The problem with E-bikes in the UK.

[Gubbins]

The RAC did a survey that resulted in them telling government it was 25%, but it was an obviously flawed study. It's now widely believed that it's nearer a third of British households that cannot have access to their own chargepoint for various reasons.

In London where electric cars would be of most use, a much higher proportion cannot have a personal chargepoint, certainly over 40%.
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Looking at the area around where I live I would be surprised if more than 10% of the dwellings have somewhere to fit a private charging point, expanding to the other towns and the inner cities of Bradford and Leeds where terraced housing is the most common I dont see much difference. I have never tried to count them but as I sit here on a nice new build estate where even here some houses dont have a drive, I am surrounded by terraces where none have a drive and some have to fight for a space outside their own houses when they come home from work. I would think that most inner city areas up here in the north will be the same and we are always reading about parking arguments of one sort or another. Imagine a few street lights converted to chargers.. What happens when you have charged your car? Do you have to move it to make room for someone else knowing you wont find another space, or can you leave it there all night?
I would be allright Jack, but I think the powers that be dont have any notion of what inner city living is like.

 

[anotherkiwi]

There are 4 public charging points here, none of which are close to where I live now. My only options would be to rent an inside parking space and install a charge point or charge at my GF's house and pay her for the electricity. On a day such as today having a Twizy parked 4.5 km from here kind of defeats the purpose of a rain protected* means of transport...

* please note the absence of the word rainproof...

 

[Gubbins]

I am a battery convert.. I have rechargeable bikes, Lawnmower, Rotavator, leaf shredder-vac, strimmer, Vacuumes, power tools and numerous other gadgets so a car is the next step but I have been told there are too few chargers up here in the dales which may be a problem, so I have just used Google maps to find a charging point local to me in Oxenhope nr Keighley, and am surprised to find the nearest being 20 minutes away and have a choice of 12 within a 45 minute drive, although north of Skipton they are looking a bit thin on the ground. And that is assuming they are all available, accessible and working.
This highjacked thread is getting more intersting by the day..

 

[J.B.]

I find the most likely people to say that are car drivers who don't cycle or weekend warriors. The latter are people who ride a bike on the weekend when the weather is just right. About twice a year. I point out that if they can ride a bike up a steep hill with a 14.5 kilo trailer with a 18 kilo dog in it then they are entitled to say that otherwise shut the f!ck up.
PS with 10 pheasants on the way back!

 

[flecc]

I have just used Google maps to find a charging point local to me in Oxenhope nr Keighley, and am surprised to find the nearest being 20 minutes away and have a choice of 12 within a 45 minute drive,

It depends on the types of charger though. Many are slow chargers, taking 8 to 12 hours for a full charge, depending on battery size. It will be 20 hours on next years larger batteries. So having one 20 minutes drive away might not be any use if it's a slow one and you have to find somewhere to be for all those hours. Some halve those times but still meaning a long wait.

The only practical ones at any distance are the rapid chargers, but they only charge to 80% full to protect the batteries. That takes 30 minutes on the older circa 24 kWh batteries but more like 50 minutes on the latest 40 kWh ones like mine. So what does one do for nearly an hour hanging around?

And of course arriving at a rapid charger there can be someone else there having only just plugged in. Or the charger could be out of action as so many are at any one time.

Assuming success though, remember you now only have an 80% charge, a chunk of which you have to use to drive back home. You will also have to reserve a similar amount to be able to get back to that nearest charger next time.

So lets take an example of todays car with a 110 mile assured Winter range from a full battery. Your 80% charge gives you 88 miles. You need 10 miles say each way to and from the charger, so you are left with a 68 mile maximum mileage for your usual journeys!

Not much is it for all that effort and time hanging around while the charger does its thing? This is an illustration of how impractical using public chargers can be, and why I say any form of electric car is usually only practical with a home charger.
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[Wicky]

Funny enough Motor Cyclists DO have small tanks and a worse mpg than many cars but it doesn't seem to bother them!

My VTR1000F Firestorm V-twin has an range anxiety inducing 16L tank giving a 80 mile range when used in urban conditions or with open road enthusiasm. Basically whenever I see a petrol station it's time to fill up.

 

[Gubbins]

My VTR1000F Firestorm V-twin has an range anxiety inducing 16L tank giving a 80 mile range when used in urban conditions or with open road enthusiasm. Basically whenever I see a petrol station it's time to fill up.

Just think.. If that took 20 minutes to 2 hours to do!

 

[Wicky]

Just think.. If that took 20 minutes to 2 hours to do!

It's taken that long to fuel up esp when I've miscalculated getting to the next petrol station and ran dry - funnily enough both times were near Bury St Edmunds and either had to push it or wait for help!

 

[flecc]

It's taken that long to fuel up esp when I've miscalculated getting to the next petrol station and ran dry - funnily enough both times were near Bury St Edmunds and either had to push it or wait for help!

In my earlier driving life I've twice through negligence run out of petrol on the road.

The first time it happened, the engine spluttered and a glance at the gauge showed the cause and I was able to turn the wheel and glide into the adjacent petrol station and stop at a vacant pump. Incredible good luck.

What follows is almost unbelievable, but I assure you it's absolutely true.

The next time I ran out a few years later I was able to turn the wheel and glide into an adjacent petrol station forecourt in exactly the same way.

There were many more petrol stations back then, but it still seems almost impossible that I could have been so lucky. Ever since I've been very careful not to tempt providence, since it could be third time very unlucky indeed. And I'm safe now with my e-car remaining range displayed on the dashboard at all times so no chance of forgetting to "fill up".
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[stumpy150]

I am a battery convert.. I have rechargeable bikes, Lawnmower, Rotavator, leaf shredder-vac, strimmer, Vacuumes, power tools and numerous other gadgets so a car is the next step but I have been told there are too few chargers up here in the dales which may be a problem, so I have just used Google maps to find a charging point local to me in Oxenhope nr Keighley, and am surprised to find the nearest being 20 minutes away and have a choice of 12 within a 45 minute drive, although north of Skipton they are looking a bit thin on the ground. And that is assuming they are all available, accessible and working.
This highjacked thread is getting more intersting by the day..

they have fitted charge points at The Rendezvous hotel in Skipton...

 

[stumpy150]

what about buying a 2kw Honda genny....put that in the boot and top up the batteries in the Tesla when required ??

I'll get my coat shall I ??

 

[Gubbins]

Put a silencer on before you do it tho

 

[Gubbins]

Harrogate have a fleet of electric busses and use a big diesel generator to charge them.

 

[russ18uk]

what about buying a 2kw Honda genny....put that in the boot and top up the batteries in the Tesla when required ??

I'll get my coat shall I ??

Stick a wind turbine on the roof of the car so as you drive the battery charges!

(yes this is in jest)

 

[Fat Rat]

Harrogate have a fleet of electric busses and use a big diesel generator to charge them.

That says it all

 

[Fat Rat]

Stick a wind turbine on the roof of the car so as you drive the battery charges!

(yes this is in jest)

Hey don’t be so sure
You may have something there

 

[soundwave]

they only work to a wind speed that the motors can handle even the big ones lock there blades at around 28mph or they blow up lol.

 

[mike killay]

Harrogate have a fleet of electric busses and use a big diesel generator to charge them.

?????????????????
and yet again
???????????????
how does this mean green?

 

[Gubbins]

?????????????????
and yet again
???????????????
how does this mean green?

I think it's because the system isn't working as it should.

 

[flecc]

Harrogate have a fleet of electric busses and use a big diesel generator to charge them.

If the Skipton Tourist Information Centre is to be believed, surely solar panels on the roofs of the buses should easily power them in all that sunshine?
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