NOVEMBER 2023 GLENFIELD GAZETTE online

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NOVEMBER 2023 GLENFIELD GAZETTE
Where will we charge our electric cars?
A
child born today
may take a driving
test in 2040, if the
rules don’t change and self
driving cars don’t take over.
That child may never drive
a petrol or diesel car. For
today’s drivers the switch to
electric draws closer day by
day. Although the ban on the
sale of new petrol or diesel
cars has been put back to
2035, the number on our roads
will probably have reduced
dramatically as a result of
the progressive reduction in
the number allowed to be
sold. The aim is that 80% of
new cars sold by 2030 will be
electric.
What if you can’t
charge at home?
The Government’s guidance
indicates that most cars will be
charged at home, but those
who can’t will need to charge
elsewhere. Technology may
bring new solutions, but for the
moment we have to plan on
what we have available now.
How big is the
problem?
The question is already being
asked locally and at some
point, before we come up with
a solution, we need to establish
the scale of the potential
problem. If most charging will
be done at home, then we need
to assess the scale and time
frame of the need for charging
away from home. This means
identifying -
• how many homes in the
village cannot charge from the
domestic supply
• how many of these homes
have one or more electric
vehicles (EV)
• how many homes intend to
switch to an EV within, say, 1, 3
or 5 years
• how many feel that workplace
charging, shopping centre or
service station charging will not
meet their need.
The availability of charging is
growing, but some say it is not
fast enough. Shell Service
Station near County Hall has
recently installed EV chargers,
and filling stations will no doubt
be repurposed to cater for local
needs as well as those who are
driving long distances beyond
their battery capacity. Zapmap.com
helps find the nearest
public charging points.
Charging is available at some
supermarkets, and early
indications are that charging at
the places we visit ((destination
charging) will continue to
grow. Since 2017 Lidl has
installed rapid chargers at more
than 300 stores, our nearest
currently being at the Oadby
and Wigston branches. In 2020
Aldi partnered with Shell to
provide charge points at new
stores. Tesco has charging
at Hamilton and off Hinckley
Road, but has not answered
the question about plans for
Beaumont Leys. Morrisons
started installing EV charging
in 2019, but at Glenfield say
there is nothing to report yet.
Customers at the Co-op at
Laundon Way do not spend
long enough instore to make
it worthwhile, and the Central
Co-op HQ have not responded
about the Leicester Road store.
Where there is a problem
someone will see a marketing
opportunity, and for many
organisations EV charging
is a commercial opportunity.
No doubt more solutions will
be suggested as deadlines
approach.
Kerbside charging may not
sound like a good idea because
of the limited space, health
and safety and trip hazards
of charging cables. But here
again technology is finding
answers and some borough
councils have been trialling
new kerbside units since 2021.
They are effectively sockets in
the pavement that are flat and
flush to the surface when not
in use.
Although some
Parish Councils
may have car
parks where
perhaps EV
charging could
be installed,
they are not
utility suppliers
and in addition
there may be
good practical
reasons why they should not
be involved.
Other costs a cause
for concern
It isn’t just charging which is
of concern to many motorists,
it’s the costs currently
associated with EV motoring,
though in time these may fall.
The Guardian reported that
some EV owners found that
insurance companies would
not quote for covering their
car. One driver found that his
premium jumped from £1200
to more than £5,000. Another
had his renewal rise from £447
to £4,661.
This is not typical, and figures
from Confused.com show that
EV insurance premiums are
72% – or £402 – higher than
this time last year, at a typical
£959. For petrol and diesel car
drivers, the increase is 29%
(£848). Analysts say claims
costs are 25% higher for
electric cars, and that they take
about 14% longer to repair.
The cost and availability of
parts is a factor, there is also
concern around the batteries,
and that damage, especially
to the underside, can be
expensive to fix. Add a skills
shortage predicted to be about
16,000 EV qualified mechanics
by 2032 and you have the
perfect storm. As small
garages fall behind in the skills
race it is forecast that many will
eventually leave the trade.
If you have an EV, recharging
on the motorway may be
problematic. This month The
Sun has reported that wait
times for EV chargers are
sparking furious rows between
angry drivers, with marshals
being forced to keep the peace
at some motorway service
stations to manage “charge
rage” between drivers.
The Department for Transport
says charging points are far
from readily available, with
some parts of the country
having none at all. The finger
of blame is often pointed at the
lack of capacity on the power
grid.
There’s good news, too
The good news is that one
local couple report that they do
12,000 miles a year, charge
their car for around £12 a
month at home, and recently
took a problem free drive to
Scotland. Contrary to the scare
stories, their insurance is now
less than their old petrol car.
Electric cars? They love them.
Norman Griffiths
Maintaining your Vitamin D levels
• Vitamin D is a key nutrient that helps support the immune system.
You can get it from sunlight, food, and supplements.
• It can be difficult to get enough vitamin D
during cold and flu season if you live in a
climate that gets less sunlight during the
winter months.
• You can increase your vitamin D levels
by getting sunlight, eating foods rich
in vitamin D, or taking a supplement if
necessary.
The recommended dietary intake of vitamin D is 600 to 800 IU per
day for adults, although some experts believe the requirements
should be increased.
My biggest problem with the younger generation is I’m not in it.