Category Archives: Electric Cars

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

Owners of the most polluting cars to pay double for parking across England

July 12, 2023Buying/Leasing, News, Reviews and Comment, Opinion, Parking, PollutionRepost

Lambeth council in London is latest to introduce emissions-based fees, with similar charges expected to be widely introduced

Owners of the most polluting cars may soon have to pay more to park as councils across England are expected to roll out new charges based on a vehicle’s CO2 emissions.

Lambeth is the latest council in London to introduce emissions-based parking fees, with similar charges now expected elsewhere in England. Owners of the most polluting cars can expect to pay more than twice as much as cleaner cars. There are now 26 different charges to park for an hour in Lambeth, depending on a car’s tax band and whether there is a diesel surcharge. The cost of a parking bay near Waterloo station in south London now ranges between £6.30 and £13.23 an hour, with payment made by an app.

The consultation on the charges introduced on 30 May included a new pricing structure for residents’ parking permits, which are already based on CO2 emissions. The annual cost of the highest band has risen from £340.73 to £500, with an additional annual surcharge of £140 for a diesel vehicle that does not comply with Euro 6 emission standards.

Of more than 2,900 responses in the consultation, 59% objected to the proposals. Lambeth has implemented the changes despite opposition, stating that air quality is a major public health issue and a wide range of interventions is required.

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Electric Vehicles and Electric Vehicle Charging: Risk and Opportunity

July 7, 2023Buying/Leasing, Charging, Charging, Electric Cars, Electric Motorhomes, Electric Taxis, Electric Vans, FAQ, News, Reviews and Comment, OpinionRepost

UK data shows that by September 2022, there were 1 million licensed plug-in vehicles (EV) in the UK. This equated to 2.5% of all licensed road using vehicles, up from 1.6% at the end of September 2021^[1]. Additionally, the UK government currently plans to prohibit the sale of new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in 2030^[2].

Opel Corsa-e Electric Car (Image: Opel.com)

What’s the issue?

EVs provide significant advantages, with benefits including:
Quieter engines reducing urban noise pollution.
Emit less emissions, though debates rage if they are truly ‘green’ bearing in mind the associated costs of mineral extraction and battery recycling.
Cheaper maintenance costs as simpler drive trains reduce opportunities for components to fail.
Cheaper running costs as electricity rates allow a cheaper cost per mile in comparison to diesel and petrol vehicles. EVs becomes even more economical where homeowners have access to solar charging for their vehicle^[3].

What are the risks?

Electric vehicles commonly rely on lithium ion batteries to generate electrical power. However, when damaged or improperly manufactured these batteries can fail. Failure can raise the surrounding temperature and subsequently become the source of thermal runaway resulting in catastrophic fire damage to the vehicle – potentially also spreading to surrounding infrastructure and buildings^[4]. As a result, damaged battery packs may lead insurers to write off otherwise perfectly suitable vehicles.

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14 important electric vehicles coming soon

July 5, 2023Audi, BMW, Electric Cars, Ford, Hyundai, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

As the 2030 ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol cars gets closer, manufacturers are launching an ever-increasing number of new battery electric vehicles.

Here we look at 14 of the most important models for fleets on the horizon.

Audi A6 e-tron

Available: Early 2024

Range: More than 400 miles

Audi will enter the electric executive saloon space next year with the A6 e-tron and A6 Avant e-tron. Only a concept version of the new model has been revealed so far, but it suggests the A6 e-tron will have little in common with the existing A6.

Like the current Audi e-tron GT , the A6 e-tron is being co-developed with Porsche. It is expected to use a 100kWh battery, giving a range of around 430 miles, and have a power output of 470PS. A cheaper version may also be offered, with a 300-mile range.

The car will be capable of adding 186 miles worth of range in just 10 minutes and will have an estimated starting price of £60,000.

BMW i5

Available: October

Range: 362 miles

The electric BMW 5 Series will become a reality this year, filling the gap between the current i4 and i7 models in the car maker’s line-up.

Sales are set to commence in October, when company car drivers will be able to order the eDrive40 variant and a range-topping M60 model. An estate version will follow in 2024.

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“Second hand EVs are the ultimate bargains of the year”

July 4, 2023Citroen, Electric Cars, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, OpinionRepost

With the price of used electric cars plummeting, Mike Rutherford thinks it’s the perfect time to buy

Admit it: British buyers love a bargain. And we don’t have to look far to find one at the minute.

For example, after a year or two of prices at some pumps nudging and occasionally exceeding the soul and wallet-destroying £2.20 a litre (£10 per gallon) mark, I didn’t think I’d have a good word to say about the fuel-retailing industry ever again. But now, in mid-2023, petrol costing around £1.40 (£6.36) and diesel at £1.50 (£6.81) a litre are relative bargains.

Others include frequently discounted AA cover for less than £100 annually (that’s what I just paid for mine); four new, award-winning, great-value tyres for a few hundred quid (I’ve just purchased a set); day tickets for The British Motor Show at a mere £23.50 (individual adults) and £47 (two adults and two kids); or even an Auto Express magazine subscription for little more than £2 a week over the next 12 months.

For those with bigger bargains in mind, they’re out there. Dacia and MG prove the point perfectly, the former with its seven-seat £18,295 Jogger, the latter with a range of EV and ICE cars that undercuts pretty much every other model line-up in UK showrooms.

Very different but equally tempting bargains include the Citroen Ami quadricycle at £8,095 and, for £51,800, the entry-level Porsche 718 Cayman, which just about qualifies as a supercar-lite. Honestly, if you’ve got around 50 grand burning a hole in your pocket, you can’t afford not to buy one.

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Fact check: why Rowan Atkinson is wrong about electric vehicles

July 3, 2023Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Pollution, VolvoRepost

In a widely shared comment piece for the Guardian, comedian Rowan Atkinson said he felt “duped” by the green claims about electric vehicles (EVs).

In support of his contention, however, Atkinson repeats a series of repeatedly debunked talking points, often used by those seeking to delay action on the climate crisis.

Moreover, he suggests alternatives to EVs that are not yet widely available, would be less beneficial to the climate and are guaranteed to be more costly.

Atkinson’s biggest mistake is his failure to recognise that electric vehicles already offer significant global environmental benefits, compared with combustion-engine cars.

While EVs won’t solve all of the problems associated with car use – from traffic congestion through to our increasingly sedentary lifestyles – they are an essential part of tackling the climate emergency.

In its latest report, for example, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said, with “high confidence”, that EVs have lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional cars. The IPCC said that electric vehicles not only “offer the greatest low-carbon potential for land-based transport”, but their use would save money. (Despite elevated electricity prices, EVs are still much cheaper to run than petrol cars in the UK.)

Indeed, without a widespread shift to EVs, there is no plausible route to meeting the UK’s legally binding target of net zero greenhouse emissions by 2050 – and the same is true globally.

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The best 300-mile+ electric cars

June 23, 2023Electric Cars, Hyundai, Kona Electric, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Range anxiety is still one of the biggest barriers to electric car ownership, but these models can all cover more than 300 miles on a charge – and some can go a lot farther than that…

Best 300-mile electric cars

Tempted by an electric car but think range might be an issue? Well, thanks to advances in technology, it really isn’t with many of the latest models. Right now, 33 cars in all shapes and sizes, from small SUVs to luxury saloons, offer a range of 300 miles or more, according to official tests. And some can even go beyond 400 miles.

We should point out that few electric cars can match their official ranges in real-world use; even the weather can affect performance. However, the cars on this list should still cover most longer trips without the need to pause for a battery top-up.

As well as naming the models with the longest official ranges, we’ll include the results of our real-world range tests (where applicable). We’ll also highlight each car’s usable battery capacity and tell you how long it takes them to be charged from 10-80% at their peak charging rate. They are ranked in order of range, from lowest to highest.

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ENERGY SAVER I’m a car expert – here’s the top five used EVs you can buy for less than £15k

June 22, 2023Cost of ownership, Electric Cars, Leaf, News, Reviews and Comment, NissanRepost

ONE of the biggest gripes about switching to an electric car is the hefty price of battery-powered models.

With more low emission zones appearing all over the UK, many motorists are finding that they need a cleaner car like an EV or a hybrid – but the problem is they just can’t afford to make the change from their petrol or diesel motor.

Recent research by carwow, the online platform for buying and selling cars, found that cost is a significant barrier to EV adoption – with 56% of consumers saying that the purchase price of an electric car is too high.

Handily, carwow’s automotive expert and YouTube star Mat Watson has shared his top picks for used EVs you can get your hands on for under £15k right now.

Nissan Leaf – £14,500

One of the original electric cars for the masses, the Nissan Leaf is a smart EV that comes with an impressive safety kit, a comfortable interior and a big, practical boot.

At this price you’ll probably only find the lower-range models, but an official 168 miles between charges should be enough for most.

The interior can feel a bit cheap in places, but a good driving position and good visibility make the Leaf easy to drive in town – the punchy electric motors certainly help here, too.

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How safe are electric cars?

June 21, 2023Buying a new car, Electric Cars, FAQ, News, Reviews and Comment, OpinionRepost

The combination of high-voltage electrical systems and reports of batteries catching fire might give you cause for concern. So, how safe are electric cars really?…

Electric cars are increasingly popular, with more than one million now on UK roads. However, as is so often the case with cutting-edge technology, there are some concerns around safety.

These fears include whether they become dangerous when exposed to water and how flammable the batteries might be in a crash. So, here we reveal everything you need to know about the safety of electric cars.

How safe are electric cars in an accident?

Electric vehicles (EVs) have to be built to the same safety standards as internal combustion engined (ICE) cars, meaning that they are actually just as safe in the event of a collision.

Most manufacturers allow their cars to be crashed and assessed by independent safety body Euro NCAP, which awards an overall safety rating for each car it tests, allowing drivers to identify the safest choice for their needs.

In fact, the fully electric Tesla Model Y is the highest-scoring car tested by Euro NCAP since the latest standards were introduced in 2020, which is part of the reason why it won our Safety Award at the 2023 What Car? Awards.

True, electric cars are built differently from ICE cars due to the absence of an engine.

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Mr. Bean says ‘our honeymoon with electric cars is coming to an end.’ It’s just the beginning.

June 20, 2023Buying a new car, Charging, Cost of ownership, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Opinion, SalesRepost

Mr. Bean loves cars.

Over the weekend, the respected British comedian Rowan Atkinson, famous for his portrayal of a clueless social misfit in his eponymous British series, wrote about “feeling duped” for buying an electric car.

“Our honeymoon with electric cars is coming to an end,” he lamented in an opinion piece in the Guardian. “Sadly, keeping your old petrol car may be better than buying an EV.”

I can see why Mr. Bean might suggest that. I’ve been driving a 2010 Honda Fit for quite a while, and I’m sure it will keep chugging well after my odometer’s recent lap of the 100,000-mile mark.

But Atkinson, who says he has a “lifelong passion for the motorcar” and an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, argues that people should consider keeping their internal combustion engines as long as possible, while we develop hydrogen and synthetic fuel alternatives.

On one front, Atkinson is right. EVs are not perfect. The industry, for example, has a lot of room to improve on how it sources battery materials, whose mining has ravaged communities and ecosystems around the world. Prices are high. Charging infrastructure is spotty. Supplies are tight. He points out some real problems in the current market.

But based on what we know about emissions and automobile engineering, EVs are the better choice for millions of people right now.

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An electric car is the world’s best-selling car

June 19, 2023Electric Cars, Model Y, News, Reviews and Comment, TeslaRepost

An electric car has toppled the Toyota Corolla from the top spot.

We have previously reported that an electric car became Sweden’s best-selling car during the first quarter of 2023. And that an electric car became Europe’s best-selling car during the same period.

New data shows that an electric car also became the world’s best-selling car in the first three months of this year.

New number one: Tesla Model Y

The electric car in question is Tesla’s Model Y.

According to Jato Dynamics, 267,200 Model Y were sold in the first quarter, ahead of Toyota’s Corolla with 256,400. Third place went to another Toyota, the Hilux, with 214,700.

Elon Musk was almost completely correct

In 2021, Tesla’s founder, Elon Musk, said that he believed that Model Y would soon become the world’s best-selling car:

“We think Model Y will be the best selling car or vehicle of any kind in the world. Probably next year. I’m not 100 percent certain next year, but I think it’s quite likely… more likely than not, that 2022 Model Y is best selling car or truck… in the world.”

He missed by one quarter. For the full year 2022, the Model Y came in third place. (Of course, it remains to be seen whether Model Y can hold first place for the whole year 2023.)

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