Guys, another petition for your consideration.

This one is to force the government to revisit their policy on banning 'fracking' to release huge swathes of energy that sit underneath us. It's a controversial subject as so many opponents have raised mythological objections over the decades. I'm simply in favour of a secure UK supply of energy, bypassing that Russian nutters control he has on the world...

If you object to it, simply don't sign.

End the ban on fracking

Plenty comment on the price of new electric cars (justifiably sometimes ), but the latest  Fiesta ST has a book price of £27,245.   OK it has lots of kit and power, but  £27K for a Fiesta 😲

5 hours ago, Mark-UK said:

but  £27K for a Fiesta 😲

Yes, makes you wince a bit, but even a 125ps ST-Line X (assuming Ford would accept your order, which they won't at present!) Is now around £24k. Quite an increase from my first new Fiesta which was £3k including special paint and sunroof. That was 42 years ago, though!😀

Going back to the ST, the similarly 200ps+ and well equipped VW Polo GTI or Hyundai I20N would set you back a similar £27k-ish amount. An electric Vauxhall Corsa, Peugeot 208 or Renault Zoe**, though, all around 132-134ps, are around the £32k mark.

**coincidentally I spotted an interesting letter from a 2015 Zoe owner today. His car had only done 35k miles but failed to charge and needed a new inverter at a cost of £6400 including labour and VAT, and Renault so far have declined to make a contribution on an out of warranty car. We already tend to have angst about battery life and replacement cost but perhaps there's a bigger can of worms to get our heads round here.

I don't really take much notice of a one off problem.  The Windscreen of my MK4 wasn't glued in correctly and it poured water in when it rained, do I think everyone should be wary about buying a ford because off this singular issue, no.  Anything can break or go wrong at anytime, we should worry when it's happening many multiple times to many people.

19 hours ago, Mark-UK said:

I don't really take much notice of a one off problem.  The Windscreen of my MK4 wasn't glued in correctly and it poured water in when it rained, do I think everyone should be wary about buying a ford because off this singular issue, no.  Anything can break or go wrong at anytime, we should worry when it's happening many multiple times to many people.

I agree - if Mk 4 Focus owners were reporting windscreen sealing problems en masse, you might avoid that particular model, rather than a whole brand or vehicle type.

I hadn't thought much about EV issues myself other than batteries, and I guess it's still early days, but after posting about that Zoe item I did a bit of googling and found quite a number of threads about inverter issues on EVs/HEVs, including a fair number on vehicles we perceive as reliable, such as Toyota Priuses. 

It does seem though, that there are much cheaper fixes possible, particularly on older cars, such as repair, used parts, etc, rather than the main dealer replacement with a new part the guy was writing about. 

Good to be aware of these things though. I've mentioned elsewhere that I was chatting with the lads at my local garage who now have quite a few older EVs coming to them for MOT and service and they tell me they find few issues other than usual brakes, steering, tyres, etc.

I guess as the fund of knowledge builds we'll become more comfortable with things - it can seem like a leap into the unknown after a lifetime of ICE cars.

 

3 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

I've mentioned elsewhere that I was chatting with the lads at my local garage who now have quite a few older EVs coming to them for MOT and service and they tell me they find few issues other than usual brakes, steering, tyres, etc.

I doubt many fail the emissions test... 

On a more sensible note though, I'm not sure if there are many EV specific faults to fail MOT?  Loose or damaged HV cables would be the obvious one I guess.

7 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

On a more sensible note though, I'm not sure if there are many EV specific faults to fail MOT?  Loose or damaged HV cables would be the obvious one I guess.

I was more meaning service issues needing attention rather than MOT failure points, but there do seem to be less grounds for failure - certainly won't fail the emissions test as you say, or need new exhausts, etc, etc! 

Main MOT issue my garage mentioned was rusty brake discs - as you might expect, not getting used much because of regen braking effect.

Probably way overthinking this, but my curiosity was aroused as to why the guy with the Zoe inverter issue didn't seem to have, at the least, investigated other routes to repair/replacement. Then I spotted that the car was on the original acquisition model whereby you leased the battery from Renault (irrespective of whether you bought the rest of the car outright or leased it) and whether that had an impact on what you could do service/repair wise.

Sure enough, the battery lease conditions make some pretty firm stipulations about repairs or replacements to the car being made by approved repairers using approved parts.

I believe Renault have now dropped the separate battery lease scheme in favour of conventional purchase/lease arrangements but it's perhaps something to check out for anyone looking at a used Renault EV.

Guessing there's an inverter in that lot. Certainly no engine , transit. 

Some interesting information @Eric Bloodaxe about the battery lease which many buying a second hand vehicle will have either not considered or fully understood the implications.

For many years I used to repair / service industrial inverters, and while not exactly the same as those used in vehicles the general principles and components are very much the same. Most industrial inverters start to fail at around 7 years, and by 10 years they are mostly at the end of there serviceable life. I can't see that vehicle inverters will be very much different because a key component of the inverter is the electrolytic capacitors and regardless of how much the inverter is used, those components will typically have a life expectancy of 10 years.

Anyone see the last episode of the current series of Top Gear? They did a feature of, 'fuels of the future'. Comparing battery cars, with hydrogen cars, plus 'synthetic' fuel - a fuel that can be put into any existing petrol car. (made from CO2 and H2O) Only downside is cost, £10/liter, which is now 5 times current petrol price, but if put into mass production, well, could be the proper cars saviour! (No, I don't know how it works, some kind of witchcraft!)

It convinces me more than ever that this current hysterical leap into battery vehicles is not only an incorrect intermediate step, but is going to be the 'betamax' of future car development...

2 hours ago, StephenFord said:

(No, I don't know how it works, some kind of witchcraft!)

Lol, a bit like this, I believe:

https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment-and-conservation/2018/06/petrol-made-carbon-sucked-air

Had to smile at this one:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10984541/Electric-police-cars-running-puff-way-countryside-emergencies-chief-claims.html

7 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Had to smile at this one:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10984541/Electric-police-cars-running-puff-way-countryside-emergencies-chief-claims.html

Yes, I heard that on the radio this morning, had a good old chuckle! I'm sure they'll get an exemption for battery cars just like the military has...

I hate to say it but I told you so ....

On 2/24/2022 at 11:54 AM, unofix said:

Just wait till we have electric Fire Engines, Ambulances, Police cars. You can imagine the response when you call 999 and the dispatcher says "your call is very important to us, we have been very busy and are just waiting for a couple of hours while we recharge our vehicles. Please call back" 🤔

 

 

5 minutes ago, unofix said:

I hate to say it but I told you so ....

Satisfying, isn't it LOL 🤣

Trouble is that the police force don't close at 6pm to put there electric cars on charge overnight. The police station cars I used to service many years ago and don't assume any different ,never went cold. The police officers changed shifts but the cars didn't. Constantly in use .

3 minutes ago, iantt said:

Trouble is that the police force don't close at 6pm to put there electric cars on charge overnight. The police station cars I used to service many years ago and don't assume any different ,never went cold. The police officers changed shifts but the cars didn't. Constantly in use .

This "little" problem is something that effects many companies/vehicles. What about Taxi's how will that work?

2 minutes ago, unofix said:

This "little" problem is something that effects many companies/vehicles. What about Taxi's how will that work?

And as often said, how does someone in a 3rd floor flat with variable on street parking, do a charge LOL As also said many times before, the LondonCentric law makers haven't a clue how the majority of the citizens of this country live... They just assume that we all have company expensed cars/drivers like they do.

1 minute ago, StephenFord said:

They just assume that we all have company expensed cars/drivers like they do.

Boris is thinking he might have to give up his company car very soon and just get a bike. A Boris bike of course 🤣

1 hour ago, StephenFord said:

. They just assume that we all have company expensed cars/drivers like they do.

This is probably why the second best selling car last month was a Tesla😀. 

2 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

This is probably why the second best selling car last month was a Tesla😀. 

All the 'petrol' ones are out the back awaiting bits to complete manufacture! 🤣

1 minute ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

This is probably why the second best selling car last month was a Tesla😀. 

Yeah, nothing to do with ordinary punters buying them . Pretty much all leased by big company's for some employees for reduced bik. Not just Tesla but pretty much all higher end electric cars  . Only the likes of Zoe , Corsa, leaf are for the few fortunate to buy privately and then it's pcpor personal lease. 

2 minutes ago, iantt said:

Yeah, nothing to do with ordinary punters buying them . Pretty much all leased by big company's for some employees for reduced bik. Not just Tesla but pretty much all higher end electric cars  . Only the likes of Zoe , Corsa, leaf are for the few fortunate to buy privately and then it's pcpor personal lease. 

I also believe the Police are acquiring large numbers 🤣

18 hours ago, unofix said:

I hate to say it . . .

No you don't .