13 minutes ago, Gizmo said:

The ‘tow bar’ is designed purely for a bike rack. 

 

How would you suggest I take livestock to market or the vet and transport farming supplies? 

What do I do when I require to charge away from home? My home county only has 4 publicly available charge points?

Edited 22 November, 20196 yr by Gmac983

13 minutes ago, Gmac983 said:

 

How would you suggest I take livestock to market or the vet and transport farming supplies? 

What do I do when I require to charge away from home? My home county only has 4 publicly available charge points? 

Perhaps buy something more suited for agriculture rather than a family hatchback?

 

Given time I’m sure pickups, Land Rovers etc will be available as full EV’s but not for a few years. 
 

Charge at home and it will be ample if you are only driving around your county, the large battery will do around 300 miles (342 officially). 
Chargers are popping up all over the place, but you certainly need to look at the driving you do and the locations you drive to decide what size battery will work best for YOU. 
 

We are certainly not at the stage where EV’s will suit everyone but we have moved on a long way from the ‘charging network falling on its ar5e.’

1 hour ago, Gizmo said:

Perhaps buy something more suited for agriculture rather than a family hatchback?

 

 

We have absolutely no requirement for a land rover or large 4x4 pickup, many farmers don't. An average hatchback (or something like a citroen Berlingo van, we have looked at them or similiar in the past but a car just fits the bill better) is more than capable of doing the job we require as general transport crucially with the ability to tow around a 1000kg. Currently we have a Vauxhall mokka as our farm car/workhorse and it does just fine. A similar size EV that can tow would be ideal. 

 

What do you do if something out of the ordinary crops up (excuse the pun but out of the ordinary happens all the time in farming) leaving you with insufficient time to charge at home and reliant on a non-existent charging infrastructure. 

 

Don't take me the wrong way here I'm keen to convert, it's just several years away from viable yet. 

Edited 22 November, 20196 yr by Gmac983

On 22/11/2019 at 19:06, Gmac983 said:

What do you do if something out of the ordinary crops up (excuse the pun but out of the ordinary happens all the time in farming) leaving you with insufficient time to charge at home and reliant on a non-existent charging infrastructure. 

Rapid charging infrastructure is very lacking at the moment, compared to petrol stations. But just like when unexpected happen today when your planned to refuel your petrol car tomorrow. You'll have to visit a public infrastructure. 

 

Case in point: 

I was home with 20% left on my Leaf, good for less than 20 miles. Planning to charge overnight, as usual. But during the evening, someone was desperate (American imported EV, can't charge here) and wanted to borrow my charging cable (American car compatible type-1 charging cable), 20 miles away, 40 miles return. Instead of taking my diesel, I simply stopped at a rapid charger on the way for 10min, no big deal. 

 

Charging infrastructure is the key missing piece here. If overnight, all petrol station convert half of their pumps to rapid chargers, half of all parking spaces at supermarkets gain destination charging posts, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Because the cars are already very good, it's the infrastructure that needs catching up. 

@wyx087 ^^^ You have that spot on  

 

A further point worth consideration... 

Hydrogen generated by off-peak renewable energy has a key role as well and could be introduce along side petrol and diesel at current filling stations. 

Scotland is close to 100% (roughly) renewable electricity in next couple of years, rather than paying energy companies to stop renewable electricity production at off-peak, we should be producing hydrogen close to source for local distribution at these off-peak times. 

Edited 26 November, 20196 yr by Gmac983

 Forfar must have the most public EV charging points per head of population and more are coming.

I see EV's charging at the Council Offices points, 1 BMW i3 plugged in at another where a charger is functioning and the other seems to have been 'out of service' since installed.

I have never seen anyone using the chargers at a filling station, Asda or the latest ones that opened at Tesco.

More chargers are planned though at a new filing station closer to the A90 / KFC / McDonalds, so the infrastructure is available, just needs people to be using them.

 

Toilets for the public use beside charging points are something that is really needed.

Vending machines inside a building that is powered by the Solar / Batteries would be simply clever.

Not just for food / drinks for the journey but selling 'Farm Produce', like Veg & Eggs as places already have around the country.

Also 24 hour coin op Washing Machine & Driers for the use of those hanging about waiting on the car charging.

 

Edited 26 November, 20196 yr by Roottootemoot

14 minutes ago, Roottootemoot said:

 Forfar must have the most public EV charging points per head of population and more are coming.

I see EV's charging at the Council Offices points, 1 BMW i3 plugged in at another where a charger is functioning and the other seems to have been 'out of service' since installed.

I have never seen anyone using the chargers at a filling station, Asda or the latest ones that opened at Tesco.

More chargers are planned though, so the infrastructure is available, just needs people to be using them.

 

We're far from that away up here in the wilds. If we weren't brexiting, EU money might have been a useful sources to help fund adequate and critically fast charge points. 

Asda Tain put in charging points last year, they are just a couple of bog standard 13amp sockets mounted on a bollard, not exactly rapid charging capability and therefore pointless, as what good is a 12 hour charge at a supermarket, really its just a marketing ploy and carbon offset compliance. 

Have yet to spot a charging point at any filling station yet (including the metropolis that is Inverness) 

Edited 26 November, 20196 yr by Gmac983

 

 

Edited 16 December, 20196 yr by vrskeith

 

Edited 19 December, 20196 yr by vrskeith

Looking forward to how they are on UK Winter roads on the OEM Tyres they come with.

Hopefully VW Group will have 2 WLTP & RDE2 figures with the cars on OEM tyres and on Winter Tyres that are required in Winter in some countries or that drivers will fit by choice.

 

Personally i like scratchy cheap matt or satin but not reflective plastics where i seldom touch and then not shiny black crap like some on some TV sets where fingers do go and keeping looking good is near impossible.

Like with the seat and door trims in stupid light colours that might just stay ok as long as the lease lasts.

Edited 19 December, 20196 yr by Roottootemoot

 

 

https://www.john-clark.co.uk/volkswagen/new-cars/volkswagen-id-3/

 

 

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/volkswagen-id-3-delays-continue-software-problems-pile

 

It is good to hear that Honda are going back to the future and going to use physical buttons rather than touch screens, even if they are just starting with the Jazz.

 

Maybe Honda could help out VW Group with software, and also with advice on how to actually turn out models and not just spend years spinning about what you are going to do sometime maybe if you ever get the tech right.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-volkswagen-id-3-uk-sales-start-july

Hope all,issues are resolved and that the launch and new owners have a positive ownership experience.  We shall see. VW can't afford to F U with this model.

 

6 minutes ago, vrskeith said:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-volkswagen-id-3-uk-sales-start-july

Hope all,issues are resolved and that the launch and new owners have a positive ownership experience.  We shall see. VW can't afford to F U with this model.

 

 

Bold move to be RWD in this sector, should pay off in some good 0-100 kph times.

Let us hope it is close to the good range, thru efficient power-train, to the PSA and Renault offerings than the other German small EV ie the BMW Mini.

 

?

Can VW really not yet have Type Approval yet for these in the UK / Right hand Drive models?

 

At least they know they can drive on the left or on the right hand lanes.

Eventually they will have got the setup correct so that right hand drives (driver at the correct side) do not pull to the left too much.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 15 May, 20206 yr by Roottootemblowinootsoot

On 31/03/2020 at 21:30, vrskeith said:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/volkswagen-id-3-delays-continue-software-problems-pile

 

So Golf mk8 Software issues have been declared to be fixed,so does that also apply to the ID3??

 

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/volkswagen-restarts-golf-deliveries-software-problem-fixed

I like, including the NHS hearing aid type colour. (Doh, sorry, Grey not Beige..)

Could not live with those wheels though.

 

Skoda Citigo iV driver needs a slap for pathetic parking / charging position...

 

?

Is that Factory equipment running the software for that car which is taken to a public charging point to give a VW employee an opportunity to get it filmed?

 

 

 

Edited 8 June, 20205 yr by Roottootemblowinootsoot

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-volkswagen-id-3-july-confirmed-uk-sale-date

What a nonsense from VW with Software and updates later. 

They really do seem to be in trouble for whatever reason with 'New Technology'. 

 

Some sort of Peace of mind Guarantee is needed over and above the Manufacturers Warranty where if they have co-cked up the cars will be bought back and the owner just pays a fair rental cost for the time they had the vehicle and miles covered.

 

 

Edited 11 June, 20205 yr by Roottootemblowinootsoot

13 minutes ago, Roottootemblowinootsoot said:

What a nonsense from VW with Software and updates later. 

They really do seem to be in trouble for whatever reason with 'New Technology'. 

 

Some sort of Peace of mind Guarantee is needed over and above the Manufacturers Warranty where if they have co-cked up the cars will be bought back and the owner just pays a fair rental cost for the time they had the vehicle and miles covered.

If it was so bad that VW took it back, a full refund would be due plus compo for inconvenience / incidental losses - not you paying them for renting a car that doesn't work?

 

I really hope they have this fixed and the ID.3 is a roaring success, it is a seminal moment for VW and EVs. I'm not sure it will go that way though.

They have had long enough now with so many years having passed since they started showing the concept ID Buzz.

Pity they are more talk rather than trousers.

 

 

Edited 11 June, 20205 yr by Roottootemblowinootsoot

46 minutes ago, Roottootemblowinootsoot said:

They have had long enough now with so many years having passed since they started showing the concept ID Buzz.

Pity they are more talk rather than trousers.

 

 

 

First version £39k ?

 

Having a laugh !