Vehicle fuel prices

[Smoking gun]

Hi guys,
As an alternative to petrol or diesel Hydrogen is very good. It's produced by the electrolysis or water which can be done using off peak electricity. Typical range is around 300 miles, refuelling time is the same as petrol or diesel. The drawbacks in the UK is the lack of filling stations and the government doesn't seem interested in backing Hydrogen.

The big mistake manufacturers have made with electric cars is you cannot swap the battery pack for one that has been charged off the vehicle. Just imagine driving into a service station, a technician opens a hatch in the car removes the depleted battery, slots in a fully charged one then you pay and go, in around 15 minutes. All that's required is for manufacturers to get together and agree on a small range of standard battery packs.

The rising fuel cost is going to affect my gaming opportunities, I can't afford to buy a more modern, hybrid,or electric car without making sacrifices elsewhere. So I doubt I'll be attending any shows this year and I'll reduce the frequency of my visits to the wargames club.

Best wishes,
Martin Buck

[hammurabi70]

Mine is a Renault Twingo, currently unavailable in the UK as far as I am aware. It is a small runabout approximately the same sort of size as an Aygo and more room in the back than a Fiat 500. Charging has to be done at public charge points as I live in a flat, but this is not a problem in the Netherlands.
Running costs vary as the battery goes further in warmer weather. Cold winter weather approx 130Km on full charge. Middle of summer up to another 100Km. There is a useful low battery light on the dashboard that kicks in at 20%. Can get up to around 90% charged after about 50 minutes. Usually go for a walk with the dog, shopping or a coffee when it is charging.

Longest journey so far has been a 180km round trip into Germany. Car was charged at the destination and again about 3/4 of the way back on a fast charger just to be on the safe side. Fast charger gave a half hour break for a coffee. There is an eco mode, which I always use, which  means the car cannot go above 106kph.

Many thanks.  Very interesting; not available in the UK, as you said.  Presumably we have BREXIT to thank for that as we are no longer in the market so they are required to service the UK.  I have my eye on the Renault Zoe but am open to all information and ideas; we will be taking a hard look at the market next week.  Minimum endurance for us is 200km in adverse weather.

In respect of speed limiting does that mean higher speeds require disproportionate power input so, as with fossil fuels, you get a lower mileage the faster you go?  How big a hit is temperature variation?

[Leman (Andy)]

I am a fan of electric cars as a concept but where is the electricity going to come from to charge them if we all buy one?

Question though Andy. How quick does the battery go down if driving at night in cold weather?


Derek

Less quickly if you drive carefully in B3 so that some energy is returned to the battery. I drove home from Groningen to Delfzijl with about 18% at 3a.m. on Christmas morning using B3. The distance was about 25km and I still had 4% when I got home. It was very, very cold. Bear in mind that where I live is polder country so very few inclines to contend with. In the UK I would have gone for a bigger car with a bigger battery (although I couldn't afford to drive there anyway - almost all my assets tied up in a too big, expensive house). PS I am now of the opinion that an Englishman's home is his millstone!

[hammurabi70]

FWIW we have purchased a Kia e-Niro.

[Leman (Andy)]

Good to hear someone else is joining the club. Re. Derek's  statement about  where is the electricity to come from? That is the response from a car centric society, which I no longer live in. A responsible government invests in all types of fuel. Hydrogen is taking off here, particularly in commercial vehicles, as well as the growth of electric vehicle use. Solar farms, wind farms and the number of houses with solar panels are all expanding. Cycling is massive here, so car owners use their cars less for short journeys and commutes. It all boils down to investment, which then encourages research and development, leading to more efficient batteries, better use of public transport, cycle lane networks and so on. After all 122 years ago the only flight was by balloon and airship, so maybe one day it will be possible to switch batteries in and out of cars, have less car ownership and more people using alternative, reliable, affordable forms of transport. We've already come a long way since milk floats.

[John Watson]

I would consider buying an electric car if I could afford one. When I changed my car 18 months ago, I bought a light hybrid. If I had bought the electric version (or nearest equivalent) it would have cost me nearly double. If the government are serious about us driving green (which I doubt) then they need to offer financial incentives to buyers.
John