Electric car, Would you buy one.

alex73 · 19-04-2010 9:23pm #1

The goverment has announced a 5000 euro Grant for the 1st 2000 customers who buy the new electric cars. (Renault Leaf I think)

I suppose its fine for those who already have a car and want to show off the new electric car. But for your ordinary Paddy blogs its not practical.

Out of interests who many boards readers will buy the new cars?

Don't get me wrong I think they are a good idea (if they could be charge quickly) but I can't see myself me the 1st to buy one.

mikom · 19-04-2010 9:26pm

alex73 wrote: »

Out of interests who many boards readers will buy the new cars?

Me no know.

bluto63 · 19-04-2010 9:27pm

With the grant, a large amount of people will get them which will encourage setting up a proper system to charge the cars. I think it's a good idea

But I won't be voting since I can't see myself getting a car of any form in the foreseeable future.

Blobby George · 19-04-2010 9:28pm

Some yuppies will probably pick up a few as a second car but they just aren't practical for people making long journeys.

o1s1n · 19-04-2010 9:28pm

"Hello, i'm an electric car. I don't drive very fast or go very far. And if you drive me, people will think you're GAAAY."

TheZohanS · 19-04-2010 9:28pm

It's hard enough to remember to charge my phone, don't need the headache of having to charge a car.

Too much hassle.

Overheal · 19-04-2010 9:29pm

Leaf is an electric car zero-emission electric cars driven 80kW. 160km cruising power and quick-charge to 80% capacity of less than 30 minutes. With a top speed was mentioned more than this indicates 140km/jam not just city-car.

If it really has 100 mile range, it could be worthwhile. But, its not exactly a Chevy Volt (the Volt has a gas generator backup) and so you really do run the risk of dying on the road, and the compulsion to charge up for ~30 minutes at a time during a lengthy trip.

Probably would do fine for most commuters (even in dark winter - expect half the range when the headlights, wipers and radio are on?) but I dont see anyone jumping on board: its a Zero Emissions vehicle [the Leaf] for the sake of being Zero Emissions. The Volt, and Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs) at least attempt to sanely address practicality and fuel economy.

squod · 19-04-2010 9:29pm

Green party can bite my ass. No to electric cars if buying one means I'm on their side.

Son Of A Vidic · 19-04-2010 9:31pm

If I was offered one for free by the government, I wouldn't touch it. Now if it could match the speed of my current car and it's fuel tank range, well then maybe. At the moment it's just a bull$h1t, unpractical excuse for a car so I'll be 'steering' clear of it.

alex73 · 19-04-2010 9:32pm

o1s1n wrote: »

"Hello, i'm an electric car. I don't drive very fast or go very far. And if you drive me, people will think you're GAAAY."

well to balance the discussion (and I am not rushing to buy it) but the speeds are that same as a regular car. up to 140km per hr. speed is not the issue for me, its the range you can travel, and speed of recharge. But I suppose for Dublin it would be fine, but I don't live in Dublin...

PeterIanStaker · 19-04-2010 9:34pm

I'll promise to buy an electric car if the Greens gimme the five grand

alwaysadub · 19-04-2010 9:35pm

I won't be running out to buy one, but if,and when, they manage to make one thats fast and reliable, and can go for more than a few hours without needing to be charged, then maybe i'd think about it.
Provided they haven't bumped up the price of the electricity needed to charge the stupid thing!

PK2008 · 19-04-2010 9:35pm

I dont really care about the environment

alex73 · 19-04-2010 9:35pm

squod wrote: »

Green party can bite my ass. No to electric cars if buying one means I'm on their side.

I don't mind the Green Party idealism, I suppose better to fail than have not done anything at all, But they honestly only think about the people in Dublin.

Kasabian · 19-04-2010 9:35pm

alex73 wrote: »

well to balance the discussion (and I am not rushing to buy it) but the speeds are that same as a regular car. up to 140km per hr. speed is not the issue for me, its the range you can travel, and speed of recharge. But I suppose for Dublin it would be fine, but I don't live in Dublin...

Yah the range would be a major issue for me also , how long does it take to charge one of these cars

alex73 · 19-04-2010 9:38pm

lonad wrote: »

Yah the range would be a major issue for me also , how long does it take to charge one of these cars

They said with a fast charge 30 mins, now can you imagine a car with kids waiting 30mins to recharge your car?? Its the 160Km range and speed of recharge that gets me. I could not get to Mullingar from Castlebar without stopping for 30mins to recharge. I see the greens point, we have to drive interest. but even with the 5000 euro grant the Renault leaf is still as expensive as a normal car.

At the end of the day is really only a dubliners car for upper middle class who can afford to buy new cars.

Fear Uladh · 19-04-2010 9:39pm

Out of pure hatred of the green party im going to buy the car that guzzles more petrol than a ten ton lorry.

mikom · 19-04-2010 9:41pm

alex73 wrote: »

I don't mind the Green Party idealism, I suppose better to fail than have not done anything at all, But they honestly only think about the people in Dublin.

Yep, basically their dream is to have everybody living in apartments in cities whilst the countryside returns to a nature reserve complete with mounds of bramble, wild boar, and sabre tooth tigers.

alex73 · 19-04-2010 9:41pm

Chillaxe wrote: »

Out of pure hatred of the green party im going to buy the car that guzzles more petrol than a ten ton lorry.

I get the point, but I suppose in Hindsight, if there ever will be a new middle east war and oil hits $200 a barrel the only cars running will the the electric ones... And they will be laughing a our posts..

Fear Uladh · 19-04-2010 9:42pm

alex73 wrote: »

I get the point, but I suppose in Hindsight, if there ever will be a new middle east war and oil hits $200 a barrel the only cars running will the the electric ones... And they will be laughing a our posts..

We have bikes dont we?;)

Pure_Cork · 19-04-2010 9:42pm

My petrol car is more environmentally friendly than electric cars, but if the Green Party want to give me money to do more damage to the environment I'd consider getting one for a laugh.

Kasabian · 19-04-2010 9:43pm

alex73 wrote: »

They said with a fast charge 30 mins, now can you imagine a car with kids waiting 30mins to recharge your car?? Its the 160Km range and speed of recharge that gets me. I could not get to Mullingar from Castlebar without stopping for 30mins to recharge. I see the greens point, we have to drive interest. but even with the 5000 euro grant the Renault leaf is still as expensive as a normal car.

At the end of the day is really only a dubliners car for upper middle class who can afford to buy new cars.

30 mins isn't bad if you plan it into your journey time but I reckon you are right , it really is a city car till the range can be improved.

Anyway I'd imagine they are very quiet and i would miss the sound of the engine as you change up the gears.

Atlantic Dawn · 19-04-2010 9:45pm

Give users of electric cars free onstreet parking and let them use the bus lanes, this will make them catch on, otherwise can't see them selling at the current price.

TPD · 19-04-2010 9:47pm

Could they not have battery swap stations rather than recharge stations? Let the station charge the batteries all day, only takes two seconds to swap when you need more power.

I dunno what size the batteries are though, mightn't be feasible.

alex73 · 19-04-2010 9:50pm

lonad wrote: »

30 mins isn't bad if you plan it into your journey time but I reckon you are right , it really is a city car till the range can be improved.

Anyway I'd imagine they are very quiet and i would miss the sound of the engine as you change up the gears.

Actually the cars generate a sound similar to normal car, it was one of the issues that people could not hear them coming.

alex73 · 19-04-2010 9:52pm

TPD wrote: »

Could they not have battery swap stations rather than recharge stations? Let the station charge the batteries all day, only takes two seconds to swap when you need more power.

I dunno what size the batteries are though, mightn't be feasible.

Thats not a bad idea!!, Battery cell swap like gas cylinders being returned once empty,

You might be onto a winner here. The batteries are big, but a 15kg backup battery cell could be swapped.

biko · 19-04-2010 9:54pm

Although a e-car would be very ok for most peoples daily commute to work every day it seems people a) don't want some futuristic looking yoke, and b) are afraid to run out of electricity somehow in mid-town traffic.
Some cars charge quicker than others, for instance Phoenix SUV has a 100 mile range (that's 3/4 of the way from Galway to Dublin) and can charge 95% in 10 mins while you have coffee.
More info
www.mygreenwheels.com/ev-comparison-guide

Prof.Badass · 19-04-2010 9:55pm

I think it's great that the government are finally taking the initiative on something. We really need to free ourselves from our dependance on oil. If i had money to buy a car and if this was in my price range I'd seriously consider getting it.

I wonder how many people on this thread also give out that the government never do anything pro-active...

Lu Tze · 19-04-2010 9:56pm

I think the fast charge (30mins) is only available on three phase power, so at home its going to take hours...

Lu Tze · 19-04-2010 9:58pm

vinylmesh wrote: »

We really need to free ourselves from our dependance on oil.

I'll wait for a nuclear fusion powered car

Prof.Badass · 19-04-2010 10:00pm

TPD wrote: »

Could they not have battery swap stations rather than recharge stations? Let the station charge the batteries all day, only takes two seconds to swap when you need more power.

I dunno what size the batteries are though, mightn't be feasible.

That's an idea that's been discussed before and definitely one which will become the standard when (hopefully) electric cars catch on. Definitely feasible in theory, maybe not for this specific car. Says on wikipedia home charging would take 8 hours here (16 in the US coz they're crap :P).

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