Why the reign of SUVs on Irish roads should end

If you are approaching or are stopped at a roundabout in the straight ahead lane with another vehicle in the right turn lane outside you the view to your right will never be clear or unobstructed, irrespective of whether it's an SUV or a motorcycle. Most drivers will move off at the same time as the vehicle in the outer lane and hope for the best. I think this is unsafe. Best to wait until the space outside is unoccupied so you have a clear view. Of course, you're likely to be blown out of it by whoever is directly behind you in the queue.

What about all these pickups on the road in the last while?

We don't have the open space of Kansas so why the requirement!

SUVs or whatever they actually are are only a nuisance when driven by idiots.

I don't own one, would have some version of one if funds allowed.

Maybe a much higher motor tax might make some think twice but I can't see govt or car manufacturers doing anything to stem the sale of them in the near future.

It's amazing how thick people can be. All you would need is a couple of solar panels and a battery. People that work at night might not even need a battery. It's probably only a decade away before an active charging system a solar system on the roof, bonnet or sides of the car are installed in cars to increase range of vehicles.

Then you have people with storage heating systems, as well the move is to encourage people to use washing machines, dishwasher's dryers etc late at night. People who own businesses will fiddle the system charging cars at work or if there business is next to the house charge it at the business.

As smart as smart metres are they are not an applicable means of taxing car charging

Solar panels on a car won't provide a fraction of the power needed for a car ever. The way to go is to tax fossil fuel derived electricity this is easily done as is already shown on some bills.

You be surprised at how fast technology is moving. Anyway it not supposed to provide all the capacity, but a fraction could increase the range by a margin to justify it. As well while a car sits in traffic or is parked while you shop it will charge away. If it even provides 20-25,% it will have a significant effect on range.

Taken from a website..the energy isn't there whatever the technology used..

'An average solar panel produces about 20 Watt hours per square foot under ideal conditions.

[1]

A Tesla model S is 196″ long and 77″ wide. If it were a rectangle (and it is not), that would be an area of 15,092 sq in. Assuming that rooftop and hood solar panels would represent 20% of this area (very generously!), this would represent 3,018 sq in, or approximately 20 square feet.

Therefore, in maximum sunlight, at ideal angle (noon), the car will recharge at a rate of 400 watts.

The battery capacity for a new Tesla Model S is 100kWh

That is 100,000 watt hours

100,000 WattHours/(400 Watt)= 250 hours, under ideal conditions.

250 hours = 10 days and 10 hours. However, the sun sets, so there would be times without charging, plus parasitic losses as the batteries redistribute the charge, run cooling fans, run the computer to check calculations, etc. So let’s say parasitic losses are 5%, and the sun is only up 10 hours ideally (calculating in the angle during early morning and evening, where the thicker atmosphere will limit the photon input into the solar panel), and the car is somehow on a rotisserie that orients it ideally towards the sun!

So, 250 hours *1.05= 262.5 hours, or 26.25 days!

(The reality would probably be past 30, without the rotisserie!)

That is not an acceptable charging solution!'

If you have a charging system you can cut your battery size down. Battery capacity is the limiting factor on a car, however it's not a zero sum game the bigger and heavier a batter is the less efficient a car is.

At present an average car will use about 1KW every 4-6 miles, this will probably increase over the next ten year. A 1KW system could provide about 10-15% add in time parked or in traffic and you could add 20-25% in normal driving conditions.

The Tesla is a bad example as it's an over specification car. Average capacity at present is about 43kw and it's expected to be 45KW in 2025.

I am not sure about the Prius specifications, but technical innovation will probably multiply it by 400% I. 10 years

Solar panels on a car will never significantly help with range or charging, the energy simply isn't available there. Even advanced new batteries with greater capacity fast times etc still will need the energy!

I do understand. The energy is not available in your scenario. As for the car tax it is the same as the TV licence outdated and will have to be replaced

Well this explains it somewhat..from the I Independent

'Now the big one, we can get rid of motor tax altogether. Don’t all jump for joy just yet because it’s just moving to fuel instead.

I am a big advocate of shifting motor tax onto the fuel we buy, I am aware that fuel is already loaded with taxes but I’m taking about one or two cent here.

So what happens if we go this route?

1. Motor tax offices close because there are no arrears or discs and change of ownership is performed online.

2. There’s no forgetting to pay road tax, every time you put fuel in the tank you pay it.

3. Those who drive more pay more. Seems simple I know but you won’t have to pay tax on a car that only does 5,000kms per year. But those who drive a big fuel guzzler will have to pay more because they use more fuel.

4. No more paperwork, reminders, red letters or any other contact from the motor tax office would save a fortune in postage alone.

So why aren’t we getting rid of it?

Money. At the moment the Government can look at how many cars are paying tax and get a good idea just how much will be raised from Motor tax every year. If it moved to fuel they could only estimate depending on driver habit. There’s also the problem of fuel laundering and people near the border who will buy it there. In an ideal world this could easily work, it’s worked in New Zealand for many years, even France moved the tax to fuel but Ireland seems to have a blind spot with it.

While there’s many good and bad points the big factor here is choice; drivers would be able to make a choice about how much tax they pay. If they want to have a car but only use it at the weekend then no more paying for a lump of metal that sits outside the door 75% of the time.

Older cars would pay the same taxes as the newer cars which would bring more trade to the used market which would increase the tax take on everything else.

It’s about time that the motorist in Ireland got a break, they pay tax on everything and when you look at VRT and VAT there’s even a tax on a tax surely we can get rid of the biggest problem Motor Tax.'

The solar setup available on the new Prius adds a maximum of 8kms per day currently. Not sure how many hours of light that needs.