World EV Day 2024
EV World Day 2024
Today, we are celebrating 5 years of World EV Day – the biggest e-mobility campaign of the year. Founded by Ade Thomas and Green.TV - a media company focusing on the topic of sustainability, the first World EV Day was created to raise awareness and promote the shift to electric vehicles.
In the past, World EV Day has gained political attention including being discussed in UK parliament and celebrated by the White House’s top climate advisor.
This year’s headline partner for World EV Day is Auto Trader UK, whose efforts are seen all year round. The leading automotive marketplace ensures a successful and fair transition through extensive consumer guides, their monthly EV giveaways (this month’s model is a Jeep Avenger Altitude worth £37,399 – remember to sign up!), consumer media partnerships and retailer education and support. Today, Auto Trader’s marketplace offers over 20,000 used EV across the website.
Among many other partners supporting World EV Day this year, are Octopus Electroverse, Octopus Electric Vehicles, Waze, Tusker, Osprey and others. As part of the celebration, these companies offer many incentives and guides to make it easier for the public to switch to electric vehicles such as access to route planning, live charger updates, EV leasing schemes etc.
Dundee on its way to decarbonisation
Every year on the 9th of September, governments, businesses and electric car lovers gather to celebrate the rapid rise of electric vehicles and the environmental impact they’re making. This year, the campaign is asking businesses, policymakers and individuals how they are driving change to continue supporting the shift to a decarbonised society. Here’s what Dundee City Council is doing:
- A Low Emission Zone was introduced in Dundee in May this year to reduce pollution levels and improve air quality in the city centre by stopping the most polluting vehicles from entering the area.
- Dundee has 114 chargers available to the public, with 18 having been installed in 2024! We strive to help the public feel more confident in driving an EV through providing access to EV chargers across the city and ultimately, eliminating range anxiety. Our newest rapid hub installed on Clepington Road has been revolutionary in providing accessible chargers and ensure that disabled drivers can charge their EV as easily and quickly as possible.
- The council’s efforts to shift to a decarbonised local authority go beyond charging. Through incorporating renewable energy into our charging hubs, we ensure that the energy used for powering charging sessions is as clean as possible. Currently, 6 of 7 charging hubs in Dundee feature solar panels and battery storage systems to ensure that no energy is wasted. The Princes Street and Clepington Road hubs feature battery storage units made from second-life vehicle batteries. This way, they give new life to old car batteries by recycling them into a solution that helps us build on power resilience.
- Dundee is also committed to supporting a further uptake of EVs by the public through creative incentives. No overstay fee applies to chargers located on the top floor of Olympia, Gellatly Street and Greenmarket multi-storey car parks, which allows for long charging without being penalised. The most cost-effective solution is to charge your EV at one of these car parks overnight, as parking is free between 8pm and 8am, so you’ll only need to pay for the electricity that your car consumed!
- Dundee’s electric taxi fleet is constantly growing and now equals 37% of all taxis. The council offers several incentives to support the taxi trade in making the switch to electric, for example, cheaper rates of taxi tests for fully electric vehicles.
- Dundee City Council’s electric fleet vehicles equal to 30% of the overall fleet and range from small cars to refuse collection vehicles. Fleet’s two most recently built charging hubs also incorporate solar provision and battery storage systems.
News from the EV industry
World EV Day is when countries, governments and companies reaffirm their commitments to sustainable transport through pledging more investments in EV development, showcasing cutting-edge EV models and pushing for policies that pave the way for a cleaner world. EVs aren’t just cool cars – they're part of a broad movement towards decarbonising our society. Today is packed with key announcements from the industry and reflecting on the journey overcome by the industry.
Quickest EV models: It’s hard to believe that electric vehicles, although they seem like an innovation which resurfaced not long ago, date back over a century. The first EVs appeared in the late 1800s early 1900s. These vehicles were quickly overshadowed and replaces by gasoline-fuelled cars, which were faster and didn’t come with such a limiting range.
Today, the quickest EVs on the market can go from 0 to 60mph in an impressively short time. A recent Car and Driver article (https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g40971175/fastest-electric-cars/) showcases models that hit 60mph in under 3.5 seconds, such as the 2020 Porsche Taycan 4s (3.4 seconds), 2023 BMW iX M60 (3.2 seconds), 2023 Kia EV6 GT (3.2 seconds) and even under 3 seconds, like 2022 Audi RS e-tron GT (2.9 seconds), 2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE53 (2.8 seconds) and 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid (2.1 seconds).
Longest range EVs: In the last decade, electric vehicles have made incredible progress. The newest models feature improved battery technologies allowing for a range longer than ever before. Drivers can now travel much further without the need to top up, making range anxiety a thing of the past.
With bigger and better electric vehicle batteries produced, the newest EVs can cover hundreds of miles on a single charge. According to an article from July this year (https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars-vans/108345/top-10-longest-range-electric-cars), the longest-range EV currently on the market in the Uk is the Mercedes EQS. Thanks to its gigantic 107.8kWh battery and unique design, the car offers up to 452 miles. That’s like driving from Dundee to Luton on a single charge!
The Volkswagen ID.7 gains a close second on the podium, with 437 miles of range and an 86kWh battery pack.
The popular Polestar 2 can now cover 406 miles and is a relatively affordable option for such a long range – prices for a brand new 2 start from £45,000.
The Tesla Model 3 has been on sale since 2019, and as Tesla’s cheapest model, it doesn’t disappoint. The Long Range model covers up to 390 miles, while the standard kit boasts an official range of 374 miles.
Most affordable EV on the market: 2024 saw a significant step forward in new EV models appearing on the market.
While the Citroen Ami remains the cheapest EV currently on the market, with its range of 46 miles and top speed of 28mph, it certainly isn’t best suited for use outside the city.
The new Dacia Spring grabs attention with a starting price of £14,995 and finance deals confirmed from £169 a month, making it the cheapest proper electric car on the market. The Spring is powered by a 26.8kWh battery, which allows for a range of up to 140 miles. The standard kit includes cruise control and rear parking sensors.
Charging infrastructure: Large investments have been made towards developing new and innovative charging solutions.
Smart EV charging is revolutionary in allowing to control the charging process and optimise energy use and reduce costs.
Vehicle to Grid technology allows EVs to not only draw energy from the grid but also supply it back. This can help stabilize the grid during peak demand and store excess energy.
Innovative business models offer subscriptions allowing for access to multiple charging networks while using a single account.
Wireless charging is another leap forward in EV technology. By using electromagnetic fields, energy is transferred between two objects. This technology reduces wear and tear on physical charging ports and has the potential for more widespread adoption of EVs due to its convenience of use.
Power boosters were designed to enhance the efficiency and speed of charging. Battery-based boosters store electricity in large chemical batteries which can be discharged rapidly and as a result, provide a quick charge, while flywheel-based boosters store kinetic energy in a rotating flywheel which can be converted into electrical energy on demand.
As the EV uptake increases, so does the demand for quicker charging solutions. Currently, the top competitors for the fastest EV chargers are: Lucid Air offering 350kW charging capacity providing a significant charge in just 15 minutes, Tesla Supercharger (250kW, 20 minutes) and Porsche Turbo (270kW, 22 minutes).
Astonishing adoption of EVs in Norway: In July 2024, Norway observed a significant shift in its emobility market, with electric vehicles making up 91.9% of all new vehicle registrations, which was a remarkable increase from 81.7% in July 2023. This demonstrates how policy changes, such as the removal of a tax exemption, can cause abrupt shifts in the market.
Get involved!
From the modest beginnings of electric vehicles in the early 1900s to the futuristic machines we see today, EVs have been continously improved with new technologies. World EV Day helps to drive the emobility movement forward by highlighting these advancements.
There are a couple of ways to get involved in this year’s World EV Day. Participate as an individual (https://www.worldevday.org/ev-meetups) or a business (https://www.worldevday.org/partnerships).
Alternatively, get involved on Twitter. We’d love to hear what you’re doing for the environment! Post about your shift to electric on Twitter and tag @Dundeeelectric so we can all celebrate our commitments together!
Preparations are already underway for next year’s World EV Day. Find out more here https://www.worldevday.org/2025-campaign
It has never been easier to go electric!
Sources:
https://danlec.uk/ev-chargers/which-ev-charger-is-fastest/
https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/electric/cheapest-electric-car/
https://electroverse.octopus.energy/community/news-and-competitions/electro-beat-your-monthly-dose-of-ev-news-august-2024/
https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g40971175/fastest-electric-cars/
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars-vans/108345/top-10-longest-range-electric-cars