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The Government has announced changes to the HGV driver test in order to free up capacity for 50,000 additional tests per year.

A new streamlined test means drivers will only need to take one test to drive both a rigid and articulated lorry, rather than having to take two separate tests (spaced three weeks apart). This, according to the Government, will make around 20,000 more HGV driving tests available every year and mean drivers can gain their licence and enter the industry more quickly.

Tests will also be made shorter by removing the ‘reversing exercise’ element – and for vehicles with trailers, the ‘uncoupling and recoupling’ exercise – and having it tested separately by a third party. This part of the test is carried out off the road on a manoeuvring area and takes a significant amount of time. Testing such manoeuvres separately will free up examiner time, meaning they can carry out another full test every day.

Car drivers will no longer need to take another test to tow a trailer or caravan, allowing roughly 30,000 more HGV driving tests to be conducted every year.

Car and trailer driving tests will no longer be available after September 20, 2021. The DVLA will update driving licence records automatically. The category B+E will be added to photocard driving licences when they are renewed.

This new legislation is changing previous EU regulations which the UK is no longer obliged to use.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “From Inverness to St Ives, HGV drivers are helping to keep the country running, and have been throughout the pandemic. The shortage of drivers is a global problem, but we’ve been taking action here in the UK to help industry leaders attract drivers and build a more resilient sector.

“We’ve already delivered 50% more tests than were available before the pandemic, but today’s additional measures will deliver up to 50,000 more a year, helping more and more people to kickstart their career as a well-paid HGV driver.”

The changes follow a public consultation over the summer, which saw thousands of respondents, including industry leaders, support the move as a positive step to help the sector tackle the lorry driver shortage currently affecting countries around the world.

The Government says the standard of driving required to drive an HGV will not be affected and any driver who does not demonstrate utmost competence will not be granted a licence.

Ahead of the announcement, RED Driver Risk Management said it believes the move to make it easier for drivers to be allowed to drive specialised vehicles not only smacks of desperation, but undermines the relentless work the driver training industry has put in to make the UK’s roads safer over the years.

Ian McIntosh, CEO of RED Driver Training, explained: “No doubt stung by negative media coverage of empty supermarket shelves, and with driver shortages impacting upon freight distribution in the UK, the Government is seemingly panicked into being seen to do something, rather than actually thinking through the issues these proposals raise.

“For example, removing the need for an additional test for B+E entitlement for drivers to be able to drive car and van trailer combinations is a dangerous step backwards. It will expose more businesses, their employees and other road users to increased risk.”

Figures from the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) show that the national pass rate for B+E driving tests was 69.6% in 2019/20 and only 58% for 2020/21. In other words, between 30-42% of people taking this test are unable to demonstrate the minimum standard of driving and competence to tow loaded trailers on the road on at least their first attempt.

Matt Hammond, head of fleet at M Group Services, said: “Whilst the overhaul will increase the capacity for HGV tests it doesn’t answer the underlying issue surrounding how HGV drivers are perceived and treated. The issue might be associated with Brexit and Covid but in reality, the issue of drivers leaving the profession has been one that supersedes both of these events.

“Why would anyone want a career that takes them away from home for up to 5 nights each week, expected to park in lay-bys or at best, poor service stations with limited facilities and having to pay top dollar for the privilege. We as an industry need to rethink how we treat our drivers and the expectations we put in them.

“Only then will new drivers want to come into the profession.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

As a member of MENSA myself I was sad to hear of the death of one of our most colourful and clever people. He was the genius that invented the pocket calculator and later the mini-computer that he later sold to Alan Sugar.

He married a pole dancer that he met in Stringfellows and despite all of the rumours that she was only with Sir Clive for his money (she was 36 years his junior) led a fairly frugal lifestyle outside the glare of the public and appeared to love each other – good on them!

Moving on to his e vehicle inventions. Four times Sir Clive Sinclair tried to revolutionise e-transport. From an electric car to electric bikes and an electric trike: Sir Clive Sinclair’s death has shed a wider light on his creative – and sometimes doomed – genius.

The sad passing of Sir Clive Sinclair has generated thousands of headlines, most focused on his work to revolutionise either the pocket calculator or home computing.

But his death has also shed a wider light on his creative – and sometimes doomed – genius, including a decades-too-soon determination to electrify personal transport.

Here, as a stark reminder that for every Elon Musk there are thousands of right ideas at the wrong time (as well as a lot of wrong ideas, lest we be accused of being too kind), are four Sinclair inventions that sought to change how we travel.

Sinclair C5

Technically an electrically assisted pedal cycle, the C5 – with, you guessed it, the C signifying its founder’s first name, Clive – arrived in 1985 in a blaze of publicity driven both by its inventor’s high profile and mega success in the computing world and the fact that it was, well, downright odd.

For many, this was the first glimpse of how Sir Clive’s brilliance could tip onto the wrong side of genius. While the concept was enthralling, the reality was rather more puzzling, something summed up well by Steve Cropley, who was there for the launch.

The C5 was slower and less practical than a bike, with a range rated at 20 miles from its 12V lead-acid battery, and a top speed of 15mph, boosted by the 250W electric motor, but with many of the same limitations, such as a lack of protection from the weather. It added a few extra issues into the mix, too, chiefly just how visible its occupant was in city traffic, with a flagpole-like structure a hastily arranged optional extra soon after launch.

At £399, it was competitively priced with top-end bicycles, but even so, sales bombed: 14,000 C5s were made, and 5000 sold before the firm went into receivership. Ironically, the remaining stock was snapped up and went on to attain collectable status, with pristine prices reputed to have hit £6000 – and one plucky soul converted a C5 to hit a top speed in excess of 150mph. How Sir Clive, his fortune severely dented, must have rolled his eyes.

In Sir Clive’s head at least, the C5 – itself derived from a prototype called C1, of which many running examples were produced in the late 1970s and early 1980s – was intended to be the first of a series of electric vehicles.

The C10 and C15 are widely believed to have been committed to the drawing board, their prospects of a wider audience dying along with the sales fortunes of the C5.

Sinclair Zike

The Sinclair Zike was revealed in 1992 and, once again, indicated that Sir Clive’s genius was often ahead of the public mood, as it combined Brompton-like convenience with the practicality of the soon-to-boom e-bike.

Weighing 11kg, and using a small electric motor to drive the rear wheel, the Zike (picture by Pasicles below) had its nickel-cadmium batteries – notable at the time for being half the weight of the equivalent lead-acid batteries – built into the frame. It cost £499 – about the same as a high-end traditional bike at the time.

Riders had three power levels to choose from, but just one gear, with assistance available for between 30 and 180 minutes, depending on how much electric shove you wanted. Top speed was limited below 15mph, in line with the law. The recharge time was one hour and the batteries rated as good for 2000 recharge cycles.

Testers noted the wheel size meant potholes were a potentially lethal hazard and almost every review of the bike praised its compactness but criticised its stability.  Just 2000 were sold in total in the six months it was on sale – against a production target of 10,000 a month.

Sir Clive blamed a dispute with the firm contracted to produce it for its failure and, enthusiasm undimmed, created the Sinclair ZETO, standing for Zero Emission Transport Accessory, a detachable powerpack that could be fitted to the wheel of any bike to provide electrical assistance.

Another fine idea that was doomed to fail – but, who knows, could yet be successfully reinterpreted in our changing world.

Sinclair A-bike

Fast forward to 2006 and Sir Clive reaffirmed that his creative juices were still flowing fast with the launch of the A-bike, imagined by him and designed by a Hong Kong-based agency, and so called for looking like the letter it was named after when unfolded.

It was remarkable not just for how it looked, but also – more pertinently – for the fact that it could fold into a bag, measuring just 67x30x16cm when folded and weighing 5.7kg. Wheel size was initially – and that’s a crucial word, given it implies there were successors – 15cm in diameter, but later expanded to 20cm to boost stability.

In the company of the other inventions listed here, the A-bike deserves to be considered a success. Not only was an updated model launched two years after the first, but it also had the dubious honour of having its design ripped off by numerous Chinese manufacturers, who filled the home market with their knock-offs.

Top Gear fans may also recall James May and Richard Hammond taking to an official version of the bike to get from a ferry to a cable car as they raced Jeremy Clarkson in a bid to prove a train ride could be faster than travelling by car.

Finally, to justify its presence in a Move Electric article, the A-bike spawned an electric variant in 2015. The A-bike Electric was funded via a Kickstarter campaign and more than £110,000 was raised to put it into production – and you can still buy one today, albeit modified and improved from the original design.

The A-bike Electric’s electrical assistance is rated at 15 miles, the top speed 12.5mph and it measures 70x40x21cm and weighs 12kg. Prices start from £399.99.

Iris eTrike

As people mull the legacy of Sir Clive in the wake of his death, perhaps it’s worth pausing to consider that his pioneering if sometimes misguided spirit lives on, not least in a new generation of Sinclairs, led by his nephew, Grant Sinclair.

Back in 2017, Grant, who worked in the family business on his way up, no doubt learning a thing or two from his famously always-inventing uncle, unveiled the Iris eTrike, which is hard to describe as anything other than a modern reinterpretation of the C5.

Taking the concept of the increasingly popular – if still considered as sitting to the far left of left-field – electric hybrid tricycles that are sometimes seen out and about, Grant sought to improve the experience, providing a higher, more upright seating position, a hinged canopy to keep the elements out and the use of aviation-quality materials to reduce weight. Praise be, he also engineered it so it could tackle a pothole without mishap. And with a luggage compartment…

With power assistance for a top speed of up to 30mph and up to 55 miles of electric range assistance from a lithium ion battery, the Iris eTrike was a concept that apparently had it all, for a mooted starting price of £2999.

Delivery was slated to begin at the end of 2017, but despite a blaze of publicity kick-starting interest, sales appear to have been hard to come by. More recently, astronaut Tim Peake tried one out on the BBC’s One Show, but potential buyers must still be patient: Grant’s website offers the Iris eTrike for pre-sale only, now at £4999. By Graham Hill thanks to Autocar.

All new fully electric Volvo models will be completely leather-free from 2025, with many interior options set to be replaced by more sustainable materials.

The change comes as the manufacturer looks to reduce animal harm and its contribution to global emissions and will begin with the C40 Recharge.

Volvo will aim for 25% of all materials on new cars to be recycled and bio-based, in addition to the goal of ensuring all immediate suppliers use 100% renewable energy by 2025.

“Being a progressive car maker means we need to address all areas of sustainability, not just CO2 emissions,” said Stuart Templar, Volvo’s director of global sustainability.

“Responsible sourcing is an important part of that work, including respect for animal welfare. Going leather-free inside our pure-electric cars is a good next step towards addressing this issue.”

Volvo will offer bio-based and recycled alternatives for leather interior options, including its Nordico material, made from plastic bottles, ‘bio-attributed material’ and corks reused from the wine industry.

Wool-blend options will still be available and sourced responsibly, with full traceability in line with animal-welfare standards.

Volvo will also aim to reduce the use of residual products from livestock production used in the production of plastics, rubber, lubricants and adhesives, either as part of the material or as a process chemical in the material’s production or treatment.

“Finding products and materials that support animal welfare will be challenging, but that’s no reason to avoid this important issue,” said Templar.

“This is a journey worth taking. Having a truly progressive and sustainable mindset means we need to ask ourselves difficult questions and actively try to find answers.

“By aiming to actively replace these materials as much as possible, Volvo Cars takes a strong and ethical position to do what it can to help stop animal harm, by contributing to a reduced demand for these materials containing animal products.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Autocar

England will be the first country in the world to introduce mandatory electric car charging points for new-build homes.

All new homes in England will have to be fitted with charge points for electric cars, as the government seeks to facilitate the infrastructure improvements necessary for the planned mass-adoption of EVs.

The Department for Transport announced a public consultation on the subject last summer, which has now concluded with the  government confirming it will seek to pass legislation in parliament later this year. The changes will force homebuilders to install charge points so potential owners can easily charge their plug-in hybrids and electric cars at home.

The move will also mean buyers of new-build homes won’t have to make use of the Government’s home charger subsidy scheme.

The rules don’t affect new-build houses without off-street parking, but the Government is also investing heavily in research projects that have included wireless charge points, and charge points that rise up from the pavement.

The drive towards EVs comes as the UK Government aims to meet stringent targets for air quality and pollution caused by internal combustion engine emissions. From 2030, the £1.5 billion Road to Zero strategy will see the sale of all new cars without electrification banned.

Details of this remain thin on the ground, but it is understood new cars will have to be able to travel for 50 miles under battery power in order to be allowed to remain on sale, essentially removing all cars but pure electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen cars from new-car showrooms.

The new rules set to come before parliament later this year will require all-new EV chargers to be the ‘smart’ charging variety, which makes best use of peak and off-peak electricity rates and could see EV’s act as a hive-like network of power storage when large amounts of electricity are generated by wind turbines, for example.

As well as Road to Zero, the Government has also announced the UK is to be carbon neutral by 2050. With transport accounting for around a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions, improving and reducing emissions from cars is a key target on the path to achieving this ambition.

Announcing the plans to mandate charge points in new-build homes, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “Home charging provides the most convenient and low-cost option for consumers – you can simply plug your car in to charge overnight as you would a mobile phone.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express.

The Office of Road and Rail (ORR) has published a new report that backs up claims by National Highways that smart motorways are the safest roads in the country in terms of fatalities.

‘Smart’ or ‘all-lane running’ (ALR) motorways have been under the microscope since 2019, when it was revealed that National Highways (formerly Highways England) had not fully investigated the dangers of removing the hard shoulder.

Following a BBC Panorama investigation in 2020, which found 38 people had been killed in collisions due to stranded vehicles in live lanes during a five-year period, the Government outlined a series of measures to improve ALR motorway safety costing £500 million.

A year on, Grant Shapps, the Secretary of State for Transport, commissioned a Progress Report from National Highways to set out progress on those actions, and to develop proposals about how several of them can be accelerated, going above and beyond what was originally committed to.

The Progress Report, published in April 2021, showed that fatal casualties are less likely on all lane running motorways than on conventional ones.

Shapps made a request to the ORR to undertake quality assurance of the data and evidence underpinning the conclusions arrived at regarding all lane running (ALR) motorways.

The ORR report found no errors in underlying calculations and says the comparisons about the relative safety of ALR motorways were “made in an appropriate way”.

It did highlight some issues in the tools used to underpin risk modelling that National Highways should address and made some some further recommendations to deepen the use of comparisons and enhance the understanding of risk exposure.

Shapps said: “The ORR’s report contains several recommendations for improvement that will strengthen our understanding of road safety. National Highways have agreed to all its recommendations and developed an action plan in response which is already underway.

“My commission for assurance into smart motorway safety data by the ORR is another step towards improving road safety and instilling public confidence in the safety of our roads, which make a crucial contribution to economic and social development in this country.”

Edmund King, AA president, added: “We are pleased that this further analysis of the performance of ‘smart’ motorways has been made public.

“The ORR report shows that there was a ‘limited amount of data available’, so it is perhaps difficult to fully evaluate the performance of ‘smart’ motorways, hence it will be essential to have continuous monitoring and evaluation.

“We believe that controlled motorways with a hard-shoulder are the safest option and for other stretches, installing more emergency laybys on the existing network, in our view, will help improve both safety and driver confidence.

“Analysis shows that the forecast benefits have not been realised in some places, resulting in slower journey times, lower speeds and lower levels of economic benefit compared to assumptions.”

The full ORR report ‘Quality Assurance of All Lane Running Motorway data’ can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/orr-quality-assurance-of-all-lane-running-motorway-data-report  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Connected Kerb has installed 22 on-street electric vehicle chargers in Lambeth as part of a project to demonstrate how affordable and accessible public charging can be deployed.

They feature contactless payment via the Connected Kerb app.

The installation of the 7kW units is designed to help drive greater EV adoption among communities traditionally under-represented in the transition to EVs.

Households which have access to a driveways make up 80% of EV owners with the remaining 20% owned by those in houses or flats with no access to off-street parking.

Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO of Connected Kerb, said: “People often think electric vehicles are the preserve of a fortunate few with detached houses and driveways, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

“All communities, regardless of where they live, their social background, or whether they have a driveway or no, have lots to gain.

“Unfortunately, some communities are being failed by a classic chicken and egg scenario.

“Without high EV adoption, charge point operators won’t build public charging and without reliable charging, why would anyone go electric?”

The project forms part of the London Borough of Lambeth’s wider strategy to work with multiple charge point operators to install more than 200 charge points by 2022, with the aim of ensuring every household with no access to off-street parking is within a five-minute walk of their nearest charge point.

Approximately one-third of residents in Lambeth live on estates managed by the council and the majority of housing in the Borough does not have off-street parking.

Danny Adilypour, cabinet member for sustainable transport, environment and clean air at Lambeth Council, said: “As the first London council to declare a climate emergency, we’re committed to accelerating the transition to cleaner transport across our Borough – particularly by encouraging active travel and public transport.

“For residents who need to use private vehicles, we recognise how important access to EV charging is to provide the confidence to switch to cars with zero emissions at the tailpipe.

“Projects like this help us do just that, while also helping us reach our net zero targets and improve air quality on our streets, protecting the health of our communities.”

The project was funded in part through the UK Government’s On-street Residential Charge Point Scheme, available to all local authorities in the UK.

Through the scheme, 75% of the costs were financed by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles and the remaining costs were covered by the council.

The chargers have been installed at the following locations in the London Borough of Lambeth (2 x 7kW charge points at each site):

• Pellar House, Vauxhall Gardens Estate.
• Cotton Gardens Estate
• Poynders Gardens
• Hillside Gardens
• Oaklands House, Springfield Estate
• Greenleaf House, Tulse Hill Estate
• Coachman House, Oaklands Estate
• Weir Estate
• Westgate Court, Canterbury Gardens Estate
• Jeston House, York Hill
• Albert Carr Gardens

In a separate project, Connected Kerb is working with Kent County Council to provide a blueprint for local authorities to deliver EV charging infrastructure in hard-to-reach communities.

In the project’s first phase, Connected Kerb is installing 40 charging units across 20 Kent parish sites.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Greater Manchester has started installing the necessary cameras and signage ahead of the launch of its Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in May 2022.

The first of around 850 ANPR cameras and 2,000 signs are being installed across the region’s highways network.

Greater Manchester has also secured more than £120m government funding to help local businesses, people and organisations to upgrade to cleaner vehicles, so they can travel in within the CAZ without incurring a daily charge.

Councillor Andrew Western, Greater Manchester lead for Clean Air, said: “It’s good to see a tremendous amount of progress being made to deliver the Clean Air Zone, which will include local roads in all ten Greater Manchester local authority areas.

“We’re working hard to ensure we support affected vehicle owners move to cleaner vehicles so they don’t have to pay a daily charge. While the Zone launches in May 2022, there will be local exemptions in place to give businesses and organisations more time to apply for funding.

“Our goal is to reduce harmful emissions. We want to help as many people and businesses as possible to be driving cleaner vehicles so we can all breathe cleaner air.

“Our clean vehicle funds service will launch in November and I’d encourage anyone who thinks they might be affected to get up to speed at cleanairgm.com, where they can sign up for regular updates.”

The latest Clean Air Zone plans can be viewed in the Fleet News CAZ tool.

Egis has been awarded a contract to set up and operate an end-to-end service for CAZ program for the next five years.

As part of this project, Egis will be responsible for the installation and maintenance of close to 900 ANPR cameras, a public-facing CAZ office to handle payments, discounts, exemptions and financial reconciliation along with any Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) that are issued to non-payers of the charge.

All ten Greater Manchester local authorities have approved the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan, which includes a government directed ‘Category C’ charging CAZ.

Affected vehicles include light goods vehicles and vans, heavy goods vehicles, buses, coaches, motorhomes, hackney cabs, private hire vehicles and minibuses, but not private cars.

A public consultation on the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan proposals took place in 2020. This identified two issues that were raised in the feedback to the original consultation that now require a further consultation so that the ten local authorities can decide if they are to be included in the final plan.

A six-week consultation will take place from September 1, 2021, to October 13 ,2021, on two proposed inclusions to the Clean Air Zone. These are including sections of the A575 and A580 at Worsley in the charging scheme and including motorcaravans within the charging scheme.

The Greater Manchester CAZ is anticipated to launch on May 30, 2022, and will operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Vehicles liable to pay the charge will pay using the Government’s online portal with discounts and exemptions available for some vehicle types.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The AA has expanded its partnership with urban eco-mobility organisation Silence UK to produce a concept electric ‘e-moto’ scooter.

The ‘e-moto’ scooter is set to support future mobility and breakdowns in ultra-low emission zones (ULEZ) and urban environments.

The concept scooter has been adapted to carry the necessary tools to get urban drivers back on the road quickly, said the AA.

Gavin Franks, business services director at the AA, said: “As an organisation, we are always striving to find innovative methods which will transform our service for many of our customers and enable us to evolve as the automotive landscape does.

“Through the use of Silence UK e-moto scooters we could potentially reduce our emissions and improve our roadside support service.”

The concept AA Silence UK e-moto scooter and its capabilities will be showcased at this year’s Fleet and Mobility Live.

Delegates attending Fleet and Mobility Live will gain access to expert sessions offering vital insight on how to make the transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

John Edwards, one of the founders of Silence UK, said: “The AA have been our partner from day one, so this concept is a natural extension of our relationship.

“Our all-electric scooters are exceptional business tools, already playing key roles in fleets across Europe.

“We are really looking forward to seeing the difference they make to AA customers.”

Earlier this year, the AA developed a towing solution to cut the waiting time for EV and 4×4 drivers who require recovery.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Almost two thirds (65%) of car and van drivers says the maintenance of existing roads is more important than building new roads or adding lanes to existing ones, new research from Transport Focus has found.

The independent watchdog spoke to more than 5,600 drivers to understand their priorities for improvement to England’s major roads and found that the quality of road surfaces is their number one issue.

Almost one-in-five car and van drivers rated the quality of road surfaces on England’s motorways and major ‘A’ roads as poor, with potholes and cracks being the main concerns.

The report – Road users’ priorities for improvement – comes as National Highways (formerly Highways England) prepares its long-term plans for England’s strategic road network.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Road users tell us they want to see England’s major roads improved with better roads surfaces and fewer potholes and cracks.

“It’s vital that National Highways focuses future investment on these priorities to ensure all road users have smoother, safer journeys.”

The safer design and upkeep of roads was road users’ second priority for improvement, followed by better management of roadworks.

Transport Focus carried out this research to help put road users’ interests at the heart of the third Road Investment Strategy.

The strategy will set out what the Government requires National Highways to deliver between 2025 and 2030. This includes building new roads, maintaining current ones and operating its network.

Road users’ top priorities for improvement:

1. Improved quality of road surfaces
2. Safer design and upkeep of roads
3. Better management of roadworks
4. Better management of unplanned delays such as accidents or breakdowns
5. Better information about unplanned disruptions (such as accidents)
6. Better behaved drivers
7. Better information about roadworks happening in future
8. Better lighting on the network
9. Reduced environmental impact of road travel
10. Better roadside facilities (service areas, laybys)

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The RAC has partnered with British Gas to offer an electric vehicle (EV) charger and tariff to support drivers of plug-in cars.

It follows the launch of the RAC’s EV leasing website and enables customers to have a smart 7kW home charge point installed by a British Gas engineer paired with a bespoke electricity tariff with cheaper off-peak overnight charging.

RAC director of EVs Sarah Winward-Kotecha said: “We’re very excited to have teamed up with British Gas to offer home charge points and a bespoke EV electricity tariff as they’re as synonymous with taking care of people’s energy needs as we are with fixing and rescuing cars.

“Working with trusted names like British Gas and Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions means customers can now – through the RAC – lease some of the most popular electric cars at market-leading prices and get a smart home charge point installed with a specialist energy tariff that offers cheaper off-peak EV charging.

“Combine all this with RAC EV breakdown cover, which is unrivalled in the roadside assistance market, and drivers now have everything they need to affordably switch to a zero-emission car with complete peace of mind.”

Customers who want to have a home charge point installed via the RAC have the choice of two models – with either fixed or removable cables – made by Alfen. Both come with a three-year warranty and are installed by a British Gas trained EV installer. The Alfen Eve S-Line Untethered can be installed from £659 and Alfen Eve S-Line Tethered from £745.

Both chargers can be controlled via a smartphone, allowing drivers to schedule charges to take place overnight when the electricity rate is cheaper. They can also look back at their daily, weekly and yearly charging, to see the cost and their electricity usage.  

The RAC-e Recharge Electric Car Tariff costs 6p per kWh between 12-5am, which could save up to £300 annually.

Americo Lenza, portfolio director at British Gas, added: “Working in partnership with the RAC allows us to provide a unique proposition for those looking for hassle free motoring.

For the first time, drivers can now combine the vehicle, the charger, the green energy, the servicing and the breakdown cover in one place. Supporting customers with cost effective ways to make the change to electric is vital as we transition away from petrol and diesel cars. Once you’ve switched, you’ll never go back.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News