Is electric really the answer?

[exeterjeep]

Sounds too good to be true.  

Exclusive: UK firm's radical tech can charge an EV in 10 minutes

uses a magnetic field while charging batteries, could deliver “150-200 miles in under 10 minutes

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/exclusive-uk-firms-radical-tech-can-charge-ev-10-minutes?fbclid=IwAR2c2GdEmWUSGF-WZcZ0At1gYPawOBWk0ngMJwImoQAAzqSQ1D-UcvRw17U

[ramjet]

Was talking to an electrical guy at work today. This guy is not an idiot by any stroke of the sword.

He said that the Australian grid, in its current state, would struggle greatly if the uptake of electrical vehicles increases like the government is aiming for.

Wazza has a boat. Can't tow it if he bought an electrical vehicle. Where he holidays with his family, he generally bails from work on time on a Friday, home, picks up the family and the boat and off he goes. There by about 7:30pm.

Electric vehicle? Bail from work on time. Home. Put car on charger for at least an hour. Throw family in car and drive to holiday destination. Maybe by 8:30~9 pm. Oops. No boat.

Someone tell me why everyone thinks these things are such a good idea.

He also told me about a guy at work that has a Tesla. Wazza noticed the red callipers and went to have a look. Red coloured plastic cover on a bland calliper. He wasn't impressed.

[AK70]

Intersting topic here in a forum where Lotus itself will move to EV completely in the very near future....

I am a Lotus owner for 15+years (Esprit/Evora) and love it. Since one year I drive a Tesla (wife wanted one) as daily. Was sceptical and by no means a Tesla fan! So I know both worlds exactly. 
But slowly the EV thing it has grown on me. Can charge at home and been all over Europe (France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland etc.) for Holiday trips with the Tesla and it was no Problem at all. No service costs etc and a lot of hotels have understood, that they have to offer a charging point or people just go elsewhere..

Was not in England or Scottland though (nor in Australia). But in the USA, in the west (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, etc) it is now problem either! You can rent a Tesla long range at most car rentals. Try it! 😉

Make no mistake, this will not go away. All the obstacles and problem with the current infrastructure and batteries can (and will) be resolved over time.

I'm really looking forward to the 135 as the SUVs don't do it for me and will test the eCayman/Boxter as soon as they come available. If they feel and corner like my Evora, but with the power of the EV... I will certainly buy one! 

[pete]

So no service costs.               .https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12018617/Mercedes-Benz-dealer-charges-electric-vehicle-owner-oil-change.html

[Bibs]

I was charged for a new air filter on my Evora earlier this year despite it being fitted with a K&N. Didn't make the papers though. 

[pete]

More importantly made it onto here😁

[Bibs]

Fortunately, and again this didn't make the papers, it was sorted straight away once pointed out

 

[ChrisJ]

You mean you didn't go to the mail with you sad compo face?

[Bibs]

My Kia went back today, 27 months and 26,664 miles of electric driving. Thank me when the dolphins are all still smiling in 100 years

[Kimbers]

Could have told you this years ago Fleet News!

Used electric vehicles available at half the price of new EV 
A used electric vehicle (EV), with less than 10,000 miles on the clock, can be bought for half the price of a new electric car, according to analysis of used values by the AA.
 

[Techyd]

On 28/04/2023 at 19:23, Bibs said:

My Kia went back today, 27 months and 26,664 miles of electric driving. Thank me when the dolphins are all still smiling in 100 years

You’ve not kept it long enough to make any difference unfortunately 😞 assuming in part that it’s being replaced by another brand new EV being built?

[C8RKH]

@Techyd you're hitting the nail on the head. Why get rid after 27 months? We need to focus on long term change and that includes assets like EVs.

In 2023 there is no way a car, any car, should be "moved on" in a 27 month cycle. These cars have a useful life of 15 years plus and probably 250k miles.

The only car that has built in redundancy seems to be anything from JLR as after 27 days it would be in the garage anyway not being used as getting fixed 🤣🤣

[Bibs]

It was a business lease, that was the longest they'd let me extend the initial 2 years by and when I ordered it, 2 years was the best price weirdly. It's not been thrown in the bin though, it'll be sold and give someone many years of enjoyment I'm sure and I'm down to 4 cars now so am suffering with those. 

[C8RKH]

It wasn't a dig at you @Bibs but at the "industry" that pushes low term agreements. We all know why, it's all about profit anf f@@k the planet. Just another in the now very long line of greenwashing activities.

INteresting article from the Spectator. I agree with them and it makes sense. We don't need to build EV's here, there is other stuff we can focus on whilst a large part of the RotW cuts their throats on EV manufacturing competitiveness.

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/britain-should-get-out-of-the-electric-vehicle-business/

[pete]

So heavy EVs can wear out tyres 50% faster than modern cars which could undermine their green credentials. 

[exeterjeep]

See China overtakes Japan as biggest car exporter - particularly due to the rapid expansion in EV sales, 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65643064

And says - 

China's exports were boosted by demand for electric cars and sales to Russia.

So buying cars made in China could be supporting Russia in the war against Ukraine?

[C8RKH]

The "green" case was only ever made by the colour of the ink on the advertising blurb.

People are waking up to the reality.

You want a green revolution, then encourage people to switch from cars to alternate modes and take 10m private cars off the roads.

[Kimbers]

https://www.carscoops.com/2022/12/toyota-ceo-says-silent-majority-of-auto-industry-is-doubting-ev-only-future/

[ramjet]

I just read about the 2023 Prius. Toyota have no plans to bring it to Australia. I doubt I will ever see an Emira on the roads over here. The new Z06 Corvette is more likely to be seen. Why don't people realise that going around corners really quickly is much more fun than going quickly in a straight line?

I fear my home country is turning into a third world country quite quickly and I am not sure what can be done to stop it happening.

I watched Firefly and Serenity and found it quite telling that the language that was referred to as the international language sounded very much like Chinese.

[jonwat]

Britain should get out of the electric vehicle business 👍

[exeterjeep]

https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/ev-range-could-double-as-chinese-start-up-develops-battery-that-can-do-1000km-on-a-single-charge/284722

says .............

The range of new EVs could double in the coming years amid claims from a Chinese start-up that it has developed a battery with a 1,000km (620 mile) range.

Furthermore, they believe the battery will have a lifespan of around four million kilometres (2.5 million miles), making it far more long-lasting than most modern batteries.

 

[jonwat]

And I believe them 

[Kimbers]

An Average EV consumes 30Kwh per 100 miles. As of 1st June COmpanies such as Gridserve have increased their charges to 69p per Kwh.

You do the math. Whats costs less, Fuel or Electric? 

So its saying 250 miles average cost is £51.75.

My wife Sportage Hybrid (big Heavy 4x4) takes £75 of fuel (52L) and she gets on average 550 miles on that. I make that a saving of at least £30 over having an electric car?

What's started me off on this? Well I get Fleet News and they are so Pro-EV they never point out anything bad. If its good it's splashed all over the paper, if it's bad they simply state things such as "Market conditions have meant EV sales are down 50% over 2022". Not saying it's because people don't want them due to costs, range anxiety, lack of support and infrastructure, residual values etc etc.

They have said the price increase on EV charging is to ensure the Suppliers standardise charging because there are so many different chargers out there. What a load of tosh! 

[Kevin Wheeler]

Or you could drive a 40 year old Esprit - 359.1 miles for £60.44 last time I filled up!

No manufacturing costs for 40 years.(Admittedly a few replacement parts) Haven't replaced the battery and I have had it for 10 years.

[exeterjeep]

https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/rowan-atkinson-feels-duped-by-electric-cars-and-believes-used-cars-are-the-future/285057

Rowan Atkinson feels duped by EVs – and believes used cars are the future...

Mr Bean star and car nut Rowan Atkinson says he feels ‘duped’ by electric cars – and wants people to focus on making their cars last longer instead.

The petrolhead star of Blackadder said that while electric cars are better for the environment from a ‘tailpipe emissions’ perspective he is concerned about the damage their manufacture does to the environment.