The Future Is Definately Here

[Steve]

Saw this on my travels today......we are doomed!

[Stu Twin]

That petrol pump looks empty

[RobTwin]

I've been wondering about these charging... erm, points... stations?

When you use them, I presume you have to pay with a credit card like at a normal petrol station, but how much does it normally cost for a full charge? It'll obviously vary depending on the car and how much charge is needed but how does it compare to the cost of filling up with petrol or diesel?

[cadboy]

Future !!!!!!

been around for a while and more are being planned

cost don't know but with Tesla I think you pay before hand and can get charged at Tesla points.

my worry is what happens if you just decide to get up and go without planning your route and charging stations, you will run out.

long way before it gets as good as petrol.

[andyrob]

They are the future, every normal person should have one..............to leave the last of the petrol for me !!!
Yes they use Teslers at Newcastle airport, but if you ask for lift to edinburgh you have to get in the trusty old skoda behind

good for town driving but thats all, imgaine if you were in a hurry and knew where the only charging point on route, only to find a cue for it, or worse it wasnt working

[Super Sloth]

I really don't see how purely electric cars can possibly be any more than a passing fad. Not when you consider how much energy is generated via burning fossil fuels. The real future is the hydrogen powercel IMHO. The hydrogen fuel is a by product of many many chemical processes and often allowed to escape into the ether. We have the infrastructure already in the form of fuel stations to supply it to the consumer and the only "emmisions" are a bit of water out the tail pipe?

[Captain Chaos]

A chap who does a bit of holiday cover for me is on a mission to save the planet as he sees it. He took his recently bought Nissan Leaf to Exeter and it took him nine hours from Tunbridge Wells with all the stops for charging. I’ve done it just over three, his wife now refuses to get in it. We’re a very long way off viable electric cars,hydrogen cell technology looked more promising to me.

[Steve]

an hour and a half flat out in the Fury....... old blessed lady of acceleration.......

[cadboy]

A chap who does a bit of holiday cover for me is on a mission to save the planet as he sees it. He took his recently bought Nissan Leaf to Exeter and it took him nine hours from Tunbridge Wells with all the stops for charging. I’ve done it just over three, his wife now refuses to get in it. We’re a very long way off viable electric cars,hydrogen cell technology looked more promising to me.

9 hours to do a 3 hour journey..............................

that is progress.........I assume

[Captain Chaos]

He nearly ran me over when he turned up at the Garage the other day it was so quiet, so yes,some may regard that as progress

[Adam]

Chap at work has one of these tiny French electric cars. I refer to it as his cat basket. He lives near me too, and I've lost count of the number of times I've had to give him a lift because he's run out of juice at the roadside.

[Dave81]

The problem as i see it, is that if electric cars sales take off properly, then as fuel tax drops and electric tax will begin. That then screws everyone no matter if they have a E car or not. Government wont miss out on revenue!!!!

Infrastucture is not in place at the mo, neither is battery tech to rival conventional engine distances.

Think it will get there, but not for another 5-10 years.

Then electricity demand will outstrip supply.

I can see small engined hybrids being the future rather than full electric. Just need to propel power generation forward so the engines get smaller (more economical) whilst maintaing the performace of the older units.

[Blue]

Hybrids are certainly the flavour of the month, seems electric is the solution being pushed at the moment but it might just turn out to be betamax all over again....

[morgan]

I dunno.
There is a bit more political weight behind this than betamax
Dont get me wrong, I dont think they are there yet but I dont think they will die out either. The one to watch is the Tesla3 - £30Kish, size of a focus and does 250 miles. Plus it looks like something you might actually want to own - unlike (say) a BMW i3.
I could live with that. It would do 3 trips to work (so if I forgot to charge one night no biggy). That would cover 98% of my journeys. If I absolutely had to do a longer journey where charging wasnt an option then I would use the wifes car- not the end of the world. There are charging bays popping up all over , in places of work too. I think its already a viable option for the commuter set.

Of course once there are enough of them the taxation will evolve too. So your choice is 'pay more to be an early adopter' or 'pay more when the tax catches up'. Diesel anyone ?

[GJUK]

Driving an electric car is quite cool - I've been in a Tesla around Copenhagen and they're amazingly quiet and rapid.
Tax benefits right now but when they become mainstream everyone will be paying no matter what car you have.

North Korean Nuclear powered cars for the win.