Author: Jack Evans

Values of used electric cars are plummeting as buyers are increasingly turning away from these models because of rising energy prices.

According to data from automotive valuation experts Cap HPI given to Car Dealer Magazine, the average price of an electric car dropped 3.7 per cent in November, compared to the 1.2 per cent drop recorded across the market. Experts say that the additional cost of an electric over a petrol and diesel model, as well as rising charging costs, are making many shy away from choosing an EV.

The three biggest used car price falls recorded in November were all electric cars, with the Tesla Model S down £2,767 in price, accounting to a 5.9 per cent drop. Tesla’s Model 3 had fallen in value by the highest percentage (6.8 per cent), with an average price down £2,275, according to Cap HPI data. Audi’s electric e-tron SUV had also dropped in price by £2,154 (5.9 per cent).

Two further EVs also made up the top 10 biggest used car price falls in November, with the Renault Zoe down £808 (5.9 per cent) and Smart ForFour Electric dropping in value by £600 (5.9 per cent).

Speaking to Car Dealer, Derren Martin, Cap HPI’s head of valuations, said: “Consumer demand for electric vehicles has dropped away.

“Electric cars are often an aspirational purchase and in a cost of living crisis people are not necessarily going out and buying them at the moment. They’re expensive vehicles and there’s more of them coming back into the market. So it’s kind of the wrong time with demand dropping away and supply increasing – that really only leads to one thing.”

Martin added that car dealers are “concerned” about electric vehicle prices, though he says that used car prices in general aren’t going to crash in the way many predicted.

He said: “Last year, used car values went up by 30 odd per cent, which is absolutely unprecedented. A crash is just not going to happen.

“The reason that cars aren’t going to just drop in value in the used car market is because there’s just simply not enough supply. There’s two million less new car registrations in the market. Those cars are never going to appear as used cars. So there’s just not the supply there to cause a huge crash.”

Mercedes and Bosch have created the world’s first automated driverless parking function for commercial use.

The so-called ‘automated valet’ allows a driver to move into a parking garage, get out of the vehicle and send it to a pre-booked parking space all via a smartphone app. The service has no need for a driver, with the vehicle driving itself to its assigned space and parking on its own.

Later, the vehicle will automatically travel to a pre-determined pick-up point using exactly the same technology.

The system combines Bosch’s infrastructure technology and Mercedes-Benz’s car know-how. For example, Bosch’s sensors in the parking area monitor the ‘driving corridor’ and its surroundings to give the vehicle the information it needs to travel along its route safely.

This information can then be translated into actual changes of direction. Using it, Mercedes says that cars can drive up and down ramps in order to move between storeys. If an obstacle is detected, the vehicle will automatically come to a stop.

Mercedes and Bosch gained a permit in 2019 allowing the two to operate automated valet parking at the parking garage of the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart. This was undertaken using development vehicles without human drivers.

Now, however, a new approval means that the system can now be deployed in Stuttgart Airport and used by privately-owned vehicles.

Dr. Markus Heyn, member of the Bosch board of management and chairman of the Mobility Solutions business sector, said: “Driverless parking is a key aspect of automated mobility. The highly automated parking system we developed together with our partner Mercedes-Benz shows just how far we’ve already progressed along this development path.

“It will be with driverless parking that everyday automated driving will start.”

The companies now plan to gradually roll out the driverless parking service at Stuttgart Airport, with the Mercedes S-Class and electric EQS the only cars able to access the service initially.

Dogs have been found to be more relaxed when travelling in an electric car than in a diesel-powered vehicle.

Online vehicle marketplace CarGurus partnered with the University of Lincoln on a new study, which looked at the effects on dogs of travelling in a diesel car versus an electric vehicle.

The two-day investigation used 20 dogs, each taken on two 10-minute car journeys – one in an EV and one in a diesel. During the trip, their behaviour was analysed.

Led by Daniel Mills, Professor of Veterinary Behavioural Medicine at the University of Lincoln, the study found that dogs were less settled in diesel cars compared with EVs. It also found that signs of car sickness were reduced in electric cars.

The investigation also found that there was no evidence to suggest that EVs have a detrimental effect on dog welfare, with the transition for dogs between travelling in a diesel car and an electric version being ‘smooth’.

While the dogs in the study lay down for around a third of the journey in both cars, in the diesel vehicles the dogs broke their laying position on average 50 per cent more than in an EV. This difference is likely down to the change in vibration levels, says the study.

Daniel Mills, Professor of Veterinary Behavioural Medicine, University of Lincoln, said: “We know most dogs will travel in a car at some point in their life, if not on a daily basis. Yet as EVs become more prevalent with motorists, until now there were no studies of their effect on dogs.

“Our results clearly show that dogs seem to be more relaxed in EVs, particularly when looking at behavioural traits such as restlessness.

“Additionally, an interesting and somewhat unintended revelation from the study came from the dogs that we identified as having potential symptoms associated with travel sickness.”

A Yamaha quad bike once famously toppled by singer Ozzy Osbourne is set to head under the hammer at auction.

The 350cc Yamaha Banshee nearly killed its then-owner in 2003, leaving the Black Sabbath singer with a cracked vertebra, broken collarbone and eight broken ribs when it rolled. Osbourne was also left unconscious and temporarily unable to breathe.

‘Largely untouched’ in the 20 years since the accident according to auction platform Car and Classic, the Banshee still bears some marks of the incident. It’s got damage to the front crash bar and a crack in one of the rear wings, for instance.

The rest of the styling remains as it was originally, with eye-catching red and yellow bodywork and gold wheels. The Banshee is powered by a 350cc engine, while chunky tyres are ideal for charging off-road. Car and Classic say it’s easy to start, too.

The Banshee’s handbook also explains that the vehicle isn’t for beginners, while a handwritten note inside – which Car and Classic believe to be from Sharon Osbourne to her husband – reads ‘be safe’.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a rare and well-documented quadbike,” says Car & Classic Head of Editorial Chris Pollitt. “Regardless of its provenance, the Banshee is already a desirable vehicle, but its nearly-nefarious part in Osbourne’s life makes it all the more special.”

The auction for the Yamaha Banshee is currently live and is set to end on December 1.

Czech firm Praga has released its latest hypercar – the Bohema.

The Bohema is an exceptionally lightweight car, with Praga stating that it is aiming to make the two-seater model ‘sub-1,000kg’ by the time it hits the road. It’s underpinned by a full carbon monocoque chassis and body, yet is powered by a Nissan GT-R-derived six-cylinder twin-turbocharged petrol engine with 700bhp.

The engine is mounted directly behind the cockpit too, with the transmission positioned behind the engine. They’re independently mounted from the carbon chassis as well so that vibrations and resonance aren’t transferred through to the cabin. This helps to make longer journeys more comfortable.

However, despite its lightweight nature, the Bohema still incorporates a fully adjustable driver’s seat, luggage space and air conditioning. The steering wheel can be removed entirely, but it incorporates a large digital display with speed, gear selection and other information. It’s trimmed in Alcantara, while the central leather pad features Praga’s logo.

All cars get independent suspension and pushrod-operated adjustable dampers, while the lightweight centre-locked wheels are 18 inches in diameter up front and 19 inches at the rear. However, the Bohema can accept 18-inch wheels all around so that it can comply with FIA GT3 racing specification tyre dimensions.

IndyCar driver and former F1 racer Romain Grosjean helped with the development of the Bohema, too, and stated: “I was astonished by the Bohema’s amazing performance on track, its accessibility on road, and the ease of transition between the two.”

The exhaust system is made entirely from titanium, while much of the silencing is taken care of by the catalytic converter. All power is sent through a sequential gearbox with a robotic clutch for ultra-fast gearshifts.

Just 89 examples of the Bohema will be available, with each one costing £1.1 million.

A new study has looked at the best and worst places to charge up an electric vehicle in the UK.

To find out which of the UK’s 12 largest electric car charging providers was best, WhatCar? spoke to 2,800 electric and plug-in hybrid car drivers and asked them to rate networks according to accessibility, charging speed, ease of payment, reliability and value for money.

After this, WhatCar? staff visited at least one charging point for each of the 12 companies to gain a ‘snapshot’ of what they were like and rated them on the same criteria as the EV owners had used.

Gridserve came out on top with an overall rating of 85.2 per cent, with its Electric Forecourt stations proving a real hit with drivers. Owners rated it a full 100 per cent fo ease of payment, as well as 90 per cent for value-fo-money. It fell behind slightly in terms of reliability, scoring 67.6 per cent .

Instavolt came in second place, scoring highly for its reliability and value for money, while returning an overall rating of 85.1 per cent. Fastned took the bronze medal with its 84 per cent overall rating and 90 per cent score for charging speed.

Steve Huntingford, What Car? editor, said: “Our investigation highlights how vastly different the quality of service can be at different public charging networks. Enabling electric car owners to connect and pay quickly and easily are vital ingredients for a satisfactory experience. Sites that also provide somewhere warm and dry, with shops and other facilities where you can wait in comfort for your car to charge are best of all.

“As more people switch to electric cars, demand for convenient, pleasant public charging locations will only increase, and our research shows that you need to plan ahead and pick the best providers to find the best charging solutions.”

At the other end of the scale came Charge Your Car in twelfth place with an overall rating of 55.5 per cent, while Geniepoint and Charge Place Scotland didn’t fare much better with ratings of 65.2 and 69.4 per cent respectively.

Petrol and diesel could rocket up by 12 pence a litre in March if a planned rise in fuel duty comes into force.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBD) provides independent analysis of the UK’s finances and has stated in its Economic and Fiscal Outlook for November that ‘the planned 23 per cent increase in the fuel duty rate in late-March 2023’ would add an extra ‘£5.7 billion to receipts next year.’

It added that this would result in a ‘record cash increase’ and the first time that any government has raised fuel duty ‘in cash terms’ since January 1, 2011.

The resulting hike in fuel duty would see petrol and diesel prices increase by around 12p a litre which, at current prices according to RAC Fuel Watch, would see petrol rise to 175p a litre and diesel shoot to near the £2-per-litre mark.

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes: “As things stand, drivers will face an enormous hike in the cost of fuel next Spring due to fuel duty going up.

“The OBR expects to see 12p added to a litre of fuel, as a result of the current 5p duty cut coming to an end combined with its scheduled rise – something that’s not been seen for over a decade due to duty being frozen in successive Budgets.

“The Government has always made a big deal of cancelling duty rises in the past and will face colossal pressure to do the same next year – after all, a rise of these proportions would heap yet more misery on the millions of households that depend on their vehicles, most of whom will have just endured one of the costliest winters on record.”

A Treasury spokesperson told the PA news agency: “The 23% figure came from the OBR not the Treasury and it’s based on forecasts that are subject to change.

“We have not announced anything on fuel duty today, the existing 5p cut will remain in place until March 2023 (a tax cut which is worth £2.4bn) and final decisions on fuel duty rates will be made at the Spring Budget.”

Audi has redesigned its famous four rings logo, ditching the chrome look of its predecessor.

It brings a flatter look than before and a contrasting black-and-white appearance.

The design of the logo also allows it to still look three-dimensional in detail and tie in more closely with the badge that it replaces.

All cars will wear a badge with a thin black border around the four rings, regardless of the car’s exterior colour or grille design. Plus, it’ll be available in solid black as an option on certain models.

Audi designer André Georgi said: “Our philosophy is that every detail must convey a meaning or serve a purpose. On the product, it is – above all, our four rings, unmissable on the front and rear of every Audi model, that make an Audi an Audi. We want our quality to speak through the design and the product itself.

“The new two-dimensional look gives our rings a significantly more modern and even more graphic makeover, although their geometry is almost identical to the former ones.”

These more modern Audi rings design first appeared in 2016 ‘as a consequence of digitalisation’ with this new version taking on a 3D look instead.

Georgi added: “We want the four rings to look the same everywhere in the future: Whether in a magazine, on your smartphone, or a billboard – and on or inside the car.”

Audi says that all new models being built will feature the updated logo, with the new Q8 e-tron electric SUV being one of the first of the firm’s vehicles to wear the new-look badge.

AA patrols have been attending an extra 225 pothole-related breakdowns each day during November.

The breakdown provider has seen a marked increase in issues caused by potholes since the start of the month, with increased rainfall and standing water hiding issues in the road surface from sight.

These rain-obscured potholes can also prove to be extremely dangerous for cyclists and motorcyclists, with he AA issuing a warning to road users to watch out for potential dangers hiding underneath standing water.

Edmund King, AA president, said: “Potholes hidden by rainfall are one of the worst things all road users must overcome when they head out.

“Well hidden potholes, deeper than expected, and with the ability to cause monumental damage mean our crumbling roads are deteriorating at a rapid rate.”

Potholes can cause a number of mechanical issues to a car, with tyre blowouts, punctures and suspension damage all leading problems that come from an impact.

King added: “An additional 225 pothole related breakdowns a day in November alone is shocking and will only worsen as more rain is predicted and the weather turns cold – causing more damage along the way.

“On safety grounds alone, we need to see local road investment maintained, but the reality is our residential streets need a massive cash injection. Hopefully the chancellor and prime minister can level up our roads on Thursday.

A series of classic cars smashed a number of world records after going under the hammer at auction recently.

The Silverstone Auctions NEC Classic Motor Show Sale in Birmingham saw a number of models go up for grabs, with the event’s total coming to £7 million with a 75 per cent sell rate.

Rob Hubbard, sales director of Silverstone Auctions, comments: “Given the tough economic situation the country currently finds itself in, this sale was a vote of confidence in classic car collecting.

“The international interest was the biggest we’ve seen with a strong presence of Europeans. As a result we had a good sell rate and some very satisfying new world and UK records achieved.”

One of the record-breaking cars was a 1989 Jaguar XJ-S convertible, which registered just 100 miles from new. It smashed a previous world-record price by over £86,00, with the hammer finally falling at £131,625.

Another record-breaker was a 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII MR FQ-400, which sold for £72,000, while a 1998 Mercedes 300SL with just under 6,000 miles on the clock went for £75,375.

A big-hitter was a 2009 Ford Focus RS with just 357 miles on the clock. Finished in an iconic ‘Ultimate Green’ colour, this achieved a new world record sale price of £63,000.

A 1972 Ford Transit MK1 long-wheelbase van in ‘impressive collector quality’ fetched £61,875 at the auction, beating a previous record set in 2020.