I’ve always liked gadgets. The iPad I’m typing this on is quite astonishing in what it’s capable of. If you’ve got one you’ll know what I mean. So to have a car I plug in to “refuel” appeals to me – “What fun” , you might say. But it isn’t.
My first car more than 50 years ago was a Fiat 500. It was, shall we say, rather “low tech”. It had a starting handle I recall. And the sun roof was canvas you rolled back. On the road it would outperform a man on a bike, but only just. But on a full tank of petrol you could do 300 miles. And if you were running low you just went for five minutes to the petrol station around the corner. There always was one.
Range , speed of refuelling and easy availability of refuelling points is the killer of the electric car. Why would I buy one if on all three counts it underperforms my car of half a century ago? To signal my green virtue maybe? Or to impress the neighbours? Or because I like gadgets? People do I’m sure. But sorry tree huggers I’ll bow to commonsense on this one.
Paddy’s Blogs in a crazy world 
I agree even though I try to be green in all things but I enjoy travel. Not the sort of travel most people do but long road trips across Europe. If you have ever travelled to Spain’s interior you would realise an electric car would be a nightmare. The interior of Spain is a little like the planet Mars and there’s a lot of it. Even petrol stations are thin on the ground, decent hotels even less except for Madrid.
I drive to my place in France every year and do about 1000kms each way. An electric car would mean I would have to stop at least three or even four nights in crummy hostels to recharge the car and the chances of finding a point to do it are minimal.
Electric cars are like many things that seem a great idea in theory. Such as the Marble Arch Mound. However, the wider world outside the cities of the politicos and policymakers is a different place.
I can just imagine the look on an old Spanish shepherd’s face when I stop to ask him where the nearest charging point is. For in the interior there are only sheep, pigs and dust. Que Senor? Electric cars? No, gracias.
LikeLike
Indeed. Amazing progress has been made and if I lived in a City State like Hong Kong or Singapore it would be a no brainer. Give me 350 mile range, 10 min (maximum) full recharge time and plenty of top up points and I’m in.
LikeLike
Yes, but isn’t London the equivalent? I guess Hybrids might work for me but I am not going to buy another car now at this age. My next move will probably be an electric wheelchair.
LikeLike