The Best Car Finance Blog In The World

Stellantis, owners of Vauxhall has outlined a £25 billion electrification strategy, which includes switching Vauxhall to an EV-only brand by 2028.

The automotive group, which owns 14 car brands, has set a target for electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) to account for 70% of its European sales by 2030.

It plans to secure five battery factories across Europe and North America and says it will reduce the cost of batteries by 60% by 2030.

The Company is also targeting for the total cost of ownership of EVs to be equivalent to internal combustion engine vehicles by 2026.

Four platforms form the backbone of the electrified vehicles from all Stellantis brands. The platforms are said to provide a high level of flexibility, both in length and width, and component sharing.

Alongside the Small, Medium and Large car platforms will be one dedicated for commercial vehicles, such as vans an pick-ups.

The platforms can be paired with a family of three electric motors, offering varied configurations including front- rear- and all-wheel-drive, plus plug-in hybrid.

Battery packs will range from 37kWh up to 200kWh and offer between 300-500 miles of driving range, with the charging ability to add 20 miles per minute.

“Our electrification journey is quite possibly the most important brick to lay as we start to reveal the future of Stellantis just six months after its birth, and now the entire company is in full execution mode to exceed every customer’s expectations and accelerate our role in redefining the way the world moves,” said Carlos Tavares.

“We have the scale, the skills, the spirit and the sustainability to achieve double-digit Adjusted Operating Income margins, lead the industry with benchmark efficiencies and deliver electrified vehicles that ignite passion.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Petrol prices have soared in the last eight months to reach an eight-year high of 132.19p per litre, according to data from RAC Fuel Watch.

Since November 2020, it shows the price of a litre of unleaded has risen by 18p – boosting the price of filling the average car by £10.

Diesel has also reached a two-year high, costing 134.32p per litre on average.

In June alone, a litre of unleaded rose by 2.7p, while diesel went up 2.5p.The rises were driven by a 10% increase in the cost of oil, which now stands at $76.12 per barrel.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams, said: “June proved to be a shocking month for drivers with not just the eighth straight monthly rise at the pumps, but a return to 132p a litre petrol –something we haven’t seen since October 2013.

“And if an 18p a litre hike in cost over eight months isn’t bad enough it’s hard to see the increases coming to an end as the price of oil seems to be going up and up, with $6 being added to a barrel in June alone.

“Compared a year ago oil is now $35 more expensive. What’s even more worrying is that some analysts are predicting an oil deficit by the end of the year, which could mean further relentless price rises in the coming months.”

The average price of unleaded at the country’s four big supermarkets now stands at 128.17p after going up 3.3p in a month. Diesel is 130.25p after a rise of 2.91p. This makes a tank of supermarket fuel on average £2.20 cheaper than at other forecourts.

Regional pump prices compared:

Unleaded	01/06/2021	30/06/2021	Change
UK average	129.52	132.19	2.67
East	129.91	132.60	2.69
East Midlands	128.96	131.46	2.5
London	130.88	133.53	2.65
North East	128.37	130.90	2.53
North West	128.94	131.83	2.89
Northern Ireland	125.04	128.52	3.48
Scotland	129.15	132.18	3.03
South East	130.51	133.21	2.7
South West	129.88	132.57	2.69
Wales	128.57	131.24	2.67
West Midlands	129.45	131.99	2.54
Yorkshire And The Humber	128.57	131.29	2.72

Diesel	01/06/2021	30/06/2021	Change
UK average	131.79	134.32	2.53
East	132.54	134.96	2.42
East Midlands	131.51	134.07	2.56
London	133.10	135.35	2.25
North East	130.44	133.02	2.58
North West	131.21	133.99	2.78
Northern Ireland	127.53	130.21	2.68
Scotland	131.43	134.22	2.79
South East	132.99	135.48	2.49
South West	132.11	134.70	2.59
Wales	130.82	133.42	2.6
West Midlands	131.70	134.32	2.62
Yorkshire And The Humber	131.21	133.73	2.52

 By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Police driving an unmarked HGV cab have caught motorists on the motorway breaking the law, with 85 offences detected during a week-long operation.

West Mercia Police teamed up with Highways England for Operation Tramline, a joint national operation aimed at changing driver behaviour.

It involves roads policing officers driving an unmarked HGV cab which offers an elevated position allowing police officers to film risky behaviour, such as mobile phone use and seatbelt use, within passing vehicles.

The plain white HGV tractor unit loaned to West Mercia Police by Highways England has been used across the country enabling officers to crack down on motorists who break the law, first taking to the road in 2018.

Superintendent Gareth Morgan of West Mercia Police said: “During this operation officers have witnessed a number of drivers not wearing seatbelts and using their phones behind the wheel.

“There have been various education campaigns highlighting these particular issues so there really is no excuse for people not to know what the law states or the penalties they can receive when they are caught.”

He continued: “This Operation is a great demonstration of joint partnership working with Highways England where the ultimate aim is to improve road safety for all and reduce the amount of people that are killed or seriously injured on our roads.”

Highways England assistant regional safety coordinator, Marie Biddulph, added: “We know that the majority of drivers who use our roads every day are sensible and safe behind the wheel but it is disappointing so see how many people are still putting themselves and others at risk by simply ignoring the law.

“Operation Tramline could not operate without our police partners and we are very grateful to West Mercia Police for helping us to tackle such dangerous driving on our roads.

“We hope that through our continuing partnership and use of the supercabs we can encourage all motorists to think about their driving behaviour.”

During the week-long operation in West Mercia, 85 offences were detected on the motorway, such as non-seatbelt use, mobile phone use and driving without due care.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Public charge points are currently outnumbered three-to-one by home units, with 80% of all charging sessions taking place at residential addresses.

But it is the public charging network which will, arguably, have a more important role in the transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

This is, primarily, for two reasons. Around 40% of households do not have off-street parking, while the availability and reliability of public charge points is also critical to build consumer confidence.

This was highlighted in the latest Department for Transport (DfT) Transport and Technology Public Attitudes Tracker report, which cited worries around charging infrastructure as the biggest disadvantage to EVs.

“People might only have to charge their EVs once or twice a week, but they still want it to be convenient and it is still a big barrier for people in terms of thinking ‘how am I going to charge?’, ‘what am I going to do?,” says Natasha Robinson, head of Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV).

“We’ve looked to help move that market through our infrastructure schemes, but this is definitely an area we’re looking for a more accelerated timetable.”

In recognition of the need to increase the public charging network, the Government announced £1.3 billion of funding to grow it in its November spending review:

• £950 million to support the rollout of rapid EV charging hubs at every service station on England’s motorways and major A-roads.
• £275m to extend support for charge point installation at homes, workplaces and on-street locations, while reforming these schemes so they target difficult parts of the market such as leaseholders and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• £90m to fund local EV charging infrastructure to support the roll-out of larger on-street charging schemes and rapid hubs in England.

The DfT’s latest Electric Vehicle Charging Device Statistic report found the number of public charge points had increased 18% in the past year to 19,487, with 3,530 of those being rapid devices.

The report says there is an uneven geographical distribution of charging devices within the UK, with fewer charge points in rural or remote areas.

London has the highest level of charging device provision per 100,000 of population with 63, while Northern Ireland is lowest with 17. The UK average is 29 per 100,000 people.

The locations of public charge points are split into three segments: destination, transit and on-street.

Here we look at what these segments are and some of the developments within them.

Destination

‘Destination’ charge points are found at locations where people go to for a reason other than to charge their EV, such as supermarkets, shopping centres, cinemas or restaurants.

The charge points are often installed by businesses to provide an additional benefit or incentive to customers, says John Murray, head of EVs at energy research and consultancy company Delta-EE, and the length of stay is typically 30-to-60 minutes.

“We expect this segment to continue to be led by standard-speed (22kW or less) chargers, with some rapids (22-100kW), and only a small number of high-power chargers (100kW or more),” Murray adds.

This certainly seems to be the current trend, with numerous retailers and restaurants announcing partnerships to install charge points at their sites for customer use.

One of the earliest major announcements came from a partnership of Tesco, Volkswagen and PodPoint and this will see more than 2,400 EV charging bays introduced across 600 Tesco stores by the end of this year.

The bulk of these will be 7kW chargers, while some sites will also offer 22kW and 50kW units.

Other supermarkets are following suit. In the summer, Aldi announced it was partnering with NewMotion to provide charge points at all new store locations, adding 140 chargers to the UK public charging network over the next three years.

These will support charging speeds of up to 22kW, with Fritz Walleczek, managing director of corporate responsibility at Aldi UK, saying this will ensure the retailer’s EV charging infrastructure is future-proofed to accommodate newer EV models that will have bigger battery sizes and support greater charging speeds.

Restaurant chains are another obvious location for charge points, allowing customers to top-up EVs while they eat (in a post-coronavirus world).

Marstons Inns and Taverns has, so far, had 400 50kW chargers installed at 200 of its sites by Engenie, and says these can provide customers with up to 75-100 miles of charge in 30 minutes (assuming the EV is capable of pulling that charge capacity).

Further examples of how restaurants are embracing the technology came last summer when McDonald’s and KFC both announced partnerships with InstaVolt.

McDonald’s will introduce 125kW charging points at both new and existing Drive Thru restaurants within the McDonald’s estate where they can be accommodated.

Its first charge point went live at its restaurant in Port Talbot, Wales, last month (December) as the first step in the business’s ambition to have more EV charging points than any other company in the UK and Ireland.

“With more than 1,300 restaurants, our ambition would mean you would never be far from a charging point,” says Paul Pomroy, CEO of McDonald’s UK and Ireland.

“Drivers will be able to pop in for a coffee or a meal and get an 80% charge in 20 minutes. We are known for speed and convenience, and this partnership with InstaVolt will provide just that for EV drivers.”

InstaVolt’s deal with KFC will see rapid chargers installed at up to 450 KFC drive-through restaurants. It already has chargers at KFCs in Sheffield, Nottingham, Rotherham and Crewe.

Transit

The ‘transit’ segment refers to charge points at locations where the primary reason for the visit is to charge an EV, similar to the current petrol and diesel forecourt model.

At the moment, these account for less than 1% of the UK’s charge points and this proportion is likely to be similar in 2030, says Murray.

However, the proportion of the actual electricity they will charge EVs with will be around 20% of the UK’s total in 2030 due to their higher power than other charge points and increased utilisation.

“We expect a greater reliance on transit charging, similar to the forecourt model we see today for refuelling ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles,” says Murray.

The Government has been looking at this sector in “quite a lot of detail over the past 12-to-18 months”, says OZEV’s Robinson.

“By 2035, we expect to see around 6,000 high-powered charge points across the motorway and A-road network,” she adds. “We’re working hard with others, such as Highways England, Ofgem, the DNOs (distribution network operators) and National Grid, to make sure we’re getting our motorway network ready for mass uptake.

“We want to ensure there is a good experience for the drivers and also, critically, for fleets, which have slightly different needs and requirements of the charging infrastructure network.”

As well as drivers who do long journeys, transit charging will appeal to those who either do not have access to a home charger or on-street charging, or just want the convenience of a fast top-up.

An example of a transit charging facility is BP’s Hammersmith Flyover site, which features four 150kW chargers and one 50kW unit.

“We believe Hammersmith Flyover is the most-visited public charging destination in the UK, recently charging an average of 115 vehicles each day with more than 2,000kWh of energy,” says Matteo de Renzi, CEO of BP Pulse.

“Ultra-fast is the new frontier of public charging, with even the latest generation of small electric cars offering 100kW charging speeds, and it is as important to private motorists without off-street parking as it is to drivers with higher mileage needs.”

Like BP, Shell is one of the fuel suppliers also installing charge points on existing forecourts.

It plans to have a combination of 200 50kW and 150kW chargers on forecourts located on major routes across the UK, in addition to a network of chargers available on local roads.

A new entrant in this sector is Gridserve, which plans to build 100 Electric Forecourts in the UK in the next five years as part of a £1bn programme.

It opened its first one in Braintree last month and this enables 36 vehicles to be charged at the same time at speeds up to 350kW.

Electricity is generated from both solar power canopies above the chargers and a network of hybrid solar farms, also operated by Gridserve.

The Electric Forecourt blurs the line between transit and destination segments, as it includes a retail space hosting partners including WH Smith Travel, Costa Coffee, Booths and the Post Office. It also has a waiting lounge, washrooms, dedicated children’s area and business meeting rooms.

On-street

As the term suggests, ‘on-street’ charge points are found on roads or near homes, typically for the estimated 40% to 50% of UK households that do not have access to off-street car parking.

“We’ve got to support this area with our on-street residential scheme,” says Robinson. “This provides funding for local authorities to put in 7kW to 22kW charge points in locations that people can access so it unlocks the option of having an EV.”

The deployment of on-street charge points faces a number of difficulties, including costs for providers to install as well as practical constraints in space and capacity to meet likely demand.

“There are already concerns about the impact of existing chargers to the streetscape: they’re large, can be loud and often unsightly,” says Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO of Connected Kerb.

“Instead of constructing another mammoth-sized thing to plonk on the footpath and inconvenience all parents with prams out for an evening stroll, how about utilising posts and bollards that have been inconveniencing people for years which they have already learned to live with?”

Connected Kerb develops charge points which can be attached to signposts or other existing street furniture.

Some companies are developing solutions which will allow lampposts to be used to charge EVs.

Chargy, for example, became the first company to install lamppost charge points in London in 2018 in a deal with Southwark Council, while last year Siemens and Ubitricity began installing them in Richmond-upon-Thames.

“The standard lamppost is connected to a 25-amp supply,” says Richard Stobart, CEO of Chargy. “If it has gone across to LED lighting, that leaves 24 amps for charging cars.

“You will be able to get around 20 miles of driving for every hour of lamppost charging.”

In March last year, Westminster City Council teamed up with Siemens and Ubitricity to unveil the UK’s first converted lamppost charging street: Sutherland Avenue, Maida Vale, W9, which the local authority has dubbed ‘Electric Avenue, W9’.

Residents can charge their EVs at 24 lampposts at various locations along the street.

“While we cannot solve the challenge of air quality overnight, Electric Avenue W9 is an important showcase of what’s possible using existing city infrastructure,” says Cedrik Neike, CEO of Siemens Smart Infrastructure. “It illustrates how residential streets will look in the near future and accelerates the shift to zero emission vehicles.”

Another potential on-street charging solution is the app-operated pop-up charger, which sits flush to the pavement when not in use, extending only when it is needed.

Oxford became the first city in the world to trial this technology after its city council and charge point developer Urban Electric were awarded £474,000 funding through Innovate UK.

The trial ran from September 2019 to the end of February 2020 and was a success, says the council.

“Resident satisfaction and utilisation was very high and all project partners learned a great deal about the possibilities of the technology,” it adds.

The technology is being deployed in Dundee as part of a £3.8m trial, jointly funded by OLEZ (Office for Low Emission Vehicles) and Innovate UK.

“I think is a really exciting development and I think it will increase the resident charging across many cities in the UK,” says Fraser Crichton, fleet manager for Dundee City Council.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

New car sales in the UK were down by more than 16% in June and down by almost 27% in the first half of the year, when compared with averages from the previous decade.

Fleet and business registrations were a combined 97,413 units for the month, more than a third up (34%) on the same month last year, when the UK began to emerge from the first pandemic lockdown and showrooms in England opened up at the beginning of the month.

Year-to-date fleet and business registrations now stand at 499,275 units, a 47% uplift on the first six months of 2020 (338,918 units), according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Combined, battery electric (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) accounted for 17% of new vehicles sold (31,981 units), including retail sales. BEVs accounted for more than one in 10 registrations (10.7%).

PHEV uptake, however, continued to grow faster than BEV uptake for the third month running.

Meryem Brassington, electrification propositions lead at Lex Autolease, said: “Momentum is beginning to build along the road to recovery from the pandemic, but today’s half-year figures still represent a drop on pre-Covid levels, indicating that the car industry isn’t out of the woods just yet.

“We’ll no doubt see the impact of vehicle supply issues and semi-conductor shortages unfold in the coming months, but if we’re serious about leading the EV charge then sustained investment from policymakers to accelerate the UK’s electrification plans has to stay at the top of the agenda.”

All vehicle sizes – bar executive and multi-purpose – saw growth in June, with the strongest growth seen in the mini segment, which had been relatively weak for several months. Superminis were the most popular car class, accounting for 34% of registrations, followed by lower medium (27%) and dual purpose (24%).

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “With the final phases of the UK’s vaccine rollout well underway and confidence increasing, the automotive sector is now battling against a ‘long Covid’ of vehicle supply challenges.

“The semiconductor shortages arising from Covid-constrained output globally are affecting vehicle production, disrupting supply on certain models and restricting the automotive recovery. However, rebuilding for the next decade is now well underway with investment in local battery production beginning and a raft of new electrified models in showrooms.

“With the end of domestic restrictions later this month looking more likely, business and consumer optimism should improve further, fuelling increased spending, especially as the industry looks towards September and advanced orders for the next plate change.”

Every car- and van-maker is being impacted by the computer chip crisis, with some delivery times for cars lengthening from three to six months, and many new vans not expected to be delivered until 2022.

EVs becoming ‘increasingly mainstream’

Jon Lawes, managing director of Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, says that the latest figures from the SMMT “unequivocally” demonstrate that BEVs are now an “increasingly mainstream” option for motorists.

“We’ve seen this sustained uptake in EVs first-hand, with HCVS seeing a 368% increase in EVs across our fleet in the last financial year – a remarkable figure during the lowest year of new car registrations since 1992,” he said.

“EVs will increasingly become front of mind as consumers and businesses look to replace their vehicles in the coming years and ensuring there are viable options in place for all lifestyles and budgets is vital to future-proof the industry as the 2030 ICE ban approaches.”

Richard Peberdy, UK head of automotive at KPMG UK, highlighted how the supply and demand imbalance has created the unusual situation of used cars rising in value, rather than depreciating.

However, he said: “Recovering fleet sales will eventually replenish the used car market and clip inflation, following 18 months of stifled investment.”

Meanwhile, Jamie Hamilton, automotive director and head of electric vehicles at Deloitte, echoed the SMMT’s concerns over the semiconductor shortage and its impact on UK new car sales.

“The ongoing global semi-conductor shortage has had a direct impact on consumers with manufacturers unable to fulfil orders in a timely manner, especially on the less popular models they have had to deprioritise,” he said.

“The ripple effect of this shortage has seen unusual activity in the used car market. Demand is high, but the limited availability of new cars means that there are even fewer used cars coming onto the market. As a result, prices have shot up. In an attempt to secure stock, some dealers have looked beyond the auction houses, turning their attentions to private sellers.

“Unfortunately, there is little respite for the industry, with the semi-conductor shortage expected to continue causing issues throughout the rest of the year and maybe even into 2022.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Used car trade values are continuing an “unparalleled shift upwards”, according to Cap HPI.

The data provider’s daily Live trade values show that, on average, trade prices for used cars have increased by £1,700 or 13.5% in the last three months.

Younger cars, up to one-year old, have seen rises of £2,500 in the same period.

In June alone, the average used car price was up 4.8%.

“Consumer demand has remained very strong in June, despite half-term, great weather, and Euro 2020 to distract people.

“With stock-turn high, this has led to retailers requiring a constant supply of cars to replenish their forecourts,” said Derren Martin, head of valuations at Cap HPI.

“Well-documented new car supply issues resulting from several component shortages, have led to fewer fleet returns and part exchanges. This has caused demand to outweigh supply for the third month running,” he added.

Every sector and fuel-type has seen values increase in May. Examples of some volume models from across various sectors that have increased in value at the 3-year, 60,000-mile point are Ford Fiesta (+6% or £500), BMW 1-Series Diesel (+7% or £850), Hyundai Tucson (+10% or £1,150) and Vauxhall Zafira (+9% or £750).

Martin concluded that even if demand dips from its current levels, supply is still going to be lower than normal for some time yet.

He said: “With new cars being in such short supply and likely to continue to be so for at least the next quarter, there is no bow wave of fleet returns coming through. One million less cars have been registered than would reasonably have been forecast over the last 18 months. These cars are lost to the used car market. It will be a while before supply outweighs demand again.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

New tyre label regulations from the EU are expected to be introduced in the UK before the end of the year.

The new rules, which are designed to improve awareness of tyre characteristics, were introduced in Ireland and Northern Ireland on May 1.

The new EU tyre label must be applied to heavy-duty commercial vehicle tyres including trucks and buses (Class C3) with all tyre suppliers – including commercial vehicle suppliers – now required to inform buyers of the label values during the sales process.

It now rates wet braking distances and fuel efficiency from A to E, with A being the best performing, and ranks external noise of the tyre from A to C, with A the quietest.

It also includes winter performance data, via the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMS) symbol, which determines whether a tyre meets tough snow performance requirements, as stipulated when driving across many European countries during colder seasons.

For C1 and C2 tyres, for cars and vans respectively, those previously in class E for fuel efficiency and wet grip will now be assigned to Class D which was previously empty, while those formerly in classes F and G will be assigned to class E. This makes the label clearer and easier to interpret.

Another addition to the EU tyre label is the stipulation that it must include a unique QR code, both on the on actual label and in the tyre manufacturers’ information that links the tyre to the European Product Database for Energy Labelling (EPREL) database, where additional tyre label information can be obtained.

As it stands, the regulation underpinning the new EU tyre labels only applies to new tyres, with revised legislation relating to retread tyres expected in 2023.

Importantly for commercial vehicle operators, mileage performance is not yet incorporated into the label, on the basis that suitable test methods are not currently available.

The label values are also based on the tyre’s performance when new and do not take into account the performance characteristics of the tyre across its lifetime.

Tony Stapleton, head of group fleet sales at Continental Tyres, said: “The new EU tyre label is designed to help people choose safer, more fuel-efficient tyres, factors which are vitally important whether you drive a car, a van or are responsible for choosing tyres for a commercial vehicle fleet.

 “However commercial vehicle customers should view the labelling as just one part of their discussions with tyre suppliers, to ensure performance factors not included in the labelling, such as the opposing requirements of mileage and durability, are factored into their choice.

Most fleets need to make sure their tyres offer a balance between these contrasting drivers, and this will greatly differ fleet to fleet depending on the type of operation and vehicles.

“For example, for construction and waste disposal fleets, tyre durability is critical, with fuel efficiency taking a secondary role, whereas in general haulage such as retail distribution, the fuel efficiency capabilities of a tyre will likely play a far greater role.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

I’ve included this piece aimed at companies but it also includes some useful information regarding the fact that an electric or low-emission vehicle may avoid charges in Clean Air Zones but still be charged for entering a Congestion Zone.

To understand why we need congestion charges and clean air zones, we have to consider the following statistics. There are currently around 37.5 million vehicles registered for use on the roads in the UK. Of these, only 0.5% are classified as ultra-low emissions. This is contributing to a crisis in our air pollution levels.

In 2019, the average CO2 emissions of cars sold in the UK increased for the third year in a row. And to understand why this is important, consider that around 28,000 and 36,000 deaths a year are the result of prolonged exposure to air pollution.

Congestion charges and Clean Air Zones are two initiatives which aim to reduce air pollution and car use in the most built-up areas. But despite having similar aims, these are not the same thing. Both are additional charges for using a vehicle, but they have quite different end goals.

Congestion charging aims to help reduce the number of cars that enter an area, while Clean Air Zones aim to improve air quality by discouraging high emission vehicles from entering the zone.

While a clean air zone might have an impact on congestion, this will only be a short-term impact as more vehicles are upgraded or retrofitted with emissions control technology.

Where are the Congestion Charges used?

Congestion Zones are found across London. They are marked with a white ‘c’ in a red circle on the roads and with road signs. To check if an area is in a congestion zone, you can use this postcode checker. Vehicles entering a congestion zone between 07:00-18:00, Monday to Friday will be charged £11.50.

To further deter drivers, the London congestion zone is also an Ultra-Low Emissions Zone. This means that if your vehicle does not meet the required emissions guidelines, you will also have to pay the ULEZ charge of £12.50 for vehicles up to 3.5t.

While the Congestion zone only covers peak travel times, the ULEZ charge is applicable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So a drive to the centre of London at peak times on a Wednesday could set you back £14.

Where are the Clean Air Zones?

The Clean Air Zones scheme is set to roll out in early 2021. The first cities to trial the zoning will be Birmingham, Leeds and Bath. Vehicles which enter this zone will be picked up by automatic number plate recognition cameras and charged a flat fee which will be set by the local council. In Birmingham, this will be £8 per day, and in Leeds, non-compliant vehicles will pay £12.50 per day.

How can I future proof my business against these charges?

Even if you don’t currently operate in an area which uses congestion charging or Clean Air Zoning, these schemes are rapidly gaining momentum. This map shows where schemes are expected to roll out in the future.

To truly future-proof your business, making the switch to low emission electric vehicles is essential. This will not only cut your operating costs if you work in an area where a low emissions scheme is planned, but you will also experience long term savings in reduced running costs. Electric vehicles are reliable, cost-effective and great for the environment.

In addition to the above What Car/ have also advised the following update.

In December 2018 Transport for London advised that Alternatively Fuelled Vehicles (Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid and EV’s) that were currently exempt from congestion charges would eventually be phased out.

From April 2019 hybrids and PHEV with higher emissions were no longer exempt and had to pay the congestion charge.

At the moment PHEV’s with an electric range of 20 miles or more on electric power and emissions of less than 75g/km of CO2 are still exempt but will lose the exemption from the 25^th October 2021.

EV’s will have to start paying the Congestion Charge from 2025. If you are driving into London and you are currently exempt you must first register your car with TfL via their website or you may receive a fine even though your car is exempt. This costs £10 per vehicle to register and can take up to 10 days to get registered.

Also please not that due to the pandemic the charge increased from 22^nd June 2020, from £11.50 to £15 per day from 7.00am to 10.00pm.

Hope that helps. By Graham Hill thanks to What Car? and Compact Electric Vehicles

Is this the end of insurance rip-off? £1billion saving predicted as firms are stopped from charging existing loyal customers more than new ones.

The Financial Conduct Authority announced that insurers would not be allowed to charge loyal clients more than new ones.

The FCA found insurers were making it harder for customers to stop automatic renewals by keeping them on hold on the telephone for a long time.

These practices were costing around six million households an average of £200 each a year.

INSURANCE customers will no longer be punished for their loyalty under plans that could save households £1billion a year.

In a victory for Money Mail, the Financial Conduct Authority yesterday announced that insurers would not be allowed to charge existing clients more than new ones.

The regulator said its reforms would ‘put an end to the very high prices paid by some long-standing customers’.

Under ‘price walking’, a new car insurance customer typically pays £285 a year, while one who is loyal for five years pays £370. The equivalent figures for home cover are £130 and £238.

One Money Mail reader saw their household premium rise from £313 in 2019 to £1,119 in 2020, despite not having made a claim since 2012.

Ten million policies across home and motor insurance are held by customers who have been with their provider for five years or more. A third of those overpaying for cover are vulnerable, elderly or low paid, the FCA found.

It said insurers were making it harder for customers to stop automatic renewals by keeping them on hold on the telephone for a long time.

Those switching regularly will be flagged by insurers and potentially denied the best deals.

The watchdog said these ‘complex and opaque pricing practices’ were costing around six million households an average of £200 each a year.

Under its proposals, firms will be free to set prices for new customers, but they would be prevented from raising premiums over time, other than in line with changes in a customer’s risk. The FCA said it could save customers between £3.7billion and £11billion over ten years.

Sarah Coles, personal finance analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, warned that some customers would lose out.

She added: ‘Insurers offer far better deals for new customers. Some will actually make a loss on the first year, and aim to claw it back with price rises on renewal. Switchers can take advantage of these introductory deals, and then move before the price hikes. The new rules would put a stop to this overnight.’

Gareth Shaw of consumer champions Which? said the FCA should ‘closely monitor insurance firms to ensure they do right by their loyal customers’.

Huw Evans of the Association of British Insurers, an industry body, said: ‘We will consider carefully this package of proposals, so that we can engage with the FCA on the most effective measures possible. There are winners and losers in the way the market works currently with those who switch provider every year often ending up with lower prices.’

 WHEN John Finlay saw his car premium rise by 85 per cent in four years, he decided enough was enough.

Instead of coughing up for a £626 policy with existing provider AA, he bought one for £437 with AXA. But he is now back with the AA after AXA hiked his premium – and the AA offered him a quote for £384.

Mr Finlay, a 79-year-old from Mayfield in East Sussex, also saw his AA home cover rise from £155 to £201. It was cut to £156 when he objected.

He said: ‘It’s disrespectful to existing customers. They get loyalty from us but there is no reciprocation.’

AXA said its rise reflected ‘claims cost inflation’. The AA said its quotes were competitive and reflected the new business discounts typically available.  By Graham Hill thanks to What Car?

Public Accounts Committee accuses Government of having no “clear, published plan” on how the UK will switch to an electric car future…

The viability of the Government’s plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 has been called into question by a group of MPs, who say the transition represents a “huge challenge” for the country, and that the departments responsible for it have “lacked a clear, published plan” to set out how it will happen.

The criticism comes from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which evaluates the effectiveness and value of Government proposals and services. The PAC is made up of 15 MPs, eight of whom are Conservatives, although the chair is Labour’s Meg Hillier.

The PAC report says that although the Government has set “ambitious targets” for the transition, there are still big hurdles to overcome, including increasing the uptake of electric cars among buyers, lowering their cost, and upgrading the UK’s charging network.

Under current plans, the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2030, albeit with some hybrid cars given a stay of execution until 2035. So far in 2021, electric cars have accounted for 7.2% of sales – up from 4% across the same period in 2020.

Below, we look at each of the issues raised in the report, and what’s being done to address them.

Lowering the cost of electric cars

The cost of buying an electric car is one of the biggest issues, with the committee saying it is “not persuaded that the upfront costs are low enough for many”, and pointing out that there are currently only 13 electric car models costing less than £30,000. Any fully electric car which costs less than £35,000 qualifies for the Government’s plug-in car grant, currently worth £2500.

The plug-in car grant is expected to last until at least 2023, when funding allocated for the scheme in 2020 is due to run out. To date, the grant scheme has provided more than £1 billion to electric vehicle drivers.

The cheapest electric car you can buy currently is the Seat Mii, which costs from £22,800 before the grant is factored in.

A recent What Car? survey of more than 10,000 in-market buyers showed that one-in-five were considering an electric car as their next purchase – a significant rise compared with the 8% who answered the same way in 2019.

In our survey, 31% of respondents said the biggest concern they had over going electric was range, followed by charging (18%).

Lowering the cost of charging

The PAC report says that price differences between charging using a public charging network and charging at home “need to be addressed”, as well as the cost of replacing electric car batteries. Indeed, a National Audit Office report suggests that charging at home can cost up to 78% less than relying on the public charging network.

A recent What Car? investigation found that public charging prices vary wildly, with it costing as little as £7.49 and as much as £17.46 to charge a Renault Zoe electric hatchback to 80% of capacity, depending on location, associated fees and the type of charger used.

Similarly, while the Department for Transport estimates that, on average, it costs around 1p per mile to run an electric car (compared with around 10p per mile to run a petrol or diesel) our real-world tests show that this is only the case when you’re charging at home.

In reality, we found that an electric car can cost up to 9p per mile when all of the fees associated with public charging are taken into account, while 13p per mile is realistic for a petrol car, and 11p per mile for a diesel car.

In its evidence to the PAC, the Department for Transport said that it expects “more competition in the market and innovation which may benefit customers in terms of the price paid for electricity”.

The department also suggested that some electric cars might act as energy storage devices for smart homes, and feed energy back into the grid at peak times, thus reducing energy costs.

Increasing the availability of charging points

The PAC report says that although there has been progress made to increase the number of charging points available in the UK, “take-up has been greatest where there are high levels of traffic, charge-points and affluence.”

The report notes that rural areas are in danger of getting “left behind during this transition” if they too don’t see an expansion of their local charging networks. It should also be noted that the take-up among local authorities to support the growth of on-street residential charge points has been poor, with the National Audit Office estimating that almost a third of the £8.5 million set aside has not been used.

The report says: “We are not convinced that Government has sufficiently thought through how the charging infrastructure will expand at the pace required to meet the ambitious timetable to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles.”

It says that the Department for Transport has made a number of assumptions around the type of journeys most drivers are making, noting that, according to those assumptions, 99% of journeys are less than 100 miles, the vast majority of electric car charging is done at home and overnight, and that people will use public charging stations to top up during longer trips.

Despite those assumptions, the report says there is no estimate for how many charging points the country will need to keep up with the increase in electric cars. Data from the English Housing Survey also notes that 33% of households in England do not have access to off-street parking, so could not charge at home easily.

The PAC report notes that, while the Government has pledged to offer six rapid charging points at every UK motorway service station by 2023, it has “not focused much attention on charging for people that do not have off-street parking”.

According to Zapmap, which lists every public charging station in the country, there are currently 23,873 charging points at 15,254 locations across the UK. The biggest provider of publicly available charging points is Source London, which has a market share of 25.8%, followed by Ubitricity and Pod Point, with shares of 14.7% and 12.1% respectively.

Maintenance and energy costs

Other issues raised in the PAC report include the need to re-train dealership and independent garage technicians to work on and repair electric cars, especially as these vehicles age, and a safeguarding of the National Grid to cope with an increased demand for energy.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy estimates that the increased demand for electric cars will equate to a 2% increase in energy bills for households by 2030, although this is money that you would otherwise spend on filling up with petrol or diesel.

What has the reaction been?

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which represents the views of the motor industry to Government, said: “The automotive industry shares the Government’s ambition for an electric revolution, a transformation that has already begun.

However, as the Public Accounts Committee has made clear, we need a comprehensive and holistic plan to get us there in time.

“That plan must convince consumers to make the switch, it must provide the incentives that make electric cars affordable for all, and it must ensure recharging is as easy as refuelling – which means a massive and rapid rollout of infrastructure nationwide.”

When asked for comment, a Department for Transport spokesperson told What Car?: “We’ve got a highly ambitious and world-leading approach to increasing the uptake of zero emission cars, and the progress we’re making in this area will help us to meet our targets.

“Already, we’re investing £2.8 billion in helping industry and drivers make the switch – and will continue our work to install thousands of charge points and boost the development of new technologies to meet our goals.”

The reaction to the ban from buyers has been negative, with a What Car? survey conducted in November of last year – soon after the proposal was announced – revealing that 59% of buyers disagreed with the principle behind the ban, while 29% said they did not understand which cars would still be allowed to be on sale after 2030.  By Graham Hill thanks to What Car?