The problem we have here is that daily life and the weather doesn't support public transport or biking. It's fine if you are an adult that just needs to get into town for 8:30am to go to work.
But imagine trying to do what I had to do this morning and get three kids under 6 out the door. On a morning like this, trying to push a buggy in this wind and pelting rain, while trying to hold two other kids from running into the road. Even a 2 min wait at a bus stop or a luas stop and you are soaked, then getting off the bus and having to walk 5, 10, 15 mins to the school, then walk 15 mins to the minders. Then try to get home to start work for 9. And then do it all again as you have to pick up the 4 year old at 12, and then again to get the 6 year old at 1:30.
Cars in cities are necessary for a large chunk of people, not everyone. And if public transport was more reliable, safe and affordable then it could be an option. EVs in the city are the best option. The concentration of fumes in cities, especially around schools is very damaging.
Great sentiment. But myself and lots of other people would have to close down little successful businesses if that were the case.
Well back on topic, as an original Green, I think personal car ownership whether EV (or ICE) should be banned in urban and suburban areas. Should be no options except public transport, bike or shanks mare.
Then leave the EVs or petrol/diesel cars where they are needed - in rural Ireland where there is no and never likely will be adequate public transport.
That'd be a more sensible approach to personal transport, including EVs
Did you have a go of doing a proper total cost of ownership calculation on that? Your A7 diesel costing €20k to buy vs say a Tesla Model S costing €32k to buy (not many other big EVs around to compare to a big Audi A7)? I bet if you did, you'd be surprised of the outcome, even if you did below average annual mileage.
Exactly. It doesn't work for everyone. Which is fine.
Yep that's def still a problem here, I've not seen any major moves to drastically improve the charging situation for people without private parking. The SEAI are starting to put a grant in place for apartments to install infra, but I think it's going to take a long time before it's seen as a minimum standard.
I will be holding onto my diesels for a long time yet as I can't buy an EV of the equivalent size, quality, performance and range as my current A7 for the same used-car money (<20k) I paid for this one.
One other thing I'll note is that all this talk of home charging is great if you own your own house. Not so much if you rent or live in an apartment/terrace/townhouse with no driveway.
It works for urban dwellers with small mileage and driveways.. that's about it unless you want to add in extra stops and delays on longer trips.
I'm not surprised that some people have moved back. I bought my mum a smartphone and a few months later I found out she swapped it for old button one. She found the notifications to update apps was driving her bonkers. :)
An EV isn't for everyone. Some like that you never have to worry about going to petrol stations and it is topped up every night for you as if you had a magic butler. But others don't mind the offset of driving to fill up on petrol in 5 mins and getting hundreds of miles of range.
For me, I looked at my driving and I go to Dublin or Kerry about once every 2-3 years. That would involve maybe stopping for a 20 min top up on the way home. So I have no need to top up for 999 days out of 1000 so an EV makes sense.
Mod Note: If you want to talk about renewable energy infrastructure, I'd suggest the Infra forum https://www.boards.ie/categories/infrastructure, further posts will be removed as off topic
what is your alternative to increasing the amount of wind installations?
And talking about banks of them on the most expensive coastline in the country wont give a better idea if the public really buy into them, itll show how much the residents of those locations buy into them.
This is benefit of living in a demoracy. We get the oppurtunity to voice our objections to such things. I agree there is a place for wind turbines and I am not sure urban areas is that place. But time and requirement will dictate. Something has to be done regardless or we, as nation, will face economical and ecological penalties. We either build the infrastrutre or import - the latter costing a lot more. Having some turbines on a mountain might not be as pretty as without them but what's the alternative. I don't see a viable one.
Let us see banks of industrial wind turbines in Dublin Bay - off the coasts of Dalkey, Malahide & Howth. Then we'll get a better idea if the public really buy into industrial wind farms. The reality is more likely a massive battle in the courts to prevent such development. And if it's not good enough there, close to where the energy is needed, why should it be foisted on others elsewhere?
Dumping batteries is a no-no. It also makes zero financial sense and if any entity is doing this they will go out of business quick enough - thankfully. Even very old EV batteries have a use after being used in the car - most obvious is the use in solar PV storage. The used batteries can be (and are) recycled and their parts reused - they are still quite valuable.
My favourite critique, why aren't old EV batteries recycled, because we reuse them instead. It's a waste to recycle something if it can be given a second life as a stationary storage battery where power to weight is less critical. Though I suspect the posters don't really care about recycling and have instead just parroted some oil industry shill.
youd rather we continue to burn coal than build wind farms?
I hope so. The faster we move to self-sufficient sustainable energy - such as clean, industrial on/off shore wind turbines the better.
The old stories of dumping EV batteries in a landfill is just that. Old and stories..
Maybe someday, you'll take some personal responsibility for the destruction of tracts of the countryside with the construction of industrial wind machines, for the lithium mining and other substances required for your huge batteries and for these lying around in dumps for decades to come, slowly degrading and poisoning the land. Green transport, my arse.
We did a good bit of driving around NI when we were up there also. I have figured that I just couldn't be bothered with the hassle of looking for chargers when on trips like that. But it obviously doesn't bother some people, so fair enough.
Buying a PHEV and not plugging in just means they paid extra to have a heavier car. Completely defeats the purpose.
Some people just cant grasp figures. Nothing anyone can do about that.
What were your mean reasons for ditching the EV in favour of PHEV?
I had an EV and got rid, replaced with a phev.
I would never use the engine to charge the battery, that makes no sense.
Weirdly, a relation of mine got a 330e and were thinking of swapping it for a diesel (which is what they had before) but for much different reasons. They inexplicably didn't plug in.
Ever.
They use the engine to charge it cause they thought plugging in would affect their electricity bill!!
The EV is the bigger issue for us, I think it’ll be the first to go, I really love the 330e but I do love German cars so that may colour my judgement.
We've 2 EVs in the house. I moved from BMW msport and herself from a Mazda 3 GT Sport. Neither of us would consider going back.
I've never met or talked to anyone who had an EV and got rid of it. That's not to say they don't exist but it seems people have opinions but no experience.
Unless you're doing big distances a day - Tralee to Belfast say, then in reality, with a home charger, there is little difference.
We'll have no choice in 8 years anyway!!
That's really commendable, but you have to do your research and posting that EV cars are useless is a misnomer. I mean the one instant where ICE vehicles are need is commercial operations that are doing high mileage. The PHEV must cost you a fortune on long trips.
Hope you get sorted with a new car. You and your brother are actually one of the few that really need one. Best of luck in future business.
Yeah we might just have to do that, but as a company we were trying to be more environmentally friendly, I know that no car is but we were trying to be better as company.
Yeah I got a lot more for my diesel Audi when I sold it, than I thought I would. I know all car prices have gone through the roof.
That's just unfortunate. I didn't know the situation was that bad in NI, thanks @zg3409
You know, you'd probably get a brand new diesel for the EV with no extra cost? The EV's have shot up in price, even the second hand ones.
Most people only put 20 euro into their cars anyway so doesn't really matter what the range is when full. Might be more than 20 since I last paid for petrol as that probably wouldn't get you off the forecourt at current prices 😁
Putting 100kwh batteries into cars isn't the environmentally friendly solution. Stopping for a break every 2-3 hours for a few mins a couple of times a year if much better. Some places, like France, are already including an additional tax on vehicles over 1800KG and this will probably spread across Europe.
Definitely. Looking at the pictures of the Ionic 5 N and I would love to swap to that some day.
