Hi,
I'd like to buy an electric powered, or dual-fuel (maybe gas turbine / elec) small car.
Though it would be ideal for typical local usage around town or commuting, especially as my pregnant wife soon won't be able to cycle as usual!
Does anyone recommend a particular place to start searching (ok, I tried here first)?
I heard loads about these alterntive powered cars a while ago but little recently.
Thanks for your help,
Andrew
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Toyota make a electric/petrol car that charges the batteries when freewheeling. Available RHD in the UK. Not sure of the name I'm afraid. It's a pretty bland looking typically Japanese 5 door hatch.
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The only electric cars I see about, Andrew, are milk floats. But didn't Peugeot bring out an electric 106 a couple of years ago? There was a lot of publicity about it at the time, with recharging sites available in various locations in Paris.
I have not seen or read about this for some time, does anybody know if it is still going or if the idea died the death like most alternatives to oil based fuels?
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Toyota Prius, now about to become available second hand from Toyota dealers(I've seen them advertised independently for £12k). Honda Insight. Lots of weird and wonderful electric cars in the alternative transport FAQ answer. Ford Think to hit the market next year (in car by car breakdown). News of Subaru and Smart hybrids in the news archive (last week's news).
HJ
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Thanks for the responses.
I guess I have to wait or shell out lots!
Roll on the new technology!!
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Trouble with electric cars is the high cost, small storage space, low performance. However great for local journeys as no pollution.
Could your wife consider an electric bicycle instead. They cost typically £500 upwards and go without any pedalling. I found the cheaper Sinclair bike useless for me as you had to peddle to get it going!
Suggest you use the search engine google. Loads of free advice sites. Do let us know what you get and how cheap the insurance is!
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Andrew
It's a Toyata Prius.
Unfortunately, electric cars are only 'pollution free' at the point of use. They rely on the conventional electricity supplies, and even with gas fired CCGT plant, and flue gas desulphurisation on coal plant there are some emissions. Of course these are well controlled, and take place at height so the ground level effects are minimised, but I don't believe electric cars can yet be described as pollution free.
Frankly, they are a dead end in terms of total replacement for the current vehicles. Too heavy, slow, restricted mileage, and a total inability to 'refuel' at any accetable rate. This last fault is unlikely ever to be cured. Have you ever worked out the energy transfer rate which occurs when you fill a car with petrol?
Yes, they will have a place for urban use, with defined journeys, but frankly they will be unable to progress beyond that.
Regards
john
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Can I add another disadvantage of electric cars to the list, and that is the lack of noise.
The closest that I have been to being knocked down as a pedestrian (Yes, I am one sometimes) recently was when an electric car reversed the wrong way down a one-way street and I did not hear it coming: I was looking the other (correct) way for legit traffic.
I suspect that widespread use of electric cars will push pedestrian casualty figures up!
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Andrew,
"No pollution"? Sounds like you've been taken in by the eco-lie lobby. All an electric car does is take the pollution away from the road outside your door and put it into the output form a power station at the other end of your electricity supply. I've even read (somewhere I can't remember) that an efficient diesel will move you for less CO2 output than an electric. (Largely due to the inefficiencies of storing electricity).
Vin
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Andrew,
"No pollution"? Sounds like you've been taken in by the eco-lie lobby. All an electric car does is take the pollution away from the road outside your door and put it into the output form a power station at the other end of your electricity supply. I've even read (somewhere I can't remember) that an efficient diesel will move you for less CO2 output than an electric. (Largely due to the inefficiencies of storing electricity).
Vin
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Vin
Beat me to it by a minute!
Regards
john
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Yes, in my opinion, the "true" electric car is a very long way off. However, I think that Sir Clive was doing his best with the C5 but, about 30/40 years too early.
I think that the day will come where, in urban areas and city centres, we will all be driving simple electric vehicles, probably much like the C5 and rented by the hour, via our plastic cards and suitable electronic technology, and collected from a "pound" where they will stand by, on charge, with their use electronically controlled to restrict them to defined boundaries. I think there is still a good future for highly developed, internal combustion engined vehicles but, these 1.5 tonnes of tin, mostly carrying one person, will be restricted to motorways and major roads
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One of the responses in the thread mentioned the Toyota Hybrid, called Prius, which has been on the UK market for about a year.
You'll get 55 to 60 mpg (About 580 miles per tank) with low emissions and low VED and full 5 seats.
The styling is quite bland alright but the cars very well equipped and extremely quiet. I can honestly say after driving one myself for 14000 miles and 6 months, that I still get people staring through the window in car parks and watching in suprise as you glide by in stealth mode !
Read car-by-car breakdown for Honest John's opinion.
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