As the margin shrinks between generating capacity in the UK and peak demand, it appears that we are to replace the energy currently available in petrol and diesel with energy from the grid. A few simple calculations show that this new demand to be placed on generation and distribution will be enormous. I have yet to learn of any plans to solve such short-fall as we march steadily towards our first brown-outs and black-outs.

If you have a stationary engine under the bench, now is the time to dust it off and get it rigged up with a generator!! It will soon be needed for your modern's batteries!!
Ron

Just flicking through one of the modern motoring magazines while waiting at the docs,Autocar I think. It made depressing reading,at one end of the scale there's the 600 bhp Jaguar,4 massive exhaust pipes,another company introducing 4 wheel steering for stability.
The other end calls for more 20mph zones,Pay as you drive, Volvo introducing a new brand for their electric vehicles.
Glad I got called in.

Cars will charge when there is capacity for instance charging may start at 1:00am so we do not need anymore capacity we will however use more power overall. Which means lots more off shore wind farms (for the UK), they are experimenting with using the same technology as the floating oil rigs.

My wife still rides horses so we will still drive our Austin Sevens the masses will go electric.

Location: Rokeby, Victoria, Australia

Mark, regarding capacity: just do the sums. Regarding when: it will be when the battery is low plus where you have managed to find a place to charge - and where there isn't a big queue!
Big investment going into cars and batteries but not into sufficient generation or the infrastructure electric cars will demand.

You plug your car at home or on the street, the charging will not happen until there is capacity. If it is to work the charging has to be smart, most electric car owners charge at home and they choose to charge when the power is cheapest although this will become automated, charging stations only supply about 20%. As most new models will go 200 miles plus it does not need to charge daily.

Lastly a tesla (large electric car) uses about 200w/h per km most people travel on average only about 30km per day commute which is only 6kWh/day that is the same as small electric heater for 2 1/2 hours at 1:00am. The savings of converting the street lighting to LEDs will just about cover it and if you have a bit of roof space 6kWh per day is a small system although you will need home batteries to charge your car at night but that is another story. By the way I generate on average 19kWh/day from my home solar it's like owning your own oil well and currently not taxed but that may change.

Location: Rokeby, Victoria, Australia

Ah there is a little advertised scheme called Short Term Operating Reserve STOR. Any body with some spare cash can build one using containerised truck engines driving generators, you give the keys to the National Grid and get paid so much for stand by and running.

I have read of a scheme whereby electric cars are used to store electricity to feed back into the grid when needed. Same principle as the pumped storage hydro schemes.

Our lovely little cars will run on anything that goes bang when sparked, as owners found in the second world war. We just need a bit of creativity and ingenuity, often shown on this forum. Homebrew alcohol anyone?

Location: Isle of Wight