Gregs24
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2018
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- Wiltshire UK & Charente FR
- First Name
- Greg
- Vehicle(s)
- Mustang V8 GT, Ford Kuga PHEV
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We seem to have hit upon a point of agreement re Elon Musk!Ironically, despite all my anti-EV comments on this forum, I'm not opposed to the idea of driving an EV. Or rather, I wouldn't be if they weren't trying to force me into it.
While I can't stand Teslas for several reasons, chief among which is that there aren't enough words in all languages combined to express how much I loathe Musk, there are a few that I really like. I wouldn't mind driving a Taycan if I could afford one. Or a Rimac. Or even a Mach-E for that matter, if I'm honest.
You'll never see me in an i3 though, or anything like that.
I'm also looking on the bright side. The more people switch to EVs, the more of a bad boy I will look in my V8 Mustang. The more special it will feel. I bought it because it was politically incorrect. And as the world moves towards EVs, its PI character will increase.
Hello; As far as basics go this is not a bad image. The generator in the wheelbarrow can represent the power plant which now and for years to come will mainly run-on fossil fuels. The extension cord is a simplified version of the grid.
Kuga is a great car, one of the best in its class in my opinion. And by far the best looking. My wife loves hers, too (though hers isn't a hybrid, but that's just because the hybrid wasn't available at the time).However my wife loves her PHEV Kuga and it is very much the best to drive compared to diesel or petrol equivalents.
Fair point, and to a degree I do agree with it. I drive a Mustang because I like it, too. I wouldn't buy something I didn't like just for the image. I wouldn't have bought a 1 litre, 3-cylinder, 90 HP Mustang no matter how good it might have looked.I drive a Mustang because I like it - I'm not interested in presenting an image to others.
There is a full hybrid and a plug in hybrid. The PHEV has 225PS so goes pretty well. It does about 35 miles on electric which covers most of my wife's daily drive. We charge from our solar PV's so it is effectively free.Kuga is a great car, one of the best in its class in my opinion. And by far the best looking. My wife loves hers, too (though hers isn't a hybrid, but that's just because the hybrid wasn't available at the time).
I'm not sure, but I think the hybrid Kuga is really a hybrid, isn't it? I mean, not a "mild" one. If it's the same kind of hybrid drive as used in the Mondeo, that's really awesome. I loved mine. You won't hear any critique from me.
I did that drive a few times. I was stationed at Ft Bragg and family was in Arizona. I’d do the drive when I’d take like a 30 day leave 1nce a year and fly the other times. It definitely was decompressing. But like you said that Texas drive. I’d leave Tucson on a Friday at 0400 and drive straight through Texas and get to Shreveport at 2230. Texas is a monster of a state with mostly desolate highways. You’d have to stop X2 if not more depending on the EV to make it through that state. It’s 881 miles end to end from NM to Louisiana. The most affordable EV is 30K and has a range of 114 miles. The most expensive EV is 175K with a 502 mile.Anyone that has ever driven in Texas understands how worthless EVs are around here.
Hello; I agree that economics will be a big factor under normal circumstances. Thing is these agendas have an economic impact. Best example i can think of is how agendas drove conditions during the Covid pandemic. Before someone tries to claim I wanted nothing to be done, let me say such is not the case.We can argue EVs until we are all blue in the face but the reality is economics will drive adoption not some agenda.
Completely understand - but the average journey length in the US is little more than in Europe ay 11.5 miles. So for most people most of the time EV range isn't an issue. A PHEV is the ideal compromise where you can use EV driving for all the local stuff and ICE for longer distances. We have a Ford Kuga PHEV and it has done about 3/4 of it's mileage on electric locally with longer journeys on petrol. That has saved a LOT of petrol.Europe is an example of where EVs can work. High population density, high fuel cost and strict emissions standards are forcing money into the right places to make EVs a viable alternative. Europe is also small compared to the US.
The US is basically the opposite. Low fuel cost, lax emissions, and low population density make EVs worthless for most of the population outside of cities. Widespread adoption on the US is not going to happen until ranges increases at least 3x. GM understands the US EV’s market share will stagnate in the future. At that point it will just be just competition for that small market share among manufactures.
We can argue EVs until we are all blue in the face but the reality is economics will drive adoption not some agenda.
Anyone that has ever driven in Texas understands how worthless EVs are around here.
Hello; Not sure where the 11.5 miles average comes from. Maybe skewed by city driving as so many things are by the high-density population centers. I know of lots who have near 50 mile commutes. One year after i retired I filled in for a Biology teacher who had a baby. I was driving 108 miles a day five days a week that school year. I knew other teachers who had longer commutes than that. Not many to be sure.Completely understand - but the average journey length in the US is little more than in Europe ay 11.5 miles. So for most people most of the time EV range isn't an issue. A PHEV is the ideal compromise where you can use EV driving for all the local stuff and ICE for longer distances. We have a Ford Kuga PHEV and it has done about 3/4 of it's mileage on electric locally with longer journeys on petrol. That has saved a LOT of petrol.
It isn't black and white, good / no good as you say.
I think that Hybrids definitely suit the market need much better. Take Europe for instance. The mandatory vacations that everyone takes in I think July if I remember right, everyone leaves. They either go camping or go outside of the host country. I know a lot of people would travel to from Germany to Spain Italy and France for the beaches. And they would either drive or take the train. Train Vacation where a lot of fun. But I definitely think that Hybrids would fit much better.Completely understand - but the average journey length in the US is little more than in Europe ay 11.5 miles. So for most people most of the time EV range isn't an issue. A PHEV is the ideal compromise where you can use EV driving for all the local stuff and ICE for longer distances. We have a Ford Kuga PHEV and it has done about 3/4 of it's mileage on electric locally with longer journeys on petrol. That has saved a LOT of petrol.
It isn't black and white, good / no good as you say.
You are not politically incorrect (or a nonconformist) because you purchased a car or believe in freedom. Many times being politically incorrect is because of the way you were raised and/or people you associate with (online/real world), etc. Heck, one could make an argument believing in freedom makes you a conformist.The thing I value most in life is freedom - any kind of freedom, including freedom of speech. I value it above anything else, even above my life. I'd rather die than give it up. That makes me nonconformist and politically incorrect. And because I am like this, and I encourage others to be like this every time I get the chance, I'm also happy when others see me like this. Because this is actually who I am; I'm not faking it.
I said many moons ago, if we can get EVs to 850 to 1000 miles per charge, I'd definitely purchase one. That range would give me options when I go on road trips, which I do often. I tend to keep my cars a long time... if less moving parts make them more reliable, that is great.I think that Hybrids definitely suit the market need much better. Take Europe for instance. The mandatory vacations that everyone takes in I think July if I remember right, everyone leaves. They either go camping or go outside of the host country. I know a lot of people would travel to from Germany to Spain Italy and France for the beaches. And they would either drive or take the train. Train Vacation where a lot of fun. But I definitely think that Hybrids would fit much better.
Hello; OK, I can see 850 miles to a charge as plenty to reduce range anxiety. My current circumstances are such that 850 miles is within the distance I may ever drive in one day. The extended ranges I read about so far usually involve bigger battery packs which add a lot of cost. That would be one of the hurdles crossed if it ever happens and is not too expensive.You are not politically incorrect (or a nonconformist) because you purchased a car or believe in freedom. Many times being politically incorrect is because of the way you were raised and/or people you associate with (online/real world), etc. Heck, one could make an argument believing in freedom makes you a conformist.
In case some don't know: being PI means one does not care if they offend or upset any group of people in society who have a disadvantage, or who have been treated differently because of their gender, race or disability (as defined by Collins).
All of us are politically incorrect to some degree. At any rate, you are not politically incorrect because you purchased a car or believe in freedom.
I said many moons ago, if we can get EVs to 850 to 1000 miles per charge, I'd definitely purchase one. That range would give me options when I go on road trips, which I do often. I tend to keep my cars a long time... if less moving parts make them more reliable, that is great.
We already have a boiler for destroying gas cars.... "Cash for Clunkers". That and turning all gas pumps into charging stations. At some point it will get very expensive to deliver gas to a few gas stations...
Mercedes are getting there. 751 actual miles not just a calculation or predictionI said many moons ago, if we can get EVs to 850 to 1000 miles per charge, I'd definitely purchase one. That range would give me options when I go on road trips, which I do often. I tend to keep my cars a long time... if less moving parts make them more reliable, that is great.
Hello; Only 99 miles short of the low end goal. A special low drag body. Air cooled to save weight. A special lighter weight battery. Not in production????Mercedes are getting there. 751 actual miles not just a calculation or prediction
Mercedes EQXX review: ultra-long-range EV experiment driven Reviews 2022 | Top Gear