Category Archives: FAQ

Jolt offers first 7kWh free to charge an electric vehicle

December 1, 2023Away From Home, Charging, Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Jolt has launched its free fast-charging service for electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK after striking a deal with the London Borough of Barnet.

The charge point operator offers UK EV drivers 7 kWh, or around 30 miles, of free, fast charging, with cost of charging offset though its integrated advertising network.

After users have consumed 7 kWh for the calendar day, drivers will be charged a per kWh rate.

Born in Australia, Jolt recently announced its partnership with Telus to develop 5,000 EV chargers across Canada and currently operates in New Zealand, Canada and the USA.

The company plans to roll-out thousands of charging stations across the UK in the next few years.

John Rainford, UK country manager at Jolt, said: “Accelerating e-mobility, in a way that’s equitable and sustainable to all involved, is at the heart of what we do at Jolt.

“We are proud to express our commitment to making EV charging accessible through seamless customer experience, especially for those without home charging, and empowering EV ownership in the UK, while helping minimise emissions created by transport.

“Thanks to our partners who are working towards the same ambitious net zero goals, we anticipate accelerated growth and expansion of Jolt’s EV charging infrastructure across the country.”

The partnership with the London Borough of Barnet follows a £2.1 million funding grant, as part of the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Pilot Project, a government scheme supporting the rollout of EV charging infrastructure.

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The beginner’s guide to buying an electric car

November 30, 2023Buying a new car, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Electric cars are coming – although it’s fair to say that they’re not for everyone quite yet. The UK plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030, but ahead of that deadline there remains legitimate concern among buyers about how an electric car might suit their lifestyle.

Chief among these apprehensions are “range anxiety” (how far an electric car can travel before the battery needs recharging) and the state of the UK’s public charging infrastructure, while there’s also a big question mark over how long the batteries will last.

In which case you might be forgiven for thinking that, for various reasons, electric cars (EVs) won’t catch on, but that the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel means they have to be taken seriously.

It won’t be an easy transition, but there are plenty of positives. Electric cars are easy and relaxing to drive, pleasingly swift off the mark and generally emissions-free in use. They are also generally much cheaper to run than petrol or diesel models, especially if you are able to charge them at your home using as yet untaxed electricity.

There’s a lot of misinformation concerning electric cars, much of it spewed by organisations which should really know better. Or at least do some proper research before sounding off.

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How do you charge an electric car?

November 29, 2023Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, VauxhallRepost

So you’re thinking of buying an EV. Great! But, um, how do you charge an electric car? This is how…

Congratulations! You are either the proud new owner of a planet-saving, neighbour-impressing electric car, or you are thinking about owning a planet-saving, neighbour-impressing electric car. Either way, this is big news.

And presumably if you’ve clicked on an article headlined ‘How do you charge an electric car?’, you’re more likely to be in the latter camp at the moment. If not, well… that is an interesting move on your part.

You see, switching from petrol or diesel to a ‘leccy-driven car means you’re about to embark on a number of changes. None more fundamental than how you put the energy in the things to make ‘em move.

So without further ado, here’s our explainer on how to charge an electric vehicle (EV). You could say it’s EV-peasy… yep, bad joke. We’ll up our game now.

How do I charge an electric car?

You charge an electric car by plugging a special charging cable into a special socket. That’s it in a nutshell. What, you want more?

Okay, if you’ve got your own driveway or garage space, the vast majority of the charging you do will take place at home. This is good news because it’s convenient (no more queuing at the forecourt) and where you’ll usually find the cheapest electricity. Yes, even in these financially troublesome times.

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Here’s How Many Solar Panels You’ll Need to Charge Your EV

November 28, 2023At Home, Away From Home, Charging, Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Solar PowerRepost

In order to make your EV green-energy approved, you’ll need to charge it using a renewable energy source. Solar panels are one way to accomplish that.

For the eco-conscious EV driver, an electric vehicle is only as clean and green as the source of electricity charging its battery.

That’s because EVs plugged into the grid can either be powered by “dirty” sources such as fossil fuels such as coal, or from “clean” renewable energy that comes from sources such as solar, hydro or wind power. With many utilities, it’s likely to be a mix of renewables and fossil fuels. The best way to ensure your EV is actually powered by renewable energy is to connect your home’s EV charger to a solar energy system or use a public charger also sourced by solar panels.

An impediment to electric vehicle adoption is car dealerships.

With spiking gas and electric prices and an intensifying climate crisis, it’s no wonder the solar and electric vehicle industries are gaining in popularity each year. Rooftop solar panel installations are breaking records, and US EV adoption is expected to accelerate — predicted to reach 40% of passenger car sales by 2030, according to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

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Demand for used electric cars grows

November 27, 2023Buying a new car, Cost of ownership, Electric Cars, I-PACE, Jaguar Land Rover, News, Reviews and Comment, Renault, ZOERepost

Second-hand EV sales double in last quarter, so what’s driving used demand as new electric sales falter?

A spike in demand for used EVs has been reported by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which says the number of pre-owned battery electric vehicles (BEVs) changing hands doubled in the third quarter of this year.

A rise of 99.9 per cent in used EV sales mean battery-electric cars have now reached a record 1.8-per cent share of the second-hand market, in part thanks to prices that have fallen due to the increasing availability of company-owned electric cars being ‘de-fleeted’. A recent report by online car retailer Auto Trader said the average price of a used BEV was around £32,000 at the end of October, with used prices for electric models appearing to stabilise at around 20 per cent below the levels recorded this time last year. Relatively cheap used-EV options range from three-year-old Renault Zoes, which are now undercutting similarly aged petrol Clios by around £500, and three-year-old Jaguar I-Pace EVs that undercut internal-combustion powered F-Pace models by almost £4,000, according to recent Auto Trader figures.

Jaguar I-PACE at Fully Charged Live show (Image: T. Larkum)

With around 750,000 EVs sold into the fleet market in the past three years now fuelling a used-EV sales mini-boom, the government’s approach of stimulating company BEV sales through large benefit-in-kind tax discounts for company drivers appears to be being vindicated as the fastest way to reduce the UK’s tailpipe emisssions.

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Car dealers ‘already seeing drop in aftersales uptake due to increased electric car sales’

November 24, 2023Buying a new car, Electric Cars, FAQ, News, Reviews and Comment, OpinionRepost

Car dealers are being urged to prepare for increased EV sales
EMaC predicts those without robust processes will risk losing aftersale revenue
It estimates some dealers have already seen aftersales absorption drop 50 to 60%

Car dealers are being urged to prepare for the acceleration of EV sales in 2024 by having processes in place to secure aftersales work.

EMaC, which specialises in automotive retentions, estimates that some car dealers are already seeing 50 to 60% fewer aftersales absorption rates because of increased EV sales.

Manufacturers will be facing pressure next year to ensure that more than a fifth (22%) of their cars sold are electric, which will gradually increase to 100% by 2035 under the ZEV mandate.

However, with fewer consumables in an electric vehicles, car dealers could lose out if they aren’t prepared with processes that can ensure aftersales work from each sale, said EMaC.

Serkan Obuz, EMaC director for maintenance plans, commented: ‘With EVs already accounting for one in six of all new cars sold, franchised dealers run the risk of taking a major hit to their workshop revenues unless they have processes in place ahead of the ZEV mandate.

‘Across the sector, we estimate dealers without strong retention strategies are already seeing aftersales absorption rates reducing to around 50-60% because of increased EV sales.

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Cheapest electric cars: UK’s most affordable EVs

November 21, 2023Ami, Buying a new car, Citroen, Electric Cars, Mazda, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Tempted by an electric car, but worried about the price? Well, here we reveal the cheapest EVs on sale, and some of them are more affordable than you might think…

Electric cars are not known for their low purchase cost yet, because they’re still relatively new to our roads. However, as more cars are launched and the years go by, this is slowly starting to change.

Manufacturers are beginning to expand their horizons by producing body styles to suit the needs (and wallets) of a wider variety of buyers. This means there are now many more cars to choose from, including different sizes of electric car and electric SUV.

Some models have been on the market for several years now too, which means that there are some great discounts available.

Citroen Ami (Source: uk-mediacitroen.com)

So, which are the cheapest electric cars on sale? Here, we name the 16 cheapest cars and show you how much you can save on each of them by using our Target Price deals and our free What Car? New Car Buying service.

You can follow the links below to read our full review of each model and see our latest deals.

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EV chargepoint prices and availability made public under new law

November 15, 2023Away From Home, Charging, Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

New laws approved by MPs on Tuesday evening (24 October) will require providers to publicly share data on electric vehicle (EV) chargepoint availability and charging prices.

The new regulations will mean that prices across chargepoints are both transparent and easy to compare, and drivers looking to charge will be able to find a chargepoint suiting their needs with little hassle. Drivers will also be able to check charging speeds and charger locations, as well as availability.

Once the regulations are passed, EV drivers will also have access to contact-free 24/7 helplines for any issues in accessing charging on public roads.

Technology and decarbonisation minister, Jesse Norman, said that the measures will improve EV charging for millions of drivers, providing price transparency which will allow drivers to get the best value, increasing the economic viability of driving electric.

These measures come as the UK reaches record numbers of public chargers, with numbers growing by 42% year-on-year. EV mapping service provider Zapmap revealed earlier this month that the UK has surpassed the 50,000 chargepoint milestone.

The beginning of October also saw the government announce a range of measures to accelerate the installation of chargepoints through its ‘Plan for Drivers‘ including extending chargepoint grants for schools and reviewing the grid connection process for chargepoints.

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Electrifying 641bhp Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is yours from £65,000

November 14, 2023Buying a new car, Electric Cars, Hyundai, Ioniq 5, Kia, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

The Ioniq 5 N is the most powerful Hyundai ever, and based on the same platform tech as the Kia EV6 GT

We like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 here at Auto Express – so much so we awarded it our overall Car of the Year back when it launched in 2021. Now there’s a hotter Ioniq 5 N version, and it’s priced from £65,000.

To this point, Hyundai’s range of sporty N models consisted only of petrol models; the i20 N, i30 N and Kona N. The Ioniq 5 N is a different proposition altogether, however, with its all-electric drivetrain serving up 641bhp and 740Nm of torque.

We’ve driven the Ioniq 5 N in prototype form already and came away pleased with the car’s performance, as well as its engagement – something not many sporty EVs have managed to combine to date. Order books for the Ioniq 5 N are open now; priced from £65,000 it’s around £3,000 more expensive than its slightly less powerful Kia EV6 GT sibling.

Powered by an 84kWh battery, the Ioniq 5 N utilises a dual-motor set up to go from 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds with the car’s N Launch Control and boost mode engaged. The Ioniq 5 N tops out at 161mph.

To help optimise stability in the corners, Hyundai has given the Ioniq 5 N a clever e-LSD (limited-slip differential) in the rear motor, with a torque vectoring system that features 11 different settings.

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Salary sacrifice drivers choose an electric vehicle to ‘save money’

November 7, 2023BMW, Buying a new car, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, OpinionRepost

Almost eight out of 10 drivers said that they chose an electric vehicle (EV) in order to save money, according to new research from Tusker.

Furthermore, 89% of EV drivers said that they were satisfied with their car, while two-thirds (66%) of petrol drivers want to order an EV in the next four years with costs a key motivator for drivers to make the switch.

Tusker says that oil prices have risen in the UK in 2023, driving the cost of petrol up to its current average of £1.56/ litre across the UK.

The current uncertainty in the Middle-East could drive prices even higher in the coming months.

Conversely, the cost of EV charging has dropped by up to 19% at peak times, and 15% for off-peak charging, says Tusker.

In a like-for-like comparison a driver of a VW Golf 1.5 TSI driving 10,000 miles per year would pay £1,491.39 in fuel. A VW ID3 driving the same distance would cost just £741.35 in charging, says Tusker, equating to a saving of £750.04.

Even if the ID3 driver charged exclusively at more expensive public rapid charging stations, the ID3 driver would still enjoy £255.39 in savings at the end of the same period, it added.

Paul Gilshan, CEO of Tusker, said: “Our survey has shown that our drivers value the cheaper running costs of EVs, and that value for money is a priority for many.

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