Category Archives: FAQ

Mr. Bean says ‘our honeymoon with electric cars is coming to an end.’ It’s just the beginning.

June 20, 2023Buying a new car, Charging, Cost of ownership, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Opinion, SalesRepost

Mr. Bean loves cars.

Over the weekend, the respected British comedian Rowan Atkinson, famous for his portrayal of a clueless social misfit in his eponymous British series, wrote about “feeling duped” for buying an electric car.

“Our honeymoon with electric cars is coming to an end,” he lamented in an opinion piece in the Guardian. “Sadly, keeping your old petrol car may be better than buying an EV.”

I can see why Mr. Bean might suggest that. I’ve been driving a 2010 Honda Fit for quite a while, and I’m sure it will keep chugging well after my odometer’s recent lap of the 100,000-mile mark.

But Atkinson, who says he has a “lifelong passion for the motorcar” and an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, argues that people should consider keeping their internal combustion engines as long as possible, while we develop hydrogen and synthetic fuel alternatives.

On one front, Atkinson is right. EVs are not perfect. The industry, for example, has a lot of room to improve on how it sources battery materials, whose mining has ravaged communities and ecosystems around the world. Prices are high. Charging infrastructure is spotty. Supplies are tight. He points out some real problems in the current market.

But based on what we know about emissions and automobile engineering, EVs are the better choice for millions of people right now.

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Osprey Charging opens ‘South West’s largest EV charging hub’

June 16, 2023Away From Home, ChargePoint Services / GeniePoint, Charging, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Osprey Charging has opened the “South West’s largest [electric vehicle] EV charging hub” consisting of 16 ultra-rapid chargepoints.

The EV charging hub is located on the A38 Devon Expressway at Salmon’s Leap in Buckfastleigh and designed to support EVs of all types.

Each charger is capable of providing 300kW charging for vehicles able to accept this high power without wasting power on lower-capability cars, Osprey said. This allows customers of the hub to add 100 miles of range in 15 to 25 minutes.

Osprey also stated that it will provide local residents, businesses and visitors with reliable EV infrastructure, help improve air quality, reduce noise pollution and support local decarbonisation efforts.

An extra stop at Sedgemoor (Image: T. Larkum)

“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve created at Salmon’s Leap. We purchased the land so have been able to precisely design the space and install hardware that maximises availability and ease of use of chargers for all types of vehicles and drivers,” said Ian Johnston, CEO of Osprey Charging.

“Our largest site yet, it is a significant milestone for the Osprey team as we work tirelessly to ensure that our nationwide infrastructure deployment of rapid EV charging stations continues at an unprecedented pace.”

Osprey was amongst a number of founding members of the new trade association ChargeUK. Revealed in April 2023, the association is aiming to invest £6 billion by 2030 in EV charging and double the size of the UK EV charging network in 2023.

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The biggest myths about electric cars, debunked

June 14, 2023Cost of ownership, e, Electric Cars, Honda, Mazda, MX-30, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Electric vehicles are gaining momentum.
But drivers still have a lot of misconceptions about going electric.
From range to charging challenges, here are some of the biggest EV myths, debunked.

Electric cars are gaining traction, bolstered by efforts from the federal government, billions of dollars of investment from the auto industry, and momentum from sustainability advocates all over the globe.

But the US’ transition to electric has been slower than other parts of the world, hitting just about 6% EV adoption in 2022.

Some of that can be attributed to real hurdles, with infrastructure, cost, and more. But more people than might think can probably go electric, so long as some major myths are demystified and their questions answered.

Here are 8 of the biggest myths about EVs, debunked:

Myth 1. All EVs are expensive.

Most consumers who aren’t very familiar with electric vehicles or weren’t early adopters have the perception that all of them are costly.

It’s true that the average price paid for a new EV hit $55,089 in April — higher than the average for a new gas-powered vehicle of $48,275, per Kelley Blue Book. Most US consumers have indicated they don’t want to spend more than $50,000 on one if they opt to electrify. It’s also true that EVs haven’t yet hit scale (at least in the US), and EV batteries are generally a really costly component. Plus, most of the EVs that have hit the market so far have been luxury products and bigger vehicles.

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Every PHEV on sale in the UK

June 13, 2023A3 Sportback e-tron, Ami, Audi, Buying/Leasing, Citroen, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Welcome to Autocar’s exhaustive list of PHEVs you can buy today, from Audi to Volvo

As we hurtle towards an electrified future and the UK’s 2030 ban on ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) new car sales, the need for alternatives is more pressing than ever.

BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) are the ultimate goal for many governments and manufacturers, but they still remain a controversial option for many buyers. Not only are they costly to buy, mainly because of their expensive batteries, they are at the mercy of public charging infrastructure that’s still not widespread and reliable enough to

On paper, the PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) looks to be the ideal stepping stone. Combining the pure electric running for anything between 15 and nearly 100 miles, they’ve got more than enough battery power for everyday commutes and running around. However, they combine this zero emissions at the tailpipe progress with the confidence-inspiring addition of traditional petrol or diesel engines for longer journeys.

Effectively, these machines promise to offer ‘best of both worlds’ experience for those still uncertain about taking the plunge with a full EV. Even better, there’s a wide choice of models to choose from, with most manufacturers having at least one PHEV on their books.

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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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Do electric vehicles really cost less than ICE cars to maintain?

June 7, 2023Cost of ownership, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, OpinionRepost

While many organisations are electrifying their fleets with the main aim of reducing carbon emissions, cost still matters.

Traditionally, the typically higher purchase or lease rates of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) compared with an internal combustion engine (ICE) model have been mitigated by factors such as lower fuel and/or charging costs.

However, this advantage has been eroded significantly through the soaring cost of electricity.

Another traditional benefit for BEVs has been lower service, maintenance and repair (SMR) outlay.

It has been widely supposed they will deliver uniform SMR benefits over petrol and diesel vehicles because they have fewer mechanical parts, minimising the likelihood of breakdown and requiring less routine maintenance.

But with growing numbers of BEVs on the road giving more data in this area, does this expectation still hold true?

Yes, says Vincent St Claire, managing director of Fleet Assist, which has a network of 5,200 franchised and independent garages, but with a caveat.

“All the indicators are strong that SMR for BEVs will continue to be less than that for ICE vehicles,” he adds.

“However, while we are now in a period after the pandemic where BEVs are in proper real world use and we are seeing vehicles doing higher mileage than they’ve ever done, it is still a small sample and until we get a bigger data set in terms of numbers of BEVs, we can’t say with a high degree of conviction the issue is settled.”

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10 Advantages Of Electric Cars

June 6, 2023Cost of ownership, Electric Cars, FAQ, Fiat, News, Reviews and Comment, OpinionRepost

As EV technology continues to improve, electric cars are become more and more viable, and here are some advantages to owning one.

Electric vehicles have been around for many years, but they have only recently started to gain more traction in the market. They offer a lot of advantages compared to conventional gas-powered cars. They are known for their low operating costs compared to gas-powered cars. In addition to them being cheaper to maintain and more efficient, they also provide an environmentally responsible mode of transportation. And, you can’t deny they look fascinating too with a wide variety of stylish designs, proving that eco-friendliness doesn’t have to come at the cost of great and futuristic design. They help in saving money on fuel costs, reducing carbon emissions (which is particularly important because climate change is rapidly becoming a global concern), and more. The advantages of driving an electric car are hard to ignore. They provide better performances and are more reliable than ever before. As EV technology continues to improve, the benefits of driving an electric car are becoming more and more clear. With a large variety of available technology features, improved charging infrastructure, and more options to choose from, the shift toward electric vehicles is inevitable, and there are many excellent reasons to make the switch.

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‘We tried out driving from Yorkshire to Dordogne in an electric car’

June 5, 2023Away From Home, Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Journalist Nick Jenkins reports on how charging stops worked out travelling to his second home in France

The screen told us we had 0% left in our battery as our electric car crawled up to the charger. We had been holding our breath but could finally let out a sigh of relief. We plugged the car in – and disaster… the charger was out of order.

Only kidding.

Nothing at all like that happened on our recent drive to Dordogne, though it might surprise those who believe everything they read on some Brits-in-France Facebook pages.

Electric cars are no longer a novelty, of course.

The Renault Zoe has been around since 2012. All the major manufacturers are now producing electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in cars accounted for a quarter of new sales in France last December – and a third in the UK.

PARIS (Nov. 30, 2015) Ð As the official passenger-car provider for the United NationÕs COP21 climate conference in Paris, the Alliance will provide 200 pure electric vehicles to the annual summit which runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11. A network of 90 charge spots has been set up to charge the vehicles using low-carbon electricity provided by French energy supplier EDF.

No doubt many readers already drive one. They are clearly the future, but there is still resistance.

Some people are so attached to the quaint mid-Victorian technology of the internal combustion engine that they cannot accept change is coming.

“I’m not buying a Noddy car that only goes 50 miles,” one Luddite told me.

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Watford Council secures substantial grant for EV charging points

June 2, 2023Away From Home, Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Watford Council is pleased to announce that a grant of £592,500 has been successfully secured through the On-Street Residential Charge Point Scheme (ORCS).

The funding will enable the installation of 79 new electric vehicle (EV) charging points across the town, bringing the total number of locations to 112.

The 29 new charging columns will be installed on-street in a mix of 2/3/4 charge points per location, providing residents and visitors with more convenient access to EV charging facilities. This will significantly contribute to our efforts to become a net zero carbon town and promote sustainable transport in the borough.

Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, said: “I’m thrilled that we have secured this funding. It will help us expand our EV charging infrastructure, making it easier for people to use of electric vehicles. The council is committed reducing carbon emissions in the borough through a range of initiatives.

Thousands of people already drive electric vehicles in Watford and we know that these reduce pollution and improve air quality locally. It’s important that we have the charging infrastructure needed to support this, so I want to thank the team that worked so hard to secure this grant funding. It will make a real difference.”

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Electric dream? What it’s really like to drive 285 miles to The Lakes in a leccy car

June 1, 2023Away From Home, Charge Your Car, ChargePoint Services / GeniePoint, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

With its rugged landscape, winding country lanes and laidback lifestyle, you wouldn’t necessarily put The Lake District down as being an electrifying hotspot.

However, the folks at BMW have teamed up with 15 UK National Parks – including The Lakes – as part of a three-year initiative called Recharge in Nature, which aims to install electric vehicle (EV) charging points at some of our best-loved beauty spots.

It’s a wise move. With sustainable tourism and off-grid adventures being big business these days, eco-friendly destinations are becoming a must-have on our in our holiday tick list. (Not to mention the boom in staycations due to the pandemic and cost of living crisis.)

Being England’s largest and most visited National Park, The Lakes are the first to be kitted out with charging points in three locations, Windermere and Ambleside, Hawkshead and Coniston.

But just how well will this eco-conscious initiative work in reality?

To find out I was loaned the newly launched fully-electric BMW iX1 and told to head to the Langdale Hotel just outside Ambleside – a mere 285 miles away from my Essex home.

Advised that the car had a range of between 259 and 270 miles on a single charge, and able to recharge up to 80% of the range in less than half an hour, it looked like we’d need just one pit stop along the way, so we were more than excited to jump in our fancy new wheels and head towards the M6.

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