Glass’s one of the UK experts in calculating residual values for cars has warned that electric cars could face a residual black hole unless action is taken by the manufacturers to address customer concerns over battery life and performance. With several electric vehicles ready to hit the UK in the next few months the company is warning that residual values will be well below those of rival conventional powered vehicles. The warning comes on the back of a detailed analysis of the factors that will affect depreciation for electric cars. The company has been working closely with three of the manufacturers who will produce cars featuring in the first wave of EV launches. “After one year of ownership we would expect EV residual values to be above the segment average expressed in terms of pound values,” explains Andy Carroll, Managing Director at Glass’s. “But, if the battery is owned rather than leased, and lacks the appropriate extended warranty, the value of the typical EV will then fall dramatically until the vehicle is five years old, at which point the car will have a trade value little more than 10 per cent of the list price.” More
(AD Comments ~ A worrying thought for those who own, or are thinking about buying electric cars in the future.)
The era of carefree motoring may soon be over, according to a study which reveals that drivers of the new generation of electric cars are plagued by nagging fears of being left stranded by a flat battery. They narrow their horizons and rarely venture far from home, abandoning the old notion of the freedom of the open road. A six-month trial involving 264 drivers found that almost all experienced “range anxiety” and travelled only short distances. They were over cautious when planning journeys and allowed themselves a generous safety margin to avoid the need to recharge en route. They tended to avoid using their cars if the battery indicator showed that the charge level was less than 50 per cent. Even though electric cars such as the Mitsubishi i-MiEV are theoretically capable of travelling 100 miles between charges the drivers appeared not to trust the official figures. The maximum journey undertaken was only a quarter of the official range. The suitcase-sized batteries take at least six hours to recharge and Britain has only about 300 public charging points, most of which are in London. The Government-funded trial, involving drivers working for local authorities, private companies and universities in the North East of England, found that the maximum journey length undertaken was only a quarter of the car’s official range. More
(AD Suggests ~ It is always going to be a major worry, until we have more storage capacity.)
Electric cars may have to project artificial sounds, under EU plans to make their presence more obvious to pedestrians. Safety regulators are said to be considering introducing the legislation in a bid to prevent the potential danger the ‘quiet’ vehicles could pose to cyclists and pedestrians – particularly the visually-impaired. And it has been suggested that different models could even have their own signature sounds, in order to differentiate between them. According to the Environmental Transport Association (ETA), Nissan – which is set to build its electric Leaf model in Sunderland – is considering using a range of sounds, including background ‘white’ noise, electronic bleeps, or even “Star Wars” sounds. When driven at low speed, electric cars – and hybrids that are running only on electric power – emit far less noise than traditional cars with a petrol or diesel engine. However, according to Transport and Environment, while engine noise is the most important factor at speeds below 30kmh (18mph), tyre noise is the dominant sound at higher speeds. Research in 2008 from the University of California, Riverside, suggested that – using hearing alone – people could not detect an electric car travelling at 5mph until it was 11 ft away. This was more than three times closer than for a traditional vehicle with an internal combustion engine, and – even at such a low speed – afforded the subjects less than two seconds of reaction time. More
(AD Comments ~ Something has to be done to alert pedestrians to the approaching electric car, so in the future we will no dought hear some weird and wonderful sounds. Perhaps motorists will download, in a similar way to mobile phone ringtones!)
Nissan is set to build its new five-seat electric car in Sunderland, following a pledge of support from the Government. Production of the Golf-sized Leaf – billed by the Japanese carmaker as the world’s first zero-emission, mass-produced car – is set to create 550 engineering jobs in the city, where Nissan says it aims to produce up to 50,000 vehicles and 60,000 batteries a year. The move follows news last summer that Nissan would invest heavily in the North East to build rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, and forms part of a £420 million investment by Nissan in UK operations. The Government has designated the region as the UK’s first “low-carbon economic area”, specialising in ultra-low carbon vehicles. However, while the car, which has a claimed average range of 100 miles, is set to appear on UK roads in the first quarter of 2011, it will not be built in Sunderland until 2013. More
(AD Comment ~ Some good news for UK car manufacturing. But the low maximum mileage that it currently has may put many off buying the Leaf.)
Little Chef is bringing power to the motorist. The roadside chain, known for its Olympic breakfasts, will begin testing high-speed electric charging points at 10 branches within weeks, allowing cars such as the Tesla Roadster and Mini E to charge their batteries in as little as an hour. If successful, the trial could lead to a roll-out across all 173 branches. The company that developed the technology is planning a network of 1m charging points so that battery-powered cars can travel long distances without their drivers worrying about finding a place to “fill up”. More
(AD Comment ~ It may take a long lunch to get fully charged!)
For decades, Ferrari has made its name selling the sort of testosterone-packed cars that get petrolheads hot under the collar. But now the Italian car-maker is ditching its famous red livery – temporarily at least – as it experiments with going green. The company yesterday unveiled the Ferrari 599, a 200mph electric hybrid vehicle that aims to cut pollution and fuel consumption while retaining the brand’s breathtaking acceleration and performance. But it remains to be seen whether the 599′s ability to start silently and run on a zero-emission electric motor will put off car enthusiasts who delight in the explosive roar of an old-style Ferrari firing up. The prototype’s appearance at the opening day of the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland stunned visitors. The hybrid vehicle – which uses the electric motor to back up a more traditional 6.0-litre V12 petrol engine – even sported a bright metallic green paint to reinforce its environmentally friendly credentials. The aim is to have the green technology as an option across Ferrari’s entire range of cars by 2015. More
(AD Comment ~ At almost double the cost of a petrol version, its a high price to pay for doing you bit for the evironment!)
Pioneering motorists will receive up to £5,000 to buy an ultra-low carbon car, and the roll-out of supporting infrastructure will begin in selected regions, the Government announced today. The Plug-in Car Grant will be distributed directly to the consumer at the point of purchase and will be available across the UK from January 2011, by which time a range of eligible vehicles is expected to be available. Also included in the Government’s plans is the roll-out of a £30m fund for a network of electric vehicle hubs – called Plugged-In Places – which will see charging infrastructure appearing in car parks, major supermarkets, leisure and retail centres, as well as on the street. The first Plugged-In Places were today named today as London, Milton Keynes and the North East; and between them they will be installing over 11,000 vehicle recharging points during the next three years. The initiatives are part of a £450 million Government strategy to support the creation of a flourishing early market for ultra-low carbon vehicles. The programme will help to meet the UK’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions from transport; as well as creating new business opportunities for UK-based companies in the automotive and charging infrastructure sectors. Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis said: “Decarbonising transport isn’t an aspiration – it’s a reality. By this time next year, cutting edge motorists will be on the roads with these next generation cars they’ve purchased because of our help. “And thanks to the Plugged-In Places we will have in place infrastructure to support this growing early market. “Transport has a huge part to play in helping the UK meet its stringent emission reduction targets and today’s announcement is another step on the road to putting the UK at the global forefront of ultra-low carbon vehicle development, manufacture and use.” More
(AD Suggests ~ Incentives will help the start the process of changing to electric cars. When all the development of battery power storage is complete, the economy benefits of electric, will mean in a few years electric cars will be in the majority, rather than minority of new vehicles.)
The UK’s largest electric car trial has begun in the West Midlands. The government’s Technology Strategy Board (TSB) has supplied £15 million to the project as part of its plans for electric cars to become commercially viable in the UK. The West Midlands’ trial taking place in Coventry and Birmingham is the largest of eight similar trials TSB is backing, with 110 electric cars being trialled in the area. Nationally, 340 cars will be tested. TSB ran its ‘Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator’ competition to find suitable areas to trial electric cars. Iain Gray, TSB’s chief executive, said: “We created the Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator competition to act as a catalyst for industry, the public sector and academia to collaborate to provide low emission vehicles and solutions to powering them. “The journey towards low carbon transport will not be easy, but the demonstrator programme is the biggest project of its kind to date and is a major step in the right direction.” The West Midlands’ trial brings together local organisations within the engineering, automotive manufacturing, academic, public and infrastructure sectors under the banner ‘Cabled’ (Coventry and Birmingham Low Emission Vehicle Demonstrators). More
(AD Remarks ~ We will soon know the result of the trial, no doubt it wil be a success, as it is the way forward in the current climate )
Electric cars will be exempt from company car tax for five years from April and electric vans will be spared capital tax payments. More money will also be made available for the road testing of electric cars. The Government hopes that the scheme will help to overcome a shortage of electric car charging points. Because of the small numbers of electric vehicles on the road, experts believe that the measures anounnced yesterday will have a limited immediate impact. They see them as incentives designed to encourage greater green motoring in the years ahead. Before electric cars can make a real impact on travel in Britain, a proper charging grid or battery-lease network will have to be put in place. Existing electric cars do not offer a realistic alternative for long- distance or family travel. From April all electric vans will be spared a flat-rate £3,000 tax. However, the Department for Transport notes that there is no mass-market electric van available. There are a mere 50 electric company cars on the British road network. At present, they pay 9 per cent of standard company car tax. The average company car tax is £350 so the total cost to the Exchequer of implementing this measure will be £1,575. But Treasury officials hope that the announcement will act as an incentive to increase the number of electric cars. There are one million company cars on the road. Electric cars account for just 0.1 per cent of the 26 million cars in Britain. More
(AD Remarks ~ A way on encouraging more electric cars on the road. Many company car users may not have high mileage, so this is perfect sweetener for them)
Electric cars should be fitted with a small Swiss cowbell to warn pedestrians they are approaching because of their quiet engines, it has been suggested. The call by Lord McColl, a Tory peer, follows fears that the cars’ engines – which are almost at low speeds – pose a safety risk. The peer, who is also a party health spokesman, raised the issue with Lord Adonis, the Transport Secretary, in the House of Lords earlier this month. He is also understood to be concerned about the lack of engine noise in hybrid petrol-electric cars, such as the Toyota Prius, which forms a substantial part of the government’s ministerial car fleet. “When I purchased one of these cars a few years ago, my wife, being very practical, said that the answer would be to put on the front of the car a small Swiss cowbell,” he said. “I was only speaking half in jest,” Lord McColl explained. “I have a Prius and people can’t always hear it and a little cow bell might do the trick. It doesn’t even have to be Swiss. It should be something which makes a gentle bing bong.” Lord Grenfell, a Labour peer, proposed an even more radical – if less practical – solution, suggesting that a man with a red flag walking in front of the car would be a “better solution” The use of a man with a red flag ceased to be compulsory in 1896, when the speed limit was raised from four to 20 mph. More
(AD Suggests ~ Strange idea, but may just work!. Could be annoying on long journeys)
The UK’s streets and car parks could see thousands more charging points for electric and plug-in hybrid cars thanks to £30 million of Government funding. Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis today invited cities and businesses to join together to bid for the money which will help fund the installation of charging points on streets, car parks and in commercial, retail and leisure facilities. This initiative – called Plugged-In Places – will support the development of between three and six electric car cities and regions across the UK which will act as trailblazers for electric car technology. The experiences of these locations will inform the future development of a national charging infrastructure. Overall, the Government is investing around £400m to encourage the development, manufacture and use of next generation ultra-low carbon vehicles. Delivered by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles this support is being targeted to create new jobs in a low carbon automotive sector and to cut carbon from UK road transport. More
(AD Suggests ~ Major investment from the government, in 5 years time electric cars will be common place)
Electric cars may not reduce carbon dioxide emissions – and could even increase them, a green lobby group warned yesterday. The Environmental Transport Association said generating electricity – by burning coal and oil – to charge the so-called ‘clean’ cars could cancel out the benefit of abandoning fossil fuel vehicles. Its report said hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius could be the ‘greenest’ as they do not rely on mains power to charge batteries. It added that if electric cars become widely used, they would need a meter on the dashboard to charge motorists as they drive. The report represents a potential blow to Gordon Brown’s stated dream of making Britain ‘the electric car capital of Europe’. More
(AD Suggests ~ They need to make their mind up whether electric cars are good for the environment or not. If we developed more natural electricity through solar or wind sources, that would help)
The new breed of quiet battery-powered quiet cars raises safety concerns for pedestrians and cyclists. After decades of trying to reduce vehicle noise inside and out, the motor industry is now looking for ways to make near-silent electric vehicles conform to minimum noise levels. The potential problem of whisper-quiet engines is so serious that Lord Low of Dalston has tabled a Lords question asking the Government what assessment it has made of the danger the technology poses to pedestrians and cyclists. Similar concerns are being aired in the US Senate, and the Japanese government is reviewing the situation. Major safety concerns centre on an electric vehicle moving away from standstill – because it gives virtually no aural indication that it is about to – and when being driven in close proximity to pedestrians, particularly those blind or partially sighted. Children and cyclists might also be at risk. More
(AD Suggests ~ The proposed electronic engine noises may help, but if everyone watched the road carefully there should be very few problems.)
An electric Mini that will run for as little as 1p a mile hit the streets yesterday – with batteries included. A trial fleet of pollution-free Mini Es was launched as the car-maker also announced a deal for public electricity charging points with Marks & Spencer. The plug-in Mini can manage up to 150 miles on an off-peak £1.50 battery charge, giving drivers an astonishing 1p-a-mile motoring. Twenty guinea-pig drivers in the South East will use the cars for six months on a £330-a-month leasing deal, with home chargers installed in their garages. Each must commit to doing at least 300 miles driving a month and have their motoring and charging habits monitored. More
(AD Notes ~ All other motorists would wish for 1p per mile cost, compared with current equivalent.)
The roads of the 2020′s could look and sound very different if the climate change committee’s vision of transport policy is realised. Electric cars will zip noiselessly along roads depleted of commuters by better planning and more effective public transport. Those who do still drive old-fashioned fossil-fuelled cars will use their right feet less. Needless braking and accelerating will have been eliminated by eco-driving lessons, and fleets of vehicles, stripped of excess weight, will glide along motorways at a legal and fuel-efficient 70 mph. Today’s report says: “Transport is currently responsible for a quarter of emissions in the UK and, if left unchecked, emissions will rise significantly by 2020. Dramatic improvements in the carbon efficiency of cars need to be combined with measures which will constrain growth in traffic volumes.” More
(AD Notes ~ As soon as power storage is perfected, so the cars can travel all day, I am sure the switch from petrol/diesel will be quite swift.)
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