Goodbye to private motoring...from just 9 years?

NBLondon

Herzlos said:

Take a look at the crap cars filling up every car park in the country. Almost no-one cares about a fun driving experience, it's just a white box to get from A to B as cheaply as possible. EV's will be hugely successful in that regard due to cost and convenience.

Yup - there are plenty of people for whom a car is an appliance.  Does it carry all their stuff, in reasonable comfort and with their preferred gadgets installed?   A subset care about the badge on the back (or what other people think of the badge on the back).   If they have access to enough charge points (for those who can't charge at home), they won't be bothered about whether it's electric or powered by magic.

On a stroll round the neighbourhood on Friday night, I spotted what looked like a new charge point of some sort at the edge of the pavement.  Just the one.  I haven't heard of any initiatives in the area and was wondering if someone had actually taken the gamble to pay (the council?) to be able to install one outside their house.  The gamble being - there's no way to ensure the space is available when you need it.   Unless you paid the council for the right to restrict parking as well?  Not sure how that would work.

A spin-off thought.  What about Motability vehicles?  They are usually bought new and replaced regularly.  Are there enough EV options for all the modified needs - e.g. a wheelchair carrying small van?  Will there be suitable charging points in all Blue Badge parking spaces?

AdrianC

[Deleted User] said:

As for stopping Heathrow expansion, it's a rare example of him getting it right.

He didn't stop it.

He merely threw a ridiculous and completely unworkable alternative into the mix for a while.

If anything stops it, it'll be a global drop in demand post-Covid. But that notwithstanding, it continues to drag through the courts - with the current delays being because the government apparently ignored their legally-binding climate obligations.
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/heathrow-airport-third-runway-appeal-delay-2030-supreme-court-b908330.html

Car_54

AdrianC said:

[Deleted User] said:

As for stopping Heathrow expansion, it's a rare example of him getting it right.

He didn't stop it.

He merely threw a ridiculous and completely unworkable alternative into the mix for a while.

But, but ... he also laid down in front of the bulldozers. Or at least said he'd lie down. Or at least lie.

AdrianC

[Deleted User] said:

AdrianC said:

[Deleted User] said:

As for stopping Heathrow expansion, it's a rare example of him getting it right.

He didn't stop it.

He merely threw a ridiculous and completely unworkable alternative into the mix for a while.

But, but ... he also laid down in front of the bulldozers. Or at least said he'd lie down. Or at least lie.

Remind me - was it the same ditch, or a different one?

Mickey666

Herzlos said:

JamoLew said:

The cost of driving and having fun doing so rarely comes into it -- so the saving a few £ a year isn't attractive at all to most car people

Take a look at the crap cars filling up every car park in the country. Almost no-one cares about a fun driving experience, it's just a white box to get from A to B as cheaply as possible. EV's will be hugely successful in that regard due to cost and convenience.

There's also no reason an EV couldn't be a fun driving experience, once you get over the lack of engine noise. Have a look at some EV drag races on youtube to see how fast they can go in a straight line. Unless you've driven one you're almost certainly underestimating it.

Anyone serious about a ‘fun driving experience’ would be spending their time and money on track days or even club racing.  Public roads are no place for ‘boy racers’ with self-esteem issues.

Herzlos

Mickey666 said:

Herzlos said:

JamoLew said:

The cost of driving and having fun doing so rarely comes into it -- so the saving a few £ a year isn't attractive at all to most car people

Take a look at the crap cars filling up every car park in the country. Almost no-one cares about a fun driving experience, it's just a white box to get from A to B as cheaply as possible. EV's will be hugely successful in that regard due to cost and convenience.

There's also no reason an EV couldn't be a fun driving experience, once you get over the lack of engine noise. Have a look at some EV drag races on youtube to see how fast they can go in a straight line. Unless you've driven one you're almost certainly underestimating it.

Anyone serious about a ‘fun driving experience’ would be spending their time and money on track days or even club racing.  Public roads are no place for ‘boy racers’ with self-esteem issues.

NBLondon said:

On a stroll round the neighbourhood on Friday night, I spotted what looked like a new charge point of some sort at the edge of the pavement.  Just the one.  I haven't heard of any initiatives in the area and was wondering if someone had actually taken the gamble to pay (the council?) to be able to install one outside their house.  The gamble being - there's no way to ensure the space is available when you need it.   Unless you paid the council for the right to restrict parking as well?  Not sure how that would work.

There are chargers popping up everywhere. 2 new sets in my town in the last few months, and I stumbled across 4 chargers in a gravel car park in the middle of nowhere.

NBLondon said:

A spin-off thought.  What about Motability vehicles?  They are usually bought new and replaced regularly.  Are there enough EV options for all the modified needs - e.g. a wheelchair carrying small van?  Will there be suitable charging points in all Blue Badge parking spaces?

Supply and demand, there may not be now but there will be at some point. There's already some people carriers and SUVs.

rtho782

A._Badger said:

rtho782 said:

I'll leave the obvious points for others but if you can afford to buy, fuel, maintain, and repair that range rover sport, you can afford an EV, so the coming ban won't impact your ability to travel anyway.

Unless he's happy being limited to journeys of a couple of hundred miles and doesn't need air conditioning or a heater...
 

Not really, given the price of a RR Sport Autobiography, he could have had a Tesla Model S Long Range Plus, with 405 miles range, and £10k spare left over.

To say mothing of the fact that I manage 200 miles with heating in my little Zoe 52kW.

silverwhistle

facade said:

John_ said:

What’s that then?

As it was made in Poland, I'm guessing a Panda 4x4

My guess too and actually, the non 4x4 Panda is a very capable vehicle on snow. I used to live in the Italian Alps and can also vouch for it taking 5 adults up a snowy road to an agriturismo. My friend knows how to drive on snow..

silverwhistle

Biggus_Dickus said:

...allegedly!

Actually it's been through the courts (well, at least one of the cases), so no need for the allegedly, it's a matter of public record! :-)

John_

rtho782 said:

I'll leave the obvious points for others but if you can afford to buy, fuel, maintain, and repair that range rover sport, you can afford an EV, so the coming ban won't impact your ability to travel anyway.

I’ve a Tesla Model S as well, but it’s not really a very good car.
Currently smaller electric cars are brilliant around town, and I hope that in a few years as technology improves that they’ll also be good at all the other things that cars are great at.