EV opposition in the media is ramping up

[tsedge]

I believe it's 91 Octane ,which the equivalent of 95 RON in the UK

Yes, it is a different measurement but amounts to the same thing.

 

[Gadget Geek]

This guy contradicts himself all the way through this video trying to give the impression that he's being reasonable.

 

[fnegroni]

This guy contradicts himself all the way through this video trying to give the impression that he's being reasonable.

Incidentally I commented on his video a few minutes after it was posted, suggesting he sticks to car reviews rather than posting opinions about matters they don’t fully understand.

I have myself now abstained from trying to speculate on matters I don’t fully understand.

 

[M44LCY]

This guy contradicts himself all the way through this video trying to give the impression that he's being reasonable.

Harry Metcalfe really knows his combustion stuff and I have a lot of time for his perspective on (almost) everything to do with cars. He published "EVO" magazine for many years before selling it to a bigger publisher. He has a very nice collection of ICE cars, from Fiat 500 to Ferrari, Lamborghini - and recently acquired a McLaren. He HAS had an EV until recently (An I-PACE EV, then a Range Rover P400E PHEV). So, as I say, he really knows his stuff and HAS experience of both ICE and EV.

BUT I think he has a problem differentiating between HIS experience of EV and that of the wider EV population. In other words, although almost all EV users have a positive stance, he takes his own particular use-case as evidence that EVs are simply unsuitable. His video about why he had reverted from EV to ICE was a bit weird, and last weekend's one was, well, just off the scale in its one-sided and, to be honest, misinformation-packed content. I just don't understand why someone who is so knowledgeable and clearly very intelligent (not just well-read) has such a major blockage in his ability to do critical appraisal.

Ultimately, the biggest flaw in his latest video is his conviction that we can continue to burn fossil fuels - he justifies it without ever mentioning the question of the need to address global warming. I know that, for most of us, the big benefit of EV is the saving in running costs, but the wider benefit is that it's one (of many) ways that we need to cut emissions. It would have been good to hear him say something like:

"But despite EVs not being suitable for my needs, we do need to cut emissions. If going electric means keeping the planet survivable at the cost of some personal inconveniences, then we need to make the change."

This response to his "Why I'm Going Back To ICE" video is rather good ...

 

[Gadget Geek]

Harry Metcalfe really knows his combustion stuff and I have a lot of time for his perspective on (almost) everything to do with cars. He published "EVO" magazine for many years before selling it to a bigger publisher. He has a very nice collection of ICE cars, from Fiat 500 to Ferrari, Lamborghini - and recently acquired a McLaren. He HAS had an EV until recently (An I-PACE EV, then a Range Rover P400E PHEV). So, as I say, he really knows his stuff and HAS experience of both ICE and EV.

BUT I think he has a problem differentiating between HIS experience of EV and that of the wider EV population. In other words, although almost all EV users have a positive stance, he takes his own particular use-case as evidence that EVs are simply unsuitable. His video about why he had reverted from EV to ICE was a bit weird, and last weekend's one was, well, just off the scale in its one-sided and, to be honest, misinformation-packed content. I just don't understand why someone who is so knowledgeable and clearly very intelligent (not just well-read) has such a major blockage in his ability to do critical appraisal.

Ultimately, the biggest flaw in his latest video is his conviction that we can continue to burn fossil fuels - he justifies it without ever mentioning the question of the need to address global warming. I know that, for most of us, the big benefit of EV is the saving in running costs, but the wider benefit is that it's one (of many) ways that we need to cut emissions. It would have been good to hear him say something like:

"But despite EVs not being suitable for my needs, we do need to cut emissions. If going electric means keeping the planet survivable at the cost of some personal inconveniences, then we need to make the change."

This response to his "Why I'm Going Back To ICE" video is rather good ...

I had to smile when he referenced Akio Toyoda from Toyota on his position on EVs.

Also, he was promoting E-fuels from South America, showing it being transported on a huge, bunker fuel burning tanker, as being green. Awesome work!

 

[fnegroni]

This response to his "Why I'm Going Back To ICE" video is rather good ...

This guy knows what he’s talking about.
And guess what? He says ‘will the market change? I don’t know. I don’t have a crystal ball. And it’s not something I would pretend I know enough to put on video.’

Somebody give this guy a medal!

 

[M44LCY]

That guy knows more about combustion cars than you and I ever will.

 

[fnegroni]

yep, and just like any printed encyclopaedia, remains static in the face of change.

 

[M44LCY]

yep, and just like any printed encyclopaedia, remains static in the face of change.

Exactly my criticism of his videos. It's a natural & inevitable human reaction. You spend your life working in a particular discipline, then that discipline becomes threatened. Your reaction is to defend the status quo.

It doesn't change the fact that he DOES really know his combustion stuff!

 

[Caramaddy]

I am going to stick my neck on the line here (which I will probably regret!)

Assessing the MG5 as simply a car to drive, from my perspective of owning a reasonably wide range of cars - Toyota -Mitsubishi - Ford - Nissan - BMW - Volvo - BL - Skoda - VW - Renault - Hyundai - Lexus (5). Can’t think of any more at this time of night!

The MG5 rides very smoothly. Has excellent acceleration. Being an estate it is very practical. Extremely quiet and refined on the road. Streets ahead of the SKODA Octavia estate I had. Excellent value for the money regarding purchase price. Interior nicely finished. Very easy to drive no major instrument issues. Knocks many cars I have owned down a peg or two. Really quite surprised how good this car is to drive.
Nothing mentioned about how cheap it is to “fuel” and service.

Negatives: there are signs that the car is at the budget end of the market. Flimsy plastic on the boot hatch. Load floor and car mats very thin and cheap.

The jury is out regarding long term reliability. But for goodness sake - can you buy better for the money and run it as cheaply?
I am NOT expecting Lexus quality or reliability but at 1/3 of the price of a Lexus I can forgive the car. EV ownership, especially if you are retired or a low mileage user is simply a no brainer as far as I am concerned. I think the MG EV range is an excellent starter into electric car ownership.

Time will tell but I am blown away so far.

 

[decrep]

We have 2 vehicles, my "surf wagon" a 2018 holden commodore, "a rebadged Opell". and the MG4. The finish and the quality of the commodore is above that of the MG. But the MG is nicer to drive, with it's OPD and smoothness, I used to think the commodore with it's 9 gears and and very intelligent gearbox, was a dream to drive, but the MG4 is better. Power is there at your right foot instantly, you don't have to wait for a change down to happen. It's hard to compare handling, the commodore is front wheel drive, the MG rear wheel. Acceleration times are very similar.

The main differences are the amount of green house gasses, and the cost of running them. Mainly free sunlight and 95RON at around AU$2/litre.

 

[Gomev]

....

The jury is out regarding long term reliability. But for goodness sake - can you buy better for the money and run it as cheaply?
...

Time will tell but I am blown away so far.

M'lud, please may I submit this piece of evidence to the jury in support of the case of the reliability of the MG5.
(for anyone that may have missed it in a post elsewhere.)

 

[Ruislip Resident]

M'lud, please may I submit this piece of evidence to the jury in support of the case of the reliability of the MG5.
(for anyone that may have missed it in a post elsewhere.)

Plus it's increasingly the private car hire / taxi drivers vehicle of choice.

 

[Caramaddy]

Plus it's increasingly the private car hire / taxi drivers vehicle of choice.

Yes, it was on the basis of talking to a couple of Taxi drivers in my town that persuaded me to buy one - along of course with the posts on this forum.

 

[Archev]

M'lud, please may I submit this piece of evidence to the jury in support of the case of the reliability of the MG5.
(for anyone that may have missed it in a post elsewhere.)

What James said - except I like the grill ?

My car was left untouched at 50% charge for nearly seven weeks without any problems. I jumped in and drove to Tesco’s to get some supplies and re acquainted myself with the glorious silence. After 14000 miles in planes and 3000 miles in pickup trucks (mostly diesels) the five is just terrific ?

 

[Coulomb]

It seems that a Tesla Semi crashed and burned in California recently. The driver walked away, no details yet on what caused it. The large battery went into thermal runaway, closing a major highway for hours. The remains is going back to Tesla in Nevada to try to figure out what happened.

But this Australian commentator was shaking his head the whole video, saying things like if you think EV cars are bad, EV trucks are 10x worse, environmental disaster, blah blah.

His expression below says it all:

 

[siteguru]

I saw that video in my YT feed ... and promptly ignored it as the guy is deluded - even worse than John Cardigan and the FUDMaster.

 

[salty]

I saw that video in my YT feed ... and promptly ignored it as the guy is deluded - even worse than John Cardigan and the FUDMaster.

I'll give this video a miss. The guy sounds like a prick. ??

 

[Coulomb]

The guy sounds like a prick.

British engineer and lawyer, now based in Sydney, Australia. Our loss, your gain, I think ?

 

[T1 Terry]

British engineer and lawyer, now based in Sydney, Australia. Our loss, your gain, I think ?

Maybe if he nodded his head a bit more, either his brain would start to work again ... or his head would fall off ...... this clown has never witnessed a diesel truck fire .... at least the electricity out of the battery doesn't run down the gutter and start whole creeks and rivers into fire fronts as well .... and clearly, he hasn't heard about the EV fire blanket that was used on the staged EV fire used for fire fighter training in Melbourne I think it was .... I think the video and commentator is a member of the AEVA and put it up on that forum .... with a bit of luck, Coulomb can get the permissions etc to link it here ... if they are needed .....

T1 Terry