Category Archives: Volkswagen

News and reviews of Volkswagen electric cars (including plug-in hybrids).

The EV Battery: Everything You Need To Know and What’s Coming Next

November 17, 2023Electric Cars, MINI, News, Reviews and Comment, Passat GTE, VolkswagenRepost

Although electric cars are almost as old as the automobile itself, they didn’t become a worthy alternative to ICE vehicles until Li-ion batteries changed everything. These energy storage devices help power everything around us, from watches to electric cars and even cities. Let’s see how EV battery evolved and where it’s leading us.

Electric vehicles are now promoted as humankind’s best tool to curb global warming and reduce pollution inside cities. Not everyone is convinced they are the best solution, but electric vehicles have advantages over their ICE counterparts. These start with lower operating costs and are boosted by the fact that EVs can turn about 90% of the energy consumed to charge them into mechanical work. If this sounds unrealistic, remember that EVs can recoup during braking an important part (more than 20%) of the used energy and feed it back into the battery.

Electric vehicles are disadvantaged in certain areas, with the most talked about being limited range, long recharging times, and high prices. If you group them like that, you’ll notice that the advantages stem from using electricity, while the disadvantages are all generated by their Li-ion batteries. Once you realize that, it’s a no-brainer that the auto industry should channel its efforts into improving the batteries that power electric vehicles to make everyone happy.

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UK electric car sales risk falling further behind after Sunak U-turn, analysts say

October 17, 2023Buying/Leasing, e-Up, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Opinion, VolkswagenRepost

Country already trails well behind Europe and PM’s backtracking on climate policies could widen the gap

The UK has fallen well behind the rest of Europe in the growth of electric vehicle sales and risks falling further back after Rishi Sunak’s “screeching U-turn” on its climate policies, according to industry analysts.

UK sales of electric vehicles grew by 31% in the 12 months to July, one of the slowest rates of growth in Europe, according to data analysed by Cornwall Insight and the law firm Shoosmiths.

The research revealed the UK’s electric vehicle (EV) growth rate fell well behind the near 61% increase in sales across the 27 EU nations. The report blamed a lack of public charging infrastructure in the UK, and warned that the government’s decision to delay a ban on the sale of new combustion engine vehicles could shake investor confidence.

The prime minister announced plans to push back the ban on new fossil fuel vehicles from 2030 until 2035 as part of a significant watering down of the government’s key climate policies designed to help Britain become net zero by 2050.

The unexpected U-turn has led to confusion among carmakers and electric vehicle infrastructure investors by raising uncertainty over how soon British drivers will make the switch to electric options. This could further delay expansion of charging networks, according to the report.

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Ora Funky Cat UK review: electric hatchack comes up short on range, price and quality

July 19, 2023Buying a new car, Electric Cars, ID.3, Leaf, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, Nissan, Opinion, Renault, Volkswagen, ZOERepost

The first in a new wave of Chinese electric cars stands out for its looks but little else in a crowded market

There’s something to be said for making a splash when launching a new brand or product.

Good or bad, an eye-catching design and an interesting name can help establish a brand in the minds of the public and pave the way for future plans. So Ora is certainly onto a winner with the Funky Cat which not only has a name you won’t forget but brings a wide-eyed and unusual look that’ll stand out in most car parks.

Ora is one of a wave of Chinese brands setting their sights on the UK with a host of electric cars, and the Funky Cat is its first offering, aiming to compete with models such as the Nissan Leaf, Renault Zoe, Volkswagen ID.3 and MG4 in the electric hatchback segment.

We’re largely past the days of Chinese cars being carbon copies of European models but there is an element of Mini to the Funky Cat’s front end and smidge of first-gen Leaf to the sloping, wide tailgate. It looks better in the metal than in photos, which don’t do its proportions any favours, but it still divided opinion during our time with it and is likely to be a bit of a Marmite prospect on the roads.

Under the funky skin, the Funky Cat packs a 48kWh battery and a 169bhp motor. That offers fairly middle-of-the-road performance, with 0-62mph of 8.3 seconds and the usual initial surge tailing off as speeds rise.

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Tesla (TSLA) Model 3 dominates reliability study, outperforming ICE counterparts

June 12, 2023Buying/Leasing, Electric Cars, ID.3, Model 3, News, Reviews and Comment, Tesla, VolkswagenRepost

Tesla’s (NASDAQ: TSLA) participated in a new reliability study by the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (ADAC) in Germany where their electric Model 3 crushed its internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts.

It should come as no surprise that electric vehicles (EVs) are generally more reliable than their fossil-fuel-powered counterparts, given their remarkable mechanical simplicity. The superiority of EVs in terms of reliability has been emphasized in a recent study conducted by the ADAC, a German vehicle analysis firm. The study found that the Tesla Model 3 outperforms a large majority of gas-powered vehicles, further solidifying the reliability advantage of electric cars.

The ADAC study is an annual analysis that primarily examines vehicles that are older than three years. The group’s latest study encompassed four electric vehicles available in the German market: the Tesla Model 3, BMW i3, Volkswagen ID.3, and Renault Zoe. According to the findings from the ADAC’s data, electric vehicles not only outperform their gasoline counterparts on average, but the Tesla Model 3 exhibits a significantly higher level of reliability compared to both gasoline vehicles and other electric cars.

The study found that only 1.1 out of 1,000 2020 model-year Tesla Model 3s broke down annually, which is, surprisingly, a slight increase from the 2019 Model 3, which only had 0.9 breakdowns per 1,000 units. Comparatively, the average gas vehicle had 6.9 breakdowns per 1,000 units, and the average EV had 4.9 breakdowns per 1,000 units.

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Best value small electric cars 2023: Volkswagen e-up! vs Renault Zoe

May 29, 2023e-Up, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Opinion, Renault, Volkswagen, ZOERepost

Finding a cheap electric car isn’t very easy, so we’ve done the hard work for you

Finding a cheap electric car is still very difficult, but look in the right places and there are bargains to be had. Nowhere is that more clear than with our first contender, the Volkswagen e-up!. At the time of writing, we found an offer for the VW Group’s smallest EV for just £167.99 per month on a two-year deal.

Renault Zoe Volkswagen e-up!
Contract type: Personal Contract Hire (PCH) Personal Contract Hire (PCH)
Monthly cost: £206 £168
Length of contract: 36 months 24 months
Initial payment: £1,853 £1,513
Mileage allowance: 5,000/year 5,000/year

The dinky e-up! punches well above its weight when it comes to interior design. The finish is superb for such a small car, and the overall layout is well thought-out, right down to the neat smartphone cradle on top of the dash which, once an app has been installed, lets your own device act as the car’s infotainment system. A USB port hidden around the back of the mount keeps your phone charged on the move.

The fully-electric model first joined the up! range in 2013, but an update four years ago increased the battery capacity to 36.8kWh, which allows for a 159-mile range. The 80bhp output doesn’t sound like much, but at 1,235kg, the e-up! is much lighter than most EVs. As a result, accelerating to 30mph feels livelier than you might expect.

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10 Reliable Electric Cars That’ll Reach 250,000 Miles

May 19, 2023Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Opinion, Tesla, VolkswagenRepost

These cars of the future are robust and dependable enough to actually stay and thrive with you when the future comes.

As Bob Dylan once said, The Times They Are A-Changin’, and it rings true for the automobile industry more than one might think. Whether we like it or not, the future seems to hold predominantly electric cars for us. The depletion of non-renewable energy sources like petroleum and the rise of climate change will force us to let go of the gas guzzlers we hold near and dear to us.

But the advent of electric cars also brought problems with them, notably reliability and long-term ownership expenses. Take a look at Volkswagen for example; they once used to make supremely reliable cars, but their reliability standards have taken a hit lately, and shifting to EVs seems to keep it that way for a while.

Leading EV manufacturer Tesla is also notorious for making cars that tend to break down or even blow up. But it’s not all bad news, as there are some durable EVs that point to a bright future. Let’s check out some of the most reliable EVs we got so far.

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The ‘affordable’ electric cars with the longest ranges: Ten EVs on sale in Britain for less than £40k that go the furthest on a full charge

March 31, 2023Electric Cars, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, Nissan, VolkswagenRepost

These are the electric cars on sale in Britain today that evade VED ‘premium tax’ rates for motors over £40k
These less expensive EVs offer fully-charged official battery ranges of between 239 and 300 miles

The term ‘affordable’ is a relative one. What might be within one person’s budget might not be attainable for others.

Some will argue – and perhaps rightfully so – that no electric car on sale in Britain today falls into the ‘affordable’ bracket.

That was particularly highlighted in our recent report on the EVs with the longest quoted ranges, many of which cost in excess of £100,000. That’s not what you call battery-powered motoring for the masses!

But there are some models that are far less expensive and that will go plenty far enough on a fully-charged battery to last a week (the average weekly UK passenger car mileage is 131 miles, according to the latest figures).

We’ve set a price ceiling of £40,000 for the EVs that can make it into this countdown. This is the ‘premium tax’ benchmark for Vehicle Excise Duty, with owners of all new motors over this amount forced to pay an extra £355 per year in car tax for the first five years at the standard rate.

Here are 10 EVs that avoid this premium tax sting and can travel the longest distances between charges based on their ‘official’ claims…

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These are the cheapest new EVs you can currently buy

March 29, 2023Buying a new car, Electric Cars, Fiat, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, Nissan, VolkswagenRepost

New EVs are still by-and-large expensive products, but we look at the most affordable models currently available

If Volkswagen sticks to its promise, the ID.2 will arrive as the cheapest new electric car on the market, and tap into the relatively untapped affordable end of the segment, as EV manufacturers have so far been largely prioritising more expensive models that help them generate more money.

Ahead of the Volkswagen ID.2’s arrival, we have a look at the most affordable new EVs that can be bought today.

The entry-level MG4 is still able to travel 218 miles on a charge. (MG)

Volkswagen ID 4 (Image: Volkswagen.co.uk)

MG is now one of the key players in the electric car segment, with its affordable EVs really resonating with buyers that want to go electric, but without having to splash vast amounts of cash

Its new MG4 is also currently the UK’s most affordable EV, with a starting price of £26,995. That buys the entry-level model, equipped with a 51kWh battery that’s able to achieve a credible claimed 218 miles from a charge. It’s also good to drive, well-equipped and offers attractive styling too. MG’s current offers mean you can get behind the wheel for £269 per month over a four-year deal, with a £6,000 deposit.

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Norway’s BEVs Still Growing Well, Even While PHEVs Fall Away

November 21, 2022Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Opinion, VolkswagenRepost

Norway’s auto market saw 86.4% plugin electric vehicle share in October, down year on year, from 89.3%. Full electrics grew share by 7.5% YoY, but were outweighed by a drop in plugin hybrids. Overall auto volumes were 12,558 units, up 8.5% YoY, and above the pre-2020 seasonal norm of 11,635 units. October’s bestseller was the Volkswagen ID.4

October’s overall plugin result of 86.4% comprised a near record 77.5% full electrics (BEVs), and 9.0% plugin hybrids (PHEVs). These compare with shares of 70.1% and 19.2%, YoY.

Only in March 2022, and December 2021, have BEVs seen substantially higher share, but the overall result was let down by the downward trend in PHEV share.

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The best electric cars on sale today

September 15, 2022e-Golf, Electric Cars, Hyundai, IONIQ Electric, News, Reviews and Comment, VolkswagenRepost

If you’re thinking of making the switch to an electric car, our award winners are the ideal choices to help you make the move…

The winners of the What Car? Electric Car Awards for 2022 were announced on Wednesday.

Held in association with OVO Energy, these are held every year to celebrate the finest cars in this emerging class of car which will from 2030 be the only type of car you’ll be legally allowed to buy new.

They now come in all shapes and sizes. So, to help you choose, we’re not only naming the best new models, but also our favourite used options. Let’s dive in:

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