Electric cars

[Undried Plum]

* Their idea of "Hybrid" is a helper electric motor in the transmission, ~50 HP, to give a boost of power when needed. No apparent ability to move the truck on its own.
According to the specs: the "Hybrid" version gets the same mileage in city driving or on the highway. 24 MPG. YMMV.

"Hybrid" is a rearguard action by the foot-dragging dinosaur companies to avoid joining the 21st century.

[CharlieOneSix]

I've just sent off my application to the Energy Saving Trust (EST) in Scotland for a £250 electric charger point installation grant which is in addition to the £350 grant that the EST/OLEV approved installer claims directly from the UK Government's Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV). In my case extensive modifications will have to be made to upgrade my outbuilding's/garage's ancient existing electrical hardware and wiring in order to install the charger. As a result the total bill including a £770 7kw Zappi smart charger is - without deduction of grants - £1304.78. That was the middle of three quotes and was decided on professionalism and attitude during the site visits. I had budgeted £650 after grants so the £704 cost to me is not far off.

Anyone in the UK thinking of getting an electric car and charger - the £350 OLEV charger installation grant is only available until March 31st 2022. The additional £250 EST grant in Scotland is available on a first come first served basis. It is budget limited and can be withdrawn without notice because of that.

[Pontius Navigator]

In the paper today, music to UP's ears. Tesla car photographed vandal that keyed its door. The front cam photographed her approaching, the mirror cam photographed her doing it, and the rear cam photographed her and her car number plate as she drove away.

[Boac]

Ah, but how well do they explode?

[CharlieOneSix]

Ah, but how well do they explode?

Very well indeed! Start at 7:00 if you just want to see the explosion....and yes, they did remove all the batteries beforehand...

[Undried Plum]

Finns are just downright weird!

[Boac]

Talma - Talma...... I guess he would know

[PHXPhlyer]

I've seen a few Tesla drivers (and other manufactures' drivers, come to think of it) that I would like to see that happen to their cars.

PP

[talmacapt]

Boac/UP

Yes, they are.

Tucked up in the "summer" cottage a warm -11.

Clear sky tonight, hopeing for aurora.

Yesterday took skidoo to steal a Christmas tree from the state forest, they probably won't miss it.

Today, again by skidoo, drove across lake Inari to wife's daughter's husband's nets (apostrophe pedants awaited), under 40cm ice, to check for fish.

One made (pronounced mardez, not sure of the english name), ugly bottom feeder, which we threw in the forest for the foxes.

Finns are odd they eat it, pike too, which my mum used to occasionally give to the cat.

It was f***ing freezing despite having the correct clothes.

Merry Christmas to all of you.

[Pontius Navigator]

to wife's daughter's husband's nets

Try writing that without apostrophes.

[talmacapt]

Hmm, there is only one wife, we are talking about only one daughter (although she has two) and only one husband who has the nets.

Your service!!

[talmacapt]

Hmm, there is only one wife, we are talking about only one daughter (although she has two) and only one husband who has the nets.

Your service!!

This is easier in finnish because the Finnish language is like latin in that it changes the end of words according to case.

In this case the genitive.

There are, I am told, 31 different case forms, to include both singular and plural.

Awaiting more flak from the pedants but a reply will have to wait until tomorrow.

No aurora yet sighted but the sky is clear.

[CharlieOneSix]

It doesn’t look as though I’ll be able to get an electricity smart meter fitted before my Kia EV6 hopefully arrives at the end of March/early April. It may even be that because where we live is very rural we may not be suitable to have one. So I thought I’d better do some calculations on charging the EV6 at home – almost all my journeys will allow that – and comparing the Flexible Octopus tariff that I’m presently on now that my year’s fixed tariff has ended, to the Octopus GO tariff which gives 4 hours of cheap rate electricity from 0030 to 0430 and requires a smart meter, plus comparing them to the fuel cost for my now sold Audi A6 diesel car.

Assumptions:
6000 miles per year driven and all charging done at home using a 7kwh charger
Audi A6 overall mileage consumption 38mpg (actual over 6 years)
Kia EV6: 4 miles per kwh (from motoring journalists tests)
Home electricity annual usage 5903 units (actual for last 12 months)

Octopus Flexible tariff
20.64p per unit plus daily rate 27.39p

Octopus GO tariff
24.69p per unit plus daily rate 21.64p. Unit rate whole house 0030-0430 daily @ 5p per unit.

Calculations – annual cost (VAT included):

6000 miles @38mpg diesel fuel for Audi A6 = 718 litres @ £1.529 per litre = £1097.82

Annual cost on Octopus GO tariff
6000 miles @ 4 miles per kwh = 1500kwh @5p overnight rate = £75
5903 units used in house @24.69p per unit = £1457.45
Annual daily rate = 365 @ 21.64p per day = £78.99
Total annual cost. EV6 plus house = £1611.36

Annual Cost on Flexible Octopus tariff
6000 miles @ 4 miles per kwh = 1500kwh @ 20.64p daily rate = £309.60
5903 units used in house @ 20.64p per unit = £1318.35
Annual daily rate = 365 @27.39 per unit = £99.97
Total annual cost, EV6 plus house = £1627.95

Therefore it will be only £16.59 per annum cheaper in total electricity costs if I have a smart meter fitted. At worst case, assuming all charging is done at home, the annual fuel cost for the EV6 is £788.22 cheaper than my diesel Audi A6!

Note: The EV6 would only have to be on a 7kwh charge for 54 periods of 0030-0430 per year to achieve the necessary 1500kwh.

One fallacy – I have not taken into account the reduced household electricity cost between 0030 and 0430 on the Octopus GO tariff but that use is negligible.

Of course all these calculations go to rats if energy costs rocket in April if the Ofgem cap is raised.

[Undried Plum]

It also doesn't take in to account that many of the public chargers in Scotland are free to use. If you're in town for shopping or browsing and sluicing, you can get free wigglies.

[TheGreenGoblin]

It also doesn't take in to account that many of the public chargers in Scotland are free to use. If you're in town for shopping or browsing and sluicing, you can get free wigglies.

As much as I want it to be true this PRETORIA CRAP is exactly what it is...

[bob2s]

Just been looking at the Tube of You and there are a few comparisons of Tesla Y and Kia EV6 and most of the reviews give the EV6 the thumbs up over the
Tesla,must say that the minimalistic interior of the Tesla would leave me wanting more.One reviewer even states that they too found it wanting.The
positioning of the screen is not exactly conductive for scanning the display when driving in my opinion,but to each his own I guess.

[TheGreenGoblin]

It also doesn't take in to account that many of the public chargers in Scotland are free to use. If you're in town for shopping or browsing and sluicing, you can get free wigglies.

As much as I want it to be true this PRETORIA CRAP is exactly what it is...

Elon went to Pretoria Boys High...

Most regarded him as a "knob head!"

[Pontius Navigator]

C16, you might save a bit more with household usage if you switch appliances to run in the cheap rate period.

Is Octopus the only supplier you have considered?

We have Ovo, now the second largest supplier. They even gave us a 3% pa payment on credit balances. Don't know if they do that now, I suspect not.

[CharlieOneSix]

C16, you might save a bit more with household usage if you switch appliances to run in the cheap rate period.

Is Octopus the only supplier you have considered? ....

The only appliances I could run in the cheap rate period would be the washing machine and dishwasher and I'm dead against doing that even with a linked smoke alarm in the utility room. We also won't run them if we are not in the house. Some years ago a former neighbour and good friend lost his house and very nearly all his family in a washing machine fire whilst running it on an overnight cheap rate.

I'm constantly looking at energy prices and often change supplier at the end of my fixed price deals. Octopus are easy to deal with and their customer service is excellent, plus there is no penalty for leaving mid fixed price contract. My one year fixed price contract with them has just ended, however since the price explosion there is no point in being on a new extortionate fixed price deal with anyone - I followed the advice of Martin Lewis on that.

[k3k3]

My energy supplier when I returned to the UK five years ago was SSE, I built up a credit balance with them and they were reluctant to give it back, once I had it I switched to Tonik, then they went bust and Ofgen moved me to Scottish Power. Once the confusion was sorted I moved to Octopus and am more than happy with them.

However, to be on the safe side I photograph the meter readings on the 1st of every month, just in case.