The cars and bikes thread!

[geoffbot]

I'm all for that; but I just can't get 'enthused' about electric cars, no matter how good they are.
If they're going down the sound effects route - Can 'We' at least pick our own 'soundtrack' ?.... I'd want mine with a Rolls Royce Merlin sound.
Can you imagine it if you could pick your own ?.... It'd be like scrolling through all the ringtones on a new phone, but much more annoying for the neighbours.

I think the a7 diesel let you choose engine sounds like a V8. My old boss had one.

[geoffbot]

Wheel refurbed after my wife curbed it lol

...

[Raza]

Boys, electric cars are coming. They are the future. Accept it, then, be objective about whether you want fake shifts or not, simple yes or no!

Electric cars are coming, but they’re hardly the future. They’re MiniDisc players. Once we get past the deluded lie that electric cars are better for the environment and actually work to find a solution to fossil fuels and destructive mining, we’ll find the real future. Electric cars are bad for the environment, just in a different way from ICE cars.

Not only that, they’re garbage to drive.

[Raza]

Just think of how you could choose things to completely annoy your neighbors:

1. 2005 Honda Civic with aftermarket exhaust as big as a manhole cover.

2. 2020 Nissan (pick any with a CVT) at full throttle with its distinctive sewing machine scream.

3. Any three cylinder econobox.

I rented a Sentra with a CVT before.

I thought I broke the transmission before I remembered there was such a thing as CVTs and all that whining was normal.

[happyscrappyheropup]

Electric cars are coming, but they’re hardly the future. They’re MiniDisc players. Once we get past the deluded lie that electric cars are better for the environment and actually work to find a solution to fossil fuels and destructive mining, we’ll find the real future. Electric cars are bad for the environment, just in a different way from ICE cars.

Not only that, they’re garbage to drive.

Electric cars are not as bad for the environment as ICE cars, they are also cheaper to operate over their useful lives. I think I linked the article in this thread months ago, I’ll try to find it tonight. They aren’t a magic bullet but we can’t let perfect be the enemy of good.

[happyscrappyheropup]

All at around or under 200hp.

When I’m driving something with 200hp it only has two wheels.

[Strela167]

Only , as yet , driven hybrid not full 'leccy. Fine. Plug in hybrid not so much as same engine with extra weight of the bigger battery so no go , as in naff imo.
There is always talk at the mo about something being worked on. Guessing the comment about the VHS is pretty true at the mo. Wait and there should be a big boost , soon ?.
Still unsure on charging.
H2 could be the answer yet not much talk/discussion , why.
Getting a new replacement at the mo. for a petrol is not an easy choice with such a low rate of charging / prices for new EV far too much anyway.

[Raza]

Electric cars are not as bad for the environment as ICE cars, they are also cheaper to operate over their useful lives. I think I linked the article in this thread months ago, I’ll try to find it tonight. They aren’t a magic bullet but we can’t let perfect be the enemy of good.

If that’s the case, I’m happy to be proven wrong (though all my other complaints about EVs still stand).

[geoffbot]

I love petrol, clearly. Electric cars don't interest me, and they make me feel sick.

But, from what I've seen they're way way better for the planet. And they're the future like I say, suck it up!

I like that they're all really really fast, that's a good thing. And having a charger at home like I would means it's always charged!

Not ideal for people in flats I'm sure.

[mlcor]

Hmm, well, it's not quite as clear as "electric is better, end of story." With ICE and hybrids, yes there are greenhouse gas emissions. However, with electrics, you need to consider the generation source for the electricity. Is it wind or solar? OK, you win. Is the electric plant powered by natural gas or coal? Uh oh, maybe you don't win. Nuclear? OK, you win on emissions but lose on disposal of spent nuclear waste. If everyone is on electric, how will we expand and upgrade the grid to serve all of that, and can we do it with only wind and solar? Maybe not.... And what about the environmental effects of mining for all the rare earth materials needed to make batteries? Oh, and do we have a good plan for recycling all the spent batteries as opposed to disposing of them? Didn't think so...

Not saying electric won't eventually replace ICE, it will and should, but I think the runway is a lot longer than people think (or would like to think) it will be.

As far as electric cars themselves, I'm not prepared to buy one even if price were equal (which of course they're not, there's a large premium as the manufacturers shamelessly try to gouge the public for the privilege of going green):

1. Sure, if I'm only going to run errands around locally and be able to charge every night, no problem. But what about long trips, which given the size of our country, is a bigger issue than on the other side of the pond? Recent studies of non-Tesla commercial charging stations in the US found that on average at least 25-30% of them weren't working when they tried to use them, either because of poor maintenance or vandalism. That could be a real vacation-buster. And that's separate from there being enough of them, or the fact that you have to plant yourself for half an hour or more as opposed to five minutes for gas.

2. The electricity doesn't go out that frequently where we live, but it goes out regularly in many places, especially after storms. It can easily take days for the repairs to be made (this has happened even at my place, where it rarely occurs). Then, either you're stranded or you must have a backup ICE car.

3. Fun factor--I've driven Teslas, and they're fun in a straight line because, instant torque. But that's about it from a fun point of view. Maybe that will improve when they start making true high performance electrics, but I don't see how you get around have a couple thousand pounds of batteries and a 5000 pound car, which can pretend to be nimble but won't be.

4. I've said this before, but the law of unintended consequences is already taking place, with people who don't have driving skills suddenly being given a car that will accelerate 0-60 in 3.0 seconds, but have no clue that that doesn't affect stopping distances or cornering.

Bottom line IMO, there's a ton of stuff that needs to be sorted out before electric rule the roads, and it's gonna take a while. Even when it happens, I won't celebrate, not until there's conclusive proof that it's better for driving and the environment, and as practical as ICEs.