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In the UK, EVs are cheaper than petrol cars, thanks to Chinese competition

electrek.co

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Re: In the UK, EVs are cheaper than petrol cars, thanks to Chinese competition

#31

Post by rebolek »

Jblx2 wrote: post #11
dalyons wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So 20 years from now, all the old gas regular people cars have aged out. You’re left with what, 1 or 2% of enthusiasts cars? Seems like success to me, and fairly inevitable

There will undoubtedly be a death spiral of sorts when it comes to gas stations, refineries, etc. where they become fewer and farther between as less people buy fuel. And that makes it more expensive and inconvenient, so more people buy EVs, which in turn...

Death spiral to gas stations? why? EV cars need to charge somewhere (and on long trip it can’t be at home) and people need to take a break and grab a coffee sometime too. They will change, sure, but certainly not die. Refineries will be fewer but we do need another products from them also.

Re: In the UK, EVs are cheaper than petrol cars, thanks to Chinese competition

#33

Post by boznz »

sega_sai wrote: post #13
eterm wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The goal is to migrate everyone to EVs, and it sounds like the government incentive mechanism is working, albeit in a roundabout way.

The problem is that there is not enough infrastructure for EVs. If you can't charge at home (e.g. you live in a flat), it is hard to live with an EV and it's much more expensive than the ICE.

I had a rental EV while I was there for 6 weeks last summer, it was a pretty low spec jeep model and I stayed at mates places all over England none of which had parking or charging, to tell the truth charging was a bit spotty in town, but if I was just going around the local area the battery was good for a week or more. My take away was I would definitely rent an EV again, but a lot of the older charging infrastructure still sucks, under-provisioned at peak times, and cost 2-3 times what a similar charge would cost here in NZ. I ended up doing most of my charging at the Tesla superchargers on the motorways and at supermarkets in town. I did 2900 miles total and it was about the same cost as petrol in the end, but worth it as the EV was cheaper to rent and was automatic (which renters charge a premium in UK)

Not sure fast charging all the time is good for battery life though. 99% of my driving in NZ is on a normal 10A overnight charge

Re: In the UK, EVs are cheaper than petrol cars, thanks to Chinese competition

#35

Post by dzhiurgis »

dalyons wrote: post #16
nickserv wrote: post #10

Unlike the EU and the US, the UK doesn't have any major car companies anymore, so there's less of an incentive for them to apply tariffs on Chinese imports.

Same as Australia! The rate of proliferation of Chinese EVs (and gas) there is crazy to see. Free market baby! (And before the inevitable “but Chinese subsidies” comment - update your talking points, subsidies no longer happens to any meaningful degree)

Same in NZ. Most popular car is Tesla + 15 different Chinese brands: https://evdb.nz/sales

Actually somewhat surprised we still even have legacy auto in top 10.

Re: In the UK, EVs are cheaper than petrol cars, thanks to Chinese competition

#36

Post by barbazoo »

rebolek wrote: post #31
Jblx2 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There will undoubtedly be a death spiral of sorts when it comes to gas stations, refineries, etc. where they become fewer and farther between as less people buy fuel. And that makes it more expensive and inconvenient, so more people buy EVs, which in turn...

Death spiral to gas stations? why? EV cars need to charge somewhere (and on long trip it can’t be at home) and people need to take a break and grab a coffee sometime too. They will change, sure, but certainly not die. Refineries will be fewer but we do need another products from them also.

Chargers can be anywhere. They are at grocery stores, parking lots, restaurants, I can see the need for a dedicated re fuel station to disappear when charging is ubiquitous.

Re: In the UK, EVs are cheaper than petrol cars, thanks to Chinese competition

#37

Post by hdgvhicv »

triceratops wrote: post #7
diath wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The goal is to migrate everyone to EVs This won't happen unless they outright ban non-EV vehicles which is unlikely considering how many people are still using old cars and cannot afford new cars, how many car enthusiasts are there, and not to mention potential lobbying from big oil.

New EVs become used EVs that poorer people can afford. Poor people don't buy new cars. New EVs being expensive is not a poor person problem.

The problem is a 50kWh battery in a car is worth more as a battery than a typical £1500 car.

The lowest end of the market won’t have electric cars unless the batteries are shagged (early Leafs)

And given how insanely cheap petrol is (15p a mile, so £450 for a low mileage runaround) the savings even if electric was free and they weren’t introducing a 3p/mile charge isn’t there.

Re: In the UK, EVs are cheaper than petrol cars, thanks to Chinese competition

#38

Post by drstewart »

testing22321 wrote: post #24

Meanwhile Ford’s CEO said that if Chinese EVs are allowed into USA it will destroy the US automakers. He is not even hiding the fact US automakers make a more expensive inferior product, but that US consumers should not be allowed have the superior one.

Meanwhile China does hide the fact that they block superior competition of various foreign services via the Great Firewall

Re: In the UK, EVs are cheaper than petrol cars, thanks to Chinese competition

#40

Post by barbazoo »

testing22321 wrote: post #24

Meanwhile Ford’s CEO said that if Chinese EVs are allowed into USA it will destroy the US automakers. He is not even hiding the fact US automakers make a more expensive inferior product, but that US consumers should not be allowed have the superior one.

Or at least to have the inferior product at a lower price.
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