Electric Cars

sjt01

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North Norfolk
Very possibly - but I'm not sure if the 300mile official range (200mile genuine) would fall into the same category of purchase cost as your Leaf did. I have a very economical volvo (65mpg achievable, 55mpg long term average), so costs are around 10p/mile for fuel. Last year I did around 30k miles in the main car, but this year has been much less - probably two tanks since March.

Will do research next time I change, and see what options I have.
Now running a Zoe ZE50 as well, not had much of a chance for long runs, but looks like 220-240 mile genuine range.
 

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
By the time you come to change car next time I believe more car makers will be in the market with their offerings and it will be a lot more competitive. Many models at the moment are priced into the premium end of the market but this will change when the Koreans and Japanese get into the scene in a bigger way.

I hope so. Right now, it seems I have a choice of Tesla or Tesla if I want a range of 300miles.

Now running a Zoe ZE50 as well, not had much of a chance for long runs, but looks like 220-240 mile genuine range.

Sounds hopeful, but perhaps a bit on the small side for regular long runs - I wouldn't want to have any less presence on the road than my V40 does, especially not when sharing the small roads up here with big trucks.
 

An Gof

Member
Location
Cornwall
Another unusual one if you do 500milers regularly - I have done from time to time, but not commonly, and I would personally sacrifice a twenty minute break to grab a coffee and use the loo if it meant I avoided that the other three weeks of the month.

Assuming that the 500 miles is something like Penzance to Swindon and back, that would be ten hours behind the wheel at least, and only an idiot would do that without at least one proper break. Please tell us you're not an idiot.

Many people do think I am an idiot 🤣🤣
In my case it ia 250 miles up, then a meeting and then return. With mostly motorway 250 miles is comfortable in 4 hours. I do not usually seek driving breaks in anything under 5 hours.When you live in the sticks you just have to get on with it and eat up the miles. Been doing it for almost 40 years so used to it. Wife used to do 600 mile round trips with a meeting fairly regularly when she was working.
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
Many people do think I am an idiot 🤣🤣
In my case it ia 250 miles up, then a meeting and then return. With mostly motorway 250 miles is comfortable in 4 hours. I do not usually seek driving breaks in anything under 5 hours.When you live in the sticks you just have to get on with it and eat up the miles. Been doing it for almost 40 years so used to it. Wife used to do 600 mile round trips with a meeting fairly regularly when she was working.
The Late David Penhaligon MP would therefore classify you travelling those distances as an expert. I always remember him in a self effacing way say in Cornwall they always say an expert is just someone who came from 20 miles away !
 

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
Many people do think I am an idiot 🤣🤣
In my case it ia 250 miles up, then a meeting and then return. With mostly motorway 250 miles is comfortable in 4 hours. I do not usually seek driving breaks in anything under 5 hours.When you live in the sticks you just have to get on with it and eat up the miles. Been doing it for almost 40 years so used to it. Wife used to do 600 mile round trips with a meeting fairly regularly when she was working.

I live in the sticks too, but would rarely consider 5hrs without a bladder stop. I do well to manage 3hours, mainly because I always have a travel mug of tea with me. Think about it though - if someone offered you £50 to spend 20 minutes drinking coffee and surfing the net, you'd bite their hand off. Effectively, that's the economic argument you have here.

Oh, and get the people you're meeting to try Zoom/ Skype/ Teams or similar - it will save you so much time and energy, for minimal loss of 'experience'. Sure a face to face is useful now and the, but 9/10 meetings would be doable remotely.
 

An Gof

Member
Location
Cornwall
I live in the sticks too, but would rarely consider 5hrs without a bladder stop. I do well to manage 3hours, mainly because I always have a travel mug of tea with me. Think about it though - if someone offered you £50 to spend 20 minutes drinking coffee and surfing the net, you'd bite their hand off. Effectively, that's the economic argument you have here.

Oh, and get the people you're meeting to try Zoom/ Skype/ Teams or similar - it will save you so much time and energy, for minimal loss of 'experience'. Sure a face to face is useful now and the, but 9/10 meetings would be doable remotely.

Fair point about the virtual meetings, but we have really only just experienced that because of the position we all find ourselves in. I do however agree with you and virtual meetings have saved me an enormous amount of time and expense. There are some downsides to them though.
 

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
Fair point about the virtual meetings, but we have really only just experienced that because of the position we all find ourselves in. I do however agree with you and virtual meetings have saved me an enormous amount of time and expense. There are some downsides to them though.

Absolutely downsides. I have been usiing video conference for maybe ten years now, but much more conference calls these days too. I would suggets the first meeting should always be face to face if possible, but have equally held meetings across multiple time zones that would never have happened if we'd needed to be in the same room, and still don't know what the people look like!
 

sjt01

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North Norfolk
Considering a Zoe myself, would you recommend?
Not as comfortable as the Leaf, but a real go-kart. We have had it 2 months, but little opportunity for much use as yet. Small boot. We got the DC charging version, and winter pack. Here is the electric fleet. Husqvarna ride on mower the other side of the electric Gator

electric fleet.jpg
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
I'm waiting till they come out with an electric tractor that actually works, before i get enthusiastic about electric vehicles in rural areas.

I'm amazed it hasn't been done for jobs that don't involve leaving the yard like yard scraping etc

I see Scania launched an electric truck this week?
 

sjt01

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North Norfolk
You appear have a background in electrics somewhere to be so far ahead of the curve...especially demo-ing the tractor.

Is that the case?
I spent much of my life in Agricultural Engineering research and lecturing, always interested in energy use. Did some research in Diesohol (diesel with bioethanol addition) in Malawi in the late '70s and '80s. Worked on instrumentation for energy reduction in tobacco curing, and then tea drying. You will find a lot of my working history towards the end of the thread in Picutres & Videos, Historical photos from North Norfolk. I am very much a novice farmer.
 

Poorbuthappy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Devon
Why are they not worth it? They cost no more than equivalent diesel and they are ever so quiet and pleasant to drive.
Sorry to backtrack in the thread, but I'm keen on the idea of a plug in hybrid, or even full electric. But I have also decided my next vehicle will be an suv. I prefer the driving position and we have a very rough lane.
But anything I've looked at is quite a premium to get as phev or electric over standard diesel models?
 

Wellytrack

Member
Sorry to backtrack in the thread, but I'm keen on the idea of a plug in hybrid, or even full electric. But I have also decided my next vehicle will be an suv. I prefer the driving position and we have a very rough lane.
But anything I've looked at is quite a premium to get as phev or electric over standard diesel models?

Like for like standard non plug in hybrids cost the same.

Electric motors deliver a lot of torque similar to a diesel, which has always been where oil burners excelled.
 

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

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