The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is advertised as an SUV, but it’s really more like a hatchback.
And a luxury sedan. Actually, the design that makes it hard to classify also creates one of the most versatile vehicles ever. The fact that it’s electric makes it slightly annoying to own, but quite satisfying to drive.
About 230 miles of range electric means this Jag can’t exactly do everything. But what it does do, it seems to do well.
(Full Disclosure: Jaguar arranged for an I-Pace to be left with me for a weekend. I returned it with enough charge for the nice delivery folks to get home.)
Jaguar I-PACE Electric Car (Image: T. Larkum)
Before undertaking a big transformation in the past decade, Jaguar was one of the more anachronistic car companies you could point to. This company built its whole brand on big displacement sedans, swaths of soft leather and hood ornaments. The chrome cats got moved to the trunks, but Jaguar’s still trading in signature exhaust notes and the average American’s assumption that all things English are fancy.
Suffice it to say, that makes the I-Pace is the most abnormal Jaguar we’ve ever seen. And for the same reason, it’s also perhaps the most interesting.
Jaguar can’t exactly abandon the look it’s worn for over 80 years in one fell swoop, but it had to do something dramatic to stay relevant in the luxury market while electric cars are hot and so are global temperature averages. And as a result of hustling to market, Jaguar’s only major rival in the practical luxury EV segment at this very moment is Tesla.
That will change as Audi, Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen and even Cadillac plan a big onslaught of EVs, starting soon. But Jag is one of the first at the table, so let’s see what its version of the future looks like.
What will the future gas station look like? Cars like Tesla Model S, Model 3, Nissan Leaf and Chevy Bolt will turn the future gas station into a Wall Connector charging your car inside your garage. Most likely it will be two cars load sharing on a charger powered by 14 solar panels.
While we will still have gas stations in 5 years the number of them closing the fuel pumps and turning into convenience stores, such as Walgreens is going to increase dramatically.
Current opportunity
Fueling stations in the past could raise and lower prices seemingly at will, and unless consumers were making their own biodiesel (not recommended) at home they had no choice but to pay high gas prices.
Milton Keynes ‘Mushrooms’ Charging Hub (Image: T. Larkum)
Recently Tesla increased supercharging prices while Shell has partnered with Greenlots to offer EV charging at Shell Stations. These are moves to profit on the upcoming revolution in powering vehicles. There is profit in DC fast charging because the country needs additional Superchargers and DC fast chargers as the fleet of electric vehicles grows. Although after the initial growth phase of fast chargers this fast charging profit will be limited by common motorist not oil elitist. (Also see why Toyota suddenly partnered with Panasonic on EV batteries).
The Disruptive weapon
Why will the new “energy” pump become such a disruption? The disruptive weapon will become small home and business charging. Common motorist will limit the profit of DC fast charging by simply choosing to charge more at home, and or share charging with friends, families, and small businesses who want your business by allowing free charging. Apps such as PlugShare increase the ability to easily peer-to-peer charge.
Everyone loves free, hence why more commuters at Tesla superchargers are older Tesla models with free supercharging. As free disappear at the superchargers and DC fast chargers increase prices motorist will counter with free home charging. For the most part no one places a gas or diesel fuel pump in their garage. No most motorist can have unlimited and free energy (after the initial investment) for the life of their home.
Europcar Mobility Group orders 85 all-electric Renault ZOEs for its UK car sharing and Deliver & Collect operations
A number of units to be used by E-Car Club to extend its cost-effective, low-emissions car share schemes
Majority of E-Car Club’s new Renault ZOEs to be made available at brand new Solihull locations
Order will also work to significantly lower the carbon footprint of Europcar’s city-based Deliver & Collect service
Ease-of-use, environmental compatibility and real-world range of 186 miles influence repeat order
Renault was the number one electric vehicle manufacturer in 2018, whilst the Renault ZOE is one of Europe’s best-selling electric cars
ZOE available from £18,420 on-the-road (after PiCG)
Over 5,000 Renault ZOEs are included in European car-sharing schemes
The UK’s leading low-emission car sharing club has reaffirmed the suitability of the all-electric Renault ZOE for its growing operation as its parent company, Europcar Mobility Group, orders a further 85 of the award-winning supermini.
E-Car Club – ecarclub.co.uk – has taken a number of units, supporting its expansion across the UK, from East London to St Andrews, Scotland. Through the innovative scheme, E-Car Club provides the public with a low-cost, hassle-free and environmentally friendly alternative to private car ownership and customers can hire a Renault ZOE from only £4.50 per hour, including power and insurance.
Europcar adds 85 ZOEs to its car-sharing service (Image: Renault)
The majority of E-Car Club’s newly acquired, 40 kWh Renault ZOEs, will be used for a brand new scheme in North Solihull, which sees the popular EV available to members at nine locations throughout the region’s residential areas.
Local drivers can hire any of the new ZOEs, one of which has been wrapped in a distinctive ‘ECO Jungle’ livery, by simply signing up online. Completely self-service, bookings can be made via the E-Car Club website 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with customers gaining access to a ZOE simply by scanning their membership card against the windscreen. Drivers then unplug the ZOE from the onsite charger to experience all the benefits of all-electric motoring.
The rest of the Renault ZOEs will be used by Europcar to support its Deliver & Collect service in major UK cities. The use of the Renault ZOE works to significantly lower Europcar’s carbon footprint in these highly populated areas as well as reduce its operating costs.
The new order follows Europcar’s successful introduction of 55 Renault ZOEs for its Deliver & Collect logistics fleet in 2016, which at the time was the biggest ever UK order for the best-selling EV.
Europcar opted to extend its fleet of the 100 per cent electric, five-door supermini following feedback from both E-Car Club members and its own drivers. The ZOE has proved to be perfect for both its busy Deliver & Collect role and E-Car Club’s car sharing model, being immensely easy to drive and charge, spacious and boasting a very practical real-world range of up to 186 miles on a single charge. Notably, the reliability of the Renault ZOEs already on fleet also influenced Europcar’s purchasing decision.
An electric car made by South Korean automaker Kia has taken home the prestigious What Car? “Car of the Year” award, beating out contenders like BMW’s 3 series, the Jaguar i-Pace and the Renault Zoe.
It’s the first time the South Korean automaker has won the coveted award, also marking a milestone in automotive history as the first time an electric car has taken home the award.
According to What Car?, the e-Niro won “by knockout” (as opposed to points), saying on its website that “it’s the first sensibly priced electric car that can fit into most people’s lives.”
The battery electric e-Niro, a compact SUV with 455km range (WLTP), which also picked up “Electric Car of the Year” award, is due for release in the UK this April. Pricing was announced last December at £32,995 ($A57,000) after the UK’s plug-in car grant is applied).
Affordability of electric cars remains a barrier to ownership for many – and this was a major factor of consideration for the What Car? judging panel.
“Uncompromised electric car ownership has, so far, been the privilege of those able to afford a Tesla, which is why the e-Niro is such a game-changer.”
Other models in the running included the Jaguar i-Pace and Renault Zoe.
“While the Renault Zoe deserves credit for offering a decent range for less than £20k, and the I-Pace for giving Tesla buyers a better option, we think Kia’s success in making a long-range electric car that’s within the reach of many deserves the most credit,” the judges said.
More than 21 million electric vehicles could be sold each year by the end of the next decade, with EVs achieving cost parity with conventional vehicles in the UK as early as 2021.
Those are the headline findings in new research compiled by advisory firm Deloitte, which has also forecast that electric vehicle supply could outstrip demand, heaping pressure on manufacturers.
The research, published this week, details how Deloitte expects the global adoption of EVs to accelerate in the coming years. Deloitte expects the number of new EVs on the road to double from two million in 2018 to four million in 2020, before soaring to 12 million by 2025.
This is then expected to rise further to 21 million vehicles by 2030, by which time battery electric vehicles are expected to account for 70% of total EV sales the world over.
That surge in demand is to be driven by both growing consumer demand for greener vehicles and government policies driving their adoption. While the UK government has tinkered with the financial incentives on offer, the plug-in car grant continues to support purchases of certain types of low-emission vehicle in the UK.
And the UK looks set to lead the pack in cost-parity, with Deloitte’s automotive partner Michael Woodward expecting electric vehicles to be as cheap to own as petrol and diesel vehicles in the UK as early as 2021.
“In the UK, the cost of petrol and diesel vehicle ownership will converge with electric over the next five years. Supported by existing government subsidies and technology advances, this tipping point could be reached as early as 2021. From this point, cost will no longer be a barrier to purchase, and owning an EV will become a realistic, viable option for new buyers,” he said.
Renault ZOE named ‘Best Used Electric Car’ in DieselCar and EcoCar’s Used Car Top 50 2019
All-electric ZOE takes the title for the second consecutive year
Five-door supermini also voted 21st overall out of over 750 cars that were evaluated
Renault is the number one EV manufacturer in Europe
LONDON – January 25, 2019: The 100 per cent electric Renault ZOE has successfully defended its title of ‘Best Used Electric Car’ in DieselCar and EcoCar’s Used Car Top 50 2019.
The ZOE clinched the title for the second consecutive year after impressing the magazine’s judging panel of second-hand car experts with its ease-of-ownership, clean looks and nippy yet relaxed driving experience. The award joins an ever-growing list of industry accolades bestowed on the stylish supermini. Additionally, the magazine placed the ZOE 21st overall out of over 750 cars evaluated.
Renault ZOE 22kWh (Image: T. Larkum)
Diesel Car and Eco Car reached its decision after assessing the Renault ZOE on a multitude of factors, including purchase price, residual value, general competency and fitness for purpose. Every car evaluated was given a score out of 10 that determined its final placing.
On awarding the Renault ZOE for the second year running, Ian Robertson, Editor and Publisher, DieselCar and EcoCar, said
“A supermini rather than a family car, the attractive ZOE is a stylish all-electric model that makes adopting electric motoring remarkably easy. Drive one around town in near-silence with zippy acceleration and zero tailpipe emissions and you’ll be convinced electric power is the future. That’s especially the case in cities like London, where it’s Congestion Charge exempt, saving owners a fortune. Be sure to check if the battery pack is included, as customers were given the choice of buying it outright or leasing the batteries separately.”
It was 6 weeks ago, early December 2018, that European reservation holders were asked to configure their Tesla Model 3’s.
The expectation was deliveries would begin somewhere in second half of the first quarter of 2019, but many were also doubtful of that timeline.
Last week, reservation holders received an invitation to experience the Model 3 at a local showroom. I was one of those reservation holders, and after years of reading and writing about the Model 3, after just sitting in it at the Paris Motor Show, we could not wait for the change to drive it.
Tesla Model3 (Image: Wikimedia/Carlquinn)
A small number of Model 3 Performance cars for test driving were sent ahead of the first shipload of customer Model 3’s that will arrive in early February in Zeebrugge, Belgium. Those cars arriving soon are for those who did not wait and ordered their cars untested, as will be the case for the next 2 or 3 shiploads of cars. (And as many a Wall Street analyst can explain, selling thousands of the highest trim levels sight unseen is clear proof that there is no demand for the Model 3 in Europe, but that is for another article. </sarcasm mode>)
Let us state that it is not fair to have the Long Range Performance with the Premium Upgrade Package for a test drive when your budget would really like a Standard Range basic version. Now, there are serious questions. For example: Is the Standard Range with rear-wheel drive just as sticky to the road as the all-wheel drive? Is the cornering just as effortless as in this Performance model? Is the Performance chill mode comparable to the Standard Range normal mode?
Renault ZOE wins ‘Best Electric Car for less than £30,000’ at the What Car? Awards 2019
All-electric Renault ZOE has taken the award every year since 2014
ZOE sales were up 1.25 per cent in 2018 to 1993 vehicles
Renault is the number one EV manufacturer in Europe
At this evening’s What Car? Awards the Renault ZOE won the ‘Best Electric Car for less than £30,000’ title for the sixth consecutive year. The What Car? Awards have been presented for the past 41 years and are recognised as being among the most prestigious in the industry. The award adds to the ZOE’s growing list of industry accolades.
2018 – Renault ZOE
Steve Huntingford, Editor of What Car? magazine, said:
“Our 2017 Electric Car of the Year remains a compelling proposition two years on, which is some achievement given the pace at which things are moving in this class. Unlike other sub-£30k pure electric options, you don’t have to put up with a feeble range. In fact, in our Real Range tests, the ZOE outperformed many much pricier options.”
Vincent Tourette, Managing Director of Renault UK, said:
“Electric cars are becoming more popular every month and the Renault ZOE has been at the forefront of the market since it was launched in the UK six years ago. ZOE is available with a choice of trims and motors, giving our customers the opportunity to choose the ZOE that best fits their lifestyle. That’s a key reason why the ZOE has been presented with a strong list of awards and it’s gratifying to see the model recognised by What Car? for a sixth successive year.”
Renault’s ZOE has proven popular with customers with 1993 sold in the UK last year, an increase of 1.25 per cent over 2017. The car continues to be available to purchase in two ways. First, under a battery hire scheme, where ZOE pricing starts at £18,420 (on the road) after the Government Plug-in Car Grant, with battery leasing from £59 per month. And second, under the ‘full purchase’ option, which allows the customer to buy the car and the battery from £25,020 (OTR). Whichever purchase option is chosen, the Renault ZOE is one of the most affordable electric cars on sale following Renault’s mantra of providing sustainable mobility for all.
In addition, Renault offers retail customers that purchase a ZOE a free 7kW wall box charger fully-installed in their home to ensure the best possible electric experience.
Two versions of the ZOE supermini are available and both have a real-world range of 186 miles (WLTP¹). With the R110 motor the ZOE has faster mid-range acceleration and 16hp more power than the R90 version it replaced. The second option is the Q90 motor, which allows faster charging. The ZOE Q90 Quick Charge can be charged from zero to 80 per cent in 65 minutes with a 43kW charger that can typically be found at most motorway service stations.
The customer can also choose between two trim levels: ZOE Dynamique Nav and ZOE Signature Nav. Included with the ZOE Dynamique Nav is 16-inch ‘black shadow’ alloy wheels, a hands-free keycard, automatic headlights and wipers, rear parking sensors and seven-inch colour touchscreen for the R-LINK 2 infotainment system with navigation.
Renault’s R-Link infotainment system utilises Android Auto™ to link the driver or passenger’s smartphone to the ZOE and mirrors the phone display onto the vehicle’s touchscreen to enable easy use of the smartphone’s functionality in the car.
ZOE Signature Nav adds a BOSE® 3D sound system, heated front seats, a rear reversing camera and bronze coloured interior detailing. It also features 16-inch ‘grey shadow’ alloy wheels and unique ‘Signature’ upholstery.
Renault has a strong line-up of 100 per cent electric vehicles that are in Renault dealerships nationwide. The ZOE is Renault’s popular electric supermini and is joined by the Twizy quadricycle, the Kangoo Z.E. 33 Van and the New Master Z.E. Van.
UK Power Networks and delivery giant UPS are among the partners on a new pilot aimed at demonstrating the commercial viability of cutting edge, wireless EV chargers.
The duo are to work with High Speed 1 and the Warwick Manufacturing Group on the project, which will see wireless charging technology deployed in three live locations in London and Tamworth.
The project, funded by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles and Innovate UK, will run for the first three months of this year and is aimed at broadening the understanding of how wireless EV chargers can become commercially viable.
Example Renault Electric Vans (Image: Renault)
UPS delivery vans will be charged at the company’s depot in Tamworth while they are being loaded with parcels, while electric taxis will receive charge wirelessly while waiting for passengers outside St Pancras International railway station in central London.
UK Power Networks’ fleet of electric vans will also take part in the trial.
It is hoped that wireless EV charging technologies could provide a significant boost for the adoption of electric vehicles in commercial fleets and fleet managers, in turn helping decarbonise the transport sector.
The feasibility study could also lead to a second round of funding from OLEV and Innovate UK should it demonstrably rove the viability of the technology and commercial model surrounding it.
EVs emit less lifetime CO2 than cars with internal combustion engines, even in countries reliant on coal for electricity generation
Electric vehicles (EVs) are better for the environment than internal combustion engine (ICE) models even when charged up with electricity generated by coal-fired power stations, according to new research.
Data from BloombergNEF (BNEF) shows CO2 emissions from EVs were about 40 per cent lower than those from ICE models in 2018. Furthermore, the UK saw the biggest difference in emissions between the two categories of car due to its large renewable energy industry.
Even in countries like China, which are more reliant on coal-fired electricity, EVs were still found to be cleaner than ICE cars from the points of view of CO2 emissions.
The research helps clarify some of the details surrounding the lifetime emissions of EVs, which don’t pollute on the road but do consume electricity that’s often generated by fossil fuels.
As a result of the data, BNEF predicts EVs will become cleaner in the future as utilities companies ditch coal plants in favour of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar farms.
