Electric cars

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peterc
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Electric cars

Post by peterc »

Letter seen in the Saturdays Telegraph newspaper.
The introduction of electric cars could spell the end of continental touring.
The French are bound to have a different sort of plug!
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clive
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Re: Electric cars

Post by clive »

If it means the end of cars towing caravans it can't come quickly enough after my experiences of them today!!!
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peterc
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Re: Electric cars

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And it probably won't get rid of the lane two owners club either.
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Roger King
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Re: Electric cars

Post by Roger King »

Not really going to happen so easily though, is it?

- the government currently taxes petrol and diesel at 60%. They cannot begin to stand that amount of loss if everyone switches to electric cars, so prepare for some dramatic changes in the way electricity is taxed. Remember the ultra-low tax fuel LPG? No, neither do I...
- there simply isn't, and won't be the way things are going, enough electricity.
- the French already have different plugs. Interestingly, I believe the German government's planned charging points do not work for Teslas...
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peterc
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Re: Electric cars

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It wasn't that long ago ( last year? ) that they said that the lights would be going out due to the power stations not being able to produce enough electricity during the winter months.
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dodger
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Re: Electric cars

Post by dodger »

If all cars went electric how many new power stations would we need. We don't seem to be able to sort one out at the moment.
What about battery life & replacement costs ? Replacement batteries for a Nissan Leaf are around £4500 at present.
Electric cars are touted as pollution free, what is never mentioned is the pollution from manufacture from extracting ore from the ground onwards to the finished product. Some reports show this as being the equivalent around fifteen years of fuel use at average mileage.
Most people living in cities do not have driveways, so does that mean we would need charging points along the road much like the old parking meters on posts ? The cost of all this infrastructure would be massive. Many people are in flats what about them ?
No government will want to lose the fuel duty so they will simply put this on the charging costs.
The fact that an independent survey shows that 33% of NOx sources in London in 2020 will be from non-domestic gas usage while bus, coach and taxis between them will account for 22% is not taken into consideration, nor the fact that diesel passenger cars will account for 7% and petrol cars just 1%. However, such measures are popular with politicians because it makes them look good in the voters’ eyes.
Do politicians ever calculate the true costs of their ideas before declaring them to the nation ? I think not.
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Roger King
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Re: Electric cars

Post by Roger King »

I couldn't agree more, and hoped no-one would get me started, but here goes:
dodger wrote: Tue Aug 01, 2017 9:52 pmIf all cars went electric how many new power stations would we need. We don't seem to be able to sort one out at the moment.
Yes, exactly - other countries are in the same, or worse, situation. Sarah A knows a lot about this, ask her next time you see her!
dodger wrote: Tue Aug 01, 2017 9:52 pmWhat about battery life & replacement costs ? Replacement batteries for a Nissan Leaf are around £4500 at present.
Electric cars are touted as pollution free, what is never mentioned is the pollution from manufacture from extracting ore from the ground onwards to the finished product. Some reports show this as being the equivalent around fifteen years of fuel use at average mileage.
Indeed. And who has all the underground reserves of the rare earth elements required for these batteries? China. And they are starting to control the prices of these materials very carefully.
dodger wrote: Tue Aug 01, 2017 9:52 pmNo government will want to lose the fuel duty so they will simply put this on the charging costs.
Unfortunately, they will more than likely just add it to the cost of electricity. 60% of petrol and diesel prices are duty to the government. The logistics of trying to differentiate between electricity used for the household or for the car would be a nightmare to get right. Just look at today's 12% increase in electricity charges from BG, who have stated that the cost of the energy to them has not gone up - it is government's 'green' (ho ho) policies that are pushing the price up.
dodger wrote: Tue Aug 01, 2017 9:52 pmThe fact that an independent survey shows that 33% of NOx sources in London in 2020 will be from non-domestic gas usage while bus, coach and taxis between them will account for 22% is not taken into consideration, nor the fact that diesel passenger cars will account for 7% and petrol cars just 1%. However, such measures are popular with politicians because it makes them look good in the voters’ eyes.
Exactly, an easy, soft target which they can whip up an uninformed public storm around. What about heated offices at night? London tower blocks with all the lights on? Gas central heating systems? What about aircraft - someone who flies just a couple of times a year has a far heavier carbon footprint than my car collection will ever produce. I last flew anywhere at least 5 years ago - hate it, and in this modern world it just isn't necessary. And what about the biggest polluter of all - diesel powered shipping? Just google the damage shipping is causing for a real eye-opener.
dodger wrote: Tue Aug 01, 2017 9:52 pmDo politicians ever calculate the true costs of their ideas before declaring them to the nation ?
Not even going to bother responding to that.
Need a lie-down now.
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Re: Electric cars

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peterc wrote: Mon Jul 31, 2017 8:09 am And it probably won't get rid of the lane two owners club either.
Peter C
they should make the inside lane charge the batteries(dodgem-style), then everyone would keep left like they should !
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Re: Electric cars

Post by clive »

Coming from a land far far away, I'm not used to motorways with more than two lanes on each carriageway, but having just ventured down south over the border at the weekend, it always amazes me why people don't return to the left lane after overtaking. However, on some stretches of the M1 and A1/M the left lane was so rutted by HGVs it was almost impossible to steer the car.
Cheers, Clive.

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