Germany just banned the ICE
 

By 2030, the good old fashioned internal combustion engine will be banned in Germany. I'm sure others will follow suit, and I'm sure the UK will do this too, maybe even before Germany does?

More info: Internal Combustion Banned - Germany Bans Gasoline and Diesel by 2030

This is great news.

I also read somewhere that the Netherlands want to do this by 2025. Not sure if it's been written into law yet though.

My only problem is that the industry/governments are encouraging the wrong kind of change in trying to reduce emissions etc. Why can I still not buy a minimalist car, with 2 seats, 3-400kg weight, meaningful aerodynamic design, 20hp, no air con and efficiency of 200+mpg? Cars are constantly getting bigger and more fancy with mod cons that need energy to run and produce. Velomobiles require 80 times less energy than the average car yet restrictive laws and money-hungry car lobbyists have hindered their development into actual useful game-changing commuters running off clean electric power.

The safety argument is also invalid since if 80% of the vehicles on the road (those carrying 1 passenger) were these then you're highly unlikely to be squished by a great big unecessary 200hp 7-seater.

Electric Velomobiles: as Fast and Comfortable as Automobiles, but 80 times more Efficient - LOW-TECH MAGAZINE

Interesting article - they look like a bit of a squeeze though...!

I can see lots of reasons to have a vehicle like that, and lots of reasons not to as well. I've always thought there would be a big demand for 1 seater commuter cars in big cities. Have you seen the Peel P-50? Amazing car, we need to start building Micro-EV's like that, you can fit about 8 in one car space.

I'll be 80 and floating around in me olde electric Zeppelin. Solar powered of course, with a methane boost, for those days when I eat beans.

My understanding is that Germany is proposing this to the EU. It's not law, or a done deal.

Over here we call those "soap box derby entries". :)

Last week a Chev Sonic ??? sub sub compact rushed across the street into traffic, sadly with no acceleration:eek:. It was clipped in the rear bumper by a old Chev Cavalier no sound and no sheet metal damage to either car since the cars where going less than 5 KMH.

Chev Cavalier driver got out (elderly woman) but the Sonic Driver could not, because every single air bag in the car went off.

I think I will stay with larger vehicles where i don't have to worry about a stray bike hitting me:)

What the ???? Tried Signature but it shows MPG in what size gallon who knows??? Should it not show l/100KM as I have set my Dashboard.

Don't assume a bigger vehicle is safer, in many circumstances it's not. An SUV rides high, so handling is affected straight away, it's also very likely to roll over in an accident. A bigger heavier vehicle will take longer to stop, and the forces involved in an impact will be greater too.

Also, you select the units at the top of the fuelly signature page yourself, it's very difficult to miss actually ;)

Q&As

Are Small Cars Safe? Edmunds.com

Check out the links and it seems that large SUV's are the safest vehicle to drive. But figures can always be twisted to suit.

But I do see more large 4X4's in the local ditches than other styles of vehicles, probably because they have a greater sense of security or they drive like yahoos.:lol: 4X4 gets you going faster on snow, ice, mud, and black ice but does not help in braking

But newer cars with ESP have stopped most rollovers and made driving safer for both small cars and large cars as well. If you look up stopping distances most cars are very close (some have major fade issues) because larger vehicles have both larger brakes and have more rubber on the road to grip when braking.



Ahh !! the signature went back and could not find a way to change it. Finally deleted it and started over. Now it did show the choices when copying the information.
I had thought it would automatically use my original preferences,

Very difficult to see if you don't look up :whistling:

Thanks:thumb: