Volvo axe saloon and estate cars in favour of SUV-only range.
UK Plug In Record
BYD
Nissan Ayara
Porsche Macan EV
Jaguar
Audi RS6
Fisker
Vauxhall
Alpine
Motorcycles
Volvo UK becomes SUV-Only with the death of retail and fleet sales of V60, V70 and S60 estates and saloons.
:: Sad News
:: Move leaves only the C30, XC40, XC70 SUVs in the range currently.
:: EX30 and EX90 to join the range as EV only.
:: Follows the discontinuation of S90 a couple of months ago and the end of V60 and V90 cross Country.
:: Emergency Services can still get the V90 estate which is popular with Police and Ambulance.
July Sales Records for Plug In Vehicles
:: 143,921 Plug In Vehicles registered in 2023 in the UK.
:: 28% year on year increase.
:: 2023 registrations now 19.6% up on 2022 by this point including ICE.
:: Plug Ins currently 24.1% of the UK market.
:: A new BEV was registered every 60 seconds in 2022.
BYD Dolphin on sale in UK priced at £25,800
:: Targeting VW ID.3
:: Four specifications – Active, Boost, Comfort and Design
:: Active and Boost get 45Kw battery, 7Kw AC and 60 Kw DC charging.
:: Both are single motor FWD, the Active with 94 HP and the Boost with 174.
:: Range on the Active is 211 WLTP and 188 for the Boost.
:: Two base specs not available at launch.
:: Comfort and Design get 60.4 kWh battery and 88kW DC charging. 11kW AC.
:: 201bhp from single motor.
:: Heat pump as standard.
:: Only the top spec gets Qi charging along with a panoramic roof and vegan leather interior.
Nissan Ariya Prices Cut and two new trim levels added.
:: Prices for Nissan’s range topping electric SUV now below £40,000
:: New Engage 2WD version priced at £39,645.00
:: Available in 63kWh or 87kWh battery guises.
:: 251 or 330 miles WLTP respectively.
:: LED Headlights, 19 inch wheels, Dual 12 inch screens and a heat pump are all standard.
:: New range topping Evolve+ priced at £59,025
:: Improved performance figures, 388bhp, 442lbft torque and 5.1 0-60. 310 WLTP.
:: Adds Panoramic sunroof, HUD, intelligent rear view mirror and Bose audo with Nappa Blue leather and 20 inch wheels.
:: 63kW batteries get 7.4kW AC. 87kW batteries get 22kW AC and both get 130kW DC charging.
Lightly disguised Macan EV spotted testing.
:: Porsche’s hotly awaited second EV spotted testing in Germany.
:: Revised front end influenced by the Cayenne SUV distinguishes the EV over the ICE Macan.
:: Drivetrain is a dual motor setup, one on each axle as from the Taycan saloon.
:: Motors are improved bringing power to 603bhp and 738lbft of torque.
:: Unconfirmed is the ability to decouple the front motor for cruising to save energy and increase range.
:: 100kW Lithium Ion battery with charging rates over 270kW.
:: Due to start sales in 2024, the Macan EV is the first of four new EVs from Stuttgart, with the 718 Boxter EV and Cayenne EV and an electric Panamera all due in by 2026.
Jaguar spends big on Electric rebirth.
:: Jaguar Land Rover have invested 2.25 billion in setting a new direction for Jaguar as an EV producer.
:: Currently, the only pure electric car in the company’s three brands is the Jaguar I-Pace.
:: New 4 door GT car to be unveiled next year and go on sale in 2025.
:: Range predicted at 430 miles from a dual motor 4WD powertrain estimated to produce 575.
:: Charging – no details given but 200 miles added is estimated to take 15 minutes.
RS6 Reborn as Electrified super saloon.
:: The RS6 Saloon name is to return in 2025, 14 years after the iconic nameplate was retired.
:: Currently, the RS6 is only available as a twin-turbo V8 Avant estate car.
:: shares underpinnings with the 2025 Porsche Taycan.
:: Up to 600bhp and 783lbft torque.
:: 2 speed gearboxes on both axles and updated quattro 4WD system to feature.
Fisker Bring Pear to UK in 2025
:: Fisker’s Pear hatchback to go on sale in the UK in 2025.
:: Prices start at less than £28,000.
:: Available as a five-seater or with an optional three-seat front bench.
:: Two battery pack options, a 150 mile range city car or 300 mile plus variant.
:: Frunk and ‘Houdini Trunk’ for cargo carrying. Houdini Trunk folds into the rear bumper rather than opening like a conventional boot.
:: Also launched is the Fisker Alaska, the worlds lightest EV Pick Up Truck.
:: Price of £36,546.
:: 230 – 340 miles range.
:: Features the same Houdini tech as the Pear to extend the loadspace from 2.28m to 2.8m by using the rear seats.
:: Based on the Fisker Ocean.
New Crossland goes electric.
:: Vauxhall’s move to electric continues with the new Crossland.
:: Crossland-e (assumed name) joins Corsa e, Astra e and Mokka e from 2024.
:: Second generation of the Crossland which is based on the 2008 platform from Peugeot and the Citroen C3 Aircross.
:: Also in the works is a Grandland e which will complete the electrification of the current Vauxhall range.
:: Manta crossover and Insignia replacement are also due in the next 5 years.
:: Crossland expected to use the same 154bhp single motor setup and 51kWh battery as the revised e-2008 and Jeep Avenger.
:: Prices yet to be confirmed but expect parity with e-2008.
Third Alpine teased with rendering.
:: New 2+2 sports coupe brings third model to Alpine line up.
:: Alpine A310 joins A110 ICE sportscar and the A290 Renault 5 based hot hatch in the line up.
:: Not an official rendering, done by Motor1.com, but looks like a grown up A110.
:: Fourth model in the D/E segment also planned. (Family/Luxury saloon).
2 Wheel EVs coming alive.
:: Italian Volt announces Lacama 2.0 electric motorcycle.
:: Very much the Rolls Royce of motorcycles, highly customisable.
:: 150bhp and 230Nm torque – (BMW R1000R offers 212hp but only 112Nm.)
:: No word on range yet.
:: Kawaski filed type approval for two new bikes including the Ninja EV.
:: Kerb weights are crazy low at 140kg for the Ninja, achieved with swappable batteries rather than a big battery pack.
:: Royal Enfield say their first electric bike is only 2 years away.
RX1E in danger after Lydden Fire
:: A fire in the Special ONE Race Team awning at the World RallyCross meeting at Kent’s Lydden Hill forced the abandonment of Round 4 of RX1E in 2023.
:: Investigations into the cause of the blaze which destroyed two electrified Lancia Delta RX cars and the team’s awning and transporter has not revealed a cause of the blaze.
:: The fire apparently started in the #9 machine, Sebastien Loeb’s car, while it was on charge in the awning.
:: The blaze is similar to the fire which destroyed all the Moto E bikes at Jerez in 2019 ahead of the inaugural round of the Moto E championship.
::Kreisel, the battery manufacturer, has not been able to give a reason for the fire which started in the battery of the car.
:: Round 6 at Spa-Francorchamps has also been cancelled.
:: RX2e continues to race.
