Bloody electric mode

[dextrous63]

This is all entirely true.  I can imagine that HGVs will eventually have to be got rid of in favour of other modes, such as railways (and my long term view of the return of canals for non urgent non perishable goods).

I also suspect that tanks and other heavy artillery will have to be phased out.  Drones seem particularly desirable, due to the possibly relying on solar power once they get up to height, coupled with increased accuracy in delivering payloads.

[Ashy]

Although I do not believe that it is necessary to make heavy vehicles (or any others for that matter) electric, fleet operators of trucks and buses might be able to adopt a cassette type of battery that can be exchanged quickly and thus keep the machine in traffic for most of the day. Whether that would be practicable for long haul trucks and coaches I don't know.

Having said that I don't know if our roads can stand the weight. A London bus used to weigh about 8 tons when I left school, the battery bus today weighs 14 tons without passengers. What would a truck weigh?

The pressure exerted by heavy vehicles is responsible for breaking such things as water and gas pipes and sewers that run under the roads.

[klondike]

They rip off the top layer of tarmac causing potholes. High weight high torque EVs are worse for roads too. It won't matter soon though we'll all be on shank's pony. Well apart from the elites that is. They'll likely get repaired then.

[Michael Rolls]

at least mine is a hybrid of teh non-plug it type. I get a tad over 50 mpg and a full tanl gives me a randge - with the sort of motoring that I do - of over 600 miles

[Ashy]

I hear that hybrids are very good.

[Michael Rolls]

what really gets up my nose is that every time I switch off, up comes a screen saying 'thanks for driving a hybrid'. Didn't have any bloody choice! If it hadn't been for Ford gleefully saying they would stop making the Mondeo, I would have kept the previous one - a proper ICE version - for at least another year.  As it is this cost around £8,000 more than what I really wanted, plus loss of trade-in for selling sooner than I wanted. In all, I'm probably something like £12,000 down overall, so not overjoyed

[dextrous63]

Hybrids do seem the most sensible compromise for the time being.

As for more urgent transport needs, I seem to recall that Tarzan used to be able to cover large distances quickly by swinging on vines.

Maybe someone could devise a system based on this principle 🤣🤣

September 04, 2023, 09:19:25 PM
I used to love our old petrol Mondeos.  Best cars I've ever driven.

[klondike]

Sort of wipes of the fuel savings then. I still don't understand why you didn't keep the car you had if you were happy with it and couldn't get a direct replacement.

[Michael Rolls]

haven't checked to see what this Mondeo weighs, but as a good third of the boot is taken up by a socking big battery, it must be quite a bit. It is a two litre and the acceleration, while reasonable, is less than its predecessor, which was a one point five

September 04, 2023, 09:25:29 PM

Sort of wipes of the fuel savings then. I still don't understand why you didn't keep the car you had if you were happy with it and couldn't get a direct replacement.

Because if I had, I would have had to settle for something other than a Mondeo. There is a Ford main dealer just 2 miles away, so buying Fords makes sense, but after two Focus estates I really needed something with more leg room. Although I am only just 6'1", I am long legged for my height - legs belong to someone who ought to be 6'3", 6' 4"

[dextrous63]

Out of interest Mike, have you any fears about battery fires?  I remember something on Jeremy Vine's Radio 2 program a few weeks back about people charging some things such as bikes and scooters overnight, and then going up in flames in a somewhat catastrophic chain reaction manner.

[klondike]

Because if I had, I would have had to settle for something other than a Mondeo. There is a Ford main dealer just 2 miles away, so buying Fords makes sense, but after two Focus estates I really needed something with more leg room. Although I am only just 6'1", I am long legged for my height - legs belong to someone who ought to be 6'3", 6' 4"

You could have simply kept the one you had. Cars do last more than a couple of years these days. Even Fords.

[Michael Rolls]

I don't charge - but lithium batteries are notorious for catching fire in heavy impacts - surprised there hasn't been more made of the fact,

September 04, 2023, 09:30:24 PM

You could have simply kept the one you had. Cars do last more than a couple of years these days.

I sometimes wonder if I should have just done that     

[dextrous63]

I have a vague recollection of Howard Hughes wanting to develop a steam powered car, and realising the fundamental flaw that the pressures required would make the vehicles extremely unsafe in the event of even the most minimal of collisions!

[klondike]

I'd bet on the traction engine in any collision with a Mondeo EV or ICE.

[dextrous63]

True.  Don't think Hughes was thinking of Fred Dibnah though🤭