James May Talks EVs | Electric Cars, Chargers & Gin!

[@chrisduffill5248]

James May with a very sensible talk about EV’s well done

[@EcoFP33]

Agreed. If only all people applied common sense rather than posting a video of the 1 EV that's on fire with no context at all.

[@MattCasters]

Neither Clarkson nor May have any credibility when talking about EVs. It's like watching Eskimo's debate the advantages of different types of beach wear or something like that.

[@sync232]

@@MattCasters How so?

[@davidbee8178]

@@MattCasters Yes, how so? May seems to be very reasonable IMHO

[@MattCasters]

They couldn't stop saying negative things about EVs in the past. Now that EVs are stubbornly not going away and nothing they could possibly say or do stopped EV growth, May find it's time to be "reasonable and fair" about the whole thing. How wonderful.

[@hadtopicausername]

Writing from Norway here. If you have fast chargers everywhere where people tend to stop for food and a trip to the loo anyway, then planning the drive becomes much less of an issue.

[@leftcoaster67]

Norway should be the model everyone else follows.

[@philipbrown9006]

@@leftcoaster67 Norway can afford to build fast chargers everywhere because of the money they make from oil exports. Not every Country can afford to do this.

[@davidgrisco1939]

Ah, Norway. Been there so many times on business trips. Beautiful places, loved the reindeer steaks and dark Aas beer. But heavens, the taxation and standing in line for nearly everything. I'll pass on Norway's EV mandates.

[@hadtopicausername]

@@davidgrisco1939 "standing in line for nearly everything"? You mean at the grocery store, or...?

[@davidgrisco1939]

@hadtopicausername post office, adult beverage store, etc

[@MaxDigby-q1t]

At last a balanced and common sense discussion about transport in all forms. Especially EV’s.

[@toyotaprius79]

Highly recommend anyone Transport Evolved for balanced and transparent EV reporting

[@dwnrange7812]

James May gives the absolute best analysis & assessment on EVs. He needs a bigger platform

[@ramspace]

James May does have a very large project called James Gin, and of course he excels at it.

[@PazLeBon]

lololol

[@Cardifftoyboy1]

1 year in owning an EV. The RA terror lasted an hour on a journey from Devon to Wales. Now I feel stupid for feeling it.

[@abc33944]

How sad for you

[@peterloxham502]

Pointless! No useful information what so ever!

[@xprt642]

How about DA? 😂 (Deprecation Anxiety)

[@tommoger]

I don’t get RA, I get charging anxiety! Will it be available or working?

[@CorkyMcButterpants]

If only they could fix the dreaded *AFOCO** _*Absolute Fuckabout of Charging Overcomplication_

[@philw4625]

Glad to hear him saying this. The term 'appliance' is used to denigrate EVs but people seem to forget what we were driving in the 70's and 80's - Allegro, Marina, Chevette, skoda, lada to name a few. They were utter utter cr@p and totally disposable. They rusted within a few years and the engines didn't last and had a very short lifespan. They were 'appliances'. Supercars are great and im sure they're enormous fun, but most of us never own one and couldn't afford to. Seems daft to pine for something purely because Clarkson likes appearing on our TV once a week to chuck it round a track while reminding us how well off he is. For daily use, EV is fine, even with current technology. Plus you can have supercar acceleration in a normal budget. Keep ICE for fun, for sure. But don't stall progress over misty eyed nostalgia for something you never really had.

[@jimgraham6722]

Exactly haven't attended a gas station in over two years. An experience I don't miss at all. Best of all the EV is very comfortable and a true delight to drive.

[@toyotaprius79]

EVs are like a mix of both worlds, at least "short range" EVs when on a lengthy trip seem to demand the careful and calculated driving that a classic car would - route planning, drive with the road and hills don't knacker the engine (or range) by screaming "POWER" when overtaking uphill well over the speed limit. But on the other hand EVs do have the potential to last a long time with simple battery voltage balancing, the problem is the absolute apathetic business model of selling new models every 2 years. The second your transmission, ABS, engine or battery is a day out of warranty the only thing automakers want you to do is pony up to a new and inferior crossover SUV.

[@madmcadder4536]

I am a car enthusiast and I used to rally Escorts in the 80s. What I miss is not being able to maintain your vehicle. These days it has to be plugged into a computer for most maintenance. Nothing is accessible anymore and this was planned by the manufacturers in the early 2000s. I now drive an MX5 for fun motoring but my wife will also be leasing an EV next year for more regular transport as I no longer have any interest in modern ICE cars...... However in time I think hydrogen powered EVs are the future.

[@philw4625]

@@toyotaprius79 Id agree with that. Too many SUV type cars. I just want a car!

[@TheSmallRabbit]

Your spot on. 1970's and even upto the 90's cars were made to rust. My first car a Cortina MK3 at 3 years old was rusting badly by even the 90's standard. 100K miles on the engine was considered very high mileage, whereas an EV 500K miles is not out of the question.

[@alosman7121]

Yes, EV daily driving is just correct I like that

[@Shawn_M]

He's absolutely correct. For 90% of the driving most people do EVs are just superior. No noise, no vibration, instant power and response, and twice the efficiency (or more). He's right about battery size as well. 150 miles range is plenty... If you have home charging

[@PWN-E]

Maybe more like 250 miles minimum here in the western US. I have to slow down a bit to drive from Phoenix to Quartzite compared to my old ICE car.

[@sarahstephens5966]

Not even close. We've had our EV 2 months. It's going back.

[@PWN-E]

@@sarahstephens5966 why

[@Fromatic]

@@sarahstephens5966 which one and why?

[@Jamessansome]

Which EV have you got and why is it going back? Comments like this are usually by bots or it turns out you haven't got an EV and never respond.....

[@richardstamper5630]

Glad I am following in James's foot steps by owning a brilliant i3S. What kills us from long distant travel in the i3 is the ridiculous cost of electricity. At home we can charge the i3 from 30% to 100% for around £2.50. Out and about that same charge can cost £30~£40. What's up with this Country!!!

[@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834]

good point, charger prices are a rip off, but installation charges are huge obviously.

[@Jamessansome]

Reasonably priced destination chargers and not such huge rip off on-route chargers are key to adoption. If we go big on reasonably priced charging infrastructure and cars can accept fast 5-10min / 100mile added range rates then all cars will be lighter, cheaper, more spacious and faster for it.

[@leeandjancruise]

They don't tell you that on all the EV adverts that are being pushed.

[@x5toledo]

The country being governed by idiots in London constitutes a large proportion of what is wrong.

[@paulhaskins5191]

I seem to recall Elon describing cars like the Leaf as ‘shopping carts’. Having owned one for 9.5 years I have to agree - and it is wonderful because that is how it’s used 95% of the time. Why would I want some kind of complex fussy thing when all I really want is to transport me and my goods with total reliability at zero cost, comfort and safety?

[@DrDave_63395]

Thanks for this well balanced interview.

[@HunkumSpunkum]

I'm about to take delivery of a manual, petrol Golf GTI-can't wait...😊

[@theobserver844]

My partner has just leased a Tesla model 3 performance. It is a magical experience. It makes the old pistons compressing a mixture of fuel and air creating thousands of little explosions seem primitive one old fashion. The Tesla is actually the simplest car I have ever driven but levels a smile on my face

[@Alex-l6d1f]

Excellent summary of EV’s by James

[@thelaserhive3368]

Such a refreshing and sensible interview from James.

[@gazzaman28]

I've still got the small battery 60Ah i3 REX, very close to 10yrs old, on 122k miles, and range hardly affected at all. I adore it ❤

[@gerbre1]

He is the normal one.

[@wgg1848]

Very ‘down to earth’ interview, excellent.

[@simonreeves2017]

I’m a 60YO with an engineering background. James May was always my favourite TG presenter, I saw him as a voice of reason to counterbalance the other two. I too have a BMW i3, which I intend to keep for a long time. I completely agree with James’s thoughts on EV cars expressed in this podcast.

[@andyhamilton]

He had some good points, low cost sensible range of 120-150 miles (just so they don't need to use either end of the charge levels). Any ICE car should have the option to be EV from factory. Take out the engine and the petrol tank gives you more than enough space to fit the lower cost batteries. VW really missed mark with scrapping the E-golf but the battery was too expensive due to the cell arrangements having to be hand crafted to shape. Having a 8 second 0-60 and 120 miles range is more than adequate without the Golf feeling heavy. I moved to an EV solely on the maths, 2p per mile vs 12p per mile x 25,000 miles per year. saving £2500 per year, in 4 years years my £10,000 second hand eGolf will be completely offset by fuel. Doing 25,000 miles per year normally means I need to replace my car every 6 years so in reality I am about £2-3K per year better off, that does not include the clutch, 2 timing belts, turbo and DPF maintenance money I save. I can afford to own and run a nicer car like a model 3 but doing so many miles I realised that they all end up in a scrap yard. I do travel around 200 miles sometimes and charging out and about has never been an issue, worst case, I have waited an extra 10 minutes but this is far outweighed by the preferential wide car parking spaces gifted to EV chargers.

[@AlanTov]

Not bothered about climate change or pollution?

[@andyhamilton]

@ nope, currently my best investment return is in coal mining operations which are up 30% in the last 3 months. I did make an absolute fortune on solar companies a couple of years ago. Everything is supply and demand. Petrol cars/ electric cars included. Instead of thinking everyone has to move into EVs for green credentials, remember that there are people like myself who are so tight, I would only ever cry from one eye at a time.

[@jimgraham6722]

@@andyhamilton yep, since the switch we are saving about $5,000 per year in fuel and service costs. And a much nicer drive as well.

[@trevorberridge6079]

I got my 24kwh Nissan Leaf on a three year lease. I was meant to pay off a final lump sum after that time, but was made redundant and had less income. So I put the car on lease for another three years to pay it off. This demonstrates firstly that owning an EV is not expensive as I've never earned more than an average wage. But, by the time my lease was up and I took full ownership the savings had covered the entire cost of the car. It was effectively free. There's just no comparison with the Total Cost Of Ownership of an EV and an ICE. Also, while you can't easily put a bigger fuel tank in an ICE because you mostly won't have the room (and the same applies to hydrogen canisters) you can put a bigger capacity battery in an EV without it taking up any more space. In fact they could actually be made smaller. The Leaf and the Zoe can both swap every bigger battery version into the small battery version. The Leaf would go from minimum all day range of 90 miles to 113 miles, 150 miles or 230 miles. You can get a four year-old 62kwh Leaf with less than 30,000 miles on the clock for £13k. If it has the normal level of battery degradation per mile you would still have at least 215 miles of range or 93% of original range. EVs are just a no brainer. I call mine a rolling bank because it saves me so much money.

[@MrKlawUK]

@@andyhamiltonand you’ll have to be dragged along. Always some at the start of the curve and some at the end. But while supply and demand can be a purely market driven thing, it can also be a government driven thing - demand being ‘x% of cars moved to low/zero carbon by 20XX’

[@SimonHollandfilms]

as a private pilot and EV driver. i enjoy planning fuel stops and alternatives...ev driving had got all the real fun of planning a cross country trip....i like it.

[@maggygwire]

Good old James. I bought my model Y because I wanted to experiment with electric and it’s great. Of course I still love V8’s etc and I will still have them for as long as possible!!!

[@paulweston1106]

Couldn't agree more on the comment about moderate range but with faster charging.

[@goodfodder]

exactly, no need for a large battery if charging infrastructure was upto spec

[@chrishart8548]

They need to bring the price down on the public chargers it's not exactly 2p a Mile is it. I try to never use a public charger due to the cost.

[@arunps7719]

​@@chrishart8548 yep, they all will co regulate and inflate the price to feed their pockets. The gulf in pricing between home charging and outside is absurd

[@andyhorne9747]

I live in Australia and a lot of people I know say they won't buy an EV because of the large distances in Australia make them impractical. Then if I ask them when was the last time they drove from Melbourne to Sydney or Adelaide it's "oh, never, I fly." or "About 5 years ago". The fact is that most people only drive locally. The main issue is, as James said, if you live in a flat or don't have a garage, you don't have an easy way to charge.

[@ImLivinSD]

So when you charge up your EV you only recharge for one days use right ? As you don't need to go very far. Cause I know a lot of people who fill their tanks for whatever life brings them.

[@freetail75]

For those who travel up and down the motorways, James, range really helps as we can charge at the destination rather than having to stop so much. I'm happy to drive 5hrs without a break so if they can achieve that, that would be awesome.

[@scottrobson3472]

I loved this, someone sensible, acknowledging all the challeneges that people face and not just coming from a rigid point of view. I have had a phev (mercedes a250 saloon) for nearly 4 years, leased through my work place the nhs. From my personal point of view it is the structure and the networks and the costs that are the problem. I live in a terraced house and am not allowed to fit a charger because this would go over the pathway which is owned by the council. The 1st problem i encounted was local chargers, there were 3 in my local area when i first took ownership of the car, but they were ran by CYC (charge your car) and BP which were the same company as BP pulse had bougt out CYC, i have never been able to charge from these charge points as they were left to go ruin, the car park up on the high street was relaid and new charge points installed about 2 1/2.years ago, finally some investment but only for BP pulse to run 1 of the charges as BP pulse and the other as CYC even tho they were phasing out CYC, when i tried to join and charge there were loads of problems, lots of phone calls and the staff didnt even have the charge points on the system, for all the time i go up to the high street the charges are never used and i think they are obsolete now and the council is looking at another provider installing new charging points. The next problem is the cost of them even the 7kw charges when i first started would cost about 18-21p to charge but now it costs 40-50p to charge (plus also a joining fee and subscription) plus also a connection fee at times when you start a charge. The fast chargers costing nearly 80-90p is awful. For me there are too many companies not providing adequate charging and connection points. I remember going for a family day out in doncaster to a zoo and they had charging points it took me 20 mins to set up an account and then the app kept on failing so in the end i didnt end up charging it. I think i have aboiut 10-15 apps on my phone, I've come to charge at some charging points (when away) and there asking me to put a minumum of £10-20 on the account and with having the phev i will probably only use it once (and spend about £3-5 on a charge) and i might not use that provider again because they dont have charging points near to where i would travel, so again not able to charge. For me it is the structure and access that is failing accessing charging points. If o could go up to the high street, use chip and pin to charge my car thats not gonna coat me more than running the petrol engine i would but it doesn't. Thankfully the council have caught up from my intial contact nearly 4 years ago and they are looking into given access to charge from a terraced house, as long as you have an approved matt on the path, liabikity insurance and pay £50-80 each year, for them to write a certificate then you can get a charger installed. It is madness.

[@nettlesoup]

On a long journey I don't plan my stops as James suggests. I don't even worry about charging the car to full overnight beforehand. I just get in, put in the final destination and let the car work out the route, which is always via Superchargers that are en route. On the way if I need a quick toilet break, I often don't bother plugging in (even though there are several chargers available) because I know I'll plug in at the next longer lunch/coffee break stop in an hour or two. 2019 Long Range Model 3 btw. Same approach when I'm traveling down to South of France, just put in the destination for the day and let the car work it out.

[@georgepelton5645]

James talks about his car's need for charging not lining up with his need to stop and eat, etc. However, if you plan your trips you can line up your needs with the car's. I leave at 100% 4-5 hours before lunch, with a planned lunch stop at a supercharger. I also stop once or twice for restroom breaks at superchargers as needed. I leave when I am ready, and don't wait for the car to charge more. The car usually charges to 100% during lunch, and I can drive another 4-5 hours at highway speeds (75 mph) after lunch, with a 10 minute rest stop.

[@potetfilms7046]

Thats the issue, it needs a lot more planning. This will obviously get better, but currently (at least from my experience in Norway) its a lot less stressful to make longer journeys in an ICE car. If you dont mind the extra planning thats fantastic, but i know a lot of people mind.

[@georgepelton5645]

@ True. I like planning a trip, but most mainstream drivers probably don’t. As charging becomes available at nearly every highway exit, like gas stations, it will take less planning. This is probably already the case in Norway. What is left to do is only to pick a meal stop (with charging) about 4 hours after your start time. You only need to adjust your start time and meal time to accommodate. For longer daily distances, do another meal stop 4 hours later. When you need a rest stop, just do so at the next charger.

[@paguk2000]

James May is spot on we need to stop cars with more than a 50kw battery and improve charging to less than 5 mins

[@Brian-om2hh]

I charge my EV up in 12 seconds. Six seconds to plug it in at night, and a further six seconds to unplug it when I get up. I'm asleep for the charging part, so I don't need to worry about waiting. A Tesla Supercharger can add 75 miles of range in 5 minutes. You could stop, plug in, use the toilet, drink a coffee, and you'd have nigh on 200 miles of range added. Once solid state batteries arrive, it will mean that physically smaller, lighter battery packs that charge much more quickly, will mean that many of the present issues will vanish.

[@toyotaprius79]

Public destination chargers that are anywhere from a 3 pin granny cable to 22kW 3 phase are sorely underrated

[@georgepelton5645]

"Moderate" range (250 miles) with fast charging is best, I agree. However I disagree that 5 min charging is needed. Taking a 10-15 minute rest stop, with 5 min walk from charger to restroom is ideal, IMO. Those short walks do wonders for your body on long road trips. Add in 30-60 min charge for meal breaks and my Teslas are always ready to continue before I am on long road trips.

[@hcw199]

​@@Brian-om2hhI would struggle to sleep with a ev parked on charge in the garage.... Make sure the smoke alarms work.

[@johnnodge4327]

​@@hcw199 I'd be more concerned about having an ICE car in the garage. An ICE car is 100 times more likely to go on fire than an EV, which is a proven fact, not anti-EV BS. How often has your phone gone on fire? Probably never, and an EV is no different.

[@martincullip9412]

Very pleasant and enjoyable conversation, thanks for publishing it.

[@Steve-co1ic]

I owned a 911 but sold it to avoid further spinal injury from driving on the UK road system

[@urbanstrencan]

James May is such a great speaker just amazing to hear from him

[@DrDave_63395]

I wonder if James limiting his use of EV to short journeys that he is not aware of how much the national charging infrastructure has come on. I find little compromise between finding a convenient EV charger and somewhere to recharge the humans

[@TheSmallRabbit]

Yep 100%

[@bordersw1239]

Can you imagine what it would be like for well known TV celebrity to have to stop and charge , surrounded by fans every single time they stop.

[@fryke]

@@bordersw1239better to be stopped for talks during a 30 min charging stop, than being stopped for 30 min of talks during a 5 min petrol station stop, I‘d say.

[@garyclements154]

i thnk most realise the charging network is much better, though still not there. The problem is, charging anywhere at home defeats the extra price of EVs, and makes ICE cars better value

[@AndyfromSurrey]

James May talks such sense. He, or people like him need to be involved with the government and planning the transition etc. I’ve been saying for ages we need to get away from big SUVs & 4x4s and back to hatchbacks & estate cars. Things like the Dacia make sense. So many people would find 150 mile range to be enough. But if there was guaranteed fast charging on route then occasional longer journeys would not be an issue. Currently I’m not changing my current car, Toyota 2.0 self charging Corolla estate as it suits my needs. Plus, as I only do 8k a year usually on long journeys it is very economical. We also need to remember that scrapping ICE cars it not a great idea as they exist already & the CO2 has already been used to make them so is long as they are not stupid great gas guzzlers they should be used until end of their natural life. As for electrifying classic cars, i don’t get this! As James says, keep the classic with its original engine and/or just buy a standard EV. Biggest things about classic cars is the noise & smell, get rid of this and it’s just nice thing to look at 😂. I love driving a small sports car, the noise when heal & toeing is just brilliant. James, you really should be involved with government as you are actually are in touch with the world & talk sense 👍🏻

[@sismith5427]

When all EVs see a road tax increase next year to 199 per year base, and for EVs over 40k (which is really most of them) £410 per year under the Expensive Car Supplement, that's going to put most EVs not that far off the top tax band. They are doomed at that point, if people are expected to jump from sub 200 tax for a small engine ice, up to 500 per year for the equivalent small EV, the incentive is gone. I know the government are trying to fill the void of fuel duty, but they are killing the whole market with the additional tax coming down the line

[@lezbarker2673]

I wish people understood that all governments make most of their taxes from the fuel tax. Now as EV’s are eating into their profits they will start taxing you driving every mile. 😂

[@steve_is_my_name]

I like James's stance on EVs, there is some reality there. I don't totally agree with charging anxiety in that i have completed plenty of long journeys in my EV (Tesla M3LR), including UK to Greece and back. Charging was never a worry for me. For the long haul it was 25 mins charging per 3.5 hours of driving and cost £119 for electricity in total. Battery tech is pushing in three directions; cheaper, higher density, faster charging. Give it 10 years of development and battery tech will far exceed ICE age range and costs. I'm making it up, but 2,000 miles of range, charging at 500 miles per 10 mins seems achievable. Anyway, good video 👍👍

[@kalex381]

James is right…it’s the battery technology that’s the problem in terms of range and charging time. I can hardly recall any negative comments on electric motor technology. At the moment, EVs are most suited for short daily trips mostly in congested cities. But people don’t want to spend 40/50k on EVs for such a limited boring driving. Uk should do it like China where EVs are sold at under USD15k even in some cases under 10k.

[@markburton8303]

@@kalex381 when you say boring drive, what EVs have you driven that are boring? I have an Enyaq, which on the surface is about as boring as they come, but as a means of transports, it's fantastic. It's also not a particularly fast one, but, it's really fun to see supposedly fast cars trying to keep up.

[@kalex381]

@ I refer to big city driving where one undertakes many short trips at very slow average speeds…not many people want/cant spend 40/50k or more on an EV to drive to the supermarket at 30 mph for example What you need a small affordable EV like they do in China where even if the car has max 100 miles range, it’s irrelevant because you don’t drive that far… for longer trips, an EV is currently a big compromise compared to ICE cars.

[@steve_is_my_name]

@kalex381 EVs are completely fine on long trips. If you want to drive more than 4 hours non-stop then may be not, but i am iching for a break at 3.5 hours. Charge time is 20 to 25 mins. Enough time for a pee, coffee and stretch.

[@chrishart8548]

​@@steve_is_my_nameI drove 2.5h to my destination and 2.5h Back and still had 50% left. I've not even used a public charger yet.

[@Rufus2005f1]

Top man James, speaks a lot of sense

[@stephenbagwell8275]

5 minutes to charge is too quick The biggest problem is the wide variation in price between Tesla superchargers and the other rapid charger companies

[@n2kos]

Absolutely spot on! this week my home charger had a melt down so I was forced to use the Shell and BP offerings at 0.87p per Kw😂 Tesla zero issues in using zero apps etc and 0.38p Rip off Shell and BP and the others some on M25 £1 per Kw😂😂

[@EVMan298]

@@n2kos*p/kWh

[@javelinXH992]

If I want to enjoy old fashioned machinery which stirs the heart, is nostalgic and brings the magic of previous generations of engineering to life, then I will enjoy a day out at a heritage railway being hauled around by a steam locomotive. The idea of the London commuter rail network being operated by steam locomotives is horrific. Dirty, polluting and less reliable. There is a time and place for both technologies.

[@PazLeBon]

ok grandad

[@javelinXH992]

@ yes indeed. 😉

[@paulbrowne6087]

James views of EV uptake is the same as my own. Cheap, fast charging and smaller more efficient, lighter batteries.

[@jamesm90]

EVs are Suitable for 90% of journeys. Thats exactly the enormous elephant in the room. You need another car for 10% of journeys, as James said. Therefore you may as well buy the ice car which is suitable for 100% of journeys.

[@sarahstephens5966]

Amen. My Suburban has a tested 756 mile range, refuels in 5 minutes, no waiting for other EV owners to finish their hour recharge.

[@PWN-E]

@sarahstephens5966 1.) You're replying to Europeans. Your American experience is barely relevant. 2.) You're spending $100 for 550 miles. Woof! 😂😅🥲😥 EVs spend $25 for the same distance 99% of the time. (And since you're responding to Europeans, they'd spend $200 to refuel your lubricant-burning dinosaur)

[@DarrellMinards]

Wow....your bladder and stomach can survive driving for 765 miles without stopping. I'd be impressed if I believed it 😅​@@sarahstephens5966

[@fredfred2363]

The problem with ALL new cars is that the manufacturers are gradually reducing the ability for people to repair them. Simply swapping parts is no longer allowed. Meaning repair costs are spiraling, as each manufacturer has a monopoly to fix their own design. "Unless you pay us lots of money your car is toast."

[@lonpfrb]

Right to Repair..

[@pace_tracker]

Good episode! 🤙🏼

[@allanmurphy7474]

I agree, electric cars are the way. After you have your first drive people tend to get hooked. We should learn from our experience with the introduction of Japanese cars in the 70’s. They are coming we might as well embrace them. My 300 mile EV6 charges from below 10% to 80% in less than 20 minutes at a 250 dc charger

[@shadoutmaples7341]

Well done. Both of you. Greatings from Germany.

[@thelongfreeride]

As always, a lot of sense talked by James. Having done (and documented) long European road trips in our EV he is correct in describing it a bit as charger hopping (and sometimes hoping). However, I see this as becoming less of an issue as the technologies improve and the infrastructure improves. Till we reach a point where affordable, quality charging sites are as ubiquitous as petrol stations are today.

[@stevedunn3113]

Good interview. Having eaten at James' pub I can confirm that the parking is quite limited. Fortunately my Tesla lives near enough not to need destination charging, but imo all pubs with car parks need to be considering them now. Like them or not, EVs are here to stay and will only proliferate.

[@SamiP398]

The idea of small batteries with fast charging really sounds like the future of EVs, assuming that would lead to cheaper maintenance costs and better efficiency due to lower weight.

[@PWN-E]

I love James' comment about a fast-charging, short range, light, sporty EV! Club racing my Model 3 Performance great fun but I miss racing a lightweight Rx7, Miata, or my old Corvair. Note, those cars were only good for 100-200 miles miles too! Lighter EVs please!

[@FamilyMorcChannel]

Excellent discussion, well balanced.

[@anguspaterson5713]

The cheaper, smaller EVs are coming in greater numbers - Dacias, the new Renault R5 (though the Zoe, which has been around for years now, is a really good car), Hyundai Inster and more, but I think James is right that if they could increase the charging speeds of those cars (the R5 is only a maximum of 100kW DC compared to 250+ on Teslas and other cars) then we really could see them take off.

[@Pete_YT]

Surely Captain Slow should be making Sloe Gin. Add some Damsons and its Dam Sloe Gin!

[@3184Patrick]

100% agree. I have a daily driver 2019 Hyundai Ioniq ands its 200Km of range and light weight i believe is almost perfect for an EV. Other than the once a year long trip i take its perfect for 350 days of the year.

[@simonbuckler7784]

Electric car ownership in the UK revolves around being able to charge at home - not just the speed of charging (it's effectively quicker than ICE to plug in at home overnight then have to go out your way to drive to a petrol station) but the cost (7.5p for home charging, or 80p for a public charger) is also a huge issue. There is also no easy way to install street charging in cities (e.g. put a couple of plugs in all the lamposts) because you would need to rewire the whole city due to the massive power requirements at huge expense. That makes electric a thing for middle class suburbia where it's great, but it's not going to take over city centres as it's expensive and impractical. Hence I suspect if you live in a flat in London or Manchester the aim is to stop you owning a car altogether and to just rely on public transport or ubers (which outside of London is pretty terrible).

[@madmcadder4536]

For most of the population cars are just transport they might get invested in the badge or size and shape and goodies inside. But if you are on a budget price and practicality are most important.

[@ianrob4760]

which as more and more EV chargers get rolled out then we know which will win ...

[@TomaszJakubKusienicki]

"We do not have range anxiety, we have charging anxiety" - well said.

[@georgepelton5645]

I have been told by Norwegians that flats there are all equipped with L2 changing. If true, this was done fairly quickly. The UK, US, and other countries should be able to do the same, but I expect it will take a lot more time.

[@Expedition_Tranquilo]

I bloody well hope they eventually produce an ev 911 - that’s what I promised my wife I’d get as soon as it comes out.

[@alanc6416]

7:40 so true. Electric motor is the way to go in the future, just the storage of electricity requires technological advancement through demand. The batteries today are already pretty great and if the can reduce the weight by 50% in the future, these cars would weight the same as petrol cars. And who knows batteries can be lithium or even hydrogen for that matter, whatever powers the electric motors I would compare ICE cars to mechanical watches however, as they are usually purchased for the appreciation of its mechanics rather than telling time. Which is all fine with me except it’s much more expensive to run than a watch.

[@Ade2bee]

A great example of having to pay back the 'obligation' Those who know, know

[@iansmith1556]

James May appears to be the only sensible member of the old Top Gear.

[@andreasnorstedt4009]

I have an X long range in Northumberland, you are welcome to review it. It’s a great appliance that performs above expectations.

[@NAY2GAS]

Great Podcast! I subscribed

[@maxflight777]

James is correct about tariffs

[@MrNilOrange]

Spot on James. I love ICE cars because of the engineering miracles that have made an impractical traction motor into a ubiquitous and easy to operate device. But electric motors make far more sense given battery technology development.

[@stevelovescars]

Here in the Midwestern US, the charging infrastructure between cities is sorely lacking and what does exist sadly unreliable aside from Tesla. That said, many families have multiple cars and surely one could be a medium range EV used for running errands, driving the kids to school, and commuting. The other car can be an ICE vehicle for those rare round trips.

[@bshah4831]

Great common sense views on EVs. i personally don't mind planning EV stops for long journeys, but this is not for everyone. I agree, fast charging is the key but also sensible prices!

[@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834]

EV's are the future, ease of use, instant torque, clean and quiet.😊

[@lonpfrb]

Noise and dirt back at the factories and later the scrap yard. We need to see the full life cycle not just the middle bit that manufacturers want to talk about...

[@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834]

@lonpfrb You're so wrong. . Have you ever been around a car factory? Of course, you haven't dck.

[@sheepyracing2774]

Well said James may

[@ohyesitsme]

It's all very well if you can afford to select what car to take depending on the journey/weather

[@antoniopalmero4063]

They’re not for everyone but can be for most .

[@davidbee8178]

@evpowered PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE on your next (excellent BTW :- ) video leave aside the green day-glow frame that surrounds the view of you and your guest? It is SO distracting and actually makes your video quite difficult to look at. OTHER than that this was an interesting and thought provoking video. THANK you! Cheers from Canada!

[@elektrokatzer]

Great guy!

[@JoshuaMcTackett]

I have thought the same thing word for word as James May 1:35 If you have the financial capacity to do so, I think we have a moral duty to change to electric cars. This is different to the hybrid days of south park smug emissions and buying a new car causing more emissions than using your old car. (That myth persists from the early Prius days when it was true, as though it’s the same for fully electric)

[@ianrob4760]

Thanks for this and it is important in the modern world to get names on making a proper discussion.

[@neilkelsey1762]

16:25 Hung up the Grand Tour gloves and hit the bottle lol - love that comment

[@NigelDeForrest-Pearce-cv6ek]

Fascinating!!!!

[@mikemulrooney4824]

Good vid

[@neilgodwin6531]

James talks a great deal of sense, but there is also the wider geopolitical aspect of EVs to consider. We have seen petrol shortages, quadrupling of oil prices by OPEC, which caused major dislocation of the global economy, effectively the West being held to ransom by the oil producing states. EVs are already changing this situation. Dubai, for example, is switching from oil to tourism for its main source of income. This reverses the balance of power. We can live without visiting Dubai, but if Dubai supplied our oil and petrol, they would have a very big stick with which to threaten us

[@jeffg9706]

James is more intelligent than Jeremy and Richard and it's funny that my two brothers always said I was like him as a driver, They say I'm slow and careful, I'm driving electric now because of the very reason's James May say's are good but also it's dam cheep, Good on you James it's nice to see someone who knows what he's doing, As for JC, well Dinosaurs are now fossil fuels and so are people who just don't get it.

[@johnleeinslc]

Preach, James, Preach!

[@matthewwalker5430]

Hearing James talk up a Dacia feels like I'm living in the Twilight Zone

[@paulweston1106]

Do you not remember his obsession with the Sandero?

[@matthewwalker5430]

@@paulweston1106 that's what I'm saying, lol. I feel like I'm having a flashback! Did I go to bed and wake up back in 2010? All that was missing was him declaring it "GOOD NEWS!"

[@robbiepmusic]

Dacia's are pretty good.

[@theodavies8754]

At some point BEV end users will have to pay for the damage they have already done. Let's keep having the open and realistic conversation. The BEV monologue drowns in less than 2 inches of debate.

[@andrewfromm6565]

Referring to his model 3 as a highland, unofficial production name, shows how deep in it James still is.

[@richardelson3261]

Fine if you can charge (massive IF) but the giant screens unnecessarily large dimensions interchangeable designs and sheer dullness of driving at 20 mph make them an appliance for sure

[@grahamcook9289]

Recombining.

[@TheSmallRabbit]

I have been driving for 43 years starting with a MK3 Cortina which I really loved, then various other cars, but the best car I have ever owned is my BMW i3. Non denting, non rusting, fast as hell, practical little car that goes 160 miles easily on a single charge. All academic because I rarely travel 100 miles in one go :-) Regards electric planes and battery tech improvements. One caught my eye only the other day by CATL the worlds largest battery maker. They stated that by 2025 solid state will be here with around 500Wh/Kg which is almost 3 times what we have at the moment. This is a game changer for aviation due to the energy density vs weight. Its a nice to have for a car but not necessary even now. I mean my 2019 BMW i3 charges to 80% from say 40% in less than 20mins which is very doable and practical when combined with a comfort break and a coffee. Newer cars will soon charge in less than 10 mins adding 250 miles range which is excellent but only a nice to have. Most people will charge at home anyway as its a lot cheaper and if like me they do not travel in excess of their cars range which 250 miles is now the minimum usually. That said charging stations are now 10 a penny but you pay similar rates to buying diesel so no issue there either.

[@lincolndave1966able]

Considering EV's are undoubtedly low maintenance, it always raises my eyebrow that the fixed servicing costs for them at my local dealership is alot higher than the fixed service costs of ICE vehicles!?

[@david-spliso1928]

It's best if ICE and EV or Hybrid are presented to the market and let the consumer decide.

[@seanhynesireland]

Just remember that when James May first saw the Nissan Leaf he said the battery would need to be replaced in a months time .

[@snuffles_au]

I don't have any problems with waiting to finish a charge, I'm only getting enough to meet my needs - 5-15mins or so. What I have a problem with is waiting for others to charge (45-90mins), who are going to excess at the time expense of others.. eurgh.

[@michaelgoode9555]

Far more balanced than many but I will say that because there are so many EV chargers now it is easy to simply elect to drive knowing that you'll be stopping anywhere between 2 or 3 hours and there will be chargers close by. Virtually all new EV's have satnavs with charger locations showing and you can also use other apps like zapmap or abrp though apple carplay or android auto, or simply on your phone held in a cradle on the dash. It's genuinely not the issue that people think that it is.

[@prjackson7802]

Great video

[@johndinsdale1707]

Judging by the recent successful EV channels, they do Range Tests 1000KM and fast charging challenges US coast to coast. These are interesting only because they are so much worse than a basic ICE.

[@georgepelton5645]

Since James doesn't have much parking at his pub, perhaps he could work with the town council to get public charge posts installed nearby. Also maybe install bicycle parking with charging for e-bikes?

[@hogey74]

I'd like to take back some of that stuff i was saying about the Poms. A lot of it is obviously true, especially the cricket cheating and general ungratefulness. But imo James has spoken well here. FWIW, and despite being an enthusiastic driver myself, I've long seen cars as transport appliances and made jokes about wishing Samsung would hurry up in extending their product portfolio.

[@mattesla]

I can drive from North Staffs to St Ives, charge at supercharger when my bladder gives out and no more

[@goodnewsryan3363]

I would buy one but don't have a driveway so I can't ......biggest reason 4 me to get one would be cost but having no access to home charging it's a no as it's probably cheaper running a diesel.

[@barriewilliams4526]

Yes, EVs are that great that people are falling over themselves to buy one.