I am giving in.

[DRHysted]

I read somewhere that the average commute is 15km (or was it miles?) - either way that is well within the capabilities of even the lower range EVs currently available.
Even something like a first generation Zoe or Leaf would only need charging two or three times a week under those circumstances, yet people are still fixated by range and demand somewhere to plug in at every stop.

That thought process needs to change.

Ahh but I don’t use my car for commuting, that’s what the bikes are for.

 

[Drago]

People survived before internal combustion engines, and they'll survive when they're gone. The excuses they make for remaining with internal combustion due to "needing" the range won't make a jot of difference - when its gone, it's gone, and excuses will neither prolong or prevent it.

Best to get with the programme now through choice while there's time to learn and adapt, than be forced into it and suffer the culture shock.

 

[spen666]

People survived before internal combustion engines, and they'll survive when they're gone. The excuses they make for remaining with internal combustion due to "needing" the range won't make a jot of difference - when its gone, it's gone, and excuses will neither prolong or prevent it.

Best to get with the programme now through choice while there's time to learn and adapt, than be forced into it and suffer the culture shock.

Perhaps we should also all go back to living in caves as well


Or perhaps people may actually not be as stupid as some seem to suggest.


We don't have to give up important ( and even essential) parts of our lives now to deal with something that may or may not happen in the future.

 

[lazyfatgit]

Ive bought what i hope will be my last big vehicle - 3L diesel. Hopefully it will tow a caravan around the country and last me 20yrs. By that time an electric vehicle (maybe a gopher) should fit my requirements.
There's a bundle of Tesla charging stations going in along the east coast here which will no doubt help make electric vehicles more attractive. Lots of solar panels already on roofs of homes will also help (if they're not powering aircon).

 

[screenman]

I just don't think rhere is an 'answer' yet (other than getting on yer bike). Power from batteries still comes from burning fossil fuels, and batteries are using rare metals in their production, as well as highly toxic waste.

Petrol cars still can't get near a diesel for fuel efficiency ( and fuel is a finite resource also).

I would disagree with petrols not being as efficient, plenty out there returning 50+mpg now.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I would disagree with petrols not being as efficient, plenty out there returning 50+mpg now.

I ran a Toyota Aygo for around 18 months - 2 years absolutely nothing wrong with it apart from not being able to put a towbar on for the bike rack. But that returned 50+ on the commute, did everything I needed if a little on the small side, but if that was the only choice or walking I go for it every time.

 

[DRM]

Ive bought what i hope will be my last big vehicle - 3L diesel. Hopefully it will tow a caravan around the country and last me 20yrs. By that time an electric vehicle (maybe a gopher) should fit my requirements.
There's a bundle of Tesla charging stations going in along the east coast here which will no doubt help make electric vehicles more attractive. Lots of solar panels already on roofs of homes will also help (if they're not powering aircon).

Tesla charging points are only any use for a Tesla, the charger & battery communicate on a canbus system so that it will only charge a Tesla, nothing else, unfortunately range is a huge thing, the main buyer of cars & vans are businesses, these end up on the used market, in my case I cover from South Yorkshire to Northumberland for work Sometimes further, but you can’t take a van full of tools on public transport.
Also the cold will affect range, cold store fork trucks have a battery that has a 20% larger ampere hour capacity to give a similar run time to a truck used in an ambient warehouse, I can’t see how electric vehicles will work for business users.

 

[Slow But Determined]

I think a lot of the argument is based on "current range expectancy" and individual circumstance.

A couple of times a year we drive down to the Algarve in our big diesel. It returns late 50's to the gallon fully laden and has a fuel tank big enough to fill up in Santander and get us all the way down to the Algarve with fuel to spare.

As of today I couldn't imagine doing that journey in an electric car for reasons of time spent on recharging, availability of charging points etc.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

As of today I couldn't imagine doing that journey in an electric car for reasons of time spent on recharging, availability of charging points etc.

In the next 40 years (possibly less) you won't have an option, you may have to take 7 days to get there, we all & I mean the whole world has to wake up to this & changes have to be made before it's too late.

 

[Slow But Determined]

In the next 40 years (possibly less) you won't have an option, you may have to take 7 days to get there, we all & I mean the whole world has to wake up to this & changes have to be made before it's too late.

Totally agree Phaeton, just as I said at the moment impractical for us. One would hope over the next decade there would be great strides made with regard to battery range, charging points etc.

 

[DRM]

In the next 40 years (possibly less) you won't have an option, you may have to take 7 days to get there, we all & I mean the whole world has to wake up to this & changes have to be made before it's too late.

As slow but determined said, the technology is not there, the only way for an E.V to travel further is to increase the capacity of the battery, people do need to travel, perhaps for holidays a train that takes you the majority of the distance would work, similar to the Eurotunnel service with charging points on the carriages, this would get holiday makers through Europe with a shorter journey to the end destination, most cars are also ripe for a solar panel to be built into the roof & bonnet panels, however as I said previously range is the major concern & has to be addressed

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I said previously range is the major concern & has to be addressed

That's assuming we can continue our lives the way we currently do, 50 years ago very few people went on holidays in a foreign country maybe that has to return. Other than the interaction face to face with other people in the office there is nothing I can't do at home that I have to go into the office for, hence why I have reduced my commute to only 3 days instead of 5, there must be millions of other people who can do this.

I don't know the answers but we really do have to change 'something' we can't continue as we are where all that matters is profit.

 

[gavroche]

I notice that nobody mentions hydrogen cars anymore. I wonder if we are all being brainwashed in thinking electric? Hydrogen produces only water and has the same range as conventional cars so why is it being shelved?

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I notice that nobody mentions hydrogen cars anymore. I wonder if we are all being brainwashed in thinking electric? Hydrogen produces only water and has the same range as conventional cars so why is it being shelved?

Is it not currently the expense of producing the fuel? Aren't there safety issues as well? correct me if I'm wrong, it seemed to be to me it was one of those too good to be true type things

 

[tamiya]

May I ask... all of you fellas looking at battery cars - do you have solar panels & battery at home or are you buying power off the national grid?

Looked at our latest household bill & we're paying about A$0.30/kWh.

A Tesla can accumulate ~90kWh so let's say A$27 per full charge.
I'm told they run at about 300/Wh so that's about 300 miles worth (=500km)

My antiquated gasguzzler will probably slurp 60-90L for 500km doing my usual around town circuit. (Yeah I'm sure a modern hybrid or fancy buzzbox + light right foot can halve that... but that's another topic altogether.) Unleaded has gone to A$1.60/L so 60L will cost $96.

$69 difference per charge/tankful... but the Tesla costs A$200k vs a conventional car is around A$30-50k... takes 50yrs+ to breakeven - somebody check my math, I can't get the sums to work, can you?