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sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_crime-law"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/crime-law/courts" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Courts</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/property" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Property</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_property" aria-label="Show Property sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_property"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/property/residential" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Residential</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/property/commercial-property" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Commercial Property</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/property/interiors" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Interiors</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/food" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Food</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_food" aria-label="Show Food sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_food"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/food/drink" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Drink</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/food/recipes" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Recipes</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/food/restaurants" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Restaurants</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/health" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Health</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_health" aria-label="Show Health sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_health"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-family" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Your Family</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-fitness" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Your Fitness</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-wellness" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Your Wellness</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-fitness/get-running" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Get Running</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Life & Style</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_life-style" aria-label="Show Life & Style sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_life-style"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fashion" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Fashion</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/tags/beauty/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Beauty</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Fine Art & Antiques</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/gardening" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Gardening</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">People</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/travel" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Travel</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/culture" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Culture</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_culture" aria-label="Show Culture sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_culture"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/art" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Art</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/books" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Books</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/film" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Film</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/music" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Music</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/stage" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Stage</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/tv-radio" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">TV & Radio</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/environment" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Environment</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_environment" aria-label="Show Environment sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_environment"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/environment/climate-crisis" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Climate Crisis</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/technology" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Technology</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_technology" aria-label="Show Technology sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_technology"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/big-tech" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Big Tech</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/consumer-tech" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Consumer Tech</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/data-security" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Data & Security</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/gaming" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Gaming</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/science" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Science</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_science" aria-label="Show Science sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_science"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/science/space" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Space</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/media" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Media</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/abroad" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Abroad</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/obituaries" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Obituaries</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/transport" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Transport</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/motors" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Motors</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_motors" aria-label="Show Motors sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_motors"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/motors/car-reviews/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Car Reviews</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/listen/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Listen</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Podcasts</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_podcasts" aria-label="Show Podcasts sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_podcasts"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/in-the-news" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">In the News Podcast</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/inside-politics" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Inside Politics Podcast</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/the-womens-podcast" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">The Women's Podcast</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/inside-business" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Inside Business Podcast</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/ross-ocarroll-kelly" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Ross O'Carroll-Kelly</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/the-counter-ruck" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">The Counter Ruck Podcast</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/conversations-with-parents" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Conversations with Parents Podcast</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/video" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Video</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/photography" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Photography</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack 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class="b-section-title__links"><a class="c-link" href="/motors/car-reviews/">Car Reviews</a></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div id="lazy_35960" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__84 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-8" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.3333333333333333;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/11/26/ev-qa-can-making-batteries-in-europe-slash-their-co2-emissions/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="EV Q&A: Is it possible to reduce the environmental impact of building an electric car?" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ.jpg?focal=2140%2C1820&auth=dd8d5fcd49669607633de1ef4a393ac5e18c9b3f2baf9cd3f5deefffb27c08a9&width=800&height=600" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ.jpg?focal=2140%2C1820&auth=dd8d5fcd49669607633de1ef4a393ac5e18c9b3f2baf9cd3f5deefffb27c08a9&width=400&height=300 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ.jpg?focal=2140%2C1820&auth=dd8d5fcd49669607633de1ef4a393ac5e18c9b3f2baf9cd3f5deefffb27c08a9&width=440&height=330 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ.jpg?focal=2140%2C1820&auth=dd8d5fcd49669607633de1ef4a393ac5e18c9b3f2baf9cd3f5deefffb27c08a9&width=800&height=600 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="600"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__lg text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/2024/11/26/ev-qa-can-making-batteries-in-europe-slash-their-co2-emissions/">EV Q&A: Is it possible to reduce the environmental impact of building an electric car?</a></h3><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/11/26/ev-qa-can-making-batteries-in-europe-slash-their-co2-emissions/">Your EV questions answered: Producing batteries in Europe could make them 60% more carbon-efficient than importing from China, study suggests</a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><span class="c-it-byline c-it-byline--list"><span>By</span><span> Neil Briscoe</span></span></div></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item grid-column-span-4" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/11/22/new-battery-could-mean-phevs-with-a-400km-electric-range/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="New battery could mean PHEVs with a 400km electric range" 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b-it-divider-block"/><div id="arcad-feature-f0fj6IquRptXbpu-39b4fc69369e9" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 gKEhzJ arcad-feature"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:970px"><div id="arcad_f0fj6IquRptXbpu-39b4fc69369e9" class="arcad ad-970x90"></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><a class="c-link b-it-header-block__link font-normal" href="/tags/electric-vehicles/"><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">ELECTRIC CARS<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 0.255525L13.3161 10.5835C14.2279 11.4523 14.228 12.9331 13.3161 13.802L3.78 23.0857C2.92237 23.9029 2.18997 24.7165 0.637788 22.9345C-0.650965 21.455 0.273466 20.6414 1.1311 19.8243L8.71733 12.5593C8.91647 12.3686 8.92364 12.0527 8.73336 11.8531L0.748709 3.47961C-0.108924 2.6625 0.0713963 1.88627 1.13096 0.799122Z"></path></svg></span></h2></div></div></a></div></div><div id="lazy_33635" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__3333 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack 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https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ.jpg?focal=2140%2C1820&auth=dd8d5fcd49669607633de1ef4a393ac5e18c9b3f2baf9cd3f5deefffb27c08a9&width=440&height=440 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ.jpg?focal=2140%2C1820&auth=dd8d5fcd49669607633de1ef4a393ac5e18c9b3f2baf9cd3f5deefffb27c08a9&width=800&height=800 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="800"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/2024/11/26/ev-qa-can-making-batteries-in-europe-slash-their-co2-emissions/">EV Q&A: Is it possible to reduce the environmental impact of building an electric car?</a></h3><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/11/26/ev-qa-can-making-batteries-in-europe-slash-their-co2-emissions/">Your EV questions answered: Producing batteries in Europe could make them 60% more carbon-efficient than importing from China, study suggests</a></p></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/business/2024/11/25/applegreen-to-invest-1bn-in-major-expansion-across-its-three-markets/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Applegreen to invest €1bn in expansion across three markets" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FDTPDMLNX5CLJC2ZMMBFHI62YU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a91acffdf4639210a2875ee36dac77217ff52a85181790d2b52b21e571449b5c&width=800&height=800" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FDTPDMLNX5CLJC2ZMMBFHI62YU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a91acffdf4639210a2875ee36dac77217ff52a85181790d2b52b21e571449b5c&width=400&height=400 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FDTPDMLNX5CLJC2ZMMBFHI62YU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a91acffdf4639210a2875ee36dac77217ff52a85181790d2b52b21e571449b5c&width=440&height=440 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/FDTPDMLNX5CLJC2ZMMBFHI62YU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a91acffdf4639210a2875ee36dac77217ff52a85181790d2b52b21e571449b5c&width=800&height=800 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="800"/></a></div></figure><div 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data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">ROAD TEST<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 0.255525L13.3161 10.5835C14.2279 11.4523 14.228 12.9331 13.3161 13.802L3.78 23.0857C2.92237 23.9029 2.18997 24.7165 0.637788 22.9345C-0.650965 21.455 0.273466 20.6414 1.1311 19.8243L8.71733 12.5593C8.91647 12.3686 8.92364 12.0527 8.73336 11.8531L0.748709 3.47961C-0.108924 2.6625 0.0713963 1.88627 1.13096 0.799122Z"></path></svg></span></h2></div></div></a></div></div><div id="lazy_89680" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__66 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.3333333333333333;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/review/2024/11/27/new-dacia-duster-great-value-returns-in-a-much-prettier-package/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="New Dacia Duster: Great value returns in a much prettier package" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4OB4A5YYSZHGVNJ75U2WYLZGEI.jpg?focal=2902%2C997&auth=80c35791b7beca4d34444f4fdcaa3f6d7d5e547860d3bdaa9f15a718f1aee171&width=800&height=600" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4OB4A5YYSZHGVNJ75U2WYLZGEI.jpg?focal=2902%2C997&auth=80c35791b7beca4d34444f4fdcaa3f6d7d5e547860d3bdaa9f15a718f1aee171&width=400&height=300 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4OB4A5YYSZHGVNJ75U2WYLZGEI.jpg?focal=2902%2C997&auth=80c35791b7beca4d34444f4fdcaa3f6d7d5e547860d3bdaa9f15a718f1aee171&width=440&height=330 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/4OB4A5YYSZHGVNJ75U2WYLZGEI.jpg?focal=2902%2C997&auth=80c35791b7beca4d34444f4fdcaa3f6d7d5e547860d3bdaa9f15a718f1aee171&width=800&height=600 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="600"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/review/2024/11/27/new-dacia-duster-great-value-returns-in-a-much-prettier-package/">New Dacia Duster: Great value returns in a much prettier package</a></h3><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/review/2024/11/27/new-dacia-duster-great-value-returns-in-a-much-prettier-package/">    </a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><span class="c-it-byline c-it-byline--list"><span>By</span><span> Neil Briscoe</span></span></div></div></div></article></div><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/review/2024/11/27/alfa-romeo-junior-ev-delivers-real-driving-fun-despite-seeming-sacrilege-to-the-brands-fans/">Alfa Romeo Junior EV delivers real driving fun despite seeming sacrilege to the brand’s fans</a></h3><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/review/2024/11/27/alfa-romeo-junior-ev-delivers-real-driving-fun-despite-seeming-sacrilege-to-the-brands-fans/">    </a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><span class="c-it-byline c-it-byline--list"><span>By</span><span> Michael McAleer</span></span></div></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.3333333333333333;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/review/2024/11/20/test-drive-audis-revised-e-tron-gt-proves-electric-vehicle-fun-doubters-wrong/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Test drive: Audi’s revised e-tron GT proves electric car fun-doubters wrong" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/N7IJK2ASNVEIDECMBRLNG7U7PI.jpg?focal=2910%2C2425&auth=db2206c7864449aa088dec216e1b5e0435683da9e81a07fc2c211e3dd2a2fa76&width=800&height=600" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/N7IJK2ASNVEIDECMBRLNG7U7PI.jpg?focal=2910%2C2425&auth=db2206c7864449aa088dec216e1b5e0435683da9e81a07fc2c211e3dd2a2fa76&width=400&height=300 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/N7IJK2ASNVEIDECMBRLNG7U7PI.jpg?focal=2910%2C2425&auth=db2206c7864449aa088dec216e1b5e0435683da9e81a07fc2c211e3dd2a2fa76&width=440&height=330 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/N7IJK2ASNVEIDECMBRLNG7U7PI.jpg?focal=2910%2C2425&auth=db2206c7864449aa088dec216e1b5e0435683da9e81a07fc2c211e3dd2a2fa76&width=800&height=600 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="600"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/review/2024/11/20/test-drive-audis-revised-e-tron-gt-proves-electric-vehicle-fun-doubters-wrong/">Test drive: Audi’s revised e-tron GT proves electric car fun-doubters wrong</a></h3><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/review/2024/11/20/test-drive-audis-revised-e-tron-gt-proves-electric-vehicle-fun-doubters-wrong/">    </a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><span class="c-it-byline c-it-byline--list"><span>By</span><span> Neil Briscoe</span></span></div></div></div></article></div><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/review/2024/11/13/car-review-the-polestar-4-is-simply-stellar-when-it-comes-to-comfort/">Car review: The Polestar 4 is simply stellar when it comes to comfort</a></h3><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/review/2024/11/13/car-review-the-polestar-4-is-simply-stellar-when-it-comes-to-comfort/">    </a></p><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><span class="c-it-byline c-it-byline--list"><span>By</span><span> Michael McAleer</span></span></div></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div id="arcad-feature-f0fYl0FhEqn62Qj-856a3602c1feb" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 gKEhzJ arcad-feature"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:970px"><div id="arcad_f0fYl0FhEqn62Qj-856a3602c1feb" class="arcad ad-970x90"></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><a class="c-link b-it-header-block__link font-normal" href="/transport/"><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">TRANSPORT<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 0.255525L13.3161 10.5835C14.2279 11.4523 14.228 12.9331 13.3161 13.802L3.78 23.0857C2.92237 23.9029 2.18997 24.7165 0.637788 22.9345C-0.650965 21.455 0.273466 20.6414 1.1311 19.8243L8.71733 12.5593C8.91647 12.3686 8.92364 12.0527 8.73336 11.8531L0.748709 3.47961C-0.108924 2.6625 0.0713963 1.88627 1.13096 0.799122Z"></path></svg></span></h2></div></div></a></div></div><div id="lazy_13138" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__444 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/transport/2024/11/29/irish-rail-signal-fault-an-isolated-issue-says-company-as-it-faces-wider-questions-on-punctuality/">Irish Rail signal fault 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services resume after signal fault caused significant delays for commuters on Thursday evening</a></h3><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"></div></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/transport/2024/11/28/major-delays-on-northbound-trains-out-of-dublin-after-signalling-fault/">Dart and other Dublin rail services see hours of delays as signalling fault causes major disruption</a></h3><div class="b-flex-promo-card__metadata"><span class="c-it-byline c-it-byline--list"><span>By</span><span> Jade Wilson</span></span></div></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="c-divider b-it-divider-block"/><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><a class="c-link b-it-header-block__link font-normal" href="/videos/"><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">VIDEOS<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 0.255525L13.3161 10.5835C14.2279 11.4523 14.228 12.9331 13.3161 13.802L3.78 23.0857C2.92237 23.9029 2.18997 24.7165 0.637788 22.9345C-0.650965 21.455 0.273466 20.6414 1.1311 19.8243L8.71733 12.5593C8.91647 12.3686 8.92364 12.0527 8.73336 11.8531L0.748709 3.47961C-0.108924 2.6625 0.0713963 1.88627 1.13096 0.799122Z"></path></svg></span></h2></div></div></a></div></div><div id="lazy_90229" class="lazy_container"><div class="b-flex-chain"><div class="b-flex-chain__grid-container b-flex-chain__grid-container__3333 has-divider gap-divider"><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/video/motors/2024/08/22/our-test-drive-renault-scenic-e-tech/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Our Test Drive: Renault Scenic E-Tech" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fd2j5ip5u6h2g6o.cloudfront.net%2F08-21-2024%2Ft_af6c44ffe9034f6a9c2cfd44b1ab4d58_name_All_new_Renault_Scenic_E_Tech_electric.jpg?smart=true&auth=dea02cddd9be0831165ba33ce4b87edc25b340cfb2f34cf202f3a6f30a6dea58&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fd2j5ip5u6h2g6o.cloudfront.net%2F08-21-2024%2Ft_af6c44ffe9034f6a9c2cfd44b1ab4d58_name_All_new_Renault_Scenic_E_Tech_electric.jpg?smart=true&auth=dea02cddd9be0831165ba33ce4b87edc25b340cfb2f34cf202f3a6f30a6dea58&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fd2j5ip5u6h2g6o.cloudfront.net%2F08-21-2024%2Ft_af6c44ffe9034f6a9c2cfd44b1ab4d58_name_All_new_Renault_Scenic_E_Tech_electric.jpg?smart=true&auth=dea02cddd9be0831165ba33ce4b87edc25b340cfb2f34cf202f3a6f30a6dea58&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fd2j5ip5u6h2g6o.cloudfront.net%2F08-21-2024%2Ft_af6c44ffe9034f6a9c2cfd44b1ab4d58_name_All_new_Renault_Scenic_E_Tech_electric.jpg?smart=true&auth=dea02cddd9be0831165ba33ce4b87edc25b340cfb2f34cf202f3a6f30a6dea58&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/video/motors/2024/08/22/our-test-drive-renault-scenic-e-tech/">Our Test Drive: Renault Scenic E-Tech</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><figure class="c-media-item"><div style="aspect-ratio:1.5;background-color:var(--global-neutral-1)" class=""><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/video/motors/2024/08/21/our-test-drive-mazda-3/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Our Test Drive: Mazda 3" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fd2j5ip5u6h2g6o.cloudfront.net%2F08-20-2024%2Ft_b3085f463765433cbe7b7c752473a0d1_name_image.jpg?smart=true&auth=e079e18cf56ea8bafc15b4a13181953d2176f8336aa0602e3fabd261ab38a25e&width=800&height=533" srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fd2j5ip5u6h2g6o.cloudfront.net%2F08-20-2024%2Ft_b3085f463765433cbe7b7c752473a0d1_name_image.jpg?smart=true&auth=e079e18cf56ea8bafc15b4a13181953d2176f8336aa0602e3fabd261ab38a25e&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fd2j5ip5u6h2g6o.cloudfront.net%2F08-20-2024%2Ft_b3085f463765433cbe7b7c752473a0d1_name_image.jpg?smart=true&auth=e079e18cf56ea8bafc15b4a13181953d2176f8336aa0602e3fabd261ab38a25e&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fd2j5ip5u6h2g6o.cloudfront.net%2F08-20-2024%2Ft_b3085f463765433cbe7b7c752473a0d1_name_image.jpg?smart=true&auth=e079e18cf56ea8bafc15b4a13181953d2176f8336aa0602e3fabd261ab38a25e&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/video/motors/2024/08/21/our-test-drive-mazda-3/">Our Test Drive: Mazda 3</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" 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https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fd2j5ip5u6h2g6o.cloudfront.net%2F08-16-2024%2Ft_0e7adde0ce6148ba8b30b31dbbfd4aae_name_MG3_REVIEW.jpg?smart=true&auth=ebd1e3e3b2b3ee5b24421eb964609ad98f87d813bcc44fb3a4a8026f3fa6a31f&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fd2j5ip5u6h2g6o.cloudfront.net%2F08-16-2024%2Ft_0e7adde0ce6148ba8b30b31dbbfd4aae_name_MG3_REVIEW.jpg?smart=true&auth=ebd1e3e3b2b3ee5b24421eb964609ad98f87d813bcc44fb3a4a8026f3fa6a31f&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 class="c-heading c-heading__sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/video/motors/2024/08/16/our-test-drive-mg3-hybrid/">Our Test Drive: MG3 Hybrid+</a></h3></div></div></article></div></div><div class="c-stack grid-item " 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srcSet="https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fd2j5ip5u6h2g6o.cloudfront.net%2F08-15-2024%2Ft_5113d1140e6343be906cc0e2178eb0f2_name_1659690186?smart=true&auth=5e76edd656b3042747b1e5f9d4e58248a2f1b291580ba12a7686950584c08a05&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fd2j5ip5u6h2g6o.cloudfront.net%2F08-15-2024%2Ft_5113d1140e6343be906cc0e2178eb0f2_name_1659690186?smart=true&auth=5e76edd656b3042747b1e5f9d4e58248a2f1b291580ba12a7686950584c08a05&width=440&height=293 440w, https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fd2j5ip5u6h2g6o.cloudfront.net%2F08-15-2024%2Ft_5113d1140e6343be906cc0e2178eb0f2_name_1659690186?smart=true&auth=5e76edd656b3042747b1e5f9d4e58248a2f1b291580ba12a7686950584c08a05&width=800&height=533 800w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 400px, (max-width: 440px) 440px, (min-width: 441px) 800px" width="800" height="533"/></a></div></figure><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h3 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b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/11/19/electric-vehicles-how-much-will-our-ev-cost-to-charge-annually-versus-the-fuel-costs-of-an-equivalent-petrol-car/">Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-grid b-it-overline-block"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><span class="c-stack b-it-overline-block__text" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="wrap"><a class="c-link false" href="/motors/">Motors</a></span></div></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/2024/11/15/seven-shortlisted-for-europes-car-of-the-year/">Europe’s Car of the Year: meet the seven finalists</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/11/15/seven-shortlisted-for-europes-car-of-the-year/">Shortlist features Alfa Romeo Junior, Citroën ë-C3/C3, Cupra Terramar, Dacia Duster, Hyundai Inster, Kia EV3 and Renault 5</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-grid b-it-overline-block"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><span class="c-stack b-it-overline-block__text" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="wrap"><a class="c-link false" href="/business/">Business</a></span></div></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/business/2024/11/14/the-very-human-problem-with-not-quite-self-driving-cars/">The very human problem with not-quite-self-driving cars</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/business/2024/11/14/the-very-human-problem-with-not-quite-self-driving-cars/">The better an automated system performs, the more complacent – and dangerous – we become behind the wheel</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><span class="c-pill c-it-subscriber-pill ">Subscriber Only</span></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/review/2024/11/13/car-review-the-polestar-4-is-simply-stellar-when-it-comes-to-comfort/">Car review: The Polestar 4 is simply stellar when it comes to comfort</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/review/2024/11/13/car-review-the-polestar-4-is-simply-stellar-when-it-comes-to-comfort/">This all-electric crossover is the best car to come from the Sino-Swedish brand to date</a></p></div></div></article></div><div id="arcad-feature-f0fJVPPVuMSB1eY-8b761fad29a65" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 gKEhzJ arcad-feature"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:728px"><div id="arcad_f0fJVPPVuMSB1eY-8b761fad29a65" class="arcad ad-728x90"></div></div></div><div id="fusion-static-enter:html-block-f0fcVelfai2rHz" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fcVelfai2rHz"></div><div><hr></div><div 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c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/2024/11/13/two-new-cars-show-honda-can-be-sensible-and-edgy-at-the-same-time/">Two new cars show Honda can be sensible and edgy at the same time</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/11/13/two-new-cars-show-honda-can-be-sensible-and-edgy-at-the-same-time/">New hybrid crossover and steaming-hot hot hatch show Honda hasn’t given up on Europe just yet</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-grid b-it-overline-block"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><span class="c-stack b-it-overline-block__text" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="wrap"><a class="c-link false" href="/motors/">Motors</a></span></div></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/2024/11/13/kias-ev6-shows-ford-the-way-home/">Kia EV6: An already-handsome car gets a facelift</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/11/13/kias-ev6-shows-ford-the-way-home/">The strong-selling Kia EV6 boasts a longer range and improved charging in its 2025 update</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><span class="c-pill c-it-subscriber-pill ">Subscriber Only</span></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 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Which one is best?</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/11/12/ev-qa-are-there-different-kinds-of-batteries-used-in-electric-cars-which-one-is-best/">Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-grid b-it-overline-block"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><span class="c-stack b-it-overline-block__text" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="wrap"><a class="c-link false" href="/motors/">Motors</a></span></div></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/2024/11/10/hyundais-new-18995-electric-car-is-set-to-cause-quite-a-stir/">Hyundai’s new €18,995 electric car is set to cause quite a stir</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/11/10/hyundais-new-18995-electric-car-is-set-to-cause-quite-a-stir/">New Inster EV is a surprisingly impressive small car that could revive an EV market stuffed with bland, expensive crossovers</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><span class="c-pill c-it-subscriber-pill ">Subscriber Only</span></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/2024/11/06/fords-new-capri-is-little-more-than-a-soulless-crossover/">Ford’s new Capri is little more than a soulless crossover</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/11/06/fords-new-capri-is-little-more-than-a-soulless-crossover/">The car giant had a great opportunity to showcase its skills – instead it delivered an exercise in cost control</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-grid b-it-overline-block"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><span class="c-stack b-it-overline-block__text" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="wrap"><a class="c-link false" href="/motors/">Motors</a></span></div></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/review/2024/11/06/heavyweight-bmw-m5-hits-with-an-appropriate-punch/">BMW M5: A heavyweight hits with an appropriate punch</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/review/2024/11/06/heavyweight-bmw-m5-hits-with-an-appropriate-punch/">The new M5 is genuinely a bargain, freakishly fast and profoundly poised</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><span class="c-pill c-it-subscriber-pill ">Subscriber Only</span></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/2024/11/05/your-ev-questions-answered-why-are-there-no-lamp-post-chargers-in-ireland/">EV Q&A: Why are there no lamp-post chargers in Ireland?</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/11/05/your-ev-questions-answered-why-are-there-no-lamp-post-chargers-in-ireland/">Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-grid b-it-overline-block"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><span class="c-stack b-it-overline-block__text" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="wrap"><a class="c-link false" href="/business/">Business</a></span></div></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/business/2024/11/01/slump-in-electric-car-sales-continues-in-october/">Slump in electric car sales continues in October</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/business/2024/11/01/slump-in-electric-car-sales-continues-in-october/">Some brands have suffered more than others with Volkswagen and Hyundai both seeing EV sales down 37.5% on last year</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-grid b-it-overline-block"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><span class="c-stack 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class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><span class="c-stack b-it-overline-block__text" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="wrap"><a class="c-link false" href="/business/">Business</a></span></div></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/business/2024/10/30/china-files-complaint-with-wto-against-eus-extra-tariffs-on-its-electric-vehicles/">China files complaint with WTO against EU’s extra tariffs on its electric vehicles</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/business/2024/10/30/china-files-complaint-with-wto-against-eus-extra-tariffs-on-its-electric-vehicles/">EU move followed an investigation into Beijing’s subsidies for its EV industry</a></p></div></div></article></div><div id="arcad-feature-f0fPhTiYPZ8Bs2-12cfb21d35d0a3" class="default__StyledAdUnit-sc-1moicrg-0 kjbLvz arcad-feature"><div class="arcad-container width_100" style="max-width:fluidpx"><div id="arcad_f0fPhTiYPZ8Bs2-12cfb21d35d0a3" class="arcad ad-fluid"></div></div></div><div id="fusion-static-enter:html-block-f0fo0tVE4C4CHt" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fo0tVE4C4CHt"></div><div><hr></div><div id="fusion-static-exit:html-block-f0fo0tVE4C4CHt" style="display:none" data-fusion-component="html-block-f0fo0tVE4C4CHt"></div><div class="c-stack b-flex-promo-list-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:1rem"><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-grid b-it-overline-block"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><span class="c-stack b-it-overline-block__text" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="wrap"><a class="c-link false" href="/motors/">Motors</a></span></div></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/2024/10/30/can-the-european-car-industry-navigate-its-way-out-of-crisis/">Can the European car industry navigate its way out of crisis?</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/10/30/can-the-european-car-industry-navigate-its-way-out-of-crisis/">Manufacturers including Volkswagen and BMW are sounding the alarm as a range of factors combine to threaten their 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href="/transport/2024/10/23/car-testing-contracts-expose-rsa-to-absorbing-inflation-costs-report-finds/">Road Safety Authority’s surplus could be reduced or eliminated ‘due to having to meet the costs of contracts indexation’</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><span class="c-pill c-it-subscriber-pill ">Subscriber Only</span></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/2024/10/22/is-it-safe-to-bring-electric-cars-on-ferries/">Are there any restrictions on taking electric cars on a car ferry?</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/10/22/is-it-safe-to-bring-electric-cars-on-ferries/">Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-grid b-it-overline-block"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><span class="c-stack b-it-overline-block__text" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="wrap"><a class="c-link false" href="/motors/">Motors</a></span></div></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/2024/10/16/renault-5-delivers-retro-fun-and-a-nippy-drive/">Renault 5 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href="/motors/2024/10/15/are-there-any-plans-to-make-ev-chargers-accessible-to-wheelchair-users/">Your EV questions answered: Helping to separate electric car myths from facts</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><span class="c-pill c-it-subscriber-pill ">Subscriber Only</span></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/opinion/2024/10/11/norma-foleys-pouch-plan-explicitly-implies-phones-cause-harm/">Norma Foley’s pouch plan acknowledges that phones cause harm. It may yet see her end up in history books</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/opinion/2024/10/11/norma-foleys-pouch-plan-explicitly-implies-phones-cause-harm/">Plan signals mobile phones – and by extension social media platforms – are detrimental to children. The question now is what the Government will do next</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-grid b-it-overline-block"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><span class="c-stack b-it-overline-block__text" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="wrap"><a class="c-link false" href="/motors/">Motors</a></span></div></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/review/2024/10/09/kia-ev3-first-drive-new-all-electric-crossover-ticks-the-right-boxes-to-survive-the-ev-sales-slump/">Kia EV3 first drive: New all-electric crossover ticks the right boxes to survive the EV sales slump</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/review/2024/10/09/kia-ev3-first-drive-new-all-electric-crossover-ticks-the-right-boxes-to-survive-the-ev-sales-slump/">With starting prices at €36,790, Kia is certainly bang on the money when it comes to the competition</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-grid b-it-overline-block"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><span class="c-stack b-it-overline-block__text" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="center" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="wrap"><a class="c-link false" href="/motors/">Motors</a></span></div></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/2024/10/09/story-of-car-assembly-in-ireland-takes-a-curiously-personal-turn/">Story of car assembly in Ireland takes a curiously personal turn</a></h2><p class="c-paragraph"><a class="c-link b-flex-promo-card__link" href="/motors/2024/10/09/story-of-car-assembly-in-ireland-takes-a-curiously-personal-turn/">Bob Montgomery’s comprehensive history of car making in the State is required reading for any Irish car nut</a></p></div></div></article><article class="b-flex-promo-card bottom-divider"><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text"><div class="c-stack" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="start" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><span class="c-pill c-it-subscriber-pill ">Subscriber Only</span></div><div class="b-flex-promo-card__text-no-overline"><h2 class="c-heading c-heading__md-sm text-align_left"><a class="c-link font-bold" href="/motors/2024/10/08/your-ev-questions-answered-some-quick-fire-questions-on-electric-cars/">Should I only charge my EV to 80 per cent every time? 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Both the Chinese government and Chinese battery manufacturers some years ago set out on a mission to dominate the global market for electric <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/motors\" target=\"_blank\">car</a> battery packs, vacuuming up global supplies of lithium, cobalt and manganese, and setting up an infrastructure to produce EV batteries on a huge scale.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H37VH2XKAZB23PPPHQDLDJL4JA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645479},"content":"Consulting group Benchmark Minerals reckons that even by 2030, with all the billions of euro and dollars being invested in setting up gigafactories in Europe, the US, Canada and elsewhere, China will still be making twice as many EV batteries as every other nation combined.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I3SFJEJENJAX3LXIDOBLJ2XHHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645480},"content":"The biggest of them all is the Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Limited, better known as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/11/22/new-battery-could-mean-phevs-with-a-400km-electric-range/\" target=\"_blank\">CATL</a>. In 2022, CATL made 34 per cent of all the world’s electric car batteries. While the likes of Korea’s LG Chem and Japan’s Panasonic are also big global players, other big Chinese brands such as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/byd/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD </a>(it makes cars now too, of course, but started as a maker of batteries), CALB, and Guaxon help ensure that China is the dominant force in batteries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D4KTO43SRNDYDPTE7PR6CX4F3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645481},"content":"This is politically something of a hot potato, but there’s also an environmental issue with having so many electric car batteries made in China – carbon emissions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YBGAANXXG5DF3NL7DBBWGO4V3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732550303754},"content":"Explain to me how EV batteries are made","type":"header"},{"_id":"DIIPMYDXIBADXBMISIN3IG44OI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645482},"content":"Making EV batteries is an energy-intensive process. Indeed, it’s primarily down to battery manufacturing that making an electric car generates more CO2 emissions than making an internal combustion-engined car (of course, the combustion car starts to catch up fast once you start driving it around and burning dead dinosaurs in it).","type":"text"},{"_id":"72ARR4FK6VEVLFL3ZIAY2JQJRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645483},"content":"Making batteries in China is slightly more problematic, because so much of China’s electricity production (some 1.04-terawatts, according to Reuters) still comes from coal. According to European eco-think-tank Transport & Environment, it means that each battery made there causes around 120kg of CO2 per kWh of battery capacity. Which means thousands and thousands of tonnes of CO2 for the thousands and thousands of batteries currently being made. And then add on shipping emissions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6G73NBRQUBASZCEDAKWIY3O76A","additional_properties":{"_id":"A5UOSLLXZVH4BDHXKTXVZYLJRA"},"content":"Electric car batteries: just how bad are they for the environment?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"E3R7GSUSAZEWNEXXZOQHMAXD2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645484},"content":"If those batteries could be made in Europe, their emissions could be slashed, or at least that’s the contention of Transport & Environment. According to their research, the emissions associated with making batteries could be slashed to just over 40kg of CO2 per kWh if they were made in Europe using largely renewable energy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JAYTEQGG5JDLTEPX75IL2UEAKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645485},"content":"Even if those batteries were made using the current EU grid average, they would be some 37 per cent more efficient than Chinese batteries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D4EOSYMYDJG6TGPECHUYQD7EQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645486},"content":"Julia Poliscanova, senior director for vehicles and e-mobility supply chains at T&E, said: “Batteries, and metals that go into them, are the new oil. European leaders will need laser-sharp focus and joined-up thinking to reap their climate and industrial benefits. Strong sustainability requirements, such as the upcoming battery carbon footprint rules, can reward local clean manufacturing. Crucially, Europe needs better instruments under the European Investment Bank and EU Battery Fund to support gigafactory investments.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZC4CUXYCAVCA5CHSS5JUA5VAME","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645487},"content":"T&E says Europe desperately needs to catch up in terms of battery-making infrastructure, and in the infrastructure to strip batteries back down again and recycle them at the end of their lives – which will eventually become a crucial component in the supply of raw materials for battery factories.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DN57YR5TWNHPXHRLS32I43IMJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732550303762},"content":"How far behind is Europe?","type":"header"},{"_id":"622C2W5DA5C6BJ5UZ6HIZ52KJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645488},"content":"The report finds Europe has the potential to manufacture 56 per cent of its demand for cathodes – the battery’s most valuable components – by 2030, but only two plants have started commercial operations so far. By the end of this decade, the region could also fulfil all of its processed lithium needs and secure 8-27 per cent of battery minerals from recycling in Europe. But T&E said processing and recycling plants needed EU and state support to scale quickly.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TNXYJRVA4JC4DDUWYIHP5SUPNY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645489},"content":"Julia Poliscanova said: “The battery race between China, Europe and the US is intensifying. While some battery investments that were at risk of being lured away by US subsidies have been saved since last year, close to half of planned production is still up for grabs. The EU needs to end any uncertainty over its engine phase-out and set corporate EV targets to assure gigafactory investors that they will have a guaranteed market for their product.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KE7BVA5EUZFBJHOM64YZBWDW5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645490},"content":"There have been some high-profile casualties in the European battery-making stakes so far, however, such as the failure of the Britishvolt “gigafactory” plans and environmental activists causing havoc at Tesla’s Berlin factory, on the basis that the car maker is riding roughshod over local environment concerns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RALQOD76KND5PPRO2SEOYIZTBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"WLJONDQDDNGFFJLIDI2QOTJPAM"},"content":"<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"},{"_id":"UARJJ6BOIFHI5NRP7DJVTH6TBI","additional_properties":{"_id":"2ZVHPM2DENF6XBN2AAHAJWS74M"},"content":"Can I tow a 1,200kg trailer with an EV?","type":"interstitial_link"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Your EV questions answered: Producing batteries in Europe could make them 60% more carbon-efficient than importing from China, study suggests"},"display_date":"2024-11-26T05:08:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"EV Q&A: Is it possible to reduce the environmental impact of building an electric car?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ","auth":{"1":"dd8d5fcd49669607633de1ef4a393ac5e18c9b3f2baf9cd3f5deefffb27c08a9"},"focal_point":{"x":2140,"y":1820},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/26/ev-qa-can-making-batteries-in-europe-slash-their-co2-emissions/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"G2PZNSZESVAFZAG4EGSOOHLTGM","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/22/new-battery-could-mean-phevs-with-a-400km-electric-range/","content_elements":[{"_id":"Q6NORQWZN5EPHNSY7DPKSN6SZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609610},"content":"Plug-in hybrids have been on the receiving end of an awful lot of critical kicks over the past 15 years. Ever since the first truly popular plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (the full official title, PHEV for short) was first introduced in the shape of the Mitsubishi Outlander, there has been a constant flow of criticism.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QX4OZE3HTVC2VKCSSH4DGVQGYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609611},"content":"PHEV models enjoy exceptionally low official CO2 emissions, thanks largely to the fact that the official WLTP test allows them to start with a full battery. That being so, even big and heavy PHEVs can have official figures of less than 30g/km of CO2 coupled with fantastic — in every sense of the word — fuel economy of as little as 1.2-litres per 100km (235mpg for those of you still watching in black and white).","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPMGUO6FI5ABZMGV2O3HOJ3E3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609612},"content":"That, combined with the fact that PHEVs are designed to be driven mostly on electric power, reserving their petrol (or sometimes diesel) engines and fuel tanks for occasional longer journeys, makes them seem like an ideal combination. However myriad critics have hammered PHEVs, pointing out — rightly — that when you drive them long-haul on a flat main battery their weight and complication makes them very thirsty indeed. Worse still, there have been plenty of horror stories of PHEVs being traded in with a pristine charging cable still wrapped in plastic in the boot, suggesting that they had never once been charged (which seems to ignore the possibility that many might have been connected to chargers with built-in cables, but anyway…). The reputation of PHEVs sank so low that influential environmental think-tank Transport & Environment once dubbed PHEVs as ‘fake electric cars’ merely used as an eco-fig leaf by car makers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ABJIAAUGI5H3PJTU3TV4L4D74I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609613},"content":"That narrative could be up-ended by new battery technology developments. Chinese battery maker CATL — one of the world’s biggest, which counts the likes of MG, Ford, Volvo, BMW, and Tesla among its clients — says that it has developed a new PHEV-specific battery — called the ‘Freevoy’ — which can stretch the electric range of such cars to more than 400km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"55UYY7DGABBODH7HIV3IB5YSS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609614},"content":"That would indeed be remarkable. The current best-performing EVs, such as the Range Rover P400e and the Skoda Superb, have electric ranges of around 125km on a full charge. That’s the official range, which means of course that the actual useable range will be less. Many PHEVs can claim only a 50km electric range, and often can only manage around 30km or so in real-world condition.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WJVT7YO7OVDTTAI6NTXWZG64HE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609615},"content":"CATL’s news could change all of that utterly, with the company claiming that it can now offer PHEV technology “offering the convenience of one charge to power an entire week’s commute.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"DBHKHJRIXZHOZPDWAY7V5EGKXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609616},"content":"What we don’t know yet is precisely how big and how bulky these batteries are. It’s conceivable that CATL has simply developed a bigger, more powerful PHEV battery and will then leave it up to car companies to decide how to squeeze it into the bodywork of a given vehicle, but the company has previously said that it is developing a new family of batteries which is vastly more energy-dense — and therefore smaller — than current batteries. That technology was originally aimed at creating batteries which would be sufficiently small, light, and powerful enough to be used by aircraft, but it’s certainly possible that CATL is using the same technology to design its new PHEV battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LSASEQ46P5E3BOHIC3UNXMRUVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609617},"content":"What we do know is that CATL says that it is also squeezing every possible drop of efficiency out of this battery design, thanks to new cathode designs, and a ten per cent improvement in the battery’s electric utilisation rate — the measure of how much of a battery’s total storage capacity can actually be used at any one time. The Freevoy battery uses a combination of lithium-ion and sodium-ion technology, working side-by-side in the same pack, to achieve its exceptional energy storage figures.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YUDK65HDYZGSHKHOSCW2HWPDMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609618},"content":"CATL’s new battery has another trick up its sleeve; ultra-fast charging. Again, CATL is being coy about releasing a full set of figures, but it has said that the Freevoy can charge up at a rate that allows an extra 280km of range to be added in just ten minutes, using a high-speed CCS DC charger.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WHFOCSE3JREQ5C6NVHWD2V3ZXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609619},"content":"Sounds like fiction? Not so, according to CATL. The battery maker says that it has already signed deals with several Chinese car makers — including Geely, Chery, and GAC — to use the design and that as many as 25 different models using the Freevoy battery are earmarked for production in 2025.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Chinese giant CATL develops a clever battery which could change the hybrid car paradigm"},"display_date":"2024-11-22T13:31:54.506Z","headlines":{"basic":"New battery could mean PHEVs with a 400km electric range","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"SZAIJ4SPR3CKJOBLYQ2IPQUC2Q","auth":{"1":"9f9301f5b944e4e434e86ed94b58c7ed661ad4992f04557e0768a72e117a8bfd"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SZAIJ4SPR3CKJOBLYQ2IPQUC2Q.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/22/new-battery-could-mean-phevs-with-a-400km-electric-range/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"IJJADI7CSJAZDLGQ5RAFKC7RMM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":416,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8ca20e6f-f9ef-477e-9897-810cca42382f/versions/1731422885/media/233892916cd4dd557973d8724c7f75bf_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/20/sharp-pricing-bumps-up-the-appeal-of-byds-new-hybrid-suv/","content_elements":[{"_id":"H6IFI2YLOVBPNONWVYMWG2II7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292807},"content":"You could almost sense the triumphalism from within the corridors of Brussels and Strasbourg as the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/european-union/\" target=\"_blank\">EU </a>announced its tariff-based clampdown on imports of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/china/\" target=\"_blank\">Chinese</a>-made <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric cars</a>. “Load them up with extra taxes, that’ll show ‘em” was the overall impression given as officials announced large new import duties on anything coming from east of India with a battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7SQU4OBBBRBHLDMYQZ2J64SS2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292808},"content":"Well, almost anything. For a start, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/byd/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD </a>– the most successful of the newly arrived Chinese brands in Ireland – didn’t flinch when it came to the new tariffs, which were originally levied at 17.4 per cent on BYD products, latterly reduced slightly to 17 per cent. So far, BYD hasn’t put up its prices, an action confirmed to The Irish Times as being thanks to an ability to draw from stock already landed in Europe. Beyond that, BYD and its local Irish importer, Motor Distributors Limited are not too worried about tariffs as the carmaker is due to open tariff-free factories in Hungary and Turkey in the next 18 months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DAPZARJEDFG4ZDPTC4PGNMNKXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292809},"content":"Equally, slipping neatly underneath the EU’s tariff radar is this, the Seal U DM-i Super Hybrid. Because it’s a hybrid (or even a Super Hybrid if you want to go by the blurb) it’s not affected by the tariffs, but in the hybrid-hungry Irish car market, it could yet prove to be even more popular than BYD’s popular all-electric models.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7QTHHKAWPVHFLF44SMDPLJTL2I","additional_properties":{"_id":"HYWVFCLOPJDZVDLNK74Y2I6OIU"},"content":"Electric vehicles: How much will our electric car cost to charge annually versus the fuel costs of an equivalent petrol car?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"YE73OOIEZNEZ5KUUU7FHO42GAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292810},"content":"Why is it called a Super Hybrid? Well, it’s marketing puffery of course, but BYD tries to justify it by pointing out that the Seal U’s combined 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor, plus an 18kWh battery pack, offers more electric range than the competition – up to 80km on one charge for the entry-level Boost model – and can, when you fill both battery and fuel tank, run for more than 1,000km non-stop.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BDSD5FXPCZAT7IXAWNRCFJWM4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292812},"content":"Of far greater import to Irish buyers will be the Seal U’s price tag – at €42,150 for the Boost version, it undercuts its closest competition from Hyundai and Kia, and offers more range on a single charge. It’s also a whopping €13,000 less expensive than the Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid, and while Toyota could counter that the RAV offer more power and four-wheel drive, BYD can counter the counter that there’s a higher-spec version of the Seal U with two electric motors, a turbocharged version of the 1.5 petrol engine, four-wheel drive, and a price that still undercuts that of the RAV4 plug-in.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NLIIVRTW7RGN7H3MWXVDL2TRPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292813},"content":"There’s also a hugely impressive list of standard equipment for the Seal U. Both the front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive models have the same standard spec, so you get vegan leather upholster (it’s called vegan because apparently car product planners can’t spell vinyl), heated and cooled front seats, heated steering wheel, a 15in touchscreen which – slightly pointlessly – rotates from landscape to upright positions and back again, a panoramic glass sunroof, and DC fast charging for the hybrid battery (albeit at a relatively slow 18kW power). There’s also a lengthy standard safety equipment list, including adaptive cruise control and blind spot warning.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BJJ5V7665RCV5DTIWWTVMMM4DQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292814},"content":"It might be badged as a Seal, and it shares the C-shaped headlights and smooth styling of the lower, sleeker all-electric Seal saloon, but the Seal U doesn’t look half so sharp as its four-door brother. It’s very much a chunky SUV trying to squeeze into slim-fitting gym clothes, but it’s not a bad looking car. It’s much better inside, where there’s palpably good cabin quality and excellent comfort for those sitting in the front. The only thing that really tells you you’re sitting in a Chinese, rather than European or Japanese, car is the slightly cheap-looking graphic design of the digital instrument panel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VC3IHBOLKFF4LILY442WJSR3FY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292816},"content":"The back seats are wonderfully spacious too, with ample legroom and headroom even for tall adults, and the rear seat back reclines to a comfy angle. True, those big front bucket seats eat into your view from the back, but the big side windows and that glass roof help to make up for that. The Seal U’s only real disappointment is a small boot – at just 425-litres, it’s well behind that of most competitors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VGCM5OMWQJAZXFD2SPE6T5DPQA","additional_properties":{"_id":"HA6JUT2WXVD6XJXPH3YC2OZOTA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"QQAS6BUF6VDFDKCF4URIPL4A2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"V53B5H52IJBHDDHSDNPKQPCGRE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HUOMV2ZZUFBFTGMQDXAILR7B4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292817},"content":"The Boost version mixes and matches its 1.5-litre petrol engine and its 145kW electric motor to produce a combined 217hp. BYD’s claim is that the Seal U’s DM-i (Dual Motor – intelligent) hybrid system is designed to prioritise electric power over petrol, and so the engine can either function conventionally – driving the front wheel via a direct clutch which links it to the electric motor’s single-speed reduction gear – or as a generator to top the battery up to keep you moving.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SCPQDUWKBVBDFF7ZRAYO2GCGE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292818},"content":"The 80km one-charge figure we can’t confirm as yet, as so far we’ve only driven the Seal U on a soaking wet day with zero charge in the main battery. However, it does prove tolerably economical on a long motorway run – traditionally an Achilles heel for a plug-in hybrid – returning between 6.0 and 7.0-litres per 100km, which is decent, if perhaps not exceptional.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FU6C3MSML5E6HPJKJ2AYBLP7WU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292819},"content":"It’s not what you’d call an engaging car to drive, however. The 1.5-litre petrol engine has a tendency to drone rather a lot at motorway speeds, although you do sort of start to subconsciously blot that out after a while – the standard high-end Infinity stereo helps in that regard. Other than that, the Seal U is a composed, refined, and comfortable way to cruise along a multi-lane road, and the softly-sprung suspension means that lumpy urban streets or badly maintained country roads are generally taken in its stride. Where the Seal U falls down is in its steering, which is so light and so disconnected from what the front wheels are doing that it sometimes feels as if you’re driving it from another car, by remote. There’s also limited grip and traction – at least in the dreadful weather conditions of our test drive – so any attempt to get the power down early on the way out of a corner is met a scrabble of traction control. Perhaps the four-wheel drive Design version would do better.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OW5MLUCLKZCQXMWPFQUX65G2HI","additional_properties":{"_id":"OKMKFRI3ANESBLKUX5TXWNDGLY"},"content":"Europe’s Car of the Year: meet the seven finalists","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"LQR3A54XAJA75AXB4CKU3AK7E4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292820},"content":"Does such unenthusiastic dynamic performance undermine the Seal U’s appeal? Possibly, and certainly its rivals from Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Ford and beyond are all more rewarding to drive. But none of them are quite so rewarding in a financial sense, and that perhaps is something that players better with the majority of customers. So don’t buy a Seal U if you’re a committed driving enthusiast. But definitely do buy it if you’re committed to your bank balance.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Seal-U plug-in hybrid comes with a lengthy electric range and an equally long standard equipment list"},"display_date":"2024-11-20T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Keen pricing bumps up the appeal of BYD’s new hybrid SUV","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"PAZ6KIKWZZBRPDXWX7QLMU2E4I","auth":{"1":"9363c5eb32ca41addc4424775301ad5c95d2cfa9e2f1576ce0af840bc3b77652"},"focal_point":{"x":2525,"y":2145},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/PAZ6KIKWZZBRPDXWX7QLMU2E4I.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/20/sharp-pricing-bumps-up-the-appeal-of-byds-new-hybrid-suv/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"MDNTJYOQJZBKZD47R3AMPSZUWE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":350,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/0dd74c10-0c0e-4a7c-90b9-1e0a05cf6863/versions/1731417388/media/70db95ed6550a01cdd9eed2dda3a516f_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/19/electric-vehicles-how-much-will-our-ev-cost-to-charge-annually-versus-the-fuel-costs-of-an-equivalent-petrol-car/","content_elements":[{"_id":"NEMS4YCL75FQNNDEK2QXUHS44M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539852},"content":"<b>Our EV is an MG4. Can you tell me how much it should cost to run in comparison to a similar car run on petrol? We have 13 Solar panels and we charge it mostly at home for 8 cents per kilowatt hour with Energia between 2am and 6am.</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"B42AC3UFSJDGFAVOE3EAVPLT4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539853},"content":"There’s a bit of maths to do here, so excuse me while I try to think back to my Junior Cert, which was probably the last time I actually did any maths.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EVZUUIEWOZETHNKSNHPBARX4RQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539854},"content":"You haven’t specified the precise model of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2022/09/30/mg-delivers-its-best-car-in-decades-and-its-priced-to-give-its-rivals-sleepless-nights/\" target=\"_blank\">MG4 </a>you own, but I’m going to assume for argument’s sake that it’s the 64kWh model, with a range of 450km on one charge. If it’s the smaller-battery model, with a 310km range, then the figures will be slightly more favourable; if it’s the powerful <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/02/21/mg4-xpower-a-striking-hot-hatch-that-boasts-porsche-like-acceleration-for-43000-but/#:~:text=MG4%20XPower%3A%20An%20electric%20hot,to%20trudge%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Irish%20Times\" target=\"_blank\">MG4 X-Power</a>, then they will be somewhat worse.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BKENVYTGCBG7HF54B57TIAKSVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539855},"content":"Charging at home is of course the most cost-efficient way to run an <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric car</a>, and from what you’ve told me above you’re getting some exceptionally cheap electricity for part of the night.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NCA2U2FG5JB7HEIU355WWUSFHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539856},"content":"That burst of power between 2am and 6am will get you 28kWh of energy at 8c per kWh, which works out at €2.24. With the MG’s net usable battery capacity of 61.7kWh, that’s just shy of half a charge, which going by the WLTP range figure will be about 200km. On that basis, you’re spending just €1.12 to travel each 100km, give or take.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LHV7YPTYSFGM3DZAG77D7GOEOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539857},"content":"Of course, that’s only if you’re charging up those 28kWh and using only those. For longer journeys, you’ll need a little more. There’s another 33.7kWh to fill up. Assuming you’re paying the discounted Energia night rate of 15.03c per kWh for the rest of the charge, that’s €5.06 for the other 33.7kWh, giving you a full charge cost of €7.30, which will – in theory – allow you to cover 450km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2KF3BVREGVDNDCD3S7A74NANTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539858},"content":"That means you could cover the annual average Irish mileage of just over 14,000km with 32 full charges, leaving you with a potential annual “fuel” cost of €234. Of course, you won’t always get a full 450km out of each full charge, as driving on motorways and in colder weather will reduce your average range. Let’s assume that on average you manage to squeeze 400km out of each full charge. Now you will need to fully charge the car 35 times, leaving you with an annual “fuel” cost of €255.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AHA3CKEJQJEMJNDJKIG6AR5T5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539859},"content":"Let’s further assume that you occasionally need to fast-charge your MG 4 from 20 to 80 per cent charge at a DC rapid charging point. Using the worst-case scenario, ESB e-cars charges 59c per kWh for a DC high-power charger. You’ll need to buy 37kWh each time, and let’s assume that you need to do this once a month. So that’s an extra €261 per year (I’ve given you these extra-long journeys over and above the annual average mileage, just for the sake of wiggle room and less complicated maths).","type":"text"},{"_id":"E22JFESDJVHYRFDQOMHJ6EZ3ME","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539860},"content":"So that’s a total annual “fuel” cost of €516 per year to cover the average annual Irish mileage in your MG4.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UARJJ6BOIFHI5NRP7DJVTH6TBI","additional_properties":{"_id":"2ZVHPM2DENF6XBN2AAHAJWS74M"},"content":"Can I tow a 1,200kg trailer with an EV?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"GELYZTQ2FVBTNA2CY6B3R3NNIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539861},"content":"By comparison, an equivalent petrol-powered hatchback would be a Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI 150hp, which has official WLTP average fuel economy of 5.5 litres per 100km. Which means you’ll need 770-litres of petrol to cover the average Irish annual mileage, which at the average price per litre of petrol right now (€1.73) is going to be €1,332 in petrol costs every year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VQHRAPLDXRDXZO2V5PQB3FHM74","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539862},"content":"Of course, just as the MG won’t get 450km out of every full charge, so neither will the Golf get 100km out of every 5.5 litres of fuel. So let’s assume that the Golf gets a more realistic 6 litres per 100km average fuel consumption. Now, you’ll need 840 litres of petrol each year, which will cost you €1,453.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NPQOJO4PE5DCVHESFBDZW4WXKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539863},"content":"So, assuming that all my Junior Cert maths haven’t run out of my brain in the years since, and assuming that these figures represent a reasonably accurate ballpark, you will save on average each year €937 by running the MG4 instead of a comparable petrol-engine car.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2YI3VNB2U5ALZFT7TEZH5X5UY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539864},"content":"Of course, there are other bonuses. The MG4 won’t need oil filters nor oil at its annual service, and while electric cars tend to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/07/30/do-electric-cars-wear-through-tyres-much-more-frequently/\" target=\"_blank\">get through tyres</a> slightly more quickly than a petrol-engine car, they equally tend to be much gentler on their brakes, so there are more potential savings when it comes to servicing and maintenance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SPR2TD2JXFGMNL7O23KC5DOHLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539865},"content":"The only potential financial downside is depreciation – obviously, if you’ve bought your MG4 on a PCP <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/special-reports/2024/10/24/when-buying-an-ev-its-important-to-understand-how-finance-packages-work/\" target=\"_blank\">finance package</a>, then your car’s future value is guaranteed, but what’s not guaranteed is the value above that level – the equity – which is what you use to roll over to a new deal on a new car. That amount, given current fragile EV <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/06/12/do-electric-cars-hold-their-value-are-there-bargains-to-be-had/\" target=\"_blank\">second-hand values</a>, is less easy to predict, although it is starting to look as if electric car used values have bottomed out in some markets, so fingers crossed they’re starting to come back up again when you come to trade-in time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RALQOD76KND5PPRO2SEOYIZTBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"WLJONDQDDNGFFJLIDI2QOTJPAM"},"content":"<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions"},"display_date":"2024-11-19T05:04:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Electric vehicles: How much will our electric car cost to charge annually versus the fuel costs of an equivalent petrol car?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"L3RPO7WQ2VAJDNTLROEGX4PPVU","auth":{"1":"1868d17d53ca80cc9ca255086179d3ddc9a4edd020bd3862e9c78fae23b78eab"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/L3RPO7WQ2VAJDNTLROEGX4PPVU.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/19/electric-vehicles-how-much-will-our-ev-cost-to-charge-annually-versus-the-fuel-costs-of-an-equivalent-petrol-car/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"JSB6XIPWCNDWLET2NJAIYZJHYA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":102,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a56a28d8-dbb2-4c73-9dd2-384d179ec285/versions/1731591700/media/ff7ef00f2adb3f07ae2d89f30b17cdd8_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/15/seven-shortlisted-for-europes-car-of-the-year/","content_elements":[{"_id":"OEIW2J2JDNBH5BLVQWAOKC24MQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740145},"content":"Seven new cars have made the shortlist for Europe’s prestigious Car of the Year award 2025.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CWVZJFPRPNAOLIDTCLL7TZSKSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740146},"content":"The seven finalists are the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/07/08/alfas-new-junior-ev-delivers-on-brands-sporty-dna/\" target=\"_blank\">Alfa Romeo Junior</a>, Citroën ë-C3/C3, Cupra Terramar, Dacia Duster, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/11/10/hyundais-new-18995-electric-car-is-set-to-cause-quite-a-stir/\" target=\"_blank\">Hyundai Inster</a>, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/10/09/kia-ev3-first-drive-new-all-electric-crossover-ticks-the-right-boxes-to-survive-the-ev-sales-slump/\" target=\"_blank\">Kia EV3</a> and new <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/10/16/renault-5-delivers-retro-fun-and-a-nippy-drive/#:~:text=The%20good%20news%20is%20the,tech%20styling%20touches%20as%20well.\" target=\"_blank\">Renault 5</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYUI3ZKMAJA4NMLV5FPCNPB4J4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740147},"content":"These were chosen from a longlist of 42 new cars introduced to the market this year, ranging from the new <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/11/06/fords-new-capri-is-little-more-than-a-soulless-crossover/\" target=\"_blank\">Ford Capri</a> and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/09/03/volvos-new-all-electric-seven-seat-ex90-simply-makes-sense/\" target=\"_blank\">Volvo EX90</a> to the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/05/01/byds-seal-u-suv-to-come-with-hybrid-power/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD Seal U</a> an <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/07/17/audis-long-awaited-new-q6-ev-arrives-in-ireland/\" target=\"_blank\">Audi Q6 e-tron</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5FVDCV54YJBHLILBUL4MF4PZLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740148},"content":"Along with regular road tests, jury members also tested the initial entrants at a week-long test session in northern Denmark, where the contenders were driven on multiple local roads, from motorways to rough tracks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7V32YT7WYRERFMSE6UG3PSDKSY","additional_properties":{"_id":"4KTTE63SGVG6HIZFAYWMNGT6JM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Z62DPMW2FZBHLLJXSFI2WVPKP4","additional_properties":{"_id":"JVCAYXOEQBACPPHJ6EU6U5SBMM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MYBO4QAEKNEQLB2ML6ZYNSYBPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731589151784},"content":"The cars also underwent testing at the Sindal airstrip, where handling tests – such as the famous Elk test – were carried out, plus tests on the cars’ stability control, emergency braking and rear pedestrian protection systems.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LGUNXQ5Z2JHCXC7WA5CPJQDCMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740149},"content":"The number of small electric cars in the final round highlights the battle in this particular market segment that’s set to take place in 2025.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G6EZIPK34VBNVIDGRKIU2INHUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740150},"content":"The final seven will undergo more testing by judges, including a two-day session at the Circuit Jules Tacheny Mettet track – and surrounding roads – in Belgium in early January.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UO5WZBZZUBHDVFJE3FHGMWYIVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740151},"content":"The winner will be announced on Friday, January 10th, at the Brussels Motor Show.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"Shortlist features Alfa Romeo Junior, Citroën ë-C3/C3, Cupra Terramar, Dacia Duster, Hyundai Inster, Kia EV3 and Renault 5"},"display_date":"2024-11-15T08:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Europe’s Car of the Year: meet the seven finalists","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RM7PTVQXXBEDNIJT5R22ZI5MLM","auth":{"1":"3dc6628e80d0cc7786987399439a9b7ddc25b178ed7e983275a0f3032cf26d97"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RM7PTVQXXBEDNIJT5R22ZI5MLM.png"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/15/seven-shortlisted-for-europes-car-of-the-year/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}}],"count":10000,"_id":"a5ee4054dd637cc238e069c3da8b545a4620dd1ea612ec8f5496cec4865ed4db"},"expires":1732963814246,"lastModified":1732963513877},"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":5,\"offset\":\"\",\"query\":\" (taxonomy.primary_section._id:\\\\/motors*) AND -(subtype:\\\"Review\\\") OR -(subtype:\\\"irish-times-video\\\")\",\"size\":5}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"7RRP7OBQ3JG5VOEYFVHM5G7Q3I","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":311,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/025a425c-ce0f-408e-ad07-d5bcdcce8f41/versions/1732546184/media/c597149285980be08c2808e5e4bdf02a_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/26/ev-qa-can-making-batteries-in-europe-slash-their-co2-emissions/","content_elements":[{"_id":"7FUVE7K2Z5D7HHPDWDIBBPTOV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645477},"content":"When it comes to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles\" target=\"_blank\">electric vehicle</a> batteries, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/china\" target=\"_blank\">China</a> is the king, the alpha, and the 500lb gorilla all rolled into one. Both the Chinese government and Chinese battery manufacturers some years ago set out on a mission to dominate the global market for electric <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/motors\" target=\"_blank\">car</a> battery packs, vacuuming up global supplies of lithium, cobalt and manganese, and setting up an infrastructure to produce EV batteries on a huge scale.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H37VH2XKAZB23PPPHQDLDJL4JA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645479},"content":"Consulting group Benchmark Minerals reckons that even by 2030, with all the billions of euro and dollars being invested in setting up gigafactories in Europe, the US, Canada and elsewhere, China will still be making twice as many EV batteries as every other nation combined.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I3SFJEJENJAX3LXIDOBLJ2XHHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645480},"content":"The biggest of them all is the Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Limited, better known as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/11/22/new-battery-could-mean-phevs-with-a-400km-electric-range/\" target=\"_blank\">CATL</a>. In 2022, CATL made 34 per cent of all the world’s electric car batteries. While the likes of Korea’s LG Chem and Japan’s Panasonic are also big global players, other big Chinese brands such as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/byd/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD </a>(it makes cars now too, of course, but started as a maker of batteries), CALB, and Guaxon help ensure that China is the dominant force in batteries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D4KTO43SRNDYDPTE7PR6CX4F3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645481},"content":"This is politically something of a hot potato, but there’s also an environmental issue with having so many electric car batteries made in China – carbon emissions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YBGAANXXG5DF3NL7DBBWGO4V3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732550303754},"content":"Explain to me how EV batteries are made","type":"header"},{"_id":"DIIPMYDXIBADXBMISIN3IG44OI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645482},"content":"Making EV batteries is an energy-intensive process. Indeed, it’s primarily down to battery manufacturing that making an electric car generates more CO2 emissions than making an internal combustion-engined car (of course, the combustion car starts to catch up fast once you start driving it around and burning dead dinosaurs in it).","type":"text"},{"_id":"72ARR4FK6VEVLFL3ZIAY2JQJRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645483},"content":"Making batteries in China is slightly more problematic, because so much of China’s electricity production (some 1.04-terawatts, according to Reuters) still comes from coal. According to European eco-think-tank Transport & Environment, it means that each battery made there causes around 120kg of CO2 per kWh of battery capacity. Which means thousands and thousands of tonnes of CO2 for the thousands and thousands of batteries currently being made. And then add on shipping emissions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6G73NBRQUBASZCEDAKWIY3O76A","additional_properties":{"_id":"A5UOSLLXZVH4BDHXKTXVZYLJRA"},"content":"Electric car batteries: just how bad are they for the environment?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"E3R7GSUSAZEWNEXXZOQHMAXD2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645484},"content":"If those batteries could be made in Europe, their emissions could be slashed, or at least that’s the contention of Transport & Environment. According to their research, the emissions associated with making batteries could be slashed to just over 40kg of CO2 per kWh if they were made in Europe using largely renewable energy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JAYTEQGG5JDLTEPX75IL2UEAKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645485},"content":"Even if those batteries were made using the current EU grid average, they would be some 37 per cent more efficient than Chinese batteries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D4EOSYMYDJG6TGPECHUYQD7EQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645486},"content":"Julia Poliscanova, senior director for vehicles and e-mobility supply chains at T&E, said: “Batteries, and metals that go into them, are the new oil. European leaders will need laser-sharp focus and joined-up thinking to reap their climate and industrial benefits. Strong sustainability requirements, such as the upcoming battery carbon footprint rules, can reward local clean manufacturing. Crucially, Europe needs better instruments under the European Investment Bank and EU Battery Fund to support gigafactory investments.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZC4CUXYCAVCA5CHSS5JUA5VAME","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645487},"content":"T&E says Europe desperately needs to catch up in terms of battery-making infrastructure, and in the infrastructure to strip batteries back down again and recycle them at the end of their lives – which will eventually become a crucial component in the supply of raw materials for battery factories.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DN57YR5TWNHPXHRLS32I43IMJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732550303762},"content":"How far behind is Europe?","type":"header"},{"_id":"622C2W5DA5C6BJ5UZ6HIZ52KJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645488},"content":"The report finds Europe has the potential to manufacture 56 per cent of its demand for cathodes – the battery’s most valuable components – by 2030, but only two plants have started commercial operations so far. By the end of this decade, the region could also fulfil all of its processed lithium needs and secure 8-27 per cent of battery minerals from recycling in Europe. But T&E said processing and recycling plants needed EU and state support to scale quickly.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TNXYJRVA4JC4DDUWYIHP5SUPNY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645489},"content":"Julia Poliscanova said: “The battery race between China, Europe and the US is intensifying. While some battery investments that were at risk of being lured away by US subsidies have been saved since last year, close to half of planned production is still up for grabs. The EU needs to end any uncertainty over its engine phase-out and set corporate EV targets to assure gigafactory investors that they will have a guaranteed market for their product.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KE7BVA5EUZFBJHOM64YZBWDW5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645490},"content":"There have been some high-profile casualties in the European battery-making stakes so far, however, such as the failure of the Britishvolt “gigafactory” plans and environmental activists causing havoc at Tesla’s Berlin factory, on the basis that the car maker is riding roughshod over local environment concerns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RALQOD76KND5PPRO2SEOYIZTBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"WLJONDQDDNGFFJLIDI2QOTJPAM"},"content":"<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"},{"_id":"UARJJ6BOIFHI5NRP7DJVTH6TBI","additional_properties":{"_id":"2ZVHPM2DENF6XBN2AAHAJWS74M"},"content":"Can I tow a 1,200kg trailer with an EV?","type":"interstitial_link"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Your EV questions answered: Producing batteries in Europe could make them 60% more carbon-efficient than importing from China, study suggests"},"display_date":"2024-11-26T05:08:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"EV Q&A: Is it possible to reduce the environmental impact of building an electric car?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ","auth":{"1":"dd8d5fcd49669607633de1ef4a393ac5e18c9b3f2baf9cd3f5deefffb27c08a9"},"focal_point":{"x":2140,"y":1820},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/26/ev-qa-can-making-batteries-in-europe-slash-their-co2-emissions/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"G2PZNSZESVAFZAG4EGSOOHLTGM","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/22/new-battery-could-mean-phevs-with-a-400km-electric-range/","content_elements":[{"_id":"Q6NORQWZN5EPHNSY7DPKSN6SZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609610},"content":"Plug-in hybrids have been on the receiving end of an awful lot of critical kicks over the past 15 years. Ever since the first truly popular plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (the full official title, PHEV for short) was first introduced in the shape of the Mitsubishi Outlander, there has been a constant flow of criticism.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QX4OZE3HTVC2VKCSSH4DGVQGYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609611},"content":"PHEV models enjoy exceptionally low official CO2 emissions, thanks largely to the fact that the official WLTP test allows them to start with a full battery. That being so, even big and heavy PHEVs can have official figures of less than 30g/km of CO2 coupled with fantastic — in every sense of the word — fuel economy of as little as 1.2-litres per 100km (235mpg for those of you still watching in black and white).","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPMGUO6FI5ABZMGV2O3HOJ3E3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609612},"content":"That, combined with the fact that PHEVs are designed to be driven mostly on electric power, reserving their petrol (or sometimes diesel) engines and fuel tanks for occasional longer journeys, makes them seem like an ideal combination. However myriad critics have hammered PHEVs, pointing out — rightly — that when you drive them long-haul on a flat main battery their weight and complication makes them very thirsty indeed. Worse still, there have been plenty of horror stories of PHEVs being traded in with a pristine charging cable still wrapped in plastic in the boot, suggesting that they had never once been charged (which seems to ignore the possibility that many might have been connected to chargers with built-in cables, but anyway…). The reputation of PHEVs sank so low that influential environmental think-tank Transport & Environment once dubbed PHEVs as ‘fake electric cars’ merely used as an eco-fig leaf by car makers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ABJIAAUGI5H3PJTU3TV4L4D74I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609613},"content":"That narrative could be up-ended by new battery technology developments. Chinese battery maker CATL — one of the world’s biggest, which counts the likes of MG, Ford, Volvo, BMW, and Tesla among its clients — says that it has developed a new PHEV-specific battery — called the ‘Freevoy’ — which can stretch the electric range of such cars to more than 400km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"55UYY7DGABBODH7HIV3IB5YSS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609614},"content":"That would indeed be remarkable. The current best-performing EVs, such as the Range Rover P400e and the Skoda Superb, have electric ranges of around 125km on a full charge. That’s the official range, which means of course that the actual useable range will be less. Many PHEVs can claim only a 50km electric range, and often can only manage around 30km or so in real-world condition.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WJVT7YO7OVDTTAI6NTXWZG64HE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609615},"content":"CATL’s news could change all of that utterly, with the company claiming that it can now offer PHEV technology “offering the convenience of one charge to power an entire week’s commute.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"DBHKHJRIXZHOZPDWAY7V5EGKXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609616},"content":"What we don’t know yet is precisely how big and how bulky these batteries are. It’s conceivable that CATL has simply developed a bigger, more powerful PHEV battery and will then leave it up to car companies to decide how to squeeze it into the bodywork of a given vehicle, but the company has previously said that it is developing a new family of batteries which is vastly more energy-dense — and therefore smaller — than current batteries. That technology was originally aimed at creating batteries which would be sufficiently small, light, and powerful enough to be used by aircraft, but it’s certainly possible that CATL is using the same technology to design its new PHEV battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LSASEQ46P5E3BOHIC3UNXMRUVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609617},"content":"What we do know is that CATL says that it is also squeezing every possible drop of efficiency out of this battery design, thanks to new cathode designs, and a ten per cent improvement in the battery’s electric utilisation rate — the measure of how much of a battery’s total storage capacity can actually be used at any one time. The Freevoy battery uses a combination of lithium-ion and sodium-ion technology, working side-by-side in the same pack, to achieve its exceptional energy storage figures.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YUDK65HDYZGSHKHOSCW2HWPDMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609618},"content":"CATL’s new battery has another trick up its sleeve; ultra-fast charging. Again, CATL is being coy about releasing a full set of figures, but it has said that the Freevoy can charge up at a rate that allows an extra 280km of range to be added in just ten minutes, using a high-speed CCS DC charger.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WHFOCSE3JREQ5C6NVHWD2V3ZXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609619},"content":"Sounds like fiction? Not so, according to CATL. The battery maker says that it has already signed deals with several Chinese car makers — including Geely, Chery, and GAC — to use the design and that as many as 25 different models using the Freevoy battery are earmarked for production in 2025.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Chinese giant CATL develops a clever battery which could change the hybrid car paradigm"},"display_date":"2024-11-22T13:31:54.506Z","headlines":{"basic":"New battery could mean PHEVs with a 400km electric range","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"SZAIJ4SPR3CKJOBLYQ2IPQUC2Q","auth":{"1":"9f9301f5b944e4e434e86ed94b58c7ed661ad4992f04557e0768a72e117a8bfd"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SZAIJ4SPR3CKJOBLYQ2IPQUC2Q.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/22/new-battery-could-mean-phevs-with-a-400km-electric-range/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"IJJADI7CSJAZDLGQ5RAFKC7RMM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":416,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8ca20e6f-f9ef-477e-9897-810cca42382f/versions/1731422885/media/233892916cd4dd557973d8724c7f75bf_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/20/sharp-pricing-bumps-up-the-appeal-of-byds-new-hybrid-suv/","content_elements":[{"_id":"H6IFI2YLOVBPNONWVYMWG2II7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292807},"content":"You could almost sense the triumphalism from within the corridors of Brussels and Strasbourg as the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/european-union/\" target=\"_blank\">EU </a>announced its tariff-based clampdown on imports of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/china/\" target=\"_blank\">Chinese</a>-made <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric cars</a>. “Load them up with extra taxes, that’ll show ‘em” was the overall impression given as officials announced large new import duties on anything coming from east of India with a battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7SQU4OBBBRBHLDMYQZ2J64SS2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292808},"content":"Well, almost anything. For a start, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/byd/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD </a>– the most successful of the newly arrived Chinese brands in Ireland – didn’t flinch when it came to the new tariffs, which were originally levied at 17.4 per cent on BYD products, latterly reduced slightly to 17 per cent. So far, BYD hasn’t put up its prices, an action confirmed to The Irish Times as being thanks to an ability to draw from stock already landed in Europe. Beyond that, BYD and its local Irish importer, Motor Distributors Limited are not too worried about tariffs as the carmaker is due to open tariff-free factories in Hungary and Turkey in the next 18 months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DAPZARJEDFG4ZDPTC4PGNMNKXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292809},"content":"Equally, slipping neatly underneath the EU’s tariff radar is this, the Seal U DM-i Super Hybrid. Because it’s a hybrid (or even a Super Hybrid if you want to go by the blurb) it’s not affected by the tariffs, but in the hybrid-hungry Irish car market, it could yet prove to be even more popular than BYD’s popular all-electric models.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7QTHHKAWPVHFLF44SMDPLJTL2I","additional_properties":{"_id":"HYWVFCLOPJDZVDLNK74Y2I6OIU"},"content":"Electric vehicles: How much will our electric car cost to charge annually versus the fuel costs of an equivalent petrol car?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"YE73OOIEZNEZ5KUUU7FHO42GAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292810},"content":"Why is it called a Super Hybrid? Well, it’s marketing puffery of course, but BYD tries to justify it by pointing out that the Seal U’s combined 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor, plus an 18kWh battery pack, offers more electric range than the competition – up to 80km on one charge for the entry-level Boost model – and can, when you fill both battery and fuel tank, run for more than 1,000km non-stop.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BDSD5FXPCZAT7IXAWNRCFJWM4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292812},"content":"Of far greater import to Irish buyers will be the Seal U’s price tag – at €42,150 for the Boost version, it undercuts its closest competition from Hyundai and Kia, and offers more range on a single charge. It’s also a whopping €13,000 less expensive than the Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid, and while Toyota could counter that the RAV offer more power and four-wheel drive, BYD can counter the counter that there’s a higher-spec version of the Seal U with two electric motors, a turbocharged version of the 1.5 petrol engine, four-wheel drive, and a price that still undercuts that of the RAV4 plug-in.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NLIIVRTW7RGN7H3MWXVDL2TRPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292813},"content":"There’s also a hugely impressive list of standard equipment for the Seal U. Both the front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive models have the same standard spec, so you get vegan leather upholster (it’s called vegan because apparently car product planners can’t spell vinyl), heated and cooled front seats, heated steering wheel, a 15in touchscreen which – slightly pointlessly – rotates from landscape to upright positions and back again, a panoramic glass sunroof, and DC fast charging for the hybrid battery (albeit at a relatively slow 18kW power). There’s also a lengthy standard safety equipment list, including adaptive cruise control and blind spot warning.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BJJ5V7665RCV5DTIWWTVMMM4DQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292814},"content":"It might be badged as a Seal, and it shares the C-shaped headlights and smooth styling of the lower, sleeker all-electric Seal saloon, but the Seal U doesn’t look half so sharp as its four-door brother. It’s very much a chunky SUV trying to squeeze into slim-fitting gym clothes, but it’s not a bad looking car. It’s much better inside, where there’s palpably good cabin quality and excellent comfort for those sitting in the front. The only thing that really tells you you’re sitting in a Chinese, rather than European or Japanese, car is the slightly cheap-looking graphic design of the digital instrument panel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VC3IHBOLKFF4LILY442WJSR3FY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292816},"content":"The back seats are wonderfully spacious too, with ample legroom and headroom even for tall adults, and the rear seat back reclines to a comfy angle. True, those big front bucket seats eat into your view from the back, but the big side windows and that glass roof help to make up for that. The Seal U’s only real disappointment is a small boot – at just 425-litres, it’s well behind that of most competitors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VGCM5OMWQJAZXFD2SPE6T5DPQA","additional_properties":{"_id":"HA6JUT2WXVD6XJXPH3YC2OZOTA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"QQAS6BUF6VDFDKCF4URIPL4A2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"V53B5H52IJBHDDHSDNPKQPCGRE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HUOMV2ZZUFBFTGMQDXAILR7B4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292817},"content":"The Boost version mixes and matches its 1.5-litre petrol engine and its 145kW electric motor to produce a combined 217hp. BYD’s claim is that the Seal U’s DM-i (Dual Motor – intelligent) hybrid system is designed to prioritise electric power over petrol, and so the engine can either function conventionally – driving the front wheel via a direct clutch which links it to the electric motor’s single-speed reduction gear – or as a generator to top the battery up to keep you moving.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SCPQDUWKBVBDFF7ZRAYO2GCGE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292818},"content":"The 80km one-charge figure we can’t confirm as yet, as so far we’ve only driven the Seal U on a soaking wet day with zero charge in the main battery. However, it does prove tolerably economical on a long motorway run – traditionally an Achilles heel for a plug-in hybrid – returning between 6.0 and 7.0-litres per 100km, which is decent, if perhaps not exceptional.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FU6C3MSML5E6HPJKJ2AYBLP7WU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292819},"content":"It’s not what you’d call an engaging car to drive, however. The 1.5-litre petrol engine has a tendency to drone rather a lot at motorway speeds, although you do sort of start to subconsciously blot that out after a while – the standard high-end Infinity stereo helps in that regard. Other than that, the Seal U is a composed, refined, and comfortable way to cruise along a multi-lane road, and the softly-sprung suspension means that lumpy urban streets or badly maintained country roads are generally taken in its stride. Where the Seal U falls down is in its steering, which is so light and so disconnected from what the front wheels are doing that it sometimes feels as if you’re driving it from another car, by remote. There’s also limited grip and traction – at least in the dreadful weather conditions of our test drive – so any attempt to get the power down early on the way out of a corner is met a scrabble of traction control. Perhaps the four-wheel drive Design version would do better.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OW5MLUCLKZCQXMWPFQUX65G2HI","additional_properties":{"_id":"OKMKFRI3ANESBLKUX5TXWNDGLY"},"content":"Europe’s Car of the Year: meet the seven finalists","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"LQR3A54XAJA75AXB4CKU3AK7E4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292820},"content":"Does such unenthusiastic dynamic performance undermine the Seal U’s appeal? Possibly, and certainly its rivals from Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Ford and beyond are all more rewarding to drive. But none of them are quite so rewarding in a financial sense, and that perhaps is something that players better with the majority of customers. So don’t buy a Seal U if you’re a committed driving enthusiast. But definitely do buy it if you’re committed to your bank balance.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Seal-U plug-in hybrid comes with a lengthy electric range and an equally long standard equipment list"},"display_date":"2024-11-20T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Keen pricing bumps up the appeal of BYD’s new hybrid SUV","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"PAZ6KIKWZZBRPDXWX7QLMU2E4I","auth":{"1":"9363c5eb32ca41addc4424775301ad5c95d2cfa9e2f1576ce0af840bc3b77652"},"focal_point":{"x":2525,"y":2145},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/PAZ6KIKWZZBRPDXWX7QLMU2E4I.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/20/sharp-pricing-bumps-up-the-appeal-of-byds-new-hybrid-suv/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"MDNTJYOQJZBKZD47R3AMPSZUWE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":350,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/0dd74c10-0c0e-4a7c-90b9-1e0a05cf6863/versions/1731417388/media/70db95ed6550a01cdd9eed2dda3a516f_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/19/electric-vehicles-how-much-will-our-ev-cost-to-charge-annually-versus-the-fuel-costs-of-an-equivalent-petrol-car/","content_elements":[{"_id":"NEMS4YCL75FQNNDEK2QXUHS44M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539852},"content":"<b>Our EV is an MG4. Can you tell me how much it should cost to run in comparison to a similar car run on petrol? We have 13 Solar panels and we charge it mostly at home for 8 cents per kilowatt hour with Energia between 2am and 6am.</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"B42AC3UFSJDGFAVOE3EAVPLT4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539853},"content":"There’s a bit of maths to do here, so excuse me while I try to think back to my Junior Cert, which was probably the last time I actually did any maths.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EVZUUIEWOZETHNKSNHPBARX4RQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539854},"content":"You haven’t specified the precise model of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2022/09/30/mg-delivers-its-best-car-in-decades-and-its-priced-to-give-its-rivals-sleepless-nights/\" target=\"_blank\">MG4 </a>you own, but I’m going to assume for argument’s sake that it’s the 64kWh model, with a range of 450km on one charge. If it’s the smaller-battery model, with a 310km range, then the figures will be slightly more favourable; if it’s the powerful <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/02/21/mg4-xpower-a-striking-hot-hatch-that-boasts-porsche-like-acceleration-for-43000-but/#:~:text=MG4%20XPower%3A%20An%20electric%20hot,to%20trudge%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Irish%20Times\" target=\"_blank\">MG4 X-Power</a>, then they will be somewhat worse.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BKENVYTGCBG7HF54B57TIAKSVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539855},"content":"Charging at home is of course the most cost-efficient way to run an <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric car</a>, and from what you’ve told me above you’re getting some exceptionally cheap electricity for part of the night.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NCA2U2FG5JB7HEIU355WWUSFHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539856},"content":"That burst of power between 2am and 6am will get you 28kWh of energy at 8c per kWh, which works out at €2.24. With the MG’s net usable battery capacity of 61.7kWh, that’s just shy of half a charge, which going by the WLTP range figure will be about 200km. On that basis, you’re spending just €1.12 to travel each 100km, give or take.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LHV7YPTYSFGM3DZAG77D7GOEOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539857},"content":"Of course, that’s only if you’re charging up those 28kWh and using only those. For longer journeys, you’ll need a little more. There’s another 33.7kWh to fill up. Assuming you’re paying the discounted Energia night rate of 15.03c per kWh for the rest of the charge, that’s €5.06 for the other 33.7kWh, giving you a full charge cost of €7.30, which will – in theory – allow you to cover 450km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2KF3BVREGVDNDCD3S7A74NANTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539858},"content":"That means you could cover the annual average Irish mileage of just over 14,000km with 32 full charges, leaving you with a potential annual “fuel” cost of €234. Of course, you won’t always get a full 450km out of each full charge, as driving on motorways and in colder weather will reduce your average range. Let’s assume that on average you manage to squeeze 400km out of each full charge. Now you will need to fully charge the car 35 times, leaving you with an annual “fuel” cost of €255.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AHA3CKEJQJEMJNDJKIG6AR5T5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539859},"content":"Let’s further assume that you occasionally need to fast-charge your MG 4 from 20 to 80 per cent charge at a DC rapid charging point. Using the worst-case scenario, ESB e-cars charges 59c per kWh for a DC high-power charger. You’ll need to buy 37kWh each time, and let’s assume that you need to do this once a month. So that’s an extra €261 per year (I’ve given you these extra-long journeys over and above the annual average mileage, just for the sake of wiggle room and less complicated maths).","type":"text"},{"_id":"E22JFESDJVHYRFDQOMHJ6EZ3ME","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539860},"content":"So that’s a total annual “fuel” cost of €516 per year to cover the average annual Irish mileage in your MG4.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UARJJ6BOIFHI5NRP7DJVTH6TBI","additional_properties":{"_id":"2ZVHPM2DENF6XBN2AAHAJWS74M"},"content":"Can I tow a 1,200kg trailer with an EV?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"GELYZTQ2FVBTNA2CY6B3R3NNIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539861},"content":"By comparison, an equivalent petrol-powered hatchback would be a Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI 150hp, which has official WLTP average fuel economy of 5.5 litres per 100km. Which means you’ll need 770-litres of petrol to cover the average Irish annual mileage, which at the average price per litre of petrol right now (€1.73) is going to be €1,332 in petrol costs every year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VQHRAPLDXRDXZO2V5PQB3FHM74","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539862},"content":"Of course, just as the MG won’t get 450km out of every full charge, so neither will the Golf get 100km out of every 5.5 litres of fuel. So let’s assume that the Golf gets a more realistic 6 litres per 100km average fuel consumption. Now, you’ll need 840 litres of petrol each year, which will cost you €1,453.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NPQOJO4PE5DCVHESFBDZW4WXKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539863},"content":"So, assuming that all my Junior Cert maths haven’t run out of my brain in the years since, and assuming that these figures represent a reasonably accurate ballpark, you will save on average each year €937 by running the MG4 instead of a comparable petrol-engine car.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2YI3VNB2U5ALZFT7TEZH5X5UY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539864},"content":"Of course, there are other bonuses. The MG4 won’t need oil filters nor oil at its annual service, and while electric cars tend to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/07/30/do-electric-cars-wear-through-tyres-much-more-frequently/\" target=\"_blank\">get through tyres</a> slightly more quickly than a petrol-engine car, they equally tend to be much gentler on their brakes, so there are more potential savings when it comes to servicing and maintenance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SPR2TD2JXFGMNL7O23KC5DOHLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539865},"content":"The only potential financial downside is depreciation – obviously, if you’ve bought your MG4 on a PCP <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/special-reports/2024/10/24/when-buying-an-ev-its-important-to-understand-how-finance-packages-work/\" target=\"_blank\">finance package</a>, then your car’s future value is guaranteed, but what’s not guaranteed is the value above that level – the equity – which is what you use to roll over to a new deal on a new car. That amount, given current fragile EV <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/06/12/do-electric-cars-hold-their-value-are-there-bargains-to-be-had/\" target=\"_blank\">second-hand values</a>, is less easy to predict, although it is starting to look as if electric car used values have bottomed out in some markets, so fingers crossed they’re starting to come back up again when you come to trade-in time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RALQOD76KND5PPRO2SEOYIZTBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"WLJONDQDDNGFFJLIDI2QOTJPAM"},"content":"<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions"},"display_date":"2024-11-19T05:04:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Electric vehicles: How much will our electric car cost to charge annually versus the fuel costs of an equivalent petrol car?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"L3RPO7WQ2VAJDNTLROEGX4PPVU","auth":{"1":"1868d17d53ca80cc9ca255086179d3ddc9a4edd020bd3862e9c78fae23b78eab"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/L3RPO7WQ2VAJDNTLROEGX4PPVU.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/19/electric-vehicles-how-much-will-our-ev-cost-to-charge-annually-versus-the-fuel-costs-of-an-equivalent-petrol-car/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"JSB6XIPWCNDWLET2NJAIYZJHYA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":102,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a56a28d8-dbb2-4c73-9dd2-384d179ec285/versions/1731591700/media/ff7ef00f2adb3f07ae2d89f30b17cdd8_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/15/seven-shortlisted-for-europes-car-of-the-year/","content_elements":[{"_id":"OEIW2J2JDNBH5BLVQWAOKC24MQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740145},"content":"Seven new cars have made the shortlist for Europe’s prestigious Car of the Year award 2025.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CWVZJFPRPNAOLIDTCLL7TZSKSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740146},"content":"The seven finalists are the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/07/08/alfas-new-junior-ev-delivers-on-brands-sporty-dna/\" target=\"_blank\">Alfa Romeo Junior</a>, Citroën ë-C3/C3, Cupra Terramar, Dacia Duster, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/11/10/hyundais-new-18995-electric-car-is-set-to-cause-quite-a-stir/\" target=\"_blank\">Hyundai Inster</a>, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/10/09/kia-ev3-first-drive-new-all-electric-crossover-ticks-the-right-boxes-to-survive-the-ev-sales-slump/\" target=\"_blank\">Kia EV3</a> and new <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/10/16/renault-5-delivers-retro-fun-and-a-nippy-drive/#:~:text=The%20good%20news%20is%20the,tech%20styling%20touches%20as%20well.\" target=\"_blank\">Renault 5</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYUI3ZKMAJA4NMLV5FPCNPB4J4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740147},"content":"These were chosen from a longlist of 42 new cars introduced to the market this year, ranging from the new <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/11/06/fords-new-capri-is-little-more-than-a-soulless-crossover/\" target=\"_blank\">Ford Capri</a> and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/09/03/volvos-new-all-electric-seven-seat-ex90-simply-makes-sense/\" target=\"_blank\">Volvo EX90</a> to the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/05/01/byds-seal-u-suv-to-come-with-hybrid-power/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD Seal U</a> an <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/07/17/audis-long-awaited-new-q6-ev-arrives-in-ireland/\" target=\"_blank\">Audi Q6 e-tron</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5FVDCV54YJBHLILBUL4MF4PZLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740148},"content":"Along with regular road tests, jury members also tested the initial entrants at a week-long test session in northern Denmark, where the contenders were driven on multiple local roads, from motorways to rough tracks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7V32YT7WYRERFMSE6UG3PSDKSY","additional_properties":{"_id":"4KTTE63SGVG6HIZFAYWMNGT6JM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Z62DPMW2FZBHLLJXSFI2WVPKP4","additional_properties":{"_id":"JVCAYXOEQBACPPHJ6EU6U5SBMM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MYBO4QAEKNEQLB2ML6ZYNSYBPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731589151784},"content":"The cars also underwent testing at the Sindal airstrip, where handling tests – such as the famous Elk test – were carried out, plus tests on the cars’ stability control, emergency braking and rear pedestrian protection systems.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LGUNXQ5Z2JHCXC7WA5CPJQDCMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740149},"content":"The number of small electric cars in the final round highlights the battle in this particular market segment that’s set to take place in 2025.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G6EZIPK34VBNVIDGRKIU2INHUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740150},"content":"The final seven will undergo more testing by judges, including a two-day session at the Circuit Jules Tacheny Mettet track – and surrounding roads – in Belgium in early January.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UO5WZBZZUBHDVFJE3FHGMWYIVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740151},"content":"The winner will be announced on Friday, January 10th, at the Brussels Motor Show.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"Shortlist features Alfa Romeo Junior, Citroën ë-C3/C3, Cupra Terramar, Dacia Duster, Hyundai Inster, Kia EV3 and Renault 5"},"display_date":"2024-11-15T08:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Europe’s Car of the Year: meet the seven 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href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/irish-rail/\" target=\"_blank\">Irish Rail</a> has been heavily criticised by passengers in recent months over the management of timetables but Thursday night saw the rail company faced with a different sort of problem.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WZQN3KNAOJCMJJKEUH4QWVYY6M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126508},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dart/\" target=\"_blank\">Dart</a> and commuter trains were suspended due to a “major signalling fault” covering the full line from Greystones to Howth/Malahide, and onwards on the northern commuter line to Dundalk.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WNBPOYPNXBF5JP4E3DC5BEVFN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126509},"content":"It also impacted other routes through the Connolly area, including Maynooth/Sligo services and Rosslare services.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HRFY4DTS45FSLEDCXNUETPLCOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732899619459},"content":"Passengers on northern commuter services suffered lengthy delays as a result, with services resuming as normal on Friday morning.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z4GD344WABA7JCLZGMWRSMDC4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126510},"content":"The fault occurred at 6.45pm and was initially resolved at about 7.50pm. However, the fault recurred at 9pm, albeit with less of an effect, and was fully resolved by 11.10pm.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DDCF2TPQNZBB3OPCGGQPB24E64","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126511},"content":"Irish Rail apologised to customers for the disruption caused. It said the fault was at centralised control equipment level, affecting the interaction with the various interlockings (safety sequencing in terms of signalling and points) which are part of the system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IE2Y4IG3ANHSNGFRDCCOCFIAYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126512},"content":"“A fault of this nature has not occurred before and we believe it to be an isolated issue,” a spokesman for Irish Rail said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XLOXOWWQEFAXTFRO3CGTGOJHAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126513},"content":"The company said the central traffic control system was a “legacy system” and had undergone an upgrade in 2019 and 2020.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LQQS75NTUVECDMQIXPF6JIF2YU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126514},"content":"It will ultimately be replaced by a new National Train Control Centre and its traffic management system, which is due to be introduced on a phased basis across the network between autumn 2025 and early 2027.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6DRBK4KO7JG7LPYB4YNB23SPT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126515},"content":"“The newer system will facilitate the full network and allow for future network expansion, and is also more modern and automated for train management, to improve overall service performance,” the spokesman added.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K6DLAPJPKVD33MCTXV4LENARDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126516},"content":"“It is being replaced to accommodate an expanded network and have more modern train management systems for improved performance, not because of reliability.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5FNS5XZABJGRXMJ7ZKHD5C6V2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732899619467},"content":"The new system will improve train performance by automating what are manual processes now, with Irish Rail stressing it is not being replaced because the old system was “problematic or unreliable”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WWZKXW4MQZB73FYFDRJXYOMXOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126517},"content":"Separate to the signalling fault experienced on Thursday, Irish Rail has been dealing with the fallout from timetable changes on northern lines travelling to the city as well as on the Maynooth commuter and other routes over recent months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z3EK5YYLOBCH5IXWXVOVEFP6YE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126518},"content":"Irish Rail introduced its new timetable in consultation with the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/national-transport-authority/\" target=\"_blank\">National Transport Authority</a> (NTA) on August 25th. Following widespread public complaints, it made changes to Maynooth, Drogheda and some other routes into Connolly a few weeks later, on September 11th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CS5V7SIZJ5E5JLF22LMW5QEC3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126519},"content":"From October 14th, the morning Connolly route services were restored to pre-August service patterns. Irish Rail said the October changes had “improved things, particularly around restoring some through services to the southside and eliminating some of the morning connections at Connolly which were exacerbating delays”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"44QEQG66UNHDNOP7XIBMTQV4WU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126520},"content":"“Punctuality performance has been impacted over recent weeks by the leaf fall season, as unfortunately it is every year regardless of timetable, and resulting low rail adhesion,” the spokesman said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2W457OYQ3FHWVNXB4PMCP5CIL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126521},"content":"“Essentially, leaves on the line, particularly in damp conditions, are the equivalent of ice on the roads for trains, and notwithstanding a lot of preventative work, it can cause acceleration and braking to take longer.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YQE7XPZ6LZFOJFDLB2UPRWNNT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732891126522},"content":"The rail company said it had been “a particularly bad” low rail adhesion season, and it is expected to come to an end over the next week or two which “will give a truer reflection on punctuality from the revised timetable”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sarah Burns"}},"name":"Sarah Burns"}]},"description":{"basic":"New train control centre and traffic management system to be phased in from autumn 2025"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T17:53:59.437Z","headlines":{"basic":"Irish Rail signal fault an ‘isolated issue’, says company as it faces wider questions on punctuality","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QJRPTB2NNFG5PGIYVLEANRQUAY","auth":{"1":"a43aee0e331ebdea72cb0ea019a4d0cc23aa98997c2a73d2217fc5b4a854b3e6"},"focal_point":{"x":723,"y":350},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QJRPTB2NNFG5PGIYVLEANRQUAY.jpg"}},"subtype":"analysis","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Transport"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/transport/2024/11/29/irish-rail-signal-fault-an-isolated-issue-says-company-as-it-faces-wider-questions-on-punctuality/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/transport","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Transport"}}}},{"_id":"CGART2VEYJGN5A2GZA6XMUORH4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":107,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/fdc5e16e-8d21-45cf-b6d2-e3968e73e066/versions/1732871968/media/df8b5aae5d6549cb1a162810cb930970_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/transport/2024/11/29/rail-services-resume-after-signal-fault-caused-significant-delays-in-dublin-on-thursday-evening/","content_elements":[{"_id":"YRYO4BHMQ5BQHMLES2PWDX7LIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732871284959},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/irish-rail/\" target=\"_blank\">Iarnród Éireann</a> services have resumed as normal on Friday morning after passengers in Dublin and on Northern commuter services <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/transport/2024/11/28/major-delays-on-northbound-trains-out-of-dublin-after-signalling-fault/\" target=\"_blank\">experienced lengthy delays</a> on Thursday evening.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LKXD76A3ARBKRBEVUCYK5DYXPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732871284960},"content":"Dart and commuter trains were suspended due to a signalling issue. 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It was rectified after about an hour, but later re-emerged, affecting a smaller number of services.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3HXTNZ4LPZFS3AFSAHKTCMGXLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732871284964},"content":"Mr Kenny said that a problem with signals had not happened on that scale before.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LYSCC5IRYBA2XH3SGVN26JE234","additional_properties":{"_id":1732871284965},"content":"He said that Iarnród Éireann had invested in the system a few years ago to extend its life. It is in the process of replacing it with a new national train control centre, which will accommodate extended capacity on its network and the opening of new rail lines.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PSTRNSB3YBFZPMKCLKW2G4QTTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732871284966},"content":"Delays on the Dart service on Friday morning were due to a technical fault with a train, and not connected to Thursday evening’s issues.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Dart delays on Friday morning not connected to previous issue"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T09:14:17.05Z","headlines":{"basic":"Rail services resume after signal fault caused significant delays for commuters on Thursday evening","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QJRPTB2NNFG5PGIYVLEANRQUAY","auth":{"1":"a43aee0e331ebdea72cb0ea019a4d0cc23aa98997c2a73d2217fc5b4a854b3e6"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QJRPTB2NNFG5PGIYVLEANRQUAY.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Transport"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/transport/2024/11/29/rail-services-resume-after-signal-fault-caused-significant-delays-in-dublin-on-thursday-evening/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/transport","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Transport"}}}},{"_id":"LVTRBN2565GWVIP43WDPTXB3LQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":66,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/812d456f-a44d-4b3b-8336-5087dc50db80/versions/1732824689/media/d8a2277d317de3c1f33c0bffd40838ee_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/transport/2024/11/28/major-delays-on-northbound-trains-out-of-dublin-after-signalling-fault/","content_elements":[{"_id":"67LMG26EVNAWLCYHGS7YKEBND4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732823034709},"content":"A major signalling issue on the Dart has been resolved after hours of delays for rail and Dart users in Dublin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TK7WQUML65EIHCY5XZPZ7S57F4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732823936648},"content":"“The signalling issue has been resolved, and we are working to move trains onto platforms,” a statement posted on X said earlier this evening. The issue was resolved at about 8.15pm, but then re-emerged, according to an <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/irish-rail/\" target=\"_blank\">Iarnród Éireann</a> spokeswoman.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QUFVX6DGGZBCHJMOJ5SRPXTJ24","additional_properties":{"_id":1732823936649},"content":"All Dart and Dublin to Dundalk train services had been suspended earlier and Dublin Bus was accepting rail tickets for affected services, a spokesperson said. Customers outside of the Dublin Bus network were advised to “make alternative transport arrangements”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NFCPZMXFBRHYLG2CGB6U5VQBGE","subtype":"twitter","type":"oembed_response"},{"_id":"2TL2KI2ENZHGPL44V67DE4SGEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732823936650},"content":"Delays were still expected as the services begin running again.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HG7OX5BXFRBPXI7DARWJ33JZ3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732823034712},"content":"Belfast services are also badly affected, and there have been delays to Maynooth and Grand Canal Dock/Connolly to Hazelhatch/Newbridge services.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Jade Wilson"}},"name":"Jade Wilson"}]},"description":{"basic":"All Dart and Dublin to Dundalk train services had been suspended earlier"},"display_date":"2024-11-28T23:04:45.383Z","headlines":{"basic":"Dart and other Dublin rail services see hours of delays as signalling fault causes major disruption","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"Z5DDLDGPVVAERCBRZFKI6KITWY","auth":{"1":"4196d8991f1a9904654bdb28fce43fb3bb1383c4e74a4673387dee402c9d4776"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/Z5DDLDGPVVAERCBRZFKI6KITWY.jfif"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Transport"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/transport/2024/11/28/major-delays-on-northbound-trains-out-of-dublin-after-signalling-fault/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/transport","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Transport"}}}},{"_id":"3367MNUPWRALJEO7BBAX6AUUUU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":182,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/1c8a8d4a-b1c6-46c2-b176-0137845a59f5/versions/1732742112/media/cb2fbc528f727e925ceb45b13c233429_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/transport/2024/11/27/finglas-residents-protest-over-change-of-bus-route/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JH5BSQVYSJHYHFH5I64U53ROAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251958},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"5B2APL4ZVNHUHDKS4YNPCJGB64","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251959},"content":"“Today is the day, Now is the hour, Save the 11, Through people power.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TMQ7JW6ZAZGN7JG6WSG5A26P4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251963},"content":"So chanted up to 100 protesters who took their unhappiness with the loss of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin-bus/\" target=\"_blank\">Dublin Bus</a> Route 11 to the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/national-transport-authority/\" target=\"_blank\">National Transport Authority</a> offices in Smithfield on Wednesday afternoon.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3NP2GCRZSJEYZJGV4GIV427SAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251964},"content":"The protesters said they were unhappy with the loss of the cross-city Route 11, which ran between Wadelai Park, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/finglas/\" target=\"_blank\">Finglas</a>, and the Sandyford Business District.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KHZSHSQL35F2POBPNPD2DGTYGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251965},"content":"In a condemnation of the replacement, Route 19, the protesters claimed it was an airport bus service that terminated at Parnell Square. They added to their musical repertoire by singing “the wheels on the bus won’t go through town, all day long”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZFXXYCHQF5D3BLK5FFA5BNZFM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251966},"content":"David Rees of Hilcrest Park, Glasnevin , said he took his six-year-old daughter on the bus to St Stephen’s Green every morning and she returned on the bus in the evening.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CODGVKX3PRDF5JC4KGG5OCTBYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251967},"content":"But he said Route 19 terminates in Parnell Square, leaving them with delays and inconvenient changing to another bus or the Luas.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6WE6S44GKZD6HNQ5ZKYTNKQU3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251968},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"TR6U5NBFXJDFDEI5WVGZVTLYFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251969},"content":"“This is because the National Transport Authority described Parnell Square as a destination with a hospital. But it is not a proper terminus and I would have safety concerns for my daughter,” he said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UR6CVR3RXFDYNLMG6V7QVAXAEA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251970},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"PAKL2E6DHJGSNCUN5X2X3B4QPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251971},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"SLEKTBZ2JFAHHBEQPSP3VD6L7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251972},"content":"Margaret White of Hillcrest Park, Glasnevin , said 25 per cent of the population there was elderly and the restrictions involved in the new route meant their ability to participate in ordinary travel would be impeded. She said in addition to terminating at Parnell Square, Route 19 would come from the airport and serve Phibsboro rather than Drumcondra.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B4RXHNGQIBA33IDMG64PH6KUOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251973},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"IHBRR4IIDFFC5DD62SZ33HFTBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251974},"content":"Patrick Fallon of Glasnevin said the new number 19 bus route starts at the airport and there were capacity concerns among the local community. “The 19 also goes through Phibsboro, where there is no bus corridor so it is going to be very slow,” he said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5KVWLF4ICFA3HKBUD3WQBA2QIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732740786379},"content":"Mr Fallon added the 11 route linked the three universities – DCU, TCD and UCD – and its loss would be felt deeply on both sides of the city.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VE4RGO2QYJGSFFBOCZOE5JP6GE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251975},"content":"Mr Rees said: “Our number-one objective is to have a conversation with the NTA to talk about it.” But he said although the authority had met local public representatives, “they refused to meet us”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EKQYIH6X4JFZRFSGL7SGT4PTSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732722251977},"content":"The National Transport Authority said public consultation on the Dublin network redesign had been under way since 2017. A spokesman said “much of what the 11 currently does will be done by a new route, the 19, which will run from Dublin Airport, through Ballymun, serving Wadelai Estate, (the current 11 terminus) and on to the centre of Dublin.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ISNVN4S7RBCHZL363FFKDX77VA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732739526584},"content":"He said Route 19 would operate to a greater frequency than the 11, and “Parnell Square is home to a gallery, a theatre, a music venue and a big hospital along with offices, shops and hotels, so for many customers is a destination in its own right.”","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Tim O'Brien"}},"name":"Tim O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Locals say they are losing the cross-city Route 11 for an airport link that ends at Parnell Square"},"display_date":"2024-11-27T20:55:13.438Z","headlines":{"basic":"Local residents protest over change to cross-city Dublin Bus route","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BGF3JDVC4FAC3PLYI66XKW6XOA","auth":{"1":"05711dd40851fabf1cfa238c3c964868bd849934d0ade8ccaac6207ec035a5bd"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BGF3JDVC4FAC3PLYI66XKW6XOA.jpeg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Transport"},{"name":"Ireland"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/transport/2024/11/27/finglas-residents-protest-over-change-of-bus-route/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/transport","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Transport"}}}}],"count":8816,"_id":"7722fdbdadb29e532293d4dd95cb1f10653c172078117ded994dd9c26258b496"},"expires":1732963814250,"lastModified":1732963513869},"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":4,\"query\":\"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\\\\/motors*) AND (subtype:\\\"irish-times-video\\\")\",\"size\":4}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"a15212a6-8a7a-47eb-b322-3de1c0ccf9ce","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/video/motors/2024/08/22/our-test-drive-renault-scenic-e-tech/","credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"The all-electric Renault Scenic will compete with the Peugeot E-3008 and on balance the Peugeot offers more at a lesser price. 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I had managed to book the last room available in a pretty basic hotel next to a busy road, which cost more per night than a nice hotel in central Stockholm. The man on reception told me Skellefteå was bursting at the seams: Northvolt, the electric vehicle battery-maker, had transformed it from “left behind” to “boom town” practically overnight.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CTKSP4CS65ARPEG2OB56F5CMJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732717250497},"content":"So when Northvolt filed for bankruptcy last week, it wasn’t just a blow for Europe’s hopes to develop a home-grown EV battery supply chain. It was also a blow to the story – a favourite among many politicians – that the road to net zero will be paved with secure “green jobs” in places that need them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7NIXLR3UZNAZRLO2B5PZR6G33E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732717250498},"content":"In truth, the public never found this tale as compelling as politicians seemed to think. Steve Akehurst of Persuasion UK, which analyses the effectiveness of political messages, has tested a number of “green jobs” arguments as a way to “sell” climate action, but they all tend to fall pretty flat with the public. Politicians, on the other hand, lap them up. “[They] work really well with elites – if you poll MPs, particularly Labour MPs, the best argument is ‘jobs’. When you poll the public, it’s mid-table at best,” he told me.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OT72AMEJQRHRFAIK5Y2AXT7AFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732717250499},"content":"This isn’t just British cynicism. When Potential Energy, a global non-profit marketing company focused on climate, surveyed 60,000 people in 23 countries, it found a straightforward argument about “protecting the planet for the next generation” was on average 12 times more popular than “creating jobs”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SYK7CTZ6SNCITIQBJOAY3RW6TI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732717250500},"content":"Why might that be? The context matters. Employment levels have been pretty high in most OECD countries in recent years so “more jobs” isn’t a particularly salient idea for now. In the US, where the Biden administration successfully catalysed green jobs growth, cannily (or so his team thought) concentrated in Republican districts, they didn’t reap the political rewards. One reason was that other issues, such as inflation and immigration, were far more pressing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DUEP5XXUCFEQVBVW6PNNIRDLXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732717250501},"content":"Of course, there are communities where unemployment is high, but many are understandably sceptical of politicians promising new jobs because they have been disappointed before. As Northvolt demonstrated, it is difficult to set up vast new factories from scratch in hitherto declining areas. And these ventures are not immune from problems like hubristic mismanagement or poor health-and-safety standards just because they are “green”. In a rare demonstration of British efficiency, Britishvolt, the UK version of Northvolt, saved everyone some time by going bust before it had even been built.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3JPUFRK7G5A6PGIVUTNPEREA2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732717250502},"content":"If green jobs don’t have much sway with the public, does that mean the loss of “brown” jobs would be met with a shrug too? Perhaps. But people tend to fear losses more than they value gains. And certain communities have a lot to lose. On average across OECD countries, workers displaced from high-emissions industries face a 24 per cent bigger decline in annual earnings in the six years after dismissal than people losing jobs in low-emission industries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IJJWAHJAGBGLLNBTUMSURNVO3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"BGSV6Y7F3VE2FH7MR4HCW62RT4"},"content":"Some ‘green jobs’ are dirty and dangerous","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"B5FRD7G6CJERLCGFAIXTEDSZYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732717250503},"content":"OECD data shows that high-emission industries are heavily concentrated in specific, mostly rural, places, while the fastest-growing occupations boosted by the transition to net zero are “skill-intensive and predominantly located in urban areas.” Technocratic plans to reskill and relocate people from “brown” to “green” industries look good on paper, but can unravel when it is time to commit to funding and guarantees. Last month, for example, the European gas industry walked away from plans to implement a “just transition” agreement with unions which would have involved retraining for energy workers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FDSEZ5UETVHWDNSIXN4GBXYFIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732717250504},"content":"I don’t mean this to be a counsel of despair. Green jobs are far from a mirage: they are being created in their tens of thousands. And it’s not impossible to manage the transition in such a way as to minimise the losses and maximise the gains. But it requires a pragmatic focus on what’s possible and a sharp eye on geography. Sam Alvis, director of energy at UK policy research agency Public First, told me the Labour government’s decision to get Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage technology off the ground was a good example. CCUS, which captures and stores the carbon otherwise emitted from sites like power stations or cement factories, will create clusters of jobs in communities still dominated by industry such as Teesside, and it will also allow more industrial jobs to continue to exist.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BUJ6GUT3OZEHDKEYL6M4ACTCLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732717250505},"content":"Transitions are hard. But the public already knows that. It’s time for politicians to put down the Pollyanna-ish press releases and get on with it. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024","type":"text"},{"_id":"32QSA42ALRBLTC3VJ2MLHLQ2PY","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sarah O'Connor"}},"name":"Sarah O'Connor"}]},"description":{"basic":"People understand that transitions are hard – politicians need to as well"},"display_date":"2024-11-28T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Why the public doesn’t buy the idea of a ‘green jobs’ bonanza","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BFCTZC7BSXFXL3GXYOCF7M753M","auth":{"1":"6dd4ab2b2152f89b59bc23a5b69b6c99c0c8e9bdd94af1cc108b14ba88239792"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BFCTZC7BSXFXL3GXYOCF7M753M.jpg"}},"subtype":"opinion","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2024/11/28/why-the-public-doesnt-buy-the-idea-of-a-green-jobs-bonanza/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"6IUJEYQUCJHZPINRIOCKLR3OWA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":383,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/67d3ccf5-ac17-4241-84b9-56079bd5e312/versions/1732186456/media/443b707db786db72dfc795e2c7b8f286_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/27/alfa-romeo-junior-ev-delivers-real-driving-fun-despite-seeming-sacrilege-to-the-brands-fans/","content_elements":[{"_id":"VGF4Y5MYZBCNTCBU3GRQABWUEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"NEEVILZRCNHYHC6R6T7J62SLSE"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-27525","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"6JWN3UGZCRGQTLY6UNSNF2FVIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270298},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/alfa-romeo\" target=\"_blank\">Alfa Romeo</a> is not such much a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/motors\" target=\"_blank\">car</a> brand as a cult. Its passionate enthusiasts see the brand as the Opus Dei of the automotive world. That’s why so many struggle with the sacrilege of the SUV and more recently, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">the EV</a>. The Junior represents their Judas Iscariot.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QILGJHLTVZB5RK33NRLJWXOXIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270299},"content":"These emotional fans demand emotive cars, and they have been well-served with vehicles as temperamental as themselves. Yet, like with their religious counterparts, congregations have been noticeably dwindling. Reformation was overdue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZNAE6AIH2RDNDIFRMVOC7LE44Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270300},"content":"Enter Jean Philippe Imparato, an auto executive with a record as a bit of a miracle worker. Having resurrected the fortunes of Peugeot, it was time for the French man to work his magic in northern Italy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6JNEMNIKBNETDDYEOOA3H5JD7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270302},"content":"His first priority was to improve quality and reliability. That’s a long-term effort, but the initial signs have been good. The Tonale may be a bit lacklustre on the road, but it does seem to be holding together well. And the pipeline of new models promise to put the Scudetto grille back in the mix with German premium brands.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6UBCFTGJSZG43OLA6CJ36L5CQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270303},"content":"But to fund its product offensive, it needs a steady flow of cash. And that’s where the Junior comes in. Alfa engineers may love a saloon, but they can’t ignore the public’s preference for a crossover.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QN3J3GGEKFHIVLL6MEHRDNY6ZA","additional_properties":{"_id":"5B7VYLM5J5FR5LRUMK3W7GTZNI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JSEDT7Z6NBAWBDHPGF7YQH4LQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270304},"content":"The good news for the Alfisti is that Junior is not just a cash cow, it’s a surprisingly impressive car to drive, both in terms of it being a crossover and also an EV. And that’s being recognised already: the Junior is one of the seven finalists for <a href=\"https://www.caroftheyear.org/index.php\" target=\"_blank\">Europe’s Car of the Year</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NKZO4EQ6FJHHPLRYI5KNPBGN4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270305},"content":"Of course, it’s not sold only as an EV. Junior comes with a selection of powertrain options: a 136hp 1.2-litre petrol regular hybrid or an all-electric in either 156hp or 280hp output (both front-wheel drive). Range is promised to be 406km on a full charge of the 156hp version.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KVVNG37YQBBJTMEBF32TPXMIHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270306},"content":"That’s a promise this car might keep, for during our time with Junior on Irish roads, the Italian managed to deliver the sort of energy consumption to achieve 350km. That’s not stellar by any means, and there are certainly similar-sized cars with better range.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GHPLF7DLA5D4HMCT3WO7ISVL4M","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZBIQYM6BN5F23G3MANISKPE7IE"},"content":"EV Q&A: Is it possible to reduce the environmental impact of building an electric car?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"P2DLGA7XEFBATLUDN2S4F74G24","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270307},"content":"The 51kWh battery pack and the rest of its underpinnings are straight from the Stellantis parts bin. They have been tried and tested in Peugeots, Opels, Jeeps and Fiats. So have the regular engines that will power the non-electric versions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6Z6ROX23JRGO5FL5XOVVM27VVI","additional_properties":{"_id":"TUUOGSO7EVF7FEZX4BFHT6XGQI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JONTJBCNXJFYRDS5XUVWFOQR3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270309},"content":"But don’t be fooled: this is not just a dressed-up Opel or rebadged Peugeot. The real magic with Junior is how it handles itself on the road. This car is fun.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O6GJOESTGNFPFL3P5BKF6KASDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270310},"content":"That’s what differentiates it from its otherwise competent siblings.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WTARLCQSLRB3FFQKVTLO5IPHAU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270311},"content":"The 156hp version we tested isn’t necessarily fast, with a 0-100km time of nine seconds. For that you want the 280hp version, which cracks that distance in 5.6 seconds. But there’s enough throttle power there to deliver an engaging drive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XR4CTOLMRNAXPHYRLSMJ43EPZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270312},"content":"Somehow, weighing in at 1.5 tonnes, Junior feels light and agile. That’s a feat other <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">EV cars</a> simply cannot manage. Part of this is down to the steering feel, which is remarkably sharp, but also the chassis, which is responsive and obedient to your instructions. There’s a balance and poise to this Alfa that can fool you into forgetting it’s a crossover – and an all-electric one at that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4HKZM4JXMNH2JHO3BIWK4JLGCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270313},"content":"It’s not without flaws, the primary one being that we’d like snappier brakes. But as a follow-up to the rather lacklustre Tonale, it’s a reminder of why so many people fell in love with Alfas in the first place.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X4PWXAZRDBHSHGENI5LPVBTR7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270314},"content":"In design terms, the crossover is squat enough to resemble a hatchback profile, while the high rear tailgate has touches of Kia’s current EV6, but links back to Alfa heritage as well.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F5DUQGDIJRBXVBGC5QIGWRJKDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270315},"content":"The plastic grille on the electric version is going to divide the crowd, but it’s a competent take on what is a vestigial feature in any event; they might as well have included a toy gearstick inside the car and added a V8 soundtrack.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4QTIT2R5OREP5MMSFKG4Y4HK2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"4RRWJ46XNNBFHNWG4EVCJ37ZZM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"GWRREROHFFEGZPUSO2SMJLA6FE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270317},"content":"The interior is dark, at least on our test car. Trying to retain the sports car feel, it perhaps leans too much to the past and does itself a disservice in feeling at times a little dated.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYWZ3GIAQNBAZM45HESD3OZSDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270318},"content":"It’s a solid effort, and while there are plenty of parts here shared with the rest of the Stellantis brands, it’s well put together. Pitching at premium buyers it might struggle a bit, with a launch price of €42,500, but get it out on the road and its entertaining handling will make up for any qualms you might have about the decor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q3OGWIJTRJA3LGVDPLDL2CPV7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270319},"content":"To follow Alfa you need a degree of blind faith. It has promised so much in past, but disappointment lingers around the corner.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VH5JDNIRHBCCBOSGIZ22QR6AYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270320},"content":"Sadly, Imparato has handed over the keys of Alfa and moved on. Given the rollercoaster ride at Alfa these past three decades, it’s a retrograde step. Like every cult, a lot about success or failure comes down to the leader.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QHATA5BIQVE6FIVAVT5UFAAJLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270321},"content":"If this is his legacy, then he can certainly be proud. If it provides the cash to deliver his promised pipeline of new models, then he may one day be regarded as a motoring saviour – at least among the Alfisti.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6MYLJPKWNVB7RNXTAEIV3O6AKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270322},"content":"Alfa Romeo Junior Launch Edition 156HP BEV","type":"header"},{"_id":"7FK6XREKPJEKZJWMMOS5NFCB4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270323},"content":"<b>Power </b>A 156hp electric motor powered by a net 51kWh battery pack, driving the front wheels","type":"text"},{"_id":"I33YRXEJI5AELOZYWGYQMKVIIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270324},"content":"<b>0-100km/h </b>9.0 secs","type":"text"},{"_id":"S4IGQRZEAZFEHH2FERBT27QXWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270325},"content":"<b>Range </b>406km (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"WACZH2HK35BRBOQQKL7DOM4QWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270326},"content":"<b>Consumption</b> 15.3 kWh/100km","type":"text"},{"_id":"N3AHDFW7VNANPBDU73GDSPGLII","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270327},"content":"<b>Price </b>€42,500 (launch edition price)","type":"text"},{"_id":"M5K4ZHYSXJAW3ENY6HVVLW57SY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270328},"content":"<b>Our rating</b> 4/5","type":"text"},{"_id":"LP3MGODBE5F7FPERQKAGS7544Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270329},"content":"<b>Verdict </b>Full-flavour Alfa driving fun for the electric era","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"This finalist for Europe’s Car of the Year is just as exhilarating to drive as many traditional Alfas of old"},"display_date":"2024-11-27T00:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Alfa Romeo Junior EV delivers real driving fun despite seeming sacrilege to the brand’s fans","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FGCUDX4CXZHVXLKIVEEGFFVGNU","auth":{"1":"66aeb56d482548a41e1a27b8d5e060269b1061a9f89a0bbabb2e8654239e0eb8"},"focal_point":{"x":3595,"y":1890},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FGCUDX4CXZHVXLKIVEEGFFVGNU.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/27/alfa-romeo-junior-ev-delivers-real-driving-fun-despite-seeming-sacrilege-to-the-brands-fans/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"7RRP7OBQ3JG5VOEYFVHM5G7Q3I","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":311,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/025a425c-ce0f-408e-ad07-d5bcdcce8f41/versions/1732546184/media/c597149285980be08c2808e5e4bdf02a_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/26/ev-qa-can-making-batteries-in-europe-slash-their-co2-emissions/","content_elements":[{"_id":"7FUVE7K2Z5D7HHPDWDIBBPTOV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645477},"content":"When it comes to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles\" target=\"_blank\">electric vehicle</a> batteries, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/china\" target=\"_blank\">China</a> is the king, the alpha, and the 500lb gorilla all rolled into one. Both the Chinese government and Chinese battery manufacturers some years ago set out on a mission to dominate the global market for electric <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/motors\" target=\"_blank\">car</a> battery packs, vacuuming up global supplies of lithium, cobalt and manganese, and setting up an infrastructure to produce EV batteries on a huge scale.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H37VH2XKAZB23PPPHQDLDJL4JA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645479},"content":"Consulting group Benchmark Minerals reckons that even by 2030, with all the billions of euro and dollars being invested in setting up gigafactories in Europe, the US, Canada and elsewhere, China will still be making twice as many EV batteries as every other nation combined.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I3SFJEJENJAX3LXIDOBLJ2XHHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645480},"content":"The biggest of them all is the Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Limited, better known as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/11/22/new-battery-could-mean-phevs-with-a-400km-electric-range/\" target=\"_blank\">CATL</a>. In 2022, CATL made 34 per cent of all the world’s electric car batteries. While the likes of Korea’s LG Chem and Japan’s Panasonic are also big global players, other big Chinese brands such as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/byd/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD </a>(it makes cars now too, of course, but started as a maker of batteries), CALB, and Guaxon help ensure that China is the dominant force in batteries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D4KTO43SRNDYDPTE7PR6CX4F3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645481},"content":"This is politically something of a hot potato, but there’s also an environmental issue with having so many electric car batteries made in China – carbon emissions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YBGAANXXG5DF3NL7DBBWGO4V3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732550303754},"content":"Explain to me how EV batteries are made","type":"header"},{"_id":"DIIPMYDXIBADXBMISIN3IG44OI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645482},"content":"Making EV batteries is an energy-intensive process. Indeed, it’s primarily down to battery manufacturing that making an electric car generates more CO2 emissions than making an internal combustion-engined car (of course, the combustion car starts to catch up fast once you start driving it around and burning dead dinosaurs in it).","type":"text"},{"_id":"72ARR4FK6VEVLFL3ZIAY2JQJRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645483},"content":"Making batteries in China is slightly more problematic, because so much of China’s electricity production (some 1.04-terawatts, according to Reuters) still comes from coal. According to European eco-think-tank Transport & Environment, it means that each battery made there causes around 120kg of CO2 per kWh of battery capacity. Which means thousands and thousands of tonnes of CO2 for the thousands and thousands of batteries currently being made. And then add on shipping emissions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6G73NBRQUBASZCEDAKWIY3O76A","additional_properties":{"_id":"A5UOSLLXZVH4BDHXKTXVZYLJRA"},"content":"Electric car batteries: just how bad are they for the environment?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"E3R7GSUSAZEWNEXXZOQHMAXD2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645484},"content":"If those batteries could be made in Europe, their emissions could be slashed, or at least that’s the contention of Transport & Environment. According to their research, the emissions associated with making batteries could be slashed to just over 40kg of CO2 per kWh if they were made in Europe using largely renewable energy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JAYTEQGG5JDLTEPX75IL2UEAKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645485},"content":"Even if those batteries were made using the current EU grid average, they would be some 37 per cent more efficient than Chinese batteries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D4EOSYMYDJG6TGPECHUYQD7EQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645486},"content":"Julia Poliscanova, senior director for vehicles and e-mobility supply chains at T&E, said: “Batteries, and metals that go into them, are the new oil. European leaders will need laser-sharp focus and joined-up thinking to reap their climate and industrial benefits. Strong sustainability requirements, such as the upcoming battery carbon footprint rules, can reward local clean manufacturing. Crucially, Europe needs better instruments under the European Investment Bank and EU Battery Fund to support gigafactory investments.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZC4CUXYCAVCA5CHSS5JUA5VAME","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645487},"content":"T&E says Europe desperately needs to catch up in terms of battery-making infrastructure, and in the infrastructure to strip batteries back down again and recycle them at the end of their lives – which will eventually become a crucial component in the supply of raw materials for battery factories.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DN57YR5TWNHPXHRLS32I43IMJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732550303762},"content":"How far behind is Europe?","type":"header"},{"_id":"622C2W5DA5C6BJ5UZ6HIZ52KJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645488},"content":"The report finds Europe has the potential to manufacture 56 per cent of its demand for cathodes – the battery’s most valuable components – by 2030, but only two plants have started commercial operations so far. By the end of this decade, the region could also fulfil all of its processed lithium needs and secure 8-27 per cent of battery minerals from recycling in Europe. But T&E said processing and recycling plants needed EU and state support to scale quickly.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TNXYJRVA4JC4DDUWYIHP5SUPNY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645489},"content":"Julia Poliscanova said: “The battery race between China, Europe and the US is intensifying. While some battery investments that were at risk of being lured away by US subsidies have been saved since last year, close to half of planned production is still up for grabs. The EU needs to end any uncertainty over its engine phase-out and set corporate EV targets to assure gigafactory investors that they will have a guaranteed market for their product.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KE7BVA5EUZFBJHOM64YZBWDW5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645490},"content":"There have been some high-profile casualties in the European battery-making stakes so far, however, such as the failure of the Britishvolt “gigafactory” plans and environmental activists causing havoc at Tesla’s Berlin factory, on the basis that the car maker is riding roughshod over local environment concerns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RALQOD76KND5PPRO2SEOYIZTBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"WLJONDQDDNGFFJLIDI2QOTJPAM"},"content":"<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"},{"_id":"UARJJ6BOIFHI5NRP7DJVTH6TBI","additional_properties":{"_id":"2ZVHPM2DENF6XBN2AAHAJWS74M"},"content":"Can I tow a 1,200kg trailer with an EV?","type":"interstitial_link"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Your EV questions answered: Producing batteries in Europe could make them 60% more carbon-efficient than importing from China, study suggests"},"display_date":"2024-11-26T05:08:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"EV Q&A: Is it possible to reduce the environmental impact of building an electric car?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ","auth":{"1":"dd8d5fcd49669607633de1ef4a393ac5e18c9b3f2baf9cd3f5deefffb27c08a9"},"focal_point":{"x":2140,"y":1820},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/26/ev-qa-can-making-batteries-in-europe-slash-their-co2-emissions/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"S7F644WKVFDTXEHHGU7RBUKJOY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":222,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/867bc305-e568-4af7-8a50-26ffdc1a34b1/versions/1732559146/media/07c1274cb80b15032e15c0316e81aa3f_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2024/11/25/applegreen-to-invest-1bn-in-major-expansion-across-its-three-markets/","content_elements":[{"_id":"Z7ZVBPAY4RHS5ICDSK6M26XV3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952705},"content":"Irish forecourt operator Applegreen is to invest €1 billion over the next five years in a significant expansion to its business across the three markets in which is operates.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SZ36U7WR3NGEHH7TSVJSSHTQY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952706},"content":"The capital expenditure programme will include a big expansion in Ireland and the United States, as well as investments in its Welcome Break business in Britain, and in its growing electric vehicle (EV) charging network.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ITP32563DFD7HGON6EDAU4F3DM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952707},"content":"“This is a very significant expansion programme for Applegreen as we continue to invest to expand our business in Ireland, the United States and the UK,” said Applegreen co-founder and group chief executive Joe Barrett on Monday.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XKLS52N455ASBG775DXEU3QEIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952708},"content":"He said the money would be used to redevelop the group’s sites and grow its operations, organically and through acquisition.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5WT52P3JNBF7DH7W5XCF3VO7BI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952709},"content":"“Our current operations provide a very strong foundation on which to build the next phase of growth for Applegreen in each of its three markets,” he said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3OMNB5OB2NFVTHU5M3AIIB75R4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952710},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"PEEUQOWQONEA5GZZSN5F6ZVPSI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952711},"content":"“In Ireland, we will be continuing the rollout of our very successful Braeburn coffee offer and our partnership with M&S Food,” said Mr Barrett. “We currently operate M&S at 19 of our locations in Ireland and we intend to grow that number to over 60 sites.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6JMIB4RHWREW3ME6XS7Z4DNSBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952712},"content":"“We also plan to expand our network of motorway and roadside service areas in Ireland and Britain, and to grow our EV charging networks in both countries.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ND2NYPHZCVB23BV5FOXU4GDX4U","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZZ7K6MHLJFFHXDA2OGYRZUBS54"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"acast_podcast-17232","url":"/"},"subtype":"acast_podcast","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"TKWHKEKV5FECJLWKVXGW5EJMUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952713},"content":"The company said it intends to invest more than €85 million over the next five years to expand its EV network. It has more than 1,200 fast chargers — both company and third-party-owned — at more than 130 of its locations on many of the busiest motorways and roads in Ireland, Britain and the United States.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TUPYHQEIFZBKTJBEOD7J22YGKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952714},"content":"Applegreen is also due to open a new motorway services area off the M3 in Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, next year with an EV charging hub, a fuel forecourt, and four separate food options.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QBQ5S7T5TZFZRAG5HTUEGRSGBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952715},"content":"In the UK, Applegreen is growing its Welcome Break business, which operates 58 sites including 34 motorway service areas and 31 hotels.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JGG6D7ROVBC4TLXZPY4IEJORXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952716},"content":"It is investing €66 million in a new Welcome Break motorway services area on the M1 in Rotherham, which will have six food outlets, a WHSmith and a Waitrose convenience store, as well as fuel and EV charging options and a dedicated HGV driver facility.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZSVNPD272ZDZXHPXFH7S3VIBWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952717},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"MS7CXSSEJRARXDUIZV3ZQVBGMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952718},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"MEI4QQIIV5BK7EODGZGYMEBEVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952719},"content":"In the US, Applegreen operates more than 100 motorway service areas and the company believes there is “significant scope” to expand this part of its overall business. “Our focus is on growing our travel plaza business in the US, particularly on the east coast,” said Mr Barrett.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5FIDQGKNLVHALKUKEH2XUAB7AQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952720},"content":"“We currently have 106 travel plazas in states such as New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maine, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Ohio and Indiana and we are very keen to expand our presence there, building upon our established and trusted relationships with the roads authorities.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ROTC77HUUZE2TKUFCDX4NNQFJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952721},"content":"Food is now the main element of Applegreen’s business in the US, where it operates restaurant and cafe brands such as Burger King, Shake Shack, Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, Starbucks, Dunkin, Panera Bread and Panda Express.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JQ4RGP4UMFAT7CE2LIS2A76GWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732521952722},"content":"“Applegreen is a hospitality business, as we have over 700 food outlets across our estate, including 300 in the United States. Traditional fuel now accounts for less than 20 per cent of our gross profit,” added Mr Barrett.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLTYPSNAUVHZDFYXG64AMI2WEU","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Colin Gleeson"}},"name":"Colin Gleeson"}]},"description":{"basic":"Group to expand network of motorway and roadside service areas and to grow its EV charging networks in Ireland, Britain and the US"},"display_date":"2024-11-25T08:29:36.442Z","headlines":{"basic":"Applegreen to invest €1bn in expansion across three markets","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FDTPDMLNX5CLJC2ZMMBFHI62YU","auth":{"1":"a91acffdf4639210a2875ee36dac77217ff52a85181790d2b52b21e571449b5c"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FDTPDMLNX5CLJC2ZMMBFHI62YU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2024/11/25/applegreen-to-invest-1bn-in-major-expansion-across-its-three-markets/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"G2PZNSZESVAFZAG4EGSOOHLTGM","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/22/new-battery-could-mean-phevs-with-a-400km-electric-range/","content_elements":[{"_id":"Q6NORQWZN5EPHNSY7DPKSN6SZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609610},"content":"Plug-in hybrids have been on the receiving end of an awful lot of critical kicks over the past 15 years. Ever since the first truly popular plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (the full official title, PHEV for short) was first introduced in the shape of the Mitsubishi Outlander, there has been a constant flow of criticism.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QX4OZE3HTVC2VKCSSH4DGVQGYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609611},"content":"PHEV models enjoy exceptionally low official CO2 emissions, thanks largely to the fact that the official WLTP test allows them to start with a full battery. That being so, even big and heavy PHEVs can have official figures of less than 30g/km of CO2 coupled with fantastic — in every sense of the word — fuel economy of as little as 1.2-litres per 100km (235mpg for those of you still watching in black and white).","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPMGUO6FI5ABZMGV2O3HOJ3E3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609612},"content":"That, combined with the fact that PHEVs are designed to be driven mostly on electric power, reserving their petrol (or sometimes diesel) engines and fuel tanks for occasional longer journeys, makes them seem like an ideal combination. However myriad critics have hammered PHEVs, pointing out — rightly — that when you drive them long-haul on a flat main battery their weight and complication makes them very thirsty indeed. Worse still, there have been plenty of horror stories of PHEVs being traded in with a pristine charging cable still wrapped in plastic in the boot, suggesting that they had never once been charged (which seems to ignore the possibility that many might have been connected to chargers with built-in cables, but anyway…). The reputation of PHEVs sank so low that influential environmental think-tank Transport & Environment once dubbed PHEVs as ‘fake electric cars’ merely used as an eco-fig leaf by car makers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ABJIAAUGI5H3PJTU3TV4L4D74I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609613},"content":"That narrative could be up-ended by new battery technology developments. Chinese battery maker CATL — one of the world’s biggest, which counts the likes of MG, Ford, Volvo, BMW, and Tesla among its clients — says that it has developed a new PHEV-specific battery — called the ‘Freevoy’ — which can stretch the electric range of such cars to more than 400km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"55UYY7DGABBODH7HIV3IB5YSS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609614},"content":"That would indeed be remarkable. The current best-performing EVs, such as the Range Rover P400e and the Skoda Superb, have electric ranges of around 125km on a full charge. That’s the official range, which means of course that the actual useable range will be less. Many PHEVs can claim only a 50km electric range, and often can only manage around 30km or so in real-world condition.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WJVT7YO7OVDTTAI6NTXWZG64HE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609615},"content":"CATL’s news could change all of that utterly, with the company claiming that it can now offer PHEV technology “offering the convenience of one charge to power an entire week’s commute.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"DBHKHJRIXZHOZPDWAY7V5EGKXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609616},"content":"What we don’t know yet is precisely how big and how bulky these batteries are. It’s conceivable that CATL has simply developed a bigger, more powerful PHEV battery and will then leave it up to car companies to decide how to squeeze it into the bodywork of a given vehicle, but the company has previously said that it is developing a new family of batteries which is vastly more energy-dense — and therefore smaller — than current batteries. That technology was originally aimed at creating batteries which would be sufficiently small, light, and powerful enough to be used by aircraft, but it’s certainly possible that CATL is using the same technology to design its new PHEV battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LSASEQ46P5E3BOHIC3UNXMRUVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609617},"content":"What we do know is that CATL says that it is also squeezing every possible drop of efficiency out of this battery design, thanks to new cathode designs, and a ten per cent improvement in the battery’s electric utilisation rate — the measure of how much of a battery’s total storage capacity can actually be used at any one time. The Freevoy battery uses a combination of lithium-ion and sodium-ion technology, working side-by-side in the same pack, to achieve its exceptional energy storage figures.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YUDK65HDYZGSHKHOSCW2HWPDMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609618},"content":"CATL’s new battery has another trick up its sleeve; ultra-fast charging. Again, CATL is being coy about releasing a full set of figures, but it has said that the Freevoy can charge up at a rate that allows an extra 280km of range to be added in just ten minutes, using a high-speed CCS DC charger.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WHFOCSE3JREQ5C6NVHWD2V3ZXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609619},"content":"Sounds like fiction? Not so, according to CATL. The battery maker says that it has already signed deals with several Chinese car makers — including Geely, Chery, and GAC — to use the design and that as many as 25 different models using the Freevoy battery are earmarked for production in 2025.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Chinese giant CATL develops a clever battery which could change the hybrid car paradigm"},"display_date":"2024-11-22T13:31:54.506Z","headlines":{"basic":"New battery could mean PHEVs with a 400km electric range","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"SZAIJ4SPR3CKJOBLYQ2IPQUC2Q","auth":{"1":"9f9301f5b944e4e434e86ed94b58c7ed661ad4992f04557e0768a72e117a8bfd"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SZAIJ4SPR3CKJOBLYQ2IPQUC2Q.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/22/new-battery-could-mean-phevs-with-a-400km-electric-range/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"YPCSUPIWVJHWRE76AEAGBMMSQY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":512,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/c90c7e6b-0192-4c8d-9dcc-4ee84d94d7ca/versions/1731424804/media/cd3921048e1208f273144e90e5cf4741_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/20/test-drive-audis-revised-e-tron-gt-proves-electric-vehicle-fun-doubters-wrong/","content_elements":[{"_id":"5MPGR6BOCFHWBHRFG4YFAH4PFI","additional_properties":{"_id":"IZ4RKE7KVZA2PI6EZF2QXIIM7Y"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-66437","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"OJYZ7ZVHMNCO5GJAY2IWOICYD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732098510963},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/audi/\" target=\"_blank\">Audi </a>is in something of a crisis at the moment, with one of its factories closing down and sweeping job cuts on the horizon. Carmakers often endure crises, and equally as often come out the other side in the long run. Oddly, it also seems to be the case that when <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">carmakers </a>enter a big crisis, they often as not produce one of their best cars ever.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ICR7LAFY7JCUDGYHV4RXDSBR3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610643},"content":"It’s happened in the past – not least on two occasions with Rover, the 1976 SD1 and the 1998 75 – but Audi has definitely added to the annals of great cars built in hard times. The e-tron GT S is definitely one of those.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BWWZCVR3QNCRLK45SXHZTDMXLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610644},"content":"For the €139,365 price tag for the basic model, you’d kind of hope it would be at least good. For the frankly-silly options-in price tag of the car we’re driving here, €174,077, you’d expect it to wake you up in the morning with tea and fresh pancakes. It doesn’t quite do that, but it does an awful lot of other good stuff.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WQ3C5EMG3JEY3DGRX3FSN2AKJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610645},"content":"Of course, the e-tron GT has been on sale for three years now, and this updated version looks essentially – bar some tweaks to the lights, bumpers, and the grille at the front – basically the same as before. Ah, but there have been some more fundamental changes under the skin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PATV2FFKJFC6NKFSGR7OIH64KM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610646},"content":"The battery pack is all new for a start, stretching its capacity to 97kWh within the same physical dimensions as the previous model’s 84kWh battery. In fact, it’s actually one while kilo lighter than before. That’s of small comfort when the whole car weighs in at a chonky 2,385kg, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7SQCUCWGHNGRBOLYWTFQIAB764","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610647},"content":"The improved battery pack, aided by <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric motors </a>which manage to be both more powerful and more efficient, means that this e-tron GT S – the entry model of the new e-tron GT line-up – has a claimed one-charge range of 609km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5WZXYB4CFBGLHKUMY3LRFY4Y3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610648},"content":"Not merely a claimed range, a realistic one. Here is one of the great benefits of taking a bit EV battery and, instead of fitting it to some lofty SUV, instead slotting it into something as low-slung and sleek as the e-tron GT. Drive this car gently and you could easily see that 600km range in real-world conditions. Even with lots of motorway miles and some rapid mountain-road driving, we were seeing a minimum of 550km available on a full charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"746NRIQCW5BKZEZHJ3Q2YJHNIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610649},"content":"Speaking of which, the e-tron GT S now charges faster than before. It was incredibly rapid already, boasting a maximum 270kW of DC fast charging power. Now, that’s been boosted to 320kW, assuming you can find a charger that’s actually pumping out that kind of power, and in theory you can charge this battery from 10-80 per cent in just 18 minutes. There’s also optional 22kW AC charging for making the most of kerbside charging points.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V5PH3IR72JEDXBZE5G7RGQNDCU","additional_properties":{"_id":"PP22YCM4KBGAXBEPDGCRWUNP2M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"K4N4LT26Q5GP5KVNQP36JVDYEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"7XRAC2A73ZEW5NVXGSOTOVH34I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"24ZGIDHBC5BRRFYNXUCCNDRWE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610650},"content":"If you think that’s brisk charging, wait till you get to the actual performance. Now, I mentioned that this S version is the entry-level e-tron GT model. However, thanks to a new rear electric motor, it has seen its power boosted from an already-impressive 530hp to a frankly silly 679hp. Yes, you have to activate a special Boost mode to unlock all of that power, and it only lasts for a few seconds at a time, but blimey, Charlie this is a quick car. 0-100km/h comes up in 3.4 seconds, by which time all of the blood will have drained from your feet. Incidentally, the top-spec RS e-tron performance model has 910hp.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IFCBH7PEPBBGTK6XJ5BRBDTMPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731422322700},"content":"So, the e-tron GT S looks good, and goes every bit as well as it looks. Electric cars that are rapid in a straight line are two a penny, though. Heck, MG will sell you a 4 X-Power model which isn’t all that much slower than this six-figure Audi. The complaint that true petrolheads generally throw at electric cars is that they’re all mouth and no trousers. Or, to put it another way, speed is all well and good, but how a car corners and handles is what truly makes it special.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DT7ZZXJTCBA6HBQDR6SYQKOABM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610652},"content":"Consider the Audi e-tron GT S special, in that case. All four corners are sprung by adaptive air suspension, which automatically tweaks the ride height to suit your driving, which is good but it does tend to leave the nose at speed-bump scraping height, and the suspension lift button is on the touchscreen – Audi really should have put it on the steering wheel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4GDQBELO5ZEAHDB5AQWP74PSGY","additional_properties":{"_id":"E7XBWERFCZESTMU5LI5VELJ5VU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6XXRLDAI6BGTROSZVONWUHMW7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610653},"content":"Speaking of, the touchscreen is irritating in other ways, notably that it seems to bluntly refuse to accept that you’ve pressed it at times. Thankfully, Audi has left in physical buttons for the air conditioning system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UZGPWL4LBZENZIP2TVGWWNGAK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610654},"content":"You sit down low in the e-tron GT S, dropping way, way down through those slim doors. Elegant exits are an art form best left to those in their twenties, but you won’t care once you’re in. The steering wheel is oddly squared-off, but it’s reasonably comfortable to hold. You just wish Audi had followed its partner Porsche’s lead and fitted a simpler all-round steering wheel instead.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V3G35MYKX5HI7I6GH7VSNKMAJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610655},"content":"However, that wheel is connected to steering that feels fantastically weighty, and which actually feeds back at least a little information about what’s happening under the fat front Continentals. It’s no Mazda MX-5 in this regard (what is?) but it’s better than almost any other EV out there.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A33PZNECKRG75LITRJ37MHABVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610656},"content":"Find a series of challenging corners and the e-tron GT S really steps up. Yes, the weight is there, and yes you can feel it in the initial steering response which takes half-a-beat to convince that low nose to shrug off its inertia. Once it does so, the e-tron GT S has properly thoroughbred responses. It slices through corners, gently skimming each apex, and feels fabulously flat, poised, and performative. Actually, in many ways it feels much less like an electric car, and much more like an old-school V8 powered super-saloon. Except that there’s no engine noise, and you don’t wake up the entire county when you fancy a spirited drive in the country.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q5553QZTINFKZKA646KL3A3UOE","additional_properties":{"_id":"MUEOHGA2UVAGBHCY5SQYWQ33U4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"J5CMLNCAIJFBLGLEANRGIY6CK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610657},"content":"Honestly, it’s a remarkable car, and one transformed from its prior self far more than the same-again styling would have you believe. With that lengthy range, handling brilliance, and frankly silly performance, the Audi e-tron GT S is the EV from which the keys had to be aggressively pried from my tightly closed fist. Of course, it’s worth remembering that under the skin, a Porsche Taycan is identical, and actually you can buy a slower, rear-drive Porsche for less than the price of the four-wheel-drive-only Audi.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TCFL6ALN5BHKFE6AKL6YADPIBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610658},"content":"The better news is that, inevitably, this is the one and only sphere where the idea of trickle-down actually works. Pricey six-figure cars get all the good stuff first, so hopefully the brilliant Audi e-tron GT S is a harbinger of more fun, more affordable electric cars to come.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PUUOJRO5BJCW5J7O2RBRJI7TLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610659},"content":"<b>Lowdown: </b>Audi e-tron GT S","type":"text"},{"_id":"PF5RUIMTUNHA7E5PF6HTVHWPHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694283},"content":"<b>Power:</b> 500kW twin e-motors developing 679hp and 740Nm of torque, powering all four wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IRCUFBGNCNFZJPYBYDPAGNIYRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694284},"content":"<b>CO₂ emissions (annual motor tax):</b> 0g/km (€120).","type":"text"},{"_id":"VUSW75V7YNHJ7CFHXOJ6GVLNPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694285},"content":"<b>Electric consumption:</b> 19.7-18.0kWh/100km (WLTP).","type":"text"},{"_id":"AQLITOEEKJFNPFGFLLSCONSJCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694286},"content":"<b>Electric range:</b> 609km (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"6I3V4FPHHBEGLLMY3SQWJN4OTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694287},"content":"<b>0-100km/h: </b>3.4 seconds","type":"text"},{"_id":"6XMWAX6NTNGZZF5I3GFKCOVC5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694288},"content":"<b>Price:</b> €174,077 as tested, e-tron GT starts from €139,365.","type":"text"},{"_id":"476S2MUMDZFRFL2NEWJWJ4SIKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694289},"content":"<b>Our rating:</b> 4/5.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SPUUWZMXJNB2ZO2KPGP4RO4HB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694290},"content":"<b>Verdict:</b> Proves that EVs can have soul, too.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Impressive power backed up by predictable poise and exceptional range"},"display_date":"2024-11-20T07:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Test drive: Audi’s revised e-tron GT proves electric car fun-doubters wrong","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"N7IJK2ASNVEIDECMBRLNG7U7PI","auth":{"1":"db2206c7864449aa088dec216e1b5e0435683da9e81a07fc2c211e3dd2a2fa76"},"focal_point":{"x":2910,"y":2425},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/N7IJK2ASNVEIDECMBRLNG7U7PI.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/20/test-drive-audis-revised-e-tron-gt-proves-electric-vehicle-fun-doubters-wrong/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}}],"count":335,"_id":"0c994652578112d97181b7797ddc8022c703bf464ab93f30e2d97c1f573b5689"},"expires":1732963814256,"lastModified":1732963513892}},"star-review-query-feed":{"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":7,\"offset\":0,\"query\":\"(taxonomy.primary_section._id:\\\"/motors\\\") AND (subtype:\\\"Review\\\")\",\"size\":7}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"BTW62JBS2FGLJBNYQQHAEIBLRI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":483,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8dd9b73c-855c-4951-b45f-13e7104aea3e/versions/1732191057/media/8f46fe78d71ff4ae8163170067b6514c_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/27/new-dacia-duster-great-value-returns-in-a-much-prettier-package/","content_elements":[{"_id":"SLF52ESYWFAQNK6JRRAOXQ36CQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"L65JMK4W7JDNXD74OYQZUS6YKY"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-42184","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"EHLFOCND55DRLGKCXY4GOMYRQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732617528891},"content":"There is something so appealing about a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/\" target=\"_blank\">car</a> that just gets on with its job. A car that sets out its stall, and delivers on its promises. In a world where technological overkill is the order of the day, something that majors on functionality and simplicity feels like a dip in a refreshing pool.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D4V2ZD7CKBEZZIAZQJ7VO7UFTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803594},"content":"Perhaps, then, it’s little wonder that <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dacia/\" target=\"_blank\">Dacia</a> leads the field in several key European markets when it comes to actual customers putting their own hands in their own pockets to buy a new car. Filter out the (often heavily discounted) company car and fleet sales, and this is what people are actually buying.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I4MIOFLA4REV5O2Y46E4VN4GSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803595},"content":"So the new Duster has to tread a delicate line. Clearly, technology counts when it comes to new cars, but if this new model were to overload itself with screens, gadgets and gewgaws it would likely offend and exclude the company’s huge base of existing Duster customers. A careful balance would have to be struck.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S3SSQTHWSJCGTKMOSWF3SQBB7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803596},"content":"That balance must be struck at a time when Dacia is moving, ever so slightly, away from its bargain bucket roots. When first envisaged, Dacia was supposed to be a style-free zone, with its car rigorously built down to a price with body panels as flat as pancakes in an effort to keep manufacturing costs down.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZFHFXZKX6VABJPVGY7NYJURKMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803597},"content":"Now, though Dacia says that it’s on a mission to create cars that customers actively crave, not to mention that through it’s outdoorsy Stepway models and Extreme trim levels it wants to appeal to some of the same customers as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/jeep/\" target=\"_blank\">Jeep</a>, albeit at a much lower price level.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NFRZ26SHMJCU7BUBGRMLV6KF3A","additional_properties":{"_id":"DAH2ZS4ZNJGWFMIZCNMW7QFU4M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AFQMNUVKAFBR7BWXEXNQRLB5AM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803599},"content":"So, that’s why this new Duster looks so much more visually exciting than the previous model – although it also looks arguably a little more fussy and perhaps even a bit over-styled. I wonder will the previous Duster, in its plain-ness, start to look ever more appealing than this new one. Still, with those ultra-slim headlights and the chunky, castellated bonnet (shades of the original 1970 Range Rover perhaps?) this new Duster certainly looks good, and wears its gorgeous Cedar Green paint work very nicely.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GVGEPXF44JG2TNI6MIEXTNHU3E","additional_properties":{"_id":"5YGZSUSMCJHMXGBGQM4WWDVCRQ"},"content":"Test drive: Audi’s revised e-tron GT proves electric car fun-doubters wrong","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"2QWYQ3VNUBACBCBLXAEDOBMFZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803600},"content":"Look around, and even with the new style, you’ll spot the clever little ways in which Dacia has saved a euro here, 50c there to keep the Duster’s price down to palatable levels (which start at €25,990 for the basic Essential model). The brake lights are in one unit, and don’t stretch across the boot lid, which would have required extra bulbs, extra wiring and extra validation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JPDFR4RDDJHOREAGZUKQ23BCKU","additional_properties":{"_id":"TNWECWOUVRH2LNHF53XDS6UE5Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"S7LKXVAQZZD6VBAC4JC7TX327I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803602},"content":"The rear door handles are simple plastic flaps integrated into the top rear of the door itself, rather than a pricier painted handle which would have to be integrated into the rear wheel arch flare. The black edges to the bumpers and the “vent” in front of the front doors are all made from recycled and recyclable plastic – which is actually currently more expensive to make than regular plastic, but which will become much more affordable as Dacia spreads out its use to the rest of the model line-up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JMSENKO7VBB47E45FZVU6GCMDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803603},"content":"Inside, the Duster’s cabin is genuinely strikingly different. The previous Duster had a plain and simple cabin, with lots of cheap plastics, for which you simply had to make the “yeah, but look how little it cost me” excuse.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J5HQDSQHL5GOBCLNG6HVWEDX3M","additional_properties":{"_id":"EFTGSUZTZNEUHNWTEB6CEDKCR4"},"content":"Dacia Spring gives you only what you need","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"S36R3RVLZVHINDEGTB5E2JRHAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184065609},"content":"For this Duster’s cabin, no excuse is needed. Yes, there are still plenty of cheap plastics, but they’ve been given textures and patterns that makes them more appealing in both visual and tactile senses.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UVXB72V25ZAJ5MAHQRGUPWU4XI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184065610},"content":"This Extreme-spec model gets nice little copper-coloured highlights too, which add another visual lift. The seats in the front are excellent, and covered not in leather (which Dacia has binned entirely on both cost and environmental grounds, along with chrome trim) but in a cool neoprene-like fabric, again made in part from recycled plastics.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GJGIU6LFRJHBFNTUIZDBKIMLXE","additional_properties":{"_id":"XTD3PPVPJ5CHHCQIYG3OCBCQJ4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6AUBTBTZO5EIZJTO2WZ6JOVIME","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803605},"content":"The driving position is excellent, even if taller drivers will find that the windscreen is a touch shallow, and the 10.1-inch touchscreen (standard on all aside from basic Essential models, which instead use a mobile phone clamp and an app) is actually pretty straightforward and easy to use, helped by the fact that Dacia has retained proper physical controls for the air conditioning.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AGIBML45X5B4FONFYJIUI7XEQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803606},"content":"In the back, space is a touch tight if you’re very tall, but six-foot-me was able to comfortably fit in behind my own driving position, while the boot, at 478 litres, (it shrinks to 414 litres for 4x4 models) is generous and well shaped. Dotted around the cabin are also handy little YouClip fixtures, to which you can attach a whole plethora of affordable accessories from extra cup holders to phone holsters, storage trays, and even an LED torch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QWWIRQMZSVBARITVEWT5ZZYAXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803607},"content":"Our Duster Extreme test car was, appropriately, the most extreme Duster you can buy, with adaptive four-wheel drive (there’s a display on the touchscreen showing you how much engine power is heading to the back wheels) with a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbo petrol engine developing 130hp and 230Nm of torque. It powers those four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, and there’s a Land Rover-style selection switch on the centre console that allows you to tweak and tune the four-wheel drive and traction control settings to suit the immediate terrain.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3RH5MNAMHNGQVHW3GQSBRTRWCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803608},"content":"Thus equipped, the Duster – low-geared in first and second – will slither happily about in the mud and mire, thanks to standard-fit all-terrain tyres for the 4WD model. It’s really quite capable, but does that mean you pay a penalty when you’re back on tarmac?","type":"text"},{"_id":"J7TVRT5V2RDJNBWYJOETCW2NZA","additional_properties":{"_id":"TMETX5SW7JBRRELBVVLGQXJCVM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"LYJAVC6Q65E6BLKXYY36H3OY4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803610},"content":"Not really, no. Dacia has given the Duster relatively soft suspension – well, are you buying this in place of a hot hatch? – which allows a degree of body roll, but it’s an agreeable degree. The softness of the springs also means that urban lumps and country road potholes won’t trouble you much. The steering doesn’t have much feel, but it’s well-weighted enough and the Duster feels fundamentally decent to drive. Only a touch of wind noise at higher speeds, along with a sense of breathlessness in those low gears, attempt to spoil the show and neither, to be honest, are much of an issue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DNEYC2CNUVCRTIQBGRORJIJGCU","additional_properties":{"_id":"TLUIMOYZ6BD53OLXZXQ2QLYSQY"},"content":"Can the Ford Explorer arrive late to the EV party and still impress?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"LJHDAA36LRBWJAL2N7JW5E6ZLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732617528913},"content":"Fuel economy is also decent, and we averaged slightly more than 6.0 litres per 100km. If you want to do better than that, skip this four-wheel drive model and go for the front-drive hybrid model instead, which most customers presumably will do. There’s also a basic 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol for the entry-level model, which does the job just fine.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EBDEJWEYXVF5ZFXWJM5Z5ALP4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803612},"content":"Doing the job just fine is basically how the Duster goes about life. That’s why it is one of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/11/15/seven-shortlisted-for-europes-car-of-the-year/\" target=\"_blank\">seven finalists for Europe’s Car of the Year</a>. It’s a really well-thought out, well-executed car that remains affordable, but feels like less of a hair-shirt experience than once it would have. It’s practical, affordable, simple, and surprisingly good to drive. Honestly, what more do you want from a new car?","type":"text"},{"_id":"KSVLQLOXO5HYDFNJLGT6OGQCG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803613},"content":"<b>Lowdown: Dacia Duster 1.2 130 4x4 Extreme</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"EH6NCOTJRJCWJDV2VIUGC7FEXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803614},"content":"<b>Power: </b>1.2 litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine with 130hp and 230Nm of torque driving the front wheels through a six gearbox.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3SPBCV3VBZGCDLF57NXXGVB3T4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803615},"content":"<b>0-100km/h: </b>11.0 secs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"55IAVLOYXFCQ7DJFSWABKD25BY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803616},"content":"<b>Emissions (motor tax):</b> 135g/km (€210).","type":"text"},{"_id":"N45YWAVBFFGITNU4YHZALRQRRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803617},"content":"<b>Fuel consumption:</b> 6.1l/100km (WLTP).","type":"text"},{"_id":"77UE3TRB2RBXNHAFDGYVSWA464","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803618},"content":"<b>Price:</b> €34,840 as tested. Duster from €25,990.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GV4FRPWHVVA7LPELLYTS77Z2ZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803619},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"JE2GKCXI2BA6TF7ND4BSE4DGKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803620},"content":"<b>Verdict: </b>As well-thought-out a car as you can currently buy. Makes eminent sense.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"    "},"display_date":"2024-11-27T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"New Dacia Duster: Great value returns in a much prettier package","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"4OB4A5YYSZHGVNJ75U2WYLZGEI","auth":{"1":"80c35791b7beca4d34444f4fdcaa3f6d7d5e547860d3bdaa9f15a718f1aee171"},"focal_point":{"x":2902,"y":997},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/4OB4A5YYSZHGVNJ75U2WYLZGEI.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/27/new-dacia-duster-great-value-returns-in-a-much-prettier-package/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"6IUJEYQUCJHZPINRIOCKLR3OWA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":383,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/67d3ccf5-ac17-4241-84b9-56079bd5e312/versions/1732186456/media/443b707db786db72dfc795e2c7b8f286_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/27/alfa-romeo-junior-ev-delivers-real-driving-fun-despite-seeming-sacrilege-to-the-brands-fans/","content_elements":[{"_id":"VGF4Y5MYZBCNTCBU3GRQABWUEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"NEEVILZRCNHYHC6R6T7J62SLSE"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-27525","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"6JWN3UGZCRGQTLY6UNSNF2FVIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270298},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/alfa-romeo\" target=\"_blank\">Alfa Romeo</a> is not such much a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/motors\" target=\"_blank\">car</a> brand as a cult. Its passionate enthusiasts see the brand as the Opus Dei of the automotive world. That’s why so many struggle with the sacrilege of the SUV and more recently, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">the EV</a>. The Junior represents their Judas Iscariot.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QILGJHLTVZB5RK33NRLJWXOXIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270299},"content":"These emotional fans demand emotive cars, and they have been well-served with vehicles as temperamental as themselves. Yet, like with their religious counterparts, congregations have been noticeably dwindling. Reformation was overdue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZNAE6AIH2RDNDIFRMVOC7LE44Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270300},"content":"Enter Jean Philippe Imparato, an auto executive with a record as a bit of a miracle worker. Having resurrected the fortunes of Peugeot, it was time for the French man to work his magic in northern Italy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6JNEMNIKBNETDDYEOOA3H5JD7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270302},"content":"His first priority was to improve quality and reliability. That’s a long-term effort, but the initial signs have been good. The Tonale may be a bit lacklustre on the road, but it does seem to be holding together well. And the pipeline of new models promise to put the Scudetto grille back in the mix with German premium brands.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6UBCFTGJSZG43OLA6CJ36L5CQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270303},"content":"But to fund its product offensive, it needs a steady flow of cash. And that’s where the Junior comes in. Alfa engineers may love a saloon, but they can’t ignore the public’s preference for a crossover.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QN3J3GGEKFHIVLL6MEHRDNY6ZA","additional_properties":{"_id":"5B7VYLM5J5FR5LRUMK3W7GTZNI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JSEDT7Z6NBAWBDHPGF7YQH4LQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270304},"content":"The good news for the Alfisti is that Junior is not just a cash cow, it’s a surprisingly impressive car to drive, both in terms of it being a crossover and also an EV. And that’s being recognised already: the Junior is one of the seven finalists for <a href=\"https://www.caroftheyear.org/index.php\" target=\"_blank\">Europe’s Car of the Year</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NKZO4EQ6FJHHPLRYI5KNPBGN4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270305},"content":"Of course, it’s not sold only as an EV. Junior comes with a selection of powertrain options: a 136hp 1.2-litre petrol regular hybrid or an all-electric in either 156hp or 280hp output (both front-wheel drive). Range is promised to be 406km on a full charge of the 156hp version.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KVVNG37YQBBJTMEBF32TPXMIHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270306},"content":"That’s a promise this car might keep, for during our time with Junior on Irish roads, the Italian managed to deliver the sort of energy consumption to achieve 350km. That’s not stellar by any means, and there are certainly similar-sized cars with better range.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GHPLF7DLA5D4HMCT3WO7ISVL4M","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZBIQYM6BN5F23G3MANISKPE7IE"},"content":"EV Q&A: Is it possible to reduce the environmental impact of building an electric car?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"P2DLGA7XEFBATLUDN2S4F74G24","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270307},"content":"The 51kWh battery pack and the rest of its underpinnings are straight from the Stellantis parts bin. They have been tried and tested in Peugeots, Opels, Jeeps and Fiats. So have the regular engines that will power the non-electric versions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6Z6ROX23JRGO5FL5XOVVM27VVI","additional_properties":{"_id":"TUUOGSO7EVF7FEZX4BFHT6XGQI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JONTJBCNXJFYRDS5XUVWFOQR3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270309},"content":"But don’t be fooled: this is not just a dressed-up Opel or rebadged Peugeot. The real magic with Junior is how it handles itself on the road. This car is fun.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O6GJOESTGNFPFL3P5BKF6KASDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270310},"content":"That’s what differentiates it from its otherwise competent siblings.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WTARLCQSLRB3FFQKVTLO5IPHAU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270311},"content":"The 156hp version we tested isn’t necessarily fast, with a 0-100km time of nine seconds. For that you want the 280hp version, which cracks that distance in 5.6 seconds. But there’s enough throttle power there to deliver an engaging drive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XR4CTOLMRNAXPHYRLSMJ43EPZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270312},"content":"Somehow, weighing in at 1.5 tonnes, Junior feels light and agile. That’s a feat other <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">EV cars</a> simply cannot manage. Part of this is down to the steering feel, which is remarkably sharp, but also the chassis, which is responsive and obedient to your instructions. There’s a balance and poise to this Alfa that can fool you into forgetting it’s a crossover – and an all-electric one at that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4HKZM4JXMNH2JHO3BIWK4JLGCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270313},"content":"It’s not without flaws, the primary one being that we’d like snappier brakes. But as a follow-up to the rather lacklustre Tonale, it’s a reminder of why so many people fell in love with Alfas in the first place.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X4PWXAZRDBHSHGENI5LPVBTR7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270314},"content":"In design terms, the crossover is squat enough to resemble a hatchback profile, while the high rear tailgate has touches of Kia’s current EV6, but links back to Alfa heritage as well.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F5DUQGDIJRBXVBGC5QIGWRJKDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270315},"content":"The plastic grille on the electric version is going to divide the crowd, but it’s a competent take on what is a vestigial feature in any event; they might as well have included a toy gearstick inside the car and added a V8 soundtrack.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4QTIT2R5OREP5MMSFKG4Y4HK2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"4RRWJ46XNNBFHNWG4EVCJ37ZZM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"GWRREROHFFEGZPUSO2SMJLA6FE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270317},"content":"The interior is dark, at least on our test car. Trying to retain the sports car feel, it perhaps leans too much to the past and does itself a disservice in feeling at times a little dated.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYWZ3GIAQNBAZM45HESD3OZSDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270318},"content":"It’s a solid effort, and while there are plenty of parts here shared with the rest of the Stellantis brands, it’s well put together. Pitching at premium buyers it might struggle a bit, with a launch price of €42,500, but get it out on the road and its entertaining handling will make up for any qualms you might have about the decor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q3OGWIJTRJA3LGVDPLDL2CPV7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270319},"content":"To follow Alfa you need a degree of blind faith. It has promised so much in past, but disappointment lingers around the corner.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VH5JDNIRHBCCBOSGIZ22QR6AYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270320},"content":"Sadly, Imparato has handed over the keys of Alfa and moved on. Given the rollercoaster ride at Alfa these past three decades, it’s a retrograde step. Like every cult, a lot about success or failure comes down to the leader.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QHATA5BIQVE6FIVAVT5UFAAJLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270321},"content":"If this is his legacy, then he can certainly be proud. If it provides the cash to deliver his promised pipeline of new models, then he may one day be regarded as a motoring saviour – at least among the Alfisti.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6MYLJPKWNVB7RNXTAEIV3O6AKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270322},"content":"Alfa Romeo Junior Launch Edition 156HP BEV","type":"header"},{"_id":"7FK6XREKPJEKZJWMMOS5NFCB4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270323},"content":"<b>Power </b>A 156hp electric motor powered by a net 51kWh battery pack, driving the front wheels","type":"text"},{"_id":"I33YRXEJI5AELOZYWGYQMKVIIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270324},"content":"<b>0-100km/h </b>9.0 secs","type":"text"},{"_id":"S4IGQRZEAZFEHH2FERBT27QXWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270325},"content":"<b>Range </b>406km (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"WACZH2HK35BRBOQQKL7DOM4QWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270326},"content":"<b>Consumption</b> 15.3 kWh/100km","type":"text"},{"_id":"N3AHDFW7VNANPBDU73GDSPGLII","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270327},"content":"<b>Price </b>€42,500 (launch edition price)","type":"text"},{"_id":"M5K4ZHYSXJAW3ENY6HVVLW57SY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270328},"content":"<b>Our rating</b> 4/5","type":"text"},{"_id":"LP3MGODBE5F7FPERQKAGS7544Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270329},"content":"<b>Verdict </b>Full-flavour Alfa driving fun for the electric era","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"    "},"display_date":"2024-11-27T00:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Alfa Romeo Junior EV delivers real driving fun despite seeming sacrilege to the brand’s fans","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FGCUDX4CXZHVXLKIVEEGFFVGNU","auth":{"1":"66aeb56d482548a41e1a27b8d5e060269b1061a9f89a0bbabb2e8654239e0eb8"},"focal_point":{"x":3595,"y":1890},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FGCUDX4CXZHVXLKIVEEGFFVGNU.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/27/alfa-romeo-junior-ev-delivers-real-driving-fun-despite-seeming-sacrilege-to-the-brands-fans/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"YPCSUPIWVJHWRE76AEAGBMMSQY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":512,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/c90c7e6b-0192-4c8d-9dcc-4ee84d94d7ca/versions/1731424804/media/cd3921048e1208f273144e90e5cf4741_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/20/test-drive-audis-revised-e-tron-gt-proves-electric-vehicle-fun-doubters-wrong/","content_elements":[{"_id":"5MPGR6BOCFHWBHRFG4YFAH4PFI","additional_properties":{"_id":"IZ4RKE7KVZA2PI6EZF2QXIIM7Y"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-66437","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"OJYZ7ZVHMNCO5GJAY2IWOICYD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732098510963},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/audi/\" target=\"_blank\">Audi </a>is in something of a crisis at the moment, with one of its factories closing down and sweeping job cuts on the horizon. Carmakers often endure crises, and equally as often come out the other side in the long run. Oddly, it also seems to be the case that when <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">carmakers </a>enter a big crisis, they often as not produce one of their best cars ever.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ICR7LAFY7JCUDGYHV4RXDSBR3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610643},"content":"It’s happened in the past – not least on two occasions with Rover, the 1976 SD1 and the 1998 75 – but Audi has definitely added to the annals of great cars built in hard times. The e-tron GT S is definitely one of those.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BWWZCVR3QNCRLK45SXHZTDMXLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610644},"content":"For the €139,365 price tag for the basic model, you’d kind of hope it would be at least good. For the frankly-silly options-in price tag of the car we’re driving here, €174,077, you’d expect it to wake you up in the morning with tea and fresh pancakes. It doesn’t quite do that, but it does an awful lot of other good stuff.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WQ3C5EMG3JEY3DGRX3FSN2AKJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610645},"content":"Of course, the e-tron GT has been on sale for three years now, and this updated version looks essentially – bar some tweaks to the lights, bumpers, and the grille at the front – basically the same as before. Ah, but there have been some more fundamental changes under the skin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PATV2FFKJFC6NKFSGR7OIH64KM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610646},"content":"The battery pack is all new for a start, stretching its capacity to 97kWh within the same physical dimensions as the previous model’s 84kWh battery. In fact, it’s actually one while kilo lighter than before. That’s of small comfort when the whole car weighs in at a chonky 2,385kg, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7SQCUCWGHNGRBOLYWTFQIAB764","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610647},"content":"The improved battery pack, aided by <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric motors </a>which manage to be both more powerful and more efficient, means that this e-tron GT S – the entry model of the new e-tron GT line-up – has a claimed one-charge range of 609km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5WZXYB4CFBGLHKUMY3LRFY4Y3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610648},"content":"Not merely a claimed range, a realistic one. Here is one of the great benefits of taking a bit EV battery and, instead of fitting it to some lofty SUV, instead slotting it into something as low-slung and sleek as the e-tron GT. Drive this car gently and you could easily see that 600km range in real-world conditions. Even with lots of motorway miles and some rapid mountain-road driving, we were seeing a minimum of 550km available on a full charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"746NRIQCW5BKZEZHJ3Q2YJHNIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610649},"content":"Speaking of which, the e-tron GT S now charges faster than before. It was incredibly rapid already, boasting a maximum 270kW of DC fast charging power. Now, that’s been boosted to 320kW, assuming you can find a charger that’s actually pumping out that kind of power, and in theory you can charge this battery from 10-80 per cent in just 18 minutes. There’s also optional 22kW AC charging for making the most of kerbside charging points.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V5PH3IR72JEDXBZE5G7RGQNDCU","additional_properties":{"_id":"PP22YCM4KBGAXBEPDGCRWUNP2M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"K4N4LT26Q5GP5KVNQP36JVDYEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"7XRAC2A73ZEW5NVXGSOTOVH34I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"24ZGIDHBC5BRRFYNXUCCNDRWE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610650},"content":"If you think that’s brisk charging, wait till you get to the actual performance. Now, I mentioned that this S version is the entry-level e-tron GT model. However, thanks to a new rear electric motor, it has seen its power boosted from an already-impressive 530hp to a frankly silly 679hp. Yes, you have to activate a special Boost mode to unlock all of that power, and it only lasts for a few seconds at a time, but blimey, Charlie this is a quick car. 0-100km/h comes up in 3.4 seconds, by which time all of the blood will have drained from your feet. Incidentally, the top-spec RS e-tron performance model has 910hp.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IFCBH7PEPBBGTK6XJ5BRBDTMPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731422322700},"content":"So, the e-tron GT S looks good, and goes every bit as well as it looks. Electric cars that are rapid in a straight line are two a penny, though. Heck, MG will sell you a 4 X-Power model which isn’t all that much slower than this six-figure Audi. The complaint that true petrolheads generally throw at electric cars is that they’re all mouth and no trousers. Or, to put it another way, speed is all well and good, but how a car corners and handles is what truly makes it special.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DT7ZZXJTCBA6HBQDR6SYQKOABM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610652},"content":"Consider the Audi e-tron GT S special, in that case. All four corners are sprung by adaptive air suspension, which automatically tweaks the ride height to suit your driving, which is good but it does tend to leave the nose at speed-bump scraping height, and the suspension lift button is on the touchscreen – Audi really should have put it on the steering wheel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4GDQBELO5ZEAHDB5AQWP74PSGY","additional_properties":{"_id":"E7XBWERFCZESTMU5LI5VELJ5VU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6XXRLDAI6BGTROSZVONWUHMW7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610653},"content":"Speaking of, the touchscreen is irritating in other ways, notably that it seems to bluntly refuse to accept that you’ve pressed it at times. Thankfully, Audi has left in physical buttons for the air conditioning system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UZGPWL4LBZENZIP2TVGWWNGAK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610654},"content":"You sit down low in the e-tron GT S, dropping way, way down through those slim doors. Elegant exits are an art form best left to those in their twenties, but you won’t care once you’re in. The steering wheel is oddly squared-off, but it’s reasonably comfortable to hold. You just wish Audi had followed its partner Porsche’s lead and fitted a simpler all-round steering wheel instead.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V3G35MYKX5HI7I6GH7VSNKMAJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610655},"content":"However, that wheel is connected to steering that feels fantastically weighty, and which actually feeds back at least a little information about what’s happening under the fat front Continentals. It’s no Mazda MX-5 in this regard (what is?) but it’s better than almost any other EV out there.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A33PZNECKRG75LITRJ37MHABVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610656},"content":"Find a series of challenging corners and the e-tron GT S really steps up. Yes, the weight is there, and yes you can feel it in the initial steering response which takes half-a-beat to convince that low nose to shrug off its inertia. Once it does so, the e-tron GT S has properly thoroughbred responses. It slices through corners, gently skimming each apex, and feels fabulously flat, poised, and performative. Actually, in many ways it feels much less like an electric car, and much more like an old-school V8 powered super-saloon. Except that there’s no engine noise, and you don’t wake up the entire county when you fancy a spirited drive in the country.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q5553QZTINFKZKA646KL3A3UOE","additional_properties":{"_id":"MUEOHGA2UVAGBHCY5SQYWQ33U4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"J5CMLNCAIJFBLGLEANRGIY6CK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610657},"content":"Honestly, it’s a remarkable car, and one transformed from its prior self far more than the same-again styling would have you believe. With that lengthy range, handling brilliance, and frankly silly performance, the Audi e-tron GT S is the EV from which the keys had to be aggressively pried from my tightly closed fist. Of course, it’s worth remembering that under the skin, a Porsche Taycan is identical, and actually you can buy a slower, rear-drive Porsche for less than the price of the four-wheel-drive-only Audi.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TCFL6ALN5BHKFE6AKL6YADPIBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610658},"content":"The better news is that, inevitably, this is the one and only sphere where the idea of trickle-down actually works. Pricey six-figure cars get all the good stuff first, so hopefully the brilliant Audi e-tron GT S is a harbinger of more fun, more affordable electric cars to come.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PUUOJRO5BJCW5J7O2RBRJI7TLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610659},"content":"<b>Lowdown: </b>Audi e-tron GT S","type":"text"},{"_id":"PF5RUIMTUNHA7E5PF6HTVHWPHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694283},"content":"<b>Power:</b> 500kW twin e-motors developing 679hp and 740Nm of torque, powering all four wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IRCUFBGNCNFZJPYBYDPAGNIYRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694284},"content":"<b>CO₂ emissions (annual motor tax):</b> 0g/km (€120).","type":"text"},{"_id":"VUSW75V7YNHJ7CFHXOJ6GVLNPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694285},"content":"<b>Electric consumption:</b> 19.7-18.0kWh/100km (WLTP).","type":"text"},{"_id":"AQLITOEEKJFNPFGFLLSCONSJCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694286},"content":"<b>Electric range:</b> 609km (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"6I3V4FPHHBEGLLMY3SQWJN4OTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694287},"content":"<b>0-100km/h: </b>3.4 seconds","type":"text"},{"_id":"6XMWAX6NTNGZZF5I3GFKCOVC5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694288},"content":"<b>Price:</b> €174,077 as tested, e-tron GT starts from €139,365.","type":"text"},{"_id":"476S2MUMDZFRFL2NEWJWJ4SIKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694289},"content":"<b>Our rating:</b> 4/5.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SPUUWZMXJNB2ZO2KPGP4RO4HB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694290},"content":"<b>Verdict:</b> Proves that EVs can have soul, too.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"    "},"display_date":"2024-11-20T07:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Test drive: Audi’s revised e-tron GT proves electric car fun-doubters wrong","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"N7IJK2ASNVEIDECMBRLNG7U7PI","auth":{"1":"db2206c7864449aa088dec216e1b5e0435683da9e81a07fc2c211e3dd2a2fa76"},"focal_point":{"x":2910,"y":2425},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/N7IJK2ASNVEIDECMBRLNG7U7PI.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/20/test-drive-audis-revised-e-tron-gt-proves-electric-vehicle-fun-doubters-wrong/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"RN7ZZ626SNFRHKJGVPE2OSCDHI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":343,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a543f551-f4a5-4f08-9fc6-eeece2d62cd5/versions/1730907472/media/7ae46b34fd70f3fa09c81102bf0391b2_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/13/car-review-the-polestar-4-is-simply-stellar-when-it-comes-to-comfort/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WULSXEEJXJHWNERRYUQZSGPXJM","additional_properties":{"_id":"Y62KLRV43RCMTIS7VNI3M6RVGE"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-57348","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"DCCYLQWFSJFEZDN7J53TWMC52M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731407709893},"content":"It’s been a tumultuous time for this <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/china/\" target=\"_blank\">Sino</a>-<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/sweden/\" target=\"_blank\">Swedish</a> Volvo offshoot. Flying high on the back of positive reviews for its first volume production car, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/polestar/\" target=\"_blank\">Polestar</a> 2, the product pipeline was due to deliver a showroom of new cars in a steady stream.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VH4G5ULBHNFLNDPEY6GHEUQMX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062283},"content":"Unfortunately, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/health/covid-19/\" target=\"_blank\">Covid</a> and myriad other issues delayed their arrival, so for a long time this brand was flying solo with one car.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DNF5PE5FTBEQLCTZW3MVRWV76M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062284},"content":"Now it’s got two new arrivals coming to Ireland this winter, the best of which is arguably this Polestar 4.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3IV2KGYUXRELVKXYT6ZEMMKOSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062285},"content":"Yes, it’s yet another heavy-set five-seater <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles\" target=\"_blank\">all-electri</a>c crossover. But there are enough positives about this car to let it dodge being dismissed as one more heavy lump of electrically-propelled metal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y5QFN4T7ZFFCRPCEQVU5OPEXPA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062286},"content":"Exterior styling is sleek, if not as dramatically different from the rest of the crossovers out there right now. Also, the way Polestar replaced the rear window with a metal sheet cut out in the silhouette of a window, looks a bit like a retrofit van conversion. They should have made the rear a single metal unit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JMSE6QL3MFHC3LC4DSYJOEMRWU","additional_properties":{"_id":"4PB575EI3VA6DFA2HI3JTKKD3U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"3YYJBT34HBDP3FOEUH4VAVUXRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062288},"content":"The strongest trait of the Polestar 4 is its comfort. Ride quality was a gripe we had with Polestar 2 in the past. The handling has always been sharp and agile, but the price you paid was too high on Irish roads. Executives used to being cosseted in German premium rivals found the going a little rough.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GA7VBXTCYBHS7NL7GFM2MKCOF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062290},"content":"The Polestar 2 was just a little firmer than it needed to be, particularly with any Performance Packs fitted, but the Polestar 4 gets its setting right for Irish roads.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6DNTYAINIFANFFZRVSYP6DI57M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062291},"content":"A tip for potential buyers: avoid any performance packs that stiffen the suspension and opt for the smaller wheels from the options list. On Irish roads, your passengers will thank you.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YBMDHYQG3NDBJML7R5JKSDTNYA","additional_properties":{"_id":"HJQNBE4NW5DC5AXRNPKYHWRZ5A"},"content":"EV Q&A: Are there different kinds of batteries used in electric cars? Which one is best?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"DFELS2L74BH23DLBYFZHBULX2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062292},"content":"Then there’s the cabin, where the Swedish rather than the Sino influences are clearly prevalent. This is where the Scandinavians excel, as we know from every glossy home-design magazine for the last decade.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MEDVR4T4PRCKXD2AFL3IG4S47Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062293},"content":"The Polestar 4 may be the mid-level model, between the 2 and the SUV-styled 3, but it’s also the car that focuses best on the back-seat occupants. Opt for the Plus Pack for €6,300 and you get electric reclining rear seats, similar to what the lucky few will have experienced on business class flights.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FIL542MX5JHOXCTTE4SIEUOKRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062294},"content":"Given its Scandi origins, the cabin is sparse and uncluttered, though a little too dependent on that touchscreen when it comes to controls.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZKVKEX25NBALJA24EKROH73OLU","additional_properties":{"_id":"DSIHT77XLFBCPHYXWQY5Z566XI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"C6GDPLZZOZAULHJUDMPHS7NILQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062296},"content":"That’s potentially a flaw, for the touchscreen may be sleek, but to be more than form over function it’s reliant on equally elegant software. That’s been a problem for Polestar and sister brand Volvo of late – and the gremlins haven’t been fully expunged.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CWQDMZPBSJHBTGCTI5P3MBJK4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062297},"content":"During our time in the test car, we encountered repeated problems with syncing our phone to the car’s touchscreen system. The big touchscreen also suffered a bout of digital meltdown at one stage.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HDINFRKOUVBRXHHKDJMS4KTWUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062298},"content":"We understand that software updates are on the way to correct these issues, but this retrofit approach to tech problems may irk many buyers. You begrudgingly accept these sorts of sell-and-fix-later tactics from smartphone and laptop providers, but it’s not what you expect from car companies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BPTRFFXM4BBCNF5K5JJJ6AMLII","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZN6RN4OCHJGGPC7SIQ5X224UWE"},"content":"Hyundai’s new €18,995 electric car is set to cause quite a stir","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"UBXEJS2MRJBV7NWT7KZFBUNOSY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062300},"content":"The lack of a rear window makes little difference after the first 50km or so; you get used to the rear-view camera screen really quickly. It can also be insightful viewing, for it offers a quality digital view of the occupants of the car behind, and you can see them on the phone, applying make-up or admiring the Polestar.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GEM7IF7MTNB7ZA2MUU6KM4KMDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062301},"content":"Power comes either in a rear-wheel drive 200kW (268hp) single motor or all-wheel drive dual motor 400kW (536hp) format. Both are supplied from a 100kWh ‘long-range’ battery pack.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LJ6A63PQLBGZ7DODSYKQLS5D2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"34FPDM54NZH2TIFSNBSWWNYI4Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"UEVPMDGT7VFGPH7KEE5I5OJVKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062303},"content":"Our test car was the single motor and due to its suspension set-up and better price, it’s the one to pick. True, the dual motor version manages 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds while the single motor does it in a sedate 7.1 seconds. Range claims are 620km for the single motor and 590km for the dual motors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DXOAKF6YAJGVFEYFLNFQN4MHWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062304},"content":"Far-fetched? Not really. Our single motor test car completed multiple national and motorway runs, and delivered power usage figures that would garner close to 600km on a single charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"534ITHKFYJAXBGQWOUUWPYZ4HU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062305},"content":"The Polestar 4, starting at €68,600, is up against some big-name Germans, but this premium market is warmly welcoming new brands these days, in a way that would have been unimaginable a decade ago.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PT4YOATCABACZEL64YG55AGTMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062306},"content":"It’s far from perfect, but there is a graceful elegance about this Sino-Swede that is well matched by its comfort levels on long drives. If they can get the software issues sorted, then it has enough premium traits at a competitive price to suit many executives.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CWFKBYUCXNCA7AWWUUBOMWULRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062307},"content":"Lowdown: Polestar 4 Long range Single Motor","type":"header"},{"_id":"EGJAIVPJZBEZJNXGNAD4RJ6ICM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062308},"content":"<b>Power: </b>A 200kW electric motor powered by 100kW battery pack; rear-wheel drive","type":"text"},{"_id":"C26XHVRX4NG7BM64K66GPBL6DQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062309},"content":"<b>0-100km/h:</b> 7.1 seconds","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q4OOWQNZINA6LDQ5GGSU7XLD6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062310},"content":"<b>Electric consumption:</b> 18.1 KW/h","type":"text"},{"_id":"IYX3YGWQLJDSVLOWETIL27UIJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062311},"content":"<b>Combined range (WLTP): </b>620km","type":"text"},{"_id":"CMXYDFRVW5CONFQOT6KHBJFLE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062312},"content":"<b>Price:</b> €68,600 (€76,200 for dual motor)","type":"text"},{"_id":"H7MFOVO6ZNDVXFRYN5MVPBPHVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062313},"content":"<b>Our rating:</b> 4/5","type":"text"},{"_id":"A532AQYZVFDIJJBENH4VCV5BNI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062314},"content":"<b>Verdict:</b> Not without its flaws, but the best car to come from Polestar to date.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"    "},"display_date":"2024-11-13T07:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Car review: The Polestar 4 is simply stellar when it comes to comfort","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"KUTYJZEZFRHE3O2HRTRBNU5VJ4","auth":{"1":"f0f687e28df0d479117cf186c81c2b7bd9d1c2c4cd7015ece40d9d4195c36880"},"focal_point":{"x":1080,"y":485},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/KUTYJZEZFRHE3O2HRTRBNU5VJ4.jpeg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/13/car-review-the-polestar-4-is-simply-stellar-when-it-comes-to-comfort/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"V7PHRLCWLBFB5C5SGAXHEOWP7A","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":564,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/888b1d8d-41c4-447d-89f3-91175e4f8676/versions/1730717309/media/56f491682f5977c358aba65ea67f60a4_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/06/heavyweight-bmw-m5-hits-with-an-appropriate-punch/","content_elements":[{"_id":"PH7MTVJTARDW7A5HFK2JIIWVVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715245},"content":"We tend to think of the classic-age ocean liners – the likes of the Olympic, the Queen Mary, the Normandie, the United States and so on – as being massive, lumbering hotels at sea. Something the size of a building just shouldn’t be fast.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NOCCA6JZPVAQRHJZ3R6SJBSLRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715246},"content":"And yet, not only were these one-time titans of the sea faster by far than you’d think (like, speedboat-fast), but there was actually a genuine competition, known as the Blue Riband, to see which could cross the Atlantic the fastest. Even in wartime, these ships, when turned over to military service, didn’t need an escort to cross the oceans – they could simply outrun any enemy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6VN536T3WBH3DGQBN6O2YB7AYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715247},"content":"Which puts the new BMW M5′s weight problem into some kind of perspective. Yes, it’s heavy, so heavy that at 2,510kg at the kerb, it’s 700kg weightier than the previous M5 CS. But then, like those liners, it has the kind of power that it needs to make the weight almost irrelevant.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3344QHJ4BJG3PDUW4WEVAR3PDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715248},"content":"The M5, as a species, has generally evolved gently over the years since the original E28 model – with its fabulous 3.5-litre straight-six engine pinched from the seventies M1 supercar – was launched in 1984. Aside from the brief aberration of the 2003 V10-engined version, the M5 has just quietly got on with gently morphing from straight-six to V8 power, and remaining a relatively subtle, under-the-radar way of propelling you quickly and comfortably about the place.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WCUOHRP6DBEJPAMFYSUN6YQHL4","additional_properties":{"_id":"NBVKVC3MKZADJJ5QXFDPBYZCUU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"KPDMTBUENRCCZOT36JKOW6SCEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715249},"content":"However, for this new M5 (the G90 model if you’re collecting BMW product codes), Munich knew that a big change was needed, and so while this M5 retains its mighty V8 engine, it is also now a plug-in hybrid.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H5V4ZC6L3RDYXL5XICUEUIAEWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715250},"content":"This is perhaps not the shock that it might once have been. After all, the (hideous) XM SUV laid the groundwork for the combo of V8 and plug-in hybrid power, while BMW has begun campaigning V8 hybrid-powered racing cars at Le Mans.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W22E46Y2PJCTHNJ6MEP6ZVJJXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715251},"content":"Electric power is a necessity these days, especially if BMW’s M Division wants to get new models past the beady eyes of legislators. Already, the best-selling M-badged car is electric: the 600hp i5 M60, a delectable electric car if ever there was one. More are coming, including a can’t-wait all-electric next-generation M3 with four electric motors, one for each wheel, although BMW concedes that a six-cylinder petrol M3 will remain in production to appease the battery-doubters.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GAZJNTFH6NCHDM3OWIC54ZISJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715252},"content":"The new M5 sits in the midst of this sea-change, keeping its V8 petrol engine but adding a 145kW electric motor and an 18.6kWh battery. Charge that battery up (only at 7kW from AC power, sadly) and the M5 has an all-electric range of up to 69km in a best-case scenario, and it doesn’t even feel especially slow when it’s driving on the battery alone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MZWFUXRNC5HFPEHQJEJT5TGDOQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"VGZQBO4PJJHY5KZQAJ4X2ASV74"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"LSKEXY3GS5BS7FKJCTFZRBF5EA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715253},"content":"However, what happens when the petrol and electric halves combine is truly astonishing. The new M5 has a combined power output of 727hp, along with a frankly silly 1,000Nm of torque. That’s just crazy – it’s really not that long ago when 700-odd-horses was the output of a frontline racing car, not a family-friendly executive saloon (with an even more practical Touring estate version to follow).","type":"text"},{"_id":"2AXIPK3MSJB3TAQH5JU3NIUS5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715254},"content":"So, two things are at the forefront of your mind as you approach the M5′s satin-painted flanks (our test car was painted a fetching shade of purple, called Daytona Violet officially). One, that the power will utterly dominate proceedings and, two, if the power doesn’t the weight well.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DYZ5DCNXD5DKTOW434WSJRPE2E","additional_properties":{"_id":"BHHYT4IWRZAGXCCTHDKOSYFKPU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AQKUN5LQN5BJPKMATB2ZOJMUFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715255},"content":"Actually, neither is the case. Fire up the M5 and as long as there’s charge in the battery, it will start in silent electric mode, the better to allow you to hear the swish of those massive 285 (front) and 295 (rear) section tyres, fitted to asymmetric alloy wheels of 20-inch diameter up front and 21-inches at the back.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XV2GYHJRIFC4XPBNYMTFHWXNZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715256},"content":"The cabin looks mostly like that of any current 5 Series or i5, save for the bright red bits that come with M status, and a set of seats which are possibly the best of any car I’ve ever sat in. The big screen is fiddly and awkward to use, but that’s par for the course these days. Of much more use are the little red M1 and M2 buttons on the steering wheel which allow you to save pre-sets for the hideously complicated driving modes. So, with M1 saved as a low-key hybrid mode, and M2 saved as a maximum-attack, everything-turned-up-to-11 mode, we headed out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CFUJPMLLPBHBTCYRPEQQ3AIBMU","additional_properties":{"_id":"6QJIAQGH7JG4LANIR3YKMZR6QI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"E2DZENUBFNDABGWA3LLBHBFC4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715257},"content":"Obviously, the power is ridiculous at first, even if the weight means that this M5 is slower to get to 100km/h than the last one. That metric really just proves the fallacy of 0-100km/h times, as once it’s up and rolling, the new car leaves the old one for dead in terms of in-gear acceleration. The 80-120km/h is 2.2 seconds if you hold on to fourth gear in the slightly lazy eight-speed automatic gearbox.","type":"text"},{"_id":"URO27DO46BEZREAJTNTQS3GQLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715258},"content":"With a thunderous (slightly artificially amplified) bellow from the V8, the M5 gets up to silly-high Autobahn speeds with regal ease and serenity. Its stability is helped by rear-wheel steering – another M5 first – and presumably by the sheer battleship weight figure. High-speed touring, where legal, has never seemed so easy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TJNWTDGMHJEHBMAZHV4D5HW63Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715259},"content":"Corners and tight and twisty roads are where big, hefty things like this M5 tend to come unstuck. And yet, somehow, someone at the M-Division must have been studying at Hogwarts, as the M5 just dances through bends as if someone chanted “Wingardium leviosa” at the wheels. Okay, not entirely – heavy braking and sudden, tight changes of direction will show you precisely in which direction the inertia of that weight is pulling you, but as long as you’re not driving like a maniac, the M5 does a truly remarkable job of disguising its heft. It’s not as gloriously agile as the old M5 CS, but it’s nowhere near as blunt an instrument as many of us feared it would be.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2IZ5MAPISJHOXDGSHM74RVURBI","additional_properties":{"_id":"OILSF2ZREBHWHMNOZXD4DK3IRU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DB5RZ2XS7ZFW3EZ6L7TDZ634ZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715260},"content":"What it is, is addictive. No matter how much we drove the M5 during our two days with it in and around Munich, we just wanted more. At low speeds, as a hybrid or electric car, it’s the comfiest cruiser you ever did meet. Turn on Sport Plus mode and downshift, and it becomes a cultured but menacing muscle car in the classic sense. It’s as if The Rock were to be cast as the new James Bond: sledgehammer hit, sparkling wit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UTAGI4G5INEHVOPTPJQK72ESC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715261},"content":"I’ve saved the best bit till last, though. Because the M5 is a plug-in hybrid, and because it has low official CO2 figures of just 39g/km (although BMW admits that the M5 will consume fuel at the rate of 10.5l/100km if you drive around on a depleted battery), the vagaries of the Irish car taxation system (which has long been easily blindsided by new tech) mean that the M5 is fully €60,000 cheaper than it used to be. In fact, at €137,055, it’s some €15,000 cheaper than the smaller, slower, petrol-only M3. Which also isn’t as pretty.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S7WW63UNPBENLBU4XMTOLOJ3FE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715262},"content":"That makes this M5 not only freakishly fast and profoundly poised, nor only lavish and luxurious, and high-tech too. It makes the M5 a bargain: an honest-to-goodness six-figure, four-seat, 727hp, 2.5-tonne bargain. Blue Riband, indeed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PEWCUFPC3ZCR7A6SI5YJYWAWD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715263},"content":"<b>Lowdown: BMW M5 Saloon</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"SGKY5AVN3ZAJVEMK3WQT5RES2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715264},"content":"<b>Power: </b>4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol engine with145kW e-motor and an 18.6kWh lithium-ion battery producing 727hp and 1,000Nm of torque and powering all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ACCSRBLB75EEBAXECE46MHINAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715265},"content":"<b>CO2 emissions (annual motor tax):</b> 39g/km (€140).","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZPRBG2JSPJFWXD5B2N7SFASGLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715266},"content":"<b>Fuel consumption: </b>1.7l/100km (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"VFK7SH67YRAQZOB4RI4ZPLIILY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715267},"content":"<b>0-100km/h:</b> 3.5 secs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SZIQVAWI5VBBTI2PTQJTMBOU7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715268},"content":"<b>Price:</b> €137,055 as tested, M5 starts from €137,055.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WKC562CRMJGH5FHINKGLXBBIRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715269},"content":"<b>Our rating: </b>5/5.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BXTSHRJMBJHTVIISYQSQMB5ETI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715270},"content":"<b>Verdict:</b> Weighty? Yes. Profligate? A bit. Expensive? Not with a €60,000 discount. Glorious? Absolutely.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"The new M5 is genuinely a bargain, freakishly fast and profoundly poised"},"display_date":"2024-11-06T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"BMW M5: A heavyweight hits with an appropriate punch","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"SWPJP6AE4VHLFEACZAHEDZG6LM","auth":{"1":"8484cd490b830bd7f31725887c18258b35a18e2d00dbd9dfdbb1b2c93ba8a7f7"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SWPJP6AE4VHLFEACZAHEDZG6LM.JPG"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/06/heavyweight-bmw-m5-hits-with-an-appropriate-punch/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"7BVTK6AEXNG2FDXJPCRB4NXAOA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":504,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d2808686-ccec-436d-b6fc-ab3089b45665/versions/1729085951/media/06aead2f5fe1244adf7cb0443534c716_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/23/audis-colourful-q7-hybrid-impresses-but-there-are-limitations/","content_elements":[{"_id":"4QPXY4B2GJCKRABK6J7YIC7HII","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023045},"content":"I would like to track down the person within <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/audi\" target=\"_blank\">Audi</a> Ireland’s corporate structure who dreamt up the specification for this particular press demonstrator <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">car</a> ... and shake them firmly by the hand. Why? Because of the colour.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3Z2WC3J65NFYLN33UUT6MFXKU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023046},"content":"I realise and accept that the shade of paint applied to a car should not particularly divert us on these pages. The mechanical or electrical make-up, price, running costs, deftness of dynamic performance (or otherwise), and softness of ride comfort (or ditto) are all things that should be higher up the list of observations.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NTNEVAVEBRCAJIM27ZKADRBF64","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023047},"content":"However, this time around I think it’s genuinely important. After all, it was Apicius, the 1st Century Roman gourmand, who is credited with the phrase “we eat first with our eyes”. Pithier in the original Latin – ante oculos edimus – it’s true today, and it’s why restaurateurs set such high esteem by the presentation, and colour, of the food on our plates. It’s equally what makes it so puzzling that so many of our cars are painted in essentially non-colours. Grey, black and white are not colours, but a lack thereof. Why do we dress our cars down in such drab camouflage?","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZGJVR5DLIFF2FPC7KTAQZSYR6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023048},"content":"Blame the inexorable rise of the German premium car in the 1980s and 1990s. Designers and product planners at the time thought that it would make their cars appear more appealing and soberly desirable if they were painted the same colours as prospective owners’ double-breasted suits. Hence the greys, blacks and occasional dark blues became the default choices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5PCY5DAAPJH65FBPT62G5EINSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023049},"content":"Our Audi Q7 TFSIe plug-in hybrid test car was not grey. Instead, someone – some wonderful someone – had chosen Sakhir Gold. Gold? Not quite, more milky coffee really but even so a striking shade, more redolent of the 1970s than the Grand Prix allusions Audi is trying to drum up as it prepares its own Formula One team (Sakhir is the home of the Bahrain Grand Prix and Audi will have it’s own Formula One team in 2026).","type":"text"},{"_id":"2XW67EMGNZBXVFAFBRYZCD6SXY","additional_properties":{"_id":"GV5VJNMOA5APFN4KT55S4YDC4I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Q7BE33L53ZEKBCBU6I52MWNGHA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023050},"content":"Divisive? Certainly, but that is surely better than giving your eyes repetitive strain injury by having to deal with yet another non-shade of grey. One colleague described it as “mid-vomit” but I’m having none of that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V4WCWN3YKBCYVF3IZ6SUAO3NHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023051},"content":"All of this rather nicely distracts from the fact that there’s not a lot new about the new Q7. There are some small styling tweaks to the outside – primarily around the grille, lights, and bumpers – but nothing that dramatically changes a car familiar to us since its launch in 2015. Almost a 10-year-old design? Yes, but that is rapidly becoming more commonplace as carmakers start to stretch out the lives of their existing models, in response to continuing ennui among car buyers when it comes to newer electric models.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HQIKCYZV2NFTBG7NGRW4QHLRNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023052},"content":"Mind you, this Q7 is a little bit electric, thanks to the addition of a plug-in hybrid system, hence the TFSIe badge. The powertrain – a 3.0-litre V6 turbo petrol engine combined with a 130kW electric motor and a big battery – is essentially the same as that used by some versions of the vaunted Porsche Cayenne, and the slightly less vaunted Volkswagen Touareg.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KQCWG22F3ZDFBE7KOD76USOKNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023053},"content":"Uniquely, the Audi offers seven seats, when the Porsche and VW don’t, but that advantage is negated here, as the hybrid’s battery takes up the space where the extra row of seats would go, hence this particular Q7 is strictly a five-seater.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BOTX2IPWA5DYTLFKZXG2PMV6J4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023054},"content":"At least the battery has the excuse of being bigger than it used to be, stretching to 22kWh of usable power, which gives the big Audi a potential range of up to 83km on one charge. Well, in theory.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YIZVMSVNSNC4FPOUJDYZ5OPQJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023055},"content":"To be honest, the best I could get out of a charge was more like 55km, and it doesn’t help that the battery can only be charged from AC power at 7.4kW. That’s fine if you’re only ever charging up slow and long at home or work, but when many of its competitors can now offer rapid 50kW charging it seems like a somewhat poor effort.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KMUBPGNZVREADEUV4G44WN2HG4","additional_properties":{"_id":"SOA76KW6JFGGVDA6TPGAXYWPTI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"B4G3GCGBAJHOFFPXDKZ5B4DRYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023056},"content":"Performance is at least strong, with almost 400hp and 600Nm of torque, the big beige (not vomit) Q7 fairly rockets off the line, and will hit 100km/h in 5.7 seconds from rest. Which feels exceptionally rapid when you’re sitting four feet in the air.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FD6SVXZLJ5FKRP3A5MHW3NMRMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023057},"content":"This is normally the bit of the piece where I’d start talking about how the Q7 feels bulky and numb to drive. But actually ... okay, so this is a 2,460kg car and while there are limitations, it felt rather pleasantly responsive and composed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EMW3CL3MBZAWDDEGXVOETNJPMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023058},"content":"The ride quality is on the firm side, as you’d expect from a car lugging a considerable heft of battery around with it, but it’s well-damped and the air suspension means that the worst shocks are kept well at bay. Combine that with, for an Audi, atypically sharp steering and you’ve got a dynamic package which is not bad at all.","type":"text"},{"_id":"76HM7ARWQJEQJM5LSESONVVSV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023059},"content":"Efficiency? Well, if you’re making the fullest possible use of the battery and stretching your electric range as much as possible, it’s probably not too bad, but with me being unable to charge at home, and undertaking several long journeys in the Q7, it meant average economy worked out at 9.5-litres per 100km. Not disastrously bad, perhaps, but certainly not that great.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OGQY2LPW6FECJPMNXWIAAI7REU","additional_properties":{"_id":"5IM5RCVFJFBTXF3YEDCFJIEJM4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OP6S5ZO2DFEOZCK6DDAZY243TY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023060},"content":"The cabin’s quality, comfort, and roominess do salve that economic deficit somewhat, but I still think that Audi is missing a trick by making its interiors too heavy on the black-and-chrome, which just doesn’t look nor feel as welcoming as what BMW and Mercedes are up to at the moment. Equally, the big twin touchscreens (one for infotainment and one for climate control) were maddening at times, especially the silly haptic response which made the screen feel as if it was clicking under your finger. The problem is that sometimes it clicks even when you haven’t pressed the button properly, adding to the confusion and annoyance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5VGWBGAU3VDFBLVXI7PQHUZN64","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023061},"content":"Options in this Q7 55 TFSIe would cost you almost €100,470. Take away the options (the priciest of which was the “black pack” which gives you darkened exterior trim and 21-inch alloys, for €1,815, and I also think I could have lived without the €1,270 “comfort key” and the €1,411 “super sports seats”) and you’d pay €93,100. That is at least a little less gasp-inducing. It doesn’t help that the updated Volvo XC90 – pretty well the default choice in this class – can combine seven seats with PHEV power, as can the much more affordable Mazda CX-80, which while Audi may not appreciate the comparison, is a potential rival.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JCVRNXFIGZB2ZGV3KOXFB64FRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023062},"content":"Still worth it for the colour, though. Grey is so passé.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GPC5C5KPOVHUHM2M4OOADZBA3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023063},"content":"<b>Lowdown: Audi Q7 55 TFSIe S-Line</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"V74GIC5KL5EF5G2VK2XQUD2WN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023064},"content":"<b>Power:</b> 3.0-litre V6 turbo petrol engine with 130kW e-motor and 22kWh lithium-ion battery producing 394hp and 600Nm of torque and powering all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VYDC7VAZ6ZBCRIMYW7DTIQRXHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023065},"content":"<b>CO₂ emissions (annual motor tax)</b> 33g/km (€140).","type":"text"},{"_id":"5SWSEZ42FNGHZFCH5WBC5JTN34","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023066},"content":"<b>Fuel consumption:</b> 1.4-1.2l/100km (10.5l/100km with discharged battery) (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"6UPKUCFF6NEBDNQ55NII32PASY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023067},"content":"<b>0-100km/h: </b>5.7 seconds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DWQ65HOMZBA7PF52VIJXY6HQUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023068},"content":"<b>Price:</b> €100,470 as tested, Q7 starts from €87,890.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z566WMMRM5EGRLJMDL3AMTTSIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023069},"content":"<b>Our rating:</b> 3/5.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AJEEXKLMXJHV3EVJQOWC2GKVAE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023070},"content":"<b>Verdict:</b> More fun to drive than you’d think and tolerably efficient, but the lack of extra seats grates. Be brave with your colour choice.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Dramatic colour choice helps the big Audi make more of an impact"},"display_date":"2024-10-23T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Test Drive: Audi’s colourful Q7 hybrid impresses, but there are limitations","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RKSVG74CONH7XHP5PJRGGNGIHQ","auth":{"1":"f668923e23f9add56f15b6b7853bcd25781ec984b0f5c2c1a10b751ad8a5fe89"},"focal_point":{"x":4297,"y":3050},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RKSVG74CONH7XHP5PJRGGNGIHQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/23/audis-colourful-q7-hybrid-impresses-but-there-are-limitations/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"IAZBBTTGV5AWRDFDUEHDVW25GE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":448,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/022a2488-4739-4de8-b26f-cf8724c52e9f/versions/1728558210/media/ba68feb95d97a6b02e8b5654f3a444d5_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/16/can-the-ford-explorer-arrive-late-to-the-ev-party-and-still-impress/","content_elements":[{"_id":"5GO4CKUKEVDJ5AY6PPG3DB46TQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462697},"content":"Latecomers to parties are supposed to barge in dramatically, giving it the full Norma Desmond. Raising a hand to their brow, they should loudly acclaim: “Oh my! Is that what time it is?” The full attention-getting routine.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XPNLTXH2PNHHTLSUFFT3MCW52E","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462698},"content":"The Ford Explorer has not done this. The Explorer’s arrival at the electric car party has been less dramatic, and somewhat clumsier. The Explorer (originally badged Explorer Sport, but the Sport bit was mysteriously dropped en route to the party) should have been on sale a year ago, but Ford held back as it was waiting for Volkswagen to make battery and electric motor improvements.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DHQKFREZJNFQTGH7VGIMXOHBMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462699},"content":"Why was Ford waiting for a big rival to make technical advancements? Because in this specific case, VW isn’t a rival to Ford, it’s a partner – Ford has decided that for its European electric models, it’s going to skip to the end and just buy VW bits under licence. So this Explorer is riding on the same MEB platform as all of the Volkswagen ID EV family, not to mention various Skodas, Audis and Cupras.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6FFF5KV5WZDKVEPJYDX5VIZL2I","additional_properties":{"_id":"FHRVJQYJ3VB2LIN67UST4WQFTE"},"content":"Skoda launches new electric Elroq SUV – a practical car with a 470L boot","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"TFFHGKNEKZBULBG63SID2WOM4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462700},"content":"It raises the odd prospect that Ford – once the bestselling brand in Ireland, a position it held for decades – is now buying in technology from a rival, at a time when it’s slipping badly in the sales charts. With no Fiesta, and shortly no Focus, the Explorer is going to have to do some heavy sales lifting for Ford in Europe.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XTN2OOBFZVAAVDB5NKEL2PPNBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462701},"content":"Is the Explorer up to the task? Well, not in terms of its looks. Styling is always very subjective of course, but the Explorer has a rather blunt-faced and bland appearance. Quite in contrast to the very handsome US-market Explorer (which is a much bigger vehicle, and which isn’t an EV) this Euro-Explorer seems almost timid, hence it quietly slipping in through the back door of the electric car party.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TW7FONTJHFAK7MW6QK7KCKLOMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462702},"content":"Having slipped in, the Explorer now finds a party that’s seemingly winding down. The music has stopped, the snacks have run out, and more car buyers are heading to the hybrid party down the street, at least for the moment. Once upon a time, Ford’s sheer brand appeal and marketing nous might have been just the tools to turn that tide around. Now though, Ford seems to be just another brand trying to convince the unconvinced where EVs are concerned.","type":"text"},{"_id":"63QZH3T7D5FIBOV3WN5P3OI5FU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462704},"content":"At least the Explorer does one thing very well indeed, and it’s arguably the most important thing. It has seriously good range and efficiency. A basic Explorer is slightly more expensive than the cheapest VW ID. 4, but it has a bigger battery – VW’s own 77kWh unit – as standard, allowing it to boast a 602km range on one charge. Go slightly up the spec chart to the car we’re testing, a Premium model, and the Explorer still has a creditable 570km range.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5WP6AOVTSBG2FISEJK7GPWX5C4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462705},"content":"It’s a realistic range too. In fairly mild conditions, we were easily able to get 500km out of one charge, including quite a lot of motorway cruising, and the Explorer burned through the electrons in its battery at a frugal rate of 16.7kWh/100km. Both those figures are impressive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FRENYLN4SVFNJIB7D5EUB6PCAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"3UXHX2AHHFANDOC2BAGQ5O32OU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ONIWW3DT6FHTLLKFOJPQ2TVUVI","additional_properties":{"_id":"DX776LSMCNCLHNHUJ5OIDUP2YA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HYA5SCI7SFEVLPMIRTME4M7VKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"TK3DLAJH3BBOPCDWMXVVPVFXSA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CN22H4VKAJC6LIEB3D2DWQNLZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462706},"content":"It’s a shame then that Ford didn’t do as good a job with the Explorer’s chassis and steering. Ford’s engineers have, since the early 1990s, been the best in the business at taking a humble family car and giving it sports-car-like reflexes. Even as production winds down, the current Ford Focus is still by far the best family hatchback to drive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X7YF3PGCMRG2NGTHXKQENG4434","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462707},"content":"The Explorer? It’s fine, but it’s nothing special. It’s comfortable and mostly quiet (although the suspension tends to fidget slightly on anything less than a perfect surface) but the steering is too light and wispy, even in Sport mode, to be any fun at all, and that is a shock for a car with a Ford badge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KONU6FE7PNCIFMWTBJYWOO2YYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462708},"content":"It’s not just an electric car thing, either. The Ford Mustang Mach-E is enormously good fun and properly rewarding to drive, so Ford can mix EV power with traditional driver engagement. It’s just that with the Explorer, this two hands haven’t come together.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GMUE3DZ76RE5DBPFRSW66UXLYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462709},"content":"Perhaps Ford is leaving a bit of philosophical space in its line-up for the controversially-named new Capri (which is based on the same platform as the Explorer) to be more dynamically satisfying. At least performance from the single rear-mounted 286hp electric motor is not in doubt. There’s plenty of shove, so the Explorer doesn’t lack for speed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NO56IDC2FRFS7DEXSMUJCHGOYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462710},"content":"Because the Explorer is slightly smaller on the outside than the VW ID. 4 or the Skoda Enyaq, so too is it a little less practical. There’s space enough for four tall adults in the cabin, but the boot – at 470 litres – seems stingy when the Skoda Enyaq offers 585 litres.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F7ALIMYFGJHVDHCLS2VF2SYVAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462712},"content":"The cabin itself is a little mixed. There is infuriating carry-over from VW, such as the dreadful electric window switches that control both front and rear windows from just two buttons, and touch-sensitive controls for the stereo volume. The square steering wheel also feels a little odd to hold.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YUWBMCFKBREWTGJDP7ASKWSPEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462713},"content":"The big 14.6-inch touchscreen has a Ford skin over VW software, and so unsurprisingly can be confusing and awkward to use. Ford’s own SYNC4 software, used in the Mustang Mach-E, is vastly superior. The screen does have one neat trick though – it can slide from a reclined to a A fully vertical position, and in doing so reveals a neat secure storage area behind. That combines with lots of other storage spaces to make the Explorer very practical in the cabin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GI7327L66VFKHFSNXTDMEKE3TU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462714},"content":"Somehow, though I don’t think the Explorer has what it takes to lift Ford back to its position of market pre-eminence. It’s a decent EV, and has excellent all-round electric performance and frugality, but it lacks the magic touch of dynamic fun that has so marked out Ford’s mainstream models for 30-some years now. Buying VW bits to speed up its European EV development was a sensible move by Ford, but sensible people don’t do well at parties, do they?","type":"text"},{"_id":"KF72M56HAFEXFPHKRAJT2ZARGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462716},"content":"Lowdown: Ford Explorer Premium","type":"header"},{"_id":"QW73NGFIFZG2HPYTH4VWS5YTLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462717},"content":"<b>Power:</b> 210kW e-motor developing 286hp and 545Nm of torque, powering the rear wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VX2EJM4ZH5F7LDOI4LI2SWURUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462718},"content":"<b>CO2 emissions (annual motor tax): </b>0g/km (€120)","type":"text"},{"_id":"RWNDER3NWRFDNGDIZ5CPIIFIII","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462719},"content":"<b>Electric consumption: </b>14.7kWh/100km (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"FB5B3DXN4ZAVDHCSVOQDIHXPZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462720},"content":"<b>Electric range: </b>570km (WLTP","type":"text"},{"_id":"EAAF3HEUUBBFBHSTWV5LZKSRAE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462721},"content":"<b>0-100km/h: </b>6.4sec","type":"text"},{"_id":"UAYB6LR3IVFATMRX2CCZYPFIRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462722},"content":"<b>Price: </b>€48,006 as tested, Explorer starts from €43,591","type":"text"},{"_id":"OCT3ZOG6W5DRRKHZ2L4TASPWIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462723},"content":"<b>Our rating: </b>3/5","type":"text"},{"_id":"BUJ3ZM64PJB3NI7QP3C4YGBY5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462724},"content":"<b>Verdict:</b> Impressive real-world range and efficiency, and it’s pleasant enough to drive, but where’s the sense of fun?","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Brand’s second EV has excellent all-round electric performance and frugality, but it lacks a sense of fun"},"display_date":"2024-10-16T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Can the Ford Explorer arrive late to the EV party and still impress?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MCD5AUGFRBFNFEDMB6UJORQF34","auth":{"1":"e8c54d0ac921e89590430f5845628cec7e3efa29e641b85257a3a89db9c3555a"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MCD5AUGFRBFNFEDMB6UJORQF34.jpeg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/16/can-the-ford-explorer-arrive-late-to-the-ev-party-and-still-impress/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}}],"_id":"26086a2f23a808a2c43f67d6d9a834626f953728fb1fc420d57598e81607ee01"},"expires":1732963814376,"lastModified":1732963513894}},"story-feed-sections":{"{\"excludeSections\":\"\",\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":50,\"includeSections\":\"/motors\"}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"BTW62JBS2FGLJBNYQQHAEIBLRI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":483,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8dd9b73c-855c-4951-b45f-13e7104aea3e/versions/1732191057/media/8f46fe78d71ff4ae8163170067b6514c_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/27/new-dacia-duster-great-value-returns-in-a-much-prettier-package/","content_elements":[{"_id":"SLF52ESYWFAQNK6JRRAOXQ36CQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"L65JMK4W7JDNXD74OYQZUS6YKY"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-42184","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"EHLFOCND55DRLGKCXY4GOMYRQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732617528891},"content":"There is something so appealing about a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/\" target=\"_blank\">car</a> that just gets on with its job. A car that sets out its stall, and delivers on its promises. In a world where technological overkill is the order of the day, something that majors on functionality and simplicity feels like a dip in a refreshing pool.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D4V2ZD7CKBEZZIAZQJ7VO7UFTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803594},"content":"Perhaps, then, it’s little wonder that <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dacia/\" target=\"_blank\">Dacia</a> leads the field in several key European markets when it comes to actual customers putting their own hands in their own pockets to buy a new car. Filter out the (often heavily discounted) company car and fleet sales, and this is what people are actually buying.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I4MIOFLA4REV5O2Y46E4VN4GSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803595},"content":"So the new Duster has to tread a delicate line. Clearly, technology counts when it comes to new cars, but if this new model were to overload itself with screens, gadgets and gewgaws it would likely offend and exclude the company’s huge base of existing Duster customers. A careful balance would have to be struck.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S3SSQTHWSJCGTKMOSWF3SQBB7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803596},"content":"That balance must be struck at a time when Dacia is moving, ever so slightly, away from its bargain bucket roots. When first envisaged, Dacia was supposed to be a style-free zone, with its car rigorously built down to a price with body panels as flat as pancakes in an effort to keep manufacturing costs down.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZFHFXZKX6VABJPVGY7NYJURKMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803597},"content":"Now, though Dacia says that it’s on a mission to create cars that customers actively crave, not to mention that through it’s outdoorsy Stepway models and Extreme trim levels it wants to appeal to some of the same customers as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/jeep/\" target=\"_blank\">Jeep</a>, albeit at a much lower price level.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NFRZ26SHMJCU7BUBGRMLV6KF3A","additional_properties":{"_id":"DAH2ZS4ZNJGWFMIZCNMW7QFU4M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AFQMNUVKAFBR7BWXEXNQRLB5AM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803599},"content":"So, that’s why this new Duster looks so much more visually exciting than the previous model – although it also looks arguably a little more fussy and perhaps even a bit over-styled. I wonder will the previous Duster, in its plain-ness, start to look ever more appealing than this new one. Still, with those ultra-slim headlights and the chunky, castellated bonnet (shades of the original 1970 Range Rover perhaps?) this new Duster certainly looks good, and wears its gorgeous Cedar Green paint work very nicely.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GVGEPXF44JG2TNI6MIEXTNHU3E","additional_properties":{"_id":"5YGZSUSMCJHMXGBGQM4WWDVCRQ"},"content":"Test drive: Audi’s revised e-tron GT proves electric car fun-doubters wrong","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"2QWYQ3VNUBACBCBLXAEDOBMFZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803600},"content":"Look around, and even with the new style, you’ll spot the clever little ways in which Dacia has saved a euro here, 50c there to keep the Duster’s price down to palatable levels (which start at €25,990 for the basic Essential model). The brake lights are in one unit, and don’t stretch across the boot lid, which would have required extra bulbs, extra wiring and extra validation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JPDFR4RDDJHOREAGZUKQ23BCKU","additional_properties":{"_id":"TNWECWOUVRH2LNHF53XDS6UE5Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"S7LKXVAQZZD6VBAC4JC7TX327I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803602},"content":"The rear door handles are simple plastic flaps integrated into the top rear of the door itself, rather than a pricier painted handle which would have to be integrated into the rear wheel arch flare. The black edges to the bumpers and the “vent” in front of the front doors are all made from recycled and recyclable plastic – which is actually currently more expensive to make than regular plastic, but which will become much more affordable as Dacia spreads out its use to the rest of the model line-up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JMSENKO7VBB47E45FZVU6GCMDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803603},"content":"Inside, the Duster’s cabin is genuinely strikingly different. The previous Duster had a plain and simple cabin, with lots of cheap plastics, for which you simply had to make the “yeah, but look how little it cost me” excuse.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J5HQDSQHL5GOBCLNG6HVWEDX3M","additional_properties":{"_id":"EFTGSUZTZNEUHNWTEB6CEDKCR4"},"content":"Dacia Spring gives you only what you need","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"S36R3RVLZVHINDEGTB5E2JRHAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184065609},"content":"For this Duster’s cabin, no excuse is needed. Yes, there are still plenty of cheap plastics, but they’ve been given textures and patterns that makes them more appealing in both visual and tactile senses.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UVXB72V25ZAJ5MAHQRGUPWU4XI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732184065610},"content":"This Extreme-spec model gets nice little copper-coloured highlights too, which add another visual lift. The seats in the front are excellent, and covered not in leather (which Dacia has binned entirely on both cost and environmental grounds, along with chrome trim) but in a cool neoprene-like fabric, again made in part from recycled plastics.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GJGIU6LFRJHBFNTUIZDBKIMLXE","additional_properties":{"_id":"XTD3PPVPJ5CHHCQIYG3OCBCQJ4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6AUBTBTZO5EIZJTO2WZ6JOVIME","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803605},"content":"The driving position is excellent, even if taller drivers will find that the windscreen is a touch shallow, and the 10.1-inch touchscreen (standard on all aside from basic Essential models, which instead use a mobile phone clamp and an app) is actually pretty straightforward and easy to use, helped by the fact that Dacia has retained proper physical controls for the air conditioning.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AGIBML45X5B4FONFYJIUI7XEQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803606},"content":"In the back, space is a touch tight if you’re very tall, but six-foot-me was able to comfortably fit in behind my own driving position, while the boot, at 478 litres, (it shrinks to 414 litres for 4x4 models) is generous and well shaped. Dotted around the cabin are also handy little YouClip fixtures, to which you can attach a whole plethora of affordable accessories from extra cup holders to phone holsters, storage trays, and even an LED torch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QWWIRQMZSVBARITVEWT5ZZYAXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803607},"content":"Our Duster Extreme test car was, appropriately, the most extreme Duster you can buy, with adaptive four-wheel drive (there’s a display on the touchscreen showing you how much engine power is heading to the back wheels) with a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbo petrol engine developing 130hp and 230Nm of torque. It powers those four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, and there’s a Land Rover-style selection switch on the centre console that allows you to tweak and tune the four-wheel drive and traction control settings to suit the immediate terrain.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3RH5MNAMHNGQVHW3GQSBRTRWCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803608},"content":"Thus equipped, the Duster – low-geared in first and second – will slither happily about in the mud and mire, thanks to standard-fit all-terrain tyres for the 4WD model. It’s really quite capable, but does that mean you pay a penalty when you’re back on tarmac?","type":"text"},{"_id":"J7TVRT5V2RDJNBWYJOETCW2NZA","additional_properties":{"_id":"TMETX5SW7JBRRELBVVLGQXJCVM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"LYJAVC6Q65E6BLKXYY36H3OY4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803610},"content":"Not really, no. Dacia has given the Duster relatively soft suspension – well, are you buying this in place of a hot hatch? – which allows a degree of body roll, but it’s an agreeable degree. The softness of the springs also means that urban lumps and country road potholes won’t trouble you much. The steering doesn’t have much feel, but it’s well-weighted enough and the Duster feels fundamentally decent to drive. Only a touch of wind noise at higher speeds, along with a sense of breathlessness in those low gears, attempt to spoil the show and neither, to be honest, are much of an issue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DNEYC2CNUVCRTIQBGRORJIJGCU","additional_properties":{"_id":"TLUIMOYZ6BD53OLXZXQ2QLYSQY"},"content":"Can the Ford Explorer arrive late to the EV party and still impress?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"LJHDAA36LRBWJAL2N7JW5E6ZLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732617528913},"content":"Fuel economy is also decent, and we averaged slightly more than 6.0 litres per 100km. If you want to do better than that, skip this four-wheel drive model and go for the front-drive hybrid model instead, which most customers presumably will do. There’s also a basic 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol for the entry-level model, which does the job just fine.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EBDEJWEYXVF5ZFXWJM5Z5ALP4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803612},"content":"Doing the job just fine is basically how the Duster goes about life. That’s why it is one of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/11/15/seven-shortlisted-for-europes-car-of-the-year/\" target=\"_blank\">seven finalists for Europe’s Car of the Year</a>. It’s a really well-thought out, well-executed car that remains affordable, but feels like less of a hair-shirt experience than once it would have. It’s practical, affordable, simple, and surprisingly good to drive. Honestly, what more do you want from a new car?","type":"text"},{"_id":"KSVLQLOXO5HYDFNJLGT6OGQCG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803613},"content":"<b>Lowdown: Dacia Duster 1.2 130 4x4 Extreme</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"EH6NCOTJRJCWJDV2VIUGC7FEXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803614},"content":"<b>Power: </b>1.2 litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine with 130hp and 230Nm of torque driving the front wheels through a six gearbox.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3SPBCV3VBZGCDLF57NXXGVB3T4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803615},"content":"<b>0-100km/h: </b>11.0 secs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"55IAVLOYXFCQ7DJFSWABKD25BY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803616},"content":"<b>Emissions (motor tax):</b> 135g/km (€210).","type":"text"},{"_id":"N45YWAVBFFGITNU4YHZALRQRRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803617},"content":"<b>Fuel consumption:</b> 6.1l/100km (WLTP).","type":"text"},{"_id":"77UE3TRB2RBXNHAFDGYVSWA464","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803618},"content":"<b>Price:</b> €34,840 as tested. Duster from €25,990.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GV4FRPWHVVA7LPELLYTS77Z2ZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803619},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"JE2GKCXI2BA6TF7ND4BSE4DGKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120803620},"content":"<b>Verdict: </b>As well-thought-out a car as you can currently buy. Makes eminent sense.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"New Duster – a finalist for Europe’s Car of the Year – is as well-thought-out a car as you can currently buy"},"display_date":"2024-11-27T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"New Dacia Duster: Great value returns in a much prettier package","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"4OB4A5YYSZHGVNJ75U2WYLZGEI","auth":{"1":"80c35791b7beca4d34444f4fdcaa3f6d7d5e547860d3bdaa9f15a718f1aee171"},"focal_point":{"x":2902,"y":997},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/4OB4A5YYSZHGVNJ75U2WYLZGEI.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/27/new-dacia-duster-great-value-returns-in-a-much-prettier-package/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"6IUJEYQUCJHZPINRIOCKLR3OWA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":383,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/67d3ccf5-ac17-4241-84b9-56079bd5e312/versions/1732186456/media/443b707db786db72dfc795e2c7b8f286_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/27/alfa-romeo-junior-ev-delivers-real-driving-fun-despite-seeming-sacrilege-to-the-brands-fans/","content_elements":[{"_id":"VGF4Y5MYZBCNTCBU3GRQABWUEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"NEEVILZRCNHYHC6R6T7J62SLSE"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-27525","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"6JWN3UGZCRGQTLY6UNSNF2FVIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270298},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/alfa-romeo\" target=\"_blank\">Alfa Romeo</a> is not such much a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/motors\" target=\"_blank\">car</a> brand as a cult. Its passionate enthusiasts see the brand as the Opus Dei of the automotive world. That’s why so many struggle with the sacrilege of the SUV and more recently, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">the EV</a>. The Junior represents their Judas Iscariot.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QILGJHLTVZB5RK33NRLJWXOXIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270299},"content":"These emotional fans demand emotive cars, and they have been well-served with vehicles as temperamental as themselves. Yet, like with their religious counterparts, congregations have been noticeably dwindling. Reformation was overdue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZNAE6AIH2RDNDIFRMVOC7LE44Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270300},"content":"Enter Jean Philippe Imparato, an auto executive with a record as a bit of a miracle worker. Having resurrected the fortunes of Peugeot, it was time for the French man to work his magic in northern Italy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6JNEMNIKBNETDDYEOOA3H5JD7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270302},"content":"His first priority was to improve quality and reliability. That’s a long-term effort, but the initial signs have been good. The Tonale may be a bit lacklustre on the road, but it does seem to be holding together well. And the pipeline of new models promise to put the Scudetto grille back in the mix with German premium brands.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6UBCFTGJSZG43OLA6CJ36L5CQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270303},"content":"But to fund its product offensive, it needs a steady flow of cash. And that’s where the Junior comes in. Alfa engineers may love a saloon, but they can’t ignore the public’s preference for a crossover.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QN3J3GGEKFHIVLL6MEHRDNY6ZA","additional_properties":{"_id":"5B7VYLM5J5FR5LRUMK3W7GTZNI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JSEDT7Z6NBAWBDHPGF7YQH4LQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270304},"content":"The good news for the Alfisti is that Junior is not just a cash cow, it’s a surprisingly impressive car to drive, both in terms of it being a crossover and also an EV. And that’s being recognised already: the Junior is one of the seven finalists for <a href=\"https://www.caroftheyear.org/index.php\" target=\"_blank\">Europe’s Car of the Year</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NKZO4EQ6FJHHPLRYI5KNPBGN4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270305},"content":"Of course, it’s not sold only as an EV. Junior comes with a selection of powertrain options: a 136hp 1.2-litre petrol regular hybrid or an all-electric in either 156hp or 280hp output (both front-wheel drive). Range is promised to be 406km on a full charge of the 156hp version.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KVVNG37YQBBJTMEBF32TPXMIHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270306},"content":"That’s a promise this car might keep, for during our time with Junior on Irish roads, the Italian managed to deliver the sort of energy consumption to achieve 350km. That’s not stellar by any means, and there are certainly similar-sized cars with better range.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GHPLF7DLA5D4HMCT3WO7ISVL4M","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZBIQYM6BN5F23G3MANISKPE7IE"},"content":"EV Q&A: Is it possible to reduce the environmental impact of building an electric car?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"P2DLGA7XEFBATLUDN2S4F74G24","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270307},"content":"The 51kWh battery pack and the rest of its underpinnings are straight from the Stellantis parts bin. They have been tried and tested in Peugeots, Opels, Jeeps and Fiats. So have the regular engines that will power the non-electric versions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6Z6ROX23JRGO5FL5XOVVM27VVI","additional_properties":{"_id":"TUUOGSO7EVF7FEZX4BFHT6XGQI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JONTJBCNXJFYRDS5XUVWFOQR3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270309},"content":"But don’t be fooled: this is not just a dressed-up Opel or rebadged Peugeot. The real magic with Junior is how it handles itself on the road. This car is fun.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O6GJOESTGNFPFL3P5BKF6KASDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270310},"content":"That’s what differentiates it from its otherwise competent siblings.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WTARLCQSLRB3FFQKVTLO5IPHAU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270311},"content":"The 156hp version we tested isn’t necessarily fast, with a 0-100km time of nine seconds. For that you want the 280hp version, which cracks that distance in 5.6 seconds. But there’s enough throttle power there to deliver an engaging drive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XR4CTOLMRNAXPHYRLSMJ43EPZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270312},"content":"Somehow, weighing in at 1.5 tonnes, Junior feels light and agile. That’s a feat other <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">EV cars</a> simply cannot manage. Part of this is down to the steering feel, which is remarkably sharp, but also the chassis, which is responsive and obedient to your instructions. There’s a balance and poise to this Alfa that can fool you into forgetting it’s a crossover – and an all-electric one at that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4HKZM4JXMNH2JHO3BIWK4JLGCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270313},"content":"It’s not without flaws, the primary one being that we’d like snappier brakes. But as a follow-up to the rather lacklustre Tonale, it’s a reminder of why so many people fell in love with Alfas in the first place.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X4PWXAZRDBHSHGENI5LPVBTR7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270314},"content":"In design terms, the crossover is squat enough to resemble a hatchback profile, while the high rear tailgate has touches of Kia’s current EV6, but links back to Alfa heritage as well.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F5DUQGDIJRBXVBGC5QIGWRJKDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270315},"content":"The plastic grille on the electric version is going to divide the crowd, but it’s a competent take on what is a vestigial feature in any event; they might as well have included a toy gearstick inside the car and added a V8 soundtrack.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4QTIT2R5OREP5MMSFKG4Y4HK2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"4RRWJ46XNNBFHNWG4EVCJ37ZZM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"GWRREROHFFEGZPUSO2SMJLA6FE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270317},"content":"The interior is dark, at least on our test car. Trying to retain the sports car feel, it perhaps leans too much to the past and does itself a disservice in feeling at times a little dated.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYWZ3GIAQNBAZM45HESD3OZSDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270318},"content":"It’s a solid effort, and while there are plenty of parts here shared with the rest of the Stellantis brands, it’s well put together. Pitching at premium buyers it might struggle a bit, with a launch price of €42,500, but get it out on the road and its entertaining handling will make up for any qualms you might have about the decor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q3OGWIJTRJA3LGVDPLDL2CPV7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270319},"content":"To follow Alfa you need a degree of blind faith. It has promised so much in past, but disappointment lingers around the corner.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VH5JDNIRHBCCBOSGIZ22QR6AYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270320},"content":"Sadly, Imparato has handed over the keys of Alfa and moved on. Given the rollercoaster ride at Alfa these past three decades, it’s a retrograde step. Like every cult, a lot about success or failure comes down to the leader.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QHATA5BIQVE6FIVAVT5UFAAJLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270321},"content":"If this is his legacy, then he can certainly be proud. If it provides the cash to deliver his promised pipeline of new models, then he may one day be regarded as a motoring saviour – at least among the Alfisti.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6MYLJPKWNVB7RNXTAEIV3O6AKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270322},"content":"Alfa Romeo Junior Launch Edition 156HP BEV","type":"header"},{"_id":"7FK6XREKPJEKZJWMMOS5NFCB4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270323},"content":"<b>Power </b>A 156hp electric motor powered by a net 51kWh battery pack, driving the front wheels","type":"text"},{"_id":"I33YRXEJI5AELOZYWGYQMKVIIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270324},"content":"<b>0-100km/h </b>9.0 secs","type":"text"},{"_id":"S4IGQRZEAZFEHH2FERBT27QXWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270325},"content":"<b>Range </b>406km (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"WACZH2HK35BRBOQQKL7DOM4QWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270326},"content":"<b>Consumption</b> 15.3 kWh/100km","type":"text"},{"_id":"N3AHDFW7VNANPBDU73GDSPGLII","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270327},"content":"<b>Price </b>€42,500 (launch edition price)","type":"text"},{"_id":"M5K4ZHYSXJAW3ENY6HVVLW57SY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270328},"content":"<b>Our rating</b> 4/5","type":"text"},{"_id":"LP3MGODBE5F7FPERQKAGS7544Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1732120270329},"content":"<b>Verdict </b>Full-flavour Alfa driving fun for the electric era","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"This finalist for Europe’s Car of the Year is just as exhilarating to drive as many traditional Alfas of old"},"display_date":"2024-11-27T00:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Alfa Romeo Junior EV delivers real driving fun despite seeming sacrilege to the brand’s fans","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FGCUDX4CXZHVXLKIVEEGFFVGNU","auth":{"1":"66aeb56d482548a41e1a27b8d5e060269b1061a9f89a0bbabb2e8654239e0eb8"},"focal_point":{"x":3595,"y":1890},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FGCUDX4CXZHVXLKIVEEGFFVGNU.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/27/alfa-romeo-junior-ev-delivers-real-driving-fun-despite-seeming-sacrilege-to-the-brands-fans/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"7RRP7OBQ3JG5VOEYFVHM5G7Q3I","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":311,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/025a425c-ce0f-408e-ad07-d5bcdcce8f41/versions/1732546184/media/c597149285980be08c2808e5e4bdf02a_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/26/ev-qa-can-making-batteries-in-europe-slash-their-co2-emissions/","content_elements":[{"_id":"7FUVE7K2Z5D7HHPDWDIBBPTOV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645477},"content":"When it comes to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles\" target=\"_blank\">electric vehicle</a> batteries, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/china\" target=\"_blank\">China</a> is the king, the alpha, and the 500lb gorilla all rolled into one. Both the Chinese government and Chinese battery manufacturers some years ago set out on a mission to dominate the global market for electric <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/motors\" target=\"_blank\">car</a> battery packs, vacuuming up global supplies of lithium, cobalt and manganese, and setting up an infrastructure to produce EV batteries on a huge scale.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H37VH2XKAZB23PPPHQDLDJL4JA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645479},"content":"Consulting group Benchmark Minerals reckons that even by 2030, with all the billions of euro and dollars being invested in setting up gigafactories in Europe, the US, Canada and elsewhere, China will still be making twice as many EV batteries as every other nation combined.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I3SFJEJENJAX3LXIDOBLJ2XHHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645480},"content":"The biggest of them all is the Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Limited, better known as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/11/22/new-battery-could-mean-phevs-with-a-400km-electric-range/\" target=\"_blank\">CATL</a>. In 2022, CATL made 34 per cent of all the world’s electric car batteries. While the likes of Korea’s LG Chem and Japan’s Panasonic are also big global players, other big Chinese brands such as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/byd/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD </a>(it makes cars now too, of course, but started as a maker of batteries), CALB, and Guaxon help ensure that China is the dominant force in batteries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D4KTO43SRNDYDPTE7PR6CX4F3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645481},"content":"This is politically something of a hot potato, but there’s also an environmental issue with having so many electric car batteries made in China – carbon emissions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YBGAANXXG5DF3NL7DBBWGO4V3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732550303754},"content":"Explain to me how EV batteries are made","type":"header"},{"_id":"DIIPMYDXIBADXBMISIN3IG44OI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645482},"content":"Making EV batteries is an energy-intensive process. Indeed, it’s primarily down to battery manufacturing that making an electric car generates more CO2 emissions than making an internal combustion-engined car (of course, the combustion car starts to catch up fast once you start driving it around and burning dead dinosaurs in it).","type":"text"},{"_id":"72ARR4FK6VEVLFL3ZIAY2JQJRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645483},"content":"Making batteries in China is slightly more problematic, because so much of China’s electricity production (some 1.04-terawatts, according to Reuters) still comes from coal. According to European eco-think-tank Transport & Environment, it means that each battery made there causes around 120kg of CO2 per kWh of battery capacity. Which means thousands and thousands of tonnes of CO2 for the thousands and thousands of batteries currently being made. And then add on shipping emissions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6G73NBRQUBASZCEDAKWIY3O76A","additional_properties":{"_id":"A5UOSLLXZVH4BDHXKTXVZYLJRA"},"content":"Electric car batteries: just how bad are they for the environment?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"E3R7GSUSAZEWNEXXZOQHMAXD2U","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645484},"content":"If those batteries could be made in Europe, their emissions could be slashed, or at least that’s the contention of Transport & Environment. According to their research, the emissions associated with making batteries could be slashed to just over 40kg of CO2 per kWh if they were made in Europe using largely renewable energy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JAYTEQGG5JDLTEPX75IL2UEAKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645485},"content":"Even if those batteries were made using the current EU grid average, they would be some 37 per cent more efficient than Chinese batteries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D4EOSYMYDJG6TGPECHUYQD7EQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645486},"content":"Julia Poliscanova, senior director for vehicles and e-mobility supply chains at T&E, said: “Batteries, and metals that go into them, are the new oil. European leaders will need laser-sharp focus and joined-up thinking to reap their climate and industrial benefits. Strong sustainability requirements, such as the upcoming battery carbon footprint rules, can reward local clean manufacturing. Crucially, Europe needs better instruments under the European Investment Bank and EU Battery Fund to support gigafactory investments.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZC4CUXYCAVCA5CHSS5JUA5VAME","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645487},"content":"T&E says Europe desperately needs to catch up in terms of battery-making infrastructure, and in the infrastructure to strip batteries back down again and recycle them at the end of their lives – which will eventually become a crucial component in the supply of raw materials for battery factories.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DN57YR5TWNHPXHRLS32I43IMJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1732550303762},"content":"How far behind is Europe?","type":"header"},{"_id":"622C2W5DA5C6BJ5UZ6HIZ52KJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645488},"content":"The report finds Europe has the potential to manufacture 56 per cent of its demand for cathodes – the battery’s most valuable components – by 2030, but only two plants have started commercial operations so far. By the end of this decade, the region could also fulfil all of its processed lithium needs and secure 8-27 per cent of battery minerals from recycling in Europe. But T&E said processing and recycling plants needed EU and state support to scale quickly.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TNXYJRVA4JC4DDUWYIHP5SUPNY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645489},"content":"Julia Poliscanova said: “The battery race between China, Europe and the US is intensifying. While some battery investments that were at risk of being lured away by US subsidies have been saved since last year, close to half of planned production is still up for grabs. The EU needs to end any uncertainty over its engine phase-out and set corporate EV targets to assure gigafactory investors that they will have a guaranteed market for their product.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KE7BVA5EUZFBJHOM64YZBWDW5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732544645490},"content":"There have been some high-profile casualties in the European battery-making stakes so far, however, such as the failure of the Britishvolt “gigafactory” plans and environmental activists causing havoc at Tesla’s Berlin factory, on the basis that the car maker is riding roughshod over local environment concerns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RALQOD76KND5PPRO2SEOYIZTBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"WLJONDQDDNGFFJLIDI2QOTJPAM"},"content":"<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"},{"_id":"UARJJ6BOIFHI5NRP7DJVTH6TBI","additional_properties":{"_id":"2ZVHPM2DENF6XBN2AAHAJWS74M"},"content":"Can I tow a 1,200kg trailer with an EV?","type":"interstitial_link"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Your EV questions answered: Producing batteries in Europe could make them 60% more carbon-efficient than importing from China, study suggests"},"display_date":"2024-11-26T05:08:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"EV Q&A: Is it possible to reduce the environmental impact of building an electric car?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ","auth":{"1":"dd8d5fcd49669607633de1ef4a393ac5e18c9b3f2baf9cd3f5deefffb27c08a9"},"focal_point":{"x":2140,"y":1820},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3TINXLBWYFBYOCY5GH2RP7WDLQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/26/ev-qa-can-making-batteries-in-europe-slash-their-co2-emissions/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"G2PZNSZESVAFZAG4EGSOOHLTGM","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/22/new-battery-could-mean-phevs-with-a-400km-electric-range/","content_elements":[{"_id":"Q6NORQWZN5EPHNSY7DPKSN6SZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609610},"content":"Plug-in hybrids have been on the receiving end of an awful lot of critical kicks over the past 15 years. Ever since the first truly popular plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (the full official title, PHEV for short) was first introduced in the shape of the Mitsubishi Outlander, there has been a constant flow of criticism.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QX4OZE3HTVC2VKCSSH4DGVQGYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609611},"content":"PHEV models enjoy exceptionally low official CO2 emissions, thanks largely to the fact that the official WLTP test allows them to start with a full battery. That being so, even big and heavy PHEVs can have official figures of less than 30g/km of CO2 coupled with fantastic — in every sense of the word — fuel economy of as little as 1.2-litres per 100km (235mpg for those of you still watching in black and white).","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPMGUO6FI5ABZMGV2O3HOJ3E3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609612},"content":"That, combined with the fact that PHEVs are designed to be driven mostly on electric power, reserving their petrol (or sometimes diesel) engines and fuel tanks for occasional longer journeys, makes them seem like an ideal combination. However myriad critics have hammered PHEVs, pointing out — rightly — that when you drive them long-haul on a flat main battery their weight and complication makes them very thirsty indeed. Worse still, there have been plenty of horror stories of PHEVs being traded in with a pristine charging cable still wrapped in plastic in the boot, suggesting that they had never once been charged (which seems to ignore the possibility that many might have been connected to chargers with built-in cables, but anyway…). The reputation of PHEVs sank so low that influential environmental think-tank Transport & Environment once dubbed PHEVs as ‘fake electric cars’ merely used as an eco-fig leaf by car makers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ABJIAAUGI5H3PJTU3TV4L4D74I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609613},"content":"That narrative could be up-ended by new battery technology developments. Chinese battery maker CATL — one of the world’s biggest, which counts the likes of MG, Ford, Volvo, BMW, and Tesla among its clients — says that it has developed a new PHEV-specific battery — called the ‘Freevoy’ — which can stretch the electric range of such cars to more than 400km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"55UYY7DGABBODH7HIV3IB5YSS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609614},"content":"That would indeed be remarkable. The current best-performing EVs, such as the Range Rover P400e and the Skoda Superb, have electric ranges of around 125km on a full charge. That’s the official range, which means of course that the actual useable range will be less. Many PHEVs can claim only a 50km electric range, and often can only manage around 30km or so in real-world condition.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WJVT7YO7OVDTTAI6NTXWZG64HE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609615},"content":"CATL’s news could change all of that utterly, with the company claiming that it can now offer PHEV technology “offering the convenience of one charge to power an entire week’s commute.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"DBHKHJRIXZHOZPDWAY7V5EGKXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609616},"content":"What we don’t know yet is precisely how big and how bulky these batteries are. It’s conceivable that CATL has simply developed a bigger, more powerful PHEV battery and will then leave it up to car companies to decide how to squeeze it into the bodywork of a given vehicle, but the company has previously said that it is developing a new family of batteries which is vastly more energy-dense — and therefore smaller — than current batteries. That technology was originally aimed at creating batteries which would be sufficiently small, light, and powerful enough to be used by aircraft, but it’s certainly possible that CATL is using the same technology to design its new PHEV battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LSASEQ46P5E3BOHIC3UNXMRUVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609617},"content":"What we do know is that CATL says that it is also squeezing every possible drop of efficiency out of this battery design, thanks to new cathode designs, and a ten per cent improvement in the battery’s electric utilisation rate — the measure of how much of a battery’s total storage capacity can actually be used at any one time. The Freevoy battery uses a combination of lithium-ion and sodium-ion technology, working side-by-side in the same pack, to achieve its exceptional energy storage figures.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YUDK65HDYZGSHKHOSCW2HWPDMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609618},"content":"CATL’s new battery has another trick up its sleeve; ultra-fast charging. Again, CATL is being coy about releasing a full set of figures, but it has said that the Freevoy can charge up at a rate that allows an extra 280km of range to be added in just ten minutes, using a high-speed CCS DC charger.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WHFOCSE3JREQ5C6NVHWD2V3ZXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730824609619},"content":"Sounds like fiction? Not so, according to CATL. The battery maker says that it has already signed deals with several Chinese car makers — including Geely, Chery, and GAC — to use the design and that as many as 25 different models using the Freevoy battery are earmarked for production in 2025.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Chinese giant CATL develops a clever battery which could change the hybrid car paradigm"},"display_date":"2024-11-22T13:31:54.506Z","headlines":{"basic":"New battery could mean PHEVs with a 400km electric range","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"SZAIJ4SPR3CKJOBLYQ2IPQUC2Q","auth":{"1":"9f9301f5b944e4e434e86ed94b58c7ed661ad4992f04557e0768a72e117a8bfd"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SZAIJ4SPR3CKJOBLYQ2IPQUC2Q.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/22/new-battery-could-mean-phevs-with-a-400km-electric-range/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"YPCSUPIWVJHWRE76AEAGBMMSQY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":512,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/c90c7e6b-0192-4c8d-9dcc-4ee84d94d7ca/versions/1731424804/media/cd3921048e1208f273144e90e5cf4741_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/20/test-drive-audis-revised-e-tron-gt-proves-electric-vehicle-fun-doubters-wrong/","content_elements":[{"_id":"5MPGR6BOCFHWBHRFG4YFAH4PFI","additional_properties":{"_id":"IZ4RKE7KVZA2PI6EZF2QXIIM7Y"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-66437","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"OJYZ7ZVHMNCO5GJAY2IWOICYD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732098510963},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/audi/\" target=\"_blank\">Audi </a>is in something of a crisis at the moment, with one of its factories closing down and sweeping job cuts on the horizon. Carmakers often endure crises, and equally as often come out the other side in the long run. Oddly, it also seems to be the case that when <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">carmakers </a>enter a big crisis, they often as not produce one of their best cars ever.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ICR7LAFY7JCUDGYHV4RXDSBR3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610643},"content":"It’s happened in the past – not least on two occasions with Rover, the 1976 SD1 and the 1998 75 – but Audi has definitely added to the annals of great cars built in hard times. The e-tron GT S is definitely one of those.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BWWZCVR3QNCRLK45SXHZTDMXLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610644},"content":"For the €139,365 price tag for the basic model, you’d kind of hope it would be at least good. For the frankly-silly options-in price tag of the car we’re driving here, €174,077, you’d expect it to wake you up in the morning with tea and fresh pancakes. It doesn’t quite do that, but it does an awful lot of other good stuff.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WQ3C5EMG3JEY3DGRX3FSN2AKJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610645},"content":"Of course, the e-tron GT has been on sale for three years now, and this updated version looks essentially – bar some tweaks to the lights, bumpers, and the grille at the front – basically the same as before. Ah, but there have been some more fundamental changes under the skin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PATV2FFKJFC6NKFSGR7OIH64KM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610646},"content":"The battery pack is all new for a start, stretching its capacity to 97kWh within the same physical dimensions as the previous model’s 84kWh battery. In fact, it’s actually one while kilo lighter than before. That’s of small comfort when the whole car weighs in at a chonky 2,385kg, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7SQCUCWGHNGRBOLYWTFQIAB764","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610647},"content":"The improved battery pack, aided by <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric motors </a>which manage to be both more powerful and more efficient, means that this e-tron GT S – the entry model of the new e-tron GT line-up – has a claimed one-charge range of 609km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5WZXYB4CFBGLHKUMY3LRFY4Y3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610648},"content":"Not merely a claimed range, a realistic one. Here is one of the great benefits of taking a bit EV battery and, instead of fitting it to some lofty SUV, instead slotting it into something as low-slung and sleek as the e-tron GT. Drive this car gently and you could easily see that 600km range in real-world conditions. Even with lots of motorway miles and some rapid mountain-road driving, we were seeing a minimum of 550km available on a full charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"746NRIQCW5BKZEZHJ3Q2YJHNIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610649},"content":"Speaking of which, the e-tron GT S now charges faster than before. It was incredibly rapid already, boasting a maximum 270kW of DC fast charging power. Now, that’s been boosted to 320kW, assuming you can find a charger that’s actually pumping out that kind of power, and in theory you can charge this battery from 10-80 per cent in just 18 minutes. There’s also optional 22kW AC charging for making the most of kerbside charging points.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V5PH3IR72JEDXBZE5G7RGQNDCU","additional_properties":{"_id":"PP22YCM4KBGAXBEPDGCRWUNP2M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"K4N4LT26Q5GP5KVNQP36JVDYEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"7XRAC2A73ZEW5NVXGSOTOVH34I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"24ZGIDHBC5BRRFYNXUCCNDRWE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610650},"content":"If you think that’s brisk charging, wait till you get to the actual performance. Now, I mentioned that this S version is the entry-level e-tron GT model. However, thanks to a new rear electric motor, it has seen its power boosted from an already-impressive 530hp to a frankly silly 679hp. Yes, you have to activate a special Boost mode to unlock all of that power, and it only lasts for a few seconds at a time, but blimey, Charlie this is a quick car. 0-100km/h comes up in 3.4 seconds, by which time all of the blood will have drained from your feet. Incidentally, the top-spec RS e-tron performance model has 910hp.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IFCBH7PEPBBGTK6XJ5BRBDTMPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731422322700},"content":"So, the e-tron GT S looks good, and goes every bit as well as it looks. Electric cars that are rapid in a straight line are two a penny, though. Heck, MG will sell you a 4 X-Power model which isn’t all that much slower than this six-figure Audi. The complaint that true petrolheads generally throw at electric cars is that they’re all mouth and no trousers. Or, to put it another way, speed is all well and good, but how a car corners and handles is what truly makes it special.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DT7ZZXJTCBA6HBQDR6SYQKOABM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610652},"content":"Consider the Audi e-tron GT S special, in that case. All four corners are sprung by adaptive air suspension, which automatically tweaks the ride height to suit your driving, which is good but it does tend to leave the nose at speed-bump scraping height, and the suspension lift button is on the touchscreen – Audi really should have put it on the steering wheel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4GDQBELO5ZEAHDB5AQWP74PSGY","additional_properties":{"_id":"E7XBWERFCZESTMU5LI5VELJ5VU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6XXRLDAI6BGTROSZVONWUHMW7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610653},"content":"Speaking of, the touchscreen is irritating in other ways, notably that it seems to bluntly refuse to accept that you’ve pressed it at times. Thankfully, Audi has left in physical buttons for the air conditioning system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UZGPWL4LBZENZIP2TVGWWNGAK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610654},"content":"You sit down low in the e-tron GT S, dropping way, way down through those slim doors. Elegant exits are an art form best left to those in their twenties, but you won’t care once you’re in. The steering wheel is oddly squared-off, but it’s reasonably comfortable to hold. You just wish Audi had followed its partner Porsche’s lead and fitted a simpler all-round steering wheel instead.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V3G35MYKX5HI7I6GH7VSNKMAJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610655},"content":"However, that wheel is connected to steering that feels fantastically weighty, and which actually feeds back at least a little information about what’s happening under the fat front Continentals. It’s no Mazda MX-5 in this regard (what is?) but it’s better than almost any other EV out there.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A33PZNECKRG75LITRJ37MHABVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610656},"content":"Find a series of challenging corners and the e-tron GT S really steps up. Yes, the weight is there, and yes you can feel it in the initial steering response which takes half-a-beat to convince that low nose to shrug off its inertia. Once it does so, the e-tron GT S has properly thoroughbred responses. It slices through corners, gently skimming each apex, and feels fabulously flat, poised, and performative. Actually, in many ways it feels much less like an electric car, and much more like an old-school V8 powered super-saloon. Except that there’s no engine noise, and you don’t wake up the entire county when you fancy a spirited drive in the country.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q5553QZTINFKZKA646KL3A3UOE","additional_properties":{"_id":"MUEOHGA2UVAGBHCY5SQYWQ33U4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"J5CMLNCAIJFBLGLEANRGIY6CK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610657},"content":"Honestly, it’s a remarkable car, and one transformed from its prior self far more than the same-again styling would have you believe. With that lengthy range, handling brilliance, and frankly silly performance, the Audi e-tron GT S is the EV from which the keys had to be aggressively pried from my tightly closed fist. Of course, it’s worth remembering that under the skin, a Porsche Taycan is identical, and actually you can buy a slower, rear-drive Porsche for less than the price of the four-wheel-drive-only Audi.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TCFL6ALN5BHKFE6AKL6YADPIBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610658},"content":"The better news is that, inevitably, this is the one and only sphere where the idea of trickle-down actually works. Pricey six-figure cars get all the good stuff first, so hopefully the brilliant Audi e-tron GT S is a harbinger of more fun, more affordable electric cars to come.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PUUOJRO5BJCW5J7O2RBRJI7TLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416610659},"content":"<b>Lowdown: </b>Audi e-tron GT S","type":"text"},{"_id":"PF5RUIMTUNHA7E5PF6HTVHWPHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694283},"content":"<b>Power:</b> 500kW twin e-motors developing 679hp and 740Nm of torque, powering all four wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IRCUFBGNCNFZJPYBYDPAGNIYRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694284},"content":"<b>CO₂ emissions (annual motor tax):</b> 0g/km (€120).","type":"text"},{"_id":"VUSW75V7YNHJ7CFHXOJ6GVLNPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694285},"content":"<b>Electric consumption:</b> 19.7-18.0kWh/100km (WLTP).","type":"text"},{"_id":"AQLITOEEKJFNPFGFLLSCONSJCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694286},"content":"<b>Electric range:</b> 609km (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"6I3V4FPHHBEGLLMY3SQWJN4OTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694287},"content":"<b>0-100km/h: </b>3.4 seconds","type":"text"},{"_id":"6XMWAX6NTNGZZF5I3GFKCOVC5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694288},"content":"<b>Price:</b> €174,077 as tested, e-tron GT starts from €139,365.","type":"text"},{"_id":"476S2MUMDZFRFL2NEWJWJ4SIKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694289},"content":"<b>Our rating:</b> 4/5.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SPUUWZMXJNB2ZO2KPGP4RO4HB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731419694290},"content":"<b>Verdict:</b> Proves that EVs can have soul, too.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Impressive power backed up by predictable poise and exceptional range"},"display_date":"2024-11-20T07:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Test drive: Audi’s revised e-tron GT proves electric car fun-doubters wrong","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"N7IJK2ASNVEIDECMBRLNG7U7PI","auth":{"1":"db2206c7864449aa088dec216e1b5e0435683da9e81a07fc2c211e3dd2a2fa76"},"focal_point":{"x":2910,"y":2425},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/N7IJK2ASNVEIDECMBRLNG7U7PI.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/20/test-drive-audis-revised-e-tron-gt-proves-electric-vehicle-fun-doubters-wrong/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"IJJADI7CSJAZDLGQ5RAFKC7RMM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":416,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8ca20e6f-f9ef-477e-9897-810cca42382f/versions/1731422885/media/233892916cd4dd557973d8724c7f75bf_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/20/sharp-pricing-bumps-up-the-appeal-of-byds-new-hybrid-suv/","content_elements":[{"_id":"H6IFI2YLOVBPNONWVYMWG2II7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292807},"content":"You could almost sense the triumphalism from within the corridors of Brussels and Strasbourg as the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/european-union/\" target=\"_blank\">EU </a>announced its tariff-based clampdown on imports of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/china/\" target=\"_blank\">Chinese</a>-made <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric cars</a>. “Load them up with extra taxes, that’ll show ‘em” was the overall impression given as officials announced large new import duties on anything coming from east of India with a battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7SQU4OBBBRBHLDMYQZ2J64SS2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292808},"content":"Well, almost anything. For a start, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/byd/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD </a>– the most successful of the newly arrived Chinese brands in Ireland – didn’t flinch when it came to the new tariffs, which were originally levied at 17.4 per cent on BYD products, latterly reduced slightly to 17 per cent. So far, BYD hasn’t put up its prices, an action confirmed to The Irish Times as being thanks to an ability to draw from stock already landed in Europe. Beyond that, BYD and its local Irish importer, Motor Distributors Limited are not too worried about tariffs as the carmaker is due to open tariff-free factories in Hungary and Turkey in the next 18 months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DAPZARJEDFG4ZDPTC4PGNMNKXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292809},"content":"Equally, slipping neatly underneath the EU’s tariff radar is this, the Seal U DM-i Super Hybrid. Because it’s a hybrid (or even a Super Hybrid if you want to go by the blurb) it’s not affected by the tariffs, but in the hybrid-hungry Irish car market, it could yet prove to be even more popular than BYD’s popular all-electric models.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7QTHHKAWPVHFLF44SMDPLJTL2I","additional_properties":{"_id":"HYWVFCLOPJDZVDLNK74Y2I6OIU"},"content":"Electric vehicles: How much will our electric car cost to charge annually versus the fuel costs of an equivalent petrol car?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"YE73OOIEZNEZ5KUUU7FHO42GAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292810},"content":"Why is it called a Super Hybrid? Well, it’s marketing puffery of course, but BYD tries to justify it by pointing out that the Seal U’s combined 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor, plus an 18kWh battery pack, offers more electric range than the competition – up to 80km on one charge for the entry-level Boost model – and can, when you fill both battery and fuel tank, run for more than 1,000km non-stop.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BDSD5FXPCZAT7IXAWNRCFJWM4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292812},"content":"Of far greater import to Irish buyers will be the Seal U’s price tag – at €42,150 for the Boost version, it undercuts its closest competition from Hyundai and Kia, and offers more range on a single charge. It’s also a whopping €13,000 less expensive than the Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid, and while Toyota could counter that the RAV offer more power and four-wheel drive, BYD can counter the counter that there’s a higher-spec version of the Seal U with two electric motors, a turbocharged version of the 1.5 petrol engine, four-wheel drive, and a price that still undercuts that of the RAV4 plug-in.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NLIIVRTW7RGN7H3MWXVDL2TRPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292813},"content":"There’s also a hugely impressive list of standard equipment for the Seal U. Both the front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive models have the same standard spec, so you get vegan leather upholster (it’s called vegan because apparently car product planners can’t spell vinyl), heated and cooled front seats, heated steering wheel, a 15in touchscreen which – slightly pointlessly – rotates from landscape to upright positions and back again, a panoramic glass sunroof, and DC fast charging for the hybrid battery (albeit at a relatively slow 18kW power). There’s also a lengthy standard safety equipment list, including adaptive cruise control and blind spot warning.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BJJ5V7665RCV5DTIWWTVMMM4DQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292814},"content":"It might be badged as a Seal, and it shares the C-shaped headlights and smooth styling of the lower, sleeker all-electric Seal saloon, but the Seal U doesn’t look half so sharp as its four-door brother. It’s very much a chunky SUV trying to squeeze into slim-fitting gym clothes, but it’s not a bad looking car. It’s much better inside, where there’s palpably good cabin quality and excellent comfort for those sitting in the front. The only thing that really tells you you’re sitting in a Chinese, rather than European or Japanese, car is the slightly cheap-looking graphic design of the digital instrument panel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VC3IHBOLKFF4LILY442WJSR3FY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292816},"content":"The back seats are wonderfully spacious too, with ample legroom and headroom even for tall adults, and the rear seat back reclines to a comfy angle. True, those big front bucket seats eat into your view from the back, but the big side windows and that glass roof help to make up for that. The Seal U’s only real disappointment is a small boot – at just 425-litres, it’s well behind that of most competitors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VGCM5OMWQJAZXFD2SPE6T5DPQA","additional_properties":{"_id":"HA6JUT2WXVD6XJXPH3YC2OZOTA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"QQAS6BUF6VDFDKCF4URIPL4A2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"V53B5H52IJBHDDHSDNPKQPCGRE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HUOMV2ZZUFBFTGMQDXAILR7B4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292817},"content":"The Boost version mixes and matches its 1.5-litre petrol engine and its 145kW electric motor to produce a combined 217hp. BYD’s claim is that the Seal U’s DM-i (Dual Motor – intelligent) hybrid system is designed to prioritise electric power over petrol, and so the engine can either function conventionally – driving the front wheel via a direct clutch which links it to the electric motor’s single-speed reduction gear – or as a generator to top the battery up to keep you moving.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SCPQDUWKBVBDFF7ZRAYO2GCGE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292818},"content":"The 80km one-charge figure we can’t confirm as yet, as so far we’ve only driven the Seal U on a soaking wet day with zero charge in the main battery. However, it does prove tolerably economical on a long motorway run – traditionally an Achilles heel for a plug-in hybrid – returning between 6.0 and 7.0-litres per 100km, which is decent, if perhaps not exceptional.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FU6C3MSML5E6HPJKJ2AYBLP7WU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292819},"content":"It’s not what you’d call an engaging car to drive, however. The 1.5-litre petrol engine has a tendency to drone rather a lot at motorway speeds, although you do sort of start to subconsciously blot that out after a while – the standard high-end Infinity stereo helps in that regard. Other than that, the Seal U is a composed, refined, and comfortable way to cruise along a multi-lane road, and the softly-sprung suspension means that lumpy urban streets or badly maintained country roads are generally taken in its stride. Where the Seal U falls down is in its steering, which is so light and so disconnected from what the front wheels are doing that it sometimes feels as if you’re driving it from another car, by remote. There’s also limited grip and traction – at least in the dreadful weather conditions of our test drive – so any attempt to get the power down early on the way out of a corner is met a scrabble of traction control. Perhaps the four-wheel drive Design version would do better.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OW5MLUCLKZCQXMWPFQUX65G2HI","additional_properties":{"_id":"OKMKFRI3ANESBLKUX5TXWNDGLY"},"content":"Europe’s Car of the Year: meet the seven finalists","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"LQR3A54XAJA75AXB4CKU3AK7E4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731416292820},"content":"Does such unenthusiastic dynamic performance undermine the Seal U’s appeal? Possibly, and certainly its rivals from Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Ford and beyond are all more rewarding to drive. But none of them are quite so rewarding in a financial sense, and that perhaps is something that players better with the majority of customers. So don’t buy a Seal U if you’re a committed driving enthusiast. But definitely do buy it if you’re committed to your bank balance.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Seal-U plug-in hybrid comes with a lengthy electric range and an equally long standard equipment list"},"display_date":"2024-11-20T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Keen pricing bumps up the appeal of BYD’s new hybrid SUV","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"PAZ6KIKWZZBRPDXWX7QLMU2E4I","auth":{"1":"9363c5eb32ca41addc4424775301ad5c95d2cfa9e2f1576ce0af840bc3b77652"},"focal_point":{"x":2525,"y":2145},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/PAZ6KIKWZZBRPDXWX7QLMU2E4I.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/20/sharp-pricing-bumps-up-the-appeal-of-byds-new-hybrid-suv/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"MDNTJYOQJZBKZD47R3AMPSZUWE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":350,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/0dd74c10-0c0e-4a7c-90b9-1e0a05cf6863/versions/1731417388/media/70db95ed6550a01cdd9eed2dda3a516f_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/19/electric-vehicles-how-much-will-our-ev-cost-to-charge-annually-versus-the-fuel-costs-of-an-equivalent-petrol-car/","content_elements":[{"_id":"NEMS4YCL75FQNNDEK2QXUHS44M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539852},"content":"<b>Our EV is an MG4. Can you tell me how much it should cost to run in comparison to a similar car run on petrol? We have 13 Solar panels and we charge it mostly at home for 8 cents per kilowatt hour with Energia between 2am and 6am.</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"B42AC3UFSJDGFAVOE3EAVPLT4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539853},"content":"There’s a bit of maths to do here, so excuse me while I try to think back to my Junior Cert, which was probably the last time I actually did any maths.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EVZUUIEWOZETHNKSNHPBARX4RQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539854},"content":"You haven’t specified the precise model of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2022/09/30/mg-delivers-its-best-car-in-decades-and-its-priced-to-give-its-rivals-sleepless-nights/\" target=\"_blank\">MG4 </a>you own, but I’m going to assume for argument’s sake that it’s the 64kWh model, with a range of 450km on one charge. If it’s the smaller-battery model, with a 310km range, then the figures will be slightly more favourable; if it’s the powerful <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/02/21/mg4-xpower-a-striking-hot-hatch-that-boasts-porsche-like-acceleration-for-43000-but/#:~:text=MG4%20XPower%3A%20An%20electric%20hot,to%20trudge%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Irish%20Times\" target=\"_blank\">MG4 X-Power</a>, then they will be somewhat worse.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BKENVYTGCBG7HF54B57TIAKSVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539855},"content":"Charging at home is of course the most cost-efficient way to run an <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric car</a>, and from what you’ve told me above you’re getting some exceptionally cheap electricity for part of the night.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NCA2U2FG5JB7HEIU355WWUSFHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539856},"content":"That burst of power between 2am and 6am will get you 28kWh of energy at 8c per kWh, which works out at €2.24. With the MG’s net usable battery capacity of 61.7kWh, that’s just shy of half a charge, which going by the WLTP range figure will be about 200km. On that basis, you’re spending just €1.12 to travel each 100km, give or take.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LHV7YPTYSFGM3DZAG77D7GOEOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539857},"content":"Of course, that’s only if you’re charging up those 28kWh and using only those. For longer journeys, you’ll need a little more. There’s another 33.7kWh to fill up. Assuming you’re paying the discounted Energia night rate of 15.03c per kWh for the rest of the charge, that’s €5.06 for the other 33.7kWh, giving you a full charge cost of €7.30, which will – in theory – allow you to cover 450km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2KF3BVREGVDNDCD3S7A74NANTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539858},"content":"That means you could cover the annual average Irish mileage of just over 14,000km with 32 full charges, leaving you with a potential annual “fuel” cost of €234. Of course, you won’t always get a full 450km out of each full charge, as driving on motorways and in colder weather will reduce your average range. Let’s assume that on average you manage to squeeze 400km out of each full charge. Now you will need to fully charge the car 35 times, leaving you with an annual “fuel” cost of €255.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AHA3CKEJQJEMJNDJKIG6AR5T5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539859},"content":"Let’s further assume that you occasionally need to fast-charge your MG 4 from 20 to 80 per cent charge at a DC rapid charging point. Using the worst-case scenario, ESB e-cars charges 59c per kWh for a DC high-power charger. You’ll need to buy 37kWh each time, and let’s assume that you need to do this once a month. So that’s an extra €261 per year (I’ve given you these extra-long journeys over and above the annual average mileage, just for the sake of wiggle room and less complicated maths).","type":"text"},{"_id":"E22JFESDJVHYRFDQOMHJ6EZ3ME","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539860},"content":"So that’s a total annual “fuel” cost of €516 per year to cover the average annual Irish mileage in your MG4.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UARJJ6BOIFHI5NRP7DJVTH6TBI","additional_properties":{"_id":"2ZVHPM2DENF6XBN2AAHAJWS74M"},"content":"Can I tow a 1,200kg trailer with an EV?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"GELYZTQ2FVBTNA2CY6B3R3NNIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539861},"content":"By comparison, an equivalent petrol-powered hatchback would be a Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI 150hp, which has official WLTP average fuel economy of 5.5 litres per 100km. Which means you’ll need 770-litres of petrol to cover the average Irish annual mileage, which at the average price per litre of petrol right now (€1.73) is going to be €1,332 in petrol costs every year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VQHRAPLDXRDXZO2V5PQB3FHM74","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539862},"content":"Of course, just as the MG won’t get 450km out of every full charge, so neither will the Golf get 100km out of every 5.5 litres of fuel. So let’s assume that the Golf gets a more realistic 6 litres per 100km average fuel consumption. Now, you’ll need 840 litres of petrol each year, which will cost you €1,453.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NPQOJO4PE5DCVHESFBDZW4WXKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539863},"content":"So, assuming that all my Junior Cert maths haven’t run out of my brain in the years since, and assuming that these figures represent a reasonably accurate ballpark, you will save on average each year €937 by running the MG4 instead of a comparable petrol-engine car.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2YI3VNB2U5ALZFT7TEZH5X5UY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539864},"content":"Of course, there are other bonuses. The MG4 won’t need oil filters nor oil at its annual service, and while electric cars tend to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/07/30/do-electric-cars-wear-through-tyres-much-more-frequently/\" target=\"_blank\">get through tyres</a> slightly more quickly than a petrol-engine car, they equally tend to be much gentler on their brakes, so there are more potential savings when it comes to servicing and maintenance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SPR2TD2JXFGMNL7O23KC5DOHLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731415539865},"content":"The only potential financial downside is depreciation – obviously, if you’ve bought your MG4 on a PCP <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/special-reports/2024/10/24/when-buying-an-ev-its-important-to-understand-how-finance-packages-work/\" target=\"_blank\">finance package</a>, then your car’s future value is guaranteed, but what’s not guaranteed is the value above that level – the equity – which is what you use to roll over to a new deal on a new car. That amount, given current fragile EV <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/06/12/do-electric-cars-hold-their-value-are-there-bargains-to-be-had/\" target=\"_blank\">second-hand values</a>, is less easy to predict, although it is starting to look as if electric car used values have bottomed out in some markets, so fingers crossed they’re starting to come back up again when you come to trade-in time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RALQOD76KND5PPRO2SEOYIZTBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"WLJONDQDDNGFFJLIDI2QOTJPAM"},"content":"<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions"},"display_date":"2024-11-19T05:04:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Electric vehicles: How much will our electric car cost to charge annually versus the fuel costs of an equivalent petrol 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new cars have made the shortlist for Europe’s prestigious Car of the Year award 2025.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CWVZJFPRPNAOLIDTCLL7TZSKSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740146},"content":"The seven finalists are the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/07/08/alfas-new-junior-ev-delivers-on-brands-sporty-dna/\" target=\"_blank\">Alfa Romeo Junior</a>, Citroën ë-C3/C3, Cupra Terramar, Dacia Duster, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/11/10/hyundais-new-18995-electric-car-is-set-to-cause-quite-a-stir/\" target=\"_blank\">Hyundai Inster</a>, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/10/09/kia-ev3-first-drive-new-all-electric-crossover-ticks-the-right-boxes-to-survive-the-ev-sales-slump/\" target=\"_blank\">Kia EV3</a> and new <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/10/16/renault-5-delivers-retro-fun-and-a-nippy-drive/#:~:text=The%20good%20news%20is%20the,tech%20styling%20touches%20as%20well.\" target=\"_blank\">Renault 5</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYUI3ZKMAJA4NMLV5FPCNPB4J4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740147},"content":"These were chosen from a longlist of 42 new cars introduced to the market this year, ranging from the new <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/11/06/fords-new-capri-is-little-more-than-a-soulless-crossover/\" target=\"_blank\">Ford Capri</a> and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/09/03/volvos-new-all-electric-seven-seat-ex90-simply-makes-sense/\" target=\"_blank\">Volvo EX90</a> to the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/05/01/byds-seal-u-suv-to-come-with-hybrid-power/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD Seal U</a> an <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/07/17/audis-long-awaited-new-q6-ev-arrives-in-ireland/\" target=\"_blank\">Audi Q6 e-tron</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5FVDCV54YJBHLILBUL4MF4PZLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740148},"content":"Along with regular road tests, jury members also tested the initial entrants at a week-long test session in northern Denmark, where the contenders were driven on multiple local roads, from motorways to rough tracks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7V32YT7WYRERFMSE6UG3PSDKSY","additional_properties":{"_id":"4KTTE63SGVG6HIZFAYWMNGT6JM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Z62DPMW2FZBHLLJXSFI2WVPKP4","additional_properties":{"_id":"JVCAYXOEQBACPPHJ6EU6U5SBMM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MYBO4QAEKNEQLB2ML6ZYNSYBPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731589151784},"content":"The cars also underwent testing at the Sindal airstrip, where handling tests – such as the famous Elk test – were carried out, plus tests on the cars’ stability control, emergency braking and rear pedestrian protection systems.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LGUNXQ5Z2JHCXC7WA5CPJQDCMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740149},"content":"The number of small electric cars in the final round highlights the battle in this particular market segment that’s set to take place in 2025.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G6EZIPK34VBNVIDGRKIU2INHUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740150},"content":"The final seven will undergo more testing by judges, including a two-day session at the Circuit Jules Tacheny Mettet track – and surrounding roads – in Belgium in early January.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UO5WZBZZUBHDVFJE3FHGMWYIVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731585740151},"content":"The winner will be announced on Friday, January 10th, at the Brussels Motor Show.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"Shortlist features Alfa Romeo Junior, Citroën ë-C3/C3, Cupra Terramar, Dacia Duster, Hyundai Inster, Kia EV3 and Renault 5"},"display_date":"2024-11-15T08:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Europe’s Car of the Year: meet the seven 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I climbed under the kitchen table with my five-year-old this weekend, she explained that we were in a car, but “it can drive itself, so we can just relax, OK?”. We settled down for a pretend nap on the way to the pretend beach.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3ZXGG4P4IRA35OCJFEUJ5PBWQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505343125},"content":"I didn’t tell her that grown-ups are really struggling to turn this vision into reality. Even Waymo, the company that is furthest ahead, still has self-driving taxis in only a handful of US cities.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3WAOYW6CGFGS3HXOUEQXFIPGXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505343128},"content":"In the meantime, car makers are packing many of their new models with so-called “Level 2″ partial automation features instead. These can do a certain amount of driving in some circumstances, but require the human driver to pay attention and take over when necessary.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VMY3U2MB4FCBFH7T6TK6TSSIO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731515960747},"content":"Yet this halfway-house, which relies on humans and machines, is proving troublesome. And it is trouble worth noting, even if you have no interest in cars, because other sectors are also beginning to embrace the concept of automated “co-pilots” to help everyone from coders to doctors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GX3ROHSHJVGULBKOTYUEPXPNLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505343129},"content":"The big problem is known as “automation complacency”. People have been studying the phenomenon for decades in all kinds of partially automated systems, from aviation to manufacturing processes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YO5VGSRSGNCBPKWV2BIQYKQPKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505343130},"content":"When you ask humans to supervise automated systems, their attention starts to wander – which means they don’t always notice in time when a problem does arise, nor are they aware enough of the context to immediately take over. And the better an automated system performs most of the time, the more complacent we humans become.","type":"text"},{"_id":"THKDLOC3YZCUJKO3THWPJNOQDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505343131},"content":"Mica Endsley, a former chief scientist at the US Air Force, has made a career of studying these issues after first encountering them in the 1980s. “The public don’t quite understand the subtle ways that automation affects their attention [but] it’s like giving people a sedative,” she told me. “They’re going to find something else to do or they’re going to zone out, and neither is good.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JP4UCN4BHNFRRCH76WHEWSG46U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505343132},"content":"Car drivers, it turns out, are not immune.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CWNU5HFVK5CFVDRNNBEYLI3Z6A","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q5FXQYP42FAI5LP3YZCTFBBQLE"},"content":"Investors should be wary of Tesla’s robotaxi hype","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"JB42VPZGNFEAVHFLJJSDUT6BDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731515960752},"content":"Studies of various partial-automation systems have found that drivers become increasingly likely to disengage the longer they use them. In the US, the National Transportation Safety Board has blamed automation complacency for a number of car crashes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VQQB7YKYNVGCNJNQGWB5XPYP4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505343133},"content":"If humans are notoriously poor monitors, the solution, apparently, is to monitor the monitors. Safety bodies and regulators have pushed for steering wheels that detect whether people are holding them, and driver-facing cameras that detect the direction of the driver’s gaze and head posture at all times. Most provide visual, audio and even seat-vibration alerts that increase in intensity to warn distracted drivers to return their attention to the road. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/tesla/\" target=\"_blank\">Tesla</a> cars have a disciplinary system whereby, if drivers accumulate too many “strikeouts”, the partial-automation system is suspended for a week.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UXYTPZ6NHJH2PFAWTXV43WZCZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505343134},"content":"But bullying drivers to pay attention doesn’t seem to be sufficient. When Mikael Ljung Aust, a driver-behaviour specialist at Volvo Cars, ran a study on a test track with employees, he found that distraction alerts did successfully make people keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel. But even then, almost 30 per cent of them allowed the car to crash straight into an object in the road.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HH3GWEPUARGLDPN7F2EJKFR6MA","additional_properties":{"_id":"JQILYIA555A4RA7QAPOIHCPYEE"},"content":"Could ride-sharing robo-pods be the future of cities?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ZBG36N76DBGXBHQASNHIKOUG5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505343135},"content":"In follow-up interviews, the drivers said they saw the object coming, but they trusted the car to deal with it, at least until it was too late. “Even if you write very clearly in the manual, ‘the car cannot see these objects’ and you show them pictures, once they get out on the road – for some people ... it seems like they can’t help trusting the car.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CZPQHTUOWRBUBDXC2YCEAF6J7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505343136},"content":"He and several other safety experts said the best solution to the dangers of automation complacency seemed to be to keep the driver more actively involved in the steering and driving, with the partially automated system on in the background, gently guiding when necessary rather than taking over.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QLJ2HSLTHVF3RAY5Q7KSBAVPUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505343137},"content":"In other words, if you imagine automation as a scale with humans doing everything on one end and machines doing everything on the other, the best course might actually be to edge back slightly towards maintaining more human control, at least until the technology is good enough to leapfrog over to the other end of the scale.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MYKUMD2LTBEMTE3T6LGOXCZX7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731505343138},"content":"Otherwise, we face a partially automated middle, where a car journey looks less like having a nap and more like watching the road anxiously with your eyes wide open and your neck straight, for fear that your car will shout at you again to pay attention. Is that the kind of future any five-year-old ever dreamt about? – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Sarah O'Connor"}]},"description":{"basic":"The better an automated system performs, the more complacent – and dangerous – we become behind the wheel"},"display_date":"2024-11-14T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The very human problem with not-quite-self-driving cars","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"B6234FCVIFC7BOU5TJVRVMDMYQ","auth":{"1":"128888941f9524fe1d3d9350695a800445bf363e3646602d54ddc7f44768dd5c"},"focal_point":{"x":1695,"y":1078},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/B6234FCVIFC7BOU5TJVRVMDMYQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Motors"},{"name":"Big Tech"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2024/11/14/the-very-human-problem-with-not-quite-self-driving-cars/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"RN7ZZ626SNFRHKJGVPE2OSCDHI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":343,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a543f551-f4a5-4f08-9fc6-eeece2d62cd5/versions/1730907472/media/7ae46b34fd70f3fa09c81102bf0391b2_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/13/car-review-the-polestar-4-is-simply-stellar-when-it-comes-to-comfort/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WULSXEEJXJHWNERRYUQZSGPXJM","additional_properties":{"_id":"Y62KLRV43RCMTIS7VNI3M6RVGE"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-57348","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"DCCYLQWFSJFEZDN7J53TWMC52M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731407709893},"content":"It’s been a tumultuous time for this <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/china/\" target=\"_blank\">Sino</a>-<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/sweden/\" target=\"_blank\">Swedish</a> Volvo offshoot. Flying high on the back of positive reviews for its first volume production car, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/polestar/\" target=\"_blank\">Polestar</a> 2, the product pipeline was due to deliver a showroom of new cars in a steady stream.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VH4G5ULBHNFLNDPEY6GHEUQMX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062283},"content":"Unfortunately, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/health/covid-19/\" target=\"_blank\">Covid</a> and myriad other issues delayed their arrival, so for a long time this brand was flying solo with one car.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DNF5PE5FTBEQLCTZW3MVRWV76M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062284},"content":"Now it’s got two new arrivals coming to Ireland this winter, the best of which is arguably this Polestar 4.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3IV2KGYUXRELVKXYT6ZEMMKOSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062285},"content":"Yes, it’s yet another heavy-set five-seater <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles\" target=\"_blank\">all-electri</a>c crossover. But there are enough positives about this car to let it dodge being dismissed as one more heavy lump of electrically-propelled metal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y5QFN4T7ZFFCRPCEQVU5OPEXPA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062286},"content":"Exterior styling is sleek, if not as dramatically different from the rest of the crossovers out there right now. Also, the way Polestar replaced the rear window with a metal sheet cut out in the silhouette of a window, looks a bit like a retrofit van conversion. They should have made the rear a single metal unit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JMSE6QL3MFHC3LC4DSYJOEMRWU","additional_properties":{"_id":"4PB575EI3VA6DFA2HI3JTKKD3U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"3YYJBT34HBDP3FOEUH4VAVUXRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062288},"content":"The strongest trait of the Polestar 4 is its comfort. Ride quality was a gripe we had with Polestar 2 in the past. The handling has always been sharp and agile, but the price you paid was too high on Irish roads. Executives used to being cosseted in German premium rivals found the going a little rough.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GA7VBXTCYBHS7NL7GFM2MKCOF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062290},"content":"The Polestar 2 was just a little firmer than it needed to be, particularly with any Performance Packs fitted, but the Polestar 4 gets its setting right for Irish roads.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6DNTYAINIFANFFZRVSYP6DI57M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062291},"content":"A tip for potential buyers: avoid any performance packs that stiffen the suspension and opt for the smaller wheels from the options list. On Irish roads, your passengers will thank you.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YBMDHYQG3NDBJML7R5JKSDTNYA","additional_properties":{"_id":"HJQNBE4NW5DC5AXRNPKYHWRZ5A"},"content":"EV Q&A: Are there different kinds of batteries used in electric cars? Which one is best?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"DFELS2L74BH23DLBYFZHBULX2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062292},"content":"Then there’s the cabin, where the Swedish rather than the Sino influences are clearly prevalent. This is where the Scandinavians excel, as we know from every glossy home-design magazine for the last decade.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MEDVR4T4PRCKXD2AFL3IG4S47Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062293},"content":"The Polestar 4 may be the mid-level model, between the 2 and the SUV-styled 3, but it’s also the car that focuses best on the back-seat occupants. Opt for the Plus Pack for €6,300 and you get electric reclining rear seats, similar to what the lucky few will have experienced on business class flights.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FIL542MX5JHOXCTTE4SIEUOKRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062294},"content":"Given its Scandi origins, the cabin is sparse and uncluttered, though a little too dependent on that touchscreen when it comes to controls.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZKVKEX25NBALJA24EKROH73OLU","additional_properties":{"_id":"DSIHT77XLFBCPHYXWQY5Z566XI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"C6GDPLZZOZAULHJUDMPHS7NILQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062296},"content":"That’s potentially a flaw, for the touchscreen may be sleek, but to be more than form over function it’s reliant on equally elegant software. That’s been a problem for Polestar and sister brand Volvo of late – and the gremlins haven’t been fully expunged.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CWQDMZPBSJHBTGCTI5P3MBJK4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062297},"content":"During our time in the test car, we encountered repeated problems with syncing our phone to the car’s touchscreen system. The big touchscreen also suffered a bout of digital meltdown at one stage.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HDINFRKOUVBRXHHKDJMS4KTWUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062298},"content":"We understand that software updates are on the way to correct these issues, but this retrofit approach to tech problems may irk many buyers. You begrudgingly accept these sorts of sell-and-fix-later tactics from smartphone and laptop providers, but it’s not what you expect from car companies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BPTRFFXM4BBCNF5K5JJJ6AMLII","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZN6RN4OCHJGGPC7SIQ5X224UWE"},"content":"Hyundai’s new €18,995 electric car is set to cause quite a stir","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"UBXEJS2MRJBV7NWT7KZFBUNOSY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062300},"content":"The lack of a rear window makes little difference after the first 50km or so; you get used to the rear-view camera screen really quickly. It can also be insightful viewing, for it offers a quality digital view of the occupants of the car behind, and you can see them on the phone, applying make-up or admiring the Polestar.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GEM7IF7MTNB7ZA2MUU6KM4KMDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062301},"content":"Power comes either in a rear-wheel drive 200kW (268hp) single motor or all-wheel drive dual motor 400kW (536hp) format. Both are supplied from a 100kWh ‘long-range’ battery pack.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LJ6A63PQLBGZ7DODSYKQLS5D2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"34FPDM54NZH2TIFSNBSWWNYI4Q"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"UEVPMDGT7VFGPH7KEE5I5OJVKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062303},"content":"Our test car was the single motor and due to its suspension set-up and better price, it’s the one to pick. True, the dual motor version manages 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds while the single motor does it in a sedate 7.1 seconds. Range claims are 620km for the single motor and 590km for the dual motors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DXOAKF6YAJGVFEYFLNFQN4MHWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062304},"content":"Far-fetched? Not really. Our single motor test car completed multiple national and motorway runs, and delivered power usage figures that would garner close to 600km on a single charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"534ITHKFYJAXBGQWOUUWPYZ4HU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062305},"content":"The Polestar 4, starting at €68,600, is up against some big-name Germans, but this premium market is warmly welcoming new brands these days, in a way that would have been unimaginable a decade ago.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PT4YOATCABACZEL64YG55AGTMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062306},"content":"It’s far from perfect, but there is a graceful elegance about this Sino-Swede that is well matched by its comfort levels on long drives. If they can get the software issues sorted, then it has enough premium traits at a competitive price to suit many executives.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CWFKBYUCXNCA7AWWUUBOMWULRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062307},"content":"Lowdown: Polestar 4 Long range Single Motor","type":"header"},{"_id":"EGJAIVPJZBEZJNXGNAD4RJ6ICM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062308},"content":"<b>Power: </b>A 200kW electric motor powered by 100kW battery pack; rear-wheel drive","type":"text"},{"_id":"C26XHVRX4NG7BM64K66GPBL6DQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062309},"content":"<b>0-100km/h:</b> 7.1 seconds","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q4OOWQNZINA6LDQ5GGSU7XLD6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062310},"content":"<b>Electric consumption:</b> 18.1 KW/h","type":"text"},{"_id":"IYX3YGWQLJDSVLOWETIL27UIJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062311},"content":"<b>Combined range (WLTP): </b>620km","type":"text"},{"_id":"CMXYDFRVW5CONFQOT6KHBJFLE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062312},"content":"<b>Price:</b> €68,600 (€76,200 for dual motor)","type":"text"},{"_id":"H7MFOVO6ZNDVXFRYN5MVPBPHVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062313},"content":"<b>Our rating:</b> 4/5","type":"text"},{"_id":"A532AQYZVFDIJJBENH4VCV5BNI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898062314},"content":"<b>Verdict:</b> Not without its flaws, but the best car to come from Polestar to date.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"This all-electric crossover is the best car to come from the Sino-Swedish brand to date"},"display_date":"2024-11-13T07:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Car review: The Polestar 4 is simply stellar when it comes to comfort","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"KUTYJZEZFRHE3O2HRTRBNU5VJ4","auth":{"1":"f0f687e28df0d479117cf186c81c2b7bd9d1c2c4cd7015ece40d9d4195c36880"},"focal_point":{"x":1080,"y":485},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/KUTYJZEZFRHE3O2HRTRBNU5VJ4.jpeg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/13/car-review-the-polestar-4-is-simply-stellar-when-it-comes-to-comfort/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"CLTJOLU6UJEKXIUZC5F7JL77SY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":405,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/39faaa8a-be27-4e1a-8f09-4fba49659efd/versions/1731423799/media/1ea8a18925b2703cae0c38c0f8b3f50c_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/13/two-new-cars-show-honda-can-be-sensible-and-edgy-at-the-same-time/","content_elements":[{"_id":"RJ2HTJIBMBHSHI66SZKCFMXCVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053175},"content":"It was alarming, to say the least, to this dyed-in-the-wool <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/honda\" target=\"_blank\">Honda</a> fan. A steady diet of NSX, Prelude, Gordon Murray, Ayrton Senna, and Alain Prost as a child and then teenager had made me utterly lust after a car with the chrome H on the bonnet. So to have recently driven the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles\" target=\"_blank\">all-electri</a>c Eny: 1 and the ZR-V and experienced disappointment in both cases had rattled my old, long-held conceptions. Had Honda forgotten how to make a great <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/motors\" target=\"_blank\">car</a>?","type":"text"},{"_id":"VJDTJWM6XBCTZCCPKTYDLLWE5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053176},"content":"No. No, it hasn’t. Thankfully not. And two new arrivals in Ireland prove it, even if they’re not exactly brand new cars ...","type":"text"},{"_id":"4O72JQAIO5GBHECQBQK65FBBLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053177},"content":"The HR-V has been a Honda nameplate since the early 1990s, and the current edition of the HR-V has been on sale in the UK and Europe for some time. It had never been launched here, however, until now. With the arrival of an updated version, Honda finally judged the conditions right to give Irish buyers a chance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PRWUGFRKR5DS5KUUAAUGVBBC7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053179},"content":"Straight away it’s a sharper-looking thing than the last, rather anonymous, HR-V – not striking, exactly, but quietly handsome. The HR-V comes only as a hybrid, based around a 1.5-litre petrol engine running on the fuel-saving Atkinson combustion cycle. Together with a compact battery and a small electric motor, this provides 131hp and 253Nm of torque.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IHWCUZ3GYBDLDMMOEWTNB4AAWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053180},"content":"Performance isn’t exactly sparkling – 0-100km/h in 10.4 seconds – and the HR-V succumbs often to the grinding, breathless, high-revving thing that most other hybrids have largely banished, or covered over with layers of sound deadening.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5YJA2SXXSFCZRFEXUETF5GZG4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053181},"content":"However, that likely won’t matter to most owners who will try to drive it somewhat more sedately in search of superior fuel economy. Which they’re likely to get – Honda claims 5.4-litres per 100km, and that seems about right for mixed driving.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2SYJL7WHINCJZDAHRYM2Q2FBIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"HF2WJ4NZORBUFFG3SBTFBA6NP4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ILQ5HUGC7VDIBOQIM6SXJD6GQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053182},"content":"The HR-V also displays a sweet driving balance, with steering that’s responds with a little more weight and feedback than is the norm in this class. I’m not trying to say that the HR-V is a driver’s car – it’s not – but it has a pleasant mien and exceptionally good body control and ride, as a testing route through rural Kildare showed. It’s seriously comfy, and that engine drone aside, nicely refined.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UM3WUA5HKJCNLDRK63KVNQXIZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZWDTJYYZLRGOFLPYSO6ZUYIIGE"},"content":"EV Q&A: Are there different kinds of batteries used in electric cars? Which one is best?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"FY4LEASWSBDFTNZUVNB4Z6TV6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053183},"content":"Better still is the interior. You’ll find plenty of hard, cheap plastics – in the Japanese car tradition, if you like – if you go looking, but overall quality is excellent, the main digital dials are clear, there are separate physical controls for the air conditioning (yea!), and the touchscreen is simple enough to use, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M2CZJLQUFBFHPCP3MBREYHU6LY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053184},"content":"The driving position is comfy, with a supportive and slightly squishy front seat, but much better is the space in the back – even climbing in behind my own driving position, your chunky correspondent found plenty of legroom and adequate (if not exceptional) headroom. It’s certainly roomier and nicer in the front and back than Toyota’s similarly priced C-HR.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z2DDXQGIGRDPBLTF7J4DQ34NEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053185},"content":"That price starts at €41,150 which is hefty for a relatively small car, but hardly enough to induce shock, these days. The price tag includes an impressive list of standard safety equipment, incidentally, for which some others will try to make you pay extra.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2Q3V2MZQBJDXFGAPQWZHROKUPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053186},"content":"And then, as if to change the track from Dean Martin to AC/DC, there’s the Civic Type-R. Now, this car really does have a truly shocking price tag – €85,000 to you sir. Then again, given that this Civic is the latest in a line of Type-R models dating back to the original – and astonishing – NSX Type-R, perhaps it’s not such a hefty price tag.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VFJYBJ4SSVCRHOHVRVC4OQ3O7E","additional_properties":{"_id":"UNBZQW2HRZBPLMUATI36ANUFWQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TWGYW3P7HFDQFLGRAHAJNTFPZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053188},"content":"It gets you a 2.0-litre turbo engine, pumping out 329hp to the front wheels, and giving the Civic Type-R a 0-100km/h time of 5.4 seconds. That, on paper, doesn’t sound all that great, but this Civic Type-R is a vehicle that eschews on-paper boastfulness, and instead truly delivers around corners.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G6O52XBWSZHDRAYLQROHNVKMUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053189},"content":"Once you’re settled into the – exceptionally comfortable, all seats should be this good – bright red bucket seat, and you’ve spent a bit of time fondling the gorgeous aluminium gear shift lever (a manual shift in a modern car! Such fun!) the Civic’s 2.0-litre engine growls into life at a press of the starter switch. It accelerates strongly as we exit the pit lane at Mondello Park, and brake for the tight hairpin first corner.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GJ5GAIMUFVETVBCZNIUB4545DU","additional_properties":{"_id":"DV5D32DVMJBPNEXFH7EC2YQMFI"},"content":"Hyundai’s new €18,995 electric car is set to cause quite a stir","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"Z3OKJUB7NFBBPPTUOOFQNSAKJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053190},"content":"Within those first few seconds, the Type-R really impresses. Not only are the brakes exceptionally strong and adjustable, but the Civic’s front-end grip is absolutely amazing. There are rear-wheel drive performance cars that don’t turn into Mondello’s kerbs with the same level of ferocity, and the almost casual way the Honda puts its power down to the road – wider track front suspension and special Michelin tyres really help – is little short of exhilarating.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6UKY7GYIPFCX5PUSFO4KUAKRHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053191},"content":"Up to the tricky right flick before the tighter, complex, Turn 3 – a corner that easily traps front-wheel drive cars and sucks them into an abyss of understeer, but not the Civic. That laser-guided front end just hooks up again, and the growl returns as second, third, and fourth gears fling you back up the track. This is a car you’ll want to just drive and drive and drive. Yes, you need the safe space of a racetrack to truly appreciate what it can do, but in the grand Civic Type-R tradition, it’s also roomy, practical, and when you flick the drive settings over to Normal mode, it’s even comfy enough to be a daily driver.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DMUSWX22TZAZ5ED45ST5LUQR4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053192},"content":"€85,000, though? Honestly, on this basis it’s worth every cent. This is Honda proving that it still cares, and that it can still make truly wonderful, tactile, emotional cars.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TZTIF5DECNF3THAAWYK3G24QDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730825053193},"content":"The new HR-V is Honda showing that it can do competent, sensible, mainstream. The Civic Type-R is Honda showing that it’s still Honda.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"New hybrid crossover and steaming-hot hot hatch show Honda hasn’t given up on Europe just yet"},"display_date":"2024-11-13T07:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Two new cars show Honda can be sensible and edgy at the same time","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"WIYFRX63ABFMDAVLYM4LA7RI5Q","auth":{"1":"7aa01dd1a86cc4f3ed3a777e4df41acccd6fc46856d8a54ed5d1eaef15b3f2ab"},"focal_point":{"x":3185,"y":2610},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/WIYFRX63ABFMDAVLYM4LA7RI5Q.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/13/two-new-cars-show-honda-can-be-sensible-and-edgy-at-the-same-time/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"N3WC3Y6K4ZA2VO6VXGTYXUDVFA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":389,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/9a0ef2c2-351e-48fd-983d-e8b4bd9ea08a/versions/1730903523/media/76d3cc517d1a14ba7d3cb58f20c48da0_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/13/kias-ev6-shows-ford-the-way-home/","content_elements":[{"_id":"LNR32LQ5OFEBJM3K3SPD7EZBKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898625992},"content":"A big, comfy <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/\" target=\"_blank\">car</a> with room for everyone, yet with a sleek shape on the outside. Impressive – and, in this instance, improved – <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric range</a>, combined with strong performance, rear-wheel drive dynamics and quality levels that would shame <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/bmw/\" target=\"_blank\">BMW</a> and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/audi/\" target=\"_blank\">Audi</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DOF2CIJ275HOFIMIWWYJW3UYUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898625993},"content":"Stick a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/ford/\" target=\"_blank\">Ford</a> Capri badge on that and you’d have the recipe for a reinvented modern classic. Alas, Ford instead chose to stick the hallowed Capri name on to a dowdy, dumpy, devoid-of-charm crossover and so left an open goal for <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/kia/\" target=\"_blank\">Kia</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K7BEHYXXFVFMRBPGBN4OFSGRXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898625994},"content":"Of course, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/kia-ev6-named-europe-s-2022-car-of-the-year-1.4814379#:~:text=The%20EV6%20is%20truly%20a,a%20truly%20rewarding%20driving%20experience.\" target=\"_blank\">Kia EV6</a> has been on sale for some time now, since long before the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/11/06/fords-new-capri-is-little-more-than-a-soulless-crossover/\" target=\"_blank\">revived Capri</a> was but a twinkle in a Ford product planner’s eye. The EV6 has been a crucial cog in Kia’s rolling reinvention, taking it from the bargain-bucket days of the original Rio and Carens, through the sophisticated age of the Ceed and Sportage, and now to the point where this once-humble Korean car maker can create, in the shape of the big EV9, a car that can genuinely look a Range Rover in the eye without flinching.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGORMPXGBJEARANQJYZAUH746I","additional_properties":{"_id":"23NRWDQBTZD7FMB4F6Z6UXRU6A"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"NAHHO2W4UFHGXIJILI3WHDZ4XY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898625996},"content":"The EV6, all sexy styling and impressive electric performance, marked a big change in Kia’s image when it was launched three years ago. It was the brand’s first electric-only vehicle (the electric version of the Soul and Niro had preceded it, but those came with hybrid and petrol models too) and it was Kia’s first tilt at the premium car market, even if the EV6 has generally undercut premium-badged rivals when it comes to pricing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6ODLAWCMHRESDILFIIRJSEF77Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898625997},"content":"Now, it’s time for an update and Kia is clearly sticking to the maxim of not fixing what’s not broken. Aside from some funky new headlights, which stretch across the full width of that shovel-like nose in a slim LED line, there doesn’t seem to be much different on the outside of the EV6 at all. Well, when a car is this handsome ... You know Kia knows it’s handsome too, as one of the new functions added to this facelifted model is a little down-light in the rear spoiler, which when you plip the key (or get close enough for the EV6 to recognise the electronic key in your phone) shines a subtle glow on to the carefully curved rear haunch. Steady on, now ...","type":"text"},{"_id":"ER5HERKGVRHZ3FKUOG62X2YK6E","additional_properties":{"_id":"TG2N7YAM5NB5JATV5L3KEL6M4Y"},"content":"Ford’s new Capri is little more than a soulless crossover","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"S3DRE5XEUZA5ZII5RL4BIFSADA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898625998},"content":"Inside, things are also very familiar. There’s a new steering wheel – a two-spoke affair for regular models, and a three-spoke version for the sportier GT-Line – and some software tweaks to the big screens. There’s also more in the way of recycled material, with an intriguing mesh-like fabric-come-plastic on the dashboard, that’s made from reused PET bottles. The space, comfort, and quality remain the same, as does the driving position which is just slightly too high-set, as if Kia couldn’t quite wean itself off its Sportage SUV-driven success when it came to designing the EV6.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OWICJGQNYFC63CV4OCUROV42ZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"OFGU4RO5YFCHTMWZB7FXS62E2E"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PA46EPTNTNEMRKQBXZ4J3ENETQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898626000},"content":"Underneath, however, there’s a much more significant change. The big battery pack is the same size as it used to be and is, impressively if only slightly, 1kg lighter than before; but it contains more energy, thanks to cells that are more dense (a compliment, not an insult in the battery world) and more efficient. The net-usable stored energy of the battery climbs from 77.4kWh to 84kWh, extending the EV6′s one-charge range to an impressive 582km. Power, from the single electric motor mounted between the rear wheels, remains the same at 228hp, while there’s a useful 350Nm of torque too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VN3SCHA325DJDGL5OZMGFXI4VY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898626001},"content":"Can you actually squeeze knocking on for 600km out of the new EV6? Not quite, no, but the realistic usable range has gone up quite a bit, from around 450km before to more like 520km now. It’s a seriously long-legged car, and a lengthy drive through Portugal – along windy coastal roads, through snarled-up traffic, and along brisk motorway sections – yielded an average energy use of 17kWh/100km, just above the claimed 16.1kWh/100km official claim. Not bad at all.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2Q54GEEGL5ECPLI2DUKW2R3CTY","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZGCVUSBDIRFH3DN5K7UYOKG4JQ"},"content":"How far can you go in an electric car? Almost 917km as it happens","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"WNIYCBRJP5ELPKUCKSK2YMG4XA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898626002},"content":"Not bad, especially when you consider that the EV6 is not some compact economy model, but a large, genuinely luxurious, and rather engaging to drive car. True, the combo of a big, heavy battery set low between firmly suspended wheels means that there’s a touch of skateboard-like feeling when tackling bumpy country roads. The EV6 could do with a little more compliance in its springs, which might make it feel more composed. In Eco or Normal mode, the steering is light but quick, although ultimately it doesn’t tell you much about the road beneath the front tyres.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E5MGXGMLD5D6DGRCW6VD374PVI","additional_properties":{"_id":"UMAGTKYEHVH7RLWA224445LYQI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IFPA7TM6SZCCNHFZ3N7D3HEPK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898626004},"content":"There is a Sport mode, which firms up the steering and livens up the electric motor response (0-100km/h in 7.7 seconds isn’t too shabby) and it even allows a little bit of slip from the rear wheels, making quiet, damp roundabouts a bit more fun. The Capri allusions continue ...","type":"text"},{"_id":"UM24GAARBFDAXKDF3TOR55A4RU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898626005},"content":"However, the EV6 feels more in its comfort zone if you’re on broader, more sweeping roads where the electric motor’s torque can fling you effortlessly along, and the impressive on-board silence and refinement make a long journey melt away. Those long journeys are a little easier than before too, as the upgraded battery can accept higher DC fast-charging speeds – now up to 258kW if you can find a charging point capable of pumping that much current – which allows a 10-80 per cent charge in just 18 minutes, thanks to an improved charging curve that needs fewer pauses along the way to check the battery’s health. Better thermal management of the battery means that you can potentially add as much as 343km of extra range in as little as 15 minutes’ charging.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JDM6BW2NAFBSJD5Z46ADLGCHVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898626006},"content":"It’s not even that expensive a car. Prices for this updated version will be set closer to its Irish arrival in March, but inclusive of grants it will still be close to €50,000, which seems like a reasonable price compared to smaller, less practical alternatives from Polestar and BMW. Incidentally, between now and then Kia Ireland is going to knock a little off the price of the existing EV6, still a wonderfully capable car, so if you’re in the mood for an EV bargain ...","type":"text"},{"_id":"6R2XPMR5A5DN7B5OTFJSXVGC3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730898626007},"content":"Would it be worth waiting for the new one? For those that have to have the ultimate and latest, yes – the extra range is certainly welcome, as is the improved charging. However, what this new Kia EV6 really underlines is just what a brilliant car it was when it first arrived in 2021. That hasn’t changed.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"The strong-selling Kia EV6 boasts a longer range and improved charging in its 2025 update"},"display_date":"2024-11-13T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Kia EV6: An already-handsome car gets a facelift","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"NJ6INOBHRJFZXEQ7BJ3ZRCNAMM","auth":{"1":"249581090c97bdb8823fa376d207728ac657780e017fb701dae6c22a003d7859"},"focal_point":{"x":2715,"y":3325},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/NJ6INOBHRJFZXEQ7BJ3ZRCNAMM.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/13/kias-ev6-shows-ford-the-way-home/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"DVS3PUCY4ZC43KONBT5HSHHWH4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":415,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/42830a8c-c6cd-4ebc-b1b7-cef846df22ed/versions/1731339865/media/af16e2af843ba0b640792abfd3a4b2ee_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/12/ev-qa-are-there-different-kinds-of-batteries-used-in-electric-cars-which-one-is-best/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JDA4XWHWQVHWHEJJXL3ENV3ZKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663029},"content":"Not so long ago, the question was: is a diesel- or petrol-powered car right for me? Then <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">hybrid</a> muscled in on that equation, latterly followed by <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/09/17/your-ev-questions-answered-how-do-plug-in-hybrids-work-in-practice-and-do-they-make-sense-for-your-pocket/\" target=\"_blank\">plug-in hybrid</a>. Then, of course, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric cars</a> entered the fight, and the biggest question of all became whether or not an electric car was right for you, or me – a question which, more than a decade on from sales of electric models kicking off, still has no straightforward answer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ULEVQO7XUJF4TKC7AFJVXFLN4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731334116892},"content":"Now though, we’re starting to drill down into the finer details of electric cars. With prices coming down, and ranges going (somewhat) up, the question now is less whether an electric car is the right purchase, but which type of electric car we should buy. This is because there is more than one, and specifically more than one type of battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YZPM67ZCDNEU3MSAH4QVOTJIHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731337446149},"content":"<b>Tell me how batteries differ</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"4ZLDY5LOP5FJLOBSBDFHNE456I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731337446150},"content":"For now, electric motors are pretty homogenous (at least until clever axial-flow motors, or in-wheel motors, start to become commonplace) so the defining characteristic is the battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6PPHPX7MFJGNRPYY5R24DAXPCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731334116894},"content":"The vast majority of current electric vehicles (EVs) use lithium-ion batteries. These batteries come in either cell, prismatic, or pouch types. Cell batteries look rather disarmingly similar to AA batteries, but don’t be deceived – pack enough of these together into one big battery stack and you have enough power to run a Tesla. Literally. Pouch cells look more like little tinfoil bags, while prismatic cells look broadly similar to pouch cells but are more expensive to make.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D7UEZG5NRRD7JGTNGVSVZQMJLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731334116895},"content":"Whatever the shape, they all use the same basic chemistry, using nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) anode (that’s the negative terminal) and cathode (the positive) to get ions of lithium to flow through the battery. Flow in one direction charges the battery up, flow in the other direction sends an electric current out to a motor, driving the wheels.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IIBV7IXBZFHWXN7BJATQ7KNKTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731337446153},"content":"<b>And what are the pros and cons of a lithium-ion NMC-type battery?</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"EV2NXIKCHVGEZLBUSW6ULWVUGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731337446154},"content":"The chemistry is well understood (it’s the same basic stuff you’ll find in your laptop or mobile phone) and the designs have matured. Make a lithium-ion battery big enough and you can extract impressive ranges on one charge, such as the new <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/video/motors/2024/04/17/our-test-drive-volkswagen-id7/#:~:text=The%20ID.,6%2C%20may%20offer%20better%20value.\" target=\"_blank\">Volkswagen ID.7</a> which, with its biggest 83kWh battery pack, can manage almost 700km in one go (in theory, in ideal conditions etc).","type":"text"},{"_id":"E7CIXHIA5ZE27P5D4FPYZK3FGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731334116897},"content":"The downsides, though? Lithium-ion batteries are expensive to make (although they are getting cheaper) and use vast amounts of rare metals and minerals which have to be dug out of the ground – in itself an energy-intensive process, and one that has raised alarm bells on such matters as human rights and child labour in the mining industry, and political issues such as China’s near-total dominance in lithium processing. Lithium-ion batteries are also heavy, leading to heavier and less efficient cars, and if damaged they can suffer ‘thermal runaway’ – a fire which is very difficult to extinguish.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4PXYZFCYUJH65IPN5YYO2ZNRTY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731334116898},"content":"<b>Is there something better out there?</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"VASH72BUXZF2BL4EYFOEOWWISY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731337446157},"content":"Yes, there is. Lithium-iron phosphate batteries, or LFP batteries. These are now starting to become more commonplace, and they have some significant advantages over lithium-ion packs. For a start, they’re more affordable to build, and their chemistry means that you can forego some of the harder-to-mine rare Earth metals such as cobalt. They’re also more rugged – <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/byd/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD</a>, which has pioneered LFP batteries, actually integrates them into the structure of the car for improved crash protection – and less likely to suffer thermal runaway.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IIK3SALC2NHQVLQW5TNUXLQERA","additional_properties":{"_id":"DZOAIGTTMFGZPGNQMPN4P7UBJA"},"content":"Hyundai’s new €18,995 electric car is set to cause quite a stir","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"VBAGCRU7Z5B6BCVHWTZ2RPJ7GY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731334116899},"content":"The downside is that they generally hold less energy for a given size, making for shorter ranges (although it’s worth pointing out that in real-world conditions, thus far, LFP batteries seem to stack up well against lithium-ion ones), and they’re less easy to recycle – a critical factor given the paucity of lithium and other materials on the planet. When the time comes for mass-adoption of electric cars, many of the batteries are going to have to be made out of old, recycled batteries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DFJJ5DIBHNFXVIWKPR2Q7TDUVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731334116900},"content":"One big advantage of LFP batteries is that, generally, there’s no issue with constantly charging them to 100 per cent capacity, unlike lithium-ion batteries, which usually come with a health warning to charge them to 80 per cent most of the time, and only topping up to 100 per cent for occasional long journeys. However, they’re often slower to charge than the best lithium-ion batteries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QOJYEK2BZZDCTMHFCA5CFMPD4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731334116901},"content":"<b>What about solid-state batteries?</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ANY55RM2WBCBVOBZXFNQ3PYKEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731337446161},"content":"These are essentially lithium-ion batteries, but instead of the centre of the battery using a liquid core through which the power flows, there’s a solid mass, usually a form of ceramic. This has, potentially, massive advantages including more reliability, less likelihood of thermal runaway, and incredibly fast charging. The problem is that while solid-state batteries have all the promise in the world, no one has yet managed to get them into proper mass production, with the best estimates being that we won’t see a solid-state equipped car on sale until 2028 at the earliest.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IT4GEWNVANER3BS44KMHWHME3A","additional_properties":{"_id":"NCBUBG25WNFZBATV5AST2WPLM4"},"content":"Battery makers aim to ease EV anxieties with 5-minute charge","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"4EF4BOXV7NHZVATMPWJAAOSEVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731334116902},"content":"For many of us, the critical question will be how quickly a battery can be recharged, and you can get back on the road again. For this, sadly, there is no simple, straightforward answer. The very best charging systems – those deployed by Porsche, Hyundai, and Kia – run on 800-volt energy, and can swallow more than 300kW of Direct Current (DC) rapid charging, potentially allowing fast charges of less than 20 minutes to get to 80 per cent power. This makes life much easier if you’re a long-haul driver, but it does involve actually finding and being able to use an ultra-high-powered charger, of which there are not many.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YRZZYTOBOFFNBCGAOOGY5MA7UA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731334116903},"content":"Most other cars run on 400-volt power, which generally allows for charging at up to 200kW of DC power, which usually means 80 per cent recharge times of around 30-minutes, but again that’s (a) assuming that the charger is working at full power and (b) assuming that the car’s battery is in the right temperature range to accept full power. Neither are always the case.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LZF2WQNSUVDFZOTAHHKHMCBM2A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731334116904},"content":"<b>So which is the right battery for me? Or you?</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"AQBMEI2KEZHT3E2HRNZLOKSDSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731337446165},"content":"The answer is ... not simple. Generally speaking, a low-mileage driver would probably be better off with a smaller LFP battery, while a regular long-haul driver would do better with a lithium-ion pack that can charge at 800 volts. As ever, there’s an awful lot of gaps in that answer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RALQOD76KND5PPRO2SEOYIZTBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"WLJONDQDDNGFFJLIDI2QOTJPAM"},"content":"<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"},{"_id":"UARJJ6BOIFHI5NRP7DJVTH6TBI","additional_properties":{"_id":"2ZVHPM2DENF6XBN2AAHAJWS74M"},"content":"Can I tow a 1,200kg trailer with an EV?","type":"interstitial_link"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions"},"display_date":"2024-11-12T10:10:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"EV Q&A: Are there different kinds of batteries used in electric cars? Which one is best?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"767CIGUBIRCZZHAYRG5EN6CB7Q","auth":{"1":"1a4d118c0613b159b59f6752fd4f358dd97d21df9f3e66074ae7d5506781b101"},"focal_point":{"x":2446,"y":1441},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/767CIGUBIRCZZHAYRG5EN6CB7Q.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/12/ev-qa-are-there-different-kinds-of-batteries-used-in-electric-cars-which-one-is-best/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"4F4LSW2D7VFMRF6HQ3FXJXUCGQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":279,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/49315729-106a-4032-8dc3-8ba88dec52bc/versions/1731252929/media/196d5f3f0f4c4d1230a9a730a88b4479_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/10/hyundais-new-18995-electric-car-is-set-to-cause-quite-a-stir/","content_elements":[{"_id":"QIZIOWZMQVGF5FV7NVMZTJ3KNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356163},"content":"Hyundai is introducing a new small electric car to the Irish market at €18,995, making it one of the lowest-priced EVs on the market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FJGYH7HWEVANJCHVDELKKBCPVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356164},"content":"A rival to cars such as the Mini EV and Renault 5, the Hyundai Inster’s price will raise a lot of eyebrows. It significantly undercuts its rivals, while delivering plenty of personality and practicality.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IINUZONURVECTEFONKOWOQRAEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356165},"content":"In an age where a regular Toyota Yaris or VW Polo will set you back more than €25,000 and a Corolla €33,000, entering the market below €20,000 with a spacious little EV is going to cause quite a stir. It certainly did at the Nevo EV show in the RDS on Sunday, where it was unveiled for the first time to the Irish public.","type":"text"},{"_id":"POU6U7X4OVG5JO5S7HZGNHJDPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356166},"content":"It’s also hitting the market before VW’s long-promised “affordable” electric small car the ID.2, giving the Koreans a head start on 2025, a year that looks set to be a battleground for small electric car sales.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NMTPAFB6ORCXDJSXN5GROTPUPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356167},"content":"The biggest gripes you hear about EVs remain price and range. Yet here you have a smart-looking and spacious hatchback delivering more than 350km in the long-range version that still comes at a competitive price point of €21,995. Even the €18,995 version is promising a range of 300km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KIJ22ONSK5DLFBTIDZY5IP2VAY","additional_properties":{"_id":"UEUPMUYSANAAVEN22JNTM33AHU"},"content":"The question many Irish drivers are asking: Is an EV right for me?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"MXVHXQSKWBATNLNHPXCMIHURYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356168},"content":"And in terms of spaciousness, at a time when rivals have struggled to marry big battery packs to small cars without sacrificing interior space, Hyundai has pulled off a bit of a masterstroke with the Inster’s interior.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PGY7LQANOZB45IGGUUOXYEKACU","additional_properties":{"_id":"6YIKZWVTMBDCDI6TDRDJYEXHL4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6KMIMS67HVB3BEPBKYLZFXMG2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356169},"content":"As you would expect, the front seat occupants have ample legroom and the usual array of 10.25-inch touchscreen controls. So far, so regular modern EV. However, in the back, you really do have legroom and headroom for two adults, something that can’t be said of many other small EVs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YSB6MMPOSBAEROD2ZO3OWIIKUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356170},"content":"The solution Hyundai came up with is simple: putting the two rear seats on sliders. Available on the long-range version, it means you can either increase the rear-seat legroom or the boot space (from 280 litres to 351 litres). That’s certainly not new to the car market, but in the Inster it’s delivered to full effect. To appreciate the space inside this supposedly small car, simply pop down the rear seats – plus the front passenger seat – and you are ready for that visit to Ikea.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGKAF76K4ZFT3JDZUJRBUGW4AM","additional_properties":{"_id":"LG6WY6T7YNH37IBUDKYI436MII"},"content":"Myths versus realties — sifting the EV misinformation","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"IVWQHFK6XNEFVJLHUQSRHHLX7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356171},"content":"In fact, even the driver seat folds flat, so you could turn the Inster into overnight accommodation if needs be. And while the boot space can seem small at first, there is a deep well under the boot floor for extra stowage space. It’s just a shame that the sliding rear seats and flat-folding seats aren’t standard on the €18,995 version.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYCZ4HEKHVF25LLQZGQIGMVNEM","additional_properties":{"_id":"LLOCA5YV6JASLBTTD66GM234TE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"GBKQI5GM2NDJDHBU6IQ77UKL2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356172},"content":"The good news about this car continues on the road. Having managed to deliver cabin space to make the new Renault 5 seem incredibly compromised, you might expect sacrifices to have been made in terms of the battery pack under the floor. However, Hyundai is still offering the Inster with a choice of standard-range 42kWh or long-range 49kWh packs. That’s similar to the 40kWh and 52kWh offerings on the Renault.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F7VY4W7XKBEWDMTSNDD3EOOCCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356173},"content":"In terms of range, the Inster claims more than 300km from the 42kWh pack and 355km from the 49kWh one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YR4BK44GSFDMBMFZILRLFMV6XU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356174},"content":"Racy performance is not part of the Inster package. But that doesn’t mean it’s not nippy. In an era where EVs are regularly big heavy crossovers, this Inster feels remarkably nimble and agile around town.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5SFFKAY2IFG2VB6TRZENRQP3YI","additional_properties":{"_id":"JHQQ67UP5ZH43GETLB6ZYAUW4Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZEYQBJEMYZC4ZLO3WUCZYGC45Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356175},"content":"Given its urban natural habitat, the Inster’s steering feel is light, as is the throttle response. Take it out on rural roads and it’s still an easy drive. Push it at speed into a bend and, like any regular hatchback, the tendency is to understeer, but that’s met with a reassuring intervention of stability control. All in, the Inster is surprisingly good, particularly considering its short wheelbase.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MTK2ELY3B5AWXGNTYTG6MUSNO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356176},"content":"In terms of equipment, while the price is low, the specification is not. The entry version, at €18,995, comes with features such as rain-sensor auto wipers, heated seats and heated steering wheel. Move up to the long-range version, you also get a heat pump that helps save battery range in cold weather.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E6GUVW7U25CBPH5PDUL5NPILPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731235356177},"content":"The Inster’s arrival is a welcome treat for a new car market desperately in need of an antidote to the mind-numbing blandness of countless costly crossover EVs.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"New Inster EV is a surprisingly impressive small car that could revive an EV market stuffed with bland, expensive crossovers"},"display_date":"2024-11-10T12:15:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Hyundai’s new €18,995 electric car is set to cause quite a stir","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"IORDDJLTGZAHVFW5JAHFWXC3ME","auth":{"1":"59a5d0c568abc00c201b1a0bb17d6d2d80e5c7e094d9858da7488b19e5ed3911"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/IORDDJLTGZAHVFW5JAHFWXC3ME.jpeg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/10/hyundais-new-18995-electric-car-is-set-to-cause-quite-a-stir/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"C3IRVW2TXZBSNCTYKHICJPVKKA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":261,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/ef3150bb-b1b6-4aa3-a4b9-4d2577d3d0d4/versions/1730282271/media/c32072a128afca40ba2584a696298bb9_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/06/fords-new-capri-is-little-more-than-a-soulless-crossover/","content_elements":[{"_id":"4UQPVZQM4NAAPL2ERRIHFB44U4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220212999},"content":"The new Capri epitomises the crisis facing Ford. A car brand that delivered aspirational yet accessible motoring greats has now descended into delivering an innocuous coupe-shaped pastiche.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W75N3ODZEJB7ZDY6K3QHF3OWP4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213000},"content":"This is a car created not from engineers’ dreams of affordable sports cars, but rather accountants’ spreadsheets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JTHIKZNSDRH4FBLHCG5V3LXASY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213001},"content":"Dragging the Capri moniker from the grave to revive the company’s fortunes in Europe was always going to irk loyalists. To do so, and then fail to encapsulate any of the original’s essence – aside from a smattering of faux nostalgic styling touches – defies logic.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LKDDUX3SKRE5NHBN52ITYRXDDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213002},"content":"Of course, Ford needed to deliver any modern take of the Capri in a guise that suited current trends. But the end result is not a modern take on the original coupe, but rather a clumsy retro-clad rehash of the mediocre crossovers that already clog up our streets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SRBPGGV67ZFTHE7A4Z63IHHFFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213003},"content":"Maybe I’m carrying some prejudice. My early childhood was spent in Capris. My first memories of washing cars is of trying to reach even halfway up the sweeping bonnet. It was meant to be the working man’s answer to the Jaguar E-Type. It harboured dreams of driving down the Amalfi coast.","type":"text"},{"_id":"633EKLOAMRHGJBSU7ST26NJDIE","additional_properties":{"_id":"F4WM6WFSENGOTA4TODQXTYS3XE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"36QRCZ72JFB3XAG7QW24R7664M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213005},"content":"The new Capri doesn’t dream, it merely navigates between car parks. But the biggest issue with this car is its lack of identity, not just in styling but in driving style. What defines it as a Ford?","type":"text"},{"_id":"3V54BHNV7FC7PEOLCV56AM3TBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213006},"content":"I’m stumped. This car giant used to deliver engineering magic. The Ford Focus – and before it the Ford Escort – were magnificent cars to drive. Even the most affordable versions delivered handling prowess that impressed engineers from prestige sports car brands. The Fiesta was sprightly and nimble, the Mondeo a smart family car. All were generally fun to drive. And all are gone or going, discontinued by Ford.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C6XZBALBWVHEXKG7OMBGNOBSCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213007},"content":"Instead, here we have a car whose underpinnings come from supposed arch-rival Volkswagen. Co-operation between competitive car brands is nothing new, but it’s usually reserved for less critical market segments. Right now, Ford’s larger EV passenger car fleet in Europe is reliant on VW.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y6QGWDZTUFFPTKEIQDHA4DURKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213008},"content":"The dependence on the VW parts bin doesn’t stop at the battery and electric motor tech. There are several interior trim elements that are straight from VW’s ID range. When the biggest talking point of the interior is a sliding touchscreen and a stowage box behind it, you know there’s been an imagination vacuum.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5IZ27ABINVFFLE2LUZRLCKW3VY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730977206614},"content":"True, it all functions competently, but there is little new or cutting edge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AYMHDWFZPBAYFK5ML3YHO7VFKY","additional_properties":{"_id":"M4I3JCPIYZEQ3I5AOLPBIPBRFE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"EAQCK56QOVGGHM3MNBPRYFQKCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213010},"content":"On the road, the new Capri is comfortable, pleasant and, if needed, a bit pacy. It can hit 100km/h from a standing start in 5.3 seconds, which in the age of EVs is relatively fast.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2TYHBNGBKBCSRMG3V763TZTO2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213011},"content":"Perhaps the best feature of this car is its steering, which is quick and responsive, even if the stability control could be a little more active given the sheer bulk of metal that’s moving about on the road.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KZNQKJUYBZHSJLU735GUKOFHTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213012},"content":"Our test car was the 79kW extended battery pack version with all-wheel drive, so the grip was never in question.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZX66RXNQQBFCVNGGVMCXLVU4GM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213013},"content":"Ford claims a very impressive combined range of 627km for the regular rear-wheel drive with the 77kW extended range battery pack, while our all-wheel-drive version delivers closer to 580km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDUBLKAHNF3VMRZ3L4O3FDOJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213014},"content":"And this Capri crossover SUV boasts a big 572-litre boot. But is the talking point from Capri fans going to be about boot space?","type":"text"},{"_id":"37D7SZEW55DPXMQWBWAIDBZ5XE","additional_properties":{"_id":"QC4LCZ2VQJHMLIFJLEPKKA2D6A"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"W2GIQLRFURH5DB6EVF3TA2TJEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213016},"content":"You can live without the rattle and hums of a combustion engine. You can accept that in some cases practicality trumps sportier styling. But, like a ghost of its former self, this car lacks soul.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CRMVCNV6BVDKPISPVSOF4NLEME","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213018},"content":"To justify the Capri moniker, Ford could have created an affordable rival to the BMW i4 or Audi e-tron, sleek electric coupes that many blue oval buyers admire but can’t afford.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3CAOXSTOHVC3HJ7WIHCDLDOOPA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213019},"content":"It could have tapped into its excellent steering and handling heritage and delivered an EV that drove like an old-fashioned Ford, full of flavour and flair.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DPAFO4ZLCJHJHOPHK6YYTUEE5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730220213020},"content":"It could have done so much but didn’t – and that’s what is really annoying. This car is not simply a swing-and-miss; it seems like the bosses at Dearborn didn’t really wave the bat. This is no homage to past glory. It’s the result of an accountant’s Powerpoint presentation on cost control and consumer trends.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VPXEQ6KYHZB3VFE6EDJ3CIJZQM","additional_properties":{"_id":"54PXKNNGMVBMLCBJI46BZYM4AA"},"type":"image"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"The car giant had a great opportunity to showcase its skills – instead it delivered an exercise in cost control"},"display_date":"2024-11-06T06:40:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Ford’s new Capri is little more than a soulless crossover","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"L3IDI632PRAH7CIJT7ZW3OFF2Y","auth":{"1":"389361cd3140d9d05b48157a6357e2288b99f243e250791866248b98973f4a2c"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/L3IDI632PRAH7CIJT7ZW3OFF2Y.jpeg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/06/fords-new-capri-is-little-more-than-a-soulless-crossover/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"V7PHRLCWLBFB5C5SGAXHEOWP7A","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":564,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/888b1d8d-41c4-447d-89f3-91175e4f8676/versions/1730717309/media/56f491682f5977c358aba65ea67f60a4_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/06/heavyweight-bmw-m5-hits-with-an-appropriate-punch/","content_elements":[{"_id":"PH7MTVJTARDW7A5HFK2JIIWVVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715245},"content":"We tend to think of the classic-age ocean liners – the likes of the Olympic, the Queen Mary, the Normandie, the United States and so on – as being massive, lumbering hotels at sea. Something the size of a building just shouldn’t be fast.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NOCCA6JZPVAQRHJZ3R6SJBSLRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715246},"content":"And yet, not only were these one-time titans of the sea faster by far than you’d think (like, speedboat-fast), but there was actually a genuine competition, known as the Blue Riband, to see which could cross the Atlantic the fastest. Even in wartime, these ships, when turned over to military service, didn’t need an escort to cross the oceans – they could simply outrun any enemy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6VN536T3WBH3DGQBN6O2YB7AYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715247},"content":"Which puts the new BMW M5′s weight problem into some kind of perspective. Yes, it’s heavy, so heavy that at 2,510kg at the kerb, it’s 700kg weightier than the previous M5 CS. But then, like those liners, it has the kind of power that it needs to make the weight almost irrelevant.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3344QHJ4BJG3PDUW4WEVAR3PDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715248},"content":"The M5, as a species, has generally evolved gently over the years since the original E28 model – with its fabulous 3.5-litre straight-six engine pinched from the seventies M1 supercar – was launched in 1984. Aside from the brief aberration of the 2003 V10-engined version, the M5 has just quietly got on with gently morphing from straight-six to V8 power, and remaining a relatively subtle, under-the-radar way of propelling you quickly and comfortably about the place.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WCUOHRP6DBEJPAMFYSUN6YQHL4","additional_properties":{"_id":"NBVKVC3MKZADJJ5QXFDPBYZCUU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"KPDMTBUENRCCZOT36JKOW6SCEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715249},"content":"However, for this new M5 (the G90 model if you’re collecting BMW product codes), Munich knew that a big change was needed, and so while this M5 retains its mighty V8 engine, it is also now a plug-in hybrid.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H5V4ZC6L3RDYXL5XICUEUIAEWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715250},"content":"This is perhaps not the shock that it might once have been. After all, the (hideous) XM SUV laid the groundwork for the combo of V8 and plug-in hybrid power, while BMW has begun campaigning V8 hybrid-powered racing cars at Le Mans.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W22E46Y2PJCTHNJ6MEP6ZVJJXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715251},"content":"Electric power is a necessity these days, especially if BMW’s M Division wants to get new models past the beady eyes of legislators. Already, the best-selling M-badged car is electric: the 600hp i5 M60, a delectable electric car if ever there was one. More are coming, including a can’t-wait all-electric next-generation M3 with four electric motors, one for each wheel, although BMW concedes that a six-cylinder petrol M3 will remain in production to appease the battery-doubters.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GAZJNTFH6NCHDM3OWIC54ZISJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715252},"content":"The new M5 sits in the midst of this sea-change, keeping its V8 petrol engine but adding a 145kW electric motor and an 18.6kWh battery. Charge that battery up (only at 7kW from AC power, sadly) and the M5 has an all-electric range of up to 69km in a best-case scenario, and it doesn’t even feel especially slow when it’s driving on the battery alone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MZWFUXRNC5HFPEHQJEJT5TGDOQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"VGZQBO4PJJHY5KZQAJ4X2ASV74"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"LSKEXY3GS5BS7FKJCTFZRBF5EA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715253},"content":"However, what happens when the petrol and electric halves combine is truly astonishing. The new M5 has a combined power output of 727hp, along with a frankly silly 1,000Nm of torque. That’s just crazy – it’s really not that long ago when 700-odd-horses was the output of a frontline racing car, not a family-friendly executive saloon (with an even more practical Touring estate version to follow).","type":"text"},{"_id":"2AXIPK3MSJB3TAQH5JU3NIUS5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715254},"content":"So, two things are at the forefront of your mind as you approach the M5′s satin-painted flanks (our test car was painted a fetching shade of purple, called Daytona Violet officially). One, that the power will utterly dominate proceedings and, two, if the power doesn’t the weight well.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DYZ5DCNXD5DKTOW434WSJRPE2E","additional_properties":{"_id":"BHHYT4IWRZAGXCCTHDKOSYFKPU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AQKUN5LQN5BJPKMATB2ZOJMUFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715255},"content":"Actually, neither is the case. Fire up the M5 and as long as there’s charge in the battery, it will start in silent electric mode, the better to allow you to hear the swish of those massive 285 (front) and 295 (rear) section tyres, fitted to asymmetric alloy wheels of 20-inch diameter up front and 21-inches at the back.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XV2GYHJRIFC4XPBNYMTFHWXNZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715256},"content":"The cabin looks mostly like that of any current 5 Series or i5, save for the bright red bits that come with M status, and a set of seats which are possibly the best of any car I’ve ever sat in. The big screen is fiddly and awkward to use, but that’s par for the course these days. Of much more use are the little red M1 and M2 buttons on the steering wheel which allow you to save pre-sets for the hideously complicated driving modes. So, with M1 saved as a low-key hybrid mode, and M2 saved as a maximum-attack, everything-turned-up-to-11 mode, we headed out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CFUJPMLLPBHBTCYRPEQQ3AIBMU","additional_properties":{"_id":"6QJIAQGH7JG4LANIR3YKMZR6QI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"E2DZENUBFNDABGWA3LLBHBFC4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715257},"content":"Obviously, the power is ridiculous at first, even if the weight means that this M5 is slower to get to 100km/h than the last one. That metric really just proves the fallacy of 0-100km/h times, as once it’s up and rolling, the new car leaves the old one for dead in terms of in-gear acceleration. The 80-120km/h is 2.2 seconds if you hold on to fourth gear in the slightly lazy eight-speed automatic gearbox.","type":"text"},{"_id":"URO27DO46BEZREAJTNTQS3GQLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715258},"content":"With a thunderous (slightly artificially amplified) bellow from the V8, the M5 gets up to silly-high Autobahn speeds with regal ease and serenity. Its stability is helped by rear-wheel steering – another M5 first – and presumably by the sheer battleship weight figure. High-speed touring, where legal, has never seemed so easy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TJNWTDGMHJEHBMAZHV4D5HW63Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715259},"content":"Corners and tight and twisty roads are where big, hefty things like this M5 tend to come unstuck. And yet, somehow, someone at the M-Division must have been studying at Hogwarts, as the M5 just dances through bends as if someone chanted “Wingardium leviosa” at the wheels. Okay, not entirely – heavy braking and sudden, tight changes of direction will show you precisely in which direction the inertia of that weight is pulling you, but as long as you’re not driving like a maniac, the M5 does a truly remarkable job of disguising its heft. It’s not as gloriously agile as the old M5 CS, but it’s nowhere near as blunt an instrument as many of us feared it would be.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2IZ5MAPISJHOXDGSHM74RVURBI","additional_properties":{"_id":"OILSF2ZREBHWHMNOZXD4DK3IRU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DB5RZ2XS7ZFW3EZ6L7TDZ634ZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715260},"content":"What it is, is addictive. No matter how much we drove the M5 during our two days with it in and around Munich, we just wanted more. At low speeds, as a hybrid or electric car, it’s the comfiest cruiser you ever did meet. Turn on Sport Plus mode and downshift, and it becomes a cultured but menacing muscle car in the classic sense. It’s as if The Rock were to be cast as the new James Bond: sledgehammer hit, sparkling wit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UTAGI4G5INEHVOPTPJQK72ESC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715261},"content":"I’ve saved the best bit till last, though. Because the M5 is a plug-in hybrid, and because it has low official CO2 figures of just 39g/km (although BMW admits that the M5 will consume fuel at the rate of 10.5l/100km if you drive around on a depleted battery), the vagaries of the Irish car taxation system (which has long been easily blindsided by new tech) mean that the M5 is fully €60,000 cheaper than it used to be. In fact, at €137,055, it’s some €15,000 cheaper than the smaller, slower, petrol-only M3. Which also isn’t as pretty.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S7WW63UNPBENLBU4XMTOLOJ3FE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715262},"content":"That makes this M5 not only freakishly fast and profoundly poised, nor only lavish and luxurious, and high-tech too. It makes the M5 a bargain: an honest-to-goodness six-figure, four-seat, 727hp, 2.5-tonne bargain. Blue Riband, indeed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PEWCUFPC3ZCR7A6SI5YJYWAWD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715263},"content":"<b>Lowdown: BMW M5 Saloon</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"SGKY5AVN3ZAJVEMK3WQT5RES2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715264},"content":"<b>Power: </b>4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol engine with145kW e-motor and an 18.6kWh lithium-ion battery producing 727hp and 1,000Nm of torque and powering all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ACCSRBLB75EEBAXECE46MHINAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715265},"content":"<b>CO2 emissions (annual motor tax):</b> 39g/km (€140).","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZPRBG2JSPJFWXD5B2N7SFASGLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715266},"content":"<b>Fuel consumption: </b>1.7l/100km (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"VFK7SH67YRAQZOB4RI4ZPLIILY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715267},"content":"<b>0-100km/h:</b> 3.5 secs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SZIQVAWI5VBBTI2PTQJTMBOU7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715268},"content":"<b>Price:</b> €137,055 as tested, M5 starts from €137,055.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WKC562CRMJGH5FHINKGLXBBIRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715269},"content":"<b>Our rating: </b>5/5.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BXTSHRJMBJHTVIISYQSQMB5ETI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729869715270},"content":"<b>Verdict:</b> Weighty? Yes. Profligate? A bit. Expensive? Not with a €60,000 discount. Glorious? Absolutely.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"The new M5 is genuinely a bargain, freakishly fast and profoundly poised"},"display_date":"2024-11-06T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"BMW M5: A heavyweight hits with an appropriate punch","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"SWPJP6AE4VHLFEACZAHEDZG6LM","auth":{"1":"8484cd490b830bd7f31725887c18258b35a18e2d00dbd9dfdbb1b2c93ba8a7f7"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SWPJP6AE4VHLFEACZAHEDZG6LM.JPG"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/11/06/heavyweight-bmw-m5-hits-with-an-appropriate-punch/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"TG7QHIGGTBCUHM7PCCV5SOKFGE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":293,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/75d75b32-be8e-4a83-8f03-c5b900e2eb15/versions/1730718160/media/060f2f28d526cfc721f97c904f649203_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/11/05/your-ev-questions-answered-why-are-there-no-lamp-post-chargers-in-ireland/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JDA4XWHWQVHWHEJJXL3ENV3ZKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663029},"content":"<b>A reader asks: Given the preponderance of on street parking in various </b><a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/dublin\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Dublin</b></a><b> neighbourhoods I wonder why on earth the powers that be have not invested in lamp-post charging? It is commonplace in London but I have not seen any trace of it over here. I did read somewhere that the only </b><a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles\" target=\"_blank\"><b>EV</b></a><b> meter approved in Ireland would not fit into a lamp-post – yet they do across the water. Any thoughts?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LYV2V424AJFKPIYSKQ525N4UZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663030},"content":"This is one of those rare EV questions we have received where the rumour turns out to be – at least partially – true.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y5HE6LUU3FHTJMISD7GQPGTZVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663031},"content":"Our first port of call for this question was the Zero Emissions Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) office, part of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/department-of-transport\" target=\"_blank\">Department of Transport</a>, and the Government agency tasked with speeding up the roll-out of electric car charging infrastructure, and making electric cars seem more desirable to Irish car buyers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YYUORS665ZD3BKY7CHWGJQD5YI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663032},"content":"When we asked about this ‘wrong size meter for lamp-posts’ question, ZEVI’s response was: “In other countries existing lamp-posts have been retro fitted with EV Charge Points with the meter for measuring electricity fitted to the charging cable ie external to the lamp-post. This allows for the existing lamp-post where suitably located to have a charge point installed using spare capacity within the post usually 2kW to 3KW.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HVBPBVTKVZAAXBRSLX67ZNF7MY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663033},"content":"In Ireland this solution is not viable given the requirement from ESB to have a in built meter and a separation from ESB and charge point infrastructure. This requires a bespoke lamp-post to be installed with enough space to include an ESB meter.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GAHCTSP47BFPVN7EKWIEYUKEBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663034},"content":"The ESB is considering a bespoke lamp-post solution and are looking at potential pilots for this solution however it should be noted that this solution will most likely add significant costs over retrofitting of existing lamp-posts and the use case for this solution will only be considered following the review of any pilot.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RALQOD76KND5PPRO2SEOYIZTBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"WLJONDQDDNGFFJLIDI2QOTJPAM"},"content":"<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"},{"_id":"HCKIGUZGTJDPVL2FLWNM4KUE3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663035},"content":"“It should also be noted that any lamp-post solution would only be considered where the lamp-post is positioned at the front of the footpath and any lamp-post positioned at the rear would not be suitable for health and safety purposes with cable not being permitted across footpaths.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KRBUXFTGPNBHTIOSARP5I2WHSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663036},"content":"So yes, the tale is true – ESB meters don’t fit in lamp-posts and that’s why we can’t have lamp-post charging.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UARJJ6BOIFHI5NRP7DJVTH6TBI","additional_properties":{"_id":"2ZVHPM2DENF6XBN2AAHAJWS74M"},"content":"Can I tow a 1,200kg trailer with an EV?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"EZ4CLKKD7BAKVN2AKT6UCFT7SY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663037},"content":"However, the story doesn’t quite end there, because there are actually a few lamp-post chargers in Ireland. Ubitricity fitted out a handful of lamp-posts with charging sockets in the Fingal County Council area of north Dublin, with the Council picking up the cost of the charging so that it didn’t have to be metered specifically.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QUOOJRHGKVB25HITI7OSWDSAHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663038},"content":"When first installed back in 2018, Ubitricity reckoned that the installation cost was only about €1,500 – low for an EV charging point – and that the tech was so versatile that it could be fitted to almost any type of roadside furniture, from lamp-posts to bollards. Sadly, and likely because of the metering issue, the idea never took off.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CPLIHLI5ZJE5ROCV5GPGXMT47U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663039},"content":"Then again, that might be something of a blessing in disguise. Lamp-post chargers tend to only operate at very low charging speeds – around 3kW, or about as much as a domestic socket. That was totally acceptable when the most popular electric cars were Mk1 Nissan Leafs and Renault Zoes, with 30kWh batteries. Plug a 77kWh Volkswagen ID.4 into a 3kW charger today and you’ll be sitting there for 25 hours to get a full charge ...","type":"text"},{"_id":"PG2UWJDNSRE7ZADMIVDRLW3GTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663040},"content":"Equally, some studies into lamp-post charging made the point that lamp-posts aren’t fitted at car-length intervals, and parking bays were not in most cases specifically marked out for EVs, leading to the possibility of ‘charging rage’ as desperate EV drivers remonstrate with heedless internal combustion car drivers over parking. There were also concerns that the wiring in lamp-posts – only ever intended to deliver enough power for a sodium bulb – wasn’t going to be up to the rigours of charging EVs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HWK57CLSIBHA3KWM5T346CKXRU","additional_properties":{"_id":"MLVB5HZWR5CEPFU2ZIK627UXMA"},"content":"Is it safe to bring electric cars on ferries?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"Q3IQ3LQJ3JEXFH2GPIM5SDJO3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663041},"content":"However, that last point appears now to be moot, as in a recent report, UK Power Networks has advised charging operators that it now seems that the wiring inside most lamp-posts is robust enough to deliver a 5kW charge, which is at least a bit more like it – now it’ll only take 15 hours to charge that ID.4, and seeing as hardly anyone ever charges up from completely flat, overnight charging from a lamp-post suddenly starts to look like a practical proposition again.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AQLYXSAMAFFFNGGGJTOGL5ZMGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730715663042},"content":"It won’t be an easy road to get from here to mass lamp-post charging – that ESB meter design will have to be changed, and the concerns over designated parking will have to be addressed, so don’t hold your breath. It does seem as if lamp-post charging is, actually, a good idea though, and so hopefully it can now start to gather some decent momentum.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions"},"display_date":"2024-11-05T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"EV Q&A: Why are there no lamp-post chargers in Ireland?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"OAJDF2DKQBBWKMLFFMS4YVULLQ","auth":{"1":"e3e0f4fb359761245821eaa1f67d1e70937dd6ab0e5e2bf4bbda2116aa73f45d"},"focal_point":{"x":1100,"y":940},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/OAJDF2DKQBBWKMLFFMS4YVULLQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/11/05/your-ev-questions-answered-why-are-there-no-lamp-post-chargers-in-ireland/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"6GNYSYQ6OREP5CV6N3I5XL6H5Y","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/business/2024/11/01/slump-in-electric-car-sales-continues-in-october/","content_elements":[{"_id":"EI6AS5PQFFDXZCFXS6WEIYOTLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730464628059},"content":"The drop in sales of new electric cars continued in October, down 12.3 per cent on the same month last year, despite the overall market growing by 10 per cent last month.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ACH2AXKE45E3TL7DDSCWZB5STA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730464628060},"content":"So far this year, 16,656 new EVs have been registered – a fall of 25.4 per cent on the same period last year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZYGFAMAE35DH7EH5H3NAATADBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730464628061},"content":"According to Brian Cooke, director general of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (Simi), “October marks the ninth consecutive month of decline in electric vehicle registrations which is clearly a worrying trend.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XB4QRCE76VGUTL4ERBMMPU3NNY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730464628062},"content":"“The decline in EV sales emphasises the need for continued Government supports and initiatives to boost sales in this market segment.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"4VNUSMQ25FD4TJQALQA2ERPXVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730464628063},"content":"Some brands have suffered more than others with the drop in EV sales. Volkswagen and Hyundai have both seen their EV sales fall 37.5 per cent on last year, while EV sales at Skoda, Renault, Opel, Mini and Cupra are down over 50 per cent. Tesla sales are down 20.3 per cent this year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J7LX2ONGVZFWDGFUXHG5RRQK6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730464628064},"content":"The bestselling EVs are the VW ID. 4 with 1,502 registrations (down 48 per cent on last year), Tesla’s Model 3 with 1,292 sales (up 18.7 per cent); Tesla Model Y (down 41.5 per cent); and Kia’s EV6 (down 18.5 per cent).","type":"text"},{"_id":"3QAV4ASRVNDGXEK5BNL3BHVDGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730464628065},"content":"The total number of new cars registered so far this year stands at 119,668, down 1.2 per cent on last year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H4BJSAI5J5HWVB7UK66PETOQVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730464628066},"content":"Petrol engines remain the favoured choice for Irish new car buyers, accounting for 30.79 per cent of the market this year, followed by diesel at 22.94 per cent. Regular hybrids account for 20.99 per cent, while plug-in hybrids stand at 9.8 per cent. Fully electric sales represent 13.9 per cent of all new sales.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CMEMIV3D6JAOPFP6YKARASRQTI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730464628067},"content":"The bestselling car brands are Toyota, Volkswagen, Skoda, Hyundai and Kia, with the favourite models being the Hyundai Tucson, Skoda Octavia and Kia Sportage.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UIE2RKJ7YNAHJIRWGC6EAGJMHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730464628068},"content":"While new car sales are relatively stagnant, there is better news in the commercial market – a bellwether for overall economic activity – where van sales are up 8 per cent on last year, with 30,167 new registrations. Sales of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) are up 10.4 per cent at 2,757.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"Some brands have suffered more than others with Volkswagen and Hyundai both seeing EV sales down 37.5% on last year"},"display_date":"2024-11-01T13:00:30.894Z","headlines":{"basic":"Slump in electric car sales continues in October","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"HNUEVAIACGGAJ46PL3HEMVARRI","auth":{"1":"03c258f951d2878d52836071881ddd3e35bd13e9531221ed864281268354d73d"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/HNUEVAIACGGAJ46PL3HEMVARRI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2024/11/01/slump-in-electric-car-sales-continues-in-october/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"LMZTWRFQ6BAUDEL4CWNZK5LPG4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":360,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/a9730fcc-9716-4be0-9d0a-ea2e55470831/versions/1729598265/media/0fd9ee29822eb96ac4eb94e0632e06dc_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/10/28/hyundai-inster-small-ev-with-a-big-personality-set-to-shine-in-2025/","content_elements":[{"_id":"7ZZ32MYXOJDM7HSFOA4OR6NNF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268561},"content":"We are set for a small car showdown in 2025. After a decade of bloated SUVs and crossovers, the car industry is finally getting around to giving us some interesting and affordable <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">EVs</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4RCSFFEORVEP7FMJ4U3N5PCYFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268562},"content":"Following on from the likes of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/mini-testing-its-new-ev-in-the-arctic-circle-1.4834229\" target=\"_blank\">Mini EV</a>, we are getting set for the return of the stylish <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/10/16/renault-5-delivers-retro-fun-and-a-nippy-drive/\" target=\"_blank\">Renault 5 in electric guise</a>, along with <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2023/10/24/new-electric-citroen-c3-could-cost-as-little-as-25000/\" target=\"_blank\">Citroën’s e-C3</a> and a new Fiat Grande Panda. And by Christmas we will also see this new Hyundai Inster land in Irish showrooms. Hatchbacks are back.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DJJBGQT22ZCGDDADO4DVHSDT3I","additional_properties":{"_id":"F2QJFN3PHNGRPE4SPUVQ64EJUQ"},"content":"Thinking of switching to an electric vehicle? Here’s what you need to consider","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"7JQYIZ2ZCFDJVL2XXPEHMSHOXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268563},"content":"Hats off to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/hyundai/\" target=\"_blank\">Hyundai’s</a> design department. True, they have cursed us with a fleet of bland crossovers over the past three decades, but with their electric cars they’ve bravely tried to break that trend. First up was the modern-looking <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/06/05/hyundai-ioniq-5-n-stellar-hot-hatch-brings-unmatched-driving-fun-to-the-ev-era/\" target=\"_blank\">Ioniq 5</a>, followed by the more divisive <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2023/04/05/hyundai-ioniq-6-striking-electric-saloon-offers-tempting-alternative-for-suv-buyers/\" target=\"_blank\">Ioniq 6</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V4BJSR7HNJFUBBLHFZPI2XD24A","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268564},"content":"Now comes the quirky looking Inster. For quirky, some will read “cute”, others “odd”. Regardless, it’s got personality and that’s something that’s been in short supply these last few years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PUEUJHZX35BIVNPIDFHJEXD4HA","additional_properties":{"_id":"WDLFKWF3HNHCLJH265TKTMXNU4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"5NQAEGW5OFBTHISLWCMPHNW2UQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268566},"content":"When it comes to smaller cars, designers frequently follow the “cute” route. Hence the doe-eyed running lights on the front of the Inster. And they’ve crafted a few rough-and-tumble traits into the styling with the wider rear pillar and bulked out wheel arches.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ABWDONV5QVAKLGFD4NJTQPJWCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268567},"content":"It’s fun, even if it can’t come close to the character and charm of the new Renault 5.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QX3GOYSABRB3ZO5EDMVQIAYZBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268568},"content":"But, this EV has a lot more going for it than its looks. At a time when rivals have struggled to marry big battery packs to small cars without sacrificing interior space, Hyundai has pulled off a bit of a master stroke.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O3C6IKWMBRDDDJ3P6OORSSTTSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268569},"content":"At a recent European car of the year test event, up against myriad new arrivals, the Inster wasn’t top of anyone’s test list. Perhaps that’s why it was such a pleasant surprise and became one of the most-talked-about cars so far this year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VSD2HKBNNNCS7OMOQO3W65F7BM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268570},"content":"The big story of Inster is the interior. As you would expect, the front seat occupants have ample legroom and the usual array of 10.25-inch touchscreen controls. So far, so regular modern EV. However, in the back, you really do have legroom and headroom for two adults.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P3S6CRAOUZFC5AU6HOJCVEFLLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"JC7VT443ZRGW7PTFOEMRF7YCWY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"YWC6RCVO4JGBHFVNZJICSQ3Q6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268572},"content":"That’s thanks in part to putting the two rear seats on sliders. It means you can either increase the rear-seat legroom or the bootspace (from 280 litres to 351 litres). That’s certainly not new to the car market, but in Inster it’s delivered to full effect. To appreciate the space inside this supposedly small car, simply pop down the rear seats – plus the front passenger seat – and you are ready for that visit to Ikea.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MWV56VEVBZE4LCIC7ZJKZBYXNM","additional_properties":{"_id":"P3SPDUMUHBDATELKJYUYSOQ6KA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"52UUFWWEDZASHCUI7STYTOVRVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268574},"content":"In fact, even the driver seat folds flat, so you could turn the Inster into overnight accommodation if needs be. And while the boot space can seem small at first, there is a deep well under the boot floor for extra stowage space.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SZNO237ZPJDXXGCCVOBRY4XNXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268575},"content":"The good news with this car continues on the road. Having managed to deliver cabin space to make the new Renault 5 seem incredibly compromised, you might expect sacrifices to have been made in terms of the battery pack under the floor. However, Hyundai is still offering the Inster with a choice of standard-range 42kWh or long-range 49kWh packs. That’s similar to the 40kWh and 52kWh offerings on the Renault.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BYWNH5AS7NHZTE2FRB5IGNECLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268576},"content":"In terms of range, the Inster claims more than 300km from the 42kWh pack and 355km from the 49kWh one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZM4TJNDH6VGTHHTTS6W2M5R2HI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268577},"content":"Where the Inster does differ from its French rival is in power output, with Hyundai opting for a 71kW (96hp) electric motor on the standard version and a 84.5kW (113hp) motor on the long-range one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X5PLD7FAVRD2DIITZBIVSY7LVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268578},"content":"So racy performance is not part of the Inster package. But that doesn’t mean it’s not nippy. In an era where EVs are regularly big heavy crossovers, this Inster feels remarkably nimble and agile.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WIWICOAFK5GYHMG6CPHYZC7FUU","additional_properties":{"_id":"KIBCBZASQBAVHBYUU3W6KUH7D4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DWE52AQELBE6HFY4WN77L7BLRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268580},"content":"Given its urban natural habitat, the Inster’s steering feel is light, as is the throttle response. Take it out on rural roads and it’s still an easy drive. Push it at speed into a bend and like any regular hatchback, the tendency is to understeer, but that’s met with a reassuring intervention of stability control. All in, the Inster is surprisingly good, particularly considering its short wheelbase.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AU6PNVRSR5GF5FCFPTHZNWFEIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268581},"content":"After five years and a fleet of bland lookalike crossovers, it’s wonderful to see the focus for electric car makers shifting to small hatchbacks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4DJHT5BOARE2XC2DTAGBFUTJWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268582},"content":"This is the battleground for mainstream European motorists, if not quite the hot favourite for Irish buyers. It’s also the pipeline of smaller, more relatively affordable EVs that has car executives talking about a tipping point for the electric car market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UNV3HPHRDZG6RFFN2WZOHW3ODE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268583},"content":"By “relatively affordable”, that means in the region of €30,000 – give or take €5,000. In an age where a Toyota Yaris or VW Polo will set you back more than €25,000 and a Corolla €33,000, while a VW Golf is more than €35,000, that’s what qualifies as “affordable” in the world of new cars these days.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JN44KMIJCFFC3J4DSFBJRTU7JI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268584},"content":"The biggest gripes you hear about EVs remain price and range. Here you have a smart-looking and spacious hatchback delivering more than 350km in range at a price point that could start as low as €25,000 for the long-range version.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OLSDJS7HOFFL5NEFFXTQVBMSEA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268585},"content":"True, the Inster doesn’t have the same retro lure or smart design touches as the Renault 5, but it has greater practicality and may even boast a lower price.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EZWNK27FDZFKDKRESXKBTQFYJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268586},"content":"The fact it’s even mentioned in the same sentence as one of the most-talked-about new arrivals in years is significant enough. It’s an extra treat for a new car market desperately in need of an antidote to the mind-numbing blandness of countless costly crossover EVs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IKI4WAD76RFFPD2GZZ5ZENJSQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729526268587},"content":"So a warm welcome to the Inster and its ilk, affordable EVs that could revive the fortunes of new electric cars.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"This affordable small electric car is just what’s needed to revive an EV market stuffed with bland, expensive crossovers"},"display_date":"2024-10-31T23:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Hyundai Inster: Small EV with a big personality set to shine in 2025","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ELNEC4FGZVEPTNNGMAI5OOGNLI","auth":{"1":"04b6440b26ca452d583f77817dbf3aa2ae6052f34cc47ccea3dc0402b947de4a"},"focal_point":{"x":773,"y":653},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ELNEC4FGZVEPTNNGMAI5OOGNLI.jpeg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/10/28/hyundai-inster-small-ev-with-a-big-personality-set-to-shine-in-2025/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"PTASECGW75EXVEUYUGMLOQMO54","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/business/2024/10/30/china-files-complaint-with-wto-against-eus-extra-tariffs-on-its-electric-vehicles/","content_elements":[{"_id":"52N7OIARJ5AB7BUK6QUJIEDWNM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730285100036},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"YKD6ZTJ2TJBSTOZU4EPMPU2ZPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730285100037},"content":"China has filed a complaint at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against the European Union after extra tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EV) came into force on Wednesday. China’s commerce ministry said it did not accept the EU’s decision, which followed an investigation into Beijing’s subsidies for its EV industry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EZ63QBCB25GBLIJXZMETE3UVBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730285100038},"content":"China has repeatedly pointed out there are many practices in the investigation that are simply unjustifiable and not compliant with the rules. The nature of the investigation is unfair trade protectionism disguised as so-called “fair competition”, the ministry said in a statement.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WOXH3ZFQRRD4XKAVOIZGBPNOK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730285100039},"content":"Although Beijing has filed a complaint against the EU under the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism, both sides said they would continue to seek a negotiated settlement to the dispute. The new tariffs have been imposed for a five-year period but the EU can lift them at any time if it finds a different way to achieve its stated aim of ensuring that Chinese EV’s do not compete in the European market with an unfair advantage.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JBJ6KG2NKRELHMGM5PIZEMU4DI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730285100040},"content":"The new tariffs, which come on top of the EU’s standard 10 per cent on imports of EV’s from China, apply at different rates to various manufacturers. Elon Musk’s Tesla, which manufactures in China, faces an extra tariff of 7.8 per cent; Geely, the Chinese car giant which owns Volvo, is hit by an extra 18.8 per cent; and state-controlled SAIC will face the highest additional duty of 35.3 per cent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LBGXZ4VVZZGNFM4MQ5WVPWDPCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730285100041},"content":"Only a minority of EU member-states, including Ireland, voted for the extra tariffs in July but more countries abstained and opponents of the European Commission’s proposal failed to assemble a blocking minority. The decision came into force on Wednesday after it was published in the EU’s official journal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HSCE7UO5SJGVRKH2V5ZOQQGBLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730285100042},"content":"“By adopting these proportionate and targeted measures after a rigorous investigation, we are standing up for fair-market practices and for the European industrial base,” EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L2ABVUU2V5EBJI3TDUGIR6IQKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730285100043},"content":"Talks between Beijing and Brussels failed to reach an agreement ahead of Wednesday’s deadline on an alternative to the extra tariffs. But they will continue to negotiate towards a solution, which is likely to involve Chinese manufacturers agreeing to set a minimum price for their EVs in the European market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"35225VNGAJDRZKW3J33OJOA5FM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730285100044},"content":"China complained in recent weeks that while the EU was engaged in official bilateral negotiations, it also opened talks with individual manufacturers. The EU said that some companies had shown themselves willing to strike deals and that it was right to pursue such possibilities.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZY2QPPXVSBFYRBAAGJYCGDUG64","additional_properties":{"_id":1730285100045},"content":"The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) on Wednesday called for a halt to the tariffs and urged the EU to pursue a unified negotiation rather than seeking individual deals.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K57U5KNOMZGVHA5F6MD7LL5TLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730285100046},"content":"“These tariffs on Chinese, European and US EV producers based in China neither strengthen the EU’s EV manufacturing resilience, nor foster innovation or job creation. We deeply regret and are dissatisfied with what we view as a politically driven approach,” the chamber said. Beijing has launched its own anti-subsidy investigations into a number of European products including dairy goods, which could affect Irish producers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLTYPSNAUVHZDFYXG64AMI2WEU","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Denis Staunton"}},"name":"Denis Staunton"}]},"description":{"basic":"EU move followed an investigation into Beijing’s subsidies for its EV industry"},"display_date":"2024-10-30T11:01:32.551Z","headlines":{"basic":"China files complaint with WTO against EU’s extra tariffs on its electric vehicles","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"FV4UCOCURSG2WGD3PCQHIFKIYI","auth":{"1":"d5e0963217d600e19cf508894bd8f5a3610fdf811fce81fb6f99c76ffb823ba1"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/FV4UCOCURSG2WGD3PCQHIFKIYI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2024/10/30/china-files-complaint-with-wto-against-eus-extra-tariffs-on-its-electric-vehicles/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"FCEQL7DVPZAYLI7F4N62HREQXA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":599,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/ebb2fbcc-df51-4d86-a766-1be36e462f8f/versions/1729591885/media/992e632580f435f02d758beac9e4c470_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/10/30/can-the-european-car-industry-navigate-its-way-out-of-crisis/","content_elements":[{"_id":"IQ7KNXKC3NEADDKKAMFDQONDPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046897},"content":"Europe is the home of the car. The modern car was, after all, invented in Germany in 1886 by Karl Benz, and while the US might make a valid shout for being the home of the first truly popular and affordable car – the Ford Model T – European models such as the Austin 7, Fiat Topolino and the later Mini, Beetle, and 500 can lay justifiable claims for having truly popularised mass marketing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DJ2WAJBDLRCWTMQZU3F3DLOZYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046898},"content":"However, in late 2024 the European car industry – almost across the board – has lurched into crisis, pressed between legislation on one side, disinterested customers on another, and Chinese competition on a third flank.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BQ453VYMJZHQLHR23XAWYZU3VE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046899},"content":"The first to start sending up distress flares was <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/volkswagen-vw/\" target=\"_blank\">Volkswagen</a> Group. Europe’s largest car maker, and occasionally the world’s largest, weathered the financial and reputational storm of “<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/vw-facing-record-legal-claim-in-30bn-dieselgate-scandal-1.4034909\" target=\"_blank\">Dieselgate</a>” but now a greater crisis appears to have struck, and the company’s financial chief, Arno Antlitz, has said that VW has “one, maybe two years” to turn things around and save itself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QC4FTF7W35DCNGJDZJX2SD5CDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046900},"content":"What’s the problem at VW? Essentially it’s one of higher manufacturing costs, especially in its big German factories, and slimmer profits for <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric models</a>. VW bet big on electric power in the wake of Dieselgate, partly as a very public mea culpa, and partly because, at that time, electric cars seemed to sell like hot cakes. Now, though, German buyers especially are becoming cool to the appeal of EVs, and the cheaper Chinese models are flooding in to satiate what demand is there.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4IYZL24S4BAHFFFPG4K6VAHUDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046901},"content":"The result is that Volkswagen is now looking down the barrel of an impending financial crisis. One might think that a €10 billion operating profit – announced as recently as the start of August – might not sound like a financial crisis, but that was 11 per cent below the previous year’s and even with increasing EU tariffs on Chinese cars, VW is nervously looking at its profit margins, which currently stand at 6.3 per cent. VW’s net cash flow actually went into reverse in the first half of 2024, compared to a massive €2.5-billion cash flow in the first half of 2023.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IGPMSNSUFFCC7PNOVTMZUTI57E","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046902},"content":"During that time, the company has been trying to make savings, not least through voluntary redundancy and early retirement programmes, but now the VW supervisory board is saying that’s not enough, and a series of lay-offs and possible factory closures are coming.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ODL6JJCDGJEJ3HUJV5CVLD4HOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046903},"content":"That sounds like business as usual for many companies, but VW is slightly different – the German state of Lower Saxony, in which you will find VW’s Wolfsburg HQ, has representation on VW’s board, as do the powerful German unions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JWEJLRRWS5CSLFQOMKTJLNZ6RU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046904},"content":"Volkswagen has recently cancelled several big union agreements, apparently laying the groundwork for lay-offs in 2025, which the unions are of course resisting. It’s not yet known how much VW is playing up the crisis in order to negotiate with those unions, but Antlitz’s words seem little short of apocalyptic.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WKF5GO754JFM3OHTOGEQDV33DY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046905},"content":"In Ireland, Volkswagen is currently staying tight-lipped, and not making any official statements as to how this crisis might affect its Irish operations. Volkswagen Group Ireland is a part of the wider VW Group, rather than being an independent importer and distributor, and last year Renault took the decision to call time on its Irish operations being part of the Renault Group, selling the operation to Cedar Ireland, which also operates Ireland’s Nissan franchise.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RHZ5EOLPJFG3PKYNK4L3AMNCT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046906},"content":"It would seem somewhat unlikely, for now, that VW might follow the same route in Ireland, not least because Thomas Schafer, Volkswagen’s chief executive, has made Ireland his home (when he’s not trying to put out financial fires in Wolfsburg), but such a move will certainly be at least in the air as a possibility.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O2K5WLTWQOSAKR7THHOAORSWJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"76WA3S2LBNBTRLLOHCR6S6V4OI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TAQ4P47RABEDZOQNLGDNZ5QYTY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Closing factories in Germany will be a fraught business for Volkswagen – it has never done so in the past, not even in its previous massive financial crisis in the early 1990s, when the company really did teeter for a time on the brink of bankruptcy – but on Monday it announced that three plants plants will have to close, and R&D spending will be slashed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XALBDJGRLZBJHGOCD3VBBJIX3Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"Volkswagen reiterated on Monday that restructuring was needed and said it would make concrete proposals on Wednesday.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X5G67XFC3FEYLPLN4LXUTDKKQA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Management is absolutely serious about all this. This is not sabre-rattling in the collective bargaining round,” Daniela Cavallo, Volkswagen’s works council head, told employees at the carmaker’s biggest plant, in Wolfsburg, threatening to break off talks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G72737XLNJCRZHGYFTKFMPQKAI","additional_properties":{},"content":"“This is the plan of Germany’s largest industrial group to start the sell-off in its home country of Germany,” Cavallo added, not specifying which plants would be affected or how many of Volkswagen Group’s roughly 300,000 staff in Germany could be laid off.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K73NSFTPSVHVVJQXJPHZOE2DS4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Volkswagen also plans to cut salaries at the brand by at least 10per cent and freeze pay in both 2025 and 2026, Cavallo said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MDHUSSMFUNGBJOGYIQ7NWO3E6M","additional_properties":{},"content":"Already it seems as if Audi’s factory in Brussels is doomed – no one’s buying the Q8 e-tron that’s made there, and a plan to sell it to Chinese brand Nio looks to have fallen through.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VLEPUEVBZ5G3FKO7A2NF47WUGY","additional_properties":{},"content":"For all this turmoil, VW has confirmed at the Paris motor show that it’s still intent on becoming, eventually, an all-electric brand, but said that European politicians need to stop prevaricating, and start introducing policies that take away customers’ doubts about EVs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SQCS4BZUBNDQTPF4SJSR75IR4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046912},"content":"While all this was going on, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/bmw/\" target=\"_blank\">BMW</a> was having something of a crisis of its own, although for now the Munich luxury brand is merely trimming its earnings and sales targets for 2024, rather than dealing with an existential crisis. What’s the problem, then? Brakes ...","type":"text"},{"_id":"5JJFLQ42YRD5HBUZKTGYXLWHTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046913},"content":"BMW is having to recall more than 1.5-million vehicles across its three brands – BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce – which are affected by a faulty braking system, built for BMW by Continental AG. The problem affects the “Integrated Braking System” and it could lead to the brakes’ power assistance failing, making it very difficult to stop the car.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QTVYCX3WERFIHKXAHNDXXNS6LU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046914},"content":"BMW has said that the likelihood of actual failure is very low, but even so the recall – which could cost as much as €1-billion according to Reuters – has already put a dampener on BMW’s profit margins – which are expected to fall from 8-10 per cent or 6-7 per cent – and its share price. Continental’s share price has weakened since the announcement.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6GSAGUQVERH2ZC3PWQS6OIYSWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046915},"content":"In the meantime, BMW boss Oliver Zipse has called on the European Union to backtrack on its planned 2035 ban on combustion-engined cars. Zipse told Automotive News that taking away the 100 per cent electric car target for 2035, and being more “agnostic” about how to reduce emissions would take away much of the advantages enjoyed by the big Chinese car makers, which are starting to dominate the EV sphere.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZJKZ4LP23JC5HP5QXQ27Q6AD3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046916},"content":"Also facing difficulties but thinking differently about electric cars is the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/stellantis/\" target=\"_blank\">Stellantis</a> Group, whose boss – Carlos Tavares – has already said that he won’t renew his contract when it runs out in 2026. Stellantis has faced falling sales, and discontented dealers both in Europe and the US have effectively forced Tavares out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7GCKLX44VLFKMJWPGHGFECVEXU","additional_properties":{"_id":"C5DV53FSRJA4JMUSMES5EDHCPA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DYYI7KK4DZAKVH6K6FUG6HEXVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046918},"content":"Even so, Tavares – speaking to journalists at the Paris show – said that the move to electric power is still the right thing to do. “We want to be on the right side of history,” Tavares said. “We do not ask for any kind of delay. We just ask for the stability of the rules to be working properly and serving the societies in which we are operating.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PZR34JO5NNGU7IGQMYOAAF4ROA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046919},"content":"“The other day, my youngest daughter was driving her car in a forest in Portugal, and the forest was on fire,” he said. “She had to drive through the forest on fire. The door panel on the right hand side melted. So how do you feel if one of your daughters is in this position and you say, ‘I’m going to ask to dispose the CO2 regulations’? There is a moment where we need to face reality. If the problem is real, we must contribute to fix it. Is it tough? Yes, it’s super tough. There is no discussion. It’s super tough. But I think it’s the right thing to do.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"EMHSDEMAPBBPJC3EO245JTMCKU","additional_properties":{"_id":"P5KP4R2MDFBHHOPP4E2M4UUTNQ"},"content":"Thinking of switching to an electric vehicle? Here’s what you need to consider","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"VMLILIBWPZBMZPQN5TFGGK2PV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729527046920},"content":"What does it all mean? It means that the big European car makers are collectively being affected by the Chinese car market, whether that’s weakening sales for their brands in China, or China’s home-grown brands pressing harder on the export button. Europe’s car makers have all come through severe financial storms in the past – BMW almost went under in the 1960s before the introduction of the Neue Klasse 1500 saloon, VW struggled in the early 1970s and again in the early 1990s, never mind Dieselgate, while Mercedes laboured under quality problems and an ill-starred merger with Chrysler in the 2000s – but we won’t know how well they’ve collectively and independently dealt with this until history tells us.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Manufacturers including Volkswagen and BMW are sounding the alarm as a range of factors combine to threaten their positions"},"display_date":"2024-10-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Can the European car industry navigate its way out of crisis?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"UAYXIITWNGUSOLQBVE66DIDYNI","auth":{"1":"271f19c6c65a7e136095a4e16d1953c0699f40803c8e43036c86195c1c4dea86"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/UAYXIITWNGUSOLQBVE66DIDYNI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/10/30/can-the-european-car-industry-navigate-its-way-out-of-crisis/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"OCPRGF5FFBDSPBTJZQXZZTTDXA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":322,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e00a51c3-b1e5-42e6-9c2f-bc0b47f13ce5/versions/1730207110/media/91450fe9eb61a3f41e6b9d729ba97aa7_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/10/29/can-i-tow-a-1200kg-trailer-with-an-ev/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WYI5XAVAJVAX3FJYC4MFXHWK7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730204411430},"content":"<b>Q. I need a tow car for a small keel boat (19ft, trailer and boat about 1200kg). Is an EV okay/better or worse than an ICE car for towing?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"VKPYNB4Y4ND5VDL7AYZQPASPJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730204411431},"content":"<b>A.</b> In the early days of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">EVs</a>, this would have been a simple answer and it would have been: electric cars don’t tow. For quite some time, and until relatively recently, the<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/tesla-s-next-gen-model-x-a-frustrating-95k-drive-but-everyone-else-will-love-it-1.4147930\" target=\"_blank\"> Tesla Model X</a> (long since <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2023/05/12/tesla-ends-right-hand-drive-model-s-and-model-x-production/\" target=\"_blank\">discontinued in right-hand drive</a>) was the only EV on sale with an official towing rating (2,750kg on a braked trailer in case you were wondering).","type":"text"},{"_id":"FH3OEYNCU5BNRENMU3FX2LZLTI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730204411432},"content":"That has changed dramatically, and now it’s more a case of the tiny handful of EVs which aren’t rated for towing. There are tales of people bolting tow-hitches to the likes of early <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/nissan-s-big-battery-leaf-left-behind-in-electric-charge-1.4195152\" target=\"_blank\">Nissan Leafs</a> and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/hyundai-s-kona-leads-the-electric-charge-for-now-1.3766663\" target=\"_blank\">Hyundai Konas</a> – which weren’t officially tow-rated – and hauling small trailers or caravans, but that’s really not a good idea. An early electric car might be well able to physically pull the load, but the problems arise when you start to slow down. The extra weight of a trailer and load can actually overwhelm the regenerative braking system, and can cause damage to both that and the battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S5ILFE4NHBAJ3LAL5273G24FEA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730204411433},"content":"The good news is that newer electric cars can be exceptionally good at towing. The high torque output of an electric motor – or better yet, an EV with a twin-motor, four-wheel drive set-up – makes easy work of getting a trailer, caravan or other towed load rolling. Most new electric cars also come with cutting-edge electronic safety systems, which often include the likes of specific trailer stability set-ups for the electronic stability control, as well as trailer reversing assistance for the rear-view cameras. Check the spec of your particular car to see what you’ve got on board.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TVNYNWX6D5D27JX7S4QVRBYS4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1730204411434},"content":"Turning specifically to our reader’s question above, the 1,200kg weight of the trailer and boat combo does pose a small issue: some popular EVs don’t have the capacity to haul that much. Examples include the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro, the Skoda Enyaq Sportline, and the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/tesla-model-3-performance-it-s-flawed-but-this-is-an-addictive-electric-vehicle-1.4747811\" target=\"_blank\">Tesla Model 3</a> – all of which are restricted to 1,000kg of braked trailer. Some have even lower weight ratings. A <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/bmw-ix3-all-electric-arrival-is-a-pleasure-to-drive-1.4669426\" target=\"_blank\">BMW iX3</a>, for example, can only tow 750kg of braked weight, and that’s also the case for the Toyota bz4X, the standard-range models of the<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/kia-ev6-stunning-crossover-challenges-tesla-for-the-premium-ev-throne-1.4713183\" target=\"_blank\"> Kia EV6 </a>and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/06/05/hyundai-ioniq-5-n-stellar-hot-hatch-brings-unmatched-driving-fun-to-the-ev-era/\" target=\"_blank\">Hyundai Ioniq 5</a>, the Mercedes-Benz EQA 350 and the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2023/06/21/byd-atto-3-impressive-chinese-electric-family-crossover-will-give-rivals-nightmares/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD Atto 3</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XBD6EW3OCVBZZK6MBTAS7TVCQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730204411436},"content":"So which current EVs can haul the needed 1,200kg? Lots, as it turns out: the BMW iX1 and iX2, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/05/08/mini-countryman-review-slick-cabin-and-great-screen-but-too-hefty-and-too-blunt-to-be-a-true-mini/\" target=\"_blank\">Mini Countryman</a>, Audi Q4 e-tron 50 and the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/volkswagen-id-4-gtx-72-000-is-a-step-too-far-for-an-electric-car-1.4774734\" target=\"_blank\">VW ID.4 GTX </a>can all manage 1,200kg. Fancy a bit of wiggle-room in the weight limit? That’s fine. Get a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/07/01/polestar-4-is-the-shining-light-of-this-all-electric-brand/\" target=\"_blank\">Polestar 4 Long Range</a>, a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/01/03/hyundai-ioniq-6-versus-byd-seal-our-top-two-cars-for-2024-go-head-to-head/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD Seal</a>, a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/06/05/hyundai-ioniq-5-n-stellar-hot-hatch-brings-unmatched-driving-fun-to-the-ev-era/\" target=\"_blank\">Hyundai Ioniq 5</a> or <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/01/03/hyundai-ioniq-6-versus-byd-seal-our-top-two-cars-for-2024-go-head-to-head/\" target=\"_blank\">Ioniq 6</a> with the 77kWh battery, Volvo EX40 and EC40, or a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2022/06/15/polestar-2-road-test/\" target=\"_blank\">Polestar 2</a>, all of which can manage 1,500kg of braked weight. Need more? The <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2023/01/11/teslas-model-y-is-fast-its-roomy-and-it-goes-an-impressively-long-way-then-the-problems-start/\" target=\"_blank\">Tesla Model Y</a> can cope with 1,600kg, a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/01/10/bmw-i5-m60-insanely-fast-and-even-reasonably-efficient-this-premium-ev-is-finger-licking-good/\" target=\"_blank\">BMW i5 M60 Touring </a>can haul 2,000kg, while a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2023/12/13/kia-ev9-fits-the-bill-for-well-heeled-buyers-seeking-seven-seat-all-electric-suv/\" target=\"_blank\">Kia EV9 </a>can cope with 2,500kg.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JZRUEBJLH5ESBCKXGOONY33SJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730204411437},"content":"All of which is well and good, but what actually happens when you hitch something up to the back of your EV? Well, the short version is that you lose range. Weight is a killer when it comes to range, so even a relatively compact-but-heavy load can have an impact. Then there’s the aerodynamic question. A large but light load can often have as bad an impact as a small but hefty one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CHDL3TZSJBCXXANYBMIZRL5JDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730204411438},"content":"The amount of range you lose will largely depend on your car, the load and how you drive. However, a good rule of thumb is that every 750kg of weight will trim at least 100km off your range. We recently spoke to Christian Schlüter, from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Schlüter has been touring Europe in a specially converted Volkswagen <a href=\"http://id.buzz/\" target=\"_blank\">ID.Buzz</a> as part of a promotional event, and with both a compact, teardrop-shaped caravan on the back, and a folded-down roof-tent, he reckons that the usable range of the Buzz dropped to about 200km, or less than half the officially quoted WLTP range. Your mileage, as ever, may well vary.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7APN4E523ZHHNPDMGJONQGAF2M","additional_properties":{"_id":"VJGZ7RXTDJDIDFTA6L7FCVVNII"},"content":"Is it safe to bring electric cars on ferries?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"554VDPE3CJENDN5P3GX2IEYURA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730204411439},"content":"The other issue will be charging en route, or indeed at destination. Fast-charging when towing can be a fraught business as hardly any DC public chargers are designed for trailer access. Mostly you’ll have to pull up, unhitch the trailer and manhandle that into a parking space, and then charge. There are some drive-through chargers – notably the SSE charging plaza in Mullingar – but these are still rare, and are mostly designed for HGVs, so be prepared for some blasting with air horns if you occupy one for too long.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZONOEBJDFVAATLJPXYTDQO4CGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"L5PHSGCSH5FY7FWLGTJB55TBJI"},"content":"<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions"},"display_date":"2024-10-29T12:59:58.725Z","headlines":{"basic":"Can I tow a 1,200kg trailer with an EV?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"J2QSQ2JF6FAP5MHKGTL2GXET4E","auth":{"1":"e8cfc3c482fabbcfd0e4faff2f0c6e9ffbd353a9fd963a256c87eba9e30cbb94"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/J2QSQ2JF6FAP5MHKGTL2GXET4E.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/10/29/can-i-tow-a-1200kg-trailer-with-an-ev/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"43EPDQMXLBDZBF7OUWOKAXTQEQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":331,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/bd1610b3-cf59-4bfd-a887-5e97d5003326/versions/1730205497/media/6697629abc2acde0a289a69141680a0b_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/10/29/chinese-electric-car-brand-xpeng-to-enter-irish-market-next-year/","content_elements":[{"_id":"6KRNAJSD3JCV5PURZIYVHB2XK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539749},"content":"Xpeng, yet another gigantic Chinese brand of which few on these shores will have heard, has already announced plans for a flying car, and cars which use artificial intelligence. Don’t get too excited yet though, as so far the only Xpeng (pronounced Shao-Peng) model confirmed for the Irish car market is a fairly conventional G6 SUV.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M2FKT457DRDZFEY46UIXIOQ7I4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539750},"content":"Motor Distributors Limited (MDL), the long-time importer of Mercedes-Benz cars and commercial vehicles for Ireland (and more recently the Smart and BYD brands too) has announced that it will begin to import Xpeng’s cars here.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YNQE64P7AFHGROZYTAOICHNLLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539751},"content":"The first Xpeng model to arrive on these shores will be that G6 SUV. It’s a Tesla Model Y-sized car, with a choice of lithium-iron phosphate or lithium-ion batteries, and ranges of between 435km and 570km depending on which model you choose.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LRL25J7APVH6BOA3SIYWMEO4YU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539752},"content":"Possibly just as importantly, Xpeng’s G6 is exceptionally fast to charge, using a Porsche-style 800-volt charging system to inhale between 200kW and 280kW of DC fast-charging power, again depending on which model you pick.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JAQOCHQ6NNHP3MCK65JL73AI6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"N3QBVNTZG5EPTBKDDIAZVG5Q3A"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OIS263SJ2FCI5FHPXEOD255TFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539753},"content":"The G6 is part of a fast-expanding line-up of Xpeng models which include two saloons – the compact P5 and the larger P7 – a big MPV (the X9) and SUVs both larger and smaller. MDL hasn’t yet confirmed which other Xpeng models are earmarked for Ireland – although it has specifically mentioned the P7 saloon – but has said that right-hand drive production of all Xpeng cars is under consideration.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CU4LCGE6ZFBQZN7ITG3E365ANY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539754},"content":"Pricing ought to be sharp. In most European markets where Xpeng has already arrived, the G6 is generally priced a few thousand Euro cheaper than an equivalent Tesla Model Y. Of course, the application of the EU’s new Chinese electric car tariffs may well up-end that particular apple-cart.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O5FZEAPA4RDL7JZYUTRIQTBWA4","additional_properties":{"_id":"JRT6NVT4MNFVHDKUVLNS6OBKVA"},"content":"How to pick the right electric car for you? Do your homework","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"WU7L2TH2ABEPRJ4XJYYESH2CCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539755},"content":"Xpeng’s tariff rate could be as high as 45 per cent (plus the regular 10 per cent EU import tariff), and the company’s vice-chair and co-president Brian Gu recently told CNBC that while such tariffs put a lot of pressure on Xpeng, the company has a “long-term focus on Europe” and is aiming to “find every possible way to address and make ourselves competitive”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A454EBY2LFECFKART3WOFTZBII","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539756},"content":"That could include a European manufacturing site, but there has also been some thawing of relations between the EU and China in recent weeks, with talk of a way forward being found to strike a peace in the mini trade war over electric cars.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SK7X5SEGGJHSPIR2TVPPM7ZQH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539757},"content":"MDL chief executive Paddy Finnegan said: “The Xpeng portfolio of models which we will offer to Irish motorists and their dealers – whom we have yet to fully appoint – is one that MDL will be proud to represent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QSQWW2SP45DBBPDOBITGZNQRQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":"SGJNF62UOZBFVELWVCF7N2PZ2U"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"acast_podcast-12095","url":"/"},"subtype":"acast_podcast","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"YBRWUXK3ZJDSJJR3NKUFE7LHRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539758},"content":"“Offering, as it does, another excellent example of Chinese all-electric drive construction and technology, and of its build quality within a high-class design complete with sleek interior styling attractive to the eyes of European motorists, the current Xpeng range – plus those many models yet to be developed – will constitute an exciting choice of options for buyers and dealers seeking something new and climate-friendly in the field of personal transportation.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"APHLMBBJTRFI3MWMG4AJPCMB4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539759},"content":" Mr Gu said: “Our partnership with Motor Distributors Limited marks an important step in Xpeng’s global expansion. We are excited to introduce Irish consumers to a new standard in electric mobility, combining innovative technology with exceptional design to deliver an unparalleled experience that meets the demands of today’s drivers. With a vision for AI-defined mobility, we aim to revolutionise the driving experience in Ireland, making it safer, smarter, more sustainable and more pleasant in the near future.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YNV4OSEBL5DJPPM4WP5657ADW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539760},"content":"MDL has not yet confirmed which, if any, of its current franchised dealers will sell Xpeng in Ireland. Clearly, there might be competitive issues with BYD, and it seems likely that new dealers from outside of the existing family will be recruited.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N7PZWAJ4NVBARBPBHZKGYYXV2M","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZUFEB5K53BECBLIOIEJ5VLT3Q4"},"content":"Should I only charge my EV to 80 per cent every time? Five common questions on electric cars answered","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"3SSAM4FZBBEBXHGWRJER324XVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539761},"content":"So far, MDL has officially said: “An immediate task being undertaken by MDL is to expand its dealer network sufficient to ensure that effective representation and competition exists between all of the brands the company now represents, and to that end, the company will have conversations with dealers with whom it has worked with in the past and others that would be new to the organisation.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CL6GRYYJRZEH3HPCWN4LBEEIIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539762},"content":"Don’t go expecting flying cars just yet, although Xpeng does say that it has already begun the construction of a new factory in which it plans to build a two-element flying car. It’s not a car with wings, though – rather, Xpeng’s design consists of a large three-axle van-like vehicle into which a four-rotor drone/helicopter hybrid slots, and from which the airborne part can take off and into which it lands, using automated flying controls. The planned annual production is set at 10,000, and Xpeng is said to have already received 3,000 orders.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NUNKA2SXY5ABFLCANUUJPEFPMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539763},"content":"And AI? Well, Xpeng’s chairperson, He Xiaopeng, has previously said that he sees it as potentially difficult to sell cars which don’t have in-built artificial intelligence and a strong element of self-driving by as soon as 2025.","type":"text"},{"_id":"324ILEZXGJCEDBZSTUKNJRNCZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730203539764},"content":"The new G6 SUV doesn’t really have either of those, and nor can it fly – but it will be on sale in Ireland in 2025.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Xpeng electric car brand rivals Tesla and has plans for flying cars and AI models"},"display_date":"2024-10-29T12:38:14.428Z","headlines":{"basic":"Chinese electric car brand Xpeng to enter Irish market next year","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"6N4P55XCHJHFLIT6PL2QHNPGIY","auth":{"1":"6213e60f1d491be2c618346c9ef28bb80fa797ecebfea382e718a45fd8df739e"},"focal_point":{"x":3410,"y":2461},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6N4P55XCHJHFLIT6PL2QHNPGIY.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/10/29/chinese-electric-car-brand-xpeng-to-enter-irish-market-next-year/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"ZHKRYLKPHNDUVAUJFBMUKIFS4E","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":518,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/3cd21492-8430-4020-b340-27ec482347f6/versions/1729852833/media/995e3d87089821be0d94b51fa1165ad1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/your-money/2024/10/25/buying-a-car-are-you-better-opting-for-new-or-used/","content_elements":[{"_id":"3OTG5SA6FFH3FP76M76TYEMIGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1666784309870},"content":"Hello again. Buying a home is by common consent the biggest single investment a person or couple will make in their lives as those fortunate enough to have been able to do so will attest. And anyone who has totted up the cost will no doubt confirm that children come next, followed by investing in a pension for the more sensible among us.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LL4BSRV2ZJC5PDXC4UNOPI6QHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729760605353},"content":"But these are all very long-term investments. When it comes to the repeating costs we need to budget for, buying a car ranks high in the list of stress points. New or used? What model? What year? And how to finance the whole thing?","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZNFNURJMVNFVHLGSBTFWLQGLPA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729760605354},"content":"Coming to a decision is all the harder given that most of us only really engage with the issue every three to five years or more. Inevitably, we need a crash course in market developments since our last purchase. New models come on the market all the time and older ones are phased out, meaning that support and parts can become an issue in the second-hand market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WXNR3NVW5RBITCTIY64EZNJRTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729791374270},"content":"The passing of time also allows for better assessment of the strengths, weaknesses and durability of one model against another in the used car market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PM7NQOSVGFHNJOJFIWCWX3PPCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251309},"content":"None of which is helped by the generally low esteem in which car salespeople are held. Gallup does an annual survey of perceived trust and honesty of a wide range of jobs every year. Consistently, car salespeople rank at or close to the bottom of the list, alongside those working in advertising and national politicians. The Gallup poll is US-based but the findings are broadly reflected in surveys closer to home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4TRYQQDV4ZGFDPHXA6O6KXBGHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251310},"content":"If you are parting with tens of thousands of euro, you want to know that you are making the most informed decision and that those selling to you are actively working to the same end. The lack of trust just makes the buying process more difficult.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YNPC5QEZBZA6RLOOO3LIOSHCC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729760605355},"content":"These days, it is not just the car itself: there are broader issues about climate sustainability and the practical nitty gritty. Can we really be comfortable putting more emissions into the atmosphere from our petrol or diesel driven car? Is the available charging network remotely sufficient to ensure we don’t live in a state of permanent range anxiety? Is an EV viable at all if I am one of the growing number of apartment dwellers?","type":"text"},{"_id":"S3XHOZ32UBCX3PU3PHBEF4JJ6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1729760605356},"content":"And while I, for one, generally accept that I will be driving any car purchased to the end of its useful life, second-hand value is a consideration for most purchasers. Will there be a market for that gas guzzler in three to five-years time as taxes on fossil fuels continue to rise? Is the technology of today’s electric vehicle going to be overtaken, making our vehicle redundant in terms of the second-hand value?","type":"text"},{"_id":"NPL45DPCMVGQNGXVE6D6NQBJ2I","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251313},"content":"New v Used","type":"header"},{"_id":"U4GEUZOWSBFZXIWRNCDJARYNWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251314},"content":"The toss up between getting a new car or a second-hand vehicle used to be fairly straightforward.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PZ4NO3K24FBA3KMPVKKI4NCZLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251315},"content":"A new car would generally be more environmentally friendly, come with greater promise of reliability (and a decent warranty for peace of mind if problems did arise), have all the latest technologies incorporated and could be customised to your preferences.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZTMN455ZFVFIVK43QRWRIALCM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251316},"content":"It would also generally be safer as you did not have to worry about what the driving style of a previous owner might have done to the expected life of your clutch or other key elements that will prove expensive to replace. Nor did you need to concern yourself about the car’s service or (sometimes undisclosed) crash history.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXEM5GYXNBF5JABPMSOCRLVFRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251317},"content":"On the flip side, you would certainly be paying significantly more for a new vehicle and its value would depreciate faster than that of a used car.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AD6M7U3ZQJCFTE43T5MO3AXMAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251318},"content":"Cost was one of the key benefits of looking at the used car market though it could come with unexpected maintenance bills. The model would also have a longer track record so that you could be aware of issues that had arisen with certain makes and models. And it would hold its reduced value better.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AEHZEOAU75B37LPSARQ6N5KJ7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251319},"content":"But several factors – principally Brexit and the pandemic – have conspired to muddy the waters on the cost debate for Irish motorists.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UXQO7P4ZOBGTLCR6WVZGOJR4GQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251320},"content":"Dealers and individuals used to import large numbers of cars for the Irish used car market from the UK. An exponentially bigger car market and generally lower prices offered value for dealers and enabled them to pass some of that on to purchasers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"634H6YLP2RFT7OKOEVWMNF5AM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251321},"content":"Brexit wiped out a chunk of that advantage with changes in VAT and import duties making it more expensive to bring those vehicles across and re-register them. There has been a big drop in the number of second-hand cars coming into Ireland from the UK as a result.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JK5KQ5YQ3NASZNP7YUYGE74PWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251322},"content":"That was exacerbated by the Covid pandemic which saw a supply chain squeeze that affected the supply of computer chips essential for running an increasing number of functions in the modern motor car. Fewer chips meant fewer new cars rolling off production lines. And that meant people holding on to their existing cars for longer than planned as they could not upgrade to a new model, starving the used car market of supply.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TXYLMYSCBJBNBGFQMPS3EWOINA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251323},"content":"Alongside that, pandemic lockdowns caused chaos with the car rental market as tourism simply dried up. With no customers, companies froze fleet acquisition. Given the nature of car rental, a steady stream of those vehicles feeds into the used market every year but, for a few years, that simply stopped.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XDG6OORFFRBAXAMFOKD667Q57M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251324},"content":"The dearth of second-hand vehicles meant prices rose sharply and it has become increasingly hard to find any value in the market. The last time I was in the market for a car, the prices of used vehicles were so high that buying new became the more economically sensible option.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ILAVG53DOFEKLCMT63WOWIAR7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251325},"content":"The good news is that things have improved moderately. Data from Done Deal’s half year motor report says the annual rate of inflation in the market for used petrol and diesel cars fell to 4.9 per cent in the second three months of the year, the lowest it has been since 2019.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IQWKMTNGSNFJJPGETMBPGE5ZIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729791374288},"content":"That’s down from 9 per cent at the end of last year for the market as a whole and an average of over 21 per cent annually across the previous three years, it says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ALAGOLSYC5E7ZAWZQN34BIFJZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729791374289},"content":"Tom Gillespie, who compiles the economic analysis of the sector, says this has been down to increased supply. New car sales are up modestly – about 1.8 per cent – providing more trade-ins and the supply of used imports has surged by a quarter – though they are still less than half of the level coming into the market back in 2019.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CVP6R5RI5FHJXM46R4KJKEBEWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251327},"content":"Using viewing data from the Done Deal site, he found demand for used cars had jumped by 15 per cent in the first half of the year while supply was 19 per cent stronger. That led to prices actually falling by 0.2 per cent in the second three months of the year compared to a rise of 2 per cent in the first quarter.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ROWKMOOAQBECNKB4P53NUS4RS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729774251328},"content":"Another development has been the rapid slide in the price of used electric vehicles. There are a number of reasons for this. Supply has certainly increased as first generation adopters trade up but the falling price of new EVs has clearly affected the resale value. So too has demand which, Done Deal says, remains weak as the wider market continues to have concerns about charging infrastructure and battery life among other issues.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IQWKMTNGSNFJJPGETMBPGE5ZIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729791374292},"content":"Despite the recent slowdown, Done Deal said used car prices at the end of 2023 were still 85 per cent higher than they were at the start of 2020. That compares with an increase of just over 16 per cent across the wider European market, according to a German listed group called Auto1.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPLWHFRTGVGQZJ2STE7AECWPFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729791374293},"content":"According to the Central Statistics Office’s consumer prices index, the average cost of car purchase in Ireland rose by just 1.4 per cent in the 12 months to September, leaving it 29 per cent more expensive than before Covid at the end of 2019. That compares with a more modest 19 per cent rate of inflation across the full consumer price index over the same period.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UK355Y34GNCYBESCYOOUUCH75Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1729791374294},"content":"Whether you decide to go for a new car or a used version is entirely a personal choice but those opting for the used route should be aware that, unless they have strong familiarity with the workings of cars – or know someone who does – there is much to be said for buying through a dealer rather than a private buyer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WQJWC5CW6JHGBJUIDX7MATDWKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729791374295},"content":"Prices might be more competitive through personal sellers – not least because the latter don’t have the overheads a business would – but it could prove a false saving. You are also more likely to get a warranty through a garage and more assurance that they will stand over it if something does go wrong.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YLKU5OFOMNG55EERTBTRRJBTMA","additional_properties":{"_id":"P2A6BHNBIRDJPHUVTHXQXZM7TM"},"content":"You can contact us at <a href=\"mailto:OnTheMoney@irishtimes.com\">OnTheMoney@irishtimes.com</a> with personal finance questions you would like to see us address. If you missed last week’s newsletter, you can read it <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2024/10/18/are-you-entitled-to-a-free-energy-retrofit-of-your-home/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Dominic Coyle"}},"name":"Dominic Coyle"}]},"description":{"basic":"For many buyers, the decision will come down to price and the gap has been closing dramatically in recent years"},"display_date":"2024-10-25T10:35:25.815Z","headlines":{"basic":"Buying a car: are you better opting for new or used?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"},"basic":{"display":true,"text":"On The Money Newsletter"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BXCZ7XKYZFHD3KUZ3XYKWSF27M","auth":{"1":"86b46b4f111950a05acbdf786fd7041cd7705c6ca822b6480f8f1501d4c54c84"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BXCZ7XKYZFHD3KUZ3XYKWSF27M.jpg"}},"subtype":"editors-note","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Your Money"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/your-money/2024/10/25/buying-a-car-are-you-better-opting-for-new-or-used/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/your-money","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Your Money"}}}},{"_id":"AWEXCOTUCNCNHFDPWOH36MLBKI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":632,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/518f9d7c-35e2-47bf-aee9-e415db65f2fe/versions/1729156220/media/af70c106a98bc4278d6c862dd25fd5eb_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/10/23/paris-motor-show-goes-big-on-electric-despite-buyer-reticience/","content_elements":[{"_id":"HXCMC64R4FAEJAWQFQEGY2LOQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459896},"content":"It might not be quite as cute as its newly launched all-<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles\" target=\"_blank\">electric</a> <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/renault\" target=\"_blank\">Renault</a> 5 stablemate, but the reborn, fully electric version of the classic Renault 4 certainly looks good enough to rekindle the flame of one of Renault’s best-selling cars ever, and is definitely the star of the Paris Motor Show this year. The original 4, during its long production life, found more than eight-million homes. Can the new electric 4 E-Tech replicate that?","type":"text"},{"_id":"KENRZIXYSNCLNJZM77TEREQ7RI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459897},"content":"It probably won’t but then it probably doesn’t have to – the 4 E-Tech’s biggest challenge will be reviving European car buyers’ interest in electric cars, something that senior executives from Renault and its big competitors at the Stellantis Group (home to both <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/peugeot\" target=\"_blank\">Peugeot</a> and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/citreon\" target=\"_blank\">Citroën</a>, not to mention myriad others) were predicting might well be at a turning point.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X5NM2XD5XNDJ3OF27JVBRGGPOM","additional_properties":{"_id":"QO54CGZSUBGXTPSS5GLR7KKJBE"},"content":"European carmakers plan dozens of cheaper models to survive ‘EV winter’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"7ATBORLEBJGNRPWB27TRCVRO6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459898},"content":"Thierry Koskas, head of the Citroën brand, said: “We may be getting close to a tipping point for EV demand.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5X2TTVWZ3VGJRJY3GREUUL4NXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459899},"content":"That tipping point is apparently coming closer thanks to the reductions in prices for new EV models. Citroën, while showing off a concept version of a new C5 Aircross SUV, which will go on sale next year at a cost of about €45,000, will more significantly finally put its all-electric e-C3 compact electric hatchback on sale shortly, having endured long delays in getting the car’s software ready for production. The e-C3 should have a starting price of close to €23,000, and Citroën is planning an even more affordable version than that to follow.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4V3KPBJHFODRT5HZKHTD37FBRA","additional_properties":{"_id":"XIW7IJGXG5FZBOHY2BC2TLEKGI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZOSHNHDYPFB6VK5WIAV34BVAVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459901},"content":"It won’t be alone in the cheap EV world. At the Paris show, Renault was showing off more than just the new 4 E-Tech. It also had the concept version of a new Twingo electric city car on display, shown to journalists earlier this year but making its public debut in Paris. Renault projects a price of less than €20,000 for the Twingo when it goes on sale in 2026, but alas right-hand-drive production has not yet been confirmed. The super-cute original 1991 Twingo was never made for the Irish or UK markets. Let’s hope history doesn’t repeat itself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DQRQYRAEE5CBTMBH4Q4DECDHZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459902},"content":"The Renault 4 E-Tech won’t be so cheap, but it should slot into a similar €35,000 bracket alongside the likes of the Jeep Avenger and Kia EV3. The retro styling isn’t quite as endearingly cute as that of the revived Renault 5 E-Tech, but it’s still a reasonably handsome update of the classic 1960s style, and it’s rather more enticing at which to look than the forgettable Captur crossover, alongside which the 4 E-Tech will sell. Indeed, that is perhaps Renault’s big contribution to making electric cars more sellable to European buyers – make them look cuter.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IMQTUWA6B5GRPNRZWKZ5YLWJEU","additional_properties":{"_id":"SV2JTMDVIVB2POMFCQH7NLXYXE"},"content":"Renault revamps the Clio but is it better to wait for the new 5 EV?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"DHKXMDQIVNEHBBXPNRNUEM2RVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459903},"content":"Cute it might be, but just like its originator, the new 4 E-Tech will be practical. The boot measures a healthy 420 litres, while the front passenger seat folds down flat to allow you to load in boxes that are up to 2.2m long.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BAL6FPTRQFF3JEB2QVQY3ZFQNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459904},"content":"There will be a choice of battery sizes, allowing for ranges of 300km-400km, while the all-digital dashboard gets Google-based software. Sadly, there’s no re-creation of the classic Renault 4′s push-pull-twist gear lever, located in the dead centre of the dash, but one can’t have everything. Hopefully Renault Ireland will offer a special edition with classic P&T van orange-and-white livery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RRPKM3LM7JGFTEHAIWCKJFECMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459905},"content":"Away from the Renault stand, the Paris show seemed healthier and more full of life than in recent years. Motor shows in general took a double battering from online reveals and Covid, but might the bigger manufacturer presence in Paris preview a return of the classic big show?","type":"text"},{"_id":"AYFNSCAU26MYSMNGCMFDWWW6SY","additional_properties":{"_id":"SMEPHQZKLRDVJIUJ2YWK4H5OMY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"U3VXZEPCZVGDBNWADDI3RMDEKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459907},"content":"Certainly, there was plenty of new metal on sale, from the relatively straightforward (the reveal of a hybrid version of Alfa Romeo’s new Junior crossover, the sleeker Sportback’ version of Audi’s Q6 e-tron electric SUV boasting a 656km range, and the high-performance John Cooper Works versions of the electric Mini hatchback and the Mini Aceman crossover) to the more outlandish.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IRIFL6PJIBFVNMEVGECWF3RSTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459908},"content":"Outlandish means returning to the Renault stand, where the French giant was showing off the Emblème concept car, a low-slung crossover with more than just battery power. The Emblème is not merely a show pony but an exploration by Renault of how to reduce a car’s emissions by 90 per cent – not just when it’s being driven, nor even when it’s being charged, but in total, from cradle to grave. Renault claims that the Emblème would have a whole-life total emissions figure of just five tonnes of CO2, compared with the 24-tonnes of an electric Megane E-Tech hatchback.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AGR57TVCCBB2XBSQ4HR6JVRYNY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459909},"content":"The Emblème has an electric motor (the 220hp one from the Scenic E-Tech) and a battery (the 40kWh one from the entry-level version of the Megane E-Tech) which gives it a range, says Renault, of “several hundred kilometres”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WWSB77ZFVNFMJNHOMG4D5VQKBU","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZWAK5GMR4NDHPHOZB73R2TBXU4"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"GA3BMDZQQ5AGPBYWS4AUXUM2XY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459910},"content":"What about longer journeys? Well, that’s where hydrogen comes in. Renault, although something of a pioneer in the modern electric car game, has never quite given up on hydrogen and given the current flagging of public interest – in some markets anyway, notably Ireland and Germany – in electric cars, the French car maker might well be thankful for that bet-hedging.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PAU2VG72HNGL5LOYWVZDXOYO6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459911},"content":"Renault actually does have a production hydrogen vehicle on sale right now – a version of the new Master van – but the Emblème uses a 30kW hydrogen fuel cell as a range-extender for long runs. Fill it up with 2.8kg of hydrogen and the Emblème can drive for 350km before it needs refuelling, which takes just five minutes at a time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MQVNT2LZ4FFR5GF25WNSCMNKAA","additional_properties":{"_id":"TK7INKMGFBHHBIBSZDSYXFRYSU"},"content":"Your EV questions answered: Do synthetic fuels make more sense than electric cars?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"32LFRIZVZ5CUJP4PMTGIXW3E3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459912},"content":"That being the case, Renault claims the Emblème can drive from Paris to Marseilles in the same time as a regular combustion car, stopping twice along the way to top up with hydrogen. Because the hydrogen combines in the fuel cell with oxygen from the outside air to create an electric current, the Emblème’s only emission is water vapour.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S7ILPHLTP5CG7CUVYKBTL5ER4E","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459913},"content":"Others have started to sense a possible shift back towards the potential of hydrogen power – BMW and Hyundai among them – so the Emblème could yet turn out to be a significant concept.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CCJIEUPFBRANHIWWZ3YNE5U76E","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459914},"content":"Renault-related Alpine was showing off its A390-Beta, a concept version of a sleek three-motor electric crossover that will go on sale next year and claims to offer some truly thrilling driving experiences.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NS3L3UY6NNE4HB2AQACII63D34","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459915},"content":"Peugeot had brought along the new 425km-range all-electric version of the sleek 408 SUV, while it also had the big-battery versions of the new E-3008 and E5008, which gives the electric SUVs a range of up to 700km on one charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JTMTQZJJTRASVJRICN2GHWGSGU","additional_properties":{"_id":"U6BFJO5KJVAT3ONBNCS4LTH4AE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"FRX5RDFTSNF3NCLMHGJDK7T3OE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459917},"content":"Dacia brought along the smart-looking Bigster, now in full production form and going on sale in early 2025 as the brand’s rival for the likes of the Hyundai Tucson and Toyota RAV4. Given Dacia’s recent successes, it’s hard not to see this handsome SUV being a huge hit. At the show, Dacia boss Denis Le Vot was also hinting at other, different, cars to come shortly in the same sort of size as the Bigster, including a possible practical family estate to take on the Skoda Octavia Combi.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W56T5HBA7BFF3OD6MALJRUQXKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459918},"content":"As well as the C5 Aircross concept, Citroën also brought along an updated C4 and e-C4 hatchback, and a facelift for the dinky little Ami quadricycle (even though it’s only just gone on sale in Ireland, priced at €9,990) which aims to make it look even more.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OSS4IGA63FBOBF22WO46EEVHYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459919},"content":"Ominously for the European brands, China’s EV giant BYD was at the show, displaying the Sealion 7 electric SUV, which we saw in Beijing earlier this year. A sleek rival to the Tesla Model Y, the Sealion 7 arrives in Ireland in early 2025.","type":"text"},{"_id":"REVSKHPQHHRS3MXI23XAXMT5CY","additional_properties":{"_id":"NGJHY7ZIQNHANK6FV3PWEIQ7YU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6IQSHDIQ2FA5ZH5DYWYXH6SZXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459921},"content":"BYD is also arriving in Europe, and is about to open factories in Hungary and Turkey, neatly sidestepping the new European tariffs on Chinese electric cars, with first production set for the end of 2025. BYD – the most successful of the newly arrived Chinese brands in Ireland – did not flinch when it came to the new tariffs, which were originally levied at 17.4 per cent on BYD products, latterly reduced slightly to 17 per cent. So far, BYD hasn’t put up its prices, an action confirmed to The Irish Times as being thanks to an ability to draw from stock already landed in Europe.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6ZPX6FNOGJACDIOFW3F5FGTOFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459922},"content":"Speaking at Paris, BYD’s executive vice-president Stella Li said: “As the world’s leading new-energy technology company, over the past 30 years, we’ve always believed in using innovation to make technology accessible. Innovation is in our DNA and we have the largest R&D team in the world, with more than 102,000 engineers and 11 research institutes across the globe. We keep setting new records as we progress; last month, we announced that our nine millionth new-energy vehicle rolled off the production line. It took 13 years to get from zero to one million. But from seven million to nine million took us only six months.” That’s a statistic that will make the corporate blood run cold in European car maker board rooms.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7GCKLX44VLFKMJWPGHGFECVEXU","additional_properties":{"_id":"J2VHU6KLMJD4VI2EFWBTMF6XAY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OL2YJAWGJRBB7NHXUGDJOY33GA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459924},"content":"Indeed, while the Paris Motor Show was getting going, Stellantis Group was announcing some big corporate changes, following on the heels of the announcement that its totemic chief executive, Carlos Tavares, will not renew his contract when it runs out in 2026. Tavares has been effectively ousted in a palace coup organised by Stellantis’s European and US dealers, who are angry at slipping sales and an apparently mishandled EV policy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4WI6MR3LWRANPG42R5FXABJP2I","additional_properties":{"_id":"ALB4KVCXOVALLE7SLZDVNPV5C4"},"content":"Maserati is safe – for now – but will other Stellantis brands be shut down?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"2PYVOXWOU5H67JNLUA5QQ7IOXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459925},"content":"Meanwhile, back in Paris, Renault boss Luca De Meo – an outspoken critic of the EU’s extra tariffs for Chinese electric cars – was making the point that European and Chinese car makers must find a better, more balanced way to coexist and compete, not least because it’s from China that so many other car makers source their components, their batteries, and even their complete vehicles.","type":"text"},{"_id":"723FLABDRNE6ZFXFTYGS3EQHW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729069459926},"content":"Classic European style, in the shape of that Renault 4 E-Tech, might have been the star of the Paris Motor Show, but the undercurrent was all about China.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Reborn Renault 4 EV is the electric star of this year’s Paris show, but the undercurrent is all about China"},"display_date":"2024-10-23T08:15:53.042Z","headlines":{"basic":"Paris Motor Show goes big on electric despite buyer reticience","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"KWP2BZ666IM7AFOZTVZ67BFHVI","auth":{"1":"038747b4ef2b53db21b70d9ed1e0eb7aa7111a8e701689ae8a4caaf144cbdfb3"},"focal_point":{"x":3290,"y":2040},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/KWP2BZ666IM7AFOZTVZ67BFHVI.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/10/23/paris-motor-show-goes-big-on-electric-despite-buyer-reticience/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"7BVTK6AEXNG2FDXJPCRB4NXAOA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":504,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d2808686-ccec-436d-b6fc-ab3089b45665/versions/1729085951/media/06aead2f5fe1244adf7cb0443534c716_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/23/audis-colourful-q7-hybrid-impresses-but-there-are-limitations/","content_elements":[{"_id":"4QPXY4B2GJCKRABK6J7YIC7HII","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023045},"content":"I would like to track down the person within <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/audi\" target=\"_blank\">Audi</a> Ireland’s corporate structure who dreamt up the specification for this particular press demonstrator <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">car</a> ... and shake them firmly by the hand. Why? Because of the colour.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3Z2WC3J65NFYLN33UUT6MFXKU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023046},"content":"I realise and accept that the shade of paint applied to a car should not particularly divert us on these pages. The mechanical or electrical make-up, price, running costs, deftness of dynamic performance (or otherwise), and softness of ride comfort (or ditto) are all things that should be higher up the list of observations.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NTNEVAVEBRCAJIM27ZKADRBF64","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023047},"content":"However, this time around I think it’s genuinely important. After all, it was Apicius, the 1st Century Roman gourmand, who is credited with the phrase “we eat first with our eyes”. Pithier in the original Latin – ante oculos edimus – it’s true today, and it’s why restaurateurs set such high esteem by the presentation, and colour, of the food on our plates. It’s equally what makes it so puzzling that so many of our cars are painted in essentially non-colours. Grey, black and white are not colours, but a lack thereof. Why do we dress our cars down in such drab camouflage?","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZGJVR5DLIFF2FPC7KTAQZSYR6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023048},"content":"Blame the inexorable rise of the German premium car in the 1980s and 1990s. Designers and product planners at the time thought that it would make their cars appear more appealing and soberly desirable if they were painted the same colours as prospective owners’ double-breasted suits. Hence the greys, blacks and occasional dark blues became the default choices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5PCY5DAAPJH65FBPT62G5EINSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023049},"content":"Our Audi Q7 TFSIe plug-in hybrid test car was not grey. Instead, someone – some wonderful someone – had chosen Sakhir Gold. Gold? Not quite, more milky coffee really but even so a striking shade, more redolent of the 1970s than the Grand Prix allusions Audi is trying to drum up as it prepares its own Formula One team (Sakhir is the home of the Bahrain Grand Prix and Audi will have it’s own Formula One team in 2026).","type":"text"},{"_id":"2XW67EMGNZBXVFAFBRYZCD6SXY","additional_properties":{"_id":"GV5VJNMOA5APFN4KT55S4YDC4I"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Q7BE33L53ZEKBCBU6I52MWNGHA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023050},"content":"Divisive? Certainly, but that is surely better than giving your eyes repetitive strain injury by having to deal with yet another non-shade of grey. One colleague described it as “mid-vomit” but I’m having none of that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V4WCWN3YKBCYVF3IZ6SUAO3NHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023051},"content":"All of this rather nicely distracts from the fact that there’s not a lot new about the new Q7. There are some small styling tweaks to the outside – primarily around the grille, lights, and bumpers – but nothing that dramatically changes a car familiar to us since its launch in 2015. Almost a 10-year-old design? Yes, but that is rapidly becoming more commonplace as carmakers start to stretch out the lives of their existing models, in response to continuing ennui among car buyers when it comes to newer electric models.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HQIKCYZV2NFTBG7NGRW4QHLRNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023052},"content":"Mind you, this Q7 is a little bit electric, thanks to the addition of a plug-in hybrid system, hence the TFSIe badge. The powertrain – a 3.0-litre V6 turbo petrol engine combined with a 130kW electric motor and a big battery – is essentially the same as that used by some versions of the vaunted Porsche Cayenne, and the slightly less vaunted Volkswagen Touareg.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KQCWG22F3ZDFBE7KOD76USOKNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023053},"content":"Uniquely, the Audi offers seven seats, when the Porsche and VW don’t, but that advantage is negated here, as the hybrid’s battery takes up the space where the extra row of seats would go, hence this particular Q7 is strictly a five-seater.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BOTX2IPWA5DYTLFKZXG2PMV6J4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023054},"content":"At least the battery has the excuse of being bigger than it used to be, stretching to 22kWh of usable power, which gives the big Audi a potential range of up to 83km on one charge. Well, in theory.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YIZVMSVNSNC4FPOUJDYZ5OPQJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023055},"content":"To be honest, the best I could get out of a charge was more like 55km, and it doesn’t help that the battery can only be charged from AC power at 7.4kW. That’s fine if you’re only ever charging up slow and long at home or work, but when many of its competitors can now offer rapid 50kW charging it seems like a somewhat poor effort.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KMUBPGNZVREADEUV4G44WN2HG4","additional_properties":{"_id":"SOA76KW6JFGGVDA6TPGAXYWPTI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"B4G3GCGBAJHOFFPXDKZ5B4DRYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023056},"content":"Performance is at least strong, with almost 400hp and 600Nm of torque, the big beige (not vomit) Q7 fairly rockets off the line, and will hit 100km/h in 5.7 seconds from rest. Which feels exceptionally rapid when you’re sitting four feet in the air.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FD6SVXZLJ5FKRP3A5MHW3NMRMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023057},"content":"This is normally the bit of the piece where I’d start talking about how the Q7 feels bulky and numb to drive. But actually ... okay, so this is a 2,460kg car and while there are limitations, it felt rather pleasantly responsive and composed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EMW3CL3MBZAWDDEGXVOETNJPMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023058},"content":"The ride quality is on the firm side, as you’d expect from a car lugging a considerable heft of battery around with it, but it’s well-damped and the air suspension means that the worst shocks are kept well at bay. Combine that with, for an Audi, atypically sharp steering and you’ve got a dynamic package which is not bad at all.","type":"text"},{"_id":"76HM7ARWQJEQJM5LSESONVVSV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023059},"content":"Efficiency? Well, if you’re making the fullest possible use of the battery and stretching your electric range as much as possible, it’s probably not too bad, but with me being unable to charge at home, and undertaking several long journeys in the Q7, it meant average economy worked out at 9.5-litres per 100km. Not disastrously bad, perhaps, but certainly not that great.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OGQY2LPW6FECJPMNXWIAAI7REU","additional_properties":{"_id":"5IM5RCVFJFBTXF3YEDCFJIEJM4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OP6S5ZO2DFEOZCK6DDAZY243TY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023060},"content":"The cabin’s quality, comfort, and roominess do salve that economic deficit somewhat, but I still think that Audi is missing a trick by making its interiors too heavy on the black-and-chrome, which just doesn’t look nor feel as welcoming as what BMW and Mercedes are up to at the moment. Equally, the big twin touchscreens (one for infotainment and one for climate control) were maddening at times, especially the silly haptic response which made the screen feel as if it was clicking under your finger. The problem is that sometimes it clicks even when you haven’t pressed the button properly, adding to the confusion and annoyance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5VGWBGAU3VDFBLVXI7PQHUZN64","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023061},"content":"Options in this Q7 55 TFSIe would cost you almost €100,470. Take away the options (the priciest of which was the “black pack” which gives you darkened exterior trim and 21-inch alloys, for €1,815, and I also think I could have lived without the €1,270 “comfort key” and the €1,411 “super sports seats”) and you’d pay €93,100. That is at least a little less gasp-inducing. It doesn’t help that the updated Volvo XC90 – pretty well the default choice in this class – can combine seven seats with PHEV power, as can the much more affordable Mazda CX-80, which while Audi may not appreciate the comparison, is a potential rival.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JCVRNXFIGZB2ZGV3KOXFB64FRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023062},"content":"Still worth it for the colour, though. Grey is so passé.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GPC5C5KPOVHUHM2M4OOADZBA3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023063},"content":"<b>Lowdown: Audi Q7 55 TFSIe S-Line</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"V74GIC5KL5EF5G2VK2XQUD2WN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023064},"content":"<b>Power:</b> 3.0-litre V6 turbo petrol engine with 130kW e-motor and 22kWh lithium-ion battery producing 394hp and 600Nm of torque and powering all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VYDC7VAZ6ZBCRIMYW7DTIQRXHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023065},"content":"<b>CO₂ emissions (annual motor tax)</b> 33g/km (€140).","type":"text"},{"_id":"5SWSEZ42FNGHZFCH5WBC5JTN34","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023066},"content":"<b>Fuel consumption:</b> 1.4-1.2l/100km (10.5l/100km with discharged battery) (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"6UPKUCFF6NEBDNQ55NII32PASY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023067},"content":"<b>0-100km/h: </b>5.7 seconds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DWQ65HOMZBA7PF52VIJXY6HQUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023068},"content":"<b>Price:</b> €100,470 as tested, Q7 starts from €87,890.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z566WMMRM5EGRLJMDL3AMTTSIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023069},"content":"<b>Our rating:</b> 3/5.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AJEEXKLMXJHV3EVJQOWC2GKVAE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729083023070},"content":"<b>Verdict:</b> More fun to drive than you’d think and tolerably efficient, but the lack of extra seats grates. Be brave with your colour choice.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Dramatic colour choice helps the big Audi make more of an impact"},"display_date":"2024-10-23T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Test Drive: Audi’s colourful Q7 hybrid impresses, but there are limitations","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RKSVG74CONH7XHP5PJRGGNGIHQ","auth":{"1":"f668923e23f9add56f15b6b7853bcd25781ec984b0f5c2c1a10b751ad8a5fe89"},"focal_point":{"x":4297,"y":3050},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RKSVG74CONH7XHP5PJRGGNGIHQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/23/audis-colourful-q7-hybrid-impresses-but-there-are-limitations/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"WSKRIKQVPBCIFB3GY7QSQHW5EA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":251,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/7cacaea6-e35e-4df7-ab3b-5a12c372b187/versions/1729623155/media/94353249b1c23ba0262407b0bcf1abd6_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/transport/2024/10/23/car-testing-contracts-expose-rsa-to-absorbing-inflation-costs-report-finds/","content_elements":[{"_id":"GNL7LB6RKVDYHNR4BUULZB2HBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859519},"content":"The <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/road-safety-authority/\" target=\"_blank\">Road Safety Authority</a> (RSA) could see its financial surplus eliminated due to the impact of inflation-linked contracts with driver and car testing companies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SB66PMCBAZEGXHKDZA2ZXVLWZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859522},"content":"The contracts leave the RSA exposed to absorbing the costs of inflation, according to an independent review into the operation of the agency.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EACRK3AR3FCS3L5ODLJ2VNIQ6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859523},"content":"According to an internal RSA board committee analysis referenced in the review, there is a risk that the agency’s surplus could be reduced or eliminated “due to having to meet the costs of contracts indexation, [which] would impact on the ability to deliver on the road safety commitments”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4OAX3UR6IRD6PIDAKXVB32ILKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859524},"content":"The review by economic consultancy <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/indecon/\" target=\"_blank\">Indecon</a> was delivered to the Government last month and is due to be discussed by the Cabinet soon.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C76JI6WMZZDH5IG5J7DV33OWSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859525},"content":"It finds that the use of “indexation clauses” in contracts with suppliers has combined with very high inflation and “increased the costs to the RSA of contracted services and has reduced (its) share of any revenues received”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4PWWVAFL35AWPJJ72BGXXTAYCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859526},"content":"Indexation clauses typically allow prices to vary in line with inflation, but the RSA has not been able to pass this cost on to the consumer because its fees have not increased. It outlines that the RSA receives about €90 million annually from services like licensing and testing, with a small exchequer contribution.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GWIDNPZOKFHZHJATVCB5Z3NVI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859527},"content":"A spokeswoman for the RSA defended the clauses, saying it is satisfied that they align with best practice across various industries and sectors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WHYFKSVLGNCNVMVBHIWS4AP3PI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859528},"content":"“This approach has in general served both the RSA and consumers well, especially during the many years of low inflation, with some contracts in place for as many as ten years.” The RSA said it does not have the authority to increase fees independently of government.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EOE5PF2V5NFYZGJVYGRWSWG2NM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859529},"content":"According to the review, the RSA is now absorbing the cost of indexation from its three largest outsourced services – the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/national-car-testing-service-nct/\" target=\"_blank\">National Car Test</a> (NCT), its commercial vehicle equivalent, and the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/national-driver-licence-service/\" target=\"_blank\">National Driver Licence Service</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YZQVX6P3CBDORMCHK5RB6GC7SI","additional_properties":{"_id":"MEOTMYF74JDVDEXEGV2OJGPEDE"},"content":"Price hikes for drivers sought as ‘unsustainable RSA’ funding model highlighted","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"PWJWRYOI3JHG3A5CUWFUJNKF54","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859530},"content":"“The cost of this indexation compared to a scenario where there was no indexation in the costs of outsourced services is estimated to be €16.8 million in 2024,” the report finds, adding that this “reflects an element within the design of the original contracts”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DBX55MW4ZJCT5APBMWIWPMYUHA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859531},"content":"It outlines that the RSA is contractually liable for indexation arising from inflation even if service level targets are not being met. “This is because the current contract does not link these elements and any failure in meeting targets is addressed only through service credits”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGVWVRS255A5JGSG2WEBWQ3U5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859532},"content":"Testing times have suffered in recent years as the RSA struggled to deal with the aftermath of Covid-19 and recruitment difficulties.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XLOO5AQ54RADVHILBKH4LHBBYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859533},"content":"The research examines the specific impact of the clauses on the NCT contract, which is operated by a commercial party called Applus – which has been publicly criticised over backlogs in the system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JHLRNUJ22VHMDLFUGIIZOE2NJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859534},"content":"It found that in 2023, even though testing volumes were 13.3 per cent higher than in 2022, revenue for the RSA was 4.9 per cent lower due to the impact of indexation. If this had not applied, revenues would have been approximately €4.8 million higher.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EJH3VZY42FFHLNRYTA5V5EZVNM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859535},"content":"Modelling in the report finds that if customer fees remain frozen, the RSA’s resources “would be wiped out and the organisation would not be financially viable”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KLFQ26OEB5HU5NVYZOQASQWXBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859536},"content":"Under a variety of scenarios modelled, including those with some fee increases and greater exchequer contributions, the report indicates that within a three-year period “the RSA would no longer be able to operate sustainably as a going concern”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GN56LINMUZCDDFPL4RRC26R5TM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729619859537},"content":"The report recommends hiving off some functions of the RSA around road safety and education and allocating them to the Department of Transport.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Jack Horgan-Jones"}},"name":"Jack Horgan-Jones"}]},"description":{"basic":"Road Safety Authority’s surplus could be reduced or eliminated ‘due to having to meet the costs of contracts indexation’"},"display_date":"2024-10-23T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Car testing contracts expose RSA to absorbing inflation costs, report finds","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"4OJ67IEP5HLMPXLGLDWWCFZ3LE","auth":{"1":"f7e3f59d4f3069066a56f218cd11e14a53f99c911e5ecd9afaf7d7b04440bb50"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/4OJ67IEP5HLMPXLGLDWWCFZ3LE.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Transport"},{"name":"Motors"},{"name":"Ireland"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/transport/2024/10/23/car-testing-contracts-expose-rsa-to-absorbing-inflation-costs-report-finds/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/transport","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Transport"}}}},{"_id":"ALYCVIMYSVE6FCE7P76YABRNFM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":366,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/56f2b4fc-559e-4831-97d5-44fe2499bd25/versions/1729523882/media/5a0ac4303ef1be7cbcef3895a1b9e377_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/10/22/is-it-safe-to-bring-electric-cars-on-ferries/","content_elements":[{"_id":"ZRGZ25XNLNE23K67ACYACPOBZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015966},"content":"<b>Q. A reader asks: Any restrictions on taking an EV on a car ferry?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"NSDIIGII3ZAIVDY74Y3IZWO56U","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015967},"content":"<b>A.</b> No, not really, although some specific ferry companies do ask you not to charge on board.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P2RKX7TB75ESLGPOPZOT3BYGZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015968},"content":"Actually, charging on board a ferry – which would obviously make huge sense from the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric car</a> driver’s point of view – is a relative rarity thus far.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HZHMPDIJVZHSFO5XCXKGCSUITM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729524241086},"content":"According to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/stena-line/\" target=\"_blank\">Stena Line </a>spokeswoman Nicola Abernathy, the company has no restrictions when bringing an EV on the ferry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VLKLUD62H5ERZLVVQISSBKOUPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015969},"content":"“Stena Line continues to engage in research and with working groups regarding lithium-ion battery safety,” Abernathy said. “Stena Line is currently trialing charging on board on a small scale in other regions. However, this is still at an early stage and we currently do not have any plans to introduce it on the Irish Sea.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SCCMZTIN4NE6XJ64U3LSZW6VKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015970},"content":"Stena Line says it works with the European Union-funded Lashfire project, which has brought together experts in fire safety and shipping to try to come up with solutions for the potential problems of an electric car battery fire on board a ship.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7O2GYNZUI5CH5GXUWA4RPLUMUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015971},"content":"Electric car fires are rare – staggeringly so. According to the Swedish Myndigheten för Samhällsskydd och Beredskap (MSB, or Authority for Social Protection and Preparedness), 29 EVs and 52 hybrids caught fire in Sweden between 2018-2022. The average number of fires each year involving EVs in Sweden stands at 16, a figure grouping hybrids and full battery EVs together. In total, about 3,400 passenger vehicles catch fire each year in Sweden, which means that a mere 0.4 per cent of all passenger vehicle fires there annually involve an electric or electrified car. Basically, you’re much more likely to be at risk of a fire with a petrol or diesel car than with an electric one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DJYOEIY52NBSTLS7X4Y7NIK4VI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015972},"content":"Nonetheless, fire on board a ship at sea is potentially disastrous, and so a touch of caution remains in the air when it comes to EVs and ferries. Why? Because once one starts, an EV fire can be very difficult to put out. Because of that potential threat – however statistically unlikely it may be – ferry operators such as Brittany Ferries and DFDS have at times imposed bans on electric cars charging while on board – when a battery is under load, while charging, it’s at its most potentially vulnerable to any fire risk.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PKZ4TAUEUNCOPNPHR7TUUZNEXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015973},"content":"While the risk is there, plans are being put in place to tackle any EV fires on ferries. The Confederation of Fire Protection Associations Europe (CFPA-Europe) is a pan-European group which offers advice and training on tackling fires, and carries out research into the best practices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IK45ZXT53NFCRC2PZTRDF6TDEA","additional_properties":{"_id":"CUOM4EP2LBHEPHTZQLE5DOTNMA"},"content":"Should I only charge my EV to 80 per cent every time? Five common questions on electric cars answered","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"LIAT4W7U65CFBCXPNUH76NYHV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015974},"content":"When it comes to electric cars and ferries, the CFPA worked with the DBI – the Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology – to test some techniques for quelling EV fires in the confined spaces of a ship at sea.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FIHZ2OUM35BB5PE2OQXBJKCMLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015975},"content":"Following the tests, Alexander Kleiman, maritime research and development project manager at DBI Advanced Fire Engineering, cautioned that while no two fires are ever quite alike, there are some basic techniques which can be used to deal with the problem.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K2NLCNAC35GWTO2PGIAAMNVFY4","additional_properties":{"_id":"V6EBRQCI7RDW3CNSLA6MNEO64I"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"acast_podcast-84481","url":"/"},"subtype":"acast_podcast","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"XOSLXIBD6NG35IP3CQHV2OUYXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015976},"content":"“Sprinkling with water mist proved highly effective. Not to extinguish the fire, but to limit the spread of the fire, so that the crew can get there and put out the fire using traditional extinguishing methods,” Kleiman said. “All the fires in our tests were extinguished, but this required professional firefighters. It is known that a fire in an electric car battery can flare up again, so extinguishing it completely can be a lot to expect from a ship’s crew who have only been on a few mandatory maritime fire safety courses.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"GPB6MPBFQZADFKPBM5YIMLAOMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015977},"content":"Kleiman said that using a heavy quartz-impregnated blanket to smother an EV fire might be the best way to tackle any on-board issues, albeit this will require the vehicles on the ferry’s deck to be parked well apart from one another. On foot of the DBI and CFPA’s recommendations, we may see some changes to car ferry design in the coming years to allow more space around electric cars so that any fire which does occur can be more easily brought under control.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T3MKQTIFQJEARD4BQHSXDJNVD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015978},"content":"Kleiman was also quick to dispel some rumours and half-truths about EV fires on board a ship. He said that it was extremely unlikely that the heat from a battery fire could compromise the strength of the steel or aluminium deck of the ship, unless a car was left to burn unchecked for several hours. Equally, he said that electric car battery development has made them much, much safer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FTACH2LIUZHOJJWWFVYZYJQVNI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015979},"content":"“When we short-circuited the battery cells in a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/renault/\" target=\"_blank\">Renault </a>Fluence, the whole battery caught fire. When we ignited it in a newer <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/tesla/\" target=\"_blank\">Tesla </a>model 3, only the battery cell affected caught fire. Secondly, the positive message is that fires in electric cars on board ferries are manageable and not something we need to fear. All the fires in our tests could be extinguished, so with the correct firefighting technologies on board, the correct training of the crew and well-co-ordinated collaboration with the onshore emergency services, electric cars should not pose a safety problem in ferry traffic,” Kleiman said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"73YPRZGVJFCIRHPD2YW57XLB6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"BGRDVFB3T5AC5BS5JNR7KORRNI"},"content":"Are there any plans to make EV chargers accessible to wheelchair users?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"E4F2NYN2MRDUXAL3B5GQE5M5Q4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015980},"content":"Some ferry operators in <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/greece/\" target=\"_blank\">Greece </a>have introduced a charge limit for electric cars when boarding a service – the maximum that the battery is allowed to be charged to is 40 per cent, with the Greek ministry of shipping and island policy saying that batteries with high charge levels are more likely to experience fire and thermal runaway incidents. No ferry operator in Irish waters has yet introduced any such restriction, and it’s worth pointing out that in Greece, similar restrictions apply to cars fuelled by LNG or CNG gas.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DRJFTV236RGYHAUSEURC46XB34","additional_properties":{"_id":1729519015981},"content":"Equally, any restrictions which are in place for bringing an EV on to a ferry will likely be reduced once solid-state and lithium-iron phosphate batteries become more common – both designs are thought to be at a significantly reduced level of risk when it comes to fires.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ATOC76BEHNHZXLMCQZOXF264EQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"2GPJWWAYA5B5FAL55HCFQZK2AU"},"content":"\r\n<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions"},"display_date":"2024-10-22T05:06:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Is it safe to bring electric cars on ferries?","native":"Are there any restrictions on taking electric cars on a car ferry?"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"EON6XQUSDBGX5FXRMND6TYQEDI","auth":{"1":"86aed618e760f883b7c4f6b999ad8ea7c36c2d7011673cb94045af6e43d59d5f"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EON6XQUSDBGX5FXRMND6TYQEDI.jpg"}},"subtype":"analysis","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/10/22/is-it-safe-to-bring-electric-cars-on-ferries/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"TGECXUZJTVDTTKHRJBXALDOBPA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":315,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/4446f1cd-11d5-4be2-a8a9-7fa75a5b3748/versions/1728569210/media/c0e83b13b2fab03898cc432eb3243a22_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/10/16/renault-5-delivers-retro-fun-and-a-nippy-drive/","content_elements":[{"_id":"EN5YB5S7SRGKNI5HPXHLPKVEHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821636},"content":"In the face of seismic change and uncertainty, it’s human nature to pang for a more stable past. Albeit one that’s viewed through blinkers that edit out the darker days of yore.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LFTV4RERCVHQ5E3EUKCAZ77LI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821637},"content":"Politicians know this playbook. So do car executives. Hence this homage to early 1980s favourite the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/renault/\" target=\"_blank\">Renault 5</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"555SKTQ7QJCDRHBFCQET3WEUPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821638},"content":"Playing the retro card can be tricky. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/bmw/\" target=\"_blank\">BMW </a>pulled it off with Mini, but <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/volkswagen-vw/\" target=\"_blank\">Volkswagen </a>dropped the ball with the Beetle. Sensibly Renault has an old hand at retro revival behind the wheel. Group chief executive Luca de Meo led the revival of the Fiat 500 in 2007, a car that has kept that brand alive since then.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L3OEKSR7BBB6HNP3F7S2COI4UM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821639},"content":"Thankfully for the French brand, the 5 is not so existential. But it is <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric</a>, and as such a cornerstone for Renault’s future. But can a circa €30,000 enlarged supermini really represent the same “affordable mobility” motoring of the original?","type":"text"},{"_id":"75NRAH26RNFRPFCIDCQQXRFUII","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821640},"content":"Styling is critical for the appeal of these cars, which need to bear a valid resemblance to the original (yes, Ford, we’re pointing at you and your new “<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/07/10/ford-revives-the-capri-as-an-all-electric-crossover/\" target=\"_blank\">Capri</a>”).","type":"text"},{"_id":"VUBJCWJX7RBK7DH42YXXAMCYCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821641},"content":"The good news is the new Renault 5 has copycat silhouette to the original, albeit one that’s significantly bigger from all angles, though with more muscular lines and looking less like a mobile glasshouse than the 1980s version.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JUAPSCQZQ5DZJBIFXSB7MCEHVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821642},"content":"Renault has blended in some funky tech styling touches as well. The prominent charge indicator on the bonnet is a nice touch and sets the scene for the interior layout.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5NDP4U2PS5EDRA75FJTQ2H6AE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821643},"content":"On looks alone, Renault has scored a hit. This car will perfectly chime with the car buyers who either started out on the road in the Renault 5, grew up in the back seat or spend the 1970s and 1980s longing for one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M4JVTZATLZEM5CVNA5AQDNEGEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821644},"content":"The good news continues when you take to the road. Your options are a 90kW (120hp) front-mounted motor with a 40kWh battery pack, or a 110kW (150hp) motor with a 52kWh battery pack.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SZF5HDQXKVDFBFTO4N7SCOREWE","additional_properties":{"_id":"FGEI5ON3ZZDTDM3PZTKD5DERA4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RVOLNNFLYZBOVFYMZIKNFCFMYA","additional_properties":{"_id":"545JMESZRRED3KIZOZSU4NA27M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"A6NSX6UZRRHS5FKWTRUWLKBUVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"AWYLEQ6RXVCNHLKAQPUAFIRARI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"R5F3DO65AJCIBBCPL5JSR74JPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821645},"content":"Set aside the stats and you have a car that’s still a lot of fun to drive. Fun, if not particularly fast. Unlike the first foray of EVs, Renault is opting to keep the pace restrained and in turn eke out more distance between charges.","type":"text"},{"_id":"INU7E5BARRFLZFPHEOKQTEW3K4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821646},"content":"That doesn’t stop it being nippy. Clearly like the original 5 and the more recent Clio, this EV’s natural home is the urban streets. Like the Fiat 500 and the Mini, it’s a nice blend of positive steering feel with snappy throttle response. Pit it at a wider national road and those traits give way to more neutral – even rather dull – driving dynamics, but it’s comfortable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OGITF3CEXVAW3FTV2XLZ5ARFDM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821647},"content":"Like all EVs, this is much heavier than an old-school supermini. Weighing in at close to 1½ tonnes, that’s not only down to the hefty battery pack, but also a plethora of safety tech that was never countenanced on small cars in the 1980s – when airbags were the neighbours you did a U-turn to avoid.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KPTQ5OXBWJA7ZBGJ6HH4W6OZHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821648},"content":"Our test car was the 52kWh battery version, which promised a range of 410km on a full charge, but we averaged 16.8kWh/100km during our time driving the car in relatively mild September weather and where 3.8kWh/100km was used by the likes of the climate control, all of which signals a real-life figure closer to 300km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RA7CV4AG6FHWXFFIAMH2ENJINU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821649},"content":"That’s competitive up against its retro rivals and even some of the bigger Chinese ones. And it’s not an SUV wannabe, which is perhaps its greatest selling point.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N75ZQU5AX5DOJNPFFBUYCGK2QU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821650},"content":"Avoiding being yet another anonymous crossover isn’t easy these days, but Renault has pulled it off. The price is perhaps some space constrictions, which are most evident in the back seat. To keep the bootspace as big as they could (at 277 litres it’s ahead of rivals) meant sacrifices had to be made. And those were not going to be forced upon the driver, who has ample legroom and a nice low-set seating position.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2K6E4GFKIJDX7CAEGYIHU5XELI","additional_properties":{"_id":"DRQSUFORRJE6DI73AUXVS3YYMI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"EZQ6W3KQT5CSFFBG226SF3GJAA","additional_properties":{"_id":"QC5RXEIA35AS7C57MISBDFPJI4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"EGMAPQSLCZFSPAWSADQQLSHYVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821651},"content":"The end results is a back seat that’s all rather squashed. The biggest issue is in the footwell, where a combination of limited width and a low front seat will prove toe-crunching even for teens. The back row width is also an issue: it’s simply not a comfortable space for three across.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IXHQXN4Q75BMXFRESKRBUBGKS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821652},"content":"Renault would have been far better to play the heritage card and opt for a four-seater format, as it was with earlier Renault 5s in their day. It could also have added sliders to the back row so owners could add legroom or bootspace depending on their needs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YZLMFJ6D3BBEPJBXIO55PJI4S4","additional_properties":{"_id":"XSEEKRQ6RRBFXENUVFLJ6RHTI4"},"content":"Are there any plans to make EV chargers accessible to wheelchair users?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"VG7VS2Z75ZGKBBQXAST3IVGHTE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821653},"content":"It’s a shame, for in many other ways the 5 is a cracking good car. And it serves as an incredibly stylish antidote to the tediously boring crossovers that are flooding the market. Renault is set to follow this up with a remake of the Renault 4, but initial impressions suggest this is going to be less relatable to the original – and more crossover-like – than this take.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JAMV4BJFEZG5RLBPLKEMJOK3YQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728551821654},"content":"There are plenty of drivers who came of age with the Renault 5 and will seek to rekindle the past with this very modern take of that car: that it’s electric might be a secondary consideration. Renault has delivered arguably the closest rival to the Mini in years. The price is a bit steep, but there’s enough retro pull on the heartstrings here to loosen many Irish purses.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"Can a €30,000 enlarged supermini really represent the same ‘affordable mobility’ motoring of the original?"},"display_date":"2024-10-16T04:45:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Renault 5 delivers retro fun and a nippy drive","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"7X3D43SVP5HOVPQBS5PXVHLNWQ","auth":{"1":"0efcd4168e6ce781b74feecd81877cc5b7eb95c189be192027008fa32ddbc404"},"focal_point":{"x":832,"y":438},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/7X3D43SVP5HOVPQBS5PXVHLNWQ.jpeg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/10/16/renault-5-delivers-retro-fun-and-a-nippy-drive/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"IAZBBTTGV5AWRDFDUEHDVW25GE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":448,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/022a2488-4739-4de8-b26f-cf8724c52e9f/versions/1728558210/media/ba68feb95d97a6b02e8b5654f3a444d5_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/16/can-the-ford-explorer-arrive-late-to-the-ev-party-and-still-impress/","content_elements":[{"_id":"5GO4CKUKEVDJ5AY6PPG3DB46TQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462697},"content":"Latecomers to parties are supposed to barge in dramatically, giving it the full Norma Desmond. Raising a hand to their brow, they should loudly acclaim: “Oh my! Is that what time it is?” The full attention-getting routine.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XPNLTXH2PNHHTLSUFFT3MCW52E","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462698},"content":"The Ford Explorer has not done this. The Explorer’s arrival at the electric car party has been less dramatic, and somewhat clumsier. The Explorer (originally badged Explorer Sport, but the Sport bit was mysteriously dropped en route to the party) should have been on sale a year ago, but Ford held back as it was waiting for Volkswagen to make battery and electric motor improvements.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DHQKFREZJNFQTGH7VGIMXOHBMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462699},"content":"Why was Ford waiting for a big rival to make technical advancements? Because in this specific case, VW isn’t a rival to Ford, it’s a partner – Ford has decided that for its European electric models, it’s going to skip to the end and just buy VW bits under licence. So this Explorer is riding on the same MEB platform as all of the Volkswagen ID EV family, not to mention various Skodas, Audis and Cupras.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6FFF5KV5WZDKVEPJYDX5VIZL2I","additional_properties":{"_id":"FHRVJQYJ3VB2LIN67UST4WQFTE"},"content":"Skoda launches new electric Elroq SUV – a practical car with a 470L boot","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"TFFHGKNEKZBULBG63SID2WOM4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462700},"content":"It raises the odd prospect that Ford – once the bestselling brand in Ireland, a position it held for decades – is now buying in technology from a rival, at a time when it’s slipping badly in the sales charts. With no Fiesta, and shortly no Focus, the Explorer is going to have to do some heavy sales lifting for Ford in Europe.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XTN2OOBFZVAAVDB5NKEL2PPNBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462701},"content":"Is the Explorer up to the task? Well, not in terms of its looks. Styling is always very subjective of course, but the Explorer has a rather blunt-faced and bland appearance. Quite in contrast to the very handsome US-market Explorer (which is a much bigger vehicle, and which isn’t an EV) this Euro-Explorer seems almost timid, hence it quietly slipping in through the back door of the electric car party.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TW7FONTJHFAK7MW6QK7KCKLOMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462702},"content":"Having slipped in, the Explorer now finds a party that’s seemingly winding down. The music has stopped, the snacks have run out, and more car buyers are heading to the hybrid party down the street, at least for the moment. Once upon a time, Ford’s sheer brand appeal and marketing nous might have been just the tools to turn that tide around. Now though, Ford seems to be just another brand trying to convince the unconvinced where EVs are concerned.","type":"text"},{"_id":"63QZH3T7D5FIBOV3WN5P3OI5FU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462704},"content":"At least the Explorer does one thing very well indeed, and it’s arguably the most important thing. It has seriously good range and efficiency. A basic Explorer is slightly more expensive than the cheapest VW ID. 4, but it has a bigger battery – VW’s own 77kWh unit – as standard, allowing it to boast a 602km range on one charge. Go slightly up the spec chart to the car we’re testing, a Premium model, and the Explorer still has a creditable 570km range.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5WP6AOVTSBG2FISEJK7GPWX5C4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462705},"content":"It’s a realistic range too. In fairly mild conditions, we were easily able to get 500km out of one charge, including quite a lot of motorway cruising, and the Explorer burned through the electrons in its battery at a frugal rate of 16.7kWh/100km. Both those figures are impressive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FRENYLN4SVFNJIB7D5EUB6PCAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"3UXHX2AHHFANDOC2BAGQ5O32OU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ONIWW3DT6FHTLLKFOJPQ2TVUVI","additional_properties":{"_id":"DX776LSMCNCLHNHUJ5OIDUP2YA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"HYA5SCI7SFEVLPMIRTME4M7VKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"TK3DLAJH3BBOPCDWMXVVPVFXSA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CN22H4VKAJC6LIEB3D2DWQNLZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462706},"content":"It’s a shame then that Ford didn’t do as good a job with the Explorer’s chassis and steering. Ford’s engineers have, since the early 1990s, been the best in the business at taking a humble family car and giving it sports-car-like reflexes. Even as production winds down, the current Ford Focus is still by far the best family hatchback to drive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X7YF3PGCMRG2NGTHXKQENG4434","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462707},"content":"The Explorer? It’s fine, but it’s nothing special. It’s comfortable and mostly quiet (although the suspension tends to fidget slightly on anything less than a perfect surface) but the steering is too light and wispy, even in Sport mode, to be any fun at all, and that is a shock for a car with a Ford badge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KONU6FE7PNCIFMWTBJYWOO2YYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462708},"content":"It’s not just an electric car thing, either. The Ford Mustang Mach-E is enormously good fun and properly rewarding to drive, so Ford can mix EV power with traditional driver engagement. It’s just that with the Explorer, this two hands haven’t come together.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GMUE3DZ76RE5DBPFRSW66UXLYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462709},"content":"Perhaps Ford is leaving a bit of philosophical space in its line-up for the controversially-named new Capri (which is based on the same platform as the Explorer) to be more dynamically satisfying. At least performance from the single rear-mounted 286hp electric motor is not in doubt. There’s plenty of shove, so the Explorer doesn’t lack for speed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NO56IDC2FRFS7DEXSMUJCHGOYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462710},"content":"Because the Explorer is slightly smaller on the outside than the VW ID. 4 or the Skoda Enyaq, so too is it a little less practical. There’s space enough for four tall adults in the cabin, but the boot – at 470 litres – seems stingy when the Skoda Enyaq offers 585 litres.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F7ALIMYFGJHVDHCLS2VF2SYVAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462712},"content":"The cabin itself is a little mixed. There is infuriating carry-over from VW, such as the dreadful electric window switches that control both front and rear windows from just two buttons, and touch-sensitive controls for the stereo volume. The square steering wheel also feels a little odd to hold.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YUWBMCFKBREWTGJDP7ASKWSPEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462713},"content":"The big 14.6-inch touchscreen has a Ford skin over VW software, and so unsurprisingly can be confusing and awkward to use. Ford’s own SYNC4 software, used in the Mustang Mach-E, is vastly superior. The screen does have one neat trick though – it can slide from a reclined to a A fully vertical position, and in doing so reveals a neat secure storage area behind. That combines with lots of other storage spaces to make the Explorer very practical in the cabin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GI7327L66VFKHFSNXTDMEKE3TU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462714},"content":"Somehow, though I don’t think the Explorer has what it takes to lift Ford back to its position of market pre-eminence. It’s a decent EV, and has excellent all-round electric performance and frugality, but it lacks the magic touch of dynamic fun that has so marked out Ford’s mainstream models for 30-some years now. Buying VW bits to speed up its European EV development was a sensible move by Ford, but sensible people don’t do well at parties, do they?","type":"text"},{"_id":"KF72M56HAFEXFPHKRAJT2ZARGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462716},"content":"Lowdown: Ford Explorer Premium","type":"header"},{"_id":"QW73NGFIFZG2HPYTH4VWS5YTLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462717},"content":"<b>Power:</b> 210kW e-motor developing 286hp and 545Nm of torque, powering the rear wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VX2EJM4ZH5F7LDOI4LI2SWURUE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462718},"content":"<b>CO2 emissions (annual motor tax): </b>0g/km (€120)","type":"text"},{"_id":"RWNDER3NWRFDNGDIZ5CPIIFIII","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462719},"content":"<b>Electric consumption: </b>14.7kWh/100km (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"FB5B3DXN4ZAVDHCSVOQDIHXPZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462720},"content":"<b>Electric range: </b>570km (WLTP","type":"text"},{"_id":"EAAF3HEUUBBFBHSTWV5LZKSRAE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462721},"content":"<b>0-100km/h: </b>6.4sec","type":"text"},{"_id":"UAYB6LR3IVFATMRX2CCZYPFIRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462722},"content":"<b>Price: </b>€48,006 as tested, Explorer starts from €43,591","type":"text"},{"_id":"OCT3ZOG6W5DRRKHZ2L4TASPWIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462723},"content":"<b>Our rating: </b>3/5","type":"text"},{"_id":"BUJ3ZM64PJB3NI7QP3C4YGBY5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728490462724},"content":"<b>Verdict:</b> Impressive real-world range and efficiency, and it’s pleasant enough to drive, but where’s the sense of fun?","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Brand’s second EV has excellent all-round electric performance and frugality, but it lacks a sense of fun"},"display_date":"2024-10-16T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Can the Ford Explorer arrive late to the EV party and still impress?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"MCD5AUGFRBFNFEDMB6UJORQF34","auth":{"1":"e8c54d0ac921e89590430f5845628cec7e3efa29e641b85257a3a89db9c3555a"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MCD5AUGFRBFNFEDMB6UJORQF34.jpeg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/16/can-the-ford-explorer-arrive-late-to-the-ev-party-and-still-impress/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"JPZXURC35VDM3CWVUWV2EMOOJ4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":222,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/c0f81836-9fb2-40ce-89d9-7fd0b37ccbe6/versions/1728990997/media/54036aad4237e5d1078f3ba32f152b33_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/10/15/are-there-any-plans-to-make-ev-chargers-accessible-to-wheelchair-users/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WE5XMYHVWZDFRGC5T7BMHAYQTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728987347074},"content":"Q. Are there any plans to make electric vehicle chargers accessible to wheelchair users?","type":"header"},{"_id":"OXBBHVUMM5HYFPPO3HWBRIPIMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728987347075},"content":"<b>A.</b> This is most definitely something of an issue. While kerbside <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">EV </a>charging points are, broadly if not necessarily very easily, accessible by those using wheelchairs or with other mobility issues, rapid DC charging points are to a large extent not.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U6GRAVRRKNATNBW4S3COVF4ZNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728987347076},"content":"The bulky and heavy design of CCS charging cables – the standard European design for rapid charging points – makes them awkward to carry and move a wheelchair at the same time. While rapid charging bays are usually much wider than a conventional parking space, there can still be a lack of room to move between cars if a lot of vehicles are all charging at once. Equally, many rapid chargers are still mounted on high kerbs, which makes them more difficult for wheelchair users to access.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SX3AGB5T5NB2DP2MI5IYEPVYKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728987347077},"content":"The Irish Times contacted Zevi – Zero Emissions Vehicles Ireland, the Government body dedicated to easing the path to wider electric vehicle acceptance – to find out more about charging point design and how they can be made easier to use for all drivers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LP5U7KIZINBHHN52GAY65HMDDI","additional_properties":{"_id":"T5DAM7OV2ZCH5GOTHD4LVBAJL4"},"content":"Should I only charge my EV to 80 per cent every time? Five common questions on electric cars answered","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"GGAE4XQR25A6DJDE277YDQAGSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728987347078},"content":"A spokesperson for Zevi told us that: “Zevi published the Universal Design Guidelines for EV Charging Infrastructure in May of 2024. Zevi believe that the public accessible EV charging network should be accessible to everyone, and the guidelines aim to make EV charging infrastructure accessible to all users, summarising key considerations when designing, installing and operating EV charging infrastructure, including the design of the charging station; the accessibility of the site; and the information and communications to inform users before, during, and after a charging session.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OILEOS6Y5FGLPBOUBGXWWJE3TU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728987347079},"content":"Which sounds good, but there was a warning that, ultimately, not all chargers may be accessible for all users. “The guidelines encourage anyone associated with the installation or operation of the EV charging infrastructure to adopt the universal design principles but recognises there may be real-world limitations in some instances.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2KPOIBCYLFGILNV5N7P5MUKJ3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728987347080},"content":"There are some other potential solutions, but they’re are still some way from becoming reality. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/volkswagen-vw/\" target=\"_blank\">Volkswagen </a>has shown a concept of a charging robot – an automated charger on wheels that rolls over to your car and automatically connects a mobile battery to charge you up. It’s designed to work in tight spaces, such as car parks, and to trundle along and charge your car while you’re off doing other things, but so far it’s just a pie-in-the-sky concept.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QEH5EBP7N5CZHNSTB6F7P3N42I","additional_properties":{"_id":1728987347081},"content":"However, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/hyundai/\" target=\"_blank\">Hyundai </a>has developed a robotic arm which could be attached to a fast charging point and which automatically connects to your car, removing the cable once you’ve finished charging. Again, this is still a concept, but there is a working prototype of the system. Other car makers have engineered similar prototypes, but for now they are all just that: prototypes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MRN6IW4YGNAVNH44BMBM7QQXZ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728987347082},"content":"There are other, more immediate, improvements which could at least make like somewhat easier for wheelchair users and those with mobility issues. Plug-and-charge systems are now being built into some newer EVs, and those allow you to simply connect the charging cable to your car, at which point the car’s on-board software takes over and handles the payment for the charge, meaning at least you don’t have to go back and forth waving RFID or debit cards around. Obviously, a big part of this is the reliability and simplicity of charging systems, as anything that reduces the need to move back and forth between charger and car would be of help.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LGPWSEUOLBCB3CULVDO54QWR3I","additional_properties":{"_id":"L4VO5UMXPZAO3EXSTBEWJQ2LBM"},"content":"<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Your EV questions answered: Helping to separate electric car myths from facts"},"display_date":"2024-10-15T11:11:20.667Z","headlines":{"basic":"Are there any plans to make EV chargers accessible to wheelchair users?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"LULJGSLYVZH3KU6J55UJICKHRI","auth":{"1":"6b311effe5a8858b13264318cf038dfc922fb8de170af989e1918c6d3bfe161b"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/LULJGSLYVZH3KU6J55UJICKHRI.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/10/15/are-there-any-plans-to-make-ev-chargers-accessible-to-wheelchair-users/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"T5QIHNFKZFDBLHPKRJID4YBJKY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":357,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/82666480-c644-41b4-8fbe-cce1adcdae3c/versions/1728572219/media/8a2b0ecabc0222a34acc5dd5e02239b7_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/opinion/2024/10/11/norma-foleys-pouch-plan-explicitly-implies-phones-cause-harm/","content_elements":[{"_id":"EY7AL5Z66JDAZCQZLLGSDICWJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369866},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/oireachtas/2024/10/03/school-phone-pouches-opposition-criticises-grotesque-9-million-spend/\" target=\"_blank\">Norma Foley’s plan to provide mobile phone pouches for schools</a> has been met with derision and a certain amount of hostility. But mostly with indifference. It goes without saying that the kids are not keen on the Minister for Education’s idea and a certain school of parenting holds that this is really the only endorsement the initiative requires.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5YGEOVD26VDOBE7HNG3VFIOINE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369868},"content":"The schools themselves are, at best, ambivalent. The Teachers’ Union of Ireland believes restrictions on phones are already so widespread in Irish schools that the money earmarked for the project in the budget would be better spent elsewhere. The cost will be €9 million or €20 per student out of an education budget of €11.8 billion.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R3YV6P5YVFHZVOY5DRASRN42ZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369869},"content":"Many schools would seem to agree, saying they already have policies in places that are working well and don’t involve pouches. Generally, they seem to involve confiscating phones from students found using them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O4NF5QFFZFBETIWZNZUC423MCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369870},"content":"Some principals are sceptical about a more draconian regime such as the pouches. Students will have to put their phones in the pouches which will be visible on the outside of their locker or similar. Schools that have unilaterally introduced pouches are positive about them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PVVQMTFU2NGXTP4V67V3VHPJ34","additional_properties":{"_id":"PZDSL7XYY5AWNBRVQVNRVIVXR4"},"content":"Phone pouches: What school principals, teachers and students are saying","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"BSDZNSWLYFCTTDJ6ILB6N5IBNY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369871},"content":"Sinn Féin <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/education/2024/10/05/sinn-fein-border-hopping-on-criticism-of-mobile-phone-pouches-spend-says-norma-foley/\" target=\"_blank\">shot itself in the foot</a> by criticising the pouches as a waste of money, seemingly oblivious to the cross-party support they extended to them in the North. Pearse Doherty, its finance spokesman, called the initiative a “grotesque” and an “inexcusable” waste of money.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MOH5DDVPC5AHJMAE5VFMPRA53I","additional_properties":{"_id":"JIRYDKMMVBHPPOQYVQEAFXSBII"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"HXJSLE3ZYNA6BAX46HLVTLYMJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369872},"content":"The Social Democrats were not keen either. Taoiseach Simon Harris did his man-for-all-seasons act and defended the pouches while indicating that they will not be obligatory.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5FJOGVVMCBD2LMPEQC5Y5MOT44","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369873},"content":"Foley’s department has yet to give details of how the scheme will work. It may well be watered down. Just another post-budget brouhaha? Maybe not. There is an interesting point that has got lost in all the noise. And it is one that may yet see Foley end up in history books.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ODFQGOVX6FCGBD7IHIW45ELRYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369875},"content":"If nothing else, the pouch plan amounts to explicit acknowledgment by the Government that mobile phones – and by extensions the social media platforms that they host – are detrimental to the wellbeing of children. There is no shortage of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2024/10/02/what-are-these-smartphone-pouches-being-introduced-in-schools-and-how-do-they-work/\">evidence</a> in this regard with two studies widely cited. One is by the University of Chicago which found that students whose phones were less accessible outperformed those who had more access.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VNFO3SLL6ZEGDHSDF6SBVLG27U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369877},"content":"The other is by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and suggests that bans on mobile phones are effective in reducing the devices’ distractive impact on students. It also found that about one-third of students found ways to get round the ban – which can be seen as endorsing the pouch approach being proposed by Foley.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q4VBNHZIRNAUBLVJDMWF6SIYMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"VI6WSWCYMJCO7FO4WYGZEFT67A"},"content":"Sinn Féin ‘border hopping’ on criticism of mobile phone pouches spend, says Norma Foley","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"2DWOTQ2R7BHINFM3ZTI7KNIDTE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369878},"content":"Perhaps, more significantly, Foley’s initiative has made implicit that the Government accepts it has a responsibility to address the harm caused by mobile phones and platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QZCT4OYO5NFQJBMG7S2TKM2BWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369879},"content":"The current initiative may be limited to the impact of phones on the ability of schoolchildren to learn, but a precedent is now set for the State to intervene in this area in the wider public interest. The pouch plan really says two things. The first is that the Government sees mobile phones as a problem – in this context at least – and a serious enough problem that it must intervene. The question now is in which other areas where mobile phones may cause harm should it intervene?","type":"text"},{"_id":"RE6VTLJUSNAHZM73UML3EJKJJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369880},"content":"One presumes that somebody in the Department of Education was aware of this. Equally they presumably got legal advice that the initiative does not open a Pandora’s box of unforeseen consequences. But that really doesn’t matter as far as the public is concerned. Expectations have been raised. Where things go from here will be interesting but whatever happens will happen slowly if history is any guide.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EKSWWYGS6VDNVMRTFPMFIUP5GI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369882},"content":"In January 1965, Senator Warren G Magnuson, chair of the US Senate committee on commerce, introduced legislation requiring cigarette packages to bear the statement: “Warning: Continual Cigarette Smoking May be Hazardous to Your Health.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XJG2JUFEYBBKVKPSVTAS3OXMXA","additional_properties":{"_id":"BXHPFJYVYFF2HJP5J73NZJTQNY"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"XGPO54IKENG7FADGOCZ3S7PLHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369883},"content":"Some 32 years later, the tobacco industry finally reached a $368.5 billion (€337 billion) settlement with the majority of American states in respect of the costs incurred by those states in dealing with the medical consequences of their products. A small number of states reached their own settlements.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KNEG7ZAAWZBUHAIDZCJWHIP53U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369884},"content":"At a superficial level, the comparison with the tobacco industry seems appropriate. If mobile phones are cigarettes, then social media platforms are nicotine, the addictive substance that makes people use them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AWWPIYF4G5BLXK5MY5WRHMIA2M","additional_properties":{"_id":"WRVV2XJYZJHPZCS6X2756UP7AQ"},"content":"School phone pouches: Opposition criticises ‘grotesque’ €9m spend","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ZVRUOODYOBEVZDM7XOM5MHANXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369885},"content":"The introduction of warning labels on cigarette packets came 15 years after the first studies linking smoking to lung-cancer. We are probably somewhere in the middle of this period of hiatus when it comes to mobile phones. There is no shortage of evidence of the harm that they do but as yet little political will to address the problem. But that will change as the societal costs increase.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DWYIHW4L55BTNOZW2FLVIU2DE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728486369886},"content":"The reasons for the current inertia are not so different from those that allowed the tobacco industry a free ride for so long. People liked cigarettes – many were addicted – and didn’t want the government to take them away. Tobacco companies were important to the US economy and other economies. They had tremendous power plus a leadership that was short on scruples. That sounds familiar.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"John McManus"}},"name":"John McManus"}]},"description":{"basic":"Plan signals mobile phones – and by extension social media platforms – are detrimental to children. The question now is what the Government will do next"},"display_date":"2024-10-11T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Norma Foley’s pouch plan acknowledges that phones cause harm. It may yet see her end up in history books","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"DXK5OUKWNJE7VATPW7SPEEDL4I","auth":{"1":"e402b791945f8b18b7b4ebc3dacb25c36d3a87e31e9560bdadf48490aa7492cf"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/DXK5OUKWNJE7VATPW7SPEEDL4I.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Opinion"},{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/opinion/2024/10/11/norma-foleys-pouch-plan-explicitly-implies-phones-cause-harm/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/opinion","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Opinion"}}}},{"_id":"JIW763KZ2VDGHLWGDZLN2N5V2I","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":412,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/089dbbb1-d7c0-425d-b43e-662fea6477b2/versions/1727879194/media/9bfbec84d71f937b1a48613415faec36_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/09/kia-ev3-first-drive-new-all-electric-crossover-ticks-the-right-boxes-to-survive-the-ev-sales-slump/","content_elements":[{"_id":"2CBACRG6JRBFRN3YLSM6ZVGNSY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762658},"content":"Having lost its electric Soul in 2022, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/kia/\" target=\"_blank\">Kia</a> is now finding itself in the midst of a full-scale street fight.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FKN7LWDQL5BWXBIO6TS6HMA4ZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762659},"content":"Just 12 months ago, the EV roadmap looked relatively straightforward. Having saturated the early adopter market and won over buyers in the high-end markets, it was time to move on to the mainstream and launch more affordable <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric cars</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BUWHG5IURNAV3MGV2XIL7ZMVBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762660},"content":"Only it seems like many mainstream buyers haven’t bought into the plan, for a variety of reasons. So, for now, the carmakers have a pipeline of new EVs hitting the market, but a limited number of buyers ready to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2024/09/20/thinking-of-switching-to-an-electric-vehicle-heres-what-you-need-to-consider/\" target=\"_blank\">make the leap to electric</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CSOPJRABONB6NB2LTXTTFBMU7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762661},"content":"A fleet of new all-electric compact crossovers – in layman’s terms, family hatchbacks dressed up to look a bit like SUVs – are heading our way. And with electric car sales <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2024/10/01/new-electric-car-sales-down-26-on-last-year/#:~:text=Electric%20car%20sales%20are%20down,Irish%20Motor%20Industry%20(SIMI).\" target=\"_blank\">down more than 25 per cent so far this year</a> (and more across other markets in Europe), what was meant to be a festival of affordable new EVs, now has the makings of a bloodbath.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W4GAZ6BLUJBLXPJNB2QQCRWPJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762662},"content":"Enter the EV3. Some time ago, Kia quietly pulled the plug on its funky crossover, a car that I rated as the best in its class; but clearly the majority of buyers disagreed. Instead, they opted for the more mundane <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2022/11/02/kia-niro-phev-is-this-the-perfect-compromise/\" target=\"_blank\">Niro</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XZPIBX46TVD5LJYWB5IPEWV6II","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762663},"content":"While the Niro remains, the EV3 fills the void – in all-electric guise – left by the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/kia-e-soul-an-electrifyingly-stylish-car-1.3990918\" target=\"_blank\">Soul</a>. Up against a host of similarly-sized electric cars, it has its work cut out. Whereas the Soul had an individual character, this boxy crossover looks a lot like the rest of the market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JZA4BJVWG5CBVDJFRH7ZNTM5BI","additional_properties":{"_id":"QDACNS2UJZAS5ODVZC56I4NBHI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"SGAVAOIN7FAH7ADOAZKWR5E4AQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762665},"content":"True, it carries with it the styling touches of the rest of Kia’s EV range, which means you get smart strip lights on the front and a flavour of the chunky silhouette of the larger <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2023/12/13/kia-ev9-fits-the-bill-for-well-heeled-buyers-seeking-seven-seat-all-electric-suv/\" target=\"_blank\">EV9</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YY2Z6RSY6BF77M4I2UZBHGFDDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762666},"content":"Similarities continue on the inside, where the dash is dominated by two 12.3-inch screens – one for infotainment, the other for driver instruments – and underneath a control strip for all the climate controls.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CNHJUMQVGVFRJGLD2I3FEPVKZI","additional_properties":{"_id":"SKCLFNW73FBXLKY5WEH25G7NFI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2ZT2NH5DT5FH5BIJZ4YGIBCNAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762668},"content":"They’ve also included the impressive ambient lighting set-up that features on bigger Kias – and was a nice feature on the old Soul, though this is significantly upgraded.","type":"text"},{"_id":"II6N37YS7NCNFPJMFVHHSLB2QU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762669},"content":"Kia has managed to take a set-up that first featured in a much bigger car and shrink it to fit into the smaller EV3 without sacrifices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GJMHBEZD6JFKJP6MGY4N72CFI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762670},"content":"In fact, despite its diminutive size – think <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/video/motors/2023/03/15/our-test-drive-ford-focus-10-ecoboost/\" target=\"_blank\">Ford Focus</a> or <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/08/01/new-volkswagen-golf-review-updated-and-spruced-up-and-all-the-better-for-it/\" target=\"_blank\">VW Golf</a> – the EV3 manages to feel as spacious inside as much bigger rivals. That’s not just a trick of the eye; there is impressive legroom front and rear in this car, accompanied by a plethora of stowage options and cubbyholes (though surprisingly no storage bin between the front seats).","type":"text"},{"_id":"M4MQ5BM25FHUJHAV55CXNFKNIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762671},"content":"A big 460-litre boot is enhanced with the 25-litre “frunk” under the bonnet, which can store the charging cable if you want. The interior trim feels modern, and the materials are as good as on the rest of this brand’s range, which have consistently impressed passengers we have carried in Kias.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FQUQFGFK7JEBBDDE6VT4JYTTHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"LVRA2FBBUVBELAAS46AVAWWIY4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RHXSNQERPNFIBG4MWYIESXT6CY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762673},"content":"On the road, the EV3 is smooth and responsive, but as with a growing fleet of electric cars on the market right now, it doesn’t sparkle or excite.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GT5FW2LPRBDYZMLHFP6RFO3SIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762674},"content":"Perhaps the most impressive feature of the EV3 is its responsive steering and reactions that belie the size of this car.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EC5B4GL32ZBUDIPZRQ7JFVSQUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762675},"content":"Kia engineers clearly worked off the brief to make this an easy car to drive if you have spent your motoring life with a combustion engine. The EV3 doesn’t try to bury you into the seat when you floor the throttle, but delivers acceleration in a similar way to a faster-paced hatchback. The power is still there – and there is no lack of overtaking pep when you need it – but it’s delivered much smoother than in early iterations of electric cars.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AGIEGZCPANB6RLI7QXCOUTABYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762676},"content":"There is, of course, significant body roll when you pit it against a set of corners at speed and the car tends to bounce a lot as the ESP stability control tries to keep everything in check. If anything, the ESP could be a little more engaging, given the target market for this car is not enthusiastic drivers but regular family commuters.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I4ILJFM6HJBRJHPIV3L7VELLQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762677},"content":"And these regular commuters will find the transition to EV3 from a petrol or diesel car remarkably easy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M6WLH7SOYZFEJLS2M2ISZG4CKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762678},"content":"The EV3 also benefits from its more diminutive scale, delivering the sort of about-town handling that you get from family hatchbacks, designed with shopping centre car parks in mind. Like many drivers these days, I’ve become dependent on reversing cameras and the Kia system is top-notch, particularly its blindspot monitoring system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PXDU3LWUR5FJZL4OZH7ABQQFPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762679},"content":"As for its power supply, a single 201bhp (150kW) motor driving the front wheels keeps the show on the road. Two battery options will be available: a 58kWh and an 81kWh, with the former delivering a WLTP official range of up to 436km, while the bigger battery manages 605km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LEKD4GMMBNGD7J7PC7NBBS7WHA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762680},"content":"The EV3 is the first model to benefit from Kia’s latest i-Pedal regenerative braking technology, which allows the driver to adjust the level of regenerative braking according to their preference, enabling one-pedal driving. Several cars already offer i-Pedal modes, but this is perhaps the most nuanced – and less funfair bumper car.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4ZAZX5FZBFGFHEJ2U22GHMGIGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762681},"content":"The ease of one-pedal driving mode fits well with a car that leans towards comfort and relaxing driving dynamics rather than performance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2D5I4AR4URDBFEG3SKERJKVTVI","additional_properties":{"_id":"FANXGWMQS5AZJGVUJ5XSB7Y3CU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"3UBMRRWU7RDEXHWKK35SQHE32Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762683},"content":"With starting prices of €36,790 for the 58kWh EV3 in entry-level Earth 2 specification – and €40,350 for the longer range 81kWh version – Kia is certainly bang on the money when it comes to the competition. At this price point the EV3 also undercuts its own popular Niro range, though it is offered in both hybrid and EV formats.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F77UIL2ME5EUFJW7BO7KPYSOOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762684},"content":"Three trim levels are on offer: Earth 2, Earth 3 and GT Line, though you can only get the smaller battery in the entry-level grade. That grade is still impressive, as it includes the dashboard screens, heated seats, LED lights and the like, but for €42,840 it’s probably worth the price walk to the mid-range Earth 3, which not only delivers that extra range but also powered heated front seats and that impressive blind spot monitoring system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WDLZ7B7WEBFHDJ5EMWF7G5UYSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871762685},"content":"In a cut-throat market, the good news for Kia is that the recipe of relaxing driving dynamics, good tech, impressive range, family space and a competitive price should ensure it will be one of the winners in this battle.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"With starting prices at €36,790, Kia is certainly bang on the money when it comes to the competition"},"display_date":"2024-10-09T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Kia EV3 first drive: New all-electric crossover ticks the right boxes to survive the EV sales slump","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"CSH3WXVRPJBZZP2ZHWARTM4SWM","auth":{"1":"b0db7349b2209ef373a8eab485fac32c32bdf18408e4017c13020656b34c5521"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CSH3WXVRPJBZZP2ZHWARTM4SWM.jpeg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/09/kia-ev3-first-drive-new-all-electric-crossover-ticks-the-right-boxes-to-survive-the-ev-sales-slump/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"HHKVTPRV7ZB3VEC24QL5NHY2XY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":477,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/b6842a66-7015-49c9-ba8c-f997e9af80d3/versions/1727879014/media/7fa98fd81b09a699bffe2dbed5dbdd09_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/10/09/story-of-car-assembly-in-ireland-takes-a-curiously-personal-turn/","content_elements":[{"_id":"NQ7HAXNFRJADDJ5WNOEVGJ2BFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266000},"content":"Forty years ago this year – and 90 years after it began, thanks to a new set of laws on the imports of cars put together by <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/sean-lemass\" target=\"_blank\">Seán Lemass</a>, then minister for industry and commerce – the manufacturing of cars in Ireland came to an end. In some ways, using the word “manufacturing” gives the industry a bit of a glow-up, as really it was more assembly than manufacture. Cars were shipped here in kit form, and put together with local labour and enough local parts content – windscreens, tyres, filters, springs, electrical bits and pieces, etc – that they could avoid the swingeing taxes which the various Irish governments imposed on imported cars (sound familiar?).","type":"text"},{"_id":"6UQEUBRPKFH33G2WDVSQQK2ALU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266001},"content":"Motor Assembly In Ireland, by noted motoring historian Bob Montgomery, is now in its second edition and frankly shouldn’t be absent from the desk or bookcase of any Irish car enthusiast. What could have been a dry series of numbers and statistics has instead become a sweeping, sometimes rollicking, tale of industry, commerce and keeping one step ahead of the taxman.","type":"text"},{"_id":"62ESZQEPMZARPMB5S755Z552PY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266002},"content":"The most famous car factory in Ireland was probably the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/ford\" target=\"_blank\">Ford</a> plant, on the quayside in Cork. Originally opened in 1919 to make tractors, the Cork plant first started making cars in 1934, and would continue to do so right up to 1984. Indeed, it may surprise some to know that a handful of the original “jellymould” Ford Sierras were made in Cork, which was perhaps better known for its production of Cortinas and Escorts. The factory was criticised by some industry experts in the 1970s for building (all right, assembling) a multiplicity of models under one roof – something which has since gone on to be standard practice across the car-making world.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ECGU4YK7TVH73NGO7RPXYVE5IQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"BYQNEEOQEREVNPBYONEVSAZ3ME"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AYKAWO4WWBFBNLQL5M5ENSIFPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266004},"content":"A Ford was not, most likely, the last car to be made in Ireland however. Records and recollections differ, of course, but Montgomery reckons that the very last car to be put together in an Irish factory and shipped out to a dealer was a Mazda 323. Mazda was then part of the vast <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/motor-distributors-ltd\" target=\"_blank\">Motor Distributors Group</a>, and the 323 was built in the same massive building – still there and still the home of the company – just off the Naas Road in Dublin, where they were built alongside the VW Beetle and various Mercedes models.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HW3MT53CXBA5LMM3TPOVYMTOPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266005},"content":"Yes, Mercs were built in Dublin. A fact that – Michael Caine style – not a lot of people know. Montgomery’s book delves deeper into fact land than that, though. Everyone knows that the first VW Beetle not built in Germany was assembled from a kit delivered to Motor Distributors’ then headquarters on Dublin’s Shelbourne Road in 1950, but the assembly of Irish cars covers a much broader spectrum than that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZMDKLYX2I5DE3OEQMNJKUS5SHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266006},"content":"Toyota, Nissan (then still badged as Datsun), <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/fiat\" target=\"_blank\">Fiat</a> and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/renault\" target=\"_blank\">Renault</a> all assembled cars in Ireland, in factories dotted around Dublin and, in Renault’s case, Wexford. Peugeot made cars here too, as did <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/opel\" target=\"_blank\">Opel</a> and the now-defunct brands of Austin and Morris. Even a handful of Jaguars were built in Ireland, while Hillman – now long gone – once built the Hunter saloon (a rival to the likes of the Ford Cortina) in a factory in Santry, exporting them to the UK market in a slightly bizarre twist.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LPM7WCINO5F6BGFEBRZA33BGCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266007},"content":"Those marques you might have expected to build cars here, but what about Studebaker? Yup, the obscure American brand built a handful of cars in Ireland between 1936 and 1953, including the somewhat unfortunately titled Dictator model (its sister model was the more pleasingly named President) in 1937.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CECTPH6L7FC5JGAQVM66NUZVV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266008},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/skoda\" target=\"_blank\">Skoda</a> too built cars in Ireland, including the original Octavia, which cost just £499 at the time, shipping kits across the Iron Curtain in the 1950s and 1960s, although construction was a bit fitful, with entire years missing from the assembly records.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N5OKTJHFRFEAXIEMCRPICIZIBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266009},"content":"Fancy something more obscure? French brand Simca built cars in Ireland, as did the truly obscure Panhard, a brand which had been an early pioneer of cars in Edwardian times, but which built the small but sleek PL17 model here in the early 1960s. Also made In Ireland were German marques which would be eventually subsumed into Audi, such as DKW (with its neat little two-stroke engines) and NSU which made the little rear-engined Prinz saloon that saw success on the Circuit of Ireland Rally.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QU7MD7PXYVH4VKF6YD4JY3RGFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266010},"content":"Needless to say, there were some characters involved in all of this. Stephen O’Flaherty started off as an accountant in Ford’s Irish operations, before eventually building his own empire, assembling that first non-German Beetle, and eventually creating the behemoth that is Motor Distributors, which is still the Irish importer for Mercedes-Benz (along with other brands such as BYD and Smart). A tale is told of O’Flaherty, indulging in his passion for racing horses, giving a jockey a lift to the racecourse at Down Royal, but abandoning him there with the words: “He f**king lost, leave him here.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"VYDRUWSQIFC3TL6RTWWP6Y6QJU","additional_properties":{"_id":"GFT3GSIWM5D75GY6YXKCA7YVEY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"22C5VX5Y2ZFW3BGUDIKJGFG34I","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266012},"content":"Better still is the unnamed person from the O’Shea company which built Opels in Cork in the 1960s who, when responding to customer complaints of water leaks in their cars, suggested that they invest in some Wellington boots. Or perhaps the tale of the Ford Anglia which had been built with one door on one side, and two doors on the other, technically making it half-Anglia, half-Prefect. Indeed, quality control was always an issue in the Irish assembly business. One former industry luminary once suggested to this writer that the quality of Fiat cars assembled in the Kylemore Road factory in Dublin made the cars coming out of Turin look like Rolls-Royces.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EV6EJLTOARDB3AYRMBISKC56AU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266013},"content":"Rolls-Royce is one of the few famous motoring brands not to get a mention in an annals of Irish assembly, but Chevrolet does, as does Chrysler, Borgward, Huppmobile, Hudson, MG, Morgan, and even Messerschmitt.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KH6BZ2V5PRFQ5AA5YKQYAVKPQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266014},"content":"One page especially stood out, in a personal sense. German marque Adler assembled some cars in Ireland in the 1930s, and the company which carried out the assembly was one Robert Briscoe, then a serving TD. Robert is from that arm of the Briscoe family which left for England in the 1600s, and renounced their Jewish faith to become Anglican. It’s those Anglican ancestors which distantly link Robert and me. While it’s pleasing to note that a distant relative was once a small cog in Ireland’s car-making machine, there’s a darker note involved in the story. As Montgomery writes: “In 1937, no doubt alarmed by the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe, Briscoe decided to reduce his involvement…” The tides of history flow deep.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NQE562BVXVC53P7DMNRCIRMZKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266015},"content":"“The crucial value of an Irish assembly industry was in creating for the first time an industrial infrastructure where none had existed before,” said Montgomery. “Almost entirely bypassed by the industrial revolution, for the first time significant industrial and light engineering were established to supply the assembly industry with the many components it required. It played a vital role in the transition of the young Irish State to a more diversified economy with a stronger industrial base.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PK3L6CRFRBGNZM4UQULMAS6MFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727871266016},"content":"Motor Assembly In Ireland, by Bob Montgomery, from Dreoilin Books. Priced €25.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Bob Montgomery’s comprehensive history of car making in the State is required reading for any Irish car nut"},"display_date":"2024-10-09T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Story of car assembly in Ireland takes a curiously personal turn","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"LHZ4HJLBFVGHHOTZYYJ6E2WD3I","auth":{"1":"e65d351b0a7543caa1054fbfb0e8e31b331c9f0ab4c8fcc75d43c5fdcd5de142"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/LHZ4HJLBFVGHHOTZYYJ6E2WD3I.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/10/09/story-of-car-assembly-in-ireland-takes-a-curiously-personal-turn/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"SG5BBS7K6JDC3EHDVN7JNPSLAY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":471,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/7fb6ea77-12e1-4887-a9b1-800e654ce0ed/versions/1728334656/media/4656e8a6086b1c75b8aaf0e31e749d43_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/10/08/your-ev-questions-answered-some-quick-fire-questions-on-electric-cars/","content_elements":[{"_id":"5QXUOJ5HEJHDPONEPDQI2OGWLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937522},"content":"<b>Should I only charge my EV to 80 per cent every time?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"2IQL5JAV2BFTLL75NL2XTPQTGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937523},"content":"Broadly speaking, this is a good thing to do – not only will it save you a bit of money, especially if you’re using public charging, but it can help extend the useful life of your battery. Research by Alteium, a company that provides after-market warranties for electric car batteries, shows that lithium-ion chemistry (the most commonly-used electric car battery chemistry thus far) responds best to being charged to 80 per cent, and not being allowed to fall below ten per cent charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TXDMDDKZUVCZHCNTPVLYUGOZFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937524},"content":"The fact is that every time you use a battery – whether that’s charging or using it to power the vehicle – you’re degrading it slightly, and electric vehicle batteries are generally considered to be past their best once they’ve lost between 20 and 30 per cent of their original capacity, which is why car makers tend to offer warranties which guarantee such performance for the first eight years or 160,000km. The good news is that, so far, batteries are in general performing much better than was originally anticipated.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VAJ52N6SXZAJPEGSRACYEM6J4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937525},"content":"The other good news is that lithium-iron phosphate (sometimes called LFP) batteries are gaining in popularity – BYD, the giant Chinese car maker, uses only LFP batteries, while Ford will shortly launch a Mustang Mach-E with an LFP battery – and are much more robust. At the cost of a little less energy storage per size and weight of battery, LFP batteries can, for the most part, be charged to 100 per cent pretty much as often as you like without (so far, anyway) causing any serious issues.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KGQBZO3MIVCIRBK4OSSLTNXYJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937526},"content":"<b>Can an EV battery be fixed if it’s damaged in a crash </b>–<b> or does it need to be replaced?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"SSQXLT3XZ5DL3HJ54UYXFGL77A","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937527},"content":"Generally speaking if your EV has been in a crash big enough to damage the battery (which is usually located directly under the passenger compartment and well away from the front and rear crash structures) then it will have to be scrapped. It’s possible that individual cells might be repairable, but pretty much any insurer will immediately write off such a car and its battery, because of the potential danger of a thermal runway fire from a damaged battery. In fact, insurer AXA is calling for new legislation, or an extra element to the independent Euro NCAP crash tests, to highlight this potential battery vulnerability, and has even recommended that car makers should fit additional underbody armour: “for example by providing the underbody with a titanium plate or similar materials with high resistance”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SOIEECRZEFBKRA27ETIEDBNVGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937528},"content":"<b>Can you replace a few cells in a battery or do you need to replace the entire unit?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"RFEBJF37VVFB5B3OQY4JCERF44","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937529},"content":"Yes, you absolutely can and this is how most electric car batteries will be repaired, as opposed to replaced, in the future. This is actually one of the key concerns flagged up by AA Ireland. In a survey of Irish drivers, it found that the majority reckoned that electric car batteries only last for 100,000km (not the case) and that any damage or degradation to one part of the battery pack means an instant and total replacement of the entire pack.","type":"text"},{"_id":"77QPHMX6G5E3RHLTBRCY3RQAT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728333992313},"content":"Jennifer Kilduff, Head of Marketing & PR for the AA said: “It is disappointing to see that these myths are continuing to circulate. Modern batteries have sophisticated Battery Management Systems that increase the life of the batteries to not just many years, but potentially a few decades. When they complete their purpose in cars, they will be used in energy storage projects, before finally being recycled. It also needs to be pointed out that an EV battery is not just one big chunk of metal. It is made up of many modules that get combined into a battery pack. In most instances you would not replace the whole battery if there was an issue, you’d replace the individual modules at a fraction of the cost.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JAUXB3I42BDNNMQ6H264EN54UM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937530},"content":"<b>What’s the realistic range for my EV?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LW6FJJVL75F7PE4NOZG5WBV7FE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937531},"content":"How long is your piece of string? Sorry to be vague, but that answer involves a huge number of variables. We’ll try to give as useful an answer if we can.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WBCVOIMHPNCYHCFVGBGKSQMJLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937532},"content":"EVs fall, broadly, into three categories when it comes to battery size – small (up to a around 50-55kWh capacity), medium (60-80kWh) and large (bigger than 90kWh). While you have to work in all of the imponderable variables – such as your own personal driving style, where you’re driving (town? country? motorway?), the weather, the traffic conditions and so on – we can come up with a rough average of ranges.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LQSW65KW3BELVIUM6NYQ4MLH3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937533},"content":"So for small battery cars, the quoted official range is likely to be around 400km, and the realistic day-to-day range, allowing for all those imponderables, to be closer to 300-320km. As with fuel economy, some drivers will do better, some will do worse.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZHD6C7IX3VEHLLQ5ZBMKIQYNBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937534},"content":"For medium-sized battery models, the quoted range is likely to be around 500km or just over, with a realistic range of around 400-450km. For reference, the bestselling EV in Ireland is the Volkswagen ID.4, which uses a 77kWh battery and which has, in our hands, a real-world observed range of around 450km against a claimed range of 535km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X4UWCZIZZVEBRNBDVF7W7GIEDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937535},"content":"When you get into bigger battery models, the picture becomes cloudier as you’re dealing with increased weight, not just from the size of the battery itself, but also because these bigger-battery cars are more likely to be luxurious models with high-end fixtures and fittings. So the results are more mixed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MZZR3BU55BCL7KDI4OYLMLD7NE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728333992320},"content":"These cars are likely to claim at least 550km, and often more than 600km, but perform far less impressively in real-world conditions. So, the big BMW i7 claims a range of 621km but we struggled to get more than 450km out of it. Conversely, the Mercedes-Benz EQS boast a range of more than 750km, but will easily do more than 600km in real-world conditions. The big, heavy Audi Q8 e-tron is probably the worst offender here – against a claimed range of 555km, we couldn’t get it to deliver more than 400km, and often saw indicated range on a full charge of around 360km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PTUMJQZASJB7VEK6ULAR3P6RGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937536},"content":"The best advice is to not go high-rise. SUVs are inherently less efficient than sleeker saloons, and again VW provides a good example here. Using the same 77kWh battery as the ID.4 SUV, Volkswagen’s sleeker ID.7 saloon boasts a range of 615km, and will easily provide more than 500km of running in real-world conditions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UAHIUVPAKZCQZOE2BIGGQUPQ7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937537},"content":"<b>Will my EV run out of juice if I get stuck in traffic?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"4BT72PF5MVCTLP23NHZOL2WF7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1728318937538},"content":"It could happen but it’s very unlikely to, unless you get caught in traffic with only a single-digit percentage charge and it’s a massive traffic jam. Research has shown that, when stationary with air conditioning or heating running, an EV will consume around 1-1.5 kilowatt-hours of energy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7TCXO2U5PVCJ7JTLSXK3MFZKYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728333992324},"content":"Given that even the smallest EV batteries hold around 45kWh of charge, and assuming you’ve hit the back of this notional traffic jam with more than 50 per cent charge, you can sit there for at least 15 hours before your battery will run flat, possibly longer. In other words, you’ll need a sandwich or a wee long before your battery gives up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ATOC76BEHNHZXLMCQZOXF264EQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"2GPJWWAYA5B5FAL55HCFQZK2AU"},"content":"\r\n<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions"},"display_date":"2024-10-08T13:11:41.215Z","headlines":{"basic":"Should I only charge my EV to 80 per cent every time? Five common questions on electric cars answered","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"SJSOFF7MSNAGPNOFISUQ7OG4EA","auth":{"1":"f6a7da874c70859a101064bcfb9c0af07ad89914966e495cae46a78846253462"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SJSOFF7MSNAGPNOFISUQ7OG4EA.jpg"}},"subtype":"analysis","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/10/08/your-ev-questions-answered-some-quick-fire-questions-on-electric-cars/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"UOJPDAFRXRCHRJPKTSEUTPGHB4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":147,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e1b50347-ddb4-4c37-a346-1cc26387cccf/versions/1728033538/media/1017b3f61aca42d63ae3c9ca066abd57_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2024/10/04/car-makers-dangle-2bn-in-ev-discounts-to-customers-to-boost-uk-sales/","content_elements":[{"_id":"TTBSWD4D65ALPJMKH53UVC6XIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728028724895},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"KOTWRFVF2FFXFIWVXNCNDPE73M","additional_properties":{"_id":1728033518201},"content":"Car makers are on course to offer at least £2 billion (€2.4 billion) in electric-vehicle discounts this year and still fall short of the UK government’s sales mandate, according to the industry’s trade body.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4F3G3V4WNNBOTBGWMUGJJWWBPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728028724896},"content":"Steep price cuts helped lift battery-electric vehicle registrations to a record in September, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said Friday. But even last month, zero-emission cars came up shy of the 22 per cent share target the government has set for this year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DBMSM6UBYJAVFKYX4WW2LTUZWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728028724897},"content":"“Despite manufacturers spending billions on both product and market support – support that the industry cannot sustain indefinitely – market weakness is putting environmental ambitions at risk and jeopardising future investment,” said Mike Hawes, SMMT’s chief executive officer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T3K6WF3NT5BAVOSY3Y37XHQFPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728028724898},"content":"The industry group is echoing concerns that manufacturers including Stellantis and Ford have raised about the UK trying to hasten the phase-out of combustion engines while scaling back government incentives. The pullback of subsidies in several markets across Europe has contributed to a slump in EV demand and profit warnings from the likes of Stellantis and Volkswagen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L7UA3HRO3ZDCVKL74H6SH425OM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728028724899},"content":"Battery-electric vehicle sales rose 25 per cent last month, a big jump within an overall market where registrations increased just 1.1 per cent from a year ago. EVs accounted for 20.5 per cent of total sales in September and 17.8 per cent of all registrations in the first nine months of this year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QF63KGYSQJAB5DAWA7GPQY64FA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728028724900},"content":"The SMMT estimates that around 18.5 per cent of cars sold this year will be EVs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DYDIPN6WHBFDLAEKVAYJFPNUZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728028724901},"content":"Automakers face fines of as much as £15,000 per vehicle if they fail to comply with the UK’s mandate, though they can avoid penalties by buying credits from overachieving manufacturers. The country also plans to end sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BFYQ5OKVP5EKZLS2YPM2LPS4VE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728028724902},"content":"The SMMT again called for support in a letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves on Friday, ahead of her budget later this month. The letter, cosigned by the UK heads of carmakers including Stellantis, Volkswagen and Nissan Motor., reiterates a plea for the value-added tax on EV purchases to be halved to 10 per cent for the next three years, among other measures. – Bloomberg","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"In spite of these attractive subsidies, car manufacturers are still expected to fall show of the UK government’s sales mandate for zer-emission vehicles"},"display_date":"2024-10-04T08:08:31.984Z","headlines":{"basic":"Car makers dangle £2bn in EV discounts to customers to boost UK sales","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"JU7FWTI7CYIFXXSQPKX4RVE3XU","auth":{"1":"62662fb1e313f397ac761fd01be257e7258fa3abb459aeb2a89b15d495f5c339"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/JU7FWTI7CYIFXXSQPKX4RVE3XU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2024/10/04/car-makers-dangle-2bn-in-ev-discounts-to-customers-to-boost-uk-sales/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"SZX3HLFPF5AQDEVDU44KKCK33E","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/10/02/skoda-launches-new-electric-elroq-suv/","content_elements":[{"_id":"XAEYIP52VVCN5B3HZ6FGGO7LPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727854523989},"content":"Skoda has launched its new Elroq electric compact SUV, a smaller brother to the Enyaq. While the market for electric vehicles in Ireland is currently shrinking – EV sales fell by another 30 per cent in September, with only slightly more than 1,000 new electric cars registered – Skoda is hoping that the launch of new, more affordable models will help to put EVs back on Irish buyers’ radars.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KOZYZG4EFVCB7FXJR4OQVRSL3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1727854523990},"content":"The Elroq will come with a choice of different battery capacities, with the biggest 82kWh pack stretching to a claimed range of 560km. The entry-level Elroq 50 won’t do that, but it still packs a reasonable 370km range, so it will be suitable for those who don’t undertake many long-haul journeys in their normal week.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6T6JQKQFMZCH3ELT7Y22CQAHAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727854523991},"content":"The mid-spec Elroq 60 gets a slightly larger battery and a more usable range of 440km for a price of €38,416 while for the big-battery Elroq 85 you’ll have to spend €42,315. All models are currently rear-wheel drive, with a four-wheel drive Elroq 85x model planned for the latter half of next year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EP3GYMUDQZBANPC3FHE2CEUGHY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727854523992},"content":"If you’ve gone for the big-battery model, then it can charge at up to 175kW from a DC fast charging station, meaning a 10-80 per cent charge takes 28 mins. For the smaller battery versions, that falls to 25 minutes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WXBRPXGRN5E6LIYQP3N3KKCGBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727854523993},"content":"As with most Skoda models, the Elroq will be a practical car, with a 470-litre boot, while the big touchscreen in the centre of the dash stretches to a whopping 13-inches as standard. There is also a combined total of 48-litres of storage space dotted around the cabin, and a special storage net under the dashboard where you can tuck the Elroq’s charging cable, to stop it taking up space in the boot.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TFBT6QJ56RE2XD2B4M7W77TM3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1727854523994},"content":"In spite of its tallish SUV shape, the Elroq boasts a slippery aerodynamic drag coefficient of just 0.26Cd, but its styling – the much anticipated switchover in Skoda’s ‘design language’ to a more technical look, seems rather unambitious and rather plain. Perhaps it will looks sharper when we actually see Elroqs out on the road. For those that want to, Skoda Ireland’s order books open on October 7th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ULBGT4XGBZC4RPWIOP454ECSF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727854523995},"content":"Klaus Zellmer, chief executive of Skoda Auto, said at the car’s reveal: “The Skoda Elroq is our first BEV model in the compact SUV class, the fastest-growing and most popular subsegment in Europe. The Elroq stands out as our first model to adopt the ‘Modern Solid’ design language, defined by robustness, functionality and new visual accents such as the black ‘Tech Deck’ face”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KTZSFTIXWJHQXKBUTD5PNJ3HDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727854523996},"content":"John Donegan, Skoda Ireland brand director, added: “The Skoda Elroq represents a significant breakthrough in the Irish EV market. Until now, Irish customers have predominantly been limited to larger, more expensive EV SUV options, with electric models typically priced higher than their ICE counterparts. That dynamic is finally starting to change.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V3QO6QENIBA4VLCG5KNQC7T5Q4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727854523997},"content":"“The Skoda Elroq EV will be more competitively priced and better specified than the similarly sized, petrol and diesel powered Skoda Karoq. In 2025, for the first time, Skoda SUV customers will enjoy the unique choice of two equally attractive, similarly sized, and comparably priced vehicles – one powered by electricity, the other by combustion. I know which one I’d choose.”","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"New compact electric model priced from €36,545"},"display_date":"2024-10-02T07:39:50.353Z","headlines":{"basic":"Skoda launches new electric Elroq SUV – a practical car with a 470L boot","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"TURHRS5VNBDOBLXDMV6VT3YIRU","auth":{"1":"0adf98d806bb188052d7951ff145df936908bf4504dfe344423ae4f3c7f97446"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/TURHRS5VNBDOBLXDMV6VT3YIRU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/10/02/skoda-launches-new-electric-elroq-suv/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"I7RJAFJTMVHH7I4FXCND4CB4MU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":372,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8804d452-1322-45ac-b29a-9c00cb382689/versions/1727361285/media/aae227512df68efd341820e3c9fc7cc1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/02/renaults-updated-captur-hybrid-offers-a-more-memorable-driving-experience/","content_elements":[{"_id":"XCV6ZY3LFJEN3JXI4EAZ3UIFVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544058},"content":"If you had asked me before today if I had driven the current <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/renault/\" target=\"_blank\">Renault</a> Captur, to be honest I’d have struggled to give you a definitive answer. I know I had driven a Captur, possibly a couple of them, but to be frank I think most of the experience had slipped from my mind.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YBILHR5Q2ZGKPGNTHLGSJMXCJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544059},"content":"This time around, though, the Captur is making a bit more of an impression. Renault has given its compact crossover a thorough pass of the plastic surgeon’s scalpel, so while it’s not totally different, it is at least … better.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IWXPF4FPRJFEHJIYJ6PWKIMTAE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544060},"content":"At the front, Renault has taken away the soft curves that it originally gave the Captur and has instead given it sharper lines, with prominent arrowhead daytime running lights (which are supposed to represent one half of the Renault diamond badge) and a look that’s slightly reminiscent of the bigger Scenic all-electric SUV. It’s a broadly successful look, helped by the deep Alpine Blue paintwork of our test car, even if a quick glance down the sides tells you instantly that behind the rhinoplasty this is the same car as before.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OSWFBY2FABBNVMMIEDMNRHE7LA","additional_properties":{"_id":"HFKWUM7E4JAWRHQ6QEOD27LZDQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"7JRCIZTI4ZAOVHV2CF2OZ53CPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544062},"content":"The interior has been given a makeover too. While the overall shapes are familiar, the quality of the materials used has taken a definite step upwards, which makes the Captur’s cabin a far more welcoming and less physically wobbly place to be now. This Esprit Alpine model’s use of soft, suede-like material and a smattering of French flags brings a touch of Bastille Day glamour to things. Space in the back is fine, if nothing special, while the boot is good, a claimed 616 litres. You have to have the adjustable rear seats slid all the way forward to get that much cargo space, making them useless to any occupants with legs, but there’s still a useful 480 litres of boot volume with the seats pushed all the way back.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DZJZ4KLQT5C7LIPCYUQ676VRWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544063},"content":"The biggest improvement is the big, upright touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard. Even the base Captur now gets this new 10.4-inch screen, which optionally comes with Google-based software which Renault claims is a first within this segment of the market. It’s a fantastically slick system – just log in with your own Google details, and all of your saved destinations are right there in the mapping system, which can also be displayed – full screen – in the optional 10-inch digital instrument panel (a seven-inch digital instrument screen is standard).","type":"text"},{"_id":"HAQSB6LKOJCIFLOPGZLABPZSFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544064},"content":"What makes this system so good is that Renault has included proper physical controls for the heating and air conditioning system – although disappointingly our high-spec Esprit Alpine model didn’t include two-zone climate control, which seems cheapskating for a car costing close to €40,000.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CAT7XOVKXBEH7AZZMXOLDMAI6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544065},"content":"Renault has also included one critical button – a one-touch switch (yes, a proper physical switch) which allows you to instantly silence the annoying beeps and bongs so common to modern cars, and which frankly are a bigger danger – through distraction – than any of the things they’re warning about.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6AYVYEKXX5G7RMGWQ6WKTT5L6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544066},"content":"You can have the updated Captur with a totally decent 90hp 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, but our car came with the 145hp 1.6-litre hybrid, which drives the front wheels via an insanely complex automatic gearbox which uses four physical gears and two electric motors to achieve almost infinite gearing. I’ve seen a Lego model of this gearbox, and spoken to one of the engineers who created it, and I still don’t quite fully understand how it works.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5UDCF7RRXZH5BDC5JSXUJ4OOIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544067},"content":"However, it does work, and although it never feels quite as smooth as Toyota’s e-CVT hybrid gearbox, it works relatively well. Occasionally the 1.6 engine revs out of sync with what you’re doing with the pedals, but other than that it’s a fairly good system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PYNTVEYSKRFF3JALR5ROLJ23MA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544068},"content":"It’s economical too, returning an average of 5.5 litres per 100km during our time with the car, in spite of some high-speed motorway cruising. I’d expect an equivalent Toyota Yaris Cross to return more like 5.0 litres per 100km in the same circumstances, but there’s not much in it really, and the Renault has a more welcoming cabin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OE6HRKIA7ZAIVA3NCRPTY54QK4","additional_properties":{"_id":"SCKT2GFGYZBKLC2A7DAKOLEXMA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"G6PHUF3NO5A7PKQ6QINEHJQPGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544070},"content":"In terms of how it drives, Renault says that it has given the Captur “a range of high-tech developments to increase driving pleasure.” Which means that it has retuned the suspension, and fiddled with the power steering. The result is good. Not brilliant, and certainly not rewarding enough to really cash the cheques signed by those Alpine badges scattered about the place (to drive the Alpine A110 sports car is to experience some serious driving fun) but the Captur, having previously had such as dull driving experience that it was a danger to insomniacs, has now become fairly pleasant and unremarkably decent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GZ5OTM3B5JEK7FYGJGEOXTLUGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544071},"content":"No one is going to buy a Captur for the illicit pleasure of an early-morning back-road drive, but it’s economical, decent to look at, composed to drive and has a very comfortable cabin. While that’s not perhaps a ringing endorsement, it does at least mean that the Captur has now reached a level which means I won’t forget it as soon as it’s gone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WQA5ONEDVZGSZGTUIJADMKBTZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544072},"content":"<b>Lowdown: Renault Captur E-Tech hybrid Esprit Alpine</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"QALMR4B6LRAFFBMLQXI5GB47DM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544073},"content":"<b>Power: </b>1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 105kW e-motor and 1.2kWh lithium-ion battery producing 145hp and 205Nm of torque and powering the front wheels via an automatic transmission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L2XTSUDCBZG5VFZC7V3DJX5TPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544074},"content":"<b>CO2 emissions (annual motor tax) </b>105g/km (€180).","type":"text"},{"_id":"6PRF3Y7H3BDTDIGRZEOJZIVKSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544075},"content":"<b>Fuel consumption:</b> 4.7l/100km (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"6BWWQTPJYFEIDGHP3N5CIP6ENI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544076},"content":"<b>0-100km/h: </b>10.6 secs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"43PAGLMV6JG5NOS624I2CJ7MYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544077},"content":"<b>Price: </b>€39,815 as tested, Captur starts from €29,120","type":"text"},{"_id":"7S5RGYWEJFCTTOBIR4EKRVCFNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544078},"content":"<b>Our rating: </b>3/5.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MHUZ6UAKLVGMXE5AU22TZVR5QA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210544079},"content":"<b>Verdict: </b>The updated Captur drives better, looks nicer and is impressively economical. This time, we won’t forget it. Honest.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Renault has given its compact crossover a thorough makeover"},"display_date":"2024-10-02T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Test drive: Renault’s updated Captur hybrid offers a more memorable driving experience","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2KVGEXKNNZGQTHG53BNRERGDOE","auth":{"1":"1cd1d13120c020e68630caee03702c01c9d6339d61676eba4c20c100bdc82994"},"focal_point":{"x":2165,"y":1346},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2KVGEXKNNZGQTHG53BNRERGDOE.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/02/renaults-updated-captur-hybrid-offers-a-more-memorable-driving-experience/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"AR2PZ3YI4ZEFDG5SYFAB376CZI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":392,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/03b64c13-787e-49b5-9162-f041a3009a8d/versions/1727273200/media/b30ec32bdbe1620eecf6f6a21c07d944_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/02/lotus-emeya-review-the-latest-twist-in-its-tale-is-an-electric-grand-tourer/","content_elements":[{"_id":"ACNBXPOTSVGLNN4J6YTDCA7RBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"5ANI5GHJ7JDGXC4RHW6CELBJIY"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-95243","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"2OUUKQRUBVB4DOTGDOOLTT3W2I","additional_properties":{},"content":"In the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/\" target=\"_blank\">motoring</a> world, the story of Lotus has had more plot twists than M Night Shyamalan’s filmography.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I3PTZPR7OBB6BAWMN2TZJU5XYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595653},"content":"Now, from the brand associated with small, light sports cars comes first an SUV and then a family saloon, both weighing more than two tonnes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NR6WI4ABNFATJCORBZETDNZPMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595654},"content":"We’ve come a very long way from the days of the Lotus Elise and Exige, veritable go-karts with a bit of bodywork attached.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YHRJWOLFU5H73GFGZFSKZT4DT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595655},"content":"While we froze in time during Covid, Chinese brand Geely rode into town and took a majority stake. In what in motoring terms is the blink of an eye, we have two fully electric cars on the forecourt.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KEF2F3CIEFABDN7QQPPTISWQHA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595656},"content":"Not only that, but one is a two-tonne-plus SUV while the other is a five-door saloon. Both have more tech features on the steering wheel than previous Lotuses had in the entire car.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ETRH2KEYRVFKDH4HS5HJHTNWFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595657},"content":"From mechanical click, we have leaped to electric buzz. Lotus now sees itself with a car that hopes to lure away customers from the likes of the Porsche Taycan, Panamera or Cayenne. That’s some about-face.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CBFVBPDFPRCHPPL66PPTLYOMLU","additional_properties":{"_id":"J5JWHJFJ5BBCDHEK7CJBCAZTGI"},"content":"Honda’s ZR-V is just a bit disappointing for a car with a €54,000 price tag","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"GR6AGK4XTNE6JJQ4WFJDJVPOGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595658},"content":"Following on from the Eletre SUV is this new five-door saloon, all-electric, all-tech, all luxury trim and about as far away from the Elise era as a rally car and a Rolls-Royce.","type":"text"},{"_id":"774HFCWI65HRXIOLEIV2N3KI5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595659},"content":"Yet it’s these two new electric cars that may determine the future of the Lotus brand.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PH2SIVITSJCZNGS7KG3U6FX2CA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595660},"content":"Three versions of Emeya are offered: entry, S and R. The midrange one was our test car. While the R boasts 905hp and a 0-100km/h time of 2.8 seconds, the S is no slouch, with 603hp and a 0-100km/h time of 4.2 seconds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WHN75F334VEGRB3IZSMDKYLOLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595661},"content":"Now I hear you say that in the world of EVs, that’s no longer an eye-watering acceleration time. But unlike the rest of the surging electric cars, the Emeya can keep that top pace up, retaining its top speed until your battery falls below 10 per cent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TBXQ2FS5UFDAFHKY3PNX3P22NU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595662},"content":"Speaking of batteries, this is where having friends in high places in Asia comes into play. The Emeya uses the latest 102kWh battery pack that claims 500-610km of range depending on driving. During our test in the car, we averaged 33.9kWh/100km and left the car with an estimated 172km left with a 37 per cent battery charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YSHTBLLO7NFNBC5CAJTIL6KA7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595663},"content":"The car itself is built on the same platform as the Eletre SUV but it’s actually slightly longer, something you start to appreciate during the long walk from boot to front seat.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MSQVHQ7TIFG7ZPCSMTFTR2RF7U","additional_properties":{"_id":"VCNRKYD445EWPEO77TBQVEULJ4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"46CXJ7WSQVERNOHBF24WNX4DPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727210552407},"content":"Surprisingly for all that space, the boot is merely average for a car this size, at 509 litres. Thankfully, that extra length is put to good use, with rear seat legroom in the realm of luxury saloons rather than four-seat coupes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UG3FRYWGJFFD3DCEB5RDW2QJNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595664},"content":"Lotus has gone from tech austerity to blingtastic in the blink of an eye, and our Emeya not only boasted a Tesla-rivalling touchscreen but also camera side mirrors, projecting on to screens built into the doors. Thankfully, for once these cameras seemed to work, delivering a quality of imaging that nearly rivalled a regular mirror.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CKUC623ZGVERPKEA7YQ7TL4DEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"OI33A4KBVJF2RDSWQCKRAOIZJY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2NTIKKKHW5BG5FI4HK3CXMTR4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595665},"content":"Clearly, Lotus had the Panamera in its sights when it was formatting this car, and it shows as well in several internal touches. The finish on the car’s interior are close to German quality. That said, it doesn’t match the Porsche when it comes to low-slung sporting driving stance. Despite the best efforts to make it look sleek and cocoon the driver, it’s a little too big to pull this off. We are a long way from the days of Elise.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5FQMD6ZPCZGTPGPMGLVNBC7NAY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595666},"content":"And yet for all the tech, there are a few little touches that impress, once you get on the road. Lotus excels in suspension setting and chassis development, something that many rival engineers will admit in private. In the past, its engineering arm has been the go-to consultancy for suspension development – even by the German brands.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XMOW6HVHJVBIRBPCR37GPNGMLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595667},"content":"It's the balance the Emeya ekes out of the contact with the road – a mix of cushioning suspension without sacrificing the sharpness and precision – that is the most impressive. Of course, it’s nonsense to expect a 2.5-tonne saloon to mimic the antics of an Elise, but when you acknowledge that difference in scale, the Emeya does impress.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7HT7QTEEXJC63GBFWKDZYQAMUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595668},"content":"It serves up four driving modes: Sport, Tour and Range. That’s nothing new – every electric car has these sort of selections today, but there is a more notable difference between Sport and Tour – the sort of difference that’s nice to see in a car that’s pitched towards the Grand Tourer market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IZEWYIFQORDM5ISVSQALNDJOBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"BNVCFH2DZNDXBKIPG2TEULRRMY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"BASFECM4WNDALBMJ4UKLCK3C5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595669},"content":"With price indications that it will retail within the range of the Eletre SUV, that suggests you can expect €100,000 for the entry version and €120,000 or so for the S; and that’s before you peruse the options list.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HAA2UPYQRFCD5ACTEFDRHBDTRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595670},"content":"Pitted against the Porsches, it doesn’t match their sporting charisma, nor perhaps their street cred. The Taycan is that bit sharper all-round, and more in keeping with the rest of its line-up – and its lineage. The Emeya has faint traits of its heritage, but they are not really to the fore.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3XXGXBJGXBEEHD26MIVT7FUYBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727259902645},"content":"Yet for those looking for an alternative brand with plenty of motoring history and driving fun, Lotus has a significant edge over the host of new arrivals. And as a luxury Lotus, perhaps look past Porsche rivals and consider this as an alternative to the performance variants of electric saloons from BMW or Mercedes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DHZ6KVOTQFFEPHRPNCKFP52YP4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727259902646},"content":"From this angle, the Emeya starts to make sense – and shows its potential as a cash cow for a brand that desperately needs to secure steady sales volumes to avoid yet another twist in its storied tale.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2F3G5B2PD5BT5BJXQ4SGAHGRI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595671},"content":"Lowdown: Lotus Emeya S","type":"header"},{"_id":"QWXANMTY7RC5NFKFJFYGMTYEUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595672},"content":"<b>Power </b>Two electric motors supported by a 102kWh battery pack and delivering 603hp in four-wheel drive format","type":"text"},{"_id":"FEGJWZJW4VD4PCSJNFLRWMIXAE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595673},"content":"<b>0-100km/h </b>4.2 seconds","type":"text"},{"_id":"AAPVFWI66VCHNEUL7NG2ZIM4PE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595674},"content":"<b>Range </b>500-610km","type":"text"},{"_id":"GMGJ52YTLNF7LBUUG7AYZBXSD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595675},"content":"<b>Price </b>TBC (likely to start above €100,000)","type":"text"},{"_id":"S4TM3GALWJBS5L4Z32B3DVRGVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727209595676},"content":"<b>Our verdict </b>A seismic change for the brand under its Chinese owners delivers a premium family car that will turn heads – and can sharply turn corners.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6QQA2OFWFVF5TJ5YQNO7YWUAZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727239580222},"content":"<b>Our rating </b>3/5","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"Can a brand synonymous with light sports cars really compete with a 2.5-tonne five-door electric saloon?"},"display_date":"2024-10-02T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Lotus Emeya review: The latest twist in its tale is an electric grand tourer","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"WIZUN2OYSVANHORP573VOCXQJM","auth":{"1":"eb2438057f99394e1566a278e23497ae0ff44fc771567d86eb1aee9dc4cca393"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/WIZUN2OYSVANHORP573VOCXQJM.jpeg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/10/02/lotus-emeya-review-the-latest-twist-in-its-tale-is-an-electric-grand-tourer/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"7NNZ52FKONGDPO6IQXU6S447JM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":183,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/9146153a-eda3-467f-b7de-d24b784a5a6c/versions/1727792062/media/971899ae1a4d0e3169dd5711789b013c_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2024/10/01/new-electric-car-sales-down-26-on-last-year/","content_elements":[{"_id":"CWM76NDCQNHIXLMSPOOO36HJGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727776982388},"content":"Electric car sales are down 25.7 per cent on last year, in contrast to the overall new car market which fell just 1.4 per cent up to the end of September.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IEDFMFHC2VCFBMSCMFSTY73KQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727776982389},"content":"The total new car market so far this year is 118,926 cars, according to the latest figures from The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI). Of these, 16,133 were fully electric cars, making up 13.8 per cent of the market. That’s a drop on last year, where EVs accounted for over 18 per cent of new car sales.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SPSGZKFIZRBJNFMPIVYZAR64YU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727776982390},"content":"In contrast, there has been a 12 per cent rise in regular hybrid sales this year, totalling 26,079 new registrations at the end of September and now making up over 22 per cent of the market. Similarly, there has been growth in plug-in hybrid sales, now accounting for 10 per cent of total sales with 11,766 registrations.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3RI4IHNDUNDIHGW2F5TQMQRPWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727776982391},"content":"Petrol remains the most popular option for Irish buyers, with 36,339 registrations, followed by diesel with 26,947.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GOPTKCR5LFFG7E2B4MX23XV5DA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727776982392},"content":"Brian Cooke, SIMI director general said: “Reinstating and extending EV supports, as well as investing in a reliable charging infrastructure, can help regain lost momentum in the electric vehicle project. The industry remains committed to supporting the transition to electrification.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"7E3GAFNDA5C53FL7HPD7JU5K3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1727776982393},"content":"Toyota remains the best-selling new car brand with 17,043 registrations, ahead of Volkswagen with 13,226, Skoda with 11,917, Hyundai with 11,220 and Kia with 8,900. Audi has climbed into sixth position overall this year with 5,270 sales, while BMW has also made it into the top 10 with 4,300 registrations. Both premium brands now rank ahead of mainstream brands like Ford, Renault and Opel in new car sales so far this year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LG757VCN35HV7CP27E6HZGSMZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727776982394},"content":"The best-selling new car in Ireland is the Hyundai Tucson with 5,207 sales, ahead of the Skoda Octavia with 4,307 and the Kia Sportage with 3,777.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7UB2STWVXRC2BNSRFSVQC2BLUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727776982395},"content":"In the commercial vehicle market - a bellwether of economic activity - van sales are up 9.1 per cent so far this year with 28,972 registrations, while 2,629 new HGVs (Heavy Goods Vehicles) have been registered, an increase of 10.8 per cent on last year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Michael McAleer"}},"name":"Michael McAleer"}]},"description":{"basic":"While Toyota remains the best-selling new car brand, Audi has climbed into sixth position overall this year"},"display_date":"2024-10-01T14:09:07.051Z","headlines":{"basic":"New electric car sales down 26% on last year","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"VSW5RHTBGBC55LPKCPDJ7QVM44","auth":{"1":"0ccd16ba46246ddd9866bff4982b2fb9a4255db9f3b921e87e300f3000f273e5"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/VSW5RHTBGBC55LPKCPDJ7QVM44.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2024/10/01/new-electric-car-sales-down-26-on-last-year/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"FH2H7TWWB5HMTAKXBEXZI5YX2Q","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":275,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/7db0abd6-e5d7-4e8d-879d-80cd8ab6da3a/versions/1727708131/media/d793aebc5999b72be8cb0d460ea1d34f_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/10/01/your-ev-questions-answered-can-you-remove-the-battery-on-a-hybrid-if-youre-not-going-to-be-using-it/","content_elements":[{"_id":"5GSBOKSRUVHGPOSLOXTMARFHNE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705010737},"content":"I’m going on a long trip and don’t plan to use my hybrid’s battery. Can I remove it?","type":"header"},{"_id":"PFFP47GV6RATJNSK3YES4AK75U","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705010738},"content":"No, and please don’t try to. A plug-in hybrid might not be a fully <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-picnic/\" target=\"_blank\">electric car</a>, but their batteries are still big and powerful. The biggest – the Range Rover P440e’s large 33kWh battery for example – has plenty of stored power and it runs at 400 volts, so if you try to remove it unsupervised, you will probably be very dead, very quickly.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LOEBUAAPH5GM5BANLV6CYAPLZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705719775},"content":"But I thought batteries could be swapped?","type":"header"},{"_id":"R47CN7CSBNEYBBVGKOCFA3BAYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705010739},"content":"The idea of battery swap-outs hasn’t quite gone away. A decade ago, battery swapping was considered to be the answer to fears of having to sit waiting on a slow charger when you just wanted to get somewhere in a newfangled EV.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D46WDKP3CFERJLDY334VA2MOKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705010740},"content":"Renault developed a prototype battery swapping capability for its Fluence EV in the early 2010s, working with EV expert company Better Place. However, the tech proved expensive, and that was before considering the expense of setting up nationwide networks of battery swapping stations so that you could call in on a long journey.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q6DTFOGEDRBP7BTJELFPWDPG4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705010741},"content":"The idea has persisted though, and recently Chinese electric car maker Nio said it was going to start establishing battery swapping stations in Europe, with 30 stations opening up, mostly across Scandinavia.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ED3H4UDZGJGRRMXLQN3VMCD37Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705719779},"content":"So swapping is possible these days, or will be soon?","type":"header"},{"_id":"R5NF55C2IJDKJBVFU2SN273Z4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705010742},"content":"The advantage over the old Renault Fluence is that with Nio’s current line-up, if there’s no battery swapping station available, you can just fall back on regular fast-charging points. Nio’s ET5 estate, for example, can cover 560km on one charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DTWTGS7WWJC3ZDYRXULOXL7QK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705010743},"content":"Rival Chinese company Geely has also shown interest in battery swaps, which means the tech could be coming to cars from Volvo and Polestar in the coming years. Nio claims it can swap a battery in about three minutes, and that the car’s battery capacity can be swapped out while you own it – allowing you to use a smaller, cheaper battery for your daily driving and then a big, long-range battery for holidays, for example.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CRPXKPMXXBA7ZJPCY4F4A3DXNE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705010744},"content":"Fiat too has talked about this for future electric models, giving you a cheaper purchase price up-front for a car with a small battery, but building its batteries in separate modules so that extra battery capacity can be bought or rented during your ownership of the car.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HRWOS6ADQFFWXN53RLEEA4ECTY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705719783},"content":"Each of Nio’s battery swap stations comes with a 2-megawatt storage capacity, which can feed power back to the grid at peak times, as well as using overnight wind energy to charge up, acting as a “power sink” for renewable energy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XECEVSJ4PNBKFCQPZHHS7MAV3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"ADKZXIMLHZD7FCDCEH33CR7WSE"},"content":"Thinking of switching to an electric vehicle? Here’s what you need to consider","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"U4O6RKDEZRBKHA63WXOUDIRMNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705010746},"content":"What’s the catch?","type":"header"},{"_id":"R7MAQ4ZQJNAADBIB5ENKHOIMDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705719785},"content":"Sadly, none of this yet exists for plug-in hybrids, which is a bit of a shame, as actually it would be incredibly useful. A swappable PHEV system could work the other way – you’d use the bigger battery for your day-to-day driving, maximising your electric range, before swapping over to a lighter, more compact battery for long hauls, turning the car into a conventional hybrid and making it more efficient overall.","type":"text"},{"_id":"762BOR6K3NAHBFVUDFJYEOPOU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705010747},"content":"Why doesn’t this exist? Because plug-in hybrids – like their conventional hybrid cousins before them – are becoming ever more efficient at going on longer journeys. As batteries and electronic control techniques improve, PHEVs are edging closer to providing diesel-like fuel economy on long runs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AHF5A5JRMVE57HKH3EMWNRFSEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705010748},"content":"We’ve written before about the Toyota Rav4 PHEV’s near-mystical levels of long-haul fuel economy, but others – such as the new Prius PHEV, the big-battery versions of the Volkswagen Golf E-Hybrid and Skoda Superb, as well as the Mercedes E300e – are all able to provide impressive all-round fuel economy even if you’re hauling up and down the nation’s motorways.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7TBZET3FFFCJXARYZL54MWVQHA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705010749},"content":"Perhaps the most impressive of all is the Land Rover Defender P400e – which has 400hp from its combo of 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine and electric battery, a range of 50km on electric power, and which on long runs returns 9 litres per 100km. Which doesn’t sound all that impressive, until you realise that it’s the same long-range economy figure as you’ll get from the diesel-engined Defender, which has no electric range at all.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MGIHXDZDCNEDRG4S5SCFYDHKFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727705010750},"content":"So swappable batteries for PHEVs? A nice idea, as it goes, but probably one which has already missed its mark.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ATOC76BEHNHZXLMCQZOXF264EQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"2GPJWWAYA5B5FAL55HCFQZK2AU"},"content":"\r\n<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions"},"display_date":"2024-10-01T04:25:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Your EV questions answered: Can I remove the battery of my hybrid EV car for a long trip?","native":"Can I remove the battery of my hybrid EV car for a long trip?"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"CP3SV2LZ5JDATKE2CHFQ632XSU","auth":{"1":"ed095fa59911f17bdc4bd92940333a3979e8807e5aa4cb65eabaa4e1f314cfba"},"focal_point":{"x":506,"y":231},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CP3SV2LZ5JDATKE2CHFQ632XSU.JPG"}},"subtype":"analysis","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/10/01/your-ev-questions-answered-can-you-remove-the-battery-on-a-hybrid-if-youre-not-going-to-be-using-it/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"UAN7EMT5DNCNVKK4WMBXZ76EGY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":194,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/1c3ce184-445c-4123-a2c6-582581d79075/versions/1727719846/media/ba5f83868f73ad2a17bf4dfed73670e3_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/09/30/drivers-of-electric-vehicles-more-likely-to-cause-road-traffic-crashes-ul-research-finds/","content_elements":[{"_id":"2D777LOEINCMXEBIV3TLS7DJPA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020174},"content":"Drivers of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric vehicles</a> are significantly more likely to cause traffic accidents than people driving petrol or diesel engine cars, according to a study from the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/university-of-limerick-ul/\" target=\"_blank\">University of Limerick</a> (UL).","type":"text"},{"_id":"OIUM7UELKZCYNC2Z6ZFOXU34P4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020175},"content":"After mining data covering more than 100 million trips by almost 15,000 commercial fleet vehicles as well as an insurance claims database, a team at Lero, the Science Foundation Research Ireland Centre for Software, and UL pinpointed a small but significant increase in crashes involving EVs when compared with petrol and diesel cars.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U2AWGCZL5FCP7JD6KVLJL3TLZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020176},"content":"The study analysed insurance claims and data from on-board sensors and revealed as well as causing more crashes, EV and hybrid drivers exhibit different behaviours than drivers of traditional vehicles.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P4IL4WD6ZBB4NEBHZ5EFM5BASA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020177},"content":"It suggests that while EV drivers display reduced risky driving behaviour with less harsh braking, accelerating and cornering than diesel and petrol car drivers, they still cause more accidents.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RP6DOZ6MZJDA3NCOMY4VPPGA4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020178},"content":"Lero researcher and lead author Kevin McDonnell noted that analysis of each fuel type showed EVs and hybrids had lower average mileage than petrol and diesel engines.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3QLB3QE625CM3GHHW5O42PD5ME","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020179},"content":"“This suggests [petrol and diesel] engines should have a higher probability of incurring an at-fault claim than alternate energy fuel-type vehicles. However, the claims data contradicts this assumption,” he said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MAQM3KWXCFCJRH3WYHTNFWOBVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020180},"content":"Examining driver data from 14,642 commercial fleet vehicles in the Netherlands as well as motor insurance claims databases, the research determined that EVs were at fault in 4 per cent more accidents than petrol or diesel cars.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LBR6P7T3LZA5LLYQZQCPMDQWLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020181},"content":"The study also showed that EVs were almost 7 per cent more expensive to repair than traditional vehicles.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CG7DWIVNQNGWTEUFF5DUSRGD7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020182},"content":"The research did not explicitly state why EV drivers appear more accident prone but noted that certain behaviours more common among EV drivers could be behind the trend.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DTF6RG3OCZHGHKFM3R4XTDMMHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020183},"content":"One factor that certainly seems to be at play is the type of journeys EV drivers take.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HCL5R2WFJVDLLEFFGZX46OT4NU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020184},"content":"Range anxiety and an absence of a reliable charging infrastructure mean EVs tend to cover shorter distances and while they are on the road for less time than petrol or diesel cars, they are more commonly used in urban settings.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S2QPY6E2PFELVJ6WVXW3EPMQNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020185},"content":"By contrast, petrol and diesel cars cover longer distances but more frequently use motorways where accidents are statistically less frequent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QALCLYRHYBAKZBUVAMCRDYWVNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020186},"content":"“Our research finds that despite their lower average mileage than internal combustion engines, lower road exposure for EV drivers does not reduce their risk of experiencing an at-fault insurance claim,” said Dr Barry Sheehan, associate professor in risk and finance at UL.","type":"text"},{"_id":"234LZAJU55CRPMOMKOPTKZ7I7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1727714020187},"content":"He said with Government policy mandating that as many as one million EVs should be travelling Irish roads in the years ahead, a 4 per cent differential in the accident rate was “a significant amount” and said it should become part of the conversation about a migration to EVs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Conor Pope"}},"name":"Conor Pope"}]},"description":{"basic":"EVs more likely to be used in urban settings where crashes are more common"},"display_date":"2024-09-30T17:46:38.73Z","headlines":{"basic":"Drivers of electric vehicles more likely to cause road traffic crashes, UL research finds","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"H4I2EPURWVCSNEQLZKXF5W3YTA","auth":{"1":"d916da21e5a30d91ba3e6347c9042c0d7ec3225f2c17bf263dbf7133940233ba"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/H4I2EPURWVCSNEQLZKXF5W3YTA.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"},{"name":"Transport"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/09/30/drivers-of-electric-vehicles-more-likely-to-cause-road-traffic-crashes-ul-research-finds/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"W7SAPSKB3BGE7LPGFRLMXSB2XM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":462,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/0d48c2c4-f074-45e0-a6dc-8df4b9f2349a/versions/1726677679/media/8d0c93d8fb3b8c68ddf0f38967837943_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/09/25/why-a-car-parts-shortage-is-driving-up-insurance-premiums/","content_elements":[{"_id":"35EY5QNOS5EYZN5FWKTCDKSUVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835000},"content":"First, we had the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/shortage-of-new-cars-is-crippling-the-irish-market-1.4687899\" target=\"_blank\">shortage of cars</a>. That came in the wake of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/covid-19/\" target=\"_blank\">Covid-19</a> pandemic, as factories struggled to build up to pre-2020 production levels, and the entire automotive supply chain heaved under a wave of unfilled employment roles, from manufacturing to shipping and beyond.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E3YSUQNBJNEBXOR7OKBCDT3CLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835001},"content":"Then came the shipping shortage. Again, due to the expanding blast waves of the pandemic which affected investment and employment in the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/chip-shortage-rolls-on-as-carmakers-cut-production-1.4558257\" target=\"_blank\">microchip industry</a>, as well as a disastrous fire at one major factory, and the fact that car companies failed to get in the queue ahead of the big tech companies for supply.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KM5KYLXRUVBJFNH7LESBP35RQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835002},"content":"Now, we’re suffering the car parts drought. This one’s being blamed on a huge number of circumstances, from Covid to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, to whatever you’re having yourself. The shortage affects parts as complex and expensive as entire battery packs for electric cars, and as seemingly inconsequential as a humble metal bracket for holding that battery in place. It’s not just EVs that are suffering, nor their owners who are being put off the road – or into rental cars – for months at a time. This is affecting everyone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T3DXLROIUJAYNHVKRXSGWPVHEA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835003},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/jaguar/\" target=\"_blank\">Jaguar Land Rover </a>was one of the brands most heavily affected, with a reported 10,000 cars off the road last year as the car maker suffered a dramatic shortage of spare parts production for repairs and replacements.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CEIDF6HJIBGVTOPQ6CTV4RME2I","additional_properties":{"_id":1726673066377},"content":"That would be bad enough for the owners of such cars, but worse was the knock-on effect. The shortage of parts led to a rash of thefts of high-end Range Rover models which saw, in some cases in the UK, those cars becoming all-but uninsurable. Although such insurance issues never reached Irish shores, in the UK at least Land Rover had to step in and offer buyers its own bespoke insurance service.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G3MZNDAN7BES7OSFQMMI756ODY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835005},"content":"However, while the worst effects of the Jaguar Land Rover crisis failed to materialise here, Irish insurers are certainly concerned about the current shortages of spare parts, which can mean that a simple repair which should take only a few days can sometimes stretch to months. It’s axiomatic that longer repair times mean higher costs, and higher costs will lead to pricier insurance premiums.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WTAH7Y4WRBBLTHSSISVHZI4U44","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835006},"content":"One senior member of the Irish insurance industry, who asked that we not use their name, told The Irish Times that the delays “depend on the parts required”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CCAMQVKPTZGBHMS3C67C7BJFBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835007},"content":"“Serviceable items can be off the shelf, overnight or within five working days. However, parts associated with accident damage, such as body panels, body trim, even weatherstrips, electrical items, cooling items, suspension components, safety related components and interior trim, can take longer. In some cases we would experience 7- to 21-day delays, and in more extreme cases we can’t get an estimate date of arrival – which is always a bad sign – with some extending into months.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"MJUVRYG47VGFHPMMT7KQPWX3HI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835008},"content":"It’s not just the parts that are in short supply either. Repair shops and garages are also short of apprentices and staff. It doesn’t help that with the increasing complexity of cars and their components, the training of a mechanic or technician becomes far more complex and involved. That not only takes time, but, as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/volkswagen-ireland/\" target=\"_blank\">Volkswagen Ireland</a> told The Irish Times, also leaves those trainees and training graduates susceptible to being poached by rival high-tech industries, such as microchip and medical device manufacturing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SHR4YERXCFELVM2WAWWI6J2GWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835009},"content":"Our mole in the insurance industry also responded to worries that corners might be cut on repairs just to get people back on the road, and out of expensive loan cars which are often provided as part of policies. “The insured is entitled to a loan car depending on their policy terms and conditions and where the repairs are carried out,” said our source. “We may do a temporary repair, but will never compromise on a safety-related part such as a suspension component.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WMX4BJX2WFH3RPY3CDIMV4EM3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835010},"content":"There are other factors at play. Chinese brands have become hugely important in the car market, but there are accusations that those big China-based car makers don’t understand the nuances of the European and Irish car markets, and haven’t been sufficiently prepping parts supply, nor providing repairers and garages with the appropriate systems and instructions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OREDSLJKKBHT7ALTEGW3VLG64M","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835011},"content":"In some ways, that’s down to a fundamental difference between the European and Chinese car markets, and especially the aftermarket in both regions. In China, labour for repairs is so much cheaper than it is in Europe that cars that would be automatically written off here can be economically repaired there. While that doesn’t in and of itself cause a parts shortage, it does demonstrate something of a gulf in understanding.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WEHX3B34JRC2FEQ3ZERQHNWXHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835012},"content":"In the UK, Chinese brands have been criticised for not being fully prepared for market entry when it comes to parts supply and repair manuals, with Auto Express magazine noting in a report that some Chinese brands have become ‘uninsurable’ because of parts shortages driving up repair time and costs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PASUTDOHUVHKLIC7KXBMOPN25I","additional_properties":{"_id":"LQMK4VXX4JHCDJA3GPAN4PLBZ4"},"content":"Are EVs more expensive to insure than other cars?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"4KKCN6C7GREFHBRWOOLJ2NRCUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835013},"content":"That situation does not, apparently, pertain in Ireland. The Irish Times approached the two biggest Chinese car brands in this market – <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/byd/\" target=\"_blank\">BYD</a> and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/08/14/mgs-impressive-small-hybrid-undercuts-toyota-and-renault-on-price/\" target=\"_blank\">MG</a> – and were told that both have adequate stocks of parts and sufficient information for repair shops.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q2S5IPOVPRAXXAYQWA23DRUEXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835014},"content":"According to a spokesperson from BYD’s Irish importer, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/motor-distributors/\" target=\"_blank\">Motor Distributors</a>: “The BYD brand situation is proving to be fine on the parts demand side. Despite its success in sales terms, there is no known pressure for parts, save for some exceptional accident damage. At Motor Distributors Limited, a store of parts is kept sufficient to supply a likely month-long demand. This base store is kept topped up as required.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PPG34JTZC5GDHFR77MLFBTVZFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726675709974},"content":"“Moreover, parts for the Irish market are supplied to us via BYD’s parts centre in the UK, where massive supplies for UK cars, commercial vehicles and buses are also kept. Through that facility, deliveries with 2-4 days are normal. We are experiencing no pressure or complaints from dealers as regards parts supply.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NHNFL4K44ZDRXHVUPICAMHDTNM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835015},"content":"It was much the same story from MG, whose spokesperson told The Irish Times: “We stock service- and damage-related parts in our warehouse in Dublin; these can be overnighted to our dealers. After that our parts supply comes from the UK, and we can have parts within 48 hours if urgent, but the general timeline for delivery of parts would be 3-7 days if we don’t have it already.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5DZ5EQQH5BG5XCLBX22FO2ODJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726675709976},"content":"“Outside of the UK, MG are also in the process of opening their second European parts warehouse in France. We haven’t heard of any issues regarding insurance cover – and, yes independent garages get the information required to repair a damaged MG by contacting ourselves or an MG dealer.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"V7ZS5M6RY5GG7KLAHEOPEXVQ7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1726569835016},"content":"The parts shortage will in all likelihood, as with the car shortage and the chips shortage, eventually pass. However, while we wait for that to happen, consumers are counting the cost, in both time lost to cars being off the road, and the increase in insurance premiums which automatically follow any spike in repair costs. Patience may be a virtue, but that’s not much comfort to someone waiting months for a suspension wishbone or battery bracket.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Europe is suffering a drought of spare parts for cars, and it’s making life expensive"},"display_date":"2024-09-25T05:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Why a car parts shortage is driving up insurance premiums ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"JVPP6NVEV5C3VAP6MHEWTUY42E","auth":{"1":"ad6c8e77eb51425475cc58992a16f9a8713d3372a4f79225e686dd44bc4f3b57"},"focal_point":{"x":2690,"y":2703},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/JVPP6NVEV5C3VAP6MHEWTUY42E.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/09/25/why-a-car-parts-shortage-is-driving-up-insurance-premiums/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"STS5XVFC7ZC2TNBNCWYYLSQUMU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":383,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e14341ba-f256-403c-b821-7899605db1e5/versions/1726743625/media/f3fec055271b9b40b0a49fe91da7cee9_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/09/25/hondas-zr-v-feels-like-the-car-the-engineers-disdained/","content_elements":[{"_id":"BQAJY366YRGAPLDAPBARH57WL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890482},"content":"I have to out myself, at this point, as a total <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/honda\" target=\"_blank\">Honda</a> fanboy. Back when I was a teenager, Honda bestrode the automotive world like a colossus. It provided the screaming V10 and V12 engines that powered Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna to Formula 1 world titles. It made the gorgeous NSX supercar, the mid-engined rocket that showed to Ferrari and Porsche that fast cars didn’t need to be awkward to drive at low speeds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7UOQBLWVUVDMXBPYSDKSTWRXSE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890483},"content":"Beyond even those peaks, the mountain range of Honda’s achievements was extensive. The Prelude and Accord in their various forms. The humble Civic hatchback being fitted with arguably the most technologically advanced engine ever granted to a family hatchback – the famed VTEC engines that went from fuel-sipper to ear-splitter with one shift of a camshaft lobe.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z3BARQZLVZEA5LREY3P7XHLXJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890484},"content":"Since then, Honda has waxed and waned somewhat. I’m one of the few who rather liked the recent hybrid NSX supercar. Sure, it was nothing like as brilliant as the original, but it was fast, fun, and did things a little differently.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DKDHGH6UD5FAXA5FFVLEYPQ3J4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726742202344},"content":"The dinky Honda E electric city car was a joy, too, even if it was too compromised by a short range.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YBK36J3FCNBDXAWZ4ZXPTA5MRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"CBF3M77XXJCMRNOLYI22LEGP4I"},"content":"Honda seeks to revive its fortunes with new all-electric crossover","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"WFAXB4K4EVAFPNYWLFVABCH6HU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890485},"content":"More recently, though, Honda seems to have retreated back into its shell. It seems to have focused far more on US sales – its most lucrative market since the 1970s – and put Europe on the back-burner. That’s an impression exacerbated in Ireland, partly because of big changes in the background at Universal Honda, the local importer, and partly because Honda just seemed disinterested in the small, awkward Irish market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LSXJ4UCVKFHGHBBDYJ4EVI3B7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890486},"content":"Of the models that were launched, the torturously named e:Ny1 electric crossover was a dud, way too short-ranged to be of much use, and pricey. The Civic and the CR-V are both excellent, but with the most Sir Humphrey-like understatement, ambitiously priced.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EQ355KZY6ZDUZANWD7BTYDTHZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890487},"content":"The ZR-V, though? If, with the Civic, you can detect the Honda engineers rolling up sleeves and getting to work on cars they love, with the ZR-V you can detect a touch of apparent disdain. As in: “Do we really have to make another mid-size SUV? Oh, all right then.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YNEJBUI4W5ELVGCDDRVQ3PRWAE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890488},"content":"I’m probably wrong. Honda’s engineers doubtless worked as hard on this car as on any other, but with the ZR-V, that effort just hasn’t shone through.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CBHTSLW2HBBMDNQFGCBAYIRDXY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890489},"content":"It is a car that aims right at the heart of the Irish car market. It’s a mid-size family SUV with a hybrid petrol engine, which should give it the building blocks to turn it into a wildly successful car. But it just never quite gels together.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6T5ISGSQQNBJXOKUNCMOS2UUWM","additional_properties":{"_id":"5W3DPKT7K5AY3EI2BNECAJNEHY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OGVWPI5AMJCH5NMJDMQEHWSOUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890490},"content":"The styling is rather anodyne and lacks distinction. The cabin is well put together, but it has a curiously 1990s sensation of overly curved surfaces and bulbous styling, which detracts from the quality.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WIMLOITWFJCYPHNY6KPEOUG52Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1726742202352},"content":"Then there’s the tiny touchscreen with its labyrinthine menu layout, and the odd material on the seats that looks like the packing foam the seat came in. The seats themselves are comfortable, which is good, and the back seats are impressively roomy, which is also good, but then they’re let down by a poky 370-litre boot.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UA4UNLXTGJBK3NNQPZBAELJECU","additional_properties":{"_id":"7CA2XVBVWFGR5GOPAE5FW323SY"},"content":"Test drive: the Peugeot E-3008 electric SUV-coupe is a long-range surprise","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"LZWRI5AQZBE6HI467TXDA3C6RQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"THDP2A7HABB27JWDJ6CTZAHIXA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"DAK2SHPPQNHB3DZ45DSBWL6Z74","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890491},"content":"It’s true that the back seats are Honda’s brilliant Magic Seats, which flip up like cinema seats to effectively turn the back row into a separate boot, but that’s not much use if you want to carry both luggage and passengers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JVEWYQLA7NC2ZIZNVXHE7WBZLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890492},"content":"It’s all a bit disappointing for a car with a €54,000 starting price, especially when you consider that places it €10,000 more expensive than the popular (and roomier) Nissan Qashqai e-Power hybrid, and on a par with Toyota’s bigger, chunkier, plug-in hybrid Rav4 which – hands down – is one of the best all-round cars you can buy right now.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WTQSNZIBYRFEBBEQDA3K4UXB4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890493},"content":"In the past, a Honda with such drawbacks would have been saved by a screaming, enthusiastic VTEC engine. But not here. The 2.0-litre hybrid petrol engine has its moments, in fairness. When you rev it, it responds with a throaty rasp that sounds quite enthusiastic, and performance is fine too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VC26KCH3VFDOJA2XFWYO3R6NDA","additional_properties":{"_id":"XUK743PZHRGOXJI45WYER3LGLY"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"T3OQKMG4VZGV5HTEIOMJFB3ZA4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890494},"content":"Less good, though, is fuel economy. In our test, the ZR-V recorded a disappointing 6.5 litres per 100km overall – that’s about level-pegging with the Nissan, but the Toyota Rav4 PHEV averaged 5.3 litres per 100km over similar routes, and that was without plugging it in.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O6ZLVQPOS5F27B5GCVNITG7OKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890495},"content":"The handling seems to be good, but it’s hard to access any great level of enthusiasm thanks to steering that’s over-light and too distant from what the front wheels are up to. The ride at higher speeds is fine, but it becomes too bouncy and reactive at lower speeds, around town.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SUUZPSZ4CBCDJGL6BKLA7SO7XE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890496},"content":"It’s not that the Honda ZR-V is an especially bad car, it’s more that it just doesn’t live up to the lofty standards that Honda – and Honda fans – set for the brand. Drive a new Civic and you’ll see what I mean. That is a car in which the engineering effort shines through. The ZR-V just feels like a car that was built to hit a marketing target, rather than a car that demonstrates Honda’s undoubted prowess.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FWQBOIBT7NHA7ITLJYJUWYV2WI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890497},"content":"The short version is this: Honda can do better.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FDWUW2P6GVAZ7KMYVECVCAGX2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890498},"content":"Lowdown: Honda ZR-V Sport","type":"header"},{"_id":"KRHTXHXLOZH4DHJVMS2KIQVTTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890499},"content":"<b>Power </b>2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 135kW motor and a lithium-ion battery producing 184hp and combined torque of 315Nm and powering the front wheels via an e-CVT automatic transmission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XJL2HU4TGFC5XLKY7DIXB5JXOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890500},"content":"<b>CO2 emissions (annual motor tax) </b>131g/km (€210).","type":"text"},{"_id":"UBVJV7EU5BFVBBLSGLGDC2WOOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890501},"content":"<b>Fuel consumption</b> 5.8l/100km (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"XEP4X7JGFZCCBKWBAQXHLV4L3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890502},"content":"<b>0-100km/h </b>8.0secs","type":"text"},{"_id":"OI3ODXPFK5AHRJVV2WPKIHMBE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890503},"content":"<b>Price </b>€57,595 as tested, ZR-V starts from €54,595","type":"text"},{"_id":"F34QSOYJ6JA3RHHTVZGHEMLKMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890504},"content":"<b>Our rating </b>2/5","type":"text"},{"_id":"47WL77JWAFATFKBGFXRX42ITIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726565890505},"content":"<b>Verdict</b> A Honda that doesn’t live up to Honda’s own standards.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"The effort put in by Honda’s engineers definitely doesn’t shine through"},"display_date":"2024-09-25T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Honda’s ZR-V is just a bit disappointing for a car with a €54,000 price tag","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"AZK3KPOKCVCGRDY4UPLXEHPVHY","auth":{"1":"b8689cf4dccd77aab0c13ada4b10e2191f8d803c9a888d488677b09af23bcf7f"},"focal_point":{"x":3595,"y":1960},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AZK3KPOKCVCGRDY4UPLXEHPVHY.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/09/25/hondas-zr-v-feels-like-the-car-the-engineers-disdained/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"N75ARWJ5EBED3ARCPABDLODJDQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":496,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/f1a5c1ce-2e9c-4ce2-a467-5d2fd8136168/versions/1727100732/media/10633478bb3d1c85d347f14eb5ba3f02_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/09/24/your-ev-questions-answered-do-synthetic-fuels-make-more-sense-than-electric-cars/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WUEF7DOJYRHAHOMKDKEUXIBD5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1727077914676},"content":"Why are e-fuels not as big as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/evs-qanda\" target=\"_blank\">electric cars</a>?","type":"header"},{"_id":"HNH7CGKPUVATJMMJ2BHTQS4QTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727097631458},"content":"In one sense, it seems logical to pursue synthetic fuels as opposed to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles\" target=\"_blank\">electric vehicles</a> (EVs). After all, we had have a global refuelling network in placefor more than 100 years to deliver liquid fuels to cars and trucks. So, if we can make synthetic fuels, or e-fuels, that have little-to-no environmental impact, then surely that’s a better, simpler solution than trying to get everyone running on batteries?","type":"text"},{"_id":"PADWNPW7DNEJZA7JJ74XX34LQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727077914677},"content":"Alas, it’s never that simple and there’s some heavy-going maths that still points to fully electric as being the best solution overall. The car industry’s plans to create carbon-neutral so-called e-fuels have been rubbished by influential eco think-tank Transport & Environment (T & E). The Brussels-based lobbying group has estimated that by 2035 there would only be enough capacity to supply e-fuel for 2 two per cent of the cars on the road.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FX72NREXZFECFHDVZBJJ274PPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727077914678},"content":"What is an e-fuel anyway?","type":"header"},{"_id":"55WHVF36RJGJJEWOMZBGT5LXTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727097631461},"content":"Essentially, it’s a liquid hydrocarbon made by combining carbon taken from the atmosphere with hydrogen made from separating water into its constituent parts. The Fischer-Tropsh process then converts those two gases into a liquid which, with a bit of refining, becomes a form of petrol.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CGIBP7U3RVASHNVXENXZZT6FAE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727077914679},"content":"The idea behind such fuels is that because they extract carbon already in the atmosphere, they only return that carbon to the air when burned. Assuming that the manufacturing process uses renewable energy, the resulting fuel is then, in theory, carbon-neutral. Car makers from Porsche to Mazda have touted e-fuels as being a way to clean up existing combustion cars and to allow the creation of ‘clean’ petrol-engined models into the future.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PV3KZXFJGJC5RPSJ4PGK7PEUX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727097631463},"content":"So are carmakers using them?","type":"header"},{"_id":"7AGHAPI365BKLN6YRMVPDFGYDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727077914680},"content":"Porsche has already begun small-scale production of e-fuels for use in some of its racing cars, and is – with Siemens – investing in an e-fuels plant based in Chile. Formula One has said that from 2026, all of the racing cars involved in that series will run on e-fuels or other forms of renewable fuel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XEQD4TJ2DNG4BDGETGUEZF2RLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727097631465},"content":"Is there a but?","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZGN75CLQ3FGPZDGDFDROI2YT7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1727077914681},"content":"Yes. T & E says that predictions of e-fuels riding to the rescue of combustion engines is rubbish, and that the petroleum industry’s own figures prove it to be so. “The production of e-fuels, which are chemically similar to petrol and diesel, will still be in its infancy by the time of Europe’s planned phase-out of sales of internal combustion cars,” the group said. It reckons just five million cars out of the EU’s projected fleet of 287 million could fully run on synthetic fuel in 2035. T & E said e-fuels in cars are a Trojan Horse for oil companies and engine-makers to delay the transition to zero emission technologies. It called on EU lawmakers to resist industry pressure for an e-fuels loophole in the phase-out rules” Yoann Gimbert, e-mobility analyst at T & E, said. “E-fuels are presented as a carbon-neutral way to prolong the life of combustion engine technology. But the industry’s own data shows there will only be enough for a tiny fraction of cars on the road. Lawmakers should close the door to this Trojan Horse for the fossil fuel industry.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"67SA6RC4QBB67DAZ2V4BUVDWAM","additional_properties":{"_id":"RQOVQWIHQREXBO4HQNYPEX7YLU"},"content":"Are EVs more expensive to insure than other cars?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"26Z4OC2NENFZTKOVZMKHJ4EMZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727097631467},"content":"What about the data?","type":"header"},{"_id":"IQIWLXPX3VHG3PGBETMVZN64SM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727077914682},"content":"T&E also claims that the background figures for e-fuels are muddled, and that it’s not clear whether or not carbon capture from polluting industry is involved, nor which producers will actually be able to make the fuels with truly 100 per cent renewable electricity. The lobby group also noted that e-fuels have been shown to be more polluting in an air-quality sense than ‘normal’ petrol, that they would be far more expensive to run than an electric car, and that they would drive up demand for electricity by around 36 per cent over and above the increased demand for electric vehicles.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HIOL35QGMNDBZKPEMKIT7UW3QY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727097631469},"content":"What about using e-fuels alongside electrification?","type":"header"},{"_id":"LSVLTX6JVJAVXAXTV5JBAVE5YI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727077914683},"content":"One proponent of e-fuels continues to claim that they’re a useful adjunct to vehicle electrification. Oliver Blume has just taken over one of the biggest jobs in motoring, as the new chair of the Volkswagen Group board. Before ascending to the top job, Blume was the chief executive of Porsche, and was one of the driving forces of that company’s move into e-fuels.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GPO5DS7CB5DJXCT4EUSPYNGTZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727097631471},"content":"“Climate protection has to be seen holistically. That’s why we need to be open in terms of technology. Electromobility is an important track. At the same time, there are more than a billion existing vehicles worldwide. They will be on the roads for decades to come. E-fuels are an effective, complementary solution in this regard. They can enable all vehicles to play a role in reducing CO2 – regardless of the power-train type. Combustion engines can be powered with e-fuels in a virtually carbon-neutral manner. They don’t have to be converted or retrofitted for it. E-fuels can be offered as an admixture or alone at all filling stations. We have to offer an option to the owners of existing vehicles too,” Blume said when discussing e-fuels. “If produced on an industrial scale, prices of less than $2 per litre could be possible. The important thing is that synthetic fuels are produced sustainably and in places in the world where renewable energy is abundant – then the higher energy input for production is irrelevant.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IUC76HOP3FG35JYRISKSMYX43Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1727077914684},"content":"Blume’s defence of e-fuels may well fall on deaf ears, however. EU authorities have chosen not to incorporate e-fuels into official future plans. Only a last-ditch effort by the German government succeeded in having e-fuels kept on the table as a possible route to decarbonising transport. The European Commission is due to deliver a report by 2026 on whether e-fuels will be worth the candle.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CV2UGI3QL5CWXEKUFPKHG6SQNE","additional_properties":{"_id":"F6F6V2JLDBAYVOFMOXT75Q6SII"},"content":"Your EV questions answered: Will the battery pack get damaged if the bottom my EV hits off a speed bump or a rock?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"U7XU2OVFK5DGXLRSFS37KL3II4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727097631473},"content":"So where does this leave us?","type":"header"},{"_id":"PCI4RJBNAFGY5MFYEBDQKGGLU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727077914685},"content":"Either way, car companies remain under fire for their environmental performance. T & E has accused car makers this week of deliberately underestimating their climate impact because most of a car’s emissions come from its use, not its construction or sale. T & E said: “Carmakers base their total reported emissions on a number of factors such as the average size of the vehicles, where the cars are driven and the lifespan of vehicles. Carmakers on the whole have used selective data to reach a lower figure. Toyota, for example, bases the lifetime average emissions of its vehicles on a scarcely believable 100,000 kilometres.” T & E’s estimates show that the Hyundai-Kia group is possibly the worst offender, underestimating its climate impact by as much as 116 per cent. Luca Bonaccorsi, director of sustainable finance at T & E, said: “For green investing to be effective, we need accurate data. Carmakers are trying to pull the wool over investors eyes by underreporting the lifetime emissions of their cars. This makes a mockery of carmakers’ green claims.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"X7JWK32WFZAM3EIDFCKUVMBXMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727077914686},"content":"Car makers have hit back, though with Oliver Zipse. BMW’s most senior executive and currently the president of industry representative body the ACEA, saying: “To be very clear: the automobile industry will fully contribute to the goal of a carbon-neutral Europe in 2050. But significant questions have not yet been answered, such as how Europe will ensure strategic access to the key raw materials for e-mobility. If the EU wants to be a pioneer of sustainable mobility, the availability of these materials must be secured. Otherwise, we will be threatened with new dependencies, as other economic regions have already positioned themselves at an early stage. Going forward, technology openness means that also hydrogen and other CO2-neutral fuels can play an important role in decarbonising.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CXCUULBJP5BBBBBVMJKYVX7BLE","additional_properties":{"_id":"AKJ4DQSKCRDL5GLXXML2YVV5IU"},"content":"<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions"},"display_date":"2024-09-24T04:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Your EV questions answered: Do synthetic fuels make more sense than electric cars?","native":"Do synthetic fuels make more sense than EVs?"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"WE7Q7VVVPFBTFNERY2PZZYCOTI","auth":{"1":"341b57ae660191fca5d870927acd3920c8251372db04a5c2ab210c5702ff872e"},"focal_point":{"x":1325,"y":1200},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/WE7Q7VVVPFBTFNERY2PZZYCOTI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/09/24/your-ev-questions-answered-do-synthetic-fuels-make-more-sense-than-electric-cars/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"GP2J55V3WVBFXDCRKGLNGODRBE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":280,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/f8a29911-cf9d-44ec-912b-bb1396b80d2a/versions/1727689263/media/de8040696844b6ae70d9ac54f714adf9_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2024/09/20/eu-carmakers-pressure-brussels-to-delay-stricter-emission-rules/","content_elements":[{"_id":"KPKMLL2O6ZB73JITF4RNBN2ZGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726845216256},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"TNCMDR3SCRBUVAIJKL6UVWYF3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1726845216257},"content":"European carmakers have said they face the prospect of “multibillion-euro” fines or significant production cuts when new European Union carbon emissions standards come into force next year, adding to pressure on Brussels to water down the rules.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CV7KKG3LMNELNMBZLMUZTLIH4E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833598},"content":"Acea, the European car industry body, on Thursday called for an “urgent review” of emissions rules to be applied in 2025 and of a ban on new internal combustion engine cars in 2035. Both are core elements of the EU’s Green Deal climate law that aims to push the bloc to net zero emissions by 2050.","type":"text"},{"_id":"63JHJ4NKYJCFTP6DTXXG57T3ZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833599},"content":"The Acea board, which includes the chief executives of Renault, Nissan and Toyota, said carmakers faced the “daunting prospect of either multibillion-euro fines ... or unnecessary production cuts, job losses, and a weakened European supply and value chain”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CBKXTEOAZRB75BEKUCAEFYYOKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833600},"content":"The warning comes a day after Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni called the EU’s ban on new internal combustion engines from 2035 a “self-destructive” policy, warning that it could result in “destroying thousands of jobs, or dismantling entire industrial segments that produce wealth and employment”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPKDHADU3BDQVCROW5SPW52QHY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833601},"content":"Her comments have been echoed by politicians across the bloc but particularly by centre-right and right-wing lawmakers in big car manufacturing hubs of Germany and eastern Europe.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YZ2ICCR3H5DO5NFWV2RZKO5OCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833602},"content":"Carmakers have said that they do not want to stall the transition to cleaner vehicles but a significant slowdown in sales of electric vehicles has big implications for their output.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2XSBZNDNPNEKHNLG75UFIHKQIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833603},"content":"New registrations of electric vehicles in the EU dropped 44 per cent in August compared with a year earlier with their total market share falling from 21 per cent to 14 per cent year on year, according to Acea figures published on Thursday.","type":"text"},{"_id":"36Z6TGF67JCB5FULCWBBJ3ZRX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833604},"content":"A paper drafted by Renault, seen by the Financial Times, suggested that if the current market share of EVs remained the same in 2025, car and van manufacturers could face penalties of up to €13 billion as a result of the new rules.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TIN2GO3RNJEX3PWRJ5OTOCIOBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833605},"content":"According to the paper, the EU carmakers need to have a market share of about 20 to 22 per cent to comply with the regulations, but that share has stagnated at less than 15 per cent, meaning they need to significantly cut production and sales of petrol vehicles or face large fines.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WOVO5FFNGRDDBMYXRF4H7EKV4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833606},"content":"“You see really momentum building that there is recognition there is something the matter and it needs to be addressed sooner rather than later,” Sigrid de Vries, Acea’s director general, said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FZ64JQAELRGAZOO5E27RVS4FUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833607},"content":"“We see reality hitting very hard now and in 2025 that may have serious implications.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WUQPXANC3NFG7C2UDNHRBBAKOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833608},"content":"Ms De Vries said that one of the big issues with the EU rules was that they had set thresholds for vehicle emissions but not provided incentives for customers to buy electric vehicles (EVs) instead.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FID3L7BWH5CNNMGZWF2SJU67GI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833609},"content":"“There is a structural failure in the fabric of the EU approach. Mandates do not make a market,” she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JRFMM5CBIVHEVGUEJH4RQN2F7E","additional_properties":{"_id":"SRIAVUVG6FDRDKYTZN56LMVR4U"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"acast_podcast-69735","url":"/"},"subtype":"acast_podcast","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"EGRDGDPD5JHKLHTSSXOCJ5CXJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833610},"content":"“Incentivisation is very important and that can be in financial and non-financial ways,” she added, pointing to the example of Norway, which has reduced parking fees for electric vehicles and allowed EV drivers to use bus lanes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H3YVA6L3GJHCRMG62R4YEGKSMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833611},"content":"Luca de Meo, Renault’s chief executive and president of Acea, has repeatedly called for more flexibility in the CO₂ regulations as the European car industry grapples with not just the slowing growth in EV sales but an overall decline in car demand.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A7EDRNNNUFHFRMOUHBYWLJ6RTE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833612},"content":"In August, Stellantis, which is behind the Jeep, Peugeot and Fiat brands, suffered a 30 per cent year-on-year decline in new vehicle registrations, while those for Volkswagen and Renault fell 15 per cent and 14 per cent respectively.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FBGYLCFME5CYHHB2M3SOLORGFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833613},"content":"The legislation sets an overall emission threshold for all European cars of no more than 93.6g of Co2 per kilometre. That compares with average emissions of 108.1g of Co2 per km in 2022, according to the European Environment Agency.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OLZ4TXFNZNDCBL2DBRTCCC62BY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833614},"content":"Manufacturers have individual targets that apply across their car production in Europe in order to meet the fleet-wide standard.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UBYOIIVIPVE43PSF5L5KRZMDGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833615},"content":"The European Commission said that it had received Acea’s letter and would respond in due course. It is due to review the combustion engine ban in 2026.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ORATVH4M4ZGULJYK6HPORWWZAU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726839833616},"content":"In her political guidelines for the next commission due to take office later this year, commission president Ursula von der Leyen backed the ban saying that it “creates predictability for investors and manufacturers”. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLTYPSNAUVHZDFYXG64AMI2WEU","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Alice Hancock"},{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Kana Inagaki"}]},"description":{"basic":"Drop in electric vehicle sales puts manufacturers at risk of ‘multibillion-euro’ fines and production cuts"},"display_date":"2024-09-20T15:11:30.986Z","headlines":{"basic":"EU carmakers pressure Brussels to delay stricter emission rules","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"NGAXZ2OHDJBGBG4EANFA4K7544","auth":{"1":"56621e1eac9be7c428ac273472566a690a40614e42e3d81b6f0f286c63cf47e7"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/NGAXZ2OHDJBGBG4EANFA4K7544.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2024/09/20/eu-carmakers-pressure-brussels-to-delay-stricter-emission-rules/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"HV6EOV7ZDJEHBE6JWVJOCLKJYE","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/your-money/2024/09/20/thinking-of-switching-to-an-electric-vehicle-heres-what-you-need-to-consider/","content_elements":[{"_id":"KSBNWFQC2JFCDEJ37DJ76CHSR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826206987},"content":"When it comes to making the switch, it’s a matter of when rather than if drivers plug into the reality of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric vehicles</a>. Tax on fossil fuel is only going one way, and it’s the same with motor tax on high emissions vehicles. The planet is getting hotter, leading to extreme weather and food supply issues – emissions from petrol and diesel cars are part of the problem.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HU2U7JJMONEQPAEDV3CMVYLC7M","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826206988},"content":"The Irish Government is targeting 945,000 zero-emissions vehicles on our roads by 2030. That’s a big leap from 125,000 electric vehicles driving around right now. The target means there is going to have to be more carrots and sticks, and fast, to nudge car owners to do the right thing. October’s <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/budget/\" target=\"_blank\">budget</a> may reveal some of them. If you’re considering the switch, you should of course analyse your driving patterns and the related charging network, but here’s what going electric can mean for your pocket.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ON2QQNDGFBB2FNJXWQD23AIG74","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826206989},"content":"Is there a grant for switching?","type":"header"},{"_id":"PVGBTMJTMFATFOEJLHY3ZFMJYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826206990},"content":"With ambitious targets for electric vehicle adoption, it’s hard to understand why the Government reduced its grant for them just last year. Until then, a grant of €5,000 was available for the purchase of a new battery electric vehicle. That dropped to a maximum of €3,500 in July 2023.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MXR37NWQFNFQ7K4GKHJIE2CZRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826206991},"content":"Critics say the reduced grant could account for some of the fall-off in new EV sales this year. Just 12,765 EVs were licensed in Ireland between January and July, a decline of nearly 25 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QTGNUFQOYVG2VNJMUYFPFHU4XM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826206992},"content":"That maximum €3,500 amount isn’t available for every electric vehicle either, only for those costing €18,000 to €60,000. If you are buying an EV costing €14,000 to €15,000, the grant falls to €1,500.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VAEEWZ4O6JGWHPISEUV4E35JKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826206993},"content":"The dealer will apply for the grant for you, and then deduct the grant amount from the total price of your car.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SVKHO7HOAFB5PM3KHIUGLKVE5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826206994},"content":"The top three selling EVs in Ireland in July this year were the Volkswagen ID. 4, the Kia EV6 and the Tesla Y, according to the Irish Electric Vehicle Association. These models sell from between €45,000 and €50,000. For those buying a new car in that price range, a €3,500 grant is unlikely to be the deciding factor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FDTRGA5K4NAAPAAL34BPFN3ICQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826206995},"content":"The Hyundai Kona, which accounted for about 5 per cent of EV sales to July this year, costs from about €33,000. The Nissan Leaf starts from about €24,000.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IWKMWFOMBNA67MBJMW356C5XAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826206996},"content":"The cost of new electric vehicles is edging down and there are now more cheaper options, largely in response to more competition from Chinese brands such as BYD, MG and Ora, says DoneDeal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VVVJRLTGWNFZBKXANJEYTJBQBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826206997},"content":"For those who are electric-curious, but understandably anxious about charging blind-spots and getting stranded out of range - and that’s a big consideration for families -hybrid is a good way to dip your toe in the water. Unfortunately, the grant of €2,500 for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) was removed. It seems the Government wants us to skip this waystage and go fully electric.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I7LK6XRUQZBS5ELO6IYMBWVLYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826206998},"content":"There are more second-hand EVs on the market now, too, and these are cheaper than ever. In the second quarter of this year, used EVs were almost 15 per cent less expensive compared with the second quarter of 2023, according to DoneDeal data.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JJVWRM2K2RAVPEPJREONRDPZDM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826206999},"content":"Do your research on the health of the battery and the usable range before purchasing second-hand of course. You’ll find an eight-year-old Nissan Leaf (30kWh) for about €4,000 – useful for someone as a cheap to run, second car perhaps.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z35PDEX3NZHTXDYJQXUQTWV6JE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207000},"content":"Why drive an electric vehicle?","type":"header"},{"_id":"WNAWLICCOJG5NH6P4R2KYPHUAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207001},"content":"Government grants may help to reduce new EV purchase costs, but the real savings are in running the thing. If you were told your next car could cut your transport costs by three-quarters, would that persuade you? That’s what driving an electric vehicle promises, according to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).","type":"text"},{"_id":"KD5IREEFZZDZBM67VGHJJIKMI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207002},"content":"Driving an EV means up to a 74 per cent reduction in transport costs versus driving a comparable new diesel engine car, says the SEAI.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GZ6RVDQEMJEYXMNEMMMT6X4D7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207003},"content":"Charging an electric vehicle costs much less than fuelling a similar size petrol or diesel car. You can save between 50 and 60 per cent on fuel costs, says the SEAI. You’ll see an increase in your electricity bill, but this will be offset by the complete elimination of petrol or diesel costs, it says.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ANFW3AIUAVDGZMCH455LY5ZEHY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207004},"content":"Some 80 per cent of charging is being done from home, says the SEAI, and if you have a smart meter and charge at home overnight, night rate electricity means even greater savings.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5DV4TSHUZRAJHHNUM2ZQZSZI6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207005},"content":"When you combine an overnight low-cost Time of Use (TOU) tariff and generally efficient driving, the costs per 100km can come in at less than €1.50, says the SEAI.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IXCA7AKSAVD7FIBCJL33SQBZNE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207006},"content":"There’s savings on your annual motor tax bill, too. Because motor tax is calculated on the emissions level of the vehicle, electric vehicles are at the lowest tax band. It costs just €120 per year to tax a battery electric vehicle.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CGXEFJPLDRGPDCOZ3IW3VPPLPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207007},"content":"If you’re considering going electric for your next car, the <a href=\"http://seai.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">SEAI.ie</a> has <a href=\"https://www.seai.ie/about/tools/compare-and-calculate/?order=2&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrp-3BhDgARIsAEWJ6SyynKds8PGalMbwA72ny4HRt10z00rt3-2ccvWL3D-nyQ0Df6_XlIUaAqGZEALw_wcB\" target=\"_blank\">a useful comparator tool</a> where you can select up to three EVs and one petrol/diesel car to compare the cost over their lifetime.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TBH7OGLFRFBCLHCOUM6KIPZB7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207009},"content":"Take, for example, a new Volkswagen Golf diesel costing €35,785 and a new Volkswagen ID.3 costing €41,695, both driven on average 18,000km a year over 10 years. The SEAI tool measures the total cost of ownership as the price of the car, plus the annual energy cost, tax and maintenance, multiplied by the lifespan of the car, minus the government grant and vehicle registration tax (VRT) reduction.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LOAVQPS2LVBUNNOY42VPUEU2FA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207010},"content":"The 10-year total cost of ownership for the diesel car is €58,305 while the total cost to the electric vehicle owner is €46,460, according to the tool. It’s estimated that the diesel car owner will pay €750 a year more on fuel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AA4PVAIN3BGBFH5ZHDIBASL2DQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207011},"content":"As the price of new EVs drops with more players entering the market, so does the price of second-hand EVs, so this is something to factor in, too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BTKEEFAIWJDKFL4EL7Q7ITWIGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207012},"content":"Charging up","type":"header"},{"_id":"EK2J5JEK4JDWRLO35XL3K5KUGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207013},"content":"There is a grant of up to €300 towards the cost of installing a home charger. The total cost for the charger and installation typically ranges from €1,200 to €1,600 before the grant is deducted.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NXNQWEZGTVEDFC6XNV6Q2AKF5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207014},"content":"You must have off-street parking, however, to avail of the grant and that precludes many city dwellers. Renters with off-street parking who have permission from their landlord to install the charger can avail of the grant, too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KUX4VRHLJVGABK7N5TJNDWFLCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207016},"content":"Electric car owners who installed overhead charging arms, which project a charging cable across a footpath at a height from a post on their property, have recently come under scrutiny.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SQTKTEVIZZCJPBYCB5R2KGJAFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207017},"content":"The device allows households with no driveways, who are reliant on on-street parking, to charge their EVs without trailing electrical cables across the footpath. But before you invest in one, know that such structures need permission and these devices are not authorised, says Dublin City Council.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DEI2OWSSCBCTVN3JMPH42I4G2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207018},"content":"Solutions will have to be delivered for houses with no off-street parking as well as for apartment blocks, according to Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan. These solutions include communal car charging and sharing facilities.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CXDQIFJRIBG33J35GG5HJYWOCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207019},"content":"“We will start by looking for the local authorities to provide on-street charging and we are going to fund and support that,” he said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VDLU7OTTPNADXNFMC7V3BIIBCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207020},"content":"For apartments, it is the management company or landlord that must apply for the grant. The SEAI provides a 60-90 per cent grant towards full installation costs based on a bulk installation of chargers at a single location.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R264F3TSKNCBLFF6WE7YFR4LKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207021},"content":"Now that the wave of EV early adopters is over, EVs sales haveslowed, says the SIMI.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GG3FCNG3HNFVREBVP52KLOMUPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207022},"content":"“We’re moving now into what we call the ‘early majority’, and that’s a different consumer,” says an SIMI spokesperson. “That consumer would need more assurances, you’d have to convince them more, compared to the early adopter, to make that leap because it’s a lot of money to buy a new car anyway, that’s what we would associate the decline with.” A better charging network is a big part of that assurance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4DEOTHTZIVHVTFL2JPQIVLFMNY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207023},"content":"Insurance","type":"header"},{"_id":"JQ6ADC2MIJHADD77DL6JI5KIVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207024},"content":"Some insurers offer a discount for electric vehicles, but as with all cars, you’ll get the best deal by shopping around.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZBKLESQEBBCORAGB2Q3LG3HLOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207025},"content":"Insuring EVs is typically more expensive on average than non-EVs, says Aviva, but “not significantly more expensive”, a spokesperson said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QBELNUPVLJCHVL3DX2Y42FTJN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207026},"content":"EVs are a little more expensive to repair when damaged, so accidental claims on average are higher on EVs than on petrol or diesel models, says Jennifer Kilduff of the AA. There is also a shortage of EV trained mechanics so they are not always as readily available.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DVKANUWVG5GFPBIXD4G5462Y3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207027},"content":"Before buying a particular EV, call around for insurance quotes. Last year some Tesla Model Y owners in the UK reported difficulty in getting cover, or renewing their cover, with some insurers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZZJU6N3DVNAZ3ECI7CBIJX7HXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207028},"content":"Aviva says there are various vehicles or models it does not cover, but this is not to do with whether the car is an EV, but rather the performance and power of the vehicle and the acceleration.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WWVXXW5QZVDWBJCTGQ5ITCXUGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207029},"content":"When shopping for a policy, inquire about cover for things like damage or theft to charging cables, damage to the home charging point and loss or damage to your charge card. With Aviva, breakdown cover extends to if you run out of battery in Ireland or the UK. They’ll either charge you up roadside or transport your vehicle to a charging point.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RN45QMM5VVFGJISLFBPVLUYLQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726826207030},"content":"EV owners need to weigh up the cost of purchasing, insuring, taxing and fuelling their EV purchase, says Kilduff. “For some, the costs of motoring are reduced drastically, even if the cost of entry and insurance is slightly higher.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YLKU5OFOMNG55EERTBTRRJBTMA","additional_properties":{"_id":"P2A6BHNBIRDJPHUVTHXQXZM7TM"},"content":"<i>You can contact us at </i><a href=\"mailto:OnTheMoney@irishtimes.com\"><i>OnTheMoney@irishtimes.com</i></a><i> with personal finance questions you would like to see us address. If you missed last week’s newsletter, you can read it </i><a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2024/09/13/winter-is-coming-at-a-cost-but-there-are-ways-to-save/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>here</i></a>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Joanne Hunt"}},"name":"Joanne Hunt"}]},"description":{"basic":"EV running costs will be much lower than for a petrol or diesel car"},"display_date":"2024-09-20T11:40:15.737Z","headlines":{"basic":"Thinking of switching to an electric vehicle? Here’s what you need to consider","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"},"basic":{"display":true,"text":"On The Money Newsletter"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QTUSMS4VCKGSIVDP5WOBSUYESA","auth":{"1":"01c9c9a1f0a4a5580acb432f418c14b0ccac5ac78d531d111bd2cd3bf7945fe9"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QTUSMS4VCKGSIVDP5WOBSUYESA.jpg"}},"subtype":"editors-note","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Your Money"},{"name":"Motors"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/your-money/2024/09/20/thinking-of-switching-to-an-electric-vehicle-heres-what-you-need-to-consider/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/your-money","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Your Money"}}}},{"_id":"4M63DRD6JVD55FRXZ5MIEDUAB4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":580,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d39dd512-4b95-45c9-9a03-95ff4cc9e672/versions/1724853774/media/2b9694cda20121f9d9fe820310217b78_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/review/2024/09/18/peugeot-e-3008-review-electric-suv-coupe-is-a-long-range-surprise/","content_elements":[{"_id":"SI4MSAFH7VAHTJ4GO6WPIIK3YA","additional_properties":{"_id":"YCJEMO6KRJH4HEDT6IKGR2Z2IU"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-65790","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"QIXOJUYKTZAS5C2R6D5UK46HKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726498897310},"content":"Sometimes, a car comes right out of left field and surprises you; a car you just weren’t expecting a big surprise from.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y62HUKTDVJHENG5GB7VJF3IJ3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087366},"content":"Hitherto, the Peugeot 3008 has not been a hugely surprising car. The first generation was dumpy on the outside but good to drive underneath. The chiselled second generation was handsomer by far, and better again to drive, but surprising? No, it was Peugeot’s answer to the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/nissan-s-new-qashqai-still-in-the-race-but-it-s-not-out-in-front-1.4687928\" target=\"_blank\">Qashqai</a>, and so it hit predictable, steady, marks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6AG7PYH53BBAHJ3L6K74VSNBBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087367},"content":"This time around, for the third-generation 3008, Peugeot has done something... surprising. I might say even daring.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V5VSVPAFFFCI5DI6BA32MAQ24M","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087368},"content":"No, I don’t mean the mere fact that the 3008, or to be more specific this E-3008, has gone fully electric. Peugeot has been gearing up for electric power for some time, and while the guys at Gowan Auto – Peugeot’s Irish importer and distributor – admit that this battery-powered 3008 will be vastly outsold for now by the simpler 1.2-litre 136hp petrol hybrid, it’s not actually a surprise that there is a fully-electric version.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NBDEE5FJGJDFVIQFESOYUPTCMA","additional_properties":{"_id":"S2Z4YGNDOZDBRGXMROEUUYYW3A"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZW56BGUI7VC37OOWPQZKCMTALQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087370},"content":"Equally unsurprising, in many ways, are the electric underpinnings of the E-3008. Stellantis Group – the sprawling car-making conglomerate of which Peugeot is but a one-14th (or 15th depending on how you count it) component – has long since been trailing its SLTA electric car platforms, designed to take its multiplicity of brands into the 2030s on battery power.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OBY6C4MQOJAJDC6THJSK5EB3A4","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087371},"content":"This E-3008 uses the STLA-Medium platform, and it for now comes with a 73kWh (net usable) battery pack and a single 210hp motor driving the front wheels. So far, so electrically predictable, and Peugeot’s claimed 512-527km range puts it right in the midst of competition such as the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/volkswagen-id-4-craving-an-suv-vw-s-all-electric-new-model-could-be-for-you-1.4526113\" target=\"_blank\">Volkswagen ID. 4</a>, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2024/06/05/hyundai-ioniq-5-n-stellar-hot-hatch-brings-unmatched-driving-fun-to-the-ev-era/\" target=\"_blank\">Hyundai Ioniq 5</a>, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2022/12/28/nissans-new-ariya-suv-is-its-best-electric-vehicle-by-miles/\" target=\"_blank\">Nissan Ariya</a>, and so on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GQ2DIDOQTJATHC36H2HMQSRYVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087372},"content":"Hang on though – this is where the surprises start to kick in. Surprise one is the styling, I kind of hadn’t clocked it in the various photos and videos I’d seen of the E-3008 before I’d driven it, but this is a truly daringly styled car.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4HKCJT7RDBBHJEGQVNCDFOOFBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"SYUP4QOC2ZCQ7H4T6HQZHQM3WU"},"content":"Hyundai Santa Fe review: Luxury SUV from mainstream brand challenges the established elites","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"D726DE3F2RHXPOE4Z6ERPLMKDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087373},"content":"The front is almost all grille, with tiny slits left out for LED headlights and the “lion’s claw” three-bar LED running light. It’s way more dramatic in person than it looks on paper or screen, and while there’s a slight sense of it having been smacked in the face with a shovel at some point, it’s certainly arresting. The blocky, almost Lego-like rear end inescapably reminds me of the Transformers toys that filled my bedroom as a child.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KCNX2VMOEVAN3JD4MZFCI5REZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087374},"content":"From the side, it’s clear that this is an SUV-coupe, although Peugeot, almost alone among carmakers, doesn’t charge extra for it. As I always say, an SUV-coupe is not a coupe at all, but the fast-angled rear roof and hatch of this E-3008 unquestionably puts it among the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2022/08/03/volkswagen-id5-i-thought-this-was-yet-another-silly-pointless-coupe-suv-until-i-drove-it/\" target=\"_blank\">VW ID. 5</a>, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/review/2023/06/07/skodas-chunky-ev-coupe-makes-electric-life-easy/\" target=\"_blank\">Skoda Enyaq Coupe</a>, and the incoming new <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2024/07/10/ford-revives-the-capri-as-an-all-electric-crossover/\" target=\"_blank\">Ford Capri</a> as a direct rival.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SM6WQS6SD5CRBPNHPWLSC76H3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087375},"content":"However, it’s much more affordable than those. In fact, at €43,965, not only does the E-3008 undercut the price of the most basic ID. 5 by about €2,000, it’s also actually cheaper to buy than the 3008 hybrid, which has a list price of €43,995.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5ACJETHA4NFEJGSL4PFXYQ75OA","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087376},"content":"This GT-specification E-3008 I’m testing clocks in at €49,795 – pricier than the ID. 5 Pro Plus model, but competitive when you take equipment into account.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VS7G6VC4LVFADKDBQR3WFYE6JY","additional_properties":{"_id":"MC7Y2INONBBG3DYEO6WK636JIQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ANORZ5NYGZAMNCKVNH3YEAYURI","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087378},"content":"Surprise two: the interior. The E-3008′s cabin really looks as if it’s been lifted from a concept car on a motor show stand. The broad, but shallow, sweep of 21-inch screen across the top of the dash (actually two conjoined screens for instruments and infotainment) looks terrific. The screens themselves, as ever, could do with some more physical buttons, but they’re tolerably easy to use. Peugeot claims that its voice control system now uses ChatGPT AI to be more intelligent, but it seemed as hopeless as any of them to me.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5KR32EPRKRECNJT33HWOZHANC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087379},"content":"My wife disparagingly referred to the soft, tweed-like material that covers the dash, centre console, and door panels as “grey sofa material” but I rather like it, as it adds a much cosier ambience than acres of grey plastic or man-made leather. That centre console bisects the cabin with a massive L-shaped panel, carving out storage space (lots of storage space) angled towards the front-seat passenger, leaving the driver in a more enclosed cockpit-like feel. The tiny hexagonal steering wheel is as polarising as ever, but it arguably matches up better with the height of the instruments here than in other Peugeot models.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QKSC3YOC4BECPPZ2S3N3LH2RFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087380},"content":"Space in the back is a surprise, but not a pleasant one. Both legroom and headroom are on the tight side, so if you need to carry people in the back much, go for the roomier new 5008, which arrives soon. The boot’s decent, though – 548 litres thanks doubtless to that blocky Transformers rear styling.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XJWBOUCJUJEBHCPX5ORJPPAIWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087381},"content":"The best surprise of all, though, is the range. Peugeot’s claimed 527km maximum range had me assuming that I’d get about 400km on average. Not so. With a fully-charged battery, the dash display told me I had 525km available in “Normal” driving mode and 550km in “Eco”. Even taking that with a pinch of salt, and doing my usual 120km/h motorway run between Dublin and Belfast, the E-3008 was able to easily crack the 450km barrier, and I reckon 500km would be a doddle if you weren’t spending as much time at a high-speed cruise.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B3RVCXZOBVA4VHGZUGMVQGYPGY","additional_properties":{"_id":"EAKRBB4S2ZH6LEUZUNVFRFFX6Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"FUTATSOD5FBDNJHTC2TRQR6E54","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087383},"content":"Put it this way – even with my continued inability to charge at home (terraced house, no help from the local authority) I was four days into my test drive before I bothered to go find a charging point. The E-3008 consumed battery energy at a rate of 16.5kWh per 100km, even with those motorway miles, so it counts as one of the most impressively efficient electric cars I’ve yet driven in real-world conditions. This is the first electric car I’ve driven that actually averaged better than its official WLTP claims in its time with me. Better still, a bigger-battery version with a claimed 700km range arrives soon.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6JTDNB5S4JBSHNOTFU63SVQLTE","additional_properties":{"_id":"7S6GFKTFZRECHGRZVO7TFUDHA4"},"content":"The updated Suzuki Swift is cute, economical and fun to drive. Consider me a Swiftie","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"QKJWLKB7SBF65OKWIHFNWKUWFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087384},"content":"The driving experience, though? Ah, another surprise and not a welcome one. With that small steering wheel, as ever with modern Peugeots, the E-3008 feels eager and alert at first, but here the problem is not inherent understeer, but more a sense that the suspension, steering and acceleration aren’t quite lined up properly. The E-3008 can sometimes feel clumsy, and its knobbly ride quality stands in stark contrast to the tocco leggero ride of its VW Group rivals. Equally, the brake pedal feels alarmingly soft and long-travel at times, and the steering never seems to weight up properly. Performance is ... gentle, really. Unless you savagely stamp the accelerator pedal through the stop and unleash maximum power, it’s all a bit languid.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GNAF64TA4VGA7KFWQPOSZJ4AIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087385},"content":"That’s a shame, and hopefully one that can be cured as the STLA-Medium platform is updated, as this is a car I just want to drive more and more. While accepting its imperfections, it’s one of the most intriguing and interesting cars I’ve driven all year; a welcome respite from the seemingly endless parade of bland SUVs and crossovers. A crossover or SUV it might well be (a coupe, even?) but boring it most certainly is not. It’s ... surprising.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LF2VH4HMRRDRLLDTD7STNNRSUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087386},"content":"<b>Lowdown: Peugeot E-3008 GT</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"5MNBJXNXKBHEBBD2LLCGU23ECQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087387},"content":"<b>Power: </b>157kW e-motor developing 210hp and 345Nm of torque, powering the front wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V7DQ22EJ7JB35CRFSFKVDXGL4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087388},"content":"<b>CO2 emissions (annual motor tax)</b> 0g/km (€120).","type":"text"},{"_id":"RQJYMKGYFVGOHAGFXGYO6R3YQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087389},"content":"<b>Electric consumption: </b>16.7-17.4 kWh/100km (WLTP).","type":"text"},{"_id":"KGXE2D4PHRCU7BJJCSH2F6XHXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087390},"content":"<b>Electric range:</b> 527km (WLTP)","type":"text"},{"_id":"7MJWCFNKEZD6PDE4USVPFICYDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087391},"content":"<b>0-100km/h:</b> 8.8 seconds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GVXBIDKMDZD6FA332TSKEYO2NA","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087392},"content":"<b>Price:</b> €49,795 as tested, 3008 starts from €43,965.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QCSFG55VRBHORCTXRRTD5STB3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087393},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"XFSBQ43DARDU7ERW2I7X3GITSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848087394},"content":"<b>Verdict: </b>An imperfect driving experience, but dramatic styling, gorgeous cabin and exceptional real-world electric performance make the E-3008 more intriguing than expected.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Dramatic styling inside and out for the new Peugeot, but the real story here is the tech underneath"},"display_date":"2024-09-18T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Test drive: the Peugeot E-3008 electric SUV-coupe is a long-range surprise","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RAE7F45N5NEIHP6KSTBZXN5UW4","auth":{"1":"50eb2a0689edaf0ebfbe929509a8edcf3843ade012096b1128a0ff8a6b6fa695"},"focal_point":{"x":2612,"y":2173},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RAE7F45N5NEIHP6KSTBZXN5UW4.jpeg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/review/2024/09/18/peugeot-e-3008-review-electric-suv-coupe-is-a-long-range-surprise/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"QKI45QZJRNEYPA5TDULSYKCJSQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":387,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/6a9afdd1-1430-4265-8dea-c3a3757fcdae/versions/1724852839/media/215f41c6443e33bad392aed848e547fb_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/09/18/how-far-can-you-go-in-an-electric-vehicle-almost-917-km-as-it-happens/","content_elements":[{"_id":"3VVNHSKQABATVDXC5FAZLNDNE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555889},"content":"Those complaining that electric cars can’t go fast enough on one charge might want to take a look at the next edition of Guinness World Records. That’s because a team from Webfleet – a telematics and fleet management company which is part of Bridgestone – just managed to squeeze 916.74km out of one charge in an <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_blank\">electric vehicle </a>(EV).","type":"text"},{"_id":"XOBQE3BK4BEDZNPRIUQDIRANHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555890},"content":"This wasn’t some space-age, single-seat, ultra-aerodynamic EV either. It was a regular, you-can-buy-one-yourself Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, specifically the Premium Extended Range RWD Auto with its 91kWh battery pack. Officially, that comes with a range of 504km on the WLTP [Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure] test, so the Bridgestone/Webfleet team have almost doubled that range. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"KKZNCEYT5NCVHLH7FSFQKSCH7U","additional_properties":{},"content":"Equally, this was not a laboratory-based test, and the team wasn’t driving as if part of a funeral procession. The Mustang was driven across 24 hours on a mix of urban and rural roads across Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Cambridgeshire, in an effort to stick to real-world driving conditions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YYZBVGVBQ5AVXOJQOLFRVXOFSY","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555891},"content":"The only modification to the car, perhaps unsurprisingly, was that it was fitted with the latest Bridgestone tyres, which in theory reduce rolling resistance and add a bit of efficiency. They certainly seem to work, as the team averaged 9.9kW/100km during the drive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"54COMAWOYJFCXEV3ORZLP7W76Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"XZ53LU5ANJH3HC47Y7OB4GB33Y"},"content":"Why do we not seem to be able to provide the EV charging network the State needs?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"BUKQ5AZ73ZBF7MM7YWGBH5QEBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555892},"content":"That team consisted of Webfleet-sponsored drivers Kevin Booker and Sam Clarke, supported by co-pilot Richard Parker of Webfleet. “This record is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in this endeavour,” said Beverley Wise, Webfleet’s regional director for Bridgestone Mobility Solutions. “It represents a significant milestone in the electrification of road transport and demonstrates the potential of electric vehicles when supported by innovative Bridgestone tyre design and advanced fleet management technology.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"K4VZ7GWN5ZGGZH7HCFOWXYVUGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555893},"content":"Kevin Booker, who along with Clarke also holds the record for distance covered in an electric van on one charge (it’s 501km if you’re asking), said: “Breaking this record has been an exhilarating journey and a powerful demonstration of what electric vehicles can achieve. It is incredible to see how far we have come with EV technology and efficiency. We hope this inspires more people to consider electric vehicles for their everyday travel.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RC3EUTOZNFHUJAQZHOKDJDOW3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555894},"content":"Clarke and Booker both hold previous records for fuel economy and energy consumption in electric vehicles – including that van record. They have now amassed five and two driving-related Guinness World Records titles respectively.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z6ZKMP4SZ5HQ3LON4FSLOTYZCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555895},"content":"So is 916km the best that can be done? Well, not quite. Back in 2022, Mercedes took an experimental EQXX electric car and drove it from Stuttgart all the way to Cassis, on the Côte d’Azur on the sunny south coast of France. Along the way, it coped with temperatures close to freezing, high Alpine passes, and 140km/h blasts along the Autobahn.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AD4WMXEYDNB5BGVXRYJ23FZBQY","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555896},"content":"At the end of the trip, the EQXX had covered 1,008km in 11 hours and 30 minutes, and still had a 15 per cent charge left in its battery, good for about 140km. There were no sneaky top-ups en route, either. The car’s charging flap was sealed by independent adjudicators from the TÜV, Germany’s weights-and-measures experts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2LIP4BK4B5HJ7AOCPHFPCFYSQY","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555897},"content":"Part of that remarkable range was assisted by the car’s solar roof. Once free of the 3-degrees Celsius weather (with drizzle) in Stuttgart, the solar roof came into its own once south of the Alps, and Mercedes reckoned that it contributed 25km of extra range to the total. Even so, that was not an official record as it wasn’t observed by the Guinness people.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G57SPSPVIJHMVMQJU5IWW4V7ZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555898},"content":"It’s a remarkable achievement, but Mercedes is, apparently, not the only one to manage four-figure ranges from one battery charge. While the Mercedes route to a four-figure range is taking an existing 100kWh battery and making the car around it as efficient and aerodynamically slick as possible, Our Next Energy’s (One’s) approach is slightly different, in that it’s combining two different battery chemistries in one unit, called the Gemini.","type":"text"},{"_id":"46GWXBCTN5HIDCN55HQ6X4GZD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555899},"content":"One, based in Michigan, has already caught the eyes (and wallets) of such blue-chip investors as BMW, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. Such investment isn’t a guarantee of success or innovation, of course – companies and individuals regularly make broad investments in small start-ups, hoping that one of them hits the big time – but One’s tech does at least seem to have made some real-world progress.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5TSALIYW3FGDTHNVKBDP6U6HWE","additional_properties":{"_id":"BOT65CL56BASZGDV36VPXAF5I4"},"content":"Are EVs more expensive to insure than other cars?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"EMDTTZ57CRC7PFF2MYFJHAVLME","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555900},"content":"The Gemini battery combines a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) section for everyday driving distances, which is a smart idea as LFP batteries are more robust than their more powerful lithium-ion cousins, and don’t mind being charged up all the time. The Gemini battery has a second section, though. This one uses high-density anode-free cells for longer drives.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RKO4T5AZWBEHNO5G7RU5JY4DGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555901},"content":"One claims that this battery uses 20 per cent less graphite and 60 per cent less nickel and cobalt than lithium-ion cells, making the battery pack itself more sustainable. And longer-ranged, it would seem. The One team managed to coax 980km out of the BMW iX – although again, this isn’t an official record as it’s not been recorded by Guinness World Records.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EM4Q3AC4BREEFG3SDFUSAJ7P2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555902},"content":"There’s also the catch that the Gemini battery is large – it weighs 710kg, although in fairness it does pack a whopping 185kWh on a full charge. No wonder it goes so far.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EBRGI36BAZBI5DJMMO7UNUUGXY","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555903},"content":"“Electric vehicles will achieve mass adoption when they offer enough range that people will feel comfortable having an EV as their only vehicle,” said Mujeeb Ijaz, chief executive and founder of One. “The Gemini battery has proven it can double the range of EVs and break down the biggest barrier to electrification.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"43S7SMKHIRD2TOMW3TOKFI2R3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1724848555904},"content":"BMW has also impressed with the tech. “The 900-plus kilometres achieved by the BMW iX equipped with Gemini is an impressive demonstration,” said Jürgen Hildinger, BMW head of new technologies. “We enjoy working with the team at One and look forward to taking the next steps together.”","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Bridgestone and Webfleet team set new EV distance record - and it wasn’t even in some kind of space-age vehicle"},"display_date":"2024-09-18T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"How far can you go in an electric car? Almost 917km as it happens","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"VUOI2QV3FRHUJATXG3Q2OJKHTM","auth":{"1":"c10fd6213fb6c881bc40741f7992196861ec31541440527f525c668b88fc3377"},"focal_point":{"x":1830,"y":1310},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/VUOI2QV3FRHUJATXG3Q2OJKHTM.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/09/18/how-far-can-you-go-in-an-electric-vehicle-almost-917-km-as-it-happens/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}},{"_id":"EKGFR27BKVEPDIO2HWP2WQA4FI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":419,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/0574d313-8fb6-407f-bbec-4332589d2097/versions/1726484577/media/c2372e633e5141f979b06251a15fdb1a_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/motors/2024/09/17/your-ev-questions-answered-how-do-plug-in-hybrids-work-in-practice-and-do-they-make-sense-for-your-pocket/","content_elements":[{"_id":"KN42NQBOMBECJA7OFSDN2BIC2A","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534389},"content":"<b>When the battery runs out on a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), do you have to manually switch to the engine?</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"NOZK6US5P5BONNOB25NW4232W4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534390},"content":"No, a PHEVbasically drives like a regular <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles\" target=\"_blank\">hybrid vehicle</a> so there’s no need to intervene. But perhaps it would help to have a grounding in just how a hybrid system actually works.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F3NRQAH5DJFEHO3RJRSASQGEZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726482612440},"content":"<b>So what happens?</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"PX222PBFVBFTZN5JTXT2YVUMMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534392},"content":"A hybrid vehicle generally speaking has a detuned petrol engine, which has been set up to deliver less power than it otherwise might, in the interests of saving fuel. Many hybrid petrol engines run on the Atkinson Combustion cycle, which holds the inlet valves (the bits of the engine that let fuel and air into the cylinder) open fractionally longer than normal. That means more air than fuel in the cylinder, which is great for economy but lousy for power.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QSD273HTUZFCHICEPOZWZGY3WM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534393},"content":"To make up the deficit in power, an electric motor is fitted, which covers up the gaps in the engine’s power delivery and – initially as a bonus for early hybrids, and more as the primary design feature on more recent hybrid models – allows for short bursts of electric-only driving.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NHCNUAHH3RDI3MY3NAY5NOVKWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726482612443},"content":"<b>And how has this worked out to date?</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"QLBFECXLOJDB3D7SQ5AYRR4LCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534394},"content":"Early hybrids – notably the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/toyota\" target=\"_blank\">Toyota</a> Prius – were great at providing spectacular fuel economy when driving around town, but would generally lose the plot when taken on long motorway journeys. That was because at motorway speeds, there would be no chance to charge up their batteries from regenerative braking, meaning that the hybrid battery would become, effectively, a lump of deadweight to be hauled around and you’d be maintaining motorway speeds on an underpowered Atkinson Cycle engine.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PO6CMN7RDJFTVDHPJ7RVWXYQGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534395},"content":"Steady improvements meant that hybrids became more all-round usable, and could take long journeys without annihilating their fuel economy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7WIRR5XMXBCZRLLLOBOJI4O6ZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534396},"content":"Batteries and electric motors also became more efficient, so that hybrids could – at low speeds – start to spend longer running on electric power alone, especially in city driving. A <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/hybrids-zero-emissions-benefits-backed-by-new-irish-study-1.3862333\" target=\"_blank\">UCD study</a> has shown a regular hybrid could spend as much as 70 per cent of its about-town driving with the petrol engine switched off.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QD2JZUOPPBHCHEW2PDAKPETVYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534397},"content":"Needless to say, this led some bright sparks to realise that if you have a hybrid with a bigger battery that’s fitted with a socket by which it could be charged up from mains electricity, you’d have a car capable of much longer stints on electric power alone, but still with the flexibility of a petrol engine on board for longer journeys.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MMTBLTSTMFCLVC7SY55LEGB2OY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534398},"content":"Toyota was first into the frame again with this idea, with a plug-in hybrid Prius, which launched in limited numbers in 2012, and which had an electric range of just 18km.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3CIJ3YH6Z5ETHD4DRXQXX267XY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534399},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/opel\" target=\"_blank\">Opel</a> and Chevrolet worked together on another type of plug-in hybrid – the Ampera and Volt – in which the on-board battery and electric motor were solely responsible for driving the car, but there was a 1.4-litre petrol engine and a fuel tank on board which kept you mobile on longer journeys. The Ampera was a noble idea, but it arrived too early and at too high a price, and in commercial terms sank without trace.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HNZKN5PJJ5E5PCR4KZZRBJFQOM","additional_properties":{"_id":"437TS6NMLFDBDPE52OTCWPRZLA"},"content":"Are EVs more expensive to insure than other cars?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"UVBSTWFN2BDMVBFJZHM2ZABW7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1726482612450},"content":"<b>So why wasn’t that the end for the idea?</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"KAWFGXZSMFABFIHGWJMTFX2F7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534400},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/mitsubishi\" target=\"_blank\">Mitsubishi</a> took up the baton with the original Outlander PHEV, which sold in pretty big numbers, especially once business users worked out that there were tax cuts to be had when buying a plug-in hybrid. While those tax advantages have diminished, the plug-in hybrid is now enjoying a renaissance, with new models ranging from the ultra-sleek latest-generation Toyota Prius, with its 77km electric-only range, all the way up to a full-size Range Rover P440e, which can go for more than 120km on electric power.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZVQLXTG2NNESZLFBSFHU4H6ZFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534401},"content":"In all of these plug-in hybrids, the basic functionality remains the same. You charge up at home or at work from a slow AC charging point (although a growing number of PHEVs can now also quick-charge from DC rapid chargers, but be prepared for abuse from any electric car driver who catches you using one ...) and, in theory, do your daily short drives – to the shops, to school, to work – on the battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OVUVRE6J7RD3XH7TMBU3PC6DUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726482612453},"content":"<b>What range could I expect?</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"QWNW447RDNH27JE3OOEOJM4DUY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534402},"content":"Most PHEVs will give you a claimed range of 50km and a realistic range of 30-35km at least, which is usually enough to cover a large proportion of commutes, although the latest long-range PHEV models – such as the latest Skoda Superb or the Mercedes C-Class – can manage a claimed 125km on electric power on a full charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GOOT3SE4DBA6XNLIWA4UBRDXLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534403},"content":"Once the big battery has been depleted, you’re back on to petrol power (there are a handful of diesel PHEVs too ...) and no, you don’t have to tell the car to do that. The electronic management systems take care of all that, and will also fire up the engine if you need to suddenly accelerate hard, or if the air conditioning or heating is putting too much strain on the battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DWMSHB4WPNBXBGWXYAQ4ROHTV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534404},"content":"Many PHEVs can now also be ‘geo-locked’, an innovation pioneered by BMW. Enter a destination into the sat-nav, and if your journey takes you through an area with an enforced emissions limit, the car’s systems will work out how much electric power you need to keep for driving in and through that area, and will automatically save enough battery juice to do so.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z2WOQYM7RFDSRM36DASK3VHAXE","additional_properties":{"_id":"YG7AMM7FBJHLZOBFHHXC3RKWGM"},"content":"Will the battery pack get damaged if the bottom my EV hits off a speed bump or a rock?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"C5EVE3XEPNDHJIMRD5A772N2RU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726482612457},"content":"<b>How much control will I have?</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"WY5DT3ZXXJCWLIHKUQJSEGLAL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534405},"content":"What you can manually control is how the battery is used as you drive. For the most part, once the main battery has been depleted, a PHEV will drive along just like a regular hybrid, juggling electric and petrol power as needed. If you’re cruising along, you can manually tell the car to charge up the battery, using engine and braking power as it goes. Some will only let you charge the battery to a preset maximum of, say, 50 per cent or so, but some others will let you charge all the way to full if your journey is long enough.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P6GD33JPVNANZDD3KDVBRM4ZDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534406},"content":"The penalty, of course, is increased fuel consumption – a problem for plug-in hybrids in general on longer journeys, as they tend to be heavier and less efficient when operating with flat batteries than a conventional hybrid, or a plain old petrol or diesel car. Put it this way, once the big battery is flat, a plug-in hybrid will generally hover at somewhere between 6.5 and 8.0-litres per 100km on a motorway run, compared to the 5.0-6.0-litres per 100km you’d get from a regular hybrid.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QWAATJ6FBBBO5ITXDCUJ4Z2KBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726480534407},"content":"Not all are like this, of course. The Toyota Rav4 PHEV is arguably still – in spite of its advancing years – the best of the plug-in hybrid breed. No matter how we drove it, nor how many hours we spent on the motorway, we couldn’t get a Rav4 PHEV to deliver worse than 5.3-litres per 100km (53mpg).","type":"text"},{"_id":"ATOC76BEHNHZXLMCQZOXF264EQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"2GPJWWAYA5B5FAL55HCFQZK2AU"},"content":"\r\n<div class=\"contribly-contribute-v2\" data-client=\"9fc0f2a4-9bf9-4464-8b77-ec351ad0db03\" data-assignment=\"21ca3670-4115-4300-9994-f7f164f2f7aa\" data-display=\"inline\"></div><script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/contribly-widgets/contribute/contribute-v2.js\"><\/script>","type":"raw_html"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"Helping to separate electric vehicle myths from facts, we’re here to answer all your EV questions"},"display_date":"2024-09-17T04:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Your EV questions answered: How do plug-in hybrids work in practice and do they make sense for your pocket?","native":"When the battery runs out on a plug-in hybrid, do you have to manually switch to the engine?"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"N6ZWN3EKMZFLVCYRYQQMHGLDO4","auth":{"1":"83e9f9389ffe18dda9989619fb48bda46ef49181ecd006bd960c08d405477cfe"},"url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/N6ZWN3EKMZFLVCYRYQQMHGLDO4.jpg"}},"subtype":"analysis","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Motors"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/motors/2024/09/17/your-ev-questions-answered-how-do-plug-in-hybrids-work-in-practice-and-do-they-make-sense-for-your-pocket/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/motors","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Motors"}}}}],"count":10000,"_id":"6db10f15613786e83d25259cf3d7561413037080eac1cfa8f4420c5618a8d94c"},"expires":1732963936991,"lastModified":1732963636676}},"most-popular":{"{\"feature\":\"numbered-list\",\"section\":\"\",\"size\":5}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"LLJDLUQCK5B7FCO6KKIZIKGWVE","headlines":{"basic":"Election 2024 exit poll: Sinn Féin, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil on course for photo finish "},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"T5HAJLXTDRHPNC25KW4GG2HCAI","auth":{"1":"2c1a2169fc2f6fdb28fd59afbb5ab8bbc96bd8517c01248ce0727713afd25f12"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/T5HAJLXTDRHPNC25KW4GG2HCAI.jpg"}},"websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_url":"/politics/2024/11/29/election-2024-exit-poll-photo-finish-with-sinn-fein-on-211-fine-gael-21-fianna-fail-195/"}}},{"_id":"NMC22UFD4BFOREZ2BCAPSCVU4E","headlines":{"basic":"Election 2024 live updates: Early tallies reported as exit poll shows tight race between three main parties"},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"M2M6LBSBTVFLXCRFT46UPYHY6I","auth":{"1":"2a39045938a4a5965a4283f346c048f2c6ba32423d10f0f25f1963c6261a07a2"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/M2M6LBSBTVFLXCRFT46UPYHY6I.jpg"}},"websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_url":"/politics/2024/11/30/ireland-general-election-live-results-latest-updates/"}}},{"_id":"XRRD5YWUF5F2PKK7FYZCURMVEM","headlines":{"basic":"Election 2024: Analysis and reaction as exit poll shows tight race, but what do these results mean?"},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"DIVGAD2FFVE2VNQRZXJEPWJOYU","auth":{"1":"56a51fc50533a7c0870294191408289e9344f62b416c68999d734f33be6e7b56"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/DIVGAD2FFVE2VNQRZXJEPWJOYU.gif"}},"websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_url":"/politics/2024/11/29/election-2024-live-updates-voting-begins-at-polling-stations-around-the-country/"}}},{"_id":"SDDF4Y47FBHMZACNDMELPIZYJI","headlines":{"basic":"Dee Devlin is not Conor McGregor’s moral keeper. 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