Audi has revealed an electric estate concept with a 435-mile range that will closely mirror a production model that’s due in 2024.
Following the unveil of the electric A6 Sportback concept, last year, the German car maker has now outlined its plans to offer the executive model with an estate body.
The A6 Avant e-tron, along with its Sportback counterpart, is expected to go on sale in 2024 and will be sold alongside the existing A6 model.
It has similar dimensions to the current A6 and A7 series and has been developed with aerodynamics in mind.
Audi has not detailed the specifics of the car’s electric powertrain, but it says there will be single and twin motor variants. The twin-motor concept car delivers 469PS and 800Nm. Rear-wheel-drive models “developed for efficiency” will also be available when the car goes into production.
The A6 Avant e-tron will be based on Audi and Porsche’s new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform, which is designed exclusively for electric vehicles. It integrates a battery into the vehicle’s floor, allowing for a capacity of around 100kWh. Audi says the car can achieve a range of up to 435 miles.
Like the Audi e-tron GT, the A6 Avant e-tron uses an 800-volt charging system. It means 186 miles of range can be added in 10 minutes and a 5%-80% charge takes as little as 25 minutes, using a 270kW charger.
The car maker announced that it will phase out production of its last internal combustion engines (ICE) by 2033, with all new cars being all electric from 2026. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News
The cost of a breakdown for an electric vehicle (EV) is 2.7 times more than that of an internal combustion engine (ICE) car, new research suggests.
Analysis of more than 2,500 EVs over four-and-a-half years by Total Motion found that, on average, breakdown costs for a petrol or diesel car were £221 per incident (excluding accidents) compared with £596 for an EV.
The number of breakdowns, on average, was also higher for a plug-in vehicle – 3.1 incidents for an EV versus 1.9 for an ICE vehicle.
However, the research from the fleet management company shows that service, maintenance and repair (SMR) costs for EVs are, on average, approximately 27% lower than that of a petrol or diesel car.
The firm, which has been managing electric and alternative fuel vehicles since 2004, monitored reliability, downtime costs and breakdown frequency, comparing EVs with ICE cars in a number of key areas based on 36 months or 75,000 miles.
These included: SMR costs; number of breakdowns based on 36/75k; fleet insurance costs; downtime; parts availability; repair times; and dealer/repairer performance.
Between June 2017 and December 2021, the driving history of more than 2,500 EVs – Tesla, Porsche, Nissan, Renault, Audi and Mercedes – were scrutinised by the Total Motion team.
It found that the average costs involved in replacing a windscreen were six times that of an ICE vehicle. The average ICE replacement being £397 compared to an average of £2,382 for an EV.
Total Motion said the cost ratio was so different due to technology, such as ADAS, being used in the latest windscreens.
However, it could be argued that’s not down to the car in question being an EV as ICE vehicle windscreens are also employing similar technologies.
The average dealer satisfaction score for ICE vehicles, meanwhile, was 84% for ICE vehicles and 53% for EVs.
The Total motion team also compared miles per gallon (MPG) and range performance. Using the combined published MPG, the ICE vehicle achieved 83.6% while the EV achieved 74.1%.
In terms of insurance, Total Motion found insuring an EV is approximately 19% higher than that of an ICE equivalent, and in of in terms of vehicle off road (VOR) days including accidents, the average number of EV VOR days was 15.3 compared to 2.8 for an ICE vehicle.
Simon Hill, Total Motion director, said: “Whilst the clamour for EV vehicles is gathering momentum, particularly with generous company car tax breaks and the 2030 deadline for ceasing production of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK, we decided to carry out this research on behalf of our fleet customers.
“The findings of the study lead us to conclude that the transition to EV for many fleets is being done far too early, and that this will have significant cost and operational implications.”
Hill said: “Our long-term view is that ICE will continue to reduce in volume and EV and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles will continue to increase, with a view to hydrogen or hydrogen plug-in being challengers to EV within 15-20 years.”
However, Total Motion’s findings do not tally with the experience of some fleets. Over a four-year operating cycle, Siemens found a lot of EVs to be cheaper than diesel across most comparable models.
Wayne Warburton, Siemens head of UK Mobility Services, told Fleet News last year: “What’s making the difference is the maintenance and fuel. As leasing companies get a better understanding of how much cheaper they are to maintain, they are no longer loading the SMR from a risk point of view.
“The main driver, however, is the fuel savings on offer to the employee and the business and by moving to a TCO model this is very apparent in making an EV the sensible choice.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News
Tesla is allowing non-Tesla vehicles in the UK to use its Supercharger network, as part of a pilot scheme.
The electric car maker has opened 15 Supercharger stations, with 158 charge points, to drivers of non-Tesla vehicles across the UK.
The sites are located at Aberystwyth, Adderstone, Aviemore, Banbury, Birmingham St Andrews, Cardiff, Dundee, Flint, Folkestone Eurotunnel, Grays, Manchester Trafford Centre, Thetford, Trumpington, Uxbridge and Wokingham.
Drivers must use the Tesla smartphone app to access the chargers. Pricing is set at 60p per kWh, for non-Tesla owners, although a monthly subscription of £10.99 will provide cheaper rates.
A statement issued by Tesla said: “Access to an extensive, convenient and reliable fast-charging network is critical for large-scale EV adoption. That’s why, since opening our first Superchargers in 2012, we have been committed to rapid expansion of the network. Today, we have more than 30,000 Superchargers worldwide.
“Tesla drivers can continue to use these stations as they always have, and we will be closely monitoring each site for congestion and listening to customers about their experiences.
“More customers using the Supercharger network enables faster expansion. Our goal is to learn and iterate quickly, while continuing to aggressively expand the network, so we can eventually welcome both Tesla and non-Tesla drivers at every Supercharger worldwide.”
Tesla chargers are equipped with two connectors. One for Tesla vehicles and a CCS connector. Tesla has not confirmed the maximum charging speeds available to non-Tesla owners at the points.
Last year, Tesla launched a similar trial in the Netherlands. It also provides non-Tesla drivers with access to its Supercharger network in Austria, Belgium, France, Norway, Spain and Sweden. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News
A shortage of wiring harnesses due to the conflict in Ukraine has overtaken the semiconductor crisis as the biggest supply chain problem for Volkswagen.
The German car maker is moving production of the harnesses to north Africa and eastern Europe, as Russia’s war on Ukraine adds to the growing list of automotive component shortages.
UK car registrations were down 25.9% on pre-pandemic levels, in February, as vehicle production remained constrained. Now, it is believed that new car prices will soar due to the rising cost of parts.
Rising raw material costs will drive up prices for both electric and internal combustion engine vehicles, Volkwagen Group chief financial officer Arno Antlitz warned, with everything from batteries to catalytic converters set to become more expensive.
Metals, including aluminium, along with the nickel and lithium used in batteries are becoming increasingly more expensive.
The Volkswagen Group’s sales revenues grew by 12.3% in 2021, despite it selling 2.3 million fewer cars than in a pre-pandemic 2019.
“Over the past two years, we have learned to better mitigate the impact of crises on our company,” said Antlitz. “I am confident that we will make the best possible use of these experiences to stay on track in these difficult times.
The company expects to increase deliveries of new vehicles by up to 10% this year, and boost its revenues by a further 8-13%.
Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess warned that delays in supplies of wire harnesses, which bundle up to 3.1 miles of cables in a car and are unique to each model, could force Volkswagen to revise its outlook for 2022, if alternative sources are not found in 3-4 weeks.
Tesla has also been forced to increase prices in China and the US, this week, as a result of rising raw materials costs.
Elon Musk, the company’s CEO, said the carmaker was facing significant inflationary pressure in raw materials and logistics. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News
Several major carmakers have been raided on the suspicion of anti-competitive conduct in relation to the recycling of old or written-off vehicles, specifically cars and vans.
The joint operation, involving the European Commission and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) conducted unannounced inspections at the unnamed businesses, yesterday (Tuesday, March 15).
The EC has concerns that several companies and associations may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices (Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union).
In the UK, the CMA is investigating suspected infringements of Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998 (‘CA98’) involving a number of vehicle manufacturers and some industry bodies.
The CMA stressed that “no assumption” should be made at this stage that the CA98 has been infringed.
“The CMA has not reached a view as to whether there is sufficient evidence of an infringement of competition law for it to issue a statement of objections to any of the parties under investigation,” it said. “Not all cases result in the CMA issuing a statement of objections.”
The inspections and requests for information concern possible collusion in relation to the collection, treatment and recovery of end-of-life cars and vans which are considered waste.
Unannounced inspections and requests for information are a preliminary investigatory step into suspected anticompetitive practices.
EC officials said that there is no legal deadline to complete inquiries into anticompetitive conduct.
“Their duration depends on a number of factors, including the complexity of each case, the extent to which the companies and associations concerned co-operate with the Commission and the exercise of the rights of defence,” it said.
Renault confirmed to Reuters that it was visited by European Commission investigators and that it was cooperating fully.
Stellantis brand Opel also revealed its offices had been searched by investigators.
“The subject of investigation is the area of recycling end-of-life vehicles,” Opel said in a statement. “Of course, we cooperate fully with the authorities.”
German carmaker BMW said it had received a request for information and would respond.
Meanwhile, Mercedes Benz said it did not expect to be fined because it had approached the EU regulator and the CMA with information as a “leniency applicant”.
Ford said in a statement that it had been served with a notice by CMA “relating to the recycling of old or written-off vehicles, specifically cars and vans, also known as end-of-life vehicles”.
“Given the situation is ongoing it would be inappropriate for us to say more at this stage except to state that we will fully cooperate with the CMA’s review,” the carmaker said.
Volkswagen and its premium brand Audi both declined to comment.
Companies found breaching EU cartel rules face fines up to 10% of their global turnover.
The Commission has in the past decade issued fines totalling about €2.2 billion (£1.85bn) against car parts cartels dealing in products ranging from brakes to wire harnesses, seat belts and air bags. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News
Transport for London (TfL) is fitting speed limiters to a third of its van fleet to reduce the number of incidents involving its drivers.
More than 4,000 workers are authorised to drive the TfL’s 800-strong vehicle fleet, used to transport engineers and equipment to various stations throughout the capital to carry out maintenance work.
Most of this work is carried out at night and speeding incident data analysis found many drivers getting were caught at just over 30 or 40 mph.
It became apparent that drivers were being caught out by TfL’s own efforts to make roads safer with lower speeding limits rather than anything more serious, says fleet compliance manager Tim Dawes.
TfL has committed to reducing speed limits to 20mph on all 220 kilometers of the TfL road network by 2024.
Dawes added: “A lot of the London area is now limited to 20mph. Telematics data showed that many speeding incidents involved drivers travelling around 32mph, so it was clear they were trying to stick to a 30mph limit when, in fact, they were in a 20mph limit.”
One driver unaware of a new, lower speeding limit racked up speeding tickets on the same stretch of road over consecutive nights, Dawes says, adding that the driver “wished he’d had a limiter fitted to his vehicle”.
He added: “We’ve retrofitted intelligent speed assistance, provided by a company called Sturdy to 360 of the vehicles. It’s a GPS-based system which limits the vehicles to road’s speed limit.”
The system has an override function should a driver need to intervene, perhaps if a map used by the GPS hasn’t been fully updated.
So far, 330 vehicles have been fitted with the systems and funding permitting, Dawes would like to extend it to the remaining fleet.
The fleet comes under TfL’s Vehicle Logistics department, based in Acton, West London and other vehicles include fire engine-like vehicles and refuse collection trucks. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News
Ford has unveiled plans to launch seven new all-electric vehicles in Europe – three new passenger vehicles and four new commercial vehicles – by 2024.
Starting in 2023, Ford will begin production of an all-new electric passenger vehicle, a medium-sized crossover, built in Cologne with a second electric vehicle added to the Cologne production line-up in 2024.
Both newcomers will be built on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform, as part of a strategic alliance between the German car maker and the Blue oval.
The first model is likely to be largely based on the VW ID4, while the second is billed as a ‘sports crossover’ like the upcoming VW ID5.
In addition, an electric version of the current Ford Puma will be available, made in Craiova, Romania, starting in 2024.
Ford’s Transit range will also include four new electric models – the all-new Transit Custom one-tonne van and Tourneo Custom multi-purpose vehicle in 2023, and the smaller, next generation Transit Courier van and Tourneo Courier multi-purpose vehicle in 2024.
“These new Ford electric vehicles signal what is nothing less than the total transformation of our brand in Europe – a new generation of zero-emission vehicles, optimized for a connected world, offering our customers truly outstanding user experiences,” said Stuart Rowley, chair, Ford of Europe.
EV production and investment in Cologne
Ford confirmed today that the first volume all-electric passenger vehicle to come out of the Ford Cologne Electrification Centre will be a five-seat, medium-sized crossover.
In 2021, sports utilities and crossovers accounted for 58% of all Ford passenger vehicle sold in the continent, up nearly 20 percentage points from 2020.
The all-electric crossover breaks new boundaries for Ford. Capable of a 500km (310m) driving range on a single charge, the vehicle and its name will be revealed later in 2022, with production commencing in 2023.
Today’s confirmation that a second, all-electric passenger vehicle – a sports crossover – will be built at the Ford Cologne Electrification Centre means that electric vehicle production at the facility will increase to 1.2 million vehicles over a six-year timeframe.
Investment in the new electric passenger vehicles to be built in Cologne is expected to be $2 billion. The investment includes a new battery assembly facility scheduled to start operations in 2024.
New global business unit
Today’s announcement builds on the recent news that the company has created a new global business unit – Ford Model e – focused on the design, production, and distribution of electric and connected vehicles.
Together with Ford Pro, the business unit focused on Ford’s commercial vehicle business, these two business units will define Ford’s future in Europe, it says.
“I am delighted to see the pace of change in Europe – challenging our entire industry to build better, cleaner and more digital vehicles,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. “Ford is all-in and moving fast to meet the demand in Europe and around the globe.
“This is why we have created Ford Model e – allowing us to move at the speed of a start-up to build electric vehicles that delight and offer connected services unique to Ford and that are built with Ford-grade engineering and safety.”
Ford expects its annual sales of electric vehicles in Europe to exceed 600,000 units in 2026, and also reaffirmed its intention to deliver a 6% EBIT margin in Europe in 2023.
The acceleration in Europe supports Ford’s goal to sell more than 2 million EVs globally by 2026 and deliver company adjusted EBIT margin of 10%.
“Our march toward an all-electric future is an absolute necessity for Ford to meet the mobility needs of customers across a transforming Europe,” explained Rowley. “It’s also about the pressing need for greater care of our planet, making a positive contribution to society and reducing emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.”
The company also announced today that it is targeting zero emissions for all vehicle sales in Europe and carbon neutrality across its European footprint of facilities, logistics and suppliers by 2035.
New joint venture aims to increase battery production in Europe
To support Ford’s vehicle electrification plans, Ford, SK On Co and Koç Holding have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding for a new joint venture business in Turkey.
Subject to execution of a final agreement, the three partners plan to create one of the largest EV battery facilities in the European wider region.
The joint venture would be located near Ankara and will manufacture Nickel NMC cells for assembly into battery array modules. Production is intended to start as early as mid-decade with an annual capacity likely to be in the range of 30 to 45 Gigawatt hours.
The investment the three partners are planning in the battery joint venture – including support from the Turkish Government – will directly benefit large and small commercial vehicle operators across Europe, it says. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News
The Zap-Map app will be distributed to the RAC’s 1,600 patrols via phones, laptops and in-van terminals after the breakdown and recovery company partnered with the charge point mapping app.
The rollout, says the RAC, will enable them to locate the nearest available, suitable, publicly accessible charge point for its members to get their EV recharged and back on the road again as quickly as possible.
RAC head of technical James Gibson said: “By ensuring all our patrols have Zap-Map on their RAC devices, we’re giving members with EVs extra reassurance that we’re equipped on every level to get them going again, should they ever run out of charge or encounter a faulty charge point.
“While we have the technology to give them an emergency boost, it’s vital we know how far away the nearest suitable charger is so we can give our members enough mobile charge to get them there safely.”
He explained: “We chose to partner with Zap-Map because it’s without doubt the best app for finding the nearest available public charge points for whichever vehicles our members might be driving.
“The level of information provided in the app is excellent and we urge every EV driver to download and use it, as it genuinely makes EV driving even simpler.”
RAC patrols can already provide an emergency charge to flat or severely depleted electric cars with its RAC EV Boost technology.
It can also move stricken vehicles with the All-Wheels-Up rapid recovery system, which gives patrols flatbed towing capability from a standard breakdown van.
Alex Earl, commercial director at Zap-Map, said: “We are always keen to explore new ways of working, especially when they help to make the switch to electric as seamless as possible.
“The RAC has so many patrols on the road, and they will increasingly encounter EV drivers who may be in need of their help.
“We therefore felt it made sense to provide them with easy access to Zap-Map, as it will lead to a better experience for anyone who does run out of charge.
“We will also be looking to get patrols to feedback anything they discover about out-of-order or faulty charge points, ensuring Zap-Map users have access to even more accurate information to search, plan and pay for their electric journeys.”
Last year, the RAC and Zap-Map published a joint report on EV charging provision at supermarkets, which found that the number of chargers at supermarkets had grown by 85% over a 21-month period.
During that time, Tesco had added more EV chargers than any other supermarket.
In January, the RAC put a Renault Zoe Van E-Tech into service. The patrol van will principally be used to attend the RAC’s two most common breakdowns – batteries and tyres, which together account for nearly half of all call-outs. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News
Crime-fighting police drones and heavy cargo delivery drones are among the first vehicles to fly from the site at Westminster Car Park
The world’s first ever drone airport has finally opened its doors in Coventry. Locals can now take a look inside Air-One – the world-first vertiport – where they can witness live flight demonstrations as well as the fully built interior which houses passenger and operational zones, such as the aircraft command and control centre. Want to take a look inside Air-One? Click here to experience the full tour.
Working with Coventry City Council, Supernal, which is part of global automotive giant Hyundai, and Coventry University UK based developer Urban-Air Port has created a fully-operational hub for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles which they hope will decarbonise transport and reduce air pollution.
Coventry was chosen for the site due to its location in the heart of the UK with most parts of the country within four hours of travel and its historic leadership in the automobile and aerospace industries. Founder and Executive Chairman of Urban-Air Port, Ricky Sandhu says the facility will remain in Coventry for at least one month.
In the meantime visitors will have the opportunity to see live flight demonstrations from West Midlands Police.
Locals can now book a tour of the world-first urban airport in Coventry. Air One will focus on air taxis and provide a place for drones to take off and land. It will also be used by West Midlands Police as a new way to help tackle crime in the region.
Coventry was selected to be the location of the ‘groundbreaking’ project for its important geographic location within the UK as well as its rich history of automobile and aerospace innovation. It is said to represent the ‘ideal venue for showcasing the future of mobility.’
A car park close to Coventry Railway Station will be the site of a public exhibition that will showcase the brand-new urban airport. It is promised to be an ‘immersive experience’ where guests can tour the Air One vertiport and learn about the sustainable Advanced Air Mobility solutions. By Graham Hill thanks to Coventry Live.
Fleet transport insurance firm McCarron Coates is urging HGV drivers not to fill their tanks to the top, to avoid liability for diesel spills.
The advice follows the new hierarchy of road users created by the January 2022 edition of the Highway Code.
The new hierarchy sees HGV, bus and coach drivers right at the bottom of the road-user hierarchy, with more responsibility for the safety of all other road users than any other highways-using group. Sitting above them are motorcyclists and, close to the top, cyclists.
McCarron Coates is highlighting how HGV drivers directly impact on the safety of motorcyclists, in particular, when they spill diesel on the highway.
For a motorcyclist, riding over diesel provides the same lack of friction they would experience if riding over packed snow. The friction is particularly reduced when diesel is spilt on roundabouts, ramps and bends, precisely where diesel is likely to spill out of trucks with overfilled tanks. Diesel also impacts on normal braking distances.
Now, with the introduction of the new hierarchy, it is not unreasonable to anticipate that those injured or impacted by diesel spillage, could seek to prove HGV operators liable and suggest they did not exercise the duty of care expected within the new Highway Code.
“HGVs are now part of the commercial vehicle group deemed to have the highest degree of responsibility for other road users’ safety. Diesel spillage is a direct way of undermining the safety of a key road user group – motorcyclists,” said McCarron Coates director, Paul Coates. “If you put the two factors together, it is everything that shouts liability claim. We believe HGV drivers need to get their house in order fast.”
The penalties for spilling diesel have been in place for some time and the law states that liability for dealing with a road spillage lies with the person who allowed it to occur. That has traditionally been applied to clean-up costs and Highways England has already warned, in the past few years, of how it can recover up to £70,000 of clean-up costs.
Added to this the potential of an HGV operator being found liable for damage to the environment, under environmental laws of 2009 and 2010, if diesel contaminates land or enters gullies, groundwater or water courses.
Avoiding overfilling is relatively easy to do, if a driver is briefed not to indulge in what is known as ‘brimming’ or ‘necking’, as part of standard company policy. Drivers should also be instructed to oversee the full filling process, rather than leaving the tank filling and should not try to override automatic nozzles. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News
