When Tesla pushed past the 1.5% UK market share goalpost in just 10 years, the EV brand was lauded for managing what took Hyundai 24 years and Kia 15 years. Then came the Chinese and smashed the established timeframe for how long it takes to become a mainstream brand in the UK. First BYD hit that figure in… Continue reading How China’s Omoda and Jaecoo smashed a UK sales milestone
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
BYD Seal 06 DM-i
BYD will offer the Seal 6 in three trims: Boost, Comfort Lite and Comfort. The Boost has a smaller, 10.1kWh battery and just 181bhp. That gives it just 31 miles of electric range and the resulting 60g/km of CO2 output means it doesn’t qualify for particularly cheap company car tax. I drove the Comfort Lite, which… Continue reading BYD Seal 06 DM-i
Peugeot 2008
You can never fully escape hard plastic in this class, but the 2008 is furnished with a pleasant mix of fabrics and rubberised materials that make it feel quite upmarket inside. Even entry-level Allure trim is far from impoverished, and the fit and finish in our Hybrid 145 GT test car was good, with plenty of… Continue reading Peugeot 2008
Hackers who hit M&S claim responsibility for JLR cyber attack
The group that hacked Marks & Spencer earlier this year has claimed responsibility for the cyber attack on JLR that has caused production shutdowns and sales stoppages. Scattered Spider hit the British retailer in May, causing seven weeks of disruption and costing £300 million in lost operating profit. Along with fellow hacking group Shiny Hunters, it claims to have… Continue reading Hackers who hit M&S claim responsibility for JLR cyber attack
Volkswagen ID Polo GTI: 233bhp hot hatch to arrive in 2027
The Volkswagen ID Polo GTI will arrive in 2027 as the German brand’s first proper attempt at an electric hot hatch, packing 223bhp. Previewed by last year’s ID GTI concept, the sporty EV was confirmed on Wednesday as Volkswagen announced that the production version of the ID 2all concept will be named the ID Polo.… Continue reading Volkswagen ID Polo GTI: 233bhp hot hatch to arrive in 2027
Volkswagen confirms ID Polo name for new £22k EV
The £22k production version of the Volkswagen ID 2all concept will be named the ID Polo, as the German brand starts using familiar model names on its electric models. “Names like Polo or Golf are deeply ingrained,” said Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer. “They stand for quality, accessible technology and heritage. We want to carry those qualities into the… Continue reading Volkswagen confirms ID Polo name for new £22k EV
Volkswagen to reveal ID Cross concept this week, previewing £25k EV
Volkswagen will reveal the ID Cross concept at the Munich motor show next week, previewing a supermini-sized electric crossover that will arrive at the end of 2026, priced from around £25k. The EV has been named to clearly position it as an electric counterpart to the T-Cross, Volkswagen said on Wednesday. This is mirrored by the… Continue reading Volkswagen to reveal ID Cross concept this week, previewing £25k EV
Horse reveals drop-in range-extender conversion for EVs
Combustion engine firm Horse has revealed a range-extender powertrain that has been designed to allow easy conversions of battery-electric vehicles. The new set-up, which will be shown by the Renault, Geely and Aramco joint venture at the Munich motor show, comprises a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with an integrated generator and inverter. It produces… Continue reading Horse reveals drop-in range-extender conversion for EVs
‘China speed at Ingolstadt’: Audi eyes 2.5-year ‘TT’ EV development
“You feel so close to the road, having the noise of the wheels, and it’s such fantastic driving. The direct steering we have, it offers such a lot of opportunities, and then there’s the agility.” Blume added that despite the inevitable technical relationship between the Audi and Porsche models, they would stand as clearly distinct models, each… Continue reading ‘China speed at Ingolstadt’: Audi eyes 2.5-year ‘TT’ EV development
Toyota to build next EV in Czech Republic
Toyota will build its next battery-electric car at the Aygo X and Yaris factory in the Czech Republic, the company has confirmed. An investment of €680 million (£592m) will be used to expand the factory from 152,000m2 to 173,000m2, adding a new battery production line, paint shop and welding facility. The new development will increase… Continue reading Toyota to build next EV in Czech Republic