Last June a group of scientists led by Professor Richard Herrington, the Natural History Museum’s head of earth science, warned the government that to replace all cars on British roads with EVs, UK demand for the batteries needed would require almost twice the world’s current yearly supply of cobalt, the total amount of neodymium produced globally every year, three-quarters of the world’s annual supply of lithium and at least half its copper supply. No prizes for guessing the effect of this (even if it were feasible) on the prices of these minerals, and therefore the ultimate cost to the consumer. And what about the CO2 emissions generated by this vast excavatory process (chiefly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, home to most of the world’s cobalt reserves)? According to Tim Worstall, a former trader in rare elements: “VW has released the comparative numbers for its new electric Golf against the diesel version. The all-clean, all-climate-friendly version must do 120,000km [75,000 miles]” to break even, “given the emissions required to make the thing.” Read more

Most exit roads from motorways and dual carriageways finish with a roundabout. The slip road usually meets the roundabout at an acute angle rather than 90 degrees, which means that drivers have to twist round in their seats and look over the shoulder to see traffic coming from the right. I have been driving since the mid 1970s and don't remember this being a problem in the past. Is it just me? I was considering one of those wide angle attachments for the door mirror. Read more

Or at least I cannot find this week's.

Hope it is just a glitch and not related to that note at the bottom of the web page.... Read more

"In diesel exposure"

Only this morning I posted on another website about the possible problems of continuing to run ICE cars as 2035 approaches, assuming the present proposals come about.

The number of filling stations has been dwindling as long as I can remember. The economics of petrol/diesel sales will get steadily worse as the proportion of EVs grows so as 2035 approaches it may be as difficult to fill up as it is now to charge your EV during a journey. Regardless of whether existing ICE cars are still legal after 2035 by then low or zero emission zones are likely to be the norm for most urban areas in the UK. Hence actually using your ICE car as regular transport may become near to impossible for many or at least incur large daily charges.
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Let's hope the UK benefits from some aggressive pricing for what are generally very reliable vehicles

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