Turning Electric Magazine - JUNE 2023 EDITION

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EDITOR’S NOTE

It’s gonna be an electric summer

thing in the EV world. Head over to page 17 to check out our cover story for this month. We also have some new research from EV charging firm Mina on page 34, which looks at how electric vehicles thrive in the warmer weather. Speaking of EVs thriving in the sun, we have a very special report from the Formula E in Monaco on page 13. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it out to Monaco this year, but our Managing Director, Richard Alvin, was there to take in all the action from the most iconic race circuit in the world.

Extreme E returned to home soil last month, with Rounds 3 and 4 taking place in Scotland last month. Set against a backdrop of the former opencast coal mine at Glenmuckloch, the Hydro X-Prix delivered another thrilling weekend of XE action, and you can read all about it in our two-page feature on page 15-16.

Elsewhere in the issue, we have a ‘Top Ten’ feature that looks at the most anticipated electric cars, a review of the NIO ET7 and a look at an electric superbike designed by F1 legend Mika Häkkinen.

The bad weather looks to (finally) be behind us and so let me be the first to officially declare summer. The coats and jumpers have been chucked under the bed and it’ll be shorts only until September at least. It’ll come as no surprise then that this issue has a particularly summery theme to it, especially with our in-depth look at the Australian EV market.

When it comes to countries leading the way for electric vehicles, most will think of Norway, China and the Netherlands, but few would single out Australia as one of the major EV forces. However, Australia’s EV market is growing and, despite a number of environmental and cultural challenges, it shows no sign of slowing down. In this feature, I look at the figures and speak to experts in the Australian EV sector to see if Australia really is the next big

Charlie Atkinson Editor, EV Powered

The Turning Electric Team

Editor

Charlie Atkinson

Associate Editor

Cherry Martin

Graphic Designer

Grace Moseley

Videographer

Jacob Pinchbeck

Content Sales Manager

Laura Phillips

Capital Business Media, Group MD

Richard Alvin

Business Development Director

Stephen Banks

Chief Creative Director

Stuart Hyde

Finance Director

Andrew Martin

As always, we have more news, features and opinions waiting for you inside. Enjoy the read!

JAGUAR LAND ROVER owner to choose UK for EV battery plant

Jaguar Land Rover owner

Tata Motors has chosen Britain as the destination for its multi-billion-pound electric vehicle battery plant.

According to reports, the Indian motor company was also considering Spain as the location for its brand-new EV battery plant before selecting the UK. The new plant could employ 9,000 people in Somerset, southwest England.

Tata Motors is also investing heavily into electric vehicle manufacturing in the UK. In April, Jaguar Land Rover announced plans to invest £15bn into its vehicle programmes, with its Halewood site in Merseyside to become an all-electric manufacturing facility. The company’s Engine Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton is also to be renamed to the Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre.

JLR will also open its pre-order books for the first all-electric Range Rover later this year, with a ‘next generation’ medium-size SUV to be fully electric as well.

NATIONAL HIGHWAYS outlines plans to install 2,500

rapid

EV chargers

A new National Highways report has revealed plans to install 2,500 rapid electric vehicle charge points as part of plans to connect the country and grow the economy in an environmentally sustainable way.

The Strategic Road Network Initial Report for 2025-2030 sets out National Highways’ advice to government on priorities for one of the country’s most important assets over the next five-year period and beyond.

Proposals outlined in the Initial Report, which would be subject to future decisions on funding from government, include the installation of around 2,500 open-access rapid charge points for electric vehicles on the network by 2030.

Crucially, National Highways will propose continuing to take sustained action to cut carbon emissions at every opportunity.

Richard Holden, Roads Minister, said: “Our roads are vital to our economy, and the plans set out today will help to enhance connectivity and boost growth, while protecting the environment. Working with National Highways, we are committed to delivering safe, reliable journeys and reducing congestion in a way supports our path to net zero.”

FIVE UK CITIES make the top ten for the best EV uptake and air quality

Vanarama analysed the 50 most populated European cities, sourcing data on total passenger cars and the proportion of electric vehicles to calculate the number of EVs per 100,000 of each city’s population. These figures were then scored alongside air quality stats to give a score out of 100. The higher the score, the stronger the correlation between the uptake of electric cars and air quality.

Glasgow, sharing 3rd place with Stockholm, has a score of 94, with British cities Birmingham (88), Nottingham (87), and Sheffield (85) following closely behind. Interestingly, Glasgow had the lowest air pollution out of all 50 cities with 5.6μg/m3.

OSPREY opens largest EV charging hub in the South West

One of the UK’s leading EV charging networks Osprey Charging has opened the largest ultra-rapid EV charging hub in the South West.

The 16-bay dedicated EV re-charging location at Salmon’s Leap, Buckfastleigh on the A38 Devon Expressway is Osprey’s first land acquisition. The car park has been re-designed specifically for EV charging: there are two extra-long bays for towing vehicles, extra-wide bays for full disabled access, and all bays are laid out in Osprey’s unique format that optimises space and charger ease-of-use, so that the hub accommodates all types of vehicle and driver.

Ian Johnston, CEO of Osprey Charging, said: “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve created at Salmon’s Leap. We purchased the land so have been able to precisely design the space and install hardware that maximises availability and ease of use of chargers for all types of vehicles and drivers. Our largest site yet, it is a significant milestone for the Osprey team as we work tirelessly to ensure that our nationwide infrastructure deployment of rapid EV charging stations continues at an unprecedented pace.”

Research from Vanarama has found that five UK cities have made it into the top ten list for the best electric vehicle uptake and air quality in Europe.

MARCH and APRIL 2023 best ever months for new EV chargers

New figures from Zapmap show that March and April 2023 were both record months as the number of new EV chargers installed in the UK hit new highs.

The average number of new chargers installed per month in 2023 to date has increased by 75% compared to the same period in 2022.

More than 2000 new chargers were installed in both March and April taking the total past 42,000. The new EV charging statistics show 2080 new charge points were switched on in April 2023, and over 6400 so far in 2023. This is an increase of 14% in net new chargers since the beginning of 2023 and 35% since this time last year.

Melanie Shufflebotham COO and Co-founder at Zapmap said: “The charger rollout is gathering pace both with high-powered chargers to support en-route charging, and also more local charging where it is needed to support charging closer to home. Evidence suggests that this is set to continue across 2023 which is good news for EV drivers and those thinking about going electric.”

NEWS IN BRIEF MUNRO VEHICLES unveils new, all-electric MK_1 Pick-Up

Electric 4X4 manufacturer Munro Vehicles has unveiled its second all-electric model, the Mk 1 Pick-Up.

The new, fully-electric pick-up follows hot on the heels of the Munro MK 1 Truck, which launched last December. The MK 1 Pick-Up signifies the next milestone of Munro’s strategic mission to fulfil significant global market demand.

Producing a peak power output of 375 / 280kw combined with instantly available 700Mn / 516ft-lb of torque, the Munro MK 1 Pick-Up dispenses the sprint to 60mph in 4.9 seconds. A 220KW electric motor and a choice of Utility and Range variants are also offered.

“Priced from £49,995 Ex VAT with deliveries commencing later this year, we have already secured more than 200 orders for the MK 1 Pick-Up, three of which have come from FTSE 100 companies and ten from FTSE 250 companies,” confirmed Munro CEO and CoFounder Russell Peterson. “With a full two-year order book for both the MK 1 Pick-Up and the MK 1 Truck, Munro is having to expedite its search for larger premises to meet customer demand.”

AI could empower EV drivers to take control of their home energy to cut their bills by over £1,000 per year, according to Powerverse.

Research conducted by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has found that 70% of van drivers agree that an EV would be suitable for their business.

Heathrow has 216% more EV chargers than the next UK airport, according to data from automotive experts Car Lease Special Offers.

Scania has successfully installed and tested a pilot megawatt charging system from ABB E-mobility.

ubitricity has announced that it has successfully installed more than 7,000 EV charge points in the UK.

THE

THE EPIC EV EXPEDITION

In partnership with Nissan, the team will travel over 17,000 miles across several regions and continents with predicted temperatures ranging from -30°C to 30°C in a modified Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE.

We spoke to Chris and Julie one month into their expedition to discuss the inspiration behind the journey, the toughest challenges they’ve faced so far, and how this trip can inspire others to make the switch to electric vehicles!

Q: How has the journey been so far?

JR: We’ve been on this journey for about a month. We’ve come from the extreme cold and the harsh weather conditions up in the North, at –30, and now we’re in the plus twenties. We’ve gone from the two extremes, and it’s been absolutely incredible.

CR: The expedition is planned to take ten months. That’s not anything to do with driving an EV, charging infrastructure or anything like that; we have to travel in the arctic in March/April time which we were, and we can’t go into Antartica until December. We’re effectively chasing the summers between the two regions. We’re limited by the times we can go in, so it’s only ten months because of those factors. It means we get around eight months in between to explore the countries, the continents, the people, the cultures and all these amazing electric vehicle projects.

JR: To visit all these individuals, communities and projects, and to learn what’s happening out there and to shine a spotlight on these people that are doing good in the world and taking action and contributing to the climate change problem that we’re having today.

Q: How did you get into these mammoth expeditions?

CR: It started by accident, pretty much, like a lot of things in life. We’re both from Aberdeen in Scotland and I was working in my office one day, looking at the renewable energy side of the company I worked at, and the Nissan Leaf had popped up, and I thought “electric cars? Those things that won’t go very far, there are no chargers,” and I was curious. I borrowed one from my local dealer and drove around the whole of the UK for a long weekend and had an absolute nightmare because there were like 60 chargers in the country at the time. I shared that on social media and that’s how the journey began. It became a hobby for a while, doing these weird and wonderful adventures.

We did the Mongol Rally in 2017 and we drove a 30kW Nissan Leaf from London to Southern Siberia. 10,000 miles and 56 days. Still came back married, which is what people think is probably the biggest achievement.

JR: There were a lot of people that doubted us back then and we didn’t know ourselves. No one had driven a car further than their local town or

We had a hoot. We had a great adventure. We succeeded, we got there. We got to the finishing line and had a huge party.

” “

village, so to take it from Aberdeen to Southern Siberia was a mammoth challenge back in 2017, where from Turkey onwards there was no public charging infrastructure. We had a hoot. We had a great adventure. We succeeded, we got there. We got to the finishing line and had a huge party.

CR: From Turkey onwards, we just used our twopin charging kit and went up to people and asked them if they’d be kind enough to plug us in. We’re always powered by the kindness of people.

JR: I think electric vehicle adventuring is a unique type of adventuring because it forces you to stop, it forces you to charge and then forces you to interact with people, and that’s the unique thing about this journey is that if we were doing it in a normal combustion engine vehicle, you would just fill up and off you go, but the car really is connecting us with the people, with communities and we’re meeting people every day. We’re sharing our stories every day, we’re chatting to people every day and we’re absolutely loving it.

Q: How has the car been modified for this trip?

CR: If you got into our Ariya, you wouldn’t know it was any different. The interior is all the same, the actual stock car hasn’t been changed. The battery, the drivetrain and the suspension on the car is stock. It’s the same as what comes from the factory. We handed the car over to Arctic Trucks who do arctic expeditions, and they modify the cars as well. The idea behind it was how can we make these 39-inch wheels fit the car without creating too much increase in height and keeping that centre of gravity, so we’ve got good weight displacement on the car. All the engineering work has gone into redesigning the wheel arch areas to allow the car to accommodate those tyres. There’s a skid plate underneath to protect the battery and we have hitch points. The main function of those is to be able to jack up the car at any angle, so you can jack up just the left-hand side to replace a left tyre, for example. Obviously if we get stuck in deep, thick snow, which we did on occasions, the support vehicle is able to then pull us from that point, again at any angle. They serve a multi-purpose, so that was the only other major modifications made, because that’s going to be attached obviously to the chassis of the vehicle. Outside of that, it’s a regular Ariya.

Q: What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced so far?

CR: There’s been many. Up in the arctic, when we talk about these towns like Cambridge Bay, Yellowknife, for a lot of people, they won’t probably get the perspective of it. But if people go into Google Maps and look at Cambridge Bay and then Yellowknife, there’s a huge, vast landscape of Northern Canada there and all that exists is basically a barren bit of land with lakes in between, and that, I’d say, is probably one of our biggest challenges, the fact that we’ve had to traverse that land. Crossing mountains, valleys, gullies, rock fields, boulder fields, you name it. We’ve crossed it and no vehicle ever goes there. Nobody in Canada travels that section. That’s been a huge, huge challenge.

JR: We had challenges charging the battery to full in the extreme cold. The car charged, but it just charged very slowly, and I don’t think we ever reached 100%. In the extreme cold, we got maybe 50, 60%. The cold was always going to impact the battery and the charging, and that was the whole point of this project, to test that and see how we can overcome that.

Q: Where do you go from here? What does the rest of the expedition look like?

CR: From here (Vancouver) we head into North America and we’ve got quite a few engagement projects in North America with schools and some partners and various other projects going on there. From there, we pick up the Panamerican Highway in Mexico and travel through Central America. Pretty much every country in Central America we’ll travel through, so Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama. Then we drop into South America, and we stick to the West Coast. There are many, many highlights along that way until we get down to Ushuaia for the southern tip of Argentina. We crossed the Rockies here in Canada, which was just a stunning drive to do and then we’re going to cross the Andes in Chile, into Argentina. When we hit

POLE TO POLE INTERVIEW AN

Ushuaia, we then look across to Antarctica. It’s going to be another amazing nine months.

JR: We hope to inspire others to look at our journey and show them how exciting electric vehicle adventuring can be and the good it can do in the world.

Q: What would your message be to someone who doesn’t believe in electric vehicles?

CR: From my perspective, it’s always been to not diss the technology until you’ve tried it. I still am a

petrol-head in the sense that I still appreciate them, but it’s just saying give the technology a try, you will be surprised. The objection about driving long journeys? We take things to the extreme, so we’ve proved that long journeys are possible, whether you’ve got charging infrastructure or you don’t. Think about your daily life. Until I did this, I probably did one long journey a year, maybe every two years, so the reality is the car will do what you need it to do. If you do need that long journey and you’re still not convinced, then that ‘once a year’ just hire a car.

JR: We can we understand that EVs are not for everybody’s lifestyles. It all really depends on

each individual and their personal circumstances. But I do feel that if 99% of your driving is within the city or your small town, then give it a go. We have lots of friends and family who have switched to EVs and they love it and wouldn’t go back, so just give it a try.

CASSIDY MONACO TAKES CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD IN

By RICHARD ALVIN

Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy won a punchy Formula E race in the Principality, which finished under the safety car.

Cassidy’s win, coming from ninth on the grid, also means that he takes the Formula E points lead, in what was the first lead change at the top of the standings since the second round in Diriyah.

On a track that is famously difficult to overtake on there were 54 overtakes in the first 9 laps of the 29 lap race.

A Nissan powertrain 1-2-3 had held at the start, in the same position of the qualifying results with Jake Hughes leading for McLaren over Nissan’s Sacha Fenestraz and Norman Nato, but the front pack was predictably jumbled as most rushed to get their two attack mode activations out of the way before the halfway point.

As that halfway point was reached, form man Cassidy was sat up in first courtesy of an aggressive early charge, him and the fellow Jaguar of Mitch Evans pacing the race from up front.

Evans was told around that time to avoid overtaking Cassidy but on lap 21 of 29 he was given the command to attack the green Envision machine.

Just a lap later the safety car was triggered by a full-course yellow following the damaged Maserati of Maximilian Guenther being left parked up at Massenet.

Guenther had tried to work his way around the damaged NIO 333 of Dan Ticktum for sixth – Ticktum having crunched up his front wing against Fenestraz’s Nissan moments before – but was caught out by a Beau Rivage block from the Briton and left with a wrecked car.

The restart soon followed, and with the safety car period proving insufficient for the planned 29-lap race distance to be added to, it set up an effectively flat out run to the finish.

FORMULA E

But that showdown ended anticlimactically, with a crash between Evans’ team-mate Sam Bird and Nico Mueller at Ste Devote – Bird tipping Mueller’s ABT Mahindra into the wall – bringing out the safety car again, resulted in the race ending behind the Porsche Taycan.

Poleman Hughes took fifth for Nissan-powered McLaren, with Ticktum grabbing a sixth place for NIO 333 despite the damage.

DS Penske duo Jean-Eric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne had started from the back after having their qualifying times deleted due to a tyre pressure infringement, but made their way to the points, either side of eighth-placed, Envision Jaguar’s, Sebastien Buemi.

Bird finished the race in 10th place after the Mueller contact, followed by Wehrlein and Edoardo Mortara – who spent the majority of the race effectively without a front wing after Maserati team-mate Guenther had pushed him into the wall at the hotel hairpin as he tried to avoid Hughes.

Dennis’ team-mate Andre Lotterer had recorded his best qualifying since the season opener, but any hope of turning 10th on the grid into points was extinguished as early as the second lap as he spun out following contact with Rene Rast exiting the Antony Noghes corner.

Rast himself then had further contact of his own and dropped way to the back, as did Mahindra’s Oliver Rowland, who had gained six positions at the start but then had his race seemingly undone when he clobbered into Mortara at the Nouvelle Chicane.

Speaking about his win Cassidy, said: “It’s insane, I’ve got nothing against Berlin – but this feels amazing! This is so, so special. I’m lost for words. It is going to take a bit to sink in, man we had such a tough day, I was 21st I think in both Free Practices which struck me a lot. I qualified 10th and I was really happy with that, so that was kind of how our day was going. Credit to our guys, both car crews and everyone in our garage helped out with the issues. I am so happy we got the reward after the work.

“There is a long way to go, this guy right here Mitch (Evans) he showed today how bloody strong he is. It is going to be a really cool fight, but for the moment let’s just enjoy the fact we won in Monaco.”

DRIVERS’ STANDINGS

DOMINATE BRITISH TEAMS HYDRO X-PRIX IN SCOTLAND

Both Veloce Racing and Lewis Hamilton’s X44 Vida Carbon Racing secured wins on home soil across a thrilling Hydro X-Prix weekend in Scotland.

ROUND 3

X44 Vida Carbon Racing took its first win of the season in Round 3, with the victory marking Fraser McConnell’s first win in Extreme E and the Season 2 champions’ first win of the 2023 campaign.

McConnell and Cristina Gutiérrez crossed the line in second place, but a penalty for oncourse winners Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E dropped British-star Catie Munnings and team-mate Timmy Hansen down to second place.

Coming in third was Carl Cox Motorsport, scoring its maiden podium in the championship after just three rounds and at International DJ Carl Cox’s home X Prix.

Winners of the Redemption Race was ACCIONA | SAINZ Extreme E Team having seen off championship rivals Veloce Racing.

Fraser McConnell, X44 Vida Carbon Racing, said: “It’s amazing to get my first win for X44. It’s been something that I’ve been working towards not just for me but for the whole team.

“It just goes to show that prioritising opportunity and inclusivity doesn’t have to come at the cost of performance, and we’re proud to be showing what’s possible here in Extreme E.

“We didn’t have the best starting position - second from the outside - so I knew I was going to have to do something a little risky to get in front which I managed. Then I went a little wide and they got the better run, but that’s racing. We were able to stay close enough to capitalise on their [Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E] penalty. A win is always a win and very happy to do this one for X44.”

ROUND 4

Veloce Racing pairing Kevin Hansen and Molly Taylor landed their second win of the season in Round 4, a victory that reestablished the teams lead at the top of the standings.

Hansen and Taylor led from start to finish, fending off attacks from the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team, who secured their second-ever podium in Extreme E, in what was also the teams home event.

Coming in third was No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing, with a maiden podium for RJ Anderson and Amanda Sorensen having been in every Grand Final so far this season. DNFs for both the ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team and Rosberg X Racing (RXR) in the Grand Final see Veloce Racing pull away at the top of the championship standings by 11 points.

Winners of the Redemption Race were JBXE, having seen off Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E and ABT CUPRA XE, the only other contenders on course after two DNFs.

Kevin Hansen, Veloce Racing, said: “We had a tough weekend, much tougher than Saudi Arabia. We didn’t really have anything on our side yesterday, so to finally get into the Grand Final and have all our support on GridPlay really helped.

“It was nice after Friday, with our double P1s in Free Practice, to come back and actually get on top! It was a huge effort from the team to pull through in such difficult conditions. They

gave me full reign for an hour before the Final and quick decisions on set-up and everything. It was really cool to pull it off.”

Emma Gilmour, NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team, said: It’s been an amazing trip and it’s been very challenging – the weather conditions have made it even more so.

“It was very stressful, especially when there are slow zones and so many places where you can potentially make a mistake, but you are very happy when you can hand it over to your teammate having done a good job. To get a podium was a big relief for the team – just a great feeling – and everyone has put in so much work so we are all really happy.”

For No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing, it marks the team’s first podium since Sardinia in Season 2, and a first podium with the driver line-up

of Anderson and Sorensen, who now sit fifth in the championship just two points behind RXR in third.

Amanda Sorensen, No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing, said: “It’s the direction we want to be moving in, so I’m glad to see that we are still improving. There were a couple setbacks in Saudi and we are happy to have taken steps forward, it’s a positive sign. “For the last four years I’ve been doing Formula Drift, which does have a slippery surface, in a sense. It’s on asphalt and has some grip, but it definitely translates over to this. For me I actually got to rip the e-brake this weekend which was very exciting – it felt like home for me! Knowing how to take the car into the turn and how to react when the car was getting sideways was something I definitely had in my favour.”

By Charlie Atkinson

Is AUSTRALIA THE ‘NEXT BIG THING’ in the EV world?

Australia’s electric vehicle industry has grown significantly over the past years, but is it on course to becoming a major player in the EV world? Charlie Atkinson investigates.

When you think of the countries that are leading the EV revolution, most will point to Norway or China. Some may even highlight the likes of Germany and South Korea, and maybe even Sweden. Very few would consider Australia as one of the major players in the EV world, and yet the ‘Land Down Under’ could well be the up-andcoming nation for electric vehicles.

In this feature, I’ll look at how Australia’s electric vehicle market has grown over the years and what it can learn from other countries to help accelerate its switch to EVs.

AUSTRALIA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH EVS

The electric vehicle market in Australia is booming. In April, it was reported that EV sales in Australia have overtaken petrol-driven vehicles in the medium-sized car category for the first time on record.

The Australian Automobile Association’s EV index revealed that from January to March 2023 7,866 battery electric medium-sized cars were bought in Australia, or 58.3% of sales in the medium-sized category. Whilst ICE vehicle sales continued to reign supreme in other categories, it is a step in the right direction for Australia.

But how has Australia grown its electric vehicle industry?

According to research based on sales data released in the Electric Vehicle Council’s yearly recap, the number of electric vehicles on Australian roads has almost doubled over the past year, growing from 44,000 at the beginning of 2022 to more than 83,000.

The significant growth in sales is also a fair representation of Australia’s willingness to make the switch to EVs, according to Dr Scott Dwyer, Research Director for the Institute for Sustainable Futures at University of Technology Sydney.

Dwyer said: “While there is still a lack of choice of models, there is certainly pent-up demand for EVs in Australia with various surveys over the last few years showing that many intend to make an electric model their next car purchase.”

Electric vehicle sales are growing and the demand is there, so what is being done in order to accelerate a transition to EVs?

While there is still a lack of choice of models, there is certainly pent-up demand for EVs in Australia with various surveys over the last few years showing that many intend to make an electric model their next car purchase. ”

THE STRATEGY

The number of electric vehicles on Australian roads is expected to hit 100,000 over the coming months, according to the Electric Vehicle Council’s yearly recap, and that aligns with the country’s National Electric Vehicle Strategy.

The National Electric Vehicle Strategy (NEVS) sets out three main objectives; increase the supply of affordable and accessible EVs; establish the resources, systems and infrastructure to enable rapid EV uptake; and encourage increased EV demand.

In order to achieve this, the strategy aims to expand EV availability and choice, whilst also making it easy to charge across the country.

However, a number of countries, including the UK, have taken stronger approaches towards electric vehicles by introducing bans on the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles. It is a similar story for the other leading EV countries. Norway aims to ban all ICE vehicles by 2025. The Dutch government seeks to reduce the Netherlands’ greenhouse gas

emissions by 49% by 2030 and have all passenger vehicles comply with zero emissions by 2030.

The National Electric Vehicle Strategy has purposely avoided such bans, but there are policies in place, as analysis from Cox Automotive Australia explains.

“There is mixed consensus here, but the peak lobby group for car importers (the FCAI) certainly does not believe in bans,” it stated. “The National Electric Vehicle Strategy goes a long way to catching Australia up to other regions, such as Europe and the US, in terms of giving consumers clarity that EVs are here to stay and looking at thorny issues such as fitting wall box chargers in shared apartment complexes.

The main criticism of the “NEVS” is that it doesn’t go far enough and lacks real teeth... ”

“The main policy in the strategy is the confirmation of a Fuel Efficiency Standard which fines OEMs whose fleet-average CO2 exceeds an agreed cap. The details are yet to be finalised but expect it to take some degree of influence from policies in place elsewhere.

“The principal argument favouring the standard is that it will encourage car brands to bring

more lower-emissions cars to market rather than dumping high-emitting cars here. However, with global production still constrained and Australia a small RHD market with some distinctive tastes, it is yet to be seen if it will be a panacea to unlock stock.”

The National Electric Vehicle Strategy has faced some criticism since it was unveiled earlier this year, with many people, including Dr Scott Dwyer, questioning whether the policies laid out in the strategy are strong enough.

“The main criticism of the “NEVS” is that it doesn’t go far enough and lacks real teeth,” Dwyer said. “What I like about it is that it identifies some really critical aspects to get right – better infrastructure planning, improved workforce training and skills, implementing product stewardship for end-of-life batteries, ensuring access to charging for apartment owners, more funding for real world demonstrations and research.

“As to whether the measures it outlines do enough to help people make the switch will depend on how these important issues are translated into real action and implementation.”

OBSTACLES AND CHALLENGES

The situation of electric vehicles in Australia is complex. There are obvious geographic barriers, such as the sheer size and vastness of the country, as well as other cultural dynamics.

Charging infrastructure is one of the biggest issues. Being one of the largest countries in the world means it is much harder to tackle the issue of charging infrastructure in Australia than it is in places like the UK, which is 32 times smaller than Oz.

“Finally, there is substantial State-level investment as well, with the likes of Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales co-funding charge sites and tools to identify under-serviced spots not reached by the private market.”

Australia is also in an awkward position culturally. Pick-ups (or ‘utes’ as they are better known) are by far the most popular vehicle class in Australia, and a lack of EV options will surely cause many

Will Australia’s love of utes put the brakes on the continued growth of the EV market?

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

Cox Automotive Australia stated: “Australia has significant challenges regarding public infrastructure, particularly in more remote regions outside the major metropolitan areas. A handful of DC charger providers, such as Chargefox and Evie, are growing, but they have their share of reliability challenges, and many sites are 50kW or less. According to Federal Government figures, there are about 2400 public chargers available right now.

“In terms of the future, federal government money is available through a $500 million (about 270 million pounds) Driving the Nation Fund. Its core plan is a national charging network of 117 sites on major highways at intervals of 150km.

“There are also government funds through a body called ARENA available to co-develop more charging sites, and we are now seeing petroleum companies such as BP (BP Pulse) and Ampol (AmpCharge) setting up chargers at service stations, albeit not to the degree that exists in Europe.

Australians to resist making the switch. As well as utes, there is also an historic love of V8’s and muscle cars, which brings some opposition to the new age of electrification.

This could be the biggest threat to Australia’s EV movement, according to Dr Scott Dwyer: “I could see enthusiasts clinging to these vehicles for some time yet but similarly I can see many making the switch to electric performance and utility versions.

“However, today these models are either incredibly expensive or don’t have availability in Australia. In addition to charging infrastructure availability, I see limited model availability as what will put the brakes on continued growth of the EV market.”

Despite these challenges, there are positive signs for Australia. Government is making a concerted effort to make charging easy and accessible for anyone wanting to switch to electric vehicles, and it is supporting that commitment with significant levels of investment. There are also a number of different vehicles available to Australians. The Tesla Model 3 is regularly Australia’s top-selling passenger car of any type, and the Model Y is Australia’s top-selling luxury mid-sized SUV. Other contextually popular models this year are the BYD Atto 3, MG ZS EV, Volvo XC40 Recharge, Polestar 2, and Hyundai IONIQ 5.

All the pieces of the puzzle are there, but what can Australia learn from other countries in order to make the next step?

According to Jim Hunwick, partner at Pinsent Masons, a multinational law firm which specialises in the energy, infrastructure and technology sectors, Australia can learn from Europe and from North America.

Charging infrastructure is one of the biggest challenges facing Australia’s EV market

“Europe is at the forefront of progressing EV policies, with countries such as the Netherlands, UK, Germany and Norway leading in EV uptake,” Hunwick said. “In many European countries it is now less expensive to own an EV than a petrol or diesel internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle.

“By leveraging best practices from other jurisdictions, Australia can create a supportive environment for the growth of its own EV industry and drive the transition to cleaner, more sustainable transportation in its journey to its net zero emissions target.”

Hunwick sites how the Netherlands, which he claims is the European leader in electric driving, has introduced incentive policies that are “so

successful that electric car ownership now costs the same as ICE vehicles.” He adds that Germany currently has more than 19 charging points per 100km, but the government has committed €6.3bn of additional funds to rapidly scale up the number of charging stations across the country, as part of its push towards net zero emissions. The UK has also committed over £2 billion to support the move to zero emission vehicles, with drivers benefiting from an additional £56 million in public and industry funding for increasing EV charge points across the country.

Whilst European countries are certainly leading the way when it comes to electrification, Hunwick believes Australia has more in common with the United States.

“The US, although a few years ahead, appears to be in a similar phase of their EV journey to Australia,” Hunwick said. “The US are taking significant steps to support the transition to EVs, with a strong focus on charging infrastructure and critical mineral supply chains. Independent states across the US have set different targets for achieving net zero emissions and banning ICE vehicles. California has set a target to ban ICE vehicles by 2035 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. New York also plans to ban ICE vehicles by 2035 and achieve netzero emissions by 2050.

“The Biden administration, as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, has allocated over US$7.5bn for EV charging, US$10bn for clean transportation and over US$7bn for critical mineral supply chains for EV battery components, materials, and recycling.”

Hunwick continued by saying the investment “has encouraged major auto industry players to commit billions towards mining, battery production, EV charging infrastructure, and car assembly,” which will help “accelerate the adoption of EVs by prompting greater demand, reducing costs for consumers, and supporting more production capacity.”

WHAT NEXT?

Is the future electric for Australia? There is a willingness to make the switch to lower-emission vehicles from Australian’s, and despite the historical love of pick-ups and V8’s, there is no denying that country is in a state of transition. Although it faces challenges both culturally and geographically, the country has made significant process in its move towards electrification.

However, there is still a lot of work to be done. Public charging infrastructure remains a big challenge for Australia, and there is a strong sense of scepticism across the commercial vehicle sector too, according to Cox Automotive Australia. Despite this, sales of electric vehicles have continued to grow across Australia, and demand for EVs remains greater than supply, so this trend will surely continue.

It might not be rivalling the likes of China and Norway just yet, but Australia could certainly be the next big thing in the EV world.

NIO ET7 REVIEW: IS THIS THE TESLA KILLER?

In EV Powered’s latest review, Charlie Atkinson travels to Gothenburg, Sweden to test out the fully electric NIO ET7.

The he arrival of Chinese electric cars in Europe is seen as the ‘next step’ for the EV movement and with the NIO ET7, the game could be changed forever.

This fully electric saloon from Chinese auto-giants NIO combines a truly solid EV option for a relatively affordable price, making it potentially the toughest competition for EV-kingpins Tesla.

In this review, I’ll tell you everything there is to know about the NIO ET7 and why it could change the landscape of electric vehicles for good.

DESIGN

From the outset, there are a lot of similarities between the NIO ET7 and all of the Tesla models and, in fact, NIO is often called the ‘Chinese Tesla’ and it’s clear to see why.

This particular model positions itself alongside the Tesla Model S and it shares certain elements of its design language, including the razor thin LED-beam headlights and the smaller headlamps underneath.

The profile of the car is almost an exact copy of the Model S, although the NIO ET7 is slightly longer, which translates into extra space for the interior. The ET7 is longer than most of its competitors, which also includes the ultra-premium Mercedes EQS.

Around the car, you will find hidden door handles at the side and a sloping roof that glides into the full light bar at the rear, which is the hallmark of all new electric vehicles.

Front on, you will also notice some of the 33-different cameras above the windscreen, as well as the LiDAR sensor, which, due to its central position, makes the car look a little bit like a black cab.

INTERIOR

It may share some sort of resemblance to the Model S from the outside, but the interior of the ET7 is where it is most similar to the Tesla. Your attention is immediately drawn to the 12.8” infotainment screen in the centre of the cabin, which is where you control 99% of the car’s functions from, including air conditioning, driving modes and other customisable settings.

Unlike the Tesla, though, the ET7 does have a smaller drivers display, which offers basic information such as speed and navigation, as well as a heads-up display.

In the cockpit, you also have wireless charging for your phone, and plenty of storage, including this middle compartment which conveniently opens both ways. There are also a few physical buttons which control things such as your hazards for example, but for the most part, everything is controlled through this centre screen or through NOMI, your animated virtual assistant that can answer all of your questions and perform certain tasks for you, such as turning on the heating or massage settings for your 4-way adjustable seats with perforated artificial leather.

The interior of the car and all the different furnishings feel high-quality and well put together, which isn’t always the case for Tesla. Continue

From the outset, there are a lot of similarities between the NIO ET7 and all of the Tesla models and, in fact, NIO is often called the ‘Chinese Tesla’ and it’s clear to see why.

With its great range, amazing performance, and a stylish interior with all the tech, comfort and storage you could want, the NIO ET7 has justified itself as one of the best electric vehicles around, and NIO as a brand, has given other EV manufacturers a lot to think about.

In the back, you have a split panoramic sunroof and, because of the dimensions of the car, plenty of legroom, too. Taller passengers may struggle for headroom in the back due to the roofline, but there is still more than enough space to get comfortable.

Passengers in the back also have their own touchscreen which can control air conditioning and the music in the car. There is also an option to fold the front passenger seat down (if nobody is sat in it) so you can stretch your legs all the way out. The boot also offers plenty of storage with 364 litres of storage space.

DRIVING

The headline statistic for the NIO ET7 is the claimed 1,000km range, but there is a bit of a catch with that. That 1,000km range is based on the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle, and that will only apply to the 150Kw version of this vehicle, which will be released later this year. With the 100kW version I tested, the ET7 offers a range of 360 miles in the long-range spec, and 276 miles in the standard model according to the WLTP system. It is a healthy range, but it doesn’t quite compete with the Tesla.

The ET7 is also ready for the future thanks to its autonomous driving capabilities. With the 33 different sensors mounted all around the car, the ET7 can detect road conditions in advance which will automatically adjust the suspension to make the ride as smooth and comfortable as possible. Those high-performance sensing units give the car 360 vision, and it also has 8 MP Autonomous Driving High-Resolution Cameras that can see everything up to 500m in the distance.

In addition to this, the ET7 has achieved a 5-star safety rating from NCAP and, in case you are involved in any accidents, the car has a built-in dashcam system that records each journey from different angles.

Overall, the NIO ET7 is a joy to drive. It is comfortable and relaxing, with the capability of putting a great big smile on your face when you put your foot down.

VERDICT

However, NIO does have a trick up its sleeve. Tesla may have its Supercharger network, but NIO is quickly rolling out its Power Swap Station’s (PSS) across Europe. These sites, which NIO drivers can subscribe to, allow you to swap your battery for a new, fully charged one in just five minutes. This system, which we saw first-hand in our trip to Gothenburg, changes the game for electric vehicle charging, and you can see the NIO PSS in action on our YouTube channel here.

Once you’re fully charged and back out on the road, you will be able to make use of the NIO ET7’s performance, which offers a 0-60mph time of just 3.8 seconds in Sport+ mode. The acceleration is frightening, and launching this car quickly becomes addictive.

When you’re not blasting this car around, however, you will be able to enjoy the peaceful driving experience that the NIO ET7 offers. It is smooth, balanced and handles well in all types of environments and, thanks to its double layered glass windows, road and wind noise is dramatically reduced to create a nice and calm atmosphere behind the wheel.

The emergence of Chinese brands in Europe is the moment many have been waiting for. With brands like NIO, and with cars like the ET7, you have a properly premium product that is just as good and substantially cheaper.

If we compare the ET7 to one of its biggest competitors, the Mercedes EQS, you will see that the ET7 offers a similar range, design and level of performance, but for about £15,000 cheaper.

Unfortunately for our UK audience, you won’t be able to get your hands on one of these just yet, but they should be available for order by the end of this year, and I expect there’s going to be quite the demand for these things.

With its great range, amazing performance, and a stylish interior with all the tech, comfort and storage you could want, the NIO ET7 has justified itself as one of the best electric vehicles around, and NIO as a brand, has given other EV manufacturers a lot to think about.

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FORD UNVEILS ALL-ELECTRIC E-TOURNEO COURIER!

Ford has revealed the all-new E-Tourneo Courier, marking the next key step in its mission to achieving zero emissions across all vehicle sales in Europe by 2035.

The E-Tourneo Courier is a five-seat multi-activity vehicle with a distinctive SUV-inspired design, offering plentiful space for passengers and their belongings within a compact city-friendly footprint.

The E-Tourneo will be one of ten all-electric vehicles Ford has committed to offering in Europe by 2024, as it targets zero emissions for all vehicle sales in the region by 2035. The company is investing $50 billion globally through 2026 to achieve a targeted run rate of more than 2 million all-electric vehicles by the end of that year.

The all-electric model will arrive in 2024 for customers across Europe and features a 100kW (136PS) e-motor, further enhanced using a selectable one-pedal driving mode. Details on range and performance have yet to be released.

Martin Sander, general manager, Ford Model e, Europe, said: “Exciting new products like E-Tourneo Courier are the future of Ford in Europe – electric, fun, and fuelled by a restless need for adventure. Our new all-electric multi-activity vehicle is the latest demonstration of our multi-billion dollar global push to scale EV production and deliver connected, must-have vehicles for our customers.”

CUPRA RAVAL! CUPRA REVEALS THE NAME OF ITS URBAN ELECTRIC CAR

Introducing the Cupra Raval! Cupra has confirmed the name of the brand’s future urban electric car, the Cupra Raval.

During the first day of Automobile Barcelona, Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Seat and Cupra, revealed the name of the brands’ future urban electric vehicle, the Raval, which serves as a tribute to the Raval neighbourhood, a district in the heart of Barcelona, and is one that ROSALÍA’s alphabet campaign hinted at.

“The Raval is one of the most surprising parts of Barcelona. And today, we are proud that the brand’s future urban electric car will have its name and represent its spir-

it. Just as we did with the Cupra Born, we now want to express the essence of the Raval and continue to inspire the world from Barcelona,” explained Wayne Griffiths. Cupra also presented the Cupra Tavascan, the brand’s first 100% electric SUV, to the public for the first time at Automobile Barcelona. The model premiered on 21st April in Berlin.

“It’s a dream come true that started four years ago at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show and was finally unveiled a few days ago at our Exponential Impulse event. The Cupra Tavascan is a new hero for a new era, dreamed, designed and developed in Barcelona.” stated Griffiths.

VOLKSWAGEN SHARES FIRST PREVIEW OF NEW ELECTRIC ID.7 GTX

Volkswagen has shared a first look at the new ID.7 GTX model ahead of its world premiere at IAA Mobility in September.

Earlier this year, Volkswagen presented the new ID.7 as an all-electric limousine for the upper mid-size class. The most dynamic model variant will now follow in late summer with the world premiere of the ID.7 GTX.

Equipped with the latest drive generation of the ID. models, the dual-motor all-wheel drive system and a host of sporty design elements, the long-distance limousine is a high-performance model. The launch of the new GTX model is planned for the IAA Mobility in Munich (5– 10 September 2023).

The sporty GTX brand with its all-electric performance models has been part of Volkswagen’s portfolio for two years now. The limousine’s running gear and steering have been fundamentally enhanced on the basis of the modular electric drive (MEB) platform and offer a large bandwidth between comfort and sportiness thanks to the possibility of driving profile selection. This underlines the ID.7 GTX’s status as the flagship model in the ID. family.

ELECTROGENIC REVEALS EV CONVERSION KIT FOR THE CLASSIC MINI

Electrogenic has expanded its range of ‘drop-in’ conversion kits with a cost effective ‘plug and play’ solution to electrify the classic Mini.

Electrogenic’s kit converts the muchloved automotive icon to fun, clean and reliable electric drive from just £15,000 plus VAT. The drop-in Mini Kit opens up the world of electric conversions to more people than ever before.

The Mini kit further bolsters Oxford-based Electrogenic’s range of drop-in packages, which already includes UK developed solutions which future-proof automotive icons such as the Land Rover Defender, Jaguar E-Type, classic Porsche 911 and Triumph Stag. The kits are offered alongside Electrogenic’s bespoke conversions.

The EV technology is completely pre-assembled and pre-tested on a

replacement heritage front subframe that simply replaces the old subframe with its petrol engine. It features a 60bhp, 135Nm water-cooled motor, delivering 1,000 Nm of instant electric torque to the wheels through a fixed-ratio drivetrain.

Powered by 20kWh of brand-new, densely packed OEM-grade batteries, also pre-mounted on the subframe and all wired in, the electrified Mini packs 80 miles of in-town range. The Euro Type 2 charge port is also pre-mounted and can be accessed via a range of bespoke replacement front grilles.

Electrogenic will also offer an extended range option, with an additional battery pack integrated into the boot – ideal for those who want to travel a little further on their Mini adventures.

TOP TEN 28

TOP TEN Most Anticipated Electric Cars

A number of exciting electric cars are set to launch over the next couple of years, and so John Clark Motor Group has decided to examine which of the electric cars for sale in the coming years are stirring up the most interest online.

The electric car industry is growing and evolving rapidly, moving away from purely functional vehicles, to ones that are game-changing in terms of performance, design, and range. With 20% of all new global car sales estimated to be electric by 2025, jumping to 40% in 2030, brands are paying

more and more attention to developing their electric offering. 2023 and 2024 are set for some major releases that are likely to stir up anticipation amongst drivers, as such John Clark wanted to examine which of the electric cars for sale in the coming years are stirring up the most interest.

From high-performance hypercars by the likes of Maserati to more functional family cars, automotive brands are beginning to extend their ranges to be more inclusive of the different types of electric car buyers. But, when it comes to electric cars, which ones are people the most excited for?

TESLA CYBERTRUCK

At the top of our list sits the Tesla Cybertruck. It appears that despite the news of Tesla losing one-third of its value since Elon Musk took over Twitter in October, Tesla vehicles are still high on the list when it comes to public anticipation and excitement. Even though the Cybertruck remains in the pre-production beta phase with production having been postponed on numerous occasions, it’s clear that the vehicle is still

eagerly anticipated. The Cybertruck will feature in several variations, with a single motor, rear-wheel drive, a dual motor, all-wheel drive, and a range-topping tri-motor, at various price points. Production has been confirmed to begin in late 2023, with the first customers likely to receive their pre-orders in 2024.

DELOREAN ALPHA 5

In second position is the DeLorean Alpha 5. Due on sale in 2024, the initial images of the model show similarities between the DMC-12 that featured in Back to the Future, for example, the iconic Gullwing doors, with the brand teasing a modern-day interpretation to mark the DMC-12’s 40th anniversary in 2021. The Alpha5 will have the same premise of exclusivity, featuring as a limited edition with only 9,531 cars being produced. Given the brand’s

Whilst the majority of the cars on this list will be priced in the millions, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S is moderately priced in comparison, with prices starting from £142,000. It’s still a hefty sum of money, but for that, you will get a

dramatic history, from iconic movie placement to going into liquidation, it makes sense that cars produced by the brand would generate a lot of buzz. The car has been pitched as a rival to the Porsche Taycan and with claims of reaching 0-60mph in just 3.4 seconds, it’s definitely on par when it comes to speed.

beautifully designed car that tops out at 162mph and offering 751 horsepower with launch control and 1,050NM torque. Despite these ridiculous numbers, the Taycan also offers a degree of practicality, with a range of up to 291 miles.

AUDI A6 E-TRON

Placing in third position is the new Audi A6 E-Tron, which is expected to be revealed this year, and hit the market in 2024. It forms part of the wider Audi E-Tron range that has seen significant popularity. The concept sits within the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture, which has been developed in partnership with Porsche and will first be utilised in the

new Porsche Macan EV and Audi Q6 E-Tron. The car is expected to feature various performance-oriented set-ups, which combine performance with everyday suitability. New cars on the PPE platform gives owners the chance to enjoy speedy 800-volt charging and longer range due to the 100-kWh battery capacity, making range anxiety a thing of the past.

HYUNDAI IONIQ 6

Whilst the majority of the cars on this list will be priced in the millions, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S is moderately priced in comparison, with prices starting from £142,000. It’s still a hefty sum of money, but for that, you will get a

Placing fourth is the Hyundai Ioniq 6, a sleek and sporty EV that is actually one of the world’s most aerodynamic cars, which makes for greater range. It has been pitched as a rival to the Tesla Model 3, the

beautifully designed car that tops out at 162mph and offering 751 horsepower with launch control and 1,050NM torque. Despite these ridiculous numbers, the Taycan also offers a degree of practicality, with a range of up to 291 miles.

Polestar 2, and the i4 that BMW offers, however, the potential electric driving range is far superior to these other competitors.

LUCID AIR

Customers in the US and other parts of Europe have taken delivery of their Lucid Air, but for the rest of us, there is a slightly longer wait. There is a lot of excitement surrounding the Lucid Air, largely due to it having

one of the largest ranges across the EV segment, with a range of up to 520 miles depending on the spec.

LUCID AIR SAPPHIRE

It’s back-to-back entries for Lucid on this list, with the triple-motors allwheel drive version of the Air coming in at number six. Deliveries for the Sapphire are expected later this year, with the bumper performance package offering up to 1,200 hp and a top speed of 200mph. According to the brand, the Sapphire will also accelerate from 0-60mph in less than

Whilst the majority of the cars on this list will be priced in the millions, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S is moderately priced in comparison, with prices starting from £142,000. It’s still a hefty sum of money, but for that, you will get a

beautifully designed car that tops out at 162mph and offering 751 horsepower with launch control and 1,050NM torque. Despite these ridiculous numbers, the Taycan also offers a degree of practicality, with a range of up to 291 miles.

two seconds, and if that wasn’t enough to get you excited, Derek Jenkins, SVP of Brand and Design, says there is plenty more to come. “Sapphire is the embodiment of what ultra-high-performance luxury means to Lucid,” he said. “What we see today with Lucid Air Sapphire is just the beginning for the Sapphire brand.”

LOTUS ELETRE

The all-new and all-electric Lotus Eletre should be available anytime soon, with the manufacturing previously claiming that deliveries would begin in the summer of 2023. Labelled as “bold, progressive and exotic, with iconic sports car DNA” by the team behind the new hyper-SUV, the Eletre will offer 350kW charge time of just 20 minutes

for 248 miles of range, with a target driving range of 373 miles on full charge.

The Eletre is 4WD, has a battery capacity that’s over 100kWh and with power from 600hp. This will help the Eletre achieve its party-piece of a 0-62mph time of less than three seconds.

RENAULT SCENIC

Renault is set to revive the Scenic model with an electric powertrain, which is scheduled for release next year. The Scenic will be launched with a conventional battery, but the concept vision of the vehicle also features a hydrogen range-extender, which the manufacturer says

Whilst the majority of the cars on this list will be priced in the millions, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S is moderately priced in comparison, with prices starting from £142,000. It’s still a hefty sum of money, but for that, you will get a

beautifully designed car that tops out at 162mph and offering 751 horsepower with launch control and 1,050NM torque. Despite these ridiculous numbers, the Taycan also offers a degree of practicality, with a range of up to 291 miles.

represents its “broader vision.” Details on the Scenic are few and far between at the moment, but initial images show it as a sporty SUV with a similar profile to the Hyundai IONIQ 5. According to Renault design chief Gilles Vidal, the Scenic is 90% ready for production next year!

VOLKSWAGEN ID.7 (AERO B)

Volkswagen is clearly a popular contender within the EV market, with three of their upcoming launches featuring within the top 15, and one of these being the ID.Buzz, an all-electric van that can double up as both a commercial vehicle, and a campervan. In order of anticipation the list features: the VW ID.7 (Aero B), the VW ID.3 and finally the ID Buzz. The ID

BENTLEY BATUR

7 is the most aerodynamic car that the brand has ever produced, which allows the car to offer 435 miles of range from its 77kWh battery, further than rivals such as BMW i4 and Tesla Model 3, and the aforementioned Hyundai IONIQ 6.

The future of Bentley is electric. For the luxury manufacturer, hybrid powertrains are the way forward for now, but it will release its first fullyelectric vehicle in the years ahead as it targets an all-electric line-up by 2030. Whilst Bentley hasn’t specifically announced its first EV, it is expected

Whilst the majority of the cars on this list will be priced in the millions, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S is moderately priced in comparison, with prices starting from £142,000. It’s still a hefty sum of money, but for that, you will get a

beautifully designed car that tops out at 162mph and offering 751 horsepower with launch control and 1,050NM torque. Despite these ridiculous numbers, the Taycan also offers a degree of practicality, with a range of up to 291 miles.

that the first electric vehicle will feature a similar design language to the new Bentley Mulliner Batur model, of which only 18 models will be built. We will have to wait and see what the electric identity of Bentley looks like, but it is certainly something to be excited about!

VERGE MOTORCYCLES TEAMS UP WITH MIKA HÄKKINEN TO DESIGN ELECTRIC SUPERBIKE

F1 legend Mika Häkkinen has designed the signature model of a new electric superbike in collaboration with Verge Motorcycles.

Mika Häkkinen and Verge Motorcycles teamed up at the beginning of the year, when Häkkinen was appointed to the company’s Advisory Board. Häkkinen is also one of the investors in Verge Motorcycles.

Only 100 models of the luxury superbike will be produced. With a range of 350 kilometres and a fast-charging time of just 35 minutes, the model will be most powerful and advanced electric superbike on the market, according to Verge.

Based on Verge’s TS Pro platform, the bike will produce a top speed

of 124mph (200 km/h), accelerating from 0-60mph in just 3.5 seconds. With a fully-electric range of 217 miles (350m), the electric superbike has a power output of 102kW, which delivers 1000NM torque.

The bike features carbon fibre fairings and a unique ceramic surface treatment that protects against scratches. Full black shock absorbers and details combined with dark grey and silver surface elements complete the look.

Mika Häkkinen said: “I know from experience what it takes to develop a vehi-

cle that embodies speed, precision and elegance. I wanted to design the bike right down to the smallest detail rather than just picking the colour. Each bike is numbered and features an exclusive signature. This electric superbike represents the future of riding and is a testament to a life lived to the fullest!”

“We are extremely proud to have F1 legend Mika Häkkinen design the signature model. He is one of the greatest drivers of all time, and breaking boundaries and enjoying the thrill of speed is something that we very much share in common,”

The unique superbike designed by Mika Häkkinen is available for purchase as of today via the Verge Motorcycles online store in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Finland, Estonia and Monaco. It can also be purchased from the new Verge Motorcycles flagship store in Monaco, which will open in connection with the Monaco GP and is also the electric superbike manufacturer’s first physical shop and showroom. The retail price of the bike without taxes is 80,000 euros.

Images courtesy of Verge Motorcycles

added Tuomo Lehtimäki, CEO of Verge Motorcycles.

This electric superbike represents the future of riding and is a testament to a life lived to the fullest!

“ ”

THE SUN: HERE COMES HOW THE CHANGING SEASONS IMPACT ON EV BATTERY EFFICIENCY

Figures recorded by Mina from May 2022 to April 2023 of more than 350,000 actual charging events, using over 8 million kWh of electricity in the process, showed that late Spring, Summer and early Autumn are the best months for EV batteries. As long as it doesn’t get too hot: the heatwave in late July and August last year saw a spike in consumption as air con was turned up to full blast.

“Our data, recorded by thousands of electric vehicles, proves for the first time what many anecdotal reports had suggested: EVs operate far better in warm weather,” Ashley Tate, Mina CEO said.

“But our data shows other fascinating trends. The Summer heatwave had an effect on EV consumption too, with a noticeable increase in last July and August, which we believe is the result of more air conditioning use. So drivers need to be aware of this when it gets really hot. After the heatwave, things went back to normal for a couple of months, before it began to get colder.

“As can be seen from this analysis, our remarkable level of data is proving transformational for businesses trying to build a picture of how EVs, and their drivers, operate in all conditions. By providing this insight, businesses can

plan strategies and budgets with more detail than they have ever had before.”

Through the depths of Winter, drivers were still averaging about the same amount of charge per session but, to do the same amount of work and mileage, needed an extra plug-in a week compared to September and October to account for reduced battery efficiency and other potential drains on energy such as heating the cabin.

“One of the big questions asked about EVs is: how hard are they hit by winter? Well, now we know for sure. There are many factors involved of course, including temperature, routing, vehicle technology and driving style, but for the first

It’s important to put it into context and remember that the extra winter consumption is only equivalent to two extra tanks of petrol or diesel, said Tate, and that ICE vehicle efficiency can also be hit during winter months as well.

“With electric you have a much wider range of options. Because we track hundreds of thousands of home and public charges and their cost, our data shows the cheapest tariffs are only around 10p per kWh at home and 30p per kWh in public,” added Tate.

“So if a driver wants to reduce costs, whatever the season, they need to ensure they are on the lowest pos-

time our data is able to show just what the effect is across thousands of vehicles,” said Ashley.

“By looking at consumption for each week, and applying an average domestic tariff for the period of 30p per kWh, we could then show the cost of this for a typical driver. But of course, the cost could be far higher or lower depending on individual circumstances.

“If a driver has an EV specific tariff and charges exclusively at home at off-peak, the cost could be a third of that quoted, at only around £2.50 a week more. Conversely, if they only charge in public, our data shows it could at least double.”

sible home tariff, and search out the best value public chargers. It’s all about having the right infrastructure in place that allows drivers to understand and then minimise their costs at all times of the year.

“Mina Homecharge® pays for business EV charging costs accurately, direct to supplier, making it simple for drivers of company cars and vans and their employers to manage costs, while our Mina Chargepass® card gives them access to thousands of rapid public charges at networks such as InstaVolt, Gridserve, Osprey and MFG.”

As the weather warms up this Spring, electric cars and vans will come into their own, data from EV payment specialists Mina has proved, as they are over a third more efficient than in the coldest months.

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UK NET ZERO ‘requires huge grid upgrade’

An upgraded grid will allow millions of homes to install heat pumps and EV chargers, and will unlock investment and business growth, according to the report.

The Regen report Building an Electricity Network for Net Zero evaluates existing initiatives from the UK Government, Ofgem and network operators to develop grid capacity and ease access to the grid, and sets out what further priorities need to be implemented to ensure the grid is ready for net zero.

Among the recommendations in the report is a call for Ofgem is to ensure that networks can invest in capacity.

Last year, the regulator cut 17% of the budget for grid investment proposed by network operators, a move that Regen calls “a gamble”.

Ofgem must now help networks to unlock budgets so that the grid can receive the investment it needs, before consumers start to see problems with connections, the report argues.

Network companies will need to make significant investments and this will enable the grid to move away from expensive fossil generation and onto low-marginal cost renewables, it adds.

Regen’s report also calls for the Government and Ofgem to reform grid investment processes so that investment is provided ahead of need, not after the fact, and for the Energy System Operator to bring forward reforms to the connection process so that renewable energy projects are not left waiting years for a connection.

Furthermore, the report calls for greater clarity on planning policy and for the establishment of community benefits for areas hosting energy infrastructure projects, to help remove barriers to and accelerate the delivery of net zero.

It calls on the UK Government to ensure net zero is given proper weight in the planning framework, which could enable infrastructure to be built on time.

The Regen analysis, which was commissioned by net zero charity MCS Charitable Foundation,

provides a clear set of solutions to concerns raised in recent weeks and months about the delays in connecting new renewable energy to the grid, with some timescales for connecting new projects to the transmission network over 15 years.

David Cowdrey, director of external affairs at MCS Charitable Foundation, said: “This report set out to respond to the question: can the grid cope with a massive shift towards electrifying heat and transport.

“The answer is very clearly, with the right investment, yes.

“Not only is upgrading the grid essential to preparing the country for a carbon-free energy system, but investing now will bring huge benefits in the form of cheap, clean energy.

“The Government, regulator, and network operators must now urgently bring forward investment and reform planning policy to facilitate grid development.”

Net zero will require a transformation of the UK energy grid on a scale unseen since the 1960s – but these upgrades are possible and will bring huge benefits, analysis by Regen has found.

BRITAIN’S ‘LARGEST HYDRO POWER PLANT’ to be converted for pumped hydro storage

The energy supplier stated it will convert its conventional 152.5MW Sloy hydroelectric power station, situated on the shores of Loch Lomond in Argyll and Bute in central Scotland, to pumped hydro energy storage (PHES).

Subject to the final design of the project, SSE stated that the Sloy scheme would be capable of delivering up to 25GWh of long-duration electricity storage capacity. This means that flexible renewable energy could be provided for up to 160 non-stop hours.

“In converting our existing Sloy conventional hydro power plant to a pumped hydro storage facility, we can provide the additional large-scale, long-duration electricity storage we need as part of the country’s future energy mix,” said Finlay McCutcheon, director of onshore Europe at SSE Renewables.

“With up to 25GWh of storage capacity, the scheme would be capable of powering 90,000 homes for an entire week, so bolstering our energy security and providing the balancing flexibility we need in a renewables-led energy system.

“The development of pumping capability at Sloy also complements our development plans for our other pumped hydro storage project at Coire Glas. Taken together and if approved for delivery, Coire Glas and Sloy can treble Britain’s current flexible electricity storage capacity. That’s why it’s crucial the UK Government urgently confirms its intention on exactly how they will help facilitate the deployment of pumped hydro storage projects as part of our future energy mix.”

The next steps for the project will see SSE refine its project design to convert the Sloy plant from conventional hydro power to pumped hydro storage technology ahead of a period of public consultation later in the year.

Subject to the scoping opinion, SSE expects a planning application could be submitted to the Scottish Government by late 2023 or early 2024. Subject to a positive consenting outcome, it is hoped

a final investment decision on Sloy could be made in late 2025 ahead of full commissioning by 2028.

Commenting on the pumped hydro scheme, Yousaf called on the UK Government to “provide an appropriate market mechanism for hydro power and other long duration energy storage technologies”.

Yousaf said: “Hydro power was the country’s original source of renewable energy and it has the potential to play a significantly greater role in the transition to net zero – both on a smallscale in co-operation with local communities and on a larger scale, to help to ensure a continued resilient and secure electricity supply.

“We continue to call for the UK Government to provide an appropriate market mechanism for hydro power

and other long duration energy storage technologies, to ensure this potential is fully realised.”

SSE has been exploring pumped hydro across Scotland as a means to provide renewable flexibility to the grid. In March 2023, Solar Power Portal reported that SSE would allocate £100 million to boost Coire Glas, a pumped hydro storage project, with the potential to be the “biggest” in 40 years.

Situated near Loch Lochy, between Fort William and Inverness, the Coire Glas project has the potential to more than double Britain’s total current electricity storage capacity, delivering 30GWh of long duration energy storage and could require a capital investment of over £1.5 billion to construct.

Under new plans that have just been unveiled, SSE Renewables will convert what it claims is Britain’s “largest conventional hydro power plant” for pumped hydro storage.

UK could unlock £70bn a year in renewable energy, report claims

A new report has found that by increasing Britain’s clean electricity generation 50% above its current projections for 2050 it could become a clean energy superpower capable of exporting £17bn of green electricity to Europe a year.

The ambition to generate more green electricity than needed to meet the UK’s climate targets could also create an additional 279,000 British jobs, and support a total of 654,000 British jobs, across the UK’s clean energy industries, according to the report.

The analysis by former government economist Chris Walker for the UK Business Council for Sustainable Development found that it was “plausible” that the UK could transform from a net importer of energy to an exporter of green electricity by taking a lead in the global race to “net zero”.

By going “beyond net zero” the UK’s economy would attract trillions of pounds of global private investment and double the £35bn a year economic benefit forecast for its current path, according to Walker.

However, Britain could miss the “once in a lifetime opportunity” unless government policymakers remove the barriers holding back the UK’s green energy ambitions, the report said.

The UK could unlock £70bn every year by generating enough clean electricity to become a major exporter of energy to mainland Europe, according to a former government economist.

“The UK’s strong competitive advantages in clean energy generation mean it is uniquely well positioned in the race to net zero which can deliver significant and sustained economic growth, raised productivity and increased exports,” it said.

“Other advanced economies will undertake similar journeys to the UK at the same time. For the UK to cement its leadership in tackling this challenge, crucial public policy decisions need to be taken, backed up by investment from private sector organisations to ensure that the UK makes and captures the necessary investment to capitalise on its strengths,” it added.

The report warned that National Grid was struggling to cope with the number of new clean energy projects applying to connect to the grid, which have surged to 50 a month from 50 a year over the last decade leaving many projects with a 10 to 15-year wait to provide the UK energy system with clean electricity.

The government should also intervene to make sure that the UK has enough batteries to store its renewable electricity and create a market for producing green hydrogen. In addition, the

ORSTED opens Irish wind farm with Facebook parent Meta

UK’s draughty housing stock and commercial buildings must be retrofitted to improve the UK’s energy efficiency.

Jason Longhurst, chair of the UK Business Council for Sustainable Development, said: “We have the potential to generate huge amounts of clean energy which would turn the UK from a net importer of energy to a nation exporting vast amounts of clean power, worth £17bn a year, to mainland Europe.”

“We believe this paper delivers an evidence base to enable our government to drive new incentives to transition, leverage in further private sector investment and position the UK as one of the world’s most investable markets for companies tackling the challenges created by climate change,” Longhurst added.

Orsted has opened its Lisheen 3 wind farm in Ireland, which will produce power under a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement with Facebook parent company Meta.

The 28.8 MW wind farm is adjacent to Orsted’s existing developments at Lisheen 1 and 2, the combined three phases of Lisheen have the capacity to generate 89MW of green energy, making it Orsted’s largest wind farm in Ireland.

As part of this renewable energy purchase agreement, all power from Lisheen 3 will be supplied to the national grid, with Meta purchasing the equivalent amount of renewable energy generated.

TJ Hunter, Senior Director, Development and Operations, Orsted UK & Ireland, said: “Corporate power purchase agreements demonstrate the significant role that companies can play in helping Ireland meet its

ambitious 2030 green energy targets by bringing additional renewables into operation. We are proud to open phase III of our Lisheen wind farm and commend Meta for committing to renewable energy to help power their Irish operations.”

Meta Energy Manager Neil McDonagh added: “We are delighted that our partnership with Orsted is bringing new wind energy to the grid in Ireland. This project helps us keep our commitment of supporting our global operations with 100% renewable energy.

“Bringing new renewable energy to the grids where we operate is an important part of our sustainability goals and the fight against climate change.”

LABOUR confirms plans to block all new North Sea oil and gas projects

Labour

The shadow work and pensions secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, said details would be announced soon.

“What we’ll be doing in the coming weeks is outlining how we want to invest in the green jobs of the future, to bring bills down, to create a more sustainable energy supply,” he told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday show.

“We’ll be outlining that in a significant mission in the coming weeks, and we’ll be announcing more details then.

“We know we’ve got to move to more renewable sources of energy. It’s important for our climate change commitments, but it’s also the way in which we can bring energy bills down for consumers. This isn’t about shutting down what’s going on now. We will manage those sustainably.”

The proposals, which the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, is expected to set out formally on a visit to Scotland next month, will involve not just a ban on new North Sea oil and gas licences, but a pledge that any borrowing for investment should be limited to green schemes.

A party source said: “We are against the granting of new licences for oil and gas in the North Sea. They will do nothing to cut bills as the Tories have acknowledged; they undermine our energy security and would drive a coach and horse through our climate targets.

“But Labour would continue to use existing oil and gas wells over the coming decades and manage them sustainably as we transform the UK into a clean energy superpower.”

This will not stop drilling on projects that have already been approved, with the exception of the Rosebank and Cambo schemes, which Labour has said previously it would block.

Asked if this would leave the country overreliant on wind power, Ashworth said: “It’s a mischaracterisation to say our policies all depend on wind. Yes, we need to invest in wind. We need to invest in tidal; we need to invest in nuclear.

“We need more sustainable sources of energy supply in order to bring the bills down for consumers and actually create jobs in this green transition.”

The aim, he said, should be for the UK to become a world leader in the green energy transition, and would create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Grant Shapps, the energy secretary, said Labour’s plans amounted to an “ideological vendetta against British energy independence” that would

risk jobs and help Russia in using energy supplies as a weapon.

The proposal is the latest in a series of Labour pledges over a move towards a greener economy, much of it pushed by Ed Miliband, the shadow climate change secretary.

In 2021, the shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced the party would invest £28bn a year in climate crisis-related measures, covering not just green energy but also areas such as home insulation, active travel and flood defences.

At last year’s Labour conference, Starmer said Labour would set up a publicly owned energy company run on clean UK power, to be known as Great British Energy.

has confirmed it will block all new domestic oil and gas developments if it wins power, proposing instead to invest heavily in renewable sources such as wind and also in nuclear power.

WHY CAR PARKS ARE THE HOTTEST SPACE IN SOLAR POWER

There’s more than just cars and empty spaces in this car park. Huge arrays of angled solar panels sit atop jet black steel supports, soaking up the sun and shading the vehicles beneath.

Outside the offices of a major car manufacturer in the south of England, there are now more than 2,000 panels in total with a peak capacity of just under 1 megawatt (MW).

That’s enough to power hundreds of homes.

“They are looking stunning,” declares Guy Chilvers, business development manager at SIG, the firm that supplied the solar canopies.

These structures make car parks more visually appealing, he insists, while admitting, “I would say that”.

Solar car parks or car ports enable electricity production in open spaces that tend to be positioned conveniently near to energy-guzzling facilities such as hospitals, shopping centres or offices. The canopies have additional benefits in

that they protect cars from rain and snow, or hot sun in the summer.

In a drive to boost clean energy production, the French Senate recently approved legislation that

many businesses are turning to on-site renewables to try to keep costs down in the long run.

There is a huge opportunity to turn more British car parks into solar farms, according to a new report published by the countryside charity CPRE and the UCL Energy Institute.

“We think the total potential in the built environment is about 117GW,” says Prof Mark Barrett of UCL. “And of that, 11GW, we think, is car parks.”

makes it mandatory for all existing and new car parks with 80 spaces or more to be covered by solar panels.

While there is no equivalent requirement in the UK, solar car parks have been around for years and there are signs that they are beginning to boom here. With electricity prices currently still elevated,

For context, the UK currently has around 15GW of solar capacity in total and requires 40GW by 2030 in order to meet net zero targets, according to Solar Energy UK.

Prof Barrett notes that the figure of 11GW is conservative and is based on an estimate of 130 sq km of available car parks in the UK - lower than the 200 sq km estimated by estate agents Knight

Whichever way you look at it, there’s plenty of space out there in car parks for solar panels and people are beginning to realise this.

SOLAR CAR PARKS

Frank. The CPRE and UCL report also assumed that 50% of each individual car park would be covered by a canopy rather than 100%.

Whichever way you look at it, there’s plenty of space out there in car parks for solar panels and people are beginning to realise this.

“It’s absolutely gone crazy,” says Mr Chilvers, referring to his inbox. Lately, he’s quoted for hotels, hospitals and leisure centres. Mr Chilvers and his colleagues design and build the steel structures for solar canopies while the panels are supplied separately.

Rival companies have also described high demand for solar car park canopies.

Praxia Energy, based in Spain, supplies about 3MW of car park solar installations in the UK each year and says it expects this to grow tenfold by 2028.

A spokeswoman for Veolia says the company recently installed a 1.1MW solar canopy system in the car park of Eastbourne Hospital and the firm has registered increased demand for solar infrastructure in the UK lately.

Solarsense, a company in Clevedon, says it has also received rising enquiries in recent months.

Tim Evans, chief executive of 3ti, argues that, in the past, the UK has been slow to pursue this technology in comparison with countries on the continent. “We are quite some way behind the curve,” he says. There are some flagship examples already in place, though. The largest solar car park installed to date in the UK is the one at the Bentley car factory in Crewe, which has a peak capacity of 2.7MW.

Mr Evans says he is currently exploring four new potential projects with clients that could exceed 5MW peak capacity.

Solar panels in car parks can also power electric

vehicle (EV) charging. This works especially well at offices, where employees’ cars are parked outside for many hours. Shopping centres, football stadiums, leisure centres and cinemas are also suitable venues, since cars tend to be parked for two hours or more to allow sufficient charging, says Mr Evans.

But the steel supports required for many solar canopies do add to the cost. It is often cheaper to simply put solar panels on the roof of large buildings, such as supermarkets. Mr Evans estimates that rooftop solar yields electricity at about 9p per kWh currently, versus 14p or 15p per kWh from panels in car parks.

There aren’t many other obvious downsides to the canopies, though, says Richard Watkins at the University of Kent. He notes that installers might want to fit them with efficient undercanopy lighting so that they don’t result in dark, potentially dangerous spaces at night.

One hiccup facing many renewable energy projects at the moment is a lack of grid connections, since surplus energy generated by solar panels, for example, must be handled by the grid. Billions of pounds worth

of renewable installations are effectively on hold because of this issue, according to new research.

“I’ve just had a megawatt car park, beautiful car park, for a factory turned down because it can’t get a grid connection,” says Mr Chilvers.

A spokesman for Solar Energy UK also highlights this problem, saying that solar car parks becoming a common sight will remain a “distant prospect” until it is resolved.

The energy industry regulator Ofgem is looking at ways to speed up connections and National Grid also has a plan to improve the process.

There are lots of other locations around the UK, besides car parks, that could also accommodate solar installations and help us ditch fossil fuels, notes Prof Sara Walker at Newcastle University. Cycle paths and railways, for instance, or reservoirs that can be covered with floating solar panels. These also help reduce the evaporative loss of water from reservoirs.

“Where we can co-locate solar photovoltaics alongside infrastructure that would be there anyway, like a car park, it enables us to get double use out of the land surface,” she says.

RENEWABLE ENERGY How to get for business

Switching business energy suppliers is a quick and easy way to cut the cost of your energy bills. Switching to renewable energy sources can help to cut prices even further, and might even help to enhance the image of your business. But before installing any type of renewable energy technology, you’ll need to consider the following:

PLANNING PERMISSION AND CONNECTION

You need to confirm you’re choosing the right renewable option for your business, the building you operate from and the local area. Installation might mean you need to make alterations to your building.

BUSINESS RENEWABLE ENERGY SITE SURVEY

This will help you determine the best renewable solution for your business.

REGULATORY AND LEGAL OBLIGATIONS

You’ll need to make sure your installer is government-approved under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), to protect your investment by ensuring all renewable business energy products are installed to a high standard.

If you’re planning on installing any type of renewable tech, you need to bear in mind that it will take a number of years to produce any sort of tangible return. That’s why it’s best that you own your business premises, or at least have a long-term lease in place, to make the investment worth your while.

What renewable business energy options are available?

There are a number of options for renewable energy in business locations, but finding the right one for your business depends on where it’s located and the amount you’re willing to invest.

WIND POWER

Uses wind turbines to generate electricity for business. Suitable if you have acres of building-free land.

SOLAR PV PANELS

Uses sunlight to generate electricity. These are easy to install and can be fitted on the side of your building.

SOLAR THERMAL ENERGY

Uses sunlight to heat the water stored in your hot water tank. These are easy to install and can be fitted on the side of your building.

BIOMASS SYSTEMS

Generates electricity and heat by burning or fermenting organic material, such as straw or wood pellets, with a combined heat and power plant.

ANAEROBIC DIGESTION

Generates heat and electricity by burning the methane produced by breaking down organic material, such as plant or animal waste. Suitable if you have a lot of space to store the fuels.

GEOTHERMAL AND GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMPS

Use low-level heat naturally contained in the ground to provide both heating and cooling. These are fitted on the side of your building.

COMBINED HEAT AND POWER

Uses a CHP system to capture the heat produced by your electricity to heat your water.

HYDROELECTRIC POWER

Generates electricity from the water flowing through an immersed turbine or water wheel. These are site-specific but can provide a reliable energy source.

How much does renewable energy technology cost?

Here are some renewable energy options for your business, with their approximate capital costs and estimated payback periods:

WIND POWER

£10,000 for microturbines (2.5-6kW), going up to £3.3 million for larger turbines. Small turbines (20-50kW) take eight to fifteen years to pay back, while large turbines (1MW-2.5MW) pay back within one to five years.

SOLAR PV PANELS

£5,000-£10,000 for small-scale systems. These take six to ten years to pay back.

SOLAR THERMAL ENERGY

£3,000-£5,000. This takes five years to pay back.

BIOMASS SYSTEMS

Cost varies depending on boiler size and type of fuel. These take five to 12 years to pay back - shorter if you use waste wood instead of having to wait for tree growth.

ANAEROBIC DIGESTION

£8,750 per kWth.

GEOTHERMAL AND GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMPS

£11,000-£15,000. These take 15 years to pay back.

COMBINED HEAT AND POWER

£32,500. This takes 10.5 years to pay back.

HYDROELECTRIC POWER

£4,000-£8,000 per kW of capacity installed. An 8kW hydroelectric power plant takes seven years to pay back.

What technology will be the future for renewable energy for businesses?

The technology used to produce green energy for business is constantly evolving, which is why the cost of installing commercial renewable energy equipment is always coming down. Investment in the development of reusable energy also means more and more options are becoming available, so look out for the following sources becoming more mainstream over the coming years:

WAVE GENERATION

The UK is perfectly placed to take advantage of the power created by the waves that crash on and around its shores every day. This tech will harness that power and convert it to electricity. The Carbon Trust estimates that this could generate 5 Terawatt-hour (TWh) per year, which is about 14% of current national demand.

SOLAR POWER FROM SPACE

We’re well adept at generating solar power from the ground, but new technology plans to harness solar power from space for use back on Earth.

ENHANCED GEOTHERMAL

A sort of geothermal synthesis, this generates heat by using hydraulic stimulation to pump water into porous rock, instead of relying solely on harnessing geothermal hotspots. This technology is currently being used to dramatic effect in Cooper Basin in Australia, where a 25-megawatt plant can generate between 5,000MW and 10,000 MW.

ARTIFICIAL PHOTOSYNTHESIS

This is a very sci-fi sounding way to generate methanol. Using nanotechnology – the manipulation of matter on a molecular or atomic scale – to store solar electromagnetic energy in chemical bonds, water is split to produce hydrogen before using carbon dioxide to make methanol.

What are the benefits of renewable energy for my business?

Alongside reducing your carbon emissions and your energy bill, the renewable energy impact on your business could include the following benefits:

STABLE ENERGY COSTS

Renewable energy sources are not affected by price rises.

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

As fossil fuels are limited.

ANOTHER INCOME

You can sell electricity back to the grid at a premium.

MORE MANAGEABLE

Easier to plan your energy usage and needs.

IMPROVES YOUR BUSINESS REPUTATION

Customers and stakeholders value commitment to sustainability.

EXEMPTION FROM THE CLIMATE CHANGE LEVY (CCL)

A government-imposed tax designed to encourage energy efficiency and carbon emission reduction among businesses.

ACCESS TO ENERGY SUBSIDIES

Exclusively for businesses that use less energy (see below).

Is renewable energy good for small businesses?

There are a number of reasons why a small business would choose to go with renewable energy, and the benefits go beyond simply saving money. Here are three reasons your business should be using renewable energy:

BECOME ENERGY INDEPENDENT

Generating your own renewable energy means your business is less reliant on buying power from energy companies. This could be a big money saver, particularly in times when energy prices are volatile and rising all the time. You might even be able to make money by selling back to the grid any surplus power you generate. This is done through Feed-in Tariffs.

MAKE YOUR BUSINESS MORE MARKETABLE

Showing that your business is environmentally aware and doing its bit for the planet can work wonders for its image. If you are using renewables, make sure you let customers and clients know about it to show your business is a forward-thinking, socially and environmentally conscious one.

CUT YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

The climate crisis is fast becoming a climate emergency, which means we all have to do our bit when it comes to using energy responsibly. Using renewable energy will not only help to cut your energy bills, but it will also help cut your carbon footprint.

How to choose the right renewable energy for your small business

As you can see, the cost of installing renewable energy sources varies greatly, as does the return on investment, so it’s important to make sure you choose the right option for your business. It might even help to set up your renewables project as another department within your business, or even as a separate business entirely, with its own stakeholders, budget and targets.

If you choose to start a renewable energy company within your business, you’ll need to consider the following:

THE AMBITIONS OF STAKEHOLDERS

The first thing to do is draw up a list of stakeholders in the project, before getting input and insights from everyone involved. This will help you define exactly how and why you’re generating your own energy and give you a good idea of which alternative energy sources are best for your business.

THE SIZE AND LOCATION OF YOUR BUSINESS

The size of your business will determine the amount you can reasonably spend on the project, while your location will help you work out which source of renewable energy is best. If, for instance, your business premises is in a relatively open location and has a roof with a large surface area, then solar panels could be your best bet. If, on the other hand, you’re located near the coast, wind turbines could offer a more efficient option. The location of your business could also determine whether or not you’ll be able to get planning permission, which will also play a part in your decision.

THE REASONS FOR GENERATING YOUR OWN ENERGY

Generating your own energy has many benefits, so you’ll need to figure out which are most important to your business when putting your plans together, taking into account the following:

• Lower energy bills

• Increased revenue

• Lower carbon emissions

Are there funding options for renewable energy?

• Greater sustainability

• Perception of your business

If you need help with the initial costs for commercial renewable energy installations, there are funding options available:

RENEWABLE HEAT INCENTIVE

This provides financial support for the installation of renewable heat alternatives. Almost all of the renewable energy technologies outlined above can be covered with funding by the RHI. The non-domestic RHI closed to new applicants on March 2021.

ENHANCED CAPITAL ALLOWANCES

If you invest in certain energy-saving equipment, you can write off the total cost of the equipment against your taxable profit as a 100% first-year capital allowance.

THE GREEN DEAL

This allows you to pay for the cost of implementing energy-saving technologies through savings on your energy bills.

SALIX FINANCE

This is a government-funded scheme providing interest-free loans to public sector organisations to carry out energy-efficiency improvements.

POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT

An agreement with a private funder, who will buy the generated energy at a set rate. They’ll own the renewable energy system and claim subsidy rewards.

LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT

You rent the technology and pay for it using the income earned from government subsidies. After the lease is paid, you take ownership of the system.

BUSINESS LOAN

You’ll own the system and pay back the business loan over an agreed time period. Your bank may give you more preferential rates and terms than a lease purchase provider.

CLIENT FUNDED

You pay in full at the time of installation and can claim the government subsidy rewards for 20 years.

Businesses also used to be able to benefit from the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) scheme, but this closed for new applications on March 31, 2019. Here’s how things now stand with the scheme:

• If your business premises has an eligible system installed and you have already successfully applied for FIT payments you’ll not be affected by the scheme closure.

• If your business has installed an eligible system with an MCS certificate dated on or before March 31, 2019, you have until March 31, 2020 to apply to the scheme.

• If your business installed an eligible system on or after April 1, 2019, you wouldn’t be eligible for FITs payments. If this is the case, should keep an eye out for alternative deals offered by your business energy supplier.

EXPANDING REAL ESTATE PORTFOLIOS: ADOPTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN RETAIL

By Tom Jansons, Development Director, Jansons Property

The pandemic fuelled huge growth in e-commerce as lockdowns restricted access to brick and mortar shops, and drove digitisation across the industry. And with the Government’s climate targets, retail fleets are increasingly adopting electric vehicles (EVs). However, while it is encouraging to see the retail industry moving towards more environmentally conscious logistics, research conducted by ChargedEV found that 33% of companies using or considering using EVs have no charging points at their company premises. And a bigger problem still, is the lack of stop gap charging provisions that have been installed. As both EV ownership and charging are still in their infancy, there is a severe lack of charging infrastructure.

As quoted in The Economist: “Forget Tesla’s production hell. The hardest bit of EVs is the powering up.”

And with the upward trajectory of e-commerce, this teething problem for commercial EV adoption only seems to be growing. Internet shopping is now more popular in the UK than any other country, according to the International Trade Administrator 2022 UK Commercial Report. Consumer eCommerce now accounts for 30% of the total retail market in the UK (up from 20% in 2020), with ecommerce annual revenue totalling over $120 billion. From such growth in this market and immediate urgency in the market, demand and workload for retail fleets have unsurprisingly followed suit.

But simultaneously, the Government’s Net Zero targets still stand and fully transitioning to complete adoption of electric vehicles across personal, pub -

The pandemic fuelled huge growth in e-commerce as lockdowns restricted access to brick and mortar shops, and drove digitisation across the industry. And with the Government’s climate targets, retail fleets are increasingly adopting electric vehicles (EVs). However, while it is encouraging to see the retail industry moving towards more environmentally conscious logistics, research conducted by ChargedEV found that 33% of companies using or considering using EVs have no charging points at their company premises.

lic and commercial transport is pivotal to reaching them. The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has stated that all vehicles – including heavy-goods vehicles (HGVs) – must be fossil fuel free by 2050 if we are to achieve net zero goals. However, while drivers are enthusiastic about the glamourous and high-tech EV revolution, a merciless bottleneck created by a lack of charging infrastructure has presented itself, halting widespread adoption.

According to an estimate by the International Energy Agency (IEA), by the end of this decade 40m public charging points will be needed, requiring an annual investment of $90bn a year as 2030 approaches. If net-zero goals are to be met, by 2050 the world will need five times as many. Hence, the UK’s 2030 ICE ban, which will see the end to sales of new petrol or diesel cars. And while there are no plans in place to completely ban petrol or diesel cars, they will only be available to buy in the second-hand market to take the first step towards full transition.

Despite more than 35,000 public charging points across the UK, Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer research found that charging infrastructure was cited as the biggest barrier to EV adoption for 59% of fleets. The availability of the necessary infrastructure though will entirely depend on grid capacity and land availability in prime locations for fleet charging and parking. This means a swift transition may not be feasible across the board and some countries will be slower to adopt EV fleets. And while up to a third of the power required for EV fleet charging can be produced on site, the power sourced must be renewable to meet climate targets.

The real estate industry clearly has a role to play in resolving this but adding EV charging facilities is relatively new to most real estate owners. Investment into this area must be well-informed as failure to evaluate and strategically plan for EV charging brings the risk of stressed power grids, low quality implementation and therefore missed revenue. However, it does have the potential to present a win/win bonus of differentiating portfolios and securing a competitive advantage when full EV adoption becomes the norm. Big players in e-commerce like Amazon have already started building multi-storey parks with hundreds of charging points for vans but other smaller depots can fit very few charging points; despite the clear benefits of a £15 per day cost to charge and park versus £5-10 per day for parking and around £60-70 per day on diesel, as well as taking steps towards net zero. So, although the incentive and

willingness for transition to EVs is there, the current availability of charging points is an operationally useless number.

However, as fleets make up 6 million out of the 30 million vehicles on the road, EV infrastructure has been focussed on personal drivers. Unsurprisingly, it is not appropriate for fleet drivers to use these, presenting an almost untapped market for real estate investors and landowners, particularly in prime locations lining major motorways. So, it is an opportune time now to utilise such spaces as EV adoption is still relatively new – and we will likely see a land grab in the near future similar to that of the fibre space to develop competitive and comprehensive networks. This competition will further accelerate the formation of charging networks and reduce range anxiety to support further EV penetration across the country and the sooner this happens, the more viable the widespread adoption of EV fleets.

As a result of this, our strategy going forward focusses on acquiring sites suitable for EV infrastructure, as a property investor and developer. This process starts with developing relationships with distribution and fleet companies as well as land owners to provide this much needed infrastructure.

Tesla’s production hell.

The hardest bit of EVs is the powering up. ” “

SCIENTISTS BREAK WORLD RECORD FOR SOLAR POWER WINDOW MATERIAL

Scientists have achieved a new world record for a next-generation solar cell, which holds the promise for novel applications like building-integrated and window solar panels.

The breakthrough follows two years of research from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University into organic solar cells (OSCs), which until now have been too inefficient and costly to be used widely in practical applications.

The research team invented a new technique to boost the stability of OSCs, achieving a powerconversion efficiency of 19.3 per cent.

“The new finding will make OSC research an exciting field, and this will likely create tremendous opportunities in applications like portable electronics and building-integrated photovoltaics,” said Li Gang, a professor of energy conversion technology at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

“This is a very encouraging result for the longstanding research on OSCs that I have conducted over the past two decades. We have already achieved better OSC efficiency and this will subsequently help accelerate the applications of solar energy.”

Professor Li and his team believe an efficiency rate above 20 per cent is now achievable using their new technique.

The research is detailed in a study, titled ‘19.3% Binary Organic Solar Cell and Low Non-Radiative Recombination Enabled by Non-Monotonic Intermediate State Transition’, published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.

The 19.3 per cent efficiency record is still a long way off other solar cell technologies, with researchers passing the 30 per cent barrier last year with a tandem design that used the so-called “miracle material” perovskite.

OSCs are more lightweight and flexible than traditional silicon-based solar panels, as they consist of thin layers of organic semiconducting materials.

The materials used are more environmentally friendly and 1,000-times thinner than silicon solar cells, meaning they have the potential to be vastly cheaper. They are also semi-transparent, allowing them to be used not just within building materials, but also on windows.

Dozens of startups are already working

on novel applications for harvesting solar energy, such as London-based Filia, which integrates solar technology into blackout blinds.

California-based Ubiquitous Energy raised more than $30 million last year to push forward its vision of turning skyscrapers into “vertical solar farms” through the development of windows capable of converting sunlight into electricity. The firm aims to begin production at some point next year following further research and development.

SCIENTISTS HAVE DISCOVERED A METHOD OF PRODUCING BATTERY MATERIALS

FROM BREWERY WASTE

The researchers were able to use used grain from a nearby brewery as a bioresource. From this source, carbon is obtained to be used as electrodes in batteries and super capacitors.

“We have been investigating the suitability of different biological raw materials for years to obtain the carbon-containing materials we use to manufacture energy storage devices,” says Professor Andrea Balducci from the University of Jena, The Independent reported.

“Brewery waste also meets important criteria for this: Its chemical composition is in principle very suitable for the applications we are targeting. “Scientists stated that breweries are scattered all over Europe, so that wastes can be easily obtained as raw materials for this process.

The European Union produces about 7 billion tons of used grain, of which about 1.5 billion tons is produced in Germany alone.

“Such waste could be an interesting option in producing materials for supercapacitors, if some factors, such as the cost of the chemical composition of the raw material, could be improved further,” says Professor Balducci.

“We will work on other projects to better understand the advantages and limitations of using this abundant material so it can then be more widely used in sustainable energy storage production.”

The research is detailed in a study titled “Brewery waste derived activated carbon for high performance electrochemical capacitors and lithium-ion capacitors” published in the academic journals Electrochimica Acta and Energy Technology. .

The study forms part of a growing field of research into unusual materials that could be used as batteries in consumer electronics or large-capacity storage solutions for renewable energy technologies such as wind and solar.

Last year, scientists in the US developed a new type of biodegradable battery from crab shells, while this year a team from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis discovered that abandoned underground mines can be converted to store large amounts of energy using gravity batteries.

A team of chemists at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena in Germany suggests that this technique could convert billions of tons of byproducts from brewers into energy storage devices “for a climate-friendly future.”