Are we being forced to go electric?

[Gunk]

EV’s are expensive as the batteries need rare earth metals such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, which are not readily available. As consumers demand more range, the cars need more batteries. The issue which we haven’t seen yet is the longevity of these cars, the batteries loose efficiency every time they’re charged, so fine of you are the first user for three years, but some Tesla Model X’s are coming up for 10 years old. They are a brave buy.

 

[Chislenko]

There's no auto box. The motor has a huge range.
I basically drive mine like a gi kart. One pedal driving 99% of the time.
Once you lift off the accelerator it starts to slow down and will stop.
Actually using the brake pedal is quite rare. Who wants to wear out their discs ?

I don't think the stopping distance is any different to any other car.

Do range rovers have twice the distance of say a fiesta?

Cheers, a bit like a twist and go electric scooter then really.

Presumably Cruise Control is compatible with these motors?

 

[DRM]

Probably economies of scale play a part. Comparatively new tech is going to be more expensive than stuff that's been refined over decades.
Plus I think people are prepared to pay a bit of a premium for them.

That’s the thing it’s not new tech at all, the materials handling industry have been building trucks with this technology in it for at least the last 30 years, it’s well proven that it works, the only difference being a forklift will run on either24, 48, or 80 volts, cars are on 600 to 800 volt batteries, all the electronics are really quite old hat now.

 

[cougie uk]

Cheers, a bit like a twist and go electric scooter then really.

Presumably Cruise Control is compatible with these motors?

Yes and adaptive CC too - so you set your max speed and it will drive in traffic - if there's a car ahead of you it will slow down and when you change lanes or the car exits - it will get back up to your maximum speed. Definitely not self driving but it's a bit of an aid.

 

[cougie uk]

That’s the thing it’s not new tech at all, the materials handling industry have been building trucks with this technology in it for at least the last 30 years, it’s well proven that it works, the only difference being a forklift will run on either24, 48, or 80 volts, cars are on 600 to 800 volt batteries, all the electronics are really quite old hat now.

Probably a bit different for a high speed long distance car compared to a slow and heavy forklift where bulk and weight aren't really an issue though ?

 

[DRM]

Cheers, a bit like a twist and go electric scooter then really.

Presumably Cruise Control is compatible with these motors?

Yes very easily, the controller can be rigged to have cruise control, much simpler than on an ice car, with the controller also being easily programmed to keep to speed limits, using gps, & a camera that recognises speed limit signs

 

[DRM]

Probably a bit different for a high speed long distance car compared to a slow and heavy forklift where bulk and weight aren't really an issue though ?

No it’s exactly the same technology, had a look at a Tesla years ago and the salesman was waffling on, he was most deflated when I could recognise, and tell him exactly how it works in more detail, the a/c chopper box and traction motors are exactly the same, just the operating voltage is different, it’s basic ohm’s law increase the voltage, decrease the current draw.
Also they will spec the reduction gear to suit the vehicles use, ie in a fork truck it doesn’t need to go above 18 mph, but needs to set off with a full load, where as a car needs to accelerate from stand still and run up to motorway speeds.

 

[Deleted User]

You can still buy a brand new 2 stroke motorcycle

https://www.langenmotorcycles.co.uk/product/langen-two-stroke

28k, be seeing plenty of those on the roads.

 

[DRM]

Also regarding cost, the car has a built in battery charger too, the price of Li-ion charger is eye watering

 

[Chislenko]

Yes and adaptive CC too - so you set your max speed and it will drive in traffic - if there's a car ahead of you it will slow down and when you change lanes or the car exits - it will get back up to your maximum speed. Definitely not self driving but it's a bit of an aid.

I suppose my reluctance to buying an EV is the limited driving I do nowadays and the initial outlay. When I bought my present car it was my "retirement car" that was going to last me basically unti I stop driving.

It is now seven years old and has done 31k. If you factor in following Wales all over France at Euro 2016 (5000 miles) four trips to Portugal at circa 4000 miles each that is obviously 21k.

So my "normal" mileage is less than 1500 a year so the initial outlay hardly seems worth it. (Our place in Portugal is under offer so we will not be making those trips anymore)

So for 1500 miles a year that is barely three fills of the tank (70 litre tank at circa 50 mph) even at £1.70 a litre it doesn't even work out to £400 a year.

Like a few on here I do more miles a year pedal power than in the car!

So for me financially it just doesn't seem worth it.

The wife's car is however now coming on 15 years old so when / if it gives up the ghost we will probably go electric for her (basically goes shopping in it, similar annual mileage to myself)

 

[figbat]

Actually using the brake pedal is quite rare. Who wants to wear out their discs ?

Same here for using the brakes, very rare, but since my car is FWD it blends in rear brakes on regen deceleration to maintain vehicle stability - this is obvious when cleaning the car as the rear wheels are far dirtier than the fronts - total opposite to ICE cars.

 

[cougie uk]

I suppose my reluctance to buying an EV is the limited driving I do nowadays and the initial outlay. When I bought my present car it was my "retirement car" that was going to last me basically unti I stop driving.

It is now seven years old and has done 31k. If you factor in following Wales all over France at Euro 2016 (5000 miles) four trips to Portugal at circa 4000 miles each that is obviously 21k.

So my "normal" mileage is less than 1500 a year so the initial outlay hardly seems worth it. (Our place in Portugal is under offer so we will not be making those trips anymore)

So for 1500 miles a year that is barely three fills of the tank (70 litre tank at circa 50 mph) even at £1.70 a litre it doesn't even work out to £400 a year.

Like a few on here I do more miles a year pedal power than in the car!

So for me financially it just doesn't seem worth it.

The wife's car is however now coming on 15 years old so when / if it gives up the ghost we will probably go electric for her (basically goes shopping in it, similar annual mileage to myself)

It might be worth looking into a really old EV you know. Like the first Leaf - 24kwh. You won't have a huge range but it'd cover your weekly range very easily - and if you got solar - you'd never need to pay for fuel !

 

[DRM]

I suppose my reluctance to buying an EV is the limited driving I do nowadays and the initial outlay. When I bought my present car it was my "retirement car" that was going to last me basically unti I stop driving.

It is now seven years old and has done 31k. If you factor in following Wales all over France at Euro 2016 (5000 miles) four trips to Portugal at circa 4000 miles each that is obviously 21k.

So my "normal" mileage is less than 1500 a year so the initial outlay hardly seems worth it. (Our place in Portugal is under offer so we will not be making those trips anymore)

So for 1500 miles a year that is barely three fills of the tank (70 litre tank at circa 50 mph) even at £1.70 a litre it doesn't even work out to £400 a year.

Like a few on here I do more miles a year pedal power than in the car!

So for me financially it just doesn't seem worth it.

The wife's car is however now coming on 15 years old so when / if it gives up the ghost we will probably go electric for her (basically goes shopping in it, similar annual mileage to myself)

Same with us, our car is 5 years old, only done 22,300 miles and it’s going to be still perfectly usable in 8 years time, by which time I don’t think I’d be wanting to buy a new car anyway

 

[Gunk]

28k, be seeing plenty of those on the roads.

I’d rather buy a good restored RD400 for £9000

 

[midlife]

There's no auto box. The motor has a huge range.
I basically drive mine like a gi kart. One pedal driving 99% of the time.
Once you lift off the accelerator it starts to slow down and will stop.
Actually using the brake pedal is quite rare. Who wants to wear out their discs ?

I don't think the stopping distance is any different to any other car.

Do range rovers have twice the distance of say a fiesta?

There is no conventional gearbox as in ICE cars but I thought EVs had reduction gears in the drive?