Fully Electric Cars

[BurnleyFC]

Is that right that the insurance charge on EC’s is relatively high?

For a lot of them, yes, due to the cost to repair if impact damages the battery cell.

Using the Jaguar I-Pace as an example, from being on their forums whilst we owned one, more than a few got written off for what seemed like relatively minor rear impact damage, when upon closer inspection it was found that the battery cell was actually damaged too.

[dougcollins]

I’ve had a fully electric car for nearly 2 years and am fully smitten with it. I have the car on a 3 year lease deal and will look, if possible, to buy the car at the end. In actual fact the drop in value of these cars is a bonus for me because it means I will have had a brand new car and if I can buy pay a substantial amount less than if I had bought it outright. I understand EV cars aren’t the future but they are now and I love it.

It depends on whether you actually want to go anywhere of any distance, in the knowledge that you're actually going to arrive. Bournemouth away would be interesting.

[Plissken]

Are there no chargers between Burnley and Bournemouth?

[Rick_Muller]

Are there no chargers between Burnley and Bournemouth?

Not guaranteed to be available or to work

[Bosscat]

Not guaranteed to be available or to work

Have a word with IanMcl he will know a few

[dougcollins]

Are there no chargers between Burnley and Bournemouth?

That's kind of the point, I'd like to think I can get there and back in the same day.

[It Is What It Is]

Can't afford an electric car even 2nd hand.
I'm still getting 43mpg in my petrol car, only do 6k a year, so I'm sticking with that until they stop selling petrol

[Plissken]

Not guaranteed to be available or to work

Do you really, really want to stand back and think about this statement? Because it doesn't look like you did before you wrote it.

[cbx750]

Driving to Hampshire last year there were about 6 cars waiting for faulty chargers to be turned on.

[Plissken]

That's kind of the point, I'd like to think I can get there and back in the same day.

287 miles from the Turf to Bournemouth, with Google Maps saying it is 4 hours and 54 minutes. Add in two charging stops of half an hour each, you get there and back in 10 hours, 18 minutes. Which, to be fair, is about a 574 mile journey lasting 50 minutes longer than it would take in a petrol car.

Because everyone who says this sort of thing does it in one shot, never stopping for a tea or coffee or any kind of break (despite the fact that would be very dangerous) and has a bladder of steel, obviously.

"I'm not getting an electric car because I might want to drive to Bournemouth and back in a day" is the same as me saying "I don't want to buy an petrol car because I might want to put forty bags of cement in the back."

[CaptJohn]

My wife and I have a car each and at the moment I have a diesel and she has a petrol. We've had a chat and most likely when we come to replace the cars, she'll have an electric one. She mostly does short trips around town so it will be ideal. However I'm going to stick with an oil powered vehicle due to the fact that electric doesn't suit my lifestyle. I go on long golfing trips each year to St Andrews and last year did a check on mileage and availability of charging points. Tebay services, M6 north bound would be my first charge but this year a couple of the chargers were out of service and there was a queue for the others. If I had an electric vehicle I'd miss out on a days golf, because on my travelling day I couldn't guarantee when I'd be in Scotland for a set tee time. It's a lifestyle choice and until such time as charger availability, charging rates and battery range improve, I'm sticking with an oil burner.

[thomaspaine]

Not guaranteed to be available or to work

Really ?

[Bosscat]

My wife and I have a car each and at the moment I have a diesel and she has a petrol. We've had a chat and most likely when we come to replace the cars, she'll have an electric one. She mostly does short trips around town so it will be ideal. However I'm going to stick with an oil powered vehicle due to the fact that electric doesn't suit my lifestyle. I go on long golfing trips each year to St Andrews and last year did a check on mileage and availability of charging points. Tebay services, M6 north bound would be my first charge but this year a couple of the chargers were out of service and there was a queue for the others. If I had an electric vehicle I'd miss out on a days golf, because on my travelling day I couldn't guarantee when I'd be in Scotland for a set tee time. It's a lifestyle choice and until such time as charger availability, charging rates and battery range improve, I'm sticking with an oil burner.

Thats basically what we have now CJ.

I bought a Citroen E-C4 Electric for the Mrs last year to replace her C3 ... (We had a charger put in at home for overnight charging, or during the day when the sun shines as we have Solar panels).

In August I replaced my diesel E-Pace for a C5 Aircross PHEV petrol/electric ... driving the PHEV locally am getting around 150mpg and on longer journeys getting north of 45mpg.

[Burnley1989]

Do you really, really want to stand back and think about this statement? Because it doesn't look like you did before you wrote it.

I’ve an electric car, he’s not that far off when it comes to service station chargers, biggest mistake I’ve made in my 15 years driving is going electric.

Mines currently getting 170 miles with the cold weather, costing me a fortune to charge, adding 2-3 hours to my working day some days.

Wouldn’t get another

[Rick_Muller]

Do you really, really want to stand back and think about this statement? Because it doesn't look like you did before you wrote it.

not sure what you mean? I do lots of driving across the motorway network and I often see either all the charge points in use; or people annoyed because they don't work - it was an observation I made based on my exposure to the charging network

[BurnleyFC]

287 miles from the Turf to Bournemouth, with Google Maps saying it is 4 hours and 54 minutes. Add in two charging stops of half an hour each, you get there and back in 10 hours, 18 minutes. Which, to be fair, is about a 574 mile journey lasting 50 minutes longer than it would take in a petrol car.

Because everyone who says this sort of thing does it in one shot, never stopping for a tea or coffee or any kind of break (despite the fact that would be very dangerous) and has a bladder of steel, obviously.

"I'm not getting an electric car because I might want to drive to Bournemouth and back in a day" is the same as me saying "I don't want to buy an petrol car because I might want to put forty bags of cement in the back."

And it costs you up to £1 per kw/h for the privilege of using those fast chargers.

If it’s your own vehicle, the only way an EV works is if you’re able to solely charge at home overnight on a cheap EV tariff.

[Taffy on the wing]

Are there no chargers between Burnley and Bournemouth?

That would require them to use their imagination.....not gonna happen.

[Taffy on the wing]

I’ve an electric car, he’s not that far off when it comes to service station chargers, biggest mistake I’ve made in my 15 years driving is going electric.

Mines currently getting 170 miles with the cold weather, costing me a fortune to charge, adding 2-3 hours to my working day some days.

Wouldn’t get another

That's a crap electric car then.

[dougcollins]

287 miles from the Turf to Bournemouth, with Google Maps saying it is 4 hours and 54 minutes. Add in two charging stops of half an hour each, you get there and back in 10 hours, 18 minutes. Which, to be fair, is about a 574 mile journey lasting 50 minutes longer than it would take in a petrol car.

Because everyone who says this sort of thing does it in one shot, never stopping for a tea or coffee or any kind of break (despite the fact that would be very dangerous) and has a bladder of steel, obviously.

"I'm not getting an electric car because I might want to drive to Bournemouth and back in a day" is the same as me saying "I don't want to buy an petrol car because I might want to put forty bags of cement in the back."

You really are relying on a number of variables there. Try it sometime and let me know how you get on.

[Plissken]

not sure what you mean? I do lots of driving across the motorway network and I often see either all the charge points in use; or people annoyed because they don't work - it was an observation I made based on my exposure to the charging network

If I said I didn't want to drive from Burnley to Bournemouth and back because every single petrol station had either queues or the pumps were out of order, you would think I was an idiot.

But that is what you are saying about the charging network.

[Plissken]

Although to be fair, I can't get an EV because I need to drive it like my ICE car. Which means I often drive 600 miles in a day, without a tea, coffee or toilet break. What's more I make sure that I ignore the petrol gauge and wait for the fuel tank to be completely empty and as I'm running on the last dregs of the fumes, I roll up onto the station forecourt only to find myself confronted by this.



It leave me livid, I tell you. There's no way around it at all.

[IanMcL]

Have a word with IanMcl he will know a few

There are fast chargers at every service station, nowadays. More going in all the time.

My Tesla hop is charge night before in Amesbury. Short harge at Hilton Park North. Charge at Charnock Richard for Burnley and back to Hilton Park South. Amesburyvfor a recharge and home, although Amesbury 2nd visit optional.

[BurnleyFC]

There are fast chargers at every service station, nowadays. More going in all the time.

My Tesla hop is charge night before in Amesbury. Short harge at Hilton Park North. Charge at Charnock Richard for Burnley and back to Hilton Park South. Amesburyvfor a recharge and home, although Amesbury 2nd visit optional.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re on free Tesla supercharging aren’t you? Makes all the difference and isn’t available anymore.

[CardyTheClaret]

There are fast chargers at every service station, nowadays. More going in all the time.

My Tesla hop is charge night before in Amesbury. Short harge at Hilton Park North. Charge at Charnock Richard for Burnley and back to Hilton Park South. Amesburyvfor a recharge and home, although Amesbury 2nd visit optional.

Wow, that sounds like a right pain in the arse.

[Rick_Muller]

If I said I didn't want to drive from Burnley to Bournemouth and back because every single petrol station had either queues or the pumps were out of order, you would think I was an idiot.

But that is what you are saying about the charging network.

Stop being purposefully obtuse.

I made an observation about the charging network. You may well disagree, because you think I am against EVs (which I am not, read my other posts on this thread) and then you mention queues at pumps as if that is a fair comparison. To educate you, it is not. I can refuel my diesel car in less than 2 minutes and pay for it, an EV will take significantly longer to "refuel" and whilst it is occupying the small number of slots other users cannot use the refuelling station because we dont have anywhere near enough infrastructure in place to support that many more EVs (granted that is improving, but it is no where near what it needs to be if the evangelical EV proponents have their way).

Of course, I dont have to use the motorway network to refuel, I can use any one of the 100s of stations around my area before I leave for my long trip, and I wont have to visit again during the trip (yes I could go to Bournemouth from Burnley and back on 1 tank of fuel) but an EV will likely need to "refuel" at least twice on that near 600 mile round trip, and probably more.

As result, I'll think you're an idiot because you fail to understand that my observation was just that, an observation. Not just because you say silly things about fuel stations and queues.

[dougcollins]

Yep, my diesel car does Bournemouth and back on one tank, done it many times.

[dougcollins]

"I'm not getting an electric car because I might want to drive to Bournemouth and back in a day" is the same as me saying "I don't want to buy an petrol car because I might want to put forty bags of cement in the back."

I'm sure I'm going to regret asking this, but I don't follow the cement comment?

[Rileybobs]

Imagine the first electric car that manages to break the infamous Burnley to Bournemouth and back on a single charge barrier. It will be a marketeer's dream.

[tarkys_ears]

I'm sure I'm going to regret asking this, but I don't follow the cement comment?

I think he means something about RWD

[Casper2]

Presumably this is the FT article? Again, I’m not sure what you’re asking, or why EV-driver’s experiences in winter are relevant to this article?

Really , doesn’t come over as a positive to me , good luck when you come to sell or have replace the batteries, let’s see how sanctimonious you are then.

[Rileybobs]

Really , doesn’t come over as a positive to me , good luck when you come to sell or have replace the batteries, let’s see how sanctimonious you are then.

You might want to read back and see which one of us is being sanctimonious. Oh, and I won’t have to sell the car or replace the batteries but thanks for your concern

[IanMcL]

Wow, that sounds like a right pain in the arse.

Free though...

[IanMcL]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re on free Tesla supercharging aren’t you? Makes all the difference and isn’t available anymore.

Yes. It is if you buy a 2016 Tesla!

[Burnley1989]

That's a crap electric car then.

Exactly, almost £40k, proves the point I’m making.

If you’re driving 250 miles a few days a week, and only getting 9p a mile back whilst using superchargers, I’d not bother. They’re ok as a run around, school runs and shortish journeys.

Had a Tesla before this one, that was slightly better tbf

[dougcollins]

I think he means something about RWD

EVs are RWD are they, I didn't know that.

I don't mind RWD to be honest.

[ClaretDiver]

My wife recently got an EV and we love it, we have a charger at home and we are on an EV tariff with EDF which is 7.5p kw/h between midnight and 5am. We get about 200 miles from a full charge which costs about £4 to fully charge….

[Leon_C]

EVs are RWD are they, I didn't know that.

I don't mind RWD to be honest.

EVs are a mix of 2 and 4 wheel drive. (One motor or two motors).

I had a Jaguar I-Pace (as have others on here) for 3.5 years which was an incredible machine. For a 2.5 ton machine, it had amazing handling. 4 wheel drive and 400bhp. Tesla models are a mix of RWD and AWD. Usually (but not always) the more premium vehicles are AWD. I am currently driving a diesel estate, which is a superb car, but not a patch (in most ways) on the EV. They're incredible to drive, and I dare say that if most of the permasceptics actually drove one, their opinion would change quickly.

My friend yesterday told me that he's intending to get (via a company fleet) a "Maxus T90" which is a BEV pickup truck... if you Google it, you'll see that it looks very similar to a Ford F-150. But it's only 2WD and has the ground clearance of my estate car!

[IanMcL]

That's a crap electric car then.

Just winter.

[IanMcL]

Far be it for me to load up the superchargers but you all need a nice Tesla.

[Taffy on the wing]

My wife recently got an EV and we love it, we have a charger at home and we are on an EV tariff with EDF which is 7.5p kw/h between midnight and 5am. We get about 200 miles from a full charge which costs about £4 to fully charge….

I also charge at home, it definitely makes more sense that way....in fact i probably wouldn't have electric if i couldn't.
The only time i had to use a supercharger i charged for 20 mins & got over 100 miles of range for $2.50
BARGAIN!

[BurnleyFC]

Far be it for me to load up the superchargers but you all need a nice Tesla.

Only a long range one, Ian. The standard range Model Y we had as a loan car was garbage - 170 mile maximum motorway range, regardless of what Tesla advertise it as being able to do. That was a 2023 model as well.

[IanMcL]

Only a long range one, Ian. The standard range Model Y we had as a loan car was garbage - 170 mile maximum motorway range, regardless of what Tesla advertise it as being able to do. That was a 2023 model as well.

Plenty of superchargers though...

[IanMcL]

Toyota has unveiled a revolutionary electric car battery, able to travel 1,200 kilometres in one go and can be charged in just ten minutes.

Toyota’s CEO Koji Sato said that “commercialisation of solid state batteries is a thing of the future... now within reach, changing the future of cars". The company also claims to be on the brink of being able to manufacture them.

So is this, as some are claiming, a ‘watershed moment’ in car making? Can these new batteries now be produced at scale? What impact will this have on the popularity of electric cars and their uptake?

Has Toyota solved the electric car battery problem?

[Rick_Muller]

Toyota has unveiled a revolutionary electric car battery, able to travel 1,200 kilometres in one go and can be charged in just ten minutes.

Toyota’s CEO Koji Sato said that “commercialisation of solid state batteries is a thing of the future... now within reach, changing the future of cars". The company also claims to be on the brink of being able to manufacture them.

So is this, as some are claiming, a ‘watershed moment’ in car making? Can these new batteries now be produced at scale? What impact will this have on the popularity of electric cars and their uptake?

Has Toyota solved the electric car battery problem?

The answer is no, unfortunately. They are facing the usual transfer of concept to manufacture that most technical developments face. I hope they sort it though

[1fatclaret]

It depends on whether you actually want to go anywhere of any distance, in the knowledge that you're actually going to arrive. Bournemouth away would be interesting.

Driven to Bristol and back many times in a fully electric car. Leave home fully charged (empty to full cost - £6) and need to stop usually around Gloucester services or Michael wood on the way back. By the time I’ve had a ****, grabbed a brew and sorted a few emails, I’m ready to head home. Cost to charge at a Tesla station - £20. Total cost for around 400 miles - £31.

Equivalent cost in a similar sized and equipped diesel - between £50 and £60 depending on where you fill up.

Company car tax for my car - £89 per month
Company car tax for a bog standard 5 series diesel - £550 per month.

I do 30,000 miles a year and have had only had a problem twice. Both times I got the car charged, just paid a bit more for it. Both times I could have just waited 10 minutes at a busy charge point and saved the stress.

[1fatclaret]

Stop being purposefully obtuse.

I made an observation about the charging network. You may well disagree, because you think I am against EVs (which I am not, read my other posts on this thread) and then you mention queues at pumps as if that is a fair comparison. To educate you, it is not. I can refuel my diesel car in less than 2 minutes and pay for it, an EV will take significantly longer to "refuel" and whilst it is occupying the small number of slots other users cannot use the refuelling station because we dont have anywhere near enough infrastructure in place to support that many more EVs (granted that is improving, but it is no where near what it needs to be if the evangelical EV proponents have their way).

Of course, I dont have to use the motorway network to refuel, I can use any one of the 100s of stations around my area before I leave for my long trip, and I wont have to visit again during the trip (yes I could go to Bournemouth from Burnley and back on 1 tank of fuel) but an EV will likely need to "refuel" at least twice on that near 600 mile round trip, and probably more.

As result, I'll think you're an idiot because you fail to understand that my observation was just that, an observation. Not just because you say silly things about fuel stations and queues.

The difference is, people who have an electric car now, have in all probability had a petrol or diesel before so know how that experience is. You, having never owned an electric car, can’t speak from experience about how it is in the real world. There are without doubt negatives, especially if you can’t charge at home, or live somewhere with no charging infrastructure (colne is f—king awful). But, if you can charge at home, get cheap rate overnight electricity and are happy to spend 15 minutes in a service station every now and then, they’re a great option for a lot of people.

[Bullabill]

Toyota has unveiled a revolutionary electric car battery, able to travel 1,200 kilometres in one go and can be charged in just ten minutes.

It's not long ago that Toyota unveiled an internal combustion engine that ran on water - separated the hydrogen and oxygen. What happened to that?

[Mala591]

It's not long ago that Toyota unveiled an internal combustion engine that ran on water - separated the hydrogen and oxygen. What happened to that?

It took more energy to split the hydrogen and oxygen atoms apart than the energy produced by burning the hydrogen for fuel (I think).

[Rick_Muller]

The difference is, people who have an electric car now, have in all probability had a petrol or diesel before so know how that experience is. You, having never owned an electric car, can’t speak from experience about how it is in the real world. There are without doubt negatives, especially if you can’t charge at home, or live somewhere with no charging infrastructure (colne is f—king awful). But, if you can charge at home, get cheap rate overnight electricity and are happy to spend 15 minutes in a service station every now and then, they’re a great option for a lot of people.

Rather presumptuous to say I’ve never owned an EV, though I admit I haven’t. I have driven several, and I do like them but that doesn’t negate the issues I have with them currently

I also work with 2 people who have them, and they both concur with my observations regarding charging points and they often suffer from range anxiety for longer journeys. One drives a Renault Zoe, the other drives an MG - both (like me) work in IT at a university where we develop technology for the automotive industry - so we know our stuff and often talk to academics in the industry who likely know an awful lot more than the average joe on a message board.

[Row Z]

There are fast chargers at every service station, nowadays. More going in all the time.

I would never dream of filling up my diesel at a motorway service station. Genuinely interested, are chargers at service stations not more expensive to utilise than home / elsewhere? Does this not negate some of the cost benefit?