A moan about electric cars
Feb. 21st, 2012 07:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sollersOnce again there have been comments on the poor uptake of electric cars in the UK. Once again, no reference to the big problem:
How would I charge the effing thing at home?
The only practical way so far seems to be in a garage. A vast number of British homes do not have garages. Many houses open directly onto the streert, or have minuscule front gardens, so couldn't even use an outlet going to a driveway. Blocks of flats have parking areas only. The sheer number of homes involved can be seen from the local councils that sell on-street parking permits to residents. There is absolutely no way these people can even contemplate electric cars, no matter what grants are offered. As far as I can see, the only way it would happen would be if the battery was small, light and portable enough to be taken into the house to charge; and even then the inconvenience would be off-putting.
How would I charge the effing thing at home?
The only practical way so far seems to be in a garage. A vast number of British homes do not have garages. Many houses open directly onto the streert, or have minuscule front gardens, so couldn't even use an outlet going to a driveway. Blocks of flats have parking areas only. The sheer number of homes involved can be seen from the local councils that sell on-street parking permits to residents. There is absolutely no way these people can even contemplate electric cars, no matter what grants are offered. As far as I can see, the only way it would happen would be if the battery was small, light and portable enough to be taken into the house to charge; and even then the inconvenience would be off-putting.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-07 07:32 am (UTC)As with many electrickery-based contraptions, smaller lighter (and cheaper) batteries are urgently required. You could then have a couple on charge, one powering the car, and a spare in the boot, which would double the distance.
Battery tech is where I'd put a large chunk of funding if I were Prime Mistress, because it's about more than making a quick profit selling funky games-and-comms gadgets to the kiddies. Just think how improvements to larger batteries would revolutionise solar power usage, for example. I must admit to a particular interest, because the battery for my electric wheelchair-trike weighs more than I can lift and cost £500!