Jeep does the EV/plug-in research (so that Iain does not have to!)
Making zero apology for a reliance on motor industry supplied information, Iain Robertson, admittedly not a fan of the future EV scene, adds his two-pennies’ worth of critical commentary about the most proficient locations in the UK to own an EV.
Having heard it described in an highly Shakespearean way as ‘much ado about nothing’, my concerns about the future electrification of our nation (in transport terms) is that government is involved to the height of the inverter. Government should govern. Government should not try to operate a business. Its ‘sponsorship’ of its pals (preferred suppliers, such as Centrica, tasked with chivvying on the recharging network) is a tricky route to follow and one lined with deep and very muddy ditches.
In case you were unaware, even with most advanced plans in place, even a lightly used network will lead to catastrophic electricity supply failures come January 1st 2030…the first day of the end of new fossil fuel car sales. To highight that the levels of misinformation have been rampant would be to understate the situation. Yet, using ‘fear’ as the means to a political end, once again, we all need to be almost as ready as the ‘oven-ready’ Brexit trade deal prescribed by Boris and chums for the forthcoming shift from petrol/diesel to electricity. Are they ready? Are they heck!
Between now and ‘E-Day’, there is no doubt that many businesses, user-choosers and consumers will want to swap their former internally combusted means of propulsion, for something with one, or more electric motors and a large tray of batteries. Who can blame them? Well, I can, for one. Buy into the EVolution now and whatever you buy will be outdated by ‘E-Day’. I guarantee it. However, your reportedly gilt-edged investment will have lost so much lustre that it will be virtually worthless by that time and will lead to an even heftier investment (if you have any ackers left) to replace the dodo you will be driving.
Yet, a growing tranche of the UK vehicle acquiring market will spend money on a new EV over the next few months. I can guarantee that, too, which makes the research sponsored by Jeep UK all the more poignant. In essence, based on today’s figures, on today’s publicly accessible installations, there are some places in the UK, where operating an EV can be an absolute joy.
According to Jeep, the City of Coventry is the best place on the UK mainland to operate a plug-in vehicle, although the best spot anywhere in the UK is the Outer Hebrides, where one charger exists for every 2.13 cars. I can certainly recommend life on the islands, although packing your bags, heading there and taking up residence might not be so agreeable with the locals, or Na h-Eileanan Siar, the local authority.
Analysis of the latest government data, which you can believe at your peril, reveals that there is currently one charging device for every 15 plug-in cars registered in the UK. Other areas leading the charge appear to be Fermanagh and Omagh, in Northern Ireland (2.5 cars per charger), Wandsworth in London (2.6) and the Isle of Anglesey (2.8).
As a result of the findings, Jeep created an interactive map showcasing the number of registered plug-in cars, per public charging device, by local authorities. According to Damien Dally, Jeep’s UK brand manager: “The UK’s charging infrastructure is improving every day and it’s great to see charging devices popping up across the country. Sales of plug-in hybrids are up by almost 90% this year as motorists look for a more sustainable way of driving around, which makes the Jeep Renegade 4xe plug-in hybrid a great choice for zero emission city driving and the daily commute, while the petrol engine makes it flexible for longer journeys and trips where there are no charging stations.” Just remember that plug-in hybrids have a reprieve from the ‘ban’ until 2035.
To get a broad view on the ‘EVolution’ of motoring, Jeep (using the OnePoll service) surveyed 2,000 UK motorists (1,600 petrol, diesel and hybrid car owners, and 400 owners of either a plug-in hybrid, or pure electric car). It found the average motorist drives a mere 26 miles per day, with 60% of petrol and diesel car owners driving fewer than 20 miles per day. It also emerged that 79% of motorists think the government should be investing more in improving the public charging infrastructure and 76% stated that there should be a greater investment in on-street charging, where motorists do not have a private driveway for off-street parking.
Interestingly, one in five petrol and diesel drivers seemingly support the introduction of road pricing to offset the loss in fuel duty revenue (a figure that rises to 59% of the plug-in drivers). Jeep commissioned the research following the recent launch of the Jeep Renegade 4xe, a plug-in hybrid model that uses a battery motor to give a zero-emission range of up to 26 miles, conveniently. It also includes a fuel-efficient 1.3-litre petrol engine, which kicks-in on longer journeys, or when the electricity runs out.
Damien continued: “Our research highlights that the public is supportive of the move towards electric vehicles and it is no surprise that those who have made the switch are more in favour of the transition. Yet, with 71% of the surveyed petrol, diesel and hybrid drivers covering fewer than 30 miles per day on average, a plug-in hybrid would give them the benefit of zero emission driving, while providing the comfortable support of a petrol engine for longer trips.”
If you want to know more about the latest Jeep Renegade 4xe plug-in hybrid, visit www.jeep.co.uk/4xe-hybrid. We shall report on our test soon.
Local Authority / Plug-in cars per charging point:
Na h-Eileanan Siar 2.13
Coventry 2.33
Fermanagh and Omagh 2.50
Wandsworth 2.60
Isle of Anglesey 2.80
Brighton and Hove 2.83
Sunderland 2.94
Eden 2.95
Pembrokeshire 2.95
Middlesbrough 2.97
Gwynedd 3.16
Stockton-on-Tees 3.19
Shetland Islands 3.29
Dumfries & Galloway 3.37
Argyll & Bute 3.38
Greenwich 3.40
Highland 3.57
Lambeth 3.63
East Lothian 3.73
Boston 3.79
Plymouth 3.89
Islington 3.93
Liverpool 3.96
Southwark 4.00
Hyndburn 4.04
Copeland 4.32