Impatience, consumption.  Wow!  He started to rant, then it turned personal.  Attacking me for being unreasonable was the outcome.  He pretended no points had been made or questions asked.  There was no concern for consumption.  The fastest DC charging possible was what Toyota refused and there was nothing that could be said.  No excuses, period.  It's the same nonsense I saw way back when Volt was first rolled out.  Those owners, who were clearly just conquest sales GM could celebrate, couldn't care less about consumption either.  All they cared about was plugging in.  Actual efficiency was meaningless.  EV being maximized was their goal, regardless of how much electricity they used.  Request for kWh data fell on deaf ears.  The same thing is happening now.  We are seeing the endorsement of EV guzzlers... an obsession with speed, power and range.  Ugh.  I can see this discussion quickly coming to a conclusion.  So, I tried to wrap it up with:  Carbon reduction should be taken seriously.  Simply switching from gas to electricity, then carelessly consuming it, isn't a solution.  Patience.

Impatience, do it right.  It was obvious he wanted no part of any constructive discussion.  Just like I have seen countless times in the past, he had already made up his mind.  He set an expectation that the BEV from Toyota would be competitive with Tesla in every manner.  All electric-vehicle traits are the same, right?  Ugh.  This is just like with hybrids.  Each is thought of as just the automaker's own style slapped on to a familiar platform.  All should operate exactly the same way to deliver exactly the same results.  At no time would an enthusiast, like the one I am sparring with now, ever considered an EV with a different purpose.  It is an absurd perspective.  The world of gasoline vehicles certainly don't follow that mindset.  They vary wildly, offering a diversity so vast it obviously gets taken for granted... and when transposed to the world of plug-in vehicles, overlooked.  Why shouldn't there be different designs for different goals?  That one-for-all attitude makes it easy to see where the impatience comes from.  As far as the enthusiast is concerned, mission accomplished already.  The harsh reality they don't want to face is only a small segment of the population has been served.  Most still await an BEV to fulfill their needs.  This is why I don't argue much with enthusiasts... unless there is something new to learn.  Today, there actually was.  So, I used my usual approach of keeping the reply simple and in the form of a question:  What about taking the time to do it right, rather than haphazardly enabling an ability without first learning from the rapidly changing support for DC fast-charging?

Impatience, override.  As anticipated, that didn't go over well: "It's a huge flaw that the car owner should be able to override."  Calling out a different priority from what enthusiasts deem important is unacceptable.  Toyota is not allowed to deliver anything other than what they specify.  Ugh.  It's just like when Prius was new.  Sacrificing MPG for the sake of delivering cleaner emissions was unacceptable.  How dare Toyota make the reduction of smog-related emissions the most important goal.  Again, ugh.  I recognized the pattern right away.  I also knew whatever I posted would fall on deaf ears.  He was clearly impatient, unwilling to wait for Toyota to find a balanced approach.  Nonetheless, I replied to the growing nonsense anyway:  Those familiar with Toyota's history know it's worth being patient.  We have been through this scenario already.  There is good reason to take time to study how it should be implemented.  Engineering is loaded with tradeoffs and the market is extremely fickle.  I suggest you research the decision factors related to "charge mode" to understand why this isn't a simple matter of on/off.

Impatience, fixable.  This was the opening of Pandora's box: "Welcome to the super big problem Subaru and Toyota needs to fix and this is 100% software fixable."  That was the reply to a new owner innocently making a comment about DC fast-charging speed.  I know it is a matter of patience.  Toyota wants to deliver a solution using KISS, since they know their audience.  Achieving that type of simplicity, so it automatically matches need despite the circumstances, takes a great deal of study.  Observation of real-world use is key.  In this case, it comes down to how best prepare the battery.  You don't just want to take the wasteful approach like Tesla, heating it to 50°C (122°F) for the fastest possible charging.  Such an arbitrary consumption of electricity does not fit well into the overall goal of neutrality.  There's an immediate impact to range as well.  Notice how many have already freaked out about the estimate shown for cabin-heater usage?  Image subtracting that much more battery-heater usage.  Needless to say, enthusiasts don't care.  They don't want to wait for Toyota to research a well-rounded approach.  Don't think, just act.  Ugh.  Knowing that, I poked the bear anyway:  There isn't anything broken.  Toyota (and Subaru) made the choice to not consume energy simply for the sake of achieving faster DC speed.  Their emphasis on carbon reduction really shouldn't be fixed.

Compared to ID.4.  I had hoped that this particular enthusiast publication would be constructive.  Right from the start, I became concerned.  Why was the Toyota being referred to as "Busy Forks" when the VW retained its proper name?  Such a blatant bias was not a good sign, especially with the numbering scheme VW has used for their other BEV models.  I scanned through the article looking for something to stand out, you know, real substance.  It was mostly just the usual dull & vague compares.  One thing that did catch my attention was this mention: "fast charging can disappear completely in freezing temps".  Was that the result of poor research or intentional?  There was a misprint early this year from Toyota itself, but that was immediately corrected when such an obvious limitation was questioned.  That correction was a reference to a temperature below zero Fahrenheit, not Celsius, specifically -4°F.  How could a supposed professional automotive news source not notice such a mistake?  That's -20°C, which is the same threshold for all lithium batteries.  There's nothing specific to Toyota.  That just means you have to sit around waiting for the battery-heater to warm the battery first.  It's not like the act of charging then is impossible.  Anywho, I got to the end of the article and never encountered the most obvious comparison... a road test.  It was missing entirely, which is a dead giveaway they didn't actually do any hands-on research of their own.  It was basically just an article to stir interest, nothing of any depth.  What I look for to reveal true journalism is an effort to collect real-world efficiency data.  Getting a compare of observed MI/KWH values is the true tell.  In fact, that's what the compare should highlight.  Unfortunately, comparing build materials and vehicle dimensions is all we end up getting.  What a waste of time.

MagicDock Video, again.  Turns out, there's a wide audience for this specific topic.  I ended up sharing it in a variety of group.  Here's another effort to spread the word:  I edited together that video I captured of me trying out that new MagicDock location, adding in relevant screen-captures taken while I was doing the setup & connection.  It was at the first... of now two... locations in Minnesota at a Tesla Supercharger location capable of charging non-Tesla vehicles, like mine.  That feature is an adapter called "MagicDock".  This one is a location by on the way up north, so stopping on a recent trip was incredibly convenient... and quite timely.  I didn't expect that drive planned long ago would work out so well.  It was a great opportunity.  The video itself turned out well.  I didn't have to worry about lighting and my new wireless microphone made setup simple.  Anywho, it worked well with my non-Tesla.  You can see what it took to set up the app for connection & payment as I tried charging on the network with that adapter for the very first time... Toyota bZ4X using Tesla MagicDock

Lithium Batteries.  He had already put us through some chest-pounding.  He was a fanboy with a battle to win by proving his preferred automaker to be far superior: "10 years ago Tesla already had lithium batteries in the Roadster and Model S and Nissan had them in the LEAF."  Tossing in LEAF at the end for good measure is really the only time you'll ever witness that type of acknowledgement; otherwise, what Nissan debuted with is treated as far inferior... especially since it had a heat-pump long before any Tesla.  That's how narratives work.  You cherry-pick.  Ugh.  Anywho, I pointed out Toyota's shared history by mentioning the 2012 Prius PHV and 7-seat wagon model of Prius both used lithium.  Those were fighting words.  His response was lame though, the classic dismissal: "Hybrids with tiny packs don't count."  I pointed out the full EV drive you get from their plug-in hybrid design.  He got angry.  I had enough of his nonsense and just ended it with a reality check.  He was obviously trying to spin it as if Toyota just rolled out their first this year.  I was more than happy to correct that claim, making sure everyone knew it wasn't recent history, that it was long ago for them too:  Having trouble understanding what a PHEV is? Both Prius Prime and RAV4 Prime operate exactly like a BEV, delivering the same electric-only outcome.  For most drives, not a drop of gas used.  Toyota's configuration has been more efficient than even some BEV for quite a number of years, since they used a heat-pump starting way back in 2016.

They Just Refuse.  When a supporter of Toyota posts something like this, how would you respond: "The sad part is, Toyota could be selling 5x as many Prius Prime... they just refuse to make them."  I see it as both a problem with starting to believe the narrative combined with impatience.  Here's what I had to say about that:  The game is chess, not checkers.  Remember, the other legacy automakers don't actually have a transition plan.  When the market swings heavily in favor of BEV, they won't have a means of dealing with ICE fallout.  Toyota is positioning for that bigger play later.  They want to establish the rest of their PHEV offerings first... Crown... CH-R... Harrier/Venza.  It's reasonable to see a consideration of Corolla Cross and Sienna becoming PHEV too.  In the meantime, ICE phaseout in favor of hybrid-only is well underway.  There is a diverse set of markets to serve and infrastructure change speed varies wildly.  Retaining profit during the transition is vial.  Notice how VW is now pulling back on the reigns as they encounter adoption challenges.

Being Competitive.  Tesla fanboys are growing quiet.  On the eve of CyberTruck deliveries about to begin, that is rather odd.  With so many price drops this year, that record profit they had so often boasted about isn't at impressive anymore.  It's an outlook to be concerned about at competition grows and Tesla remaining silent about any type of entry-level offering.  There is no goal set for an affordable small vehicle.  For that matter, we haven't actually been provided with any specifications for the big vehicle either.  When a startup like Rivian, things such as quality & service begin to matter more.  I get the feeling they are figuring that out at this point too.  So, I poked the bear:  It's intriguing how Tesla is getting old enough and large enough to no longer fall be in the newcomer category.  Striving to exceed the production volume of Toyota, VW and BYD traps Tesla in situations like legacy automakers. For example, locking onto 4680 packaging and having embraced vertical-integration impeded adoption of LFP chemistry and slowed rollout of CyberTruck.  Ironically, Toyota gets accused of sending mixed messages when it is actually exhibiting flexibility... being agile... adapting to change... accepting new priorities.  That's what being competitive requires.

More Is Better.  Exactly as anticipated: "150kw and 252 miles were great specs in 2018.  Today, 250kw and 330 miles are table stakes, which partly explains Toyota's inability to sell the bZ4X."  Enthusiasts simply don't understand diminishing returns.  They are drawn to new opportunity, endorsing a new technology from the very beginning.  Each generation gets better and better.  They thrive on that... until the technology matures.  Then they become lost & defensive.  It makes no sense that the attributes they most important, offering more and more with each new release, would have less of a draw over time.  They don't recognize that traits appealing to them are not a priority for ordinary consumers... like speed & range.  Once mainstream criteria has been delivered in an affordable manner, it's time to focus on something else.  They cannot deal with that... hence their attacks.  It is interesting to watch this stage play out.  I have been through it before.  They will lose.  I explained why in my post:  Arbitrary moving of goals is the natural progression for niche offerings.  Ordinary consumers acknowledge diminishing returns.  They see little to gain beyond 150 kW and 300 miles.  No matter how much enthusiasts proclaim more is better, it just falls on deaf ears.  Know your audience.  This is why Toyota is aiming to deliver a variety... including a 1000 km choice.  But if you want the "Corolla" of their EVs, look for a modest configuration and an affordable price.

Live Data.  The phone-app called ABRP (A Better Route Planner) provides live data.  It connects to the vehicle using an ODB-II reader, just like the way other scanners have in the past.  You can use it to find basic stats.  It needs to collect that data to be able to give you accurate estimates of battery-level upon reaching your destination or the next charger.  Values provided are usually correct too.  In fact, you can see estimates being adjusted as you drive.  Since calculations are made based upon what's happening while you drive, things like speed & temperature can be taken for granted.  It's software takes care of all that for you.  It's exactly what you'd hope for to assist ordinary consumer, those who really don't want to have to make an effort or who's math and observations skills would be good enough to provide useful estimates.  There's a history feature to, for providing drive information well after the fact.  Today, it was just me capturing a few screenshots of what was happening at that moment, the live data that app was collecting.  You can see them here...  bZ4X Photo Album 12

Metrics That Matter.  Today's new article featuring a roadmap for Toyota brought out the worst.  Some try to make their undermining subtle, especially this is one claim that I latched onto: "That bZ4X might have been ok in 2012 but a decade later it just performs really poorly on most metrics that matter to BEV today."  Remember what I sighted as the biggest problem in the past?  It was always how enthusiasts would do everything in their power to avoid stating goals.  They never wanted to declare any type of value that could come back to haunt them.  They know accountability is how progress works.  It's how you determine winners & losers objectively.  They don't like that.  So, they just declare a winner regardless of whether or not what they deem important actually is.  Why should mainstream consumer priorities be taken seriously?  After all, electrification itself isn't being taken seriously.  Ugh.  As you could have guessed, I don't play that game.  I'm not afraid of accountability.  So, I provoked with some detail:  bZ4X with the Panasonic cells already delivers 150 kW for DC charging and 252 miles for range.  Both will increase with the next-gen offering.  From AWD model, it delivers 3.5 mi/kWh from cruising on the highway and better at slower speeds, despite the 8-inch ground-clearance.  Reliability of their EV drive over the past decade has been rock solid too.  What more are you expecting?

Seriously.  One of those individuals got very annoyed with me.  Juggling 2 plug-in vehicles hasn't been a problem for he and his wife.  They have been sharing the same charger for years.  The best I could get out of him was: "We just plug in as needed."  How in the world is that even the slightest bit helpful.  There's no constructive information conveyed.  When?  Where?  How often?  How long?  It seems quite impractical to expect timing & parking to always just somehow work out?  What about the most ordinary of challenges, like when it snows?  And of course, how is that improvised schedule reliable when it comes to the needs of children?  That driving is extremely unpredictable.  Needless to say, I had much to say on the topic of at home charging.  I take it seriously.  Whether you are just starting out or trying to figure out how to upgrade, I always take the time to ask questions and provide detail.  The problems with assumptions & generalizations have been far too great in the past to take the situation for granted.  If we want to be serious, we have to act like it.  This particular person didn't want to.  I kept the discussion going anyway:  How are you going to convince a household with children, who run errands, have friends, sports, evening activities, etc. that overnight level-1 charging every other day is enough?  It would be a great message to share with those who have range anxiety.  In other words, don't enable those who are against EVs by providing weak arguments.  We need to take electrification seriously.