This article would have been even less favorable on this side of the pond since everything is 110v. In a lot of the EU, homes and businesses are 240v. On my normal outlet at home or work - it can take 20 hours to charge a full drained leaf. Is your friend happy with the fiat EV?o was joining me on this road trip, that relied on three types of charging points, commonly referred to as slow, medium and rapid
Which is why a big part of Tesla's mission is installing fast charging stations across the US and elsewhere and sharing the patented tech with other companies to help drive a standard model for charging rather than many disparate models that would fail on their own. When you think about it, after driving ~200 (very doable in a Tesla) miles you're gonna want to take a break for 20-30 minutes anyway. Rather than pumping gas, you plug in and stretch your legs etc. It's totally entering the realm of possibility now even for the most skeptical of opponents.On my normal outlet at home or work - it can take 20 hours to charge a full drained leaf.
My point about the charge time is that the EU has an advantage with charging: they have readily available high(er) voltage at their fingertips. While I agree with your sentiment and as an EV driver would REALLY LOVE for this to happen - we're still quite a ways away from this reality. Let's say I want to drive down to LA from Denver. Google Maps tells me it's about 1000 miles. I've done the drive - all in, it's about 14-15 hours depending on conditions. If I get in my gas burner - and get about 340 miles per tank (it's a small tank. My van clears 400). So that means I'm stopping either 3 or 4 times. If I'm in aTesla (dreams), I'm stopping 4-5 times. And at a minimum - I'm staying at the station for 20-30 minutes. so we've just added 1.4-2.5 hours. I know, I know - it's not THAT much time added to an already long drive - but it is time. EVs are amazing in town. I hope batteries just get cheaper and better. I hope more car companies provide electric options. I really do love it. It just make SO MUCH SENSE for my life right now. But I can see how it makes ZERO sense for lots of other folks.When you think about it, after driving ~200 (very doable in a Tesla) miles you're gonna want to take a break for 20-30 minutes anyway. Rather than pumping gas, you plug in and stretch your legs etc. It's totally entering the realm of possibility now even for the most skeptical of opponents.
I built EVs for a company called Wilde EVolutions. Back then (~95), the badass rig was a Honda Civic running AC propulsion. That dude? Got about 80 miles on his batteries. When he wanted to go cross-country, he towed a generator. Fucker got about 300mpg.
I think it's one of those things that will keep EVs niche or secondary vehicles for the foreseeable future. It's one of those types of cars where there are some very strong advantages, but the same thing that gives it those strong advantages also gives it some drawbacks, They're very specialized in the same way something like a Mazda Miata or a Ford F-350 is specialized. What I hope EVs will have going in their favor though, is that as time goes on and the technology evolves, they'll end up being much more versatile, offering longer ranges, faster charge times, maybe even the capability to do some light hauling. We're very much in the early stages and the only way to move is forward. After all, an IC engine from the 1920s looks nothing like an IC engine from the 1960s and those look nothing like modern IC engines. Sure, the basics are all there, but the technology just keeps on developing, sometimes in little steps, sometimes in leaps and bounds.I really do love it. It just make SO MUCH SENSE for my life right now. But I can see how it makes ZERO sense for lots of other folks.
It's a practical fun car though. It's good on gas, is fun to drive even though it doesn't have a lot of power, they're cheap to buy and maintain, and they're as reliable as all get out. I absolutley love the NA Mata in particular, if only because they're reminiscent of the Austin Healey Sprite mk I which looks so much like a frog it's awesome.
Sometimes I think people buy and maintain classic British cars just so they can complain about how hard they are to maintain. As for Japanese roadsters, I've always wanted to drive a Honda s600 for an afternoon.
That is a cute little thing. Never even heard of it, though. Datsun 2000s? I had two in my client list. Classic british cars aren't "hard" to maintain, they're f'n annoying to maintain. The British did preposterously stupid things - like decide the XK120 ought to be effectively oil-cooled so that they could keep the grille small. Like decide a 3-position switch ought to have 11 moving pieces. Then you get into the Labor era when the factory workers were literally sabotaging their own shit and you see why the sun set right fast on the British Empire.
My wife is a huge fan of classic Japanese cars. She just loves their styling. I think if you threw anything from a 240z to an Rx-3 to a Skyline her way she'd be happy. In fact, I think if we win the lottery half of our garage will be full of nothing but classic imports.
I suppose it depends on how urgent the trip is, typically after 200 miles you'll want a bathroom break and perhaps a meal. Along with pumping gas you'd be looking at 20-30 minutes anyway. Add to that the increase in battery technology and you start to see progress. I'm definitely an optimist on this but even if you got to a point where driving around town was done via electric and people rented gas cars for longer trips that would be a huge shift. But since that relies on people to change their habits it also assumes a certain sense of optimism.