Chris I find your calculation curious in that you suggest an electricity consumption for an electric car which is tiny. 4kWh per 5 miles is optimistic if there are any hills, wind, acceleration or whatever on the route. Charging at stations may be a good idea, but at train pricing rates probably unaffordable.


The whole thing about trains is that they are assumed to be cheap to use, but they are impossibly expensive except perhaps on commuter season tickets. I recently thought to go by train from Bristol to London, and 2 second class tickets at peak time were nearly £400. I would have to stand the whole way, because there were no seats unless I went 1st Class, which was £600. The electricity for the trip might cost £120, for all 500 passengers! When I was a lad they brought in the 125 trains which did the trip in just over an hour non-stop. It now takes the best part of 2 hours because the full trains stop several times for significant periods. They are just electrifying this line which is costing a huge amount of money because all the bridges are too low for the power lines, which is causing havoc as they are changed. Needless to say I went by car for about £50!

Chris I find your calculation curious in that you suggest an electricity consumption for an electric car which is tiny. 4kWh per 5 miles is optimistic if there are any hills, wind, acceleration or whatever on the route. Charging at stations may be a good idea, but at train pricing rates probably unaffordable.


The whole thing about trains is that they are assumed to be cheap to use, but they are impossibly expensive except perhaps on commuter season tickets. I recently thought to go by train from Bristol to London, and 2 second class tickets at peak time were nearly £400. I would have to stand the whole way, because there were no seats unless I went 1st Class, which was £600. The electricity for the trip might cost £120, for all 500 passengers! When I was a lad they brought in the 125 trains which did the trip in just over an hour non-stop. It now takes the best part of 2 hours because the full trains stop several times for significant periods. They are just electrifying this line which is costing a huge amount of money because all the bridges are too low for the power lines, which is causing havoc as they are changed. Needless to say I went by car for about £50!