specifications, called Excite and Exclusive. The base-model comes as standard with 16-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, electrically adjustable door mirrors and safety kit such as lane assist and autonomous emergency braking.

The MG 5 EV’s safety equipment is bundled into the standard-fit MG Pilot package, which also includes items like adaptive cruise control and traffic jam assist, meaning the electric estate can automatically keep pace with stop-start traffic.

Read more: AutoEXPRESS

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Citroen Ami (Source: uk-mediacitroen.com)

OPINION: Is the Citroen Ami a step backwards for electric cars?

Citroen has announced the ultra-compact Ami will be making its way to British shores, and despite its clown-car proportions, we should take its arrival seriously

It’s very easy to think of the Citroen Ami as yet another comedy electric car – on the same plane as the infamous G-Wiz or the (doorless as standard) Renault Twizy. Hell, with a range of 46 miles and 8bhp on tap, combined with plastic bodywork and a squared-off designed that makes the Ami resemble a heavily compacted Portaloo, you’d be forgiven for questioning why 12,000 people in the UK – actively, in sound mind and body – registered their interest for what looks like an electrified pet carrier. I’m fairly sure if I parked one outside my house on bin day, it would be mistakenly recycled by the council.

Electric cars in 2021 are capable of some stupendous feats, from the Lucid Air’s 500 miles on a charge to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 – an ordinary electric family car – recharging at the same speed as the circa-£100,000 Porsche Taycan. We’ve come a very long way since the G-Wiz arrived in 2001, so is the Citroen Ami actually a huge step backwards? Another round of ammunition for sceptics looking to hold back the serious and rapid adoption of electric cars ahead of the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel models?

Perhaps not: in fact, there’s a very strong case to be made for this bizarre micro-EV. Not in terms of driving pleasure, comfort, practicality or even usability – as our full review of the Ami establishes.

Citroen Ami (Source: uk-mediacitroen.com)
Citroen Ami (Source: uk-mediacitroen.com)

But instead, as Eurig Druce, Citroen UK’s managing director and one of the people who pushed for the electric quadricycle to be sold in the UK, has said: “I would love to see collections of Amis on street corners, where it could become the norm not to get an Uber, but to get an Ami.”

It’s when you consider the Ami like this – as an alternative to the ranks of bikes and e-scooters you can now rent for a short time in cities like London, rather than as rival to ‘proper’ cars – that you begin to understand why people are so enthralled by the French brand’s little bundle of joy. And this isn’t just a theoretical notion: you can currently rent an Ami from as little as 26 cents (22 pence) per minute on Citroen’s ‘Free2Move’ initiative, which is up and running in France.

I’d certainly rather arrive at the office or to meet up with friends relatively fresh after a drive in an Ami, rather than sweating and panting like a St Bernard after a stressful stint on a Boris Bike. And for all my criticism of its proportions and design, I can’t argue that climbing out of an Ami makes you look as suave as 007 in comparison to making an entrance on an e-scooter.

Read more: <

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a href=”http://drivingelectric.com/electric/40866/opinion-is-the-citroen-ami-a-step-backwards-for-electric-cars” target=”_blank”>driving electric

Honda E 2021 (Image: honda.co.uk)

5 TECH HIGHLIGHTS OF THE HONDA E

Honda is a brand that’s always been at the cutting edge of technology. From being an early pioneer of hybrid to then being one of the first marques to explore hydrogen cars, it’s never been frightened to try and do things a bit differently.

Though in recent years its models might have taken a plainer approach, the brand is now back with a bang, as models like the Honda e show. While it could have played things safely with its first electric car to compete with more ordinary rivals like the Renault Zoe, Honda has instead been bold and different – packing its city EV with all the latest technology.

Here are five tech highlights of the Honda e.

It doesn’t have door mirrors
A key part of the Honda e is its minimalist exterior design – you’ll notice it looks similar at both the front and rear – and an element of that are its lack of door mirrors.

That’s right, there are no mirrors as such, but instead cameras that relay live images onto screens in the interior. It’s a really high-end touch and one that hasn’t been seen on a model of this size before. The rear-view mirror can also be changed into a digital screen to improve visibility too.

Honda E 2021 (Image: honda.co.uk)
Honda E 2021 (Image: honda.co.uk)

Interior is made up of five touchscreens
One look at the Honda e’s interior and you’ll quickly realise just how bold and different this EV is. That’s because there are an impressive five screens laid out across the full width of the dashboard.

These include two screens for the door ‘mirrors’, along with the main touchscreen and digital dials, while even the passenger gets their own screen. Both of these can be operated simultaneously, giving the Honda e a true connected experience.

Brimmed with safety equipment
Typically small cars make sacrifices when it comes to standard safety equipment, yet – despite measuring less than four metres long – Honda has managed to pack a range of driver assistance technology into the e.

Just a few features available include adaptive cruise control that can bring the car to a complete stop in heavy traffic, along with an intelligent speed limiter that can adapt your speed as the limit changes, along with blind spot information and a system that helps you avoid leaving the road.

Read more: Car Keys

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How wireless charging can take the hassle out of EV fleets

Sprint Power is currently developing a series of wireless charging models for a government-backed trial in Nottingham, with this to demonstrate the suitability of wireless charging for a fleet of electric taxis.

Specifically, Sprint Power is developing an electrical distribution system, a power distribution module and a high voltage harness assembly that will enable the taxis to charge wirelessly via pads attached to the ground.

Ben Russell, commercial director at Sprint Power, explained to Current± that the trial is focused on fleet vehicles such as taxis that have a low dwell time, with wireless charging able to help further the electrification of these vehicles.

For taxis, charging can be an issue particularly at taxi ranks. Russell gave the example of a taxi pulling into a taxi rank, plugging in to a charger and then as it moves up the rank, unplug and plug into the next one.

“It’s just not going to be something you’re going to see drivers warming to,” he said. “It’s an extra headache that they don’t want to have to deal with.”

There’s therefore a need to cater for the needs of these types of fleet drivers who need to charge wherever and whenever they can. While many fleets have the opportunity to charge overnight, those such as taxis don’t necessarily have that eight hour window overnight, particularly as some taxi drivers will share their vehicle with other drivers.

Read more: CURRENT

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Skoda Citigo-e iV (Image: Skoda)

GPs in Falmouth Cornwall among first for electric vehicles day-to-day

A network of GP practices in Cornwall and the South West is one of the first in the country to introduce a fleet of electric vehicles into its day-to-day operations.

Falmouth and Penryn Primary Care Network (PCN) has become the first group of GP practices in the South West to introduce a fleet of electric vehicles into its day-to-day operations, thanks to support from Lex Autolease, the UK’s largest fleet management provider.

The PCN which consists of Penryn Surgery, Trescobeas Surgery, Westover Surgery and Falmouth Health Centre has invested in four Skoda Citygo-E vehicles which will be operated by GPs and healthcare professionals during routine home appointment visits and prescription deliveries.

Cornwall-based Penryn Surgery will control and manage the use of the fleet of vehicles across the PCN which together supports over 48,000 patients across the region.

Skoda Citigo-e iV (Image: Skoda)
Skoda Citigo-e iV (Image: Skoda)

The switch to electric vehicles replaces the PCN’s business mileage scheme, which saw practitioners operating private, heavy-diesel vehicles for business use before being reimbursed for their travel.

The 100 per cent reduction in CO2 vehicle emissions forms part of the surgery’s long-term drive to lower its overall carbon footprint.

Ryan Ohly, Managing Partner at Penryn Surgery, said: “This is a huge step forward for the surgeries across the PCN and our commitment to operating more sustainably.

“GPs and healthcare practitioners make relatively short journeys of up to 30miles a day to visit our patients, so it appeared a no brainer to explore switching to low-emission vehicles to streamline our operations and help to reduce our carbon footprint.

Read more: Falmouth Packet

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Fiat 500 2021 (Imgae: fiat.co.uk)

The best new electric cars for every budget

As the car industry charges towards an electric future, we look at some of the best new electric cars for every budget on sale right now

Electric cars are becoming more and more popular on UK roads, as car brands continue their efforts to swap fossil-fuels for zero-emission, battery-powered alternatives.

Electric vehicles made up more than 10% of all new car registrations last month, and that market share is growing almost every month. By the end of this year, EVs could be outselling diesel cars.

We’ve analysed all the electric cars available at key price points in the new car market, and consulted our industry-leading Expert Rating index to see which models have the highest review scores from across the UK motoring media.

With comprehensive review data backing our recommendations, you can be confident that this is the definitive guide to the best new electric cars for every budget that are on sale in the UK right now.

Best EV under £25,000: Fiat 500 Electric
The electric car is becoming more affordable year on year, but unfortunately there aren’t too many brand new EVs that you can pick up for less than £25,000. However, if this is how far your budget can stretch, Fiat has you covered.

The all-new Fiat 500 Electric (also known as the 500e), which is set to eventually replace the long-serving and popular petrol Fiat 500, launched in the UK in Spring 2021, available in both hatchback and cabriolet versions. The 500e is a bit bigger than its petrol-powered predecessor, and has been praised for its driving dynamics and interior quality – both of which are significant improvements.

Fiat 500 2021 (Imgae: fiat.co.uk)
Fiat 500 2021 (Imgae: fiat.co.uk)

As of September 2021, the Fiat 500 Electric has an Expert Rating of 70%, based on 21 different media reviews. With a starting price of £23,495 (including the government’s £2,500 plug-in car grant), the 500 Electric certainly gives you a lot of car for your coin. What Car? seems to agree, as it awarded the Fiat 500 Electric ‘Best Small Electric Car’ at its EV Awards in 2021.

Honourable mentions go to the ageing-but-still-excellent SEAT Mii Electric and Volkswagen e-Up twins, which may have been around for the best part of a decade but are still fine city cars.

Best EV under £35,000: Skoda Enyaq
Throughout 2021, a battle has been brewing between EV manufacturers to conquer the all-electric family car market. The £35,000 threshold is important here, because that’s the new cut-off for the government’s £2,500 plug-in car grant. As such, manufacturers are working hard to position cars to fit into this category.

From a value-for-money perspective, the Skoda Enyaq eclipses the competition. It’s a very roomy five-seater with plenty of boot space that offers a very easy driving experience, and excellent battery range, and a surprising amount of tech features, all for a starting price of about £32,000.

Despite receiving some criticism for its light steering and average looks, the Skoda Enyaq has an Expert Rating of 84% from 20 reviews, which makes it quite comfortably the best mainstream electric SUV in our Expert Rating index. This rating is a huge 12% higher than that of the Volkswagen ID.4, which the Enyaq is based on.

If you’d prefer something a little smaller, the Kia e-Niro also has an Expert Rating of 84% and tops the charts for small electric SUVs at this price point.

Under £50,000: Tesla Model 3
Tesla has been a catalyst for electric motoring and has quickly become one of the most admired brands for UK car buyers, praised for its innovative tech and luxurious driving experience.

A true reflection of this sentiment, the entry-level Tesla Model 3 reached the UK in Spring 2019 and has been a sales sensation ever since. With a starting price of just under £41,000, it falls comfortably into this price category. A few premium all-electric competitors have recently emerged to challenge the Tesla, such as the talented Polestar 2, but none have yet managed to de-throne the Model 3.

As of September 2021, the Tesla Model 3 has an Expert Rating of 83% from 32 reviews, praised for its impressive performance, driving dynamics and minimalist style. It has, however, received some criticism surrounding its ergonomics, and concerns about how long it takes to charge the battery.

A new contender worth considering in this price category is the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which is just starting to arrive in UK showrooms now. Recognised for its retro-futuristic design, the Ioniq 5 has become a fan favourite among the media, and has already been awarded ‘Car of the Year’ at the Auto Express Awards.

Read more: The Car Expert

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