Pure EVs overtake PHEV sales for first time in four years Not since December 2014 have sales of pure EVs been higher than PHEVs Pure-electric cars outsold plug-in hybrids for the first time since December 2014, as the electric vehicle market continues its shift away from PHEVs and increased numbers of pure-EVs come to market. According to today’s figures (Thursday 4th July) from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the UK car market as a whole showed a 2.4% drop in overall sales during the month, compared with June 2018, but pure-electric sales increased 62%. with 2,461 EVs registered. Plug-in hybrids continue the category’s struggles in 2019, with only February’s performance exceeding the previous year’s. June was its toughest month to date, with -52% in registrations compared to 2018. The first six months of 2019 have seen an 8% decline in registrations of electric vehicles compared to the first half of 2018. Pure electric models have grown 61% in the same timeframe though, while PHEVs have dropped 31%. June’s figures are the first time the SMMT has broken down sales of mild hybrids and hybrids, whereas previously there hadn’t been clarity as to how the former fitted in with alternatively fuelled vehicles and petrol/diesels. Mild hybrids have shown huge growth since 2018, with petrol-based models up 456% and diesel mild-hybrids up 80%. This is predominantly down to the fact that there are far more models on the market than before, and the likes of Audi are replacing petrol- or diesel-only line-ups with mild hybrid engines. Table courtesy of SMMT Hybrids, which have performed well for some time, mainly thanks to Toyota/Lexus’s policy of replacing diesels with hybrid options, dropped 5%. Diesels fell 21%, with a market share of only 26% now after a couple of years’ of decline in confidence from buyers. The petrol market increased 3%. now making up two out of every three cars registered in the UK.
Origin: Pure EVs overtake PHEV sales for first time in four years
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These toys are a great excuse to spend time together with your kids
Your kid probably has enough toys to rival a daycare, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to act all rational and decide they don’t need any more play things. With birthdays and holidays and overly generous grandparents, it’s basically impossible to curb the toy mountain that continues to grow inside your house. What you do have some control over is the type of toys that wind up in your kid’s possession. Some of these toys and games will be for them, but we have a sneaking suspicion you’ll wind up stealing some of these things the second you put them to bed. Better yet, with Father’s Day around the corner, you can probably coax your kid into buying you at least one of the gems on this list. Candylab Toys Woodie Redux Candylab Toys makes aesthetically pleasing wooden toy cars and trucks from solid beech wood. They’re minimal, colourful and look so sleek. Honestly, you’ll probably rather this thing stays put on a shelf in your kid’s room rather than have her or him smash it around on your hardwood floors…. You know what, you should probably just keep it safe in your grown-up bedroom or on your office desk instead. LEGO Bugatti Chiron Yes, this Bugatti Chiron will require you to assemble a whopping 3,599 pieces, but that’s really nothing when compared to LEGO’s largest set, the 7500-piece Millenium Falcon. Perspective. When complete, the LEGO Bugatti Chiron is over five inches tall and 22 inches long with moving pistons, a cockpit you can access and even a working hearshift. Razor Crazy Cart XL The Crazy Cart XL by Razor is the brand’s answer to parents complaining that their kid’s Crazy Cart didn’t properly fit them. Well, this Crazy Cart XL model can fit a rider up to 240lbs and 6’4” in height. The electric-powered go-kart-like toy has a gas pedal, steering wheel as well as a drift bar so you can do donuts for as long as your stomach will let you. Modarri 3-Pack Car Kit Modarri’s car kits are like crafts for little (and big) people who love four-wheeled machines. The multi-piece kits are the best because your kids (and you) can mix and match various frames, hoods, wheels, seats and fenders and come up with thousands of unique car designs. They go together with four simple screws and have a patented finger-steering system, so kids of all ages (and, yes, you) can enjoy them. Wall Climber RC Car Yes, a car that can climb walls and cling to the ceiling sounds like something you’d have lusted after as an eight-year-old, and yes, it okay if it sounds like something you want today. The toy has an ultra-light body and powerful vacuum-like suction that helps it drive on most smooth surfaces. It even has LED lights to drive it in the dark. Traxxas Stampede Car If monster truck rallies amp you up, then chances are, so will this bad ass rig. The Traxxas monster truck has top speeds of nearly 40km/hr, comes with a waterproof body and can easily motor through grass, up dirt ramps and right over curbs. You should probably get two so you and your mini don’t have to fight for a turn. Team Sonic Racing Depending on your era, Sonic the Hedgehog is perfectly nostalgic. An all-new multiplayer racing video game that features the speed-hungry mammal was released on May 21 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch, and some are even comparing it to the iconic Mario Kart. Kid O Go Car Babies and toddlers deserve to play with automotive toys that aren’t from Paw Patrol. Kid O cars are ergonomically designed for little hands to master. The plastic is PVC-, BPA-, and phthalates-free, so they can lick/bite/gnaw away, but best of all, the design is so cool they could really pass for decor displayed in your living room. LEGO James Bond Aston Martin DB5 If the LEGO Bugatti Chiron is too intimidating, maybe start with the James Bond Aston Martin DB5. It’s just 1,295 pieces, but is still detailed with the trunk, hood and doors that open and close as well as a rotating license plates and “bullet-proof” rear-windows. Kid Galaxy Morphibians This is more than a remote control car that you drive around on the sidewalk. The Morphibian is a 44 amphibian car that can drive through water, as well as mud, sand and grass. The special paddle wheels let it easily move through puddles and all-terrain tires help navigate through mucky conditions.
Origin: These toys are a great excuse to spend time together with your kids
EV charging sites overtake petrol stations for first time
EV charging sites overtake petrol stations for first time There are now more public EV charging locations than filling station forecourts New figures from Zap-Map reveal the extent of the UK’s electric vehicle revolution, with the number of public charging locations now surpassing petrol stations for the first time. Data from Zap-Map shows that as of 22 May, there are 8,471 charging locations across the UK, hosting a total of 13,613 charging devices. In contrast, as of the end of April, there are currently only 8,400 petrol stations in the UK, a figure which is continuing to decline. There has been huge growth in the UK public EV charge point market in the past 12 months, with the number of locations increasing 57% in that time. Charging points can now be found across the length and breadth of the country, from the Shetland Islands to the Cornish Riviera, from Giant’s Causeway to the White Cliffs of Dover. The expanding network supports an increasing number of electric vehicles on the road, expanding from only 3,500 cars just six years ago, to more than 210,000 currently. Analysts forecast that by the end of 2022, at east 1 million EVs will be in use in the UK, a figure backed by government policy that looks to electrify all new cars and vans by 2040. Ben Lane, co-founder and CTO at Zap-Map commented: “The public and private sectors are now investing heavily in the UK’s EV charging infrastructure to ensure that there are sufficient charging points to support the growing electric fleet. This month’s milestone reveals of the rapid pace of change already underway as the age of the combustion engine gives way to an all-electric era with vehicles offering both zero-emissions and a better driving experience.” In parallel to the increase in number of charging locations, new technologies are becoming available which offer higher charging rates. Whereas most ‘rapid’ units are rated at 50 kW, enabling a standard EV to be fully charged in 40 minutes, the latest ‘ultra-rapid’ units are capable of up to 350 kW; ready for the next generation of longer-range electric vehicles. References: Public EV charge point location information from Zap-Map’s database, both historical and current, covering the United Kingdom. Petrol station data from Experian Catalist Market Summary Report, April 2019, with historical downward trend highlighted by Statista. Zap-Map at the Fully Charged Show Next Green Car’s sister-company Zap-Map, the UK’s leading EV charge point platform, will be exhibiting at the Fully Charged Show in Silverstone from 7th to 9th June. The team are looking forward to meeting Zap-Map and EV users and will be celebrating the recent securing of investment from Good Energy, which supplies clean power, sourced from its own generation assets as well as from independent UK-based renewable generators. Come and meet us on Stand C54. Image courtesy of
Origin: EV charging sites overtake petrol stations for first time
Mercedes-AMG plans to build cars in China for the first time
Having caught on that the Chinese performance and luxury car market isn’t going anywhere but up anytime soon, Daimler has announced that, for the first time ever, it will be moving production of some of its Mercedes-AMG products to Beijing. The hope is Chinese buyers looking for a performance vehicle will be enticed over to the AMG nameplate by the new, closer production location. The first made-in-China AMG car will be the 2020 A 35 L 4MATIC long-wheelbase sedan, a China-market-exclusive that was formerly imported from Germany but will be produced in the brand’s Beijing site by the end of the year. The decision to move manufacturing of the A 35 AMG to the destination market was made easy by the fact that the long-wheelbase A-Class sedan currently on roads in China is already manufactured in the factory near Beijing, adjacent to the nation’s first AMG-exclusive dealer. Daimler is hoping the AMG A 35 L strikes the same chord with buyers that the A 45 hatchback did. As the entry-level option in China, the spunky compact A 45 has been Mercedes-AMG’s best-selling import to date. Despite the heavily congested roads, Chinese drivers are still opting for vehicles that offer an exciting driving experience, like AMG’s do. To support the push to win some of that performance market, AMG is also investing in a new experience centre at the Zhejiang Circuit in Shaoxing, where AMG fans can test the vehicles out of gridlock traffic.
Origin: Mercedes-AMG plans to build cars in China for the first time
5 Crazy badge swaps that are awesome and awful at the same time
Badge-swapping cars – where you take a badge or logo from one car and slap it on a car from an entirely different automaker – is a dangerous game, like Russian Roulette where five of the six chambers have bullets in them. Most of the time, it goes terribly wrong. Still, there are those who insist on a horse not being a horse if you give it a cow’s tail. Somebody’s got to tell them: sorry friend, your horse is friggin’ hideous.’ Here are some of the worst badge swap offenders, as well as a few that are actually not too bad. Elements of Range Rover You know, I bet this fools some people. Not that the Honda Element exactly channels classic Range Rover, but it does evoke the LR4, just a touch. But still, after first glance, this is a great big glass of Nope! The owner appears to have pulled just a few of the stops, adding bigger alloy wheels, hideous squared-off exhaust tips and that ‘RANGE ROVER’ across the rear. Image via Reddit. Honda Odyssey wearing BMW This reimagined Honda Odyssey sits so low as to look almost accidental, which does strange things to the brain. But the thing is, we kind of like the overall appearance, especially the German nose job. No, wait! We hate it! It’s blasphemy! Actually, it’s genius! It’s a terrible, beautiful, horrendous monster! Wherever you land on it, you’ve got to give some props to the Dr. Frankenstein who thought to put this BMW E92 3 Series coupe’s nose on a minivan. STI Envy View this post on Instagram Audi STI 😂 📷: @seff_ian #1320video A post shared by 1320video (@1320video) on Mar 21, 2019 at 8:32am PDT Why this person didn’t just sell the more expensive Audi A6 and buy the Subaru WRX STI they actually wanted is beyond reason. Because even though they didn’t switch Audi’s rings for Subaru’s stars, that spoiler is just as identifiable as an STI badge. The Hyundai Continental Here’s how to ruin a perfectly good Bentley Continental GT: Step one, change the badges on the rear, wheel caps and hood with those of a Hyundai. That’s it. It’s a simple one-step process, which this person has executed perfectly for the absolute worst results. Just why? Image via Autoblog. The elusive Audi pickup truck This is pure winner, mostly because we know its owner, one Reddit user ‘chunkukdo,’ isn’t taking themselves too seriously. He succinctly tells his Audi pickup’s origin story: “Had to replace the grill (hit a deer). Chevy emblem: $30, Audi emblem: $10. The reactions I get: priceless.” Respect. Do Hondas have Hemis? Either this one does or we’re being lied to. Gonna go out on a limb and say it’s the latter. But seriously, can somebody do this? Ken Block, you’re not doing much these days, are ya? But truly, while some people may be offended by V6 or AMG badges on lowly Corollas, having a sense of humour is never a bad way to look at shiny bits stuck on cars. Image via imgur. Operation Ferrari-ish Desmantelado taller clandestino en el que fabricaban réplicas de #Ferrari y #Lamborghini para vender en Internet. 3 detenidos #Girona pic.twitter.com/YFnGQePDvK Policía Nacional (@policia) February 12, 2017 Back in 2017, Spanish police busted a counterfeit Ferrari operation that was transforming Toyotas into prancing horses. Authorities raided the garage in the town of Sils and found badges, stickers and body kits the conniving mechanics were using to dupe some of the Internet’s more gullible car shoppers. We could assign some points for boldness, but the perpetrators won’t be able to spend them in prison anyway.
Origin: 5 Crazy badge swaps that are awesome and awful at the same time
Remember that time Chrysler bought Lamborghini?
1996 Lamborghini Diablo SV RClayton Seams / Driving For years, Lamborghini has been best-known for building the supercars in posters hung on your childhood bedroom’s wall, as a constant reminder to finish your homework on time. The Italian automaker was also known for something else, however — being perpetually broke. In 1987, Lamborghini was owned by brothers Robert, Jean-Claude, and Patrick Mimran, three Swiss billionaires who made their money in the sugar industry. However, nothing was as sweet as this week 32 years ago, when they sold Lamborghini to Chrysler for US$25.2 million. They were the only people to ever make money owning Lamborghini, according to Road and Track. Ouch. Chrysler was excited about the acquisition, investing almost double the purchase price back into Lamborghini. To show off the new venture, it decided to go all-out with a concept called the Portofino, but it’s not even close to the Ferrari that wears the name today. Instead, it was a mid-engined sedan with four scissor doors, a five-speed manual transmission, and the screaming V8 from the Jalpa — from which it also borrowed the chassis. Folks within Lamborghini called it a Big Potato, but they still had their jobs. The concept ended up being developed into designs that would define Chrysler for decades, so Chrysler owed them one. A big one. Enter the Diablo. Codenamed Project 132, it debuted on January 1, 1990 in Monte Carlo and the specs were insane, starting with a 492 horsepower V12 that could kill a Jaguar or Bugatti, in addition to a zero-to-60 mph time of just 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph — making it, at the time, the fastest car in the world. Marcello Gandini, who also designed the Miura, was responsible for the iconic lines and Dodge Viper designer Tom Gale also worked on the final design. Priced at a staggering US$211,050, the Diablo went on to earn Lamborghini US$1 million in profits by 1991. It seemed like Lamborghini was on top of the world — until it wasn’t. Chrysler began siphoning money from Lamborghini a year later after sales fell through the floor, and it was dropped like a big, hot potato. From gutter to glory, and back
Origin: Remember that time Chrysler bought Lamborghini?
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