Electric cars

[Jocko]

Went for a test drive this morning and the car is beautiful. It is in Concours condition and drives like a new car. The owner said that he drives it almost exclusively in and around Edinburgh and regularly achieves 100 miles between charges. When we got out my wife told me "No. I don't like the look of it.". Hey ho. Time to look for something else.

[peteo48]

Yep - the first generation Leafs had looks only a mother could love. Just been watching a "CarWow" reliability rating video. The old Leaf came in at a very respectable 7th. The Jazz was number 2 though beaten only a Lexus.

[culzean]

Scientists have found pollen and seeds, and animal bones on Baffin Island that proves the area was at least 5 degC warmer than it is today. Wonder if Greta Thunberg has been told ?

https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/ancient-plant-dna-and-pollen-found-intact-under-baffin-island-lake/

Also grapes used to grow in Vinland on East coast of Canada - The Vikings found them

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinland

[madasafish]

The medieval warming period.

"The Medieval climate anomaly
This Medieval period of warming, also known as the Medieval climate anomaly, was associated with an unusual temperature rise roughly between 750 and 1350 AD (the European Middle Ages). The available evidence suggests that at times, some regions experienced temperatures exceeding those recorded during the period between 1960 and 1990.

Despite being predominantly recorded in Europe, south-western North America and in some tropical regions, the Medieval warm period affected both the northern and southern hemispheres. But the temperature increase was not universal, varying across regions of the world, and did not happen simultaneously everywhere.

While the northern hemisphere, South America, China and Australasia, and even New Zealand, recorded temperatures of 0.3-1.0 ℃ higher than those of 1960-1990 between the early ninth and late 14th centuries, in other areas such as the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, it was much cooler than today.

Mechanisms driving the Medieval warm period
The Medieval warm period was by and large a regional event. Its presence or absence reflects a redistribution of heat around the planet, and this suggests drivers other than a global increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.

The most likely cause of the regional changes in temperature was related to a modification of the El Ni񯖓outhern Oscillation.


https://theconversation.com/climate-explained-what-was-the-medieval-warm-period-155294#:~:text=This%20Medieval%20period%20of%20warming,(the%20European%20Middle%20Ages).

[TiJazz]

As a species we’ve been on this earth for such a short period of time, that small variations will seem huge to us.

I’m not sure if we actually have any meaningful influence over macro, planet scale events.

[Jocko]

The Piri Reis map supposedly shows Antarctica without ice. A recent US survey through the ice apparently confirms the presence of the rivers shown on the Piri Reis map. Strange.

[guest4871]

As a species we’ve been on this earth for such a short period of time, that small variations will seem huge to us.

I’m not sure if we actually have any meaningful influence over macro, planet scale events.

+1

[E27006]

I have a Honda Insight hybrid, mainly   IC, part electric, which is 20 years old and has recently required a new traction battery,  the battery replacement cost is therefore a reasonable  £115 per year of service, money more than recouped by £0 VED tax  and exceptional mpg returns of the car, 40 mpg more than even a Jazz.
I am very wary of being an early adopter of the full EV, they are so expensive in relation to their utility of range and above all else their potential for massive depreciation. I am reminded of the lemming like dash for digital cameras in the late 1990s.  Cameras enthusiasts disposing of (essentially throwing away)  high quality SLR film cameras for £100 and buying £500 digital cameras, those £500 digital cameras simply not good enough in a technical sense, images no better than modest point and click pocket film cameras for £30. Those £500 digital camera were very soon worthless. 
By the same thinking,  I would not go out and spend £35000 on a full EV when i can have a new  2021 Jazz SE for £19500, I would wait 10 to 15 years (the typical life of a Jazz) and see how the EV advances in range and price. I am satisfied with the economics of my hybrid car ,  but the sums for a full EV  purchase do not add up for the present or the foreseeable future

[TiJazz]

I had an Uber ride in an Insight recently. I’d seen them, but never been in one before. Very retro-cool.

[springswood]

As a species we’ve been on this earth for such a short period of time, that small variations will seem huge to us.

I’m not sure if we actually have any meaningful influence over macro, planet scale events.

I know, it's staggering. It's worth considering though that people didn't just make this stuff up. You got me looking online and from bubbles trapped in antarctic ice we have records of atmospheric CO2 going back 800,000 years. It had never gone above 300 parts per million until 1950. I've attached the graph because it's so striking. And if you look at the ratio of carbon 14 to carbon 12 the extra carbon has come from fossil fuels.
https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

I don't like labouring this but unfortunately multibillion pound industries have a history of sewing doubt when their profits are under threat. As with smoking and cancer or lead in petrol.
https://tunein.com/podcasts/History-Podcasts/Cautionary-Tales-p1258875/?topicId=157339655
 

[TiJazz]

I’m all for a viable alternative to fossil fuel- I think the immediate benefits we’ll see are in sustainability and air quality, which are well worth it

Like I said earlier, I had 3 EVs before the Jazz and would still have one if it was easier to plug the things in

[E27006]

I had an Uber ride in an Insight recently. I’d seen them, but never been in one before. Very retro-cool.

That would be the 2009 Insight,  5-door hatchback, when new a poor seller in the UK, however they enjoyed a boom as used cars  they are seen in use in  London as taxis, although not in the numbers of the Prius.

The 2000 to 2006 Insight is an aerodynamic  2-seat coupe with a similarity  to certain cars such as the Porsche 911.

[springswood]

I'll try looking at the later Insight as retro-cool, it's on my list of potential next cars.

[TiJazz]

Honda made some crazy stuff in the early 2000s. My neighbour has a CR-Z - probably the kind of thing I would have bought in 2010 had I not been a poor graduate.

[swhull]

Honda made some crazy stuff in the early 2000s. My neighbour has a CR-Z - probably the kind of thing I would have bought in 2010 had I not been a poor graduate.

There’s a CR-Z on the business park where I work, it’s definitely different looking… no idea what they’re like to own and drive.