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What excites you about electric cars?
- Thread starter AliK
- Start date
johnymd
Club Member
I guess it depends on what you want the car for and which electric car it is. I love auto's (automatically selecting manuals actually) and especially powerful one. They drive smoothly and get you from A to B with the minimum of effort. I'm all for electric cars that will do this. There are problems with electric car of the future though so you cant really compare the situation we are in now. The cost per mile will rise significantly as mainstream adoption occurs (just like diesel) and the end to end environmental impact (taking everything into account) is pretty bad. H2 is even worse by the way. With the push to electric we are only shown a very green image of the future whilst the down sides are ignored and hidden from view (as with diesel) so its harder to make educated decisions. It will be the way forward though and there is nothing we can do about it so accept you will be paying a lot to lease your electric car of the future and a lot per mile to use it. Petrol cars will still be around but with little demand, you will struggle to find somewhere to fill up and it will be very expensive.
This is obviously just my view on it and as things change then so do our views so who knows what the future holds.
This is obviously just my view on it and as things change then so do our views so who knows what the future holds.
Huw
Club Member
I love the concept and some of the styling coming out is fantastic, the latest BMWs about to hit the road for example. Practically not for me yet as my commutes (when normality returns) are normally long distance. As a commuter all for them, as a form of enjoyment not really applicable as they will fall into the ‘tool for work’ category. Until I drive one properly I can’t really answer the question, but love them or loath them they are the future.
Ped
Club Member
Yep, electric cars is the way it is going. I dare say the cost will come down in time and their range will increase. There will be another scandal similar to diesel cars where the green figures have been massaged to suit the message, but the reality is burning fossil fuels is going to stop. How we generate electricity is a bigger question.
On a side note, and I won't be popular for saying it, I feel Nissan has missed the mark with the new Z. If it had come out 10 years ago I would have loved it. It should have been a technological showcase for the future of performance sports cars, not 'one last hurrah' of the petrol turbo engine. A nod towards partial electric, some sort of hybrid would surely have been more forward looking? Don't get me wrong I love the look and I'm sure it will perform, but is this the future?
On a side note, and I won't be popular for saying it, I feel Nissan has missed the mark with the new Z. If it had come out 10 years ago I would have loved it. It should have been a technological showcase for the future of performance sports cars, not 'one last hurrah' of the petrol turbo engine. A nod towards partial electric, some sort of hybrid would surely have been more forward looking? Don't get me wrong I love the look and I'm sure it will perform, but is this the future?
Bazzateer
Club Member
Have you never been on the Dodgems?
chojna
Club Member
Nothing to like except torque.
I'm wondering what will happen in 20 years with all those batteries how they affect environment. All that electric crap will back to us with hickup.
Don't understand why government pulls out from supporting cars converted on lpg. Clean and cheap fuel
I'm wondering what will happen in 20 years with all those batteries how they affect environment. All that electric crap will back to us with hickup.
Don't understand why government pulls out from supporting cars converted on lpg. Clean and cheap fuel
SeanDezart
Well-Known Forum User
Not enough fuel tax to recover !
Alphabettispaghetti
Club Member
They'll never be able to control the supply is one guess. Given we import most of our gas.
My electric car arrived yesterday. Sort of sad to admit that I like it. Handles nicely(steerings a bit too lively though), its bloody quick in just about all situations. I'm not sure how its 'green' though.
I'd love a e63s instead though(wagon).
SeanDezart
Well-Known Forum User
If you're importing gas, isn't it simply because it's cheaper to do so than use that which we have from the North Sea ?
Jonbills - we're still at the stage of looking at the best of the bad solutions.......I still can't believe that Germany switched from nuclear to burning coal again....!
Jonbills - we're still at the stage of looking at the best of the bad solutions.......I still can't believe that Germany switched from nuclear to burning coal again....!
DaveF
Club Member
I have a 5-series hybrid company car and I have to say it is strangely good! That being said, it is mostly because the chassis is superb and the car drives so well. Interestingly though, the list price was £55K and after 1 year you could buy one for £ 30K! I definitely won't be buying an electric or hybrid, but my next company car will be the same I reckon (mainly because personal tax is now through the roof unless you choose electric or hybrid) Only thing that really doesn't appeal is planning a long journey and having to expect to stop for a long time to recharge.
I also work in the oil and gas industry and whilst North Sea activity is slowing down, we are also involved in pipeline projects around the world through to at least 2024/25 and more on the horizon - it's been a bit of a boom in the last 3 years. Seems like going green needs a lot of petrochemical products.
I also work in the oil and gas industry and whilst North Sea activity is slowing down, we are also involved in pipeline projects around the world through to at least 2024/25 and more on the horizon - it's been a bit of a boom in the last 3 years. Seems like going green needs a lot of petrochemical products.
TimFZ
Club Member
Most of the electric the UK is producing is from gas, ie fossil fuel. See recent screen shot from "Grid Carbon" showing how we generate our electricity. Interesting we still import so much but watching the app, we are doing a good job of not importing from France (especially as nuclear is not green lol).
Attachments
Have driven an electric car for the last 3 years, in truth as a run around it's just about better in every way to an ICE vehicle. I'll admit I was heavily swayed by the BIK on the car, 0% last year, 1% this year, 2% next year. Positives, don't need to go to the petrol station, torque is instant, feels like a go-kart, innovative design (carbon tub). Drawbacks, expensive from the outset, you'll need a ICE vehicle if you want to go any real distance as the infrastructure is woeful. I do wonder if EVs are the future in their current format, maybe it's hydrogen, all I hope is that they still produce fuel because at heart I'm a petrol head.
Alphabettispaghetti
Club Member
I freely admit its about BiK. I had a hybrid Volvo(which was ok- only charged about 3 times over 3 years!), this is a model 3 long range. I can't stand faff, so having a Tesla with the charging network was sensible option for myself.
They're all too expensive though.
Ped
Club Member
The cost issue is interesting. I think that in the future virtually no-one will buy a new car outright. Most people, even today, do some sort of lease arrangement. It's not in the manufacturers interests to sell someone a new car every decade or so. Once tied into a lease arrangement there is an incentive to consume, ie: buy a new car before you really need to, every 3 - 4 years. More than 40% of cars on UK roads are over 10 years old. Are they breaking down everwhere? No. Where did the obsession with buying new vehicles stem from... the manufacturers. They should be required to design electric cars to allow the swap out of battery packs easily, like a giant cartridge, that way we won't further pollute the the planet with uneconomical to repair vehicles. Imagine you had to install a new petrol/diesel engine every 5 - 8 years..? The average cost for an EV battery replacement £4,5k.
Anyway that's today's rant!
Image link: https://www.smmt.co.uk/2021/05/britains-cars-getting-older-but-van-ownership-reaches-historic-highs/
Anyway that's today's rant!
Image link: https://www.smmt.co.uk/2021/05/britains-cars-getting-older-but-van-ownership-reaches-historic-highs/
Dale
Club Member
Or a retro-fit kit for ‘any’ car?
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/nissa...sic-bluebird-body-and-leaf-electric-motor?amp
Alphabettispaghetti
Club Member
The cost issue is interesting. I think that in the future virtually no-one will buy a new car outright. Most people, even today, do some sort of lease arrangement. It's not in the manufacturers interests to sell someone a new car every decade or so. Once tied into a lease arrangement there is an incentive to consume, ie: buy a new car before you really need to, every 3 - 4 years. More than 40% of cars on UK roads are over 10 years old. Are they breaking down everwhere? No. Where did the obsession with buying new vehicles stem from... the manufacturers. They should be required to design electric cars to allow the swap out of battery packs easily, like a giant cartridge, that way we won't further pollute the the planet with uneconomical to repair vehicles. Imagine you had to install a new petrol/diesel engine every 5 - 8 years..? The average cost for an EV battery replacement £4,5k.
Anyway that's today's rant!
Image link: https://www.smmt.co.uk/2021/05/britains-cars-getting-older-but-van-ownership-reaches-historic-highs/
Don't the French specifically make cars that won't last more than 3 years so you have to get a new one!?
I watch that 'Vintage Voltage' series and it's very interesting.
As much as we like our ICE and its characteristics an electric motor is extremely simple and compact by comparison. The batteries are the problem.
On the programme most of the cars converted retain the gearbox for ease of fitment but that is a big compromise and unnecessary weight.
As much as we like our ICE and its characteristics an electric motor is extremely simple and compact by comparison. The batteries are the problem.
On the programme most of the cars converted retain the gearbox for ease of fitment but that is a big compromise and unnecessary weight.
Ian
Club Member
I would be happy to drive an electric car a a daily, at least if they can sort out some of the environmental issues surrounding them and if my electric was coming from mostly renewable power.
Nothing excites me about them though, nothing, could be the fastest car in the world ever for all time and I'd still not be excited by one. Quite happy to drive one on a daily basis if it meant cleaner air and me being able to still enjoy my classic petrol car on a limited mileage basis.
There are many issues that need addressing though, batteries, where the power comes from, environmental cost to manufacture, disposal and lifespan and so on.
Faster Behr
Club Member
I have an electric van. I’m at 12,500 miles and a year in and I love it. It has an advertised range of 205 miles but it’s always fully loaded and I usually get 120-150 depending on the temperature. I’ve only ever had need to fast charge it three times so range is no big deal for me tbh.
I love the peace and quiet it gives more than anything.
I love the peace and quiet it gives more than anything.