What is really slowing the take up of electric cars? Is it price, or are there other factors at work like the pace of technological change? Read Stephen McNair on the issues here ⤵️
What is really slowing the take up of electric cars? Is it price, or are there other factors at work like the pace of technological change? Read Stephen McNair on the issues here ⤵️
Better range, better charging stations with cheaper electricity. In other European countries, super fast chargers are charged at a small premium over home charging - here they are often 10 times the cost.
Go to a motorway services and see the queue of pissed off Electric car owners waiting to get access to a charge point. Was chaos at Gordano Services near Bristol on Monday afternoon (yes, I know that's not East Anglia! 🙂) and I suspect it is a scene repeated countrywide
Charge my 2017 Chevy Bolt from my home lvl2 charger. In 8yrs I've never had to charge it anywhere other than my home. For any round trip over 325klm (summer time) I just take my F150. My EV's battery is still operating excellently with 91k klm on it. EV Costs 2.72$/100klm, F150 22.73$/100klm driven
The Chevy Bolt cost me about 40k Canadian in 2017 & the F150 cost 72k in 2020. The EV was way cheaper to buy & operate it just doesn't have the legs for typical family weekend round trips that range from 600klm- 800klm without the need for some logistical planning & confirmation checks
A surprise I learned when I wanted to check out how the lvl 3 charging station in the city I live work is that of the 13 lvl 3 chargers co-located at gas stations, air port and car dealer ships only 4 were operational the rest were down for repairs or unreported off line/not working. 🤯
A subsidised rollout of public chargers at capped rates is what would do it for me. I don't want to pay 82p per kWh to queue up for one of 2 ultra-fast chargers, I want a small row of medium-fast chargers in most supermarket car parks that I can charge at for 60p or less.
And I want those to supply 11 KW, not the measly 3.7 you very often get at those in the UK
Yeah 11kW is about ideal. 50kW is unnecessary & 3.7 is not much better than a 3-pin plug.
Only at the end of the article do you learn the 'research' was done by AI, so the whole thing could easily be based on nothing. Not helpful.
A solution for houses without a driveway. I won't be getting one until I can charge it directly outside my Victorian terraced house, on the street.
Without this solution, EVs will remain the preserve of the better off (people who own houses with drives).
Indeed, and what about those in apartments? Nip off to the nearest motorway service station when they need to, and queue for however long (as suggested to me)? Not to mention the unnecessary mileage and energy usage that entails. #notasolution
For me, in the US, it’s 2 things and only 2 things: 1) price 2) lack of infrastructure
Speaking to friends. They often start by citing range issues, but then move on to price! I suspect the latter is the real reading and the former the 'ecxuse'.
Absolutely price. We are a family of 5 with a dog that goes camping and sailing. We need a vehicle that can fit us all in, a load of kit in, and be able to tow a boat or trailer. Our budget is £12k max. There isn't a EV that suits us within our budget.
What’s offered in any other powertrain that meets the requirements you mentioned at the budget you provided?
Secondhand cars! You cannot yet buy a decent used electric car with a good range, and sufficient capacity to carry a load of people with camping gear etc. If towing, the range on an electric car would probably halve, so not practical whichever way you look at it. £12000 buys you a practiacl ICE car
Unfortunately, yes this
Second hand diesel such as a Ford SMax. The second hand market is not yet there for the larger EVs
More infrastructure needed. Main reason my dad got rid of his. Not enough chargers and also too many companies trying to get a share. He had five or six different apps on his phone and all needed cards linking to them.