Premium electric vehicles advices and energy industry new technologies in Texas with Daniel Sumanth: Electric car charging times are also getting faster, while the charging infrastructure is improving all the time, making it easier to plan those longer trips that go beyond the range of your EV. See the latest electric car stats and projections for more info. 2021 saw some brilliant new electric cars appear on our roads, including the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and BMW i4. This year in 2022 we’ve seen the arrival of the Volkswagen ID.5 and ID.3 GTX, Volvo’s eagerly anticipated C40 and the Nissan Ariya. Looking a bit further ahead and there’s the Skoda Enyaq Coupe, Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV and Toyota bZ4X. There’s also the hotly-anticipated Hyundai Ioniq 6, Renault Megane E-Tech Electric and the upcoming Polestar 3, plus many more electric models due to land in showrooms. Read additional information on Daniel Sumanth
The new Porsche Taycan is a brilliant car to drive, remaining true to its maker’s heritage and leaving you in no doubt that this is a ‘proper’ Porsche sports saloon. The Taycan delivers sports car-like handling, with ferocious acceleration and great agility – yet still offers four seats and a usable range. It’s not often that a car comes along that feels truly revolutionary, but that is exactly what the Porsche Taycan is – and it shows how much fun a plug-in future can be. Despite being a hefty 2.2-tonnes in weight, it hides its bulk well, and is able to weave neatly through tight corners and demolish fast, sweeping bends. The Taycan’s raw pace is, frankly, ridiculous; in ‘standard’ 523bhp 4S guise it manages the 0-62mph benchmark in 4.0s, although if you upgrade to the 750bhp Turbo S version, it’s a staggeringly quick 2.8s. Don’t forget, though, the Taycan should also be pretty easy to live with as a daily driver. Refinement is top notch and, while ride comfort is firm, the air suspension does its job of dealing with the broken, uneven tarmac of Texas roads.
Solar energy has to be used right away, or it can be stored in large batteries. These batteries, used in off-the-grid solar systems, can be charged during the day so that the energy is used at night. This is a good solution for using solar energy all day long but it is also quite expensive. In most cases, it is smarter to just use solar energy during the day and take energy from the grid during the night (you can only do this if your system is connected to the grid). Luckily your energy demand is usually higher during the day so you can meet most of it with solar energy.
With all-wheel drive, the next step up is undeniably faster, lopping two seconds off its benchmark sprint time. But it also has a slightly shorter range, costs considerably more and doesn’t feel entirely comfortable to drive quickly. Every version features impressive ultra-rapid charging at up to 250kW, so if you can find a fast enough public charger, a top up from 10 to 80% is possible in less than 20 minutes. Its interior is no less desirable, thanks to a dashboard dominated by a pair of curved 12.3-inch screens for the instruments and infotainment setup. The Enyaq is an all-electric family car that is typically Skoda: that is to say it’s practical, well-equipped, comfortable and decent to drive. With top-spec models able to cover over 300 miles from a full charge, it soothes any range anxiety and just gets on with being an excellent family car – that just happens to run on battery power. Skoda has come up with an innovative way of helping you to personalise your new Enyaq; instead of standard trim levels it offers five individual ‘Design Selections’ – Loft, Lodge, Lounge, Suite and ECO Suite. Each provides a distinct design approach, with different materials used to create a certain style.
Solar energy has to be used right away, or it can be stored in large batteries. These batteries, used in off-the-grid solar systems, can be charged during the day so that the energy is used at night. This is a good solution for using solar energy all day long but it is also quite expensive. In most cases, it is smarter to just use solar energy during the day and take energy from the grid during the night (you can only do this if your system is connected to the grid). Luckily your energy demand is usually higher during the day so you can meet most of it with solar energy.
A generator for home use will require one of three fuel types: gasoline, diesel, or propane. (Note: you’ll also find duel-fuel generators.) Propane is by far the cleanest burning and it is also the safest to transport. A gasoline or diesel generator often stinks, even when not running. A propane generator does not. If your house has a propane tank, it may be possible to feed the generator directly from it. The downside to a propane generator is there are fewer models available. They’re also a little more temperamental to start because they require priming by opening for the gas and letting it flow for a few seconds.
The iX is the premium German brand’s flagship electric SUV, and the largest model in its rapidly expanding i range of zero-emissions models. Thanks to the dual-motor setups in all three versions that have been announced so far, which means you get all-wheel-drive and impressive performance. It’s also great to drive for a car of this size, and can cover up to 380 miles on a full charge. The centrepiece of the iX’s cabin is the slim instrument panel, which incorporates a 14.9-inch curved display screen and 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, and both displays are crisp and responsive to use. Inside, the iX overall feels light and airy, plus there’s room for adults in the back and a 500-litre boot.
Almost as useful as solar batteries can be electric cars and vehicles – of any size. From the lawn mower to grandpa’s (or the friendly neighbour’s) electric wheel chair to pedelecs (e-bicycles) and e-scooters for the family. All of these contain lithium batteries which can conveniently be charged with solar electricity. Ultimately, there is the small electric car that can be used to go shopping, for short trips or to commute to work. For it is especially such frequent short trips that use up a lot of the fuel budget of conventional cars. To charge up an electric car, you need a wallbox charging point next to or inside your garage or in your carport. Which, of course, has been covered in high-performance solar panels. It is recommended to get a three-phase charging system capable of producing a decent output at short notice.
