Category: Trends (Page 1 of 10)

One-third of Americans would consider an EV for their next vehicle purchase [Update]

2023-03-23 / Robert Vinet

34% of all respondents would consider an EV, while 31% said no. Among Democrats 50% said they would consider an EV, while 26% of Republicans and 27% of independents said they would consider.

There are now more than 80 EV models for sale in the United States. EVs represented nearly 6% of all U.S. sales in 2022, with EV sales up by more than 60% last year.

More at Reuters »

Meanwhile, The Detroit Bureau writes »

Another survey finding that should surprise no one is that younger people are more open to switching to an EV than older people, in general. Among the Boomer generation, 87% are driving gas-powered vehicles, followed by 84% of Gen X people, and 75% of millennials.

Gen Z are the most likely people to drive an electrified vehicle (whether purely electric, hybrid or plug-in hybrid), but 69% are still driving gas-fueled cars. Gen Z are also the most likely to report they don’t drive or don’t primarily use the same vehicle, and fewer among them have built up the resources and earning power to afford a new EV.

Hyundai to keep push buttons in vehicles as they are safer

2023-03-23 / Robert Vinet

Speaking at the launch of the new-generation Hyundai Kona, Sang Yup Lee, Head of Hyundai Design, said the new model deliberately uses physical buttons and dials for many of the controls, specifically air-conditioning and the sound system. Lee said this is because the move to digital screens is often more dangerous, as it often requires multiple steps and means drivers have to take their eyes off the road to see where they need to press.

Read the whole article at CarsGuide »

City of Leicester ditches diesel in shift to all-electric bus fleet

2023-03-23 / Robert Vinet

This will make Leicester one of just four UK cities to operate an all-electric bus fleet, joining London, Norwich and York, whose switch was announced earlier this month.

First Bus plans to have added 600 electric buses to its fleet by March 2024, with 117 of these being spread across Bramley and York, Hoeford (Hampshire), and Norwich. It will pay 58% of the total cost for these non-Leicester depots, with Zebra contributing the remainder.

“Through this co-funding with the Zebra scheme, we’re excited to electrify another five of our UK depots before March 2024,” said First Bus managing director Janette Bell.

Read the whole article at Autocar

China’s Electric Vehicle sales surge in February 2023

2023-03-16 / Robert Vinet

Sales of new electric vehicles – referred to as new energy vehicles (NEVs) – in China surged in February this year. The retail sales of China’s new energy passenger cars expanded 439,000 units in February, a 61 percent increase over February 2022 according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

More » China Daily /

There are now more than 6,000 LEVC electric taxis operating in London

2023-03-09 / Robert Vinet

The electric TX, successor to the traditional diesel-powered London ‘black cab’

LEVC TX

London Electric Vehicle Company’s electric TX is the successor to the traditional diesel-powered London ‘black cab’

There are now more LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company – the successor company to that which originated the iconic London ‘black cab’) TX electric taxis on the streets of London than diesel TX4s, as the UK capital’s transition to a green EV black cab fleet continues to accelerate.

Highlighting the transition away from fossil fuel, LEVC’s TX taxi now represents more than 40% of official black cabs, with over 6,000 vehicles operating in the capital.

Alex Nan, CEO of LEVC, commented: “We are witnessing a significant tipping point in the push towards cleaner transportation, with the TX overtaking the diesel-powered TX4 as the cab of choice in London. There are now more than 6,000 TX electric taxis operating in the capital, accounting for over 40% of the black cab fleet.

More » Just Auto

Light EVs are all the rage in European cities. Could they be coming to North America?

2023-02-28 / Robert Vinet

‘Light electric vehicles’ are cheaper and more energy efficient than even standard EVs. But U.S. road regulations and city design may be holding them back.

As growing research shows, even electric vehicles are tough on the environment, due to the minerals required for their batteries, and the wear and tear on roads. “It’s just ridiculous to have that within the city,” Lutz says. Meanwhile, the Luvly, which starts at €10,000, weighs about 880 pounds (compared to 4,000 pounds for the average car), and is much more energy efficient than most EVs. It’s fitted with a smaller battery, uses less material (the exterior is recyclable thermo-plastic), and costs less to run.

Vehicles like this are common in European cities. They’re are known as quadricycles, which are a type of LEV, or light electric vehicle, an official classification that also includes e-scooters and e-bikes. Each country sets its own rules, but LEVs are generally allowed on highways, though Lutz, whose model can reach 90km/hr (56 mph), says that would be “an extreme use case.”

The dominant Chinese EV market is slowing

2023-02-28 / Robert Vinet

After strong electric vehicle sales in 2022, the Chinese car market is facing a setback in growth in 2023.

Last year, 23.5 million new passenger cars were sold in China, a 10% increase from 2021, according to data from CEIC and the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). Electric vehicles (battery electric [BEV] and plug-in hybrid electric [PHEV]) represented a share of around 26%, in units almost double the 2021 number. This strongly contributed to the general car sales growth figures, especially in the final four months of last year. Fully electric cars (BEV) sales represented almost three-quarters of total Chinese EV sales.

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