Count Steer wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2026 7:14 am
Looks like more and more people will have an electric car and rising petrol prices aren't quite the motivator that explains it all.
Mr Dazzle regularly advised the big developments for EVs would be battery tech.
So, if the article info is to be believed, he was right.
Battery costs have fallen 93% since 2010. That is the number that changes everything. A pack that cost more than US$1,000 per kilowatt-hour in 2010 cost US$108 by late 2025, driven down by a decade of learning, investment and policy support.
It doesn't really matter how good batteries are, until there is home charging available everywhere; ICEs will still compete, and are currently still a more viable option for many people.
Taipan wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2026 10:13 am
It doesn't really matter how good batteries are, until there is home charging available everywhere; ICEs will still compete, and are currently still a more viable option for many people.
I'm still contemplating an electric moped (a chinese made Vespa-a-like) but not sure the electrics (which have to go across the road, all our vehicles are on the other side of the road) will be up to even that, and quite frankly, the thought of getting my head round complicated electricity accounts with variable charging times etc etc gives me the screaming heebie-jeebies. I like simple things.
Taipan wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2026 10:13 am
It doesn't really matter how good batteries are, until there is home charging available everywhere; ICEs will still compete, and are currently still a more viable option for many people.
Not just home charging. Public charging is the only option for the 50% or so who don't have off-road parking so the price of public charging needs to get close to home charging to make it viable.
Taipan wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2026 10:13 am
It doesn't really matter how good batteries are, until there is home charging available everywhere; ICEs will still compete, and are currently still a more viable option for many people.
Not just home charging. Public charging is the only option for the 50% or so who don't have off-road parking so the price of public charging needs to get close to home charging to make it viable.
Indeed
But don't worry, the price of pump fuel will be increased to make public charging more acceptable
Taipan wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2026 10:13 am
It doesn't really matter how good batteries are, until there is home charging available everywhere; ICEs will still compete, and are currently still a more viable option for many people.
I'm still contemplating an electric moped (a chinese made Vespa-a-like) but not sure the electrics (which have to go across the road, all our vehicles are on the other side of the road) will be up to even that
A neighbour has the 'trench across the pavement' system. But I can't see the council being too keen on you excavating a road.
the thought of getting my head round complicated electricity accounts with variable charging times etc etc gives me the screaming heebie-jeebies. I like simple things.
Dynamic charging will come for all of us, sooner or later, for all electricity use.
Given that my smart meter has only worked for about 30% of the time since it was fitted and EDF have failed to take a gas reading from it for more than a year it seems that the technology can't be trusted. Super fast charging is often advertised for various cars but it needs a three phase supply not readily available to most domestic customers. Public chargers charge big money when it is available. So I suspect "later" rather than "sooner".
For this to succeed, all (or many) manufacturers will have to agree on a battery specification and collaborate on installing battery swapping stations...
or
Each manufacturer will have to install its own network of battery swapping stations.
Which is most likely?
And how many extra batteries will be needed to ensure that there's always a fully charged battery when somebody wants one?
For this to succeed, all (or many) manufacturers will have to agree on a battery specification and collaborate on installing battery swapping stations...
or
Each manufacturer will have to install its own network of battery swapping stations.
Which is most likely?
And how many extra batteries will be needed to ensure that there's always a fully charged battery when somebody wants one?
However ... As battery technology improves, it can be rolled out to the vehicle fleet much sooner.
Also, swappable battery packs would reduce the need for large batteries. So those extra batteries would be smaller.
For this to succeed, all (or many) manufacturers will have to agree on a battery specification and collaborate on installing battery swapping stations...
or
Each manufacturer will have to install its own network of battery swapping stations.
Which is most likely?
And how many extra batteries will be needed to ensure that there's always a fully charged battery when somebody wants one?
However ... As battery technology improves, it can be rolled out to the vehicle fleet much sooner.
Also, swappable battery packs would reduce the need for large batteries. So those extra batteries would be smaller.
I believe I've seen articles about swappable battery packs for scooters in China or somewhere else in Asia, same idea, just smaller scale, but (iirc) standardised across multiple manufacturers.
For this to succeed, all (or many) manufacturers will have to agree on a battery specification and collaborate on installing battery swapping stations...
or
Each manufacturer will have to install its own network of battery swapping stations.
Which is most likely?
And how many extra batteries will be needed to ensure that there's always a fully charged battery when somebody wants one?
However ... As battery technology improves, it can be rolled out to the vehicle fleet much sooner.
Also, swappable battery packs would reduce the need for large batteries. So those extra batteries would be smaller.
I believe I've seen articles about swappable battery packs for scooters in China or somewhere else in Asia, same idea, just smaller scale, but (iirc) standardised across multiple manufacturers.
v8-powered wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2026 7:11 am
Lol, looks like I'll have to give my occasional passenger a pre-flight briefing before each trip then
Once you've told/shown people that normally covers it, but the stickers will help at night. Unless its old people. They just wont get it. Ever.
Picked the step f-i-l up last night. Got to my house and he called from the back, remind me, how do you get out of this thing?
I said theres a sticker on there to remind you how to do it!
He said I haven't got my glasses on!
FFS!
Lol - no passengers in mine yet but wife did look in it and comment at the lack of buttons and things
Having never driven one until collection day, was shocked at how good the 1-pedal driving is. Think I only touched the brake pedal twice in 75 miles home.
Once you've told/shown people that normally covers it, but the stickers will help at night. Unless its old people. They just wont get it. Ever.
Picked the step f-i-l up last night. Got to my house and he called from the back, remind me, how do you get out of this thing?
I said theres a sticker on there to remind you how to do it!
He said I haven't got my glasses on!
FFS!
Lol - no passengers in mine yet but wife did look in it and comment at the lack of buttons and things
Having never driven one until collection day, was shocked at how good the 1-pedal driving is. Think I only touched the brake pedal twice in 75 miles home.
I've always left-foot braked in autos, so I'm forever setting off the "pushed both pedals" alarm. Took me ages to get used to one foot driving! My wife adapted to it straight away. But yes it is very good. You're supposed to turn it off from time to time to "burnish the brakes". The you keep nearly hitting cars up the arse because there's no regen braking!
Taipan wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2026 10:18 am
Picked the step f-i-l up last night. Got to my house and he called from the back, remind me, how do you get out of this thing?
I said theres a sticker on there to remind you how to do it!
He said I haven't got my glasses on!
FFS!
There's been several people burned to death here because they couldn't open the doors after a crash/fire.. altho TBF, the same has happened to a couple of people in the latest Corvettes too.
It took GM more than 28,000 failed V8s and three internal investigations before recalling it's L87 engines, the standard engine in Escalades, High Country Silverados, full-size Denalis, the trucks that people spend the big bucks on. Seems these engines have defective crankshafts causing catastrophic engine failure. Over the past six or so years, owners of high-trim half-ton GM trucks and SUVs have reported engines conking out, sometimes at alarmingly low mileage. These engines are finally getting recalled, but its going to take quite a while to get all those engines replaced.
Local charging station by a carwash, near a reasonable dog walking area.
39p per Kwh.
Doesnt seem too hard to rock up with dog, charge car and while its charging walk the dog.
Anyone with a dog should bloody well walk it regularly anyway, do both at the same time.
Some charging stations at supermarkets, more or less the same setup but just go shopping.
Taipan wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2026 10:18 am
Picked the step f-i-l up last night. Got to my house and he called from the back, remind me, how do you get out of this thing?
I said theres a sticker on there to remind you how to do it!
He said I haven't got my glasses on!
FFS!
There's been several people burned to death here because they couldn't open the doors after a crash/fire..
Might have been mentioned before: China has banned flush exterior door handles that require the vehicle to have power to work.
Taipan wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2026 10:18 am
Picked the step f-i-l up last night. Got to my house and he called from the back, remind me, how do you get out of this thing?
I said theres a sticker on there to remind you how to do it!
He said I haven't got my glasses on!
FFS!
There's been several people burned to death here because they couldn't open the doors after a crash/fire.. altho TBF, the same has happened to a couple of people in the latest Corvettes too.
The ignition, or lighting, of a candle is a lot less intricate than the circuitry of an electric bulb, but do we advance or not? Horses or cars? Growing feed and providing pastures, for horses to pull your carriage is ultimately much more efficient than refining fuels or providing electricity for EVs, and if we're heading for 15-minute cities, then we might as well saddle up and ride our ponies! Yee Haa!
