Forum

[Presto]

This revolutionary idea of the extinction of the internal combustion engine will mean the loss of the aesthetic delight of the evocative sounds and smells we’ve all come to appreciate over many years.

It brought to mind one of Murray Walker’s finest commentaries on the Stanley Schofield Sound Stories (remember those?). The 7 inch EP album dedicate to Bob Mac includes the memorable line: ‘Never again would the sound of Bob’s single cylinder Norton be heard reverberating from the misty heights of Snaefell’.

Nor down the High Street! How true!

[PeteF]

Trouble is, the whole world needs to work together to solve the problem of climate change and the last time the world worked together was...........errr..........??
Mmmmmm.

[Presto]

And when we've solved that one (!!!???) we may get round to giving a thought to solve some of the other problems that will still be there!
Or is climate change our only human problem??!!

[Wheaters]

As far as I understand it, the new rules about "no more" IC engines applies only to the sale of NEW vehicles, not the banning of the use of existing ones.

There has to be a good, workable infrastructure to support "pure" electric vehicles (which must be both practical and affordable for the general public), or our transport and economy will come to a standstill. At the moment, what little infrastructure there is in UK is nothing more than a token effort. There are huge problems to overcome. For example, how will vehicle owners cope if they cannot access a charging point, especially overnight? Who will want to pay £40,000 for a car with no motive power?

The latter will never be allowed to occur, especially in these times of ongoing government targets for "economic growth".

[stinkwheel]

It was always going to come.

People still ride horses as a recreational activity, I can see our bikes becoming a similar passtime. They wont be banned per-se, just superceeded and the support network for running them will gradually disappear (like every town doesn't now have a livery stable). The ICE will gradually phase-out for everyday use and become a hobby. Even if they stop supplying petrol, the modifications to run our machines on ethanol are well documented.

I could see the day where there is an informal network of back yard fuel dumps for touring purposes, similar to the LPG supply network.

[Andy C]

Well it's not set to happen before 2035, by which time I shall be 75 so not over worried / concerned by it all, but still hope to be riding health permitting.

What really could see our old clunkers off the road is legislation, and constant lobbying by the likes of Gritty Turdburgers followers and those annoying PC "celebrities" that have all jumped on the environmental bandwaggon.

As things are at the moment I cant see the proposal being viable, we would need massive improvements in battery technology and charging infrastructure, not to mention the cost of buying an EV which would have to come down to make them affordable to the masses.

The government or the greens never mention how the mining and processing of all the various materials uses huge amounts of energy and causes pollution on a massive scale.

I am not saying that something needs to be done, but this proposal does not seem right.

[stinkwheel]

The emissions from electric vehicles from source to road are outrageously high. They are just not being emitted at the point of use

There's no point converting to electric until the charging supply is zero carbon too.

Here are some interesting stats I came across in a peer reviewed article on ground level ozone comparing overall emissions of different fuel types (based on Uk grid electricity being used to make the car).

https://link.springer.com/article/10.10 ... 017-0263-7

[Presto]

Excellent stinkwheel!

This is the very thing that we won’t hear – but we should.

When last did we hear the BBC talk about the CO2 emissions of battery manufacture? [Tesla battery equivalent to 4 yrs average motoring in a small car.] Or the environmental vandalism of lithium mining? Or the amount of water used to make a pint of beer? ( )

[Bullet Whisperer]

I have also read that although CO2 levels are rising, they are rising from what were dangerously low levels.

[Presto]

I understand the probable outrage that would follow a decision to take internal combustion engines off the road. But what climate advantage would there be if they were left on the road and run together with the (highly polluting) electric versions?

If climate protection is the aim (wise or unwise) then internal combustion engines must come off the road. That has to be the logic (false or otherwise) of the climate lobby.