An observation

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floydster
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An observation

Postby floydster » Tue May 29, 2007 3:33 pm

Maybe I'm wrong but has anyone else noticed that a lot of the folk here, whether EV owners or not, are petrolheads who have done a bit of home energy saving? For us types electric transport is a natural progression.

How do we get Joe Public who have a second car used for the school run, supermarket visit etc. at least interested in EVs.

I suggested an EV to a friend who's replacing her second car and it was discounted instantly, even when I mentioned how much she's be saving. Her car hasn't done more that 15miles since it was collected from the showroom.

I guess the EV manufacturers are possibly seeing something similar.

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qdos
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Postby qdos » Tue May 29, 2007 4:51 pm

I think the only way really is to get them to try for a short period. I soon found running a very small engined quadricycle actually makes a lot of sense and now I'd even consider ony renting a car for long journeys. It's rediculous how many cars are running a few miles up and down the roads with only one person in them. The UK is really getting like America and the Supermarkets are very much driving this. Plus of course the fiction about us all needing a huge people carrier to keep our kiddies safe to go to and from school. We used to walk and if we did go in the car our parents would take turns each week doing the school run. We used to get 7 of us in a Mini and we were absoloutely fine. It's all marketing hype after all they want us to spend as much money as possible buying thingsThe last thing they want is for us to save money. Joe public falls for this every time

What we could do is encourage the farmers to blockade the fuel depots again like they did in 2000 :wink:

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Postby arsharpe » Tue May 29, 2007 6:09 pm

I agree.
After getting my Berlingo and realising what fun I have missed, I sent an email out at work and several people where interested in seeing it. When I let them have a go they where really surprised at how responsive it was, etc.

So I would suggest that (if you have an EV with good batteries) then let your friends have a go on their own (so it does not affect performance) and generally spread the word.

Regards,
Rob

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aminorjourney
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Postby aminorjourney » Tue May 29, 2007 8:58 pm

How do we do it?

Well, I think the average Joe-Bloggs will be interested if we can prove that owning an EV as a second car doesn't have a detremental effect on either budget or lifestyle and that the money and evironmental benefits of driving EVs outweight any issues with range.

How do we get more people involved? Well, here in Bristol there's a lot of us shouting very loudly about how much we love our EVs. It seems to slowly be sinking in :)

I think offering challenges to people is a good start. Ask someone to test drive an EV for a day - or a week. Sit them down and ask them to detail the journies the second family car makes, along with how much it costs them to maintain and fuel the thing.

I also think it's about percieved affordability. People are more than happy to buy a £2,000 car and then spending many thousands of pounds on it every for petrol, insurance, MOT and road tax. But ask someone to buy an EV for a higher startup which they won't have to spend much on in four or five years and they don't want to know - even if the end result is the same.

But in all honesty? I'd profer the idea that actually there is a proportion of the population who would love an EV - but who either don't know about them or don't know it's possible to have one outside London. BVS stands at events and media challenges go a long way to changing public perception on this one.
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Postby marktime » Wed May 30, 2007 1:12 pm

You would have thought it would be easy, that big zero tax carrot should have everyone banging on the door of EV dealers.

It's almost like it's too cheap, where's the catch!

Anyway I believe there is lots of scope for many households to incoporate an EV into their 'transport portfolio' (don't that sound posh). I certainly wouldn't advocate that we become 4,5 or 6 car households but so many appear to choose the biggest MPV, estate or 4x4 on the basis that it will carry the whole family to the West country for the weekend once or twice a year and than drive around on their own every other day of the year.
I looked long and hard at the fact that I had previously chosen a large family car and spent most of my time in it on my own, now that the children are in their teens we no longer need buggies, toys and changing kit etc (they were slow developers) the Prius fits the bill very well.

My daughter is learning to drive and I know that we will become a 3 car household, I believe that if I can convince the rest of the family that third car could be an EV.
Initially I had the G-Wiz in my sights and was putting together a pretty good business case, but the saftey issue hit the media and I now have a public relations mountain to climb!!

So here is my shopping list, is there an EV out there that:-

1/ Is a 'real car' and does not fall into the 'quadracycle triangle'
2/ Has 4 seats, two doors is OK, size and comfort are not an issue teens are known to appreciate style over comfort!
3/ Has some element of style, see 2/ (sorry a Berlingo will not cut it)
4/ cost less that £10k.

When you have finished laughing can you give me some ideas.

Mark

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Postby marktime » Wed May 30, 2007 3:48 pm

Items I forgot the first time

5/ 35-40 mile range (Thats a round trip to Chichester or Brighton from Arundel)
6/ Should be capable of 45-50 MPH for times when the A27 cannot be avoided.


Carry on laughing

Mark
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Postby ChrisB » Wed May 30, 2007 4:39 pm

marktime wrote:
Carry on laughing

Mark


Must admit havent had a giggle for a long time :lol:

Can I have one to :wink:

What about a Berlingo with four seat conversion with bling bling wheels and pimped up a bit ??? would that cut the mustard ??

ChrisB
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aminorjourney
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Postby aminorjourney » Wed May 30, 2007 8:03 pm

Or perhaps a conversion. Yes, it could be done :)

But you make valid points, Mark. Price seems to be the biggest hurdle to a decent, affordable EV at the moment.
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floydster
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Postby floydster » Wed May 30, 2007 10:02 pm

There was a normal berlingo EV on eBay the other week that had been converted like a Multispace so it can be done.

Here it's

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tim.strutt
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Postby tim.strutt » Wed May 30, 2007 10:16 pm

Hi - Chris, your right a Berlingo/Partner should "do for Mark" - but hopefully not in the quadricycle way !!

Initially, this thred started of with observations, and how to get people interested. in BEV's.

We've made some interesting break throughs with the opinions of our friends / neighbours.

We've heard all the comments about why they might reject a BEV, but have found sooner or later they come around, OK there are the odd one or two who just can't get away from the "I don't trust them for what I need", but they are few and far between, or simply paranoid (oh gawd they're not going to read this are they!?!)

Anyway, one way we have found people definately come around is when Lucy gives them a lift on the 6 or so miles up and down over the hills. Of the four that srping to mind, Lucy's given lifts to, three have said how they could imagine living with and using an EV, And more importantly one keeps dropping hints about her car's due for renewal, and do I still have the Vans!

Note here I have to confess to a little Hording, what having three
Berlingos and one Pug Partner - Just like busses, you want to get one, and four turn up in quik succession... Not sure of the plans, they are indiffering states of being checked out/rewatered/charged and waiting for a watering nozzle ETC, That and for a neighbour to clear his workshop so I can use his Hoist to check/replace the brushes and the running gear -but I digress.


In the mean time, I'm looking at taking two vans to a couple of shows, one's an annual Vintage Vehicle show on the edge of Cheshire/Staffs, c13th June and the other is our local school fete. I have convinced one out of two friends to show their Motors at the school fete along with our berlingos ... Their cars are a track prepared (Yamaha powered, road registered and record holding) Super lightweight , and the other is I believe the original factory v12/Jag powered DAX Cobra... I'll not be asking for any races then! But knowing the locals they'll be won over by the vans when we start comparing running costs :)

Nikki, what did you say about Petrol heads?

Tim.


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