EV Powered Magazine - MARCH 2022 EDITION

SMMT outlines plan to level up UK charging network

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has called for an independent regulator and binding targets for EV charging rollout, as part of a sevenpoint plan to help ensure every driver in Britain can benefit from an EV charging network that is affordable, available and accessible to all.

The plan, designed to drive collaboration between government, industry and all other stakeholders, calls for mandated targets for infrastructure rollout, backed by an independent regulator called ‘Ofcharge’ (the Office of Charging).

It is also proposing a nationally coordinated and locally delivered infrastructure plan to give consumers the confidence to make the switch over to an electric vehicle.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “The automotive industry is up for the challenge of a zero-emission new car and van market by 2035.

Our plan puts the consumer at the heart of this transition, assuring them of the best possible experience backed by an independent regulator.

With clear, equivalent targets and support for operators and local authorities that match

US startup to build one-mile long road that charges EVs as they go

Detroit-based charging firm Electreon Wireless hopes for the project to be fully operational by 2023, following an investment of more than $1.9 million.

Volvo pumps almost £1bn into Torslanda plant for next-gen EV production

Volvo

consumer needs, government can ensure the UK has a chargepoint network that makes electric mobility a reality for all, cutting emissions, driving growth and supporting consumers across the UK.”

The vehicles will be charged through inductive charging, which uses a magnetic frequency to transfer power from metal coils in the road to a receiver fitted on the electric vehicle.

Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the award of a contract to build a first in the United States public wireless in-road charging system, commenting: “As we aim to lead the future of mobility and electrification by boosting electric vehicle production and lowering consumer costs, a wireless in-road charging system is the next piece to the puzzle for sustainability.”

The investment follows a recent announcement by Volvo Cars and Northvolt, the leading battery cell company, to invest around £2.3 billion in the development and manufacturing of high-quality, tailor-made batteries for the next generation of pure electric Volvo models. Both investment plans represent new steps towards Volvo Cars’ ambition to be a fully electric car company by 2030 and reflect the company’s commitment to a long-term future in its hometown of Gothenburg.

Håkan Samuelsson, chief executive of Volvo Cars, said: “With these investments, we take an important step towards our all-electric future and prepare for even more advanced and better electric Volvos. Torslanda is our largest plant and will play a crucial role in our ongoing transformation as we move towards becoming a pure electric car maker by 2030.”

Major organisations join action group to accelerate shift to electrified fleets

Organisations such as Tesco, Natwest and Defra have come together to form an action group to accelerate the rollout of electrified fleets.

The EVzero initiative says it “enables ambitious leaders to help each other take the next steps forward for their fleet transition, by tackling a critical pinch point in charging infrastructure that is hindering successful EV deployments.”

Participants will focus on working together to overcome this costly and risky challenge and develop

innovative solutions based around collaborative demand in asset availability, utilisation, finance, and efficiency.

Through the EVzero programme, organisations will develop a suitable charging infrastructure network to help turn EV strategy into actions, whilst also reducing risks and costs of deployment by

Jaguar’s customer supply agreement with Envision Racing is in addition to its own factory team, Jaguar TCS Racing.

The manufacturer will supply Envision Racing with its new high-voltage electric motor, inverter, transmission, cooling system, casing and suspension via its long-term Formula E technical partner Williams Advanced Engineering. Envision Racing secured the deal with Jaguar after identifying the British carmaker as its “ideal partner,” because of its “innovation, race-winning performance and a shared ambition to accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles.”

From the start of next season, and for the new Gen3 era of Formula E, there will be four Jaguar powered Formula E race cars on the grid.

co-developing innovative solutions built through collaborative demand.

Matt Pumfrey, CEO, EVzero by Innovation Gateway, said: “Innovation Gateway has a heritage in collaboration and innovation identification, and we are bringing our framework to support the deployment of tangible EV projects. By doing this together, we will reduce risks and costs and develop solutions based around the collective demand of the world’s most ambitious organisations.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

InstaVolt has confirmed that it is on track to reach 1,000 EV chargers in the summer, with the charge point operator planning to energise its 700th charger in the coming weeks.

Rolls-Royce has reimagined its iconic Spirit of Ecstasy figurine to grace the bonnet of its new all-electric car, Spectre.

Extreme E has revealed its plans to launch an off-road hydrogen championship, named Extreme H, in 2024.

Eurocell, the Anglo-Korean next-generation battery company, is set to build its first European Gigafactory, with plans to have ‘production ready’ technologies available in just 12 months.

With an initial £600 million investment planned over two phases, Eurocell says full capacity may be reached as early as 2025, with the company mass-producing and exporting its technologies from one of three key markets, the UK, the Netherlands or Spain.

Eurocell adds that its batteries, developed in Korea, also have a considerable technical advantage, lasting

over ten times longer than conventional lithium-ion cells, making them far more sustainable, with no ‘end of life’ issues.

Wales’ first high-powered EV charging hub has opened in Swansea as part of GRIDSERVE and Moto’s UK-wide rollout of EV charging infrastructure.

Research by Volkswagen Financial Services UK (VWFS) has found that drivers could save as much as £80 per month by making the switch to an electric vehicle.

Eurocell gigafactory targets ‘production ready’ batteries in just 12 months

Jaguar to supply Envision Racing with powertrain technology for Gen3

What was your journey into motorsport and Formula E like?

I never really intended working in this industry. It was very much a hobby of mine; I loved watching motorsport with my dad and I caught the bug from him. I went off on my own path and did biological sciences at university and wanted to work in broadcasting more as a science presenter. Along the way, I ended up presenting at things like Goodwood and presenting different types of motorsports.

I ended up doing a show on climate change and the future of electric vehicles, and I went down to Renault HQ and they told me about a new racing championship called Formula E, and it seemed really interesting. I got in touch with Formula E and it came from there.

What have been some of your personal highlights from working in Formula E?

One of my heroes growing up was Alain Prost, who was involved with the e.dams team in the first couple of seasons. In Formula E, it’s a paddock where you do get to know everybody and so getting to know him and to be able to ask him the difficult questions was always quite special.

What is the best thing about Formula E? How do you sell it to someone who knows nothing about it?

It is simply electric street racing. It’s full of wheelto-wheel action in some of the most iconic cities in the world. The circuits are always very unforgiving; they’re very narrow and the walls chew you up and spit you back out. The cars are super-fast, and it all just makes for an action-packed race every single time.

What are some of your favourite Formula E destinations?

We’ve done some really fun things like taking Mitch Evans up in a hot air balloon in Marrakech at sunrise, and we’ve taken Sam Bird to the funfair in Santiago.

In terms of tracks, you can’t beat Monaco. It’s one of a kind. There’s so much history and it just lives and breathes motorsport heritage. Every corner has a story to tell. I also loved Moscow, where we went to in Season 1. We raced around the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral which was pretty epic. There are so many good locations, from Paris to Mexico City, although I think that’s more because of the tequila and margaritas!

Which Formula E race stands out to you as one of the most memorable?

I feel like I shouldn’t bring up Valencia, but that was everything that the championship stood for! The championship is all about energy usage and getting it exactly right, but that was the race where everybody got it very wrong. I remember Jean Éric-Vergne managed to score in the points but it took him six minutes to do his last lap, so that was incredible!

Has this season been a turning point for the series?

Definitely, particularly for the UK. It’s been so important for Formula E to be on a free-to-air channel like Channel 4 which really is the home of motorsport. It’s going to have a huge impact for us. There’ll be more eyes on the sport, so it’s definitely an upward shift in terms of fans and viewership within the UK.

What lessons can Formula 1 learn from Formula E?

Formula E is a very inclusive championship. We really pushed social media and behind the scenes content and getting to know the drivers.

At the time, Formula 1 wasn’t doing that, it was a closed shop and very elitist. Now, under new management, they have done a total role-reversal and followed the pathway of what we have been doing.

In terms of the future of the sports, I think they will both co-exist. It’s a huge compliment to Formula E to be compared to Formula 1. We’re only in our eighth season and Formula 1 has been going for over seven decades, so being able to compare the two is already a compliment. I think the big question is where is the future of Formula 1? The internal-combustion engine is no more in the grand scheme of things and is going to be phased out over the next decade. Where does Formula 1 go from here? They can’t go electric, so how is it going to stay relevant?

What are some of the challenges that come with your job?

Going back to work when you have a small baby requires a lot of juggling and multi-tasking, but women are very good at that! If you asked me that question five years ago, the answer would be very different, but there is so much support for women in the sport now, rather than how it might

have been however many years ago, where they would just find a replacement if you couldn’t be there.

I think the way women are treated in motorsport in general is very different now. We’re not far off around forty per cent of people working behind the scenes in Formula E being female. They might not necessarily be the drivers, which is essentially the shop window, but they are behind the scenes making the sport happen. It’s lovely walking around the pit lane and not feeling like you’re in the minority.

How important is it to have a female as the face of one of the fastest growing motorsports in the world?

It’s so important to do what we can to support women in motorsport, from grassroots all the way up to the likes of Formula E and Extreme E. I think what Extreme E has done is brilliant. It’s a level playing field and having those role models is great for young girls. It’s impossible to imagine yourself doing something if you haven’t seen someone that you can relate to doing it. If you can see it, you can do it, so it’s really important to have those role models.

Quickfire Questions

As someone who knows the Formula E drivers personally, who is your pick for the following:

Funniest? António Félix da Costa has a really good sense of humour. Most competitive?

Lucas di Grassi. Very smart, very intelligent, very competitive. Best for a night out?

Jake Dennis. He loves his partying. Best road trip companion? I’ll go with Susie Wolff, so I could quiz her about how she’s achieved so much at such a young age... and what it’s like to be married to Toto Wolff!

Who makes it into the Formula E ‘Hall of Fame’? Sam Bird. Because he’s British and he’s one of the first drivers I got to know, and he’s also the only driver to win a race in every single season!

One to watch this season?

Oliver Askew has done a sterling job so far this season, but I’ll go with Jake Dennis.

HYUNDAI IONIQ 5

What’s all the fuss about?

INSIDE & OUT

The biggest talking point when it comes to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is its design. With a face like RoboCop and a pixelated rear end with steep, sharp creases at the side, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is exactly what people thought EVs would look like in the future. In the best possible way, it is as if a nine-year-old designed the car, just with less rockets and machine guns.

The Ioniq 5 is based off of Hyundai’s Concept 45 EV, which is the manufacturer’s best guess as to how all electric vehicles will look further down the line, and it does feel like a concept drawing that has been brought to life. Even stood next to it,

it almost doesn’t look real. It’s deceptive; it is still a big, bulky SUV-crossover, but it is also sleek and regal. With every look and glance, you discover another interesting detail, from the unique wheel design of the 20” alloys, to the parametric light bar at the rear.

Many EVs have been criticised for being too conventional and boring, but Hyundai has ripped up the rulebook and produced a truly stunning design.

It’s more of the same inside, too. The Ioniq 5 has been built from the ground up, and the manufacturer has prioritised space and comfort. In order to achieve a sense of luxury, you are

greeted with four-way adjustable leather lumbar seats and a catalogue of expensive feeling materials. There is no transmission tunnel so there is plenty of room around your feet, and there is ample storage as well. There are 64 customisable options for mood lighting to help you create the perfect level of ambience for you, as well as other handy features such as heated steering wheel and seats, and the ability to recline your seat to a complete horizontal if you want to have a quick snooze whilst charging.

There’s also plenty of room in the back, with lots of headroom and legroom, and there are nice little touches such as your own air vent on the door pillar and two USB charging ports. The boot

From the moment the Hyundai Ioniq 5 was unveiled to the world, people fell in love with it. It had a design like no other, had a picturesque interior and a class-leading range was promised, too. It seemed to deliver on that expectation, winning a number of ‘Car of the Year’ awards in 2021.

But is it all that it’s cracked up to be? Let’s find out...

REVIEW

offers 527L which is at the larger end for electric vehicles of this class, although it is quite shallow meaning you will have to retract the parcel shelf if you’re looking to squeeze in any larger items.

TECHY-BITS

Unfortunately for the Ioniq 5, the technology inside is where it loses a few points. First of all, you have two 12.3” displays up front, one for your drivers’ display and the other for your media centre. These are crisp and responsive, and the Hyundai operating system is OK, however, for a car as futuristic as this, you shouldn’t need a USB cable to connect Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Even when using a USB cable, setting it up is a massive pain in the...

BY CHARLIE ATKINSON

The Hyundai Ioniq 5

won award after award,

good as people make out? Charlie Atkinson gets behind the wheel to find out.

There is also a million and one options and icons to play around with on the media centre. On the plus side, there is lots on offer and you’re in control of pretty much everything, but it can be tricky to navigate the different screens, especially when the icons are quite small on the long, thin screen.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 also prides itself on its safety features, but in this, it’s almost safety gone mad. There are so many warning lights and beeps that it can be infuriating to drive this car at times, especially in a busy town centre. It beeps at you for being ever so slightly over the speed limit, even if just for a fleeting second, and for being too close to the kerb, to the car in front, or anything at all seemingly.

All this detracts from a beautiful interior and removes some of the comfort and luxury that you are supposed to get from being inside the Ioniq 5.

OUT ON THE ROAD

Thankfully, when the car stops telling you off, you can actually enjoy a really nice drive. It’s not the quickest, despite our Ultimate version boasting a 0-60mph time of 5.2 seconds. Although it may feel quite sluggish compared to some of its competitors, as I said at the start of this review, the Ioniq 5 prioritises comfort and practicality, so it doesn’t really need to be lightning quick. It is still an electric car, however, so you will be able to enjoy the instant acceleration, even on some of the entry level versions.

For a car of this size, I was surprised by the ride of the Ioniq 5. You would expect it to glide over bumps and potholes like most SUVs, but instead you are jolted about quite harshly. As well as this, when weaving down country lanes, there is a lot of lean in the body and you do feel as though you are sliding about all over the place.

Although it can be a bit uncomfortable at times, this car comes into its own on the motorway. It’s tremendously quiet, with minimal road and wind noise, and once you’ve activated lane assist and adaptive cruise control, you can really make the most of the luxurious interior. If you can get over all the beeps and warnings, it’s a similar experience in town, too.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

So, if you wanted to buy a Hyundai Ioniq 5, what are your options? Entry versions of the Ioniq 5 start from £37,420, and they feature a 225kW battery which can do 0-60 in 8.5 seconds with a range of up to 240 miles.

You also have a couple of premium options which go up to £44,000 and a range that goes up to 300 miles with enhanced performance. And then you have this Ultimate version, which will let you go from 0-60 in 5.2 seconds, and there’s a whole host of features and options available too. In terms of charging, the Ioniq 5 can charge up to 150kW which will let you recoup up to 275 miles of range in as little as 30 minutes.

VERDICT

You can see why the Hyundai Ioniq 5 earned rave reviews when it was first released. It has one of the best designs of any electric vehicle, it has a truly premium interior, and it’s nice and practical with a decent real-world range. It’s not perfect, though, with a few annoying details, such as the beeping and the bumps, which detract from what is a really, really good car. So, it turns out the Hyundai Ioniq 5 really is as good as people say.

has

but is it as

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LIVING WITH...

THE UNRIVALLED

TESLA

MODEL 3 LONG RANGE

Jamie Walkinshaw from Milton Keynes talks to EV Powered about his Tesla Model 3 and explains what makes it so special.

Tell us about your EV?

I drive a 2020 Tesla Model 3 Long Range, the final revision before the 2021 refresh. A remarkably short-run batch that switched all internal USBs to USB-c, and included wireless charging for the first time.

What do you like about the exterior of your car?

The exterior of the Model 3 is what first drew me to it, as the body styling captured everything I liked about my previous ICE saloons but with Tesla’s trademark minimalism. I would also be remiss if I did not mention my Model 3 is Tesla’s range-topping Multi-Coat Red, standing out among it’s far more ordinary peers. The featureless nose on the 3 results in it looking like an imaginary Porsche competitor to the Mercedes C-class.

What about the inside?

The internal design appealed to the ex-BMW i3 owner in me, as someone that doesn’t enjoy having a road atlas to navigate my dashboard, the

Model 3’s layout (or lack thereof) is a welcome breath of fresh air. I also adore the Wonka Elevator-esque glasshouse that the Model 3 houses you in, meaning that the interior never feels cramped or dark, making it feel as though I have double the space to play with.

The movement of all relevant information to the centre screen also helps with the airy feeling of the cabin, meaning that your view beyond the steering wheel is nothing but road, which while this adds to the beauty of driving, it also makes parking a doddle!

What do other people think of your car?

The cliche response everyone gives to experiencing a Tesla for the first time is their look of wonder, confusion, and then inevitably the question “is this the fast one?” I have yet to be met with a negative response to my Model 3, apart from that it is not entirely friendly to those over 6ft tall! Something I have rapidly come to realise however is that the Model 3 is far from intuitive! It has be-

come something of a rite of passage for passengers to figure out the door handles before being able to enter, and the fun doesn’t stop there. With the Model 3’s absence of interior door handles most first-timers will find themselves trapped until they inevitably find their way to the exit buttons, often finding the emergency exit latch long before the intended one!

What do you like most about it?

My favourite thing about my Model 3 is how confident I feel when driving it. With all-wheel-drive electric traction control, it has handled weather that would stimy any other vehicle I have driven, couple that together with its instant (and slightly excessive) power, and you get a machine that does it all: Transports you and your loved ones from A to B in utmost comfort, with the power to take any emerge/roundabout gap with ease, while also allowing you to cut loose on the weekend like it’s a sports car half it’s size.

Is there anything you don’t like?

Aside from buying it 3 months before the model refresh!? My only dislike is the wheels, in that there genuinely seem to be zero attractive options. The 19” alloys are a silvered ordinary, while the 18” Aero Wheels issued as standard are currently occupying a begrudging ‘it’ll do’ space in my mind until the funds are available to move to something a little more adventurous.

VINTAGE VOLTAGE

What inspired you to start converting classic cars over to electric?

Having had classic cars all my life I wanted to improve one of my cars so I could use it as a daily driver. That meant making it extremely reliable, reducing the maintenance and increasing the power to be able to keep up with modern traffic. Converting it to electric seemed the obvious choice. That was 6 years ago now.

Why is it so important to electrify classic cars?

Converting a classic car to electric has so many benefits for the owner and the planet. As well as zero emissions out of the tail pipe, there is no need for oil changes, tune ups, filter changes, belt changes, new spark plugs and all the regular engine servicing that comes with a classic car to keep it on the road. This makes them much easier to live with and enjoy on a daily basis, and more accessible to the younger generation that might not be ‘au fait’ with maintenance on a classic car.

What have been some of your favourite projects to work on so far?

Following the release of the second season of ‘Vintage Voltage’ on discovery+, EV Powered caught up with Richard ‘Moggy’ Morgan to talk all things EV conversions.

We’ve converted over 70 cars in the past five years, so it’s tough to pick a favourite. Some of the highlights include a Ferrari 308, BMW E9 CSL, Delorean and some very quick Land Rover Defenders.

Which classic cars do you think would make for the perfect EV?

Any classic car can be converted to electric, however, ones that had a classic design but were let down by the engine are always a good basis. The Delorean is a great example of that.

Last year, we spoke with Ian Callum and he said electric car designs are too conventional. Are modern EV designs too boring in your opinion?

Exactly. That’s one of the reasons why I converted my first car. We had a good look at what new EVs were on the market and found them all a little boring.

What do you say to old-school petrolheads who believe that electrifying classic cars is wrong?

I was one of them six years ago, so I can completely understand where they are coming from. But once they have a go in one of our electric classics, they soon see things our way.

Driving an EV, after driving an ICE for so many years, the first sensation is one of quiet smooth acceleration, but lots of acceleration. It feels very eery to start with, but you soon get used to it. They’re also so much easier to live with compared to an ICE car. It’s a little like converting your home from coal fireplaces to a modern central heating system.

THE CITY

inner-city mobility. This is Carver Electric.

Almost thirty years ago, a group of Dutch engineers teamed up to develop a three-wheeled concept car that was narrow in design and could make banked turns, similar to a motorbike or a scooter. Whilst many aspects of the original vehicle remain the same today, these vehicles, originally manufactured with a petrol engine, now feature an electric motor, and they are changing the way people get about in busy city centres.

The company is, of course, Carver. Although the main entity of the company focuses on the internal combustion models, Carver Europe BV manufactures and produces the fully-electric models which launched in 2019. And just in case there weren’t enough derivatives of the company name, Carver Electric UK operates as the UK’s

sole distributor of the three-wheeled EVs.

The faces behind Carver Electric UK are William Keene and Nigel Pond, and they were the men responsible for importing the very first electric Carver’s into the UK. And whilst Nigel admits that the process of getting the three-wheeled EVs into the country was difficult, the interest and intrigue in the vehicles has justified all the hard work.

“People are really interested in them,” he said on the Everything EV Podcast. “There are always people looking at mine and waving and smiling and coming up to ask questions because it is just fun, and it stands out from the crowd.”

The Carver Electric may be turning heads from the outside, but it also puts a smile onto the face of anyone who gets behind the wheel of it.

Although limited to 28mph, which is compliant with the majority of inner-city speed limits, the Carver still feels light and nimble, and that’s due to its minimal frame.

At just under a metre wide, the Carver is only slightly wider than the average person, making it perfect to ‘carve’ through traffic like a motorbike or scooter. However, with its convertible roof and fully enclosed cabin, drivers have all the safety, security, and comfort of a car. Plus, it’s a two-seater, and I even had more room in the back than some other bog-standard electric cars.

You may also be forgiven for thinking that for a vehicle that is a cross between a car and a motorbike, then the inside would be pretty basic, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. You have everything you’d expect to find on the

Meet the three-wheeled electric vehicles that are transforming

inside of any car, from Bluetooth connectivity, windscreen wipers, indicators and decent sized door bins, too.

In terms of the tech-specs, the Carver Base has a 5.4kWh battery, which is charged via a standard 13amp plug and has a range of around 62 miles. When you consider that the average journey in London is less than two miles, the range is more than enough. And depending on your energy provider, the size of the battery means it can be charged to 100% for less than £1.

“It just puts a smile on your face when you drive it,” William said. “It’s going back to the pure pleasure of motoring. You find excuses to go

places just so you can drive it. The feedback you get is great and it’s just an all-round positive experience when you’re out and about in your Carver.”

With ‘Sport’ and ‘Cargo’ versions also available, the base model starts from just £10,000+VAT, proving that the Carver is a much more cost-effective transport solution for those that live in the city and want to make the switch over to electric.

That is exactly the purpose of the Carver, according to Nigel. “It bridges the gap between walking, cycling and using public transport to buying a normal size car that is difficult to drive in a city.

“We’ve got a niche where people want to make the switch, they’re looking for something more convenient for shopping trips and the school run, and you don’t leave behind a huge carbon footprint either. The size is also more convenient. Cars are getting bigger and bigger, but the roads are staying the same size, so with

the Carver you don’t take up as much space and you can park more easily.”

Even though the Carver Electric may be slightly unusual, the world is ready for an electric vehicle such as this. Before, it’s quirky design and electric powertrain would have seen this car ridiculed, but having spent the day behind the wheel of one, you really do feel as though you fit in, and that is a warming indicator for the evolution of the electric vehicle industry.

Is the Carver Electric really going to transform inner-city mobility? It is certainly part of the puzzle, and it is a timely transport solution for cities like London, which are becoming increasingly expensive and awkward for ICE vehicles. And as people begin to prioritise cost and their environmental impact when considering their next vehicle, the Carver Electric will surely prove to be a popular choice for many.

So, keep your eyes peeled, as you may start seeing a few more of these electric three-wheelers carving their way through the city soon.

JAUNT MOTORS:

THE COMPANY MAKING EXPLORATION SUSTAINABLE

“I was driving a Land Rover Defender and I just wished it was electric.” That’s how the journey of Jaunt Motors began just three years ago, explains Dave Budge, the co-founder of Victoriabased EV conversion firm Jaunt Motors.

“I wanted to hear the sounds of the bush and I wanted all the benefits of an electric vehicle.

I also started to feel more and more guilty as we were going on longer trips. In Australia, the distances are huge, and that can be amazing, but you also realise that to go on holiday to ‘this place’, you’ve driven 2000 kilometres to get there and burnt hundreds of litres of diesel to get to the pristine, natural, crisp air. But what’s the trail I’ve left behind? Carbon and pollution.”

With a particular focus on Land Rovers, the vehicle that was the original inspiration for the company,

Jaunt up-cycles the iconic 4WD’s to make them suitable for sustainable exploration. As Dave explained, however, road-trips in Australia can stretch for thousands and thousands of kilometers, which presents immediate questions of range.

Dave said: “In the Series vehicles, so pre-1985, we do a very small, 28kWh battery pack, but everyone upgrades to the 53kWh battery pack and that will get maybe 150 kilometres of range on a highway, but that’s purely to do with the aerodynamics of the old Land Rover.

“If you’re doing under 80kph, you might get 250 kilometres of range and that’s realistically what most people are doing; they’re driving around town, they’re driving down little country roads so they will be getting somewhere around 200 kilometres on average. For the Defenders, we put much more powerful motors in and usually bigger battery packs, too, between 75kWh to 100kWh, which will offer between 450-500 kilometres of range.”

Tackling the issue of range was not his biggest challenge, however. Australia has one of the lowest adoption rates of EVs in the world, and one of the highest transport emissions per capita, so encouraging people to switch their much loved

diesel Land Rover’s to electric was never going to be easy.

“There’s a big car culture here,” Dave explained. “We have one of the oldest national fleets in the world and people hang onto cars for a very long time. We’ve got this particular association with cars that people want to hang onto them and keep using them, and when you combine that with a terrible adoption of EVs to the Tesla Model 3 being the most sold car in the country, suddenly people have had a ride in someone’s Tesla and they get it.

“We’re now seeing people understand that they’re considering an EV, they know their 4X4 is going to have to be electric and that they might not be ready for an EV now, but they know it’s going to be their next car.”

Scan for the full episode!

Dave Budge, founder of Australian EV conversion firm Jaunt Motors, shares the story behind these fully-electric Land Rovers, and explains why it was so important to create vehicles that could explore Australia sustainably.

HOW THE OTHER

HALF CHARGE

Anne Snelson, head of marketing for Co Charger, discusses the role

community charging amidst the continued cry for more public charging infrastructure.

There’s a huge number of motorists living in flats, terraces and rented homes that would get rid of their fossil fuel car and transition to electric tomorrow if they could. What’s stopping them? For some it’s price, but second hand EVs are available.

For others, it’s concerns about range anxiety linked to not being able to have an EV charger of their own. Many are reluctant to depend totally on the public charging network.

It’s understandable. Even in London, according to the Dept for Transport, there is only one public charger per 1,000 population, and that’s double the level of anywhere else in the UK.

On top of this, public charge point distribution across the UK is patchy and they might not have any nearby chargers. Even if they do, most public chargers aren’t bookable. So, if they can’t find one that’s free, the luckless driver might end up having to cruise around their neighbourhood in search of one that’s both available and working

“

Even in London, according to the Dept for Transport, there is only one public charger per 1,000 population, and that’s double the level of anywhere else in the UK. ”

and then make a decision about whether they’re going to sit around in their car for an extended period while it charges – or walk home and then come back to collect it later.

HELPFUL HOSTS AND LONELY CHARGERS

Motorists with an electric vehicle charger can effortlessly change all that. All it takes is becoming a community charging ‘host’ and renting out their charger to their neighbours.

Community charge point sharing is when someone makes their charger available to neighbours for regular, dependable charging via an app. Co Charger is the only purposebuilt Community Charging app and it connects charger owners ‘hosts’ with motorists wanting to rent their charger ‘Chargees’. The app then handles matchmaking, bookings and payments.

Charger sharing is easy, and the host is in control. They can prioritise their own charging schedule and only offer booking slots that suit them. And it’s not about having strangers come onto their property, just a few neighbours who will mostly make regular bookings so they become familiar.

Most home electric vehicle chargers are only used a couple of times a week. The rest of the time they are lonely and neglected. There are an estimated 29,000 public charge points and over 400,000 home ones. So, we’re looking at a situation where the pressure on the public charging network is growing as EV uptake increases and at the same time home EV chargers are standing idle, an under-used resource.

Charger owners will also have paid anything from £600 to well over £1000 to buy and install it, whether directly or as part of a package with their car. By putting the charger to work via community charging the host can earn some of that cost back. And also know that they are helping create greener communities, fighting climate change –and winning the gratitude of their neighbours!

Eastbourne EV owner, Leila Swansborough, said: “I think Co-Charger is a great idea. I’m in my 30s and so many people my age would love to go electric but live in flats like me and can’t have a charger of their own. Co Charger means they can make the switch. Co-Charger makes it easy for me to charge my electric car and the price is very reasonable. I also feel it brings me closer to my community and to like-minded people.”

The move towards Community Charging is accelerating and it’s supported by AA President Edmund King, who said: “More emphasis needs to be given to the third of households with no dedicated parking provision whose residents may struggle to charge their EVs.

“This is where community charging and charge point sharing has a massive role to play. This will be a positive way of levelling up, so we can give power to all electric drivers, no matter where they live.”

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Co-Charger makes it easy for me to charge my electric car and the price is very reasonable. I also feel it brings me closer to my community and to likeminded people. ”

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