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I'm an EV expert and I think Labour's new Electric Car Grant is an expensive mess: GINNY BUCKLEY blasts £650m-backed scheme
I'm an EV expert and I think Labour's new Electric Car Grant is an expensive mess: GINNY BUCKLEY blasts £650m-backed scheme

Daily Mail​

time20-07-2025

  • Automotive
  • Daily Mail​

I'm an EV expert and I think Labour's new Electric Car Grant is an expensive mess: GINNY BUCKLEY blasts £650m-backed scheme

As chief executive of dedicated electric car website and a long-time advocate of electric vehicles, you'd be forgiven for thinking I've been celebrating this week's news that Labour is bringing back grants for EVs. The government press release that landed in my inbox on Monday proudly trumpeted discounts of up to £3,750 on electric cars - saying it was set to slash costs for thousands of UK drivers with an impressive £650million fund. It boasted that the scheme would be up and running within days, with manufacturers handling the paperwork. Taking the news at face value, I initially welcomed such a bold move. But having delved into the detail, this is nothing short of an ill-conceived policy that raises more questions than answers. Instead of encouraging electric car uptake, it will instead restrict consumer choice. Labour really needs to go back to the drawing board on this one... Despite a new EV being registered every 60 seconds in June, private buyer sales have stalled. They now make up just under 20 per cent of registrations, with the bulk going to company car drivers who enjoy generous tax breaks if they go electric. In our November 2024 survey with the AA - responded to by over 11,000 UK drivers - 76 per cent told us that the upfront cost was the biggest barrier to switching. I believed fresh incentives would reignite momentum and give more drivers the confidence to switch. My calculations suggested almost half of all new electric models on sale would fall below the £37,000 price cap. Crucially, this support appeared to be aimed where it was needed most: from school-run staples to budget-friendly runarounds. How wrong I was. As they say, the devil is in the details - and as the week has unfolded, the details behind those upbeat headlines have painted a very different picture. Instead of a straightforward grant on all EVs under £37,000 - designed to help hard-working people make a sustainable choice - the rigid rules and baffling conditions surrounding which cars qualify (and by how much) have left even the carmakers scratching their heads. At the heart of this complexity is something called a Science Based Target (SBT), which requires manufacturers to commit to cutting greenhouse gas emissions in line with limiting global warming to 1.5C or below 2C, as set out in the Paris Agreement on climate change. You'd assume the government would have a simple list of eligible manufacturers. Apparently not. Instead, car makers - with customers in dealerships already asking about discounts - are left wading through bureaucracy to figure it all out. Even if a company has signed up to an SBT - like Renault or Ford - the scheme may still reject cars assembled in countries with poor overall sustainability records or high emissions. And, surprise surprise, even that isn't as simple as it sounds. The emissions calculations are split between where the battery is made and where the car itself is built. This means a car assembled in the UK or Europe may score well for manufacturing and earn the minimum £1,500 grant, but fail to reach the additional 70 per cent score needed for the full £3,750 if its battery is sourced from a country with a lower environmental score. Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Wednesday: 'We don't expect any cars that are assembled in China to be eligible for this scheme.' This rules out cars like the Volvo EX30, the Mini electric (which incidentally, is built in factories powered by renewable energy), the MG4 and the Dacia Spring - family favourites which it seems won't qualify for a penny. Making matters worse, many manufacturers striving to make EVs cheaper have switched to LFP batteries, which are predominantly made in China. So much for my celebrations that the grant was focused on more affordable models. The reality is that car making is a global business. Even if your car doesn't bear a Chinese badge, the chances are part of it was manufactured there. And it's not just Chinese-made cars at risk of ending up with nothing - brands from other nations like Korea which make some of the UK's most popular cars could also end up with many models being excluded. The government is effectively limiting consumer choice at the very moment they should be encouraging it. Far from being the shot in the arm that private buyers need, this ill-conceived grant scheme has only created questions and confusion. I'm now telling anyone in the market for a new EV to pause before making a decision - especially since, bizarrely, it appears that if the entry-level model of a car costs under £37,000, the more expensive versions and trims in the same range might still be eligible for discounts. This scheme encapsulates everything that's wrong with government policymaking: good intentions, badly thought through and buried under layers of bureaucracy. It simply seems half-baked, with an announcement which was made too early. If Labour truly wants to accelerate EV adoption, they need to go back to the drawing board and design something that actually works for the people it's supposed to help and gives everyone some clarity. My advice? Start with the used market.

‘Unbelievably terrible': the best (and worst) supermarket vanilla ice-cream, tested and rated
‘Unbelievably terrible': the best (and worst) supermarket vanilla ice-cream, tested and rated

The Guardian

time20-07-2025

  • Business
  • The Guardian

‘Unbelievably terrible': the best (and worst) supermarket vanilla ice-cream, tested and rated

Last year, I won a grant from the environmental charity Hubbub to develop a food-waste-saving ice-cream brand. The learning curve was steep. Ice-cream is one of the most competitive and technically challenging foods to get right, because it has to be smooth, creamy and, crucially, shelf-stable. That has led some producers to be over-reliant on emulsifiers and stabilisers, some of which may be plant-derived, but they're still ultra-processed, which may be a concern for some consumers. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. My tasting revealed a very clear quality scale. At the bottom are the foamy, highly processed tubs that shouldn't even qualify as ice-cream. Others offered a slightly better texture and taste, but still have a processed edge, while others sit awkwardly in the middle, all food-dye yolk-yellow. But once the price hits 68p per 100g, things shift and we finally enter 'real' ice-cream territory, featuring true frozen custards made from creme anglaise, and with recognisable ingredients and far cleaner flavours. Across the test, it became obvious that what's sold as ice-cream spans from gorgeous churned custard to food-like industrial substances. Understanding what goes into these tubs, and how to taste the difference between them, can help us choose treats that actually nourish us (albeit in moderation), rather than just simulate satisfaction. My advice would be to invest in the most delicious you can afford and serve 50% smaller portions (eating by the scoop rather than the tub will help, too!). That way, we can enjoy the good stuff at the best possible price without overindulging. £3.60 for 480ml at Waitrose (75p/100ml)★★★★☆ Traditional firm scoop with a smooth, creamy texture. Mild and very clean vanilla flavour. A classic creme anglaise-style frozen custard, made with 28% cream. Minimally processed and organic, it's barely pricier than other premium options, yet has superior credentials and is good value. £3.25 for 480ml at Sainsbury's (68p/100ml)★★★★☆ Firm to scoop with a clean, balanced flavour and just the right level of sweetness. Less smooth than some, but satisfyingly rich with a creme anglaise-style base. Made with West Country double cream and Madagascan vanilla. Minimally processed and the best value of the lot. £4.75 for 500ml at Ocado (95p/100ml)£3.80 for 500ml at Waitrose (76p/100ml)★★★★☆ A speckled, firm, traditional scoop with a clean, well-balanced vanilla flavour. Fractionally less smooth than others, this is still a classic creme anglaise-style custard ice-cream. Minimally processed and organic, it stands out as having lower sugar and saturated fat than most. Contains 24.5% cream. £4.25 for 500ml at Ocado (85p/100ml)★★★★☆ Firm, speckled scoop with a clean, subtle vanilla flavour. Smooth and creamy classic creme anglaise-style custard, made with 34% whipping cream. Minimally processed and satisfyingly rich. A good premium pick. £5.75 for 460ml at Tesco (£1.25/100ml)£6 for 460ml at Waitrose (£1.31/100ml)★★★☆☆ A firm scoop with a custard-yellow hue. Very sweet and eggy, with an intensely bold vanilla note. Very smooth and chewy – a classic French texture that I love. High in saturated fat and sugar, it's super-rich, indulgent and made with 39.2% cream. Sign up to The Filter Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion £4.74 for 2 litres at Asda (24p/100ml)£5.50 for 2 litres at Waitrose (28p/100ml)★★☆☆☆ Very soft, smooth and airy scoop. Contains emulsifier E471, but it's redeemed by being made with Cornish milk and 6% clotted cream. Although I can't give it a stamp of approval, this is one of the better more economical ice-creams I tried. £3.60 for 1 litre at Ocado (36p/100ml)£3.85 for 1 litre at Morrisons (39p/100ml)★★☆☆☆ Pale in colour with a soft scoop and light, smooth texture. Airy but pleasant. Contains E471 and is slightly higher in sugar than some, but not overly sweet. An OK budget-range option. £3.75 for 900ml at Tesco (42p/100ml)£4.75 for 900ml at Co-op (53p/100ml)★☆☆☆☆ Bright yellow from carotene dye and flecked with vanilla, this has a smooth yet foamy mouthfeel. Despite the name, this highly processed dessert isn't real ice-cream, because it's made with reconstituted skimmed milk, coconut fat, glucose-fructose syrup and a slew of stabilisers and emulsifiers, including E471. £2.75 for 1.8 litres at Ocado (15p/100ml)£2.75 for 1.8 litres at Tesco (15p/100ml)☆☆☆☆☆ Bright yellow, with a light, aerated texture and synthetic sweetness. Not technically ice-cream (it contains zero cream) and loaded with additives such as carrageenan and mono- and diglycerides (E471). Ultra-processed and lacking any real dairy character. So cheap, it's a parody of itself. £2.95 for 900ml at Co-op (33p/100ml)☆☆☆☆☆ Bright yellow with a synthetic vanilla flavour. Moussey, spongy texture and artificial creaminess. The main ingredient is water, bulked with sugars, emulsifiers and stabilisers. Incredibly, it actually contains ground vanilla pods, though you'd never guess. Unbelievably terrible.

Consumer watchdog issues warning to Irish motor industry
Consumer watchdog issues warning to Irish motor industry

BreakingNews.ie

time07-07-2025

  • Automotive
  • BreakingNews.ie

Consumer watchdog issues warning to Irish motor industry

The Irish motor industry has been told to stop limiting consumer choice, by the State competition watchdog. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) said it had received reports from motorists who have been prevented or discouraged from having their vehicles serviced or repaired at independent garages. Advertisement In an industry-wide letter, the agency has reminded the sector that, by law, consumers cannot be prevented from freely choosing who services or repairs their vehicles, or what parts they use. The CCPC said some motorists claim to have been told that their warranty will be void if they have their vehicle serviced or repaired outside an authorised dealership network, or if they use non-original or non-manufacturer supplied spare parts. Non-original spare parts can be used in repairs not covered by the vehicle warranty without the warranty being affected, so long as they are of 'matching quality' with the originals. Others claim to have been blocked from using independent garages because of restricted access to essential diagnostic data or tools which were not made available by the manufacturer or distributor. Advertisement The CCPC said such practices can break competition law, drive up prices, limit choice, and harm both consumers and independent garages. The watchdog is seeking information from distributors of motor vehicles in Ireland and has urged them to review and, if necessary, amend any arrangements they have in place. On a non-criminal basis, the CCPC may impose administrative financial sanctions on businesses and associations of undertakings of up to €10 million, or 10 per cent of its annual worldwide turnover, whatever is greater, for breaches of competition law. Alternatively, more serious breaches of competition law, including cartel behaviour, may be prosecuted as criminal offences, and fines of up to €50 million, or 20 per cent of a business's annual worldwide turnover, may be imposed by the court upon conviction on indictment. Advertisement While formal proceedings have not been instigated against any particular firm, the CCPC has emphasised that it will take action if illegal practices are identified. Additionally, the CCPC has informed independent garages of their right to freely repair vehicles, to use non-original spare parts which are of a matching quality, and to access repair and diagnostic tools. Craig Whelan, director of antitrust at the CCPC, said: 'Motorists must be free to choose where they service their vehicles and what parts they use without fear of losing their warranty. 'Independent garages must not be blocked from accessing essential diagnostic data or tools. Advertisement 'These restrictive practices hurt consumers, stifle competition, and unfairly advantage authorised dealerships. ' Motor vehicle importers and the main distributors across Ireland have been given until Wednesday August 6th to make a submission to the CCPC after they have reviewed their own arrangements.

Failing electric car policy has put the industry on its knees, says Ineos boss
Failing electric car policy has put the industry on its knees, says Ineos boss

Auto Express

time13-05-2025

  • Automotive
  • Auto Express

Failing electric car policy has put the industry on its knees, says Ineos boss

Ineos – the start-up 4x4 brand offering only six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines in its cars – has slammed regulators' pro-electric bias for limiting consumer choice and bringing the industry to its knees. Lynn Calder, CEO of Ineos Automotive, went on the offensive at the FT's Future of the Car summit. 'Customers don't want choice, they need choice,' she urged. 'But the policy framework today [leads to] one tech solution which does not give choice. Advertisement - Article continues below 'EV tech adopters are in cities with charging capability but [beyond them there's] range anxiety, there's no real investment in infrastructure, no real incentives to go electric. Policy is defining what people should buy and customers don't want it.' Ineos launched the Grenadier, a project to bring back a traditional SUV in the mould of the original Land Rover, in 2022. It's the brainchild of British chemicals billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the old-school SUV runs BMW engines. The company is working on a smaller SUV, the Fusilier, which is set to offer a range extender hybrid. But the company has put a pure electric drivetrain on hold, claiming a lack of customer demand. If that changes, the Ineos EV would be a rival to Mercedes' all-electric G-Class and the zero emissions Range Rover which will go into production this year. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below 'We see the swing back from car makers' pure EV strategy to a [multi-powertrain] strategy that reflects consumer demand. I think the hybrid range from plug-in hybrid to range extender hybrid is great tech. REx is very much like an electric vehicle but takes away the range anxiety with a fraction of the CO2 emissions.' Critics will have limited sympathy for Ineos, given that the project originated in the Grenadier pub in London almost a decade ago, and the direction of travel towards electrified cars has long been clear. Advertisement - Article continues below In 2025, regulators have listened to industry concerns about inconsistent EV demand, though EU regulators have slackened car makers' whole-fleet CO2 reduction targets and the UK's ZEV mandate, which ratchets up the proportion of car and van sales that must be pure electric, has also been relaxed. Nonetheless, electric cars have taken 20 per cent of the UK market so far this year, up 35 per cent: hybrids and plug-in hybrids are running at 10 and 15 per cent respectively, with petrol accounting for almost half of registrations. The UK electric car charger infrastructure is growing, with 75,000 charge points now installed. Charge UK, the umbrella organisation for the UK's charging providers, has also pledged £6bn investment in the UK charging network, contrary to Calder's claim. 'The industry is on its knees. £4.5bn [of incentives] was put into the UK market last year to get customers into the electric cars [society] wants them to buy,' continued the Ineos boss. 'Since Covid, economic conditions have been terrible, powertrain policy has been difficult and confusing, [there's been a] focus on regulation and safety features and a trade war on top. 'We need to recognise consumer demand, the popularity of hybrids. But that's come at a great cost, investment in [multiple] powertrain options: manufacturers have spent €10s of billions in strategies that are not working. So the industry is in a shape where we're seeing job losses every day and this is a contributing factor. We've lost sight of the [consumer] which is why we're in the situation we're in. The risk we run is that consumers hold onto older less efficient cars for longer.' Come and join our WhatsApp channel for the latest car news and reviews... Find a car with the experts EV affordability alarm! Running costs are £6k higher than for petrol cars, say car clubs EV affordability alarm! Running costs are £6k higher than for petrol cars, say car clubs Running costs for car share club EVs are £6k higher than ICE equivalents according to new data Not bothered by MoT advisories? That may be about to change Not bothered by MoT advisories? That may be about to change The number of MoT failures caused by worn tyres is on the rise, and experts are calling for mandatory follow-ups on advisories Mazda MX-5 goes electric: the iconic roadster's radical future Mazda MX-5 goes electric: the iconic roadster's radical future The next Mazda MX-5 roadster is set to be offered as a pure EV, and our exclusive images preview how it could look

Trump's trade war is about to change the way you shop
Trump's trade war is about to change the way you shop

CNN

time09-05-2025

  • Business
  • CNN

Trump's trade war is about to change the way you shop

You're about to feel the effects of President Donald Trump's trade war every time you shop. In a matter of weeks, infinite varieties, colors, sizes and flavors will be replaced with smaller selections, fewer options and limited choice. It will represent a stark change from what consumers have been accustomed to at stores and online. As free trade blossomed over the past five decades, the number of imported goods on shelves tripled between 1972 and 2001, research shows, equivalent to a 2.6% rise in GDP. Grocery stores now stock around 30,000 different items, Walmart sells 120,000 goods at its superstores and Amazon's online catalog contains millions of products. But Trump has implemented a 10% universal tariff on virtually every product entering the United States — with higher rates for certain goods — and 145% tariffs on China, essentially a trade embargo on the world's second largest economy. That could limit choices for shoes, bags, toys and many other products. 'To me, that's going to be one of the biggest casualties of tariffs. You're going to see far less variety than you would have otherwise,' said Jason Miller, a professor in supply chain management at Michigan State University. Already, companies are struggling with tough decisions over which products they can still offer under the steep tariffs, eliminating items that are either too expensive to produce or that shoppers will abandon over price hikes. Companies are cancelling products made in China and buying only their top-selling items from manufacturers in other countries where they can negotiate lower prices. They are also suspending product launches and new innovations they've spent years preparing. Many companies compare the havoc of Trump's tariffs on supply chains to factory shutdowns during the pandemic. But consumers should not expect similar levels of empty store shelves or a run on toilet paper, Miller said. 'Rather than empty shelves, there's going to be a lot less choice in certain product categories,' he said. For new moms, tariffs mean Sarah Wells' best-selling version of her breast pump backpacks will only be sold in black or one other color, such as brown or gray, once she runs out of inventory. 'We can't offer four other colors right now,' said Wells, the founder of an eponymous brand of backpacks, totes and other breast-feeding products. Wells halted ordering products from China last month because of the 145% tariffs. She found a manufacturer in Cambodia, but intentionally limited her first inventory order to bags with the highest demand and profit margins. 'We can't justify the risk of a full catalog reorder,' she said. Wells expects to be sold out of some of her top sellers by July. Some items may not return until next year, if ever. On the website for Ash, an upscale women's shoe brand, boots are completely gone and only a few ballet flats are left on sale. 'I've never seen our page look like this,' said Marina Rosin Levine, the CEO of Highline United, which owns Ash and Isaac Mizrahi and produces private-label footwear. Ash pulled boots off the site to hold them for the fall, unsure if there will be enough inventory during the season, she said. It also cut product orders from China and narrowed its orders from its manufacturers in Vietnam. 'Right now, a woman like myself would be excited to get fall boots on discount,' Rosin Levine said. 'This would be a great time to pick up a deal. You're going to see less and less of that.' Big-name brands are also paring down. Hasbro, the owner of Nerf, Play-Doh and other toys and games, is cutting some items that won't be profitable with 145% tariffs on China, Hasbro finance chief Gina Goetter said on an earnings call in April. Roughly 80% of toys sold in the United States are made in China, according to the Toy Association, an industry group. In US stores, Hasbro plans to favor older, 'tried and true' toys produced in India over products from China. The Chinese-produced toys include items with electronics, high-end decorations and foam materials, the company said. Newell Brands, the maker of Graco, Baby Jogger and other consumer goods' brands, will also reduce the variety of baby gear it sells because of tariffs on China. Around 97% of baby strollers and 87% of children's car seats in the United States are sourced from China, the company said. 'We have encouraged our business leaders and brand managers to embrace another round' of product cuts, Newell CEO Christopher Peterson said on an earnings call last week. The company in recent years has cut its product variety from 100,000 items to under 20,000 to slash costs and eliminate duplicative products. Discount retailers Dollar Tree and Five Below, clothing brand Vince and Acco Brands — the maker of Mead, Five Star notebooks and Swigline staplers — have also signaled they will discontinue some items because of tariffs. 'There will definitely be a little bit of (product) reduction,' Vince finance chief Yuji Okumura said on a call with analysts last week. 'There are just some things that won't make sense' to import at such high tariff levels. The tariff fallout won't just limit consumers' choice — it will also stunt innovation and create winners and losers in the retail industry, companies and trade researchers say. Tariffs mark the end of the corporate strategy to offer all things to all customers, said Shawn Nelson, the CEO of furniture retailer Lovesac. The companies in best position to succeed in this new era of protectionism will be more specialized and have slimmer product catalogs. 'The broader a company's assortment and catalog is, the more at risk they are to cancel product lines,' Nelson said. Consumers may see fewer new products come along, if they come at all. 'We've been wanting to make other creative small appliances, and at this moment we're going to be shelving those ideas,' said Bobby Djavaheri, the president of Yedi Houseware, a kitchen and small appliances' company, told CNN. Sarah Wells has also stopped creating new designs of bags and styles, a retreat from her business mission. 'That was a big part of what I founded my business on — giving moms choices about the bags and where to take them,' she said. 'There's nothing new in the hopper right now.'

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