London has a new premium all-electric chauffeur service: say goodbye to Uber Luxe and hello to Havn. The app has launched with a fleet of Jaguar I-Paces for passengers who want to travel emissions-free. 

Each ride can be customised, from the music you want playing in the car to the temperature in the cabin. You can even set your preference for how chatty the driver is.

All of the above can be pre-arranged via the iOS or Android app, or via the online booking portal, as you’re requesting your ride. 

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Havn drivers are full-time company employees who have gone through rigorous training. This apparently helps keep the app’s approval rating at a high 4.8 out of five. That’s perhaps some reassurance to stave off any associations with lax driver scrutiny in some other ride-hailing options. The app has has been downloaded around 5,500 times so far.

Since the trial began in September, Havn rides have covered more than 18,000 miles. With the backing of JLR’s InMotion mobility services arm, the I-Pace fleet has grown even more.

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“The decision to use the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace, the 2019 World Car of the Year, allows us to offer our customers a sustainable premium alternative – urban mobility with zero emissions,” said Joseph Seal-Driver, MD of Havn.

“In just four months we have proved there is a significant appetite from customers who want sustainable transport without compromising on luxury, we’re seeing a fantastic response from businesses who want to improve their corporate travel.”

The famous Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina was established 90 years ago this year. To celebrate, an ultra-exclusive model, the Battista Anniversario, has been unveiled.

Just five of the all-electric hyper GT specials will be built, each costing upwards of €2.6 million (£2.3 million or $2.9 million).

For that, you get an EV capable of travelling over 368 miles in between charges, and one that will accelerate from 0-186mph in less than 12 seconds. 

Impressive, but no different to the regular Battista electric showstopper, which was revealed at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show.

So what makes it special? A level of artisanship almost unparalleled in the auto sector.

Each Anniversario, for example, is painted in a combination of three signature colours: Bianco Sestriere, Grigio Antonelliano and Iconica Blu.

It takes several weeks for a team of craftsmen to paint each car, layer by layer, colour by colour – and all by hand.

And how’s this for a fact: the body is disassembled and put back together three times during the painting process. Why? So pinstripes in three separate colours can be hand-painted on…

It is “one of the most complex paint finishes in the world,” says chief design officer Luca Borgogno. The process is “akin to a great artist completing an Old Master painting”.

Pushing boundaries

The Pininfarina Battista proves that electric cars can be thrilling records-chasers, and the Anniversario pushes the boundaries yet further.

Its top speed, for example, is now 217mph, thanks to new wheels, tyres, and optimised aerodynamics.

The rear wing, rear aero fins and other details are all bespoke, giving it more downforce and better stability at higher cornering speeds.

Brand new forged alloy wheels are fitted, and the rear wheels have grown from 20-inches to 21-inches.

Perfect for deploying the Battista Anniversario’s incredible 1,900-horsepower output (which accelerates it from 0-62mph faster than a contemporary Formula 1 car).

“I have piloted the quickest road and race cars in the world,’ said Pininfarina test driver Nick Heidfeld.

“I’ve never driving anything as powerful as the Battista.”

Other exclusive features for the Anniversario model include unique seats finished in sustainable leather, anodised door decoration plaques and headlights, plus an ‘Anniversario’ script on the wings.

‘Pininfarina 90’ logos and a special chassis engraving between the seats complete the ultra-exclusive makeover.

The Pininfarina Battista is already set to be a real rarity, with the company committing to making no more than 150. The one-of-five Anniversario genuinely is the rarest of the rare.

And lucky owners, adds the firm, will be getting their cars before 2020 is out…

New research has revealed that drivers would like to see changes made to the driving test in the wake of heightened demand for electric cars.

Seventy-seven percent think that the driving test needs to be adapted, which rises to 92 percent among electric car drivers. 

The research comes from insurance company LV, which is also the first to offer an insurance product tailored specifically for EVs.

It found that 29 percent intend to make an electric car purchase in the next five years. Seventy-eight percent said that they were looking at an EV as their next car purchase.

Eighty-seven percent of drivers have never driven an EV, which means they’re unaware of the differences in how they drive and what they’re like to own.

LV wants today’s learners – tomorrow’s EV buyers – to be clued up on electric cars before they buy them, from the moment they start learning.

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There are also misconceptions that need addressing. Operation is one thing, but a change in the test could help familiarise motorists with EVs, and debunk certain myths that could be harming uptake.

Interestingly, a vast majority of current EV drivers took their own steps to initiate themselves prior to buying.

Eighty-four percent of the UK’s 195,000 electric car drivers have taken such measures. These include specifically requesting dealer demonstrations and explainers (47 percent), and taking advanced driving refresher courses (41 percent).

Seventy-two percent of EV drivers believe that taking the test in an EV would have been beneficial.

How to change the driving test for electric cars

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So how do you change the driving test? You start by analysing what the differences are between EVs and ICE-powered cars. Electric car drivers have noted the following differences as most prominent:

1. Getting used to the driving range (49 percent)
2. Noise difference (46 percent)
3. Getting used to a fully automated vehicle (41 percent)
4. Difference in acceleration (41 percent)
5. Difference in braking speed (28 percent)

As the driving test evolves, it will need to address everything from charging range to the difference in performance in terms of acceleration and braking. Indeed, EVs tend to accelerate more aggressively, while some can even ‘brake’ using regenerative braking, without the driver even touching the brakes. There’s also the issue of plugging in and charging, and how you use the infrastructure.

“As the UK moves towards becoming net-zero, UK drivers need to have a greater understanding of electric cars in order to have the confidence to make the switch,” said Tom Clarke, head of electric vehicle strategy at LV.

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“The fact that nearly two-thirds (72 percent) of electric car drivers say taking their driving test in an electric car would have been a benefit to them highlights the reality that the driving test in its current form is no longer relevant for the new wave of ‘green’ drivers.

“It’s clear that more education is needed to encourage drivers to make the switch to electric. The nervousness around these vehicles can be tackled by ensuring prospective drivers are fully equipped to drive an electric car, and current drivers are fully educated on the differences between electric cars and ICE. 

“We understand that a driving test overhaul is a big change that cannot happen overnight but making small alterations to the theory test, or ensuring that certain ‘show me, tell me’ questions are adapted for electric car drivers will be a huge step towards encouraging future take-up.”