Electric vehicles are a recipe for disaster
AT 14:55 on March 8, gridwatch. co.uk gave the following GB fuel type power generation percentages. As usual in cold spells, there is an element of coal generation at 1%, but we are also dependent upon 23% of our electricity upon interconnector supplies from Europe (France 7+3+3 = 13%; Netherlands 3%; Belgium 3%; Denmark 2%; Norway 1% and Eire 1%).
At any time, with cold continental weather, these imports may not be available, leading to deaths from cold weather.
The National Grid cannot cope at present, owing to the focus upon massively subsidised intermittent renewables. Just how is this country supposed to be able to charge the tens of millions of electric cars being forced upon us, especially at night or on cloudy days with little or no solar supplies, and wind that is too high or too low?
VW is presently being sued because of a battery fire in a Porsche on a ship carrying cars. Such fires are not uncommon in electric cars, scooters, bikes and wind turbines and spread incredibly rapidly because of the intensity of heat. Fire brigades have been told to stay upwind of the carcinogenic smoke from electric batteries, which is almost impossible to extinguish.
Electric cars are 50% heavier on average than comparable petrol or diesel cars, causing more road damage, carcinogenic tyre particulates, potholes and potential accidents by damaging floors in multi-story carparks. Electric cars have been reported as being uncontrollable and dangerous, needing police action to stop them. A broken-down electric car needs a low-loader to pick it up as it cannot be moved to the hard shoulder so major traffic jams will follow on all roads, including motorways.
Mining of the rare earths needed for their batteries are causing massive environmental disasters; the cars are far too expensive; there is no way that millions of drivers will be able to charge them at home, living in apartments or flats; power leads snaking over pavements for home chargers will cause accidents; there will never be enough electricity in the grid to power all the planned demand; hundreds of thousands of public charging points will be needed; car insurance is far higher, with some cars being difficult to insure; and if lorries and buses are electric, how will they be moved when they break down?
Terry Breverton
Penarth