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Electric cars or electric vehicles (EVs) have divided the market – some are avid EV owners while others are naysayers, yet there are some who are undecided and are currently assessing the landscape before making judgement. Where do you stand in regards to electric vehicles? Here are some of the pros and cons of EVs.

               Pros

               Cheaper to run than their petrol counterparts.

     While EVs are currently more expensive to purchase, they are cheaper to run According to the electric vehicle council, an average EV costs around $4.50 in electricity charges to travel 100km. This is compared to $16.65 for the average petrol car in Australia.

Easy to charge

     Electric vehicles can be charged right at your home. For most users, a charge overnight is enough to keep your car fully charged for the average day to work and back.

Easy to maintain

    Unlike combustion engines, Electric cars require significantly less maintenance.

Safety

     Electric cars are being manufactured with all of the safety features that are standard today – many EVs actually exceed safety standards.

Cons 

EVs are more expensive to purchase

     Electric vehicles are currently more expensive to purchase than their petrol or diesel alternatives, this is mostly due to the cost of the batteries. However, this is changing and the prices of batteries are rapidly falling.

Limited driving range and charging infrastructure

     With EV ranges ranging from 80 – 200 kilometres until a full recharge is needed, it can be viewed as not sufficient for longer journey’s. Public charging infrastructure is taking shape, and Australia has gotten on board with the Australia Electric Highway. With a bit of careful planning and consideration, however, you are able to take away your “range anxiety”.

Too Quiet

     EVs are quiet – road users, such as cyclists or pedestrians, may not even realise you are driving past.

Renault ZOE and Kangoo ZE

While only currently being offered to Australia government and business buyers, the Renault ZOE and Kangoo ZE are definitely a talking point. With the first few models being delivered; these compact electric vehicles offer something a bit different to the other prestige EVs currently sold in Australia. The ZOE offers a more affordable, user-friendly experience with a longer range of around 300km.

Tesla Model X, Model S and Model 3

From the luxury SUV, Model X through to the prestige sedan Model S and finally the more budget-friendly Model 3, Tesla caters to a wide EV market. With longer ranges than competitors and advanced features including auto-pilot, Tesla offers buyers and owners a futuristic and premium experience that is largely unmatched by competitors.

BMW i3s

A small and quirky electric vehicle, the BMW I3 has undergone a facelift. Thanks to the fully-electric drive train BMW eDrive, this runabout goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds. With a range of 200km, the facelifted BMW i3 has a bigger 94Ah battery than before that supports faster charging.

Nissan LEAF

Nissan launched the “reinvented” next generation LEAF in japan last year, boasting a 400km range, boosted acceleration as well as a range of new technologies. However, prospective buyers in Australia may have to wait until March of next year to be able to get their hands of this all-electric vehicle.

It can be slightly disconcerting if you suddenly hear a rattle coming from your car, especially while driving on the open road! But take a deep breath – it could be something small and insignificant. It’s always a good idea to get a strange rattle investigated, in case it’s something bigger. Regular services should keep you at bay for sudden or unexpected car trouble.

Common rattles or noises and what they could mean

Whirring noise

-          Usually a vibrating or buzzing noise that may change with engine speed. This type of noise is most likely caused by belt driven accessories or the belts themselves. Other causes could be associated with the bearings in the alternator, drive belt idler and tensioner or the water pump.

Hissing or gurgling

-          Hissing or gurgling noises are common with cooling system problems. Air escaping from a hose or gurgling noises that sound like water boiling in a kettle can be caused by faulty temperature gauges, coolant leaks or other liquid leaks. Its best to pull over as soon as possible and have your vehicle inspected by a mechanic.

Backfires

-          These noises sound like gunshots and can be quite loud. Most likely caused by an issue with your fuel system or with your engine timing.

Spluttering/Shuddering

-          Any vibrating, jerking or sudden loss of power under acceleration could indicate that the vehicle is misfiring. Check the ignition and fuel system for issues to identify what is causing the vibration or noise.

It’s always a good idea to get a mechanic to properly check out any sudden noises – depending on what type of noise it is, your mechanic will be able to narrow down the cause and carry out a diagnostic check.

The all-new Ford Focus, powered by the same new three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine in the 2019 Ford Fiesta, is set to be available from November.

The 1.5-litre turbo triple offers 134kW/240Nm, with a compact turbo triple delivering a highly competitive blend of economy and performance. The 2019 Ford Focus line up boasts a wider model range and more standard equipment than ever before.

Featuring a contemporary new design, the 2019 Focus will include standard features such as autonomous emergency braking, an eight-speed automatic transmission, 8.0-inch touch-screen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus SYNC 3 voice control. Other standard features include steering wheel mounted gear shift paddles and a new E-shifter dial that replaces a traditional gear knob.

The 2019 Ford Focus will be offered in three equipment grades, the entry-level Trend, the ST-Line and Titanium.

The entry-level Trend will feature 16-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, automatic headlights, automatic windscreen wipers and a self-dimming interior mirror.

While the top trim level, the Focus Titanium, will add 18-inch alloy, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go traffic mode, leather seat trim, a 675-Watt B&O stereo with 10 speakers, cyclist and night time pedestrian detection for the AEB, blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert.

Two body styles have been confirmed for local launch in November – the five-door hatchback and wagon – while the four-door sedan and wagon-based Active crossover will be available from mid-2019. Pricing for the 2019 Ford Focus has yet to be announced.

Finding the correct inflation for your tyres is important to ensuring a safe journey – but have you ever wondered what the right tyre pressure is? It actually depends on the car, its load, your nature of driving and the surface you are driving on.

Under-inflating your tyres decreases your vehicles response time, performance and safety of your car. While over-inflating your tyres decreases traction while damaging your tyres.

You can easily tell by assessing the wear – if the tyres wear on the edges, they are under-inflated. However, if they are wearing on the crown – they are over-inflated.

While tyre pressure or psi is influenced by a variety of factors, normal air loss can also occur – tyres will naturally lose about 1-2 psi per month due to regular wear and tear.

Here are some tips to keeping your tyres in top shape

-          Monitor the wear rates and rotate the tyres every 5000km (but be careful if they’re directional tyres)

-          Check tyre pressures fortnightly

-          Take note of your car’s recommended inflation pressure, this can be found on the insider of the driver’s door frame.

-          Consider where you will be driving. Dirt roads, tar roads and beach drives all require different tyre pressures for optimal driving

-          If you are going to be driving with a heavy load or towing

Tyres are crucial to safe driving and provide a critical point between you and the road, so be sure to keep up maintenance.

The fourth-generation Mercedes-Benz A200 sets to arrive in August and includes some high-tech features that made the announcement especially special.

Mercedes-Benz Australia has confirmed pricing from $47,200 (plus on-road costs) for the Mercedes-Benz A200. With high tech features including an advanced dual-screen infotainment set up and Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) interface with voice recognition which can plot navigation or change audio but also even open the sunroof blinds and change the cabin temperature.

The Mercedes-Benz A200 comes with a 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, attached to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic – offering a fuel consumption rating of 5.7l/100km.

All of the A-Class models will be fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights with adaptive high-beam assist, wireless phone charging and keyless engine start. Other elements to the strong safety catalogue include active brake assist, semi-autonomous braking, active parking assist, lane-keep, blind-spot and traffic-sign assist, a reversing camera and nine airbags.

Besides the A200, the entry-level Mercedes-Benz A180 and top shelf A250 arriving in Australia by December 2018.

Toyota has confirmed plans to offer a petrol-electric powered hybrid across the new Corolla range. With an on-sale date set for August, the new Toyota Corolla will be available in a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre version with 125kW and 200 Nm outputs, or a revised 1.8-litre hybrid unit paired with a CVT automatic transmission.

The Corolla hybrid’s petrol engine will be good for 72kW and 142Nm, while the electric motor serves up 53kW and 163Nm – resulting in a combined output of 90kW and claimed fuel economy of 4.2L/100km.

Both powertrains will be available with a new continuously-variable transmission (CVT) with 10 programmed steps. While the petrol engine will also be available with a size-speed manual transmission with rev-matching function. Further contributing to the Toyota Corolla’s fuel efficiency is the lighter and shorter gearbox.

The new Corolla features autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, Lane Trace Assist, Road Sign Assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning assist, auto high-beam, a rear-view camera and seven airbags. Other highlights -depending on the variant – will include LED headlights, electric park brake, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, eight-speaker JBL sound system, keyless entry and start.

Keeping its stylish design with increased safety features, the new Toyota Corolla is expected to remain affordable and competitive in the Australian market.

Sometimes all you need is a quick clean to get your lightly dusty car sparkling again, here are our top tips to get your car cleaned in record time without having to break out all the tools and buckets out.

1. Use water pressure to do the heavy lifting

The idea with this technique is to use the water pressure to remove dust and dirt without scrubbing. If the water pressure doesn’t work – then your car may be too dirty for a quick wash! Start from the top of the car using a heavy stream of water.
 

2. Microfiber towels and paint lubricant work wonders

Wet a clean microfiber towel until wet, wring it out and use paint lubricant to wipe down your car in straight lines. Be sure to wring out your towel and reapply lubricant as you go. As soon as the towel starts to look dirty, fold it into a clean quarter – clean towels are essential to preventing scratching.
 

3. Brake dust can scratch your paint job!

Brake dust is comprised of extremely sharp metal that can easily scratch the paint – you will notice brake dust as black dust around your rims. If reintroduced to the paint via your microfiber towel, it can scratch – so be sure to keep an eye on it.
 

4. Touch ups

A bottle of spray wax and a dry microfiber towel are handy to keep in your boot or behind your seat to touch up any little spots or drips.
 
The key to a quick clean of your car is lubrication. By rinsing your car first and wiping dry with a paint lubricant, you can safely remove dust and light dirt in about 10 to 15 minutes – saving you the time needed for a full wash!