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

I’m quickly falling in love with my BMW i3. I find cool new features everyday and the driving experience is incredible. EV owners love EVs, but others are hesitant. Today we explore reasons I think that people in small-town America are reluctant to give EVs a try.

I took possession of my BWM i3 about 24 hours ago. This episode, I give my first thoughts and reveal my first mistakes in charging.

The Coronavirus has everyone on edge and I just wanted to give my message of encouragement as, globally, we face this crisis together.

I made a decision between the NextGen Juice Box 40 and the ChargePoint Home Flex. Both seem like great options if you are looking at WiFi connectivity but one simple thing inside the available apps became the tipping point. Thanks for listening. You rock and together we are going to spread the EV gospel in … Continue reading "I Installed A L2 EVSE In My Garage"

As a new EV owner (in 5 days anyway), I knew I wanted a level 2 EVSE for my home. In this episode, I go over what I am thinking as I start looking at the many, many options available.

I did it. I bought one. It will be here Monday.

On Wednesday, GM and Mark Reuss unveiled several new production vehicles coming to market between now and 2025. I’ve been skeptical of GM in the past. Are they finally on board the EV revolution? We will see.

On Monday, March 2, 2020 at approximately 9:30 AM, my beloved 2005 Mini Cooper S departed this life in a low-speed collision which deployed the side curtain air bags. It’s now time for me to get serious about EV ownership.

Interesting article on a listserve post regarding Ameren customers in southern Illinois. Do you know if your utility has rates or riders in place that can save you money? You should call to find out.

Last week, the NTSB released a report about two fatalities involving Tesla’s Autopilot feature. Clearly there were system failures which always leads to discussions about the risks involved with autonomous technology. As always, thanks for listening. You rock!

For a change of pace, I look back at some of the technological breakthroughs that have changed the world and made EVs possible. Of course this isn’t comprehensive. Many people, smart, smart people, have shaped the world and our lives because of their curiosity and ingenuity. Let’s pay homage to a few of them.

This has been a week of imbalance. As a result, many important things got neglected including this podcast. I’m ready to get back on track and hit it again next week. Sorry for the delay.

How do we tax EVs? In this episode, I talk about what the House Ways and Means committee discussed and some apparent political hypocrisy (if you can imagine that). Also, I let you know what the Commonwealth of Kentucky proposed and then wrap it up with my own opinion of taxes in general.

The previous episode talking about EVs in the South got me to thinking about the whole EV taxing thing. Theres a lot of debate and we are fooling ourselves to think there will not be a federal EV user fee ( read: tax) and many states already have such a fee to, supposedly, offset lost … Continue reading "Taxation Without Representation: Part 1"

I read an article on EEnews.net yesterday talking about EVs in the south. When EV production in America picks up, there’s a good chance they will be built in the southeastern part of the US (including Kentucky). This article point out that there are obstacles to adoption in this region that need to be addressed. … Continue reading "EVs In The South"

Your EV is only as clean as your utility… or so we are told. A Forbes.com article presented comparisons of what it cost to operate AND a green score for popular EVs in five major US cities; Los Angeles, Portland, ME, Baltimore, New York City and Portland, OR. What I found fascinating was a link … Continue reading "How Green Is Your EV?"

This is one of the basic questions on the mind of every EV curious person. Although there’s several ways to answer, the typical answer is 1/3 to 1/2 of the cost of operating an ICE vehicle. I found some info on Energy.gov showing the comparison of gasoline to to the electricity equivalent. Here is the … Continue reading "How Much Does It Cost To Operate An EV"

I received an email from listener Barry will the subject line “Base Load Paradigm Shift” in which he made some good observations, but the subject line caused me to ponder all weekend. The result; it exposed my own cynicism about a lot of things, but it also gives me hope.

Living in Kentucky, I know my small-town America isn’t the same as your small-town America, but sometimes I forget that. I was reminded by an EEnews.net article just how different we can be in climate, topography and ways of life, HOWEVER, I am encouraged by how similar we can be.

Episode 50 seems like a good opportunity to look back at the 5 most significant things I’ve learned over the past episodes leading to this moment. Thank you for allowing me to hit this milestone and here is many more episodes showcasing how electric vehicles can fit into small-town American life.

I wrap up my thought about the Dingell proposal by looking at another automobile study. EVs have a tough row to hoe in America, especially in small-town America (STA), but we knew this going in. Links to the articles in the show description for part 1.

The Distinguished Lady from Michigan, Debbie Dingell has proposed a bit of legislation to help EV adoption. On one hand, I’m glad that we are still pushing for EV adoption, but I’m unsure about the language of the bill. I’ve only read the press release and it seems like a decent idea, but it could … Continue reading "Dingell’s Got A Plan Part 1: Bribe Me"

How can you promote EVs and diesels at the same time? I’m not sure but General Motors is trying to do so. They have focus on both sides of the spectrum trying to please everyone. Pick a direction and stop hedging your bets. Tesla PROVES that Americans want an EV solution, but the “Heartbeat of … Continue reading "GM Confounds Me Yet Again"

I’ve gone complete circle and am contemplating a used EV now, but manufacturers are announcing new models almost daily. I’ve been obsessed with the Mini for so long, could I be overlooking a better choice? I’m just talking it through things to keep in mind shopping for used EVs.

Mazda only wants to make smaller batteries citing environmental concerns over bigger batteries. That certainly doesn’t help small-town America in having EV options.