31 Oct 2019

Electric cars - NOT amateur radio

This has been discussed here before, but I was reminded yesterday by an old friend who is hanging on to his petrol car until he expects to buy an electric car in about 3 years' time. His comment was "electric cars are not there yet". I agree with this. Both the range needs to increase and the price has to fall.

Most days I see maybe 2 electric cars on the roads. I suspect these are early adopters or maybe eco warriors. In 10 years' time I expect we will all be driving these, but as my friend said, "they are not there yet".

I want to buy and use an electric car. Maybe in a few years? In the meantime let us stop subsidising fossil fuels and subsidise renewables instead so we are encouraged to switch.

4 comments:

  1. In terms of current CO2 production approx contribution

    Electricity Generation 27%
    Transport cars & small vans 17%
    Air travel 7%
    Shipping <1%

    https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/fast-facts-transportation-greenhouse-gas-emissions

    So you simply move it from one place to another

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  2. Agreed that electric cars MUST use batteries that do not use rare materials (and slave labour) and charging MUST use renewables. When this is the case I suspect the electricity generation figures will plummet. 5-10 years?

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  3. BTW, I usually delete anonymous comments unless a name is given. Why not give your name?

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  4. I was in Montreal a few months ago (using my “alter ego” call VA2QU) and noted the number of kerb-side electric vehicle recharging points. Every major road in the city has several located in parking bays; you top up the vehicle by using a credit or debit card, and it’s seen as perfectly routine.

    Also they have electric buses on some routes that recharge automatically from overhead pickups at certain stops. It’s the reverse of electric trains - instead of having wiring above the roads and pantographs on the buses, there are pickup conductors on the bus roofs and pantographs on overhead poles.

    Regards,
    Keith G0RQQ

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