Electric, Hybrid and Alternative fuelled vehicles - News and Discussion

[APOLLO]

11 minutes ago, BR traction instructor said:

Important to maintain the diversity & currency of this thread Ron, if only to see the direction & uptake rate of the new technology…a vote to continue from me.

 

BeRTIe

 

This new tech is dependant on electricity being 100% available 24/7 at many thousands of points, both commercial and domestic. 

 

This winter will be, at the very least interesting for pure EV owners re electricity supply, power cuts etc.

 

Brit15

[Ron Ron Ron]

A few snippets from the SMMT new car registration for September.

 

Sales of diesel cars (both pure diesel and mild-hybrid diesel) in September = 8.4% of the market.

2022 year to date (9 months) = 10.1% of the market.

Down from around 50% of the total market, only 5 or 6 years ago.

Possibly, only being propped up by the sale of various large SUV's, that are still predominantly being powered by diesel.

 

The last couple of months, have seen improving sales figures, after the slump in sales over the last 12 months.

 

The Tesla Model Y was the UK's 2nd best selling car in September.

Only beaten by the all-new, latest model Nissan Qashqai, which is only available as a mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid.

Sales of the Model Y were a third higher than the next best seller (VW Polo) and double or more than double those of the following pack.

Year-to-date the Model Y lies 8th in the rankings; higher than the VW Golf, Polo, Ford Fiesta etc, etc.

This is for a car cost north of £50k !

 

Total Tesla UK sales of all models, year-to-date are on parity with both Mini and Land Rover.

They are far outselling cars from Honda, Mazda, Citroen, Renault, Fiat, Volvo, Jaguar, SEAT & Cupra.

 

Chinese budget brand, MG, are doing even better, outselling Skoda, Mini, Land Rover and Tesla.

The new MG4 and revamped MG5 estate and ZS EV, are likely to push their market share even higher.

.

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2022 by Ron Ron Ron

[ColinK]

One of my friends has an electric MG and is very happy with it.

[boxbrownie]

14 hours ago, BR traction instructor said:

These same companies tend to monopolise the supply of spares in order to recover the carrot that got you to buy their vehicle in the first place. Not such a bargain when the complete 3D image snaps into focus.

 

BeRTIe

If you had seen (and visited the manufacturing plants) some of the quality of third party spares/components you would be very grateful the big manufacturers try and keep control on the supply of parts, but they are quite happy to have the larger components manufacturers supply and sell with their own brand, mainly because that is where the stuff comes from for the production line.

 

I’ve been to quite a few horror stories in India and China chasing counterfeit component manufacturers, we initially pose as independent customers to get access and after ascertaining all the facts report and get them shut down, unfortunately they just move on to another site in a matter of months, sometimes weeks.

 

One enterprising Chinese company even had us visit an “off site” bogus factory once to check we were on the straight and level….bloody cheek! 🤣

[boxbrownie]

On 03/10/2022 at 13:56, Ron Ron Ron said:

 

Of the numerous new build developments near here, those few that do have solar panels provided by the developer, are all token gestures of little use.

Each dwelling is provide with only 2 or at the most 4 panels.

You can bet that they'll be older tech, budget and low output examples too.

A fat lot of use that'll be in making a significant impact on both energy savings and on the reliance on the grid.

 

 

.

Very true, our Son bought a new build house about four years ago go and the builder specified EV charging pionts in the property/garage and when they moved in found it was just a 13 amp protected socket in the garage, granted it had its own feed and RCD from the fuse box but hardly what you would call an EV charger.

[Hobby]

If you want some feedback I'd say that listing the figures make for difficult reading, graphs (if the SMMT provide them) would be much easier to see the ups and downs.

[Nick C]

37 minutes ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

The Tesla Model Y was the UK's 2nd best selling car in September.

Only beaten by the all-new, latest model Nissan Qashqai, which is only available as a mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid.

Sales of the Model Y were a third higher than the next best seller (VW Polo) and double or more than double those of the following pack.

Year-to-date the Model Y lies 8th in the rankings; higher than the VW Golf, Polo, Ford Fiesta etc, etc.

This is for a car cost north of £50k !

I wonder how much of that is down to supply rather than demand? I was under the impression that with the chip shortages, many firms are prioritising their higher-end (more profitable) models, leading to more of an undersupply for the cheaper cars, which must depress figures for the Polo, Fiesta etc?

[boxbrownie]

50 minutes ago, APOLLO said:

 

This new tech is dependant on electricity being 100% available 24/7 at many thousands of points, both commercial and domestic. 

 

This winter will be, at the very least interesting for pure EV owners re electricity supply, power cuts etc.

 

Brit15

Not really, I just need it to be available for a few hours each day, doesn’t matter when exactly.

 

I’d imagine a lot of EV owners are the same, granted it could be awkward if your on a long journey in the evening as the so called, although highly unlikely according to the suppliers, power cuts will be between 16:00 and 19:00 peak time. I would think it is of more an issue to those who cook their evening meal at those times as I would think most do.

 

But the press are doing a grand job (as they always do) of stirring up the news into a frenzied panic, have you seen the size of the headline typefaces this morning!

[Ron Ron Ron]

40 minutes ago, Nick C said:

I wonder how much of that is down to supply rather than demand? I was under the impression that with the chip shortages, many firms are prioritising their higher-end (more profitable) models, leading to more of an undersupply for the cheaper cars, which must depress figures for the Polo, Fiesta etc?

 

Supply of EV's cannot keep up with demand, with order books for many models, stretching out as far as Autumn 2023.

EV sales figures would be much higher, if the manufacturers could get the cars into the dealerships and out to customers.

 

Supply chain shortages, which are not limited to microchips, but cover a lot of components, have been affecting the whole car industry, over the last 2 years.

Production volumes are down as a result.

Most German car plants have been on reduced production schedules, or have had entire lines shut down over this time.

 

It is true that many manufacturers cut back or stopped production of their lower margin, high sellers, in favour of more profitable (usually meaning more expensive) models.

For example, I understand that the Ford Fiesta is now only made at a Germany plant.

Last year, Ford Europe (who have been in big trouble for a few years, pre-dating Covid) stopped all production of the Festa, from June to December; in favour of their best selling Puma and Kuga models.

 

Stellantis on the other hand, seem to have made their competing new model (Opel/Vauxhall) Corsa, a priority, as it's topped the sales charts across most of Europe.

Similarly, the VW Polo has remained a top seller.

 

These shortages don't count for the high demand of new EV's though.

There is growing and pent up demand, despite the high prices.

The £50k + Tesla Model Y is outselling many models from all competing manufacturers, only being outsold by a small selection of B-Segment cars and a few of the best selling medium and small SUV's and crossovers.

 

[Nick C]

39 minutes ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

Stellantis on the other hand, seem to have made their competing new model (Opel/Vauxhall) Corsa, a priority, as it's topped the sales charts across most of Europe.

I had to take my Astra into the Vauxhall dealer the other day for a recall, and was surprised to see the Corsa E in the 'flagship' position just inside the front door - normally you tend to see high-end models there.

[Ron Ron Ron]

4 minutes ago, Nick C said:

I had to take my Astra into the Vauxhall dealer the other day for a recall, and was surprised to see the Corsa E in the 'flagship' position just inside the front door - normally you tend to see high-end models there.

 

I see lots of Corse E and its Peugeot e208 sibling when out and about.

Mokka E is an increasingly common sight too.

 

.

[idd15]

This is sooo cute.

 

The bubble car is back

 

idd

[admiles]

5 hours ago, Nick C said:

I wonder how much of that is down to supply rather than demand? I was under the impression that with the chip shortages, many firms are prioritising their higher-end (more profitable) models, leading to more of an undersupply for the cheaper cars, which must depress figures for the Polo, Fiesta etc?

 

Could very well be. My neighbour has been waiting well over 8 months for a Fiesta to be delivered.

The lease on my company car ends in February and have been looking at replacements and most manufacturers are quoting April-May 2023 delivery onwards.

[admiles]

3 hours ago, idd15 said:

This is sooo cute.

 

The bubble car is back

 

idd

 

At low speeds in a large city I can see that making sense.  Not sure I'd fancy it on my commute on the A14 to the Port of Felixstowe mixing it with the trucks though! 🥴

[Vistisen]

https://www.nio.com/da_DK  Probably my next car ET7

[black and decker boy]

4 hours ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

 

I see lots of Corse E and its Peugeot e208 sibling when out and about.

Mokka E is an increasingly common sight too.

 

.

And hybrid & electric Fiat 500s seem to breed like rabbits and are everywhere

[Ron Ron Ron]

3 hours ago, idd15 said:

This is sooo cute.

 

The bubble car is back

 

idd

 

We followed a Citroen Ami through the streets of Rome, a few weeks ago.

It was slowing down and holding up the traffic behind.

Although bigger than the Microlino, the Ami is very small and even that looked incredibly vulnerable in city streets.

Our taxi driver reckoned it was suicidal to drive something that small around.

The large numbers of Smart cars looked like tanks in comparison.

 

 

.

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

 

We followed a Citroen Ami through the streets of Rome, a few weeks ago.

.

 

Did you have to jog?

 

I really like the Ami but it's suitable for absolutely none of the driving I do.

[Nick C]

4 minutes ago, 30801 said:

I really like the Ami but it's suitable for absolutely none of the driving I do.

Like most of those tiny city cars - a car that's totally unsuitable for any journey for which you actually need a car, but instead designed for all those journeys that are much better done by bike or public transport...

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, Nick C said:

Like most of those tiny city cars - a car that's totally unsuitable for any journey for which you actually need a car, but instead designed for all those journeys that are much better done by bike or public transport...

 

Really it is public transport. They were designed for share schemes where you rent it to get to where you need to go and then someone else uses it after.

[boxbrownie]

6 hours ago, idd15 said:

This is sooo cute.

 

The bubble car is back

 

idd

Much nicer than that Citroen abomination called the Ami they just released.

[boxbrownie]

3 hours ago, admiles said:

 

At low speeds in a large city I can see that making sense.  Not sure I'd fancy it on my commute on the A14 to the Port of Felixstowe mixing it with the trucks though! 🥴

I admit I never watched the entire video, but I suspect it is restricted to 38 mph same as the Ami being a quadricycle class?

[boxbrownie]

2 hours ago, Nick C said:

Like most of those tiny city cars - a car that's totally unsuitable for any journey for which you actually need a car, but instead designed for all those journeys that are much better done by bike or public transport...

You would be surprised by the number of folks in the EV forums that have ordered the Ami and insist they will not hold traffic up out of town, one chap is going one better by trailering it to his destination and then using it! WTF??? 🤣

 

No, it’s not when he goes on holiday like we see all the time, this is general use as far as he says.

[Guest]

10 hours ago, APOLLO said:

This winter will be, at the very least interesting for pure EV owners re electricity supply, power cuts etc.

 

Yeah, they'll be the houses with the lights still on running off the car...

[boxbrownie]

Oh poop!  I was hoping these would flop……might cause a stir on the A14 eh Admiles? 😁

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/tesla/106478/tesla-semi-truck-production-begins-first-deliveries-1st-december