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With more electric vehicles on our roads I felt that it would be a good idea to reprint this blog post from last year. Hope you agree.

We’ve all experienced the issue of lithium-ion battery degradation through our smartphones.

When brand new, the batteries seem to last forever, but over time and use they need to be charged increasingly frequently as their capacity reduces.

Similarly, the lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles also degrade over time.

This means that an EV will be able to travel less far on a single charge until the point when the battery is no longer suitable for use in a vehicle.

However, there should be no reason for a fleet decision-maker or driver of a new EV to panic.

Analysis by telematics company Geotab of 6,300 fleet and consumer EVs, representing 1.8 million days of data and 21 vehicle models, found batteries are exhibiting high levels of sustained health.

If the observed degradation rates were maintained, the vast majority of batteries would outlast the usable life of the vehicles.

“As you might expect, the older a vehicle is, the more likely its battery has deteriorated,” says Charlotte Argue, senior manager, fleet electrification at Geotab.

“However, when looking at average decline across all vehicles, the loss is arguably minor, at 2.3% per year.

“This means that if you purchase an EV today with a 150-mile range, losing about 17 miles of accessible range after five years is unlikely to impact your day-to-day needs. Under ideal climate and charging conditions, the loss is 1.6%.

“As vehicles come out with larger battery packs, losing some capacity may not impact your day-to-day driving needs and shouldn’t overshadow the many benefits EVs have to offer.”

She adds: “One exciting piece of information we were able to glean from the data was that vehicles with high use did not show significantly higher battery degradation.”

EV manufacturers have also moved to soothe any concerns over battery health by offering battery warranties, typically covering much more than the typical fleet vehicle replacement cycle. For example, the Peugeot e-208’s battery has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for 70% of its charge capacity.

But there are good reasons for organisations to look after the health of their EV batteries even if it does not directly impact their day-to-day operations.

A battery’s state of health (SOH) may affect future residual values, while a cared-for battery can be used in ‘second-life’ applications such as battery storage after it is no longer used to power a vehicle.

“Batteries are like human beings in that human beings age faster during stress, and batteries also age faster during stress,” says Vipul Dhingra, development engineer, battery BMS function development, at powertrain development company AVL.

“Heat could be a stress, high charging current could also be a stress. You cannot completely prevent that there will be a kind of ageing, but there are chemical processes that you maybe can delay: if you are smoking a cigarette then you age faster, so perhaps the preventative measure is to quit smoking.

“Similarly, for batteries, if you are doing a lot of fast charging and that is reflected in the ageing model, then you can take the corrective measures for reducing the peak current or peak power performance.

“If you know how to carefully handle your battery, it will last longer.”

1 Manage the state of battery charge

“Typically, when you buy a new mobile phone, it comes with 50% or 60% of charge because that’s a nice, healthy state to keep the battery in,” says Samuel Abbott, energy system hardware specialist at Cenex. “You want to avoid storing it fully empty or fully charged.”

The same principle extends to EV batteries. Geotab’s Argue says ideally the state of charge should be kept at 20% to 80%, particularly when an EV is left for longer periods, and it should be charged fully only for long distance trips.

Grid management services and charging infrastructure provider Enel X adds: “Lithium-ion batteries last longest when they aren’t always charged to 100% or drained to the point of being almost fully depleted.

“The EV manufacturers know this. They engineer a vehicle’s battery management system to ensure that doesn’t happen so even when an EV shows a 100% state of charge, the battery is only about 90% charged, with the 10% left unused as a ‘buffer’ to prevent overcharging.

“Even with the 10% buffer it’s better if you only power your EV to about 80% unless you need the extra range for a particular day. In that case, it’s fine to fuel the batteries all the way to 100%.”

Enel X advises users not to frequently drain a battery below 5% and when they do, the EV should be charged as soon as possible because “leaving a nearly-drained battery sit for a long period of time (typically weeks rather than days) without recharging can permanently damage the cells, shorten the battery life, and eventually contribute to battery degradation”.

2 Limit the amount of rapid charge sessions

Geotab’s analysis found the use of DC rapid chargers (typically 50kW and above) appears to increase the rate that batteries degrade: after 48 months, EVs operating in a hot climate (five days a year over 27oC) which had been rapid-charged more than three times a month would have an average battery SOH of around 80%. When new, a battery has a 100% SOH. After the same period, an EV which had never been rapid-charged had an SOH of around 90%, while one which was rapid-charged up to three times a month was at 85%.

“Rapidly charging a battery means high currents resulting in high temperatures, both known to strain batteries,” says Argue.

Enel X says rapid-charging won’t damage a lithium-ion battery as long as the number of times it is done is limited.

“There’s no harm in using rapid-charging stations a couple of times a week, or even a couple of times on the same day when you’re taking a long road trip,” it says.

“However, the combination of frequent DC rapid-charging in hot ambient temperature settings can accelerate the battery’s loss of capacity. You should try to only use DC rapid-charge stations when you need to, and use slow charging stations for daily recharging at home.”

ChargePoint says that when using a rapid charger, it’s best to unplug when the battery reaches about 80% charge.

Every battery follows a ‘charging curve’ when plugged in. Charging starts slowly while the car monitors several factors from the battery’s charge level to the weather outside, climbs to peak speeds for as long as possible and slows down again at 80% to prolong battery life.

“It could take almost as long to fill the last 20% of charge as it did to get to 80% in the first place,” adds ChargePoint.

3 Avoid extreme heat

The climate is out of the control of a fleet decision-maker or EV driver, but they should do what they can to avoid extremely hot temperatures, says Argue.

Geotab found those EVs driven in hot conditions* – which it classes as areas having more than five days a year over 27oC – show a notably faster rate of decline than that driven in temperate conditions – fewer than five days per year over 27oC or under -5oC.

After 48 months, the SOH of an average battery in hot climates was around 90%. For temperate conditions this was around 96%.

“This is not great news if you and your fleet toil under the hot sun,” says Argue.

EVs feature systems to cool the batteries when they rise in temperature, but Enel X recommends drivers take steps to protect the battery if they are used in areas where temperatures frequently exceed 30oC.

“Wherever possible, try not to leave the car parked in direct sunlight for long periods of the day when the temperatures are very high”, it says.

“It’s especially important not to leave a fully-charged EV sitting unprotected for prolonged periods in extreme heat.

“If you know the car is going to be exposed to high temperatures, don’t charge it past 80% that day, unless you need the extra range.”

Enel X says cold temperatures do not have the same effect. “The cold will reduce the driving range of an electric car because the chemical reaction inside the battery cells slows down, and that limits the amount of energy available,” it adds.

“However, as soon as the battery warms up, its fine and there’s no lasting effect from cold conditions.”

* The majority of the vehicles used in the analysis were from North America. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

I am reprinting the guide as laid out by Fleet News. Frankly I’m totally confused made worse by the fact that much of the handling of VAT is down to driver honesty and returns. Good luck!

HMRC has clarified the tax policy concerning the VAT treatment of the charging of electric vehicles (EVs) via public charge points and at home.

The tax authority says that the standard rate of VAT applies to supplies of EV charging through charge points in public places.

It has also explained when input tax can be recovered for charging EVs for business purposes.

HMRC says that supplies of EV charging through charge points in public places are charged at the standard rate of VAT. There is no exemption or relief that reduces the rate of VAT charged.

There is a reduced rate of VAT for supplies of small quantities of electricity, known as ‘de minimis’.

The de minimis provision only applies if the supply of electricity is all of the following: ongoing; to a person’s house or building; and less than 1,000 kilowatt hours a month.

The de minimis provision does not apply to supplies of EV charging at charge points in public places.

This, says HMRC, is because these supplies are made at various places such as car parks, petrol stations and on-street parking, not to a person’s house or building.

In addition, these supplies are not usually an ongoing supply to one person where the rate of supply can be calculated.

HMRC says that it is possible to recover the input tax for charging an EV if all of the following apply: you are a sole proprietor; you charge your electric vehicle at home; and you charge your electric vehicle for business purposes.

HMRC says you should work out how much of charging your EV is for business use and how much is for private use. VAT is recoverable only on the business use amount. The usual input tax rules apply.

It means businesses cannot reclaim VAT on electricity used by an employee to recharge a vehicle at home, even when the charging is for business journeys.

However, HMRC’s policy on petrol/diesel is to allow VAT recovery when an employee fills up their car and is reimbursed by their employer.

As a sole proprietor, HMRC says it is also possible to recover the input tax for charging your EV for business use at other places. The usual input tax rules apply.

The rate for recovery of input tax for charging EVs is the same as the VAT rate charged on the supply of electricity.

For employees charging an EV (which is used for business) at home, HMRC says the VAT cannot be recovered, because the supply is made to the employee and not to the business.

For employees charging an employer’s EV (for both business and private use) at the employer’s premises, the employee will need to keep a record of their business and private mileage so that the employer can work out the amounts of business use and private use for the vehicle.

HMRC says it is possible to recover the full amount of VAT for the supply of electricity used to charge the EV. This includes the electricity for private use.

However, you will be liable for an output tax charge on the amount for private use. This is because a ‘deemed supply’ has been made.

Alternatively, you can recover VAT on only the business element. The usual input tax rules apply. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

‘Self-driving’ vehicles fitted with Automated Lane Keeping System (ALKS) could be permitted on the roads later this year, in the wake of a government consultation on the safe use of the technology.

The UK government has set out how vehicles fitted with ALKS technology will be allowed to use the roads. It said it would work to facilitate a data sharing agreement between insurers and manufacturers, and to ensure manufacturers provide sufficient driver information to help them understand how to safely use automated vehicles.

A separate consultation on changes to the Highway Code to clarify rules on safe use has been launched, proposing to add a new section setting out expectations for users of automated vehicles.

Driverless cars expert Ben Gardner of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law, said: “The introduction of ALKS is likely to be the first of many gradual steps as we see increasing levels of autonomy in road vehicles. However, at this stage, it will not be possible for drivers to reap the full benefits of these advanced driving features as other existing driving laws will also need to be reviewed and, if deemed appropriate, amended or withdrawn altogether.

“Arguably the current speed restrictions could limit how frequently this technology is deployed and prohibitions on using handheld devices whilst at the wheel will remain in force. As a result, in the short term, drivers will not be fully released from their driving responsibilities and free to do other tasks,” Gardner said.

“However, as regulatory reviews continue and new advanced driving features come to market, we will begin to see a phased evolution of what road vehicles are technically and legally capable of doing – together with the benefits of increased productivity and, more importantly, reduced congestion and accidents,” Gardner said.

ALKS controls a vehicle’s movement without the need for driver intervention and is designed to keep a car in its motorway lane at speeds of up to 37 miles per hour – for example when there is heavy, slow-moving traffic.

The system can only be activated through a deliberate action by the driver and when the driver is in the car’s driving seat and available. It can also only be used on roads where pedestrians and cyclists are not present.

The government launched a consultation into the use of ALKS on motorways last summer and received 186 responses (45 page / 2.4MB PDF) from individuals and organisations, including from manufacturers and insurers.

Although respondents felt that drivers needed to understand ALKS capabilities and limitations to use it safely, only a minority proposed mandatory training. Respondents said manufacturers had a responsibility to ensure drivers understood how to use vehicles, and there was widespread support for a public awareness campaign to educate all road uses about ALKS.

The proposed new section in the Highway Code on automated vehicles sets out the requirements for drivers. It notes that drivers are not responsible for automated vehicles when they are driving themselves, and drivers do not need to pay attention to the road in these circumstances. However, they do need to pay attention to instructions about when it is appropriate to engage the self-driving function.

Drivers should remain in the driving seat if a vehicle is designed to require them to resume driving after being prompted to, and are still responsible for the vehicle being in a roadworthy condition.

Drivers will be permitted to perform other activities if they are using vehicles that can safely drive themselves. The government said it intended to consult later this year on amending the regulation concerning the use of screens in vehicles, and would consider changes to the use of screens by drivers of automated vehicles.

The government is also planning to commission research to scope the technical requirements needed for enabling motorway-based automated driving systems to operate at higher speeds and change lanes. By Graham Hill thanks to Pinsent Masons

A new hub of electric vehicle (EV) chargers will open in Oxford this year, offering a variety of fast and ultra-rapid charging facilities.

Billed as Europe’s “most powerful” public EV charging hub, the Pivot Power site will provide 38 charging points from providers Fastned, Tesla and Wenea.

Unlike other charging hubs, the site, at Redbridge Park & Ride, will be directly connected to the high voltage national electricity grid, to provide the power needed to charge hundreds of EVs at the same time quickly, without putting strain on the local electricity network or requiring costly upgrades.

The planned hub will scale up to help meet the need for EV charging in the area and is the first of up to 40 similar sites planned across the UK to help deliver charging infrastructure needed for the estimated 36 million EVs by 2040.

Councillor Tom Hayes, cabinet member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford at Oxford City Council, said: “As an innovative city embracing technologies and change, Oxford is the natural home for the UK’s largest public EV charging hub.

We are excited to be taking a major step forward in the completion of Energy Superhub Oxford, working closely and superbly with our private sector partners. As an ambitious city, we are excited about the prospect of further innovation and investments, building upon our record of transformational public and private sector delivery.”

The announcement is a “key milestone” in the completion of Energy Superhub Oxford (ESO), due to open in Q4 this year, and comes as Oxford is set to launch the UK’s first Zero Emission Zone this August, where vehicles are charged based on their emissions, with EVs able to use the zone for free.

The £41m world-first project, led by Pivot Power, integrates EV charging, battery storage, low carbon heating and smart energy management technologies to support Oxford to be zero carbon by 2040 or earlier.

Matt Allen, CEO at Pivot Power, added: “Our goal is to help the UK accelerate net zero by delivering power where it is needed to support the EV and renewable energy revolution. Oxford is one of 40 sites we are developing across the UK, combining up to 2GW of battery storage with high volume power connections for mass EV charging.

“Energy Superhub Oxford supports EDF’s plan to become Europe’s leading e-mobility energy company by 2023, and is a blueprint we want to replicate right across the country, working hand in hand with local communities to create cleaner, more sustainable cities where people want to live and work.”

Fastned will initially install ten chargers at the Superhub with 300kW of power, capable of adding 300 miles of range in just 20 minutes for up to hundreds of EVs per day.

The station will be powered by 100% renewable energy, partly generated by the company’s trademark solar roof, and all makes and models of EVs will be able to charge at the highest rates possible simultaneously.

Any EV will be able to use the site, with chargers open 24/7 and only requiring a simple contactless payment. An on-site café is planned where drivers can buy drinks and snacks, ensuring the charging process is as convenient as possible. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Connected Kerb is working with Kent County Council to provide a blueprint for local authorities to deliver electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to hard-to-reach communities.

In the project’s first phase, Connected Kerb is installing 40 charging units across 20 Kent parish sites.

All income from the chargers will be reinvested into the local community or used to support the rollout and maintenance of more chargers.

Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO of Connected Kerb, says that access to charging infrastructure is one of the “biggest barriers” to the uptake of EVs.

“Although demand for chargers is higher in dense urban areas, the lack of infrastructure in out-of-town communities leaves people concerned about switching to EVs,” he said.

“It is vital that access to public charging is equitable across the entire country and we bring an end to the EV charging postcode lottery.”

The distribution of EV charge points across the UK is massively varied. For example, around a third of the UK’s public charging network is located in London, equivalent to 63 public chargers per 100,000 people.

This compares to areas like Gravesham, Kent or Castle Point, Essex, which have just 3.7 chargers per 100,000 people.

According to the UK Government, access to convenient charge points is essential to ensuring communities do not become isolated, either because they become unreachable for other EV motorists, or because they themselves are unable to utilise new EV technology.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has also highlighted the risk that electric car owners in some areas could be “left behind” as a significant challenge to the industry, with a lack of infrastructure potentially stifling EV uptake.

Pateman-Jones continued: “Nobody should be left behind by the EV revolution because of where they live.

“Our partnership with Kent County Council shows that the economics of installing EV charging in non-urban areas is much more favourable than many believe. This is a recipe for success for local authorities across the UK.”

Installing public charging infrastructure outside of busy urban areas has typically been a challenge for the industry.

Lower grid capacity and fewer connections increase upfront cost, with lower footfall compounding the challenge by extending the return-on-investment period.

With some rapid chargers costing upwards of £100,000 to install, and with lifespans of between 5-10 years, the economics rarely add up, says Connected Kerb.

As part of the company’s mission to make EV charging accessible for everyone, wherever they live, it says that its technology and business model enables local authorities to provide all communities with accessible, low-cost and reliable public EV charging.

The chargers also feature additional smart capabilities that can facilitate air quality monitoring, parking management, CCTV, road sensors, 5G connection, autonomous vehicles, route planning and power demand forecasting, it says.

Tim Middleton, transport innovations programme manager for highways, transportation and waste at Kent County Council, said: “This partnership offers a fantastic opportunity for Kent businesses, residents and visitors to have equal access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure – not only is this crucial as we move closer to the 2030 ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars, but it means that Kent can play its part in the transition to decarbonisation.”

The EV charging units are being installed at a range of sites, including village halls and car parks, beginning from this month.

Every charger will provide a 7kW – 22KW fast charge and will feature contactless payment via the Connected Kerb app.

The project has received funding from the Kent Lane Rental Scheme, the Department for Transport (DfT) and parish councils, and for some locations 75% of the costs were financed through the UK Government’s On Street Residential Charge Point Scheme, available to all local authorities in the UK.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Government is facing a “huge challenge” to achieve its goal of all new car registrations to be zero-emission by 2035, according to a new Public Accounts Committee report.

The report criticises the Government for having no clear plan for how it will increase zero-emission car registrations from 11% to 100% in the next 14 years.

The Committee believes that up-front prices for zero-emission cars are still too high for many consumers and is not convinced the government is on track with the implementation of charging infrastructure.

Meg Hillier MP, chair of the Committee, said: “The Government has a mountain to climb to get to all new cars in the UK emitting zero carbon in the next 14 years: to convince consumers and make the cars appealing, to make the car industry environmentally and socially compliant, to build the necessary infrastructure to support this radical shift and possibly biggest of all, to wean itself off carbon revenues.

“Yet once again what we’ve got is a Government throwing up a few signs around base camp – and no let-up in demand for oversized, petrol- guzzling vehicles.

“This isn’t about more targets with no plan behind them inevitably getting missed – it’s about averting the real-world challenges that are bearing down on all of us. The Government needs to get the country behind it and lead the way in the global race against climate change.”

Echoing its recent report on environmental taxes, which said the Treasury and HMRC seemed “stuck in a bygone era”, with a narrow focus on tax revenues rather than the way they must be used to drive the transition to net zero, the Committee says DfT and BEIS will need to do much more to consider the practical application of this large societal change, and put consumers at the heart of it.

The Departments will need to be on top of the other consequences arising from this transition, including the impact on the skills and capabilities required to support the changeover in the UK vehicle fleet; the environmental and social implications of the switch-over both in the UK and across global supply chains; the impact on our future power needs; and the impact on the government tax-take due to the loss of fuel duties.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “The automotive industry shares 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. Now is the time for government to match its world-leading ambitions with a world-class policy package.”

To date the Departments have no clear published plan setting out how they propose to manage these consequential impacts, who they will need to work with, and the timetables for any action. 

The onus is on the Departments to show they are on top of all the repercussions and focussed on supporting consumers to shift to electric as they work towards the government’s ambitious goal.

David Watson, CEO and Founder of Ohme, added: “MPs are right to highlight the need for a clearer roadmap towards electrification. But alongside more affordable EVs and investments in charging infrastructure, we also need to see a focus on rolling out smart charging solutions at scale.

Not only will this significantly lower the running costs of EVs for drivers, but it will also future proof the grid in the face of increased energy demand as EVs becomes mainstream.”

The Government says it is on track to achieve its 2035 targets. A spokesman said it was investing £2.8bn to help the car industry and drivers make the switch to electric.

Car maker Ford recently called for a nationwide electrification strategy that will set the country on the right trajectory for 2030.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Police forces have recovered more than 1,000 stolen catalytic converters and arrested more than 50 people.

The joint operation to tackle catalytic converter theft, codenamed Goldiron, was coordinated by the British Transport Police (BTP).

Police forces joined experts from the Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC), led by the Environment Agency, Smartwater Group, and motor industry, to carry out synchronised enforcement action, intelligence-led site visits, forensic marking and educational events.

Over a five-day period last month, officers and partner agencies made 56 arrests, visited 926 sites, stopped 664 vehicles, recovered 1,037 stolen catalytic converters and 297 items of stolen property; and identified 244 offences.

During the visits and checks, officers searched for stolen metal and examined trader’s financial records to ensure they were complying with the 2013 Scrap Metal Dealers Act.

The JUWC also coordinated a series of waste site inspections to ensure businesses held environmental permits and met other legal requirements.

Furthermore, catalytic converter marking demonstrations were also held to educate and encourage drivers to protect their vehicles. More than 1,610 vehicles were forensically marked by officers and partner agencies.

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for metal crime, BTP Assistant Chief Constable Charlie Doyle, said that the “positive results” are testament to why it’s vital to share information and specialist knowledge to disrupt those operating in this area of crime.

“By taking a multi-agency approach, we are maximising our ability to identify those who are involved in catalytic converter theft, making it harder for them to sell stolen metal and gain from their criminal activities,” he added.

Catalytic converters clean harmful gases before they exit a vehicle’s exhaust pipe and are stolen for the precious metal they contain. These metals have surged in value recently, leading to organised crime networks to commit more offences.

A national conference took place in November last year to create a cross-agency plan focussed on prevention and detection and this was the second week of action that has taken place since.

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime, Cheshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Simms, said: “Policing and law enforcement agencies will continue to focus on catalytic converter theft and ensure that this low risk/ high-reward crime is relentlessly targeted, and offenders are brought to justice.”

The RAC and Ageas say that vehicles parked during lockdown are being targeted by criminals stealing catalytic converters for their precious metals.

There has been a “marked rise” in the theft of catalytic converters since the start of the first lockdown just over a year ago, says Ageas Insurance.

Three-in-10 of all theft claims reported are now related to catalytic converters. Before the lockdown catalytic converter theft only accounted for around one-in-five.

Toyota is working with police and Smartwater to covertly mark the catalytic converters on more than 100,000 cars in an attempt to deter thieves.

The initiative is costing the car maker more than £1m and will be provided to existing Toyota owners for free.

Police say that reports of catalytic converter theft should be made as soon as possible to increase the chances of detection.

People are encouraged to report any suspicious activity to the police by calling 101, or 999 if an offence is in progress. If you spot something at a railway station, contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A 236-bay electric vehicle (EV) charging hub will be installed at Brent Cross Shopping Centre, making it the largest facility of its kind in the UK.

The hub will be installed and operated by Franklin Energy. It is expected to be completed in 2026.

Initially, 50 22kW charging points will be installed in the shopping centre’s multi-storey car park along with two 350kW ultra-rapid units in the Western overflow car park. These will be completed by the end of 2021.

Brent Cross shopping centre is co-owned by Hammerson and Aberdeen Standard Investments. The new charging hub will be Hammerson’s ninth destination to offer charging points.

Louise Ellison, group head of dustainability at Hammerson, said: “The installation of the UK’s largest EV charging facility will not only attract more visitors to our centres at a time when we are expecting to see a significant increase in electric vehicles on the roads, but also shows our continued commitment to tackling climate change, as we continue our journey towards becoming net positive by 2030.

“Combined with our renewable electricity contracts, this service has the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of visitors to Brent Cross by supporting the transition to electric vehicles. ”

In addition to benefiting existing customers visiting the shopping centre, the facility will also provide charging points for cars passing by on the nearby M1, A41 and A406 via the North Circular.

The EVBox charging units will be part of Franklin Energy’s LiFe Network which is expected to have 5,000 public chargers by 2025.

Niall Macdonald, deputy fund manager for the Aberdeen Standard UK Shopping Centre Trust, added: “The scale of this installation of electric vehicle charging points at Brent Cross is our most ambitious to date and we believe it will provide a fantastic service to our customers allowing them to make the change to EV confident in the knowledge that this facility is available to them.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Toyota is working with police and Smartwater to covertly mark the catalytic converters on more than 100,000 cars in an attempt to deter thieves.

The initiative is costing the car maker more than £1m and will be provided to existing Toyota owners for free.

Rob Giles, Toyota (GB) director of Customer Services, said: “Catalytic converter theft is a very serious problem in the UK and the effects on victims of this crime are emotional as well as financial.

“We’re pleased to be starting this initiative, working closely with the police, not only to help them with their efforts to combat this crime but also to send a clear message to criminals that if they choose to target a Toyota or Lexus car there is now a far higher chance of getting caught.”

Toyota hopes that the marking programme will dissuade rogue scrap metal dealers who are happy to pay cash for stolen converters, now that the risk of being caught is greater than before.

Thieves are targeting the catalytic converters in older hybrid models, like the Toyota Prius, because the catalyst in a hybrid has a lower work load than in a non-electrified vehicle, meaning it is in better condition.

In more modern Toyota and Lexus cars the catalysts are of a different design and are not typically targets for theft as a result.

According to Ageas Insurance, three-in-10 of all theft claims reported are now related to catalytic converters. Before the Coronavirus lockdown, catalytic converter theft only accounted for around one-in-five.

Catalytic converters contain a honeycomb coated with precious metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium which help to filter harmful gases from the vehicles’ exhaust systems.

The RAC says that when the global value of these metals increase it usually leads to a spike in thefts. Prices of rhodium hit a record highs earlier this year, up more than 200% since March 2020.

Toyota is offering the Smartwater marking free to all Toyota and Lexus owners, who simply need to call their local Toyota or Lexus retailer to arrange a visit.

It has also issued 20,000 Smartwater kits to police to support their local anti-catalyst theft initiatives. The company is also working with the AA, Toyota’s road-side partner, so its patrols can point customers to where they can get a free kit.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Electric cars and vans should be cheaper to make than petrol or diesel vehicles by 2027, with some segments achieving price parity from 2026, new research suggests.

The Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) study, commissioned by Transport & Environment (T&E), found that C and D segment vehicles and SUVs will be as cheap to produce as petrol vehicles from 2026, while small cars (B segment) will follow in 2027. 

Falling battery costs, new vehicle architectures, and dedicated production lines for electric vehicles (EVs) will make them cheaper to buy, on average, even before subsidies, says BNEF.

However, it explained that the early build-up of EV production and sales will be crucial to drive down costs and generate consumer buy-in for further adoption in the future.

The research found that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) could reach 100% of new sales across the EU by 2035, if lawmakers introduce measures like tighter vehicle CO2 targets and strong support for charging infrastructure.

T&E called on the EU to tighten emissions targets in the 2020s and set 2035 as the end date for selling new polluting vehicles.

The UK Government announced last year that new petrol and diesel cars and vans will not be allowed to be sold in the UK from 2030.

It has, however, said that it will allow the sale of hybrid cars and vans that can drive a significant distance with no carbon coming out of the tailpipe until 2035.

Julia Poliscanova, senior director for vehicles and emobility at T&E, said: “EVs will be a reality for all new buyers within six years.

“They will be cheaper than combustion engines for everyone, from the man with a van in Berlin to the family living in the Romanian countryside.”

ELECTRIC VANS REACH PRICE PARITY

The research suggests that light electric vans will be cheaper than diesel vans from 2025, and heavy electric vans from 2026.

However, as it stands today, electric vans only account for 2% of sales. T&E says EU lawmakers will need to set van-makers challenging CO2 targets, alongside dedicated e-van sales quotas, to increase investment and the number of electric models on the market.

Poliscanova continued: “With the right policies, battery electric cars and vans can reach 100% of sales by 2035 in western, southern and even eastern Europe.

“The EU can set an end date in 2035 in the certainty that the market is ready. New polluting vehicles shouldn’t be sold for any longer than necessary.”

T&E says the EU Commission should set an end date for fossil-fuel car sales in June, when it will propose tightening the bloc’s car CO2 targets.

Last month, 27 major European companies called on EU lawmakers to set 2035 as the end date for selling new combustion engine cars and vans. A recent poll showed 63% of urban residents in Europe support a ban after 2030.

At least seven carmakers and 10 European countries have announced plans to phase out conventional cars. But, in the absence of an EU commitment, these deadlines remain either voluntary or uncertain as to their enforceability, says T&E.

UK FLEET ELECTRIFICATION CONCERNS

Separate research suggests that the UK’s drive to switch to electric cars, trucks and vans from 2030 risks failing, because of serious cost concerns from the country’s SME business leaders.

The YouGov survey, commissioned by Mer – part of Norwegian clean energy giant Statkraft, asked 861 businesses in the UK whether EV charging was on their radar, what they perceived as barriers to installing charging facilities, and who they thought was responsible for encouraging adoption.

When asked what would encourage SME business owners to install charging points at their workplace, they said tax incentives (37%), followed by ‘cheap installation’ (35%), and the relative cost of EVs (32%).

Nine percent of SMEs, however, stated they already had EV charging points on their premises – a figure that leapt to 17% for medium sized SMEs (those with 50 – 250 employees).

A further 21% (or 30% in medium sized SMEs) were planning to install EV chargers before 2030 – when the Government’s ban on new diesel and petrol vehicle sales comes into force.

Mer UK managing director, Anthony Hinde, said: “There are really strong indicators here that SMEs do see the value in installing EV chargers – both for their customers and as ways to attract and retain staff.

“It’s also clear they are going to need – and are asking for – support from Government and local authorities to help with the costs involved in putting in chargers.

“But just like in Norway, this is a huge opportunity for politicians to react and take action – cut VAT on new EV cars, up the subsidies, and apply further tax incentives for those working with UK infrastructure – so we can meet the 2030 target and ensure we power more vehicles with less polluting technology.”

Mer recently launched into the UK to support and lead the UK’s transition to EVs.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News