Is this the beginning of the end of the petrol engine.

[Noelmc]

SWMBO has had an i3 since march, to be honest it's now become the default car for all my business journeys. (Only fill the CL up once a month now). I'm well sold on EV's, at my age it's my bladder range rather than the cars range. Must admit I did chuckle at Volvos press release, it's very well worded for max PR value.

 

[Darrell]

Potentially the most interesting information in the report is that Teslas valuation at $58M is a quarter bigger than that of Ford.

Ford isn't worth much then is it. Not even the price of 2 Ferrari 250 GTO's.

 

[MercedesDriver]

Until EV enables me a 400 + miles of driving it won't see my driveway. Volvo, no thanks.

 

[GeeJayW]

Potentially the most interesting information in the report is that Teslas valuation at $58M is a quarter bigger than that of Ford.

:fail

Ford Motor Company Revenue in 2016: $151 Billion
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Motor_Company

Tesla Motors Revenue n 2016: $7 Billion
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla,_Inc.

 

[tron]

Then raise the speed limits and turn off half the traffic lights. I know a city where the traffic has been deliberately slowed to a crawl by putting a traffic light on every corner thus multiplying both congestion and pollution.

 

[CabrioDave]

Some confusion, here, between millions and billions and values and revenues (BBC article puts the stock market value of Tesla at $58 billion).

 

[baxlin]

Then raise the speed limits and turn off half the traffic lights. I know a city where the traffic has been deliberately slowed to a crawl by putting a traffic light on every corner thus multiplying both congestion and pollution.

I understand in either Holland or one of the Scandinavian countries they've tried removing road furniture and markings. Seems to have left the front pages news-wise though, so probably didn't work?

I agree though, around us they've replaced quite efficient roundabouts with traffic lights, which both choke the traffic, and use energy to make them work.

 

[kid-jensen]

Baxlin wrote "around us they've replaced quite efficient roundabouts with traffic lights, which both choke the traffic, and use energy to make them work".

The reason being that no roundabout ever back-handed a council planner!

 

[E55BOF]

The problem with pure electric cars is still the battery. For city use, fine, but until I can buy an electric car which:

a. Is affordable

b. Can be driven for 300 miles, recharged fully in ten minutes and do another 300
miles, in pouring rain on a hot summer's night with the aircon, lights and wipers all going

c. Can do b. without compromising battery life in the long run, and

d. Can always find and use a charging point, away from home, with a wait of no more
than five minutes

I will not be buying one. Good luck to those who find an all-electric car meets their needs, but one would not meet mine.

(One further criterion is that on appearance grounds, it must not look anything like a BMW i3. Those really do need one of those stickers you used to see on 2CVs -"Thank You For Not Laughing At My Car". I don't mind looking weird, but not that weird....)

 

[baxlin]

Baxlin wrote "around us they've replaced quite efficient roundabouts with traffic lights, which both choke the traffic, and use energy to make them work".

The reason being that no roundabout ever back-handed a council planner!

Silly me, I never thought of that.

 

[Yugguy]

You would hope that as electric cars become more prevalent then so will charge points.

Heh, what am I saying? That would require forethought from the powers that be.

 

[Steve320]

:fail Ford Motor Company Revenue in 2016: $151 Billion https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Motor_Company Tesla Motors Revenue n 2016: $7 Billion https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla,_Inc.

Stock market valuation - not revenues.

But I did get a letter wrong. Tessa valuation was/is $58B (not 'M'!)

 

[ph47mf]

I walked into the showroom thinking of buying a new V-class, salesman i know well quietly said to me ''think twice about diesel, the new congestion charging zone is coming to Bham, it could be £20 a day to get into town''.

That stopped me!

 

[Dippo]

Isn't it strange that a salesman is always an absolute idiot when you know better than him, then he can immediately switch to being an omniscient expert! Not only can they automatically value a customer's watch at a glance, and therefore know his net worth and credit rating (according to a recent thread), but they now know political decisions that are yet to be made public!

Birmingham congestion charge ruled out - Birmingham Mail

I used to work closely with the dealer network of a premium franchise; I don't recognise these experts referred to here. The only common factor seems to be the ability to convince people of the accuracy of what they are saying, irrespective of its relation to fact.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I'm surprised that electric motorcycles haven't been the test bed for EVs.

It would have made sense to develop the technology on a lighter, cheaper and more simple machine and then scale it up to cars when proven.

Besides, I really fancy the idea of a near silent motorbike with massive torque.

 

[Driver15]

France to end petrol car sales by 2040


France is to end the sale of all new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, the country's environment minister Nicolas Hulot has announced.
The drastic move was announced at a press conference on 6 July and will form part of French president Emmanuel Macron's plans to make the country carbon neutral by 2050.


The news comes just one day after Swedish carmaker Volvo announced it would only sell hybrid or electric cars by 2019. Volvo was cited by Hulot as a carmaker that has already begun a shift away from conventional internal-combustion drivetrains in favour of electric and hybrid alternatives.

 

[SUPERNOVA1a]

UK will probably get its act together 2075. Every major infrastructure attempt to move with the world we have NIMBY's and it takes three times in time and money to develop it

 

[wivenhoe]

I walked into the showroom thinking of buying a new V-class, salesman i know well quietly said to me ''think twice about diesel, the new congestion charging zone is coming to Bham, it could be £20 a day to get into town''.

That stopped me!

He was giving his honest opinion - I bet you that most salesman are trying their utmost to sell diesels. The proportion of new diesels are diving so the manufacturers must be building up unwanted stocks.

 

[fabes]

Volvo headline says petrol

They also do diesels though.....

Does their statement cover all stand alone ICE?

 

[kithands]

No everyone can even park outside their own home to allow for home charging.