Latest news with #Cruiser
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
How an explosive-filled shipwreck in the Thames could trigger a tsunami
It's a sultry June day on the glistening Thames Estuary; perfect for a river cruise and a spot of lunch in Kent. Yet there's something vaguely unsettling in the distance as we embark the 'Cruiser' tourist boat at the end of Southend pier; gentle waves are lapping at three masts of a wrecked ship, a phalanx of buoys warning people off coming too close. This wreck is the famous SS Richard Montgomery, an American 'Liberty' cargo ship which was bound for Cherbourg in 1944 and loaded with munitions to support the war effort after the Normandy invasion. But during a gale her anchor dragged into Sheerness' middle sandbank, cracking the hull and buckling under the weight of the cargo. And, despite multiple salvage efforts, it's remained there ever since, the three visible masts acting as an eerie gravestone at its final resting place. And in so doing – without actually exploding – the SS Montgomery has become something of a cause célèbre. It's also become one of the most monitored wreck sites in the world; there's CCTV and radar making sure no-one breaches the exclusion zone, and aircraft can't fly within 13,100 feet of it. Perhaps, though, that's not completely surprising when our Captain Richard Bain is merrily telling passengers who have joined today's jaunt that 'over 1,500 tonnes of ammunition are thought to still remain on board', as we set a course from Southend through the treacherous sandbanks that claimed the Montgomery 80 years ago. 'Some say that if it was to detonate today,' he continues, 'there's enough explosive power on this ship to send a five-metre wall of water up the River Thames towards London.' The 'some say' isn't anecdotal or the stuff of local legend. According to SS Montgomery expert Professor David Alexander, The Royal Military College of Science worked out that the absolute worst case scenario, if the Montgomery was to blow, was a 3,000 metre-high column of water, debris, sand… and that five metre-high tsunami. Somewhat incredibly, that calculation was in itself made 55 years ago. There has been a lot of procrastination – some might call it governmental gambling – about what to do with the SS Montgomery ever since. And a lot of reports. At this time of year, every year, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency – as part of the Department for Transport – publish a survey on the state of the wreck. There are always changes and deteriorations in its state (this year the 'drastic change of the sediment levels in hold 2' and a tilt of the wreck to the east were most notable), although the water is so muddy and the tides so changeable, divers no longer examine it; the work is completed by multibeam sonar technology. The concern from some, then, is that eventually there will be a catastrophic structural event that will set off a chain reaction of explosions. That event could be as simple as the masts we see hoving into uncomfortably close view collapsing through the deck and compressing the bombs beneath. What would happen then? 'Doors and windows would be blown from their hinges in both Southend and Sheerness. It would be the largest, non-nuclear explosion we have seen in our lifetime,' says Captain Bain. 'So that's why we're going to see it.' No wonder there's a bar onboard. This enduring fascination with the SS Montgomery is one of the reasons why Jetstream Tours have been bringing boats here for a decade. Meanwhile, a paddle boarder was pictured some time ago leaning against the mast, there are stories of people fishing off it and having picnics on the deck, and Bain still sees sailing boats in the exclusion zone, passing between the buoys. 'Maybe it's the fear of missing out,' he says, once we've safely circumnavigated the site and decanted hungry travellers at Queenborough, a sleepy town on the north Kent coast. 'The last opportunity to see the masts in their natural state.' So why aren't people sailing away from this wreck rather than towards it? Maybe the answer comes from someone who has been living with the possibility of explosions and tidal waves her entire life. Veronica Cordier is a former Chair of The Isle Of Grain Parish Council, just a few kilometres away on dry land. To her knowledge they have never been consulted about any plans to safeguard their community from the SS Montgomery, despite the fact they're also home to the largest liquefied natural gas terminal in Europe… and 28 petroleum storage tanks. 'You know what, we only think about it when it's in the media,' she says. 'We've got so used to it just being there.' So she's not worried?'Well, I'm not happy it's there, and I'd be worried about what would happen if it did blow up of course. But then again, with the industry on the Isle Of Grain, it's just one of many hazards. If one goes up, they all go up!' Which is one of the reasons why Professor Alexander talks of blast walls along the Kent coast needing to be installed if the SS Richard Montgomery was really going to be salvaged and made safe. He's been studying, researching and teaching about the SS Montgomery at UCL since 2018. 'It's fascinating. After the war, there were lots of ships sunk with munitions on them, some deliberately. Just about everything was salvaged and cleared away, but not the Montgomery.' But why not? Professor Alexander thinks the government attitude has been one of 'the longer it's left, the safer it gets'. But in the course of his research he went to Defence Munitions Kineton in Warwickshire – the largest ammunition depot in western Europe and home to the Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Munitions and Search Training Regiment. Speaking to experts there, it became quite clear to him that most bombs do not get safer over long periods of time. 'I've made documentaries about the SS Montgomery, but I've never sailed around it myself,' he says. 'That was a deliberate choice. I find it gives me nightmares.' Perhaps you'd expect a professor of Emergency Planning and Management in UCL's Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction to find the risk here. It's his life's work, after all. But does he find the current situation ever so slightly irresponsible? 'I suppose I do,' he says. 'Several things could happen. The wreck is disintegrating, and that will accelerate over time. That's quite clear from the reports – and as that happens it might disturb or affect the state of the bombs. 'Then there's the possibility of either a navigational error or a technical failure on a ship that then sails into the Montgomery. We've nearly had that – in 2010 a Danish tanker was heading straight for it with a cargo of one of the components of TNT!' 'You've also got to consider terrorism or deliberate interference – during the London Olympics the SS Montgomery was under heavy surveillance.' Which is likely one of the reasons a 'Notam' – or notice to airmen, saying no-one is allowed to fly under 13,100ft across the exclusion zone was implemented in May this year. So not quite a no-fly zone but there's clearly serious enough concern to implement something approaching it. Not quite enough to solve the problem once and for all, though. Four years ago, there was a tender won to remove the masts entirely but the subsequent lack of action on that front, says Professor Alexander, is because in the preparations for the footings necessary to complete the work, 67 'foreign objects' were found on the seabed. 'They were bombs,' he believes. 'Some have clearly fallen out of the Montgomery. Others were probably dumped there by fishermen when they came up in their nets – it's much easier to unload them in the exclusion zone.' So there's been no progress, no plans since. Maybe that's because some of the salvage studies have talked about evacuating Sheerness for a year – it's why Professor Alexander talks of blast walls and robotics being more realistic. 'But it would be expensive.'And that's the real issue here, one senses. As Cordier puts it, 'these are financially straitened times aren't they? Governments aren't going to pay millions to make it safe.' Easier, then, to put their trust in an adequate survey. Nevertheless, Professor Alexander does have some sympathy with this approach. 'It is unlikely it would all go up at once,' he admits. 'There's different types of bomb in there with different mechanisms. We don't really know to what extent they are fused, either. 'So you might have some bombs going off and some big explosions, but not all at once. It is a precarious situation, though.' Just how precarious is a question for the Department for Transport to answer. We invite them to come out on the water with us and show us what work is being done to secure the SS Montgomery. They prefer to tell us there is no indication that the further degradation of the structure has increased the risk associated with the wreck – and that recent reports of shipping entering the restricted zone were inaccurate. But they do anticipate continuing work on the project to reduce the height of the wreck's three masts 'within the next year'. That's the project, not the actual works themselves. A Department for Transport spokesperson said: 'Our priority will always be to ensure the safety of the public and to reduce any risk posed by the SS Richard Montgomery. 'The condition of the wreck remains stable, and experts are continuing to monitor the site. As part of their ongoing monitoring, they have updated advice on how authorities can further minimise risk and recommended that pilots and operators do not fly in a limited area around and above the site as specified by the Civil Aviation Authority.' All of which would seem to suggest Captain Bain will be sailing passengers around the SS Richard Montgomery for some time yet. 'I haven't seen decay,' he says. 'It managed to last all winter and the chances are, if anything is going to happen, it will happen in a gale force wind, in bad weather.' But, after passing them hundreds of times since Jetstream Tours started a decade ago, he has noticed that the masts are moving, 'they are rocking backwards and forwards'. And on occasion he has been asked to intervene when other vessels have gone too close. He adds: 'I've seen sailing boats in there, passing between the buoys. People just don't really know. And we sometimes do get tasked by the Port Authority to see if we can get names of a particular vessel. 'We don't like grassing people up, but at the same time it's there for security. Nine out of 10 times they just don't know.' So for now, the SS Montgomery remains something of a mawkish tourist attraction. And unless it does actually blow to smithereens, Professor Alexander can't see that changing any time soon. 'I got all the files about the SS Montgomery from the National Archives,' he says. 'And do you know what that told me more than anything? A typical British government meeting presided over by the Prime Minister will be 20 minutes of telling people about a subject they don't know anything about, 20 minutes of prevaricating, and 20 minutes to decide not to do anything.'And on that bombshell… the next trip to the SS Montgomery leaves on Tuesday. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Business Wire
08-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Final Days: Don't Miss Tineco's Best Deals of the Year!
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Summer is in full swing... and so are the Tineco deals — but not for much longer! Only a few days remain to take advantage of the best prices of the year on the brand's smart cleaning appliances. Featuring premium design, advanced technology, and exceptional performance, Tineco's high-end vacuums and floor washers are built to simplify your routine and deliver a truly effortless clean. Enjoy these exclusive Prime Day offers until July 11, 2025 on the Tineco Amazon Store, and don't forget to unlock an extra 6% discount with the promo code TINPRIME25. Original Price: €699 | Prime Day: €419 Designed to clean effortlessly under low furniture, this floor washer combines power, long runtime, and maneuverability. With its 180° Stretch technology and ultra-slim cleaning head, no spot is out of reach. Original Price: €599 | Prime Day: €349 Compact, agile, and powerful — the perfect everyday cleaning solution. Lightweight and easy to store, it's ideal for tight spaces and quick cleanups. FLOOR ONE S9 Artist Original Price: €899 | Prime Day: €599 Tineco's flagship model, crafted for a premium clean. It vacuums and washes in one seamless pass, automatically detects dirt, and self-cleans after each use. A must-have for spotless floors without the effort. PURE ONE STATION 5 Plus Original Price: €459 | Prime Day: €349 This stick vacuum stands out with its intelligent 3-in-1 self-cleaning station. It charges, empties, and washes itself — always clean, always ready. CARPET ONE Cruiser Original Price: €699 | Prime Day: €559 The ultimate carpet cleaner, delivering powerful suction and fast drying with PowerDry™ technology. Deep cleaning with no compromises. These exclusive offers are available on Amazon until July 11, 2025. About Tineco Tineco ('tin-co') was founded in 1998 with its first product launch as a vacuum cleaner and, in 2019, pioneered the first-ever smart vacuum. Today, the brand has evolved into a global leader in intelligent appliances spanning floor care, kitchen, and personal care categories. With a growing user base of over 19.5 million households and availability in approximately 30 countries worldwide, Tineco remains committed to its brand vision of making life easier through smart technology and continuous innovation. For more information, visit
The Advertiser
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Born in the back of a Land Cruiser: baby Vera's surprise roadside welcome
Not many new baby stories involve an emergency birth in the back of a 300 Series Land Cruiser, but this one does. That's how baby Vera came into the world on June 25, at 9.48pm, in the middle of a cold, rainy snap when her father Dane Martin, delivered his daughter with help from a 000 operator. Tegan and Dane Martin live in Rylstone in the NSW Central Tablelands region with their children, just a couple of doors up from Dane's mother. Speaking from their warm living room, the couple recalled the once-in-a-lifetime experience with a refreshingly pragmatic attitude. Vera is the couple's fifth child, and previous pregnancies had come and gone with little drama, but Tegan said she had a feeling about this one. "I just had this gut feeling, and I told Dane a few times - I said, 'I reckon this baby's going to come at Lue'," Tegan said. Tegan went into labour around 1am on Wednesday, June 25, which didn't stop the couple from getting a few things done first to pass the time. "We decided during early labour we'd duck over to Dubbo, just to pick the car up," she said. "We actually stopped at Mudgee Hospital on the way home just to get checked. They were like, 'No, you're fine, go home.' So we did." Tegan and Dane were home for less than an hour when contractions suddenly ramped up. "She went from nothing to something," Tegan said. "We jumped in the car and headed straight for the hospital again... but we didn't make it." About five kilometres before Lue, on the stretch between Rylstone and Lue, Tegan told Dane to pull over. "I said, 'I can't, there's nowhere to stop' - but there was. So we stopped, right near the turn-off to the motorbike track," Dane said. With 000 on the line, Dane got step-by-step instructions from the paramedics on what to do next. "They were like, 'What can you see?' and I said, 'Not much... oh wait, I see a long white thing.' They go, 'That's the head.'" As Vera made her entrance, things got tense. "Her face was covered in stuff and her lips were blue," Dane said. "But I'd seen it before with animals - I've birthed cows and sheep before, being a country boy - so I knew to just clear her nose and rub her back." "And then she cried - she came out good." Still in the back of the Cruiser, both Tegan and Dane stayed surprisingly calm given the situation. "The lady on 000 said, 'You're very calm,' and I said, 'What else can you do? You just have to get it done." Wrapped in a big green mink blanket and resting in her mum's arms, Vera was calm and warm by the time paramedics arrived about 15 minutes later. "They said we'd done everything right," Dane said. "They were amazing, really reassuring." Despite the weather, the improvised birth in the back of the family's car was surprisingly smooth. It was a freezing morning, around six degrees with showers, hardly ideal conditions for an impromptu roadside birth. "I was in the boot, and he (Dane) had to open and close the boot door to check on us and keep us warm," Tegan said. "We were lucky we had that blanket." Vera weighed in at 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 51cm long. After a couple of days at Mudgee Hospital to recover and be checked over, the family headed home, where the four older siblings - Ava, Henry, Jagger and Austin were waiting eagerly. "It's one of those things you expect to see on Facebook reels," Tegan laughed. "Not something that happens to you in real life." At just four days old, Vera is already settling in at home and is getting plenty of love from her siblings and proud parents. Not many new baby stories involve an emergency birth in the back of a 300 Series Land Cruiser, but this one does. That's how baby Vera came into the world on June 25, at 9.48pm, in the middle of a cold, rainy snap when her father Dane Martin, delivered his daughter with help from a 000 operator. Tegan and Dane Martin live in Rylstone in the NSW Central Tablelands region with their children, just a couple of doors up from Dane's mother. Speaking from their warm living room, the couple recalled the once-in-a-lifetime experience with a refreshingly pragmatic attitude. Vera is the couple's fifth child, and previous pregnancies had come and gone with little drama, but Tegan said she had a feeling about this one. "I just had this gut feeling, and I told Dane a few times - I said, 'I reckon this baby's going to come at Lue'," Tegan said. Tegan went into labour around 1am on Wednesday, June 25, which didn't stop the couple from getting a few things done first to pass the time. "We decided during early labour we'd duck over to Dubbo, just to pick the car up," she said. "We actually stopped at Mudgee Hospital on the way home just to get checked. They were like, 'No, you're fine, go home.' So we did." Tegan and Dane were home for less than an hour when contractions suddenly ramped up. "She went from nothing to something," Tegan said. "We jumped in the car and headed straight for the hospital again... but we didn't make it." About five kilometres before Lue, on the stretch between Rylstone and Lue, Tegan told Dane to pull over. "I said, 'I can't, there's nowhere to stop' - but there was. So we stopped, right near the turn-off to the motorbike track," Dane said. With 000 on the line, Dane got step-by-step instructions from the paramedics on what to do next. "They were like, 'What can you see?' and I said, 'Not much... oh wait, I see a long white thing.' They go, 'That's the head.'" As Vera made her entrance, things got tense. "Her face was covered in stuff and her lips were blue," Dane said. "But I'd seen it before with animals - I've birthed cows and sheep before, being a country boy - so I knew to just clear her nose and rub her back." "And then she cried - she came out good." Still in the back of the Cruiser, both Tegan and Dane stayed surprisingly calm given the situation. "The lady on 000 said, 'You're very calm,' and I said, 'What else can you do? You just have to get it done." Wrapped in a big green mink blanket and resting in her mum's arms, Vera was calm and warm by the time paramedics arrived about 15 minutes later. "They said we'd done everything right," Dane said. "They were amazing, really reassuring." Despite the weather, the improvised birth in the back of the family's car was surprisingly smooth. It was a freezing morning, around six degrees with showers, hardly ideal conditions for an impromptu roadside birth. "I was in the boot, and he (Dane) had to open and close the boot door to check on us and keep us warm," Tegan said. "We were lucky we had that blanket." Vera weighed in at 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 51cm long. After a couple of days at Mudgee Hospital to recover and be checked over, the family headed home, where the four older siblings - Ava, Henry, Jagger and Austin were waiting eagerly. "It's one of those things you expect to see on Facebook reels," Tegan laughed. "Not something that happens to you in real life." At just four days old, Vera is already settling in at home and is getting plenty of love from her siblings and proud parents. Not many new baby stories involve an emergency birth in the back of a 300 Series Land Cruiser, but this one does. That's how baby Vera came into the world on June 25, at 9.48pm, in the middle of a cold, rainy snap when her father Dane Martin, delivered his daughter with help from a 000 operator. Tegan and Dane Martin live in Rylstone in the NSW Central Tablelands region with their children, just a couple of doors up from Dane's mother. Speaking from their warm living room, the couple recalled the once-in-a-lifetime experience with a refreshingly pragmatic attitude. Vera is the couple's fifth child, and previous pregnancies had come and gone with little drama, but Tegan said she had a feeling about this one. "I just had this gut feeling, and I told Dane a few times - I said, 'I reckon this baby's going to come at Lue'," Tegan said. Tegan went into labour around 1am on Wednesday, June 25, which didn't stop the couple from getting a few things done first to pass the time. "We decided during early labour we'd duck over to Dubbo, just to pick the car up," she said. "We actually stopped at Mudgee Hospital on the way home just to get checked. They were like, 'No, you're fine, go home.' So we did." Tegan and Dane were home for less than an hour when contractions suddenly ramped up. "She went from nothing to something," Tegan said. "We jumped in the car and headed straight for the hospital again... but we didn't make it." About five kilometres before Lue, on the stretch between Rylstone and Lue, Tegan told Dane to pull over. "I said, 'I can't, there's nowhere to stop' - but there was. So we stopped, right near the turn-off to the motorbike track," Dane said. With 000 on the line, Dane got step-by-step instructions from the paramedics on what to do next. "They were like, 'What can you see?' and I said, 'Not much... oh wait, I see a long white thing.' They go, 'That's the head.'" As Vera made her entrance, things got tense. "Her face was covered in stuff and her lips were blue," Dane said. "But I'd seen it before with animals - I've birthed cows and sheep before, being a country boy - so I knew to just clear her nose and rub her back." "And then she cried - she came out good." Still in the back of the Cruiser, both Tegan and Dane stayed surprisingly calm given the situation. "The lady on 000 said, 'You're very calm,' and I said, 'What else can you do? You just have to get it done." Wrapped in a big green mink blanket and resting in her mum's arms, Vera was calm and warm by the time paramedics arrived about 15 minutes later. "They said we'd done everything right," Dane said. "They were amazing, really reassuring." Despite the weather, the improvised birth in the back of the family's car was surprisingly smooth. It was a freezing morning, around six degrees with showers, hardly ideal conditions for an impromptu roadside birth. "I was in the boot, and he (Dane) had to open and close the boot door to check on us and keep us warm," Tegan said. "We were lucky we had that blanket." Vera weighed in at 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 51cm long. After a couple of days at Mudgee Hospital to recover and be checked over, the family headed home, where the four older siblings - Ava, Henry, Jagger and Austin were waiting eagerly. "It's one of those things you expect to see on Facebook reels," Tegan laughed. "Not something that happens to you in real life." At just four days old, Vera is already settling in at home and is getting plenty of love from her siblings and proud parents. Not many new baby stories involve an emergency birth in the back of a 300 Series Land Cruiser, but this one does. That's how baby Vera came into the world on June 25, at 9.48pm, in the middle of a cold, rainy snap when her father Dane Martin, delivered his daughter with help from a 000 operator. Tegan and Dane Martin live in Rylstone in the NSW Central Tablelands region with their children, just a couple of doors up from Dane's mother. Speaking from their warm living room, the couple recalled the once-in-a-lifetime experience with a refreshingly pragmatic attitude. Vera is the couple's fifth child, and previous pregnancies had come and gone with little drama, but Tegan said she had a feeling about this one. "I just had this gut feeling, and I told Dane a few times - I said, 'I reckon this baby's going to come at Lue'," Tegan said. Tegan went into labour around 1am on Wednesday, June 25, which didn't stop the couple from getting a few things done first to pass the time. "We decided during early labour we'd duck over to Dubbo, just to pick the car up," she said. "We actually stopped at Mudgee Hospital on the way home just to get checked. They were like, 'No, you're fine, go home.' So we did." Tegan and Dane were home for less than an hour when contractions suddenly ramped up. "She went from nothing to something," Tegan said. "We jumped in the car and headed straight for the hospital again... but we didn't make it." About five kilometres before Lue, on the stretch between Rylstone and Lue, Tegan told Dane to pull over. "I said, 'I can't, there's nowhere to stop' - but there was. So we stopped, right near the turn-off to the motorbike track," Dane said. With 000 on the line, Dane got step-by-step instructions from the paramedics on what to do next. "They were like, 'What can you see?' and I said, 'Not much... oh wait, I see a long white thing.' They go, 'That's the head.'" As Vera made her entrance, things got tense. "Her face was covered in stuff and her lips were blue," Dane said. "But I'd seen it before with animals - I've birthed cows and sheep before, being a country boy - so I knew to just clear her nose and rub her back." "And then she cried - she came out good." Still in the back of the Cruiser, both Tegan and Dane stayed surprisingly calm given the situation. "The lady on 000 said, 'You're very calm,' and I said, 'What else can you do? You just have to get it done." Wrapped in a big green mink blanket and resting in her mum's arms, Vera was calm and warm by the time paramedics arrived about 15 minutes later. "They said we'd done everything right," Dane said. "They were amazing, really reassuring." Despite the weather, the improvised birth in the back of the family's car was surprisingly smooth. It was a freezing morning, around six degrees with showers, hardly ideal conditions for an impromptu roadside birth. "I was in the boot, and he (Dane) had to open and close the boot door to check on us and keep us warm," Tegan said. "We were lucky we had that blanket." Vera weighed in at 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 51cm long. After a couple of days at Mudgee Hospital to recover and be checked over, the family headed home, where the four older siblings - Ava, Henry, Jagger and Austin were waiting eagerly. "It's one of those things you expect to see on Facebook reels," Tegan laughed. "Not something that happens to you in real life." At just four days old, Vera is already settling in at home and is getting plenty of love from her siblings and proud parents.
Irish Independent
30-06-2025
- Irish Independent
How a World War II shipwreck laden with explosives could trigger a tsunami in the Thames
It appears to be a disaster in waiting – yet there are stories of people picnicking on boat ©Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd Today at 00:30 It's a June day on the glistening Thames Estuary; perfect for a river cruise and a spot of lunch in Kent, south-east England. Yet there's something vaguely unsettling in the distance as we embark the 'Cruiser' tourist boat at the end of Southend pier; gentle waves are lapping at three masts of a wrecked ship, a phalanx of buoys warning people off coming too close. Register for free to read this story Register and create a profile to get access to our free stories. You'll also unlock more free stories each week.
The Irish Sun
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
The cheapest and most reliable small EV cars to buy, which challenge the much-awaited Toyota Urban Cruiser
WITH the incredible Toyota Urban Cruiser still months away from hitting UK roads, Brit drivers are looking for similar and affordable alternatives. A comprehensive list compiled by 8 The Toyota Urban Cruiser Credit: Supplied The Cruiser is Toyota's second EV, coming after the bZ4X which came out a few years ago. Toyota's latest electric car will be a great But in the meantime, if Kia EV3 8 The Kia EV3 Credit: Getty This compact car is one of the Cruiser's top competetitors. Pricing at just over £30,000, the Kia EV3 comes with a spacious interior, 375 miles of range and plenty of handy features . It is one of the best small EVs around, and boasts a cozy inside alongside its stylish design. It therefore makes a great option for customers who just can't wait any longer for the anticipated Cruiser. Skoda Elroq 8 Skoda Elroq Credit: PR Handout The Skoda Elroq is an easy-to-use vehicle equipped for family lifestyle. Most read in Motors It has a massive boot, perfect for carrying any family activity equipment, which is even bigger than the Cruiser's. The vehicle has a sensible design that is not too flashy, prioritising practicality over anything. It is also priced at over £30,000, making it a cheap alternative to the coveted Cruiser. Volvo EX30 8 Volvo EX30 Credit: Reuters This Scandinavian designed car is another great option for those who can't wait for the Cruiser. Volvo's EX30 is a small SUV that not only looks great, but also has an eyecatching interior which is cozy and comfy. It also comes with a safety kit for emergencies and is very practical in terms of its driving features. It does have a smaller boot and tight rear seats. But that doesn't take away from Volvo's smallest and most affordable SUV. There is also a dual-motor version for those who want a car with more of a 4WD feeling. It is also priced in the low £30,000s. Hyundai Inster 8 The Hyundai Inster Credit: Newspress This small-looking driver is bound to draw comparisons to Dr Who's TARDIS. Seemingly compact from the outside, the Inster's insides are way bigger than you might first think. Its interior space rivals much larger cars, despite its miniature size. The stylish car also has a clean aesthetic, and inside boasts clever rear seats which can fold flat to turn the car into a minivan. It uses cheap cabin plastics, but this can be overlooked due to its price tag. The budget EV can be picked up for less than £25,000, making it an incredible option as a cheap alternative to the Cruiser. Cupra Born 8 The Cupra Born This is one of the sportier cars on the list. So for drivers who are looking for this sort of design, look no further than the Cupra Born. Its a pretty car with an interior which is downright stunning to marvel at. The Born also boasts lots of space inside, and can drive up to 342 miles. Although it may not be that fun to drive as typical sports cars, the Born is a great budget EV for those who can't wait for the Cruiser. Prices start at around £34,000. MG4 8 MG4 This next car is an award-winning alternative. Having taken home the Carwow Car Of The Year, the MG4 is definitely an option to write home about. It boasts incredible value for money, and comes with a futuristic and funky exterior. It comes with loads of kit making it a practical option and family-friendly. The MG4 also prices at under £22,000 - making it a bargain and one of the cheapest EVs for its value. A more pleasant driving experience, impressive range and reassuring brake pedal also make this a great option. Renault Megan E-Tech 8 Renault Megan E-TECH EV Credit: Renault Ireland Last but not least is this budget electric driver with a Parisian flair. It is fitted with a cutting-edge Google-based infotainment system which is as easy to use as your own phone. And that's not all this car has going for it. The design features an amazing interior which is stylish and modern. Although it is slightly cramped in the back, the car's design makes this forgivable. Read more on the Irish Sun It starts at around £32,000, making it a great low-cost option. So this high-tech car makes a great option for those who want a state-of-the-art user interface in a budget and compact EV.
