14 Degrees F.  It is quite fascinating to read about people only now discovering the plug-in Prius.  My first was 13 years ago and I replaced that with my second 8 years ago.  Today, it was an opinion piece that listed many points of praise, but mentioned a big unknown related to temperature.  The owner had no idea what the gas-engine would startup and run for awhile at a specific point... 14 degrees F.  He mentioned that particular pattern, certain it wasn't anecdotal, but couldn't find an explanation why.  I jumped in to provide that missing knowledge.  He replied back to this with a big thank you:  That unknown about 14°F is easy to explain.  That's the threshold at which the heat-pump becomes ineffective, where there simply isn't any warmth available to extract from the outside air.  So at that point, the gas-engine starts to warm coolant for cabin heating instead.

Delivery Dates.  They keep shifting.  Within the past week, start date of the delivery-window has shifted 3 times. Interestingly, the end date has not though...  11/26 - 12/15...  11/28 - 12/15...  11/30 - 12/15.  Now the only possible way to get the current offer of $5000 cash back would be for the entire prep & paperwork process to take place on that Monday, since dealers here are not open on Sundays.  Nothing like a little drama while we all wait to see how initial deliveries play out.  Of course, the actual drama will follow.  Imagine what the response will be when I share a video of a recharge in true cold, Minnesota winter.  Taking advantage of the precondition isn't rocket science.  It does consume energy exclusively for the sake of speeding up the recharge.  But that is what the feedback abroad requested.  Think of it like the "charge" and "hold" buttons.  They have history leading up to availability too.  Both had to be waited for... and a whole lot longer than what I am enduring now.  I figure within the next month delivery will happen.  My salesperson says by Christmas.  That realistically works just fine.  The holidays are busy with other responsibilities & activities anyway.  The true cold comes in January.  I'll be ready for that.  Stay tuned... and wish me patience in the meantime.

The narrative needs to change.  Priorities need to change.

Legacy?  That term is getting abused now: "It's interesting how the term "legacy" gained traction even though the "legacy" automakers are gaining ground in the EV space."  With Tesla having so much history at this point, it's own legacy is a problem just like any other well-established automaker.  Usually, that history can be leveraged to help endorse what comes next.  But when nothing at all is planned, then what?  That's what supporters are now struggling with.  Tesla doesn't have any step defined.  Even the "traditional" automakers do.  Perhaps that will be Tesla's legacy.  It rested on its laurels for so long, momentum was lost and consumers simply looked elsewhere.  I pointed out that possibility with:  The gain is becoming easier to see now.  Legacy automakers have learned the lesson of how to avoid the trap Tesla is now in.  It's textbook example of Innovator's Dilemma. Regardless of successes & failures along the way, you can't just stop.  Growth requires product diversification.  Tesla still isn't showing any interest in early-level offerings.  That's a huge market gap legacy automakers are scrambling to figure out how to fill.

Short Video.  It's only 1 minute and 9 seconds long, but I have a feeling this particular video will be quite handy.  Using the Toyota app, I show how to start & stop a charging session at a Tesla Supercharger.  You can take advantage of what you already have installed, rather than having to install another app and set that up for payment.  This let's you use what is already in place.  Hope is that over time, many others will leverage that same access.  It's the same thing other automakers have been trying to provide.  Seeing Toyota join in is great.  I suspect most people aren't even aware of such a tie into other services.  Anywho, take a look for yourself.  It's a quick watch...  Toyota App using Tesla Supercharger

Ack!  Dates shifted again, now start of my delivery-window is 11/27... Thanksgiving Day.  Here in Minnesota, dealers aren't open on Sunday.  So with that holiday and Black Friday, it could come down to Monday 12/1... the final day of the $5000 cash back.  Realistically, I don't put a lot of faith in those estimates anyway.  I really hope Toyota is paying close attention to inventory status too.  It would make sense that the offer gets extended again.  I'm planning a lot of promotion activities, so having saved a nice chunk of the purchase price right out the door would be awesome.  With the administration working so hard to undermine progress, it will be up to groups like the one I'm part of (Minnesota EV Owners) to spread the word.  Endorsements like that are priceless.  Being able to hold events at DC fast-chargers, where I can provide some firsthand instruction will be a powerful motivator.  Eventually, I'll take delivery.  Who knows when.  Patience.

Circling The Drain.  Antagonists are struggling at this point: "It's a self-fulfilling prophecy that when your product is rubbish, no-one buys it so you put back developments further. Circling the drain at this point....."  That's quite desperate, not at all a believable narrative.  With many ordinary people only now taking a look at what Toyota has to offer, how is an EV delivering 314 miles rubbish?  What could you possible argue that portrays Toyota as disinterested?  The AWD model delivers a 0-60 mph acceleration in less than 5 seconds.  Again, how is that rubbish?  Or course, showroom shoppers won't ever hear that messaging anyway.  They'll see several choices firsthand.  Antagonists won't stand a chance.  Let's just say, I keep warning them of that too:  Rolling out gen-2 of bZ, introducing both CH-R and bZ Woodland, while making plans to produce a 3-row BEV... will be fulfilling.

NACS References.  My suggestion of avoiding calling the adapter "Tesla" didn't go over well: "If you talk NACS to the completely uninitiated person they won't have a clue what you're talking about.  But if you say "Tesla this or that" they suddenly know because of how recognizable (for good or bad) the name is."  Posting that recognition of political baggage should have been enough to give pause.  Why would you intentionally take such a risk of isolation?  It makes no sense knowing there are other uses, especially those that would be far more favorable to discuss.  I fired back with:  Being at an EV event over the weekend and having talked with many, many ordinary consumers showing them the adapter, that argue falls flat.  Most of them had no idea what a Tesla plug was or why it mattered.  Calling it NACS from introduction avoids all kinds of complications.  Think about how many times you'd have to explain to someone the "Tesla" adapter can actually be used elsewhere... like Ionna, which we want to promote.  Also remember, for a variety of reasons will be seeking alternatives to Tesla.  Absence of direct association can be a plus.  Then there's the reality that not all Superchargers support NACS, so that terminology awareness is vital.  Lastly, you're overlooking a fundamental. NACS is for both AC and DC charging.

HEV Emblems.  They are still making some BEV purists crazy.  They hate the idea of "EV" being electric-only.  That's way some get really annoyed when PHEV is used rather than plug-in hybrid.  But facing that problem... you know, really giving it some critical thought... reveals why Toyota doesn't like "hybrid" to refer to a vehicle using only a 48-volt system to enable start & stop.  Others having twisted that term so much, it now confuses people.  That label of "hybrid" can mean anything; however, the label of "HEV" informs that some level of "EV" is possible.  From Prius, that has always been the case.  Maximum draw started out years ago a 10 kW or 42 mph, which was reached first.  But it was real propulsion with  the gas-engine at rest.  BEV purists don't care though.  I do.  So, I get rather annoyed when a BEV unwilling to hear me out just dismisses its importance.  They fail to see the perspective of mainstream consumers.  Remember how "mild" hybrid became such a problem?  They don't, which means they are leaving an opening for antagonists to exploit... giving naysayers an excuse by allowing confusion & distraction.  Ugh.

Hilux Pickup.  It's available from Toyota in most every market, except the United States and Canada.  There is now a BEV model on the way.  It will have a 59.2 kWh battery, which translates to about 240 km (149 miles) based on the WLTP rating.  That's probably around 120 miles for EPA.  With a 1,600 kg (3,527 lbs) towing capacity and payload of 715 kg (1576 lbs), it could serve as a practical vehicle for some cities.  It see routinely see city workers using pickups for the basics.  That makes sense.  You want higher ground-clearance and a bed for cargo.  Towing a small trailer is common too.  There will obviously be large pickups still.  But for fleet use, this could be practical.  Not all agree though: "Commuting and local drives can be served better by other types of vehicles, not pickups."  It was no surprise business use was completely overlooked.  Of course, since large pickups are used for commuting and local drives, his point was moot anyway.  I kept my reply brief, curious where this new topic could take us.  After all, Toyota was supposed to be a laggard.  Rolling out a small EV pickup derails that "behind" narrative entirely.  I posted:  Pickups are great for municipal use.  Having a bed and off-road ability is extremely practical for maintenance at parks and event support.

Any Suggestions?  Absence of critical thinking can be found all over the place.  In this case, it's a simple reference that can contribute to lots of misunderstandings and missed opportunities.  I vented today's frustration in that regard to not using "NACS" when discussing the new DC fast-charge adapter.  I suspect many will fail to realize what is available by referring to such a limited name:  This is how I expressed that sentiment, by asking a question:  I'm really hoping people stop calling it "Tesla" adapter, since so many other stations are also supporting NACS... like Ionna, Blink and EVgo.  Remember, not all Superchargers support NACS. So we will continually have to help newbies making that incorrect assumption.  When going to a Tesla location, they must look up to see whether or not it is NACS compatible.  Struggling with an adapter can be a very disheartening experience.  Any suggestions?  Now that we can initiate charging from the Toyota app, referring newbies to that instead of the Tesla app could be helpful.

NACS Adapter.  I ordered my Friday afternoon.  When I woke up on Monday, there was already an email delivery notification that it had come in.  The process was simple, but necessitated contacting the dealer.  Toyota had supplied regions ahead of time with lots of NACS adapters.  The catch was owners need to request it before the end of 2025 to get one for free.  Since I wanted to go into my dealer to check on the status of my 2026 from my salesperson anyway, I just swung by the parts department on the way out.  It was just a matter of showing the notice on my phone in the Toyota app and providing the part number (PTQ90-6625T-10) to make lookup simple.  It only took a few minutes.  I'm thrilled that Toyota went with the same adapter I had purchased, a Lectron Vortex.  They just rebranded that to have a Toyota emblem on it so people know that it the adapter officially certified for use with bZ4X.  This is what I posted in the bZ forum, since everyone is chiming in when they get one:  Mine came in this morning.  The adapter itself will stay with the vehicle when I trade for my 2026, but I'll keep the case.  The adapter I bought gets used heavily as a prop at EV events.  When I start hosting EV gatherings at DCFC locations, those in need of an adapter will be welcome to try it.

Hilux EV.  Next month in Europe, rollout begins.  It will have 2 motors and will use a 59.2 kWh battery.  Being a smaller pickup makes sense.  Too bad we won't be getting anything like that here for awhile still.  Max payload is 715 kg (1,576 lbs) and towing capacity 1,600 kg (3,527 lbs).  Range based on the more generous WLTP cycle there is expected to be 240 km (150 miles).  The article stated that as: "That's not a lot by modern EV standards, but it could prove plentiful for those who mainly use their trucks on short distances on farms or job sites."  It was what I took as an invite to start posts:  Countless cities could include them in the fleets too.  In fact, I know of several here (Minnesota) municipal purchases of Bolt and Equinox EV that easily could have included a short-range pickup.  They don't drive too far.  They simply need transport within their city.  More importantly though, this is establishing an EV platform Toyota can exploit later as battery energy-density greatly improves.  The "behind" narrative falls apart as Toyota's offerings continue to improve & expand. 2 other new rollouts will take place in Europe this year as well... CH-R+ (smaller than bZ) and bZ4X Touring (larger than bZ).  The point is to reach new audiences, exactly what we see GM, Ford, VW and Tesla all struggling with now in this post tax-credit stage.

Put another way, read "The Tortoise and The Hare".

Deception Mode.  Executive consideration of discontinuing production of F-150 Lightning has some enthusiasts concerned.  Part of that hinges on the belief that legacy automakers, specifically Ford & GM for this market (United States), having a clear lead.  Selling many more vehicles with blatantly greater specifications set that stage.  Mustang Mach-E doesn't compete with the 2026 bZ well.  There's nothing that stands out about it.  So, if you are an antagonist, some other argument is required to prevent this news as looking positive for Toyota.  After all, Ford focused heavily on loss-leader sales to prevent this very situation.  Toyota did not, which has proven a very wise decision so far.  The sentiment of industry panic was posted in comments of an article about this as a result.  I homed in on: "Toyota in deception mode."  I challenged that by asking how rolling out the next-gen bZ and following shortly with CH-R EV was deceptive.  This is what I got in reply: "Just following the trend of deception the last 20 years.  BZ4X is complete DUD in efficiency, performance, charging and reliability.  The Mirai ridiculous..."  In other words, he had nothing.  Detail is a huge enemy for him now; the next-gen represents improvements in every category.  That made this very easy to post:  Sounds like reciting rhetoric to me, especially the absence of acknowledgement about how much bZ progressed in just 3 years. That type of heavy investment for upgrades clearly contradicts that trend.