Roads in the area

[brumbob]

very graphic, it's better to drive a large 4x4

[Trojan]

very graphic, it's better to drive a large 4x4

Or a Foden.

[Ian]

I've moved the jokey posts following to Clean Jokes.

[Ian]

A topic for anything to do with driving anywhere except the A55 in North Wales.

[Ian]

Will the new generation of electric cars mean a quieter summer in the future?

A comprehensive charging network is currently under development in the UK, and Nissan's network of EV dealers – currently 26 sites nationwide – will be equipped with a quick charger, which will charge the battery from zero to 80% capacity in under 30 minutes. Across the UK there are programmes under way to install around 9,000 charge points by 2013.

[mull]

How many windmills to charge one car for 30 minutes ?

[Ian]

How many windmills to charge one car for 30 minutes ?

Reminds me of the maths problems I used to get in primary school....

[Yorkie]

If I had an electric car I would get myself a wind generator for my back garden, presuming such an arrangement is feasible.   ZXZ

[brumbob]

Why would you want to generate wind Yorkie?
Isn't it already windy enough in North Wales 

I think it will be many moons before electric cars can replace fossil fuel burners,
at the moment they are completely useless for the majority of people, not only because of cost and mileage
but charging points and time taken to charge will be the biggest issue.
The batteries which will have to be replaced every three years will wipe out the second hand market of such vehicles.
Hybrid cars have a better future but mpg is little better than the new generation of diesel cars you can buy now.

[Ian]

at the moment they are completely useless for the majority of people, not only because of cost and mileage

Research indicates that the majority of people drive fewer then 40 miles per day, so in fact they'd be ideal for the majority.

but charging points and time taken to charge will be the biggest issue.

I'd be willing it bet it won't be long before supermarkets provide in-bay charging points for free, which would be ideal since these cars only need 30 minutes charge to restore them to 90% capacity.

The batteries which will have to be replaced every three years will wipe out the second hand market of such vehicles.

That seems the biggest issue, although the manufacturers are saying five years not three, and they're all looking for ways to avoid that terminal cost.
 

[brumbob]

great, have to drive to the supermarket everyday to charge it up  

until every parking space has a means to charge a car, I maintain electric cars are useless for the majority of people
imagine row upon row of terrace houses with cables stretching over the pavement  :rage:

Plug in electric cars move problems rather than solving them.

[Yorkie]

They have employed electricity hook up posts in car parks and other areas of the community in Sweden for many years.  These have been for supplying the engine heaters in cars to combat the very cold climate.

No reason why similar system could not apply to charging units.  Plenty of info on the Internet.    D)

[brumbob]

You've walked around Llandudno, every road is chock-a-block with parked cars, can you imagine the cost and upheaval to put charging points to each of these spaces.
I suppose the youth of the future will have great fun unplugging cars so the owners find they aren't charged in the morning.

[Ian]

imagine row upon row of terrace houses with cables stretching over the pavement

Yep;  terraced are certainly going to be a major issue.  But streets are already wired for lamps and things so a bit of lateral thinking could see a lot of kerbside charging points and petrol is fast going to become a scarce commodity, so with the simple reality that the UK has signed to reduce emissions to a level that can only be achieved by getting rid of a lot of petrol engined vehicles I suspect that electric will be the future.

The big problems will be the long distance drivers: the motorway service stations might have to start offering battery swapping options to keep the holidaying motorist on the road.  But there again, the last time we drove to France, through the Midlands, the M25 and then the chunnel we all agreed that had there been a train-car conveyor available we'd have taken that.  The ideal solution would be for designated train stations to operate car trains ,rather like the current Eurostar does.

[brumbob]

Electric will most likely be the future Ian, once all the guinea pigs have brought the price down and battery proficiency has improved.
At the moment a £7000 car with an electric motor costs up to £25,000 even with government subsidy, so it's a no-brainer for most people.