Auto Express 1567

YES, I know the Government has got plenty on its plate at the moment, but when it comes to its support and encouragement of the electric car market, it seems to give with one hand and take rather more with the other. Only last year, it reduced or removed its subsidies on all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, instantly meaning the cost of those cars rose. But when I caught up with transport minister Jesse Norman (above) at the recent relaunch of the excellent joint Government and car industry Go Ultra Low campaign, he took exception to my suggestion that his Government was responsible for pushing prices of electrified cars up. “Hold on a second,” he said. “It’s a very big move to suggest that Government put the prices up by…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy TESLA has finally completed its line-up of saloons and SUVs with the launch of the Model Y, a sister car to the baby Model 3 saloon. Due on sale before the end of 2020, the newcomer promises similar performance to the Model 3, but with a higher seating position and improved cabin space. It will be manufactured at the Tesla Gigafactory in Nevada – the same site where the company’s batteries are assembled – and will give the fledgling American brand a key model to take on the forthcoming blitz of small electric SUVs from established, mainstream auto companies. Three versions of the Model Y are planned for the car’s launch. The default will be the Long Range, which can crack 0-60mph in 5.5 seconds, reach a top…

ELON Musk playfully declared that he’s “bringing sexy back” in reference to Tesla’s model line-up – S, 3, X and, now, Y. Following the baby SUV’s reveal at the company’s Los Angeles design studio, Auto Express had the opportunity to take a ride around Musk’s SpaceX headquarters. We found the Model Y’s cabin to be a masterpiece of minimalism. It boasts a 15-inch rectangular infotainment touchscreen perched on a simple dash, with a strip of unvarnished wood breaking up the swathes of grey plastic. The panoramic glass roof adds to the natural ambience, and the seats, made from vegan materials, are a nod to the brand’s sustainable purpose. Our brief ride around the SpaceX facility was in a Dual-Motor AWD version of the Model Y, which can do 0-60mph in…

Audi Q4 e-tron DESPITE being only a concept for now, the Q4 e-tron SUV should be delivered to customers before buyers get the Model Y. The 280-mile Audi lands at the end of 2021. Skoda Vision E THE production version of Skoda’s Vision E concept will be one of the most expensive models in the Czech firm’s line-up. At up to £40,000, it’ll be a direct rival for the Tesla. VW ID. Crozz ANOTHER rival from the VW Group will be the ID. Crozz. Based on the brand’s MEB platform (as with the Audi and Skoda), it’ll offer four-wheel drive and up to 302bhp. Volvo eXC40 A FULLY electric version of the XC40 SUV is also waiting in the wings. Although slightly smaller than the Tesla, it’s just as premium…

● New pure-electric model set to head up ‘entry family’ range ● Would be made possible by improvements in battery technology “All-electric supermini would give VW a rival for e-208 and pure-electric Vauxhall Corsa” John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy VOLKSWAGEN is working on plans to expand its forthcoming ID. family of electric vehicles to include models as small as the existing Polo supermini. The firm revealed its intentions at last week’s VW Group annual conference, where a slide showing a product line-up included an ‘MEB entry family’ alongside the likes of the ID. hatchback and ID. Crozz SUV. That’s a reference to the MEB pure-electric platform that will underpin the ID. models. Previously, VW sources had suggested that MEB would not go any smaller than around 4.4 metres in length – or about…

VOLKSWAGEN will start taking reservations for the first ID. electric car in May, nearly six months before it is revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Brits will be able to join potential customers globally in reserving early production slots for the Golf-sized hatch on 8 May, using a microsite spun off the main VW UK website. There’s no word yet on pricing, but VW has confirmed that ID. hatches will start from less than 30,000 euros (£26,000) for a smaller-battery, 200-mile-range edition. The ID. will take centre stage at Frankfurt for VW because another expected debut at the event, that of the Golf Mk8, has now been put back until a few weeks later. Sales of the new compact family hatch remain scheduled to start in early 2020. PAGE 14: Volkswagen…