The future of performance motoring and why it makes me sad..

[Rappey69]

I do not ride a bike but I know you are talking rubbish (even though you probably don't think so). You have probably never ridden a fast bike.

Wow.. So presumptuous, but what makes it worse is you've no personal experience to base your incorrect opinions on.
Ive had a bike license for as long as I can remember so have owned and ridden plenty of fast bikes. Still got a bike now.
Now im not totally sure what im supposedly talking absolute rubbish about, but if its the tesla v bike thing then I can easily prove that, as I don't make presumptions or claims I cant back up.
You just cant comprehend the sheer instant power because you've never experienced anything like it, and judging by your posts are not open minded enough to accept that in a few years electric cars will be leaving your Ferrari standing ,even on track !
Here is the proof that it will beat a bike, in fact a proper ducati 1000 super bike ridden by a professional ..
Fast forward to 15 mins to see firstly a c63 amg v tesla drag race to get an understanding of how crazy quick a tesla really is, then onto 19 mins and see the bike lose !
When you have power like that from a family saloon its hard to accept any performance petrol car has a future other than as a classic car.

 

[John Laidlaw]

Good read Rappey, really interesting to see how far the Tesla has come - ok no dramatic noise ( which is one of the only things I miss in the i8) - against that the seamless acceleration is astonishing

 

[flowrider]

Wow.. So presumptuous, but what makes it worse is you've no personal experience to base your incorrect opinions on.
Ive had a bike license for as long as I can remember so have owned and ridden plenty of fast bikes. Still got a bike now.
Now im not totally sure what im supposedly talking absolute rubbish about, but if its the tesla v bike thing then I can easily prove that, as I don't make presumptions or claims I cant back up.
You just cant comprehend the sheer instant power because you've never experienced anything like it, and judging by your posts are not open minded enough to accept that in a few years electric cars will be leaving your Ferrari standing ,even on track !
Here is the proof that it will beat a bike, in fact a proper ducati 1000 super bike ridden by a professional ..
Fast forward to 15 mins to see firstly a c63 amg v tesla drag race to get an understanding of how crazy quick a tesla really is, then onto 19 mins and see the bike lose !
When you have power like that from a family saloon its hard to accept any performance petrol car has a future other than as a classic car.

You think straight line speed is the only element that makes a car great? Yes the Tesla is fast but in every other way it is totally characterless.

 

[John Laidlaw]

You think straight line speed is the only element that makes a car great? Yes the Tesla is fast but in every other way it is totally characterless.

I’d have to agree David, the Tesla has no soul, but I don’t think the living with a car was what he was meaning so much as a peek into the future post high capacity petrol engines ( at least that’s how I read it?)

 

[AMGeed]

I also read that the Tesla will destroy almost every supercar in a 0-100mph drag, but then the supercar will pull away.
Not much use on UK roads but food for thought.

 

[MalcQV]

Wow.. So presumptuous, but what makes it worse is you've no personal experience to base your incorrect opinions on.
Ive had a bike license for as long as I can remember so have owned and ridden plenty of fast bikes. Still got a bike now.
Now im not totally sure what im supposedly talking absolute rubbish about, but if its the tesla v bike thing then I can easily prove that, as I don't make presumptions or claims I cant back up.
You just cant comprehend the sheer instant power because you've never experienced anything like it, and judging by your posts are not open minded enough to accept that in a few years electric cars will be leaving your Ferrari standing ,even on track !
Here is the proof that it will beat a bike, in fact a proper ducati 1000 super bike ridden by a professional ..
Fast forward to 15 mins to see firstly a c63 amg v tesla drag race to get an understanding of how crazy quick a tesla really is, then onto 19 mins and see the bike lose !
When you have power like that from a family saloon its hard to accept any performance petrol car has a future other than as a classic car.

Yeah I guess that was a bit presumptuous and I have to concede that you yourself prefer straight line speed of a car over a bike and inasmuch I was wrong in that presumption and apologise. I am quite surprised you think it is more exciting than a bike. Being on the back of one (in my picture) at legal speeds is hair raising, exciting enough and at least as exhilarating as my 360. Riding a quick bike would be scary.

I was basing my experience on being on the back of a bike, so it isn't 'no experience'
I was not suggesting the bike was quicker in a straight line, many cars are quicker because as I am sure you know keeping the front wheel on the floor is the hard part.

I am surprised that you feel a bigger thrill doing a drag race in a cocooned metal box than on a bike. The bikers I have spoken to who drive fast cars of all types (including a few EV's) do disagree with the thrill you mention of a car compared to that of a bike.
It would appear you are an EV fan. I'm not and won't ever be.

Oh and don't presume I am not open minded. I don't need to be anyway as there are plenty of modern machinery let alone EV's that already out accelerate (at least to 60) my old 360. It's way more than going fast in a straight line as I stated previously but if acceleration is all what drives you then lap up that EV straight line acceleration. I have ridden on a few roller coasters that are electric that rather than roll down a hill that use a [linear] motor/s to accelerate along the flat. Yes it is fun the first, second and third time but after that it becomes just another ride.

You seem to be fixated on this drag racing. Why is that so important? Apart from Top Fuel Dragsters there's not a great deal of skill in doing straight line drag racing in a modern EV, I really do not see the thrill of it. You are also more likely to be nicked Grand Prix traffic light racing than heading down a B-road at [legal] speeds, whilst it still being involved especially with TC switched off. Really what is the big deal in mashing a GO pedal and traction control systems keeping it all in line???

Good luck with your ambitions to own an EV but it won't ever be for me.

 

[Conor]

I really went and did one with this thread, didn't I !?

 

[John Laidlaw]

I really went and did one with this thread, didn't I !?

Yes, what did you do?
Seriously though well done for opening this up, it’s a fascinating insight to people’s views....

 

[MalcQV]

Yes, what did you do?
Seriously though well done for opening this up, it’s a fascinating insight to people’s views....

I really went and did one with this thread, didn't I !?

Try Middle Lane Driving next.

 

[Craiglxviii]

I also read that the Tesla will destroy almost every supercar in a 0-100mph drag, but then the supercar will pull away.
Not much use on UK roads but food for thought.

Simple. Increase motorway speed limits to 155mph and strictly enforce safe separation distances...

 

[flowrider]

I’d have to agree David, the Tesla has no soul, but I don’t think the living with a car was what he was meaning so much as a peek into the future post high capacity petrol engines ( at least that’s how I read it?)

Fortunately for me by the time EV's become the only vehicles on the road I will be long gone.

I also read that the Tesla will destroy almost every supercar in a 0-100mph drag, but then the supercar will pull away.
Not much use on UK roads but food for thought.

But the supercar will be so exhilarating whereas the Tesla will be so boringgggggggggg.

 

[Tony Dyson]

I can't help wondering about their calculations there.
Overnight we have massive available energy production. Most EV owners would charge overnight and not during the day which is where I would see there being issues (specifically between 8am and 9pm).

A quick look at Live Data from National Grid and daily peak demand is just under 40 GW in the UK and drops off to around 24GW overnight so there's around 15GW available at the drop of a hat if all power stations worked 24/7, there's your 7 x 2GW Power Stations!

 

[LostKiwi]

I also read that the Tesla will destroy almost every supercar in a 0-100mph drag, but then the supercar will pull away.
Not much use on UK roads but food for thought.

You could say it's more use than 200+ mph top speeds.

 

[Craiglxviii]

A quick look at Live Data from National Grid and daily peak demand is just under 40 GW in the UK and drops off to around 24GW overnight so there's around 15GW available at the drop of a hat if all power stations worked 24/7, there's your 7 x 2GW Power Stations!

Trouble is, that doesn’t scale on a regional or global level. Assuming a 1:1 replacement of the global ICE car fleet with EV equivalent, the total annual energy (not power) expenditure is shy by almost exactly the current annual generation capacity of the USA...

 

[Tony Dyson]

Trouble is, that doesn’t scale on a regional or global level. Assuming a 1:1 replacement of the global ICE car fleet with EV equivalent, the total annual energy (not power) expenditure is shy by almost exactly the current annual generation capacity of the USA...

Well it scales on a regional and European level as the whole of the UK is interconnected on The National Grid with UK-EU Grid Connectors directly with Eire, Holland and France, however the subject was only for the eventual replacement of ICE vehicles in the UK for EV charging demands and not the Global fleet. But I have every confidence that the World’s other nations are busy with their own plans for power availability as we speak!

 

[LostKiwi]

Well it scales on a regional and European level as the whole of the UK is interconnected on The National Grid with UK-EU Grid Connectors directly with Eire, Holland and France, however the subject was only for the eventual replacement of ICE vehicles in the UK for EV charging demands and not the Global fleet. But I have every confidence that the World’s other nations are busy with their own plans for power availability as we speak!

They do seem better organized!

 

[Craiglxviii]

Well it scales on a regional and European level as the whole of the UK is interconnected on The National Grid with UK-EU Grid Connectors directly with Eire, Holland and France, however the subject was only for the eventual replacement of ICE vehicles in the UK for EV charging demands and not the Global fleet. But I have every confidence that the World’s other nations are busy with their own plans for power availability as we speak!

It doesn’t really either. Throw in the growth expected in Europe and the tendency to reduce overall installed generating capacity in favour of more flexible solutions, then factor in the whole continental vehicle fleet plugging their cars in to charge between say 1700-1830GMT as people come home from work, and we are still stiffed for total annual capacity. The spot demand might be met but in total over the year, as things stand something somewhere will go short.

 

[Craiglxviii]

They do seem better organized!

You’d think so, but from what I’ve heard we have the most efficient, quickest switching grid going.

 

[Rappey69]

Good luck with your ambitions to own an EV but it won't ever be for me

It might not be for me either..
So bikes, wind that throttle up to 13,000 rpm, the engine makes a f1 type scream, look at your speedo and in seconds your looking at a ban.. Plus while your catapulted to crazy fast speeds a little voice jumps in and says "blowout, snaped chain, loss of control and therefore lots of pain or death" so one rapidly slows back down.
Quick cars, lots of noise which nearly always equates to one thinking lots of power, violent gearchanges, torque steer or back end fighting for grip, noise attracting lots of attention.. great fun but the car suffers (but it is a blast)
450kg aluminium boat with 200hp 2 stroke, crazy fast acceleration, a little out of control as each wave is unpredictable, but an absolute riot. £30 of fuel in 5 mins - fun soon runs out.
Honda quad bike, super quick from the lights, an absolute riot in the dirt but very twitchy on road (and that little voice comes back when nearly flat out on the motorway)
Had a lotus for 11 years, reasonably quick, but the cornering was on another level.. also great fun.
Did a track day with a formula Renault, no one got anywhere close to me, (think it was because it was because it was right hand gear shift and I was driving a lhd car at the time) drove a Ferrari and a rover gt or something ??? lol
So im not against riding/driving on the edge..
And you know whats coming now.. Its just completely different to anything else.. The sheer acceleration is absolutely breath taking and there is not really anything else like it.. So much so that in 2.24 secs it completely changed my outlook on ever having a powerful petrol car.
If you watched that video you would see the c63 which is a very quick car might as well have been a c220..
Im not an electric car fan at all and like you have zero interest in all, but one. Tesla model S is a car I could live with.. Its so similar in shape to the jag xf, its nice inside and very nice to drive and full of gadgetry .
Yes its very expensive new, but since its virtually the quickest car on the planet and extremely cheap to own once paid for it does have a lot going for it.
Do you not drive cars with powerfull engines for the feel good factor? There is a feel good factor when your in the quickest car around !
And one great advantage, grand prix traffic lights, you take off in silence thus not attracting any attention.
Petrol, diesel, lpg, hydrogen? and electric, they are all cars just with different "fuel" . Cant really see a problem there.
Look at some of the small engined snot boxes on the roads nowadays, 0-60 eventually and so slow to accelerate on fast roads..
At least the soulless electric cars are fairly quick !

 

[Tony Dyson]

It doesn’t really either. Throw in the growth expected in Europe and the tendency to reduce overall installed generating capacity in favour of more flexible solutions, then factor in the whole continental vehicle fleet plugging their cars in to charge between say 1700-1830GMT as people come home from work, and we are still stiffed for total annual capacity. The spot demand might be met but in total over the year, as things stand something somewhere will go short.

In addition to the two reactors under construction at Hinkley Point there are also plans for a Chinese reactor at Bradwell, Essex. In Jan this Year Hitachi temporarily suspended 4 reactors at Wylfa and Oldbury pending financial negotiations and there are still options under discussion for another site at Moorside on the Sellafield complex. Ferrybridge, Eggborough and Drax are all moving forward with plans to install additional CCGT Generators between 2-2.2GW Each, Coal is still being decommissioned and in the 1st QTR 2019 it provided less than 3% of demand, Ageing Nuclear plant losses will be taken up by the Hitachi proposal when they agree the financial package, and this is in addition to all the smaller 50-500MW sustainable grid connected installations constantly rolling out, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that here in the UK we already have enough capacity to charge EV’s no matter how fast they roll out.