kmpowell
Member Since: 23 Oct 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 259
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RRS-Si wrote:The electric engine has a long way to go to before it can replace the traditional combustion engine.
If you think that then you're in for a shock. Battery tech is now at a point where it can easily rival fossil fuels. Tesla have advanced their power-trains significantly in the past 12 months. They now have a 350+mile range on their cars and their expanding network of charge points are smart enough to adapt to your route in advance. charging times are low and range is realistic.
Currently the only barrier to mass-production of a 100% electric car that has range/power/size is the price point, which is why Hybrids are the better option for people looking to get into the market at the £low end of the market. However, once the Model 3 is released and the tech from the S/X flows down into that, there will be rapid adoption and the big manufacturers will join the party.
Make no mistake, Electric cars are closer than you think. Having recently experienced a Tesla X for a few days, if prices fall then it will certainly be my next car. SOLD - MY16 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic - Fire Engine Red, Fixed contrast pan roof, TV, Dual Screen, 5+2, Privacy, Noble paddles.
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Thu Jul 27 2017 9:09am |
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Tim in Scotland
Member Since: 30 May 2005
Location: Driving along in my automobile
Posts: 17476
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Charging times on the high speed chargers are now down to 30 minutes and less on a Tesla Supercharger BUT I have been reading a lot of posts on the electric car charging point forums and charging times increase substantially the more cars that are on a bank of chargers. Also you pay more to use a high speed charger than a slower one.
Audi is soon to launch an electric Q5 in the hope that they can pip Jaguar's iPace into production and next March the Tesla Model 3 goes on sale in the UK with a range of >310 miles and free access to their supercharger points.
Having been seriously looking at the EV/ Electric car field with a view of having one as a replacement for my RRS in 2019 I can vouch for what KMPowell says, the technology and infrastructure is why more advanced than most of us imagine. BTW if you really want to upset an EV owner go and park your ICE car in a charging slot............. I downloaded an app called Zap-Map which is for Electric and Hybrid car users to find charging points, there are a huge number of charging points already and there are some very frustrated EV owners posting about charging slots that either don't work or are all taken up by ICE cars........
There is a problem with all EV's in that the battery life is still only 7 years, there are only two makers of EV's who will replace batteries for free so far because you have to lease the batteries from them (Renault and Nissan), all the rest you own the battery outright and they will be hugely expensive to renew. The Renault/Nissan system guarantees the battery will go 7 years but also because you lease them they will replace the cell pack once the charging efficiency drops below 75%. I also posted a thread recently about how good value low miles used Renault Twizzy/Zoe and Nissan Leafs are at the moment because of their battery lease system. £50 a month battery lease and £4-5000 to buy a 2 year old Leaf/Zoe with 24000 miles on the odo, plus £75-100 a month depending on weather and miles run to recharge. IIRC Autocar reckoned that their Leaf cost them 2p a mile in fuel, unfortunately depreciation was a significant factor in running costs, but Land Rover owners are all too familiar with that too! 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW
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Thu Jul 27 2017 9:32am |
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