27 June

I often call petrol and diesel vehicles rubbish technology. To clarify, I mean that in a very precise, engineering sense, it’s not just a casual insult. Here’s one of the specific ways they are. The energy produced by exploding petrol and diesel in cylinders has to change direction three times before it even gets to the wheels. It’s a ludicrously stupid and inefficent process, mechanically, with hundreds of moving parts, all with their own friction and needing lubrication and maintenance etc. An electric motor just sits on the axle, and spins. That’s it. No change of direction needed. Also why they launch like a rocket ship. Almost zero moving parts, and the ones that do move don’t even touch. No lubrication or maintenance either. No need to turn the car ‘on’ or idle it. The motor just spins when you add power, and doesn’t when you don’t. Also freeing up the engine bay for storage.