Electric car anyone?
2 lurkers |
76 watchers
Mar 2023
11:17am, 22 Mar 2023
1,714 posts
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fuzzyduck79
(Almost half of these oversized tanks are EVs now)
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Mar 2023
11:39am, 22 Mar 2023
20,854 posts
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3M
Are they actually "greener" than ICE? I think you do need to take it over the whole lifetime. This epa.gov seems to say in terms of greenhouse gases produced overall, that they are, assuming all other things are equal. Even (!) Greenpeace seem to say the same sort of thing greenpeace.org.uk although they do also make the same point that a big part of the problem is our overall "transport system". sciencefocus.com points out some of the "variability" in just how green the EVs are compared to ICEs is about how the electricity is generated too. All of the above is basically the result of googling "are electric cars worse for the environment to build than petrol ones?", BTW. In summary - a good step in the right direction. But not enough. (I'm still conflicted - I'd like an EV, but I like towing my caravan for holidays and short breaks, but I can't afford an EV with the battery life to do it!) |
Mar 2023
11:53am, 22 Mar 2023
6,631 posts
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ThorntonRunner
Increasing car size - whether ICE or EV - is a continuing issue. I was at a meeting on Monday concerning potential developments at our cricket club and it appears that in the last few months the planning requirements for the size of each parking slot in a car park required has been increased to accommodate the increasing general size of vehicles.
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Mar 2023
11:56am, 22 Mar 2023
6,632 posts
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ThorntonRunner
We're now being quoted 2.8m x 5.0m rather than 2.4m x 4.8m
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Mar 2023
12:21pm, 22 Mar 2023
1,715 posts
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fuzzyduck79
There's no rational reason to think it has stopped either, we will keep buying bigger and bigger because a few people like to bully others on the road, and a larger chunk don't want to get bullied so keep buying whatever size they need to maintain status. This behaviour has been studied and proven to exist, although anyone who drives different sized vehicles will probably have noticed it very quickly, takes minutes to find someone in a tank who suddenly wants to tailgate you in a compact car. blogs.lse.ac.uk Same happening in many countries, have a look at where the US have ended up with car sizes to realise those enlarged parking spaces will be too small soon enough. |
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Mar 2023
12:25pm, 22 Mar 2023
1,716 posts
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fuzzyduck79
I don't think any driver can be shoeboxed into bully/non-bully either, some people can be nice and reasonable one day and then behave like a plank the next. But letting people buy ever bigger vehicles without any limit is not in anyone's interests, has parallels with people buying/acquiring weapons for protection. |
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Mar 2023
12:28pm, 22 Mar 2023
1,717 posts
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fuzzyduck79
One thing that maybe limits the demand for vehicles as big as you see in the US would be our roads being too narrow in places, there are many spots near me where cars simply can't stay in lane while making turns, and plenty of places people like to go on holiday where the roads are tight with solid walls making it impossible to just mount the footpath.
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Mar 2023
12:37pm, 22 Mar 2023
45,990 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Delighted to have the above discussion, but (at the risk of being accused of being Dr Pangloss again!) aren't most of these generic issues, not EV specific a. cars too big (and being used by single occupants) b. too many cars generally (not enough move to public transport or foot / bike) c. too much new production (and not "sweating the asset" presumably leading to higher consumption and scrapping) The only EV differences to the above is i. they are newer, so harder to buy second hand and unknown second hand market. I'd argue that this is almost or possibly already past the tipping point of now being viable. (Personal anecdote - I would happily buy second hand EV, as discussed). And ii. all other things being equal, EVs are cleaner to run (both local air pollution - who on their bike, run or walk has not breathed in a lungful of diesel or petrol exhaust emissions - and carbon into atmosphere). Anyway, back to EVs - mine is charging in the sun today. So that answers that "how green is electricity" question for my scenario N of 1 of course!  G
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Mar 2023
12:48pm, 22 Mar 2023
1,718 posts
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fuzzyduck79
The problem is EVs being pushed as a magic bullet, to enable the status quo to otherwise be retained. The whole discussion started with a comment observing that EVs won't fix much as they have the same generic issues as ICE cars. I agreed earlier they are cleaner to run, but I don't feel that positive about society switching from ICEs to EVs. |
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Mar 2023
12:51pm, 22 Mar 2023
45,994 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Fair enough FD. Think larks started this as more of a practical, owners or prospective owners advice and info thread. But obviously the environmental side is part of that, so totally understand. I'm loving mine and my smug driving, every time I leave the house! (slightly tongue in cheek, obv!) G
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