Category Archives: Electric Cars

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

Renault Discusses EV Battery Second-Life

Renault promises to take care of batteries that lose 30% of initial capacity by using them in second life as energy storage systems.

70-80% is typically considered the point at which an electric car owner would be willing to swap an old battery for new one, although the battery itself still works just fine.

If old batteries, with 70% capacity, are not suitable for cars, they can still be used in energy storage systems to support the rollout of renewable energy, or for emergency power supply for another decade or so – thus enjoying a second life.

Only the deeply depleted batteries should go to the recycling process under Renault’s circular economy concept, to recapture things like cobalt, nickel, copper, manganese, aluminum, lithium and solvents.

“The batteries of electric vehicles may have several lives. They are reused, for example in response to energy storage requirements for the building. At end of life, all the elements contained in these batteries are recovered for recycling.”

Source: Inside EVs

Volkswagen Recall Casts Shadow Over France’s Auto Industry

October 16, 2015Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, Opinion, PollutionTrevor Larkum

How Will Emissions Scandal Affect The Future Of French Diesel?

ZOE Twins (Image: T. Larkum) — Renault’s electric car, the Zoe, accounted for half of all electric car sales in France in 2015. The car company, which traditionally produced diesel engines, has begun diversifying as the popularity of diesel wanes. (Image: T. Larkum)

Known for such cars as the classic Citroen Deux Chevaux and the luxury vehicles of powerhouse Renault, France has long been one of the largest and most recognizable car manufacturers in Europe — and indeed, in the world. But as its automotive market struggles to recover from lagging sales and more people grow skeptical of the environmental effects of diesel fuel (most French cars have diesel engines), a widening Volkswagen emissions scandal could mark a turning point for French auto manufacturing. A consumer shift to gasoline or alternative fuel would spell fiscal disaster for French car producers, unless they start diversifying engine fuels and looking to alternative energy, analysts said.

“I think it’s going to be negative; it’s very simple,” said macroeconomics analyst Jean Ergas, an adjunct assistant professor at the New York University School of Professional Studies. “This is going to be a big hit for them.”

Diesel scandal fuels electric vehicle interest

October 16, 2015Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesTrevor Larkum

Interest in alternative fuels up by a quarter since Volkswagen ‘dieselgate’ scandal

Interest in hybrid and electric cars has rocketed since the Volkswagen diesel scandal, according to analysis by Carbuyer.

Traffic to electric and hybrid car reviews has increased by almost a quarter since news of the scandal broke. And those users are viewing far more pages in a visit than the average.

Carbuyer editor Stuart Milne said:

“It’s hard not be amazed at the scale of the diesel scandal affecting some of the most popular brands in Britain. It has understandably dented confidence in diesel models. But hybrids and all-electric vehicles (EVs) haven’t been touched by the scandal.”

“The events of the last few weeks could help to accelerate sales of hybrids and EVs. Indeed, our data suggests that ever more in-market car buyers are looking to hybrid and electric models rather than diesel engines.

“The rate of development in these models is impressive. A revised version of the Nissan LEAF – the world’s most popular electric car – now offers a range of more than 150 miles and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle) is a genuine alternative to the diesel version of that SUV.

“The continued financial incentives for motorists to buy a zero-emissions vehicle – or choose one as a company car – are exceptionally enticing.”

Carbuyer analysed traffic to its reviews of hybrid-only models, such as the Toyota Prius and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, as well as Carbuyer’s Best Hybrids and Best Electric Car features.

It found traffic from UK readers increased by 24.5% between 20 and 29 September compared to the previous period.

Source: Car Buyer

More Convenient Public EV Charging From POD Point

October 16, 2015Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, POD PointTrevor Larkum

Recently, POD Point, a supplier of electric vehicle charging stations, launched a fresh network of public charging stations in the UK.

The new public charging network will enable more convenient charging of electric vehicles. Business Green brings us the story, continuing,

“The new Open Charge network will allow EV owners to charge their cars via POD Point’s website or mobile app. It replaces the old POD Point system where users were required to scan an RFID card to initiate charging.”

Swiping a card isn’t all hat hard, but eliminating one more card from your wallet and allowing easy access via your smartphone is certainly a step forward, making charging even quicker and easier.

Erik Fairbairn, a founder of POD Point, points out how this move is about engaging more people to consider electric vehicles.

“We know that highly reliable, widely available and simple-to-use charging infrastructure will drive forward the take-up of electric vehicles,” he said. “We have listened really closely to the queries and pain points of our users, and we now have a system that is incredibly simple to use, even for new EV drivers.”

UK’s Top 20 Plug-In Electric Cars – Mid-2015

October 16, 2015Electric Cars, Mitsubishi, News, Reviews and Comment, Outlander PHEV, SalesTrevor Larkum

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV remains the best selling plug-in car in the UK according to latest RAC Foundation report on plug-in car grant claims.

The Japanese plug-in hybrid, through the end of June, noted 12,066 registrations out of 35,241 total. That’s more than one third of all plug-ins sold in the UK.

The ratio in Q2 was even higher – 41% (2,293 out of 5,568).

With the newly refreshed, 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV coming, things become even more exciting.

Here are some interesting comments from Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation:

“The march of Mitsubishi continues with the latest data showing the Outlander plug-in hybrid extending its lead over the Nissan Leaf as the most popular ultra-green car in the UK.

“The success of the Outlander looks to be down to three things: a high-profile advertising campaign, good range, and probably most importantly competitive pricing which makes it as affordable to buy as the diesel equivalent.

“But that price is dependent on the government grant. Ultimately all ultra-green cars will have to stack up commercially when the grants are withdrawn. What ministers must ensure is that both consumers and manufacturers have a clear idea of when and how the scheme will come to an end.

“The interesting question is whether Mitsubishi are making money from this model or using it as a loss leader to gain market share and drive out competitors.

“It is worth noting that the growth in the number of ultra-low carbon vehicles on the road slowed significantly in the latest quarter compared with the previous. This is probably due to seasonal variations in car buying volumes but industry and ministers will be keeping a keen eye on the trends to make sure demand isn’t stalling.”

Don’t buy an electric car

October 16, 2015Electric Cars, Model S, News, Reviews and Comment, Renault, Tesla, ZOETrevor Larkum

Don’t buy an electric car before you’ve read our 11 things you must know – The stuff they don’t always tell you

Like any radical new technology, electric vehicles (EVs) can be confusing. Are they cheap or expensive to buy and run? Do they actually do any good for the environment? Are range anxiety and charging real worries? And what are they really like to own, to drive and to look after?

The good news is there are undoubted up sides to owning an EV, but you need to know about the battery-powered pitfalls too. Good news for you, then, that this here is our guide to the 11 things every driver should know about electric cars.

1. Some electric cars are ludicrously fast

The latest Tesla Model S sports a ‘Ludicrous Mode’ that allows the four-door saloon to blast to 60mph in just 2.8 seconds. That’s precisely the same performance as Porsche’s 918 Spyder supercar and faster than just about anything else on the road. In other words, electric cars today are most definitely not the feeble carts of yesteryear. Just like combustion cars, they’re available in a wide range of specifications with performance to match. You simply cannot generalise about electric cars being slow any longer.

2. Some electric cars are cheap

Yes, the aforementioned Tesla might break the bank at upwards of £80,000, but cars like Renault’s Zoe are much more accessible. In many ways, the Zoe is a standard compact hatchback, similar in size to Renault’s own Clio or the Ford Fiesta. You can buy one from just £13,995. You can also put one on your drive for around ~~£160 a month and a deposit of just £600~~ £155 a month and a deposit of just £250. So EVs are no longer the preserve of well-heeled early adopters. If you are in a position to buy almost any new car, you can probably afford to add electric to your shortlist.

Talkers Versus Doers – Nissan Leaf

https://youtu.be/dItcDD4sOVs

After diesel scandal Volkswagen must go electric

October 16, 2015Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, Opinion, PollutionTrevor Larkum

Perhaps the VW emissions scandal will actually do some good.

Your new clean diesel turns to be less clean than you thought? Switch to an electric car.

Car exhaust pollution (Image: Wikipedia)

In recent days, the loudest thing in the automotive industry is Volkswagen’s scandal over diesel engine emissions.

We at InsideEVs don’t cover conventional cars, but there’s something we’d like to note. After over 100 years of developments, we simply don’t believe that internal combustion engines can be significantly improved upon in terms of fuel economy or emissions.

Proof of that is seen in such things as carmakers using more and more gears (like eight or even nine), while every next gear translates to less gain than the previous one, at some additional cost. Automakers are literally scratching at whatever they can.

In the world of tightening emission standards, evading them is worth billions of dollars and there could be plenty of people sitting tight-lipped about true emissions in various automotive groups.

Electric Cars Cut Greenhouse Gases and Energy Use

October 16, 2015Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and Comment, PollutionTrevor Larkum

No surprise here for most EV drivers, but still good to see in black and white.

Electric cars charged on the grid generally have a lower carbon footprint than internal-combustion vehicles–and their wells-to-wheels carbon emissions only shrink as more renewable energy comes online.

That’s the conclusion of a new study on the environmental effects of future transportation electrification, jointly conducted by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and National Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

It follows and updates a landmark 2007 report by the pair that was among the first to analyze the long-term effects of electric cars, both on global carbon emissions and on electric-utility infrastructure.

A transition to more electric cars and greener grid-electricity sources, it confirms, could have a significant impact in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The study confirms what several previous analyses have said: As the grid gets cleaner, so do electric cars.

New Renault ZOE from £155 per month fuel included

October 15, 2015Blog, Electric Cars, Renault, ZOETrevor Larkum

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