So Jag/Land Rover and Ford have just announced that they will soon stop production of petrol/diesel engined cars and swap production to fully electric cars.
Did you receive this news with:
Dread
Joy or
Resignation?
In less than 10 years, apparently, we wont be allowed to buy new ICE cars but I doubt that many will be produced at all in the last 4/5 years leading up to that.
Will you stubbornly hold on to the “bad” old ways and keep whatever you are driving at that time for as long as you can or are you willing to embrace the brave new world of range anxiety, characterless and gearless cars and spiralling electricity bills at home?
I don’t know enough about the real world environmental impacts of conventional engines against EV, but from my limited experience of driving an EV (MX-30) I can’t see them as being a bad thing really. I wouldn’t resist. I’d no doubt still have an “old” MX-5 with a conventional engine as long as they’re allowed to be on the roads.
I kinda have a personal bias against EVs only because my horrible ex was a huge deal in EV circles
Am a bit resigned to the necessity of electrics. I used to also be primarily based in an undercover loading bay where I was breathing in the fumes of up to 30 vehicles at a time. Whether they can ever be made to the same ‘fun factor’ as current vehicles?
Like Mick, my concern is related to budget. The cost of them needs to plummet a few steps before there’s any consistent uptake. There also needs to be sufficient infrastructure in-place before it becomes a realistic prospect.
Honestly? For the time-being, there are far worse cars to run, in an eco-sense, than an MX-5. I’ll be keeping her going for as long as possible.
I personally think that EV’s are the only answer to the local environment issues at the moment and Governments are pushing them as it means that they can get air quality in cities under control. However they still have massive environment impact - batteries are not an environmentalists friend.
I personally believe that hydrogen will take over long term as the production of hydrogen is sorted (again it takes a lot of energy to produce), along with the infrastructure and enough car companies to jump on that band wagon.
In the meantime, I would like an EV for the 17 mile each way commute that I do. I can charge at home, so easy. I did look at a Honda and a 208 EV, but as they were a comparable cost to a brand new ND, I thought I would buy one of those whilst I still can. At some point I may have to get an EV for everyday use and keep the ND for fun, but as I only go to the office twice a week now, this may be a little while off.
Technology is moving quick though and EV’s are getting better, but I would be concerned about putting £30k+ into something that may be a dinosaur in 5 years. I know writing that made me feel that I have already bought a 2.0 litre petrol dinosaur, but I mean a car that no body will want as it is replaced by a newer cheaper car of improved technology…
Ten years is still quite a long way off, so I would expect EVs available at that point to be quite a bit more advanced than the current crop on offer today, especially in terms of maximum range, charging times and cost. Other technologies may become players too, such as synthetic fuels, so we might end up with more choices. Personally, I won’t be in any rush and will bide my time until the future becomes clearer. The increasing cost of maintaining older petrol and diesel cars is likely to become more of a factor and could determine when people decide to make the leap. Having driven mainly petrol and a few diesels over the last 45 years I’m not going to be too upset if I have to change to an alternative.
We have just ordered our first EV to add to the family of cars, to replace my Wifes smart ForTwo petrol turbo with a smart ForTwo EV that will be delivered 1st week of March, only 80-mile range stated so in reality 60 miles but that is more than we need from that car. will let you know how it goes. for a daily drive I have no issues with EVs … let’s see if that stays that way
Cars will be the new phones, like you said the technology moves so quick and things become very much worthless. Seems like we’ll all be in hire cars and care sharing vehicles as they won’t be viable to own privately.
Before you all start, that was a joke - so please take it easy - I know you live in a fantastic country with some of the best roads and scenery in Europe!!!
I am hoping that by 2030 or so, with all new car production focussed on electric, that prices will have improved dramatically and that conversion kits for our 5s will be commonplace.
There have to be some serious improvents to infrastructure & battery tech before this will be feasable. Lots of cars are currently parked on the road way out of an extension cable reach anyway so what is the hope for them? Everything I have with a battery is either flat or going flat.
Certainly interesting times. I have no problems with having an EV for everyday driving, but the noise of a petrol engine is important part of a sports car for me, I’m a dinosaur
Hoping that we can have sports cars/classics on a limited annual mileage basis.
I’m not sure for forcing us down the EV route is necessarily best. I think a lot could be done to reduce car usage, especially in urban areas, with clean air zones, road pricing and better park and rides.
For long distance driving I don’t see what is wrong with a ICE vehicle.
A lot also could be done to get older more polluting vehicles off the road, more scrappage and higher road tax for them. Fed up of seeing lots of barely legal scrappers about which should have been scrapped long ago.
It’s a culture change also, many of us won’t be able to afford an EV or travel by car anymore, so in that way motoring will become elitest again.
As long as there is petrol in the green pump, an MX-5 running sweetly, me being able to see alright, steer the car, swop the cogs and operate the 3 pedals, I’ll keep what I have thanks… Will be 68 in 2030 - Will review the situation again then…
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