Electric cars a step nearer mainstream?

The A9 is, nowadays, a very good road. Infested with speed cameras, though; Highland Police regularly wheel out bikers and boy races who have been prosecuted for exceeding the ton by a rather large margin. Given the right time of day, and season, maintaining 56 shouldn't be too troublesome, until you're north of Inverness.

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Except that TNP needs to get a new map. LE-JoG is over 800miles. 838 for the fastest journey according to the AA's route finder, but I'm sure there are shorter routes.

TL

In message , at

Yes, the Google Maps figure seems optimistic, but I have found them to be very reliable when doing trips myself. Although the "tails" at either end of this particular trip are not very promising.

My other mapping software (MS MapPoint) says 849 miles and 15hrs 54 min, which by inspection assumes 38mph during the "tails".

But that's because the cost of repairing the bodywork (I assume that's what you mean by "having the living crap beaten out of them") is not worth it because by that point the engine, drivetrain and chassis are also f**ked by the same careless handlers. If you use much more reliable components, this economy may change, and it may be that companies simply re-body the chassis rather than buy new.

If you get rid of a car because you don't want to be seen driving something "that old", you will tend to sell it on to someone (direct or via a second hand car dealer) to someone for whom "that old" is older than the previous owner's perception. The issue of a car not being finanicially worth maintaining comes when the cost of replacement exceeds cost of repair. If a car is much more reliable, that point will be reached after a larger number of years/miles. Of course it remains to be seen what happens to the second hand car market if cars are reliable and cheap to keep running for 30 years instead of 15.

Robin

"R.C. Payne" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

There's a very good reason why it doesn't already happen - because there's really nothing that could apply to an electric van that wouldn't to a diesel one.

That reason? Labour costs.

But a dozen years and ten owners down the line...

They already are, and long have been

On or about 2008-06-05, R.C. Payne illuminated us with:

I think we know what you meant to say.

The Routemaster is only kept in service because of nostalgia and tourist reasons. Boris the Turk wants to bring them back. The madness of the man - and they voted for him too.

Cars have to be good *enough*. In general that means you dont expect a mini to wade a river, whereas with a Defender, you might.

All I am saying is that there is no reason not to make the batteries waterproof.

I averaged 63mph from Siena to cambridge including all the stops and a ferry crossing: 900 miles clocked. It was probably illegal for 85% of teh distance.

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IIRC its 600 miles as the crow flies.

In message , at 12:54:09 on Thu, 5 Jun 2008, The Natural Philosopher remarked:

Floods, not rivers.

It was the air vents that sounded most vulnerable.

Its difficult to imagine them not being water proof. Making the rest waterproof is more difficult. The batteries are sealed in plastic.

Given the right shape a car/boat should be easy for an electric car so even a small car could cope with floods.

Average Edinburgh -> Reading - greater than 75 mph. Definitely illegal most of the way. (Probably only legal when stopped to fill up.) And

In message , at 12:58:06 on Thu, 5 Jun 2008, The Natural Philosopher remarked:

And that crow will be flying over water most of the way from Lands End to Stranraer.

The message from The Natural Philosopher contains these words:

Around that but it would be more likely to be a seagull than a crow. About half the direct line distance is over sea.

put them high up, thats all.

In message , at 13:42:00 on Thu, 5 Jun 2008, Roger remarked:

Worse than that... only 210 miles is over land (200 from Stranraer to Elgin, plus the last 10 miles).

In message , at 13:55:10 on Thu, 5 Jun 2008, The Natural Philosopher remarked:

Then they'll be a long way from the battery and less efficient. And most likely ugly looking as well, with room from the car's footprint required to accommodate the ducts.

No, 600 miles is 600 miles. Personally I wouldn't ask Google Maps to tell me how long 600 miles was, I let it do what it's best at.

(you forgot to mention that a fair chunk of that 837 miles isn't on motorway too, but since it's irrelevant to what I wrote that's probably a good thing).

clive