Electric Cars. Real aternative or ego boosters?

[David McKeown]

Would agree entirely. The lack of fast chargers is also a major problem. Went with the Uncle in one to Portlaoise for a league game earlier this year and it was a disaster. Got down nice and early to get the charger outside the ground. It didn't work. Spent 45 minutes on the phone trying to trouble shoot it but to no avail. On the phone they were able to tell us that the other ones in the town were in use by 'Non Irish Registered Cars' so we assumed they were others down for the match.

On the way home we stopped at Athy. Took about an hour for 80 or so miles of charge. Once we got back on the Motorway the range fell dramatically so decided to go to Kildare village only to find the car park closed. Decided to head cross country from there as it was a shorter but slower journey according to the map. Range started decreasing by a little over a mile after every mile we did. So we decided to stop at another charger. Map was very poor on the app and by the time we found the charger it was closed. Unfortunately the lost miles meant we wouldn't make it to the fast charge point in Dundalk so we had to detour again to a normal charging point in Drogheda for twenty minutes to get enough charge to get to the fast charging port which in fairness worked very well but all the faffing meant we weren't home till stupid o'clock.

I also understand if you run out of charge you've to be towed at considerable expense to Dublin for the car to be reset and you are without it for a few days.

[marty34]

Would agree entirely. The lack of fast chargers is also a major problem. Went with the Uncle in one to Portlaoise for a league game earlier this year and it was a disaster. Got down nice and early to get the charger outside the ground. It didn't work. Spent 45 minutes on the phone trying to trouble shoot it but to no avail. On the phone they were able to tell us that the other ones in the town were in use by 'Non Irish Registered Cars' so we assumed they were others down for the match.

On the way home we stopped at Athy. Took about an hour for 80 or so miles of charge. Once we got back on the Motorway the range fell dramatically so decided to go to Kildare village only to find the car park closed. Decided to head cross country from there as it was a shorter but slower journey according to the map. Range started decreasing by a little over a mile after every mile we did. So we decided to stop at another charger. Map was very poor on the app and by the time we found the charger it was closed. Unfortunately the lost miles meant we wouldn't make it to the fast charge point in Dundalk so we had to detour again to a normal charging point in Drogheda for twenty minutes to get enough charge to get to the fast charging port which in fairness worked very well but all the faffing meant we weren't home till stupid o'clock.

I also understand if you run out of charge you've to be towed at considerable expense to Dublin for the car to be reset and you are without it for a few days.

That's some handling David.

With a story like that, there's no incentive to invest in one, regardless of the price/benefits. 

[Denn Forever]

AA good reason to join the AA. Also go for a hybrid.

[trueblue1234]

AA good reason to join the AA. Also go for a hybrid.

Think you need AAA for the Telsa.

[trailer]

AA good reason to join the AA. Also go for a hybrid.

Think you need AAA for the Telsa.

Bravo, bravo.

Had a notion on the Telsa Cybertruck.. paid the deposit (only a £100) but might leave it.

[Denn Forever]

With the phase out Diesel cars in the UK by the 30's, what is gonna happen to the big trucks hauling goods around?  Will it be the rebirth  of the railways?  Also agricultural almachinary?

[trileacman]

With the phase out Diesel cars in the UK by the 30's, what is gonna happen to the big trucks hauling goods around?  Will it be the rebirth  of the railways?  Also agricultural almachinary?

There isn't even reliable electric 4x4 never mind trucks or tractors. Diesel will be around for decades yet.

[Eamonnca1]

With the phase out Diesel cars in the UK by the 30's, what is gonna happen to the big trucks hauling goods around?  Will it be the rebirth  of the railways?  Also agricultural almachinary?

There isn't even reliable electric 4x4 never mind trucks or tractors. Diesel will be around for decades yet.

I could see fuel cells being the way forward for big trucks, although you've got the hydrogen refueling problem.  I've often wondered why hydrogen just couldn't be produced on site. Pipe in water, connect to the mains, and you can make your hydrogen on the spot.

There was a company called Nikola that was supposedly working on a fuel cell lorry but it seemed to be a bit of a scam aimed at gullible investors.

[Tony Baloney]

With the phase out Diesel cars in the UK by the 30's, what is gonna happen to the big trucks hauling goods around?  Will it be the rebirth  of the railways?  Also agricultural almachinary?

The way HS2 is going in England and how long it takes us in the North to push through a poxy bypass or dual carriage upgrade, we'll be transporting goods in a hover lorry before railway infrastructure is upgraded. The Chinese have obviously been able to massively expand their infrastructure but their government obviously have fewer barriers to "progress"  .

[Captain Scarlet]

Apart from infrastructure I do have to laugh at the amount of Hybrid and Electric SUVs floating around Dublin City with one or two people in them.
Surely part of the appeal of these cars is sustainability so why the need for these bigger beasts that take so much to build?

[RadioGAAGAA]

With the phase out Diesel cars in the UK by the 30's, what is gonna happen to the big trucks hauling goods around?

They'll be very carefully maintained, their residual values will go through the roof - and pattern parts manufacturers will be very busy.

[BennyCake]

If you drive a petrol car...

https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/drivers-warned-1million-cars-not-24374848

[seafoid]

I wouldn't go back to a petrol car.

EV's have several advantages apart from emissions

*Recharging downhill or slowing down.
*Recharging is cheaper than petrol
*Internal combustion engines are more expensive to service. Our garage costs for the first 6 months this year are considerably lower than over the same period last year with a petrol car.
*EV's are quieter
*Governments are encouraging them so incentives are better. EV's will have lower taxes compared to petrol/diesel in the future

[Milltown Row2]

Wife got a hybrid last week, she's noticed a difference at the pump, I'm getting the Ford Puma hybrid soon, so hoping to see some benefits.

You'd think the petrol prices would drop once most people start going fully electric or hybrid

[smelmoth]

Electric cars may not stay around but petrol and diesel will definitely go.

The bigger change is likely to a wholesale change to the car and transport sectors.

Environmentally electric cars are a lot better than petrol/diesel alternatives in terms of emissions and air quality. There will further advancement in this area with pressure coming from big city authorities.

But in terms of lifetime carbon footprint EVs are only marginally better than petrol/diesel alternatives. They don't resolve the big issues. We need less cars. Not just less cars on the road at a point in time or a point in geography but simply less overall. We need to extend car life, increase car sharing, increase public transport provision/usage (for necessary journeys but also reduce unnecessary journeys) and break the link between car usage and exclusive access to cars (I.e. a culture of short term car hire).

Many of this will have greater applicability in areas of high population density but not exclusively so. EVs will need massive improvements in battery capacity and a whole new world of battery technology (less reliant on a narrow range of precious metals).

There is a long way to go on this.