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According to a Fleet News report there are now 9,300 EV charging locations compared to 8,400 fuel stations – almost 1,000 more public places to charge electric cars than there are fuel stations.

 

In less than a century since Britain’s first fuel station opened – November 1919 at Aldermaston in Berkshire – the number of forecourts has peaked, declined and been overtaken by charging stations designed for battery, not combustion, powered cars.

 

It has happened more than a year before Nissan’s 2016 prediction of August 2020 – a result of the accelerating adoption of EVs amongs UK motorists.

 

Almost 80% of UK petrol stations have closed since 1970, whilst the number of electric vehicle charging locations has increased from a few hundred in 2011 (when the Nissan Leaf went on sale) to more than 9,000 in August 2019.

 

Of these locations, more than 1,600 provide ‘rapid charging’, and can recharge a typical EV battery to around 80% in under an hour.

 

According to Zap-Map, two new rapid charge devices came online every day in the last month. Almost all UK motorway service stations have charging stations installed, the majority of which provide a rapid charge option.

 

Transport for London (tfL) has installed more than 1,000 EV charge points in the last year alone, yet supply of conventional fuel within the capital is becoming scarcer.

 

Central London has nearly half as many petrol stations per car as the Scottish Highlands; only four remain within the congestion-charge zone.

 

One of the country’s oldest forecourts, the Bloomsbury Service Station, which had been in operation since 1926, was closed in 2008.

 

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) welcomed the figures showing the growth in the EV charge point network. A spokesman told Fleet News: “With charging points now outnumbering petrol stations in the UK, we are powering forward on the road to net zero emissions by 2050.

 

“This is happening alongside significant investment we’re already making to support the development of the latest vehicle battery technologies and establishing and strengthening low-carbon supply chains for the long term.”

 

The introduction of the new Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in April 2019, has led to increasing numbers of London drivers looking to zero-emission solutions for their commuter or commercial transport needs.

 

Most electric vehicle owners only need to charge at home however, so the UK government is looking to further support EV adoption, recently announcing a proposal for the installation of charge points for EVs in all new housing.

 

Kalyana Sivagnanam, managing director, Nissan Motor (GB), said: “Many consumers are saying their next car will be electric. That means the industry needs to ensure their desires are met with both the car – how far it can go, what technologies it has – and how it interacts with the world around it – where they can charge and how convenient that is for them.

 

“We’ve moved beyond the early concerns of range anxiety with EVs now exceeding the vast majority of customer’s daily driving needs.

 

“The next challenge is for charging infrastructure to keep pace with the number of EVs on the road, and that the experience of recharging is as enjoyable and effortless as that of all-electric driving.”

 

Since Nissan launched the Leaf in 2010, EV technology has continually improved, with the latest models both affordable and practical for the majority of new car buyers. As a result, the UK is experiencing unprecedented growth in the demand for battery-powered transport.

 

In August 2019, compared to the previous year, demand for battery electric vehicles increased 158.1%, resulting in a 1.4% market share, the highest monthly market share on record.

 

Seán Kemple, director of sales at Close Brothers, said: “2019 may be remembered as the year when electric vehicles went mainstream. While sales are still relatively low in real terms, the speed of growth is accelerating, and it looks like we’re months, not years, from the tipping point.

 

“Consumers are becoming more aware of the benefits of AFVs or an electric vehicle – from environmental protection to lower costs of running a car after the initial outlay – and manufacturers are responding to this demand. The overwhelming number of EVs and AFVs on display at the Geneva Motor Show is evidence of this.

 

“Education is needed to help customers overcome their concerns about range, charging time and costs, and this sits with the Government and manufacturers alike.

 

“The Government should also steer its focus towards developing the infrastructure needed to meet the needs of rising demand, from charging points outside of the big cities to solutions for customers with on-street parking.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A report released earlier this year resulted in the recall of a number of Jaguar and Landrover models after it was found that they emitted more CO2 than was recorded in the official certification.

 

At a time when the group is struggling financially the recall, whilst expensive, was nothing like the costs and fines that were imposed on the VW Group. Did someone play down the findings to give Jaguar a chance to instigate the recall?

 

Here’s the report from the BBC:

 

Jaguar Land Rover is recalling 44,000 cars in the UK over carbon dioxide emissions, the car maker has said.

 

Regulators found 10 models were emitting more of the greenhouse gas than they had been certified to emit.

 

The car maker will contact owners to arrange repairs, a JLR spokeswoman said.

 

JLR is facing a number of challenges at the moment, including a slump in demand for diesel cars and a sales slowdown in China.

 

The firm said it was a voluntary recall of certain 2016-2019 MY Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles fitted with two litre diesel or petrol engines.

 

The affected models are:

 

Some two-litre 2016 to 2018 Land Rover Discovery and Discovery Sport cars

Certain two litre Range Rover Evoque, Sport, and Velar cars

Jaguar E-Pace, F-Pace, F-Type, XE and XF cars.

Most models are petrol, while some are diesel.

 

Some of the models will need physical repairs in a dealership, while some will need software updates, the spokeswoman said.

 

“The modifications made to affected vehicles will be made free of charge and every effort will be made to minimise inconvenience to the customer during the short time required for the work to be carried out,” the firm added.

 

In January the firm confirmed it is cutting 4,500 jobs, with the substantial majority coming from its 40,000 strong UK workforce.

 

The firm has complained about uncertainty caused by Brexit.

 

Emissions have come under more scrutiny since Volkswagen’s diesel scandal.

 

Investors are pursuing the German car giant for about €9.2bn (£8.2bn) in damages, claiming the company should have come clean sooner about falsifying emissions data. By Graham Hill

As we move towards the winter months when poor weather can lead to problems with grip it raises the question as to which end of the car should you fit the new tyres?

 

I addressed this problem earlier this year but it might be worth reminding you what was said at the time. You may think this is a daft question – simply replace the tyres that are worn – right?

 

Front tyres generally wear out quicker than rears if your car is front wheel drive and rears wear quicker if rear wheel drive, so wouldn’t it be correct to replace the tyres that wear fastest with the new boots? No!

 

Most safety experts ignore the wear element or whether the car is front, rear or all wheel drive and suggest that you always put freshest tyres on the rear of the car. This is because if the car loses grip in a corner, it will either oversteer or understeer.

 

Unless you are an F1 fan you may not understand what this means. Understeer is when the front tyres lose grip in a corner causing the front of the car to slide out whilst oversteer means you lose grip at the back of the car, causing the rear of the car to swing out.

 

It’s actually easier to control a car that is understeering than one that is oversteering – simply slowing down should help to regain grip if the car is understeering.

 

This is why it is important that you should maintain the greatest grip at the rear and fit your new tyres at the rear of the car. This will minimise the chance of potential oversteer and minimise the chance of a serious accident. Great advice eh! Graham Hill

Tyre technology is improving constantly with some tyres even able to generate electricity that can be used to re-charge the battery. But what about the important factors like fuel efficiency, grip and road noise?

 

Whilst a budget or mid-range brand may save you a few pounds do you know what you may be giving up in terms of safety or fuel-efficiency. Budget tyres seem to fare poorly in terms of road noise but do they? The tyre markings can tell you a lot.

 

My thanks to Tyre Shopper for their Guide to EU Tyre Labels:

 

All new tyres we supply for cars, vans and 4x4s come with EU Tyre Labels.

 

The labels, mandated in 2012, provide information to help buyers make an informed tyre choice. The labelling covers fuel efficiency, braking distance in wet road conditions, and exterior noise.

 

Tyres that don’t have the EU tyre labels include off-road, vintage, spare, studded, racing tyres and those with a speed limit of up to 80km/h.

 

Why do we need EU tyre labels?

 

EU tyre labels are designed to help drivers who regularly take motorway trips or travel long trips in different weather conditions, to know how well their tyres can handle poor road conditions.

 

What do EU tyre labels look like?

 

The tyre rating labels are shown in their respective sections below with more information each.

1 – Fuel Efficiency

 

Tyres have a fuel efficiency rating from A (most fuel-efficient) to G (least fuel efficient).

 

The better the fuel efficiency, the lower the cost of motoring and the less harmful Carbon Dioxide pumped into the atmosphere.

 

Choosing A-rated tyres over G-rated tyres equates to a 7.5% saving in fuel.

 

An A-rated tyre may use 80 litres less fuel each year (over £110) compared to when using G-rated tyres. This estimate is based on a petrol engine covering 10,000 miles at a cost of £1.40 for every litre of petrol.

 

Rolling resistance

Tyres indirectly use a fifth of their fuel consumption due to something called ‘rolling resistance’. This is the friction created when the tyres touch the road. Each tyre has a different amount of rolling resistance depending on its shape and composition. They use less fuel and cost less to own.

 

2 – Wet Grip & Braking Distances

 

Tyres struggle to grip the road to slow down in wet road conditions, so manufacturers change tyre patterns to improve braking times and reduce the chance of aquaplaning.

 

Tyres are rated for their combined wet grip and braking distance rating – how long it takes for the vehicle to come to a complete stop in wet road conditions.

 

All-weather tyres can be used when weather is poor for many weeks and we stock a range of these to suit many types of vehicles.

 

The EU tyre labels helps drivers choose the tyre with the shortest stopping distance.

 

Braking distance variation between each wet weather tyre rating from A to G, equates to 3-6 metres. The maximum benefit is 18 metres shorter braking distance based on driving at 50mph in wet road conditions when choosing A-rated tyres over G-rated ones.

 

3 – External Noises

 

External noise emissions measure the decibels (dB) created outside the vehicle when that tyre is used in normal driving conditions.

 

The tyre noise rating label displays either one, two or three audio waves, with the number of decibels shown as a number.

 

• One wave – three decibels or more under the current noise legislation.
• Two waves – an acceptable noise level for current and future noise legislation.
• Three waves – a tyre that will meet current noise mandated levels, but will fail future limits and need changing in the future.

 

Are the labels standardised across tyre brands?

 

Whether you’re looking at Michelin, Continental or other tyre brands, the label information can be compared side-by-side.

 

This includes the mid-range brands and budget brands. I remember the days when the now premium brand Hankook was a budget brand.

 

And whilst Nanking are a budget brand could they be going the same way as Hankook, they certainly don’t seem to be far behind when you check the labels.

 

One final thought. If you have a car on a lease or PCP and intend handing the car back at the end of the agreement check to see if they stipulate the tyres to be fitted when it comes to replacing them.

 

You don’t want to be forking out for more new tyres when handing the car back because you haven’t complied with the contract.

 

All cars must now be fitted with tyre pressure monitors but you shouldn’t simply rely upon the accuracy of the monitors and stop checking tyre pressures on a regular basis. Having improperly inflated tyres not only has safety and cost consequences you could end up with points and a fine.

 

It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that tyres are in proper condition and penalties for offences are very severe. The penalties for having illegal tyres are currently up to a £2500 fine and 3 penalty points PER TYRE. Two faulty tyres could cost six penalty points, loss of license and a £5000 fine!

 

Apart from the requirements regarding tyre wear, tread depth, damaged sidewalls, etc, the tyres must be correctly inflated. Regulation 27 section b states “the tyre is not so inflated as to make it fit for the use to which the motor vehicle or trailer is put”. This definition is not very helpful, but correct tyre pressures are vital for safe handling and optimum braking, grip and tyre life.

 

Low tyre pressures

Cause increased fuel consumption, more air pollution, shorter tyre life and greater risk of tyre failure.

 

High tyre pressures

Cause reduced comfort, less grip, greater risk of impact tyre damage and reduced stability in braking and cornering.

 

By Graham Hill

Car batteries are nothing like they were when I first started driving. All cars, even the most basic, are reliant on batteries to power masses of equipment so they are very high duty these days but even new batteries don’t last forever.

 

It’s important to make sure that you don’t fit incorrect batteries which could leave you stranded so for many the solution is to use a main dealer to ensure that the correct battery is fitted. However, Auto Express has found some massive differences between dealers depending on where the dealer is located.

 

This is what Auto Express found:

 

Replacing a car’s battery is something that many buyers will face at some point. But how much does it cost on the UK’s most popular new cars? And are buyers getting a fair deal?

 

An Auto Express investigation can reveal that some car owners are being charged a staggering £1,250 for battery replacement, while others face bills as low as £98.

 

Auto Express compiled a list of the UK’s 20 best-selling vehicles and contacted three franchised dealer networks across the country to get a price for parts and labour. The only information dealers requested was the vehicle’s registration details.

 

Owners of the current-generation Mercedes C-Class are in for the biggest shock, because we were quoted a fee of £1,248 for a replacement battery. A second dealership quoted a price of £1,098.90 for the same job, while a third was charging only £315. To check this figure was not an anomaly, we contacted two more dealerships and again received quotes of £1,111.80 and £1,198.80.

 

A Mercedes spokesperson told Auto Express: “We believe the majority of retailers you contacted have quoted for a lithium-ion battery, and one quote may be for a 12v battery. We can only recommend a retail price for these parts, which means there could be a variation across retailers.”

 

By comparison, prices for a replacement battery on a comparable BMW 320i started from £296.98 and rose to £392.57.

 

The Vauxhall Mokka X was also a model that had a big disparity in price, with some dealers offering parts and labour for as little as £98.46, while two other dealers quoted £248.40 and £262.80. “We believe that the cost of the lowest-priced battery quoted to your researcher was based on a unit that was not of comparable quality to the other units for which quotes were received,” a Vauxhall spokesperson told us.

 

Volkswagen Tiguan owners also face quite a disparity in price for a battery replacement, ranging from £190.66 up to £320.66 – a difference of more than 68 per cent.

 

The fairest and most consistent pricing was to be found with the Toyota Yaris; all three franchised dealers quoted the same £105 fee for parts and labour.

 

Industry regulator Motor Codes told Auto Express that the results highlighted the importance of buyers shopping around if vehicle repairs are required. “When purchasing and/or having a replacement part fitted, such as a battery, we always advise motorists to shop around and to spend time doing their research.

 

As the retail price of batteries isn’t regulated, this means that the brands supplied and the cost to the consumer will vary between retailers for the recommended technical specifications advised by the vehicle manufacturer.”

 

Here are their findings

 

Car battery costs

Car	Dealership 1	Cost	Dealership 2	Cost	Dealership 3	Cost	Difference
Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost	Bridgend	£199	Nottingham	£208	Bristol	£186	11.28%
Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI SE Edition 5dr	Loughborough	£194	West London	£244	Swansea	£250	28.86%
Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost auto Style	Maidstone	£181	Gravesend	£218	Cambridge	£193	20.44%
Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 Design 5d	North London	£284	Bristol	£249	Manchester	£237	19.83%
Mercedes A-Class A 180 SE	Manchester	£322	Loughton	£444	Coventry	£377	37.88%
Nissan Qashqai 1.2 DiG-T Acenta	Nottingham	£129	Birmingham	£132	North London	£130	2.32%
Volkswagen Polo SE 1.0 TSI	Bristol	£234	Newport	£212	Ashford	£192	21.87%
Ford Kuga Titanium X 1.5 TDCi	Manchester	£206	Swindon	£202	Liverpool	£228	12.87%
Kia Sportage 1.7 CRDi ISG 2	Solihull	£286	Leeds	£215	Cardiff	£309	43.72%
MINI Hatchback Cooper S Classic 3d	Liverpool	£357	Milton Keynes	£232	Coventry	£224	59.37%
Mercedes C-Class C 200 SE*	Central London	£1,248	Cambridge	£315	Harrogate	£1,098.80	296.44%
Vauxhall Mokka ecoTEC XDesign Nav 1.4i	Tonbridge	£248.40	Burnley	£98.46	Leeds	£262.80	166.91%
Vauxhall Astra 1.4 Design	Crawley	£135.00	Birmingham	£134.40	Carlisle	£136	1.19%
Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI 150 SE Nav	Maidstone	£190.66	Coventry	£320.66	South West London	£235.66	68.18%
Audi A3 Sportback 1.5 TFSI	Whetstone	£405.46	Leicester	£336.60	Harrogate	388	20.45%
Toyota Yaris 1.0 Icon Tech	Ashford	£105	Cheltenham	£105	Rotherham	£105	0%
BMW 1 Series 118i Sport	Essex	£332.57	Boston	£292.57	Newcastle	£271.27	22.59%
BMW 3 Series 320i SE	Eastleigh	£296.98	Coventry	£300.77	Doncaster	£392.57	32.18%
Hyundai Tucson 1.6 GDi SE Nav	Maidstone	£289.76	Bristol	£321.18	Sunderland	£298.38	10.84%
Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge	Crawley	£207	Chesterfield	£192	Glasgow	£193	7.80%

* Mercedes prices varied so widely that we obtained two extra quotes of £1,111.80 and £1,198.80 from other dealerships

 

Thanks to Auto Express – By Graham Hill

New tyres come with grading that show their performance in the wet, noise levels and fuel efficiency. However, new cars with maximum tread are only in that condition for a limited time, the question is – how do the tyres perform once they are worn and in particular when the tread drops to the legal limit of 1.6mm.

 

With this in mind Michelin has stepped up its campaign for mandatory tests of tyres at the legal tread depth limit in a bid to reduce waste, cut CO2 and lower costs for customers.

It has backed an EU resolution by France, which, if adopted, could see tyre performance rated when worn as well as when new. The new procedure could be adopted this autumn, and a working group has been set up at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) to define the procedures for these tests, the reference tyres and regulatory thresholds.

Michelin says that although many tyres perform well when new, there are huge variations in performance at the 1.6mm legal minimum. It also claims that manufacturers can engineer tyres to perform well when worn but choose not to because there is no testing.

Michelin has campaigned for several years against the best practice theory of changing tyres at 3mm, suggesting it is too wasteful and quoting a study by Ernst & Young that predicted that running tyres to 1.6mm rather than 3mm would mean a reduction in tyre production of 128 million units in Europe alone, along with a CO2 saving of 6.6 million tonnes, and cost savings of more than £6 billion.

Some of that saving would be felt by fleet operators, many of whom adopt the best practice of changing tyres at 3mm. Having the confidence to run tyres until 1.6mm thanks to official testing would also allow employers to meet health and safety requirements.

Pierre Robert, vice-president of the ambition test programme at Michelin, said: “Dry grip improves by up to 10% on a worn tyre, and 70% of road accidents occur on dry roads. Fuel consumption is also better on a worn tyre, with up to a 20% improvement.

“But wet grip decreases, and currently it is difficult to predict performance. Tyre ratings when new are not necessarily a good indicator of performance at 3mm or when worn.”

Michelin also claims that as vehicles are increasingly equipped with new safety technology, it becomes more important that the tyres perform well to ensure the car’s features work properly.

Robert insisted that good performance when worn is a choice by the tyre manufacturer, as water dispersion ability at the legal minimum can be designed into the tread.

Tyres are currently tested and graded for fuel efficiency, wet weather performance and noise when new, giving consumers a clear indicator of performance in these areas.

Michelin says it supports the implementation of a minimum threshold for wet braking when worn to ensure consumers a minimum performance for all tyres on the market, which could see some manufacturers withdrawing tyres from the market if they fail the test.

Michelin also believes rolling resistance and noise should continue to be tested when new, as these improve with wear, although it does not want to change the labelling structure from the new tests.

Testing worn tyres
Michelin provided two circuit tests – one for handling and one for braking – to compare the performance of worn Michelin tyres with identical cars fitted with worn tyres from another premium brand.

 

For the braking test, we were asked to apply maximum braking force on a very wet road surface from 50mph to measure the stopping distance (calculated by GPS), while for the handling test we drove on a short lap with a mixture of wet and dry corners, gaining an impression of how the two sets of worn tyres performed.

 

Our braking test, taken twice on the same tyres – first for the Michelin, then for the other brand – showed a difference of more than 15m between the two, the other brand taking almost four car lengths more to stop.

 

The handling test showed the electronic stability control activating sooner and for longer in the rival brand tyre compared with the Michelin.

 

It is possible that other brands’ tyres perform better than Michelin when worn, but until mandatory tyre tests come into force, we won’t know before we make the choice. Michelin appears confident enough to face the challenge. By Graham Hill with thanks to Business Car.

As the kids break up from school and we see the weather improve many of us will take to the road on day trips or even wander to the local park with the children to kick a ball about. Either way, we love our picnics so Auto Express have researched the available hampers with the following results.

 

Two are backpacks whilst the third is a more traditional hamper basket.

 

Greenfield Super Deluxe Backpack Hamper: This is a Best Buy for two people at a price of £54.99. Whilst the price appears to be high the quality is high and you get lots for your money. It’s a cut above the rest with better quality cutlery and includes things like a chopping board, wine glasses and even steel mugs. There is even a folding bag for rubbish.

 

The price is justified with a picnic blanket and flask although it is possible to buy a cheaper version at £37.99 on the Greenfield website if you already have these items in your cupboard. www.greenfieldcollection.co.uk

 

Mountain Warehouse 36L Picnic Hamper Basket: This one is recommended and is for 4 people. This is a hamper rather than a backpack and at first sight, looks as though it could be a baby’s carrycot. It has a foam-covered aluminium handle but no shoulder straps so will be a little more awkward to carry over long distances.

 

The hamper has a huge insulated compartment for food and a well-equipped compartment for cutlery. It includes all the essentials, plus salt/pepper shakers/ napkins and a corkscrew. The official price is £59.99 but Mountain Warehous have it on offer at £24.99 which makes it incredibly good value for money. www.mountainwarehouse.com

 

Mountain Warehouse 4 Person Picnic Set XL: This one is also recommended and is another set for 4 people in backpack style. This has just about everything you could ever need for a picnic including chopping board with knife, salt/pepper shakers, and a detachable insulated bottle holder.

 

The food storage compartment is one of the largest on test. It doesn’t include wine glasses but includes flat bottom beakers which are more practical on uneven grass. The full price is overpriced at £60 but at the current offer price of £26.99 it represents very good value. It doesn’t include a corkscrew or napkins but they can always be added. www.mountainwarehouse.com

 

For details of all of the tested picnic hampers you need to buy Auto Express 17-23 July 2019. If you are going on picnics don’t forget the basic rules, take your rubbish home with you if there is no litter bin available and if you are using a BBQ make sure you put out any glowing embers, it’s how fires start. Have a great summer. By Graham Hill

Every year for the last 20 years Auto Express carry out tests on various car care products and award the best with their Product Award. They take account of price, ease of use, performance etc. I thought it would be handy to list their top award winners so far this year. For more details, you can search for Auto Express Best Products. In the meantime here are the best products:

 

Car Washes: Halfords Car Wash & Wax, cost £2 for 1 litre. Whilst this was the cheapest tested it wasn’t this that caused it to win. You use a little more than other brands but it is much cheaper.

 

Clay Bars: Bilt-Hamber Auto Clay Regular, cost £9.95 for 200g Clay bars cut through contaminants that bond to the painted surface of a car. This was one of the best priced and the best performer.

 

Polishes: Angelwax Perfect Polish, cost £9.95 for 500ml. This one saw off some of the more popular brands such as Simoniz, Autoglym an Autobrite. There was little to choose between Autobrite and Angelwax so in the end it was down to price with Angelwax edging it.

 

Waterless Cleaners: Meguiar’s Waterless Wash And Wax Anywhere, cost £16 for 768ml. Strangely liked for its smell as well as its performance simply spray, wipe then buff and admire the shine. The shine was also the longest lasting.

 

Waxes and Sealants: Bilt-Hamber Double Speed-Wax, £14.95 for 250ml. Apparently, you can pay up to £50 for a carnauba paste(which is what this is) so great value for money. 24 were tested over 9 weeks with this one coming out on top.

 

Wheel Cleaners: Bilt-Hamber Auto-Wheel, cost £12.99 for 1litre. In this case the smell was horrendous – eggy in nature. However, the cost and the efficiency of the product made it to the top of the list of 19 tested.

 

Wheel Wax & Sealants: Wonder Wheels Wheel Sealant, cost £6.50 for 300ml. Best performance and best price this product takes time because you need to properly clean the alloys before applying and it takes time for the product to cure – but well worth the wait apparently.

 

Tyre Shine: CarPlan TyreSlik, £4.10 for 500ml. This is uniquely the only product tested by Auto Express that has remained in the number 1 position since testing began 20 years ago. Well done!

 

Upholstery Cleaner: Simoniz Upholstery & Carpet Cleaner, cost £3.18 for 500ml. This was one of the only foam cleaners with a brush fitted to the can. Most others were trigger applicators but none performed as well as this cleaner and low cost.

 

Screenwashes: Prestone Extreme Performance Screen Wash, cost £3.50 for 2litres. This wash, ready made up was great value for money, cleaned the screen well and won in both categories, winter and summer with the summer version cheaper than the competition.

 

Headlamp Bulbs: Philips Racing Vision, cost £25.99 for a pair. By far the best bulbs out of 20 tested, brightest and topped all but one of the various tests.

 

Sat Navs: Tom Tom Go, cost One Year’s Subscription £14.99. In this category they tested both sat-nav units and mobile phone apps with this app being the winner. They’ve stuffed many of the features of their top navs into the app.

 

Dash Cams: Nextbase 612 GW, cost £249.99. The cam has a radius of 150 degrees and records in 4K Ultra HD. The camera picked up pedestrians in the dark and could read number plates from afar. A polarised filter sits on top of the lens making the colours sharper. Given the quality it offers very good value for money.

 

Tyres: Continental Premium Contact 6, cost £93.20. Wet or dry this car came out on top, sharing the top spot with Michelin in the dry but by far the best in the wet with no other car coming close. All round a very good tyre.

 

Winter Tyres: Continental Winter Contact TS860, cost £117.22. Not the best in the snow but in the wet that dominates British winters it was streets above the competition. Changing tyres between summer and winter is still not popular but for those that need to change tyres they refer to this tyre as a Truly Remarkable Tyre.

 

All Season Tyres: Continental All Season Contact, cost £120.64. Out of all the tyres tested this tyre came either first or second in every test making it by far the best all season tyre even after Continental had said that you either changed tyres between summer and winter or put up with a compromise. This is their first attempt at an all season tyre.

Many thanks to Auto Express – By Graham Hill

In a report in Auto Express, Chris Grayling calls for motorway fuel retailers to share live price data via apps and sat-navs

 

Motorway fuel retailers should share live pricing information to prevent drivers being taken advantage of, the transport secretary has said.

 

Chris Grayling has contacted a number of motorway service station operators, asking them to list how much they are charging for petrol and diesel at their motorway forecourts at any one time on smartphone apps and sat-navs.

 

If motorists were able to access this data in advance, rather than having to pull off the motorway and drive to the forecourt, they would be able to better plan motorway journeys and work out where to get the cheapest fuel. In addition, the Department for Transport has suggested that the data could be used by autonomous vehicles in future.

 

Petrol and diesel prices at motorway service stations can be around 15p per litre more expensive than at other retailers.

 

Grayling said that, if motorway fuel retailers decline to make their live pricing data openly available in the way he has suggested, he will launch an “urgent review” into how motorists can refuel affordably.

 

“Fuel prices are highest on motorways, taking advantage of drivers who have less choice when it comes to shopping around,” said Grayling. “Accessing this data on a smartphone or sat-nav means motorists can plan ahead and refuel safely at the best possible price.”

 

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams commented: “While we welcome the idea of motorway fuel retailers sharing their pricing data in terms of better transparency, the reality is any app will only tell drivers what they already know – that motorway fuel prices are unbelievably expensive.”

 

Williams added that RAC research has shown 44 per cent of drivers “would never buy fuel on the motorway”, advising motorists to try and find forecourts that charge at or below the average price of fuel. By Graham Hill

According to Auto Express, the DfT has started the rollout of E5 and B7 labels indicating ethanol and biofuel content of petrol and diesel. Signs will be mandatory by 1 September

 

The Department for Transport (DfT) is rolling out a new set of labels for petrol and diesel pumps at filling stations across the UK, with unleaded petrol to be renamed E5, and diesel labelled as B7. E10 petrol is likely to follow at a later date.

 

The names relate to the percentage of ethanol and biofuel present in petrol and diesel respectively, and are intended to make motorists “think more carefully about the environmental impacts of their journeys” and “educate drivers on the benefits of biofuels.” The majority of unleaded sold in the UK must contain up to five per cent ethanol under the Government’s Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation, though no such requirements are in place for super-unleaded.

 

The new labels are being rolled out immediately, and garages will be legally required to display them by September 2019. As well as the mandated E5 label, petrol stations will have to clearly show the biofuel content of the diesel fuel being sold, with diesel comprised of seven per cent biofuel clearly labelled as ‘B7’.

 

Biofuels are typically comprised of a blend of oil and plant or animal fat fuel, with the UK’s biodiesel comprised of oilseed rape, sugar beet and wheat. Figures from 2016 show 132,000 hectares of land in the UK was used to grow crops for bioenergy.

 

The move towards E5 and B7 labels is likely to herald the arrival of E10 petrol, which contains up to 10 per cent bioethanol and is claimed to bring about a two per cent reduction in CO2. The Government launched a consultation into E10 petrol in 2018, but motoring organisations have warned as many as 800,000 cars can’t use E10, and a second response to the consultation is due later this year.

 

Commenting on the new labels, Transport Minister Michael Ellis said: “Biofuels are a key way of achieving the emissions reductions the UK needs, and their use reduced CO2 emissions by 2.7 million tonnes last year alone – the equivalent of taking around 1.2 million cars off the road.” By Graham Hill