Cars, cars, cars...

Decision based on current tech? Me.

We keep getting told that tech is the solution but I've not seen the leap in cars or infrastructure. Yet.

Out of interest, what are your criteria for the leap in cars/infrastructure you need to see?

I have little to no interest in cars but a couple of my neighbours have model S Teslas, they seem pretty impressive: accelerate insanely fast, go 400 miles on a single charge and you can do 10% to 80% charge in 30 minutes. They charge on the drive so I doubt they ever really need to charge out and about anyway but I see superchargers at motorway service stations and the local car park & train station to me both have charging points which have been installed in the last year or 2.

A quick google suggests that the range has doubled for the model S in the last 10 years, seems like decent progress.

I agree flats are going to be tricky but unless you live in a flat i don't see how that would affect your decision to buy one. If 400 miles isn't enough range on a single charge, what would you need? Is the long journey hassle finding a charger or having to park up for 30 minutes while it charges?

I can't imagine doing 400 miles without needing to stop for 30 minutes a couple of times anyway.

Ironically it's cities where EV are probably most appropriate for short trips etc that have the highest proportion of flats. It's hard to see how EVs can be the only solution.

You're very against other people driving EVs for some reason Stevo - did you get embarrassed at the red light dragstrip by a housewife in a Tesla or something?

They aren't *that* fast, at least the dual motor 2016-2020 ones I can't afford right now. About 5-5.4s to 62. Which okay is not slow, but my own car beats that. There seems to be relatively few of the ones with the more eyecatching numbers.

Besides, one thing Stevo is right about is that owning a 4 seater dragster is of limited long term enjoyment if it weighs 2.2 tons and doesn't want to go round corners.

Just wondering why you seem so upset by the concept of EVs.

I wouldn't buy a new car full stop, I just have no interest in cars and spend very little time in mine. I have probably driven 100 miles this month.

If I were in the market for a new car, I would be looking at electric options but I have no need for performance or long range so wouldn't be considering a Tesla. I guess I could afford one if I really wanted it but I can think of a whole host of better things to spend £80k on than a car that I barely ever sit in.

The original question was would you still be looking to buy an ICE car in 2032, I can't imagine that i would be and was intrigued as to what the criteria would be for people to switch if they think there is a problem with EVs in 2024 - in 2032 the current crop of EVs will be nearly 10 years old so 2nd hand will be more widely available and presumably that performance will trickle down to cheaper models.

I'm not upset, where do you get that from? I've simply pointed out the drawbacks of EVs.

Sure, they do a job and are suitable transport in certain circumstances but for me they have all the emotional appeal of a washing machine. And despite the speed they are dynamically inferior as they weigh so much. Also if you read the link I posted just the other day you'll see that many buyers are prepared to sacrifice some outright speed for character and fun which petrol cars can provide. Same applies for me. The poor recent sales of EVs are probably in part down to things like that (and price, range, resale value etc).

Yep, fun is not a straight line, as the saying goes. That said, mine puts a smile on my face just popping down to the local Tesco - that electric motor whine just doesn't cut it compared to a good ol' V8 rumble.

Yeah well, there is theory and there is reality. And that’s before considering going to remote locations which my son has to, or I’d choose to.

Bottom line, my son’s next company car will not be a Tesla, and don’t get him started on build quality.

Give it a couple of years and batteries will be electrolyte free and this will bring potentially several hundred kg off the weight of a car. From what I read, ranges could increase and charging times decrease (assuming infrastructure obviously). The market doesn't need much more range, so 1600-1900kg cars with 400 mile ranges that will charge in 20 mins, where all the mass is low down. Those could be fun, and imagine what the likes of Lotus could do if they only wanted 200 mile range?

I think we just need to be patient and then the transition will be like breaching a dam.

I get it that technological advances could well change things then all they would need to do is make them sound half decent. Although TBH I'll probably be to old to care by then.

But as you mention, as of now we aren't there yet.

I think we will need to mourn the loss of the sound. I say this as an ex F1 fan (it is as much a sport as WWF now, as 2021 showed) who laments the lack of need for ear defenders at events. Not been to one since 1998, but damn the noise of a V12 about to explode was amazing back then.

Eventually, maybe. Although I still hold out a faint hope for eco fuels or hydrogen combustion engines.