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The clustering of electric vehicles (EVs) may already be more common than many people expect, applications to join the Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid (V2G) trial suggest. 

The project aims to demonstrate how V2G technology can provide a solution to potential electricity grid capacity issues as the numbers of EVs increase.

More than one in five (20%) of the applicants to the Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid trial already have two or more EVs at their property, and 48% are either likely or very likely to acquire a second EV in the future, or they have already ordered a second EV.

Although the Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid trial is currently only recruiting households with one EV, these figures show that numbers of EVs per household are rising alongside increasing nationwide EV adoption rates.

Charging an electric vehicle at home is equivalent to an extra house in terms of electricity demand.

With many households liking their electric car so much that they either already have a second EV or are considering getting one in the near future, this ‘clustering’ will place further load on the local electricity network.

However, by using V2G technology, EVs can put energy back into the grid at peak times, so reducing the need for extra electricity generation or network reinforcement.

Electric Nation – a project of Western Power Distribution (WPD), in partnership with CrowdCharge – is recruiting 100 Nissan EV owners in the WPD licence areas of the Midlands, South West and South Wales to take part in the trial of Vehicle to Grid smart charging technology. Currently, only Nissan EVs are able to be used for V2G charging due to their CHAdeMO technology.

One week after the Electric Nation V2G project was launched, 200 EV drivers had applied to join the project, and the following data had emerged:

• 95% of applicants have a Nissan LEAF, 5% have a Nissan e-NV200

• 20% of applicants currently have two EVs at their property

• 1% of applicants have more than two EVs at their property

• 3% of applicants with one EV have ordered a second EV

• 18% of applicants with one EV are very likely to acquire a second EV in the future

• 27% of applicants with one EV are likely to acquire a second EV in the future

• 41% of applicants with two EVs also had a Nissan LEAF as their second EV.

As well as many households having more than one EV, applicants are already taking action in the area of energy, with 45% having solar PV installed at their property, and 14% having a domestic stationary battery storage device.

With fleets, as the uptake of electric company cars increases due to favourable benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax bills and increasing vehicle availability, Fleet News looks at how will become more important for organisations to introduce charge points at workplaces.

The Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid trial is offering the free installation of V2G smart chargers worth £5,500 to Nissan electric vehicle (EV) drivers who live in the three WPD regions.

CrowdCharge is recruiting 100 people for the trial to help Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) and others to understand how V2G charging could work with their electricity networks.

The V2G trial follows the first Electric Nation project, which at the time was the world’s largest EV smart charging trial, providing real life insight into people’s habits when charging their vehicle.

The trial provided data from more than two million hours of car charging, revealing the user habits on timings of charge, where and for how long, as well as the impact of different tariffs.

By plugging in at specified times and putting energy back into the grid, active participants of the Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid project are expected to earn a minimum reward up to the monetary value of £120, available over the one-year trial period from March 2021 to March 2022. Recruitment is taking place from June 2020.

Trial applicants:

• Must be resident in the Western Power Distribution (WPD) licence area (Midlands, South West and South Wales)

• Must have a Nissan EV with a battery capacity of at least 30kWh or more

• Need to have the vehicle until the end of the trial (March 2022)

• Need to have off-road parking

• Will use the CrowdCharge mobile app to manage charging

• May need to switch to a new energy tariff if required by their assigned project energy supplier

• May need to have a new smart meter put in/updated as part of the project participation.

Although the application process for the Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid project is now open, the timescale for charger installations is subject to confirmation based on government advice in relation to Covid-19.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A surge of unsafe vehicles are returning the UK’s roads as Coronavirus lockdown restrictions ease, warns Aviva.

It found that more than a quarter (28%) of drivers have not performed any checks on their vehicles at all throughout lockdown.

Aviva’s research into motorists’ attitudes to driving post-lockdown reveals there could be an increase in the number of potentially dangerous vehicles on roads, with many motorists forgoing vehicle safety checks in recent months.

More than two thirds of drivers have not checked their tyre treads (68%) or engine oil levels (68%). In addition, six out of 10 (60%) haven’t tested their tyre pressures and two thirds (67%) haven’t looked at their lights.

In contrast, almost half of drivers (43%) have ensured their vehicles have looked the part by cleaning them during this time.

Sarah Applegate, head of global strategy and insight at Aviva, said: “This latest research reveals motorists’ caution about driving as lockdown conditions ease. Drivers will inevitably be using their cars more often as restrictions lift and non-essential shops start to reopen, so they should prepare for this by ensuring their vehicles are up to scratch.

“To make sure our roads stay as safe as possible, drivers should carry out basic checks before they use their cars again. If people have any concerns about their vehicles, they should ask a professional mechanic to investigate, particularly before embarking on longer journeys.

“It’s also important for drivers to make sure their insurance policy suits their future driving needs. If people are likely to use their car significantly more or less post-lockdown, or drivers need to be added or removed from policies, they should inform their insurance provider so their cover can be updated.”

Since the start of lockdown, there have been five million fewer MOT tests carried out in April and May 2020 than in the same months last year.

Any motorists with an MOT test due from March 30 have automatically been given a six-month extension as part of the Coronavirus lockdown, leaving many cars, vans and motorcycles unchecked, potentially allowing unroadworthy vehicles to be driven.

Despite this, many drivers plan to take long journeys using their car as lockdown restrictions ease. One in five (20%) plan to use their car to travel to a holiday destination in another part of the UK in the next three months, while one in ten (10%) will use their car to drive to the countryside.

Ian Leonard, head of fleet operations at Yodel, advises all drivers to check their vehicles thoroughly before returning the road. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Hybrid cars, including mild-hybrid and plug-in, will be required if the Government is going to achieve it’s ambition of banning the sale of Internal Combustion Engine cars by 2035, says Ford of Britain chairman Graham Hoare.

Speaking at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) International Automotive Summit Live 2020 online event, yesterday (June 23), Hoare said: “Given the size and scale of what we want to achieve in the UK, we will not see a shift from the internal combustion engine to all-electric vehicles in a single jump.

“Customer confidence is not ready for leap yet, and the cost gap between petrol or diesel and all-electric vehicles is still significant.

“This is why a range of bridging technologies from mild hybrids through to plug-in hybrids are essential, and why plug-in hybrids also should be considered as a viable technology well into the 2030s.”

He said there needs to be a joined-up, clear and consistent long-term, government-partnered strategy if the UK Government is to meet its target of only allowing the sale of zero emissions new vehicles in the 2030s timeframe.

The Partnership needs to include all key stakeholders – including UK and devolved governments and local authorities, vehicle manufacturers, energy providers and customers – if it is to be successful, according to Hoare.

“A successful future for the auto industry is dependent on achieving our longer-term objective of a zero emissions future – that is definitely the path we are on at Ford.

“However, we should be under no illusion that reaching this goal will require an unparalleled level of commitment and cooperation by a range of different stakeholders – government departments, local authorities, the auto industry, energy providers, and customers.

“We need government to partner with us and have joint equity in formulating and delivering a comprehensive and consistent strategy that encompasses all stakeholders and that provides a path to the future – a path that also encompasses a range of technologies, including mild hybrids, hybrids and plug-in hybrids on the route to zero emissions,” Hoare said.

He outlined the key considerations for a strategy in the UK, which includes; incentives, both for purchase and usage; a ‘quantum leap’ in infrastructure; a decision on what technologies will provide the required electrical power for charging; and a breadth of vehicles in the required volumes to meet consumer needs.

Hoare added: “We’ve seen recently at Ford what can be achieved when different stakeholders come together with a common purpose, namely working in partnership with a wide range of different partners in the VentilatorChallengeUK building ventilators for the NHS.

“We need a similar spirit of endeavour if we are to meet the electrification challenge – not a ‘can do’ attitude but a ‘will do’ determination. But time is short, and we must start today because tomorrow will be too late.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Something I’ve been predicting for years now looks likely to happen. It’s an obvious move for supermarkets to encourage customers to ‘Charge and Shop’ and encourage customers to shop out of peak hours in order to easily access chargers.

Engenie will install electric vehicle (EV) rapid chargers at 10 Brookhouse Group retail sites across the UK, as part of a new partnership.

The EV charging network will provide destination charging for customers visting large retail brands such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Argos, Next, Aldi, and M&S.

Mike Nuttall, property director at Brookhouse, said: “The way we travel is changing like never before and already we are seeing a wholesale shift towards electric mobility.

Customers will expect to be able to charge their vehicles wherever they shop, and our tenants will expect us to provide the infrastructure which enables them to do so.

Engenie’s convenient, easy to use and rapid chargers provide the perfect solution to attract the rapidly growing number of EV driving customers to our sites.”

Engenie covers all costs associated with installing and servicing the rapid charging points, eliminating the financial risk for Brookhouse.

The full rollout will see a total of 17 Engenie rapid chargers installed across ten sites throughout the UK. Seven charging sites, hosting a total of 13 rapid chargers, are already open to the public, with the remaining three sites expected to be completed before the end of the year.

The charging points will be located at the following sites:

• Meteor Shopping Park, Bournemouth
• Canal Road, Bradford
• Manchester Road Shopping Park, Stockport
• Queens Shopping Park, Preston
• Parsonage Retail Park, Leigh
• Barnfield Retail Park, Chichester
• Alexandra Retail Park, Oldham
• North Quay Retail Park, Lowestoft
• Cables Shopping Park, Prescot
• Hamilton Shopping Park, Hamilton

Customers can access Engenie’s rapid charge points without the need for membership or subscription. They operate on a contactless payment method. The chargers are compatible with every EV on the market today and can provide up to 80 miles of charge in 30 minutes, depending on the vehicle’s charging speed.

Patrick Sherriff, business development director at Engenie, said: “By ‘grabbing the grid’ and securing vital connections for rapid EV chargers before its competitors, Brookhouse is staying ahead of the curve, and positioning its sites as the go-to shopping destinations for EV drivers. 

What’s more, our partnership is further proliferating easy-to-use charging infrastructure across the UK, enabling thousands of customers to top up their vehicles while they shop at their favourite retail outlets with the simple tap of a smartphone or contactless card.”

This announcement is Engenie’s latest deal in the retail park sector, following previous announcements with Reef, M7, Northumberland Estates and more due to open this year. The company plans to double the number of rapid chargers in the UK by 2024.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

One in 10 cars on the road could be classified as having ‘dangerous defects’, according to analysis of the latest Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) data by BookMyGarage.

Department for Transport (DfT) figures show that defective tyres were a contributing factor in 17 fatal accidents in 2018 and caused a total of 459 accidents in the year.

Faulty brakes were also to blame for more than 500 accidents and 15 fatalities.

Karen Rothberg, managing director at BookMyGarage, said: “It was a sensible policy during lockdown, when vehicle use was limited, but the whole point of the MOT is to make sure dangerous vehicles are not on our roads for the sake of the driver, passengers and other road users.

“The Government is taking a serious safety risk now though and we urge motorists to take a common-sense view.”

Following the DVSA announcement that it is ending the MOT exemption on August 1, BookMyGarage said, “millions on could still be driving without a valid certificate until end of January 2021”.

Vehicles were granted the six-month exemption from MOT testing in March, to help slow the spread of the virus.

However, as the lockdown is gradually lifted, all cars, motorcycles or vans due a MOT test from August 1, will now be required to get a test certificate.

The RAC has warned that hundreds of thousands of vehicles due to be tested this summer could end up causing a backlog if drivers take advantage of the six-month extension.

BookMyGarage expects the average failure rate during 2020 to increase as a result of the exemption.

Testers classify failures as minor, major and dangerous defects, with one in three vehicles failing their MOT every day in normal conditions.

The most dangerous defect recorded by more than 65,000 MOT testers across the UK between July and September 2019 were tyres, which made up 58.1% of all dangerous defects recorded, followed by brakes (29.3%), suspension (5.5%), chassis (2.4%) and lights (2.0%).

Two-in five (40%) fleets have postponed non-essential service, maintenance and repair (SMR) work, during the coronavirus crisis, according to a Fleet News survey.

Five million fewer MOT tests carried out in April and May 2020 than in the same months last year, according to DVSA figures.

BookMyGarage is advising motorists not to risk ‘maxing out’ on the August 1 exemption if they can, and get their vehicles tested as soon as possible.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The number of vehicles using UK roads has almost returned to normal, following the relaxation of Coronavirus lockdown rules.

Lorry traffic is now at 97% of what it was pre-lockdown, while van traffic has reached 92% of its usual level.

Overall traffic levels have reached 83% of those recorded before the March 23 lockdown began.

The data, published by the Department of Transport, highlights the changing attitudes of commuters and travellers in a post-Covid world.

Public transport usage remains at less than a third of its usual level, as people continue to socially distance and work from home.

Car usage, meanwhile, has reached 79% of its usual level, despite a significant reduction in commuting and business travel – suggesting that the public is simply avoiding public transport and opting to drive.

Rail travel was recorded at just 13% of expected levels at the start of the week, while the London Underground is only seeing 19% of its usual footfall.

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “In terms of lorry traffic it’s almost as if Coronavirus didn’t happen, with volumes staying close to pre-lockdown levels throughout.

What’s interesting is the extent to which van traffic has come back, which could be good news for the economy and for congestion if those vans aren’t heading into town in the rush hour but are instead making home deliveries throughout the day and into the evening.

“The fact that car traffic is back to four fifths of what it was before the lockdown shouldn’t surprise us, given the Government’s ongoing advice to avoid public transport, but since the Government is also advising us to work from home if we can it begs the question of what these car trips are about and how different they are to our traditional commuting patterns.”

Cycle use has boomed since the Coronavirus outbreak, growing to 140% of normal levels.

INRIX studied the vehicle-miles travelled (VMT) across Europe during the pandemic and found that in the UK specifically, VMT fell by 56% during the week of March 23 alone.

It stagnated for about a month, then began to rise throughout May and June with the reopening of recreational sites and retail locations. Notably, weekend travel remains strong across the UK.

The effects of reduced VMT are reflected in lower travel times and faster vehicle speeds across the UK. By June, drivers around Edinburgh saw the largest speed increases out of all cities studied, with a 69% jump in speed during the 8:00AM rush hour, while drivers in Belfast during the afternoon commute saw a 12% increase in travel speeds.

However, as VMT continues to grow, travel speeds have started to retract. Speeds around London have fallen from their April highs significantly (when VMT was at its lowest point), dropping 26% in the AM commute and 36% in the PM commute.

Despite the drops in speeds, however, rush hour travel is still more than 20% faster in June than it was in February.

As cities continue to rebound from Covid-related lockdowns, traffic congestion will continue to rise, says INRIX. However, it believes that the intensity of congestion may not reach ‘normal’ levels for a while if telecommuting habits, the prevalence of online shopping and public transport and cycling use change. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Volvo has limited all its new cars to a maximum speed of 112mph, as part of its commitment to road safety.

 

The Swedish brand announced the initiative last year and started limiting vehicles from the beginning of 2020.

 

As well as the speed cap, every Volvo car will now also come with a Care Key, which allows Volvo drivers to set additional limitations on the car’s top speed. The new initiative is similar to the Ford MyKey, which enables owners to set a maximum speed and other restrictions, such as loud the stereo can be turned up.

 

“We believe that a car maker has a responsibility to help improve traffic safety,” said Malin Ekholm, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “Our speed limiting technology, and the dialogue that it initiated, fits that thinking.

 

The speed cap and Care Key help people reflect and realise that speeding is dangerous, while also providing extra peace of mind and supporting better driver behaviour.”

 

The top speed limit has proven to be controversial since it was announced, with some observers questioning the rights of car makers to impose such limitations through available technology.

 

From 2022, all new cars sold in the UK must be fitted with a speed limiter linked to traffic sign recognition or GPS data, however they can still be overridden by the driver.

 

The Volvo system has no override, meaning flagship models such as its S60 and S90 T8 twin engine variants may be less desirable when compared to rivals, which are limited to 155mph.

 

Volvo says that above certain speeds, in-car safety technology and smart infrastructure design are no longer enough to avoid severe injuries and fatalities in the event of an accident, however.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

I’m still mystified as to why the industry seems to be preoccupied with the charger infrastructure given that fact that the super fast chargers can charge a car in around 15 minutes and as new electric vehicles are launched their range is not too far away from the range of a full tank of petrol. Anyway here is what the Government said:

 

The Government expects up to 6,000 additional rapid electric vehicle (EV) chargers will be required across the UK’s motorways and major A roads by 2035.

 

A £500m Rapid Charging Fund was announced in the March 2020 budget. It will be used to assist where the electrical connection costs of upgrading sites to meet future charging demand is not commercially viable.

 

The Government said it has undertaken a detailed analysis to assess the number of chargepoints required to meet future en route charging needs along motorways and major A roads.

 

Currently, a driver is never more than 25 miles away from a rapid (50kW) chargepoint anywhere along England’s motorways and major A roads, with a total of 809 open-access rapid chargepoints, as of January 1 2020. This includes an average of two rapid chargepoints at motorway service areas with more being rolled out over the next year.

 

As part of the UK’s commitment to end our contribution to climate change, the government is committed to supporting growth of green, zero emission technologies.

 

It is consulting to bring forward the end of the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2035, but realises that extensive public charging infrastructure across the motorways and major A roads is a key part of this transition.

 

By 2023, it aims to have at least six high powered, open access chargepoints (150 – 350kW) at motorway service areas in England, with some larger sites having as many as 10-12.

 

By 2030 it is planning for there to be around 2,500 high powered chargepoints across England’s motorways and major A roads.

 

The Government said the new charging points will allow drivers to pay for the cost of charging their vehicle using debit or credit card payment and there will be clear pricing information available in pence per kilowatt hour.

 

James Taylor, general manager for Zipcar UK, said: “We are encouraged to see the government’s mission to accelerate the UK’s transition to electric vehicles, as rapid electric vehicle chargers are fundamental to enabling growth.

 

“However, while great progress is being made, we believe that more needs to be done. A ubiquitous charging infrastructure is vital to the growth of electric vehicles and is key to building consumer confidence in using them.

 

Rapid chargers have a key role to play, but a combination of rapid, fast and more on-street chargers are needed, particularly in urban areas such as London where air pollution levels are usually high.”

 

Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, chief executive of the REA, added: “This is an important moment for the UK’s electric vehicle sector, one which should give confidence to investors, fleets, and individual drivers alike.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A new ‘smart’ traffic light system is helping to reduce waiting times for drivers across the South East.

 

Seven towns across Kent and East Sussex have benefited so far from new technology, which was successfully trialled by electricity firm UK Power Networks in Maidstone, last summer.

 

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, the firm has worked with local councils to use the new smart traffic lights across Marden, Orpington, Crowborough, Twickenham, Maidstone and Dover.

 

The temporary traffic lights, which are sometimes necessary, to cater for roadworks use something called the ‘autoGreen’ radar system. It automatically detects congestion and makes continuous adjustments to the phasing of the traffic lights to maximise traffic flow, all without the need for an operator’s intervention.

 

Each site is different, it says, but this form of artificial intelligence adapts to the situations it monitors, creating safer, more efficient and less stressful journeys and local environments.

 

The trial in Maidstone revealed that in heavy traffic autoGreen reduced journey times between 8% and 12%, rising to 27% to 41% in congested conditions, with some 15-minute periods cutting journey times by half.

 

Other benefits to motorists and councils included less impact on surrounding infrastructure and reducing the environmental impact of queuing traffic. It also improved safety for workers on site, by reducing their exposure to pollution, safety risks and occasional abuse, it said.

 

Paul Dooley, streetworks performance manager at UK Power Networks, explained: “Our trial in Kent using this technology was well received.

 

“We were able to demonstrate the tangible benefits and help to alleviate environmental concerns. There was a greater increase in cars passing per hour. This in turn led to shorter journey times along with an overall improvement in air quality.”

 

Dooley says that the system accurately tracks vehicle movements and uses this information to optimise the operation of the lights, varying the decision-making algorithms and timings.

 

He concluded: “Our long-term aim is for this type of smart traffic lights to be deployed whenever we need to do roadworks that affect traffic, across Kent and the other areas that we serve, in future.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Drivers who leave their vehicle’s engine running while parked face a £20 fine after Lambeth Council introduced the penalty to improve air quality.

 

Drivers who allow their vehicle engines to run “unnecessarily” when parked in the London borough will be asked to turn off their engines, and if they fail to cooperate, will be issued with the fine from Monday (May 18).

 

The move builds on previous anti-idling events in the borough to raise awareness and educate drivers on the effects of idling, it said.

 

Councillor Claire Holland, Lambeth’s deputy leader  and cabinet member for sustainable transport, environment and clean air, said: “Cleaning up toxic air is an absolute priority for this council.

 

“Poor air quality is a huge health risk to our residents, and engine idling is a major contributor. We are determined to tackle the issue and are confident these new measures will help encourage people to change their behaviour so that everyone in Lambeth – particularly young children due to the effects on their development – is able to breathe clean air.”

 

In Lambeth, Waterloo, the Southbank, central Brixton, Clapham and the Vauxhall Gyratory have been identified as idling hotspots.

 

Outside schools, hospitals, taxi ranks and coach bays have also been flagged as key locations for drivers committing idling offences.

 

Between February 2018 and September 2019 wardens in Lambeth told 2,044 drivers to switch off their engine while stationary, of which 2,017 drivers complied with their advice and 27 people did not.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News