Ban on new petrol/diesel cars by 2030 - AIBU to be excited?

[almostautumn]

The government are set to announce a ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. As someone who lives in a polluted city (London) and worries about the effect that carbon emissions are having on my family’s health, I’m so excited by this news because I think it will really change our children’s lives for the better. And it’s fantastic that it’s only 10 years away!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54981425

I'll add my stats.

with the 0% BIK tax on electric (I know, not available to everyone) my Model 3 costs £407 per month.

I've done 13,000 miles and spent £0.00p on electricity, saving me £260/month.

My lease includes insurance, servicing, tyres and breakdown - another £90 / month saved.

For a net cost of £57/month I have a comfortable, spacious family saloon, that costs almost nothing to maintain and run, is self driving, one of the safest cars on the planet and which is capable of outperforming virtually anything on the road.

whats not to like?

Bet it can't tow a horse box!

@MrsMiaWallis

Bet it can't tow a horse box!

And that you have somewhere convenient to charge it, like your own driveway.

°Batteries in the electric cars require all sorts of metals and toxic substances^

Can we access the amount of these needed economically and safely without causing a knock on environmental impact?

It is my understanding that mining and refining often rare elements is not without environmental impact.

@PaddyF0dder not cheeky, it's a fair point, but as we are having a discussion which is naturally turning into a pros/cons discussion those who own the vehicles and can answer those questions help balance the debate (or not if the answers are unfavourable of course!) When I am seriously looking at purchasing I will obviously Google.

I was only asking as I don't know the answers and the answers to those questions give quite a lot of weight to the financial sustainability of owning an electric vehicle.

Electricity isn't free though? Do you not use more electricity than you would normally

I've done 13,000 miles and spent £0.00p on electricity, saving me £260/month

Who pays for your free electricity?

Will they be as generous when we all want it?

If you have solar panels, that's not an option for people who live in flats, and the grants and payments that used to be available are now far less generous.

@userxx

Nope, the thought horrifies me.

Me too.

I use more electricity that I usually would. But it’s about £30 per month (conservative estimate) versus about £180 on fuel (also a conservative estimate).

[quote AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii]@Bakeachocolatecaketoday doesn’t answer my question about whether it would last a whole shift in rural community nursing? I can do over 80 miles a day sometimes and that’s just at work never mind getting home, getting kids from school etc[/quote]
yes it would. the range keeps getting better.
i have a full electric car, we have been London to Norwich on a mini charge during a wee break, have done London to Edinburgh, have done the NC500 in the highlands with no issues with charging or range whatsoever...

i can have it out for shops and runnign club and charge it only every 2 weeks

I don't understand the 407 a month cost being stated as 57 net cost?

If it's costing 407 a month it's costing 407 a month! That's a huge amount

@MrsMiaWallis

Electricity isn't free though? Do you not use more electricity than you would normally

My small EV costs approx £2.40 a week to charge. I can charge it for free at several places in town such as most supermarkets and the big shopping centre.

I also get free pay and display parking across town too, using the city' s Green Permit.

407 a month is mental.

I can charge it for free at several places in town such as most supermarkets and the big shopping centre.

I also get free pay and display parking across town too, using the city' s Green Permit.

Whilst these are lovely perks I would enjoy them whilst you can, they won't be around for long if this initiative is successful.

@FixTheBone

I'll add my stats.

with the 0% BIK tax on electric (I know, not available to everyone) my Model 3 costs £407 per month.

I've done 13,000 miles and spent £0.00p on electricity, saving me £260/month.

My lease includes insurance, servicing, tyres and breakdown - another £90 / month saved.

For a net cost of £57/month I have a comfortable, spacious family saloon, that costs almost nothing to maintain and run, is self driving, one of the safest cars on the planet and which is capable of outperforming virtually anything on the road.

whats not to like?

Can you explain the figures? None of them make any sense? If you pay £407 a month how can it only cost £57 a month? Where do you get free electric?

You are spending 57 a month more than you used to. That's not saving.

We have a plug in hybrid. A full electric is completely unworkable for us currently. DH frequently has to attend meetings 150/200 miles away. At present he can leave early, travel to his meeting and be home in the evening. To do that presently on a full electric would be absolutely impossible.
The hybrid means he can travel between work and office on full electric and free charging points at his office help but as soon as his job required him to leave the office electric would be useless.

I assume that @FixTheBone would be paying this for a company car regardless? Whether it’s electric or petrol / diesel...

Mines a company car, it’s costing me less than it would to get a petrol electric car, and also less than I would if I bought my own.

I've just googled the nearest charging point to me. It's 7 miles away in the nearest small town. There's just the one point.

And I'm really surprised at the number of different connections available. If you've got the wrong sort, you'd be well stuffed.

Petrol company car*

You clearly have got the message that London is all that matters!

I don't live in London but have an EV and DH will have one next summer.
I live in a northern city, on the outskirts.

I can't see it happening, and agree it's greenwashing. ICE cars will go on for longer than anticipated....Dh's car was built in 1968 and is still going strong. My car is a 56 plate, and I'll drive her until she falls apart, then get another petrol car.

It's a bit daft putting all your eggs in one basket energy wise for anything. If there's a power cut, my car still drives.

@LittleMissLockdown

I can charge it for free at several places in town such as most supermarkets and the big shopping centre.

I also get free pay and display parking across town too, using the city' s Green Permit.

Whilst these are lovely perks I would enjoy them whilst you can, they won't be around for long if this initiative is successful.

Fortunately I don't have to rely on them as we have our own charger at home. I also benefit from free parking permits via work as does DH, nothing to do with EV.

So for now they are added benefits. Reality is I don't really expect to get the charge for free, just like we don't get petrol or diesel for free. But for now, I will benefit from them.

The advantage of increasing numbers of people having EVs mean that there will be increased charging stations, and more investment into the fast chargers.

Though, if you have the time, then they can be charged via a normal 3 pin plug if you need to.

@Elai1978

No way will electric cars ever have enough grunt to get up our hills in winter

An electric car generally has more grunt than an equivalent ICE car. Don’t forget, they produce maximum torque from zero RPM. Go drive a Tesla and then tell me it has no grunt

Tesla Model 3, so easy up 20% inclines in the Highlands... felt more confident than in an ICE car...

@TinyTear my Tesla years up hills where my petrol used to scream for dear life 🤣