Until a few years ago, if you wanted to go on an organised car tour abroad it meant competing in a rally. Whether a navigational or a timed speed event, it was expensive, difficult to get into and your car would need specialist preparation, and safety equipment. Oh, and, most important, you would need a trained co-pilot cum navigator who would also function as an office manager, tour operator, timekeeper and all-round planner! And, he maybe needed to perform an F1 style tyre change in the middle of nowhere when called upon to do so by his often recalcitrant driver. And who gets all the glory ? – Well, it’s not the navigator!

But now, all that has changed!  Non-competitive car ‘Tours’ are the order of the day and are well organised by such people as The Classic & Sportscar Club and Iberian Motoring Events to name only two.

In fact, IME have just released information on their next 5-day tour called the ‘Tour of the Three Parques‘ which will take place, starting from the Mijas area, on October 12th.

The event will take in three mountain ranges including the Alpujarras and the Sierra Nevadas and will include a two-night stop in the fabulous city that is Granada, full of amazing tapas bars and restaurantes.

No particulars skills are necessary and the organisers provide simple, easy to use, professional roadbooks to ensure everyone finds their way. No timing is used other than the importance of making it to dinner in the evenings!

One can imagine the stunning scenery, panoramic views and quiet, traffic-free roads making driving relaxing and enjoyable. Something that can’t be done in much of Europe and especially not in the UK.

Hotels, dinners, breakfasts and more are included for an astonishingly low entry fee of €620pp + IVA assuming two people sharing. If you’d like to try something different, contact IME through their website www.iberianmotoringevents.com.

These events are open to all and are great fun.

Whilst talking of tours, the Classic & Sportscar Club arrange at least one, one-day event every month and in May their run (or tour) started near Estepona and took in beautiful places and roads around Casares, Gaucin, Cortes de la Frontera and Ronda before finishing with a super lunch at El Papillon beach club in Elviria, near Marbella.

In June the CSCC are organising a classic and sportscar run on Sarurday the 6th that will start near Marbella and skirt the Lakes of El Chorro before finishing with lunch at the fabulous ‘Yikoi’ Asian restaurant near Marbella where quite a special feast will be laid on for all participants. Already a large entry has been received with a  variety of stunning motorcars – too many to mention.  Places are still available so do please contact the organisers directly at csccspain@gmail.com  or see their website for more details which is www.csccspain.com.

The ‘Cars and Coffee’ meetings organised by the club once a month have been a huge success but there needs to be a break for the summer high season. So, the last Cars and Coffee will be on Sunday, June 28th based at YANX American Diner in Centro Plaza, Puerto Banus from 10.00am until 1.00pm.  These terrific social gatherings over coffee and great cars will recommence in October.  Watch this space for the date!

Lastly , the CSCC has revived it’s mid-summer party and this year it will be at the hotel Tamisa Golf on the old  Coin Road in Mijas Costa. Set for Saturday, June 27th with dining and dancing under the stars, tables laid up around the pool, in this most beautiful location and with live music and a full four-course dinner with wines for only €65pp.  Contact the Club direct to book.

Thats about it for this month save to remind you that the F1 World Championship continues this weekend at the iconic Monaco street circuit. Mercedes seem to be the team in front at this time but development of these cars continues at a pace with both McLaren and Ferrari snapping at their heels and ready to pounce. It should be a terrific Grand Prix!

See you again here in July!

Anyone who has ever looked at a used electric car has probably wondered the same thing : What condition is the battery really in?

Mileage is easy to check and service history can usually be verified. The battery, however, is a different story.

It is often the most expensive part of the vehicle, yet for many buyers it remains something of a mystery.

Sellers can provide information. Manufacturers publish official figures. There are battery health reports and specialist inspections available.

Even so, many drivers still feel they are making an educated guess when it comes to understanding the true condition of an electric vehicle’s battery.

That uncertainty is exactly what the European Union hopes to reduce with a major change arriving in 2027.

From 18 February 2027, electric vehicles sold in Europe will be required to carry a digital battery passport, known as the Battery Pass. Accessible through a QR code attached to the vehicle, it will allow drivers, buyers and repair professionals to access detailed information about the battery with a simple scan.

For anyone thinking about buying an electric vehicle in the future, it could make one of the most important parts of the car far easier to understand.

Why battery information has become such a big issue for drivers

The battery sits at the centre of almost every conversation about electric vehicles.

How long will it last?How much range has it lost?Will it still perform properly in five years?How expensive would it be to replace?

These questions matter because the battery influences everything from daily driving range to the resale value of the vehicle.

The challenge is that finding reliable information is not always straightforward.

Two electric cars may look identical from the outside and have similar mileage, yet their batteries may have experienced very different levels of wear.

One might have spent years fast charging several times a week.Another may have been driven gently and charged more slowly.

Until now, much of that information has remained difficult for ordinary buyers to access.

That has helped create uncertainty in the used EV market, particularly among people considering their first electric vehicle.

The new Battery Pass is designed to make some of those unknowns easier to understand.

What drivers will actually be able to see

The QR code will act as a digital record linked directly to the battery.Once scanned, it will provide information including the battery manufacturer, production date, place of manufacture, serial number and technical specifications.

Drivers will also be able to see details about the materials used in the battery, including recycled content and certain environmental information.

For many consumers, however, the most interesting part will be the information relating to performance and durability.

The aim is to provide greater visibility into how the battery has been designed and how it is expected to perform throughout its life.

The system will not apply only to electric cars.It will also cover plug in hybrids and other battery powered vehicles equipped with batteries of 2 kWh or more.

That includes certain vans, motorcycles, scooters and electric bikes.

The measure forms part of the EU Battery Regulation approved in 2023, which seeks to improve transparency, sustainability and traceability throughout the battery industry.

Why the used EV market could benefit the most

Many industry observers believe the biggest impact may be felt in the second hand market. Buying a used petrol car has become relatively familiar territory for most drivers.

People know what to look for. Electric vehicles are still newer territory.

For many potential buyers, battery health remains the biggest unknown.

A standardised system providing official battery information could help build confidence and make comparisons easier between different vehicles.

That does not mean every concern about battery ageing will suddenly disappear.

Drivers will still have questions, battery technology will continue evolving and different manufacturers will continue using different systems.

What may change is the level of transparency available to consumers.

The information that many buyers currently struggle to find could soon be available with a simple scan.

As electric vehicles become a bigger part of everyday life across Europe, that extra visibility may prove valuable not only for buyers, but also for sellers, dealers and repair specialists.

For years, battery health has been one of the hardest parts of EV ownership to understand.In less than two years, it could become one of the easiest.

Anyone who has ever looked at a used electric car has probably wondered the same thing : What condition is the battery really in?

Mileage is easy to check and service history can usually be verified. The battery, however, is a different story.

It is often the most expensive part of the vehicle, yet for many buyers it remains something of a mystery.

Sellers can provide information. Manufacturers publish official figures. There are battery health reports and specialist inspections available.

Even so, many drivers still feel they are making an educated guess when it comes to understanding the true condition of an electric vehicle’s battery.

That uncertainty is exactly what the European Union hopes to reduce with a major change arriving in 2027.

From 18 February 2027, electric vehicles sold in Europe will be required to carry a digital battery passport, known as the Battery Pass. Accessible through a QR code attached to the vehicle, it will allow drivers, buyers and repair professionals to access detailed information about the battery with a simple scan.

For anyone thinking about buying an electric vehicle in the future, it could make one of the most important parts of the car far easier to understand.

Why battery information has become such a big issue for drivers

The battery sits at the centre of almost every conversation about electric vehicles.

How long will it last?How much range has it lost?Will it still perform properly in five years?How expensive would it be to replace?

These questions matter because the battery influences everything from daily driving range to the resale value of the vehicle.

The challenge is that finding reliable information is not always straightforward.

Two electric cars may look identical from the outside and have similar mileage, yet their batteries may have experienced very different levels of wear.

One might have spent years fast charging several times a week.Another may have been driven gently and charged more slowly.

Until now, much of that information has remained difficult for ordinary buyers to access.

That has helped create uncertainty in the used EV market, particularly among people considering their first electric vehicle.

The new Battery Pass is designed to make some of those unknowns easier to understand.

What drivers will actually be able to see

The QR code will act as a digital record linked directly to the battery.Once scanned, it will provide information including the battery manufacturer, production date, place of manufacture, serial number and technical specifications.

Drivers will also be able to see details about the materials used in the battery, including recycled content and certain environmental information.

For many consumers, however, the most interesting part will be the information relating to performance and durability.

The aim is to provide greater visibility into how the battery has been designed and how it is expected to perform throughout its life.

The system will not apply only to electric cars.It will also cover plug in hybrids and other battery powered vehicles equipped with batteries of 2 kWh or more.

That includes certain vans, motorcycles, scooters and electric bikes.

The measure forms part of the EU Battery Regulation approved in 2023, which seeks to improve transparency, sustainability and traceability throughout the battery industry.

Why the used EV market could benefit the most

Many industry observers believe the biggest impact may be felt in the second hand market. Buying a used petrol car has become relatively familiar territory for most drivers.

People know what to look for. Electric vehicles are still newer territory.

For many potential buyers, battery health remains the biggest unknown.

A standardised system providing official battery information could help build confidence and make comparisons easier between different vehicles.

That does not mean every concern about battery ageing will suddenly disappear.

Drivers will still have questions, battery technology will continue evolving and different manufacturers will continue using different systems.

What may change is the level of transparency available to consumers.

The information that many buyers currently struggle to find could soon be available with a simple scan.

As electric vehicles become a bigger part of everyday life across Europe, that extra visibility may prove valuable not only for buyers, but also for sellers, dealers and repair specialists.

For years, battery health has been one of the hardest parts of EV ownership to understand.In less than two years, it could become one of the easiest.