Electric Cars:what's available?

This is the place for posts that don't fit into any other category.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
User avatar
mickthemaverick
Donor 2024
Posts: 13523
Joined: 11 May 2019, 17:56
Location: Hertford
My Cars: 70+ former cars (list available) including 11 Citroens, 3 Renaults
Current cars: 2004 Subaru Legacy 2.5 SEn, 1994 Mazda MX3
x 6011

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by mickthemaverick »

This is the gist of it:

"The new, eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf will see the plug-in hybrid GTE model returning to the line-up alongside mild-hybrid variants of the popular hatchback. The Mk8 Golf GTE will be the most powerful version of the standard Golf on sale, with a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine combining with an electric motor to produce 242bhp.

A 13kWh battery offers up to 43 miles of zero-emissions driving range, with speeds as high as 87mph achievable without assistance from the engine. The cells are almost twice as energy-dense as before, meaning the 135kg unit is only slightly larger than the one found in the previous VW Golf GTE.

Exact performance and fuel-economy figures for the car have yet to be confirmed. Volkswagen will also make another, less powerful Mk8 Golf PHEV, however this will not be sold in the UK. Plug-in hybrid versions of this Golf's VW Group sister modes, the SEAT Leon and Skoda Octavia, are also on the way.

Advertisement
The petrol and diesel versions of the new Golf went on sale in February 2020, with the first customer deliveries scheduled for April, although there has been some disruption due to the coronavirus lockdown. An exact on-sale date for the new GTE hasn't been confirmed yet, but orders in some continental European markets are expected to open towards the end of July, with deliveries in October.

New Volkswagen Golf hybrid
Mild-hybrid technology – which uses a small battery and electric motor to assist an internal-combustion engine – has been introduced elsewhere in the Golf range.

This is available on both versions of the 1.5-litre turbocharged engine (producing 128 and 148bhp respectively), plus on the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder variant that's capable of 109bhp. According to Volkswagen, the 48-volt technology should account for 16bhp and make acceleration smoother while improving fuel economy.

All mild-hybrid versions of the Golf will feature a seven-speed automatic gearbox, with no manual compatible. A pair of 2.0-litre diesel variants will also be sold, and both these and the hot GTI and R variants will gain mild-hybrid technology in due course."
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Thanks Mick, this list of electric cars as of the Gov.uk website qualify for the Plug-in grant on purchase currently £3,000. Yes all of the self-charging and Plug-in Hybrids conspicuous by their absence. Cant meet the Criteria of
travelling at least 112km (70 Miles) without any emissions at all.

The likes of the Audi E-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace and the more expensive Teslas dont appear as that Plug in grant is not available for cars costing over £50,000
https://www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants
These vehicles have CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km and can travel at least 112km (70 miles) without any emissions at all:

BMW i3 and i3s
BYD e6
DS 3 Crossback E-Tense
Honda e
Hyundai IONIQ Electric
Hyundai KONA Electric
Kia e-Niro
Kia Soul EV
Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive
Mercedes-Benz eVito Tourer
MG ZS EV
MINI Electric
Nissan e-NV200 (5-seater and 7-seater)
Nissan LEAF
Peugeot e-208
Peugeot e-2008
Polestar 2
Renault ZOE
SEAT Mii electric
Škoda Citigo-e iV
Smart EQ fortwo
Smart EQ forfour
Tesla Model 3 Long Range
Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus
Vauxhall Corsa-e
Volkswagen e-up!
Volkswagen e-Golf

To be eligible for the grant, cars must cost less than £50,000. This is the recommended retail price (RRP), and includes VAT and delivery fees.

The grant will pay for 35% of the purchase price for these vehicles, up to a maximum of £3,000.
Regards Neil
Last edited by NewcastleFalcon on 24 Aug 2020, 09:54, edited 1 time in total.
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Well this is probably the new old VW Golf GTE Plug -In Hybrid as currently on the VW Website, not the "new new not quite here yet" enhanced version with more battery capacity.
https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/new/golf-gte
https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/new/golf-gte
Regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

NewcastleFalcon wrote: 23 Aug 2020, 22:08 Thanks Mick, this list of electric cars as of the Gov.uk website qualify for the Plug-in grant on purchase currently £3,000. Yes all of the self-charging and Plug-in Hybrids conspicuous by their absence. Cant meet the Criteria of
travelling at least 112km (70 Miles) without any emissions at all.

The likes of the Audi E-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace and the more expensive Teslas dont appear as that Plug in grant is not available for cars costing over £50,000
https://www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants
These vehicles have CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km and can travel at least 112km (70 miles) without any emissions at all:
...
...
DS 3 Crossback E-Tense

...etc
To be eligible for the grant, cars must cost less than £50,000. This is the recommended retail price (RRP), and includes VAT and delivery fees. The grant will pay for 35% of the purchase price for these vehicles, up to a maximum of £3,000.
Has this French offering by-passed our humble thread so far. :?: Well this was the first take from fully charged from Dec 2019, so not new news.



REgards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
andy5
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 438
Joined: 05 Nov 2010, 13:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 104

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by andy5 »

Stupid names. Crossback? Not quite as bad as Grandland, but a good attempt.
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Well this is a stunt, but at least its a real world journey from Zwickau, Germany to Schaffhausen, Switzerland, rather than going round and round a track at 20 miles an hour, to eke out the maximum range from a single charge. The average speed was around 35mph. The driver was Felix Egolf.....no really it was....
Regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Bit of Chinese news
Clean Technica Article "Is The Real ICE Killer Finally Here?"
This has just been launched in China, it costs $4,200

Image

Will, the Chinese disrupt the cosy high price low volume current EV market engineered by the traditional global automakers :?:
Here's a range of models which sell the most in China with the Tesla Model 3 being currently top of the tree, and the MG ZS EV may be familiar as it has arrived in other markets. But the rest you will most likely not have heard of..yet..

https://cleantechnica.com/files/2020/07 ... chnica.png
Regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
User avatar
white exec
Moderating Team
Posts: 7445
Joined: 21 Dec 2015, 12:46
Location: Sayalonga, Malaga, Spain
My Cars: 1996 XM 2.5TD Exclusive hatch RHD
1992 BX19D Millesime hatch LHD
previously 1989 BX19RD, 1998 ZX 1.9D auto, 2001 Xantia 1.8i auto
and lots of Rovers before that: 1935 Ten, 1947 Sixteen, 1960 P5 3-litre, 1966 P6 2000, 1972 P6 2000TC, and 1975 P6B 3500S
x 1752

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by white exec »

Really welcome large-scale progress, and at affordable prices.
The MG ZS EV is just a first taster for UK, and must be looked at as something of a trailblazer for China's EV exports.
120km and 62km/h might not seem a lot for the chubby city car, but it's almost the exact footprint of the original Mini, and as a local shopper/commuter capable enough. Likely additional battery capacity/power will be added.
Chris
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

So whats going on in the commercial vehicle arena.

Well Amazon have placed an order for 1800 electric delivery vehicles for Europe and the UK. Dwarfed by their 100,000 order with Rivian over in the USA, and their close working partnership with that company.

So who benefits from the order...Nissan? PSA? Renault? Fiat Chrysler Automobiles? no its those johnny-come-latelies Mercedes Benz with their tired old Sprinters and Vitos given an e-prefix.

Perhaps its something to do with Germany being Amazon's second biggest market after the USA.

This article speculates whether it is just a temporary measure, as it develops its fleet needs with partners Rivian.
Amazon Orders 1,800 Mercedes Electric Delivery Vans For EU And UK

"Compare the look of the Rivian electric van with the e-Sprinter electric van. One is clearly the future, the other is clearly not. Could it be the new order Amazon has placed with Mercedes Benz is a stop gap measure designed to hold the fort until newer vehicles with more modern design are available? The last of the electric delivery vans from Rivian are not scheduled to arrive until 2030. It’s possible Amazon is hedging its bets until the vehicles it really wants are available."
Regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
User avatar
bobins
Donor 2023
Posts: 5697
Joined: 05 Jul 2012, 18:07
Location: Midhurst, West Sussex
My Cars: Kia Sportage
Mazda BT-50
Land Rover SIII SWB
V-F-R800
SL320
MX5
x 2871

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by bobins »

An ever-present feature of ICE motoring has always been the availability of the latest wonder product that'll increase your mileage / keep your engine clean / give you more power / reduce your servicing costs, etc, etc. A question for the BEV motorists out there - have the snake-oil salesmen caught up with the EV market yet and come up with some new fangled technology to try and sell you to make your car go further or faster ? Has anyone tried to market a 'polarising magnet that goes around your charge cable to align the electrons so they reach your motor in a cleaner condition' or similar ?? :lol:
Sadly no longer a C5 owner :(
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

bobins wrote: 30 Aug 2020, 21:17 have the snake-oil salesmen caught up with the EV market yet
I did read about this a little while ago
NewcastleFalcon wrote: 01 Oct 2019, 09:58 There are a few signs that oil companies, may be realising that change is on the way, and it would seem electrification is on its way.

A general complacency, like in BP example, is fuelled by the assumption that increasing world population, increasing development, increasing economic growth equates to more energy demand not less, and currently they pull out of the ground oil and gas which they assume will be well placed to meet those demands.

A bit of dabbling is going on to make money out of the move to electrification like charging infrastructure tacked on to existing fuelling installations, and the latest

Special Fluids for electric vehicles!


Well I supose Citroen sold a lot of their special fluid over the years!

Regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Electric Cars:salary sacrifice schemes

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Bit more background on salary sacrifice schemes. It really is a get it now sort of offer. Next three years benefit in kind for use of an electric vehicle is 0%, 1% and 2%, and the cost of the salary sacrifice for your contract hire/leasing bundle which can also include insurance is deducted from your income before tax and national insurance is taken, giving basic rate taxpayers a 32% reduction (20% Tax 12% NI).
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/car ... ve-40.html
and example given in the article
A cheaper electric runaround, on a shorter two-year contract hire, such as a Renault Zoe, might cost £270 normally, but through salary sacrifice a basic rate taxpayer would save 32 per cent, meaning it only effectively costs them £184 a month.
Get a home charger and take into account what you would pay in petrol and the effective monthly cost is reduced further.

Anyones employer run these schemes? and if they dont ask them. Plenty organisations out there who will manage the scheme for them. Octopus Electric Vehicles has already been mentioned and also quoted in the article.

Reagrds Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
Gibbo2286
(Donor 2020)
Posts: 7171
Joined: 08 Jun 2011, 18:04
Location: GL15***
My Cars: 2006 C5 2.0 Litre HDI VTR Automatic Estate.(now sold on)
Currently Renault Zoe 2014 ZE
x 2500

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by Gibbo2286 »

You've already moved onto the slippery slope Neil where you take a bit less care about the running costs, paying for charging while away from home. :)

What I forecast is that, once well established, there will be more ways found of making you pay for your electric motoring pleasure.

Energy companies could make a special tariff for homes that have home charging points installed or governments (of any flavour) will make up a tax regime to replace the fuel duty lost at the pumps.

That long ago suggestion that road tax could be charged on the mileage driven might raise its ugly head again and with the use of modern technology be easily collected.
Man is, by nature, a lazy beast, he does not need twice encouraging to do nothing.
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Gibbo2286 wrote: 31 Aug 2020, 08:50
What I forecast is that, once well established, there will be more ways found of making you pay for your electric motoring pleasure.

Energy companies could make a special tariff for homes that have home charging points installed or governments (of any flavour) will make up a tax regime to replace the fuel duty lost at the pumps.

That long ago suggestion that road tax could be charged on the mileage driven might raise its ugly head again and with the use of modern technology be easily collected.
Bound to be the case Gibbo. :-D but over the next few years incentives to switch to electric are undoubtedly going to be there, both in home energy "deals", charging infrastructure, grants and personal tax. Eventually though they will probably tax your solar panels too! :-D

Regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24563
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Electric Cars:what's available?

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Here's my back of a tab-packet example of how salary sacrifice works. Its an incentive there to be taken up if your employer runs a scheme. The benefit in kind assessment is zero in 2020 for electric vehicles. The calculation would have to take into account a negligible 1% and 2% marginally eating into the saving for years 2 and 3.
NF tab packet example
NF tab packet example
As with all of these things, there can be side effects with respect to other seemingly unrelated matters such as pension contributions and entitlements, and overall NI contributions. Why it has to be so convoluted I have no idea. The intention of the incentive is to encourage more people to have access to an electric car, and it is undoubtedy used and offered by the biggest employers like the NHS. but why not make it just simply an electric vehicle allowance, a normal deduction from your gross pay before tax is taken, rather than wrap it up in the guise of a salary sacrifice. The conclusion I arrive at is the more complicated and off-putting the arrangement the less employers and employees will take it up.


Regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
Post Reply