Electric vehicles, pros and cons. Have your say.

[fraser]

Personally I think that electric vehicles are perfect for some people's uses/positions, but are completely useless for others.
Here's an example of being useless.
I met my mates brother for the first time yesterday. During the conversation he told me he was a PH driver, who exclusively does airport runs. He's an independent, who doesn't advertise, but has relied on word of mouth for bookings. He had just picked up a Zoe for his wife, and I commented that it wouldn't be very good for his work.
Well, the floodgates opened on the most incredible rant.
He runs a diesel Merc van based people carrier that seats 8, and still has enough space for luggage. He is based in Herefordshire, but will drop of and pick up to/from any airport in the UK but Northern ones are rare.
He said he usually does between 3 and 6 deliveries a day, and covers 100k a year. Each van gets replaced after 3 years with the latest model. He said Mercedes have an all electric normal van (eVito), but don't have an equivalent to his people carrier. The eVito is designed for local journeys only, with a max of 160miles battery life, and just over 1000kg load allowance.
He says he that 8 people and luggage is always over 1000kgs, plus the weight of the seats and interior that the van doesn't have.
His concerns are -
Availability of chargers.
Range being reduced as he always either has the AC or heating on for his passengers.
His journeys usually have at least 6 people in the vehicle, plus associated luggage, further reducing range.

He believes that the above concerns may mean that he will spend an extra couple of hours on each job, reducing the number of jobs to no more than 3. This will mean that he will lose customers, as he will not be able to be as flexible with them about times he can pick up/drop off.
So he said he will continue with his diesel Merc. I asked about 2030 when diesels will no longer be sold. Reply was - If there's not a decent Merc hybrid that can do the job by then, he's going to buy 3 of the people carriers he already has new just before they are no longer sold. Mothball 2 and drive one for 3 years, get the next one out, another 3 years, final one out, and drive until it can no longer get a PH license. He reckons by then, he will be ready to retire.

He did say the Zoe is perfect for him and his wife to use around Herefordshire. 2 year lease for roughly £300 a month he said, and gets cheap night time electricity from octopus.

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[cros]

300 quid a month? I can live on less than that. Has everyone gone bonkers?

[JimH]

Electric vehicles have truly taken over from dismals as the dull cunt's ride of choice. You may have fuck all personality or anything to say but you will still be able to hold a conversation if you have an electric car. Sure the other party may have a glassy stare or keep making pleading glances to everyone else in the room but you'll still have something to talk about. Over and over and over again.

Yes! Bore the tits off everyone at your table at a wedding with your tales of how you got their in only fifteen charging stations. Explain how it was actually a good thing you were waiting at Keele services for as little as three hours as you waited for your flashy milk float to store enough amps to get you the next step of the way. I've actually had someone explain to me that it is good to have a break when you are driving. This was to justify a two and a half hour wait at Southwaite. Fuck me, Southwaite is just about tolerable for a slash so how the fuck do you fritter away over two hours?

Tell people how it is the future. Tell them about the price of fuel going up even when it's going down! Look at their astonished faces as you explain that the retail price of electricity has not gone through the roof, actually! Go a bit quiet when anyone mentions raping Africa and poisoning water courses for centuries to come!

I really can't give a fuck about electric cars. If it is the economic and environmental catastrophe that I think they are then the stupid things will die out fast enough just like dismal did when it turned out it wasn't quite the planet saving solution that politicians thought. If some bellpieces think they are saving the world driving round in a car that weighs four times what a car should then fine. Buy an electric car and if it works for them then that is just great. I could not be happier for them.

Just shut the fucking fuck up about it.

[Hooli]

Milkfloats & their modern cousins are only any use for people who never go far.

It's a totally pointless dead end of technology, but as the mega rich have invested in it the media is trying to force us to see it as some sort of saviour.

[JimH]

Thick people who have great difficulty in imagining any situation other than their own.

[LynehamHerc]

I think that it's like the Emperors New Clothes and has been seized on by politicians, just like diesel was as JH has said.

The killer to me, besides the range, is the cost. How many normal people can afford a new one? Ups!, Clios, Puntos etc. used to be affordable for a fair few.

[Guest]

Thick people who have great difficulty in imagining any situation other than their own.

That will be me then.
I have this

20230204_122231.jpg (507.71 KiB) Viewed 41672 times

I can go back and forth to the office and to the shops. No I didn't need it and I haven't bought it, I have it for two years at a cost of less than £40 per month, I can charge it at work.

I do have three other cars if I want to go anywhere out of town.

[Hooli]

I do have three other cars if I want to go anywhere out of town.

That's why they'll always be a failure to me. They can't replace proper cars, only be used alongside them.

[fraser]

300 quid a month? I can live on less than that. Has everyone gone bonkers?

That's a 2 year lease. He did say all insurance and serving is included including tyres etc, as long as it doesn't do over 10k miles a year.


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[LynehamHerc]

Thick people who have great difficulty in imagining any situation other than their own.

That will be me then.
I have this
20230204_122231.jpg
I can go back and forth to the office and to the shops. No I didn't need it and I haven't bought it, I have it for two years at a cost of less than £40 per month, I can charge it at work.

I do have three other cars if I want to go anywhere out of town.

It suits your situation. I looked into one but the 28mph limit is a killer, possibly literally as all the roads out of the village are 40 limit with numerous blind bends and crests.

One would be fine for my youngest son for 95+% of his trips but totally fails as an only car for his 170+ mile trips back here several times a year where public transport isn't an option.