Electric Car Debate

[Jon P]

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On street charging. Two of the founders are friends of mine. They are probably very disappointed that I drive a truck and have no interest in getting an EV.

That would work well on a modern housing estate, some of the pavements in the Welsh valleys are only just wide enough to put a wheelie bin on them and then it would restrict pushchairs - wheelchair users. - I suppose then Labour Government will have them all on push bikes by then though anyway.

 

[markj1]

That would work well on a modern housing estate, some of the pavements in the Welsh valleys are only just wide enough to put a wheelie bin on them and then it would restrict pushchairs - wheelchair users. - I suppose then Labour Government will have them all on push bikes by then though anyway.

We are not talking of a full size fast charging station. The slow public chargers we have here are either in lampposts, or in bollards. The bollards are thin, similar to a roadsign pole. Where there are streetlights, the bollard won't create any more instruction than the lampposts, because they actually thinner. But where the pavement is very narrow to the extent that there's no room for anything, not even a roadsign pole, then yes you are right, it will be difficult to install public street chargers.

See for example:

 

[Jon P]

We are not talking of a full size fast charging station. The slow public chargers we have here are either in lampposts, or in bollards. The bollards are thin, similar to a roadsign pole. Where there are streetlights, the bollard won't create any more instruction than the lampposts, because they actually thinner. But where the pavement is very narrow to the extent that there's no room for anything, not even a roadsign pole, then yes you are right, it will be difficult to install public street chargers.

See for example:

There are hundreds of streets like this in wales. Will be a difficult one to over come.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

We are not talking of a full size fast charging station. The slow public chargers we have here are either in lampposts, or in bollards. The bollards are thin, similar to a roadsign pole. Where there are streetlights, the bollard won't create any more instruction than the lampposts, because they actually thinner. But where the pavement is very narrow to the extent that there's no room for anything, not even a roadsign pole, then yes you are right, it will be difficult to install public street chargers.

See for example:

Now if I was still a young yobbo full of testosterone I would be snipping the cables through with insulated cutters just for the larf.

 

[markj1]

Now if I was still a young yobbo full of testosterone I would be snipping the cables through with insulated cutters just for the larf.

True, but it's easier to just kick the wing mirrors off. Yobs aren't known for their entrepreneurial skills....

 

[markj1]

There are hundreds of streets like this in wales. Will be a difficult one to over come.

Clearly built before The Equality Act 2010 came about ....... but yes, it's a problem that will need to be solved. British engineers are known for their ingenuity.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

True, but it's easier to just kick the wing mirrors off. Yobs aren't known for their entrepreneurial skills....

They did that in my street in Dover earlier this year, missed me though "scum".

 

[JTO]

I also read a trade paper for insurance procedures for EV if damaged - leave a minimum of 4m space around all sides of the vehicle whilst in for repairs...

This is what the Vauxhall bodyshop man told me.

 

[Smellydog]

There are hundreds of streets like this in wales. Will be a difficult one to over come.

Not just Wales mate

 

[dropmdead]

This is what the Vauxhall bodyshop man told me.

Imagine how much extra space is required for all EV in for repair...

 

[JTO]

Some peoples' pro-EV comments are on a par with the Pope's views on birth control.

 

[LuckyEddie]

Conclusion
Although driving from John O’Groats to Lands End May be a bit extreme, this does give a feeling of what life is like and it doesn’t take into account the cost of the cars.
EV took an extra 5hrs to do the journey and cost was more than twice the cost of the diesel.

I simply cannot afford an EV - both time and money wise and if it is forced upon me then I will simply give up everything and sit in the house ‘til my time comes.

 

[markj1]

Conclusion
Although driving from John O’Groats to Lands End May be a bit extreme, this does give a feeling of what life is like and it doesn’t take into account the cost of the cars.
EV took an extra 5hrs to do the journey and cost was more than twice the cost of the diesel.

I simply cannot afford an EV - both time and money wise and if it is forced upon me then I will simply give up everything and sit in the house ‘til my time comes.

Out of curiosity - how often do you drive from John O’Groats to Lands End?

 

[Smellydog]

I will simply give up everything and sit in the house ‘til my time comes.

That's what they probably really want to happen, after all they did deliberately let COVID in old folks homes!

 

[Freeforester]

Recognition of the depreciation - EV owners of a nervous disposition may want to change channel at this point!

 

[markj1]

Recognition of the depreciation - EV owners of a nervous disposition may want to change channel at this point!

True, but it's not the full picture....

The majority of new EVs here in the UK (mine included) were supplied via a business lease under a salary sacrifice scheme due to the very significant tax benefits.

This means that for business users such as myself the depreciation has already been factored into the monthly payments.

My EV is on a 4 year lease, at the end of which it goes back to the finance provider who will most likely auction it off.

If anything, it's good news for second hand buyers who will be able to bag one for a great price as these cars come of their leases and flood the second-hand csr market with cheap and heavily depreciation EVs.

 

[stephentri]

Would you buy one with your own money? Rather than a business lease

 

[markj1]

Would you buy one with your own money? Rather than a business lease

No, I wouldn't buy one, not just yet anyway. The business lease deal made it a no-brainer due to the saving via the tax breaks. Had I bought a car with my own money, my next cat would have probably been an EV, but I wouldn't have bought it now, instead I would have kept my old ICE car for a few more years.

 

[LuckyEddie]

Out of curiosity - how often do you drive from John O’Groats to Lands End?

Actually I’ve been to Wick twice in the last 3 months but more often to Inverness.

Typical site visit is.
Leaving just south of Motherwell first stop is Ballinluig Motor Grill. Second stop is at North Gateway Cafe. If the jobs are around / between Inverness and Aberdeen I might catch a lunch in Inverness or maybe one of the garden centres in between, before heading over to Aberdeen where I fuel up before heading down to Forfar for an overnight stay.
Roughly 12-13hrs all told with 20minute breaks.

If heading up to Wick I recommend stopping at the cafe at Evelix, (might be a wee stop in Tain but I wonder why) order a plate of scampi and chips and you get 13pieces of scampi!
The run up to Wick has been about 7&1/2hrs maybe 8. Given I work an 8&3/4hr day the remainder is taken as a rest as the drive is knackering. (Kudos to those who travel to stalk up there.)

Last run was 760miles as I came back down the east coast, so it does almost equate to John O’Groats to Lands End.

I’m not sure the company would be grateful if I wasted time waiting for a charger to come free or trying to find one that’s working, and it would bore the pants off of me!

 

[markj1]

Actually I’ve been to Wick twice in the last 3 months but more often to Inverness.

Typical site visit is.
Leaving just south of Motherwell first stop is Ballinluig Motor Grill. Second stop is at North Gateway Cafe. If the jobs are around / between Inverness and Aberdeen I might catch a lunch in Inverness or maybe one of the garden centres in between, before heading over to Aberdeen where I fuel up before heading down to Forfar for an overnight stay.
Roughly 12-13hrs all told with 20minute breaks.

If heading up to Wick I recommend stopping at the cafe at Evelix, (might be a wee stop in Tain but I wonder why) order a plate of scampi and chips and you get 13pieces of scampi!
The run up to Wick has been about 7&1/2hrs maybe 8. Given I work an 8&3/4hr day the remainder is taken as a rest as the drive is knackering. (Kudos to those who travel to stalk up there.)

Last run was 760miles as I came back down the east coast, so it does almost equate to John O’Groats to Lands End.

I’m not sure the company would be grateful if I wasted time waiting for a charger to come free or trying to find one that’s working, and it would bore the pants off of me!

Wow... that's some driving.

I think my point was that different cars are suitable for different applications... I have an EV and my annual mileage is 2000, so it works well for me.

But obviously, it's far from ideal for your circumstances.