Nissan/Renault have announced that they will market an "electric car" in the US from 2010 and in Europe from 2011. Carlos Ghosan says the car will not be boring to drive and they have signed a deal with Israel because that country imposes an import duty of 70% on cars but only 10% if they are electric.
This made me wonder.
What, at a minimum, would an electric car have to do to interest you and not be boring?
And what incentive would assist you in making the decision to go for a greener but probably less comfortable and less enjoyable car? Reduced VAT of 5% on the purchase?
I know tax reductions are not very likely. But just suppose.........
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I'd be interested so long as the thing has a decent range (say 500 miles), reasonable size, looked OK and there was a cost saving. Until then, they will remain quirky city cars to me.
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Watched a re-run of TG last night on digital. The Prius was featured and it fared worse on fuel on a 70 mile trip than my ever-so-long-in-the-tooth Mondeo diesel estate does. I too would buy into electric or alternative fuel cars if they could be designed to have a decent range and have the option of immediate refueling. Also, the reality for me and many others would be that they would also have to be pitched at accessible prices and have decent loadspace not compromised by extra engines or large battery packs. Not asking a lot am I ? ;-)
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What at a minimum would an electric car have to do to interest you and not be boring?
130 mph top speed, and 0-60 mph time of 9 seconds.
L'escargot by name but not by nature.
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A range >300 miles with lights, wipers, heater, radio etc. on, quick charge facility, cheap or DIY capable servicing, low cost to purchase and small family size car dimensions would do me. A charging station infrastructure would be good too.
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I'd be really interested in something that could hold 4 people at normal road speeds, 2 people at 60-70mph and had a range of around about 100-150 miles. I'd forgo looks in an instant if it had a good safety record.
Oh and of course the cost would have to be right. Or at least a decent rental based system.
Edited by kaytronika on 02/05/2008 at 11:46
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What at a minimum would an electric car have to do to interest you and not be boring?
Have a good range, good efficiency, reasonable performance for today's roads (say equivalent to an average "normal" 1.6), approximately comparable capacity/payload to "normal" cars, and be capable of "re-fuelling" in the same time as it takes me to put fuel in a "normal" car - with an adequate support infrastructure for re-fuelling.
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Actually be both cheaper to run, and REALLY more environmentally sound than an equivalent petrol car.
Where do people think the electricity comes from?
Oh, and sounding as good as my Alfa's V6 would be good (but is never going to happen). However as a replacement for SWMBO car, that would not be necessary, since it is purely practical in remit.
To replace my car, it needs to have soul. I think the aural treat is probably a large part of that, and therefore think an electric car will never interest me.
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Actually be both cheaper to run and REALLY more environmentally sound than an equivalent petrol car. Where do people think the electricity comes from?
It comes from a range of power stations - coal (about 30% "efficient"), gas (55-60%), nuclear (about 30%, 40%, 20% off supply, respectively). Compare that to France, where about 3/4 of electricity production is from nuclear energy. Given the UK mix of electricity sources, it is "greener" to run an electric car.
Is it cheaper, though? Here're some estimates. My car will do 40MPG at 60MPH, so to go for an hour will cost 1 1/2 gallons (say £7.75).
What power does a car neet to maintain 60MPH? Guess: 20KW. What's the domestic unit cost? 20p? That'll be £4, then - about half the cost.
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FT, are you not assuming that the car itself, both in terms of the delivery system of power to it, and its own use, is 100% efficient in your calculations?
Besides which the running costs means everything, not just fuel, and I would expect the battery technology to be both less long lasting and more expensive to maintain.
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>>To replace my car, it needs to have soul. I think the aural treat is probably a large part of that, and therefore think an electric car will never interest me>>
Oddly enough I did think of that. You could have a synthesised sound, a bit better than an arcade game in quality. And maybe a choice so you could be a slowish Alfa one day and a slowish TVR another.
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The car as a commuter or "all round" car:
If as a commuter a range of 150 miles and top speed of 70 would be adequate.
As an all rounder 500 miles, top speed of 100 and a fast charge (3 hrs or less).
Oh, and in both cases NO DEARER than any conventional car of the same size....
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GM in the US had to withdraw some of their electric cars because they were doing less than a third of their claimed range-people were making use of the performance-foot flat to the floor,turning on A/C and other extras and these were people in a retirement community.
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