While the country is being hamstrung by a Conservative leadership contest, a cost-of-living crisis and coronavirus-related supply issues, it’s a bad time for the letter ‘C’.
And that’s before we even mention the conflict in Ukraine. But the letters ‘E’ and ‘V’ seem to be having a much better time, particularly when used in tandem.
The electric vehicle sector’s meteoric rise is continuing despite the removal of incentives, and it seems there’s a real appetite for battery-powered vehicles.
Nowhere is that more evident than in the UK registration figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The latest data shows new car registrations were down by 11.5% overall during the first seven months of 2022, but electric car sales are up by almost 50%.
Between January 1 and July 31, a total of 127,492 new electric passenger cars were registered – up from around 85,000 during the same period in 2021.
As a result, electric cars made up almost 14% of the new car market in the first seven months of the year, up from 8.2% over the same period last year. Should that continue and the SMMT’s forecast for overall registrations remains the same, electric vehicle sales could easily surpass 200,000 for the whole of 2022.
Progress At What Cost?
For some, the main draw of an electric vehicle is lower fuel costs, and despite the energy price hikes, it seems electricity is still cheaper than fossil fuels.
According to a study by green motoring consultancy firm New AutoMotive that was published in the Evening Standard, the annual electricity cost of running a Nissan Leaf or Renault Zoe is approximately £250.
However, the organisation – which describes itself as “independent transport research organisation… with a mission to support the switch to electric vehicles in the UK” – says a petrol car achieving 38mpg would cost £1,250 in unleaded.
It must be remembered that these figures were based on average mileage of 7,400 miles a year and used now-outdated fuel prices. It should also be said that 38mpg from a Zoe-sized car seems low when a Ford Fiesta will achieve 50mpg or more with relative ease, so the price gap is likely to be less pronounced in reality.
Nevertheless, despite its weaknesses, the research suggests electric cars can be far cheaper to run than petrol-powered vehicles. And that, combined with company car tax benefits, could be good news for beleaguered motorists
Electric Vehicles Deliver
While electric cars could deliver cost savings for drivers, they are also delivering our mail. Royal Mail has confirmed that it now has more than 3,000 electric vehicles on its fleet and is on target with its fleet electrification.
According to Electrive.com, the company has rolled out electric vehicles in cities such as London, Bristol and Glasgow, and it has signed up for another 2,000 electric vans from French brand Peugeot.
Lab Batts
All this talk of electric vehicle uptake might be expected to strike fear into the hearts of petrochemical companies the world over, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. According to Electrive.com, BP has announced plans to invest up to £50 million in a battery testing centre and analytical laboratory in Berkshire.
The Pangbourne campus is technically already in existence, operating as the global headquarters of BP-owned Castrol, but BP plans to turn it into a battery research lab in 2024.
Plug And Play
In future, though, that won’t be the only technology affecting new cars. According the Verge, Apple has announced a new refresh of its CarPlay infotainment system that will integrate more closely with cars’ dashboards, with a more iPad-like display appearing on the screen.
The new system looks much more comprehensive than before, and could find its way into the digital instrument cluster or any other screens found in the vehicle. We await more details, which are expected next year, but the Verge claims Ford, Audi and Volvo are all looking at ways of integrating the system.
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