Electric cars

[newcastle]

A lot in the media recently about the electric car coming to save the planet.

Not that I'm thinking of getting one....in Egypt? You must be joking

But one thing's puzzling me. If I run out of petrol, the worst that happens is I leg it (or hitch a lift) to the nearest petrol station.

But if I run out of electric charge? I imagine the batteries are not portable!

Is it a tow to the nearest charge point? How convenient....and expensive!!

[Dusak]

I think that this problem will only happen to those that forget to renew their visa, not keeping an eye on the charge meter.

[HEPZIBAH]

There are so many issues surrounding electric cars that need sorting out before they can take over the world. There does seem to be more power charging points around at places such as motorway service stations, supermarket car parks etc. now but I think if demand was higher, they wouldn't cope. Another issue is, or so I'm led to believe, so far power charging has been free (or very little fee). Now, places want to charge for charge! Realistic for the provider but makes the electric car less cost effective to the user.

I bought a new car last year and was purseuded to get a hybrid. It's a non-plug in car. I would not entertain the idea and extra worry and hassle of a plug in.

[carrie]

I am so out of touch, what is a hybrid car Hepzibah?

[HEPZIBAH]

Hybrid - It takes petrol, but it has battery running capacity too. It changes automatically to the best fuel mode. The battery bit recharges itself so it doesn't need plugging in. It is supposed to be more cost effective (cheaper ?) too run.
(That's my very simple laywoman's terms and roughly how I understand it.) It is also incredibly much quieter that other cars!

When I queried if this 'new' technology was going to cause me problems my brother laughed and reminded me that, when he visited the Toyota plants in Japan, almost 30 years ago, they were bringing out this 'new' technology in cars back then!

[BBLUX]

Our car here in France is also a Toyota Hybrid. The batteries are guaranteed for 10 years. Most of the time on the flat around town it is running on the electric motor and even on quiet country roads which are flat it switches to electric only. The only downside is that you have to watch out for pedestrians who don't hear you coming. They are very miserly on petrol.

[HEPZIBAH]

The only downside is that you have to watch out for pedestrians who don't hear you coming.

The young lady who took me out on my first test drive said she had a Toyota Hybrid and when she's leaving from and arriving to her home she often puts the radio on and the windows down just so that people realise she's on the move. I thought this was a bit excessive - until I took a test drive on my own and needed to reverse out of a parking spot on a fairly pedestrian busy car park!

[carrie]

So how far can you actually travel using just your batteries and aren't the batteries big and heavy?

[HEPZIBAH]

With the Hybrid it controls itself, depending on the type of driving you are doing.

This explains it better than I can: https://www.toyota-europe.com/hybrid-in ... -is-hybrid

[BENNU]

With no tax on electric and hybrid cars, Tesla cars have become very popular in Norway.

[BBLUX]

The young lady who took me out on my first test drive said she had a Toyota Hybrid and when she's leaving from and arriving to her home she often puts the radio on and the windows down just so that people realise she's on the move. I thought this was a bit excessive - until I took a test drive on my own and needed to reverse out of a parking spot on a fairly pedestrian busy car park!

Ours is an Auris, which has a rather strident reversing alarm so that is not an issue.

[carrie]

Thanks Hepzibah for that link I am a little more knowledgeable now.

[Dusak]

The young lady who took me out on my first test drive said she had a Toyota Hybrid and when she's leaving from and arriving to her home she often puts the radio on and the windows down just so that people realise she's on the move. I thought this was a bit excessive - until I took a test drive on my own and needed to reverse out of a parking spot on a fairly pedestrian busy car park!

Ours is an Auris, which has a rather strident reversing alarm so that is not an issue.

I had the new reversing alarm in the UK. Roll down the window and shout ''get out the ******* way you blind git!''

[Major Thom]

Who knows about electric cars in Egypt, a massive Ever Ready in the boot might work. I mean they have had driverless cars for many years now!

[Horus]

I mean they have had driverless cars for many years now!

Got to give you 10 out of 10 for that one MT