ian-mstm

Speaking of millionaire owners, I didn't win the Powerball last night... but if I had, I'd have wanted one of these puppies.

Ian

dj6372

Sticking to topic? how dare you!

Anyway chap I worked with had one he had a 30 mile each way commute, he would charge it with a dodgy extension lead out of the window by his desk

He was a large chap and said it had plenty of room, and went like sheet of a shovel and he loved it

Personally I hated it, not the ugliest but close, but just my personal opinion, and my main opposition is the lecky part, but this a whole different discussion/argument

Just not my cup of tea

Pulaski

No they weren't. Several classes of locomotives were diesel hydraulic notably the Class 52 "Wessie" Westerns; the others were Class 42 Warships and Class 35 Hymeks. The diesel engine in these locomotives was connected to the wheels using a hydraulic transmission.

There was a significant weight advantage to using a hydraulic transmission system, and it was felt that using lighter locomotives would cause less damage to the bridges, viaducts, and track bed in the SW of England. The hydraulic transmission was less efficient than the diesel-electric alternative and the locomotives didn't stay in service long; all were withdrawn from BR service by the end of the 1970's.

Pulaski

Me neither. I fear that the only Lamborghini that will ever be within my price-range looks more like this:

sir_eccles

One fun thing about the electric cars compared to the old fashioned gas engined ones, 100% torque at zero rpm.

Bahtatboy

Hence the Tesla's 2.9s 0-60mph.

mrken30

All the people that I know own leafs recommend getting the one with the fast charge option. It drives like a small car. Not as tinny as some but its a small car. 50 mile realistic range. What else is there to know?

RoadWarriorFromLP

No, the Leaf isn't a compliance car. Nissan is the one major automaker that actually wants to make a go of EVs, although the effort hasn't been particularly successful to date.

The others are compliance cars. Sergio Marchionne of Fiat is on record as saying as much -- they move the 500 EVs at a loss because they have to.

Steerpike

I presume you are being specific when you say 'EV', and are not including Hybrids; I have to believe Toyota is committed to the Hybrid concept. And I assume you are eliminating Tesla not because they don't want to make a go of the EV, but because they are not a 'major automaker'.

Steerpike

Wow, that brings back memories! I was something of a train fan as a kid in the early 70s, traveling around the country to see them ... trainspotting! What on earth could possess someone to want to do that?!?! (I say that having done it myself - very strange!). I remember those very trains you mention. Wow ... to have that much time on your hands to do something so utterly pointless! Oh to be 12 years old ... I can imagine, now, getting excited by steam trains, but diesels ...

I think it's fair to say the vast majority of diesel trains were diesel-electric. These are the trains I remember from the era .... 'Deltics' (class 55), 'Peaks', class 40, and many more.

Pulaski

I can't imagine. Er, no comment.

RoadWarriorFromLP

If Toyota believed in EVs, then it would not have bothered with hybrids. Hybrids are an acknowledgement that battery power alone is inadequate.

Tesla is a niche player that loses money, not a major automaker.

mrken30

The ultimate EV failure

Sinclair C5 Gallery - Submit your Pictures and Videos

sir_eccles

Are We Headed For An Electric Car Crisis?

Interesting analysis.

I get the impression that if car companies hadn't been forced by regulation to improve fuel efficiency, they probably wouldn't have bothered.

Pulaski

I don't know about a crisis but we headed somewhere weird - perhaps giving away a cheap "compliance car" with every truck, SUV, or large saloon car?

Sooner or later someone is going to realize that setting entirely unattainable efficiency goals is daft, and leads to cheating (whether permitted, such as "buying credits", or not, a la Volkswagen), rather than an actual increase in efficiency.