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

[cheb]

TBF rednecks usually wear orange hi viz.

[Yorick]

Given that the charging cables cost north of £1500.... it will be interesting what the travellers do, when the streets are lined with these.... apart from the trip hazards of course.

It's absolutely not viable in the UK because of the level of theft.
Until they find some way of charging a car in the street, outside your house, without cables, then it simply won't happen, because if it's unsecured then someone will steal it.

But I don't think that problem will ever actually be an issue because the price of owning a car is/has/and always will simply keep increasing in cost until it's priced out of the hands of many. Even if you can afford the vehicle you might not be able to afford the cost of running it or the infrastructure to charge it conveniently.

That's good. It will stop the poor folk moaning

[Mr. Dazzle]

I think you may have added a zero to that figure Wratty.

I was idly wondering the other day why the cables aren't on a self retracting reel in the car. I suppose they'd be a bit awkward to package if they were. I also suppose that if you had a roll up cable you'd need a rotating connector at the centre and it might be hard to make a reliable 100kW one of those.

[Wreckless Rat]

Phat fingers.... that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.

[Mussels]

It's absolutely not viable in the UK because of the level of theft.
Until they find some way of charging a car in the street, outside your house, without cables, then it simply won't happen, because if it's unsecured then someone will steal it.

But I don't think that problem will ever actually be an issue because the price of owning a car is/has/and always will simply keep increasing in cost until it's priced out of the hands of many. Even if you can afford the vehicle you might not be able to afford the cost of running it or the infrastructure to charge it conveniently.

I hadn't considered theft but I didn't know how much charging cables cost.
I have a driveway with the distribution box conveniently in the garage, most journeys are short so some sort of plug in hybrid sounds ideal. Theft aside I don't fancy:
a) Faffing about with a cable every time I go out and come back will get tiresome.
b) Having someone trip over the cable that most of the time lives draped along my driveway because the charging socket is at the front of the car.
c) Forgetting about the cable and driving off causing expensive damage (hopefully there's a failsafe for that).

Not huge challenges apart from someone tripping over but it makes me think there will be a wireless solution along at some point, so another reason to wait until it's available. Then once the gas board has ripped up my drive to replace the steel gas pipe I can think about replacing the drive with the tech built in, I just hope by that time there's a standard that works with all EVs.

It's a bit like replacing my kitchen taps, sounds simple but before that can happen there's other stuff that needs to happen first. I had a plumber round today to quote for solar hot water so I can use the green homes grant to get an unvented hot water system put in that I need to provide equal pressures to the mixer tap.

[Horse]

I think you may have added a zero to that figure Wratty.

Cheap compared to a replacement cat?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/business-49767195

There has been a huge rise in catalytic converters being stolen from cars in 2019, police in London say.
For the first six months of 2019, the number of thefts of catalytic converters jumped to 2,894, compared to 1,674 thefts for all of 2018.

And, ironically...

Although there are 10,000 different types of converters, the cars that are most often targeted are hybrid vehicles.

Since hybrid cars have two power sources - electric and petrol or diesel - the catalytic converter is used less frequently to process pollutants. The metals are less likely to corrode, meaning they are worth more and thus attractive to thieves.

[Mr. Dazzle]

WRT wireless charging AFAIK its already a thing on hybrid buses. There was a load of stuff in the local paper here about the new buses which use it, I think they have charging pads at the train station and the depots. I.e. places they park up for a while.

[Wreckless Rat]

I think you may have added a zero to that figure Wratty.

Cheap compared to a replacement cat?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/business-49767195

There has been a huge rise in catalytic converters being stolen from cars in 2019, police in London say.
For the first six months of 2019, the number of thefts of catalytic converters jumped to 2,894, compared to 1,674 thefts for all of 2018.

And, ironically...

Although there are 10,000 different types of converters, the cars that are most often targeted are hybrid vehicles.

Since hybrid cars have two power sources - electric and petrol or diesel - the catalytic converter is used less frequently to process pollutants. The metals are less likely to corrode, meaning they are worth more and thus attractive to thieves.

Many thieves are opportunistic. I wonder what is easier... removing a cat or unplugging a load of leads as you go down a street of leccy cars, all parked on the road..

Yes solutions will come, but they don't appear to be here yet. The suggestion seems to be padlock it to your car...

https://www.evcableshop.co.uk/how-to-pr ... rom-theft/

[Horse]

IIRC you would have to cut the cable, they lock into the car.

And you might need a good set of rubber gloves*

* An opportunity here, BS tested for snipping car cables

[dayglo jim]

Didn't they look at battery stations, where a nearly empty is swapped for a full one. ? Bit like bbq gas bottles. You don't keep the same battery. Think this would have made good sense, having universal batteries for similar cars, in and out in minute's. Stations in every town. Manufacturers working together.

I always thought it would be a viable option, if you could switch them over in a cassette style or similar style, with battery tech getting smaller and lighter.

[KungFooBob]

Looks like BMW's 2017 PCP 330e's have hit the market.

There's load of 2017 330e's on Autotrader for around £15k, which is over half the original RRP.

They only do 20 miles on battery before switching to the 2l petrol, but i've only an 8 mile each way commute.

Worth a look?

[Mussels]

This is interesting as a second car, it would make a hybrid main car fairly pointless.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56178802
A part I don't quite understand is this.

Reports have linked Wuling to a Latvian automaker who could sell a version of the car in Europe. However, the price is likely to be twice as high due to European environmental requirements.

If electric cars are all desirable then what are these environmental requirements that would double the price?

[Mr. Dazzle]

Disposal route and end of life maybe, or even pollution during manufacture. Theyre both considered under EU law.

Dunno though, that's just a guess.

[ZRX61]

https://www.thedrive.com/news/38579/the ... nd-serious

[niggle]

We are on our second EV, first was a two years old Leaf with 24kWh battery which was very good for everyday use but made longer trips take ages longer than an ICE. Now we have a Kia eNiro which is fine for all journey lengths as long as you are not the type to drive 80mph plus for 200 miles plus without a rest break. It is also extremely well specced with DAB, adaptive cruise, lane keep assist and follow, heated (fake) leather front seats, heated steering wheel and reversing camera. The sat nav is a bit useless but Apple CarPlay gets past that issue and the 10” touch screen works well.

However it was £34k OTR and we have concluded that we probably sell once lockdown is over as that is a chunk of cash we would rather get back in our pockets for other uses. Yes that is an expensive bit of buyers’ remorse, but hopefully not too awful as residuals seem strong for EVs, Kia offered £30500 to buy it back right now with 9k on the clock.

[ZRX61]

We are on our second EV, first was a two years old Leaf with 24kWh battery which was very good for everyday use but made longer trips take ages longer than an ICE. Now we have a Kia eNiro which is fine for all journey lengths as long as you are not the type to drive 80mph plus for 200 miles plus without a rest break. It is also extremely well specced with DAB, adaptive cruise, lane keep assist and follow, heated (fake) leather front seats, heated steering wheel and reversing camera. The sat nav is a bit useless but Apple CarPlay gets past that issue and the 10” touch screen works well.

However it was £34k OTR and we have concluded that we probably sell once lockdown is over as that is a chunk of cash we would rather get back in our pockets for other uses. Yes that is an expensive bit of buyers’ remorse, but hopefully not too awful as residuals seem strong for EVs, Kia offered £30500 to buy it back right now with 9k on the clock.

Friend's son had a loaner Leaf. It couldn't make it the 80miles from LA back home as it was mostly uphill. It shit the bed after 60 miles.

[Bwana]

It's absolutely not viable in the UK because of the level of theft.
Until they find some way of charging a car in the street, outside your house, without cables, then it simply won't happen, because if it's unsecured then someone will steal it.

Inductive charging. Have it so the parking space in front of your house will only charge your vehicle. All others get melted down. Win win!

Charging while driving is already in the developmental stage.

[Bwana]

https://www.thedrive.com/news/38579/the ... nd-serious

I like the new Tesla insta-convertible.

[niggle]

We are on our second EV, first was a two years old Leaf with 24kWh battery which was very good for everyday use but made longer trips take ages longer than an ICE. Now we have a Kia eNiro which is fine for all journey lengths as long as you are not the type to drive 80mph plus for 200 miles plus without a rest break. It is also extremely well specced with DAB, adaptive cruise, lane keep assist and follow, heated (fake) leather front seats, heated steering wheel and reversing camera. The sat nav is a bit useless but Apple CarPlay gets past that issue and the 10” touch screen works well.

However it was £34k OTR and we have concluded that we probably sell once lockdown is over as that is a chunk of cash we would rather get back in our pockets for other uses. Yes that is an expensive bit of buyers’ remorse, but hopefully not too awful as residuals seem strong for EVs, Kia offered £30500 to buy it back right now with 9k on the clock.

Friend's son had a loaner Leaf. It couldn't make it the 80miles from LA back home as it was mostly uphill. It shit the bed after 60 miles.

That sounds like a 24kWh one like ours, there was a 30kWh version available from around 2016 that would do a comfortable 100 miles plus in anything other than sub zero weather.

[niggle]

Given that the charging cables cost north of £1500.... it will be interesting what the travellers do, when the streets are lined with these.... apart from the trip hazards of course.

It's absolutely not viable in the UK because of the level of theft.
Until they find some way of charging a car in the street, outside your house, without cables, then it simply won't happen, because if it's unsecured then someone will steal it.

But I don't think that problem will ever actually be an issue because the price of owning a car is/has/and always will simply keep increasing in cost until it's priced out of the hands of many. Even if you can afford the vehicle you might not be able to afford the cost of running it or the infrastructure to charge it conveniently.

The Koreans have been looking at induction charging both in car parks and in a special lane on highways, which would be a great solution for all. Also I have heard of an idea where lampposts are equipped with chargers suitable for overnight AC