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What does an electric car buyer look like?

August 12, 2022Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

The average EV driver has been profiled by a group of economists, who found those ‘who love anything new’ are most likely to invest, while membership of environmental groups significantly increased likelihood of making the switch.

With more and more electric cars and vehicles being sold across the world as the race to reduce emissions continues, experts have set about trying to identify who is most likely to ditch combustion engines in favour of rechargeable models, with findings published in the Journal of Business Research.

Group sales of BMW i, BMW iPerformance, and Mini electric have seen dramatic growth

In order to conduct the work, researchers ran bibliomatic and thematic analysis of 254 studies published between 1983 – at which point there were no EVs on the market but research was being conducted to ascertain their potential – and 2021. Among other things, those running the study noted that even as far back as the early-mid-1980s, consumer attitudes towards electric models were governed by battery run and charge times, overall performance and cost.

‘When we talk about electric car customers, we’re talking about the so-called harbingers of change, people who love anything new, including technology,’ said Alberto Gerraris, Senior Research Fellow at the Ural Federal University Graduate School of Economics and Management, who co-authored the new report.

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EV demand on the up | Fleets look to models with shortest lead times

August 11, 2022Charging, Electric Cars, Leasing a new car, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

The demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) increased by 72% in the second quarter of this year, reports Leasing.com.

New data released by the car leasing comparison website, shows that consumer and business demand for all BEVs, hybrids and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) increased by 48% compared to Q2 last year, while BEV demand alone increased by 72% between April and June 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.

Meanwhile, demand for internal combustion vehicles (petrol and diesel) fell by 25% in Q2, with petrol demand falling 14% in the same period.

Leasing.com’s latest figures show that electric vehicles are closing the gap on petrol’s dominance in the new car leasing market.

Electric vehicles saw a 36.5% share of total sales enquiries via the website in Q2 compared to petrol’s 54.5% market share.

The gap between the fuel types continues to narrow each month. However, supply issues continue to dictate the sales winners in the new car market.

Consumers and businesses are gravitating towards the models that they can get hold of quickest and demand has softened for those brands with longer lead times. This has created opportunities for some manufacturers to rapidly grow their market share, says Leasing.com.

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Should I buy an electric car? The pros and cons of making the switch

August 10, 2022Buying/Leasing, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

The UK is on the road to becoming carbon-neutral and, from 2030, sales of all new petrol and diesel cars will be banned.

Sooner or later, motorists will have to consider switching to an electric car. The big question is whether it makes more sense now or later?

The transition from ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) cars to electric vehicles (EVs) is being driven by the impact that petrol and diesel cars have on the environment.

Fossil fuelled vehicles are responsible for around a fifth of all carbon emissions in the UK, according to Greenpeace. There’s also a clear link between pollution and life-changing illnesses such as coronary heart disease, respiratory disease and lung cancer, and asthma.

The argument for electric cars is compelling, but as with most things, EVs have their advantages and disadvantages.

We’ve weighed up the pros and cons of zero emissions vehicles to help you decide if an electric vehicle is the best option for you right now.

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Osprey becomes first CPO to subscribe to ChargeSafe

August 9, 2022Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

Osprey Charging has become the first chargepoint operator (CPO) to subscribe to public charging endorsement body ChargeSafe.

The body is working to inspect and rate all of the UK’s charging locations on the basis of 63 safety and accessibility criteria by the end of the year. Ratings out of five will then be made public.

Connected Kerb on-street charging (Image: Connected Kerb)

Thanks to subscribing, Osprey will be able to review the data behind the scores, allowing it to identify specific areas to further improve the charging service it offers.

“We have long been supporters of what ChargeSafe stand for and we’re proud to become the first CPO to subscribe to its thorough, EV charging location rating system,” Ian Johnston, CEO of Osprey Charging said.

“We are committed to providing safe, reliable and accessible EV charging for all. That means well-lit sites, the best chargers and the ability for wheelchairs and anyone with mobility requirements to have the space and access to charge, pay and enjoy our facilities.”

ChargeSafe’s accessibility criteria are in line with the draft PAS1899 BSI standards for accessible chargepoints, which have been co-sponsored by Motability and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.

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5 Reasons Electric Vehicle Sales Are Soaring

August 8, 2022Buying/Leasing, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

They look great, have fantastic acceleration, and cut down on your gas costs. What’s not to love?

Electric vehicle sales are soaring, and the only problem at the moment is that automakers are struggling to keep up with growing consumer demand. The surge in electric vehicle sales is the direct result of consumers learning about EVs and their benefits and an increase in manufacturers offering EVs, allowing consumers many more choices.

But there are other reasons for the ongoing uptick in electric vehicle sales and why so many people are finally making the switch.

Independence from gasoline is one of the greatest reasons to buy an electric vehicle. Not only because of the expense but simply eliminating the need to stop at a gas station from time to time. Many people have realized that electric vehicles allow the convenience of simply charging your vehicle while you sleep, in the comfort of your own home, and then getting on with your day the next morning.

Not having to stop at a gas station is a true luxury. Furthermore, gas station prices are higher than ever before worldwide, and not only this, but it’s extremely difficult to predict when these spikes in gas prices will occur—as well as when they will go down again.

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Porsche Says Its EVs Will Soon Be More Profitable Than Its Gas-Powered Cars

August 5, 2022Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, Porsche, Taycan / Mission E, UncategorizedRepost

Porsche expects that, within two years, its electric cars will be as profitable as its conventional cars, and that within five years, its electric cars will prove even more profitable.

Speaking at the company’s capital markets day, chief financial officer Lutz Meschke said that Porsche expects the margins on electric cars will equal and then surpass the margins on gas-powered cars as consumers grow more willing to pay for battery-powered vehicles, Bloomberg reports.

Until recently, automakers had lamented the thin profit margins on electric vehicles, which are more costly to manufacture and have historically held less appeal for consumers. Now, with EV manufacturing facilities scaling up and consumer interest on the rise, things are starting to change. “There are even signs that the EV business could be at least as good as the business with the conventional cars,” Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen Group, said in March.

Porsche expects that EVs will account for roughly half of the luxury car market by the end of this decade. The German automaker is aiming for 80 percent of its sales to be fully electric by 2031.

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Want an electric car but fear the cost? Here’s how to flick the switch

August 4, 2022Buying/Leasing, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

Make the change without forking out huge sums

Consumers are more and more eager to go electric. The number of electric vehicles (EVs) on British roads is soon set to exceed France after a huge surge in sales. But while a growing number of motorists want to switch, many are also wondering if they can afford it.

Although they are cheaper to run, EVs are more expensive to buy than other vehicles, leading many to believe they are out of their price range. And while the number of EVs sold in the UK has now exceeded half a million, research from the Green Finance Institute says that most purchases are by corporate fleet companies, and not individuals.

A report from the thinktank says: “Consumer adoption of EVs is still in its infancy, and a number of barriers deter larger numbers from switching in the short term.

“Higher upfront cost of the vehicles, the pace of improvement in battery range, concerns about access to reliable charging infrastructure and perceived complexity of transitioning means many are hesitant about making an EV their next car,”

Last year the average pre-tax retail price of a medium-sized EV was €33,300 (£28,914) compared with €18,600 for a petrol car, according to BloombergNEF.

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If We Want More EV Acceptance, Manufacturers Have to Think Small

August 3, 2022Electric Cars, Kona Electric, Leaf, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

If manufacturers are truly serious about widening the appeal of electric vehicles, the market could use more Nissan LEAF and Hyundai Kona electrics. Remember, our current dependence on the automobile was built on the back of everyman’s Ford Model T and not the wealthy’s Cadillac.

Many of the makers committing themselves to a major shift toward electric vehicles are mostly luxury brands. And, as we’ve so far seen, volume manufacturers introducing electrics seem to be skewing their efforts toward a more well-heeled clientele. Given the higher costs of current electric vehicle technology, it’s understandable.

Still, within recent launches of high-dollar electric cars, trucks and SUVs are echoes of the large, flashy cars with big fins and massive chrome bumpers that marked the end of the 1950s. It wasn’t until an imported air-cooled economy car called the Volkswagen Beetle with an ad tagline suggesting that we “Think Small” that affordability took center stage. Perhaps manufacturers need to take a step back and think small to provide electric alternatives for average car buyers.

The key to affordability is to get over the relentless push to increase range to 600 miles or more on a charge. Unlike a traditional car, where you can make a tank bigger at minimal costs (in fact, on gas cars it’s more a question of space than cost), increasing range from bigger batteries comes at a huge cost in electric vehicles.

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MOTO and GRIDSERVE launch eighth High Power charging hub

August 2, 2022Charging, GRIDSERVE, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

Moto and GRIDSERVE have opened their eighth high power electric vehicle (EV) charging hub in Yorkshire.

As part of the companies’ rollout of Electric Super Hubs across the UK, 12 350kW-capable EV chargers have been installed at Moto Wetherby, with capacity to expand when future demand requires.

All of the new chargers have been designed to include both CCS and CHAdeMO connectors, accept contactless payments and to provide at least one extra-wide accessible charging bay for every six EV charging spaces.

Proposed Electric Forecourt (Image: GRIDSERVE)

Real-time status updates will be available for the chargers on a myriad of EV charging maps, the companies said, including Zap-Map.

Ken McMeikan, chief executive at Moto, said: “We are delighted to continue our roll-out of the High Power Charging Hubs and we will be opening more hubs at all of our Motorway Service Areas across the country in the coming 12 months.”

In 2022, Moto and GRIDSERVE have added 65 high power chargers across seven new Electric Super Hubs, including chargers in Thurrock in May, Exeter and Burton-in-Kendal last April and its first one in Wales in February.

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Mountain Wheels: BMW’s all-electric i4 is a performance fan’s dream come true

August 1, 2022BMW, Electric Cars, i4, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

Imagine a BMW M3 that never needs gas, accelerates like an M5 on racing fuel, yet behaves almost normally in all of the regular attributes associated with automobiles.

The remarkably non-weird, high-performance future is finally here with the i4. And unlike BMW’s previous mass-market electrics — the very peculiar but charming i3 and the futuristic, supercar-styled i8 — the new i4’s electric platform is a 3-Series-esque body. That means almost totally regular seating, controls and driving setup, though also radically transformed.

I can’t say that the i3’s M50 edition is exactly what lies ahead for other BMW electrified vehicles, but for this performance-oriented model, priced at $77,070, things are literally breathtaking: dual electric motors that produce 536 horsepower and 586 pound-feet of torque, almost instantaneously, and entirely silently.

You can, if you are brave, still get wheelspin at 75 mph in the M50, as so much oomph is almost a challenge to connect with the pavement, despite beautiful 20-inch wheels and high-performance summer tires. The specs say 0-60 in 3.7 seconds but, given a week of independent tomfoolery, I think that is an understatement.

That kind of boost means you can dart out in front of traffic like you are about to jump into hyperspace. More hilariously, you can give it a 50% recharge in about 45 minutes. Suddenly, EVs seem more fun. The slightly more restrained i4 eDrive40, with a more robust 301-mile range, still offers 335 horsepower, with just a little less neck-snapping yank as a result.

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