The Best Car Finance Blog In The World

Four projects have received a share of £91 million to develop low carbon automotive technology, including a new, long-distance electric vehicle (EV) battery.

BMW will receive £26.2m to help develop electric car batteries with a range similar to internal combustion engines and which can charge in as little as 12 minutes.

Andreas Loehrke, head of research and design for BMW Motorsport UK, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity to collaborate with world leading companies to develop high tech battery technology.

“It strengthens our UK partner base and safeguards and extends our research and design centre.”

The four projects have been awarded funding through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) Collaborative Research and Development competition, which supports the development of innovative low carbon automotive technology.

Together, the APC say they could save almost 32 million tonnes of carbon emissions, equivalent to the lifetime emissions of 1.3 million cars, and secure more than 2,700 jobs across the country.

It is also hoped that the innovations will address motorists’ concerns about adopting EVs by cutting charge times and boosting driving range.

Alongside the BMW project, £9.7m of joint industry and Government funding from the APC will go to a project led by Sprint Power in Birmingham to create ultra-fast charging batteries for electric and fuel cell hybrid vehicles that can charge in as little as 12 minutes.

Founder and CEO of Sprint Power, Richie Frost, said: “As we move steadily towards the UK’s ban on new petrol and diesel combustion engine vehicles in 2030, tackling consumers’ concerns on EVs head on is critical.

“We are delighted to be leading this pioneering project that will create a step change in battery charge times, helping to create highly efficient fuel cell vehicles for the future and accelerating the charging time on battery electric vehicles significantly closer to refuelling times on today’s internal combustion engine cars.”

The lion’s share of the funding, £41.2m, will be go to a project led by REE at their Engineering Centre of Excellence at the MIRA technology park in Nuneaton to develop and manufacture their REEcorner technology.

It packs critical vehicle components (including steering, braking, suspension, powertrain and control) into a single compact module located between the chassis and the wheel, enabling fully-flat EV platforms to meet the growing needs for efficient commercial electric vehicles.

The remaining £14.6m will fund a project led by Cummins to develop a novel zero carbon, hydrogen-fuelled engine in Darlington, to help decarbonise heavy-duty commercial transport.

APC CEO, Ian Constance, said: “These projects tackle some really important challenges in the journey to net-zero road transport.

“They address range anxiety and cost, which can be a barrier to people making the switch to electric vehicles and they also provide potential solutions to the challenge of how we decarbonise public transport and the movement of goods.

“By investing in this innovation, we’re taking these technologies closer to the point where they are commercially viable, which will strengthen the UK’s automotive supply chain, safeguard or create jobs and reduce harmful greenhouse emissions.”

The APC collaborates with UK Government, the automotive industry and academia to accelerate the industrialisation of technologies, supporting the transition to deliver net-zero emission vehicles.

Since its foundation in 2013, APC has funded 170 low-carbon projects involving 402 partners, working with companies of all sizes, and has helped to create or safeguard nearly 50,000 jobs in the UK.

The technologies developed in these projects are projected to save over 288 million tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of removing the lifetime tailpipe emissions from 12 million cars.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Fleets face delays of more than a year for company car orders as well as changes to original specifications as vehicle manufacturers grapple with the shortage of key components, including semi-conductors.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has warned leasing companies that lead times for 53 model variants are now in excess of one year.

The cars affected include versions of the 2022 model year Jaguar E-Pace, Land Rover Discovery, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque, and Land Rover Defender.

“Although these can remain open for quoting and ordering on your systems if you choose, your supplying Retailer will not be in a position to accept orders for these derivatives due to extended lead times,” said the briefing note from JLR.

However, the manufacturer added that a large number of models are still available for order, including the Jaguar I-Pace and F-Type, as well as alternative derivatives of the delayed cars, including plug-in hybrid versions of the E-Pace, Discovery Sport, Evoque and Defender 110.

In an official statement, JLR said, “Like other automotive manufacturers, we are currently experiencing some Covid-19 supply chain disruption, including the global availability of semi-conductors, which is having an impact on our production schedules. We continue to see strong customer demand for our range of vehicles.

“We are working closely with affected suppliers to resolve the issues and minimise the impact on customer orders wherever possible.”

Fleet customers, said JLR, should address any questions to their local retailer.

Mercedes-Benz specifications removed

Facing the same supply issues, Mercedes-Benz has removed specification features from certain models “from late June production and until further notice,” in order to limit delivery time delays.

The wireless charging of mobile phones, hands-free access to the boot (by kicking under the rear bumper), multibeam LED headlights and certain audio systems are among the features to disappear from the standard specification of certain cars, with AMG-line derivatives particularly affected.

Read how a shortage of raw materials ‘threatens price and supply’ of new vehicles

A statement from Mercedes-Benz said that all customer groups are affected by the current delays.

“Regardless of the model, we take into account how long a customer has been waiting for their vehicle and try to prioritise accordingly,” it said.

“Nevertheless, handovers to customers are strongly dependent on the individual equipment and the short-term availability of parts.”

Customers can check the specification of their car can do so via the Mercedes-Benz Online Showroom (shop.mercedes-benz.co.uk), or by speaking to their retailer.

As a leading global manufacturer, Mercedes-Benz AG expects that the worldwide shortage of supply of semiconductor components will continue to affect its business in the second half of this year.

In its latest editorial, Cap HPI said component shortages of semiconductors, steel, rubber and even foam were affecting different manufacturers’ production to varying degrees.

“Manufacturers are prioritising registrations in their most profitable channels, namely retail, meaning less short-cycle rental, company cars and demonstrators are being registered,” it said.

“They are also diverting build slots to the most profitable models due to component supply issues and removing some items from cars, allowing fewer semi-conductors to be required.”

The impact to JLR and Mercedes-Benz from the semiconductor shortage comes as Toyota announced a 40% cut in worldwide production in September.

It had planned to produce almost 900,000 cars next month but has now said that will be reduced to 540,000 units.

Every car- and van-maker is being impacted by the computer chip crisis, with some delivery times for vehicles. Almost 95% of fleets responding to a Fleet News poll said they were experiencing vehicle delays.

Fleet decision-makers were warned at the start of the month that the global semiconductor shortage will have a greater impact on the automotive industry than the pandemic.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

If you are ordering a new car next year, you and fleet decision-makers are being urged to prepare drivers now for vehicles being fitted with intelligent speed assistance (ISA) technology from next year, says FleetCheck.

The European Commission has provisionally agreed that all new vehicles sold in Europe will be fitted with a speed limiter as a legal requirement from July 2022.

The regulation also mandates all new cars that have already launched be fitted with ISA technology by July 2024.

The UK is likely to follow the new road safety regulations, despite leaving the EU, as it has retained most EU laws for new cars.

Peter Golding, managing director at the fleet management software specialist, says the move should be seen as significant opportunity to enforce a safety message on speed.

“Thankfully, macho attitudes towards speeding that were once quite common among drivers of company vehicles have reduced considerably in recent years,” said Golding. “However, speeding tickets are still pretty common, as any fleet manager will tell you.

“Our view is that the introduction of ISA technology is a moment that employers should be seizing as an opportunity to make clear that there is no corporate leeway when it comes to speeding and the dangers it represents.”

The speed limiter technology uses GPS data and/or traffic-sign-recognition cameras to determine the maximum speed allowed in an area.

It then limits the engine’s power and the vehicle’s speed to that limit, but it is possible to override the system by pressing hard on the accelerator.

Golding says that, with the first ISA cars, vans and trucks now less than a year away, this is a good moment to adopt a “zero tolerance approach” to excessive speed.

“With the long lead times currently being experienced by fleet operators, vehicles being ordered within the next few months will potentially arrive with ISA fitment, so this is very close to being a live fleet issue,” he continued.

“Our view is that this should be presented to drivers as a genuine benefit. Firstly, these are safer vehicles – reduced speed means fewer accident and fewer serious accidents. Secondly, it will potentially remove the chance of you picking up a speeding ticket.”

Research undertaken by the EU shows that drivers like ISA-equipped cars because, in everyday driving, sticking to the speed limit becomes one less thing to worry about. “We are sure that this will soon become the case among drivers of company vehicles,” said Golding.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The vast of majority of businesses (93%) replaced domestic business trips with virtual meetings during the pandemic, according to new research from the Department for Transport (DfT).

The survey, conducted by Ipsos Mori, reveals that almost half (44%) of firms had replaced all trips, 41% half or more and 8% less than half. Just one in 14 – 7% of businesses replaced none.

Business types most likely to have replaced any of their business trips with virtual meetings included large businesses (98%), medium sized businesses (97%) and businesses in London (84%).

Essential services businesses were most likely to say they had replaced all business trips with virtual meetings (55%).

Manufacturing and construction businesses were most likely to say they had not replaced any business trips with virtual meetings (16%).

AN ‘ADEQUATE’ REPLACEMENT

Half of businesses (50%) considered fully virtual meetings to be an adequate replacement for business trips; more than one-in-four (28%), however, did not.

A slightly higher proportion (57%) agreed that meetings with a combination of virtual and face-to-face attendees were an adequate substitute for business trips. One-in-five (20%) disagreed.

Large businesses (58%) were significantly more likely to agree that meetings with only virtual attendees are an adequate replacement for face-to-face meetings, those in Wales/Scotland/Northern Ireland were significantly more likely to disagree (43%).

Large businesses (67%) and companies in the North (68%) were significantly more likely to agree that a mix of virtual and face-to-face attendees were an adequate replacement for face-to-face meetings – companies in the South (excluding London) were significantly less likely to agree (46%).

TRAVELLING FOR BUSINESS

The DfT survey suggests that proportion of employees travelling on business is expected to stay broadly the same post pandemic.

Companies expect an average of 38% of employees to be travelling for business, compared with 40% before the pandemic. Just 1% of the firms surveyed by Ipsos Mori said no employees will travel for face-to-face meetings.

The DfT data, however, suggests that the frequency of face-to-face meetings is expected to fall as virtual meetings will remain in the mix.

Two-fifths (41%) of companies said that they expect to make fewer business trips than before the pandemic (27% somewhat less, 14% far less) and more than a quarter (27%) expect to make more business trips (19% somewhat more, 8% far more).

Almost a third (30%) said they expected to make the same level of business trips.

Assuming restrictions are no longer in place, companies expect to be using a similar mix of main modes as before the pandemic, with a return to long-distance rail and domestic air travel, and a reduction in the proportion of car journeys compared to levels during the pandemic.

Companies said that they expect an average of 33% of trips to use car as their main mode of transport, compared with 29% pre-pandemic.

Meanwhile, 13% would choose to use long-distance rail as their main mode versus 15% pre-pandemic, and 11% would use domestic airlines compared with 14% before Covid-19 struck.

In terms of other modes, companies expect an average of 10% of trips to use local trains as the main mode versus 14% pre-pandemic and 11% during the pandemic.

The DfT says that 7% will use local buses, compared with 6% pre-pandemic and 4% during, and 5% will use taxis, which is an increase on the 3% pre-pandemic and 5% during.

Other modes, including cycling and walking will account for 3% of business trips, which is the same as proportion seen pre-pandemic and down from the 5% seen during Covid-19.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A new type of catalytic converter is being developed that accelerates the removal of harmful nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide from engine fumes.

Scientists at the University of Leeds are working in collaboration with catalytic converter manufacturer Cats and Pipes, to trial the new device.

The aim is to have a prototype fitted to a test vehicle by 2023, enabling its performance to be compared with current catalytic converters under real road conditions.   

The scientists believe the prototype, which uses a new synthetic materal, has the potential to revolutionise catalytic converter technology. 

Many conventional catalytic converters use platinum group metals as a catalyst, which convert harmful gases from an engine into nitrogen and carbon dioxide.

These metals are expensive, and they do not become effective until the engine is running with an exhaust temperature above 150 degrees centigrade. Traffic fumes in urban areas often come from vehicles operating at lower temperatures because they are either idling or moving at low speed. As a result, conventional catalytic converters under urban road conditions may be operating with less than 50% efficiency.

The synthetic material developed at Leeds is an effective catalyst at low and even ambient temperatures.

Dr Hu Li, associate professor in the School of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Leeds, who is leading the project, said: “Among the biggest contributors to poor air-quality in urban areas are traffic fumes, from vehicles which are either stationary or moving slowly.

Current catalytic converters do an inefficient job in reducing emissions under those conditions. At Leeds, we are confident that the new catalytic material will out-perform existing technology.”

Called LowCat, development of the prototype will also investigate whether it is possible to commercially scale-up production.

Simon Clarke, Commercialisation Manager at the University of Leeds, said: “LowCat is a very exciting technology that appears to have significant commercial potential. We are very grateful for the support offered to us by the Science and Technology Facilities Council and we are looking forward to scale-up and prototype trials, with our industrial partner, Cats & Pipes.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Three-in-10 motorists avoid narrow country lanes and are prepared to take a detour to avoid them, according to new research Ageas and the RAC.

On average, people are prepared to add 16 miles – more than a half marathon – to their journey if it means they can avoid driving down this type of road. They would also be willing to add another 25 minutes to their drive.

More than half of drivers (58%) say they find using narrow country roads stressful, a figure that rises to 76% for drivers who live in urban areas.

More than a quarter (27%) of drivers from urban areas say they will always stick to wider main roads instead and would be willing to add 23 miles or 30 minutes to their journey to avoid them, 14 miles and 10 minutes more than their rural counterparts.

The two biggest causes of stress, according to the research, are the difficulty of squeezing past other vehicles in tight spaces (62%) and the fear of colliding with another vehicle head on (61%).

RAC Breakdown spokesman Simon Williams said: “These figures show just how uncomfortable many drivers are using doing this, especially those who are used to wider city roads with much better visibility.

“For any driver less confident with tackling rural lanes the message has to be to plan a journey properly before setting out, and drive at the right speed according to the nature of the road, even if the official limit is 60mph.

“We’d also advise not becoming too reliant on a car’s sat-nav – while ducking off a main road to shave off a few minutes might seem like a good idea, if you’re then faced with having to carefully negotiate a tractor and queue of vehicles coming the other way, any advantage is soon lost.”

Having to try to reverse back to find a passing place (45%), the fear of meeting a tractor and not being able to pass (44%) and deciding who succumbs to back up to a passing place (37%) make up drivers’ top five stress factors.

More than a third (36%), meanwhile, say they think the default 60mph limit on country roads is just too fast to begin with, while 35% say they fear damaging their car.

The research also suggests that some motorists are more vocal than others when it comes to deciding who has to reverse, with one-in-10 drivers admitting they have had an argument with another driver over who should go back when driving on a narrow country road.

Robin Challand, claims director at Ageas Insurance, said: “Our research shows the type of roads we drive on can also be a cause of stress, with crashes and scrapes high on the list of people’s concerns, so we’re urging people to stay calm and – most importantly – stay safe this summer.

“Negotiating narrow rural lanes can be tricky, even for the most seasoned of drivers, but by following some simple tips and staying calm, you can avoid adding a damaged car to your list of things to get stressed about this summer.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The following article is aimed mainly at business car drivers but it is also relevant to consumers interested in the cost of running their EV so I’ve included it as the information is very useful.

EVs are becoming an increasingly popular option for business fleets, largely due to the associated cost and environmental benefits. Switching to an EV is an enjoyable experience, but many of the procedures will be new to drivers. Preparation is key and research will help businesses avoid being caught out with unnecessarily high charges.

For businesses considering introducing EVs into their fleet, it’s important to do some research on the available charging options and infrastructure. Accessibility, cost, and speed are all aspects of EV charging that differ from the experience of fueling a diesel or petrol vehicle.

In many ways, charging an EV is more convenient and cost-effective than fueling an ICE vehicle. However, there are a few pitfalls that drivers and fleet managers need to look out for.

Here, we outline the most important differences to expect between charging an EV and fueling a petrol or diesel car, to help businesses get the most out of their EV fleet.

Availability

Perhaps the most significant element of EV charging for businesses to consider is accessibility of charging infrastructure. Charger availability is improving all the time, but it’s still crucial for fleet managers to know the locations of the most convenient charge points for their drivers.

#

There are plenty of charging infrastructure manufacturers that operate within the UK, and many offer charge points across the country. BP Pulse, ChargeYourCar, and Electric Highway all operate nationwide infrastructure for a combined nearly 10,000 charging locations.

In combination with almost 30 other mainstream charging providers, this figure increases to over 43,000 charging points at over 15,000 locations: that’s more places to charge an EV than public petrol stations in the UK. This is great news for businesses investigating an electric fleet, as increasing accessibility to charging infrastructure can directly help to alleviate range anxiety in drivers.

Moving forward, home-based EV charging will become more commonplace. Home charging will be a great option for businesses who operate their fleets primarily during the day, and can help drivers cut down on both charging time and cost. Home charging provides drivers with the ability to choose their own tariffs, tailored to their driving habits and frequency.

Cost

The cost of charging an EV is dependent on several factors, so it’s important to understand the differences to avoid high charges. Charging speed, membership fees and location all inform the final cost of charging each EV, and many manufacturers offer multiple payment plans to suit individual needs.

Monthly payment plans range from £4.99 to £68.00 per car, while yearly payment subscriptions can cost as little as £20. Most providers will also charge per kWh, depending on location – these prices range from 26p to 69p per kWh, and are generally discounted for subscribed members.

Even as EV charging is cheaper than petrol fuel, the UK government is still calling for more affordable options to make electric charging more accessible. The Transport Select Committee and MPs across the country are working together to help protect consumers from excessive charging costs that may hinder the accessibility of charging infrastructure. This includes providing charging options at workplaces and newbuilds, as property developers are called upon to include infrastructure in development plans.

Speed

EV charging speed presents the biggest difference in experience between charging an EV and fueling an ICE vehicle. The good news is that businesses can choose from a variety of charging options to suit driver needs and convenience.

EV chargers come in four widely available speeds: slow, fast, rapid and ultra-rapid. Slow chargers are ideal for businesses whose fleets operate primarily during the day and are perfect for home installation for overnight charging. These chargers generally take 10-14 hours to fully charge a vehicle.

For fleets that are constantly on the go, fast and rapid chargers are the best option. These chargers can take as little as 2.5 hours to charge and are offered by the greatest number of nationwide, public charging providers.

Ultra-rapid chargers are also available on six networks of public EV charging: BP Pulse, ChargePlace Scotland, Gridserve Electric Forecourt, Instavolt, Ionity, and Shell Recharge. This infrastructure can charge a vehicle in as little as 20 minutes and is perfect for high-demand fleets that travel across a wide range on a regular or daily basis.

Making the right decision

Businesses will need to start considering their suitability for an electric fleet sooner rather than later, as the 2030 ban is approaching fast.

Fleet managers should plan ahead to educate drivers on behaviour adaptations that will help avoid high costs and longer charging times – especially for those drivers who commute or work field-based jobs that require fleet vehicles.

Since usage dictates charging demand, businesses and drivers alike will benefit from knowing their most suitable charging options.

The most important aspect of this transition is research. Understanding the most sensible infrastructure for individual business needs will ensure a smooth transition – one that helps drivers learn the ropes of EV charging in a timely manner and keeps costs as a realistic level. By Graham Hill thanks to Business Car

Software experts have discovered numerous security flaws with a range of smart electric vehicle (EV) chargers.

They were able to remotely switch the chargers on and off, remove the owner’s access and lock or unlock the charging cable.

Devices from Wallbox and Project EV – both approved for sale in the UK by the Department for Transport – were found to be “lacking adequate security” by researchers at Pen Test Partners.

Speaking to the BBC, Vangelis Stykas, a cyber-security researcher, said: “On Wallbox you could take full control of the charger, you could gain full access and remove the usual owner’s access on the charger. You could stop them from charging their own vehicles, and provide free charging to an attacker’s vehicle.

“Project EV had a really bad implementation on their back end. Their authentication where it existed was pretty primitive, so an attacker could easily escalate themselves to being an administrator and change the firmware of all the chargers.”

He says changing the programming on the device would allow an attacker to permanently disable the charger, or use it to attack other chargers or servers.

Hackers could also infiltrate a home network, in cases where the chargers were connected by Wi-Fi.

Pen Test Partners believes that multiple chargers could also be controlled at the same time using some of the vulnerabilities it found, which could potentially be used by an attacker to overload the electricity grid in some areas and cause blackouts.

The company assessed charging units from Project EV, Wallbox, EVBox, EO Hub, Rolec and Hypervolt.

Most of the faults have now been addressed, however charge point owners are advised to install the latest software updates to the devices. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Software experts have discovered numerous security flaws with a range of smart electric vehicle (EV) chargers.

They were able to remotely switch the chargers on and off, remove the owner’s access and lock or unlock the charging cable.

Devices from Wallbox and Project EV – both approved for sale in the UK by the Department for Transport – were found to be “lacking adequate security” by researchers at Pen Test Partners.

Speaking to the BBC, Vangelis Stykas, a cyber-security researcher, said: “On Wallbox you could take full control of the charger, you could gain full access and remove the usual owner’s access on the charger. You could stop them from charging their own vehicles, and provide free charging to an attacker’s vehicle.

“Project EV had a really bad implementation on their back end. Their authentication where it existed was pretty primitive, so an attacker could easily escalate themselves to being an administrator and change the firmware of all the chargers.”

He says changing the programming on the device would allow an attacker to permanently disable the charger, or use it to attack other chargers or servers.

Hackers could also infiltrate a home network, in cases where the chargers were connected by Wi-Fi.

Pen Test Partners believes that multiple chargers could also be controlled at the same time using some of the vulnerabilities it found, which could potentially be used by an attacker to overload the electricity grid in some areas and cause blackouts.

The company assessed charging units from Project EV, Wallbox, EVBox, EO Hub, Rolec and Hypervolt.

Most of the faults have now been addressed, however charge point owners are advised to install the latest software updates to the devices.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Up to 800 Shell electric vehicle (EV) charging points will be installed in as many as 100 Waitrose shops across the UK by 2025.

Each site is expected to have six 22kW and two 50kW rapid charging points so customers can charge their vehicles while they shop.

The first charge points are expected to go live early next year and will represent Shell Recharge’s first move into ‘destination charging’, whereby customers charge their vehicle while it is parked at a location they are primarily visiting for another activity such as shopping.

Shell’s ambition is to grow its Shell Recharge-branded network to 5,000 charge points on forecourts and other locations by 2025.

Bernadette Williamson, general manager Shell UK Retail, said: “This is great news for EV drivers across the UK, knowing they can easily, quickly and reliably charge up at Shell charge points while shopping at Waitrose.

“We want to make EV charging as hassle-free as possible and support our customers wherever they want to charge.”

Waitrose executive director, James Bailey, added: “We’re delighted to bring our customers 800 new charging points for electric vehicles, including new rapid charging capabilities, as the UK moves more and more towards a sustainable transport network.”

The charge point deal comes as a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation has found that some areas of the development of the UK’s charging infrastructure are facing problems which will hinder the roll-out of electric vehicles (EVs). 

It says that this could impact the Government’s plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and its wider commitment to make the UK net zero by 2050.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News