Latest news with #ChristopherSharp
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
I drove an electric car 560 miles in a day but things didn't go to plan
Christopher Sharp looks back on what happened when he drove over 500 miles from one part of the UK to another and what he thought of the UK's charging infrastructure in 2023 Christopher Sharp currently works in the Trendswatch arm of the Content Hub. He is a multi-award-winning journalist with over 10 years experience working the media. Starting on youth news in 2014 he later launched one of the UK's first political podcasts whilst studying War Studies at King's College London. Prior to working in the Content Hub, he wrote for the Daily Express, and has covered a variety of topics including the closing stages of the pandemic, wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. He also launched the Daily Express Car Reviews team in 2023. In recent years the number of electric cars being bought and registered in the UK has continued to rise. Last month, the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) announced that registrations of electric cars had risen once again and that the number of new electric cars being registered was up nine percent. In real terms, this means that around 254,666 battery electric cars (BEVs) have been registered so far this year. That is just shy of the 314,687 registered in the entirety of 2023, a couple of years before manufacturers started getting wobbly on electric cars. In recent months, major carmakers such as Ford, Honda, Volvo, and others announced adjustments to their electric car programmes, choosing instead to focus a little more on hybrids that feature a combination of fossil fuels alongside electricity. But problems still surface, such as one motorist whose "numbers didn't add up" after a long drive in an EV. These announcements were all made long after I decided to try and drive an electric car from Land's End to John O'Groats in a single day, a journey of around 800 miles. In the end, I failed due to a combination of myself and the UK's charging infrastructure. The car itself was faultless throughout. The car I chose to tackle this immense task was the then new Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo, an estate version of Porsche's popular electric super saloon. It had a WLTP (best-case scenario predicted range on a single charge) of around 304 miles and power output that varied from 326hp to 408hp depending on whether you used launch control. What's more, there was a lot of stop start traffic en route and with an EV it is recommended that you don't run it down to 80 miles then stop as that isn't the most efficient way to charge it. So rather than go down to 10 percent it can sometimes be more efficient to go down to 40 or 50 percent and then charge it up to 80 or 90 percent before cracking on. These first two factors hit our efficiency badly and, combined with not running the battery down to zero – a move which wouldn't be recommended – meant more stops to charge up including those where I needed to fill up. However, as the drive northwards progressed, so did my illness, and eventually it felt silly to carry on. I felt terrible throwing in the towel, especially after all the help Porsche UK had given, but I needed to rest. I put in the address of a hastily booked hotel into the onboard trip computer that would enable me to get to the booking in time and with 80 percent in the battery by filling up at a nearby charger. Had it not been for the illness, I would have carried on, and if I had the opportunity to attempt the challenge again in the same or similar type of car, I would, especially since I have now had a lot more practice of long distance driving, including delivering a van from the UK to Ukraine in less than 48 hours earlier this year. Ultimately too the charging infrastructure, as well as electric cars, have improved too. According to Zap Map, at the end of last month there were 84,218 electric vehicle charging points at 41,979 locations in UK. Furthermore, the Labour government has introduced a new electric car grant, and even the NHS is adding chargers to some of its sites to serve it's growing electric fleet. The future may be a combination of electric, hydrogen and synethtic fuels, and progress may not be as fast as people want it to be, but it is happening.
Wales Online
09-08-2025
- Automotive
- Wales Online
I spent week driving the UK's best-selling car and still don't know why it is
I spent week driving the UK's best-selling car and still don't know why it is The Ford Puma has been the UK's best-selling car for two years running, but is it actually any good? We spent a week with the popular SUV to find out... Christopher Sharp drove a Puma for a week (Image: Christopher Sharp) Recent statistics reveal that the Ford Puma continues to be the UK's top-selling car. After securing this title in 2024, the micro-SUV seems set to repeat its success in 2025, with SMMT data indicating that 30,764 units of the Puma have been sold so far this year. The popularity of the Puma has been somewhat surprising, particularly as it replaced the esteemed Fiesta as Ford's smallest model. There were concerns that discontinuing a vehicle that had been the UK's best-selling car for 12 consecutive years and had sold 4.1 million units might put Ford on the back foot. However, eight months into the year, the Ford Puma has solidified its position as the UK's best-selling car, according to Autocar. This leads to the question: why is everyone buying one? As a serious journalist, I felt compelled to investigate. After a week, I was still uncertain. The Puma isn't a bad car; in fact, it's quite good and capable when all factors are considered. Christopher Sharp with the Ford Puma (Image: Christopher Sharp) But it did leave me with some questions. The. main problem I have with it is the cost. To be fair to the Puma, it holds its own when compared with its rivals in terms of pricing. The base model Titanium version starts at just under £27,000, making it competitive with the likes of the Toyota Yaris Cross and £500 cheaper than the Peugeot 2008. However, it's still about £1,000 more expensive than the Volkswagen T-Cross. If you're after a sportier feel, you'll need to shell out more for the ST-line trim. The top-tier Puma ST-Line X, equipped with a 1.0 litre Ecoboost engine and a 7-speed automatic gearbox, along with a few optional extras, will set you back £34,730. Strip away some of those options and the standard on-the-road price comes down to £30,830. £30,000 feels a bit steep. From a cursory, surface-level economic perspective, it feels akin to paying business class fares for an economy flight. But, what's the Puma like once you delve deeper? Inside, the appeal to most buyers becomes immediately apparent – its exceptional practicality. The Ford Puma without Christopher Sharp sitting inside it (Image: Christopher Sharp) The boot is deeper and more spacious than the Mariana Trench, and there are ample cubby holes and storage compartments for stashing extra shopping, keys, and various other bits and bobs. Despite the initial disappointment of losing most of the buttons, the central touch screen proved easy to use and quickly became second nature. It's an intuitive car to get to grips with, which could explain its popularity over rival models. The same practicality was evident in the 2025 model we had the opportunity to test drive on our second outing in the Puma. This version was slightly more affordable, priced at £29,280 for the standard spec, but with added extras it came to £32,680. The boot of the Ford Puma (also without Christopher Sharp inside it) (Image: Christopher Sharp) After a drive to Southend-on-Sea on a cloudy July day, my impressions remained consistent. So, how does this compact car handle corners, motorways, and newly laid tarmac? Surprisingly well, in fact. Despite its SUV shape, which is typically less agile, the Puma performed admirably. I wasn't anticipating Fiesta-like nimbleness, but it wasn't far off. The chassis held tight, the engine delivered ample torque, and the steering was responsive. The Ford Puma without Christopher Sharp standing next to it (Image: Christopher Sharp) However, it was let down by tyres that seemed to lose traction at relatively low speeds. Additionally, the large, square steering wheel felt too bulky for this type of vehicle; it may work well in the Ford Explorer, but not here. Article continues below Perhaps it was the road conditions, or maybe the recent rainfall, but there was a distinct sense of the car's lean, a heightened awareness of being in a vehicle that once was compact but now had to perform like a larger model. The Puma's size lends it a certain gravitas and stability on motorways and other routes, with its splendid one-litre engine making it an enjoyable ride. However, after both experiences, I found myself harbouring the same sentiment. Why not simply opt for a second-hand Ford Fiesta instead? Granted, the Fiesta is older and smaller given it's not an SUV, but it's likely to be more affordable, more entertaining, almost as practical, and probably just as economical to repair.
Daily Mirror
09-08-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
'I spent a week driving Britain's best-selling car and found one big problem'
Christopher Sharp spent a week with the best-selling car in the UK, the Ford Puma, and came to a surprising conclusion Christopher Sharp currently works in the Trendswatch arm of the Content Hub. He is a multi-award-winning journalist with over 10 years experience working the media. Starting on youth news in 2014 he later launched one of the UK's first political podcasts whilst studying War Studies at King's College London. Prior to working in the Content Hub, he wrote for the Daily Express, and has covered a variety of topics including the closing stages of the pandemic, wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. He also launched the Daily Express Car Reviews team in 2023. According to figures released recently, the Ford Puma remains the UK's best-selling car. After claiming the title in 2024, the micro-SUV could be on track to repeat the feat in 2025. So far this year, SMMT data suggests 30,764 units of the Puma have been sold. The Puma's popularity has proved partially perplexing, especially after it took over from the venerable Fiesta as the Blue Oval's smallest offering. There were fears that doing away with a vehicle that was the UK's best selling car for 12 years running and of which 4.1m units were sold would wrongfoot Ford. Earlier this year, Autotrader also named the Lexus NX 350h as the fastest-selling model in the country (calculated by the shortest amount of time cars were on sale on average). But, eight months into the year, and Ford Puma has fortified its position as the best-selling car in the UK, according to Autocar. The question then was begged, why is everyone buying one? As a serious (yes, very) journalist I had to find out. After one week, I actually wasn't sure why. The Puma isn't a bad car, in fact, it's relatively good and capable all things considered. But I did have some questions. The main issue I have is price. In all fairness to the Puma, when put side-by-side with its rivals, it is competitive. The entry level Titanium version starts at under £27,000, putting it on par with competitors such as the Toyota Yaris Cross and £500 less than the Peugeot 2008. However, this is around £1,000 more than the Volkswagen T-Cross. If you want something a little sportier, you'll have to pay more for the ST-line trim. The ultimate cost of the Puma ST-Line X with it's 1.0 litre Ecoboost engine and 7 speed automatic gearbox with a few options is £34,730. Take away a few options and the standard on the road price was £30,830. And it feels like £30,000 is a bit steep. From a purely surface-level-economic-initial-looking-at-the-book's-cover-perspective it feels like paying business class to fly economy. Sure they land at the same time, but that's still a lot of money. But, with that famous literary metaphor in mind, what's the Puma like once you start reading a few chapters? Inside, one can immediately see the appeal to most buyers and that is the superb practicality. The boot is deeper and more capacious than the Mariana Trench and there are plenty of cubby holes and storage compartments to stuff bits of extra shopping, keys, and various life accoutrements into. Although I mourned the loss of most of the buttons, the central touch screen is easy to use and you do get adjusted to it and the other controls. It's an easy car to learn this and I could see why people might be buying it over competitors. The same practicality also applied to the 2025 car we had available on our second drive of the Puma. This second car was slightly cheaper, coming in at £29,280 in standard spec, but with options it was £32,680. After a drive on the road to Southend on an overcast July day, my opinion remained the same. And what about that road. What happens when you show this small car some corners, motorways, and other freshly laid pieces of tarmac? More than you expect in truth. The Puma, by virtue of being an SUV shape, is handicapped. I wasn't expecting Fiesta levels of poise, but it came semi-close. The chassis grips well, the engine has a lot of torque, the steering was responsive, but it feels let down by the tyres that seemed to lose grip at lowish speeds. There's also the fact that the steering wheel, being large and square, feels too big for the type of car it's in; it works well in the Ford Explorer, but not here. Maybe it was the road, maybe it was the fact it had just rained, but you could feel the lean and felt very aware you were in a car that used to be small but was now facing the job of acting big. Thanks to its size the Puma has presence and stability on the motorway and other roads. It's marvellous one-litre engine makes it a happy cruiser. Still, I came away from both experiences with exactly the same opinion. Why wouldn't you just buy a used Ford Fiesta instead? Yes, the Fiesta is older and not as big, it's not an SUV, but it'll be cheaper, more fun, nearly as practical, and probably just as cheap to fix.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Hardin County man arrested after undercover crimes aginst children sting
FORT KNOX, Ky. (FOX 56) — A Hardin County man was arrested on May 16 after an undercover investigation by Kentucky State Police. According to a news release, Christopher Sharp allegedly requested sexually explicit material from a young juvenile online. 1 killed in downtown Lexington crash involving pickup truck, motorcycle Hardin County man arrested after undercover crimes aginst children sting London prayer vigil honors tornado victims, spreads message of love Sharp was charged with three counts of procuring or promoting the use of a minor by an electronic means. Sharp was lodged in the Hardin County Detention Center at 1:30 p.m. on Friday on a $25,000 cash bond. The investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
