how much energy is wasted driving a petrol car

[Oliver90owner]

The forum title reads “Renewable energy and Sustainability Discussions”, does it not?

Fossil fuels are NOT sustainable in any way, shape, or form in my book. End of discussion, I think.

[Joeboy]

The forum title reads “Renewable energy and Sustainability Discussions”, does it not?

Fossil fuels are NOT sustainable in any way, shape, or form in my book. End of discussion, I think.

Note, "your book". Absolutely fine but it is your book. There are many books out there. As to "end of discussion", really?

[Stinsy]

We'd all be driving these EV beasts, as they on the face of it, if the reliabilty was all its cracked up to be.

They are an absolute steal for the specification of what you get for your £25k. Who on earth would buy a Nissan Leaf instead?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... 2038679792

The fact of the matter is if the software (for example) goes the shape of a pear then its a very cheap for what you get, rather large looking ornament on your drive - Its totally false to claim that EV are anymore reliable than a cheap old diesel/petrol/hybrid etc etc.

Everything breaks and fails at some point.

Its just an opinion, not some sort of industry propaganda conspiracy theory. My industry is water.

I don't know where you're getting this information. Maybe you read the Daily Mail?

EVs are way more reliable than ICEVs : https://www.motorfinanceonline.com/news ... rt-rescue/

Very few people who've owned an EV would consider an ICEV.

https://transportandenergy.com/2024/07/ ... ck-to-ice/

What's happened to this forum? We didn't have FF industry propaganda on here before!

We have a broad Base of individuals with all sorts of views. Let's enjoy that and respect them all, not insult each other.

That would be uncool and then it would be legit to question what has happened to the forum.

As to ff propaganda, I've not seen that but even then it is a view.

No offence intended.

Some of the "opinions" written in this thread struck me as highly unusual in 2025. "EVs are only for wealthy people" and "EVs cost more run than ICEVs" and "EVs are unsuitable for long distances". Sure they were common in antiEV circles a decade ago, but I haven't heard them for years.

Nowadays it really is settled that EVs are cheap to buy and ultra-cheap to run, and that EVs are perfect for people who do long distances.

[Moxi]

Up until 4 years ago I routinely did around 4 to 5 thousand miles a month. Back then I drove a diesel focus just because it was cheap and as the second car racking up the miles wasn’t going to ruin the trade in as our second cars are usually the family skip and usually don’t survive to hit the third hand market.

Theses days I mostly work from home but every now and again I have a day trip to Kent on business and in that day I can do between 700 and 900 miles in under 24 hours. My car of choice for that is the Kia EV6, it’s almost effortless and I get home still feeling ok whereas in the focus I used to get home weary and often with leg and back aches.

Moxi

[Joeboy]

I remember buying cars for fifty.quid back in the day. Carrying out running repairs and trying to get a year out of them. End of life cycling rather that straight to the scrap yard (where they'd be relifed via parts then eventually crushed). It was exactly what I could afford and I did the best I could with them.

No way I could afford the gas car of the day compared to EV today as secondhand. People need to make money for their families. If that's in an 8th hand diesel punto good on em. I personally think that the EV is a significant financial and practical step beyond the majority of working class people. Apologies for terming it as class. Just "my book" and not judging others.

[MrPablo]

Things have massively improved, but there's still some way to go.
I'd be buying an older Kia Soul for my mum next week, but living in a local authority bungalow with no drive means no home charging.

It's a harder sell when you lose the major advantage of inexpensive and convenient overnight charging.

[Stinsy]

I remember buying cars for fifty.quid back in the day. Carrying out running repairs and trying to get a year out of them. End of life cycling rather that straight to the scrap yard (where they'd be relifed via parts then eventually crushed). It was exactly what I could afford and I did the best I could with them.

No way I could afford the gas car of the day compared to EV today as secondhand. People need to make money for their families. If that's in an 8th hand diesel punto good on em. I personally think that the EV is a significant financial and practical step beyond the majority of working class people. Apologies for terming it as class. Just "my book" and not judging others.

I don't think "bangernomics" works how it used to. Cars made in the last few decades are complex and parts are expensive and difficult to DIY-fit.

Sure you can buy a £1500 diesel Focus if you want, but it'll suffer several £500 breakdowns a year (used parts). Whereas a £5k LEAF will keep rolling saving you hundreds in fuel as well as parts and inconvenience. That isn't to say EVs cannot break down, just that similar vintage, they're much less likely to.

Here is a 200k mile EV reliably chomping motorways:

[Moxi]

Yep that’s a major obstacle to ownership and one the government and local authorities could and should be applying themselves to sort rather than what appears to be the opposite in many instances.

If they did then that would be another group of the public that could take advantage of EV ownership if it ticked all their other needs too.

It’s always going to be horses for courses in terms of personal preference but municipal barriers to ownership should be addressed.

It’s a bit like wales having the 3m rule for heat pumps - considering so much of the housing stock is terraced they’ve effectively banned a significant proportion of homes from benefitting from a government subsidised strategy ?

Madness

Moxi

[resybaby]

Me too Moxi, big mileage driver. Private and business. Job involves covering the whole countys of Cornwall and Devon, and im the only individual covering my role for all that patch = big miles, plan as best to reduce but outside of my total control as needs dependant.

Family 250 miles away so very regular long day trips, one last wednesday as it happens - collect my dog from parents, dentist for the wife (none here in cornwall so enforced travel) flowers on MIL grave and a rpoorly rellie visit. 650 miles in total in 24hours.
Doing that sort of day doesnt allow me spare time to 'charge' anything up, and i dont want to stop every few hours for coffee, rotate the driver etc, so its diesel for me. But my motor specifically chosen for silly mpg -76, its the best im able to do, and im more than comfortable to justify it. Tank does 700 miles, filled the day before.
Others may take whatver view they like, personal opinions are each of our right to have and hold.
Also tend to run my cars into the ground (Polo just recently conked at 165k) Last two cars Citroen & Peugeot did 225k each and still going well when sold on for a few hundred as a banger.
Maximum use of materials already used adds to the 'green' of not replacing with modern shiny new ones to keep up with the Jones, which is a regretable modern nonsense.
Best 'green' motor i ever had was a real cheap ciroen AX 1.5d. 80mpg, and it ran on 80-100% vegatable oil. Drove that for five years and engine wise it was better at the end of its life than the mechanical bits, which just dropped off as it was soooooo cheaply made.
The seats in that were oike sitting on a badly made tea tray - awful things

THAT was green motoring - and way back in the 90's.
Of course, can also offset usage, i grow trees (chestnut and oak) with local Gardening society and plant via local authority. And i dont feel the need to fly abroad on holiday like many, my whole life is about reduce reuse recyle, and i more than do my bit, i think.
Resy

[Moxi]

Ahh yes I remember those and the much sought after Citroen bx which was liked for its speed and cheapness in South Yorkshire in my yuff - sorry yuff - it got so bad that the SY constabulary had a stop and search policy for bx’s due to the use for racing and other youthful pursuits of the time - at that time I for my sins was riding the 2 stroke MZ125 which was less than fast or racy looking but cheap and oh so reliable

Moxi