Category Archives: Electric Cars

News and reviews of the latest electric cars (full electrics and plug-in hybrids).

Long-term report: What I’ve learnt driving a BMW i3

November 15, 2019BMW, Electric Cars, i3, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

I always knew that running an electric car as a long-term test vehicle would be something of an education, but I wasn’t prepared for quite how much it would change my perception of motoring.

Now, as I’ve waved goodbye to the BMW i3 after four months, I’ve had a chance to reflect on what EV ownership was really like. And do you know what? I’ve loved it.

It seems I’m not the only one who has been making the switch either – many new car buyers are currently snapping up alternatively fuelled vehicles.

i3 charging at Frimley Hospital (Image: T. Larkum) — i3 charging (Image: T. Larkum)

In the latest new car sales figures for October, battery-electric and hybrid vehicle sales accounted for one in 10 registrations for the first time ever. It appears more and more people are ditching diesel- and petrol-powered cars to switch to these new options.

So what will these new owners be looking forward to? Well, for a start they’ll soon find they are very different to drive. The silence is the first thing that strikes you, and I very quickly grew to love the swift acceleration combined with just a little wind noise as the i3 leapt towards the horizon.

Much has been written about the silence of electric cars, but at low speeds they do actually make a very satisfying hum – the i3 sounded like a muffled Tube train leaving a station as it speeded up.

I’m a huge fan of the BMW’s turning circle too. London taxi-like in its ability to spin around, it made parking it a doddle, and now I’m back in a ‘normal’ car I’ve struggled to adapt, often misjudging reverse parking manoeuvres by an embarrassing margin.

But what people will really want to know is how I’ve coped with the charging and range. Let’s deal with those in order. Charging-wise, I’m amazed at how well I’ve adapted, considering I don’t have access to a home charging point.

At work, I only have a three-pin outside plug to top it up with too, which takes a full 15 hours to completely recharge the BMW from flat. The reality, though, is this never happened. I simply topped the car up every day while I worked, and this was pretty much enough to keep it always fully charged.

Electric car sales were dramatically boosted in October as total UK car sales fall

November 14, 2019Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesRepost

ELECTRIC car sales were up again in October with a massive 151.8 percent boost from figures released 12 months ago as consumers jump to purchase eco-friendly vehicles.

New electric car registrations were boosted from just 1,256 in October 2018 to 3,162 last month. New sales of mild hybrid electric vehicles saw an incredible 378.1 percent rise in October 2019 compared to last year as sales of hybrid electric vehicles were also up 28.9 percent.

Battery electric vehicle sales are now up 125.1 percent year-on-year with almost 30,000 models sold and registered so far in 2019.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) data also revealed alternative fuelled vehicles now made up 9.9 percent of the overall UK car sales this month in a new record.

A total of 14,231 registrations beat the previous market share record of 6.9 percent.

Plug-in hybrid sales were down a minor 1.7 percent, while support for traditional vehicles fell away.

Last month’s data showed petrol vehicle sales were down 3.2 percent on figures from October 2018.

Diesel sales are in terrible decline and plummeted to a 28.3 percent reduction on data from twelve months ago. The drop is the 31st consecutive month diesel sales have been in negative figures.

VW starts production of ID.3 electric car, converts factory to EV production

November 13, 2019Electric Cars, ID.3, News, Reviews and Comment, VolkswagenRepost

VW has officially started production of the ID.3, its first electric car on the new MEB platform, and it marks the start of the conversion of its massive Zwickau factory from gasoline-powered car production to EV production.

The German automaker unveiled the ID.3, a small electric hatchback, in September earlier this year.

It is offered in different variants, with between 300 and 500 km of range starting at “under $33,000 (€30,000).”

Today, VW announced the official start of production of the ID.3 at its Zwickau plant in Germany.

Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess said at the ceremony for the production start:

The ID.3 will make an important contribution to the breakthrough of e-mobility. It makes clean individual mobility accessible to millions of people and is a milestone for our company on the road to becoming climate-neutral by 2050.

Thomas Ulbrich, Volkswagen Brand Board Member for E-Mobility, added:

The ID.3 is a high-tech car from a high-tech factory. With some 1,700 robots, driverless transport systems and fully automated manufacturing processes, Zwickau gives a contemporary insight into the shape of forward-looking high-volume production of EVs. Ultimately, though, it is the people who build the cars who are the key to success: Our team in Saxony mastered the two-year conversion phase culminating in today’s SOP with much know-how and dedication. An outstanding team achievement!

Before the conversion, the Zwickau factory was producing several variants of the VW Golf, as well as bodies for the Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus.

Connected Kerb and Vattenfall unveiled as partners in project to ‘revolutionise’ on-street charging

November 12, 2019Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Vattenfall and Connected Kerb have been unveiled as partners for a new project that utilises Virgin Media’s infrastructure for on-street electric vehicle (EV) charging.

The Virgin Media Park & Charge project is being run by a consortium consisting of Vattenfall, Connected Kerb, SMS, Cenex, Ginger Town, Fully Charged, DETA and Loughborough University.

Several local authorities also form part of the consortium, including the West Midlands Combined Authority and councils in Oxfordshire, Liverpool, Southend on Sea, Worcestershire, Wandsworth, Croydon, Northamptonshire, Hammersmith & Fulham and Belfast.

Virgin Media’s 40,000 powered street cabinets and 170,000km of ducts will be used as part of the project, which will see 1,200 charging sockets deployed across the country over the next 18 months.

The sockets will be operated by Virgin Media’s parent company, Liberty Global. The project aims to build a fully scalable EV charging network, having received a share of a £37 million government fund in July. The Innovate UK-backed project aims to encourage greater EV uptake and support the government in moving closer to net zero.

More than a fifth of motorists plan to go electric for their next car

November 11, 2019Electric Cars, SalesRepost

Electric overtakes diesel to become second-most popular propulsion choice

More than a fifth of motorists plan to buy an electric vehicle as their next car, overtaking diesel to become the nation’s second-favourite choice of powerplant.

While petrol continues to be the most popular choice, a survey of 7,205 motorists on behalf of electric vehicle website Driving Electric found 22 per cent intended to buy an EV next, compared with 19 per cent for diesel, 16 per cent for hybrid, and 37 per cent for petrol.

This indicates a shift in attitudes compared with a similar survey of 13,289 motorists two years ago by the site’s sister publication Auto Express. Back then, just 10 per cent of buyers were said to be considering electric vehicles.

New Seat Mii Electric priced from £19,300 in UK

November 10, 2019Electric Cars, Mii Electric, News, Reviews and Comment, SeatRepost

Renault Zoe rival offers 162 miles of range, and is one of the most affordable EVs currently on sale

Seat has announced that UK pricing for the Mii Electric, its first zero-emissions model, will begin at £19,300, making it one of the cheapest mainstream EVs available in the UK.

Seat is also offering the first 300 buyers fitment of a wall-mounted home charger, a three-pin home-charging cable, three years’ servicing and roadside assistance free of charge.

The supermini’s sub-£20,000 price tag is lower than that of its Vauxhall Corsa-e, Peugeot e-208, Mini Electric and Honda E rivals. The new Renault Zoe is available from £18,670 under the firm’s battery leasing scheme, but monthly costs have yet to be revealed.

As part of Seat’s ‘easyMOVE’ range simplification strategy, only one trim is available from launch.

Standard equipment includes metallic paint, lane assist, fast-charging capabilities, 16in alloy wheels, air conditioning and automatic windscreen wipers.

New Renault Zoe Tries To Shatter Range Anxiety In Funny Ad

November 9, 2019Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Renault, ZOERepost

Thanks to the constant evolution of battery technology and the constantly increasing number of charging stations in the Western world, electric vehicles have become easier to live with.

However, despite some of them having an autonomy comparable to gasoline-powered cars, range anxiety still remains a concern for many potential customers. This is where Renault has stepped in, attempting to fight the fear of running out of juice with a hilarious ad that demonstrates the versatility of the new Zoe.

Posted by the company’s French arm, the 30-second long clip shows the advantages of having a small electric hatchback like the Zoe. More importantly, it highlights the fact that owners do not have to adapt to the car, as its purpose is not to change your everyday life, even if that means not using public toilets on the go, but the side of the road instead.

Electric cars to get green number plates under government plan

November 8, 2019Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesRepost

Plates will mean perks such as free parking as part of scheme to push zero-emission vehicles

Green coloured number plates will be issued for electric cars under government plans to encourage drivers to buy zero-emission vehicles.

The government said the new licence plates would make the least polluting cars easily identifiable and help their drivers benefit from incentives such as free parking or access to clean air zones.

A consultation has been launched on the proposals, modelled on a scheme in Canada which appeared to push up electric car sales.

The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said:

“Green number plates are a really positive and exciting way to help everyone recognise the increasing number of electric vehicles on our roads.

“By increasing awareness of these vehicles and the benefits they bring to their drivers and our environment, we will turbo-charge the zero-emission revolution.”

The Department for Transport said the green number plates would provide a useful visual identifier for local authorities pushing schemes for zero-emission vehicles, potentially allowing them to use bus or other priority lanes. The plates would retain black lettering but on a green background, although the design could be modified to a simple green stripe or blob after the consultation.

The government’s behavioural insights team (Bit) said the distinctive plates would make people aware of fellow drivers’ decisions to drive greener vehicles. Elisabeth Costa, a senior director at Bit, said: “The number of clean vehicles on our roads is increasing but we don’t notice, as it’s difficult to tell clean vehicles apart from more polluting ones. Green number plates make these vehicles, and our decision to drive in a more environmentally friendly way, more visible on roads.

“We think making the changing social norm noticeable will help encourage more of us to swap our cars for cleaner options.”

Elon Musk’s Tesla Model 3 wins Car of the Year along with three other awards

November 7, 2019Electric Cars, Model 3, News, Reviews and Comment, TeslaRepost

Tesla’s smallest and cheapest car was the UK’s third best-selling model in August and was the first electric vehicle to make the top 10 best sellers

The new Tesla Model 3 has picked up four awards – including Car of the Year – in a string of major industry accolades for the new electric model.

Tesla’s smallest and cheapest car was the UK’s third best-selling model in August – the first time an electric vehicle (EV) has made the top 10 best sellers.

The battery-powered saloon is proving to be a critical success for Elon Musk’s American company.

It scooped prizes for Best Electric Car and Best Company Car, along with the Safety Award and overall Car of the Year top prize at the Parkers New Car Awards 2020.

Experts at Parkers, the UK’s biggest new car buying and advice website, were impressed with the Model 3, calling it “capable, likeable and extremely good to drive.”

Good Energy launches EV charging service ‘One Point’

November 6, 2019Charging, Electric Cars, EvoltRepost

Good Energy has become the latest supplier to launch an EV charging service, after having EVs in its sights for a long time.

The ‘all-in-one’ EV charging service, dubbed ‘One Point’, will be for businesses looking to offer destination or workplace charging.

The green energy supplier will recommend, install and maintain the charging services, having agreed partnerships with Swarco and RAW Infrastructure. The charge points will be supplied with 100% renewable energy by Good Energy.

Four chargers have been installed at the Watergate Bay Hotel in Cornwall in the pilot of the scheme. The chargers are embedded with smart, load balancing technology, Good said, enabling smart charging

Lessons from the pilot are to be used to expand the full offering to businesses across the UK, and hopefully simplify the installation of chargers for businesses.

As EV uptake increases, destination and workplace charging will be important for “large numbers of drivers”, Good said, providing an important opportunity for businesses as well as helping to decarbonise transport.

Tim Wynn-Jones, head of energy solutions at Good Energy, said: “The EV market is currently fragmented and complex, but it will soon be essential for UK businesses to offer charging — to their employees, visitors and customers.”