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Mike Rutherford thinks most electric cars are out of reach for the majority of new car buyers
We’re in for another eventful, but strangely unpredictable, motoring year. The only thing I can guarantee for 2021 is that car tyres will be black, round and rubbery. At this early, still-sleepy stage of the game, pretty much everything else is clouded or swamped by an atmosphere of uncertainty. That said, 2021 has got to be an improvement on last year, hasn’t it? With Covid still a threat, remind yourself that personal, centrally locked cars (not to be confused with taxis and self-drive rental vehicles) will still be the wisest, most valuable, all-weather tools for those seeking a combination of freedom and safe, secure, sanitised social distancing, 24/7.
Electric vehicle sales are likely to rise sharply – but only if they’re within the reach of the masses, whose personal finances currently dictate that small-to-medium pure-electric cars be priced closer to £20k. Fact is, the £30k-plus territory that far too many EVs occupy is prohibitively expensive for the average working man or woman, never mind the growing number of redundant folk, pensioners, students and other consumers, whose idea of affordability is inconsistent with what most car makers think.
But on a more optimistic note, the likes of Citroen, Fiat, Renault and dark horse Dacia appreciate the importance of sub-£20k electric cars. And surely the cranking up of modest-EV production by the world’s volume makers will mean far greater economies of scale, which, in turn, means more competition and lower prices. Pure-electric cars are comparatively rare on UK roads, and will remain so in 2021 – unless a major scrappage scheme is launched to speed up the planned extinction of diesel and petrol cars. My sources tell me that it – scrappage – could and should happen in the months ahead.
More likely is that politicians and environmentalists will continue to wage war on law-abiding, car-using men, women and kids, especially in vehicles with combustion engines. There are already strong signs that the barely legal mugging of motorists is to be ramped up. For example Central and Inner London, which already has daily ‘Congestion’ and ‘Ultra Low Emission Zone’ charges, is considering a crackpot proposal to slap entry fees on folk travelling into Greater London by car. After that, a similar scam for Greater Manchester, perhaps? And in the longer term, don’t be surprised if entry fees are rolled out further.
I’m not trying to scare you, I’m just sounding another warning that it’s only a matter of time before additional flat fees, or pay-per-mile tolls – or both – are greedily snatched from car occupants needing to drive into certain urban and rural areas. That’s why it’s more important than ever to plan where you live, the type of personal or family mobility vehicle you’ll use, and how you can cut your annual mileage, plus those rising direct road charges.
In 2021, we motorists need to shop clever, drive clever, refuel and park clever. Those hated existing and imminent road charges, tolls and entrance fees, we must do our best to avoid. In doing so, we won’t fall into the cynical, revenue-raising traps set for us by not-so-clever politicians and environmentalists. That, the greedy so-and-sos, would not like.
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Brydo, how does high frequency inductive charging deal with radio interference and near field radiation effects? High power RF energy burns..
Wigwam i just find the info i dont write it.
No do you think that only you’re correct.
Looking in the window shopping is different to being inside buying something though for sure
I can imagine an inquisitive cat wandering under a charging car and getting it’s brain zapped. As a radio amateur I have great respect for high power RF.
There are trials with regard to wireless electric car charging, have a look at this and see what you think. I think this means of charging will answer all your concerns. Not sure why you have a problem with me being able bodied, do you think only disabled people should be allowed to post on this forum? https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/electric/what-is-electric-car-wireless-charging-wevc-and-how-does-it-work-/
Same principal as a wire less toothbrush or kettle then
Unfortunately I have suffered a brain injury and occasionally I get confused and often say the wrong thing.
mochoco I’ve no idea what your talking about and you appear to have an issue with me so I won’t respond to any of your posts in the future.
Life’s too short for this nonsense.
You think the answers you gave me were suitable and they were not wireless charging wont help anything
Im not making it personal you are
Wireless charging means the driver need not get out the car, ideal for the disabled no need to bend over, get your wheel chair out or mess about with fitting the charger to the car. BMW are fitting software in their cars that will connect to the charger and pay without you even getting out the car.
This could never be done with an ICE car.
How this does not help escapes me.
This is why is does mke a diffrence if you’re disabled as you would know the issues faced with each individual is different and it only relieves one point of not getting out the car and it wont be standardised for every ev.
So you are now speaking on behalf of all disabled, you know all the pitfalls and problems faced by every type of disability.
Nothing is ever perfect we all know that and not every single disabled person will be suited to an EV just as some are not suited to an ICE car.
‘This is why is does mke a diffrence if you’re disabled as you would know the issues faced with each individual is different’
Read what i say as clearly you’re not.
Talking of Reading it may be Prudent to remind posters of Forum Rules.
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transgress in these areas.you see thats the problem one people writes something of interest or something helpful they like it think it good and want to share it .
then someone has a different view on the topic , then people start arguing and taking offence to peoples response.
i feel as if you cant write anything or comment on anything in the fear of upsetting someone
everyone is entitled to their opinion but their opinion will be wrong in someones eyes , you just can win
@Martinod
It’s fine to have a different view martin, If not life would be boring and repetitive. However when those different views turn in to personal and antagonising comments, then it’s a whole different ball game.
Joss
Current car: BMW X2 sDrive 20i M Sport 5dr Step Auto In metallic Portimão Blue. 04:10:2025
Previous car:Peugeot 308 GT Premium 1.2 Pure tech Petrol.Well, the points made about disabled charging bays are very valid as most EV charging bays are simply old parking bays being repurposed & that’s completely unacceptable, as are any EV charge bays that have curbs that stop a wheelchair user from reaching a charger & especially seeing the display on a charger.
EV charge companies have installed all these chargers without any thought for the disabled against all the legislation. What’s worse is where councils have used government grants to have EV charge companies install non-disabled accessible chargers, essentially having disabled people subsidising the non-disabled.
However, there are some good points about EV charging at home, for me I don’t need to unload the wheelchair as much because the vast majority of my journeys are to & from home where I unload the chair, plug the car in & head inside the house, as opposed to having to unload the chair at a slippery with diesel filling station.
Just came across this conversation and some good points but also some poor ones (I’m trying to be polite ?)
You can get an EV for closer to £20k than £30k, the same people who can afford a new EV will not be able to afford a new ICE
Petrol and diesel cars aren’t being completely outlawed, they’ll still be available but in a hybrid version
Very few people (especially disabled drivers) will do more than 100 miles a day, most will charge at home so an EV makes sense
The charging network isn’t very wheelchair friendly I agree, but what do you do when your ICE needs fuel? Isn’t the same person filling your tank able to plug in? As a wheelchair user doing 20k a year I get so frustrated at lazy ignorant planners who only want to stick in a charger to tick a box on their councils mission statement ?
Wireless charging is a non starter…. the Gov (any of them) can’t keep up with road repairs or getting proper broadband in so no chance they’ll invest in this
Anybody who has kids, grandkids or wants to have them should be doing everything in their power to stop using fossil fuel and killing this planet, we may all be dead in 100 years but those living are going to look back in anger at our failure to protect this world ?
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