If you’re wondering what’s on the cards for cars in 2023, all eyes are on innovation.
Will we see a new way of powering our vehicles? Could this be the breakthrough year for self-driving vehicles? Here are the big motoring trends to look out for in 2023.
More EVs ev-erywhere
This probably won’t come as a shock, but it’s likely we’ll see more EVs on our roads next year, despite challenges within the supply chain and materials sourcing.
The number of EVs sold increased in 2022, and with government plans to stop the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, EVs are fully supported to become a dominant force in the motoring market.
Questions may remain about the charging infrastructure across the UK, but there’s no stopping the charge of the EV.
Fuel cell EVs have arrived
EVs are still pretty new, in the grand scheme of motoring. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t already new innovations on the horizon.
This year could see the growth of fuel cell EVs. Unlike EVs that you plug in to charge a battery, fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) power comes from a fuel cell stack that’s fed hydrogen and oxygen, creating a chemical reaction (which results in electricity).
Oh, and water vapour comes out of the exhaust pipe. Nothing else. Just water. That’s it.
FCEVs couldn’t take off in 2022 as there aren’t many refuelling stations, however with more countries moving towards net zero, we could see more on the road from 2023.
Smart(er) cars
Ok, we know Smart cars have been around a while.
We’re on about clever cars here.
Alongside fuel, a huge innovation in vehicles is their ability to connect to the internet and provide information like never before. It’s not just sat nav and music, but full Wi-Fi capabilities, connecting to various devices as a network, and being able to send vehicle health reports to your phone.
Having your car diagnose an issue before something has become noticeably different or dangerous could be industry-defining and lifesaving. It’s something we’re excited to see grow in 2023 and beyond.
Self-driving vehicles brought themselves to the party
There’s a big difference between a car that has ‘self-driving’ capabilities (but still needs a driver ready behind the wheel), and a fully autonomous vehicle that can drive itself.
Who knows if the latter will become a reality on our roads any time soon (they still have a lot of issues to overcome, especially surrounding ethics). But, we can probably expect more self-driving features to pop up over the coming year, as tech innovations make them safer and more efficient.
This could be particularly interesting for lorries.
To decrease fuel consumption, lorries drive close together in a line and their speed is dictated by the lorry at the front (this is known as platooning). While this could be dangerous with one person at the wheel, with self-driving innovations and connected systems constantly monitoring surrounding traffic, it can be a lot safer. Vehicles can respond to emergencies as a group, and lorries could even brake five times faster than they would with just the driver behind the wheel.
And if you were wondering, there is one prediction for cars in 2023 that doesn’t revolve around technology…
Used car sales will increase
2022 wasn’t a great year for new car sales, despite growing EV numbers. This means the second-hand car market will be key moving forward, especially for petrol and diesel vehicles. So, if hydrogen or Wi-Fi in your car sounds a bit alien, you’ll still have plenty of options.
We’ll have a blog coming out soon with advice on how to buy a second-hand car safely, so keep an eye out here if the used car market is on your horizon.
So, there you have it – our forecast for motoring trends in 2023. EVs, intelligent vehicles, and a booming second-hand market. It’s going to be a year of innovation and, most likely, plenty of surprises.