Guest contribution by Willis Eschenbach
People keep talking about electric cars getting cheaper and more people using them. However, what they keep ignoring is that they are completely useless for long trips.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s climate spokesperson Allegra Stratton recently let the cat out of the bag when she revealed why she herself doesn’t use an electric vehicle:
“Net zero is the glide path. What we need to do faster – the science is clear – we need to change our CO2 emissions now so that we can stop the temperature rise by 2030.
She stated that she does not want to stop to charge her car when visiting elderly relatives “200,250 miles away.”
She claimed she visited her family across the UK, including Scotland, North Wales, the Lake District and Gloucester.
Because of this, she said, “These are all trips that I think would mean at least a pretty long stop.”
(I have to admit, I have to admire the otherworldly idiocy of anyone who seriously claims we can stop the temperature rise by 2030. So this is unfounded madness … but I digress.)
Well, here in Noherica, 250 miles is considered an easy morning commute … a map of Texas versus Europe shows why.
So I figured … how long would it be to stop charging for another 400 miles? I drive a 2016 Ram Ecodiesel pickup truck that has a range of about 500 miles, although the new ones have a range of about 1,000 miles. And I can “charge” it at the pump for another 500 miles in about five minutes.
Looking for information on this question, I see that the number in question is called “RPH”, which stands for “Range Per Hour”. This is how many kilometers of range you get per hour of charging. I find a page called How long does it take to charge an electric car that says:
The range per hour depends on how efficient your car is. Small electric cars with a full battery (e.g. Renault Zoe) are the most efficient and can reach a range of 30 miles per hour when charged at 7 kW. The largest electric cars with a full battery (e.g. Audi e-tron Quattro) are heavier and have a range of around 20 miles per hour at 7 kW.
YIKES! This is the charging rate for standard chargers. I can understand why the British climate spokeswoman doesn’t want to drive an electric car. When you stop to charge your Audi e-tron for another 400 miles, instead of the five minutes it takes me to charge my diesel pickup, you will twelve and a half hours to recharge.
But do not worry. This is Edmund King, the head of the British Automobile Association. He says drivers should take a break after driving 200 miles.
“Drivers who cover long distances should take regular breaks for safety reasons, so this is the ideal time to recharge the car. The fear of range will continue to decrease with more chargers and improved range for new models. “
Well, that makes perfect sense. Just stop for a quick ten hour lunch and you’ll be ready for your next 200 miles. And Elon Musk, Olympic gold medal winner for receiving most of the US taxpayer subsidies, does a similar thing with regard to the new Tesla Model S “long range”:
Musk said he sees no need for an electric vehicle with a range greater than 400 miles:
“What we see is that once you have a range of over 400 miles, more range doesn’t really matter. There are essentially no journeys over 400 miles where the driver doesn’t have to stop for toilet, food, coffee, etc. anyway. “
The comment has been criticized for failing to take into account the fact that 400 mile range is closer to 250-300 miles in colder climates and depending on the conditions.
Damn it, yes, I often have to stop ten hours for the toilet, food and coffee …
Call me crazy, but since the Tesla Model S runs for a cool $ 74,490 including ten-hour toilet breaks, I’ll probably stick with my Ram Ecodiesel.
w.
… h / t to the irrepressible James Delingpole for a few quotes …
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