Would Free Public Transport Be Feasible- And Effective In Reducing Car Usage?

[Padders 2,850]

7 minutes ago, tinfoilhat said:

Electric scooters (not the kids ones, proper ones). Cheap, will do most commuters, zero emissions, batteries wouldn't need to be as big either. 

 

On my very very rare  journeys into town in rush hour (going in whilst everyone else is going out) I thought that the vast majority of cars had the driver and no passengers - I don't know if any studies prove or disprove that. We don't need cars.

 

Failing that, more robots. I was going through Milton Keynes the other day and spied what I thought was a small electric scooter. It was not.

 

 

Ha Ha Tin Foil, interesting...…….  Bit easy to mug though.

[tinfoilhat 11]

24 minutes ago, Padders said:

Ha Ha Tin Foil, interesting...…….  Bit easy to mug though.

Got a GPS tracker and cameras though.

 

It was trundling through the less desirable pathways of Milton Keynes, and it was dark so they must think it's safe.

 

I was tempted though. Its a like a giant big track. Kids, ask your parents, padders ask your kids

[Padders 2,850]

5 minutes ago, tinfoilhat said:

Got a GPS tracker and cameras though.

 

It was trundling through the less desirable pathways of Milton Keynes, and it was dark so they must think it's safe.

 

I was tempted though. Its a like a giant big track. Kids, ask your parents, padders ask your kids

I like that chap with a backpack on, flying over the channel.. in a few yrs time I can see them being mass produced, and replacing cars.

[TeaFan 10]

7 hours ago, L00b said:

Making new cars, even full EVs, creates tons more CO2 than running existing cars, even old ones.

Been having a think about this and would like you to clarify if possible. Average car chucks out 4.6 tonnes of CO2 p.a. apparently. So how much CO2 does making a new EV use? Is it not better in the long run to ditch fossil and switch to EV asap? I partly ask because I am currently in the situation where I could ditch 1.6L petrol for full EV Renault Zoe. Petrol car has at least 5, possibly 10 years in it. Please send advice 🙂

[tinfoilhat 11]

29 minutes ago, TeaFan said:

Been having a think about this and would like you to clarify if possible. Average car chucks out 4.6 tonnes of CO2 p.a. apparently. So how much CO2 does making a new EV use? Is it not better in the long run to ditch fossil and switch to EV asap? I partly ask because I am currently in the situation where I could ditch 1.6L petrol for full EV Renault Zoe. Petrol car has at least 5, possibly 10 years in it. Please send advice 🙂

I can't offer any facts or figures but mileage would be a huge factor.

[L00b 441]

9 hours ago, TeaFan said:

Been having a think about this and would like you to clarify if possible. Average car chucks out 4.6 tonnes of CO2 p.a. apparently. So how much CO2 does making a new EV use? Is it not better in the long run to ditch fossil and switch to EV asap? I partly ask because I am currently in the situation where I could ditch 1.6L petrol for full EV Renault Zoe. Petrol car has at least 5, possibly 10 years in it. Please send advice 🙂

Advisers are never those who actually pay for the goods or services 

 

If a car has already been manufactured, then the long term option with it is always to try and run it for as long as possible, irrespective of its engine type. Because by the time you've toted up the environmental impact of its entire manufacturing cycle, all the way back from the ore extraction in mines for its metallic parts, even with a full EV it's going to take a few tens of thousands of miles of zero emission driving to offset it.

 

But if the point is to reduce emissions overall, then the long term option is to both reduce individualistic travel (which means less cars getting manufactured, ICE and EV irrespective) and transition all vehicles to zero emission models (incl.buses, trams, trains, hover-taxis, jetpacks and what-have-you).

 

We have 3 cars. A 22 year old petrol one that we've owned and run for 18 years, a 12 year old diesel one that we've owned and run for 7 years, and now a 3 year old petrol one that I plan on running for as many years as the 22 year old one.

 

We'll maybe replace the 12 year old in a year or two with a full EV. But I suspect that, with free public transport starting next year, we'll modify our individual travelling habits instead, to go back to a 2 car household (1 classic, 1 very long-term main car), possibly buy a full EV motorbike instead (I've owned and run a full EV moped before, 14 years ago).

 

Only ever bought 2nd hand cars, never bought a brand new car, and not ever planning to. See, I do my bit 

 

PS: I wouldn't buy a Zoe, its limited range is a problem for our requirements. Now a Tesla model 3, yup, that would do it. But they're still too new and dear.

Edited September 25, 2019 by L00b