FabSwingers.com > Forums > The Lounge > car nerds..... need a tesla opinion

car nerds..... need a tesla opinion

By *abio OP Man over a year ago

Newcastle and Gateshead

as you know i am a eco hippy... lol and the new telsa model 3 has been unveiled...

they are claiming the standard model will be £25,000.... and remember you get a £4500 Electric Vehicle discount on top from the government... at least 215 miles on a charge.... basically a baby model s

if it is advertised the could mean they finally become mainstream

if it is as good they they claim, i am so tempted to put my name on the waiting list for one......

so please talk me out of it.....

have to say i am really really tempted

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"as you know i am a eco hippy... lol and the new telsa model 3 has been unveiled...

if it is advertised the could mean they finally become mainstream

if it is as good they they claim, i am so tempted to put my name on the waiting list for one......

so please talk me out of it.....

have to say i am really really tempted"

It has a good range. It's a fair price. You live in a place where quick charge won't be an issue. I would say go for it

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By *ourbonKissMan over a year ago

a land up north..... of leicester

I applaud the logic behind it but I'm not sure the country is geared up to enable users to charge the beast. Say you went on a road trip to the highlands of Scotland for example... It's not a place that you'd want to stranded even with the AA constantly patrolling the roads

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Have driven the Model S.

It's the closest you can get to piloting the Enterprise.

I'm tempted by the Model 3 myself.

Or the Model X MPV.

I believe you can get a refund if you pre order and then decide to cancel.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I applaud the logic behind it but I'm not sure the country is geared up to enable users to charge the beast. Say you went on a road trip to the highlands of Scotland for example... It's not a place that you'd want to stranded even with the AA constantly patrolling the roads"

There are quite a number of fast charge points all over the UK. I think it was about 300 at the last count (but could be wrong)

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I am waiting for the Apple car, can't wait to get my hands on an overpriced but beautiful car that won't connect to anything else and needs to be charged through iTunes....

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I do wonder how "eco" electric cars really are. Generating electricity is on the whole not a clean business.

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By *ourbonKissMan over a year ago

a land up north..... of leicester

There are quite a number of fast charge points all over the UK. I think it was about 300 at the last count (but could be wrong)"

It's good but not quite a carling?

I'm sure the big switch to electric cars is coming but it's still at a premature stage. How many of those points are outside of the major cities by the way?

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I just had a look and have to say it looks great

I have a Lexus hybrid , which is a good compromise , performance and Eco friendly , but would be very tempted when I need a new one

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

If you can then you should.

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By *otlovefun42Couple over a year ago

Costa Blanca Spain...

"I am waiting for the Apple car, can't wait to get my hands on an overpriced but beautiful car that won't connect to anything else and needs to be charged through iTunes...."

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By *agan_PairCouple over a year ago

portchester

I can't think of anything worse than an electric car! Nothing beats the amazing rumbly roar of a decent v8 as you go about your business. The quiet whine of an electric motor will never bring the same smile to a face !

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I am waiting for the Apple car, can't wait to get my hands on an overpriced but beautiful car that won't connect to anything else and needs to be charged through iTunes....

Plus the FBI will be able to unlock it any time they like.

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By *otlovefun42Couple over a year ago

Costa Blanca Spain...

"as you know i am a eco hippy... lol and the new telsa model 3 has been unveiled...

if it is advertised the could mean they finally become mainstream

if it is as good they they claim, i am so tempted to put my name on the waiting list for one......

so please talk me out of it.....

have to say i am really really tempted"

So when we drive from Germany to Spain I've got to stop for a recharge every 200 odd miles.

I'll stick with my dirty diesel thanks.

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By *abio OP Man over a year ago

Newcastle and Gateshead

"I just had a look and have to say it looks great

I have a Lexus hybrid , which is a good compromise , performance and Eco friendly , but would be very tempted when I need a new one

this is the same thinking i am coming from with the prius i have.....

i love the model s... it was going to be my "if i won the lottery car".... but the model 3 is the more realistic practical alternative... this is why i am looking at it as a serious option...

if tesla were for example to stick a couple of superchargers in every 24hr service station... it then becomes realistic longer range alternative....

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By *abio OP Man over a year ago

Newcastle and Gateshead

So when we drive from Germany to Spain I've got to stop for a recharge every 200 odd miles.

I'll stick with my dirty diesel thanks."

the supercharger would do that in about 20-30 minutes.... so for example every 3 hrs ish... stop for a tea and a sandwich whilst its charging...

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By *udistnorthantsMan over a year ago

Desborough

"I can't think of anything worse than an electric car! Nothing beats the amazing rumbly roar of a decent v8 as you go about your business. The quiet whine of an electric motor will never bring the same smile to a face !"

I'm having to slum it with a V6 but I still get a smile

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By *ee VianteWoman over a year ago

Somewhere in North Norfolk

"I am waiting for the Apple car, can't wait to get my hands on an overpriced but beautiful car that won't connect to anything else and needs to be charged through iTunes...."

You realise you'll only be able to drive in on Apple roads?

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By *ittall2020Man over a year ago

Norwich

Got to wonder how long the batteries will last and how much it will cost to replace them. It isn't very eco if it has to be scrapped in 5-6-7 years time as new batteries cost more than the car is worth.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I am waiting for the Apple car, can't wait to get my hands on an overpriced but beautiful car that won't connect to anything else and needs to be charged through iTunes....

You realise you'll only be able to drive in on Apple roads?

Not if you pay apple $5000 for a converter. They will then release a software update that locks me out of my car unless I input Steve Jobs social security number.

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By *artyn90Man over a year ago

maidstone

Get the leaf instead. It's cheaper, more infrastructure for charging. I love mine. The only problem... it's not a tesla. But probably a more rational choice.

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By *retty womanWoman over a year ago

Near Bournemouth

"I just had a look and have to say it looks great

I have a Lexus hybrid , which is a good compromise , performance and Eco friendly , but would be very tempted when I need a new one

I think it looks fantastic, might have to badger Hubby into getting one

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Problem is, on an eco note, there has to be a big dirty polluting power station to .charge it up. I would check on battery life too. Nissan have batteries to lease as they are expensive and can only be charged a number of times.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I do wonder how "eco" electric cars really are. Generating electricity is on the whole not a clean business."

Its a fifth of the cost of putting petrol in so likely the emissions are less by similar amount and lots of charging points are powered by solar

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By *riskynriskyCouple over a year ago

Essex.

So when we drive from Germany to Spain I've got to stop for a recharge every 200 odd miles.

I'll stick with my dirty diesel thanks.

the supercharger would do that in about 20-30 minutes.... so for example every 3 hrs ish... stop for a tea and a sandwich whilst its charging...

I would prefer a couple of superchargers on my V8...

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I do wonder how "eco" electric cars really are. Generating electricity is on the whole not a clean business.

Its a fifth of the cost of putting petrol in so likely the emissions are less by similar amount and lots of charging points are powered by solar"

That's cost though.

I remember an article on the Prius when every eco hipster was buying them for karma points stating how terrible for the environment they were through manufacture alone compared to a normal car.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I'd definitely have a Tesla though if I could afford one. It just makes sense. That and a couple of solar panels on a house is the dream.

Besides, if there is any head of a company on the planet worth giving money to, it's Elon Musk.

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By *udistnorthantsMan over a year ago

Desborough

So when we drive from Germany to Spain I've got to stop for a recharge every 200 odd miles.

I'll stick with my dirty diesel thanks.

the supercharger would do that in about 20-30 minutes.... so for example every 3 hrs ish... stop for a tea and a sandwich whilst its charging...

I would prefer a couple of superchargers on my V8...

Treat yourself to a Jag XJ8R or an S-Type STR and job's a good un

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

not sure about the tesla but remember there being a comparison between an S class mercedes and a modern hybrid and the mercedes had a far smaller enviromental impact to produce (something crazy like 98% of the car is made from recycled sources) not sure how long these hybrids will last durability wise (pretty sure i read somewhere your better of buying and older land rover and keeping it until it rots out as it causes less enviromental impact)

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Hello Fabio,

it's you choice but I am unhappy my tax money is being given to you to buy a car.

The only positive about electric powered vehicles is in congested cities, but unless there is a large scale change in city transport it will make little difference. 90% of our electricity is from fossil fuel so they are not particularly clean nor are they particularly efficient given all the transmission and rectification losses.

Solar charging, fine if you want to charge by day and drive at night and cross your fingers in winter.

Alec

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I do wonder how "eco" electric cars really are. Generating electricity is on the whole not a clean business.

Its a fifth of the cost of putting petrol in so likely the emissions are less by similar amount and lots of charging points are powered by solar

That's cost though.

I remember an article on the Prius when every eco hipster was buying them for karma points stating how terrible for the environment they were through manufacture alone compared to a normal car."
.

This is correct in the main, it's a lovely car but isn't exactly eco friendly although if we made all electric generating from renewables it would be an awful lot better than fossil fuels.

If you actually want to be as eco friendly as possible, just stick with your current car for as long as possible (say over 15 years) and use it as little as possible!.

You'd be very surprised how much of your travel could be done by bicycle!.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Hello Fabio,

it's you choice but I am unhappy my tax money is being given to you to buy a car.

Solar charging, fine if you want to charge by day and drive at night and cross your fingers in winter.

Alec "
.

It's large but it's not 90%!.

In fact wind turbines produced 10% of the UKs electrical demand alone last year!.

In fact the renewables coming in allowed for a 8% reduction in the UKs trade deficit because we weren't buying imported fuel!.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Indeed. But then you wouldn't go green laning in a Mondeo either. Horses for courses.

For most people's lives 200 miles or so is more than adequate. If it isn't enough then don't buy one.

I'm no fan of electric cars, always thought of them as an evolutionary dead end and that we should go the hydrogen fuel cell route. The Elon Musk got involved and that may well be a game changer. Interesting times?

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I just had a look and have to say it looks great

I have a Lexus hybrid , which is a good compromise , performance and Eco friendly , but would be very tempted when I need a new one

What's the fuel consumption? Isn't a Prius worse than a decent diesel?

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Problem is, on an eco note, there has to be a big dirty polluting power station to .charge it up. I would check on battery life too. Nissan have batteries to lease as they are expensive and can only be charged a number of times. "

Let's build some nice clean nuclear ones!

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Indeed. But then you wouldn't go green laning in a Mondeo either. Horses for courses.

For most people's lives 200 miles or so is more than adequate. If it isn't enough then don't buy one.

The problem isn't hydrogen fuel cells, there pretty much done!.

The problem is where you get the hydrogen to put into it?

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Indeed. But then you wouldn't go green laning in a Mondeo either. Horses for courses.

For most people's lives 200 miles or so is more than adequate. If it isn't enough then don't buy one.

The problem isn't hydrogen fuel cells, there pretty much done!.

The problem is where you get the hydrogen to put into it?"

Isn't the problem storing the hydrogen on the vehicle? I understand its really hard to do.

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By *itzWoman over a year ago

south wales

im sure i remember a Tomorrows World episode with a car that ran on piss.

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By *eMontresMan over a year ago

Halesowen

One of my vehicles is a 20 year old 4L Jeep (which is on LPG due to fuel costs).

I don't use it everyday, only when it's needed, but I could use it everyday of my life and then the whole of another lifetime, before my carbon and environmental footprint came anywhere close to buying a new electric/hybrid car.

Not saying don't do it, and yes it is the future, but the carbon cost of the batteries alone is huge, and they only last a few thousand charges, then have to be environmentally disposed of (and you have to buy a new battery pod)

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Let's build some nice clean nuclear ones! "
.

There's a few problems with that as well!.

Firstly given that were now on the way to serious climate change there's the problem about protecting them from rising sea levels.

Then there's the proliferation problems.

Then there's the 10 to 15 years build time and where you build them.

Then there's the decommissioning costs.

And finally the fact is they produce as much c02 from building to decommissioning as a standard coal plant does!.

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By *otlovefun42Couple over a year ago

Costa Blanca Spain...

So when we drive from Germany to Spain I've got to stop for a recharge every 200 odd miles.

I'll stick with my dirty diesel thanks.

the supercharger would do that in about 20-30 minutes.... so for example every 3 hrs ish... stop for a tea and a sandwich whilst its charging...

Sod that for a lark.

I will do 5 or 6 hours then a 10 minute break and then off again.

Stopping for half an hour (if I can find a bloody "supercharger") isn't an option.

I can fill up in Luxembourg and get all the way to Spain without troubling the French service stations. Why should I change?

While the Chinese are building coal fired power stations week in, week out, why the hell should I bother about a minuscule amount of carbon?

All bollox if you ask me.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Indeed. But then you wouldn't go green laning in a Mondeo either. Horses for courses.

For most people's lives 200 miles or so is more than adequate. If it isn't enough then don't buy one.

The problem isn't hydrogen fuel cells, there pretty much done!.

The problem is where you get the hydrogen to put into it?

Isn't the problem storing the hydrogen on the vehicle? I understand its really hard to do."
.

Well there's that aspect of storage but the problem with hydrogen is... Well it's bonded to other elements, it takes as much energy to strip the hydrogen from the other element as you get from the hydrogen itself, basically it's a negative eroei (energy returned on energy invested).

Yes it could play a part with solar or wind used as the energy input but as we stand today, well Honda use a football size field of solar panels to produce the hydrogen for their show cars at the Honda plant in California!.

So yes it could play a small part but it's not likely to replace fossil fuel transport

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Did around 300 miles in the Model S with someone from the airfield last year. Stopped at the Tesla charging point on the M4 for minutes.

Car was luxurious inside, felt like it handled well (only went on the motorway with him), the display screen is fantastic.

If you're not relying on travelling long distances for work, the S is amazing. I suspect you'll get similar for your money for the lesser model.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Isn't the problem with current electric cars, on a purely eco note, that the manufacture of the batteries causes far more environmental damage than is saved by not burning petrol/diesel for the lifetime of the batteries?

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Isn't the problem with current electric cars, on a purely eco note, that the manufacture of the batteries causes far more environmental damage than is saved by not burning petrol/diesel for the lifetime of the batteries?"

Are you sure that all that goes into using and retrieving and refining fossil fuels for use for the entire life of an IC engine is less damaging than creating a single battery?

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By *eMontresMan over a year ago

Halesowen

Yes, loads of studies done

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Are you sure that all that goes into using and retrieving and refining fossil fuels for use for the entire life of an IC engine is less damaging than creating a single battery?"
.

Tit for tat they are equally bad at producing c02 the problem with that philosophy is nearly all "traditional" cars are scrapped recycled and bought again so you have the added effect of c02 used for the build costs and running costs!.

So if you actually just kept your traditional car it would produce less c02 over a twenty year period than an electric one being built and scrapped and re-sold!

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Yes, loads of studies done"

I'd be wary of the funding of those studies and the fact they were released on the same day Tesla's shares rocketed.

It's also the same excuse Singapore used to punish a Model S buyer with extraordinary fines. It appears simply to be a punishment for importing American as opposed to an unethical purchase.

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By *eMontresMan over a year ago

Halesowen

"Yes, loads of studies done

I'd be wary of the funding of those studies and the fact they were released on the same day Tesla's shares rocketed.

It's also the same excuse Singapore used to punish a Model S buyer with extraordinary fines. It appears simply to be a punishment for importing American as opposed to an unethical purchase. "

I've been aware of such studies since before Tesla was formed.

Personally, I keep vehicles until they're beyond economic repair - hence a 20 year old Jeep.

When it does eventually have to go, then if it was an option, I would go electric, but I'm more likely to buy another, younger LPG converted Jeep

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"Yes, loads of studies done

I'd be wary of the funding of those studies and the fact they were released on the same day Tesla's shares rocketed.

It's also the same excuse Singapore used to punish a Model S buyer with extraordinary fines. It appears simply to be a punishment for importing American as opposed to an unethical purchase.

I've been aware of such studies since before Tesla was formed.

Personally, I keep vehicles until they're beyond economic repair - hence a 20 year old Jeep.

When it does eventually have to go, then if it was an option, I would go electric, but I'm more likely to buy another, younger LPG converted Jeep

I'm not sure how a trustworthy study could've been conducted before the car existed... Anyway if you like Jeeps, you probably wouldn't be a Tesla buyer. They're just different markets.

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By *eMontresMan over a year ago

Halesowen

"Yes, loads of studies done

I'd be wary of the funding of those studies and the fact they were released on the same day Tesla's shares rocketed.

It's also the same excuse Singapore used to punish a Model S buyer with extraordinary fines. It appears simply to be a punishment for importing American as opposed to an unethical purchase.

I've been aware of such studies since before Tesla was formed.

Personally, I keep vehicles until they're beyond economic repair - hence a 20 year old Jeep.

When it does eventually have to go, then if it was an option, I would go electric, but I'm more likely to buy another, younger LPG converted Jeep

I'm not sure how a trustworthy study could've been conducted before the car existed... Anyway if you like Jeeps, you probably wouldn't be a Tesla buyer. They're just different markets. "

I'm talking about studies of keeping existing vehicles on the road vs manufacture and running new ones, particularly electric and hybrid. These studies have been carried out since way before Tesla was formed.

I don't like any particular type/model of car. To me they're just tools for doing a job, like a set of spanners or a hammer.

I have occasion to go off road for festivals, and to tow or carry heavy loads. So long as the Jeep is repairable for significantly less than the cost of replacing it, I'll keep it. when that equation changes, I'll break it and sell the rest for scrap.

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"as you know i am a eco hippy... lol and the new telsa model 3 has been unveiled...

if it is advertised the could mean they finally become mainstream

if it is as good they they claim, i am so tempted to put my name on the waiting list for one......

so please talk me out of it.....

have to say i am really really tempted"

I have seen a lot of them around London. The more expensive ones mind you. Very attractive and lots of places to plug in. So as long as the range is good. The styling is attractive and the charging is convenient I am all for them, it will be the future very soon. I believe the current ones are just over £6 to charge up yet I do not know the range you get for that.

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By *enard ArgenteMan over a year ago

London and France

Do you want an electric car for " Eco" reasons?

So why would you buy an electric car?

1. To reduce carbon emissions? No; the carbon emissions generated in making the Electricity for the car, are more than the carbon emissions produced by burning the petrol needed to drive a modern petrol car, at the same speed and distance.

2. The ecological damage in the manufacture of the car is apricumately twice that of building a conventional car; primarily the batteries; to make the batteries, various rare ores have to be mined; this mining in itself is causing huge eco damage in the areas of the mines; the ore is then transported by shop halfway round the world ( producing large carbon emissions) before being turned into the batteries ( again, at a high energy/ Eco cost - mostly in China, where there are few Carbon emissions restrictions, anyway.

3 . With current battery technology; the batteries have to be changed at least every 5 years; new ones need to be manufactured; and the old ones disposed of ( yet another Eco - issue).

In addition; when you but this electric car; are you buying the batteries? If so, due to the need to change batteries, it wil cost about £5000 ( or more) every time you change batteries. Or you have to do what other electric cars do; you buy the car, but rent / lease the batteries ( at quite a lot per month).

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Hello Bythedoors

"In fact wind turbines produced 10% of the UKs electrical demand alone last year!"

Yes, (despite being about 25% of the total installed generating capacity) but the fossil fuel stations don't stop when the wind is blowing, they are still emitting CO2.

Wind and solar is unreliable and is the reason our grid and generating system is now in a mess with likely hood of power cuts for the next four years is very real. Last winter was mild but what of the future?

Alec

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By *heOwlMan over a year ago

Altrincham

"as you know i am a eco hippy... lol and the new telsa model 3 has been unveiled...

if it is advertised the could mean they finally become mainstream

if it is as good they they claim, i am so tempted to put my name on the waiting list for one......

so please talk me out of it.....

have to say i am really really tempted"

I like the Tesla cars I have seen and on the serface like the idea of electric cars, however scratch beneith the surface and generally they are no greener than a conventional internal combustion engine.

To start with the batteries used in the cars are not exactly environementally friendly to produce or dispose of at the end of their relatively short life.

Then the is the little matter of charging the batteries. Unless you have your own solor panels or wind turbine, the power is coming from the national grid. Huge amounts of the power generated at a power station is lost before it gets to the end user, someone once said that this loss equated to only 30% ofe the genereated power being available at the plug.

If you then account for how the power is generated, the vast majority is produced in coal or gas powered power stations.

So generally speaking electric cars, at lest at the moment, are only shifting the polution problem from the car to a power station and also making the polution at the power station far worse.

In addition I was speeking to an electrical engineer the other day who pointed out that the electrical supply to most homes could not cope with the demand of people charging their cars.

Having said that, electric propultion is a far better solution in the long run, we just need to find a better solution to the generation of the electricity. Roll on the develoment of hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Owl.

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By *arnayguyMan over a year ago

Durham Tees

" You realise you'll only be able to drive in on Apple roads?

Or as Apple prefer to call them, i-Ways.

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By *ittie4UCouple over a year ago

Watford

"Hello Fabio,

it's you choice but I am unhappy my tax money is being given to you to buy a car.

Solar charging, fine if you want to charge by day and drive at night and cross your fingers in winter.

Alec .

It's large but it's not 90%!.

In fact wind turbines produced 10% of the UKs electrical demand alone last year!.

In fact the renewables coming in allowed for a 8% reduction in the UKs trade deficit because we weren't buying imported fuel!."

When the_doors is good, he is very good!

He is right - 2014 grid mix was 31% coal, 31% gas, 19% renewables, 18% nuclear.

Hum, electric cars not particularly clean, not particularly efficient.

Compared to?

A 15-25% overhead on extraction, refining and transport of liquid fossil fuels.

Then only about 15% of the fossil fuel you burn in you engine actually gets used to move your car - with about 80% of the losses going in engine and idling losses.

And if you wanted to think about it, your weight is probably around 5% of your cars weight.

So, it would be a pretty safe bet to say that less than 1% of that incredibly precious, valuable and irreplaceable resource we call fossil fuel that we burn in our cars, creating huge environmental and air quality issues, actually gets used to move us around.

Now, what were we saying about electric cars?

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By *ittie4UCouple over a year ago

Watford

"So generally speaking electric cars, at lest at the moment, are only shifting the polution problem from the car to a power station and also making the polution at the power station far worse."

Firstly, that's Absolutely not true. IF the UK produced all it's electricity by burning dirty coal, there would still be a marginal improvement. But we don't. About 40% of our grid mix is clean, so the improvement is large.

Secondly, even if this WAS true, it would still be an environmental improvement as few of our people and particularly kids live in power station exhaust stacks. They do live next to our roads though

Oh, and on your up to 30% transmission loss for electricity, it's pretty close to the up to 25% 'loss' on producing, refining and transporting liquid fossil fuel.

" In addition I was speeking to an electrical engineer the other day who pointed out that the electrical supply to most homes could not cope with the demand of people charging their cars."

Most people don't use their car at night. How long a day is your car sitting idle? Actually we don't use much electricity either between midnight and 6am. Yes, sure, if everyone switched to EVs tomorrow, we'd have some issues. If everyone wanted a fast charger in their home tomorrow we'd have some issues. But charging a 24kWh battery (Nissan Leaf) takes just 8hrs via a single normal 3pin domestic plug - and you could double them up easily if you wanted.

" Roll on the develoment of hydrogen fuel cell technology."

And just out of interest, where do you think the hydrogen comes from? I'm afraid you make it with electricity. In this context, hydrogen is just another form of electrical energy storage.

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By *ittie4UCouple over a year ago

Watford

I would prefer a couple of superchargers on my V8...

Treat yourself to a Jag XJ8R or an S-Type STR and job's a good un

Mark Moody-Stuart, former CEO of Shell, once said that driving any car that doesn't do at least 40mpg in real world driving is a crime against the environment.

Personally, I would call it a call it a crime against humanity and our future generations - but I know, I'm just an extremist on the subject.

How do your Jag XJ8R and S Type STR do?

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"I do wonder how "eco" electric cars really are. Generating electricity is on the whole not a clean business."

They aren't. The strip mining for the nickel that goes in the batteries generates more pollution than most cars generate in their life time. Then there's the various refinement processes and the need to charge the batteries (where does the power come from?). Plus the batteries only have a limited lifetime and need to be replaced.

They're a good idea in principal but a very flawed solution.

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By *ittie4UCouple over a year ago

Watford

"The strip mining for the nickel that goes in the batteries generates more pollution than most cars generate in their life time. "

That's the nickel in the Lithium Ion batteries (yes, I know they do contain some nickel - the same metal that's mined to make nickels and dimes in the US and Canada.

" and the need to charge the batteries (where does the power come from?)"

Electricity, nearly 40% of which in the UK is generated without any CO2 and which doesn't leave poisonous emissions on our city streets where we live and our kids play (which BTW is implicated in 40,000 early deaths in the UK annually)

"They're a good idea in principal but a very flawed solution."

Unlike internal combustion vehicles, which are of course not at all a flawed solution - usefully using maybe a couple of percent of the energy you get from burning one of human kinds most valuable and very finite natural resources to move a person around.

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By *olgateMan over a year ago

on the road to nowhere in particular

It's not a Prius or a Volt. It's already sounding better

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By *abio OP Man over a year ago

Newcastle and Gateshead

"It's not a Prius or a Volt. It's already sounding better"

there is nothing wrong with driving a prius i'll have you know mister!!!!!!

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

I saw a Tesla today. It looked smart.....if you want a woman viewpoint.

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By *i1971Man over a year ago

Cornwall

Non starter for me atm - nearest supercharging point is around 95 miles away and service centre around 280 miles away lol Not sure whether you need the designated supercharging points or if you could charge anywhere, but maybe takes longer?

However, for anyone within easy reach of supercharging points etc, I don't have a problem with them. Nice cars

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By *riskynriskyCouple over a year ago

Essex.

I would prefer a couple of superchargers on my V8...

Treat yourself to a Jag XJ8R or an S-Type STR and job's a good un

Mark Moody-Stuart, former CEO of Shell, once said that driving any car that doesn't do at least 40mpg in real world driving is a crime against the environment.

Personally, I would call it a call it a crime against humanity and our future generations - but I know, I'm just an extremist on the subject.

How do your Jag XJ8R and S Type STR do?"

I don't want a Jag. What I intend to do is take the engine and gearbox from a 5L twin supercharged Range Rover and drop it in my 90... I should then double my power and at least double my mpg...

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By *igBanMan over a year ago

kidlington

I didn't needed to know there was Another coming out.

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By *riskynriskyCouple over a year ago

Essex.

Re nuclear power, Rolls Royce are proposing using the same technology that they use in nuclear submarines to build small regional power stations.

They would apparently only take 5 years to build, the problem being it would take an order of 40 -70 to make it worthwhile building the production facility.

The survey done on electric v fossil fuel engined vehicles was done after the Prius wad released.

It measured the pollution of the vehicle from manufacture through a 5 year life span and recycling...

Of a list of something like 20 vehicles it came last or very close to last.

The pollution caused during manufacturing and the difficulty during recycling was the main problem.

Yes improving the air quality in towns and cities is important but at what cost to the rest of the country...

Further to the above, approximately 40,000 people a year die early due to pollution.

If this was stopped or reduced, how would the country cope with those extra people living each year? (That was a purely academic point, obviously disregarding the emotional side of things.)

Just a few things to add to the pot...

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By *riskynriskyCouple over a year ago

Essex.

"It's not a Prius or a Volt. It's already sounding better

there is nothing wrong with driving a prius i'll have you know mister!!!!!!

How soon before someone gets run over by the silent death???

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Have you considered the new civic type R

Stage 1 remap and you've got over 350bhp to the front wheels....just in case you like things a bit edgy

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

"as you know i am a eco hippy... lol and the new telsa model 3 has been unveiled...

if it is advertised the could mean they finally become mainstream

if it is as good they they claim, i am so tempted to put my name on the waiting list for one......

so please talk me out of it.....

have to say i am really really tempted"
i think it wont be quite that cheap but i want one too! i could travel to work hundred miles a day and charge it over night! Get one Fabio!

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By (user no longer on site) over a year ago

Check your license as depending when you passed your test electric vehicles no longer covered in categories on it so not sure if covered

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By *auradCouple over a year ago

glasgow

"Hello Fabio,

it's you choice but I am unhappy my tax money is being given to you to buy a car.

Solar charging, fine if you want to charge by day and drive at night and cross your fingers in winter.

Alec .

It's large but it's not 90%!.

In fact wind turbines produced 10% of the UKs electrical demand alone last year!.

In fact the renewables coming in allowed for a 8% reduction in the UKs trade deficit because we weren't buying imported fuel!."

Scotland regularly has more than 50% of its energy from renewables the only problem with that is that it is very difficult to load balance and you get surges.

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By *abio OP Man over a year ago

Newcastle and Gateshead

"It's not a Prius or a Volt. It's already sounding better

there is nothing wrong with driving a prius i'll have you know mister!!!!!!

How soon before someone gets run over by the silent death???

all that you need to know is that i am building my list!

The first they will know about it is that when I am running them over at 30 mph... i'll be reversing back over them at 30 to finish the job!!!!

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