The automotive industry issued renewed pleas for electric car purchase incentives after new figures showed a decline in the vehicles’ market share.
Some 15.2% of new cars registered in March were pure electrics, down from 16.2% during the same month last year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.
The industry body urged the Government to halve VAT on the purchase of new electric vehicles (EVs), amend plans to introduce vehicle excise duty for EVs, and reduce VAT on public EV charging to bring it into line with home charging.
Under the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, at least 22% of new cars sold by each manufacturer in the UK this year must be zero-emission, which in most cases means they are pure electrics.
The threshold will rise annually until it reaches 100% by 2035.
Manufacturers who fail to comply or make use of flexibilities – such as carrying over allowances from previous years or purchasing credits from rival companies – will be required to pay the Government £15,000 per polluting vehicle sold above the limits.
Across all powertrains, some 317,786 new cars were registered last month.
That is an increase of 10.4% compared with March 2023.
Growth was driven by purchases for large fleets (up 29.6%), while demand from private buyers fell by 7.7%.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “Market growth continues, fuelled by fleets investing after two tough years of constrained supply.
“A sluggish private market and shrinking EV market share, however, show the challenge ahead.
“Manufacturers are providing compelling offers, but they can’t single-handedly fund the transition indefinitely.
“Government support for private consumers – not just business and fleets – would send a positive message and deliver a faster, fairer transition on time and on target.”
Swedish brand is partnering up with Mattel’s Hot Wheels, with the winner being made into a real Hot Wheels model.
Polestar is running a design contest in partnership with Hot Wheels with the winning creation becoming part of the toy company’s offering.
Not only will the winning design be made into a Hot Wheels toy car, but there’s a chance that the creation could be made into a real production version of the model, too.
Entrants are encouraged to be as imaginative as possible with their designs, colours and performance figures.
Maximilian Missoni, Polestar’s head of design said: “This is a chance for all participating designers to really push that Polestar envelope and let their imagination run riot.”
The finalists in the competition will receive one-to-one coaching by Polestar and Hot Wheels design professionals to refine their final submissions before a winner is decided.
Ted Wu, VP and global head of vehicle design at Mattel said: “Both Polestar and Hot Wheels dedicate time, energy and skill to ensure design is at the core of our vehicles.
“The Hot Wheels design team has always challenged the conventional approach and the Polestar design contest allows the design community to showcase their skills and wow us with something we have never seen before, and we cannot wait to see the submissions.”
Previous Polestar design contests have seen a car which tackles air pollution with on-board and externally visible air filters, while an electric and helium airship has also been imagined.
A previous winner of the Polestar design competition was in 2022-2023 with this 600bhp supercar called the Polestar Synergy. (Credit: Polestar media)
Juan Pablo Bernal, interior design manager at Polestar said: “I believe this year’s Hot Wheels collaboration will push the design community to work outside their traditional comfort zones by balancing the minimalist Polestar brand essence with the extreme Hot Wheels aesthetic.”
The Polestar design competition started on March 5 and runs until April 16 with a winner expected to be revealed in the fourth quarter of 2024.
The first public release of items from the late rally and stunt driver will go under the hammer.
An auction of items belonging to the late rally and stunt-driving legend Ken Block is underway online.
The auction listing includes car parts, art pieces, collectables, sourced parts from Block’s Gymkhana series, rally races and other highlights in his career.
All the proceeds will go towards the 43 Institute, which ‘creates paths of opportunity’ into motorsport, action sports and creative arts for the next generation ‘of aspiring talent regardless of their financial means’. The auction runs from April 3 to April 13.
The number 43 was Block’s racing number, with 43 individual collectables being included as part of this sale, which is being conducted by eBay Motors.
Chris Phil, global VP of eBay Motors said: “Ken Block was an undeniable inspiration to car lovers and fans everywhere – he united automotive and pop culture in a way that no one else could.
“We are deeply honoured to partner with the Block family and support Ken’s commitment to the community by connecting our enthusiasts to his legacy through these one-of-one pieces.”
During Ken Block’s life, he co-founded the skating brand DC Shoes, had a varied rally career and created his famous internet driving series called ‘Gymkhana’.
He passed away aged 55 in January 2023, following a snowmobile accident in Utah, USA.
Pictured: Lucy Block, Ken Block’s wife. The 43 institute was setup by the Block family after the 55-year-old’s fatal accident in Utah in January 2023. (Credit: Ebay Motors)
His wife, Lucy Block, also a pro rally driver and Block house racing principal said: “Ken was passionate about motorsports, action sports, creative arts and giving back to those communities. We founded 43 institute after his passing to carry on his empowerment of others.
“Opening our archives for the first time with Ebay motors and sharing a piece of his career with fans is the perfect way to honour his legacy.”
The compact crossover gets a price cut thanks to a new trim level in the range.
The electric version of the Vauxhall Mokka has just had a price cut thanks to a new trim level – Griffin.
The Mokka Electric Griffin now starts from £29,495 making it the cheapest new electric SUV on sale – and £7,000 cheaper than the original entry-level Mokka that started from £36,610.
On the outside, the Mokka Electric Griffin gets 17-inch alloy wheels, tinted rear windows, LED headlights, tailights and daytime running lights as well as a contrasting black roof.
Inside, there is a seven-inch colour touchscreen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and also features a rear-view camera as well as a seven-inch digital instrument cluster.
The Mokka Griffin also comes with Vauxhall connect which allows drivers to pre-heat the cabin temperature and schedule their charging remotely via their smartphone.
Furthermore, the Griffin model also comes with rear parking sensors, heated front seats and steering wheel, automatic climate control and keyless start.
Under the bonnet is a 50kWh battery which provides an electric range of 209 miles and links with an electric motor that produces 134bhp and 260Nm of torque.
Introducing the special edition Vauxhall Mokka Electric Griffin – where style meets comfort in a compact electric SUV. Griffin trim enhances the Mokka’s striking design with a sleek black roof and tinted windows.🌟 Starting at £29,495 🔗 https://t.co/sFbm6BF1i5pic.twitter.com/RlXqzcptNf
Charging from a 100kW rapid charger means the Mokka Electric Griffin can be taken from zero to 80 per cent in just half an hour, while a standard home wallbox will charge this EV from zero to 100 per cent charge in seven and a half hours.
Orders will open for the Mokka electric Griffin on April 17 with the first deliveries expected in June.
The Cyberbeast is the top-of-the-line Cybertruck with 856bhp and has an electric range of 320 miles.
The auction for the first Tesla Cyberbeast is underway at Sotheby Motorsports in Florida.
There is no reserve allowing the truck to sell for any price when the auction ends on April 9, though bidding was kicked off at $75,000 (£59,700). At the time of writing, seven bids had been placed with the truck’s auction price standing at $87,000 (£69,200).
The Cyberbeast is the top-of-the-line model in the Cybertruck range, packing 856bhp and an electric range of 320 miles alongside a claimed 0-60mph time of just 2.6 seconds and a towing capacity of five and a half tonnes.
Colleen Cash, president of Sotheby’s Motorsport, said: “The Cybertruck and Cyberbeast have seized the global spotlight in a manner unlike any vehicle launch before, marking a pop culture phenomenon.
“We believe that the Cyberbeast will become an iconic symbol of this era, much like the DeLorean has for past generations. This auction represents a rare opportunity to own a piece of automotive history.”
Tesla’s Cybertruck had to pass several hurdles before it could enter production, including the fabrication of the highly durable steel exterior. Despite being first shown in 2019, it took until December 1, 2023, for the Cybertruck to be showcased in production-ready form.
The Cyberbeast can do 0-60mph in 2.6 seconds as has an electric range of 320 miles, while producing 856bhp. (Credit Sotheby’s Motorsport)
When the Cyberbeast goes on sale, the base price will be the equivalent of £79,500 – however with the first Cyberbeast under auction with no reserve, it’s anticipated to exceed above and beyond that price tag.
Unfortunately, there are no plans to bring the Cyberbeast and Cybertruck models to the UK.
The hot version of the Renault 5 E-Tech will receive more power and better aerodynamics.
The world debut for the hotly anticipated Alpine A290 is just around the corner with the 24 hours of Le Mans being the destination of its unveil this summer.
The A290 was showcased last year in concept form, with this upcoming hot hatch underpinning by the same platform as the new Renault 5 E-Tech.
The new city car is the first electric model to be in Alpine’s range and will mark a turning point in the brand’s future.
The A290 will use the same platform as the Renault 5 E-Tech with the AmpR platform. (Credit: Alpine cars Media)
The concept, which debuted in May 2023, gave the impression that Alpine wanted to make an urban city car with sports car credentials and showed that the company wanted to still build driver-focused cars with sustainable motorsport pedigree.
The A290 will be entering into a new and competitive market with EV hot hatches, directly competing with the Abarth 500e, MG4 XPower and Volkswagen ID.3 GTX.
The new Alpine will share the same platform as the new Renault 5 E-Tech with its AmpR small platform but the A290 will get more power, chassis tweaks and suspension upgrades compared to the standard 5 E-Tech.
Further details will be revealed nearer the car’s launch, with prices and specifications still not confirmed for the UK market – but expect a premium over the standard Renault 5 E-Tech’s starting price of around £23,000 when A290 goes on sale.
The new Alpine A290 will be unveiled to the public at the Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race on June 13, 2024.
Government to commission a study into headlight glare after RAC research found more drivers being affected.
An online petition of nearly 11,000 signatures has prompted the government to launch a study into the issue of headlight glare.
The petition, set up by a member of the public but campaigned for by the RAC, reflects a recent study by the breakdown assistance provider which found as many as eight-in-10 drivers believe that the problem of headlight glare is getting worse.
A recent survey of 2,000 drivers found that 89 per cent think headlights on modern cars are too bright – and some 91 per cent say they get dazzled and 74 per cent say that it happens regularly.
Rod Dennis, RAC road safety spokesperson said: “The fact the government has listened to drivers’ concerns and heeded our calls to examine the complex issue of headlight glare in more detail marks a real turning point.
“Brighter headlights, while giving drivers a better view of the road ahead, are clearly causing other road users significant problems. As many as nine-in-10 drivers tell us they believe at least some car headlights are too bright, while 14 per cent of drivers aged 65 plus say they have stopped driving altogether as a result of being dazzled.”
The petition will need to receive at least 100,000 signatures for the issue to be discussed in parliament.
Baroness Hayter said: “This is a victory for all those drivers affected by glare who’ve complained to their MP, signed the parliamentary petition, or indeed sought help from an optometrist – only to discover the problem was with headlights, and not their eyes.
“This is an issue the RAC has long campaigned on and I am delighted the Government has recognised there is a real problem. We look forward to discussing its research in due course.”
With the motor industry putting all of its eggs into the EV basket, does hydrogen fuel cell technology still have its place in the market?
Hydrogen fuel cell technology could be the answer to all motorists’ prayers – it offers the promise of zero-emission motoring with the ease and practicality of internal combustion-engined vehicles.
However, even though hydrogen sounds like the answer, it has never caught on in passenger vehicles, mainly because of the hurdles the technology has been trying to jump through.
Production costs are high, a lack of government funding for infrastructure expansion hasn’t helped and the vehicles available come with very hefty price tags attached to them.
Currently, there are only two hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the market, and as of March 2023, only 15 hydrogen filling stations were in the UK.
Does it all mean that hydrogen-powered cars are only a recent creation? Well, dig beneath the surface and you’ll find that there have been many hydrogen-fuelled vehicles before and though uptake is steady, they are still catching the eye of car manufacturers.
Here is our list of the current and past cars that have used hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Present:
Toyota Mirai: £49,995 to £64,995
The Toyota Mirai is now in its second generation and the latest model offers up to 400 miles on single tank of hydrogen. (Credit: Toyota media UK)
The Toyota Mirai is now in its second generation and is one of the most well-known and recognisable fuel cell electric vehicles on sale.
Originally launched in 2015, the Mirai offered car buyers a taste of the hydrogen world. It could do 300 miles on a full tank of hydrogen and would take no longer than a few minutes to fill up – as long as you had a hydrogen filling station nearby.
The second generation car came out in 2021 and was better looking and cheaper, starting at just under £50,000, while more range and increased power made the whole car better.
The new Mirai can do 400 miles on a tank and produces 178bhp from its electric motor, however, its small boot and cramped rear seating don’t make it a very practical car nor does the slow 0-60mph time of 8.8 seconds make it a fast one either.
But the Mirai drives really well for a very heavy and bulbous car, with decent steering and not too much body roll in the corners.
Hyundai Nexo: £65,995 to £69,495
The Hyundai Neto comes with a range of 414 miles and a big price tag, starting at £65,995. (Credit: Hyundai press)
The only other new car today that offers hydrogen power is the rather expensive Hyundai Nexo.
The Nexo has been around since 2018 and in that time, hardly anyone has bought one.
It offers 414 miles on a tank and is priced from £65,995, and with its direct competitor from Toyota £16,000 cheaper, makes this very small market almost a one-man-band.
But, where the Nexo falls down in one area, it pulls itself up in other areas. The drive in the Nexo is good, there is plenty of grip around the corners and it’s very well refined, but with a slow 0-60mph time of nine seconds, it’s not going to be scaring Teslas any time soon.
Past:
Honda FCX Clarity
The second generation FCX Clarity had a range of 366 miles and was never sold in the UK. (Credit: Honda newsroom EU)
Back in 2008, Honda showed us the FCX Clarity. Originally only sold in Japan and the Californian market, Honda used the FCX Clarity to set the ball rolling for the mass production of hydrogen fuel cell passenger vehicles.
Then in 2017, Honda released the second generation FCX clarity fuel cell exclusively to the Californian market. Not only that, they were available with only 12 approved Honda dealers, one in Sacramento, six in Southern California and five in San Francisco.
The second generation car came with 139bhp and had a range of 366 miles on a tank, however, Honda never brought the FCX Clarity to the European market.
Hyundai iX35 FCEV
The Hyundai ix35 FCEV was an experiment to see if hydrogen fuel cell passenger vehicles would work in the real world. (Credit: Hyundai press)
Another Hyundai on this list is the ix35 FCEV. Hyundai has a history of producing fuel cell vehicles in concept form but has frequently made production-ready hydrogen cars too. The ix35 FCEV was an experiment to see if the mass markets could adapt to another battery-electric alternative.
In 2015, Hyundai made 1000 examples of the ix35 FCEV and 250 were in active service throughout 11 European countries.
The ix35 FCEV came with a fuel cell motor that produced the equivalent of 134bhp, had a hydrogen capacity of 144 litres, did 100mph and could manage 369 miles on a single tank.
Mercedes F-Cell
The F Cell was a long-wheel-base A Class that produced 87bhp and a range of 99 miles. (Credit: Mercedes press media)
You may think that this list is dominated by Japanese and South Korean manufacturers – but Germany has also taken hydrogen research and development seriously, too.
Back in 2003, Mercedes got hold of an A-Class long-wheel-base and created the F-Cell. The A-Class F-Cell came with an 87bhp electric motor and had a range of 99 miles – poor by modern standards but impressive for more than two decades ago.
In 2004, four F-Cell A-Class’ were delivered to Deutsche Telekom and BEWAG Vattenfall Europe under their Clean Energy partnership project – which were the first fuel stations to use hydrogen filling pumps in Europe.
The starting price is now under £40,000 and can be purchased via online or dealer network.
Honda has revised the prices of its e:NY1 electric SUV to help boost its appeal and persuade customers to go electric.
The e:NY1 went on sale in 2023, but, to help with sales, Honda will now sell the entry-level e:NY1 Elegance from £39,995 instead of £44,995.
Order books open on April 23 and customers will be allowed to purchase via dealer network or online.
The higher-spec e:NY1 Advance will have no price reduction and is priced from £42,195 and has features like a heated steering wheel, power tailgate and a panoramic glass roof.
Rebecca Adamson, head of automobile at Honda Motor Europe Limited UK said: “April marks an exciting milestone for Honda as we unveil our new approach for the e:NY1.
The e:NY1 Advance comes with a heated steering wheel, power tailgate and panoramic roof from £42,195. (Credit Honda news EU)
‘We are incredibly excited for the future of electric mobility and are proud to offer customers an exceptional blend of convenience and affordability. This new proposition reflects our commitment to innovation and sustainability, and we are confident that it will empower customers to “Go Electric” with enthusiasm.”
The e:NY1 sits between the HR-V and ZR-V in Honda’s model line-up and is the only SUV in its range to be offered as an EV.
The e:NY1 comes with an electric range of 256 miles, while the electric motor produces 204bhp and can do 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds. It has a maximum charge rate of 78kW allowing the e:NY1 to top-up from a fast charger from 10 to 80 per cent in 45 minutes.
Research conducted by Peugeot UK found that Michelin restaurants in London scored well due to free Congestion Charge and ULEZ.
The best Michelin Green Star restaurants for electric vehicle owners have been revealed in a recent survey.
Michelin’s Green Star was introduced in 2021 and highlights Michelin-starred restaurants for their eco-credentials and sustainability in their kitchens.
New research, conducted by Peugeot, has looked into how viable these restaurants are for electric vehicle owners, taking into account the number of charge points within one mile of the restaurants, the frequency of rapid chargers within five miles, and how accessible they are from the UK’s 15 major cities with the firm’s E-308 and its 257-mile range.
The Green Star looks at the most eco-friendly restaurants around. (Credit Stellantis media)
In first place was Apricity in Mayfair, London thanks to 650 charging points within one mile and 291 rapid chargers within five miles. The restaurant could also be reached from 12 out of the 15 major cities of the UK using a full range on the E-308.
In second place was St.Barts in the city of London with 239 charging points within one mile and 254 rapid chargers within five miles. The capital scores highly due its concentrated selection of electric vehicle chargers.
In third place was Silo in Hackney, Wick, and fourth was Petersham Nurseries cafe in Richmond-upon-Thames.
The E-308 has a 257-mile electric range. (Credit: Stellantis media)
The highest restaurant outside the London area was Wilsons in Bristol which came fifth, with two charging points within one mile, though it had 20 rapid chargers within five miles of the premises.
However, the restaurants in ninth and tenth place on this list – Moor Hall in Aughton, Lancashire and Angela’s in Margate, Kent – still had fewer than ten chargers overall within five miles of the restaurants.
