How do ordinary people make the switch to electric vehicles ?

BOWFER

Deleted_User said:

BOWFER said:

MX5huggy said:

This isn’t to say Tesla’s sales figures aren’t impressive 

They're certainly worrying VW, and that's before the German Gigafactory is opened.
Can't help feeling VW have shot themselves in the foot with the ID3 though.
It's just plain odd looking.

I saw one today and thought it looked like a skoda Fabia. 

They're like a Golf that's let itself go.
I keep pointing them out to my wife and she keeps saying she's glad I went for the Leaf instead.
And, yes, I'm aware the Leaf isn't a paragon of beauty.

Jenni_D

My next company car (on order) will be a Volvo V60 PHEV ... if a BEV was offered I'd have gone for one but even a PHEV is a leap forward for my company. 🙄😁

BOWFER

Jenni_D said:

My next company car (on order) will be a Volvo V60 PHEV ... if a BEV was offered I'd have gone for one but even a PHEV is a leap forward for my company. 🙄😁

I hate hybrids, I'm sorry but I really do.
Only the most determined person will bother to plug them in as often as they need to provide any electric-only motion.
Even my meagre commute would need charging every flipping day and as easy as it is it would get very boring.
Good luck (if you want to use it as an electric car).
I hope the constant faff doesn't put you off a BEV.

BOWFER

Oh, while hybrids are being mentioned.
I see Toyota, the 'champion of hybrids', have announced they're doing a BEV.

Grumpy_chap

BOWFER said:

Oh, while hybrids are being mentioned.
I see Toyota, the 'champion of hybrids', have announced they're doing a BEV.

From what I saw online, and it is difficult to judge the size of it, this is a Toyota version of the Lexus UXe or NXe.  I think the smaller of the two.

I hope that Toyota can execute this better than Lexus with the UXe, which seems to be a car that exists only so that the manufacturer can claim to "be in the club" but seems rather unconvincing in almost every way given the excellent EVs available from others.

motorguy

JustAnotherSaver said:

BOWFER said:

£200 a month

So £2,400 per year then.

Neither the car I own now (ok, bit of a lemon) or the car before it cost that.

Take the last car I owned ... bought for £1,400, owned 11 years.

I don't count things like tyres and brakes. You expect these items about as regular as oil changes and the like. Obviously they cost but you know without doubt you'll be paying for them.

So things like that aside, and wiper blades etc...

In 11 years my car cost me 2 thermostats. I remember the first time was £80, let's say the second time was £100.

And an ECU which was £215 and I fitted it myself.

Aside from that it cost me nothing.

Your car alone on your £200 a month would've cost me £26,400. No thanks.

His car is electric though, so miniscule fuel costs.

Your calculations dont factor in fuel at all.

Nebulous2

Grumpy_chap said:

BOWFER said:

Oh, while hybrids are being mentioned.
I see Toyota, the 'champion of hybrids', have announced they're doing a BEV.

From what I saw online, and it is difficult to judge the size of it, this is a Toyota version of the Lexus UXe or NXe.  I think the smaller of the two.

I hope that Toyota can execute this better than Lexus with the UXe, which seems to be a car that exists only so that the manufacturer can claim to "be in the club" but seems rather unconvincing in almost every way given the excellent EVs available from others.

The reviews were mediocre to say the least - but that is because of the price. They have pitched it at a price point where there are a lot of pretty good cars - however to set your ears ringing, the 'monthlies' are not necessarily that bad. I saw one to lease at around £260 a month.  I even asked for a quote, but by that time it was no longer available.

None of the key competitors that the reviews say it doesn't measure up to were within £100 a month of that. That lease cost drops it a couple of classes, where it would be much more competitive. 

jimbo6977

I'm not against electric cars. In fact I regularly drove an electric Saxo for work before most people knew there was such a thing as an electric Saxo. Electricity is perfectly capable of powering a car in an acceptable way. 

However, in terms of climate stuff, may I refer you to:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7139797.stm

jimbo6977

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/21/arctic-will-be-ice-free-in-summer-next-year

Or maybe next year?

"FREE BEER TOMORROW!"

Ergates

jimbo6977 said:

I'm not against electric cars. In fact I regularly drove an electric Saxo for work before most people knew there was such a thing as an electric Saxo. Electricity is perfectly capable of powering a car in an acceptable way. 

However, in terms of climate stuff, may I refer you to:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7139797.stm

From within the article you linked:

"In the end, it will just melt away quite suddenly. It might not be as early as 2013 but it will be soon, much earlier than 2040."

"My thinking on this is that 2030 is not an unreasonable date to be thinking of."

And later, to the BBC, Dr Serreze added: "I think Wieslaw is probably a little aggressive in his projections, simply because the luck of the draw means natural variability can kick in to give you a few years in which the ice loss is a little less than you've had in previous years. But Wieslaw is a smart guy and it would not surprise me if his projections came out."

So even at the time of saying that, the scientist involved, and at least 2 others went on record accepting 2013 was an aggressive estimate and that later - 2030-2040 would be more likely.  Which kind of undermines your point.  Maybe come back in another 10 years once 2030 has passed and we'll see then.