Electric cars a step nearer mainstream?

But they only have to be a little bit better than what they are competing with. A land rover with all the trimmings will be able to ford a whole lot better than a Ford Focus (see what I did there?), the same range of performance is possible with battery vehicles, from a bit rubbish, to pretty good.

Robin

Reply to
R.C. Payne
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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.

Reply to
August West

messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@proxy00.news.clara.net...

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

Reply to
The Luggage

In message , at

09:31:34 on Thu, 5 Jun 2008, Dave Liquorice remarked:

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".

Reply to
Roland Perry

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

Reply to
R.C. Payne

"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

Reply to
Adrian

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

I think we know what you meant to say.

Reply to
Mark Ayliffe

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.

Reply to
Doctor Drivel

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.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

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.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@proxy00.news.clara.net...

IIRC its 600 miles as the crow flies.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

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.

Reply to
Roland Perry

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.

Reply to
dennis

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

*many* years ago.
Reply to
Rod

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.

Reply to
Roland Perry

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.

Reply to
Roger

put them high up, thats all.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

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).

Reply to
Roland Perry

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.

Reply to
Roland Perry

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

Reply to
Clive George

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