Electric Cars:what's available?

[NewcastleFalcon]

Those well known producers of large sheds Mercedes have an ev in development, and literally one in the flesh, which some journo's from Electrek have been taking a look at.

To work at is greatest efficiency an EV should be light and aerodynamic. The Mercedes certainly hits the spot on the first score with a drag coeficient of 0.17 event without wheel covers. Maybe not so good on the second as the quest for groundbreaking range no doubt lugs around an overly heavy battery.

Article is here with pics if you want to take a look, it will be a while before one makes an appearance in the spotter thread on the road if ever!

https://electrek.co/2022/07/25/mercedes-eqxx-drive/

Regards Neil

[bobins]

Here's some electric cars that you won't be seeing any time soon
Raymond Baxter on BBC News back in '66

[NewcastleFalcon]

Raymond Baxter on BBC News back in '66

Lovely stuff! Here's the Scottish Aviation Scamp in colour...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Aviation_Scamp


Scottish Aviation Scamp 1966 yellow
DeFacto, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

REgards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

If "Tomorrow's World" was still going would they have a slot for this...The Mini Aceman Probably not unless an all electric crossover with a bit of fancy lighting and a large round display, and an illuminated green union jack on the roof is regarded as innovation.

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/united-k ... ini-family

Regards Neil

[Gibbo2286]

What happened to all those guys who used to design beautiful graceful cars?

[mickthemaverick]

What happened to all those guys who used to design beautiful graceful cars?

Computers!!!!

[bobins]

The accountants got involved!

[NewcastleFalcon]

Dacia Spring in the news on Inside evs

Dongfeng Launches Better Looking Dacia Spring EV

This review is from last year, and the existing model, but I quite like it. The reviewer doesn't expect it to be a premium electric vehicle, and reviews it accordingly. Chap from Romania.



Regards Neil

[Gibbo2286]

Quite a pleasant presenter chatting quietly away without waving his arms about like a demented windmill like most do.
My experience with Dacia was not good in the past, I bought and sold a Dacia Duster which was a very poor car.
At my MOT tester's place one of the mechanics had his head stuck under the bonnet of one of the recent models so I asked him if they were still as bad, "Same old s**t." was his reply.

[NewcastleFalcon]

If you can put up with the potential pitfalls of hiring a car, and lets face it it is getting more and more difficult to actually acquire the use of a new car by the old fashioned method of buying it, there are of course a number of hiring options.

All the dealers and manufacturers want you to take their finance, and all the "offers" are for PCP, or PCH.

Taking it just a shade further is the subscription service. Some manufacturers eg Porsche Volvo are promoting the subscription model. Here is a UK player in the subscription field. With subscription you have no long term hire contract but on a monthly basis can decide to continue/hand back/or swap. All the costs of the vehicle are wrapped up in the monthly charge, tax, insurance, repairs and maintenance, breakdown cover 24/7 support and no deposit.

1 month commitment no deposit.
No more 3 year contracts! Decide monthly whether you want to continue, swap or stop.

Don't bother clicking the get started button unless you want them to take your personal details to register there and then, but the cars and the prices can be viewed on this page. If you scroll down past the hopelessly designed white space and button clicking con trick.

On.to Car Subscription

Had a chat with the "subscriber" to this Zoe through the aforementioned OnTo. Been with them about 18 months on a subscription where he can just hand the car back. Made few longer trips without problems from Northumberland to Sussex/Kent to visit family, and was very positive about the driving experience, and described himself as a convert!

I would personally shudder at the monthly outgoings on a subscription arrangement on a new car, but he was quite happy.

Onto Zoe
On Subscription

Regards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

Having had a good look at that I would never take on such a commitment for my daily transport. However it may be a possibility for a single month trial involving a serious roadtrip of some sort and a week or two normal motoring as a trial in maybe the Kona! Treat it as a holiday cost instead of two weeks in the greek islands and it doesn't seem so bad, especially if you can do most of your charging at the still free supermarkets!!

[NewcastleFalcon]

The next step for SAIC MG Motors....not quite "available" but pre-orderable and first 1000 to be delivered in 2022...

https://www.mgmotor.eu/model/mg4?__redirect=no

Regards Neil

[myglaren]

They don't get any better looking

[Hell Razor5543]

This will be available in the near future. I spotted it on the BBC Click program this weekend.

https://lightyear.one/

[myglaren]

They seem to have been keeping that very quiet for the past year.
Ambitious but I hope it is successful.
Also a car that looks like a car and not a malformed brick for a change.