10 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

"Owners of electric cars across the UK will be able to fit their vehicles with green number plates from this autumn, a move that is set to both further raise the profile of battery-powered cars, and pave the way for future incentive schemes that will encourage the take-up of electric vehicles.

Rather than being a fully green plate, EVs will have conventional white and yellow plates on their front and rear, but the plates will feature a green vertical flash on their left-hand side.

The plates will, according to the DfT, allow local authorities to “design and put in place new policies to incentivise people to own and drive” electric cars. While details are thin on the ground, the Government suggests reduced parking rates or exemption from emission-zone charges are two incentives councils might consider.

London’s Congestion Charge Zone already grants free access to the Capital’s central district for owners of EVs, using data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to determine if a car is battery powered, and therefore exempt from the charges.

Ministers may hope that by increasing the prominence of EVs, future car buyers may be nudged into the electric revolution, the green plates acting as something of a badge of virtue.

Confirmation green plates would be introduced this autumn follows a consultation launched late last year, with the proposals inspired by a scheme in Ontario, Canada. The Canadian programme sees EV and plug-in hybrid drivers given free access to toll lanes and car-pool lanes, even if only one person is in the car, and has led to an increase in EV purchases."

https://www.autoexpr...n-number-plates

Edited by mab01uk, 22 June 2020 - 12:36 PM.

[whistler]

I hope this only applies to fully electric vehicles. Nearly all the cars I've seen advertised as an EV have a petrol engine fitted as well. Those are not electric vehicles in my opinion. Last time I saw an electrc vehicle it was either a milk float and a forklift.

Discuss!

[rich_959]

Oh I dunno, I see plenty. Usually Leaf's and Tesla's on the back of recovery lorries after theyve ran out of range, or in the motorway services drinking 5 or 6 starbucks coffees while their car recharges. 

[nicklouse]

Mmmm all cars that have any electric motive power need identifying for the rescue services. You don’t want to be dealing with an accident not knowing one has a very powerful high voltage bomb inside.

The green thing is just *******. That is some form of male cow waste.

Edited by nicklouse, 22 June 2020 - 03:29 PM.

[IronmanG]

Fully electric to drive in bus lanes if they have 4 people on board?.
Australia had a scheme where a vehicle loaded with 4 people could go in bus lanes. I guess they probably still do

[unburntfuelinthemorning]

I get the whole reducing tail pipe emissions in city centres probably being a good thing as clean air is obviously better to breathe. 

 

Regarding carbon dioxide though, you could have bought a small fuel efficient car fifty years ago, looked after it, and still have it now or you could have bought a new car every seven years.  You'd be buying car number eight this year.  Now the new car may be a little more fuel efficient (or not considering the excess weight and size of modern vehicles) but I wonder which approach is "greener" and "sustainable" taking the whole life cycle of the cars into account, especially as most of the previous seven cars would now have been scrapped or these days recycled (which is also very energy intensive).

 

Regarding hybrid vehicles, they should be encouraged as it's a way of making existing technology even more fuel efficient but instead they're being banned along with pure petrol and diesel cars so there's less incentive to even try to improve the technology now for car manufacturers.

[mab01uk]

Featured in July MiniWorld magazine:-

London Electric Cars
"We convert cars to electric. Our goal is get more people driving electric cars. There are 1 billion cars in the world. As we convert to an electrically propelled society are we going to scrap all those cars? Instead, let's develop affordable ways of converting those cars to electric. We offer bespoke conversions. We recommend budgeting £25,000 or more for an appropriate conversion and other sympathetic upgrades."

A classic 1993 Rover Mini converted with a Nissan Leaf motor and drive train.
This is an original Japanese import.
We converted this Mini for the University of Birmingham.
A 20 kWh battery pack was split betwen the boot and under the rear seat.
Costs just around £1 to charge. Does 80 miles on one charge.
Charges from a 13A household socket. If you can charge your phone, you can charge this car!
Average London journey is 5 miles so, used daily, the car requires charging roughly once a week. That means fuel costs for this car can be as little as £50 per year!
Congestion Charge exempt.
ULEZ Exempt.
Free residents parking in many London boroughs.
https://www.londonelectriccars.com/

Edited by mab01uk, 22 June 2020 - 10:29 PM.

[rich_959]

I get the whole reducing tail pipe emissions in city centres probably being a good thing as clean air is obviously better to breathe. 

 

Regarding carbon dioxide though, you could have bought a small fuel efficient car fifty years ago, looked after it, and still have it now or you could have bought a new car every seven years.  You'd be buying car number eight this year.  Now the new car may be a little more fuel efficient (or not considering the excess weight and size of modern vehicles) but I wonder which approach is "greener" and "sustainable" taking the whole life cycle of the cars into account, especially as most of the previous seven cars would now have been scrapped or these days recycled (which is also very energy intensive).

 

Regarding hybrid vehicles, they should be encouraged as it's a way of making existing technology even more fuel efficient but instead they're being banned along with pure petrol and diesel cars so there's less incentive to even try to improve the technology now for car manufacturers.

 

I agree - I was surprised by the effective ban on building new hybrids as it seemed like the most viable option for bridging the gap while the full electric technology is developed to a point that will bring more people along with it. At the moment, it just doesn't work for me so it will be interesting to see how things develop. 

 

I've bought an old diesel Audi A6 for work at the minute as I'm doing silly mileages and parking on construction sites, and staying at hotels wherever I can find them (often in not very nice places!). Some weeks I'm doing 1500 miles and I'm eternally grateful for the 800 mile range of the car. I dread to think what that week would be like in 2035 if the technology and infrastructure hasn't improved significantly (though I'm fairly sure it will). Of course, used petrol, diesel and hybrid cars will still be on the roads for some time too after 2035. Suppose it will be a good time to find a good diesel workhorse and just maintain it, if I'm still being stubborn by then!

[Ethel]

Black on green will give less contrast & readability, but I guess it depends a fair bit on the shade they choose. Though there's also the colour blind.

[DomCr250]

Featured in July MiniWorld magazine:-

London Electric Cars
"We convert cars to electric. Our goal is get more people driving electric cars. There are 1 billion cars in the world. As we convert to an electrically propelled society are we going to scrap all those cars? Instead, let's develop affordable ways of converting those cars to electric. We offer bespoke conversions. We recommend budgeting £25,000 or more for an appropriate conversion and other sympathetic upgrades."

A classic 1993 Rover Mini converted with a Nissan Leaf motor and drive train.
This is an original Japanese import.
We converted this Mini for the University of Birmingham.
A 20 kWh battery pack was split betwen the boot and under the rear seat.
Costs just around £1 to charge. Does 80 miles on one charge.
Charges from a 13A household socket. If you can charge your phone, you can charge this car!
Average London journey is 5 miles so, used daily, the car requires charging roughly once a week. That means fuel costs for this car can be as little as £50 per year!
Congestion Charge exempt.
ULEZ Exempt.
Free residents parking in many London boroughs.
https://www.londonelectriccars.com/

 

Love the line 'We recommend budgeting £25,000 or more for an appropriate conversion and other sympathetic upgrades'.  Looks like that mini is pulling a load of extra weight too ...just does not sit right in my mind.

[GraemeC]

Black on green will give less contrast & readability, but I guess it depends a fair bit on the shade they choose. Though there's also the colour blind.

 

The whole plate isn't coloured green - just the side stripe (like the blue Euro bit)