Environmentally Focused News Articles

The electric car market is all charged up and surging ahead with dozens of new models coming to market.

Fully-electric car sales took off last year with demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) growing by 185.9% to 108,205 units.

Battery electric car registrations were 49% up, at 9,776 units, in the first two months of this year compared to the same period of 2020. The overall new car market was down 38%.

The take-up of electric vehicles is only going to keeping surging ahead, at the expense of diesel and petrol. A survey, by the AA and ITV’s Tonight current affairs programme, found 47% of drivers will consider an EV for their next car.

Here we look at 10 models, being launched this year, that are set to take the EV market to new levels of desirability and excitement and inspire more drivers to switch to electric motoring.

Audi Q4 e-tron

This new all-electric SUV, due on sale in summer, is likely to cost around £50,000.

Audi’s seventh SUV, the Q4 e-tron is the latest EV in its plan to have 12 electric cars by 2025.

Two electric motors – 150kW on the rear axle and 75kW at the front – create four-wheel drive. The 82kWh battery has an official range of 279 miles between charges and can power the Q4 e-tron from 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds.

Set in the floor to boost interior space, the battery can charge at up to 125 kilowatts.

BMW ix3

BMW launches its first fully electric X model, the iX3 SUV, in summer.

Two models will be offered – £58,580 Premier Edition and £61,850 Premier Edition Pro. Both have more standard equipment than the current X3. The pure-electric drive system joins plug-in hybrid and petrol and diesel X3 models.

The electric motor, transmission and power electronics are arranged together in a single housing.

The 286hp electric motor drives the rear wheels and can propel the iX3 sprints to 62mph from rest in 6.8 seconds.

It has an official range of 279 miles. Charging capacity of up to 150kW means the 80kW battery can reach 80% in 34 minutes.

CUPRA Born

CUPRA, SEAT’s high-performance subsidiary, is charging into a new era of transformation with the launch of its first all-electric model this year.

It will be called CUPRA Born from the fashionable Barcelona district that inspired its creation and contemporary design and is being hailed as a game-changer in the electric market.

It will be able to travel up to 310 miles on a single charge thanks to its 77kWh battery which can be charged with enough energy for 160 miles in 30 minutes.

The CUPRA Born will go into production in Germany in the second half of the year.

Ford Mustang Mach-E

The iconic Mustang name adorns Ford’s performance battery electric vehicles.

On sale early this year, the Mustang Mach-E is offered in standard rear-wheel drive, and AWD and limited First Edition models, priced £40,350, £46,650 and £58,080 respectively.

Standard and extended range models, with 68 and 88kW batteries, give rear-wheel drive models 273 miles and 379 miles of range with 248 and 335 miles for the AWD dual motor models. Depending on model, 0-62mph takes 5.8 to seven seconds.

Late this year there will be an even quicker Mustang Mach-E GT with a 0-62mph time of 3.7 seconds and a range of up to 310 miles.

Hyundai IONIQ 5

Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 all-electric, mid-size crossover utility vehicle, which launches the new IONIQ battery electric vehicle brand, will be available by mid year.

The 58kWh or 72.6kWh battery packs are offered with rear-only and front and rear motors for all-wheel drive. The maximum range is 292 miles.

With a 350kW charger, it can charge from 10 to 80% in 18 minutes.

The ‘Living Space’ design includes a Universal Island centre console that can slide back 140mm. Combined with a flat floor where the batteries are stored, it allows more freedom of movement.

Many interior touchpoints use eco-friendly, sustainably-sourced and recycled materials.

Mercedes-Benz EQA

The EQA, newest member of the Mercedes-EQ battery electric vehicle family, is its first all-electric compact car.

The 66.5kWh lithium-ion battery provides a range of up to 263 miles.

The 188hp EQA’s 100kW DC charger allows it to charge from 10 to 80% in around 40 minutes. Charging from 10 to 100% with an 11kW wallbox takes five hours 45 minutes.

Navigation with Electric Intelligence, standard on Sport and AMG Line trims, calculates the fastest route taking into account charging times. A three-year subscription to Mercedes me Charge public charging service is standard.

The EQA is on sale priced from £40,495 after the government plug-in car grant.

Nissan Ariya

Nissan created the crossover segment with the Qashqai and pioneered the electric car with the Leaf. Late this year it launches the futuristic-looking Ariya, an all-new electric crossover.

Power comes from 63kWh and 87kWh batteries mated to two or all-wheel drive with the latter boasting dual motors.

The 217PS 63kWH front-wheel drive model has a range of up to 223 miles and the 87kWh version 310 miles.

There are three all-wheel drive models, called E-4orce – 279PS 63kWh (211 miles), 306PS 87kWh (285 miles) and 394PS 87kWh Performance (248 miles).

The Ariya can support charging at up to 139kW.

Skoda Enyaq iV

The Skoda Enyaq iV, the Czech manufacturer’s first all-electric SUV, has rear-wheel or four-wheel drive.

The 62kWh Enyaq iV 60 Nav, from £31,085 with the government grant, has a range of up to 256 miles.

It can fully charge with a home wall charger in nine hours 30 minutes. With a public rapid charger it can be topped up to 80% in 55 minutes or 35 minutes if the DC charging is upgraded.

The 82kWh Enyaq iV 80, from £35,950 including the grant, has a range of up 333 miles. A full home charge takes 13 hours. Rapid public charging to 80% takes one hour 10 minutes or 38 minutes if upgraded.

Tesla Model Y

One of the most eagerly-awaited electric vehicles is the Tesla Model Y.

The fully-electric, mid-size SUV is set to arrive in the UK later this year.

The Model Y, which can seat seven people, has two ultra-responsive, independent electric motors which digitally control torque to the front and rear wheels to create all-wheel drive.

The Long Range model has an estimated range of 314 miles and a 0-60mph times of 4.8 seconds. The Performance model has an estimated range of 298 miles and reaches 60mph in 3.5 seconds.

It can recharge 168 miles in 15 minutes at the network of Tesla Superchargers.

Volkswagen ID.4

Volkswagen’s first fully-electric SUV, the ID.4, is the second model of its ID family after the ID.3 hatchback.

The limited run 1^st Edition, priced £37,800 after the government plug-in vehicle grant, is due in dealerships in March. The range will grow later in the year and four-wheel drive will be available.

The 1^st Edition has a range of 310 miles from its 77kWh battery capacity. Rapid charging at up to 125kW can boost range by up to 199 miles in 30 minutes.

The 204PS rear-wheel drive ID.4 1^st can reach 62mph from rest in 8.5 seconds.

It has a high-voltage battery warranty of eight years or 100,000 miles.

At Credo we love talking about electric vehicles, so if you have a question then why not give us a call, if we don’t know the answer we will find out!

Whether you have a small or large business there are compelling reasons to invest in this technology. It is inevitable that energy costs will rise, and many businesses are looking at ways to not only reduce costs, but to reduce their carbon footprint too.

Businesses across all sectors have already invested and received big savings by installing solar panels on the roof of their commercial premises or by utilising spare land. 

Commercial solar panels can make a huge difference to your business by generating free, green electricity that can be used to reduce your overall reliance on power from the grid, therefore avoiding ever increasing wholesale market costs. Not only can it lower your electricity bill, but did you know you can also sell electricity that isn’t used back to the National grid?  This can boost your business income, especially for those larger businesses that have spare land or enough roof space to house solar panels to achieve a further return on investment.

Energy companies are keen to purchase excess electricity from businesses, in particular when the grids under its highest strain, such as between 4-7 pm on weekdays or when local plants are down. Once your required export meter is in place, it is simply a matter of agreeing a contract with one of the many energy companies. They can buy your clean energy in the form of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) at wholesale rate, to then sell on to their customers at the prevailing retail rate.

Solar is already the world’s fastest growing energy technology.  Today’s average commercial solar panel converts 17-19% of the light energy hitting it to electricity. This is up from 12% just 10 years ago.

If you would like further information on the above, or already have a project in mind that you need help with, give Credo a call.  We have specialists in the renewables sector that can answer your questions and bring your project to reality.

Call 01603 381955 or e-mail [email protected]

Motoring journalist Andy Russell has witnessed the rise and growing appeal of electrified vehicles from the driving seat over the past two decades but was originally sceptical they would drive the future. We asked him more about his early experiences.

“It’s 20 years since I drove my first hybrid with the arrival of the Mark 1 Toyota Prius which started life as a saloon when launched in the UK in late 2000.

Here was a car with, at that time, a 1.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor. The prospect was exciting although it hardly looked hi-tech and futuristic but promised mega MPG for a petrol car.

In those days, most people were unaware of emissions and more interested in fuel economy.

The Toyota Hybrid System in this Prius was supposed to do 57.6mpg combined but I struggled to top 40mpg.

I was left pondering the point of hybrids when I could get better consumption from a diesel, some of them big lumps of engine and not always turbo charged in those days!“

“Over the following years I drove every UK-bound model from self-charging hybrid pioneers Toyota and Lexus, as well as other major manufacturers.

Once I had mastered how to get the most out of the short battery range around town, a feather foot on the throttle pedal and coasting long distances to slowly shed speed approaching traffic lights and obstacles the MPG soared along with hybrid sales.

I was regularly achieving mid 60s, even 70s, in real-world driving out of the later 1.8-litre Prius and Auris. And a Yaris supermini returned 80mpg on a gentle run.

Add to that low emissions – both carbon dioxide (CO2) and the nitrogen oxides (NOx), the latter particularly harmful for people with breathing issues and heart problems – and hybrids made sense.

My first experience of a pure electric vehicle (EV), one driven only by battery and with no combustion engine for back-up, was the original Nissan Leaf in 2011.

And it makes you realise how far battery and EV technology has come in 10 years and how rapidly it is now progressing“.

The world’s best-selling electric car for many years, the biggest problem was ‘range anxiety’ – fear of running out of charge and being stranded miles from a plug socket. Charging points were also few, and far, between.

When introduced in the UK, the Leaf had an official range of up to 124 miles on a charge. But that depended on driving style and weather conditions – the lower the outside temperature the lower the range.

“The reality during my test of the Leaf was 90 miles with a full charge so my wife and I set off from home, near Norwich, for Sheringham on the North Norfolk coast.

It was all going well, eco cruising at an energy-efficient 45mph. We even turned off the radio, and talked instead, to minimise using charge.

We reached Sheringham with plenty of ‘juice’ left in the battery to get home again… or so we thought.

Still driving sensibly, the range began to plummet and, as a result, so did the speed at which I was driving. Eventually I was crawling along at 30 to 35mph with a stream of traffic behind me. I was even passed by cars towing caravans!“

Thankfully, Andy reached home with a handful of miles to spare.

And, thankfully, EVs have come on in leaps and bound with many now having official ranges of more than 250 miles, and some well into the 300s, which will give them a respectable real-world range.

Charging points are now becoming more common to break the journey and top up the charge.

Little wonder then that pure EV UK registrations last year were 185.9% up on 2019 at 108,205 units.

Meanwhile, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, capable of 30 to 40 miles of pure electric motoring but backed up by a combustion engine, rose 91.2% to 66,877.

“My wife and I still drive a conventionally-powered car but our next one will almost certainly be electric as genuine ranges keep going up and prices, and finance packages, come down“.

If you are considering switching to an EV speak to Credo Eco Finance specialist Michael Seago who is happy to offer no-obligation advice on options available and single-payment finance packages. Call 01603 381955 or email [email protected]

We are looking forward to a busy and exciting year helping more and more customers achieve their green dream by switching to electric vehicles and renewable energy.

Our new electric vehicle and renewable energy division, Credo Eco Finance, is already seeing an upswing in inquiries with a record number of EV proposals in November.

Government incentives to encourage people and businesses to go green are playing a big part in decision-making and boosting the market. And the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK has come forward to 2030 with new plug-in hybrids from 2035.

Business development manager Michael Seago said: “I can only see 2021 as improving on 2020.

“People are now deciding the time has come to go for electric cars now the timescale has come forward.”

Battery-only EV registrations in the UK last year were 185.9% up on 2019 at 108,205 units. And the surge is set to continue this year

“We are receiving more inquiries now than ever before and I can’t see it going the other way.

“So many new models are now coming out and the technology has advanced. Electric vehicles now have much better ranges and more charging points are being installed.”

Even so, most electric vehicles are charged at home or business premises and we can also help with charging options.

Prices of EVs still remain a barrier for some drivers but this year will also see more affordable models reach the market, partly driven by economies of scale of increased production and some manufacturers sharing development costs and the technology itself.

But Michael urged potential EV buyers to consider the whole-life costs of running one rather than just the purchase price.

There are savings to be made by going electric including:

• Electric charging costs considerably less to cover the same distance than diesel or petrol.
• Government grants available.
• Huge savings in BIK (benefit-in-kind) tax for company car drivers.
• The enhanced 100% first-year allowance (FYA) now available for buying zero-emission cars and goods vehicles until April 2025. This is on top of the increased annual investment allowance (AIA) of £1m, instead of £200,000, until the end of 2021. Writing down allowances (WDAs) may be claimed instead.

More demand for electric vehicles boosting used demand and helping residual values means more scope for leasing and personal contract purchase (PCP) finance packages on electric vehicles from independent lenders. Currently hire purchase (HP) is the option for those looking for a monthly payment plan.

“Towards the end of last year we saw a significant rise in interest in EVs and I am very positive about 2021,” said Michael.

Credo Eco Finance also sources finance packages for renewable energy projects. Renewable energy options have had wide appeal for longer than electric vehicles so that market is not seeing the same growth.

That said, Michael sees some spin-off from the uptake in EVs as some new owners also move to renewable energy to be more eco-friendly and further reduce their charging costs by generating their own electricity.

So 2021 promises to be an exciting and rewarding year for Credo Eco Finance as it helps customers achieve their green dreams.

You can contact Michael Seago on 01603 381955 or email [email protected]

We ask Andy Russell – motoring journalist the answer.

The answer is that it varies according to battery size and tariff. But, as most EVs are charged at home or at the business address, let’s look at those costs.

Working on domestic electricity averaging 14p per kilowatt, a 40kwh battery EV would cost under £6 to fully charge and it could be around £4 if you take advantage of cheaper rate overnight electricity.

Consider this – cost wise. would you want a petrol car that did nearly 200 miles per gallon?

With a wall charger all EVs will fully recharge overnight. You can even link solar panels to your home wall charger and store electricity to power your EV.

Compared to a petrol car doing 45mpg, the EV’s fuel costs will be about 25%. Public points tend to cost more for charging but it’s still cost-effective compared to fossil fuels.

More short videos to come…