All posts by Trevor Larkum

What IS ‘one-pedal driving’ in an electric car?

BMW, Electric Cars, i3, Model S, News, Reviews and Comment, Tesla

One-pedal driving is rather like the experience of owning an electric car: it can be hard to appreciate until you’ve spend time doing it.

The phrase “one-pedal driving” refers to the ability of some electric cars to be driven almost entirely with the accelerator pedal alone.

It’s a feature much prized by owners of Teslas, BMW i3s, and most recently the Chevy Bolt EV.

And it’s something that everyone should know about, even if you don’t own an electric car. Even if perhaps you won’t completely understand why it would be appealing until you experience it.

One-pedal driving combines conventional acceleration, using the right-hand pedal, with a much higher degree of deceleration than in a conventional car.

That means that when a driver lifts off the pedal, the car slows down more quickly than an internal-combustion-powered car would.

It’s not found in every electric car. Some makers give their electric cars an identical driving experience to conventional vehicles, meaning they drive like an automatic-transmission car that never actually shifts.

…

Once you’ve acclimatized, the only times you hit the brakes is for emergency situations.

It may sound a little strange, but trust us: once you try it, you’ll never go back.

And then you’ll start to wonder why all cars don’t work that way.

Full article: Green Car Reports

The Charge Point Being Installed for my First EV, a Renault ZOE (Image: T. Larkum)

Installing a Charge Point for your Electric Car

Blog, BP Chargemaster, Charging, Charging, Electric Cars, FAQ, POD Point, Rolec

There can be a significant lead time in arranging the installation of a charge point so it is best if this gets underway as soon as possible after your new electric car is ordered.


If the car is a new Renault ZOE or Nissan Leaf on PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) then installation of the charge point will be organised by the manufacturer. As part of this deal the manufacturer will specify their preferred charge point.

In most other cases you will need to arrange the installation yourself. We can help you through the process with advice and guidance:

  1. We provide details of the main installation companies below.
  2. Our guide to selecting the most suitable charge point for you is here: Choosing a Charge Point.
  3. Our guide to check on your eligibility for a government grant for the charge point is here: Government Grant for Electric Car Home Charge Point.

If you are a Fuel Included customer then you can of course call or email us at any time for more detailed advice.

Note you may find that a charge point is occasionally referred to by its more technical name ‘Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment’ or EVSE.

Charge Point Installers

The biggest companies making and installing domestic charge points  – let’s call them the ‘Big 3’ – are the following (with links to their website and to our news feed with articles about them):

  1. Chargemaster PLC: Chargemaster website, Chargemaster news items.
  2. POD Point: POD Point order page, POD Point news items.
  3. Rolec EV (part of Rolec Services Ltd): Rolec website, Rolec news items.

However, there are many other smaller manufacturers and installers; here’s a brief (not definitive) list:

  1. Andersen order page, premium charge points.
  2. ChargedEV, nationwide installation partners for Rolec, based near Sheffield.
  3. Charging Solutions Ltd, partner with Chargemaster, based in Wales.
  4. The Phoenix Works, nationwide installers, based near Leeds.
  5. SOL Electrical, install POD Point and Rolec charge points in the South West of England.
  6. EV Charging Solutions, based in the Midlands.
  7. API Electrical Ltd, install in the North West of England.
  8. Armstrong Renewables Ltd, install in the North East of England.
  9. New Motion EVSE Ltd, based in London and part of a Dutch group, the largest provider in Europe.

 

Installation Process

In most cases the installation company is likely to contact you for information on your property, including asking for photographs of your main consumer unit (‘fuse box’) and the preferred location for the charge point. Usually a dedicated cable will be run from the consumer unit to the charge point so sometimes the installer may also ask for information on, and photographs of, the route between the two. Generally an isolator switch will be installed in this new circuit.

The Charge Point Being Installed for my First EV, a Renault ZOE (Image: T. Larkum)
The Charge Point Being Installed for my First EV, a Renault ZOE (Image: T. Larkum)

Typically a standard installation will allow for cabling of up to 20m in length. If the distance is greater than this then there may be an additional cost to the customer (of perhaps £5 per metre). Similarly there may be additional costs if the installation is complex (e.g. passing a cable over a walkway or under a path); these issues are likely to be highlighted by the installer ahead of the installation visit. Sometimes the electrical system in the house will lack a mains isolator switch and this may need to be installed in advance by your electricity supplier; again the installer should flag this ahead of their visit.

The installation itself will take less than a day (it can be as little as an hour). You will need to be in attendance and the electricity supply will be turned off for much of the work.

After the installation is complete you will likely be asked to sign off on the work (and will be given a set of keys to the charge point if it is key protected). You should test the charge point as soon as possible by connecting your car, ideally while the engineer is still present in case it shows up any issues.

PS: I have previously described the installation of my charge point in detail here and here.

Renault Electric Van in Milton Keynes

Blog, Electric Vans, Kangoo Z.E., Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes is definitely an electric vehicle hub, probably the leading EV city in the UK. It has lots of charge points and they are usually at least half full.

However, although you see tons of electric cars around the place, electric vans are still unusual. It was a treat, therefore, to see a Renault Kangoo ZE van delivering to the shopping centre.

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BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)

BMW i8 Gallery

Blog, BMW, Electric Cars, i8

During a test drive of the BMW i3 I took the opportunity to photograph a pair of i8’s on show there.

BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)
BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)

The i8 is a rather good looking car by any account.

BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)
BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)

Of course, it is marred by the fact that it has a fossil fuel engine as well as an electric motor, giving it only about 20 miles of electric range.

BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)
BMW i8 in Sophisto Grey (Image: T. Larkum)

But then no car is perfect.

BMW i8 in Ionic Silver (Image: T. Larkum)
BMW i8 in Ionic Silver (Image: T. Larkum)

My thanks to Vines of Guildford BMW for arranging the visit.

Smart unveiled its latest ForTwo Cabrio at the Frankfurt show

SMART Electric Drive | Fully Charged

Electric Cars, ForTwo Electric, News, Reviews and Comment, Smart

This is the 260th episode of Fully Charged and just possibly, the very first proper, informative and clear car review. This is very much down to the talent and experience of Jonny Smith, his first time on the series (but definitely not the last).

After watching this, I know I have to up my game, I’m so thrilled Jonny could do this show with us and I’m really intrigued to hear your reaction.

Thank you Smart for flying Jonny and Mark out to Toulouse and organising the cars.

Charging a BMW i3 on the drive (Image: BMW)

Government Grant for Electric Car Home Charge Point

Blog, Charging, Charging, Electric Cars, FAQ

This is a summary of the UK Government’s scheme for subsidising home charge points for electric cars, known as the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS).

It has been kept relatively simple; if you need detailed guidance you should consult the original document (linked at the bottom).

1. Most plug-in vehicle owners carry out most charging at home.

2. Customers who are the registered keeper or have primary use of an eligible electric vehicle may receive up to 75% (capped at £500, inc VAT) off the total capital costs of the chargepoint and associated installation costs.

3. The key features of the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme are as follows:

  • The grant is a 75% contribution towards the cost of one chargepoint and its
    installation up to a maximum of £500 (including VAT) per household/eligible
    vehicle.
  • Customers must provide evidence of being the primary user of an eligible electric vehicle or have a vehicle on order in order to be able to qualify for the grant.
  • The date of installation must not be more than 4 months ahead of the date
    of delivery or start date of vehicle use.

4. The grant covers up to 75% of the eligible costs of chargepoint installation, the
customer form requires confirmation of who is paying the balance of the
installation costs.

5. The grant for 75% must be claimed against an approved chargepoint and
made on your behalf by a chargepoint installer which has been authorised
by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).

6. You must have off street parking facilities suitable for chargepoint installation (a survey prior to installation should be conducted by your installer). If you do not have off street parking, your Local Authority may be able to help via a central Government grant.

7. The authorised chargepoint installer will claim the 75% (capped at £500) on your behalf. How the remaining cost is to be met should be agreed with your installer prior to installation. In any event, you should satisfy yourself whether you are expected to pay the remaining cost, and if not who will be paying for it, before the installation takes place. The grant will only be paid in arrears (i.e. once installation is complete).

8. No more than 2 chargepoints can be funded at one property irrespective of how many vehicles are registered there.

Source: EVHS – Guidance for Customers: November 2016

Car exhaust pollution (Image: Wikipedia)

Use pram covers ‘to protect babies from air pollution’ during school run

Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and Comment, Pollution

Parents should use pram covers to protect babies and young children from harmful air pollution during the school run, researchers suggest.

Traffic lights and bus stops were pollution hotspots and there were higher levels of pollution in the morning compared with the afternoon, the University of Surrey study said.

Young children are more at risk because their bodies are small and developing.

And they could be breathing in damaging substances, the study said.

Car exhaust pollution (Image: Wikipedia)
Car exhaust pollution (Image: Wikipedia)

A recent World Health Organization report said that 570,000 children under the age of five died every year from illnesses that could be linked to pollution.

The Surrey research, published in Environmental Pollution, was based on measurements from air monitoring equipment inside toddlers’ prams being pushed to and from schools during drop-off and pick-up times.

Scientists looked at pollution levels in prams during 64 trips, covering about 50 miles (80km), in Guildford.

Bus stops and traffic lights were the worst places for being exposed to the tiny particles from exhaust fumes and tyres that can get into the bloodstream.

And there were more of these harmful particles in the air during morning drop-off times, when traffic was at its busiest.

Dr Prashant Kumar, lead study author from the University of Surrey, said his findings were a warning to parents.

“Young children are far more susceptible to pollution than adults, due to their immature and developing systems and lower body weight,” he said.

“Essentially, children could be at risk of breathing in some nasty and harmful chemical species such as iron, aluminium and silica that form together the particles of various size ranges.”

Dr Kumar said the best way to stop this happening was to use a barrier between children in prams and the emissions from vehicle exhausts, especially at traffic lights, crossroads and bus stops.

He said his research team was also trying to find a way to clean the air around children sitting in their prams.

Source: BBC