http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: "Are Electric Cars the future of Low Carbon Transport?" en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:45:08 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=25#post-383851 Sun, 12 Apr 2026 19:41:19 +0000 chdot 383851@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/12/interest-evs-surge-europe-fuel-prices-iran-war" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/12/interest-evs-surge-europe-fuel-prices-iran-war</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=25#post-382632 Sun, 04 Jan 2026 22:57:49 +0000 Baldcyclist 382632@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Diesels now only make up 5.2% of UK car sales, whilst Full EV's now make up 22.7% of all UK car sales.</p> <p>If you include Hybrid EV's that becomes 47% of all UK car sales. Petrol still in lead with 47% of sales.</p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0KhxjO2ocE" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0KhxjO2ocE</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=25#post-382627 Sun, 04 Jan 2026 17:36:47 +0000 chdot 382627@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>Battery electric cars will overtake diesels in Great Britain by 2030, analysis suggests</p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/04/battery-electric-cars-diesels-great-britain-london-ulez" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/04/battery-electric-cars-diesels-great-britain-london-ulez</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=25#post-382492 Wed, 17 Dec 2025 10:41:54 +0000 LaidBack 382492@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Village community car (Citröen Espace EV) cannot be charged easily for last week as both chargers are not working. Also affects Volunteer Fire Service vehicle.<br /> Battery on 8 seater vehicle had only 40 miles showing which is not enough to go to Pitlochry Station and back due to Moulin moor height. (26 mile round trip).<br /> Has now been driven to Blairgowrie to top up but obviously that takes time and used 13 miles of charge. (Also nearest petrol station now village one is no more).<br /> Our Dutch friends charged their rented EV with lead from house so may come to that if chargers stay broken. 'Luckily' very few EVs here - some twin engined large hybrid EV types. Vast majority say they'd 'never' rely on an EV but may have one as second car. (We just use buses etc). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=25#post-382311 Fri, 05 Dec 2025 12:42:35 +0000 ejstubbs 382311@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@neddie: I'd agree that the acceleration issue is entirely down the the nut holding the steering wheel (assuming that they are actually doing that, and not busy texting). I'm sure that the manufacturers could implement some kind of limiter, but I'm also sure that the outcry from an antisocial minority of potential customers would be deafening.</p> <p>I suspect that the clumsy regenerative braking is more likely to be due to shortcomings in the logic of the car's systems, and there may be little the driver can do about that unless and until they can get used to the way the system behaves*. I think it's different to engine braking an ICE car where simply lifting off the throttle slows the car down progressively and smoothly in a predictable way, with additional driver control via the clutch and gearbox (which an EV doesn't have). That's assuming that you're not in too low a gear for your current speed to begin with, in which case simply lifting off the throttle can feel quite jerky - but that is simply down to bad driving.</p> <p><em>* Of course it might be helpful if they weren't going quite so fast in the first place. Which brings us back to the issue of misguided and/or irresponsible control inputs by the nut holding the steering wheel.</em> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=25#post-382309 Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:28:39 +0000 ejstubbs 382309@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I was nearly thrown down the stairs of one of Lothian's electric buses the other day when the driver chose to accelerate hard as we were approaching a stop. It might have been a mistake on the driver's part, or they may have felt that there was a good reason for lurching forward as people were already starting to move around the bus, but I've certainly never felt that much oomph from any of their diesel buses. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=25#post-382254 Sat, 29 Nov 2025 19:18:00 +0000 LaidBack 382254@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote>“Our balance is made up of our ears, our eyes and all the joints in our body sending information to our brain, telling us where we are in space.” He gives the example of being under the deck on a boat...</blockquote></p> <p>Can't say I've noticed although only been in the village community EV twice and roads are so twisty around there.<br /> Did notice that ebuses can appear to see- saw. Put that down to weight of 500kWh* of batteries.<br /> Other week bus was full of students coming back from Dundee. Most were locked into laptops or earphones so wouldn't be subject to the motion clues in quote?</p> <p>*A flat uses 3000kWh per year. Larger house 4000kWh. Ovo average figures for UK. Scottish figures likely to be higher. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=25#post-382252 Sat, 29 Nov 2025 14:33:00 +0000 neddie 382252@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I’m willing to bet it’s the <em>style</em> of driving that makes people sick, combined with EVs being ridiculously overpowered, sometimes with sub-5 second 0-60 times </p> <p>Nothing to do with the powerplant</p> <p>A good driver drives in such a way that their passengers don’t notice they’re being driven </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=25#post-382250 Sat, 29 Nov 2025 10:51:14 +0000 chdot 382250@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/electric-cars-make-you-sick-4059243" rel="nofollow">https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/electric-cars-make-you-sick-4059243</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=25#post-379737 Thu, 22 May 2025 11:14:11 +0000 Baldcyclist 379737@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I do get the 'drivers' reticence to move to EV.</p> <p>My old BMW made great noises on back roads and felt really engaging to drive, and planted to the road. Whereas my wee eGolf although you can chuck it arround and it's fun to drive windy roads (my wife loves it more than her car) it doesn't have anywhere near the same drama as a souped up petrol car does (even though the EVs are on paper faster).</p> <p>I do miss that, but not enough to consider another revvy car. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=25#post-379736 Thu, 22 May 2025 11:06:05 +0000 Baldcyclist 379736@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes, if you can charge at home EV is a no brainer.</p> <p>We don't use charging network very much, but when we do we do 'perceive' it as very expensive - in reality it's probably similar cost to petrol, but when you spend £4 to fill your car up most of the time and then are charged £60 it does feel a bit annoying, but it's fine really.</p> <p>Only small gripe we do have is on range, the two EVs we have are perfect most of the time, but when I go hill walking up north often hard to find a charger, or even get to destination on one charge. Long motorway trips are fine though as lots of chargers.</p> <p>Will probably upgrade one of the cars next year to something with 350-400 mile range for those up north journeys.</p> <p>I do see lots of folk in my estate with EVs (I accept I'm in a priviladged minority), but there are lots of 5 year old model 3s hitting the market at more affordable prices, that seem still to have 90%+ battery in them. Also very cheap VW's and Leafs now which are great runnarounds.</p> <p>Still think hydrogen should play a role for those with no access to charging, can just reuse existing network of fuel stations. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-379735 Wed, 21 May 2025 22:00:18 +0000 LaidBack 379735@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Tried to miss Kaye Adams phone in on net zero today but was drawn in like a moth to a low energy bulb.</p> <p>Main takeaway was that EVs are liked a lot with most owners taking advantage of low rate overnight charging. One 'anoraky' guy even drove from Orkney to Spain on holiday and used recharge points of variable quality. "Scotland used to be good but France is far better now."</p> <p>Others have struggled with home recharging apps and were going back to older twin engined hybrid cars rather than a pure EV.<br /> Some in the EV tribe were outraged that some chargers charge twice domestic rate for their fuel. "It used to be so cheap."<br /> Know some on here love their EVs. Take up rates still low. ScotGov got a kicking on the poor state of rural chargers so was a normalish Kaye prog! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-379530 Sat, 03 May 2025 22:21:30 +0000 acsimpson 379530@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I wonder what the charging infrastructure is for such a project. With 40mWH of storage capacity it must have an impressive charging system. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-379522 Sat, 03 May 2025 12:30:45 +0000 neddie 379522@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>EVs *are* the future of low-carbon transport, as long as they are shared </p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/02/hull-096-worlds-largest-electric-ship-battery-power-launched" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/02/hull-096-worlds-largest-electric-ship-battery-power-launched</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-379460 Wed, 30 Apr 2025 14:16:06 +0000 MediumDave 379460@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I wouldn't characterise solar power as being a particularly left/right or "woke" thing (whatever propagandists would have you believe). Notably right-wing locales like Texas and Florida have plenty of domestic solar as well as large industrial installations. </p> <p>It's clear that many right-leaning folk love money even if they don't care about the environment per se and so will happily install solar.</p> <p>Musk fans and haters alike do seem to belong to the same "extremely online" demographic like me. I think that only when Musk really started acting out in the past 3 years did people outside this space start to notice and have an opinion about him. </p> <p>Personally I've disliked Musk since the Paypal days, long before he became a sort of embodied dilettante realisation of 4chan discourse, searching for edge by flirting with various unpleasant ideologies. The Musk-lovers of my acquaint seem more drawn to the theatrics than anything else. </p> <p>Thiel is considerably worse and much more dangerous. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-379457 Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:40:21 +0000 mcairney 379457@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Talking about Elon Musk and the swing from left to right in terms of those who lionise him I remember him being name-dropped on Star Trek Disovery: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bgMCNXzNtE">Star Trek Discovery</a></p> <p>*SPOILER ALERT * This is now taken by fans as being a subtle hint that the Jason Isaacs character is actually from the Mirror Universe.</p> <p>Also puts a different spin on his cameos in a number of pop-culture TV shows over the years (Big Bang Theory, Simpsons, Rick and Morty etc) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-379447 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 22:23:07 +0000 chdot 379447@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>Few individuals embody ladder-pulling more starkly than Elon Musk. Though he has been lauded as a self-made innovator and visionary entrepreneur, Musk’s empire only exists thanks to the support of massive public investment. Yet as leader of the “department of government efficiency” (Doge), he has directed and overseen the dismantling of the very government programs, regulations and subsidies that enabled his rise. </p> <p>Musk’s companies, particularly Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity, have benefited from an estimated $38bn in public support, including government loans, tax credits and federal contracts. In 2010, Tesla received a $465m low-interest loan from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) program. That funding was critical to keeping Tesla alive – without it, insiders later told the Washington Post, the company would have gone under. The success of Tesla’s flagship Model S, the expansion of its manufacturing base, and even the illusion of its early profitability were all bolstered by public money. </p> <p>Zero-emission vehicle credits and the $7,500 federal EV tax credit were equally pivotal. Tesla earned billions by selling regulatory credits to legacy automakers struggling to meet emissions standards. In the first nine months of 2024 alone, 43% of Tesla’s net income came from these credits. The company also profited from California’s emissions credit system through a scheme involving phantom battery-swapping infrastructure – credits that provided hundreds of millions in additional income. </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/29/musks-companies-got-billions-from-the-government-now-hes-pulling-up-the-ladder-behind-him" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/29/musks-companies-got-billions-from-the-government-now-hes-pulling-up-the-ladder-behind-him</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-379442 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 20:16:11 +0000 Baldcyclist 379442@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Of course the far left minority who frequent places like here may not ever have seen him as a left hero, however he brought EVs to the masses and most of those early adopters of Tesla's are rich folk who are left leaning wanting to do right by the environment. He also has solar/battery solutions which appeal to the rich left as well. Most of his consumer products are aimed at the left.<br /> Right wing folks want nothing to do with solar or EVs...</p> <p>Until a year ago young folk (mostly left) seemed to love him, I'd have had no idea who he was a few years ago were it not for young folk at work espousing his wonderfulness. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-379439 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 20:03:09 +0000 MediumDave 379439@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Which leftists have you been talking to? Musk has always been a complete &lt;rule 2&gt; as far as I and my Guardian-munching lentil-reading social circle is concerned. Well before he went full 4th Reich. </p> <p>Musk's sometime pal Thiel is of course far, far worse due to being smarter. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-379429 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 15:54:43 +0000 Baldcyclist 379429@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I confess I rather like Teslas, and may purchase a Model Y sometime in the future, when things settle down a bit. There's no denying as a car, they are great.</p> <p>That man bothers me though, more that I even know who he is. I have no idea who the boss of WV or Toyaota, or any other car company is, they are all annonymous to the general public, as should he be. No one should know, or care what his politics are.</p> <p>What is slightly ammusing though is for years the left saw him as some sort of revolutionaly hero, and now they despise him. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-379423 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 11:57:09 +0000 acsimpson 379423@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think I spotted that one. There was some sort of point present so I assume it was organised by "Led by donkeys" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-379422 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 10:50:01 +0000 Arellcat 379422@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There was a similar demonstration on one of the bridges over the M8 two or three weeks ago. I think the slogan was "Honk if you hate Tesla" and I noticed quite a few drivers confirming their feelings. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-379421 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 10:30:44 +0000 ejstubbs 379421@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote>The demonstration outside the Tesla showroom in west London was one of the smallest I have seen. But everyone who passed by was keen to show their support.</p> <p>...just a score of people, one dressed as a shark for some reason, holding signs that said: “Honk if you hate billionaires.” Tesla drivers were honking as they drove into the showroom. It wasn’t the easiest thing to guess, a year ago, that you were buying an ad for the values of Elon Musk, nor what those values would transpire to be.</blockquote></p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/28/tesla-drivers-hate-elon-musk-protest-london" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/28/tesla-drivers-hate-elon-musk-protest-london</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-379419 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 07:32:36 +0000 chdot 379419@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p> “If you are an engineer who is working on a sixth-generation fighter jet and you have a work phone that you are connecting to your personal vehicle, you need to be aware that by connecting these devices you could be allowing access to data on your mobile,” says Joseph Jarnecki​​​​, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute thinktank.</p> <p>Nate Drier, a tech lead at the cybersecurity firm Sophos, says concerned drivers or passengers can click the “don’t trust” option when they connect their phone charger with the car – but they then lose out on all the benefits that ensue, from using music streaming apps to messaging. </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/29/source-of-data-are-electric-cars-vulnerable-to-cyber-spies-and-hackers" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/29/source-of-data-are-electric-cars-vulnerable-to-cyber-spies-and-hackers</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-378808 Tue, 25 Feb 2025 18:50:58 +0000 chdot 378808@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“<br /> But of late the sheen of owning a Tesla has begun to wear off. For years the brand has been synonymous with Elon Musk and his stance against the climate crisis. Recently, Schwede watched aghast as the Tesla CEO poured hundreds of millions into backing Donald Trump as he made promises to ramp up domestic oil and gas production. </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/feb/25/i-felt-nothing-but-disgust-tesla-owners-vent-their-anger-at-elon-musk" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/feb/25/i-felt-nothing-but-disgust-tesla-owners-vent-their-anger-at-elon-musk</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-378093 Sat, 04 Jan 2025 21:37:54 +0000 wishicouldgofaster 378093@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I recently bought an electric car - MG5 range 235 miles. Reasons for doing so<br /> 1) a lot cheaper than I originally thought<br /> 2) our existing car was a Ford Ecoboost and I was spooked by the timing belt stories so I wanted rid asap<br /> 3) we have already invested in green living eg solar panels etc<br /> 4) I can often get electricity very cheap so 'fuel costs' will now be negligible most of the time </p> <p>It is really nice driving it but I would recommend you look at both pro and anti videos before getting one. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-378092 Sat, 04 Jan 2025 17:31:49 +0000 LaidBack 378092@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote>The figures also confirmed the SUV’s rise to dominance in Britain. The “dual purpose” vehicle class, which contains many of the models marketed as sports utility vehicles, outsold other types of car such as the supermini for the first time. SUV sales were helped by the shift to electric, as bulkier cars have more space for a battery.</blockquote></p> <p>Bigger car = bigger battery = more weight = even bigger battery</p> <p>21st Century Vehicle Logic. The answer is always more. Weird. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-378091 Sat, 04 Jan 2025 08:53:47 +0000 chdot 378091@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/04/record-number-of-electric-cars-were-sold-in-uk-during-2024" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/04/record-number-of-electric-cars-were-sold-in-uk-during-2024</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-378067 Thu, 02 Jan 2025 15:06:25 +0000 LaidBack 378067@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Plug in EVs still seem to sell. Prius model popular with taxi trade of course. Their modest all electric mode good for the tiny LEZ if they care to engage it.<br /> They are a bit crazy though in terms of weight with two engines etc. In future VED will maybe have to be on vehicle weight as the pollution aspect will diminish.</p> <p>Article linked below shows how the vehicle share is swinging towards Chinese brands. New make BYD just supplied buses to TfL. Something Tesla are unlikely to do as South African born Musk doesn't 'get' public transport. Local new build house has a BYD battery so they're going for all sorts of markets.</p> <p>Don't agree with all of it but interesting graphs. Rest of the world is of course a tiny amount of sales - currently only about same as UK which is only double that of Norway (with EVs zero VAT rated)<br /> <a href="https://autonomy.paris/has-the-european-auto-industry-hit-rock-bottom/" rel="nofollow">https://autonomy.paris/has-the-european-auto-industry-hit-rock-bottom/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=81&page=24#post-378066 Thu, 02 Jan 2025 09:06:58 +0000 chdot 378066@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>“The inclusion of full hybrid technology would be a catastrophic misstep and make a laughingstock of the UK government’s world-leading zero-emission vehicle policy,” he told the PA news agency.</p> <p>“If lobbyists do persuade government to include full hybrids it would be a big backward move.</p> <p>“The ramifications for the nascent EV industry and for fragile consumer confidence could be profound.</p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/02/uk-needs-to-ban-full-hybrid-cars-by-2030-or-face-net-zero-catastrophe" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/02/uk-needs-to-ban-full-hybrid-cars-by-2030-or-face-net-zero-catastrophe</a> </p>