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THE WHICHEV VIEW: Does LEVC’s Space oriented Architecture point the way for fleets?

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By WhichEV

LEVC is the original ‘London Black Cab Company’ from the Victorian era – and it’s still making interesting vehicles today. As they move across to electric power trains, so they will expand the variety of vehicles offered – and the range of features included.

Specifically, they have just made the move on a full accessible taxi that has integrated ramps and enough internal space to allow a wheel chair to spin 360 degrees.

Backed by huge Chinese producer Geely (who own Volvo, Lotus, Polestar etc), LEVC is using intelligent design to create a variety of products from common core modules – including Electric Vans.

This ability to create/adapt/innovate comes from the underlying ‘Space Oriented Architecture’, where ‘proven sections’ can be integrated in interesting new ways. LEVC has used this SOA to create the perfect taxi for disabled people in cities.

In the near future, Fleet Managers will be able to take advantage of this kind of design – in order to create the perfect vehicle for their needs.

Everything from cabs and vans to ambulances will be catered for – and not at ‘silly money’.

Read more about this topic over at WhichEV.

The WhichEV View: Volta Trucks signals ambition with new Service Hub in London

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By WhichEV

Volta Trucks, the all-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services provider, has celebrated the official opening of its innovative Truck as a Service Hub in Tottenham, London.

The event was attended by controversial Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan as well as Tottenham MP Rt. Hon. David Lammy, industry leaders, key customers, and stakeholders.

Situated on White Hart Lane in Tottenham, the cutting-edge facility marks the first of its kind in the UK. It is designed to be the primary destination for routine servicing and maintenance of electric vehicles in the London area.

The state-of-the-art hub offers comprehensive support to fleet operators transitioning to electric trucks, featuring administrative offices and a Volta Trucks Academy Training centre, as well as a customer call centre providing round-the-clock assistance and technical support for the trucks that we saw being built during our visit earlier this year.

Read the full story over at WhichEV…

THE WHICHEV VIEW: Global EV market penetration heading to 15%

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By WhichEV

IDC is reporting that the number of EVs in use across world is heading toward the 12 million mark, while around 1 in 4 of the EVs sold are in Europe.

BYD, Tesla and SAIC represent over 36% of the EVs sold globally (their share of the huge Chinese market is over 53%).

The ATTO 3 from BYD is being sold through multiple UK dealers, including Stratstone – which has traditionally been a Jaguar house.

WhichEV spoke with Stratstone and they told use that they feel comfortable integrating BYD into their range, as there is little/no overlap with Jaguar or any of the Land/Range Rover products

The ATTO 3 is already affordable (around £37,000), but the new BYD Dolphin will push prices down below £30,000 and that leaves the tantalising prospect of the BYD Seagull which could retail in Europe for a little over €10,000 and in the UK for less than £10,000 – with the higher end BYD Seal around £40,000

If the next generation of Chinese EVs can offer fleet managers products from £10,000 to £50,000 – through major local dealers that can offer local support – just how fast could fleets move across to pollution free vehicles?

Click to read the full story over at WhichEV...

The WhichEV View: Stellantis urges UK Government to renegotiate Brexit

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By WhichEV

In a startling development, Stellantis, one of the largest automakers globally, has warned the UK government that parts of its car industry could be lost unless the Brexit deal is renegotiated.

The company, known for producing brands like Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroen, and Fiat, had previously committed to manufacturing electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK.

However, it now claims that it cannot adhere to the trade rules outlined in the Brexit agreement regarding the sourcing of parts. The collapse of Britishvolt at the start of 2023 was a key factor.

The UK government responded to Stellantis’ concerns, emphasising its determination to ensure that the country remains competitive in the car manufacturing sector, but unless large scale battery production in the UK becomes a reality in the very near future – then car companies will have no possibility to avoid costly tariffs on products like the new Vauxhall Astra Electric.

Click here to read the full, fascinating story over at WhichEV.

Massive Government investment in Green Hydrogen for electric vehicle transport

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By WhichEV

One of the loudest, most common arguments against ‘electric vehicles’ comes from people who don’t really understand the competing technologies – but who are certain that ‘Hydrogen is the future’.

It certainly can play a role – especially when it comes to powering electric vehicles.

Confused?  Well, alongside being a highly combustible gas, hydrogen can be combined with oxygen to create electricity and water.

If that’s the case, then why haven’t we moved across to hydrogen already?

Depending on how the hydrogen was generated, it can have a hugely negative impact on the environment.

The market has assigned ‘colours’ to hydrogen, where ‘Green Hydrogen’ is great and has little to no impact on the environment. From Blue and Grey, through to Brown and Black hydrogen – there is an increasing amount of pollution caused with its creation.

The UK Government has now received an expert report, created under the direction of an all-party committee – with the express intention of deciding how the UK can integrate Green Hydrogen into its energy future.

You can read more about this topic over at WhichEV here and here.

How much will solar and batteries play a part in your company’s future?

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By WhichEV

We all know that electricity prices come down by up to 75% at night, but few of us have suitable storage set up to take advantage of those rates.

But what about during the day? One solution is to ‘go solar’.

Until recently, that would have meant a HUGE surface of your building needing to be covered with panels.

However, as technology develops in this area, generating and storing electricity at the workplace will become far more common place.

The first solar experiment was demonstrated back in the 1800s and was less than 1% efficient. In other words, only a tiny fraction of the available power was transformed into electrical power.

Today, that figure is closer to 25% – with panels that are around 30% efficient likely to appear in the market very soon.

To read more about this topic, head over to WhichEV.

Connected Kerb plans 10,000 new EV charge points

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By WhichEV

Connected Kerb’s new partnership with Surrey County Council will see up to £60m invested in public EV charge points, resulting in a 25% increase in availability across the UK.

At the time this story was published, the UK had just shy of 39,000 public charge points across the country. Measured against that installed base, it’s easy to see what a mammoth commitment is being made when Connected Kerb announces plans for an additional 10,000 points. From this one company alone, that’s a promise to increase the nation’s charging options by 25%. We’re keen to know how long this will take, how much it will cost and will the chargers be concentrated in South East England.

One scheme is focused on streets and public car parks across Surrey, with over 1,500 locations to benefit from this new network of chargers. It will be the largest roll-out of its kind by any local authority. Right now, the country can only offer one charger per 9,000 residents, which is clearly going to present a challenge as the market moves to stop petrol/diesel car sales by 2030.

To read the full story, hop over to WhichEV…

What is the logical development from electric cars?

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By WhichEV

February saw 52% of the vehicles sold in the UK, supplied with an electric motor. Combining pure battery electric with the various hybrid options, creates the conditions for a tipping point where the move to electricity for cars has well and truly arrived. But what are we likely to see in the near future?

What is the logical development from electric cars? Australian innovators, Alauda, believe they have the answer – flying vehicles.

The Adelaide based company is seeking production partners for an electric flying vehicle that can hit 225mph in just 30 seconds. They are hoping for a real-world range of 188 miles. Test flights are happening now and it will enter competition next year.

So how much will they cost? According to CEO Matt Pearson, once in full production they expect the street price to be no higher than buying a Tesla.

Will flying vehicles be the standard company car by 2040?  A personal vehicle that can do London to Manchester in less than an hour would certainly reduce the queue for tickets on HS2.

For all the latest EV news, head on over to WhichEV

Luxury, performance EVs for 2023

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By WhichEV

While most of the fleet will be chosen to be comfortable, reliable and affordable – there will always be those who manage to get a larger allowance and who want something that stands out from the crowd. Last week, Silverstone based Lunaz Designs revealed a 1961 Bentley S2 Continental that has been completely refurbished and had its original 6.2 litre V8 replaced with a 400 bhp modern electric motor that can accelerate this huge car past 60mph in 6.9 seconds.

With that in mind, we decided to take a look at the high-performing, luxury EVs that will be hitting the UK market in 2023.

In May 2023, MG will harken back to its golden days of producing some of the most iconic sports cars of the 1960s, with the launch of the MG Cyberster – a play on the word roadster. While the early drawings were pure fantasy, the final release model will play significant homage to its ancestors. The original parameters were for a true sports car, with a 0-60 figure under 3 seconds. The production model is likely to be a little slower, but will still keep pace with most Teslas. MG has done a lot in terms of improving its battery power, so we should expect this new sports car to have a sizeable battery embedded low down for stability – and with the capability of taking the MG Cyberster way past the 300 mile mark on a single charge. With pricing expected in the sub-£60,000 zone and production models to start coming off the line at the end of 2023, we’re all looking forward to seeing the 21st century update of the classic MG sports car.

Moving up a class from the MG, will be the Tesla Roadster. Musk is claiming a 0-60 of 1.9 seconds with a top speed over 250mph and a range over 600 miles – while still keeping the price close to £150,000. That may sound expensive, but when you realise that the Tesla Roadster is likely to keep pace with (or even beat) products like the Lotus Evija, Pininfarina Battista and Maserati Folgore – it is a bargain. The Lotus and Pininfarina are expected to be close to £2m each, with the Maserati around £50,000 more expensive than the Tesla.

Overall, the market for luxury/performance electric vehicles in 2023 promises to be exciting – with Ferrari and the old guard arriving in 2025. You will probably need a monthly car allowance of several thousand pounds for most of these – but the MG Cyberster could be less than £900 a month. While not cheap, it will certainly be a head turner.

THE WHICH EV VIEW: What does the BritishVolt collapse mean for the UK’s EV sector?

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Moving out of the EU was always going to create challenges for companies where the import/export of goods is key to their success. The collapse of BritishVolt has shone a spotlight on some of the more serious challenges, while also calling into question whether a more frugal approach to the initial development of the business, might have given it more time in which to achieve success.

With the possibility of a rescue package waiting in the wings, all may not yet be lost for this Northumberland-based project.

The ground was broken in July 2021 and a year later work the first part of the foundation was being laid, yet six months later everything seem to have collapsed. William Hague blamed Brexit fare and square, while others in his party had previously cited the British battery maker as an example of post-Brexit success in the economy. Shadow Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, was reported as saying that rather than being seen as a shining example of levelling up, BritishVolt in fact highlighted a lack of strategic industrial planning to help boost jobs and economic growth in the north.

It had been hoped that the plats would be fully operational by 2027 and capable of producing 300,000 EV battery packs a year.

Based near Melbourne in Australia, Recharge Industries is likely to take over the project and to use its extensive experience in running successful production plants to help get BritishVolt up and running commercially.

Key to BritishVolt’s plans was a close relationship with Tees Valley Lithium (TVL) – Europe’s largest independent/sustainable lithium hydroxide producer. Everything is now in place for that to happen, which makes you wonder why the UK Government didn’t do more to keep the project 100% British.

In a recent discussion with the CEO of one of the world’s largest producers of electric vehicles, WhichEV was told that the European Governments need to invest heavily now – in order to create a vibrant, competitive production environment for local car makers in the future. Localised lithium production and battery construction was cited as ‘crucial’.

To read the full story, head over to WhichEV!