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Freda Lewis-Stempel

Freda Lewis-Stempel, Motoring Reporter

Freda Lewis-Stempel joined Daily Mail and ThisisMoney as Motoring Reporter with a wealth of experience across the automotive industry. Freda has written and presented both in-house and freelance across the sector - for luxury EV companies, e-commerce car dealers including cinch and Cazoo, OEMs and household magazines such as Country Life Magazine. She specialises in electric cars and sustainability.

Coverage: Cars Electric Cars

MOST RECENT ARTICLES FROM FREDA LEWIS-STEMPEL

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Drivers can get a brand new Dacia Spring EV for £158 per month with its new financing deal

04/09/24 05:00

Dacia's unveiled a PCP offer that makes the Spring even cheaper: you can get the all-electric supermini for as little as £158 per month thanks to new 'Electric Boost' discount. And cash buyers get £500 off too. But the offer is only available until end of September....read

New AI cameras being rolled out to catch drivers breaking the law - here's how they work
02/09/24 01:36
AI cameras will be rolled out across Greater Manchester to catch drivers illegally breaking the law by using a smartphone while driving, as part of a national trial.
- 2515 comments
- 238 shares
The Goodwood Revival will run on sustainable fuel for the first time - we speak to the Duke of Richmond to find out why
01/09/24 09:58
The Duke of Richmond tells us why it's so important to preserve classic cars and the future of historic motorsport by introducing sustainable fuels.
EV owners can charge at home for less than 5p a mile - how that compares to petrol costs
28/08/24 06:00
A July reduction in the energy price cap has brought standard rate domestic tariff costs down, with EV owners now able to charge for less than 5p per mile at home.
- 988 comments
- 30 shares
Three of the most HATED motoring policies of the last 20 years - and how drivers have pushed back
27/08/24 06:00
The last two decades has seen a move to low emission legislation and the introduction of 'smart' infrastructure - and the reaction has been extreme. But which is the most unpopular policy?
Vauxhall puts a barista counter in the boot of its Mokka EV after finding drivers plan charges around coffee breaks
22/08/24 05:00
Vauxhall's revealed its new Coffe-e concept - a barista on wheels station in the back of its new Mokka Electric car to make sure you can make the perfect coffee wherever you're charging.
- 139 comments
- 27 shares
Tesla owners to get live updates about how much money they're saving from switching to an EV from a petrol car
21/08/24 11:01
Tesla has unveiled an update to its app that allows owners to track how much money they're saving compared to running a petrol car.
- 161 comments
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Government confirms 2030 BAN on new petrol and diesel cars is back - what does it mean for you?
21/08/24 02:31
The Department for Transport has confirmed the ban on new petrol and diesel cars will be reinstated to 2030, despite no mention in the King's Speech.
Councils making a killing from emission zone penalty charges: How many MILLIONS is your local authority generating?
21/08/24 05:00
Councils across England and Scotland have made almost £400million from PCNs relating to emission charging zones.
Why have replacement car keys become so expensive? They can now cost up to £1,000...
19/08/24 09:56
Did you know Hyundai charges more than £600 for a spare key for a 2023 Kona? We investigate rising car key costs.
- 57 comments
- 6 shares
I drive an electric car and am moving into a rented property - can I get my landlord to install an EV charger?
18/08/24 07:02
With over a third (35.7%) of Britons living in rented properties, what can be done for those who want to be able to access a domestic EV charger?
- 458 comments
- 53 shares
Four in five people are sick of drivers blaring loud music with their windows down where they live
16/08/24 01:50
We reveal the most annoying summer driving habits.
- 64 comments
- shares
Petrol drops to a six-month low but warning of 'perma-high' prices remains with fuel duty hike looming
16/08/24 11:05
Average petrol price has fallen to the lowest level since February - 143p per litre. But this good news might be short lived...
Should motorists be taxed based on how far they drive? Fresh calls for pay-per-mile scheme that could cost the average driver £444 a YEAR
16/08/24 08:09
There's growing speculation that the Treasury will bring in pay-per-mile scheme to fill the road taxation black hole left in the switch to EVs.
Vauxhall's new electric SUV with Tesla-rivalling range: Grandland will be able to go for more than 400 miles on a single charge
14/08/24 05:39
Vauxhall's confirmed its new Grandland pricing and specs, the top-line SUV coming with electric and hybrid powertrain choices for a competitive price.
How to work out how economical an electric car is: We explain miles per kWh and how to calculate it
13/08/24 08:34
Miles per gallon (MPG) is becoming less relevant as more drivers switch to electric cars and need to know about miles per kWh. Here' s how to calculate EV efficiency.
- 393 comments
- 43 shares
Jaguar won't sell cars for a whole YEAR as it ramps up EV-only rebrand
12/08/24 11:28
Jaguar won't sell cars for a year in its most confusing strategy yet. The F-Pace ends production in early 2025 and Jag won't offer a new EV model until 2026.
'I travelled 400 miles to take my driving test': How learners are having to go to the other end of the UK to beat test centre backlogs
11/08/24 06:00
Eighteen-year-old learner Kayla Van Dorsten (inset) travelled a staggering 400 miles to avoid waiting months for a driving test booking near to where she lives.
Used EVs are now CHEAPER than petrol and diesel cars, market data shows
10/08/24 06:00
Average retail prices for EVs are 8.5% cheaper than petrol at the three-year mark, rising to almost double that by year four, according to valuations specialists Cap Hpi.
- 1083 comments
- 30 shares
Do we have the worst roads in Europe? New survey shows 62% of drivers think they're in far better condition on the Continent
09/08/24 11:00
New research from RAC Europe has found 62% of motorist prefer the state of roads across the Channel compared to the UK's poorly maintained ones, as our pothole crisis deepens.
Drivers are snapping up used EVs, industry sales figures show
08/08/24 11:00
Used EVs sales grew 52.6% in the months of April to June thanks to increasing availability and rock bottom prices.
- 525 comments
- 50 shares
How government EV sales targets are forcing car makers to use drastic tactics to inflate numbers
08/08/24 06:00
The ZEV mandate - requiring car brands to sell an increasing number of EVs until 2035 or be fined - has triggered 'behaviour not seen in 40 years'. So what tactics are brands resorting to?
The new '74' number plates BANNED because they're too rude: DVLA culls 365 offensive combinations
07/08/24 02:31
The latest list of banned number plates deemed too rude for the road has been released by the DVLA - with everything from ULEZ to sex-related innuendos forbidden.
Guinness World Record for longest journey by an EV on a single charge has been broken by a Ford Mustang Mach-E - here's how far it went
06/08/24 05:36
A new world record has been set for the longest journey by an electric car on a single charge driving around England.
North-South divide for public EV charger availability threatens to leave behind parts of the UK in the electric revolution
06/08/24 06:00
Latest DfT figures show UK charging point installations are increasing overall, but the North of England is getting left behind, as the UK tracks behind targets.
- 281 comments
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MG HS review: We test drive the all-new version of Britain's favourite budget-friendly family SUV
02/08/24 05:00
The MG HS is one of the best-selling cars in the UK and now it's had a major overhaul for 2024. We review it to see if the all-new family SUV is even better value for money.
Motorists should brace for fuel duty hikes and 'perma-high' petrol costs, AA warns
01/08/24 11:01
Motorists are being warned to expect a fuel duty hike in October and a dire period of 'perma-high' road fuel costs by experts at the AA.
Will classic cars soon have a one-off MOT - and can it make owning historic vehicles easier?
31/07/24 05:00
A historic car organisation has called for a 'one-off safety check' to be introduced for some restored and modified historic vehicles to make registration easier.
- 20 comments
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Seven in ten drivers surrounded by 'severe' potholes where they live, report finds
30/07/24 10:53
A new study has identified which areas of the UK potentially have the biggest pothole problem with drivers in South West England reporting the most severe craters of all.
On-street charging costs fall by 12% in a boost to driveway-less EV owners
25/07/24 06:12
Peak charging rates fell by 8p in June, while off-peak rates fell by 3p. These savings will help EV owners who're reliant on slow public charging.
- 273 comments
- 21 shares
DVLA private plate auction - some cost £70 and could offer an investment bargain
24/07/24 10:23
The DVLA's registration plate timed auction runs 24-30 July with a spread of plates celebrating this summer of sport, music and pop culture offering returns on investment.
Most landlords happy to install an EV charger for tenants - but who should pay?
24/07/24 05:00
New research shows 86% of freehold landlords with a suitable property would be happy to install an EV charger if a tenant requested one.
- 179 comments
- shares
Nico Rosberg picks up the keys to his £2.5m AMG One hypercar powered by his championship winning F1 engine
18/07/24 03:53
This is Money gets an exclusive preview as F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg drives his AMG One F1-engined £2.5m hypercar for the first time.
Barely an electric car in sight: The areas with the slowest uptake of plug-in vehicles
18/07/24 08:34
Parts of the UK are at risk of being left behind in the electric car transition, and not all of them are remote areas of the country, new research shows.
Electric cars that can charge in under 20 minutes: The 11 EVs with the fastest charging times
17/07/24 06:00
As well as an EV with long range, drivers want an electric car that can recharge in a short time. So which EVs can charge the fastest? Here's our top 11 picks.
Jaguar culls all but ONE model as it axes four petrol and diesel cars and I-Pace in major acceleration to EVs
16/07/24 11:59
Jaguar is culling five models before its 2025 EV-only rebrand. The I-Pace EV is the latest victim, with only one combustion car avoiding the chopping block for now.
Complaints about hire purchase car financing balloon in the past year
16/07/24 10:55
HP complaints almost doubled between 2023/4 and the preceding year, with almost 21,500 unhappy customers contacting the FOS.
- 2 comments
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EVs are now FREE to run for the rest of 2024 compared to petrol cars, study claims
15/07/24 11:56
Dubbed 'Electric Car Day', it's been suggested that EV owners now have the rest of the year with 'free' running costs compared to those who drive combustion-engine models.
- 276 comments
- 30 shares
Lotus debuts its one-off £2million hypercar at Goodwood Festival of Speed - then immediately crashes it
12/07/24 01:22
The one-off Lotus hypercar crashed a few yards into its 'dynamic debut' at Goodwood Festival of Speed's hill climb on Thursday.
Dacia Spring EV review: We test drive the UK's CHEAPEST new electric car that costs less than £15k
12/07/24 07:00
The all-new Dacia Spring is the cheapest EV in the UK by almost £10k. We test drove it to find out if this budget EV really can put the country on cheap electric wheels...
MG unveils Cyber GTS concept that looks set to be the electric spiritual successor to the MGB GT
11/07/24 01:35
The Cyber GTS is a hardtop coupe version of its new Cyberster EV roadster. And like the cult B GT launched in 1965, it offers two-plus-two seating and rakish good looks.
Best-selling cars of 2024 so far: Is your car one of Britain's most loved motors?
07/07/24 06:00
Registrations data collated by the SMMT lists the top models by sales figures in Britain so far this year - and among the 10 most in-demand motors are seven SUVs.
What does Labour's election win mean for drivers and motoring costs?
05/07/24 07:43
What should motorists taking to the road under a Keir Starmer led government expect once the dust settles?
- 231 comments
- 10 shares
Lorry, van and taxi drivers are having more crashes by miles driven
05/07/24 05:00
New data shows the number of miles driven by professional drivers before a collision has alarmingly decreased compared to 2023.
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What does Labour's election win mean for your money? From tax, to pensions and homes, what Keir Starmer's government plans to do
05/07/24 04:32
The manifesto was notably light on detail, but now the votes are in we will finally find out what Labour intends to do on regaining power after 14 years.
- 247 comments
- 9 shares
New car sales exceed 1m in 2024 at the halfway point - but private EV demand falls
04/07/24 01:40
A 1.1% rise in registrations in June has pushed 2024's half-year sales to 1,006,763 - the first time it has eclipsed 1m by the half-year point since the pandemic.
- 229 comments
- shares
Would you buy a used car from THIS candidate to be Prime Minister?
04/07/24 12:33
A 1960 Democratic Party US Presidential election poster famously used the slogan 'Would YOU buy a used car from this man?' with a photo of Nixon. Britons are now being asked the same...
- 22 comments
- shares
New Low Emission Zones in major Scottish cities results in huge uptick in motorists looking to scrap their cars
04/07/24 08:02
There has seen a 64% increase in motorists wanting to scrap their cars between May and June 2024, compared to the same period of 2023.
- 60 comments
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New cars are 400kg heavier than seven years ago thanks to this vehicle type...
02/07/24 01:57
Autocar analysed vehicles weight it road tested from 2016 to 2023 and the mean average kerbweight has risen from 1,553kg to 1,947kg.
Electric car drivers will be forced to pay London's £15-a-day Congestion Charge from Christmas 2025
02/07/24 11:37
One expert dubbed the decision 'puzzling' while others suggest the London Mayor Sadiq Khan is attempting to make up for a shortfall in revenue generated by ULEZ.
- 633 comments
- 553 shares
Five ways to save money charging your EV this summer
02/07/24 11:16
Charging an EV can offer great savings. And here are three of the latest offers to save even more money - whether home or public charging.
- 50 comments
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Should graduated driving licences be introduced to clampdown on young motorists?
02/07/24 06:00
Ahead of the General Election, the AA is calling for the elected government to introduce Graduated Driving Licences to reduce teen driver deaths.
- 65 comments
- 14 shares
Are electric cars responsible for Britain's pothole problem?
30/06/24 07:53
A leading road surface company wants to put an end to speculation as to whether electric vehicles are the cause of an increase in potholes plighting the nation's roads.
MG Cyberster review - convertible EV costs £60k and is fun to drive
29/06/24 06:00
MG's all-new Cyberster roadster is here and the EV costs less than £60,000. Will it recharge summer motoring in the electric era? We find out.
FREDA LEWIS-STEMPEL did a 1,000 mile road trip in the new Tesla Model 3 using only green energy - is range anxiety over?
28/06/24 06:00
She took a road trip from London to Scotland to see if you can beat range anxiety and only charge with renewable energy.
Porsche issues global recall for its £90,000 electric Taycan sports car over brake issue
27/06/24 12:43
Porsche has been forced to issue a global recall for its Taycan electric sports cars due to a brake system issue. It is said to affect only a small number of cars, but they're all being called back.
Faster than an Uber! A hypercar maker has just launched its own robotaxi service - and it's coming to the UK soon
26/06/24 03:05
The Croatian electric hypercar brand has unveiled its new Verne robotaxi which will launch in 2026. You'll be able to hail the autonomous EV via an app.
Ford Explorer review: Is the £40k electric SUV a good buy for Britain's drivers and families?
25/06/24 12:54
We've been testing Ford's world record setting new Explorer EV to see it's a long range family road tripper worth buying.
Bugatti's new £3.2m hypercar: Tourbillon to arrive in 2026 with 1,800hp HYBRID power
21/06/24 07:24
Bugatti has unveiled its new hybrid hypercar, the Tourbillon. Only 250 cars will be made and only the most wealthy can have one. How green is it? Here's how far it can go in electric-only mode.
Here's why your classic car is at risk of being slapped with a Q-plate
20/06/24 09:01
Classic cars are being wrongly slapped with Q-plates due to DVLA registration issues - but there is an opportunity to fix it. Here's how...
- 102 comments
- 54 shares
Tesla Powerwall 3 home battery now on sale in Britain - what is it and can it really save you big on energy bills?
19/06/24 03:24
The Powerwall can store electricity for use at a later point, with households able to use the device to save money on their energy bills.
- 107 comments
- 25 shares
EV brand Fisker files for bankruptcy following a plague of problems with its Ocean SUV
19/06/24 03:14
American electric vehicle (EV) brand Fisker - maker of the Ocean SUV - filed for bankruptcy late on Monday after months of rescue talks failed.
The motorist's guide to the election: What the parties promise drivers
18/06/24 05:49
We look through Labour, Conservative, Reform, Liberal Democrat and Green manifestos' to see what your vote as a motorist will mean
- 292 comments
- 1 share
What it's like to drive a hydrogen car: We test the fuel cell Ineos Grenadier
15/06/24 06:00
Freda Lewis-Stempel visited Millbrook Proving Ground to put the prototype hydrogen fuel cell Ineos Grenadier through its paces on the off-road course.
Fiat reveals a new Panda in homage to its cult classic compact car
14/06/24 03:49
To celebrate Fiat's 125th anniversary, the Italian brand has revealed a new Panda - the first of a fresh range of models designed after the much-loved 1980s model.
Alpine A290 is proof there's life in hot hatches in an EV era - could it be the first fun electric car?
13/06/24 01:18
The new A290 hot hatch promises compact proportions and driving thrills that will spark warmth under the collars of petrol heads - and without an emission from a tailpipe.
Young drivers can't afford used cars as supply of motors under £5k plummets
13/06/24 05:00
New research from Auto Trader shows young drivers are being squeezed out of the market because supply of cheap cars under £11k and £4k has plummeted.
- 26 comments
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What really happens to EV batteries at the end of their vehicle life?
11/06/24 11:40
Is the picture of an EV battery graveyard true? We look at second life EV battery initiatives, recycling developments and battery passports.
- 203 comments
- 6 shares
Disabled drivers overlooked in EV transition as just 2% of on-street chargers meet accessibility guidelines
11/06/24 10:48
New research by car manufacturer Vauxhall has found that just 2% of on-street council-logged EV chargers are accessible for the UK's 16million disabled population.
- 40 comments
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We review the new £75k Polestar 3 - could the Tesla Model Y now have a real fight on its hands?
10/06/24 08:03
Polestar - the Swedish racing-inspired EV brand - has finally got more than one car to offer buyers. We review the new Polestar 3 in Madrid, to see if it's worth the £75k+ price tag.
The trick to charge an EV for just £218 a year
07/06/24 11:32
By using a system that allows them to charge at the cheapest possible time, drivers of a typical EV could end up paying just £18 a month to do 1,000 miles.
- 385 comments
- 3 shares
Lotus Eletre is an electric Lamborghini Urus rival - but is it any good? We put the hyper-SUV to the test
01/06/24 06:00
The Lotus Eletre S is the new hyper-SUV from the British-now-Chinese-owned-brand. It starts Lotus' electric era, taking driving dynamism into the SUV world.
Cars that drivers ditch quickest: One very popular EV brand tops the list...
31/05/24 08:46
Keepers of one EV brand own them on average for less than two years, while keepers of a particular supercar company ditch them after 24 months.
- 428 comments
- 46 shares
EVs are cheaper to run than frugal petrol cars - but only if you can charge at home
30/05/24 05:00
On average middle-aged EV drivers between 45 and 54 years old save an average of £525 a year on running costs, compared to their age equivalent petrol drivers.
- 366 comments
- 8 shares
Have you noticed driving standards getting worse? A shocking 55% of motorists admit to this one dangerous action behind the wheel
29/05/24 01:19
More than half of drivers tailgate, a new study by the AA has found. And it's not the only type of bad behaviour behind the wheel that's on the rise...
- 271 comments
- shares
Volkswagen to take on China in the cheap EV race with a low-cost small electric car due in 2027
29/05/24 12:59
Volkswagen has announced it will take on cheap Chinese EV imports with its own European bargain EV, the ID.1.It is due to be unveiled in 2027 with a bargain price.
Buying a new EV: Men prioritise price and range, but women are safety first
28/05/24 06:00
Price is top of the list, but men and women have varying levels of range anxiety, and women are more safety-conscious.
- 121 comments
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Driving test pass rates are HIGHER than pre-pandemic - here are the places you don't want to take your test...
27/05/24 06:00
Learners are more likely to pass their driving test today than before the Covid pandemic. But there are still some test centres they will want to avoid.
- 134 comments
- 33 shares
Thieves target EV charging cables at rapid charging sites in latest wave of car-related crime
25/05/24 02:00
Experts are warning that thieves are after the copper in cables at rapid and ultra-rapid charger sites, in a spate of criminality dating back to November.
Kia's £30,000 electric family car: New EV3 revealed and the 372-mile SUV could be one of the cheapest in Britain
23/05/24 01:11
Kia have revealed what is set to be its cheapest electric car yet - the EV3 SUV. The five-seater family car offers 372 miles of range, ultra-rapid charging, and a flexi-interior, all for £30k.

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