Electric Supercars
Discussion
I think it’s no different to non-ev cars.
Too easy / lazy / closed minded to be generic and all about I need 3 pedals, manual stick to rub off, raw of a N/A, old school handbrake, blah blah.
Done right ev supercars will be epic.
Manufacturers need time to improve as still new developing area. VW ID R, rimac (now 24% owned by Porsche), etc show what could become more mainstream in near future.
Imagine there were probably a lot of similarities in the move away from horses...
Early combustion engine cars were heavy, unreliable, lacked the infrastructure to go very far, didn’t have the soul, sound, smell and feel of a horse, etc...
Too easy / lazy / closed minded to be generic and all about I need 3 pedals, manual stick to rub off, raw of a N/A, old school handbrake, blah blah.
Done right ev supercars will be epic.
Manufacturers need time to improve as still new developing area. VW ID R, rimac (now 24% owned by Porsche), etc show what could become more mainstream in near future.
Imagine there were probably a lot of similarities in the move away from horses...
Early combustion engine cars were heavy, unreliable, lacked the infrastructure to go very far, didn’t have the soul, sound, smell and feel of a horse, etc...
A fast milk float is still a milk float, but people will get used to them nonetheless, and will forget or won't know what used to be.
There is also no proof that the current technology will ever be able to develop to the extent people expect, in terms of range or weight.
Hopefully biofuels end up winning:
https://newsroom.porsche.com/en_US/2021/motorsport...
There is also no proof that the current technology will ever be able to develop to the extent people expect, in terms of range or weight.
Hopefully biofuels end up winning:
https://newsroom.porsche.com/en_US/2021/motorsport...
I've always thought it slightly odd that people often quote the acceleration of EVs - even non 'supercar' EVs - as an argument that supercars are a bit pointless now.
When I fancy going for a drive, I don't find myself thinking : well,I suppose I could go blasting down that local twisty road - but I'd much rather accelerate as fast as possible down the M3......
I'll stick with the old tech I think.
When I fancy going for a drive, I don't find myself thinking : well,I suppose I could go blasting down that local twisty road - but I'd much rather accelerate as fast as possible down the M3......
I'll stick with the old tech I think.
I’m slightly coming around to the idea and recently I’ve started thinking that engine noise isn’t everything (never thought I’d say that!)
A couple of years ago I bought a McLaren 570s. The engine sound is pretty average and my first impressions weren’t great. However it turned out to be by far the most fun I’ve ever had driving. Amazing car and you didn’t even notice the dull engine when driving quickly.
Anyway, I got rid of it for obvious hassle reasons and dumbed down to a Lexus Rcf which sounds amazing and seemed to be utterly bulletproof. I loved that car but despite the engine sound I didn’t get that much of a buzz driving it so come time to change I looked at Honda NSXs which is previously discarded as not sounding good enough due to hybrid etc.
Anyway I’m utterly in love with it. It doesn’t bother me remotely that the engine doesn’t sound amazing because I love driving it far more than stuff that sounds better than it.
Anyway, now I’ve typed all that I’ve realised that I am talking utter nonsense and that both the McLaren and the NSX would still be better if the engine sounded amazing but I’ve typed far too much to delete it. In conclusion we can all agree that we should never ever buy and electric car
A couple of years ago I bought a McLaren 570s. The engine sound is pretty average and my first impressions weren’t great. However it turned out to be by far the most fun I’ve ever had driving. Amazing car and you didn’t even notice the dull engine when driving quickly.
Anyway, I got rid of it for obvious hassle reasons and dumbed down to a Lexus Rcf which sounds amazing and seemed to be utterly bulletproof. I loved that car but despite the engine sound I didn’t get that much of a buzz driving it so come time to change I looked at Honda NSXs which is previously discarded as not sounding good enough due to hybrid etc.
Anyway I’m utterly in love with it. It doesn’t bother me remotely that the engine doesn’t sound amazing because I love driving it far more than stuff that sounds better than it.
Anyway, now I’ve typed all that I’ve realised that I am talking utter nonsense and that both the McLaren and the NSX would still be better if the engine sounded amazing but I’ve typed far too much to delete it. In conclusion we can all agree that we should never ever buy and electric car
Electric vehicles are dull and boring and not even the eco solution the govt keeping telling us it is.
Hydrogen cars and synthetic fuels will mean EVs become like the betamax video.
Can you ever envisage the national grid coping with the whole population plugging their EV in at 6.00 pm.
EVs will have a short shelf life and become disposable items IMHO
Hydrogen cars and synthetic fuels will mean EVs become like the betamax video.
Can you ever envisage the national grid coping with the whole population plugging their EV in at 6.00 pm.
EVs will have a short shelf life and become disposable items IMHO
Agreed. Will never buy one. But unfortunately.... we might be forced to as Boris is introducing his "decarbonisation" plan, i.e. no petrols from 2030. And it might go even further: "One exception is Singapore, whose 2040 ban will apply to all cars, not just new ones" (https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-09-24/banning-gas-powered-cars-can-t-come-soon-enough).
Just like most of you, I need a stick and 3 pedals so there's a PETITION: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/575759
Spread the word (maybe we can at least save some iconic British brands from becoming fully electric a little longer).
Just like most of you, I need a stick and 3 pedals so there's a PETITION: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/575759
Spread the word (maybe we can at least save some iconic British brands from becoming fully electric a little longer).
I have owned and own some quick petrol stuff.... I also have a Tesla.
I have to say the Tesla is a brilliant and cheap daily driver - very easy to own. Quick, silent and comfortable.
But it lacks the drama of petrol, there are only a few moving parts and it looks ordinary compared to a petrol sports.
I don't see much point in an electric 'supercar' as there would be very little to differentiate the models. All sub 3 second, all 3 pence a mile to run, all silent. One electric motor is the same as another and one battery... etc.
I have spent some while in a Taycan and wouldn't swap for the Tesla - they're essentially the same, just different bodies.
I have to say the Tesla is a brilliant and cheap daily driver - very easy to own. Quick, silent and comfortable.
But it lacks the drama of petrol, there are only a few moving parts and it looks ordinary compared to a petrol sports.
I don't see much point in an electric 'supercar' as there would be very little to differentiate the models. All sub 3 second, all 3 pence a mile to run, all silent. One electric motor is the same as another and one battery... etc.
I have spent some while in a Taycan and wouldn't swap for the Tesla - they're essentially the same, just different bodies.
I'm in the other camp and actually excited about the upcoming range of EV SCs. Much as I love the sound of a NA V10 roaring away behind me there really is no comparison between a combustion engine and an electric motor. One of the definitions of a supercar is performance and we're already at a point where some posh saloon EVs outperform them, and not just on straight roads. Combine that with reliability, lack of servicing requirements, rapidly improving battery tech, cheaper battery production I can see why all the big SC players are introducing hybrids and full EVs. My three boys have very little interest in 'new' cars with combustion engines. They were talking about Rimac and Aspark a few days ago. I had to Google the latter. If you take a step back it does seem odd buying a new supercar that is aerodynamically near-perfect, has all the latest and greatest tech to increase performance/ handling and then finding a dirty old combustion engine powering it. What is a shame is that in the not-so-distant future we won't have the choice. The next generation of buyers won't care I suspect. What is an interesting thought though is, when the majority of cars are albe to do speeds only restricted by human responses or law, what will distinguish a SC from a fast Audi/BMW. Design? Top speed would be unuseable legally. Maybe SC ownership will involve only using our cars on a track. What will be the real change is autonomous driving. I can imagine our grandchildren saying, you were allowed to drive them yourselves?! With a combustion engine and a tank of flammable liquid inside?!?!
Pioneer said:
What will be the real change is autonomous driving. I can imagine our grandchildren saying, you were allowed to drive them yourselves?! With a combustion engine and a tank of flammable liquid inside?!?!
100%The same grandchildren will ask "Did you also really go to Manumission without CCTV and safety marshalls ?"
Freedom and decadence is drawing to an end.
EV's will become monitored units, controlled by government agencies
A couple of friends have already gone Full Vanilla, sold their cars and only use Uber.
I might have an opinion if I had driven one. Do they even exist now? Has anyone driven one? I’m assuming existing manufacturers would have little reason to make one unless forced by regulations. “Let’s ditch the V12 that allows us to charge 300k and replace it with a generic EV drivetrain and some touch screens like the ones you find in a Hyundai.”
The Lotus Evija looks interesting but a $2m entry fee makes it a tad irrelevant. There is some promise there at least.
The Lotus Evija looks interesting but a $2m entry fee makes it a tad irrelevant. There is some promise there at least.
Fully agree with the general theme - electric cars lack engagement. They don’t have the (dis)advantages of limited torque range and hence don’t need the glory of rising revs, and mechanically thwacking through the gears. And batteries make them heavy. Keeping them low doesn’t eliminate their rotational inertia.
OTOH, I’ve had a Tesla as a daily driver for a long time - quiet, effortlessly powerful for cruising. Charging overnight at home and never having to stop at a dark, wet petrol station after work is a real boon.
Battery technology is in infancy and already getting more efficient.Moving away liquid electrolytes will soon reduce size and weight. My daughters Mini Electric has batteries located centrally in a T shape (as in Formula E) replacing gear train and fuel cell. That actually makes it change direction better than a petrol one.
And to dispel a couple of oil economy generated myths - the current national grid can power EVs for the foreseeable future using smart meters to charge overnight. Hydrogen is a non starter as it’s production currently uses lots of energy for cracking itself and generates large quantities of CO2, requires energy intensive transport and lacks distribution infrastructure. Far easier to solve setting up a smart charging infrastructure.
Get used to it, folks. EVs are here. Hang on to lightweight, mechanical sports cars which will indeed be valued classics. Less so those with behemoth motors, which will be embarrassed by equally heavy but far better performing electrics.
OTOH, I’ve had a Tesla as a daily driver for a long time - quiet, effortlessly powerful for cruising. Charging overnight at home and never having to stop at a dark, wet petrol station after work is a real boon.
Battery technology is in infancy and already getting more efficient.Moving away liquid electrolytes will soon reduce size and weight. My daughters Mini Electric has batteries located centrally in a T shape (as in Formula E) replacing gear train and fuel cell. That actually makes it change direction better than a petrol one.
And to dispel a couple of oil economy generated myths - the current national grid can power EVs for the foreseeable future using smart meters to charge overnight. Hydrogen is a non starter as it’s production currently uses lots of energy for cracking itself and generates large quantities of CO2, requires energy intensive transport and lacks distribution infrastructure. Far easier to solve setting up a smart charging infrastructure.
Get used to it, folks. EVs are here. Hang on to lightweight, mechanical sports cars which will indeed be valued classics. Less so those with behemoth motors, which will be embarrassed by equally heavy but far better performing electrics.
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