Electric vehicles

[DrPhill]

Failing to do anything about climate change is even stranger. Just irresponsible.

Yeah, but what if we make this world a better place and then find it wasn't necessary after all?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Ask

Busses and more flexible. If it wasn’t for all the cars getting in the way dedicated bus lanes through our cities would be a great solution

Back to cities again. Things that work in cities don't necessarily work everywhere else.

 

[Mikebart]

I remember the elation and relief when I passed my driving test I had the ability to be independent go where I want whenever I wanted.
Ev or ICE is not really the issue but the acceptance of lack of personal freedom that will be required to combat climate issues.
Fortunately I am getting to the age that I am nearly ready to accept that I don’t need a vehicle or can manage without one.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

The future of the electric vehicle has to be with the tram/trolley electric pick-up from wires or rails. Old technology, simple, tried and tested, still widely used successfully, from high speed trains to individual trams and trolley buses.
Battery power would then be short trips from termini/stations.

The broad principle has something to commend it but not using wires, rails and pick ups. It is a 100+ year old technology, effective at the time, but almost certainly conceptually and practically obsolete.

Equip major trunk routes (motorways and main A roads) and design electric pods with linear motor pick up technology. Batteries in vehicles could be recharged en-route and deliver a range of (say) 50 miles for local journeys.

I am unconvinced by propositions that involve extensive public transport. Current levels of usage makes it relatively expensive and time hungry other than in densely populated large urban areas. In smaller towns and rural areas it is unlikely ever to be efficient vs private transport.

 

[paulrbarnard]

'Little inconvenience" ? That's crazy. How about enough charging points across the country for those without private drives ? I don't call that 'little inconvenience".

And full circle to the worse case senario. I assume you didn’t read the stats in the thread about home charging, average usage, charging times etc.

 

[paulrbarnard]

Back to cities again. Things that work in cities don't necessarily work everywhere else.

I think you’ll find I said that.

 

[RogerS]

And full circle to the worse case senario. I assume you didn’t read the stats in the thread about home charging, average usage, charging times etc.

I give up. I don't think that you have any idea whatsoever about living in a city or a town with no offstreet parking. Fair enough...go ahead in your dream world. I know what the reality is.

 

[paulrbarnard]

I give up. I don't think that you have any idea whatsoever about living in a city or a town with no offstreet parking. Fair enough...go ahead in your dream world. I know what the reality is.

The big issue with cities is too many private vehicles. A large part of policy concerning parking, congestion charging etc is aimed at reducing the number of private vehicles in cities and towns. It is possible to provide alternative infrastructure in these areas if there is a demand for it.

 

[Spectric]

If you cannot reduce the number of vehicles in a big city where there is reasonable / good public transport with a lot of amenties within a short distance then you have no hope in the rural areas where a round trip to a decent supermarket can be seventy miles. Make a huge reduction in private vehicles in cities and then bring in electric rick shaws and similar so much reduced need for EV's.

 

[NormanB]

There is nothing to worry about. What is the problem with the climate changing anyway? The planet Earth is under no threat whatsoever. The Earth will survive come what may until is consumed by the expanding Sun.

Man’s future is of course not a given and maybe this is Darwinism in action. While man argues if climate change is a thing and if man has created created ‘the problem’ - nature will provide the answer.

 

[Jacob]

There is nothing to worry about. What is the problem with the climate changing anyway? The planet Earth is under no threat whatsoever. The Earth will survive come what may until is consumed by the expanding Sun.

Man’s future is of course not a given and maybe this is Darwinism in action. While man argues if climate change is a thing and if man has created created ‘the problem’ - nature will provide the answer.

You've missed the point Norman. The "planet" will survive but life on earth as we know it, including yours, is under threat.

 

[Jacob]

The broad principle has something to commend it but not using wires, rails and pick ups. It is a 100+ year old technology, effective at the time, but almost certainly conceptually and practically obsolete.

Still widely used around the world and thoroughly modern.

......

I am unconvinced by propositions that involve extensive public transport.

You've missed the point. Private transport is becoming unsustainable anyway, not just climate change but sheer pressure on space and infrastructure. Every town and village in Britain is overwhelmed with parking issues and obstructed streets. Easy to forget but it has only been 70 years or so since the start of the private car explosion. One generation (mine) in fact.

 

[Cobbs]

There is nothing to worry about. What is the problem with the climate changing anyway? The planet Earth is under no threat whatsoever. The Earth will survive come what may until is consumed by the expanding Sun.

Man’s future is of course not a given and maybe this is Darwinism in action. While man argues if climate change is a thing and if man has created created ‘the problem’ - nature will provide the answer.

Bit of a shame for all the species we'll take with us though...

 

[selectortone]

You've missed the point Norman. The "planet" will survive but life on earth as we know it, including yours, is under threat.

Whoooosh

Man has lived on this earth for 7 million years or so. One might argue 'blighted' is a better word. A mere moment in time. The dinosaurs lived for over 150 million. The earth is estimated to be over 4.5 billion years old. It will survive.

 

[Gerry]

I would love an electric car as I usually do short local journeys but I don't have off street parking and although the car is parked next to the house it's across 20m of public green and the main footpath. There are no windows or doors on that gable end of the house and I wouldn't feel comfortable running a charging lead over the grass or footpath for any little ferrel scroat to f about with. Add to that the grass is like a bog 6 months of the year I yet again did the sensible thing yesterday and spent £30,000 on a new petrol mini. Hopefully the charging situation will improve when I next need to change the car.

Gerry

 

[bilboburgler]

Yeah, but what if we make this world a better place and then find it wasn't necessary after all?

Do you really live your life based on "what if"? When the science is clear you really like to think, well what if gravity stops working for the week I want to go mountain climbing. Hard to fathom.

 

[DrPhill]

Do you really live your life based on "what if"? When the science is clear you really like to think, well what if gravity stops working for the week I want to go mountain climbing. Hard to fathom.

No I don't. I should have flagged my post with a 'joke' or 'sarcasm' warning. Sometimes my humour is too dry for the internet.

 

[Vulcan]

Easy to forget but it has only been 70 years or so since the start of the private car explosion. One generation (mine) in fact.

Good point. It’s also easy to forget all the objections made against the motor car when they first came out.
And all those that complain about lack of chargers etc also forget that it took 25 years for the first petrol station to open in England. Up until that point you had to buy petrol in two gallon cans from the chemist. But they still caught on. EV’s are already way ahead in comparison with anything up to 60% of motorists being able to refuel at home.

Petrol cars never appeared as a fully formed system with all the support in place. Why is it that electric vehicles have to have everything needed to support 33 million of them now, all at once? Can’t the charging network be built up as needed to support them. The rollout seems to me to be progressing quite well:

 

[Jacob]

Good point. It’s also easy to forget all the objections made against the motor car when they first came out.
And all those that complain about lack of chargers etc also forget that it took 25 years for the first petrol station to open in England. Up until that point you had to buy petrol in two gallon cans from the chemist. But they still caught on. EV’s are already way ahead in comparison with anything up to 60% of motorists being able to refuel at home.

Petrol cars never appeared as a fully formed system with all the support in place. Why is it that electric vehicles have to have everything needed to support 33 million of them now, all at once? Can’t the charging network be built up as needed to support them. The rollout seems to me to be progressing quite well:

View attachment 173549

Seems a lot.
Number of petrol stations in the United Kingdom (UK) 2000-2022. The United Kingdom is home to 8,365 operational petrol stations and those under development.
But each of these will have 10 or more pumps with a much faster fuel delivery

 

[Vulcan]

Not quite as quick but not bad.

https://m.economictimes.com/industr...0-minutes-charging/articleshow/102890718.cms#
Then of course there is battery swapping. Could this come to cars as well as scooters at some point?

https://www.autoblog.com/2023/04/09/quick-scooter-battery-swap/