Not only are there an insufficient number of electric charging points along the road networks in most EU countries, but the vast majority of these do not charge quickly enough, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
ACEA is alerting policy makers to this double problem – which risks stalling market uptake of electric cars – a week ahead of the European Parliament’s vote on the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) and six EU countries do not have a single charging point per 100km of road. 17 countries have less than five charging points per 100km of road, with just five possessing more than 10 chargers for every 100km of streets.
David Lewis, Head of Electric Vehicles & Energy at Select Car Leasing, said “An increasing number of lease customers are making the jump to electric cars and vans.
“Overall, EV sales now account for around a quarter (25%) of all vehicle sales at Select. Plug-in hybrids account for another 8%.”
Data from New AutoMotive’s new ‘fuel cost tracker’ has revealed that electric cars can be half as cheap to run as petrol or diesel vehicles, despite recent soaring energy costs.
The data found that drivers charging at home on electric vehicle tariff save just over 56% compared to petrol or diesel per-mile costs and EVs are still nearly a quarter cheaper (24%) for those who charge at home on a standard energy tariff.
Oxford will “remain at the heart of Mini production” despite parent BMW moving the manufacture of some of its electric cars to China.
The first electric Mini was built at the city’s Cowley plant in 2020 and all Minis will be electric by 2030 with its electric Countryman model built in Leipzig, Germany and Oxford will get the Mini Convertible in three years time while it continues to build the Cooper three door and five-door models.
Reacting to the Government’s response to the Competition and Markets Authority’s Road Fuel Review, Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Petrol Retailers’ Association, said,“We are pleased that the Government has acknowledged that petrol retailers did not profit from 5 pence-per-litre fuel duty cut.
“Independent forecourts have worked extremely hard to keep their communities fuelled and fed, and it is gratifying to be exonerated from the accusations previously made against our members.”
In the wake of a worrying new piece of research revealing that potentially millions of UK motorists are delaying critical tyre maintenance, IAM RoadSmart is calling on drivers to get a grip of their tyre safety.
Research commissioned by the UK’s leading independent road safety charity surveyed 1,004 motorists and 11 per cent stated that they had put off replacing their tyre when the tread is low while 7 per cent of survey respondents also stated that they have put off making a tyre change due to a puncture.
Over a third of motorists (37%) said that they have received a parking fine.
About 1 in 10 admitted to using their hazard lights as an excuse to park where they want while 1 in 5 admitted to not being able to parallel park, they told pollsters for The Brindley Group.