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Peugeot e-2008 review: EV crossover driven in the UK

August 25, 2020Charging, e-2008, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, PeugeotRepost

Looks like a normal 2008 to me…

That’s because it is. PSA doesn’t do a special, electric-only model like the Renault Zoe or Honda e. Rather than spend a vast amount of time and money designing and building a bespoke EV platform, it engineered its so-called ‘CMP’ architecture to accept both petrol/diesel and electrified powertrains. Every car that’s based on it (the 208, 2008, DS3 Crossback, Vauxhall Corsa and soon, Vauxhall Mokka and Citroen C4) gets the option of electric propulsion.

And these cars are not for zero-emission virtue signallers. PSA’s electric cars look and feel almost exactly like their petrol-powered counterparts. That’s the point – to normalise what is for many still a scary, new technology. You just fill them with electrons instead of inflammable liquid.

Surely the electric ones are more expensive?

They are. The e-2008 is available in all the same trim levels as the regular 2008, with prices (including the Government’s £3,000 grant) coming in at around £5,600 more than the equivalent petrol auto if you’re buying outright.
But you’re not buying outright, are you? Lease direct from Peugeot, and you’ll pay around £60 more per month for the electric-powered car. Remember, though, that the EV is exempt from road tax and BIK (potentially saving company car drivers thousands) and a full charge should only cost a little over £7 if you do it at home, while a full tank of petrol costs £50.

Yes a tank of fuel will get you further than a fully-charged battery, but not that much further.

How far can the e-2008 go on a charge, then?

Far enough. Peugeot claims between 191 and 206 miles, which is a smidge less than the mechanically largely identical e-208 because of the e-2008’s increased size and weight. We think 160 miles is a fair estimate of what most people will see, but pop it into Eco mode, amp up the regen and switch off the air conditioning and obviously you’ll go further.
In a 65-mile test the e-2008 managed 3.9 miles/kWh, which is actually very good. Its range computer is annoying though. Rather than counting down progressively as you cover distance, like other EVs, it tends to stick at one reading for miles, then loses a load of range in one big lump when you gently accelerate up a slip road. This is annoying and not massively confidence-inspiring.

A three-pin plug takes 24 hours to fully charge the e-2008, so if you’re got a driveway definitely get yourself a 7kW wallbox. It does the same in less than eight hours – a good night’s sleep. Find one of the relatively few 100kWh chargers out in the wild, and your e-2008’s 50kWh battery will charge to 80 per cent of its capacity in just 30 minutes.

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BP Chargemaster to trial EV charging at M&S sites as first 50kW chargers installed

August 23, 2020Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

The three new 50kW chargers, located at Maidstone Eclipse Park in Kent, are the first of a five-store trial. They are backed by 100% renewable electricity and feature contactless payment terminals and connectors for all capable EVs.

They form part of BP Chargemaster’s Polar network of public chargers, and are therefore also accessible with a Polar Plus membership RFID card or the Polar Instant PAYG app.

Matteo de Renzi, CEO of BP Chargemaster, said that the company expects the rapid chargers will bring new customers to the stores “as they are in the right locations to support those driving along the Strategic Road Network and provide a great opportunity a brief stop”.

The site of the first three chargers is just off junction 7 of the M20, with the installation funded by investment from BP Chargemaster.

Helen Milford, director of stores for M&S, said: “As we create a store estate for the new world it’s critical our shops are in the right locations, digitally connected and offer trusted value products and services such as the rapid chargers – we’re looking forward to seeing the customer response to our trial in Maidstone.”

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Tory MPs join calls for 2030 ICE ban as caucus makes green recovery recommendations

August 22, 2020Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Bring forward the ICE ban to 2030, a group of over 100 moderate Conservative MPs has recommended in a new collection of essays.

The caucus of MPs, dubbed One Nation, has published its latest collection of essays – its third in the series – looking at a green economic recovery to COVID-19.

Specifically, the call came from Ruth Edwards, MP for Rushcliffe, who wrote that a nearer end date “will provide the catalyst to ensure that the rollout of EVs gets the focus and investment it needs”.

This joins calls from SSE and the UK Electric Fleets Coalition for a 2030 ban, as well as a recommendation from the Net Zero All-Party Parliamentary Group for a 2032 ban.

Edwards’ call also echoes one made by the Conservative Environmental Network in July 2019, which recommended a ban of 2035. The government then unveiled its consultation on bringing the date forward to 2035 – or earlier if feasible – in February 2020, with the consultation closing on 31 July 2020.

Another recommendation made by the Conservative Environmental Network – that incentives are created to install ultra-rapid EV chargers at areas such as motorway service stations – also came to fruition in the form of the government’s Rapid Charging Fund.

An earlier ICE ban wasn’t Edwards only recommendation, however, as she also suggested that the government legislate to ensure new homes include personal EV smart charging points or, in cases where this is not possible, contribute to local authority on-street parking schemes.

A number of recommendations were made across the document, with Jerome Mayhew (Broadland), Gareth Davies (Grantham and Stamford), Selaine Saxby (North Devon), Fay Jones (Brecon and Radnorshire) and Anthony Browne (South Cambridgeshire) also contributing.
Highlights of the policy recommendations include

Create a domestic carbon tax, with a border carbon adjustment tariff process for all manufactured imports and exports.
Train for charge point installation and maintenance, and create green apprenticeships certified at NVQ Level-6 in related areas such as battery technology.
Fund a training programme for green workers, helping them to prequalify from sectors impacted by COVID-19, and support the training of local energy efficiency installers.
Commit to develop industrial Carbon Capture and Storage technology and adopt the target of capturing and storing 10MtCO2 by 2030.

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Over 18k EV chargers installed across UK as London continues to take the lead

August 21, 2020Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

The number of electric vehicle (EV) chargers installed across the UK has risen to 18,265 according to figures released by the Department for Transport (DfT).

The figures – which are released quarterly – are sourced from Zap-Map data and show the number of chargers in the UK excluding domestic and workplace charging.

Of the 18,265 chargers installed 3,206 are rapids (43kW+), with the number of chargers jumping up since the October 2019 figures, which showed there were 15,116 chargers and 2,495 rapids, as well as increasing since the April 2020 figures, where there were 17,947 chargers and 3,107 rapids.

However, whilst there has been an increase in the previous quarter, it is clear that the rate of deployment has slowed, likely due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic which saw EV charger installations halt in March.

London has continued to maintain its lead, with the region having the highest level of charging device provision per 100,000 of population. It is also slightly ahead in rapid charging device provision, according to the statistics, although Scotland wins out on rapids with the highest level of provision.

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Another sustainability milestone for Ecocabs

August 20, 2020Charging, Electric Cars, Ford, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Sustainability pioneer Ecocabs, a taxi operator in Hexham in the North East of England, are proud to announce the arrival of the first Ford Tourneo Custom Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV) to be operated anywhere in the UK.

Technology is developing all the time, but currently all-electric vehicles cannot fulfil the operational demands of a rural taxi service in terms of practicality due to the limited range and lack of fast charging points. This is where the hybrid vehicle makes much more sense for a rural operator currently.
The vehicle is purpose-built to help transport passengers more efficiently than ever. Smart, hybrid technology helps keep emissions to a minimum, whilst intelligent design creates a refined and sophisticated interior for passengers.
Commenting on the purchase of the eco-friendly 9-seater vehicle, Matthew Kirkby, founder and Managing Director of Ecocabs, said, “Sustainability remains top of our agenda at Ecocabs, and the introduction of the new Ford Tourneo continues our commitment to cutting the CO2 emissions of our fleet, and reducing our overall impact on the environment.”

About Ecocabs
Ecocabs — the sustainable taxi, travel and tourism support company, based in Hexham — provides community taxi services in Tynedale and surrounding areas, and supports sustainable travel and tourism across much of Britain.
Ecocabs offers guided tours and support to increasing numbers of health-conscious, eco-aware travellers and tourists seeking more sustainable holidays and pastimes. Based in Hexham — close to the Hadrian’s Wall Path and Hadrian’s Cycleway — Ecocabs is ideally situated to support walkers and cyclists wishing to experience the history, countryside, sites and attractions along the Roman Wall.

Ecocabs also supports cyclists tackling the various coast-to-coast cycle routes, as well as the Sandstone Way — the 120-mile mountain biking route between Berwick upon Tweed and Hexham. Further afield, Ecocabs supports nationally known activities, including the 3-Peaks Challenge, during which walkers scale the three highest mountains of Scotland, England and Wales — Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon — all in 24 hours.

About the Ford Tourneo PHEV
The new Ford Tourneo Custom Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) uses two sources of power to get passengers where they need to be more efficiently than ever. An advanced electric powertrain, with zero emissions, can be used for shorter trips, while on longer journeys the multi award-winning 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine kicks in to extend the Tourneo’s range. The vehicle uses technology designed to maximise efficiency without compromising on the reliability and flexibility customers expect in a Tourneo.

Source: Ecocabs

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A really simple introduction to one-pedal driving

August 18, 2020Electric Cars, i3, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

In the early days of motoring, cars didn’t have the standardized three pedals, steering wheel, and gear shifter controls that most of us will know.

Take the Ford Model T for example: to drive it in reverse you depress the middle pedal, its brake pedal is where a modern accelerator should be, and its throttle is on a lever on the steering column. It’s confusing to say the least.

As cars got more advanced, driving them became an increasingly simple affair. From the confusing controls of early motorcars, three pedals, steering wheel, and a gear selector became the norm. As automatic gearboxes became A Thing, cars with just two pedals, and no gear stick became more common.

However, with the advent of electric vehicles, we now only need to use one pedal for most of our driving. Let’s take a look at what that actually means.

What is it?
If you’re new to EVs, they still come with two pedals: stop and go. But thanks to the characteristics of electric motors, you don’t always have to use the brake pedal. One-pedal driving allows you to come to a complete stop in an EV without touching the brakes.

Electric cars come with a feature called “regenerative braking.” In effect, this uses the vehicle’s motors like generators to convert the kinetic (moving) energy of the vehicle back into electricity to recharge the batteries.

When this happens, the magnetic resistance of the motors creates a braking force which slows the vehicle. In my experience, when regenerative braking is set to the highest level, it has the same effect as hard braking.

This means that when you’re pulling up to traffic lights, or are in a traffic jam, you only need to take your foot off the go pedal for the car to stop.

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Renault Zoe R135 Review: Still Top Of The City EV Class

August 17, 2020Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, ZOERepost

If you’re in the market for a small electric car with respectable range and city-friendly dimensions, there are, somewhat suddenly, plenty of options to pick from. Your choices include new compact EVs in the form of the Mini Electric, Vauxhall Corsa-e, Honda E and Peugeot e-208, and of course the Renault Zoe.

The latter, Europe’s best-selling electric car, has been with us since 2012 yet still looks pin-sharp and modern without straying too close to the ‘look-at-me-I’m-from-the-future’ aesthetic some EVs are guilty of.

Despite this, and with more plug-in competition than ever in the sub-Tesla Model 3 sector of the market, Renault has face-lifted the little Zoe for 2020. The changes accumulate to more of a remastering than a rewrite, with little changing on the exterior. This is no bad thing, and I think the subtly tweaked exterior still looks fresh, if a little angry from some angles.

Inside though, things have moved forward considerably. Surfaces are universally softer and more premium to the touch, while the central, portrait-orientated 9.3-inch touchscreen display is a big improvement over what went before. The system runs both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so chances are you will plug in your smartphone and use that for all your navigation, media and communication needs.

Below the sharp and responsive display are a set of physical controls for the climate and air conditioning. Hurrah! At a time when too many manufacturers are obsessed with removing tactile switchgear, all-too-often replacing them with distracting touch interfaces, Renault has made the right call. Yes, some touch-only systems work perfectly well, like that of the Polestar 2, but the reassurance one gets from rotating a knob without having to remove eyes from road can’t be understated.

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UK electric car industry booming despite coronavirus

August 16, 2020Coronavirus, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

ELECTRIC car sales have seen a huge surge in sales despite coronavirus causing months of stagnation across the industry, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT).

New car registrations in the UK rose for the first time in 2020, increasing by 11.3% compared to July last year, the SMMT said.

The demand for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) continued to accelerate, with sales surging 259% against last year. BEVs are reportedly becoming increasingly popular as government incentives, more attractive price points and improved battery range provide more reasons for drivers to go electric.

While increasing sales show promise for the automotive sector, industry insiders warn that the EU continues to lag behind in electric lithium-ion battery production, representing less than 3% of global manufacturing capacity.

With lithium-ion battery demand projected to increase ten-fold by 2029, the over-reliance on a few large-scale manufacturers overseas creates both risk and uncertainty for the sector, insiders warn.

Kevin Brundish, CEO and founder of AMTE Power, which operates a battery facility in Thurso, said: “Despite challenging market conditions, the drive towards electrification is continuing to gather pace and is projected to accelerate in the years ahead.

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Peugeot e-208 wins ‘Electric Small Car of the Year’ award at What Car? Electric Car Awards

August 15, 2020Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

The Peugeot e-208 Allure Premium has been named the ‘Electric Small Car of the Year’ at the inaugural What Car? Electric Car Awards, beating a host of rivals to the title, including Honda E and Renault Zoe.

The Peugeot e-208 is the company’s first new generation full electric vehicle. It comes with an electric 50kWh, 136hp powertrain that’s capable of up to 217 miles of range (WLTP) from a single charge and supports rapid charging of up to 100kW, reaching 80 percent charge in as little as 30 minutes.

“All things considered, the e-208 is the best small electric car you can buy” said What Car? Editor, Steve Huntingford. “It has a good real-world range, the suspension does a great job of keeping you comfortable, and the interior is as eye-catching as it is classy. We particularly like the Allure Premium version, because it’s attractively priced, but still comes with loads of kit, including climate control, wireless phone charging and a 10.0in infotainment system with phone mirroring.”

David Peel, Managing Director of Peugeot UK, added that the company is following a unique philosophy around the ‘power of choice’ that allows buyers to choose the right powertrain that suits their needs and that Peugeot’s electric vehicles come with the same practical features as their petrol or diesel vehicle counterparts, with no compromise in capability, interior space or technology.

In other categories, the Hyundai Ioniq Electric has been named the best Electric Family Car on sale. The multi-award winning Kia e-Niro won Best Electric small SUV and the SEAT Mii electric won Value Electric Car of the Year.

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Electric vehicle sales predicted to exceed future expectations

August 14, 2020Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

By the end of the decade, a third of all new car sales worldwide will be electric according to new analysis from Deloitte. This would bring the total number of electric vehicles (EVs) sold in a single year to 31.1 million globally; ten million more than previously forecast.

In spite of Covid-19 disruption total EV sales are still expected to reach 2.5 million worldwide in 2020. Based on a compound annual growth rate of 29%, Deloitte’s research estimates this to top 11.2 million in 2025 and 31.1 million by 2030. At this milestone, fully electric vehicles will account for 81% of all new EVs sold according to the research, outperforming their plug-in hybrid peers.

Deloitte identified a key factor in driving EV growth over the next ten years as changing consumer sentiment, as many barriers to adoption gradually dissipate.

Jamie Hamilton, head of electric vehicles at Deloitte, commented: “The price premium attached to many electric vehicles restricted some early adopters but, as the cost of EVs have converged with petrol and diesel equivalents, the pool of prospective buyers is set to increase. A wider range of new electric vehicles, combined with a growing secondhand market, means EVs are becoming a more viable option for many. However, overcoming consumer concerns around driving range and perceived lack of charging infrastructure will be important factors as more drivers consider the practicalities of switching to electric.”

Additional factors driving growth include a favorable regulatory environment, be it financial incentives or emissions targets, and the development of new EV models that span both affordable and luxury ends of the market. Similarly, as company cars and fleet continue to represent the majority of all new car sales, a shift to EVs at a corporate level will further the global transition to electric.

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