Battery Heater.  Yesterday, I made a comment about how Toyota leaves discovery & handling of knowledge to owners.  Little did I know just a few hours later I would actually make one of those discoveries.  After an evening out with friends, I found myself very close to a free DC fast-charger (EVgo, the service included with purchase for a year) and had plenty of time available.  So, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity.  I thought sitting there for an hour watching live ODB-II data would be like watching paint dry.  To my surprise, I noticed a pattern.  The same battery & battery-heater temperatures as observed in the past appeared as maximums again.  Taking a close look at the captured data, it does indeed look like I had stumbled across important values.  It looks at though the battery-heater ramps up to 60°C (140°F) and holds that setting until the battery reaches 32°C (90°F), then it throttles back to prevent the battery from getting any warmer.  With the anticipated software update coming to address cold-weather DC fast-charging, knowing the temperature Toyota had identified as maximum could be useful.  A new option to pre-condition may target the same value, starting with winter operation.  That could be enabled for warmer driving too.  It all depends upon what Toyota decides is an acceptable longevity/energy threshold.  Tesla's target for pre-conditioning is 50°C (122°F) for fastest charge speeds.  Seeing the hardware we have possesses the same potential, it will be interesting to see what changes come as time rolls on.  Here are some photos of what I witnessed...  bZ4X Photo Album 13

Too Expensive.  Complaints about EVs being too expensive are interesting.  All new vehicles are that way.  We've seen a huge increase as the result of pandemic recovery.  The industry was heading in that direction anyway.  It's just that lockdown related events accelerated the pace.  EVs are drawing the most attention though.  None of the legacy automakers want to embrace the inevitable yet.  Once we see entry-level choices emerge, the premium-priced will lose appeal.  So, they are currently milking the opportunity to focus on something with a substantial return.  It's not working.  Ford & Tesla have been slashing prices to remain competitive.  Toyota is staying out of that mess, sticking with loss avoidance.  In fact, price for the 2024 model will go up a little bit.  He's how I conveyed that situation:  The entire industry is leveraging expensive vehicles for survival.  It's the same cycle we saw 20 years ago.  Back then, hybrids were the new thing.  Now, it is EVs.  Just like in the past, there are some right now focusing entirely on WANT.  Affordable choices will return, but that will come as the result of losses for those not wanting to embrace NEED.

Same Old Nonsense.  The absence of change is overwhelming.  It's the same old nonsense: "Toyota isn't innovating anymore, they haven't since the Prius first came out.  That inaction has cost them their ability to adapt."  I always find comments like that quite vindicating.  That type of attitude makes is clear how little they are actually paying attention.  It's either be spoon-fed a narrative or make assumptions just like countless other early-adopters.  I point out their errors, but most simply don't care to read anything like this:  From the perspective of an enthusiast, that's an understandable conclusion to draw.  But when looking at what it takes to reach and appeal to ordinary consumers... those who shop Toyota's showroom floors... that assessment couldn't be more wrong.  In fact, that's why we are seeing other legacy automakers backpedal their "all in" proclamations.  Reality has already started to sink in that the voice of early-adopters isn't representative of what the next stage of market penetration requires.  Know your audience.  What started the EV revolution is not what's needed for it to continue.  Look for subtle clues of innovation, like what Toyota is doing with their bi-polar cell design.

Missing Info.  This article title today caught my attention: "Tesla CyberTruck Battery Size, Heat Pump And Colored Charging Indicator Revealed In EPA Docs"  Right away, even before reading the article, I went out to the EPA website to see if I could find efficiency info.  It was not.  It is still missing.  Well, maybe it was in the article.  I checked.  It was not.  Next place to check, I looked in the comments posted.  Was it there?  It was not.  Ugh.  More and more, the indefensible truth that CyberTruck was just an enthusiast dream rather than any type of practical contender is becoming a reality.  We're not going to see them doing what pickups are intended for.  True, most pickups aren't used for what they were intended for either.  But at least there are some.  It's like Prius long ago.  No matter how much antagonists claimed the purchase was just to gloat about being green, Prius was a midsize hatchback... the only one available back then too.  It was practical & affordable.  Basic pickups are affordable too.  CyberTruck won't ever be affordable.  Its design is overkill, targeting an audience wanted exactly that.  Having some type of vindicating trait... like great efficiency... would really help.  That doesn't look to be the case.  In the meantime, here's what I had to say while we wait for that missing info: The most sought after EPA info missing isn't a good sign.  For those trying to take a genuine look at ownerships costs, having that is vital.  Realistically, we know it will be a guzzler. But having standardized estimates is important for proper comparisons.

Basic Math.  The question of "how much will my electricity bill go up?" is quite common.  We tend get posts with something specific to an owner or just a "didn't notice much of a change" response.  People don't pay close enough attention; some have no idea what to even look for.  It's a sad statement of electrification progress.  What the heck did BEV owners do all this time?  If such a fundamental wasn't addressed, what were they expecting to happen?  How can you convince people to take a closer look with nothing but talking points.  So what maintenance & operation is less?  If they aren't provided with any means of finding out by how much, nothing will change.  You have to sell them something of substance, not just a feel-good idea.  After all, the whole "going green" effort failed.  Didn't anyone learn anything from those mistakes?  Not anything generic and easy to convey until now is beyond frustrating.  Needless to say, I stepped up to the plate.  I came up with this to share:  Basic math.... 1000 miles per month... 3 miles per kilowatt... 15 cents per kilowatt = $50.

Red Flag.  CyberTruck articles are missing a vital bit of information... efficiency.  Nothing is being said about how impressive the vehicle supposedly is.  Remember, this is Tesla.  An expectation of leap-frogging competition is part of the appeal.  It is superior technology without having to actually support the claim.  Reality is bittersweet.  If there was something to tout, that's what we would be hearing by now.  But then again, the market here in North America has been portraying range as efficiency.  If it can drive further per charge, that supposedly means it is more efficient.  That's just plain not true.  Measure of consumption has nothing to do with battery-size.  Yet, our brain-dead reviewers have conveyed that messaging to our single-minded enthusiasts.  Ugh.  I call out that nonsense.  It mostly falls on deaf ears though.  Just like way back with Volt, they don't care.  Electricity is "free" as far as they are concerned.  Ironically, they are the ones who constantly antagonize discussions with "there's no free lunch" posts.  I find it all quite amusing.  Eventually, that red-flag will get noticed.  Things like cost-per-mile compares require that information.  Distracting from getting the data will only work for so long.  Until then, all I can do is call out the omission:  No mention whatsoever of MI/KWH or MPGe or KWH/100MI is a big red flag when it comes to electric vehicles.

I have heard endless claims of bZ4X being inefficient, despite delivering significantly better numbers.  In the summer, seeing real-world efficiency numbers starting with a 4 was quite common.  Every now & then, I would see over 5.0 mi/kWh.  Now at the start of winter, efficiency has dropped to 2.8 mi/kWh.  Any bet on what we'll see from CyberTruck... or will that topic conveniently be omitted in favor of focus on range instead?

Battery Size.  To argue that the size of the battery better informed you about efficiency was an exercise of insanity.  That mind-boggling exchange concluded with: "Simply looking at battery size IS MORE TELLING.  That's a simple fact."  I was beside myself.  Without even needing to point out the 260-mile range estimate for CyberTruck base model required a much larger battery than most vehicles, I could use a simple example... an apples-to-apple comparison.  VW had provided an easy means of doing that.  So, I did:  I have been waiting for you to stumble over your own words.  Battery size is not more telling. In fact, it is extremely misleading... to the point of being greenwash.  That's easy to prove too.  Look at ID.4 models.  The one with the large battery rated for 275 miles gets 3.13 mi/kWh.  The one with the small battery rated for 209 miles gets 3.23 mi/kWh.  Based on the supposition of greater range being more efficient is clearly not the case.

From a state perspective, Minnesota still doesn't allow any type of commercial presence on highway rest areas.  The result has been a struggle to get businesses along the highway to step up.  That's a slow process and some locations simply don't have the physical space for chargers.  NEVI funding requires close proximity to high-demand electricity supply too.

Seeking A Solution.  Some get online to vent.  Their participation on a group is for the sole purpose of having someone to complain to.  I look for those who actually are seeking a solution.  That isn't easy.  I keep trying though:  The on-board charger is only for AC input... that's level-1 and level-2 charging.  DC input bypasses that, depending upon the hardware at the station itself.  In fact, that is why each is labeled with a maximum speed it can deliver.  Any shortcoming related to speed starts with chemistry & packaging of the battery itself.  Next is temperature control, the first factor the automaker has control over in the vehicle itself.  That is the software update forthcoming. We already have a battery-heater for that.  No new hardware is required.  It is really just a matter of Toyota/Subaru deciding how best to use what's available.  That's why I ask questions about what the owner is expecting.  The heater consumes energy, resulting in reduced range and reduce battery-life.  Since I have experienced much faster charging with mine, monitoring battery-temperature at the time, it was solid confirmation of what is happening unseen.  As it got colder here, I also witnessed firsthand the battery-heater response to DC input, confirming we already have the necessary on-board hardware.  This is why I repeatedly requested feedback.  Without critical thinking, it is just an owner rant, wasting everyone's time rather than seeking a solution.

Unpopular?  It is easy to ignore rhetoric following a disappointing rollout.  Things didn't go well for CyberTruck enthusiasts.  Hype has no substance anymore.  Their noise is subsiding, allowing other voices to be hear.  This particular one caught my attention: "I'm in so cal.  I have seen one other Solterra and one bz.  Are these models unpopular?  I have had my Solterra for 9 months and love it."  That was refreshing to see.  It is evidence of moving beyond introduction.  Thank goodness.  I was so tired of those anecdotal reviews.  Reporters would get the vehicle for a few hours, then we'd get a video of them reporting on what they observed.  Most obviously didn't do any research.  This read press-release materials and make comments based on that and firsthand observations while filming.  Those reviews are shallow and often filled with mistakes & oversights.  Media attention has moved on.  Owners are beginning to find their voices.  It's so refreshing.  There aren't many of us yet though.  So, you won't hear much for awhile.  It's coming though.  Like when Prius was new, most people knew little of the technology and there was a lot of pushback based upon misconceptions & assumptions.  Patience is required.  We're past the roughest stage.  Now, it's a matter of spreading the message of what's to come:  There simply isn't that much incentive to push volume without the $7,500 tax-credit incentive yet while still working on software updates, knowing there are infrastructure barriers too.  At some point their will be either a big mid-cycle or next-gen rollout that will be competitive.  Just like what Toyota did with the original Prius, there will be a small group of us enjoying benefits of initial rollout.  I remember how that limited audience thrived on the opportunity.  Glad to see you are, despite being so alone.