Higher speed limit for electric cars to stimulate sales?

[sabaku_no_gaara]

https://translate.google.com/transla...-text=&act=url

(Google Translate)

So, the Dutch are about to allow Electric cars to drive 130 km/h (80 miles) instead of the 100 Km/h (62) on a stretch of Highway as an experiment to stimulate the use and sales of these cars.


Isn't that discrimination?

As an NA fuel car owner and enthusiast, this pisses me off.

I feel like slashing the tyres of every electric car I see from now on! And should government boost sales of a product by favouring it via laws?

[Finlander]

No doubt the goal here is to reduce the negative externalities, such as pollution, the driving causes, but I am not sure should this be the way to do it as the road safety should be kept in my mind first and foremost. However, it is a cheap way to support the demand for the electric cars which seems to be a better alternative to the petrol cars in their opinion.

I don't think it is a discrimination more than the petrol taxes they have issued or any taxes in that sense which tries to control the consumers' choise on purchases and consumption. The government is already favouring certain goods via taxes and subsidies - or perhaps unfavouring them - and this should hardly be the case to be shocked at those practises.

[PointOfViewGun]

I understand and welcome the desire to stimulate electric car sales but this simply doesn't make sense. It violates the whole idea behind having a speed limit.

A better option would be stuff like reducing taxes or even perhaps covering the towing or support charges in cases of not being able to make it to a charger station.

[Karnil Vark Khaitan]

I understand and welcome the desire to stimulate electric car sales but this simply doesn't make sense. It violates the whole idea behind having a speed limit.

A better option would be stuff like reducing taxes or even perhaps covering the towing or support charges in cases of not being able to make it to a charger station.

this ^
some times you have to ask "why?" instead of "why not!"
as in "why not remove speed limit on E cars!" to " why are there a speed limit?"

[sabaku_no_gaara]

You know what the problem is with electric cars? If everyone drives them, electricity demand will go up, my country is already suffering a potential of shortages and will disconnect several municipalities one by one for a few hours if it comes to shortages this winter. (Mine is one of the first to be disconnected)

Aside from that electricity is expensive enough, I have social tariff (handicapped and all) and I pay 135€ every month for electricity/gas if demand goes up, prices will go up, about 4 years ago or so in some areas people where throwing stones at Solar panels installed on rooftops when energy companies blamed those for raising prices to compensate their lost revenue. (The minister of Energy, froze the prices shortly after before the price raise came, but the 4 year period of the price freeze is about to end)

Imagine the price increase we would get from a huge increase of electrical cars and the violence it could provoke from some frustrated people.

Don't forget we are already on the eve of a severe price raise due to the network managing companies huge debt in this country. Electric cars becoming common would make things even worse.


ing hippie greens and environmentalists, in all their ideals they always forget the financial side of the matter and they don't give a damn who their brilliant ideas and tech screw over.

[Denny Crane!]

You know what the problem is with electric cars? If everyone drives them, electricity demand will go up, my country is already suffering a potential of shortages and will disconnect several municipalities one by one for a few hours if it comes to shortages this winter. (Mine is one of the first to be disconnected)

Aside from that electricity is expensive enough, I have social tariff (handicapped and all) and I pay 135€ every month for electricity/gas if demand goes up, prices will go up, about 4 years ago or so in some areas people where throwing stones at Solar panels installed on rooftops when energy companies blamed those for raising prices to compensate their lost revenue. (The minister of Energy, froze the prices shortly after before the price raise came, but the 4 year period of the price freeze is about to end)

Imagine the price increase we would get from a huge increase of electrical cars and the violence it could provoke from some frustrated people.

Don't forget we are already on the eve of a severe price raise due to the network managing companies huge debt in this country. Electric cars becoming common would make things even worse.


ing hippie greens and environmentalists, in all their ideals they always forget the financial side of the matter and they don't give a damn who their brilliant ideas and tech screw over.

But but but the beautiful solar subsidisation didn't result in a stable developing energy market with appropriate levels of investment. Shocked I am shocked. Probably all the neoliberals fault.

[justicar5]

But but but the beautiful solar subsidisation didn't result in a stable developing energy market with appropriate levels of investment. Shocked I am shocked. Probably all the neoliberals fault.

or blame the oil companies that bought up patents then sat on them to stifle competition...but no it is always governments fault never the companies that own our government totally via bribery and propganda, contact with a corporate lobbyist should be treated the same way contact with the head of the KGB would have been under the red scare, corporations have no place in the democratic process at all, no contact, no voice, no advertising, nothing, they are a 'clear and present danger' to the liberty and democracy of the western world.

[Denny Crane!]

or blame the oil companies that bought up patents then sat on them to stifle competition...but no it is always governments fault never the companies that own our government totally via bribery and propganda, contact with a corporate lobbyist should be treated the same way contact with the head of the KGB would have been under the red scare, corporations have no place in the democratic process at all, no contact, no voice, no advertising, nothing, they are a 'clear and present danger' to the liberty and democracy of the western world.

Which patents? I'll take the patent numbers and check it out.

Just waiting on you to finally back up one of your neoliberal conspiracy theories. Anytime you are ready.

[sabaku_no_gaara]

Which patents? I'll take the patent numbers and check it out.

Just waiting on you to finally back up one of your neoliberal conspiracy theories. Anytime you are ready.

Car companies did destroy the electric streetcar though in Detroit, that's not a loony conspiracy:

http://www.cracked.com/article_19884...-happened.html

So, who knows his theory might not be that far fetched

[Aanker]

You know what the problem is with electric cars? If everyone drives them, electricity demand will go up, my country is already suffering a potential of shortages and will disconnect several municipalities one by one for a few hours if it comes to shortages this winter. (Mine is one of the first to be disconnected)

Aside from that electricity is expensive enough, I have social tariff (handicapped and all) and I pay 135€ every month for electricity/gas if demand goes up, prices will go up, about 4 years ago or so in some areas people where throwing stones at Solar panels installed on rooftops when energy companies blamed those for raising prices to compensate their lost revenue. (The minister of Energy, froze the prices shortly after before the price raise came, but the 4 year period of the price freeze is about to end)

Imagine the price increase we would get from a huge increase of electrical cars and the violence it could provoke from some frustrated people.

Don't forget we are already on the eve of a severe price raise due to the network managing companies huge debt in this country. Electric cars becoming common would make things even worse.


ing hippie greens and environmentalists, in all their ideals they always forget the financial side of the matter and they don't give a damn who their brilliant ideas and tech screw over.

Nuclear power!

Oh, wait, no, that's somehow controversial and scary. And, ironically, environmentalist hippies are against it.

[Phier]

Buying an American car just shows a poor economic intelligence, or a desire to support your local mechanic. I gave up and have been very very happy with Acuras for the last 10 years after finally having enough issues with US cars.

Nuclear power!

Oh, wait, no, that's somehow controversial and scary. And, ironically, environmentalist hippies are against it.

Its one of lifes great ironies.

[Gaidin]

Its one of lifes great ironies.

Well not that so much as it'd be a lot better if the plants weren't so damn big. There are literally stories of the specialists from the military after retirement trying to be recruited to work for these companies and walking away because of the size of these plants. Build four small ones instead of one huge one guys and you'd have gotten who you wanted! It might also be easier to convince people how safe it is too.

[Gaidin]

Best segue ever.

[PointOfViewGun]

Every different types of car require a certain kind of source. There is no car with a magic engine. It's quite idiotic to attack electric cars for increasing the electricity demand...

[Denny Crane!]

Every different types of car require a certain kind of source. There is no car with a magic engine. It's quite idiotic to attack electric cars for increasing the electricity demand...

It is and it isn't.

If like the UK you have an ageing electricity grid that hasn't had the necessary level of investment, it is quite predictable that the grid itself will not cope with the increased residential demand over the next 30 years, if you increase that load considerably by encouraging electric cars and do not also increase the investment in the grid (never mind the production which is somewhat secondary to having the necessary vehicle to get it into homes). So its not the cars fault but there is a definite problem there. This is where solar is particularly laughable in northern countries as well as wind farms, ask any electric engineer about variability, grid and storage.

[PointOfViewGun]

It is and it isn't.

If like the UK you have an ageing electricity grid that hasn't had the necessary level of investment, it is quite predictable that the grid itself will not cope with the increased residential demand over the next 30 years, if you increase that load considerably by encouraging electric cars and do not also increase the investment in the grid (never mind the production which is somewhat secondary to having the necessary vehicle to get it into homes). So its not the cars fault but there is a definite problem there. This is where solar is particularly laughable in northern countries as well as wind farms, ask any electric engineer about variability, grid and storage.

Similar arguments can be made for any source. If you don't make a plan anything you can do can fail.

[Denny Crane!]

Similar arguments can be made for any source. If you don't make a plan anything you can do can fail.

Well I've given you the argument and plans haven't been made so it is legitimate to attack electric cars.

[PointOfViewGun]

Well I've given you the argument and plans haven't been made so it is legitimate to attack electric cars.

Attacking the situation is. Attacking the tools is not. Don't be against electric cars. Be against lack of energy plans in electricity production, the same way you'd be against lack of energy plans in oil production, process, usage and regulations in general, and not the gas cars themselves.

[Portuguese Rebel]

Electric car owners don't tend to be speed devils... And people who are speed devils don't really care about that paltry maximum speed increase. Ineffective measure and is sending the wrong message that going 130km/h is perfectly safe since some cars can do it...

[mrmouth]

All of these incentive programs show that these 100% electric car makers are forcing a market that isn't even close to being viable but for an insanely small percentage of trendy people with money to toss at an iphone on wheels.

They cant simply lower prices because they need to bank sizeable profit on every sale in order to keep the market afloat by introducing new, larger center console screens and other goodies that have nothing to do with battery technology.