If you are not careful and you set your AC too cold you end up with condensation on all your windows.
Lesson Learned.
Interesting lesson learned Prius Pre-conditioning
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments Off on Interesting lesson learned Prius Pre-conditioning
2013 Prius Plugin First 2 weeks report – 150 MPG AVG Blended and 4.2kw per Mile EV
July 1 picked up a 2013 Prius Plug in. This was after a 2 year wait and evaluation of most of the options on the market.
Why PPI:
I tested the Leaf, Volt, iMEV, CMAX Energi, Focus Electric and Fusion Energi. All great cars and would work for me with some issues.
I really wanted to make a BEV work for me but because of my work and social obligations the range anxiety was too much to overcome. On a daily basis the 60-80 miles of range would work just fine, but there are days I have to exceed this amount and the recharge times just made me feel that this might limit my options. And as a good friend said do you really want to introduce more stress in your life from your car? The pricing of these options was the best.
My first choice was the Chevy Volt, but the cost and configuration did not work. The car drives awesome, but visibility was a major concern. I could live with the 4 seats but the high residual cost of the lease and the high purchase price was out of my range.
The Fords really appealed to me from a range and configuration view point and they were at the top of the list. But the CMAX and the Fusion pricing premium over the normal Hybrid and the real world MPG pushed me away.
The PPI is not available locally so I had to go to NJ to get the car and the few times I looked at the cars they were never charged. Most dealers do not understand that the EV mode is not the same as Hybrid mode and very few keep them charges. This was very sad as three times I tried to test drive the car and none had them charged. Even when I made an appointment and asked them to make sure it was fully charged. PS this exact same think happened to me at two ford dealers with the CMAX. I really understand why Tesla wants to have its own sales force.
The PPI is not selling every well compared to the standard models so I guess the inventory has been building up and Toyota realized they needed to move the inventory. I had heard there was some good lease deals on the 2012 models. Now mind you, the whole EV/Plug in Segment is a drop in the bucket compared to the general market. the cost value proposition is still in favor of gas cars and the tax credit situation confuses most consumers. You may get this money back next year of all the cards and your CPA do it right. Americans want the deal today not a promise a year from now.
But I have always tried to have the most efficient car you can get for the best price, My list includes 99 Jetta TDI 47 MPG avg, 2005 Passat TDI 35 MPG avg, 2007 Camry Hybrid 26 MPG Avg. (Wife drives Pruis since 2006 48 MPG avg)
The lure of and EV with 95+ MPGe ( 2013 Leaf 115 MPGe) was a goal but when you drive an EV you get “the aha experience” and realize this is very nice power plant for a car. Smooth and fast and quite. I know some people equate noise with power but not me.
So when I saw that the PPI had a program with a 6500 cap reduction I felt it was time to move forward.
But even this move I have hedged my bet I only got a 2 year lease. There are reports of order of magnitude pricing of battery packs by 2015. But time will tell. Another fact was the quality, consumer reports and my experience with the Prius Brand is outstanding.
So at this point I am tracking 790 miles on this tank.
How is this possible? Charging Charging Charging.
See the next post for this story
TESLA DRAMATICALLY EXPANDS SUPERCHARGER NETWORK
TESLA DRAMATICALLY EXPANDS SUPERCHARGER NETWORK, DELIVERING CONVENIENT, FREE LONG DISTANCE DRIVING THROUGHOUT U.S. AND CANADA
THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2013
PALO ALTO, Calif.– Tesla Motors today announced significant expansion of the Tesla Supercharger network. Supercharging enables Tesla Model S drivers to travel long distances, for free, indefinitely.
The expansion of the network builds upon the success of the Tesla Supercharger network that covers California and Nevada on the west coast and the Washington, DC to Boston region on the east coast. The Tesla Supercharger network has enabled an estimated 1 million miles of driving since going live in October 2012. Superchargers are designed for city to city travel, enabling Model S electric vehicle drivers to travel for about three hours, take a 20 to 30 minute break to grab lunch or a soda or coffee, and get back on the road charged up. For free.
With the accelerated rollout of the Tesla Supercharger network, Model S drivers can expect:
Triple the number of Tesla Supercharger stations by the end of next month, including additional stations in California, coverage of the northwest region from Vancouver to Seattle to Portland, Austin to Dallas in Texas, Illinois and Colorado. There will also be four additional eastern seaboard stations, expanding the density of the network to provide for more convenient stopping points.
Within six months the Tesla Supercharger network will connect most of the major metro areas in the US and Canada, including expansion into Arizona, additional stations in Texas, Florida, and the Midwest, stations connecting Ottawa to Montreal, and across North and South Carolina into Georgia. It will also be possible to travel diagonally across the country from Los Angeles to New York using only the Tesla Supercharger network.
A year from now, the Tesla Supercharger network will stretch across the continent, covering almost the entire population of the US and Canada. The expansion of the network will mean that Model S drivers can take the ultimate road trip — whether that’s LA to New York, Vancouver to San Diego, or Montreal to Miami – without spending a cent on fuel.
In addition to the expansion of the Tesla Supercharger network itself, Tesla is improving the technology behind the Tesla Supercharger to dramatically decrease the amount of time it takes to charge Model S, cutting charging time in half relative to early trials of the system. The new technology, which is in beta test mode now and will be fully rolled out to customers this summer, will allow Model S to be charged at 120 kW, replenishing three hours of driving in just over 20 minutes.
Video of announcement
Understanding EV power usage – Ford Fusion Energi Display
A very informative video on how to understand how your driving demands are being served by the Fusion Energi.
http://youtu.be/1WoaxDrIIVo
Posted in FORD, Technology
Comments Off on Understanding EV power usage – Ford Fusion Energi Display
Collaboratev provides drivers access to EV charging stations on any affiliated network.
ECOtality and ChargePoint Establish Interoperability Company, Collaboratev, LLC
Collaboratev provides drivers
access to EV charging statio
ns on any affiliated network.
SAN FRANCISCO and CAMPBELL, Calif. March 7, 2013 –
ChargePoint, Inc.
and
ECOtality, Inc.
(NASDAQ:
ECTY
) announced today the formation of Collabor
atev, LLC. Collaborate
v will enable charging
network interoperability,
exchange session data and a
llow financial billing reco
nciliation services among
electric vehicle charging networks. The new co
mpany will actively encourage
other charging network
providers to join as affiliates
and enable EV drivers through
out the United States to seamlessly charge
among all affiliated charging network
s. ChargePoint and ECOtality will
connect the Char
gePoint and Blink
networks to Collaboratev later this year.
Collaboratev’s objectives include:
Provide EV drivers with easy access to par
ticipating charging stations using common
authentication credentials
Enable one bill for all charging usage
Accurately provide aggregated EV
charging station location data
Utilize open national in
teroperability standards
“Interoperability for EV drivers is another milestone in
the widespread adoption of electric vehicles,” said
Pat Romano, president and CEO of
ChargePoint, Inc. “Collaboratev w
ill give EV drivers access to all
stations, locations, availability and m
apping features in the public domain.”
“This is a clear sign of market maturation by
establishing a seamless process for EV drivers to charge
across networks,” stated Ravi Brar, CEO of ECOtalit
y. “As industry leaders, we want to ensure we are
always putting the needs of our customers first. We
are fostering an open ecosystem and invite others to
join us in making it easy for EV dr
ivers nationwide to get the charge
they need whenever and wherever
they are.”
“The creation of a vendor agnostic payment processi
ng and authentication syst
em for EV charging would
alleviate consumer concern of being tied to one char
ging network and would therefore make electric
vehicles more attractive to mainstream vehicle buye
rs,” said John Gartner, research director of smart
transportation at Pike Research.
For more information regarding this joint venture, please visit
www.collaboratev.com
.
About ChargePoint
ChargePoint is the largest online network of indep
endently owned EV charging stations operating in 14
countries. ChargePoint provides everything an EV stati
on owner needs to deliver turnkey electric vehicle
charging services in their parking lots. For driver
s, ChargePoint provides
state-of-the-art features
including the ability to locate, re
serve and navigate to uno
ccupied charging stations
with online tools and
mobile applications. ChargePoint locations may be
found online and are included on the free ChargePoint
Posted in charging
Comments Off on Collaboratev provides drivers access to EV charging stations on any affiliated network.
VOLKSWAGEN ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF XL1, THE WORLD’S MOST EFFICIENT PRODUCTION CAR
VOLKSWAGEN ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF XL1, THE WORLD’S MOST EFFICIENT PRODUCTION CAR
• Volkswagen to produce XL1 at its Osnabrück plant in Germany, using carbonfiber technology
• The XL1 is the most aerodynamic production car ever, with a Cd of 0.19
• 261 mpg combined fuel consumption was a vision—now it’s a reality
Vw XL1
Wolfsburg, Germany – The XL1 from Volkswagen is the most fuel-efficient production car in the world, with a European combined fuel consumption rating of 261 mpg. Thanks to its plug-in hybrid system, this two-seat vehicle can also cover up to 32 miles as a zero-emissions vehicle in all-electric mode.
The XL1 is an automotive standout that follows pure sports-car design principles: light weight (1753 pounds), exceptional aerodynamics (Cd 0.19), and a low center of gravity. This super-efficient Volkswagen thus has the ability to cruise down the road at a constant 62 mph while using just 8.3 horsepower. In all-electric mode, the XL1 requires less than 0.1 kWh to cover more than a kilometer.
The XL1 emits just 21 g/km of CO2, thanks to its high-tech lightweight design, aerodynamic efficiency, and a plug-in hybrid system consisting of a 47-hp two-cylinder TDI® engine, a 27-hp electric motor, a seven-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission, and a lithium-ion battery. The 261 mpg fuel consumption figure is a record that has not been achieved by any other vehicle to date, showing that Volkswagen is redefining what is technically feasible in the automotive industry. The XL1 also has a top speed of 99 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 12.7 seconds.
Conceptually, the XL1 represents the third evolutionary stage of Volkswagen’s 1-liter car strategy. When the new millennium was ushered in, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Piëch, currently Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG, formulated the visionary goal of putting into production a practical car that had combined fuel consumption of one liter per 100 km (235 mpg). In the two-seat XL1, this vision has become reality.
Despite the tremendous efficiency of the XL1, the engineers and designers successfully came up with a body design which delivers more everyday utility than the two previous prototypes. In the L1, the 1-liter car that was shown in 2002 and 2009, the driver and passenger sat in a tandem arrangement for optimal aerodynamics; in the XL1, the two occupants sit slightly offset, side by side, almost like a conventional vehicle.
The XL1 is 153.1 inches long, 65.6 in wide, and just 45.4 in tall. By comparison, a Volkswagen Polo is slightly longer (156.3 in) and wider (66.2 in), but is significantly taller (57.6 in). Even a purebred sports car like today’s Porsche Boxster is 5.1 inches taller. The XL1 will look spectacular going down the highway—a car of the future, built for today.
About Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen’s operations in the United States include research and development, parts and vehicle processing, parts distribution centers, sales, marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Eos, Golf, Golf R, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Passat, CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan vehicles through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers.
Notes:
This press release and images of the XL1 are available at media.vw.com.
“DSG”, “TDI”, “VW”, “Volkswagen”, all model names and the Volkswagen logo are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG.
24 hour test drive 2012 Nissan Leaf
We live with a 2012 Nissan Leaf SL for 24 hours to see how it feels to live life in 80 mile increments.
Turns out fun.
Megafactories Tesla Model S
An amazing Video of the building of the Tesla Fremont CA Factory.
(c) National Geographic Channel
http://youtu.be/VUgDcA1pZAM
More Photos
Posted in Technology, Tesla
Comments Off on Megafactories Tesla Model S
2013 Nissan leaf with the new EPA rating
An informative and interesting article on the new 2013 Nissan Leaf and the rules for the new EPA ratings.
2013 Nissan LEAF Rated At 75 Miles. But 84 Miles Using The Outgoing 2012 EPA Ratings System
Posted in Nissan Leaf
Comments Off on 2013 Nissan leaf with the new EPA rating
EV Charging Station Opens to Public in Media, PA
EV Charging Station Opens to Public in Media, PA
MEDIA, PA Media’s first electric vehicle charging station opened to the public today at 11 S. Jackson Street, in the parking lot in back of the Media Firehouse.
Electric car owners can charge at the station for an hourly fee. Hooked up to the “Level II” charging station, most current electric vehicles could top off their batteries from half full in about four hours.
Community Energy, the company that owns and operates the EV Charging Station, has long been a leader in wind and solar energy and supplies the EV Station with Pennsylvania Wind Energy production to give drivers the added assurance of using clean fuel for their cars. Community Energy hopes that this charging station will help raise public awareness about electric vehicles and their potential as a primary mode of transportation for the public.
About Community Energy, Inc.
Community Energy, Inc. (CEI) has been leading renewable energy development since its founding in 1999. By launching the market for direct sales of renewable energy to retail electric customers, CEI first leveraged electric choice to build demand for new renewable projects, and went on to deliver wind energy at significant scale. In 2009, CEI expanded into solar project development, focusing on utility-grade projects in advancing solar markets. CEI continues to lead the industry by offering the full economic and environmental advantages of solar and wind energy to its array of customers and utility partners. The Company has a proven track record of delivering on its mission of a renewable energy future that works for its customers, partners and investors. For more information, visit www.CommunityEnergyInc.com.
Contact:
Community Energy, Inc.
Jay Carlis
484-868-3699
Borough of Media
Jeffrey A. Smith
610-566-5210 ext. 242
Posted in charging
Comments Off on EV Charging Station Opens to Public in Media, PA