The all things EV chat thread

[BubbaP]

Isn't it down to NCAP needing to stay relevant....

 

[clubchamp98]

I recently had the use of a hybrid car for a day.
I can't comment on fuel efficiency or anything like that as I only did about 50 miles.
However, and this really did my head in, almost everything I did resulted in a warning bing or bong!
When I opened my door I got a bong and a dashboard warning to be aware of children in the back.
When stuck in traffic and the car in front pulled away I had another message on the dash saying 'The lead car is moving on', what is that all about?
A) It's not moving on, it's moving off and
B) I have eyes, they're quite useful when driving a car, I can see the car in front moving OFF, thanks!
2mph above a speed limit .................. bong, bong, bong, bong, bong!
I spoke to the dealer when I took the car back and he said the warning bongs could be turned off but are reset when the car is restarted for the next journey.
No thanks, that would definitely have stopped me from buying one.
On the plus side, it did have a fantastic heads up display and was quite quick in sport mode with the traction control turned off.

It’s a warning to all the morons texting and with their head down that the traffic is moving.

It can be turned off on a VW.

 

[clubchamp98]

I drive lots of different cars for work and get loads of "Bongs"
can't remember when I last had a "Bing" though

If you don’t do anything about the bongs they change to bings to warn you that you have ignored the bongs!

 

[clubchamp98]

Isn't it down to NCAP needing to stay relevant....

Dealer told me it was an EU directive and OEMs can’t be arsed making cars just for the UK.

 

[GreiginFife]

Dealer told me it was an EU directive and OEMs can’t be arsed making cars just for the UK.

Don’t think UK and Euro standards are any different.

 

[clubchamp98]

Don’t think UK and Euro standards are any different.

Because we havnt changed any of the rules I suppose.
Always thought the driver should have full control of features on a car.
If you can’t turn things off that’s not full control imo.
Far to many gadgets on cars now.

 

[doublebogey7]

Everything is made from something, with very few exceptions. This is related to emmissions from the tailpipe, which is just H2O.

In which case what is the point, why not just stick with diesal.

 

[jim8flog]

Hydrogen hasn't been touched on for a while so I thought I would provide an insight into what is happening at the moment. I still don't believe there will be a suitable infrastucture for private hydrogen cars, but for larger vehicles like buses and lorries, it is still very much a viable option.
As an example, there is a Bus facility in the South East which uses liquid hydrogen to fuel its buses. They take about 8 minutes to fuel and can operate up to 600 miles a day. The depot operates 34 buses, (23 single decks and 11 double deckers). The facility is totally safe and controlled and the buses give out zero emissions.
Hydrogen, when designed correctly, is safe, efficient and has a place in the infrastructure, along with electric vehicles and (I believe) ICE for some time to come.
Metrobus rolls out zero-emission hydrogen fleet into Sutton
Hydrogen buses: 34 new double deckers start service in Brighton & Hove

I remember several years back there was a fad of switching from petrol to propane gas, by conversion. I looked in to it but decided there were not enough places to refill at.

 

[larmen]

In which case what is the point, why not just stick with diesal.

Diesel will always have emissions. The emission from H2 and EV will come down every year with more solar, wind and hydro being added to the mix.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Our new Volvo XC40 mild hybrid is astonishingly 'clever' - with much of the cleverness being designed to maximize safety and for ccident avoidance. With everything on as delivered it could drive itself quite easily, but I'm advised I have to keep hand(s) on wheel.

 

[Fade and Die]

Our new Volvo XC40 mild hybrid is astonishingly 'clever' - with much of the cleverness being designed to maximize safety and for ccident avoidance. With everything on as delivered it could drive itself quite easily, but I'm advised I have to keep hand(s) on wheel.

Yes very clever, but do you still need to take your life into your own hands when you decide you want to turn the temperature and fan up on the iPad thingy or have they returned to knobs?

 

[WorldHandicapSystem]

Yes very clever, but do you still need to take your life into your own hands when you decide you want to turn the temperature and fan up on the iPad thingy or have they returned to knobs?

You could just set the temperature at a level that is comfortable and leave it. Or if you really must change it, do so when it’s safe?

 

[RichA]

Yes very clever, but do you still need to take your life into your own hands when you decide you want to turn the temperature and fan up on the iPad thingy or have they returned to knobs?

It's the only thing that stopped me buying a really nice V90 a few years ago.

You could just set the temperature at a level that is comfortable and leave it. Or if you really must change it, do so when it’s safe?

Some of us have comfortable temperatures that are prone to fluctuations. I probably change it up or down a degree or 2 every 20 minutes. Menopausal MrsA is even worse than me. A rotary dial that you can alter with barely a glance can't be beaten for me. If you read motoring reviews it's been a massive gripe of journos and normal folk for about a decade.

 

[Robster59]

In which case what is the point, why not just stick with diesal.

Because you get zero emissions from Hydrogen Fuel Cell cars, and lots of emissions from ICE ones. They are cleaner now than what they used to be, but they are still emitting gases.

 

[Robster59]

Our new Volvo XC40 mild hybrid is astonishingly 'clever' - with much of the cleverness being designed to maximize safety and for ccident avoidance. With everything on as delivered it could drive itself quite easily, but I'm advised I have to keep hand(s) on wheel.

I remember reading a review on the XC40. Good apart from the fact that the infotainment system was needlessly complex, to the point of being dangerous.

 

[Robster59]

It's the only thing that stopped me buying a really nice V90 a few years ago.

Some of us have comfortable temperatures that are prone to fluctuations. I probably change it up or down a degree or 2 every 20 minutes. Menopausal MrsA is even worse than me. A rotary dial that you can alter with barely a glance can't be beaten for me. If you read motoring reviews it's been a massive gripe of journos and normal folk for about a decade.

The internal temperature can quickly change depending on whether the sun is behind the clouds or not.
Interestingly enough, the new generation of Skodas still have rotary dials rather than using the screen. I agree, far easier than having to find it on a touchscreen.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yes very clever, but do you still need to take your life into your own hands when you decide you want to turn the temperature and fan up on the iPad thingy or have they returned to knobs?

I just talk to it..it’s got Google Assistant.

“Hey Google, Turn up temperature”
“Hey Google, switch fan to windscreen”
“Hey Google, stream Classic FM”
“Hey Google, reduce volume”
“Hey Google, turn off heated steering wheel”

Etc,etc.

I’m still learning - but I'm thinking that it'll be pretty rare that I have to fiddle about hunting for something on the touchscreen (indeed it has proximity sensoring and so even then I don't have to actually touch the screen)

 

[Fade and Die]

I just talk to it..it’s got Google Assistant.

“Hey Google, Turn up temperature”
“Hey Google, switch fan to windscreen”
“Hey Google, stream Classic FM”
“Hey Google, reduce volume”
“Hey Google, turn off heated steering wheel”

Etc,etc.

I’m still learning - but I'm thinking that it'll be pretty rare that I have to fiddle about hunting for something on the touchscreen (indeed it has proximity sensoring and so even then I don't have to actually touch the screen)

I tried talking to mine, maybe my Danny Baker tones were beyond it’s processing capabilities but it never worked well.

I like my new X-trail, things like heating/AC/ heated seats have nice chunky knobs!

 

[doublebogey7]

Diesel will always have emissions. The emission from H2 and EV will come down every year with more solar, wind and hydro being added to the mix.

H2 will only come down if solar/wind/nuclear is used used to produce it, these vehicles are using H2 derived from methane and currently 95% of it produced that way. If we are to get mass market H2 powered vehicles we will need at least times the amount of electrical power to be generated than for BEV's. So again what is the point of H2 for personal transport. it can never compete on cost or enviremental benefits with BEV.

 

[larmen]

I am all for EV, panning to get one early next year. But we lost our EV consultant here and I really want to know how is Enyak is compared to the Niro.

I don’t see it in private cars like others do, I see it in long haulage, fleets and similar. Depot based transport. Basically most of the places the EV sceptics use as examples why EVs will never work anywhere.