TONY Perridge of Inverness (Letters, Aug 13) thinks that Phoebe Harper’s trip “underlines the fatal flaw of owning an electric vehicle” (Why your next Highland road trip should be an electric one, Aug 8). Of course he has a right to his opinion, but it doesn’t sound as though it’s based on experience. Let me tell you of mine, which is based on three years and three months of using an EV, now with 28,000-plus miles on the clock, and used daily. Admittedly it is normally charged on our driveway.
We often travel from home in Leven to Caithness, a distance of 224 miles, and our car arrives with at least 35 miles still showing as being available. If we should happen to stop en route for a coffee or meal, then we can boost the charge while eating (but it never takes more than 45 minutes). Only once have we encountered another EV charging (at the tourist hotspot of Aviemore) and opted to continue our journey. Normally we choose quieter locations!
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Using “the electric A9” is simple, speedy and efficient. We once encountered (at a charging point) three girls who had driven in an EV from Kent, and they spoke of the “excellent EV facilities in Scotland”. This queue didn’t “stretch for miles” as we were only stopping for a “convenience” halt. Since then we have seen numerous charging installations added to the network in almost every village.
The article in question spoke of the need to plan ahead, something which would certainly be necessary with a (very limited) range of 120 miles, but which isn’t beyond the capabilities of most thinking people.
Electric vehicles are certainly not “a dead-end technology” as Tony says. While it is possible to agree with his statement that “we need to remove the need to travel”, I doubt it will be in the near future, if ever.
Instead of lamenting that “it’ll be too late anyway” and expressing his fear for the lives of his grandchildren, perhaps he should look on the positive side and invest in an EV (once they are sensibly priced).
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Politicians have had at least 40 years of advance warning of global warming, with the result of nothing being done (witness the appalling lack of debate on the subject in the Truss/Sunak farce). It requires people to enervate themselves and take the initiative, not rely on politicians, and not to descend into negativity and apathy.
Some 14 years ago we installed an air source heat pump, 11 years ago a wind turbine, 10 years ago photo voltaic panels and three years ago we bought an EV. We fortunately could afford to do so, and have never regretted it. If we waited on politicians doing anything, we would wait for ever. So Tony Perridge, shake off your negativity and develop a bit of optimism.
Paul Gillon
Leven
MY impression of the piece “Scots carbon-offset business launched” (Aug 9) was in line with that of your correspondent Neville Rigby (Letters, Aug 15); a promotion that should have been listed under “advertisement”.
Mr Rigby asks what the Scottish Government is doing about the emerging carbon market. An answer is in the current government consultation paper on Land Reform in A Net Zero Nation (open till September 25), which suggests that ministers could support this type of market for our land. Also, there are papers on the topic published by the Land Commission for Scotland.
I’d recommend following the redoubtable Andy Wightman, who is producing various blogs on aspects consultation paper (including land ownership and management). This is a topical and contentious subject; some have described it as having the potential to result in a modern Clearance in rural Scotland.
Roddie Macpherson
Avoch
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