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Buying Regular vs Buying Electric

Electric cars have emerged on the market in recent years and are trying to combat regular cars for supremacy. Many see electric cars as better than regular ones because they’re more eco-friendly. Others see them as clumsy and limited.

The battle is sure to rage on for years. People have become more environmentally conscious. But cars are a practical necessity. For this reason, there is competition between the two. One thing is for sure; electric cars are going to become more prominent in the future.

Let’s compare regular cars with electric models:

Regular

More Choice

The most obvious difference between regular cars and electric cars is that there is more choice with regular cars. Electric cars are still somewhat new to the marketplace, so they’re more difficult to get ahold of. Wherever you are, you’ll have no problem finding regular cars. You could be looking to find cars near Bristol, Manchester or Swansea, and you’d have a wealth of choices.

Easier Maintenance

Regular cars are also easier to maintain. They’ve been around for a lot longer, so mechanics and experts know them inside out. Whatever the problem is with your car someone will be able to identify and fix it without too much trouble. There also won’t be so many difficulties getting hold of parts to replace on regular models. Electric cars are still something of an unknown quantity. Because of this they’re more difficult to maintain, and parts are more difficult to get hold of if needed.

Don’t Have to Charge

One of the advantages of having a regular car is that you don’t need to charge it. Electric cars can run for around 100 miles before they need charging again. This process takes quite a long time. Regular cars can last hundreds of miles on one tank of fuel. And if you run low you can always pull into a petrol station and fill up with ease.

 

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Electric

Eco-Friendly

Electric cars are a lot more environmentally sound than their petrol-powered counterparts. These days it’s important to look after the environment. Electric cars are one of the next steps in this process. They don’t release the harmful CO2 emissions that regular cars do. Because they’re eco-friendly electric cars look set to become the future of automotive technology. We’re seeing this start now with many manufacturers introducing hybrid models.

No Fuel Costs

The major advantage of having an electric car is that you don’t have to spend money on fuel. The price is petrol is expensive and seems to be on the rise each year. With an electric car, you can save yourself heaps of cash by not needing to worry about filling up on petrol. You just need to charge your car, and you’re good to go. This is also more convenient as it benefits you in other ways such as not having to queue in the petrol station.

Less Maintenance

Though they can be more difficult to maintain, electric cars will need much less maintenance than regular cars. For a start, some regular cars only run on certain types of petrol and react badly to others. You don’t have to worry about this issue with electric cars. They also contain fewer parts and as such need a lot less maintenance. For instance, you’ll never have to worry about oil changes with an electric car.

5 Reasons Why You Should Drive a Renault Zoe Dynamique


Image From Autoviva

What do you do if you want to buy a car that’s cost effective, trustworthy and clean while avoiding a hybrid? Well, there is really only one answer, or one good answer anyway, and that’s the Renault Zoe Dynamique. Renault decided to go all out and make a car that was entirely electric and affordable to ordinary drivers, and the results have really paid off. Here are 5 reasons why we think the Zoe Dynamique is a car every driver should consider.

It’s Electric!

Most electric cars today are out of the reach of most ordinary consumers so this is a really big deal. Hybrids are great and everything but a fully electric car places the Zoe on another plane entirely. And you don’t have to make great sacrifices to go green either. It can go 130 miles after a single charge, but this can be reduced by some factors like weather and temperature.

It’s Incredibly Smooth and Agile

Gearless driving is just one of the great benefits of driving an electric powered car. Not having to shift the gear stick every so often allows for a dramatically smoother drive than any fuel reliant car. Once the battery is charged there’s no holding you back, you’re can cruise to whatever speed you like (within the limit of course!) and feel no shake or wobble. The Zoe Dynamique really does make you rediscover the true pleasure of simply driving in a way only an electric car could.

It’s Very Affordable

Right now you could log onto lifestyleeurope.co.uk and buy a Renault Zoe Dynamique for little more than £10,000. The prices of the Zoe are even more impressive when you factor in the costs you’ll save each week by not buying petrol. It’s a great saving in the short term but an even greater one in the long term. And if you’re buying one new it will cost about £13,000 when you’ve factored in the plug-in car grant offered by the government.

It Has Great Tech

Renault don’t do innovation half-heartedly. Along with the electric engine you get a whole host of other new gadgets and technologies should you choose the Zoe Dynamique. You get Renault’s multimedia system which you can download your own apps for. It also has bluetooth, climate control, touch screen controls and a navigation system. There’s really nothing more you could ask for on the tech front.

It Looks Like the Future

It’s not just the car’s lack of carbon emissions which point to the future, the Zoe Dynamique also looks like it’s just arrive from the future in a time machine. That white, vibrant interior is especially cool. It’s right that it should look this way because, as all hybrid/electric car manufacturers know, the futuristic look sells cars. It’s the kind of car that will catch the eye of any pedestrian strolling past as you drive by in your silent electric wonder.

The BMW i8: Even Hybrid Cars Can Look And Sound Great!

BMW have built some fantastic vehicles in the past, and it looks like a trend that’s set to continue well into the future. The German firm is taking an active interest in alternative fuel technologies. One of the most notable examples of hybrid technology is the BMW i8.

If you’ve not heard of that model before, let me tell you more about it. It’s a hybrid sports car that’s powered by electric motors and a small three-cylinder engine. Of course, the only downside is that it’s one of the world’s most expensive sports cars!

Still, if money is no object and you’d like to drive a stylish, high-performance and eco-friendly car, the BMW i8 is for you!

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It looks futuristic – in a good way

I don’t know about you but have you ever noticed just how weird today’s hybrid cars look? Car manufacturers associate hybrid vehicles as ones that should look futuristic. I get that car makers want to think outside the box when it comes to styling.

But some cars are just too out there. Toyota Prius, I’m looking at you!

The fantastic thing about the BMW i8 is that it too seems futuristic – but in a GOOD way! The contours of the vehicle match the front and rear ends well. It doesn’t look like a car Homer Simpson would have designed!

It uses lots of carbon fibre

We all know that car batteries weigh a lot. The heaviest are the ones that get used for electric and hybrid vehicles.

That’s not a good thing when you’re trying to design a fast hybrid sports car! To overcome this problem, BMW have used lots of carbon fibre. It’s 50% lighter than steel and 30% lighter than aluminium. But it’s just as strong as both metals.

The door architecture is amazing

When you open the doors on the BMW i8, one thing you will notice is that it uses “dihedral doors.” Or, as the guys at Thames Motor Group put it, gullwing doors! They are the kind of doors you might see on cars like Lamborghinis and even the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

They swing upwards when opened. You might think that it’s not possible to do that, given how heavy car doors are. But BMW claim that the doors are 50% lighter than conventional ones.

It’s a good performance sports car

The car boasts 0-60 mph speeds of just 4.3 seconds. And the eDrive system boasts a total power output of 231 brake horsepower. It doesn’t sound like much, given that cars like the BMW M4 have more power.

But you need to bear in mind this car is lightweight. The power to weight ratio is different in the BMW i8.

Pros and Cons of Buying an Electric Car

 

Electric cars are quite new on the market and have not yet been taken to by the masses. But they represent the future of eco-friendly automotive travel. There may come a time in a few years when electric cars overtake regular cars as the vehicle of choice.

In the meanwhile, you’ll want to consider whether you should by one. Here are some pros and cons of buying electric cars. These points may not apply in years to come, but for now here are some valid pros and cons.

Pros

Quiet – One of the major plus points of buying an electric car is the noise. Or the lack of noise to be precise. Electric cars are so quiet and smooth. The muscle car fad of the 80’s and 90’s seems to be over. These days people prefer their engines to purr not roar. With an electric car, you have an almost silent engine that adds up to maybe the quietest car on the market at the moment.

Cheaper to run – Electric cars work out cheaper to run than regular cars. There is no need for fuel top ups and oil changes. You’ll never have to visit a petrol station again and recoil in horror at the latest price hikes. All you need to run an electric car is to charge it at a special port or at home, and you’re good to go. A charge overnight while you sleep can give your car enough charge to do up to 100 miles before needing another charge.

 

Eco-friendly – The primary reason you should consider an electric car is that it’s eco-friendly. Forget about the harmful emissions and carbon monoxide output harming the environment. An electric car is a great way to get around, live your life and protect the environment at the same time. These days it’s important to take steps to look after the planet and electric cars are a great way to do this.

Cons

Long Recharge Time – One of the major drawbacks to electric cars is the time it takes to recharge them. It takes much longer than it does to refuel. Most electric cars take at least four hours to recharge fully. But some can even take fifteen to twenty hours. This is okay if you’re putting the car on charge as soon as you get home from work and leaving it overnight. But it’s not practical in the short term.

Maintenance Problems – Maintenance problems can be an issue with electric cars. If you’re experiencing problems with your luxury sedan, you can just pop to Mercedes Inchcape and get it looked at. You can get a full service, and spare parts changed and you’re good to go again. But if you have problems with your electric car you have much fewer options available. You can’t just pop down to your local mechanics. You might need to consult specialist individuals or companies. This can be a pain and may result in a more expensive process.

Lack of Choice – The problem with electric cars is that they’re still a pretty new concept. As a result, there is a significant lack of consumer choice on the market. There are only around twenty models of electric car on the market, and many of them look similar. And their style and design is the ultimate Marmite look – you either love it or hate it. There is also an issue with costs because electric cars can be much more expensive than regular cars.

What Would Convince You To Buy An Electric Car In The Future?

Electric cars are something of a novelty to many people. They seem like a good idea but, in reality, they aren’t. There are many reasons why consumers aren’t falling over themselves to go and buy electric vehicles.

The main reasons are of cost and practicality. If you’re planning on getting a more eco-friendly car soon, what would it take to convince you to buy an electric car?

Today’s blog post highlights some of the things that need to improve or change in the electric car sector. It’s a wish list of sorts, shared by scores of people that want to drive cars without internal combustion engines.

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Lower prices

The biggest turnoff to do with electric vehicles is their costs. Demand for such cars is small. And so manufacturers cannot afford to negotiate better prices with their parts suppliers. That means things like batteries and electric motor costs are sky-high!

The motor industry needs to do more to encourage growth in the electric vehicle sector. For instance, doing more to negotiate better prices on parts so that they can sell more electric cars. And even making a lower profit to encourage sales.

Another problem that is cost-related is the price of replacement batteries. Like conventional batteries, those used by electric vehicles need replacement after a while. The cost to get new ones is ridiculous!

That’s why motorists prefer buying hybrids from places like Motorline Direct than all-electric vehicles.

Better infrastructure

We know that the government has pledged to build more public charging stations for electric cars. After all; range anxiety is a big issue for those that drive cars capable of just 100 miles on a full charge!

Public car parks, for example, all need to have a few charging points for electric vehicle drivers. The last thing people want to do is make more stops than they need to if they have to travel a long distance.

At present, public charging stations are few and far between. The infrastructure needs a bigger overhaul to make buying an electric car a more viable option for consumers.

Better choice

Let’s face it; the market isn’t exactly overrun with electric vehicles! All the major car manufacturers have at least one electric vehicle model. But why do consumers need to stick with a limited choice?

If the industry wants you to buy an electric car, it needs to give you more choice. It’s as simple as that!

For instance, they should consider offering electric versions of existing models. That way, we don’t have to stick with weird-looking models. Not everyone want “futuristic-looking” cars to drive. Some of us prefer to drive cars that are in keeping with today’s automotive styles!

More incentives

What I mean is, more cash incentives! Some of the world’s governments offer a grant towards the cost of buying a brand new electric car. But the grants are limited and small in value. To get people away from conventional petrol and diesel cars, those grants need to be higher value.

If both the world’s governments and the car industry adopts these ideas, there will be more folks driving electric vehicles!

Jaguar C-X75: The Hybrid Supercar We’d All Love To Own Some Day

Jaguar is no stranger to designing innovative and powerful concept cars. Many of these prototypes go on to become production vehicles. One model that got everyone talking was the Jaguar C-X75.

 

It first got unveiled back at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. Jaguar says the car started life as a design concept and reached the prototype stage in just two years. That is quite impressive given the styling of the car. And also the unique way this hybrid monster works!

 

The Jaguar C-X75 is a sports car that we’d all love to own some day. But the sad news is that the project got shelved. The reason? Jaguar Land Rover stated few people would buy it at this moment in time “as a result of the global economic climate.”

Image via Flickr

 

I suspect the price of the car had something to do with Jaguar’s decision to pull the plug on the C-X75 supercar project. Would you pay between £800k to £1 million for a hybrid supercar during today’s austere times? Nope, me neither!

 

Sadly that means you aren’t likely to see the C-X75 as one of the H.A. Fox Jaguars on display at their showroom. Still, that doesn’t you and I from wanting to get behind the wheel of one some day (after winning the lottery, of course)!

So, what is it that makes this unique car a serious contender for supercars like the Porsche 918 Spyder? And various Ferraris and Lamborghinis?

 

The Jaguar C-X75: an eco-friendly supercar?

 

The four-wheel drive Jaguar C-X75 supercar is quite a unique hybrid vehicle. It boasts a ridiculous 850 brake horsepower and 1,000 Nm of torque! But what is it that produces such a monstrous amount of power?

 

According to Jaguar, the car uses four electric motors – one to power each of the four wheels. The batteries these electric motors are all connected to get charged from two micro gas turbine engines. Yes, that’s right: gas turbine!

 

Bladon Jets in Worcestershire built the turbines. On an all-electric range, the car can only do 70 miles. The Jaguar C-X75 boasts a combined range of 560 miles. In fuel economy terms, that equates to just under 30 miles per gallon.

 

The Jaguar C-X75 also has a Formula One race-inspired 1.6-litre twin-charged diesel engine. This four-cylinder engine alone produces 502 brake horsepower. The rest of the power gets generated by the electric motors.

 

Because the car only weighs 1,350 kilograms, it can reach 60 miles per hour from a standing start in just over three seconds.

 

It’s also an eco-friendly supercar. With carbon emissions of just 89 grams per kilometre, it would be exempt from car tax in the UK. Now if that’s not a reason to convince your spouse that you want to buy a supercar, I don’t know what is!

 

Setting out blueprints for future supercars

 

At the time, Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar’s Global Brand Director, had this to say:

 

“[The Jaguar C-X75] represents the pinnacle of Jaguar’s engineering and design expertise.”


He also went on to say how it’s likely the car will be used as the basis for future Jaguar supercar projects.