Electric cars

[peteo48]

Please don’t buy an EV unless you have reliable home charging, and never plan to travel more than half the range of the car (unless you can guarantee destination charging, or have a Tesla).

She's thinking of driving from Manchester to Huntingdon later in the year. That's really marginal as the range is about 180 miles, and it's 160 miles via M62/A1, without a huge number of charging points in the town. (And she's hoping to use free ones. Not a chance!)

If she still has the Zoe, and I'm asked, I'll be suggesting she hires a proper car for that trip.

I think we are still at the position where EVs are not for everyone. When I thought of buying one 18 months or so ago now I did actually think of the hire car option for longer trips but some of these are day trips. What a monumental PITA to collect the hire car and take it back just for that (some companies will deliver but at a cost).

A couple of prominent EV You Tubers have as good as said that an EV will not suit everyone especially if it's your only car. If I had 2 cars (a waste in our house because only I drive) I genuinely would consider a second Nissan Leaf or Renault Zoe for short stuff but, if you only have one car, a pure EV is risky.

[TiJazz]

Please don’t buy an EV unless you have reliable home charging, and never plan to travel more than half the range of the car (unless you can guarantee destination charging, or have a Tesla).

She's thinking of driving from Manchester to Huntingdon later in the year. That's really marginal as the range is about 180 miles, and it's 160 miles via M62/A1, without a huge number of charging points in the town. (And she's hoping to use free ones. Not a chance!)

If she still has the Zoe, and I'm asked, I'll be suggesting she hires a proper car for that trip.

Is that the new Zoe? Marginal. If it’s an old Zoe, not a chance.

[nowster]

Please don’t buy an EV unless you have reliable home charging, and never plan to travel more than half the range of the car (unless you can guarantee destination charging, or have a Tesla).

She's thinking of driving from Manchester to Huntingdon later in the year. That's really marginal as the range is about 180 miles, and it's 160 miles via M62/A1, without a huge number of charging points in the town. (And she's hoping to use free ones. Not a chance!)

If she still has the Zoe, and I'm asked, I'll be suggesting she hires a proper car for that trip.

Is that the new Zoe? Marginal. If it’s an old Zoe, not a chance.

It's the new Zoe 50, brand new as of May.

[Jocko]

Recently I have noticed a humungous amount of EVs around my route between Fife and Edinburgh. Now that they are being fitted with the number plates with the green EV flash I see cars that I always assumed were petrol or even diesel.  I have seen 4 Audi SUVs, loads of VWs and a mini, which if it wasn't for the green flash, I would have assumed was ICE. There are a shedload of Teslas I see every day, many of them that horrible grey colour, and the usual Ioniqs, Neros, Zoes, i3s and more Leafs than a breezy autumn day.

[Westy36]

Range is a major drawback with current EV's. Volvo press release 30-06-2021.

"In the near term, Volvo Cars plans to work with leading Swedish battery company Northvolt to further increase the energy density in its battery cells by up to 50 per cent compared to what is on the market today. Later this decade, Volvo Cars also looks to break the 1000 Wh/l energy density milestone, in order to achieve 1000 km of real driving range."


That makes an EV a much more practical proposition with that kind of range.

https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/media/pressreleases/283546/volvo-cars-to-focus-on-range-and-fast-charging-for-next-generation-of-fully-electric-cars


 

[peteo48]

Recently I have noticed a humungous amount of EVs around my route between Fife and Edinburgh. Now that they are being fitted with the number plates with the green EV flash I see cars that I always assumed were petrol or even diesel.  I have seen 4 Audi SUVs, loads of VWs and a mini, which if it wasn't for the green flash, I would have assumed was ICE. There are a shedload of Teslas I see every day, many of them that horrible grey colour, and the usual Ioniqs, Neros, Zoes, i3s and more Leafs than a breezy autumn day.

I wouldn't call it a tipping point but I am noticing the same.

[Kenneve]

Well, I've had my Mk4 Jazz for almost 3 months and have not seen another one on the road in the Birmingham area, yet. Almost like hen's teeth, or perhaps I can't see straight. 

[nowster]

Well, I've had my Mk4 Jazz for almost 3 months and have not seen another one on the road in the Birmingham area, yet. Almost like hen's teeth, or perhaps I can't see straight. 

I saw one in black in a local car park last week. That was the first I'd seen in the wild since I got mine.

[peteo48]

New car sales are down so that might be one explanation. I was thinking about this - Toyotas are popular near us but I haven't seen many of the new Yaris either.

[culzean]

We knew it would happen,  Australians are putting a tax on electric vehicles, 2.5 cents/km,  a spokesman said 'it is only fair that all road users contribute to the road network'.... and being as BEV tend to be twice as heavy as their ICE vehicle equivalents they damage the roads more.  Having a car will soon be for the rich only,  and BEV are accelerating that trend.  As the number of BEV rises and more people are 'committed' to them, I have no doubt at all that the tax will rise.   Maybe the honeymoon period for BEV is over.

[TiJazz]

Australia is dysfunctional at the best of times, in terms of how it’s run. Makes us look lucky to have Boris.

[Jocko]

I see Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant is going to be building electric vans and will also make electric passenger car models for Vauxhall, Opel, Peugeot and Citroën.

[culzean]

Australia is dysfunctional at the best of times, in terms of how it’s run. Makes us look lucky to have Boris.

You think any government is going to lose the money from VED and fuel duty without finding an alternative way to get money out of motorists - dream on     As I said it will happen everywhere before too long. Watch out for VAT on any electricity from public and privately owned charging points ( and not just the 5% charged on electrickery now ),  and smart meters that know when a car is being charged and adjust the tariff / VAT rate to suit.... and also road pricing triggered by ANPR cameras and transponders at roadside when entering certain areas, and / or a GPS based system.

[culzean]

I see Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant is going to be building electric vans and will also make electric passenger car models for Vauxhall, Opel, Peugeot and Citroën.

https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stellantis-to-invest-100-mln-to-build-ev-plant-in-ellesmere-port-1030583064

[culzean]

Trouble brewing in EU land as French push to protect their inefficient car industry... Germany may well invade France again, but German armed forces have been reduced to 'an aggressive camping organisation'......

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-12/france-pushes-back-against-eu-banning-combustion-cars-by-2035