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Welcome to the October edition of EV Powered.
As I write this we’re just recovering from the whirlwind of the Munich motor show.
This year’s IAA Mobility (to give it its proper name) was absolutely dominated by electrified vehicles, from well-established brands like BMW and Mercedes, to newcomers such as Denza and Xpeng.
You can read about all the biggest new models on page 10, but what I found refreshing was the sheer breadth of models revealed at the show. And the signs that some brands appear to be getting their mojo back, not least Volkswagen.
Wolfsburg’s finest had a bumpy start to its EV journey. The ID.3 has improved drastically, but it was poorly received initially. The ID.5 has been a failure and the ID.4, although selling well in Europe, is pretty uninspiring. The excellent ID.Buzz and ID.7 show that VW is finding its way, but priced north of £50,000, they’re hardly “the people’s car”. So it’s encouraging to see VW not only go back to its roots but also revive a familiar name with the ID Polo.
Changing the ID.2all name to ID Polo is a simple but powerful way to position the car – we all know what a Polo is and where it sits in the market. Making it look like a regular Polo is another win in making people comfortable with a new EV. And pricing it from £22,000 means Volkswagen really is back in the realms of the people’s car.
In general, there was a real feeling of positivity around the Volkswagen Group. The Polo was showcased as part of the new Electric Urban Car Family which will be built in Spain from next year. Alongside it were the ID Cross and the Skoda Epiq – both compact crossovers poised to challenge the Renault 4 with sub-£25,000 price tags and smart design. There was also the Cupra Raval, a stylish and sporty sibling to the Polo that could give the Alpine A290 a run for its money.
Cupra also revealed its Tindaya concept, which hints at a move even further upmarket to challenge Porsche and Alpine – a bold shift but one that could pay off for the stylish Spanish brand. And Skoda knocked it out of the park
once again with the stunning Vision O – a concept car but one that gives a clear idea of what to expect from the next-generation all-electric Octavia. Away from the VW Group, we saw technological milestones as BMW revealed the iX3 with a 500-mile range, Rimac confirmed progress on its solid state battery, and Mercedes showed off the GLC’s 1,000-LED light-up grille (I didn’t say they were all positive!). We also saw Polestar and Denza showcase outrageously powerful grand tourers to challenge Porsche and Lotus while at the other end of the scale Leapmotor unveiled two new models that are set to bring more high-specification, low-cost EVs to customers from later this year.
A few years ago the bulk of EV news out of car shows was about bland expensive SUVs or unobtainable hypercars that might never hit the road, so it’s pleasing to see the real-world EV scene in such rude health.
On that positive note, enjoy this month’s magazine.
Editor
Matt Allan
Reporter
George East
Graphic Designer
Grace Moseley
Videographer
Jacob Pinchbeck
Content Sales Manager
Laura Phillips
Capital Business Media, Group MD
Richard Alvin
Business Development Director
Stephen Banks
Chief Creative Director
Stuart Hyde
Finance Director
Andrew Martin
The Yangwang U9 hypercar snatched the crown after surging to a world-first 308.4mph run at the Automotive Testing Papenburg (ATP) high speed oval test track facility in Germany.
Now the fastest road-legal car in automotive history, the all-electric Yangwang U9 Xtreme dethrones the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ at the top of the fastest production car record table.
The all-conquering run surpasses a previous record-setting run which saw the U9 Extreme surpass the Aspark Owl as the fastest all-electric production car in late August.
Yangwang's U9 Xtreme record was set by endurance racer and test driver, Marc Basseng, who managed 'just' 233mph in the standard U9 in 2024.
Following his recent record-breaking run, Basseng said, "Something like this is not possible with a combustion engine. Thanks to the electric motor, the car is quiet, there are no load changes, and that allows me to focus even more on the track."
To set its most recent record, Yangwang engineers fitted the U9 Xtreme with an upgraded aero package, and reconfigured the car's clever DiSus-X suspension to handle the 300mph+ top speed.
BYD’s sports car spin-off has broken the world speed record for a production car with its U9 Xtreme.
They also worked with tyre maker Giti to develop a dedicated track-focused semi slick tyre, with new technology that prevents the wheel slipping within the tyre under the car's huge power.
To deliver its record-breaking pace, the U9 Xtreme generates a mind-boggling 2,959bhp from its four-motor setup, which can operate at 30,000rpm. Underneath, it rides on 1,200-volt architecture, a world first for any EV. For context, the regular U9 gets an 800V system and produces 1,288bhp, meaning even the most basic model is more potent than the most powerful Porsche Taycan. The Yangwang U9X uses an 80kWh lithiumion battery in the Chinese manufacturer's signature blade configuration, which is claimed to return up to 280 miles on the lenient Chinese testing cycle.
While Yangwang has confirmed it will produce just 30 U9 Xtreme models, it has yet to say whether any of them will be sold in the UK. No mention of pricing has been made, either. However, in China, the regular U9 starts from the equivalent of around £175,000.
While it’s unclear whether the U9 Xtreme will reach the UK, Yangwang has committed to coming to these shores in 2026. The brand is expected to launch with the high-end U8 SUV – a rival to the likes of the Mercedes G580 – and less potent versions of the U9 could also find their way into dealerships in the coming years.
The German sports car specialist has announced that its flagship SUV will be the first car to feature OEMbacked induction charging when it goes on sale in late 2025.
The Porsche Wireless Charging (PWC) system features a ground-mounted plate which delivers the energy and a receiver plate in the underside of the car. Energy is transferred through the air via a magnetic field generated between the transmitter and receiver coils.
Porsche says PWC will work with up to 90% efficiency and won’t be affected by debris such as leaves or snow on the charging pad. It can be installed in garages, car ports or open-air parking spaces and is wired directly to the mains supply in the same way a home wallbox is. With internet connectivity built in, it can be controlled via the Porsche app and offers the same remote control for starting, stopping and scheduling charging sessions
The next-generation Porsche Cayenne will be able to charge its batteries wirelessly via a smartphone-style induction pad.
The mid-sized EX60 EV will sit between the EX30 crossover and the full-size EX90 SUV, and production will begin at the Swedish carmaker’s Torslanda plant in Gothenburg during the first half of 2026.
While technical details are under wraps, Volvo promises that the new EX60 EV will deliver a longer WLTP range than any other Volvo EV to
Volvo will unveil its all-electric EX60 SUV at a livestream event in Stockholm, Sweden, on January 21 next year.
date. For context, the new ES90 saloon currently holds that title, courtesy of a 106kWh battery returning 435 miles from a single charge.
The key to the EX60 EV’s range is its new SPA3 architecture. SPA3 was developed exclusively by Volvo as an EV-only platform to replace SPA2, which underpins the ES90 and the EX90. Like the
ES90 and EX90, the EX60 EV will be centred on an advanced software stack, allowing it to accept over-the-air updates and extra features.
Pricing details are still some months away but the EX60 is expected to sit closer to high-end models such as the Porsche Macan rather than mainstream options such as the Tesla Model Y.
Mercedes has broken the EV endurance record for a solid state battery, after an EQS saloon travelled 749 miles on a single charge.
The luxury saloon fitted with an experimental solid state battery drove from Mercedes' hometown - Stuttgart in Germany - to Malmö, Sweden. The usual distance between the two cities is around 630 miles but to showcase the battery’s capabilities engineers plotted an alternative route featuring different topography and traffic conditions.
Despite the additional 120 or so miles, the EQS finished its trip with 85 miles of range left in reserve.
The solid-state battery used in the recordbreaking EQS is said to be "comparable" in size and weight to the EQS' usual 118kWh lithium-ion unit, which yields up 481 miles of range.
Mercedes chief technology, Markus Schäfer, described the tech as a "gamechanger" and said Mercedes plans to "bring innovations like this into series production by the end of the decade".
The Citroen Type H panel van has made a comeback as an EV thanks to a tie-up between Citroen 2CV specialists, The 2CV Shop, and Italian coachbuilders, Caselani.
Based on the all-electric Citroen Relay, the 2025 Citroen Type H EV wears a modernised version of the corrugated metal bodywork of the original. The body is built by Caselani in Italy, then shipped to the UK where the rest of the electrified Type H is put together by The 2CV Shop under licence from Citroen.
Inside, the original Type H was a pared-back affair but the modern interpretation gets an HD touchscreen, climate control, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay compatibility.
Dubbed “An Icon Reborn” and priced from £52,995 (plus VAT), the Citroen Type H EV remains a capable load-lugger with a payload of up to 1,385kg, plus a load volume of up to 17m3. In terms of range, its 110kWh battery returns a 260mile range, and can support 150kW fastcharging.
Toyota has announced that it will begin manufacturing its next all-electric vehicle at its plant in the city of Kolín, Czech Republic.
The yet-to-be named EV will be the first to be made at one of the Japanese giant's European factories. When production begins, it will see the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Czech Republic (TMMCZ) mega site grow from 152,000 square metres to 173,000m2.
The Kolín factory's expansion will accommodate on-site battery production, plus a paint shop, and welding facility. The development will cost Toyota around £592 million. Meanwhile, the Czech government will contribute an additional £55.6m towards the dedicated battery assembly facility.
The factory currently produces its Aygo X and Yaris Hybrid models. Its shift to add EV production will support Toyota’s broadening EV plans which have seen it announce the mid-sized C-HR+ SUV, the 376bhp bZ4X Touring estate, an updated bZ4X, and its Urban Cruiser compact crossover this year.
BYD has announced that Dolphin Surf will be the first car produced at its new factory in Hungary.
The Chinese automotive giant plans to open its first European factory near Szeged in the coming months and says it is on track to start production before the end of 2025.
BYD’s executive vice president Stella Li said the compact city car would lead the charge of building cars for Europe in Europe. She said: “Europe is a tremendously important market for us, so it’s natural that our Dolphin Surf will be the first car that we manufacture in Hungary.”
She also confirmed that BYD was on track to bring its Flash Charging system to Europe. Ms Li said that installation of the first chargers, which can operate at up to 1,000kW and add 248 miles of range in five minutes, was due to begin earlier than anticipated. She said that between 200 and 300 charging stations would be installed by quarter two of 2026.
Pre-orders have started for the new, all-electric Geely EX5 SUV, as the parent company of Volvo and Lotus arrives as a standalone brand in the UK.
Despite owning several familiar marques, the EX5 is the first Geely-badged vehicle bound for the UK, and is a C-segment SUV aimed squarely at the likes of the Skoda Enyaq, the Kia EV6, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, and other similar vehicles from China such as the Leapmotor C10.
The Geely EX5 is priced from £31,990 for the entry-level SE model, and is available with either a 49.5kWh battery or a 60.2kWh unit offering a maximum WLTP range of 267 miles. With a 160kW DC charger, the Geely EX5 can be charged from 30-80% in 20 minutes.
Like other recent Chinese imports, there’s a heavy focus on the equipment list with automatic LED headlights, ventilated and massaging front seats, 256-colour ambient lighting, dual-zone air-conditioning and vehicle-to-vehicle power supply as standard. While Apple CarPlay is also standard, Android Auto is only available as a third-party add-on.
Used car specialist Cinch has revealed that more EVs were sold on its platform than diesels for the first time in August 2025, with electrified vehicles outselling oil burners 16% to 13%.
This is a stark contrast to August 2024, when EVs comprised 10% of all sales and diesels made up 19%. The information also showed that Cinch sold 66 different EV models in August, compared to 47 during the same period in 2024.
The brand's head of electric vehicles, Abhishek Sampat, believes that the increase is driven by increased variety. He commented: "EVs used to be a relatively niche choice, but not anymore - one in every six cars we sell is now an EV, and the uptake is growing each month.
"The variety of vehicles now available - from family-friendly SUVs to small, affordable hatchbacks - is being driven by consumer demand."
Sampat's comments are reflected in Cinch's top-selling EVs of 2025 so far, with the Tesla Model 3, Nissan Leaf, Mini Electric, Vauxhall Corsa Electric, and the Kia e-Niro ranking as the top five most popular.
Recent weeks saw many of the world’s largest and most important car makers gather in Germany for the annual Munich motor show.
Officially known as IAA Mobility 2025, the massive event acts as a showcase for all the biggest models coming in the next year, as well as plenty of concept cars that hint at what might be further down the line. And this year, more than ever, there was an emphasis on EVs – from sensible hatchbacks to 900bhp grand tourers.
Audi’s presence in Munich was relatively low-key but it did have one big draw on its stand – the Concept C.
Although a concept car, the two-door, two-seat all-electric roadster gives a glimpse of Audi’s future EV strategy and a potential replacement for the famous TT. The minimalist interior and exterior marks a departure from the over-designed look of recent models, with a focus on simple, timeless lines. Technical details are scarce, but any production model is likely to sit on the same PPE platform as the upcoming all-electric Porsche 718 models.
BMW finally pulled the camouflage off its first Neue Klasse car at Munich revealing a somewhat challenging front end behind which hides some impressive tech.
The upright kidney grilles and glossy headlight surrounds have split opinion but the rest of the iX3’s design gives hope for the Neue Klass range with its clean, modern and restrained lines. Inside, the iX3 debuts the new ultra-high tech Panoramic iDrive but under the skin is where it really impresses. The latest sixth-generation eDrive system brings weight saving and efficiency improvements and can deliver up to 500 miles of range from its 108kWh battery. That’s even with a 463bhp four-wheel-drive powertrain capable of 0-62mph in under 5 seconds.
The Concept Three is another one to file under “will become reality”.
It might lose the yellow glasshouse and the gullwing doors, and the angular design is likely to be toned down but this three-door hatchback gives a flavour of what to expect from the upcoming Ioniq 3. It’s a departure from Hyundai’s current SUV-heavy EV line-up and introduces new interior and exterior design languages to show how exterior metal can be sculpted and interior materials can be adapted to create a more natural environment. It also features a return to more physical controls, showing Hyundai is listening to its customers. Under the shiny new looks, the finished Ioniq 3 is likely to use the same E-GMP platform as the Inster and Kia EV3, with around 210bhp and more than 350 miles of range.
Cupra revealed two different sides of its EV strategy at Munich. At the sensible end was the Raval, a sporty supermini that will go into production in early 2026.
Sharing its platform with the VW Polo, the sharply styled Raval is expected to offer two battery options with up to 273 miles of range from a 56kWh battery and multiple motors, including a 223bhp unit in a potent VZ model. At the other end of the scale, the Spanish brand showed off the Tindaya concept car which boss Markus Haupt said “will become a reality”. At 4.7m long and with close to 500bhp from a two-motor setup, It is expected to go head-to-head with the Porsche Macan and Alpine A390 when it arrives later this decade.
The B05 is its answer to the Volkswagen ID.3. It’s a sporty-looking five-door family hatchback which is set to compete with the VW, Renault Megane and other budget-focused models such as the MG4 and BYD Dolphin. Leapmotor didn’t share technical details but it is expected to use the same mechanicals as the related B10 SUV, which also appeared at Munich. That C-segment SUV will go on sale later this year offering up to 270 miles of range and a 215bhp front-mounted motor. Under its bland-looking exterior, the B10 packs a button-free cabin with a massive touchscreen. It is also expected to bring high levels of equipment and a starting price of around £30,000.
Polestar used Munich to unveil its most ambitious model yet.
Shown for the first time in full production form, the Polestar 5 is a £140,000 super-GT based on the radical Precept concept car. It’s the first car to be built on a purely Polestar platform and has allowed the premium brand to deliver new levels of performance as well as explore new approaches to sustainability inside and out. Even the most basic version of this grand four-door fastback has 737bhp courtesy of a two-motor setup, while the “Performance” model packs a whopping 871bhp and 749lb ft. That’s enough to get it from 0-62mph in just 3.2 seconds. The big numbers don’t stop there, with a range of up to 416 miles in the standard car and a price of between £89,500 and £142,900.
Mercedes used its home event to show off its rival to the new BMW iX3 and Audi Q6 e-tron.
The GLC is the much-needed replacement for the discontinued EQC and packs some big numbers into its premium frame. Not least of them are the hundreds of LEDs used to light up its massive “Iconic Grille”. Also pushing the boundaries is the 39-inch one-piece digital screen that dominates the dashboard, and a 94kWh battery. Mercedes says this should be good for up to 435 miles of range, with up to 330kW charging. Five powertrain options will eventually be available, with a two-motor, 483bhp EQ 400 sitting at the top of the line-up.
Skoda used Munich to show off its next generation of EV design with the Vision O.
More than just an idea of its design language, though, the radical estate concept also gave the first indications of what to expect from the first all-electric Octavia with its sharp, shooting brake style, clean lines and minimalist interior. Also on the stand was the Epiq in near-production form. This compact crossover will be Skoda’s cheapest EV and go toe-to-toe with the Renault 4, offering 264 miles of range, around 210bhp and a starting price under £25,000. Skoda says the Epiq will focus on practicality and usability, with impressive space and a simple user-friendly interior design.
Vauxhall unveiled two very different vehicles at Munich (albeit under parent company Opel’s branding).
The more outlandish was the Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo – a computer-game inspired hot hatch concept with 789bhp and a top speed of 200mph. Claimed to be able to go from 0-62mph in under 2 seconds, the wild show car will find its way into the Gran Turismo 7 game but not real life. What is coming to the real world is the Mokka GSE, a cousin to the hot Abarth 600e. Like the Italian model, the Mokka gets a boost to 276bhp, a mechanical LSD and host of chassis tweaks that should turn this humdrum crossover into a bundle of fun.
Volkswagen used Munich to show off three upcoming models, although two were kept partly under wraps.
On full display was the ID Cross, Volkswagen’s cousin to the Skoda Epiq. Like the Epiq, it is a sub-£25k crossover due out in early 2026 designed to straddle the space between urban runaround and family wagon. Alongside it, VW showed off the new ID Polo and its GTI sibling. Polo is the new name for the ID.2all and fits with VW’s plan to use existing names on its future EVs. It’s based on the same platform as the Cross and is expected to use the same 38kWh or 56kWh batteries and 208bhp. The Polo GTI, however, will get its own 223bhp motor for a “new and powerful GTI experience”, when it arrives in autumn 2026.
After 30 years or so of wishful thinking, I can now call myself a rally driver... albeit with a caveat. While my rally career didn't take me to the sweeping gravel stages of Finland, the fact I completed the 2025 Explorer EV Rally means I've fulfilled a childhood dream and am one degree away from being Kalle Rovanperä. In my mind.
After all, by no means did I make my first appearance as a rally driver behind the wheel of a fire-spitting, exhaust-popping Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. Instead, my rally debut was driving the oh-so-quiet, all-electric Farizon SV. If you hadn't heard of the brand, don't worry - neither had we until late last year.
For reference, then, the Farizon SV is a purpose-built all-electric van from Farizon, a subsidiary of Geely - the absurdly massive Chinese automotive conglomerate which owns everything from Volvo to Lotus.
The SV is quite a handsome thing, too. Don't get me wrong, the Farizon SV isn't headturning in the way that Geely products such as the Volvo ES90 and Polestar 5 are, but for a five-metre long load-lugger, it's nice. Not dissimilar to Renault’s upcoming range of next-gen electric vans, in fact.
The two-tone stepped front end - or "Urban Efficient Aesthetics" - gives it a premium look over competitors from Stellantis and Ford, and Farizon says this efficiency-driven approach gives it a drag coefficient of just 0.29Cd. To put that into perspective, the ultraslippery Cd of the Mercedes EQS - the world’s most aerodynamically-efficient car - is 0.20Cd.
Aero efficiency isn't the only area where Farizon has put plenty of thought into the SV. Instead of ripping the derv-burner out of an existing van and swapping it for an electric drivetrain, the firm has built the SV as a ground-up EV and the UK's first and only software-defined panel van. It also includes some very clever drive-by-wire underpinnings for throttle, brake and steering, which reduce the number and weight of components in the search for better energy efficiency and longer range.
The van I'm driving - that's the ‘Jade Green’ one, by the way - comes with a 228bhp front-mounted motor, which is paired with an 83kWh battery returning a range of up to 234 miles. That's £48,000, please and thank you.
With the technical details of the Farizon SV out of the way, now's probably a good time to explain more about the 2025 Explorer EV Rally. The event has been doing the rounds since 2021, and is focused on changing perceptions around EVs.
Rather than blatting down a narrow gravel road in pursuit of the fastest special stage time, the Explorer EV Rally is more of an exercise in mythbusting: it was created to show how an EV can be used to do large distances, and how public charging is far more reliable than the EV sceptics would claim.
This year's Explorer EV Rally began in Newquay in Cornwall and wrapped up at Tatton Park in Cheshire. Over the course of the five-day event, journalists, fleet managers, and prospective customers covered a total of 1,043 miles along the country’s motorways, B-roads, and back lanes across the length and breadth of the United Kingdom.
Commitments elsewhere meant I couldn't drive the whole route. I was, however, tasked with driving the Farizon SV for the fifth and final leg of the rally.
The day took me from where I live in the Peak District to the day's first checkpoint in Manchester (27.5 miles away), on to a second at the Chamber House Solar Farm in Rochdale (a further 14.3 miles away), and then on to the rally finish at the rather lovely Tatton park (19.2 miles down the road). In total this amounted to 61 miles of stressfree motoring - a fraction of what the van had covered in previous days but a useful insight into the thinking behind both the SV and the rally.
While the checkpoints were largely a bit of fun, they did add a sense of being on a proper pointto-point rally. In place of a timecard, competitors checked in by uploading a photo of themselves at the checkpoint on social media, then earmarking it with a set of pre-defined hashtags.
As someone who has harboured a life-long love for rallying, this added some serious excitement and I soon found myself tuning my inner co-driver to ensure everything was uploaded correctly before continuing my way to my next checkpoint.
When speaking to Farizon's incredibly thorough, incredibly helpful PR representative, Jamie, he was keen to stress that the SV is the world's first all-electric panel van to come with an independent dual-wishbone front suspension and rear leaf springs. Paired with Geely's GXA-M electric 'skateboard' architecture, it gives the SV a lower centre of gravity to return a more car-like drive.
Now, I'm not saying that the Farizon SV handles like a BMW i4. It doesn't. Yet the clever suspension, low-riding platform and FWD set-up does make it feel different to a regular RWD panel van.
On the twisty, undulating Cat & Fiddle road taking you to Macclesfield and on into Manchester, the Farizon darts about with surprising agility. The ride doesn't jiggle those bits of excess you didn't know you had or had conveniently wiped from your memory. Dare I say... you can even get a bit of a hustle on?
On the M60 motorway into the city, the Farizon SV's "car-like" characteristics once again shone through. It rides nicely at motorway cruising speeds, and would lose around a percentage of battery every two miles. When I set off from the Peak District, the van had 64% of its full 234-mile range remaining. By the time things finished at Tatton Park, around 20% was left.
As the Farizon is from China - a nation that seems to specialise in the excellent battery tech and ghoulish infotainment systems - I expected the SV's 12.3-inch floating touch screen to be the only, nightmarish way of operating the dual-zone climate control.
Fortunately it isn’t, and changing the airflow inside the cabin is done via good ol' fashioned switchgear. The vents are also trimmed in a very pleasant copper, not dissimilar to that used by Cupra, and there are smatterings of the stuff around the cabin.
The touchscreen is fine to use, but there are some "curious" translations from Chinese to English. My favourite was HVAC’s air speed, which was described as "blowing". Ooh matron.
The graphics on the driver display screen are a bit... early-2010s Android, but this is a van. It's built with the sole purpose of lugging stuff about. If I were spending £48k on a top-tier car whose on-board graphics resembled a 2010 HTC phone, then I'd have a problem. But the Farizon SV is not that. So I don’t care.
Farizon says it designed the SV to be as comfortable and as car-like as possible. After all, its target market spends more time on the road than your average UK driver. This is evident with standard luxuries such as dual-zone blowing, heated and cooled seats for both passenger and driver, plus Apple CarPlay.
It's not entirely plain sailing around North West England, though. Granted, I could be playing the part of the massively over-indulged car writer, but the Farizon SV's pedal box felt tiny. Now, I'm not exactly Goofy in the shoe department, but Hell's Teeth, it's cramped and I found my ankle aching by the end of the day's driving.
Completing the 2025 Explorer EV Rally at Tatton Park was an oddly special feeling. Sure, the
checkpoints were a bit of fun and there was no real jeopardy involved thanks to the van's solid long-distance ability, but I enjoyed how they encouraged you to hurry up. In terms of real world use and application, were there chargers on site, you could easily use the checkpoints to top up your vehicle’s battery for a couple of minutes. Rolling into Tatton Park was special, too. It's a spectacular locale, and a genuinely pretty part of the UK. In the grounds of the Tatton Hall stately home, goats and deer roam freely in verdant pastures, while those seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of nearby Manchester on a late Friday afternoon appear just as bereft of worries. The fact that the late summer afternoon light draped everything in a golden light may have something to do with my romantic tableau, but I'm still taking it.
Pedal box aside, I very much enjoyed my time with the SV. I have no need for a van in my life, but I've always liked them - I find them joyous for reasons I can't quite explain. Perhaps my dedicated “Van Choons” playlist played a part here, but whatever. It added to a day that was built about celebrating the great and the good of EVs.
I also appreciate the level of thought the Farizon has put into making a dedicated ground-up vehicle as opposed to simply swapping an internal combustion engine for electric and being done with it.
Will the SV catch on as Farizon hopes it will? That I don't know. But I can say this for certain - the 2025 Explorer EV Rally set out what it aimed to do: dispel any concerns about EV range anxiety. It's really not a thing anymore. Even when you're driving a 2.2-tonne van.
I’m already looking forward to next year’s event.
FARIZON SAYS IT DESIGNED THE SV TO BE AS COMFORTABLE AND AS CAR-LIKE AS POSSIBLE. After all, its target market spends more time on the road than your average UK driver.
The Micra is 3.97m long, meaning interior space is always going to be at a premium. That said, there’s generous room up front and plenty of adjustment in the driving position, so even tall drivers will manage fine. The rear seats, however, really are only suitable for children or very occasional use. That’s true of any car in this class, and being a five-door gives the Micra a practical advantage over three-door alternatives. The Micra also boasts a 326-litre boot that’s plenty big enough for day-to-day needs and bigger than the offerings from BYD, Citroen or Mini.
The Nissan Micra comes with two powertrain options – there’s an entry-level version which uses a 40kWh battery and 118bhp motor, or a 52kWh battery version with 148bhp.
The smaller battery version offers up to 198 miles of range and a 0-62mph time of 9 seconds. The 52kWh variant I drove manages 0-62mph in 8 seconds and covers up to 260 miles on a charge.
In both cases, the Nissan Micra offers seven miles more range than the equivalent Renault 5 thanks
to its less angular front design – another small but potentially decisive advantage.
From the wheel, the 148bhp motor feels a good match for the car. The Micra is no hot hatch but there’s an immediate response from the throttle and plenty of pep right up to motorway speeds. That’s matched by well calibrated and natural feeling braking regeneration which, in highergrade models, features four selectable levels, including one-pedal driving via e-Pedal paddles on the steering wheel.
There are also four driving modes – eco, comfort, sport and the customisable “perso” – none of which make a massive difference to the driving experience. That’s okay because the Micra drives sweetly whichever mode you’re in and wherever you are. The relatively compact footprint, well-weighted steering and nicely balanced throttle mean it’s easy to thread around busy urban environments. But at motorway speeds it feels solid, controlled and impressively refined. For a small car, the ride is impressively compliant without verging into spongy.
When it comes to charging, every Micra will accept an AC charge at up to 11kW, while DC varies by battery. The 40kWh version tops out at 80kW, the 52kWh one at 100kW. In both cases that translates to a 15-80% charge in around 30 minutes.
Anyone hoping the Nissan Micra might undercut its French stablemate to stand out will be disappointed. Nissan’s pricing structure is identical to Renault’s, but that still means the Micra is attractively priced, with Evolve spec starting at £22,995.
For that, you get the smaller battery and a pareddown specification. It still comes with a heat pump, automatic air conditioning, rear parking sensors and the 10.1-inch touchscreen, but it does without the alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control or the 10.1-inch Google-powered instrument display fitted to the Advance trim.
The Advance grade also adds LED headlights, front parking sensors and a reversing camera as well as wireless phone charging and the e-Pedal.
With the smaller battery, it’s an extra £2,000, while the Advance 52kWh (our pick of the bunch) is £26,995.
If you want heated seats and steering wheel, a Harman Kardon stereo and two-tone paint, you’ll need to find £29,895 for the 52kWh-only Evolve trim.
At the time of writing, all versions of the Nissan Micra also qualify for the UK Government’s Electric Car Grant, knocking £1,500 off their onthe-road price.
From price to performance and interior design, there is no escaping that the new Nissan Micra is almost identical to the Renault 5. But, if you’re going to borrow, borrow from the best.
The R5 was World Car of the Year and the Nissan shares all the qualities that earned it that title, making the Micra one of the very best electric cars on sale.
Which of these brilliant superminis is for you will come down to brand loyalty, aesthetic preference or who has the more attractive offers at the dealership.
PRICE: £29,895
TRANSMISSION:
Single-motor, front-wheel-drive
BATTERY: 52kWh
POWER: 148bhp
TORQUE: 181lb ft
TOP SPEED: 93mph
0-62MPH: 8 seconds
RANGE: 260 miles
CONSUMPTION: 4.1m/kWh
CHARGING: up to 100kW
Every version of the Atto 2 gets a panoramic sunroof to enhance the feeling of space and the Atto 2 gets other touches such as electrically adjustable seats that generally only come on pricier variants of rivals.
As you’d expect, there’s a big old touchscreen at the centre of the dash, in this case a 12.8-inch affair. Like other BYDs this rotates and is the control centre for virtually every element of the car. And, like the rest of the BYD family, it is still an awkward mass of shortcuts, menus and pointless features you’ll never use. Having to dive into sub-sub-menus to manage day-to-day functions simply isn’t good enough. A simplified layout or, better still, actual buttons would quickly alleviate this persistent and unnecessary problem. It does at least support wireless Apple and Android mirroring for a simple media and navigation arrangement. And it’s got a built-in karaoke mode, if that’s what floats your boat.
BYD is keeping customers’ options simple with the Atto 2. There are two trim levels, each with its own battery and motor combination.
The basic Boost model I drove uses a 174bhp motor and a 51.1kWh battery for a maximum range of 216 miles. Later this year the Comfort spec will arrive
with a 201bhp motor and 64.8kWh battery. That will push the range up to 261 miles but the extra weight means both have the same 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds and top speed of 99mph.
In both cases, those are decent stats, but some similarly priced alternatives offer more impressive range.
With those identical stats, the biggest attraction of the Comfort grade is the longer range and significantly faster DC charging (155kW v 82kW), which cuts a 10-80% charge from 38 to 25 minutes, despite the bigger battery.
Otherwise, the performance of the Boost is certainly perky enough for this class, with decent immediate response from the throttle that keeps going right up to the national speed limit. There are four drive modes which make changes to the throttle and steering, but they’re pretty minor shifts. There’s no one-pedal mode, but two stages of braking regen work pretty well in most circumstances and it’s an easy car to potter about in.
And pottering is what the Atto 2 does best. Around town the light steering, small footprint and nippy throttle response work well and make
urban manoeuvring simple. Outside of town at higher speeds the steering is too vague and there’s an alarming amount of body roll which is emphasised by the oddly high seating position. While you’d expect a car that wallows as much as this to have a soft ride, the Atto 2 has a strangely uneven damping that still thumps over bad surfaces regardless of your speed.
BYD’s approach to price and specification is simple and easy to understand.
The Kia, Skoda, Volvo and Smart start at £30k but end up north of £40k. In the Skoda’s case, there's also a wide array of trim, battery and motor combinations which means greater choice but a confusing line-up.
The Atto 2, in comparison, starts at £30,850 for the Boost and tops out at £34,950 for the Comfort, and there are no paid-for options, just a choice of four exterior colours included in the price.
Every version comes with the previously mentioned panoramic roof; 17inch alloy wheels, heated seats; a 12.8-inch screen with wireless phone mirroring and charging plus an eight-speaker sound system; heat pump and
vehicle-to-load capability. Comfort grade will add tinted rear glass, lumbar support for the driver and an extra 50 litres of boot space, although BYD hasn’t yet explained how it achieves this. There’s also a standard-fit suite of overbearing driver “assistance” including the most aggressive lane centring system I think I’ve ever encountered.
At the entry price, it offers a bit of extra space and equipment compared with rivals such as the Jeep or Ford, and this is where it makes most sense.
Once you reach £35,000 it’s mixing it with the Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq which are more spacious, better to drive and have nicer, more user-friendly cabins.
In the Kia’s case, it’s also got an extra 100 miles of range.
In isolation, the BYD Atto 2 is a decent enough entrant into this packed market, but it’s not one that stands out.
It’s better equipped than many similarly priced rivals and offers reasonable space, build quality and decent performance. But it’s let down by an unfriendly user interface, poor ride and handling and range and charging speeds that aren’t as good as rivals’.
Price: £30,850
Powertrain: Single-motor, front-wheel-drive
Battery: 51.1kWh
Power: 174bhp
Torque: 214lb ft
Top speed: 99mph 0-62mph: 7.9 seconds
Range: 216 miles
Consumption: 3.9m/kWh
Charging: up to 82kW
The rest of the cabin is standard Mach-E. That means plenty of space for a family of four, lots of useful storage space and a fairly simple driving environment. A slimline digital display gives you the key information ahead of you and everything else is managed via a 15.5-inch portrait touchscreen. This features various configurable shortcut buttons, swipe-down menus and a giant physical volume dial. It’s far from the worst example and most functions are within a couple of screen presses but I still missed proper buttons for basic controls.
Ford says the Mustang Mach-E Rally “pushes electric vehicles in a different direction”. We’ve had plenty of fast road-focused EVs but this, says Ford, is about creating one that’s fun off road too.
Underpinning it is the same all-wheel-drive powertrain as the range-topping Mach-E GT, which is certainly no slouch.
The battery remains a 91kWh unit capable of 316 miles. Power output for the Rally is the same at 480bhp, but torque is increased to 701lb ft. The 0-62mph run takes just 3.6 seconds and top speed is capped at 124mph. What is different is the presence of a dedicated RallySport drive mode, Michelin CrossClimate 2 tyres with a more aggressive tread pattern and that 20mm suspension lift – all designed to make the Mach-E come alive away from the Tarmac.
In testing the Mach-E Rally I faced the same problem most buyers will – there aren’t a lot of publicly accessible gravel stages near me.
Instead, I had to make do with a brief excursion along a suitably abandoned forestry trail. Within that limited testing environment, you can feel what Ford has tried to do with the Mach-E Rally. Switch into RallySport mode and it spins its wheels, throwing up gravel in the TV-approved way. Once it finds some traction it rockets along with grin-inducing speed and slows down again equally rapidly thanks to meaty Brembo brakes.
Loose gravel and even looser traction control means it’s easy to make the back end step away and slide the car around. Here the Mustang feels mostly rear-drive and gleefully silly. Thankfully, though, the front motor is there to help pull the car straight again and spare your blushes if you get too deep into your Marcus Gronholm fantasies.
Perhaps most remarkable is the ride which does a brilliant job of soaking up the mess of the trail without removing too much feedback. The car feels like it’s filtering out the ruts and bumps while remaining planted to the road.
Overall, it’s a lot of fun and vindicates Ford’s efforts. But... there’s a clear compromise to allow that playfulness off-road.
On the road you feel the effect of the higher ride height and the taller, softer sidewalls. The car moves about more under you, it leans more and there’s distinctly less grip from those cross climate tyres. In some ways that makes the car more involving and playful but it also means you can’t be quite as enthusiastic on-road as in the regular Mach-E.
How much of a problem that will be depends on just how often an owner plans on “playing in the dirt”, as Ford would have it.
Although there’s quite a bit of difference between the two, the Mustang Mach-E Rally is, in reality, an options package for the GT rather than a standalone separate mode.
Pick your fully kitted-out GT then pay an extra £2,250 and Ford will transform it into what you see in the pictures.
That means a list price of £69,800. Yes, you get all the sort of gadgets and luxuries you’d expect from a flagship model, but it is a lot for something that can best be described as a toy.
Driving the Mach-E Rally on-road I struggled to see the point of it. After getting it “into the wild” and onto some slippery surfaces it made more
sense. But I still struggle to see who’s going to buy it.
Ford’s marketing material talks about a car “ready to play in the dirt” and it feels like it meets that brief with its yobbish looks and low-grip laughs.
The problem is I just can’t see many owners bashing their £70,000 EV around their nearest forest stage, even if they can gain access to it.
And if you’re after an in-your-face performance EV, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is cheaper and better everywhere except on those forest stages.
That said, I do have a soft spot for the totally unnecessary Ranger Raptor, and the Mach-E Rally falls squarely into the same camp. It serves no purpose but to show that Ford has a sense of humour and that EVs can have character.
Price: £69,800
Powertrain: Two-motor, all-wheel-drive
Battery: 91kWh
Power: 480bhp
Torque: 701lb ft
Top speed: 124mph
0-62mph: 3.6 seconds
Range: 316 miles
Consumption: 2.92m/kWh
Charging: up to 150kW
That meant cramming our long-limbed brood of five into this mid-sized SUV to see how it coped. As a family we generally struggle fitting into what car makers call “family” vehicles. Most mainstream models are set up to be comfortable for four, and then there’s the legroom issue caused by a 6’ 5” driver and three long-legged children.
The Scenic is no different in terms of handling five passengers. With four onboard there are no complaints, but the middle rear seat is narrower and raised slightly and leaves the poor soul stuck there feeling a bit squeezed. That said, every car in this class has a similar problem, and the Scenic isn’t the worst. It also claws back brownie points with its relatively generous legroom that means there’s still space for somebody with legs to fit behind me when I’m driving.
The width issue is really only a problem if you regularly need to carry five on board, otherwise the Scenic is surprisingly roomy for its relatively small footprint. You discover how Renault’s done that when you get to the boot. It’s a very competitive 545 litres but there’s a deep lip that makes loading heavy items harder than in rivals with a longer body and flat load floor. Positively, the rear seats fold to create a totally flat area offering up to 1,670 litres of space, and there’s a deep well beneath the floor for cables and other odds and ends.
Back in the cabin, you can tell the Scenic has been designed by people with families who understand how they use a car. There are lots of charging ports front and rear (even if the front ones are hidden under the armrest) and 38 litres of storage space dotted around the place. There’s also the brilliant “Ingenious” rear armrest.
PRICE: £45,495 (£46,745 as tested)
POWERTRAIN: Single-motor, front-wheel-drive
BATTERY: 87kWh
POWER: 215bhp
TORQUE: 221lb ft
TOP SPEED: 105mph
0-62MPH: 7.9 seconds
RANGE: 369 miles
CONSUMPTION: 3.7m/kWh
CHARGING: up to 150kW
This neatly packages storage space, charging ports, cupholders and phone mounts within a simple swivelling mechanism that takes up no more space than any other car’s regular cupholders. It will hold two phones angled towards each passenger or can accommodate a larger tablet in the middle, leaving hands free to pick noses and crush biscuit crumbs into the cream-coloured upholstery (one element perhaps designed by someone without kids).
Then there’s the Solarbay sunroof that uses liquid crystal technology to go from clear to opaque at the touch of a button. Not only does this mean there’s no big blind to steal headroom but it also features multiple elements so you can dim or lighten the front and rear sections independently.
The family focus goes further than the physical conveniences. If you find yourself stopped to charge there’s a bespoke version of the SongPop tuneguessing game that can be played via the main screen. What’s clever is that you can connect up to four mobile devices to act like quiz show buzzers so you can properly compete with your nearest and dearest. Or in my case, be embarrassed by your complete ignorance of anything newer than Metallica’s “Black Album”.
It all feels like a package pulled together by people who understand families and have properly considered their needs. So, a suitable family car? As long as there’s not too many of you, absolutely.
Arrived:
Following the recent cancellation of the FIA World Rallycross championship, two-time World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm explains why EVs weren’t entirely to blame for the death of the sport, and hints at what might just bring his GRX team back to the World RX grid if the championship returns.
On September 18 this year, the FIA announced that there would be no more World Rallycross for the immediate future. Instead, the sport would return to European Rallycross status for 2026, with a possible return as a World Championship in 2028.
Most markedly of all, the FIA's move to kill off World RX – albeit temporarily – marked the death knell for EVs in the sport, for the foreseeable future, at least.
From the outset, it would be easy to blame the all-electric RX1e cars for World RX's demise. When the EVs debuted in 2022, their whooshing electric motors replaced the artillery-esque banging and popping turbocharged combustion engines – a soundtrack synonymous with World RX since it began in 2014 – enraging many fans.
The fact that the EVs packed over 600bhp and their instant torque fitted well with the short, sharp format of World Rallycross didn't matter to the more traditional followers of the sport. Things took another negative turn in 2024. At the World RX of the United Kingdom event at Lydden Hill, a battery fire caused by the Special ONE Racing team's Lancia Delta Evo-e RX ripped through the paddock, and led to the cancellation of the RX1e class until 2024.
For what would turn out to be the penultimate World RX season, the 2024 World RX season saw EVs compete against their ICE counterparts for victory in what the FIA dubbed the Battle of Technologies. The format continued into 2025, a season which saw KMS man Johan Kristofferson crowned World Rallycross champion for the eighth time.
Kristofferson’s record-breaking title wasn't without controversy, though. The Swede swapped his ICE Volkswagen Polo to the one with a competitive EV powertrain after being soundly beaten at the opening round of the year in Lousada, Portugal.
Despite Kristofferson’s success and the fact that the all-electric RX1e cars won 50% of the races they
entered, EVs struggled to prove themselves to fans and the FIA’s announcement appears to signal the end of the EV v ICE era. So EV Powered spoke to Marcus Grönholm to take a more holistic look into how the EV project in World Rallycross ended up here.
As well being a double World Rally Championship, the Finn turned his hand to rallycross after retiring from the WRC at the end of 2007.
As well as competing in Euro RX and winning on his championship debut in Höljes, Sweden, Grönholm's GRX rally team competed in World RX from 2017 to 2021. During those five seasons, GRX scored a total of seven victories with Marcus’ son Niclas (pictured above with Marcus) and Timur Timurzyanov both winning races.
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While GRX didn't compete in the electric era, Niclas drove for the EV-powered Volvo CE Dealer Team, and secured second place in this year’s WRX championship. From 2022 to 2025, Niclas scored three wins, bringing his World RX career tally to nine victories.
"We have to be honest that the noise and drama is very important for World RX fans, and it’s why they didn't really like the electric cars - that's clear," the elder Grönholm explains. "But to blame the collapse of World RX completely on EVs? I don't think that's correct.
sport was definitely missing something with the electrics.
"I'm also very thankful to Volvo and CE Dealer, because Niclas got a full time drive with a professional team, and I didn't have to get involved with anything like paying bills or finding sponsors," he laughs.
sport dates back to 1974 and has one of the most die-hard fanbases in motorsport – a fanbase who embrace the noise, dirt and chaos and see it all as core to the sport.
"Without fans, there is no motorsport. It's that easy."
"CE Dealer had a very good run in the sport. They did everything extremely professionally. Both the EVs by themselves and against the combustion cars, everything looked very good on TV. I've driven the PWR-run CE Dealer car several times on promo events, and it's good fun – it feels like a proper racing car. Trackside, though, the
Johan Kristofferson won the championship in an EV
The growth and success of Formula E since its 2014 debut season shows that electrified motorsport can do well and attract a new audience, but the world's first single-seater motorsport championship was coming in fresh without a fanbase. Meanwhile, rallycross as a
"Without fans, there is no motorsport. It's that easy," says Grönholm, but he argues that doubts about EV racers were compounded by mistakes elsewhere. "In 2025, World RX returned as free to watch on YouTube, and that was a fantastic move because it was always like that from 2014 to 2021. But until last year, the previous promoter put it behind a paywall for God knows what reason. That was stupid, because people definitely won't pay for something they are already skeptical about."
Cost is a recurring theme in the discussion with Grönholm. During the GRX era, one of its ICE cars would cost around €350,000 to run for a season. Paddock whispers from the KymiRing suggest that
EVs with their Kreisel-developed batteries were just shy of triple that. Moreover, attendees were said to be paying around €100 per person.
“Everything now is just too much money," sighs Grönholm. "When the costs are that high for everything, what chance does it have to attract any other teams with smaller budgets, let alone compete with the likes of CE Dealer and KMS?
"If what we heard is true that tickets were around €100 for one person, then that too is crazy. We really need to bring costs down."
Discussing money, what, then, would it take for GRX to return as a World Rallycross outfit if it gets the green light for a 2028 comeback.
"Ay, ay, ay! You ask too many difficult questions!" Grönholm chuckles. "No, seriously, the FIA did the right thing by getting rid of the EV powertrains, because they were too expensive and the fans didn't like them.
“As for what they will do next to make sure the cars are sustainable, I don't know. Maybe synthetic fuels or something like in the WRC. That might work."
Circling back to the cost-cutting aspect of things, Grönholm points to the 2027 WRC rule changes as a solid foundation for the future. These introduce a €345,000 cost cap per car and a standardised spaceframe chassis and 1.6-litre turbocharged engines shared with Rally2 to limit costs.
While yet to be confirmed, it has been rumoured that the FIA is considering allowing rallycrossadapted versions of the 'WRC27' cars to compete in a future World RX championship.
There’s some work to do first, though. To secure a tie-up with World RX and a possible comeback for the sport, the FIA must generate enough interest amongst teams and manufacturers for it. This means that World RX won’t be back until 2028 at the earliest.
"I think GRX returning could be possible if World RX adopts the 2027 World Rally Championship rules and allows teams to modify their cars in line with rallycross regulations, whatever they turn out to be,” Grönholm continues. "That would be a good starting point, as would keeping World RX free to view for the fans – those are two things I would like to see. 2028 is a long way down the road, though. Lots of things can happen between now and then.
As for World RX's EV era, the 57 year-old rejects calling it a "failed experiment".
"No, I don't think we should call electric cars in World Rallycross a failed experiment. I'm glad the FIA tried it. EVs have a place in motorsport – World RX just wasn’t the right one.”
Combined with a ride height that's just 18mm taller than the dinoburner, all of this clever packaging sees the Mini Electric retain its spirited, go-kart-like drive and remain close to the petrol-powered Cooper S in terms of handling and dynamics. Good.
In 2024, Mini replaced the first-gen Electric with a new, tech-heavy version available with either a 36.6kWh or 49.2kWh battery. While this latest version has more range than the Mk1 cars, it's even more of a chonk weighing in at 1,600kg.
The entry-level Mini Electric 'Level 1' came with a 5.5-inch digital driver display, 8.8-inch infotainment display with integrated Mini Navigation, Apple CarPlay connectivity, dual-zone air
conditioning, plus cruise control. No Android Auto connectivity on any models, unfortunately.
For further reasons known only to Mini, the Level 1 trim was discontinued early into the Electric's life. This meant that the mid-tier 'Level 2' cars became the base models. These built on the alreadystrong standard kit with traffic sign recognition, high beam assistance, and collision avoidance. Further Level 2 kit included a rear-view parking camera, and rear parking sensors.
The flagship Level 3 cars got wireless phone charging, a driver's headup display, front and rear parking sensors (with park assist), LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, and a non-vegan friendly leather interior. 'Choon' enthusiasts will be happy
to know that the Mini Electric Level 3 also benefited from an excellent Harman Kardon sound system.
The eagle-eyed amongst you will notice that plenty of Mini Electrics ride on 17-inch wheels shaped like the British three-pin plug. If you are not from the UK and these pieces of design are lost on you, don't worry - they're optional extras. The car's standard alloys are much more conventionally-shaped 16-inchers.
The Mini Electric's exterior was also finished with several luminous green/ yellow details to remind you of its allelectric credentials. If you feel that these brightly-coloured details make an already boldly-designed car even more unsubtle, they can be removed. It is, however, worth checking with your local Mini retailer to see whether it can still be done free of charge.
During our research, we found a total of 219 Mini Electrics for sale via dealers on Auto Trader. The most affordable car we found was a 2021 Mini Electric Level 1 with 34,185 miles on the clock and a £11,495 price tag. Conversely, the most expensive was a 2023 Level 3 for sale via an official Mini dealer. Finished in a very lovely metallic British Racing Green with a total mileage of just 2,540 miles, it was priced at £20,794.
Thanks to the Mini Electric's somewhat small 32.6kWh battery, it's far from expensive to run. Using a home charging tariff with an overnight off-peak charging rate of 7p per kilowatt hour, the Mini Electric can be charged from 0% to 100% for just £2.82. But you will be topping it up regularly if you do big miles.
Even without a dedicated home charging plan, charging the Mini Electric still won't break the bank. Using a standard variable tariff of 25.7p/kWh, it'll set you back £8.37. By our estimations, both of these are significantly cheaper than going for lunch in Jeremy Clarkson's pub.
How quickly you drain the battery will depend on how heavy you are with your right foot, and whether you spend most of your time driving in Sport (spicy), Mid (normal), Green (eco), or Green Plus (super eco) mode. The Mini Electric benefits from the BMW i3's clever traction control system built around maximising efficiency, as well as the i3's one-pedal driving mode.
The Mini Electric falls under insurance groups 21, 22, and 23. Given there are a total of 50 insurance categories in the UK, this makes it one of the more affordable EVs to ensure. As always, do remember that insurance costs will change based on factors including where you live, the type of property you live in, where you work, and your age.
We would recommend that before purchasing any vehicle, you obtain an insurance quote from your insurance provider.
Once again, don’t forget that EVs are no longer exempt from road tax.
Cars registered from April 1, 2017 will now cost £195 in annual road tax. The Mini Electric as a post-2017 car is no exception.
During its relatively brief life, the Mini Electric proved largely bombproof. In the 2023 What Car? reliability survey, it was top of the EV class with a reliability score of 97%. Equally as impressive was the fact that no Mini Electrics were rendered undrivable due to technical issues. Those that were affected by unreliability were back on the road in under a week. Moreover,
Mini covered the cost of all repair work done.
It's not just the Electric that became synonymous with reliability. As a brand, the same survey saw Mini finish third overall behind Lexus and Toyota who ranked first and second respectively in the What Car? reliability charts.
None. Absolutely none. From late 2019 to late 2023, not a single Mk1 Mini Electric was recalled.
In September 2024, some 140,000 second-gen Mini Electrics were recalled due to a battery issue.
It's not a secret to say that the electric car world has spoilt us at EV Powered. That considered, we'd plump for the Level 3 car with its additional toys - namely the Harman Kardon sound system, headup display, and panoramic sunroof. We also like the yellow exterior detailing and three-pin plug 17-inch wheels.
If, however, you're less concerned than we are about those sorts of things, then a Level 2 Mini Electric will do the job just fine. It's not as if you'll be covering vast distances anyway.
As someone who spends more time than most testing the latest in electric mobility, Richard Alvin has developed a bit of a radar for overhyped e-bikes. HOWEVER THE NEW ADO AIR 20 PRO REALLY SURPRISED HIM.
This folding urban commuter is more than just another upgrade—it’s a genuinely refined and intelligent e-bike that’s been built with real-world riders in mind.
Building on the solid foundation of its predecessor, the Air 20 Pro brings noticeable improvements to performance, comfort, and usability. You still get the slick city-friendly folding frame, but under the hood (or should I say, under the seatpost), things have been upgraded considerably. A BAFANG automatic dual-speed motor, carbon belt drive, and hydraulic disc brakes headline the spec sheet—an impressive trio, particularly at this price point.
For city riders like me, one of the biggest pain points is maintenance. So I was thrilled to find that the ADO Air 20 Pro uses a carbon belt drive instead of a traditional chain. It’s whisper-quiet, grease-free, and rated for a staggering 30,000km of use. I rode through wet streets, dusty cycle paths and gritty side roads without a single hiccup in drivetrain performance.
The automatic dual-speed transmission is another clever touch. Unlike most folding e-bikes
that suffer when faced with hills, the Air 20 Pro seamlessly shifts gears based on your pedal pressure. There’s no gear lever, no manual shifting—just smooth, efficient power delivery thanks to its torque sensor. It’s intuitive and delightfully simple to ride.
That said, if your commute regularly includes steep inclines, a manual-gear model might still offer more control. But for urban riding, this auto setup is hard to beat.
The 250W BAFANG rear-hub motor delivers immediate and punchy assistance. Thanks to the torque sensor, power comes in smoothly with your pedal stroke—unlike cadence-based systems that feel jerky or lag behind your effort. Whether I was setting off from traffic lights or nipping up a slope, the response was always reassuringly quick.
There are five pedal assist levels, which you can tweak via the ADO app. The app also lets you track rides and customise the motor’s behaviour, but even without diving into the tech, the outof-the-box settings feel well balanced for most urban conditions.
Stopping power comes from hydraulic disc brakes, which feel strong and consistent—crucial for riding in traffic-heavy environments. They handled emergency stops and gentle feathering equally well, even in the rain.
Battery integration is always a design challenge with folders, but ADO nails it here. The battery is hidden within the seatpost, which not only keeps the frame looking clean but also allows for easy removal to charge indoors—or take with you as a theft deterrent.
Then there’s the lighting. A 1200-lumen front headlamp, reflectors and integrated turn signals— yes, actual turn signals—all controlled from the handlebar. These features are rare in this segment and made me feel noticeably more visible and confident on evening rides.
The bike folds quickly, thanks to a central latch and fold-down stem, and includes a built-in carry handle. At 20 inches, the wheels strike a good balance between portability and comfort. Paired with adjustable front fork suspension, they soak up cracked pavements and cobblestones without the harshness you sometimes feel with rigid frames.
ADO claims a range of up to 100km (around 62 miles), but real-world conditions put that closer to 40–60km, depending on terrain and rider weight. That’s still well above average for a folder and enough for a full week of city commutes in my case.
The ADO Air 20 Pro is exactly what an urban folding e-bike should be: practical, powerful, and a pleasure to ride. It’s clearly been designed by people who understand the needs of real commuters. From the carbon belt drive to the automatic shifting and hydraulic brakes, every component has been thoughtfully chosen to minimise hassle and maximise ease of use.
It’s not a mountain goat, but if your commute is mostly flat or rolling, the Air 20 Pro offers one of the most polished riding experiences in the folding category. Sleek, smart, and seriously smooth—it’s a folder that proves performance and practicality don’t have to come at a premium.
Electrifying commercial vehicles and HGVs is not just about the vehicles themselves – it involves a detailed consideration of how to keep them on the road without disrupting existing operations. Mer has the experience and knowledge to support you on this journey.
Download Mer’s free eguide for fleet managers to learn more about installing the right EV charging to keep your vehicles powered for their mission-critical journeys
Click here to find out more
Lotus used to be famous for tiny lightweight sports cars but in the 21st century it has shifted its focus to big, high-performance EVs. The Emeya hyper-GT uses 800V architecture, a 102kWh battery and twin motors to develop some startling statistics. Basic models pack almost 600bhp, a
0-62mph time of 4.15 seconds and a top speed of 155mph. At the top of the range, the ‘900’ model bumps power up to 893bhp and slashes the acceleration time to just 2.78 seconds. It also bumps the top speed up very slightly to 159mph.
However, even within the world of electric cars there’s fast and then there’s really fast. So here we have the 10 absolute fastest electric cars around. We’ve tried to limit our list to road cars that are actually available and that have proven their stats on-road. Hence no track-only McMurty Sperling, or the still-to-arrive Tesla Roadster.
Slightly remarkably, Lotus’s first SUV is actually quicker than its more slippery saloon. The Eletre uses the platform and powertrains as the Emeya but packages them beneath a high-riding, more spacious five-door body shape.
Entry-level 600 models come with a respectable 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds and top speed of 160mph. However, at the top of the range is the 900 Sport which packs a 0-62mph time of 2.95 seconds and a top speed of 165mph. Plus a claimed range of more than 300 miles.
When it arrived, the Porsche Taycan proved that there was more to EVs that being quick in a straight line. It brought levels of engagement and agility that had been missing from quick EVs until that point. That said, it is still phenomenally quick in a straight line. Even entry-level cars
crack the 0-62 mph sprint in less than 5 seconds. However, for outright pace, the Turbo GT fitted with the Weissach pack takes the biscuit. Producing 1,093bhp it goes from0-62mph in 2.2 seconds and tops out at 190mph.
The regular Lucid Air is no slouch – 430bhp means a 0-62mph time of under five seconds – but the Sapphire is in another league. The Air Sapphire uses three motors to generate 1,217bhp, which translates to a 0-62mph time of 1.95 seconds and a top speed of 205mph. It also features
track-tuned suspension, a unique aero package and carbon ceramic brakes to shave off all that speed. Lucid claims you’ll still get more than 420 miles of range and efficiency of 3.6m/kWh, although presumably not if you keep testing that 0-62mph time.
Maserati’s stunning two-door supercar will complete the benchmark 0–62mph sprint in a mere 2.7 seconds and carry on to a top speed of 202mph. That’s thanks to three motors – two at the rear, one at the front – which produce a total of 751bhp and 996lb ft. It’s the most powerful
car in the Maserati range, and the fastest accelerating, making a clear statement of how the Italian brand intends to embrace an electric future. If you prefer the wind in your hair, the GranCabrio version will still hit 180mph and do 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds.
Pininfarina is famous as the design house behind the Ferrari Testarossa and Alfa Romeo Spyder but, until now, it hasn’t tried its hand at building and selling its own models. The Battista, then, is a bit of a gamble but Pininfarina is taking it very seriously. Under its wild exterior, the £2m+
Battista uses the same hardware found in the Rimac Nevera. That equates to four motors producing 1,873bhp for a mind-bending 0-62mph time of 1.86 seconds and a top speed of 217mph. Allegedly, driven carefully, the massive 120kWh battery is good for 300 miles of range.
This is cheating a little since it’s a concept car but the GT XX really does deserve mention on this list because it’s a clear preview of the first ground-up EV from AMG. While the body and interior will change, the mechanical components which give the
GT XX its startling specs, will make it on sale in the new AMG four-door hyper saloon due out in late 2026. That means a 223mph top speed, 0-62mph in 2.5 seconds and 1,341bhp from three radical axial flux motors.
Japan is the
and
1,953bhp special edition of the Owl, named Owl SP600, surpassed the Rimac Nevara as the fastest electric car, setting a V-max of 272mph, with a 0-62mph time of 1.9 seconds. However, it hasn’t managed to hold onto that title for long.
It’s almost difficult to get your head around the numbers involved in the Rimac Nevera. For a start, there’s the price – £2m+ – and the fact that just 150 will ever be built. Then there’s the performance. Total output of 1,888bhp delivers a 0-62mph time of just 1.81 seconds, and Its top speed
of 258mph puts it among McLarens, Koenigseggs, and Bugattis in the list of the 10 fastest production cars on earth. Confusingly, the even more powerful Nevera R, with 2,078bhp has a slightly lower top speed of 256mph, but faster acceleration, hitting 0-62mph in just 1.78 seconds.
YangWang is the premium arm of BYD and its focus on performance is as serious as its name is silly. The regular U9 is already on sale in China with 1,288bhp from its quad-motor setup. That offers a 0-62mph time of just 2.36 seconds and top speed of 243mph. However, in
August, Yangwang revealed a 2,959bhp Xtreme version. That quickly snatched the title of the world's fastest EV with a 293.5mph run, before becoming the world's fastest production car in September with a new V-Max of 304.9mph.
The Nissan Leaf has been named the UK’s most reliable EV by one of the country’s biggest warranty providers.
Based on thousands of warranty claims on more than a dozen different electric models, Warranty Services Group (WSG) reported that the Leaf recorded the fewest claims and one of the lowest average repair costs.
Despite being on sale for longer than virtually any other electric car the Leaf had a claim rate of just 3.06% and an average payout of £300.10. That suggests that despite its now ageing technology the ‘grandaddy of mainstream EVs’ has proved to be a robust choice since going on sale in 2010.
While the second-place MG ZS presented cheaper average repairs, at £225.90, it was subject to a claim rate of 4.76%.
Behind that, the first-generation Audi e-tron was the third most dependable electric car with a claim rate of 5.56% and an average repair cost of £309.72.
As a specialist in providing cover after manufacturer warranties expire, WSG’s list is dominated by early EVs. Elsewhere on the list the now-discontinued Renault Zoe sits in fourth place, while the Volkswagen ID.3 is in fifth.
According to the WSG data, the UK’s least reliable EV is the Tesla Model S. The American firm’s first offering in the UK recorded a disappointing claim rate of 50% and an average cost of £703. Beating that at the lower end of the table were the Volkswagen E-Golf and Kia E-Niro (not to be confused with the later Niro EV).
Perhaps surprisingly, the Vauxhall Corsa proved to have the highest average claim cost, at £2,261. This, however, appears to have been skewed by a handful of large individual claims. In the most costly case, this was a £6,219 bill to replace the entire electric drive system. That was the biggest individual claim for an EV, ahead of a £4,500 bill to replace the charging control module in a Jaguar I-Pace and a £3,800 replacement charger converter in a Porsche Taycan.
The most common payout by WSG related to EV charge ports, with a claim rate of 3.01% and an average cost of £119.96. It was one of only two EV-specific faults in the list of the five most common claims. The other related to on-board charging systems. While just 2.26% of claims
were connected to this, the average payout was a substantial £1,021.
The other failures were linked to tyre pressure monitoring systems, air conditioning condensers and the 12V auxiliary battery – issues which also plague petrol and diesel cars.
It’s important to note that, while instructive, the WSG data only covers 13 all-electric models for which it provides aftermarket warranties. The coming years are likely to see the situation shift as manufacturer warranties expire on a growing number and variety of models and secondhand dealers look to provide aftermarket warranty cover for customers.
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Information and first-hand experience are vital to helping more drivers make the switch to electric vehicles writes
When I talk to Motability Scheme customers about electric vehicles, I often hear the same concern: “I don’t think an EV would work for me.”
It’s a reaction that’s completely understandable. New technology can feel unfamiliar, and concerns around cost, range, and charging are still front of mind for many drivers. For disabled people, those questions are further complicated by the physical accessibility of both the vehicles and charging infrastructure, making EVs feel less like a real option.
But from working with our customers day in and day out, we’ve found that these doubts often ease once someone experiences an EV for themselves.
At Motability Operations, we run the Motability Scheme, providing disabled people with lifechanging freedom and independence. As manufacturers shift production towards electric, we’re focused on ensuring our customers are fully supported through the transition, with the tools, information and confidence they need to make the right mobility choices for them.
That’s why we launched our EV Transition Tracker, to better understand the barriers our customers face and
identify what’s working (and what’s not) in helping drivers across the UK make the switch to electric.
The findings were clear: exposure makes a measurable difference.
Only 21% of people who’ve never driven or even been a passenger in an EV would consider one for their next vehicle. But once someone’s simply sat in the passenger seat, that figure more than doubles to 43%. For those who’ve tried charging, it rises again. And for EV owners? Nine in ten say they feel positive about their vehicle.
Among our customer base, the same trend applies. Twice as many Motability Scheme customers have driven an EV compared to the wider UK population, and almost half (48%) say they’d consider choosing one in the next three years.
Importantly, the road to EVs doesn’t have to be a single leap. Hybrid vehicles can act as a stepping stone, allowing people to get used to electric driving without the immediate leap to full batterypowered vehicles.
Our research shows nearly half of hybrid drivers are likely to consider an EV for their next car. Showing that, for many, hybrids offer a useful bridge between the familiar and the future.
But as we move closer to the 2030 deadline for the end of new petrol and diesel car sales, it’s clear that exposure alone won’t solve everything, especially for disabled drivers.
For many of our customers, the main barrier isn’t about willingness or even awareness, it’s the infrastructure itself.
Public chargepoints can be difficult or even impossible to use. Charging bays may be too narrow for wheelchair users to fully open a door or deploy a ramp. Cables are often heavy and awkward to handle. Screens and interfaces may be positioned too high or lack accessible features. And surrounding amenities are rarely designed with disabled people in mind.
When these barriers exist, experience alone won’t be enough.
The transition to electric is well underway. But if we don’t act now, there’s a real risk that thousands of disabled people will be left behind due to a system that isn’t working for them.
That’s why, at Motability Operations, we’re investing in EV test drives, charging demonstrations, and direct support to help our customers build confidence and familiarity. We’re also working with industry, policymakers, and local authorities to champion inclusive infrastructure design from the outset, so that the EV transition is accessible by design, not as a retrofit.
If the EV transition is going to succeed, it has to work for everyone. That means we need to create more opportunities for people to experience EVs, understand how they fit into their lives, and feel supported as they make the switch.
What our research shows is simple: every time someone sits in an EV, plugs one in, or takes one for a spin, we get one step closer to a transition that’s not just electric, but works for all.
