Nice article. Fellow old person here. I'm very fond of my Polestar 2, it's a nice, solid car and rather handsome. I still hear nonsense from non-EV drivers about range, charging times and 'don't they catch fire all the time'. I try to let it all wash over me now. Those who aren't convinced by the evidence are unlikely to be swayed by me. I'll leave them to their noisy, smelly lumps they seem to love so much.
Great piece. As a fellow boomer am I the only one who has a total mental block when it comes to some companies using “kWh per 100 miles” as the energy efficiency measure. The inversion of distance/unit of energy is beyond my comprehension. My mind just freezes. I’ve had an EV for over a year and I have no idea how my energy efficiency varies with my driving. In my previous ICE vehicles I was mildly obsessed with the daily mpg on my commute. That’s all gone now. I am trying to get comfortable not knowing or bothering about it.
Hi Robert, thanks for your thoughtful and insightful story (again…). I think you’ve described a big ‘rate limiting step’ of EV adoption, which is the large (majority ?) negative view of EVs based upon old propaganda that hasn’t been effectively debunked (it has, but not amongst the target audience). This leads on to the key question; how to engage and persuade the majority (?) highly sceptical audience - and especially folk who are keener to stick with their ‘confirmation bias based upon incorrect data’. Of course, there’s the ‘don’t worry, they’ll eventually catch up because progress is inevitable’ argument - but this may be excessively slow. What can be done to engage with refusniks, in order to speed things up ? Debating with ones fiercest critics is great, but only works if they are willing to engage.
Its all too easy now in EV's - my wife & I did the NC500 last year from our home in North Norfolk , without any issue, covering 1800 miles in total. 2 separate trips down to Dorset & then Devon/Cornwall and all without problems. No waiting to charge, we needed the breaks ourselves - the car was fine. .
An enjoyable read. I'm an advocate for active travel, walking and cycling. I regularly walk into the nearest town, Settle, 2 miles away to do my shopping and have recently returned from an 8 day cycle tour of the Scottish Borders getting to and from Carlisle by train. Before retirement I spent 30 years commuting to work by bicycle in Cambridge. However I also use a car for long distance travel, or monthly stocking up on bulk shopping etc. Recently, we purchased a small EV for my wife and that choice was heavily influenced by videos from your channel. We're still going to carry on with a balance of active/public transport and EV driving, each has their place and advantages in different circumstances. I'd be happy to see your channel continue to promote those choices.
The Essex man with the new diesel SUV is exactly why it is still worth it - though maybe not for the reason he thinks. The first two million UK EV buyers mostly wanted an EV and would forgive its teething problems. The next two million just need a car, and they arrive with less patience and far less information - they do not know what real-world winter range means, or that a used EV's recall history matters more than its odometer. I write for an independent EV reliability data site, evriskindex.com, and the questions readers send in have changed completely in two years: much less "will it actually make it to Somerset" and much more "which specific model years should I avoid." That shift from whether to which is, I think, the sign the argument has quietly been won. Also delighted that the Jaguar iPace, of all cars, is what Waymo trusts to learn London's roads. That car deserves a peaceful second act.
Very enjoyable read Robert, sorry you were troubled by irksome anti EV person. Fortunately their type is diminishing, if slowly. I have two friends who two years ago ribbed me in the same way. “That charging cable is going to have to stretch a long way to get you to Bristol ha ha.” Both have recently bought EVs! The encouraging phenomenon is the word of mouth, neighbour, peer influence is spreading the word quicker than any journalist could. “Hey dear have you noticed Ken and Margaret next door have one of those new fangled electric cars. It’s saving them a lot of money and is easy to run and charge. Maybe we should get one.”
"Public transport is a marvelous idea, well it would be wonderful if all the other road users used it, so I could have an easier journey in my car...." So goes the logic in most people's heads.
The convenience of point to point transport, on demand, is just too.... convenient.
The answer is probably cheap, ubiquitous, autonomous vehicles that come to collect you and either take you to your close destination or to hubs to change to shared transport like trams/trains for longer journeys, to pick up another autonomous vehicle at the end.
Otherwise the only answer is the "stick" of tolling/congestion charging which is obviously seen as negative.
Hi Robert. I for one would watch content about how we make cities more liveable (we have a research group on sustainable cities at my university - let's talk!) I love trams and pedestrian-only streets and trees and parks and solar. Let's face it, all the best cities have these things. I also drive an iPace which I love...but I know when it comes to the end of the lease I'm going to struggle to get a replacement EV. Cars are expensive, full stop. It's not so much a cost of living crisis for me, as a cost of retiring crisis. And a 15 minute city would be Nirvana. More please.
Thanks, Robert! It’s great to know that England and the EU have so many charging stations. My wife and I will be visiting the Cotswolds this fall, and I was considering an EV but wasn’t sure about the charging station infrastructure there. We are on our fourth EV, a Subaru Solterra, and are finding more charging stations than I thought possible here in southern Arizona. Even here! (And I love “tootle pip”)
As an old hand like yourself, I've had to defend my choices since 2017 with fossil fuel dinosaurs, so it was a real treat when an older chap knocked in my window to ask how and where to charge on a long journey he was planning. Recommended Everything Electric for info and Zap Map for planning. Your work is still needed. Very enjoyable read as always.
Thanks Robert for posing a vital question in a charming easy read. I think it’s time for the EV advocates to go after the ICE & hybrid cars in a brutal way. Much as I remember the anglophone car writers & testers totally rubbishing the different approaches Peugeot & Citroen took to car design in the 70s & 80s. It wasn’t polite, it was brutal. Time to take the same approach. Not just side by side tests but also side by side 40,000km service schedules. I have also found amongst the boomer naysayers that as they generally know nothing about EVs they can’t mansplain their way into buying an EV. To raise my knowledge I’ve watched many hours of Munro YouTube as they tear down & explore manufacturing decisions. Maybe a lighter version of that. Eg. why the move to 800volt systems. Why are some manufacturers moving from 12v to 24v? Why hasn’t my EV burned down my garage yet? Light hearted & chatty with a solid undercurrent message; ICE is toast.
This is just to say thank you, Robert, for all your incredible work. Despite not being able to have a home charger installed (therefore not – yet – being able to take advantage of my solar panels and batteries, etc.), I have just ordered a Toyota C-HR+.
There are many, many public chargers in the nearest town; and, although I doubt I will be saving any money filling up, because I don’t do that many miles, I am not really bothered. I have driven hybrids for around a decade, and finally let my eco-ethics get the better of me (plus the car glides so serenely, and is just so lovely to drive)!
We are pensioners and can't afford to buy an electric car. We are hoping to be able to lease one, but fear our age may make this impossible. Happy to say that many family members use them and love them .
Hi Robert,
Nice article. Fellow old person here. I'm very fond of my Polestar 2, it's a nice, solid car and rather handsome. I still hear nonsense from non-EV drivers about range, charging times and 'don't they catch fire all the time'. I try to let it all wash over me now. Those who aren't convinced by the evidence are unlikely to be swayed by me. I'll leave them to their noisy, smelly lumps they seem to love so much.
PS I'm envious, Lucca is glorious.
Great piece. As a fellow boomer am I the only one who has a total mental block when it comes to some companies using “kWh per 100 miles” as the energy efficiency measure. The inversion of distance/unit of energy is beyond my comprehension. My mind just freezes. I’ve had an EV for over a year and I have no idea how my energy efficiency varies with my driving. In my previous ICE vehicles I was mildly obsessed with the daily mpg on my commute. That’s all gone now. I am trying to get comfortable not knowing or bothering about it.
Hi Robert, thanks for your thoughtful and insightful story (again…). I think you’ve described a big ‘rate limiting step’ of EV adoption, which is the large (majority ?) negative view of EVs based upon old propaganda that hasn’t been effectively debunked (it has, but not amongst the target audience). This leads on to the key question; how to engage and persuade the majority (?) highly sceptical audience - and especially folk who are keener to stick with their ‘confirmation bias based upon incorrect data’. Of course, there’s the ‘don’t worry, they’ll eventually catch up because progress is inevitable’ argument - but this may be excessively slow. What can be done to engage with refusniks, in order to speed things up ? Debating with ones fiercest critics is great, but only works if they are willing to engage.
Its all too easy now in EV's - my wife & I did the NC500 last year from our home in North Norfolk , without any issue, covering 1800 miles in total. 2 separate trips down to Dorset & then Devon/Cornwall and all without problems. No waiting to charge, we needed the breaks ourselves - the car was fine. .
An enjoyable read. I'm an advocate for active travel, walking and cycling. I regularly walk into the nearest town, Settle, 2 miles away to do my shopping and have recently returned from an 8 day cycle tour of the Scottish Borders getting to and from Carlisle by train. Before retirement I spent 30 years commuting to work by bicycle in Cambridge. However I also use a car for long distance travel, or monthly stocking up on bulk shopping etc. Recently, we purchased a small EV for my wife and that choice was heavily influenced by videos from your channel. We're still going to carry on with a balance of active/public transport and EV driving, each has their place and advantages in different circumstances. I'd be happy to see your channel continue to promote those choices.
The Essex man with the new diesel SUV is exactly why it is still worth it - though maybe not for the reason he thinks. The first two million UK EV buyers mostly wanted an EV and would forgive its teething problems. The next two million just need a car, and they arrive with less patience and far less information - they do not know what real-world winter range means, or that a used EV's recall history matters more than its odometer. I write for an independent EV reliability data site, evriskindex.com, and the questions readers send in have changed completely in two years: much less "will it actually make it to Somerset" and much more "which specific model years should I avoid." That shift from whether to which is, I think, the sign the argument has quietly been won. Also delighted that the Jaguar iPace, of all cars, is what Waymo trusts to learn London's roads. That car deserves a peaceful second act.
Very enjoyable read Robert, sorry you were troubled by irksome anti EV person. Fortunately their type is diminishing, if slowly. I have two friends who two years ago ribbed me in the same way. “That charging cable is going to have to stretch a long way to get you to Bristol ha ha.” Both have recently bought EVs! The encouraging phenomenon is the word of mouth, neighbour, peer influence is spreading the word quicker than any journalist could. “Hey dear have you noticed Ken and Margaret next door have one of those new fangled electric cars. It’s saving them a lot of money and is easy to run and charge. Maybe we should get one.”
"Public transport is a marvelous idea, well it would be wonderful if all the other road users used it, so I could have an easier journey in my car...." So goes the logic in most people's heads.
The convenience of point to point transport, on demand, is just too.... convenient.
The answer is probably cheap, ubiquitous, autonomous vehicles that come to collect you and either take you to your close destination or to hubs to change to shared transport like trams/trains for longer journeys, to pick up another autonomous vehicle at the end.
Otherwise the only answer is the "stick" of tolling/congestion charging which is obviously seen as negative.
Hi Robert. I for one would watch content about how we make cities more liveable (we have a research group on sustainable cities at my university - let's talk!) I love trams and pedestrian-only streets and trees and parks and solar. Let's face it, all the best cities have these things. I also drive an iPace which I love...but I know when it comes to the end of the lease I'm going to struggle to get a replacement EV. Cars are expensive, full stop. It's not so much a cost of living crisis for me, as a cost of retiring crisis. And a 15 minute city would be Nirvana. More please.
Thanks, Robert! It’s great to know that England and the EU have so many charging stations. My wife and I will be visiting the Cotswolds this fall, and I was considering an EV but wasn’t sure about the charging station infrastructure there. We are on our fourth EV, a Subaru Solterra, and are finding more charging stations than I thought possible here in southern Arizona. Even here! (And I love “tootle pip”)
As an old hand like yourself, I've had to defend my choices since 2017 with fossil fuel dinosaurs, so it was a real treat when an older chap knocked in my window to ask how and where to charge on a long journey he was planning. Recommended Everything Electric for info and Zap Map for planning. Your work is still needed. Very enjoyable read as always.
Thanks Robert for posing a vital question in a charming easy read. I think it’s time for the EV advocates to go after the ICE & hybrid cars in a brutal way. Much as I remember the anglophone car writers & testers totally rubbishing the different approaches Peugeot & Citroen took to car design in the 70s & 80s. It wasn’t polite, it was brutal. Time to take the same approach. Not just side by side tests but also side by side 40,000km service schedules. I have also found amongst the boomer naysayers that as they generally know nothing about EVs they can’t mansplain their way into buying an EV. To raise my knowledge I’ve watched many hours of Munro YouTube as they tear down & explore manufacturing decisions. Maybe a lighter version of that. Eg. why the move to 800volt systems. Why are some manufacturers moving from 12v to 24v? Why hasn’t my EV burned down my garage yet? Light hearted & chatty with a solid undercurrent message; ICE is toast.
This is just to say thank you, Robert, for all your incredible work. Despite not being able to have a home charger installed (therefore not – yet – being able to take advantage of my solar panels and batteries, etc.), I have just ordered a Toyota C-HR+.
There are many, many public chargers in the nearest town; and, although I doubt I will be saving any money filling up, because I don’t do that many miles, I am not really bothered. I have driven hybrids for around a decade, and finally let my eco-ethics get the better of me (plus the car glides so serenely, and is just so lovely to drive)!
We are pensioners and can't afford to buy an electric car. We are hoping to be able to lease one, but fear our age may make this impossible. Happy to say that many family members use them and love them .