Leading Norfolk-based house builder Abel Homes has chosen Ohme as its official EV charger supplier for its development in East Harling, Three Squirrels.
Abel Homes is renowned in the industry for its commitment to award-winning, high-specification homes designed for low energy consumption and reduced running costs for the owners. With the ability of Ohme’s products to charge when electricity rates are at their lowest and also when renewable energy provision is at its highest, this made it a natural choice for Abel Homes.
“We know that it makes perfect sense for people to move to a more eco-friendly new home with lower bills and increased efficiency, which is why we chose Ohme as our charging partner,” said Tony Abel, Chairman of Abel Homes. “All Abel Homes properties boast an EPC A rating for energy efficiency, the highest possible, so our collaboration with Ohme was an obvious choice, given the synergy of both companies.”
Underlining the eco-credentials of its properties, all new Abel homes feature solar panels, an air-source heat pump, as well as under-floor heating and triple-glazed windows. Ohme’s dynamic smart chargers will allow owners of an Abel home to continue that sustainable theme enabling the maximum use of renewable energy when charging their electric vehicle. The first Abel Homes site to be fitted with Ohme chargers is Three Squirrels located in East Harling, Norfolk.
Since June 2022, legislation has required the majority of new homes to be fitted with EV chargers to help cut carbon emissions and encourage electric car use. If charging with Ohme using an off-peak smart electricity tariff, an average driver could potentially reduce the annual running costs of an EV to less than £130 a year – a huge saving over an equivalent petrol car of more than £1100 a year.
“I am delighted that Abel Homes will be fitting Ohme chargers on its new developments,” said Ohme CEO, David Watson. “The commitment of Abel Homes towards energy efficiency and lower bills for its new homes makes it a perfect built environment partner for Ohme.”
The 2024 World Car of the Year awards were announced at the New York Motor Show last week and the all-electric Kia EV9 was a winner not once, but twice!
Taking both the World EV Award and also the overall World Car of the Year award, it’s the fifth time that Kia has won in the 20 year history of the World Car Awards.
“We are hugely honoured that the 2024 EV9 has been named the World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle,” said Ho Sung Song, Kia President and CEO. “This triumph is a testament to our unwavering commitment to pusing the boundaries of technology and design excellence. The Kia EV9’s continued success will drive us to keep delivering exceptional vehicles that redefine the driving experience for customers around the world.”
The Kia EV9 was chosen by the World Car of the Year jury of 100 journalists from 29 countries and succeeded against the other two finalists – the BYD Seal and Volvo EX30. This win for the EV9 follows on from its other success being named as the UK Car of the Year last month.
The other EV winners in the awards were the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N which took the World Performance Car award, the Volvo EX30 which took the World Urban Car award the BMW i5 which won World Luxury Car and the Toyota Prius which took the World Car Design of the Year.
According to Start Rescue, one of the UK’s leading breakdown providers, EVs are 59% less likely to require a breakdown call-out than a traditional car with a petrol or diesel engine.
New data from Start Rescue has highlighted the reliability of EVs, busting some common myths regarding electric vehicles.
“Our figures show electric cars ranging from new to 10-years old are 59% less prone to breakdowns than ICE cars,” said Lee Puffett, Managing Director of Start Rescue. “This might surprise some motorists, but with more than a million EVs now on the UK’s roads it shows drivers can choose an EV confident that they are less likely to be stranded at the roadside.
“The hurdle to buying an EV of any age is more psychological than real for most buyers looking to make the switch from ICE to electric power. EV batteries are not like the ones in your mobile phone or laptop – they retain far more of their charge capacity to give you plenty of driving range.”
Furthermore, EVs are also less likely to suffer from a flat battery call-out than petrol or diesel cars. Start Rescue was one of the first companies to offer dedicated EV breakdown cover.
Ohme won the Chargepoint Manufacturer of the Year award at the inaugural Electric Vehicle Awards at the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin on the evening of Wednesday 6 March.
The award recognised Ohme’s unique software and technology which helps not only to balance supply and demand of electricity for energy suppliers, but also to reduce running costs for those driving an EV.
“Winning this award is a great recognition of all the hard work of everyone at Ohme and our ongoing commitment to EV drivers and our business partners here in Ireland,” said Ohme CEO David Watson. “The awards are a fantastic way to acknowledge this fast-expanding industry as more and more drivers and businesses make the switch to e-mobility in all its forms.”
Ohme is the official charging partner for the Volkswagen Group, Volvo Cars and Polestar in Ireland.
Avant Homes has chosen Ohme as its official EV home charging partner.
The agreement will see Avant Homes offer Ohme ePod chargers on a range of its new homes, aligning with its commitment to providing energy-efficient housing and implementation of the Future Homes Standard.
Avant Homes Group head of business processes, Rachel Appleby, said: “At Avant, we are proud to be constructing and selling quality homes for everyone, and we understand the importance of sustainability for our business, our customers, and the environment.
“We have partnered with Ohme as its commitment to providing low cost, low C02 charging made it the ideal choice for us and our buyers.”
Avant is aiming to reduce the carbon emissions of its new homes by 75-80% from 2025 compared to homes under the current building regulations from 2019.
“This new agreement with Avant Homes underlines Ohme’s commitment to the built environment marketplace,” said David Watson, CEO at Ohme. “This partnership between Avant Homes and Ohme is a great collaboration and an important step towards a low-carbon future.”
There are great positive impacts that could be made every day by changing the way we use electricity. Luckily, if you have an Ohme EV charger at home, optimising your charging while contributing to a balanced and greener grid is easy.
How does Ohme technology link my charger to the national grid?
Ohme’s chargers can communicate with the National Grid in real-time and adjust the power of your charger into your EV depending on times of high and low electricity demand.
All Ohme chargers feature built-in load balancing to automatically adjust their output alongside other home appliances. Demand on the grid is inevitably growing as EV ownership grows. Ohme’s smart technology allows us to adjust the power into your car, meeting your charging goals, while also helping to meet electricity demand and provide energy flexibility.
What is energy flexibility?
Energy flexibility refers to the ability to adjust supply and demand, so they always balance. On any typical day, there are highs and lows of electricity use across the UK. There can be morning peaks in demand (usually when people are getting to work, make a cup of tea, or have a shower) and other peaks can be in the evening (when people arrive from work, cook dinner, or turn on home appliances).
In the same way, not many people use a lot of electricity in the middle of the night – or indeed the middle of the day. These are, you’ve guessed it, the periods of low demand on the grid.
How can my Ohme charger contribute to energy flexibility?
So we’ve learned that energy flexibility is about trying to shift some of the high demand into those periods of low demand. The challenge is how can we do that. It’s not realistic to cook your dinner at 3 am, but with Ohme’s smart charging technology, we can shift charging your car into those low demand periods, which then helps the overall balance of supply and demand.
Why does that matter? With more flexibility on the grid, it means that there won’t be a need to invest in generating and supplying more energy. Instead, we can just distribute the existing capacity in a smart way which will help everyone save a bit of money.
What are the environmental savings of energy flexibility?
The Ohme server communicates with the electricity grid which allows you to charge when carbon intensity is at its lowest.
When the sun is shining or the wind is blowing and lots of renewable energy is being generated, Ohme can start charging to fill up your car with that excess energy that can’t otherwise be stored on the grid. When lots of households and businesses are using electricity at the same time, Ohme can stop charging so that fossil fuel generators don’t need to be fired up to keep up with demand.
Everyone benefits from that too. Increasing the use of renewable energy, not only makes for a cleaner electricity grid, but could also reduce costs for the energy suppliers. Creating a knock-on effect on your future bills too.
How can I benefit from energy flexibility?
As we just mentioned, long term, the increased use of flexibility when charging your EV will help reduce the need for network reinforcement, which means lower energy bills for everyone, and a cleaner electricity grid.
Last winter, 1.6 million households participated in the National Grid System Operator’s new Demand Flexibility Service which encourages consumers to use less electricity when lots of households and businesses are using electricity at the same time. The service saw 3,300MWH of electricity saved – enough energy to power approximately 10 million homes across Great Britain.
As Ohme enters several exciting flexibility projects, drivers taking part can receive rewards of varying levels by doing something as simple as plugging in their cars and helping us learn the best ways to help balance the grid.
Are you going grey? No, not a personal question about whether or not you reach for the hair dye in the bathroom, but about your car.
If so, then you’re not alone. Grey was once again the most popular colour for new cars in the UK in 2023 for the sixth year in a row according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). More than half a million grey cars were registered last year accounting for over a quarter of all new cars leaving showrooms.
In second and third place were black and white respectively, while blue cars took fifth place and red was fifth. Incidentally red cars have been declining in popularity since 2019 and last year was its lowest market share since 2005. Clearly UK drivers have fallen out of love with red.
Going in the other direction meanwhile are green cars. Green had its highest market share since 2004 and drivers in Greater London bought more green cars than any other county.
Talking of location, if you live in Strathclyde in Scotland, you’re more likely to see a yellow car on your roads, drivers in Cheshire register more orange cars than anywhere else, while Berkshire is the most popular location for red cars. Berkshire also is home to more than one in ten of the 210 pink cars registered last year as well.
Northern Ireland is home to the highest proportion of blue cars, Wales has more red and green motors and Scotland has the biggest number of white cars.
The popularity of less colourful choices is largely down to fleets which favours monochromatic colours with grey taking 26.9% of all fleet sales. By comparison, those buying a set of wheels privately were more likely to opt for a green or yellow car than a business driver.
“2023 was a bumper year for the British new car market as buyers continued to gravitate towards familiar monochrome hues for another year,” said Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive. “Car manufacturers have diligently expanded their offerings, with a huge selection of colour options available across hundreds of models. The extensive variety allows drivers flexibility in choosing a tiny that embodies their individuality and style.”
With no engine noise, why do electric vehicles need special consideration for their stereos?
It sounds like the start of a joke from a stand-up comedian: did you hear the one about the electric car that was too quiet?
But car manufacturers and their stereo suppliers certainly aren’t laughing with the new technical aural challenges that EVs bring.
It’s stating the obvious, but electric cars don’t have a combustion engine under the bonnet. Therefore, you’d imagine because of that, compared to a petrol or diesel car, it should be a lot easier to develop a stereo for them, right? Wrong. The new all-electric Kia EV9 which arrives into showrooms this spring will feature one of the first sound systems developed specifically for the unique audio characteristics of a pure electric car.
Developed by British firm Meridian, the EV9’s stereo is a new 14-speaker sound system that uses a number of digital technologies optimised for the challenging acoustic environment of an electric car. The idea of a car that produces no noise being a ‘challenging’ environment for a car stereo may sound a little strange, but it’s to do with the type of noise rather than the level of it.
“The challenge with producing a fantastic audio experience in an EV isn’t the level of the background noise, it’s the complexity of noise sources and their frequency profiles,” said John Buchanan, Meridian Audio chief executive. “These are typically at significantly higher frequencies than in a combustion vehicle, which can affect our ability to perceive the position of sounds and they can be more random, which makes the acoustic environmental more difficult to manage with active noise cancellation.”
In short, the noises that the engines in a traditional petrol or diesel car make are more consistent and easier to manage than those in an EV. The firing of an internal combustion engine is at a lower frequency and therefore manufacturers can use active noise cancellation to balance that out. The new Range Rover even uses active noise cancellation through its headrests.
By comparison, while an electric car might not have an engine to cancel the noise from, those higher frequencies in an EV mentioned by John Buchanan are significantly harder for a stereo manufacturer to deal with. Moreover, those higher frequencies can also interfere with the quality of surround sound in an EV – almost like the difference between listening to something in mono or stereo.
Which is where all the hard work from Meridian comes in. By switching their focus from the hardware to software, Meridian’s engineers were able to manage the acoustic environment through processing their software to tailor the sound. Put simply, in years gone by, they would tailor the sound of a car stereo using special speakers and their location within the car, while now they’re able to do that electronically.
And, while this technology has only just been fitted to the new Kia EV9, inevitably similar tech will trickle down to more electric vehicles over the course of time which will gain similar stereo systems. We can’t wait.
The first deliveries of the new Kia EV9 take place this spring with prices starting from £73,245.
2024 will see lots of new electric cars arriving in showrooms, here’s our top ten EVs that will be arriving to UK roads over the next twelve months:
Citroen e-C3
On sale: spring
Citroen claims that the new e-C3 is the first European affordable electric car and it’s hard not to agree. With its small, chunky, purposeful looks, the baby Citroen will feature a 44kWh battery pack with a 199-mile range making it perfect for urban driving and beyond while wearing a price tag that’s likely to be less than £23,000.
Elsewhere in Europe, there is even a 124-mile version at less than €20,000 though this version is yet to be confirmed for the UK. Citroen’s logic and thinking is simple though – the e-C3 is a largely urban car that will be driven for short distances (Citroen estimates an average of less than 50 miles a day) and therefore doesn’t need the extra weight, range and, crucially, cost that comes with a larger battery.
Fiat 600e
On sale: early 2024
Following on from the success of the smaller Fiat 500e, the 600e is its big brother with a 51kWh battery and a 250 mile range. With a strong family resemblance, the 600e features more space and practicality, but has the muscle to back up those looks with a 100kW fast charger system that has the ability to get from 20 to 80% state of charge in less than half an hour.
Better yet, there’s also an electric tailgate (which are usually fitted to much more expensive cars) and a Tom Tom navigation system that displays all the charging stations available on your route and will even given real-time information on free parking spaces on public roads.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
On sale: spring
If you thought that the retro-looks of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 were cool before, then just check out this hot hatch N version. With the equivalent of up to 641bhp from its 84kWh battery, the new Ioniq 5 N is capable of the 0 to 60mph sprint in a staggering 3.4 seconds along with a 161mph top speed.
There are plenty of changes to make the car appeal to keen drivers too with changes to its steering, brakes and suspension, a drift mode and even an Active Sound system to simulate the sound of a petrol engine or even a jet fighter! The Ioniq 5 N also gets a sporty body kit and 21-inch alloy wheels, with new bucket seats and trim inside. Everyday EVs don’t get much more exciting than this!
MG Cyberster
On sale: summer
Make no mistake, MG has been one of the hottest brands of 2023 with much of that due to the success of its EV models, especially the MG4 and MG5. MG’s new car sales this year are up by more than 50% and 2024 is unlikely see that tailing off anytime soon. Part of the reason for that will be this, the stunning MG Cyberster.
A two-seater EV roadster, the MG Cyberster has already been awarded by Carwow as its most anticipated new car of 2024. The order books will be opening in early summer with the first deliveries due a few months later, making it the perfect car to enjoy some late summer sun.
Peugeot E-3008
On sale: February
More than 1.3 million 3008s have left Peugeot showrooms in the past seven years making it one of the French firm’s most successful models. This all-electric E-3008 is sure to continue that with a choice two battery sizes, either 73kWh or 98kWh, and a range of up to 435 miles.
The E-3008 will also feature Peugeot’s amazing new i-cockpit which has a floating panoramic display as well as customisable ambient LED lighting. It will also come with an 11kW three-phase onboard charger and be available in two or four-wheel drive versions.
Polestar 4
On sale: early 2024
Polestar is all set for a bumper 2024. Not only does it have the 3 SUV arriving to UK roads, but there’s also this, the gorgeous Polestar 4. On paper, the idea of an SUV Coupe shouldn’t work, but in practice we think it looks stunning.
Despite its name, the 4 will actually sit between the 2 and 3 in terms of size, but it will have a 102kWh battery, a target range of up to 372 miles and feature Polestar’s latest Snapdragon Cockpit Platform with a large 15.4-inch landscape-oriented screen in the centre of the dashboard.
Perhaps the most surprising design feature however will be the lack of a rear windscreen. A panoramic roof will allow plenty of light to enter the cabin, while a rear-facing camera will project the view behind onto a screen where the rear view mirror traditionally sits.
Renault Scenic E-Tech
On sale: May
For almost 30 years, the Renault Scenic has been providing drivers with practical, family transport. This latest generation Scenic will be doing that, with two crucial new changes. The first is that it’s now an SUV and the second is that it’s now electric too.
The new Scenic will get an 87kWh battery capable of a 379 mile range, but it still boasts the practicality of its predecessors with clever storage solutions throughout and a total of 38 litres of storage in the cabin. There’s even a panoramic sunroof that you can change the opacity of the glass one section at a time. The Scenic’s interior is also packed with recycled materials underlying the Renault’s sustainability.
Volkswagen ID.7
On sale: January
The Volkswagen ID range of electric models is already one of the most extensive on the EV market and this new ID.7 might just be one of the most crucial yet.
A family saloon that’s slightly larger than the popular Passat, the ID7 will eventually come in both saloon and Sport Tourer estate versions and offer a range of up to 435 miles with a choice of two different battery sizes. The ID.7 will boast special aerodynamics for improved efficiency as well as a host of luxury equipment including smart air conditioning and a panoramic sunroof with glass that can be switched between opaque and transparent by touch control.
Volkswagen ID. Buzz long-wheelbase
On sale: summer
Is the Volkswagen ID. Buzz one of the coolest-looking EVs on the road today? Well it’s about to get even more so in 2024 with the arrival of this, the long-wheelbase version.
At 25cm longer than the standard model, this longer ID. Buzz gets a third row of seats giving it room for seven as well as more luggage space and a new 85kWh battery. That means more range and more practicality, while there’s also a new head-up display, next-generation infotainment system and remote parking via your smartphone. Even better, there will be a four-wheel drive GTX model too.
Volvo EX30
On sale: March
Need a small electric SUV with a price tag under £40,000? Then welcome to the new Volvo EX30. As its name suggests, it sits below the XC40 in the Volvo range and has already been crowned as Car of the Year by both Carwow and The Sun in their respective end of year awards.
With a range of up to 298 miles and two battery options (either 49kWh or 64kWh), the EX30 will boast sleek looks alongside good equipment levels and incredible performance with a 0 to 60mph time of just 3.6 seconds.
And no, we’re not talking about lying on the sofa watching a box set with a tub of popcorn the size of Devon, we’re talking about grazing when charging.
What does ‘graze charging’ mean exactly? The best way to think about charging your EV is the way you probably think about charging your mobile phone. Unless you don’t have easy access to a plug, you don’t usually run the battery on your phone down to zero before charging it up.
The same is true for your EV. When running an EV as your car, it’s far better to constantly top up by charging at home, so that you always set off for any journey with the highest convenient level of charge and range.
What’s in it for me?
This has two benefits. First, if you’re on an off-peak electricity tariff with your energy provider, it best enables you to keep as much of your charging in those off-peak times as possible, maximising your savings on your running costs. Second, by always starting any journey with that highest level of charge and range, it enables you to reduce any usage of public chargers, which are far more expensive than charging at home.
“I charge my Hyundai every day and whenever I’m at home, I always plug it in to my Ohme Home Pro and let the app take care of the rest, so I’m always graze charging,” said Ian Muller who drives a 2020 Hyundai Ioniq and covers around 25,000 miles a year. “My charging obviously varies with the smallest charge being 5kWh and the largest being 38kWh over the last year, but my average is less than 14kWh a day. That’s less than two hours, which means I’m always within the off-peak times of my Intelligent Octopus Go tariff.”
For any first-time EV drivers coming from a petrol or diesel car, this may be a new lesson to learn. With petrols and diesels, the usual habit of most drivers is to let the fuel gauge run down low before doing a big fill up.
Graze charging is effectively the opposite of that, so the equivalent of topping up your fuel tank when it drops to three-quarters or less. But while it may sound a bit unusual when described in that way, the reality is that, with an EV, graze charging is the best way to reduce your running costs and get the best value for money from smart charging your electric vehicle.
