Biggest draw back at the moment would be if you dont have parking at home, that would probably mean its not for you.

This is one reason I can’t even contemplate electric at the moment. I have a designated parking space that I use but we’re not allowed to put a charging point anywhere on the estate. Running a cable from the kitchen would put it across the hallway entrance so that’s out too. There is a Tesla Model S in the block but he has to charge it at work sit doesn’t get used on the weekends! The owner was royally peeved off when he was told he couldn’t charge his car after he’d bought the flat!

Once the current crop of cars have aged a bit (say 5 years) then I would be interested in one as a daily driver for shopping and commuting when it’s too wet/windy for biking to work plus my current car for longer journeys but that won’t be possible unless I own my own house so can fit a charging point. A plug-in hybrid might be my next car.

” but we’re not allowed to put a charging point anywhere on the estate”

This I find reprehensible. Going forward planning permission should only be granted for a development if it has charge facilities and solar PV generation capability.

Looks like there’s nothing that fits the bill without having to sell the house and live in it too.

Here’s an idea, you could buy an all electric car and get a petrol generator for trips when you’re unsure whether you could find a (unoccupied) charging point?

😀

My electric car has roughly the same mass as a diesel car full of diesel. Thus I would assume it costs roughly the same CO2 to produce it. My electricity is provided mainly from renewable sources (GreenEnergyUK) and Ecotricity EH
When I’m driving it there are no tailpipe emissions for those in the street to breath in.
When its finished with, I am sure the battery will be recycled or used as a home storage battery.
Its not as green as a bike or walking but its a hell of a lot greener than fossil fuel powered cars

You are ignoring all of the other environmental costs of the mining and manufacturing of the batteries themselves, along with the fact that those batteries will have to be replaced after approximately five-six years, whereas my 51-plate Octavia is still running happily with its original engine, with 130,000 miles on it.
How much is a replacement battery pack for a Tesla? Imagine buying an equivalent price IC engined car, then after five years being told that the engine has to be replaced costing £5-6000, I’d think most people would refuse to buy the cars if that became known.
I know one is the motor, the other the means for powering the motor, but the end result is the same.

To answer a few of the points above:
My local Renault dealer has a Zoe for 7.5k which would sit quite nicely on my drive and be very handy for most journeys. So the used ones are now coming through.

Some BMW i3 have a range extender engine that charges the batteries like your generator idea br. Reviews I’ve read though the users dont use the engine.

Not all Tesla’s are £139k some are much less and just like old fashioned exec cars you’ll probably lease one for £6/700 a month or so anyway.

Fossil fuel cars will soon be banned from urban areas so the manufacturers are gearing up for electric but trying to do it without killing their golden goose.

One of the most intresting aspects to electric cars is their ability to provide base load for the electricity grid whilst plugged in at your home which reduces the need for gas/coal etc

Theres loads of really interesting development in charging/infrastructure just about to arrive I would encourage anyone to go out and learn more.

I think its wrong to think ‘can I use this in the same way I use a fossil fuel car’ the answer will nearly always be no, but that doesnt mean they wont work for you.

along with the fact that those batteries will have to be replaced after approximately five-six years

Did you assume that or do you know for a fact?

Found an interesting graph online:

But remember that battery degradation is non-linear.

Can you quantify “soon” Wilbert?

I believe some cities are proposing no carbon zones by 2025 and even countrywide for 2030 but google will provide more detail.

It’s difficult to imagine the move away from fossil fuels wont be incremental both before and after those dates as we are seeing now.

And no carbon zones would be within the range of hybrids for quite while anyway. The thinking appears to be engine for the open road, electric when urban as a transition to full electric.

I’m not going to do a good job at selling this stuff. Why not watch a few episodes of Fully Charged.

This is the christmas special so even has brexit, trump and leccy bikes, that should be enough for your average STWer.

anyone knows how to make that a picture in the post feel free.

@countzero, if you can get a tesla battery for 5-6k I would snap it up my friend as that estimate along with the rest of your post is wildly incorrect.
However you would have difficulty selling it to a Tesla owner as all the batteries are still under warranty except possibly the Roadsters – however as many owners of those are confidently predicting mileage in excess of 200,000 before the batteries are at 75% capacity I guess that is why they are still selling for up to 100k each even at 8 years old.
There is no evidence whatsoever that in any modern electric car the batteries are proving an issue which is why toyota for example provide an unlimited warranty on their hybrud batts. Of course cars break down and parts fail but that affects all vehicles.

Zero emission cities will be here well before 2025. You should learn a bit more about alternative energy sources as its very soon going to be the only game in town assuming we dont all die in a trump/putin induced fireball first

Hyundai IONIQ?

As to how long batteries last, BMW guarantee theirs for 8 years

A Zoe for £7k is fantastic value.

Electric cars are much nicer to drive in urban areas that internal combustion regardless of the health/environment benefits.

Since I got my PHEV, we have already said our second car will be a fully electric