Is electric really the answer?

[jep]

Folk with one family car (most people) need it to do everything, be it a local shop or 500 mile trip. Most have cars costing sub-£10k and over 5 years old, probably over 10 years old. 

EV simply don't do the job required for the majority of families. 

Justin 

[C8RKH]

^That, with bells on.

The average consumer has so far been totally priced out of an EV. They are typically 25-40% the cost of the average equivalent ICE new car.

The well documented issues with batteries, and the huge cost of replacement, is killing the second hand market for EV's, and yet still, with the average fall in 2nd hand EV values they are still not an "easy" choice for the average car buyer who probably does not have a drive (for a charger) and is on a prepayment meter so cannot get the juicy EV tariffs for the electricity supply etc.

The whole thing has been totally miss managed by the Government, regulators, the car industry and the utilities. In order to make this work from the start, it needed all four of those to get together to work a proper plan and strategy. However, our Politicians in the UK can plan no father than out than their next (undoubtedly free) meal!

[Chillidoggy]

I've just watched Harry's Garage report on the Lotus Eletre. Aside from the fact that there can't be too many of us that have £96K to spend on a car, the lack of range/efficiency is an albatross around its neck. I'm hanging on to my ICE cars until I see what's going on with new cars.

[Rambo]

I think it's 2.75 tonnes. Empty 🤔

Imagine using a scissor jack on that to change a wheel.

 

[drdoom]

Disgusting if true, that weight figure. An affront to the legacy of Lotus.

Tesla's are on the road in multitudes here in this corner of the world. Lots of other EV's as well. In times during which most grapple with pressing financial matters the points made by @jep on older ICE auto's  stand as utterly on the mark.

[exeterjeep]

The smallest Jeep - (Avenger) is now available in a 1.2 3cylinder petrol plus the EV version, looking at the weights ....

1.2 petrol 1180 kg,          EV  1520kg - and it is a small EV

I'd love the Lotus type 134 to be closer to Jeep size and 600hp.

[pete]

insurance costs are becoming as big a problem as the initial cost

[C8RKH]

Insurance costs for all cars are a big problem it would seem.

[jep]

Churchill now separate out EV insurance. 

Insurance has gone up significantly since 2021 but shopping around, certainly on ICE vehicles, pays off. Hastings put works wagon up from £565 to £818. I challenged this via on-line portal and immediately reduced to £584. 

Back on topic, no, EV is not the answer 🙂

Justin 

[C8RKH]

http://insideevs.com/news/699689/tesla-sixt-ev-fleet/

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/business-electric-vehicles/ev-charger-companies-switch-tactics-search-elusive-profits

[C8RKH]

Interesting.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebanker/2023/12/18/tesla-has-the-highest-accident-rate-of-any-auto-brand/

 

[pete]

https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/electric-car-new-battery-nio-et7-b2469253.html. If a true figure it's what was needed to get more people to buy electric, just need to reduce the costs and get the manufacturer to introduce their own insurance schemes

[Bibs]

On 26/11/2023 at 10:37, Bibs said:

Had this for about a month now. 1,200 miles in with a few long journeys using the engine but 45% on electric power still. Have filled up twice so it's been about 80mpg so far, £100 on petrol and about £20 on electricity. Very pleased with it as a daily so far! 

[Geek]

Interesting article in this months Absolute Lotus magazine of the Exige s2  270E Tri-Fuel vehicle, what could have been the saviour or at least prolonged ICE vehicles.

[Rambo]

Is electric really the answer?

Not if you live in Hereford anyway 🤔

https://www.thesun.co.uk/motors/25211948/britains-worst-town-for-ev-drivers/

Edited January 2 by Rambo

[Rambo]

On 31/12/2023 at 15:59, Geek said:

Interesting article in this months Absolute Lotus magazine of the Exige s2  270E Tri-Fuel vehicle, what could have been the saviour or at least prolonged ICE vehicles.

Yes, a really intetesting article. And up for grabs at Maidstone Sports Cars

http://www.maidstonesportscars.co.uk/vehicles-for-sale/

[Geek]

My ideal type of battery power.

[ChrisJ]

This one is mine

[ChrisJ]

 

 

[910Esprit]

There's a lot of coverage at the moment of people being quoted $60,000 dollars to replace possibly (possibly not) damaged Hyundai Ioniq batteries - Sort of suggests that the manufacturer has not really bought into EVs either.   No such thing as bad publicity?

[C8RKH]

Not sure where the $60k comes from, but I know of UK people who have been quoted from £12k to £26k by the likes of Tesla and Porsche for new battery packs.

[910Esprit]

From Hyundai by all accounts! - Validated by more than one customer.   As it exceeds the original price of the vehicle, it suggests they don't want them repaired

[C8RKH]

I thought the main issue was that they (EV manufacturers) were constantly changing the battery tech and configurations so that almost within 12 months there was no economic way of "switching" the packs. Hence the high costs. And so, maybe not about not wanting them repaired, but more to do with "cannot repair".

[EvoraBob]

The future of EV is only short term, its a fashion trend like Betamax and eight track back in the 60/70s. The extra emissions are now created by the the infrastructure generating the production of the the EV requirements. Why have we introduced more oil and gas projects and most engine manufactures investing and working on hydrogen engines.    

is it Ecological or not so Ecological

This is a T.e.s.l.a. model Y.O.M. 2021 battery pack for the infamous electric cars. It takes up all the space under the car cabin.

For it to happen you need:

- Remove 12 tons of soil to extract the necessary lithium.

- 5 tons of soil to extract the necessary cobalt.

- 3 tons of soil to extract the necessary nickel.

- 12 tons of ore to extract the necessary copper.

That is, you have to move 250 tons of earth to get:

- 20 kg of lithium

- 16 kg of nickel

- 26 pounds of manganese

- 8 pounds of cobalt

Battery production also requires:

- 238 kg of aluminum, steel and/or plastic

- 60 kg of graphite

- A Caterpillar 994A consuming 264 litres of diesel in 12 hours

And that's it, you'll finally have a "zero emissions and no verification decal" car.

It takes seven years for an electric car to reach zero CO2 emissions. Estimated battery life is 10 years (average). Only in the last three years have you started reducing your carbon footprint.

Then the batteries have to be replaced at a cost between 10 thousand and 20 thousand dollars according to the model and you lose all the profits gained in those three years, thus closing the cycle of the largest ELECTRIC-ECOLOGICAL SCAM and we go back to point 1 and start from new.

Congratulations!! , you've been fooled, ecologically yes.

[exeterjeep]