Category Archives: Sales

Peak Oil Returns: Why Demand Will Likely Peak By 2030

February 23, 2016Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, Opinion, Peak Oil, SalesTrevor Larkum

Will global oil demand peak by 2030? Is peak oil demand the new peak oil supply?

Many trends now point in the direction of this remarkable possibility:

In December the nations of the world agreed unanimously in Paris to leave most of the world fossil fuels in the ground.
Oil demand has been declining in developed countries for over a decade.
Electric vehicle sales are exploding around the world, especially China.
Battery prices are continuing their unexpectedly rapid price drop.
Tesla and Chevy now say their new 200-mile-range EV could cost Americans $30,000 — a game-changing price.

In November, a Bloomberg Business story, “The Oil Industry Has Been Put on Notice,” warned “the transformation of oil markets may be coming sooner than we think.” This recent Bloomberg New Energy Finance chart includes oil forecasts the International Energy Agency (IEA) has made since 1994:

Strong start to 2016 for electric car sales

February 19, 2016Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesTrevor Larkum

Sales of vehicles eligible for the UK Government’s Plug-in Car Grant (PiGC) have started the year strongly, taking 1.3 per cent of the overall market – the joint second highest market share ever. This is according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) today (Thursday 4th February).

There have been 2,176 PiCG eligible vehicles registered in January 2016, a 26.9 per cent rise compared with the same period last year. Of these 584 were pure electric vehicles (EVs), seeing a 14.1 per cent increase, while plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) increased sales almost by a third at 32.3 per cent. Since the launch of the Plug-In Car Grant in January 2011, there have been 49,866 eligible cars registered.

Plug-in registrations January 2016 (Image: SMMT)

The Alternatively Fuelled Vehicle (AFV) market, which includes models such as conventional hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles, saw 6,075 registrations in January which also represents a significant increase of 32.1 per cent against January 2015.

The AFV market share now sits at 3.6 per cent of the total 169,678 vehicles registered in January – itself an increase of 2.9 per cent – an improvement over last year’s 2.8 per cent.

Source: Next Green Car

Rush of orders expected before plug-in grant changes

February 11, 2016Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesTrevor Larkum

Vehicle leasing providers are encouraging those looking at plug-in hybrid vehicles to place their order as soon as possible to make the most of the current UK Government Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG) scheme.

With the grant system set for a shake-up from Tuesday 1st March 2016, there are only a few weeks left to get orders in before the level of government subsidy halves for PHEVs – the fastest growing alternative-fuel car market.

New rules for the PiCG see three categories come into force with only pure electric vehicles (EVs) eligible for the full £4,500 subsidy. These are models that emit less than 50 g/km CO2 and have a zero-emission range of at least 70 miles.

Categories 2 and 3 involve less than 50 g/km CO2 models with a zero-emission range of 10-69 miles and 50-75 g/km CO2 vehicles with a zero emission range of at least 20 miles respectively. These two categories will receive grants of £2,500 off the price of a car, rather than the current £5,000.

It is unclear what manufacturers will do once the new PiCG levels kick in, with some manufacturers potentially set to absorb the additional expense in the list price. There is no requirement for them to do this though so the car that you are looking at now could end up a few thousand pounds more expensive in a month’s time.

Next Green Car’s leasing partners GKL Leasing forecast that businesses will see increases in premiums of at least £90+VAT from 1st March and are encouraging customers to make the most of these savings by placing orders before the end of February.

Sam Young, Low CO2 Business Development, Westward Leasing (GKL Bristol), said:

“If you are even considering one of these vehicles this year then you need to act now. These cars are never going to be any less than now. With the delivery window so long and with the ability to pre-order for dates later in the year then the time to act is now to make things as cost effective as they will ever be.

“If you have cars doing less than 20,000 miles per year the savings available from tax benefits, urban fuel use and the great environmental benefits and image for a business makes this type of car an essential part of any fleet. So don’t get left behind and end up paying more when you realise it’s what you should have done before.”

Source: Next Green Car

Free parking, bus lane access for electric cars

February 2, 2016Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, Milton Keynes, Opinion, Pollution, SalesTrevor Larkum

This is becoming a perennial topic here on TreeHugger. The Guardian reports that eight UK cities are being awarded funds to provide major electric vehicle (EV) perks in an effort to increase adoption.

Electric car charging and parking (Image: G. Wallace)

Those perks will include a solar-powered charger at a York park-and-ride, free parking in Bristol and Milton Keynes, as well as bus lane access in Milton Keynes and Derby.

Cue the environmentalist handwringing.

On the one hand, I am sure Lloyd will be worrying about electric cars making it harder to fix our cities. After all, cars driving in bus lanes will inevitably impact public transit. And free parking for private automobiles seems to be the antithesis of reclaiming the ridiculous amount of space we devote to the motor car. With a demographic shift away from the car apparently underway, we do need to keep an eye on where we spend our resources.

In the other hand, I tend to be a part of the “it’s not this or that” crowd. Given our current dependence on private vehicles, and British’ cities on-going battle against life threatening smog, I’d suggest that speeding up the transition to emission-free cars is a significant step in the right direction.

The only caveat to that is the fact that the £40m pot being shared between these eight cities should not detract from other, non-car based efforts to slash emissions. From electric buses to treating cycling as mass transport, we must also continue our shift away from the car.

But surely, if done right, increased use of EVs should help us on this front too? As our streets get quieter, and as our air gets cleaner, it becomes easier and more pleasant for us to walk and cycle. And that can only be a good thing for everyone.

Electric cars to be allowed in bus lanes

February 2, 2016Electric Cars, Milton Keynes, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesTrevor Larkum

Electric car drivers will be allowed to travel in bus lanes as part of plans to boost usage of low-emission vehicles in England.

Free parking spaces for plug-in car owners and streetlight charging points are also set to be introduced.

The government awarded cash to four areas which successfully bid for a share of £40m funding.

Transport secretary Patrick McLaughlin said the councils had shown “exciting, innovative ideas” for electric cars.

Nottinghamshire and Derby, Milton Keynes, Bristol and London qualified for a share of the cash.

‘World leader’

Bus lanes in Milton Keynes will be re-branded as low emission lanes giving plug-in vehicles the same priority as buses at traffic lights.

The town, which has been awarded £9m, will also build an advice centre offering short-term loans for electric car purchases.

It is also proposing to open all its 20,000 parking bays for free to electric cars.

Nottingham City Council will also open up some of its bus lanes, and use part of its £6m grant to install 230 charge points.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Was Top Selling Plug-In Car In Europe In 2015

February 1, 2016Electric Cars, Mitsubishi, News, Reviews and Comment, Outlander PHEV, SalesTrevor Larkum

Mitsubishi did it again – their Outlander PHEV was the best selling plug-in electric car in Europe for 2015, just like it was in 2014.

Mitsubishi stated that 30,873 Outlander PHEV (up 55% year-over-year) were sold in 2015, which is some 59% of all Outlander sales in Europe. The conventional version accounted for just 41% (obv).

But even more amazing is that nearly 18% of total Mitsubishi sales in Europe were plug-ins.

In total, some 59,000 Outlander PHEVs have been sold in Europe to date, including over 6,000 in December 2015, according to our estimations. The Outlander PHEV arrives in the US (finally) in August of this year.

Source: Inside EVs

Govt announces winners of Go Ultra Low Cities funding

January 30, 2016Electric Cars, Milton Keynes, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesTrevor Larkum

Four UK cities have been awarded funds from a £40 million government project today (Monday 25th January) as the Go Ultra Low City Scheme has been launched to encourage the uptake of plug-in cars. Bristol, London, Milton Keynes and Nottingham each successfully bid for a share of the funds, with new technology and policies set to be trialled in each city.

https://youtu.be/Z_2KbeWTrSA

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced the winners, saying:

“These Go Ultra Low Cities have proposed exciting, innovative ideas that will encourage drivers to choose an electric car. I want to see thousands more greener vehicles on our roads and I am proud to back this ambition with £40 million to help the UK become international pioneers of emission cutting technology.

“The UK is a world leader in the uptake of low emission vehicles and our long-term economic plan is investing £600 million by 2020 to improve air quality, create jobs and achieve our goal of every new car and van in the UK being ultra-low emission by 2040.”

London has been awarded the largest proportion of the money with £13 million allocated to create “Neighbourhoods of the future”, prioritising ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs) in a number of boroughs across the city. Plans include installing car-charging street lighting in a number of streets in Hackney to improve access to charging points, while Harrow will develop its own low emission zone with parking and traffic priorities given to owners of plug-in vehicles.

These projects will aim to help London have around a quarter of a million ULEVs on the capital’s roads by 2025 and plans to use ideas and incentives to encourage uptake. Similar plans put in place in Norway have seen the country become one of the most successful in the world in terms of ULEV uptake for residents.

Milton Keynes will use its £9 million fund to open an Electric Vehicle Experience Centre in the city centre. This will provide a one-stop shop for both potential and existing ULEV customers, with advice, and short term vehicle loans available. The city will also set-up all 20,000 parking spaces for free use by electric vehicle owners, and allow ULEVs the use of bus lanes too.

Bristol has been awarded £7 million for its plans to offer residents free residential parking for ULEVs in the city, along with access to three car pool lanes across the centre to improve traffic flow and air quality. More than 80 rapid and fast chargers across Bristol will also be available for use and a scheme to allow residents to lease a plug-in car for up to four weeks is intended to allow potential customers to see what they are like to live with day to day.

EV buyers encouraged to place orders before end of February

January 29, 2016Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesTrevor Larkum

Car buyers wanting to purchase a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) should be aware that some OTR prices may increase from 01 March 2016 due to new grant levels coming into effect in the new financial year.

The prices changes are due to forthcoming changes to the Plug-in Car (and Van) Grants (PiCG). From 01 March 2016, two new grant rates will be introduced with the level of subsidy for PHEVs falling by 50 per cent from a maximum of £5,000 to £2,500. All-electric models may also be affected, although to a lesser extent than for PHEVs, with the PiCG for full EVs reducing by £500 to a maximum of £4,500.

The new PiCG rates will be awarded using a new EV classification system, each EV being classed depending on the level of CO2 emissions and the EV-only capable range.

• Category 1: CO2 emissions <50g/km and a zero emission range of at least 70 miles
• Category 2: CO2 emissions <50g/km and a zero emission range between 10 and 69 miles
• Category 3: CO2 emissions of 50-75g/km and a zero emission range of at least 20 miles

Category 1 vehicles will benefit from the full £4,500 grant while Category 2 and 3 vehicles will receive £2,500. The current grant scheme will run until March 2018 or until a certain number of each grant has been awarded.

A price cap will also be introduced in March 2016. Category 2 and 3 models with a list price of more than £60,000 will not be eligible for the PiCG, though all Category 1 vehicles will be able to have the full PiCG no matter what their cost.

Electric cars will become as ubiquitous as the internet

January 29, 2016Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesTrevor Larkum

Growth in popularity of electric cars is akin to the spread of the internet in the 1990s, minister claims

My ZOE plus an Outlander PHEV and i3 charging at London Gateway (Image: T. Larkum) — Renault ZOE plus a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and BMW i3 charging at London Gateway (Image: T. Larkum)

Electric cars are on track to become as ubiquitous as the internet, the transport minister has said, claiming plug-in vehicle technology was reaching a “tipping point”.

Andrew Jones, the roads minister, said sales of ultra-low emissions vehicles (ULEVs) were “rocketing”, with 28,188 new ULEV cars on the road in 2015 – almost double the number in 2014, and more than the previous five years combined.

Although this remains a tiny fraction of the overall car market – with a record 2.6 million new vehicles sold last year – the Government believes by 2050 it can get “virtually every car and van on the road to be zero emission”.

In a speech this week, Mr Jones said:

“The shift we are seeing reminds me of the spread of the internet in the 1990s.

“The internet started small, as a niche interest, but then it snowballed, and now it’s hard to imagine being without it.

“I think we are seeing a similar picture emerging for ultra-low emission vehicles in Britain today.

“ULEV sales are not just growing rapidly, they are rocketing.”

Electric vehicle sales to boom in 2016

January 29, 2016Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, Oil, Opinion, Sales, Solar Power, Wind PowerTrevor Larkum

2015 proved to be an interesting year for energy and climate issues both globally and in the UK. Will 2016 hold more of the same?

Forecasting is a dangerous business, but here are six predictions you should keep an eye on.

1) The showdown on oil prices between Saudi Arabia and the US will intensify, and the Saudis will eventually break.

It looks like oil and gas prices are going to remain low for the foreseeable future, panicking both the oil industry in Saudi Arabia and the shale gas industry in the US.

The big question is whether Saudi Arabia can keep production high and prices low long enough to bankrupt enough of the American shale industry. The answer may come by the end of 2016 and several factors point to the Saudis breaking first.

For one, despite losses for the oil industry, low oil prices benefit many sectors in the US, especially as consumers now have more spending money in their pockets. However for Saudi Arabia, an oil-dependent economy, low prices are a clear loser.

…

4) Hybrid sales will fall; electric vehicle sales will boom and become the hot energy news item of 2016.

More so than renewables, low-carbon vehicles are an area where you might expect low oil prices to present a difficulty as they will encourage more people to stick with their regular car.

Sales of hybrid vehicles, which many people do compare to standard combustion vehicles in purchasing decisions, will likely fall. Conversely, electric vehicle purchases tend to be made by consumers who are less sensitive to price changes, evidenced by increased EV sales in 2015 despite low oil prices. In addition, a significant portion of EV sales are in industrial, commercial and public sectors where EV mandates play a strong role.

This prediction, like most others included here, differs significantly from OPEC’s delusional World Oil Outlook. On EVs it forecasts only a moderate increase in sales all the way out to 2040. OPEC dismisses EVs as a threat because it says it will take until 2040 for battery costs to fall by 30-50%, enough to make them viable options. It’s a particularly bold prediction as battery costs have fallen by about 50% in last five years alone.

Expect to see media interest in head-to-head races between the silent rockets and a lot of interest in three big 2016 releases: the Chevy Volt, the Nissan LEAF and the Tesla Model X.