Adventures in an all electric vehicle.

[Smallfry]

Someone asked me once that, if advanced aliens with inter-stellar travel capability did find Earth - what would they think of finding "intelligent life" (us).

My response was to say that I doubt we'd be viewed as intelligent life at all.... more probably we'd be viewed as some sort of infestation, like a plague of locusts or rabbit's. Breed uncontrollably, and consume everything till there is nothing left.

(In our collective arrogance, & with so many sci-fi series putting Humans out there as equals among myriad alien races - the narrative tends to be that we'd be respected etc).

 

[OJCar]

What you got that was sub £4K then? Genuinely interested since now we’re talking my numbers, and with solar at home I could charge it cheaply most of the time.

 

[Smallfry]

I not sure when mass ownership of cars came - when most people had a car? 60's?

Edit: Google...

When did car ownership become common in the UK?


Fast forward to the mid-1930s and more than two million motorised vehicles were on Britain's roads. This was the start of Britain's motor revolution, with car ownership growing from 19 million in 1971 to over 31 million in 2007.

My Grandad was one of the few people in Chatham in Kent to have a car in 1936. I have a photo somewhere of it parked outside their house, with no other vehicle in sight. He was manager of a cinema, so I guess quite well off for the time. People used to come and look at it. Seems a bit bizarre now, as it was an Austin Ten, but he used to take local kids out for rides in it ! I don't know what the authorities would make of that now

 

[Smallfry]

It was absolutely scandalous.
I honestly believe they only bought it to "asset strip" and kill off the competition because they were starting to really turn things around with the Honda partnership.

BMW got thier X5 knowhow out of Landrover, a nice new plant which they channelled all the cash into and then kept, and of course the insanely popular MINI.
They castrated sales of the 75 so it wouldn't compete.

I can only imagine if a foreign company tried doing that to one of the German manufacturers, I feel there would be political intervention for certain!

Interesting sidenote that SAIC were still cranking out Rover 25's for the chinese market right up until 2008, not bad for a platform launched in '95 on a shoestring budget and a handful of spare bits from the parts bin.
The whole sorry tale of Rover is just another case of the UK snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Seemed like such a waste of potential.

This is absolutely correct, and the Rover 75, if anyone has ever driven one, was as good as any German equivalent.

I owned a Rover 200 (pre 25) for a while. Very shoddy, and did not feel like it would be around for a long time.

 

[Smallfry]

Adrian Flux says no to an IVA as the "Typically the conversion company does not interfere with the chassis or structural integrity of the car either so there's no need for an IVA test, just a registration with DVLA of the change to an electric drive unit"

However this guys says you do plus a CEC 100.1 electrical test that can cost 2K+ https://mclear.co.uk/2021/07/30/electric-car-conversions-iva-and-cec-requirements-for-non-classics/

As you need to swap out stuff like hydraulic power steering and possibly beef up the brakes, I would probably believe the latter but I've never gone beyond swapping a 1000c mini engine for an 1100cc one so no expert on the matter.

I have done a lot of engine conversions and bodywork butchery over the years to know that you WILL have to IVA it because you will be changing the steering mechanism. They will also want to be checking the security and protection of any battery and wiring too.

I also know Adrian Fux are a useless company, as you will likely find out if you ever have to make a claim.

 

[minimutly]

This is absolutely correct, and the Rover 75, if anyone has ever driven one, was as good as any German equivalent.

I owned a Rover 200 (pre 25) for a while. Very shoddy, and did not feel like it would be around for a long time.

Well, I have owned numbers of Rover 200s, the one based on the Honda Concerto, in 1.4 and 2litre 16v guise. All were excellent, no rust, handled really well, refined and once the penny pinched radiator was changed very reliable. The later version was to become the 25 - they simply used the earlier floorpan and did away with the Honda rear suspension, substituting in - yes no prises for guessing - the Montego rear beam. It really compromised the handling, needed beefy anti roll bars both ends to control it and subsequently always felt “remote” somehow. I still have the MGZR 160 vvc version here now.
For years I used to hear people who never owned the later Rovers talking them down, buying French crap. Sad, but that’s what we did..
And while we’re on the subject or reconstituted old cars - the 45, or mgzs ( I had the hooligan V6) was based on the Honda Civic, designed way back in 1986, it was a damned good car, made into a boring one for most of the time Rover sold it.

 

[Ubique]

At first my kids were reticent, but after reading the thread they agreed to kill me if I wrote similar drivel!

A lot of opinion with a small pinch of facts crafted to suit people's preference then tag team accelerated.

I'm quite enjoying it, I always knew there was parallel universes/realities.

But that is my opinion so crack on and have fun, life is too short for regrets

My opinion is that you're coming across as a pompous pr!ck, so onto ignore you go.

 

[MetalMonkey]

Well, I have owned numbers of Rover 200s, the one based on the Honda Concerto, in 1.4 and 2litre 16v guise. All were excellent, no rust, handled really well, refined and once the penny pinched radiator was changed very reliable. The later version was to become the 25 - they simply used the earlier floorpan and did away with the Honda rear suspension, substituting in - yes no prises for guessing - the Montego rear beam. It really compromised the handling, needed beefy anti roll bars both ends to control it and subsequently always felt “remote” somehow. I still have the MGZR 160 vvc version here now.
For years I used to hear people who never owned the later Rovers talking them down, buying French crap. Sad, but that’s what we did..
And while we’re on the subject or reconstituted old cars - the 45, or mgzs ( I had the hooligan V6) was based on the Honda Civic, designed way back in 1986, it was a damned good car, made into a boring one for most of the time Rover sold it.

I would agree, the 200/25 was never intended to be anything other than a quick fix bridging model but I think they actually aged pretty well.
Sills were a known weak spot for rust, especially at the rear arches, but otherwise fairly reliable and economical and simple to maintain and repair.

The agricultural L series being especially bulletproof - would have been nice to see where this went when it was refined further into the G series, but another casualty of their untimely demise.

The 600 was also a slightly tweaked Honda Accord, and the 800 a shared partnership which also resulted in a Honda Legend. Honda even used Rover's diesel in their own models.
But I recall at the time people would slag off Rover yet be full of praise for any Japanese vehicle, without even the slightest hint of irony.

The same under BMW - their diesel was slightly tweaked and used in the 75, and was actually more reliable in that package than in was in the 3-series.
Despite what the motoring press of the day would have you believe, there were some damn good engineers at Rover.

 

[willie.macleod]

I'd like to know that too, given the average price of a (new) EV looks to be around 10x that.

Early 24kWh Nissan Leafs start at £4k. I wouldn't bother with averages, too many high end vehicles which are not good value for money for those with normal jobs. Another poster mentioned the EV MGs, a friend purchased a MG4 a few months back and loves it, he's a car guy through and through. Others reminiscing about old Rovers, missed my 25td - another excellent vehicle that lasted a long time and cost buttons per mile.

 

[premmington]

If their Govt's took the same stance as ours and some of the EU/Nordics, then they would be 'incentivised' to stop producing one-shot tat and move to a more sustainable version. They can be very persuasive in those parts of the world if they think their tax income is going to take a dive.... How is it 'our' fault if there is no choice of supply/quality/sustainability of materials? Cellulose 'plastics' were around nearly a hundred years before oil based plastics but are being touted as a 'new' sustainable replacement, they fell out of favour because they naturally biodegraded, something we'd be glad of now!

I been looking a this in the internet - it is an interesting subject "cellulose plastics"...

And yes I would agree "they fell out of favour because they naturally biodegraded, something we'd be glad of now!"

 

[willie.macleod]

"Only buy British?"

Good idea - but too late your boat has sailed

My Nissan Leaf - made in Sunderland
My Mini - made in Oxford
My Land Rovers - made in Solihull
Wish I could say the same about the bike but I can't. Jap.

Not sure what the next vehicle will be, maybe a Munro built in Scotland?

 

[premmington]

My Nissan Leaf - made in Sunderland
My Mini - made in Oxford
My Land Rovers - made in Solihull
Wish I could say the same about the bike but I can't. Jap.

Not sure what the next vehicle will be, maybe a Munro built in Scotland?

There are currently no British-owned car manufacturing companies. However, there are several car companies that produce vehicles in the United Kingdom, including:

1. Jaguar Land Rover - a subsidiary of Indian company Tata Motors.
2. Mini - a subsidiary of German car manufacturer BMW.
3. Vauxhall - a subsidiary of French car manufacturer Groupe PSA.
4. Bentley - a subsidiary of German car manufacturer Volkswagen Group.
5. Rolls-Royce - a subsidiary of German car manufacturer BMW.

Although these companies are not British-owned, they continue to manufacture cars in the United Kingdom, providing jobs and contributing to the economy. Additionally, there are several smaller car companies that produce niche vehicles in the United Kingdom, such as Morgan and Ariel, which are independently owned.

 

[GRW]

Early 24kWh Nissan Leafs start at £4k. I wouldn't bother with averages, too many high end vehicles which are not good value for money for those with normal jobs. Another poster mentioned the EV MGs, a friend purchased a MG4 a few months back and loves it, he's a car guy through and through. Others reminiscing about old Rovers, missed my 25td - another excellent vehicle that lasted a long time and cost buttons per mile.

Someone (you maybe?) Said that the older Leafs can actually be worked on?
As in Nissan haven't coded the hell out of everything and made it impossible etc (something I'd be amazed about if any recent car permits)?
I imagine they are still complicated and you might need a PHD in electronics to have a clue whsts to do though?
10-years is old for an EV - can you /is it affordable - service/maintain/repair & keep it on the road for say another decade?

 

[premmington]

Someone (you maybe?) Said that the older Leafs can actually be worked on?
As in Nissan haven't coded the hell out of everything and made it impossible etc (something I'd be amazed about if any recent car permits)?
I imagine they are still complicated and you might need a PHD in electronics to have a clue whsts to do though?
10-years is old for an EV - can you /is it affordable - service/maintain/repair & keep it on the road for say another decade?

I not got the nerve to buy one with my own money mate...

 

[Ubique]

Someone (you maybe?) Said that the older Leafs can actually be worked on?
As in Nissan haven't coded the hell out of everything and made it impossible etc (something I'd be amazed about if any recent car permits)?
I imagine they are still complicated and you might need a PHD in electronics to have a clue whsts to do though?
10-years is old for an EV - can you /is it affordable - service/maintain/repair & keep it on the road for say another decade?

They're not difficult to work on, it's very similar to a mains inverter setup to control a motor. The batteries have a charge controller that can accept an AC or DC input, there is a contactor on the battery output with a safety loop to immediately open the contactor(s), the battery power goes to an inverter which in turn powers the motor(s). yes, there is the regen charging, PTC heaters, coolant circuits etc. along with the control inputs, but the basics are pretty simple.

 

[Agrismith]

I not go the nerve to buy one with my own money mate...

That age vehicle regardless of power source seem to be the start point of being written off through electrical gremlins.
Definitely a lot 0f hatchbacks in the breakers that are worse less than the new ECU would be to fix them

 

[premmington]

That age vehicle regardless of power source seem to be the start point of being written off through electrical gremlins.
Definitely a lot 0f hatchbacks in the breakers that are worse less than the new ECU would be to fix them

"the reason they sell new cars mate - is old ones wear out and break"

 

[rhubarb7]

View attachment 403777

An end of life vehicle..Or a ticking time bomb..Or a wallet emptier..Get my drift..

 

[premmington]

An end of life vehicle..Or a ticking time bomb..Or a wallet emptier..Get my drift..

All of these I seen - still have the battery on monthly payments (rent/lease/part ownership?) - another hidden cost!

EDIT: Two on my customers bought these private - when they registered them V5C came back and little while later so did bills and court threats for battery payments came to - from original manufacturer chain (like it was on the HPi hit list).

 

[rhubarb7]

All of these I seen - still have the battery on monthly payments (rent/lease/part ownership?) - another hidden cost!

But it's ok, you can go on youtube and learn how to repair/bodge one new cell in..Job's a good un..