Category Archives: Opinion

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

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.

Read more: TheGuardian

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Most efficient electric cars

We crunch the numbers on the electric cars on sale today to see which come closest to hitting their advertised figures

Plenty of electric cars have impressive claimed range figures but managing to achieve them is another story. With the increasing number of EVs to choose from, buyers are hunting for the most energy-efficient electric cars to really make the most of their batteries between charges.

Electric car efficiency is measured by calculating its miles per kilowatt hour used, shortened to mpkWh. For example, a Volkswagen ID 3 with a 77kWh battery would require an efficiency of 4.5mpkWh to achieve its officially rated 347 miles of range.

Tesla Model 3 Unveil (Image: Tesla)
Tesla Model 3 Unveil (Image: Tesla)

A vehicle’s efficiency is affected in several different ways, with aspects such as weight proving to be a key factor in positively or negatively impacting range.

The Audi Q8 E-tron, for example, is powered by a 106kWh battery, but weighs a staggering 2585kg, meaning it can deliver only around 2.9mpkWh.

Larger, SUV-style electric cars are also usually impacted more by drag, which reduces their range compared with sleeker, more aerodynamic sports cars and hatchbacks.

The range and efficiency of electric cars are also heavily influenced by the weather conditions and outside temperatures. Warmer temperatures mean a battery’s chemical reactions can occur faster and offer higher range, whereas colder weather requires more energy, reducing range.

Read more: Autocar

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Why delaying the ban on petrol and diesel cars won’t slow UK’s shift to electric vehicles

The UK has delayed its ban on the sale of new cars which burn petrol or diesel in internal combustion engines (ICE) from 2030 to 2035.

In some ways, this is no surprise: the original plan was to ban them from 2040, a deadline brought forward by the previous prime minister, Boris Johnson, in 2020. The new delay, confirmed this week by Rishi Sunak, had been rumoured in August.

But the decision still sends a confusing message from Sunak’s government, particularly for carmakers who on average take six-to-seven years to develop new vehicles, and need time to invest in new factories and train workers, as well as make the cars themselves.

For these manufacturers, certainty is key to their business. If they gear up to produce an all-electric fleet and suddenly buyers still want ICE vehicles and they haven’t produced enough, they will have stockpiles of unwanted cars which may have to be sold at a loss.

However, the good news is the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) is already well under way in the UK. Research suggests it may now be unstoppable – regardless of what the government does.

How new technologies replace old ones

Any new technology follows a cycle of adoption that is difficult for government intervention to interrupt. The exception is for fast-acting bans, which attempt to immediately remove products deemed dangerous or harmful from a market.

Read more: TheConversation

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As prices fall, two thirds of global car sales could be EVs by 2030, study says

LONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) – Spurred by falling battery prices, electric vehicles could hit price parity with fossil-fuel models in Europe in 2024 and the U.S. market in 2026, and account for two thirds of global car sales by 2030, according to new research.

A report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) on Thursday predicts battery costs should halve this decade, from $151 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in 2022 to between $60 and $90 per kWh, making EVs “for the first time as cheap to buy as petrol cars in every market by 2030 as well as cheaper to run.”

Batteries are expensive and account for around 40% of an EV’s price tag, a cost that has so far made them unaffordable for many consumers.

But those prices are steadily coming down as carmakers invest in new battery chemistries, materials and software to make more efficient EVs, RMI senior principal Kingsmill Bond told Reuters.

According to RMI’s analysis, the rapid growth of electric models in Europe and China “implies that EV sales will increase at least six-fold by 2030, to enjoy a market share of 62% to 86% of sales.”

EV sales in the European Union jumped almost 61% in July versus the same month in 2022, accounting for 13.6% of all car sales.

The European Union aims to ban the sale of new fossil-fuel models from 2035.

Read more: Reuters

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Chinese electric cars will reduce UK emissions but what about rivals here?

The UK is facing a dilemma: should it fight the rising imports of Chinese electric cars with big new tariffs, in the same way the EU has threatened to do this week? Or should it allow them to continue? Keeping open to the imports in would make it easier for the UK to hit its goal of no new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, and it would make electric cars cheaper. But the UK car industry could be damaged.

The British car industry is showing off its green electric future at a Bedfordshire racetrack, and behind the marques, some familiar, some less so, there is a new force.

China is cornering the market in electric vehicles.

 

After a rough start, Tesla’s sales in China are booming. It may soon manufacture in Shanghai for the world’s biggest EV market

A friendly man from Chinese firm BYD shows me the Atto.

“We’re really proud of this car,” says Mark Blundell. “It’s new to the market, and packed full of technology. In simple terms we can pack 50% more battery into less space.”

The car’s interior is inspired by a gym. It has a heat pump as standard, vegan leather, and strings on the door map-pocket tight enough to “get a tune out of”. The display screen on the dashboard rotates at the press of a button.

For now, hands should still be on the steering wheel, though China expects to be ahead of the game on autonomous driving too.

And the all important battery life and range? Impressive.

Read more: BBC

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The EV car crash is a warning for Europe’s industrial transition

China is so far ahead in the electric vehicles market that its competitors are trailing in the dust

AT AN event last week, a businessman suddenly pulled out his phone to show me his experience in a driverless taxi in downtown Beijing. In the video, a robotaxi impressively navigated a turn across several lanes of a busy road.

Needless to say, the autonomous fleets roaming around an increasing number of Chinese cities are electric. The lasting impression, for him at least, was how far China has pulled ahead in the future of transport.

Those at the Munich motor show last week came to a similar conclusion. Germany’s biennial celebration of its own automotive prowess was dominated by Chinese brands, who were there in double the numbers seen in 2021.

While European manufacturers showed electric vehicles…

Read more: TheBusinessTimes

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NEW ELECTRIC PEUGEOT 3008 CROSSOVER GETS 435-MILE RANGE AND DRAMATIC STYLING

There will be hybrid power available, too

Peugeot is replacing its highly successful 3008 crossover with an all-new model with electrification to the fore. The new all-electric E-3008 model is the latest chapter in the French brand’s shift to a fully electric future, something it plans to achieve by 2030.

Helping differentiate the new 3008 from its predecessors is a fastback design featuring a sloping roofline with an integrated spoiler. This is said to funnel airflow over the rear window in a bid to reduce drag and enhance the car’s aerodynamic efficiency.

The three-claw design that has become a signature of Peugeot is seen more vividly in the new car, with LED daytime running lights forming an extension of the headlight units into the front bumper. In the E-3008 EV, the Peugeot emblem is surrounded by a mesh effect that includes body-coloured sections to blend in with the bodywork.

Three different electric powertrains

Two batteries will be available in the E-3008, starting with a 73kWh unit that will feature in the single- and dual-motor versions providing 326 miles of driving range on the WLTP test cycle. The single-motor version has up to 207bhp, reaches 62mph in 5.4 seconds from rest and a top speed of 105mph.

Peugeot will offer an all-wheel-drive version with two motors using the same battery and managing to achieve the same driving range. Peak power climbs to 315bhp, while 0-62mph in only 3.9 seconds.

Read more: Driving

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10 Myths About Electric Cars That Owners Know Aren’t True

 

10 Myths About Electric Cars That Owners Know Aren’t True

Are electric cars going to ruin driving for everyone? If there’s one thing we all know, it’s that people don’t like change. Electric vehicles are an enormous change for the automotive world. EVs have been criticized, questioned, and insulted at every turn, yet the world is moving toward them and away from traditional ICE vehicles.

Why are electric cars criticized and questioned as much as they are? Consider the first person to drive a horseless carriage. Everyone around them still had horses to pull the wagons and get them where they needed to go. Were those with horses jealous of the person who didn’t need to feed and brush their method of transportation? Perhaps.

1EVs Don’t Have Enough Range

The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that the average American drives 40 miles per day. Some people commute much further in one direction, while others stay at home and don’t have to drive anywhere every day. Most electric cars provide ample driving range to handle the daily commute and much more.

 

Common EVs Driving Range

Nissan Leaf 150 Miles
Hyundai Kona EV 258 Miles
Chevrolet Bolt EV 259 Miles
Tesla Model 3 310 Miles
Tesla Model S 335 Miles

Electric vehicle skeptics might have a point when it comes to road trips. It’s difficult to complete a road trip, especially if the destination is key, when driving an EV.

Read more: TopSpeed

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‘One in five new cars turn electric in August’

The number of electric cars registered in August skyrocketed by 77% compared to the same month in 2022, according to a report

New industry figures show that one-in-five new cars registered in the UK in August were fully electric, representing the strongest month for electric vehicle (EV) registrations in 2023.

According to data from New AutoMotive, the number of electric cars registered in August 2023 surged by 77% compared to the same month in the previous year.

Electric vans also saw growth, comprising 8% of new van registrations.

In the meantime, registrations of both petrol and diesel cars are now at historic lows, with registrations of both accounting for the smallest share of new cars in any twelve-month period for the last 20 years.

Ben Nelmes, Chief Executive of New AutoMotive, said: “It is great to see British motorists embracing clean cars in their thousands. Despite an unprecedented cost of living crisis and rising interest rates, demand for electric cars has remained surprisingly resilient.


“The government should build on this progress by putting in place a strong California-style Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate to give car companies and EV charger installers certainty.”

Commenting on the report, Greenpeace UK‘s Policy Director Doug Parr said: “Electric cars are selling like hot cakes. However, with the government deciding to ‘side with motorists’, while pursuing an anti-green agenda, you have to wonder if ministers are foolishly ignoring these soaring sales and instead listening to the vested interests attempting to park EVs’ growth.

Read more: EnergyLiveNews

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I travelled the UK and Ireland in an electric car, and what a shocker: nothing went wrong

Despite being an EV convert, fearmongering made me anxious before my holiday. But the summer road trip reaffirmed my faith

When my son suggested a road trip this summer around the UK and Ireland, I wasn’t sure. He wanted to go from our home in Brighton to Manchester, Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin, Dingle on Ireland’s west coast, Rosslare on Ireland’s east coast, and Cardiff. We worked out a route and looked at booking hotels, a treehouse, a campervan and a lighthouse; we’d visit friends and family; and we’d explore the capital cities of four nations – it sounded amazing. The only problem was that we’d be doing it in our electric car – and it holds less than 100 miles’ worth of charge.

 

Nissan e-NV200 Winter Camper Concept (Image: Nissan)
Nissan e-NV200 Winter Camper Concept (Image: Nissan)

I’m a convert, but even I was affected by the fearmongering that haunts the electric vehicle market. A relentless campaign in the rightwing media against government plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 2030 reflects the views of an increasingly desperate fossil fuels lobby, and I had read story after story about a lack of working chargers in the UK. I took out a second breakdown policy when I realised that mine covered only one callout in any 28-day period. I expected an adventure, and to come back with tales to tell, like running out of charge halfway up a mountain, or making friends for life with a random farmer as the car took all night to charge on their three-point socket.

Read more: TheGuardian

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