lol-lol

Reports around that Nissan, like VW Group, are so indebted that the are going to have to restructure or die. Toyota have been caught with their pants down with the BZ4 as it has gone down as one of the worst product launches with the original spec car full of flaws and not performing to barely half the level as advertised. Mazda, Suzuki and other Japanese car manufacturers seem to have not invested in the EV quantum market change, Toyota forever stuck at the Prius hybrid point. Not sure North Korea will ever amount to anything in the automotive world. India is the big mystery. Love their bikes and 3 wheelers and Tata is a major worldwide player in automotive as we know. As with everything else China will make goods to such a low price point and at a middling quality standard that you either buy it or settle with a far inferior home grown product. Nationalistic protectionist measures, anti-dumping, countervailing measures, tax breaks for home grown products sometimes only put off the inevitable for a few months. China makes the majority of so many key products and increasingly controls many key minerals. It is their time, best try and be friends rather than enemies.

Well it is happening and the first 6 months of 2023 have clearly been the inflection time with the TESLA Model Y becoming the best selling car in the world, taking over from the Camry, and a host of other cars which many are made in China as is the MG4, Polestars, Volvo, London Taxis etc. The 21st century is the rise of the Asian economies to the fore, overtaking the US and previously the UK as the centre of the industrial world. My main other thought is how much India will be a player in the new world order ? The UK is a fading industrial power, riddled with inefficient working practices, management structures and infrastructure. Hopefully our generation will see the next couple of decades out quite well but our off spring will have a tougher future than we had and slipping in to Third World levels of comparative wealth looks inevitable. I would recommend migration to either Australian, Canada or New Zealand to any UK citizen who want to maintain a good living standard in to the second half of the 21st century. This may apply to all of Europe, except the Scandinavian countries which seem to have lots of resources and much less population to share that wealth with. It is the Fall of the Roman Empire, or any other empire. Each region has their time, the European time is just about over, just how thing go. VW, and the most the other European brands, maybe Volvo and Renault less so, have been blind sided by the disruption to the automotive markets by EVs and caught napping and it looks like it will cost them their very existence. Sad but Darwin rules.

We can look forward to the UK launch ie the Right Hand Drive Dacia Spring next year which has been a top seller in Europe but not made in RHD only LHD. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/content/news/coming-soon-dacia-spring?lid=librtewvkfeh&utm_source=consumer-marketing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=at_braze_cars_web_email_scheduled_monthly_bau_electric-newsletter-july23&utm_term=cars&utm_content=

I think Renault have a different outlook to VW Group which is good for China but not good for the Czechia, as we are supposed to call it now, not sure what that means for Romania but in general mass car manufacturing is leaving Europe en masse. The Renault factory in Morocco made Europe's best selling car for April 2023 ie the Sandero and the Dongfeng/Dacia Spring has been Europe's best selling EV for under £40k most months. Renault does seem to have many things right over the last few years whereas most other European HQ car firms have not and need to move quickly to avoid oblivion.

I heard Spain as HQ with the other 6 sub branches at places all over the world but not UK. I would expect some Geely-Renault work and integration of Geely-Renault parts for the London Cab and van business up at Coventry and helpfully using some of the fine brains at UK universities such as Aston. Shame the UK so often fails to capitalise on it engineering prowess except in those elite areas like Aston and McLaren.

£4400, that is a bargain. Will be interested to see the current range after any degradation but generally Renault batteries do not lose much especially if only AC charged, I would expect 5 to 10% so hopefully not far off 100 miles summer range and 70 miles winter range, note sure if these had heat pumps.

After the departure of Mr Diess and internal reviews VW Group realises it is in huge trouble unless the partnership with SAIC, and maybe a sell off to SAIC, works.......

I thought it was the leader of White Russia ie Belarus ! It is stunning that such people get any number of significant clicks on their youtube vids. Usually watch for about a minute and then chop away as it become obviously so misinformed. EV owners know of some of the issues but they are either being solved, like the huge rollout of UK charging stations. Residual values are just a market manifestation and have to be taken on the chin for those who have bought, Road tax for EVs in 2025 is a coming in for April 2025 but if it means that more money is spent on the roads, here is hoping, then I am OK with that. We will see what really happens as we are predicted to have a Labour government by 2025 so what actually happens may be different as to what is being planned at the moment.

The Renault Zoe is the best selling EV in Europe over the decade and I think for good reason. Yes the Zoe is only a B segment car so not as roomy as the LEAF but as a consequence, and some better tech choices its range has been the best of small EVs. Not much room for tall rear seat passengers, boot is OK at 330 litres. Currently getting 240 miles of range, this reduces to as low as 160 miles in the depths of winter. Lack of seat height adjustment bit of a pain on longer journeys. Fastest AC charging of any EV, DC charging on those Zoe's that have it is slow compared to other EVs. Done 14k miles in my ZE50 Riviera and only did my first DC charge yesterday which was a breeze. Worcester to Southampton with full luggage for a cruise. Renault might survive Chinese/TESLA domination with its new relationship with Gelly but it looks like all other European HQ car companies are toast and unlikely to survive another decade without extreme EU protectionism.

Nice new setup at Tothill on the A34, just south of Newbury but on the Northbound side but easily accessed by Southbound as well....... Nine 150 kw CCS-UK chargers plus Chademo on each but only one car can charge per charger unit. Zoe sucked up the lecky at it peak rate, a stellar 46 kW, took 14 minutes to get 10 kWh of charge, was tailing off to below 40 kw despite being only 55 % ful so called it a day, only needed 45 miles more of range to give me a big margin and use up some of my free £10 of Octopus credit. Cost me £8, with my 5% Octopus discount and it goes on to my house lecky bill I gather So first time DC charging, after 14k miles of AC charging. Pleasant experience, big Shell shop there and Maccy Ds few yards away. N ot so much for the Jaaag who could not get his charge flap open. If you buy British / Indian / Slovakian cars one should expect some problems I suppose.

Its a tonic Officer, 15% Alcohol by Volume, really, fortified wine you say.

I am doing one of my longest trip tomorrow, about 135 miles from Worcester to Southampton to board a cruise ship to Norway, hoping I still have 50 to 100 miles of miles left so I can easily find a rapid DC charger or highish output AC charger somewhere on the 135 mile journey home. With all the warm weather ie above 15 C, the Zoe should be getting it maximum 240 mile range or so, as long as I do not sustain over 60 mph for too long stints on the A roads and motorways down to the port. Get all the tyres up to 40 psi with all the luggage too. Zoe is still up with the best of small cars if not the leader on looks or even seat comfort as the no height adjustment on the seat is a bug bear. Will miss her when she has gone but after 21 months, with 27 month to go, generally pleased with my choice. currently showing 212 miles range, son who hates the eco button been driving it, but charge said it still had an hour or two to complete, it will show 100% charge all the time but it will commence battery balancing process and should creep up another 10 or 20 miles. e-corsa and mini and better lookers, unless one actually like goof French looks of the Zoe but other features score well. George, hope your last days with the e-corsa go well and the mini is as trouble free as possible in its stint with you.

Which for a car with either 230,300 or 420 hp is much slower than the power translate as. Drivers in Germany regularly drive at over 200 kph from what i have seen to perhaps Polestar thought 185 kph was a bit slow for the European market and over 200 kph more appropriate. Not sure if any of the Polestars are two geared, like TESLA and Audi /Porsche are. Many EVs do not have the gearing to reach a top speed commensurate with their power. My Clio will do over 110 mph with 90 hp but the Zoe will not do much more than indicated 90 mph every though it has half as much power again ie 135 hp, probably closer to 150 hp according to the power reading on the dash. It is speed limited on the electric motor revs. All fairly academic unless driving on the Autobahns.

Dacia, Renault and Volvo all limit their top speeds to 112/113 mph since the last year or so. https://www.motor1.com/news/503466/renault-dacia-limit-top-speed/ Not TESLA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rzGb26wBoA

Again, so pleased I have a Zoe which can charge at 22 kw AC. Other cars that can charge at 22 kw AC, a Maybach, not much else other than Renaults, "Chameleon charging". # Car AC charge power 1. Lightyear 0 22 kW 1. Lotus Eletre Eletre R 22 kW 1. Lotus Eletre Eletre S 22 kW 1. Lotus Eletre 22 kW 1. Maserati GranTurismo Folgore 22 kW 1. Maserati Grecale Folgore 22 kW 1. Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Maybach 680 22 kW 1. Mercedes-Benz EQT 200 22 kW 1. Pininfarina Battista 22 kW 1. Polestar 4 Long Range Dual Motor 22 kW 1. Polestar 4 Long Range Single Motor 22 kW 1. Renault Twingo E-Tech Electric R80 22 kW 1. Renault Zoe R135 22 kW 1. Renault Zoe R110 22 kW 1. Rimac Nevera 1408 kW 22 kW 1. Smart #1 Brabus 22 kW 1. Zeekr 001 Performance AWD 22 kW 1. Zeekr 001 Long Range RWD 22 kW 1. Zeekr 001 Privilege AWD 22 kW 1. Zeekr X Privilege AWD 22 kW

Wow, the savings in servicing over those 200k miles. The level of performance still. I followed this key guy for a couple of years and I would happily let him service my Zoe, might well do. I hope he sets up a national, including Scotland as I have seen him up there several times in his videos, as he is, perhaps, and mobile fixers like him, the answer for the future rather than those dealers who take a big slice of new and second hand sales and do a pretty poor job of servicing and whose knowledge is basically pants. Interesting vid and good contribution to the overall argument for TESLA if not EVs. Did not comment about the panel fit, wonder why ?

Quite sure that TESLA could make closer fitting panels if it was a priority but their priority appears to be make cars with the highest efficiency, taking the least time to produce so they can get them out to buyers ASAP, high level crash performance, cost efficiency which allows them to continue reduce the retail price as part of a process to push other car marques out of the market which looking at sales, facts like VW lowering its EV production on top of VW's massive corporate debt makes it look like car makers like VW do not have much time left in the mainstream car production business. Similar for BMW and Mercedes. Maybe some European HQ'd companies may survive, those who are already well established with production facilities in Asia. Musk's companies do this below, improving panel fit is perhaps not their highest priority ?

I presume the IQ literally had next to know space to put a battery pack. With the Zoe one becomes acutely aware of just how much space a battery pack can take up ie with the Zoe one is perched on top of it, no seat height adjustment, a car that weight quarter of ton more than the Clio it is parked next to. Still very much pleased with the Zoe but future EV cars will have much higher power density batteries and more flexible shapes that will not compromise the seating, weight quite as much.

Changed a bit. Cruising at as near the Motorway NSL one needing to be wearing ear defenders. With a maximum top speed of 72 mph (116 km/h), a curb weight of 1411 lbs (640 kgs), the Mini 850 has a naturally-aspirated Inline 4 cylinder engine, Petrol motor. This engine produces a maximum power of 34 PS (34 bhp - 25 kW) at 5500 rpm and a maximum torque of 60.0 Nm (44 lb.ft) at 5500 rpm. The power is transmitted to the road by the Front wheel drive (FWD) with a 4 speed Manual gearbox.

Toyota and Hyundai caught out by UK Advertising Agency for mis-informing UK consumers who now have to stop their adverts and correct their websites........

None of us getting any younger. I need a car that checks I am fully alert, think they are talking about them, checks your eyes are open etc. I sometimes need a good slurp of Red Bull type drink. Once it may have been some amphetamines but I think one of these is somewhat illegal. Different in Scotland ?

Nice British made car. You clearly know this car would probably have less range than your e-corsa. What is the logic of this choice over other EVs that do have longer range than the Mini EV ? Nice power though. Got a lot of pickup with its 181 hp motor !

To be fair I find that with nearly all car dealership personnel. Renault Delearship asked me to test drive the new Austral and it started with my question about the powerplant which even the head salesperson did not have right the details. Ever thus.

Tesla pushing the EV technology onwards again with tweak to battery chemistry which should give 10% more range plus all the revisions in the Model 3 and Y. How will non Tesla manufacturers keep even vaguely in touch with Tesla ? I think 80 miles is wrong, at best 80 kms with the combination of 66 kWh up fro 60 kWh but also lighter and a host, about 30 I gather, of other improvement, ie aero, lighter other components etc....... think

I was doing a nidge over 60 mpg on the current tankful, after covering around 200 miles bug M6 was bad with tens of mile of stop start traffic so indicated MPG fell to 54 mpg. I have been averaging about 55 mpg for the last few tankfulls but in the winter I was bang on the stated average of 49 mpg for the Arkana 1.333 litre mild hybrid. The 1.6 Etech owners seem to get upper 50s mpg, some 1.33 litre Arkana mpg have reported only getting around 40 mpg or even less but I suspect they are doing lots of town driving and sounds like they would have been better off spending a couple of extra grand and getting the etech Arkana but then they would have lost the much better acceleration of the turbo Arkana rather than 1.6 litre naturally aspirated Arkana. The new Austral and Rafale should be even better with their 1.2 turbo engines. MPG is where I expected it to be and quite reasonable for quite a large car ie tallish. CO2 is circa 134 gm/km which is not great. Trade in price is holding up so maybe trade in for Rafale next year....