Does this mean the end of sports cars is near ?
Discussion
A big step forward.
It has been reported that a Nissan Leaf has driven itself from Cranfield to Sunderland.
I don't think it is stated, whether the spare drivers ever needed to touch the controls.
Will we want to, or be allowed to drive Aston Martin sports cars, when the roads are full of these cars.
Electric cars are at present expensive, imagine the cost of an electric auto driving car.
https://news.google.com/articles/CAIiEK0B0KFUR8nwg...
( There is a video following an advert. )
Edited by Jon39 on Wednesday 5th February 14:18
Eventually driving ICE will be like smoking cigarettes, the environment issues are only going to get worse so by 2030 onwards especially if electric cars get really practical drving a ICE will be very frown upon.
I'll be driving an Aston ICE car past 2035 as a weekend car but probably an electric as a daily drive if practical.
I'll be driving an Aston ICE car past 2035 as a weekend car but probably an electric as a daily drive if practical.
I do wonder how this will all end. Is the driver/owner going to have to sign a disclaimer when they buy the car, just in case one of the many systems develops a bug and kills them and/or their passengers? What about third parties, do they claim from the owner or the manufacturer if they are in an accident with one of these vehicles? Will insurers price policies depending on how reliable the software is? Will an owner require a driving licence or any knowledge of how the highways operate?
Which brings me on to wonder, is there a need for autonomous vehicles?
Which brings me on to wonder, is there a need for autonomous vehicles?
Monkeylegend said:
Why would the cost of an electric self driving car be any more expensive than an equivalent combustion engined car?
I know little about electric cars, or self driving cars. An electric motor is obviously simpler than an IC engine, but all those lap top batteries (is it hundreds?) must total a fair amount.
We can take an example of an everyday car, say the new Vauxhall Corsa, which is available with a petrol or electric power.
Vauxhall Corsa petrol = £15,750.
Vauxhall Corsa Electric
They don't seem to advertise the price of the electric version, so adding the PCP components;
£4,485 + (47×£299) + £10,476 = £29,014.
Then there is the additional self drive equipment.
Imagine the cost to develop the self driving technical stuff. Even some of the existing dominant car manufacturers, have joined forces to share costs. Those costs will presumably be passed on to the customers.
kevin_cambs_uk said:
Does this mean Aston Martin will
No longer produce ICE cars after 2035?
Didn’t the news state that no new ICE or Hybrid cars can be SOLD in the UK after 2035? I guess on that basis AM can still produce them but will have to sell them elsewhere? I assume that will apply to all manufacturers. I would have thought markets like the US and China will still be happy to buy them, on the assumption they don’t adopt a similar path as early as the UK. We shall see. It is certainly a kick in the teeth for a UK industrial sector that is already struggling. No longer produce ICE cars after 2035?
Best Regards
Minglar
Edited by Minglar on Wednesday 5th February 16:40
Electric cars are only more expensive because manufactures (currently) sell less of them. Just like that fancy LED TV that you bought a few years ago that you can now buy the new and better version of for a fraction of the price you paid. Normal market dynamics. Price = R&D costs depreciation + target profit divided by number of units sold. As the latter increases significantly the former decreases inversely.
The average electric car in 5-10 years time will cost no more in real terms than equivalent ICE today.
The average electric car in 5-10 years time will cost no more in real terms than equivalent ICE today.
Edited by wnd on Wednesday 5th February 18:24
Minglar said:
kevin_cambs_uk said:
Does this mean Aston Martin will
No longer produce ICE cars after 2035?
Didn’t the news state that no new ICE or Hybrid cars can be SOLD in the UK after 2035? No longer produce ICE cars after 2035?
Minglar
That I think was the original announcement yesterday, but during the early evening, there was an interview on BBC Radio 4. A government minister, or perhaps assistant deputy under minister, was quite amusing by not answering any of the questions, but did say the announcement was not a ban in 2035, it was an announcement of a consultation about a ban in 2035.
Perhaps they had an ear bashing from the motor industry during the day.
There was mention today describing a scenario, that a big adoption of electric cars could result in a huge shortage of some of the battery ingredients. Think cobalt was mentioned. Such a shortage would obviously create an upward price spike.
True or not, who knows.
Edited by Jon39 on Wednesday 5th February 19:04
Jon39 said:
That I think was the original announcement yesterday, but during the early evening, there was an interview on BBC Radio 4. A government minister, or perhaps assistant deputy under minister, was quite amusing by not answering any of the questions, but did say the announcement was not a ban in 2035, it was an announcement of a consultation about a ban in 2035.
Perhaps they had an ear bashing from the motor industry during the day.
There was mention today describing a scenario, that a big adoption of electric cars could result in a huge shortage of some of the battery ingredients. Think cobalt was mentioned. Such a shortage would obviously create an upward price spike.
True or not, who knows.
Edited by Jon39 on Wednesday 5th February 19:04
Batteries are made from some of the most toxic materials to mine/extract from the environment, such as cobalt mentioned above. Then there is the charging infrastructure, or lack thereof. 15 years is no time at all. What is going to generate all the required electricity needed to charge them. What incentive is there for a car owner to switch to a new electric car after 2035?
wnd said:
Electric cars are only more expensive because manufactures (currently) sell less of them. Just like that fancy LED TV that you bought a few years ago that you can now buy the new and better version of for a fraction of the price you paid. Normal market dynamics. Price = R&D costs depreciation + target profit divided by number of units sold. As the latter increases significantly the former decreases inversely.
The average electric car in 5-10 years time will cost no more in real terms than equivalent ICE today.
I still wouldn't buy one if they were half price.The average electric car in 5-10 years time will cost no more in real terms than equivalent ICE today.
Edited by wnd on Wednesday 5th February 18:24
yellow_tang said:
Monkeylegend said:
Not wanting to walk everywhere is probably incentive enough for most.
True, but unless there is some serious incentive why would you exchange a perfectly fine petrol/diesel/hybrid for an electric only. I can’t see petrol stations disappearing that quickly.As I will be approaching 80 in 2035 I will take a rather flippant attitude to this somewhat stupid announcement. So:
1) I love the idea of autonomous cars: Obviously there will still be cyclists, horse riders, tractors, runners, people, cows, sheep and all sorts of stuff on the road so the AVs will be programmed not to hit them. Great, means I can drive my cars at them knowing they will always give way, will make overtaking them so much fun. The motorist in the classic car will be king of the road!
2) Petrol will not suddenly disappear, it is my firm belief that the worlds fuel companies will miraculously develop a synthesised liquid fuel that traditional ICE cars will run on.
3) Banning hybrids is daft. I have little interest in electric cars (in fact these days I have little interest in modern cars, other than as a means of transport), so to me the hybrid offers a good compromise. By banning them the government is telling manufacturers to stop developing hybrid technology. Hydrogen fuel cells seem to be an interesting way forward but lazy manufacturers are plugging away with 2.5 ton behemoths with giant batteries in the floor, stupid!
As for the end of the sports car? I doubt it, there will always be people who get enjoyment from the thrill of driving.
1) I love the idea of autonomous cars: Obviously there will still be cyclists, horse riders, tractors, runners, people, cows, sheep and all sorts of stuff on the road so the AVs will be programmed not to hit them. Great, means I can drive my cars at them knowing they will always give way, will make overtaking them so much fun. The motorist in the classic car will be king of the road!
2) Petrol will not suddenly disappear, it is my firm belief that the worlds fuel companies will miraculously develop a synthesised liquid fuel that traditional ICE cars will run on.
3) Banning hybrids is daft. I have little interest in electric cars (in fact these days I have little interest in modern cars, other than as a means of transport), so to me the hybrid offers a good compromise. By banning them the government is telling manufacturers to stop developing hybrid technology. Hydrogen fuel cells seem to be an interesting way forward but lazy manufacturers are plugging away with 2.5 ton behemoths with giant batteries in the floor, stupid!
As for the end of the sports car? I doubt it, there will always be people who get enjoyment from the thrill of driving.
paulrog1 said:
Eventually driving ICE will be like smoking cigarettes, the environment issues are only going to get worse so by 2030 onwards especially if electric cars get really practical drving a ICE will be very frown upon.
We'll probably only be allowed to have ICE vehicles in plain dull colours with large health warnings down each side, won't be allowed to use them indoors (banned from tunnels and multi storey's) and used car dealers selling them will not be allowed to display them, they'll have to hide them behind large grey doors rather than showroom windows.Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff