https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/en-ieRTÉ 2023-RTÉ Commercial Enterprises Ltd, Registration No: 155076, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, Ireland.Wed, 22 Nov 2023 11:35:49 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1122/1417903-kias-ev-has-both-a-big-footprint-and-price/At five metres long, 1.75 metres high and 2.2 metres wide, SUV's don't come much bigger. These are the dimensions of Kia's new EV 9, the company's competitor for the likes of Audi's E-Tron Q8, the Mercedes EQE and the Tesla Model X.Wed, 22 Nov 2023 11:35:49 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1122/1417903-kias-ev-has-both-a-big-footprint-and-price/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1116/1416906-polestar-3-preview/Built on Volvo's new EV platform, the new Polestar 3 is big, heavy and expensive but then so are its competitors from BMW and Audi.Thu, 16 Nov 2023 17:07:02 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1116/1416906-polestar-3-preview/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1031/1413863-opels-new-corsa-and-a-preview-of-new-skoda-superb/The Ford Fiesta may be consigned to the past but there are still plenty of superminis around, among them the revised Opel Corsa. It may be a mid-life refresh but the Corsa gets several elements of Opel's current design approach.Tue, 31 Oct 2023 11:32:39 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1031/1413863-opels-new-corsa-and-a-preview-of-new-skoda-superb/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1026/1413216-toyota-land-cruiser-to-go-electric-but-when/Toyota's decision to show a concept version of an electric Land Cruiser is something of a surprise, given its relatively slow move to fully electric vehicle. Surely there are plenty of other Toyota vehicles we might have expected to go electric sooner.Thu, 26 Oct 2023 18:46:02 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1026/1413216-toyota-land-cruiser-to-go-electric-but-when/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1017/1411376-european-budget-electric-car-price-war-about-to-start-in-earnest/Dacia has a circa-€25,000 car almost ready for launch and Volkswagen has one in the pipeline, but right now it looks as if Citroen has stolen a significant march on both competitors with the launch of the new EC-3.Tue, 17 Oct 2023 14:58:29 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1017/1411376-european-budget-electric-car-price-war-about-to-start-in-earnest/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1016/1411169-bmw-launches-new-x2-in-petrol-and-fully-electric-versions/If, like me, you're a fan of BMW's coupe styling then the new X2 and the first iX2 all-electric should have considerable appeal, as long as you can afford them.Mon, 16 Oct 2023 14:22:48 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1016/1411169-bmw-launches-new-x2-in-petrol-and-fully-electric-versions/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1008/1409672-hyundais-ioniq-6-voted-car-of-the-year-in-aa-ireland-awards/The three cars most closely vying for the top slot in the AA Ireland Car Awards were all electric, with Hyundai's Ioniq 6 pipping the BYD Atto 3 and the MG 4 to take the overall Car of the Year award.Sun, 08 Oct 2023 15:37:49 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/1008/1409672-hyundais-ioniq-6-voted-car-of-the-year-in-aa-ireland-awards/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0928/1407869-review-nissan-and-skodas-new-electric-suvs/We're still waiting for the arrival of a big choice of budget electric cars with good range, but it would seem we're still about two years away from that reality. In the meantime, there are plenty of expensive ones. We've driven two from Nissan and Skoda.Thu, 28 Sep 2023 14:24:24 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0928/1407869-review-nissan-and-skodas-new-electric-suvs/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0919/1406153-volvo-to-drop-diesel-engines-completely-from-early-next-year/Volvo Cars is to end production of remaining diesel models by early next year as diesel sales continue their decline in Europe and manufacturers race to become fully-electric producers. It was thought Volvo's transition to fully electric would be in 2030.Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:11:01 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0919/1406153-volvo-to-drop-diesel-engines-completely-from-early-next-year/Diesel carshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0906/1403798-peugeot-claims-ev-range-of-up-to-700-km-for-new-3008/Details of Peugeot's new electric version of the 3008 model are not being announced until next week but the company's CEO has revealed in advance that there will be a claimed range of "up to 700 kilometres".Wed, 06 Sep 2023 16:25:44 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0906/1403798-peugeot-claims-ev-range-of-up-to-700-km-for-new-3008/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0908/1403161-byd-to-drop-build-your-dreams-badging-in-europe/It's not surprising that BYD has decided to drop the full Build Your Dreams badging from its European models, given the number of eyebrows its dominance raised from customers when they saw it on their tailgates.Fri, 08 Sep 2023 12:07:40 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0908/1403161-byd-to-drop-build-your-dreams-badging-in-europe/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0817/1400300-next-year-likely-to-see-smaller-electric-cars-prices-drop/More and more car companies are chasing cheaper electric car market share as inflation hits customers and Chinese competition ramps up. Cheaper EV prices are finally on the way.Thu, 17 Aug 2023 15:58:11 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0817/1400300-next-year-likely-to-see-smaller-electric-cars-prices-drop/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0808/1398689-ford-enters-ev-mainstream-finally-with-new-explorer/By the end of next year, Ford will have four all-electric vehicles on sale - the first of them being its new EV version of the Ford Explorer. It's not exactly an accelerated transition from internal combustion engines to electrification.Tue, 08 Aug 2023 11:59:00 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0808/1398689-ford-enters-ev-mainstream-finally-with-new-explorer/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0801/1397673-reviewed-two-of-the-new-chinese-arrivals-from-byd-and-ora/The latest car sales figures show sales of electric cars are up by 65 per cent compared to last year and Chinese manufacturers are making their presence felt in this burgeoning market. We review two cars from China - the BYD Atto and the Ora Funky Cat.Tue, 01 Aug 2023 17:33:10 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0801/1397673-reviewed-two-of-the-new-chinese-arrivals-from-byd-and-ora/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0720/1395641-reviewed-range-rover-sport-and-lexus-rx/Sales of fully-electric vehicles have risen by 46% in the first four months of this year, up to 9,828 compared to 6,748 in the same period last year. Yet large plug-in petrol SUV's are still selling, albeit in small numbers.Thu, 20 Jul 2023 17:27:10 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0720/1395641-reviewed-range-rover-sport-and-lexus-rx/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0713/1394386-dacia-to-launch-budget-electric-car-in-ireland/Dacia, the Romanian brand owned by Renault, makes a virtue of its no frills approach to car production and a unique selling point of its pricing structure. It's planning the same strategy for its new small urban electric car.Thu, 13 Jul 2023 12:56:27 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0713/1394386-dacia-to-launch-budget-electric-car-in-ireland/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0708/1393508-hyundai-kona-petrol-and-hybrid-versions-arrive-ahead-of-ev/Hyundai's Kona has been a popular choice in the crossover segment but interior and boot space have been two of its limitations. With the latest version of the car, however, Hyundai surprised many by positioning the Kona right up near its Tucson SUV model.Sat, 08 Jul 2023 13:59:26 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0708/1393508-hyundai-kona-petrol-and-hybrid-versions-arrive-ahead-of-ev/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0626/1391167-chinese-brand-byd-on-course-for-25-000-electric-car-in-ireland/Volkswagen has plans for a budget electric car to be sold in Europe for £25,000 in two years time. But it looks like Chinese brand, BYD, has already beaten VW to it and will begin selling a car for that price - even in Ireland.Mon, 26 Jun 2023 10:49:17 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0626/1391167-chinese-brand-byd-on-course-for-25-000-electric-car-in-ireland/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0619/1390034-chinese-evs-present-huge-challenge-for-european-manufacturers/As Chinese electric car companies pile into Europe - offering keener prices and better levels of equipment than many of their competitors - they may take up to 15 per cent of the European car market within the next two years, according to a new report.Mon, 19 Jun 2023 17:00:31 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0619/1390034-chinese-evs-present-huge-challenge-for-european-manufacturers/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0613/1388952-reviewed-hyundais-ioniq-6-retro-styled-electric-coupe/If you want to understand the logic behind the styling - and indeed the appeal - of the Ioniq 6 you'll have to go back a long way, as the car's designers obviously did.Tue, 13 Jun 2023 17:16:55 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0613/1388952-reviewed-hyundais-ioniq-6-retro-styled-electric-coupe/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0608/1388104-volvo-launches-budget-compact-suv/With the very strong appeal of Chinese electric cars - based on cost of purchase alone - it's perhaps no surprise that the Chinese-owned Volvo company has gone on the price offensive with a new compact SUV.Thu, 08 Jun 2023 13:35:31 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0608/1388104-volvo-launches-budget-compact-suv/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0530/1386490-kia-to-launch-its-biggest-ev-with-seven-seats-as-standard/Kia's EV 9 will be its biggest electric vehicle yet, but the company says it will still be capable of a range of more than 500 km. It will also be very expensive.Tue, 30 May 2023 15:12:20 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0530/1386490-kia-to-launch-its-biggest-ev-with-seven-seats-as-standard/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0524/1385405-bmw-5-series-goes-all-electric/It's been around since the early 70's and five million versions of it have been sold, but now the BMW 5 Series has undergone its most dramatic revolution - it's electric.Wed, 24 May 2023 13:39:28 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0524/1385405-bmw-5-series-goes-all-electric/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0519/1384538-hondas-new-entry-into-the-volume-electric-car-market/Honda's new electric car - the e:NY1 - may be its second EV but it's the company's first attempt to break into the volume end of that market.Fri, 19 May 2023 13:43:17 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0519/1384538-hondas-new-entry-into-the-volume-electric-car-market/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0513/1383419-reviewed-the-cupra-born-a-vw-id-3-with-attitude/Right now, there's something inherently contradictory in having a performance badge on an average sized and priced electric car.Sat, 13 May 2023 13:42:33 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0513/1383419-reviewed-the-cupra-born-a-vw-id-3-with-attitude/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0512/1383207-new-mercedes-e-class-due-this-autumn/Even Mercedes admits that the changes to the new E-Class are more "subtle" than adventurous. Indeed, I suspect you may be hard pressed to spot them when you see the existing model alongside.Fri, 12 May 2023 11:09:35 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0512/1383207-new-mercedes-e-class-due-this-autumn/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0504/1380700-electric-car-prices-to-drop-in-about-two-years-new-report/The high purchase cost of an electric car is cited by many motorists as a significant barrier to buying one. That may be about to change, according to a new analysis by the International Energy Agency.Thu, 04 May 2023 11:33:41 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0504/1380700-electric-car-prices-to-drop-in-about-two-years-new-report/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0425/1379115-another-chinese-electric-car-company-byd-launches-in-ireland/In less than three years, three Chinese car companies have arrived on the Irish car market. MG and Ora have now been joined by a rather daunting competitor, BYD, with all three companies offering electric cars that are priced to attract new customers.Tue, 25 Apr 2023 17:09:18 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0425/1379115-another-chinese-electric-car-company-byd-launches-in-ireland/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0423/1378627-vw-aims-for-700-km-range-with-new-id-7-but-it-wont-be-cheap/The ID 7 - the biggest electric car in the ID range and a direct competitor for cars like the Tesla Model 3 and the Polestar 2 - will arrive in Ireland in the autumn, bringing with it high hopes of a significant breakthrough in range.Sun, 23 Apr 2023 15:07:45 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0423/1378627-vw-aims-for-700-km-range-with-new-id-7-but-it-wont-be-cheap/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0416/1377286-ford-self-driving-system-comes-to-europe/Anyone with even a passing interest in the current advanced development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now likely to have a much clearer understanding of how our driving experience is about to change, immeasurably.Sun, 16 Apr 2023 13:54:40 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0416/1377286-ford-self-driving-system-comes-to-europe/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0410/1376185-hyundai-and-kia-take-radical-road-for-latest-evs/There's a certain logic to the expectation that both the new Hyundai Ioniq 6 and the Kia EV 9 would both be iterations of the current Ioniq 5 and the EV 6. Not so.Mon, 10 Apr 2023 12:39:39 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0410/1376185-hyundai-and-kia-take-radical-road-for-latest-evs/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0406/1375569-easter-holiday-drivers-being-targeted-in-toll-charges-scam/As motorway traffic increases for the Easter weekend, drivers are being warned about an "escalating wave" of text scams purporting to come from motorway operators. I had one myself this week, claiming I faced a penalty charge of over €90.Thu, 06 Apr 2023 11:19:23 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0406/1375569-easter-holiday-drivers-being-targeted-in-toll-charges-scam/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0330/1367319-reviewed-peugeots-new-outlier-the-408/There was a time when all cars fitted neatly into brackets. from mini to compact to family to executive and so on. However, in this age of crossovers and SUV lookalikes those boundaries have been blurred considerably.Thu, 30 Mar 2023 18:10:47 +0100https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0330/1367319-reviewed-peugeots-new-outlier-the-408/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0323/1365872-new-ford-explorer-ev-gets-volkswagen-technology-and-batteries/Ford's new Explorer could not be any more different from the car it replaces, a vehicle so excessively American in terms of sheer bulk and fuel consumption that it essentially flopped in Europe.Thu, 23 Mar 2023 11:41:40 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0323/1365872-new-ford-explorer-ev-gets-volkswagen-technology-and-batteries/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0316/1363619-volkswagen-to-launch-budget-electric-car-within-three-years/The headline from Volkswagen's announcement about its new compact electric car - the ID.2 - is the stated ambition of the company to sell it in mainland Europe with a starting price of less than €25,000. It's unlikely to be that low in Ireland though.Thu, 16 Mar 2023 13:38:53 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0316/1363619-volkswagen-to-launch-budget-electric-car-within-three-years/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0307/1360726-chinese-electric-car-prices-may-become-even-more-competitive/The company that supplies more than one third of the world's demand for electric car batteries is to cut costs for a number of Chinese car makers. The move is being seen as offering a competitive advantage to these companies in China and also in Europe.Tue, 07 Mar 2023 10:45:38 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0307/1360726-chinese-electric-car-prices-may-become-even-more-competitive/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0304/1360267-german-and-italy-baulk-over-petrol-and-diesel-engines-ban-in-2035/The ban on the production of internal combustion engines (ICE) is due to come into force in 2035, but both Germany and Italy - producers of significant volumes of cars - have now said they want to accommodate the use of engines running on synthetic fuels.Sat, 04 Mar 2023 15:09:08 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0304/1360267-german-and-italy-baulk-over-petrol-and-diesel-engines-ban-in-2035/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0223/1358496-review-mgs-new-fully-electric-car-the-mg4-is-a-game-changer/When it comes to value for money, standard equipment and a well-packaged offering, the Chinese MG brand's new MG 4 is now out in front on the Irish market.Thu, 23 Feb 2023 18:06:48 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0223/1358496-review-mgs-new-fully-electric-car-the-mg4-is-a-game-changer/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0216/1357108-budget-chinese-electric-car-maker-to-begin-selling-in-ireland/Some in the motor industry see BYD as a serious threat to Tesla, especially when it comes to value for money. The company has been the biggest selling producer of electric vehicles in China for the past ten years and is now coming to Ireland.Thu, 16 Feb 2023 19:25:40 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0216/1357108-budget-chinese-electric-car-maker-to-begin-selling-in-ireland/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0212/1356220-study-shows-plug-in-car-technology-not-as-green-as-claimed/The latest plug-in hybrid electric cars do not deliver on their claimed low emissions, says the transport lobby group, Transport and Environment.Sun, 12 Feb 2023 16:42:50 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0212/1356220-study-shows-plug-in-car-technology-not-as-green-as-claimed/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0206/1354057-skoda-launches-coupe-version-of-fully-electric-enyaq/Three years on from the launch of its first EV, the Enyaq, Skoda now has a coupe version of the car on sale. The company is claiming a range of up to 545 km for the coupe, depending on the car's specification.Mon, 06 Feb 2023 12:02:16 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0206/1354057-skoda-launches-coupe-version-of-fully-electric-enyaq/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0131/1352917-drivers-of-older-diesel-cars-hardest-hit-by-new-london-ban/The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, plans to extend a penalty scheme discouraging drivers of older vehicles from driving in the greater London area from next August, despite opposition from some councils.Tue, 31 Jan 2023 13:26:58 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0131/1352917-drivers-of-older-diesel-cars-hardest-hit-by-new-london-ban/City driving banshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0125/1351827-volvo-recalls-cars-worldwide-over-brake-safety-issue/Volvo is recalling around 106,900 cars worldwide over a suspected fault related to the emergency braking system, according to a Reuters report this afternoon. The recall involves cars from Volvo's entire range.Wed, 25 Jan 2023 17:06:39 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0125/1351827-volvo-recalls-cars-worldwide-over-brake-safety-issue/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0117/1349235-reasons-irish-new-car-buyers-are-wary-of-going-electric/A new survey shows that more than a quarter of potential new car buyers are considering going electric in 2023 but purchase price, public charging and vehicle range remain strong disincentives.Tue, 17 Jan 2023 16:07:57 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0117/1349235-reasons-irish-new-car-buyers-are-wary-of-going-electric/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0111/1346073-the-future-of-car-buying-is-a-digital-experience/BMW has announced it will become more and more involved directly with customers for its MINI and BMW brands within the next three years. After the Tesla revolution, other manufacturers will be following suit, as car buying becomes increasingly digital.Wed, 11 Jan 2023 12:32:52 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0111/1346073-the-future-of-car-buying-is-a-digital-experience/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0101/1344400-our-top-picks-from-the-current-new-car-market/From cars with conventional engines to the latest electric models, here are our top picks from an increasingly changing new car market. EV prices include grants.Sun, 01 Jan 2023 12:54:55 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2023/0101/1344400-our-top-picks-from-the-current-new-car-market/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2022/1208/922243-driving-in-bad-weather-what-you-need-to-know/Our Motoring Editor, Donal Byrne, tells you how to avoid trouble on the road. We also have very useful video advice.Thu, 08 Dec 2022 12:20:00 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2022/1208/922243-driving-in-bad-weather-what-you-need-to-know/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2022/1206/1340334-why-toyota-maintains-slow-approach-to-electric-cars/As a mass-market producer of cars and whose profit margins are driven by volume, Toyota has been an outlier on the car industry's strategy to go fully-electric.Tue, 06 Dec 2022 15:32:33 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2022/1206/1340334-why-toyota-maintains-slow-approach-to-electric-cars/Motorshttps://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2022/1130/1339258-young-people-drive-trend-to-shift-away-from-cars/A new study this week indicates that young people in Ireland are moving away from their parents' attachment to cars. And a significant number of them say they don't ever intend to own a car.Wed, 30 Nov 2022 16:18:59 +0000https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/motors/2022/1130/1339258-young-people-drive-trend-to-shift-away-from-cars/Motors