Jaguar I-Pace


lithium and cobalt used for EV batteries is already having devastating environmental impact on the countries the minerals are found in. If all this makes it sound like I’m anti-


electric cars, then it is not intended to. I am fully behind the concept of an emissions-free future and it’s highly likely that electric cars will play a large part in that. Already we have some very impressive new models on the market. The Renault Zoe is effectively the lower end of the scale, but it’s a great city car with a surprising turn of speed and a very useful range. It makes more sense than ever now that you can buy the battery outright instead of having to pay a monthly rental for it. At the upper end, other than the headline- grabbing Tesla cars, we have Jaguar’s cool new I-Pace, a very sporty five-seat SUV that is exceptional to drive and capable of travelling more than 400 kilometres between


economy benefits still make a lot of sense for many drivers. Especially in bigger vehicles. Toyota is aiming for its Corolla Hybrid to be the best-selling car of 2019. That would be a big achievement on two counts. First, it would have to topple Ireland’s favoured body style of the past few years (the crossover – epitomised by the Hyundai Tucson and Nissan Qashqai), and second, it would be the first time a hybrid model topped the charts. It may be a little early for that to happen,


in my opinion, but even if (and probably when) it does, it’s still a far cry from the day when a pure EV takes the top step in the sales podium. If the government really wants us to get to that stage, then a lot of change is needed. Presumably, it’s part of the plan to reduce Ireland’s carbon footprint, but it would be pointless if we still largely relied on fossil fuels for our electricity generation – as we currently do. That, in fairness, is slowly changing, but it’s worth considering the bigger picture. And speaking of which, one little-discussed fact is that the mining of


BMW Concept iX3 Auto Ireland 2019 11


charges. It will be joined in 2019 by rivals from Audi (the polished e-tron) and Mercedes with its slick-looking EQC model, while BMW will be a little later with an all-electric version of its X3 SUV. Of perhaps more importance to a larger part of the market will be the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia e-Niro, as they are about half the price of the premium cars mentioned here, yet with similarly impressive ranges between charge-ups. All of these models are certain to enhance


the appeal of electric car ownership and increase EV penetration in the market, but until it’s the case where the average used car is powered by electricity, and the generation of that electricity is from a completely renewable source, I would suggest that the world isn’t quite ready to be fully electrified. It certainly makes for an interesting few decades of change ahead of us, even if that change is seemingly glacial…AI


Kia Soul EV


Kia e-Niro


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