Ttaskmaster

If he's interested, I imagine I'll be driving him down!

Deductions can come later if, and when, you are able to provide documented proof of return-use scenarios and the quantities therein. But until you are able to do that, again likely through smart technology, you will be stiuck with the basic taxation at point of delivery. It's like asking for seeds to be cheaper because you'll be selling the fruit to feed starving children, who will grow up to be farmers that eventually produce more seeds.... but you still need to use the seeds first, which is why they'd be paid for and taxed up front.

Asking for a friend, as he's seen mine and looking for a new car himself. Thanks for that.

It's a total disregard for V2G/H because that is about how you, the individual, specifically chooses to use it, not a straightforward and equal taxation on all users. EVs are not the resource, here, electricity is and the simplest, fairest way, as with fuel, water, gas and so many other such resources is to charge and tax at point of delivery. What happens after that is not the taxman's concern.

You're getting bogged down in irrelevant details. You take electricity out, you get charged for it. Simple as. Miles driven is NOT a fair tax - Not only because some vehicles are more efficient than others, but because on that single battery charge you might drive a thousand miles with it, or you might use it all up sitting in your car watching films on the ICE screen, or you might run your home heating off it.... but you're still putting a taxable resource into your battery and THAT'S the part you're paying for.

Let me rephrase - Electronic devices can be made to handshake very easily if the manufacturer so chooses... or if a regulation demands it. However, it doesn't need a "robust open standard". That is just your pipe dream of the ideal. The reality is that the government will just pick one based off a cursory study and go with that. The rollout will then happen quite rapidly and no-one will care about e-waste apart from a few bleating tree-huggers, because those implementing the roll-out stand to make money from it. Inter-company cooperation is not a factor either, as the government will either just pick one and force everyone to use that, or will find a retro-fitted solution. Most likely those companies will come to a consensus quite rapidly, as it means they'll also be able to make money from the data this thing collects. You are a commodity and a product to them. A farmed resource of electronic meta-goodness. As for roll-out speed - You forget, this is about making money for the government. They will be STUNNINGLY fast at implementing that. I never said it was about cars. It's about electricity and controlling the demand for it. In this instance they'll want to increase the demand, as that increases taxation revenue. The more people using EVs, the more people there will be paying tax. The more places you can conveniently park up and charge your car, the more opportunities they have to make money off you. Is my Mk1 Octavia an EV? Actually, it's a moot point, as the car has a registration plate and the UK has ANPR along with a number of other methods by which checks can be made and vehicles located. If it's a legal requirement to update cars without wireless connectivity, it's easily done... but unlike other reasons to collar someone (theft being the main example) this one is about making money, rather than spending it on prosecution. Making money is important for the government, y'see. This is why crimes go unsolved, yet HMRC always catch up to you. End use doesn't matter. It's the initial charge-up that is being taxed, because that is the point of useage being measured. No-one cares if you use a million kWh to power your home, or save the whales, you're still taking a million kWh or electricity so will be charged and taxed on it. For someone who likes to leverage ad-hominem assertions regarding my understanding of things, you seem quite keen on missing such things yourself.

Can you post some pics or refresh the advert? It's currently not showing...

Let me know if you have, or get, any early model GRiDcase laptops in....!!

If it's a bladed key, you can get thoat part cut by any decent auto locksmith. The immobiliser blanks can be bought online and a decent mechanic will have the kit and knowledge to program it to match your car. If you're near Reading, I can recommend someone who doesn't charge a fortune...

The solution:demand has already been shaped. Once EVs replace ICEs almost entirely, the demand shape will be complete... ie, you'll have no choice but to use EVs, at which point they will charge whatever they like. They don't care if you store the energy or not, as you'll be charged for what is delivered to your battery. Electric smart meters can be made to know what they're charging, if the government so chooses. The electronic device you're currently using to view this post has long had the ability to identify the exact make and model of any components connected to it, along with various other data about it. The two products talk to each other. This is so easily implemented in a charger-battery setup, I'm surprised it's not already widespread. As for charger upgrades being unnecessary - It's easily done, especially under the auspices of a standardisation policy. Updating cars out of warranty is as easy as sending an email, essentially, as it's a remote software update - You don't need to bring the car in, they don't need to get a mechanic to open it up, it just gets sent to the car. And you're very wrong about EVs not being taxed per kWh - Water, gas, electricity, food, personal services and millions of other things in life are all charged at unit rates, regardless of end use. Any taxation is a percentage of that unit rate, which is what makes it a fair taxation based on usage - You use more, you pay more. The solution:demand has already been shaped. Once EVs replace ICEs almost entirely, the demand shape will be complete... ie, you'll have no choice but to use EVs, at which point they will charge whatever they like. They don't care if you store the energy or not, as you'll be charged for what is delivered to your battery. Electric smart meters can be made to know what they're charging, if the government so chooses. The electronic device you're currently using to view this post has long had the ability to identify the exact make and model of any components connected to it, along with various other data about it. The two products talk to each other. This is so easily implemented in a charger-battery setup, I'm surprised it's not already widespread. As for charger upgrades being unnecessary - It's easily done, especially under the auspices of a standardisation policy. Updating cars out of warranty is as easy as sending an email, essentially, as it's a remote software update - You don't need to bring the car in, they don't need to get a mechanic to open it up, it just gets sent to the car. And you're very wrong about EVs not being taxed per kWh - Water, gas, electricity, food, personal services and millions of other things in life are all charged at unit rates, regardless of end use. Any taxation is a percentage of that unit rate, which is what makes it a fair taxation based on usage - You use more, you pay more.

The energy is going into a vehicle, so will be taxed. Simple as that. What you then use it for is of no concern. It's gone into the vehicle just like fossil fuel, so will be taxed just as with fossil fuel. Mandatory smart charger roll-out will be more easily done en-masse anyway, and yes it will cost many thousands... and yes, you will be the one to pay for it. That's just how the world works... and yes, that is generally how smart meters are funded. Oh, and just so you don't get the bright idea to try and fiddle the charge source with some hairbrained dumb charger connection to an alternate source - The car itself can also report on being charged, which will be implemented by mandatory software update. The option to disable telemetrics can easily be locked down, I'm sure. IT departments can already remotely access your PC and lock down a plethora of settings, from USB access to file management and even the clock. Going electric and having all this fancy electronical gubbins in yer motor has basically enabled remote access and control for most of your motoring experience, now.

It should be pretty easy to get the car and charger to handshake, which is how they'd then know if the charger was charging a car or not. That tech has been in widespread use since the 1970s. But the car is also smart and connected to the internet (for all yer software updates), so can report whether it was being charged from a charger or some other source, as well as simply reporting its mileage and making that directly chargeable regardless of charge source. They won't give me any of the EVs in our work fleet, but I'm told they already have an automated mileage log on them.

Says who? For many years, we've had the legal powers to decide that entire catchment areas must be switched over to smart water meters, so long as it would increase water usage efficiency and decrease the strain on water-stressed region, thus helping the environment. On that basis, the same could be passed into law for electricity usage... y'know, since we're all in an energy crisis, and all. Given how much of their lives EV people seem to waste just for public chargers to become available, is there some kind of TV, free WiFi and a Costa coffee shop at every public charging point, yet?

Well, I just had my second spring go since owning my Octy. Front left went about a year ago, this time it was the front right. Both were originals, AFAIK, and it's an '03 model so I suppose that's reasonably good going. I've known it happen with other vehicles and my mechanic replaces them quite routinely, so I guess it's not that uncommon.

Pull off the door cards and make sure the plastic sheeting is all intact.

Always see if your ISP has their own speed checker. Usually they just host their own-coloured version of SpeedTest.net by Ookla, which is perfectly fine, but the important thing is to measure the speeds between your house and your ISP's servers, as anything outside that is an extra step. This will also tell you if a connection problem is at your end, or due to an ISP outage.

A friend of mine is a mechanic, with all the relevant diagnostic kits, softwares and stuffs for the vehicles he looks after. He showed me how things like OBD-II and all the little dongles that work with phone apps are pretty useless overall - They will give you codes, but they'll be the generic fault codes and won't offer VAG-specific information. At best, they're a starting point for figuring out the problem. Cheap is a relative term too, as the proper kit could end up saving you a lot more money on wasted purchases following inaccurate diagnoses. It's also why he doesn't charge people for just chucking a computer on their car and running a few quick scans while he goes to make a cup of tea!!

As BJM said, this is Starbucks only, and in order to qualify I believe you have to be a hipster who spends lots of time vaping in coffee shops while writing your novel (on a Macbook, of course), and drinking beverages that can only be described by long strings of pretentious adjectives (ideally peppered with foreign terms). You will also be the type who goes to a Chinese restaurant and tries to order (or even converse) in Mandarin, but can only speak words and phrases you picked up from watching Firefly... and you play a simplified form of Mahjong, but pronounce it "Marrr Yong" instead of 'Ma-Jong'. In this case, the Venti-Grande is sometimes a real thing, but opinions on exact manifestation do vary - Some say it is a 20 x 16oz volume, being 9 litres of coffee. Others say it is 20 + 16, making a 40oz or just over one litre, and that it is in fact an exact litre that you get, so it fits perfectly into the 1.0L models of Thermos. My personal favourite is that it's 16oz of espresso poured into 20oz of milk, for a ridiculously powerful latte. I've never ordered one though, as I refuse to give Starschmucks any business. I like the idea of a pirate car - So many phrases that you could include, it'd be like designing a sound profile for early versions of Windows. "Shiver me timbers", "Splice me mainbrace", "Fasten me fo'c'sle"...!!! Another sound I love is that Tik... Tik... Tik.. Tik.. Tik. Tik. Tik.Tik.Tik.Tik.TikTikTikTikTikTikTkTkTkTkTkTkvTkvTkvTkvTkvTkVVVVVVVWWWWWWWWWW of a jet turbine starting up. I'd buy a MTT Y2K motorcycle purely for that noise... and because it's a flippin' jet turbine bike!!!!! Personally though, when the wheels of time doubtless force me into getting an EV, I want the thing to sound like Airwolf - THAT might make me fall in love with it!!!!!

I don't think it's really an era, as much as just the experience and associations you make with something. A big burbling V8 on the dirty mustard-yellow GT California Special I sometimes work on is one hell of a lovely sound on one hell of an ugly car. I detest almost everything about that car, apart from the massive working space inside the engine bay and the gorgeous noise of the engine/exhaust itself. That sound is up there with the signature Harley Davidson sound, which many people from all eras seem to like, even if they're not into motorcycles. It's like the big, growly animal noise of something that sounds like it can really do some damage... even if it's really just a soppy Labrador! By contrast, I've been around race cars and bikes a few times, yet always hated those sounds. They're like outraged little flies ranting at a barista for using almond milk instead of oat milk in their Venti grande double skinny latte cappu-frappucino. The ultimate would be to have my bike or car sound like a jet engine going full chat right before it takes off. That's nothing to do with era, but simply the fact that I've been stood behind a Tornado when it did that. It's not the roaring sound you'd expect from the movies, but more like an overwhelming physical sensation of the air itself being rrrrrrrrrrrrrripped apart by the noise!!!!!

Roaming the wild badlands of Scotland in ragged biker leathers, sawn-off at your side, as you drive the last of the V8 Interceptors? Or would it be more like in Doomsday, with that 2007 Bentley Continental GT... in which case, can I have Rhona Mitra?

The barbecue is a very good analogy, I think. I've had several enthusiasts go on and on at me about their fancy gas and electric rigs, with their main selling point being how their cook-outs are instantly on and fired up, with all the cooking done and everyone finished eating within half an hour, allowing you to go get on with something else... I'm not sure what else they'd want to be doing at a barbecue, but at this point I will usually bring up the aforementioned adult analogy, liken it to their relationship and suggest how disappointed their partner(s) must be if their bedroom life is anywhere near as brief, dull and soulless an experience as their barbecue!! I then like to move on to their claims that they are supposedly able to cook things to absolute precision with the absolute control that their absolutely wonderful (and absolutely expensive) gas/electric rig provides... as the only time I've known food cooked with timing down to the second like that is the crap they serve in McDonalds. Whenever I've actually accepted their invite, it's never been anything like as good as they promised. For many people, a barbecue is a big all day event, with people showing up and socialising around the fire, things being cooked in rounds, skills being both learned and exhibited in the actual cooking, and in the provision of accompaniments, plus all the other social stuff that people only seem to do at such gatherings. Double that if it's a braai. So again, the electric version seriously diminishes the main event of the whole experience.

One of my favourite things to do in my car is to slow down for a bend, drop from 4th to 3rd, then slam on the power and pull out of the bend onto the straight. It takes a teeny bit of practice to get it right and balance the revs, but that action of throwing the stick forward, followed by the surge of power, the growling engine and the small g forces that act on you is somewhat reminiscent of using the afterburner on a jet fighter. Another analogy I've heard is the pump-action shotgun. The big racking action and accompanying Cha-CLACK is pretty iconic, and is frequently used to significant effect in films for this very reason. It's physical, it's visceral, it's engaging, and anyone who's used either a shotgun or indeed anything else with a slide-action will know what I'm talking about. To a certain extent, you get the same effect from putting my bike into first gear - That assertive downward step on the shifter and the slight jerk as the gearbox clunks firmly in is such a definite and engaging movement. I'd even liken it to being a musician, specifically drumming. Pressing a few buttons to make sounds come out does sound the same to most people, but it has nothing compared to actually playing the sounds yourself, and even listening to something while knowing how it would feel if you were to play it makes for a wholly better experience. Like the Lady above, I am a tech head too. I have smartphones, I have a Casio ABC watch, I even build high end gaming PCs (for myself and for paying customers) that are packed with watercooling and festooned with ARGB LEDs.... but mechanical stuff is what's most engaging. The more of this you take away from the driving experience, the less engaging it becomes. Automatic gearboxes are one step down this path, and the EVs I've experienced are several more steps. You're no longer doing things. They're being done for you by a computer. For this reason alone, I don't think I could ever fall in love with an EV. I had several better and funnier analogies, but they have quite an 'adult' theme and I don't think they'd be suitable for this forum?

No, just the idea of EVs becoming widespread and in the hands of those who currently cannot (or just do not) even use the power of current ICE vehicles responsibly. I'm happy being (generally) the fastest thing on wheels out there, and my vulnerability is a constant reminder not to have too much fun... but how do you think everyone would drive if their 'cages' all had McLaren F1 performance? If that power is the biggest selling point, I think I'd rather just retire from the road! But then, I've always suspected governments will use situations like this to illustrate how humans can no longer be trusted behind the wheel... before welcoming in the new age of autonomous vehicles (including a brown envelope from manufacturers), which are rented and summoned like taxis instead of being owned, and can generate lots of taxation/revenue to make up for the loss in defunct fuel duty (and by then presumably tobacco duty).

The e-guys at work keep trying to sell me on their electric cars by citing the 0-60 times. Since 1992 I've ridden a motorcycle that does 0-60 in under 3 seconds... so the idea of such power being in the hands of the sort of fluppet I encounter daily is actually doing more to turn me off EVs. The thought of a 3-ton brick that can launch itself like that, under the controlling foot of a careless driver, is actually pretty scary!

Far as I can see, the biggest consumption of fuel is when vehicles are doing stop-start journeys, going up and down the speed ranges all the time around urban environments.