Random EV Thoughts 2 - The Jimnying

What does this mean by emergency plug?

Read an article last week re new static speed cameras installed on various roads across the country- I think maybe 7 in total. Probably an innocent question but are there speed signs indicating them like the speed van locations? I tend to stick to the speed limits but if I come up behind a slow Joe who typically is out on the centre of the road and pass out I'm likely to be over the speed limit for the time until I can get back in lane safely and cut back to the speed limit. Any views on this? - or am I being a nervous Nellie.

Thanks for that - more to do with signage really- if you don't know the road but there's a sign then at least it's giving you the opportunity to pay particular attention to your speed.

Top Gear update on the upcoming US$20,000 Slate truck. The first customisable, plastic-bodied EV pickup (if it is to be believed). First deliveries at least 1.5 years away

Slate Auto has explicitly stated that their vehicles and accessories will only be available for purchase in the United States.

Driving from the likes of Dublin to Kerry you are spoilt for choice. Hubs like Obama's, Midway and the Cresent have never been full or faulty when I've used them and fairly decent price wise

OH is getting a G6 as a company car to replace his Enyaq IV 80 in a couple of months. Will miss the Enyaq - can't fault it and have really enjoyed it as the first electric car. I ended up trading in my own car for an ID.3 so now we're an all electric household.

Need to find something cheap for my mam and then my EV shopping/research days are over for a while at least!

I wonder will the Govt extend the BIK relief for EV company cars in the budget this year. Given that we've missed all our climate targets it might be an easy win for them

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2025-04-03/8/

https://www.epa.ie/news-releases/news-releases-2025/epa-projections-show-ireland-off-track-for-2030-climate-targets.php

in terms of its imapct on number of new EVs being purchased? Perhaps but regardless it may be seen as an easy win for the govt to extend this in the budget and be seen to be at least promoting further adoption of EV's.

It’s the same with company car PHEV’s, most of the drivers I know don’t want them either but won’t pay the BIK on a diesel.

the more choices like this are made, the more second hand Evs will trickle onto the market.

imagine if there was an incentive for car rental companies to have Evs in their fleet, but there isnt, so 1000s of ICEs are being purchased and released onto the second hand market every year from car hire companies with next to no Evs

(as a car hire customer though, I am more than happy theres no Evs in their fleets, and long may it continue. I dont need to waste an hour or 2 charging a car at the end of a holiday before returning it, or getting a hefty fee as you couldn't manage it, compared to 2 minutes at a petrol station)

You're talking about the ICE rule that you normally have to bring a car back to the rental place fully refueled I presume? That rule is there because most rental companies can't easily refuel ICE vehicles on site… EVs shouldn't have that same restriction from car rental companies

Given the EU's emissions limits on new cars they won't have a choice but to change their tactics in a few short years. They should also be supported to buy the things in the first place.

as someone who rents a lot of cars and does a splash and dash nearby the drop-off, that’s honestly sounds like an absolute ball-ache.

Related to that, someone had a model 3 at the office yesterday, driving it around purely to keep the 12v charged as it hadn’t been rented for so long. it’s from one of the big rental company’s who had the M3’s for American’s over here for a while and wanting the same car as they have back home - and now they are lying idle apparently. The daily rate son them is far to high, so that will be a big reason too

I've had a similar experience booking an EV in Italy, e2008 and Polestar 2 were generally cheaper than the equivalent automatic ICE

A manual Fiat 500 was cheaper obviously but not the most practical option for trucking the family plus suitcases around