New Diesel And Petrol Vehicles To Be Banned From 2040 In UK - BBC News

[Sheridan]

I'm quite happy to switch to electric cars when they're ready to replace ICE cars, but the thing that will never change is the complete and utter incompetence of those who manage our roads.

 

In the region I live, every single set of major roadworks over the last two decades that has been done on the basis of 'improvements' has,without exception, resulted in worse traffic problems almost overnight. Traffic lights on roundabouts seems to be the latest thing which always creates bigger queues.

 

Councils seem to take an active delight in making people's commutes longer, so I just know I'll be sitting in the same mess in ten years time, just in a battery powered car!

[unixman_again]

Tesla Model 3: Elon Musk rolls out mass market model - BBC News - starting at a cheapish $35,000

[witch]

23 years is no time at all for the huge changes to the infrastructure that will be needed.

OK - so new flats have charging stations - but there wouldnt be enough space for everyone and the long charging times would make them impractical for all residents. What about people who can't even park outside their own houses, never mind plug in to a charging station?

I like the idea of induction loops in roads - what we need is some method of tarmacing that automatically does the loops - 3D printing maybe?

[6Foot2]

Link: Carmakers’ electric dreams depend on supplies of rare minerals [The Guardian]

[unixman_again]

OK - so new flats have charging stations - but there wouldnt be enough space for everyone and the long charging times would make them impractical for all residents. What about people who can't even park outside their own houses, never mind plug in to a charging station?

Near where I work, they've converted a six storey office block into 12 two bedroom flats and each has a parking space with a charging point - this is good. Bad news is that it's right on the ring road in the armpit of the Black Country, so I think they are going to have trouble selling them.

[6Foot2]

Near where I work, they've converted a six storey office block into 12 two bedroom flats and each has a parking space with a charging point - this is good. Bad news is that it's right on the ring road in the armpit of the Black Country, so I think they are going to have trouble selling them.

 

Also, it is just one new development. There are two new housing projects nearing completion in my hometown. Sad to say that neither, as far as I can tell, have any provision at all for car charging.

[stevejp]

Near where I work, they've converted a six storey office block into 12 two bedroom flats and each has a parking space with a charging point - this is good. Bad news is that it's right on the ring road in the armpit of the Black Country, so I think they are going to have trouble selling them.

 

I know parts of Stourbridge aren't what you'd call picturesque (I'm assuming you're referring to Medusa House?) but to call it 'the armpit of the Black Country' is a bit harsh! (Must admit, I wouldn't buy one of those, although I could be tempted by the ones in the old library conversion!)

[witch]

My sister lived in Stourbridge for years - I quite liked it

[stevejp]

My sister lived in Stourbridge for years - I quite liked it

 

There are definitely worse places to live in the Black Country!

[unixman_again]

Yep, it's Medusa House. We used to use it as classrooms and it was damned noisy with the windows open. The flats look nice but you can't forget where they are. Still it would be better to live there than in the flats at Merry Hill. One of the teachers from my last school lived there - very handy for shopping but difficult to get in and out of.

[stevejp]

Yep, it's Medusa House. We used to use it as classrooms and it was damned noisy with the windows open. The flats look nice but you can't forget where they are. Still it would be better to live there than in the flats at Merry Hill. One of the teachers from my last school lived there - very handy for shopping but difficult to get in and out of.

 

Ok, now I've worked out where you work (��) yes, I would hate[b[/b] to live in those ones at Merry Hill! Guessing the top floor of Medusa might not be too noisy, but the lower floors - no thanks!

[mavhc]

With DC charging it'll only take 30 mins to get to 80% charge. Usually the charging points are activated with a card/smartphone app, no worry about stealing power.

 

This is assuming anyone would want to own a car when it's cheaper to robotaxi.

 

Sadly solar panels on the cars themselves wouldn't generate enough power, covering car parks with solar panels would help though, keeps the car cool too

 

Currently there's 2 standards for high speed DC charging, then you have your own cable for medium speed AC charging, 7kW or so, and maybe a 3 pin mains adaptor for places without car chargers.

 

As long as everyone pays for cleaning up/repairing the damage the pollution they cause, it should all work out.

[LeMarchand]

This is assuming anyone would want to own a car when it's cheaper to robotaxi.

 

I'd love for this to be true, but can't see cheap travel making enough money to keep the luxury yacht industry going.

[Davit2005]

Tesla Model 3: Elon Musk rolls out mass market model - BBC News - starting at a cheapish $35,000

 

That is actually cheaper than my Standard Skoda Octavia vRS Oil Burner without the Options and quicker. If only I'd have somewhere to charge it :-) . Not too sure I like the look of the front though :-( .

 

Certainly If I get on reasonable lease/PCH deal I'd be content.

Edited August 2, 2017 by Davit2005

[Andrew_C]

Regarding generating energy, solar panels will basically be free by 2040.

When Calder Hall was switched on, we were told electricity would be free by the turn of the century. I'm still waiting. ..

[mavhc]

It's the wrong kind of nuclear power, oh well.

 

Interestingly my Leaf gets more power out of the batteries the slower it goes, so you can either drive fast and recharge, or slow and wait until you get to where you're going/home. Did 80 miles today and still had 20% charge remaining, "eco route" took me via the back roads, much prettier than the motorway. Also there's quite a few free chargers at supermarkets.

[CAM]

Has no-one considered the end of life plan for electric vehicles? We will be complaining about the disposal of toxic chemicals in batteries by 2040.

[localzuk]

Has no-one considered the end of life plan for electric vehicles? We will be complaining about the disposal of toxic chemicals in batteries by 2040.

Telsa has - https://www.tesla.com/en_GB/blog/teslas-closed-loop-battery-recycling-program

[unixman_again]

I had a chuckle when I saw this Electric trucks and vans cut pollution faster than cars - BBC News

 

Birmingham had an electric bin lorry in 1938 and it was in use until the early 1970s

http://www.birminghamroundabout.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/pict0041.jpg

[mavhc]

A few batteries to recycle is much easier than fixing the mess the 10 tonnes/100k miles of petrol a old fashioned car will set fire to will be.

 

https://cleantechnica.com/2016/05/31/battery-lifetime-long-can-electric-vehicle-batteries-last/

 

Once the capacity is depleted enough to affect the range you switch them to being static batteries, storing solar power, the more you have the longer they last.

 

Then you recycle them, lithium batteries aren't anywhere near as toxic as other batteries.

 

The future of automotive lithium-ion battery recycling: Charting a sustainable course

 

Really what needs to happen is the car makers build robots to disassemble the batteries as far as possible, to avoid energy used to melt them down.

[woodham]

im still stuck as to why we are obsesed with going electric why not hydrogen? no problems with range or charging up can be refueled as quick and easy as petrol and are clean to run ,

[difinity]

im still stuck as to why we are obsesed with going electric why not hydrogen? no problems with range or charging up can be refueled as quick and easy as petrol and are clean to run ,

 

Expensive to produce, store and transport.

[Meldrew]

I did see something about air powered vehicles a while back. To my mind the idea solved a few problems. The problem with solar, etc is storage, so you use the solar panels on your roof to power a compressor feeding into a compressed air tank. Then when you come home you just fill up your car with the compressed air you've built up. Presumably there's a massive hitch somewhere making it impracticable...

 

Meldrew

[TechMonkey]

im still stuck as to why we are obsesed with going electric why not hydrogen? no problems with range or charging up can be refueled as quick and easy as petrol and are clean to run ,

I think it is lack of progress, issues of storage, production, concerns of safety, price and infrastructure. It boils down to in theory Hydrogen is better, in practice where we are now Electric is more practical.

[pcstru]

I did see something about air powered vehicles a while back. To my mind the idea solved a few problems. The problem with solar, etc is storage, so you use the solar panels on your roof to power a compressor feeding into a compressed air tank. Then when you come home you just fill up your car with the compressed air you've built up. Presumably there's a massive hitch somewhere making it impracticable...

The got-cha is you don't store terribly much energy in compressed air (and the more compressed, the more difficult it is to contain safely) and the conversion both ways is quite inefficient as the adiabatic process involves losses to heat.