In issue #1 of AutoEV we were very gratefully handed a Tesla Model S P100D by Tesla UK. To put our week of experience with the P100D simply, we were blown away by the Ludicrous mode, we loved the design, but one thing was lacking, and that was composition! The car just didn’t have a suspension set-up to rival the likes of it’s ICE competitors! This week, we were graced yet again by Tesla UK and were handed the keys to a Model 3 Performance. We spent a week using it for daily tasks, motorway runs, school runs, and runs down to the office.

But came the weekend, we decided to take the beast on a spurt down to the West Sussex countryside and put it to the test… We won’t talk much about our impressions of the car here, as an article on the Model 3 will be in issue #3 of the AutoEV magazine and we will have a road review of it on our YouTube channel soon! Here are some photos to show just how much enjoyment we got out of the little beast!

Watch the AutoEV YouTube review below:

The post Tesla Model 3: A Brief Blast around the Sussex Countryside! appeared first on AutoEV.

We can change your mind! Introducing the Honda e prototype a ‘retro-esque’ designed micro car with a playful core. The new city car is clearly aimed at the younger generation, filled to the brim with technology, in a smooth and clean package that doesn’t ooze with ugly plastic buttons, but instead is cladded with wooden decks on the centre console and dashboard.

Digital side mirrors make yet another appearance, along with hidden door handles and a wrap around digital screen on the inside. To many, this car may look like a prototype (which it is, as of current). However, Honda claim this car is 98% relative to the production version, which we are expecting to land on our shores in late 2019. AutoEV magazine managed to blag a 1 on 1 interview with Ken Sahara (exterior designer) and Akinori Myoui (interior designer) to discuss the plans for the Honda E Prototype and the ideas behind it!

Where will the Honda EV fit into the lineup?

“We have a 2030 vision, to make 66% of our production models electric, so the E prototype is a part of the vision. From a European point of view, by 2025 100% of our models will be electrified, so this will be our first electric car for the European market”, Ken replied.

Who is the Honda E prototype designed for?

“So the Honda E prototype is designed for the urbanite, and the early adopter type of user. As well as the kind of person who loves new technologies and is living in a big city with little space. On the branding paper there is a 60 year old guy *laughs*, however, of course we want to attract younger people!”, Ken replied.

When are we expecting the Honda e prototype to be put into production?

“In Europe we are aspiring to start selling the car in late 2019, so very soon!”

The design is very modern, yet with a retro design, are there any cars that have inspired this?

“The E prototype is designed off of the 1970 Honda Civic, a Honda icon. We were designing the Urban EV concept at the same time as the E Prototype, which turned out to be inspired by the E Prototype, even though it was unveiled before the E Prototype”, Ken replied.

What was your main aim when designing the interior?

“Our main aim was to make the interior as simplistic as possible, not just in the styling but the ease of use, so that anyone can use it. We also wanted to offer the highest levels of technologies but in the easiest way to use them. Hence the large screens with an approachable format. It is designed for everyone to use!”, Akinori replied.

The design of the E Prototype definitely is something to desire, it really does strike a resemblance to the original Honda Civic from 1972, which features a wonderfully simple and classic design!

It’s always nice to see a brand look back on it’s history and proudly show their heritage off in their new designs, especially a company like Honda!

The post Honda e Prototype appeared first on AutoEV.

The Jaguar I-PACE is a stand out competitor for the EV top spot, receiving flying colours in reviews and leaving many customers over the moon with their purchase. The I-PACE is Jaguar’s first step into the electric car market, however, you wouldn’t be able to tell this when looking over the car. Sporting a luxury interior that is top of its class and impressive technology, this car proves to be a good competitor. The interior is very spacious thanks to its cleverly packaged powertrain. The design language of the car is lavish and sleek, however, it isn’t all about design, electric cars must be reliable and boast a decent range… The I-PACE features a 90 kWh battery, which is good for over 200 miles on a full charge and can accelerate to 60mph in less than five seconds, which is impressive for the 2.2 tonne weight!

In conclusion, if you are looking for an elegant, sleek and opulent electric car with incredible practicality and performance to match, look no further than the Jaguar I-PACE. Yes the £64,000 price tag and low availability may be an eyebrow- raiser, but compare the I-PACE to the many other high priced EVs such as the Tesla Model X, this car matches up very well, at an equivalent price range!

Acceleration (0-62mph): 4.8 seconds
Top speed: 124 miles per hour
Real range: 298 miles
Charge time: (7KW) 13 hours

The post Jaguar I-PACE appeared first on AutoEV.

With electric cars being less of a window into the future, and more of a sensible proposition for an efficient and cost effective car, there is more and more competition on the market than ever before. At Auto EV we have decided to round up our picks for the top 10 electric cars to consider purchasing in 2019.

Here at Auto EV, we love the new Audi e-tron, all though we are yet to get our hands on one, it is the perfect blend of futuristic styling mixed with Audi’s classic subtle design language. The e-tron is adorned with a plush, sporty interior cladded with leather and piano black panels to hide the large displays and touch sensitive buttons. Once again, the e-tron is proof that when you dish out big money, you receive a sublime and complete package in return!

In terms of performance, the Audi e-tron provides 265 kWs of power and 561 Nm of torque through all 4 wheels, which helps with it’s all terrain capabilities and giving the hefty SUV some added “get up and go!”. The e-tron 55 Quattro model which is currently available sports a competitive 260 mile range, which is more than enough for everyday duties or a longer drive out of the city.

There is no doubt in our minds that this is one of the most attractive EV on the market, with a complete package to boot! Due to how fresh off the lot these cars are, we can’t comment on the drive quality of the car, however, since the car is an Audi product, we can bet that it is transcendent!

Acceleration (0-62mph): 5.7 seconds
Top speed: 124.3 miles
Real range: 260 miles
Charge time: (7KW) 9 hours

The post Audi e-tron appeared first on AutoEV.

With electric cars being less of a window into the future, and more of a sensible proposition for an efficient and cost effective car, there is more and more competition on the market than ever before. At Auto EV we have decided to round up our picks for the top 10 electric cars to consider purchasing in 2019.

The Hyundai Kona Electric comes in at a reasonable £27,250 for the base model, which sports a 39 KWh battery, pumping out an impressive 200 miles on a single charge! For an extra £6,000 you can upgrade to the 64KWh battery which will boost the range up to 280 miles. These are very impressive numbers considering it’s price and the physical size of the car, which relatively compact compared to most of the other crossovers/ SUVs on the electric car market at the moment!

Like all electric cars, the Kona Electric features instant torque meaning even the 39KWh model can achieve good performance in comparison to their combustion engine counterparts! Moreover, the electric motor is composed, with little noise when you accelerate and the cabin does a good job of cancelling out any road noise, making the driving experience a very relaxed act.

When you compare the Hyundai Kona Electric to many of it’s competitors, it seems like a no brainer to spend that little bit extra and pick up the bigger, more practical car that is the Kona. Not to mention the fact that the Kona sports almost double the range of most cars in the £30,000 price range… Hyundai really did an amazing job at packaging up this car and as soon as you step into the cockpit, you can tell it was made to work well, and more importantly to last a long time!

Acceleration (0-62mph): 9.7 seconds
Top speed: 155 miles
Real range: 180 miles
Charge time: (7KW) 6 hours 30 minutes

The post Hyundai Kona Electric appeared first on AutoEV.

With electric cars being less of a window into the future, and more of a sensible proposition for an efficient and cost effective car, there is more and more competition on the market than ever before. At Auto EV we have decided to round up our picks for the top 10 electric cars to consider purchasing in 2019.

Featuring in our top 10 list is the BMW i3, one of the more trusted electric vehicles, from the Bavarian auto company. The BMW i3 is a relaxing yet striking car – the car offers incredible efficiency, both in terms of range and the way materials are used to construct the car with many of the interior panels constructed out of recycled material.

The i3 sports contemporary looks and an engaging driving experience, with a 0-30mph speed on par with the BMW M3. BMW made sure to emphasise that this is a car for the future with a carbon fibre chassis meaning not only is it lighter, but stiffer too.

If you are looking for a German quality electric car that is guaranteed to live the test of time, the BMW i3 is in our opinion the best choice – the AutoEV used electric car classified adverts are a great place to start your hunt to locate a used one. We were blown away by it’s tech, efficiency and material quality when undertaking our test with the car!

Acceleration (0-62mph): 7.3 seconds
Top speed: 93mph
Real range: 137 miles
Charge time: (7KW) 4 hours 30 minutes
Unladen weight: 1,270kg
Boot capacity: 260 litres

The post BMW i3 appeared first on AutoEV.

For the first time an electric vehicle wins the What Car? Car of the Year award, a strong indicator that the EV evolution continues to gain momentum. The Kia e-Niro has been named the What Car? Car of the Year 2019 at its 42nd annual awards ceremony.

In particular the EV was praised for its long-range and relatively low cost compared to more mainstream rivals. The e-Niro travels from rest to 60mph in 7.5 seconds up to a top speed of 104mph with an ‘eco’ setting that helps extend the range. The Niro rides bumps more comfortably, is composed through corners, has generous interior space with a premium feel.It also ships with technologies such as Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) with Pedestrian/Cyclist Protection gives you warning signals and automatically brakes if you don’t react.

Designed at Kia’s design centres in California, USA and Namyang, Korea, the e-Niro incorporates the practicality and appeal of a crossover in a sleek, aerodynamic body with subtly sculptured surfaces. The car demonstrates that, in seeking greater on-road efficiency, electric vehicle buyers need not sacrifice emotionally engaging design or crossover versatility.

0-62MPH 7.8sec
TOP SPEED 104mph
OFFICIAL RANGE (WLTP*) 282 miles
REAL RANGE 253 miles
CHARGING TIME (7KW) 9hr 50mins
INSURANCE GROUP 28

*World Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure

The post The Kia e-Niro named car of the year 2019 appeared first on AutoEV.

With electric cars being less of a window into the future, and more of a serious proposition for an efficient and cost effective car, there is more and more competition on the market than ever before. At Auto EV we have decided to round up our picks for the top 10 electric cars to consider purchasing in 2019.

Featuring in our top 10 list is the Tesla Model S, the iPhone of the car industry. Featuring a huge 17″ display that even the least tech savvy can easily get to grips with and mind blowing performance, the Tesla Model S really is an interesting car that is a pleasure to drive with an involving, connected drive! The Model S features very humble and sensible styling, similar to a conventional saloon car, which sets it apart from many electric cars on the market today.

In addition, the Tesla Model S boasts the best in class acceleration, fast enough to squash most Ferrari and a very reasonable 393 miles on a full charge (according to NEDC tests on the Tesla Model S P100D). The only negative to the Model S is the more expensive price point compared to many of it’s rivals, with the P100D coming in at £126,600, however, you have to keep in mind the insane 2.5 second 0-60mph time, which we can confirm, never gets old!

In conclusion, there is little surprise as to why the Tesla Model S is such a popular electric car, despite it’s more hefty price point than many of the rivals, the Model S is a true drivers car for the electric car enthusiasts and is a very good proposition for an effective and reliable electric car!

Acceleration (0-62mph): 2.7 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Real range: 300 miles
Charge time: (7KW) 6 hours 45 minutes
AutoEV have reviewed the Tesla Model S P100D in issue 1 of our magazine which can be purchased here

The post Tesla Model S appeared first on AutoEV.