As London resumes to a level of normality, EV Powered has collaborated with London’s iconic black taxi sector to increase awareness of the EV Powered brand with the first of what will be a series of sustainable Electric branded taxis.
The brand new fully-wrapped taxi from the London Electric Vehicle Company will also double as a recording studio as EV Powered’s Charlie Atkinson interviews some of the UKs leading figures in vehicle electrification whilst passing some of London’s most iconic landmarks.
The UK has ranked fourth for electric vehicle readiness in the new EY EV Country Readiness Index, behind China, Sweden and Germany.
The Index ranked ten nations on the basis of supply, demand and regulation, and categorises them as leaders, aspirants or followers. It claimed that, in order for the UK to climb the rankings, it must optimise its charging infrastructure and develop a manufacturing base for EV batteries.
The Index’s EY Mobility Lens Forecaster also revealed that combined EV sales in the US, China and Europe will surpass all other vehicleengine sales as soon as 2033, with non-EV sales shrinking to less than 1% of overall sales in these countries by 2045.
Rolls Royce has confirmed that road testing of its first fully electric car will begin soon ahead of its release in 2023.
The electric Rolls Royce Spectre will come to market before Christmas in 2023 and will be the first in a series of electric cars produced by the manufacturer. The company has already confirmed that all new models will be electric by 2030, and whilst details remain few and far between, speculation over the price of the vehicle has started at around £300,000.
Testing of the new vehicle is due to begin soon, with a programme that will see the Spectre cover 2.5 million kilometres, a simulation of 400 years of use.
The Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) has launched a kerbside charging group to help tackle the “last stumbling block” to electric vehicle adoption.
A study by Fiat Professional has found that electric vans make drivers feel significantly less stressed when compared to driving a traditional ICE vehicle.
ABB has launched an all-in-one ‘Terra 360’ EV charger, which it says is the fastest charger available, adding more than 60 miles of range in just three minutes.
The number of electric vehicle chargepoints across London, the East and South East has increased by 42% in the past year, according to UK Power Networks.
Defence systems manufacturer Jankel has partnered with Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) to electrify military vehicle fleets for the United States.
We hope you enjoy this fully electric, zero emission experience as we play our part in the UK’s transition to electric vehicles.
On a special episode of the Everything EV Podcast, host Charlie Atkinson was joined by his father, Paul Atkinson, a lifelong petrolhead and self-proclaimed sceptic of electric vehicles.
Paul had never driven an electric vehicle before and, throughout the journey, he had many questions regarding charging, running costs and the infrastructure supporting electric vehicles.
Before the pair set off in the Volkswagen ID.3, Paul explained what he currently drives and what he uses it for on a day-to-day basis.
He said: “My current car is a Volkswagen Tiguan, 2-litre turbo diesel. I love it, it does everything it says on the tin, but it is a very boring, grandad car. But, the most important thing is that for £75 of diesel, I can get just under 700 miles off a full tank.
“I use my car for commuting and the odd bit of
social, domestic and pleasure. I travel eight miles to work in the morning and eight miles home which takes me 13 minutes each journey. I take my dogs out at the weekend or we go down to Hertfordshire which is probably a journey of 150 miles round trip which we do once every six weeks or so. I find typically I have to fill my car up about once every three and a half weeks, once a month if I’m lucky, but usually, I can’t get to the end of the month without having to put some diesel in it.”
public charging points and the costs associated with charging.
However, Charlie explained: “If you were to own this ID.3 and you were out and about, you would notice how many EV chargers there are, and there are so many different apps out there where you can plan charging.
“If you were to charge overnight where it doesn’t matter how long it takes to fill up because you’re sleeping or relaxing, it’s only going to cost you about £7 to fill up and that’s still going to give you between 250 to 280 miles of range. You can’t argue that electric cars are so much cheaper to run than petrol and diesel cars.”
Range and charging were the main areas of concern for Paul, who had questions about how long it took to charge, the availability of
Not only was Paul impressed with the price of charging an EV fully at home, but he was also impressed with the car itself.
“It drives lovely,” he said. “I do like it. I like the quietness of it, I like the torque and it is a very, very nice car. It’s very futuristic. My Tiguan is a great car, it’s well-engineered, it’s well made but crikey it’s boring. This is a little bit fun and trendy.”
As the journey continued, Paul raised questions regarding the cost of electric vehicles, public charging and what happens if you were to run out of charge, all of which were answered by Charlie.
At the end of the episode, Paul gave his final verdict on the ID.3 and on electric vehicles in general: “I am going to seriously consider it. I do like the idea, and I am the perfect market. I can afford a half-decent car and I don’t need to do loads and loads of miles.
put a lifelong petrolhead behind the wheel of an electric vehicle to see if he could be convinced to make the switch.
“You’ve almost turned me and I certainly look at them more favourable.”
You’ve almost turned me and I certainly look at them more favourable. ” “
The Tesla Model 3 has long been recognized as one of the best electric vehicles around and, with its ‘Long Range’ version, it has got everything an EV owner could wish for. But is it all that it’s cracked up to be?
This updated 2021 version of the Model 3 has seen some improvements from the older ‘vanilla’ models, most notably with the black trim replacing the strips of chrome making it look a lot cooler and a lot more sporty. The 19” sport alloy wheels fit nicely and the long, panoramic sunroof that stretches all the way across the roof of the car is another classy touch.
It is an ‘OK’ looking car at best. It’s not the best-looking EV on the market and certainly nowhere near as good looking as its rival Polestar 2, but the true beauty of this car is on the inside...
Whilst it may feel as though Tesla put all its effort and attention into the giant-iPad on the dash, the inside of this car is an absolute triumph.
The adjustable synthetic leather seats are tremendously comfy and there is a great deal of space in the cockpit ad in the back as well, with enough room for even those over 6-foot to be comfortable on long journeys. In the boot, the Tesla Model 3 has a storage capacity of 425L which is more than both the Polestar 2 and the Jaguar I-Pace.
In terms of the controls, every single thing is operated through the 15” infotainment screen,
whether that be climate control, navigation which has real-time updates and smart routing that automatically keeps up to date with real-time traffic conditions.
Another feature is the built-in autopilot which consists of rear, side and forward-facing cameras give you a 360-degree view of the road when driving. Through the use of 12 ultrasonic sensors which scan up to 160m in front of you, you are also provided with a detailed, augmented reality picture of what is waiting for you up ahead.
As well as all the games and gimmicks which are also hidden away in this pandoras box of an infotainment screen, the interior of the Tesla Model 3 is the perfect blend of safety, sill iness and comfort.
For years, Tesla and specifically the Model 3 was out on its own as the king of everyday electric vehicles. Now, however, as the market continues to grow, the American EV is having to compete with a whole host of well-respected electric rivals. So, is it still top dog?
The Tesla Model 3 is pretty quick, even on this more moderate ‘Long Range’ version. This car has two independent motors which digitally control the torque to the front and rear wheels. It also has a 75kWh battery pack too, which means this car delivers 493Nm of torque and 434bhp. With all that power and torque, this car absolutely bangs off from a standing start and, although its 0-60mph speed is only 4.2 seconds which is similar to the Polestar 2, the low driving position of this car makes it feel like you’re driving a roadster instead of an everyday saloon. It may only be as fast as a Polestar 2, but it feels as though it would absolutely leave it for dust.
Whilst the Tesla does have a top speed of 145mph, keeping your foot pressed against the floor is
going to drain that battery pretty quickly, which defeats the point of this Long-Range version. On a full charge, you’ll be have a WLTP combined range of 360 miles, which really does set the benchmark for range of electric cars in this class.
With that being said, this is a Tesla and one of the biggest perks of owning one of these is being able to use the Supercharger network. By plugging in at one of Tesla’s fast chargers, you’ll be able to recoup around 170 miles of range in just 15 minutes.
Asides from its speed, range and charging, the Tesla Model 3 is also incredibly smoot and comfy to drive. It is helped by the fact that the seats are as comfortable as your living room sofa, but it also handles impeccably and perfectly copes with being chucked into corners and slaloming
down country lanes when you do want to have fun with it. Alternatively, on a motorway, you can set the adaptive cruise control and enable the lane assist and completely relax into a seamless driving experience.
There is the best of both worlds with this car. If you want to push your right foot to the floor, it feels as though it will keep up with any sports car and will truly put a smile on your face. However, if you want to prioritise comfort, it is incredibly smooth to drive.
The purpose of this review was to see if the Tesla Model 3 was all that it was cracked up to be and, to be completely honest, it was even better than I thought it would be.
It’s quick, it’s practical and thanks to its range and charging capabilities, it is perfectly suited to a world that is still in the process of switching over to electric. It might not be cheap, with this Long Range version starting at £46,990, but if you can afford it, I would say it is well worth the money.
According to a recent poll by Hyundai, 85% of drivers remain concerned about the likelihood of running out of charge when driving an electric vehicle.
However, insight from the same study suggests that the average British motorist would only need to re-charge once every three weeks, with 60% of the population never needing to use a public charging point.
While it may seem extraordinary, the maths really does add up. Indeed, with the average driver only commuting 108 miles per week, and some EVs now boasting ranges in excess of 300 miles, range anxiety is fast becoming a term of the past.
Granted, the calculation is relatively simplistic and doesn’t take into consideration factors such as the seasonal drop in battery efficiency experienced during the colder winter months, but it does demonstrate that owning an EV is easier, more practical and more affordable than ever before.
Yet despite this data, and countless other research projects demonstrating the real-world suitability of EVs, the fact still remains that Brits remain reticent towards electrification. As such, just 56% of motorists are considering electric when specifying their next vehicle – despite the impending 2030 ban on all new petrol and diesel
cars, as well as the dwindling availability of internal combustion-powered models.
The industry has faced this scenario for a number of years now. Despite the remarkable developments in EV technology, misconceptions and dated views are holding back the UK’s transition to an electric future. While many motorists would be far happier in a state-of-theart EV, it’s still seen as a daunting switch for riskadverse consumers.
daily driver was pretty poor. Fast forward to the thriving market of today and it’s clear to see the remarkable distance that the industry has come.
Besides huge progress in vehicle design and driver technology, more than 25,000 public charging points are now operational nationwide. At myenergi, we’ve seen this progress first-hand and recently shipped our 100,000th domestic unit – a huge corporate milestone.
Indeed, zappi – our eco-smart EV charger, continues to prove popular with EV drivers all around the world. Alongside standard charging modes, it was the first device of its kind to offer full connectivity with renewable energy microgeneration (such as PV panels and domesticscale wind turbines).
So how can we change the views of the average motorist? Personally, I believe it’s as simple as better education. No one wants to make the wrong choice when buying a new car – we, as an industry need to understand this thinking and work alongside consumers to alleviate their concerns.
After all, just a few years ago, dated viewpoints weren’t far from the truth. The charging network was limited, EV range was far lower and the range of models that you’d actually want to use as a
The industry’s offer to motorists is therefore a powerful one – next-generation vehicles, long periods between needing to charge, more public charging points than petrol stations and domestic wall boxes capable of harnessing carbon-neutral power. What’s more, with fewer working parts, EVs require less servicing than their petrol or diesel counterparts, resulting in a far lower total cost of ownership.
Should motorists therefore be hesitant of embracing electric? No, of course not. However, it’s our responsibility educate, communicate and support drivers in their switch. This is essential to creating a more sustainable future and I, for one, commit to leading the charge.
With fewer working parts, EVs require less servicing than their petrol or diesel counterparts, resulting in a far lower total cost of ownership. ”
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Earlier this year, football icon David Beckham purchased a 10% stake in a UK company that converts conventional petrol and dieselpowered vehicles to electric. Lunaz specializes in converting conventionally powered classic cars into electric ones, including the world’s first fully electric Range Rover, Jaguar, Bentley and Rolls-Royce. David Beckham said: “Lunaz represents the very best of British ingenuity in both technology and design. I was drawn to the company through their work restoring some of the most beautiful classic cars through upcycling and electrification.”
On the grandest stage of their Royal wedding, Harry and Meghan travelled in style to their wedding reception, hopping into a silver blue Jaguar E-type Concept Zero, an electric version of the 1968 British classic. Launched by Jaguar as part of its Concept Zero service, the vintage E-type costs £350,000 and boasts a 220kW motor, achieving 0-60mph in 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 150mph.
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Pop singer Ellie Goulding also went electric for her wedding day, rolling up to her ceremony in a fully electric blue VW Minibus, converted by the Irish firm Electrifi. It is reported that Goulding really wanted “a zero-carbon car for the wedding” and handpicked the VW Camper out of a shortlist of four other EV conversions.
Ramsey eyes up £250,000 electric Porsche 911
Celebrity chef and TV personality Gordan Ramsay was spotted eyeing up an electric Porsche 911 Coupé, converted by Oxford-based conversion firm Everrati. Ramsay visited the Joe Macari dealership in Wandsworth, London, to get a closer look at the reimagined classic. Everatti’s masterpiece is equipped with 53kW battery back which achieves 500NM torque and 500bhp, with a 0-60mph speed of around three seconds.
Take a look at EV Powered’s review of Everatti’s electric Porsche 911 by visiting the EV Powered YouTube channel
Dev Patel’s electric Fiat 500 Bafta Award winning actor, Dev Patel, also made the move to have his vintage Fiat 500 converted to electric. Electric Classic Cars, now acquired by Electrifi, fully restored the vehicle, changing the colour, interior and suspension and brake upgrades included as well.
Meet the star-studded list of celebrities that have added battery power to their collection of classic cars.out the Everything EV Podcast with Lunaz founder and CEO, David Lorenz
