2 minutes ago, Graham Butcher said:

Surely you're not suggesting that the SBS broke the law by speeding, are you?

 

They would have the same system was we had in customs, yes you get flashed and you would get a PNC check but that goes to a rather obscure registered address which the PNC'ing Officer will be checked to see if their motives were valid and nothing happens ie the request for who was the driver just goes nowhere.

 

I presume they do the same of their own tailor made high speed driving / pursuit 3 to 5 week courses which they will do practice driving at up to 140, 160 mph on British roads, we would see these drivers coming out of the Devizes police HQ on the course and bombing across Salisbury Plain, Forest of Dean and Brecons, Welsh mountains roads etc doing their practices. Would hope they do a bit of practice at Thruxton which is the UK fastest track I understand. 

 

Certain organisation have exceptions.  My x-ray van was over the 1.5T it was suppose to be max'ed out at, we had no insurance as we had Crown exemptions.  

The law can not apply in certain circumstances.  As Captain Bryant said in Bladerunner "you either cop or little people" 

 

1 minute ago, Paws4Thot said:

@lol-lol - S BOAT S. Point taken about Poole?

 

Wonder if they ever pop up to Yeovilton to get somewhere quicker than driving ie take a helo perhaps. Poole is so poorly connected by road is it not still.

6 minutes ago, lol-lol said:

 

They would have the same system was we had in customs, yes you get flashed and you would get a PNC check but that goes to a rather obscure registered address which the PNC'ing Officer will be checked to see if their motives were valid and nothing happens ie the request for who was the driver just goes nowhere.

 

I presume they do the same of their own tailor made high speed driving / pursuit 3 to 5 week courses which they will do practice driving at up to 140, 160 mph on British roads, we would see these drivers coming out of the Devizes police HQ on the course and bombing across Salisbury Plain, Forest of Dean and Brecons, Welsh mountains roads etc doing their practices. Would hope they do a bit of practice at Thruxton which is the UK fastest track I understand. 

 

Certain organisation have exceptions.  My x-ray van was over the 1.5T it was suppose to be max'ed out at, we had no insurance as we had Crown exemptions.  

The law can not apply in certain circumstances.  As Captain Bryant said in Bladerunner "you either cop or little people" 

 

Yes I do understand that there are times when they need to break the law but surely when they do so they must do it under some sort of conditions, like other emergency services, at least using some sort of built-in flashing blue strobe lights if not with 2 tones as well?

 

I have seen police, fire and ambulances on training exercises for high speed responses but they have always been with "blues and 2s" and often with a sign attached saying "driver training"

Refunded for the last false starts charging.  This morning freezing cold, wanting to slow charge to 100%.  3 false starts and was going to try the DC and no reply on phone from CPS and up rolled a SWARC employee to charge on the DC as on his way to a ferry. He started a charger last summer for me that cut out once he left to go for lunch.  That was first time I paid minimum charge and never refunded. He is ordering a part for the tethered AC charger and started the 11ac for me using his laptop. What as carry on as per usual.  

Not a good start to the day, good job you're not in a hurry to get To work or something. 

Actually this is the first morning that there has not been a car sitting having been on the charger all night and a teacher then plugging into the other side and leaving the car from early until afternoon.   47 pence a kWh.

There was the DC working for getting a charge and there is 1 hour max time on it now but then a higher tariff to use.

Bad enough now at 62 pence a kWh but going to 70 pence in July. 

Edited 22 January, 20251 yr by Ootohere

If need to be somewhere, I definitely wouldn't use any AC charging to save a bit. 

 

Need a lot more wind and nuclear. Current wholesale gas price is through the roof due to low wind generation and high gas demand. If we build renwables for these low periods then we'll have enough to get us through winter without being slave to gas prices. 

 

I'm on gas tracker, this week is more expensive than price cap. 

9 minutes ago, wyx087 said:

Need a lot more wind and nuclear.

... and hydro and tidal to mitigate the need for so much battery storage for the effects of e.g. winter anticyclonic calms.

Wind turbines and Wind  farms all around me here just not the required battery storage to make use of the electricity that can be generated.     Calm here in the harbour and the turbines are turning  just up the hill.   @wyx087 I would not use a 7 or 11 AC to save money if going someplace and a working 50 kW is available.  But I need 100% later not now.  And I got a small battery car so that if need must then plenty AC chargers about and usually ok just for an hour or 3 to have a full battery.   But even 42 pence a kWh is too expensive.   But this 22 kWh has cost nothing and the refunds are coming in the false starts.   The chargers that might have issues are the ones that sometimes end up giving free charges.   This has been a very cheap trip so far.  550 miles from the £2.50 charge at home and another that cost £11.45.  but tomorrow I will need another charge before home at about £9.00.  50 kW charger. 

Edited 22 January, 20251 yr by Ootohere

1 hour ago, Ootohere said:

 @wyx087 I would not use a 7 or 11 AC to save money if going someplace and a working 50 kW is available. 

Precisely.

 

I'm just saying, to non-EV driving audience, don't judge based on personal preferences and needs. EV are super flexible with the way it charges. Troublesome AC charging does not mean anything for DC rapid charging when going somewhere.

 

3 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

good job you're not in a hurry to get To work or something. 

 

People are on a hurry to get to ferries and sadly the chargers between Glasgow and Girvan are not reliable and are just single rapids near the route, then Ballantrae that is next is unreliable.  The SWARCO employee asked me if it was working and he if on his way to Belfast .   Coming off a ferry or just heading north on A77 just the same crap.     This route should be a Scottish Government priority but is not.  Just the same as the terrible road with a terrible history for serious accidents is not.    That was even the same when getting EU funding and all that was done was a couple of locations with crawler lanes and lovely road side walls.  Landscaping.  A favourite with public money..

You have to wonder if SWARCO and the other operators are aware the governments are still pushing ahead with the EV mandate or not? Even if the mandate was to be scrapped the existing EV cars still need to charge?

SWARCO are putting in more powerful chargers in England.  The issue is they have the Charge Place Scotland contract to run it.  Then maintenance contract with most of the 32 local authorities. Also they own the company manufacturing e-volt chargers.     It is something that the Competitions Authority should have been into looking at.    But we are where we are.  To close Government and Government Agency and Contractors.   Public money.  It will come out in the wash.  

So it seems that 2024 was a very bad year all round for sales of BEV, but sales of Hybrids were up.

 

 

Data telemetrics company for "transport solutions" have recently released a comprehensive report on how long EV batteries last: 

 

How Long do Electric Car Batteries Last? What 10,000 EV Batteries Tell Us | Geotab

 

Quote

According to our data, the simple answer is that the vast majority of batteries will outlast the usable life of the vehicle and will never need to be replaced. If an average EV battery degrades at 1.8% per year, it will still have over 80% state of health after 12 years, generally beyond the usual life of a fleet vehicle.

 

Quote

EV batteries will eventually wear out, but in most cases, this will be long after the vehicle’s life-cycle is complete and the batteries may have a second or third life in different applications.

 

 

 

 

On 23/01/2025 at 19:48, Graham Butcher said:

So it seems that 2024 was a very bad year all round for sales of BEV, but sales of Hybrids were up.

 

 

 

In Germany with their special problems.  Having just come back from Germany and watching lots of the news stories about Germany it is a story which all of Europe and probably further afield is watching.  When EV subsidies ended sales of EVs crashed somewhat as well as the Germany economy has been having a bad time, ironically, in some considerable part, because they,  VAG, BMW, Mercedes, failed to make good and good value EVs and hence that part of the automotive sector are in real problems.  VAG do make good EVs ie the two Skoda EVs and the ID7 is getting plaudits but the ID 3, 4, and 5 have not worked out well.  One point of note is when the 7,500 Euro subsidy was taken away the cheapest EV on sale, the Dacia Spring, just reduced their sale price to cover the subsidy ie it went down to around 15k Euros as EV manufacturing costs, mainly due to batteries becoming much cheaper, are falling like I stone, now with parity costs to ICE and by th ned of this year cheaper than equivalent ICE.

 

This has now given the crown of being the largest EV market in Europe to the UK and with so many very good EVs appearing on the car market throughout Europe I think the 28% share o for EVs can be reached due to EVs cars, vans and trucks offering such great economic sense to buyers.  Renault contacted me during the week to look at trading my excellent Zoe for a Renault 5 which something I look forward to and helping the EV sales.  The Zoe is a great car and even 3.5 years on it surprised me and I learn how good it is.  2 journeys in the last two weeks, one in the 2024 European Car of Year Scenic ,smaller battery version, and secondly in the Zoe ZE50, that near 200 miles journey, 40 mile round trip, in cold conditions, achieved at low cost, high profit as claiming the 45p per mile tax relief.  Charge at my brothers in Cambridgeshire and a quick zap charge at the excellent and awe inspiring Rugby services, 10 minutes in Scenic, less than 20 minutes in Zoe, will be less than 15 minutes in the Renault 5, and happy days, home for 8 o'clock footie. 

 

Ever significantly better EVs are coming out also by the month.  Shame the battery tech in mainly Chinese or Korean the West really missed out on that technical bandwagon and with the exceptions of TESLA Berlin and Renault the Western Automotive companies have really failed to grasp the EV technical brief and economic opportunity. Germany is in a right pickle and it shows up in their economic news as being Europes Automotive powerhouse to finding itself in an existential crisis, sad to see and a lesson to us all. Now China has rejected German cars, as they produce good cars at a far lower price now, and with the USA now about to slap punitive tariffs on EU cars being imported to the US their goose looks cooked. The should look at producing more Skodas and SEATs and make cars in cheaper manufacturing companies else they will not last out this decade.   

 

Edited 25 January, 20251 yr by lol-lol

It sounds like VAG group is so far away from the average CO2 per car produced it is due to get a $1.5B fine. Its EVs have not sold very well and it has sold a high proportion of high C02 cars and of course, after its massive issued with emissions scandal and the recalibration of CO2 tests.  Over two thirds of its cars listed exceed the CO2 average of 95 gm/km.  It is possible to make cars that do this or under but apart from the EVs and a few strong hybrids there are not many.  Plug in hybrids are just about to be reclaissified as to their CO2 as they have been under report fro their CO2 pollution for years it is going to get much worse. I think VAG, and they are doing it but far too slowly, they need to ramp up the Skoda EV production big time to help get the CO2 number down, the Cupra Born too and the like, else they will be adding to their $200B debt and that will becom unsustainable with their shrinking output.  Sadly need to move much of their production out of Germany to cheaper places.    

 

 

Volkswagen	Touareg Estate	3.0 TSI eHybrid 4Motion Elegance 5dr Tip Auto	51g/km	127.5mpg	£71,205
Volkswagen	Touareg Estate	3.0 V6 TSI eHybrid 4Motion R 5dr Tip Auto	59g/km	108.6mpg	£82,765
Volkswagen	Golf Diesel Estate	2.0 TDI Life 5dr	115g/km	65.7mpg	£30,715

 

https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/cars/Car-CO2-and-fuel-economy-mpg-figures?CarType=&Manufacturer=volkswagen&Model=&CO2To=&MpgFrom=&SortBy=CO2&SortDesc=false&FuelType=

 

 

Edited 26 January, 20251 yr by lol-lol

https://www.transportenvironment.org/te-united-kingdom/articles/mission-accomplished-carmakers-fulfill-the-2024-zev-mandate

 

"Mission accomplished: Carmakers fulfill the 2024 ZEV mandate"

 

https://insideevs.com/news/742024/tesla-regulatory-sales-profit/

 

"Tesla has made $2.1 billion this year by selling regulatory credits to automakers that haven't hit emissions targets.

Edited 26 January, 20251 yr by Stonekeeper

We are told that 98% of EV charging is done at home and the majority of that is going to be on installed wallbox chargers plumbed in to the ring main but a significant few percent i reckon are charged on granny chargers.

 

My brother does this for his daughter's e golf and I stayed with him a couple of weeks ago and his trailing lead, a orange cabled supposed 13a lead and 13a plug was too hot to touch.

 

A video on you tube reckoned, using a power meter at either end of the 5m trailing lead was losing 60w when running ie about 2% of power. 

 

I visit last week and left him one if the lead i made up. I use 2.5mm blue arctic cable which handles 13a no problem and it stays no more than tepid even keeping the plug cool by moving heat away with the bigger live and neutral cables.

 

If you are using a supposed 13a trailing lead please check the running temp and consider what I have done using even thicker cable when running a granny charger hour after hour.

 

Brother's face plate for the twin 13a sockets are scolded and have small cracks and needs replacing.

 

Might change one my 13a sockets to a commando socket so I run at 16a which continental sockets can run OK but in the UK we are normally limited to 13a which is a bit low and less than what many granny chargers can do but should not in the UK as the bottleneck we have with our UK 13a plugs.

 

24 minutes ago, lol-lol said:

We are told that 98% of EV charging is done at home and the majority of that is going to be on installed wallbox chargers plumbed in to the ring main but a significant few percent i reckon are charged on granny chargers.

 

My brother does this for his daughter's e golf and I stayed with him a couple of weeks ago and his trailing lead, a orange cabled supposed 13a lead and 13a plug was too hot to touch.

 

A video on you tube reckoned, using a power meter at either end of the 5m trailing lead was losing 60w when running ie about 2% of power. 

 

I visit last week and left him one if the lead i made up. I use 2.5mm blue arctic cable which handles 13a no problem and it stays no more than tepid even keeping the plug cool by moving heat away with the bigger live and neutral cables.

 

If you are using a supposed 13a trailing lead please check the running temp and consider what I have done using even thicker cable when running a granny charger hour after hour.

 

Brother's face plate for the twin 13a sockets are scolded and have small cracks and needs replacing.

 

Might change one my 13a sockets to a commando socket so I run at 16a which continental sockets can run OK but in the UK we are normally limited to 13a which is a bit low and less than what many granny chargers can do but should not in the UK as the bottleneck we have with our UK 13a plugs.

 

 

It would also make sense to reduce the a/c charging rate to 2kw in the car settings. Taking it below 9amp

 

 

Continuous 13amp on a norrmal household socket is not recommended.

Edited 27 January, 20251 yr by Stonekeeper

@lol-lolWe are told a load of tripe by people without a clue and who get their figures from who knows were.

 

It is like clamping down on Benefit fraud and errors in payments.

If you know how many payments made in error and to who you can just claim back over payments.

 

Royal Mail, Post Office, Open Reach, BT, OVO, DPD, Britisg Gas, Emergency services, Police, NHS, Care Home and many other fleet vehicles are not charged 'At home', 

maybe a a base

26 minutes ago, lol-lol said:

We are told that 98% of EV charging is done at home and the majority of that is going to be on installed wallbox chargers plumbed in to the ring main but a significant few percent i reckon are charged on granny chargers.

 

My brother does this for his daughter's e golf and I stayed with him a couple of weeks ago and his trailing lead, a orange cabled supposed 13a lead and 13a plug was too hot to touch.

 

A video on you tube reckoned, using a power meter at either end of the 5m trailing lead was losing 60w when running ie about 2% of power. 

 

I visit last week and left him one if the lead i made up. I use 2.5mm blue arctic cable which handles 13a no problem and it stays no more than tepid even keeping the plug cool by moving heat away with the bigger live and neutral cables.

 

If you are using a supposed 13a trailing lead please check the running temp and consider what I have done using even thicker cable when running a granny charger hour after hour.

 

Brother's face plate for the twin 13a sockets are scolded and have small cracks and needs replacing.

 

Might change one my 13a sockets to a commando socket so I run at 16a which continental sockets can run OK but in the UK we are normally limited to 13a which is a bit low and less than what many granny chargers can do but should not in the UK as the bottleneck we have with our UK 13a plugs.

 

I really cannot believe that 98% of charging is done at home, that figure is just not believable, what about all the fleet charging and big companies buy EV cars for the sales reps who have to cover large areas and drive large distances. Those figures are pure BS designed to fit the narrative but at the same also managing to defeat their goal by convincing those unable to charge at home to stay with ICE, so an own goal there for sure.

 

I'm not convinced that fitting a commando 16A socket is acceptable within the UK wiring regulations for domestic dwelling as the sockets do not comply with the requirement of having the shuttering of the socket tubes to prevent the accidental insertion of anything and thus making direct contact with live parts, particularly children poking thinks there.

Edited 27 January, 20251 yr by Graham Butcher

1 minute ago, Stonekeeper said:

 

It would also make sense to reduce the a/c charging rate to 2kw in the car settings. Taking it below 9amp

 

Indeed one option. I have one granny charger that outputs 10a with no other current choices but the new one i got, £89 from Amazon, does 8, 10, 13 and 16a, if it's can adapt to do that current.

 

The e Golf has quite a small battery, about 30 kwh i recall but my Zoe is was looking for about 40 kwh.

 

Brother is on Cosy tariff as he has a heat pump house so I try and run at 13a.  Interestingly the amps displayed tend to be about half an amp lower than selected value. Voltage there seems quite low as only was showing about 225 volts.

 

Seems good with the fat cable I have provided him with and I have a new one for myself. The fatter cable into the 3 pin plug pins seems to keep the plug cool as well.

 

I saw that my new higher powered granny charger recommended changing the 13a sockets every two years, blimey.

 

Believe no Government surveys because it is who responds. 

Probably Home Workers responding very many times. Just like with Car Reliability surveys . Filled in by Dealership staff with no cars to sell.

dft-ev-driver-survey-summary-report.pdf

6 minutes ago, Graham Butcher said:

I really cannot believe that 98% of charging is done at home, that figure is just not believable, what about all the fleet charging and big companies buy EV cars for the sales reps who have to cover large areas and drive large distances. Those figures are pure BS designed to fit the narrative but at the same also managing to defeat their goal by convincing those unable to charge at home to stay with ICE, so an own goal there for sure.

 

I'm not convinced that fitting a commando 16A socket is acceptable within the UK wiring regulations for domestic dwelling as the sockets do not comply with the requirement of having the shuttering of the socket tubes to prevent the accidental insertion of anything and thus making direct contact with live parts, particularly children poking thinks there.

 

True in my case and I would reckon many EV owners. Many hundreds of charges at home but only a handful of public charges in 3.5 years.

 

I can do a 125 trip and back in both of my EVs without charging and have used relatives homes to charge rather than public. Give them some cash and we are both quids in.

 

Some home owners are selling their home electricity to strangers and making a tidy profit. There is an App to facilitate this. As long as you do not do more than a grands worth then HMRC does need to be declared to I heard.

 

With many EVs now doing 300 or 350 miles in the real world then driving much of the day and coming home does not need a public charging.

 

It is debatable whether we will need the 300,000 public chargers if EV range keeps getting greater with new EVs.