John's Stuff - Personal Log 1283

June 1, 2024 - June 7, 2024

Last Updated: Mon. 11/04/2024

6-07-2024
CAFE Standards. They are being relaxed a little. No journalists are covering that though. All we get is enthusiast overview, no critical thought. Without any context, what's the point? Sadly, comments like this emerge from articles like that: "It's about time SUVs and pickups stopped getting preferential treatment." Assuming those gas-guzzlers will go away is a terrible error. They won't. Some will continue to thrive in fact. That's really unfortunate... but the reality of high-profit vehicles. Needless to say, I saw that comment as my opportunity to ask some questions with hope of getting something constructive in return: Based on what? It's far easier to squeeze a lot of batteries into a larger vehicle. It doesn't really give us any insight for efficiency progress either. Notice how none of these articles address any particular fleet? For example, GM sold 2.6 million vehicles in 2023 in the United States. If 10% of them (260,000) are BEV in 2024, what will that raise their MPG average to? If that is raised to 20% (520,000) in the following 2 years, will they be on target? How much are their PHEV for 2027 expected to help? Keep in mind, the next round of NEVI funding is expected then. Expectations should be set for fleet transition. After all, gas-guzzlers won't just vanish. They will be offset by hybrids & plug-ins.

6-07-2024
Bad Idea. Watching the propaganda website lose almost all of its comment-posting participation as a result of switching to a new interface has been interesting. New activity for the same articles is stirring on Facebook instead. There are different players there, a whole new audience. From the EREV article, this came about there: "It works badly compared to a genuine BEV. Twice the complexity of BEV and ICE together. This was a Band-Aid solution 10 years ago. It is a bad idea now." I was quite intrigued. How will a challenge to such a statement be taken? Wanting to find out what a must. I pointed out: That false information about complexity is why the idea lives on. A well designed PHEV eliminates complexity from an ICE vehicle. There's no transmission, no starter, no belts, steering is electric, primary braking is electric, parts become smaller and stress is reduced. It's a competitive solution, not a band-aid.

6-06-2024
EREV Propaganda. It's starting again. Out of the blue, someone will try to wedge a divide between PHEV and EREV, without a clear purpose. Why? The same propaganda has been exposed many times now as just ploy to appear superior. It never makes any sense... especially when you look at the numbers. We see far better efficiency from a plug-in hybrid like Prius Prime than any series hybrid with a plug. Of course, there's the wannabe too... Volt. That vehicle is how "EREV" was coined. Definition changed several times of the years. That was a dead giveaway enthusiasts were having trouble promoting their niche. Anywho, this is what set me off today: "In a PHEV, even if you have plenty of juice in the battery, if you floor the go pedal, asking it to give all the performance it's got, it will have no choice but to wake up the engine." That was in the article. No comments had been posted yet, so I jumped in to intercept with a dose of reality: The gas-engine never starts when you do that in a Prius Prime; yet, it is always referred to as a PHEV. Default driving mode is to behave like an EV, even when you mash the pedal to the floor. History reveals the origin of EREV being a marketing gimmick. Since the definition changed a number of times of the years, a supposed standout benefit depends upon who you ask. Reality is, ordinary consumers won't have any idea what the difference is and labels only end up obscuring purpose. Any configuration of motor/engine that gets people to primarily use electricity, routinely plugging in, achieves the goal.

6-06-2024
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. With a top output of 641 horsepower, this new EV is a blatant abandonment of mission. Remember how people complained about that happening with hybrids? How is this any different? What a waste. Anywho, it's a hot mess without a good purpose. At least it's not Hyundai's primary focus. They really are working to reach ordinary consumers with the regular model of Ioniq 5. This is what I had to say about the "N" model, a high-performance model: Marketing a performance EV shouldn't include this, especially as the opening sentence: "It's not just another fast electric SUV." That makes you wonder who the audience is. With an efficiency rating of 2.4 mi/kWh, it certainly isn't those who seek consumption reduction. That's an electricity guzzler. The 221-mile range rating unacceptably short for those here to accept, as many have made overwhelmingly clear. As for it being a SUV, only 5.6 inches ground-clearance of ordinary car.

6-06-2024 Missing The Point. This comment posted about Subaru Solterra says last month certainly caught my attention: "I think this is basically an EV for Subaru loyalists." He brought up audience. I obviously have much to say on that topic.. and I did:

Built for loyalists is the point. Desperation from GM with Volt is what turned the industry backward. Conquest sales are for growth, not survival.

Think about how the EV was supposed to play out. Automakers would rollout plug-in equivalents of their traditional models. Dealers would embrace those choices just like next-generation offerings. Loyal customers shopping their showroom floor would be drawn to traits EV supporters have been promoting for years... low operating-cost, low maintenance-cost, low emissions, high efficiency.

This perversion of audience, making us think EV offerings are intended to appeal to those who never shopped that brand being the primary target, is a harmful narrative. It has empowered those resistant to change, sending a message that EVs are not for them.
This is why we saw GM pull the plug on Bolt. Attention needed to be diverted to Equinox EV instead. When a GM loyalist comes into dealership to replace their aged Equinox, they will have a choice available equivalent to their gas model.

6-04-2024
May Sales. It was a good month for Subaru. Solterra sold pretty well. Good news is never welcomed with favor though. Toyota is still the antithesis for keyboard warriors. This is as good as it gets for feedback of good news: "I just hope these buyers know what they're buying. This is a short range, poor public charging experience EV, with "penalty points" for high speed charging." Most who post comments like that insult & run. You simply never hear from them again on that thread. There's no accountability. You don't have to support your claims. The nature of online exchanges is without consequence. Fortunately, most of that rhetoric never has much of a reach. Arguments fall apart when the absence of substance is noticed and people start asking question. For me, it's going on the offensive for anyone claims Solterra or bZ4X is limited to local use. I take that good news and amplify it. In this case, why not identify "local use" as intrastate travel? I have witnessed weekend escapes up north since the 70's here... the Twin Cities. People drive to northern Minnesota. Those trips tend to be less than 200 miles. Are people doing the math, figuring out concerns over travel are manageable? Fear of the unknown will eventually fade over time, as the necessary knowledge is passed. Seeing more chargers is helpful. I wonder what helped with May sales. Anywho, rambling on this topic is a sign that particular issues are standing out anymore. That's progress. As for my replies, those become short: Know your audience. The weekend-warrior won't care. Travel to the cabin might not even require a stop to charge. Enthusiast obsession with long road-trips falls outside of ordinary consumer priorities.

6-03-2024
Promise Fulfilled. This comment came as quite a surprise: "The Volt, in the real world, fulfilled it's promise." What miracle was that? After years of their nonsense, there's no reason to allow history to repeat. Enthusiasts absolutely refused to state goals, but they were more than happy to hype up expectations. Shortcomings from Volt were undeniable. Despite that, redemption was still possible. Same thing with Cybertruck. Regardless of what was said, strong sales would at least help break the status quo. That's why conquest was just fine at first for Volt. It got people to embrace change. The audience never expanded though. It remained a niche. The promise of sales was never fulfilled. We can see GM's struggle become a problem for Tesla too. What will happen with Equinox EV? Will that appeal to ordinary showroom shoppers, where the dealer ends up selling fewer of the ICE version? We'll see if either grows beyond being just a niche. In the meantime, it's a reminder of history: Nope. The promise with Volt was to be a game changer, a high-volume seller. Production intention was to have capacity readied for 160K annual by the end of year 2, then to look into spreading that tech across the fleet. GM way undelivered on that promise.

6-03-2024
Not The Future. Gotta like statements like this: "EVs are not the future and the US will not go over 20% market share of EVs in a free market. The push for EVs and zero emissions is a cult-like response to the scam known as climate change." It's amazing how our obsession with oil has blinded us to the cost & liability that creates. That scam is somehow ok. It is a legacy we cannot afford to continue support. Even without any acknowledgement of climate change, the idea of wasting so much energy makes no sense. Consuming that same fossil fuel to create electricity for charging vehicles is overall more efficient that with an engine. Motors require less energy to deliver the same results. Obviously, we have other sources of electricity too. Some just plain don't want to face that reality though. That's why they use "scam" to dismiss evidence. Ugh. To them, I reply with brief statements to consider: Ignoring evidence of climate change doesn't change the reality that oil is a finite resource with dependency risks. Wind & Solar can be stored with low-cost sodium-ion batteries, locally where that electricity will be consumed. EVs will thrive as that improvement to our energy system evolves.

6-03-2024
Intended Audience. What does a current F-150 (2020 traditional model with about 86,000 miles) owner think of Cybertruck? That was the question of a recent review. Turns out, he was quite impressed. The drive was great. He felt it was like a highly refined car, rather than a truck. I have heard the same thing in person from owners. The catch is, they don't actually use the vehicle as a truck. It is purchased with the desire to have a vehicle without compromise. Sound familiar? Tesla is targeting the same type of person GM did in the past. They want conquest sales. The word "overkill" comes to mind. Rather than a tit-for-tat move from gas to electric, it's a raise-the-bar in every category approach. That went horribly wrong in the past. All three of GM's attempts failed miserably... Two-Mode... Volt gen-1... Volt gen-2. They were disastrous with regard to appealing to their intended audience. I see the very same thing playing out again with what Tesla delivered. Enthusiasts are in denial. It's a damage-control scramble now. On a commentary article about that review, I posted the following: It's a repeat of history. We saw the same thing happen with Volt. That was to be the "game changer" vehicle. Hope became hype. It was declared "vastly superior" long before rollout. When details about how it actually operated emerged, it's mission changed. Focus shifted to the strengths it delivered and the original purpose was abandoned. How is that any different than what we see now? How will Tesla promote this vehicle? In other words, what about its intended audience?

6-02-2024
Lack of Patience. Comments like this should be no surprise: "The administration started a program two years ago, at a cost of $5.7 Billion dollars, to build EV charging stations. Seven have been built so far." People expect results right away. They have no clue how long it takes to plan a location, order hardware, contract software & support, hire builders, perform installation, then activate power. Critical thinking is not part of what ordinary consumers partake in. Ugh. I responded to that... which ends up feeding rhetoric otherwise... with: Building DC fast-charging sites shouldn't be rushed. We have seen far too many mistakes with that approach already. Taking time to ensure NEVI funded locations are properly vetted before committing money is the proper approach. Spending that poorly right away means less available for phase-2, which will take phase-1 usage & uptime data into account.

6-02-2024
Residential Use. Turns out, my suspicion was correct. I was exchanging posts with someone not in the United States. He replied with: "Japan literally has a lower voltage than the US, and still, half the DC chargers are this type." I questioned if he was understanding the "residential" part of my comment... private home connections. I suspect his assessment was based upon commercial offerings... public charging stations. Someone else chimed in with bi-directional benefits, being able to draw electricity from your home from the vehicle. When is that necessary? How often does power go out for an extended period where a portable power-bank wouldn't work fine instead. A quick search online, I found an Anker LFP system with 2 kWh of capacity for $1,299. It's 67 pounds and enough electricity to keep a household refrigerator running for roughly 12 hours, making it an ideal device for outdoor activities when not used for emergencies. Anywho, this is how I followed up with regard to drawing from your EV for power: That is what home storage is for. It simply makes no sense drawing from a vehicle when sodium-ion batteries will enable a practical & affordable solution for on-site energy. Between solar and off-peak charging of those packs, we will see a boom in both commercial & residential use in a few years. That's how the "upgraded" grid will come about. It will relieve pressure on bottleneck & vulnerable sources but locating the energy much closer to where it will be consumed.

6-02-2024
DC Home Charging. A rather strange comment was posted about home charging with DC, rather than AC. That off-vehicle power conversion is expensive, mostly because it requires a far higher power-source than what most homes are equipped for. We had an EV event the other day where the lead engineer at the facility we were touring mentioned low DC rates simply weren't worth it. You are better off with AC. Hearing that so recently left me feeling especially empowered to reply to the comment today. I was quite curious what I'd get for a reply too: Sorry to burst your bubble... From AC, it's not possible for residential use in the United States. AC power is limited to single-phase 240-volt single-phase supply. For most DC fast-charging, supply is 3-phase at 480 volts. An alternative supply would be DC power drawn directly from on-site storage. Some with solar have that, but their battery-pack is far too small to be practical. Upcoming sodium-ion batteries might change that for non-commercial use though.

6-01-2024
BYD Seagull. There is good reason to take BYD's effort to spread to Europe and the United States seriously. It's easy to get lost in the detail though. With so much rhetoric here now and so many people poorly informed, constructive exchanges are difficult. Different venues will argue different priorities. Most avoid actual substance though. They all seem to gloss over detail. It's the same reason why "hybrids" and "PHEV" are looked upon as bad. That substanceless rhetoric is frustrating. But when posting online, don't expect accountability. Most just want to win the argument at hand, whether or not it actually makes any difference. It makes fighting automakers from China a losing battle. To take a situation seriously, you have to acknowledge facts. The first step is understanding the facts available. It's going to be a lengthy effort. I doubt even this will result in a production response, though I'll hope something worthwhile comes from this: With a range rating of 300 km NEDC for that $10k model, it would be considered DOA here... according to the loud chorus of EV supporters claiming 300 miles is the minimum required to be a viable choice. That translates to roughly 120 miles EPA.

6-01-2024 60-Mile Minimum. It continues, the fight against PHEV. Coming from a background of 2 generations of plug-in hybrid ownership... Prius PHV from May 2012 to April 2017... Prius Prime from April 2017 to April 2023... it's a strong background to contrast against the start of my electric-only ownership in April 2023. I know what it's like to live with the opportunity to plug-in and the reality of daily demands. It worked fine then and is getting progressively easier. Claims of PHEV owners not bothering to plug in were based upon cherry-picked dated that is now long outdated. We're raising standards at the same time, making benefit from charging more pronounced. Talk about a 60-mile minimum is a constructive step forward. It provides a chance for me to share information like this:

Newest data from the report is 2 years old. A lot has happened in the industry since then. NEVI funding was still just an idea to be voted upon back then. Now, we are finally seeing some of those DCFC sites being built. Those public endorsements of plug-in support will help sway confidence about battery reliance, making the decision to invest at home easier.

Think about how many PHEV owners of the past who had nothing but level-1 charging. With the realization of Advance Clean Cars II requiring 70-mile capacity for PHEV, it's easy to imagine industry raising standards. We already see a number of EVs being delivered with dual 120/240 EVSE supporting 32-amp charging. Having the equipment already strongly encourages taking advantage of it.
Many of the older PHEV simply weren't equipped to compete in an EV world either. Having only a resistance-heater or lacking electric heating entirely had a big impact how the PHEV was perceived. Now with heat-pumps, faster charging, increasing range and a growing presence of public chargers, it's a different ball game.

6-07-2024	CAFE Standards. They are being relaxed a little. No journalists are covering that though. All we get is enthusiast overview, no critical thought. Without any context, what's the point? Sadly, comments like this emerge from articles like that: "It's about time SUVs and pickups stopped getting preferential treatment." Assuming those gas-guzzlers will go away is a terrible error. They won't. Some will continue to thrive in fact. That's really unfortunate... but the reality of high-profit vehicles. Needless to say, I saw that comment as my opportunity to ask some questions with hope of getting something constructive in return: Based on what? It's far easier to squeeze a lot of batteries into a larger vehicle. It doesn't really give us any insight for efficiency progress either. Notice how none of these articles address any particular fleet? For example, GM sold 2.6 million vehicles in 2023 in the United States. If 10% of them (260,000) are BEV in 2024, what will that raise their MPG average to? If that is raised to 20% (520,000) in the following 2 years, will they be on target? How much are their PHEV for 2027 expected to help? Keep in mind, the next round of NEVI funding is expected then. Expectations should be set for fleet transition. After all, gas-guzzlers won't just vanish. They will be offset by hybrids & plug-ins.
6-07-2024	Bad Idea. Watching the propaganda website lose almost all of its comment-posting participation as a result of switching to a new interface has been interesting. New activity for the same articles is stirring on Facebook instead. There are different players there, a whole new audience. From the EREV article, this came about there: "It works badly compared to a genuine BEV. Twice the complexity of BEV and ICE together. This was a Band-Aid solution 10 years ago. It is a bad idea now." I was quite intrigued. How will a challenge to such a statement be taken? Wanting to find out what a must. I pointed out: That false information about complexity is why the idea lives on. A well designed PHEV eliminates complexity from an ICE vehicle. There's no transmission, no starter, no belts, steering is electric, primary braking is electric, parts become smaller and stress is reduced. It's a competitive solution, not a band-aid.
6-06-2024	EREV Propaganda. It's starting again. Out of the blue, someone will try to wedge a divide between PHEV and EREV, without a clear purpose. Why? The same propaganda has been exposed many times now as just ploy to appear superior. It never makes any sense... especially when you look at the numbers. We see far better efficiency from a plug-in hybrid like Prius Prime than any series hybrid with a plug. Of course, there's the wannabe too... Volt. That vehicle is how "EREV" was coined. Definition changed several times of the years. That was a dead giveaway enthusiasts were having trouble promoting their niche. Anywho, this is what set me off today: "In a PHEV, even if you have plenty of juice in the battery, if you floor the go pedal, asking it to give all the performance it's got, it will have no choice but to wake up the engine." That was in the article. No comments had been posted yet, so I jumped in to intercept with a dose of reality: The gas-engine never starts when you do that in a Prius Prime; yet, it is always referred to as a PHEV. Default driving mode is to behave like an EV, even when you mash the pedal to the floor. History reveals the origin of EREV being a marketing gimmick. Since the definition changed a number of times of the years, a supposed standout benefit depends upon who you ask. Reality is, ordinary consumers won't have any idea what the difference is and labels only end up obscuring purpose. Any configuration of motor/engine that gets people to primarily use electricity, routinely plugging in, achieves the goal.
6-06-2024	Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. With a top output of 641 horsepower, this new EV is a blatant abandonment of mission. Remember how people complained about that happening with hybrids? How is this any different? What a waste. Anywho, it's a hot mess without a good purpose. At least it's not Hyundai's primary focus. They really are working to reach ordinary consumers with the regular model of Ioniq 5. This is what I had to say about the "N" model, a high-performance model: Marketing a performance EV shouldn't include this, especially as the opening sentence: "It's not just another fast electric SUV." That makes you wonder who the audience is. With an efficiency rating of 2.4 mi/kWh, it certainly isn't those who seek consumption reduction. That's an electricity guzzler. The 221-mile range rating unacceptably short for those here to accept, as many have made overwhelmingly clear. As for it being a SUV, only 5.6 inches ground-clearance of ordinary car.
6-06-2024	Missing The Point. This comment posted about Subaru Solterra says last month certainly caught my attention: "I think this is basically an EV for Subaru loyalists." He brought up audience. I obviously have much to say on that topic.. and I did: Built for loyalists is the point. Desperation from GM with Volt is what turned the industry backward. Conquest sales are for growth, not survival. Think about how the EV was supposed to play out. Automakers would rollout plug-in equivalents of their traditional models. Dealers would embrace those choices just like next-generation offerings. Loyal customers shopping their showroom floor would be drawn to traits EV supporters have been promoting for years... low operating-cost, low maintenance-cost, low emissions, high efficiency. This perversion of audience, making us think EV offerings are intended to appeal to those who never shopped that brand being the primary target, is a harmful narrative. It has empowered those resistant to change, sending a message that EVs are not for them. This is why we saw GM pull the plug on Bolt. Attention needed to be diverted to Equinox EV instead. When a GM loyalist comes into dealership to replace their aged Equinox, they will have a choice available equivalent to their gas model.
6-04-2024	May Sales. It was a good month for Subaru. Solterra sold pretty well. Good news is never welcomed with favor though. Toyota is still the antithesis for keyboard warriors. This is as good as it gets for feedback of good news: "I just hope these buyers know what they're buying. This is a short range, poor public charging experience EV, with "penalty points" for high speed charging." Most who post comments like that insult & run. You simply never hear from them again on that thread. There's no accountability. You don't have to support your claims. The nature of online exchanges is without consequence. Fortunately, most of that rhetoric never has much of a reach. Arguments fall apart when the absence of substance is noticed and people start asking question. For me, it's going on the offensive for anyone claims Solterra or bZ4X is limited to local use. I take that good news and amplify it. In this case, why not identify "local use" as intrastate travel? I have witnessed weekend escapes up north since the 70's here... the Twin Cities. People drive to northern Minnesota. Those trips tend to be less than 200 miles. Are people doing the math, figuring out concerns over travel are manageable? Fear of the unknown will eventually fade over time, as the necessary knowledge is passed. Seeing more chargers is helpful. I wonder what helped with May sales. Anywho, rambling on this topic is a sign that particular issues are standing out anymore. That's progress. As for my replies, those become short: Know your audience. The weekend-warrior won't care. Travel to the cabin might not even require a stop to charge. Enthusiast obsession with long road-trips falls outside of ordinary consumer priorities.
6-03-2024	Promise Fulfilled. This comment came as quite a surprise: "The Volt, in the real world, fulfilled it's promise." What miracle was that? After years of their nonsense, there's no reason to allow history to repeat. Enthusiasts absolutely refused to state goals, but they were more than happy to hype up expectations. Shortcomings from Volt were undeniable. Despite that, redemption was still possible. Same thing with Cybertruck. Regardless of what was said, strong sales would at least help break the status quo. That's why conquest was just fine at first for Volt. It got people to embrace change. The audience never expanded though. It remained a niche. The promise of sales was never fulfilled. We can see GM's struggle become a problem for Tesla too. What will happen with Equinox EV? Will that appeal to ordinary showroom shoppers, where the dealer ends up selling fewer of the ICE version? We'll see if either grows beyond being just a niche. In the meantime, it's a reminder of history: Nope. The promise with Volt was to be a game changer, a high-volume seller. Production intention was to have capacity readied for 160K annual by the end of year 2, then to look into spreading that tech across the fleet. GM way undelivered on that promise.
6-03-2024	Not The Future. Gotta like statements like this: "EVs are not the future and the US will not go over 20% market share of EVs in a free market. The push for EVs and zero emissions is a cult-like response to the scam known as climate change." It's amazing how our obsession with oil has blinded us to the cost & liability that creates. That scam is somehow ok. It is a legacy we cannot afford to continue support. Even without any acknowledgement of climate change, the idea of wasting so much energy makes no sense. Consuming that same fossil fuel to create electricity for charging vehicles is overall more efficient that with an engine. Motors require less energy to deliver the same results. Obviously, we have other sources of electricity too. Some just plain don't want to face that reality though. That's why they use "scam" to dismiss evidence. Ugh. To them, I reply with brief statements to consider: Ignoring evidence of climate change doesn't change the reality that oil is a finite resource with dependency risks. Wind & Solar can be stored with low-cost sodium-ion batteries, locally where that electricity will be consumed. EVs will thrive as that improvement to our energy system evolves.
6-03-2024	Intended Audience. What does a current F-150 (2020 traditional model with about 86,000 miles) owner think of Cybertruck? That was the question of a recent review. Turns out, he was quite impressed. The drive was great. He felt it was like a highly refined car, rather than a truck. I have heard the same thing in person from owners. The catch is, they don't actually use the vehicle as a truck. It is purchased with the desire to have a vehicle without compromise. Sound familiar? Tesla is targeting the same type of person GM did in the past. They want conquest sales. The word "overkill" comes to mind. Rather than a tit-for-tat move from gas to electric, it's a raise-the-bar in every category approach. That went horribly wrong in the past. All three of GM's attempts failed miserably... Two-Mode... Volt gen-1... Volt gen-2. They were disastrous with regard to appealing to their intended audience. I see the very same thing playing out again with what Tesla delivered. Enthusiasts are in denial. It's a damage-control scramble now. On a commentary article about that review, I posted the following: It's a repeat of history. We saw the same thing happen with Volt. That was to be the "game changer" vehicle. Hope became hype. It was declared "vastly superior" long before rollout. When details about how it actually operated emerged, it's mission changed. Focus shifted to the strengths it delivered and the original purpose was abandoned. How is that any different than what we see now? How will Tesla promote this vehicle? In other words, what about its intended audience?
6-02-2024	Lack of Patience. Comments like this should be no surprise: "The administration started a program two years ago, at a cost of $5.7 Billion dollars, to build EV charging stations. Seven have been built so far." People expect results right away. They have no clue how long it takes to plan a location, order hardware, contract software & support, hire builders, perform installation, then activate power. Critical thinking is not part of what ordinary consumers partake in. Ugh. I responded to that... which ends up feeding rhetoric otherwise... with: Building DC fast-charging sites shouldn't be rushed. We have seen far too many mistakes with that approach already. Taking time to ensure NEVI funded locations are properly vetted before committing money is the proper approach. Spending that poorly right away means less available for phase-2, which will take phase-1 usage & uptime data into account.
6-02-2024	Residential Use. Turns out, my suspicion was correct. I was exchanging posts with someone not in the United States. He replied with: "Japan literally has a lower voltage than the US, and still, half the DC chargers are this type." I questioned if he was understanding the "residential" part of my comment... private home connections. I suspect his assessment was based upon commercial offerings... public charging stations. Someone else chimed in with bi-directional benefits, being able to draw electricity from your home from the vehicle. When is that necessary? How often does power go out for an extended period where a portable power-bank wouldn't work fine instead. A quick search online, I found an Anker LFP system with 2 kWh of capacity for $1,299. It's 67 pounds and enough electricity to keep a household refrigerator running for roughly 12 hours, making it an ideal device for outdoor activities when not used for emergencies. Anywho, this is how I followed up with regard to drawing from your EV for power: That is what home storage is for. It simply makes no sense drawing from a vehicle when sodium-ion batteries will enable a practical & affordable solution for on-site energy. Between solar and off-peak charging of those packs, we will see a boom in both commercial & residential use in a few years. That's how the "upgraded" grid will come about. It will relieve pressure on bottleneck & vulnerable sources but locating the energy much closer to where it will be consumed.
6-02-2024	DC Home Charging. A rather strange comment was posted about home charging with DC, rather than AC. That off-vehicle power conversion is expensive, mostly because it requires a far higher power-source than what most homes are equipped for. We had an EV event the other day where the lead engineer at the facility we were touring mentioned low DC rates simply weren't worth it. You are better off with AC. Hearing that so recently left me feeling especially empowered to reply to the comment today. I was quite curious what I'd get for a reply too: Sorry to burst your bubble... From AC, it's not possible for residential use in the United States. AC power is limited to single-phase 240-volt single-phase supply. For most DC fast-charging, supply is 3-phase at 480 volts. An alternative supply would be DC power drawn directly from on-site storage. Some with solar have that, but their battery-pack is far too small to be practical. Upcoming sodium-ion batteries might change that for non-commercial use though.
6-01-2024	BYD Seagull. There is good reason to take BYD's effort to spread to Europe and the United States seriously. It's easy to get lost in the detail though. With so much rhetoric here now and so many people poorly informed, constructive exchanges are difficult. Different venues will argue different priorities. Most avoid actual substance though. They all seem to gloss over detail. It's the same reason why "hybrids" and "PHEV" are looked upon as bad. That substanceless rhetoric is frustrating. But when posting online, don't expect accountability. Most just want to win the argument at hand, whether or not it actually makes any difference. It makes fighting automakers from China a losing battle. To take a situation seriously, you have to acknowledge facts. The first step is understanding the facts available. It's going to be a lengthy effort. I doubt even this will result in a production response, though I'll hope something worthwhile comes from this: With a range rating of 300 km NEDC for that $10k model, it would be considered DOA here... according to the loud chorus of EV supporters claiming 300 miles is the minimum required to be a viable choice. That translates to roughly 120 miles EPA.
6-01-2024	60-Mile Minimum. It continues, the fight against PHEV. Coming from a background of 2 generations of plug-in hybrid ownership... Prius PHV from May 2012 to April 2017... Prius Prime from April 2017 to April 2023... it's a strong background to contrast against the start of my electric-only ownership in April 2023. I know what it's like to live with the opportunity to plug-in and the reality of daily demands. It worked fine then and is getting progressively easier. Claims of PHEV owners not bothering to plug in were based upon cherry-picked dated that is now long outdated. We're raising standards at the same time, making benefit from charging more pronounced. Talk about a 60-mile minimum is a constructive step forward. It provides a chance for me to share information like this: Newest data from the report is 2 years old. A lot has happened in the industry since then. NEVI funding was still just an idea to be voted upon back then. Now, we are finally seeing some of those DCFC sites being built. Those public endorsements of plug-in support will help sway confidence about battery reliance, making the decision to invest at home easier. Think about how many PHEV owners of the past who had nothing but level-1 charging. With the realization of Advance Clean Cars II requiring 70-mile capacity for PHEV, it's easy to imagine industry raising standards. We already see a number of EVs being delivered with dual 120/240 EVSE supporting 32-amp charging. Having the equipment already strongly encourages taking advantage of it. Many of the older PHEV simply weren't equipped to compete in an EV world either. Having only a resistance-heater or lacking electric heating entirely had a big impact how the PHEV was perceived. Now with heat-pumps, faster charging, increasing range and a growing presence of public chargers, it's a different ball game.