Are we being forced to go electric?

[youngoldbloke]

How often do you do 400 miles without stopping ?

I've not done that ever in 37 years of driving.

Relatively often drive a 360 mile/180 mile each way return trip in one day, no charger at the destination. Driving elsewhere to charge would cut into the time available for the visit so as to make it pointless. as would stopping en-route to charge. Perhaps charging speeds and availability of an appropriate vehicle at reasonable and affordable cost will improve, but for the moment and the forseeable future it looks like we will have to continue to use a diesel or petrol vehicle. Until recently a 350 mile one-way trip, with one short 10 minute stop, was not unusual.

 

[Scottish Scrutineer]

What will be situation regarding heavy goods vehicles, construction and agricultural vehicles, non electrified rail propulsion if diesel becomes difficult to find and expensive to buy. Is EV technology advancing quickly enough in these areas?

These sectors have already started to use alternative fuels and power units. JCB are manufacturing and supplying hydrogen powered ICE in their construction and agricultural equipment.
Many logistics companies are using gas (methane and bio-methane) to power heavy haulage trucks. These have a range of 1500+km per tank, emit 95% less PM, 90% less NO2, and 90% less CO2 (biomethane)

 

[Dadam]

The government has encouraged motor manufacturers to phase out diesel and petrol vehicles and as the absence of vehicle choice is now beginning to emerge, being forced is very much the case. Added to this my annoyance extends to the inadquate infrastructure to support the use of both electric and hydrogen vehicles.

Get a grip, you've still got loads of choice! In fact right now you've never had more choice: petrol, diesel, mild hybrid, plugin hybrid etc etc. The infrastructure is improving all the time. So by the time you don't have much choice it will be better still.

You are "forced" to buy an ICE car with a catalytic converter because they can't sell one without. If you buy a diesel you're "forced" to have a DPF filter on it too.

 

[icowden]

Most folk do when covering huge distances , problem is where you stop , will you be able to recharge ? Right now it would scare me a bit If I’m honest ! Just been on the Zap Map app and I’m not filed with confidence just round my work place !!

Roughly where is your workplace?

 

[icowden]

Relatively often drive a 360 mile/180 mile each way return trip in one day, no charger at the destination.

No charger relatively near the destination? But fair enough. You have looked at your use case, and you are right, at the moment you would have to add to the time it takes to get there and back. That said, the quickest you can drive there is 2 hours and 34 mins assuming 70mph from start to finish and no stops. I'd submit that the true journey time is at least 3 hours if not longer. You are advised to take at least a 15 minute break every 2 hours in the Highway code. If you did that both ways you would have the range to complete the journey.

 

[youngoldbloke]

No charger relatively near the destination?

Probably, but I can't walk more than a few hundred yards. There isn't an appropriate and affordable EV available at the moment that is capable of a non stop 180 mile journey. AFAIK.

 

[cougie uk]

I mean we've moved house twice so really I should have bought a removal van, but instead we have an EV with a small ish battery that does 99.5% of journeys just on a home charge and I can cope with having to hire a van or charge away from home very very occasionally.

6 hours driving on top of working sounds like a looooong day to me.

You really should be breaking up the journey.

 

[icowden]

Probably, but I can't walk more than a few hundred yards. There isn't an appropriate and affordable EV available at the moment that is capable of a non stop 180 mile journey. AFAIK.

Almost all mid range and above EVs can manage a non-stop 180 mile journey. It's the 360 mile journey which isn't *quite* there yet unless you can afford a luxury car:

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars-vans/108345/top-10-longest-range-electric-cars-sale-2023
The Merc EQS 450 will get you there and back, as will a Tesla S long range, Merc EQE, BMW i & The Ioniq 6 although you are starting to get a bit close for comfort. Tesla 3 will leave you 16 miles in the tank.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Roughly where is your workplace?

I’m at the Outskirts of Edinburgh , west . Plenty chargers I can see but the app doesn’t say if they are working ?

 

[youngoldbloke]

Almost all mid range and above EVs can manage a non-stop 180 mile journey. It's the 360 mile journey which isn't *quite* there yet unless you can afford a luxury car:

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars-vans/108345/top-10-longest-range-electric-cars-sale-2023
The Merc EQS 450 will get you there and back, as will a Tesla S long range, Merc EQE, BMW i & The Ioniq 6 although you are starting to get a bit close for comfort. Tesla 3 will leave you 16 miles in the tank.

How many of those vehicles will carry an unfolded wheelchair behind the second row of seats? I don't want a luxury car I want one that functions for us at an affordable price - below £30000. There are few enough ICE vehicles to choose from currently with the carrying capacity we require - as a result of the demise of the true estate car (but that's for another thread maybe....)

 

[Ming the Merciless]

That said, the quickest you can drive there is 2 hours and 34 mins assuming 70mph from start to finish and no stops.

Over many years of long distance trips the average speed never got out of the 50s. I suspect average speeds are even lower with the massive increase in traffic over the last couple of decades.

 

[cougie uk]

I’m at the Outskirts of Edinburgh , west . Plenty chargers I can see but the app doesn’t say if they are working ?

What app is that ? Instavolt for one tells you how many chargers are in use for one.

 

[icowden]

How many of those vehicles will carry an unfolded wheelchair behind the second row of seats? I don't want a luxury car I want one that functions for us at an affordable price - below £30000. There are few enough ICE vehicles to choose from currently with the carrying capacity we require - as a result of the demise of the true estate car (but that's for another thread maybe....)

That's a tricky one. There are some EVs coming. the e-berlingo would work, but it doesn't have the range. The MG5 long range has 250 miles. The Tesla Y might be worth a look, it has pretty decent boot space. The e_NV200 from Nissan definitely does but only has 100 mile range. At the top end, you'd almost certainly get it in a Tesla X!

 

[CXRAndy]

Young old bloke's special situation is an outlier in requirements.

Generally EVs will cover 99% of the population's requirements to commute to work and travel to tourist destinations with a comfort/rest stop incorporating a top up charge.

Just to keep the pertinent statistic at the forefront- 95% of all car journeys are 35miles or less per day.

 

[Scottish Scrutineer]

Been to France plenty of times, most employees get Saturday and Sunday off, and just about everything shuts on a Sunday and Jours Feries, most HGV’s will be multi drop on Monday to Friday and are back at base on weekends, but I’ve seen plenty of foreign trucks from all over Europe on the Autoroute on weekends going to/from the ferries

I used to work in haulage, including driving in Europe. Most HGV movements are prohibited on Sundays in France, the exceptions were for perishables (usually in fridge vans) heading to market or ferries. As you say, most drivers then use the weekends for their weekly rest period as required by drivers hours regulations, which require 3hrs continuous rest (no work). At weekends it is common to see lots of HGVs parked up at Service Areas, effectively the driver is stopped there for 24-36hrs.

In respect of weekends and particularly Sundays, France has a good setup, Supermarkets closed, businesses closed, no deliveries means people relax, socialise, exercise and generally switch off from work. People need time to recharge, just like EVs