December/January 2022

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022 AFTERMARKET 61 www.aftermarketonline.net play in ensuring emissions control devices being supplied and fit are legal. The market needs to be properly educated on matters such as type approval to continue to raise standards and ensure it is playing its part in reducing harmful emissions and air pollution.” The company also cited a report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), ‘All Aboard: A Plan for Fairly Decarbonising How People Travel’. This noted that the Climate Change Committee’s favoured route to decarbonisation could lead to traffic increasing by 11% by 2050, along with a 28% rise in car ownership. Surge Drivers seem to be buying into the move away from the internal combustion engine, with more plug-in vehicles predicted to hit the road in 2021 than during all of the preceding decade, according to a forecast from the SMMT. This is expected to be the case even with overall new car sales around 30% down compared with the average for the period 2010-2019. 271,962 new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) were registered in the UK between 2010 and 2019. The organisation’s latest estimate projects that around 287,000 of these vehicles will have been sold by the end of the year, equating to one in six new cars. Looking further ahead, BEV registrations are expected to surpass diesel vehicle sales by the end of 2022. Plug-in vehicle sales shot up during 2020 as choice widened. More than a quarter of all car models available in the UK can now be plugged in. SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes said: “Our latest outlook shows the UK experiencing a surge in plug-in vehicle uptake. Massive investment by industry as well as long standing government incentives have seen us go from just 188 new plug-in cars in 2010, to almost 300,000 in 2021. “To achieve net zero by the desired date, however, uptake rates must continue to grow. This requires ongoing incentives to help consumers make the switch and significant investment in public charging infrastructure. Backed by the ingenuity and innovation of the automotive sector, we can then deliver zero-emission mobility that is accessible and affordable for all.” The UK already intends to be the first major automotive market to end the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel cars by 2030. This trend is likely to continue as technology progresses. For example, the issue of EV range anxiety could become less pronounced for some owners going forward, with Panasonic recently announcing it has developed a new battery prototype for Tesla cars that has five times the capacity of current examples. The new battery, revealed at a media roundtable as reported by Automotive News, will also cost half as much to make, and could lead to Panasonic being able to increase battery production 100 times over by 2030. Panasonic has dubbed the new battery format the 4680, as it is 46 mm wide and 80 mm tall. Vice-President of Industrial Solutions at Panasonic Kazuo Tadanobu said: "We have developed this because of the strong desire of the other party, and we think this can only lead to stronger ties." Tesla is looking to use lithium-iron- phosphate batteries for its Standard Range models going forward, but Panasonic has said it has no intention of producing these. 5-star As well as reassurance on range, motorists will be keen to know that the new wave of vehicles are safe. With this in mind, EVs and hybrids from mainstream car manufacturers all achieved high scores in recent Euro NCAP testing. The Mustang Mach-E, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Hyundai Tucson and the Toyota Yaris Cross hybrid all received five-stars when subjected to crash testing, while the Hyundai Bayon achieved four-stars. Commenting on the Mustang Mach-E’s performance, Matthew Avery, Chief Strategic Research Officer at Thatcham Research commented: “It is positive to see a mainstream brand like Ford contributing to the EV safety narrative, proving that EVs are just as safe as ICE vehicles and a good choice of family car. This well-rated EV is a good, safe choice for families and represents a great start for Ford in paving the way for its future Mustang EV range.” Commenting on the Hyundai offerings, Matthew said, “The Hyundai Ioniq 5 sets a strong safety precedent for the brand.” The Hyundai Bayon, which achieved four-stars in Euro NCAP testing, is based on a vehicle already available outside Europe, where testing standards are lower. Matthew added: “The Hyundai Bayon performed solidly in testing. However, it is disappointing to see the car dropping points in some areas, the lack of a lateral impact airbag specifically. Hyundai was one of the first manufacturers to fit this important passive safety feature to its vehicles. It is present in both the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Tucson.” On the Toyota Yaris Cross Matthew concluded: “This vehicle is a good option for those that don’t want to commit to something fully electric, but still want a very safe vehicle from a known manufacturer. The Yaris is also aimed at the more affordable end of the market yet does not sacrifice any Euro NCAP stars or compromise on safety in any way, despite being less expensive than other hybrid or fully electric vehicles.” Most EVs tested in 2021 achieved top Euro NCAP ratings. Our latest outlook shows the UK experiencing a surge in plug-in vehicle uptake ”