Category Archives: FAQ

UK’s ‘cheapest’ electric vehicle home-charging tariff launched

November 6, 2023At Home, BMW, Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

EDF has joined forces with charge point operator Pod Point to offer what it claims to be the UK’s cheapest electric vehicle (EV) home-charging tariff.

The Pod Point EV Exclusive Tariff will be made available to existing users and new customers buying a Solo 3 home charger when they sign up to use EDF for their energy.

It will see customers charged 7.4 pence per kilowatt hour for energy used between the hours of midnight and 5am – during which drivers can schedule their EV to charge.

Pod Point’s overnight rate, it says, is combined with a competitive daytime rate, to provide customers with the best overall EV tariff based on typical usage.

It explained that its EV tariff is the cheapest available based on an annual Ofgem typical peak usage of 2,700kWh peak usage and 2,000 kWh off-peak EV charging usage (8,000 miles) when comparing the average peak and off-peak rate of the Pod Point EV Exclusive tariff for customers paying by direct debit and have a smart meter, with the average peak and off-peak rate rates of EV specific tariffs from other suppliers that do not require control of vehicle or charger

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Tips for buying a used EV: Experts say electric is now the fastest selling second-hand fuel type with prices hitting ‘rock bottom’

November 3, 2023Buying/Leasing, Cost of ownership, Electric Cars, FAQ, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

September saw an end to a year of plunging EV values – experts say it could be a ‘turning point’ for prices
Demand is showing signs of recovery because prices are now so low that they’ve become more affordable
These are the year-old EVs that are cheaper than their petrol equivalents. Five used EV buying tips below

With electric car values plummeting in the last 12 to 18 months, experts say that used prices have crashed so low that drivers are starting to snap them up quicker than second-hand petrol and diesel models.

This is Money has been tracking the falling value of electric vehicles (EVs) since the downward spiral began towards the end of 2021 – recently revealing the 30 battery models worst hit that have shed between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of their value in one year.

But now businesses monitoring the second-hand market say used EV prices have bottomed out – and ultimately aren’t expected to drop much lower.

With prices at rock bottom – and in some cases now cheaper than petrol alternatives – could you be tempted to make the switch? If so, we have tips you need to follow when hunting for a second-hand EV.

Cap Hpi, which analyses the used vehicle market, says that values across all fuel types fell by 1.9 per cent – an average of £420 – from August to September, based on three-year-old models with 60,000 miles on the clock.

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“Electric cars must not become pawns in a divisive culture war”

October 27, 2023Electric Cars, FAQ, News, Reviews and Comment, OpinionRepost

Andy Palmer sees the incorrect reporting of the Luton Airport fire as yet more evidence of the politically charged debate around electric vehicles

Those of us who have been in and around the automotive industry for long enough have witnessed the evolution of cars from mere means of getting from A to B, to symbols of innovation, status, and, more recently, pawns on a political chessboard.

The transition towards electric vehicles marks a significant development, not just technologically, but socio-politically too. The recent fire in a car park at Luton Airport, which was widely attributed as starting in an electric vehicle without any solid proof or evidence, is a prime example of the dangerous misinformation that underpins the political dialogue surrounding EVs. It was later reported by a number of media outlets that the fire was, in fact, caused by a diesel vehicle.

Despite that, the ‘electric vehicle fire’ narrative quickly became a trending topic in the public debate surrounding the adoption of EVs, with EV sceptics using it as an example of the ‘dangers’ posed by these vehicles. X, once known as Twitter, was pulsing with speculation that the fire had started from an electric vehicle, with some users pointing to previous, unrelated, fires associated with EVs as apparent evidence of this.

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Number of ultra-rapid charge points increase by almost 70% over a year

October 26, 2023Away From Home, Charging, Charging, Electric Cars, Ionity, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

New data from Zapmap suggests the number of ultra-rapid charge points in the UK has increased by 68% over the past year.

The number of slow chargers has risen by almost 68% as well, with the latest Zapmap figures showing there were almost 50,000 public charging devices installed as of the end of September.

Charging Hub with eVolt Rapid Chargers (Image: SWARCO eVolt)

This represents overall year-on-year growth of more than 43%, with higher-powered charging points having grown by over 40% since September 2022, while lower-powered devices display year-on-year growth of 44%.

Over the past year, 5,749 slow devices have been installed across the country, alongside 1,568 ultra-rapid devices.

The new figures also show that the number of high-power charging hubs in the UK has more than doubled since September last year.

The number of ultra-rapid charging hubs with six or more devices (excluding non-public Tesla devices) has also shown impressive year-on-year growth of 123%.

At the end of September, there were 196 locations across the UK with six or more ultra-rapid devices – up from 88 in September 2022.

“This is great news for electric car drivers,” said Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder and chief operating officer at Zapmap.

“With almost 200 high-power charging hubs up and down the country, these latest figures should give electric car drivers the confidence to drive any length of journey in their EV.

“As we approach the October half term, having an additional 108 new charging hubs across the UK speaks volumes – and is a huge step up from last year.

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What is the ZEV Mandate?

October 25, 2023Buying/Leasing, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Opinion, PollutionRepost

New legislation being implemented in 2024 will require car manufacturers to meet targets for new electric car sales, which could result in big discounts being available…

In September 2023, the UK Government announced that the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars would be pushed back from 2030 to 2035.

However, at the same time, it confirmed that the Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate that was previously only a proposal would be implemented from 2024. And this could mean that the transition to electric cars still happens quite quickly.

Here’s everything you need to know about the mandate – and how it could potentially save you a lot of money on an electric vehicle (EV).

What is the ZEV mandate?

The ZEV Mandate is a legal requirement for car manufacturers to meet targets for new EV sales in the UK.

This means that in 2024, 22% of cars sold by each manufacturer must be fully electric. This will then rise to 28% in 2025, 33% in 2026, 38% in 2027, 52% in 2028, 66% in 2029 and 80% in 2030.

The Government is still finalising the targets between 2030 and 2035. However, it’s rumoured that the mandate will rise to 84% in 2031, 88% in 2032, 92% in 2033, 96% in 2034 and 100% in 2035.

If car makers exceed their EV annual sales targets, they can bank allowances for use in future years or trade them with other firms that have fallen short. In 2024, manufacturers can borrow up to 75% of their annual target.

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How Effective Are Electric Vehicles In Reducing Emissions?

October 23, 2023BMW, Electric Cars, FAQ, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Even in fossil-fuel-dominated grids, BEVs emit only about 50% of the CO2e of traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
The research took into account lifecycle emissions, considering factors like manufacturing, maintenance, and operation in countries like China, the US, and Germany.
The emissions from BEVs will continue to decrease as nations transition to cleaner power sources, solidifying their position as a sustainable transportation option.

Battery electric vehicles (BEV) are the clear winner when trying to reduce emissions in the transportation sector, according to Rystad Energy research. Despite incurring higher emissions in the manufacturing process of electric vehicles and an enduring reliance on fossil fuel power generation in many countries, the positive environmental impact of switching to a BEV over the vehicle’s lifetime is unmistakable.

Our analysis shows that battery-powered vehicles contribute at most half the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) of diesel or gasoline cars across their lifecycle, regardless of the country of operation. Even in countries where the power grid is dominated by fossil fuels, battery-powered cars emit about 50% of the CO2e of an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. As renewable sources replace coal and gas-fired generation, emissions related to the operation of BEVs could drop by 86%.

Our in-depth research of lifecycle BEV and ICE vehicle emissions considers every stage of the manufacturing process and the vehicle’s operation.

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The world needs cheap electric cars. That spells trouble for big carmakers

October 20, 2023Cost of ownership, Economy, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Opinion, PollutionRepost

In 1913, Henry Ford’s moving assembly line transformed carmaking. Ford’s groundbreaking innovation drastically reduced the time it took to assemble a car, enabling mass production and slashing vehicle prices.

More than a century later, carmaking is undergoing a similarly seismic shift. Only this time, Ford Motor Company (F) is scrambling to catch up, rather than leading the charge.

Electric vehicles represent a fundamental shift in the technologies and manufacturing processes that have turned Ford and rivals such as Toyota (TM) and Volkswagen into the biggest car companies on the planet.

Established automakers have been racing to adapt at an enormous financial cost, but are still miles behind Tesla (TSLA) and a crop of new Chinese competitors, including BYD and Xpeng (XPEV).

The world needs affordable EVs more than ever as electric cars will play a big role in hcelping countries cut planet-heating pollution. But can automakers in Europe and the United States — where governments are already planning to ban or limit the sale of new gas and diesel cars — deliver them?

“Ultimately, some of these car companies that have been the cornerstone of how we’ve thought about cars for the last 100 years will be a fraction of their size in future,” said Gene Munster, a managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management.

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New AutoMotive: Why we’re refusing to throw in the towel and get the UK back on track to 2030

October 19, 2023Buying/Leasing, Charging, Economy, Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, Hyundai, News, Reviews and Comment, Opinion, PollutionRepost

Last week, Rishi Sunak confirmed that he will reverse certain green targets. Amongst several policies that Sunak was willing to cut or delay, the phase out of petrol and diesel cars was put on the chopping block, with a confirmed five-year delay despite the [Conservative] government’s original target.

This move is not only unpopular with motorists, industry, and the wider public – it also raises economic concerns and threatens vital aspects of Britain’s industrial strategy moving forward.

From January 2018, no more new diesel taxis will be licensed in London

Electric vehicles are undeniably cheaper to run, contribute to improved air quality due to their lack of tailpipe emissions, and are increasingly preferred by drivers over their combustion counterparts. Our data at New AutoMotive shows that the UK could achieve an 85% electric vehicle (EV) market share by 2028 and is making consistent progress toward the goal of 300,000 public charge points. The UK is also the fifth best prepared nation for the EV transition, thanks to sensible and fact-driven policies implemented by Sunak’s predecessors.

Reacting to the news, the UK motor industry has criticised plans to water down policies. Kate Brankin, the chair of Ford UK, noted that the industry has already made considerable investments to meet the 2030 deadline, with a $50 billion commitment from Ford alone.

We were clear in our response that delaying the 2030 deadline would pull the rug out from under motorists and industry, and would deal a hammer blow to the UK’s leadership on climate change.

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A tyre company has been shortlisted for the £1m Earthshot prize

October 18, 2023Buying a new car, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Enso Tyres’ ultra-durable compound for EVs – which helps reduce tyre emissions – recognised in climate solutions competition

The automotive industry rarely makes environmental headlines for positive reasons. But here comes a rare ray of sunshine: a tyre company has been listed for the 2023 Earthshot Prize.

Enso, a start-up company specialising in tyres for electric cars, has been recognised in the ‘Clean Our Air’ category for its work in trying to reduce particulate emissions from tyres. Enso’s approach is simple – increase tyre durability to decrease emissions (presumably at the expense of grip, although the tyres are A-rated for wet grip, so maybe something truly innovative is afoot).

Already in use in some electric taxis and delivery vehicles, trials by Transport for London suggest vehicles using Enso tyres have 35 per cent less particulate matter emissions and travel 10 per cent further.

TopGear.com has already seen them in action, helping a Renault Zoe to set a hypermiling world record back in 2021. Drive an LEVC taxi? You can buy a set of Enso tyres for £299. The rest of us will have to wait longer: Enso is hoping to be in a position to manufacture a million tyres a year by 2026.

Figures from Imperial College London suggest tyres “emit six million tonnes of pollution each year and more airborne particulate matter than all tailpipes combined”.

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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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