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‘No notice’ to be given on future plug-in grant cuts

June 4, 2021Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesRepost

The Government is warning that it is “unlikely” it will be able to give advance notice of any future cuts to the plug-in car and van grant.

A reduction in the grant for the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs) was announced without any notice in March.

The electric car grant was reduced from £3,000 to £2,500 and excluded models that cost more than £35,000 with immediate effect.

The fleet and leasing industry was critical of not having been given prior notice of the reduction, with some customers missing out because they were part way through the order process.

However, representatives from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), part of the Department for Transport (DfT) which administers the grant, confirmed they are “unlikely to be able to provide additional notice” given the need to manage the grant budget “on behalf of taxpayers and future grant applicants”.

Attending a meeting organised by the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) to provide retailers with clarity around the grant following recent cuts, OZEV said that going forward, the Government intends to “gradually deliver a managed exit” from the grants (which have been extended until 2022/23) although uptake will continue to be supported through other measures.

OZEV added that the relatively low levels of demand when the grant was first introduced meant they were able to give advance notice of rate changes.

However, when the market was given advance notice of a reduction in the grant in 2018, the news sparked a rush from buyers eager to qualify for the grant at the higher level.

It reported that grant-eligible vehicles were sold at a rate that was more than six times higher than normal, causing officials to bring the original date forward.

When a further cut was announced in the plug-in car grant last year, the industry was just given a few hours’ notice.

OZEV also highlighted they are “unlikely” to offer leeway for grant changes similar to the 28-day, which was offered following the most recent changes.

This allowed dealers and manufacturers to claim at previous rates and eligibility criteria for any orders that were placed by customers in the 28 days before the grant rate change which were not logged on the portal.

Sue Robinson, NFDA chief executive, says that the meeting with OZEV officials was “extremely useful” in providing retailers with further clarity around the plug-in grant, including details on the definition of price cap which not all dealers are aware of.

“Going forward, we will continue to work closely with OZEV to best represent our members’ interests and, in turn, provide franchised dealers with clear and timely guidance,” she said.

The price cap definition to qualify for the plug-in grant says cars must be priced below £35,000 RRP.

In particular, the price cap definition includes “any non-standard option fitted by the manufacturer or dealer affecting the capacity of the battery, drive train configuration or maximum net power”; and it does not include “any non-standard option fitted by the manufacturer or dealer which does not affect the capacity of the battery, drivetrain configuration or maximum net power”.

In response to the new £35,000 qualifying threshold, carmakers have been rushing to adjust electric vehicle (EV) prices, so they remain eligible for the plug-in car grant (PiCG).

Nissan, Vauxhall, Peugeot, BMW and Hyundai, which had electric cars priced just above the new £35,000 threshold, reduced vehicle costs to remain eligible for the grant.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen has expanded the ID4 range, with a new entry-level City model priced below the qualifying threshold.

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Electric cars in the UK: are we ready for the EV revolution?

June 3, 2021Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesRepost

We take an in-depth look at how the UK is getting ready for the switch to electric

The UK car industry has weathered several storms in recent years, with Brexit uncertainty causing significant difficulties, and Covid-19 closing dealerships and factories. But with a free-trade agreement with the EU now in place for cars, and the UK’s vaccine rollout well under way, things – while some way off being ‘normal’ – are more optimistic than they have been in recent times.

The future brings more challenges, though. The Government’s confirmation in November last year that sales of new cars without significant electrification would be banned in 2030, before new internal-combustion-engined vehicles are outlawed entirely in 2035, sets a high bar for the automotive industry, not to mention car buyers.

While we have a Brexit deal that’s largely favourable to the automotive industry, strict rules-of-origin legislation means that by 2027, at least 55 per cent of an electric car must be built in the UK or EU in order for the vehicle to remain exempt from import or export tariffs. Given that batteries and motors tend to comprise a huge proportion of an EV’s value, and these components are typically made outside the UK and EU, the race is on for car makers to produce batteries and motors here and on the continent.

Such challenges present enormous opportunities, and there’s a growing sense that the UK is well positioned to hit its ambitious 2030 and 2035 targets for EV adoption, and capitalise on EU-UK trade conditions that will compel us to build our own EV tech. These targets and quotes will require sea changes both from the industry and consumers, though, so here we ask the simple question: how prepared is the UK for the EV revolution?

Small distances, big market
The UK is a small country. It only takes around two and a half hours to drive the width of England from Liverpool to Hull, or 14 and a half hours to get from Land’s End in Cornwall, to John O’Groats in Scotland.

By comparison, driving across the entire US from New York to San Francisco would involve a minimum of 43 hours on the road without stops, while crossing the breadth of Texas alone is a 12-hour endeavour.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, therefore, drivers in the UK tend to cover lower mileages than those in other countries, with the average Brit covering just 7,400 miles a year. With charge times for EVs significantly longer than filling the tank of an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle, this means the inconvenience of topping up a car’s batteries needs to happen far less frequently here than it would in the US, for example.

The UK’s small land mass also means that it’s far less work to implement a comprehensive nationwide public charging infrastructure – a key requirement for those who regularly cover distances longer than an EV’s range – than it would be in Russia, for example. When you add in the fact that the average length of each car journey is around 8.5 miles in the UK, plus consider ‘destination chargers’ are becoming increasingly common at supermarkets, hotels, gyms and elsewhere, it’s clear that frequent top-ups, rather than big weekly charges, are likely to be the norm for many, especially those without driveways and garages. One analogy many use, for example, is that charging an EV should be approached more like topping up a smartphone battery – something that’s much easier if you have multiple chargers dotted about your house.

On top of this, we need to consider how keen us Brits tend to be on getting a fresh set of wheels. The UK market is second only to Germany’s for new cars in Europe, so our ability to get EVs on the road is significant, and ably shown by the fact that plug-in cars (EVs and PHEVs) outsold diesel models in January 2021. So while there are around 31 million cars in the UK, our fondness for buying new ones should stand us in good stead for making the eventual switch to electric faster than some nations.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), believes the UK “undoubtedly” has advantages in the transition to electric vehicles in these regards. He told us: “UK consumers are often quick to embrace new technologies, we travel fewer miles on average than some other countries and we are a relatively affluent market.”

Rachel Maclean MP, under secretary of state for transport, echoed these sentiments, praising the UK’s “big market” and the fact Brits are “very keen to buy cleaner cars”.

“In 2019, we were the third-largest market in Europe for ultra-low-emission vehicles behind Norway and Germany,” Maclean added. “and that number is going up all the time.”

However small our country may be, and however keen Brits are on new cars, the uptake of EVs goes hand-in-hand with the growth of reliable, affordable and convenient chargepoints. The SMMT’s Mike Hawes said the Government’s commitment to improving rapid charging facilities was “a welcome step”, but argued that “if motorists are to be confident that recharging is as easy as refuelling, significant investment will be necessary.” He added: “In particular, EV drivers need to see a massive increase in public on-street charging, because not every driver has designated off-street parking.”

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Electric car owner weighs pros and cons amid gas shortage

June 2, 2021Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

There are quite a few makes and models of electric vehicles on the market, but, even during a gas shortage, owning one can have its pros and cons.

“I felt like I was in a really good position having an electric car and not having to fill up, but also, made me feel a little guilty passing all the long lines at gas stations,” said Tiffany Alexy, an electric vehicle owner.

Alexy has owned an electric car since 2017, and she knew she could help some people out during a time when many people are struggling to fill up their tanks.

“I was seeing more and more friends asking where gas stations are, what was open and what had gas,” Alexy said. “I posted, ‘hey if any of my friends really need to get somewhere and you don’t have gas, please let me know and I’ll give you a ride.'”

However, Alexy says she knows electric vehicles, or EVs, aren’t immune either.

“The power grid can go down as well, so nobody is really safe. Ideally you would have some sort of renewable energy source, like solar panels, that power your charger, and those aren’t as easily hacked,” Alexy said.

She says there are misconceptions about EVs, but believes all drivers can face similar risks.

“It’s definitely the range anxiety. The fear that, ‘oh my gosh, what am I going to do if I run out of electricity and get stranded?’ Just like someone can run out of gas,” Alexy said.

Alexy says this gas shortage may be the tipping point needed to convince more people to buy an EV.

“They’ve definitely become more and more common in the past couple of years. I feel like that trend is going to continue, especially with different models coming out, price points getting lower. They are definitely more accessible,” Alexy said.

If you’re interested in buying an electric vehicle, Alexy says research is very important. You’ll want to look at range, which means how far the vehicle can travel before the battery needs to be recharged. You’ll also want to consider battery degradation, or how the battery’s maximum charge capacity is reduced over its lifespan.

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5 Facts About the Progress of Electric Vehicles

June 1, 2021Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

While global car sales took a pandemic-related hit last year, electric vehicles (EVs) bucked the trend.

The number of EVs registered across the globe expanded massively in 2020, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) – and this is set to continue over the next decade.

Here are five facts about the market from the agency’s first Global Electric Vehicle Outlook report.

1. There Were 11 Million Registered Electric Vehicles on the Road at the End of Last Year
10 million of these were cars. The total number of electric cars, buses, vans and trucks is projected to rise to 145 million, or 7% of road transportation, by the end of the decade under governments’ existing energy and climate policies.

With even bolder climate programs and emission reduction targets, there could be up to 230 million electric vehicles on our streets – 12% of all road transport – by 2030. Motorcycles and mopeds were not included in the figures.

2. Electric Car Buying Remained High in the Face of the Pandemic
Electric car registrations were up 41% in 2020, despite a 16% drop in overall car sales across the world.

Last year was indeed a ground-breaking one for the sector, as Europe overtook China as the centre of the global electric car market for the first time. From global electric car sales of 3 million, registrations in Europe more than doubled to 1.4 million, while in China they increased to 1.2 million.

3. Consumer and Government Spending on Electric Cars Rose in 2020
A rise in the number of different EV car models available in the market to 370 and the falling cost of batteries saw consumers spend 50% more on electric cars in 2020, to the tune of $120 billion.

Governments also continued to encourage the move to EVs, spending $14 billion on direct purchase incentives and tax deductions – a 25% rise year-on-year. Before the pandemic, many countries strengthened key policies such as CO2 emission standards and zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) directives. By the end of 2020, more than 20 countries had either announced bans on sales of internal combustion engine cars or decreed that all new sales be zero-emission.

Some European countries increased buying incentives and incorporated the promotion of EVs into their post-pandemic economic recovery plans. China postponed the end of its New Energy Vehicle (NEV) subsidy scheme to 2022, to safeguard EV sales from the economic downturn.

4. Electric Bus and Truck Registrations Also Increased Within the World’s Largest Markets
Across China, Europe and North America these rises were mainly due to municipal governments imposing greater emission reductions on commercial vehicles operating within their towns and cities. China, for example, commands a 27% share of all electric bus sales, where new registrations were up 9% in 2020.

Electric heavy-duty trucks, while more established in China, have only recently begun to come on stream further afield, currently consisting of around 1% of all truck sales in both Europe and the US.

5. Widespread EV Adoption Could Significantly Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The IEA says mass adoption has the potential to cut emissions by more than one-third by 2030 under the existing ‘stated’ green policies

Up to two-thirds of emissions could be slashed in that time if countries endorse more ambitious ‘sustainable development’ targets.

Long Road to Sustainability
While progress is being made, electric cars currently make up 1% of the global fleet. And significant barriers to the wholesale adoption of EVs remain, the report says.

Insufficient charging infrastructure continues to prevent wider use, as does the low supply of appropriate electric vehicles in many sectors, such as heavy industry. Despite falling battery costs, rising vehicle production to meet demand, and the promise of savings over the lifetime of an EV from lower fuel and maintenance costs, upfront prices remain prohibitive for some.

On the supply side, there are also challenges related to the poor sustainability levels associated with EV batteries: the sourcing of raw materials is frequently concentrated in a few developing countries that are often politically volatile and economically fragile.

A related concern is around recyclability. EV batteries consist of multiple Lithium-ion cells that are largely difficult to dismantle and which contain hazardous materials.

But there are some recent examples of the industry responding to this challenge.

Nissan is now reusing batteries from its Leaf cars to power automated guided vehicles used around assembly plants. And while Volkswagen has also redeployed old batteries, it has also opened a recycling plant in Salzgitter, Germany.

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How Is This A Good Idea?: EV Battery Swapping

May 31, 2021Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Swap this technological dead-end out for better batteries, improved superchargers and more universal EV charging standards

Battery swapping has become a lot like hydrogen fuel cells for passenger cars: They’re automotive ideas that are never quite born, but just won’t die.

Here in 2021, Battery swapping in EVs has become an especially bad idea. It’s a technical and market dead-end that seems more about separating green investors from their money than providing a solution. That’s despite credulous media reports that coo over the (admittedly cool) spectacle of robots switching car batteries like greasy Rube Goldbergs—but tend to avoid asking tough questions about how it’s supposed to work in the real world.

The technology’s troubled history traces to Better Place, or Exhibit A in the case against battery-swapping’s future. The Israel-based Better Place—founded in 2007 by smooth-talking Silicon Valley entrepreneur Shai Agassi—promised to change the world with robotic service stations that would pluck a battery from a car and pop in a fresh one, extending its driving range in a matter of minutes. In those quaint EV days, with Tesla taking baby steps with the Roadster (built from 2008 to 2011), battery swapping seemed to hold hazy promise. Most newfangled EVs (Tesla excepted) could barely get beyond city limits on a charge, including the 2011 Nissan Leaf and its 73-mile range. Once range was depleted, reliable public charging barely existed, as I recall from my own anxious drives in San Francisco when I tested the original Leaf and BMW i3. When you did find a working plug, batteries took forever to charge.

Better Place’s alternative, through a contract with Renault, was the 2011 Fluence Z.E.: An electric sedan whose upright battery ate into trunk space and provided a piddling 80-mile range. But that battery could drop through the Renault’s floor for swaps at Better Place stations in Israel and Denmark, adding another 80 miles in about 10 minutes, rather than hours of recharging.

Renault ZOE, Battery illustration (image: Renault)

But despite raising nearly $900 million from investors, and the media anointing Agassi as an electric savior, Better Place imploded like the Theranos of its day. Robotic swap stations were supposed to cost $500,000 each, but ended up costing $2 million. Critically, Better Place failed to get any other automaker onboard to design and produce standardized vehicles with swappable batteries, with Agassi alienating such potential partners as BMW and GM. Better Place sold fewer than 1,500 electric Renaults before it was liquidated, with Agassi fired in disgrace in 2012. Fast Company magazine called Better Place “the most spectacularly failed technology start-up of the 21st century.”

That debacle didn’t drive the final, automated nail into battery swapping’s coffin. The latest proponents are China’s EV maker Nio, and Ample, a San Francisco-based startup. China’s Nio has taken on the challenge of designing compatible cars, and a few hundred robotic stations that swap out batteries in three to five minutes. Cars roll into a covered bay for a hydraulic lift. Laser-guided wrenches unscrew bolts and lower the battery case from the car. That battery is whisked away on a motorized track, and a fresh one is installed. Despite the whiz-bang tech, Nio’s stations still require a human operator to safely drive the car onto the lift and monitor the process. It’s akin to every public charger coming with its own pump attendant.

Last fall, Nio launched a “Battery as a Service” subscription: Think of it as buying a car with “Batteries Not Included.” Since batteries remain the most expensive EV component, the plan saves owners roughly $10,000 on the car’s price. In return, owners pay about $142 a month to lease a 70 kWh pack with six monthly swaps. In April, Nio claimed it had performed 2 million total exchanges at its Power Swap stations, with users gaining an average of 123 miles of range per swap.

That’s a solid range boost in five minutes. But time, in multiple senses, is still conspiring against battery swapping. Jeremy Michalek, a mechanical engineering professor and director of Carnegie Mellon’s vehicle electrification group, calls battery swapping a relic of a bygone EV age.

Today’s new EVs routinely deliver 200 to 400 miles of range, with a potential 517 miles for the forthcoming Lucid Air. Those EVs charge in 35 minutes or less at Tesla Superchargers and other oases for time-pressed drivers. DC fast charging times have soared by roughly sevenfold, to today’s top 350-kilowatt units. Why do drivers need a contraption to extract the 630-kilogram battery of a Porsche Taycan Turbo, when they can juice that battery in 20 minutes flat? Lucid says its Air will add up to 300 miles of range in the same 20 minutes. That’s enough for nearly five hours of highway driving at 60 mph, before it’s time for a fill-up.

“When you’re looking at 300 miles of range from a fast charge, it changes the game for how convenient EVs are,” Michalek said. “You’re going to spend 20 minutes going to the bathroom and getting coffee anyway.”

In addition, the world has spoken, loudly. Governments around the world are choosing DC charging as the tech winner, including President Joe Biden’s plan to invest $15 billion to install at least 500,000 public chargers. Tesla demonstrated battery-swapping in 2013 on its Model S before abandoning the tech—with reasons including cumbersome stations and tepid consumer interest—in favor of its Supercharger network that now appears a smarter bet.

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Electric car grants: The limited-time Government offer explained – and the best cars to buy

May 30, 2021Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesRepost

Just as motorists are being urged to switch to eco-friendly electric vehicles, ministers have cut the plug-in car grant designed to make them more affordable – and it could be part of a long-term plan to rescind EV incentives entirely

Four in five motorists think electric cars are still too expensive for them to purchase.

That’s according to a comprehensive survey of more than 15,500 drivers conducted by the AA last month.

The damning verdict comes in the wake of the Government’s recent decision to slash grants designed to make these battery-powered vehicles more affordable.

In March, transport ministers announced that the Plug-in Car Grant – an incentive launched a decade ago to subsidise the cost of pricey electric models – has been cut to just £2,500, trimming the value of the scheme by £500.

But more importantly, ministers also moved the goalposts for eligibility. Previously available to buyers of new electric cars with a value of up to £50,000, only models with an on-the-road price below £35,000 now qualify for the scheme.

It means cars from premium brands like Tesla, Audi and BMW are now further out of reach for the 81 per cent of drivers who told the AA they already couldn’t afford them, but also restricts the scheme to – in many cases – EVs that use older technology, meaning longer charge times and shorter ranges.

Ford of Britain chairman Graham Hoare said the decision – which means the brand’s new Mach-E electric SUV isn’t eligible for the grant – was ‘disappointing’ and ‘not conducive to supporting the zero emissions future we all desire’.

RAC head of roads policy, Nicholas Lyes, had an equally scathing assessment of the Government’s actions, saying ministers like to ‘talk-the-talk when it comes to encouraging people into cleaner vehicles, but cutting the grant certainly isn’t walking the walk’.

Mike Hawes, chief executive at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, described the decision as the ‘wrong move at the wrong time’.

‘New battery electric technology is more expensive than conventional engines and incentives are essential in making these vehicles affordable to the customer. Cutting the grant and eligibility moves the UK even further behind other markets, markets which are increasing their support, making it yet more difficult for the UK to get sufficient supply,’ he added.

Norway is proof that EV incentives can dramatically accelerate the switch to greener cars
The UK Government’s decision is contrary to benefit-driven strategies in other countries that have seen electric car sales surge in recent years.

For example, Norway’s EV-buying incentives include exemptions from all non-recurring vehicle fees, waiving purchase taxes and VAT of 25 per cent, bringing price parity with conventional motors with internal combustion engines.

And such generous schemes have a proven impact on demand, with 54 per cent of all cars registered in Norway in 2020 being electric models.

In contrast, with battery electric vehicles accounting for just 6.6 per cent of all UK registrations in the same year, minsters have already set out plans to scale back existing tax-payer funded offers.

The 2018 Road to Zero strategy – in which government first earmarked a deadline for a ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars (at the time set at 2040 before being fast-tracked by a decade to 2030 by Boris Johnson) – outlined the intention to wind up incentives as EVs became more mainstream.

The report stated that MPs ‘expect to deliver a managed exit from grants in due course’, promising to support the uptake of ultra-low-emission vehicles ‘through other measures’.

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Largest electric-car charging hub in the UK to be built at Brent Cross

May 29, 2021Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Brent Cross shopping centre will soon feature the UK’s largest EV charging hub

A total of 236 electric-car charging points will be installed in London’s Brent Cross shopping centre’s car parks over the next five years, making it the largest charging hub in the UK.

The chargers will be operated by Franklin Energy as part of its LiFe Network. According to Franklin, 50 22kW DC fast chargers and two 350kW DC rapid chargers will be installed in the centre’s car parks by the end of this year, making up the initial phase.

The charging hub will not only serve the shopping centre’s customers, but also aims to provide those travelling on the M1, A41 and A406 via the North Circular Road with easy access to charging points.

Louise Ellison, group head of sustainability at Hammerson, one of main investors in the project, said: “The installation of the UK’s largest EV charging facility will not only attract more visitors to our centres at a time when we’re expecting to see a significant increase in electric vehicles on the roads, but also shows our continued commitment to tackling climate change, as we continue our journey towards becoming net positive by 2030.

“Combined with our renewable electricity contracts, this service has the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of visitors to Brent Cross by supporting the transition to electric vehicles.”

The 350kW DC rapid chargers will be important in future-proofing the Brent Cross hub, as more cars capable of charging at those speeds, like the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, are starting to appear, so it’s no longer the exclusive preserve of high-end models like the Porsche Taycan or Audi e-tron GT.

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Europe’s lost decade: About the importance of interim targets

May 28, 2021Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

The European CO2 regulation for new passenger cars appears to be a complete success story. In 2020, the share of electric vehicles rose from 3% to 11%, the average type-approval CO2 emission level decreased from 122 g/km to about 97 g/km, and none of the manufacturers will be subject to noteworthy penalties as all of them are on track for compliance with the regulatory targets.

That the regulation would be a success was not always that clear, however. In reality, it was a rocky road to get to where the European vehicle market is today. Once it became clear that the European Union would implement its first regulation for new car CO2 emission levels, the rate of emissions reduction increased from about 1.2% per year to 3.5% per year by 2008 (Figure 1). At that pace, it was easy for manufacturers to comply with the first regulatory target of 130 g/km by 2015. Unfortunately, only a part of the CO2 reductions achieved during this first regulation’s time period were real, with the majority attributed to manufacturers aggressively gaming the test procedure.

Once the 2015 target had been met, manufacturers showed little interest in further reducing the CO2 emissions of their vehicles. Between 2016 and 2019, type-approval emissions even increased, from 118 g/km to 122 g/km. It was only from January 2020 onwards that manufacturers changed course. Within one year, the official new car CO2 emissions fell by 20.5%, which is more than during the entire 2008-2019 timeframe. The electric vehicle market share more than tripled within one year, easily outpacing other markets such as China and the United States.

This fluctuation reveals one weakness of the EU’s CO2 regulation: Unlike in the United States, the European policymakers did not set annual targets, but instead opted for five-year target intervals. As a result, the 2015 CO2 target applied during the entire 2015-2019 time period until the next regulatory target took effect in 2020. Manufacturers clearly took advantage of this regulatory weak spot by optimizing their vehicle fleet mix in 2016–2019 towards profits, largely ignoring CO2 emissions and delaying the launch of some electric vehicle models until 2020. At the same time, the breathtaking change in the market composition in 2020 highlights a strength of the manufacturers: With the right regulatory instruments in place, vehicle manufacturers can quickly adapt their product portfolio and marketing strategy in such a way that tripling electric vehicle shares and reducing CO2 more than 1% per month becomes possible.

Unfortunately, we Europeans are on a pathway to repeat our mistakes of the past. The currently adopted policies require manufacturers to reduce the average CO2 emission level of new cars by 15% by 2025 and by 37.5% by 2030, all relative to a 2021 baseline. The resulting annual CO2 reduction of about 5% is significantly lower than what manufacturers achieved in 2020 (20.5%) and close to the annual 3.5% reduction in the early years of the first CO2 regulation. These policies fail to account for the significant technological advances in the industry, with electrification enabling much faster emission reductions than combustion engine efficiency improvements. In order to be on a pathway that is compatible with the EU’s longer-term climate protection objectives, what we really need by 2030 is a reduction in average new car CO2 emission levels by at least 70%, instead of 37.5%.

But it is not only the target levels themselves that are problematic. The fact that there are no current interim targets entails the great risk that manufacturers will play games again, delivering the CO2 reductions required only at last minute, while holding technology levels constant in the intervening years. Such an approach is detrimental from a climate protection perspective because the sooner new car CO2 emission levels fall, the faster annual fleet-wide CO2 emissions decline and the higher cumulative CO2 benefits are, relative to a business-as-usual scenario.

Aside from the climate protection angle, there is a very important industrial angle to this as well. At a time when politicians across Europe are working hard to persuade companies to increase battery development and manufacturing capacities within Europe, it is of utmost importance to ensure market stability for planning the necessary investments in factories and workers. Without interim targets, such stability is lacking, as the following assessment shows.

In 2020, the new registration share of zero- and low-emission vehicles (ZLEVs) was 11%. Applying a discount factor for plug-in hybrid vehicles, the weighted ZLEV share was about 9%. Leaving any regulatory credits aside, the average new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle in 2020 emitted about 117 g/km of CO2 in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).

Manufacturers can meet the current 2025 CO2 reduction target of 15% solely by improving the efficiency of conventional combustion engines and transitioning towards mild hybrid vehicles. Emissions from ICE vehicles would decrease by about 4% per year to 96 g/km in NEDC terms. Credits for eco-innovations and an exploitation of the flexibilities of the new Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) would further help comply with the 2025 target. Following this pathway, an increase in the market share of electric vehicles would not be necessary until as late as 2029.

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Electric car insurance in UK ‘is £45 less than for petrol or diesel vehicle’

May 27, 2021Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Comparethemarket.com analysis shows electric car drivers were charged an average of £566

The average cost of insuring an electric car in the UK is £45 less than the cost of covering a petrol or diesel car, according to research from the website Comparethemarket.com.

Analysis of annual premiums in the first three months of the year showed electric car drivers were charged an average of £566, while petrol and diesel drivers paid £611.

Travel restrictions during coronavirus lockdown periods over the past year have meant fewer claims on car policies, and led to cuts in premiums across the board.

For electric car drivers this meant a £75 drop in the average premium in the first quarter of 2021, while other motorists saw a £101 drop.

Dan Hutson, the head of motor insurance, at Comparethemarket.com, said the difference was explained by a range of factors, including electric cars having fewer complex moving parts to be damaged in an accident.

He added: “Electric cars are typically less likely to be stolen and more likely to be recovered when they are, due to their limited range and because charging them is relatively time-consuming.”

Electric cars have been growing in popularity with drivers, and UK figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed 22,000 were sold in March.

As well as lower premiums, purchasers of electric vehicles pay no vehicle excise duty and can get a plug-in grant of up to £2,500 from the government to put towards buying a car costing up to £35,000.

Hutson said: “Drivers making the switch to greener vehicles will be glad that our research shows electric cars could bring significant financial as well as environmental benefits over time.

“If drivers are considering buying a new car, then an electric vehicle could be an appealing option, considering the savings on insurance, fuel and tax.”

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Hyundai prices up new pure-electric Ioniq 5

May 26, 2021Electric Cars, Hyundai, Ioniq 5, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Hyundai has opened order books for its Ioniq 5 pure-electric car.

The Ioniq 5 is Hyundai’s first bespoke electric car and is the first in a new range of electric cars under its Ioniq pure-electric sub-brand.

It uses a new dedicated electric car platform called E-GMP, as shared with the new Kia EV6, and features a number of clever features including ultra-fast 800-volt charging and Vehicle-to-Load – the latter allowing owners to charge other items by using the car’s battery.

Two battery sizes are available: 58kWh has rear-wheel drive and a range of up to 240 miles, and the 73kWh rear-wheel drive can travel up to 300 miles.

An all-wheel drive version of the 73kWh battery car also be specified and comes with a range of up to 287 miles.

Thanks to the 800-volt charging system, the Ioniq 5 can be zero-to-80-per-cent charged in just 18 minutes from an ultra-fast charger.

Aside from the already sold-out Project 45 special first edition car, the Ioniq 5 comes in SE Connect, Premium and Ultimate trims.

The SE Connect kicks off the range at £36,995. It only comes with the smaller battery and features 19-inch alloys, sliding rear seats, two 12.3-inch displays, wireless phone charging, sat nav-based smart cruise control and host of safety equipment.

Premium starts at £39,295 for the 58kWh battery and gets an electric driver’s seat, heated front seats and steering, LED projector headlights and the Vehicle-to-Load pack. The Premium also comes in the 73kWh battery for £41,945.

Ultimate tops the range and gets leather seats, electrically-adjustable and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a Bose sound system, a head-up display with augmented reality, 20-inch wheels and a sliding centre console.

An Eco pack (a battery heating system and heat pump) and Tech Pack (extra safety kit along with aircraft-style relaxation seats) can also be specified.

Along with the 58kWh and 73kWh rear-wheel drive versions at £42,295 and £44,945 respectively, the Ultimate also gets the 73kWh all-wheel drive option at £48,145.

Nine colour options are available and every Ioniq 5 gets a free one-year subscription to the ultra-fast Ionity charging network.

Ashley Andrew, Hyundai UK MD, said: ‘Hyundai is at the forefront of zero emission vehicle technology and is recognised as a leader in producing highly efficient electric vehicles.

With Ioniq 5, we’ve taken this expertise and combined it with the highest level of progressive design to produce what has already become one of the most desirable models in our history.’

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