Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?

[Slenver]

I once went all Alan Partridge and actually wrote to complain about the parking spaces in my station car park. I had a Citroen DS3 at the time, so a very small car by modern standards, but it still required choosing a spot in between two similarly small cars in order to physically fit, and then you couldn't squeeze out until the wingmirrors had folded in. All the big cars parked at the back in alternate spaces.

In fairness, the station man did reply and agreed it was ridiculous but that the spaces were managed by NCP and they were sticking to 1970s specs.

Like everyone, I'm happy to moan about increasing car sizes/weights/move to SUVs etc, but there's no point living in denial and just forcing people to take up two spaces.

[gremlin]

Interesting figures re new car sales in 2022. Pretty bad if you're in the business of making or selling, but EVs are increasing their slice of the market. The comments re the ambitious targets vs. the reality of charging points is worth noting:

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64165689

On another point, I've been watching the downhill trajectory of the Tesla share price over the last six months. I do wonder if it's a case of the Emperor's new clothes finally being seen for what they are*. Musk is seemingly becoming a toxic individual, notwithstanding his perceived distraction with Twitter. Add into the mix that VW, Ford, GM, etc are now well and truly on the EV bandwagon and that future earnings and lower than expected production are going hit investors, the sheen may be wearing off.

*Not the cars per se, but the valuation of the company.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I could never get my head around Tesla's share price - they were the most valuable car company in the world at one point, but AFAIK they've never actually made a profit from selling cars directly. All their money came from selling carbon offsets. That might have changed recently though.

I've said it before, but I don't see much bright future for Tesla. They got out in front by being the only place you could buy a decent EV, but everyone else has woken up now and Toyota, VAG, Mercedes et al are much better resourced - both financially and operationally - for making a success of EVs.

I'm not complaining, I exited Tesla shares after doubling my money I'm hardly gonna retire off it, but it was a nice bonus. I also moved into EV engineering a couple of years ago, which currently feels like it was a good decision.

[Count Steer]

It's the old 'prime mover' thing innit? Now the big boys are catching up.

A while ago now I used to be an avid reader of Motley Fool financial stuff and bought one of their publications which include a very upbeat assessment of a company that got their Internet banking operation off the starting line early on - expanded to include share/fund trading, credit cards etc. It looked like a winner. Does anyone remember egg?

(Their banking bit is now part of Yorkshire Building Society, the share trading went to Charles Stanley and funds to Fidelity. I have a suspicion that their call centre in Derby is now where you phone to enter those competitions you see linked with stuff like 'win a bicycle and £5k's worth of kit' on the TdF coverage).

[gremlin]

I could never get my head around Tesla's share price - they were the most valuable car company in the world at one point

Back in 2008 Porsche confounded the market by unexpectedly taking a controlling stake in VW. Many smart people had shorted the stock, but then were blind-sided by the news. Suddenly they weren't so smart. Panic set in as the short sellers fought for whatever VW stock was on the market, lest they be caught without the stock to settle, causing the price to rocket even higher. For a short period, VW was the most valuable car manufacturer in the world. Ironically, many an order for a Porsche was cancelled in the following days. Shame.

Odd thing, 'the market'.

https://business.ku.edu/new-analysis-re ... ock-market

[Count Steer]

Footnote to the tale of battery woe. The car was fine this morning

Plus I sorted out the HP mini-tower problem.

[gremlin]

Plus I sorted out the HP mini-tower problem.

Claw or club hammer?

[Count Steer]

Plus I sorted out the HP mini-tower problem.

Claw or club hammer?

Kango.

[Kneerly Down]

I could never get my head around Tesla's share price - they were the most valuable car company in the world at one point

Pretty sure it still is, even by Enterprise Value.
It is worth roughly $50bn more than Toyota and is various multiples more valuable than Ford and GM and around double that of VW.

[cheb]

Plus I sorted out the HP mini-tower problem.

Claw or club hammer?

Kango.

Renault?

[ZRX61]

uh oh....

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/11/11484837 ... fety-risks

[Mussels]

That complaint has been going on for years, long before EVs came out. Why don't they complain about vans or lorries being heavier?

[Mussels]

I saw an ad yesterday for an EV salary sacrifice scheme, that may explain their popularity at the moment. If my company did it I'd find EVs a hell of a lot more attractive.

[Mr. Dazzle]

That complaint has been going on for years, long before EVs came out. Why don't they complain about vans or lorries being heavier?

Smacks of oil lobbying TBF. Snot like there's been a concentrated effort to reduce the mass of ICE cars or owt.

WRT Salary Sacrifice...we have it at work, but I don't partake. As you might imagine it's a sizable discount if you're a higher rate tax payer. You do pay a BIK tax on the car but at present it's 1 or 2%. Probably won't stay that way for much longer.

[Horse]

https://wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2023/SJ0004


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. SJ0004
Phasing out new electric vehicle sales by 2035.

A JOINT RESOLUTION expressing support for phasing out the sale of new electric vehicles in Wyoming by 2035.

Section 1. That the legislature encourages and expresses as a goal that the sale of new electric vehicles in the state of Wyoming be phased out by 2035.

Section 2. That the legislature encourages Wyoming's industries and citizens to limit the sale and purchase of new electric vehicles in Wyoming with a goal of phasing out the sale of new electric vehicles in Wyoming by 2035.

Section 3. That the Secretary of State of Wyoming transmit copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, each member of Wyoming's congressional delegation, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the governor of Wyoming and the governor of California.

[Cousin Jack]

https://wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2023/SJ0004


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. SJ0004
Phasing out new electric vehicle sales by 2035.

A JOINT RESOLUTION expressing support for phasing out the sale of new electric vehicles in Wyoming by 2035.

Section 1. That the legislature encourages and expresses as a goal that the sale of new electric vehicles in the state of Wyoming be phased out by 2035.

Section 2. That the legislature encourages Wyoming's industries and citizens to limit the sale and purchase of new electric vehicles in Wyoming with a goal of phasing out the sale of new electric vehicles in Wyoming by 2035.

Section 3. That the Secretary of State of Wyoming transmit copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, each member of Wyoming's congressional delegation, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the governor of Wyoming and the governor of California.

Turkeys vote against Xmas. What a surprise!

[Slenver]

Turkeys vote against Xmas. What a surprise!

Just a publicity stunt though.

[Horse]

Turkeys vote against Xmas. What a surprise!

Few weeks ago I met a bloke who'd just returned from the USofA, after working on installing wind turbines.

IIRC, he said something like "here it's NIMBY, there its NNNN: not nuthin not nowhere."

[Couchy]

That complaint has been going on for years, long before EVs came out. Why don't they complain about vans or lorries being heavier?

Smacks of oil lobbying TBF. Snot like there's been a concentrated effort to reduce the mass of ICE cars or owt.

WRT Salary Sacrifice...we have it at work, but I don't partake. As you might imagine it's a sizable discount if you're a higher rate tax payer. You do pay a BIK tax on the car but at present it's 1 or 2%. Probably won't stay that way for much longer.

I just don't know about the whole EV thing despite being in the industry. Maybe a push towards 50mpg petrol hybrids would be a better start as they are much less polluting than diesel, maybe a push towards smaller cars and to get rid of SUV which are nothing more than a vanity purchase. If everyone was in a smaller car doing more mpg it would be a much better start. The popularity of SUV can't have done the environment much good when most owners could have had amore economical car. It's weird because when people look to buy an EV cost is an issue yet they are rarely driving the cheapest vehicle they could be in so why does an EV become about cost ?

[Ant]

That complaint has been going on for years, long before EVs came out. Why don't they complain about vans or lorries being heavier?

Smacks of oil lobbying TBF. Snot like there's been a concentrated effort to reduce the mass of ICE cars or owt.

WRT Salary Sacrifice...we have it at work, but I don't partake. As you might imagine it's a sizable discount if you're a higher rate tax payer. You do pay a BIK tax on the car but at present it's 1 or 2%. Probably won't stay that way for much longer.

I just don't know about the whole EV thing despite being in the industry. Maybe a push towards 50mpg petrol hybrids would be a better start as they are much less polluting than diesel, maybe a push towards smaller cars and to get rid of SUV which are nothing more than a vanity purchase. If everyone was in a smaller car doing more mpg it would be a much better start. The popularity of SUV can't have done the environment much good when most owners could have had amore economical car. It's weird because when people look to buy an EV cost is an issue yet they are rarely driving the cheapest vehicle they could be in so why does an EV become about cost ?

Many SUVs are useful for families with kids, dogs etc. They're not just a vanity purchase, it's a vehicle you can use. Small cars are a struggle for some people. What mpg do you think an SUV does or doesn't do?