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Post by Humph on Sept 21, 2023 7:28:58 GMT
Now, I suspect some of you might have imagined that I would welcome the news of the push back to 2035 on the banning of sales of new ICE cars.
Wrong!
I’m actually a bit disappointed. Because, contrary to the way my views seem to be interpreted, I’m all in favour of better more relevant cars being developed and indeed the roll out of the infrastructure to go with them. The main (only) reason I’m not one of the early adopters is that the current technology doesn’t fit with my current needs. That’s all.
I had hoped that by keeping the time pressure on the industry and infrastructure, that there would soon be a point at which I could more easily find an alignment between my needs and wants and the vehicles available. I fear that yesterday’s news will delay that further.
Not all EV sceptics are Daily Mail reading dinosaurs, however convenient a tick box that may seem. Some of us were just patiently waiting for the technology to catch up with our preferences.
Now it feels like that will take even longer. I’ll be 77 in 2035, maybe I’ll never have an EV…
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Sept 21, 2023 8:45:38 GMT
Not at all, Humph. I think what you’ve articulated fits with the views of, say, Ford and the SMMT. They’ve taken the government at its word and continued the push towards new technologies. They’re understandably cross that Sunak has arbitrarily delayed the reward for their investment by five years. Significant, I think, that the maker Sunak cited this morning as supporting his backslide is Toyota, which has been badly caught out by the move to BEVs and is motivated to cling to anything that might buy it some time.
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Post by Alanović on Sept 21, 2023 8:52:08 GMT
I think the manufacturers will keep EV development at the same pace. Wouldn't make sense to slow down now and risk others getting further in front. We're moving to the EU deadline, the UK market is neither here nor there really.
Toyota spent too much time and resources on the hydrogen red herring. They'll be back.
The thing that might slow down a bit now is charging infrastructure roll out. Which would be enormously disappointing.
This is just a bit of early electioneering. The fact he went on Radio 4 Today this morning and said "this isn't political, it absolutely isn't electioneering", tells you that it was.
Sunak will be forgotten and irrelevant in 18 months, max.
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Post by Humph on Sept 21, 2023 9:05:54 GMT
If Labour get in, and that seems at least possible, then the timescale could all be changed again. That might seem desirable at one level, but could also be a complete bugger’s muddle. Clarity has to be the watchword.
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Post by EspadaIII on Sept 21, 2023 9:29:48 GMT
I was not surprised as it has been telegraphed (ha ha) for a while now. I am disappointed. There has to be a reason why some Nordic countries and Poland I think are way ahead of us when it comes to heat pump installations and it has to be government policy, as the base prices of the equipment and the cost of carbon energy are not dramatically different across Europe. So in reality, whilst we should not be beggaring ourselves over the altar of Net Zero, we should be doing more to encourage take up of low carbon devices.
Lack of charging infrastructure, too much nimbyism, lack of government action generally in the wider net zero arena can be changed. Simply pushing the can down the road is not good enough. It will satisfy a few Home Counties types in large rambling houses, but I am not impressed. I want to install a Heat Pump but the costs make it not viable. I want to be able to charge my car on a journey as easily (if not as quickly) as Espadrille can fill her Mini, so that when we go to London we take my car and not hers. And I want that electricity to be created from renewables, so where is the tidal power, the mandatory installation of solar panels and batteries in new buildings, the on-shore wind, the off-shore wind AND Small Modular Nuclear Reactors. Why can't we Just Do It...
Labour won't do any better and Green/Liberals will only join it up with some left wing Woke nonsense which will alientate the vast majority of the population. Poland is so Right Wing it makes my eyes water and yet they manage to do it...
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Post by Humph on Sept 21, 2023 9:45:47 GMT
Just out of curiosity, and yes I do know I could google it, but given that some here have real world experience and knowledge of such things, could I ask how much it costs to install an EV charging point at a domestic property these days? Seem to remember there were grants at one time? Doing a bit of remodelling outside our house over the next year or two, and while there are blokes with diggers etc about it might be worth looking into as a home improvement if nothing else for now.
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Post by Alanović on Sept 21, 2023 9:59:39 GMT
How long's a piece of string?
From a couple of hundred, to over a thousand, depending on several factors.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Sept 21, 2023 9:59:43 GMT
A few hundred quid, Humph. The government grant that I got has gone, which is a mistake, but the car makers have stepped in to offer them free or discounted when you buy new or approved-used. A charger (and solar panels with batteries) should be a standard fit to any new house, too, but that would require the Tories to impose extra costs on their favourite donors. How long's a piece of string? The new ones aren’t made of string, Vić. Perhaps that’s just something they did for the Leaf. 😛
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Post by Humph on Sept 21, 2023 10:03:54 GMT
Ok, so not squillions then. Supplementary potentially silly question, would it be better to have more than one?
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Sept 21, 2023 10:20:10 GMT
No.
But think carefully about where you site it. Annoyingly, there’s no standard position on the vehicle for the charging socket. Rear right is most common but far from universal. The iPace puts it front left, which means parking nose-in to the charger and a potentially risky rearward exit from a public location. Our BMW box has a 5m captive cable but those that rely on the car’s own cable may not reach that far.
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bpg
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Post by bpg on Sept 21, 2023 10:26:34 GMT
Ok, so not squillions then. Supplementary potentially silly question, would it be better to have more than one? Not really unless you have his and hers parking spots. What you might consider is a 3 phase charger of 11 or even 22kWh. Most EVs today can take 11kWh charge from AC, 22kWh will be next. This brings down the charge time, you could potentially charge two cars of an evening without the need for a second wallbox.
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Post by Humph on Sept 21, 2023 10:43:24 GMT
We have a fair chunk of space outside the house so we don’t currently have any particular favourite parking places. More a case of abandoning them where we happen to stop. It was just a thought really, might add a little value to the house should we ever sell I suppose.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Sept 21, 2023 10:56:11 GMT
The value added would be a rounding error. But it might make your house an easier and quicker choice for a buyer than the one down the road that has no charger.
And your EV-owning friends will appreciate it when they come to visit. 😋
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bpg
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Post by bpg on Sept 21, 2023 11:32:03 GMT
We have a fair chunk of space outside the house so we don’t currently have any particular favourite parking places. More a case of abandoning them where we happen to stop. It was just a thought really, might add a little value to the house should we ever sell I suppose. WDB has covered the added value vs ease of sale if it ever comes to that. Positioning is your next consideration. ICE cars have a fuel filler either on the left or right near the rear wheel arch give or take the odd Mustang type install at the back or 911 on the front wing. EVs are not quite there yet so you need to mindful of being able to reach front, back, side, basically anywhere except the roof it seems to access the charge point. Back to the original post, not really a surprise when you consider the larger market neighbour was working to a slightly later timeline. That is the one that is going to have the main focus of industry than a small outlier, makes sense to align with that. Interestingly, Toyota were late to the party in terms of full electrification but if one manufacturer can make up the ground it is them. I posted elsewhere they are targeting 500 mile battery range by 2026 and 1000kms by 2028.
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Post by Alanović on Sept 21, 2023 11:40:22 GMT
The value added would be a rounding error. But it might make your house an easier and quicker choice for a buyer than the one down the road that has no charger. And your EV-owning friends will appreciate it when they come to visit. 😋 He's up north, a £500 EV charger could be a significant percentage of a house's value.
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