How do ordinary people make the switch to electric vehicles ?

conkerlad

 that's why people on at income buy cheap polluting second had vehicles instead.

This narrative of pollution caused by petrol and diesel cars is astonishing. Lithium needed for batteries not to mention the ethical side to lithium mining equates to very similar pollution. EV charging is growing far quicker than the distribution network can handle and when demand is high? Yeah they fire up the coal fired power stations once more as the renewable energy sources just cannot handle the demand.

Give it 5 years and the second hand market will be flooded with EV cars worth absolutely nothing.

Money_Grabber13579

conkerlad said:

 that's why people on at income buy cheap polluting second had vehicles instead.

This narrative of pollution caused by petrol and diesel cars is astonishing. Lithium needed for batteries not to mention the ethical side to lithium mining equates to very similar pollution. EV charging is growing far quicker than the distribution network can handle and when demand is high? Yeah they fire up the coal fired power stations once more as the renewable energy sources just cannot handle the demand.

Give it 5 years and the second hand market will be flooded with EV cars worth absolutely nothing.

What about all the energy needed to extract the crude oil out of the ground? And then to refine it into petrol/diesel? And to transport it to filing stations? What about the mining of platinum which is used in catalytic converters?

It’s astonishing that some people swallow everything they read in the Daily Mail.

MikeJXE

WJB1971 said:

I have worked all my life and having done so have got to the point where I own a Volvo XC60 of which I am very fond, it isn't new, it is several years old but it is mine.

However, I accept there is need to go electric and would like to do so.

The nearest comparable vehicle all electric would be the Volvo XC40 but at round the £60k mark there is no way I can afford to make that change. Looking for a second hand SUV I might be able to afford it would be a Kia Soul, and with the best will in the world they are just not comparable vehicles.

The biggest problem then to ordinary people wanting to make the change and to try and be greener, is the cost to us, and because we cannot afford it, we have to accept having a smaller car not of our choice, or carry on polluting.

What about leasing ? I am sorry but if you think any of us earning 20k a year can afford to lease and manage the rest of life's living expenses then think again.

What about grants and such ? yes but we still have to find the rest of the money and most of us don't have it.

So those of us with least will end up driving a polluting car because we cannot afford to do otherwise. We will end up having to pay more and more for doing so, which will make finding the money to change even more impossible. We will be frowned upon for still driving such a car by those who can afford to go green.

Anyone got a solution ?

Yes me.

Stick with what you have, in the grand scope of things you or me switching to electric will not make a blind bit of difference 

I have a 7 year old Jaguar, probably my last car, certainly won't be swapping it for something I can't afford just to be going green. 

There will be many disagree with me but that's their choice

mgfvvc

MikeJXE said:
Stick with what you have, in the grand scope of things you or me switching to electric will not make a blind bit of difference

True for us individually, but if everyone takes that attitude then it makes a big difference.

MikeJXE said:
There will be many disagree with me but that's their choice

Everyone has to make a judgement as to their priorities. 

I will go electric at some point, but the right car isn't available yet, so I'm still driving petrol cars.

born_again

conkerlad said:

 that's why people on at income buy cheap polluting second had vehicles instead.

This narrative of pollution caused by petrol and diesel cars is astonishing. Lithium needed for batteries not to mention the ethical side to lithium mining equates to very similar pollution. EV charging is growing far quicker than the distribution network can handle and when demand is high? Yeah they fire up the coal fired power stations once more as the renewable energy sources just cannot handle the demand.

Give it 5 years and the second hand market will be flooded with EV cars worth absolutely nothing.

Oh, dear.
It's so bad at the moment that there is so much surplus energy from renewables that I'm charging our 2 EV's during the day @ 7.5p as well as ALL other house usage. Got to love Intelligent Octopus. 

So not sure where this renewables can not handle demand comes from 🤣

PixelPound

WellKnownSid said:

There are nine pages of brand new Corsa-e's on Autotrader - the lowest priced ones are 40% off.

Reminds me of DFS sofa's that are nearly always on sale. Makes you wonder if the RRP is set high on purpose.

PixelPound

born_again said:

@Flight3287462

Tesla is already using cobalt-free LFP batteries in half of its new cars produced. 

Petroleum manufacture uses more in the refining of fuel. Cobalt is also used in the petroleum industry as a catalyst when refining crude oil. This is to clean it of its sulfur content, which is very polluting when burned and causes acid rain.


As to affordability of EV.

PX 2020 Niro 4 Hybrid 20K miles for 2021 Niro 4+EV 9K miles cost me £4K. Good deal. As they are same spec. Running costs 9p a mile less.

So £4K for a car 1 year newer. Your old car was a Hybrid rather than ICE only, so probably higher px value. At 9p/mile you'll need to do nearly 45K miles to break even.

It's going to be a while before EV are affordable to those who don't by new cars. There will be a point, but not yet. Though I guess as ICE production is switched off, prices of 2nd hand ICE might pick up by those not wanting to switch, and more EV production mean bigger discounts to shift stock. 

Dandytf

My only ICE to EV example as follows.
I suspect there could still have been one of those Gov type promotions in place during 2021.
Only as my petrol Clo was fully cleared of outstanding finance with healthy deposit towards 2015 Zoe.
Zoe is slightly higher HP repayments rising mid 200 per month from Clio 190's approx.
Service+Mot 3 yrs packs are reccommended, tbh not great deal of cost difference with EV only standard Aux Battery and mostly standard vehicle parts.

It's my next EV that's going to be more difficult financially, unless recent prices drop V Zoe no longer being made.
I'm currently in yr 2 of 4 yrs finance, Negative trade in which suspect means Min or Zero deposit value from yr 4.

Decent enough EV experience, If I manage next one then it will have more range and Ive No intention of returning to ICE.

WellKnownSid

I would definitely test drive a few once you have a shortlist - we were surprised at how different they all are, some manufacturers have done a better job of electrification than others.

Herzlos

conkerlad said:

 that's why people on at income buy cheap polluting second had vehicles instead.

This narrative of pollution caused by petrol and diesel cars is astonishing. Lithium needed for batteries not to mention the ethical side to lithium mining equates to very similar pollution. EV charging is growing far quicker than the distribution network can handle and when demand is high? Yeah they fire up the coal fired power stations once more as the renewable energy sources just cannot handle the demand.

Give it 5 years and the second hand market will be flooded with EV cars worth absolutely nothing.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a42417327/lithium-supply-batteries-electric-vehicles/

There's enough lithium for about 8.8 billion electric cars, that's more than 1 each.

Not that you care about the facts, but it's also recyclable; assuming an EV only lasts 14 years like an ICE, you'll be able to re-use most of the rare battery metals on the next car.

I believe EV manufacturers are moving away from lithium anyway.


How does that compare to the gallons of refined oil needed for an ICE car?