Needing a little runarund

[Blue in Munich]

I will sit in an electric car in a sealed garage with the the motor on and the windows open for an hour if Hans-Werner Sinn will do the same in a ''cleaner'' diesel car.

Hardly a bet when he's identified that the pollution is caused elsewhere though, is it; how about sitting in the exhaust fumes of a coal fired power station for an hour? Thought not.

 

[GreiginFife]

I dont believe the turbo hardly ever kicks in on my Qashqai, well if it does I dont notice. I tend to drive more for smoothness and economy these days so make best use of the six gears and dont rev the guts out of it.

You don't notice it. Its designed to help the engine use less fuel and will be more prevalent during acceleration and less so once cruising. It won't be a particularly large turbo either so you won't really feel the boost/dump that older and bigger turbos give off.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Also that articles way of thinking is very one dimensional and always brought out by people without long term vision

Get everyone onto the cars whilst working on a renewable sustainable way of providing the electricity

Short term they may be the same or more polluting but long term not a chance

The usual mud-slinging defence of the fact that currently & for some time to come, electric vehicles are not quite as clean as those proposing them would like the rest of us to believe. They also simply don't have the range required for a number of users. And there's little point looking at the long term vision until we can solve the short term infrastructure issues that mean the vast majority of city dwellers, where this type of vehicle would work best, will struggle to access the necessary charging points. And that's without the pollution issues caused by the extraction of the heavy metals for the batteries.

A proper long term vision doesn't involve perpetuating the current issues that individual vehicle ownership causes, it involves making fundamental changes to the way we live, including the biggest issue of overpopulation. By thinking that all our issues will be solved by everyone buying an electric vehicle is as, if not more one dimensional thinking than the article that you disparage.

 

[bobmac]

The usual mud-slinging defence of the fact that currently & for some time to come, electric vehicles are not quite as clean as those proposing them would like the rest of us to believe. They also simply don't have the range required for a number of users. And there's little point looking at the long term vision until we can solve the short term infrastructure issues that mean the vast majority of city dwellers, where this type of vehicle would work best, will struggle to access the necessary charging points. And that's without the pollution issues caused by the extraction of the heavy metals for the batteries.

A proper long term vision doesn't involve perpetuating the current issues that individual vehicle ownership causes, it involves making fundamental changes to the way we live, including the biggest issue of overpopulation. By thinking that all our issues will be solved by everyone buying an electric vehicle is as, if not more one dimensional thinking than the article that you disparage.

You'll be telling us that the batteries will only last 5 years and it takes 24 hours to charge them next.

 

[Blue in Munich]

You'll be telling us that the batteries will only last 5 years and it takes 24 hours to charge them next.

No actual counters to the points made then?

 

[PJ87]

The usual mud-slinging defence of the fact that currently & for some time to come, electric vehicles are not quite as clean as those proposing them would like the rest of us to believe. They also simply don't have the range required for a number of users. And there's little point looking at the long term vision until we can solve the short term infrastructure issues that mean the vast majority of city dwellers, where this type of vehicle would work best, will struggle to access the necessary charging points. And that's without the pollution issues caused by the extraction of the heavy metals for the batteries.

A proper long term vision doesn't involve perpetuating the current issues that individual vehicle ownership causes, it involves making fundamental changes to the way we live, including the biggest issue of overpopulation. By thinking that all our issues will be solved by everyone buying an electric vehicle is as, if not more one dimensional thinking than the article that you disparage.

Their is a motion for fossil fuel cars to be banned from being sold brand new from 2030 so it's not even that long term vision. It's coming.

The issue of charge points is being addressed constantly. More and more being installed on a daily basis. Plus the gov is pushing for them in a post covid economic recovery plan to credit jobs for installs etc.

Local supermarkets are having them installed in car parks. Offices are having them installed.

The range of the batteries has improved dramatically. The new bread of cars do 200-250 miles on a single charge. Considering the world is changing every day and work from home is going to be promoted more in a post covid world then the issues of range become less and less as people will drive less distance in one go.

Also in 10 years who's to say the batteries won't be lasting 500-600 miles.. as Bob has said previously who drives 600 miles at once anymore. You stop at a service station. Plug it in.. get a fast charge off you go.

Electric cars long term will improve air quality and reduce our effects on the environment.

All they need to do is drastically reduce the price

Change happens all the time. You can either adapt or be left behind.

 

[bobmac]

No actual counters to the points made then?

Ok

The usual mud-slinging defence of the fact that currently & for some time to come, electric vehicles are not quite as clean as those proposing them would like the rest of us to believe. They also simply don't have the range required for a number of users.
Every new advancement in battery technology improves the range of the batteries.
And there's little point looking at the long term vision until we can solve the short term infrastructure issues that mean the vast majority of city dwellers, where this type of vehicle would work best, will struggle to access the necessary charging points.

New charging points are being added every day. Currently 34,084 connectors.
And that's without the pollution issues caused by the extraction of the heavy metals for the batteries.
Scientists are well aware of this and have been working at developing a battery that doesn't use lithium or cobalt, although cobalt will still be used to remove sulphur from diesel fuel. Graphene is just one possible example. Maybe we should also be looking at the lithium content of your mobile phone, laptop, power tools and electric trolley.

A proper long term vision doesn't involve perpetuating the current issues that individual vehicle ownership causes, it involves making fundamental changes to the way we live, including the biggest issue of overpopulation.
I agree

By thinking that all our issues will be solved by everyone buying an electric vehicle is as, if not more one dimensional thinking than the article that you disparage.
I don't remember saying everyone should buy an electric car?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

So much info ? and so much petrolhead stuff that goes right over my head? and with so many positive suggestions I am thinking maybe the easier question is what small car of maybe 4-6 yrs old should I totally avoid with a bargepole.?

 

[Canary_Yellow]

So much info ? and so much petrolhead stuff that goes right over my head? and with so many positive suggestions I am thinking maybe the easier question is what small car of maybe 4-6 yrs old should I totally avoid with a bargepole.?

The problem with that question is that even the very best manufacturers can produce a lemon or two!

 

[hairball_89]

So much info ? and so much petrolhead stuff that goes right over my head? and with so many positive suggestions I am thinking maybe the easier question is what small car of maybe 4-6 yrs old should I totally avoid with a bargepole.?

I guarantee the list will be nigh on identical to the one you currently have to buy.

Hundreds of thousands of small cars out there atm. Every model will have belters and lemons.

Best thing you can do, as I'm sure you will, is take a shortlist and drive as many as possible within the price range.

I'd go Swift. My wife had a sporty 1.2 from 07. Did 140k in it and God it was fun to drive. But any of the big Japanese manufacturers should do the job!