What would encourage you to consider buying an electric car?

Answer 1

Same things as encourage me to buy any car.

Availability of car and "fuel" meaning charging points at home, work, maybe hotels, supermarkets and other obvious stopping places.

Reasonable range, performance and carry capacity. Opel concept cars are announcing a 50 km range on battery alone with a diesel back up for extended range. If I can get away with just one or two person capacity and little else I use a motorcycle instead already. When I do use the car, most of my journeys would fit inside a 50 km daily envelope but not all.

Full life cycle costs, meaning any higher purchase price needs to be roughly balanced by reduced running costs over the years which then makes you consider battery lifetime and cost of replacement, maintenance, insurance. The most promising development I see is from GM (Opel in Europe) who seem to be developing electric hybrid options for standard vehicle platforms so there is less development cost than a "unique" such as the Prius.

Plus confidence in the grid electricity supplier that the original power source is more renewables (and growing) compared to old fossil fuel powered stations.

Answer 2

A frontal lobotomy. No seriously, in the UK, there is an electric car called the GeeWhiz. In a front crash test at 30mph, it failed so badly that they had to literally cut 2 crash test dummies to pieces to remove them. While i appreciate this isn't neccesarily true across the board, There does seem to be a lsrge element of under-engineering going on in this catergory of car, and until the electric car can truly match the petrol/diesel cars on performance, economy, range, styling, price, well everything really, no one sane is going to buy them.
Oh and all you Prius drivers out there, sod off and get a life. The quantities of nickel needed for the batteries in said car has made areas of Canada and Peru an "International disaster zone" through the mining of the highly toxic nickel. Not feeling quite so smug now eh? Saving the world, yeah right.....

Answer 3

They would have to be as desirable as a normal car and affordable with a range of 250 miles +

I've already considered an electric van the Modex but it just can't compete with a diesel one.

I think the most realistic short term solution would be a hybrid diesel engine. VW are developing a production hybrid car which will break the 100 mpg mark, I'd be happy if that sort of technology made it's way into the mainstream

Answer 4

#1.Dependability of the Recharging facility.
#2.Compact size.
#3.Ability to keep running even if some of the battery cells become non functional, so that you can reach a place of safety and seek replacement of lost or non-functioning parts.
#4. Affordable price( About USD 20-25,000)
#5.Fuel efficiency comparable to Diesel or more economical
#6. Great looks or at least not a hodge podge look.
#7. Seating capacity for five to six people.

Answer 5

Electric, as in you plug it into your household mains ( powered by coal-fired power stations ), and charge up batteries( Hugely inefficient energy storage devices made with some of the most dangerous and non-environmentally-friendly materials known to man)?
That type of electric car has the same whole-life environmental cost as a V8 Range Rover.
I'd be interested in a car using a small nuclear reactor to supply power to an electric motor, but I guess that's not what you had in mind, is it Doug?

Answer 6

I drove one for my wife now and again,its called a milk float.Besides,a car is a car in a city,it takes up space So convince me that those ugly monstroserties produce enough energy [windchimes]to power a light bulb let alone a car The batteries on the float weigh close to a ton and need overnight charging every day,electric i think they call it,and on it goes STAY lUCKY

Answer 7

Netting over the roads to provide the power like bumper cars at fairgrounds!
At the moment Invalid scooters are about the best bet !
But at present there ain't a car with performance and range to make it possible to change.
BTW a 100HP motor inside a wheel rim isn't on, that's spin. Also it would need some dirty great batteries to power it!
RoyS

Answer 8

I need a car to pull my caravan once a year. No holidays abroad. Scrap the Road Fund Licence and TAX high the fuel instead. (Use more fuel - pay more TAX!!) Then a second car to run around would make sense. Bus's never go from my village (1500 people) to any shopping area.

Answer 9

cheap nuclear power plants in the US..
oh wait that solves the oil crisis ...oil and gas would be cheap as well...
that would be great then we would not have a need for a car that only goes 50 miles on a recharge

i truthfully NEED a car / truck that can travel 600-700 miles a day..and it must have good off road capabilities...
an electric would be a poor choice for anyone other than a person who's life revolved around the inner city

Answer 10

Hi
Cheap vehicle and multiple and frequent charging points.

As most i have read into have a range of upto 100miles and take approx 6-10hrs charging to get 100miles, they would prove good city cars, but poor touring vehicles.

A good start would be petrol - electric as a few are now, but very expensive.