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[YZ250]

Electrics arent exactly like automatics though afaik ?  Do they have drive / neutral/ reverse/ and a selector for various gears like an auto ? 

Perhaps just a forward and back switch? 

That's all my Merc has .... ie a column stalk (there's park & neutral too)

Both the BMW and Audi have Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive, so effectively forwards and backwards. They do both have Sport Mode with flappy paddles where you can select gears but that function isn’t necessary to make it move.
Passing your driving test in an EV currently entitles a person to a Cat B Auto licence, which means they are still entitled to drive automatic petrol or diesels, even though the driving characteristics are probably completely different. 

[LC0112G]

No flappy buttons on the back of the wheel

My merc has flappy paddles on the back of the wheel. Don't do anything mind - coz its a manual 

[Sir Tigger KC]

Electrics arent exactly like automatics though afaik ?  Do they have drive / neutral/ reverse/ and a selector for various gears like an auto ? 

Perhaps just a forward and back switch? 

That's all my Merc has .... ie a column stalk (there's park & neutral too)

Both the BMW and Audi have Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive, so effectively forwards and backwards. They do both have Sport Mode with flappy paddles where you can select gears but that function isn’t necessary to make it move.
Passing your driving test in an EV currently entitles a person to a Cat B Auto licence, which means they are still entitled to drive automatic petrol or diesels, even though the driving characteristics are probably completely different. 

I took my test in a Morris Marina 1300 Pickup with no synchromesh between 3rd and 2nd, so I had to double-de-clutch when changing down. 

Totally different driving characteristics to a modern electric vehicle, but it wouldn't stop me having a go in one!   

[Andy B]

No flappy buttons on the back of the wheel

there are ..... but they're not often used .....

[Raeturbo]

These lecky cars are going to cause a real nasty accident soon and the fact is, we all know it! 3000 cars and one life is just a starter imo.

[ronnyd]

Another problem is that you sometimes can't hear the buggers coming, which is, to me, dodgy in a "shared space" environment.
Just a low whine, which i thought was the wife talking.

[Nick W]

These lecky cars are going to cause a real nasty accident soon and the fact is, we all know it! 3000 cars and one life is just a starter imo.

So what? ICE cars and their drivers have been doing it everyday for a century.


I spotted a Police Tesla this morning being driven at high speed. I wonder if it had enough charge left to return to the garage?

[LC0112G]

These lecky cars are going to cause a real nasty accident soon and the fact is, we all know it! 3000 cars and one life is just a starter imo.

So what? ICE cars and their drivers have been doing it everyday for a century.

Yeahbut, the fire brigade also have 100 years experiance of how to put petrol/diesel/oil fires out. At the moment they've got less than 10 years knowldge of how to put a lithium fire out - to the extent that so far they're still struggling.

My cynical view is that the leccy cars need to reach 'critical mass' of takeup before there is a serious fire which kills dozens/hundreds of people - otherwise the public might start having a "Hindenberg" type fear of the new tech. For instance a big fire on the Chunnel or a cross channel ferry.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

One of them caused a nasty fire in the pits at Lydenn Hill Rallycross recently. Apparently some quick thinking people in the pits prevented something catastrophic from happening.

[Raeturbo]

These lecky cars are going to cause a real nasty accident soon and the fact is, we all know it! 3000 cars and one life is just a starter imo.

So what? ICE cars and their drivers have been doing it everyday for a century.

Yeahbut, the fire brigade also have 100 years experiance of how to put petrol/diesel/oil fires out. At the moment they've got less than 10 years knowldge of how to put a lithium fire out - to the extent that so far they're still struggling.

My cynical view is that the leccy cars need to reach 'critical mass' of takeup before there is a serious fire which kills dozens/hundreds of people - otherwise the public might start having a "Hindenberg" type fear of the new tech. For instance a big fire on the Chunnel or a cross channel ferry.

               Of course… this is what I meant thankyou👍

[YZ250]

I wonder what will happen the first time one catches fire on the Chunnel.

The fires are a serious concern, serious enough for me to not want an EV anywhere near my house. If anyone remembers, over 40 years ago BMW made a fully electric vehicle named the BMW E1. It was just a trial at the time to see if a fully electric vehicle was a feasible possibility. It was a success for the engineers, with a range of around 125 miles if I remember correctly but, while on charge overnight it suddenly burst in to flames and destroyed it. Fast forward to current day, technology has moved on, the batteries have improved but they are still catching fire. Tesla’s, JLR iPace, Chevrolet, Dodge, Toyota, Mitsubishi and electric buses, bikes and scooters, they’ve all had incidents of fire. The percentage of this happening is quite low apparently, but not low enough for some people to be comfortable having an EV within a few feet of their house.

[Nick W]

I wonder what will happen the first time one catches fire on the Chunnel.

The fires are a serious concern, serious enough for me to not want an EV anywhere near my house. If anyone remembers, over 40 years ago BMW made a fully electric vehicle named the BMW E1. It was just a trial at the time to see if a fully electric vehicle was a feasible possibility. It was a success for the engineers, with a range of around 125 miles if I remember correctly but, while on charge overnight it suddenly burst in to flames and destroyed it. Fast forward to current day, technology has moved on, the batteries have improved but they are still catching fire. Tesla’s, JLR iPace, Chevrolet, Dodge, Toyota, Mitsubishi and electric buses, bikes and scooters, they’ve all had incidents of fire. The percentage of this happening is quite low apparently, but not low enough for some people to be comfortable having an EV within a few feet of their house.

Presumably you drain and purge the the fuel tank of vapours, then remove the battery before pushing any ICE car near your house? My experience of burnt out cars suggests that most of them were started by electrical faults.


I'm slightly surprised that nobody yet has been killed while working on electric cars.

[Raeturbo]

As pointed out earlier though it’s far easier to put an ICE car out than an electric car they just keep burning.

[YZ250]

I wonder what will happen the first time one catches fire on the Chunnel.

The fires are a serious concern, serious enough for me to not want an EV anywhere near my house. If anyone remembers, over 40 years ago BMW made a fully electric vehicle named the BMW E1. It was just a trial at the time to see if a fully electric vehicle was a feasible possibility. It was a success for the engineers, with a range of around 125 miles if I remember correctly but, while on charge overnight it suddenly burst in to flames and destroyed it. Fast forward to current day, technology has moved on, the batteries have improved but they are still catching fire. Tesla’s, JLR iPace, Chevrolet, Dodge, Toyota, Mitsubishi and electric buses, bikes and scooters, they’ve all had incidents of fire. The percentage of this happening is quite low apparently, but not low enough for some people to be comfortable having an EV within a few feet of their house.

Presumably you drain and purge the the fuel tank of vapours, then remove the battery before pushing any ICE car near your house? My experience of burnt out cars suggests that most of them were started by electrical faults.


I'm slightly surprised that nobody yet has been killed while working on electric cars.

Hang on Nick, we’re busy slagging off EV’s here, so don’t let real facts spoil the story. 

[Raeturbo]

🤣