The (R)EV Diaries - EVs in Rural America Electric Cars - Electric Vehicles

We’ve had some winter weather the past few days. The Mini had some success with it, but will my BMW do the same? Here is how round 1 went… but today I know to stay out of the ring. My EV experience with winter weather.

Last week I was in Key West. I saw probably 50 different Teslas (and one i3) while I was gone, but ZERO infrastructure which prompted me to investigate on the PlugShare app.

Bill in Arizona informed me of another recall on his Hyundai Kona. Apparently the braking booster on the Kona E and the Hyundai Nexo (H2 Fuel Cell) can be disabled by a faulty sensor and reduce the braking power. That’s a bad thing that is being fixed with, I think a firmware issue. I contend … Continue reading "Growing Pains and Another Kona Recall"

I have to be honest; I was about to quit. Can it be true that I have become unmotivated and bored with EVs? I was on the brink, but now I’m ready to go and face the New Year. Welcome to the EV Diaries; YOUR home for EVs in small-town America. Thanks for listening.

The biggest obstacle to infrastructure deployment in small-town America is who is going to pay for it. Right now, financially, its a losing proposition and the ones facing the challenge at this particular time, have to answer so someone else for their actions.

I have been challenged to drop the phrase “range anxiety” from the vernacular. And to be honest “range anxiety” is really a misnomer for something bigger…

Aptera is now taking orders on a sub-$30K, 1000 mile EV that never needs charging. Too good to be true? Maybe but it is an interesting offering.

I didn’t realize that I had posted the same episode under a different title. I have fixed that. So, episode 135 So, The Car Has A Battery? … No, The Car IS The Battery! should have the correct.. or at least the intended audio attached. M’bad.

As a fairly new EV owner, I am now dealing with the first cold spell of the year. As expected, my performance dropped, but what should I do now to mitigate the problem?

In September, Elon Musk talked about using batteries as part of the structure of the car. A group in Europe says that’s old news and is now working to make things out of batteries. One day, your EV may not have a battery… it may be a battery.

Chevy is recalling 51,000 Bolts manufactured between 2017-2019, right after I gave them a pat on the back for finally getting on the EV train. Oh, well. Bill in Arizona took his recalled Hyundai Kona EV for service and gave me the update. Remember if you are in the market for barware, ABarAbove.com has some … Continue reading "My Chevy Brag and Bill’s Kona Update"

It looks like GM has finally decided that there is an EV future and seems to now be on board with the revolution. Looks like I’m going to have to start being nice to them… Don’t make me regret it, GM.

I sat through a DOE EV Futures webinar series again today. A group called WeaveGrid is doing TOU metering using the car’s telemetrics. It’s a cool idea but there are some concerns from my perspective. ABarAbove.com

Tesla launched its own brand of tequila. Here is a cross-over episode with my other podcast, “How To Drink Bourbon, Tequila & Other Spirits With The Drink Neat Guys”. It started as a joke but here it is and here is my thoughts on the matter.

A study of air pressure fluctuation on EVs in China has revealed what should have been expected; improper inflation is detrimental to efficiency… but how much?

Happy Halloween. Hydrogen is the most abundant element on the planet, so why are we not talking about hydrogen fuel-cell cars instead of EVs?

An update on listener Becky’s 2016 Leaf in comparison to what happened with a Canadian owner’s 2013 Leaf and battery replacement.

Tesla announced a modification to it’s used car warranty. Some think it is hurting confidence in the brand.

Sgt. Pepper taught the band to pl… No, that was 20 years ago… more like 70 now, but never mind. One year ago today, EV Diaries launched with the first episode. This is a thank you and a look back at what 52 weeks have meant to me. A Bar Above Link

Of course that is a line from The Simpsons’ Canyonero commercial from way back. Actually, Hyundai is recalling some Konas after some fires broke out. Could be 77,000 total- mostly in Europe and Asia, but there’s some in North America as well. Speaking of fires, apparently fire departments are ill-equipped to deal with EV fires … Continue reading "Unexplained Fires Are A Matter For The Courts…"

Okay, Volkswagen is coming to the US with a pretty cool SUV with a predicted 250 mile range for $41K. Here’s what I think is cool about it and why it matters.

I came across an article from the Times Standard newspaper in Eureka, CA. Matthew Marshall, the Executive Director of the Redwood Coast Energy Authority is touting the message of EVs in small-town America.

I’ve been reading and pondering Simon Sinek’s book Start With Why and thought I’d share my thoughts with you.

Late, but I didn’t miss it… It’s Drive Electric Week; a celebration of all things EV. Here are my top 10 reasons why you should drive an electric car.

Here’s my thoughts on Tuesday’s event. Grand things are coming.