Month: September 2024

The automotive industry is facing one of the biggest challenges since the car was invented. What could we see in the future from how they are fuelled?

Among the wider world, there’s a big focus on climate change and how our impact on the environment can be reduced. In the motoring scene, that means bringing down carbon emissions and putting more weight behind electrification, which is why we’re seeing a far greater number of electric vehicles released with each passing month.

However, there are some alternatives to electric vehicles that have emerged, but what are they and could they provide us with a cleaner way to get from A to B? Let’s take a look.

Smaller, more efficient petrol engines

Believe it or not, petrol engines are the most efficient they have ever been. A lot of that comes down to increased development, the wider use of turbochargers and a greater number of smaller-capacity engines which put efficiency right at the top of the list of priorities. Plus, the integration of mild-hybrid systems into petrol – and occasionally diesel – engines has allowed them to squeeze extra miles out of every drop of fuel.

Mild-hybrid technology is becoming more and more popular among car manufacturers as it offers a lot of advantages to greener motoring for not that much more money for the consumer. A car that features the system has a small electric motor installed that is used to recoup lost energy from braking which is then stored and can be used later on to help boost efficiency even further. With this, the life of the petrol engine in general is being extended.

Sustainable fuels

Sustainable fuels are made through agricultural or animal waste, which is said to cut CO2 emissions by as much as 80 per cent, according to a 2019 renewable fuel statistics report by the government.

Another point to make is that this fuel doesn’t need an engine to be modified to any extent in order to run on it. Plus, existing petrol stations should, in theory, be able to store and deliver sustainable fuels in the same way as ‘usual’ fuels.

E-fuels

Similar to sustainable fuel, but with different elements involved. Like with the former, E-fuels could play a big part in our transportation emission goals as it offers the same practicality of modern internal-combustion engines with far fewer emissions in the manufacturing process.

E-fuels or synthetic fuels as they are more commonly known as are made from captured CO2 and hydrogen through a process called electrolysis. The benefits are that no fossil fuels are used in the making and as with sustainables it can be easily adapted to our engines and petrol station networks. The only downsides at this stage is the cost – however with more and more litres produced on a global scale, prices per litre will begin to drop. Porsche is a big believer in synthetic fuels and has already created a production site in Chile where it will manufacture its own e-fuels.

Hydrogen fuel cell

What is seen as the EVs biggest rival is the hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle. This alternative could play a massive part in the future, however here in the UK it hasn’t taken off due to the high costs of the cars that feature a fuel cell drivetrain and the lack of infrastructure. One of the big benefits of a hydrogen car is its by-product of only water, while a full fill-up of hydrogen only takes slightly longer than that for a petrol or diesel car.

The powertrain consists of an electric motor and a fuel cell. The hydrogen is the substance and then is mixed with air which is fed into the fuel cell which then makes an electrochemical reaction which turns into electricity, heat and water vapour.

Hydrogen internal combustion

Car companies such as Toyota are undertaking the development of the internal combustion engine that we all know, but fueling it with one of the most abundant elements in the universe – hydrogen.

The firm has also competed in the Super Taikyu 24-hour race at Fuji Speedway last year to see if the technology could move on to motorsport, too.

Currently in its development stage, passenger models such as the GR Yaris and Corolla Cross (not available in the UK) are being put through their paces to see whether this technology could work as a traditional fuel of the future. Furthermore, like with fuel cell vehicles, the only emissions created is water vapour, meaning that this alternative gives all of the benefits of a normal engine with none of the drawbacks.

By Cameron Richards

The firm’s electric SUV variants have just gone on sale here in the UK and now they can go further thanks to new battery packs.

Peugeot has announced that its new E-3008 and E-5008 electric SUVs will be available with a new long-range variant, giving them some of the best electric ranges in their classes.

At present, both cars get a 73kWh battery which brings a range of up to 326 miles for the E-3008, while a battery of the same size is utilised in the larger E-5008, delivering a slightly lower range of up to 310 miles per charge.

However, the new powertrain available on both models will feature a larger 96.9kWh battery pack and a more powerful electric motor that now produces a total of 233bhp.

In terms of electric driving range, Peugeot claims that the e-3008 can do a total distance of 435 miles and the larger e-5008 can reach up to 415 miles between trips to the plug, representing a considerable uptick on the ranges offered by the smaller-battery versions.

Both models will be compatible with 160kW DC rapid charging enabling the cars to be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in 27 minutes – or 93 miles in 10 minutes.

Prices for the 96.9kWh E-3008 start at £48,550, a £2,700 jump over the 73kWh car. However, prices for the longe range E-5008 have not been revealed yet, but it’s expected to cost over £50,000 when the two cars go on sale later this year.

However, these new long-range versions won’t replace the smaller 73kWh battery variants, which will still be offered for those drivers who don’t need quite as many miles between trips to the plug.

By Cameron Richards

British brand MG is considering creating a new sporting sub-brand to widen the appeal of its electric cars.

MG is mulling over introducing a sporty sub-brand in the UK to give its core electric model range a more ‘sporting’ and ‘aggressive’ look.

Over the last decade, the Chinese-owned British brand has worked hard on building up a reputation for making good value family cars, latterly electric models boasting long ranges and competitive prices.

Now though, the marque, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, is keen to leverage its sporting character it has been known for since the 1920s.

It has already introduced the exotic Cyberster electric two-seater sports car and revived the XPower name for a high performance version of its MG4 electric hatchback, but now UK bosses are contemplating other ways the carmaker can add further sporting appeal such as creating a new sub-brand.

The sub-brand won’t be all about performance, though, but it would focus on giving its electric models a sporty feel at an affordable price and sit alongside XPower.

‘I do see having a sporting sub-brand which isn’t as extreme as XPower as something we would like, and conversations are taking place,’ MG Motor UK’s commercial director, Guy Pigounakis, told the PA news agency.

‘The very high performance element, XPower, is one thing, but when you look at the likes of Hyundai’s N Line, for example, they are tremendously popular but most of it is about perception and cosmetics. Very little of it is about engineering changes such as suspension settings and brakes.’

Pigounakis said the main reason why MG wants to develop a new sub-brand that focuses on sporty styling rather than chasing BMW’s M and Mercedes-AMG is because those names are associated with petrol engines – and that technology only has a limited shelf life.

‘It won’t necessarily be a high performance brand because of emissions. Many high performance brands, without mentioning them, use high performance petrol engines and they’re having to stop selling them because they are, by definition, the dirtiest cars you could possibly make,’ he explained. ‘Everyone loves them – the popping and banging from the exhaust and they drive fantastically, but from an emissions point of view they are a disaster.

‘So, the opportunity really is electric cars, and for us it’s about producing sportier, more aggressive versions of our core cars, which I’m sure we will take the opportunity of doing.’

He added: ‘The only problem is that some of the MGs we are launching in the UK over the next 12 to 18 months aren’t sporty, but it’s about how you take that forwards. When you look at how MG Rover brought out MG versions of Rovers [in the early 2000s], the intention was there and it worked.’

Pigounakis is very experienced in creating and launching new sporting brands. He was part of Rover Group when BMW broke up the company in 2000, which in turn became MG Rover. To build excitement and to generate quick profits, the newly independent MG Rover relaunched the MG brand in 2001 with a range of sporting saloons badged ZR, ZS and ZT, and created the XPower brand for its high performance road car and motor racing interests.

Before the the launch of the 429bhp MG4 XPower last year, the only car to have worn the XPower name was the SV sports car of 2002. A whole range of XPower-badged models was anticipated but the company went bust in 2005, and was later bought by current Chinese owners SAIC.

By James Batchelor

All new vehicles now come fitted with mandatory speed limiters which fit into EU regulations.

Drivers in the UK could face ‘serious consequences’ if they tamper with new vehicle speed limiters – according to a leading car parts distributor.

As of July 7 this year, all new vehicles in the EU have to come fitted with Intelligent Speed Assist. The system reads every road sign and then displays the speed limit on the dashboard for the driver to obey. However, if the speed limit is exceeded a warning chime will sound to slow down the driver.

GSF Car Parts has revealed if drivers modify their vehicles to remove or bypass the limiter, they could find themselves impacting their insurance with companies not paying in the event of an incident. Manufacturer warranties could be voided, too.

Furthermore, by fiddling with speed limiters, it could lead to further risks of damaging the vehicle’s ECU or engine management system which could lead to greater problems further down the line with the vehicle’s reliability and safety.

As the UK is not part of the EU, the rules do not comply with British standards. However, vehicle manufacturers will still fit Intelligent Speed Assist to UK specified vehicles due to improving road safety and it will be more cost effective for the manufacturer, too. Meanwhile, tampering with the system could still lead to further risks of ECU and engine management damage.

Steve Horne, CEO of GSF Car Parts, said: “It is clear that drivers could face severe consequences for trying to remove this technology, from insurance issues to even legal action. Whether motorists decide to modify or not, we always urge drivers to drive safely and stick to the limit to keep themselves and others on the road safe.”

By Cameron Richards

McLaren’s Formula One driver, Lando Norris, drove the one-off around the legendary Silverstone race circuit.

Formula 1 driver Land Norris has been performance testing a very special vehicle – a McLaren P1 made entirely from Lego bricks.

The car is built up of a total of 342,817 elements and weighs around 1,220kg. Even though the body is made up entirely of Lego, it has traditional mechanical components to make sure it still drives like the normal car. It has fully functional steering, an electric motor which features a standard battery pack and Lego Technic function batteries to make the car go for longer, too.

A total of 23 specialists for its design, engineering, and building from the Lego Group and McLaren Automotive consisted a total of 8,344 hours of development as well as a total of 393 different types of Lego Technic elements that go into the P1.

To make sure the car worked as it should, McLaren decided to use its Formula One driver, Lando Norris, to complete a lap around the legendary Silverstone race track – which is the ideal location as it holds a lot of history for the McLaren brand.

Ben Gulliver, test and development director for McLaren Automotive, said: “Having worked on the original P1 programme for McLaren, it’s amazing to see so many of the elements from the original McLaren P1 brought to life so realistically by the Lego Technic Team for the full-scale model.”

He added: “This project marks the latest in a long list of collaborations between the Lego Group and McLaren, bringing together McLaren engineers and the Lego model production team from conception all the way to the final build.”

By Cameron Richards

The firm’s Fabia, Scala and Kamiq will receive the Edition treatment with a total of £1,900 worth of extra equipment as standard.

Skoda has revealed new Edition trim levels for its Fabia, Scala and Kamiq models, that focus on value for money.

Kicking off with the smallest vehicle in the brand’s range, the Fabia, its trim levels now consist of SE Edition, Design Edition, SE L Edition and Monte Carlo Edition. Standard equipment now includes keyless entry and start, cruise control and dual-zone climate control.

Meanwhile, the larger Scala and Kamiq will also see Edition models replace outgoing trim specifications in a bid to improve standard specifications. Both models come in three guises; SE Edition, SE L Edition and Monte Carlo Edition. In terms of equipment, all cars come with a 10.25-inch virtual cockpit, a rear-view camera and metallic paint as standard, among other features.

All grades now come with an added total of £1,900 worth of standard specifications compared to its previous models.

Prices for the new Fabia range start at £19,880 and rise to £23,115, while the Scala begins at £22,255 for the entry-level model and continues to £27,955. Finally, the larger Kamiq is priced from £24,190 and rises to £29,435 for the Monte Carlo Edition.

Order books open for all Edition models from September 19, with first customers expecting deliveries by the end of this year.

By Cameron Richards

The firm is developing a prototype that will be competing in one of the most famous racing in motorsport history – the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Genesis has revealed that it will be fielding an entry into the gruelling FIA World Endurance Championship.

The luxury sub-brand of Hyundai’s new LMDH car is currently in the works and will be the car that will take on one of the most famous races in motorsports history – the 24 hours of Le Mans. The LMDH ruleset requires competitors to use a variety of off-the-shelf components rather than the equivalent Le Mans Hypercar specification.

LMDH stands for Le Mans Daytona H, which is a sports prototype category that competes with the Hypercar class in the FIA World Endurance Championships.

Great news from Genesis today…#WEC #Genesis #Hyundai pic.twitter.com/qQkBBZsveB

— FIA World Endurance Championship (@FIAWEC) September 12, 2024

There are limited details regarding the vehicle that will be entering and there has been no further information regarding the announcement of the brand to the series.

An Instagram post from the FIA World Endurance Championships, said: “Hyundai’s luxury brand Genesis has today made official its intention to join endurance racing in the near future. Potential FIA World Endurance Championship entry remains subject to WEC selection committee approval.”

The luxury sub-brand of Hyundai is taking racing and its performance vehicles seriously, with its upcoming Magma series which includes hot versions of its G80, GV60 and GV80 models. It’s likely that this upcoming racecar will play a direct role in influencing future Genesis models and could bring trickle-down technology, as is often the case with road cars linked to Formula 1.

Genesis has not announced when its LMDH prototype will be entering into the World Endurance Championships, however with the WEC season nearly over, a 2025 entry could possibly be the perfect opportunity.

By Cameron Richards

One of Britain’s favourite cars is now a world record holder for its latest TV campaign which debuts this month.

The Nissan Qashqai has just broken the Guinness World Record for the highest bungee jump in a car.

It comes as part of the car’s latest TV campaign which will debut this month as part of the current model’s recent facelift. The updates of the new model include a new front grille, redesigned alloy wheel designs as well as enhancement to the interior with a larger infotainment screen and updated e-Power hybrid powertrains.

To achieve this world record, a collaboration between Nissan France, its agencies from Fuse and Nissan United decided to place the car on a 65-metre-high basket with a stunt driver behind the wheel. A panel from Guinness World Records also attended the making of the stunt and awarded the team with the prize for the highest bungee jump in a car.

Jerome Biguet, Marketing Director of Nissan France, said: “This is the kind of daring and therefore furiously essential challenge that we love at Nissan. The brand has always shown its ability to innovate and shake up habits with audacity and sometimes even impertinence. In its various TV spots, the Qashqai has tried skateboarding, surfing, paintball…each time thrilling activities. The new campaign will see it jumping from building to building.

The idea of a bungee jump to symbolise the personality of the new Qashqai quickly came to mind.”

Built in Sunderland, the Qashqai remains one of Nissan’s most popular models and sits above the Juke in the firm’s range.

The campaign for the new Qashqai was shown on French television on September 8, while further advertisements for the car will roll out in other countries later this month.

By Cameron Richards