First electric car experience

[Nebulous]

This is a real life scenario though, albeit personally I’d take a break when towing. However …….. I’ve not seen any places where you can stop of with your caravan and charge your car without parking up the caravan some where else . You may not understand the issue with this but it’s a problem that’s needs solved. We are miles away from adopting EVs as main mode, you can provide all the tax incentives you like to buy one but there is a lack of available and plentiful charging points!

I've taken a part-time job 25 miles away. Travelling 2-3 days a week. My parents are 18 miles away in the opposite direction. I cycle to their house occasionally, but also drive regularly as I take them out for lunch / coffee. They have both given up driving. The nearest Lidl is 20 miles away and we go there maybe twice a month for shopping. Around our small town we walk / cycle.

In contrast my caravan has been out 5 times this year. Most recent trip was 50 miles away for 5 nights. Furthest away was 140 miles.

Caravan club has begun making towcar awards to EVs. It is almost at the point where my caravanning would be possible with an EV. It would if I did my journey in shorter stages - an interim site 70 or 80 miles away. As I'm semi-retired there is no reason why I wouldn't. Caravanning is popular and the new changes in towing rules will increase that, but it is still very much a minority pursuit.

Renault are making electric vans with a hydrogen fuel cell to add extra range. While I still feel I need my van and the EV, by the time my 3 year lease is up it is quite possible one hydrogen / electric van will do it all. Especially as by then I may well have given up my part-time work and will only need one vehicle.

This is only going one way. Electric vehicles were available until the recent fuel crisis when uptake took off. An equivalent lease to mine is now about £40 a month more, in little more than a month.

 

[MrGrumpy]

I've taken a part-time job 25 miles away. Travelling 2-3 days a week. My parents are 18 miles away in the opposite direction. I cycle to their house occasionally, but also drive regularly as I take them out for lunch / coffee. They have both given up driving. The nearest Lidl is 20 miles away and we go there maybe twice a month for shopping. Around our small town we walk / cycle.

In contrast my caravan has been out 5 times this year. Most recent trip was 50 miles away for 5 nights. Furthest away was 140 miles.

Caravan club has begun making towcar awards to EVs. It is almost at the point where my caravanning would be possible with an EV. It would if I did my journey in shorter stages - an interim site 70 or 80 miles away. As I'm semi-retired there is no reason why I wouldn't. Caravanning is popular and the new changes in towing rules will increase that, but it is still very much a minority pursuit.

Renault are making electric vans with a hydrogen fuel cell to add extra range. While I still feel I need my van and the EV, by the time my 3 year lease is up it is quite possible one hydrogen / electric van will do it all. Especially as by then I may well have given up my part-time work and will only need one vehicle.

This is only going one way. Electric vehicles were available until the recent fuel crisis when uptake took off. An equivalent lease to mine is now about £40 a month more, in little more than a month.

Yes we are being pushed that way for new vehicles ! There is however a massive market for 2nd hand cars ! Petrol and diesel is going nowhere fast !

Ps other than model X there are no EVs to tow my van ? 1800kg Not that I’m aware off , hybrids yes but not an EV .

 

[figbat]

Yes we are being pushed that way for new vehicles ! There is however a massive market for 2nd hand cars ! Petrol and diesel is going nowhere fast !

Ps other than model X there are no EVs to tow my van ? 1800kg Not that I’m aware off , hybrids yes but not an EV .

1,800kg is quite a large outfit, plenty of ICE cars won’t tow it either. But anyway, these may do it:
Audi e-Tron 50/55 Quattro
Mercedes EQC 400
BMW iX
Rivian (when they get here)
Ineos Grenadier (ditto).

 

[Nebulous]

Yes we are being pushed that way for new vehicles ! There is however a massive market for 2nd hand cars ! Petrol and diesel is going nowhere fast !

Ps other than model X there are no EVs to tow my van ? 1800kg Not that I’m aware off , hybrids yes but not an EV .

That's a big van. I've a big twin axle and it is 'only' 1640 kg gross.

The point I was making earlier is every purchase you ever make is a compromise. Like they say with wheels; price, weight, strength - pick any two.

I don't think the 2% of my journeys, or 5% of my mileage with the caravan, should be the primary driver for what vehicle I have.

Maybe by the time you go electric you will get a lighter caravan. We had a Dacia Logan which only towed something like 1100kgs. We struggled to find a caravan but bought a 1990s Swift which was 850kgs net, 1040 gross. We toured France, Spain, much of the UK and did about 10000 miles with it, including some mountain passes in the South of France.

There are ways of making things work.

 

[MrGrumpy]

to be honest I think I’ll either sell the van or put it on a pitch if it comes to it .

 

[MrGrumpy]

1,800kg is quite a large outfit, plenty of ICE cars won’t tow it either. But anyway, these may do it:
Audi e-Tron 50/55 Quattro
Mercedes EQC 400
BMW iX
Rivian (when they get here)
Ineos Grenadier (ditto).

Not looked at those yet quite spendy !!! Caravans will get lighter I’m sure. However this I think will be my last van . It’s obvious that the fun police ( green movement ) don’t want us doing anything that involves driving far .

 

[figbat]

We’re looking at going PHEV for our towcar when it is time for replacement, meaning much of the local use can be on battery with the ICE there for the heavy lifting when needed. Our van is just under 1,500kg.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Yep PHEV makes sense as a stop gap.

 

[icowden]

Used cars will be around for along time yet. Remember it’s just new cars that will be no longer supplied. The thing with EVs is the need to pre plan journeys. That’s the theme running along here !

But how are you going to fuel your used car, once demand drops for Diesel / Petrol. Remember that as demand drops, prices at the pumps will rise.
You are also slightly off about BEVs. There is no need to plan journeys. The pre-planning is (at the moment) for *long* journeys. Most people do that to a degree with ICE cars anyway - work out how far they want to go, and where would be a nice place to stop for a break.

 

[MrGrumpy]

But how are you going to fuel your used car, once demand drops for Diesel / Petrol.

Your getting ahead of yourself , a long time to go yet . The used car market will tick over for a bit past 2030 , hybrids not banned till 5yrs later no ? HGVs ? Where are we with these ?

 

[stoatsngroats]

Your getting ahead of yourself , a long time to go yet . The used car market will tick over for a bit past 2030 , hybrids not banned till 5yrs later no ? HGVs ? Where are we with these ?

Mercedes Actros. Here with a 250 mile range.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Mercedes ActrosHere with a 250 mile range.

Interesting indeed ! Merc hope to have all switched by 2039 to electric in EU. ( trucks)

 

[stoatsngroats]

Interesting indeed ! Merc hope to have all switched by 2039 to electric in EU. ( trucks)

Yes, there are pushing forwards definitely. They have buses at the same stage too.
And In China, BYD have much more actually in use…. Search for BYD, who are also in the US of A.
And also VOLvo trucks too Here

Here in the UK, it seems to me that EV cars have been taken as a good thing, although there are many who consider cost as too high (I agree) but these are the first adopters taking their opportunities.

If we look across the developed world car, truck and bus companies have already nailed their flags to the mast, some (like Ford and VW) are playing catch-up to Tesla, Rivian, and smaller (or less known in the UK) companies.
Banning cars in cities will increase immensely in the next 5 years, not just the capitals, but other conurbations, as the valid and worrying healthcare issues are obvious, and preventable.
Many people will complain or mistrust this development, no doubt, but be sure to understand that before 2028, hpthings will have changed immeasurably compared to today.
Working practices have inevitably changed, and will continue to do so, and as more change occurs, we will all have to look at our own lives to keep up with the change.
Working smarter, more locally, and using the public and community transport that is available (which will increase) and watching hub-to-hub deliveries to outside of towns, with the last mile or so being done by EVs will be more likely and much more beneficial.
All, of course, just my opinion.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Take the rose tinted glasses off . I think we have along long way to go ! I’m pretty sure there will be more twists and turns ! A reliable and value for money public transport system everywhere would accelerate the need to stop driving in some cases but unfortunately in the UK that means privatisation and profits !

 

[stoatsngroats]

Take the rose tinted glasses off . I think we have along long way to go ! I’m pretty sure there will be more twists and turns ! A reliable and value for money public transport system everywhere would accelerate the need to stop driving in some cases but unfortunately in the UK that means privatisation and profits !

Mmm, maybe you’re right, but this is what my research indicates to me. We don’t live on our own on this world, and things are happening outside of, (and often not widely reported) our small domain.

Public transport is albeit slowly, changing again….. a recent end of a privatised rail company, and political considerations on emissions charging both announced recently in the UK, indicate this to me.
A long way to go, and a short time to get there, no doubt, but with fuel at £6.60 a gallon, and cars doing 50 miles for this cost is the beginning of unsustainable to me. I predict the cost of fuel to be at £10 a gallon (£2.15/ltr) before 2025…… that’s 3 years away… I believe that many younger people don’t own cars, and already use public transport (I’ve limited evidence, as I’m no longer young!)