One of my medical pracs was told absolutely had to buy ev or hybrid. Petrol cars old skool and far too expensive to run. So he bought a Japanese hybrid which all reports said probably the best. He takes all advice as not a car person. Last week road works detour was gravel road. Lots of lights/warnings came on. Gravel had flicked up, destroyed 6 sensors. $600 each and $200 for Toyota to fit/ program. A lot to be said for my little Mazda 2.
Wait until he gets 8+ years into ownership and they say "oops, your batteries need replacing, its only 25,000.
So many events ending up in scrapyard because its cheaper to scrap them and buy a new one than fix it. How's that ecologically sound and sustainable? Can't go into landfill because the batteries release toxins.
Rant over, sorry Grog, gets me fired up those eves and their bs.
I won't mention the massive strip mining operations run on diesel & coal to get the rare minerals for the batteries then, creating much more pollution than any proper car would in it's lifetime.
Gentlemen you are letting simple things, like facts, get in the way of Governments ripping off, the common man yet, again. :jack:
Wait until we all have EV's because there is no choice and then they will suddenly, discover how environmentally unfriendly, they are and start taxing the s54t out of us for that, as they did with Diesels. :happy1:
Quote from: Mr Gee on Friday, 01 May 2026, 11:48 PMGentlemen you are letting simple things, like facts, get in the way of Governments ripping off, the common man yet, again. :jack:
Wait until we all have EV's because there is no choice and then they will suddenly, discover how environmentally unfriendly, they are and start taxing the s54t out of us for that, as they did with Diesels. :happy1:
It's already started, some of the perks of owning an electric vehicle have either been reduced or stopped all together
Have just purchased a Hybrid Toyota Corolla Commercial for the business, most clients expect it to show that we are trying to become greener, not going to make much difference when we are burning 30,000 litres of diesel a week in mobile plant for them :confused1:
You blokes sneer at EV's and Hybrids. Well let me tell you the wifes Hybrid Honda is the cheapest of our fleet to run while sitting in grid locked traffic for hours !! They are also very fuel efficient when being herded through road cones and traffic management trucks at 5kph.
Someone's just taking the piss.. :facepalm:
As an EV owner I have to say that whilst EV's may not (yet) suit everyone's lifestyle or needs, for me, I find mine brilliant, ££££'s cheaper to run, service every 2 years (much cheaper than an annual service as well), 100,000 mile or 10 year guarantee on the battery (insomuch as it will still hold a minimum of 70% charge at that time, or gets replaced for free) and goes like a rocket - and not held to ransom by soaring petrol prices.
As for many ending up as scrap - well that may be true down under, I can't comment, but in the UK and Europe, vehicles have to be recyclable, so its much less of an issue. To the best of my knowledge, recycling the batteries is not a major issue - but here I may be wrong.
Personally as an EV owner, I now would not revert back to a petrol or diesel, which is something I thought I'd never say.
EV technology has progressed massively in the past couple of years and continues to advance at a very fast rate. Current EV's are so much better than they were a few years back, sadly I think that manufacturers have all failed to sensibly update and educate the public on how much different - and better - they are now.
I have no problem with the technology and the performance. The 'efficiency' is one of the biggest cons when you consider the source of the electricity that you use to charge the cars battery. Its also the fact that they are marketed as being 'green' and environmentally friendly, when that could not be further from the truth.
At the moment, the biggest difference to fossil fuel emission reduction (CO2) is using battery technology in heavy plant (diggers, mining trucks etc) and solar farms to generate that electricity.
Oh, and less people buying and using less on a global scale, but thats not PC at all....
What are you currently (word play there. . .) driving Dave? I remember when you had that EVO, :happy1: Who'd of thought then that you'd be a convert to EV's. :onya:
Quote from: KiwiCol on Saturday, 02 May 2026, 10:30 AMWhat are you currently (word play there. . .) driving Dave? I remember when you had that EVO, :happy1: Who'd of thought then that you'd be a convert to EV's. :onya:
Very good Col! Yes a complete switch from my "dirty engined" Mitsubishi Evo - I bought a VW ID3 GTX Performance, has the equivalent of 326bhp, so a right little pocket rocket.
Can relate to its speed Dave, friend just got PHEV 4wd 358bhp.Ultra silent, ultra amazing quick,very weird feeling giving it the full go. Road safety? Heaps of built in distractions, lots of power for a girls car,not sure I'd want my Wife owning it🤷🏼
I'll just keep my diesel merc, does 54mpg just bimbling about and does 73mpg on a long motorway run and it only costs £35 to tax for the year and has a tank range of well over 600 miles, no ev can match that.
My Jag is up to 14.9MPG for mostly town work in heavy traffic. Used to do about 11-12 for the same conditions. All I've done is use gungum to fill a few little holes in the cats, I get the air getting in was upsetting the O2 sensors & screwing the mixture up.
Hence I ride most of the time.
Quote from: Mick_J on Saturday, 02 May 2026, 06:47 PMI'll just keep my diesel merc, does 54mpg just bimbling about and does 73mpg on a long motorway run and it only costs £35 to tax for the year and has a tank range of well over 600 miles, no ev can match that.
What are you driving Mick? I've got a ML250 & down under we got a long range tank (93L) on a trip mine will show 1500+km range on a full tank, never had that though, had 1400+ though.
Quote from: gsxbarmy on Saturday, 02 May 2026, 04:15 PMQuote from: KiwiCol on Saturday, 02 May 2026, 10:30 AMWhat are you currently (word play there. . .) driving Dave? I remember when you had that EVO, :happy1: Who'd of thought then that you'd be a convert to EV's. :onya:
Very good Col! Yes a complete switch from my "dirty engined" Mitsubishi Evo - I bought a VW ID3 GTX Performance, has the equivalent of 326bhp, so a right little pocket rocket.
Great to hear the need for speed is present in the bones!! Brings a smile to my dial. :onya: :clapping:
Quote from: grog on Saturday, 02 May 2026, 05:29 PMCan relate to its speed Dave, friend just got PHEV 4wd 358bhp.Ultra silent, ultra amazing quick,very weird feeling giving it the full go. Road safety? Heaps of built in distractions, lots of power for a girls car,not sure I'd want my Wife owning it🤷🏼
The tech on it
@grog is amazing - some of it unnecessary in all honesty. Wierd not having an engine, just tyre noise, but put your foot down and it just launches! Wife drives it as well, although I seem to get numerous calls about what this and that doesn't mean and how do I switch this on and off. Biggest drawback with modern cars? Digital handbook, doesn't matter whether its and EV, petrol or diesel, all manuals seem now to be digital - and incomplete as half the tech I can't find reference to in the ID3 manual!!!! :furious:
Taking me a while to work out what tech is useful and what I can ignore. Much of it is just too clever beyond words and in all honesty probably beyond most drivers unless they have a degree in IT. The number of places where its touch this or hold that - you just can't remember it all.
Glad it's yours Dave, I just like simple controls. I had a ute with info screen/ controls, drove me insane. I read VW going back to more old skool controls after complaints of too much tech.
Recently wifey got a Honda HRV Hybrid. She loves it. It's doing 4.5L per 100km. Seems odd sitting silently in traffic. It too has lots of tech, asked for most of it to be turned off when we picked it up. Lane departure is weird, beeps for this and that. Fast enough off the mark, just perfect for her type of driving, heated seats and steering wheel. She can even answer her phone.... whatever next.
First car we've bought from a dealer, usually our cars have been write offs that I've then repaired.
For me, I just love my old 1200 Suzuki Swift, owes me nothing, low or no tech, fill it up about once a fortnight... perfect !!
Last week I registered my late father in laws 1999 Kawasaki W650, registration on hold for 12 years or since we bought the Magic Carpet. Have to say it's nice and nimble to get through the traffic.
Quote from: KiwiCol on Saturday, 02 May 2026, 07:44 PMQuote from: Mick_J on Saturday, 02 May 2026, 06:47 PMI'll just keep my diesel merc, does 54mpg just bimbling about and does 73mpg on a long motorway run and it only costs £35 to tax for the year and has a tank range of well over 600 miles, no ev can match that.
What are you driving Mick? I've got a ML250 & down under we got a long range tank (93L) on a trip mine will show 1500+km range on a full tank, never had that though, had 1400+ though.
Morning Col, I have a 2013 B Class oil burner with a dual clutch auto box, most expensive part of running it is the insurance.
Quote from: grog on Sunday, 03 May 2026, 04:13 PMGlad it's yours Dave, I just like simple controls. I had a ute with info screen/ controls, drove me insane. I read VW going back to more old skool controls after complaints of too much tech.
Once you understand what you need
@grog its simple enough - with the digital manual (grrrr!!!) its finding out what you do and don't want!
Indeed I've seen on the latest line-up of VW's like the new ID Polo that you can display a retro dash with a rev counter. Really??? To me that's just plain silly, why would anyone want to do that on an electric car. Trouble is I think, those who now do the design were brought up when Transformers were all the rage so if they just add tech wherever they can, be it useful or not - which just confuses the hell out of the customer (well it confuses me and having worked in IT for my professional life I have a pretty good understanding, but I feel for those that just find it bamboozling.
This is why I have a rule to only buy vehicles with actual dials, not tablets blutaked to the dash. It rules out most of the bloody stupid tech than means you spend more time fighting the vehicle than driving or riding it.