Green Flag, has released winter weather driving tips to help drivers stay safe on the road over the next few months. If driving in wintery conditions isn’t avoidable, Green Flag has shared its top five supplies drivers should carry, in case their vehicle breaks down this winter: Reflective jacket Phone and charger Boots and a warm coat Waterproof trousers Blankets, food and … [Read more...]
Features
Wales powers ahead with car chargers
Wales is out-performing the rest of the UK installing charging points, say the car makers. New analysis by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders revealed that the ratio of vehicle chargepoints to plug-in cars deteriorated by -31% during 2020. The research shows that at the end of 2019, 11 plug-in vehicles potentially shared a standard public chargepoint capable of charging both … [Read more...]
Remanufactured parts focus of green agenda
With a total value of €4.7 bn of sold remanufactured spare parts by suppliers in 2020, the automotive aftermarket is already substantially contributing to the circular economy targets proposed by the European Commission in their Green Deal. CLEPA, together with the consultancy Oakdene Hollins, recently published a study on the contribution of automotive to the circular economy targets, where … [Read more...]
Holes in H-EV network need plugging say Logistics UK
Government plans to develop the electricity network for the growth of electric cars and vans have big holes to fill when it comes to really heavy vehicle operations, said Denise Beedell, Public Policy Manager at Logistics UK. Earlier in November the Government said new build homes and workplaces would have to be equipped with charging points for owners and users but that left gaps for existing … [Read more...]
Used electric vans are a new challenge
The remarketing sector needs to learn to present used electric vans correctly to maximise their saleability, delegates were told at a webinar organised by the Vehicle Remarketing Association. Paul Kirby, of EV Essentials, explained that additional care needed to be taken to highlight operational factors such as range, speed of charging, and payload. “Arguably more so than diesel vans, … [Read more...]
Cold weather chills ev-battery performance
Freezing weather and increased cabin heating could see some of the UK’s most popular EV models lose more than 30 miles of range this winter. The data from Vertu Motors finds that a cold snap could cause an EV to lose up to nine per cent of its range overnight, due to the intense energy usage required to power through the freeze. Most popular EVs Range miles Range lost Range … [Read more...]
Drivers warned about leaving it late to switch insurers
Time is running out if you want to save money and switch insurers before a new law takes effect. Price analysis website Comparethemarket.com has studied UK car insurance premiums over the last nine years revealing drivers are losing up to £350 by not switching their insurance at the optimum time. Significant savings can be made based on the number of days left on your policy and the time of … [Read more...]
Assisted Driving tech is getting better say testers
Thatcham Research and Euro NCAP are encouraged by the results of their latest Assisted Driving Gradings, which show all seven of the mainstream vehicle manufacturers whose cars were tested, are committed to fitting robust Assisted Driving technology at every price point. The world-first Assisted Driving Grading assessments were introduced in October 2020 and are designed to support the sensible … [Read more...]
Kia’s generation game changer
For a generation of motorists it’s difficult to think that Kia Motors UK never existed and for others it’s hard to believe how far they have come in 30 years. Entering UK showrooms in 1991 with the rebadged Mazda 121 selling as the Kia Pride, the Korean brand registered 1,800 sales, but that was just a ripple of what was to come. The following year registrations doubled and they have … [Read more...]
Repairers are poorly prepared for rising EV sales
The steep rise in electric vehicle sales is a pivotal moment for all EV stakeholders, writes Adrian Watson, Head of Engineering Research at Thatcham Research. September 2021 was the UK’s best month ever for new battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Not only did the 32,721 new BEV registrations account for 15.2% of the market, … [Read more...]