The EV fact thread

[philnewmerc]

Should have bought a house with off street parking, like two thirds of UK homes.

It’s tough being a Londoner.

I've usually read it as about half, not 2/3, but anyway, the nicest homes aren't made for cars to sit outside... so gauche.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I've usually read it as about half, not 2/3, but anyway, the nicest homes aren't made for cars to sit outside... so gauche.

I think you're quoting the household number rather than homes.

A house, or flat share is two, or more households.

Dodgy stats, though. Households in city centres are much less likely to want, or afford, a car.

 

[JHS]

WOW! Almost as fast as a proper AMG.

But lagging behind the awesome C250d S205 AMG Line Premium Plus!

 

[Noitz]

I've usually read it as about half, not 2/3, but anyway, the nicest homes aren't made for cars to sit outside... so gauche.

But the nicest homes outside of planet London do have plenty of space...for many cars.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

But the nicest homes outside of planet London do have plenty of space...for many cars.

Should I mention, at this point, that most big luxury SUV's and most expensive EV's.... get delivered into London initially....?

(Three quarters of SUV's are sold into urban addresses. Kensington and Chelsea's the Range Rover capital of the UK (one in ten of K&C cars is a RR)

Nah, let's skip over that....

 

[philnewmerc]

But the nicest homes outside of planet London do have plenty of space...for many cars.

If you like Romanesque porticos and an easy to clean uPVC finish, then yes, they do

 

[Petrol Pete]

There are some points being made on here that charging at home in a UK city might be slightly problematic due to living in a flat/high density area but for those out in the sticks with a driveway home charging is a doddle.

Was not the whole (initial) push for us all to drive EV's to reduce pollution levels in our cities.......

 

[JHS]

Reading through this thread, and the one about EVs and battery damage, I got to speculating how many of the pro EV posters used their own money to buy their cars and are GENUINELY concerned about the environment, and how many are driving them as company cars with tax benefits and feel the need to justify their choice. How would that translate across the national EV ownership?
For the avoidance of all doubt, I am ambivalent towards EVs and would probably buy one if I could afford a used one that met my specification expectations.

 

[markjay]

There are some points being made on here that charging at home in a UK city might be slightly problematic due to living in a flat/high density area but for those out in the sticks with a driveway home charging is a doddle.

Was not the whole (initial) push for us all to drive EV's to reduce pollution levels in our cities.......

You'll note that people seem to accept that arriving back from work late and driving around the local busy streets trying to find a free public parking space is normal for city dwellers. They live in the city, right? Block of flats etc.

It is generally acceptable that most people will need to live in a house far away from the city centre in order to have private off street parking.

And yet, when it comes to charging EVs, the idea that you need to do it in the street on a public charger is an issue.....?

 

[Noitz]

Reading through this thread, and the one about EVs and battery damage, I got to speculating how many of the pro EV posters used their own money to buy their cars and are GENUINELY concerned about the environment,

I might be tempted to care about the environment if countries like India, China, Africa etc. were making significant efforts in cutting pollution. Simply put, they're not. Then there are the thousands of container and cargo ships polluting the atmosphere on an epic scale 24/7 365 days of the year, not to mention civil aviation (and yes I know about the so-called 'green' sustainable fuel' as I've recently retired from the industry). The current ultra lean burn ICE engines are not the major players in world pollution IMHO. As a result I'm quite happy with my ICE Merc. However I will concede that EV transport for densely populated cities isn't necessarily a bad thing.

 

[tode]

I was just wondering: when the first petrol-driven car was imported into England in 1895, where did he fill up for long journeys ?

EVELYN ELLIS

 

[ALFAitalia]

Then there are the thousands of container and cargo ships polluting the atmosphere on an epic scale 24/7 365 days of the year

In terms of CO2 emissions per tonne of cargo transported one mile, shipping is recognised as the most efficient form of commercial transport. However, the enormous scale of the industry means that it is nevertheless a significant contributor to the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions (but still "only" around 3% of total global CO2 emissions). Cargo ships emit approximately 10-40 grams of CO₂per kilometre per tonne of cargo. In comparison, air freight produces about 500 grams per metric ton per kilometre.

 

[molgrips]

how many of the pro EV posters used their own money to buy their cars and are GENUINELY concerned about the environment, and how many are driving them as company cars with tax benefits and feel the need to justify their choice.

Well, for my part I do care about emissions. I bought a Prius in 2006 as it was the best available car, and it was a lot of money for me at the time (too much in fact). So when that was written off in 2021 I looked at EVs and I found an Ioniq on a very cheap lease which, since we were borrowing the money, turned out to be cheaper per month than anything other than crappy old cars. It was a lovely car but unfortunately the purchase cost at the end of the lease was more than I wanted to buy. Keen to buy another EV, because they're great and because they're very cheap to run, I bought a Leaf for £9k which is decent enough as a city car but I really don't like driving it any distance.

I dearly want to replace the CLS (much as I love it) but I do tow occasionally and it will be a couple of years before I can get a tow car in my price range. It certainly won't be worth it economically, so I will have to consider carefully.

I might be tempted to care about the environment if countries like India, China, Africa etc. were making significant efforts in cutting pollution

China are making and buying more EVs than anyone else, and installing renewable energy much faster than anyone else: China on course to hit wind and solar power target five years ahead of time

Then there are the thousands of container and cargo ships polluting the atmosphere on an epic scale 24/7 365 days of the year

We're the ones responsible for that. Where do you think they are shipping their stuff?

 

[clk320x]

BT Group to turn old street cabinets into electric vehicle charging points

Up to 60,000 could be converted to tackle a shortfall in electric car charging points, the group says.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[PXW]

Reading through this thread, and the one about EVs and battery damage, I got to speculating how many of the pro EV posters used their own money to buy their cars and are GENUINELY concerned about the environment, and how many are driving them as company cars with tax benefits and feel the need to justify their choice. How would that translate across the national EV ownership?
For the avoidance of all doubt, I am ambivalent towards EVs and would probably buy one if I could afford a used one that met my specification expectations.

I'm probably in the minority here but we bought our EVs privately with actual money. We've now had the Tesla for four years and the MG ZS for over three, and we are not planning on changing either car for some years yet. They both have battery and drivetrain warranties until 2027. Having had the Tesla checked over by an independent specialist, there is no major concern about the health of the vehicle or its systems, and on a plan for say 10 years of use it will be the cheapest motoring I have ever enjoyed. But we were primarily motivated by our CO2 footprint, and both cars are past the manufacturing payback point on that (dependent on the sources you look at, the MG may need another few thousand miles), so the next 6 years or so are all upside from that perspective. We have taken other carbon limitation actions, including installing solar (so in the summertime we can drive around for weeks on end, literally on sunshine), and far less showy things like massively improving the insulation on the house, lowering the thermostat a couple of degrees and looking at our diet (have gone more flexitarian). Some of these save money, others don't - but the motivation has been, within our limited circumstances, to try to "tread lightly"; I totally understand the choices individuals may make (ironically perhaps, I spent 17 years in the oil industry...), and also the sense of this being a mere drop in the ocean - but it is OUR drop in the ocean.

 

[markjay]

I'm probably in the minority here but we bought our EVs privately with actual money. We've now had the Tesla for four years and the MG ZS for over three, and we are not planning on changing either car for some years yet. They both have battery and drivetrain warranties until 2027. Having had the Tesla checked over by an independent specialist, there is no major concern about the health of the vehicle or its systems, and on a plan for say 10 years of use it will be the cheapest motoring I have ever enjoyed. But we were primarily motivated by our CO2 footprint, and both cars are past the manufacturing payback point on that (dependent on the sources you look at, the MG may need another few thousand miles), so the next 6 years or so are all upside from that perspective. We have taken other carbon limitation actions, including installing solar (so in the summertime we can drive around for weeks on end, literally on sunshine), and far less showy things like massively improving the insulation on the house, lowering the thermostat a couple of degrees and looking at our diet (have gone more flexitarian). Some of these save money, others don't - but the motivation has been, within our limited circumstances, to try to "tread lightly"; I totally understand the choices individuals may make (ironically perhaps, I spent 17 years in the oil industry...), and also the sense of this being a mere drop in the ocean - but it is OUR drop in the ocean.

Sorry, but do you really expect me to accept the view of one person over than of dozens of blokes on YouTube???

 

[Noitz]

China are making and buying more EVs than anyone else, and installing renewable energy much faster than anyone else: China on course to hit wind and solar power target five years ahead of time

China have over 1,000 coal fired power stations which supply over 60% of their electricity requirements. I get the distinct impression that China are making EVs for profit, not to keep the little Swedish hobgoblin happy, but I may be wrong of course.

 

[markjay]

China have over 1,000 coal fired power stations which supply over 60% of their electricity requirements. I get the distinct impression that China are making EVs for profit, not to keep the little Swedish hobgoblin happy, but I may be wrong of course.

I think that China does what it knows to do best, and this is make cheap electric stuff.

The complex metalworks and precision engineering required to make ICE engines and automatic transmissions is a specialisation of the West, and was never China's forte.

Why make complex ICE cars when they can make the far more simple EVs?

 

[molgrips]

the little Swedish hobgoblin happy

The person to whom you are so unkindly referring is an absolute legend. How many 18 year olds do you know who could stand in front of a room full of world leaders and rip them a new one?

 

[Smiley]

1,600 posts later........