Electric cars

[Oxo]

Thought you might have squeezed an ELO CD out of him.

 

[Pale Rider]

Had a drive of both a Leaf and a Zoe today. I had nipped into a main Nissan dealer when passing to have a look at a Leaf, but apart from the woman on reception telling me servicing wasn't a problem and directing me towards one at the other end of the showroom no-one seemed interested in talking to me. Not as though I was going to buy the £28k one that was on display, but never mind.

So, a trip to the place I linked to above and a drive in both a Zoe and a Leaf. Salesman just put some trade plates on both of them and left us to go out for a drive. Local roads fairly mixed so a reasonable test of what they were both like to drive for what it will be used for.
I liked the Leaf - just seemed more mature and grown up and incidentally a fair bit bigger than I'd thought. I had more Micra sized in my head. Interior felt lifted from another Nissan somewhere.
Wife liked the Zoe as it was a bit smaller and felt quite light and airy in the cabin. Use of lighter colours instead of the universal black everywhere, even if the materials felt a bit cheap.

So, the Zoe is arriving tomorrow. Salesman even threw in VED (£0) and a full tank of electricity

Sounds good.

Presumably one benefit is the heater will work instantly - handy at this time of year.

I've had a few chilly early morning journeys this week waiting for the heater in my Vauxhall diesel to warm up.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

One of our Consultants told me he's paid a deposit on a Tesla

 

[galaxy]

My main issue with electric cars is you can not hear them coming, i saw someone step out infront of 1 at the local tip, he didnt hear it. Also hear of a few simmilar incidents

 

[Oxo]

My main issue with electric cars is you can not hear them coming, i saw someone step out infront of 1 at the local tip, he didnt hear it. Also hear of a few simmilar incidents

It is a feature of such cars but the manufacturers are keeping quiet about it.

 

[Drago]

That problem is over egged. The majority of the noise from a normally driven ICE car is road noise.

 

[Drago]

Interesting.

http://physics.ucsd.edu/do-the-math/2011/08/mpg-for-electric-cars/

Even assuming the maths are remotely correct (I think broadly they are) then on top of that there is the additional environmental costs that the battery packs bring. So where's the benefit?

Looks like pedal cars or walking is the only true means of being environmentally friendly, but as cyclists we knew that anyway.

 

[Pale Rider]

One of our Consultants told me he's paid a deposit on a Tesla

Depending on which one he's having, it certainly won't be a milk float.

The top model accelerates to 60mph in about 2.5 secs, making it one of the fastest accelerating production cars in the world.

Cheap, too - in comparison with most others on this list:

http://driving.ca/auto-news/news/top-10-fastest-production-cars-from-zero-to-60-mph

 

[Piemaster]

My main issue with electric cars is you can not hear them coming, i saw someone step out infront of 1 at the local tip, he didnt hear it. Also hear of a few simmilar incidents

Apparently it has some sort of pedestrian warning noise feature up to 20mph. Above that as @Drago posts road/tyre noise should be enough warning, at least for anyone paying a moderate amount of attention and not plugged into an ipod.
The noise thing needs investigation as apparently there are 3 options, I'm hoping for a Tardis style one.

Ooh and bonus. I'll be refunded £10.57 for changing over insurance.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Ooh and bonus. I'll be refunded £10.57 for changing over insurance.

But they are going to charge you £35 to provide the refund

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Depending on which one he's having, it certainly won't be a milk float.

The top model accelerates to 60mph in about 2.5 secs, making it one of the fastest accelerating production cars in the world.

Cheap, too - in comparison with most others on this list:

http://driving.ca/auto-news/news/top-10-fastest-production-cars-from-zero-to-60-mph

One of them beat Jay Lenos 427 Cobra,, in a drag race for his 'J Ls Garage' series

I think it's the https://www.tesla.com/en_GB/model3


On the hybrid front, one of the 'school-run dads', I know, has a B*W i8
Normally I can't stand the blue propeller badged cars, but am trying to get a good look at/blag a ride in this

 

[slowmotion]

Where exactly does this Green Energy that charges an electric car come from?

 

[Slick]

Where exactly does this Green Energy that charges an electric car come from?

Wind farms and hydro.

 

[slowmotion]

Wind farms and hydro.

Yeah, right.

 

[Slick]

Yeah, right.

It does where I live matey. Google hollow mountain.