Electric ute.

Possum3 · Guru

Electric ute.

Eaglemax · Guru

Now sit back and watch the doubters question how their petrol/diesel tug wont ever be replaced. :)

Craig1 · Guru

The golden words, " at a significantly reduced range" on tow ability, 5km ?

Greg 1 · Guru

Big issue is charge times and the infrastructure that goes with it. Not much good at present in the outback. And don't talk generators or solar as you will be sitting for quite awhile to get sufficient charge into it for any range from any sort of portable charging equipment given current technology. However give it a few years for the technology to develop and then they may very well be a viable alternative for those of us who travel far and wide.

dabbler · Guru

Craig, the tests performed on the likes of Tesla and Audi EV when, towing show similar reduction in range as ICE vehicles towing similar weights. Range is an issue but it's increasingly with every revision. Recharge ability is everywhere really, right across the country, certainly enough for today's fleet. Thirty years ago, a stock 60 series towing 3+ tonne had about 40 % of the range of a current stock LC200 towing the same wt.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

We could always carry a generator with us Possum. Just for those top ups if needed.

Eeeeek! That word Generator is frightening and I'm ducking for cover.

spida · Guru

Lots more solar panels on the roof????

sandman55 · Guru

It's early days yet. In time we will see more electric and Hydrogen/Electric hybrids for going further afield away from mains. When you consider the cost of transporting fuel compared to transmission lines. take Alice Springs for example instead of transporting fuel there if you have electricity you can make hydrogen. Not quite as simple as that, the making of hydrogen is simple but it then needs to be compressed but in the future self contained plants could be made up in the cities and set up at centres around the country. Electric motors in the all electric vehicles are much more low maintenance than combustion engines.

Cyclops · Veteran Member

Had a drive in a Tesla yesterday. Mate bought a demo model for an unbelievable $40 grand off list price which came in at about 110 grand. I own a 2017 Mustang and the Tesla acceleration made my car look like it is standing still. No service required. Charging is free via Tesla and NRMA charging stations for next 12 months. If he pays to charge it costs about the same as a cup of coffee, in the time it takes to have a cup of coffee. There are no buttons or switches, everything is controlled via a huge touch screen map display. It is constantly connected to the internet. Tesla updates software automatically. Voice command is excellent. You can ask for any song by virtually any artist on Spotify.

It automatically stays in its lane without steering by driver, and automatically maintains what ever distance you set to the car in front.
Tesla techs must have far too much time on their hands; it had a whoopy cushion app which emitted fart noises from whichever of the six seats was touched on the touch screen. Bottom of the range stereo was outstanding and its handling and acceleration unbelievable.

Vic police have just put their first Tes on the road.

Cant wait for a 4wd electric. Fossil fuel cars are headed the way of the horse and cart.

Pete
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