Are we being forced to go electric?

[HMS_Dave]

Indeed @Jenkins all that helps if not forces uptake, i was simply referring to how they perform in colder climates. Even with such incentives, you might figure that no one would buy them if the battery was flat after 30 miles in the winter. I could be wrong though.

 

[FishFright]

But that won't be so easy if everyone needs those chargers. It works at the moment because a small minority of car users drive EVs. Charging infrastructure will need to keep pace with demand, and batteries improve to give much longer range and much faster charging. I don't stop for a coffee on long journeys at the moment, and I don't wish to have to start doing so. If I could recharge in the time it takes for a quick 'comfort break' that would be great, and maybe then I'd consider an EV.

I won't accept any change that means I might have to change even a tiny bit.

 

[chris-suffolk]

Norway has one of the highest adoption rates of EV's with over half of new cars being battery powered. There climate i would claim is much cooler country than ours. I don't know any Norwegians to give you a hands on example on running one out there, but their adoption rate is increasing every year and shows no sign of slowing down, can't be too bad i would have though.

That may well be true, but my question was how well do they tow, and what happens to range / battery performance when they do, rather than cold weather.

 

[youngoldbloke]

I won't accept any change that means I might have to change even a tiny bit.

There isn't an EV available currently that meets my requirements and/or is affordable, so the issue of forced coffee stops doesn't arise. I try to spend as little time as possible in Motorway services, loathsome places.

 

[HMS_Dave]

That may well be true, but my question was how well do they tow, and what happens to range / battery performance when they do, rather than cold weather.

I could have swore that was the first thing you wrote in your sentence. I hope you find a more useful answer to your question.

 

[Alex321]

Presumably they don't have petrol pumps in the workplace either.

Probably not, but that is no good reason not to have EV charge points. They don't have petrol umps at most homes either.

 

[Alex321]

I didn't say I didn't stop, and how about driver swaps anyway?

True, driver swaps can allow you to complete a long journey without much in the way of stops.

Have you ever stopped at a busy motorway services on a summer Saturday? Unless there is a huge increase in the number of chargers there could be complete chaos if the number of EVs increases to the desired levels.

There certainly would be with current numbers, agreed, but there absolutely certainly WILL be a huge increase in the number of chargers.

 

[DRM]

That may well be true, but my question was how well do they tow, and what happens to range / battery performance when they do, rather than cold weather.

https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/blog/product-and-outfit-reviews/towcar-reviews/towing-with-a-tesla/
might be worth a read, the main stumbling block is the pathetic 1000 kg towing limit from Tesla, the car was a long range model 3, they set off fully charged and the car showed an expected range of 360 miles, that was then recalculated after 6 miles as having lost 100 miles range, or 27.8% of range, which is roughly the same towing a much larger and heavier caravan with a 200 Tdi Discovery 28% worse economy, from 35 Mpg to 25 Mpg, however it had all the aerodynamic advantages of a breeze block, and the full length roof rack didn’t help either, so in my experience comparing the Tesla to an old Disco, the Tesla is a worse tow vehicle imho not enough capacity, the Disco could tow just about anything, and the Tesla certainly won’t get you on to or off a muddy field, my old LR did easily.

 

[cougie uk]

There isn't an EV available currently that meets my requirements and/or is affordable, so the issue of forced coffee stops doesn't arise. I try to spend as little time as possible in Motorway services, loathsome places.

There's also places just off the motorway. Usually far nicer.

 

[CXRAndy]

There's also places just off the motorway. Usually far nicer.

Exactly, we plan our journeys around coming off motorways and heading to a nice village/town or country pub for lunch. Some have EV chargers, but currently we charge on the main network.

That's the difference, we don't see the journey as a chore, we build in things to see, eat, rest a little. I actually hate driving these days, but it becomes a whole lot more palatable when you take time to explore, come off the main highways.

 

[CXRAndy]

Tesla certainly won’t get you on to or off a muddy field, my old LR did easily.

Very few road cars would, land rover have intermediate or knobbly tyres as standard.

The counter argument, my Tesla can do 0-60 in sub 4 secs, no landrover can do that.

Well except this one

Its Tesla powered


View: https://youtu.be/hoF3kl5dXac

 

[figbat]

If you want a comparable towing EV there’s always the Rivian. Nearly 5 tonnes of towing capacity (R1T) and apparently the range is hit by around a half.

 

[rogerzilla]

I really thought I was going to buy an EV this time but the economics have completely changed: no grants, no subsidised home chargers, VED (at punitive "luxury" rates for the many EVs over £40,000), vastly higher electricity prices and the price of EVs hasn't come down relative to petrol cars. So you pay far more when new and never recoup the cost.

Even a cheap EV with rubbish range comes out at more per month than I think is sensible money for a car.

 

[mistyoptic]

Very few road cars would, land rover have intermediate or knobbly tyres as standard.

The counter argument, my Tesla can do 0-60 in sub 4 secs, no landrover can do that.

Well except this one

Its Tesla powered


View: https://youtu.be/hoF3kl5dXac

That's not a counter argument. You don't NEED to do 0-60 in sub 4 secs

 

[CXRAndy]

I really thought I was going to buy an EV this time but the economics have completely changed: no grants, no subsidised home chargers, VED (at punitive "luxury" rates for the many EVs over £40,000), vastly higher electricity prices and the price of EVs hasn't come down relative to petrol cars. So you pay far more when new and never recoup the cost.

Even a cheap EV with rubbish range comes out at more per month than I think is sensible money for a car.

Two, three old model 3s selling at £25k. Lot of car, cheap as chips to run, fast as fook and practical 5 seat saloon .